Top 20 latest music news articles.
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By Natasha Chandel
Conan O'Brien and David Letterman are keeping their friends close and their enemies closer. O’Brien made an historic appearance yesterday on “Late Night with David Letterman” after 13 long years. The two late night giants came together for one common cause – bashing their other late night nemesis, Jay Leno.
The late night battle feels much like an episode of “Game of Thrones,” where comedy circuit brothers (Leno and Letterman) become network foes. But the kings of their own respective lands (NBC and CBS) want more, living with the overpowering ambition to rule all television kingdoms. In neighboring borders lives a young prince (O’Brien), in line to take the NBC king’s place, but upon assuming his rightful position is sleazily pushed and banished from the kingdom altogether by an insecure former leader. The old king (Leno) reclaims his position but not without enemies. He leaves the other brothers (O’Brien and Letterman) bitter and scarred. They eventually realize that if they stand united, they might not bring down the lone brother, but at least will have some laughs at his expense. Because, really, who cares about his land anyways.
O’Brien’s appearance on “Late Night” began with an awkward silence. “The longer we sit here, the more uncomfortable it will make Jay [Leno],” Letterman said, setting the tone right off the bat. From there, the interview was full of jabs at the “Tonight Show” host – teasing his voice, opulent lifestyle and perceived selfishness.
Letterman recalled an anecdote of working alongside Leno as up-and-coming comics, with Leno usually being the crowd pleaser. “He was also a bit of a brat,” Letterman quipped, and went on to say that the Leno who pushed O’Brien out of the “Tonight Show” chair after a mere six months was “the Jay I know.”
O’Brien’s self-depricating signature style meshed well with Letterman’s self-serving humor. Together they succeeded in making Leno the “bad guy,” although, to be fair, an entire network was as guilty for the debacle that forced O’Brien to leave NBC and move to his new home at TBS.
But all’s well that ends well, right? From the sound of it, O’Brien is happy at TBS, a network that allows him to do whatever he wants and create the show of his liking. Although, it was clear from this interview that the wound is still deep for both O’Brien and Letterman, who take a certain pleasure in knowing Leno is no longer the king he once was.
Watch it below!
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By Zachary Swickey
The head honcho of one of the world’s biggest music festivals – England's iconic Glastonbury Festival – has revealed that he offered the 2013 headlining to vocal powerhouse Adele, but the singer shockingly turned the dream gig down.
While the festival is currently on its traditional break (it does so every five years to maintain the grounds), festival organizer Michel Eavis revealed that when he offered Adele the coveted headlining spot (something unheard of for an artist with just two albums under her belt), she politely declined.
Talking to Britain’s Metro, Eavis explained Adele felt the challenge was “too daunting” of a task, which is understandable since she’s mentioned on many occasion that she prefers intimate theaters over arenas.
"She knows that we want her anyway, but she doesn't want to do a thing our size. Going on the Pyramid Stage [the main stage] is a bit daunting in front of 80,000 people; it's a bit much really,” said Eavis.
He mentioned she always attends the festival as a fan and that the door is always open, continuing, "She comes every year usually, and has her own little party."
While Eavis made no mention of other possible 2013 headliners, he did confirm earlier this year that the main headliners were "already sorted."
In other not-so-shocking Adele news, the diva has just reached the 9x platinum mark with her chart-smashing hit album 21 – which is still selling 100,000 plus copies a week on the regular. To put that into perspective, it’s only the 29th album in SoundScan history (’91-present) to pull off such a feat.
The achievement is all the more impressive when you consider that albums just aren’t selling as well these days (it’s all about singles), and the singer axed both of her planned US tours due to vocal problems. We can only imagine how much more she could sell if she properly hit the road.
It shouldn’t be too long before we celebrate 21 going diamond with 10 million copies sold – a feat last achieved by Usher’s ’04 effort Confessions.
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Photo Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
On Sunday night (May 20), "The Simpsons" will conclude its 23rd (!) season with a hotly awaited episode that features Lady Gaga's visit to Springfield.
The buzz around the show is huge, and everyone is talking about exactly what she'll be up to when she visits one of TV's most famous families … as well as her cartoon iteration's staggering 18 costume changes. Once our pals over at MTV Style caught wind of her character's many different looks, they couldn't help but reach out to the show to see what it was like to work with one of pop's biggest names and how they came up with the many ensembles – some of which mirror things she's worn in the past (see the meat dress above) and others that are original to the show, including a cool heel-within-a-heel look.
MTV Style talked to one of the show's legendary writer-producers, Al Jean, to get the scoop on Gaga, and the insider had nothing but love for the "Born This Way" pop diva. "She was really excited about the whole thing," Jean told MTV Style. "After she signed on to do it, she came in to record dialogue twice, and we showed her a rough cut the second time. She seemed thrilled."
Check out the full interview over at Style to hear about Gaga's many looks, how they were developed and which "Simpsons" characters get a Gaga makeover!
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Madonna, Facebook
The answer shouldn't be that tough to guess.
Stats with "V," ends with "E." It appears on that rumored final set list we brought you earlier this week.
With her tour launch less than two weeks away, Madonna is deep in rehearsals for the "MDNA Tour." The big show kicks off at Tel Aviv, Israel's Ramat Gan Stadium on May 31, and
our tragically straight boyfriendher hunky manager Guy Oseary has been keeping us up-to-date as the show comes together, posting images from rehearsals on his Twitter and her official Facebook page.These are the latest. Looks like she's striking quite a pose, yes?
Four more images from "MDNA Tour" rehearsals after the jump!
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Joe Jonas recently sat down with MTV News, and in the middle of the conversation, he recalled what had to be one of his worst days ever. It was a day that included a stolen bike, a ruined ice cream cone and a loss for his favorite baseball team, the Yankees.
Here's the tale of woe, straight from the source. He said, "All the time [I go biking]. Actually, my bike was stolen – it really was. I had a bike; literally it was my best friend. I rode it everywhere and in the middle of the day, it was sunny out me and Nick were shopping in SoHo. I locked it up on Prince and Mercer, so it’s a pretty busy street.
"Locked it up, a good lock, I mean it wasn’t a heavy duty lock," he continued. "And I came back ten minutes later and it was gone ... it’s really tough. I’m OK now, but at the time I was pretty depressed."
Nick, being the good baby bro he is, tried to cheer him up. "Then Nick was like, 'Let me buy you ice cream. It’ll make you feel better,' cause ice cream makes anyone feel better for that five minutes and then you feel like crap afterwards. But then I dropped my ice cream cone on the ground and everybody around me was literally like, 'Awww.' It was so sad."
But, it gets worse. "And then I went to a Yankees game and the Yankees lost horribly," he added. "It was the worst day ever. I was [like], 'Can I just go to bed now?'"
Watch:
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By Zachary Swickey
One of our favorite female voices in music, Pink, has been out of the spotlight for a while because she has been busy with her beautiful baby daughter at home with husband Carey Hart. In a new interview with Cosmopolitan, the singer opens up about how motherhood has changed her.
Willow Sage Hart was born last summer and Pink has been playing mommy full-time ever since. It’s been four years since she dropped her hit-heavy ("So What," "Sober") party album Funhouse, and the singer is finally back in studio working on a new album … but the process is a little different this time around.
"I'm used to going into the studio and smoking and drinking until three in the morning. But I can't drink as much because I'm breastfeeding,” she told the mag.
"See this glass of wine? Before, I'd have, like, four of them. Now, one is good. Oh, and I quit smoking," she continued. "I've exorcised a lot of my demons, but I'm still working on myself. I think I'll be a work in progress for the rest of my life."
She's also coming forward to say that despite the way culture sells it, pregnancy is no picnic. "I thought I’d feel like a goddess. They sell you on that, like you’ll never feel more feminine," she said. "Really, I just felt like a mess."
Pink took to Twitter to celebrate her first Mother’s Day (May 13) with her fans, tweeting, "It's my first mothers day- and I'm just filled to the brim with gratitude. My mama bear love goes out in the form of a mama bear hug to all."
No word on when we should expect Pink’s new album to drop, but even if it only included her doing a dozen different Guns N’ Roses covers, we would still be satisfied.
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By Uptin Saiidi (@uptin)
The group that gifted the world with the viral musical mashup of Charlie Sheen's "Winning" last year and became famous for "auto-tuning the news" is back for more.
This time Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is their latest victim ... or winner, depending on how you look at it.
The group mashed up Romney's best quotes over the past few months on the campaign trail. The song starts off sounding like a rap, where we see the presidential hopeful singing, "What's up gangstas? It's the M.I. double-tizzle." Then he spits off a list of everything he loves, including, but not limited to, lakes, cars, American cars, you, businesses, silly stuff, mandates, grits and, heck, even "Twilight."
Members of the group appear in the video as news reporters and rappers following him everywhere from the MSNBC studios to a living room couch. At one point, member Sarah Fullen Gregor asks, "Do you like iPads? Do you like iPhones? Do you like vampires?" He gives a blank stare.
The Gregory Brothers recently won an a award for best viral original at The Comedy Awards for their song, "Winning."
Seeing Mitt Romney in a rap video might sound absurd, but you might be surprised how similar quotes between a rapper and a Presidential candidate can be. MTV's Clutch compiled quotes from Republican politicians and famous rappers, and while you'd thing who said what would be obvious, you might be surprised. Take the quiz and see for yourself: Who Said It? Republican Politician Or Famous Rapper.
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By Zachary Swickey
Surprise, surprise – it appears Simon Cowell is not a fan of the "The Voice" and claims the vocal competition show is a blatant rip-off of his own pet-project, “The X Factor” (more specifically, the British iteration, which pre-dates "The Voice," as the US "X Factor" premiered later).
Cowell was chatting it up with Radio 4’s Today Show when he made the bold suggestion that “The Voice” should be on radio instead of television – saying he “didn’t understand” it.
"That show ['The Voice'] puzzles me because it starts off and 'it's all about the voice'," he explained. "So my first thought is, 'Why isn't this on radio?' because what's the point in looking at them. Then suddenly I'm watching it a week or two weeks ago and it's the same as 'The X Factor.' They've got dancers behind them, graphics, lights. Same show."
Apparently, Cowell thinks he has a patent on singing, dancers, graphics and lights?
“I see a lot of shows trying to rip us off. If you try and rip somebody off it always looks like a bad copy,” he continued. Ouch.
Plenty would argue with his statement as “The Voice” has been a ratings behemoth and even helped recharge the celebrity of some its judges. You couldn’t go anywhere without hearing Adam Levine’s Maroon 5 troupe and their hit “Moves Like Jagger,” which featured fellow judge Christina Aguilera, last summer. “The X Factor,” however, has not been taking off the way Cowell expected.
Although, we’re pretty sure Cowell will see one heck of a ratings boost now that they have added Britney Spears and Demi Lovato to this year’s judging panel.
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With the big reveal of CBS' 2012-2013 primetime schedule, all of the major networks have revealed which of their current shows will be back in the fall and which ones are being sent to the television graveyard as well as which pilots will be premiering this fall.
We have to say, we're pretty pleased with how things panned out. After a tense, touch-and-go couple of days "Parks and Recreation" and "Happy Endings" got their expected pick-ups, and favorites "Modern Family" and "30 Rock," albeit for a truncated final season, will also be back when the leaves start to turn.
(We're not exactly in love with the idea of two cycles of "The Voice" – part of that show's appeal was that it was neither overextended nor played out and a non-stop, yearlong run puts that in danger – but we'll deal.)
We've also got Louis C.K.'s brilliant "Louie" returning to FX in June, and our high hopes that the summer-long break from the traditional TV season will give us a chance to catch up on "Mad Men" or "Game of Thrones."
So there's a lot of good things going on in TV right now, and that includes some of what we're seeing from the previews of the new shows that are premiering this fall. As the network upfronts continue, we're getting a first feel for which shows to start getting excited for. Below we've lined up the four shows (one from each of the four major networks, to keep things fair) that have us really excited for the hot and sticky summer to fly by (save that week at the beach … that can linger as long as it likes) so we can get back to where we belong – in front of a television with a fan, a glass of red wine and all of old and new (TV) friends.
1. "The Mindy Project," FOX
Our affection for writer-director-actress Mindy Kaling is well-known. We loved her book, she was wonderful on "The Office" as Kelly Kapoor and is the writer behind some of the series' most affecting episodes. "Mindy Project" is her baby (she stars, writes and created the series) and its synopsis – "A young Ob/Gyn doctor balances her personal and professional life, surrounded by quirky co-workers in a small office" – and the "Bridget Jones" comparisons make the show seem like it falls so squarely into the comedienne's romantic comedy-meets-smart single girl snark sweet spot that, if her past successes are any indication, is proof positive "Mindy" simply cannot fail.
2. "Animal Practice," NBC
The quirk factor is pretty high here, which isn't everybody's jam, but NBC is arguably better at handing this type of show than any network (see "Parks and Rec," "30 Rock"). The trailer for the series contains plenty of LOL moments, many of them coming from series lead Justin Kirk as an animal loving veterinarian who despises the pet owners. Kirk is as talented an actor as there is, having anchored HBO's Emmy titan miniseries "Angels in America" before moving on to lighter fare like Showtime's dramady "Weeds," and should be able to strike a balance between being off-the-wall and earnest, two qualities that make Amy Poehler so unstoppable as Leslie Knope on the network's "Parks." "Practice" seems smart and well-paced and so long as it doesn't wear its concept too thin too fast could really catch on.
3. "Nashville," ABC
As you can probably guess from the shows we've talked up so far, we tend to favor quirky half-hour sitcoms to hour-long dramas, but we will line up for anything Connie Britton (see "Friday Night Lights," "American Horror Story," "24," "Spin City" and "The West Wing") does. It's truly rare to look at any actor's list of credits and see next to no missteps, particularly when said actor, like Britton, tends to lean toward higher-brow fare. (Even "Horror Story," for all its camp craziness was sharply written and well-plotted enough to become a minor zeitgeist show last year.) And while "Nashville" may seem to have a few too many parallels to the storyline of the middling Gwyneth Paltrow vehicle "Country Strong" (minus the boozing and rehab angle) for comfort, there's a lot more spark here – from Hayden Panettiere's bound for a reality check country crossover diva to the roots country subplot boiling late in the trailer – and Nashville itself is a music town full of stories to tell. Oh, and the show was created by Callie Khouri, who won an Oscar for her screenplay for "Thelma & Louise" and whose other films (the underrated Julia Roberts vehicle "Something to Talk About" and "The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood") make it clear that she has a real understanding of southern women.
4. "Partners," CBS
While we don't yet have a trailer for"Partners's" story and cast (and the fact that it is on CBS and not a more logical home like ABC or NBC) make it one of the more interesting shows of the fall season – none of which is to mention that it is seemingly a reboot of sorts of a same-named FOX show from the mid-90s, though the creators of this "Partners" swear that's not true. While the two shows share a similar pitch – "two life-long best friends and business partners whose 'bromance' is tested when one of them is engaged to be married" – the new show comes with an added twist that one of the "bros" is gay, and, according to CBS, based on the real-life friendship of David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, creators of "Will & Grace."(On this show, the characters will be architects and not TV execs.)
We like that this show is going to step up and showcase a straight-gay male friendship, a dynamic rarely seen on television, let alone network TV (save ABC's "Happy Endings," where it works like gangbusters and knocks down stereotypes along the way). Sure, this shouldn't be a big deal in 2012, but it is, even more so because the show is on CBS, which doesn’t have the best history with LGBT characters. We also like that the bros in question are going to be played by the talented David Krumholtz and "Ugly Betty" scene stealer Michael Urie, who deserves to be the star of his own vehicle. Urie's character even has a stable boyfriend, played by one-time "Superman" Brandon Routh. Based on story alone, we're sold.
Which new shows are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below.
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By Zachary Swickey
At long last, the official schedule for this year’s Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival – taking place from June 7-10 in Manchester, Tennessee – has been revealed, and in typical music-fest fashion, fans are going to be forced to make some heart-wrenching decisions.
Anyone that has hit up a major music festival, especially one of Bonnaroo’s magnitude, knows that they will inevitably have to choose between two of their favorite acts when scheduling conflicts arise, as they are known to do for even the most casual fans.
Considering the stellar lineup they’ve concocted for this year’s iteration – Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phish, Bon Iver, the Beach Boys, Foster the People, Skrillex and many more. If you’re attending Bonnaroo, you might want to prepare yourself for some overlap between your favorite artists' sets.
Here are five of our biggest scheduling predicaments. Who would you hit up?Bon Iver Vs. The Shins
It seems like Sunday’s dilemma between Bon Iver and the Shins is the toughest one to make bar-none as their music is somewhat similar. Bon Iver should be winding down his backing of his ’11 self-titled release, while the Shins just dropped a new album (Port of Morrow) after a five year hiatus. So if you’ve already caught Bon Iver, we recommend giving the Shins a go.
Feist Vs. Ludacris
While this may not seem like a dilemma for some fans, music connoisseurs like myself will have a decision to make. With Luda’s rising acting career, his performances are fewer and farther between, and few can argue the appeal of Feist’s newest offering, Metals. Basically, do you want to have your mind blown by a Canadian singer-songwriter or one of the best lyricists in the rap game? Your move; we're not touching this one.
Fitz & the Tantrums Vs. The Avett Brothers
This one’s a toughie. Both of these bands have broken in the last few years and they’re both known for their spectacular live shows. Fitz and his troupe don their throwback suits and swagger onstage even through the most menacing heat, while the Avett Brothers inherently manage to capture the nostalgia of rock’s glory days. Choose wisely!
The Beach Boys Vs. City & Colour
We’re not too sure if many of the younger folks are eager to catch the Beach Boys on their 50th anniversary reunion tour, but having them play during City & Colour’s set is a genuine predicament. Look, we’re not arguing about the Beach Boy’s legacy, but when your youngest member is 69 years old, you’re likely past your prime no matter who you are. And City & Colour totally rules, so there’s that.
The Roots Vs. Mogwai
This one will have the hipsters scratching their heads. Casual music fans will obviously gravitate toward the Roots thanks in part to their gig as Jimmy Fallon’s house band (not to mention they’re just flat-out incredible), but Scottish rockers Mogwai are one of the most treasured indie acts out there. Also, being from Scotland, they don’t make it to the states often, and occasionally their drummer’s pacemaker can throw a wrench in things. We'd go Mogwai, but only because it'll be easier to catch the Roots at another time – they're not going anywhere.
Urban News
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'I responded to him and I told him, 'Let's work,' ' Fif tells MTV News of a Twitter collabo request from Wiz.
By Nadeska Alexis, with reporting by Ade Mangum
50 Cent
Photo: MTV News50 Cent was admitted to the hospital earlier this week when he began to suffer from severe stomach pains, but by the time he was released Thursday, the G-Unit CEO had already put plans into motion for a new collaboration with Wiz Khalifa.
MTV News caught up with Fif at his G-Unit offices in NYC after his release, and he explained that a tweet from Wiz gave birth to the collaboration. The tweet in question: "I Gotta Song I Wanna Put @50Cent On."
"While I was sitting in the hospital, I saw Wiz Khalifa send a tweet out saying he got something, and he felt like it would be cool if I was actually on a record with him," 50 said. "So I responded to him and I told him, 'Let's work.' I'm feeling good, I was feeling better by the time that tweet went through, so I said, 'Send it,' and I spoke to him a later on.
"Stay tuned to hear what happens next because it's gonna go down," he added, confirming that the collaboration is for real. Fif's guest verse is likely to pop up on the Taylor Gang MC's upcoming LP O.N.I.F.C., which is set to debut August 28. It would mark their first collaboration together. Thus far, Wiz has revealed that features on his Rolling Papers follow-up will include Pharrell, Cam'ron, Curren$y and the Weeknd.
50 Cent has made a full recovery since his release from the hospital, and next Tuesday, he will drop The Lost Tape, hosted by DJ Drama.
During his stay in the hospital, the Queens mogul received a phone call from longtime friend and collaborator Eminem, who had a few firm words for him. "He goes, 'Yo, Fif, you were shot nine times, man, if you die over a burger, this sh-- ain't gonna go right,' " 50 told MTV News just hours after his release. " 'People ain't gonna be feelin' this.' "
Stay tuned to MTV News' Mixtape Daily for more on 50 Cent and DJ Drama's The Lost Tape.
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'The Avengers,' 'The Vow,' Katy Perry and Adele also land multiple nods.
By John Mitchell
Paul Wesley, Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder in "The Vampire Diaries"
Photo: CWThe nominations for the 2012 Teen Choice Awards have been announced, and the CW's hit drama "The Vampire Diaries" snagged a leading six nominations, with "American Idol" and Justin Bieber following close behind with five each.
"Diaries" earned nominations for Choice TV Show: Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Choice TV Actor: Fantasy/Sci-Fi nods for both Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, and Choice TV Actress: Fantasy/Sci-Fi nominations for Nina Dobrev and Kat Graham. Somerhalder is also vying for Choice Male Hottie against Bieber, multi-nominee Ryan Gosling, Liam Hemsworth and Robert Pattinson.
The Choice Female Hottie contest pit pals Katy Perry and Rihanna against Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez and model Kate Upton.
Among the other top TV nominees are "Pretty Little Liars," "Gossip Girl," "Supernatural" and, oddly, "Bones," and HBO's racy "True Blood," which is up for Choice TV Show: Fantasy/Sci-Fi and Choice TV Actress: Fantasy/Sci-Fi for Anna Paquin.
All of the usual candidates are among the top film nominees, with "Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" scoring nominations for Choice Movie: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi/Fantasy for both Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner (who is also up for Choice Movie Actor: Action for "Abduction"), and Choice Movie Actress: Sci-Fi/Fantasy for Kristen Stewart.
They face stiff competition in the Sci-Fi categories against "The Hunger Games," which landed nominations for Choice Movie: Sci-Fi/Fantasy and acting nominations for leads Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, and "The Avengers," which along with its Choice Movie nominations scored individual acting nods for Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson.
Among the other top film nominees are "The Help" (Choice Movie: Drama and Choice Actress: Drama nominations for Emma Stone and Viola Davis), "The Vow" (Choice Movie: Drama, Choice Actress: Drama for Rachel McAdams and Choice Actor: Drama for Channing Tatum, who is also up for his comedic performance in the much-nominated "21 Jump Street") and, inexplicably, the released-today comedy "What to Expect When You're Expecting," which earned four nods, for Choice Movie: Comedy, Choice Actor: Comedy for Chris Rock, and Choice Actress: Comedy nods for both Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Lopez.
On the music side, the Choice Single by a Female Artist nominees are "Set Fire to the Rain" by Adele, "Stronger" by Kelly Clarkson, "Dance Again" by Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull, "Part of Me" by Perry and "Eyes Open" by Taylor Swift. On the guys' side are Bieber ("Boyfriend"), Drake ("Take Care"), Flo Rida ("Good Feeling"), Bruno Mars ("It Will Rain") and Pitbull ("Give Me Everything [Tonight]").
Many of the same artists will vie for Choice Male Artist (Bieber, Drake, Mars, Pitbull and Blake Shelton) and Choice Female Artist (Adele, Lopez, Perry, Rihanna and Swift).
The genre-by-genre breakdown of the nominations mean there are a lot of Teen Choice Award contenders. For a full rundown of the nominees, visit the Teen Choice Awards website, where you can also vote for your favorites.
The Teen Choice Awards air live on Sunday, July 22, at 8 p.m. ET.
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With model-turned-actress in two movies opening the same day, we look back at (and forward to) other stars' box-office twofers.
By Amy Wilkinson
Brooklyn Decker in "Battleship"
Photo: Universal PicturesIf you have a thing for busty blondes, we suggest you pencil a double feature into your weekend plans, seeing as model-turned-actress Brooklyn Decker stars in not one, but two movies opening Friday: the blow-'em-up action flick "Battleship" and the pregnancy rom-com "What to Expect When You're Expecting."
In the Decker vs. Decker showdown, box-office analysts seem to agree that "Battleship" will sink "What to Expect," though it's unlikely either will unseat reigning superheroes of the cinema, "The Avengers," who are eyeing their third first-place weekend. Nonetheless, having two films open on a single day is a neat distinction for the 25-year-old actress, though one that's not as rare as you might think. Here are a cluster of stars who have pulled theatrical double-duty (or are set to):
James Franco
Nowadays, you can't shake a stick at pop culture without James Franco fetching it, but back in the early aughts — following the cancellation of the beloved "Freaks and Geeks" — Franco wasn't nearly so ubiquitous. Yet he still managed to star in two films opening May 3, 2002: "Spider-Man" and "Deuces Wild." We probably don't need to tell you which one snagged all the dollars at the box office that weekend.Christian Kane
Big-name stars aren't the only ones holding a pair. You may recognize Christian Kane from the TNT heist series "Leverage," or you may know him from a duo of 2004 film roles. On October 8 of that year, he appeared in the film version of "Friday Night Lights" and the Queen Latifah/ Jimmy Fallon comedy "Taxi."Dakota Fanning
No one saw Dakota Fanning in two films opening February 6, 2009, technically speaking, but that's only because one was animated. The pint-size actress flexed her supernatural skills in the action flick "Push," while letting her vocals do all the work as the titular heroine of "Coraline."David Koechner
Another actor dabbling in both animation and live-action on a single release date is David Koechner. The "Anchorman" actor hit the pit crew in Will Ferrell's "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" and channeled his inner-animal as the voice of a coyote in the animated "Barnyard," all on August 4, 2006.Samuel L. Jackson
The most recent two-for-one special comes courtesy of the prolific Samuel L. Jackson, whose "Avengers" continues to hammer the competition. But did you know his crime drama "Meeting Evil" (based on the novel by Thomas Berger) also opened May 4? Yeah, we didn't think so.Channing Tatum
Maybe it's a sign of the apocalypse (or, at the very least, a trend) that four actors had or will have two movies opening on the same day in 2012. Like Decker, Tatum is hitting nearly every demographic with his titillating twofer. On June 29, the 32-year-old will suit up as Duke for "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" and strip down as an exotic dancer for "Magic Mike."Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio's Christmas present to America this year is himself. Twice over. The actor stars in two films opening December 25: "The Great Gatsby" and "Django Unchained." Which one will egg-nog-fueled audiences choose to unwrap? Only Santa knows for sure.Check out everything we've got on "Battleship" and "What to Expect When You're Expecting."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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'It makes my day to see it,' Jepsen tells MTV News about clips by everyone from Justin Bieber to the Harvard baseball team.
By Christina Garibaldi
Carly Rae Jepsen
Photo: MTV NewsIt's been just a few months since Justin Bieber signed Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen to his Schoolboy Records, but since then, she has certainly made her mark on the music scene. Her infectious hit single "Call Me Maybe" is currently #1 on the iTunes songs chart and #4 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and has spawned a barrage of humorous and entertaining online videos parodies that have captured the attention of not only fans but Jepsen herself.
"I have seen a few. It's pretty rad that people are participating and making their own versions. It makes my day to see it," Jepsen told MTV News. "It's hard to imagine this, even though I'm living this every day, it's kind of hard to believe it sometimes. [I] definitely didn't predict this."
The online lip-synching parodies seem to be the latest craze, especially among college students. Sports teams from Duke, UConn, Syracuse and Southern Methodist University have all posted their own versions of the song, but it was taken to another level when the Harvard baseball team choreographed an intricate fist-pump dance while singing along to the single.
"I saw the fist pump, it was so cute. It was funny because every chorus, they added a new element. I was like, they really planned this out, this is so fantastic," Jepsen said of the Harvard video. "It's so cool that it's sort of sparked this online thing. It's really neat."
College students aren't the only ones obsessing over this song. Actor James Franco posted his own version of the song , and just last month, Katy Perry uploaded her own parody, featuring herself and a group of friends at a Coachella pool party.
"I was in London at the time I saw Katy's version of 'Call Me Maybe.' I think she was at Coachella when she shot it, which was really cool," Jepsen said. "It was another surreal moment: Being in London was already crazy and then on top of it, to kind of see all the stars were reaching out and doing their versions as well, it was kind of like a cherry on top of the whole thing."
We may have to thank Bieber for all of these videos since he is the one that started the trend. Back in February, Bieber, along with his girlfriend Selena Gomez, Ashley Tisdale and Big Time Rush, created his own music video, playfully singing along to the inescapable track.
"I have a long list of thank-yous that I owe to Justin for everything to do with my career," Jepsen said. "He's just kind of opened the door to the rest of the world to me."
Which "Call Me Maybe" parody is your favorite? Let us know in the comments.
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'With Kanye I was like, 'Why are you hiding in our pantry in my mom's kitchen?' Khloe jokes about sister Kim's BF.
By Jocelyn Vena
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West
Photo: Splash NewsKanye West may seem like he's already one of the Kardashians, but turns out it took him a minute to warm up to them. According to her sister Khloé, Kim's beau initially experienced some shell shock when hanging with reality TV's first family.
"He said, 'I'm an only child; there's, like, so many of you,' " Khloé recalled in a chat with Ryan Seacrest on Friday (May 18).
Fans will get to see Kanye warming up to the Kardashian crew themselves when E!'s "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" returns for another season on Sunday. But Khloé told Seacrest her husband, Lamar Odom, had similar trouble getting used to her very large family.
"I remember Lamar, at first it took him a minute to get used to us, but now Lamar loves it," she said. "With Kanye I was like, 'Why are you hiding in our pantry in my mom's kitchen?' And he's like, 'There's just so many of you guys, and you guys are all so loud and friendly and talk." And I'm like, 'Get used to it buddy, because I like it.' It's just a lot at one time."
Being an only child like Yeezy is added to his initial discomfort, but he isn't the lone only child the Kardashians have welcomed.
"[My boyfriend] Scott [Disick] and Lamar are only children too," Kourtney shared. "I think we attract only children. I don't think [Kanye] knows what's going on [when he hangs out with us]. Like, what we're talking about, are we being serious? Is this a joke?"
The initial shock of the Kardashians seems to have worn off, though. Usmagazine.com spotted Kanye hanging out with Kim and her family at Kourtney's May 12 baby shower. In one snapshot, a smiling Kanye sits next to Kim, who's playing with her nephew and Kourtney's son, Mason.
Khloé's hubby, Lamar, has also apparently bonded with Yeezy. The pro baller even seems to have his sights set on the music industry. "Lamar raps to [Kanye] all the time. Kim is like, 'You're going to freak this guy out,' " Khloé said. "But it's funny."
Will you tune into see Kanye on "Keeping Up With the Kardashians"? Tell us in the comments!
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Dutch singer also teases the song's 'mad' video to MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena
Eva Simons
Photo: MTV NewsFor his song "This Is Love," will.i.am enlisted Dutch singer Eva Simons to add some powerhouse vocals to the raging party track. The searing dance production is highlighted by Simons' diva-tude as her voice soars over will's creation, full of big chants, bumping beats and dirty synths.
Simons had already proved she had hook potential appearing on Afrojack's 2010 dance-floor anthem "Take Over Control," and given will's history of enlisting female pop singers to add a bit of sexy flair to his songs, Simons was a perfect muse to help shape his latest dance-pop track.
"He is super creative, and we kind of have the same energy: We can't sit still. We were in the studio, and he had this track," Simons recalled to MTV News about working with the Black Eyed Peas mastermind. "And he's like, 'Yo, Eva, would you like to do this song with me?' And we had been recording a couple tracks before, so he knows what I'm capable of and he trusts me, and we don't really know each other for that long, but he trusts me.
"I recorded it," she continued. "And he mixes it straight away from his laptop ... and it's done. That's so beautiful — not only is he super creative and knows what he wants, but he also sees when other people are creative as well. He's not afraid to collaborate."
This particular collaboration also included Swedish House Mafia's Steve Angello. "It's really a club-banger," Simons said, adding that will included "some piano intro in there and violins. ... He's always creative. It doesn't [just] work for the clubs, it works for the radio, it'll also work on a big festival, like him on the piano, some strings, some live drums."
will and Simons recently shot a video for the track, and she had this tease for fans when asked to give some hints: "Fireworks. Just like, 'What world is this? Like, where are we?' and 'What season is this?' " she said. "It's mad. It's pretty awesome."
Much of that awesomeness, she adds, stems from will directing the clip himself. "I'm just surprised. I'm not surprised, actually, 'cause that's him," she said. "He is also a super-geek. I'm a super-geek. I love technology, and he was like, he was directing the video and he was doing the motion-control of the camera and everything. He knows his stuff. It was pretty awesome to see."
Simons continued that it was refreshing to see that even with all his years in the industry, he still loves to do it. "I just admire him," she said. "After all those years he still has that fire, and that's just beautiful. But I feel like — 'cause I was big fan of the Black Eyed Peas, and I still am — and he seems like he's the same guy still that I see before."
Their song is expected to appear on will's long-teased solo album, #willpower, which also features Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Mick Jagger and Nicole Scherzinger. No release date has been set for the album.
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You could buy nearly seven million pair of Bulgari Bono sunglasses with the cash.
By Gil Kaufman
U2's Bono
Photo: D. Dipasupil/ WireImageU2 singer Bono was already an obscenely wealthy man before Friday's (May 18) Facebook IPO . But thanks to the 2.3 percent stake in the social networking site held by his Elevation Partners investment group (it is unknown how much of the Facebook take is directly held by Bono) it was reported that his nest egg could grow exponentially when Friday's first day of trading on the company's stock is over.
The total haul? More than $1.5 billion , which is not bad for a day's work.
If those figures are true, he may become the richest rock star on Earth, sitting on a massive pile of green that could allow a man who already had the world at his fingertips to push into a rarified stratosphere that's the envy of the many one-percenters he already counts as friends. According to Rolling Stone the singer, who cannot sell all his shares at once, has pledged to use much of the money raised from his investments to aid charity work in Africa.
Bono addressed the rumors of his (alleged) impending money bomb while speaking to MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell on Friday morning. "Contrary to reports, I'm not a billionaire or going to be richer than any Beatle -- and not just in the sense of money, by the way; the Beatles are untouchable -- those billionaire reports are a joke," he said. "In Elevation, we invest other people's money -- endowments, pension funds. We do get paid, of course. But, you know, I felt rich when I was 20 years old and my wife was paying my bills. Just being in a band, I've always felt blessed. I got interested in technology because I'm an artist, I'm interested in the forces that shape the world, politics, religion, the stuff we've been talking about today. Technology is huge, I wanted to learn about it. People might say that's odd, but I think it's odd if artists aren't interested in the world around them. I'm always chasing that. Facebook are an amazing team, a brilliant team. It's a technology that brings people together."
But if one person were to obtain that windfall, what could $1.5 billion buy you? We broke it down, by-the-numbers:
6.9 million Famous for his signature Bulgari shades, if Bono were to get his hands on the full stash, he could hit the Amazon.com marketplace and get nearly seven million pair for cheap at $215.77 a piece.
12.5 The giant claw stage that U2 schlepped around the world for their record-setting 360 Tour was insanely expensive. With each of the three structures they built coming in at $40 million a piece, Bono could build nine more with the Facebook loot.
300,000 Speaking U2 tours, on their famous 1992 Zoo TV outing, one of the highlights were the blinged-out Trabant cars that were hung from the lighting rigs. The famously low-budget East German cars were never expensive, but if Bono were ever thinking of expanding his car collection, he could snatch up more than 300,000 1989 models for the money.
39.4 million: In the recent documentary, "From the Sky Down," U2 basically admitted that they'd gotten a bit full of themselves by the time their 1988 ode to Americana, Rattle and Hum, was released. If Bono is feeling especially embarrassed about all the cowboy hats and blues discovery of that era, he could try to wipe out some trace of it by buying nearly 40 million Blu-Ray copies of the DVD from Amazon.
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'I'm living my PERSONAL life the way I'm happiest,' actress tweets in response to a tabloid report she is gay.
By Jocelyn Vena
Raven-Symone
Photo: Paul Zimmerman/ WireImageRaven-Symoné has taken to Twitter to address a National Enquirer report that she is gay. The tabloid published a story this week that the "Sister Act" star is currently dating "America's Next Top Model" contestant, AzMarie Livingston, and that they are living together in New York City.
According to sources, "Raven has lost almost 30 pounds, has done a whole image makeover, and now she is the star of 'Sister Act' on Broadway. She's at a point now where she doesn't care what her family thinks, and she's in love with AzMarie. She's a lesbian and wants to live that way."
The tabloid further reports that the 26-year-old's family does not approve of her lifestyle, however, "she told her parents she loves them, but her home -- especially her bedroom -- is nobody's business, and she was not going to back down, so they needed to accept it, period."
While Raven-Symoné neither confirmed nor denied the speculation on Friday, when she took to Twitter to open up about the rumor, she did make it clear that whatever she does in her personal life is her business.
"I'm living my PERSONAL life the way I'm happiest," she tweeted. "I'm not one, in my 25 year career to disclose who I'm dating. and I shall not start now. My sexual orientation is mine, and the person I'm datings to know. I'm not one for a public display of my life."
She continued that "however that is my right as a HUMAN BEing whether straight or gay. To tell or not to tell. As long as I'm not harming anyone. I am a light being made from love. And my career is the only thing I would like to put on display, not my personal life. Kisses!"
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Facebook CEO has created a 'collaborative and connected culture,' showcased in 'The Diary of Facebook,' airing Saturday at 9 a.m. on MTV.
By John Mitchell
Mark Zuckerberg
Photo: Justin Sullivan/ Getty ImagesWearing his signature hoodie and jeans, Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg rang the bell to open the Nasdaq Stock Market from the company's Menlo Park, California, headquarters Friday morning (May 18) as his company went public with the biggest ever initial public offering by a tech company. Going for $38 per share, the offering raised $16 billion for the social networking website, which is inarguably one of, if not the most important and impactful tech company for the millennial generation.
Zuckerberg has always been a natural at balancing the demands of running the world's biggest social network, which boasts more than 900 million users around the world, while himself being an example of his generation's focus on being open and forward-thinking without the pretense and show of past business leaders.
The self-made billionaire is the ultimate everyman, albeit one with a genius intellect, and it's a side of himself he showed off in earnest last year when MTV visited Facebook HQ for its special, "The Diary of Facebook."
"Facebook is a very open company. If you think about what we do, we're trying to give all these people who use our products the ability to share things with their friends and their family," Zuckerberg told MTV News. "The mission is to make the world more open and connected. So we believe that if that's what we're trying to do in the world then that's how we should run the company too."
Zuckerberg went on to describe the philosophy with which he runs Facebook, now one of the most financially valuable in the world, and it stands in diametric opposition to how we view the modern corporate executive. There are no sequestered corner offices at Facebook HQ, no CEOs sporting expensive designer suits.
"We have this really open floor plan. People are all sitting out near each other. It's easy for everyone to turn to their neighbor and start talking," the Facebook boss continued. "I have a desk out there just like everyone else. ... That kind of collaborative and connected culture is what produces the best products for the people who are going to use them."
His philosophy on how to run a modern company may ultimately change the face of business moving forward. Friday's massive IPO did many things, but one of the biggest, coming in the midst of an ongoing financial crisis created by men in suits, was to prove that the future doesn't smoke cigars in executive lounges, it wears a hoodie and sits with the engineers who make it all happen.
You can see it all for yourself as MTV re-airs "The Diary of Facebook" Saturday (May 19) at 9 a.m. the doc is also available online at MTV.com.
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Fif tells MTV News he's 'in good spirits' despite nearly having to go into surgery to remove blockage in his small intestine.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Ade Mangum
50 Cent
Photo: MTV NewsNine gun shots wasn't enough to take out 50 Cent, but a bad hamburger could have been the undoing of rap's #1 bad guy. The G-Unit general was hospitalized this week with stomach pains, but a phone call from his homey Eminem surely lightened the mood.
"I'm in a dead serious moment like, 'Damn, I don't believe this is happenin' right now,' " Fif said recalling the moments before Slim Shady phoned him. "He goes, 'Yo Fif, you were shot nine times man if you die over a burger, this sh-- ain't gonna go right. People ain't gonna be feelin' this.' "
On Wednesday, Fif tweeted a picture of himself in a hospital bed and sent a public message to his boxing friend Floyd Mayweather that read: "I don't want to go into surgery."
Lucky for him, he didn't have to. When MTV News checked up on 50 at his NYC G-Unit office on Thursday, just hours after he was released from the hospital, he said he was able to avoid going into surgery to remove blockage in his small intestine.
"I'm feelin' better; I'm in good spirits," Fif added.
DJ Drama, who is in New York to promote his upcoming mixtape with 50, The Lost Tape, told MTV News he was worried about his boy. To lift the gangsta rapper's spirits Drama sent three stuffed animals to 50: a giraffe, an elephant and a lion.
They say it's the thought that counts, but Drama's get-well gifts didn't go over so well. "That wasn't cool. That's all you get," 50 told Drama jokingly while our cameras rolled. "You get 15 tracks, you damn near have to die to do a Gangsta Grillz and this is the thanks I get?"
Stay tuned to MTV News' Mixtape Daily for more on 50 Cent and DJ Drama's The Lost Tape, which will be released on May 22.
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