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New Single Premiere! Adam Lambert Is Here "For Your Entertainment"

Posted Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:11am PDT by Lyndsey Parker in Reality Rocks

After much twitterverse and blogosphere speculation that Adam Lambert's official (i.e., non-2012-affiliated) debut single would be the Pink/Max Martin-penned "What Do You Want From Me," the Kara Dioguardi-authored "Strut," the Muse song "Soaked," or his Lady Gaga collaboration "Fever," the "Glamerican Idol" finally announced this week, via his Twitter, that it would in fact be the title track of his upcoming album, For Your Entertainment. And then, for the entertainment of Glamberts everywhere, he premiered the slinky new tune this morning on Ryan Seacrest's syndicated radio show.

"For Your Entertainment" didn't sound like anything else Ryan normally plays--or like almost anything else on the radio in general, actually. This is both a compliment and curse. I previous described the song, which I sneak-previewed last week, as sort of the quadruple-headed glittery alien baby of Mika, Sam Sparro, Robbie Williams, and Kevin Rudolf...and now, after compulsive repeat listens in my Hello Kitty headphones, I stand by my impressed first impression. The song is three and a half minutes of glowstick-brandishing, disco-stick-wielding, rump-shaking, mojo-oozing, party-starting, floor-filling, life-celebrating, genre-blurring awesomeness:

Yep, pure fun. But let's face it: while Kevin Rudolf has made headway on the airwaves here, Mika, Sam, and Robbie have sadly never received much U.S. radio play. Abfab artists like them and, say, the Scissor Sisters are massive in other countries...but they have continually struggled on these shores. (It seems like only female pop artists--Lady Gaga, Pink, Madonna, et al--are allowed to superflamboyant in America. I have many theories as to why this is, but this is not the space for that tangent.)

Of course, none of those aforementioned acts had the herculean power of the American Idol machine behind them--Mika wasn't beamed into viewers' living rooms for months via the nation's most-watched blockbuster talent show--so Adam does have a distinct advantage here. But it still remains to be seen if America's radio audience will accept Adam as enthusiastically as America's TV audience did. (Especially when he won over the TV audience singing rock classics by Queen, Kiss, and Zeppelin, while this electropop jam is nearly Britney-esque!) Marketing and promoting this uniquely unicornian mythical musical creature--with his penchant for obscure electro artists and rainbow-brite, K-Tel-inspired album covers--will not be easy. Adam Lambert is polarizing. Adam Lambert is not Carrie Underwood.

But Adam Lambert is one of a kind--in my never-all-that-humble opinion, it's GOOD thing that he doesn't sound like everything else on the radio--and his acrobatic vocal skills and theatrical showmanship are undeniable. And speaking of undeniable...this song's funk-pop hook is under-skin-wedgingly catchy. Hopefully radio programmers won't deny any of this. And if "For Your Entertainment" gets the airplay it deserves, then who knows--maybe that'll help break down some programming doors, and even acts like Robbie Williams and the Scissor Sisters might get a few deserved U.S. radio spins someday. Additionally, Adam might be the first American Idol since Kelly Clarkson to be a truly huge star overseas.

And as another plus, the public will probably dig the single's cover--with its interestingly Beyonce/"Single Ladies"-like cyborg glove--more than Adam's oddly controversial album art. People if you dig the song, now put your hands up!

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136 Comments

1. dom -
I NEED TO GROW MORE HANDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i luv luv luv luv luv luv luv luv luv luv luv luv luv luv luv luv luv luvvvvvvvvvvv the single!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =) =)

2. Yahoo! Music User -
I LOVE THIS SONG! Seriously, I am a huge Adam fan but even if I wasn't I would love this song! It is just so damn catchy, he sounds amazing, and the lyrics are off the hook! It is kind of like a better, dirtier, edgier britney song from someone who can actually sing. Which is a VERY good thing. If this isn't played on the radio- with all the crap played on the radio- I don't even know what to say.

3. Yahoo! Music User -
My hand is UP, my booty is skaking, and I can't stop listening to this song. OH, so catchy, OH, I don't know what I'm gonna do, I am entertained. GO ADAM!!!!!!

4. Yahoo! Music User -
HANDS UP!!

Total earworm- super energizing, mood-lifting beats.
Congratulations Adam, so happy for you!

5. Yahoo! Music User -
...sounds like a britney song =(

6. jacqueline l -
I love the song ,thought it was awesome!!!

7. TorontoJane416 -
LOVE this song! It is different from anything else we have heard from Adam but that is not surprise at all. He has been telling us for ages now that he would be bringing back GLAM, sexy dance beats, the 80s, etc. and this is it in spades!!! Can't wait to hear the rest of the CD but if this is any indication, we are all in for a REAL TREAT! LOVE THIS! LOVE ADAM! (Can't stop dancing!!!!)

8. Jd -
Oh I love the subject LOL. He single handedly trolled America, BEST TROLL EVER.

The interview on Seacrest was hilarious, he cracks me up. I love how he wanted the album cover to evoke a response and make people laugh. He doesn't take himself seriously at all which I love.

And the way he showed his mates and they all cracked up and went ONYD lmao.

And I know the first single had to be catchy but I'm glad his album has more rock on it.

I just hope the rockier tracks are not auto tuned and electro lol!

This is a hot track. And the single cover is awesome.

9. Amber -
AS ALWAYS, YOUR ON THE MONEY! I LOVE THE SONG AND I LOVE ADAM LAMBERT!

10. Yahoo! Music User -
from what i watched on the show, i was expecting a more rock sound from him, this pop stuff music is not my cup of tea...go susan boyle! =)

11. rock lobster -
wow. I'm actually really liking this song. Everything a good pop song should be. And it's not over the top like I was expecting. A good dancefloor jam, and great pop radio fodder! Adam has a great pop sensibility, and the songs I've heard so far have impressed me.

12. Teresa -
I cant stop dancing! I love it! The beat wont let you sit still. Its everything I was hoping for and more. Love, love, love it!! :)

13. rock lobster -
btw. I like the single cover more than the album cover.

14. Yahoo! Music User -
hmmm..didn't quite "rock my world"...
I'd have preferred his debut to be more badass rock, more Pink than Gaga, as he sounds "restrained" with his vocals. However if this is what'll be on AMA, I can see that it'd be quite a performance. Still anxiously waiting for the rest of the album...

15. Yahoo! Music User -
Love the cover!!! The song is ok, i wonder how his next single will sound like

16. LisaH -
I LOVE it, although I disagree that it doesn't sound like anything else on the radio these days. I recognize a lot of the elements from other catchy, uptempo pop songs these days. I think that a lot of people predisposed to hate everything Adam Lambert does will like it in spite of themselves (at least before they find out who sings it and pretend to hate it). Can't wait to hear it on the radio!

17. Elin -
Put my hands up,I just love this guy.The single cover will please everyone,its great,but I love that album cover more which is UNIQUE!!

18. Lyndsey Parker -
It doesnt sound like a lot of MALE artists on the radio. Maybe Justin Timberlake comes closest. In the mainstream this sort of thing gets made usually by female pop stars. Men tend to dominate rock and women dominate pop, usually. Time to flip the script.

19. Kymm -
I think Adam is the male star that can break down the radio barrier for male pop stars there just aren't any males who can compete with GaGa and Pink right now and Adam has the musical chops and musical instincts to open the doors for more male artist to move from the shadows and into the spotlight on the pop charts. BTW...I'm over 40 and absolutely love FYE

20. Yahoo! Music User -
I Love the beat, sexy alluring lyrics and Adam. Think it was a good choice for getting more mainstream listeners on board and radio air play.

Will also make a good production number for the AMA's show performance in November. Really like the Single's Cover photo!
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