Apologies in advance for the bad food analogy I'm about to make. Clearly I'm bitter about the free bag of generic popcorn I just inhaled for lunch (with "insert brand name of prescription drug you can't pronounce" printed on the bag). Anyway, you could kind of liken the Florida music scene to a Cracker Barrel menu. Don't get me wrong: I am ALL for some Hickory Smoked Honey Glazed Ham (Backstreet Boys) and cheese grits (Matchbox Twenty).  And who knows? Maybe I want to wash down my chicken 'n dumplings (2 Live Crew) with some box wine (Dashboard Confessional).  But Miami synth-rock/electro-pop act Awesome New Republic seems to have just the right amount of pop amazingness without sounding trite (think the electronic bits and driving beats of Miike Snow blended with the psychedelic sweetness of Passion Pit).

Earlier this year, Awesome New Republic -- John Hancock, Brian Robertson, and newly-added-for-tour Jorge Rubiera -- had a Perez Hilton pop moment when P'rezzers posted a Leighton Meester cover of their track "Birthday." Side note: Leighton seems to have a knack for hanging with the boys (not that way, pervtown), as evidenced by this summer's smash Cobra Starship collabo "Good Girls Go Bad" to the literally just-released video "Somebody To Love," featuring Robin Thicke.

Now, with their brand-new album Hearts, just released on October 27th, and their song "Magic City" (from the previously released EP Rational Geographic Vol. 1) appropriately featured in tomorrow's Miami-bound episode of The City, Awesome New Republic just might be the best band you've never heard of. You're welcome.

Last week we gave you a sneak peek at Cobra Starship's "Hot Mess" video. Now, we're threading the needle and delivering the full package.

Now, I'd initially thought, based on the preview, that this would be about Gabe Saporta and the crew rolling through a city and working on infrastructure and potholes and stuff, making the world a better place, brick by brick. I don't know why I thought that, given Cobra Starship's pre-occupation with glitz, glamor and gaudiness.

Cobra's "Hot Mess" video -- the song is the theme song to the new MTV show, Styl'D, by the way -- follows the Starship in their repair van. What are they repairing? Busted-up ladies who've had too much of the devil's nectar and find themselves cast as the girl that everyone is pointing at and whispering, "Damn, she is a drunken harlot."

Rather than fix up these wayward souls, Cobra Starship provides a safe space for them to abandon their own dignity. Watch "Hot Mess" now.

God bless Cobra Starship's Gabe Saporta. He might be the only member of a key-tar-wielding band who can get away with the lyric, 'I'm gonna make you my boo,' all while rocking a pencil mustache and dressing up as an electric company worker.

All that and more appears to be going down in this video, a behind the scenes look at Cobra's forthcoming video for "Hot Mess" (the second single from Cobra's album of the same name).

Personally, I hope the Con Ed jumpsuits the band's wearing are an homage to the scene in Ghostbusters II when Egon and Ray discover the river of slime beneath New York City, but I digress.

Not only can you catch the full "Hot Mess" video this weekend, when it debuts on November 8th, but you can hear it anytime you tune in to the new MTV reality show, Styl'D (because it's the theme song, you stylistas).

Last night the 2009 Los Premios MTV went off with a bang in Bogota, and I'm pretty sure you'll be happy to know that some of your favorites won in some cool categories, including...

Lady Gaga: "Best International New Artist”  and “Song of The Year”

Jonas Brothers: "Best International Pop Artist”

Twilight: "Best Film"

Britney Spears: Best Fan Club (Venezuela)

Winsin Y Yandel: "Artist Of The Year" and "Video Of The Year" for "Abusadora"

Aventura: "Best Artist MTV TR3s"

Check out photos of some of the performers -- Ashley Tisdale, Cobra Starship, Fall Out Boy -- and presenters -- Selena Gomez, Miranda Cosgrove, Morrissey (!), Audrina Patridge (who spoke presented with Wilmer Valderrama and spoke Spanish!), and co-hosts Nelly Furtado and Calle 13's Residente. And get the complete list of 2009 Los Premios MTV, check out photos, and watch videos. And get a play-by-play, behind-the-scenes report of all of the action at the 2009 Los Premios MTV at the MTV Tr3s Blogamole Blog!

+ Check out more photos from the 2009 Los Premios MTV after the jump!

Read more...

Kristin Cavallari, Katy Perry, and Amber Rose picked up Buzzworthy Fashion Awards for the silvery spectacles and primal get-ups they wore to the 2009 VMAs. Now see which fashion honors Buzzworthy has bestowed upon Madonna, Olivia Palermo, Hayley Williams and more celebs for their VMA style!

MOST COMMANDING: TIE! MADONNA & OLIVIA PALERMO
Some stars like Amerie and Cassie opted for full-on color on the VMA red carpet. Madonna and Olivia Palermo, who wore Susan Woo, commanded the carpet in head-to-toe black. How New York of them.
+ Watch Olivia Palermo on the VMA red carpet.
+ Watch Madonna open the VMAs with a tribute to Michael Jackson.
+ Photos: MTV Stars on the red carpet.

ALL-AROUND CUTEST: HAYLEY WILLIAMS
THANK you, Hayley Williams. See, THIS is how you dress for the VMAs. When I chatted with Hayley inside of Radio City that night, she told me that Katy Perry told her about Jeremy Scott, who designed the LP-inspired skirt she's wearing. Hayley's vintage-rock look is spot-on perfect for the VMAs. It's youthful but not ridiculous, fun and dressed up (especially with those heels and the bright pop of color from her lipstick), but it's not over-the-top. Ahhhdorbs.

HOTTEST, MOST MAD MEN-INSPIRED GUY: GABE SAPORTA
Gabe Saporta + Balenciaga = Yeah you did.
+ Watch Cobra Starship on the VMA red carpet.
+ Watch Gabe introduce Lady Gaga's performance at the VMAs.
+ Watch Gabe discuss his VMA Mad Men style.

COOLEST THING COVERING SOMEONE'S BOOB: PINK
The sparkly pink heart covering Pink's boob during her death-defying performance of "Sober" was just one of the coolest elements of her jaw-dropping performance. I don't know what that heart thing was, but I kind of want one to stick on my laptop.
+ Watch Pink perform "Sober" at the VMAs.
+ Watch Pink on the VMA red carpet.

MOST REFLECTIVE/ SELF-REFLEXIVE: TIE! ADRIENNE BAILON & BEYONCE
Get it? GET IT? Because Adrienne, in a Stephen Sprouse dress, used to be in the Cheetah Girls, and Beyonce's wearing mirrors!
+ Watch Beyonce's "Single Ladies" VMA performance.
+ Watch Beyonce on the VMA red carpet.
+ Watch Adrienne Bailon interview everyone on the red carpet at the VMAs!

MOST THOUGHTFUL TRIBUTE TO FALLEN HOMIES: TIE! KID SISTER & DJ PREMIER
Buzzworthy idol Kid Sister took her red carpet fashion opportunity to pay tribute to the late Aaliyah, wearing in a shirt she bought on Aaliyah.com. Later that night at Lyor Cohen's VMA after party, DJ Premier (pictured with DJ Cassidy) remembered DJ AM by wearing a t-shirt with a photo of them together.
+ Watch Kid Sister discuss her amazing nails on the VMA red carpet.

MOST CASUAL FRIDAY ON SUNDAY: TIE! BRENT BOLTHOUSE & ANDY SAMBERG
Lazy Sunday? More like casual Friday. Brent Bolthouse kept it biznass casual like a BAWSE in Vans on the VMA red carpet, and Andy Samberg was his usually perfectly-bedheaded-and-a-little-unkempt-but not-in-a-way-that-he-smells-and-I-wish-all-guys-dressed-like-this self. I digress.

MOST LIKELY TO BE SEEN SPREAD OUT ON TOP OF A CAR ON HER MYSPACE: AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL'S JADE COLE
I mean, I'm just sayin'...

+ Check out more VMA fashion photos and fashion videos, and watch all-star VMA fashion videos after the jump!

Read more...

Celebrities are good at a lot of things: self-promotion, engaging us in engagement speculation, having MINDBLOWING hair ROBERT PATTINSON. But one thing they can't be depended upon to do is SIT THEIR ASSES DOWN all by themselves. Here's an inside look at the seat cards for the 2009 MTV VMAs, so all of the celebrities and guests know where to sit and the cameras know where to capture that perfect "Oh-seriously-I'm-so-happy-for-you!" face when their competition wins. (Cough cough Gaga versus Beyonce!)

See where Katy Perry, Gaga, Paramore, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Janet Jackson, and more VMA guests will sit! (I love how Cobra Starship appears to get one seat for five people, while Death Cab For Cutie gets four separate seats! Also, keep in mind that suprise guests don't usually get seat cards if you catch what I'm saying... )

+ Check out more photos of 2009 VMA seat cards after the jump!

Read more...

Fefe Dobson -- the Canadian rock singer-songwriter who's toured with Justin Timberlake, written for Miley Cyrus and Jordin Sparks, counts Demi Lovato as a fan, and earned herself two Juno Award nominations -- is a style chameleon whose ever-evolving sense of fashion is clearly reflected in her musical tastes, which range from the White Stripes to Kurt Cobain to the Vines to Britney Spears, and her and collaborators, which include Cyndi Lauper, and Cobra Starship, who she'll be performing live with at the The 2009 Video Music Awards Battle for the Best Breakout NYC Artist this Friday, September 10 in New York.

Fefe's new album, Joy, is coming out soon, and we'll see if her style continues to evolve as her music does too. But first, she's going shopping with MTV's Kim Stolz for something to wear to the 2009 VMAs this Sunday, September 13.

Check out a few of Fefe Dobson's looks to get a feel for her style, and stay tuned for an inside look at what goes into celebrity shopping for the VMAs!

Like Britney Spears, one of her many musical influences, Fefe Dobson rocks a faux fur jacket at Lauren Conrad's "Head for the Hills" party in Toronto in March 2008. And those glasses? Gabe Saporta and Justin Timberlake would be proud.

Fefe goes glam -- think a cross between Vanessa Hudgens and Rihanna (who Fefe's accused of stealing her style) -- without shedding her rocker-girl edge at an entertainment event in Toronto in September 2006.

At a June 2009 party thrown by wil.i.Am in Toronto, Fefe pulls off a classic Joan Jett rocker-girl look in cut-offs and lots of leather.

+ Watch Fefe Dobson's "I Want You (Remix)" video after the jump!
Read more...

+ We're having (slightly nightmarish) flashbacks to our uber-Christian, ultra-conservative childhood after stumbling upon this gem, a duet with gospel group Mary Mary and R&B songmaster Ne-Yo. (Rap-Up)

+ Celebrity Twitter fights are fun for the whole family, especially when they're brought to you by parenting gurus Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler. (Evil Beet Gossip)

+ If you haven't seen the VMA promos that MTV has been running for this year (the full-length West Side Story-themed ones that feature Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Cobra Starship, Leighton Meester, and Russell Brand all singing their own verses...) then stop what you're doing right now (unless you're searching YouTube looking for fan vids of Britney's performance last night at MSG like we've been doing all morning) and WATCH the full length version here!

+ Oh -- and how cute are Katy and Taylor having dinner together the other night in England?? (Socialite Life)

+ It was just announced today that Paula Abdul's first post-Idol gig will be hosting VH1 Divas later this month, which will star Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis and more. (Pop on the Pop)

+ And in case you missed yesterday's totally fun NYC scavenger hunt hosted by Britney via Twitter, check this out! (Perez Hilton)

+ File this one away in the "Whitney, what were you thinking?" category: Until the August 31 street release date, Whitney Houston is leaking her entire brand-new CD on, QVC.com??????

You've seen Taylor Swift belt it out of a cab, a crazy-eyed Katy Perry as scissors-happy Anita, Ne-Yo channel Michael Jackson's "Beat It" and Cobra Starship (and Leighton Meister!) get ready to rumble underground (Warriors-style!).

Now watch them all salute Broadway in the big finale! It's the full-length version of "VMA Side Story." Straight backs! High kicks! Pointed toes! Big smiles! Big finish! The old lady in the back of the house should be able to hear you!

+ Don't miss the 2009 VMAs live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Sunday, September 13 at 9pm!

You've seen/memorized Cobra Starship's West Side Story VMA promo video. Now go behind the scenes and underground -- deep, deep beneath Brooklyn -- at the New York City Transit Musem where Cobra Starship shot their 2009 MTV VMA promo spots, and watch Gabe Saporta and Ryland Blackinton discuss the Cobra-created choreography that got trumped by Wade Robson's pro moves, plus Lyrca, unitards, and more stuff "people 'in the biz'" of talking about dance know about. And stay tuned for more VMA promo spots starring the 2009 MTV VMA presenters and performers.