Burning Question: What the Hell Happened to Adam Lambert's New Single?

There's a saying out here in the blogosphere: If you want to hear from your readers, write something about Adam Lambert.

Well, not really (about the saying being big in these parts), but how true. For weeks, I've been toying with the idea of a blog post called "Why You Don't Know Me Better Than I Know Myself," in honor of Lambert's current single, "Better Than I Know Myself," but I couldn't come up with an opening line. And I couldn't really think of a way to work Lambert's name into the title.

Nothing I write ever gets as many responses as something with "Adam Lambert" in the title. A post I wrote about him for The Faster Times in September of 2010 received 86 comments. And my OurStage Lambert piece, from last December, inspired 18 pieces of commentary.

Those Glamberts are a vocal bunch -- passionate, loyal, and extremely outspoken when it comes to speaking up for their favorite singer.

So where were they on December 20, 2011, release day for his new single, the first from his second album, Trespassing, whose March street date has been postponed, likely due to the underperforming single? The song has thus far debuted and peaked at a dismal No. 76 on Billboard's Hot 100.

Not even the video, launched on February 3, the same day that Madonna featuring Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. sprung "Give Me All Your Luvin'," currently No. 10 on the Hot 100, could reverse its chart fortunes, despite some 3 million YouTube views, still nearly 7 million less than M.I.A.'s "Bad Girls," released the same day.

Though the song, like Lambert's music, for the most part, is not really my thing, the Hot 100 could do so much worse, and currently it is (in the form of LMFAO and anything with David Guetta in the artist credits).

Meanwhile, on February 13, Katy Perry released "Part of Me," her latest bid for No. 1, from the upcoming expanded edition of her 2010 album Teenage Dream (Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection, due March 26, also known as the release date of Madonna's MDNA). Despite its being unbelievably rote, Digital Spy, via Billboard, says it's already on track to sell between 400K and 420K in its first week, a Perry personal best. Look for a Perry vs. Kelly Clarkson duel for No. 1 in the coming weeks.

What does Perry have that Lambert doesn't? For one, an invitation to last Sunday's GRAMMY Awards, where she performed the song. Also, she's a lady, which in pop these days automatically gives you a chart edge. Unless you're Bruno Mars or a rapper, solo male recording artists, especially white ones, get very little love on the Hot 100 these days, no matter how popular they are. Note that Chris Brown didn't sing a note on "Look at Me Know," the sole Top 10 single of his "comeback," and Usher and Enrique Iglesias have had their recent Top 10 successes in conjunction with other artists.

But never underestimate those Glamberts. I have no doubt that they'll turn out in droves to download Trespassing, whenever it finally sees the light of release. And if anyone bothers to read this post -- and have anything to say about it -- it will most likely be them.