Perry's "Prism " for October release

Three years after the record breaking Teenage Dream , Katy Perry will release her third studio album Prism on October 22nd.
As yet no tracklisting has been revealed , but Prism is tipped to be less bubblegum and more mature than the globe conquering Teenage Dream. That album spawned a record run of US Number 1 singles including Firework , E.T and Last Friday Night ( T.G.I.F )

Perry has been using a gold semi-truck that will visit various cities across the globe to promote the album. It made its first appearance Monday afternoon in LA , with the title and release date of the album emblazoned across the truck.

Online reports have also surfaced about the first single to be taken from Prism. Long time Perry producer Dr Luke has already tweeted that the song title begins with the letter R.
This has led to speculation the track is expected to be titled Roar or Rawr.  It's been co-written by the legendary Max Martin and future pop queen Bonnie McKee. The song is expected to premiere towards the end of August.

With Perry and Gaga announcing new singles and albums within days of each other , expect a mammoth chart battle between the two this winter. Prism appears three weeks before ArtPop. Its a given that either album will accumulate the highest first week sales of any album in the US this year. But which one. Perry recently overtook Gaga as the second most followed person on Twitter.

But the pressure will be on both. Perry is coming off a huge single campaign with Teenage Dream. And then theres Gaga who soaks every new project in hype. It'll be an interesting winter for pop fans. But , regardless of chart positions , sales figures and critical acclaim , lets hope both women deliver some fantastic pop music once again

Lady GaGa unveils Applause artwork

The new age of Gaga is almost upon us. And if the music can live up to the inevitable , insurmountable hype. Then 2013 could be Gaga's for the taking once again.
Last night , Gaga unveiled the artwork for forthcoming single Applause. The track out August 19th , is her first since 2011's Marry The Night.

It serves as the first single from her long awaited ArtPop album , released on November 11th. A long time coming after 2011's Born This Way.
That was a fantastic album , in retrospect. Sure it was overhyped and the album itself could have lost a few duds , but it was at times a memorable and epic pop bombast that gave us Edge Of Glory and Government Hooker.

In a lot of respects , ArtPop could be a make or break album for Gaga. We know what she is capable of , but will she deliver. For all her pretension , Gaga is a fantastic artist. A lot will rest on Applause and perhaps a second single before ArtPop drops. One thing is for sure , we will all be talking about Gaga again

Mutya Keisha Siobhan finally unveil Flatline

When Siobhan Donaghy infamously went to the to toilet in Japan and climbed out the window, subsequently leaving the original line up of the Sugababes in 2001. It became one of pop's most acrimonious splits, seeped in poison and bitterness , secret languages and battles with depression.
But for all the infamy that came with the original incarnation of one of British pop's most recognizable brands , there was too a cult fondness for what would until  now, become their only album as that trio. The fantastic One Touch.

Thirteen years on and who could have foreseen that Mutya Buena , Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy would have buried the hatchet , reformed and returned to the studio to release one of pop's most eagerly anticipated albums.
The first fruits of that album were unveiled today , courtesy of the fantastic lead single Flatline. Produced by Dev Hynes , the man behind Solange's mighty Losing You , the song is set for release on September 1st.


Thus far , the song has been greeted with unanimous praise online , the track itself shows why these three sound so on point together vocally. It was always one of their charms. Hearing them together again after so long is quite glorious.
The track has hints of Florence and the Machine , and may very well be one of the great pop singles of the year. I think its fair to believe the hype with Mutya Keisha Siobhan.

It'll be interesting to see if this hype and goodwill translate into sales. As fondly remembered as they are as being the " Original Sugababes " , the trio never really shifted the units back in 2000 and 2001.
But that remains to be seen , as for now , with the album ahead of us , Flatline , is a qualified triumph and a beautiful , captivating breath of fresh air. Mission accomplished