It's Kylie Minogue Performing On NBC's 'Christmas At Rockefeller Center' Special

A bunch of pop dames like Kylie Minogue, Mariah Carey, Susan Boyle, Sheryl Crow, Annie Lennox and 10-year-old Pittsburgh native (hometown represent!) Jackie Evancho crooned away  during the annual NBC Christmas At Rockefeller Center tree-lighting special.

And, yeah—Mimi was totally lip-syncing. But I love her pregnant ass anyway.

Kylie Minogue's Super-Cute Performance With The PS22 Chorus

Kylie Minogue paid the PS22 elementary school in Staten Island a visit yesterday and performed with the kids in the chorus. She made a point of noting that this was technically her first live performance of Aphrodite jam "Put Your Hands Up."



And naturally she wasn't going to get away without doing "Can't Get You Out Of My Head." Absolutely loving this arrangement. Watch through the end, where Kylie teaches the kids how to give a proper sassy snap.

Out Sick

BACK TMRW :/ Here's Pet Shop Boys on The Alan Titchmarsh Show today, performing "Together" (which is out now in physical and digital EP format).

UK Chart Roundup: I'd Hit It With Olly Murs

I really don't have the strength to bother with this week's #1 single on the UK chart. Utter shit.



That said, Olly Murs latest jam "Thinking Of Me" is worthy of its #4 entry, while Jessie J's "Do It Like A Dude"—which the blogosphere collectively masturbated over but nobody bought—flops in at #25.



Elsewhere, Kylie Minogue flies up to #40 with "Better Than Today" two weeks ahead of the single's official release date. (For more on mine and other bitches' thoughts on Jessie J and Kylie's singles, see the latest edition of Pop Trash Addicts' Pop Panel.)

Over on the Brit album chart Take That retain the top spot after selling more than 208,000 copies of Progress in week number two. That gives the LP a grand total of 728,000 copies moved since its release.

Zippity-doo-dizzy.

The U.K. Top 10:

1. "Heroes" - The X Factor Finalists 2010 *new* *1 week* 
2. "Your Song" - Ellie Goulding
3. ""Love You More" - JLS
4. "Thinking Of Me" - Olly Murs *new*
5. "Only Girl (In The World)" - Rihanna 
6. "The Flood" - Take That
7. "Like A G6" - Far East Movement feat. The Cataracs & Dev
8. "Firework" - Katy Perry
9. "Make You Feel My Love" - Adele
10. "What's My Name" - Rihanna feat. Drake

Take That Get Saucy With The Host Of 'The X Factor' Italy

I didn't get a chance to post this performance by Take That on the Italian version of The X Factor earlier this week because I was too busy stuffing a turkey. But it's pretty classy, if only for the end bit, after singing "The Flood," where Mark Owen tells the (highly boffable) host he likes his bow tie, and the guy takes it off and gives it to him—causing Jason Orange to then tell the host he likes his trousers.

Naughty.

Christmas Jams: Hurts "All I Want For Christmas Is New Year's Day"

I finally allowed myself to start playing some holiday trash pop now that Thanksgiving has come and gone. The Hurts Christmas single, "All I Want For Christmas Is New Year's Day" conveniently covers the ground of two holidays in one title, and it's out December 14 on UK iTunes.

Given that their previous single "Stay" charted at #50 this past week (talk about "hurts"), seems the duo could use a more upbeat, festive jam to jump-start the buzz around them.

Anyway, really digging this one.

mengupgrade HP SE

ponsel SE (Sony Ericsson) anda mulai lemot, sering hang dan eror ?gak usah bingung-bingung lagi, anda hanya perlu meng upgrade/update service atau memperbarui versi software ponsel SE anda.
Alat-alat yang diperlukan :

=> PC dengan OS Windows XP(tm) (Home atau Professional) dengan SP2 atau yang lebih baru, atau Microsoft® Windows Vista(tm) (32/64 bit) yang terhubung dengan internet explorer
=> Kabel USB dan
=> Software Update Service, software ini dapat didownload secara gratis di www.sonyericsson.com
Setelah software Update Service didownload dan diinstall di PC, sebelum meng upgrade ponsel anda jangan lupa back up dulu semua data yang tersimpan dalam memory ponsel anda. Setelah semua di back up anda dapat memulai meng upgrade ponsel anda sekarang, caranya :
=> jalankan software Update Service, klik mulai => klik menerima, pilih tipe ponsel anda
=> hubungkan kabel USB ke PC
=> matikan ponsel lepaskan battery lalu pasang kembali
=> tekan dan tahan terus tombol C sambil menghubungkan kabel USB ke ponsel dan pada layar software Update Service klik lanjutkan, tunggu sampai ada perintah lepaskan tombol C.
Setelah dilepaskan tombol C nanti secara otomatis software Update Service akan terhubung ke internet untuk mendownload software baru untuk ponsel anda. Jika pendownloadan software ponsel telah selesai, lepaskan kabel USB dari ponsel kemudian lepaskan battery lalu pasang kembali kemudian aktifkan ponsel anda, nah sekarang ponsel anda serasa ponsel baru lagi karena memakai software yang terbaru.
Jika panduan yang kami uraikan diatas kurang lengkap atau kurang jelas, ikutilah panduan meng-upgrade-nya yang langsung muncul pada layar PC saat software Update Service dijalankan.
Demi kenyamanan anda lebih baik memilih bahasa indonesia saat menginstall software Update Service.

NB:saya sudah mencoba cara ini pada hp saya SE k550i dan sukses

mengupgrade HP SE

ponsel SE (Sony Ericsson) anda mulai lemot, sering hang dan eror ?gak usah bingung-bingung lagi, anda hanya perlu meng upgrade/update service atau memperbarui versi software ponsel SE anda.
Alat-alat yang diperlukan :

=> PC dengan OS Windows XP(tm) (Home atau Professional) dengan SP2 atau yang lebih baru, atau Microsoft® Windows Vista(tm) (32/64 bit) yang terhubung dengan internet explorer
=> Kabel USB dan
=> Software Update Service, software ini dapat didownload secara gratis di www.sonyericsson.com
Setelah software Update Service didownload dan diinstall di PC, sebelum meng upgrade ponsel anda jangan lupa back up dulu semua data yang tersimpan dalam memory ponsel anda. Setelah semua di back up anda dapat memulai meng upgrade ponsel anda sekarang, caranya :
=> jalankan software Update Service, klik mulai => klik menerima, pilih tipe ponsel anda
=> hubungkan kabel USB ke PC
=> matikan ponsel lepaskan battery lalu pasang kembali
=> tekan dan tahan terus tombol C sambil menghubungkan kabel USB ke ponsel dan pada layar software Update Service klik lanjutkan, tunggu sampai ada perintah lepaskan tombol C.
Setelah dilepaskan tombol C nanti secara otomatis software Update Service akan terhubung ke internet untuk mendownload software baru untuk ponsel anda. Jika pendownloadan software ponsel telah selesai, lepaskan kabel USB dari ponsel kemudian lepaskan battery lalu pasang kembali kemudian aktifkan ponsel anda, nah sekarang ponsel anda serasa ponsel baru lagi karena memakai software yang terbaru.
Jika panduan yang kami uraikan diatas kurang lengkap atau kurang jelas, ikutilah panduan meng-upgrade-nya yang langsung muncul pada layar PC saat software Update Service dijalankan.
Demi kenyamanan anda lebih baik memilih bahasa indonesia saat menginstall software Update Service.

NB:saya sudah mencoba cara ini pada hp saya SE k550i dan sukses

It's Kylie Minogue On A Duck Float In The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

In cased you missed Kylie's (brief) televised appearance this morning in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC, here she is looking cute in her fuzzy coat on a duck float singing "Get Outta My Way."



Well, okay—she's lip-syncing, as they all do during the parade. But at least she was there, braving the cold. (Unlike Carrie Underwood, who performed from the confines of some indoor Hard Rock stage.)

U.S. Chart Roundup: Rihanna Makes Hot 100 History With "Only Girl (In The World)"

This week Rihanna not only becomes the first female singer to nab four #1 singles within one year on the Billboard Hot 100, she's also the first artist ever to have the first single from an album top the chart after the second single did.

Yes, RiRi's "Only Girl (In The World)" has finally inched its way to the top spot, two weeks after her second Loud single "What's My Name" was #1. Earlier this year she ruled with both her hooker jam "Rude Boy" and Eminem's "Love The Way You Lie."

Meanwhile, over on the Top 200, Rihanna settles for a #3 debut with Loud, behind Susan Boyle's The Gift (#1 for a second week) and 10-year-old Pittsburgh native/America's Got Talent runner-up Jackie Evancho's O Holy Night (#2). That's right—bow to SuBo's powerful thong, you amateurs!

Back on the Hot 100, just behind Rihanna is Pink's "Raise Your Glass" at #2. Her only other single to chart higher (not counting collaborative cover "Lady Marmalade" or shit "We Are The World 25") is "So What", which reached #1 two years ago.

It's annoying to think of that time period in the early '00s where labels by and large weren't offering CD singles in the U.S., and the iTunes store wasn't around yet. Because surely "Get The Party Started" would have been a #1 hit, rather than peaking at #4 on airplay alone? At any rate, Pink's Greatest Hits...So Far!!! debuts at #14 this week over on the Top 200.

Cee Lo Green's "Fuck You" finally cracks the Top 10 (#9), likely thanks to last week's episode of Glee. Gwyneth Paltrow's own tame version of "Forget You" from the episode debuts at #11.



And, hey—maybe this will pave a highly fuckable path for Enrique Iglesias' new single, "Tonight (I'm Fuckin' You)"?

On a final single note, Michael Jackson and Akon's duet "Hold My Hand" debuts at #84. Currently it's up to #30 at the iTunes store. Will this will become MJ's first Top 40 hit in nearly 10 years, Jacko fans? Eeeeeeeeeeee-Heeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

And on a final album note, 2010 American Idol winner Lee DeWyze appears to be dead on arrival. His debut LP Live It Up pretty much kicked the bucket with its #19 debut.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Only Girl (In The World)" - Rihanna *1 week*
2. "Raise Your Glass" - Pink
3. "Like A G6" - Far*East Movement
4. "We R Who We R" - Ke$ha
5. "Just A Dream" - Nelly 
6. "Firework" - Katy Perry 
7. "Just The Way You Are" - Bruno Mars
8. "What's My Name" - Rihanna feat. Drake
9. "Fuck You" - Cee Lo Green
10. "Bottoms Up" - Trey Songz feat. Nicki Minaj

Joe McElderry Vs. Carrie Underwood: Who Did The More Boring Version Of "There's A Place For Us"?

Now here's some bullshit. Joe McElderry's next single off flop album Wide Awake is the ballad "Someone Wake Me Up," the video for which premiered today. (Note: apparently, as I have "cloth ears", I didn't realize "Someone Wake Me Up" is an energetic mid-tempo floorfiller, not a ballad.)

The clip features scenes from the upcoming Narnia: Curse of The Threaded Whorebag movie, or whatever the hell it's called.  That said, the song won't be found in the film. Rather, the b-side (single is out in the UK on December 5), "There's A Place For Us," does.



But don't expect to hear Joe's version in the flick in the States. Carrie Underwood also recorded her own snoozy rendition, which will play during the end credits here.

Listen to her trash, plus a live version of Joe singing the track:



I'd ask who sings the song better, but both have finally cured my insomnia. ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

Enrique Iglesias Has A "Fuck" Song Now, Too

Now that Cee Lo Green has kicked open the door to having the word "fuck" be an acceptable term in a pop song (hey—even Glee saw "Fuck You" fit enough to cover last week, albeit in the clean "Forget You" form), Enrique Iglesias isn't wasting any time in releasing his own naughty jam "Tonight (I'm Fuckin' You." Way to stay classy, Enrique!

Of course, Akon sort of pioneered the modern-day fuck trail with his 2006 U.S. chart-topper "I Wanna Fuck You" (again, in its cleaned-up form, "I Wanna Love You"). But we expect that sort of fuckery from Akon, no?

And like with Enrique's comeback hit "I Like It," he's playing it safe by featuring a rapper on his new single—in this case, go-to MC Ludacris.

So will the DJ Frank E-assisted "Tonight (I'm Fuckin' You)" be a "Fuck You"/"Forget You"-sized hit? The dirty version is already at #21 on iTunes after being released yesterday, while clean version "Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)" is at #48.

Fuck yeah!

The Black Eyed Peas' "The Time" Video Is Cool If You've Ignored Pet Shop Boys Recently

The Rich Lee-directed video for the Black Eyed Peas' by-the-numbers "The Time (The Dirty Bit)" has arrived. (Can we finally end the trend of lazy artists interpolating '80s songs after this? Please?) And I guess if you haven't paid any attention to Pet Shop Boys' Pandemonium tour...

...or any of the artwork used for their 2009 album Yes...

...then, hey—pretty innovative!

Ke$ha Is A 'Complex' Broad

New Queen Of Soul Ke$ha graces the December/January cover of Complex. Cannibal is out now.

Kim Zolciak's "Live" Performance Of "Google Me" Is Like Heaven Being Rammed In Your Ears

Finally, a live performance to rival the soaring, angelic vocals of Katy Perry has arrived. Yes, Real Housewives Of Atlanta broad Kim Zolciak looks to have another record-shattering hit on her hands in the form of "Google Me", a song that first surfaced about two months ago.

Kim sang her jam on Bravo's Watch What Happens Live the other night and displayed so much vocal prowess, she was able to drown out the 40 layers of her voice already on the backing track played under her.

Is Ke$ha dangerously close to being replaced as the New Queen Of Soul?

Buy Robyn's Full 'Body Talk' LP For Four Bucks (Today Only)

As we all know, there are about 200 new releases out today, including Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Justin Bieber's My Worlds Acoustic, Ke$ha's Cannibal, Ne-Yo's Libra Scale and Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday.

But Robyn's Body Talk is also out, and it's available for $3.99 at the Amazon MP3 store today only. Seriously, that's probably the best money you'll spend all month.

Robyn also announced yet another round of North American tour dates today, for the months of January and February 2011. Konichiwa, bitches.

Wed, Jan 26 — The Sound Academy, Toronto
Thu, Jan 27 — Metropolis, Montreal, QC
Fri, Jan 28 — Imperial Theatre, Quebec, QC
Sat, Jan 29 — STATE THEATRE, Portland, ME
Tue, Feb 01 — Ram’s Head Live, Baltimore, MD
Thu, Feb 03 — Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA
Fri, Feb 04 — House of Blues Boston, Boston
Sat, Feb 05 — Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY
Mon, Feb 07 — House Of Blues Cleveland, Cleveland, OH
Tue, Feb 08 — LC Pavillion, Columbus, OH
Wed, Feb 09 — Royal Oak Music Theatre, Royal Oak, MI
Fri, Feb 11 — Riviera Theatre, Chicago, IL
Sat, Feb 12 — Rave Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI
Sun, Feb 13 — First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
Thu, Feb 17 — ACL Live at the Moody Theatre, Austin, TX
Fri, Feb 18 — South Side Music Hall, Dallas, TX
Sat, Feb 19 — Wharehouse Live, Houston, TX

2010 American Music Awards: List Of Winners & The Four Best Performances

Rihanna's red wig made her look like Jennifer Beals in Flashdance, Pink strangely sounded a bit off for once (give her a break—she's pregnant!), Christina Aguilera looked like a stripper (business as usual) and the much-hyped New Kids On The Block vs. Backstreet Boys mashup was pretty anticlimactic.

Still, these were the four best performances from last night's 2010 American Music Awards (catch the two worst here):




2010 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS: The Winners

Favorite Soul/R&B Album: Usher, Raymond v. Raymond
Favorite Pop Rock Band/Duo/Group: The Black Eyed Peas
Favorite Country Female Artist: Taylor Swift
Favorite Latin Music Artist: Shakira
Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist: Rihanna
Favorite Country Male Artist: Brad Paisley
Favorite Breakthrough Artist: Justin Bieber
Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist: Justin Bieber
Favorite Country Band/Duo/Group: Lady Antebellum
Favorite Alternative Rock Music Artist: Muse
Favorite Adult Contemporary Music Artist: Michael Bublé
Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist: Usher
Favorite Artist of the Year: Justin Bieber
Favorite Country Album: Carrie Underwood, Play On
Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Male Artist: Eminem
Favorite Pop/Rock Album: Justin Bieber, My World 2.0
Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist: Lady Gaga
Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist: MercyMe
Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album: Eminem, Recovery
Favorite Soundtrack Album: Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers

Who Sounded Worse At The American Music Awards: Katy Perry Or Usher?

Katy Perry assaulted the ears of the nation by performing her single "Firework" live tonight at the American Music Awards. The dumb broad gets consistently worse with each TV gig, and it's hard to believe she's had so many hits at this point.



The only singer who sounded just as bad as Perry was Usher. But at least he can dance. Jesus—don't ever attempt the chorus to "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love" live again, Ush. Like, ever.

UK Chart Roundup: Take That Post Best One-Week Album Sales In 13 Years With 'Progress'

Take That and JLS make a bit of a boy band compromise this week, as the former have a massive week with Progress, their sixth studio album—and their first with Robbie Williams since 1995—and the latter take hold of the UK singles chart with "Love You More."

Progress sold roughly 520,000 copies after its release this past Monday, the most for any album in one week in the UK since Oasis' Be Here Now moved 663,000 copies in 1997. Meanwhile, Take That's lead single off the LP, "The Flood", is at #2 on the singles chart for a second week. Debuting at #1 is JLS' Children In Need charity single "Love You More", which has now become the X Factor alums' fourth chart-topper in the past year-and-a-half.

Elsewhere, it's amateur hour for the blandest boy band on the planet, Westlife, as their latest cure for insomnia "Safe" flops at #10. It's now been four years since the low-rent Irish noise makers had a #1 single, and you have to wonder at this point why they don't just hang it up and go live out their boring lives outside of public eye?

Sorry, gents—you can work with John Shanks, producer of the last two Take That albums, but you'll just never be Take That.

On a final note, it's a sad week for Shayne Ward, whose "Gotta Be Somebody" drops from #12 to #24 while third LP Obsession limps into the album chart at #15, and Manchester duo Hurts, whose latest single "Stay" crashes and burns at #50.

The U.K. Top 10:

1. "Love You More" - JLS *new* *1 week* 
2. "The Flood" - Take That
3. "Your Song" - Ellie Goulding
4. "Only Girl (In The World)" - Rihanna
5. "Firework" - Katy Perry 
6. "Like A G6" - Far East Movement feat. The Cataracs & Dev *new*
7. "The Time (The Dirty Bit)" - The Black Eyed Peas
8. "Happiness" - Alexis Jordan
9. "Shine A Light" - McFly feat. Taio Cruz
10. "Safe" - Westlife *new*

Take That, Kylie Minogue, JLS And Cheryl Cole Do 'Children In Need'

Take That and Kylie Minogue performed at yesterday's annual BBC Children In Need charity telethon in London, along with JLS and amateur slag Cheryl Cole. The That, who's new album Progress has been selling like Cheryl outside the Euston Tube station at 3:17 a.m., belted out their 1995 UK #1 single "Never Forget".




Kylie, "Better Than Today"



Cheryl Cole, "Promise This"



JLS, "Love You More"

It's Kylie Minogue's "Better Than Today Video

Today Kylie Minogue offered up the video for "Better Than Today," her third single off Aphrodite. (Jesus—where did this year go?) I think I'd be a bit more over the moon for this colorful Pac Man extravaganza if we hadn't already seen the routine and screen projections on The X Factor two weeks ago.

Still, The X Factor was a good gig to get, and if it keeps "Better Than Today" from suffering the same lackluster chart placing in the UK that "Get Outta My Way" did, then I'm all for it.



"Better Than Today" is officially out the week of December 5.

U.S. Chart Roundup: Rihanna & Drake Fall, Pink Climbs And Glee's "Teenage Dream" Comes True

Some interesting trash going on in the Billboard Hot 100 this week, starting with the fact that Rihanna and Drake's "What's My Name" plummets from #1 to #7. And I know I said last week that it's one of her most forgettable singles, but—dammit!—that effing song is actually growing on me now. I think if it had Drake stripped out altogether, a la how she's been performing the tune during her TV appearances all week, it would take on a whole new dimension of pop radness. Alas—well, dropping to #7 says it all, really.

That brings us to Pink, whose "Raise Your Glass" hops up from #7 to #4. It's shocking to think that, if we don't count the collaborative 2001 cover of "Lady Marmalade," this is really only Pink's fourth Top 5 hit, following "Most Girls" (#4, 2000) "Get The Party Started" (#4, 2001) and "So What" (#1, 2008). I, for one, have been jamming all week to her Greatest Hits...So Far!!! Yeah—she got my cold hard  cash for that one. She's gonna need it to buy that kid she has on the way some leather or brass knuckles.

Debuting at #8 is Darren Criss' Glee cover of Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream," a week after the original version dropped out of the Top 10. So far it's become the best-selling single during a one-week period from the Fox series, even though it didn't quite land as high as "Don't Stop Believing" (#4, 2009) on the Hot 100.

Here's Darren performing "Teenage Dream" at L.A. venue The Mint last weekend:



On a final note, the Black Eyed Peas' absolutely wretched "The Time (The Dirty Bit)" debuts at #12. If ever there was an uninspired, rushed single that deserves to flop...

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Like A G6" - Far*East Movement *3 weeks*
2. "Only Girl (In The World)" - Rihanna
3. "Just The Way You Are" - Bruno Mars
4. "Raise Your Glass" - Pink 
5. "Just A Dream" - Nelly 
6. "We R Who We R" - Ke$ha
7. "What's My Name" - Rihanna feat. Drake
8. "Teenage Dream" - Glee Cast *new*
9. "Firework" - Katy Perry
10. "Bottoms Up" - Trey Songz feat. Nicki Minaj

Take That's Howard Donald In Hot Water While 'Progress' Sets Sales Record

My boyfriend—well, one of them—Howard Donald of Take That is involved in some nasty sex drama, which, sadly, doesn't involve me. You can read about that trash here.

Meanwhile, the That's new album Progress is flying off shelves across the pond. The Guardian reports that it sold 235,000 copies on Monday alone, and may go on to beat Oasis' one-week sales record of 696,000 with Be Here Now back in 1997.

Until then, Take That still have the honor of what the Official UK Charts Company has labeled the "fastest-selling album of the century." (The century being only a mere 10 years in so far, of course.)

Darren Criss' "Teenage Dream" Cover On 'Glee' Turned Out To Be Pretty Major

That cover of Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" that was performed by Darren Criss (aka "Blaine") on Glee last week didn't just have the gays fizzing with excitement. (Though, admittedly, I fizzed.) Billboard reports that the a cappella rendition had the best one-week sales ever for a single from the show after racking up 214,000 paid downloads. (That beats previous record holder "Don't Stop Believing" from the series pilot episode.)

With little to no radio play, I find it hard to believe this version of "Teenage Dream" will debut at #1 on the Hot 100 tomorrow. But at least Criss is now signed as a full-time regular Glee cast member.

Too bad last night's episode was snooze central.

Rihanna On 'David Letterman': Thank God Drake Wasn't Available

Rihanna appeared on the Late Show With David Letterman last night and further proved that she didn't really need depressing mumbler Drake to muck up her current chart-topping single "What's My Name." I guess what I'm trying to say is that the live version she's been doing this week during her promo appearances to give just-released album Loud a boost doesn't suck.

Don't get me wrong—"What's My Name" is still a subpar Ri Ri number when compared to some of her other jams. Who knows? Maybe it'll be a grower like "Rude Boy"?



Loud is the top download on iTunes in a digital chart now flooded with albums by The Beatles.

Celebrate The Beatles (Maybe) Coming To iTunes With Take That's 1994 BRITS Medley

Alright, at the time I'm writing this, it's still about an hour-and-a-half away from iTunes making their "exciting announcement" that we'll "never forget." Speculation is running rampant that it's either a subscription service for users or that the Beatles catalog will FINALLY be made available.

So in anticipation, here's Take That's medley of the Fab Four's tunes at the 1994 Brit Awards, where Gary Barlow once and for all proved that white men really can't jump—or dance.

Ke$ha Gives A Career-Defining Performance On 'The X Factor' Australia

Last year Lady Gaga annihilated Madonna's last scrap of relevance, and this evening Ke$ha backed over it with a tank, craned her neck out of the cockpit and vomited all over it.

Yes, the New Queen Of Soul gave the performance of her career so far on the Aussie version of The X Factor when she sang her chart-topping hit "We R Who We R." There were soldier-like backing dancers. There were slickly-choreographed moves. There were ripped stockings. And there was even Ke$ha playing an electric guitar!

LOVE the part forcefully flings her sexy pop staff off stage.



All I have to say is bring on the Get Sleazy tour!

The EEEEEEE-Heeeeee Files: Michael Jackson's New Single "Hold My Hand"

Unlike "Breaking News," the Michael Jackson song (yeah, right) that surfaced last week, "Hold My Hand" actually sounds like the King Of Pop is crooning the main vocals. Produced by and featuring Akon, a rough version of "Hold My Hand" was originally recorded two years ago. Now this polished rendition is the first single off the upcoming Michael (out December 14).



We all know Michael was a massive perfectionist, but "Hold My Hand" proves that sometimes going the simple route can produce spectacular results. I'm not saying this stands up to classic MJ hits like "Billie Jean" or "Man In The Mirror." But after one listen, the chorus is ringing through your head, and that's just effective pop.

Still feeling a bit dubious about this whole Michael project, because "Breaking News" was a real rocky start to the campaign. But at the very least, "Hold My Hand" should fare well as a surprisingly solid single.

Take That Unleash "The Flood" On 'The X Factor'

I have my tickets to see Take That in Milan next July, and am more than psyched about it. (Anyone else going?) And so I'm glad the five of them got their very first live performance together in 15 years as a five piece—with Robbie Williams back in the mix—out of the way now, eight months ahead. Because they were a little rusty. But they'll get it all together.

The guys took to The X Factor stage on tonight's results show and belted out their—sigh—#2-charting single "The Flood."

But who cares that the song is in the runner-up position, when the new album, Progress, has so much amazing material lying in wait?  Bring on follow-up single, "Happy Now"!

UK Chart Roundup: Take That's "The Flood" Trickles In Behind Rihanna

After hearing Take That's aptly-titled sixth album Progress—a set of tracks that finds the lads pursuing more upbeat, dance-pop material than they have since their first record—it's become apparent that the LP's first single "The Flood" is hardly representative of the rest of the contents. In fact, it falls in line more with the sweeping, lush balladry that Take That 2.0 served up on their previous two albums. And maybe that's the point—a bridge from where they've been to where they're at now.

Either way, the That find themselves in the same predicament in November 2010 that they were in this same month in 2007—held off the #1 position on the UK chart by a young pop tartlet. Three years ago it was Leona Lewis' worldwide smash "Bleeding Love" that kept the man band's Stardust jam "Rule The World" at bay for several weeks. This time around it's Rihanna's "Only Girl (In The World)"—now in the top spot for a second week—that has forced "The Flood" to come in at #2.

Hindsight is more than often 20/20, but I wish the utterly fantastic "Happy Now," which is set to be the follow-up to "The Flood," had been the first offering from Progress. It would have at least given Rihanna something a bit more up-tempo to contend with. Oh, well.

Speaking of that November 2007 time period, that was the last time we saw a single from Shayne Ward—his fluttering handclap-heavy ballad "Breathless"—dent the UK chart. Sadly, while that one got to #6, Shayne's cover of Nickelback's "Gotta Be Somebody" stumbles in at #12 this week. Even after his X Factor performance last week. 

It will be interesting to see how Ward's Obsession album performs this coming week after its release tomorrow. The ballads on it are good for the most part, but, Jesus—only three up-tempo songs?

Like I said, it's not a bad LP. In fact, there are some really amazing moments on it (and a few clunky ones, too). Who knows, maybe I'll wax philosophical on them in a proper review post tonight or tomorrow. Or maybe I'll just go look at this or this and have a wank...again. 

The U.K. Top 10:

1. "Only Girl (In The World)" - Rihanna *2 weeks* 
2. "The Flood" - Take That *new*
3. "Firework" - Katy Perry
4. "Shine A Light" - McFly feat. Taio Cruz *new*
5. "Happiness" - Alexis Jordan 
6. "Cooler Than Me" - Mike Posner
7. "Promise This" - Cheryl Cole
8. "Just The Way You Are" - Bruno Mars 
9. "Make You Feel My Love" - Adele
10. "F**K You" - Cee Lo Green

It's Rihanna's "What's My Name" Video

Now that Rihanna's "What's My Name" has topped the U.S. chart and the song is deeply entrenched on Top 40 radio, along comes the video. And it's even more glaringly obvious that Drake only drags this otherwise decent jam down.

I like "What's My Name." At first I didn't get it, but it's got a subtle hook that inevitably grows on you. But Jesus Christ, does Drake always have to sound like he's bored, depressed, monotone and rapping through his nose (not to mention completely smug)? He's alright to look at, but Ri Ri should have just stuffed her red wig in his mouth and taken full vocal control of this one.

"What's My Name" is now Rihanna's eighth #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. At this point in her career, does she even need the featured rapper of the week anymore?

Oh, well. Here's the video. Ooh, na-na away...

Suck On Ke$ha's New Song "Blow"

Another week, another poetic promo single from The New Queen Of Soul Ke$ha ahead of the November 22 release of Cannibal. This time it comes in form of "Blow," a relentless electro-dance track that finds Lady Sebert treading on familiar territory, lyrically—glitter, rebellion and partying.

"Blow" won't win Ke$ha 17 Grammys, 23 Oscars, a Pulitzer and the coveted Golden Thong Award like, say "Cannibal" or "Sleazy" will. But it's still fun trash to blast at 1 a.m. when you're stripper-deep into the night.

"Together": Best Pet Shop Boys Video In Ages

As we all know, I'm a bit of a Pethead. But even I readily admit the music videos served up by the Pet Shop Boys over the past decade—with the exception of "I'm With Stupid" and "Flamboyant"—have hardly lived up to the songs themselves.

So color me jazzed over the fantastically romantic Peeter Rebane-directed clip for new single "Together," which was shot last month in Tallinn, Estonia. I wrote up the clip a tad more extensively today over at Idolator. Here I just want to toss up a few of the visuals from the dance-off-themed video.

 

 

 

 

Here's the video itself (that last scene is pretty devastating, and so very Pet Shop Boys):



ALSO SEE:
* A Different Point Of View: The 19 Most Essential Pet Shop Boys Non-Singles
* Is Pet Shop Boys' New Single "Together" Their Most Disturbing Song Yet?
* The Pet Shop Boys Banterview: What Have They Done To Deserve This?
* Pet Shop Boys Very At 15: How Can I Even Try To Explain?