For Real: New Christina Aguilera - "Not Myself Tonight"

Christina Aguilera is back...and just as she has with all four of her major musical projects, she's gone in a brand new direction. Her career kicked off in 1999 when RCA picked her up & made her into the same type of pop star we saw in Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson. In 2002, she broke out of the mold as best as she could with Stripped, whose dirty flavor & sharp-edge pop sound brought her major success. Four years later, she came back with a "fresh attitude" (which, of course, America didn't love as much) in Back to Basics. That album, which was a retro depiction of music from the 1920's - 1950's, was by far her least successful album. Another 4 years later, Bionic will be another sharp turn for Christina, who is stepping into the electronic/dance genre for the first time.

Her first single, which is "in the middle" of being released, is a tasteful cross between the electronic & pop genres. "Not Myself Tonight" is basically Christina's version of Britney's "Gimme More," except it's more masterfully put together - something that won't be limited to one group of fans. It includes all the little techno tricks that you hear in dance music, but they blend together in such a way that it can still be labeled a legit pop song. This is what will make it successful.

The chorus could be a little more memorable, but it makes you want to dance, and it's tight beats make you want to listen to it over and over again. I already used SexyBack for Usher, but if you pay attention to the beats, especially at the beginning, the production is similar.

But Let's Be Real: Christina's "Ain't No Other Man" from 2006 hit #6 on the charts. I would probably call that song better chart material than "Not Myself Tonight," but Christina's vocals are just as hot, the track matches the current scene, and it is unique enough to draw some major popularity in its own right.

What It Is: Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Listen to "Not Myself Tonight" here.

at 11:59 AM