By James Dinh

Just about a year ago, Lady Gaga walked up to the podium at the 2010 Video Music Awards to accept her Video of the Year Moonman for "Bad Romance" from the one and only Cher. Not only was it an evening highlight because Mother Monster was decked in her meat dress when she gave fans a quick listen to her then-unheard "Born This Way," but also because the stage was graced by two of the biggest pop icons around. Fast-forward roughly a year later and it's been confirmed that the duo hit the studio together to duet on a song called "The Greatest Thing" for Cher's upcoming album.

While the collabo remains highly-anticipated, Little Monsters have already gotten a taste of the track as it's a song Gaga recorded a few years back, which ended up on the Internet. "I wrote that song a long time ago, and I've never put it on one of my own albums for, really, no particular reason," the pop star recently told MTV News. "I always write these concept records, and it just didn't fit in. But it's always been, like, this big, massive, beautiful hit record and everyone always says, 'Why don't you put that on your album?' And I said, 'I don't know, it just doesn't fit with everything else.'"

With "The Greatest Thing" now in Cher's hands, this marks just another Gaga-penned tune that has made its way to other artists. The duet is expected to be released in September, so in anticipation of its release, we here at the MTV Newsroom have decided to take a look back at some of the other songs that Gaga has passed along. Read More...

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Britney Spears dances away the apocalypse in her sweaty new video for "Till the World Ends." She and her pals hang out in the sewers, flirting and grind as meteors falling from the sky. This doesn't seem to bother Brit and her friends. They've made a pledge: They will dance until the world ends.

This is hardly the first time a pop star has fended off impending doom in a music video. In fact, as of late, it seems that apocalyptic videos are all the rage.

Alien Katy Perry landed a world that had seen better days in her just released "E.T." video, where she discovers her lover, surrounded by the remnants of a once-great society.

Lady Gaga hinted at the end of one world as she built a new, more understanding species in her "Born This Way" video. And in a similarly positive way, Willow Smith brought a dead and buried civilization back to life in her "21st Century Girl" video.

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It's MTV's second annual Musical March Madness! MTV News took the 64 biggest names in rock, split them up into four regions, assigned them seeds and puts them up against one another in a single-elimination series of match-ups in a winner-take-all contest. We're leaving it to you to decide an actual champ in this field of 64, so over the next few weeks, fan voting will determine who will emerge as this year's champion. It's all about the fans, and the artist with the most passionate fan base will score the awesome Musical March Madness trophy!

We're halfway through the West bracket in MTV's 2011 Musical March Madness tournament, with 30 Seconds to Mars, Panic! at the Disco, Pearl Jam and Florence and the Machine all making big noise. Who will be next to break away from the pack? There are two more match-ups below for your voting pleasure.

As always, first round voting continues through Sunday night (March 20), and you can catch up with any match-ups you might have missed here.

(6) U2 vs. (11) Ke$ha
In one of the most intriguing head-to-heads of the entire first round, the veteran Irish rock band takes on the upstart pop antagonist. U2 could have made a play for the top spot had it not been for their association with "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark," while Ke$ha has been steadily building success and credibility with her punchy songs, unique fashion sense and very real attitude. But only one can make it to the second round, which is why you need to vote!

(3) Green Day vs. (14) Adam Lambert
Lambert made a surprise splash in last year's tournament, playing the upset card for a few rounds before flaming out. He'll have another uphill battle this time around, as he has to take on Green Day, one of the biggest and most dominating rock bands on the planet. Green Day could have easily taken a number one seed with the success of "American Idiot" on Broadway and their blistering new live album Awesome As F--- about to drop. They'll have something to prove, but can they prove it against the feisty former "American Idol" star?

Watch Dick Bagwell and Vincent Twice break down this year's bracket!

Check out the Musical March Madness bracket and be take a look at the hoops-centric photos of some of the tournament's biggest bands.

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All the cool stuff seemed to be happening on television this week. A beloved late night institution made his return to after-hours TV, Kanye West got into a three-way feud with Matt Lauer and a former president and Taylor Swift delivered yet another show-stopping performance on an awards show. But there was plenty of time for in-person experiences too, as MTV News was on the ground hanging out with Lil Wayne during his first 72 hours of freedom and watching Katy Perry continue to evolve as a live performer.

So before you pack it in for a weekend full of paintball and bonfires, take a look at all the awesome insights and inside stories you might have missed this week on the MTV Newsroom Blog.

» The world welcomed Conan O'Brien back to television, and it was a victory for comedy all around.

» 30 Seconds to Mars and Kanye West were among the highlights of the 2010 MTV Europe Music Awards (which you can catch Friday night, November 12 at 9 p.m. on MTV).

» Lil Wayne is free, and MTV News went with him to a strip club.

» The Swedish House Mafia let us know that the best way to party with Tiësto is to do it 30,000 feet in the air.

» Michael Jackson has a new album coming out, and the first single "Breaking News" has already stirred up a great deal of controversy.
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"American Idol" season nine runner-up Adam Lambert's biggest hit so far has been "Whataya Want From Me," one of the centerpiece tracks from his debut album For Your Entertainment. Most hardcore fans know that "Whataya Want From Me" was originally supposed to be a track for Pink, but when she decided not to go with it, the tune fell to Lambert (with excellent results). But on Thursday (November 11), the world learned that Pink would be including her own version of "Whataya Want From Me" on the European edition of her upcoming compilation Greatest Hits ... So Far!!!. A sample of the tune hit the Internet, and many fans — including MTV News' own Jim Cantiello — immediately weighed in on how it stands up against the version that Lambert turned into a hit.

While Cantiello urged Lambert and Pink to get together for a collaboration (one he dubbed "PinkBert"), most of the fans who commented on yesterday's announcement felt there was one that was clearly superior. "I prefer Adam's version over Pink's," wrote number8gurl. "She doesn't seem to emote as much as Adam and her voice sounds small and tinny against Adam's untouchable instrument. I am a huge Adam fan and I used to like the way Pink's voice sounded. I used to like the way a lot of people sounded but now they all pale in comparison to Adam."

Reader Susan agreed. "Pink's version sounds a little raspy and angry in parts where Adam's version has 'soul,'" she wrote. She also brought up a point that kept getting reiterated yesterday: Why would Pink release her version of the song on a hits compilation if it wasn't her song to begin with? It's a reasonable question, though considering she co-wrote the tune and it did in fact become a hit, it makes a tertiary amount of sense.

Reader angelraj also endorsed the Lambert version but offered up a different perspective. "Adam is an amazing vocalist and he has made this song the success that it is," he wrote. "Having said this, I'm also a big fan of Pink, and her version will promote this song to a new audience, and may ultimately be a positive for Adam."

Finally, reader Shyla suggested that the song is just too good to alienate either performer. "There are parts of that song where Adam totally kills it and that's why I love it" she wrote. "There are certain parts of that song I can't imagine her doing quite as well. But we'll see. Based on this small clip, they're pretty identical."

What do you think of Pink's version of "Whataya Want From Me"? Let us know in the comments!

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The international edition of Pink's upcoming Greatest Hits ... So Far!!! collection will include her version of Adam Lambert's megahit "Whataya Want From Me." It's a song she recorded (and ultimately dropped) from her 2008 Funhouse album before handing it off to Lambert, who turned it into a platinum-seller.

Pink's rendition is nearly identical to Adam's. (Listen to snippets in the embedded video below.) The biggest difference is a pronoun switch in the chorus. One can only assume Pink's version — which she co-wrote with Max Martin — includes the original lyrics: "He messed me up" versus Adam's generic "It messed me up." (In hindsight, it's a bummer that Team Lambert felt the need to "straighten" the song.)

The official release on Pink's part is curious, mostly because Adam's single is a hit worldwide. It's one thing if Europe was unfamiliar with the "American Idol" alum and his music, but the dude has made a splash there. In fact, his Glam Nation Tour is playing to sold-out European crowds at this very moment.

Also, both Pink and Lambert are backed by the same exact instrumental track. Her take doesn't offer anything new, other than giving ammo to haters who like to point out that "Idol" stars often get pop star throwaways for their debut albums. (Those people need to cool it. Britney recorded "Umbrella" before Rihanna released it, and there's a demo of Katy Perry singing Kelly Clarkson's "I Do Not Hook Up" floating out there. Pop tunes make the rounds before they find a home, regardless of the quality of the song.)

If anything, "Whataya Want From Me" proves that Adam and Pink are both killer vocalists who should team up on a song sooner rather than later. Imagine the rock duet they could come up with! Imagine the music video!

Which "Whataya Want From Me" do you want? Do you think Pink would have had similar success with the song had she released it as a single two years ago? And who do we have to bribe, beg, and/or sleep with to ensure a PinkBert duet happens? Sound off below! And for more pop culture and "Idol" ramblings, follow me on Twitter @jambajim!

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"I never used to be one to do any sort of ritual before I performed and just recently, at the start of this tour, I decided to start coming up with a routine. And it's really helped me. I exercise; I do like a cardio thing. If I'm in a hotel with a treadmill I either run for 20 minutes or I get on a stationary bike. It makes you feel good, it gets the endorphins going. It also kind of helps warm up the voice. And then I do a [proper] vocal warm-up. Those two things — just a little exercise and that vocal warm-up — keep me at my best. With fans waiting out on the street, people are so dedicated, they deserve the best."

-Former "American Idol" contestant and country-crossing glam rocker Adam Lambert, revealing his newly-discovered love for exercise as a pre-show ritual. MTV News' Jim Cantiello caught up with Lambert during a stop on Lamber's Glam Nation tour in New York last week, a trek that also features fellow "American Idol" season nine runner-up Allison Iraheta and former Michael Jackson guitarist Orianthi.

There is one more element to Lambert's pre-show ritual that has nothing to do with preparing his voice or working on his stamina. With the assistance of makeup guru Sutan, Lambert always dedicates a few minutes to whatever shiny things he will stick to his face. "We get in front of the mirror and kind of play every night," Lambert said. "We just create and it's fun. So sometimes there's like rhinestones stuck all over [the] side of my head. Sometimes we give a little Eastern bindi action. Sometimes there [are] no stones whatsoever."

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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.

It has been more than a year since Adam Lambert came in second place on the eighth season of "American Idol" and about seven months since the release of his debut album For Your Entertainment. Based on the reaction Lambert got during a tour stop at the Nokia Theater in New York City's Times Square, the vuvuzela-like buzz surrounding Lambert hasn't died down a bit. Fans lined up outside the venue 24 hours in advance of the doors opening to get a good spot on the floor for Lambert's hour-long set. Lambert didn't disappoint, as he wore glam-friendly costumes while running through songs from For Your Entertainment and a handful of covers that became his signature songs on "American Idol." Lambert also delivered a killer light show and two strong sets from his opening acts: Breakout female guitar star Orianthi and fellow "American Idol" finalist Allison Iraheta. They'll be back again for another show tonight (June 23), and MTV News' own Jim Cantiello will be catching up with Mr. Lambert before the show.

Lambert wasn't the only star out in the open, as Ke$ha lent a hand during the CNN-hosted telethon benefiting victims of the BP oil spill and Nick Jonas went on a shopping trip in London. Click here for these photos as well as the entire "Spotted!" archive, which features over 400 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Jay-Z, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, Diddy, Madonna and 50 Cent!

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"All three of them are excellent singers. They're all really organic and kind of authentic in what they do. They're all likeable. They were all really nice when I met them on set. If I had to pick one out of those three, I'd probably lean more toward Crystal at this point. I like her anti-establishment rebelliousness."

-Former "American Idol" contestant Adam Lambert, making his prediction on the "American Idol" winner. MTV News caught up with Lambert, who finished in the runner-up position during the eighth season of "American Idol," at the annual Wango Tango concert in Los Angeles on Saturday (May 15). However, Lambert admitted that he has not gotten as great a chance to keep up with "Idol" developments as he would have liked, as he has been in Europe on an Icelandic volcano-delayed tour. "I've been gone," he said. "I haven't been able to watch it."

The three remaining finalists — Crystal Bowersox, Lee DeWyze and Casey James — will square off on Tuesday night (May 18) for the right to square off in the head-to-head finals next week. For this week's show, each contestant will sing a song chosen by a judge as well as a tune of their own choosing. (Check out MTV News' Eric Ditzian's suggestions for tunes here.)

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The biggest news in late night this week will actually come on an unusual night for the men of the after hours, as Jimmy Kimmel will be hosting the series finale of "Lost" this Sunday (May 23) on ABC. Considering the fervor surrounding the finale, it should be a great showcase for Kimmel and his under-watched "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" In the meantime, Kimmel will be preparing for the big night with a great batch of guests — and his rivals have plenty in their own corners too, including Stone Temple Pilots, Adam Lambert, Slayer, Vampire Weekend and Weezer. After taking off Monday (May 17) and Tuesday (May 18), Kimmel will have the return of Reflection Eternal (that's Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek, who just put out the stunning comeback album Revolutions Per Minute) on Wednesday (May 19) as well as Slayer on Thursday (May 20) and Massive Attack on Friday (May 21). In keeping with the "Lost" theme, Kimmel will also talk to show runners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse on Friday.

But it's not all about Jimmy this week, as David Letterman will welcome the likes of "American Idol" castoff Michael Lynche on Monday, the aforementioned Stone Temple Pilots (Wednesday) and Band of Horses (Thursday). Meanwhile, "The Tonight Show" will have Damian Marley and Nas on Wednesday, Sarah McLachlan on Thursday and Adam Lambert on Friday. Host Jay Leno will also chat with the likes of Ricky Gervais (Monday) and the always-awesome Charles Barkley (Tuesday).

Craig Ferguson has another strong week on his "Late Late Show," as he will have Jakob Dylan (whose Women and Country is one of the sleeper hits of the year) on Tuesday and Vampire Weekend on Thursday. Over on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," Public Image Ltd. will take the stage on Monday, while Fallon's couch will be inhabited by Randy Jackson (Monday), "Lost" star Matthew Fox (Tuesday), Jerry Seinfeld (Wednesday) and "The Celebrity Apprentice" host Donald Trump (Friday).

Both Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart are on break for the next two weeks, which makes it a perfect opportunity to watch George Lopez, as he has Weezer (Monday), "Lost" star Jorge Garcia (Tuesday) and Allison Iraheta (Wednesday). But daytime has another quiet week ahead, unless you really like Ellen DeGeneres. She has a star-studded week featuring Justin Bieber (Monday), Adam Lambert (Wednesday) and Weezer (Thursday). And if you want a waking nightmare, definitely tune into "The View" this Friday, where Mario Cantone will guest co-host a show that features Michael Douglas, Christian Siriano and the cast of the Broadway show "Million Dollar Quartet."

Who do you most want to see on the talk shows this week? Let us know in the comments!

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