HISTORY REPEATING

Speaking of Madonna, after listening to "Revolver," the second new song on Celebration, her forthcoming greatest hits compilation, I'm once again mildly disappointed. Madonna has never been much of a trendsetter, but she's always had a knack for spotting underground trends and bringing them overground. It's a tactic that up through Confessions On A Dancefloor made her music seem evolutionary and revolutionary.

Now she's just cribbing from the mainstream. First, she mimics "Trouble," a bonus track on Britney Spears's Circus album, with "Celebration." Now, with "Revolver, she's borrowing from "Disturbia." It's not that "Revolver" is a bad song. Au contraire. It's sexy and energetic. But it's so very Rihanna. Maybe it's Madonna's way of getting back at Rihanna for stealing the title of her biggest hit, "Take A Bow," and turning it into her own No. 1 hit. If Rihanna had gotten her hands on "Revolver" before Madonna did, no doubt she would have taken it straight to the top. But with Madonna being all but blacklisted from U.S. radio these day, she'll probably have to settle for yet another international chart topper that fails in her homeland. At least we know the video will kick ass.

Madonna "Revolver"


Rihanna "Disturbia"