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Taylor Swift Was Surprised By Her ‘Buried Life’ Cameo

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 11:20:07 +0000

‘I was like, ‘They had a camera on that?’ ‘ she recalls of appearing on ‘Ask Out the Girl of Your Dreams’ episode.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Jim Cantiello

Taylor Swift

Photo: MTV News

In this season’s second episode of “The Buried Life,” Taylor Swift unknowingly made an appearance when one of the show’s stars, Duncan Penn, asked her out on a date.

Much to the singer’s dismay, the plea, of course, ended up on television.

“I had absolutely no idea that that stuff was filmed, so there was this realization when I got an e-mail from my manager,” she told MTV News while promoting her upcoming album Speak Now. “And he was like, ‘Hey, can you approve this? It’s this episode of episode of “The Buried Life,” ‘ and I was like, ‘They had a camera on that?’ ”

In the episode, Penn storms the CMT Awards to accomplish #59 on his buried list: Ask Out the Girl of Your Dreams. Swift eventually agreed to go out on a date with Penn, however, the details of their date remain a secret. “I’m not gonna tell you what happened after that,” she teased.

In her sit-down with us, Swift also dished on “Back to December,” one of the new songs from her album. The singer said it was her chance to apologize to a former boyfriend.

“Well, I’ve always sort of written songs about situations in life, things that needed to be said,” she explained. “And I’ve always thought that, you know, I write songs about people who deserve to have songs written about them, and whatever they need to hear, whatever is the right thing to say to that person — ends up being said.”

Are you surprised Taylor agreed to go out with “The Buried Life” star? Tell us in the comments!

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‘Glee’ Is A ‘Goldmine’ For The Music Industry, Experts Say

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:52:16 +0000

‘ ‘Glee’ is a total game changer,’ one expert tells MTV News.
By James Montgomery

The cast of “Glee”

Photo: FOX

Last month, when “Glee” packed an entire episode with Britney Spears songs (and one Paramore tune), the show not only posted record-setting ratings, but placed a rather formidable stranglehold on the iTunes songs chart too. The following week, they decided to work a selection from the hallowed Lennon/McCartney songbook — “I Want to Hold Your Hand” — into things, a move that was equal parts cross-generational marketing masterstroke and, well, fist-thrusting victory lap.

Because, over the course of two-and-a-quarter seasons, “Glee” has transformed itself from a cult curiosity into to a bona fide sensation. It has spawned sold-out tours and chart-topping albums, but now, it’s become something else entirely: the kind of show that can feature songs by the greatest pop star of the past decade one week and the greatest band of all time the next. It’s a genuine, market-driving, industry-rejuvenating hit. And how did all this happen? Well, because certain folks realized that there was money to be made in partnering with the show.

“The industry has definitely started paying attention. If you’re a songwriter or music publisher, you’re definitely promoting your songs to the show,” said Jeff Brabec, vice president of business affairs for music publisher Chrysalis, which has landed songs by the likes of Billy Idol and Paul Anka on “Glee.” “It’s truly something different, because, of course, there are downloads, and the albums, which have been phenomenally successful, especially for TV soundtracks, but … there are so many other opportunities [the show] presents. For a songwriter or a music publisher, ‘Glee’ is a goldmine. It touches almost every single source of income that’s possible.”

“A show like ‘Glee’ only comes along once in a blue moon, and it’s just such a great platform for our copyrights,” added Wende Crowley, vice president of film and TV music for publisher Sony/ATV, which controls not only the bulk of the Lennon/McCartney songbook, but also the songs of Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga, to name just a few. “It’s not only embraced artists like Gaga, who are so huge in the collective consciousness, but it’s breathed life into older songs too. It’s been an amazing opportunity to work with them, and you wish more shows like it would come out each year. ‘Glee’ is a total game changer.”

And while that may be the case, behind the scenes, the “Glee” machine runs on decidedly old-school fuel — namely, music licensing: a dicey, downright confusing (and supremely profitable) area that the casual Britney fan probably can’t even begin to comprehend. But, suffice it to say, when the “Glee” producers decided to use ” … Baby One More Time,” they had to pay a lot. And before a single note of the song can be re-recorded, those payments begin with a synchronization license.

“Every time a song is put into a TV show, the producer has to sign a synchronization license to get permission to use [it], and it’s a purely negotiated license,” explained Brabec, who, along with his brother Todd, wrote an entire book on this very subject, “Music, Money and Success.” “[The producers] send you a request that lists the use of the song and, in this case, the scene description, and they give you a number of options, with respect to how they want to distribute the show, and all have various price points. The publisher fills in the blank lines next to the dollar signs. … You can make a substantial amount of money just in the synchronization fee alone. And that’s just step one.”

Admittedly, that’s a pretty simplified explanation — we glossed over stuff like “five-year, all-TV licenses” and “out-of-context trailer licenses” — but after the sync license is signed, the ball is put in motion. Once an episode of “Glee” airs, the next step of the process begins, because now, a songwriter and publisher are reaping the rewards of not only iTunes downloads and album sales, but international re-airings of the show too. As you can imagine, this is where the real money starts to roll in — and it’s all guaranteed under a mechanical license.

“Immediately, you’ve got the download situation. Under that situation, the songwriters and music publisher, for every single download, will get 9.1 cents. So if a song is downloaded 100,000 times in the first couple of days — and that’s not unusual at all — the music publisher will get $9,100 and the publisher will share that with the songwriter,” Brabec said. “And then, extend that to the physical albums. If you’ve got one song on the ‘Glee’ album, and that album sold 1 million units, that would be $91,000 in songwriter and music-publisher royalty.

“And that’s all backend. These things go on and on, years after your initial downloads. … If a song is sung by the ‘Glee’ cast, you’re probably looking at $900 to $1,100 for one performance on the Fox network. And that’s U.S. only. This show is broadcast or repeated worldwide; you collect on that too,” Brabec added. “And then you’ve got the ringtone market. If the ‘Glee’ version is on a ringtone, the songwriter and music publisher will get 24 cents for each ring tone distributed — and then you’ve got sheet music, etc. Believe me, for years and years and years into the future, songwriters and music publishers will be making money on this.”

So the bottom line is, if you’re someone like Max Martin, and you wrote ” … Baby One More Time,” well, chances are, you’re loving life even more these days (and for the foreseeable future too). But the beauty of “Glee” is, you don’t have to be a certified hitmaker (or even the Beatles) to benefit. Business is booming, and it doesn’t show signs of slowing down anytime soon.

“When you have a song that appears on ‘Glee,’ the next day, it’s on iTunes, and the number of downloads is astronomical, and it really reawakens people’s interest in songs,” said Kristin Durie, vice president of film and TV at EMI Music Publishing. “I think hearing these songs — both old and new — from ‘Over the Rainbow’ to ‘Empire State of Mind,’ is breathing new life into people’s songs.”

Have you downloaded any songs after watching an episode of “Glee”? Let us know in the comments!

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Bill Clinton To Barack Obama: MTV’s History With Politics

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:52:16 +0000

Tradition continues with Obama’s youth town hall Thursday.
By Eric Ditzian

Barack Obama

Photo: Leslie E. Kossoff/ Getty Images

“If you had it to do over again, would you inhale?”

With that one question posed to then-Governor Bill Clinton, MTV officially announced itself as a player in the political process. That was back in 1992, when Clinton was still a White House hopeful and MTV had just launched its “Choose or Lose” campaign to inform, educate and encourage young people to grow from electoral spectators into active participants. During a network-sponsored forum, a young woman artfully posed that question of Clinton’s prior marijuana use.

“Sure, if I could,” the presidential candidate replied. “I tried before.”

It was a disarming response from a talented politician on a hot-button issue. And it made clear that MTV could be a home for legitimate debate in a less stuffy, more youth-oriented way than was traditionally possible. Clinton went on to win the election, and he tipped his hat to the network on his way to Washington.

“I think everyone here knows that MTV had a lot to do with the Clinton/Gore victory,” he said.

In the years since, MTV has hosted a slew of other forums, welcoming candidates on both sides of the political spectrum, from Al Gore to John McCain. The tradition continues Thursday, when we join President Barack Obama for “A Conversation With President Obama.” During the one-hour event, which will air live and commercial-free on MTV and its sister networks, as well as MTV.com, the president will answer questions on a wide range of topics from the studio audience and from viewers who submit questions via Twitter.

As we prepare for the event, we’ve been looking back at the history of MTV’s involvement with politics. While we first made our mark with that question about inhaling, we didn’t stop there. Over almost two decades, MTV has been heavily involved in every presidential election and has partnered with campaigns such as Rock the Vote and Diddy’s Citizen Change. Tabitha Soren interviewed George Bush and Bill Clinton. Gideon Yago chatted with George W. Bush and John Kerry. Sway talked with Barack Obama.

“I think passing a law about people wearing sagging pants is a waste of time” then-Senator Obama told MTV News. “We should be focused on creating jobs, improving schools, getting heath care, dealing with the war in Iraq. Having said that, brothers should pull up their pants.”

From televised forums to intimate, sit-down interviews, the effort since ’92 has been geared toward one goal: helping young people engage with and understand candidates running for public office so they can have a voice in the political process.

As Diddy said, “We have the power, this election, to decide who’s the next president, but we have to get out and vote.”

Along the way, of course, MTV has put our own special stamp on politics. Who can forget that moment in ’94 when a young voter posed this most iconic of questions to Clinton: “Mr. President, all the world’s dying to know: Is it boxers or briefs?”

Hey, that’s just how we roll. Clinton understood this (“Mostly briefs,” he responded), as did every candidate who took the time to chat with MTV about issues important to young people. It’s a tradition we started in the early ’90s and that continues to resonate today, as President Obama joins us for this latest forum.

“When you look at the history of this campaign,” he said last year, “what started out as an improbable journey was carried forward, was inspired by, was energized by young people all across America.”

“A Conversation With President Obama,” a production of MTV News and BET News, will be hosted by MTV News’ Sway Calloway, BET’s April Woodard and CMT’s Katie Cook. The show will air live at 4 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. CT (and tape-delayed at 4 p.m. PT) on MTV, BET, CMT, mtvU, Centric and Tr3s. The show will also stream on MTV.com, BET.com, CMT.com and Tr3s.com and will be made available on-demand 30 days after its initial airing.

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Justin Bieber’s Book: Dramatic Readings From Danny McBride, The ‘Jackass 3D’ Crew

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:20:10 +0000

Watch video of celebs recounting the pop star’s first date!
By Jocelyn Vena

Justin Bieber

Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

It’s out! Fans can nab their own copies of “Justin Bieber: First Step 2 Forever: My Story,” which features photos and anecdotes from the chart-topping singer. To pay homage to Bieber’s first major literary release, MTV News asked some of our favorite celebrities to get their hair-flip on and read a few select pages from the book.

We got our hands on everyone from “Eastbound & Down” star Danny McBride to Seth Green to Cary Elwes of “Saw 3D” to the guys of “Jackass 3D,” and gave them the selection titled “Viral Video” to take a stab at. In it, Bieber recalls his first date, which he writes “has been sort of mythologized as ‘Bieber’s dating disaster.’ ”

The pop star explains that the date, with a friend of his, was anything but a disaster, even though he did wear a white shirt and order spaghetti, which, he notes, “was not the brightest idea.” He writes that this seemingly terrible date “wasn’t a big trauma.”

“We laughed about it, and, all things considered, while it wasn’t one of my smoothest dating experiences, it gave us both a funny story to tell, and it was a good starter date for me,” he writes in the selection, which has been given its own spin by the celebrities in the video.

“I was a lot more nervous about that date than I ever was about performing onstage, but, once it was over with, I was comfortable with the idea of going out with other girls and just having fun.”

To see McBride, Green, Elwes and the “Jackass” guys put their spin on Bieber’s first-date tale, watch the video!

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Yelawolf Reveals Country Cousins Mixtape With Big K.R.I.T.

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:20:09 +0000

Southerner tells Mixtape Daily, ‘We got four records in already.’
By Jayson Rodriguez and Rahman Dukes

Big K.R.I.T. and Yelawolf

Photo: MTV News

Don’t Sleep: Necessary Notables
Mixtape: The Country Cousins: Trunk Muzik Wuz Here

Headliner: Yelawolf and Big K.R.I.T.

Key Cameos: TBD

Essential Info: Yelawolf is a big proponent of Southern hospitality. The Alabama native was low-key on the BET Hip-Hop Awards black carpet last weekend when we caught up with him to talk about his Interscope debut. But when the talk turned to other new jacks, Yela lit up and delivered praise like he was serving sweet tea to a neighbor.

The Trunk Muzik rapper was effusive over Big K.R.I.T.

“Big K.R.I.T. is another one to look out for,” he told Mixtape Daily.
“Honestly, he’s one of my favorite MCs coming up.”

The two are hard at work on a joint project, he revealed.

“We got a mixtape coming out, called The Country Cousins: Trunk Muzik Wuz Here,” he said. “We got four records in already. Be expecting that in the next four to five months. I’m on tour till November, and he’s on tour too. So, once we get off tour, we’re gonna wrap that up and put it out there.”

As for his own project, Trunk Muzik: 0-60, Yela said he’s appreciative for the support he’s received as he crafts his first album.

“I know I’m not an easy pill to swallow,” he said. “My story is different. My style is different. The fact that people are accepting of it, I’m just happy. They’re finally starting to get it. I’m making traction, so I’m just gonna get it while the getting is good.”

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Taylor Swift Apologizes To An Ex On ‘Back To December’

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:05:23 +0000

Country singer swallows her pride on new track from Speak Now.
By Jocelyn Vena

Taylor Swift

Photo: Hope For Haiti Now/ Getty

On her new track “Back To December,” which was released to digital-music outlets on Tuesday (October 12), Taylor Swift wants an ex to know she is really sorry for not giving him the love that he deserved.

While fans — who are already eager for her third album Speak Now, which comes out October 25 — will probably focus on guessing the subject of the ballad, it’s important to note that “December” reveals a shift in Swift’s songwriting. She laments the way she messed up her relationship with a seemingly perfect boyfriend, who now finds it hard to trust her.

She sings, “You’ve been good, busier than ever/ Small talk, work and the weather/ Your guard is up and I know why/ Because the last time you saw me/ It still burns in the back of your mind/ You gave me roses and I left them there to die.”

When the chorus kicks in, Swift tries to make amends. “So this is me swallowing my pride/ Standing in front of you saying ‘I’m sorry’ for that night/ And I go back to December all the time/ It turns out freedom ain’t nothing/ Missing you, wishing I’d realized what I had when you were mine/ I’d go back to December, turn around and make it all right/ I go back to December all time.”

Even Swift admits that this song reveals a new side. She told E!, “It addresses a first for me in that I’ve never apologized in song. The person I wrote this song about deserves this. This is about a person who was incredible to me, just perfect to me in a relationship, and I was really careless with him.”

This is the fourth song released in advance of Speak Now‘s late-October release. The release of the album’s first official single, “Mine,” was followed by the debut of “Innocent” at the VMAs in September. The album’s title track debuted on October 5.

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Yelawolf Reveals Country Cousins Mixtape With Big K.R.I.T.

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 10:52:15 +0000

Southerner tells Mixtape Daily, ‘We got four records in already.’
By Jayson Rodriguez and Rahman Dukes

Big K.R.I.T. and Yelawolf

Photo: MTV News

Don’t Sleep: Necessary Notables
Mixtape: The Country Cousins: Trunk Muzik Wuz Here

Headliner: Yelawolf and Big K.R.I.T.

Key Cameos: TBD

The Trunk Muzik rapper was effusive over Big K.R.I.T.

“Big K.R.I.T. is another one to look out for,” he told Mixtape Daily.
“Honestly, he’s one of my favorite MCs coming up.”

The two are hard at work on a joint project, he revealed.

As for his own project, Trunk Muzik: 0-60, Yela said he’s appreciative for the support he’s received as he crafts his first album.

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

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Justin Bieber’s Book: Dramatic Readings From Danny McBride, The ‘Jackass 3D’ Crew

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 10:52:15 +0000

Watch video of celebs recounting the pop star’s first date!
By Jocelyn Vena

Justin Bieber

Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

“I was a lot more nervous about that date than I ever was about performing onstage, but, once it was over with, I was comfortable with the idea of going out with other girls and just having fun.”

To see McBride, Green, Elwes and the “Jackass” guys put their spin on Bieber’s first-date tale, watch the video!

Lil Wayne’s I Am Not A Human Being To Be Packaged With Video Game

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 00:20:17 +0000

‘Def Jam Rapstar’ will come with Weezy’s latest album for one week at participating Best Buy locations.
By James Dinh

Lil Wayne

Photo: Bryan Bedder/ Getty Images

If you’re a gamer and hip-hop head, then you may want to purchase a copy of the latest “Def Jam Rapstar” video game: It comes with a copy of Lil Wayne’s new album. Beginning Tuesday, fans will receive a copy of Weezy’s I Am Not a Human Being with the purchase of the video game at participating Best Buy locations for one week only.

“The opportunity to partner our new video game, ‘Def Jam Rapstar,’ with Lil Wayne’s new album, I Am Not a Human Being, is a historic moment for gaming, music and hip-hop,” Kevin Liles, president and CEO of Def Jam Enterprises, said in a press release.

“When we approached Lil Wayne’s management team, Gee Roberson of Hip Hop Since 1978 and Cortez Bryant of Bryant Management, to partner with us, we all knew this would be another opportunity to super-serve hip-hop fans across the country,” the statement continued. “Special thanks to my good friends Bryan ‘Birdman’ Williams and Ronald ‘Slim’ Williams of Cash Money Records; together, once again, we made history.”

“Def Jam Rapstar,” which is available on various formats, including Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, gives fans the opportunity to take the mic and spit to some of the greatest hip-hop songs, including Wayne’s hit single “A Milli.” Users can also showcase their rhymes through the videogame’s “Rapstar” online community.

Weezy’s I Am Not a Human Being, which was originally planned as an EP, was digitally released as a full-length album on his birthday, September 27, with sales of 110,000 copies, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan. The physical release is set to hit stores Tuesday and includes bonus tracks as well as guest spots from Young Money/ Cash Money artists such as Nicki Minaj, Drake, Jay Sean, Tyga, Lil Twist and Jae Millz.

Will you be picking up “Def Jam Rapstar”? Share your thoughts below!

Check out the Multiplayer blog, updated daily, for even more gaming coverage.

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Which ‘Jackass 3D’ Star Should Be On ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Next?

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 00:20:17 +0000

‘I made it look so appealing for everyone,’ Steve-O jokes to MTV News of his time on the show.
By Kara Warner

Steve-O

Photo: MTV News

After 10 years of death-defying, cringe-inducing, gross-out stunts, anything the “Jackass” castmembers say or do should come as no surprise to their biggest fans — that is, until Steve-O was announced as a contestant on the eighth season of “Dancing With the Stars” last year.

In honor of Steve-O’s valiant effort on the show (he ended up finishing in eighth place and outlasted Playboy model Holly Madison, actress Denise Richards and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak) and the upcoming “Jackass 3D,” we asked the “Jackass” guys who might be next to follow Steve-O’s twinkle toes onto the dance floor.

“[Those are] big shoes to fill,” Knoxville joked. “You did great, kid,” he told Steve-O, who laughed out loud at Knoxville’s comment.

“I made it look so appealing for everyone,” Steve-O said sarcastically. “I’ve been watching the new season,” he admitted, adding that his appearance on the show has brought him a few more fans than he had before. “Every time people bring it up, they say, ‘Oh man, I really loved you on “Dancing With the Stars.” I was really rooting for you,’ I feel like they’re just trying to be nice.”

“Well, they are,” Knoxville said. “What are they going to say: ‘You’re a great dancer’? You did awesome on that. He was lovable and got great footage.”

“Thank you,” Steve-O said. “I don’t think anyone else [from 'Jackass'] is going to be racing over to ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ ”

“He was our best dancer by far,” Knoxville said.

The rest of the “Jackass” crew seemed to agree.

“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Chris “Party Boy” Pontius said, which, surprisingly enough, prompted a pointed discussion about whether the hugely popular ABC show includes castmembers with unfair advantages.

“I don’t like it when they have [experienced dancers] on,” Pontius complained, singling out Gilles Marini, who finished second in Steve-O’s season. “That one guy from the ‘Sex and the City’ movie, he was obviously a trained dancer.”

“That’s the worst,” “Jackass 3D” director Jeff Tremaine agreed. “Yeah. Ice skaters, if you have any kind of dance in you, don’t do it. Let Steve-O win. … But Wee Man is who we want, because it would challenge the dancers.”

“That would be pretty rad,” Bam Margera agreed.

“He went to almost every episode of Steve-O’s for support,” Pontius said. “And he loves dance.”

Unfortunately, Jason “Wee Man” Acuña, along with the rest of the gang, said they aren’t interested in lacing up their dancing shoes.

“I’d prefer not to see any of us on it,” Ryan Dunn said.

“That was Steve-O’s thing,” Preston Lacy added. “I wouldn’t do it if they offered it to me.”

Instead, the guys referred back to Wee Man’s prior reality-TV appearance on CBS’ “Armed and Famous.”

“I liked the reality show where Wee Man was a cop,” Dave England offered.

“That was amazing,” agreed “Danger” Ehren McGhehey.

“They didn’t show any of the good footage,” Acuña complained. “They only focused on La Toya Jackson, and she wasn’t even that great.”

Which “Jackass” daredevil do you think should be on “Dancing With the Stars” next? Let us know in the comments!

Check out everything we’ve got on “Jackass 3D.”

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