Grammy Hits And Misses: Ke$ha Shut Out, Bruno Mars Cleans Up
Big Boi and Alicia Keys are also left out, but Florence and the Machine and Ray LaMontagne get some much-deserved love.
By Gil Kaufman
Ke$ha
Photo: Kristian Dowling / PictureGroup
What would the annual Grammy nominations announcement be without the next-day quarterbacking and bellyaching about who got dissed and who got just the right amount of Academy love?
While this year's batch of contenders is mostly devoid of the WTF factor of past nomination seasons, when veteran acts such as Steely Dan, Robert Plant and Herbie Hancock sucked most of the air out of the room, there were still plenty of surprises, omissions and flat-out questionable choices to go around.
The one most people were buzzing about Thursday (December 2) was the blank delivered to Ke$ha, who earned a grand total of zero nominations for her debut, Animal, despite launching several hits and earning a major spot in the pop-culture universe in 2010. The snub was even more noticeable because one of her producers, Dr. Luke, was nominated in the producer category and four of the eight songs that earned him that spot were from Ke$ha's debut.
We spoke to Entertainment Weekly music critic Leah Greenblatt about that oversight and many others in this year's nominations. She said the Ke$ha situation was surprising, especially considering the love that the similarly poptastic Katy Perry got for Teenage Dream, which has sold well but, like Animal, was not critically adored upon release.
"But I think it's really cool to see Florence [and the Machine] get that nomination [for Best New Artist], and I think it's awesome that Esperanza Spalding also got nominated [in that category]," she said of the little-known jazz singer who likely sent many people to Google on Wednesday night.
Greenblatt was also excited that raspy-voiced singer Ray LaMontagne snagged a spot in the Song of the Year category for "Beg Steal or Borrow" and another in the Best Contemporary Folk Album category.
"As fogie-ish as the Grammys are, it seems like this year they went more towards a Teen Choice Awards direction with a noticeably younger group of nominees," she said, wondering if it was a conscious decision to try and make the show hipper or if it's a signal of the changing demographic of Grammy voters. "And I think Bruno Mars deserves all of his nominations," she added about the singer/songwriter/producer who scored seven nods. "He only had one hit, but he really shaped popular music this year with the songs he did for Travie McCoy, B.o.B and Cee Lo. He brought so much musicality to R&B and pop. He's making music and playing instruments and he's insanely melodic. He's not just jacking samples."
As for how Eminem ended up with the most nominations at 10, she chalked it up to the "Sandra Bullock factor," speculating that Grammy voters might have just thought it was Marshall Mathers' time to shine again. "He's not universally liked for his sparkling personality, but it seems like it's his time," she said of the rapper, who had the year's best-selling album with Recovery and stormed back with some of the most melodic, accessible music of his decade-plus career. "It almost seemed like he was deemed safe enough for the Grammys this year ... and the album is so incredibly commercial. It's as safe as Eminem gets."
As for who got left off, Greenblatt said she was surprised at the lack of "American Idol" names on the list, with season-eight winner Kris Allen getting shut out and that season's runner-up, Adam Lambert, only getting a bid for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Whataya Want From Me."
And for a song that was one of the best-selling singles of the year, it was surprising that Train's "Hey, Soul Sister," Grammy bait if there ever was, managed only one nod for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals — for a live version of the tune.
There were other glaring omissions to be sure: no love for rappers Rick Ross and Big Boi, just a pair of nominations for last year's big winners Kings of Leon, a shutout for Lady Gaga's smash "Bad Romance" in the Record and Song of the Year categories (it did show up in Best Female Pop Vocal Performance) as well as for B.o.B and Hayley Williams' mega-hit "Airplanes," which scored only a Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals acknowledgment.
Greenblatt was also disappointed that Alicia Keys' The Element of Freedom got blanked, despite the handfuls of Grammys the singer has taken home in the past. And considering its major impact on the pop-culture landscape, "Glee" only got noticed in the Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media category and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals for "Don't Stop Believin'," which Greenblatt said may have had something to do with the fact that the songs on the show are covers and not original compositions.
In the end, though, she said this year's Grammys were mostly devoid of the giant head-smacking omissions and inclusions of past years and with the strong recognition to a new generation of singers, another potential sign that the show might be inching in a new direction.
Which artists or albums do you think got too much (or not enough love) this year? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1653445/20101202/kesha_.jhtml
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Lady Gaga's 'Telephone' Is MTV News' #10 Song Of 2010
Epic video and an assist from Beyoncé land the track on our Top 25 Songs of 2010.
By Kyle Anderson
Lady Gaga
Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images
Last week, MTV News began the countdown of the Top 25 Songs of 2010 with runs through songs 25-18 and 17-11. Those lists featured heavy-hitters like Lady Gaga ("Alejandro"), Katy Perry ("Teenage Dream"), Rihanna ("Rude Boy"), B.o.B ("Airplanes") and Kanye West ("Monster").
Though all those tunes were vital, they couldn't quite muster the combination of chart success, critical acclaim, fan enthusiasm and cultural impact to break into the top 10. Today, we unveil the first two entries in the top 10, an elite list that reflects the year that was in music.
So what song kicks us off at #10? It's "Telephone," Lady Gaga's epic tag-team collaboration with Beyoncé.
"It was my favorite track from The Fame Monster EP," MTV News' Jim Cantiello said. "It just has so much personality. It's such a good dance pop song and is just so Gaga. It's ridiculous."
"Telephone" came from Gaga's 2009 EP The Fame Monster, an eight song addendum to her mammoth 2008 debut The Fame. The track, which is the only collaboration on The Fame Monster, was formally released as a single back in January and was accompanied by one of the most visually arresting videos of the year (one that won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Collaboration). The track peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and managed to top the charts in the U.K., Ireland, Belgium and Norway.
Produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, "Telephone" was originally written by Gaga and Jerkins for Britney Spears (who turned the track down). The song is built around a twitchy, propulsive disco beat and slathered with police-siren keyboards. It's one of the most manic songs in Gaga's back catalog, and the track's breathless desperation matches the tenor of the lyrics, which find Gaga and Beyoncé insisting that outside forces leave them alone (the key line being "Stop calling/ I don't want to think anymore").
Usually, Lady Gaga's presence is so gigantic that there isn't much room for anybody else — let alone a star the size of Beyoncé (indeed, when the two previously collaborated on "Video Phone," Gaga got a bit lost in the mix). But "Telephone" uses Beyoncé perfectly, tapping into B's "Sasha Fierce" alter-ego for a tough and edgy guest appearance that adds a bit of humanity to Gaga's otherworldliness.
"Beyoncé's guest verse is so out of the box," noted Cantiello. "But it's still Beyoncé in a weird way."
The song's impact was also buoyed by the video. Directed by Jonas Åkerlund, the nine-minute epic tells the story of Gaga's escape from prison with the help of Beyoncé. The pair then go on a rampage that is part "Natural Born Killers," part "Thelma & Louise" that ends with the pair driving off a cliff (in the "P---y Wagon" from Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill" movies, of all things). The clip was greeted like a big movie premiere, and the result was a colorful, sexy and violent trip through the outer reaches of Gaga's imagination.
And consider this: Despite her sold-out-everywhere Monster Ball Tour, a boatload of MTV Video Music Awards and a number of social-action projects, this was probably considered a bit of a quiet year for Gaga. "2010 wasn't even that big a year for Lady Gaga compared to 2009," notes MTV News pop writer Jocelyn Vena. "But this album was so big on radio and so big in clubs that she maintained a presence that very few pop stars can so early in her career. She's poised to have an even bigger 2011."
Where would you place Lady Gaga's "Telephone" among the top songs of 2010? Let us know in the comments!
MTV News' Top 25 Songs of 2010 countdown continues. Make sure to keep checking back to see what song we've named #1, and don't forget to share your picks with us in the comments below!
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The 2011 Grammy Nominees Revealed ... Possibly
Eminem, Jay-Z, Lady Gaga and more Grammy guesses, in Bigger Than the Sound.
By James Montgomery
Eminem and Jay-Z
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
On Wednesday night (December 1), CBS will broadcast one of my favorite events of the year: the annual Grammy Nominations telecast/concert/thingy. Not only is it the unofficial kickoff of the self-congratulatory season, but it gives me a chance to wager on another largely arbitrary and oft insane awards show. So, you know, I'm pumped.
After all, it's not exactly news to readers of Bigger Than the Sound that I fancy myself quite the prognosticator, particularly when it comes to shows like the Grammys (or the VMAs). This is partially because I consider myself an expert on these kinds of things, but also because I have a huge gambling problem. Sometimes, I even manage to hit the nail on the head, like I did with my predictions for last year's Grammys (who among us can forget my triumphant 4-for-5 performance in Record of the Year?!?), though, more often than not, I fail miserably.
Still, I keep trying. It seems I cannot turn down the opportunity to pick the nominees at crazy awards shows, and the 2011 Grammys (which will air Sunday, February 13) are perhaps the craziest in recent memory. After all, back in April, the Recording Academy — the folks behind the Grammys — decided to randomly extend the eligibility period to 13 months (from September 1, 2009, to September 30, 2010), which meant a whole lot of albums that I practically forgot about (Jay-Z's The Blueprint 3, Muse's The Resistance, John Mayer's Battle Studies) were all of a sudden back in play.
All of that is a rather longwinded way of saying that these picks are nothing more than informed guesses, really — though, in keeping with the general WTF-ery of the Grammys, I suppose that makes them strangely perfect. In an attempt to save myself from total humiliation, I've decided to tackle only the so-called Big Four categories: Record, Album and Song of the Year, plus Best New Artist. So here, for your wagering pleasure (and mine) are my predictions for the 2011 Grammy nominations.
Record of the Year
This is the Grammy for song of the year (in olde-tyme speak — and hip-hop — songs are referred to as "records"), though they might as well call it the Group of Death, since over the past 13 months, so many massive artists released so many massive songs. Last year, Academy voters gave the award to the Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody," though this year, I have a feeling it could be a rapper taking home the hardware. My picks:
» Eminem (featuring Rihanna), "Love The Way You Lie"
» Florence and the Machine, "Dog Days Are Over"
» Jay-Z (featuring Alicia Keys), "Empire State of Mind"
» Train, "Hey Soul Sister"
» Usher, "OMG"
I'm pretty confident that Em, Jay and Train are mortal locks here, since their respective songs were so huge. Usher had himself a mega-year too, and since I see him getting shut out pretty much everywhere else, I penciled "OMG" in for a nom. I have a creeping suspicion that Florence and the Machine's "Dog Days" could be the dark-horse darling of this year's Grammys, since it's done nothing but gain momentum (and radio play) over the past six months or so. Of course, Grammy voters may just decide to go big, and if that's the case, forget Florence and pencil in Katy Perry's "California Gurls" (or Taylor Swift's "Mine") for the fifth slot.
Album of the Year
The award for the year's best album — according to the Recording Academy, at least — infamously went to Taylor Swift's Fearless at last year's show, a move that had Grammy naysayers howling that the category had more to do with album sales than album quality. Which sort of begs the question: Had any of those people ever watched the Grammys before? My predictions:
» Eminem, Recovery
» Carole King/ James Taylor, Live at the Troubadour
» Jay-Z, The Blueprint 3
» Lady Antebellum, Need You Now
» Sade, Soldier of Love
Recovery is the year's best-selling album, so it's a given that it will land a nod here. Same goes for Lady Antebellum's massive Need You Now. Jay-Z actually won two Grammys last year, but BP 3 missed the nomination deadline, and it will be honored here. Sade's Soldier of Love was her first album in nearly a decade, a return made even more triumphant when it topped the Billboard charts for three straight weeks. And that Carole King/ James Taylor album? Dude, it's the Grammys. If one of those five stumbles, look for Usher's Raymond v. Raymond to pick up the nom or even (pleasepleaseplease) the Arcade Fire's The Suburbs.
Song of the Year
This one is given to the composer, not the performer. At last year's Grammys, Beyoncé's fantabulous "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" shook its way to victory in this category, ending a two-year run of wins by British acts (Coldplay and Adele, just in case you were keeping score). Let's just say no one with a funny accent is gonna be winning this year, unless you count Lady Antebellum. Here's who I've got:
» Eminem (featuring Rihanna), "Love the Way You Lie"
» Jay-Z (featuring Alicia Keys), "Empire State of Mind"
» Lady Antebellum, "Need You Now"
» Lady Gaga, "Bad Romance"
» Train, "Hey Soul Sister"
Much like Record of the Year, Em, Jay and Train all seem like sure bets. Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" will get a nom here (shoot, it may get one in Record of the Year too). I think the wild card is Lady Gaga, who has to snag a Big Four nomination somewhere. Katy Perry and Taylor Swift could easily replace her, though. And don't count out Florence and the Machine, either.
Best New Artist
Last year's winner? The Zac Brown Band. I don't even see a country act getting a nom this year, though. Instead, this looks like a two-horse race between Drake and Justin Bieber, neither of whom — rather inexplicably — have been nominated in this category yet. Sure, Drizzy got a pair of nods last year, but thanks to the so-called "Lady Gaga rule change," he's eligible for BNA this year. You gotta love the Grammys. My picks:
» B.o.B
» Drake
» Florence and the Machine
» Justin Bieber
» Mumford & Sons
I almost put Eminem and Jay-Z in this category out of habit. Like I said, there are definitely two front-runners here, though B.o.B had enough hits to at least warrant consideration too. Mumford & Sons and Florence both enjoyed rather modest success here in the States, though it's entirely possible they'll split votes between Academy members, meaning one of them might not get in here. If that's the case, write in Ke$ha or even the Black Keys, who are not only the kind of band Grammy voters love, but have actually been around for nearly a decade now, which sort of makes them the perfect act to win the Best New Artist Grammy.
Did we get it right? Share your Grammy predictions in the comments!
Related ArtistsSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1653288/20101130/eminem.jhtml
Selena Gomez Picks Justin Bieber Over Drake For Best New Artist Grammy
'I hope [Bieber] wins, but I love Drake as well,' she tells MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting Audrey Kim
Selena Gomez
Photo: Angela Weiss/ Getty Images
Selena Gomez may not be up for a Grammy this year, but she was on hand at the Grammy Nominations Concert Live special last week, where she helped announce the Song of the Year nominees alongside Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl. While that category may have some strong contenders, the Best New Artist category will certainly have everyone buzzing come Grammy night in February.
Acts like Florence and the Machine, Mumford & Sons and Esperanza Spalding are in the running, but the frontrunners seem to be two of America's favorite Canadians: Justin Bieber and Drake. So who does Gomez want to win?
"I would have to say Bieber just because I know how hard he works," she told MTV News at KIIS FM's Jingle Ball 2010 in Los Angeles over the weekend. "I hope he wins, but I love Drake as well. It's a really hard category so I don't know who's going to win, but of course I have to say Bieber."
Drake may be facing off against Bieber at the Grammys, but Gomez will face off against her pal at the People's Choice Awards in the Favorite Breakout Artist category. The other contenders include B.o.B, Bruno Mars and Ke$ha. But Gomez, who is nominated with her band the Scene, doesn't think she has a chance.
"I'm not going to win that, especially if it's People's Choice," she said. "I've completely accepted the fact that I will not be taking that one home, but I'm very excited to be nominated."
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Singapore's best burger
Singapore's best burger -- Recommended: Carl's Jr. Portobello Mushroom Burger
?It?s big, the sauce oozes out and you end up having to clean your fingers ? that?s a real burger experience,? says Eric Teo, Best Eats judge and president of the Singapore Chefs? Association.
While some may debate that a fast food option should be included in this category, we beg to differ -- Carl?s Jr.'s juicy burgers are as good, if not better, than many gourmet rivals.
?It just leaves you feeling so satisfied,? says Teo on his favorite, the portobello mushroom burger, a combination of charbroiled 100-percent Angus beef patty, topped with portobello mushrooms.
Source: http://www.cnngo.com/singapore/eat/cnngos-best-eats-awards-2010/singapores-best-burger-235278
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Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis Talk Starving, Bonding For 'Black Swan'
'Suddenly we were on set together in tutus, emaciated and tired,' Portman recalls of commiserating with co-star.
By Eric Ditzian
Natalie Portman
Photo: Michael Loccisano/ Getty Images
Much has been made of the sweaty sex scene in "Black Swan" between Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis, two longtime friends who had to strip down for some bumping-and-grinding in the name of art.
But let's be clear about one thing: It can hardly be said that the friends spent the entire shoot in lesbian-love mode (the aforementioned scene was filmed in just one day). Rather, Portman and Kunis spent the majority of the production engaging in bonding of another kind: commiserating about how freaking hungry they were, as both women had to shed weight to play world-class ballerinas.
"Mila and I had had 'sweatpants nights' watching 'Top Chef,' and suddenly we were on set together in tutus, emaciated and tired," Portman told MTV News at the "Black Swan" red-carpet premiere on Tuesday night.
So much for the glamorous life of a Hollywood actress. The process of losing the weight, which included a restrictive diet and hard-core dance training, took months — both before and during the shoot. As Kunis put it, "It was months and months and I was always hungry."
But the friends got through it together, and afterward they gorged. "The second they were like, 'You can eat now,' I ate everything in two minutes," Kunis said, adding that her first post-"Black Swan" meal took place at an airport food court. "Panda Express at JFK. I'm a classy broad."
As physically demanding as the movie was, Portman told us that it brought the two of them closer.
"It's interesting always to see someone working who you only know socially," she said. "It's great to see someone do so beautifully in a work context after you know they're just a fun, cool person."
Will you see "Black Swan" when it opens? Tell us in the comments!
Check out everything we've got on "Black Swan."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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America's Next Top Model' Coach Miss J Recalls Big Break On 'When I Was 17
'I put on this attitude,' the runway trainer says of his Jean Paul Gaultier encounter as a teen.
By Jocelyn Vena
These days, Miss J is as recognizable to people outside the fashion community as he is to those inside, thanks to his signature walk and sassy attitude displayed week after week as a runway coach on "America's Next Top Model." But when he was a teenager, he was just trying to figure out how to pronounce Jean-Paul Gaultier's name.
"When I was 17, I became very into the fashion world," he recalls on this week's episode of "When I Was 17," which also features "Hills" alum Audrina Patridge and Cee Lo Green. "So one day, my friend said, 'Oh my God, I just read in The New York Times that designer Jean-Paul Gaultier is coming to New York, and he's doing a fashion show. He's using models from the street. Maybe you should go see him.' And I didn't know who he was."
Besides not knowing who the French designer was, he also didn't think he had what it took to model. "And I thought, 'Model?' " he recalled, noting that he didn't think he was "perfect" enough for that career. " 'My skin's too dark, my nose is too wide, my lips are too full.' But I thought, 'Why not?'
"I went to Bergdorf Goodman for the casting," he continued. "There was hundreds of people waiting. I thought to myself, 'What's gonna make me stand out?' and I just thought, 'Be yourself, personality.' I had nothing else to sell."
His encounter with the designer was a bit rocky, but it all worked out in the end, thanks to his signature strut. "When I got to see him, he said, 'Hello.' And I said, 'Hello.' He put me in clothing, and I remember I wasn't wearing underwear that day. I wasn't wearing panties, but I hid in the corner, put on the outfit and I put on this attitude... but I got the show."
"When I Was 17" — this week featuring Cee Lo, Audrina Patridge and Miss J — premieres Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV.
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