By Lauren Smith 

   Melodically cascading its way into hearts across America through peoples’ funny bones, Glee has, no doubt, earned a spot in DVR’s across the nation. Viewers are given a 60-minute rebuttal to the success of High School Musical featuring side-splitting wit and music, from every era and genre, which will leave all who listen begging for more.

   Set in a very stereotypical high school, Glee follows members of the school’s glee club on their journey to the all-important sectional competition. Much like High School Musical, Glee follows the star athlete, Finn (Corey Monteith), and the less-than-popular girl, Rachel (Lea Michele), and their forbidden love. It’s your typical Disney Channel plotline thrown into the real world of teenage pregnancy, homosexuality, and the ongoing fight to fit it.

    Led by their sponsor, Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison), who has his own issues involving his marriage and the obvious attraction he feels toward Emma (Jayma Mays), the school counselor, the glee club, eventually recognized as “New Directions,” fights for proper recognition of their talents and resolutions to their typical teenage issues.

   Just in case a hit TV show wasn’t enough, the Glee soundtrack has even been making an appearance on the mainstream music charts. Understandable, due to the musical experience of many of the cast members. Actors Lea Michele, Matthew Morrison, and Jenna Ushkowitz have all had their Broadway days and Kevin McHale was in the boy band “NLT.” Highlighting the power house voice of Amber Riley in several songs, the Glee soundtrack shines a new light on popular songs from the eighties, nineties, and today.

   Glee exemplifies diversity in music. Thirteen year olds across the nation now have eighties power ballads, such as ‘Don’t Stop Believing’, on their iPods and their parents can be found nonchalantly humming “The Thong Song” on their way to work. Glee is taking songs that are twenty years old and songs that are barely a year old and making them equally appealing to all fans of the show. By modernizing the classics and putting a new twist on the modern, Glee songs can be found all over the iTunes Top 100.

   Combining music and comedy in a whirlwind of angst, celebrity guests, and dry humor, Glee has brought to the silver screen something it has never seen before: a show that can be truly enjoyed by all ages.