Kris Allen is a natural headline-grabber: He won the last season of "American Idol," debuted an awesome video and dropped his first (and extremely well-received) album last week. He has also assembled a killer band to back him up on live shows. However, he isn't the only member of that combo who has a spotlight on him at the moment. Guitarist Cale Mills is currently in the lead in the 2009 Cosmo Bachelor Wars, which seeks to find the country's hottest single man. Mills currently leads in the voting on Cosmo's site, narrowly edging out a handful of shirtless dudes. Each of the bachelors represents their home state, with Mills repping the state of Arkansas.

When MTV News caught up with Allen on the red carpet of the Us Hot Hollywood event last week, we asked him to make the case for Mills to the rest of the Internet world and give him the last push that he needs to keep his lead and win the competition.

So why should you vote for Mills? According to Allen, it's because he is wearing a shirt and because he has a beard. His reasoning is sound, which is why you should check out the video below.

Really, you should be listening to music every day, but thanks to Twitter, Monday has become the best day of the week to discover new songs, show some love to the tune currently dominating your iPod playlist and quietly judge the listening habits of your closest friends.

Yes, it's #MusicMonday, one of Twitter's most enduring trending topic. And since we're all big fans of the site — not to mention music — we decided it was time to get in on the act, too. So, for the first time, we'd like to present "MTV News' #MusicMonday," a weekly look at the songs we're obsessing about here in the Newsroom. And given that this is our big debut, we've recruited a big-name talent to help us out: "American Idol" champ Kris Allen.

So, here's what's on our playlists right now.

Kris Allen, "American Idol" Season Eight Champion: "I might be biased, but there's a couple of songs on the new Switchfoot album that I really like. [Ed. note: Switchfoot frontman Jon Foreman co-wrote a song on Allen's album.] 'The Sound' is really good. I think it's Jon Foreman's voice and the way he sings. He can sing nice, but he can also go up there and sing that rock voice, or he can scream and stuff. It's cool."

Jocelyn Vena, MTV News Pop Music Writer: "I am listening to Lady Gaga's 'Bad Romance.' I just think it's really catchy. She's got that battle cry in there and it shows her growth as a pop star. It's her, but taken to a new level."

James Montgomery, MTV News Rock Editor: "I'm listening to the Flaming Lips' song 'Watching The Planets.' The video just premiered a couple of weeks ago, and it's got a bunch of naked hippies in it. It's the last song on their Embryonic album, which is one of my favorite records of the year. I really dig the harsh, lo-fi thing — it sort of reminds me of the Folk Implosion's 'Natural One.' And it's a really good ending to a really confounding and deep record. And it's got Karen O screaming on it."

Look, we all know what you're doing this weekend. You're not preparing for Thanksgiving, raking the last of your leaves before the snow arrives or indulging in this year's batch of Beaujolais Nouveau. Rather, you're going to be at your local cinema watching Taylor Lautner's perfectly-sculpted abdominal muscles in "The Twilight Saga: New Moon." And we can't blame you — it's a heck of a roller coaster ride through teenage angst and vampire mythology. But in between screenings (because you're obviously seeing it more than once), you should catch up on everything you missed this week here on the Newsroom blog.

» Last weekend saw a couple of cool-looking flash mobs in honor of Janet Jackson's Number Ones, and we had a first-person account from one of the dancers. (Be sure to catch Janet this Sunday on the American Music Awards, where she'll open the show.)

» MTV mourned the passing of comedian, TV producer and "Remote Control" host Ken Ober with classic clips and testimonials from friends.

» Rihanna premiered the hotly-anticipated video for "Russian Roulette," which really made us think about the head wound Balthazar Getty received in a David Lynch movie.

» Are you a hardcore fan of Adam Lambert, Kris Allen or Allison Iraheta? Make sure you enter our photo contest, with the winner receiving an autographed copy of the new issue of Elle magazine, which features all three!

» There was no shortage of other "American Idol" news this week. For example, we now know why Kris Allen changed his Twitter name.
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A week ago, a group of David Archuleta fans surprised me (and my co-workers) with a stream of goodies, from flowers to gourmet cupcakes to Kenny G Christmas albums.

Kris Allen fans decided to take a page from "Teen Witch" and play "Top That," metaphorically speaking. The result was a delicious early birthday cake that read "Happy Birthday Jim! #KrimForever."

Since Krim (the nickname Kris Allen gave our little tag team) was about to have another playdate in the form of an interview, I figured I should wait for Mr. Allen's arrival before I dug in. This caused a lot of angry sighs from my mooching co-workers (who now act way too entitled when it comes to tasty treats from "Idol" fans, if you ask me).

After Kris spoke about his fantastic new CD (in stores now), it was time to indulge! Now if only we had silverware.

Watch the video below to watch Krim devour the cakey goodness in a particularly animalistic way.

Thanks again Kris Allen fans! Archie fans need to step up their game if they want to be back in the running for the "Sweetest Ever" title! (Just kidding! You all win! Please stop sending gifts! Save your money for "Idol" CDs!)

November 4, 2009. A date that will forever live in infamy — at least for "American Idol" winner Kris Allen's 100,000 Twitter followers. That's the fateful day when Kris' Twitter name changed from the endearingly sassy "@KrisAllen4Real" to the simple, direct "@krisallen."

When Kris Allen (for real) stopped by earlier this week to chat about his major label debut (in stores now), I wanted to get to the bottom of Kris' online switcheroo. Is he fake now? Is it some elaborate "Paul is Dead"-esque hoax that will reveal itself in trippy songs and future album covers? Does his online persona feel like a five character weight has been lifted from his shoulders?

What follows is a funny discussion of why "4Real" existed in the first place, an analysis of the "other" Kris Allen rocking out in cyberspace and a glorious gifting ceremony in which MTV News gives Kris a little token so he'll never forget how "4Real" he is. In your face, J. Lo!

Do you miss Kris Allen's old Twitter name? Would you like to see a Kris Allen supergroup featuring Southern Thunder and a sax player? And yikes, should we have gotten him a size small instead? Leave a comment below.

Attention all Kradison fans! Want your favorite Season 8 "Idol" star's autograph? MTV News and Elle magazine can hook you up!

In honor of the December issue of Elle — which features a three-page spread starring Kris Allen, Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta — MTV News is holding a contest to find the #1 fan for each contestant. How can you show your level of fandom?

Easy! Pick up a copy of Elle, read Joey Zee's "A to Zee" column about each contestant's sense of style and do your best to replicate your fave's fashion in your own photo!

Are you gaga for Glambert? Flat-iron your hair, bust out the eyeliner and squeeze into your tightest leather pants. Are you a Krisbert? Rock the plaid and unbutton your shirt to dangerous depths. Or is Allison Iraheta your #1? You'll need a fiery red mane and an aura of general awesomeness.

Keep in mind we're not looking for exact copies of the photos in the Elle spread. Be creative! Whoever captures the essence of their favorite singer will be handsomely rewarded.

With what you ask? Three winners (one for each contestant) will each receive a copy of Elle signed by their favorite "Idol." The Kris fan will get a John Hancock from Kris, the Adam fan will get a signature from the Fierce One and the #1 Allison follower will get a copy signed by Her Royal Rockness.

Here's how you enter: Go to Your.MTV.com, create an account (if you haven't done so already) and then upload your photo! The deadline for submission is November 30, 2009 at Noon EST. I'll be going through the pics and selecting a winner personally, so make them fun, friends!

The contest is officially underway, so Kradison krazies, get your dress-up on now!

Being a diehard "American Idol" fan is an emotional roller-coaster. No matter how much you dig a performer on the show, by the time his or her album leaks your fandom has been deflated by less-than-awesome singles and frustrations with how they're being marketed. "Idol" albums are often over-written, over-produced and over-calculated, making the artist feel like studio-bots with little personality. "I'll like the songs on tour, without all the studio crap around it," you say to yourself, trying to save face when deep down you know your favorite new singer laid an egg.

Well, fans of our current "American Idol" can breathe a giant sigh of relief, because AOL premiered Kris Allen's self-titled major label debut this morning and it’s pretty damn good.

I jotted down some notes while listening to the CD for the first time. And MTV News would like me to share them with you. So here we go!

» "Live Like We're Dying"
Y'all know I love the single, which was originally a b-side from the Script, and Team Allen did right by starting the album strong. Besides, any power-pop album that features piano on the opening track instantly gets my seal of approval. (See: New Radicals' Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too.)

» "Before We Come Undone"
Whew! What a massive improvement over the demo I heard over the summer. (It featured an ill-fitting electronic drum track. Did not want.) Reverse guitar and piano parts give the track a really neat unraveling sound, as if the song itself is coming undone along with the rocky relationship Kris sings about. If I have one gripe, it's that I feel like Kris' vocals sound just a smidge behind the beat, as if they decided to increase the track's tempo by a couple beats-per-minutes and forgot to update Kris' track.

» "Can't Stay Away"
Allen's flirty side comes out to play in this white boy funk track. The verses sound like Maroon 5 without the whiny vocals, and the choruses are like Gavin DeGraw with less soul man posturing. Sorority girls: Be prepared to hear this when your frat guy boyfriends make you a new mix.

» "The Truth"
>>Kris' breathy ballad vocals remind me of Richard Marx on this track. Considering I'm a sucker for Marx's schmaltzy oeuvre, this one hooked me early, even if this Pat Monahan/Toby Gad-written song is considerably less cornball than Marx's massive hits. These lyrics really jumped out at me: "While the floors underneath our feet are crumbling/ The walls we built together tumbling/ I still stand here holding up the roof / 'Cause it’s easier than telling the truth." I can see why the Beatles-obsessed Allen chose this song, as the collapsing-house-metaphor recalls "Fixing a Hole."
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"American Idol" winner Kris Allen debuted his first music video today (although he's been the unwilling star of several hilarious/creepy fan-made Kradam tribute clips) and while "Live Like We're Dying" probably won't win any Moonmen at next year's VMAs, it's a big, bold and awesomely expensive-looking first taste of what fans can expect from Kris Allen 2.0. He's no longer "just" an "Idol" winner. He's a musician in his own right, and the video sets him up as a worthy colleague to similarly-minded artists like the Fray, OneRepublic and John Mayer.

The video starts in near-darkness, but as the clip progresses (and as he plays more instruments), the sun slowly rises until the final moments, when a new day has officially dawned. Call me sentimental (and, okay, a crazy fan), but this video perfectly mirrors Kris' "Idol" journey in a deliciously subtle way. He began as a guy with little exposure during the early episodes, but thanks to his earnest performances and winning personality, he ended up being the top dog.

Perhaps I'm reading into it, but Allen could be winking at his naysayers by performing in front of a clock that looks as though it's ticking down from 15 minutes. (It's actually one-minute and fifty seconds, but with the fast-paced editing it's easy to misread it.) Okay, I'm definitely reading into it.

What struck me the most about the video, however, was just how different Kris' debut clip is compared to other "Idol" winners' music video debuts. And that's a good — nay, amazing — thing.

Imagine, if you will, the cheese that would have come with a dramatic interpretation of the song's lyrics (see Carrie Underwood's "Jesus Take the Wheel"). If Team Allen had decided to go the David Cook "Light On" route, poor Kris would have played second fiddle to a subplot featuring actors. Even worse, Kris could have played the romantic lead in a slo-mo melodramatic clip like Ruben Studdard's "Sorry (2004)" and Fantasia's "Truth Is" video. If they had used Kelly Clarkson's "Miss Independent" video philosophy, Kris would have had to wear a huge scarf and get lost in a giant house party. And don't even get me started on Taylor Hicks' first "Look! I'm at a jazz club!" video or Jordin Sparks' cheap off-season-at-the-carnival "Tattoo."

Instead, Jive Records and 19 Recordings opened their check books and let Kris do what he does best: Sing, play a bunch of instruments and look achingly sincere while doing so. Holy crap! An "Idol" music video that shows the contestant in their element? That really is a first.

"American Idol" winner Kris Allen is nearing the completion of his top-secret major label debut (which still doesn't have a title), but a new demo popped up over the weekend that might shed some light on the kind of material he has vetted.

JC Chasez (of 'NSYNC and "Randy Jackson Presents America's Best Dance Crew" fame) wrote and recorded a song called "Build Some Love" for consideration for Allen's debut CD. The tune, which was posted on a JC Chasez fan site yesterday, is a tender ballad that would fit very nicely on a OneRepublic setlist. The gist is that JC (or Kris Allen, I suppose) is in love with an emotionally reserved girl, but his loving is so magical, he's able to tear down her wall and "build some love." Epic, right? [Crickets.]

I mention OneRepublic because everything about the tune reminds me of a track Ryan Tedder would churn out. It's piano-based, with a thunderous bass drum that kicks in a la "Apologize" (and "Halo" and "Battlefield" and "Bleeding Love" and "Already Gone"). It's got a "Love is hard, but I wanna fix it" message. And the chorus tries to soar on a falsetto note or three.

I'm all for Kris recording a ballad or two (or three?) for his album, but I'm not so sure this is one of them. Read more...

The chill in the air is enough to convince us that fall is actually here. So rather than hitting the backyard barbecue, it's time for leaf peeping, pumpkin carving and watching college football. But before you wrap up the last of your work for the week and hit the nearest hay ride, be sure to check out everything you might have missed this week on the MTV Newsroom blog, from the deep dirt on Lady Gaga to some pre-emptively rejected Kris Allen album titles.

» Before Lady Gaga was a fashion-forward hit machine, she was just a New York University student desperately trying to eat a salad without hurting anybody.

» Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell forced the group to bow out of a bunch of promotional dates because he caught swine flu, but that didn't stop us from celbrating the release of the group's new album This Is Us.

» On "Dancing with the Stars," Debi Mazar and Tom DeLay both did the loser shuffle. Meanwhile, Chuck Liddell is gaining some serious skills, but the competition is still Mya's to lose.

» Kris Allen's debut album doesn't have a title yet, and MTV News' Jim Cantiello wants him to know what not to do.

» In other correspondent news, James Montgomery wrote some lovely things about Pink — so lovely, in fact, that she tweeted her gratitude.
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