Music Power Rankings: Mariah Carey comes out on top over Carly Rae Jepsen

1. Mariah Carey: Mimi is confirmed as Jennifer Lopez”s replacement as a judge on “American Idol” for a reported $18 million payday. Production may have to shift to midnight to meet this night owl”s schedule, but she is a great choice. Britney Spears feels underpaid.

2. Carly Rae Jepsen: As “Call Me Maybe” spends another week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the longest running No. 1 by a Canadian female (even Celine!), Jepsen gets some sweet, watery love from the U.S. Olympic swim team.

3. Emeli Sande: She”s already a star in the U.K., but her performance during the Olympics” opening ceremony kicked her from “bubbling under” to “next big thing” status in the U.S. Welcome the new “It” girl (If you didn’t see it since NBC cut it out, check it out on the web).

4. “The Voice”: Whoever is booking the mentors for the talent contest deserves a thumbs up and for everyone to turn their chair around in approval. Should “The Voice” ever decide to spin off another edition, it”s got your new set of coaches right here: Mary J. Blige, Michael Buble, Rob Thomas and Billie Joe Armstrong.

5. Universal Music Group: It moves another step closer to finalizing its acquisition of EMI after EMI”s chief Roger Faxon details what the company will sell off in order to meet European Commission approval…and it”s a lot.

6. Jason Aldean:
Is it selling out if you change the name of the beer you”re already giving a free plug to in your song to one that will pay you money to name it instead? In 1992, yes. In 2012, it”s called good business.

7. Elton John:  Reg Dwight tops the U.K. charts for first time in more than 20 years with “Good Morning To the Night,” his collaboration with Pnau, an Australian electronica duo he allowed to play with his catalog.

8. Nas: Life is truly good for the rapper as his newest set, “Life Is Good” becomes his sixth to top the Billboard 200 and his ninth to top Billboard”s R&B album chart.

9. Madonna: The Material Girl is having a tough time of it. Even after the live streams for free an intimate show from Paris, fans complain that the concert wasn”t enough. For someone who has always loved to court controversy, between getting called out for the swastikas, the guns and the flashing, maybe she”s finally realized that not all press is good press, even when they spell MDNA right.

10. The Jackson Family:
Really? Haven”t Michael Jackson”s kids been through enough. Take it off Twitter, take it out of the public arena. I know it”s never really been required of you, but act like adults.

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