Most blogged artists: Ellie Goulding, Titus Andronicus

On March 3, British alternative/electronic act Gorillaz holds the top spot in the blogosphere as the band generates buzz surrounding the March 8 release of Plastic Beach. Ontario, Canada indie rock band Born Ruffians and New York alternative band Nada Surf are in the second and third spots, according to The Hype Machine.

Climbing through the top ten this week is 23-year-old English singer/songwriter Ellie Goulding, who released her debut album, Lights, on March 1. The album is on track to top the UK album chart ater getting plenty of hype from the mainstream media and the blogosphere. Reviews from bloggers are mixed: Not Many Experts (notmanyexperts.com) is one of many bloggers with a lukewarm impression, calling the album "nothing special," while Music Addiction (music-addiction.com) says, "There is no doubt in my mind that this album will be at the top of my favorites at the conclusion of this lap around the sun."

New Jersey indie band Titus Andronicus - with a sound that Music for Kids Who Can't Read Good (musicforants.com) calls "anthemic, rowdy bar rock" - makes its way into the top ten just days before the March 9 release of its second album, The Monitor, which has an American Civil War theme. The Tape Is Not Sticky (thetapeisnotsticky.com) calls the album's first track, "A More Perfect Union," "fun, loud, and racous."

The 10 most blogged artists on The Hype Machine on March 3 at 10:00 AM GMT:

• Gorillaz (unchanged)
• Born Ruffians (+3)
• Nada Surf (+6)
• She & Him (-1)
• The New Pornographers (-3)
• Ellie Goulding (+2)
• Titus Andronicus (new)
• Club 8 (-2)
• The xx (new)
• jj (new)

Launched in 2005, The Hype Machine aggregates information from more than 1,000 music blogs worldwide. Known for identifying up-and-coming artists, the site enables music fans to easily find out what music is hot in the blogosphere and to instantly hear and buy MP3s.

http://hypem.com