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By Jett Wells

NEW YORK — A typical Sleigh Bells show pretty much matriculates into a sweaty body-slamming, grunting contest. But hordes of college girls decked themselves out in black spandex leggings and wayfarers anyway, before cramming into Webster Hall Wednesday night. Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller, who are still toddlers musically coming off their first album Treats a year ago, held the stage like they owned it with their cranked bass notes and heavy metal treble.

They stomped, punched and whipped the crowd into a frenzy, but there were still lingering appetites at the end of the set, which lasted less than an hour. It makes sense to have veteran act CSS co-headline for this very reason; Sleigh Bells have the chops to light up the crowd, but their song arsenal isn't deep enough to truly headline a venue like Webster Hall all by themselves.

The band got comfortable playing the spunky opener for acts like M.I.A., and they did well as headliners at Coachella. But until they hit the studio again (which is rumored to be this June) and pick up four more golden tracks, Sleigh Bells will remain just a powerhouse teaser.
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Tags Sleigh Bells

After a season of blowing smoke and patting contestants on the head like they were the ninth place finishers in a eight-person third grade decathlon, things finally got really real on "American Idol" on Wednesday night.

When Randy Jackson went all-in on Haley Reinhart after her screechy, hoarse mess of a Michael Jackson cover, the singer hit back with withering stares and some backstage dissing of her own, cranking up the tension on an otherwise vanilla season.

Normally, that kind of sassy backtalk is a prescription for a one-way ticket to Iowa Cattle Fair 2012 Apple Dumpling Stage opening act-ville. But there's a part of me that thinks Haley's rants and eye-rolls might have earned her some support from a fanbase that is so used to seeing nothing but marshmallow kisses and unicorn hugs from the judges that they will be incensed at the slight tinge of negativity.

Don't get it twisted. She was awful, and while her second performance was much better, at this point that's like saying that "Attack of the Clones" was better than "The Phantom Menace," i.e. they both sucked, but one sucked just a bit less.

All that said, I don't think Haley will go home tonight. I think her fans will rally, and it will be Lauren Alaina who gets the boot. Why? She was fine, but her little girl at the prom in a puffy dress and cute smile shtick is so bland and old it might just have lulled her fans into complacency. Most of my expert panel agreed with me.
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Tags American Idol, Haley Reinhart, Lauren Alaina, randy-jackson

A wise woman (and a rapping cat hallucination) once sang, "I take two steps forward, two steps back. We go together 'cause opposites attract." "American Idol" bought into that reasoning by booking Lady Gaga as a mentor for Leiber & Stoller night. They snagged one of the biggest pop stars making music today ... to talk about songs that may have been written before Scotty McCreery's grandparents were born. (Anyone know how old Grandma Piquita is? Tweet me! This is important!)

The top four had added pressure to be "in it to win it" because next week's home visits are dangling in front of them like a carrot on a string. Nobody wants to go home before home visits! Your "hero" parade is canceled! That's like going to a wedding and leaving before the main course is served. A free filet mignon is a terrible thing to waste.

In an added twist — and this is an exclusive — the "Idol" team informed me that Haley Reinhart's hometown parade will be canceled regardless of her status on the show. Plus, she will be banished from the entire state of Illinois. Them's the brakes, kid!

Before I go on a rant about the increasingly disturbing audience signs supporting various Seacrest Hairstyles, let me remind you to join my weekly Web show, "Idol Party Live," right here in this very blog at noon EDT. New York Times writer Jon Caramanica will be my co-host. (You may have caught his razor-sharp — and sometimes controversial — "Idol" recaps on the Times ArtsBeat blog.) Plus, we'll be rolling back my batsh-- interview with Jacob Lusk. Spoiler: He looks in a mirror.

Now, on to the performances!
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Tags American Idol, Lady Gaga

Now that Perez Hilton has confirmed that Lady Gaga will release her '80s throwback tune "Edge of Glory" as a radio single from Born This Way, we're just wondering what in the world Gaga might do for the video.

She's already created a new race for "Born This Way" and re-envisioned the Bible in "Judas," so what can Gaga have up her sleeve next?

Considering that the tune borrows heavily from cheesy pop music of that decade (and we mean that in a nice way!), we hope Gaga embraces it and just makes a full-on '80s-style video. Here are some suggestions:

First off, A-ha's "Take On Me." Partly animated, this classic '80s clip feels perfect for Gaga to put her own stamp on. Plus, we even have a suggestion for the love interest: Why not get Clarence Clemons, who plays sax on the song, to play the part? If not, we're all for hot guys! Is Alexander Skarsgård up for a reunion?

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Tags Edge Of Glory, Lady Gaga

Zachary Swickey

A rapper better known for pushing peace than inspiring violence, Common has caused quite the controversy after being invited to visit the White House. First Lady Michelle Obama reached out to the Chicago rapper asking him to attend a poetry event. But the invitation has caused an uproar over at Fox News, with one of its blogs describing the rapper as "vile"

The real issue seems to be the lyrics of Common's song "A Letter to the Law" in which Common takes jabs at President George W. Bush and his war on terror: "Why they messing with Saddam? Burn a Bush 'cause for peace, he push no button."

Interestingly, the folks at Fox didn't always hate on Common. In a 2009 interview, Fox News reporter Jason Robinson was quoted telling the reporter, "Your music is very positive and you're known as the conscious rapper. How important is that to you, and how important do you think that is to our kids?" Seems like they used to be on the same page.

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Tags common

By James Dinh

"The Voice" continued its search for the next aspiring superstar on Tuesday night with yet another not-so-traditional part of the NBC talent competition. After choosing a set of eight contestants to join their teams, viewers saw each of the celebrity panelists coach a pair of hopefuls as they rehearsed a song for the battle rounds. After watching the first batch sing their way to the judges' hearts, we couldn't help but see both the good and bad in this method of elimination.

Pros

Style: Inside a gleaming boxing ring, contestants shared duties by singing portions of the song alone and then collectively with their teammate. With two different voices delivering the same tune, it was interesting to hear the different spin that each contestant added to the song.
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Tags Christina Aguilera, Frenchie Davis, The Voice

By James Dinh

Jordin Sparks may have taken home the "American Idol" crown at the tender age of 17, but just a few years later, the big-voiced singer is sporting a new physique and singing a brand-new tune. On her new single "I Am Woman," the songbird belts about her newfound womanhood and independence over a commanding Ryan Tedder-produced beat.

As a teen-to-adult star, Sparks has taken to her music as a venue to rejoice in her coming-of-age growth and maturity, but she's far from the first diva to do so. In light of Jordan's new tune, MTV News has decided to take a look back at other female-empowerment tunes.

Janet Jackson, "Control"
Janet has always been one to deliver a feisty attitude over her songs, and that was just the case on her 1986 hit single "Control." After a soft-spoken intro, Miss Jackson gets straight to the point in this dance track, where she sings about finally taking responsibility for her own life decisions. "Got my own mind/ I wanna make my own decisions/ When it has to do with my life, my life/ I wanna be the one in control," she sings on the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis-produced song.

Britney Spears, "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman"
Unlike the "Idol" alum, Britney used a ballad to tell the world that she was growing up and no longer that cutesy schoolgirl we met in 1999. On the second single from 2001's Britney, the pop princess declared her middle-ground transition to womanhood over a breezy piano melody. The tune accompanied Spears' debut film "Crossroads," in which the singer played a high school graduate embarking on a road trip with friends.

TLC, "My Life"
R&B's beloved trio weren't listening to anybody besides themselves on "My Life." Tired of hearing other people dictate their moves, TLC declared their independence on this 1999 Fanmail cut. "Sometimes I might get a little crazy/ And sometimes I might seem/ Out of hand, but I'm sayin/ Life's too short for me to let you dictate," Chilli croons on the midtempo number.

What's your favorite coming-of-age pop song? Tell us in the comments!

Tags jordin-sparks

By Zach Swickey

This weekend, the Cleveland-based Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is opening a new exhibit devoted solely to the female powerhouses of rock. Dubbed "Women Who Rock: Vision, Power, and Passion," the exhibit will cover over 60 artists — from Wanda Jackson to Rihanna — with two entire floors featuring artifacts, video and listening stations.

The various sections of the exhibit will focus on the different genres and eras of music in which females left their mark. While this generation may be more acquainted with the likes of the Spice Girls and the Pussycat Dolls, bands the Shangri-Las and the Ronettes paved the way for our modern-day pop groups, and consequently there is a section of the new exhibit focused on girl groups of the early '60s. There are also displays looking at '60s counterculture, the disco-flavored '70s, the punk and pop explosion of the '80s, and the female-empowering '90s. We got a little sneak peek at some of the artifacts, and here are a few we're stoked for everyone to see:

Chrissie Hynde's jacket from the Pretenders' debut album cover:
Everyone is familiar with Michael Jackson's can't-miss-it red zipper jacket from the "Thriller" video, but he wasn't the first to make this iconic fashion statement. Chrissie Hynde rocked the getup in 1980, three years before the King of Pop did.

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Tags Lady Gaga, Rihanna

By Steven Roberts

My First Date with Oh Land was one of my favorites. Not because she was a drop-dead gorgeous Danish songstress, but because we got to make art. Our date was at Color Me Mine in Tribeca, and I was immediately overwhelmed with joy. The shelves were loaded with stuff you can paint ... from dog bowls to dinner plates, and everything in between. What can I say? My apartment was sorely lacking in "painted bulls---."

Anyway, my producer Rya, was adamant that I pick something that both Oh Land and I could paint together. Naturally I picked the Tyrannosaurs Rex, but she was totally against that. She wanted us to paint a bowl, but I thought that was lame. After throwing some shade at each other for the next 10 minutes, we decided that Oh Land and I would paint coffee mugs. They were nice and small and I could use my mug for my morning vodka.

Oh Land showed up a little late, but beautiful people can do that (I'm late all the time.) She was a bit of an artistic soul, so she loved the idea of painting the coffee mugs. We chose our colors (I chose a few shades of orange and chocolate, while she grabbed some pink, yellow, silver and black), and got down to business.

My producer would later say that Oh's technique was very refined and delicate, while I just took a sponge and proceeded to stamp paint all over my coffee mug. Either way, we were really into it. Rya had to repeatedly ask us to look up when we talked to each other. Oh was a gentle soul and it was a nice laid-back date, so I was cool just listening to her sweet and serene Danish accent as I sponged away. Everyone agreed that Oh had the better mug at the end (it was vaguely circus themed) but I was proud of my "Clockwork Orange," post-constructionist, I-don't-even-know-what-I-was-doing cup, too.

Tags Drinking In The Morning, First Date, Oh Land, video

By Zachary Swickey
Over the weekend, former NBC/Universal honcho Jeff Zucker dished out $250,000 to have Drake perform at his son's bar mitzvah. Sounds like a lot of cash, but it’s a deal compared to the $1,000,000 Kanye West was reportedly asking for a performance. Sometimes controversial, private performances have long been the industry's dirty little secret: the performer gets paid a ton of cash, and, usually, no one ever knows about it. And, if you ever caught an episode of "My Super Sweet 16," then you know just how lavish some of these parties can be (read: great buffets). So, if you're looking to book some top-notch talent for your next shindig, here's a quick run down of how much it'll cost you. Hopefully, you've got a rich Aunt or something.

Rihanna: $500,000
What better time to have your favorite pop star serenade you than New Year’s Eve? Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska paid a cool half million for Rihanna to do just that for him and some buddies. You’ll soon notice Russian billionaires seem to be the main customers for the private concert business.

Miley Cyrus: $1,000,000
In 2008 a high-powered attorney from Texas hired Miley Cyrus to perform a private concert for the Lanier Law Firm's "Christmas Cheers and Charity" holiday party. The $1,000,000 bash went down on a ranch in Houston and included a barbeque for 7,000 guests. Hope they got to bring their kids.

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Tags drake, J. Lo, Miley Cyrus, Russian Billionaires Are Awesome