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Hey y’all, it’s me, Sam Lansky, and this is my column, Pop Think, where I try to keep you guys from finding out about my secret alter ego who is actually an international pop star with an adorably consonant name. (Fun fact: In my will, I’ve requested that the epitaph on my tombstone read, “He was just being Miley.”)

But really, I do love Miley Cyrus, not only because Can’t Be Tamed was an unheralded pop masterpiece (seriously, if you haven’t listened to “Permanent December” recently, your life is probably 50% less joyful than it should be), but because Miley has one of the most honest relationships with the media of any pop star. While many artists are busy working double-time to save face, Miley has a track record of being brazenly and unabashedly vocal about what she believes in, which I think is pretty rad and kinda inspirational.

The truth is that Miley really can’t be tamed, and even when her choices are unpopular, the sultry chanteuse sticks to her guns. Courage of conviction is hard to come by, which is why I think Miley is a much better role model than we tend to give her credit for.

Credit: Getty Images

In early 2011, an AOL poll voted Miley Cyrus the worst celebrity role model for young girls, well above Lindsay Lohan and Teen Mom’s Amber Portwood. Timing no doubt played a role in this, since the poll arrived a month after Miley’s notorious salvia-smoking video gripped headlines, but it’s a clarion reminder of how fickle the public can be, especially when it comes to their teen idols.

I don’t want to dwell too much on her past missteps, although, it’s no secret that Miley’s image as a Disney Channel pop princess was as squeaky-clean as they come -- which, it should be noted, is a nearly impossible standard to maintain. But like clockwork, as she moved through adolescence, she was hit with one scandal after another: revealing photos of the underage chanteuse taken by A-list shutterbug Annie Leibowitz for a Vanity Fair shoot, a provocative pole-dancing performance of “Party in the U.S.A.” at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards, that explosive bong video, and most recently, footage from her 19th birthday party, where Miley owns up to smoking “way too much f------ weed.” (Her rep later said that Miley was just being a “smart-ass” and the weed comment was an “inside joke.” Go figure.)

But Miley has a long track record of taking responsibility for her choices, even if they’ve been lamentable. She’s issued public apologies for her photo scandals, and managed the bong scandal as gracefully as someone in her position can -- she parodied the situation on a "Saturday Night Live" skit, since the show had already developed an ongoing bit parodying Miley’s goofy personality and banter with her father. She's also been candid about her position as a role model, telling Harper's Bazaar last year that "My job isn’t to tell your kids how to act or how not to act because I’m still figuring that out for myself... Your kids are going to make mistakes whether I do or not. That’s just life." Wise words, considering she's still a teenager.

+ Read more on Miley Cyrus' role model status after the jump.

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Tags Miley Cyrus, Pop Think

Watch out, Gaga: The internet may have a new queen on the rise. If there was a tweet yesterday not about Lana Del Rey's new video, we must've missed it. Then again, we were pretty busy hitting replay on the part with THE ACTUAL TIGERS. In her "Born to Die" video, Lana Del Rey joins the mild-mannered mammals in a massive church, decked out in a flower crown and singing from a sanctuary that probably looks just like Kanye West's living room. We were hoping for a Yeezy cameo -- or at least Mike Tyson -- but this one's all Lana, as well as a tatted-up lover who joins the singer for makeout sessions on, in and around his vintage ride.

Judging by the video's fiery conclusion, he could probably use less ink and more time in driver's ed, but as we noted when the track first dropped, Del Rey's all about the dramatic. The luxurious-looking clip's a big change from her homemade reel for "Video Games," but hey, if you’ve got it, flaunt it. Especially if "it" is a pair of chill tigers.

Lana Del Rey's debut album, Born To Die, drops Jan. 31 -- felines not included.

+ Watch Lana Del Rey's "Born To Die" video.

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Credit: Splash News

Let's talk about this photo for a moment, shall we? First of all, Katy Perry is wearing skintight satin, which any human being from the planet Earth will tell you is a difficult thing. Second, the stance -- it's somewhere in between "20th minute in line at the post office" and "little kid headed to church." Third, that face! Katy's mouth is slightly open, and she's shooting some unlucky person the ol' side-eye. The moral here, folks: Katy Perry will never not be pretty. Even when the odds are stacked against her, girl is just attractive. No two ways about it.

The "Firework" (No. 10 best song of 2011!) singer stopped by "Extra" recently, probably to talk about being pretty and famous and stuff. Don't know about you guys, but I'm going to be sure to tune in -- not only for some inside info on that blue streak in her hair, but also to see if she finally announces her new BFF-ship with me. Been waiting on that one for a minute now.

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Tags Katy Perry, Star Spotting

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+ Adele's "Rolling In The Deep" was named MTV's Best Song Of 2011. She told MTV News that she didn't know how big it would become. "I thought it would be more a tastemaker vibe than a hit," she wrote. Uh, WRONG! (MTV News)

+ Lady Gaga topped Forbes' Top-Earning Women in Music in 2011 list. Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Celine Dion and Adele round out the Top 5. (MTV News)

+ Common's The Dreamer/The Believer album includes guests John Legend, Nas and Maya Angelou. It drops Dec. 20, but you can hear the full album stream now. (Rap-Up)

+ Watch Katy Perry's "10 Most Fascinating People" interview with Barbara Walters. Perry opens up about her childhood, career struggles and personal life. (Neon Limelight)

+ Watcha doing next October? R. Kelly's inviting folks to a  "Love Letter Cruise" where he'll apparently perform and cruise with attendees around the Caribbean. "Come aboard and join me as I sail away on my first annual Love Letter Cruise," he tweeted. (Pitchfork)

+ Machine Gun Kelly was named 2011's Hottest Breakthrough MC by MTV's Rapfix. Not bad for someone who graduated high school in 2008. (Rapfix)

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Tags Adele, Buzz Bites, Celine Dion, Common, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Lady Gaga, Machine Gun Kelly, R.-Kelly, Taylor Swift

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Now that the Black Eyed Peas are on an official hiatus (We're heartbroken right along with you, guys -- where will we get our boom boom pow now?), Fergie can devote her time to performing more wifelike duties for hubby Josh Duhamel -- like being gorgeous arm candy. Hey, girl's rock star status may be taking a breather, but that doesn't mean she can't go out and party like one.

The "Just Can't Get Enough" singer and her husband enjoyed a date night while they attended the launch of "We Can Be Anything" at The Conga Room in L.A. Fergie may be "retired" at the moment, but she worked a black fitted leather dress and heels like it was her full-time job. Take note, y'all: Having a long-term vacay doesn't give you the authority to wear sweatpants in public.

We're just happy Fergie and Josh are getting some QT together -- they deserve it! It's got to be hard being a super pretty couple balancing their hectic schedules. Besides, Fergie's been busting her hump, her hump, her lovely lady lump for far too long.

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Tags Black Eyed Peas, Fergie, Star Spotting

While you guys have been busy prepping your Christmas cookies and turning on your "Out Of Office" replies, we've been hard at work here, discussing the important issues -- the VERY BEST music of 2011! Buzzworthy Managing Editor Tamar Anitai and I got together with a few other very talented (and opinionated) peeps here at MTV to hash out a Top 10 list of the best songs of 2011, but we were far from a unanimous decision. And we recorded all of the table pounding and "I'm not yelling at you" yelling for your viewing pleasure: Check out MTV's Best Songs of 2011 debate!

Coming in at No. 10 was Katy Perry's "Firework." And before you send us hate mail, you need to understand our logic -- Katy's released SIX singles from Teenage Dream, so in a way, they all kind of canceled each other out. But "Firework" felt like the most anthem-y of the bunch, hence it's stronghold on the No. 10 spot. Kanye West's and Jay-Z's repeat-worthy "N****s In Paris" and Foster The People's poppy ode to homicide, "Pumped Up Kicks," helped round out the the bottom five, while Lady Gaga's "Born This Way," LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" and Rihanna's "We Found Love" placed in the top five.

But it was Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass" and Adele's "Rolling In The Deep" that were battling it out for the top spot, and Adele came out victorious. Both songs are addicting and tons of artist have covered each of them, but at the end of the day year, there was no escaping "Rolling In The Deep." Besides the fact that it's just a great effing song, there's not a lot of arguing with the top-selling album of the year.

+ All this week, MTV will reveal the best artists, songs and movies of the year. Come to MTV News each day to see more big reveals and check out more of MTV's Best of 2011 music, TV, movies, and news coverage.

Related Content 30 Seconds To Mars + More Named Best Live MTV Performances Of 2011, Calvin Harris & Kaskade Among MTV's Best EDM Artists Of 2011!, The Year In Pop Music In AWESOME Animated GIFs!, Buzzworthy's Favorite Breakthrough Bands Of 2011, The Best EDM Artists Of 2011, The Funniest Music Videos Of 2011, The Biggest Pop Music Trends Of 2011, Follow Buzzworthy On Twitter

Tags Adele, Best Of 2011, Chris Brown, Foster The People, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, Pitbull, Rihanna, video

As 2011 rounds to a close (your parents were right, kids -- every year just goes by faster and faster, kids!), our pals over at VH1 took on the overwhelming task of picking this year's best videos for their Top 40 Countdown Special, airing tonight at 7 p.m. ET on VH1! Of course we had some opinions on the matter (uh-DUHHH), so Buzzworthy's managing editor, Tamar Anitai, makes an appearance to offer her (hilarious) take on which videos did (and did not) deserve the accolades. Buzzworthy REPREZENT.

If waiting just isn't your thing, check out a sneak peek at the full list of VH1's top 40 videos of 2011. You can also tame your anticipation with this week's "VH1 Top 20 Countdown" video playlist, which includes tons of tonight's winners.

+ Watch VH1's Top 40 Video Countdown Of 2011, tonight at 7 p.m. ET/PT!

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Tags Best Of 2011

Credit: Bryan Sheffield

Cider Sky is having the best year of their lives. The ethereal indie/pop duo formed by Canadian singer Simon Wilcox and London-born songwriter Shridhar Solanki are not only selling out shows left and right, but their song "Northern Lights" was chosen to appear on the The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 soundtrack. Oh, and did we mention that "Northern Sky" was the very first song the band ever recorded? Right, forgot to mention they're superhuman, too.

In the whimsical "Northern Lights," Cider Sky sings of an impossible love turned real: "Every time I close my eyes I can touch the colors around me/Suddenly I realize everything I thought was impossible is here/And my heart sings in a world so incredible/And everything burns much brighter." If you don't speak "Twi-hard" that's code for: "holy crap, functional human-vampire relationships actually do exist."

But there's more to this band than just their "Twilight" fame. The duo has recently released their debut EP, King, a six-song collection that features a perfect blend of twinkling pop songs with roots in soulful folk. Songs like "Glowing In The Dark" ooze with quirky charm yet remain lyrically and melodically poignant.

+ Listen to Cider Sky.

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1.) Rihanna pulls off any look, but her recent behind-the-scenes footage for an Armani denim short film shows her dominating spy chic. Dressing undercover has never looked so sexy. (Idolator)

2.) The adorbz British pop sensation Cher Lloyd reveals a grittier side with her new "Dub Track" promo video, which would make even Nicki Minaj gawk. (Pop On And On)

3.) While your homecoming may involve going incognito to dodge neighbors, Kanye West's return to his Chicago childhood home involves a camera crew to document the experience. (TheYBF)

4.) Our obsession with Jared Leto's hair isn't anything new, but a bro whose band wins Best Live MTV Performance of 2011 AND who successfully works a spiky mullet (and offers a photo tutorial on how to properly rock the look) makes the 30 Seconds From Mars singer our hero. (MTV Style)

5.) In celebration of Taylor Swift's 22nd Birthday, here are 22 reasons to adore the singer -- but we can think of about a GAZILLION more. (Hollywood Crush)

6.) In a recent interview, Alicia Keys reveals that's she's in the finishing stages of her fifth studio album. Fans (and pianos) everywhere rejoice in harmony. (Rap-Up)

7.) Ke$ha's latest cover of Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" shows a another side of the glitter lover. She doesn't just have beards on her mind, guys. (Entertainment Weekly)

8.) If you've ever wondered what a $10,000 hotel room gets you in Washington D.C., ask Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez about their latest one-night indulgence. And think about that next time you complain about overpriced goods in the minibar. (Hollywood Life)

9.) Katy Perry left quite an impression on "Saturday Night Live" this past weekend -- especially for Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine. (ONTD)

10.) Don't be fooled: Your cats don't want faux mice toys for Christmas -- They want Ryan Gosling! Get in line, kitties. (BuzzFeed)

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Tags 10 Things To Know Now, Alicia Keys, Bob Dylan, Cher Lloyd, Florence and the Machine, Jared Leto, justin bieber, Kanye West, Katy Perry, Kesha, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Ryan Gosling, Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift

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As was evident during her CMA Awards acceptance speech, everyone effing loves Taylor Swift. And now let us add The All-American Rejects to Taylor's beyond-giant list of admirers. In a tribute to Taylor during last night's CMT Awards, rockers AAR put their own pop/rock spin on Taylor's country-pop hit "Mean." Instead of twinkling acoustic piano melodies, AAR kicked things up a notch with thudding drums, grimy electric guitars and a driving bass line. And not only did Tyson Ritter's powerful pipes transform "Mean" into a bona fide rock song, but they helped to reinvigorate the record's important message of anti-bullying.

In his own words, lead singer Tyson Ritter explains: "It's special. We have a special performance for Miss Taylor Swift. We're performing her song 'Mean.' We definitely sort of took a country song and made it not anything like what it was. It's going to be a tribute to the fact that any song can stand in any genre, and we definitely brought it into ours. We're like the Osmonds, except we're the side that's a little more rock and roll."

Then, as if watching The All-American Rejects rock out to a Taylor Swift song wasn't ridiculously awesome enough, AAR slickly transitioned into their own hit "Gives You Hell" only to then jump back into "Mean" and finally create a medley of the two. In short, you should probably send both Taylor Swift and The All-American Rejects a bedazzled thank-you note for creating the best mashup of your life.

+ Watch The All-American Rejects medley or Taylor Swift's "Mean" with "Gives You Hell" at the CMT Awards.

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Tags Taylor Swift, The All-American Rejects, video