On The Download: Download It… Or Ditch It

We can’t remember a time in recent history when so much great new music has come out in such a short period of time. But with the market so saturated with new releases, which albums are worth your time and money?

We break down all of last week’s and this week’s hot new tunes! And surprisingly, most of it is worth getting!

Adam Lambert, “For Your Entertainment” – Download It
Of course, all anyone’s talking about is Adam’s performance on the AMAs. Overall, we like what Adam’s doing musically – he’s a fresh breath of air for the music industry. Although not every track is a hit – standouts include his songwriting collaborations with Kara DioGuardi, Pink and Lady Gaga.

Shakira, “She Wolf” – Download It
The Colombian beauty is back with her 3rd English-language effort and we like it even more than her last! Steaming with electronica throughout the album, new track “Give It Up To Me” (feat. Lil Wayne) is sizzling!

Rihanna, “Rated R” – Download It
As disappointed as it makes us to say it, the music on the new album is nothing like the Rihanna of yore. Still, it’s a highly personal album that demonstrates a new & more mature side of the singer, which ultimately, makes it an important album and worth still getting.

John Mayer, “Battle Studies” - Download It
The Romeo of Hollywood reminds us why we love him – he’s one of the best songwriters working today. His latest will debut #1 on Billboard’s 200 this week, despite tough competition!

Robbie Williams, “Reality Killed The Video Star” – Download It
The former Brit boy-bander is returning to his place as a leading man with his latest release. Much improved over his lackluster last “Rudebox” release. Check out first single, “Bodies.” Our full review, HERE.

Kris Allen, “Kris Allen” - Download It
It’s a home run from “Idol’s” latest champ. Completely commercial and should appeal to several quadrants. Check out our full review HERE.

Lady Gaga, “The Fame Monster” – Download It
Not just your average album re-issue with a new track or two. Lady Gaga is redefining the idea of what it means to put out a “new album,” with the re-release of her debut, 2008’s “The Fame.” Instead, if you didn’t buy the original album, you’re getting all of it, plus a whole new second album with eight brand new tracks, each equally as good as her first effort!

Justin Bieber, “My World” – Ditch It
Not much about this teen sensation from Canada is exciting us, but if you’re 13, maybe you feel differently.

Susan Boyle, “I Dreamed A Dream” – Download It
What very well could be the biggest album of the holiday season (it will open #1 on the Billboard 200 next week)… comes from the most unlikely of suspects! And to bat, it’s very good! The producers picked the perfect tracks for SuBo’s coming out party

Janet Jackson, “Number Ones” - Download It
Sure, her past few original albums have failed, but the collection of the greatest from her whole career is too good to pass up.

Britney Spears, “The Singles Collection” - Download It
Just like Janet’s collection, this one is worth getting. There are 50+ tracks, so you’re also getting your money’s worth. Plus, great-unreleased dance mixes, which are awesome for the gym

Norah Jones, “The Fall” – Download It
Norah takes her sound in a slightly different direction, and we like where she’s heading!

Leona Lewis, “Echo” – Ditch It
A lackluster follow-up to her debut, although lead single “Happy” is a stellar song.

Beyonce, “I Am… Yours – An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas by Beyonce” – Download It
If you missed Sasha Fierce’s latest concert tour, catch up with it on this disc. Beyonce offers a companion DVD that is worth the price of purchase alone!

CBS, GLAAD Respond To ‘Early Show’ Blurring Lambert Kiss – But Not Madonna’s

“The Early Show” viewers on Wednesday didn’t get to see what made Adam Lambert’s performance at the American Music Awards so controversial.

In a move that could be seen as prime evidence that the double standard which the gay, male singer has spoken out against in recent interviews does indeed exist, the network blurred a pair of racy moments from his performance footage, included a simulated sexual act and a kiss with his straight keyboard player.

“The Early Show” also played Madonna and Britney Spears’ famous same-sex smooch from the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards – without the blur. But why?

“We gave this some real thought,” a CBS rep said in a statement to Access Hollywood. “The Madonna image is very familiar and has appeared countless times including many times on morning television. The Adam Lambert image is a subject of great current controversy, has not been nearly as widely disseminated, and for all we know, may still lead to legal consequences.”

In turn, GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, spoke out against the editorial decision in a statement to Access on Wednesday.

“‘The Early Show’s’ decision this morning to blur Adam Lambert’s kiss from the American Music Awards reinforces an unfortunate double standard that is applied to openly gay performers,” Jarrett Barrios, GLAAD’s president, said in the statement. “I would have hoped CBS would provide the same treatment for images of gay and lesbian people and not create an unfair double standard that treats our community differently.”

Barrios went on to cite other networks’ coverage of the event as being fairer.

“CBS regularly shows kisses throughout every daypart. The kiss was not blurred on ABC nor in news coverage on other networks. While we continue to applaud ‘The Early Show’ for featuring Adam Lambert today, we have reached out to the show’s producers to express our concerns about their decision and offer ways they can make their coverage of gay and transgender people more fair.”

Miley Cyrus On ‘Twilight’: ‘It’s A Cult’

“The Twilight Saga: New Moon” might have opened with huge numbers at the box office and had the biggest November & Friday openings for any movie ever – but teen sensation Miley Cyrus wasn’t one of the Twi-hards pledging their allegiance to Team Edward or Team Jacob. In fact, the teen star considers the whole “Twilight” world to be “a cult.”

“I think it’s like [a] cult… I think it’s a cult,” Miley told Sirius XM’s The Morning Mash Up in an interview that aired on Tuesday. “I think it’s bad. I think it’s like, just people get too into it.”

The “Hannah Montana” star goes on to compare people’s obsession with “Twilight” to the public’s fascination with models.

“For me, I think it’s like when guys look at supermodels and they’re like, ‘That’s the perfect girl,’ … That’s what those kind of movies do to us,” she continued. “They’re like thinking that’s what girls should be like and not everyone is going to be Edward, hate to say it.”

Miley might be anti-vampire, but she’s very pro-pirate.

“Johnny Depp is way hotter than Robert Pattinson, for sure,” Miley said when asked about the actor nabbing People magazine’s coveted “Sexiest Man Alive” title.

And if the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star hadn’t been honored with the award, Miley would have liked to see it go to one of her former Disney pals.

“There’s not many things about me that are like a normal teenage girl. But the one like normal teenage girl thing is that I think Zac Efron is the hottest person in the world,” Miley said. “I really, really like him. And it’s weird… it’s weird because he’s my friend. I think also the reason that he is so sexy is because he and Vanessa [Hudgens] have been together since the first ‘High School Musical’ and… I think that’s really cool.”

And Miley said she has no problem mixing it up with other celebs like Zac.

“No, I’m pretty cool,” she joked when asked if she ever gets star struck. “I’m pretty much the coolest person ever… no, I’m pretty cool. I’m pretty much the coolest person ever.”

Is The Alleged Robert Pattinson Stench A Paparazzi Deterrent?

Following his rumored relationship with “Twilight” co-star Kristen Stewart and his dreamy coif, the most talked about Robert Pattinson tidbit is his alleged stench – but according to his co-star, Peter Facinelli, it’s all part of a plan to get a leg up on the paparazzi.

“He’s smart, because if he doesn’t changes his clothes and the paparazzi get pictures of him in the same outfit all the time, then they can’t sell the pictures,” Peter told New York Magazine last week at the Cinema Society screening of “The Twilight Saga: New Moon.”

In fact, Peter said he came up with the aromatic approach to thwarting the snappers.

“That’s what I said he should do; I said, ‘You should not change your clothes, this way, how are they going to sell the picture of you in the same outfit all the time, because it will look like it was from the same batch,’” he continued.

Ashley Greene, who stars as Robert’s sister Alice Cullen in “The Twilight Saga” films, said the plan also keeps rabid Twi-hards at bay.

“You know what, I think maybe out of a defense mechanism, I don’t sniff him,” she said with a laugh.

As for director Chris Weitz, he’s glad that he can always tell when the 23-year-old actor is nearby.

“I can smell him coming, that’s the nice thing,” Chris joked.

Adam Lambert On AMAs Censored Performance: ‘That’s Discrimination’

Even before Adam Lambert’s show-stopping performance at the 2009 American Music Awards was edited for the west coast feed of the awards show, the singer told Access Hollywood’s Shaun Robinson that he felt censoring his performance would be wrong.

“You know honestly, if I offended some people… it’s apples and oranges. I’m not an artist that does things for every single person,” Adam told Access’ Shaun backstage following his racy performance of “For Your Entertainment,” where he simulated fellatio with a male dancer and kissed male keyboardist Tommy Ratliff, who is straight.

“I believe in artistic freedom and expression, I believe in honoring the lyrics of a song, and those lyrics aren’t really for everybody either,” he continued.

And before his performance was edited, he told Access the thought of changing what happened on stage for the other half of the country would be a double standard.

“If it’s edited, that’s discrimination,” Adam said. “I will be a little disappointed because there is a little bit of discrimination going in this country. There’s a big double standard, female pop artists have been doing things provocative like that for years, and the fact that I’m a male, and I’ll be edited and discriminated against could be a problem.”

The singer did admit that an edited down performance would not shock him.

“I’m not going to be surprised that they edit it,” he continued. “People are scared and it’s really sad, I just wish people could open their minds up and enjoy things, it’s all for a laugh, it’s really not that big of a deal.”

Adam said he’s only trying to add a little shock to his show – something many before him have done.

“Shock is fun, shock rock is like something that existed, for example, like in the 70’s, Alice Cooper…David Bowie, you had artists that liked to push the envelope and that’s what made them so fresh,” he explained. “Prince for example, wore a**less chaps one year…I think that surprise is part of entertainment. I think that it keeps people watching its fun, it makes you laugh and it should be that way. And if it made you uncomfortable, maybe I’m not for you.”

Michael Jackson Wins 2 AMAs, Earns Tribute From Janet

Michael Jackson took home two American Music Awards on Sunday night, bringing his career total to 23.

The late King of Pop earned posthumous awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Male and Soul/R&B Artist. Both were accepted by brother Jermaine on his behalf.

“First of all, I would like to thank Allah, for blessing our entire family,” Jermaine said as he picked up the Pop/Rock Male Award. “It’s not just about the winnings, the awards – it’s really the message. The message that Michael had will live forever, and that’s there’s good in everyone. Start with love, and let’s love each other… We love you, Michael.”

Earlier, Janet Jackson opened the award show with a high-energy medley – and payed tribute to Michael in a new song.

Running through “Control,” “What Have You Done For Me Lately,” “Miss You Much” and “If,” she arrived at new track “Make Me,” which referenced Michael’s “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” by borrowing the song’s title for its own lyrics.

The singer looked and sounded strong as she ran through complex choreography in a business-minded brown-and-grey outfit at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles.

Janet then concluded her eight-minute set with “Together Again,” looking heavenward as she sang.

It wasn’t the first time Janet had honored Michael, who died on June 25, on stage. The star also danced to a medley of his hits at the MTV Video Music Awards earlier this year.

‘Twilight’ Stars Attend Charity Screening In Knoxville

Actress Kristen Stewart wanted to make the right fashion statement when attending a screening of “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” in Knoxville.

The 19-year-old star told The Knoxville News Sentinel that she brought two fancy dresses, but they didn’t seem to appropriate for the Tuesday night screening benefiting the philanthropic organization Variety of Eastern Tennessee.

Minutes before walking out before a crowd of hundreds of fans, she changed into a simple black-and-white strapless dress.

The appearance by Stewart and co-star, 17-year-old Taylor Lautner, raised a little more than $440,000 for the charity.