Let’s get this out of the way first: Mariah Carey’s new single, Obsessed, isn’t any good. At best, it’s expensively mediocre; at worst, it's resolutely craptacular. (LISTEN TO THE SONG HERE) That said, the midtempo putdown, from Aug. 25 release Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, is somewhat interesting, at least from a pop culture standpoint. First of all, it’s a diss track, aimed at Eminem, whose lascivious new cut Bagpipes From Baghdad ripped Carey and new hubby Nick Cannon. Here, the 40-year-old Mimi taunts right back, about Em's drug use, about his out-of-touchness. She adds: "I see right through you like you’re bathing in Windex."

Okay, on second thought, maybe that's not interesting at all. But get this: Obsessed is grotesquely Auto-Tuned, relying on digi-trickery rather than natural talent. Yes, yes, everyone from Cher to Kanye West to Miley Cyrus Auto-Tunes to exaggerated effect these days. But c'mon, this is the ego-rich, octave-spanning Mariah we're talking about here, the woman with more No. 1s than Elvis Presley, besmirching her one true talent (non-booby division). I wanna say Obsessed signals either the end of Carey's career or the end of Auto-Tune. I can't decide which. But frankly, I see rich reward in each.