MTV Newsroom ›

"It was so funny, I got to see her and we played each other both of our records, and I was so excited. I'm so excited for her record 'cause it's amazing. But then she heard mine and it's so funny 'cause she's very passionate and she's very dramatic — which I think is why we're friends because we're both dramatic — but she has her favorites already. She likes 'Rock God and 'Ghost of You' a lot. But she definitely danced and had her little thing. She's completely honest with me, so it was nice to have her feedback."

-Teenage pop star Selena Gomez discussing her new album and her relationship with pal Taylor Swift. Each of the pair has a new album hitting stores soon — Gomez's A Year Without Rain drops on Tuesday (September 21) and Swift's Speak Now streets October 25. Swift weighed in on Gomez's album, and Selena has plenty of favorites from Swift's forthcoming project as well. "My favorite songs from her record would be 'Dear John' and another one ... it's number 13 on the record 'cause that's her favorite number ... it's really sweet," she told MTV News. "There's two that I'm absolutely in love with."

While Gomez is excited over her new album (which has already caused a stir with the two singles "Round & Round" and "A Year Without Rain"), she is also eager for people to hear Swift's new tunes. "Her album is going to be awesome. I think people are gonna be really surprised. It's not different [but] you just don't really believe she could top it, in a way," she explained. "She took her style and made it bigger. It's going to be really good."

Tags Quote, Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift

A week ago, both Taylor Swift and Kanye West stole the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards with their respective performances. Not only did they both deliver polished, personal renditions of their tunes, but they also joined the ranks of a rare list of artists who have unveiled brand-new music at the VMAs. Both Swift and West performed songs that had never been heard anywhere, and each came from upcoming albums that are sure to be among the biggest of 2010. What better place than the VMA stage to show off their new toys?

Actually, the VMA performances are usually dictated by the songs that were nominated for awards (or, at the very least, those artists' current singles). Eminem's show-opening salvo was the best example of this, as he busted into both "Not Afraid" (the song that netted him eight VMA nominations) and "Love the Way You Lie" (his current chart-topping single).

But clearly some artists deviate from the script. In fact, the last time an artist drew the curtain on new music at the VMAs was in 2008, when West performed new single "Love Lockdown" for the first time. Britney Spears' "Gimme More" had found its way onto the Internet before the 2007 VMAs, but her show-opening performance of the tune was the first taste for many.

Flashing back a bit, R.E.M. premiered a new song called "The Wake-Up Bomb" at the 1995 show (it later showed up on the band's 1996 on-the-road album New Adventures in Hi-Fi). Pearl Jam also unveiled a new song called "Animal" (which came out on their second album Vs. a few weeks later).

With legends like R.E.M., Pearl Jam and Spears in their corner, both West and Swift are now part of an elite fraternity. Who will be the next artist to debut new music at the VMAs? That sounds like the first question surrounding the 2011 show. Let the speculation begin!

Tags Eminem, Kanye West, pearl-jam, R.E.M., Taylor Swift, video-music-awards, VMAs

Back at the beginning of 2010, the MTV News team discussed a handful of albums we were most excited about for the coming year. Near the top of that list? The next album from My Chemical Romance, who were last heard from all the way back in 2006 when they released the ambitious concept album The Black Parade. As a group willing to experiment (and known for their extra-intense live show), MCR seemed poised to make a gigantic comeback and conquer the rock world once again. For the longest time, there was radio silence from their camp, and nobody quite knew whether or not the new album would even hit this year. But over the weekend, the band debuted a completely awesome trailer that provides a sneak peek at their soon-to-be-released fourth album Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys.

The trailer opens with some spooky narration and a mysterious rollerskating figure. When the song finally drops in, the treats begin. Guys in masks shooting laser guns at each other? Check. A '70s-style roadster? Also present. A catchy-as-heck "na-na-na" refrain on the track? You got it. The band has shifted their look away from the doomsday goth of The Black Parade to a livelier, more colorful, more dangerous version of themselves. The band even dropped a handful of hints last week in the form of "surveillance" videos, featuring a handful of images that appeared again in the full trailer. At the center is a cryptic phrase: "Art is the weapon against life as a symptom. Defend yourself."

After all the shooting and driving, the video wraps up with a tease for the album and the exit message "The aftermath is secondary." In a matter of two minutes, My Chemical Romance elevated Danger Days to must-hear status — right where rock visionaries like them belong.

What do you think of the trailer for the new My Chemical Romance album? Let us know in the comments!

Tags My-Chemical-Romance

Every day a multitude of stars wander through the halls of MTV News to talk about their latest projects and goof around with our intrepid correspondents. But sometimes we catch stars elsewhere, and that's why we put together Spotted!, a daily compendium of stars in the wild.

Last month, Paris Hilton was arrested in Las Vegas on drug possession charges, and earlier this morning (September 20), she had her day in court. The beleaguered heiress plead guilty to two misdemeanors — one for drug possession, the other for obstructing an officer. In pleading guilty, she avoids a one-year jail term. In place of that punishment, she receives a suspended sentence, $2,000 in fines, 200 hours of community service and mandatory involvement in an intensive substance abuse program. "Ms. Hilton understands the seriousness of the situation and appreciates the chance she is being given," the socialite's lawyer David Chesnoff said over the weekend. "She has to stay out of trouble."

Hilton wasn't the only star in the spotlight, as Adam Lambert took his glammed-up tour to Hollywood, Florida and the stars of weekend box office champ "The Town" — including director and star Ben Affleck — made their way to London for the U.K. premiere. Click here for these photos as well as the entire "Spotted" archive, which features nearly 500 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Jay-Z, Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Rihanna, the Jonas Brothers, Diddy and Eminem!

Tags photo, Spotted!

Over the course of his career, rapper, producer and Black Eyed Peas mastermind will.i.am has collaborated with some of the biggest stars in music, including Mary J. Blige, Carlos Santana, Justin Timberlake, Diddy, Usher, U2 and even Michael Jackson. Next week, one of his biggest productions will finally hit the street after nearly a year of preparation. Next Monday (September 27), the 41st season of "Sesame Street" will kick off with a performance of "What I Am," a song by will.i.am featuring a cavalcade of Muppet superstars (including Elmo, Big Bird, Bert and the Count). MTV News was there to observe the shooting of the segment, and when Tim Kash sat down to talk to the rapper and collaborator Grover, the bluest Muppet gave will.i.am a lesson in getting funky.

"Grover taught me how to count when I was a little pea," will.i.am told Kash. "And Michael Jackson taught me how to dance."

"I can dance too," Grover said. "I can teach you a couple of moves."

After warming up a bit and encouraging the rapper to take notes, Grover busted into a series of moves that were ... interesting, to say the least.

"You can have that," Grover told will.i.am. "You do not even have to credit me."

Always thinking musically, will.i.am took the ball and ran with it. "That's hot. That would be a dope song," he told Grover, immediately busting out some beatboxing and laying down a beat for Grover's manic "wuppa wuppa" dance (and wouldn't you know, it sort of sounded like a hit in the making). Further proof that there are few things that will.i.am can't spin into hip-hop hybrid gold.

Tags Grover, sesame-street, video, Will.I.Am.

Justin Bieber serenaded fans with his sweet vocals at a Hooters at the West Edmonton Mall in Canada on Saturday (September 18), just before his show at the Rexall Place. While there, he got into the finer points of the flavor of the fried pickles (a conversation we're sure Snooki would be proud of). Considering that the Biebs is still on the road for his first big headlining tour, it got us thinking about other chain restaurant stops he can make along the way.

First, Bieber might want to catch a hockey game (he is Canadian and training camp just opened) and a portabello mushroom sandwich at the ESPN Zone at L.A. Live in Los Angeles. It's located right near the Nokia Theater and the Staples Center, so he can very easily warm up his vocals before one of his shows at the manliest restaurant ever invented.

But what if he needs to kill some time and sing to some fans in New York City? He can always make a stop at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. in the heart of Times Square (which also happens to be very close to the MTV News headquarters). What might he order the in between sets? The Hubba Bubba Popcorn Shrimp, obviously.

Lucky for him, there's a Cheesecake Factory in Boston at the Prudential Center. Aside from delicious cheesecake, which is really the most advised food to eat before any show (dairy is great for the vocals), he might want to try the Cajun Chicken Littles. They sound perfectly sized for the pop star.

If the Biebs loves wings, finds himself in Tampa and thinks Hooters is just a little too upscale, he might want to pull up a seat at Ker's WingHouse. We suggest he douse his wings in the "Exxtreme" sauce. It's award-winning!

And because we wouldn't want to leave anywhere out of this, Justin should just have an open reservation at any Chili's anywhere in the country (though probably not the terrible ones in airports) so he can order up their signature baby back ribs in song form. He might want to try this tune out: "I want my baby back, baby back, baby back. Chili's Baby Back Ribs! (Barbecue sauce!)"

Tags Hooters, Justin Bieber

This week's batch of talk shows is all about contrasts, as there are a handful of people who will be chatting with your favorite hosts who don't necessarily belong together. Such is the magic of television booking, apparently. It all gets started on Monday night's (September 20) edition of "The Late Show With David Letterman," which will feature both a conversation with former president Bill Clinton as well as a performance by Chromeo. Didn't think those two would ever meet in the same green room, did you? The interesting pairings continue on Letterman's show this week, as Tuesday (September 21) sees both Snooki and Maroon 5 visit the show, while Wednesday (September 22) brings together Joaquin Phoenix and Tom Jones. Thursday (September 23)? That will deliver James Franco and Shakira, and Friday (September 24) wraps up with Shia LaBoeuf and Jimmy Eat World (though honestly those two sort of make sense together).

With Letterman's killer lineup, how will Jay Leno respond? With a stout batch of A-listers of his own on "The Tonight Show," including Justin Timberlake, Jane Lynch and OK Go (Monday), Ryan Reynolds and Betty White (Wednesday) and Dwayne Wade (Friday). Not to be outdone, Jimmy Kimmel will have a handful of great musical performers, including Phoenix (Monday), Band of Horses (Tuesday) and Primus (Friday). Indie fans will want to stay up extra late to watch "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon," as he'll have performances by luminaries Superchunk (Monday) and Pavement (Thursday). And after months off, at long last, "Last Call With Carson Daly" is back with shows featuring B.o.B (Monday) and Janelle Monae (Thursday).

Pavement fans can get an early dose of their favorite group on Monday's episode of "The Colbert Report" (Stephen Colbert will also chat with director Guillermo Del Toro on Wednesday).

Tags Chromeo, Jimmy Eat World, Justin Timberlake, Late Night, OK Go, Pavement, Superchunk, Talk Shows

They say the only thing worse than not having success in the music industry is actually having success in the music industry, as having a hit inevitably breeds expectations that tend to be impossible to meet. It's even stranger to score critical success without the accompanying commercial winnings, as Liz Phair did when she released her incredible watershed debut Exile in Guyville in 1993. A staggering, honest manifesto about being a young woman in a dangerous time, Exile in Guyville was one of the most beloved albums of '93 and still stands as one of the finest achievements in indie rock history. What did she do for an encore? On this day in 1994, she dropped Whip-Smart, her much-maligned and terribly underrated second effort.

While not as caustic and naked as Exile in Guyville, Whip-Smart maintained much of the energy that made Phair's debut such a winner. Though the songs are slightly more polished production-wise, they remain honest and powerful. Opener "Chopsticks" is an excellent example, a dead-eyed dirge featuring nothing more than Phair's voice and a droning piano. "He said he liked to do it backwards/ I said, 'That's just fine with me/ That way we can f--- and watch TV," she croons. It's a cold, real look at relationships that rarely got that type of candor (and in many ways still doesn't).

Whip-Smart is notable because it contains Phair's first true rock hit in the bubbly "Supernova." By far the biggest hook she had ever written, "Supernova" also contains one of the better couplets in Phair's career in "Your kisses are as wicked as an F-16/ And you f--- like a tornado and you're everything to me." The video also landed Phair in MTV's long-forgotten "Buzz Bin," and it's easy to see why. It's a delightful mash-up of early '90s video tropes and low-fi production.

Tags Liz-Phair, video

Everybody on the MTV News team is really looking forward to this weekend, as it represents a much-needed and well-deserved rest for the entire team, almost all of whom are recovering from last weekend's 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. The VMAs show is the highlight of every year on the MTV News calendar, though in order to bring you all the best coverage and behind-the-scenes access, it takes a lot of work, sweat, shoe leather and skipped meals. So now that the show is behind us, we're going to put our feet up, get massages and have long brunches with our loved ones this weekend. And after that, our batteries will be recharged fully and we'll continue to knock the news out of the park on a daily basis.

So enjoy your weekend, because we really will be enjoying ours. And just in case you missed any of the awesome VMA coverage here on the MTV Newsroom Blog, check out all the highlights below.

» As we mentioned, the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards were this past weekend. We opened with our totally killer white carpet pre-show, where Lady Gaga started winning awards and Nicki Minaj melted faces.

» Then the VMA show followed, which opened with a stunning performance by Eminem and got bigger and more epic from there.

» Gaga was the big story, as she collected eight awards — including the Moonman for Video of the Year.

» Though her awards were plentiful, Gaga's biggest head-turning moment was when she wore an outfit made of meat to collect her final award. Everybody weighed in, from PETA and Ellen DeGeneres to style experts and the Chick-Fil-A cows.

» Of course, Gaga's meat dress threw some curve balls. (Or not.)

» It wasn't all Gaga, though. Kanye West grabbed the spotlight as well, dropping a new song called "Runaway" that is already an instant classic.
Read more...

Tags Eminem, Jersey Shore, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Linkin-Park, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, video-music-awards, VMAs

It has been five days, but Kanye West's "Runaway" is still in heavy rotation here in the MTV Newsroom. We're still trading our favorite lines and allowing ourselves to get wrapped up in the haunting piano line that tumbles in and out of the beamed-from-Pluto beat. It's truly a great song and will no doubt end up on countless best-of lists at the end of the year. But how does it match up against West's library of killer singles?

That was the question we put forth yesterday, and now that the votes have been counted and the results tallied, it turns out that readers of the MTV Newsroom Blog are just as enthusiastic about "Runaway" as the rest of us are. It came in first in the voting, scoring 27 percent of the total vote for the clean victory. But perhaps that was to be expected — after all, it's easy to get caught up in the newness of it, and it's impossible to tell how good "Runaway" will sound six months from now (though it seems like it will hold up). That's why the second place song was the most intriguing, as it represented the highlight of West's back catalogue. The number two Kanye West single of all time? "Jesus Walks," the cinematic banger from West's first album The College Dropout. It took home 17 percent of the vote.

Third place belonged to "Stronger," which scored 11 percent of the vote, followed by "Through the Wire" and "Flashing Lights," which grabbed nine percent and seven percent respectively. At the bottom of the pack? "Love Lockdown" and "Heard 'Em Say," each of which got a mere two percent (a disappointing showing for those tracks, both of which rank among West's most envelope-pushing). "Power," "All Falls Down," "Good Life," "Gold Digger" and "Heartless" made up the middle of the pack, each getting between three and seven percent.

Though it didn't appear in the poll, "Can't Tell Me Nothing" probably should have been included (as commenter Josh pointed out). Also, commenter yoprince put forth a passionate argument for "Gold Digger." "People have clearly forgot how epic 'Gold Digger' really was on all fronts," he wrote. "'Runaway' is dope as hell though."

No matter how "Runaway" ranks against the rest of West's career, it has certainly got people talking, and that bodes well for the rapper's new album — one that the music world is waiting for with eager anticipation.

Tags Kanye West