Pop Shots - Big Winners

Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week Pop Shots is hitting you with thoughts on everything from Ed Sheeran finishing the year on top of a very big chart, to the Juno Awards announcing some of their lineup of performers, to Sam Smith proving how advanced he was at a very early age, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.

* Spotify announced their most streamed artists of 2014, and Ed Sheeran came out on top, with Katy Perry being the most streamed female artist, and Coldplay being the most streamed group. The high ranking for Coldplay must mean that building’s nationwide are now using some sort of "Sounds of the Elevator" Spotify playlist in lieu of the Muzak of yesteryear.

* If you don't have plans for New Year's Eve, Ryan Seacrest is hoping to dominate your evening, as his New Year's Rockin' Eve has just added Florida Georgia Line, and Idina Menzel to a lineup that already included Taylor Swift, Gavin DeGraw, and Lady Antebellum. This year's edition of the annual TV special will start at 8pm and last five and a half hours, which is only five hours, 29 minutes, and 50 seconds longer than anyone cares to watch a New Year's Eve special.

* Canada's version of the Grammys are the Juno Awards, and this past week they announced the first four acts that will be performing at their 2015 ceremony – Kiesza, Hedley, Shawn Mendes, and MAGIC!, the latter apparently milking their one hit single for as long as they possibly can before returning to covering Sublime songs in Canadian watering holes. This year's show featured Maple Leif Garrett (aka Justin Bieber) getting showered with boos. I'm not sure how they're going to top that, but I think it's high time Snow was given a lifetime achievement award. Make it happen, Junos!


* Normally if you see a 56 year old woman’s breasts it's because you accidentally walked in on someone in a clothing store dressing room. Interview magazine is banking on you actually enjoying those life scarring, forever burned into your retinas, moments, as they have Madonna showing off breasts in their latest issue. Copies will be delivered to Madonna’s kids with a special letter opener, so they can gouge their own eyes out and/or commit seppuku.

* In an interview with Howard Stern, Lady Gaga intimated that she was sexually assaulted by someone she worked with earlier in her career. This prompted Kesha's attorney, Mark Geragos, to make the claim that the person in question was Dr. Luke, whom Kesha currently has a lawsuit against for the same offense. Geragos' accusation came via Twitter, and both Dr. Luke, and Lady Gaga's teams are denying its validity. I'm just wondering how a global pop star ends up hiring a lawyer who engages in Twitter beef like a high school girl. He must have had one heck of a bus ad to have inspired her to place that call.

* Rejoice boy band lovers, a Backstreet Boys documentary titled Backstreet Boys: Show 'Em What You're Made Of, will hit U.S. theaters and VOD on January 30th, followed by a spring airing on VH1. The film covers the group's recording of their most recent album, and their subsequent tour. Am I the only one who thinks this should be shown in IMAX theaters since BSB are, ahem, "Larger Than Life?"


* Sam Smith made an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show where he discussed his decision to go public about being gay well before his album's release, saying he didn't want people to think he was using his sexuality as a promotional tool. Smith added that he came out to his mother when he was four years old. When I was four years old I was stoked for milk and cookies after nap time. Sam Smith was already figuring out which box to check on his dating profile. Thanks for making the rest of the world look slow, bro.

* British pop star Robbie Williams released an album this past week completely out of the blue. Much like Beyonce's latest effort, Williams' Under the Radar Vol 1., a collection of previously unreleased songs, simply became available for sale. The album is currently exclusively on Williams' site, with a three tiered pricing option (download, CD, autographed CD). In a related story, dozens of other former boy band members have been releasing solo albums without any sort of promotion, as well, although not necessarily by choice.

* Did you know Lily Allen had a record label? "Had" being the operative word here, as Allen's ITNO, which stood for In The Name Of, has officially folded just three years, and two signed acts, into its existence. After seeing initial success releasing singer Tom Odell's debut album, the label only signed one other act, pop duo Cults, and Sony wasn't interested in paying Allen $150k per year for that kind of output. Sony might want to watch their back, though, since we've all seen how Allen reacts to breakups...


And with that, my time is up for the week, but I'll be back next week with more shots on all things pop.