Weird Al Yankovic is almost done with his new album. He already has nine songs and he reports, "I've got three more to do."

"I need to write three parodies," Yankovic, who's in the middle of a summer tour, told Billboard.com.

"It's tough because I'm waiting for the right idea to pop into my brain. It coincides with the right song coming out; a lot of tumblers need to fall into place. If I'm lucky I'll knock 'em out when I get off the road and have them out at the end of the year. If not, it'll be next year some time, but I'm hoping sooner."

The American singer-songwriter says that Lady Gaga is "a great candidate", but claims that "I don't want to give anything away. All you've got to do is look at the top of the Billboard charts; that's what I'm looking at, too."

Yankovic released five of his new songs on last year's digital "Internet Leaks" EP, including a parody of T.I.'s "Whatever You Like" and stylistic homages to the White Stripes, the Doors and Queen.

Yankovic's job is said to have "gotten much harder on a number of levels". Singles nowadays make a crossover on societal impact and enjoy the "communal sharing", with popular songs getting parodied.

The artist says that the internet is not always his friend.

"Because of portals like that, I will never again be the only or the first person to parody any given pop song," he explains.

"By the time I'm in the studio recording my parody, 10,000 parodies of that song are on YouTube. It makes it harder to be fresh and unique. It's frustrating, but it does help me step up my game. If I can't be the first and only, I can be the best."