Go vote. It's an order.

The Star's new music poll has been uploaded. (Yes, it's right there on the right, at the top of the page.)

So do your duty. Now.

Um, sorry, Chicks ... You lose

So, let it be said.

"Goodbye Earl," the Dixie Chicks' ode to, well, you know, is not the "most notorious" country music song of all time. The Off the Record poll voters overwhelmingly said that's a joke.

Not sure what I'm talking about? Just look at our earlier posts on "notorious" country music songs, and you'll see what's up.

The future of country music

I'm not a huge expert on country music, but I have found a recent post on CMT's Web site to be fascinating.

Here's the intro:

So, are my Chicken Little friends, who say the sky is falling in terms of country music's quality, correct? Do they have a valid argument? I think we should look at the record over several years and compare things before coming to a decision.

It's a great read. Check it out if you care about the current state of country music, as I know many of The Star's readers do.

Download this

If you like to download music, there may be another top-flight option for you soon.

MySpace has announced its new music service, which could allow it to compete with iTunes in this lucrative market.

Read about it here, courtesy of the Wall Street Journal.

Jay-Z's going to the bank

If you happen to know Jay-Z -- really, if you happen to know Jay-Z -- you might want to give him a shout and see if he can help you out with the mortgage payment this month.

He's apparently now a very, very, very, very rich man.

R.E.M lets fans mix their own video

Apparently, this listener interactivity fad has just started. (see post on Radiohead)

Fans can mix their own video for R.E.M.'s new single "Supernatural Superserious." You can choose from 11 video tracks of R.E.M. doing various things around NYC and splice them together.

I've got mixed feelings about all this. Part of the talent of any musical group is their ability to make a complete package to sell to the fans. Letting the fans customize seems like a rip off. Commentary Editor Philip Tutor likened it to Picasso allowing people to rearrange his art.

On the other hand, it's a great way to waste a couple of hours ...

Read the full story here.

If you want to check out the song, here's a non-mixable video of R.E.M playing "Supernatural Superserious" on last night's Colbert Report.

still hangin'

Say it ain't so ...

The original boy band (well, maybe not the actual original that was like the Jackson 5, but at least the 80s version of the original boyband) are getting back together again.

That's right, New Kids On The Block, better known as NKOTB, have put aside their difference, realized their indivudal failures and are reuniting. God help us all.

And it's apparently the whole band - even the little one and Donnie, the rebel, (now better known as Mark, don't call me "Marky" Walhberg's older brother). The whole gang apparently plans to tour and force a new album upon an apathetic public that's finally reached puberty.

Though they promise to do the old material, it's the moves that'll be hard to reproduce. After all, Donnie's an actor and Jonathan Knight (the quiet one) has been a real estate developer for 20 years.

Still, how much fun will it be to watch these now over-40 performers do that weird New Kid Dance?

Read the whole story here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23938704/