Once people get a little taste of fame, it’s hard to pass up. Whether it’s for a stellar acting career or scandalous political prostitution affair, the famous (or infamous) get used to the attention. One way to get more press is to branch off into other areas of celebritydom… such as starting a music career.

However, not everyone should be a musician. It takes a lot of luck, smart business moves and, oh yes, talent to succeed in the music business. As similar as music may seem, it’s not the same as acting or any other part of show business. Some stars should really just stick to what they’re good at.

Nevertheless, this hasn’t stopped a fair share of newsworthy notables from trying their hand at a singing career. This year alone we’ve had some really interesting declarations of musical aspirations. Here are some of the most spectacular of yesterday and today’s celebrities-turned-musicians:

Ashley Dupre: She may not be the most recognizable celebrity, but Ashley is certainly well known. She’s the call girl who had the much publicized affair with New York governor Eliot Spitzer. Now she’s trying to leverage that fame into a music career. Ashley has an album due out next year because prostitution is known for launching the best singers.

Joaquin Phoenix: It doesn’t seem like such a stretch that actor Joaquin Phoenix has musical talent. After all he did sing in Walk the Line. However, that was country music and Phoenix is retiring from acting to pursue rapping. Yes, rapping. If his first performance in Las Vegas was any indication, this is going to be a very, very interesting career change.

Paris Hilton/Lindsay Lohan: I’ve lumped these two together, because… well, why not. They are both famewhores who released torturously released singles upon the world. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. At least Lohan can sometimes be a good actress, but neither of these tabloid darlings should be dabbling in the music biz.

Scarlett Johansson: Admittedly she’s beautiful and a good actress, but these two things do not make a music career. She released the album “Anywhere I Lay My Head,” a collection of Tom Waits covers, last year. It’s no surprise, though, that critics were not impressed.

Eddie Murphy: Back in the day, the stand-up comedian fancied himself a musician and released songs like Party All the Time. If you haven’t heard it, please YouTube it right now.

Bruce Willis: Bruce has a band called (wait for is…) The Bruce Willis Blues Band and admittedly he plays a mean harmonica. However, I just don’t think the masses are ready to accept the star of the Die Hard franchise baring his soul on the good old harmonica.

David Hasselhoff: These days anything having to do with The Hoff just seems funny. But we shouldn’t mock, the Baywatch hunk actually had a hit song in 1989… in Germany.