HOLLYWOOD—10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1…Happy New Year 2013! It’s that time of year when we ask ourselves “What will 2013 bring?” It’s also the time of year that we make the same resolutions once again: lose weight, go to the gym more often, quit smoking, find a job, getting organized, spend more time with family and friends. These are some of the common resolutions for 2013. In spirit of the New Year, these resolutions are made in good faith. However, only a handful of us will actually succeed. All those promises we make to ourselves on the stroke of midnight will soon be a fleeting memory in a few weeks.

As we reflect on the past year, we look back on so many trends and tragedies: the death of Whitney Houston; the movie shooting in Aurora, Colorado; Hurricane Sandy; the Newtown school shooting of innocent lives; the Presidential election; YouTube and the Supremacy of “Gangham Style.”

We look back on some of the most talked about albums of the yea. Despite the slump in the record business, many of the best albums of 2012 were some of the most popular, including Taylor Swift’s “Red.” The year 2012 definitely belonged to blockbuster singles such as “Call Me Maybe,” “Somebody That I Used to Know,” “Payphone,” “Die Young,” and “Gangham Style.” These singles were parodied and worshiped on YouTube, played over and over on the radio, and heard by millions of ear buds. The single was king, especially when the single was a huge hit. It’s extremely rare when you buy an album that you love every single song on it. It’s usually a big hit single that makes the album.

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Photo courtesy of Business Insider.

Somehow, a shrewd young lady from Wyomissing, PA, was getting ready to take the world by storm. The album “Red” chronicled the emotional maturity of a young lady. Her confidence has grown throughout the years and her skills as a songwriter have taken her to rewarding heights in music business. She writes from the heart about young love and the pain of heartbreak. Her poetry is heard with breathtaking delicacy, which turns each and every single into a successful musical career. She shines, twinkles and glimmers like the sun off the ocean.

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Photo courtesy of Music – Mix.

Then we have rap, which began as a kind of rhythmically accented poetic recitation accompanied by a DJ who manipulated recordings on two turntables to create a collage of percussive and musical effects. We have the two incredible hip-hop figures Jay-Z and Kanye West, and 2012 best rapper Nas with his album “Life is Good.” Nasir Jones for decades has been the best rapper in mainstream media. The articulation, the heart-stopping beats in his album “Life is Good,” gleams like a Ferrari fresh from the dealership.

Jay-Z’s wife Beyonce was in the news early in the year with the arrival of a high-profile newborn, Blue Ivy Carter. Daughter of Jay-Z and Beyonce, the baby was trending before she could walk or talk. Later in the year, Beyonce performed at Revel in Atlantic City. She inked a deal with Pepsi and will earn millions which will coincide with a blitz of promotion for her next album, which as of press date has no title or release date. According to published reports, it’s expected to be released sometime in 2013. She will be performing at the Super Bowl halftime show on February 3 (also sponsored by Pepsi) and her face will be on  limited-edition of soda cans. Her last album dropped in 2011, titled “4.” The album “4” had inspiration from several artists including the late Whitney Houston, Anita Baker, and Mary J. Blige. Looking forward to her new album in 2013.

The year 2012 has really been out of control from the hoopla of the Mayan Calendar to the endless reality TV shows on MTV. It really has been a Ringling Brothers channel with ” Jersey Shore.” Unfortunately, no one knew that Hurricane Sandy was going to destroy the beloved Seaside Heights, New Jersey. Perhaps if they had portrayed the shore as a family resort instead of a bunch of young adults getting plastered almost every night, it would still be on the air.

Rose’s Scoop: What a year this has been, right? This column marks my 12th anniversary with Canyon News. A big thank-you for your continued support and readership.

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, peaceful, prosperous and safe New Year!

By Rose Quintiliano