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Pitbull, Nicki Minaj, and LMFAO brought the dance beats to their performances on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, but Justin Bieber opted to help ring in 2012 by sitting at a piano — for a cover of the Beatles’ “Let It Be” featuring Carlos Santana. Watch it below. What did you think? READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: Theo Wargo/DCNYRE2010/Getty Images for DCP
More than 200 artists have performed on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve since it debuted 40 years ago, and in tonight’s countdown of the Top 40 performances, Jennifer Lopez (and her bedazzled bodysuit) took the crown. See the full list below. Things we learned watching Fergie and Jenny McCarthy host tonight’s live two-hour countdown special: The crowd dancing in the ’80s was so much better than today, Rick Springfield actually pulled off that pink suit (which is, we assume, why his name and “Jessie’s Girl” trended on Twitter), and meeting McCarthy was one loud man’s life dream. READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: CNN
What’s the sound of New Year’s Eve to you? It may be “Auld Lang Syne” for some. For others, it’s Anderson Cooper’s giggle. Get ready to hear it again as he and Kathy Griffin reteam for CNN’s coverage, which goes live at 11 p.m. ET. UPDATE: Check out the best of Kathy and Anderson here.
If you’re staying in for the night, you’ll want to tune into ABC at 8 p.m. ET, for the live New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 40th anniversary countdown of the 40 most memorable performances. That leads into Dick Clark’s Primetime New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest at 10 p.m. ET. The New York City lineup includes Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber (who’ll collaborate with Carlos Santana), Pitbull, and Hot Chelle Rae. The Los Angeles party will feature The Band Perry, blink-182, Florence + The Machine, Gym Class Heroes, LMFAO, OneRepublic, Nicki Minaj, Taio Cruz, will.i.am, and Robin Thicke. We’ll also see a special performance by Beyoncé from the London leg of her worldwide tour. UPDATE: Watch Justin Bieber sings ‘Let It Be’ here. Watch Lady Gaga’s medley performance here. See the list of ‘New Year’s Rockin’ Eve’ best performances here. READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: John Paul Filo/CBS
The 34th Annual Kennedy Center Honors aired last night on CBS, and we finally got our answer to why Anne Hathaway ended up in a split honoring her Devil Wears Prada costar Meryl Streep: It was choreography for her performance of “She’s Me Pal,” a tribute to Streep’s rendition of “He’s Me Pal” from Ironweed. Watch Streep’s full tribute below. Hathaway’s song starts around 11:50. READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: Kerry Hayes
The news of Van Halen hitting the road again in 2012 got me thinking about the other comebacks I’m eagerly awaiting. Next year, I’ll happily welcome the return of:
• Sappy Rachel McAdams: The Vow, costarring Channing Tatum, is the closest we’ll get to her doing a sequel to The Notebook.
• Sappy Nicholas Sparks novel adaptation: Something was missing in 2011, and it was me dragging friends to see one of these. Zac Efron’s biceps are making The Lucky One a surprisingly easy sell. READ FULL STORY »
The Oscars may be entertainment’s most glamorous night, but no awards show is more entertaining than the Kennedy Center Honors. Taped earlier this month, they finally air tonight at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.This year’s honorees include Meryl Streep, Neil Diamond, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, saxophonist and composer Sonny Rollins, and singer and Tony winner Barbara Cook. If finding out how Anne Hathaway ends up in a split while honoring her Devil Wears Prada costar Streep (who is also feted by Robert De Niro, Mike Nichols, Kevin Kline, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, and Tracey Ullman) isn’t enough of a reason to tune in, below are a few others. (Update: Watch the Meryl Streep tribute here and read our recap.) READ FULL STORY »
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Chances are if you’re a kid or have a kid or know a kid, you love Dan Zanes. And quite possibly, if you’re reading this right now, you’re hanging out on Christmas Day trying to figure out what kind of holiday music to listen to that’s not on a lame loop at your local mall’s Crate and Barrel. Well, Dan Zanes can help. And considering he just released a new album of holiday music, Christmas in Concord, the Grammy-winning musician knows what he’s talking about. “There’s a lot out there because it used to be part of the deal when you were a singer,” says Zanes. “I really like Christmas music. And a lot of them are really good songs, but they just don’t sound the same in July.” Here’s his advice on how to capitalize on your one day when you can justify morning-until-night Christmas songs:
1. “My favorite Christmas record is the Bob Dylan Christmas record [Christmas in the Heart]. I think it’s incredible. I think his singing is so good, the arrangements are so great. It’s a real celebration of Christmas and that’s part of why I decided to make Christmas music. I was inspired by the fresh sound.”
2. “Joan Osborne’s [Christmas Means Love] is really nice if you want a contemporary record. But I like it because she’s keeping tradition alive.”
3. “The Christmas music that came out of Memphis, in the ’60s when the R&B people did it, I love. Aretha Franklin did some really nice stuff.”
4. “You could check out the Louvin Brothers, who were precursors to the Everly Brothers.”
5. “It hasn’t happened yet, but the person I would really like to hear do a Christmas record would be Asa. I think she could do a really nice one.”
What do you say PopWatchers? Do you agree with Dan Zanes’ picks? What are your favorite songs to listen to today?
It wouldn’t be the end of the year without an animated farewell video crafted by those kooky folks over at JibJab. This year’s targets include: Arnold Schwarzenegger’s love child; Justin Bieber’s new hair; Anthony Weiner’s member… ship in the club of pols felled by sex scandal; the fake-out Rapture(s); the Kardashian wedding fiasco; Occupy Wall Street; and the end of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and Borders, and Osama bin Laden.
Relive all the glory and ignominy below: READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: FX
By: Bob Thiele Jr.
“Coal War” by Joshua James: I introduced the music of Joshua James to [Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter] at the beginning of season 3. We were looking for an artist to sing “No Milk Today” (season 3 opening montage) and I thought JJ ideal. READ FULL STORY »
The first 10 years of the new millennium brought us Christian the Lion, Antoine Dodson, and some formerly floppy-haired Canadian kid you may have heard of named Justin Bieber, so how has the first year of this decade shaped up, virally speaking? Well, let’s see… hydrangeas were pronounced hateful (or, to be more accurate, loathsome), Beauty and the Beast got the West Hollywood treatment, a respected newsman collapsed into giggles over a Frenchman’s urine, a teen shot to stardom by serenading a day of the week, and… well, we could go on and on. Instead, we’ve posted all that’s fit to embed over the next several pages. Get ready to lay your emotions bare like the girl in this 2008 viral fave, then click through!
