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lifestyle MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015 GOSSIP UK’s best-selling revealed he UK’s 10 best-selling albums of 2014 with ‘’. Geoff were all made by British artists for the Taylor, chief executive of the BPI and Brit Tfirst time ever. Singer/songwriter Ed awards, praised the success of the top three Sheeran topped the list with ‘X’, which sold artists for “catching fire around the world”. The 1.7m copies whilst ’s debut LP, ‘In ‘Thinking Out Loud’ hitmaker and the ‘Stay The Lonely Hour’, claimed second spot after With Me’ singer retained their positions of selling 1.25m copies. ’s first number one and two when it came to the album, ‘Wanted on Voyage’ and Paolo Nutini’s UK’s most-streamed artists, after receiving ‘’ placed third and fourth respec- over one billion streams. One Direction, tively. Other artists to feature in the list and Calvin Harris, too, all achieved included Coldplay, One Direction and Take the same feat whilst Mark Ronson and Bruno That. - who released their first Mars’ track ‘Uptown Funk’ broke the record as album in 20 years in 2014 - placed ninth the most streamed track in a single week. The whilst the only female artist to make the list, number one hit achieved 2.5 million plays in Paloma Faith, had the sixth best-selling the last week of December.

Artist albums chart 2014: Most streamed artists 2014:

1. , ‘X’ 1. Ed Sheeran 2. Sam Smith, ‘’ 2. Sam Smith 3. George Ezra, ‘Wanted on Voyage’ 3. Arctic Monkeys 4. Paolo Nutini, ‘Caustic Love’ 4. 5. Coldplay, ‘Ghost Stories’ 5. Calvin Harris 6. Paloma Faith, ‘A Perfect Contradiction’ 6. Coldplay 7. One Direction, ‘Four’ 7. One Direction 8. Olly Murs, ‘Never Been Better’ 8. BeyoncÈ 9. Pink Floyd, ‘The Endless River’ 9. 10. Take That, ‘III’ 10. Bastille Menzel defends her

dina Menzel has defended her ceeding.”Performing isn’t only about Iability to perform live. The the acrobatics and the high notes: ‘Frozen’ star came in for some It’s staying in the moment, connect- severe criticism for failing to hit a ing with the audience in an authen- note at the end of ‘Let It Go’ on New tic way, and making yourself real to Year’s Eve in Times Square, but she’s them through the music. “I am more

New Year’s Eve performance New Year’s responded to her critics by citing an than the notes I hit, and that’s how I interview she gave last year. In the try to approach my life. You can’t get interview, which she’s republished it all right all the time, but you can on her Twitter account, the 43-year- try your best. “If you’ve done that, all old star said: “There are about 3 mil- that’s left is to accept your short- lion notes in a two-and-a-half-hour comings and have the courage to musical; being a perfectionist, it try to overcome them.” ‘Let It Go’ took me a long time to realize that if won the Academy Award for Best I’m hitting 75% of them, I’m suc- Original Song in 2014. : Music success Rock boasts of being ‘loaded’ for women is ‘harder’ id Rock is “loaded”. The 43-year-old the people around me.” The musician, who am excited, but also nervous for my son. He Kstar has earned a fortune through the was once married to actress Pamela was dropped on my doorstep at six months course of his career, but insists he isn’t Anderson, has a son from a previous relation- when I had no money and was trying to be a ita Ora thinks it’s “harder to embarrassed about his wealth because he ship, Robert Jr, and has revealed he’s “excited” rock star. I didn’t have a clue. “The partying Rbe a female” in the music has amassed his earnings in an honest way. by the prospect of becoming a grandfather. gene skips a generation. I was really wild and industry. The ‘I Will Never He said: “I’m not just wealthy, I’m loaded. I He told newspaper: “I’m 43 and I never saw that in my son. He’ll have a few Let You Down’ hitmaker - who can say that because I’m not embarrassed - about to become a grandfather, but it keeps drinks, but that’s it. He’ll say: ‘Right, I’m going has scored three UK number one I’ve made a ton of money, but I’ve never my redneck street cred up. I could be a great- home,’ and I’m like: ‘Ha! We’re just getting singles and a UK number one made a dishonest dollar. I try to do right by great-great-grandfather by the time I’m 80. I warm.’” album - believes it is tougher for women to have success in music. She said: “Without pulling the female card, I think it has always defends been harder for females in all aspects. Whenever we have an Blunt reveals opinion, it always seems to be taken out of proportion ...”I think altered photos people take the word ‘feminist’ her admiration really seriously and I think people are scared to use that word. In of MLK, Mandela this industry, all the heads of of Streep labels are men. I have always been very vocal about the women sticking together.” The 24-year-old singer - who will be taking a seat on the judging pan- el of British talent show ‘’ alongside Sir Tom Jones, Will.i.am and Kaiser Chiefs’ Ricky Wilson - also revealed that she is “proud” to be able to prove her- mily Blunt loves working with Meryl says ‘Into The Woods’ is a little darker than the self on the show. She told the Streep. The pair starred alongside each typical Disney film and she thinks it’s impor- Daily Mirror newspaper: “As a E woman in this industry, it has other in the 2006 hit ‘The Devil Wears tant children are not overprotected. She told Prada’ and have reunited for ‘Into The Woods’, The Guardian newspaper: “Chris Pine [who always been a bit about proving and Emily has revealed she thoroughly plays the prince in the movie] was telling me yourself, so I’m proud to be on a enjoyed the experience. The 31-year-old that most schools in America only do the first panel with such successful men.” actress reflected: “I feel like Meryl walks act of the play, where everything is happy through life in a constant state of needing to ever after. And it’s just sad that we’re choosing diffuse people’s intimidation of her. A weird to coddle our children that way, because no way to exist. Maybe it helped that at least she one’s more perceptive than a child.” Emily Carell ‘doesn’t take himself seriously’ didn’t have to worry about me. “It doesn’t added: “Nobody goes through life unscathed. mean I’m any less in awe of her.” Emily - who If you want to fairytale the out of everything, teve Carell has “never cared about gave birth to her daughter Hazel in 2014 - you’re doing everyone a disservice.” Sbeing taken seriously”. The 52-year- old entertainer, who made his name in ‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin’ and ‘Anchorman’, Gyllenhaal likens Enemy to a dream has made a successful transition from comedies to dramas, but Steve isn’t worried nemy’ makes its audience feel like they about the type of roles he’s offered. Asked ‘Eare “dreaming”. Jake Gyllenhaal, who adonna is defending herself against whether he’s concerned about losing his stars as a college professor in the film Mcriticism after she posted Instagram comic edge, Steve replied: “Not really. To who discovers a look-alike actor and learns more photos of Martin Luther King Jr and me, they are different styles of entertain- about the other man’s private affairs, said he Nelson Mandela that were altered to look like ment, with different methods. “I’ve never enjoyed appearing in a movie that’s so intense her own image on her new album. Madonna’s cared about being taken seriously - I just and explores such a dark subject matter. He told cover for the album “” is a close-up see myself as an actor. Most of my career, newspaper: “This movie hope- of her face with black string on it. Her social I’ve just taken what I’ve been offered. I fully feels like you’re dreaming. It’s an exploration media posts show the faces of King and always feel most comfortable as part of a of the unconscious. Such an intense mood. “I Mandela doctored to make it appear as ensemble. Whether it’s a comedy or a dra- have this feeling that, ironically, the darker the though they have similar string on their faces. ma, I like to fit in. It’s best not to stick out.” places you go, the more you can illuminate. I Some consider the posts offensive. In a state- really do believe in the world being a genuinely Steve found fame relatively late in his complicated place, but a very beautiful one.” This ment released late Friday night, Madonna said career and says his priority has always been comes shortly after Jake claimed that everybody The 34-year-old star said: “I equate it with fast she was not comparing herself to them but to provide for his family. He told The in society ought to relate to his 2014 movie food. We all know [it’s] bad for us. But people acknowledging that they were rebels. She also Guardian newspaper: “You know, that didn’t ‘Nightcrawler’, which concerns people who race demand it ... This narrative of fear and this spin- said the images were fan-generated and happen till I was 40. All of that came to pass say, but I just wanted to make a living. That to crime scenes to film eye-catching incidents ning of news has a great detrimental effect.” Jake defended herself against claims of racism, after I had a long career as an actor. It was the goal: to be able to have a family before selling the footage to TV news channels. added society is complicit in this activity. adding she also posted other famous faces sounds such an aw-shucks kind of thing to and support them.”— Bang Showbiz who were not black.