Tag Archives: Friday Five

Friday Five, Music

The Friday Five: July 4th Playlist

Leave a comment

It’s a holiday weekend and no matter what your plans are, let’s celebrate #Murica with these five songs that should definitely be on your 4th of July playlist.

1. “Young in America” – Danielle Bradbery
There is nothing more American than country music, and we love the new single from country’s sweetheart Danielle Bradbery.  The video features the common #Merica theme of a road trip, with lots of American flags waving.

2.  “Light Me Up” – Hunter Hayes
“Baby you light me up like the fireworks flying on the 4th of July!”  Hunter will be performing on the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular on NBC this year, and we hope he’ll be bringing back this track from his  “Encore” album, and playing his new single “Tattoo!”  Since most of the East Coast will be dealing with Hurricane Arthur tomorrow, at least now you won’t have to feel bad if your July 4th plans revolve around staying in to watch Hunter perform!   Other performers include Miranda Lambert, Ariana Grande & Lionel Richie.

3. “American Dream” – MKTO
MKTO’s American Dream Tour got its name from their new single, which the guys just performed on Good Morning America.  But this isn’t the same summer song you used to know.  MKTO question what ever happened to the American Dream, and why Jack left Diane.  They were Born to Run Cali here we come.  (The song is also extremely catchy and quotable…sounds like the perfect summer song to us!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGXB9iz0KqU

4. “Made in The USA” – Demi Lovato
As far as “songs about America” go, this one was made to be on your 4th of July playlist.  Name dropping Chevy?  Check. Because aren’t all good things “Made in the USA?” Demi’s video for this song is also very American:  girl meets boy at a carnival and they fall in love. What’s more American than meeting the love of your life at a carnival!?  Nothing. That’s what.

5.  “Make It In America” – Victoria Justice
This is the ultimate summer road trip song and video, featuring the entire cast of Victorious!  Another requisite for making a #Merica song is apparantly referencing “Born to Run.”  Which should already be on your playlist.  “I wanna taste the sun case baby I’m Born to Run!” 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k7xNqF_YU4

BONUS: “Party In The USA” – Miley Cyrus
No matter how hard she tries….Miley will never be able to erase this song from the internet or her discography.  It reaches the Top 10 on iTunes every 4th of July so she can’t complain too much.  This song had a bunch of parodies and spoofs but our favorite is “Party In The F.I.P.”  Watch it below in case you’ve been under a rock for the past 5 years.

Friday Five, Movies, Music

The Friday Five: Best DCOM Musical Moments

Leave a comment

Tonight marks the premiere of yet another soon to be classic DCOM (that’s Disney Channel Original Movie), “Zapped!”  In the movie, Zendaya gets a new smartphone app that lets her control boys with the touch of a button.  It sounds amazing, and also reminds us of one of our favorite DCOMs of all time, “Stuck in the Suburbs,” where in a pre-iPhone/app world, stars Brenda Song and Danielle Panabaker accidentally end up with a pop star’s cell phone, and manage to run his entire life, eventually changing it for the better.  (And proving that fans know artists better than managers.)   It’s totally fine to cancel all your plans for tonight to watch “Zapped,” especially since it’s followed by the long-awaited premiere of “Girl Meets World!”    We’re hoping there will be at least one iconic musical sequence in the movie.  Here are our favorite DCOM songs and musical moments!

1. “Make a Wish” by Jordan Cahill – “Stuck in the Suburbs”
This is actually Taran Killam singing….Yes, Taran Killam from SNL.  Not enough people remember that he was in this fangirl fantasy movie!   Taran played Jordan Cahill, a spoiled popstar who kind of hated his life but didn’t know how to say “no” to his manager.   He did gather himself enough to spit out this witty quip in response to his manager telling him he was famous because of his perfectly highlighted hair – “Then dress it up, and make it sing your lousy songs!”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INp5xafuBFE

2.  “Strut” by Cheetah Girls – “Cheetah Girls 2”
Any movie that takes place in Europe is more than likely one of our favorites.   The Cheetah Girls get the chance of a lifetime to go to Spain and it involves a half baked plan, some gorgeous scenery (we’re not talking about the mansion here) and a happy ending for our Amigas Cheetahs!   We find ourselves singing this on our way to work in the mornings – it’s got the perfect beat to STRUT to!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqWroBwEx98

3. “Zoom” by Microbe – “Zenon Girl of the 21st Century”
If you say you don’t know all the words to this song, then you’re either too old(or young) to remember this movie or you’re lying.  This movie is still a fashion disaster MAJOR!   But zetus lupetus, we wish Microbe (esp. Proto Zoa) was a real band because we would totally go to a space themed concert and wear neon spandex leggings under a ridiculous looking  mini skirt (holographic vest and all).

4. “Slam Dunk the Funk” by 5ive – “Smart House”
Cheesy outfits? Check.  House party hosted by a 14 year old boy? Check.   Choreographed dance moves in the cheesy outfits at a house party hosted by a 14 year old boy?  You got it!   “Smart House” was one of those movies where it was so bad it’s good (usually our favorite kind of movies).   Ryan Merriman (AKA that creep Ian Thomas  on PLL) is the genius behind the “let’s put on some tunes and do choreographed dance moves” scene here.  Thank god time was good to him.  Do yourself a favor, after you watch this clip…go Google “Ryan Merriman” and thank us later.

5. “Bet on It” by Zac Efron – “High School Musical 2”
I don’t know if we need to even say anything about this clip.  It’s been parodied so many times that it keeps getting funnier as time goes on.  Zac Efron totally nailed this song and performance.  The running, the skipping, the twirling while skip-running…there’s a reason this clip made our Friday Five list! Also, if you’ve have never reenacted the Bet On It scene….you’re lying.

PSA:  You can find most of these classic films on Youtube, or check your TV listings and get your DVR ready because Disney Channel airs old DCOMs in the middle of the night!   (And High School Musical 2 and Cheetah Girls 2 are on Netflix).

Boy Bands, Friday Five, Music, On Tour

The Friday Five: Backstreet Boys’ Best Videos

Leave a comment

This weekend marks the official start of summer, which means concert season is in full swing!  And we’re seeing the Backstreet Boys on Sunday!  It’s hard to believe BSB have been together for 21 years now, and after all this time they’re still going strong.  And they’re one of the few bands that have never let us down over the years.  We love that they brought back their original music video choreography for tour.  In honor of the In a World Like This Tour, here are our five favorite BSB videos!  (It was extremely hard to not make this a Friday Ten…)

1.  “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)”
This is probably the most iconic boy band video of ALL TIME.  Why are they monsters?  Nobody knows.  But seriously, you haven’t lived until you’ve seen Backstreet Boys perform “Everybody” live, with the entire crowd doing the choreography.   And have you caught the ending of “This Is The End?”  Apparently in heaven everyone knows the “Everybody” dance.

2. “Larger Than Life”
Budgets for music videos were much bigger in the 90s, like in this video when BSB went to outer space.   AJ is also probably the only man on earth who can pull off a mesh cropped top.  (He’s got the abs for it!)   We’re still not sure why they always insist on keeping Nick so under wraps in these videos (first he’s a mummy, now a robot?)

3. “I Want It That Way”
The video has over 98 million views on YouTube for a reason. Another iconic boy band video, which has been spoofed by Blink-182 and paid homage to by Big Time Rush.   We still get chills every time we hear Nick sing The Note.  (You know the one).   And that sad fangirl wave to Brian at the end?  We totally know your pain.

4. “Quit Playing Games With My Heart”
Otherwise known as that video where it starts raining and they dance around and get  their button down shirts and baggy pants soaking wet for no reason.   Howie D just totally takes it off.  Poor Brian had to keep his shirt buttoned because of his scar from heart surgery!  We are full of important 90s trivia facts like this, which we probably learned from TRL, Making the Video or Popup Video.

5. “As Long As You Love Me”
The CHAIR DANCE!  One of our fondest memories of middle school is when all the boys in our class blasted this song from their walkman, and attempted to recreate this chair dance during homeroom.  The key word being attempted.

Bonus. “We’ve Got It Goin’ On”
This might be the best song to dance to, ever.   And their wardrobe is on point.  Layered denim and leather?  Check.  This is also the song with the prayer dance.

Just do yourself a favor and head to the Backstreet Boys Vevo page and hit play all, it’s Friday.   We’ll be rehearsing our choreography for Sunday’s show.

Be sure to follow Backstreet Boys & Secret Fangirls on Twitter for more updates!

 

Artist to Watch, Friday Five, Music

The Friday Five: New Bands That Rock

Leave a comment

In the past, we’ve brought you new bands from across the pond, our favorite boy bands, and even our top favorite country artists. This week, we want to formally introduce you to five bands that rock!  All of these artists have a knack for writing a catchy rock song, with their own unique sound.

1 – Born Cages
We’ve featured this Brooklyn based band before and we’ve been lucky enough to see them play more than a few times. As we near the release of their next single, please enjoy one of our favorite songs from “The Sidelines EP“.

2 – New Hollow
This Ohio trio has worked their way into our playlists ever since the 106.1 BLI Summer Jam a few weekends ago. Catchy, grungy, perfect summer throwback sound – New Hollow has it all! Don’t miss these guys on tour this summer. Watch the official video for their single, “She Ain’t You” below.

3 – Action Item
Hailing from New Jersey, Action Item aren’t technically new, but that doesn’t stop them from rocking their way onto our Friday Five list! These guys are dropping a new single called “We’ll Be Fine” on June 24th and we can’t wait to hear what they’ve been up to. They’ll be on tour with MKTO all summer so be there or be square!

4 – The Strypes
The only band on this list from the UK, The Strypes are definitely ones to watch.  After a chance encounter with their name in an ad in Rolling Stone , we checked out their music and instantly knew these guys were on to something.  We love The Strypes cheeky lyrics on their debut album “Snapshot” and it’s about time the US has another proper British rock invasion!  Watch the official video for “What A Shame” below.

5 – Wild Party
One of the five finalists in this years iHeartRadio and Macy’s Rising Star Competition, Wild Party is definitely on the up and up. Their single “When I Get Older” sounds like Rooney and Phantom Planet – just what we need to blast in our car with the windows down and the sunroof open! Catch Wild Party at a free in-store performance at Macy’s in Northridge, CA on June 21st.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxeD-nYoEiw

 

Be sure to follow Born Cages, New Hollow, The Strypes, Action Item, Wild Party, and Secret Fangirls on Twitter for the latest on your favorite new artists!

 

Friday Five, Music

The Friday Five: Top Songs of the Week

Leave a comment

Summer Fridays are in full swing, and we can’t wait for the weekend!  Here’s what we’re listening to this week.

1. Austin Mahone – “Secret”
We’ve decided this is the official SecretFangirls.com theme song.  We lost it when Austin performed this at Summer Jam last weekend, and are so glad someone caught it on video, because his choreography is ON POINT (as always).  We don’t call him the one man boy band for nothing.

2. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – “And We Danced”
We saw Macklemore & Ryan Lewis at the Hammerstein Ballroom over two weeks ago.   And we danced, and we laughed, and we cried, and had a really really really good time.  And it was such a party that we are still finding random pieces of confetti everywhere.

3. Justin Timberlake – “Not a Bad Thing”
While we’ve always said this song would sound amazing as a 5-part harmony (ahem *NSYNC you can cover this on your reunion tour), it’s just as beautiful with JT.

4. Midnight Red – “Hell Yeah”
Okay, so we had this song on last week’s Friday Five.  But we’ve seen Midnight Red twice this week, so this song has been permanently stuck in our heads (and we’re totally okay with it).

5. Victoria Justice – “Gold”
We know that Victoria is focusing on her acting projects now, but we miss her music!  We especially love this single, “Gold,” and are hoping that we will still get a full album sometime soon!

Big Time Rush, Boy Bands, Friday Five, Midnight Red, Music

The Friday Five: Legit Modern Day Boy Bands

1 Comment

As we’ve written before, there seems to be a lot of confusion in the media as to who is a boy band and who’s not.  We prefer to use boy band in the original sense of the word, like the originals New Edition and New Kids on the Block. You can even consult the dictionary: a boy band is a group of young men who sing in harmonies and DANCE!   Here are some of our favorites!

1. Big Time Rush – “Boyfriend”
Big Time Rush doesn’t get enough credit for bringing boy bands back into fashion. Before their show premiered in2009 we had all been living in a sad boy band less world for years. True BSB have been going strong for over 20 years, but we hadn’t seen any NEW boy bands since the golden era in the early 2000s, when a new band seemed to emerge every week.   BTR has the moves, looks and harmonies of a classic boy band. Now that they are in the “I’m just going into space / I’m just going to record this solo project, probably no one will hear it” phase of their band, we are hoping that they reunite for at least one more tour.  They keep saying it ain’t over!  We love their mashup of Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend,” with their song of the same name.  Complete with a hat dance!

2. Titanium – “Unarmed”
AKA New Zealand’s first boy band!  The deprived nation held a rigorous competition, which included a boy band boot camp, to find the 6 members of the band.  They’ve even written songs with BTR members Kendall Schmidt and Logan Henderson. There were rumors of a joint Big Time Rush & Titanium tour  for a while, and we’d just like to put in a formal request to make that happen.

3. Midnight Red – “Hell Yeah”
They call themselves America’s boy band, and with good reason.   They have harmonies that melt you, and have done solid covers like “Diamonds” by Rihanna and even NKOTB’s “Step by Step!”  They got the ultimate boy band seal of approval when NKOTBSB recruited them to open for their tour, making Midnight Red officially a part of the boy band posse.   And we’re sure they wouldn’t back down to a dance off with BSB! (Can we have this? Thanks!)

4. Phase V – “Not a Bad Thing”
One of the newest boy bands on the block, is the self described Urban-Pop boy band. They’ve posted covers of “Not a Band Thing” by Justin Timberlake, which we’ve always said was meant for a 5 part harmony, and “Drop It” by Trevor Jackson.  We hear they’re working on an *NSYNC cover as we speak and we can’t wait!   We love that these guys dance and stay true to the boy band genre and are looking forward to hearing more from them!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UrwHUHDHig

5. To Be One – “Please Don’t Go Girl”
The Jordan Knight approved boy band sampled NKOTB’s hit “Please Don’t Go Girl” in their original song of the same name.   Jordan said it best when he told MTV “finally a boy band that dances!  And the hook is darn good too!”

AJR, Austin Mahone, Dan+Shay, Friday Five, Hunter Hayes, The Vamps

The Friday Five: Memorial Day Playlist

Leave a comment

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!  We’re sure many of you (including us) are traveling for the long weekend, so here is our playlist of the songs we plan to drive around blasting to celebrate the official start of summer.

1.  Austin Mahone – “Next To You”
Austin just released this track from his debut album “The Secret,” out next week!  And we’ve been listening to it nonstop. (Literally like 10 times in a row).   He’s said that his album was influenced by the boy bands of the 90s, and it’s evident in this track.  We can’t wait to see what moves Austin the one-man boy band has planned for this one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNHds5irF0k

2. Dan + Shay – “Sway”
We heard this unreleased track at the Dan + Shay + You acoustic session, and found ourselves instantly swaying and singing along.   Dan and Shay said this song, which they played here for the first time ever, would likely be on their next album.  Lucky for you (and us) we caught it on video!

3.  The Vamps – “Somebody To You”
As soon as we heard this song, we had a feeling it would be The Vamps’ next single.  And we were right!  What we weren’t expecting is for Demi Lovato to be featured on the track.  They’ve teamed up for what’s sure to be a mega-hit for the British band.  Hopefully all the radio play this song is getting will lead to the long awaited US release date for The Vamps album!

4. Hunter Hayes – “Tattoo”
We cannot say enough good things about Hunter Hayes.  Not only is he extremely talented (he can play over 30 instruments) he’s also kind and humble.  We love this track off of his new album, “Storyline,” which is likely to be the second single off the album.  This song will stick with you,  even the first time you hear it…just like a tattoo!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak-T-JS05xE

5. AJR – “After Hours”
Their first single “I’m Ready,” is on track to be a big hit this summer, but we love all of AJR’s songs, especially this track off of their “I’m Ready EP.”  It’s fun, catchy, and has a horn section.  We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: AJR’s unique sound just makes us excited about music.  We can’t wait for their debut album due out later this summer!

 

AJR, Austin Mahone, Cody Simpson, Dan+Shay, Friday Five, Hunter Hayes

The Friday Five: Songs of the Summer

2 Comments

It’s only the second day of May, but after a brutal winter in NYC we’ve been dreaming of summer for weeks!  We can’t wait for outdoor concerts and trips to the beach, or in the event of Summer Jam and any shows at Nikon Jones Beach Theater – both!    Here are the songs we are loving right now, our soundtrack to the Summer of 2014.   All of these artists are on tour this summer, so check them out!

1.  Dan + Shay –  “Show You Off“
The country duo’s debut album is the perfect summer soundtrack.  It makes us want to drive around with the windows down, sipping sweet tea with the wind blowing in our hair.  “Show You Off,” Dan+Shay’s second single, is catchy and refreshing like a cool drink of water in the summer, better than the other side of the pillow.  Check out all of their upcoming tour dates!

2. AJR –  “I’m Ready“
We’ve had “I’m Ready” on repeat for months now, but AJR’s single is climbing the charts and is sure to be one of the biggest hits of the summer!  Their debut album, which brothers Adam, Jack and Ryan Met wrote, produced and recorded in their living room, is expected to be released late Summer.   You can catch them on tour at several radio festivals and opening for Lindsey Stirling this summer!  Watch our interview  with AJR here!

3. Austin Mahone – “Till I Find You“
This is possibly the best summer ever for Mahomies!  Austin’s debut album, “The Secret,” is being released May 27th, followed by appearances at Summer Jam and a headlining tour with The Vamps!  He’ll also help kick off the Today Show Toyota Summer Concert Series on Memorial Day!

4. Cody Simpson – “Surfboard”
There are some artists we always associate with summer, and Cody is one of them!  We first saw him opening for Big Time Rush at Jones Beach on their 2012 tour.  His laid back surfer vibe is perfect for his new single, “Surfboard.”  He’ll be at Summer Jam and is heading out on a European tour shortly after.  Stay tuned for the dates!

5. Hunter Hayes – “You Think You Know Somebody”
We’re constantly impressed by the multi-talented Hunter Hayes.  In case you’re still inclined to refer to him as “the country Justin Bieber,” just check out his guitar solos in this live performance of “You Think You Know Somebody!”   He is by far one of our favorite acts to see live, and we could not be more excited for his new album, “Storyline,” out next week!  If you have the opportunity to see him live, go!  He takes every song to the next level. P.S. Hunter if you’re reading this, play a show in NYC – we love country, too!

Follow Secret Fangirls on Twitter for more on your favorite artists!

Friday Five, Music

The Friday Five: Birthday Songs for Fangirls

Leave a comment

In honor of one of our birthday’s today, check out our favorite non-traditional birthday songs.  Did you have any idea NKOTB and *NSYNC had original birthday songs?!  Well now you do.  Enjoy!

1.  “Birthday” by Selena Gomez
We find ourselves singing this song basically every day of the year, and are obsessed with Selena’s old school chair dance choreography to this song.  “Tell ’em that it’s my birthday when I party like that!”

2.  “Happy Birthday to You” by New Kids on the Block
The falsetto in this is just beautiful.  NKOTB is the gift that keeps on giving.

3.  “Birthday” by Katy Perry
Katy just released the official video for “Birthday” last night (great timing!).  She crashed a few birthday parties in disguise, with hilarious and adorable results.

4. “Not Your Birthday” by Allstar Weekend
You can always party like it’s not your birthday.

5.  “Happy Birthday” by *NSYNC
Again, who knew that *NSYNC had a birthday song?!

Bonus:  “Happy Birthday” performed a capella by *NSYNC.  Because who could ask for a better present?

Check out all of our Friday Fives!

Friday Five, Tennis

The Friday Five: Our Favorite Tennis Players

Leave a comment

Changing things up for this week’s Friday Five!  This week we’re looking at our favorite tennis players.  If there is anything we like more than music, it’s tennis.  We’ve previously discussed how tennis is the ultimate fangirl sport.  Not only are these athletes extremely fit and excellent at what they do, but it seems like there is a requirement to be good looking to play in the ATP tournaments.

1. Grigor Dimitrov – @grigordimitrov
We like to call Grigor our “Bulgarian bon-bon” (sort of like Viktor Krum to Hermione Granger). It’s not surprising that his nickname is “baby Fed” because of his skill and precision during the game. Dimitrov’s one handed back hand is something to envy, as well!  He isn’t just good at tennis, he’s also really entertaining on Twitter. Grigor likes to share adorable photos of himself with puppies, enjoying the flowers, as well as this gem:

https://twitter.com/GrigorDimitrov/status/455057165678813185

2. Richard Gasquet – @richardgasquet1
Here is another player with a really beautiful backhand (yes, backhand…..that’s all we’re implying….no innuendos here!!) Gasquet is French and plays the sport with an elegant flair.   Simply put, he’s just a beautiful player to watch.  When he gets frustrated, he throws his sweaty socks on the court because he can.  (At least he’s not smashing racquets?)  Sadly he doesn’t use Instagram as much as Dimitrov.

Richard Gasquet backhand gif

3. Rafa Nadal – @rafaelnadal
“For me, it will be a tough match for sure, no?”  Rafa is so humble about his game, even in first round matches where he is sure to bagel his opponents.  Rafa always fights his hardest and plays like it’s the final of a grand slam. He also gives the best acceptance speeches and press conferences, for sure.  And then there’s that Armani commercial where he just takes off his suit and puts on some jeans, because why not, no?

4. Ryan Harrison – @ryanharrison92
This kid is the next Andy Roddick, at least we think he has the potential! He needs to bring Andy back to be his coach (but it seems like Ryan is taking cues from Andy already). It also kind of freaks us out how much Harrison looks like Ryan Atwood from The O.C., or as We like to call him, Chino.  Can you tell who’s who?

Screen Shot 2014-04-17 at 7.54.43 PM

5. John Isner – @johnisner
JOOHNNYYYY!!!  At nearly 6’10”, we love that he plays tennis and didn’t go into basketball. John is super loveable and watching him play is always a joy, even during stressful tie-breakers.  Which he tends to play.  A lot.  During on court interviews, he literally dwarfs any other player and interviewer. We love when he teams up with fellow American & BFF Sam Querrey for doubles!  Go Quisner!

quisner

The Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters is happening right now – visit ATP World Tour for the latest scores, news & updates on your favorite players.