Radio MySpace. Record stores iTunes. MTV YouTube. Shoplifting LimeWire.

The Internet has taken over the music industry in a way that no one would have ever imagined and it’s showing no signs of stopping anytime soon. It is the world’s biggest radio station, record store, and music channel all-in-one, available 24/7 in the comfort of your own home. Who wouldn’t take advantage of this great opportunity? Amateur recording artists who would be still virtually unknown are now scoring huge record deals because of the worldwide exposure on the Internet. Listeners no longer have to deal with requesting songs on the radio or waiting for MTV to play their favorite music videos when they are all just a click away.

The music industry has simply entered a new generation and their consumers are loving it. As long as the consumers are happy, everything is perfect, right? Wrong. Due to the complete accessibility of music on the Internet, the interest and popularity for it is higher than ever, with iPods, ring tones, and tours making recording breaking profits. But album sales are at an all-time low and are continuing to plummet at drastic rates. Thousands of record stores are closing and thousands of record label employees are being laid off each year. It just doesn’t all add up.

No one has been able to figure out how to transform the huge demand, interest, and popularity for music into record sales. Recording artists are now allowing fans to listen to their entire albums prior to their release dates, hoping that listeners will enjoy what they hear enough to actually purchase the album, but this isn’t even working. Some musicians are trying everything they can such as online-only releases, but the result is simply not enough (just look at Radiohead).

I believe there is way to much of previewing albums on the Internet, specifically MySpace and their “Featured Artist” attribute. The surprise of purchasing an album and not knowing what’s going to come out of the speakers is no longer relevant. People don’t have that excitement and rush on “New Music Tuesday” anymore, the urgency to listen to an album is gone. In addition, I dislike the fact that iTunes allows consumers to purchase individuals songs rather than complete albums. Most people only purchase the popular single and don’t even bother to look at the rest of the songs on the project. For a digital sale, that’s $8.99 the recording artist could have gained if iTunes didn’t carry that feature.

It doesn’t making the situation any better when musicians are giving in to the problem and selling out to hurtful consumer trends. Ringtones are making ridiculously large amounts of money these days and it makes me sick to see “ring tone rappers” constantly being signed to major record labels. They would rather sell one million ring tones rather than one million albums…do they realize how much of a cut in profit that is? Why does sales have to determine the amount of artistic ability in a musician? More and more artists are creating music for the money, not for the love. With record labels in a suffering state, the only option they have is to sign the person who will generate the largest amount of cash, regardless of their innovation as an artist.

On the other hand, many unsigned recording artists on MySpace who create a large fan base for themselves are unable to take advantage of consumer trends because they don’t have a major record label to back them up. With no money to go on tour or release a single on a national scale, opportunities are limited. And don’t even get me started about illegal downloading.

The music industry is a gigantic mess with no one to clean it up. Everything positive the Internet provided has created an even bigger negative aspect. It used to be a privileged to earn a record deal because of an artist’s uniqueness and talent, not because they could make a catchy ring tone. It used to be a privileged for someone to support to their favorite artists and buy their work at a local record store. It used to be a privileged for a fan to make music their life.

Survivor. The pioneer of American reality television. True reality television for that matter, where the contestants are actually placed into their environment and are forced to adapt (Laguna Beach…not so much). It just so happens that their environment may be an isolated island or a scorching desert in the middle of nowhere, filled with suspenseful obstacles, twists, and turns (at least Big Brother gets roof over their heads). Probably the one thing that makes Survivor so attractive is its overly complexed strategy to make it to the top, which may require endless lies and broken alliances along the way (seriously, how much strategy is required for Flavor of Love). Survivor is also one of the few reality television show which allows the players to vote off each other with their own discretion (no need for Donald Trump to fire someone here).

No wonder the series has lasted so long, sixteen seasons and counting with no signs of slowing down in the near future. Unfortunately, all reality television shows tend to loose their creativity and uniqueness after their first few seasons. Impressively, Survivor didn’t fall out of the top-10 viewer rankings until it’s eleventh season, and since then the show has never been ranked higher than fifteen. I gave up watching the show weekly after it’s ninth season, realizing the fact that even though game’s energetic charisma was still present in the actions of its contestants, there was a deep need for something new and fresh. The current season of Survivor, which began on February 7, delivered a concept no one would have thought: two teams, fans versus favorites. Yes!

Die-hard fans of the show have the chance to go against their reality television idols as the past contestants have another chance to become the “Soul Survivor.” I am once again addicted to the series, excited to once again root for my favorite players, not going against themselves, but against an entirely new inexperienced team. With the original content of physical challenges, alliances, eliminations, and even romance, Survivor is undisputed the trend-setter for American reality television. Let MTV ruin their reputation by replacing afternoon music videos with dull reality television shows. I’m happy with my Survivor.

When we think of karaoke, we imagine a bunch of drunk, middle-aged adults singing at the worst of their abilities as if they were trying to be featured on “American Idol” as the next William Hung. Karaoke has become a standard traditional at weddings, bars, parties, and clubs all around the world for its easygoing attitude and fun-loving atmosphere. It is probably the only game were the worst participate get all the praise the best get all the yawns. This surely isn’t the case for hip-hop karaoke.

Starting in December 2004, hip-hop karaoke began as a monthly organized event by Hip-Hop Karaoke NYC at New York’s Knitting Factory. Every month, hundreds of hip-hop heads would crowd the venue and take part in this exclusive gathering. Anyone can sign up prior to the show and have a chance to perform as one of their favorite MCs while being backed up by a DJ and hypeman all on stage. Don’t expect to hear lame one-hit-wonders such as Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby” and MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This.” Hip-hop karaoke specializes in song performances composed the real hip-hop greats from the 1980s to today. There are no gimmicks, no screen displaying the lyrics, just the crowd and the MC. Sounds like real karaoke to me.

Today is the 1st Annual Hip-Hop Karaoke Championships at the Highline Ballroom in New York, featuring 12 of the best participates who displayed there skills in the previous months. Supported by celebrity judges and media coverage, expect tonight’s performances to be something memorable. Recently, hip-hop karaoke events have sparked all around the world, with a local one taking place monthly at San Francisco’s BOCA until the venue closed last year. The ability rap is a gift everyone doesn’t posses, but hip-hop karaoke allows everyone to unleash their inner MC.

Check out the profile for contestant Elizabeth below: