Will Breaks Bread With Gloria Estefan

Two great Latinos!

The Taylor Top 40 Songs Of 2011

At last, cool cats... the year 2011 in music. Since 1980—geez, more than 30 years—I've conjured the Taylor Top 100 each passing year, though admittedly in the past few years as I've discovered fewer and fewer new songs that tickle my audio fancy, I've downsized to a crisp Top 40.

In the past, I've also come up with exhaustive lists of the Top Albums, Artists, etc. Again, not so much anymore. All the same, the good in 2011 was absolutely superlative. And so...

Top Singles Artist: Much like the rest of the world, Adele was my year's chieftain goddess, manning the No. 1 TTT song of the year, "Set Fire To The Rain." Originally, the Moto Blanco Edit ruled, but by year end, the single edit and April's live performance on the U.K. Graham Norton Show were equally beloved, so I stripped off any specific version. Adele also delivered the No. 3 song, the heartbreaking "Someone Like You," which I remain convinced she wrote just for me; as well as No. 11's Lenny B Remix of Billboard's 2011 No. 1 song, "Rolling in the Deep."

Top Singles Artist, Runner-Up: Lady Gaga made a stellar showing this past year, with the most entries of any artist in the year-end countdown, at five: No. 5 "Born This Way," No. 12 "The Edge Of Glory (Sunshine Radio Edit," No. 19's playful "The Lady Is A Tramp" with Tony Bennett (his first appearance ever on a year-end tally), No. 22's "Judas" and "Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)," a sweet pop song obviously recorded before Gaga found her true grit.

Top Male Artist: While Darren Hayes made his best showing ever on the TTT at No. 2 with the maudlin "Black Out The Sun," Matt Zarley's three singles propelled him to masculine glory on this year's countdown: No. 9 with "WTF," No. 17's "Forgive Me (For Not Forgiving You)" and "Change Begins With Me" at No. 26.

Best New Artist: 4Q entry Christina Perri's haunting break-up songs hit me upside the head (thanks to Donna Mae intro'ing), with oh-so-dark "The Lonely" at No. 6 and equally commiserative "Jar of Hearts" at No. 15. Already in 2012, her "A Thousand Years" is scoring points.

Sheena Easton made a profound impact on the year's top 40 with vintage hits "You've Learned To Live Without Me" and "To Anyone," both top entries on my fall post-breakup playlist "Cry Baby." "You've Learned To Live Without Me" improved its original showing as 1995's No. 53, catapulting to No. 7 for the year; while 1991's No. 22 "To Anyone" encored this year at No. 38. Sheena also gets props via the No. 24 kitschy "beautiful music" version of "Morning Train" from Paul Mauriat.

While Celine Dion has not recorded anything new in years (new English and French projects are due in 2012), she scores a top 10 appearance with her stunning encore performance of "The Prayer" Live in Central Park with Andrea Bocelli.

Best Album: Sorry, there's really no such thing anymore... In good faith, I cannot claim that a single long-play project worked me in 2011.

Worst Singles of the Year: Much easier: "Just Can't Get Enough," a typical piece of horse dung from Black Eyed Peas; "Super Bass" from no-talent harlot Nicki Minaj; and "Party Rock Anthem" from LMFAO. Sadly, the latter novelty act had the last laugh, with this gruesome dance-crap loop finishing for 2011 at No. 2 on Billboard. I deem it the year's "Macarena," a song that fans will be ashamed of liking a year from now. *

And now... the 2011 Taylor Top 40
 1. Set Fire To The Rain—Adele
 2. Black Out The Sun—Darren Hayes
 3. Someone Like You—Adele
 4. Price Tag—Jessie J f/B.o.B.
 5. Born This Way—Lady Gaga
 6. The Lonely—Christina Perri
 7. You've Learned To Live Without Me—Sheena Easton
 8. Daze—Beu Sisters
 9. WTF—Matt Zarley
10. The Prayer (Live in Central Park)—Andrea Bocelli & Celine Dion
11. Rolling In The Deep (Lenny B Remix)—Adele
12. The Edge Of Glory (Sunshine Radio Edit)—Lady Gaga
13. I'm Into You—Jennifer Lopez w/William Levy
14. Summer Rain (Almighty Radio Edit)—Matthew Morrison
15. Jar of Hearts—Christina Perri
16. Last Friday Night (DJ Mike Bass Mix)—Katy Perry
17. Forgive Me (For Not Forgiving You)—Matt Zarley
18. My Heart Is Broken—Evanescence
19. The Lady is a Tramp—Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
20. Love Is A Losing Game—Amy Winehouse
21. Moves Like Jagger—Maroon 5 f/ Christina Aguilera
22. Judas—Lady GaGa
23. Grenade—Bruno Mars
24. Morning Train—Paul Mauriat f/Sheena Easton
25. Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)—Lady Gaga
26. Change Begins With Me—Matt Zarley
27. It's Not Goodbye—Laura Pausini
28. World Keeps Turning—Sylvia Tosun
29. I'm Not Ready—Michael Bolton & Delta Goodrem
30. Best Thing I Never Had (Mike Dre mix)—Beyonce
31. Sleeping Satellite—Kim Wilde
32. Please Stay—Westlife
33. Above All—Sylvia Tosun
34. Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart—Alicia Keys
35. Say Hello To Goodbye—Shontelle
36. Goodbye Girl—Rumer
37. California King Bed (Goon Rock Remix) Edit—Rihanna
38. To Anyone—Sheena Easton
39. Boys Do Fall In Love (Long Version)—Robin Gibb
40. Heartache All Over The World (Megamix)—Elton John

Smoking Nun August 2011 Daily Feature Poll: And The Results Are...

Last month, we posted a poll on The Smoking Nun in the interest of evolution.

For the past several months, I've enjoyed posting a morning NYC Vintage Image of the Day, along with our weekend Model Perfect hot guy feature, the usual photo journal, occasional features about music and rants & raves about pop culture, politics, the dismal economy and so on...

In our poll, we queried about whether there was any particular interest in one of three daily features: NYC Vintage Image, Hot Guys or a Smoking Nun take on Radio & Records. There wasn't. At all. Over the course of three weeks, 26 unique votes were cast.

Radio & Records garnered 17 votes (65%), NYC Vintage 12 votes (46%), and Model Perfect: Hot Men tied with the riveting option of "Other," with 2 votes each. A combo of all fostered 4 votes (15%).

And so the results are... fuck it. As you can see below, the most popular posts on The Smoking Nun over the past month—aside from a legitimate review of Darren Hayes' new single "Black Out the Sun"—are about Rodiney Santiago and William Levy. I'll be taking a moment now. What the hell am I doing here?

The World Can Turn Again: William Levy Shaves Head For Film Role

We've been in a near state of apoplexy since our beautiful William Levy shaved his beautiful head last week, seriously impacting his beautiful face. Well, we can all breathe again, the flowers can bloom and the world can resume spinning on its traditional axis: Levy is preparing for a movie role.

He's been talking about moving past his telenovela roles (including current Triunfo del Amor) for some time, and alluded to a role in which he is playing a boxer.  He will also begin filming the flick Mares de Dios (Sea of God) in November. 

“For my fans who don’t like the new look, no worries it will grow back soon,” Levy said in a Twitcam interview, making me blush, because I'm certain he was looking me directly in the eye. “I must confess that I love this new look because I no longer have to brush my hair or wash it.” He also whispered to me with a giggle, "People will take me more serious as an actor now that I’m bald.”

As for the ongoing rumors that he had an affair with Jennifer Lopez, whose music video "I'm Into You" he starred in, Levy says JLo was “very professional. Jennifer is an adorable girl." Then he winked. I blushed again.

'American Idol" Finale... LIVE BLOG On The Smoking Nun...

What am I thinking? I intended to Tivo tonight's finale of American Idol, and watch it when I was drunk some other time... but curiosity killed the pussy. As I work at the laptop, I've decided to watch live... and why not write to my cool cats as we go... This could be painful, but "Thiiiiiiiiis is American Idol!!"

8:01 p.m. Ryan Seabreast is claiming that a world record was set with over 122 million votes "last night." What world? What's the context?

8:03 p.m. Final two Lauren Alaina is from Chattanooga, Tenn., and Scotty McCreery from Raleigh, N.C. I had no idea both were rednecks. God, the South has already risen again!

8:05 p.m. The 13 Season 10 finalists are singing Lady Gaga's "Born This Way." I thought Up With People disbanded in the late 1970s. I feel like I'm at a bad contemporary Christian concert... This is so sad.

8:08 p.m. After suffering through that, during the first commercial break, I was happy to discover that I'm stocked with gin and soda. Who could possibly endure this sober? Cheers!

8:11 p.m. Judas Priest is performing with some girly loser finalist named James who obviously idolizes Guns N Roses. Wow, Rob Halford is bald... I thought all rockers wore wigs to the grave...
 
8:16 p.m. They're showing a montage of Randy Jackson saying "in it to win it" 500 times this season, proving he's had nothing new to say in a decade of AI. "We've got to get you a new writer," says Seabreast, who, ironically, has never had a spontaneous moment on the show. Pot calling kettle black, so to speak?

8:18 p.m. A really queeny guy named Jacob is singing with gospel great Kirk Franklin. And here's Gladys Knight... For some reason, Jacob keeps singing lead, as if anyone gives a shit.

8:24 p.m. I'm clueless. Jack Black is singing southern rock with some ugly finalist... Notice how every celebrity guest has a new movie or something of the sort coming out within the next week, which Seabreast is eager to share with the viewing audience? Obviously, that's how Idol convinced name brands to humble themselves by singing alongside a troupe of amateurs.

8:34 p.m. The 13 female finalists just performed an anemic montage of Beyonce hits... and now she's onstage... yes, Beyonce... obviously, terrified/mortified that Lady Gaga has stolen her thunder. I sniff desperation.

8:41 p.m. The Steven Tyler montage. The best thing that's happened to AI. He truly breathed new life into a franchise that has no business maintaining its presence in pop culture. America must be awfully bored.

8:43 p.m. Some really tall finalist named Haley is singing with Tony Bennett. She's quite good. This is the best performance of the night. She's a real talent and seems to be having a fine time with the legendary vocalist. This is a good moment.

8:46 p.m. JLo montage... pretty cute... I'm kind of having a fond moment with Jennifer Lopez... after all, she employed William Levy for new music video "I'm Into You," which, if they'd excise Lil Wayne, is quite the catchy pop number.
8:49 p.m. TLC performs... with some of the generic female finalists. T-Boz sounds good singing "Waterfalls"... though I'm convinced is as much a lip sync as during the group's heyday.

8:52 p.m. I'm finally hearing one of the two finalists "in it to win it." Tim McGraw is singing No. 1 hit "Live Like You Were Dying" with Scotty McCreery. Tim is hot, as always. Scotty is not only more unattractive than in the pics I've seen, but boy, Tim McGraw could fit that little runt in his shirt pocket, huh?

9:02 p.m. I can't image how Marc Anthony managed to secure a solo spot... Well, I'll be, there's his wife Jennifer Lopez onstage shaking her booty. I've mentioned this a time or two: JLo is not a dancer... not much of a singer... She's real pretty and fun to watch in romantic comedies, but I'm a tad embarrassed for her dancing beside her talented man.

9:06 p.m. Finalists are bitching about being eliminated. I'm getting more gin... Perfect timing, as the eliminated guys sing. That first guy is really cute, but the falsetto... ugh, shades of Justin Bieber... We were doing okay with "What's New, Pussycat," until switching to Scotty, whose country warbling breaks and cracks to irritating effect; he thinks he's showing off his persona, but that is sim immaturity.

9:14 p.m. Tom Jones is singing "It's Not Unusual." There will be no better moment than this on television this decade... all 10 seconds... 

9:16 p.m. At risk of ruining my reputation, you would not believe the great salad I've made for myself. With three kinds of lettuce, I've added mushrooms, fresh eggs, cheese, green peas and carrots and—showing my southern roots—a pile of Thousand Island dressing. Mmmm, mm, good!

9:22 p.m. Ford just gave some cars to teachers and to the two finalists.We're going waaaay downhill.

9:23 p.m. And just like that, the trajectory shifts. It's Lady Gaga, for real, in the flesh, performing her stellar new single "The Edge Of Glory" absolutely live! Happiness! (Damn, this salad is good.)

9:31 p.m. Finalist Lauren really shouldn't dare to sing Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats"—with her, for god's sake. There's really no comparison to Idol's season four victor, huh?

9:37 p.m. Beyonce gets a second shot to sing her new single, "Girls (Who Run the World)," which has already proved a flop on the singles chart, peaking at a tepid No. 33. Considering the fact that the dreary ballad has no chorus—and, of course, the fact that she is as shrill as ever—could it be that the beautiful girl with little talent has finally peaked?

9:42 p.m. U2 sang a song from their disastrous Broadway Spiderman show. Man, I love peas in salad.

9:56 p.m. Steven Tyler sings "Dream On." That was cool. Salad done, more gin, stat! This is going on forever, isn't it?

10:02 p.m. Well, shit, they're announcing the winner NOW... I thought this was going to drudge on for two hours. The winner is... Scotty... just as I predicted earlier today. Oh, he just had to thank the Lord, didn't he? He's singing what I suppose is the "winning anthem," complete with steel guitar and enough country elements to make it absolutely, utterly, wholly, unmistakably clear that he is a southern-fried singer.

Boy, with this kid's star presence, it's clear to me he's going far... as a manager at Applebee's... Yet another American Idol victor with absolutely no musical future... Isn't it time for this show to quietly call it quits? They've not produced a sustainable winner since Jordin Sparks, four years ago.

William Levy With JLo 'I'm Into You' Video Teaser!!!!

The full-length video for Jennifer Lopez's new single "I'm Into You" debuts on "The Today Show" May 2. Meanwhile, here's a quickie sexy preview of the pair. All I can say is... ooooh laaa laaa.

William's Levy's Music Video With Jennifer Lopez: New Pics!

New pictures have been released of William Levy's hot music video shoot with Jennifer Lopez for her upcoming single "I'm Into You." The video will be unveiled May 2 on NBC's The Today Show!

William Levy Stars In New JLo Vid 'I'm Into You'

Jennifer Lopez's upcoming music video for single, "I'm Into You," featuring Lil' Wayne, will co-star the sexiest man alive, William Levy, as her love interest! The multi-talented actress and singer lensed the clip near a historic pyramid last weekend in Yucatán, Mexico.

She sent a Tweet to fans saying, "Maybe if I have a really hot guy in the video, nobody will notice that I can't sing or dance, and that listening to Lil' Wayne is kind of like sticking pine cones up your behind. Ha ha."

Okay, I made up the quote. But Levy's presence will be mighty real, cool cats. Better than sloppy joes and french fries!