Taio Cruz is already a star in Europe, having released two hit albums (2008′s Departure and 2009′s Rokstarr) and written songs for Ke$ha, Cheryl Cole, Justin Timberlake, Justin Bieber, Tinchy Stryder, Sugababes and others. He’d originally written Break Your Heart for Cole.

His latest release “Dynamite” has reached #5 on this week’s countdown.

Here the line up…

8. Shontelle – Impossible NEW

7. Hedley – Hands Up

6. Longo & Wainwright fea Craig Smart – One Life Stand  +1 spot

5. Taio Cruz – Dynamite NEW

4. Mariana’s Trench – Celebrity Status

3. Kesha – Take It Off NEW

2. Lady Gaga – Alejandro +1 spot

1. Katy Perry – California Gurls

Lady Gaga

Hot Songs

VV Brown – Shark In The Water

Sara Bareilles – King Of Anything

Miley Cyrus – Can’t Be Tamed

Mike Posner – Cooler Than Me

Drake – Find Your Love

Sean Kingston and Justin Beiber – Eenie Meenie

La Roux – Bulletproof

Enrique Iglesias – I Like It

Sara Bareilles

Sara Bareilles will likely never be regarded as a singing sex kitten like the pop tarts that parade around in provocative video clips. What does make Bareilles sexy is her sultry, soulful voice — when she hits certain notes, it sends shivers down your spine.

She remained a well-kept secret until she signed to Epic Records in 2005. She finally delivered her first full-length studio album Little Voice. It sold around 16,000 units during its first week, cracking Billboard’s Top 50 albums chart on its way to sales of triple that figure in under two months.

Sara spent much of 2007 on the road. She toured the U.S. with headliners Mika and Aqualung, and later Rocco DeLuca and the Burden, prior to the release of Little Voice. She made her national TV debut that summer performing “Love Song,” on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

Hot Songs

• John Mayer – Heartbreak Warfare
• Tiesto vs. Tegan & Sara – Feel It In My Bones
• Sarah Harmer – Captive
• Kesha – Your Love Is My Drug
• Sean Kingston & Justin Beiber – Eenie Meenie

Countdown

8. Usher & Will.I.Am – OMG

7. Longo&Wainwright featuring Craig Smart – One Life Stand

6. Enrique Iglesias – I Like It

5. Stef Lang – Mr. Immature

4. Sara Bareilles – King Of Anything

3. Lady Gaga – Alejandro

2. Down With Webster – Your Man

1. Katy Perry – California Gurls

Vote for your favourite song… Listen for the result weeknights at 8

The 8 Pack at 8:

8. Kesha – Your Love Is My Drug NEW

7. David Guetta and Kid Cudi – Memories

6. Mariana’s Trench – Celebrity Status -3 spots

5. Ricky J – Whatta Night -4 spots

4. Travie McCoy and Bruno Mars – Billionaire +4 spots

3. Katy Perry – California Girls

2. Lady Gaga and Beyonce – Telephone

1. Longo & Wainwright with Craig Smart – One Life Stand

Katy Perry

Have your say…VOTE for tomorrow’s 8Pack @ 8 here and then tune in to 98.9 XFM at 8pm to hear the result!

HOT SONGS

JayZ with Mr.Hudson – Young Forever

Train – If It’s Love

Selena Gomez & The Scene – Naturally

John Mayer with Taylor Swift – Half Of My Heart

Usher with Will.I.Am – OMG

Nickelback – This Afternoon

Adam Lambert – Whataya Want From Me

4 Down With Webster – Your Man

Selena Gomez

Hot songs that didn’t quite make it

JayZ with Mr.Hudson – Young Forever

Train – If It’s Love

Selena Gomez & The Scene – Naturally

John Mayer with Taylor Swift – Half Of My Heart

Katy Perry – California Girls

American actress and singer best known for her portrayal of Alex Russo on the Emmy Award winning Disney Channel Original Series, Wizards of Waverly Place. She has starred in the television movies, Another Cinderella Story and Princess Protection Program.

Before Disney, she had one of the kid roles on Barney & Friends. In 2008, she signed a record deal with Hollywood Records and contributed to the Tinker Bell, Another Cinderella Story and Wizards of Waverly Place soundtracks. Her band, Selena Gomez & the Scene, released their debut studio album Kiss & Tell on September 29, 2009, which was certified Gold by RIAA on March 5, 2010

THIS WEEKS COUNTDOWN

8 Travie McCoy with Bruno Mars – Billionaire NEW

7 Usher with Will.I.Am – OMG NEW

6 Nickelback – This Afternoon +3 spots

5 Adam Lambert – Whataya Want From Me +1 spot

4 Down With Webster – Your Man

3 Marianas Trench – Celebrity Status

2 Lady Gaga with Beyonce – Telephone -1 spot

1 Ricky J – Whatta Night

It takes some real cojones to include the word ‘Masterpiece’ in your album title, but lead singer Josh Ramsay isn’t too worried. “I suppose I could be digging myself into a hole calling the record Masterpiece Theatre,” he chuckles, “but it’s tongue-in-cheek. And I’m not the kind of person that people would assume as being an egomaniac. I hope not, anyway.”

With the release of Masterpiece Theatre, he shows a wide range of talents – both his own and those of his bandmates, guitarist Matt Webb, bassist Mike Ayley, and drummer Ian Casselman.

Masterpiece Theatre demonstrates a startling compositional maturity compared to the Marianas Trench of two years ago.

“Beside You” is a panoramic exercise in big emotions, with a dash of the Dream Academy’s “Life In a Northern Town”.

On “Cross My Heart” and “Celebrity Status“, the band has a pop crossover. Producer Dave ‘Rave’ Ogilvie used the same technique as he did on Marilyn Manson’s “Beautiful People” with three drummers playing at once.

For more diversity on this album Rave was just one of four prominent guest producers eventually roped into Masterpiece Theatre. Their collective resume includes Nine Inch Nails, Sum 41, Iggy Pop, Avril Lavigne, and Hedley among others.

CLICK ON A SONG TO HEAR A SHORT CLIP

ADAM LAMBERT-WHATAYA WANT FROM ME

TAYLOR SWIFT-TODAY WAS A FAIRYTALE

LADY GAGA-TELEPHONE

GILRLICIOUS-OVER YOU

TIMBALAND-CARRY OUT

Here’s the new line up…

8 Timbaland with Justin Timberlake – Carry Out NEW

7 Young Artists For Haiti – Wavin’ Flag NEW

6 Down With Webster – Your Man  -3 spots

5 Adam Lambert – Whatya Want From Me

4 Rihanna – Rude Boy NEW

3 Mariana’s Trench – Beside You

2 Lady Gaga with Beyonce’ – Telephone -1 spot

1 Justin Bieber with Ludacris – Baby +1 spot

Justin Bieber

Hot Songs

Madonna with Akon – Celebration

Melanie Fiona – It Kills Me

Alicia Keys – Empire State Of Mind

Shinedown – If You Only Knew

Owl City – Vanilla Twilight

Taylor Swift – Today Was A Fairytale

The Show Must Go

Hedley’s 3rd album is a huge success. “The Show Must Go” was released on November 17th, 2009. It’s a rare album where each track offers a different tempo and feel; it keeps you interested and entertained. Support Canadian acts, go buy it! Now here’s the hottest music:

8 K’Naan – Wavin’ Flag 

7 Faber Drive – Give Him Up NEW

6 Hedley – Perfect

5 Adam Lambert – Whatya Want From Me -4 spots

4 Jason Derulo – In My Head NEW

3 Down With Webster – Your Man +4 spots

2 Jay Sean and Sean Paul – Do You Remember +3 spots

1 Lady Gaga with Beyonce’ – Telephone -3 spots

Melanie Fiona

Hot Songs

Melanie Fiona – It Kills Me

Shinedown – If You Only Knew

Taylor Swift – Today Was A Fairytale

Mariana’s Trench – Beside You 

Lights – Ice

Black Eyed Peas – Rock That Body

Melanie Fiona is the hottest Canadian artist right now. The Bridge  is her first studio album released June 26, 2009. It produced two hit singles, first “Give it to me Right” making it to the top 20 and “It Kills Me” which hit #1 on the Billboard R&B Charts.

Critics call The Bridge “an intelligent homage to ‘60s Motown” and say “where it does go, it goes masterfully”, concerning its sound. Mark Edward Nero of About.com wrote favorably of the album’s production and commended Fiona for her vocal ability. “It Kills Me” was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. She is currently on tour with Alicia Keys.

8 Lights – Ice NEW

7 Shinedown – If You Only Knew NEW

6 Owl City – Vanilla Twilight -1 spot

5 Melanie Fiona – It Kills Me NEW

4 Kesha – Blah Blah Blah - 2 spots

3 Cascada – Fever

2 Timbaland with Katy Perry – If We Ever Meet Again

1 Miley Cyrus – Time Of Our Lives NEW

HOT SONGS

Black Eyed Peas – Rock That Body

Three Six Mafia – Feel It

Justin Beiber fea Ludacris – Baby

Down With Webster – Your Man