Music reviews: New singles from Lady Gaga, Avril Lavigne, Jordin Sparks and more

Lady Gaga, ”The Edge of Glory”
Gaga’s inventory of ’80s throwbacks now includes an anthem that could have been swoon fodder for a Top Gun montage. Her voice shines, though Clarence Clemons’ sax gets buried in pop afterburn. B+ — Christian Blauvelt

Avril Lavigne, ”Smile”
Pink took Lavigne’s title as the go-to for potty-mouthed pop angst a while back, which is why this Max Martin-produced shouter sounds a little lightweight despite its crisp uppercut of a chorus. B- —Kyle Anderson

Jordin Sparks, ”I Am Woman”
Though the sixth-season Idol winner tries her best for a female-empowerment dance-floor banger, she fails to launch a revolution with her repetitive beats and puddle-deep lyrics. C+ —Tanner Stransky

David Guetta feat. Nicki Minaj & Flo Rida, ”Where Them Girls At”
Mix French DJ Guetta’s synthy overload with woo-hoo-laced guest spots by both Flo and Nicki. Add sun and sand, and voilà! The ideal early-summer party jam. B+ —Tanner Stransky

Jason Derülo, ”Don’t Wanna Go Home”
Derülo is less an artist than a magpie; he builds his latest on a manic, incongruous mix of Robin S.’ 1993 club classic ”Show Me Love” and Harry Belafonte’s ”Day-O (The Banana Boat Song).” But his knack for picking and packaging shiny bits of pop detritus somehow still works in his favor. B- —Leah Greenblatt

Nicole Scherzinger feat. 50 Cent, ”Right There”
The ex-Pussycat invites Fiddy to frolic on her own personal Scherzy Shore, purring come-ons in a vaguely Caribbean patois; he RSVPs with a laconic ”Yes, please.” B —Leah Greenblatt

Simple Plan feat. Natasha Bedingfield, ”Jet Lag”
Bedingfield lends her shiny pipes to a loud and surprisingly lovely pop-punk pounder about intercontinental relationships. With the next blink-182 album still MIA, this will do just fine. B+ —Kyle Anderson