Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this. Thankfully, we’ve only had to wait a little less than five months since the American Idol season 8 finale to see the cover art for Kris Allen’s debut CD. A spokesperson for 19 Recordings confirms that the image that popped up on Amazon.com and began to circulate around the Internet last night is indeed the real thing. Armed with that confirmation, I spent a tragic hour of my life analyzing the image to come up with five important lessons about Kris and his upcoming disc. Read on:

1) Kris Allen’s debut album will be self-titled: The absence of any words other than “Kris Allen” pretty much tells you that. (Unless there’s some insanely fine print creeping up in there.) Hopefully, that’s a good indication that the album will reflect the viewpoint of the charming Arkansas musician, and not the focus-grouped will of the 19 Machine. (That we do not want and will not accept, BTW.)

2) Back off, skeezers, Kris Allen is a married man: Yeah, Simon Cowell told him to downplay his marriage during his Idol run. And no, he and his wife only wore those matching red aprons early in season 8 at the request of a producer (click here to hear Kris confirm it himself). But the way the season 8 Idol’s wedding band glistens in the foreground of this memorable shot, you’ve almost got to think it’s a shout-out to wife Katy, sort of a “thinking of you while I’m touring/recording/promoting” love note. Or, well, that’s how my inner romantic chooses to see it, anyway.

3) Kris Allen don’t need no stinkin’ stadium seating: Nope, those metal-lined auditorium chairs don’t look cushy or comfortable, but who sits down during a Kris Allen concert anyway? On your feet, benches!  read more »

Male contestants have dominated American Idol for the past two seasons, but judge Randy Jackson, 53, predicts the upcoming year to be all about the ladies.

“I think I have to give the edge going in to the girls,” Jackson told PEOPLE at the Yahoo! Yodel Studio, one-day music event and yodeling extravaganza on Tuesday in New York City. “We haven’t had a girl winner in a long time and some interesting talented girls showed up [to audition.]“

Jackson promises AI season 9, which is set to debut in January 2010 to be “a very interesting, different season.” One of the biggest differences will be the addition of Ellen DeGeneres as the new, permanent, fourth judge.

” I think Ellen will bring an easy light kind of side to it,” Jackson said. “She isn’t that music aficionado like all of us but I don’t think the panel necessarily needed more of that.”

When you're as over-the-top as Adam Lambert is, your album cover is just as important as the music you're recording. So when a pic taken behind the scenes of his album photo shoot leaked over the summer, the glam rocker was disappointed, particularly because the photo — showing the singer in a rubber-and-sequins getup — instantly became a target for snarky gossip sites.

"It's funny, because when you take something like that out of context, it kind of looks silly, like the Michelin Man," Lambert told MTV News. "But in context, in the set that we had, which you didn't see in the leaked photo ... it works."

Lambert confirmed that the much-blogged-about Michelin Man outfit is, in fact, one of the looks fans will see in Lambert's CD artwork and said it definitely fits in with the bigger picture of what he's going for. "[The look] was supposed to be kind of high-fashion, avant-garde 'space,' and I think it works really well, actually."

To the makeup artist who leaked the photo (along with sneak peeks of Lambert's fashion-forward eye accessories and a spiky leather jacket), Lambert sarcastically quipped, "Thanks a lot for leaking it."

David Archuleta Christmas CD was released Oct 13th. Not sure about the sales, but isn't there enough Christmas CD out there. How about we put out original music instead. I get real tired of all these singers trying to cash on n the holiday by singing holiday classics.

Fox has announced Carrie Underwood will have her own two-hour Christmas variety special, tentatively titled “Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special.” The special will air on Fox Dec. 7.

Special guests already lined up for the holiday extravaganza include Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley, and fellow “American Idol” alum David Cook, according to MTV. Simon Fuller, creator of “American Idol,” will be the show’s executive producer.

Underwood will perform holiday classics, her own hits, and music from her upcoming album “Play On,” out Nov. 3, reports Billboard. Along with musical performances, the special will feature comedy sketches written by “Seinfeld” and “Frasier” veterans.

Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi, Ellen DeGeneres, Simon Cowell

American idol season 9 is suppose to start sometime in January 2010. The exact date has not been anounced. New Judge Ellen DeGeneres will be on hand to give her opinion. It should be an interesting time. We will have to see if Ellen can take teh focus off her and be able to keep it on the contestants. I am also curious to see if Simon and Ellen duke it out. Can't wait!

American Idol's Adam Lambert and Paula Abdul are set to reunite. Lambert will join Abdul and others to announce the American Music Award nominees on Oct. 13.
Idol's Lambert has soared in popularity since the hit Fox show ended in May. Lambert, whose wide vocal range, stage persona and flashy fashion statements, have made him the next big thing in music, is set to release his first-album on Nov. 24.
Lambert also has a song, "A Time For Miracles," which will be released next month, and will appear in the doomsday movie "2012." Lambert is working with 4 Non Blondes' Linda Perry, the woman behind much of Pink's success, and other top songwriters/producers on his album. Lambert keeps his fans up-to-date with frequent Tweets on his Twitter account.

The rescue-dog residents of Linda Blair's Acton-based WorldHeart Foundation recently got a big boost in the form of a $30,000 donation from none other than "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell.  According to ContactMusic, Cowell learned from a mutual friend that Blair's shelter was having financial problems and quickly pitched in to aid the nonprofit, which rescues and re-homes needy dogs including many often considered hard to place, like pit bulls and pit mixes.

Ellen DeGeneres is preparing for her 'American Idol' stint by critiquing ex-contestants.

The US talk show host - who replaced Paula Abdul as a judge on the talent series - has a collection of DVDs of past auditions which she watches with wife Portia de Rossi.

A source told the National Enquirer magazine: "Ellen and Portia have been watching old seasons on DVD to see how the judges interact with contestants and audience."

Ellen, 51, has also enrolled on an online course to improve her knowledge of music.

The source added: "Ellen wants to live up to the high expectations."

Ellen is thrilled to be taking part in the show, and has already assured fans she will be championing their opinions.

Allison Iraheta, the rockin’ red head from Season 8, has released the first single off her debut album. The song is called “Friday I’ll Be Over U” and it is a fresh and catchy track that shows off Allison’s personality. She’s been hard at work in the studio putting the finishing touches on the album, due to arrive in stores and online on December 1st via 19 Entertainment and Jive Records. Allison paired up with some of the best writers and producers in the industry including Max Martin (who worked on Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone” and “Behind These Hazel Eyes” and many other popular hits), Howard Benson (who has worked with Kelly Clarkson and Daughtry among others), and Kevin Rudolf (singer of “Let It Rock”). For more information, visit www.AllisonIraheta.com.

Season 5 finalist Mandisa has been nominated for a Gospel Music Channel Music Video Award. Her nomination is in the Contemporary category for her "He Is With You" music video.

 The voting for round one ends today, Thursday, October 8, and the top six videos in each category will be up for another round of voting, which will begin on Monday, October 19. The top videos will be revealed in January.

“He Is With You” is off of Mandisa’s sophomore album, Freedom. Released on March 24, 2009, Freedom reached #4 on the Hot Christian Albums chart and #4 on the Top Christian & Gospel chart. “He Is With You” was released on March 3, 2009 and reached #28 on the Hot Christian Adult Contemporary chart and #32 on the Hot Christian Songs chart.

Good luck, Mandisa!