ARTIST: BEYONCE
SINGLE: HALO
NEW YORK (Billboard) – Score one for Sasha Fierce. When last competing with her alter-ego, Beyonce opened up her double album "I Am ... Sasha Fierce" with the two-sided single "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" and "If I Were a Boy," designed to be promoted separately for R&B/rhythmic and pop radio outlets, respectively. Looks like Sasha had different ideas: "Ring" crossed to pop and spent a month at the Billboard Hot 100 summit, while "Boy" rivaled with a No. 3 peak. The competition continues as Beyonce's pop-hued "Halo" now competes with Sasha's "Diva." The former has a mainstream pop sound, with subtle R&B undertones that should carry it to the top of the charts. Comparisons could be made to Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love" (also co-written by Ryan Tedder), but this "Halo" hangs high on its own merits. Sounds like Beyonce and Sasha will again be at a draw in this singles battle. But they win either way.
ARTIST: BRITNEY SPEARS
SINGLE: CIRCUS (Jive Records)
Call it a comeback. After a No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 with "Circus" and the chart-topping peak of the first single, "Womanizer," the title track from Britney Spears' sixth album is her first top five start on the Billboard Hot 100. Besides the image overhaul with a return to the Spears of old, Brit has recorded her most mature, musical album to date, with hook-heavy tunes and, more important, fully engaged pop vocals with little vocoder assistance. "Circus" finds Spears in the more-than-capable hands of producer Dr. Luke (Pink, Katy Perry), who surrounds her with an electronic cyberpop landscape, while Spears spits out lines like, "There's only two types of guys out there/Ones that can hang with me and ones that are scared." Gotta love it. While her life has often resembled a circus -- to which the public has ringside access -- it appears Spears is now the ringleader instead of the main attraction.
ARTIST: TRACE ADKINS
SINGLE: MARRY FOR MONEY (Capitol Nashville)
Trace Adkins continues to impress as one of country's most versatile talents, segueing effortlessly between such poignant ballads as the Grammy Award-nominated "You're Gonna Miss This" to the stirring gospel-flavored "Muddy Water" to this hilarious romp. "Marry for Money," from his excellent "X" collection, proves once again that the singer can do it all and do it well. It's a humorous look at a man who married for love and got his heart broken, so he decides next time to go for big bucks. Cleverly written by Dave Turnbull and Jimmy Melton, "Money" is sheer fun, and Adkins' tongue-in-cheek performance is full of personality and panache. Already a concert favorite, this song promises to be a sure-fire hit.
ARTIST: JASON MRAZ AND COLBIE CAILLAT
SINGLE: LUCKY (Atlantic Records)
Jason Mraz's top 10 "I'm Yours" transitioned the singer-songwriter from plucky troubadour to hitmaker, with a pair of Grammy Award nominations. "Lucky" -- the third release from Mraz's gold album "We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things." -- might be the charm to further propel fame, keenly aligning Mraz with co-writer and duet partner Colbie Caillat, of "Bubbly" and "Realize" notoriety. The track is organic, dressed with lush strings, and has playful lyrics about the romantic payoff of a seaside journey. At this stage, both singers possess recognizable voices and an obvious kinship; they blend beautifully.
Reuters/Billboard
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