The Ting Tings cycle through the music-industry machine and back

The Ting Tings were one of the first bands to emerge from the Apple iPod commercials in 2008. Thanks to the overnight exposure of “Shut Up and Let Me Go,” the band went from being a blogged-about British import to becoming a major player in American pop music, creating a…

American Idol: Jeremy Rosado goes home, Top 12 move on

So there you have it. As of last night’s elimination round, American Idol is now down to the Top 12, and the person sent home quite frankly deserved to go. Good job, America. The top thirteen opened the show with Stevie Wonder’s “As.” For a group number, it was nothing…

American Idol Top 12: Jessica Sanchez makes Whitney Houston proud

Last night’s episode of American Idol wasn’t nearly as awkward as we had anticipated. With the ladies required to perform songs from the late Whitney Houston’s catalog (and the men required to do Stevie Wonder), we expected there to be more sensitivity surrounding the singer and her recent passing. Rather…

Michael Jackson songs stolen by hackers

Remember last year when the hacker group Lulz Security nabbed credit card data and other personal information from Sony PlayStation Network? Around the same time, two British hackers lifted unreleased songs by Michael Jackson from the Sony Music Entertainment computer system. The two hackers are so far found to be…

American Idol: From 25 to the Top 13

After weeks of anticipation, the top thirteen contestants of American Idol were revealed. Last night’s episode, however seemingly straightforward, wasn’t short of Adele-drenched drama, though. Spoilers: Jen Hirsh, Reed Grimm and Brielle Von Hugel all had to sing for their lives — and all fell flat. Von Hugel even had…

American Idol Live Show: Two women sing Adele, only one truly shines

Over two days of competition, three American Idol contestants took on Adele — Eben Franckewitz, Elise Testone and Jen Hirsh. Adele’s not easy to sing, as Franckewitz proved two nights ago, but the ladies brought the vocal power last night to do the British soulstress justice. Testone’s take on “One…

Madonna’s “Girl Gone Wild” isn’t all that wild

What do you do if the lead single from your new album campaign drops like dead weight down the charts? If you’re Madonna, you release another single and hope that the club kids don’t notice that you’re treading on old territory. Madge’s lead single from her hotly-anticipated twelfth album, M.D.N.A.,…

American Idol Live Show: 3 of 13 men shine during the first live round

The first of the live rounds, last night’s episode of American Idol was a welcomed return to true form. We saw all of the male contestants in the Top 24 perform, including the thirteenth contender who was brought back to compete live, Jermaine Jones, the appropriately dubbed “gentle giant” with…

American Idol Top 24: Stop toying with us, Randy Jackson

Fourteen of the 24 semifinalists were revealed last night on American Idol. For most of these, it was fairly predictable whom was going to be sent on and whom was going to be cut, but that didn’t stop Randy Jackson from again having his fun with the contestants’ emotions. The…

American Idol Las Vegas: more groups, more tears

American Idol hit a high point last night. For the first time in the season, it was about the music (a change in focus that has needed to happen since day one of the preliminary audition rounds). Contestants who deserved to be pushed through to the next round do, while…