For some of us who were brought up to listen to 80s music on conventional radio, that era will always mean something special to us. Almost every glam rock band in the 80s knew their instruments and with their soaring vocals, lifted our hearts while our feet kept to the quick pace of the beats.

The dawn of MTV also signaled a change of guard when it came to how music was going to be presented with your proverbial VJ throwing scraps of music trivia at us while we watched the slick videos that were made to put faces to the names of music.

(Talk radio was also around but held no fascination like music television did!)

Live performances were also a part of the whole ‘gig’ but television really rocked our world when we were so young and cynicism hadn’t set in as yet. Watching Eddie Van Halen, Nuno Bettencourt, Prince and other bands in action was a treat to watch, and will remain that way for most of us who think that these musicians were at the zenith of their performance.

With the internet really taking off in the 90s or so, another phenomenon has emerged that puts a unique spin on the concept of listening to music. Yes, it is known as streaming radio and this is a service that not only entertains music lovers in a city but all around the world.

Another good place to find out more about 80’s Music is the 80’s Music Forum.

Digital copyrights have become more strenuous than ever these days. Thanks to people dropping mp3s here and there and all over the internet, artists feel robbed of their royalties that would otherwise be earned especially if their music was in the top 40 list.

With the ‘it’s all about the money, honey’ paradigm kicking in for a decade or so now, and with digital music leaving the music industry behind because of their outdated ways, it seems as if music labels are trying to sell records just as they did with 80s music.

However, there is one method of promoting music thee days that is really catching on with old and young alike. There is nothing revolutionary about it except for the fact that people have launched radio stations all over the internet, only requiring a unique web address and some basic software to do so.

SHOUTcast and AOL radio have been the mainstay of streaming radio but with the software requirements to set up your own radio station costing as little as $ 5.95 a month, people are broadcasting their own shows in rapid succession.

Is this good or bad for artists seem to be the question?

To which the answer is: Very good. Just as conventional radio has worked for artists in the past, internet radio will play a much larger role in promoting an artist’s music (without any foul play) to a much much wider audience. So, without further ado, welcome to the world of online radio…

American Idol aired their finale last night. The final came down between Lee Dewyze and Crystal Bowersox. Even tough on the previous night judges seemed to have liked Crystal better, Lee Dewyze won by a margin of 2% in the votes, as Ryan Seacrest proclaimed.

The show also said goodbye to Simon Cowell, who is leaving American Idol to concentrate on his launching of American version of X-Factor. Many funny clips of Simon’s past at the show were aired as a goodbye. Even Paula Abdul showed to say a few words.

The Finale was 2 hours and featured many live performances from past American Idol winners and top 10 finalists, as well songs performed by artists such as Bee Gees, Joe Cocker, Brett Michaels, Alanis Morissette, Janet Jackson, Christina Aguilara and Chicago. Past winers, Kris Allen, Ruben Studdard and Kelly Clarkson also performed their new hits.

“Pants on the Ground” singer General Larry Platt who was in auditions this year also performed. This song became sort of a funny hit, due to it’s catchy hook. William Hung a past contestant who is also a celebrity due to his lack of singing capabilities performed with the General on this song.

Lady Gaga has been working on her third album and is renegotiating a new contract with her record label Interscope. Lady Gaga has had several hit songs, including “Poker Face”, “Just Dance” and her recent hit “Telephone” that features Biance. She has had two hit albums “The Fame” and “The Fame Monster” and sold out concerts. She also recently appeared on American Idol show.It was reported that she demanded $250,000 for the performance, but no one knows if she actually got paid this amount, but it is very likely that she did.

Lady Gaga is trying to negotiate her new deal prior to the release of her third album. Lady Gaga, said the following regarding her new album: “Well, I’m working on it now and I’ve already written kind of the core of it, so I’m just kind of continuing to travel around the world and just make something great. It’s certainly my best work to date.”

I just wanted to post that I found this great George Michael Forum, which also includes his bio, pictures, discography and much more. Check it out at http://www.g-michael.com/