Each week, Playlist’s Glenn Peoples looks at special tracks offered by the various online music merchants. Here are the selections for the week of January 17th.
This week’s iTunes free download is “ Breakthrough ” by Hope 7. Signed to Trauma Records, the four-piece already has songs on the Legally Blonde 2 and Sleepover soundtracks under its belt.
New and exclusive to the iTunes store is something a few of you may like: a remix of Alicia Keys’ “ If I Ain’t Got You ” featuring Kanye West.
iTunes now has an exclusive track, “ The Bucket,” from the upcoming album by retro-alternative-garage band Kings of Leon. Aha Shake Heartbreak , from which the song was taken, got great reviews when released in the UK and Australia late last year. Early word in the States is this album is a huge step forward for the young band.
Another hot exclusive is the “ Four Sided Triangle ” EP by Scottish indie band The Delgados. Like-minded band Mercury Rev, who also play sweeping rock songs sweetened by keys and strings, have an iTunes exclusive track, “ In A Funny Way.”
Showing its wide range of styles, iTunes also has exclusive tracks from Amy Grant (a previously unreleased song called “ What Is The Chance of That ”), R&B legend Gladys Knight and alt-country/adult pop trio Shivaree. Plus, for fans of classical music, it has an exclusive on the Weiner Philharmoniker’s New Year’s Eve album.
At other online stores…
Bleep.com has a track from the fantastic upcoming album by blip hop producer Boom Bip. “ Do’s and Don’ts ” features the vocals of Gruff Rhys, the singer for Welsh rock group Super Furry Animals.
Wal-Mart’s online store is brimming with exclusives. They’ve got an entire album exclusively, Tim McGraw’s “ Live Like You Were Dying.” They’ve got a new Richard Marx track, “ High (Single).” They’ve got Jessica Simpson’s “ With You.” And they’ve got the album “Youth” by ’90s alternative rock powerhouse Collective Soul with an exclusive track: a live version of “Under Heaven’s Sky.”
Sony Connect, which is striving to become a legitimate contender, exclusively offers downloads of live songs from NBC’s “Aid: A Concert of Hope.” Performers included Eric Clapton, Maroon 5, Mary J. Blige, Madonna, Diana Ross and John Mayer. Connect also has an exclusive of Los Lonely Boys’ cover of the Johnny Cash classic “I Walk The Line.” It was in a Sony commercial, after all.