There’s an interesting dichotomy playing out in radio pop right now. On one end of the spectrum, there’s Lady Gaga, a theatrically minded provocateur who makes each song a statement on art, fashion and politics. On the other there’s Ke$ha, the rapping Los Angeles valley girl who celebrates sex for sex’s sake and sings in celebration of her overworked liver. Critics have embraced (or at least intelligently debated) Gaga, while they’ve largely dismissed Ke$ha outright. But audiences have been warmer. Her debut single “Tik Tok” wasn’t just a hit, it was a bona fide phenomenon, monopolizing the top of the charts for months (and spawning an elaborate “Simpsons” parody), while subsequent singles “Your Love Is My Drug” and “Blah Blah Blah” have proved, to many a critic’s dismay, that she’s not just a one-hit wonder. A trio of DJs open for the pop star tonight, including one ominously christened DJ Skeet Skeet.
Ke$ha
Tonight @ The Rave, 7 p.m.