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R. Kelly, Lady Gaga And Raekwon: 10 In 2009

Posted 12/23/09 12:58 pm EST by in Music


2009 is coming to a close, which means that it's time to check in on what the favorite albums, artists, songs and moments were among the fine folks in the MTV Newsroom. Be sure to check out James Montgomery's definitive year-end list for 2009, and enjoy the "10 In 2009" series that will be running over the next two weeks.

It was a weird year for me, as I was unemployed for the first part of it. So I went from not thinking at all about music to only thinking about music all the time. So it took me a while to even remember what happened in February (a lot, as it turned out). But anyway, here's the list.

10. 50 Cent, War Angel
Drake may have had the mixtape of the year, but 50 had an amazing return to form with his pair of independent releases. War Angel reminded everybody why we fell in love with 50 in the first place, as it was equal parts tough and catchy. There are no radio singles, but in a perfect world, "Redrum (Murder)" would have been a radio smash.

9. Jarvis Cocker, Further Complications
The former Pulp frontman augmented his brand of posh Britpop with a bit of savagery care of producer Steve Albini (the noisy mastermind behind Nirvana's In Utero). The new level of guts only added to the grooviness of tunes like "Angela" and "I Never Said I Was Deep."

8. Viva Voce, Rose City
Remember when Scarlett Johansson sang back-up for the Jesus & Mary Chain at Coachella in 2007? This is what a whole album of that would sound like (except, you know, better). "Red Letter Day" has been one of the most played songs on my iPod this year, and for good reason: It's got a groove so sinister that it probably freaks out Nick Cave.

7. Double Dagger, More
In the manic stew that is the Baltimore music scene, Double Dagger stands above everyone else. The awesome noise generated on More is almost childlike in its exuberance, as if it was recorded on a playground full of kicked-in amplifiers. "No Allies" is the best first track on any album released this year.

6. Lady Gaga, The Fame Monster
"Bad Romance" is obviously one of the best singles of the year, but the amazing thing about The Fame Monster is that it contains seven more songs that are just as good. "Alejandro" should be burrowing its way to the top of the charts by the end of January 2010, and "Speechless" is simultaneously heartfelt and insane. Gaga bears the mark of true genius: She makes everything look easy.
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The 10 Best Kanye West Moments Of The Year: 10 In 2009

Posted 12/22/09 4:30 pm EST by in Music


2009 is coming to a close, which means that it's time to check in on what the favorite albums, artists, songs and moments were among the fine folks in the MTV Newsroom. Be sure to check out James Montgomery's definitive year-end list for 2009, and enjoy the "10 In 2009" series that will be running over the next two weeks.

By Steven Roberts

People tend to either love or hate Kanye West, but the man has cemented himself a musical genius, a pop culture icon and — whether you like it or not — the loudest voice of our generation. So instead of doing the obligatory year-end-news-is-slow-we're-tired-and-going-on-vacation top 10 list, I have decided to list the top 10 moments in Kanye West for 2009 (And don't miss Kanye West's top moments in photos.)

10. Amber Rose
Rose first appeared on the radar of many hip-hop fans for being the stand-out model in Ludacris' "Want Them Girls Like" video with her bizarrely beautiful blond Caesar. But she rose in notoriety once she started dating 'Ye. And thanks to Mr. West, we get to see Rose in photo spreads from Elle to Complex as well as in the video for "Robocop."

(Check out Kanye West's top moments of 2009 in photos!)

9. Paris Fashion Week Photo
'Nuff said.

8. Air Yeezys and Louis Vuitton Collaboration
Last spring, West had sneakerheads and their girlfriends (she could buy the second pair) lining up outside of stores across the country for a chance to grab a pair of his Nike Air Yeezy's. And then he released three shoes with Louis Vuitton that most sneakerheads couldn't afford (damn recession).

7. Giving Chris Brown a Break Read More...

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Britney Spears Rounds Up Her Favorite Rumors Of 2009

Posted 12/21/09 5:19 pm EST by in Music


According to Britney Spears, there were over 13,000 stories written about the pop singer this year alone. Given how much we love and write about her here on MTV News, that seems completely plausible. So, instead of getting mad with the rumors that were particularly untrue, the singer took to her website to poke fun at a whole bunch of them.

"We ranked the ones we believe were the most ridiculous," she wrote on her site. "Either because they were factually inaccurate, because they reported the patently absurd or because we believe they are simply offensive to the sensibilities."

The list included romance rumors and stories started by Courtney Love, but there were also a few rumors that seemed particularly crazy. Which one? Like the one where Britney was rumored to star in a film described as a "Holocaust thriller." (Never mind that nobody is quite sure what a "Holocaust thriller" actually is.) Then there's one when she hates Australia. Let's be honest: With all the quality beer and emus running amok, how can anyone hate Australia?

Then there's the one where Brit Brit wanted to be a Baptist minster. That just seems silly (though she could have easily ordered a certificate online for that sort of thing). She also was apparently pregnant again this year. The source on that one is ... Ryan Seacrest? Bizarre! Speaking of bizarre, she was also working with Michael Jackson on some posthumous music.

But our favorite comes via Christopher "CJ" Smith of MTV News. He really wanted Britney to headline Coachella. She broke his heart. It's a classic tale.

Congrats to CJ for making Britney's list. His place in history (Britstory?) is set forever.

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Lady Gaga, Shakira, Heidi Montag Defy The Odds: 10 In 2009

Posted 12/21/09 1:52 pm EST by in Music


2009 is coming to a close, which means that it's time to check in on what the favorite albums, artists and songs were among the fine folks in the MTV Newsroom. Be sure to check out James Montgomery's definitive year-end list for 2009, and enjoy the "10 In 2009" series that will be running over the next two weeks.

By Joel Hanek

I was surprised to find out that making this list wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. A lot of the music I listened to had been from late '08 or stuff I've been revisiting. Anyway, here's what I came up with (in no particular order).

Lady Gaga, The Fame Monster
Yes, the second album (which is sort of the re-release of the first album until it wasn't — I got confused too) is much more cohesive, has better singles ("Bad Romance" and "Monster" trump "Poker Face" and "Just Dance"), and this is much more representative of the powerhouse that Gaga is becoming (and will become). (I suddenly realize I sound frighteningly like Perez Hilton.) While The Fame felt like a collection of good singles, The Fame Monster felt like a great album.

Mariachi El Bronx, Mariachi El Bronx
When a hardcore band releases a straight mariachi record, it's pretty badass. Defy expectations much?

Kid Cudi, Man on the Moon
I really wanted to put Kid Cudi on here because I love his mixtapes and I think the guy has a huge career on the horizon. I liked this album, but I wasn't in love with it. I appreciate that it was a concept album and it was his creative manifesto. However, I don't think the album shows his full potential (especially considering the lack of rapping). Anyway, Steven Roberts said he was an artist to watch in 2009, and looking back we can confirm Steven Roberts is omniscient.
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Talking Tiger Woods, Taylor Swift And Jay-Z With CNN

Posted 12/4/09 11:15 am EST by in Behind The Scenes, Television


I always wondered what it would be like to work at CNN. While that won't be happening any time soon, I did get the chance to play pundit for a little while. CNN's Tom Foreman interviewed me about the years craziest topics in entertainment, politics and music culture for an end of the year special. Initially, I was hesitant to do so because I believe as news correspondents, we tend to take ourselves too seriously. However, in this case, CNN created a very fun platform to televise some interesting perspectives on events that impacted our lives in the past year, and it was great!

One of the standout moments was when I realized I was being interviewed with Larry King's background props right beside me. Some of the issues covered included Tiger Woods, President Obama, Kanye West, Taylor Swift, Jay-Z, Lady Gaga and a bunch more. Some other people featured on this special include comedians Joy Behar and Margaret Cho.

This year-end show should be a treat to watch. Be on the lookout for me on CNN's end-of-year special "AC360's All the Best, All the Worst: 2009." And for more retrospectives on the year that was, don't miss MTV News' "Top Nine of '09," which counts down the biggest stories of the year, from Michael Jackson to Miley Cyrus to Eminem and everything in between. Check it out on New Year's Eve at 11 p.m. on MTV.

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The Hordes Crowd Into Lollapalooza

Posted 8/7/09 5:00 pm EST by in Lollapalooza


CAPTION_HERECHICAGO -- The fans in the front of the line at Lollapalooza's official start came from far and wide to land a choice spot for their favorite artists at one of North America's premiere music festivals. Oregon, Maine, London, Texas, Ontario, and France were just a few of the locales we saw represented up front, but the very front of the line was manned by two Depeche Mode superfans who came three hundred miles in order to stake out a spot right up front and they didn't plan on moving away from the main stage where DM was set to play all day long.

But they weren't the only pair brought to Grant Park by their love of the famous goth-rockers; just a little further back in line, a coed duo had just made acquaintances over their love of '80s legends Depeche Mode (and fellow '80s stalwarts Morrissey and The Cure), and they planned to buddy up in order to make it through their whole day parked in front of the main stage waiting for their faves to close out the night's festivities.

Kings of Leon proved to be the other crowd favorite in Friday's line-up, with every non-Depeche Mode fan in the crowd citing the now-superstar rockers as the band to see (DM and KOL play head to head against each other tonight on separate stages - should be interesting to see who draws the bigger crowd). Hipstery bands were also represented by the more fashionable types - with Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes and The Decemberists all getting call-outs from the crowd.

Unfortunately, as the fans rushed in, so did the bad weather. It got dreary right as the music got right underway, and has been raining steadily since - setting up for a cool and relaxing day in front of the Chicago skyline.

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MTV News Crew Lollapalooza 2009 Picks

Posted 8/7/09 1:33 pm EST by in Lollapalooza


By Steven Roberts, Rich Sancho and Christopher "CJ" Smith

The doors just opened for Lollapalooza 2009, and the theme from Star Wars is blasting over the PA. Despite how lame that is, our team here at MTV News is still really excited for some of the acts that are going to the hit the stage over the next few days. We sat down to give you some of the acts we're really excited to see:

Steven Roberts, Production Assistant: This is my first time at Lollapalooza, and I'm really excited to see what it's all about - I'm hoping it's like that one episode of the Simpsons with the Smashing Pumpkins and Homer taking cannonballs to his gut. But I must say I'm looking forward to one act in particular, Snoop Dogg!

I've grown up on Snoop, but I've never seen him perform. I'm looking forward to just getting lost in the crowd and a cloud of smoke to sing-along to all the classic Snoop tracks with thousands of other people.

Rich Sancho, online producer: I've caught 2 previous Lollapalooza shows - one in the early 90s, and one in 2007. While Jane's addiction and Daft Punk were highlights in my previous Lolla experiences, I'm definitely looking forward to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Silversun Pickups this year.

Some smaller acts I would love to try and catch are A-Trak, Kanye West's former touring DJ, who is an incredible turntablist. Also The Glitch Mob, a glitch-hop conglomerate out of L.A. that features some next-level mashups and drum programming. Should be a great weekend full of great music!

Christopher Smith, Segment Producer: I'm most excited to see Los Angeles' No Age. They're not sitting on their laurels simply riding the success of last year's breakout album Nouns, they've already got a new EP about to drop and are already working on their new album. They've got a killer stage presence for a duo - and I'm excited to hear new material shine on stage. We're gonna be interviewing the guys tomorrow - so check back to hear more about the new stuff.

Check out some photos of the festival ramping up!

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Decemberists Warm Up For Lolla With Fan Favorites

Posted 8/7/09 10:49 am EST by in Lollapalooza


Just hours before they take the stage in front of 10,000 more fans across town on the first day of Lollapaloopza, the Decemberists got their feet wet Thursday night with a sweaty tune up show at Chicago's famed Metro rock club.??

Veering from the current format of playing their latest concept album, Hazards of Love, in its entirety, the Portland band allowed the 1,000-plus die-hards to vote online for their favorites. The show opened with a 15-plus minute version of “The Tain,” from the EP of the same name from 2004, which swayed and swooped like a drunken, seasick sailor’s song.

As a testament to their fans’ devotion, every dip and swirl of the song was greeted with whoops of joy, which only increased when the band next served up some exuberant pop with "July, July" and the triumphant rock of "The Rake’s Song" from Hazards. After the wistful folk of another nugget, "Here I Dreamt I Was an Architect" – and a poke at people who refer to the festival as "Lolla" -- singer/songwriter Colin Meloy paused for a moment to pay homage to director John Hughes, a Chicago native who died earlier in the day in New York after suffering a heart attack.

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Santigold Tourmate Amanda Blank Emerges From Friend's Shadow At New York Show

Posted 6/8/09 6:26 pm EST by in Concerts


By Daniela Capistrano, photos by Bashira Webb

It felt destined to be an uneventful, summer rain-drenched night this past Friday evening in the trendy Village section of Manhattan. But a few strokes before midnight, DJ Herbert Holler strongly advised the staff at Le Poisson Rouge to wrap up sound check, as a throng of Amanda Blank fans were waiting.

"People are outside getting wet, man" he gently prodded.

While the petite MC wrapped up interviews backstage, DJ Herbert quickly warmed up the crowd with his blend of '80s top 40, hip-hop, house, rock, Motown and soca rhythms. The turnout was notably eclectic: A middle-aged man in a black suit gyrated on a small stage without much notice, while a preppy couple in Converse pogo'd nearby. Across the club, a group of ladies in almost identical jean skirts and flip flops mouthed lyrics to Naughty by Nature.

Though Santigold has been appearing on this tour (in support of Blank's new album I Love You), this show belonged soley to Amanda, and the fans seemed eager to get a taste of her not as a supporting character or hype woman, but as the main act.
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Tony Awards Host Neil Patrick Harris Wanted The Brüno Incident For His Show

Posted 6/5/09 3:10 pm EST by in Behind The Scenes, Interview


By Garth Bardsley

On Sunday evening, the Tony Awards, celebrating the best of Broadway, will be presented at Radio City Musical Hall. And while the shows on the Great White Way this season might not be the most MTV-friendly fare (another "Guys and Dolls" revival?), the Tony producers chose a host with a broad spectrum of fans: star of stage, screen and Internet, Neil Patrick Harris.

"This is certainly a different way to go than a rock concert," Harris told MTV today, "but it's story-based, and I think a lot of the music is really great.

"A lot of people attribute, I think, Broadway and musicals with, like, jazz hands and razzmatazz, but there's a show this season called 'Next to Normal' about a woman that's going through mental issues. 'Rock of Ages' is a jukebox musical full of '80s hits with Constantine Maroulis, which is really a pretty kick-ass show.

"If people think Broadway's not for them, this demographic, there's a lot of cool shows to see."

One thing you won't see? A barely clad Brüno landing on someone's face, though Harris jokingly claims that the Tonys had the idea first.

"It's a shame," Harris said, "because we were really looking forward to that bit. But you guys copped it before we were able to get to it. Maybe next year.

"We couldn't get Eminem here," he continued. "Liza Minnelli isn't going to face-plant anywhere."

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