You know you're doing it right when your audience brings fur coats to your show on a blazing-hot Alabama day, and one of your many crowd surfing excursions involves a giant inflatable killer whale.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis did a lot of things right during their hour-long headlining set at the Hangout Fest on Friday, including rocking fur in oppressively hot, hot heat and preaching the gospel of marriage equality at a beach party amongst beer, bikinis, and shirtless boys. Actually, these guys did everything right, but in the interest of brevity and your attention span, here are six of the best moments of their Hangout Fest performance. Les go!

1.) Alabama cheetah: Macklemore, who clearly has a thing for fur, asked the audience if anyone had brought some PETA-bait to his show. A hand shot up almost immediately, clutching a cheetah-print coat, which the dude promptly thrust into his girlfriend's hand as he hoisted her up to get passed to the stage. Mack wasn't looking for female companionship (he's off the market!), but he was happy to put the sweaty "Alabama Cheetah" on before busting into "Thrift Shop."

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2.) Whale Watching: Later on, he hopped on top of an inflatable whale (adding more marine animals the to Shark Face Gang pen) and surfed out into the audience, just one of half a dozen times he left the stage to meet his people. Before the show's end, the stage hands would toss nearly 20 inflatable whales and dolphins into the audience, most of which got tucked under arms as unwieldy souvenirs.

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3.)  Metal Mania: As if the summer fur weren't enough, Macklemore took the stage for "And We Danced" decked out in a waist-length metal mullet wig and silver and purple cape, looking like a cutting-room floor reject from a Poison video and tipping his hat to his epic hair in the 2011 party parody video.

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4.) Gun Show: Sure, Macklemore got rap skills and a knack for racking up iTunes sales and video streams, but you can't deny the dude's got a flair for fitness (no wonder he stays wearing tank tops). Don't believe me? Check out those delts. You're welcome.

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Check out more of our favorite Macklemore moments from Hangout Fest, and watch Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' Hangout Fest performances after the jump!

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When you think "music in 2012," you probably think of household names like Taylor Swift, Rihanna, One Direction, Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj, The Wanted, and Carly Rae Jepsen. (Or maybe you just think of "Call Me Maybe." That's OK too.) Punk went Pop several times, we discovered some AMAZING breakthrough acts like The Weeknd, Icona Pop, and MGK, but boosting up those massive artists was a foundation of incredibly talented, criminally underrated artists, acts, and bands we couldn't stop listening to. You know, the artists who probably influence those marquee names, or even more likely, WRITE for them. So, in celebration of those unsung (er, sung?) heroes of 2012, we here at Buzzworthy felt compelled to name names. We pooled our favorite overlooked acts of 2013 and came up with a list of artists with cult followings, or acts just on the verge of developing one.

Here's the great thing: You still have a few weeks left in the year to get familiar with artists like the über-eclectic Freelance Whales, the darkly dance-able Diamond Rings, and the acid-tongued Angel Haze. So when they finally blow up in 2013 -- and we're confident they will -- you can say you were a fan all along.

+ Angel Haze: Razor-tongued D.C. rapper Angel Haze may be young (21, to be exact), but her particular brand of gritty hip-hop already has her in the same league as some professionals twice her age. Recently signed to Republic Records, the BET Hip-Hop Awards Cypher alum initially earned internet cred (the best kind, if you ask us) by freestyling to Drake, Beyoncé, and Jamie Foxx. Now she’s already released her Reservation EP as well as a mixtape, Classick, featuring a critically acclaimed rendition of Eminem’s "Cleanin' Out My Closet." Young, strong, AND musically literate. We're already fans, but we can't wait to see Angel Haze's name -- and hear that voice -- everywhere near year. -- Rachel Brodsky

+ Big Deal: The are-they-or-aren't-they musical couple is one of the cutest, coolest bands we've seen since the xx, all heartbroken harmonies and unrequited feelings. The U.K. duo's been buzzed about across the pond for a while, but this is the year they brought moody debut Lights Out to the U.S., where they didn't need a rhythm section to roar through SXSW. Armed with just guitars and vocals, their music should've been soundtracking "Pretty Little Liars" rain-kissing scenes months ago. Make that ish happen. -- David Greenwald

+ Blackbear: The fact that Blackbear co-wrote Justin Bieber’s "Boyfriend" but has yet to have a Top 10 record of his own just doesn't make any sense to us. We’ve been captivated by the underground indie artist also known as Mat Musto, who plays down grimy, moody pop-tinged jams, and his Sex The Mixtape strikes the perfect balance between “slick pop” and “underground cool.” Or, in simpler terms, it kinda sounds like an unofficial mixtape that’s secretly been released by a major label. And did we mention that it features cameos from Mike Posner, James Blake, and T. Mills? Fix this, people! #Blackbeartopten. -- Jenna Rubenstein

+ Chad Valley: English electro-popper Chad Valley (real name Hugo Manuel) absolutely slayed us with his understated lush electronica and rich vocals (his sound is like if Calvin Harris chilled out for a second). With songs like “Tell All Your Friends” and “I Owe You This” featuring synth-pop star Twin Shadow, there’s no reason you shouldn’t have had Chad on repeat in 2012 (and there’s nothing keeping you from doing that in 2013). -- Michael Depland

+ Charli XCX: She's been stirring up all sorts of  trouble abroad the past few years as a LDN club kid, and now she's finally begun making a serious splash in the States. The brooding goth-pop princess stole our hearts this year with jagged, unusual cuts like "Nuclear Seasons" (sort of '80s electro-pop-meets-Kate Bush)  and "You're The One," an industrial synth-pop ode. And with plenty of experimental mix tapes and features popping up all over 2012, Charli made sure that all eyes were locked on her major 2013 debut. -- Brad Stern

+ Cris Cab: When you’ve got a co-sign from Pharrell and Wyclef, and your single features a cameo from Big Sean, you kinda know you’re on the right track. For all these reasons (plus his seriously sultry vox, and, we're not gonna lie, that face!) we fell hard for Cris Cab. His Big Sean-assisted single, "Good Girls (Don’t Grow On Trees)," was the perfect summer soundtrack, not to mention his equally hooky and serene "Paradise On Earth." We're already Team Cris, and we’re rooting for his unique brand of island-infused pop to reign supreme next year. -- JR

+ D-WHY: We’ve been on board that D-WHY train ever since he convincingly shouted "devil horns to all my haters" while wearing a perfectly tailored flannel shirt. But it’s not just D’s sartorial sense that landed him on this list (although, note to EVERY GUY EVERYWHERE: Copy that look right now.) Rather, it’s the West Virginia rapper's slick flow and ability to bend and stretch a phrase that hooked us immediately. And we’re not the only ones hot for D-WHY either: The "One Day After 2 Chainz (Birthday Song Remix)" singer has a fan in Hit-Boy, Boi-1da, Dot, and T-Minus, who produced "Kill Me Now,"one of the standout track’s on D-WHY’s Don’t Flatter Yourself mixtape -- which by the way jumped to the No. 1 spot on Billboard's "Next Big Sound" chart as the FASTEST accelerating artist on the internet. And did we mention you can cop it for free? Happy Hanukkah!  -- JR

+ Diamond Rings: Brooding synth-pop act Diamond Rings (known also as John O’Regan) already exploded in indie circles, and judging by his glittery Bowie persona and his Billy Idol-meets-Depeche Mode post-punk tracks, we’re frankly a little shocked that he’s still relatively still under-the-radar. Having gained serious internet praise from places like Pitchfork, the Toronto-based singer is currently riding a wave of success from his hook-laden sophomore album, Free Dimensional, a tightly composed dance-pop record featuring tracks such as “I’m Just Me” and “Runaway.” Post-punk jams may always be a thing, but Diamond Rings' David Bowie/Grace Jones-GLAM schtick makes him a lot harder to miss. Play him at your New Year's Eve party so you can at least try to pretend you were all over him in 2012 like you should've been. -- RB

+ DIIV: Not content sprinkling bleached-out guitar vibes all over Beach Fossils, Zachary Cole Smith started this side project in New York City this year as a showcase for his signature happy-being-sad guitar lines, and he promptly began outshining his old gig. While they became a blog-wave favorite since the release of their debut, Oshin, and blissful songs like "How Long Have You Known" became a Tumblr-mixtape staple, there are still way too many people out there who don't know what it's like to stare wistfully at the ocean on a sunny day and feel bummed out about how beautiful everything is. -- Luke O'Neil

+ Frank + Derol: Admittedly, the Cyrus connection is what caught our eye -- Brandi Cyrus, one half of the Frank + Derol duo, is Miley’s sister. But it’s their clever wordplay and heady harmonies (think Tegan And Sara) that caught our ear. Frank + Derol create the sort of intellectual-ingenue pop (no offense, Carly Rae Jepsen) that makes us miss classic ‘90s twee indie acts like Mary Lou Lord. We first fell in love with "Barely Love You Too" this summer, with the act’s signing to Interscope, and we’re living for the prospect of a full-length smart-girl soundtrack in 2013. -- Tamar Anitai

Check out more of our favorite criminally overlooked artists of 2012 after the jump.

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When we think about the year in music that was 2012, the first things that come to mind are Taylor Swift's GINORMOUS Red takeover (and her killer bangs), Rihanna's Unapologetic reign and her controversial "777" tour, Nicki Minaj flying her "Starships" all over the airwaves, One Direction's record-breaking crowds and "SQUEE"-inducing live performances, plus Justin Bieber's Believe album and, of course, his abs.

But what about the artists who broke through in 2012? Like, the ones that we'll be writing "Best Moments" stories about this time next year? The artists and acts we watched grow from the infancy of relative internet obscurity to "OMG can you believe they're playing Japandroids at the GAP!?" Or the bands who've been on their grind for years and finally took off in 2012. Buzzworthy's writers, editors, and contributors took a good, hard look at some of the most-buzzed-about bands and acts of 2012, from future Justin Bieber pop princes and future Florence Welches to hardcore post-punk outfits to lyrical lightweights who became hip-hop heavyweights and came up with a list of our favorite breakthrough bands of the year. Need a few examples? We're talking everyone from artists like Rita Ora, MGK, and Kendrick Lamar to Grimes, Purity Ring, and Icona Pop. Read on for more!

+ Asher Monroe: We spent most of this year crushing on actor, singer, and dancer Asher Monroe.  And for good reason -- not only is the 24-year-old artist  a boy band vet (remember  V-Factory?), but he even hit the Broadway stage as a kid in "Beauty And The Beast" (AWW). And that's not even counting the 1 million plus YouTube views Asher’s accrued for his "Like I Do" video. On top of THAT, Asher’s been in the Buzzworthy studio to serenade us with an acoustic version of his pop jam "Here With You," a track that we may or may not have had stuck in our heads for days afterwards, and probably will WELL into the new year (we’re onto your tricks, Asher). That bone structure doesn't hurt either! -- Rachel Brodsky

+ Austin Mahone: There's really not that much that 16-year-old pop singer Austin Mahone hasn’t accomplished this year, making him one of the most obviously additions to this list. After racking up streams and fans of his YouTube covers of pop and R&B songs, the "Say Somethin" singer met Justin Bieber, signed a massive record deal with Chase/Universal Republic, and worked on his fitness. What’s more, his brand-new single, "Say You’re Just A Friend," features Flo Rida, and the biggest clincher of them all? He’s OPENING FOR TAYLOR SWIFT. Breakthrough boy wonder. -- Jenna Rubenstein

+ Azealia Banks: The Harlem-bred artist Azealia Banks earned and OWNED 2012. Every electrified futuro-throwback track (Crystals Waters/ Salt N Pepa, what UP?) on her potty-mouthed 1991 EP was pretty much a banger, and her Fantasea mixtape (along with mermaid cover) continued her searing hot streak. She has us begging her for her studio full-length debut... oh, and did we mention she might appear on ARTPOP with Lady Gaga? And she's only just getting started. -- Michael Depland

+ Cher Lloyd: One Direction wasn't the only big thing to come out of the "X Factor" U.K.'s seventh season. After delivering one knockout audition with "Turn My Swag On," the bawdy brat known as Cher Lloyd came swinging week to week with her bossed-up, snearing style, making her a quick hit in the U.K. and beyond.  Most recently, she's been making waves with her BFF Becky G on "Oath," which she just performed as a guest on -- wait for it! --  "X Factor" U.S. Full circle! -- Brad Stern

+ Cloud Nothings: After a couple of albums of noisy, catchy indie rock, Cloud Nothings ditched the basement for a legend: Steve Albini, the producer behind Nirvana's In Utero, among dozens of other pummeling rock classics. The result was Attack On Memory, an album that combines the band's bouncy hooks with tracks full   of brutal guitar blasts. Going for the best of both worlds scored Cloud Nothings nothing but killer reviews, and their battering ram of a live show has left our ears ringing since March. (Uh, making a New Year's resolution to get that checked out.) -- David Greenwald

+ Conor Maynard: Catapulting into the pop scene  with his remarkable covers of Usher, Ne-Yo and Rihanna, Conor Maynard suddenly found himself with more than 68 million YouTube views -- including 3.8 million for his original track "Vegas Girl." Now, riding out the success of his debut record, Contrast, the MTV PUSH alum has more than proven his chops as a serious pop/R&B crossover artist -- since his YouTube days, he’s worked with everyone from Rita Ora and Ne-Yo to Frank Ocean and Neptunes vet Pharrell Williams.  -- RB

+ Ed Sheeran: If you’ve ever seen PUSH alum Ed Sheeran live, you probably noticed that the British singer's charms lie in his unassuming manner. He doesn’t fit the typical pop star bill, coming off as just a regular guy who happens to effortlessly flow between genres and musical worlds, whether it’s folk ("The A Team"), R&B ("Grade 8") or rap-singing ("You Need Me, I Don’t Need You"). So it’s no surprise his + debut album bowed at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 (and was No. 1 on iTunes) when it was released Stateside over the summer. The ginger-haired boy-next-door’s diverse songwriting has served others well, too, like with One Direction’s "Little Things," which Ed wrote, and his co-written duet with Taylor Swift, "Everything Has Changed" (the pair also dueted on Ed’s "Lego House"). -- Althea Legaspi

+ Emeli Sandé: Scottish-born Emeli Sandé is about   as talented as you can get without being a genetically modified talent robot or some sort of cybog. Her voice seems to come from heaven (get it?), and she's not "just a voice" -- she co-wrote Alicia Keys' brand-new record, "Not Even The King," so there's that. Emeli’s debut disc, Our Version Of Events, landed at the No. 1 spot on the U.K. charts, not to mention the fact that she won the Critic's Choice Award at the 2012 BRIT Awards, which is basically like winning the most coveted Grammy. Oh, and lest we forget, the "Heaven" singer performed at the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. And that's probably just her version of a warm-up. -- JR

+ Frank Ocean: Frank Ocean's excellent Grammy-nominated R&B Channel Orange debut is destined to top many a Best Of 2012 list from music critics to fans alike. From his jaw-dropping Lollapalooza performance -- easily the best of the fest (even fellow Lolla performers The Afghan Whigs have covered "LoveCrimes") -- to his 2012 MTV VMA performance of "Thinkin Bout You," with its achingly heartfelt falsetto, Frank Ocean emerged not just a brilliant lyricist but a breathtaking performer. Couple his immense talent with his bravery, having revealed his same-sex relationship in an arena where homophobic lyrics are prevalent, it's almost impossible to overstate his significance in popular culture. Both personally and professionally, he’s a breakthrough artist and icon deserving of each and every accolade. -- AL

+ Grimes: Grimes' Claire Boucher records her own music, designs costumes Bjork would probably be  jealous of, and directs her own videos -- including "Genesis," which literally racked up millions of views. And she goes to the beach with a sword in it! Girl tours with Skrillex and makes beats for Canadian rappers. We're not even this cool in our coolest fantasies. It helps that Visions is full of deep beats as danceable as they are mysterious. -- DG

+ Icona Pop: Last year we obsessively consumed Icona Pop's "Manners and "Nights Light This" glittering synth-pop gems. But in 2012 they dropped one of the best kiss-off jams of the year (no offense, Taylor Swift) -- their smash hit, "I Love It." Penned by Charli XCX, it’s a liberating track that sees the girls going on a BFF destructive revenge spree. DJs Aino Jawo and Caroline Hjelt first bonded in 2010 at a party over heartbreak, shared some wine the next night, and within 24 hours they had written their first song. And if you weren't listening all year, you'll probably be partying to them in 2013 and well into the future. -- AL

Check out more of Buzzworthy's Favorite Breakthrough Artists Of 2012 after the jump!
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Click to enlarge Rihanna's face tattoo GIF!

Rihanna is clearly very comfortable with her body. We're already pretty familiar with nearly all of her tattoos (cause most of the time, girl has barely any clothes on), but the "Diamonds" singer told GQ that she almost got a tattoo on her face but ended up not going through with it. Which is why we are here.

Courtesy of our faves at Mr. Gif, we've got a few test tats for RiRi, just in case she gets the nerve to get some ink on her GORG face. Taking inspiration from her own body art, Mike Tyson's CLASSIC face tat (he's the founding father of famous face tats, and his tribal tat is like the holy grail, if I may mix some metaphors), Gucci Mane's classic ice cream tat, and some classic tear tats, we present this to you, Rihanna, as a dressing room of sorts... but, like, for your face. Hope you enjoy, girl! -- Tamar Anitai and Michael Depland

Photo credit: Steve Granitz/Getty Images; Mr. Gif

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Get tour dates and tickets to "MTV Presents The Gotye Tour."

Like you, we've spent the past year as Gotye devotees, which is extremely convenient, because we're getting behind his North American tour. (Don't judge us if we hit up every show.) Gotye's about to hit the road on the "MTV Presents The Gotye Tour," which also features special guests Missy Higgins and Chairlift. In addition to hearing Gotye faves like "Save Me" and "Easy Way Out," we're banking on him performing his two-time VMA nominated smash, "Somebody That I Used To Know." But DUH, on that one, right guys? Check out all the upcoming Gotye tour dates and get your hands on Gotye tickets after the jump!

See tour dates and purchase tickets for "MTV Presents The Gotye Tour" after the jump! 

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+ Chris Brown allegedly got into a fight with Drake's crew at a New York nightclub when Chris sent Drake's party a bottle of champagne as a peace offering after recently sparring on Twitter. Chris tweeted a photo of a cut he received to his chin but later deleted it. Can't we all just play nice? (MTV News)

+ In another preview of Katy Perry's "Part Of Me" 3-D concert film, we learn that her religious parents actually came around on that whole "I Kissed A Girl" thing. (MTV.com)

+ Fans have been camping out on the rainy streets of New York since yesterday for tickets to Justin Bieber's "Today" show concert this Friday. (MTV News)

+ Carly Rae Jepsen's unstoppable "Call Me Maybe" unseated Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know" for the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100. (Billboard)

+ How'd Ice-T get Kanye West on his "Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap" documentary? Easy. He made a few calls. (MTV News)

+ A new Strokes album is in the works? We're VERY OK with that! (NME)

Photo credit: Getty Images

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Summer doesn't OFFICIALLY begin until June 20 (and we know that because we consulted the Farmer's Almanac for the very first time and probably last in our entire lives), but that doesn't mean you haven't started dressing, slacking off and/or partying like summer's fully here. Accordingly, you need the ultimate summer jam -- the one singular seasonal jam that will forever seal the summer of 2012 in your soul (and mix CD).

We teamed up with our friends at Seventeen magazine and picked five of the songs we think will rule the summer. But like with all things superlative and all favorite songs, there can only be one that trumps them all. Check out our five top summer song picks below, and vote for your favorite in our poll. We'll announce the winner on Wednesday, May 30.

MTV Buzzworthy and Seventeen Official Song Of The Summer Nominees:

Walk the Moon, "Anna Sun"

The Wanted, "Chasing The Sun"

Wiz Khalifa, "Work Hard, Play Hard"

Rihanna, "Where Have You Been"

Rita Ora, " How We Do (Party)"

Vote for the Official Song Of The Summer, check out Walk The Moon's self-titled debut album cover art and track list and an exclusive Rita Ora interview, and get more at Seventeen.


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About Us

Consummate MTV music fans obsessively covering pop music, pop videos, pop stars, and pop culture from MTV headquarters in New York. Plus, trends, LOLs and stuff we love.

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Managing Editor
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Associate Editor
Rachel Brodsky


Contributors
Michael Depland
Byron Flitsch
David Greenwald
Amber Katz
Althea Legaspi
T. Kyle MacMahon
Charlie Norwood
Luke O'Neil
Jenna Hally Rubenstein
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Brad Stern

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