I must say, I’m pretty damn obsessed with Nelly’s new single Just A Dream. And I ain’t the only whitey tighty in love with the Jim Jonsin/Rico Love penned track. Taylor Swift recently proclaimed her love for the song via Twitter, in which she wrote: “I’m so in love with that new Nelly song.”

The comeback smash single is taken from his upcoming album, Nelly 5.0, which is set to be released November 16th. The album will feature guest spots from T.I., Diddy, Kelly Rowland, and Akon.

In the video you’re about to see, Nelly gives us a behind-the-scenes look at his upcoming ‘Just A Dream’ music video (via Carbonated.tv). The music video was shot on the beach in Playa del Rey, California and shows the rapper suspended in air by a crane while seated in a pretty sweet ride (the Mustang 5.0).

Nelly stated: “It’s just about loving, losing, and wanting to love again.”

The St. Lunatic rapper also goes on to discuss the ever-changing music industry, a Dr. Luke-produced track on his upcoming album that he’s proud of, and donating his radio hosting salary to charity.

Welcome back, Nelly!

Watch a behind-the-scenes look at Nelly’s upcoming video for Just A Dream + listen to the track in full, below.

So, I wholly dig Cee-Lo, I’m a Gnarls Barkley groupie, and completely adore the Goodie Mob. Needless to say, I am excited to write about Cee-Lo’s latest and greatest. Just when I thought I couldn’t be any more in love, I was hit with an amazing two words: Fuck You. (Mom, if you’re reading, I’m sorry). Yes, that’s right. The provoking title is clearly at odds with the song, which carries a gusty old school R&B flavor. A song that is written about that infamous phrase that we all yearn to say to SO many people, yet we can’t always do so (well now it’s a song up for discussion, so you can just send those particular people the message via this BTB link ).

First and foremost the video is smashing. It’s like a mixture of Dream Girls and Happy Days with an injection of Pleasantville, yet the message is nothing like the “oh so ideal” image. Irony in visual perfection. Cee-Lo is presently prepping a new solo album, The Lady Killer, due for discharge in October, and we can’t wait.

“I see you drivin’ around town, with the girl I love, and I’m like fuck you,” — come on, this is splendid. Combining soul with rap-scale crudity and profanity at its finest, Cee-Lo dominates with force, sugar, and significance. If the rest of The Lady Killer sounds like this, Cee-Lo might be able to send a few haters this message as well.

I can’t help but think about the individuals at Cee-Lo’s label yanking their hair out as they comprehend that this probable hit will punch some stumbling blocks when people are snubbed by the title. Although, if you ask me, it will be pretty damn appealing to see how far-off they can take a crusade with a song named Fuck You.

I smell an anthem! Take a listen and throw your fingers up.

[Related Post: Give Me Dollywood Over Hollywood]

Country music legend and Backwoods Barbie, Dolly Parton, is set to appear on the big screen next to whom, you might ask? Queen Latifah, that’s who! Parton and Queen L on the same screen? You know what that means? This film has feel good written all over it!

Parton, 64, will appear in the upcoming Warner Bros. feature Joyful Noise – a film that centers around a small-town woman (Parton) who’s widowed by a church choir director and a mother (Latifah) who’s is placed in charge of the group. Directed by Todd Graff (2003’s indie Camp feature about misfits at a musical summer camp for teens), the script for Joyful Noise follows the two leading women in an effort to overcome their opinions of each other and save the choir (which might be going down to tubes due to budget cuts).

Parton and Latifah have both left their marks on the acting realm with their previous movie roles. Latifah is an Oscar nominee (for her acclaimed role in 2002’s Chicago), and Parton has certainly captured audiences and critics alike with her memorable roles in films like Nine to Five and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. The last time Parton graced the movie screen was in 1992’s Straight Talk.

Production on the film is scheduled to begin in January.

Besides being a personal hero of mine, Dolly makes the current musical landscape seem immensely shallow, when placed next to her own material, music that is deep fried and full of heart. Check out the incredibly vulnerable music video for Dagger Through The Heart, below.

Kris Allen is out with the just-released video to his hit single The Truth, featuring Train’s frontman Pat Monahan. The video has a more artistic edge, one that takes Allen and places his bubbly boy-next-door face in a different light. And that light has proven to be very flattering.

The opening shot is wonderful, set against the backdrop of the burnt desert skyline.

Directed by Aaron Platt, the video also features Pat Monahan and a brief appearance from female model Cindy Vela. Although shot in the desert, the production of the shoot was met with a heavy rainstorm, one that apparently left Allen’s piano wet (again, dirty).

Allen told MTV: “It started to monsoon, man! It was crazy. It was one of the biggest storms I’ve ever been in but it was almost kind of fun in a way. We were just standing outside, [but] I felt like we had just jumped in the pool,” he continued. “Some of [the film trailers] got stuck. We had to leave a piano out here because they couldn’t get it in time. I’m sure it’s ruined. We’ll probably still use it though. Maybe it’ll look cooler.”

The Truth was written by Pat Monahan and producer Toby Gad.

Watch the heartfelt video in full, below.

[Related Post: Allen speaks on his trip to Haiti]

Meet Aaron Camper. Bringing a sparkling crystal clear voice that sits right at home against the backdrop of current R&B and hip hop pop, this Salisbury, MD native is ready to explode. Camper, who spent his upbringing sharpening his chops in the church, has already left his songwriting fingerprints & vocal stylings on several Gospel heavyweights (Tye Tribbett & G.A., Marvin Sapp and The Clark Sisters, just to name a few). Camper also recently toured with Jill Scott & Maxwell.

Aaron Camper is now more ready than ever to leave his mark on the musical landscape with his solo work. His sound has been described as mix between John Legend & U2.

The cover you’re about to hear is, for a lack of a more original word, pretty. With a pop marketabilty factor fused with rich commercial vocals — I think Camper has the potential to blow up if given the right direction.

Camper is currently on tour with new Sony artist Mike Posner.

Listen to Aaaron Camper’s cover of Water Runs Dry, below.

I have written about a song from the goddess before, but Lissie’s debut album has finally been released, and I can say, it’s a diamond in the rough. Catching A Tiger is hands down one of the strongest releases of summer, if not the whole year. I have been anticipating the release all year. Bold? Perhaps, but I support the record 100 percent.

On last year’s EP Why You Runnin’, Lissie left listeners inquisitive to hear more from this Midwestern chick (whose first solo recording was being produced by Band of Horses’ Bill Reynolds) whose soulful husk spilled from their speakers. A drop-dead stunning girl with pipes to match, Lissie plays the guitar, writes her own jams, and sings songs in a genre all her own. The Illinois native has songwriting abilities that become apparent through not only neat, but firm lyrics with harmonious structures in which to abide her tales of jaded love.

Bullet pointed, let’s start from the top. The clattering pots-and-pans thumping that greets the listener turns into a distinctive little album jump off with Record-Collector, which listeners will instantaneously be drawn to. Why? It’s got a polka-breakdown and dramatic cords. How many songs like that are out right now? Seriously. Then When I’m Alone takes over, telling the tale of this lonesome girl in hopes of drawing a crowd — I turned my back you were gone in a flash, like you always do, you’ve always gone off somewhere else. She’s telling you a story, and wants you to listen. It showcases the most astounding part of this woman: her pipes and range. It makes me wonder how such a big sound can come from such a little body. The release leisurely rolls into Little Lovin, which ties in the Stevie Nicks influence, with the impudence of a country singer and enticing delivery of a folk-rock goddess. And let’s not forget Everywhere I Go , in which I touched on a few months ago on BTB. It’s such a powerful song, stating Angels will call on me now, everywhere I go. Indeed, her voice is heavenly, but the lyrics alone could bring one to tears. This track and Bully will literally tear at your heart strings — a song with a completion as subtle as any Mariah Carey power ballad, Lissie’s incredibly heartfelt and executed torch song highlights the extraordinary vocal talent she possesses.

Over the past year she’s taken on covers of Bob Dylan, Metallica, Lady Gaga, and so many more. But don’t let this diverse combination turn you off. Her debut full-length is solely her own material. Catching A Tiger is neither generic or cliche, with lyrics disguised within airy, upbeat and indisputably atmospheric songs dashed in California guitar-rock nostalgia.

High praise indeed, but her versatility, her confidence and her utter comfort ability with folk, country and rock idioms is readily evident on this release. It seems impracticable for a debut to sound so accomplished and mature, but Lissie seems to be that rare exception. Please check it out, if not because of this article, let your curiosity of an artist in this genre sell you.

So, was my hype machine justified? Don’t get me wrong, there are problems with Catching a Tiger: it’s not wholly filler-free, it’s not taking any massive musical risks, and it’s one of those albums that you just know will be even better in a live setting. That being said, this is a concrete foundation for things to come; and when the star player is Lissie’s voice, those things are surely a-comin’.

This clip is sure to cure those Monday blues.

When I first heard that Cher and Christina Aguilera would be working together on camera, I wasn’t too amused. Ok, maybe I’m in denial — I was amused a little. But unlike the rest of the men in which this particular film will undoubtedly cater to, I was hesitant to jump onboard. The storyline seemed all too familiar and I was just left wondering if the end result would be a finely executed lapdance or a broken heel kind of deal.

As a huge Aguilera supporter, I’ve had her back since day one. I even offered up a heartfelt analysis of her new disc Bionic — which has been the target of the media’s bullets and criticism — when it was released, going against haters.

When I saw the clip you’re about to see, I felt proud of the fact that I have (and most likely never will) give up on Aguilera’s raw talent. This particular clip (taken from Burlesque) made me happy. It shows Christina in a fresh new light — with no eccentric robotics or fake eyelashes — as she belts the Etta James’ classic, Something’s Got A Hold On Me, in a robust tone that only she carries. It’s actually a little shocking how ordinary she looks, and I mean that in the best way possible. She looks beautiful without all the pretense of being an “entertainer”.

Are you pumped to see Christina’s debut in Burlesque?

Watch the just-released clip from the film below + take a listen to a dance/club format remix to Aguilera’s latest release, You Lost Me, following the clip.

[Burlesque clip - Something's Got A Hold On Me]

[You Lost Me - Hex Hector Mac Quayle Remix]

Check out Bleed by Hot Chelle Rae — it’s definitely pop with a smudge of emo (and by smudge I mean a bucket full, perhaps it’s the bleeding part). The Nashville based band were signed by pop powerhouse label, Jive, in 2008. And ever since then the band has been setting venues ablaze, touring to hopefully stamp their music on the foreheads of the masses.

Between Warped Tour and their very own Six Flags tour dates, the boys recorded a music video for the song Bleed and the outcome is a simple yet sharp clip that meshes well with the song. I do think the video could’ve been shot in a different perspective but the simplicity undoubtedly will resonate with pretty much anyone with a heart.

RK Follese, you’re beautiful.

Check out the video for Bleed below.

Secondhand Serenade’s Something More, the first single from the upcoming third album, Hear Me Now, is one beautifully broken track. The song, which dives into the realm of torn meandering lives delivers a message of hope even when heartbroken and hopeless.

Secondhand Serenade is the product of singer/songwriter John Vesely, who worked with producer Aaaron Johnson (from The Fray), to create intimate, pensive, somber pop rock full of meaning.

The music video, directed by Declan Whitebloom, fits the track’s somber sound.

Billboard’s review of the track said it best: “As Vesely sings of the internal strife that a breakup can cause, he powerfully conveys the very human message that everyone makes mistakes. A no-brainer for top 40 and hot AC radio formats, “Something More” is sure to saturate the summer airwaves.” –Alex Vitoulis

Check out the music video below. Hear Me Now is due out in August.

Robyn has just released the music video for her brand new single Hang with Me. The video takes fans behind the scenes of Robyn’s touring life. But don’t worry, it’s not the typical video we’ve all seen before, this behind-the-scenes vid was directed by Max Vitali and is shot in an original manner that holds your attention, each shot a photograph all its own. There’s also live performance footage, studio time shots, and other promotional specks, like a fan signing and radio interview. If you look close enough you will also see BTB fave I Blame Coco.

Hang with Me is the lead single from Robyn’s second album (Body Talk Pt. 2) of a three part trilogy.

Robyn described the song as: “Pop should be seductive and sweet when it can. And I felt like I could be on Hang with Me, in a uncompromising way. It’s like a sweet and sour bon-bon wrapped in melancholy.”

The new album will be released September 6th.

Watch the music video followed by a beautiful live acoustic performance, below.