Odds are you’re familiar with the classic Neil Young song ‘Old Man’, from his best selling 1972 album ‘Harvest’. Well, nearly 40 years later, a band has been given the OK from ol’ Neil to sample the famous track.

Although sampling has become pretty standard practice in popular music, this is actually the first time that Neil has given ANYONE permission to use this sample, ever. So naturally, it’s kind of a big deal for the guys from Redlight King, an up-and-coming band from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Watch the impressive lyric video below, and look for the debut album from Redlight King, Something For The Pain, coming this summer.

Lyric Video: Redlight King – Old Man

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Like the song? Grab it from iTunes.

What do you think of this updated version of Old Man? Tell us in the comments.

From April 8th to 11th @MetroLyrics was rockin’ the boat at the Summit Series 2011, Summit at Sea Conference(#SASea on twitter). A gathering of music innovators, entrepreneurs, do-gooders, as well as artists & DJs. Whilst running into the likes of Ryan Leslie, Russell Simmons and Richard Branson #SASea offered us amazing opportunities to meet thought-leaders, learn about global initiatives that are creating change like Toms Shoes one-for-one model, and delve deeper into the vast ocean that is the music world.

At #SASea we were reminded again that music has the power to influence the future, warm hearts and bring together new friends like they’ve been rollin’ together for years.

Here’s a collection of artist highlights from the big event:

The Roots

Okay, so anyone who follows hip hop should know The Roots. If you don’t, don’t feel bad, just get yourself educated, and fast. These guys put on a show like nobody’s business, have smiles the size of the Atlantic and can make a grown man want to jump on stage with them and shake a tail feather: Ehhm, Ehhm @ryanleslie (Not to point fingers, right). In short, we love The Roots.

Here’s a photo from our amigos at OkayPlayer:

Credit: Twitter @dantana / www.okayplayer.com

twitter: @TheRoots

Zee Avi

Just 23 years old, the petite Malaysian Zee Avi has been dubbed “Billie Holiday with a ukulele.” With a rare double label deal – signed to Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records and Ian Monotone’s label – this young songstress has the talent and the pipes to break her melancholy love songs onto the radar. Lucky for us, she played one of our favourite tracks ‘Bitter Heart’ live for a group of about 40, on a little island in the Bahamas.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Video courtesy of Amy Chan
Director of Marketing at Kiwi Collection and Girl About Town – Twitter: @amyfabulous Web: www.amyfabulous.com

We DIG Zee Avi

Honey Bee on YouTube

Myspace

Twitter @ZeeAvi

Facebook

Kenna

We were introduced to Kenna through our friends at LoveSocial and we got to catch up with him again at Summit at Sea 2011. Officially one of music’s best kept secrets, Kenna is a Grammy nominated hip-hop artist based out of LA. He spent his formative years studying an eclectic group of musicians that include Stevie Wonder, the Cure, and U2, which gives him his own equally unique sound.

We DIG Kenna

Myspace

Facebook

Twitter

Imogen Heap

One of the best performances from SASea was the one and only Imogen Heap. Before each song, she’d explain how she came up with the lyrics to the audience. “Hide And Seek” was apparently thought up when Heap was making herself spaghetti bolognese! Also, if you listen closely, there’s supposed to be the sound of a train passing near the end of the song – she recorded it in her home next to the train tracks. Our communications director actually wept when she played her heart-aching hit!

Hide And Seek

Click here to view the embedded video.

Video courtesy of Amy Chan
Director of Marketing at Kiwi Collection and Girl About Town – Twitter: @amyfabulous Web: www.amyfabulous.com

We DIG Imogen Heap

Twitter

Other honourable mentions go to Eclectic Method, DJ Irie and DJ Cassidy.

Music Video: KAY – My Name Is Kay

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Are you digging Kay’s sound? Tell us in the comments.

If you haven’t heard of Jessie J by now, here’s a crash course to get you ready for her soon-to-be massive pop-music career!

At 16, Jessie began studying music at the prestigious BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology, where fellow Brits like Amy Winehouse, Adele, and Leona Lewis also studied their craft. Her talent landed her opportunities in songwriting, writing hits for Alicia Keys, Chris Brown, Justin Timberlake, and Miley Cyrus, co-writing her massive hit “Party In The USA.”

In late 2010, Jessie finally took the jump from songwriter to performer, releasing her UK hit “Do It Like A Dude.” The song put Jessie on artist-to-watch lists everywhere. Awards began piling up, as Jessie took home both the BRIT Awards 2011 Critic’s Choice and BBC Sound of 2011 Awards.

Add that all together and combine it with a massive amount of album promotion for her upcoming debut Who You Are, and you’ve got what looks like the next big thing in pop-music.

Listen below to Jessie’s new single “Price Tag” (featuring rapper B.o.B.), set to be released to international radio in the next couple weeks. Sounds like a hit, no?

Jessie J – “Price Tag” feat. B.o.B.

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As a bonus, here’s here the music for her 2010 release “Do It Like A Dude”

Jessie J – “Do It Like A Dude” Music Video

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Do you think Jessie J is the next big thing? Let us know what you think in the comments.

To date, Jessie J has mostly been known for her songwriting; she co-write Miley’s famous “Party In The USA” jam with Dr. Luke and tracks for Justin Timberlake, Chris Brown, and Christina Aguilera. But she’s now stepping into the spotlight as a performer. And we get the feeling she’s there to stay.

To let you judge for yourself, we’ve got a brand new video from Jessie below.The vid is for the song “Do It Like A Dude,” off her upcoming album Who You Are. It’s the debut UK single off the album. Check it out below.

Do you think Jessie J has what it takes to make it big?

Jessie J – “Do It Like A Dude” Music

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Think about when you were 9 years old. How’d you spend your time? Maybe you were on the jungle gym. Maybe you were busy picking your nose. Whatever it was, I’ll let you figure it out. But one thing I know is that your answer most definitely isn’t “becoming a full blown pop-star.” Yet it looks like that’ll be the amazing story of 9-year-old Willow Smith.

We talked about Willow Smith (daughter of actor Will Smith) a while back when we first heard her single “Whip My Hair.” Instantly, buzz began to build about Willow being a potential Rihanna in the making. Since then, Willow has signed a record deal with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label. Not too shabby for someone who only turns 10 later this month. And now, she’s continuing her meteoric rise with the release of a video for her debut track.

In the video, Willow adds some much needed color to a plain looking school classroom. How, you ask? Well by whipping her hair, of course. All you need’s a little paint and a limber neck and you too can start decorating, Willow Smith style.

Check out the video for “Whip My Hair” below.

Willow Smith – “Whip My Hair” Music Video

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Check out the lyrics to “Whip My Hair” here.

Do you think Willow Smith will be the next big thing? Let us know in the comments.

For one thing, if you haven’t heard this song by now, you probably live in a cave. So to bring you up to speed, these guys have taken the music world by storm with this little dance floor banger. It seems as if you can’t go anywhere without hearing the song these days. Which brings me to my question: In light of their worldwide success, should the Far East Movement change their name to “The North, South, East, and West Movement”? Oh don’t worry, I’m shocked at how corny that question was too. Just watch the video already, alright? ;)

Far East Movement – “Like A G6″ Video

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Check out the lyrics to “Like A G6″ here.

Sky’s name has been buzzworthy for a while now, which might seem odd for a girl who’s only 18 and doesn’t have an album to her name. But when you find out that the girl’s been promoting her music in LA dives since she was 15 and has spent a good 3 years working on her debut album, it makes sense. But it isn’t just hard work that makes Sky’s music a breath of fresh air.

Sky Ferreira isn’t the same as the other kids making pop music these days. She doesn’t have Nashville’s Country music roots or sweeping bangs and dance moves. Oh and you definitely won’t see her star in her own Disney Channel show anytime soon. No, this girl’s got edge. Take some serious talent, add a bit of glam, a bit of trash, and a bit of chic and you get Sky Ferreira, born and bred L.A. girl and soon to be pop star.

Check out some of the awesome goodies below.

Sky Ferreira – “One” Music Video

The first big thing we heard out of Sky was her debut UK hit, “One.” The track instantly became a must-have for our dance-floor playlist, and it’s been there ever since.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Sky Ferreira – “Obsession” Music Video

Next up is the video for Sky’s debut US single, “Obsession.” Check her out crushing on actor Michael Madsen, and rockin’ her best Reservoir Dogs suit and shades in the process!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Sky Ferreira – Animal (Miike Snow Cover)

Hey look, guys! No Auto-Tune! What a pleasant surprise!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Sky Ferreira – Stand Back (Stevie Nicks Cover)

And one more cover song for good measure.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Now it’s likely that you’re jumping on the Sky band-wagon as we speak, so stay tuned for Sky Ferreira’s debut album that should be dropping in January! Keep up with the MetroLyrics Blog for Sky Ferreira news as it happens.

Tell us what you think of Sky Ferreira in the comments.

Oh, Bruno. Why must you go and do something so stupid?

If you haven’t heard yet, Bruno was arrested yesterday for drug possession, after the cops caught him in possession of cocaine (WTF?). I mean, the guy is headed straight to the top of the stardom on a meteoric rise, and he’s caught doing something like this? What a shame. Hopefully he can get his issues sorted out quickly, because his music career is just so promising.

On the music front though, a new track from Bruno showed up on the net today. The song’s called “Grenade” and is rumored to be the potential second single off of his up and coming album Doo Wops & Hooligans. It’s definitely a solid track, and a shoe in for chart success if he chooses it as the next single. Fans will love the soaring chorus, as Bruno continues to show off his impressive vocal chops. Check out a tagged up radio rip of the song below. It should do the trick until we can hear a better quality version.

What do you think of the track?

Bruno Mars – “Grenade”

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Check out the lyrics to “Grenade” here.

A while back, the MetroLyrics Blog recommended an up and coming Brooklyn duo called Sleigh Bells. If you checked them out back then, you’d know that, since then, the duo have been racking up serious amounts of popularity and acclaim, not to mention making a serious dent in the Billboard charts.

Now, I know what you’re probably wondering, and no, I’m not psychic. Sometimes you just know a sound is going to be big when you hear it, and Sleigh Bells definitely fits the bill.

For those of you that don’t know, the band Sleigh Bells is in the business of making seriously ear drum blowing guitar rock. On top of the heavily distorted guitar chords, lead singer Alexis Krauss lends a nice contrast to the heavy instruments with her soft singing voice. It’s music that will first make you feel like you’ve been kicked in the gut. But then, out of nowhere, you’ll want to listen to it again. And again. And again.

Here’s their brand new video for the track “Infinity Guitars” off of their debut album Treats, which is definitely worth picking up. Watch it below. Oh ya, and one more thing, I suggest you turn it up loud.

Tell us what you think of Sleigh Bells in the comments.

Sleigh Bells – “Infinity Guitars” Music Video

Born and raised in Essex, England, the British crooner has been on a fast track to stardom since the signing of his Epic Records/Syco Music record deal. His debut album is scheduled to be released in September, but the initial single off of the LP, “Please Don’t Let Me Go,” has been floating around the net for a few weeks. It’s a solid debut for the aspiring pop star, and is no doubt going to gain him some fanfare.

Check out the official video below and look for his debut album coming up sometime in September. You’ll also find the video for his original X Factor audition, where it all began for Olly. Watch as he really he gets the crowd and judges on his side with a rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.”

Olly Murs – Please Don’t Let Me Go

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2009 X-Factor audition

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As an up and coming folk-rock artist, Dan Mangan has seen his fair share of success recently, but it came from a lot of hard work. Though Dan calls the city of Vancouver home, he’s definitely no stranger to the road. Following the release of his first official LP Postcards & Daydreaming, Dan toured the country, playing more shows than many artists play in a lifetime. It’s the kind of story that used to be typical of a folk musician where you had to earn your success the hard way.

Good thing for Dan, his tireless work ethic and talent didn’t go unnoticed. He recently signed to the distinguished Indie label Arts & Crafts, which is also home to acts like Broken Social Scene and Feist. In 2009, Dan managed to release his sophomore album Nice, Nice, Very Nice under the new label. Since its release, the awards and accolades have been streaming in, not to mention a place at #1 on the iTunes Canada Singer/Songwriter Chart for just under 6 months. In the meantime, he’s been invited to play at some of the world’s most prominent and renowned festivals, including Glastonbury and SXSW.

The future looks promising for Dan if he continues to rely on the talent and work ethic that got him this far.

You’ll find the videos below for his two most successful singles to date, “Robots” and “Road Regrets.” Be sure to check them out. Also, for the next while, Dan sets off on a tour of the US. Head over to his homepage to see if he’s playing at a venue near you.

“Robots”

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“Road Regrets”

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Chidera “Chiddy” Anamege and Xaphoon Jones are the latest hip-hop sensation to arise from the Internet, and the hype is more than deserved. The two 19-year olds use their diverse musical backgrounds and talents to create some of the catchiest, genre bending hip-hop heard in recent memory.

Boasting a Kanye-esque penchant for catchy samples, no song is safe from producer-DJ Xaphoon Jones’s mixer board – everything from an MGMT classic to a Mary Poppins sing along has been chopped. Meanwhile, partner, “Chiddy,” impresses with slick rap flow and lyrics that really shouldn’t come so easily to a 19 year old. The combination provides for some extremely worthwhile listening.

Last year, they released their debut mixtape, The Swelly Expres, to the net. From there it’s been a wild ride for the duo – they inked a record deal with Virgin Records/EMI and toured some of the world’s biggest festivals, including Glastonbury and Lollapalooza. A debut label album for the duo is in the works and looks to be scheduled for release on August 24^th. Rumor has it, its titled Here We Go. While you wait for that release, I highly recommend you find a way to get your hands on The Swelly Express because it’s a mixtape worthy of album status. The tape tells the story of two up and coming kids from Philly that struggle their way to New York City to seek out a record label deal, which is somewhat ironic, as most of the songs on the album could make record execs drool with their single potential.

Check out the videos below of “The Opposite of Adults” (the video is sick!), which samples the MGMT hit, “Kids,” as well as the song “Truth,” that samples a Passion Pit hit. Both tracks should be available in iTunes.

“Opposite of Adults”

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“Truth”

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As a graduating senior at Duke University, Posner already has a record deal to his name, and is quickly making his way onto every summer playlist with his new single “Cooler Than Me.” His combination of smooth vocals and futuristic pop beats make Posner a soon-to-be smash hit.

As a musical talent from a young age, Posner’s career started as an early teen crafting beats on his parents’ computer. In a few short years, Posner has released 2 buzzworthy mixtapes, 2009’s “A Matter of Time” and “One Foot Out the Door,” both of which include features from the likes of Kid Cudi and Big Sean.

2010 looks promising for Mike, as his first full length album is due to hit stores. Keep your ears and eyes perked for an album release date or a tour stop in your town.

Peep the videos below for a taste of Mike’s talent, and head on over to MikePosner.com for a free download of his single, “Cooler Than Me.” If you’re smart, you’ll grab as the perfect addition to your summer poolside playlist.

“Cooler Than Me” Official Video

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“You Don’t Have to Leave”

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