MTV News |
- Grammy Nominations Special: Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift Lead Pack
- Is Chris Brown's 'Famous Girl' About Rihanna?
- Alicia Keys Joined By Jay-Z For World AIDS Day Benefit Concert
- Allison Iraheta Was Free To Do 'My Own Thing' On <i>Just Like You</i>
- Susan Boyle Beats Adam Lambert, Rihanna For <i>Billboard</i> #1
- Jay Sean Throws A Block Party For 'Do You Remember' Video
- Kristin Cavallari, Brody Jenner Predict Who Would Win 'Hills' Girlfights
- LL Cool J Says Grammy Concert Will Be 'More Flavorful'
| Grammy Nominations Special: Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift Lead Pack Posted: 02 Dec 2009 07:38 AM PST Jay-Z, Eminem and the Kings of Leon also score nods during a star-studded telecast hosted by LL Cool J.
The nominees for the 52nd annual Grammy Awards were announced Wednesday night (December 2) in Los Angeles, with a star-studded telecast/concert headlined by Nick Jonas (and his brand-new band the Administration), the Black Eyed Peas and Maxwell, but that paled in comparison to the names that scored noms. Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Jay-Z, Eminem, Drake, the Kings of Leon and Green Day were just some of the artists who landed early Grammy nods Wednesday night — the full list of nominees was posted on Grammy.com following the telecast — setting the stage for a very big night Sunday, January 31.
Leading the pack of early nominees were a trio of ladies, Beyoncé, Gaga and Swift, who each landed nominations for Album, Record and Song of the Year. The Black Eyed Peas' massive "I Gotta Feeling" picked up a pair of nods, for Record of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody" scored noms for Record and Song of the Year; the Best Rap Solo Performance category pits Jay, Eminem and Drake against one another; and Green Day will face off against U2 and the Dave Matthews Band in the Best Rock Album field. Hosted by LL Cool J — who kicked the night off with a medley that mixed his biggest hits ("Mama Said Knock You Out," "I Need Love") with some soon-to-be-nominated songs (Gaga's "Poker Face," B's "Single Ladies") — the telecast also featured big-ticket performances from BEP, who did "Feeling," accompanied by a video featuring Adam Lambert, Timbaland and Chris Daughtry singing along to the chorus, and Nick Jonas, who unveiled his new project the Administration and growled his way through a strummy, rootsy tune called "Who I Am," while his brothers Kevin and Joe looked on approvingly. Maxwell, who scored a Song of the Year nom for his "Pretty Wings," paid tribute to the late Michael Jackson with a stirring, soulful rendition of "The Lady in My Life," off his iconic Thriller album, which won an astonishing eight Grammy awards in 1984. The 52nd annual Grammy Awards will be broadcast live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, January 31. Grammy nominees announced during Wednesday night's telecast: Album of the Year Record of the Year Song of the Year Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals |
| Is Chris Brown's 'Famous Girl' About Rihanna? Posted: 02 Dec 2009 01:13 AM PST Song's lyrics certainly seem to address Brown's split with Rihanna.
While their albums are being released just weeks apart, former couple Chris Brown and Rihanna have been making similar promotional rounds recently, with both talking about his February assault on her as well as their LPs. And based on a listen to one of the songs on Brown's upcoming effort, Graffiti — which drops on Tuesday but is available on MTV's The Leak right now — it appears the 20-year-old singer may be speaking much more explicitly about their relationship in his lyrics than he has in the interviews he's done to date. Given the attention surrounding Brown's attack on Rihanna and his subsequent guilty plea to felony assault in June, it's not surprising that emotions and turmoil from the incident would spill into the albums, as Rihanna has said of Rated R. And while much of Graffiti is devoted to Brown's typical come-ons to the ladies, the old-school-style R&B track "Famous Girl" features a string of provocative lyrics that had blogs and fans chattering as soon as it debuted on The Leak on Tuesday. After making a reference in the second verse to Young Money rapper Drake and the rumored romance between him and Rihanna ("While we're on Drake/ Say that you're the best he's ever had") — a romance Drake was quick to deny — Brown alludes to "rumors coming" and says he "knows what you keep in shadow." The singer gets more explicit in the chorus, when he croons, "Since I thought I found my woman/ There were other guys who thought the same thing about it/ Like damn, you let me down, down, down/ 'Cause you're famous, girl, for breaking hearts." Given the public nature of the couple's breakup and Brown's reluctance to discuss what happened on the night of the assault or what led to the breakdown of their relationship, he gets surprisingly detailed in the second verse, when he quotes a Keri Hilson song ("Keri would've said my love knocks her down"), then nods to Keyshia Cole and Beyoncé tunes with the line "Keyshia would've told me I was sent from heaven/ Sorry, B, I don't wear no halo"). He also seems to suggest that violence between them went both ways ("You were the first to play the game, though") and appears to fess up to a reported earlier violent incident in which he allegedly smashed the window of a car the then-couple were driving after a heated argument ("Sorry I bust the windows out your car"), in this case Jazmine Sullivan's "Bust Your Windows." Elsewhere in the song, Brown admits, "I might have cheated at the beginning," and cryptically says, "I was wrong for writing 'Disturbia,' " a seeming reference to the Rihanna track of that name, which he co-wrote. He then sings (referencing one of his own songs), "But I meant it in 'Forever'/ We were supposed to be together/ And I can't let you go." He also later owns up to that fact that "Yes I'm famous, girl, for breaking hearts ... didn't know I'd break your heart." Brown has not yet discussed the song publicly, but he appears to come to grips with the ugly split near the end, when he sings, "Many hearts we should have left unbroken/ Empty words are better left unspoken/ Too much pressure, I wish I was frozen/ Seems we lost our way/ Now I hope you're happy being famous, girl." A rep for Brown had not granted MTV News' request for comment at press time. Rihanna has said that a number of the dark songs on her Rated R album deal with the "roller coaster" of emotions she felt in the wake of Brown's assault, referring to the disc as her "mini-movie" for its display of raw honesty and vulnerability. And, she too appears to make direct reference to their relationship on songs like the Ne-Yo-penned "Stupid in Love," on which she sings, "I still love you, but I can't do this/ I may be dumb but I'm not stupid." Related Artists |
| Alicia Keys Joined By Jay-Z For World AIDS Day Benefit Concert Posted: 02 Dec 2009 07:25 AM PST Between hits and new songs at New York show, the singer spoke about the impact of AIDS in Africa.
Alicia Keys made sure her fans didn't forget about World AIDS Day this year. On Tuesday, the singer played a special concert at the Nokia Theatre in Times Square in support of the millions impacted by HIV and AIDS, with proceeds going to Keys' Keep a Child Alive foundation. She performed previous hits, new tracks from her forthcoming album, The Element of Freedom, and most notably was joined onstage by Jay-Z for her final song. When the show began promptly at 8, two video screens that lingered beside the venue's golden chandeliers lit up and showed Keys walking through the backstage corridors. Wearing a dark leather jacket, silver-accented jeans and a matching belt, the singer arrived to an applauding and camera-flashing audience.
"How y'all doing tonight?" she asked the crowd as she began with her first number "Love Is Blind," a new song included on her upcoming LP. Two dancers dressed in white accompanied the singer as she displayed her impressive piano skills. Then, following a festive remix of "Karma," she took time for a chat with her hometown audience. "Today we are celebrating the beauty of us coming together, you know? That's why I'm so glad you're here with me tonight," she said before proceeding with a spoken monologue similar to that from the video for "You Don't Know My Name," eventually leading into the 2003 hit. The show continued on with fan favorites, such as "If I Ain't Got You," "Superwoman," "No One" and "Fallin'," but Keys shined brightest while performing "Diary" with fellow R&B singer Jermaine Paul. During the vocal acrobatics of the song's bridge, Keys' vocals complemented Paul's tender tone, which received an uproar of praise from the audience. One single light lit Keys, hunched over on a stool in the middle of the stage, as the pounding drums of her new single "Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart" began. Fans were also treated to another new power jam, "Distance and Time," which finds Keys singing about the anticipation of a lover's return. Aside from her string of hits and impromptu talks, Keys also announced a new contest. More than halfway through the show, she discussed how her 2002 journey to Africa impacted her life. In the hopes that the same will happen to others, she's inviting five lucky people to accompany her on her next trip to the continent. She encouraged the audience to text a number displayed on the backdrop behind her to donate $5 to her Keep a Child Alive foundation and be entered to win the contest. Fans can also enter Ending her hour-long set, Keys started "Empire State of Mind, Part 2." She sang her way through the number, encouraging the New Yorkers in the theater to join along and wave their hands. And just as the mood was set, none other than Jay-Z walked onto the stage. The crowd cheered, and in that instant, Keys' charity concert ended with bang, while the fans continued to chant "New Yorrrk!" The show, sponsored by American Express, was sold out in minutes. Fortunately, those who didn't get tickets were able to experience the event via the singer's official YouTube channel, where video highlights of the show are now available. Related Photos Related Artists |
| Allison Iraheta Was Free To Do 'My Own Thing' On <i>Just Like You</i> Posted: 02 Dec 2009 05:46 AM PST 'I am happy with every single song on the album,' the 'American Idol' finalist says of creative control on her debut.
The road to post-"American Idol" glory is paved with cautionary tales, perhaps none more cautionary than that of Diana DeGarmo, the runner-up during the show's third season. One of the youngest — and most talented — "Idol" contestants, she was inked to RCA Records in 2004 and released Blue Skies, a glossy pop album she had little creative control over (in a recent interview, she complained that RCA ignored her suggestions about songwriting partners almost entirely) and one that effectively ended her career. It debuted at #52 on the Billboard 200, then, without the benefit of a hit single, quickly disappeared. Nearly five years later, it has sold fewer than 200,000 copies, and DeGarmo is starring in an off-Broadway production of "The Toxic Avenger."
It was a fate that many "Idol" fans feared would also befall Allison Iraheta, last season's fourth-place finisher. After all, like DeGarmo, she was young, spunky and preternaturally gifted (in ways that could easily be mishandled). And based on early reaction to songs like "Don't Waste the Pretty," it looked like those fears were about to come true. But, as it turned out, everyone has learned a thing or two about artistic freedom since the days of DeGarmo. "They didn't really send me a list of songs [for this album]. ... What they would do was send me a number of songs, and from that group of songs, I'd be like, 'Well, I like that one, I don't really like that one, why are you sending me that one?' " Iraheta told MTV News on Wednesday (December 2). "It was a lot of that, and we worked around that, and it all worked out perfectly. I am happy with every single song on the album, I can't stress that enough." The songs on Just Like You (which hit stores Tuesday) play to Iraheta's strengths — namely her big, brassy voice and perky, punky attitude — and, as such, there's an air of authenticity to the whole thing. Add to it contributions by Kara DioGuardi and Pink (on the song "No One Else") and Max Martin (on first single "Friday I'll Be Over U"), and you have an album tailor-made for her. So far, "Idol" fans and critics seem to be onboard, which means Iraheta is well on her way to passing her first obstacle on the path to success: She's stayed true to herself. "Yeah, when they sent me 'No One Else,' with Pink's vocals on it, I was like, 'How the hell do you want me to top that?!?' It was very intimidating. ... [But] it was inspiring, and I just got into the studio and did my own thing," she said. "I'm having so much fun now, because this is what I want to do, this is what I'm aiming for, so it's even better that I'm young, because I have a longer way to go." Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Susan Boyle Beats Adam Lambert, Rihanna For <i>Billboard</i> #1 Posted: 02 Dec 2009 09:26 AM PST I Dreamed a Dream sets records in a week of highly anticipated debuts.
"Britain's Got Talent" runner-up Susan Boyle is exactly the kind of Christmas present the beleaguered music industry has been looking for. In a season that typically provides a plethora of button-bursting mega-releases, Boyle's I Dreamed a Dream will smash sales records on the way to a #1 debut on the Billboard 200 chart next week.
According to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan, Dream moved just shy of 701,000 albums in its first week on the charts, which gives Boyle the 2009 sales crown in the U.S. over Eminem's Relapse, which sold 608,000. Boyle also topped the record for the highest debut by a female solo artist in the SoundScan era, Ashanti's self-titled 2002 debut, which held the previous record at 503,000. Even with the top 12 albums all selling over 100,000 copies for the best retail weekend of the year to date, Boyle's feat easily outstripped the more modest numbers put up by four other eagerly anticipated potential holiday blockbusters. Despite a headline-grabbing American Music Awards performance and breathless hype, "American Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert's major-label debut, For Your Entertainment, is far behind in the #3 spot, selling 198,000. That was still enough to best the soft first-week sales of "Idol" winner Kris Allen, whose self-titled debut opened last week with the lowest initial numbers of any "Idol" winner at 80,000. Allen's disc shed nearly 60 percent of its business in week two to drop 20 spots to #31 on sales of 33,000. Right behind Lambert is another album that came with major expectations, Rihanna's Rated R, which hits #4 thanks to 181,000 units moved, giving it a slightly better debut than her previous album, 2007's Good Girl Gone Bad, and her best first week to date. Lady Gaga's stand-alone eight-song disc, The Fame Monster, debuts at #5 on sales of 174,000. Meanwhile, Shakira's eccentric She Wolf lands with a whimper at #15 (89,000). The rest of the top 10 is bolstered by mostly female-centric stocking-stuffer madness: Andrea Bocelli's My Christmas (#2, 218,000), Lady Gaga's The Fame (#6, 151,000, up 429 percent thanks to a reissue), Miley Cyrus' Time of Our Lives (#7, 150,000, up 385 percent), Taylor Swift's Fearless (#8, 125,000, up 48 percent), Carrie Underwood's Play On (#9, 124,000, up 44 percent) and Norah Jones' Fall (#10, 110,000). A number of previous top 10 residents got downgraded. Last week's #1, John Mayer's Battle Studies, tumbles 12 spots to #13 as sales dipped 68 percent to 92,000. Justin Bieber's My World slips eight spots to #14 (down 34 percent on 91,000 in sales), and 50 Cent shed 59 percent of the first-week business of Before I Self Destruct, which dips 14 spots to #19 on sales of 66,000. In other chart debuts, Cash Money boss Birdman is perched at #29 with Priceless (36,000) and his signee Jay Sean is not far behind at #33 with All of Nothing (31,000). The good cheer was spread all around, as more than a dozen prominent albums saw major double-digit sales increases over the previous week, including: Owl City's Ocean Eyes (up 63 percent, 46,000), Jay-Z's The Blueprint 3 (up 26 percent, 37,000), Taylor Swift's self-titled debut (up 75 percent, 28,000), Beyoncé's deluxe edition of I Am ... Sasha Fierce (up 75 percent, 26,000), the "Hannah Montana" soundtrack (up 60 percent, 26,000), Pearl Jam's Backspacer (up 164 percent, 25,000) and Whitney Houston's I Look to You (up 54 percent, 18,000). But a couple of acts got lumps in their Thanksgiving gravy, including rock power trio Them Crooked Vultures, whose self-titled debut lost 65 percent of its debut-week heat, dropping 31 spots to #43 on sales of 24,000, and Leona Lewis, whose Echo falls 32 spots to #45 on sales of 23,000 as sales dipped 66 percent. Despite a change in chart rules that went into effect the week of Thanksgiving that will now allow albums older than 18 months and without a current single at radio to be included in the top 200 count, there were no significant moves by older titles on the charts. Look for chart debuts next week for albums by "Idol" fourth-place finisher Allison Iraheta, R. Kelly, Priscilla Renea, the Bravery and Juvenile. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Jay Sean Throws A Block Party For 'Do You Remember' Video Posted: 02 Dec 2009 02:49 AM PST The rising R&B star teamed up with Sean Paul, Lil Jon for second U.S. single.
Flanked by hype man Lil Jon and Jamaican rapper Sean Paul, Cash Money R&B pop star Jay Sean follows up his chart-topping U.S. debut single "Down," with a "block party" video for "Do You Remember." "I love the idea of the street vibe," Sean told MTV News on the video set last month. "Having folks together, out in the street at midnight. The video is all about having fun, having a party, enjoying yourself. So, we did the whole block-party thing!" The video was shot in Los Angeles and features cameos from fellow Cash Money/ Young Money artists, Birdman and Tyga. Of course, having the King of Crunk and the purveyor of the imperial blaze on hand only served to further kick the party vibe up a notch.
"I can hype up milk," Lil Jon bragged. "Gimme some milk, and I can hype it up. But Jay Sean is singing to these ladies right now! He's making them dance with these uptempo records! Jay Sean has his own lane right now." The sentiment was echoed by Sean Paul, who first connected with Jay Sean in September, on the red carpet of the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. "Jay Sean got a hot song and I got a hot eight bars on it," Sean Paul said. "He gave me fire, in the vein of 'Down,' so of course I had to step to it." The video for "Do You Remember" is the second to drop from Sean's U.S. debut album, All or Nothing, which came out last week. "Most people are fortunate enough to stay two, three years in this game. I've been in it for seven years, and I feel like now, I'm just beginning," said Sean, who was a hit in Europe for years before coming Stateside. "All the other stuff I've done and all the other places I've been around in the world, I feel like that was all for this ... this moment!" Related Photos Related Artists |
| Kristin Cavallari, Brody Jenner Predict Who Would Win 'Hills' Girlfights Posted: 02 Dec 2009 01:46 AM PST All agree Cavallari would beat Audrina Patridge -- but not Jayde Nicole.
NEW YORK — "The Hills" is known for drama. But when Kristin Cavallari made her big return to MTV and started hanging with the show's cast, she made her presence known by not only making a play for Audrina Patridge's ex, Justin Bobby, but also her own ex, Brody Jenner — basically making enemies of both Jayde Nicole, Brody's current lady, and Audrina. So if the ladies actually got into a fistfight, who would win? As for Kristin vs. Audrina, Brody Jenner said, "I'm gonna be very honest: Audrina would get her ass kicked!" he laughed to MTV News at the "Hills"/"City" finale event on Tuesday night.
As for Kristina vs. Jayde, he hedged, "Jayde is really tough, but so Kristin," before noting that Nicole has an advantage. "In a fight between Jayde and Kristin, if I had to put money on it, I would say Jayde. I've gotta say that she would fight to the death. Kristin would be concerned about her hair!" Apparently, Kristin isn't too proud to agree that if she had to fight Jayde, she would definitely lose. "Well, Audrina [would not win a fight against me]," she laughed. But "I think that Jayde would win just because I'm scared of her. Like, I can talk a lot of crap, but when it comes to like throwing punches, she's pretty tough." Also at the event, Cavallari revealed that she had to warn her dad about her girl-kiss on the show, and Whitney Port talked about her favorite moments from the season. Related Videos Related Photos |
| LL Cool J Says Grammy Concert Will Be 'More Flavorful' Posted: 02 Dec 2009 02:49 AM PST 'There's great music and great artists,' MC says of 'The Grammy Nominations Concert Live! — Countdown to Music's Biggest Night.'
LL Cool J is not only producing the show, but is also taking on hosting duties for "The Grammy Nominations Concert Live! — Countdown to Music's Biggest Night," announcing nominations in several categories for the 52nd Grammy Awards. Cool J hopes that newer artists get some love this year.
"The first thing I want to bring to the American audience is excitement about music," Cool J noted. "There's so much information out there about how the music business is in trouble. We know about the sales and everybody is having issues — but the creativity is still there. There's great music and great artists. I want people to be excited about music. Music has been good to me. When I'm in a position to produce a show where I can celebrate all the new artists of today and push them out there and give them nominations, give them publicity and love, I think it's great. Hopefully people will enjoy the show." LL says some of this year's fine-tuning includes bringing the audience closer to the stage so they can be near their favorite artists. He hopes the audience at home will be able to feel the excitement, promising the show with have "more flavor — it'll be more flavorful." Maxwell, the Black Eyed Peas and Sugarland are among the performers. Uncle L even hinted he may rock the mic himself. "I'm gonna have some fun to kick it off," he teased. Over a decade ago, LL Cool J won his first Grammy and has fond memories of that milestone. "It was incredible. I remember a guy saying to me when I won the Grammy, 'This is your moment at the top,' " he recalled. "I remember saying, 'I don't want it to be just a moment.' I'd like to keep doing it.' It was a phenomenal feeling. Walking up there as an upstart, aspiring artist, three, four albums in. You get a Grammy, it's so exciting. You're so passionate about what you're doing — it's an incredible feeling." "The Grammy Nominations Concert Live! — Countdown to Music's Biggest Night" will air Wednesday (December 2) at 9 p.m. on CBS. Related Artists |
| You are subscribed to email updates from MTV News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar