Counting Stars and NEW Musical Instruments Invented!

Do you ever get tired of just guitars, pianos, bass, drums, strings, horns and all the other instruments we've heard for decades (and centuries in some cases)? I recently came across an article about an annual competition at the Georgia Institute of Technology where they invite inventors from all over the world to come demonstrate new types of musical instruments. This year 23 inventors from 14 countries came to compete for prizes up to $5K and for recognition of their design and engineering expertise. To learn more about this very cool competition check out this link New Musical Instruments Competition.

Maybe when this is all over there's still time for me to learn a new instrument or two :)

Going forward we'll be trying to blog at least once a week and when we do we'll be featuring a new song that has gotten our attention. This weeks entry is "Counting Stars" by One Republic, the act whose original success as an unsigned act out of Colorado Springs shot them to stardom like nobodys business. That first single "Apologize" went to #2 on the US charts and we again see One Republic's "Counting Stars" recently hitting #2 on the Billboard chart (currently #6 but climbing again). If you're not one of the 182 Million people who have listened to this great song on YouTube already I invite you to check out the tune and video for "Counting Stars" It's a great pop tune that will grow on you a little bit more each time you listen.

We're heading towards the end of February already and the spring thaw has begun (60 degrees this weekend in Philadelphia). Looking forward to the rest of the thaw and some more good music as March roars into the calendar. Enjoy the last week of February and see you next month! Peace, Love & Laughter, ~Vincent James @ LoveSongs.com

Happy Valentines Day from LoveSongs.com!

Happy Valentines to everyone out there in the USA and beyond. Not sure if Valentines is celebrated much outside America (probably a Hallmark invented holiday) but hey it definitely should be.

Although I'm from the Northern parts (of the US that is),I really like this compilation of Valentines songs from the All Alabama site along with their Spotify link. Artists on the list range from Elvis, Journey, Johnny Cash, Michael Buble, Elton John and many more. Check it out here and let us know what your favorite Valentines song is: Valentines Day Song Playlist

My personal all-time favorite Valentines song would have to my wedding song that I share with my beautiful wife Joann: "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You". Written Gerry Goffin and Michael Masser, it was originally released by George Benson in 1985. But young Glenn Mederios released his version at the age of 17 and that catapulted the song and Glenn forever into our musical hearts.

Take a moment to soak in these lyrics and listen to the beautiful melody that goes with it..just a one of a kind beautiful song!

"If the road ahead is not so easy, our love will lead the way for us...like a guiding star"

"I'll be there for you if you should need me, you won't have to change a thing..I love you just the way you are"

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Hope you all have a great Valentines and if you're in the snow belt this weekend stay in and cuddle up!

Peace, Love & Laughter, ~Vincent James @ LoveSongs.com

Happy New Year 2014!

Yes I know about 10 days late to the party, but I had some very important errands to attend to :) Seriously though, there is so much commotion on Jan 1st, I sometimes like to wait a week or so till that dies down before I express my love for the New Year. Also just in case the new year is not going so well I could just choose to skip the year altogether.

The Death of Digital downloads - But WAIT there's more!

Everybody's saying it...we were finally hooked on the concept of owning our music digitally when digital download sales dropped in 2013 for the very first time (6% down). Before we get too upset it seems the lack of digital music sales has been offset by a 32 percent increase in digital music streaming. Trouble is of course, artists and songwriters make a lot less from a song streamed then digital sale. But a song can be streamed over and over again (from your phone, tablet, computer, car?) and if there is advertising or other money supporting that stream then its a good thing for the music industry. I think its way too early to tell how this is really gone turn out, but for my sake and millions of other musicians on the planet I hope there will also be a way to compensate musicians and songwriters for the art and craft.

Here's a few recent articles from Rolling Stone, Variety and Forbes magainine alll discussing the download/streaming changeover:

Rolling Stone - Digital-music-takes-a-dive-as-record-sales-slip-again-in-2013

Variety - Music-in-2013-purchases-down-6-timberlake-tops-album-sales

Forbes - The-music-industry-moves-kicking-and-screaming-into-a-streaming-world

Tune into Space Radio - Music from the Moon

You might think I'm making this up folks but I'm not and it's pretty cool. You can tune into Crater radio and literally hear the sounds of space interpreted by music. It takes data fro From NPR: "The CRaTER streaming radio station essentially gives a weather report by playing samples of instruments in various keys and pitches, interpreting conditions in space by a set of established rules. The musical instruments range from a piano to a banjo. The raw data comes from six different detectors on the spacecraft — so in a sense, it's like hearing a musical sextet from space." For the full article and to learn how to tune in click on the link below. I'm listening now and it's pretty interesting that's for sure.

NPR - Space-music-how-to-hear-solar-flares-from-the-moon

Well that's all for today kiddies - we'll be back to you next week with another edition of the love songs blog with some new and interesting music news for you.

Music, Love & Laughter

~Vincent James @ LoveSongs.com

Holiday 2013 - Christmas Across the Lands

"Christmas Across the Lands" now in its 14th year!

I'm very fortunate to say that one of my songwriting partners is none other than Randy Sherwyn from Sunny 106.3 WJPT in Fort Myers, Florida. Randy also happens to be the creator of the most popular Christmas music program in the world called "Christmas Across the Lands". As a result of being heard on American Forces Network for our military, the program is now heard in 177 countries across the world. Here is an excerpt from a recent WJPT press release:

"Randy Sherwyn, Program Director for Beasley Broadcast’s Sunny 106.3 WJPT-FM and 106.3 HD2 Solid Gold 106, will host the 14th annual “Christmas Across the Lands,” a 12-hour radio Christmas show that airs mainly on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in markets across the globe. Locally, “Christmas Across the Lands” will be broadcast on Sunny 106 WJPT-FM beginning Christmas Eve Morning at 9:00 a.m. and will then run for 24 hours during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It will also air on Beasley Broadcast Southwest Florida sister station B103.9 WXKB-FM starting at 10 a.m. on Christmas Eve."

"Originating thirteen years ago as a heartfelt gift and tribute to our troops stationed overseas, as well as a holiday companion for all, “Christmas Across the Lands” is written, produced, and hosted by Randy Sherwyn. With Beasley Broadcast since 1991, Mr. Sherwyn updates and freshens the show every year, and once again “Christmas Across the Lands” for 2013 is an updated mix of music and interviews. New interviews include Richard Marx, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, B.J. Thomas, even Betty Lynn (aka Thelma Lou from “The Andy Griffith Show”) talking about that famous Andy Griffith Christmas episode."

You can stream "Christmas Across the Lands" both on Christmas Eve and Christmas by visiting Sunny 106.3 and clicking on the "Listen Live" link at the top.

I've written many songs over the years, but one of the most touching songs I've ever had the opportunity to be a part of was "Pretty Please Mister Santa". Fort Myers Sunny 106 DJ & Program Director Randy Sherwyn brought the lyrics to me in mid-2010 and when the writing and recording were done we both knew we had something very special. To date, two versions of the song have been recorded and here is a YouTube link to "Pretty Please Mister Santa" by Kris Ballerini:

That's all for this week folks - I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a most joyous New Year 2014!

~Vincent James

November is UPON us - Please don't start the holiday music parade!

Greetings and Happy November 1st - Not exactly a holiday but being the first day after Halloween its does unofficially start the holiday season. I'm okay with that except please please don't start playing Christmas music until Thanksgiving. I mean if we start playing Christmas music on Thanksgiving we'll have 4 weeks to enjoy those wonderful holiday songs leading up to Christmas. But if we start hearing them anytime sooner, I guarantee we will be more than a little tired of "Silent Night", "Rudolph" and "Frosty" by the time Santa comes down the chimney. So lets keep Christmas music special and wait till the turkey's come to town :)

Zedd+Foxes = Clarity

One of my favorite songs this past month was originally released as Single of the Week by Itunes on October 2nd, 2012. It's called "Clarity" and was produced & co-written by German/Russian artist Zedd, and features English female singer Foxes. The music starts with a perfect piano & orchestral blend, then transitions quickly into the smooth silky voice of Louisa Rose Allen (aka Foxes). I absolutely love the melodic and haunting verses which build right into a powerhouse of a chorus hook. If you haven't heard this great tune yet please check out the video below for it.

New Song Voting Charts up at LoveSongs.com

We just updated our November "Vote for Your Favorite" Songs chart - October winners were "Night Train" by Jason Aldean and "My Kind of Night" by Luke Bryan. Yep that's right, country music ruled our Love Songs chart in October ha ha. Check out several new songs added for November and vote for your favorite here: Vote for Favorite Love Song

YouTube Music Awards this Sunday November 3rd

You heard right, we now have another Music Awards show to contend with, but this time it's got social media written all over it. Why? Because pretty much all the nominations and votes come from a social media source which is a pretty cool thing. For more info check out the info in today's USAToday article YouTube Music Awards - Top 40 Meets the Internet!. The show streams live on YouTube (where else) this Sunday November 3rd beginning at 6 PM ET.

That's all for today kiddies - we'll be back to you next week with another edition of music news and other fun musical tidbits. Stay safe and make that Halloween candy last last last!

Music, Love & Laughter

~Vincent James @ LoveSongs.com

Saturday Sept 28th is International LOVE SONGS Day!

Greetings All!

Did you know that Saturday September 28th is the 4th Annual International Love Songs day? Well unless your memory is as bad as mine is sometimes, you know now haaa. This is a day where you should send (or sing :)) your love a special song to let them know just how much you care. Email or text them a YouTube link to your special song this weekend and remember the loveeeee. For all you single guys and gals, maybe its time to send a song to the cutie you've been crushin' on lately and see what happens :) Nothing ventured nothing gained I always say. Check us out on Facebook at LoveSongs.com on Facebook and let us know what your favorite love song is.

Cool new song "Brave"out now by our "Love Song" gal Sara Bareilles - Don't be afraid to say what's on your mind - check it out here - ..

We recently fell into Fall Season and hope your season is goin' great so far. More love song news and updates coming soon!

Peace, Love & Laughter

~Vincent James @ LoveSongs.com

Special song for you this "Fathers Day"

Long ago, in a far away place (okay I haven't really moved and it wasn't THAT long ago :)). Anyhow, some years back, I wrote a song for my daughter Priscilla when she was just an infant. The lyrics talk about how hard it will be for us as parents to watch her grow up, and eventually leave the nest. Well that infant is now 16 years old, and just two years away from High school graduation. My wife and I are definitely starting to FEEEL it as she gets closer to adulthood. On one hand, we love watching our children grow up, and mature into young adults, then on the other hand it's going to be so hard to let them go some day.

"Your Love is a Miracle" is the song I wrote and below is a link a live video recording I did this week in honor of Fathers Day (and the Mothers Day just passed). Some of the lyrics:

"All that I love, now she's grown up...I'll miss the days..when she was here.."

For anyone who is a parent, perhaps you can relate to this. Or maybe you are the son or daughter watching your parents go through these mixed emotions. Either way, I hope you enjoy the song and video for "Your Love is a Miracle".

Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads out there this Sunday - enjoy some extra family time - your kids and you deserve it!

Peace, Love & Laughter,

~Vincent James @ LoveSongs.com