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Well 2008 has almost ended for us, it's been a pretty good year for music! Here are some of my biggest hits for the year, and musical events which have helped to shape 2008..

Songs of the year:

Kings Of Leon - Sex on Fire (massively overplayed, but it has been a huge singalong anthem)

Katy Perry - I Kissed A Girl (Who would have thought that an unknown Christian rock artist would release such a controversial song?)

Radiohead - Jigsaw Falling Into Place (It was a great idea from Radiohead to give the public the chance to pay what they wanted for their album 'In Rainbows', and helped to begin a change to the music industry)

Duffy - Mercy (The 60s made a comeback, with a great modern twist!)

Madonna Ft Justin - 4 Minutes (She's still got it - even though she didn't look as good in such skimpy outfits in the video as she did in the 80s..)

Britney Spears - Break The Ice (For me one of her strongest songs from her comeback)

Ne-Yo - Closer (Breaking the boundaries between dance and RnB with a hit that brought together a huge fanbase)

The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name (Such a catchy single!)

Coldplay - Viva La Vida (Incredibly beautiful single, that was NOT ripped off Joe Satriani!)

Nickelback - Rockstar  (Complete with a video which was basic yet effective)

Kid Rock - All Summer Long (Kept us singing..well..all summer long)

Dizzee Rascal - Dance Wiv Me (Dizzee finally broke into the mainstream with a hit that once more pushed the boundaries between dance and Urban)

Noah And The Whale - 5 Years Time (As catchy as they come!)

The Automatic - Steve McQueen (The lads certainly proved that they were NOT an indie group with this infectious rock anthem)

Pussycat Dolls - When I Grow Up (Sexy, funky and downright dirty)

Oasis - I'm Outta Time (An emotional, heartfelt tribute to John Lennon)

Pink - So What (Pink returned with an attitude that sent this single straight to number 1)

Guru Josh Project - Infinity 2008 (Proving that reworkings of songs can definately improve on the original)

Miley Cyrus - See You Again (Another amazing Disney star grows up)

Alesha Dixon - The Boy Does Nothing (A fun, dance/sing along offering, but it does beg the question...why wasn't it released in the summer?)

T.I Ft Rihanna - Live Your Life (Making a sample from a Europop dance anthem credible? Very impressive!)

The Killers - Human (From an album full of experimentation and incredibly thoughtful lyrics, this single was both intriguing and fun)


Special mention must also be given to Geraldine McQueen :)

Events of 2008 in terms of music for me were:

* V Festival 2008, where I saw the best band on the planet...Muse!
* Coldplay's fantastic tour, showcasing one of the most talented acts
* Glastonbury 08 - Showing just how amazing Kings Of Leon are

Well they're my top 3, and there are definately more - tell us about your cream of 2008!

Have a good Christmas and see you in 09!



Sitting here at work, and I forgot to tell you how the weekend was! Well here goes...

Fantastic! Such a great atmosphere despite the weather, managed to see loads of top acts - here are the ones I saw off the top of my head plus a little comment about their performance. The Stranglers - a great festival opener, attracted a good crowd. Noah And The Whale - I predict big things for them this year, a solid performance to a packed crowd in the Virgin Mobile Union tent. Girls Aloud - who said the festival was just about rock? Really got the crowd going (especially the men) The Feeling - A brilliant set, lots of crowd pleasing songs plus a few surprise covers.

Scouting For Girls - despite the heavy rain, they maintained a positive atmosphere, keeping the audience singing and dancing. Lenny Kravitz - didn't actually watch him but could hear him, sounded excellent! Amy Winehouse - turned up late, forgot lines, got booed, big disappointment. The View - not a bad set, not much for them apart from same jeans though, expected a bit more. Kings Of Leon - fantastic set, pulled in a big crowd, and didn't disappoint with a rocking set.

Echo And The Bunnymen - they've still got it! Pulled in a surprisingly good crowd and were excellent throughout. The Verve - Richard Ashcroft promised a treat, and certainly delivered - great voice, great set, a top headline performance. The Futureheads - actually started the Sunday performances off due to flooding, put on a solid show and kept the crowd happy in the mud. Alanis Morrisette - fabulous vocal talent, everyone still remembered her songs, a real crowd pleaser! Lostprophets - despite Ian Watkins looking drunk, not a bad performance, but I expected more well known songs. Duffy - she can do no wrong in my opinion - although you either love her or hate her. I personally thought she was spot on. Sugababes - a great performance which included all of their big hits, and a cover of En Vogue! The crowd loved them. The Kooks - huge crowd singing along, the best of the indie bands. Stereophonics - amazing performance, plus a jaw dropping version of Dakota that sent the crowd wild. Muse - well, where do I start? The best live band in the world didn't disappoint. Incredible stage presence, a light show that Pink Floyd would have been proud of, the songs were epic, the audience loved them, indescribable set. You have to see the clips on Youtube. Easily the highlight of the weekend. Well, there you go, V08 is over, and I have work to do, so talk soon! Just one week until the V Festival - I'm getting really excited now since this will be the first large festival I've ever been to.

Some great bands, lots of friends and alcohol, should be amazing!

In terms of music this week, I heard the new Queen track the other day. Paul Rodgers is the perfect replacement for Freddie Mercury, and the band sounds as tight as ever - its a catchy little number, and one that I am sure will do very well. Hello! This is my first blog on DMG, where I will be posting information on any gigs i've been to or bands /songs you should be buying!

I shall start off with a quick plug from this band - Reemer. Their debut single Maniac is out soon, and  I expect it to be a huge hit this summer. It's not the longest song in the world, but it's extremely catchy.

This week i'll be starting my preperations for the V Festival by getting hold of a tent. This year's line up is the best i've ever seen, with Muse and The Verve headlining. Muse are my favourite band of all time, and this is the first time I will have seen them live. They've promised new material which is all very exciting!