To kick off 2012, one of the brilliant groups from NBC’s The Sing-Off recently released their debut album after making it to the Top 3 teams of the show’s second season. The jubilant harmonies you heard in season 2 were products of the first time the men and women of the Backbeats had ever made music together – and what glorious music it was. The self-titled debut album features a variety of honest, wholesome, and explosive covers of some of today’s most popular hits. The emotion the group put forth in crafting the album is clearly displayed through the tones and energy emitted in each track. The texture of songs like “Firework” and “Need You Now” demonstrates the group’s devotion to making music they love and making it their own. Staying true but unique to the sounds of Adele, Coldplay, Lady Gaga, Beyonce and more, The Backbeats work to expand the art that is a cappella. With the help Sing-Off judge Sara Bareilles, the Backbeats also tackle “Uncharted,” the latest hit from the a cappella queen, in true a cappella form.

Bringing together all of their unique harmonies, tones, energies, and passion for music, The Backbeats use the camaraderie they developed throughout their season of The Sing-Off to spring forth a collection of unique and one-of-a-kind covers that can only be a promising preview of tunes to come from this colorful bunch.

The Yak recently had the opportunity to pick the brains of members of the Backbeats and we want to share with you the thoughts directly from the artists themselves. The depth behind the answers they provided further demonstrate their passion to make music that not only entertains but also speaks. Also hidden below is a way for YOU to win a FREE copy of this album – one we guarantee you’ll listen to over and over.

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What was the group’s inspiration in choosing which songs made the album cut?
KENTON: To be honest, it was an incredibly hard decision. We ran ideas past each other for weeks before recording, and even while we were recording one song, we were wrestling with the next song to pick! On the show, we were best known as the group who rocked the powerhouse ballad – and we wanted to pay homage to that, but we also wanted to showcase all the different styles and voices that really makes The Backbeats what we are. With Turning Tables and Need You Now, I think we really got to the emotional songs, but Born This Way and Cry Me A River really let us have fun!

Funny story about our title track, Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’ – our “inspiration” came from seeing one of our friend’s posts on our Facebook News Feed! We all watched the music video together and fell in love with the song. And who knew Hanson was still around, making really good music??

Now that you’ve been off of the Sing-Off for about a year, how has life changed for the Backbeats? Other than making music in the studio, what have been the new challenges to adapt to?
KELLEY: Our biggest challenge as a group is coordinating our busy schedules. While on the Sing-Off, we had time set aside for rehearsing and performing, but now that we are back to our “real” lives, it’s hard to come together sometimes. Some of us work 9-5 jobs and some of us travel for work, and often we don’t know what the future holds.

How much did talk for original music come up in recording this album and can we expect original music in the future?
JORDAN: We thought about it and talked it over but I think for this album we wanted to give our fans a similar taste of what they saw from us on the show with some new songs to switch it up a bit. Original music in the future is definitely a possibility and something I think we would love to also share with our fans, so we will see what the future holds.

What are the Backbeats plans for 2012?
RACHEL: We’re going to continue riding the wave in 2012! There is a lot of excitement circling the release of our album, so we’re busing marketing and promoting it with online campaigns and various appearances. We’re elated with the amount of support we’ve received from our family, friends and fans who’ve purchased the album and our listening to our music. We’re also continuing to gig here and there– we’re traveling to New York and Florida in the month of February!! So 2012 is off to a good start! We’re hoping to make some more great music and memories this year!

We know the Backbeats formed for the Sing-Off last year and we also know that many of the members went back to their respective schools after the show was over. How has it been adapting to being in different parts of the country, especially while recording an album and making plans for 2012?
COURTNEY: It was definitely an adventure for me to be in a different state than most of the group after the show was through. I basically just learned how to pack a suitcase really well! When it came to making the album, we were really good about communicating about mixes and things via the internet, and I was able to record all of my percussion up here in Oregon with Peter Hollens, so it worked out really nicely. Overall, I feel like I get the best of both worlds with this deal, because I get to perform with some of my best friends all around the country, but I still call Oregon home.

How was it recording with Sara Bareilles, a seasoned performer and recording artist?
TODD: As mind-blowingly unreal as you’d think it would be. We had the good fortune of getting to share the stage with Sara in the finale of Season 2 for “King of Anything.” Getting to do it all over with “Uncharted” was a dream come true… for a second time. I remember when the idea came up during album discussions, we all thought there wasn’t a chance it would actually happen, but it was worth a shot to ask. Then it happened. And then Sara was chosen as Nicole’s successor for the open judge’s chair. Then we were invited back for the finale… Soon, it was like old times, which is weird to say. At the stage we’re at, you never really get used to people like Sara, Shawn and Ben being a part of your lives.

For a chance to win a FREE copy of The Backbeats debut self-titled album, tweet your favorite BackBeats performance to @yakkityyaks with #YakWithTheBackBeats. One randomly selected fan will be chosen as our winner!

Amusing anecdote: During choreo rehearsals for our “King of Anything” performance on Season 2, Sara was touring and unavailable to rehearse until the day of the show (!). So in her place sat a chair that we all danced and sang around, acting as if it were her. We called this lucky seat “Chair-a Bareilles.” Needless to say, the real Sara was a much more pleasing upgrade from hotel furniture.

How about the group’s inspiration in choosing which voice to showcase on a particular song?
EITAN : As a group, we have always felt that The Backbeats represents a group of eight lead vocalists – never one soloist with seven back-up singers. Because of that, it was important to us that each member in the group was able to contribute his/her unique vocal style and interpretation as a soloist to at least one track on the album. It’s what keeps the album fresh and gives it “repeat listenability.”

To directly answer the question, song selections for the album went hand in hand with the selection of the soloists. We always chose a song with a soloist in mind.

What has been the moment you feel like you’ll cherish the most since finishing The Sing-Off? Just something you never thought you’d experience at this stage in your life?
KENTON: Probably the greatest moment I remember is the moment we all (the contestants) met each other for the first time in the hotel. Before all the glitz and all the production, we were, at the very basis, musicians and friends. There were 90 or some odd number of us, and our first rehearsal of the opening number was quite hectic – but when it locked! The harmonies, the dynamics, the vocal talent; we knew we were in for something amazing.

I never thought I’d be able to say at this age that I can go almost anywhere across the country and call up someone to stay with or hang out. It’s a great feeling, to have family all across America!

RACHEL: I could honestly answer this question in about a hundred different ways because there have been so many moments that I’ve cherished since finishing our run on The Sing-Off. We have had the incredible opportunity to do some amazing amazing gigs that I will never forget– the NBA All-Star game, gigs in Vegas, Christmas Tree lighting television specials, etc. We’ve also created friendships that will last a lifetime, with each other as a group, and with our friends from the show. And probably the cherry on top is that we’ve been able to make an album of our music with a record label and a major distributor… that’s something that doesn’t just come about every day of someone’s life. We’ve been blessed and lucky to have experienced all of these things this year, it’s really just incredible!

The Backbeats Complete Track Listing:
01. THINKING ‘BOUT SOMETHIN’
02. BORN THIS WAY
03. EVERY TEARDROP IS A WATERFALL
04. TURNING TABLES
05. ‘TILL THE WORLD ENDS
06. FIREWORK
07. CRY ME A RIVER
08. NEED YOU NOW
09. WHO YOU ARE
10. IF I WERE A BOY
11. MONSTER
12. UNCHARTED (Feat. Sara Bareilles)

2011 was a year full of royal weddings, celebrity breakups, celebrity meltdowns, political distaste, television specials, reality TV takeovers … and the list goes on and on. Some moments of 2011 you will want to relive and some you’ll just want to forget. Some moments you’ll wish never happened and some you’ll wish happened differently. In the second annual “Best Of…” poll at YakkityYaks, we want to take you on a short trip down memory lane looking at the moments that defined 2011 – for better or for worse. Dabbling a little into television, movies, music and just about everything else, we want you to speak up and vote for the moments you think best defined the start of a new decade! Which reality TV star was most deserving of their victory this year? Which television sitcom ranks as the best comedy of 2011? Which celebrity could you have gone the whole year without hearing about? What do you think 2012 will bring in the world of news? All that and more in our polls that we’ll be unveiling all week long! Read on below for the nominations in MOVIES & MUSIC and get your voting on! All other nominees in our pop culture categories will be announced Wednesday, so stay tuned!

Click here to vote for your favorites in TELEVISION

Continue Voting

Tonight, CBS and host LL Cool J bring you the anticipated reveal of the nominees in several key categories for the 2012 Grammy Awards. Broadcast LIVE from the Nokia Theatre in LA, the hour special includes performances from Rihanna, Jason Aldean with Ludacris, Lupe Fiasco, The Band Perry, Usher, Lada Gaga with Sugarland … yup, you read that last one right. Rumour has it that Adele will be gathering up the most nominations tonight, on the heels of the international success of her sophomore album, 21.

Here at the Yak, we’ll be updating this article as nominations are revealed, so be sure to refresh this page and join us for discussion! The special airs tonight at 10/9c on CBS! The Grammys will air February 12, 2012 on CBS.

For a full list of the nominations, check www.GRAMMY.com

Record of the Year:

“Rolling in the Deep,” Adele
“Holocene,” Bon Iver
“Grenade,” Bruno Mars
“The Cave,” Mumford & Sons
“Firework,” Katy Perry

Song of the Year:

“All of the Lights,” Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi
“The Cave,” Mumford & Sons
“Holocene,” Bon Iver
“Grenade,” Bruno Mars
“Rolling in the Deep,” Adele

Best New Artist:

The Band Perry
Bon Iver
J. Cole
Niki Minaj
Skrillex

Album of the Year:

21, Adele
Wasting Light, Foo Fighters
Born This Way, Lady Gaga
Doo-Wops & Hooligans, Bruno Mars
Loud, Rihanna

Best Pop Solo Performance

Someone Like You, Adele
Yoü And I, Lady Gaga
Grenade, Bruno Mars
Firework, Katy Perry
F***in’ Perfect, Pink

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

Body And Soul, Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse
Dearest, The Black Keys
Paradise, Coldplay
Pumped Up Kicks, Foster The People
Moves Like Jagger, Maroon 5 & Christina Aguilera

Best Pop Vocal Album

21, Adele
The Lady Killer, Cee Lo Green
Born This Way, Lady Gaga
Doo-Wops & Hooligans, Bruno Mars
Loud, Rihanna

Best Rock Album

Rock ‘N’ Roll Party Honoring Les Paul, Jeff Beck
Wasting Light, Foo Fighters
Come Around Sundown, Kings Of Leon
I’m With You, Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Whole Love, Wilco

Best Alternative Music Album

Bon Iver, Bon Iver
Codes And Keys, Death Cab For Cutie
Torches, Foster The People
Circuital, My Morning Jacket
The King Of Limbs, Radiohead

Best R&B Album

F.A.M.E., Chris Brown
Second Chance, El DeBarge
Love Letter, R. Kelly
Pieces Of Me, Ledisi
Kelly, Kelly Price

Best Rap Album

Watch The Throne, Jay-Z & Kanye West
Tha Carter IV, Lil Wayne
Lasers, Lupe Fiasco
Pink Friday, Nicki Minaj
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Kanye West

Best Country Album

My Kinda Party, Jason Aldean
Chief, Eric Church
Own The Night, Lady Antebellum
Red River Blue, Blake Shelton
Here For A Good Time, George Strait
Speak Now, Taylor Swift

Every now and then, an artist or group comes along and just knocks my socks off. This is one of those times.

2Cellos, (Luka Sulic & Stjepan Hauser) a duo from England who play, you guessed it, cellos, recently became a worldwide YouTube sensation with their rock dueling cellos in their rendition of Michael Jackson’s Smooth Criminal, and their brilliant cover of Guns N’ Roses Welcome to the Jungle. Their debut album, set to be released on July 19, 2011 is an amazing collection of Rock and Pop songs from U2, Coldplay, Kings of Leon, Muse, and other greats. The album also includes the aforementioned MJ and GnR tunes. Commenting on their music, Stjepan says: “Both Luka and I love classical music and have studied it for years, but we are really excited to put our own take on classics by some of our favorite pop and rock artists.” We are too.

This is some seriously great cello work, and you two are rock stars in my eyes. Apparently, also in Sir Elton’s eyes, since they were asked to join him on his Summer European tour this year. Oh how I wish this tour would visit Los Angeles!

If you haven’t yet heard them, enjoy the below videos. I know you will. Click here to Pre-Order this terrific album. I already got mine.

According to AP, British singer Adele has had to cancel her remaining tour dates here in the United States due to laryngitis. In a statement made on Friday, Adele said she was “really frustrated” but “there is absolutely nothing I can do but take the doctor’s advice and rest some more.”

This announcement comes days after the singer postponed five dates on the tour. She is now canceling the nine remaining shows.

There are bound to be a lot of disappointed fans out there for sure. Adele’s latest album, “21″ is the best-selling album of the year. It has sold close to two million units in America. Her single, “Rolling In the Deep,” is currently No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 charts.

As far as rescheduling the tour dates, the statement only mentioned that it is “being investigated.” I guess that means wait and see? Did you have tickets for any of the dates coming up? Let us know below!

UPDATE June 6: According to Andrew’s sister, he died in his sleep in his Encino, Ca. home. He was undergoing cancer treatment recently, but according to his family, he was responding well to the treatment.

UPDATE June 5: Gold’s passing has also been confirmed on his mother’s website. Click here to be taken to her site.

Way too young, Andrew Gold passed away on June 3rd, 2011 from an apparent heart attack. He was born on August 2, 1951, and became a huge singer/songwriter, mainly in the 1970′s.

He was best known for his hits, the 1977 Lonely Boy, and the 1978 Thank you for Being a Friend (used as the theme song on Golden Girls.)

He had the distinction of being the first human voice to be ‘heard’ on the surface of Mars: his rendition of the theme from the television series Mad About You, entitled “Final Frontier,” was used as the wake-up call for the Mars Pathfinder space probe in 1996.

Another part of my youth gone. I remember making up “dances” in my living room with my friends to his songs. We will truly miss him. He is survived by his wife Leslie Kogan, his three daughters from a previous marriage, his sisters Martha and Melani, and his mother, singer-actress Marni Nixon.

LAS VEGAS | Country music kicked off the genre’s award show season tonight in Las Vegas with the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. Hosted by seasoned hostess Reba McEntire and newbie Blake Shelton, the show proved to be anything but boring! Devoid of any Sheen jokes early on, Reba and Blake weren’t shy in poking fun at other celebrities. Shelton was quick to note that Eric Church’s song “Smoke a Little Smoke” could very well be about Miley Cyrus, and Jake Gyllenhaal breaking it off with with Taylor Swift might have something to do with Brokeback Mountain. Miranda Lambert boasted the most (7) nominations of the night and walked away with 4 awards, including Top Female Vocalist. Surprise performances dominated the stage tonight, including Carrie Underwood and Steven Tyler, as well as Sugarland and Rihanna. Also taking the stage tonight were Male Vocalist of the Year Brad Paisley with Alabama, Toby Keith, Top New Solo Artist Eric Church, Dierks Bently, Best New Artist The Band Perry,  Jason Aldean, Female Vocalist of the Year Miranda Lambert, Entertainer of the Year Taylor Swift and more on one of Country’s biggest nights! For a full list of the winners, check out our tally below and be sure to let us know what you thought about tonight’s show, the performances, and winners!

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Toby Keith
Miranda Lambert
Brad Paisley
Taylor Swift
Keith Urban

TOP MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
George Strait
Keith Urban

TOP FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Miranda Lambert
Reba McEntire
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
Lee Ann Womack

TOP VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
the JaneDear girls
Joey + Rory
Montgomery Gentry
Steel Magnolia
Sugarland

TOP VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Randy Rogers Band
The Band Perry
Zac Brown Band

TOP NEW SOLO VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Eric Church
Easton Corbin
Randy Houser

TOP NEW VOCAL DUO or GROUP OF THE YEAR
the JaneDear girls
Steel Magnolia
The Band Perry

ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
Hemingway’s Whiskey – Kenny Chesney (BNA) Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
Need You Now – Lady Antebellum (Capitol Records Nashville) Produced by: Lady Antebellum, Paul Worley
The Guitar Song – Jamey Johnson (Mercury) Produced by: Arlis Albritton, Dave Cobb, The Kent Hardly Playboys
Speak Now – Taylor Swift (Big Machine Records) Produced by: Nathan Chapman, Taylor Swift
Up On The Ridge – Dierks Bentley (Capitol Records Nashville) Produced by: Jon Randall Stewart
You Get What You Give – Zac Brown Band (Southern Ground / Roar / Bigger Picture / Atlantic) Produced by: Zac Brown, Keith Stegall

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
“A Little More Country Than That” – Easton Corbin (Mercury) Produced by: Carson Chamberlain
“As She’s Walking Away” – Zac Brown Band Featuring Alan Jackson (Southern Ground / Roar / Bigger Picture / Atlantic) Produced by: Zac Brown, Keith Stegall
“If I Die Young” – The Band Perry (Republic Nashville) Produced by: Paul Worley
“Love Like Crazy” – Lee Brice (Curb Records) Produced by: Lee Brice, Doug Johnson
“The Boys Of Fall” – Kenny Chesney (BNA) Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
“The House That Built Me” – Miranda Lambert (Columbia Nashville) Produced by: Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke

SONG OF THE YEAR [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
“A Little More Country Than That” – Easton Corbin Composers: Rory Lee Feek, Don Poythress, Wynn Varble Publishers: A Sling And A Prayer Music (ASCAP), Chrysalis One Music (ASCAP), Don Poythress Songs (ASCAP), Precious Flour Music (BMI), Universal Music-MGB Songs (ASCAP), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)
“As She’s Walking Away” – Zac Brown Band Featuring Alan Jackson Composers: Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette Publishers: Angelika Music (BMI), Weimerhound Publishing (BMI)
“If I Die Young” – The Band Perry Composer: Kimberly Perry Publishers: Pearlfeather Publishing (BMI), Rio Bravo Music, Inc. (BMI)
“Love Like Crazy” – Lee Brice Composers: Tim James, Doug Johnson Publishers: Mike Curb Music (BMI), Sweet Radical Music (BMI), T-Bird’s Music (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)
“The House That Built Me” – Miranda Lambert Composers: Tom Douglas, Allen Shamblin Publishers: Built On Rock (ASCAP), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), Tomdouglasmusic (BMI)

VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
“Hillbilly Bone” – Blake Shelton Featuring Trace Adkins Producer: Randy Brewer Director: Roman White
“Only Prettier” – Miranda Lambert Producer: Trent Hardville Director: Trey Fanjoy
“Stuck Like Glue” – Sugarland Producer: Tony McGarry Director: Declan Whitebloom
“The Boys Of Fall” – Kenny Chesney Producer: Don Lepore Director: Shaun Silva
“The House That Built Me” – Miranda Lambert Producer: Trent Hardville Director: Trey Fanjoy

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
“As She’s Walking Away” – Zac Brown Band Featuring Alan Jackson (Southern Ground / Roar / Bigger Picture / Atlantic) Produced by: Zac Brown, Keith Stegall
“Blue Sky” – Emily West Featuring Keith Urban (Capitol Records Nashville) Produced by: Mark Bright
“Coal Miner’s Daughter” – Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow and Miranda Lambert (Columbia Nashville) Produced by: John Carter Cash, Patsy Lynn Russell
“Cold Beer” – Colt Ford Featuring Jamey Johnson (Average Joes) Produced by: Shannon Houchins, Jared Scuillo, Justin Spillner
“Good To Be Me” – Uncle Kracker Featuring Kid Rock (Top Dog/ Atlantic / Bigger Picture) Produced by: Kid Rock

Dave Grohl, lead singer of the Foo Fighters is joining the ranks of Kings of Leon and Slash in just saying “no” to Glee. In addition to just saying no, he also takes a swipe at creator Ryan Murphy, who you may remember talked smack previously to the bands that said no to him, saying their careers are over in Slash’s case, and actually saying “F*$k you” to Kings of Leon.

“It’s every band’s right, you shouldn’t have to do f*!king Glee,” Grohl tells the Hollywood Reporter following the SXSW premiere of the band’s new documentary, Foo Fighters: Back and Forth. “And then the guy who created Glee is so offended that we’re not, like, begging to be on his f^$king show…f**k that guy for thinking anybody and everybody should want to do Glee.”

Grohl wasn’t finished.

“The Glee guy, what a f*#king jerk. Slash was the first one. He wanted to do Guns N’ Roses, and Slash is like ‘I f%$!ing hate musicals. It’s worse than Grease.’ Then [Murphy's] like, ‘Well of course he’d say that, he’s a washed up ol’ rock star, that’s what they f*&*ing do.’  And then Kings of Leon say, ‘No, we don’t want to be on your show.’ And then he’s like, ‘Snotty little assholes…’ And it’s just like, ‘Dude, maybe not everyone loves Glee.’ Me included.” Taylor Hawkins, drummer for the Foo Fighters then chimed in “Yeah, f$!k that shit.”

Grohl said he gave Glee a try, “I watched 10 minutes. It’s not my thing.”

As for this writer? Yeah well, I’m a little rocker girl, so good for the Foo Fighters! (My apologies Gleeks) This news just makes me love them more. (It makes up a little for my disappointment in another one of my faves, MCR, for allowing their song on Glee AND American Idol. Sigh.)

The Foo Fighters also have a movie hitting theaters soon. (Check out the trailer below) The film, a documentary entitled Foo Fighters: Back and Forth will open and close April 5th, yes, a one night only event, in 80 theaters around the country, and will be followed by a broadcast of a live set from the band. Pretty cool huh?

Foo Fighters: Back and Forth chronicles the history of the band, from cassette demos recorded by Dave Grohl while he was still Nirvana’s drummer to the group’s stadium headlining tours.

James Moll (The Last Days) produced and directed the documentary, which also covers the making of Foo Fighters’ upcoming album,Wasting Light, which will be released April 12. Trying to get back to their roots, the band recorded the entire album in their garage.

The doc will be broadcast on VH1, VH1 Classic and Palladia on April 8 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Set your Tivo/DVR!

As stated above, the upcoming album was recorded in it’s entirety in a garage. Well, the band is giving the chance to eight lucky fans to have them play in their garage as a concert venue! “The Foo Fighters have teamed with BlackBerry and local radio stations to give eight lucky fans the opportunity to host a Foo Fighters live performance in his or her actual garage. Fans who want a shot at turning their garage into a concert venue can either enter the contest directly by explaining in 25 words or less why they (and 50 of their friends) deserve to win and then sending in a picture of their garage.” Detailed instructions can be found at the Foo Fighters website HERE.

Participating radio stations and dates are:
April 08 New York (RXP 101.9)
April 13 Washington DC (DC 101)
April 14 Toronto (102.1 The Edge)
April 19 Chicago (Q101)
April 20 Minneapolis (93X Rocks)
April 25 Denver (Channel 93.3)
April 26 Dallas (102.1FM The Edge)
April 27 Seattle (107.7 The End)

Leave us a comment below and let us know what you think! Are you a Glee fan? Are you a Foo fan? Are you going to try and get the band to play your garage?

It was a big night last night for some of our biggest legends, as The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s annual induction ceremony was held. The latest inductees were all there to accept their place in rock history: Neil Diamond, Alice Cooper, Tom Waits, Darlene Love, Dr. John and Leon Russell, and after all the speeches were done the musicians kept playing until the wee hours. Highlights of the ceremony will be shown on Fuse on March 20th, so be sure to set your Tivo/DVR!

According to AP: Bruce Springsteen brought his guitar to back Love, who created a modern-day “Wall of Sound” and dueted with Bette Midler on “He’s a Rebel” after her induction Monday night. Guitarist John Mayer supported Russell in his ballad “A Song for You.” Diamond had the crowd in the glittery ballroom of The Waldorf-Astoria hotel dancing to the 1960s era “Cherry Cherry.”

Diamond had seemed a bit loopy in his acceptance speech, after traveling 25 hours from Australia for the ceremony and looking ahead to another trip Down Under to resume a concert tour. He criticized Paul Simon, who inducted him, for giving Simon’s upcoming album a difficult-to-remember title (“So Beautiful or So What”), then tried to recover by saying “I dare anybody in this room to make a better album.”

Diamond got a cheer from the New York crowd for recognizing his city roots while performing “I Am I Said.”

Simon noted that Diamond, who was born in Brooklyn, had first been eligible for the rock hall in 1991 and wondered, “What took so long?”

His theory: Diamond’s duet with Barbra Streisand, “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers.”

“It’s Barbra Streisand,” he said. “It’s not rock ‘n’ roll. I don’t even think they let that DNA near the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”

Alice Cooper is the stage name for singer Vincent Furnier and his band, known for 1970s era hard rock songs “Eighteen,” “No More Mr. Nice Guy” and “School’s Out.” Their concerts were steeped in horror movie theatrics, and Cooper wrapped a snake around his neck during his speech accepting induction. He performed a trio of the band’s hits in a shirt spattered with fake blood.

“We’ve always been a hard-rock band,” Cooper said. “We just wanted to decorate it a little differently.”

Cooper said he’d like to promise the rock hall that his band wouldn’t embarrass it.

“But I can’t make that promise,” he said. “After all, we are Alice Cooper.”

He was inducted by singer Rob Zombie, who recalled how he painted a portrait of Cooper dripping in blood when he was in fourth grade and was asked to make a picture of someone he admired – drawing attention from school authorities.

Songwriter Waits is well-versed in blues, poetry and ballads, with songs rough and romantic. Several of his Hall of Fame predecessors have recorded his work, including Springsteen (“Jersey Girl”), the Ramones (“I Don’t Want to Grow Up”), Rod Stewart (“Downtown Train”) and Johnny Cash (“Down There By the Train”). Neil Young said Waits is indescribable and “I’m here to describe him.” The two later performed together; taped highlights of the rock hall ceremony will be shown on Fuse on March 20.

Waits noted that his rock hall trophy was heavy and wondered if he could have a keychain version “that I can keep with me in case I hear somebody say, `Pete, take the cuffs off him. He’s a Hall of Famer.’”

“They say that I have no hits and that I’m difficult to work with,” he said, “and they say that like it’s a bad thing.”

Leon Russell composed “A Song for You” and “Delta Lady,” but he said he was in “a ditch beside the highway of life” when Elton John called a year ago and suggested they record an album together. The result was nominated for a Grammy.

“After that album,” John said, “Leon came alive, and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life.”

Russell, with a shock of long white hair and beard, walked haltingly onstage with the help of a cane and met John for a warm embrace.

Love, whose voice cut through Phil Spector’s heavy production, called her induction into the hall her best 70th birthday present. She praised Spector’s work but also tweaked him: “Phil Spector said God made two musical geniuses: Beethoven and Phil Spector,” she recalled.

Love lent her powerful voice to several of Spector’s hits, in acts such as the Crystals and Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans. Her “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” is a holiday standard: She sang on U2′s cover and performs it every December on David Letterman’s show.

She was inducted with a comic ramble by Midler, who said she was a goner when she first heard Love’s voice on a transistor radio.

“Listening to her songs, you had to dance, you had to move, you had to keep looking for that rebel boy,” Midler said. “Suddenly nobody wanted the buttoned-down guy who was a good provider.”

New Orleans piano maestro Dr. John, born Malcolm John “Mac” Rebennack Jr., was inducted by singer John Legend, who recalled meeting him at a benefit for Hurricane Katrina relief. Legend said the new Hall of Fame member has been a leading global ambassador for New Orleans and its special musical gumbo.

“He has never stopped flying the flag of funk,” Legend said. “Tonight, he is definitely in the right place at the right time.”

That was a reference to one of Dr. John’s best-known songs, “Right Place, Wrong Time,” with Allen Toussaint and the Meters, which he performed as the ceremony slipped past midnight.

Dr. John wore a bright purple suit for his big night and was asked backstage where he had bought his shoes.

“The pimp store,” he replied.

Elektra Records founder Jac Holzman and Specialty Records founder Art Rupe also were inducted, in the non-performer category.

The inductees’ work will be celebrated in perpetuity at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland.

I myself will admit proudly to being a huge Neil Diamond fan. Yes, I said that out loud. My absolute favorite ND album? Tap Root Manuscript! I listen to the vinyl, yes vinyl, when I want to feel “home” if you know what I mean. What do you think? Did the Hall of Fame miss your favorite this year? Are you willing to now admit your love for Diamond? Let us know below!

As if things couldn’t get any worse for this talented songstress; after her botching the national anthem at the Superbowl and nearly falling over at the Grammys, Christina Aguilera was taken into custody early Tuesday morning in West Hollywood “for her own safety”. The LA County Sheriff’s office states that she was taken into custody because she was intoxicated and no one else could take care of her. Aguilera was brought in until she sobered up.

You may or may not have heard the rumors earlier this year that she was found in the bedroom of actor Jeremy Renner, passed out on his bed during his 40th birthday party. Renner told Jimmy Kimmel in February that this was incorrect, and it may be, however her latest antics certainly show that she is having issues.

Pink even threw out her own comment via Twitter: “Out of Myself, Britney and Christina – didn’t everyone think I was gonna be the troublemaker? LOOK MA!!! NO CUFFS!” Too funny!

Authorities state that she wasn’t technically arrested, she is still in custody and will be leaving soon. However, her boyfriend Matthew Rutler was arrested for driving while intoxicated. What do you think? Leave us a comment below, then come chat with us in the Forum HERE!

The King has to (forcefully) cede his throne to the pop infused Glee. The hit Fox series and their talented cast are making waves today as they set the record for most songs ever on the Billboard 100 chart. The Glee cast has already passed the likes of The Beatles and Michael Jackson and have now taken the top spot in history. The cast’s cover tunes have made it on the chart for a whopping 113 times since the show began releasing singles of their songs. Now we should note that less than 25% have remained on the chart for more than a week. Elvis Presley previously held the record with 108.

In other Glee news, Amber Riley and Mark Salling (Mercedes and Puck) will participate in a PBS music special titled The Motown Sound: In Performance at the White House. The event will be n honor of Black History Month and the legendary Motown. The Glee cast members will be joined by the likes of Jamie Foxx, Natasha Bedingfield, Sheryl Crow, Gloriana, Nick Jonas, Ledisi, John Legend, Smokey Robinson, Seal and Jordin Sparks. The special will air Tuesday, March 1 at 8/7c.

What do you think? Does this mean Glee is bigger than Elvis or is this a skewed claim to the throne? Will you be watching the PBS special?

Taylor Swift fans all over the world busily decoded secret messages from her album insert when Speak Now was released last fall. What’s the point of listening to the songs without knowing who Taylor intended the message for, right? Among the tracks on her album, “Enchanted” raised a lot of eyebrows because the message decoded was ADAM. Who was this mysterious Adam? Sure, everyone knew Taylor Lautner or John Mayer, but Adam? Thanks to internet sleuths everywhere (read: obsessive Taylor fans), Adam = Owl City’s Adam Young. Back in September, Taylor tweeted Adam that “If I was in town, I’d be there! Front row, super-fan style,” referring to a performance by the band best known for “Fireflies.” A week later, Taylor attending an Owl City concert in NYC, singing and dancing the entire time, prompting Adam to tweet that the night was “magical.” And that started spinning the rumor mill around the blogosphere.

When asked about her “Enchanted” track, Taylor responded: “It was about this guy that I met in New York City, and I had talked to him on email before, but I had never met him. And meeting him, it was just this overwhelming feeling of: I really hope that you’re not in love with somebody. And the whole entire way home, I just remember the glittery New York City buildings passing by and then just sitting there thinking, am I ever gonna talk to this person again? It was that feeling of pining away for a romance that may never even happen, but all you have is this hope that it could, and the fear that it never will.” Taking it even a step further, Taylor uses the word “wonderstruck” in her song, a word that Adam has used on more than one occasion on his online Owl City blog.

Long story short, in the spirit of love this Valentine’s Day, Adam Young has put up a song reply in the internet world as a response to Taylor’s “Enchanted.” Love is in the air with these two musically inclined young ones. What do you think of this bold move? Has Adam won Taylor over with this? Starting to re-think that special gift you bought your significant other? Ya, time to record a song.

The internet world was abuzz today with the release of the latest single from Lady Gaga’s upcoming album. “Born This Way” hit airwaves and YouTube early Friday morning and it didn’t take long for the critics to start pointing out “obvious flaws” with the song. The biggest issue the public, including many Gaga fans, seems to have with her latest single is the eerie similarity to Madonna’s “Express Yourself.” Not only is the message very similar, but the song’s tone and production value sound very much alike. By late Friday morning, “Express Yourself” was trending higher on Twitter than “Born This Way,” with Madonna’s hit from 1989 making quite a revival. Check out videos of each song below and compare for yourself!

Gaga was initially supposed to release the single on Sunday, the same day as the Grammy Awards. She pushed the release ahead, likely to build a little more hype before her Grammy performance this weekend. Gaga’s album Born This Way is scheduled for a May 23 release. So what do you think? Does Gaga owe it to Madonna for her success? Did Gaga rip off Madonna this time? Come discuss in our FORUMS.

Day one of rehearsals are now behind us, time to move into day two! Here are the updates!

This morning, and just finishing up, we had Rihanna rehearsing her act with Drake. Looks like they will have some sort of “Caveman” theme going on today, with a campfire in the middle of the stage. They have a lot of sexy dancers up there on stage with them, all wearing some pretty skimpy clothes. The choreography was terrific! I have no idea how this coincides with the theme, but there was a big clown wig thing going on today. Maybe just hoping to be incognito? Who knows. (Itsy Bitsy video clip included at the bottom. I know, I need a new phone!)

Coming up next, scheduled at 1:00p, Bruno Mars is in the house! We will update you as we get further along.

Scheduled for 6pm., Cee Lo Green is schedules to rehearse, followed by Katy Perry at 8pm. (All times Pacific.) Stay tuned to the Yak for more updates!  Hopefully I can get some better video as well. Rehearsals are being held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The Grammy’s performers are getting ready to entertain you, and we have the inside scoop, thank to our very own super secret spy! Stay tuned in the Yak forum HERE for updates!

Rehearsing earlier today, we had Arcade Fire in the house! The house being Staples Center in Los Angeles of course. Anyway, they have a little surprise up their sleeve for the show… That’s right, they had some BMX riders up there with them doing tricks on stage. It was interesting!

Up Next, Lady Antebellum got their practice in, and just let me say, Hillary is an absolute doll, so humble and nice.

Streisand made her way in around 5pm for her rehearsal. The place was definitely still and quiet while she performed.

The Salute to Aretha Franklin is rehearsing now (7:30p Pacific Time), and we have Christina Aguilera (straw hair and all) and Jennifer Hudson (who is so thin now it makes us want to buy her a hamburger) up there on stage. You know, the last time we sat through an Aguilera rehearsal here, she oh so politely chucked her gum out of her mouth on to the stage where the Grammy Production Crew had to go pick it up. Well, I guess that’s a diva for you!

We have not yet seen Cee Lo, Mars, Eminem etc. Probably rehearsing tomorrow… Stay tuned to the Yak and we will try and keep you all updated!