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In 2011, Adele dominated Billboard charts – and karaoke joints. According to a survey by a British market-research group, one in four karaoke singers sang an Adele hit last year. Today, we ask the ever important question: Is Adele good karaoke? Plus, more news and trends from the karaoke front with writer Brian Raftery and NYC Karaoke League founder Cullen Shaw.

Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, died yesterday afternoon at the age of 50. Details of his death will not be known until a full autopsy is done. But what we do know is the legacy he has left behind. His career spanned over 40 years, and his musical importance ranks with Sinatra, Elvis and the Beatles.

Joining us in remembering the King of Pop are Chuck D from legendary hip hop group Public Enemy, Brian Raftery, Contributing Writer for SPIN Magazine, and, Farai Chideya, journalist and friend of The Takeaway.

Click through for a transcript.

Twenty-five-years-ago, an upstart from Minnesota shot into superstardom with the release of "Purple Rain," the film and its accompanying soundtrack. The album produced hits like the title track, “Let’s Go Crazy” and its biggest hit, “When Doves Cry.” Brian Raftery is a contributing writer for SPIN Magazine, and he has the cover story on its next issue commemorating Purple Rain’s 25th anniversary. It includes interviews from most of the major players involved in the groundbreaking film and album.

Because of copyright restrictions, we can't show you the real video for "When Doves Cry." Instead, here is Clay Aiken singing the famous song. Yes, this is the problem with copyright law.

To see Dave Chapelle's take on the iconic Prince, watch the video below. (Warning: Some content may be not safe for work. Also, there's a lot of bleeping.)

Soundcheck's series "superfans" continues with a look inside the world of karaoke. Brian Raftery, author of Don’t Stop Believin’: How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life, shares his journey to international sing-along competitions. And Chris Ehrmann, host of the local Karaoke Killed the Cat party, talks about the ...

With the release of Microsoft's Songsmith, seasoned songwriters and amateurs alike can generate canned accompaniment to their own voice (or those of others) with the touch of a button – often to comic effect. Today, Brian Raftery, author of "Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World," and Mike Keller, ...