We’re at it again with a prize-packed, summer-themed quiz covering music and movies — 25 brain-teasers to test the depth of your pop culture brain.

We’ll pick a winner from members who have the most correct answers (check the Official Rules).

Prizes include an iPod Touch (yes, that’s the cool one), a year’s worth of Netflix DVDs, movie tickets, and credits for movie and music downloads.

Have a great summer and good luck!

TAKE THE QUIZ

Yesterday was the last day to take our Ultimate Pop Culture Trivia Challenge and we want to send out a big THANK YOU to everyone who participated. We had over 5,000 members test their knowledge a few dozen pop culture geniuses (or is it geniusii?) got all of the questions correct. We’ll be doing a random drawing next week for a prize winner, so keep checking back for more updates.

We also couldn’t have done this without the help of our amazingly savvy pop culture bloggers who all contributed great questions to the quiz. Still stumped by some of the questions? We’ve posted the answers to the quiz along with all of the participating blogs. Thanks again to everyone… more fun contests and prizes are on the way this summer.

Yes, our launching a trivia contest on April Fools Day might make you think this link will take you to a Rick Astley video, but it doesn’t. Instead we’ve partnered with a few dozen of our favorite pop culture sites and bloggers to build a quiz that sure to please masters of media minutiae.

Another new thing on the site that is no joke is that we’ve upgraded a few things under the hood on our blog, which we think will make it easier to use, share, and, interact with. If there’s a bookmarking site you use that’s not among the links below, just let us know, and we can add it.

We get a lot of email and posts asking about who is really looking at Hey! Nielsen and if all the opinions, comments, and votes are really making a difference. We can tell you that in 2008, as our user base grows (we just hit 50K, yeah!) and becomes more and more diverse, the industry is taking notice and becoming increasingly interested in what Hey! Nielsen members have to say. Just this year, Hey! Nielsen has been a valuable platform for three custom surveys regarding advertising and television viewing: One, a survey of Super Bowl ads, another a survey on a new network TV show, and another on the impact of the writers strike. This is a trend we are dedicated to continuing, where select members of Hey! Nielsen are singled out for their valuable feedback to the industry. So, no only does the general chatter and feedback on the site become a valuable buzz tool for the industry, but additional specific surveys or polls will be another way for your voice to be heard. We recently added a quick poll feature on the site, that we’ll expand over the next few weeks into something that will help us and the industry get a real-time handle on trends and preferences of our tastemaking member base.

Again, we could never promise that posting on the site or taking part in a survey will result in your favorite show being renewed, etc., but the site is gathering momentum as a credible source for feedback to the industry. With more than 41K opinions and nearly 130K comments to date, your input is definitely adding up.

Thanks again for your continued support. We realize there are more improvements to make to the site and we are planning the majority of our 2008 upgrades around the requests of the users.

If you have any ideas for polls you’d like to see on the site, let us know at hey@nielsen.com.

It was a long night but now it’s time to WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!

Thanks to the people who hung out with us online last night rating the ads during the Super Bowl. Your feedback was amazing, insightful, and from the gut. With comments that ranged from “brilliant” to “hilarious” to “racist!” it was certainly not a boring night for ads… or football.

Check out some of the top ads courtesy of our friends at Adweek.

Based on the live votes from Hey! Nielsen members last night, here are the results.
The ads were rated on a scale from 1 (FUMBLE) to 4 (TOUCHDOWN!!!). A few beverage big shots like Bud and Pepsi put a lot of points on the board last night, while some newcomers had some ghastly turnovers! (better luck next time Sales Genie, which finished dead last)… more updates and insights from members on the way. Thanks again to our Super Voters!

The Top 40 Ads Ranked From Most Popular To Least Popular
Brand/Commercial - Average Rating
1 Budweiser: Horse/Dalmatian >>> 3.67
2 Coke: Parade Balloons >>> 3.56
3 Diet Pepsi Max >>> 3.53
4 FedEX >>> 3.51
5 Pepsi: Timberlake >>> 3.50
6 Bridgestone Animals Screaming >>> 3.45
7 Bud Light Fire Breathe >>> 3.41
8 NFL: Ephraim Salaam >>> 3.39
9 Bridgestone: Richard Simmons >>> 3.32
10 Bud Light Cheese Ad >>> 3.31
11 Disney Pixar: WALL-E >>> 3.25
12 Coke: Politics >>> 3.24
13 E*TRADE: part 2 >>> 3.24
14 Planter’s >>> 3.22
15 E*TRADE: part 1 >>> 3.18
16 Budweiser: Flying >>> 3.16
17 Doritos: Human Mouse >>> 3.15
18 Wanted >>> 3.15
19 Tide: Stain >>> 3.14
20 Lifewater: Thriller >>> 3.13
21 Vitamin Water: Shaq >>> 3.12
22 Tmobile (Charles Barkley) >>> 3.08
23 Budweiser: Cavemen >>> 3.06
24 Disney: Chronicles of Narnia >>> 3.03
25 NFL Matt Hassleback >>> 3.01
26 NFL: Get Your Story Straight >>> 2.99
27 Paramount:Iron Man >>> 2.99
28 Budweiser: Will Ferrell >>> 2.97
29 Cars.com (Head Shrink) >>> 2.96
30 McDonald’s Charity Ad >>> 2.96
31 Jumper movie >>> 2.93
32 Microsoft Sync >>> 2.93
33 Audi - Godfather ad >>> 2.92
34 Victorias Secret >>> 2.91
35 Leatherheads >>> 2.87
36 Amp >>> 2.84
37 Toyota Corolla >>> 2.84
38 Ford F150 >>> 2.84
39 Zohan Movie (Adam Sandler) >>> 2.83
40 Columbia Pictures: Vantage Point >>> 2.82

Prior to the Pats and Giants suiting up on Feb 3, we’re hearing a lot of buzz (and some trash talk) about the game and sports in general.

Some people ask, why sports on an “entertainment” site? Well, what’s more entertaining? And the ratings bear that out — especially during playoff time. Technically, the Super Bowl is the #1 reality show out there (sorry Tila Tequila and Donald Trump). Sports is more than just entertainment, it’s ALL entertainment.

The sporting world intersects all six categories (TV, Movies, Music, Video Games, Internet, and Personalities) in Hey! Nielsen’s world. TV of course. Billions watching is safely considered a hit show. With movies, every year there seems to be at least two or three crowd-pleasing underdog films that become classics. The music world and the sports world collaborate all the time (from Da Bears infamous Super Bowl Shuffle to music mogul Jay-Z owning the Nets). On the video game front, the NFL, NBA, and MLB have some of the hottest titles out there and the web is crawling with fantasy sport sites and Monday morning QB bloggers. On the celebrity front, sports stars are among the most followed personalities. Case in point: in New York last week, a limping Tom Brady had more photogs following him than his supermodel girlfriend.

The ads also are a big part of the game, so along with some select Hey! Nielsen members, will be watching the Super Bowl and rating the ads during the game. Check back after the game for the feedback for users just like you (and well, probably some people who are nothing like you… it is a broad sample of members).

Follow more Super Ad Buzz on Nielsen.com and Adweek.com

Before anything is said about our second place winner in the Best Music Blog Contest, I’d just like to take a minute to thank Rock Sellout for pulling me out of the fire once again this holiday season with a post on the best gift ever. Get excited, Grandma, my faithful postal carrier, and the rest of the Hey! Nielsen staff…prepare to rock your way through the New Year.

In addition to having a color scheme reminiscent of my college roommate’s bed spread (which I covet to this day), the diversity of Rock Sellout’s contributers set it apart from the other blogs in the blogroll. With its core staff of six comprised of writers from Sweeden, London, Canada, and three from the US, Rock Sellout offers different points of opinion from around the world on the music blog staples of videos, new bands, and music news. Although they also do have some pretty kickin’ gossip posts thrown in there once in a while too, don’t mention Posh and Becks to them again. Ever.

We asked Rock Sellout’s Kip from Wisconsin to answer a few questions and, thankfully, he obliged.

How/why did you start your blog?
K: I was music editor of a London-based magazine at the time. I was unhappy with the rate things were progressing and decided to part ways with them. I spoke with a friend about starting our own music-based project. He mentioned having the domain rocksellout.com parked and ready to roll…without further thought, I created a blog called Rock Sellout.

We entertained starting a publication at one point, but after interviewing the editor of my favorite magazine (Jack Rabid from The Big Takeover), that idea was quickly laid to rest.

How do you interact with the local music scene?
I maintain the local record store’s Myspace. I also help the manager of the store promote the shows he books. From time to time, I’ll interview local artists and help promote their new releases on Rock Sellout. Currently, I’m writing the bio for a local musician’s press kit.

What’s the next great band everyone should know about?
There are far too many influential bands that people should be getting acquainted with before worrying about the next big thing. Here are a few of our favorites (in no particular order): The Kinks, Big Star, The Jam, The Go-Betweens, Buzzcocks, Gang of Four, Wire, The Undertones, Modern Lovers, Television, Cheap Trick, Redd Kross, Jesus And Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, Mission of Burma, The Replacements, Husker Du, etc.

As far as forthcoming releases to take note of…the new Martina Topley-Bird album, The Blue God, really has a hold on me. It will be released the early part of 2008.

What was your favorite live show this year / ever?
I braved -40 degree temperatures this past February to see Redd Kross at the Double Door in Chicago. That was definitely one of the highlights of the year! Seeing Spoon at Milwaukee’s Summerfest a few days before the release of Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga was also pretty incredible. If I had to narrow it down to one favorite show though, it would have to be seeing America’s garage band, The Fleshtones, at The Eagles Club in Green Bay. If you haven’t experienced a night of “super rock” in your life, you haven’t lived yet.

Favorite show ever? I saw a lot of bands before commercial success knocked on their doors. Those shows always seem to have higher story telling value than others. Seeing Metallica at a supper club in Green Bay in 1985 is one of those shows…seeing Guns n Roses shortly before Appetite For Destruction really took off in a tiny town called Oshkosh is another. The most memorable recent show was seeing The Strokes before the release of their debut at The Metro in Chicago.

If you could add a category to a music awards show, what would it be and who would win it?
The Category? Hottest Female Vocalist
The Winner? Under Byen’s Henriette Sennenvaldt

In your opinion, what was the most overhyped story of 2007?
Constantly hearing about Posh and David Beckham got old relatively quickly, did it not?!

Daytrotter is not your typical music “blog,” but typical isn’t what Daytrotter is about anyway, so it’s members aren’t worried about what you call it. Run by a group of passionate and creative writers, illustrators, and recording enthusiasts based in Rock Island, IL, this collective has quickly become one of the more influential music sites on the web thanks to their ability to attract amazing underground and independent acts into their studios for their “Daytrotter Sessions.” Daytrotter’s Sean Moeller (pictured left.. um, below, not the horse) was kind enough to answer a few questions about the site after being dubbed Best Music Blog by Hey! Nielsen members.

How and why did you start Daytrotter?
SM: Well, it was a quick sort of thing. We got the idea, rounded up one other troop besides myself and went to action. Bought ourselves a little domain with a made up name and then invited Catfish Haven and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin in to record with us. We were green and just hoped we could make something worthwhile that wouldn’t just be wallpaper or a wall flower, but would actually throw a little bit of originality out there onto the endless glowing pages of the Internet machine.

How do you deal with the issue of posting MP3s? What is your policy or agreement with labels, if any?
We don’t have any issues. Basically, we do everything with a gentleman’s handshake. We don’t have bands or labels sign anything. They retain all rights to their songs and it keeps everything friendly. We’re their servants in a way. Daytrotter exists to help these great artists make money doing the things that they do best. If there are ways that we can help them, we’re going to do that and the bands and labels appreciate that and I think they appreciate us. It’s a win-win situation for everyone and in the music industry/world, those situations are rare.

How did the “Sessions” come about?
The sessions were the glue. They’re just one of the things that I hope makes us interesting, but I’d never lie. They’re what make us the most interesting. I wasn’t going to start doing something like this without being unique and yeah, it’s a hard thing to pull off, but it’s been worth the effort. We just wanted to be special and memorable. These four-song sets are also long enough and short enough to give listeners a perfect impression of a band.

How is your point of view different that of some of the more well-known music sites or more established blogs?
I don’t really know how to answer that objectively. My point of view is just to be meaningful and not a part of throw-away culture. There’s too much of that out there. We really just want to help bands exist instead of feeling the pressure to cave and get a real job after two records and five US tours. I don’t like great band fatalities. We are passionate about something in a way that extends well beyond fandom. We’re in the appreciation business, but I want Daytrotter to be legendary — not just part of a roll call — and I think if we can be that, we’re going to help a lot of bands exist and keep on making terrific music.

What do you know about your readers?
We know that we have a lot of diehards who would go to the mattresses for us. They seem to be swell, upstanding people. They’re young for the most part. They’re mostly dudes and we’re trying to change both of those aspects to make it even out a little more. We want some more ladies and we want some more baby boomers on our site. I feel that Daytrotter is a very non-discriminatory little haven. If you’re 18 and checking out Vampire Weekend or 45 and checking out Vampire Weekend, you shouldn’t feel excluded. I just think the music that we put up on the site multiple times a week should be all-inclusive. I think everyone should know who Blitzen Trapper and Mac Lethal are, not just the kids.

What are your five favorite music sites/blogs?
I love Said The Gramophone, La Blogotheque, Gorilla Vs. Bear, Catbirdseat and a bunch of others are tied for fifth.

What do you want to be when you grow up / Where will your site be five years from now?
This is what I want to do and I’m doing it. I’m not all that young (29) and I think I’ve created my dream job. The site hopefully will be as on the tips of tongues as easily and omnipresently as Pitchfork’s. We’ve got some exciting things up our sleeves for 2008 that I can’t talk about them just yet. It’s going to be sick. Get ready.

What were some of the first albums that you bought? Do people buy albums? Do they still call them albums?
I buy tons and tons of albums and that’s exactly what I call them. The first records that I bought were by P.M. Dawn and Boyz II Men. They were great, great records and I need to hunt them down.

What was your favorite live show this year / ever?
This year, it was probably Dr. Dog and Black Keys in St. Louis or Vampire Weekend here in Rock Island at the pizza parlor. Ever, I still have a fondness for the Spacehog show I saw in Peoria. I think it just came at the right time, though I’ve been forever changed by the first show I ever saw — The Meat Puppets opening for Primus. Without that night and those two bands, Daytrotter wouldn’t exist.

If you could add a category to a music awards show, what would it be and who would win it?
No awards show is capable of doing anything for me because even something like a people’s choice award is not being given by people like me. I can’t think of anything. Awards don’t matter. The only award ever worth a damn is best album of the year. It’s what everyone should strive to do.

What’s the next great band everyone should know about?
I’ve got 500: The Deadly Syndrome, Grand Ole Party, The Dodos, Luke Temple, Harlem Shakes, The Subjects, Delta Spirit, Richard Swift, We Barbarians, Plain White Ts, The Teeth and Golden Boots.

More than 1,200 votes were cast for the 99 nominated music blogs (and they say this generation doesn’t vote). Today, after double checking our butterfly ballots, hanging chads, etc., we’re happy to announce the winners as voted on by the members of Hey! Nielsen.

First Place: Daytrotter | interview

Second Place: Rock Sellout | interview

Honorable Mention:
BBQ Chicken Robot
Adam’s World
The World Forgot

Look for interviews and more on these sites next week!

Rounding out the top 20 are more dazzling blogs, who played a major part in not only building up a great music community here on Hey! Nielsen, but also expanding their audience and influence as well. Of course, another big thank you to our friends at Billboard.com and their blog Jaded Insider.

The Best of the Rest in alphabetical order
(this way, everyone can curse the fact that they came in 6th!)

• Arjan Writes
• Brooklyn Vegan
• Confessions of a Music Addict
• Gorilla Vs. Bear
• I Am Fuel, You Are Friends
• Milk Milk Lemonade
• Music Is Art
• Music Ramen
• My Old KY Blog
• Salad Days Music
• The Music Slut
• The Rap Up
• The Sky Report
• The Yellow Stereo
• T-Sides

These contests and events are leading up to something bigger over the next month or so. We’ll be launching some new content sections featuring news, charts, and links to many of the music, tv, and entertainment blogs we’ve featured in the past. Stay tuned.

We’re in the last few days of our first-ever, glad-we-did-it, been-lots-of-fun Music Blog Contest and the votes (nearly 1000 of them) are pouring in. We’ve been enjoying checking in on all 99 of the entrants and have been turned on to a lot of new music just in the last few weeks (and we’re kinda music nerds to begin with so that’s saying something).

We continue to invite you to check out all the entries and cast your vote by rating your favorites! (you have to be a member to vote, but it’s free and you could also win $1,000 this month by taking part of another little reindeer game we’re playing this month!) As for the Music Blog Contest, you have until Dec. 12 to make your voice heard. After the contest is over, we’ll have interviews with the winners and check in with our neighbors downstairs at Billboard’s Jaded Insider.