I was attempting to describe the similar rhythmic technique used in both songs with my much vaguer “polyrhythmic tremolo.” I have to say that I don’t really think there’s any direct connection between the two (especially since they don’t actually share the exact same pattern) — that, rather, the rhythmic similarity is coincidental / zeitgeistily aesthetic. Those stuttered eighth/sixteenth rhythms are pretty common these days, especially with these trancey synths, which seem particularly well suited for that in-and-out rhythmification.

As for MTV online not being available outside the US, that’s totally wack. I hadn’t realized that before Iván noted it on his blog.

It is true that internet access is becoming increasingly common worldwide — that the digital divide might be closing and, at least in certain places, it might be better to talk about a participation divide. But examples such as MTV & NBC, not to mention individual countries’ filtering policies (e.g., no flickr in UAE?) call attn to other kinds of access issues.

But anyway, the other similarity between “Miss Independent” and “Flashing Lights,” in addition to the points that you made, Wayne, is in the rhythm of the synth. The eighth-two sixteenths, sixteenth-eighth-sixteenth rhythm of “Miss Independent” just seems to be an abstracted version of the synth rhythm in “Flashing Lights.” My blog (http://popularsongsandbreakfastfoods.blogspot.com/2008/11/what-do-i-know.html) has a very sophisticated explanation of all of this.

Also, while on YouTube, I checked out Ne-Yo’s video there (to give it a comparative listen), and I noticed, just FYI, that Universal Music is selling ringtones prominently on the video’s page. This kind of commercial integration is definitely promising, at least insofar as it placates the dying, gnashing major labels, perhaps stopping them from suing every last one of us.

the funny thing is that the video (and attn to the lyrics) introduces all these elements that had never really occurred to me in my hours of driving-listening, wherein i mostly enjoyed the groove and the synths and only really noticed the lines “she’s got her own thing / that’s why i love her.” it’s a very different piece that way.

this raises the legit question, actually, of how much we “let” the video & lyrics (over?)determine the meaning(s) of the underlying track. it’s pretty safe to assume that the video followed the recording of the song (which otherwise might suggest a less crass/literal interpretation of her boss-ness) and that, moreover, the track was cooked up long before ne-yo set these words to it. yes, once it’s so assembled, it is what it is, but i wonder whether this disjointed mode of production doesn’t also justify attending to various parts rather than just the sum?