Sideshow: Another banner year for Adele

Tirdad Derakhshani, Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted: Saturday, December 15, 2012, 3:01 AM

British warbler Adele continues her reign over pop music, according to Billboard mag, which on Friday proclaimed her the top artist of 2012.

Billboard also said that Adele's diamond album, 21, which came out in February 2011, is the top album of the year. (The "diamond" designation is music talk for an album that sells 10 million or more units.) Adele repeated in both categories.

The top three songs of the year are "Somebody That I Used to Know," from Gotye, "Call Me Maybe," from Carly Rae Jepsen, and fun.'s "We Are Young." Adele is also Billboard's top female artist. Drake is tops among male artists, One Direction the acme of new artistry, and Maroon 5 is top group. Drake ran R&B/hip-hop, Taylor Swift captured country, fun. ruled rock, and Don Omar lorded it over Latin.

Keys: Parenthood is a joy

Alicia Keys named her son Egypt after a life-transformative trip to the African nation. Turns out the 2-year-old has been as soul-making as his namesake. "Being a parent has made me more open, more connected to myself, more happy, and more creative," Keys tells Scholastic Parent & Child mag. "I'm more discerning in what I do and how I do it. It's just made me a better person all the way around."

Keys, who is doing p.r. for her interactive storytelling app, The Journals of Mama Mae & LeeLee, says her son's quite the young singer. "We're always singing together," she says. " 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,' 'The Hokey Pokey,' 'Happy Birthday,' and we like one of my songs, 'New Day.' That's Egypt's favorite."

Katie Holmes' body of work

Katie Holmes has been crowne! d Fitness mag's 2012 Hottest Celebrity Body, verily an exalted honor. "This Broadway star and . . . [tough] mama keeps her shape in check with frequent Soul Cycle classes," the mag notes. Other prize winners include Blake Lively (best legs), Michelle Obama (best arms), and Jennifer Lawrence (best curves).

From the News Desk

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Tidbits 'n' pieces

MTV has named One Direction its 2012 Artist of the Year. Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" is top song. . . . A collection of letters by Peanuts creator Charles Schulz expected to fetch between $250,000 and $350,000 failed to sell at a New York Sotheby's auction. . . . Sotheby's did better with a famous musical instrument: The piano Dooley Wilson's character Sam used to play "As Times Goes By" in the classic pic Casablanca sold for $602,500. . . . Model Marisa Miller and husband, music producer Griffin Guess, on Thursday welcomed a son, Gavin Lee Guess.This article includes information from Inquirer wire services. Contact "SideShow" at sideshow@phillynews.com.