THE #1 SONG 25 YEARS AGO TODAY WAS....

Opposites Attract by Paula Abdul and The Wild Pair. Who were The Wild Pair and why were they played by MC Skat Kat in the video. Was that cat actually into scat? Great mysteries of pop. Anyway, by the time Opposites Attract was released in 1990, Paula Abdul was a superstar and her album Forever Your Girl was H U G E! Opposites attract was the SIXTH and final single from the album and its FOURTH No. 1!! Hot damn! Paula went all out on the video, mixing live action and animation as inspired by Gene Kelly's movie Anchors Aweigh. The video won a Grammy award for Best Short Form Music Video. Opposites Attract took the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 10, 1990 and stayed for three weeks. The song and the video became one of the first big hits of the 1990s. Anyway, here is the #1 song 25 years ago today, Opposites Attract by Paula Abdul.

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JANET JACKSON'S RHYTHM NATION 1814 WAS RELEASED 25 YEARS AGO TODAY

Janet Jackson had a lot to prove. Not only was her brother the reigning King of Pop, she was coming off of her first #1 album, 1986's Control, which had five top 5 singles and one more top 20 single, and she was competing with the likes of Madonna, Whitney Houston and Paula Abdul on the charts. What Janet, along with producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, put together was a concept album about social injustice, racism, substance abuse and poverty. Of course, there was a little fun thrown in there too. The result was the mega-smash album Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814. The name was explained by Janet like this:
"The use of the number "1814" is twofold. First, R (Rhythm) is the 18th letter of the alphabet and N (Nation) is the 14th. The second is that while writing [Rhythm Nation] I was kidding around, saying, 'God, you guys, I feel like this could be the national anthem for the '90s' ... Just by a crazy chance we decided to look up when Francis Scott Key wrote the national anthem, and it was September 14, 1814."
A mix of R&B, jazz, dance music and straight up rock and roll, Rhythm Nation would chart singles for the next two years, have seven top 5 singles, with four of those hitting #1. That is the most top 5 singles from an album EVER. Booming with stylish, black and white, often military inspired music videos, Rhythm Nation took over MTV and the charts starting with the classically Janet track Miss You Much. Released just ahead of the album, Miss You Much rocketed to the top of the Hot 100 on October 7, 1989. The black and white video introduced us to her troop of dancers, the "rhythm nation", and set us up for a barrage of fantastic videos and singles. Rhythm Nation (#2 US) followed with one of the most iconic dance videos of all time, and lead to her third single and second #1 from the album Escapade. Escapade took a more gentle, playful tone and spent three weeks at #1 in March of 1990. Alright, featuring Heavy D, came next, hitting #4 in the spring and #2 with the ballad Come Back to Me in the summer. Janet was back at #1 with the self-written rock number Black Cat by the end of summer. Finally, on January 19, 1991, over two years after the release of the album, Janet revamped her style, her body and the seventh single and fourth #1 song from Rhythm Nation, Love Will Never Do (Without You) hit #1. With that, Rhythm Nation 1814 became the first album to score #1 hits in three consecutive years. Suck on that, Michael! OH, and the album actually had an eighth hit on the US Dance and R&B charts with the promotional release of State of the World hitting #9 and #23 respectively. BAM! Rhythm Nation changed the way Janet was seen, the way women of color were perceived in the music industry and the way music videos were used to promote albums. It was a stellar follow up to a strong album that cemented Janet as more than just Michael's little sister and put here in the big leagues for good. Listening to the tracks today, they still are as fresh and exciting as they were 25 years ago. Take a look and listen below and enjoy Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814.

THE #1 SONG 25 YEARS AGO TODAY WAS.....

.....Forever Your Girl by Paula Abdul. It took a full year for Paula Abdul's debut album, Forever Your Girl, to reach the top of the Billboard album chart and her single Straight Up to make it to #1, but once they did there was no stopping Paula. Hot on the heels of clinching her first #1 song, Paula's record label was eager to capitalize on her new success as fast as possible and released the title track to her album. With a flashy video, some even flashier choreography by Paula herself and a gaggle of adorable kids, including an 8-year-old Elijah Wood by the way, Forever You Girl hit the peak of the Hot 100 on May 20, 1989 and stayed there for two weeks.  It would be the second of four #1 singles from the album. Definitely one of Paula's signature songs, FYG also topped the AC and Dance Music charts in the US and hit #1 in Canada. It's a sweet love song and an 80s classic. Here is the #1 hit from 25 years ago today, Paula Abdul's Forever Your Girl.

HUMPDAY SEXY SONG: MY LOVE IS FOR REAL - PAULA ABDUL

Paula Abdul knows how to turn on the sexy when she needs to, and in her attempted 1995 comeback, she nailed it. Although My Love Is For Real didn't exactly blow up the charts (#28 US) it did prove that Paula could still bring the heat. She DID have Crystal's heat. With a little help from Israeli singer Ofra Haza, Adbul treated us to a full-on Lawrence of Arabia inspired video in which she was the head ho in a harem. Werq! As usual, Paula's choreography is stellar and sexy as all hell. So here is your Humpday Sexy Song, My Love Is For Real.

THE #1 SONG 25 YEARS AGO TODAY WAS.....

....Straight Up by Paula Abdul. Obsessed! I was so into Paula Abdul in the 80s it was crazy. It was almost like I was straight. ALMOST! This song and this album were my life for an entire year, y'all! Straight Up was technically the third single off of Paula's debut album Forever Your Girl (although the first two singles, Knocked Out and (It's Just) The Way That You Love Me were not successful and were re-released after the success of Straight Up) and it took it a while to start getting attention. Released on November 22, 1988, the song took almost three months to climb to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, but when it did it kicked off a landslide of hits for Paula. Also, her album Forever Your Girl gained momentum and, after 64 weeks on the chart, finally hit #1 later that year. Anyhoo, Straight Up also boasted a sexy little dance video that introduced Paula's amazing skills as a choreographer to a broader audience and also highlighted her mysterious relationship with Arsenio Hall, who makes a cameo in the video just weeks after his talk show debuted. Were they or weren't they? Who knows? Who cares? The video, directed by David Fincher,  went on to win won four 1989 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Female Video, Best Editing, Best Choreography, and the first Best Dance Video award. WERQ! There is no denying that Straight Up is a 80s and pop classic hit and it helped change the landscape of dance music and music videos for years to come. Paula, I miss you. Enjoy the #1 song from 25 years ago, Straight Up by Paula Abdul.

FLASHBACK: WILL YOU MARRY ME? - PAULA ABDUL

Two of my nearest and dearest friends, Jason and Michael, got married in NYC this past weekend and it was the FIRST gay wedding I've attended. Not counting mine, of course. It was perfect and lovely and this song kept popping into my head. Paula recorded Will You Marry Me? and released it fromher 1991 album Spellbound as it's fifth and final single. The song hit #19 on the Hot 100, which is pretty impressive for a simple little love song and the fifth song released from the mega-hit album. The video is totally cute too. But the reason it kept popping into my head this weekend, obviously, is because it's unusual in that the girl is asking the boy to marry her. So she says, "will you marry me, boy". Duh! Okay, here is the lovely little tune and I hope it gives you a case of the lovies like I had all weekend. I LOVE MY HUSBAND TOO!!

DIVA DAY: JANET JACKSON, PAULA ABDUL

What can I say about either of these two. The mid-80s were owned by slick, dance oriented pop and nobody but nobody (except Madonna) did it better than Janet and Paula. Of course, it's no secret that a lot of Janet's early moves came from Paula, which in turn gave Paula a shot at a recording career, which she had in spades. From '86 and for a number of years, these two were untouchable. The pop perfection and dance moves speak for themselves. Here are Janet Jackson (The Pleasure Principle) and Paula Abdul

NEW VIDEO: JENNIFER LOPEZ - ON THE FLOOR

We know it debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at #9, her highest debut ever, and now she is gracing us with a video. The song? Eh. The video? Hot!!! Nicely done, Jennifer. Looks like you may have your music career back in gear. Why didn't it work for Paula? Anyhoo, J. Lo is looking better than ever these days. Check out the pimped out video for On the Floor (ft. Pit Bull).

80'S MUSIC VIDEO WEEKEND: COLD HEARTED

Possibly the best non-Madonna 80's video, Paula Abdul really outdid herself with Cold Hearted, an ode to Bob Fosse.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAULA ABDUL!

Straight up, she's 48 today!! The Forever Your Girl singer has become more known for being bat-shizz crazy over the last couple of years, but her catchy pop songs are undeniable. Paula rocked it out for a few years, stacking up six #1 songs (putting her in 5th place for the most #1's by a female artist) and winning a Grammy and two Emmys for her chorogreaphy. Of course, she later did a little show called American Idol. That's when we found out she was crazy as a shithouse rat. Oh well, I still love her. Rush Rush to the videos below and celebrate her all day long. [image]

Paula Abdul - New Music - More Music Videos

Paula Abdul - New Music - More Music Videos

Paula Abdul - New Music - More Music Videos

Paula Abdul - New Music - More Music Videos

FLASHBACK: #1 SONG THIS WEEK IN 1990 WAS.....

Paula Abdul's Opposites Attract. Well, technically it's Paula Abdul with The Wild Pair, and in the video, MC Skat Kat. The single was the 6th, count 'em, 6th from her smash debut album Forever Your Girl. The song went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for three weeks. It was Paula's 4th chart topper from the album. Only three other people have ever had 4 #1s from a single album: Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and George Michael. 80s anyone? Anyhoo, Paula had a few years to go before she hopped on the crazy train, so she was able to put together one of her most memorable videos, a tribute to Gene Kelly's dance with Jerry the Mouse, in which she dances with MC Skat Kat. It's cutesy! Anyway, check out the #1 song from this week in 1990 Opposites Attract.

Paula Abdul - Opposites Attract - These bloopers are hilarious

PAULA ABDUL SET TO MAKE A MILLION

Paula Abdul may not be on American Idol anymore, but offers are still coming her way. According to TMZ, ABC has offered the Straight Up singer a $1 million development deal if she appears on Dancing with the Stars. ABC has apparently been after Abdul forevs to be on Dancing withe Hasbeens and the deal would not keep her from being on Simon Cowell's The X Factor. Paula will have to make a quick desision though because ABC wants her on DWTS thi sseason, which is staring in March. Simon and Paula have already met about X Factor and it's probably a done deal. She may actually be FOREVER your girl Although her "girl" period ended about 30 years ago. Yea for Paula! [source][image]

SIMON COWELL STARTS RECRUITING X FACTOR JUDGES

Simon is keeping it familiar when it comes to looking for judges on his new, US version of X Factor. Cowell is in discussion with both Paula Abdul, his former co-judge on American Idol, and Cheryl Cole, the UK pop star and judge on the UK version of X Factor. The judges on X Factor have a more active role in the process, mentoring the talent themselves through the course of the competition. I wonder how Paula will like sharing the spotlight with the much younger, glamorous and less drunk-all-the-time Cole. I am sure Cheryl will use this exposure to launch her singing career in the US, and SHOULD! Her album is bangin' and deserves some love over here. [source]

SIMON COWELL LEAVING AMERICAN IDOL

Simon Cowell confirmed in a surprise appearance at the Television Critics Association tour that the new season of American Idol, which begins tonight night on Fox, will be his final one. More interestingly, Cowell is preparing to bring his UK show The X Factor over to Fox in 2011. He will be exec-producing and appearing as a judge on the show. Even though the shows are not exactly the same, will you watch the one WITH Simon or without? When the crowd asked Cowell about his plans for his replacement on Idol he stated, “I’m going to suggest Ryan (Seacrest), because he can have another job, he can present the show and judge the show. He just jumps off the stage, into the judge’s chair, and back again. He added,“I don’t know who’s going to do it. I think there are a lot of people who want to do the job now, that’s where it’s different from years ago. What’s important is to get somebody who knows what they’re talking about. That’s the most important thing about these shows.” Simon expressed confidence that Idol will be go on without him despite a poll finding that 60% of Americans said they wouldn't watch without him. X Factor has no age limit and groups can participate, making it different than Idol, but slightly more like America's Got Talent. Cowell like the difference. “Susan Boyle is the biggest example of why I like doing shows with an upper age range,” Cowell said of the now-famous SuBo from Britain’s Got Talent. “She has become the biggest selling recording artist. It’s an incredible story. Hopefully on The X Factor we’re going to meet the American version of Susan." When asked what else they will be looking for on The X Factor, Simon says, “right now, who has the biggest ‘X Factor’ in the world? Lady Gaga. She’s the most influential artist in the world. I would love to find somebody like that.” Simon was also asked if professional hot mess Paula Abdul might be joining the X Factor. “I adore Paula,” Cowell said. “Whatever happens, I will be working with her in some capacity, because I miss her.” Should be interesting to see how these two shows play off each other. They are both on Fox, so there's plenty of room for both to succeed. How much will having Simon make a difference? Who knows. Do you care?

IN HONOR OF PAULA

Since Paula Adbul has unceremoniously replaced my Ellen on AI I though I would pay a little tribute to her with her most uplifting single. Promise of a New Day was the second single from her blockbuster second album Spellbound. It is a great little ditty about hope and courage and all that crap. The video is famous for the elongated screen effect. Some assumed it was to make Paula appear thinner, but you know what they say: to assume makes...you probably right. Anyway, here's P. Ab (not catchy) and Promis of a New Day.

ELLEN IS THE NEW PAULA!!!

[Source]No, she isn't going to become a pop diva with dancing skills of death, she is taking over for Paula Abdul on American Idol. It was announced that Ellen will be sitting on the panel once the auditions are over. Ellen says she is excited about taking over and added, "...think of all the money I'll save not having to text my vote.." Ha. I can't wait to see how Ellen will critique the singers. Will she be funny? Will she be honest? Will she be honestly funny? One thing for sure, she will be a big ol' lez. Yeah!!!