The title of her seventh album isn’t just a location; it’s a state of mind. “I grew up in a small town 100 miles from Memphis, and that informed not only my musical taste, but how I look at life,” she says. “The drive to Memphis is all farmland, and everyone is community-oriented, God-fearing people, connected to the earth. The music that came out of that part of the world is a part of who I am, and it’s the biggest inspiration for what I do and why I do it.”

The results evoke a time when soul and passion filled the radio waves, when the sweat and joy of a recording session could be captured forever on wax. Sometimes the musical references—Al Green, Sly and the Family Stone, Stevie Wonder—are made apparent, but the album’s eleven songs are characterized more by capturing a classic spirit than by imitating any specific style.

The songs on 100 Miles From Memphis display impressive range, in feeling and performance. First single “Summer Day” is a delightfully breezy slice of glory-days AM radio pop. “I wanted to experiment with writing something simple and positive,” says Crow. “The feeling of a great, solid love—not just a new love, but something everlasting.”

We are super excited to be giving away a signed acoustic guitar from Sheryl.  Enter here!

To celebrate that release POP AWESOME is giving one lucky winner a chance to score the Shine A Light soundtrack pre-loaded on a Limited Edition USB Drive! Featuring 22 tracks over nearly 2 hours + bonus content!

If you want to win, enter below:

The album is also available on iTunes as of yesterday.  So, if you don’t win, you can always grab it for only $6.99.

Just leave a comment below letting us know which song on the album is your fave and why.  Ours would have to be “Like a Prayer.”  Epic.  We can’t really figure out why it reigns supreme though, so looks like we can’t win our own contest!

1. 1.  Express Yourself (feat.  Jonathan Groff)
2. 2.  Borderline/Open Your Heart
3. 3.  Vogue
4. 4.  Like a Virgin (feat. Jonathan Groff)
5. 5.  4 Minutes
6. 6.  What It Feels Like for a Girl
7. 7.  Like a Prayer (feat. Jonathan Groff)
8. 8.  Burning Up (feat. Jonathan Groff)

Ft. Worth, Texas rockers Green River Ordinance are getting back out on the road in support of their debut album, Out of My Hands, and new single “On Your Own.”  To celebrate the tour and success of their album, we are teaming up with the band to give away a Nintendo Wii and new Super Mario Bros. game!

A testament to the power of their live show, Green River Ordinance broke the record for most CDs sold at The Nokia Theater in NYC. They’ve toured with the likes of Counting Crows, Gavin DeGraw, Train, David Cook, Third Eye Blind, Collective Soul, and more. As their music cracks the Top 20 Hot Adult Rock chart, Billboard magazine claims “Green River Ordinance establishes itself as a pop-rock act to keep an eye on in 2010.”

What are you waiting for?  Enter the contest here!

Forever The Sickest Kids stopped by the Hasbro booth at the 2010 Toy Fair in New York to check out some of the toy giant’s newest, and coolest, products. The guys got the chance to be one of the first to rip into the Nerf NFL Weather Blitz Footballs and the Dart Tag FuryFire Blaster set as well as the classic SuperSoakers! How cool is that?

While at the booth the folks at Hasbro had the guys sign some Footballs and we were lucky enough to snag one to give to you! Enter all your info below for your chance to WIN!

NERF WEATHER BLITZ NFL Football
(Ages 8 years & up/Approximate Retail Price: $14.99/Available: Spring 2010) Don’t let a few clouds get in the way of your time on the field. Infused with advanced NERF WEATHER BLITZ Football technology, this weather-resistant football allows for ultimate performance in almost all conditions, rain or shine. To add to your performance, the NERF WEATHER BLITZ NFL Football’s super grip skin and NFL styling will help you play the game like a pro. Choose from five of the top NFL teams including the New York Giants, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Dallas Cowboys, the New England Patriots, and the Indianapolis Colts. Each sold separately. Available at most major retailers nationwide and HasbroToyShop.com. Availability may vary.

Smoke & Mirrors is available now in stores and online in both a standard and a deluxe edition, which features a bonus disc with additional material.  After appearing on the Tonight Show during Conan O’Brien’s final days as host, Lifehouse will return to the Tonight Show on Thursday, March 4th to help kick off Jay Leno’s first week back.  The band will also begin a nationwide tour with Daughtry and Cavo in Baltimore, MD on March 18th. Visit LifehouseMusic.com for tour dates and details, as well as additional updates from the band.

Also, their video for “Halfway Gone” is available for FREE download on iTunes this week!

We are super excited to be giving away a SIGNED CD and a “Smoke & Mirrors” poster to celebrate the release.  Enter for your chance to win by leaving a comment below telling us why YOU love Lifehouse and be sure to follow PopAwesome on Twitter here to be the first to find out about more cool contests!

U2’s fourth album, The Unforgettable Fire has been remastered and re-released by Island Records in October and is available in stores now! This special edition marks 25 years since the album’s original release in October 1984. Recorded at Slane Castle, Ireland, The Unforgettable Fire was the first U2 album to be produced by Brian Eno and Danny Lanois, and spawned two top 10 UK singles – “Pride (In The Name Of Love)” and “The Unforgettable Fire”.

What’s in the Limited Edition Box Set? How about… 2 CDs (remastered album and bonus audio CD), a DVD with live footage, documentary and videos, a 56 page hardback book with liner notes by The Edge, Brian Eno, Danny Lanois, Bert Van de Kamp and Niall Stokes, and 5 photographic print!!!

ENTER NOW!

Buy the album now on Amazon: The Unforgettable Fire (Super Deluxe Edition 2CD+DVD)

The album is available as an 18-track single CD as well as 36-track double CD featuring new track “Revolver.”  A 2-DVD set including 27 Madonna videos is also available.  Madonna’s Ultimate Greatest Hits Album has also been released as a Deluxe Edition on iTunes featuring all of the 36 songs + 2 exclusive bonus tracks  (”It’s So Cool” and Benny Benassi Remix of “Celebration”) as well as 30 videos.

It’s time to celebrate!

Haven’t watched the video in a while?  Check it out below.

ENTER TO WIN BELOW

*4 winners
*Open to US contestants
*Must be over 13 years of age