MTV News |
- Britney Spears, Adele And More Best Songs Of 2011 (So Far)
- B.o.B's New Album Not Focused On Features
- 'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon': More Sequels On The Way?
- Jill Scott 'Still Tripping' Off #1 Album
- 'American Idol' Alum Pia Toscano Signs With Interscope
- Dr. Dre Is Rapping On Game's <i>R.E.D. Album</i>
- Kendrick Lamar Puts A Price On <i>Section.80</i>
- Lenny Kravitz Reveals Inspiration For <i>Black And White America</i>
- Hanson Let Fans Pick Set List For 2011 Musical Ride Tour
- Gucci Mane Still In Jail Due To 'Procedural Holdups'
- Daniel Radcliffe Not 'Comfortable' Being A Role Model
- Exclusive: Swedish House Mafia Unleash Zedd's 'Save The World' Remix
- Common And Nas' 'Ghetto Dreams' Recalls 'Raw' '90s Sound
- Britney Spears' 'Till The World Ends' Gets R. Kelly Treatment
- Nicki Minaj Mourns Cousin Nicholas Telemaque's Death
- Justin Timberlake Considering MySpace Talent Competition
- Daniel Radcliffe Reveals Recent Drinking Problem
- 'Transformers' Sequel Sets Box-Office Record
| Britney Spears, Adele And More Best Songs Of 2011 (So Far) Posted: 06 Jul 2011 03:53 AM PDT Tracks from Beyoncé, Katy Perry and Kreayshawn also make Bigger Than the Sound's midyear report card.
Last week, when I listed the Best Albums of 2011 (So Far), I expected to receive a fair amount of acrimony (it's what happens when you eschew Britney Spears in favor of F---ed Up's David Comes to Life), and, of course, I did. But mixed in with all the hate were a few requests for me to do a similar list of my favorite songs too. So, not wanting to disappoint my fans (Hi, Mom!), I've done just that: Here are my picks for the Best Songs of 2011 (So Far), 20 tracks that have defined the first half of the year for me. Not all of them were actually released in 2011, but all of them have managed to make an impact in some way, be it on the charts, the blogs or in the ever-expanding "weird song" quadrant of my mind.
I'm sure you'll take issue with some of my selections, so if there's a song I've missed, let me know about it in the comments below. And, yes, just to head you off at the pass, Britney made the list this time around. So, without further ado, here's my top 20: 20. My Morning Jacket, "Holdin' on to Black Metal": Or, as you probably know it, "the song that includes portions of Kwan Jai and Kwan Jit Sriprajan's 'E-Saew Tam Punha Huajai.' " Delightfully oddball sorta-funk/ Siamese soul from Louisville, Kentucky. 19. Beastie Boys, "Make Some Noise": Vocal nods to their License to Ill party phase. Rattling boom-bap from their Check Your Head days. Cowbell break courtesy of Paul's Boutique. Welcome back. To the future. 18. Peter Bjorn and John, "Second Chance": Airtight Swedes ditch the whistling and plow headlong into rollicking, retro-leaning rock. The chorus may not be better than "Young Folks," but, hey, there's a guitar solo! 17. Cage the Elephant, "Around My Head": Hey, you guys like the Pixies? Cool, I do too! Maybe we can hang out sometime? 16. Against Me!, "Russian Spies": Searing, surging punk from Gainesville, Florida, lifers Against Me!, it proves that their time on Sire Records didn't soften them one bit. It only made them more resolute. And, strangely, sadder too. 15. Black Lips, "Modern Art": Without question, the best song you'll hear all year about taking drugs and looking at art. Oh, like you haven't tried it. 14. Lil Wayne (featuring Cory Gunz), "6 Foot 7 Foot": I can't even begin to comprehend the ongoing drama between Wayne and producer Bangladesh, but there's no denying the fact that both men are better off together. Knotty and slightly seizure-inducing, like "A Milli" times, well, a million. 13. YACHT, "Dystopia (The Earth Is on Fire)": Every day the sky gets lower (lowerlowerlower!). And every day the flames get higher (higherhigherhigher!). So, with apologies to Rock Master Scott and the Dynamic Three, the disco duo just decide to let the mother----er burn. 12. Chris Brown, "Beautiful People": Regardless of what you may think of Breezy, you probably cannot deny the sublimely subtle genius of this track. Then again, maybe you can. And, y'know, your loss. 11. Washed Out, "Eyes Be Closed": Massively ebbing and echoing bed-tronica (don't call it "chillwave") from some dude in Perry, Georgia. Bonus: Sounds nothing like Perry, Georgia. 10. Beyoncé, "Run the World (Girls)": I am an unabashed fan of "crazy" Beyoncé (you know, the one who shows up on tracks like "Ring the Alarm," "Get Me Bodied" and, of course, "Single Ladies"), so there's no way I could overlook "Girls," the single craziest moment on her decidedly straightforward 4 album. From the Major Lazer sample to the Warrior Princess video to the part where she growls "Houston, Texas, babay," it may have confounded some of her fans, but to me, it was psychotic pop perfection. 9. Bright Eyes, "Ladder Song": For as much noise as Conor Oberst is capable of making, it's the quieter moments where his rickety, ramshackle genius really shines through. And "Ladder Song" — a heartbreakingly raw tribute to a friend who committed suicide — is among his quietest. And his best. Backed by little more than a piano and a handful of otherworldly noises, Oberst plumbs the depths of despair, his voice reedy, wavering, but pure and, when he reaches bottom, discovers there are small beauties that make life worth living. It's too bad, he ultimately laments, that his friend didn't discover them too. You won't hear a more achingly beautiful song this year, I promise. 8. Lykke Li, "Get Some": Bewitching, otherworldly single from Li's Wounded Rhymes album, it would be sexy even if she wasn't calling herself your prostitute. The drums thump, the bass vibrates and the guitar stings — and then Li pushes the whole thing over the top with her smoldering, sumptuous vocals. The kind of song that requires a cigarette and a cold shower after repeat listens. 7. Foster the People, "Pumped Up Kicks": The year's catchiest rock tune was actually last year's catchiest too; it just took people a while to catch on. Hazy, loping and scratchy like a mohair sweater, it recalls a headier era, when bands wrote ultra-hooky singles about ultra-dark subject matter (Eels' "Novocaine for the Soul," the Smashing Pumpkins "Today," etc.) and no one seemed to care. Also known as the 1990s. 6. Kreayshawn, "Gucci Gucci": Either the smartest song of 2011 or the dumbest, the beauty of "Gucci Gucci" — and Bay Area "Based Goddess" Kreayshawn, for that matter — lies in the fact that it's probably both, but it doesn't care one bit. Folks can kvetch about sticky subjects like "authenticity," but I prefer to just listen to the music: the goofy horror-movie synth squiggle, the dollops of low-end whomp, the part where Kreay claims to have swag coming out her ovaries — it's all good. Even if it's not. 5. Nicola Roberts, "Beat of My Drum": Sublimely saccharine single from erstwhile Girls Aloud member that mashes together every notable pop moment from recent history, yet somehow manages to be better than the sum of its parts. Dancehall rhythms? Check. Drum breaks? Yep. Electro-vocal tics? And how. It's all courtesy of producers Diplo and Dimitri Tikovoi, though the real power lies in the supercharged sing-a-long chorus — arguably the year's best — where the whole thing comes together into a head-spinning rush and Roberts positively blossoms. She should go solo more often. 4. Katy Perry (featuring Kanye West), "ET": The California Gurl turns space-pop princess, with glorious results. "ET" bloops and bleeps like a satellite in eternal, icy orbit (or a malfunctioning digital watch), and the chorus burns like Spacelab descending through the atmosphere. Also, it's about sex. Sure, 'Ye's verses may be phoned in — he'll probe you if you'll let him — but even they can't dim the wattage of this brightly shining star. Appropriately, it's become a galactic hit, though one can't help but wonder what would've happened if Three 6 Mafia had gotten their hands on it first. 3. Britney Spears, "Till the World Ends": The final stage of grief is acceptance, after all. 2. Lady Gaga, "Heavy Metal Lover": It's buried toward the back of Born This Way, an odd choice considering it's far and away the best song on the album (even better than "The Edge of Glory.") A masterful mix of "Transformers"-sized techno whomp and supple, slipstream synthesizers, it pulses and twitches, expands and contracts and, quiet as it's kept, is probably the best example of what we all hoped BTW would be. As an added bonus, "I want your whiskey mouth/ All over my blond south" may very well be the line of the year too. 1. Adele, "Rolling in the Deep": Unquestionably the song of 2011, a crackling, breathy thing that roils along on a stubby guitar line and some primal pounding, then positively roars to life the second the chorus hits. There's little else at play here, but when you're building with blocks like Rick Rubin's raw production and Adele's prodigious pipes (and the powerful range of emotions they conjure up), they sky really is the limit. The fact that it's a crossover smash (true story, this weekend I heard it 10 times on three different radio stations) is merely icing on top of the cake at this point, not to mention a blow against the creeping, Auto-Tuned insurgency that threatens our nation's airwaves. Sometimes all it takes is one deceptively, devastatingly simple song to turn the tide. What did we miss? Share your picks in the comments below! Related Videos |
| B.o.B's New Album Not Focused On Features Posted: 05 Jul 2011 03:00 AM PDT Producer Jim Jonsin says The Adventures of Bobby Ray singer 'wants it to be his album.'
B.o.B is out embarking on another adventure. After his 2010 debut, The Adventures of Bobby Ray, produced chart-topping singles and an RIAA-certified gold plaque, the Atlanta rapper is back in the studio crafting his next LP all by his lonesome.
"What Bob wanted to do was go into the lab himself and spend his time creating what he wanted his album to have, the direction he wanted," producer Jim Jonsin told MTV News. "So we're waiting on him to come back with that house that he's built so we can go ahead and put all the fixtures in and try to help with it." Jonsin, who signed B.o.B to his Rebel Rock label, where the artist remains inked alongside T.I.'s Grand Hustle imprint (under Atlantic Records), said that after sessions earlier this year during which he and Bob cut "three or four records," the "Nothin' On You" rapper is now out working on the album alone, similar to the recording process on his debut. "Same way it was with the last album. Bob is very creative, he's a producer, he's a writer, he's a real artist," Jonsin said. While The Adventures of Bobby Ray was heavy on features, with contributions from Bruno Mars, Hayley Williams, Rivers Cuomo and Eminem, Jonsin said the plan for now is for B.o.B to make the album his own. "He doesn't want to do the feature records; he wants it to be his album," he said. In that respect, Jonsin, who has created hit records with Lil Wayne, Eminem and Usher, said he's happy just letting Bob do his own thing and coming in to assist with production duties once the rapper has already laid his foundation. "He does have his ideas and his direction, and everyone feeds off of that," the multiplatinum producer said. "The A&Rs, the label knows, Tip knows, I know where he's going. We just gotta hear it, and then we can help him with it." So far, Bob hasn't announced a release date or a title for his new album, but in May, the singer told MTV News he's actually been working on this album for quite some time. "It's the right timing, and I haven't revealed the name of the album yet," he said, "but I've been working on this since before The Adventures of Bobby Ray, so it's a real special project." What do you expect B.o.B's new album to sound like? Tell us below! Related Artists |
| 'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon': More Sequels On The Way? Posted: 05 Jul 2011 05:42 AM PDT Box-office experts look into the franchise's future.
Given the spectacular box-office grosses of "Transformers" and its sequel, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" (despite being lambasted by critics and audiences), it is not all that surprising that the three-quel, "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," has made box-office history and a ton of money in the first few days of its release. Michael Bay's third robot-tastic installment hauled in an estimated $97.5 million over the holiday weekend, making it 2011's new biggest opening-weekend record holder, which was previously set by "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides."
So, what does this mean? In a nutshell, we'll be getting more "Transformers" movies, no matter what Bay and star Shia LaBeouf have said or decided about their "retirement" plans. "I guarantee that Paramount is currently thinking of ways to keep the franchise going," Boxoffice.com editor Phil Contrino told MTV News. "Unfortunately, making a deal for a property this big won't be easy," he added, speaking to moving forward with the franchise without Bay and LaBeouf. "I'm sure a bunch of directors and stars will be kicked around publicly before new hires are made." Entertainment Weekly senior writer Anthony Breznican agreed that the robots will live on to rule future box offices. "We will definitely see another movie; how soon is a good question," he said. "I took Bay seriously when he said he was finished directing [the 'Transformers' films], and they can reboot them again with someone else. That's not something you say if it's a negotiating tactic. I believed him. I think Shia is serious," he added. "Three movies in this universe are a lot for an actor. Unless you want to be known only as the 'Transformers' guy, you have to move on and do something different. " 'Harry Potter' will be gargantuan," Breznican said of "Deathly Hallows, Part 2" being the next big competition for "Dark of the Moon." "People are going to want to see it again and again, and that's a real tribute to the filmmakers and J.K. Rowling's storytelling. It's a story where you invest a lot in those characters and they invest a lot back. There is a lot of sacrifice and affection; that movie packs an emotional punch," he said. "It's going to blow 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' out of the water." Check out everything we've got on "Transformers: Dark of the Moon." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
| Jill Scott 'Still Tripping' Off #1 Album Posted: 05 Jul 2011 06:17 AM PDT 'I know I only got a week!' she laughs to MTV News about a chart bump from Beyoncé's 4.
NEW ORLEANS — Jill Scott was still catching her breath when we caught up with her after a jubilant show at the 2011 Essence Music Festival. But from what we could gather, she may well have been having her best week ever.
Not only was she coming off of a "sick" Saturday night lineup that included crooner El DeBarge, the legendary Chaka Khan and Kanye West, Jilly from Philly was also celebrating her brand-new disc, The Light of the Sun, which entered the Billboard albums chart at #1, the first of her career. MTV News asked the "Golden" singer how she reacted to the feat. "I didn't see that coming," she admitted. "I guess every artist hopes people will appreciate what they do and enjoy them, but I didn't see it coming," Scott gushed. "I'm still tripping off it." And while the sequin-clad songstress — in top form after shedding several lb's — was savoring the moment, she wasn't anticipating holding onto the peak position. A certain diva seemed poised to turn her 4 into a 1, Scott acknowledged with a smile. "I know I only got a week! You know, Beyoncé's coming out," she laughed, "and she's amazing. And I know I got a week, but I'm so glad I got my week. I'm enjoying it, I'm lavishing in it." Like B's album, Sun marks Scott's fourth release, and she touched on its overarching themes. In recent years, the star of HBO's "No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" endured a divorce from longtime love Lyzel Williams (he inspired some of the material on her lauded '01 debut, Who Is Jill Scott?) and then found love again with her drummer Lil' John Roberts only to have the curtains come down on that romance as well. Her personal ups and downs appear to have colored her latest disc. "The Light of the Sun is really about growing up; it's about facing yourself. It's about passion, weaknesses, falling short from grace, getting lost in the flesh. ... It's all about coming out of darkness and coming into light." Share your reviews of Jill's new album in the comments! Related Artists |
| 'American Idol' Alum Pia Toscano Signs With Interscope Posted: 05 Jul 2011 06:27 AM PDT Singer will debut her first single, 'This Time,' on the American Idols Live! Tour.
The rumors have been swirling since the day after her shocking "American Idol" exit back in April, but Pia Toscano has officially been signed to Interscope Records. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the "Idol" songstress will release her debut single, "This Time," on July 12 and perform the song as part of her set during this summer's American Idols Live! Tour.
"This Time" was written by hitmaker Esther Dean, who is responsible for Rihanna's hit singles "S&M," "Rude Boy" and "What's My Name." Dean's musical stylings can also be heard on Nicki Minaj's smash "Super Bass." "This Time" is surprisingly not a ballad — which was Toscano's specialty during her short-lived time on "Idol." Instead, it is said to be an acoustic-guitar and beat-driven track. "I am thrilled to be joining the Interscope and 19 Recordings family," Toscano said in a statement released to The Reporter. "[Interscope Geffen A&M Chairman] Jimmy Iovine was an amazing mentor during my time on Idol and I'm looking forward to working with him and everyone at Interscope Records and 19 Recordings. This is a dream come true." When Toscano stopped by the MTV Newsroom earlier this year, she was coy about the Interscope rumors. "I don't know yet what's going on with that," Toscano said. "Hopefully good things." She did open up a bit about her hopes and dreams, career-wise, in addition to possibly re-teaming with her "Idol" producers sometime soon. "Rodney Jerkins was my dream. Harvey Mason Jr., amazing. Ron Fair is incredible, and those were the three producers I've always wanted to work with, that I've always dreamed of," she gushed. "And this made it all possible. I definitely want to work with Ryan Tedder, Evan Bogart," she added. Toscano went on to say that she'd be "totally" into doing a few duets. "I would love to do a duet with Alicia Keys, Christina [Aguilera], people that I've looked up to," she said. "Jay-Z would be cool." What about one with rumored love interest, "Dancing With the Stars" pro/ aspiring musician Mark Ballas? "Ha, totally," Toscano agreed. "Mark is very, very talented, so it could happen." Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. |
| Dr. Dre Is Rapping On Game's <i>R.E.D. Album</i> Posted: 05 Jul 2011 04:59 AM PDT 'I'm back with Dr. Dre, which is a bonus and dope for me,' Game tells MTV News.
For Game, the fourth time's the charm. The former G-Unit rapper has high hopes for album #4, The R.E.D. Album, which is set to be released August 23. While a Game album is notable in its own right, the Compton, California, MC is particularly excited now that he has reunited with mentor Dr. Dre and snagged Pharrell to help oversee the production as well.
"This album is the most incredible album of my career," Game said to MTV News from the set of his "Pot of Gold" video shoot last week. "First, I'm back with Dr. Dre, which is a bonus and dope for me. Second, executive-produced by Pharrell, co-executive-produced by myself and Mars." There is also production from Cool & Dre, Hit-Boy, Maestro and Lex Luger and features ranging from Nelly Furtado to Lil Wayne to Busta Rhymes. "And Dre's rapping on the album," Game revealed. Dre, who oversaw Game's debut, The Documentary, has played a limited role in the rapper's career since Game's fallout with 50 Cent, who is also signed to Dre's Aftermath imprint. Since then, the West Coast production icon hasn't lent beats or his vocals to any of Game's subsequent albums. In 2009, studio pictures of Dr. Dre, Game and Snoop surfaced, proving that the two were back to work in some capacity. Game wouldn't confirm whether Dre provided a full verse or a hook. When asked, he just blurted out the album's release date: "August 29." What are you expecting from a new Game/Dre collabo? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Kendrick Lamar Puts A Price On <i>Section.80</i> Posted: 05 Jul 2011 04:50 AM PDT New West Coast rapper tells Mixtape Daily why he's charging for his latest release.
Don't Sleep: Necessary Notables Headliner: Kendrick Lamar Album: Section.80 Key Cameo: "No Make-Up (Her Vice)" featuring Colin Munroe
The best things in life aren't always free, and while New West Coast representative Kendrick Lamar started his career offering up free Internet-only mixtapes, the Compton, California, rapper is setting a new standard with his latest album, Section.80. "It was something that I had to understand, that my company had to make me understand. I'm putting out this free music, constantly putting it out," Lamar told MTV News of his old way of thinking. "My whole thing is bringing music back to where people actually buy it, but at the same time, you know what? I don't think I'm ready yet to start selling my project because I feel the world don't know me yet." Since changing his name from K.Dot, he released The Kendrick Lamar EP at the end of 2009 and Overly Dedicated in 2010. Both projects were available for free throughout the hip-hop blogosphere, but Section.80 does not follow that same model. The change in Lamar's feelings on free music is largely due to the urging of the heads of his record label, Top Dawg Entertainment. "Top Dawg is always telling me, 'They'll never know you [and you'll never] get a chance to bring music back to its original roots because you aren't demanding to go out and buy it,' " Lamar said of the advice he was given. "That made sense to me." Section.80 is a densely packed affair, where the rapper displays his lyrical dexterity and storytelling ability. There are no songs that fit the traditional radio format; instead Lamar focuses on the ills of the crack epidemic ("Ronald Reagan Era"), the hardships young women face ("Keisha's Song") and religion ("Kush & Corinthians"). Barring any support from radio and major marketing companies, the success of Section.80 will depend on his ever-growing fanbase. "People out here, they really gotta go out and support that last music that's alive as far as hip-hop, because we're a dying breed now," he said. "Truthfully, it's up to the world." Related Artists |
| Lenny Kravitz Reveals Inspiration For <i>Black And White America</i> Posted: 04 Jul 2011 11:56 PM PDT Kravitz's expansive August 30 return covers plenty of sonic territory, tackles complex social issues.
Lenny Kravitz has never been one for boxes. When he broke onto the scene 22 years ago with Let Love Rule, his brand of psych-and-funk-tinged retro rock, coupled with his roots (his mother was black, his father white, his religion a mixture of Christianity and Judaism), confounded critics and radio executives alike. And to an extent, that's never really changed, though, with each successive hit — "Let Love Rule," "Are You Gonna Go My Way," "Fly Away," "American Woman," to name just a few — he's become less of a curio case and more of a career artist.
But with his new album, Black and White America (due August 30), Kravitz is still dealing with boxes ... though, these days, they seem to have less to do with his background than they do with the music he makes. "Now, it's less about the color, but more about still not fitting in a box; and this radio station doesn't play this or that," he told MTV News. "This is what always gets me, [now it's], 'This radio station doesn't play horns.' Now we have racism against instruments. You know, 'It's rock, but it's too funky.' Or 'It's funky, but it's got too much rock.' People love their slots, their little boxes." For lack of a better term, there are plenty of slots on America, a far-ranging, lushly produced opus that seems destined to give radio programmers fits. Over the course of 16 tracks, it dabbles in whip-smart funk, crackling soul, classic pop and, of course, all-out rock, (to name just a few genres), and features guest appearances from Jay-Z and Drake. Not surprisingly, fitting in wasn't what Kravitz had in mind when he was recording it. His only goal was "to make a double album ... a classic two-pieces-of-vinyl, four-songs-per-side thing." And America certainly plays that way. But for all the genre-jumping, there's one theme that keeps popping up throughout the album: the idea of unity. It's central to current single "Stand" and it's the core idea behind the album's title track too. "The inspiration came from a documentary that I was watching. ... It was about a group of Americans, I'm sure somewhere tucked away, and they were saying they were disgusted by what America had become, they were disgusted that there was an African-American commander in chief; they're not for racial equality, they would like America to be back to the way it was 100 years ago and, basically, they would do anything it took to make sure that their idea of America was restored, down to assassination, etc.," Kravitz explained. "And it was with such hatred and, obviously, we know that racism exists but somehow they threw me for a loop. I was like, Really? For real? So the chorus of the song ... I was just saying to them, This is what's happening, you need to know what time it is. It's how I was raised; I grew up between two cultures at a pivotal time after the civil rights movement, and [it's] the story of my parents, and what they went through. It's very natural for me to write about that sort of thing." Of course, America isn't all heavy lifting. "Rock Star City Life" is a down-and-dirty ode to excess, "Superlove" is a sumptuously sexual exercise in viscous funk, and the rattling "Boongie Drop" is about, well, ass. To a degree. "Well, "boongie" is a Bahamian word for ass. But it's not just an ass-shaking song. There's a place down the street from where I live, and on Sunday nights, people come down there and dance," Kravitz said. "It's like a red light-bulb, pool-table shack and this DJ, Military. And the thing I found beautiful was that you have these really full-figured Bahamian women showing up there, they know they're beautiful, and they're not buying into the lie, the stereotype of what media says is beautiful. They exude this pride, and the song's about that." If you couldn't tell, there's nary a musical corner Kravitz didn't explore on the album (he wrote some 30 songs for the project), which was his mission all along. He spent nearly two years making it in a studio down in the Bahamas, where, for the first time in his career, he was given the space he needed to let his ideas flower. In short, it's the kind of album an artist has to earn the right to make and, if anything, Kravitz has definitely done that. "It was the dream location, the dream studio," he said. "I had time and, actually, perspective, having been doing this for 22 years. I feel like it's the best record I've ever made." Are you excited to hear Lenny's new album? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
| Hanson Let Fans Pick Set List For 2011 Musical Ride Tour Posted: 05 Jul 2011 01:06 AM PDT Fans will pick which album band will play all the way through during tour stops, beginning on September 4.
Hanson have a plan to hit the road this fall, but they don't yet know what they'll play. That's because they're letting fans vote to select which of their albums they'll perform on each night of the 2011 Musical Ride Tour. The tour, which kicks off in September, follows the formula the guys tried out during their 5of5 concert series in New York and London, where they would set up shop at a venue for five nights in a row and play an album all the way through each night. "Much like the 5of5 concert series both in New York and London, which blew us away, this whole tour is about looking back in order to go forward," Taylor Hanson explained in a statement. The band's debut album, Middle of Nowhere, launched the guys to pop superstardom back in 1997 thanks to the hit track "MMMBop." Since then, they have consistently released albums, including 2010's Shout It Out, which spawned the viral hit "Thinking 'Bout Something," as well as the follow-up single, "Give a Little." Earlier this year, Hanson put their live performance skills to the test when they put on a 12-hour, live-streamed concert at South By Southwest to raise money for earthquake victims in Japan. After previously announced shows in Los Angeles and Saskatchewan, Canada, the band will kick off the 40-city U.S. tour on September 4 in Seattle. It all wraps up on November 1 in Orlando. All dates are available on , and tickets go on sale this Friday. "This tour is a unique way of saying thank you to the many fans that have followed the band for years, who will, for the first time, get a chance to help shape the show they see each night," Zac Hanson added of the trek. Recently, the guys appeared in Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" video as the house band at the raging house party thrown by Rebecca Black. "We work for Twizzlers and good times," Taylor told MTV News about their fee for appearing in the video. "You'd have to have a lot of spandex, a huge tree covered in toilet paper, Kenny G — apparently that's what it takes to get us to a house party." Related Artists |
| Gucci Mane Still In Jail Due To 'Procedural Holdups' Posted: 04 Jul 2011 11:08 PM PDT 'We are hoping that Mr. Davis is released today,' Gucci's lawyer tells MTV News on Tuesday.
Despite persistent rumors, Gucci Mane is not free — not yet at least. Gucci's attorney, Ashutosh Joshi, told MTV News that the Georgia rapper (real name: Radric Davis) is still locked up in Fulton County Jail due to a probation violation, but he could be released later on Tuesday (July 5). "We are hoping that Mr. Davis is released today," Joshi said. "He is scheduled to be released from Fulton County Jail. However, there are some procedural holdups between the county jail and the state prison as to whether Mr. Davis has to go back to the state prison before he can be released." Joshi added that he has an order from a Fulton County judge that should ensure Gucci's release. A Fulton County Jail rep confirmed for MTV News that there is a chance Gucci's release would be put on hold and that there are instructions to send him up to Jackson State Prison. "There is an order from a Fulton County judge requiring that Mr. Davis serve his time at a Fulton County jail," Joshi said. "So it is our hope and belief that once the county jail and the state prison are able to communicate — which we understand is occurring today, and once the state prison is aware of the judge's order, that they will remove or release any hold they have on Mr. Davis and he can be physically released from the Fulton County Jail." According to Joshi, after serving about two months at Fulton County, the "So Icey" MC was transferred to Jackson State Prison, but due to the short amount of time he had left on his probation he didn't meet the minimum requirements to serve his time at Jackson State. As a result, Gucci's legal team returned to the sentencing judge in Fulton County requesting an order requiring the rapper to serve all of his time in Fulton County. The judge agreed and Gucc's lawyer is waiting for the state to get that message. Gucci was jailed in April after numerous unspecified probation violations stemming from a 2005 aggravated assault case. His probation from that case will be resolved after he is released, according to his attorney. Related Artists |
| Daniel Radcliffe Not 'Comfortable' Being A Role Model Posted: 04 Jul 2011 10:57 PM PDT 'I don't think you should deify any human being,' 'Harry Potter' star told MTV News last year.
The transition from child star to adult star often comes with some hiccups. In a recent interview with GQ, "Harry Potter" actor Daniel Radcliffe admits that there was a time when he found himself drinking a little too much.
"I became so reliant on [alcohol] to enjoy stuff," he said of the time during shooting on 2009's "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." Since then, the 21-year-old has slowed down, telling the magazine that he prefers to have a "quiet life." But Radcliffe has certainly been open about why he doesn't see himself as a role model. Last year, he told MTV News, "I don't look at myself as a role model. I would never place myself on that pedestal, obviously. If other people want to place me there, that's up to them," he explained. "I would advise them not to because I don't think you should deify any human being. I think it's something that I've grown more comfortable with the idea." And despite his impressive career and all of the charitable work he has done with organizations like the Trevor Project, Radcliffe suggested someone else his fans should look to for guidance instead. "The thing I always say and I've often said in interviews, I think if people want a role model, Harry Potter's a very, very good role model. And he's something that won't change," Radcliffe added. "He'll be fixed in that permanent lovely way, and so those are the role models you want. "I'm gonna grow old and get fat and stuff," he added with a good-natured laugh. "And so you don't want to make me a role model." While Radcliffe tells GQ the paparazzi never caught him inebriated, when MTV News sat down with him, he did recall a certain pap shot of him smoking a cigarette that did get taken. But the star was willing to shrug it all off. "It's a terrible thing to admit to, but yes I'm gonna go to help [for smoking]. That stuff, you know, is part and parcel of the job and it comes with the territory and you have to let it wash over you," he said of the photographers. Check out everything we've got on "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Exclusive: Swedish House Mafia Unleash Zedd's 'Save The World' Remix Posted: 05 Jul 2011 12:41 AM PDT Sebastian Ingrosso, Steve Angello and Axwell tap rising star Zedd for a remix of their current single.
Fans of Swedish House Mafia know the holy trinity of house — Sebastian Ingrosso, Axwell and Steve Angello — as not only superstar DJ/producers in their own right, but also as tastemakers in the music business, launching impressive young talent into a completely different stratosphere.
In Miami, at their Masquerade Motel: One Night Stand party in March, Swedish House Mafia debuted the epic "Nillionaire" by rising electronic dance music star Alesso (signed to Ingrosso's label, Refune), who has since gone on to have tremendous Beatport.com chart success with his "Pressure" remix (originally by Nadia Ali, Alex Kenji and Starkillers) and his remix of SHM's latest single, "Save the World." Now, they introduce you to Zedd, a.k.a. Anton Zaslavski. Hailing from Kaiserslautern, Germany, the 21-year-old Zedd comes from a family of musicians (his father was in several bands and played classical guitar and his mother taught him how to play piano) and began producing electronic dance music in 2009, though he also plays in a metal band called Dioramic. He began receiving EDM acclaim after winning two Beatport.com remix competitions and has had dance charting success with his singles "Autonomy," "The Legend of Zelda" and "Anthem." Zedd has also collabed on mixes for a few folks you may know: Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, Diddy and dubstep star Skrillex. The three Swedes are unleashing Zedd's new mix of their hit single "Save the World," an electro house banger that has been making it into superstar DJ sets and gathering nods from some of the biggest acts in dance music. "Respect to mister @zedd for his killer Save the world tonight remix, thats the one you've been waiting for!" Afrojack tweeted recently. MTV News has the exclusive premiere: Stream "Save the World" (Zedd Remix) in the player above. The song will be made available for purchase in the next two weeks. What do you think of Zedd's remix of Swedish House Mafia's "Save the World"? Let us know in the comments below! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Common And Nas' 'Ghetto Dreams' Recalls 'Raw' '90s Sound Posted: 04 Jul 2011 10:46 PM PDT 'Nas is my favorite MC, so that was a blessing,' Common says of No ID-produced track just released online.
Common just inked a new recording deal with Warner Bros. last month, and he's already whetting appetites for his forthcoming album, The Dreamer, The Believer. A new single called "Ghetto Dreams," featuring Nas, hit the Internet over the weekend.
About a month ago, a snippet of the No ID-produced "Ghetto Dreams" appeared on Amazon, with the song being credited to Think Common Entertainment and the full version thought to be dropping June 23. That date came and went without a release from Common as he announced his new record deal. But over the weekend, Nas took it upon himself to leak the song via Twitter. "I'm giving @common 15 minutes or I'm putting this sh-- out myself! #GhettoDreams," tweeted Nas, who kept his word and liberated the track when the deadline passed. According to Common, No ID has produced all of the music on The Dreamer, The Believer. "That was the first song we did for the album," Common told MTV News. "No ID said, 'I got something for you.' He played that beat, I was like, 'Oh, sh--.' I kind of hopped into it, like a zone, a character almost [while] writing it. It was just so raw, something like '95, but new sounding. Then he put up this Nas vocal [sample] going, 'Ghetto dreams,' and then I was like, 'Oh sh--.' " "My ghetto housewife watch reality shows/ She might get to snapping if the cabinets ain't closed/ When the cameras start snapping she ready to pose," raps Common over the tracks shimmering synth and rumbling drums. The Chicago MC and actor excitedly described how he was so inspired when writing the song's lyrics. "I decided to write about ghetto dreams just in a way that was raw," Common said. "I almost approached it like I was a character because I don't smoke cigarettes and blah, blah, blah. But I still was talking abut those things 'cause it's like, if I step in the shoes of myself and my other friends and people that just dream about higher things coming from a tougher place. I told it in respect to the relationship I got with my lady, it's ill. It's not a love song or none of that; it's just raw. It's ill lyrics man, I'm telling you." Nas heard an early version of the track and immediately wanted to jump on the song. According to Common, No ID and Nas were in the studio recording together when the producer played the Queensbridge MC the record. "Once Nas heard that — No ID played it for them 'cause they was working — and Nas was like, 'I'll get on that,' " Common said. "And Nas is my favorite MC, so that was a blessing." The artwork for "Ghetto Dreams" features a photo of a youthful looking Nas and Common that was taken sometime in the mid '90s. "We was at a Fat Joe video, I think," Common recalled. "Two young MCs, young dudes, just real young cats, one from Chicago, one from Queens that just ended up reconnecting and connecting and always being cool. I ain't going to say 'reconnected,' 'cause every time me and Nas always would chop it up, I felt like we was two musicians that really just loved and respected each other, two voices that really mean something to the culture and respect the culture. So, we always had on a personal level just a respect for each other." Related Artists |
| Britney Spears' 'Till The World Ends' Gets R. Kelly Treatment Posted: 05 Jul 2011 07:01 AM PDT Following all-girl remix featuring Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha, R&B singer proffers his own mix of the song.
Did R. Kelly place his vote for his pick for Song of the Summer by jumping on a new remix of Britney Spears' monster smash "Till the World Ends"? Following the all-girl remix featuring Nicki Minaj and the song's writer, Ke$ha, this new version of the Femme Fatale single gets some love in the club from Kells. On the new mix, after Brit sings the first verse and the chorus, Kelly comes in singing, "Slide up in this club/ This beat's got me in love/ Till I just don't care/ It's like I'm walking on air/ It's a party right here." He then goes on about partying till the world ends, his Auto-Tuned vocals dancing over the track until the song's breakdown, where he mixes his vocals with Spears'. Toward the song's end, Kelly does some vocal runs over the song's chorus as it plays out, keeping with the integrity of the Dr. Luke-produced track. Remixes certainly aren't new for Kels, who's reworked several of his own tracks, including "Ignition" and "Bump N' Grind," spinning new life into the songs that had already become fan favorites. He's also remixed tracks for an eclectic galaxy of stars like Whitney Houston, Usher and soul legends the Isley Brothers, to name a few. As for Spears, several of her Femme Fatale songs have been remixed in various ways including the Bollywood "Till the World Ends and the house version of "Hold It Against Me." A Neptunes remix of "Boys" dubbed the "The Co-Ed Remix" climbed to the top of "TRL" back in 2002, and she released a remix album in 2005 called B In The Mix: The Remixes, with club-ready up versions of "Me Against the Music," "Everytime," "Toxic" and more. "Till the World Ends" isn't the only Song of the Summer contender that's getting reworked by a male pop star. Over the weekend, much to the delight of Mother Monster herself, Nick Jonas put his own signature acoustic singer/songwriter stamp on her summer contender "The Edge of Glory." Lady Gaga tweeted, "Swoon! Nick Jonas singing 'The Edge of Glory.' On my way to press conference in Taichung, listening to it. So dreamy! X." Using only his acoustic guitar, Jonas played his version of the triumphant pop track to a audience of fans who seemed charmed by his rendition of the Born This Way single. "@ladygaga the pleasure is all mine," he later tweeted. "That is a beautiful song. Keep inspiring the world." Which reworked track do you like better? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Nicki Minaj Mourns Cousin Nicholas Telemaque's Death Posted: 05 Jul 2011 08:42 AM PDT 'My precious cousin. My baby. Killed last nite,' Nicki Minaj tweeted on July 4.
What was supposed to be a day of celebration for Team Nicki became a day of mourning after Nicki Minaj's cousin Nicholas Telemaque was murdered near his home in Brooklyn, New York, on Monday. "Lived in Brooklyn his whole life. My precious cousin. My baby. Killed last nite," Nicki tweeted, along with a photo of Telemaque. The Harajuku Barbie also wrote, "My cousin Nicholas. Also goes by Juse, or @brolicalcoholic. Murdered. Last nite. Near his home. Brooklyn, NY," and attached another pic. Yesterday Minaj spent Independence Day performing in Winnipeg, Canada, as part of Britney Spears' Femme Fatale tour and also celebrated the birthday of her rumored boyfriend, hypeman Safaree "SB" Samuels, to whom she tweeted a b-day message: "HappyBirthdaySB!!!!!!!! @scaffbeezy hope u like ya gift coon!!!!" Since tweeting about her cousin's death, Minaj hasn't sent any subsequent messages out through the social networking site as of press time. On Monday, July 4, at approximately 2:40 a.m. ET, police responded to a call in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, where they found Telemaque, 27, with multiple gunshot wounds to the upper torso region. He was taken to Kings County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The New York Daily News reported that Telemaque had just left C-PAC nightclub, just blocks from his home, when he was shot. Police told MTV News that no arrests have been made and the investigation is still ongoing. Related Artists |
| Justin Timberlake Considering MySpace Talent Competition Posted: 05 Jul 2011 06:02 AM PDT Singer/actor wants to bring new talent to the site he now co-owns, manager says.
Now that he's bought a chunk of recently sold MySpace, Justin Timberlake is eager to get his hands dirty relaunching the once-powerful social networking destination. According to Timberlake's longtime manager, the singer-turned-actor has got plenty of ideas about how to get MySpace back on track as a destination for music fans, including finding new talent. Manager Johnny Wright said that using the site to find the next great singer or group is just one of the concepts that got kicked around during the frantic two weeks of negotiations that went on before Specific Media's deal with Timberlake to buy MySpace from Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. was announced last week. "Whether it becomes a talent competition or something like that, those are things that we will still flesh out," Wright said, according to The Associated Press. "We definitely want to bring the industry back to MySpace to really look at the talented people that have put their faces there." More detailed plans for how Timberlake and the site's new managers will run Myspace are expected at an August 17 press conference. California-based Specific Media paid $35 million for MySpace last week in a mostly stock deal that came six years after Murdoch's News Corp. outbid a number of other media giants to purchase the then-hot site for $580 million. In the ensuing years, MySpace cooled off as new rivals such as Facebook took off. Hours after Specific announced its deal to buy MySpace, it issued a press release touting Timberlake's status as a part owner and creative force, noting that he will have his own office and staff. Given Timberlake's role as the founder of Napster in the hit Facebook movie "The Social Network," his involvement in the project quickly became a global headline. And, according to reports, that partnership wasn't even sealed until just 30 minutes before Specific Media's MySpace purchase was made public. While Wright didn't offer any details on what form the talent show might take, the manager who has handled the singer since his 'NSYNC days said his client is eager to get things going. The day after the deal closed, Wright said he got an email from an anxious Timberlake that read, "Are you up? My mind is going dizzy with ideas. I need to talk." Related Artists |
| Daniel Radcliffe Reveals Recent Drinking Problem Posted: 05 Jul 2011 07:47 AM PDT 'Harry Potter' star tells GQ magazine he got caught up in 'Hollywood lifestyle.'
Daniel Radcliffe has opened up about giving in to one of the pitfalls of fame. In the new issue of GQ magazine, the actor reveals that while shooting "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," he drank a lot on set.
"I became so reliant on [alcohol] to enjoy stuff," he says of making the 2009 film. "I really got away with that because there were many instances when a paparazzi shot like that could have been taken." The Broadway star goes on to explain that he was caught up in the Hollywood lifestyle. "There were a few years there when I was just so enamored with the idea of living some sort of famous person's lifestyle that really isn't suited to me," he says before noting that he decided to get clean in 2010 while filming the final installments of the "Harry Potter" films, the last of which hits theaters July 15. "There's no shame in enjoying a quiet life. And that's been the realization of the past few years for me," he says. "As much as I would love to be a person that goes to parties and has a couple of drinks and has a nice time, that doesn't work for me. I'd just rather sit at home and read, or go out to dinner with someone, or talk to someone I love, or talk to somebody that makes me laugh. And the "Deathly Hallows" star tells the magazine that he now has the company of that special someone. "I'm actually enjoying the fact that I can have a relationship with my girlfriend [Olive Uniacke], where I'm really pleasant and not f---ed up totally all the time." In an interview with MTV News last year, Radcliffe talked about having young fans that look up to him, noting, "I don't look at myself as a role model. I would never place myself on that pedestal. The thing I always say and I've often said in interviews, if people want a role model, Harry Potter's a very, very good role model. He'll be fixed in that permanent lovely way, and so those are the role models you want." Related Videos Related Photos |
| 'Transformers' Sequel Sets Box-Office Record Posted: 05 Jul 2011 06:24 AM PDT Michael Bay's third installment in the series had the highest-grossing July 4 debut ever.
There's no hiding the success of the "robots in disguise" franchise: "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" enjoyed the highest-grossing Fourth of July film debut ever over the weekend. Summer sequel mania was in full swing over the Independence Day holiday as the latest "Transformers" movie took in an estimated $97.5 million. "Transformers" beat the 2011 opening-weekend record previously set by "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," which just crossed the $1 billion mark worldwide.
Director Michael Bay's third installment in the "Transformers" series took in more than $180 million during its six-day opening, which started with Tuesday night previews. While it beat the Independence Day record held by "Spider-Man 2" thanks to inflation and 3-D screenings, it fell short of the superhero sequel in terms of overall attendance and far behind the last "Transformers" opening as well. Only 38 percent of major critics found the film favorable, according to Rotten Tomatoes. Last weekend's big sequel, "Cars 2," suffered from the largest second-week drop in Pixar's history. The talking-car-centered animated kid flick fell 60 percent to #2 with an estimated $26.2 million, with an 11-day total of $123 million. Cameron Diaz's "Bad Teacher" was #3 on the box-office chart with $14.5 million for an 11-day total of $59.9 million. Critics have not been kind to "Larry Crowne," which opened at #4 with just $13.1 million. " 'Larry Crowne' has Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts and a good premise and a colorful supporting cast," wrote Roger Ebert. "But what it doesn't have is a reason for existing." The weekend's other new romantic comedy, Selena Gomez's "Monte Carlo," failed to even crack the top five with its $7.4 million debut. "Super 8" was #5 with $7.8 million. J.J. Abrams' homage to co-producer Steven Spielberg's thrill-filled coming-of-age stories has earned more than $108 million in four weeks of release. Check out everything we've got on "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," "Bad Teacher" and "Cars 2." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Check out what the stars have to say about the deleted scenes below! |
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