Archive: December 2009 (41-50 of 87)

Dec 10 2009 04:11 PM ET

Miley Cyrus song disqualified from Grammy noms; Karen O called up to replace her

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Categories: Grammys, Miley Cyrus, Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Whoopsies. Hope Miley Cyrus can continue to find ways to move her hips like yeah in the wake of today’s discovery that “The Climb” has been removed from Grammy consideration. Initially nominated in the Best Song Written for a Soundtrack category, the Recording Academy has apparently deduced that it wasn’t, you know, technically written for a soundtrack: Although “The Climb” originally appeared on the Hannah Montana movie album, songwriter Jessi Alexander actually shopped it around to several other country artists first. Since Miley didn’t write it (and thus wasn’t actually gonna get a Grammy anyway), we doubt she’ll be too distraught. Still, we hope she keeps in mind her controversial song’s own lyrics: It’s always gonna be an uphill battle. And sometimes you’re going to have to lose.

Meanwhile, stepping up to fill Cyrus’s spot is the next highest vote-getter, and we’re thrilled to discover that lucky lady is none other than the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Karen O, who wrote the soundtrack for Where the Wild Things Are as “Karen O and the Kids.” First single “All Is Love” scores the nomination, Karen’s second this year — the YYYs’ It’s Blitz! is up for Best Alternative Music Album. Victory for chicks who used to deep-throat Corona bottles!

What do you think, Mixers? Good swap? PR nightmare? Wondering how come Lady Gaga didn’t get nominated in this category, too? Let us know your deepest most personal feelings in the comments.

UPDATE: The Recording Academy has sent over a statement, now located after the jump.

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Dec 10 2009 03:50 PM ET

Mary J. Blige, Miranda Lambert, and, duh, Sarah McLachlan: 2010 Lilith Tour headliners announced

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Categories: Ladies, Lilith Tour, Tours

Sarah McLachlan-founded estrospectacular Lilith Fair will return in the summer of 2010, rebranded as a “Tour,” but just as lady-licious as ever before. The headliners announced today represent a pretty impressive cross-section of women in music: Lilith vets like Sheryl Crow, Emmylou Harris, and Erykah Badu stand alongside newcomers Colbie Callait, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Sara Bareilles. Folkies like Zee Avi and the Indigo Girls will nuzzle up to the freakier bosoms of Janelle Monae and Metric. Mainstream country gets great representation from Sugarland and Miranda Lambert. And the diversity apparent in any tour that carries both Mary J. Blige and Tegan and Sara is to be applauded. Here’s the only question: Will anyone go?

I didn’t attend the first round of Fairs — was too busy being a camp counselor in the woods of Arkansas, where the sheer number of Indigo Girls songs I learned to play on my acoustic guitar probably made such attendance unnecessary — but I always regretted not standing with my sisters on those fertile fields. And given my experience watching various hairy dudes headline gender-unspecific music festivals over the past few years, I can only imagine these proceedings will smell better. Although I did go to art school, and am aware of all the ways I can be wrong about that.

Most of all, I’m psyched at the potential Lilith 2.0 has to refocus today’s young women on the dearly-departed notion of girl power, especially since so many of them currently spend their time pining for vampires. There are a few more acts I’d like to see added — fingers crossed for No Doubt, and I can’t help but think Taylor Swift would both increase tour ticket sales and pick up some new songwriting material along the way — but all in all I think it’s a solid lineup and a worthy venture. So long as McLachlan steers clear of outfits like the one above.

What do you think, Mixers? Dates have yet to be announced, but will you be attending Lilith Tour 2010? Who would you like to see added to the dance card? And does this concept have any shot at returning to its ’90s ubiquity?

(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)

More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
Kanye West responds to EW’s ‘Best of the Decade’ honor
Brazilian band’s Twilight-themed music video
Lil Wayne’s Rebirth delayed yet again to 2010
50 Cent and Susan Boyle: Would you listen if they collaborated?
Did Eminem call Adam Lambert a homophobic slur?

Photo Credit: Robb D. Cohen/Retna

Dec 10 2009 11:24 AM ET

Kanye West responds to EW's Best of the Decade honor

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Categories: Kanye West, Listmania!

Earlier this month, after much consideration, EW named Kanye West’s 2004 debut The College Dropout the best album of the decade. West took a break last night from posting cool architecture photos and music videos on his official blog to respond to the honor with a gracious all-caps acceptance speech.

“Wow…this is really flattering…I’ve had some ups and downs this year, well actually this decade,” the rapper writes. “Thank you for this acknowledgment and also for putting The Blueprint on the list.” (West handled much of the production for Jay-Z’s 2001 classic, which placed at No. 2 on EW’s decade ranking.) He goes on to shout out a couple of his own favorite discs of the decade, 50 Cent’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and Andre 3000′s half of OutKast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below: “They both equally deserved the number one spot in my eyes but there can only be one number one!!!”

Indeed. You’re very welcome, Kanye.

Read Kanye West’s full Best of the Decade response after the jump.

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Dec 10 2009 08:44 AM ET

R. Kelly will write his autobiography: But will you read it?

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Categories: R. Kelly

R. Kelly is to write his memoirs, SmileyBooks announced today, set to be published in 2011. “I’m tired of being misunderstood,” the R&B star says in the press release. “I will show you the tears, fears, and sweat. I will open my heart and reveal the good in my life, as well as the drama.” The release also states that some of that drama will be the 14 charges of child pornography of which Kelly was acquitted last year, which might well dissuade some people from buying his tome.

What do you think? Will you be flying to buy the singer’s book?

(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)

More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
Brazilian band’s ‘Twilight’-themed music video
Lil Wayne’s ‘Rebirth’ delayed yet again to 2010
50 Cent and Susan Boyle: Would you listen if they collaborated?
Did Eminem call Adam Lambert a homophobic slur?
Weezer latest: Rivers Cuomo’s condition has “stabilized”
Who is the one-hit wonder of the decade?

Photo credit: Anthony Mandler

Dec 9 2009 05:52 PM ET

Brazilian emo band's 'Twilight'-themed music video: Unintentional hilarity

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Categories: Music, New Stuff, Twilight, YouTube Delights

I don’t know much about the Brazilian band called U.K., but I do know they have one of the awesomest music videos I’ve seen in a long time. To be fair, though, someone should probably let them know they have a comedy classic on their hands, because I don’t think they’ve realized it yet. It combines the production finesse of an episode of Power Rangers with the acting of an MST3K film.

This Twilight tribute—maybe they’re making a bid for inclusion in the Eclipse soundtrack?—is a moody ballad creatively entitled … “Eclipse.” I have no idea what the lyrics (in Portuguese) are about—one can only hope they do Stephenie Meyer’s prose justice—but the video’s themes are totally Twi: mainly, stalking women and displaying ripped abs.

As the camera menacingly swirls around three girls in the woods, the band members do the Edward Cullen tree hop, throw off the vampire sparkle, and give these ladies that “I’m either going to eat your larynx or kiss you” stare.

The blonde man-babe in the group even one-ups the real Twilight franchise by egregiously showing off his trim six-pack AND his painstakingly disheveled hairdo. That means he’s got the best of traits of Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson… contained within one pale body!

Twi-logic naturally takes over at the end of the video: Each vampire/emo dude makes out with the chick he’s been stalking. Although the final smooch looks less like romance and more like a Hoover vacuum sucking on an inflatable doll.

What do you think about this clip? Should Paramore watch their backs? Or should these guys move on and do a Harry Potter tribute song? I think the charm spell for that is “Emotus Whineasmus.”

More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
Lil Wayne’s ‘Rebirth’ delayed yet again to 2010
50 Cent and Susan Boyle: Would you listen if they collaborated?
Did Eminem call Adam Lambert a homophobic slur?
Weezer latest: Rivers Cuomo’s condition has “stabilized”
Who is the one-hit wonder of the decade?

Dec 9 2009 04:13 PM ET

Lil Wayne's 'Rebirth' delayed yet again to 2010

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Categories: Lil Wayne, Release Date

So, you thought you might be able to hold Lil Wayne’s Rebirth in your hands before New Year’s? Psych! A Universal Motown rep tells the Music Mix that Weezy’s long-delayed rock-influenced follow-up to 2008′s Tha Carter III has been pushed back yet again from its planned Dec. 21 release to an unspecified date in 2010.

I’ve lost count of how many times Rebirth has been postponed this year; for some insight into what might be going on here, check out the story we ran back in July. An assortment of follow-up singles and leaked tracks have failed to make much noise in the months since then, so it’s safe to assume that Lil Wayne’s label is still waiting for a hit before they unleash Rebirth. As we head into a new calendar year, though, it seems fair to wonder at what point they’ll simply throw up their hands and move on to the next Lil Wayne project instead of trying to make this one work.

(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)

More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
Jared Leto: A Music Mix Q&A
Did Eminem call Adam Lambert a homophobic slur?
Weezer latest: Rivers Cuomo’s condition has “stabilized”
Who is the one-hit wonder of the decade?

Dec 9 2009 03:30 PM ET

50 Cent and Susan Boyle: Would you listen if they collaborated?

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Categories: 50 Cent, Strange Bedfellows, Susan Boyle

According to a British rumor mill (motto: “Gossip gone toxic”), 50 Cent is dying to work with Susan Boyle. “Susan Boyle is hot right now,” the rapper allegedly said. “She’s got an amazing voice, and together we’d get everyone dancing…I got to get her on a track, for real. We’d make a hit.” Also: “She’s cool. I’d love to take her clubbing, show her around my world.”

Given the provenance of these words, I might be inclined to wonder if they ever even left 50′s mouth. But a rep confirms to the Music Mix that the quotes are legit, more or less: “He was asked on a red carpet would he ever do a song with Susan Boyle, and he responded saying sure, if the material was right he would.”

That still doesn’t mean there’s the slightest chance that this will ever happen. In all likelihood, 50 was just kidding around — and now that Boyle has proven herself as a huge seller, she hardly needs to collaborate with him or anyone. Even so, let’s imagine for a moment that this meeting of the minds actually came to pass (it won’t). Would you buy a 50 Cent-Susan Boyle MP3 on iTunes or Amazon.com? How about if it was a free stream? Do you think anyone from either of these artists’ fan bases would be interested in hearing them record together?

(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)

More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
Susan Boyle tops the albums chart again with blockbuster sales
Jared Leto: A Music Mix Q&A
Did Eminem call Adam Lambert a homophobic slur?
Weezer latest: Rivers Cuomo’s condition has “stabilized”
Who is the one-hit wonder of the decade?

Photo credit: 50 Cent: Tina Gill/PR Photos; Boyle: Janet Mayer/PR Photos

Dec 9 2009 02:21 PM ET

Vevo launches, but will you use it for streaming music videos?

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Categories: Downloads and Streams, Kid Cudi, Music Videos

Vevo launched last night with a star-studded NYC event featuring appearances by the likes of Adam Lambert, Lady Gaga, Rihanna Bono, Mariah Carey, and John Mayer. “Ve-what?” you may ask. Why, Vevo, of course: the new music-video streaming website that will maybe, possibly, save the music industry, perhaps.

The site was created by YouTube in partnership with three of the four big major-label conglomerates (Sony, Universal, and EMI). To hear them tell it, Vevo is meant as “an MTV for the digital age.” The reality is more like Hulu for music videos. Visit Vevo.com and you’ll find a nice-looking, high-quality player that often (but not always) makes you watch a short advertisement before the video of your choice. The labels are hoping this model will help them sell more ads and make a ton of money.

It’s less clear what’s in this for users. So far the selection of videos on Vevo is limited. Most new major-label videos like Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness” (after the jump) are easy enough to find, but digging back into the archives is less rewarding: you can watch Jay-Z’s “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” or “Roc Boys,” but no “99 Problems” or “Izzo (H.O.V.A.).” Nor does the site include anyone signed to the fourth music-biz giant, Warner Music Group. I’m mildly obsessed with Gucci Mane’s new video for “Lemonade,” but since he’s a Warner Bros. artist I’m out of luck on Vevo. And forget about any indie artists. Searching for Grizzly Bear took me to…Gummy Bear. No thanks.

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Dec 9 2009 12:00 PM ET

Susan Boyle tops the albums chart again with blockbuster sales

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Categories: Charts, Susan Boyle

Maybe you thought you imagined Susan Boyle‘s I Dreamed a Dream becoming a 701,000-selling blockbuster? Nope. She sold another 527,000 copies in week two, according to Nielsen SoundScan — a number that most artists would be thrilled to see as a debut, and even more impressive as a second-week comedown. Needless to say, it’s more than enough to put her atop the Billboard 200 again.

Boyle faced strong competition from Andrea Bocelli, whose My Christmas continued to pick up steam as holiday gift-buying deadlines approached. This week, his fifth, Bocelli sold a very nice 428,000 to hold onto his No. 2 spot.

After that, things went more or less back to normal. R. Kelly‘s Untitled was the only new release in this week’s Top 20. It moved 114,000 units for a No. 4 finish; that’s a fine result, but it’s less than a third of what his last one did in 2007.

Down at No. 8, Michael Jackson‘s This Is It notched another 75,000 in sales, climbing up three chart spots from last week — not bad for a soundtrack to a movie that arrived in theaters a full month ago.

Were you surprised by any of these results? How long do you think Susan Boyle will stay at No. 1? Sound off below.

(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)

More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
Susan Boyle scores year’s best sales week by far
Did Eminem call Adam Lambert a homophobic slur?
Weezer latest: Rivers Cuomo’s condition has “stabilized”
Who is the one-hit wonder of the decade?

Dec 8 2009 06:18 PM ET

Jared Leto talks new Thirty Seconds to Mars album, 'This Is War': A Music Mix Q&A

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Categories: 30 Seconds to Mars, Q&A

It’s a busy week for Jared Leto. The former My-So Called Life actor and his band, Thirty Seconds to Mars, have just released their third album, This Is War, an expansive effort that brings the notion of audience participation to a whole new level: With 2,000 different album covers (each featuring the face of a fan or band buddy) and vocal contributions from Thirty Seconds to Mars followers all over the world, this is most certainly a record made both for and by the people. We caught up with Leto after he and bandmates Shannon Leto (yes relation: brother) and Tomo Miličević landed in L.A. for a couple days of promotion, including a swing by the Tonight Show on Thursday, where they’ll perform “Kings and Queens.” Seems like everybody wants a piece of Leto at the moment, but as he puts it, that’s “good problems.”

Entertainment Weekly: My first question is a technical question. I’m looking at the CD, and the Latin phrase looks like it’s spelled wrong. It reads “Prohevito in Altum,” but in the past, you’ve spelled that as “ProVEHito.”
Jared Leto: Yes. It was a mistake made by our record company. People make mistakes. Maybe we shouldn’t call them out on it.

I want to give you the opportunity to tell us what the new phrase means.
It’s been with us for a while. It means “Launch forth into the deep.” It’s really just a kind of call to arms, a motto.

But that’s the old phrase. What does the new phrase mean?
Oh, I don’t know. The misspelled one?

Yes! Let’s give it a definition.
Oh. I have no idea. The plane probably sucked what little creativity I have in my brain out completely.

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