Tracking 2012's Best Songs #12 
PMA Guide to Sasquatch! 2012 
Review: Japandroids - Celebration Rock 
The xx: Hear 5 New Songs! 
Download: 8-Bit Versions of Radiohead's Kid A and OK Computer 
Click on the turntable on the left to listen to a continuous stream of music featured on Pretty Much Amazing - updated every day. For more, you can check out the Best Songs of 2012.
The earth stood still for a couple of minutes when word broke that Jay-Z’s insanely anticipated The Blueprint 3 had leaked. The consensus was that after all of these years, Jay-Z is still hitting hard and four steps ahead of everyone in the game. Most rappers lose steam after their second or third album — to release an eleventh album that doesn’t make you want to shoot yourself in the face, like this one, is unthinkable.
With that said, for me, the album was dry and slow. It had some highlights and “Empire State of Mind” was definitely one of them. My personal favorite cut from the album, the track features a Jay-Z full of hometown sentiment and soaring harmonies courtesy of the gosh-wow lovely Alicia Keys. Listen to it here:
[audio=http://pmatunes.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/05-empire-state-of-mind-feat-alici.mp3,Jay-Z - Empire State of Mind (ft. Alicia Keys)]
by on September 6, 2009 ‡ 0 reactions
Best Songs of 2012: Winter 
Rock The Bells 2012: Lineup, Dates and Ticket Information 
New Yeasayer: "Henrietta" 
New Childish Gambino: "Unnecessary" f/ ScHoolboy Q 
Check Out: Icona Pop - "I Love It" (written by Charli XCX) 
New Azealia Banks: "JUMANJI" MP3 
Wild Pitch: disco naïveté 
Rec'd MP3: Purity Ring - "Obedear" 
MP3: Major Lazer & Amber of Dirty Projectors - "Get Free" 
MP3: Theophilus London & A$AP Rocky - "Big Spender" 
Amazing: Florence + The Machine & Dev Hynes - "Never Let Me Go" 
Check Out: Kirin J Callinan: "WIIW (Way to War)" 
Check Out: MS MR - "Hurricane" 
Sleep Over - "Romantic Streams" (CFCF Remix) 
Download: Meek Mill - Dreamchasers 2 Mixtape 
Review: El-P - Cancer For Cure 
Download: Nicolas Jaar's Essential Mix 
Review: Santigold - Master of My Make-Believe 
Review: Lower Dens - Nootropics 
Review: Toro y Moi - June 2009 
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
What a great track…as I read somewhere, shades of Kanye West’s “Gone,” one of my all-time favorite rap songs.
cudi leaked by the way
I listened to both Blueprint 3 and Kid CuDi’s Man on the Moon: The End of Day today.
I was (to my surprise) impressed by both of them.
Young Forever (ft. Mr Hudson) is hands down my favorite off of Jay Z’s album.
You should check out Kid CuDi’s “Pursuit of Happiness” (with MGMT) from Man on the Moon… one of the best songs i’ve heard this year…
its in my blog
the cover looks gessoic
Blueprint can’t even begin to measure up to Man On The Moon.
Jay-Z is THE MAN!
+1 to CuDi winning between the two.
yes this and Young Forever are definitely my favorites. Never thought there would be an Alphaville sample on this but it sounds great.
Jay Z went in! he broke CuDi’s album in half!
Sad he chose to work with Beyoncé instead of Alicia. I usually love altos, but I can’t stand her because it sounds like it’s nothing but a head voice. She’s just yelling.
Sad he chose to work with Alicia instead of Beyoncé.*
this song with alicia keys is awesome cant stop 2 listen to it and dont 4get to watch out the live performance of those 2 on vma 2009 11 sep gna be a great moment!!!
jay-z is all hip hop the best ever 11th number one albums he is the best raper of time man lie women lie numbers don’t
jay-z is all hip hop the best ever 11th number one albums he is the best raper of all time man lie women lie numbers don’t
i love this song!!!!! it is my new fav i listen to this song at least 15 times a day
first it went i run this town
then it is EMPIRE STATE OF MIND and it is fantastic
What a great track …jay-z is all hip hop the best ever…this song with Alicia Keys is awesome…definitely my favorite….Amazing JAY-Z
amazing
<3
amazing
<3
this is the best song jay-z has ever made. to me jay-z is the best rapper out right now, lil wayne ain’t got nuthin on this song. new york, new york, new york.