VOA慢速英语2014 Ariana Grande Album Is No 'Problem'

 

Ariana Grande Album Is No 'Problem'

I’m Caty Weaver¹.

The first three albums on Billboard² magazine’s Top 200 best-selling albums list this week represent three major music styles.  The young singer Ariana Grande tops the list with her new pop record “My Everything.” Country music star Brad Paisley follows at number two with “Moonshine In the Trunk.” Next is a release from rhythm and blues³ artist Kem, “Promise to Love: Album IV.” June Simms has more on the artists and their new music.

That is “Problem,” Grande’s first single from “My Everything.” Grande said it was about a bad love relationship that a person wants to continue. Australian rapper Iggy Azalea also performs on the song.

Sales were no problem. The public bought more than 400,000 copies of the song within a week of its release.      

Some members of the Australian press seem to think Grande is a problem, however. The singer performed in that country this week. News media there said she cancelled a photo shoot shortly after it started. And, reporters protested that Grande had a long list of questions she would not permit, including anything about her love life or her television show “Sam and Cat.”

The singer denied the reports.

Ariana Grande’s name also appears on the top ten of Billboard’s Hot 100 list…twice. She is at number seven with the song “Break Free” from her new album.  But she also shares the number four position for “Bang Bang.” She performs the song with artists Nicki Minaj and Jessie J.  All three women work for the same recording⁴ company.

West Virginia native Brad Paisley is no stranger to Billboard’s Top 200 list. Several of his 11 albums have enjoyed the number two position, in fact.  The country singer has sold more than 12 million albums in all. The Recording Academy has also honored him with three Grammy Awards.

Paisley is known for writing smart songs that are often funny. “River Bank” from his new album is a good example. The song talks about the fun to be had with simple things that do not cost a lot, like a rubber tube for floating on a river. It compares a rubber tube with a big high-priced boat called a yacht⁵.

Paisley sings we’re near the river and far from rich / but we have got each other and gas in the tank / we’re laughing all the way to the river bank.  The river bank is the land alongside⁶ the river. But a bank is also a place that holds money. And, there is a common American saying that when people get rich they are “laughing all the way to the bank.”

The singer Kem is from Detroit, the birthplace of Motown Records. The company is home to much great R&B music. Kem has recorded with Motown since his first album 10 years ago.

“Promise to Love” is his fourth. All the others have become gold records, meaning at least 500,000 copies were sold. “Promise to Love” is well on its way to gold. It sold more than 50,000 copies its first week on the market.

The song “It’s You” is the first single released from the album. Like Paisley’s “River Bank” it celebrates love over money. Kem sings I don’t need diamonds / Nor the finest gold.  The song is about the love of a woman who is “more precious than anything.”

So which of these three kinds of music do you like best? Is the pop sound your favorite, or do you listen to R&B or country more? And who are some of your favorite performers of these musical styles?

You can post your answer in the comment section.  Just write a few sentences and we will provide feedback on your use of English words and grammar.

1 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

2 billboard   

n.布告板，揭示栏，广告牌

参考例句：

• He ploughed his energies into his father's billboard business.他把精力投入到父亲的广告牌业务中。
• Billboard spreads will be simpler and more eye-catching.广告牌广告会比较简单且更引人注目。

3 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

4 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

5 yacht   

n.游艇，快艇

参考例句：

• He was responsible for the location of the missing yacht.他负责查明失踪游艇的下落。
• He planned to cross the Pacific by yacht.他曾打算乘快艇横渡太平洋。

6 alongside   

adv.在旁边；prep.和...在一起，在...旁边

参考例句：

• There was a butcher's shop alongside the theatre.剧院旁边有一家肉店。
• Alongside of him stood his uncle.他的身旁站着他叔叔。