As 'American Idol' Launches 159th Season... Remember The Good Ones?

"American Idol" jumped the shark a good five years ago... no need to belabor what a self-conscious drab show it's become. Long gone are the days of launching such true talents as Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia, Diana Degarmo, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, Daughtry, Jordin Sparks, Ace Young, Katharine McPhee and Kellie Pickler.

And then there's my beloved Kimberley Locke. She posted on Facebook Thursday that it's been a decade since the release of her Curb Records' smash hit "8th World Wonder." I watched the video and 12 hours later, it remains lodged in my little pea brain, with the chorus playing over & again. The good ones stay withcha, right?
That was the first of many No. 1 songs for Kim, hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Dance Chart (No. 19 at top 40 & No. 6 at AC), followed by top 10 AC "Change" and three chart-topping Christmas songs: "Up On the Rooftop," "Jingle Bells" and "Frosty the Snowman."

Last year, heavenly dance track "Feel the Love" (with Cahill) reached No. 1 on the U.K. Pop & Dance charts... while Kimberley continues to address groups globally & spread her positive message. I met Kim through dear pal Fred Bronson... and have connected numerous time in NYC and LA since... as well as the pleasure of reviewing her music numerous times as Billboard's Single Reviews Editor. As you might imagine, Kim is all positive energy, funny (with an infectious laugh) and smart as shit, ever moving forward in her well-entrenched career. Eighth world wonder, indeed. *   

Chuck's NYC YA Soire... Thanks For The Send-Off!

The Thursday before I departed NYC for Hampton Roads, I invited friends from two decades-past to join in a final toast at Central Bar—where I used to hang nearly every Friday with my pals during the Billboard days.

Incredible night, with so many keepers that made the effort to stop in, offer a hug and share a memory or three. It was just perfect: Some 90 folks in total. And I only cried twice... At last, a night to remember in pictures! Thanks again... *

Celine Dion's 'Loved Me Back To Life' Strikes Gold In U.K./New Single Is...

Celine Dion's 'Loved Me Back To Life' has been certified gold in the U.K., only three weeks after its November 5 release. The album is still riding high in the Top 10 Official Album Charts, while on the Billboard 200 in the U.S.—ouch—it has fallen to No. 26 after debuting at No. 2.

EXCELLENT CHOICE! Potent powerhouse 'Breakaway' has been announced as the second single in the U.K., a vocal tour de force and absolutely among the best tracks on "LMBTL" which there, is Celine's highest-charting album in a decade, debuting at No. 3 on the Official Albums Chart. "Breakaway" has already earned kudos as BBC Radio 2's "Record Of The Week," following the success of the title track "Loved Me Back To Life," also a BBC "Record Of The Week" and A Listed at Radio 2.

Meanwhile, here in the States, radio airplay of Celine's "Loved Me Back To Life" and second single "Somebody Loves Somebody" have barely registered... It appears that corporate radio still rules the roost here... pitiful.

Celine will perform "Breakaway" on "Strictly Come Dancing" in the U.K., on December 15. In addition, she is hosting and performing on "A Home for the Holidays," co-starring Ne-Yo, Chris Young and others, an hour special spotlighting adoption. It airs on CBS at 8 p.m. December 18.

And coming this spring: Celine makes a cameo in the new Muppets movie, "Muppets Most Wanted," in theatres March 21, 2014. Below, she continues to heavily promote the new disc with more magazine cover interviews. Go, girl! *

Song Of The Week: 'Say Something' From A Great Big World

It's not often that I hear a song on the radio that actually makes the world come to a complete halt for 4 minutes. Today I was listening to Fresh 102.7 New York and the station played a tune that was so haltingly beautiful, so affecting, so simple and universal, that I ran for my iPhone to track it with Songza.

New U.S. duo A Great Big World previously released a song that found its way onto TV's "Glee," from their launch album "Is There Anybody Out There?"—but when Christina Aguilera heard and fell in love with the song, it was re-recorded with her adding background vocals and found critical mass.

The piano-driven ballad oozes heartache over a breakup, as Lover 1 implores Lover 2 to say something... anything... that might save the relationship.

Indie release "Say Something" was first heard on "So You Think You Can Dance," as a dance number between competitors on the "reality" show. When Xtina performed with A Great Big World on "The Voice," it hit No. 1 on iTunes and Billboard's Digital Chart, and ultimately, the top 10 in Canada and top 20 in the U.S.

Wowsah, it's not often that I hear much on radio anymore that fuels me to head to YouTube and explore a new song. This one... is so special. *

And Billboard's No.1 Song Of 2012 Is...

Oh, yes! Yes! The No. 1 Song of 2012 is thankfully, graciously, deservedly... brilliant! What a wondrous year it has (finally) been to celebrate a return to melodic music. For the first time in many a year, radio recognized that gimmick-filled hip-hop loops and temporary shoop shoops were no longer fulfilling the masses... Thanks to social media, YouTube and iTunes, which taught radio a lesson: Folks want to hear melodies they can sing along with. The masses want MUSIC, for god's sake. (Doink!)

As minions of The Nun are well aware, I have ever... always... perpetually... been a dogged proponent of the power of pop music to maintain the enduring spirit of the melodic memories that define the times of our lives... It's taken the radio airwaves a good 15 years to rediscover that songs... with choruses... are what everybody wants. Wow, what a revelation, huh?

And so (drum beat)... Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know," is the No. 1 song of 2012, a song that will forever mark what we were all doing at a particular time with a particular person in a particular situation... because the track is utterlhy indelible... I could not be happier that Billboard has deemed it the top song of the year, based on a combo of radio airplay and sales.

And the same goes for the No. 2 Song of the Year, "Call Me Maybe" from Carly Rae Jepsen, so pervasive across pop culture in the year gone by that it will always be associated with all you were doing and who you were doing it with during the summer of 2012.

Ah, yes, this is how I hold onto every hit from the 1980s to this day: Their melodies remain so entrenched that I associate them with time and place. And that, cool cats, is the magic of good music.

The majority of 2012's Billboard Top 10 Songs are a wonder to behold... the anthemic "We Are Young" from fun., the giddy pop delight of Maroon 5's "Payphone," the enticing seduction of Ellie Goulding's "Lights" and the joy of radio listeners' first love via Brit boy band One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful."

Oh yes, 2012 has redeemed all that music aficionados live to love about music... with the exception of Nicki Minaj's gruesome, icky, gimmicy "Starships"... but nine out of ten... I dare not complain.

Billboard's Top 10 of 2012

1) Somebody That I Used To Know
Gotye Featuring Kimbra

2) Call Me Maybe
Carly Rae Jepsen

3) We Are Young
fun. Featuring Janelle Monae

4) Payphone
Maroon 5 Featuring Wiz Khalifa

5) Lights
Ellie Goulding

6) Glad You Came
The Wanted

7) Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You...)
Kelly Clarkson

8) We Found Love
Rihanna Featuring Calvin Harris

9) Starships
Nicki Minaj

10) What Makes You Beautiful
One Direction

Coming soon: 
The Taylor Top 40 for 2012!

The One That I Want: ONJ & John Travolta Reunite For Christmas CD!

Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta's duet from "Grease," "You're the One That I Want," remains the best-selling pop duet in history. Take that "Endless Love"! This week, the gay-friendly pair—Livi as a forever friend to the community and Johnny perpetually living behind that uncomfortable closet door—reunited for the release of seasonal album "This Christmas," which came out Tuesday. It's going to be fascinating to see next week's Billboard chart: This has potential to return ONJ to the top 10 for the first time in almost two decades.

Guests on the project include Cliff Richard, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett and James Taylor. The emphasis single, unfortunately, is an odd country hoedown, "I Think You Might Like It," which I honestly could have done without. All the same, it comes complete with a music video. Great to see Olivia looking radiant as ever... while John, ever aging out of living a miserable life of lies, seems to have his scalp painted with... uh... hair. See it right here! *