Although it was released last week to musicians, Twitter's new music app is officially available to all iPhone users today.

According to CNN, "Twitter's new app, which is separate from its primary social network, helps users find music based on the bands and artists they follow." It suggests artists a user might like, making it easy to discover new music. Plus, it even shows users what music the people they're following are listening to. (Look at a screenshot below, courtesy of Twitter.) 

So where does the music come from? The folks at Twitter say it's a mishmash of Spotify, Rdio and iTunes. In fact, iTunes previews will even play automatically within the app. Nice!

Twitter is clearly looking to expand its reach, first with Vine and now with #Music, both of which are separate from the main Twitter app.

It's time to whip out the headphones and start exploring new tunes!

My brother always gets me the best birthday presents. Case in point: This year, he bought me a three-month premium subscription to Spotify, a music streaming service that gives users access to literally any song they could want to listen to.

Let me explain the reasons I love Spotify already:

1. It boasts an impressive collection

With the exception of one song, I've so far been able to find everything I've searched for. My taste in music is fairly broad, but whether I want to listen to Kanye or Jack White or My Chemical Romance or Britney, it's there. That's pretty awesome.

2. It's easy to use

I'm not by any means technologically illiterate, but I admit that sometimes I need time to adjust to new platforms. However, both of the Spotify apps I use (desktop and iPhone) are very intuitive and easy to navigate. Even making playlists is simple!

3. It's social

When I first signed up for Spotify last week, it asked me to connect via Facebook. I don't often choose to sign up through a social network, but you can disable automatic posts to your Timeline, so I gave it a shot. The main benefit I've noticed is that you can follow your Facebook friends within the Spotify app. A lot of my friends are a lot cooler than me, so now I can take a peek at what they're listening to when I need new tunes in my ears. Plus, you can even follow brands and celebrities. Very cool!

4. I can access it from anywhere

Yesterday while working out, I opted to use my Spotify app for music over my iTunes library. I was worried because my cell phone doesn't usually have great service at my gym. In fact, I've had problems using Pandora there in the past. But Spotify worked flawlessly! I've only had trouble accessing the music library once -- and, to be fair, I was in a "No Service" zone at the time.

So if you're a music fanatic, go ahead and give Spotify a shot. Let me know what you think in the comments!

I recently purchased this small and cute nano speaker, which is probably one of the most amazing promotional products currently on the market. For something this small I cant believe how much sound it gives off and the portability of it is slightly more than AWESOME! I have finally found the perfect way to listen to music on the beach, park, or just hanging out in the backyard with some freinds. The Nano comes in fun colors, such as green, blue, red, yellow..etc. Technology has come along way, this little gadget works with your bluetooth device to give off high definition sound. No more annoying wires!

It's not the holiday season until a couple of has-beens put out a Christmas album.

OK, that was a little harsh. But who thought it was a good idea to bring "Grease" co-stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John back together for a holiday CD? After all, Travolta's public image is not at its prime right now. (Who could forget all those massage lawsuits?)

Still, according to CBS News, the album, dubbed "This Christmas," is happening, and it will be in stores on Nov. 13.

All jokes aside (and whether or not you think the reunion is incredibly cheesy), we can at least appreciate that the Christmas CD will benefit some great causes.

CBS News explains: "Travolta and Newton-John will donate the artist proceeds from the album to their respective charities - the Jett Travolta Foundation, which works to combat children's disabilities, and the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Center in Melbourne, Australia."

If you know any hardcore "Grease" fans, "This Christmas" may just be the ideal promotional gift! As for me, I'll probably just put this song on repeat for the entire holiday season.

It's hard to believe that it was almost one year ago that Watch The Throne, the collaborative album between hip-hop heavy-hitters Jay-Z and Kanye West. Some people are still heavily playing "...in Paris" on repeat and trying to memorize the fast-paced lyricism of "Otis"

What made this album a great success wasn't just the producers (Kanye West, Pharrell, Swizz Beatz) or the household names that were part of the musical project. What gave the album staying power on the charts was the fact that it was released digitally - before its physical release and before the album could even leak. 

It's no surprise that with the invention of the torrents, Youtube, P2P filesharing sites and closed filesharing services it is hard for an artist's albums to not get into the wrong hands before its official release date. So when it came to Watch The Throne Jay-Z and Kanye did something a tad unorthodox by releasing the album themselves about a week beforehand.

The result? An array of praise and a flurry of first week sales. (436,000 to be exact) It would become platinum one month later. 

So one year later, it is Watch The Throne guest vocalist/OFWGKTA member Frank Ocean that would follow in their footsteps - releasing his first full length album Channel Orange (not to be confused with his mixtape) a week before its official release. As a result, the album is already getting praise from the likes of Pitchfork, Huffington Post and Telegraph. Despite not being sold in some retailers, this album is expected to push over 100k copies.

Like the singles "Thinkin' Bout You" or "Pyramids"? Chances are you may be able to grab as a gift on a custom imprinted Digital Media Card - Music Download Card. 

Are you more likely to buy an album if released or leaked early? Have an opinion on Frank Ocean or his new album? 

Summer in New York is not only welcoming of warm weather but for various, fun indoor/outdoor activities. While the dollar doesn't push itself like it used to, there are free events every weekend if you know where to look. These events have corporate underwritings and tend to be plentiful in promotional items.

For the movie buff, consider hitting up the NYC Parks & Recreation website. In calendrical order, it offers very detailed information of what movie is playing and where. Like foreign films? There's a French Film Series in Tompkins Square Park. Need something to see with the kids? Despicable Me, Hoodwinked Too, Toy Story, Wall E and scores others are playing throughout the boroughs. 

Need a concert fix? Check out the Oh My Rockness website. This is a regularly updated list of concerts (mostly Manhattan and Brooklyn) with a wide variety of music. Enjoy classicism? Philip Glass is performing live on June 20 as part of the River to River Festival. Listen to hip-hop? Ghostface Killah, Das Racist and Brand Nubian are all doing shows on different days. Like something more indie? You'll see me at the Dawes/Kurt Vile, Deer Tick and the Guided By Voices/The Pains of Being Pure at Heart shows this summer. Don't recognize any of the above names? OK Go, Gym Class Heroes and Lyle Lovett are all on the list. Be sure to show up early!

Had a bad day and need to laugh it off? There are a few websites confirming that seats reserved for Comedy Cellar's Monday-Thursday shows are free. (Two Drink Minimum) Imagine a chance to see bright, young talent in an intimate setting for close to nothing! If you're having preemptive Monday blues, I would recommend seeing the very funny Hannibal Buress at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, NY every Sunday night.

And although it isn't until October and November, no post would be complete without an event with FREE FOOD! Meet the NYC Food Film Festival. Taking Place in various venues and outdoor fields in NYC, the premise of this film festival is to create a multi-sensory experience for the viewer. Like what you see on the screen? The foods served on screen are served to the audience, creating an audience bond unlike any other. One article mentioned an event from 2009 which featured a documentary on mushrooms and a 10-course mushroom tasting. Some events are ticketed and require some green but you can catch most events without a wallet.

Don't live close to New York City? Those in Los Angeles can try out Oh My Rockness LA for themselves and those lucky enough to live in Chicago can see a listing of free concerts in their area and keep an eye (or nose) out for the Chicago Food Film Festival in November. 

Be on the lookout for promotional items throughout these (and other) events. 

For every morning and evening commute, I alternate over the course of a few radio stations. 

I spent the majority of my Monday commutes glued to Hot 97 (97.1 FM) in hopes to listen to the highlights of 2012's Summer Jam festival at Met Life Stadium from the night before. I sadly missed out on the opportunity to see Rick Ross, Schoolboy Q, A$AP Rocky, Nicki Minaj and some others. 

But apparently I wasn't the only who missed out on Nicki Minaj.

Peter Rosenberg, best known as one half of Hot 97's morning radio show, was introducing an artist on one of the smaller stages outside the Met Life Stadium prior to the headlining performances when he started to voice his opinion on Minaj's single "Starships". The statement was rather provocative and is very hard to edit and clean up and was streamed to millions who were watching the festival at home.

Lil' Wayne, president of Minaj's label YMCMB, caught wind of Rosenberg's comment and pulled Nicki Minaj (and all of the record label's guest stars expected to perform) from the entire festival - just hours from her performance. Hot 97 quickly replaced Nicki Minaj's slot with that of Nas/Lauryn Hill. 

So did anything ice over come Monday?

Rosenberg still stands on his opinion about "Starships" while Nicki Minaj still stands by Lil' Wayne's decision to pull her out of the festival. Sadly, this is dividing those who listen to the radio station regularly and spoiling relationships between some DJs that work at the station and Minaj herself. 

Was Lil' Wayne right to pull Nicki Minaj? Should she have withstood the comment and performed anyway? Were you there on Sunday?

With over 50,000 actively selling items on the Motivators website, it is safe to say that there's at least something for every type of client out there.

But what if your clients are very picky? One might like that 26810 Bottle Opener while another may like the 40052 Bottle Opener. Yes, they both open bottles and they are both of a high quality. But, as you can tell, there is a physical difference that is rather evident with one look. 

With Motivators' redeemable promotion cards, you'll give your client the gift of a promotional product they get to pick out. So if you hand out the custom imprinted eBook Download Card, you'll be giving your clients and employees the option to have them choose the book of their choice. One person can pick a biography while another can pick a mystery novel. The instructions on how to redeem the promotion is very simple and each card is fully cusomizable to the giver's choosings. 

Motivators allows you to give the gift of music, books, cell phone skins, magazine subscriptions, photo prints and even the gift of planting a tree. 

Summer is all about unique and interesting outdoor events to celebrate the warm weather associated with the season and a cash-cow opportunity for businesses looking to benefit greatly from throngs of people and the weather. One such event that hopes to successfully take off is called Googa Mooga.

Googa what?

Yes, Googa Mooga. Googa Mooga is a 2-Day outdoor festival (from the minds of Bonnaroo Music Festival) located in Brooklyn's Prospect Park that features the finest in music, food and drinks. Whether you refer to it as a music festival with food/drink or a food/drink festival with music, your mouth will water once you find out what it is.

Googa Mooga will feature over 75 food vendors from across the country cooking up the finest treats from all walks of life. So whether you want a hot cup of coffee from Third Rail Coffee on Bleeker Street, gumbo from Crawfish Monica in New Orleans or lobster from Chelsea Piers, it'll be there. The beer is curated by Garett Oliver (brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery) and there will be over 15 wineries represented. 
If that didn't entice you to click the above link, this should: The music aspect of the festival is headlined by great talent such as Hall & Oates and The Roots. The entire roster includes well-known and up-and-coming talent. 

So whether you're there for the music or the promotional food samples, you'll find something for you at Googa Mooga. 

I spent much of my weekend as a shut-in, watching much of the streaming footage from this year's Coachella Music Festival. While I enjoyed watching full sets from such favorite artists as Radiohead, Real Estate, The Weeknd and Pulp, it was something that happened on the final day of the festival that was breathtaking and unexpected.

It happened during the Snoop Dogg/Dr. Dre headlining performance. The duo had just finished "California Love" when the stage went black. Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, I saw Tupac rise out, command the stage and give one outstanding performance.

Yes, you read correctly. Tupac Shakur. The famous rapper notorious for being gunned down just at the height of his career in 1996. Thanks to the innovative visions of Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and computer graphics company Digital Domain (works include Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Tron: Legacy, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and X-Men: First Class) a realistic visual of Tupac Shakur was recreated and given the ability to perform "Hail Mary" solo and "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" with the two living artists. The "holigram" (technically, it is a 2D visual, thus not called a holigram) cost $100,000 to make.

Now there are sources saying that a lengthy tour is in the works based on the Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg Coachella performance. Although not confirmed whether the other living guest stars will be a part of the tour (Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa and 50 Cent) the tour will at least include the Tupac visual/performance. 

Stay tuned for tour dates and other information.