April 2025
Set List
1. Happy Birthday
2. Thriller
3. Anniversary
4. Arrival
5. My Girl
6. Precious
7. Girls on Film
8. If I Ever Lose My Faith In You
9. Everybody Wants You
10. Where Are You Going
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Michael Jackson - Invincible
Invincible
10th & Final album
Released in October 2001
Genres considered - R&B, Pop, Soul
Themes - Love, Romance, Isolation, Media criticism, Social issues
$30 million to record - most expensive album ever made
No. 1 on Billboard 200
No. 1 in 13 countries
"You Rock My World" - No. 10 on Billboard Hot 100 & 2002 Grammy Nomination (Best Male Pop Vocal Performance)
Review Scores -
AllMusic - 3/5 Stars
Blender - 2/5 Stars
Entertainment Weekly - C-
The Guardian - 2/5 Stars
NME - 6/10
Q - 3/5 Stars
Rolling Stone - 3/5 Stars
The Rolling Stone Album Guide - 1/5 Stars
Slant Magazine - 2.5/5 Stars
The Village Voice - A-
Track List -
1. Unbreakable
2. Heartbreaker
3. Invincible
4. Break of Dawn
5. Heaven Can Wait
6. You Rock My World
7. Butterflies
8. Speechless
9. 2000 Watts
10. You Are My Life
11. Privacy
12. Don't Walk Away
13. Cry
14. The Lost Children
15. Whatever Happens
16. Threatened
Chart - 2009
Australian Albums - 37
European Albums - 64
Italian Albums - 18
Mexican Albums - 29
Swiss Albums - 84
U.S. Catalog Albums - 9
U.S. Digital Albums - 12
- Certified Gold in Argentina, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, & Sweden
- Certified Platinum in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, & the UK
- Certified 2x Platinum in Australia, South Africa, & the U.S.
Monday, April 28, 2025
Birthday Season - Red Carpet Massacre
On April 23, Prince Louis celebrated his birthday. On April 26, Roger Taylor celebrated his birthday. On April 29, I will celebrate my birthday alongside Duke, Jerry, Michelle, and more I am certain I can name here. April truly defines birthday season. (Of course, Prince William and Princess Catherine stole the spotlight with their wedding on April 29, 2011.)
On April 29, 2008, I celebrated my last birthday as an undergraduate. On May 9, 2008, I graduated from college. On May 14, 2008, I went to my first (and only) concert featuring the one and only Duran Duran. The concert was in promotion of Red Carpet Massacre.
The concert was the ultimate birthday/graduation gift. So let's talk about RCM.
Red Carpet Massacre was released in November 2007. Read the full story on Wikipedia.
Track List -
1. The Valley
2. Red Carpet Massacre
3. Nite Runner
4. Falling Down
5. Box Full O' Honey
6. Skin Divers
7. Tempted
8. Tricked Out
9. Zoom In
10. She's Too Much
11. Dirty Great Monster
12. Last Man Standing
2007 Charts -
No. 44 on UK Albums
No. 36 on Billboard 200
No. 5 on Billboard Top Alternative Albums
No. 8 on Billboard Top Rock Albums
While not released in the month of April, I enjoy the album most at this time of year for reasons mentioned above.
This post concludes the Birthday Season theme and Red Carpet Massacre is perfect to cap off the celebration.
Sunday, April 27, 2025
White Gold - Michelle Pfeiffer
Michelle Marie Pfeiffer
b. April 29, 1958
American actress
Most acclaimed films -
The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989)
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Dangerous Liaisons (1988)
Hairspray (2007)
Married to the Mob (1988)
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
The Age of Innocence (1993)
Batman Returns (1992)
Scarface (1983)
Where Is Kyra? (2017)
The Prince of Egypt (1998)
Stardust (2007)
(Full career)
Awards -
Golden Globe + 7 Nominations
BAFTA
Primetime Emmy Nomination
3 Academy Award Nominations
Point of interest - Michelle Pfeiffer is not formally trained in acting.
People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World
- Featured on the inaugural cover 1990 (as well as in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, & 1999).
- One of the most beautiful women of all time (2004)
Los Angeles Times Magazine
Among "50 Most Beautiful Women in Film" (2011)
Vogue Paris
One of the 21 most beautiful American actresses of all time (2020)
Michelle Pfeiffer is a "pop music muse," such as in "Uptown Funk" and "Riptide" (Vance Joy - Australian singer-songwriter).
Other -
Face of Giorgio Armani's 2005 Spring Collection
Launched Henry Rose fine fragrances in 2019
Endorsed Saint Laurent's Summer 2025 Summer Collection
Michelle Pfeiffer is well known for shying away from publicity and press interviews. Michelle considers herself a fraud for lacking film studies. She is seen as a sex symbol.
Where many actors and actresses tend to promote projects under the limelight, allowing her work to speak on her behalf is an impressive and admirable quality in a true disciplined actress.
Michelle Pfeiffer was once typecast based on her looks. She has since garnered roles based on her talent. However...
...she will always be white gold to Bruno Mars and pop culture.
(For one other reason behind this post - we share a birthday.)
Saturday, April 26, 2025
Friday, April 25, 2025
Thursday, April 24, 2025
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (2020) - No. 1
Rolling Stone - 2020
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
No. 1 - What's Going On
by Marvin Gaye
Released in May 1971
11th album by Marvin Gaye
Genres considered - Soul, R&B, Progressive Soul, Psychedelic Soul
No. 1 on Billboard Top LPs
"...classic of 1970s soul..."
"...one of the greatest albums of all time..."
"...landmark recording in popular music..."
Best album of all time - NME (New Musical Express, 1985)
No. 49 on Pitchfork's Top 100 Albums of the 1970s (2004)
No. 1 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (2020)
"Greatest Album of the 20th Century" (The Guardian, 1999)
Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (1998)
Entered into the National Recording Registry (2003)
"What's Going On"
- Released in January 1971
- Title track/Lead single
- No. 2 on Billboard Hot 100
- No. 1 on Billboard Soul Singles
- No. 4 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (No. 6 in 2021 & 2024)
- No. 15 on Rolling Stone's The 100 Best Protest Songs of All Time (2025)
Review Scores -
AllMusic - 5/5 Stars
Chicago Tribune - 4/4 Stars
MusicHound R&B - 5/5
The Observer - 5/5 Stars
Rolling Stone - 4/5 Stars
The Rolling Stone Album Guide - 5/5 Stars
Slant Magazine - 4/5 Stars
The Village Voice - B
Track List -
Side One -
1. What's Going On
2. What's Happening Brother
3. Flyin' High (In the Friendly Sky)
4. Save the Children
5. God is Love
6. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
Side Two -
1. Right On
2. Wholy Holy
3. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
Certified Gold in the U.S.
Certified Platinum in the UK
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
April Special - Michael Jackson's Highest Certified Singles
Michael Joseph Jackson
August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009
Forever treasure - the "King of Pop"
Read more on Wikipedia.
Of the ten studio albums in Michael Jackson's name, Thriller is first to come to mind. Of the combined track listings from those ten studio albums, "Thriller" is first to come to mind.
In the post covering Michael Jackson's highest charting albums, three stood out the most - Thriller, Bad, & HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. All three reached No. 1 charting across the board, from the U.S. to the UK and elite sources in between.
In this post, I will highlight the highest certified singles from the albums above.
- Thriller -
"Thriller"
Side One - No. 4
- Certifications -
Gold in Germany, Portugal
Platinum in Denmark, France, Italy, & Spain
2x Platinum in New Zealand, Spain, & the UK
4x Platinum + Gold in Mexico
6x Platinum in Australia & Canada
Diamond in the U.S.
"Billie Jean"
Side Two - No. 2
- Certifications -
Gold in Japan
3x Gold in Germany
Platinum in France
2x Platinum in Italy
2x Platinum + Diamond in Mexico
3x Platinum in Denmark & Spain
4x Platinum in the UK
5z Platinum in New Zealand
9x Platinum in Australia
Diamond in Canada & the U.S.
- Bad -
"Smooth Criminal"
Side Two - No. 10
- Certifications -
Gold in Germany, Italy, Japan, & Mexico
Silver in France
Platinum in Denmark & Spain
2x Platinum in New Zealand, the UK, & the U.S.
Monday, April 21, 2025
Birthday Season - Duran Duran October 2004 Concert GMA
In October 2004, Duran Duran was on a whirlwind tour in promotion of the album, Astronaut. The original lineup was back and the world was ready to celebrate.
The release and tour are far from April birthday season but...
...I am writing this post the week of Roger Taylor's birthday...in April...birthday season.
Enjoy the video below!
Sunday, April 20, 2025
Comedy Relief - Jerry Seinfeld
Jerome Allen Seinfeld
b. April 29, 1954
American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, producer
Observational comedy, Clean comedy, Deadpan
Awards -
Primetime Emmy
Golden Globe
3 Screen Actors Guild
4 Grammy Nominations
Comedy Central - 12th Greatest Stand-Up Comedian of All Time (2004)
Rolling Stone - 7th Greatest Stand-Up Comedian of All Time (2017)
Seinfeld
1989 - 1998
Co-created and wrote with Larry David
One of the most acclaimed & popular sitcoms of all time
Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
2012 - 2019
Web series
4 stand-up specials -
Stand-Up Confidential (1987)
I'm Telling You for the Last Time (1998)
Jerry Before Seinfeld (2017)
23 Hours to Kill (2020)
Books -
SeinLanguage (1993)
Halloween (2002, children's)
Is This Anything? (2020, comedic compilation)
Special interests -
Coffee, Automobiles, Transcendental Meditation
Influences -
Richard Prior, George Carlin, Bill Cosby, Don Rickles*
*"Mount Rushmore of stand-up comedy"
Jerry Lewis, Abbott and Costello, and others
Monty Python - "They were just about silly, funny things that meant nothing, and that's the stuff I love."
Those influenced by Jerry Seinfeld -
John Mulaney, Ellen DeGeneres, Nate Bargatze, and others
Comedy album collection -
Lenny Bruce - Thank You Masked Man (1972)
George Carlin - Class Clown (1972)
Steve Martin - Let's Get Small (1977)
Bob Newhart - The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart (1960)
Mike Nichols and Elaine May - Improvisations to Music (1958)
Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner - 2000 and One Years with Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks (1961)
Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, Queens College (1994)
Honorary Doctor of Arts, Duke University (2024)
Set List is defined by anything music. Over time, music has inspired fashion. Throughout historic and modern time, music has helped shape culture. For this reason, I chose to write this post...For one other (and special) reason - we share a birthday.
Saturday, April 19, 2025
Sixteen Candles Film + Soundtrack
1984 American Teen
Coming-of-age Comedy
Directed by John Hughes
Written by John Hughes
Produced by Hilton A. Green, Michelle Manning, & Ned Tanen
Cast -
Molly Ringwald
Anthony Michael Hall
Michael Schoeffling
Budget - $6.5 million ... Box Office - $23.6 million
Accolades -
Young Artist Awards (by the Young Artist Foundation)
Molly Ringwald - Best Young Actress in a Motion Picture
Anthony Michael Hall - Best Young Actor in a Motion Picture
No. 8 on Entertainment Weekly's The 50 Best High School Movies
- Soundtrack -
Released in 1984
Genres considered - Rock, New Wave
Track Listing -
Side One -
1. 16 Candles
2. Hang Up the Phone
3. Geek Boogie
Side Two -
1. Gloria
2. If You Were Here
Friday, April 18, 2025
Thursday, April 17, 2025
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (2020) - No. 2
Rolling Stone - 2020
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
No. 2 - Pet Sounds
by The Beach Boys
Released in May 1966
11th album by The Beach Boys
Genres considered - Progressive Pop, Chamber Pop, Psychedelic Pop, Art Rock
No. 1 on The Times - The 100 Best Albums of All Time (1993)
No. 1 on New Musical Express - New Musical Express Writers Top 100 Albums (1993)
No. 1 on Mojo - 100 Greatest Albums of All Time (1995)
No. 6 on The Guardian - 100 Best Albums Ever (1997)
No. 12 on Q - 100 Greatest Albums Ever (2006)
No. 10 on The Observer - The 50 Albums That Changed Music (2006)
No. 2 on Rolling Stone - The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (2012, 2020, 2023)
No. 1 on Uncut - 200 Greatest Albums of All Time (2016)
No. 2 on Pitchfork - The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s (2017)
Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (1998)
Entered into the National Recording Registry (2004)
Review Scores -
AllMusic - 5/5 Stars
Chicago Sun Times - 4/4 Stars
Chicago Tribune - 4/4 Stars
Encyclopedia of Popular Music - 5/5 Stars
Entertainment Weekly - A+
Q - 5/5 Stars
Rolling Stone - 5/5 Stars
The Rolling Stone Album Guide - 5/5 Stars
Slant Magazine - 5/5 Stars
Track Listing -
Side One -
1. Wouldn't It Be Nice
2. You Still Believe in Me
3. That's Not Me
4. Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)
5. I'm Waiting for the Day
6. Let's Go Away for Awhile
7. Sloop John B
Side Two -
1. God Only Knows
2. I Know There's an Answer
3. Here Today
4. I Just Wasn't Made for These Times
5. Pet Sounds
6. Caroline, No
Certified Platinum in the U.S.
Certified 2x Platinum in the UK
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
James Brown - "I Got You (I Feel Good)" | Concert for the Rock & Roll Ha...
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Celebrate!
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
The Track List
Every great album has a story, a background, a reason, a method. The recording process is inspired. The album title is inspired. The track list is inspired...
...and every great album is because of the track list. In this April Special, I am presenting the track lists to the Michael Jackson albums noted in the post below.
As I always say - Play it!
- Thriller -
Side One -
1. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
2. Baby Be Mine
3. The Girl Is Mine
4. Thriller
Side Two -
5. Beat It
6. Billie Jean
7. Human Nature
8. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
9. The Lady in My Life
- Bad -
Side One -
1. Bad
2. The Way You Make Me Feel
3. Speed Demon
4. Liberian Girl
5. Just Good Friends
Side Two -
6. Another Part of Me
7. Man in the Mirror
8. I Just Can't Stop Loving You
9. Dirty Diana
10. Smooth Criminal
11. Leave Me Alone
- HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I -
Disc One:
HIStory Begins/Greatest Hits: HIStory, Volume I
1. Billie Jean
2. The Way You Make Me Feel
3. Black or White
4. Rock with You
5. She's Out of My Life
6. Bad
7. I Just Can't Stop Loving You
8. Man in the Mirror
9. Thriller
10. Beat It
11. The Girl Is Mine
12. Remember the Time
13. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
14. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
15. Heat the World
Disc Two: HIStory Continues
1. Scream
2. They Don't Care About Us
3. Stranger in Moscow
4. This Time Around
5. Earth Song
6. D.S.
7. Money
8. Come Together
9. You Are Not Alone
10. Childhood
11. Tabloid Junkie
12. 2 Bad
13. HIStory
14. Little Susie/Pie Jesu
15. Smile
April Special - Michael Jackson's Highest Charting Albums
Michael Joseph Jackson
August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009
The music industry and fans worldwide lost the "King of Pop" far too soon. Michael Jackson is a forever treasure as a performer and entertainer. Read more on Wikipedia.
Of the ten studio albums Michael Jackson recorded, the most well known was of course Thriller. The songs and the music videos left a lasting impression that has yet to be surpassed by contemporary artists. Michael truly is a forever treasure.
With that said, the following albums are noted as Michael Jackson's highest charting in the U.S. alone.
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