New Music Monday! We Are The World? Sade? Who Invited the 80’s to Come Back?

EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the President's Day holiday, this article is going up on Tuesday.

Did anyone catch the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Olympic Games this past Friday? If you could get past the malfunctions, flags and costumes, there were some amazing musical performances. First there was Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” accompanying a stunning Cirque du Soleil-type performance, the breathtaking performance of k.d. lang’s cover of “Hallelujah,” and then this little number called “We Are the World.”

Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie originally wrote the song in 1985, and though Jackson died well before this remake song was recorded, his original recording from the 1985 release was layered on top of the new recording. At the request of their mother, Jackson and his sister Janet Jackson duet in both the song and video, a move Lionel Ritchie agreed with, telling USA Today “It made me feel more secure about this. We definitely felt a void.”

With over 85 musicians collaborating on the song, you’re sure to find someone you like … if you reach far enough. Obviously missing from the remake are some of today’s biggest stars such as Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Taylor Swift, Lady GaGa and Mariah Carey. Alicia Keys is quite well known for her charitable work so her exclusion is especially confusing.

And sorry guys, but I don’t think there’s one out artist in the group. But it seems, that Quicy Jones and the rest of the production team at least have a sense of humor. Why else include Vince Vaughn in the chorus?

Another big name from the past had a big release this week, and that would be Sade with the new album Soldier of Love. This is the band’s first release since their 2000 album, Lovers Rock, and when asked about their absence from the recording industry, frontwoman Sade Adu simply said “I only make records when I feel I have something to say. I'm not interested in releasing music just for the sake of selling something. Sade is not a brand.”

In the new release, the band sounds like the original Sade, with the soft sax on "In Another Time" and the smooth vocals in "Long Hard Road.” But the band explores new territory with songs like the reggae infused "Babyfather", and the dramatic album opener "The Moon and the Sky.” As Sade herself says, “I never want to repeat myself, and that becomes a more interesting challenge for us the longer we carry on together.”

And as if you need another reason to lover her, Sade Adu originally sang back up with a Latin funk band called Pride.

And in the pop realm, we have a new comer to the game. Singer/songwriter Matisse has been in show business practically from birth, appearing on One Life to Live at six-months-old, and by the age of 15 she was a popular spokes-model for John Frieda and modeling with The Ford Agency. But now at 23-years-old, it’s all about the music.

Matisse has been working with some of the biggest names in music including Ne-Yo, Stargate, Kevin Rudolf and Tricky Stewart who worked on Beyonce’s “single Ladies” and Rihanna’s “Umbrella.” The result is infectious, melodic pop music, with only one downside – it isn’t available just yet. Two of her singles, “Better Than Her" and “Chocolate & Lies,” are streaming on her website and hopefully we can expect to see her new album soon.