“American Idol” just might save Jennifer Lopez’s music career. Key word: might.

I’m sure Paula Abdul had designs on regaining her pop star status after “Idol” turned into a ratings juggernaut. However, neither of the two singles she released since obtaining her judge-ship performed especially well. However, the musical climate is different now, and Lopez hasn’t been inactive for as long as Abdul was. She’s only a half-decade or so removed from her last hit, and “Idol” is much more of a machine now than it was at it’s outset. Then again, if it can’t make hit material for it’s winners…

J. Lo’s new song is called “On the Floor”, and it’s exactly what you’d expect it’d be-a high energy dance song. It’s produced by RedOne, the guy behind Lady GaGa’s recent string of hits, and it features Pitbull, who’s guested on many recent pop hits even though he can’t sell an album to save his life. Perhaps most curiously-“On the Floor” samples “Lambada” by Kaoma. Folks my age will remember the brief “lambada” craze. The press went crazy over this super-sensual dance that was so scandalous that anyone who participated in it would get pregnant and have a baby that looked like Lorenzo Lamas. OK, I’m kidding about that last part. Sort of.

The song itself is…meh. It’s not altogether unpleasant, but I’d be perfectly fine never hearing it again. The new season of “Idol” starts tonight. I won’t be watching, but plenty of people will be, and I’m sure J. Lo is counting on many of those people to head over to iTunes or Amazon and help themselves to her latest single after they turn their TVs off.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPxLDcvOSwg