Over the course of a 65-year career in the entertainment industry, Dick Clark was bound to make some famous friends. The television and music mogul rubbed shoulders with artists long after he discovered or promoted them on his radio show, American Bandstand and annual New Year’s Eve spectacles, which is one reason so many artists are mourning his death. We’ve collected a gallery of photos of Clark hobnobbing with some of the biggest and most influential artists of the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s to represent his impact across so many generations. One thing is clear — if you have a hit on the radio, chances are you’ve met Dick Clark.

dick clark's life and times

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The best kept secret in the music industry is that pop divas, like fine wines and British actors, only get better with age. So far this year we’ve seen Madonna score her eighth Billboard chart-topping album (however short-lived), Jennifer Lopez storm the iTunes chart with “Dance Again” and the re-emergence of Gwen Stefani as the voice of No Doubt. With new albums from Shania Twain, Cher and Kylie Minogue on the way, 2012 is shaping up to be the year when pop’s leading ladies prove that 40 really is the new 20.

To celebrate the phenomenon, we’ve put together a list of our top 15 timeless divas — women of a certain vintage who remain relevant, influential and important to music fans of all ages. For your favorite singer to qualify, she just had to be born prior to 1972, have an iconic career and still practice pop. Hence no Barbra Streisand or Reba McEntire. Rankings are based on chart stats, record sales, pop culture status and recent success. Let us know what you think in the comments.

Last night, the 84th Academy Awards honored the best in film, but it’s often the worst movies that we find the most entertaining. And our favorite type of terrible movie? Pretty much any flick a pop star graces with their presence. Sure, there are exceptions — like Justin Timberlake shining in 2010′s The Social Network, or Cher winning an Oscar for her work in 1987′s Moonstruck — but even if we love the performer, we don’t always love the films they star in. We’ve picked the Top 13 bad movies featuring fourteen pop stars who really should have been picker when choosing projects. (And to prove just how awful these movies are, we’ve arranged them by their Rotten Tomatoes score.)

Kelly Rowland in Freddy Vs. Jason, 2003. Rotten Tomatoes: 41%
Well, if you’re going to appear in a bad movie, you might as well make it a horror film, particularly one that combines two classic franchises together.

Christina Aguilera and Cher in Burlesque, 2010. Rotten Tomatoes: 36%
Two abysmal pop star performances for the price of one!

Katy Perry (as the voice of Smurfette) in The Smurfs, 2011. Rotten Tomatoes: 23%
Since this is a voiceover performance only, we’re spared the sight of Katy facepalming throughout this film.

Beyonce in Obsessed, 2009. Rotten Tomatoes: 20%
We’d rather see a Foxy Cleopatra spin-off than sit through this once.

Miley Cyrus in The Last Song, 2010. Rotten Tomatoes: 19%
Prepare for LOL to sink even lower than Miley’s wannabe tearjerker.

Justin Timberlake in The Love Guru, 2008. Rotten Tomatoes: 18%
JT is so charming, he can walk away from this Mike Myers dreck and still remain loveable.

Taylor Swift in Valentine’s Day, 2010. Rotten Tomatoes: 18%
The only evidence we need that Swift should have never been in contention for the role of Eponine in Les Miserables.

Snoop Dogg in Soul Plane, 2004. Rotten Tomatoes: 18%
We can’t really blame Snoop for this unfunny comedy, since he think he was basically typecast to play himself.

Britney Spears in Crossroads, 2002. Rotten Tomatoes: 14%
She’s not a girl, not yet a woman, and definitely not an actress.

Kelly Clarkson in From Justin to Kelly, 2003. Rotten Tomatoes: 8%
At least Kelly had the good sense to never try this again. (And to her credit, she never wanted to – it was in her contract with Idol that she star a film.)

Mariah Carey in Glitter, 2001. Rotten Tomatoes: 7%
Mariah’s subtle, understated performance in Precious absolves all (well, most) of her sins from this amazingly awful film.

Jennifer Lopez in Gigli, 2003. Rotten Tomatoes Score: 7%.
Gigli, unsurprisingly, is her lowest-scoring film, though it had serious competition from the other movies in J.Lo’s canon: The Back-Up Plan (19%), Maid In Manhattan (39%), Angel Eyes (33%), Enough (22%), The Wedding Planner (17%), Jack (17%) and Monster In Law (16%).

Madonna in Swept Away, 2002. Rotten Tomatoes: 5%
Well, this could have been good, theoretically. The film is a remake from the well-reviewed 1974 version of the same name, directed by Italian filmmaker Lina Wertmüller (who, by the way, would become the first woman nominated for a Best Director Oscar). But proving that a couple should never work together, Madge paired up with her then-hubby Guy Ritchie for this mind-numbingly dumb modern take on a story featuring Madonna playing an arrogant, spoiled rich woman who soon turns obediently subservient to a man. Who wants to see Madonna play either of those things for 90 minutes?

What terrible movies starring pop stars did we leave off this list? Tell us below!

Madonna isn’t the only over 50 pop icon making plans to thrill concertgoers across the country in 2012. Cher took to Twitter to announce a new tour in support of her forthcmoing album. “I’m shaking! The whole set/look changes 4 every song!” tweeted the 65-year-old pop star. “Tour starts in Sept! First dates Kansas.”

Cher last hit the road from 2002-2005 on her The Living Proof: The Farewell Tour, which she insisted was her last. She then had a 200-seat residency at The Coliseum at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas from 2008-2011.

Cher’s 26th studio album is due sometime this year. The LP will feature the ballad “The Greatest Thing”, which was written by Lady Gaga and produced by RedOne.

Will you be buying tickets to Cher’s upcoming concert? Or did you already “save all your pennies” to see Madonna live in person?

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. For music fans, that means being serenaded by power ballads, slow jams and schmaltzy love-song dedications every time you turn on the radio. But what if Cupid’s arrow whizzed straight past you this year and hit someone else? Nobody wants to hear “The Power Of Love” while heating up a TV dinner for one. Happily, we’re here to provide you with a selection of vastly less-depressing alternatives. No matter if you’re single by choice, brokenhearted, bitter or just resigned to living alone with 10 cats, there’s a song to get you through February 14. Jump below to find solace in these 11 top tunes for singles on Valentine’s Day.

11. “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” – Kelly Clarkson (Video)
Nobody does bitter quite like Kelly Clarkson. Her seminal 2004 hit “Since U Been Gone” set the bar for break-up anthems, and she’s churned them out with alarming regularity ever since. What makes the inaugural American Idol’s latest single the perfect soundtrack for pissed-off singles this Valentine’s Day is the positive spin it puts on finding yourself man- or woman-less. “You know the bed feels warmer sleeping here alone,” purrs Kelly before declaring “doesn’t mean I’m lonely when I’m alone” later in the song.

10. “Ridin’ Solo” – Jason Derulo (Video)
While Kelly wears her single status like a badge of honor, Jason Derulo couldn’t really care less on “Ridin’ Solo”. He’s too busy reveling in his bachelorhood — partying with friends and hooking up with pretty ladies — to even remember his ex. “Now I’m feeling how I should, never knew single could feel this good,” sings the 22-year-old on this memorable 2010 Top 10 hit. Play “Ridin’ Solo” on your way to the club this February 14.

9. “Me, Myself And I” – Beyoncé
Blue Ivy’s mama is the Queen of female empowerment anthems. From DC’s “Independent Women” to her own 2011 hit “Run The World (Girls)”, Beyoncé has been issuing directives to ladies (both in and out of relationships) for the past 15 years. And while “Single Ladies” is her most famous musical mission statement, “Me, Myself And I” is arguably the better Valentine’s Day choice — at least for jaded daters who can’t be bothered putting gloss on their lips or having a man on their hips. As Queen B preaches: “I took a vow from now on / I’m gonna be my own best friend”.

8. “Dancing On My Own” – Robyn (Video)
If you’re looking for music to cheer you up this February 14, then it’s probably best to skip Robyn’s depressing synth ballad about watching an ex hook up at the club while you dance alone in the corner. However, if you’re a glutton for punishment and feel like wallowing in your own misery, this is the V Day jam for you!

7. “Ain’t Thinkin’ Bout You” – Bow Wow Feat. Chris Brown (Video)
Here’s one for the boys. Bow Wow and Chris Brown join forces to plot a game plan for the emotionally fragile single gentleman. “Tonight I’m gon’ get tipsy, over 21 all the girls have fun and watch the ladies jump on me,” croons Breezy before concluding, “I ain’t thinkin’ ’bout you tonight”. The message is clear. Move on and hook up with someone new after popping bottles at the club. It clearly worked for these two in-demand Romeos.

6. “I Don’t Need A Man” – The Pussycat Dolls
The title says it all. Ms Scherzinger and her back-up dancers are not particularly well remembered for their lasting contribution to feminism, but the gang struck a blow for independent women everywhere on “I Don’t Need A Man”. Nicole sings a shopping list of self-worth mantras, including “I don’t need a ring around my finger to make me feel complete” before going there: “I can get off when you ain’t around”. Men, you have been put on notice.

5. “June 28th (I’m Single)” – Ruben Studdard (Video)
It’s been a couple of years since we’ve heard new music from Ruben, but the victor of American Idol season 2 is back in 2012 with an album about his recent divorce and this soulful jam about his new single status. This makes it perfect Valentine’s Day fodder for people that unexpectedly find themselves back on the market. The 33 year old’s approach to finding a new lady is advertising. He sings: “When you see me on the street don’t be scared to speak, I’m single”. Time to start letting random strangers know you’re available!

4. “(This Is) A Song For The Lonely” – Cher
Cher has your back. The patron saint of heartbroken clubbers (note: “Believe” and “Strong Enough” are equally appropriate choices for down-on-their-luck singles) delivered a message of hope for the desperate and dateless with this single off her most recent album. Lady Gaga’s future duet partner urges fans not to give up by declaring, “Wherever you may go I’m right beside you, you don’t have to look no more”. Who needs a relationship when you’ve got a 65-year-old pop legend by your side?

3. “Single” – Natasha Bendingfield
Natasha Bedingfield raises a number of salient points on her 2004 UK debut. First, being single is a valid lifestyle choice (“I’m single right now, that’s how I wanna be”). Second, playing the field is a lot of fun (“I know I’ll settle down one day, but till then I like it that way”). And last but not least, it’s not cute to settle (“I’m not gonna get hooked up because you say I should”). E-mail the Brit’s feisty anthem to unhappily partnered friends this February 14.

2. “Young, Wild & Free” – Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa Feat. Bruno Mars (Video)
Who cares if you’re single on a holiday invented to sell cards and flowers? Take the advice of three wise men that know better and enjoy being young and irresponsible — “So what what we go out? That’s how it’s supposed to be, living young and wild and free”. Seriously, forget about your Facebook status. Which admittedly is a lot easier if you’re as baked as these guys.

1. “Lullaby For Myself” – Barbra Streisand
If you’re not wild, free or even particularly young, don’t worry. Spinsters have their own feel-good anthem this Valentine’s Day courtesy of Barbra Streisand! Recorded way back in 1977 for the diva’s Superman album, “Lullaby For Myself” sets out the benefits of single life in the most pragmatic (and hysterical) way possible. For starters, you can eat what you want (“not to share a pair of pork chops when you crave champagne and cheese”) and have free reign in the bathroom (“take an hour in the shower, use the water while it’s hot”). Brace yourself for Babs’ words of wisdom below.

Did we include your favorite singles’ anthem on our list? What did we miss? Let us know in the comments section below, or by hitting us up on Twitter and Facebook.

Back to the drawing board. After the bloodbath of firings that rocked the US edition of The X Factor — Steve Jones, Nicole Scherzinger, and, most surprisingly, Paula Abdul have been cut from the show — there are suddenly a ton of job openings for a new host and two new judges. (Somewhere, Cheryl Cole is laughing at all this mayhem.) After a disappointing inaugural season, it looks like the singing competition is in need of an overhaul, anyway. But who should join the judges’ panel for Season 2? Our Top 5 picks below.

5. Mariah Carey. Simon Cowell cannot stop fawning over Mimi, who kept popping up on predictions lists the last time we went through this judge guessing game. And though she’s busy recording her new album, a job on a reality competition show certainly helped Jennifer Lopez and Christina Aguilera be welcomed back to musical relevancy.

4. Britney Spears. Brit-Brit’s taking a break now that she’s put a bow on Femme Fatale, and don’t tell us you wouldn’t watch this show every single episode just to see what Spears sounds like with no one controlling every word that comes out of her mouth. It was certainly improve the show’s ratings, even if any advice she gives about singing live would ring particularly false.

3. Cher. If you check her Twitter feed, you’ll know she’s loopy enough to be entertaining television. And if Cher tells you to stop being pitchy or engage with the audience more during your performance, you’re sure as hell going to do it. She’s Cher, after all, and she’s been doing this for longer than we’ve all been alive.

2. Ciara. Because what else is she doing?

1. No one. Just cancel the show, as it’s already viewed as an over-hyped disappointment. And it’s not like we’ll really miss one of the five billion singing competition shows currently on TV. LA Reid can put his focus back on running Epic Records, and Simon Cowell can fill the hours developing his DJ show, and continue his gigs on Britain’s Got Talent and the UK edition of The X Factor. Or just spend his days swimming through his various bank vaults filled with massive amounts of gold coins.

Who do you think should become a judge on The X Factor? What other tweaks should be made to the show? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or in the comments below.

Black Friday was far from rosy Pink for Nicki Minaj, considering how Drake’s ideal woman had a scuffle with one of the biggest divas in music history on Twitter. When asked about her response to the “diss” in Nicki’s “Did It On ‘Em” (“If you could turn back time, Cher / You used to be here, now you’re gone, Nair”), the “Greatest Thing” singer replied, “Ive seen lots of people come & go! Nobiggie!” But apparently it was kind of a biggie, since Nicki fans rushed to her defense, including her maybe-beau Safaree, who tweeted: “yo @cher listen to the words b4 you say dumb sh*t on twitter… do you know what a rap metaphore is???” Read more below.

No stranger to fights involving Nicki, Safaree’s response was enough to get an apology out of Cher, who tweeted: “U R right ! Someone said I was dissed..I’ve been dissed b4,but instead of finding out I just got defensive ! I should know better.”

Nicki’s response? “@cher “#stopit5.”

Both divas have since deleted all the tweets, which seem to have caused a minor uproar over virtually nothing, since Nicki’s “Did It On ‘Em” lyric is hardly a diss, and Cher’s response wasn’t all that catty.

But for those who love a good Twitter battle, Rap-Up has the entire scuffle, pre-delete.

Bluewater Productions is at again! This time the publisher is bringing us a comic book about the life and times of Cher. That’s right, the Burlesque star is the latest in the company’s series, Female Force (which has featured J.K. Rowling, Oprah Winfrey and Sarah Palin). Come December, you can get your hands on your very own copy of the pop icon’s graphic novel. Will this be the greatest thing Bluewater has produced? Judging by the cover art, it looks much more promising than say Lady Gaga’s FAME issue. Jump below for a closer look.

From the publisher:

Cher is a platinum selling singer, an award winning actress and a performer for the ages. She’s one smart cookie who knows a lot and has done it all. Get the skinny on Cher’s rise to the status of legend in the upcoming Bluwater comic book “Female Force: Cher” written by New York Times Bestselling Author Marc Shapiro). And the beat goes on.

No word on Bluewater’s target audience as we’ve never known diehard Cher fans to be avid comic book readers and vice versa. Will you be picking up a copy this winter?

Just how did Cher get involved in a duet with Lady Gaga on the RedOne-produced “The Greatest Thing”? No, it wasn’t merely the collective prayers of thousands of fans of the two gay icons that made it so, but rather, a meeting between the mind-invading musician and the Burlesque diva during which he played the “Greatest Thing” demo and Cher instantly loved it. “She said, ‘This is my song,’ I said, ‘Yes, it’s your song,’” RedOne told MTV in a recent interview. (Clearly, when Cher claims a song as hers, you don’t argue.) Find out more about how our favorite bully-battling Fame Monster became involved below.

“[Gaga and I] recorded the song a few years ago, and we were always in the studio enjoying that song. It’s weird we never did anything with it,” RedOne explains. “So I remember my management and Cher’s management were trying to get us together, and I thought, ‘Oh my God, I’d love to meet Cher, just to meet her!’ And so I met her, I played her some songs, and I played her ‘The Greatest Thing,’ and she loved it.

“I cut the vocals with Cher first, and I was in Madrid and got a text from Gaga saying, ‘I’m thinking about jumping on the song in the remix.’ I was like, ‘No, you should jump on the original! Make it a duet.’ She said, ‘Oh yes, OK, absolutely,’ and then I spoke to Cher, and it became a party.”

Quite a party, indeed — one that we can’t wait for! And though the rumor mill told us we’d be getting “The Greatest Thing” come September, there are only a few days left to make that happen. Here’s to hopin’!

Read the full interview over at MTV.

Did You Hear?

:: Kanye West may be be currently watching the throne, but watching the clock is not his style. Check the 20-minute version of “Runaway” he performed recently in Poland. [Vulture]

:: Apple founder Steve Jobs has resigned from his position as CEO of the company. Let’s all clutch our iPods and cue up “Never Can Say Goodbye,” shall we? [Yahoo News]

:: Hilary Duff’s baby bump is showing. [Pink Is The New Blog]

:: Producer Peter Thomas whipped up a potent and peppy (say that five times fast) remix of Britney Spears’ Femme Fatale track “Seal It With A Kiss.” [Arjan Writes]

:: Lady Gaga upon meeting Cher at last year’s VMAs: “I don’t think she realized I was handing her meat.” [MTV News]

:: A cat reenacts Madonna’s career-making 1984 VMAs “Like A Virgin” performance. Many quips come to mind, but we’ll just say, “Bad kitty!” [MTV Buzzworthy]

After the jump, find out which music acts will be appearing on the tube today.

Music On TV:
:: The View (ABC) — Charlie Wilson (repeat)
:: The Talk (CBS) — David Cook (repeat)
:: Tonight Show With Jay Leno (NBC) — Dolly Parton (repeat)
:: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (NBC) — Fountains Of Wayne (repeat)

You’ll only have to wait just another few weeks before Lady Gaga and Cher’s collaboration on “The Greatest Thing” becomes the greatest thing to ever happen to pop music. The “Believe” diva revealed via Twitter that the mid-tempo ballad, which was originally written by Gaga and RedOne, will be released “SEPTEMBER”. Fully prepare for this match made in gay icon heaven by listening to Gaga’s demo recording of the song after the jump.

“The Greatest Thing” will serve as the lead single to Cher’s 26th studio album, though no release date for either the single or the album has been announced yet.

Could there have been a more GLBTA-friendly duet in existence other than Lady Gaga and Elton John performing at their double-piano at The Grammys? Turns out, yes, possibly – it looks like Gaga will be adding her vocals on the song she and RedOne gave to Cher for her new album. “Can’t wait till GaGa puts her Voice on ” The Greatest Thing,” Cher tweeted yesterday. “SHE WILL ROCK IT SO FKNG HARD.” That we have no doubt. Are you excited about this collaboration, little monsters? And how about you, whatever nickname Cher’s fans are called?

Did You Hear?

:: Cher set off a series of tweets telling her followers that she’s tinkering with the idea of going back on tour. And that’s not all: “Maybe Recreating Welcome 2 Burlesque as it was in film on stage!” Will they have an Xtina stand-in gaping wide-eyed at the performance like she did in the film? [Vulture]

:: Whatever Brit can do, Christina Aguilera can do… better? [Pink Is The New Blog]

:: Not content with one chart-topper in 2011, soul queen Jill Scott is set to release another album – this time of unreleased gems – on August 30 . [Soul Bounce]

:: Natalia Kills really, really likes her label Cherrytree Records. [Arjan Writes]

:: Beyonce’s dad finally responds to those pesky theft allegations, points the finger at his daughter’s new team.  [Rap-Up]

After the jump, find out which music acts will be appearing on the tube today.

Music On TV:
:: Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC) — Imelda May
:: Late Show with David Letterman (CBS) — Bono & The Edge
:: Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC) — Goldheart Assembly (repeat)
:: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (NBC) — Wye Oak
:: Conan (TBS) — Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
:: Lopez Tonight (TBS) — Jordan Knight

What would a week in pop music be without wild accusations of plagiarism, mouth-watering collaborations or a teen queen on the comeback trail? Nothing! Thankfully, the past seven days delivered all that and more. Monsters bayed for blood when Katy Perry announced a mermaid theme for her next video. Meanwhile sales of Depends spiked when Cher’s fans learned Lady Gaga had contributed a song to the legendary diva’s new album and just about everyone is super excited about Demi Lovato’s “Skyscraper”. Find out exactly what went down in this week’s round-up of reader comments.

::Michael GM was outraged by Mermaid-gate: “Katy Perry is a hack. Nothing about her is original. If it wasn’t for her producers she would still be singing unsellable christian rock. She already copied the alien theme from Gaga.. I am sure she’ll be on a Motorcycle soon too.”

::Angelica Marc went a step further: “She is a thief. She stole from gaga a bunch to times like with the alien, mermaid, and she even did a cover of born this way.”

:Nyan tried to be the voice of reason: “Katy didn’t copy anything from the Born This Way video… What do you expect from a song called E.T.? Anyway, I don’t know whether or not this is a coincidence or just plain copying but things like this have happened in the past between Katy and Gaga, so I’ll just let it blow over…”

::Yaya, on the other hand, took a more philosophical approach: “10 -20 years from now when there is a ‘new’ pop artist, their fans are gonna say how original, new, and fresh they are and that Gaga and Katy are old hags as they do to Madonna now and you’ll be saying ‘what do those young kids know’… just you wait!”

:: LordGagaTX was clearly excited by the prospect of Cher and Lady Gaga joining forces: “They might do a DUET REMIX of the song! That would slay..HARD. Imagine Cher, a LEGEND uniting forces with Gaga, AN ICON. Gaga+Cher=POP ORGASM.”

::Manucillo Ramirez Arenas shared the elation: “Is beautiful. gaga love and love cher.”

::SSsDF was slightly less impressed: “What a has been.”

::Marley was one of the many readers to be touched by Demi Lovato’s #1 iTunes smash: “This is an amazingly beautiful song. so powerful and so heartfelt. Demi is an inspiration to me and to many other people out there. keep it up doll.”

::Mercedes could also relate to the song’s message: “She’s all grown up! Singing from her gut, her soul. I can relate to this song as many other woman will as well. Beautiful , inspiring. Bye Bye Disney. hello world.!!”

::Anna wished Demi the best for her comeback: “She has conquered the many problems that teenagers face these days, image, and she has risen to the occasion. I love her voice so raw, its much more powerful. love you Demi Lovato. You’re an inspiration. A true one. Keep going strong, you have an amazing life ahead of you.”

::Georginos will most likely not be downloading Leona Lewis’ new single from iTunes: “Leona should shelve this song. It is not good at all and its lyrics are very juvenile.”

::JamesK blamed bad fashion for the English diva’s decline: “In regard to Leona, ever since she lost her mind and started to wear those ridiculous outfits she has significantly declined musically and this song is further evidence of that. What a shame.”

::Mark Daniel Snyder really doesn’t care that “Collide” is (allegedly) a rip-off: “You can play both at the same time and it sounds like even better like a remix LOL hot.” We totally agree!

The news that Cher is recording her first album in 10 years isn’t as exciting as this extra bit of information leaked by the music icon herself — she’s already recorded a song written by Lady Gaga and her right hand man RedOne. As if the gays weren’t already on board to buy a new Cher album, this just upped the ante. Even better: you don’t have to wait to hear what it sounds like! Listen to a Gaga-recorded demo of the song, titled “The Greatest Thing”, below.

“Lovelies! I have something tell u thats So Great I don’t know exactly how 2 say it!” Cher tweeted Wednesday night. “Been keeping it secret 4 long time… Just walked in from studio! I Finished 1st track on new cd &……..”GAGA ” ” YOU ARE THE GREATEST THING TO ME.”

Apparently, Gaga and her trusty producer RedOne gave the song for Cher’s forthcoming album. The song isn’t meant as a duet for her and Gaga to sing, though she adds, “Who knows? I Did Hold her “Meat Purse” haha! One can wish!”

She continues: “Wait! I would love duet with GaGa, but She Gave Me GREAT Song & I’m beyond Grateful!!!! It’s called ‘The Greatest Thing’.”

PopDust points us towards this demo of Gaga singing the song that surfaced online about a year ago:

It’s no wonder she didn’t keep it for herself — it’s pretty innocuous, and reminds us of an uptempo ballad someone like Usher might record. It really doesn’t work for the pop piano lady‘s current 90s/metal shtick, but it could possibly work for Cher. (Though if she’s going to finally release a new non-Burlesque-associated single, we’d much prefer the lead one to be an uptempo tune for the dancefloor. But that’s us.)

What do you think of “The Greatest Thing”? Is the title of the song spot on, or is that just a fancy name?

We may be suffering a case of schadenfreude, but we’re disappointed that Christina Aguilera’s lyrical goof while singing the national anthem at yesterday’s Super Bowl is much more embarrassing for the singer than anything on the blooper reel for Burlesque. Where is she falling flat on her face after tripping over her stilettos on stage? Where is the boom mic tapping her on the head during a dramatic moment? That’s the gold blooper reels are made for! But in case you want to see Xtina giggle (pretty adorably) through a bunch of interrupted takes of the Oscar-snubbed flick, head below.

[Celebuzz]

While the names of those directors and actors overlooked by the Academy for this year’s Oscar nominations (Christopher Nolan! Ryan Gosling! Mark Wahlberg! ) rang out loud across the Internet yesterday, one notable song got the dreaded snub, as well: Cher’s Burlesque ballad “You Haven’t Seen The Last Of Me,” which won tunesmith Diane Warren a Best Original Song Golden Globe only two weeks ago. Never one to be silenced, Cher herself took to her Twitter account yesterday to vent her irritation—at both the Academy and a tweeter who sassed her afterward. Read on!

Cher initially posted the following in two separate tweets:

“We didn’t get a nomination 4 best song ! That sucks ! Diane’s song Is so beautiful ! It’s hard to understand how u win … The Golden Globe 4 BEST SONG & not even get nominated by the OSCARS? Oh well it is..what it is ,,,,the sun is still shining !”

Well, at least the Dark Lady decided to turn lemons into lemonade, right? Alas, it appears as if another Twitter user dared to antagonize the legendary diva, prompting the following tirade of tweets:

Yeah, buddy! And just remember—you haven’t heard the last from her.

[Twitter via Billboard]

UK singer Dido and her brother Rollo Armstrong were probably the most “pop” names to get a Best Original Song Oscar nomination this morning—for penning 127 Hours tune “If I Rise” along with the film’s composer A.R. Rahman, already an Academy Award winner for Slumdog Millionaire. One film that was curiously absent among the music nominees: Burlesque, which received a Golden Globe award last week for Diane Warren’s ballad “You Haven’t Seen The Last Of Me”.

The big leader with this year’s Oscar nominations wound up being British period drama The King’s Speech, which earned 12 nods (including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director). The Coen Brothers’ western remake True Grit followed with 10 nominations (including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director), while The Social Network and Inception each scored eight.

Burlesque had been nominated for three Golden Globes, for Best Original Song (“Bound To You” and “You Haven’t Seen The Last Of Me”) and Best Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical. Guess Christina Aguilera will just have to settle with getting to sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl this year.

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross nabbed Best Original Score Globes for The Social Network, which they’ve been recognized for again with an Oscar nod.

Below are the nominations in the music categories for the 83rd annual Academy Awards, which will be televised on Sunday, February 27:

BEST SCORE
127 Hours, A.R. Rahman
How to Train Your Dragon, John Powell
Inception, Hans Zimmer
The King’s Speech, Alexandre Desplat
The Social Network, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

BEST SONG
“Coming Home” from Country Strong — Tom Douglas, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey
“I See the Light” from Tangled — Alan Menken, Glenn Slater
“If I Rise” from 127 Hours — A.R. Rahman, Dido, Rollo Armstrong
“We Belong Together” from Toy Story 3 — Randy Newman

Did You Hear?

:: American Idol‘s Alex Lambert admits via Twitter that he has been homeless since being tosses out of the now-defunk If I Can Dream house. (Guess he wasn’t able to keep that bright green Ford Fiesta?) Don’t feel too bad for him, though: “I have money! And soon I will have a place to stay! I just wanted to let yall know! I’m not some rich spoiled kid!” Noted. [Huffington Post]

:: Elton John and David Furnish show off the latest addition to their family, their son Zachary. Aww. [Just Jared]

:: Thanks to the success of her Golden Globe-winning song “You Haven’t Seen The Last Of Me”, Cher is the only artist to score a #1 single on a Billboard chart in each one of the last six decades. [Billboard]

:: Melissa Etheridge will be playing St. Jimmy in the American Idiot musical for a week this February. (That would be the role Billie Joe Armstrong is currently playing.) Strange stunt casting — but we kind of dig it. How about letting Adam Lambert get a shot at it? [Vulture]

:: Sorry Dr. Dre fans — no Detox on 4/20. Don’t worry, we’re sure you’ll still have a good time that day watching Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa’s High School. [MTV]

After the jump, find out which music acts are hitting the tube today:

Music on TV Today:
:: Late Show with David Letterman (CBS) — Darius Rucker
:: Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC) — Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
:: Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC) — New Politics
:: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (NBC) — Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti
:: Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC) — Jay Electronica, Alberta Cross (repeat)
:: Conan (TBS) — Keyshia Cole
:: Live with Regis and Kelly (ABC) — the Script

At last night’s 68th annual Golden Globe Awards, Diane Warren’s Cher ballad “You Haven’t Seen The Last Of Me” beat out fellow Burlesque tune “Bound To You” (co-written by Christina Aguilera and Sia) for Best Original Song while Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross nabbed Best Original Score awards for The Social Network. But it was Glee actor Chris Colfer’s emotional speech upon winning Best Supporting Performance (Actor)  in the TV category that was one of the night’s most memorable moments.

Colfer, who plays Kurt Hummel on Glee, was joined by his fellow cast mate Jane Lynch, who received the Supporting Performance (Actress) award for her portrayal of Sue Sylvester. The hour-long Fox hit also won Best Series, Musical Or Comedy for the second year in a row.

After thanking Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy, the crew and the rest of the cast, the 20-year-old actor spoke words of encouragement to fans of the show who are underdogs and who are bullied in school.

“But most importantly, to all the amazing kids that watch our show, the kids that our show celebrates who are constantly told ‘no’—by the people in their environments, by bullies at school—that they can’t be who they are or have what they want because of who they are,” Colfer said. He then held his Golden Globe up in the air. “Well, screw that, kids!”

After his win last night, Chris tweeted, “I can’t believe it. I’m not sure how much my shaky hands can tweet, but thank you so much! Couldn’t do what I do without you guys!”