First of all, I like Taylor Swift. I like that she’s sweet and wholesome, I like that she writes her own music, I like that they play her music all the time on the radio so I can turn it up loud when I’m driving and sing at the top of my lungs. I think she’s got awesome hair and love that she doesn’t let her 5’11 frame bother her.

I really do like her.

But all that being said, I also think the Taylor-mania is getting a little out of control. When she beat out Beyonce at the now infamous VMAs this past September, I agreed with what Kanye said. (And that made me rather unpopular, to say the least.) Sure, Taylor’s song was catchy and the video was cute, but it was not better than Beyonce’s jaw-dropping choreography for “All The Single Ladies.” The lyrics weren’t anything new or brilliant, the tune wasn’t anything we hadn’t heard before (assuming anyone ever listened to country music before…) and while the song was good, it was by no means the best.

And it was at that moment – when Kanye acted a fool – that people started looking at Taylor in a new way, putting her up on some pedestal that she never really deserved to be on.

Just last week Taylor beat out Martina McBride and Reba McEntire to take home the award for Entertainer of the Year at the CMAs. Then at last night’s AMAs, she took home 5 awards, even beating out Lady Gaga, KOL an MICHAEL FREAKING JACKSON for Artist of the Year.

Now, I get the love for T-Swift, but really?
Better than Michael?

This is a little much.

Taylor Swift has done a lot to bring country to the forefront of the music scene and she knows how to write a good sing-along jam (I can’t help but belt out some Love Story at the bar), but she is not the artist everyone is touting her to be. Her voice isn’t strong like Celine, she doesn’t dance like Beyonce and she’s not really pushing any envelopes like Gaga.

So what is all the fuss about? What is it about Taylor that is so effing great?!

I’m sorry, but she’s is just another run of the mill sugar coated pop star with a great PR team around her making us all believe she’s something that she’s not. And when she looks at those 10 new statues she’s taken home in the past 3 months alone, she better be giving thanks to the one and only Kanye West.

Homeboy handed her career to her on a Hennessy-soaked silver platter.

Wow, this week was a bit of a bummer. So much anticipation and a whole lot of disappointment. You’re probably thinking I deserve it. After all, I got my hopes all up about Mariah Carey and Selena Gomez, so what did I really deserve, right? But I’m still a bit let down because, yes, I was expecting a lot from Mariah. She’s had more #1 hits than any other artist in history and while I wouldn’t listen to her every day in my car, I did think I’d at least like it.

Turns out, you all might be best off just listening to Britney Spears’ new single, “Three,” this week. Or Zero 7. You may not know who they are, but they are great and they really restored my faith in music after that Mimi/Selena letdown. So, thanks, Zero 7!

Mariah Carey- Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel

I admit I’m not the hugest Mariah Carey fan in the world, but I’ve been known to get down to her music a time or two. In fact, I think she has so many amazing songs and has true talent. I saw her perform in concert a couple years ago and was amazed by how many hits she has that are all so perfect. But Mariah admits on this album that she’s “imperfect.” And imperfect this album is (right down to the super airbrushed cover photo). I was really anticipating Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel because I wanted some more hits from Mariah. But when I first heard “Obsessed,” I was anything but obsessed. I didn’t like it at all! But I still gave Mariah’s album a chance because, you know, it’s Mariah Carey and obviously there are going to be some hits on there, right?

Honestly? I didn’t hear any.

They all had her beautiful voice, but none stuck out or excited me. I think I was just really looking for a “Hero” or even “Always Be My Baby.”I had some fun with “Ribbon,” but I wouldn’t say it was a huge hit or anything. I know Mariah’s version of Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love Is” got a lot of criticism, but I actually think this is the shining moment of the album. It shows her true range and is truly beautiful. No, you can’t compare it to Foreigner, but it’s totally different and amazing nonetheless. I honestly do believe that Mariah Carey is totally talented and that she will be back in true fashion eventually. I don’t know if she just has some so-so producers or her marriage to Nick Cannon has been uninspiring, but she just needs a little something. Come back to us Mariah!

Selena Gomez- Kiss and Tell

Really, I don’t even know why I bothered reviewing Selena Gomez’s new ablum. I think I just thought, well, Miley Cyrus is straight from the Disney Channel and her music is awesome. I am basically obsessed with the music of Hilary Duff. Even Demi Lovato’s music makes me dance. Sigh. Not Selena Gomez. Don’t get me wrong, she’s not bad at all. Her music is pop-y and high-energy and pretty fun. But it’s just not quite as catchy as those other Disney girls. One of my favorites from Kiss and Tell is the title track, but even that sounds totally Disney. It feels like it should be in a Lindsay Lohan movie. Am I wrong? The lyrics are fun, though, and fairly innocent: “Kiss and tell everything I say stuck inside your little brain/Everybody wants to know yeah/Lips that lie caught in your track sold me out and you just/Laugh said we’re friends till the end yeah but you/Don’t mean it.”

Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like 17-year-old Gomez should be sounding more mature than Miley Cyrus, not less. Then again, maybe it’s Miley who’s too mature. I have to admit, “As a Blonde” is totally fun, but again, all I can picture is a Disney movie. I, however, was dancing around my room listening: “And come back as a blond, try a different lipstick on/As a blond, will I get whatever I want?/I’d be ever so incising, take a lot of icing, never have to watch my weight/Yeah when I’m gone, I’m gonna come back as a blond.” So, I just think Selena needs to mature a bit and get rid of that Wizards of Waverly Place image and then she’ll be on her way to pop success. And hopefully she doesn’t turn into Lindsay Lohan in the meantime.

Zero 7- Yeah Ghost

I don’t know a whole lot about Zero 7, but I do know I enjoy their song from the Garden State soundtrack. And there might be one or two more that I’ve heard and enjoyed. I also just learned that Sia used to be one of their female vocalists. Hello! I love Sia! So, I obviously had to listen to their new album, Yeah Ghost. It was definitely a lot better than I even thought it would be. Finally! Something good about this week! I seriously think I’ve listened to Medicine Man at least 50 times since I got Yeah Ghost. It’s so eclectic and fun; I just cannot stop! I love the singer’s raspy-ish voice and the way she sings “Outrageous.” This song really doesn’t sound like the rest of the album, but I wish more songs sounded like this! “The Road” is a really lovely mellow song. When I heard it at first, I just closed my eyes; it’s kind of like a lullaby. In a good way, though; not a boring way. This is the song I can most hear a Sia-ish sound in as well. I’m also a fan of “Mr. McGee” which is actually upbeat and fun. Apparently, the lead singer on this is Anglo-Zimbabwean and I can really get a feel for that. I literally started clapping and dancing along to this song. OK, so while I have been super negative about music this week, Zero 7′s Yeah Ghost is actually a gem. A gem I will keep listening to.

Yep, forget the wacko driving-with-your- infant-son-dangling-from- the-driver’s- seat incident, Ms. Spears is a drool-worthy role model again. If you happen to have access to the internet (which I’m assuming you do, if you’re reading this), you can’t be more than a mouse click away from a Britney love fest. Today, her newest album, Circus, was leaked online just one week before its official release, and the world is abuzz with Brit.

How does the album fare? As far as pop records go, Circus ain’t too shabby. We’ve all heard the tour-de-force “Womanizer,” and the new single “If U Seek Amy” (is she referring to Ms. Winehouse? If Britney’s looking for her, she need look no further than a London crack den) is as gritty and caustic as I imagine Ms. Spears would be after a night of boozing. But a lame vehicle for singles (and moolah) this isn’t: the song “My Baby” perked my ears right up. Could Britney–gasp– actually be crooning? Her voice shines through clearly and tenderly on what is a sweet ode to her children.

I’m still confused at how Brit Brit has achieved her massive reinvention. I mean, check her out on the cover of Rolling Stone for godsakes! As she says in the opening to the title track, “There are two kinds of people in this world: entertainers and observers.” If baffling the public counts as entertainment, then Brit, baby, you’re a star.

Check out her album, Circus, on Imeem.com

Is it true though? Or are the tabloids just running exaggerated fantasies to harpoon mass appeal? It’s hard to know because these grandiose lifestyles are perpetuated by the attention drawn to them (unless the celebrity is actually talented). Case in point — the Kardashian sex tape.

Bad publicity is good publicity, I suppose… especially for the venues that become associated with celebrity attendance (who doesn’t want to go to places where you might see a rockstar in a bar fight or catch Paris Hilton stripping down to… well… a slightly more naked version of her usual self?).

When talking about club publicity, nothing turns up the temp on a particular venue more than the drug habits of the celebrities. The scandalous behaviors of one Miss Britney Spears has made headlines for a variety of clubs in New York including an all time personal favorite, Marquee. Yes, she has been caught using drugs in the public bathrooms all around town and she’s not the only one. The question then becomes, of course, how many drugs are being done in these places? Certainly you run a high risk (pun intended) of being caught abusing drugs if you are a celebrity, but what about us ordinary folk? Are drugs swimming through the clubs as the tabloids would have us believe?

The answer is YES. I would never consider myself a drug abuser, but I know first hand that almost every club I have been to has it’s own underground microcosmic drug scene. Club Stereo was closed last year after several cocaine busts, though this came as no shock as Stereo was known for being “pot friendly” and leaving the club was like opening the Scoobie Doo van (smoke pouring out). Tenjune turns the other cheek when it comes to smoking the reefer in the VIP section and won’t ask why there are so many girls leaving the bathroom with runny noses. The real shocker comes from Le Souk where I witnessed some special k being snorted in the wide open.

I have also witnessed people getting arrested. Again, Club Stereo, you win in this department with flying colors. On two — no three occasions I witnessed drug raids there, but in the end, drug use was far far more frequent than the arrests that were made. This can probably be said true for almost any club and can be said especially true for celebrities. Amongst my celebrity encounters few involved sobriety (or much respect for, I dunno… THE LAW). Indeed, the Studio 54 mentality lives on in places like Bungalow 8 (where you might just order “a rum and coke.. hold the rum”).

These scenes are often under the radar of the public because of tight security. It’s nearly impossible to get in unless you know someone, ARE a celebrity or (at the very least) have your very own assistant. Places rarely have to answer to the law because undercover cops simply do not fit the demographic of these super-dooper (more like super-doper) high-end venues.

This doesn’t mean that the celebrity lives we read about aren’t embellished to perfection, but it certainly adds validity to the stories. The truth of the matter is, we aren’t living lives so separate from those we read about and if anything can be learned from the tabloids, it’s two things: 1) where the drugs are 2) where people get caught doing them.

There is a real crisis going on in America and it’s deeply effecting the children. No, I’m not talking about the War in Iraq, the nuclear problem in Iran or the skyrocketing price of oil. I am talking about the Hannah Montana Ticket Shortage of 2007. Sounds ridiculous, huh? Well maybe to people with some semblance of a life, but to thousands of soccer moms and Disney-conditioned / obsessed tweens, this is a serious dilema of gargantuan proportions and someone must be held accountable.

For those of you who haven’t a clue what I am talking about, here’s a little backstory:

Hannah Montana is a fictional character from the Disney show of the same name. Hannah, (played by Billy Ray Cyrus’ daughter Miley) is a 14 year-old average teenager living a secret double life as a Teen Pop Sensation. The show has scored record ratings for the Disney Channel and is incredibly popular with the 5 to 12 demo. So naturally when Disney announced a nationwide Hannah Montana Live Tour (no, it’s not an ice show) demand for tickets spiked higher than that of a furry red homosexual tickle doll on Christmas Eve.

Tickets with a face value of $66 are reportedly selling on the secondary market for as much as $4500.

Sounds like a simple issue of supply and demand. So what’s the big deal, you say? The big deal is that Ticketmaster, the biggest monopolistic bully in the entertainment business is blaming ticket scalpers / brokers for causing this “ticket shortage” when infact they are scalping tickets themselves.

Case in point: A friend of mine bought HM tickets for her sister on Ticketmaster back in September. The show of course sold out immediately. A couple of days later, she received this email (note the subject line) from Ticketmaster offering to broker any extra Hannah Montana tickets she would not be able to use through their own service TicketExchange. WTF? Am I hearing this correctly? The same company that condemns the secondary market has created it’s own after-market resale venue to profit a second time on a ticket they have already sold? This is insane, deceptive and just plain evil.

Here is TM’s current sweet deal. When tickets go onsale, TM takes a percentage of face value. You then buy the ticket, and they gorge on another $8 – $30 as a “service charge.” Just incase you are thinking poor Ticketmaster, they are on track to make OVER $1 billion in 2007 revenues. That’s right…9 decimal places for those of you who are in remedial Algebra. But wait! How can they be expected to make living off of that?

They are now proposing to take over the secondary ticket market through their Ticket Exchange. Here, they will take another percentage of what you and I are trying to sell our tickets for – but then another $8 to $30 in “handling fees” on a ticket that has already been handled. That is a total of about 30% and $60 in fees and surcharges.

TM blames brokers and resellers for high ticket prices, but that is crap. Anyone who took high school economics knows that this is a matter of supply and demand. Now those fascists at TM want a bigger cut at our expense. There is no reason why they should continue taking advantage of consumers more than they already are.

Shame on you Ticketmaster…you blow!

Blender has dug deep (as there are waaay too many to list) to establish the Top 20 Most Embarrassing Pop Star Video Moments. Some moments are recent and some are from pop’s forgotten past. Some moments are mild and some are mean. Some moments are self-induced by drugs, and some are just self-induced by plain stupidity. Whatever the case, from Nirvana to Paris, they are all golden moments, and touchstones in the culture that is pop.

Revel in K-Fed’s face as he is dumped by Britney via text. Snicker as Lindsay is publicly referred to as a “firecrotch” with giant labia. Ouch. Cringe as R. Kelly, and YES, that is indeed R. Kelly, as he checks to see that the shot of him peeing on his much younger, female counterpart, will be caught at just the right angle. GROSS.

And of all the pop star video mishaps, which reigns supreme? Here’s a hint: it involves a recently made-over celebrity sibling with no real vocal talent, but who is actually starting to look better than the sibling, (who was always known as “the hot one” before said makeover) caught in the very live act of the same thing Milli Vanilli was accused of years ago, who, in fact, also made the list. If you can’t figure this out, then you deserve a place on this countdown, too.

Click here to see the videos.