Chris Brown (Singer)

Rihanna at the Pepsi Center in November

The unapologetic and perpetually controversial popstar known as Rihanna -- currently working on new music with Wale and reportedly once again on the outs with the equally controversial Chris Brown -- is due to perform at the Pepsi Center on Saturday, November 9. Tickets for the show ($39.50) go on s ... More >>

Kim Jong-Un supports gay marriage: Did SNL steal this from The Onion?

Last weekend's Saturday Night Live cold-open featured a somewhat unconvincing Bobby Moynihan playing the adorably chubby supreme leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-Un. The sketch revolved around the husky dictator's address to the people of NK, announcing a change in policy on two major fronts. The fir ... More >>

Natasha Leggero on Sarah Silverman, Russell Brand and poorly dressed comics

A bitter pill wrapped in a sweet cherry coating, comic Natasha Leggero is a double threat of intoxicating charm and tabloid cruelty. With her Audrey Hepburn-style and merciless observational humor, she's known to raise the I-can't-believe-she-just-said-that bar during her regular appearances on Chel ... More >>

Video: Chris Brown publicist skit was a perfectly timed advance for Rihanna breakup/reunion

While most of the world celebrated the resurrection of old J.C., there were several weird developments -- both real and satirical -- in an even more implausible resurrection: that of Chris Brown's career. After becoming the most hated man in show business, Breezy has defied logic by continuing to br ... More >>

The ten traits of the perfect frontperson

The best frontmen and women all have something in common. Whether it's their ability to connect with a crowd or the swagger with which they carry themselves, their fashion sense, the intrigue that surrounds them or their reckless disregard for their own well being, they all have that ineffable "it" ... More >>

Ten Grammy awards that you don't see on TV but that are totally worth being televised

The Grammys are supposed to be "music's biggest night." Unfortunately, the only person who truly believes this is the copywriter who came up with that tagline. There are easily five festivals every year with stakes to the same claim. One of the highlights of this year's Grammys was a Bruno Mars/Stin ... More >>

The ten worst EDM songs of 2012

The year 2012 has been a great year for those us who immersed ourselves in the EDM scene. We got a lot of great music, both locally and internationally -- but that doesn't mean there wasn't a plethora of crap released alongside the worthwhile. To honor those lackluster moments, Backbeat culled the b ... More >>

New Denver concerts: The Who at Pepsi Center, New Order at 1STBANK, the Script and more

See Also: - Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Odd Future, Atmosphere and XX lead this week's shows - Afghan Whigs, Amanda Palmer, Aimee Mann and Seether lead this week's shows - Mumford and Sons, Brother Ali, Henry Rollins and Melvins Lite lead this week's shows - Morrissey, Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube, Dinos ... More >>

Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Odd Future, Atmosphere and XX lead this week's shows

See Also: - Afghan Whigs, Amanda Palmer, Aimee Mann and Seether lead this week's shows - Mumford and Sons, Brother Ali, Henry Rollins and Melvins Lite lead this week's shows - Morrissey, Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube, Dinosaur Jr., Jackson Browne lead new shows - Wiz Khalifa, Mac Miller, Shinedown, Godsma ... More >>

Afghan Whigs, Amanda Palmer, Aimee Mann and Seether lead this week's new shows

See Also: - Mumford and Sons, Brother Ali, Henry Rollins and Melvins Lite lead this week's shows - Morrissey, Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube, Dinosaur Jr., Jackson Browne lead new shows - Wiz Khalifa, Mac Miller, Shinedown, Godsmack, Steve Vai and Kimbra lead new shows Oh, man, what a fall we have to look ... More >>

Five acts whose careers have resurrected

Whether you're honoring a ubiquitous egg-laying rabbit obsessed with scavenger hunts or the miraculous resurrection of a thirty-something Jewish carpenter, the Easter season is upon us once again. But regardless of your religious affiliation, in the world of music, returning from the dead seems to h ... More >>

Chartbreaker: Madonna's MDNA outsells Lionel Richie's Tuskegee (what year is this again?)

Madonna nabs the top spot on the Billboard 200 with her new album, MDNA. The set, her twelfth studio album, is also her eighth number-one; Madonna is now second only to Barbra Streisand with the number of top albums, and even then Babz only leads by one. MDNA shifted 359,000 copies, nearly 80,000 mo ... More >>

Chartbreaker: Taylor Swift and The Hunger Games top Adele and One Direction this week

Lots of noise on the Billboard 200 albums chart in the past two weeks, and it hasn't been from Adele...for once. Last week, newcomers One Direction made history as the first British import with a number-one album debut -- neither the Spice Girls nor the Beatles had albums ever debut at number one in ... More >>

Michael Jackson songs stolen by hackers

Remember last year when the hacker group Lulz Security nabbed credit card data and other personal information from Sony PlayStation Network? Around the same time, two British hackers lifted unreleased songs by Michael Jackson from the Sony Music Entertainment computer system. The two hackers are so ... More >>

Chartbreaker: Adele beats Michael Jackson's record and eyes Prince's Purple Rain next

Yet another big week for Adele, who continues to dominate the charts. With a ninth consecutive week at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, the 22nd week overall, Adele's second album, 21 recently supplanted The Bodyguard soundtrack in the record books and now the album has is closing in on Prince ... More >>

John Waters on beer, bathroom reading and his signature mustache

Interviewing some celebrities can be as excruciating as putting out a campfire with your face, but talking to John Waters is a lot like talking to a friend -- that is, if you have friends who have made freaks, gays, drugs, abortions and religion into delightfully irreverent movies that have defined ... More >>

Rihanna "Birthday Cake (Remix)" with Chris Brown: More like distubia

​Okay, after hearing the full version of Rihanna's "Birthday Cake (Remix)" featuring Chris Brown, we're in utter shock. If Tina Turner heard this damning pop, which essentially gives Brown a pass for what he did to Rihanna three years ago, we're pretty sure she'd be shaking her head like us -- ... More >>

Chris Brown seagull attack reimagined (ten images)

Getting mounted by the Denver International Airport demon horse, known as "Mustang."Fresh off his Grammy win for best R&B album and dropping a pair of remixes with Rihanna, Chris Brown was attacked by seagulls Sunday while on vacation in Miami. The Daily Mail (of course) has a pretty hilarious phot ... More >>

Michael Hancock takes on the "Chris Brown and Rihanna situation" at violence awareness rally

At the first-ever Teen Dating Violence Awareness Rally today, Mayor Michael Hancock took the mike and told a story about what he called "the Chris Brown and Rihanna situation." One day, his teenage daughter and her friends were watching the former on television and, in Hancock's words, going "goo-go ... More >>

Happy birthday, Rihanna. "Turn Up the Music," but no "Birthday Cake" for you, Chris Brown!

Update: Chris Brown's "Turn Up the Music" remix featuring Rhianna added below. Happy 24th birthday, Robyn Rihanna Fenty. We remember your first record, "Pon De Replay." Nice, disposable dancefloor pop. It was urban enough to get people dancing in high school, but not sexy enough to fertilize anythi ... More >>

Re:Generation strives to break down barriers

This past Sunday during his acceptance speech on behalf of his band the Foo Fighters for Best Rock Performance at the 54th Annual Grammy awards, Dave Grohl made some comments that stirred the ire of some folks. Lauding the fact that Wasting Light, the album in question, had been recorded in his gara ... More >>

The 54th Grammys: who will win (Adele) and who won't (Lady Gaga)

From power pop to power ballads, rock anthems to rap staples, the nominees of the 54th Grammy Awards, which airs this Sunday night, sees no dearth of great music. There's little doubt that it will be Adele's night, but others, like Kanye West and Mumford & Sons, could win big too. Continue reading f ... More >>

Chris Brown does his best LMFAO impression with "Turn Up The Music"

Chris Brown singles have always come in two flavors: Sexy & Braggadocious and Song & Dance -- songs that are either about busting a nut or busting a move, regardless of production or tempo. Edgier singles from his catalogue, like "Look at Me Now," "I Can Transform Ya" and even the recent "Strip" fal ... More >>

Joyful Noise is a holy hot mess of the sacred and inane

Big Sean in Boulder at the Fox on 11-11-11

​Big Sean is coming to the Fox Theatre on Friday, November 11. Big Sean, signed to Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music label, legitimately poses the question: "Who came first, Big Sean or Drake?" No kidding. If don't know Big Sean from "My Last," his single with Chris Brown, let's just say the similar ... More >>

Should we feel bad for liking Chris Brown's music and hating Chris Brown the person?

Reader: Chris Brown shouldn't still be defined by attack on Rihanna two years later

Chris & Evrod.​This week, CBS4 removed a photo from its website featuring new anchor Evrod Cassimy arm-in-arm with Chris Brown, the singer convicted of assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009. Our post on the subject has generated a wide variety of comments, including many defenses of B ... More >>

Mile Highlights: This week's concert news, local radio playlists and top album sales

Here's what's good in the Mile High City this week: In concert news, TV on the Radio is slated to perform two nights at the Ogden in September, Furthur is making its way back to Colorado for three nights at Red Rocks and blink-182 and My Chemical Romance headline KTCL's Big Gig in September. On lo ... More >>

Rihanna's "Man Down" video opens fire on the subject of rape and gets blasted by detractors

​There's been a lot of talk about Rhianna's controversial new video for the song "Man Down." If you haven't seen it, Rihanna shoots a man who is shown to be her rapist with a gun she calls "Peggy Sue." The scene opens in a crowded area with a shot of her assailant-turned-victim, and Rihanna, w ... More >>

Mile Highlights: This week's concert news, local radio playlists and top album sales

Here's what's good in the Mile High City this week: In concert news, INXS is coming to the Ogden in July, Lil Wayne's coming to Comfort Dental in August and Steve Earle is due at the Ogden in September. On local radio, Force Publique, Signal Path and Bop Skizzum got some spins. Meanwhile, at our l ... More >>

Mile Highlights: This week's concert news, local radio playlists and top album sales

Here's what's good in the Mile High City this week: In concert news, INXS is coming to the Ogden in July, Lil Wayne's coming to Comfort Dental in August and Steve Earle is due at the Ogden in September. On local radio, Force Publique, Signal Path and Bop Skizzum got some spins. Meanwhile, at our l ... More >>

Top ten penis jokes at Chelsea Handler's show last night

​You think you have a dirty mouth? Surely it doesn't compare to Chelsea Handler's, who told the audience all about her early days giving blowjobs as a high school freshman last night at the Wells Fargo Theatre.Without further ado, Westword is proud to present the top ten penis jokes Chelsea an ... More >>

Mile Highlights: This week's concert news, local radio playlists and top album sales

​ Here's what's good in the Mile High City this week: On the concert front, we've received word that Death Cab for Cutie is due at Red Rocks in August with Frightened Rabbit, preceded by O.A.R. in July, while Ben Folds stops by the Ogden in July and Queensryche plays the Theatre in September. ... More >>

Upcoming M.I.A.-Chris Brown collaboration proves opposites attract

Mile Highlights: Shows announced/on sale this week, local radio playlists and top local sellers

Here's what's good in the Mile High City this week. On the concert front: Alison Krauss is coming to Red Rocks, while Godsmack, Megadeth and Disturbed are due at Comfort Dental for the The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival and Wiz Khalifa brings his Rolling Papers World Tour to the 1STBANK. Me ... More >>

Ten ridiculous wikis to cure your boredom with just one click

Is there a wiki for this? Why yes, yes there is.​Wikipedia may be the world's largest online encyclopedia, but lately its increasing credibility and citation of sources have sucked out all of its fun. What if you just want something to laugh at, like a page of bullshit you're never ever going ... More >>

Slim Cessna, A. Tom Collins, Serious Moonlight and DJ MU$A top our weekly playlists

​As people who think about, talk about, listen to and make music, the most common question we encounter is, "What are you listening to right now?" Whether you're looking for recommendations, trying to get a feel for our individual sensibilities, or are just curious, we've compiled a list of al ... More >>

Lady Gaga's tour chaperoned by Ma'ga: Other acts who could use the watchful eye of mom

​In case you haven't heard, Mama Gaga is going on tour with Lady in hopes of preventing her from going on the "drinking diet." Apparently, Ma'ga, concerned about her egg-dwelling offspring, demanded she accompany her daughter on tour. We love the idea. Frankly, we think more parents should tak ... More >>

Mile Highlights: Shows announced/on sale this week, local radio playlists and top local sellers

​ Here's what's good in the Mile High City this week. On the concert front: Peter Gabriel and Widespread Panic are coming to Red Rocks in June, while Sade is due at the Pepsi Center in August. Meanwhile on local radio, My Body Sings Electric, Pacific Pride, the Sunshine House and String Chees ... More >>

Top 5 Famous Writer/Musician Feuds

​Sometimes hurt feelings and death threats bring people closer together -- that definitely seems to be the case of the former web editor at our sister paper in Los Angeles, Erin Broadley, and shock-rocker Marilyn Manson, who once threatened to kill her. After the two met, they came to the real ... More >>

Chris Brown is an ass who doesn't deserve another chance

​It's been a big week in the inexcusable career resurgence of Chris Brown. Rihanna allowed her restraining order against him to be eased. Apparently someone sitting on some unreleased photos of the damage Brown inflicted on his former girlfriend thought this would be a good opportunity to shar ... More >>

The Situation wants to be in the movies. Here are five roles he could take

Step it Up's got a Situation.​In one of the most ridiculous overstatements since Michael Bay got compared to an "abstract artist," Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino offered this analogy on Friday, explaining to the E! Network why he'd be leaving The Jersey Shore after next season: "It's like Mic ... More >>

Frank E to contribute a track on the new Chris Brown album

​DJ Frank E's ascent continues. With a string of singles already under his belt, including tracks for Flo Rida, Plies, Justin Bieber, T.I. and Gym Class Heroes, it looks like the burgeoning homegown hitmaker is going to have a track on the Chris Brown's forthcoming album. In an exclusive inter ... More >>

Chris Brown, the saddest Michael Jackson impersonator

Chris Brown is sad, and it's not because he cried at the BET awards on Sunday. While performing a tribute to Michael Jackson, the singer and alleged Rihanna-beater broke down and wept during a rendition of Jackson's "Man in the Mirror," leading many, as noted in the CBS report above, to wonder if ... More >>

Gucci Mane top seller at Independent Records

​Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane grabbed the top spot at Independent Records with his latest effort, The State vs. Radric Davis, released last week on Asylum. Snoop Dogg claimed the second slot with Malice in Wonderland, released last week on Priority, while Lady Gaga's Fame Monster nabbed third place, ... More >>

Top Ten Pop Songs of 2008

Over the next couple of weeks, Backbeat will feature some Top Ten lists from around the Village Voice Media chain. Click here for previous year-in-review coverage from Backbeat and VVM.Pop music often gets a bad rap for being disposable or vapid, and in many cases that's true. (Katy Perry, Danity Ka ... More >>

Westminster's House of Babes lives up to its name

Mini Reviews

Mini Reviews

Discmania

Backbeat writers revisit their favorite albums of the year.