- Artist: Britney Spears
- Label: Zomba Label Group/Jive
- Director: Joseph Kahn
- Album: Circus
Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=501686&vid=288244
Magdalena Wróbel Maggie Grace Maggie Gyllenhaal Majandra Delfino Malia Jones
Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=501686&vid=288244
Magdalena Wróbel Maggie Grace Maggie Gyllenhaal Majandra Delfino Malia Jones
DAS Communications' lawyer claims producer Dr. Luke convinced her to breach contract.
By Jocelyn Vena
Ke$ha
Photo: Fotonoticias/ Getty Images
Ke$ha is being sued by her former managers at DAS Communications for upwards of $14 million, Ken Freundlich, who is representing DAS in the case, confirmed to MTV News.
"DAS was Ke$ha's manager since the beginning of 2006, and there was a written agreement, and they worked closely, and sometime in September 2008 [producer] Dr. Luke, for his own personal gain, somehow induced her to breach that contract," Freundlich said. "And she unceremoniously terminated DAS without justification and then ended up with Luke, basically. So we sued Ke$ha for breach of contract and Luke for interference, and that was last year, and the defense's reaction was to try and delay us. They made motions.
"The judge denied all their motions, and now we're going forward. We're going to have our day in court," he continued. "And we're going to prove that Dr. Luke induced her to breach the contract. She had no right to do so, and we're gonna get damages from her."
Freundlich explained how he and his team came to the $14 million sum, explaining, "We don't know exactly how much, but we assume it's in that range. She's been quite successful. The case is set. It's gonna go on the rest of this year. We're gonna go straight to the trial if we have to."
Ke$ha has filed a suit in California against the management team, but Freundlich is confident nothing will come of her claim that they acted as an "illegal talent agent." "That's pending out in California. Even though that case is still pending, I don't think it has any merit," he said.
Calls to Ke$ha's legal team and rep were not returned to MTV News by press time.
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Rachel Nichols Rachel Perry Rachel Weisz Radha Mitchell Raquel Alessi
Murray to head to trial in death of Jackson following Tuesday hearing.
By Gil Kaufman
Dr. Conrad Murray
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images
Cardiologist Dr. Conrad Murray, the only person charged in the June 2009 death of Michael Jackson, will be arraigned on Tuesday morning (January 25) on an involuntary manslaughter charge. Murray, who was serving as the 50-year-old pop icon's personal physician at the time, is expected to plead not guilty in the case.
According to CNN, the hearing in front of Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor, is only slated to last a few minutes. While Murray has the right to demand a trial within 60 days, it is not expected that a date will be set for one on Tuesday.
After more than a week of testimony, Pastor ruled during a preliminary hearing in early January that there was enough evidence to bring Murray's case to trial. In the meantime, Murray remains free on $75,000 bond, but Pastor blocked the doctor from using his California medical license until the trial is completed.
"Michael is not with us today because of an utterly inept, incompetent, reckless doctor — the defendant Conrad Murray," Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said in his final arguments in the preliminary hearing, where a series of witnesses recounted Murray's actions during the minutes and hours before and after Jackson's death. The King of Pop died as a result of what the Los Angeles County coroner's office called acute propofol poisoning, a reference to a powerful surgical anesthetic that the singer reportedly requested as a sleep aid to combat chronic insomnia.
While prosecutors appear to be building a case that Murray acted recklessly in attending to Jackson in the singer's final hours, CNN reported that the doctor's lawyers appeared satisfied with the results of the preliminary hearing thanks to some testimony they got from prosecution witnesses that might help raise some reasonable doubt about their client's guilt at trial.
"I think the prosecution is going to change their tactics in this case," defense lawyer J. Michael Flanagan said after the preliminary hearing. "It's not the same as what they gave in opening statements." The defense reportedly is set to argue that it was Jackson himself who administered the final, fatal dose of propofol after waking in a panic from a fitful night of sleep. One of the prosecution's expert witnesses in the case admitted under cross-examination that he made a math mistake and that the recalculation supports the defense theory that Jackson may have given himself the dose of propofol that killed him.
CNN reported that Dr. Richard Ruffalo, an anesthesiologist hired by the prosecution, was the last witness to take the stand and his admission about making a mistake on the calculation of the level of propofol in Jackson's stomach fluid reportedly elicited gasps from the members of Jackson's family who were sitting in the hearing room.
Murray's lawyers have suggested that a frustrated Jackson may have poured the anesthetic — which is administered intravenously — into his juice bottle while the doctor was out of his bedroom. "Now it doesn't make sense unless he ingested it orally in a huge amount," Ruffalo testified. The anesthesiologist added that Murray could still be at fault for leaving dangerous drugs near a patient who was allegedly addicted to sedatives and sleep aids.
"It's like leaving a syringe next to a heroin addict," Ruffalo stated. "If he's not getting what he wants, when you leave the room he might reach for it himself ... Either way, it doesn't matter. He abandoned his patient and didn't resuscitate appropriately." Ruffalo said Murray should have anticipated that Jackson, who had previously asked to inject himself with the drug, might potentially administer it to himself. "He gets upset if he doesn't get his milk," he said, explaining that Jackson often referred to propofol as his "milk."
In addition, the pathologist who conducted Jackson's autopsy acknowledged it was possible, though improbable, that the singer gave himself the fatal propofol dose. Speaking to police two days after Jackson's death, Murray told investigators that a sleepless Jackson had begged him for more propofol on the day he died. The King of Pop was in the midst of a grueling series of rehearsals for his planned "This Is It" comeback shows at London's O2 Arena at the time of his death.
A civil lawsuit filed last year by Jackson's mother against the producer of the concerts, AEG Live, alleged that the company had warned the entertainer several weeks before he died that if he missed any more rehearsals they were going to "pull the plug" on the gigs, which the cash-strapped Jackson was depending on to revive his stalled career.
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An L.A. County Coroner's Office investigator testifies during Dr. Conrad Murray's preliminary hearing that a litany of drugs were found at the residence.
By Mawuse Ziegbe
Michael Jackson
Photo: Sony/ AEG
The role of propofol has loomed large in Michael Jackson's sudden 2009 death, and according to an investigator, copious amounts of the surgical anesthetic were found in the superstar's home.
During the latest round of testimony at the preliminary manslaughter hearing for Jackson's physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, on Friday (January 7), an investigator for the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office testified that a dozen bottles of propofol were discovered in Jackson's home, according to TMZ. One of the two bottles found in the singer's bedroom was empty, and investigators also found a slew of at least 10 other types of medication, including lorazepam, hydrocodone and lidocaine.
The mother of one of Murray's children, Nicole Alvarez, also testified and said the doctor sent several packages to her home from April to June 2009. While the packages' contents were not revealed in court, TMZ has reported that the parcels contained propofol and were sent from Murray's Las Vegas pharmacy.
Another one of Murray's girlfriends, Sade Anding, gave notable testimony. Anding said she received a five-minute phone call from Murray around 12:30 p.m., during which he abruptly stopped talking after exchanging brief small talk. Anding said she heard "coughing and voices," and the line sounded as if he had placed the phone in his pocket. However, according to phone records, the only time Murray called Anding that day was at 11:51 a.m., which would have meant that Murray waited about 25 minutes to call 911 once he recognized Jackson needed emergency assistance.
Murray has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter, and his lawyers are reportedly planning to claim Jackson killed himself by self-administering a lethal dose of propofol.
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'It has a sense of humor in the video,' Guetta tells MTV News.
By Akshay Bhansali
David Guetta and Rihanna's "Day" video for "Who's That Chick?" (there will be a "Night" version too) dropped this week, and in it, fans are treated to Guetta flexing some space muscle and RiRi frolicking in a world featuring virtually every color of the spectrum.
A "Who's That Chick?" video that leaked online last year was initially cut by music-video director Jonas Åkerlund with a Doritos commercial project in mind. The song, which was produced by Guetta, never made it onto Rihanna's Loud album, but the French dance-music star made the track his own and, with some shoot additions, not one, but two videos will see the light of day.
The video starts off with Guetta coming out of a cryogenic container aboard a vessel somewhere in deep space, and Rihanna and her friends are seen in monitors throughout the ship. Is she a human or an alien on another planet? It's difficult to tell. But the majority of the video plays out between these two sets: Guetta aboard his ship and Rihanna in her candyland, wherever that may be.
The clip shows Guetta mixing some songs and even getting his gym on with some chin-ups and kickboxing, but clearly his thoughts are with Rihanna.
RiRi's set is pure Åkerlund comic book fantasy, with color palettes and set pieces reminiscent of Lady Gaga's "Telephone" video. Rihanna and her friends are dressed in matching hyper-color attire and are wrapped up in their dance party. The video ends with DG throwing the spaceship into "warp speed," presumably to meet this girl he can no longer live without.
The video has a "Star Trek" feel, and Guetta's scenes were actually filmed in a former "Trek" studio.
"I'm DJing from a spaceship," Guetta recently told MTV News. "It's actually really funny, because we shot that in Los Angeles in a place where the used to shoot 'Star Trek,' but like the old ones. And so it's kind of retro futuristic, you know? It's like how people were seeing the future back in the '80s. It has a sense of humor in the video."
What do you think of the "Who's That Chick?" clip? Let us know in the comments!
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Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=501686&vid=354290
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Murray to head to trial in death of Jackson following Tuesday hearing.
By Gil Kaufman
Dr. Conrad Murray
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images
Cardiologist Dr. Conrad Murray, the only person charged in the June 2009 death of Michael Jackson, will be arraigned on Tuesday morning (January 25) on an involuntary manslaughter charge. Murray, who was serving as the 50-year-old pop icon's personal physician at the time, is expected to plead not guilty in the case.
According to CNN, the hearing in front of Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor, is only slated to last a few minutes. While Murray has the right to demand a trial within 60 days, it is not expected that a date will be set for one on Tuesday.
After more than a week of testimony, Pastor ruled during a preliminary hearing in early January that there was enough evidence to bring Murray's case to trial. In the meantime, Murray remains free on $75,000 bond, but Pastor blocked the doctor from using his California medical license until the trial is completed.
"Michael is not with us today because of an utterly inept, incompetent, reckless doctor — the defendant Conrad Murray," Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said in his final arguments in the preliminary hearing, where a series of witnesses recounted Murray's actions during the minutes and hours before and after Jackson's death. The King of Pop died as a result of what the Los Angeles County coroner's office called acute propofol poisoning, a reference to a powerful surgical anesthetic that the singer reportedly requested as a sleep aid to combat chronic insomnia.
While prosecutors appear to be building a case that Murray acted recklessly in attending to Jackson in the singer's final hours, CNN reported that the doctor's lawyers appeared satisfied with the results of the preliminary hearing thanks to some testimony they got from prosecution witnesses that might help raise some reasonable doubt about their client's guilt at trial.
"I think the prosecution is going to change their tactics in this case," defense lawyer J. Michael Flanagan said after the preliminary hearing. "It's not the same as what they gave in opening statements." The defense reportedly is set to argue that it was Jackson himself who administered the final, fatal dose of propofol after waking in a panic from a fitful night of sleep. One of the prosecution's expert witnesses in the case admitted under cross-examination that he made a math mistake and that the recalculation supports the defense theory that Jackson may have given himself the dose of propofol that killed him.
CNN reported that Dr. Richard Ruffalo, an anesthesiologist hired by the prosecution, was the last witness to take the stand and his admission about making a mistake on the calculation of the level of propofol in Jackson's stomach fluid reportedly elicited gasps from the members of Jackson's family who were sitting in the hearing room.
Murray's lawyers have suggested that a frustrated Jackson may have poured the anesthetic — which is administered intravenously — into his juice bottle while the doctor was out of his bedroom. "Now it doesn't make sense unless he ingested it orally in a huge amount," Ruffalo testified. The anesthesiologist added that Murray could still be at fault for leaving dangerous drugs near a patient who was allegedly addicted to sedatives and sleep aids.
"It's like leaving a syringe next to a heroin addict," Ruffalo stated. "If he's not getting what he wants, when you leave the room he might reach for it himself ... Either way, it doesn't matter. He abandoned his patient and didn't resuscitate appropriately." Ruffalo said Murray should have anticipated that Jackson, who had previously asked to inject himself with the drug, might potentially administer it to himself. "He gets upset if he doesn't get his milk," he said, explaining that Jackson often referred to propofol as his "milk."
In addition, the pathologist who conducted Jackson's autopsy acknowledged it was possible, though improbable, that the singer gave himself the fatal propofol dose. Speaking to police two days after Jackson's death, Murray told investigators that a sleepless Jackson had begged him for more propofol on the day he died. The King of Pop was in the midst of a grueling series of rehearsals for his planned "This Is It" comeback shows at London's O2 Arena at the time of his death.
A civil lawsuit filed last year by Jackson's mother against the producer of the concerts, AEG Live, alleged that the company had warned the entertainer several weeks before he died that if he missed any more rehearsals they were going to "pull the plug" on the gigs, which the cash-strapped Jackson was depending on to revive his stalled career.
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Kate Beckinsale Kate Bosworth Kate Groombridge Kate Hudson Kate Mara
Ice Cube has also been named as possible addition to all-star cast for Garry Marshall flick.
By Jocelyn Vena
Ryan Seacrest
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images
Who would have thought that Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Jon Bon Jovi, Abigail Breslin, Robert De Niro, Zac Efron, Ashton Kutcher, Seth Meyers, Lea Michele, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michelle Pfeiffer, Til Schweiger, Sienna Miller, Hilary Swank and Sofia Vergara wouldn't be enough Hollywood star power for one movie? Well, it seems that the brains behind the forthcoming movie "New Year's Eve" are looking to add even more high-profile talent to the lineup.
"American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest, Ice Cube and Josh Duhamel all are in talks to appear in the star-studded flick, which follows New Yorkers over the course of, you guessed it, New Year's Eve, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Seacrest would play himself in the movie, Duhamel would play a man looking to get to New York to reconnect with a mystery woman he met the year before, and Cube would play an NYPD cop who works with Swank, who will play the director of the Times Square New Year's Eve party. The flick is set to begin filming next month.
Earlier this week, "SNL" funnyman Seth Meyers and rocker Jon Bon Jovi signed on for roles in the Garry Marshall film, the sequel to 2010's "Valentine's Day." And at the Golden Globe Awards earlier this month, Efron confirmed his role in the movie to MTV News.
"I'm starting a movie in a couple of weeks called 'New Year's Eve,' with Garry Marshall. It's got a great cast," he shared. "My scenes are with Michelle Pfeiffer. Yeah, not a bad co-star."
Last year, Marshall spoke to MTV News about the film, which was then in its early stages, and had one other megastar in mind for the film. "Already they're mentioning Justin Bieber," he said. "Perhaps I'd better see who he is, so when he arrives on set, possibly [we can talk]. So we'll see."
Check out everything we've got on "New Year's Eve."
For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.
Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1656845/ryan-seacrest-josh-duhamel-talks-new-years-eve-movie.jhtml
Lorri Bagley Lucy Liu Luján Fernández Magdalena Wróbel Maggie Grace
'I want us to get married, I want us to push the envelope,' Chris Robinson recalls Nicki Minaj telling him before filming.
By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Rahman Dukes
Nicki Minaj in her "Moment 4 Life" music video
Photo: Young Money / Universal
For Chris Robinson, the director behind Nicki Minaj's "Moment 4 Life," inspiration for the clip arrived as soon as he heard Drake rap on the Pink Friday track.
Robinson recalled listening to the song when he caught the Thank Me Later star spit the line "F---, me and Nicki Nick getting married today." He knew right then where he wanted to take the visual. Robinson then aimed for matrimonial bliss between the two Lil Wayne protégés.
"I stepped back and took her idea [to make it celebratory] and listened to her lyrics," the director told MTV News. "The one lyric that was there that really struck me was in Drake's verse. And I remembered all the rumors about her and Drake and thought it could be ill if we turned this into a fantasy world: 'Let's not do the usual modern home and all the accoutrements; let's think of this in a fantasy world.' And then when I presented her with that idea, she took it a step further. 'I want us to get married, I want us to push the envelope on this video, I want this video to really matter because this song means so much to me,' " he recalled her saying.
In the video, Nicki and Drake get married, kiss and live in bliss as the clock strikes midnight — but with no fairy-tale repercussions for the Queens lyricist. Instead, Minaj's fairy godmother presents her with a chance at a better life.
Nicki spoke about her co-star in an exclusive interview with MTV News after the Thursday night premiere of "Moment 4 Life." She revealed of all of her music-video leading men, Drizzy had made her feel the most comfortable.
"That energy is amazing," she said. "I just have a special place for him. He always makes me feel like it's OK, you know, just chill, relax, jokes. It's never to the point where I don't want to be there anymore, 'Let's wrap this up.' Having Drake there, it felt like we could have shot a second day for this video, and I could be fine. He's someone I look up to, he got a head start. So he's able to tell me things I don't know and I can confide in him."
What's your favorite part of the "Moment 4 Life" video? Tell us in the comments!
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'I just hope that one day, when I decide to be pregnant that people are happy for me,' superstar jokes about year-round bump-watch.
By Jocelyn Vena
In 2010 alone, Beyoncé was pregnant at least twice, if you believe the rumors.
While the singer shot down the talk both times, she says that at this point she's pretty much to used to people speculating about potential baby bumps. "I mean, it's a part of it. At this point they said I've been pregnant like eight times, so I'm kind of used to it," Beyoncé told MTV News at a screening for her concert DVD, "I Am ... World Tour," in New York City.
"I just hope that one day, when I decide to be pregnant that people are happy for me, 'cause I'm like gosh, like, everyone's like, 'Oh god, please! She's been pregnant 100 times.' One day, hopefully, I will be. So whatever; it's a part of being a celebrity, I guess."
Her mom, Tina Knowles, was also at the screening and when asked if she thought that 2011 might be the year we give up gossiping about Bey's pregnancy status, she played it cool. "You have to ask her those personal things," she said. "I don't know!"
But Tina was also the lady to shoot down the baby-bump rumors last month when she sat down with talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres.
"I heard that, but I'm here to clear the rumors up. The truth is it's not Beyoncé that's pregnant, it's me," she joked. "No, it's not true. Not right now. I'm looking forward to it. With all the rumors, by now I should have about five or six grandchildren."
What do you think of the constant speculation about Bey and a baby bump? Tell us in the comments!
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DAS Communications' lawyer claims producer Dr. Luke convinced her to breach contract.
By Jocelyn Vena
Ke$ha
Photo: Fotonoticias/ Getty Images
Ke$ha is being sued by her former managers at DAS Communications for upwards of $14 million, Ken Freundlich, who is representing DAS in the case, confirmed to MTV News.
"DAS was Ke$ha's manager since the beginning of 2006, and there was a written agreement, and they worked closely, and sometime in September 2008 [producer] Dr. Luke, for his own personal gain, somehow induced her to breach that contract," Freundlich said. "And she unceremoniously terminated DAS without justification and then ended up with Luke, basically. So we sued Ke$ha for breach of contract and Luke for interference, and that was last year, and the defense's reaction was to try and delay us. They made motions.
"The judge denied all their motions, and now we're going forward. We're going to have our day in court," he continued. "And we're going to prove that Dr. Luke induced her to breach the contract. She had no right to do so, and we're gonna get damages from her."
Freundlich explained how he and his team came to the $14 million sum, explaining, "We don't know exactly how much, but we assume it's in that range. She's been quite successful. The case is set. It's gonna go on the rest of this year. We're gonna go straight to the trial if we have to."
Ke$ha has filed a suit in California against the management team, but Freundlich is confident nothing will come of her claim that they acted as an "illegal talent agent." "That's pending out in California. Even though that case is still pending, I don't think it has any merit," he said.
Calls to Ke$ha's legal team and rep were not returned to MTV News by press time.
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Melania Trump Melissa George Melissa Howard Melissa Joan Hart Melissa Rycroft
Bieber's mentor tells MTV News the teen sensation has 'so much more in store for the future.'
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Tim Kash
Usher and Justin Bieber at the 2010 AMAs
Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images
With so much accomplished in 2010, Justin Bieber has certainly set the bar high for 2011. But the teen singer is already gearing up for next year. Bieber will not only release his much-anticipated 3-D flick, "Never Say Never", but he has also teased that he'd like to release an album of all-new material sometime later next year.
His mentor, Usher, thinks that at this point, the sky's the limit.
"As far as music and entertainment, that's the beginning," Usher told MTV News at Sunday's AMAs, where Bieber performed and took home four awards.
"There's so much more in store for the future, or at least there's a ton of things we can do and will, and with the support of his fans who will continue to just grow and grow and grow."
At 16, Bieber has accomplished what few manage with many more years in the music business, but Usher said he wants to ensure that Bieber doesn't stop enjoying it all as his popularity continues to grow and his schedule gets busier.
Asked what he admires most about Justin, Usher said, "His excitement and innocence in it. And I don't mean that in a light way because I think that he's absolutely enjoying every moment of it, as any young man his age would, but in a different way because [of] the hard work that has gone in and led to the dream that has become a reality. And every time you have an opportunity do something incredible, I tell him to do his best and be conscious that what you're doing today should last forever and eternity."
What did you think of Justin's AMA performance on Sunday? Tell us in the comments!
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Movie will be directed and produced by the Oscar winner.
By Kara Warner
Beyoncé
Photo: Paul Warner/ WireImage
Beyoncé Knowles is headed back to the big screen and into the familiar territory of playing an aspiring singer-turned-superstar. According to Deadline, Knowles will star in a remake of "A Star Is Born," to be directed and produced by Oscar winner Clint Eastwood for Warner Bros.
The remake will be the fourth telling of the "A Star Is Born" tale, the most memorable in recent years being the 1976 version with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson as star-crossed lovers of sorts. It is also worth mentioning that the producers of that film, Billy Gerber and Jon Peters, are also attached to this new project. It is said to be a full-on musical with production set to begin sometime in the fall.
Naturally, the plot details are under wraps, but the original story revolves around an aspiring singer who meets and falls in love with a troubled, failing former star who helps get the young ingénue her big break in the business.
No announcements have been made with regard to the male lead, but the report mentioned that major names like Will Smith, Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Hamm have been floated around.
It's definitely an interesting step for Knowles but not necessarily a surprise, given the fact that the majority of her film roles have been as singers ("Cadillac Records," "Dreamgirls," "The Fighting Temptations"). While many thought "Dreamgirls" would bring awards recognition for Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson's supporting role ended up garnering the most attention. With Oscar fave Eastwood at the helm of this new project, Knowles could be in line for some hardware yet.
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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Single debuts at #1 and breaks Taylor Swift's previous sales record.
By Jocelyn Vena
Britney Spears' "Hold It Against Me"
Photo: Jive
Don't hold it against her, but Britney Spears has a hit on her hands. Her new track, "Hold It Against Me," which was released last week, topped the Billboard Digital Songs chart.
The Dr.Luke/ Max Martin-produced song, the lead single from the singer's yet-untitled March album, sold 411,000 downloads in its first week available for purchase. The debut also means that Spears broke a record. According to Billboard, that is Spears' best sales week for a digital song as well as the largest debut for a woman as a lead artist. She beat out the record previously held by Taylor Swift. In February, Swift's "Today Was a Fairytale" sold 325,000 downloads; incidentally, Swift broke the record previously held by Spears when that track debuted at the top of the charts.
Spears bumps Bruno Mars' "Grenade" to #2; Wiz Khalifa moved up the chart to #3 with "Black and Yellow," followed by Katy Perry's "Firework," which dropped two spots to #4. Other newcomers to the chart include Avril Lavigne's "What the Hell" at #6 and Jay-Z and Kanye West's collaboration, "H.A.M.," at #10. Enrique Iglesias' "Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)" (#5), the Black Eyed Peas' "The Time (Dirty Bit)" (#7), Lil Wayne's "6 Foot 7 Foot" (#8) and Ke$ha's "We R Who We R" (#9) round out the top 10.
Spears is also the top seller on iTunes. Last week, when the song was released, Spears immediately jumped to the top of the iTunes charts in 16 countries. "This is absolutely incredible!" her manager Adam Leber tweeted last week about the song's success. "Brit's fans never cease to amaze me."
Are you feeling "Hold It Against Me"? Let us know in the comments below!
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Jackson's choreographer Kenny Ortega is expected to testify at the preliminary hearing in Los Angeles.
By Gil Kaufman
Dr. Conrad Murray (file)
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images
More than a year and a half after the shocking death of Michael Jackson, the only person charged in the singer's death, his personal physician Dr. Conrad Murray, will finally get his day in court.
Murray, who has been charged with one felony count of involuntary manslaughter, will be in a Los Angeles courtroom on Tuesday (January 4) for the first day of a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is enough evidence to hold a full trial. The hearing, in front of Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor, is expected to last two weeks and feature testimony from more than two dozen witnesses, most of whom are medical experts.
Prosecutors will attempt to show that Murray, who has pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter charge, was responsible for the singer's death from an overdose of prescription drugs on June 25, 2009. Murray's lawyers have said the doctor did inject the 50-year-old pop icon with the powerful surgical anesthetic propofol in an attempt to combat Jackson's chronic insomnia, but that the dose "should have" not been enough to kill him.
TMZ reported on Tuesday that one of the star witnesses during the preliminary hearing will be Jackson's "This is It" choreographer Kenny Ortega. Citing an unnamed source, TMZ said that Ortega is expected to testify that the week before Jackson died, the singer complained that he felt cold, had the shakes and could not perform, which resulted in a canceled rehearsal.
On the next day, June 20, 2009, an emergency meeting was reportedly called at Jackson's rented Los Angeles mansion between the pop star, Ortega, several executives from concert promotion giant AEG Live and Murray. The meeting was described as "intense, loud and argumentative" and Ortega is said to have laid into Jackson, imploring the singer to take better care of himself in the lead-up to what was intended to be his live swan song.
According to TMZ, Ortega is expected to testify that Murray said some "terrible things" during the meeting and displayed a lack of concern and respect for his patient, comments that could be "damaging" to Murray.
Last week, one of the prosecutors in the case claimed that Murray's lawyers were planning to claim that Jackson killed himself when he self-administered a lethal dose of propofol after waking up in a panic from a bout of fitful sleep.
Ortega is also reportedly set to testify that in the two days before his death, Jackson was a changed man, impressing his backup dancers with his upbeat singing and dancing. The testimony could be key to the prosecutors' case, since it could paint a portrait of Jackson as being healthy and energetic before Murray administered the cocktail of sedatives and propofol that allegedly resulted in the singer's death.
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British singer/songwriter wants Spears to show off her 'iconic' status.
By James Dinh
Jessie J
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images
Despite her megastar status, Britney Spears isn't usually referred to as a diva, at least in the traditional sense of the word. But if British singer/songwriter Jessie J has her way, Brit might be singing a different tune soon. Jessie J — who's co-written songs for Miley Cyrus and Chris Brown — recently submitted a track for Spears' forthcoming album, dropping in March, and she dished to MTV News about its sound.
"I know with her new album, she's been working with a lot of dubstep producers," Jessie J said, referring to the dance-music influence already present in the album's first single, "Hold It Against Me." "I kind of didn't want to do anything other than what I think Britney is, and to me Britney's an icon. She's one of those people that can do whatever she wants because she's so iconic. There's no one that does what she does like her, and that's what I wanted to write about."
Describing the song's lyrics as "very diva-ish" and "really hippy-like," the "Do It Like a Dude" star said that pop stars deserve to be as boastful as MCs. "You know how rappers get away with so much?" she asked. "They can say so much about how cocky they are, and no one will bat an eyelid. If a singer does it, it's like, 'She's got an ego,' but I think Britney deserves to say, 'I can do it really well and I can do it as good as anyone else.' "
Jessie J offered Beyoncé's Sasha Fierce alter ego as an example of a female singer who proudly showed off her assertive persona. "She almost had to create an alter ego to get away with it," she said of B, who remains one of Jessie's dream collaborators. "I don't think Britney needs to have an alter ego. She is just Britney Spears. She will always be Britney Spears."
Do you think Britney deserves her own diva-like track? Sound off below!
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Brian Friedman says rehearsals for the clip have been 'incredible.'
By Jocelyn Vena
Britney Spears' "Hold It Against Me"
Photo: Jive
Britney Spears is hard at work on her "Hold It Against Me" video. The pop diva is currently in rehearsals for the clip, set to shoot this week. And choreographer Brian Friedman couldn't be more excited to share with fans all the hard work he and Brit are putting into the video's smooth moves.
"Just finished with @britneyspears & the dancers & I'm PUMPED!" he tweeted on Tuesday. "Day 1 was INCREDIBLE! #HIAMkills!"
He previously tweeted, "Nothing beats waking up @ 7am for rehearsal! LOL not so much! Warm up dancers. ... It's Full Out! ... Thrilled to get back in the studio tomorrow and Lock in 'HIAM.' ... It's getting closer peeps!"
Friedman has said that Spears is taking some risks in this video. "This is a dance video. Rehearsals can get pretty rough," he explained. "[It's] the hardest dance track that she's ever put out. ... It's infectious. The beat gets inside of you, and just when you think you know it, it takes a turn. The song, in particular, is one of my favorite songs I've heard off the bat. I'm really excited about choreographing it."
The clip will be directed by music-video vet Jonas Åkerlund, who has a reputation for controversial clips and has worked with the likes of Madonna and Lady Gaga. Spears tweeted the news, writing, "Dance, dance, and more dance. Getting ready to shoot the video for HIAM this week with Jonas Åkerlund. Super excited!"
In addition to working on the video for the track, Spears has also been seen at a recording studio putting the finishing touches on the album. Manager Adam Leber tweeted this tease for the fans, "Amazing day in the studio today. You guys should be very excited. This album is going to be incredible. Dare I say the best yet?"
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An L.A. County Coroner's Office investigator testifies during Dr. Conrad Murray's preliminary hearing that a litany of drugs were found at the residence.
By Mawuse Ziegbe
Michael Jackson
Photo: Sony/ AEG
The role of propofol has loomed large in Michael Jackson's sudden 2009 death, and according to an investigator, copious amounts of the surgical anesthetic were found in the superstar's home.
During the latest round of testimony at the preliminary manslaughter hearing for Jackson's physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, on Friday (January 7), an investigator for the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office testified that a dozen bottles of propofol were discovered in Jackson's home, according to TMZ. One of the two bottles found in the singer's bedroom was empty, and investigators also found a slew of at least 10 other types of medication, including lorazepam, hydrocodone and lidocaine.
The mother of one of Murray's children, Nicole Alvarez, also testified and said the doctor sent several packages to her home from April to June 2009. While the packages' contents were not revealed in court, TMZ has reported that the parcels contained propofol and were sent from Murray's Las Vegas pharmacy.
Another one of Murray's girlfriends, Sade Anding, gave notable testimony. Anding said she received a five-minute phone call from Murray around 12:30 p.m., during which he abruptly stopped talking after exchanging brief small talk. Anding said she heard "coughing and voices," and the line sounded as if he had placed the phone in his pocket. However, according to phone records, the only time Murray called Anding that day was at 11:51 a.m., which would have meant that Murray waited about 25 minutes to call 911 once he recognized Jackson needed emergency assistance.
Murray has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter, and his lawyers are reportedly planning to claim Jackson killed himself by self-administering a lethal dose of propofol.
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Glam rocker tackled the legendary 1970 Led Zeppelin song for 'American Idol' rock night.
By Gil Kaufman
Adam Lambert performs "Whole Lotta Love" on "American Idol" on Tuesday
Photo: R. Mickshaw/Getty Images/ Fox
Imagine a freight train speeding toward you at midnight. Or a rockslide barreling down a hill as you try to outrace it. That's the feeling of the ominous, chugging Jimmy Page riff that kicks off Led Zeppelin's 1970 Stonehenge of rock, "Whole Lotta Love." And that's before singer Robert Plant leans into one of the nastiest, ecstatic rock screams this side of the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again."
That's the song Adam Lambert chose to sing on "American Idol" rock night Tuesday (May 5), and, needless to say, it was a challenge that the eyeliner-loving Los Angeles stage veteran was more than up for, hitting a series of high notes and rock screams that would have made Plant proud. It was a risky maneuver that paid off for Lambert, who chose a tune that came in at #75 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004.
The legendary British rock act recorded the tribute to Chicago blues icon Willie Dixon during their second U.S. tour after working it out in their live show, including it on their 1969 classic album Led Zeppelin II. Like many of the songs Zeppelin performed early in their career, "Love" was a blues standard turned on its head with a heavy dose of crunching psychedelic guitar and thundering drums, courtesy of late drummer John Bonham. The song was based on a 1962 tune by another blues forefather, Muddy Waters, called "You Need Love," which was penned by Dixon.
For Zeppelin's version, Plant customized the lyrics by adding some lyrical quotes from a few other songs Dixon wrote for Howlin' Wolf, "Back Door Man" and "Shake For Me," nailing the tricky vocal in a single take. It was also inspired by 1966's "You Need Loving" from the British rock group the Small Faces, for whom Zeppelin had great affection, but they also did not credit Dixon for his part in writing the original lyrics. The song became Zeppelin's first U.S. single and their only U.S. top 10 hit. Though their manager would not let them release singles in the U.K. because he thought it cannibalized album sales, the song was finally released as the band's only British single in 1997.
Dixon sued Zeppelin over the song in 1985, claiming it borrowed too heavily from his "You Need Love," and Zeppelin reached an agreement with him, with Dixon using the money he received to set up a program that provided musical instruments for schools. A cornerstone of heavy rock, the tune -- which was the theme song for the long-running British countdown show "Top of the Pops" in the 1970s and '80s -- has been covered by dozens of artists over the years, from Tina Turner and Ben Harper to Prince, Slash, Leona Lewis, Train's Pat Monahan, the London Symphony Orchestra and Jane's Addiction.
Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
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'The King's Speech,' 'The Social Network,' 'The Kids Are All Right' among top nominees for the 83rd Academy Awards.
By MTV News Staff
Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter in "The King's Speech"
Photo: See Saw Films
Here are the nominees for the 83rd Academy Awards. Stick with MTV News all day for Oscar reactions, analysis and more.
Best Picture
"Black Swan," Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver and Scott Franklin, Producers
"The Fighter" David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Mark Wahlberg, Producers
"Inception," Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, Producers
"The Kids Are All Right," Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and Celine Rattray, Producers
"The King's Speech," Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin, Producers
"127 Hours," Christian Colson, Danny Boyle and John Smithson, Producers
"The Social Network," Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca and Ceán, Producers
"Toy Story 3" Darla K. Anderson, Producer
"True Grit" Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
"Winter's Bone" Anne Rosellini and Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Producers
Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem in "Biutiful"
Jeff Bridges in "True Grit"
Jesse Eisenberg in "The Social Network"
Colin Firth in "The King's Speech"
James Franco in "127 Hours"
Actor in a Supporting Role
Christian Bale in "The Fighter"
John Hawkes in "Winter's Bone"
Jeremy Renner in "The Town"
Mark Ruffalo in "The Kids Are All Right"
Geoffrey Rush in "The King's Speech"
Actress in a Leading Role
Annette Bening in "The Kids Are All Right"
Nicole Kidman in "Rabbit Hole"
Jennifer Lawrence in "Winter's Bone"
Natalie Portman in "Black Swan"
Michelle Williams in "Blue Valentine"
Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams in "The Fighter"
Helena Bonham Carter in "The King's Speech"
Melissa Leo in "The Fighter"
Hailee Steinfeld in "True Grit"
Jacki Weaver in "Animal Kingdom"
Animated Feature Film
"How to Train Your Dragon" Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois
"The Illusionist" Sylvain Chomet
"Toy Story 3" Lee Unkrich
Art Direction
"Alice in Wonderland"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1"
"Inception"
"The King's Speech"
"True Grit"
Cinematography
"Black Swan," Matthew Libatique
"Inception," Wally Pfister
"The King's Speech," Danny Cohen
"The Social Network," Jeff Cronenweth
"True Grit," Roger Deakins
Costume Design
"Alice in Wonderland," Colleen Atwood
"I Am Love," Antonella Cannarozzi
"The King's Speech," Jenny Beavan
"The Tempest," Sandy Powell
"True Grit" Mary Zophres
Directing
"Black Swan," Darren Aronofsky
"The Fighter," David O. Russell
"The King's Speech," Tom Hooper
"The Social Network," David Fincher
"True Grit," Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Documentary (Feature)
"Exit through the Gift Shop," Banksy and Jaimie D'Cruz
"Gasland," Josh Fox and Trish Adlesic
"Inside Job," Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs
"Restrepo," Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger
"Waste Land," Lucy Walker and Angus Aynsley
Documentary (Short Subject)
"Killing in the Name"
"Poster Girl"
"Strangers No More"
"Sun Come Up"
"The Warriors of Qiugang"
Film Editing
"Black Swan"
"The Fighter"
"The King's Speech"
"127 Hours"
"The Social Network"
Foreign Language Film
"Biutiful," Mexico
"Dogtooth," Greece
"In a Better World," Denmark
"Incendies," Canada
"Outside the Law (Hors-la-loi)," Algeria
Makeup
"Barney's Version," Adrien Morot
"The Way Back," Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk and Yolanda Toussieng
"The Wolfman," Rick Baker and Dave Elsey
Music (Original Score)
"How to Train Your Dragon," John Powell
"Inception," Hans Zimmer
"The King's Speech," Alexandre Desplat
"127 Hours," A.R. Rahman
"The Social Network," Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
Music (Original Song)
"Coming Home" from "Country Strong," Music and Lyric by Tom Douglas, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey
"I See the Light" from "Tangled," Music by Alan Menken Lyric by Glenn Slater
"If I Rise" from "127 Hours," Music by A.R. Rahman Lyric by Dido and Rollo Armstrong
"We Belong Together" from "Toy Story 3," Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
Short Film (Animated)
"Day & Night," Teddy Newton
"The Gruffalo," Jakob Schuh and Max Lang
"Let's Pollute," Geefwee Boedoe
"The Lost Thing," Shaun Tan and Andrew Ruhemann
"Madagascar, carnet de voyage (Madagascar, a Journey Diary)" Bastien Dubois
Short Film (Live Action)
"The Confession," Tanel Toom
"The Crush," Michael Creagh
"God of Love," Luke Matheny
"Na Wewe," Ivan Goldschmidt
"Wish 143," Ian Barnes and Samantha Waite
Sound Editing
"Inception," Richard King
"Toy Story 3," Tom Myers and Michael Silvers
"Tron: Legacy," Gwendolyn Yates Whittle and Addison Teague
"True Grit," Skip Lievsay and Craig Berkey
"Unstoppable," Mark P. Stoeckinger
Sound Mixing
"Inception," Lora Hirschberg, Gary A. Rizzo and Ed Novick
"The King's Speech," Paul Hamblin, Martin Jensen and John Midgley
"Salt," Jeffrey J. Haboush, Greg P. Russell, Scott Millan and William Sarokin
"The Social Network," Ren Klyce, David Parker, Michael Semanick and Mark Weingarten
"True Grit," Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff and Peter F. Kurland
Visual Effects
"Alice in Wonderland," Ken Ralston, David Schaub, Carey Villegas and Sean Phillips
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1," Tim Burke, John Richardson, Christian Manz and Nicolas Aithadi
"Hereafter," Michael Owens, Bryan Grill, Stephan Trojanski and Joe Farrell
"Inception," Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley and Peter Bebb
"Iron Man 2," Janek Sirrs, Ben Snow, Ged Wright and Daniel Sudick
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
"127 Hours," Screenplay by Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy
"The Social Network," Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin
"Toy Story 3," Screenplay by Michael Arndt; Story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich
"True Grit," Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
"Winter's Bone," Adapted for the screen by Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini
Writing (Original Screenplay)
"Another Year," Written by Mike Leigh
"The Fighter," Screenplay by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson; Story by Keith Dorrington & Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson
"Inception," Written by Christopher Nolan
"The Kids Are All Right," Written by Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg
"The King's Speech," Screenplay by David Seidler
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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