Eminem gets Golden Globe nomination

The talented but controversial rapper Eminem has now also won the approval of the Hollywood Foreign Press. Lose Yourself, his latest big seller is one of the nominees in next year’s Golden Globe Awards. The song is the theme from the motion picture 8 Mile, where he also made his acting debut. Directed by Curtis Hanson of An Officer and a Gentleman, the semi-biographical piece about a Detroit rapper’s desire to conquer his anger and become a star, also stars Kim Basinger as Eminem’s mother.

Lose Yourself is up against Die Another Day by Madonna, from the James bond movie of the same title, Father and Daughter from The Wild Thornberrys Movie by pop icon Paul Simon, The Hands That Built America from Gangs of New York by U2, and Here I Am from Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron by Hans Zimmer, Bryan Adams and Gretchen Peters.

The Golden Globes is considered a harbinger for the upcoming Academy Awards. This means that with this nomination, Eminem also has a strong chance of being nominated and maybe even winning at the Oscars. Should this happen, he will be the first rapper in pop music history to join the ranks of Henry Mancini, Randy Newman, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Elton John and other big names in popular music who have all won the Academy Award for Best Song.

The winners of the Golden Globes will be handed out on Jan. 19. Those nominated for Best Original Score are: Elmer Berstein for Far From Heaven, Terence Blanchard for 25th Hour, Peter Gabriel of Genesis for Rabbit-Proof Fence, Philip glass for The Hours and Elliot Goldenthal for Frida.

Eminem’s Lose Yourself is the number one selling tune in the US of A. It debuted in the top slot and still leads Billboard’s Hot 100 after 11 weeks of release. The soundtrack album now ranks number three in the top 200 album list. Although Lose Yourself is his only song in the soundtrack, credit for its success still largely goes to him. This means that despite all those personal problems we have been reading about, Eminem’s lucky which earlier manifested itself with the albums The Real Slim Shady and The Eminem Show continues unabated.

On top of the charts

Other singles currently in the top ten of the Hot 100 are: Work It by Missy Misdemeanor Elliott; Jenny from the Block by Jennifer Lopez featuring Jadakiss & Styles; Underneath It All by No Doubt featuring Lady Saw; The Game of Love by Santana featuring Michelle Branch; 03 Bonnie & Clyde by Jay-Z featuring Beyonce Knowles of Destiny’s Child; Air Force Ones by Nelly featuring Kyjuan, Ali & Murphy Lee; Gimme the Light by Sean Paul; Don’t Mess with My Man by Nivea featuring Brian & Brandon; and Luv U Better by LL Cool J.

The top ten albums are Up! The latest by Canadian pop diva Shania Twain; Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors by Tim McGraw; 8 Mile, the soundtrack album by Eminem; Now 11 the all-hit collection by Various Artists; Better Days, another posthumus release from 2Pac; This is Me…Then by Jennifer Lopez; Cry by Faith Hill; Back in the US Live, a new album by Paul McCartney; Let Go by Avril Lavigne; and Stripped by Christina Aguilera.

World’s favorite song

Remember that poll for the World’s Favorite Song conducted on the net by the BBC World Service to commemorate its 70th anniversary last November? The winners were announced last Dec. 22 and topping the list is the Irish Replublican Song A Nation Once Again. Written in the 1840’s by Thomas Osbourne Davis to support the fight to end British rule, it was originally recorded in 1964 by The Wolfe Tones.

The complete list of winners are: A Nation Once Again by The Wolfe Tones; Vande Mataram a patriotic Hindi song by Various Artists; Dil Dil Pakistan by Vital Signs; Rakkamma Kaiya Thattu by Ilayaraaja; Poovum Nadakkuthu by Thirumalai Chandran; Ana Wa Laila by Kazem El Saher; Reetu Haruma Timi Hariyali Basant Hau Nadihruma Timi Pabitra Ganga Hau by Arun Thapa; Believe by Cher; Chaiyya Chaiyya by A R Rahman; and Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen.

Nominations came in from all over the world with the Beatles getting the most number of votes. Unfortunately, the Liverpool Four crossed itself out because they were nominated for several songs and not one got enough votes to reach the top 10.