It sounds like we should keep our eyes peeled for Watch The Throne 2. To be sure, Jay-Z and Kanye West both have plenty to do once they’ve wrapped up their tour behind their first joint LP. (Jay-Z has music to write for a film adaptation of Annie, starring Willow Smith; Kanye has a Kardashian to date). But the two appear serious about a sequel, according to West associate Mike Dean. In an interview with Quiet Lunch, Dean rattled off the projects occupying his own time, and called out Watch The Throne 2, saying “it’s coming.” Watch below.

Dean, a longtime West friend who handled production on much of ‘Ye’s acclaimed My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in addition to Watch The Throne itself, told the magazine he’s working on the G.O.O.D. Music album in addition to the Jay-Kanye team-up album. (Fast forward to 5:34).

The notion of a follow-up to Watch The Throne had come up before: Jay-Z had hinted at it late last year, though he suggested he and Kanye might knock out their own solo albums first. Based on Dean’s comments, though, it sounds like perhaps a new Throne might be further along than we had reason to think.

Which would you rather hear first, a Watch The Throne 2 album, or new solo projects from Jay-Z and Kanye? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or in the comments.

[Via That Grape Juice]

Fans of electronic music, get ready for some news that will literally make you short-circuit: Daft Punk have gone into the studio with Giorgio Moroder. If you’re asking yourself who Giorgio Moroder is, first thing’s first — slap yourself. Hard. Second, wise up to the fact that the Italian producer revolutionized modern dance music in 1977 with “I Feel Love” (and these other Donna Summer hits), and kept the floors and charts filled with smashes like Blondie’s “Call Me”, Irene Cara’s “Flashdance…What a Feeling”, Phil Oakey’s “Together In Electric Dreams” and Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away”.

Alas, it doesn’t seem like the Grammy/Oscar winner was enlisted to write or produce for Daft Punk. Rather, he’s contributed a rap of sorts. What?

URB reports the following:

During a one-on-one interview at International Music Summit in Ibiza, the producer behind genre-defining songs such as “I Feel Love” and “The Chase” revealed that he recently went into the studio with the French duo.

The robots asked the Munich Machine to go into a vocal booth and speak about his life. In the studio were multiple microphones of various vintages from the ’60s to today. When Moroder asked the engineer why they had so many mics, he replied that the mic they would use would depend on what decade of his life he was speaking about. When Moroder asked if anyone would know the difference, the engineer replied “They will know.”

Disco has been in the news lately, though not all of it has been headlines to get up and dance over. Moroder’s former muse Donna Summer passed away last week at the age of 63. A mere three days later, Bee Gees legend Robin Gibb, 62, died. Both had been battling cancer in recent years.

Donna Summer's classic album covers

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In addition to 72-year-old Moroder, Chic member-turned-hit-making-producer Nile Rodgers stated earlier this year that he’d been collaborating with Daft Punk as well.

Excited, DP fans? Intrigued, at least? Let us know your thoughts below, or by hitting us up on Facebook and Twitter!

No Doubt will drop their first album in over a decade on September 25, but we’ll be getting a taste of the group’s new tunes much sooner than that. The SoCal band will perform at the 2012 Teen Choice Awards, their first live performance since 2009.

“You may have heard the rumors… and yes, we will be performing on the Teen Choice Awards in July!” the band wrote on their Twitter page. The 2012 Teen Choice Awards air July 22 at 8 p.m. EST on Fox. The Gwen Stefani-led group were previously nominated for three Teen Choice Awards, and won “Choice Music: Tour” for their 2004 Singles Tour.

Songs on No Doubt’s as-yet-untitled album include “Push And Shove”, which the band previewed during their premiere webisode chronicling the making of their sixth studio album.

gwen stefani: always in style

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You may have been surprised by Phillip Phillips‘ American Idol win on Wednesday, but the singer’s father, also named Phillip Phillips, revealed an even bigger shocker: the 21-year-old Georgian actually underwent a total of eight kidney surgeries during his tenure on the 11th season of Idol.

“He’s been doing [well], but it’s just grueling hours and it’s just amazing what he’s done through the journey,” the senior Phillips told People. “Eight operations since we started American Idol… He’s hitting 50 percent, but he’s still up there swinging away.”

In addition to snagging the Idol crown this year, Phillips achieved another victory yesterday when his coronation song “Home” rose to the top of the iTunes download chart. Today the plucky guitar jam is still sitting in the peak position at the online music retailer.

Phillip's goofiest 'Idol' Faces

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But according to People, before Phillips can head out on the annual Idols Live Tour, he still needs to undergo another surgery:

The younger Phillips, 21, suffered with a build up of kidney stones and underwent multiple operations to remove them. In the next few weeks, after another surgery to reconstruct his kidneys, he is expected to make a full recovery in time for the Idols Live tour.

“I’m going to get some surgery done, so I’m going to get all better for the tour,” the singer told reporters following his Idol triumph the other day. “It was very tough [getting through the season]. I had great doctors and great people surrounding me [who] really helped out, so it’s just a blessing to be here.”

Will you be heading out to see Phillip and the Season 11 singers when they hit the road this summer?

Kanye West managed to get his ish together the last few weeks and finish his new short film Cruel Summer in order to premiere it at Cannes. (“In a tent, in a car park, 40 minutes walk from the Palais”, a reporter for The Guardian, who was at the screening, clarifies. But still.) The premiere for Kanye’s 30-minute film, his first directorial effort since 2010′s Runaway, was attended by many, including its star, Kid Cudi, as well as West’s new piece of arm candy, Kim Kardashian.

But what is West’s latest epic even about? It’s been a bit of a mystery til now, though reading the plot synopsis doesn’t really clear up any of our questions, either. Jump below for details of the film and the screening — spoilers abound!

As described by The Guardian,

Cruel Summer stars West’s GOOD Music protege Kid Cudi as a bloke of bad stock. Dad was a car thief – Kid’s desperate not to follow in his footsteps, so instead he walks through a sparkly purple door into the middle of the desert. Men on horseback arrest him. He’s taken to a palace full of fruit. A blind girl plucks a giant guitar string. Cudi’s wrapped in bandages. A hawk flies. In, ultra, slow, motion. Cudi resolves to cure his love of her blindness. The cure for blindness is a remix of a song by Coldplay.

Um. What? Let’s try another plot synopsis, this time from the LA Times‘ 24-Frames:

Cudi stars as a thief of high-end sports cars who falls in love with a blind Arabic princess. But the princess’ father won’t allow the pair to marry unless the thief can help her see, so the hero must find a way to make it happen (metaphorically).

Yeah, still weird.

Even the way it was screened was over-the-top and unusual. Cruel Summer was presented across seven 20ft square screens — five screens across, one on the bottom and one floating above . “Maybe one day this will be the way we watch movies”, West said at the screening.

For those more interested in Kanye’s music than his cinematic exploits, there’s some good news for you: the soundtrack, excluding the aforementioned Coldplay remix, all hails from G.O.O.D. Music artists like Cudi, Pusha T and Big Sean. These tunes will be part of the hip-hop gang’s upcoming G.O.O.D. Music compilation, also titled Cruel Summer.

After screening the film in Cannes, West plans to take his film around the world. There’s no word on if we’ll get to see a version of it pop up online like his Runaway film, though we’re sure West will somehow give all his fans a way to see his latest work of art.

Elton John has cancelled three Las Vegas shows after being hospitalized on Wednesday (May 23). The legendary singer was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after developing a serious respiratory infection last weekend while performing at Caesar’s Palace. After extensive tests, John was instructed not to perform for another week so he could undergo treatment.

“It feels strange not to be able to perform these ‘Million Dollar Piano’ concerts at The Colosseum,” the 65-year-old “Tiny Dancer” artist said in a statement. “I love performing this show and I will be thrilled when we return to The Colosseum in October to complete the eleven concerts soon to be scheduled. All I can say to the fans is sorry I can’t be with you.”

elton john and channing tatum: dance partners

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Well, America, after Wednesday night’s (May 23) never-ending assembly line of celebrity guests and sequined bodysuits, you and your world record 132 million votes gave us a shocker, but not really, because the guys always win American Idol. Fellow citizens, even though in the end it really doesn’t matter who gets to call themselves the winner, you got it wrong. Yes, Phillip Phillips is a good performer, and his voice has character, and he would presumably write his own songs, which is admirable.

Phil is energetic, likable and earnest, and we’re sure he’ll have some success. But listening to him, it’s just nice. That’s it. Jessica Sanchez has a vocal gift. Her voice has the power to move you, to make your eyes well up, and to literally move you as in “get you to stand up out of your chair and throw your hands on top of your head because you can’t believe what you’re hearing.” By this reality singing competition’s eleventh season, let’s all just admit that the “crowd-sourcing our stars” experiment has officially failed.

Jessica proved that on her “And I Am Telling You…” duet with its original singer, Jennifer Holliday, in a performance that probably had a lot of people wishing they could take back their Phillip votes. You guys, this performance, what can we even say about it?! A 16-year-old has NO BUSINESS holding her own with a legendary power singer like that. It was the impressive spectacle we knew she was capable of, and exactly what she was missing on Tuesday night (May 22).

So while it was heartwarming to see Phil break down in tears in the middle of singing “Home” after his victory, Jessica’s duet is the moment people will remember from Season 11.

So how did we get to that last dramatic light-dimming and announcement? The show started with the season 11 rejects all in white (take THAT, Memorial Day fashion police) singing Bruno Mars‘ “Runaway Baby.” It felt like years ago that we had last heard the likes of Colton Dixon, Shannon Magrane, Jeremy Rosado, and Erika Van Pelt singing. But for the most part everyone sounded good.

Next, Phil was joined by the legendary John Fogerty for Creedence Clearwater Revival‘s “Have You Ever Seen The Rain?” and “Bad Moon Rising.” Yes, the author of your parents’ favorite anti-war anthem “Fortunate Son” was now performing on the Idol stage. Times they are a-changin’.

Then Joshua Ledet took the stage with his inspiration, Season 3 winner Fantasia, for Elton John‘s “Take Me To The Pilot.” And there was so much improvised screeching coming from both parties that the performance got cut off by the commercial break. Now that there’s no competition on the line, Josh apparently had no qualms about straight-up screaming through an entire song.

The ladies of the Top 12 were up next, with a medley of Chaka Khan‘s “Ain’t Nobody” and “Through The Fire” before a surprise visit from Chaka herself on “I’m Every Woman.”  Even today her voice cuts right through the air like a soulful ninja star.

Rihanna next took the stage for her latest smash hit “Where Have You Been” while sporting her new dreads. Whereas her SNL performance consisted mainly of crotch-patting, this one involved a laser pyramid, sky-dancers, shirtless tribal drummers, and overall she was more active and entertaining.

Rihanna, “Where Have You Been”

Sick of all the guest stars? Tough, we’re not even close to being done. Lil’ Reba a/k/a Skylar Laine fulfilled the prophecies by performing “Turn On The Radio” with Reba McEntire in what was one of the night’s most entertaining sets. Like Dr. Evil with Mini Me, Reba was happy to show off Skylar and it may end up being a “passing of the torch” moment.

Jessica then did what she always does to Whitney Houston songs with another take of “I Will Always Love You.” Do I even need to describe it? Just a classic sound from a barely-old-enough-to-drive girl.

And then…yikes. The guys of the Top 12 came together for a medley before Neil Diamond jumped in. And while our Idols (even Jeremy) sounded great, we think it might be time for Neil to hang it up. He did the William Shatner talk-sing thing through all of “Sweet Caroline” and we’re pretty sure he botched the “touch-ing youuuu” line. We feel bad, so we’re gonna stop talking about it.

After that, venerable judge Jennifer Lopez opened the 2004 time capsule and found Lil Jon so he backed her on “Goin’ In.” Her next song, “Follow The Leader”, was Jon-less. We have to say, we were expecting the backing track to do much more of the heavy lifting than it did. Bravo, JLo.

Among all the star power and music industry pimping, did you think Idol would fit in a moment for true love? We didn’t! But former contestants Ace Young and Diana DeGarmo walked onstage and Ace proposed and she said yes. Both were clearly nervous and she seemed genuinely shocked, so it was a touching moment. Except, ya know, for that part where Ace mentioned that it was sponsored by some jewelry company that we won’t mention because, God, how cheeser was that? Otherwise, though, cute.

After that, little Hollie Cavanagh and Jordin Sparks owned “You’ll Never Walk Alone” in another of the night’s highlights. We think Hollie might do OK after all.

But it was one step forward, two steps back as the guys paid “tribute” (using that word loosely) to the late Robin Gibb with a Bee Gees medley. Everyone was off-key and even Josh sounded flat, making this the worst performance of the night.

After that, of course, was Jessica’s ferocious, unreal duet. In a just world, Ryan Seacrest would’ve stopped the show at that point, torn up the envelope and handed her the trophy.

The second honorable judge was next up, as Steven Tyler joined drummer Guy Fieri and the rest of Aerosmith for their new song “Legendary Child”, which shocked us by how much it sounded like vintage Aerosmith. This is a good thing! They also played “Walk This Way” and ya know what? Tyler may not hit those high wails anymore, but they still got it.

And finally, Jessica and Phillip joined for a duet of “Up Where We Belong” right before being called up for the final results. Phillip Phillips won, confetti and tears fell, Jessica handled it like a pro, and that was that.

Congratulations to Phil, and also to Jessica. We look forward to seeing what those kids can do in the real world. Don’t you ruin them, Iovine!

Did Jessica get robbed, or was Phil the right choice? Sound off in the comments, or on Twitter and Facebook.

Rolling Stone pays tribute to the late Beastie Boys member Adam Yauch by putting MCA on the cover of their magazine. The music publication spoke to the surviving members of the band, Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz and Mike “Mike D” Diamond, where they shared memories about working with Yauch, how his Buddhism affected his songwriting, and how they reacted when he revealed that he had cancer — and how they’re currently dealing with his passing. “My wife is like, ‘I want to make sure you’re getting it out,’” shares Ad-Rock. “But then I’m walking the dog and I’ll start crying on the street.” Read excepts below.

From Ad-Rock’s interview:

“Yauch was in charge. He was smarter, more organized. In a group of friends, you all come up with stupid shit to do. But you never do it. With Yauch, it got done. He had that extra drive to see things through. We each had our roles. One of his was the make-it-happen person.”

When Yauch told Horovitz he had cancer: “He said, ‘I’m gonna be okay.’ He’s been right about most shit so far. So I believe him. You would get swept up in his excitement and positivity. We recorded a few months ago. It wasn’t any different from before. We spent more time making fart jokes and ordering food, which was true to form. That’s why it always took so long for us to put records out.”

How Yauch’s songwriting changed when he became a Buddhist: “His lyrics became simple ideas about love and non-violence. It was a struggle for Adam to write those things. Basic feelings come off as very Hallmark. But we went through that change together. I wrote the lyrics for the song ‘Gratitude’ [on Check Your Head], and Adam was like, ‘I really like that.’ It made me happy and proud that I had made him happy.”

From Mike D’s interview:

“Yauch was a gifted MC. It was his flow on things, rather than specific lyrics, that first blew Adam [Horovitz] and I away. Early on, we were in the studio, amazed by how Yauch made it seem so effortless. Horovitz and I were maybe a little jealous. And Rick [Rubin] said to me, ‘No, this is good. This is where Yauch is at. You sound like you’re working hard. You’re the working rapper.’ [Laughs] I’m still not sure what to take away from that.”

On his Buddhism: “He abandoned the band for months in the winter to go snowboarding, on this very serious level. Then it wasn’t snowboarding. He would disappear for two months of teaching by his Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala. He gradually incorporated that into the music. He was the first to realize we had this soapbox, and we needed to do something with it.”

On making music without Yauch: I can see making music. I don’t know about a band format. But Yauch would genuinely want us to try whatever crazy thing we wanted but never got around to.

beastie boys through the years

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The tribute issue of Rolling Stone also includes interviews with and stories from Billy Corgan, Spike Jonze, Rick Rubin and more. Pick it up on newsstands May 25.

After the passing of Bee Gees star Robin Gibb on Sunday at the age of 62, there’s been an outpouring of online tributes from the singer’s pop peers. The latest comes from Beyonce, who, as a member of Destiny’s Child, covered Australian artist Samantha Sang’s 1977 hit “Emotion”. The song was written by Robin and his brother Barry Gibb, and the original version sailed to #3 on the Hot 100 during the height of the Bee Gees’ success. (The Gibb backing vocals on the chorus are unmistakeable.)

Head below to read Beyonce’s words about Robin, and to flash back to Destiny’s Child’s cover of “Emotion”.

Beyonce noted the following on her official site:

The Bee Gees were an early inspiration for me, Kelly and Michelle. We loved their songwriting and beautiful harmonies. Recording their classic song, “Emotion,” was a special time for Destiny’s Child. Sadly we lost Robin Gibb this week. My heart goes out to his brother Barry and the rest of his family.

Samantha Sang — “Emotion” (original 1977 version, penned by Barry & Robin Gibb)

Destiny’s Child — “Emotion” (from 2001 album Survivor)

How will you remember Robin Gibb and the Bee Gees’ music? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or in the comments.

We’re not even halfway through 2012, and Jessie J has already got some major plans for 2013. The “Laserlight” singer has announced her Nice To Meet You tour, which will hit 14 cities in the UK and Ireland in February and March of next year. May we assume that this tour will coincide with the release of her sophomore album? We hope, as we’re curious to hear the end result of her studio time with Dianne Warren and Cee Lo Green.

Tickets for the shows go on sale from 9am on May 25, but for now, check out all the tour dates below.

Jessie J – 2012 Nice To Meet You Tour Dates

February 26 – Nottingham, Capital FM
February 27 – Brighton, Center
March 1 – Birmingham, LG Arena
March 2 – Manchester, Arena
March 3 – Sheffield, Motorpoint Arena
March 5 – Liverpool, Echo Arena
March 6 – Cardiff, Motorpoint Arena
March 7 – Bournemouth, International
March 9 – London, O2 Arena
March 12 – Newcastle, Arena
March 14 – Glasgow, SECC
March 15 – Aberdeen, AECC
March 17 – Belfast, Odyssey Arena
March 18 – Dublin, O2 Arena

jessie j rocks another bodysuit

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Kanye West had better be fully brushed up on his awards show etiquette by now, because he’ll be all over the 2012 BET Awards. West scored seven nominations in total, mostly for his work with Jay-Z as The Throne. (The rapper did nab a solo nom for Best Video Director, as well as one for his featured work on Big Sean‘s “Marvin & Chardonnay.”) Right behind Yeezy is Beyonce with six nominations, including two nods for Video Of The Year for her clips for “Countdown” and “Love On Top”. Check out all the nominees below.

Nominees Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj have been announced as performers, though it has yet to be announced how many tears Brown will shed at this year’s ceremony.

The show will be hosted by Samuel L. Jackson and will air July 1 on BET.

BET AWARDS 2012 NOMINATIONS

Best Female R&B Artist
Marsha Ambrosius
Beyoncé
Mary J. Blige
Melanie Fiona
Rihanna

Best Male R&B Artist
Chris Brown
Bruno Mars
Miguel
Trey Songz
Usher

Best Male Hip-Hop Artist
Big Sean
Drake
J. Cole
Lil Wayne
Rick Ross
Young Jeezy

Best Female Hip-Hop Artist
Nicki Minaj
Diamond
Trina
Brianna Perry

Best Group
Bad Meets Evil
Diddy-Dirty Money
Maybach Music Group
Mindless Behavior
The Throne (Jay-Z & Kanye West)

Best New Artist
A$AP Rocky
Big Sean
Diggy
Future
Meek Mill

Best Collaboration
Beyoncé f/ J. Cole – “Party”
Big Sean f/ Kanye West & Roscoe Dash – “Marvin & Chardonnay”
DJ Khaled f/ Drake, Rick Ross, and Lil Wayne – “I’m on One”
Drake f/ Lil Wayne and Tyga – “The Motto”
The Throne (Jay-Z & Kanye West) f/ Otis Redding – “Otis”
Wale f/ Miguel – “Lotus Flower Bomb”

Video of the Year
Beyoncé – “Countdown”
Beyoncé – “Love on Top”
The Throne (Jay-Z & Kanye West) – “Ni**as in Paris”
The Throne (Jay-Z & Kanye West) – “Otis”
Usher – “Climax”

Video Director of the Year
Beyoncé and Alan Ferguson
Benny Boom
Chris Brown and Godfrey Tabarez
Kanye West
Hype Williams

Best Gospel
Yolanda Adams
Kim Burrell
James Fortune & FIYA
Fred Hammond
Trin-I-Tee 5:7

YoungStars Award
Astro
Diggy
Jacob Latimore
Keke Palmer
Willow Smith

Viewers’ Choice Award
Drake f/ Lil Wayne & Tyga – “The Motto”
Beyoncé – “Love on Top”
Chris Brown – “Turn Up the Music”
Mindless Behavior – “Hello”
The Throne f/ Otis Redding – “Otis”
Wale f/ Miguel – “Lotus Flower Bomb”

Centric Award
Common
Estelle
Robert Glasper
Robin Thicke
Tyrese

Best International Act: U.K.
Estelle
Labrinth
Emeli Sande
Sway
Wretch 32

Best International Act: Africa
Camp Mulla (Kenya)
Ice Prince (Nigeria)
Lira (South Africa)
Mokobe (Mali)
Sarkodie (Ghana)
Wizkid (Nigeria)

Best Actress
Angela Bassett
Viola Davis
Taraji P. Henson
Regina King
Zoe Saldana

Best Actor
Don Cheadle
Common
Idris Elba
Kevin Hart
Denzel Washington

Best Movie
Good Deeds
Jumping the Broom
Laugh at My Pain
Red Tails
The Help

Sportswoman of the Year
Skylar Diggins
Candace Parker
Brittney Griner
Serena Williams
Venus Williams

Sportsman of the Year
Carmelo Anthony
Kobe Bryant
LeBron James
Victor Cruz
Kevin Durant

relive last year's bet awards

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Chris Brown needs no help coming to his own defense – it’s practically the only thing he uses Twitter for — but now the R&B star has another artist in his camp suggesting we all forgive him for his 2009 attack of Rihanna. “I can’t wait for Chris Brown’s new album,” British pop star Cheryl Cole proclaimed during a radio interview on In: Demand with Alex James. When the host asked Cole if Brown should be forgiven, she responded in the affirmative. ”I think it’s really kind of her, actually, she’s come out and publicly forgiven him, really,” the “Call My Name” artist said. ”I think it’s about time we all did, if I’m completely honest, if you want my opinion.”

“I work with people all the time with my charity that are transformed characters,” Cole continued. “They’ve done things when they were young that they regret, they’ve been to prison, some of them, and they’re upstanding members of the public and help the community and they’re amazing people. I think because he’s in the limelight… he really hasn’t had the chance to be forgiven or to forgive himself because we haven’t let him.”

“So now that she’s come out and embraced him again, I think it’s time we all moved on,” Cole added. “That guy is talented as hell.”

Listen to the interview below (she discusses brown around the one minute mark):

Chris obviously appreciated her nice words, as he tweeted at Cole,  ”You’re amazing! I appreciate you” and ”Thanks for the support and believing in me as an artist!”

Cole has a point that people who have been guilty of crimes or wrongdoing in the past can eventually become respectful, upstanding citizens. We can’t, however, agree with her that Brown hasn’t been given the chance to be forgiven. We also can’t agree that “we all” should forgive him, when it’s entirely up to the individual whether they choose to look past Brown’s violent and aggressive behavior or not.

What do you think about Cole’s thoughts? Weigh in below.

Days after new protests clouded Lady Gaga‘s ongoing tour of Asia, Mother Monster took to Twitter to address the turmoil surrounding her performances and the potential trouble she may face if the Born This Way Ball show goes on as planned in the Philippines. (And in typical Gaga style, she managed to speak out on the controversy with a wink). “If I get thrown in jail in Manila, Beyonce will just bail me out,” she tweeted, nodding to her partner in 2010′s blockbuster “Telephone” video. Just how serious is the situation? Details below.

Gaga’s brief Twitter commentary came on the heels of protests last Friday (May 18) in Manila, where dozens of young Christian protesters called for her upcoming show to be canceled amid objections to its racy stage wardrobe and her song’s sexually suggestive lyrics. About 70 members of the Biblemode Youth Philippines organization rallied in front of Manila’s city hall, where some told reporters they specifically object to Gaga’s “Judas”, which likens Jesus and his disciples to a motorcycle club.

But Gaga had faced other trouble in Asia as well. While Gaga had booked a show at Jakarta’s massive Gelora Bung Karno venue, Indonesian authorities have declined to issue a concert permit for her planned appearance there in the wake protests from conservative Islamic groups and local lawmakers.

Gaga told her Twitter followers that “The Jakarta situation is 2-fold: Indonesian authorities demand I censor the show & religious extremist separately, are threatening violence.” She added that “If the show does go on as scheduled, I will perform the BTWBall alone.”

Gaga isn’t simply addressing the controversy online — she also spoke out from the stage, saying (via Gaga Daily):

“I know that everybody, you know, thinks that I stand for, well not everybody, not everybody, I shouldn’t say that, but some people think that I stand for like, really inappropriate things that are really bad for… *crowd screams* Listen, I am slightly irresponsible, let’s be honest, okay? It’s okay. But they’re not completely right and the truth is I want the fucking best for you. I want the best for every single one of you. I love you with all of my heart and all my soul, I really do, and all the things that I think about and the way that I am, it’s my lifestyle, it’s just part of this one big giant performance art statement of liberation. So, I hope that you feel tonight, as free as your hair. And to those of you that don’t feel free, take the best opportunity to free yourselves.

I just feel like, you know, so many people have been protesting and it really doesn’t bother me truly because I know that there has to be change, but for all those kids all over the world that take their lives when they’re so young because they feel bullied or they’re afraid because they’re gay and they don’t want to tell anybody, don’t you think that some of us should FUCKING STAND UP AND SAY THE GODDAMN TRUTH? It’s true. It’s not about the music, it’s not about, it’s not about anything, it’s not about my clothes, it’s not about having a hit record, it’s the fucking goddamn truth that people in the world need to be free of who they are and be proud and feel valuable no matter where they are.”

How important is it for Gaga’s blockbuster show to go on? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or in the comments.

It’s not a new album, but it’s a step in the right direction — Justin Timberlake is taking the same leap as artists like Trent Reznor and Daft Punk and will compose his first film score. The pop star-turned-actor will be the composer and music supervisor for the film The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea, which will star Chloe Moretz and Justin’s fiance, Jessica Biel. (We’d typically discourage couples working together on the same project, but we’re fairly sure a film’s composer and lead actress won’t have too many opportunities to create drama on set.)

The film, to be directed by Bill Purple in a production beginning this fall, will explore a recently widowed man’s daily grief after his wife (Biel) dies in a car accident. Can’t you already hear “SexyBack” playing in your heads?! [Via Indiewire]

A week after Jay-Z first announced Budweiser’s Made In America Festival, which he’s curating and will headline at in Philadelphia, the entrepreneurial MC has unveiled the first list of performers scheduled to hit up the event. Included are Pearl Jam, Skrillex, Odd Future, Maybach Music Group (featuring Rick Ross, Wale and Meek Mill), D’Angelo, Calvin Harris, Miike Snow, Afrojack, Rita Ora, Janelle Monae, Prince Royce and Santigold.

Made In America takes place on September 1 and 2 at Philly’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and the acts on the roster will take to three stages. MTV News notes that tickets for the fest go on sale tomorrow (May 23). More acts will be announced soon.

The tireless Florence Welch is clearly trying to ensure that 2012 will be her busiest year ever. The flame-haired Florence + The Machine singer and her band were announced today as headliners for the 11th annual Austin City Limits festival, along with Red Hot Chili Peppers, Neil Young And Crazy Horse, The Black Keys, Jack White And The Avett Brothers.

Austin City Limits will once again take place in Austin, Texas’ Zilker Park, from October 12 – 14. The festival will cap off Florence’s 13-date Ceremonials Tour, which wraps in Alburquerque on October 10. (She’s also doing Lollapalooza.) Other acts on the ACL roster include Gotye, Kimbra, Avicii, M83 and Rufus Wainwright. Catch the full lineup here.

If you thought the pop world would allow the 25th anniversary of Michael Jackson‘s Bad album to slip by without a celebration, think again – Bad 25 will be released on September 17, and will include a cornucopia of goodies for the King Of Pop’s insatiable fan base: along with the original album and new remixes and demos, the collection will include his 1988 tour stop at Wembley Stadium, released on DVD for the first time ever. Watch a teaser for the release (featuring footage of fans screaming and fainting while awaiting his arrival at the Wembley gig) above, and head below for all the details of what fans can expect in the re-reissue. 

According to a press release, the Bad 25 anniersary deluxe edition will come with the following:

:: The highlight of the package is the DVD of Michael’s legendary July 16, 1988 concert at Wembley Stadium. The concert is not a compilation of performances, but rather one complete show, exactly as Michael performed it for Prince Charles, Princess Diana and the 72,000 fans who were in the audience for that night’s sold out show. This show was one of the record-breaking seven nights played at the venue attended by more than half a million people – three times that many people tried to purchase tickets. The DVD was sourced from Michael Jackson’s personal VHS copy of the performance as shown on the JumboTrons during the concert. This footage was only recently unearthed and is the only known copy of the show to exist. The visuals have been restored and the audio quality enhanced so that fans can share in the excitement of that famous night.

:: A CD of the re-mastered original BAD album.

:: A CD containing previously unreleased material recorded in Michael’s personal studio at Hayvenhurst. This material includes early demo versions of songs from the album as well as demos for songs not included on the final album. All of this material is being released as it was recorded during the BAD sessions. Nothing has been added. In addition, this CD will also include new remixes from internationally renowned DJ/producers.

::A CD showcasing the audio from the sound truck recordings of the July 16th Wembley performance. The first-ever live Michael Jackson CD to be released, this is the only concert from the BAD tour known to exist on multitracks.

:: This magnificent 3 CD/1 DVD box set will also include two extensive booklets with yet unseen photos from the recording sessions, video sets and the concert tour, the original BAD cover art, a two-sided poster and more.

So basically, all of this:

For those who like Michael Jackson’s music but maybe not a deluxe edition’s worth, a 2-CD standard edition featuring the original Bad album and a disc of demos and new remixes will also be made available. The Bad tour DVD will also be available as a stand alone edition.

Bad was released August 31, 1987, and has become one of the best-selling albums of all time. It boasted ten singles (out of 11 tracks), five of which topped the Hot 100. (Jackson was the first artist to achieve five #1 singles from the same album; Katy Perry recently matched his record with her album Teenage Dream.)

Pink may not have attended the 2012 Billboard Music Awards, but that didn’t stop her from vocalizing her thoughts on the performances. Though the pop star said Carrie Underwood sounded “lovely” and revealed that she liked Justin Bieber‘s single “Boyfriend”, Pink was no fan of Chris Brown‘s “Turn Up The Music”.

“One day if i lipsync i hope i do it as well as him,” tweeted Pink of Brown’s performance, before being immediately attacked by his legion of fans. (We guess they didn’t have to read in between the lines too much to figure out she was talking about Breezy?) “Oh my lord, its so easy…its so damn easy,” she tweeted in response. “Keep it coming people, this is some good reading.”

Pink’s husband, motorcross racer Carey Hart, also lambasted Brown’s number. “Im pretty sure I saw my wife did that same performance, but she was 3 months pregnant and actually sang the song,” said the singer’s husband, before addressing a fellow biker: ”If any of your guys are riding on Chris Brown performance, please fire them.”

Many thought Hart was referring to Katy Perry‘s performance, which appeared to channel Pink’s high-flying “Glitter In The Air” number at the 2010 Grammys (as well as her own Grammy performance of “Not Like The Movies”). But that wasn’t the case, as Hart was talking about his wife’s performance of “Raise Your Glass” at the 2010 American Music Awards, which, like Brown’s number, also employed BMX bikers and a skate ramp.

“For the record; I luv me some Katy, so y’all can jump off that run away train, k?” tweeted Pink, adding, “I stand behind, always have and always will, LIVE SINGING.”

“To clarify I was talkin trash bout CB performance, 2 years ago my wife had the same set and actually sang ‘Raise ur Glass,” tweeted Hart, though it appears he’s talking about Katy now. “Looks like someone else’s fans got a bit wound up!” he tweeted, referring to Perry’s Katy Cats, who also got their claws out at Hart’s tweets. “Funny, that performance looked real familiar [too].”

Chris Brown has surprisingly stayed tight-lipped on the matter, though he did tweet this cryptic message: “Don’t hold ya breath waiting for me to stop doing me!” We stopped holding our breaths long ago, Chris.

[Via E! Online]

The 2012 Billboard Music Awards were as flashy and over-the-top as one would expect from a show located in Las Vegas. Artists sang from the stage, from the sky, and from the audience. (We saw you singing along to “Fight For Your Right (To Party)”, Carrie Underwood!) Three fallen artists were paid tribute to, Chris Brown brought his bikes, and Katy Perry brought her grandma. It all made for a jam-packed evening, though we must admit that some moments worked better than others. Head below to relive the best five moments from last night’s awards fest — and live to regret the five worst.

TOP 5 BEST MOMENTS:

1. Katy Perry bringing her grandmother as her date.

Perry reportedly broke things off with Robert Akroyd, the Florence + The Machine guitarist she was cuddling up next to during both Coachella weekends. Instead of just going stag to the awards show, Perry brought her 91-year-old grandmother, Ann Hudson, as her date, and even gave her a shout-out from the stage while accepting the Spotlight Award. Hudson also attended the 2011 Grammys with her granddaughter, you may recall. Who needs a man when you’ve got your grandma by your side?

2. Miley Cyrus’ shocking outfit.

The 19-year-old pop star looked like the long-lost daughter of Sex & The City‘s Samantha while wearing a stark white blazer — and little else. We can always count on Miley to stir the pot (when she’s not smoking it).

3. Goodie Mob paying tribute to Adam Yauch and Beastie Boys.

The one-legged dancer already won us over during Goodie Mob‘s “Fight To Win”, but the gang’s performance got even better when it transitioned into a tribute to Beastie Boys‘ Adam Yauch, who died earlier this month after a battle with cancer. Even Carrie Underwood couldn’t help from singing along in the audience!

4. Old home footage of Taylor Swift.

Before the country star took the stage to accept the award as Woman Of The Year, we got to see Swift back in the day. We love seeing what she looked like — poofy hair! no makeup! clothes without sparkles! — before she hit it big at the ripe old age of 16.

Justin Bieber is keeping his fans on their toes in the lead-up to new LP Believe (out June 19). With “Boyfriend” still riding high on the charts, the 18-year-old swag connoisseur hit up the Billboard Music Awards last night for a performance of the hit single, while Bieber’s Canadian pal Carly Rae Jepsen and mentor Usher also took to the stage.

But it looks like he’s adding some new names to his circle of friends. Upon tweeting out a photo of his Believe tracklist, it was revealed that hit-maker Ludacris will feature the album’s opening track “All Around The World”, while Big Sean appears on possible next single “As Long As You Love Me”. Nicki Minaj also gets in on the Bieb action by featuring on “Beauty And A Beat”, and Justin’s friend Drake is on board for “Right Here”. The full Believe tracklist is below.

Justin hits the red carpet at the Billboard music awards

9 Photos »

Justin Bieber, Believe (Deluxe Edition)

1. “All Around The World” feat. Ludacris
2. “Boyfriend”
3. “As Long As You Love Me” feat. Big Sean
4. “Take You”
5. “Right Here” feat. Drake
6. “Catching Feelings”
7. “Fall”
8. “Die In Your Arms”
9. “Thought Of You”
10. “Beauty And A Beat” feat. Nicki Minaj
11. “One Love”
12. “Be Alright”
13. “Believe”
14. “Out Of Town Girl”
15. “She Don’t Like The Lights”
16. “Maria”