Big Friday in pop music for January. Where were all these people last fall?
ZAYN MALIK has shot right to #1 with his first solo single, “Pillowtalk.” Zayn left One Direction last year. On March 25th he’ll be the first member of the group to have a solo album, called “Mind of Mine.” He’s no Charlie Puth, but Zayn could pull off some success based on his One Direction fan base. His “Pillow Talk” is not nearly as interesting or sexy as Sylvia Robinson’s famous “Pillow Talk” or even the movie with Doris Day and Rock Hudson. But it’s a start. His “Pillow Talk” is a “Paradise and a Warzone.” He needs MyPillow from Bed Bath and Beyond.

CHARLIE PUTH already has hits and an Oscar nomination. Now he has an album, “Nine Track Mind,” which I think has 12 tracks. Anyway. This kid an Elton and a Billy Joel rolled into one. He’s the child they never had. Only, he needs a producer like the late Phil Ramone. One of his songs, “Left Right Left,” sounds just like CeeLo Green’s “F— You.” Whoops! And “Suffer” is a new version of James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s World” via Alicia Keys’ “Fallin.'” But I really love “Dangerously.” And the Selena Gomez duet “We Don’t Talk Anymore” is headed to #1. Puth’s melodies are catchy like crazy, and he has an appealing voice. He also actually plays the piano, I’ve seen it. He may be a keeper.

RIHANNA‘s meshugenah marketing plan continues today with her “Anti” album hitting iTunes after two days of being free — or something– on Tidal. It was also supposed to be free on Samsung phones, but I’ve yet to figure that out. Nothing on “Anti” matches her previous hits, like “The Monster” with Eminem, or “Diamonds.”
ELTON JOHN’s Wonderful Crazy Night shows Sir E. and Bernie Taupin just keep pouring out great music. It’s 45 years since “Your Song.” It’s like a dream. Anyway, “Wonderful Crazy Night,” “Blue Wonderful,” and “Looking Up” are strong hits like the pair’s classics from the old days– I wish radio would just say the hell with it and play one of these tracks. Z100 would be so cool if it mixed in a legacy artist or two with a new record. Elton and Bernie are the template for sophisticated pop compositions. This is a CD worth owning, not just streaming or beaming. It’s out next Friday, February 5th.

Will any of these people unseat Adele? Unlikely. But all good for mid-winter blues.

Paul Kantner was the leader of the San Francisco rock scene in the 60s and piloted (sorry) both Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship.

Their many hits included “Don’t You Want Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit” aka “Go Ask Alice.” He was 74 and died of multiple organ failure according to reports.

Younger people are not going to know Jefferson Airplane because their time ended before the Sixties were over, really. They were an amazing group that represented the psychedelic, Haight Asbury hippie world of San Francisco. Grace Slick and Marty Balin, Jorma Kakounen, Spencer Dryden and Jack Casady were the other superstar members of the original group.

Kantner and Slick had more commercial success in the mid 70s to the early 80s with Jefferson Starship, initially with an Airplane like hit called “Miracles” but then with much reviled top 40 stuff like “We Built this City.” (Everyone has to pay bills, right?)

Kantner and Slick’s many musical collaborations weren’t their only one. They also have a daughter, China, who I am shocked to see is 45 years old! (I remember when she was born.) Kantner and Slick never married, but they were together from 1969 to 1975. Kantner has two sons, as well.

To a New York kid, the Jefferson Airplane was the coolest, along with the Mamas and Papas and Hot Tuna, the Airplane’s spin off group. They were from what seemed like a more distant planet than the British Invasion gang. Promoter Bill Graham was their guru and leader. And you read about it in those days in a folding newspaper called Rolling Stone, which came from San Francisco. It’s been moribund for about 30 years. (But I think of my friend, the late Chet Flippo, their great writer.)

Besides the Airplane hits, Paul also co-wrote “Wooden Ships” with David Crosby. The Airplane recorded their version before Crosby, Stills & Nash. He also wrote my favorite Airplane song, “Today,” with Marty Balin.

RIP, Paul Kantner. At this point, the Grammy show is going to be one long In Memoriam.

Lionel Richie’s Person of the Year gala for MusiCares on February 13th is adding more performers. At this point, the stat studded show could go “All night long,” to quote a Lionel song.

Now joining in are Yolanda Adams, Dave Grohl, Lenny Kravitz, Lady Antebellum, John Legend, Rihanna, the Roots, Usher, Pharrell Williams, and Stevie Wonder; and singer/songwriters Leon Bridges, Luke Bryan, Ellie Goulding, Demi Lovato, Chris Stapleton and Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine.

Jimmy Kimmel is hosting the show, and our pal Rickey Minor is musical director.

The MusiCares Person of the Year is the most important night in the music industry’s year. The NARAS based charity provides emergency medical and living assistance to musicians in need. You can read all about them at Musicares.org. Remaining tickets can be asked about at NARAS or MusiCares.

PS Every year MusiCares has the best silent auction. I’m guessing this year’s will have some David Bowie memorabilia. I’d get there early, that’s all I’m sayin…

Rihanna’s new album, “Anti,” was leaked last night, pulled back, then released again. For free. Or not for free, since it involves a link back to Jay Z’s Tidal streaming service. Once there, you’re asked to sign up for a Tidal subscription.

It’s not worth it. “Anti” is not that great, so this convoluted marketing plan was invented to attract interest. The first single, “Work,” is awful but it’s gone to number 1 on iTunes. I don’t know why anyone’s still paying for it since it’s now “free” on Tidal.

Rihanna has some kind of investment in Tidal, so there’s a pay off for her somewhere in here. The “Anti” release is also supposed to be free for Samsung mobile users. (I’ve exhausted my interest in trying to get the thing onto my phone.)

Going this route excludes “Anti” from going up against Adele and Justin Bieber on the album charts. It’s on purpose. “Anti” is just not thought out properly, and not very exciting. As I wrote yesterday, I don’t know why Rihanna can’t find a good production team. And some guidance. Meanwhile, Jay Z will be the beneficiary of whatever happens here. Score.

What can I say? Bruce Springsteen is 66 years old going on 67. He’s obviously made a pact with the devil. His three hour show with the famous E Street Band last night at Madison Square Garden was a total joy, an exercise in the fury and glory of rock and roll, unadorned, with no gimmickry and lots of Chuck Berry inspired riffs.

It was a total joy, as Springsteen et al played the whole 1980 album “The River,” which is full of little gems you’ve forgotten if you ever knew them– like “Fade Away” and “I Wanna Marry You” and “Crush on You” and “The Price You Pay.” They were lost but now they’ve been found, in addition to “Hungry Heart” and “Out in the Street,” and “Sherry Darling,” the album’s centerpieces.

But the real joy is the set that comes after “The River,” which last night included “Dancing in the Dark,” “Rosalita,” “Thunder Road,” “Born to Run,” and a cover of “Shout” that ended the show. They are the Bruce classics, and the band played them with the same freshness as if they were new. This is band full of commitment, like maybe it’s their last chance. Why? They’re all rich. Why bother? And yet, it’s a miracle. These men and women (Patti Scialfa, Soozie Tyrell) are devoted to their work. “Dancing in the Dark” is 30 years old, but it soars, with Bruce and Patti each pulling dance partners (a la Courteney Cox) from the audience (until Bruce finally kicked Patti’s guy off– enough).

This show had been postponed from Sunday because of the blizzard. The group hadn’t played since the 19th– eight days– and plus, this is New York, hometown. The audience was very eclectic — from “Sopranos” creator David Chase to actress Jill Hennessy to Constantine Maroulis from “American Idol” to former New York Governor Elliot Spitzer aka Client 9. Also, the Garden was at its absolute fullest. Want to see what “sold out” looks like? Every seat in every box up to the roof was filled. Plus, the floor was almost all standing, and they stood, Bruce’s fans, like asparagus stalks. There was no blocked view seating. It was really theater in the round.

And it is theater. Three hours, a bunch of senior citizens don’t sit down, don’t go to the bathroom, take a break. They rock their little hearts out. There are mistakes. Three times Bruce tried to start “I Wanna Marry You,” and had to stop– either he or the band “f—ed up” and he laughed, and they finally got it. They don’t have backing track or backup singers filling in, or AutoTune. It’s just raw, real, genuine. After seeing younger acts recently, I fear it’s the end of an era, too. In 20 years, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will seem quaint.

Shout outs to Steve van Zandt, more and more adding on vocals and sizzling guitar, and Nils Lofgren, who spins around on the stage while slicing chords. Jake Clemons honors his late uncle Clarence, with delicious horn re-enactments. Roy Bittan, Gary Tallent and Max Weinberg remain the heart of this insanely well oiled machine. PS Some nice duets with Bruce and Patti, and a little PDA at the end. Patti is the secret weapon of E Street, the MVP.