Feed Limmy Albums of 2012: #10 – #1

Are these really my Top 10 albums of 2012? I mean, over the last 12 months I’ve been making mental notes of LPs I’ve come across that really stood out to me as Top 10 material but it wasn’t until I started ranking them that it sank in how much I’ve enjoyed, learned from, and connected with each one of them in different parts of the year.

2012 has been a really special year for me and one I’ll probably look back on as the year I chose to be happy. I’ve never consciously thought about happiness as being something I choose to attain or achieve for myself. I had always expected for happiness to simply happen as a reaction to something.

I’ve had the pleasure of travelling overseas by myself for the first time this year, I’ve met and hung out with some awesome people in London, Paris, Brisbane and here back home in Melbourne. Making the move to breakfast radio and receiving a broadcasting award from the station after five years on air was such a surprise and delightful moment of validation. I felt my confidence come back to me, not as it was before I lost it, but in a new and slightly more bulletproof form. I was excited by change, I was opening myself to new experiences and beneath all these experiences, the music never stopped.

Although it has been a year of playlists and tailoring my own listening experiences, I’ve been really inspired by a handful of artists who have come through with really good albums. These Top 10 albums of 2012 have all inspired me and my personal exploration as a songwriter and artist (it still feels weird for me to refer to myself as a singer even though I know I can sing. I am not ready for the pressure of being a ‘singer’). There are glossy pop albums here, creative projects that opened me up to new styles and influences, and grand singer/songwriter albums.

As much as I love blogging about music, I’m really excited to explore the possibilities of being an artist myself and that’s pretty much what I’m gonna focus my time and energy on in the new year. Friends, you gotta follow your bliss.

Chart Feed – 22.10.12

Well this is a really good value Chart Feed compilation, I have to say. Well, as good as it can be without Girls Aloud and Brandy to really discuss, of course. So until then, you just have to deal.

This has been a good week for our Aussie pop prince Guy Sebastian and songbird Delta Goodrem, new girlband sensation Little Mix and triumphantly, Taylor Swift matches Adele‘s US digital song chart record.

Chart Feed – 01.10.12

“Oppa gangnam style!” *drops the beat*

You know when your parents start to recognise a internet viral music video that it’s well and truly time for everyone else to move on.

It has been a tremendous week for K-pop sensation PSY‘s ‘Gangnam Style’, not only is it officially the most ‘liked’ video in the history of the internet – the track has also successfully topped the Australian and UK charts to become the first Korean pop single to do so.

Its crossover chart success in the Western market is just mind-blowing, no doubt bringing a whole lot of national pride for South Koreans everywhere.

Elsewhere, it has also been a great week for Pink, Mumford and Sons, Conor Maynard, Brandy and Christina “I think you already know my weight!” Aguilera.

Quick Feed: Rihanna ‘Diamonds’, Kylie, Nelly Furtado ‘Parking Lot’ remixes, Ke$ha and Dragonette

Y’all must be wondering what have I been doing with myself in the last week, only managing to turn out one post. Short answer to a superfluously long-winded response: I was avoiding spending even more time in front of the computer.

September is setting on an incredible month for new albums, as testified in our Monday Chart Feeds. But as you can imagine, it’s all about to hit you in the worst way in the coming months.

Rihanna cuts another new album with ‘Diamonds’.

Pop vixen Rihanna remains unstoppable as she readies a new single from a new album for the fourth consecutive year.

‘Diamonds’ – the lead single from her forthcoming seventh studio album – will make its radio premiere world wide at 10pm tonight AEST, and hit iTunes stores across the planet at 11pm.

The undoubtedly epic song is written by Aussie indie songbird Sia – who is probably better known for breaking the bank these days with her lucrative pop music ventures – and produced by Benny Blanco, who has hemmed hits for Ke$ha and Maroon 5, and Stargate, the production duo behind RiRi‘s own gems ‘Only Girl (In The World)’, ‘S&M’ and ‘Don’t Stop The Music’.

Rihanna‘s yet-untitled new album is expected to drop in November – which is kinda tradition now given that her last three albums have all arrived in that month since 2009.

Update – here it is:

What do y’all think?

Quick Feed: J.Lo announces Australian tour, Lana Del Rey, Elen Levon and Robbie Rivera

So what did I do with the rest of my day after I found out that J.Lo was touring Australia? Honestly, does it even matter. I mean, really. The immensity of Jenny finally coming to my block was too much for my basic being to handle.

Fire up the smoke machine and throw on your Louboutins.

News broke this morning while I was on air that Jennifer Lopez is bringing her Dance Again greatest hits tour to Australian shores this December. The announcement was echoed with much rejoicing in caps locked tweets from my fellow Australian Love?rs.

Seven studio albums deep in a discography glittering with hits, and the 43-year old has never done a world tour before.

Here Down Under, J.Lo has secured two #1 singles with ‘If You Had My Love’ and more recently ‘On The Floor’ (featuring Pitbull) – however, all up she has had 17 Top 30 hits in this country. Needless to say, a few of us would know the words to at least a dozen of her songs.

Australian tour dates announced so far:

Perth Arena, Perth – 6 December
Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide – 9 December
Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne – 11 December
Allphones Arena, Sydney – 14 December
Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane – 18 December

Tickets go on sale on 21 August, so start gathering up your coins.

Chart Feed – 06.08.12

A whole season must’ve passed beneath our feet, moons come and gone, colours of the wind changed, since our last Chart Feed – but I’m now ready to immerse myself back into a regime of tireless research on Monday nights.

Perhaps once the choir of angels performing their celebratory rendition of ‘You Bring Me Joy’ has ascended back to heaven, we can begin this week’s pickings of the ARIA, UK Official and US Billboard charts.

This was a particularly rosy week for Justice Crew and Conor Maynard, featuring new entries also from The Veronicas, Kelendria Trene Rowland and Scissor Sisters.

Chart Feed – 23.04.12

Carly Rae Jepsen, you can’t shake this bitch. Her mega pop hit ‘Call Me Maybe’ continues to reign on the Australian and UK singles chart, beating down heavyweights like Delta Goodrem and Florence + The Machine.

New albums by Kate Miller-Heidke, Jason Mraz and Monica blow up the Australian, UK and US charts.

We trace the first imprints of The Voice Australia‘s impact on our ARIA Top 100 and look ahead to new releases from Reece Mastin, Maroon 5 and Alexandra Burke.