Did You Hear?

:: Many musicians are still riled up that the Recording Academy has eliminated over 30 categories (including Best Tejano Album, Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album and Best Contemporary Folk Album) for this year’s Grammys. A protest committee has been formed, and will stand protest outside the Staples Center on Sunday. Fans of Latin jazz, gospel and blues music have been invited to participate as well. [MSN]

:: The coaches for the Australian version of The Voice sure look familiar… bald, black singer, blonde female pop star, country guy, and non-threatening rocker dude. Check, check, check and check. [PopDust]

:: Simon Cowell says he fought to keep Paula Abdul as a judge on The X Factor, and that the only reason she was fired was because of him. “It’s only because I opened my big mouth and said we were going to get 20 million [viewers]… If I hadn’t said that, everybody would be saying the show was a huge success.” [Pink Is The New Blog]

:: Look out for Taylor Swift’s video for her Hunger Games song “Safe & Sound” to premiere Monday on MTV. Taylor will be chatting with fans following the video’s premiere, too! [MTV Buzzworthy]

:: Kanye West and M.I.A. are soulmates if their equally ridiculous tour riders are any indication. [EW Music Mix]

After the jump, find out which acts you can find on the tube today.

Music On TV:

:: The Late Show With David Letterman (CBS) — the Kills
:: Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC) — Tony Bennett
:: Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC) — Estelle
:: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon — Primus
:: Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS) — “Weird Al” Yankovic
:: Conan (TBS) — Graffiti6

Did You Hear?

:: Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “Ni**as In Paris” video will reportedly drop by the end of the week. Get ready to recreate the live experience by watching the video seven times in a row. [Complex]

:: Rihanna is considering dropping her Talk That Talk track “Birthday Cake” as her next single, and has been asking her Twitter followers who they’d like to see featured on the song. Our pick: Shy Ronnie. [Pop Crush]

:: Simon Cowell finally put some “complete nonsense”  rumors to rest, denying that Beyonce and Mariah Carey are being considered as judges on The X Factor. [Rap-Up]

:: Flo Rida isn’t having a “Good Feeling” anymore. The rapper is being sued by a woman who claims Flo paid her $3.08 an hour, whereas he claims that it was more of an intern-type situation. [TMZ]

:: Soul Train legend Don Cornelius’ death was officially ruled a suicide. [Billboard]

After the jump, find out which acts you can find on the tube today.

Music On TV:

:: The Late Show With David Letterman (CBS) — Dierks Bentley
:: Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC) — Far East Movement
:: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon — Of Montreal
:: Chelsea Lately (E!) — The Wanted
:: Conan (TBS) — Dr. Dog
:: The View (ABC) — Tim McGraw and Faith Hill
:: The Ellen DeGeneres Show— the Band Perry

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.

Abdul told reporters after the conclusion of Season 1 (which featured the comeback win of Melania Amaro) that she expected to be back “unless something weird and bizarre happens.”

That’s one more indication that her departure from the show wasn’t her decision. We’re not expecting to see Simon and Paula this chummy again anytime soon.

Let us know what you think of the shakeup on Facebook, Twitter or in the comments.

Earlier today, The X Factor judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, L.A. Reid, Nicole Scherzinger and eye candy host Steve Jones stopped by Ellen DeGeneres to sit and chat about the singing competition with the daytime talk show host, herself having served as a judge on American Idol briefly following Adbul’s departure. (Ah, memories.) Everyone was all smiles, particularly newcomer Jones, who beamed as he spoke about his love for LA (both the city and the man), and provided an interesting way to describe the show’s panel of judges. Watch the crowded group interview below.

Nerd alert: when asked about the judges, Jones used a Star Wars motif to explain how Simon, Paula, L.A., and Nicole coexist in The X Factor galaxy. (We’re assuming Fox Broadcasting is the Death Star in this situation.)

X

The X Factor

To US viewers who have never seen the UK version of the show, The X Factor may have come off like an America’s Got Talent knock-off, with the similar set-up of auditioners performing in front of the judges in a giant room full of cheering viewers. In actuality, The X Factor premiered in the UK in 2004, while Got Talent — another Simon Cowell creation — started a few years later. But that doesn’t matter, because no matter which show came first, it can’t be helped that there’s already a popular talent competition just like this on the air, making this format seem like old hat. (However, we may change our minds when the judges start mentoring contestants and the real competition goes underway.)

We’ll have more to say about judges L.A. Reid, Paula Abdul, Nicole Scherzinger and Cheryl Cole (oops, no we won’t!) as the weeks continue, but what we were really looking forward to — and what really disappointed — was Simon’s spot-on criticism. Sure, he was able to politely turn down senior citizen duo Dan and Vanita, as just getting on TV is prize enough for them. But when an obviously awful, arrogant contestant in a mesh top named Siameze Floyd walked on stage, and proceeded to audition for  So You Think You Can Dance? with his outrageous, maniacal dancing, not only did Paula and Cheryl put him through — Simon, the Voice Of Reason, did, too!

What is going on here? What happened? We’re not looking for the biting bad guy crushing people’s dreams, but a serious judge who won’t say yes to somebody obviously awful just because the crowd cheered for him. That’s what America’s Got Talent is for. This should be about actually making it in the music business.

“There is something kind of fascinating about you,” he tells Siameze, who barely even sung a note during his audition. “You are talented, but you are deluded… but I’m gonna say yes.” What?! Where’s the cruise-ship metaphors? Where’s the “you should sue your singing teacher” witticisms? Where’s the flat-out “That was atrocious” remarks? Who is this man, coddling instead of critiquing?

All of these televised singing shows, from Idol to The Voice to everything in between, have the same basic mission. Some have swiveling chairs, others, like The Sing-Off, focus on a cappella music, but what they all share is that they’re all simultaneously looking for a star while also trying to entertain — and people love it. We have no doubt that even without Simon sassing, The X Factor will be a hit, and it looks like America has already made it quite welcome in their homes — 12.14 million viewers tuned in to the series premiere. (Though for comparison’s sake, Modern Family – whose season premiere kicked off on ABC midway through X Factor’s debut episode – scored 14.3 million viewers.)

We’ll continue watching, but we’re hoping the show really takes its job seriously of finding a real star and not just somebody who can bounce around a stage to keep the crowd clapping. But that’s our take — what did you think of Simon Cowell’s newest competition incarnation on US soil? Sound off below.

Simon begins his sit-down with Jimmy by giving him a backhanded compliment that he looks like he’s had some work done – oh, Simon, you’re just as rude to talk show hosts as you are to pop star wannabes!

He goes on to say that besides the lack of age restrictions and the inclusion of groups, The X Factor has summoned a different breed of auditioner due to the exorbitant amount of money ($5 million, plus a recording contract) they plan to give the winner. “People want some cash now,” he explains. “All the good singers I’ve ever met in my life are greedy.”

As for the “scariest” contestant he’s had audition for the show, Simon doesn’t have to think too hard to bring up 14-year-old Brian from New York. “He is the most ruthless, ambitious, obnoxious, rude but talented person I’ve met in years. This kid is destined for greatness.”

“Did you adopt him?” asked Jimmy. Seriously! We think Simon has finally found his heir.

Will you be watching The X Factor tonight? And is this the beginning of the end for American Idol and The Voice, or can all of these shows live on the air in harmony?