Iconic Madonna Cone Bra Bustier Inspires New Diet Coke Bottle Design

Posted 4/13/12 2:21 pm EST by in Madonna


By Zachary Swickey

We have to admit that we never would have guessed Coca-Cola would be trying to piggyback on the iconography of Madonna, but that seems to be the case with a new Diet Coke bottle design that sports a cone bra in a strange yet unmistakable ode to the Queen of Pop.

Diet Coke is changing things up with a new line of fashion-centric bottle designs, one of which happens to draw undeniable inspiration from Madonna’s notorious cone bra outfit from her 1990 "Blond Ambition" tour.

If you’re wondering how in the world this came into existence, famous French fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier is the man responsible for creating Madge’s outfit – a mainstay in music-fashion pop culture – and was interestingly appointed as a creative director for Diet Coke.

>>> Madonna's Truth Or Dare Fragrance '15 Or 16 Years' In The Making

The Madonna-inspired bottle design is a cream color and dons a fishnet corset and cone bra as well as a touch of white and blue stripes painted on. The product has no official tie to the singer, but the audience they’re speaking to is quite clear.

This isn’t the first time Coca-Cola has partnered up with an icon in the fashion industry. Karl Lagerfeld and even Dolce and Gabbana have contributed to the soda brand.

However, if you live in the states and are hoping to get your hands on one of the bottles you're out of luck – the product is for a European-only campaign. But if you're willing, you’ll probably be able to pick some up off eBay … though you'll most likely end up paying major bucks.

Check out the ad for the soda, after the jump! Read More...

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Black Keys, Dave Matthews And Others Sign 'Love Letter' Supporting Public Radio Month

Posted 4/13/12 12:51 pm EST by in Music


By Zachary Swickey

April is undoubtedly a great month for music. On top of Coachella kicking the festival season off, April also has Record Store Day (4/21) and just so happens to also be Public Radio Music Month (PRRM). Artists from just about every genre – including the Black Keys, Dave Matthews, the Roots, the Civil Wars, the Decemberists and Jack White – have even show their support with an open love letter of sorts to public radio.

For those of you not in the know, public radio is a great place to discover new bands and artists. NPR, for example, frequently gives album sneak previews and first listens with some of the best indie and mainstream bands around.

A wealth of notable artists have signed their name to the open love letter to public radio, which essentially reads like a list of heartfelt “thanks you’s.”

“Thank you for taking chances. Thank you for playing our music even when – especially when – it doesn’t sound like everything else on the radio dial,” the letter begins.

Quite the appropriate statement since I can personally recall hearing White Stripes first single “Hotel Yorba” from their breakout album White Blood Cells on public radio months before the band started to blow up with their following single, “Fell in Love with a Girl.”

“Thank you for inviting us into your studios and asking us intelligent questions. Thank you for introducing us to some of the most important music in our lives, music that made us who we are,” the letter continues, before signing off, “Thanks, public radio, for being who you are. Happy Public Radio Music Month.”

Throughout the tough times, the music community has always come together to support public radio, which inspired NPR, local radio stations and musicians across the county to spend April spotlighting how non-commercial radio supports all the different genres of the music community – even less mainstream fare like jazz, bluegrass and classical.

Select radio stations will have special events in celebration: WFPK in Louisville will host a PRMM interview with Chris Walla, guitarist for Death Cab for Cutie; WFUV in New York City will air a live broadcast of Rodrigo y Gabriela from Radio City Music Hall; and KOPB in Portland, Oregon, will have Decemberists bassist Nate Query hosting as guest DJ.

You can tune into the airwaves of your own public radio stations across America or join the fun online at their website as it will be a month-long celebration of public radio’s vital role in our nation’s musical life.

Check out the full letter, after the jump! Read More...

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Jimmy Fallon Spoofs 'Downton Abbey'

Posted 4/13/12 9:56 am EST by in Television


We've been needing a "Downton Abbey" fix ever since the show wrapped up its drama-filled second season in February. We've delighted in casting news and spoilers, but now we have a fresh spoof to laugh at courtesy of Jimmy Fallon.

The spoof, titled "Downtown Sixbey", re-imagines the Emmy-winning series as the inner workings of Fallon's late night talk show, which is set at Rockefeller Center's Studio 6B. (Get it? "Sixbey.) Fallon's writer's room steps in for "Downton's" servant's dining quarters, the site of much intrigue, while "upstairs" Fallon as Earl of Downtown Sixbey dines with his family and a foreign visitor (let's hope he doesn't meet the same fate as poor Mr. Pamuk).

Brooke Shields steps in as the Earl's wife, Nora, and his unfortunate looking middle daughter is played by "Portlandia" star Fred Armisen.

Just as on the PBS Masterpiece series, the Earl gets receives a message saying that the current heir to Downton Sixbey –in this case, "Last Call" host Carson Daly – has gotten in an accident. A hot air balloon accident with Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green, specifically. (Don't worry Xtina and Cee Lo are fine, but Carson has disappeared.) The new air will be his nephew (played by Questlove).

Check it out below:

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Bob Marley Documentary To Hit Theaters And Facebook On Same Day

Posted 4/12/12 2:42 pm EST by in Movies, Music


By Zachary Swickey

A new Bob Marley documentary – simply titled “Marley” – will be hitting theaters next Friday (appropriately on 4/20), but the production company has revealed the film will be available to stream on Facebook simultaneous with its theatrical release.

Shangri-La Entertainment, Tuff Gong Pictures and Milyoni touts in a press release that Academy Award-winning director Kevin Macdonald's career-encompassing documentary about the icon will be the first ever U.S. release to be made available for streaming on Facebook the same day it hits theaters.

With the assistance of Milyoni's Social Cinema technology, Facebook users will be able to instantly stream the film from the Bob Marley Facebook page for just $6.99. Currently, over 37 million fans "like" the Bob Marley Facebook page, which easily makes it one of the top 20 most popular pages in the world.

MacDonald has directed many interesting projects over the years: the jaw-dropping mountain survival documentary “Touching the Void” in 2003, Academy Award-nominated “The Last King of Scotland” from 2006, and last year’s “Life in a Day,” which was made entirely from footage culled from YouTube.

A portion of the proceeds from Facebook sales of “Marley” will benefit Save the Children.

“We are delighted that awareness of children's needs will be raised through this innovative effort," said Carolyn Miles, President and CEO of Save the Children, in the release. "We are proud to use funds generated through this on-demand movie release for the children we serve."

"Marley" will also be released through video-on-demand on April 20.

For more on "Marley," visit MTV Movies Blog.

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Britney Spears Shows Off Hot Bod At Twister Ad Shoot (Pics)

Posted 4/12/12 11:00 am EST by in Britney Spears


Looking good!

While she's never far from our thoughts, it's been a while since we've seen Britney Spears in action. But the pop star has clearly been working hard since wrapping up her Femme Fatale tour in December, as pics from the set of her new commercial for Twister Dance attest.

The star is the new face of the DVD-based dance and party game, which offers 40 dance lessons of varying levels of intensity for up to four players. "Dancing has been such an important part of my life since I was a little girl," Spears said in a press release from game maker Hasbro. "As soon as I saw the new Twister Dance game, I knew I wanted to be involved. I think kids will love rocking the spots and dancing to the music as much as my boys and I do. It’s a lot of fun!"

And apparently it pays off! Check out Spears' toned arms and abs in this still she posted to Twitter from the commercial shoot. Rocking a vest, black bra top and tight black pants, the 30-year-old star looks better than ever.

Twister, Facebook

Check out a behind-the-scenes shot from the shoot after the jump! Read More...

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Feist And Mastodon Cover Each Other In Honor Of Record Store Day, Become Fans In The Process

Posted 4/11/12 2:47 pm EST by in Mastodon, Music


Mastodon

By Zachary Swickey

Record Store Day has seen a resurgence in popularity over the last few years thanks to the rising interest in purchasing albums on vinyl, and this year’s split 7” release from Mastodon and Feist marks one of the craziest releases we’ve ever heard.

The metalheads of the Mastodon crew were first smitten with Feist when they witnessed her perform just two songs on UK talk show “Later with Jools Holland” before they took the stage themselves.

"They were great," guitarist Bill Kelliher told Rolling Stone. "We thought, 'Why don't we see if they want to collaborate somehow, someway?" which is how the project came to light.

It wasn’t until Feist saw an MTV Canada interview that she found out about Mastodon’s plans. "Next thing I know, they had announced on MTV that they were gonna cover a song [of mine]," she recalled – deciding to return the favor. Thus resulting in Feistodon – a split-single that will be available in stores for one day only on April 21 to celebrate Record Store Day.

"It's a wet dream to have Mastodon take one of my songs and put it into their massive machine," Feist said of the hook-up.

The artists basically gave each other complete creative freedom with Feist choosing to record a rendition of “Black Tongue” from Mastodon’s newest effort The Hunter and the band tackling Feist’s “A Commotion.” Read More...

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Madonna's Manager Confirms That 'Turn Up The Radio' Will Be Next MDNA Single

Posted 4/11/12 1:09 pm EST by in Madonna


They say "ask and you shall receive." Well, we asked … and it looks like we are getting what we want.

Guy Oseary, Madonna's hunky Twitter-phile manager, took to the social net this morning to respond to a Madge fan championing "Turn Up the Radio" as the next single from MDNA, saying the song "is feeling like the next single."

Now, we've been pushing for "Radio" to be a single since, well, before MDNA even came out, so this is music to our ears! At the time, we posited that Madonna was knowingly waiting until early summer to give the track an official single release because it's a perfect warm weather tune. The calculated perfectionism of some of Madonna's club jams can leave you feeling a little chilly, but that's not the case with "Radio." During our little pre-release listening party, I scribbled the words "effervescent" and "happy" in my notes.

The track has a propulsive energy that just feels so authentic and alive. It's a big, anthemic dance-pop wonder with glittery synths and fun lyrics. In short, it's a perfect single to reignite interest in MDNA before Madonna hits the road for her world tour.

Are you loving "Turn Up the Radio" as much as we are? Let us kno win the comments below!

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Bon Iver's Justin Vernon Recording Album With Rapper Astronautalis

Posted 4/11/12 12:14 pm EST by in collaborations, Music


Justin Vernon

By Zachary Swickey

Bon Iver frontman Justin Vernon must not be keen on taking breaks, because despite being on the road for most of 2011 – touring behind his Grammy-winning self-titled album – he somehow found the time to record a new full-length effort with his rapper friend Astronautalis.

While the concept may seem like a radical departure for Vernon, it’s really not if you are aware of his other side-gig with his supergroup Gayngs – a “collective” of 25 musicians, including Har Mar Superstar, rappers P.O.S. and Dessa from Doomtree, as well as three members of Solid Gold.

The record will also reportedly feature Bon Iver drummer S Carey and producer Ryan Olson (the man responsible for forming Gayngs) with Vernon’s April Base Studio in Wisconsin serving as the project’s headquarters.

"This process was exhilarating, and it drove us further. We were originally going to be down there for a day," Astronautalis, real name Andy Bothwell, said in an interview with City Pages – claiming he also freestyled for eight hours over the music Vernon came up with.

"A lot of my fans are like, 'Oh this is going to be amazing: Astronautalis rapping and Justin singing choruses.' It's not going to be that,” Bothwell said about the effort.

The two also reportedly have a separate moniker for the project that they have yet to reveal, and though they are reportedly hoping to release new music sooner rather than later, they did not set a release date for the project.

It’s safe to assume that the disc will land on the new label Vernon founded, Chigliak Records. An imprint of Jagjaguwar, the label that signed Bon Iver, Chigliak Records focuses on "never commercially released" or "locally released [in Wisconsin] and never put out on vinyl," as well as new music.

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Check Out Rihanna's 'Where Have You Been' Single Cover Art

Posted 4/11/12 11:11 am EST by in Rihanna


Rihanna, Instagram

Speaking of Rihanna...

"Where Have You Been" is one of our favorite tracks on Rihanna's Talk That Talk, so we're thrilled that our friends at MTV Buzzworthy are reporting that the track will be the next single from the album.

Rihanna revealed the single cover art on her Instagram account this morning. The Barbadian pop star is a big fan of the photo-sharing service, which Facebook just purchased for a cool $1 billion. If you want to get to know Rihanna, follow her on Instagram – you'll get everything from vacation pictures to her latest tattoos.

For the full story on Rihanna's "Where Have You Been" single, visit MTV Buzzworthy.

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Yes, This Is A Video Of James Franco Singing Rihanna's 'You Da One'

Posted 4/11/12 10:38 am EST by in James Franco


A few days ago, known strange person James Franco posted a video to his WhoSay account of himself singing "Spring Breakers" co-star Selena Gomez's infectious single "Love You Like a Love Song" and now he's back to tackle Rihanna's "You Da One."

The Oscar-nominated actor's frizzy hair indicates he just took out the corn rows we got a look at in his "Like a Love Song" clip and he shows the ladies what they're missing with some sweet body rolls. The whole thing is wonderfully strange ... just like the James Franco we've come to know and love.

In the interest of diligent coverage, we've posted the video below. Enjoy!


James Franco on WhoSay

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