If Zootopia has always been hits radio powerhouse Z100's snapshot of where pop music stands at a given time, this year’s edition was a high school yearbook photo.
Bookended by Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers, the four-hour revue was all about teen pop – either building it, as the Disney stars currently are, reliving it, as the reunited New Kids on the Block did, or graduating from it, like Jesse McCartney.
Cyrus, as her recent Vanity Fair photo flap suggested, is in the midst of a transition, just like the 15-year-old megastar’s teenage fans, and that extends to her music. Nearly half of her 30-minute set was a sneak preview of her forthcoming “Breakout” album, due out on July 22, and it showed how she was shedding the girlish pop of her “Hannah Montana” show and moving into more standard pop fare.
On “Fly on the Wall,” she pulled in some new wave influence, rocking like Blondie and using layered vocals that sounded sorta like Missing Persons. More impressive was “7 Things,” which mixed jangly pop verses with a raucous rock chorus, resulting in a weird, but entertaining hybrid of Natalie Imbruglia’s “Torn” and No Doubt’s “Just a Girl.” And “Breakout”’s title track was revved-up power pop, like “Since U Been Gone” on a sugar high.
After hearing those songs, it gets tough to hear Cyrus go back to all the pop cliches of “G.N.O. (Girls Night Out),” but it’s a balancing act that she will have to continue since “Hannah Montana” songs are still the ones her fans know most.
SETLIST: Start All Over / Good and Broken / Right Here / Fly on the Wall / 7 Things / G.N.O. (Girls Night Out)) / Breakout / See You Again
So far, it’s a problem her pals the Jonas Brothers haven’t had to tackle yet, their half-hour set of power pop still gives their fans exactly what they want, especially with their recent crossover hit “S.O.S.,” and more noticeably the power ballad “When You Look Me in the Eyes.”
Jesse McCartney, however, has decided to stretch, adding a bit of R&B and rock to his style. The way he worked the irresistible hit “Leavin’” and “How Do You Sleep,” likely the next hit from his new “Departure” album out tomorrow, McCartney seems set to move into Justin Timberlake territory – both in style and sales.
The reunited New Kids on the Block seemed like they hope to stretch as well. For their first concert appearance in 15 years, the guys reprised their “Today” show performance – only completely in key and with crisper dance moves this time. Their medley of hits, which included a reggaeton-tinged version of “The Right Stuff,” suggested broader ambitions, but weren’t quite ready to reveal them all yet, offering their new single “Summertime” and a drawn-out “Tonight” instead.
With a new tour coming up, the New Kids know better than to give up all their plans at a radio show. With age, you see, comes wisdom.
Comments (14)
Glen:
for your info "G.N.O" is NOT a HM song. It's from Miley's first album. btw: when she performs as herself she has NEVER done a HM song. maybe do a little research next time. just a thought.
she did perform a hannah song while being miley once. she performed we got the party with the jobros on rockin new years eve. maybe u should do ur own research.
If you read what was written correctly, you will see that nowhere does the author say that G.N.O is a Hannah song, it says that Hannah Montana songs are her most well known and that basically he didn't like hearing her transfer back to such a poppish sound compared to the more dynamic songs like 7 things but that Miley has to balance doing the impressive songs with the pop ones because the pop ones sound like Hannah, which is what her fans often know and love.
Don't rudely insult authors unless you are going to take the time to read what they are saying.
miley sang best of both worlds...as miley at her concert.
WHO CARES
i LOVE miely and i really wish i was there but...she WAS AWESOME!!
I LOVE THE JONAS BROTHERS I HOPE THEY WILL BE CAREFUL WHEN THEY TEAVIL.
Glenn, I absolutely POSTIVELY enjoyed what you said about NKOTB entirely. FINALLY! A journalist who understands what NKOTB is really doing instead of assuming this is the best they can come up with. They certainly are wiser this time around and they are the ones calling the shots, no one else. It's about time someone noticed their plan. THANK YOU!!
I echo Ava! Thank You! It's refreshing to read an actual piece about their current style. They have most certainly matured and grown wiser - and their new music is going to reflect that!
Miley Rocks! Her new song "7 Things" is already becoming a smash hit for her on mainstream radio stations. Miley has great talent, and is a bigger talent than some of her "friends" - and she has had a major hit in the Hot 100 & pop 100 charts with her song See You Again.
GNO is a "Miley" song on her album, but the article is right, it is a little more "Hannah" type music than her new album will be, and yes her fans are used to those songs.
okay. well lets see you only said like the worst thing in the world to that author when her article was spot on, I should know because i saw miley live at the concert with everyone else. You have nothing better to do then sit around insult people....go and get a LIFE!!!
Hey um. i want to have a backstage pass with miley cyrus i am going to be dancing at her performance at the stadium of fire and i would really like to meet her!
how can i get tickets
MILEY CYRUS ROCKS I WISH I COULD MEET HER IN PERSON