Katy Perry's Next Album Called 'Prism', First Single Called "Roar"...Maybe

Here's a photo of a gold truck that drove around Los Angeles on Monday with the words Katy Perry Prism on it, and the date October 22, 2013. One would therefore assume that this is a somewhat legit announcement of Katy Perry's post-Teenage Dream album, with its release date...or the mad actions of a loony Katy Perry stan.

Anyway, some site called Idolator also spilled the tea that the leads Prism single is called "Roar" (or "Rawr"), and it's apparently another Dr. Luke/Max Martin/Bonnie McKee concoction. Because there really aren't enough of those, you know?

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It's Justin Timberlake's "Take Back The Night" Video

Justin Timberlake has never masked his inkling for all things Michael Jackson, and with new single "Take Back The Night" — the first from his upcoming The 20/20 Experience - 2 Of 2 (out September 30) — he holds a magnifying glass up to those tendencies.

The song, which sounds not unlike a mashup of "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Off The Wall," probably falls at a 6 on the 1-to-10 JT Scale Of Pop ("Mirrors" being a 10, of course). It's a bit more than enjoyable than "Suit & Tie," with an irritatingly catchy chorus, but overall, it's not really pushing the envelope much, is it?

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Richard X On Annie's 'The A&R' EP, Pet Shop Boys' "Fugitive", Rachel Stevens' "Some Girls

Longtime Chart Rigger sidekick John Hamilton (aka Moogaboo) interviewed Richard X, the producer behind Annie's just-released The A&R EP, among dozens of other massive pop jams, and you can read their chat over at Idolator.

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Lady Gaga's "Applause" Single Cover Art: Talk About Scary Monsters

I'll admit it, I'm very excited to hear what Lady Gaga comes up with when she reaches up her Monster snatch and yanks out new single "Applause" on August 19. But, Jesus — does this broad always have to be so derivative?

The "Applause" single artwork premiered last night via WWD, and she had this to say about it:

"It’s the end of the night after the show. When I look at it I see that there is a longing for the applause. I see that there is a void that is leaking onstage, that the performer is leaking, that the art is sort of becoming something else in front of your eyes. Something more human, something more honest."

All I really see is Bowie.

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UK Chart Roundup: Shitevicii

The UK Top 10:

1. "Wake Me Up" - Avicii *2 weeks*
2. "Best Song Ever" - One Direction *new* 
3. "Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell
4. "Love Me Again" - John Newman
5. "I Love It" - Icona Pop feat. Charli XCX
6. "La La La" - Naughty Boy feat. Sam Smith
7. "Let Her Go" - Passenger
8. "Bang Bang" - Will.i.am
9. "Get Lucky" - Daft Punk
10. "Come & Get It" - Selena Gomez

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US Chart Roundup: Pet Shop Boys' 'Electric' Is Their Highest-Charting Album Since 'Very'

With everything on the Billboard Hot 100 remaining pretty much hooker meat, let's instead turn to the Billboard 200 album chart, where Pet Shop Boys' Electric goes in at #26. Like in the UK this past weekend, the duo have now landed their highest-charting album since Very. Here in the States, 1993 pop masterpiece Very peaked at #20, and eventually snagged a Gold certification.

Electric is now the Pet Shop Boys' seventh of their 12 studio albums to make the Top 40 in the US, and their first to do so since Yes clocked in at #32 in 2009. (It's follow-up, Elysium, made it to #44 last fall.)

Below is the full listing of how the duo's studio albums have charted in America. (Go here to see how they charted in the UK.)

1. Please (#7, 1986)
2. Actually (#25, 1987)
3. Introspective (#34, 1988)
4. Behaviour (#45, 1990)
5. Very (#20, 1993)
6. Bilingual (#39, 1996)
7. Nightlife (#84, 1999)
8. Release (#73, 2002)
9. Fundamental (#150, 2006)
10. Yes (#32, 2009)
11. Elysium (#44, 2012)
12. Electric (#26, 2013)

A job well done with their first outing on their own new label, x2. Now, roll on the tour — I've got tickets to see that laser fest on both nights they're playing in New York.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell *7 weeks*
2. "We Can't Stop" - Miley Cyrus
3. "Radioactive" - Imagine Dragons
4. "Get Lucky" - Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams 
5. "Treasure" - Bruno Mars
6. "Can't Hold Us" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton
7. "Cruise" - Florida Georgia Line feat. Nelly
8. "Holy Grail" - Jay-Z feat. Justin Timberlake
9. "Cups" - Anna Kendrick
10. "Mirrors" - Justin Timberlake

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Lady Gaga's First 'ARTPOP' Single Is Maybe Called "Applause"

Lady Gaga's lead ARTPOP single, out August 19, is looking to be called "Applause" — at least as far as we can surmise from this photo posted last night on LittleMonsters.com — and is said to be produced by DJ White Shadow.

So take that, all you Monsters who thought it was going to be "Burqa."

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