Posted 5/10/12 5:00 pm EST by David Greenwald in Music, Videos
The Hives, still bow-tied after all these years.
Most of my Hives memories involve discreetly jamming "Hate To Say I Told You So" in history class back in 20-mumble-mumble. Summer school: crazy boring! But while I keep getting older, looks like the Swedish band's stayed the same age. Their new video, "Go Right Ahead," finds the eternally youthful rockers in their trademark ultra-classy black-and-white wardrobe and as noisy as ever.
Watch The Hives' "Go Right Ahead" video after the jump.
Posted 5/10/12 4:37 pm EST by Sam Lansky in Celebrity, Music
Ahoy, Navy! I'm Sam Lansky, and you're reading "Pop Think," my weekly column where we talk about the important stuff that's happening in the world, like choreographic trends in contemporary music videos. (You were hoping I'd say that, right? Right?)
Specifically, my subject this week is the flawless queen, the inimitable HBIC, the fave-slayer, the only bajillion-times-platinum recording artist who will call you the C-word on Twitter if you drag her publicly -- Rihanna. If you've been asking yourself, "Where has she been?" you should now have your answer, since she was terribly busy shooting the video for her new single, "Where Have You Been," which premiered last week to considerable fanfare. I mean, a new Rihanna video doesn't come around every day, and when it's for a song like "Where Have You Been" -- an enormous, grimy dance anthem with some phenomenally sleazy dubstep breaks -- you know to expect something good. RiRi never disappoints, right?
But the queen of the modern music video took a new direction with the "Where Have You Been" video -- she actually danced, y'all! Remember dancing? It was that thing we all did in the '90s? And Rihanna took to careful choreography with such enthusiasm, I can't help but wonder whether we're about to usher in a whole new era of music video dance moves -- or if Rihanna's new video is just a shout-out to the bygone era where dance moves reigned supreme. Jump aboard, Navy! I'm chartering this ship and sailing it to the farthest reaches of "TRL" history.
"I've been everywhere, man," Rihanna sings in the opening moments of "Where Have You Been," and looking back through her videography, it's true: From her earliest beginnings as an R&B princess busting moves on the dance floor in the video for "Pon De Replay" to garages in "Shut Up And Drive," New York bodegas in "What's My Name" and the spectacular desert tableaux of "Only Girl (In the World)," Rihanna's a true road warrior, traversing a trillion climates and always looking hot as she does it.
And the clip for "Where Have You Been" kicks off with more of a whimper than a bang, as Rihanna floats along the surface of a swamp-pond, her head half-visible above the water like a smoky-eyed sea monster. But then, her head swathed in a scarf, a cadre of muscled dudes in harem pants as her entourage, the dancing begins, and it's real choreography: Extended shots of furious stomping and twisting, executed with more verve than I've seen in a Rihanna video since, well, ever.
Read more about Rihanna's moves in her video "Where Have You Been" after the jump.
Posted 5/10/12 3:45 pm EST by Jenna Rubenstein in Celebrity, Music
AHHHH/ZOMG/OMG! Alanis Morissette is back, and I'm flipping out. I've been sooo down for Alanis ever since "You Oughta Know" inspired me to break up with my sixth-grade boyfriend (thanks!), so I'm counting down the days until the release of Alanis' new album, Havoc And Bright Lights. But thankfully today we get our hands (ears?) on the first single, "Guardian."
Listen to Alanis Morissette's "Guardian" after the jump.
Posted 5/10/12 3:07 pm EST by Nicole James in Music
Walk The Moon reveal album art and track list for their upcoming debut album, 'Walk The Moon.'
2012 MTV Artist To Watch Walk The Moon are getting ready for the release of their self-titled debut album, out June 19. Because we're BFFs with them (not that we're bragging or anything), we've got the album art and track list for y'all.Survey says: It rules. Any album art with a psychedelic tree house on it is a winner in my book.
Esquire named Walk The Moon's infectious "Anna Sun" the "Song of the Summer" in 2011, and after almost a full year of listening to it, we still can't get enough. We invited these guys to play the mtvU Woodies Awards Fest back in March, and after totally slaying it there, fun. invited them out to hit the road in Europe this fall. You can also check them out on tour this summer across the U.S. with Morning Parade.
+ Check out Walk The Moon's full track list after the jump, and pick up a copy of Walk The Moon when it drops June 19.
Posted 5/10/12 2:00 pm EST by Byron Flitsch in Interviews, Posted, Videos
Clearly we're in love with Karmin (how could we not be?), so we made them our MTV PUSH Artist of the Week. We're also celebrating them all month long as MTV's POSTED artist! Woot! But the "I Told You So" duo (Amy Heidemann and Nick Noonan) make falling for them so easy with all they're willing to share with us. (Like how they get pumped backstage -- FYI, adorbz.) This week, we swoon over the pair when they divulge tales from their own real-life heartbreaks and offer an inside scoop on their new album, Hello.
Karmin chats about their past relationships and new album after the jump.
Posted 5/10/12 1:05 pm EST by Jenna Rubenstein in Celebrity, Music
The Ying Yang Twins remixed Justin Bieber's 'Boyfriend,' it's dope.
It's not like Justin Bieber's masterpiece "Boyfriend" even needed a remix, but I guess if we're gonna get one, then having the Ying Yang Twins do it is probably our best bet. When "Boyfriend" was first released, fans noticed comparisons to the Ying Yang Twins' song "Wait (The Whisper Song)," so the Ying posse took it upon themselves to give the tune a proper remix. Naturally, the outcome is as you'd expect it to be: pretty effing bomb.
Listen to the Ying Yang Twins' remix of Justin Bieber's "Boyfriend" after the jump.
Bamboozle is just around the corner, and all this week we'll be bringing you The Buzz On a few of the festival's acts so you can know before you go. Check out today's Buzz On, Matt Toka.
Matt Toka has had it opposite of easy in recent years: His parents got divorced, his mom and grandpa wound up in jail and the punk rocker's old band, Cherry Monroe, fell apart. But after trading his one-way ticket to Bummerville for a move to L.A. and writing a few new songs, he's ready to start over solo. And the green-haired musician has a lot to say: With its rapid-fire pop culture references, his single "Say10" sounds like a punk take on R.E.M. word salad "The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)." (Also because it has a line about "the end of the world." Influences!) On other tracks, Toka's a dude with a bad attitude: "Whoever said mo' money, mo' problems is a d***," he snarls on "Get Money," a song that dreams of having "a castle for a crib." Aww. Going to pour one out for Biggie now.
Listen to Matt Toka after the jump.
Posted 5/10/12 10:15 am EST by Nicole James in Celebrity, Music, News
OMFG y'all, it ACTUALLY happened. After rumors were swirling about Britney Spears joining "The X Factor" as a judge, we were so excited that we punched a fire extinguisher box. Oh wait, that was Amar'e Stoudemire. I mean, we were so excited that we just waited patiently to hear if the news was official. And... IT IS. Godney will be gracing our television screens every week as the newest judge on the next season of "The X Factor." Yessss!
This decision didn't come cheap -- Brit is reportedly earning a whopping $15 million to sit at the judge's table, and we can't even fathom what that paycheck looks like. And forgive us, but we're having a hard time imagining what kind of advice Britney will give to the up-and-coming musicians. It's almost like that time I had to teach an Internet 101 class to a group of retired factory workers (true story) -- how do you go from writing HTML all day to explaining what Google is? How does Britney Spears go from conquering the music industry to explaining what an octave is? But that's all in the fun of watching! Well that, and just GETTING TO SEE BRITNEY SPEARS ON TV EVERY WEEK.
"The X Factor" returns to Fox this September. Auditions for the next season are currently under way.
Posted 5/10/12 10:00 am EST by Nicole James in Celebrity, Photos
Miley Cyrus: Super gorgeous.
We are dying over this Miley Cyrus photo right now, guys. Miley uploaded the pic yesterday to Twitter and tweeted to photographer Brian Bowen Smith, "I <3 you. I really do." UM, we love that dude, too. You. Look. AMAZE. From the side-swept bangs to the quadruple lashes you're rocking, you look like a little rock-and-roll cherub or something. Also, any idea how much a session with Brian runs? Because I could really use a new Twitter avatar myself.
My friend recently asked me, "Are you ever Facebook stalking through strangers photos and think, 'I want their life?'" And I was all, "No way, man, my life is great and you can't measure yourself against other people." But then I secretly just wait for Miley to upload new photos and cry myself to sleep a little. Teach us your ways, Milers!
Photo credit: @mileycyrus
Posted 5/10/12 9:00 am EST by Althea Legaspi in Buzz Bites, Celebrity, Music
Adam Lambert will field fan questions live on May 14.
+ Adam Lambert will be answering fan questions live at 3 p.m. ET on May 14, a day ahead of his Trespassing album release. Fans can submit questions now by tweeting @Billboard and using the hashtag #bbadam. (Billboard)
+ Britney Spears has been long rumored to be a potential "X Factor" judge, and reportedly she's now signed a $15 million deal for the season. A source told E!, "There's been a lot of back and forth over the past few weeks as they negotiated the small details, but she's on. It's all completed, and Britney is beyond excited." (MTV News)
+ Check out Ying Yang Twins remix of Justin Bieber's "Boyfriend." The rap duo opens with the line, "Ying Yang...and Justin Bieber?" And spoiler: They meld well. (Idolator)
+ A groundswell of Beastie Boys' material has sold since the untimely death of bandmate Adam Yauch on Friday. Licensed To Ill, the first rap album to hit Billboard 200 at No. 1, returns to the chart at No. 18. Four of their other albums have also reentered that chart. (Billboard)
+ It's blink-182's 20th anniversary, but unfortunately they have to postpone the celebration and tour dates due to Travis Barker's tonsillectomy. They've pulled out of Bamboozle and several other May shows. (Billboard)
+ Whitney Houston will be the next artist to be paid tribute during "VH1 Divas." The performance will be taped in December in Los Angeles. Artists to perform the late singer's songs have not yet been announced. (Billboard)
Photo credit: Lee Cherry