Rihanna’s dress is wholly holy.

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Rihanna somehow looking like the sexiest girl in the Thunderdome.

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Rihanna rocks an interesting, pink outfit while she rocks the hell out.

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These 10 cute songs of 2008 all found their way onto the Billboard chart and stayed because of their catchy tunes. The topic of each song may differ, but the beats are all catchy and the lyrics have hooks that can get stuck in your head. The songs range from pop, R&B, and rock genres, but they still have one thing in common: they are cute and fun to listen too.

1. "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga. Lady Gaga's first single is the cute pop song "Just Dance." The song meaning may not be that cute, but the dance tempo and popularity makes it a sensational song.
2. "That's Not My Name" by The Ting Tings. Re-released in 2008, "That's Not My Name" is an upbeat fun song about the way the singer felt she was treated in the music industry early on. The song calls out a bunch of girls names before she screams out, "That's not my name, that's not my name!" In 2008, the song reached #1 in the UK.
3. "I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry. On June 26, 2008, Billboard announced that this song had officially become the 1,000th #1 US single of the Rock era. The cute girly melody is paired with lyrics about Perry kissing a girl, and liking it even though she has a boyfriend. Perry says it is about the way girls are really touchy-feely and sisterly.
4. "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" by Beyonce. Released as a single on the 2008 album "I Am… Sasha Fierce," this song went to #1 on the Billboard charts. This cute upbeat dance track has the beats provided by The-Dream and Tricky Stewart, the duo behind Rihanna's "Umbrella." The song even has its own dance to go along with the lyrics.
5. "Gives You Hell" by All-American Rejects. This song has an upbeat cute musical backing, but the lyrics depict a tongue-in-cheek way of looking at someone you hate, and giving them hell. The song was so popular for the band in 2008 that it stayed on the Billboard Top Ten for over thirteen weeks.
6. "Womanizer" by Britney Spears. A #1 US Billboard cute song that was released in 2008, is "Womanizer". The song may have a bitter tone being about guys that cheats on girls, but the background music has dance party written all over it. It was the most streamed music video in 2008 on MTV.com.
7. "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga. Lady Gaga's 2008 cute pop song "Poker Face" became number one in over eight countries. She wrote the song about playing with guys as if she was a poker player. It became an empowering song that claims that woman can call the shots.
8. "Pocketful of Sunshine" by Natasha Bedingfield. Released in 2008, this cute song reached #5 on US Billboard chart. The light and airy melody to the song is partnered with empowering lyrics. This cute song was featured during  the third season's finale of MTV's "The Hills".
9. "Disturbia" by Rihanna. This 2008 cute dance/pop track was co-written by Rihanna's then boyfriend Chris Brown, who also contributed backing vocals. The song has an R&B and dance/pop feel to it, which is a crossover that singer Rihanna has mastered. The song is fun to dance sing along too in a car.
10. "7 Things" by Miley Cyrus. The princess of cute, Miley Cyrus released "7 Things" in 2008 on her album "Breakout." The hit pop song was written about an ex that hurt her, and she lists 7 things she dislikes about her ex. The song takes a cute twist when at the end of the list she sings about what she likes about him.

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Here are the 10 best female solo songs. There is no doubt that many of  the women listed below have all had many songs listed in the top ten spot of international music charts over the years.  Whether or not you agree that these singers belong in the list of the best female solo artists, you’ll have to admit that at some point you hummed along to every single one of the songs listed below.

1. “I Will Always Love You” –  Whitney Houston.  It’s Whitney, need we say more?  Despite her recent troubles, in the late 80s and 90s, Ms. Houston ruled the airwaves and this one was the shot heard round the world. How could a best female solo song list exist without Whitney's name near the top?
2. “My Heart Will Go On” –  Celine Dion.  At one point in the 90s, this French Canadian beauty not only had the top spots on music charts everywhere, it almost seemed as if she was hitting it every single week.  There's no question that this Oscar winner belongs on a 10 best female solo songs list.
3. “People” –  Barbra Streisand.  La Streisand is a legend, pure and simple.  This singer/actress/director/force-to-be-reckoned-with could sing the Gettysburg Address and turn it into a Number 1 hit.
4. “Hero” – Mariah Carey. This powerful tune touched the hearts of many back in 1993.  While Ms. Carey has had many hits, this is one of those that feels deeply personal to all who hear it.  When you think about it, nearly every song Mariah ever sang belongs on a best female solo songs list.
5. “ I Dreamed a Dream” – Susan Boyle.  Some said it was a publicity stunt.  Homely, small-town Scottish hausfrau steps up to the mike.  Is this the Gong Show?  Is she going to get the hook?   The second Ms. Boyle opened her mouth, angels sung.  Publicity stunt or not, she had everybody’s mouth hanging open when she was done.  
6. “Believe” – Cher.  You couldn’t go anywhere in 1998 without hearing “Do You Believe in Life After Love” by the uniquely distinctive Cher.  This one might not be your favorite, but really, there are just way too many to choose from.  Her voice may not be the most powerful you've ever heard, but there's something about it that gets you every time and gets her a spot on a list of best female solo songs.
7. “Umbrella” –  Rihanna.  Love it or hate it, it was all over the place in 2007. “Umbrella, ella, ella, ella, hey, hey, hey….”  Even if you thought you hated it, every time you heard it, it stuck in your head. Admit it.
8. “Vogue” –  Madonna. It’s a dance craze. No, it’s a song.  No, it’s a magazine.  It’s all three, but there isn’t anyone on the planet who doesn’t remember that video from the ever-reinventing Madonna.
9. “Coming Out of the Dark”- Gloria Estefan.  Gloria Estefan had been in a horrific bus crash in 1990 and was critically injured.  After a year of recovery, she came back in full force with this beautiful song.
10.  “Man, I Feel Like a Woman” – Shania Twain.  This one is just plain fun.  Not only did women everywhere play this song every chance they got, gay men everywhere loved to belt it out too!

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If you like artists like Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg and Eminem, you'll definitely want to check out our list of the 10 best rap music videos 2010. What makes a good rap music video for you?  Whether you like hot girls, fast cars, lots of bling or a great story, these videos surely have it. If you're looking for some great entertainment and you love your rappers, be sure to check out the best rap music videos of 2010. You won't be disappointed.

1. "I Get Money" by 50 Cent: You might not expect a guy with a handle like 50 Cent to have one of the best rap music videos about money, but this video sure packs in the flash, bling and hot chicks. But how does that blonde bend like that?
2. "I'm Not Afraid" by Eminem: White rapper Eminem comes back hotter than ever, steaming up the video screens with one of the best rap music videos of his career. A powerful song coupled with a powerful video, this one is a must see.
3. "Proper Aim" by Souls of Mischief: It's hard to stay focused on the song that's playing because you get so into watching the artistic creation in this video. You don't have to be an art buff to find yourself mesmerized by one of the best rap music videos of 2010; "Proper Aim" will hook you, just watch it and see.
4. "Fresh From Head to Toe" by Billy Blue: If you like videos that tell a story, you might find this Billy Blue hit to your liking. With a lot of flash and style, this video starts out like a movie and then throws the viewer into a hot club scene. One of the best rap music videos of 2010, you can't help but want to be a part of this one.
5. "Make the Road by Walkin" by I.B.E., ft. Toki Wright: One of the best rap music videos 2010 is I.B.E. and their hard-hitting rap "Make the Road by Walkin." While some of the shots seem very amateur, the overall feel works for the song and the imagery is sharp and striking.
6. "Go Shorty Go" by Travis Porter: This is just a fun song, and it's just one of those funny music videos you can't get enough of. Featuring jumping club scenes, lots of pretty girls and guys having fun, this makes our list of best rap music videos of 2010 because it really draws the viewer in.
7. "High Az Fucc" by Ca$his: Ca$his has a great smooth style, and the street scenes in this video suit the song really well. No flash, no glamour, this is one of the best rap music videos for 2010 because it stays so true to the song.
8. "Love the Way You Lie" by Eminem, ft. Rihanna: Starring Dominic Monaghan ("Lost") and Megan Fox, this video shows a couple in a painful and abusive relationship intermingled with cut scenes of Eminem and Rihanna. Powerful and intense, it's definitely one of the best rap music videos of the decade.
9. "Drop the World" by Lil Wayne, ft. Eminem: Showing city scenes with a riotous, almost post-apocalyptic feel, this is one of the best rap music videos of 2010 for those who enjoy dark music videos that tell a story. The effects and stop-motion shots make this video, intensifying breaking glass, shattering bricks and flickering flames.
10. "California Gurls" by Katy Perry, ft. Snoop Dogg: Some might argue that this isn't one of the best rap music videos of 2010, but it has Snoop doing a lil rap segue in there, so we're giving it credit. Gummy Bears with 'tude, Snoop as the Candy Man and a naked Katy Perry floating on a cloud of cotton candy, what's not to love about that?  

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If you're ready to get your groove on, you might be interested in checking out this list of 10 good hip hop dance songs. Artists like Rihanna, Akon, Ludacris and Eminem are all known for producing great hip hop dance tracks. What's hot and what's not as we check out the new year that stretches before us with so many opportunities? Here are some of the most popular hits for those looking for some good hip hop dance songs.

1. "Grenade" by Bruno Mars: If you want a good hip hop dance song that can double as a great love song, you should certainly give a listen to this Bruno Mars release. What would you be willing to do for the one you love?
2. "Tonight" by Enrique Iglesias feat. Ludacris & DJ Frank E: If you want a good hip hop dance song for getting nasty on the dance floor, give a listen to "Tonight." It leaves little to the imagination as to what he has planned for the evening, but Enrique says what a lot of men want to say to the hot little shortie on the dance floor.
3. "The Time (Dirty Bit)" by The Black Eyed Peas: The Black Eyed Peas consistently turn out some of the best hip hop dance songs around and "The Time" is no exception. Best known as "The Dirty Bit Song," this tune has a flash of retro, a little electronica and some pumping dance beats.
4. "What's My Name" by Rihanna feat. Drake: "What's My Name" is a good hip hop dance song for the girls who want to play something sweet and romantic for the guys. This is a beautiful song, hands down, and one that most women can relate to. If you want a great song to help you pick up women, be sure to play this tune for her. She'll love it.
5. "No Hands" by Waka Flocka Flame feat. Roscoe Dash & Wale: Another good hip hop dance song is the unique "No Hands" by Waka Floka. If you like a really smooth rap with some driving beats, give this one a listen.
6. "Make a Movie" by Twista feat. Chris Brown: If you've ever been with someone that inspires you to do some dirty things, you might just find "Make a Movie" to be your style of hip hop dance song. We won't spoil it, but let's just say he doesn't want to make a Disney film.
7. "Bottoms Up" by Trey Songz feat. Nicki Minaj: If you're looking for one of those good hip hop dance songs about knocking back a few drinks and having a good time, this is a great tune for just that. Featuring the talented Nicki Minaj, this song is a little bit weird and a whole lot of wonderful.
8. "Like a G6" by Far*East Movement feat. Cataracs & Dev: Another good hip hop dance song song for those who like unique party tunes, "Like a G6" was quick to rocket up the 2010 charts and remains a popular dance track in 2011. They know how to do it right, gettin' slizzard.
9. "Club Can't Handle Me" by Flo Rida feat. David Guetta: What do you get when you cross one of the hottest hip hop artists with one of the best club DJs in the business? You get one of the best hip hop dance songs of all time. You can't help but want to dance along with this song. Put your hands up!
10. "I Just Had Sex" by The Lonely Island feat. Akon: If you're looking for a good hip hop dance song but you enjoy a little humor mingled in with your tunes, give "I Just Had Sex" a listen. The title may be pretty self-explanatory, but it's definitely a conversation-starter.  

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These 10 sad songs of 2008 cover a variety of heartfelt topics. Sad songs are a dime a dozen, but only a few convey true emotion. The best and most memorable have soulful melodies and lyrics that are relatable for people going through a tough time. These sad songs of 2008 range from break up songs, to people missing loved ones that are far away.

1. "Warwick Avenue"  by Duffy. This soulful and sad song of 2008 is about Duffy being hurt by the man she loves. Enough is enough, and Duffy finally leaves him because she is tired of being hurt. The lyrics and music flow beautifully together, and is a great song for someone that has been romantically hurt. There is almost an eerie feeling to the song, which makes it beautiful.
2. "Take a Bow" by Rihanna. One of the best sad songs of 2008 is from Rihanna's re-release of her album "Good Girl Gone Bad." The song is about being cheated on, and not giving the cheater a second chance at the relationship. Even though Rihanna performs the #1 Billboard hit, it was written by R&B artist Ne-Yo. It's a great song for people who have been wronged in a relationship.
3. "Breathe" by Taylor Swift. This 2008 sad song was co-written by Swift and singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat, who also sings on the track. The lyrics are about having to move away from a loved one. The generalization of the lyrics can be interpreted to use for a friend, family member, or loved one moving away.
4. "Without You" by Hinder. The lyrics are about the singer realizing he wants out of his current relationship. There is something heartbreaking when you realize things will never work out, and you have to break-up with someone. This sad song of 2008 is off the album "Take it to the Limit."
5. "Paparazzi" by Lady Gaga. Off the 2008 album "The Fame" is a sad song which has multiple meanings. Lady Gaga wrote the sad song about struggling with fame, and if it's worth giving up finding love. This song has Lady Gaga questioning if she can have both fame, and love.
6. "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon. One of the best sad songs 2008 is off the album "Only By the Night." This song was written by frontman Caleb Followill and is about missing his significant other. He wrote the song when he was feeling while on the road touring.
7. "She Don't Want The World" by Three Doors Down. This 2008 song is about a sad girl longing for more out of life. She keeps all her despairs locked inside of her. The life she is leading is not what she wanted, and the man she is with does not show her real love.
8. "Sorry" by Buckcherry. Released as a single in 2008, this sad song is off Buckcherry's the album "15." The sad lyrics revolve around lead singer Josh Todd always being on the road and missing his wife. It conveys how maintaining a relationship while touring is difficult, and stressful on his wife.
9. "Dead and Gone" by T.I. This sad song of 2008 features Justin Timberlake singing the hook, while T.I. raps the verses. It is a heartfelt song that reminisces about T.I.'s hardships. He went through a lot including a stint in jail. The song celebrates how he climbed back to the top after all his altercations.
10. "Please Don't Leave Me" by Pink. In 2008, Pink released this sad song as the third single from her "Funhouse" album. The raw and stripped down lyrics has Pink exposing to the public her faults. This song is about how Pink really wants to be in love, but how it could be hard since she is not the nicest person.

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These best Eminem songs are all extremely enjoyable to listen to. Together they show Eminem's diverse range in music, with his success exploring different styles and beats in each of these songs. These are all examples of Eminem's skilled singing and rapping ability, which have led to his great success.

1. "My Name Is" This was the first official single from Eminem's second album, "The Slim Shady LP." This song shows the lighthearted humor prevalent in many of Eminem's earlier songs. Aside from the great lyrics, this song is enjoyable to listen to with an edgy beat and creative rhymes.
2. "Stan," Featuring Dido. This song is the perfect blend of Eminem's edgy raps and Dido's harmonic vocals. The song fuses two contrasting styles to make a unique blend of music. With these dark controversial lyrics, the song is a radical exploration of troubled lives via a beautifully arranged song.
3. "Like Toy Soldiers" This phenomenal song makes the unique choice of including children choral vocals joined with Eminem's excellent rap. The unity makes the song stand out as unique, which helped it become such a great success. The song does a great job of sampling songs and making it unique with a great beat.
4. "Lose Yourself" This song was part of the soundtrack to the hit movie "8 Mile" that Eminem starred in. It has a dynamic and powerful beat that is full of energetic rap that makes it a great song to listen to. For these reasons and many more it ended up reaching #1 on 24 charts worldwide and continues to one of the best songs of the decade.
5. "Love the Way You Lie" Featuring Rihanna. This 2010 hit mixes R&B and rap to make an enjoyable arrangement of music. The mix of Rihanna's soothing vocals and Eminem's rough rap vocals makes the song tremendously unique and great to listen to many times again. This collaborative song is truly on of the best Eminem songs to date.

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Have you ever wondered about the best dance songs of all time?  There definitely have been a lot of dance songs created but some of them stand out above the crowd.  With this in mind, here is a list of the best dance songs for you to enjoy:

1. "We Will Rock You" by Queen is a dance song that will have you dancing and singing at the top of your lungs.  Not only is it catchy but it also has a great tune.  It was written by Brian May, then Queen recorded and performed it as part of their News Of The World album in 1977.
2. "Calabria" by Enur makes the list of best dance songs even though you can’t understand the words.  Even so this house single, which was produced by Rune (who is Danish), will definitely get you up and moving.
3. "See You Again" by Miley Cyrus may be a dance song that you don’t want to admit liking even though it is so appealing.  She had help from Antonio Armato and Tim James producing this song, which can be found on her debut album: Meet Molly Cyrus.
4. "Don’t Stop The Music" by Rihanna contains the famous line “Mama say mama sa mama cosa!”  The name of this dance song really does say it all.  However, what you may not know is that this song is found on this Barbadian R&B singer's third album, which is entitled Good Girl Gone Bad.
5. "The Cha Cha Slide" by Mr. C (a.k.a. DJ C) from Chicago in 2000.  It has become a truly iconic dance song in the U.S, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the U.K.  It is also really easy to dance to since it tells you just what to do. 
6. "What Hurts The Most" by Cascada in 2007 may be a sad song but it does have some amazing techno rhythm. This song has quite a history to it.  American songwriter Jeffrey Steele and English songwriter Steve Robson were the original writers of this song.  Mark Wills (a country musician) was the first to record it in 2003, Bellefire then recorded it in 2004, Jo O'Meara in 2005, Rascal Flats in 2006 and then it finally hit international success with Cascada in 2007.
7. "Shake It" by Metro Station is one of those dance songs that you simply can’t help shaking it to.  This is the band's third single and their debut U.K. single. 
8. "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-A-Lot makes the list of best dance songs even though a lot of people feel that it is wrong to like it as much as they do.  The song’s rhythm can’t help but make you dance.  This song can be found on his 1992 album Mack Daddy. 
9. "Vogue" by Madonna.  She is an icon in the pop music industry and this song is one of her best.  This song can be found on her album I'm Breathless, which was released on March 20, 1990 by Sire Records.
10. "U Can’t Touch This" by MC Hammer has both lyrics and rhythm that will make you reminisce back to the first time you heard it.  The song is breathtaking and makes you want to dance.  It is his 1990 hit that can be found on his album Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em.  The record went multi-platinum thanks to this song.

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Chris Brown music videos are really just showcases for the performer's dancing. Many times, he's seen chasing after schoolgirls. Is this to fulfill every schoolgirl's fantasy? No matter what, he's always fun to watch. He almost never stops moving.

1. "Gimme That" This is very old school, like a 1940's movie. It has great old clothes and lots of fine dancing. Oh, and Lil Wayne, too.
2. "Run It!" This video features a kind of dance-off at the high school gym. Chris Brown looks great in his specialized Dodgers cap. It's a song about moving, so there's plenty of motion in it.
3. "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)" This one takes Brown out of the gym, and onto the schoolyard. He's after a girl, of course. But isn't that always the case?
4. "Forever" In this video, Brown is chasing a girl again. This time, however, it's at night. He's out to double pleasure and double fun.
5. "Look At Me Now" Busta Rhymes really shows Brown up during this music video. It's sort of a road warrior-like scene, with a robot. Busta Rhyme rap is so amazing! Maybe Brown should have left him off the track.
6. "Freeze" With T-Pain and Chris Brown dancing and singing on an ever-moving set, this video is dizzying. It's like being on an amusement park ride. Don't eat before watching it.
7. "Kiss Kiss" Chris is at school chasing a girl. Wow, he must have never gotten any schoolwork done! Or maybe these are just his schoolboy fantasies.
8. "Deuces" This is a different video for Chris Brown. It's in black & white. It also isn't highlighted by dancing. It's just Brown standing around looking sad.
9. "Yeah 3x" Chris puts on an impromptu show for some street kids. Everybody loves it. But do their parents know who is entertaining them?
10. "Beautiful People" This is a strange Chris Brown music video. Part of it is in-studio, making of the song stuff. Part of it is guys riding scooters at night.

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The Barbados-born pop star Rihanna has experienced her share of sunshine and rain, which is made clear by these Rihanna quotes. These heart-felt excerpts span the range of relationships woes up to the spectacular heights of her career influences. You have heard Rihanna's music, seen her music videos, now read Rihanna's quotes about her eventful life.

1. "Success for me isn’t a destination it’s a journey. Everybody’s working to get to the top but where is the top? It’s all about working harder and getting better and moving up and up." Rihanna understands that success is based on your own definition as you move through life. It isn't a "fantasy island" that you will suddenly sail towards. Rihanna's quote shows that she is living her dream by "doing it," not waiting to arrive at it.
2. "People think, because we’re young, we aren’t complex, but that’s not true. We deal with life and love and broken hearts in the same way a woman a few years older might." Youth is not a synonym for ignorance. With this quote, Rihanna explains how everyone has feelings, regardless of age. What makes a person complex is the multiple layers of what they have experienced, and how they perceive it.
3. "They can say whatever, I’mma do whatever, No pain is forever…" Overcoming trauma and emotional disasters is frustrating – but possible. Rihanna's inner strength shines through with this quote. Not allowing derogatory gossip to interfere with achieving salvation is critical.
4. "Beyoncé just put the level of female entertainment all the way up there. She does acting, she has a beautiful voice and that’s really the person I look up to… that type of entertainer." Admitting that she was inspired by Beyoncé shows that Rihanna is not consumed by an ego. Everyone is equal to the total sum of their influences, and by the sound of this quote, Rihanna picked an amazing woman to be a part of her equation.
5.  “Even if I feel really bad about a situation, I put up that wall so hard that I almost believe myself that I don’t care.” Keeping anger and disappointment inside will only cause these troubled feelings to bubble up to the surface. Rihanna's quote proves that she does have intense feelings that she is more than aware of, but hiding them is a safety mechanism for her. Being constantly in the public eye makes sharing her feelings very difficult because everyone thinks they know her because of her fame, but in fact are complete strangers to her.   

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Was Rihanna and Britney’s “S&M” show at the Billboard Music Awards last night really that freaky, or did it simply reflect what’s going on behind closed doors across the USA?

After all, art imitates life, and this primetime ABC performance—featuring wrist restraints, pole dancing and the lyrics “sticks and stones may break my bones, but chains and whips excite me”—was actually pretty much in line with the findings of A Billion Wicked Thoughts: What the World’s Largest Experiment Reveals About Human Desire, a book published earlier this month that revealed the online proclivities of more than a hundred million men and women around the world. ‘Alternate lifestyles’ are becoming dominant—no pun intended—and the freak next door just might be…you.

A Nation of Pervs

If it isn’t, well, you might be the odd man out. “Kinky sex is extremely common,” says Dr. Ogi Jonathan Ogas, a Boston University cognitive neuroscientist and co-author of the new book. “Most likely, our interests haven’t changed; we’re just now finally seeing what our true interests are.” What kinda stuff are we talking? According to the web searches explored in the book, guys (100 million North American men) spend more time than you might expect Googling transsexuals, large penises and cheating wives. Bonus fun fact: a third of Today’s Christian Women subscribers search for online erotica.

As you might guess, this has a lot to do with the accessibility of adult material. According to a 2006 study, ninety percent of boys aged 8 to 16 have already viewed web porn. When exposure starts at such young ages, it leaves men bored with idea of vanilla sex. They’ve seen men and women contorted into seemingly impossible positions and are looking for something new.

Of course, the songs and behavior of the aforementioned singers—along with everyone from Adam Lambert and Katy Perry to Christina Aguilera and Lady Gaga—help, too. “You see it being a lot more out in the open in pop culture and mainstream media, which generates interest,” says Colin Rowntree, founder and CEO of Wasteland.com, the Internet’s oldest and most popular alternative sexual community. “People then go looking for that and discover something that resonates with them, be it BDSM or the fetish scene. It’s a whole world that once people discover is out there, they can dive in on the Internet and in their cities and communities.”

Dirty Demographics

Just in the last decade, the type of people who pursue kinky content and lifestyles has blown up, notes Rowntree. “Ten years ago it was primarily men over 40, high income, high education,” he says. “There’s a whole level of fairly powerful and successful people, a lot of academia and medicine. Those were the people who were closeted kinky and relied on the site. What we’ve seen in the last six or seven years is that it has expanded into a younger demographic, into the twentysomethings.” That’s led to competition for Rowntree’s site in the form of dating sites like Collarme.com and Fetlife.com.

More and more seemingly normal people are taking their freaky feelings offline too, says Dr. Natasha Valdez, whom we talked to last week about Arnold Schwarzenegger. A licensed sexologist and author of two books including A Little Bit Kinky: A Couples’ Guide to Rediscovering the Thrill of Sex, Valdez also owned a sex shop in Austin, Texas. “There was this jock that looked so plain vanilla and conservative,” she recalls. “Every week he’d come in and get kinkier and kinkier with what he bought as far as toys. Doctors, lawyers, and cops came in, too. You couldn’t put a face on kink. It could be any face.”

Like, say, Kat Smith. If you met her in the gym, you’d probably think she was simply an exceptionally fit, tall New York City trainer. But her alter ego makes an excellent living off this trend. “I’m not quite a dominatrix, but I do things like ‘lift and carry,’ when the guy just wants me to pick him up and carry him around, height comparisons—I’m six feet tall without heels—and foot/leg worship session,” the 31-year-old says. “Some men want to wrestle and for me to beat them until they’re bloody, and I won’t do any of that. There is such a huge market for guys who want to be put through pain!”

Or, say, Courtney Johnson, a 24-year-old nurse in Chicago. “I just recently expressed my desire to explore the BDSM lifestyle with my boyfriend,” she says. “He seems into it, so we’ll see where it goes!”

Your Girl Just Might Be Up For It

Johnson’s words are consistent with the research of Ogas and his colleague, Dr. Sai Gaddam, who’ve learned that dominance and submission are increasingly hot topics with men and women. “Men generally prefer dominance-themed porn, and women submission-themed literary erotica such a romance novels and stories,” Ogas says. “We can now see that dominance and submission is extremely popular and creative. There’s more creativity in erotica that involves dominance and submission than there is any other.”

Ogas makes it clear that the goal is the exchange of power, not inflicting pain. And as it turns out, women are more interested than men are. “Dominance- and submission-themed erotica is among the top ten most popular interests for men, but top five for women,” he reveals. “Our brains are wired so that we’re aroused by dominance and submission, in a variety of forms. It’s a fundamental aspect of human sexuality, and we’re all looking for ways to satisfy those interests. It’s always been there, we just haven’t openly been talking about it.”

The fun part for modern guys is, we can ease into this behavior with our wives and girlfriends without skipping straight to the leather masks and sex swings. “There are different kinds of dominance and submission,” explains Ogas. “There’s tying people up, actual bondage. It looks like the people that are most interested in bondage are older, in the mid-forties. Younger people explore dominance and submission without whips and chains.” Which still leaves plenty of room for dirty talk, role playing and, yes, spanking.

If you’re thinking it’s time to approach your woman about getting kinky, Dr. Valdez, who has worked with many couples seeking solutions for a boring sex life, has a few words of advice. “It’s risky to go in and think they won’t be surprised,” she cautions. “Not everybody has had many sexual experiences. It’s safer to assume that they haven’t had the experience, and if you want it to go the right way, talk about it before you have it. Bring it up in conversation. Just because this girl has slept with 100 guys doesn’t mean that she wouldn’t be freaked out if you pulled out a dildo.”

If she is indeed freaked out, we have three suggestions: Pour a couple glasses of wine, pull out a copy of A Billion Wicked Thoughts, and set your Tivo to the Billboard Music Awards.

The post We Are All Kinky appeared first on Made Man.

Rihanna songs are distinctive because Rihanna has such a recognizable voice. There may be more female famous singers out there, likely because ladies like Lady Gaga and Katy Perry tend to sing more shocking songs, but Rihanna has more hits than most of them because of her amazing talents.

1. "Umbrella" featuring Jay-Z – It's been said that this Rihanna song was originally written and targeted at Britney Spears as sort of a comeback single, but Jive Records (her record label) passed on it. Instead, Rihanna made it the first single from her "Good Girl Gone Bad" album and it went to number one. Usually, songs about rain are sad. However, this is a happy tune about rain protection. So take that, bad weather!
2. "Disturbia" – This was the third single from Rihanna's "Good Girl Gone Bad" album, after it had been re-released. Chris Brown wrote it. Of course, Rihanna and Brown would eventually have a falling out because, well, Brown beat her. However, it's one fine dance song. The true "disturbia" if you will, had not yet happened in this relationship.
3. "Only Girl (In the World)" – This Rihanna song was the first single off of Rihanna's "Loud" album. The chourus asks, "I want you to love me/Like I'm the only girl in the world." One doubts that Rihanna has trouble finding others to love her. She's one of the most beautiful women in the world. In fact, some have speculated that Matt Kemp of the Dodgers went into a hitting slump while dating Rihanna. She might be the only girl in the world that can do that.
4. "Rude Boy" – This Rihanna song from the "Rated R" album went to number one. It's also one of the few songs where you can truly hear Rihanna's Barbados accent. She sings with a strong accent, intentionally. It's also got a great groove. Rude boys used to refer to bad guys in reggae and ska songs. Rihanna, however, has completely recontextualized it. Cute girls tame rude boys, almost every time.
5. "Rockstar 101" – This Rihanna song has a really dark feel to it. It's heightened by a great Slash guitar solo. The video is also fascinating, as it features Rihanna dressed like Slash with a distinctive black top hat. She may not play electric guitar or scream like a song by The Who, but Rihanna is still one unlikely rockstar.

The post Rihanna Songs appeared first on Made Man.

Rihanna is currently one of the best-selling R&B artists in the world. This particular bikini top offended an Irishman, somehow. For a bigger version, click the pic. For more photos and facts, click “Next Page.”

The post 10 Rihanna Bikinis That Don’t Offend Us (PHOTOS) appeared first on Made Man.

Rihanna inadvertently managed to offend a Northern Irish farmer recently while filming a new music video in a wheat field east of Belfast. After agreeing to let Rihanna and her crew film in his field, farmer Alan Graham got upset when he saw Rihanna wearing a red bikini top for the video.

“I thought it was inappropriate,” Alan said. “I requested them to stop and they did… I had my conversation with Rihanna and I hope she understands where I’m coming from. We shook hands.”

Well, to each his own. For us, Rihanna in a bikini is a thing to be celebrated. Fortunately, she wears them pretty often. To illustrate this point, here are 10 Rihanna bikini photos that don’t offend us.

The post Rihanna Bikini Top Offends Irishman, Not Us appeared first on Made Man.

As the Elements of Style series progresses, the rewards of dressing sharp are starting to emerge, proving that being a dapper gentleman is a sure ticket to becoming a confident ladies man. This time, we take a cue from the ladies on how to turn heads. Take a look at these 11 irresistibly dressed ladies to remind you what dressing well is all about.

The post 11 Celeb Babes With Crazy Hot Fashion Sense appeared first on Made Man.

We live in an era where just about anybody can become famous.

Well, that’s not completely accurate. Millions of plebes across the land, thinking they’re the next Mariah Carey or Michael Bolton, cue up their iMovie and prove to the world, via YouTube, what everybody’s been telling them all along: “Keep your day job.”

But then there are the rare instances when a budding artist’s video goes Contagion-viral, because the person who made it actually is an über-talented musician. That’s what happened to Irish-Japanese singer-songwriter Marié Digby (pronounced MAR-ee-AY) in 2007. When her label, Hollywood Records, shelved her forthcoming album for six months, a frustrated Digby recorded a cover of Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’ with just an acoustic guitar—and raw, unproduced vocals—and uploaded it to YouTube.

“You know, I still watch that video, and I do not understand what’s special about it,” says Digby. Tell that to the 22 million YouTubers who’ve clicked play since.

The associated buzz prompted her record label to relent, releasing first the cover as an iTunes single and then the full-length album, Unfold, which debuted at No. 29 on the Billboard 200 album chart in April 2008.

Since then, she’s been prolific, releasing four LPs whilst showcasing a combination of lyrical chops and piano balladry that recalls early Ingrid Michaelson or Sara Bareilles albums. With her latest offering, a three-song EP entitled Chimera, Digby has launched a triple Salchow of transformation, going full-on radio-pop with her sound.

We caught up with her to discuss a number of subjects, including what goes into a viral video, naked Chris Isaak on the beach, being half-Japanese, and a bunch of her hidden talents…

Did your parents force you to take piano lessons like mine did?
[Laughs] They didn’t force me. I just took a natural liking to it. When I was little, my mom took me to see Cats, the Broadway show—I was like three or four years old—and they stopped us at the door and said, ‘We don’t admit children under the age of eight or nine.’ And [my mom] begged them to let me in and [said], ‘If this kid makes a peep, you just kick us out, but I promise you she’ll be quiet.’ And I was just mesmerized. We had a piano already, [and] I came home and started trying to learn the songs, so I think that’s what made [my mom] feel like she should put me in classes. That, and being an Asian mom, which is part of the deal. So I wasn’t forced.

You’re a few years younger than me. Have you ever bought a CD, and if so, which one was it?
My first-ever CD was Nevermind by Nirvana.

What drew you to that?
I’ve always been a rock kid, and I remember it was such a treat to go to this place called the Warehouse [a record store in Los Angeles], which kids won’t know about nowadays. I used to go there after school. I would be dropped off, and my mom would go get coffee or eat at a nearby restaurant, and she would let me roam around for hours. They had listening booths, and so I would first pick out albums by their covers—and I don’t know what that says about me, because there’s a naked baby on [the cover of Nevermind]—and [then] I’d go and preview them. I bought the ones I loved, and it was just like having a treasure in your hand.

I think anyone in our generation had that experience. Remember when we used to have those gigantic folders that would become 20 pounds, because they were just stuffed with CDs and their covers? It was like my proudest collection. I actually have to admit that I still have a ginormous collection, and I’m looking at them right now. I have several hundred just piled, and I don’t even know if they have CDs in them. I just cannot get myself to throw them away.

What is one artist in your collection that would shock people?
Let me take a look. I mean, I’m a metal kid. I grew up on Slayer and Metallica and Primer 55 and Sepultura. Sepultura is probably one of my favorites. Chaos A.D.!

That shocks me.
That got me through high school. Yeah. I was an angry kid.

That’s hardcore shit!
Yeah, I think I’ve lost a lot of hearing in my ears from all the metal shows I went to. I’m not even kidding.

You got your big break covering Rihanna’s song ‘Umbrella’ on YouTube. I have a guess as to why it blew up: You have a much better singing voice than Rihanna does. Care to comment on that?
[Laughs] Um, I disagree. My theory is it was just the collision of all sorts of good things like timing, how big that song was, how big the artist was, [and] the freshness of doing an acoustic cover. Because that wasn’t really happening at the time: using YouTube, which was relatively new. So I think I just had a lot of good things going for me. I don’t think my performance is particularly special.

You’ve also covered Chris Isaak’s ‘Wicked Game,’ which came out when I was a kid. The video always made me blush.
Me too.

Would you ever want to make a music video where you’re rolling around naked on the beach with Chris Isaak?
[Laughs] Well, yeah. Hell yeah! What is he, 60 years old now? [Editor’s note: she’s close, he’s 58.] Although Helena Christensen… I don’t think anyone can really beat that. You can’t get more beautiful than her. But actually I just released a video, which is probably the raciest, most provocative video I’ve ever done. I’m kind of waiting to see t the reaction from my existing fans. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a little pushback. But [there’s] definitely a lot of rolling around and skin.

Now, the first line in the Weezer song, ‘El Scorcho,’ is: ‘Goddamn you half-Japanese girls/Do it to me every time.’ What is your most unforgettable trait?
My most unforgettable trait? Is that a physical trait?

It could be anything.
God, I don’t know. Let me think about that.

That’s what we journalists do; we put people like you on the spot.
Yeah, I mean, you ask these questions that we just wouldn’t think of normally. Like I don’t think, ‘What’s my most memorable trait?’ OK, I would say, physically, it would be that strange combination of being super-duper pale with freckles but having Asian eyes. It’s a combo that’s become a lot more popular. I mean, [in] my generation, there’s been an explosion of half-Asian, half-white kids. I’m half-Irish, so I’ve got freckles and the super-pale skin from my dad, but I still have my mom’s almond-y Japanese eyes and the dark hair, so I think it’s just a puzzling thing for people who haven’t seen other ‘half’ kids before.

Does it hurt that Digby is uniquely gorgeous? We’re going with “no.”

Now the new EP, Chimera, strikes me as a 360-degree turn for you. It’s a lot more produced than your previous albums. Any reason why you decided to do that now?
Well, it’s funny, I never really went into it going, ‘I want to do a really produced-up EP.’ It’s never really like that. I don’t ever [write a song] knowing how I want the production to be. It always starts on one instrument. Like for ‘Vanish,’ I wrote on a kalimba, and then we just started adding synths to it and bass, and it just came alive [once] it had a lot of elements [added] to it. I don’t know. It sounded right with a big, sonic landscape, I guess. I just do what the song calls for. Earlier on in my career, I wrote all my songs by myself on a piano or guitar, so it sort of shined most when it was bare. But I feel like nowadays, that hasn’t been the way that I’ve been writing songs, so I don’t know. I haven’t really analyzed it that deeply.

So do you define yourself as one of these ‘YouTube Stars,’ or are you trying to move away from that?
I think there was a point when I wanted to move away from it, because when I started posting videos, I did it reluctantly; I felt like it was a last resort. I was on a record label, had my album finished for half a year, and it had been shelved. And they weren’t doing anything for me, so I had no choice but to try and create my own buzz on YouTube. I didn’t want to do covers either, but I knew that no one knew who I was—no one would be searching for me—so that was my only way of attracting new people [to listen to] my original stuff.

So, you know, I keep going back and forth to this day. I mean, I’ve been posting videos now for seven years, and literally every day I feel differently about it. I’m grateful for everything that it’s afforded me, but I am also sick of it, especially because it’s so slick. [YouTube is] just inundated with kids with huge production teams and Auto-Tune. When I started, I was alone in the bathroom with the built-in microphone in GarageBand. I don’t even think I was using GarageBand; it was iMovie. And I think people liked it because it showed them that there were people that didn’t need production to pull off a song. Now, I get sick of it sometimes. Maybe you just caught me on the wrong day. I think I’ve just accepted that it’s part of my story, but it would be wonderful if I could continue without having to just cover whatever’s popular at the time.

A lot of your original songs seem to be directed at love interests. Are these specific people, who know these songs are about them (a la Taylor Swift), or are they all hypothetical lovers?
They’re all written about a specific person, and none of those people ever know that it’s about them. I never tell the actual person who inspired the song that it was about them, because it takes the fun out of it for me [laughs].

What’s a harder song for you to write: a breakup song or love song?
Happy songs. I think almost every artist will agree that writing a really quality, very original, happy song is hard. The sad stuff I can just shit out; it’s so easy. But a good quality, upbeat song is very hard to come by.

Everybody on the West Coast seems to be a musician and an actor and a really good basket-weaver and a million other things. What are your strengths beside music?
I train in MMA, so I love mixed martial arts and kickboxing. I’m a nature girl, so anything that involves going outside [or] hiking is my thing. I’m not a basket-weaver; I guess I need to add that to my list of powers. I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to the study of the cosmos; I’ve read pretty much everything that Stephen Hawking has put out. I’m obsessed with the study of time and space.

Any plans for a full-length album, and are you going to tour for the EP?
I haven’t made decisions on either one of those things. I still do love the concept of an album, and I’ve always dreamed of doing a 10-song album, because all of my favorite albums growing up were 10 songs. There’s a sweet spot about a 10-song album. But I think we’re in a different time, so I see myself releasing music more frequently, but in these small groups of three or five. That’s more likely than me doing a full album, unless I sign to a new record label, which is very unlikely. And for touring, I really want to do a live show—definitely here in Los Angeles—but I haven’t really thought about a tour yet. I just want to get these videos out and see what people are reacting to, which videos and where. And then I can think about where I’d like to tour.

The post Marié Digby: A YouTube Star Breaks Out appeared first on Made Man.

So word on the street is, bucket hats are back. And not just back, but one of the hot new men’s fashion trends for spring. Now, if you are thinking about dropping some coin on such a head covering, we only have one thing to say.

For the Love of God, DON’T.

Seriously.

You might think you can pull it off, but trust us, you can’t.

You’re going to look like a tool. A rube. A dunce. Or freaking Gilligan.

Who, by the way, is one of only 10 people allowed to wear buckets hat. Really, unless you are one of the following 10 people, do all of us a favor and let this trend die a slow, painful death on the head of Justin Bieber. Those people are the aforementioned Gilligan, a.k.a. Bob Denver, plus:

LL Cool J

Hunter S. Thompson—and Johnny Depp playing him

A member of Run DMC

Richard Dreyfuss in Jaws and Bill Murray in Caddyshack

Rihanna

That is all. Happy spring!

The post The 10 People Allowed to Wear Bucket Hats appeared first on Made Man.

Here’s to smokin’ supporters overshadowing the actual games.

The post Rihanna’s Just One of 8 Sexy Sports Fans Who Totally Stole the Show appeared first on Made Man.