Viva La Resolution

And while the record industry is straightening up its act, EW will make a few resolutions of its own:

-- We will not pick up the phone and order one of those TV-marketed boomer-rock anthologies. We own all those songs already.

-- We will solve the mystery of why people buy collections of wrestling-show music in such large numbers.

-- We will watch a little less VH1 Classic and get out more.

-- We will stop trying to figure out which bands are emo and which aren't.

-- We'll get our vision checked, since we've spent the last few years straining to read the way-way-teeny print in CD booklets.

-- We will keep an open mind about Guns N' Roses' impending ''Chinese Democracy'' album, despite its repeated delays, the canceled tour dates, and Axl's cornrows.

-- We won't laugh too derisively when Britney Spears inevitably makes herself over as a Pink-influenced ''rocker.''

-- We will lay off easy targets like aging boy-band members and focus our attention on worthier objets de ridicule: the forthcoming albums by all those ''American Idol'' finalists.

-- We'll give Shakira the benefit of the doubt that she has something legit to offer and isn't simply the most careerist belly dancer the world has known.

-- We won't spend any more time wondering why 12 people are credited with writing Jennifer Lopez's ''Jenny From the Block.'' (Was rhyming ''told ya'' and ''Oprah'' so hard?)

-- We also won't make cruel, insensitive jokes about her gushy ''Dear Ben'' should their marriage plans not pan out. On second thought...