Most importantly, however, is the lineup of new contestants this year who made it through the initial auditions and will compete to make it to the finals.  We all want to know who the finalists will be ahead of time.  Of course, there is no way to find this out without being psychic, so we have to watch and wait.  In order that you will not miss any of the exciting episodes airing this season, here is how it will go:

Several families are considering suing the hospital for their treatment, but a hospital employee explained that it is hospital policy for high profile patients to be sequestered from other patients to avoid chaos and maintain control of the premises.  To many, that sounds like a bad excuse for really bad behavior.  One New Mexico TV provider featured a news story about this on Sunday.

Nonetheless, a new life has entered the world, and we are all happy to welcome Blue Ivy Carter and to congratulate her proud new parents.  No matter how other patients feel they were treated, it’s not the baby’s fault.

Still, Lady Gaga has been influenced by a lot of truly creative people, and sometimes it shows more than others.  She is certainly highly creative and original, but like all people, certain stars have had an impact on her stellar career, influencing everything from the way her music sounds to the way she dresses and wears her generous amounts of makeup.  Want to know who the people are who have helped create Lady Gaga herself?  Check this out:

Here are pictures of the two of them to compare:

Alton Brown made the foodie scene with this witty and comical take on cooking for The Food Network on a show based on his best selling books in the Good Eats series.  He’s also a judge for Iron Chef: America, and has penned many more books since his meteoric rise to fame.  Brown, an outspoken Christian, makes no bones about his faith.  He and his wife and daughter always say grace when dining in public.  Good Eats is the television cooking show Alton Brown is most famous for, and that airs in North America on Food Network. He also brings into his show a science nerd twist, blending the secrets of good cookery with a sort of Bill Nye the Science Guy atmosphere.

So, what do you think?  Do Alton Brown and L.A. Reid resemble one another?  I think so!  I mean, look at the pictures.  They could be twins (well, except for the obvious fact that Brown has more hair.)  Maybe it’s just the glasses, but I don’t really think so.

A home is somewhere that you have a family and have your roots. This song tells about how you can travel all over the world and try different things but when you have done everything that you want to do and don’t know where else to go, the one place that you can always go is home.

Home is one of those songs that you can listen to over and over again. When you are in a good mood and want to to bop your head along with the radio as you are driving down the road this is the song for you to listen to. Or if you are missing your home and are reflecting about all of the good times that you have had this song is also perfect for that situation.

Here’s the music video for Home- Dierks Bentley

Guru earned a degree in Business Administration, though it is not known whether this is a 2- or 4- year degree.
Ashanti  was accepted to Princeton University but never attended.
John Forte attended Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, but left before earning a degree.
Will Smith studied Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Talib Kweli earned a degree from New York University, in the area of Experimental Theatre.
Russell Simmons attended the City University of New York, earning a Harlem Degree in Sociology.
Chuck D  attended Ridenhour Adelphi University briefly.
Dead Prez went to Florida A&M University for some time.
Immortal Technique attended Penn State University but did not complete a degree program.
David Banner earned a Bachelor in Business degree from the University of Maryland and went on to attend graduate school.
Ludacris holds a degree in music management from Georgia State University.

These are all impressive efforts from some of rap and hip hop’s most talented individuals, but I can’t help thinking how few music artists actually finish, or even attempt, college.  It would be especially easy for them to go back and earn a degree now that online degrees are accessible to people regardless of how demanding their professional schedules may be.  Doesn’t it make sense that even successful and glamorous stars should want to pursue academic success as well?  The music industry is always in a flux, and one never knows when the ride could be over when you work in an industry that relies heavily on the fickle moods and preferences of consumers, so having something steady to fall back on just makes good sense.

If you are one that needs some music to go along with all of your moods or maybe your just attracted to the kind of music that makes you feel something inside then emotional music is your preferred genre.  Emotional music is the kind of music that just gets you thinking about life, and makes you put yourself in the situation of the people in the song. Two of my favorite emotional pulling songs are “Concrete Angel” and “Alyssa Lies”.

The song “Concrete Angel” by Martina McBride is a song about a little girl that stands strong through everything that happens to her. Her parents beat her but she still goes to school and acts like everything is okay. As the song says she stands like a stone and is a concrete angel. The other song “Alyssa Lies” is about another little girl that is being abused but she lies to her teachers and friends about it. She finally confides in her  best friend which is the daughter of the one singing the song.

Change by Taylor Swift

Carrie Underwood first stepped into the spotlight on the 4th season of American Idol. She won the competition taking on the title of American Idol. Since then she has produced multiple albums and hit songs.  It all started on March 10th, 1983 when she was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma. She grew up on her parents farm and attended Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. She sang at her church and competed in local talent shows. Carrie was a member of a sorority and a graduate at NSU. She competed in several beauty pageants and took home the title of runner up miss NSU in 2004.

Carrie has released 3 albums so far, although it is still very early in her career. Her first album was Some Hearts, which she released in 2005. It appeared on the Hot Country albums as number one and number two on the Hot 200 albums. Since the release of Some Hearts it has gone platinum 7 times. Her single “Jesus Take The Wheel” maintained the number one position on the Billboards Hot 100 for 6 consecutive weeks. The album consisted of 13 songs. They were: “Wasted”, “Don’t forget to remember me”, “Some Hearts”, “Jesus Take The Wheel”, “The Night Before”, “Lessons Learned”, “Before He Cheats”, “Starts with Goodbye”, “I just can’t live a lie”, “We’re young and beautiful”, “That’s where it is”, “Whenever you remember”, “I Ain’t in Checotah Anymore”.

Carnival Ride was released in October 2007. Carnival Ride sold over 527,000 ,copies in the first week. It quickly became double platnium after only two months. This Album consisted of 13 songs as well, they include: “Flat on the Floor”, “All American Girl”, “So Small”, “Just A Dream”, “Get out of this town”, “Crazy Dreams”, “I know You Wont”, “Last Name”, “You Wont Find This”, “I Told You So”, “The More Boys I Meet”, “Twisted”, “Wheel Of The World”.

Since then she has released her third album Play On. The first single to come from the album was “Cowboy Casanova”. The other songs on the album are: “Quitter”, “Mama’s Song”, “Change”, “Undo It”, “Someday When I Stop Loving You”, “Songs Like This”, “Temporary Home”, “This Time”, “Look At Me”, “Unapologize”, “What Can I Say”, and “Play On”.

Carrie Underwood is a great example that it doesn’t matter where you come from if you strive for something you can reach it.

In this current society, musical artists have more power than even they may know. Whether it be promoting aid for third-world countries or equality for minority groups. They have the ability to shape our culture and even the future of the world. Some realize their influence and use if for good, but some neglect to consider what impact their words and actions may have on people or the world around them. This may sound a little over-dramatic, but music and the idols that create it can influence emotion, and emotion can often promote action.

The rise of social networking sites, file sharing and internet download has increased our ability to share our taste in music and the music itself. They have also become major tools for new artists to promote themselves and their musical style, and current artists to promote their latest work. The most influential artists of our time even use social networking sites to promote their message to the world, to create change and move our world forward or in a new direction. Music and musical artists have no limits in these exciting times, which means they can now influence more people than ever before.

A major use for music in promoting emotion, is its use in movies and TV. Though you may not realize it, a major reason you feel, what you feel, when watching something on screen, is because of the music accompanying it. Composers win awards for their work in movies and TV because, without them, the movies and shows would not be nearly as impressive or impact us to the extent that they do today.

Probably the best thing about music is the joy and happiness it can bring to our lives. Some people say that music has pulled them out of their darkest time and even influenced them to change their lives for the better. A great album can change your view on life and the world. It can bring people together in so many ways, at so many times and in so many different places. Can you remember the last time you attended a fun party or social get-together that didn’t involve some kind of music? Probably not. It’s truly everywhere.

There’s so much to be said about music and the talented artists who create it. The way they make us feel, the changes they influence us to make and the ways in which they bring us together are truly amazing. So share your favorite songs with the world and allow yourself to experience new artists, songs and genres of music, because as far as the eye can see, the possibilities are endless.