X Factor stars are No.1 on the UK Singles Charts!

This year’s X Factor finalists have made it to the No.1 spot on the UK Singles Charts with Hero – and it’s all in aid of a good cause. The single, a cover of an early Mariah Carey song, was recorded and released for "Help for Heroes", a UK Charity set up to help British soldiers who have been wounded in conflicts abroad. You can listen to Hero online, here on We7.

And while the X Factor stars are at No.1 in the UK Singles Charts, P!nk has stormed to the No.1 place on the UK Album Chart with her latest album, Funhouse. P!nk proves she still as angry as ever on this, her fourth album. As with her recent No.1 single So What, most of the lyrics are directed at her ex-husband. It's an angry, but exhilarating record. Listen for free on We7.

As 007 fever grips the nation, Scouting For Girls do their bit with a new single, I Wish I Was James Bond. And, to be fair, who wouldn’t? Think of the activities Bond gets to indulge in: the gadgets, the fast cars and stunning locations. When you think of the high jinks Bond has got up to over the years, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who wasn’t interested in that kind of the lifestyle. Anyway, the London based trio certainly know their stuff when it comes to 007 - listen to I Wish I Was James Bond for free online here.

The Jesus And Mary Chain helped define the sound of alternative music in the 1980s - along with The Smiths, they led the charge on the worst cases of bland and insipid pop music of the day. In their early touring days, they would often incite crowds to riot. After their thrillingly noisy debut album Psycho Candy, they turned down the feedback and pushed the melodies that were lying underneath to the fore. The Power Of Negative Thinking: B-sides and Rarities is a round-up of demos, b-sides and other unreleased recordings that they amassed throughout their 15 year career, compiled with the input of the Reid brothers. The collection shows just how vital the Mary Chain was for music, and how they have been one of the most important British bands of the past 30 years. Early highlights include their Creation Records debut single from 1984 (Upside Down), and Vegetable Man (a Syd Barrett cover). An album of new studio material is expected soon (the brothers Jim and William Reid put their differences behind them to reunite in 2007), but until then you can Listen to The Power Of Negative Thinking... online for free at We7.

For the past 30 years, Larry Jon Wilson has been the outlaw's outlaw: the ultimate outsider. With his music, he never took the easy option - his songs were always too soulful for rednecks, and too down-home for the discos. Now he has returned with a brand new set of songs, on the fearsomely independent-spirited 1965 Records - the perfect home for this maverick renegade. His self-titled new record is a great collection of 12 songs all in Larry Jon Wilson's unique style. Ask any Nashville musician to name their favourite singer/songwriters and his name will always be around the top of the list.

Comments

[Soulsupastarr]

There’s a lot of very good music which I've listened to on We7 by artists whom record for independent labels and as We7 mentioned in their last blog about signing more deals with record labels/companies, then I’m assuming that they could be adding even more music to the website in the near future too. I was also thinking an option to ‘suggest an artist/album(s)’ might be a worthwhile feature, for We7 users to recommend artists/albums, as in my opinion, there’s new (and older) music from both new & established artists (who now record for independents) which, I think, would be good additions to We7.

[Gareth Reakes, CTO We7]

Hi Soulsupastarr,

You are correct, a lot more music will be coming onto the site in the coming months. More is added most days. I like your idea and will add it the wanted feature list.