A top 40 playlist usually consists of the usual suspects like Katy Perry and Rihanna. It’s rare but still nice to see something different reach an extra-ordinary level of success like Gotye’s multi-format smash hit “Somebody That I Use To Know“.

I listened to the song last year when it had a couple of million views on YouTube. Now it has over 200 million views. The song conquered every chart including Top 40, Hot AC, Alternative, Top 40, and Dance. It’s next to impossible to predict hits these days, but once in a blue moon, you will come across a song like “Somebody That I Use To Know” and know it will infect the populace. As far as an Australian solo artist hitting #1 on the main Billboard Chart, it happens once in 30 years. The last time Australians were at No. 1 was Savage Garden in 2000, on their way to selling 25 million albums and 15 million singles.

Universal Republic Records EVP of Promotion & Artist Development Joel Klaiman says, “It is extremely rare for this to happen, that a song will top the charts at four formats. This a testament of the power of ‘Somebody That I Used To Know‘ and Gotye as well as the tireless effort of our promotion staff. We are anxious to see what happens next with this truly magical song.”

It’s rare for a song to top multiple formats and it’s also unlikely that an artist writes his or her song today. “Somebody That I Used to Know” was written and produced by Gotye.

Bill Lamb of About.com gave the song the perfect rating of five stars stating, “Pop perfection does not come along often, but Gotye’s ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ is flawless”. He also said that while it is not flashy, the song is memorable and destined to be a classic. Martin Davies from Click Music gave the song five stars out of five and stated that the song is “that rare example of a track that hits you squarely between the eyes”. John Watson, who co-manages Gotye with Danny Rogers, said of the single’s success: “We’ve never seen any song make a deeper or more immediate connection with so many people.

At the end of the day, there is a new #1 single every week, but in Gotye’s case, he wrote a classic.

Madonna mocks Lady Gaga and covers Born This Way mashing it up with Express Yourself.

“Here’s an interesting way to throw shade: months after referring to Lady Gaga’s single “Born This Way” as “reductive” of her own work, Madonna was caught on tape rehearsing a mash-up of “Born This Way” and the song it’s said to very closely resemble, “Express Yourself.” (She’s going on tour this summer.) Madonna didn’t have to work too hard to mash them up–they are, indeed, quite similar–though the final song in the medley is a bit pointed. The rehearsal video concludes with a snippet of the 2008 album track “She’s Not Me,” about a younger pretender who tries to copy the older icon’s style, while lacking her je ne sais quoi” (17)

In many cases, idol winners don’t end up with the American dream. Sanjaya Malakar tends bar in the East Village. Camile Velasco worked at a Subway in Los Angeles. A.J. Gil became homeless. And Jessica Sierra checked into rehab . Find out the rest here.

Madonna producer William Orbit says some of the best songs created for Madonna’s MDNA went to Chris Brown. Orbit first posted an audio link of the first “Ray of Light” mix he did with Madonna after they recorded the vocals and, as he put it, “went berserk with his guitar”.

A Madonna fan, Madonna Express Yourself, then mentioned what a lot of other Madonna fans are thinking: the lack of promo and the way the singles have been released, especially in the UK, have prevented MDNA to reach its full potential. Read more here…

Boston indie rocker Amanda Palmer has been called “the social media queen of rock and roll has raised $250,000 in one day on Kickstarter. In fact, she has surpassed $437,000 from 7,300 backers in just 72 hours. She has more funds for a record a release than a new artist on a major music label.

“Palmer asks people for money, “to promote, mix, manufacture and distribute” her new release. She offers fans incentives for contributing to her effort — like a $1 digital download of her album, limited editions, signed art books, special invites to “backer parties,” even dinner with Palmer and her band. Oh, and hand-written thank you notes, too”. (WBUR)

“Palmer launched her Kickstarter campaign Monday. In the first seven hours it brought in more than $100,000. By day’s end the total was a quarter million, making it the most funded music project on Kickstarter ever. And now the effort is approaching $500,000.”

“I don’t want people to just know me for my clever internet marketing skills and all that,” Palmer said. “I want to focus people back on the music and back on the art that these people are making.”

“The people Palmer is referring to include the members of her new band, the 30 artists who made original works for her world tour, and everyone it will take to pull it off. She has to pay all of them. The entire project will cost a ton, according to Palmer. Likely more than the $400,000-plus raised on Kickstarter so far. Then she added, “We probably haven’t broken even yet.”