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+ It's official: Lady Gaga has the No. 1 album in the country. Born This Way sold more than 1 million copies in its first week, and MTV News is asking, "What's next?" (MTV News)

+ Justin Timberlake chats about ex Britney Spears in this month's issue of Vanity Fair: "We were little kids with big toys. You do the math -- that's not going to last." Another moment of silence for the late '90s, ladies and gents. (Vanity Fair)

+ You're going to need your cutoffs and feather hair extensions for a little longer next year, Coachella fans. In 2012, the California music fest will be held over the course of two weekends. (ONTD)

+ After checking herself into a rehab facility last week, doctors have reportedly warned Amy Winehouse to quit drinking for good or face a weak health prognosis. Please heed that warning, Amy! And please make another record! (PopEater)

+ Sean Kingston's passenger from his Jet Ski accident opens up about the incident, apparently telling Kingston moments before the crash, "We can't fit under there." She is recovering well and is not pressing charges against Kingston. (Buzznet)

+ Hey basket cases: Green Day is beginning work on new material! "The direction is fresh and high energy," frontman Billie Joe Armstrong revealed on Twitter. (Rolling Stone)

+ Lupe Fiasco wrote a thought-provoking tribute to the recently deceased Gil Scott-Heron titled "The Television Will Not Be Revolutionized." Click the link to read the entire piece. (Rap-Up)

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Tags Amy Winehouse, Billie Joe Armstrong, Britney Spears, Buzz Bites, Gil Scott-Heron, Green Day, Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Lupe Fiasco, Sean Kingston

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If you follow any news about the THEA-TUH (or you live above ground), you're probably aware that Broadway has recently been ransacked with nonstop news about the colossal disaster that is "Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark." Even songs by U2's Bono and The Edge couldn't save the show from being shut down for a "re-working" after months of awful reviews, the departure of director Julie Taymor, and injury after injury sustained by the high-flying performers spinning webs across the stage.

Meanwhile, over at the St. James Theater, Green Day lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong, apparently devoid of any arm casts or open wounds, electrified the St. James Theatre, tearing through the musical "American Idiot" one last time before it closed last night. Familiar with the subject matter, Billie Joe played "St. Jimmy" at points throughout the course of the show -- a punk-rock musical featuring a score of all Green Day songs -- which is why he looks pretty comfortable up there. And why wouldn't he, considering that the show won a Grammy for Best Musical Show Album and was nominated for two TONY Awards? Oh, and if you missed "American Idiot" on Broadway, you're not S.O.L. A film version of "American Idiot" may be in the works.

Not too bad for a guy who once helped name his band's album Dookie.

Tags Billie Joe Armstrong, Green Day, Star Spotting

(Credit: Bruce Gilkas/FilmMagic)

So, last night Lady Gaga went to the Great White Way to take in a show. And she apparently opted to skip the possible bodily harm that could have come with watching the controversial staging of "Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark" and instead took in the punk-rock-opera that is "American Idiot." And, whaddya know, who did she run into but Billie Joe Armstrong, Green Day's frontman and auteur of the "American Idiot" musical.

These two make quite a pair! You know, Gaga and Green Day have a lot more in common than you might think. They both make anthems for folks on the margins, mixing in theatricality to emphasize their personal-is-political themes. They both started in thriving scenes (Gaga in the Lower East Side, Green Day in the Bay Area), and they both have a fondness for eye makeup.

After taking in the show, Lady Gaga posed with the cast of "American Idiot" for photos. Check out a shot of her with the troupe, below. Let's hope there's a Gaga/Green Day collaboration in the works.

Tags Billie Joe Armstrong, Green Day, Lady Gaga, Star Spotting

+ 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

In honor of Green Day being our P.U.S.H. artist of the week, we thought we'd highlight some of the bands that influenced Billie Joe Armstrong, Tre Cool and Mike Dirnt -- and some of the bands the pop-punk trio has managed to influence as well.

So let's go to the tap, shall we?

Bands That Influenced Green Day

+ The Ramones, "I Don't Wanna Grow Up"

From this iconic NYC band, frontman Billie Joe learned how to sing classic lovestruck pop songs over serrated punk-rock guitars.

Read more...

Tags Against Me!, Billie Joe Armstrong, Green Day, Mike Dirnt, My-Chemical-Romance, PUSH, PUSH: Green Day, Simple Plan, The Clash, The Ramones, The Who, Tre Cool, video

+ For Lady Gaga, "fame is like rocket fuel," and, as you can imagine, rocket fuel makes it hard to sleep. No wonder the "Bad Romance" singer recently admitted that she's something of an insomniac. (I'm Not Obsessed)

+ Cobra Starship and 3OH!3 will tour together this spring. "The sets are going to be really fun," says 3OH!3 member Nathaniel Motte, "[and] we're trying to keep ticket prices super-low." (MTV News)

+ With the NBA playoffs right around the corner, Justin Timberlake and Jamie Foxx have made a humorous promo for the league, featuring the two Casanovas playing one-on-one ... in tuxedos. (Idolator)

+ What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas -- even if all you did was eat birthday cake and drink Shirley Temples. That's what Diddy's son, Christian, did for his 12th birthday during a three-day Sin City birthday celebration. (PopEater)

+ For Spin magazine's 25th anniversary issue, it had some of today's brightest stars interview their musical influences. Read chats between Gerard Way (My Chemical Romance) and Iggy Pop, Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day) and Paul Westerberg (The Replacements) and many more. (Spin)

+ This might be one of the best pics of Katy Perry ever -- especially if you're a fan of The Situation. (Just Jared)

Tags 3OH!3, Billie Joe Armstrong, Cobra Starship, Diddy, Gerard Way, Green Day, Iggy Pop, Jamie Foxx, Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, My-Chemical-Romance, Paul Westerberg, The Replacements, The Situation

(Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

Green Day may have already won Grammys for its album American Idiot, but the band might have to prepare some new acceptance speeches if "American Idiot: The Musical" takes Broadway by storm -- fingers crossed! -- and the Tony awards come calling. We can't think of a better way to commemorate the meeting of peroxide punks and Park Ave. Playbill holders by making Green Day our P.U.S.H. (Play Until Someone Hears) artist of the week.

Directed by Michael Mayer and starring John Gallagher, Jr., both of "Spring Awakening" fame, the "American Idiot" rock opera was first staged at California's Berkeley Rep Theater late last year and received rave reviews. During a recent interview with Playbill.com, Armstrong revealed that, at the beginning of the recording process, he had lofty goals for the concept album since the beginning of recording. " I visualized the characters in my head, and starting thinking, 'Wow, this could totally be staged ... it could be something.'"

Now that "something" has evolved into a Broadway musical. While "American Idiot: The Musical" doesn't officially open until April 20, there are already talks of Tom Hanks and his production company Playtone turning the musical into a feature film a la "Mama Mia!" We had no idea Tom Hanks was so punk rock. For more deets and a trailer of "American Idiot: The Musical," follow the jump. Read more...

Tags American Idiot, Billie Joe Armstrong, Green Day, PUSH, PUSH: Green Day