Lady Gaga, Madonna, Nicki Minaj Top 2012's Most Anticipated Albums1676533

Mumford & Sons, Justin Bieber, Rick Ross also prepping new material.
By Gil Kaufman



Photo: Getty Images / MTV News

The past 12 months have seen the release of monster albums from Adele, Lady Gaga, Drake, Taylor Swift, Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj. But the next 12 are promising to bring even more music from several of those artists, plus new albums from Mumford & Sons, Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Linkin Park, Paramore, Madonna, Miley Cyrus, Maroon 5 and Green Day. It's a bumper crop of major albums from some of rock, pop and hip-hop's biggest stars, who are returning from long breaks, hoping to follow up smash debuts or just trying to keep their momentum going. While release dates are always subject to change, here are some of the most anticipated releases of 2012.

Pop:
Ironically, the status of new albums from the artists whose next moves everyone is most curious about are the ones most in the air. Rihanna tends to deliver a new album every 12 or 13 months, which means that she may have another disc in stores at the end of next year once the just-released Talk That Talk has run its course. On the other hand, Lady Gaga has already begun talking about her follow-up to this year's Born This Way. Gaga recently told MTV News that she's already started writing songs and "all the concepts are beginning to flourish and take place." She didn't give a potential release date, only promising, "I'll put it out when it's done." Katy Perry hasn't publicly spoken about what will come after 2010's smash Teenage Dream, but it's possible she could start work on new material in 2012 as well. We know for sure that Justin Bieber is planning to show his more mature side next time around, possibly even incorporating some EDM sounds into the mix. It's been confirmed that Madonna hooked up with M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj for the single "Gimme All Your Luvin' " from her untitled forthcoming album, which will feature production from Ray of Light producer William Orbit. Other artists who could release fresh material in 2012: No Doubt, Maroon 5, Avril Lavigne, Miley Cyrus, Christina Aguilera, Ke$ha and Nicole Scherzinger.

Hip-Hop:
Two titans of rap are cueing up fresh tracks for early 2012, with Nicki Minaj likely to get out of the gate first with her sophomore album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, due out on Valentine's Day. The disc will include first single "Roman in Moscow," which sees the Best New Artist Grammy nominee getting into the character of her alter ego, Roman Zolanski. After the delay of God Forgives, I Don't due to a pair of seizures he suffered in October, Rick Ross is expected to come back strong as well. The Bawse has taken his convalescent time to work on a new track with Jay-Z. Speaking of Jigga, fans may get a new record from him as well, considering he told MTV News he was cooking up fresh tracks way back when he first played us songs from his Kanye West collaborative album, Watch the Throne. In fact, Jay-Z said you might get solo albums from both men as well as the second Throne release. Other artists that should have albums hitting stores in 2012: Nas, Frank Ocean, Slaughterhouse, Wiz Khalifa, the G.O.O.D. Music compilation, T.I., Big Sean, 50 Cent, Ludacris, Big K.R.I.T., Meek Mill and potentially two discs from Lil Wayne, I Am Not a Human Being II and Rebirth II. Rock:
Some of rock's biggest guns are reloading for 2012, among them Green Day, who debuted some new tracks at a benefit show in August. The title of the follow-up to 2009's 21st Century Breakdown hasn't been announced yet, but some of the early songs slated for possible inclusion are "Nuclear Family," "Carpe Diem" and "Sweet 16." U2 have reportedly been cooking up a number of potential new albums, logging sessions with Danger Mouse and working with French producer/DJ David Guetta, RedOne and will.i.am on a disc of dance-oriented tunes. Prog rock revivalists Muse should also have some new material for us, with bassist Chris Wolstenholme promising in a recent interview that the sound on their sixth album will be "radically different" from 2009's The Resistance. We may get something from Linkin Park, who are prepping the follow-up to 2010's A Thousand Suns, and Mumford & Sons. It's been two years since the British folk rock revivalists dropped their still strong-selling debut, Sigh No More, and they began giving fans a taste of some new material in the fall when they unveiled the majestic song "Ghosts." After a rough year, Paramore have finally put the drama behind them and they're super-psyched to record an album free of tension and inter-band awkwardness. So far, they've already unwrapped the bouncy "Renegade" and "Hello Cold World," which bode well for their fourth full-length studio album. Other rock acts slated to release new albums: the reunited Soundgarden, Foster the People, Neon Trees, Sleigh Bells, Silversun Pickups, Bruce Springsteen and All-American Rejects. Which 2012 albums are you most excited about? Which ones did we miss? Let us know in comments below.

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See the 55 Best Twitter Pictures of the Year!

Celebrities were all about sharing photos of their families, friends, pets, and vacations this year. Some took to the social network to share the first photos of their babies, like Kate Hudson and her Muse fiancé Matthew Bellamy, while others introduced four-legged members of the family like David and Victoria Beckham's other baby girl, Scarlet. Jessica Simpson tweeted a photo kissing a beautiful orange Birkin, and Lauren Conrad couldn't help but share a photo when she ran into YouTube sensations Sophia Grace and her friend, Rosie. Click through to see some of the best snaps of the year and be sure to follow us on Twitter for exciting news, photos, and 2012 award season coverage!

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Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson Begin Wrapping Up Their Big Year

Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson stuck together for lunch in Brentwood yesterday afternoon. The expecting parents have been hanging out around LA since unwrapping their presents on Sunday. They were also spotted picking up drinks at a Malibu Starbucks on Monday. It seems Jess and Eric spent the latest holiday on the West Coast with her sister Ashlee, nephew Bronx, and parents Tina and Joe. It was a fair deal, since Jess and Eric sat down to Thanksgiving dinner with his family in Boston during November. Christmas next year will be much different for Eric and Jess. Their little one is apparently due in the Spring, so 2012's travels will require even more planning and coordination.

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Top Five Music Videos Of 2011

So 2011 has been a great musical year. Every year, I like to round up my favorite music videos for readers to enjoy. So come and check them out and share what your favorites are! So this year we have the same big names: Rihanna, Britney Spears, Katy Perry, The Black Eyed Peas, and Lady Gaga. these hipsters know how to rock out and make amazing videos for their fans. That is why they are definitely in my top five favorites! Here is my list. No, you don’t have to agree, that’s part of the fun. Join in the comments or tweet @rightcelebrity to share your list! Rihanna: “We Found Love” This is my favorite video of 2011 because I related most to it. Rihanna made this controversial video while on her Loud Tour in Europe. She gained attention when the owner of the rural farm they shot on asked her to stop cause of her racy outfit. It wasn’t that bad! I love this video and song because it has an old school feel to it – the sound is like old beats I would have listened to back in my troubled teen years while having some of the [...]

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Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey Play Santa In 'Christmas' Clip1675189

Bieber debuts 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' video (and performs with Busta Rhymes and Usher) during 'Christmas in Rockefeller Center.'
By Jocelyn Vena


Justin Bieber at the Christmas Tree lighting in New York City
Photo: James Devaney/ Getty Images

Deck the halls! The holiday kicked into high gear Wednesday night (November 30) when New York's massive Christmas tree was lit during "Christmas in Rockefeller Center." Plenty of A-listers were on hand, including Justin Bieber, who premiered his highly anticipated video for "All I Want for Christmas Is You," featuring Mariah Carey.

Before the strings of lights were illuminated, performances from Michael Bublé, Katharine McPhee, Big Time Rush, Tony Bennett, Carole King and Neil Diamond warmed viewers up. But Bieber was the headline act of the night, giving fans some big performances and an even bigger video premiere. Bieber amped up the energy with his hip-hop-ified take on the Christmas classic "Little Drummer Boy," which included him spitting a holiday-themed rhyme. Decked in all black, the teen star had the crowd screaming. He was even joined by Busta Rhymes, who appears on the Under the Mistletoe cut. JB then slowed things down with "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)," leaving his female fans swooning as he crooned the holiday standard. He was joined by his mentor Usher for the track. "God bless and Merry Christmas," Bieber told the crowd before tossing to the "All I Want for Christmas Is You" video. The clip features Mariah Carey dressed in a sexy Santa Claus outfit standing in a department store as she dances around singing the track, almost as if she's on display for holiday shoppers. It also sees Bieber and his pals shopping for some choice holiday gifts like high-top kicks. In between performance shots of Bieber and Mariah, a street-corner Santa Claus hands out envelopes to shoppers on the street, teasing an inevitable yuletide party scene. The shoppers are then welcomed into the department store, where Justin and Mariah hand out gifts to everyone. The duo tease and flirt with each other as everyone around them unwraps their gifts. Bieber and Carey re-recorded her classic holiday tune for his chart-topping holiday album, which also features appearances from the Band Perry and Boyz II Men. They filmed the video earlier this month, just in time for the holiday season. Did Bieber get you in the holiday spirit? Let us know in the comments!

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Take a Behind-the-Scenes Look into "The Hobbit" Set

Opening up about his highly-anticipated upcoming flick, Peter Jackson dishes some details on the filming of ?The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.?

Chatting about the recent outdoor production in New Zealand, Jackson reveals on a video blog post, "Dwarves in boats; everybody thinks they're a sailor," as a rubber raft full of some of the movie's characters drift by in the background.

"It's been great to get outside. It's been great to get that texture of Middle-earth into the movie after many, many weeks of shooting in the studio," Jackson continued.

Picking up and traveling to New Zealand for the filming is nothing less than a spectacle, as the main unit crew alone is comprised of approximately 500 members with 200 more second-unit filmmakers dispatched to various parts of the country.

It takes over 140 vehicles to transport all the equipment - which includes generators, props, costumes, set dressing, Hobbit feet, livestock, food, water and other creature-comfort amenities, not to mention airplanes, helicopters, flatbed uphill tows, motorboats and rubber rafts.

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Did Lady Gaga Spark EDM Explosion?1675841

'I was just one of a few artists at a certain sort of time in radio where more dance music was being played on top 40,' she tells MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Matt Elias


Lady Gaga
Photo: MTV News

Lady Gaga burst on the scene in 2008 declaring that the world should "Just Dance." From there, everyone kind of did. A few years back, the pop star was one of the few singers infusing mainstream pop records with electronic dance music influences. In the years since her breakthrough, Gaga's use of the musical form has certainly gotten darker and more in-depth, especially on 2011's Born This Way.

These days, she's hardly in the minority. EDM is all over pop and urban radio. Performers like Rihanna, Usher, Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj are working with some of the top EDM producers and DJs in the game, some of whom MTV has recognized as the Best EDM Artists of 2011, churning out chart-topping, genre-busting tunes. When MTV News caught up with the Mother Monster earlier this month in L.A., she weighed in on 2011's EDM/pop explosion, noting that she was hardly the main factor in the recent blast of crossover hits. "I think that radio has had the biggest influence on the rise of electronic dance music," she said. "I was just one of a few artists at a certain sort of time in radio where more dance music was being played on top 40, but I'm not the person to thank for that. The people to thank for that are at KIIS-FM and at the other stations around the country who gave dance music a chance." Not only is radio taking note, but also the whole music industry. Just last month, EDM star Skrillex was nominated for a Best New Artist Grammy, the first DJ recognized in that category ever. Gaga thinks there's still room for growth. "I think we have some more work to do, especially with the different academies that honor music," she said. "I think that dance music should also be credited as pop music where it's due and vice versa, the way that country and pop is, the way that R&B and pop are. So we still have a ways to go, but it's moving in a wonderfully fast and interesting direction." Do you think Gaga influenced the popularity of EDM? Let us know in the comments!

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