It was only a matter of time before Korean pop phenom Psy's "Gangnam Style" dance craze, which has become the Macarena of our age thanks to its YouTube-busting popularity, came to Xbox Kinect's Dance Central. Naturally, Psy is in the running for TIME's Person of the Year 2012, with readers invited to weigh in.

How hot are British boy band du jour One Direction? They've got their own toothpaste, and they're taking over New York, with a 1D World holiday pop-up store located in a former Borders bookstore near Macy's and Herald Square. Located at 2 Penn Plaza, the entire pop-up shop is an ode to One Direction, wooing fans with bling and merchandise. And what bling and merch it is.Continue reading...

Coca-Cola pretty much has a lock on Christmas (or at least Santa Clause) as far as brands go. This holiday season, its holiday campaign features a giant Santa puppet and a catchy tune, "Something in the Air," composed by Grayson Sanders.

Does the campaign stand with the brand's iconic "Holidays Are Coming" campaign with its now-iconic festive red trucks, or its more recent "Snow Globes" holiday campaign?Continue reading...

Singer and adidas/Pepsi brand ambassador Nicki Minaj released the official commercial for her Pink Friday perfume, named for her first album, which debuted at #2 two years ago. It's a follow-up to an unofficial commercial that hit the web last month.

Pepsi has been marketing itself as the cola of choice for music lovers for years now, but Coca-Cola has decided to go all out in horning in on its territory this year. For the Olympic Games in London, Coke launched its “Move to the Beat” campaign, which featured Grammy award-winning producer Mark Ronson creating a catchy anthem with British singer Katy B.

Now Coca-Cola is going all-in on the music front by investing $10 million in streaming-music service Spotify, according to the New York Times. Coke, of course, likes to point out its music cred throughout its history, such as sticking its logo on sheet music way back in the 19th century, sponsoring radio shows in the early days, and creating some of the marketing world’s best-known jingles. Prominently displayed on Coke’s site right now is a contest to send lucky consumers to the American Music Awards.

"At Coca-Cola we have long recognized the power of music to connect people around the world," stated Joe Belliotti, Director, Global Entertainment Marketing, The Coca-Cola Company. "As we step up our activation through Coca-Cola Music, we are excited by the innovative music technology platform created by Spotify and the opportunity to create a truly global music network. The potential for this partnership is limitless."Continue reading...

The British Broadcasting Corporation went live on the airwaves with its first radio news bulletins on Nov. 14, 1922. The top news that day: a train robbery and the notorious London fog. The BBC is still an institution, even as the venerable broadcaster is gripped by an ethics scandal, as it marks the 90th anniversary of that first transmission by making another bit of history.

To mark the occasion, BBC Radio broadcast a three-minute collage from Blur frontman Damon Albarn, 2LO Calling, named for the first transmitter used in 1922. It played on every BBC radio channel at 5.33pm GMT simultaneously, reaching more than 80 million listeners on 55 radio stations, the broadcaster's first simulcast since that first transmission.

"The first broadcast by the 2LO 90 years ago marked the moment when radio moved from the realm of the 'amateur enthusiast' to the first proper public broadcasting service in Britain,” said Tim Boon, head of research and public history at London's Science Museum, which is hosting an exhibition about the anniversary that features the device.Continue reading...

One Direction stormed the Today Show this morning, with a concert in NBC's New York digs in Rockefeller Square and news of a 3D concert film slated for next year (directed by product placement foe-turned-champion Morgan Spurlock). Hot on the Heelys of its Pepsi "Live for Now" US TV campaign with NFL star Drew Brees, the band is extending its brand to Colgate-Palmolive toothpaste: 1D Colgate Max Fresh. The collection of three oral care products, available in the U.S. only, is designed "to add some fun to teens' and tweens' brushing regimens," said Philip Durocher, VP and GM of U.S. Oral Care for Colgate-Palmolive. Hopefully fans will be inspired to brush their teeth in one direction (roll that brush, kids!) too.

While Taylor Swift is slightly older, at the ripe old age of 22, she's also quick to embrace novel ways to promote her albums, including partnering with Keds and Papa John's for her latest release, Red. Next up: her mobile app (available in iTunes and Google Play) is incorporating augmented reality so fans can access exclusive content related to Red. By opening the app's AR feature and pointing the device's viewfinder at a still image on the "Red" album cover (and on in-store displays at select Walmart stores), fans will see the images come to life. The app also works on the Taylor Swift Wonderstruck fragrance packaging from Elizabeth Arden.Continue reading...

There’s lots of hoopla going around to celebrate the Rolling Stones turning 50. Concerts are coming up next week in London and in early December in Newark, New Jersey. A new 3-disc, 50-song greatest-hits box set, GRRR!, comes out next week as well. A new documentary about the band, Crossfire Hurricane, is hitting HBO and the BBC and theaters next week, joining another documentary on the band that's now playing theaters, Charlie Is My Darling.

And keep your eyes peeled for the massive Stones coffee-table book. Right about now, you can’t escape the Stones — heck, you can even drink up to Mick, Keith and the boys with a special line of drinks being sold in Japan.Continue reading...