Stand up, stand out and possibly shut up in 2010

The ball dropped, the glasses clinked and someone had their noisemaker privileges revoked for screeching well past the stroke of midnight.

Yes, New Year traditions are quite predictable. However, some say the trends in music for the new year are a bit harder to guess.

I do not like these people.

So out of sheer spite, I have predicted who will stand up, stand out and possibly need to shut up in 2010.

First, I believe Lady Gaga will once again rule in 2010. Whether you’re fond or frightened of her, it cannot be denied that Gaga has paved a whole new path in pop. Want proof? Let’s see how close I would get to Beyoncé wearing what can only be described as some sort of bird nest on my head.

Rapper Drake will also have a promising 2010. He already grabbed two Grammy Award nominations without a full album release. That’s like buying a feast made up of grocery store samples.

However, his host of other mix tapes are proof that he is ready.

With his new album, “Thank Me Later,” featuring heavy hitters such as Jay-Z, Kanye West and Lil Wayne, it is almost easy to forget that he played a wheelchair-bound character on Degrassi, a Canadian teen soap opera ... almost.

But just like the saying goes – the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

I predict that artists like Taylor Swift will take a break this year.

Her new song, “Fifteen,” is scraping the bottom of the pubescent barrel, and it is time for her music to mature. Hopefully, she will heed my warning that being cute can get boring. Or, at least, her alleged boyfriend Taylor Lautner will recognize this and thank me – preferably over a romantic dinner for two.

Someone else that needs a break (and now is legally obligated for eight months to a year to do so) is recently sentenced Lil Wayne.

It’s sort of sad that his trial is passing quicker then his awaiting “rock” album release, “Rebirth,” which has been pushed back since early 2009. Based on what has leaked, it’s not worth the bated breath.

Although tracks like “Drop the World,” featuring Eminem, show promise, the majority of the album is a disappointment.

I would hate to end my column on a sour note; in fact, I think I can hear the sharpening of pitchforks for the Taylor Swift comment, so I should mention that there are some new names that will be thrown around in 2010 – Nicki Minaj being one of them.

She has rhymes that would make Lil’ Kim proud and voice inflections that would concern a psychiatrist.

Justin Bieber will release the second part of his album “My World” in March, which will be sure to make Bieber fever as contagious as the swine flu and to some, just as nauseating.

There’s also Ke$ha, whose single “Tik Tok” has (thankfully) knocked “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus off as the hot party anthem.

Ke$ha’s debut album, “Animal,” is already a hit on iTunes and full of mischief.
I’m sure there will be those who think I’m off on my predictions or that I missed out on some other musical acts. This is probably true.

But I can’t talk about it right now, Kanye and I got to get out of here before the Swift mob finds us.