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Miranda Cosgrove Taps Rivers Cuomo For Collaboration

Posted 12/20/10 1:30 pm EST by in Music


For most of his early career, Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo was known as a guy who was constantly at work in his lab, writing and recording by himself without much input from other people (even the other members of his band). But lately, he has been everywhere, working with everyone. It has lead to some incredibly strange and thrilling tag-team efforts, including at least one big hit (that being B.o.B's "Magic"). In the past two years, Cuomo has worked with the aforementioned B.o.B, Lil Wayne, Sugar Ray, Katy Perry (the fruits of which we have yet to hear) and a bunch of fans on the Internet. Over the weekend, we learned of Cuomo's newest in-studio partner: "iCarly" star and upstart pop sensation Miranda Cosgrove.

"I'm recording a duet with @riverscuomo in a few days for the new album!" Cosgrove wrote on Twitter on Saturday (Decmeber 18). "So freakin' excited!"

It makes sense for Cuomo to team up with Cosgrove, as his sensibilities match up well with Cosgrove's brand of guitar-kissed, hormone-fueled pop. It should be a victory for both parties, as Cosgrove will get a slightly punchier boost and Cuomo will introduce himself to a new generation of fans.

But who else will Cuomo work with in the future? Here are five collaborations that should happen in 2011.

Kiss
Cuomo, of course, has a metal past that is not so secret, and growing up in suburban Connecticut, he was obsessed with Kiss (this is all laid out on "In the Garage"). This should really be the year when Rivers teams up with Gene, Paul and whoever else is left among the Kiss ranks for a collaborative effort. The makeup alone should be worth it.

Susan Boyle
No, seriously. On paper, Boyle took a chance or two on her new album with covers of songs by Lou Reed and Leonard Cohen. Unfortunately, those were sort of bloodless and cold. Cuomo has great pop instincts and could provide Boyle with just enough garage rock energy to switch her game up just enough to make people raise their eyebrows again.

Drake
The most emo rapper int e world should definitely find himself in the same booth with the guy who helped bring emo to the mainstream back in the day. Drake and Cuomo also have similar crooning styles, which is why the two should do some killer harmonizing over a fantastically fuzzy backbeat.

Lady Gaga
Gaga is the very definition of a singularity, of course, but if there's one person who might be able to harness and work with her strange, exciting energy, it's Cuomo. Since many believe that Gaga is one or two rock riffs away from truly taking over the world, it seems like a perfect marriage.

Paul Westerberg
Just because it seems like this should have happened already. After all, shouldn't one of the godfathers of indie power-pop hook up with one of his disciples?

Who would you like to see Rivers Cuomo collaborate with in 2011? Let us know in the comments!

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Susan Boyle's 'Perfect Day' Video: The Key Scene

Posted 11/8/10 5:30 pm EST by in Music


With all of the high-profile albums coming out in the next few months, you can't forget about the new collection of tunes by Susan Boyle, one of the biggest-selling artists of last year. Her second album, titled The Gift, hits store shelves on Tuesday (November 9) and contains covers of tunes by Leonard Cohen ("Hallelujah") and Crowded House's Neil Finn ("Don't Dream It's Over") as well as a handful of traditional folk songs, hymns and Christmas carols. By far the most unusual song on the collection is the first track and the lead single, which is a cover of Lou Reed's "Perfect Day," whose video just premiered online.

Why is the idea of Boyle covering "Perfect Day" so bizarre? First of all, Reed is notoriously one of the most cantankerous men in the history of rock music, regularly alienating people and making lots of enemies along the way. Secondly, Reed's "Perfect Day" (which originally appeared on Reed's 1972 solo album Transformer) is mostly about how much he loves drugs (which is why it got a second life as a part of the soundtrack to "Trainspotting"). Finally, Boyle took "Perfect Day" — which is already pretty slow and simple — and turned it into an even greater dirge, full of lush strings and ethereal hums.

To pile on the weirdness, the video for "Perfect Day" may or may not have been directed by Reed himself. It's a strange choice, considering the simple tone of the clip (which sees Boyle standing by the water and in a forest — possibly in Middle Earth — and gently singing her song into the sky). It's gorgeous but a little sleepy, though the clip's key scene puts her in the middle of pretty lush forest.

What do you think of Susan Boyle's video for "Perfect Day"? Let us know in the comments!

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My Chemical Romance's New Album: The Most Anticipated Of The Season

Posted 10/8/10 12:30 pm EST by in Music


The slate of albums that will be rolling out over the next few months is both heavy and exciting, featuring a bunch of hotly-anticipated debuts, a healthy dose of returning superstars and a handful of make-or-break comebacks. While the premiere of Kanye West's new 35-minute short film "Runaway" stoked the flames of excitement over his upcoming album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, the real excitement appears to be surrounding the new release from My Chemical Romance. In a poll presented on Thursday (October 7), the band's new album Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (their first since 2006's stellar The Black Parade) took home first place in a heated contest that ended up being two-horse race between themselves and (of all people) Susan Boyle.

MCR ended up taking home a whopping 62 percent of the total vote, earning them the top spot in the final tally. Boyle (whose second album, a holiday-themed collection called The Gift, features covers of songs by Lou Reed and Leonard Cohen) grabbed herself 36 percent of the vote for a solid second place finish. Apparently only fans of Boyle and My Chemical Romance got truly excited, as there is a massive chasm between second place and the rest of the pack. West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy came in third, grabbing about one percent of the vote. Everybody else — Kings of Leon, Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Nelly, Cee-Lo and Kid Rock — took in less than one percent (and finished in that order). That's not to say there's no excitement surrounding those albums, but it's clear that the My Chemical Romance fans are both itching for more product and vocal about their excitement. (That shouldn't be surprising, especially considering how well MCR did in the fan-driven Musical March Madness competition.)

Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys is scheduled to hit stores on November 22. In the meantime, the band is about to release a video for the album's first single "Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)" (no, seriously, that's the entire title) and should have more surprises in store in the coming months.

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Is Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy The Most Anticipated Album Of The Season?

Posted 10/7/10 2:30 pm EST by in Music


If you have been paying any kind of attention to this space in the past week or so, you know that there's a lot of excitement around the MTV Newsroom surrounding the upcoming release of Kanye West's newest album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. The songs we have heard (notably "Runaway" and "Power") have certainly fueled that fire, and the recent news about the unveiling of West's new film (also called "Runaway") has similarly stirred the pot. The album promises to be incredibly strange, dark and musically adventurous, which should put it immediately on the short list of best albums of the year.

But we're not only wrapped up in Kanye, as there are a number of other albums that have been getting our motors going. The slow and steady news about Taylor Swift's Speak Now suggest that it should be great. The long-awaited new album from My Chemical Romance is also excellent, as is Come Around Sundown, the new release from Kings of Leon. New music from Rihanna is always interesting, and Kid Rock's upcoming Born Free should also be eye-opening and head-turning. And don't forget about Susan Boyle, who sold nearly 10 million copies of her debut album I Dreamed a Dream. There is also plenty of singles-fueled buzz surrounding Cee-Lo, Nelly and Nicki Minaj ("F--- You," "Just a Dream" and "Check It Out" are all currently in constant rotation).

So which one of those releases is your most anticipated? Which one makes you most excited and will most likely end up on your year-end best-of list? Vote in the poll below and lay out your arguments in the comments!

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'American Idol,' Green Day And Justin Bieber: This Week's Deep Cuts

Posted 4/23/10 6:00 pm EST by in Deep Cuts


If the New York Mets win two out of three against the visiting Atlanta Braves this weekend, they can climb out of the basement and into a .500 record this season. That's the sort of optimism that the weekend brings. Are they Mets good enough to beat the Braves twice in three days? Maybe, but probably not. But since there are two straight days of sleeping in, walking in the park and seeing "The Losers," all sorts of potential miracles suddenly seem possible. The weekend is a powerful thing — so powerful that it leads Mets fans to delusion.

But before you spend your weekend watching baseball, checking out the NBA playoffs or just lying in a hammock, check out everything you might have missed this week on the MTV Newsroom Blog, which featured a multitude of hits about Justin Bieber, Insane Clown Posse, "American Idol" and much more.

» This week belonged to Crystal Bowersox, who delivered a killer performance of "People Get Ready" that was so intense that there was talk that it was the best ever on the show.

» However, it was David Archuleta who took home the prize for the best "American Idol" performance of all time with his version of "Imagine" from a few seasons back.

» In other "American Idol" news, recent reject Katie Stevens finally got to put Connecticut on the map.

» The weeks started exactly how it was supposed to: With a "Saturday Night Live" parody of Insane Clown Posse's still-awesome "Miracles" video.

» Green Day's "American Idiot" premiered on Broadway this week, and MTV was there live on the red carpet and in the audience after the show. We also took a look back at their long career, from Berkeley to Broadway.
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Susan Boyle Inks Book Deal, Should Rival Other Great Music Biographies

Posted 4/21/10 10:30 am EST by in Music


Around this time last year, a homely-looking Scottish woman named Susan Boyle walked onto the stage of "Britain's Got Talent" and belted out a still-stunning version of the song "I Dreamed a Dream" from the musical "Les Miserables." Though she fell just short of winning that season of "Britain's Got Talent," she still signed a record deal and released I Dreamed a Dream, one of the best-selling albums of 2009 (it has moved over eight million copies worldwide). Now she will get the chance to tell her whole story, as she has signed a deal to write her autobiography, which will be distributed by British imprint Transworld in the fall. The tome is set to be titled "The Woman I Was Born to Be" and will recount her astronomical rise to fame. "[I'm] writing this book to try to show that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover," she said in a statement.

Though "The Woman I Was Born to Be" seems bound to become a best-seller, it has some stiff competition if it intends on being mentioned among the greatest music-related biographies ever written. Can it stand up to the following entries?

"Hammer of the Gods"
Since Led Zeppelin is one of the greatest and most mythic rock bands of all time, it only makes sense that they have one of the best rock bios ever written. Though some people swear by Mick Wall's (probably more accurate) "When Giants Walked the Earth," it's hard to beat "Hammer of the Gods" for the sheer spectacle.

"The Dirt"
While hardly remembered in the rock and roll pantheon (a true travesty), Mötley Crüe lead one of the most debauched lifestyles in the history of metal. Read More...

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Spotted: Adam Lambert Moisturizes

Posted 12/29/09 12:41 pm EST by in Music


Every day a multitude of stars wanders 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.

Adam Lambert recently told MTV News that he isn't working on a makeup line, though that doesn't mean he isn't invested in taking care of his skin. On Sunday (December 27), Lambert was spotted at Ole Henriksen in Los Angeles picking up some skin care products. Clad all in black (including leather pants), the "American Idol" runner-up is enjoying some post-holiday down time in L.A. before he performs at the annual Gridlock New Year's Eve show, which will take place on the Paramount backlot and also feature Kevin Rudolf and Pamela Anderson. The show won't be taped or streamed anywhere, so anybody hoping to catch Lambert ringing in 2010 will have to get a ticket.

Mariah Carey is also gearing up for a big New Year's Eve show (hers will be live at Madison Square Garden in New York City). But before hitting the big apple, the diva snuck in a trip to Italy for the Capri Hollywood International Film Festival. Susan Boyle also crossed an ocean and made her first visit to Japan for more promotion for her massive-selling I Dreamed a Dream. Click here for these pictures as well as the entire "Spotted!" archive, which features nearly 300 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, the Jonas Brothers, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Janet Jackson, 50 Cent, John Mayer and Shakira!

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Adam Lambert, Britney Spears And Tiger Woods: This Week's Deep Cuts

Posted 12/4/09 6:38 pm EST by in Deep Cuts


The weekend is closing fast, but before you settle in to watch tonight's mtvU Woodie Awards (airing at 10 p.m. on MTV, MTV2 and mtvU) or jet out to the Dominican Republic to celebrate Jay-Z's birthday, be sure to check out everything you might have missed during a busy week in the MTV Newsroom, which included some record-setting sales, Grammy news and more controversy for Adam Lambert.

» Tiger Woods started out having a bad week, and then had a worse week. But you know who has his back? Chris Rock.

» Britney Spears celebrated her birthday this week, and we wished her a happy 28th.

» Also celebrating a birthday this week? Jay-Z, who turned 40.

» Do Adam Lambert and Howie Mandel share style tips? It certainly seems like it.

» Susan Boyle had the biggest selling debut week of the year (passing Eminem on her way to over 700,000 copies sold), but she probably could have moved a few extra units had she taken our advice about what covers to record.
Read More...

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Susan Boyle Covers We'd Like To Hear

Posted 11/30/09 12:34 pm EST by in Music


Saying you're disappointed in Susan Boyle's debut album is kind of like complaining to your grandma about how lame you think her local weatherman is. You could do it, but what's the point?

Susan Boyle was not meant for you. Despite racking up hundreds of millions of views on YouTube since April, the infamously dowdy Scottish singer has released a full-length album I Dreamed a Dream that is laser targeted to the over-40 demo. When I unwrapped the disc last week, I have to admit I was excited. I'd heard her cover of the Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses" and I was blown away by the depth of emotion and richness of Boyle's voice.

But by the time I slogged through predictably schmaltzy takes on "How Great Thou Art," the forgettable Madonna tune "You'll See" and — ugh — the Monkees' "Daydream Believer," I began to wonder if mentor Simon Cowell had not missed a grand opportunity.

Yes, Boyle has already broken records in England for the biggest debut in history, and she's poised to smash the charts in the U.S. with an album that has reportedly already sold more than two million copies around the world. But I think Boyle and her collaborators could have aimed much higher and hit a much broader target if they had only taken the Johnny Cash/Rick Rubin route.

Much like uberproducer Rubin revived Cash's career late in life with a series of albums that brilliantly saw Cash covering contemporary acts including Beck and Nine Inch Nails, Boyle could easily have risen above Broadway cheese and traditional retreads for an album that might have appealed to both blue-hair sets: grannies and their punk grandchildren.

Here's my suggestion for what could have been:

» Johnny Cash, "I Still Miss Someone"

» Beck, "Guess I'm Doing Fine"

» Kasey Chambers, "The Captain"
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Spotted: Susan Boyle Triumphs On 'Today'

Posted 11/23/09 1:53 pm EST by in Music


Every day a multitude of stars wanders 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.

A year ago, Susan Boyle was a simple woman living in Scotland with her cat and volunteering at her local church. Back in April, her appearance on "Britain's Got Talent" changed her life completely. Boyle walked onto the stage to chuckles and derision from the live crowd, but then delivered a stunning vocal rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" from Broadway musical Les Miserables that nearly brought professionally snippy talent judge Simon Cowell to tears. She immediately attracted the attention of record companies, who were not only interested in Boyle's impressive instrument but also in the buzz she created on the Internet (clips of her singing "I Dreamed a Dream" have been watched over 100 million times on YouTube alone). Today marks the incredible culmination of her journey, as her debut album I Dreamed a Dream is out in stores, and she celebrated with a performance on "Today." Once again, Boyle was in fine voice as she churned out "I Dreamed a Dream," her cover of the Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses" and the torch song "Cry Me a River" (made popular by Ella Fitzgerald).

Boyle wasn't the only star taking care of business in the last few days, as Spencer Pratt was spotted signing copies of his new book "How to Be Famous" at a bookstore in Los Angeles. Elsewhere in L.A., it was all about leisure, as Jay-Z, Polow Da Don and members of the Black Eyed Peas all took in yesterday's Lakers game (Kobe Bryant and friends scored another victory, this time against the Oklahoma City Thunder). Click here for these pictures as well as the entire "Spotted!" archive, which features over 350 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Madonna, Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, the Jonas Brothers, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Shakira, Adam Lambert and Mariah Carey!

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