TOP PICK: Beyonce Teases 'Fifty Shades of Grey' Song - Get the First Listen Here!


Is Beyonce going to be on the soundtrack for the highly anticipated Fifty Shades of Grey movie?

After teasing a quick snippet of a new song on her Instagram, it looks like at least one tune will be featured in the movie from the 32-year-old singer.

The first trailer premieres this Thursday and according to Beyonce‘s video, it will feature her new song. We can’t wait for it!

Check out the full snippet below!



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TOP PICK: Beyonce Leads the MTV VMAs 2014 Nominations - See the Full List!


The 2014 MTV Video Music Award nominations are here!!!

Unsurprisingly, Beyonce leads with a whopping eight nominations including “Video of the Year,” “Best Female” and “Best Choreography.”

Meanwhile, Eminem and Iggy Azalea each nabbed an impressive seven nominations each.

Usher, Ariana Grande, and 5 Seconds of Summer are all confirmed to perform with additional talent being announced at a later date.

Mark your calendars – the 2014 MTV VMAs are set to air live on Sunday, August 24 from the Forum in Inglewood, Calif!

MTV VMAs 2014 – Nominations List

VIDEO OF THE YEAR:
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”
Beyoncé ft. JAY Z – “Drunk In Love”
Pharrell Williams – “Happy”
Sia – “Chandelier”
Miley Cyrus – “Wrecking Ball”

BEST HIP HOP:
Eminem – “Bezerk”
Drake ft. Majid Jordan – “Hold On (We’re Going Home)”
Childish Gambino – “3005″
Kanye West – “Black Skinhead”
Wiz Khalifa – “We Dem Boyz”

BEST MALE:
Pharrell Williams – “Happy”
John Legend – “All Of Me”
Ed Sheeran ft. Pharrell – “Sing”
Sam Smith – “Stay With Me”
Eminem ft. Rihanna – “Monster”

BEST FEMALE:
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”
Beyoncé – “Partition”
Lorde – “Royals”
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – “Problem”
Katy Perry ft. Juicy J – “Dark Horse”

BEST POP:
Pharrell Williams – “Happy”
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”
Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chainz – “Talk Dirty”
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – “Problem”
Avicii ft. Aloe Blacc – “Wake Me Up”

BEST ROCK:
Imagine Dragons – “Demons”
Arctic Monkeys – “Do I Wanna Know”
The Black Keys – “Fever”
Lorde – “Royals”
Linkin Park – “Until It’s Gone”

MTV ARTIST TO WATCH:
Sam Smith – “Stay With Me”
5 Seconds of Summer -”She Looks So Perfect”
Charli XCX – “Boom Clap”
Schoolboy Q – “Man Of The Year”
Fifth Harmony – “Miss Movin On”

BEST COLLABORATION:
Beyoncé ft. JAY Z – “Drunk In Love”
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – “Problem”
Pitbull ft. Ke$ha – “Timber”
Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne and Tyga – “Loyal”
Eminem ft. Rihanna – “Monster”
Katy Perry ft. Juicy J – “Dark Horse”

MTV CLUBLAND AWARD:
DJ Snake & Lil Jon – “Turn Down For What”
Zedd ft. Hayley Williams – “Stay the Night”
Calvin Harris – “Summer”
Martin Garrix – “Animal”
Disclosure – “Grab Her!”

BEST VIDEO WITH A SOCIAL MESSAGE
Angel Haze ft. SIA – “Battle Cry“
Avicii – “Hey Brother”
Beyoncé – “Pretty Hurts”
J. Cole ft. TLC – “Crooked Smile”
Kelly Rowland – “Dirty Laundry”
David Guetta f/ Mikky Ekko – “One Voice”

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
30 Seconds to Mars – “City of Angels”
Beyoncé – “Pretty Hurts”
Arcade Fire – “Afterlife”
Gesaffelstein – “Hate or Glory”
Lana Del Rey – “West Coast”

BEST EDITING
Eminem – “Rap God”
MGMT – “Your Life is a Lie”
Zedd ft. Hayley Williams -”Stay the Night”
Beyoncé – “Pretty Hurts”
Fitz and The Tantrums – “The Walker”

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Sia – “Chandelier”
Beyoncé – “Partition”
Usher – “Good Kisser”
Michael Jackson f/Justin Timberlake – “Love Never Felt So Good”
Jason Derulo f/2Chainz – “Talk Dirty”
KIESZA – “Hideaway”

BEST DIRECTION
DJ Snake & Lil Jon – “Turn Down For What”
OK Go – “The Writing’s On the Wall”
Miley Cyrus – “Wrecking Ball”
Beyoncé – “Pretty Hurts”
Eminemft. Rihanna – “The Monster”

BEST ART DIRECTION
DJ Snake & Lil Jon – “Turn Down For What”
Iggy Azaleaft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”
Eminem – “Rap God”
Arcade Fire – “Reflektor”
Tyler, The Creator – “Tamale”

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
DJ Snake & Lil Jon – “Turn Down For What”
OK Go – “The Writing’s On the Wall”
Disclosure – “Grab Her!”
Eminem – “Rap God”
Jack White – “Lazaretto”

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TOP PICK: Finally! Beyonce Styles Blue Ivy's Hair Post-Petition


Did Beyonce hear about the petition begging her to style Blue Ivy's hair?

Last month, an online petition (which is pretty ridic) started asking Bey and Jay-Z to comb and style their daughter's hair and eventually got more than 5,000 signatures.

Perhaps someone told the "Drunk in Love" couple about the outcry over Blue's curly coif, because Bey shared new photos of Blue rocking a cute new hairdo on her website. In this pic, the adorable 2-year-old shows off a stylish bun before she goes for a dip in the swimming pool.

Then again, the power couple is probably too busy with their "On the Run" summer tour, which kicked off in Miami last month, to be reading silly internet petitions created by strangers. Beyonce just announced today that HBO will be airing a special in September from their Paris show, so we're guessing they've got their plates full.

Either way, we like Blue's new 'do and her old one too!


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TOP PICK: Solange Knowles Opens Up About Elevator Fight with Jay Z


Solange Knowles poses on the cover of Lucky magazine‘s August 2014 issue.

Here is what the 28-year-old singer had to share with the mag:

On the elevator fight with Jay Z: “What’s important is that my family and I are all good. What we had to say collectively was in the statement that we put out, and we all feel at peace with that.”

On the change of pace in New Orleans life: “I have friends who call in the middle of the day and say, ‘Come around the corner for a drink—we’re going to hear this band,’ and I’m just like ‘No, I can’t! … Okay, wait for me.’ So I have to remove myself. As an artist, I lack discipline in terms of buckling down. But if I’m isolated then I have no choice.”

On deciding to become a singer: “I was nervous to talk to my parents. Part of my mom was like, ‘Please be normal and get a regular job,’ because she had gone through so much with my sister. She knew how strong-willed I was and how the industry was probably not going to be the most supportive thing for a 15-year-old girl.”

For more from Solange, visit LuckyMag.com!

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TOP PICK:BET Awards 2014 - Complete Winners List!


It was a great evening of music and entertainment at the 2014 BET Awards held at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on Sunday (June 29) in Los Angeles.

The big winner of the night was Beyonce, who took home three awards – Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, the FANdemonium Award, and Best Collaboration for “Drunk in Love” with Jay Z.

Receiving two awards each were were Pharrell Williams, Nicki Minaj, and newcomer August Alsina.

Video of the Year went to Pharrell for his hit song “Happy” and he also won the award for Best Male R&B/Pop Artist. Nicki took home Best Female Hip Hop Artist as well as Best Group as a member of Young Money. August picked up the prize for Best New Artist, as well as the Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award for his song “I Luv This $hit.”


BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST
Beyoncé – WINNER
Janelle Monáe
Jhené Aiko
K. Michelle
Rihanna
Tamar Braxton

BEST MALE R&B/POP ARTIST
August Alsina
Chris Brown
John Legend
Justin Timberlake
Pharrell Williams - WINNER

BEST GROUP
A$AP Mob
Daft Punk
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
TGT
Young Money – WINNER

BEST COLLABORATION
August Alsina f/ Trinidad Jame$ – I Luv This
Beyoncé f/ JAY Z – Drunk In Love – WINNER
Drake f/ Majid Jordan – Hold On (We’re Going Home)
JAY Z f/ Justin Timberlake – Holy Grail
Robin Thicke f/ T.I. & Pharrell Williams – Blurred Lines
YG f/ Jeezy & Rich Homie Quan – My Hitta

COCA-COLA VIEWERS’ CHOICE AWARD
August Alsina featuring Trinidad Jame$ – “I Luv This Shit” – WINNER
Beyoncé featuring Jay Z – “Drunk in Love”
Drake – “Worst Behavior”
Jhené Aiko – “The Worst”
Pharrell Williams – “Happy”

BEST MALE HIP HOP ARTIST
Drake – WINNER
Future
J. Cole
JAY Z
Kendrick Lamar

BEST FEMALE HIP HOP ARTIST
Angel Haze
Charli Baltimore
Eve
Iggy Azalea
Nicki Minaj – WINNER

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Beyoncé – Partition
Beyoncé f/ JAY Z – Drunk In Love
Chris Brown – Fine China
Drake – Worst Behavior
Pharrell Williams – Happy – WINNER

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Benny Boom
Chris Brown
Colin Tilley
Director X
Hype Williams – WINNER

BEST NEW ARTIST
Ariana Grande
August Alsina – WINNER
Mack Wilds
Rich Homie Quan
ScHoolboy Q

BEST GOSPEL ARTIST
Donnie McClurkin
Erica Campbell
Hezekiah Walker
Tamela Mann – WINNER
Tye Tribbett

BEST ACTRESS
Angela Bassett
Gabrielle Union
Kerry Washington
Lupita Nyong’o – WINNER
Oprah Winfrey

BEST ACTOR
Chiwetel Ejiofor – WINNER
Forest Whitaker
Idris Elba
Kevin Hart
Michael B. Jordan

YOUNGSTARS AWARD
Gabby Douglas
Jacob Latimore
Jaden Smith
KeKe Palmer – WINNER
Zendaya

BEST MOVIE
12 Years a Slave – WINNER
The Best Man Holiday
Fruitvale Station
Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain
Lee Daniels’ The Butler

SUBWAY SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
Brittney Griner
Lolo Jones
Serena Williams - WINNER
Skylar Diggins
Venus Williams

SUBWAY SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
Blake Griffin
Carmelo Anthony
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Kevin Durant – WINNER
LeBron James

CENTRIC AWARD
Aloe Blacc – The Man
Jennifer Hudson f/ T.I. – I Can’t Describe (The Way I Feel)
Jhené Aiko – The Worst – WINNER
LiV Warfield – Why Do You Lie?
Wale f/ Sam Dew – LoveHate Thing

FANdemonium Award
Beyoncé - WINNER
Trey Songz
Rihanna
Justin Timberlake

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT: AFRICA
Davido (Nigeria) – WINNER
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Mafikizolo (South Africa)
Sarkodie (Ghana)
Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)
Toofan (Togo)

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT: UK
Dizzee Rascal
Ghetts
Krept & Konan – WINNER
Laura Mvula
Rita Ora
Tinie Tempah

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Beyonce Shows Justin Bieber's Mugshot During 'On the Run' Show


If you went to Beyonce and Jay Z's show in Miami on June 25, you probably saw Justin Bieber there. No, the swaggy singer wasn't there on a date with Selena Gomez or anything, but he did make a surprise appearance at the couple's opening night.

During Jay Z's performance of "H to the Izzo", a bunch of celebrity mugshots were displayed on giant screens on stage...and the best one was Bieber's pic.

When Jay Z yelled "poof" during the song, the music cut out and Bieber's mugshot appeared. The crowd went nuts. Fans are saying Beyonce said, "even the greatest fall," after the picture showed up. Watch the whole thing in a YouTube clip below.

This isn't the only footage Bey and Jay showed at the show. They gave fans a glimpse of their wedding video too.


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TOP PICK: Beyonce and Jay-Z Share Secret Wedding Footage During 'On the Run' Tour Kickoff


Beyonce and Jay-Z kicked off their 'On the Run' tour last night in Miami, and they tried their best to make us forget all about those trouble in paradise reports and wedding tattoo removal buzz post ElevatorGate.



While performing their hit "Forever Young" at Sun Life Stadium, concertgoers were treated to never before seen footage from Bey and Jay's wedding back in 2008. Check out the couple getting their matching IV ring finger tattoos, Jay putting a huge rock on his wifey's hand and the twosome walking down the aisle for the very first time as Mr. and Mrs. Carter.

Usually, all eyes are on Beyonce when she's singing, but we were totally staring the at the personal videos behind her this time. It's funny how the notoriously private couple is now suddenly sharing intimate videos from their top secret nuptials, huh?

Catch the power couple 'On the Run' throughout the US this summer.

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TOP PICK: Beyonce & Kelly Rowland Reunite with Michelle Williams for 'Say Yes' Video - Watch Now!


Beyonce and Kelly Rowland get their gal pal Michelle Williams into a group hug in the just released music video for their song “Say Yes”!

The Destiny’s Child groupmates reunited for the song, which is featured on Michelle‘s new album Journey to Freedom.

“Sometimes the director or production assistants had to say like, ‘OK, girls, bring it back home. Bring it back together because when we were together, we go back to how we were when we were younger, just always laughing and talking about things,” Michelle said on Good Morning America. “It’s been a great moment.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK of the video for Michelle Williams’ “Say Yes”?



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Remember That 'Evolution of Beyonce' Viral Video? Now There's a Miley Cyrus One (WATCH)


We aren't the only ones who think Miley Cyrus has had some awesome jams over the past few years. A little duo named Superfruit, comprised of Pentatonix's Scott Hoying and Mitch Grassi, just posted the best Miley musical mashup online since their previous viral video, The Evolution Of Beyonce.

Last year, the guys sang a medley of almost every Bey song out there, and they killed it. This time around, they copied off their previous Bey video, but did it with the twerking singer's songs.

The guys start the entire thing off with Miley's Hannah Montana tunes and end with her most current ones. Our favorite part of the whole thing is when they sing "We Can't Stop". From the comments on YouTube, everyone else likes "Wrecking Ball."

Watch the new video below. We're sure it'll reach millions of views just like their Beyonce video did. No wonder they just reportedly landed a record deal with RCA.



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Colleges embrace pop-culture studies of stars like Miley Cyrus and Beyoncé


Attention, students: You may now twerk hard and fall crazy in love in the classroom.

Miley Cyrus and Beyoncé will be icons of academe this summer, with two area colleges offering seminars on the pop princesses.

At Rutgers University, all the single ladies (and other students, really) can put their hands up in “Feminist Perspectives: Politicizing Beyoncé,” a women’s and gender studies course starting Wednesday.

The course covers the growth of Queen Bey’s media empire, with a special emphasis on how she manages her roles as a black icon and sex symbol with motherhood and marriage.

“She’s the most powerful black woman in entertainment and pop culture,” says Kevin Allred, the doctoral student who’s teaching the class. “She’s gotten more confrontational and more explicit when she’s talking about beauty and gender.”

Allred sees Beyoncé as perfect fodder for a women’s studies class because she is a modern ideal of feminism. Her commitment anthem, “Single Ladies,” and her collaboration with hubby Jay Z show she’s the rare star who advocates sexual magnetism as well as monogamy, Allred says.

“Her music has always had strong implications for what it means to be a beautiful and strong woman today,” he says.

But Beyoncé is not the only multiplatform star who can teach a thing or two to today’s youth. Starting Tuesday, Skidmore College in upstate New York will offer “The Sociology of Miley Cyrus” to give pupils a crash course in the history of someone the same age they are.

In a career of less than a decade, Miss Miley has already proved herself “a useful primary document” for discussions of sex and power in media, teacher Carolyn Chernoff says.

Cyrus went from squeaky clean Disney star to dirty-minded diva strutting her stuff in every concert. She sparked debates about slut shaming, overt sexuality and the privileges of white stars — as when she borrowed twerking from hip-hop culture and brought it to last year’s Video Music Awards.

“She’s a really interesting case study for how someone can represent sex and gender while maturing in the public eye,” says Chernoff, a visiting assistant professor at Skidmore. “Miley is a work in progress, but you can already see such a complex narrative of how people talk about her unbridled sexuality.”

That kind of analysis is what separates popular publications like Entertainment Weekly from ponderous ones such as American Quarterly, the Journal of the American Studies Association.

“Sociologists have long talked about peeling back the layers to see what’s behind our social phenomena,” says Rik Scarce, chair of Skidmore’s sociology department, who said he had “no hesitation” in approving the Cyrus course.

“Miley Cyrus is a delivery device for themes of American life,” he adds. “When you say, ‘Miley Cyrus? Who cares about her?’ you shut down the very purpose of sociology.”

Of course, it’s not the first time that residents of the Ivory Tower have deigned to study pop culture. In fact, it’s become as widespread on campuses as binge drinking and all-nighters.

Film and television became accepted as worthy of academic study in the 1960s, followed by music when Dartmouth College started teaching Bob Dylan as part of its poetry courses in the 1970s.

But these days, the course load is increasingly likely to include music and other pop culture. Georgetown University decoded Jay Z in a sociology class, the University of South Carolina did the same for Lady Gaga, and New York University brought in Questlove for a Classic Albums course in which he considered the works of the Beastie Boys and Prince in the manner of long-loved works of literature.

But there’s a reason for all this genre bending: The mainstream material gives students an easy way into topics such as identity and social change that they otherwise might gloss over.

“Those classes use popular culture as the Trojan horse to sneak in education on other topics,” says Syracuse University media professor Robert Thompson, who taught “The Love Boat” in the ’80s as an example of how TV viewers love shows that don’t demand their full attention.

“If an academic were to responsibly look at Miley Cyrus and Beyoncé, he or she could scratch the surface of all kinds of really important things with who we are as a culture,” he says.

Students in these classes won't just be tuning in for long lectures. Allred and Chernoff say they’ll show clips of the scholarly songstresses’ music videos and interviews, while citing less sexy theoretical writings. The classes will center on group discussions that bring it all together.

Beyoncé’s work will be accompanied by texts from black feminist writers, including activist bell hooks and abolitionist author Sojourner Truth. Miley will share the intellectual stage with sociologists like Laura Grindstaff and Joshua Gamson. (Who? Exactly!)

So pop scholars, check on it — these will be a true wrecking ball of critical theory.

“This will be an intensive experience,” Chernoff says. “It’s just a different way of teaching sociology.”

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TOP PICK: What Really Went Down Between Jay-Z and Solange in That Elevator? SNL Has the Audio


People, it was a spider.

They put out a statement sharing the blame for their elevator scuffle, but now Jay-Z and Solange have shared the audio from that fateful night. Who knew Jay-Z suffers from Arachnophobia? Solange, that's who. She was just trying to help a bro-in-law out.

Jay-Z could have used some Amazing Spider-Man skills that night to get away from that pesky Solange, we mean spider.

Queen Bey, of course, is not afraid of an itsy bitsy spider. She just stood there, like a statue, setting an example for the rest of us mere mortal scaredy cats.



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TOP PICK: Beyonce & Jay Z Release New Star-Studded Fake 'Run' Trailer!


Beyonce and Jay Z have just released a star-studded new video that serves as a spoof trailer for a movie called Run… that is “coming never.”

The video features celebs such as Sean Penn, Don Cheadle, Guillermo Díaz, Emmy Rossum, Jake Gyllenhaal, Blake Lively, Rashida Jones, and Kidada Jones.

It is set to the couple’s song “Part II (On The Run)” and is seemingly a new video to promote their upcoming On The Run Tour, which kicks off this summer.



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TOP PICK: Solange Fought With Another Celeb at the Met Gala and Beyonce Got Involved


When we saw Beyonce standing by passively as her sister Solange attacked her husband Jay-Z in an elevator the night of the Met Gala, everyone wondered why Beyonce didn't bat an eye. Maybe it's because Bey had already reportedly intervened when her sister tangled with another celeb earlier that night.

Solange supposedly yelled at designer Rachel Roy during the same after party at the Standard Hotel before her elevator incident with Jay, UsWeekly reports, causing her big sis to jump in. The "Drunk in Love" singer "got in the middle of it," a source says. Ironically, Solange accompanied the designer to the Met Gala back in 2012.

This isn't the first time that the 27-year-old singer and mother has allegedly let her temper get the best of her. "Solange has flipped her lid like that before," an insider tells the mag. "She can take a small thing and it triggers her. That's why Bey and Jay were so calm. They are used to this from Solange."

While no one has officially commented on what caused the scuffle, Solange's rep did clear up one rumor. The screenshot of a Tweet floating around the internet Solange supposedly sent then deleted accusing Jay-Z of hitting her sister is a total fake. "I can confirm that Solange did not tweet that; that is not a real tweet," her rep tells TMZ.

As for Beyonce, she's just trying to keep the peace...and keep up appearances. Blue Ivy's mom "does not approve of violence" and they're "trying to put the situation past them," the source says. Indeed. Last night, Jay and Bey looked perfectly happy cheering on the Nets court side.

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TOP PICK: Jennifer Lawrence Voted FHM's Sexiest Woman in the World


Jennifer Lawrence has landed the title of “sexiest woman in the world” from FHM Magazine!

The 23-year-old actress tops the 2014 list of one hundred women, as voted for by the readers of the British mag.

“I’m totally taken back by this, it really does mean a lot. Thank you so much to the readers of FHM and everyone who took the time and voted for me, I’m so flattered,” Jennifer said of her win. “I believe that being ‘sexy’ isn’t wearing lots of heavy make-up or having the perfect hair or figure, it’s about self-confidence, being comfortable with yourself, smiling and being happy!”

Last year, Jennifer placed number twenty on the list so this is a big improvement!

The Top Ten:
1. Jennifer Lawrence (last year 20)
2. Michelle Keegan (last year 4)
3. Rihanna (last year 2)
4. Emily Ratajkowski (new entry)
5. Kaley Cuoco (last year 6)
6. Mila Kunis (last year 1)
7. Beyoncé (last year 19)
8. Lucy Mecklenburgh (re-entry)
9. Nicole Scherzinger (last year 54)
10. Scarlett Johansson (last year 49)

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University courses on Miley Cyrus and Beyoncé take over campus


‘It’s our party, we can do what we want.’

Wise words there from We Can’t Stop, the huge hit single from last year by singer Miley Cyrus.

Those lyrics will resonate with any undergraduate who’s ever enjoyed a late night, so perhaps it makes sense that they should study them as well as live by them.

One university in New York state backs that logic, announcing that it will run a course called The Sociology of Miley Cyrus: Race, Class, Gender and Media to its students this summer.

Rather than a step-by-step guide on how to twerk, the course at Skidmore College will offer students a ‘creative and rigorous way of looking at what’s relevant about sociology and sociology theory’, according to Professor Carolyn Chernoff.

Miley’s persona as a ‘hyper-commodification of childhood’ and her recent rebranding will all be up for discussion at the liberal arts college in Saratoga.
Skidmore College isn’t the first institution to offer courses which allow students to analyse and ponder some of the biggest names in music.

At Rutgers University in New Jersey, two of those names are already on the syllabus. One module, Bruce Springsteen’s Theology, allows students to look at the use of biblical motifs in the music of The Boss. Another, Politicising Beyoncé, announced at the beginning of this year, will also focus on song lyrics, comparing the singer’s output with texts by feminist black writers.

If you prefer an academic delve into the work of Beyoncé’s husband, then you might want to enrol at the University of Missouri, which offers the course, English 2169: Jay-Z and Kanye West. Most college students have 99 problems… but an extension on their essay isn’t one.

However, while we may gain a better understanding of culture by exploring the popularity of certain celebrities, can the words of a pop song ever be that important? Some of Beyoncé’s lyrics might well be in stark contrast to the musings of certain feminist writers. An example? A half-rhyme from her single, Blow, released at the end of last year, in which she asks: ‘Can you eat my Skittles/It’s the sweetest in the middle’.

But PhD student Kevin Allred, who teaches the Politicising Beyoncé course, believes her lyrics and attitude say more about society than we might realise. ‘I use Beyoncé to discuss race, gender and sexuality in the US because her cultural influence is so pervasive,’ he said.

‘As one of the most powerful black women in pop culture today, what she does says something about the ways we see sex, gender and race as categories operating in society. I firmly believe that you have to make your material interesting to students to engage them, especially in today’s changing technological world, or else you risk them being unable to relate and thus deem the material important.

‘And these issues are still around and still touching everyone’s lives, so to study them we also have to look at ourselves, and I think pop culture helps us do that.’

Understanding the role of established artists might well offer an insight into certain aspects of society, but when it comes to Miley Cyrus, how much can we really learn from a 21-year-old with a penchant for twerking?

However, it’s not what Cyrus can teach us but what her popularity says about today’s society that counts for sociology students.

‘By understanding, for example, One Direction or Richard Hawley, we get interesting case studies related to the authenticities of any era,’ said Dr Michael Brocken, senior lecturer in music at Liverpool Hope University, and the figure behind the world’s first ever Master’s degree related to the city’s most celebrated music export – The Beatles, Popular Music and Society.

‘Conversely, if we take a look at industries, subcultures, fandom and audiences we can see how certain styles and images emerge. Popular culture is a fascinating way of understanding life around us.’

Those who question the relevance of a course about the Beatles will certainly be given short shrift by its creator. ‘That’s like a Liverpudlian saying, “What have The Beatles ever done for us?”’ He added: ‘The answer might be: Only helped re-invent the city during one of its direst periods and brought effective labour to the city.’

In 2000, Staffordshire University introduced a Football Culture course, which included an exploration of David Beckham’s role within the sport in terms of branding and merchandise.

Ellis Cashmore, the professor of culture, media and sport who introduced it, said it used football as a ‘prism through which to analyse issues such as globalisation, racism, gender, violence, corporatisation and celebrity culture’.

He added: ‘Football today offers a way to approach so many features of the cultural landscape that it is, in a sense, an educator’s dream.’

No matter what we think about Miley, Bruce or Beyoncé, millions of people pay millions of pounds each year to listen to their music and see them perform.
In the same way the works of Mozart reflected the society in which he existed, analysis of today’s celebrities can tell us much about modern culture, said Prof Cashmore.

‘In terms of employability, a student equipped with a degree that encompasses contemporary issues and debates is arguably better qualified than someone with a working knowledge of the Aeneid,’ he said.

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TOP PICK: Beyonce Celebrates Wedding Anniversary Makeup-Free With Jay-Z, Blue Ivy


She woke up like this! When you've been married for six years, we guess you don't have to wear makeup to impress your significant other anymore.

Beyonce and Jay-Z celebrated their six year wedding anniversary in the Dominican Republic, and while they brought along adorable daughter Blue Ivy, it doesn't seem like Bey packed her makeup bag based on her vacation pics.

The "XO" singer sports natural hair and a fresh face as she rocks a colorful Mara Hoffman bikini while playing with Blue. In another photo posted on her Tumblr, Jay gives their little girl a piggyback ride.

During their romantic getaway, Bey also went golfing in another bikini, took dips in the turquoise ocean and cuddled up with her hubby as he puffed a cigar. We're glad to see these two are still "Crazy in Love" after all these years!

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Taylor Swift music's $50 million woman


Taylor Swift, who was the first woman to pack Australian stadiums since Madonna, flogged her rivals to be music's top earner in 2013 according to US website Billboard.com's annual rich list.

Swift, now 24, made more than $44 million in 2013 based on Nielsen data and Billboard's own data — it runs the charts in the United States. More than $33 million of Swift's earnings came from ticket sales for the Red tour, which she brought here in December, last year. The rest came from physical album sales, downloads and streaming.

Swift's touring revenues were higher than any other artist on the planet, she was fifth highest earner on streaming royalties and sixth on downloads. She was downloaded 10 million times last year.

Sales of Swift's merchandise and her various sponsorships, (including Diet Coke, Elizabeth Arden and Keds, which are flat canvas shoes) were not counted in Billboard's estimates although the website estimated she would have earned at least an extra $11 million.

American country star Kenny Chesney was the second highest earner (but was $7.5 million behind Swift) with over $36 million income. The world's leading male slashie Justin Timberlake was next, then Bon Jovi and septuagenarian juggernaut, The Rolling Stones, rounded out the top five.

The top 10 was completed by Beyonce, Maroon 5, emerging country star Luke Bryan, Aussie favourite Pink and Fleetwood Mac.
Billboard's top 20 richest musicians (earnings in Australian dollars):

1- Taylor Swift $44,004,199
2- Kenny Chesney $36,529,685
3- Justin Timberlake $34,872,659
4- Bon Jovi $32,627,750
5- The Rolling Stones $29,067,924
6- Beyonce $27,079,741
7- Maroon 5 $24,702649
8- Luke Bryan $24,544,667
9- Pink $22,249,891
10- Fleetwood Mac $21,197,957
11- Justin Bieber $20,924,461
12- Bruno Mars $20,886,987
13- One Direction $19,999,176
14- Jason Aldean $19,836,051
15- George Strait $17,738 584
16- Jay-Z $17,349,620
17- Michael Buble $16,044,612
18- Mumford & Sons 15707869
19- Dave Matthews Band $15,441,645
20- Rihanna $15,288,096

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Demi Lovato Will Make Like Queen Bey On Neon Lights Tour: Watch


Demi Lovato has made it no secret that she is ready to hit the road for her Neon Lights tour, kicking off this Sunday.

MTV News recently caught up with Demi during one of her final tour rehearsals, along with creative and musical director Nick Jonas, who gave us a preview of what you can expect. The tour also includes opening acts Fifth Harmony, Little Mix and Cher Lloyd.

They'll Debut Music Videos On Tour
Earlier this week, Demi released a short teaser for the tour, and Nick admits that there's a lot more where that came from. "There's a lot of exclusive content for this tour," he told us.

"Demi came to the whole team just on the creative side — both video and music," Nick recalled. "And she said, 'I want to give fans something special for every bit of the show.' "

Demi's idea to do something a little different for her fans this time around was sparked by none other than the Queen B herself.

"I was also really inspired by Beyoncé, who had a music video for every single song on the album," Demi said. "And some of these I had music video ideas for a while and ... I'm excited for people to see it."

Giving The Songs A Makeover
If you're expecting Demi to just hit play on all her albums, think again, because you may have to listen very closely to even recognize some of your favorite songs.

"What we did, we looked online to what her fans wanted to hear and what she's played on the last couple tours and just said, 'OK, these are the songs we should play, how can we re-imagine them and make them sound like her sound now?' " Nick said. "So a lot of these songs aren't even the original arrangements. They've been completely reimagined."

Demi continued, "We've made them more current too, so we've transformed songs that went from being made a couple years ago to actually sounding like today's music."

On Seeing Nick Onstage
While Demi has admitted that "there's plans to collaborate" with Fifth Harmony while on the road, she is playing a bit coy when it comes to revealing whether or not she and Nick, who both starred in 2008's "Camp Rock," will hit the stage together.

"We've always had collaborations with music so that's not something that's new to us, but we have to keep come secrets," Lovato said. "So ... maybe."

One Woman Band
Demi is not only getting behind the microphone; she will also be playing some of the instruments. During rehearsal the pink-haired pop star was seen getting behind the piano, rocking out on the guitar and pounding the drums.

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TOP PICK: Beyonce Wore $10 Million Dollars Worth of Diamonds to Grammys!


We were so focused on how amazing Beyonce's body looked in her white lacy gown at the Grammys that we forgot to mention her fabulous blinged out accessories!

Bey, who opened the entire show performing a sexy version of "Drunk in Love" with Jay-Z, was dripping in diamonds last night at the Staples Center.

Between her chandelier diamond earrings, massive diamond cocktail rings and ruby ring on her pinky finger, Blue Ivy's gorgeous mom was wearing more than $10 million dollars worth of bling from celebrity jeweler Lorraine Schwartz.

She also sported her 18-carat engagement ring, also designed by Lorraine Schwartz, from Jay-Z on Grammy night.

No word on whether Bey had to return the beautiful baubles, but Lorraine posted a pic of herself and Bey hugging backstage, saying: "My muse! #myfriend #superstar #myblingqueen."

The jeweler also iced out Taylor Swift, who rocked more than 36 karats at the Grammys with her metal Gucci gown.

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TOP PICK: Beyonce Shares Cute Pics From Blue Ivy's Second Birthday Party!


Blue Ivy turned two in style!

Beyonce and Jay-Z's adorable daughter had her second birthday on Jan. 7 and now we're getting to see how she celebrated, thanks to pics Bey posted on her Tumblr.

The "XO" singer had a facepainter on hand to decorate guests' faces, and Blue chose for a butterfly look while her mom sported a flower.

Blue also wore a cute "Birthday Girl" tiara and a purple tutu for her special day, where she got a pink Minnie Mouse car as a present.

Beyonce also posted a photo of a young guest showing her handmade birthday card to Blue, which reads: "Baby blue, you are a princess." Aww!

Bey's former Destiny's Child bandmates were also there for the glam celebration. And of course, there was cake!

Blue's featured two tiers with a tiara on top, which is just perfect for Queen Bey's daughter. Perhaps this was a girls' only party, since Jay's not in the photos?

But not to worry, the rapper was on hand when the power couple rented out a Miami zoo for yet another bithday outing!

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