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By Michael Lopez

2011 certainly delivered some memorable music. But with so many artists to choose from (and so many music reviewers on the internet), Billboard decided to mix things up for their end-of-the-year list. Not only did they issue a "Critics Best Of," they posted Favorite Album Top 10s from a variety of artists and celebrities.

Kelly Clarkson, Joe Jonas, Zac Brown, and Demi Lovato all put Adele's 21 on the top of their 2011 Albums list. Clarkson, in particular, gushed over the 23-year-old British soul singer, calling her music, "beautiful."

"Adele never fails," she went on to say. "Her voice, lyrics and melodies on this record are haunting reminders of the need to be needed and loved, and to love with your whole heart. It's beautiful!"

Ironically, Lovato bestowed quite a bit of praise on Kelly, listing her "Stronger" as #2 on her Favorites list. Demi went on to add Watch The Throne, Born This Way, and Miranda Lambert’s For The Record to her Top 5.

Joe Jonas shared similar tastes, also ranking Watch The Throne as one of the best records of the year. His personal faves included The Roots' Undun and Torches from Foster of the People. Sara Barielles had an eclectic mix of albums on her list, throwing in 2011 recordings from artists like Paul Simon, Feist, and The Civil Wars.

Interestingly, not a lot of Latinos were present on any of the lists. Only Bruno Mars' Doo Wops & Hooligans made a dent, particularly with The Wonder Girls. They cited it as a major influence on their writing style, along with Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream.

Now as far as the official critics go, the greatest album of 2011 was….(you guessed it) Adele’s 21. Nearly all of Billboard’s editors put it on the top of their lists. But the rest of their picks proved to be quite interesting.

Coming in at #2 was the sophomore album from Bon Iver. The Wisconson band's indie folk record struck a chord with a lot of music critics this year, particularly for its bold use of horns and string arrangements. Watch The Throne earned high marks as well, as did Drake’s latest effort, Take Care.

Newer artists like Frank Ocean, James Blake, and Florence & The Machine got quite a lot of love too. The Billboard site actually breaks down each of the selections quite vividly, enticing fans to discover some of the year's lesser known artists. It's definitely worth a look, especially if you want relatives to add iTunes dollars under your Christmas tree.

What was your favorite album of 2011? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 21, Adele, Billboard, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Bon Iver, Celebrities, Demi Lovato, drake, Florence & The Machine, Frank Ocean, Hot Stuff, James Blake, Joe Jonas, Kelly Clarkson, Música, Miranda Lambert, Sara Bareilles, The Wonder Girls, Watch the Throne

By Michael Lopez

Something tells us there will be a lot of Doo Wops & Hooligans coming out of the L.A. Convention Center next February. The debut record by Bruno Mars received an impressive amount of Grammy nominations Wednesday night, including a nod for Album of the Year.

In total, Bruno nabbed six nominations, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year (for "Grenade"), and Best Pop Solo Performance. His numbers were only topped by Kanye West, who scored seven nods for tracks like "All Of The Lights" and "Otis" from Watch The Throne.

British crooner Adele didn't do too shabby either. He 21 album got a ton of Grammy love, as did her signature song "Rolling In The Deep." Other recognizable contenders include Katy Perry, Rihanna, and The Foo Fighters.

Lady Gaga's Born This Way is up for Album of the Year too, which we're actually doubly excited about. Not just for the Little Monster, but for our Tr3s Coolturista Fernando Garibay, who's been recognized as a producer.

And though the Latin Grammys have come and gone, there are still Tropical categories that'll get their due during the big show. Los Tigres del Norte scored a nomination in the Best Banda category and Tr3s fave Gustavo Galindo scored a nod in the Best Latin Album category (though he’ll be going up against Maná and Calle 13!).

CBS put on an entire televised concert to celebrate the nominations, which featured performances by the likes of Usher and Rihanna. There was even an interesting Gaga/Sugarland duet, which could be an exciting taste of things to come. Mars, who was at the concert, seemed thrilled by the end of the night and even made up a tweet word to express his excitement.

"I've been trynna think of something clever to say.. But the only thing that comes to my mind is... FRIKIKIKIKI!! We Did It! #Hooligans" he posted.

We're definitely looking forward to some fun "FRIKIKIKIKI" performances from Bruno, Adele, and Big Bad Kanye when the 2012 Grammy Awards go down on February 10!

Who are you rooting for at this year’s Grammys? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Adele, Award Shows, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Bruno Mars, Doo Wops & Hooligans, Fernando Garibay, Grammy Awards, Grammy Nominations, Grammys, Gustavo Galindo, Hot Stuff, Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Los Tigres Del Norte, Música, Watch the Throne

By Michael Lopez

This weekend, music fans were treated to another memorable awards show with the 2011 AMAs. Outside of some lively performances from Nicki Minaj, Pitbull, and Enrique Iglesias, the event featured big wins for Taylor Swift and a JLo outfit that got the gossip blogs buzzing.

Swift probably received the most attention of the night, taking home Artist of the Year, Country Female Artist, and Country Album. Fresh off her CMA sweep, Taylor seemed to be quite overwhelmed by her monster victory.

"I want to thank my band and my crew and the fans for filling up stadiums," said an emotional Swift from the stage. "And my mom and my dad and my brother who came with me tonight, and my fans who continue to amaze me."

Adele didn't do too bad either, earning the night’' Adult Contemporary Artist award as well as Pop/Rock Female Artist. Nicki Minaj (who delivered an incredible live rendition of "Turn Me On" with David Guetta) scored two AMAs herself, for Rap/Hip-Hop Album and Rap/Hip-Hop Artist.

And the AMAs made sure to honor a few Latinos too. Bruno Mars won for Pop/Rock Male Artist and JLo got the Latin Music Artist trophy. Lopez, in particular, attracted a ton of coverage for her revealing bodysuit. At 42-years-old, she flaunted a near perfect body during her performance of "Papi."

Jennifer did get a little bit of heat from the critics though, for bringing out a Fiat car during her live set. Many felt that the move was a blatant form of advertising (Lopez is currently a Fiat spokesperson) and thought it cheapened her performance.

And though they didn't take home awards, Tr3s faves Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull and Christina Aguilera made their presence known too. Enrique was backed up by a full-blown marching band for a lively rendition of "I Like How It Feels." Pit joined JLo for her second song of the night, "On The Floor," and Xtina and Adam Levine rocked the house with their hit duet "Moves Like Jagger."

Other highlights included tributes to Heavy D, a Justin Bieber/David Hasselhoff appearance, and will.i.am debuting his new track, "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)." But as lively as it was, the 2011 AMAs failed to make a major dent with viewers. Last night's show scored a dismal 1.3/3 ratings share, marking an all-time American Music Award low.

Did you watch last night's AMAs? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 2011 Amas, Adele, AMAs, American Music Awards, Award Shows, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Bruno Mars, Celebrities, Christina Aguilera, David Guetta, Enrique Iglesias, Fiat, Heavy D, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bieber, Música, Nicki Minaj, Pitbull, Taylor Swift

By Astrid Rivera

In just one year Rihanna has forgotten her name, taken part in some S&M and shot a man down! You would think after all that activity she would slow down but in fact, RiRi is doing quite the opposite. Her latest album, expected to drop November 21st, is entitled Talk That Talk and shows a side of the Barbados beauty never seen before.

The album hasn't even come out yet and it's already climbing iTunes charts, not to mention the first single We Found Love is number one all around the world. Even before the single came out, the video had tons of publicity thanks to one irritated Irish farmer.

If the last album was Loud, this one is louder and much raunchier (you thought she would stop with S&M?). Music sites like MTV are ablaze with anticipation and is not only calling this album the best of her career, but the best of the year! That's a big statement considering that just this year some of the biggest pop albums were released like Born This Way, Femme Fatale and of course Adele's 21 (which is perhaps the only album it won't outsell).

This album takes RiRi's bad girl image and turns up the volume to the max. The club anthem filled album has her working with the industry's most talented hit makers such as Calvin Harris, Stargate and Hit-Boy, just to name a few. Other big names also make an appearance, most notably Beyonce's baby daddy Jay-Z.

This album could only be pulled off by someone as bold as Rihanna. The dark sexual energy that emits has already become a staple for the singer. But does she really Talk That Talk? If her first single is any clue, I would say she not only talks it but she dances, sasses and struts it too.

Are you excited for Rihanna's new album? Do you think it will be the best of the year?

Tags Adele, Astrid Rivera, Bagladesh, Calvin Harris, Hit-Boy, Jay Z, Música, popnews, Rihanna, Stargate, Talk That Talk

By Michael Lopez

November is going to be a busy month for award shows. Just two weeks after the Latin Grammys air, the American Music Awards will be broadcast and they are boasting a stellar cast of nominees. Tr3s faves like Jennifer Lopez, Pitbull, and Bruno Mars will all be competing.

Pit and Bruno actually scored two nominations each this year. Mars is up for Favorite Pop Male Artist and Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist. Mr. 305 will be fighting for Pop Male Artist too, as well as Best Latin Artist (against J. Lo and Enrique Iglesias).

But the AMA darling of the night will most likely be Adele. The British crooner is up for four awards, including the coveted Artist of the Year. Katy Perry, Rihanna, and Lady Gaga each scored three noms and should offer some stiff competition in the Female categories.

Interestingly, another up-and-coming Latino got some AMA love as well. R&B star Miguel scored a nomination in the New Artist of the Year category. Known for his hit, "All I Want Is You," he'll be fighting it out against LMFAO and Wiz Khalifa.

You can see exactly who takes home what when the American Music Awards go live on November 20.

Who are you rooting for at this year’s American Music Awards? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Adele, All I Want Is You, AMAs, American Music Awards, Award Shows, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Bruno Mars, Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, LMFAO, Música, miguel, Pitbull, popnews, Rihanna, Wiz Khalifa

By Larry Yepez Jr.

With Sam Mendes directing and the talent of Ralph Fiennes and Javier Bardem, it seems all the newest James Bond film needs is the hottest new artist to sing the title song. Well... that hot new artist might just be Adele as she mistakenly and innocently spilled the beans during a recent appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show.

The British singer  kind of gave herself away when she said that she was going back into the studio in November, although she really tried not to reveal what it was, she burst into a cute nervous laughter when Ross hums the iconic James Bond music.

Adele denied it quickly after her laugh and a bit shaken by the subject she tried to change the subject of the conversation. Well, even though it was not the formal announcement, it's quite a given now, why else would she be so secretive about a title? ...Unless it's the theme song of a film that has not yet been given a title, like the new James Bond flick!

I think we can all agree that Adele singing the theme song to a James Bond film is simply brilliant! Her bluesy, soulful voice is reminiscent of the great Shirley Bassey. Bassey actually sang the theme song to three of the Bond films: Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker.

Adele is sure to captivate us all once again with her amazing talent in her rendition of James Bond's new theme!

Are you a fan of Adele?

Tags Adele, Blogger: Larry Yepez Jr, James Bond, Javier Bardem, jonathan ross show, Ralph Fiennes, Sam Mendes, Shirley Bassey

By Karli Henriquez

Where to begin?!? Okay, the black carpet was packed with reality stars, nominees and a lot of media. I couldn't even begin to tell you how long the carpet was with so many media outlets wanting to get a minute with anyone walking down the black carpet. I had to get REAL loud in order for some of the artists to stop by and talk to me. I lost my manners somewhere on that carpet. I mean I didn't spend two hours getting hair and make-up done to talk to Hula-Hoop the Rapper... Bring me Katy Perry people!!! The big winner of the night, Mrs. Russell Brand, did stop to talk to me and so did Mr. Selena Gomez. I can't wait for you guys to check out the footage its pretty epic.

Once inside the Nokia Theater, Tr3s hooked a sister up with a prime spot! My seat was so close to the stage I could literally touch Beyoncé’s belly if I wanted to have my own Lil Mama moment. I was sitting next to funny man Kevin Hart... behind me were the Odd Future boys and in front of me Seth Rogen! By the way, when you’re sitting this close to the stage you get free champagne!!! Pre-Party!! I mean I was on duty BUT when Kevin Hart hands you a glass of bubbly, you drink it!

The one moment that stood out the most was watching Adele's performance. She was SO nervous! While Katy Perry was introducing her she kept taking deep breaths and rubbing her arms. I honestly thought she was hyperventilating and I was going to need to yell out "snap out of it!" but she killed her performance. Wait, can we take a second to acknowledge Nayer’s attempt to be naked on stage... girl what are your neighbors going to say? The night ended with my chola-pop star la Katy Perry taking home the big prize for Video of the Year! I did have an awkward moment when I was the only person in the orchestra area to stand up and yell out "MY GIRL!" I quickly apologized to all the cool people around me for being extra hood. Ha!

Now it was time to party! I met up with my people at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills. Muy fancy... I know. It was the 4th Annual House of Hype party that was honestly a lot of fun! The DJ was awesome, the energy was great and the open bar that was full of adult beverages gave us all some extra swag on the dance floor. I ran into a few fabulous friends, Popped one, two, three and I don't know how many more bottles of champagne! Out of control! Well, once the DJ started playing Deadmau5 five times in a row, it was time for the after-after party. Now, at this after-after party I had a blast! The music was provided by Dj Skeet Skeet who always makes a girl want to dance. I made a few new friends and even spotted other nominees there like the gentlemen from Foster The People! I love those boys.

Wrapping it all up my experience at the VMA's was priceless! Yes, just like the Mastercard commercial. Gracias Tr3s team for letting me rep!

More 2011 VMA Coverage on Tr3s.com:

• Fashion Critique: All the Ladies!
• Fashion Critique: Sharp-Dressed Men
• Tr3s Exclusive:VMAs' Sweethearts Backstage
• Live from the VMAs: Karli from the Blog
• Live Blogging the VMAs: Chris Brown Flying in the Air
• Live from the VMAs: Beyoncé's Big Surprise
• Live Blogging the VMAs: Tribute to Amy Winehouse, Video of the Year Award

Tags Adele, Celebrities, Justin Bieber, Karli from the Blog, Karli Henriquez, Katy Perry, recap, Video Music Awards, VMAs

By Michael Lopez

You know you're a pretty important star if your pregnancy overshadows the entire 2011 Video Music Awards. But that's what happened Sunday night when Beyoncé debuted her baby bump on the MTV black carpet. Though Jay-Z and B gossip did dominate the night, the VMAs still delivered plenty of great moments, like retro Bruno Mars jams and greaser punk Gagas!

As promised, Lady Gaga opened the show with a big surprise. Rather than don another outlandish outfit, the Little Monster mixed things up and came dressed as a man for her performance of "You and I." Interestingly, Gaga's “dude” persona hung around most of the night, flirting with sexy lady celebs like Britney Spears.

Britney happened to get quite a bit of love from both the fans and the voters. Her "Till The World Ends" took home the award for Best Pop Video and she got the night's Vanguard Award. Lady Gaga's male alter-ego expressed deep admiration for the "Toxic" singer and even attempted to kiss her onstage.

Another big tribute of the night was dedicated to the memory of soul singer, Amy Winehouse. Bruno Mars honored her with a spirited performance of "Valerie" and friend Russell Brand gave a heartfelt speech from the podium.

"She was a mate of mine and tragically this year we lost her," Russell said. "This is not just another London chancer, not just another person milling about waiting to be famous. What is this incredible sound? This timeless sound like a roar from the guts of humanity? The kind of voice that Billie Holiday sung with, the kind of voice that Ella Fitzgerald sung with."

Undoubtedly, the biggest performance of the night came from mommy-to-be Beyoncé.

Though she didn’t speak publicly about her pregnancy, the 29-year-old superstar made a point to rub her belly after an energetic performance of "Love On Top." The cameras then pointed to proud papa Jay-Z, who enthusiastically cheered from his seat.

As far as the awards went, Katy Perry and Adele came out the big winners. Katy's "Firework" won for Video of the Year and her "E.T." nabbed Best Visual Effects. Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" video scored Best Art Direction, Best Editing, and Best Cinematography.

Perry seemed rather humbled after winning the night’s biggest trophy, saying from the stage,

"Thank you so much! This is my second Moonman. I'm very proud of the song it stands for, which is ‘Firework.' I feel like I am doing something right when I sing that song. So thanks to everyone who helped create it!"

Katy also got a bit of notoriety for her fashion sense. Wearing what looked like a giant cube on her hand, she arrived sporting purple hair and a multicolored dress. Selena Gomez also got plenty of comments for her ensemble. Looking almost like an early Halloween costume, her vampy black dress was both sleek and spooky.

The Jersey Shore girls also got plenty of attention for their outrageous outfits. Deena Cortese practically blinded the paparazzi with her overly bright rainbow dress and Snooki was spotted in a getup that looked like something out of Conan The Barbarian.

But it was Nicki Minaj's fashion choice that got the most bloggers buzzing. She showed up in a geometrically-inspired dress, complete with a polka-dot ninja mask and Candy Land beehive! But of course, it all added to the fun of a very "colorful" night.

Be sure to check out the "official" VMA website for the complete winner list!

What did you think of last night’s VMA’s? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 2011 Video Music Awards, Adele, Amy Winehouse, Award Shows, Beyonce, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Britney Spears, Bruno Mars, Celebrities, Firework, Jay Z, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Música, Nicki Minaj, Selena Gomez, Style, VMAs

By Michael Lopez

It's hard to believe another MTV VMA  is creeping upon us. And what an incredible year it's been for music videos! There were those funky gorilla masks in Bruno Mars' "The Lazy Song," wild space aliens in Katy Perry's "E.T.," and tons more! Now they're all looking to get honored with today's announcement of the 2011 VMA nominees.

Katy Perry is undoubtedly leading the pack this year. Scoring a whopping nine nominations, she's in the running for Video of the Year, Best Female Video, and Best Collaboration (just to name a few). One of our personal Perry favorites, "Last Friday Night" even made it into the Best Pop Video category.

Bruno Mars is continuing to prove his rising star status with four nominations. Both his "Grenades" and "Lazy Song" videos made it onto the VMA list. The 25-year-old crooner seemed very touched by the honor and made sure to share his gratitude with the Twitterverse.

"4 Nominations!?!?!?! THANK YOU @MTV," he wrote.

Pitbull's "Give Me Everything" is continuing to prove its staying power with a nomination for Best Collaboration. Who knows? If all goes according to plan, Pit could walk away with a  Moon Man for the track.

Other big contenders at the VMAs will be Adele, who scored seven nominations, and Nicki Minaj, who received three noms. Even Lady Gaga's controversial "Judas" video seemed to impress the MTV voters, nabbing a slot in the Best Choreography category.

Though no host has been announced for the VMA show yet, we imagine MTV will be looking to cast a very colorful character (as they have in years' past). And they better hurry, the entire event is set to go down August 28 at L.A.'s Nokia Theatre.

Who will you be rooting for at this year’s Video Music Awards? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 2011 Video Music Awards, Adele, Award Shows, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, Música, MTV, MTV NEws, MTV VMAs, Nicki Minaj, Pitbull, Video Music Awards, Videos

By Larry Yepez Jr.

Adele, the British songstress that has taken the music world by storm with her platinum album 21, fears for her future as a singer.  The talented musician  has contracted an illness of the throat which caused her to cancel part of her US tour earlier this year.

Adele was diagnosed with laryngitis last month, which forced her to go back to the UK to recuperate. She had to be a mute for over 9 days, taking extreme care of her precious vocal chords. Although she recently made her comeback at the iTunes Festival, Adele admitted that she feared that the illness had affected her voice forever.

A month ago Adele was fearing that her career may be over forever, but now she is just grateful that she can still sing, and her throat doesn't hurt anymore. It must have been a nightmare situation for the artist that is topping the charts both in the states and the U.K.

Are you fan of Adele?

Tags Adele, Blogger: Larry Yepez Jr, iTunes festival