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So many awesome bands, so little time.

No need to feel totally humiliated because you don't know the difference between The Big Pink and "The Color Purple." If you happen to find yourself at a loss for a knowing retort when your friends start name-dropping bands you've never heard of, DO NOT PANIC. Instead, close your eyes, take a breath and feel free to spitball any of the following insider tidbits on the following "it" bands that give you instant cred. You're so very welcome.

1.) The National: Over the past 10 years, The National has won over hipsters with its Americana-inspired indie-rock and good Samaritans with its pension for political action and philanthropy. Your key talking point: "I was into 'Cherry Tree' way before 'High Violet.' " Watch the video for "Apartment Story" below.

2.) Broken Bells: This supergroup features James Mercer (from The Shins) and Danger Mouse (from Gnarls Barkley). Somewhere, Cee-Lo is pouting in a corner, wearing a dashiki, because he's not in on this innovative indie-pop. Your key talking point: "If 'Garden State' was made today, the song 'The High Road' would totally be on the soundtrack." Watch the video for "The Ghost Inside" below.

3.) Crystal Castles: Not only does singer Alice Glass have the fiercest bowl cut we've seen this side of Joey Lawrence (circa "Gimme A Break!"), but the rest of the band is pretty bitchin', too. These quirky Canadians have successfully created a whole new genre: zombie electro-pop. One listen to "Crimewave" and you'll hear what we mean. Your key talking point: "I have to admit. I was pretty impressed when Toshiba used 'Air War' in that commercial." Watch the video for "Crimewave" below.

+ More videos after the jump.
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Tags Broken Bells, Cee Lo, Coachella, Crystal Castles, Danger Mouse, Four Tet, Gnarls Barkley, Hot Chip, James Mercer, Jay-Z, justin bieber, Karen O, Liars, MGMT, The Big Pink, The National, The Shins, The XX, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Yeasayer

(Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage)

The always lovely Katy Perry strolled up to the 27th annual ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) Pop Music Awards last night wearing the above Manish Arora dress. Unfortunately, we're kinda on the fence about her gown of choice.

Personally, we think she looks like she's covered in Necco wafers -- or maybe those candy buttons. What do you think? Rad or bad?

Tags Katy Perry, Style

Today we brought you the world premiere of We The Kings' new video, "We'll Be A Dream," featuring Demi Lovato. Now, We The Kings and Demi Lovato want you to join in their Twitter fan photo mosaic.

Just send a tweet with the hashtag #WTKDemiMTV, and your Twitter photo will automatically become part of a mosaic photo of Demi Lovato and We The Kings on the set of their "We'll Be A Dream" video. We'll send you a tweet back, letting you know where you can find the mosaic that will include your photo.

Tags Demi Lovato, Twitter, video, We the Kings

MTV P.U.S.H. (Play Until Someone Hears) Artist of the Week Neon Trees have been busy out on the road with 30 Seconds To Mars. We've been bringing you 30STM frontman Jared Leto's tour diaries, but we thought we'd give you another perspective of the Into The Wild Tour from the Neon Trees gang. Check out their dispatch from the road, below.

By Tyler Glenn

Yesterday we were all talking about how it's felt like we have been gone from home for two months, but really it’s been a little more than a week. This wasn’t out of complaining, but more out of awe and excitement from what we’ve seen and what we have yet to see.

Las Vegas was crazy. It was such chaos and anticipation. Meeting 30 Seconds To Mars was nice, and Jared Leto was very cool and nice. We both arrived with the same haircut, bleached blond and everything. He was gracious and dyed his pink. Luckily it's the Into The Wild Tour, so anything goes!

Tucson, Arizona, was such a good time, and It was our first experience playing a radio festival! So many people were out early for our set. I have to mention that Muse played and was a total sensory treat!

I feel like we were getting into the groove of playing. I felt back in my stride and all of a sudden supercomfortable in front of these big crowds.

The thing is, when you are in a band, you wait and wait to be able to play giant stages in front of thousands of screaming people. Then it happens, and you’re doing it and you have no time to think. I feel like we are all becoming an even better band than I thought we were, with every night.

Let’s talk about the highlight cities for me: Tulsa, Oklahoma, the first show I felt was like a Neon Trees show. Thank you, Tulsa!

Milwaukee was a total punk-rock show, we played spazzy, and the crowd was super radical. We even covered a quick version of The Violent Femmes' "Blister In The Sun" as a tip of the hat to the city.

Detroit was a stunner as well. We were able to play the entire record "Habits" live! Every song! And it was so fun and cathartic. The crowd was so radical and ate up our quick nod to Motown with Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On"!

+ Read more from Neon Trees after the jump!

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Related Content Get To Know Neon Trees

Tags 30 Seconds To Mars, Jared Leto, Muse, Neon Trees, PUSH, PUSH: Neon Trees

In this installment of Jared Leto's 30 Seconds To Mars tour diaries, we find the band as they make their way out of Vegas, through the desert and into the Midwest, with stops at the Grand Canyon along the way. Read about life on the road, check out Jared's photos and check out 30 Seconds To Mars' epic tour videos.

By Jared Leto

After leaving the insanity of Sin City, we went to play KFMA Day in Tucson, Arizona, with Muse. We went on stage right at sunset, and it was magic. Thanks to our family in Arizona for such a great show, and to the guys in Muse for coming to watch our set.

Left Tuscon and took a day off at the Grand Canyon. We picked a random spot and pulled over to climb around and explore, and I quickly realized I had stopped at the EXACT same spot when I drove across the country to Los Angeles for the first time well over a decade ago. Of all the gin joints ... serendipitous.

A beautiful day with the gang and then out of nowhere a snowstorm. Weird but great. Got on the bus, ate a yam and some homemade guacamole, and off we went.

+ Check out more 30 Seconds To Mars photos and tour updates after the jump!

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Tags 30 Seconds To Mars, Arctic Monkeys, Jared Leto, Muse, Tokio Hotel

When you build your song around a sample of Janet Jackson's delicate and lovely "Again," you have a lot to live up to. Here, British Virgin Islands pop sensation Iyaz takes the piano line and vocal melody and adds his own twist to the proceedings -- namely, air horns and quasi-ragga toasting.

In a recent interview (watch it again below if you missed it), Iyaz talked about "Solo" in relation to his breakout hit "Replay." According to Iyaz, "Solo" is about the negative impact his post-"Replay" success had on his love life. The Kai Crawford-directed "Solo" video tracks a budding relationship, as Iyaz sings over Jackson's familiar melody with some skittering 808s to accompany him.

Check out the video below.

Related Content Iyaz Talks 'Solo'

Tags Iyaz, Janet Jackson, video

There are three things that make up Honor Society's preshow ritual.

1.) First, and most important, the guys like to engage in a group prayer. Gotta give thanks!

2.) Push-ups. Mainly Jason Rosen's. Followed by stretching. Connective tissue is delicate! (Know your histopathology.)  So always follow up push-ups by stretching. Like Jason Rosen.

3.) YELLING! Also, see: Andrew Lee. Yell like a monkey.

Watch Honor Society prep for a show in another exclusive tour diary video. And you're just one day away from Honor Society and Just Kait's live performance on MTV.com. Chat live with Honor Society and Just Kait at 8 p.m. ET, then watch their live performance starting at 8:30 p.m. ET. See you there. No duh.

Tags Honor Society, Just Kait, video

+ Today is Earth Day, and plenty of musicians are doing their part; going green, recycling, saving the whales. Your typical world-saving stuff. John Legend, The Roots, Passion Pit and Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy) will be gathering at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for a Climate Rally. (MTV News)

+ Green Day's Broadway production of "American Idiot" premiered on April 20. Billie Joe Armstrong called it the "highest moment we've ever had as a band." Check out pics from the first performance. (Idolator)

+ The Internet rumor mill went into overdrive recently, regarding Rihanna's Monday evening hospitalization. But reps for the "Rude Boy" singer say it's nothing serious, just a dinged rib. (Just Jared)

+ Kelly Clarkson has chosen to cancel a live show in Jakarta, Indonesia, rather than have said concert be sponsored by a cigarette company. (PopEater)

+ Over the weekend, at Coachella, Katy Perry is rumored to have jokingly asked Lindsay Lohan to be her maid of honor at her wedding. The humor was lost on Lohan who allegedly started telling everyone at Coachella that she was to be part of Perry and Russell Brand's wedding party. Ouch. (LimeLife)

Tags Billie Joe Armstrong, Fall Out Boy, Green Day, John Legend, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Lindsay Lohan, Passion Pit, Patrick-Stump, Rihanna, Russell Brand, The Roots

(Credit: Splash News)

Taking to the stage at Tabloid in Tokyo for an amfAR (American Foundation for AIDS Research) benefit, Lady Gaga models her most recent collaboration with designer Terence Koh (he who helped designed Gaga's pearls-on-the-face situation). Perhaps in reaction to the recent storm of controversy over her "Telephone" video, in which she appears in various states of undress (and crime scene tape), Gaga kept it much more demure, if still ostentatious, with this bridal look, veil and all. Very Madonna, "Like A Virgin." Very "Glee," Season 2, Episode 2. Topical!

Tags Lady Gaga, Madonna, Star Spotting, Terence Koh, video

We The Kings' sleepy yet sweeping new video, "We'll Be A Dream," featuring Demi Lovato, is another great pairing of a female solo artist and a pop-punk band (in the vein of Boys Like Girls and Taylor Swift's "Two Is Better Than One"). It's a gorgeous glimpse at an I wanna live forever night and a look at the kind of fight that everyone wins. The tune is off We The Kings' "Smile Kid" album.

+ Watch We The Kings' "We'll Be A Dream" video, featuring Demi Lovato.

Tags Demi Lovato, video, We the Kings