Young opossums having fruit at a wildlife rehabilitation center in Pennsylvania. Why? Why not?
Musical Mashup of Nearly 20 Different Video Game Theme Songs
The Peterson (previously) has returned with a new musical mashup of nearly 20 different video game tunes. The list of songs are listed after the video.
Resident Evil : Dead Aim – Intro Music
Super Mario Land 2 – Machine
Silent Hill 2 – Theme of Laura
Doom 2 – Level 1 Entryway
The Adventures of Batman And Robin – Main Title
Donkey Kong Country 2 – Stickerbush Symphony
Castlevania SOTN – Wood Carving Partita
Gran Turismo 2 – Moon Over the Castle
Final Fantasy VI – Decisive Battle
Silkworm – Intro
Ghouls n Ghosts – Intro
Chrono Trigger – Corridors of Time
F-Zero – Big Blue Theme
Ghosts n Goblins – Map
Castlevania – Bloody Tears
Streets of Rage 2 – Going Straight
Shinobi – Round 4
Lemmings 2 – Classic Tribe Theme
Gun Smoke – Hicksville Theme
Family Channel Greenlights Fourth Season of Fan-Favourite Original Series The Next Step
Following last week’s DHX Television rebranding announcement, which emphasizes a mandate to build on the success of the company’s strong original production slate, Family Channel has revealed its plans for a fourth season of the popular tween drama The Next Step. The commissioning decision for the series, which currently ranks as the #1 kids television series airing across all Canadian kids networks1, follows the mid-season finale of the third season and the conclusion of the sold-out two-month, cross-country The Next Step Live on Stage tour. Production on the season four order, from Temple Street Productions, is set to begin this summer in Toronto.
“With each new season, it’s remarkable to see the unwavering loyalty our viewers pledge to the series’ relatable characters, compelling storylines and extraordinary dancing. Plus, the opportunity to bring The Next Step to fans across Canada with the Live On Stage tour only further confirms just how well this series resonates with our audience,” said Michael Goldsmith, Director, Original Programming, DHX Television. “After watching The Next Step transform from a homegrown hit into a worldwide phenomenon, we are thrilled to work with Temple Street again to make more episodes of what has proudly become our flagship show.”
Since its premiere in March, season three of The Next Step drew in an impressive average audience of 281,400 viewers2, weeknights at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT, making it the #1 series across all specialty networks for the three weeks of premiere episodes, with its target demos of kids 7-11, 6-12 and kids 8-14.3 On average, 479,000 unique viewers tuned-in to The Next Step each weeknight, and the third season has reached over 1.8 million Canadians to date.4
“To get picked up for a fourth season is a milestone achievement and is a true testament to the quality of the series and we couldn’t be more proud of our team and the talented cast and crew,” said David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg, Executive Producers and Co-Presidents of Temple Street Productions. “We’re looking forward to continuing this journey with creator, Frank van Keeken and Family Channel and to delivering more compelling episodes of The Next Step.”
The Next Step follows the lives of an elite group of dancers who train at The Next Step studio. The first half of season three saw the dancers compete against rival studio, Elite, and each other, in order to secure a spot on the Internationals team. Thursday night’s finale brought even more twists and turns as viewers were introduced to Ella (Ella Gilling), a mischievous exchange program dancer from England, and Amanda (Logan Fabbro) was sent packing. Episodes of The Next Step currently air Fridays at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on Family.
Commissioned by Family Channel, The Next Step is produced by Temple Street Productions and is executive produced by Frank van Keeken (Wingin’ It, Kids in the Hall, Billable Hours), Ivan Schneeberg and David Fortier (Orphan Black, Being Erica, Wingin’ It). BBC Worldwide has acquired international distribution rights. The Next Step is also produced with financial assistance from The Shaw Rocket Fund.
Complete List of Winners From 50th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards
Here’s a complete list of winners announced at the 50th annual Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday night (April 19) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Entertainer of the Year
Luke Bryan
Female Vocalist
Miranda Lambert
Male Vocalist
Jason Aldean
Vocal Group
Little Big Town
Vocal Duo
Florida Georgia Line
New Artist of the Year
Cole Swindell
Album of the Year
Platinum, Miranda Lambert
Producers: Chuck Ainlay, Frank Liddell, Glenn Worf
Single Record of the Year
“I Don’t Dance,” Lee Brice
Producer: Lee Brice
Song of the Year
“Automatic,” Miranda Lambert
Songwriters: Nicolle Galyon, Natalie Hemby, Miranda Lambert
Vocal Event of the Year
“This Is How We Roll,” Florida Georgia Line featuring Luke Bryan
Producer: Joey Moi
Video of the Year
“Drunk on a Plane,” Dierks Bentley
Director: Wes Edwards
Producer: Clarke Gallivan
Songwriter of the Year
Luke Laird
UK’s first Official Vinyl Charts launch as vinyl sales soar in 2015
The music industry in the UK are excited to announce the launch of the UK’s first ever weekly Official Vinyl Charts, published exclusively right here on OfficialCharts.com, as new figures reveal the vinyl resurgence powers on strongly in 2015.
Kicking off Record Store Day week 2015, new proof arrives today that Britain’s renewed interest in music on vinyl shows little sign of slowing.
2014 witnessed vinyl LP sales reaching a 20-year high in the UK at 1.29 million, following seven years of unbroken growth, and now, new Official Charts Company data for the first quarter of 2015 reveals that this trend is continuing at pace, with vinyl album purchasing up yet again a staggering 69% versus the same period in 2014, and vinyl singles also up 23%.
So while it’s quite clear that music fans and collectors alike can’t get enough of the format, the Official Charts Company are pleased to introduce the UK’s first ever Official Vinyl Charts.
The Official Vinyl Albums Chart Top 40 and Official Vinyl Singles Chart Top 40 (combining sales of 7” and 12” singles) launch exclusively on the all-new OfficialCharts.com – the online home of the Official Charts.
Following a period of rapid audience growth hitting record traffic of 2.5 million monthly unique users, our newly revamped mobile-friendly site – which was awarded Site Of The Fortnight and a 5* review by Web User Magazine, as well as being shortlisted for Best Website at this summer’s Brand Republic Digital Awards – will become the exclusive home of the weekly rundown, with the charts published each week on Sundays, 7pm.
Martin Talbot, Chief Executive, Official Charts Company comments, “We’re delighted to launch the UK’s first Official Vinyl Albums and Official Vinyl Singles charts on OfficialCharts.com, to coincide with Record Store Day this coming weekend. With vinyl album sales up by almost 70% already this year, vinyl junkies could well have snapped up 2 million units by the end of this year – an extraordinary number, if you consider sales were one-tenth of that just six years ago. This growth underlines the continuing resurgence of this much-loved format, whether you’re a fan of Arctic Monkeys, Noel Gallagher, Led Zeppelin or David Bowie.”
Kings of this week’s main Official Albums Chart and also responsible for Britain’s best-selling vinyl record of the week, All Time Low’s frontman Alex Gaskarth said:
“What’s been going on with vinyl at the moment is really cool. What I love is that there are different worlds of vinyl fans; there’s the audiophiles who swear by the sound of vinyl, the people for who like owning it as a collector’s piece, and then groups like our fans who buy a vinyl of our record simply so they can hang it on their wall.
“Back in Baltimore there’s this incredible record store called Sound Garden, which I can regularly be found in. What I love about vinyl is that it makes a real event out of music; you go into a record shop and have to search out what’s there. The world is in music overload at the moment, so it’s great to see more people honing in on certain artists by buying a vinyl and showing loyalty to their favourites. It makes the whole experience of listening to an album special.”
UK vinyl retailer Phil Barton of Sister Ray Records, Soho, London adds, “The resurgence in vinyl sales has been a great boost for the independent trade. The launch of the Official Vinyl Charts tells the world that a format that is loved and revered is more relevant now than ever – far from being a curiosity, vinyl is the go-to format for many music fans.”
Official Vinyl Albums Chart – Q1 2015
| 1 | CHASING YESTERDAY | NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING |
| 2 | PHYSICAL GRAFFITI | LED ZEPPELIN |
| 3 | AM | ARCTIC MONKEYS |
| 4 | ROYAL BLOOD | ROYAL BLOOD |
| 5 | THE RACE FOR SPACE | PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING |
| 6 | SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT | BOB DYLAN |
| 7 | THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON | PINK FLOYD |
| 8 | LOST IN THE DREAM | WAR ON DRUGS |
| 9 | HAPPY PEOPLE | PEACE |
| 10 | FOUR SYMBOLS | LED ZEPPELIN |
Official Vinyl Singles Chart – Q1 2015
| 1 | BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I | NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING |
| 2 | THE DYING OF THE LIGHT | NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING |
| 3 | YOUNG AMERICANS | DAVID BOWIE |
| 4 | UPTOWN FUNK | MARK RONSON FT BRUNO MARS |
| 5 | HOPE FOR THE FUTURE | PAUL MCCARTNEY |
| 6 | THE HUNTER | SLAVES |
| 7 | CUT ME AND I’LL BLEED | BLOSSOMS |
| 8 | HANDSOME | VACCINES |
| 9 | IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT | NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING |
| 10 | I COULD GIVE YOU ALL THAT YOU DON’T WANT | TWILIGHT SAD |
Annual UK vinyl album sales volumes
| YEAR | VINYL LP SALES VOLUME | SHARE OF UK ALBUMS MARKET |
| 1995 | 1,410,905 | 1.60% |
| 1996 | 1,083,206 | 1.00% |
| 1997 | 817,018 | 0.70% |
| 1998 | 642,102 | 0.50% |
| 1999 | 672,866 | 0.60% |
| 2000 | 751,857 | 0.60% |
| 2001 | 761,558 | 0.50% |
| 2002 | 657,127 | 0.40% |
| 2003 | 579,248 | 0.40% |
| 2004 | 453,254 | 0.30% |
| 2005 | 351,224 | 0.20% |
| 2006 | 250,926 | 0.20% |
| 2007 | 205,292 | 0.10% |
| 2008 | 208,526 | 0.20% |
| 2009 | 219,449 | 0.20% |
| 2010 | 234,471 | 0.20% |
| 2011 | 337,041 | 0.30% |
| 2012 | 388,768 | 0.40% |
| 2013 | 780,674 | 0.80% |
| 2014 | 1,288,510 | 1.50% |
The Worst/Greatest Album Covers Found This Week
Hey! It was Record Store Day this past weekend, so let’s take a look at some awful/awesome record covers found online.
The Converse Andy Warhol Collection Is Now A Thing And It’s Beautiful
An iconic visionary who continues to inspire rebels and artists everywhere, Andy Warhol was hailed as the preeminent American artist of the 20th century. Merging pop culture, film, music, screen printing and performance, Andy’s vision and creativity opened the door for millions of artists and performers. Converse is celebrating his legacy with the Andy Warhol Collection — inspiring us all to push boundaries with your creativity.
The Unison Jam Announced For May 6 At Toronto’s The Phoenix Concert Theatre
On May 6, Unison Benevolent Fund will be holding their annual Unison Jam at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto. The proceeds raised through the sale of advance tickets ($20) and pay-what-you-can at the door will be used towards supporting Unison Benevolent Fund – which provides counselling and emergency relief services to the Canadian music community in times of hardship, illness or economic difficulties.
This year’s Unison Jam will feature performances from: Finger Eleven, I Mother Earth, Kim Mitchell, Kardinal Offishall, K-OS, Jason McCoy, The Trews and Tom Wilson. Additional headliners will be announced soon, and the evening will also include an announcement unveiling a brand new program providing financial support to Canadian music makers in times of crisis.
For more information, please visit http://unisonfund.ca/
2 Weeks Left To Apply For Canada’s Walk of Fame and RBC 100K To Emerging Artists
Calling all aspiring and talented musical superstars – the Emerging Artist Music Mentorship Program, supported by RBC, is back for its third and biggest year yet! Submit a video or audio performance TODAY for your chance to win!
The winners will be chosen by a selection committee comprised of music and industry experts and announced Fall 2015.
GRAND PRIZE:
- A cash prize of $25,000 CDN.
- Twenty-Five (25) hours of private studio with a producer, periodically mentored by established Canadian music talent.
- CWOF introductions to a minimum of two (2) music industry executives, which may include agents, managers, recording contract executives, and/or entertainment lawyers.
- A public performance at a CWOF event.
- Music Industry Career Development Mentorship Session with Q & A facilitated by Universal Music Canada.
- Complete album cover artwork design by Eric McBain, Creative Director
SIX ADDITIONAL PRIZES
- A Second Place cash prize of $7,000 CDN
- Five additional Finalist cash prizes of $1,200
- A public performance at a CWOF event.
- Music Industry Career Development Mentorship Session with Q & A facilitated by Universal Music Canada.
The approximate value of the prize is over $100,000 CDN.
The deadline for submissions is April 30, 2015.
– See more at: http://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/programs/2015-emerging-artist-music-mentorship-program#sthash.ih41IZvJ.dpuf
RADIO STARMAKER FUND In Canada Now Open for Submissions
The deadline for Canada’s Radio Starmaker Fund applications being submitted is 5:00 PM EDT, Thursday, May 21, 2015. The Board of Directors will meet in June to make final decisions regarding funding for this quarterly round. Please sign up if you would like to receive their quarterly email blasts which advise you when the new round is open to accept applications, as well as on policy and program changes.
The website for the Radio Starmaker Fund is now back on-line and ready to accept applications.
New Details for Round 55:
- Streamed tracks – the RSF will now allow Canadian streams of songs, as indicated by Soundscan Canada, to go toward meeting their net sales thresholds. 750 streams of individual tracks from the same album released within 5 years of the deadline for the round will be counted as one full album sale when applying to Starmaker.
They have added a spot next to where you include your Canadian ship, scan and digital download numbers called Streamed Tracks. Please include in this area the total number of streamed tracks from the Canadian release of the album for which you are applying as indicated by Soundscan Canada. This must be for actual tracks on the album – not remixes or alternate versions. If you do not have this information, it can be left at 0.
- Digitally downloaded tracks – they will once again allow digital track sales to go back 5 years. When entering digital track sales information for your current release, please include those sales going back 5 years from the deadline for the round. Again, this must be for actual tracks on the album – not remixes or alternate versions.
- www.AIREUM.ca – the Canadian Broadcast Museum Foundation has been building a National Broadcast Collection for the last several years. Rather than build a conventional bricks and mortar institution, the Foundation is creating a unique virtual presence that will celebrate decades of programs and the people behind them, as well as the remarkable industrial and technological achievements that have combined to build this country’s radio and television services. Planning and design of the virtual museum, its many galleries and interactive elements, has begun. Meanwhile, the important activity of finding, cataloguing and preserving all kinds of relics of our broadcasting past continues. Canada’s private broadcasters are an important partner in the Radio Starmaker Fund and we encourage you to get involved and support AIREUM. Please visit www.AIREUM.ca for further details.