Cover Songs Part of Speak Now Tour

Musicians are finding new ways to make their concerts more memorable. Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter, Taylor Swift, knows how to do just that. She started her Speak Now Tour in Asia earlier this year, and she is currently on her U.S. portion of the tour. If her many costume changes and elaborate sets aren't enough of a show for fans, she has also started covering artists' songs who are natives in the specific city she is performing. In addition, numerous singers such as Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, and Justin Bieber, have surprised fans and joined her on stage. Swift has covered "Baby" by Justin Bieber in Canada and "Lose Yourself" by Eminem in Michigan. One of my favorites is "Keep Your Head Up" by Andy Grammer. Grammer was actually present at the Nashville concert and sang with Swift. Although Grammer isn't from Nashville, having a guest performer is always exciting for fans. I feel that this addition makes her tour even more interesting and exciting for her fans because they aren't expecting her to sing any songs other than her own. Swift loves engaging her fans and surprising them, which is evident with these cover songs. Without a doubt, she has brought something new to her concerts that has created interest from her fans, as they wait to hear what song she will play next. I think that by doing this, Swift has allowed each of her shows to be different and unique. On November 21, a Speak Now CD/DVD will be released, allowing people to experience her tour again or for the first time (if fans weren't able to attend one of her concerts) and will include various bonus features and behind the scenes content. After finishing the US leg of her tour in New York, New York, Swift and crew will bring the Speak Now tour to Australia and New Zealand starting March 2, 2012.

Facebook Adds Music Feature to Advance Site

This past Thursday, Facebook had its F8 conference where Mark Zuckerberg announced major changes to the popular social networking site. Currently, only developers can access the new features that have been announced. On September 29, Facebook will launch its new features, including a timeline of a person's "Facebook life," more specific "like" buttons, and access to music. People now have the opportunity to listen to what their friends are listening to and can find new artists. The only downside to these new additions is that both you and your friend must have the same music service, such as Spotify, in order to listen to the same songs. Furthermore, this initial change will only be available for six months free and after that, the music companies will charge a fee for their music or will set a limit on how many songs you can listen to per month. Fortunately, there will be other options, including free or paid accounts, that you can use to access music on Facebook. These changes will spark advertising for Facebook because people will be spending more time on the site and sharing things they like to their friends.

I believe the new Facebook will be successful because of the advanced features it will contain. New artists can advertise their music online and have a greater chance of becoming more well known compared to the past. Not only can people share music, but they can also share basically anything that they find interesting. Updating their website and adding numerous features will help Facebook compete with other social networks like Google+. For more about Facebook's new updates that will be coming this Thursday, check out the following link: New Facebook.

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Ed Sheeran, an emerging artist from the UK, recently performed at the iTunes Music Festival in London. His new album, +, features the popular song "The A Team" and showcases his vocals. Sheeran is classified as a pop singer/songwriter, but he also demonstrates that he can rap and beatbox. The orange-haired twenty year old proves to be an exception to the typical alternative rock sound I thought I would hear from him. Sheeran has great potential and is likely to gain popularity in the United States, following other popular European artists, including The Script, Adele, and Leona Lewis. To find out more about Sheeran and listen to his other music, visit the Ed Sheeran website.

"Own The Night" Misses the Mark

Lady Antebellum's new album "Own The Night" was released on Tuesday, September 13, 2011. Notable hits include, "Just a Kiss," "Dancin' Away With My Heart," "Wanted You More," and "We Owned the Night." For the most part, the album contains the strong in-tune voices of Hillary Scott and Charles Kelley. Although this album may not be as successful as its predecessor, "Need You Now," avid country fans will nevertheless buy it, and it is currently the number one selling album on various charts, including iTunes. Lady Antebellum's lyrics are meaningful and are highlighted with strong vocals. I enjoyed the album, but I was expecting a little bit more because of what "Need You Now" provided. Overall though, "Own The Night" is an album that proves why Lady Antebellum is an award-winning trio worth listening to.

Pop Chips helps emerging bands gain recognition through free downloads

Pop Chips, a healthier alternative to normal chips, is currently featuring many new artists from around the United States and offering free music downloads to listeners. One such group is Goodbye Coastline with their single "Mister Disaster." Their lyrics are simple and straightforward. They have a traditional alternative band sound, and this song is good for anybody trying to find a new band with potential. The song is upbeat and provides a starting point for Goodbye Coastline to gain popularity. The free downloads that Pop Chips is offering enables unknown artists to see whether people enjoy their music. I think that Pop Chips is helping their company expand, as well as aiding new artists become mainstream. If you want to find other potential artists, then visit Pop Chips Facebook page.

Kira & The Strange Familiar's "Being Me"

"Being Me" is an interesting song that holds my attention until the end. Not only are the lyrics meaningful, but the layers of clothing, various wigs, and fake eyelashes add perspective to the overall song as a whole. Kira continues to take off various pieces of clothing while walking down the street, which shows her lack of caring of what others think and reiterate the overall importance of "Being Me." This song is part of Kira & The Strange's new EP "Chasing Shadows", and if you want to hear more from them, look for their album that comes out this Friday, September 9.

He Is We collaborates with Owl City in new single

He Is We, a group composed of Rachel Taylor and Trevor Kelly, team up with Owl City in their newly released song, All About Us. The light introduction that uses guitar and bells makes me feel relaxed about what I'm about to hear. When Taylor's voice joins the ongoing melody, I feel reassured, as she comments that "It'll be alright." Then I suddenly feel empowered by the chorus and can begin understanding the story behind the lyrics. Adam Young's melodic voice creates more comfort, serving as the man's perspective that reassures the female character that he will always love her even though she is diagnosed with cancer. I enjoyed the exchanges between Taylor and Young because they portrayed the mutual feeling of love and happiness that couples share no matter what circumstances may come up. All About Us is a pleasant song that leaves you with that "feel-good" feeling. He Is We and Owl City make a good team, and I couldn't have imagined any other groups to make this song sound as authentic as they did.