To be a rock star, you need the right songs

Have you been watching Rock Star: Supernova? If the people behind this program want to create rebellious frontmen and women, they shouldn’t force 30-year-old rock ballads or tepid R.E.M. singles on the contestants. This is rock ’n’ roll, for chrissakes. Give those kids some material with punch. Try a few of these songs to get the ball rolling: “Search and Destroy” by Iggy and the Stooges (perfect for singers with a lot of power and a natural sneer); “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” or “Judy Is a Punk” by the Ramones (the former is simple and shows off a good voice, the latter is simple and hides a bad voice); “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath (because it’s got an awesome beat and it’s not “Iron Man”); or “Ace of Spades” by Motorhead (it’ll please any crowd anywhere, and anyone singing it automatically looks more marketable than Lemmy).