NUMBER SEVEN

APOLOGIZE
This song was originally a song from the band OneRepublic, although it was truly Timbaland’s remix of the song that brought it the most attention. OneRepublic offers both versions of the song on their iTunes version of their album Dreaming Out Loud. Timbaland offers the remix on his triple platinum album Shock Value. If America hadn’t heard it by then, the rest did on May 21, 2008 when OneRepublic appeared on the finale’ of American Idol performing the song as a duet with Idol finalist David Archuleta.

OneRepublic has yet to prove themselves. But keep your eye on the band’s lead singer Ryan Tedder, long time singer, songwriter and producer who has penned popular songs for Natasha Bedingfield, Jennifer Lopez, Hilary Duff, Leona Lewis, and others.

Timbaland’s name has become more commonplace in the last few years, especially after the word “featuring.” You’ve probably noticed songs that say by Nelly Furtado “featuring” Timbaland, or Justin Timberlake “featuring” Timbaland. You’ve especially noticed those songs in the top 100, because people can’t get enough of Timbaland’s unique bass heavy bounce beats and “quiet murmuring” beneath the track—his signature.

Apologize is just another example of Timbaland’s icing on an already tasty cake. The music is catchy, the beat is smooth, and surprise surprise… the lyrics are clean! In fact, we saw that the song had huge potential for provoking discussions on forgiveness, so I found a MUSIC DISCUSSION you can use for free.

NUMBER EIGHT
No Air is a song about lost love, sung as a duet by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown.
• Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air
• Can't live, can't breathe with no air
• It's how I feel whenever you ain't there
• It's no air, no air



This heartbreaking song offers our list a “two-for-one special” concerning superstars. Sparks survived the scrutinizing eye of Simon Cowell when she won the 6th season of American Idol. She then went on to produce several songs in the pop/R&B genre, with her most famous one being Tattoo.

Sparks has kept her music clean for the past two years, and avoided the filth so frequently associated with her genre of music. Not only has she kept her music pure, she even spoke up in defense of sexual purity when it was criticized at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards shows by comedian Russell Brand.

The other half of this duo is the young heartbreaker, Chris Brown. He announced himself to the world in a big way, when, at the age of 16, his very first R&B/Soul single Run It! debuted at the top of the Billboard charts. Never before has a male artist’s debut single topped the charts.  

But don’t let his voice fool you; Chris may be more famous for his dance moves than his singing. This dancing machine has all the moves of Michael Jackson, and none of the lawsuits.  

Speaking of lawsuits, he has also kept it clean during his first three years in the spotlight. He even wears his pants around his waistline instead of his thighs, unlike most of his colleagues.

By the way, Brown is currently dating Rihanna. Let’s hope they influence each other in positive ways.


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Top 10 Most Downloaded Songs of 2008 part 2

NUMBER NINE
• It’s like the darkness in the light, Disturbia.
• Am I scaring you tonight? Disturbia.
• Ain’t used to what you like. Disturbia Disturbia.
These are some of the cryptic lyrics from Rihanna’s #1 hit Disturbia, which has been on the charts for 25 straight weeks. This incredibly popular song comes off her latest album Good Girls Gone Bad, which has pushed her “records-sold-worldwide” to over 11 million!

[caption id="attachment_46" align="alignleft" width="333" caption="Beautiful Rihanna"][/caption]

The bombshell, no one new to our Youth Culture Window articles, goes by the name Rihanna, though she was born Robin Rihanna Fenty in her native Barbados. She’s famous for songs like Umbrella, Don’t Stop the Music, and Take a Bow, but it was Disturbia that won her a place on this list…and an invitation from MTV to kick off their 2008 Video Music Awards show with a live rendition of it.

In the course of her short career, she’s accrued five #1 songs and six tattoos. Though she ranks 9th on the most downloaded list of 2008, she is currently perched atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart right now for her collaboration with T.I. on Live Your Life.

If you’re hoping that the title of her latest album is not a foreshadowing of content to come, you may be disappointed to hear Rihanna’s thoughts concerning her own…um… booty. “I keep working at it as I want it to be perfect,” she told the News of the World's Fabulous magazine. “It makes my clothes look good – and guys like it!”

It looks like Rihanna knows what sells in America.

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Top 10 Most Downloaded Songs of 2008

The biggest songs of 2008 were, by the most part, also the most downloaded songs of 2008. Millions of teenagers have imported these songs onto their mp3 players so they can listen to them over and over again. So, what music (and message) are teenagers cramming in via headphones?  

A Look Back
This article will count down the most downloaded songs of 2008 as charted by The Nielsen Company (which you’ll notice are very similar to Nielsen’s list of “the most listened to songs on the radio” and the list of “Billboard Number Ones” throughout 2008). Our article will not only provide a glimpse at each of the artists that sing these songs, but it will also include several excerpts from the songs’ lyrics. That way, you can take a peek at what kids have been listening to for the last year. The most popular songs from 2008 ranged from completely harmless to incredibly foul.

And here they are…

NUMBER TEN
It’s not surprising that the song 4 Minutes made it in the Top 10 when you consider the artists behind it. The tenth most downloaded song is the result of three decades of talent shoved into just two artists: Madonna and Justin Timberlake.

Madonna emerged in the 80’s but remained a hit for the next two decades. Timberlake’s career was launched in the 90’s, but grew even stronger in the new millennium. So what happens when you put “Like a Virgin” and “Sexy Back” together?
• Madonna: Time is waiting
• Justin: We only got 4 minutes to save the world
• Madonna: No hesitating
• Madonna: Grab a boy
• Justin: Grab a girl
• Madonna: Time is waiting
• Justin: We only got 4 minutes to save the world
How about that! We’ve gotta have sex… in a hurry!

The words and video speak for themselves. “If you feel it, It must be real just... Say the word, and I will give you what you want.” This is nothing new. 4 Minutes is just another example of a song that communicates “Do what feels right at the moment,” a message Madonna’s been preaching for years.

More tomorrow!!

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Youth ministry: YouthYouth Ministry tips from ground zero

Youth ministry: YouthYouth Ministry tips from ground zero

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