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While fans and critics alike are still picking apart the merits and meanings behind Radiohead's new album The King of Limbs (and also discussing the rumors that it's merely the first part of a multiple-volume series of releases, any of which could appear at any moment), there is one aspect of it that people have agreed on universally: The image of Thom Yorke dancing remains fascinating and hypnotic.

On Wednesday (February 23), the MTV Newsroom blog presented its five favorite video mash-ups of the Radiohead frontman dancing to various songs, including Ginuwine's "Pony" and Guns N' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle." And while those entries remain favorites, they barely scratch the surface of what is out there. So here are five more can't-miss entries in what is quickly becoming the best Internet meme of 2011.

"Thom and Kanye"
While Yorke's moves don't necessarily have any roots in ballet, he does slip seamlessly into Weezy's video for "Runaway" (which featured a whole gaggle of ballerinas).

"Lotus Flower (Like a G6)"
As anyone who has attempted to get down on the floor to Far East Movement's "Like a G6" knows, it's sort of difficult to find a good mix of dance moves to marry to that song. But Yorke appears to have solved that problem, as his collection of gesticulations seems to work well with the track.

"Thom Yorke Dances to Footloose"
The greatest thing about the video of Thom Yorke dancing is that it can completely change meaning depending on what song is being played underneath it. The original song, "Lotus Flower," makes Yorke's moves seem desperate, twitchy and intense. But when you add Kenny Loggins' "Footloose," it becomes a fun and fancy-free romp.

"Radiohead Vs. Cotton Eyed Joe"
If you are familiar with the cult classic dance tune "Cotton Eyed Joe" (by Swedish faux-country dance collective Rednex), then you have probably been a cheerleader or went to a middle school dance at some point between 1994 and 1996. This one doesn't match up as well as some of the others, but then again, it reminds the world that "Cotton Eyed Joe" exists.

"Thom Yorke Whips His Hair"
Yorke wears a hat for the duration of the "Lotus Flower" video, which makes it difficult for the singer to actually whip his hair. But when Willow Smith gets to the "shake'em off" line and Yorke starts twitching, it becomes truly transcendent.

What's your favorite Thom Yorke dancing video? Did we miss any great ones? Let us know in the comments!

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"Justin has always been clear about what he wants done. That said, he trusts me to make the right judgment with it, we really orchestrate his hairstyle together. He knows what he wants and I know what will work best with his features and hair type ... it's like silk. He has very soft hair [and] I hope it stays that way forever."

-Stylist Vanessa Price, discussing the hair of client Justin Bieber, whose recent cropping of his signature locks has been the talk of the Internet for most of the week. In a conversation with People magazine, Price discussed the collaborative process that lead to the new hair style. "We've been talking about it over the last six months or so, more or less," Price explained, noting that she has always worked closely with the 16-year-old star on his various looks. "It's definitely been in the works for a while."

(Click here for more photos of Justin Bieber's career in hair!)

When asked why Bieber chose this past weekend to reconfigure his hair style and get a new look, she explained that it was a natural part of his development, both as a star and as a teen. "He was ready," Price said. "Cutting your hair is just part of the evolution and growing process for anyone, and I think he was just ready."

The cut has created a great deal of conversation among his fans, but most seem to agree that the new look makes him look "older" and "more mature."

It has been an eventful week for Bieber, as his latest album Never Say Never: The Remixes made its way to the top of the Billboard album chart and his film "Never Say Never" continued to rake in cash at the box office (to date, it has brought in over $52 million in receipts).

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The word "monster" gets tossed around a lot whenever Lady Gaga is around. It's a theme that runs through her entire public existence, from the name of an album (The Fame Monster) to her fans (they are the "Little Monsters" who refer to their favorite artist as "Mother Monster") to the name of her tour (The Monster Ball). Earlier this week, that tour stopped at New York's Madison Square Garden for a pair of shows that acted both as a homecoming for Manhattanite Lady Gaga and a stage for the singer's HBO concert special.

It also provided a homing beacon for some of Gaga's biggest fans, who donned their finest Gaga-inspired costumes and gravitated to MSG for a veritable carnival of Gaga-approved weirdness (because after all, they were all "Born This Way"). MTV News was there, and we began to wonder just how well the most hardcore devotees really knew Lady Gaga. So we asked them questions, and they answered.

As you can see, they're pretty knowledgeable about the little details of Lady Gaga's complicated life. Clearly, the Little Monsters are well-educated when it comes to the Mother Monster. But how well do they know other monsters?

We weren't able to ask them about some of our favorite mythological beasts and movie baddies while outside Madison Square Garden, but there's a five question monster quiz below. If you can get them all right (or even three out of five), consider yourself the ultimate monster expert. The answers will be posted in the comments section. No cheating!


Read more...

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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.

Foo Fighters are back, and it feels so good. Last week, the band premiered a video for "White Limo" that immediately went viral (and rightfully so, for the Lemmy content alone). Earlier this week, they unveiled their new single "Rope" to immediate excitement and acclaim. There is a tremendous amount of excitement over their upcoming album Wasting Light (whose cover art was just revealed), mostly because frontman Dave Grohl has promised that it's a lot louder and more raw (and also because it was produced by Butch Vig and features a guest spot by fellow former Nirvana member Krist Novoselic). On Wednesday (February 23), Grohl took the stage at Brixton Academy in London to receive the Godlike Genius award at the 2011 Shockwave NME Awards (a prize he dedicated to his late former bandmate Kurt Cobain). For an encore, Grohl and the Foo Fighters took the stage with the Who singer Roger Daltrey to play "Young Man Blues" at the start of a two hour set that also included all of the band's biggest hits (including "Everlong," "Learn to Fly" and the just-released "Rope").

They weren't the only band shredding, as Linkin Park played a blistering set at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Click here for these photos as well as the entire "Spotted" archive, which features over 500 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Eminem, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, the Jonas Brothers, Madonna and Kanye West!

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Has there ever been a more hotly-anticipated NBA trade deadline than this year's? In the midst of one of the greatest seasons in the history of the National Basketball Association (with as a dozen teams who could make a legitimate claim on the championship this year), there have already been a handful of blockbuster deals that have sent top-level superstars to new locales. So far, the centerpiece deal sent Carmelo Anthony (and a host of others, including point guard Chauncey Billups) to the New York Knicks, but there are still a number of deals that are happening or could happen before the door closes on all trade activity at 3 p.m. Eastern.

In a somewhat shocking move, the Los Angeles Clippers shipped Baron Davis to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Mo Williams late Wednesday night (February 23). And though they lost out on their quest to get Anthony, the New Jersey Nets still walked away with a superstar in Deron Williams. Plenty of other teams are in talks to make a big deal before the deadline to shore up their rosters for a run at the playoffs, including three of the elite teams in the Eastern Conference (the Boston Celtics, the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat). The Celtics could use an extra big man or help on the perimeter, the Bulls need some size and the Heat could do with a guard to back up the injury-prone Dwayne Wade. There are plenty of rumors flying around about names that are on the table (Shane Battier, Nate Robinson, Gerald Wallace, Kirk Hinrich, Jonny Flynn, Raja Bell and a host of other role players could all have new homes by this evening), but there are so many variables that go into NBA trades that it's possible none of those deals could actually happen between now and the deadline.

So while you chew your nails wondering if your favorite team is going to pick up a name for the future or deal away the player you love the most, crank up Michael Jackson's "Jam," which features a visit from Michael Jordan (who never lost any sleep on trade deadline day) and as insistent a beat as Teddy Riley ever constructed. It's the sound of the hardwood, and the sound of getting dunked on. Jam!

Who made the best trade deal in the NBA? Let us know in the comments!

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The Grammy Awards had a clear impact on this week's Billboard album chart, lending huge sales boosts to the likes of Justin Bieber, Mumford & Sons, Lady Antebellum and Arcade Fire. The broadcast also made its mark on the Billboard Hot 100, which features a second straight week of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" at the top spot. But the rest of the top 10 is full of Grammy impact, most notably with the elevation of Cee Lo Green's "F--- You" (or as the Grammy Awards called it "The Song Otherwise Known as Forget You") to the number two spot on the chart (it jumped all the way from number seven, placing it in its highest spot yet). Dr. Dre's "I Need a Doctor," one of the most headline-grabbing performances of the Grammy evening, also scored a big jump, as it ended up at number four this week. And Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never" made a gigantic leap (from number 25 to number eight) thanks to the one-two punch of the Grammys and the film of the same name.

Elsewhere on the chart, Britney Spears' "Hold It Against Me" continues to hold steady at number 11 (though the recent premiere of the video should probably give it a boost), while Adele's single "Rolling in the Deep" managed to elevate itself from 41 to 26 thanks to a ton of positive press for her new album 21. Mumford & Sons' "The Cave" got a Grammy boost, moving from 68 to 27. The excitement surrounding the upcoming video for Katy Perry's "E.T." earned the song a re-entry into the chart at number 28, and Ke$ha's "Blow" also climbed up from 51 to 32.

The highest debut of the week belongs to New Boyz, whose "Backseat" opened at number 37. The "Glee" version of Justin Bieber's "Baby" also had a big debut, stomping in at number 47 (the cast's "Sing" came in just behind it at number 49). Next week, expect Dr. Dre's "I Need a Doctor" to make a play for the top spot (thanks to the new video) and for more Gaga dominance (which will get a boost from the premiere of that video).

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One of the key narratives surrounding the success of Train's "Hey, Soul Sister" — undoubtedly one of the most ubiquitous hits of 2010 — was that it represented an incredible comeback for the band. Prior to "Hey, Soul Sister," Train were probably best known for their 2001 album Drops of Jupiter, which spawned a pretty gigantic hit of the same name. But they first got a taste of radio ubiquity when their single "Meet Virginia" became a chart smash in 1999 (peaking at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100). It came from the group's self-titled debut album, which was released on this day in 1998.

Train originally formed in San Francisco in 1994. Frontman Patrick Manahan (who had previously performed in a Led Zeppelin covers band) moved out west from Erie, Pennsylvania and began playing local bars and coffee shops with guitarist Rob Hotchkiss. The duo slowly put a band together and began to form the core of their rootsy, crunchy sound. When they couldn't sign a record deal, they released their first album independently in 1997, and though it did not make commercial waves, it did attract the attention of a number of other bands, earning Train opening slots for the likes of Hootie & the Blowfish, Barenaked Ladies and Counting Crows.

Aware Records signed the band and re-released Train with a different track listing. The first single "Free" picked up some minor airplay on rock radio stations, but "Meet Virginia" became a massive crossover hit and propelled Train to platinum status. The memorable video stars actress and former "Noxzema Girl" Rebecca Gayheart as a foxy diner waitress.


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Of all the late night hosts, nobody — not even Conan O'Brien — is as playful as Jimmy Fallon. The host of "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" has carved out his own little corner of the late night universe, appealing to a particular brand of pop culture awareness and nostalgia. That love of junk culture from a particular era (mostly the early '90s) has inspired Fallon to stage reunions of the casts of "Saved By the Bell" and "California Dreams" as well as a number of music acts from the era. Such was the case on Wednesday night (February 23) when Bel Biv Devoe took the stage at 30 Rock to tear into their classic single "Poison."

Though Bel Biv Devoe (made up of Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe, all of whom were members of New Edition) have been relatively active over the past decade, they last released an album in 2001 and have only performed sporadically since then. And it has been even longer since they were a part of the pop culture conversation (they last had a genuine hit with "Something in Your Eyes" in 1993). But as anybody who has ever danced to "Poison" can attest, Bel Biv Devoe found a whole new gear when they were on.

On Wednesday night, they were most certainly on. The trio stormed the stage and tore into "Poison" for the on-air segment, then rolled through "Do Me" for a Web-exclusive encore. Both songs were backed by Fallon's house band the Roots, giving both tracks a blast of organic funk (Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson's drums were particularly on point). Check out "Poison" and try not to dance in your chair.

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Ever watch "American Idol" and think, "You know, I like watching amateurs perform, but I wish I could watch them sing four seconds of a Beatles song surrounded by oversized props on a hydraulic-enhanced stage"? Well, Wednesday night's (February 23) new Vegas round episode was just for you.

It was supposed to be a full two hours of people saying they've never heard of the Beatles, Steven Tyler waxing poetically about living in "Beatle Land" and awkward Seacrest interviews set in a makeshift Coca-Cola/Ford room that got integrated marketing execs horny. But then Jennifer Lopez had to go and have a meltdown when she told Chris Medina that he wasn't good enough to be on the show and producers said, "Eh, let's chop out that boring Vegas singing part. Who watches 'Idol' for the music anyway?"

Perhaps that's why the Vegas-set half of Wednesday's super-sized episode often felt like we were getting a greatest hits collection instead of a fully-formed album. Think the Beatles 1 versus Abbey Road. (Trust me, I'll get to the big reveal of the first five official "AI:X" cast members in a little. But if I go out of order, my sleep-deprived brain will sputter like blushing bride Ashley Sullivan off her meds.)

The conceit of Vegas Night reminded me of a "Top Chef" Quickfire Challenge. "You only have 24 hours to cook up a Beatles duet or group number. Also, make a quiche. Go!" And boy, did the contestants bring their finest cheese to the stage.

Casey Abrams and Chris Medina — who bonded instantly over their mutual disdain for hair care — donned matching acoustic guitars, coordinated fedoras and bright white socks for "A Hard Day’s Night." They also choreographed jumping on a giant prop bed because they desperately want to be the stars of some twisted fan fiction in which Chris' fiancé Juliana will be an unwilling participant. (Just like "Idol"!)

But nobody out-cheesed Denise Jackson, Lauren Alaina and Scott McCreery. At first I felt bad for this team. Jimmy Iovine and his army of too-cool-for-school producer thugs waltzed into their rehearsal unannounced and barked that "If I Fell" needed to be changed. (Wait, is this the role that Jimmy Iovine is playing on the show? Meddling middle management nincompoop?)

The group settled on one of the most annoying Beatles tunes ever recorded in "Hello Goodbye" and jazzed it up by running around a British phone booth. Steven Tyler likened the performance to a Marx Brothers folly; I likened hearing Scott hit high notes to the Crash Test Dummies singer dude getting smacked in the crotch. Good job, Jimmy Iovine!

The new mentor had better advice for Jacob Lusk, who has a tendency to bring the hiccupping Holy Ghost to everything he sings. (Imagine Lusk's "Happy Birthday." Now give yourself five minutes to stop laughing before you continue reading.) Iovine compared Jacob's vocal agility to Bono's in some strange way that kind of made sense at the time, and then added, "If [Bono] used [his vocal power] all the time, he'd be working in a café in Dublin. Or a pub." (As opposed to where Bono is now, using his vocal power to seriously injure Broadway actors.) But duly noted, Jimmy Iovine. You hate over-singing. Yet you're on "Idol." That’s like hating sunshine and moving to Florida. You best be investing in some sun block, partner.

Lusk, Haley Reinhart and Naima Adedapo took Jimmy's advice to heart when they performed "The Long and Winding Road." Instead of making it a tuneless 15-minute diaphragm exercise of vocal runs, they reigned it in to 12 minutes. Progress! But Randy Jackson thought Lusk lost sight of what makes him special, and compared his voice to a car with gas that's not going anywhere. This Lusk guy, always on the receiving end of cockamamie comparisons.

And then, Jacob solidified his place in my heart by responding, "We were told to be extremely, extremely, extremely, extremely cautious, so I tried to give a little bit but I didn't want to take it all the way to Ebenezer Baptist on y'all." Who uses the same word four times for emphasis? Jacob Lusk does, that's who. This is the beginning of a beautiful relationship. I'm currently taking submissions for a Lusk Fan Club name. (Lusk For Life? Lucky In Lusk?)

"I Saw Her Standing There" singers Tatynisa Wilson, Lakeisha Lewis and Jerome Bell also thought "more is more" when it came time to perform, and I'm not just talking about their vocals. Read more...

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On Tuesday (February 22), the Internet was abuzz with a fascinating development in the pop music world. Justin Bieber, perhaps the most famous 16-year-old on the planet, decided to trim his signature swooping hair style in favor of something a little shorter and sharper. Under normal circumstances, getting a haircut shouldn't play into how the world receives his music, but Bieber had a lot riding on that signature mane. (Luckily, he has plenty of skill to fall back on.)

The history of pop culture is littered with stars who have attempted dramatic hair transitions. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't, which is why MTV News has crafted this handy visual guide to the celebrities who have scored with their new hair and those who have stumbled.


As you can see, there is no real rhyme or reason to who survives changes in hair style and who doesn't. On the left side, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl cut off his long locks right around the time his band was becoming one of the biggest in the world, but Metallica's reign of world domination began to slip right around the time frontman James Hetfield (and the rest of the band) got rid of his metal hair. Eminem changed his hair color as a nod to his more mature outlook, while Busta Rhymes hasn't been nearly as big since he shed his dreadlocks. Actress Keri Russell famously shed her long curls for a game-changing episode of the teen drama "Felicity" (the show was never the same), while Justin Timberlake left his curls behind with his *NSYNC days right around the time he became a huge cross-cultural superstar.

Bieber's new style isn't as dramatic as Britney Spears' shaved head or Halle Berry's re-jiggered look, so it's likely that he'll end up on the left side of the image. Plus, the universe seems to love the new shorter look, so it seems like Bieber is on the right track, follicle-wise.

What do you think of Justin Bieber's new haircut? Let us know in the comments!

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