If you have any doubt about the power of television in the selling of music and making stars, this story should convince you that there is a definite correlation. Fox's Glee has produced a solid gold successful single.
"Don't Stop Believin'" was the first big song from the pilot, but it's not the only song that has been popular. Seven songs from Glee now occupy spots in the top 200 of iTunes' Top Songs chart. On November 3, there will be a compilation CD of the best numbers from the show, called Glee: The Music, Volume 1.
The "Ask TV Squad" column, published every Wednesday, answers your questions about current and past TV shows, as well as about the celebrities appearing on TV. Every week, I will pick a question (or more) sent to us and provide answers in the column. If your question is not picked for a column, it may be answered in a subsequent column or in TV Squad's APB Podcast. To submit questions to the "Ask TV Squad" column, you can post them below in comments or email them at asktvsquad@gmail.com.
This week, I answer questions about Jamie Ray Newman, FlashForward, Friday Night Lights and Surviving Disaster.
The "Ask TV Squad" column, published every Wednesday, answers your questions about current and past TV shows, as well as about the celebrities appearing on TV. Every week, I will pick a question (or more) sent to us and provide answers in the column. If your question is not picked for a column, it may be answered in a subsequent column or in TV Squad's APB Podcast. To submit questions to the "Ask TV Squad" column, you can post them below in comments or email them at asktvsquad@gmail.com.
This week, I answer questions about Battlestar Galactica, 30 Days, Trauma and how to find titles of songs that played in episodes.
It's been a good week for Barbra Streisand. Her new CD, Love Is the Answer, debuted at number one on the Billboard Top 200 chart, beating out Mariah Carey, Madonna and Paramore. Not bad for a lady who had her first chart-topper in 1964 with People. Well, tonight on BBC America, you'll have a chance to hear Streisand talk about the CD and sing two songs from it as well. Friday Night With Streisand & Ross airs on tonight at 9 p.m. on BBC America, a special edition of the UK talk show starring Jonathan Ross.
(S01E06) It occurred to me while watching Glee that this episode might have been called "When Worlds Collide" because that's what happened. Terri's insinuation into Will's world, McKinley High, was catastrophic on many levels. Sue Sylvester proved again that she has more on her mind than Cheerios and dreams of hovercrafts. More after the jump.
Right on the heels of Ellen being named as the replacement judge for Paula Abdul on American Idol comes this news: she's being sued by various record companies. You know the segment at the start of the show where Ellen dances onstage and often in the audience? Yup, it looks like she's been playing those songs illegally (over 1000 times), and the record companies don't like it.
What's interesting is that the spokesman for TelePictures (they produce Ellen's show) says they've been trying to work with the record companies for months to get a resolution to the issue.
(S04E18) "The most electrifying show yet!" - Nick, about last night's performance show
Nick is right. Last night was electrifying, even if a few acts got X'd. It was one of the best show's we've had so far this season.
As I noted in my review of the performance episode, I expected Jeffrey Ou to lose some votes because viewers weren't able to hear him play the piano in the second part of his acts. But a few of our site visitors said they voted for him because he wasn't given a fair chance.
Will Jeffrey get another chance by moving on to the Top 20? Results coming up!
(S04E17) A lot of you sounded off in comments to my "Results show two" post last week, either to complain about the judges putting through Tony Hoard and Rory over Charles, or to give your two cents about what the show should change when it returns next summer for a fifth season.
One thing is certain; most fans are not happy with how season four is going, and most are pointing fingers at the judges. Sharon and David especially seem to check their judgment at the door when it's time to make certain decisions, don't you agree?
This week, we were treated with the second to last Top 48 performance show of the "greatest talent competition on Earth," America's Got Talent. Most of the acts definitely delivered the goods tonight. Do you think America and the judges will pick the right five acts to move to the Top 20 this week? My comments about this week's performances coming up!
Felicia Day has already proven herself a terrific singer through her role on Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog. Now she's extending her talent resumé via her own project, The Guild, by having the cast of that show appear in a pop video for a song called "Do You Want To Date My Avatar?"; she's also the lead singer. Ms. Day may very well be the next Kylie Minogue.
It's rare for a U.S. production to release a music single in conjunction with a show, however Felicia herself created this show and if she wants to use it to launch her singing career, then more power to her. Why do I envision this group doing a live concert at the next San Diego Comic Con?
How soon before Ms. Day is the star of her own television drama or comedy? Nerd boys: she's hot, she sings and she plays MMORPGs. Admit that you want her. Video is after the jump.
I'm not sure if anyone else in the world is experiencing this, but every time I watch ABC World News with Charles Gibson, something happens that confuses and scares me a little.
During the commercials, the vocal track is completely silent, and all I hear is the music track.
Gleek isn't an alien language or the newest cast member of The Real World. (Though it was the monkey sidekick on Super Friends). It's a geeky fan of Glee, FOX's musical dramedy series. Glee + geek = Gleek.
This works with other shows, too. If you're a geek about Lost, you're a Glost. If you're a geek about Chuck, then you're a Ghuck. If you're a geek about Greek, then you're a...Grreek? OK, so it doesn't always work.
Oh, my. This is just like Christmas! Christmas in July. It's been revealed that Flight of the Conchords will have a new album coming out from Sub Pop Records, featuring music from the second season of their HBO series. It's called "I Told You I Was Freaky."
Despite the fact that season two didn't pack quite the bite that the first did, we're getting "Carol Brown" and "Too Many Dicks (On the Dance Floor)," and that's all that really matters.
I'm always cynical about these studies that show what teens aren't into, but this study was actually done by a 15 year-old, so maybe it's a lot closer to the truth.
He's a intern at Morgan Stanley, and he says that teens today aren't really into TV (beyond watching their favorite shows for a season), they'd rather download music than listen to the radio, and they don't read newspapers at all because it's "wicked stupid." OK, they didn't say that, but they find newspapers too long. They also don't like Twitter. They'd rather update their Facebook page (makes sense - Facebook is more passive, like a web site; you have to really be involved with Twitter).
So this poll is only for the teens out there reading this.
There's good news and there's bad news. You can decide what bits fall into which catergory. First of all, MTV is still on the air and pumping out new show after new show. Secondly, they've announced a new music-related project. This music-related project also happens to be another one of their reality programs. And it features the tween world's favorite Australian electropop-rock twin act The Veronicas.
Well, at least it's not another Laguna Beach spin-off spin-off.
She dreamed a dream, but Susan Boyle's rags to riches attempt to win the top prize on Britain's Got Talent came up just short this weekend.
Diversity, a dance troupe, edged out the Scot on the season's climactic episode. Her seemingly tragic and unjust end seems almost poetically concocted as Boyle sang "I Dream a Dream" for her final number on the show (the same song that stunned audiences the night she appeared on the scene).
But, Boyle was gracious in defeat, offering a nod to the young performers who beat her out: "They're very entertaining. Lads, I wish you all the best."
Her defeat comes after a week of controversy as Boyle allegedly laid into multiple reported victims with expletive laced tirades. Her behavior offered the British tabloid press the perfect opportunity to claim she was cracking under the pressure and was out of her depth as a performer. No one will ever know for sure if that bad press cost her the crown.
If you have any doubt about the power of television in the selling of music and making stars, this story should convince you that there is a definite correlation. Fox's Glee has produced a solid gold successful single. 
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The "Ask TV Squad" column, published every Wednesday, answers your questions about current and past TV shows, as well as about the celebrities appearing on TV. Every week, I will pick a question (or more) sent to us and provide answers in the column. If your question is not picked for a column, it may be answered in a subsequent column or in 
Hmmm, maybe Ellen 
(S04E18) "The most electrifying show yet!" - Nick, about last night's performance show
Felicia Day has already proven herself a terrific singer through her role on 
I'm not sure if anyone else in the world is experiencing this, but every time I watch 
Oh, my. This is just like Christmas! Christmas in July. It's been revealed that 
I'm always cynical about these studies that show what teens aren't into, but 
There's good news and there's bad news. You can decide what bits fall into which catergory. First of all, MTV is still on the air and pumping out new show after new show. Secondly, they've announced a 
She dreamed a dream, but Susan Boyle's rags to riches attempt to win the top prize on Britain's Got Talent came up just short this weekend.
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