the buzz log

Friday night, lights will dim and squeals will rise to a deafening pitch. And parents across the nation will wish they owned stock in a franchise called "High School Musical."

If you haven't heard of the Disney Channel's critic-proof hit, you've either been excavating a Paleolithic site or eyeballing cellular mutations in a subterranean lab. Fortunately, Buzz dissected the frenzy spawned by the 2006 original movie, and now we're giving you a quick course in "High School Musical 2," which has soared into this week's top 300 searches thanks to tweens across the nation. Take notes, study up, and hit the musical scales:

• The Crooners: Star Zac Efron, fresh from his big screen "Hairspray" debut, gets as much Buzz attention as co-stars Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale combined. (Heck, he's more popular than Shakira.) Corbin Bleu's cute too (see earlier Bleu notes), but he has only a fifth of Zac's appeal. As for Lucas Grabeel, who plays brother to Tisdale's sugarcoated villainess Sharpay, he barely makes the Buzz grade.


• The Sing-along: The pop-candy "high school musical 2 soundtrack" (+65%) debuted Tuesday, enough time to learn the lyrics (+87%). You should already know "i don't dance" (-6%), and memorize "you are the music in me" (+79%).


• The Pajama Party: Like last time, "high school musical 2 party" is a must. Expect mass girlie gatherings with games(+116%).


• The After-Effect: Buying tickets for "high school musical concert" (+3%) and "high school musical on ice" (off the charts). Plus much spontaneous bursting of songs.