The Napster Blog

Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas Make Headlines

Teens are freaking out over the news that there's now the Disney equivalent of a Beyoncé/Jay-Z power couple: Demi Lovato has admitted that she's dating her co-star from Camp Rock, Joe Jonas; she said so this past week during a radio interview. Joe, for those of you keeping up, is the middle Jonas Brother who also dated Taylor Swift and supposedly broke up with her over the phone. And, to make things even more complicated, Demi was previously linked to Trace Cyrus of Metro Station, who also happens to be Miley Cyrus' brother. Anyway, will they make beautiful music together? For now, we have their music made separately (check the Napster children's music page), plus a duet on the Camp Rock soundtrack. Oh, we almost forgot to mention: They already have a 'Brangelina' nickname: "Jemmi."

Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez and more: Disneymania 7

The "Disneymania" series pairs current Disney stars with hit songs from classic Disney films. This seventh installment features music from favorites like The Lion King and The Little Mermaid, Toy Story 2, and High School Musical. This time around, the singing duties fall to established teen-pop stars such as Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez, as well as up-and-coming actors/singers like Mitchel Musso from Hannah Montana, Bridgit Mendler from Wizards of Waverly Place, and Alyson Stoner from Camp Rock. Great for fans of the singers, the songs, or the movies the songs came from—or all three.

Kids Love Animals and More Music for Little Ones

A lot of the music we feature on Napster's children's music page is specifically for the pre-teen and teen set, but that doesn't mean our collection of music for kids is lacking in choice for the younger crowd. The C.R.S. Players catalog is a perfect example. Two of their recent releases are Kids Love Animals (pictured) and Kids Love Stories. (you can currently find them among the Staff Picks on the children's page). Or, check out their artist page, where you'll find many more albums ready for toddlers and wee ones to enjoy.

Bieber Fever

Maybe you haven't got it quite as badly as this young fan, but unless you've been on the moon, you've probably noticed how Bieber Fever has swept the globe. Justin Bieber, the young Canadian pop star, has been inducing Beatle-like riots around the world over the past couple of months. I personally witnessed an enormous line outside the Hollywood Palladium for his sold out show this past Valentine's Day, and soon he will be one of the youngest performers ever on Saturday Night Live when he appears in April. After seeing his latest video for "Baby" featuring Ludacris (who appears in the clip along with Drake), I have a feeling Bieber fever won't be abating anytime soon.

StarStruck

From High School Musical to Camp Rock, the Disney Channel has produced some big hits these past few years, and their 78th original movie, StarStruck, keeps their success rate running high. Over 6 million views tuned in this past weekend, which is surely enough to make main actor Sterling Knight a household name among the teens. He's well on his way, what with his role as beleaguered pop star Christopher Wilde as well as his past performances on Hannah Montana with Miley Cyrus and Sonny with a Chance with Demi Lovato. The StarStruck soundtrack album includes all the musical highlights from the movie, which all the teens will probably know by heart before the week is over.

Be My Valentine: Children's Valentine's Day Playlist

Once you're an adult and enjoy a romantic evening with your sweetheart for Valentine's Day, it's easy to forget how much fun and silly the holiday was when you were a kid. Napster's "Be My Valentine" playlist takes a kid-friendly approach to the day of love, perfect as the soundtrack to making homemade Valentines to pass out in class. It features love-themed songs both old and new, such as "I Want to Hold Your Hand," "Sugar Sugar," "Take My Breath Away," "We Go Together" and "Love Song" sung by a variety of kid choruses (including the famed Kidz Bop Kids) and even those love-smitten rodents Alvin & the Chipmunks. Grab a bag of candy hearts and enjoy.

Nick Jonas & The Administration, Who I Am

Who knew it would be the youngest of the Jonas Brothers to strike out on his own first? Nick Jonas, still just 17, had written songs that he realized didn't fit the Jonas Brothers' sound, so he decided to do them as a side project. He recruited a band, now known as The Administration, which includes former members of Prince's New Power Generation, and recorded Who I Am during a break last year. While it's definitely more rock than teen-pop—Nick has said he hoped to emulate Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band—he'll no doubt make his fans happy for as long as he continues making music.

Ziggy Marley, Buck Howdy: Children’s Music Grammys

Not all of the Grammys went to Beyoncé and Taylor Swift this year. There are two categories reserved for Children's Music: one for mostly music and song-based albums, the other for spoken-word albums. Ziggy Marley's Family Time won the "Best Musical Album for Children" Grammy this year. It's his first full-length album for kids, and it's a fun, joyful collection of songs that features guest performers such as Jack Johnson, Laurie Berkner, and Paul Simon. Meanwhile, the "Best Spoken Word Album for Children" Grammy went to Buck Howdy for his Halloween-themed Aaaaah! Spooky, Scary Stories & Songs. Cowboy Buck is a four-time nominee and finally won one with this set of eerie campfire fare. Congratulations to both of this year's winners!
 

Kidz Bop 17

The world's most popular kids' music series is back with Kidz Bop 17. The method is the same—popular songs sung by kids for kids to sing along with and enjoy—but the material's different, this edition boasting big pop hits by artists from Miley Cyrus to Kelly Clarkson. Versions of Keri Hilson's "Knocks You Down," Owl City's "Fireflies," Kings Of Leon's "Use Somebody," The Fray's "Never Say Never," and teen sensation Justin Bieber's "One Time" are all included. And once again, this volume includes an original song from Sinai Rose, the rising star of the Kidz Bop label. There's even a track from a brand-new teen singer (singer/songwriter/actor/model, actually!) named Mathias Anderle. The 16-year-old steals the spotlight with the last track, titled "Shine On."

New Music Tuesday: Lady Antebellum, Corinne Bailey Rae, Kidz Bop 17 and Ultra Dance 11

Most new music comes out on Tuesdays (it's a U.S. record business tradition), and each Tuesday, we cull through the mountain of new releases to bring you four of the best from across different genres. Click below, or find them on the current Napster home page.

Nashville sensations Lady Antebellum today released their second album, Need You Now, led by the #1 single of the same name ("American Honey" is up next). Winners of the 2008 Country Music Association New Artist of the Year award, Lady A is up for two Grammys at this week's award ceremony, where they'll also be performing.

English singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae also released her sophomore effort, The Sea, today. After a two-year hiatus brought on by the sudden death of her husband, musician Jason Rae, the popular artist appears ready to continue where she left off with her successful 2006 debut. "I'd Do It All Again" is the current single from The Sea.

The wildly popular Kidz Bop series continues with a 17th volume of pop songs covered by the Kidz Bop Kids. This one includes covers of Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA," Lady GaGa's "Paparazzi," Owl City's "Fireflies," and "Meet Me Halfway" by the Black Eyed Peas, as well as two original songs by Kidz Bop artists Sinai Rose and Mathias Anderle.

For a different generation, another installment of another successful cover series: Ultra Dance 11 is chock full of remixes of your favorite pop hits, which never fail to get the party started. Hits like Mariah Carey's "Obsessed" and Rihanna's "Russian Roulette" get the remix treatment by today's hottest remixers, including Calvin Harris, David Guetta, and Benny Benassi.