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Albums We Hope To Hear In 2011

Posted 6/23/11 10:30 am EST by in listicle


Lil Wayne

By Zachary Swickey

Talking with Zane Low on BBC Radio 1, The Killers revealed they have begun work on their fourth album. Asked if they had started writing the follow-up to ‘08’s Day & Age, frontman Brandon Flowers responded, “We have about four or five [songs]. We’ve put them up on a board and they’re sounding good. We think they’re strong.”

The Killers’ last album was ambitious and took the group’s core sound to the next level. We look forward to hearing what the guys have up their sleeve, but it got us thinking about all of the other new albums that we hope to hear before our final year on earth (2012, from what I hear). These albums are “supposed” to come out in 2011, but we’re just going to have to wait and see.

Jay-Z and Kanye West, Watch the Throne

A joint album from the two biggest names in hip-hop is bound to get even the most casual fans excited. The effort was first envisioned as an EP to be released by the end of 2010. Then it graduated to a full-length album with a hopeful release date sometime in March, but as of today, it’s still “TBD.” The single that has seen the light of day, “H.A.M.”, is a solid jam from the two, but it’s not as good as the sum of their parts should be. Perhaps they realized this, and are taking their time making an album that is worthy of their talents.

Blink-182, Untitled Sixth Album

I recall Blink-182 being listed as presenters at the ‘09 Grammys and thinking, “Oh, well they’re getting back together,” which is exactly what they announced at the awards. A reunion tour soon followed that summer and the band mentioned writing a new song that they would play on the road (which they never played). Throughout the second half of 2010, Blink provided updates with hopeful release windows that have all come and gone. They canceled their European tour for this summer, because the album is still incomplete. The group has until July 31 to hand their work over to Geffen Records, and since they’re headlining the Honda Civic Tour with My Chemical Romance later this summer, it better be ready.

Lil Wayne, Tha Carter IV

It hasn’t been all that long since we’ve heard from Lil Wayne – it never is, considering he guest appears on every other rapper’s song (I’m counting 13 so far in ’11). He released two albums in 2010, neither of which were particularly well-received (compared to his past work), but neither of those were bearing the banner Tha Carter either. Weezy’s The Carta IV is sure to wow us and be the best thing we’ve heard in rap since Kanye’s Dark Twisted Fantasy. It will likely feature some other huge names in hip-hop, like Drake, Rick Ross and Yeezy himself. After 3-4 delays, the current “hopeful” release date is August 29. Fingers crossed!

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'Yo Gabba Gabba' Welcomes The Killers Back To The Fold

Posted 1/25/11 5:30 pm EST by in Music


If rock bands want to pick up a little exposure on television, there are a handful of shows they can visit that will guarantee them effective time on the air. There's the always music-minded "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon," the dorm room favorite "Conan" and the indie-friendly, headline-grabbing "The Daily Show." But for some real cross-generational promotion, Nickelodeon's "Yo Gabba Gabba" is the only game in town. The show returns for its third season on Monday, February 7 (the day after the Super Bowl), bringing with it a very special musical guest on its premiere episode. Even though they've been on hiatus for the better part of a year, the Killers will take the stage on the show to perform a tune called "Spaceship Adventure," which plays into the episode's treasure-hunting theme. The nod to Chewbacca is especially fantastic.

The Killers have been officially on hiatus since the beginning of 2010, but they've been pretty prolific anyway. Frontman Brandon Flowers may have recorded and released a solo album (the criminally underrated Flamingo), but the band did manage to get together a handful of times over the course of the year (including a high-profile gig on the lawn of the White House as part of President Obama's Fourth of July celebration). They also recorded and released their annual Christmas single (this one was called "Boots" and was one of the finest in the band's history).

Having rocked Yo Gabba Gabba, the Killers will next make their way into the studio in May of 2011 to work on their new album, which would be their fourth (following 2004's Hot Fuss, 2006's Sam's Town and 2008's Day & Age).

What do you think of the Killers' performance on "Yo Gabba Gabba"? Let us know in the comments!

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'Married To Rock': The Wives They Should Have Recruited

Posted 10/14/10 2:00 pm EST by in Music


Considering the rampant success of shows like "Basketball Wives" and the "Real Housewives" series, it was only a matter of time before reality show cameras started tracking the daily trials and tribulations of the spouses of rock stars. Just such a thing will be happening when E! premieres "Married to Rock," a show that will focus on a handful of women married to rock stars and will premiere on November 7. Since shows like this live and die on the personalities of the people involved, the cast is very important, and this batch includes Susan Holmes McKagan (wife of former Guns N' Roses member and current Velvet Revolver bassist Duff McKagan), Etty Farrell (wife of Jane's Addiction frontman and Lollapalooza godfather Perry Farrell), Josie Stevens (wife of Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens) and AJ Celi (the not-quite-wife of the Cult guitarist Billy Duffy).

It's a strange mix of people, to be sure. Duff McKagan writes great columns for The Seattle Weekly and Playboy, and by all accounts his wife is also a dynamic personality who will probably be the alpha of the group. Etty Farrell has had a bit of a public life (she is working on her own album and has collaborated with husband Perry on a handful of other projects), though the other two women are sort of mysteries. It's not a bad mix, though in a perfect world, the following women would have been cast members on "Married to Rock."

Mariqueen Maandig
Trent Reznor's wife is a musician in her own right (she was the singer of West Indian Girl and currently serves as one third of Reznor's latest project Hot to Destroy Angels), though she remains relatively mysterious to the outside world. Her participation would not only get her involved but also may reveal a few things about home life with the man behind Nine Inch Nails (though it's painfully clear that Reznor would never, ever go for something like this).

Karen Elson
Elson is a beautiful model, musician and wife to Jack White. Again, her involvement would not only be interesting (Elson is extremely talented and stunningly beautiful) but also a revealing look behind the curtain at her husband (who is notoriously private).

Tana Munblowsky
Another mysterious, low-profile spouse, Munblowsky married the Killers frontman (and recent solo star) Brandon Flowers back when the band was first breaking, and a look into her private life (no doubt full of complicated religious conversations and the excesses of Las Vegas) would be fascinating.

Deven Davis
Not only is Davis the wife of Korn frontman Jonathan Davis, she is also the mother of their three children and a former porn actress. She would undoubtedly have some perspective on home life and have something to say, wouldn't she?

What rock and roll wives would you have cast on "Married to Rock"? Let us know in the comments!

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Justin Bieber's 'U Smile' Joins The Ranks Of Great Grinning Tunes

Posted 8/11/10 10:54 am EST by in Music


Last week, Justin Bieber officially announced that the newest single from My World 2.0 would be "U Smile," a smooth track with a retro Motown vibe. It's a sweet, straightforward song about devotion to his lady love, and it contains the line "When you smile, I smile" in the chorus. Like most of the other songs he has released to radio, "U Smile" is already gaining airplay and should make its way up the Billboard Hot 100 immanently.

"U Smile" will put Bieber on another list: People with songs about smiles. It's amazing that so many great artists have written songs about such a simple muscle twitch, but then again a smile can be enigmatic and disarming. Check out the top tracks devoted to grins of all kings.

Semisonic, "Secret Smile"
Semisonic had a tough time breaking the second single from their sophomore album Feeling Strangely Fine after the huge success of "Closing Time." One of their attempts was "Secret Smile," a brilliantly moody song about silent longing for the opposite sex. "Nobody knows it/ But you've got a secret smile," frontman Dan Wilson sings in the chorus, "and you use it only for me."

The Killers, "Smile Like You Mean It"
One of the many great prom songs contained on the Killers' debut album Hot Fuss was a pulsating keyboard romp called "Smile Like You Mean It." The sentiment of the song is legendarily sharp, as it's all about finding true joy and not just the appearance of happiness.
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The Killers Continue A Run Of Alt-Rock At The White House

Posted 7/6/10 12:30 pm EST by in Music


Even though the Killers frontman Brandon Flowers has a solo album coming out in the fall (it's called Flamingo, and it's out on September 14) and the group is officially on hiatus, they can still come together in the name of liberty. On Sunday night (July 4), the band celebrated Independence Day in style on the White House South Lawn as guests of President Barack Obama. The group played six songs ("Human," "Somebody Told Me," "Mr. Brightside," "A Dustland Fairytale," "Read My Mind" and "When You Were Young") to a crowd of military personnel as part of the second annual USO "Salute to the Military" concert alongside Brandi Carlile and Cedric the Entertainer.

"It is a monumental honour for us to be a part of this 4th of July celebration at the White House," Flowers said. "We could never repay the servicemen and women of this country for their contributions and sacrifice. To perform for them and their families on America's birthday will be our pleasure."

The Killers' visit to the White House is the latest in a long line of alternative artists who have played the unusual venue. If you recall, last summer featured Foo Fighters, another band on hiatus who were still willing to kick it around for the leader of the free world. Foo Fighters even debuted a new song ("Wheels") at the event.

Obama has also invited the likes of quirky songstress Regina Spektor and rhythmic guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela. Even if the economy never recovers and the oil spill never gets cleaned up, at least we know the iPods in the White House have excellently-curated playlists.

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INXS Re-Making Old Hits With Singers From The Killers, Train, Matchbox Twenty

Posted 4/2/10 1:00 pm EST by in Music


Since the death of singer Michael Hutchence in 1997, Australian hit-makers INXS have been looking for a way to continue without the face and the voice of smashes like "Need You Tonight," "New Sensation," "Devil Inside" and "Suicide Blonde." Back in 2005, they were the subject of the first season of "Rock Star," a CBS reality show that sought to cast an amateur as their new vocalist (they released one album, 2005's Switch, with show winner J.D. Fortune).

Now they've got a new project in mind. The band is currently working on a new album that will re-imagine some of their biggest hits with new singers, including the Killers' Brandon Flowers, Pat Monahan of Train, Ben Harper and Rob Thomas. A band who replaces a lead singer — especially with one by committee — always puts itself on a slippery slope. Hopefully it turns out better than the disastrous No Talking Just Head, which was Talking Heads minus David Byrne plus the vocal stylings Ed Kowalczyk, Debbie Harry and (ironically) Michael Hutchence.

But according to a Rolling Stone interview, the pairings sound promising so far. Thomas has tackled "Original Sin" and "Never Tear Us Apart," Flowers crooned "Beautiful Girl" and Harper took on "Devil Inside."

Train's Monahan has only recently been added to the project, so INXS drummer Jon Farris didn't have any news on which song he would be singing on the album. Monahan seems like a strange fit, as the rootsy, groovy tunes his band puts out (including the current juggernaut hit "Hey Soul Sister") doesn't appear to have much in common with the glammy, jittery sound of INXS' finest work. But his voice has the same sort of passion and pathos that made Hutchence a star, so to help everything along, here are five tunes that would fit Monahan perfectly.

"Not Enough Time"
It's got a groove that Monahan could ride for days

"By My Side"
One thing Monahan has in common with the late Hutchence is that they are both underrated as balladeers. This sparse tune from X is INXS at its most naked and heartfelt.
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'New Moon' Soundtrack Video Playlist: Death Cab For Cutie, Muse And Others Celebrate The Undead

Posted 10/16/09 11:42 am EST by in Music


The soundtrack to "New Moon," the forthcoming second film in the hit "Twilight" series, was originally supposed to hit stories this Tuesday, October 20, but fan demand (and a leak) pushed the release date of the hotly anticipated album up to today. The soundtrack, which features decidedly indie-centric contributions from the likes of Death Cab for Cutie, Muse, Thom Yorke and the Killers, immediately shot to the top of the iTunes album sales chart.

One music video has already come from it — Death Cab for Cutie's "Meet Me on the Equinox" — and it's possible there could be more. This is an excellent development, as many of the bands involved have a tremendous visual sensibility and could really push the envelope for a lot of these songs. Grizzly Bear have produced a number of trippy, engrossing videos, including the psychedelic "Central and Remote." Yorke, of course, has always focused on imagery (just as he did in the clip for his solo song "Harrowdown Hill"). And Muse's "Knights of Cydonia" is an appropriately epic, cinematic presentation.

To get a better sense of the sort of bands who are on the "New Moon" soundtrack — as well as the sort of imagery they tend to work with — check out the "New Moon" video playlist. It features the new clip from Death Cab for Cutie as well as contributions from Lykke Li, St. Vincent and OK Go.

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'New Moon' Soundtrack: Everything There Is To Know

Posted 9/17/09 12:12 pm EST by in Music


With the extended trailer having debuted at this past Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards and the first song from the soundtrack — Death Cab for Cutie's "Meet Me on the Equinox" — premiered on MTV.com during that same show. Now a New York Times article says that the full soundtrack will be announced some time tomorrow, so now would be a great time to take a look at what we know.

According to "New Moon" music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas, this album will have a much greater "indie" bent than the soundtrack to "Twilight" did. That makes sense considering the rumored groups involved. So far, it's almost certain that Thom Yorke, Bon Iver, Band of Skulls and Muse will all have contributions on the album. The Times suggested that the Killers and Grizzly Bear (you know, Beyoncé and Jay-Z's favorite band) have also been independently confirmed as being participants, but Patsavas wouldn't comment on either one. At Comic-Con, director Chris Weitz also mentioned that Kings of Leon were in the running for a spot, but there has been little mention of them since that initial suggestion. And the Used member Jeph Howard tweeted that his band was recording a song for "New Moon" as well.

So assuming all of the above artists will be included, that makes eight tracks so far. Other rumored contributors include Coldplay (one of "Twilight" author Stephanie Meyer's favorite bands) and Kelly Clarkson (a fan who wrote "Empty as I Am" because she was inspired by "New Moon"). Reportedly former "American Idol" runner-up Justin Guarini also submitted a song (called "I Can't Live") for possible inclusion. Whatever the final list may be, it'll certainly be an eclectic mix full of melancholy that should make for an excellent accompaniment to watching Kristen Stewart pine for Robert Pattinson.

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Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Amy Winehouse Invade V Fest In U.K.

Posted 8/24/09 10:51 am EST by in Concerts, Music


Over the weekend, around 80 bands descended on two different locations in England for this year's V Festival, one of the U.K.'s biggest annual musical traditions. Oasis were supposed to headline the closing night, but singer Liam Gallagher caught a case of viral laryngitis and couldn't perform. (Snow Patrol filled in for the band in the top slot, covering "Wonderwall" and "Champagne Supernova" in honor of their absent colleagues.) But the weekend really belonged to the ladies, as Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and the always-fashion-forward Lady Gaga turned in crowd-pleasing sets.

(Click here for more photos from V Fest, including shots of Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and more!)

The Killers, MGMT and Lily Allen also turned in memorable sets, but perhaps the weekend's biggest surprise came during the performance by the Specials. In the middle of their set, the veteran ska band brought out a very special guest to join them on two songs: Amy Winehouse. In her first U.K. performance in over a year, Winehouse backed the band up on "Ghost Town" and "You're Wondering Now" before ducking back out again. That wasn't the only appearance she made during the weekend, as she also introduced fellow British tabloid regular Pete Doherty before his set on Saturday. Though she wasn't necessarily in top form with the Specials, her performance was a far cry from her appearance at last year's V Fest (where she was roundly heckled) or her attempt at a comeback earlier this year in St. Lucia (where she cut off her set six songs in because of "technical difficulties"). The festival season is coming to a close both here and abroad, which is why MTV News will be getting our last licks in this weekend in San Francisco at the Outside Lands Festival.

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Freddie Mercury Wins Mustache Poll

Posted 8/21/09 1:24 pm EST by in Music


Late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury broke down boundaries, played to sold out stadiums and with "We Are the Champions" and "We Will Rock You" changed the way we experience sports. But he may have just received his greatest honor. In a poll taken in the U.K., Mercury took the top prize as "Britain's Greatest Ever Moustache." It's hard to argue with that logic, as Mercury's 'stache is pretty killer.

But is Mercury's lip fuzz the greatest in music? As this photo gallery proves, he's got some stiff competition. Brandon Flowers of the Killers sometimes rocks a very Mercury-esque facial accessory, and Rivers Cuomo of Weezer spent a few years carrying a full-on porn-stache. Of course, there are plenty of rockers who have spent their entire careers cultivating their mustaches, like David Crosby's bushy adventure and Bob Dylan's mysterious addendum. And the rap world is not without it's great facial hair either — just check out Ja Rule's fashionable 'stache.

But for my money, I've got to hand the award off to Metallica's James Hetfield, who has always toyed with his facial hair in various forms throughout his career. At the moment, he has a scary-looking goatee, but for a long time he had an elaborate mustache that was second-to-none.

(Click here for more of MTV's "Mustache Mania" gallery, including Jamie Foxx, Bob Dylan, the Beatles and Eagles of Death Metal!)

What do you think: Does Mercury's mustache reign supreme or does somebody else take the top nose-tickler prize? Leave your thoughts in the comments or head over to Your.MTV.com to make your voice heard!

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