Monday 26 December 2011

Michael Buble's Christmas Tops Billboard Again

Justin Bieber, Adele make gains in slow week.
By Gil Kaufman


Michael Buble's Christmas
Photo: Reprise

Michael Bublé looks poised to run the board for the next few weeks as his Christmas album will hold on to the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 albums chart for a second week thanks to sales of 293,000. During a cycle when most of the top 20 saw steep double-digit sales dips, smooth crooner Bublé's ode to the holiday season was up 29 percent as it passed the 1 million mark, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan.

Meanwhile, Adele's

id="1675219">Grammy-nominated 21 is up slightly as it climbs five spots to #2 on sales of 144,000, further padding her league-leading totals (4.8 million) to date this year. Justin Bieber's Under the Mistletoe is also up, moving three spots to #3, even as sales dipped by 11 percent to 133,000.

The rest of the top 10: Drake, Take Care (#4, 90,000, down 48 percent), Nickelback, Here and Now (#5, 78,000, down 68 percent), Mary J. Blige, My Life II ... The Journey Continues (#6, 72,000, down 54 percent), Rihanna, Talk That Talk (#7, down 66 percent), Andrea Bocelli, Concerto: One Night in Central Park (#8, 61,000), NOW 40 (#9) and Lady Antebellum, Own the Night (#10, 48,000).

With some former top 10 dwellers falling out of the upper echelon (Coldplay, Daughtry), a flood of Christmas albums creeps up the ranks, including "America's Got Talent" winner Jackie Evancho's Heavenly Christmas (up 17 spots to #15, 37,000), Bocelli's My Christmas (up 33 to #17, 35,000) and perennial faves Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas Symphony (up 51 to #17, 35,00).

Among the only new faces are Trey Songz, whose Inevitable comes in at #23 (27,000) and pop rockers Hot Chelle Rae, who sneak into the top 50 at #48 with their second album, Whatever (18,000).

Bublé keeps his winning streak going on the iTunes albums chart, holding on to the #1 spot, with Drake, Adele, Rihanna, Coldplay and Bieber right behind. Rounding out the top 10 are Nickelback, the Killers' (RED) Christmas charity EP, She & Him's A Very She & Him Christmas and the "Glee" cast's Glee: The Music, the Christmas Album, Vol. 2.

On the iTunes singles chart, Bruno Mars holds it down for the #1 "Twilight" movie franchise with his song from the "Breaking Dawn" soundtrack, "It Will Rain," which keeps Rihanna's "We Found Love" out of the top spot. Just behind are LMFAO with "Sexy and I Know It," Flo Rida's "Good Feeling," Kanye West and Jay-Z's "N---as in Paris," Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger," T-Pain's "5 O'Clock," Katy Perry's "The One That Got Away," Adele's "Someone Like You" and David Guetta's "Without You."

Bublé may lose his spot for a bit next week when he faces competition from the Black Keys' El Camino, as well as new albums from the Roots, Robin Thicke, T-Pain and a posthumous collection from Amy Winehouse .

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Rihanna, Usher Added To Grammy Nominations Concert

Lady Gaga, Ludacris, Lupe Fiasco and the Band Perry also scheduled to perform at November 30 event.
By Jocelyn Vena


Rihanna performs in concert (file)
Photo: WireImage

Rihanna and Usher have been added to the performance lineup for "The Grammy Nominations Concert Live! Countdown to Music's Biggest Night," set to go down November 30.

They join already announced acts Lady Gaga, Ludacris, Lupe Fiasco, Sugarland and Jason Aldean. Country crossover act the Band Perry will perform a full concert of their own after the Grammy nominations concert wraps up at L.A. Live's Nokia Theatre. LL Cool J will again host the show, which will air at 10 p.m. on CBS, Billboard.com reports. This marks the fourth year the Recording Academy had held one of these concerts.

As some of music's biggest names take the stage during the special, the nominations for major Grammy categories will be announced. The awards ceremony will go down February 12 at the Staples Center, and will air live at 8 p.m.

Over the course of her career, Rihanna has taken home four Grammy Awards including Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Umbrella," two trophies for "Run This Town" (including Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration) and Best Dance Recording for "Only Girl (In the World)." Rihanna is currently riding high on the forthcoming release of her new album, Talk That Talk, and two buzzworthy singles, "We Found Love" and "You Da One."

In the thirteen years he's been nominated for Grammys, Usher has amassed seven, including wins for Best R&B Vocal Performance Male for "U Remind Me," Best R&B Vocal Performance Male for "U Don't Have To Call," Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Yeah," Best Contemporary R&B Album for Confessions, Best R&B Vocal Performance By a Duo/Group for "My Boo," Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "There Goes My Baby" as well as Best Contemporary R&B Album for Raymond v. Raymond.

Recently, he has been taking over airwaves with his David Guetta track, "Without You."

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Each year, folks all around the world try to outdo one another with elaborate Xmas lights displays at their homes in order to spread Xmas tree (supposedly) and sometimes, some folks come up with very inventive ways of using their lights creatively. This year, a very creative person decidided to turn their home into an [...]

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Usher Gets 'Emotional' On David Guetta's 'Without You'

DJ/producer calls their collabo the 'biggest record' on his just-released Nothing but the Beat.
By Akshay Bhansali


Usher
Photo: Todd Williamson/ WireImage

David Guetta recently told MTV News that the Usher collabo "Without You" is the "biggest record" on his just-released Nothing but the Beat.

It's a rather bold statement, considering his latest album also features Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, will.i.am, Akon, Timbaland, Nicki Minaj and Jennifer Hudson, just to name a few. But Guetta has a soft spot for the cinematic team-up with Ush, which he says is equal parts sentimental and hands-in-the-air euphoric.

"It's just totally emotional," Guetta said. "Some of the record is a proper ballad, and then it goes to that crazy dance beat. It's perfect for him, because he's famous for his ballads. And he's also now famous for those big club records that he comes with. He's an amazing dancer, so I felt like he was the artist that I needed."

Usher and Guetta first previewed the song in Ibiza, Spain, earlier this summer, with the crowd demanding an encore performance of the sure-to-be-hit song.

"It was amazing," Guetta gushed. "We were not supposed to do this. I always do these kinds of stupid things, playing records when I'm not supposed to play them. And Usher was so excited for this time to be in Ibiza performing in front of those people. He called me onstage and said, 'Come on. Let's do it.' So we did it, and, yeah, they loved it. We had to do it again! They asked for one more."

For some, the combination of Usher and Guetta might seem out of left field. While the DJ/producer works with a variety of artists, he has a pretty tight-knit musical family — but it may come as a surprise that Guetta has known Usher the longest.

"I actually speak very often about how thankful I am to will.i.am because he called me to produce 'I Gotta Feeling'; Akon, when we started to work together, because I wasn't famous in America; Kelly Rowland and all those guys that came to me when I was not known yet," Guetta said. "But I have to say that the very first time when someone big from America asked me if I want to work with him, it was Usher. Like, a really long time ago, but we never had the time to do it. So I was so happy to be finally in the studio with him, because he spotted me when I was really not famous yet."

Usher and Guetta already shot the video for "Without You" in Ibiza. The song will follow up Guetta's current single, "Little Bad Girl," which features Ludacris and Taio Cruz.

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Selma Blair & Her Barefoot Babe

Actress Selma Blair and her beau Jason Bleick enjoyed a stroll together through their Los Angeles, Calif. neighbourhood with son Arthur Saint on Christmas Eve. The couple had just enjoyed lunch at a local Chipotle Mexican Grill.

The 4-month-old cutie looked as mellow as ever as he bopped along in his signature BabyBjörn carrier.

Top Story? (feature beneath menu): 
no

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Sunday 25 December 2011

Pet Tags

Man, I'm so irritated.

I just received four pets tags that I ordered for Bev and Mary Margaret (two for Brooklyn and two for LA) and they're all messed up. Not only did they leave off the "Margaret" on Mary Margaret's tags, but the text isn't centered correctly and runs off the right side on all four of them. (The last letter of the address is cut in half.) The tags themselves are also ugly. The edges aren't smoothed out... they look like someone just cut them from a piece of sheet metal and called it a day.

So anyway, I got them this morning on my way to Starbucks (yesterday's mail), so while I was there, I started drafting a strongly-worded letter in my head, like what I was going to say to these people when I sent them back.

And then I saw it.

In tiny print on the bottom of the invoice it said, "Our handicapped employees appreciate your order."

So now I can't send them back. If I did I'd be a total asshole.

I'm just going to order new ones from someplace else. Any recommendations?

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Ke$ha Drops Lil Wayne, T.I., Wiz Khalifa 'Sleazy' Remix

Remix also features Andre 3000 and is a bit racier than the original track.
By Jocelyn Vena


Ke$ha performs at Bayfront Park Amphitheater on August 7, 2011 in Miami, Florida.
Photo: Larry Marano/ Getty Images

As promised, Ke$ha and her boys Lil Wayne, T.I., Wiz Khalifa and Andre 3000 dropped a new remix of "Sleazy" on Tuesday (December 13).

The Bangladesh-produced song originally appeared on K-Dollar's 2010 Cannibal album before a remix featuring Andre popped up earlier this year. The latest version of the song is available for purchase and is all over blogs like Rap-Up.com. The song gets a bit dirtier and introspective thanks to verses from the guys that play up the track's bumping beat.

Wiz kicks it off, rapping about designer clothes and his lady love, Amber Rose. "OK, I'm young and I'm tatted/ I get them bucks like an addict/ Rocking this Christian Dior/ I spend so much on my fabric/ I got a wifey at home/ And what she wants she can have it," he spits before going on about chilling on the beach, being rich and his prowess in the bedroom.

Sitting in between Wiz and Tip is Andre's recycled verse, before T.I. gets his shot and gets sexy, asking Ke$ha, "Do you know what to do with me?" before he launches into a verse all about how good he is to the ladies. "Bad bitches know me/ So don't bother introducing me/ They want me more than diamonds," he brags before explaining that it has a lot to do with his impressive anatomy.

Wayne closes it out, adding his own signature flair. "We be on that sh-- that no one be on/ That's what we on/ Smoke that neon, Kings of Leon/ Dynamite, Napoleon/ Got some skinnies and a tee on/ And some Vans," he rhymes about his famous sense of Weezy-fied style before the song circles back to the funky chorus, where Ke$ha declares that she doesn't "need you or your brand-new Benz/ Or your bougie friends/ I don't need love lookin' like diamonds/ Lookin' like diamonds."

If any of K's fans or critics were wondering if she has the swagger to chill with the guys, she displayed some of her sass when she tweeted about the remix. "Question ANIMALS ... who can say they got with Lil Wayne, T.I., Andre 3000 and Wiz Khalifa on a f---ing hot track??" she asked. "ill give u one clue ... Its $."

What do you think of the "Sleazy" remix? Tell us in the comments!

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Beyonce Slinks Around In 'Dance For You' Teases

Full-length video will be featured on deluxe edition of B's 'Live at Roseland' DVD.
By Jocelyn Vena


Beyoncé in "Dance With Me"
Photo: Columbia Records

Beyoncé just wants to "Dance for You" in new teases for her 4 album track. The sexy video will be featured in the deluxe edition of Queen B's "Live at Roseland" DVD special, out November 29.

In two clips posted on Aceshowbiz.com, Beyoncé dons hot pants, garters and a slinky wrap dress as she performs a sexy dance routine on a desk. The video has a film noir vibe, as a private eye-type character watches Beyoncé as she dances.

In the other tease, Beyoncé, in the same outfit, dances seductively in front of a chair as the camera cuts to the detective fellow watching her.

"Dance for You" is one of three tracks featured as bonus material on the deluxe version of 4, along with "Lay Up Under Me" and "Schoolin' Life." The track was produced by The-Dream and features writing credits from Tricky Stewart as well as Beyoncé. It's a sexy R&B jam about keeping things hot with her man. On it, she sings, "Tonight I'm gonna dance for you/ Tonight I'm gonna dance for you/ Tonight I'm gonna put my body on your body/ Boy, I like it when you watch me/ Tonight it's going down."

"Live at Roseland" was filmed in August over four shows performed at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City. It features Beyoncé recounting anecdotes about her career while she performs some of her older tracks, before launching into a nonstop performance of 4 played straight through.

The standard edition of "Live at Roseland" hit shelves this week, along with concert specials from Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift. Adele also drops her "Live at Royal Albert Hall" DVD on November 29.

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Ke$ha Drops Lil Wayne, T.I., Wiz Khalifa 'Sleazy' Remix

Remix also features Andre 3000 and is a bit racier than the original track.
By Jocelyn Vena


Ke$ha performs at Bayfront Park Amphitheater on August 7, 2011 in Miami, Florida.
Photo: Larry Marano/ Getty Images

As promised, Ke$ha and her boys Lil Wayne, T.I., Wiz Khalifa and Andre 3000 dropped a new remix of "Sleazy" on Tuesday (December 13).

The Bangladesh-produced song originally appeared on K-Dollar's 2010 Cannibal album before a remix featuring Andre popped up earlier this year. The latest version of the song is available for purchase and is all over blogs like Rap-Up.com. The song gets a bit dirtier and introspective thanks to verses from the guys that play up the track's bumping beat.

Wiz kicks it off, rapping about designer clothes and his lady love, Amber Rose. "OK, I'm young and I'm tatted/ I get them bucks like an addict/ Rocking this Christian Dior/ I spend so much on my fabric/ I got a wifey at home/ And what she wants she can have it," he spits before going on about chilling on the beach, being rich and his prowess in the bedroom.

Sitting in between Wiz and Tip is Andre's recycled verse, before T.I. gets his shot and gets sexy, asking Ke$ha, "Do you know what to do with me?" before he launches into a verse all about how good he is to the ladies. "Bad bitches know me/ So don't bother introducing me/ They want me more than diamonds," he brags before explaining that it has a lot to do with his impressive anatomy.

Wayne closes it out, adding his own signature flair. "We be on that sh-- that no one be on/ That's what we on/ Smoke that neon, Kings of Leon/ Dynamite, Napoleon/ Got some skinnies and a tee on/ And some Vans," he rhymes about his famous sense of Weezy-fied style before the song circles back to the funky chorus, where Ke$ha declares that she doesn't "need you or your brand-new Benz/ Or your bougie friends/ I don't need love lookin' like diamonds/ Lookin' like diamonds."

If any of K's fans or critics were wondering if she has the swagger to chill with the guys, she displayed some of her sass when she tweeted about the remix. "Question ANIMALS ... who can say they got with Lil Wayne, T.I., Andre 3000 and Wiz Khalifa on a f---ing hot track??" she asked. "ill give u one clue ... Its $."

What do you think of the "Sleazy" remix? Tell us in the comments!

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Jack, My Narcoleptic Nephew Update

Remember when I wrote this post about how my nephew Jack can sleep anywhere?

Well, here's the latest:

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Saturday 24 December 2011

Usher - OMG

OMG

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Courtney Love Evicted From Her Townhouse… After Setting It On Fire

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Usher And David Guetta 'Proud' Of 'Without You'

'When you see R&B and pop and house, as well as electronic, come together, that's the reality of what music is,' Usher tells MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena, with additional reporting by Jim Cantiello


Usher
Photo: MTV News

When Usher and David Guetta hooked up for the French DJ's latest album, Nothing but the Beat, the two superstars created a chart-topping smash, "Without You," that combines Guetta's ear for house beats and Usher's ability to convey a range of emotions with his voice. It's a song that has really stuck with fans of all genres of music.

The track — a swirling pop ode to not giving up on love in the face of adversity — struck Usher with its emotional core.

"David Guetta is an amazing artist," he told MTV News last week at a Pencils of Promise charity event. "We talked for many years about working together, and we found a record that was incredible."

Usher said it was a song that resonated with him personally. "I think the world wanted a record like that. That [song] really spoke to the journey that I've actually been on in the last three years," he said. "Traveling all around the world, music sounds different. There's many different genres, and when you see R&B and pop and house, as well as electronic, come together, that's the reality of what music is."

When MTV News talked to Guetta on the American Music Awards red carpet Sunday, he said "Without You" is a standout track on the album. The LP dropped earlier this year and also includes Nicki Minaj, who performed with Guetta at the AMAs.

"It's one of my favorite songs," he said. "It's just, I'm a DJ, so I want to make people dance always, but I also want to give emotions. When it comes to that, 'Without You' is probably one of the most emotional songs that I've done, and yes, I'm very proud of that record."

What do you think about "Without You"? Share your reviews in the comments!

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Justin Bieber - Mistletoe

Mistletoe

  • Artist: Justin Bieber
  • Label: Island Records, RBMG
  • Director: Roman White

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'The X Factor' Finale Preview: Who Should Win?

Thursday night, one of the three remaining contestants on The X Factor will walk away with a record-setting $5 million recording contract. Simon Cowell's search for the next "global superstar" has come down to Virgin Islands R&B crooner Melanie Amaro, 19, soulful Ohio rocker Josh Krajcik, 30, and Californian hip hip artist Chris Rene, 28. So after Wednesday night's final performance, how are the odds looking for these three very different musicians?

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Friday 23 December 2011

Ke$ha - Your Love Is My Drug

Your Love Is My Drug

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Usher - Without You

Without You

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Ryan Reynolds Takes Blake Lively Home for the Holidays

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Adam Lambert & Sauli Koskinen Busted In Finland!

Last night in Helsinki, Finland former American Idol Adam Lambert and his boyfriend Sauli Koskinen were arrested after the couple became involved in an … altercation of some sort. Reports are sketchy about what exactly happened before the guys were arrested but Dr. Funkberry seems to have the most reasonable report on what allegedly went [...]

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The X-Factor Crowns Its First Winner!

After thousands auditioned and millions voted, it all came down to three finalists on the first season of the American edition of The X-Factor. But only one could take the title and on Dec. 22, the champ was finally chosen. … Continue reading

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In Memoriam: Nate Dogg, Heavy D Among Stars We Lost In 2011

MTV News remembers 'Jackass' daredevil Ryan Dunn, Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr and Cali Swag District's M-Bone, among others.
By Tami Katzoff


Nate Dogg
Photo: Mark Sullivan/ WireImage

This year we lost some of our brightest stars: artists that spanned the genres of rock, hip-hop and pop, as well as TV and film. They were at different stages in their careers — some just starting to rise, others already legends — but all left a distinct mark on pop culture, and their deaths affected us deeply.

Beloved hip-hop icons Nate Dogg and Heavy D influenced the generations of artists who followed them. Nate (born Nathaniel Hale) died at age 41 after suffering several health setbacks related to a stroke. One of the key players in the birth of the West Coast G-Funk sound, the crooner's silky smooth vocals touched classic tracks from Snoop Dogg and Warren G to 50 Cent and Ludacris. Fun-loving Heavy D, a major force in the New Jack Swing era, had hits with songs like "We Found Love" and "Nuttin' But Love," but he had also branched out into film and theater. He was 44 when he died this past fall.

Photos: The celebrities gone too soon in 2011.

We lost Mike Starr, former bassist for the groundbreaking Seattle grunge band Alice in Chains. Like Amy Winehouse, who also died this year at the age of 27, Starr's talent was often overshadowed by dependency on alcohol and drugs.

Gun violence claimed the life of 22-year-old Montae Talbert, the Cali Swag District dancer otherwise known as M-Bone. And Australian actor Andy Whitfield, who got his big break when he was cast as the lead in the Starz TV series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand," was 39 when he succumbed to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Finally, the MTV family mourned the death of "Jackass" daredevil and "Viva La Bam" star Ryan Dunn. The 34-year-old died on a rural Pennsylvania road along with his 30-year-old passenger, Zachary Hartwell, when their car slammed into a guardrail and caught fire.

Share your memories of those we lost this year in the comments below.

MTV continues our Best of 2011 coverage by looking back at the biggest pop-culture stories of the year. As we count down the newsmakers that mattered to you most, also check out our Best Artists, Best Songs, Best MTV Live Performances and Best EDM Artists of 2011.

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Lady Gaga, Britney, Taylor Swift, Beyonce Drop Concert DVDs

Four pop divas released concert specials on Monday — just in time for Black Friday!
By Jocelyn Vena


Taylor Swift
Photo: Getty Images

Music fans planning to burn off those post-Thanksgiving calories with some holiday shopping are in luck: Some of pop's biggest divas dropped live DVDs on Monday (November 21): Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Britney Spears all have concert specials out, just in time for your Black Friday wish list. Here, MTV News breaks down the four releases (and one more to watch out for).

Taylor Swift

Just as Taylor wraps up her Speak Now Tour this week, the American Music Award winner is releasing "Speak Now World Tour - Live." The 18-song DVD features Swift performing some of her biggest tracks during that arena-filling trek. And if that's not enough Taylor, there's also a 16-song CD that fans can snatch up.

Beyoncé

Filmed over four shows in New York, weeks before B announced her pregnancy at the VMAs, the "Live at Roseland" DVD special shows the Queen B recounting some of the greatest moments of her career before launching into a nonstop live performance of her 4 album. It also includes behind-the-scenes footage that gives fans their first look at the wedding dress Beyoncé wore the day she married Jay-Z.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga is giving her little monsters a front row seat to her epic Monster Ball Tour. Filmed during stops at Madison Square Garden earlier this year, the concert originally aired on HBO and earned the pop star an Emmy. The DVD also includes previously unseen material that didn't make the final cut on HBO. In addition, Gaga is releasing a new album, Born This Way - The Remix, today.

Britney Spears

After debuting her Femme Fatale live concert special on Epix earlier this month, Spears is releasing the spectacle on DVD this week for those who may have missed it. Full of costume changes, swirling dance numbers and a sexy lap dance, this special is perfect for the Brit enthusiast.

One to Pre-Order: Adele

A fifth diva will get into the game on Cyber Monday. On November 28, Adele drops her own concert special, "Live at the Royal Albert Hall." And given that it might be a while before the singer hits the road again (she's on the mend from throat surgery), the DVD will at least give fans a taste of Adele's live stage show.

Share your concert DVD shopping picks in the comments section!

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Madonna Fan Arrested For 'Gimme All Your Luvin' Leak

Recordings of the new song, featuring Nicki Minaj and M.I.A., found in 31-year-old's belongings after leak was traced to Spain, police say.
By Andrea Duncan-Mao


Madonna
Photo: Getty

Just over a month after a demo of Madonna's "Gimme All Your Luvin" was leaked online, police have arrested a 31-year-old fan. After the icon's lawyers traced the leak to Spain, the man, whose full name has not been released, was arrested in the northern city of Zaragoza. Police, who have only confirmed the suspect's initials as J.M.R., describe the man as "a big Madonna fan" and say they found recordings of the song in his belongings.

The track, which features Nicki Minaj and M.I.A., was leaked without M.I.A.'s vocals. When it surfaced in early November, Madonna's longtime manager Guy Oseary voiced his displeasure via Twitter, writing, "The plan was for new music to come out in the new year. I'm very happy with the positive reaction to the demo, but we are very upset with whoever leaked the song! We are asking that the fans please help us police any more leaks. We have a lot in store for you. But please respect the process." An unhappy Madge also weighed in, via Oseary, saying, "My true fans wouldn't do this. Whoever is responsible for this leak, we ask that you please stop!"

Earlier this month, both Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. tweeted saucy details from the set of the video shoot for the song. Minaj gushed about kissing Madonna, while M.I.A. teased that they had a "3sum."

No word on when the video will be released, but Madonna's upcoming as-yet-untitled new album is expected to drop in the spring of 2012. It will feature production from Ray of Light producer William Orbit. Madonna is also slated to perform at the Super Bowl in February, which coincides with the release of her film "W.E."

Do you agree with Madonna that "true fans" wouldn't leak the song? Share your thoughts below!

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Thursday 22 December 2011

Watch: The Angry Birds Xmas Lights House Is Awesome

Each year, folks all around the world try to outdo one another with elaborate Xmas lights displays at their homes in order to spread Xmas tree (supposedly) and sometimes, some folks come up with very inventive ways of using their lights creatively. This year, a very creative person decidided to turn their home into an [...]

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Lady Gaga To Leak Unreleased Track On Christmas Day

'Been racking my brain on what to get Little Monsters for Christmas!! I finally figured it out!!' singer tweeted.
By Christina Garibaldi


Lady Gaga in Japan on Tuesday
Photo: TwitPic

It will certainly be a merry Christmas for all of Lady Gaga's Little Monsters. Mother Monster herself will play Santa to all her fans when she presents them with an unreleased song on Christmas Day.

"Been racking my brain on what to get Little Monsters for Christmas!! I finally figured it out!!" Gaga tweeted on Thursday (December 22). "On Christmas Day I will leak to you an unreleased Song off Born This Way! It was recorded live, in one take, on the tour bus. Uncensored."

Gaga is currently in Japan, where she will be spending the holiday. "Well, I'll be in Japan right up until Christmas Day," Gaga told MTV News earlier this month. "So I'll be eating with all my Japanese Little Monsters. I like shabu shabu [a form of Japanese hot pot]."

On Tuesday, Gaga tweeted, "Sipping tea in Japan with Haus. Feeling so grateful. We sold about 1 million albums a month worldwide since the release of BORN THIS WAY."

That's not the only thing Gaga has to celebrate. She revealed via Twitter that she is "so happy" that "Hello, Hello," her duet with Elton John, is one of 39 tracks on the short list for a possible Oscar nomination in the Best Original Song category.

Lady Gaga, who was MTV News' Top Newsmaker of 2011, will be ringing in the new year in her hometown of New York. The "Marry the Night" singer, along with Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj, LMFAO and Florence and the Machine, will watch the ball drop at the 40th annual "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve." The event will be hosted by Ryan Seacrest, with appearances by Fergie and Jenny McCarthy.

Are you excited for Lady Gaga's new song? Let us know in the comments.

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Beyoncé - Dance For You

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Lady Gaga 'So Happy' About Oscar Recognition

Pop star's duet with Elton John, 'Hello Hello,' is on short list for Best Original Song.
By Jocelyn Vena


Lady Gaga performs at the EMAs
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

How does Lady Gaga feel about making the short list for the Best Original Song race at the Oscars? Well, she's pretty excited.

"Just heard my duet 'Hello, Hello' with Elton [John] is up for nomination at the Oscars! 'Gnomeo & Juliet' is such a beautiful film," she wrote on Twitter. "I'm so happy!!"

On Monday, it was announced that the Gaga/Elton duet is one of the 39 tracks vying for a nomination. will.i.am's "Rio" track, "Hot Wings," Mary J. Blige's "The Living Proof" from "The Help," and Zooey Deschanel's "Winnie the Pooh" track, "So Long," along with multiple tracks from "The Muppets," are also in the running. The final nominations will be announced January 24, and the awards show is slated to take place February 26 at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles.

Gaga is celebrating her latest achievement in Japan, where she will spend the holidays. "Well, I'll be in Japan right up until Christmas Day," she recently told MTV News. "So I'll be eating with all my Japanese Little Monsters. I like shabu shabu [a type of Japanese hotpot]."

Since touching down, Mother Monster has been keeping her fans up-to-date on what she's been up to on Twitter. "Sipping tea in Japan with Haus. Feeling so grateful," she wrote. "We sold about 1 million albums a month worldwide since the release of BORN THIS WAY."

The busy holiday season caps off an even busier year for Lady Gaga, who happened to be MTV News' Top Newsmaker of 2011. She tirelessly released singles, videos, personas and a chart-topping album (Born This Way) and scooped up awards at seemingly every show from the Grammys to the VMAs. She was also #5 on our list of Best Artists of 2011, and her disco empowerment track "Born This Way" snagged the #5 spot on the Best Songs of 2011 list as well.

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Daniel Craig: "I Tried My Best" to Get Fat for 'Dragon Tattoo'

The star of 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' tells iVillage he drank red wine and ate pizza to prepare for his buzz-worthy new role

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Movie Review: ‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol’

Yesterday afternoon, before I met up with Adriana for our Tori Amos concert last night, David and I met up with Darion in Century City to see Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. To be honest, I think I wanted to see the flick more than I wanted to admit to myself and since David and [...]

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Man Sentenced To 1 Year In Prison For Pirating ‘Wolverine’

Remember way back in 2009 when an unfinished work print of the Fox film X-Men Origins: Wolverine was leaked to the Internets one month before the film was due to open in theaters and a full out FBI investigation was launched to find out who leaked the film? Yeah, well, today we learn that the [...]

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VOTE! Would You Wear These Celeb Styles?

Would you wear these outfits? You be the judge about the stars' (Taylor Swift! Jennifer Hudson!) fashion choices

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Wednesday 21 December 2011

'The Adventures of Tintin': The Reviews Are In!

Film has been wildly successful overseas, but critics wonder if it's worth the hype.
By Kevin P. Sullivan


"The Adventures of Tintin"
Photo: Paramount

It has already made a killing overseas, but now it's time for "The Adventure of Tintin" to make a splash in the States. Though not as widely known in the U.S., Tintin has the help of two of today's most popular filmmakers, director Steven Spielberg and producer Peter Jackson.

The reviews are generally positive for "The Adventures of Tintin," with 75 percent of critics' approval, according to RottenTomatoes.com. We've taken our own sampling of the critical response, so here's a rundown on what they have to say.

The Story
" 'The Adventures of Tintin' derives mainly from three World War II-era books, 'The Crab With the Golden Claws,' 'The Secret of the Unicorn' and 'Red Rackham's Treasure.' These titles mean a great deal to Tintin's European fan base — the film has already made close to a quarter-billion dollars overseas — and less so to the average American multiplex visitor. The script, by Steven Moffat and the team of Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish follows Tintin (who looks either 12, 22 or somewhere in between) and his faithful dog Snowy as they come into possession of a model sailing ship, the Unicorn, containing a clue to the whereabouts of a vast treasure. Kidnapped and bundled on board a steamship commanded by the career alcoholic Capt. Haddock, our boy-man hero becomes the pawn in an age-old duel between Haddock, a good old sot, and the sinister Sakharine." — Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

The Performance Capture
"I'm not one of those people with a knee-jerk disdain for motion capture (I enjoyed 'The Polar Express' and loved Jim Carrey in 'A Christmas Carol'), but in 'Tintin,' the technique that renders all that movement so flowing and frictionless also makes the characters come off as if their souls were made of sponge. Is this the 'uncanny valley' — the much-discussed phenomenon whereby motion-capture characters look just human enough so that what's missing from their eyes is subtly disquieting?" — Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

The 3-D
"I was surprised by how much I enjoyed myself. Spielberg not only uses 3-D but bases his story on one of Europe's most beloved comic characters. The 3-D he pulls off, just as Scorsese did in 'Hugo,' because he employs it as an enhancement to 2-D instead of an attention-grabbing gimmick." — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The Actors
"If the mocap technique falls somewhere between live-action and animated moviemaking, the same goes for the performances, which are altogether fluid yet sometimes (especially in certain dialogue-heavy sequences) give the impression of watching a very realistic video game with the sound turned up a few thousand notches. [Andy] Serkis ('King Kong,' 'The Lord of the Rings') nonetheless manages to turn Haddock into what will surely be the trilogy's most memorable personage, while [Jamie] Bell ('Billy Elliot') makes Tintin about as interesting as he can be, which is to say sometimes less so than his dog." — Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter

The Final Word
"Though the acting is uniformly strong, the story just isn't engrossing, particularly for those not familiar with Tintin comics. There are a few spectacular scenes, such as a biplane flying into a lightning storm and a crash-landing in the Sahara, but the thrills are sporadic. Chases abound but none is breathtaking. ... The much-publicized collaboration between producer Peter Jackson and Spielberg sets high expectations. But while the technical artistry is there, the film lacks a sense of magic, intrigue and mystery." — Claudia Puig, USA Today

Check out everything we've got on "The Adventure of Tintin."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Captain America

Go see Captain America this weekend! Support our Colin!

I went to the premiere on Tuesday and it was the coolest thing ever. First, the movie is AMAZING and Chris Evans is a superstar. Second, there were so many damn people there it was insane. I have been to movie premieres in New York before and they were nothing like this. I mean, they closed down Hollywood Boulevard. I would've taken photos to show you, but the invite said to leave phones in the car. But here's a photo of me in my cool Captain America 3D glasses:

(Sit down, stop jumping around, it's an awesome picture, I know. And the quality is amazing. It's not grainy or reddish... it's perfect.) (No, it's not.)

(And you can totally see the Captain America logo on the side of the glasses.) (No, you can't.)

Anyway, Captain America is pulling a strong 71% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes right now so GO SEE IT! IT'S FANTASTIC! 

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