Tag Archives: Phillip Phillips

Alicia Keys On Fire With #1 Chart Debut

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Alicia Keys is four for five. Thanks to sales of nearly 159,000, the piano-tickling RB superstar will score her fourth career #1 Billboard 200 debut next week with Girl On Fire,
 according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan.

Girl grabbed the honor despite putting up the lowest first week figures for any of the Grammy-winner’s five studio albums. That was more than enough to keep Taylor Swift at #2 for a third week with Red, which sold another 137,000 copies, for a six-week total north of 2.2 million.

The rest of the top 10 was mostly unchanged, with most of the titles suffering double-digit drops in the run-up to the holiday shopping season. Rod Stewart was up three spots to #3 with Merry Christmas Baby (117,000), One Direction were down one to #4 with Take Me Home (92,000, down 48 percent) and Phillip Phillips slipped a spot to #5 with his debut, The World From the Side of the Moon (74,000, down 56 percent).

The rest of the top 10: Rihanna, Unapologetic (72,000, down 70 percent in week two), Michael Bublé, Christmas (#7, 66,000), Lady Antebellum, On This Winter’s Night (#8, 59,000), Blake Shelton, Cheers, It’s Christmas (#9, 53,000) and Kid Rock, Rebel Soul (#10, 46,000, down 68 percent).

It was a down week overall, as nearly every title in the top 30 suffered single- or double-digit drops. One of the few big gainers was Cee Lo Green‘s Cee Lo’s Magic Moment Christmas CD, which shot up 88 spots to #32 on sales of 21,000.

Once again, dozens of holiday-themed releases moved up the ranks, including titles by Josh Groban, the “Glee” cast, Justin Bieber, Colbie Caillat, Elvis Presley, Mariah Carey and She Him.

Over on the iTunes singles chart, the will.i.am. and Britney Spears single “Scream Shout”
 topped the roster, followed by 50 Cent and Eminem‘s “My Life,” Bruno Mars‘ “Locked Out of Heaven,” Psy‘s “Gangnam Style” and the Lumineers‘ “Ho Hey.” The rest of the top 10: Phillip Phillips, “Home,” Ke$ha‘s “Die Young,” Rihanna‘s “Diamonds,” Keys’ “Girl on Fire” and Flo Rida‘s “I Cry.”

The top iTunes albums were: Keys, Phillips, electro duo Timeflies‘ One Night EP, Rihanna, Bublé, Swift, Tiesto‘s Dance (RED) Saves Lives,” the Lumineers‘ self-titled debut, Stewart and Mumford Sons‘ Babel.

Next week will feature the chart debuts of new albums from Ke$ha and Wiz Khalifa.

Steven Tyler Slams New ‘American Idol’ Judges

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As if the 40-plus years he’s spent fronting Aerosmith — or the two he logged behind the judges’ table on “American Idol” — weren’t already evidence of this point, please allow us to clue you in: It doesn’t take much to get Steven Tyler excited.

So last week, when MTV News spoke with Tyler about Aerosmith’s new anthem for the New England Patriots, we figured we should also ask him about the upcoming season of “Idol,” which, as you’ve probably heard by now, is shaping up to be a contentious one, with new judges Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey reportedly at each other’s throats, during auditions. (Minaj has downplayed those reports, telling MTV News earlier this month that she and Carey are “fine.”)

And, well, let’s just say Tyler didn’t hold back.

“I know that they’ve got something going on on the judges’ panel, [and] it shouldn’t be that, it should be just the opposite: They should have something going on, which is called ‘camaraderie,’ ” he said. “They should have something going on so thick and beautiful that they can lay it over the new talent that’s trying to birth itself. It needs to be birthed, not judged by ‘entertainment’ factors, it needs to be judged by people that [are] honest, true, that have the ‘it’ factor. Not the ‘it’ factor because they can fight. The f— is that all about?”

Tyler then used last year’s “Idol” champ, Phillip Phillips, as an example of the type of artist that “camaraderie” is capable of creating, and said that he hopes Minaj and Carey can put aside their differences in order to continue cultivating new talent. Though, to be honest, he’s not sure if they’ll be able to do so.

“You just have to give your opinion. It wasn’t hard for me, but I would imagine it’s hard for some people, and they need a manager to say ‘Shut the f— up, and just give them your opinion,’ ” Tyler said. “These kids, they just got out of a car from the Midwest somewhere and they’re in New York City, they’re scared to death; you’re not going to get the best [out of them]. … If it was Bob Dylan, Nicki Minaj would have had him sent to the cornfield! Whereas, if it was Bob Dylan with us, we would have brought the best of him out, as we did with Phillip Phillips. Just saying.”

Do you agree with Tyler’s take on the new “Idol” judges? Let us know in the comments below!

Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page,where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

One Direction Finds Home At #1 Spot

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Earlier this year One Direction debuted on the Billboard 200 chart with 176,000 copies of their first album sold in week one, and months later their follow-up Take Me Home has clocked in the third-largest first week sales of the year with 540, 000 copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

This means that One Direction is now tied with Justin Bieber as the only artists todebut two #1 albums within the past 12 months.

One Direction teach us the art of the swoon face: Watch now!

Taylor Swift remained at #2 with an additional 144,000 copies of Red sold and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 Soundtrack debuted at #3 with 93,000.

Toronto singer the Weeknd breached the top five, pulling in at #4 with his major-label debut Trilogy, but Christina Aguilera had a disappointing first week, charting at #7 after moving only 73,000 copies of Lotus. Green Day’s ¡Dos! landed at #9 with 69,000 sold, followed by Lana Del Rey’s Paradise closing out the top 10.

Over on the iTunes album charts, “American Idol” winner Phillip Phillips commanded the #1 spot with The World from the Side of the Moon, while Swift’s Red held at #2 and the “Twilight” soundtrack completed the top three. AC/DC’s re-release of Back in Black and Led Zeppelin’s Celebration Day managed to trump One Direction however, pushing Take Me Home to #7.

Cassadee Pope’s “Over You (The Voice”) had a big showing at #1 on the song’s charts, with PSY’s “Gangnam Style” holding tight at #2 and Ke$ha’s “Die Young” at #3. Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out Of Heaven” pulled in at #4 while Rihanna’s “Diamonds” rolled in at #8, topping Pink’s “Try” at #9 and another offering from “The Voice” at #10.

Phillip Phillips Worked Overtime Not To ‘Suck’ On ‘Idol’ Debut, Moon

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Thanks to the success of his hit single “Home,” Phillip Phillips could have done whatever he wanted on The World From the Side of the Moon, his post-”American Idol” debut. Instead, he decided to he was going to focus on one rather key goal:

“I just tried my best not to make it suck,” he laughed.

Mission accomplished. Because Moon, which hits stores Monday (November 19), most certainly does not suck. In fact, it is probably the most oddly assured “Idol” debut to come down the pipe in a while, one that seems almost preordained to break the recent sales slump that has befallen previous champions. And yet, not surprisingly, Phillips himself is remaining humble … in fact, you might say he’s even pessimistic about the album’s chances of hitting big.

“Man, I’m pretty scared; I’m nervous and excited, all these emotions going at once, because it’s something that really represents me — I wrote everything but two songs — and, you know, it’s kind of nerve-wracking putting yourself out there,” he said. “But it’s also exciting because I want people to hear what I have to offer. I guess it’s because I’m [a] new [artist], but, shoot, next album I’ll probably be just as scared.”

Of course, while he was making the album, he didn’t have time to focus on those fears … after all, he recorded the thing at a breakneck pace, finishing just in time to meet Interscope’s deadline. But, in a way, that schedule helped Phillips strip away any second thoughts and just go with his gut, yet another reason why the album succeeds in spades.

“I had a talk with [Interscope chairman and "Idol" mentor] Jimmy [Iovine] about the album, because there was mixed communications; either we were going to get it out next year, like January or February, then it was December, then it was back to January or February, then finally they said ‘We want to get it out November 19,’ and I was like ‘Woah …’ because that was, like, four weeks away,” he laughed. “So I only had three weeks to do the album; So I went in the studio, with Gregg Wattenberg, who’s a great guy. We would get tired, man, we’d walk into the studio just looking beat up, but we’d be like ‘Man, we’re going to do this.’ From starting the guitars to mastering in three weeks, it was hectic, but we got it done, and I can’t be more proud of it.”

And that pride even extends to The World From the Side of the Moon’s rather puzzling title (for the record, it’s the first line on the album), which had fans scratching their heads when Phillips revealed it last month. But, hey, he’s sticking by it … even if he might go a different route for album number two. Because Phillips will be the first to admit that he’s still got plenty to learn about this whole “famous hitmaker” thing.

“Yeah, I saw the reactions, and it was pretty funny. They were like ‘That’s a stupid title, it doesn’t even mean anything!’ And I’m like ‘You have no idea what’s even on the album, so how do you know it doesn’t mean anything?’” he sighed. “Maybe they still don’t know what it means, who knows? But it represents for me, like, watching myself on this whole past year, how I’ve grown as a person and an artist, and, uh, I really like the title, I thought it was interesting … [but] maybe I’ll go with something different the next time around.”

Do you love Phillip Phillips’ ‘American Idol’ debut? Let us know in the comments below!

‘Jersey Shore’ Cast And More Celebs Fight To ‘Restore The Shore’

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In a continuing effort to help the victims of Hurricane Sandy get back on their feet and rebuild what was lost in the devastation, MTV hosted “Restore the Shore” on Thursday (November 15), an hour-long telethon designed to help raise awareness and funds for those affected by the storm.

MTV News’ Sway Calloway kicked things off by introducing a group that has become synonymous with one of the areas most affected by Sandy, the stars of “Jersey Shore,” who took turns answering the phones and sharing their reactions to the destruction in and around the neighborhoods they once called home.

“To see it like that is devastating,” Deena Cortese said. “I hope we raise enough money to restore it.”

Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi shared her experience of taking a helicopter ride to see the destruction from the air.

“I saw [the devastation] in the helicopter for the first time. Just seeing the boardwalk not there was scary,” she said after re-watching her trip. Snooki said she hoped to be able to bring new son Lorenzo to the Shore if enough money is raised to rebuild it.

Donate to help “Restore the Shore” now.

“Sandy, you little bi—, you tried to destroy us,” she said during her helicopter tour. “But we’re going to build it better and stronger than it ever was.”

In addition to castmembers from “Jersey Shore,” we were pleased to have several stars from other popular MTV shows join in the telethon effort, including “Teen Wolf,” “Awkward.,” “Teen Mom” and “The Challenge: Battle of the Seasons,” who all took turns at the phone bank talking to generous donors. Several heartwarming conversations even made their way onto the live broadcast.

Some other famous friends donated their time and voice via messages of encouragement and heartfelt pleas for people to band together to help restore the shore. Those who participated included: Britney Spears, Blake Shelton, Pharrell Williams, Nicki Minaj, Fun., One Direction, Taylor Swift, Simon Cowell, Kim Kardashian, T.I., No Doubt, Kelly Clarkson, Carson Daly, Nikki Reed, Ludacris, Dakota Fanning and Adam Levine.

“Teen Wolf” stars explain why they pitched in to “Restore the Shore” on MTV’s Remote Control blog.

MTV was also lucky to have some artists lend their voices to the cause: We are delighted to offer free downloads of the music played during the broadcast and extra grateful to Gym Class Heroes and O-Land and “American Idol” winner Phillip Phillips, who came to our Times Square studios for live, acoustic performances of their hits “Fighter” and “Home.”

One of the most moving aspects about the telethon was seeing those familiar party-friendly faces from “Jersey Shore” get serious about asking for help and offering it up themselves during visits to Shore hotspots often featured on the show. The cast’s visit to their former workplace, the Shore Store, was particularly emotional, due to it being wrecked by Sandy and seeing the reaction by owner Danny Merk, who broke down in tears when he saw the interior of the store in total disarray.

All in all, it was an emotional evening for all involved, but it’s not over: You can still help “Restore the Shore” by visiting RestoreTheShore.MTV.com or by texting SHORE to 85944 to make a $10 donation.

You can still help “Restore the Shore” by texting SHORE to 85944 to make a $10 donation.

Fun. Want You To Dig Deep For ‘Restore The Shore’

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Like millions of kids, the members of Fun. have fond memories of endless summers spent hanging at the Jersey Shore. As adults, the trio has also put in time playing gigs in the area that was one of the most heavily damaged by superstorm Sandy.

That’s why they are among the dozens of musicians and actors who’ve signed on to help MTV raise funds for the victims of Sandy by participating in tonight’s “Restore the Shore” benefit show.

“This is the band Fun. and we want to talk about something that is very dear to us,” said singer Nate Ruess in a message recorded for the special. “Recently the hurricanes have ravaged the Jersey Shore, which is a place we’ve spent just a lot of time.”

Guitarist Jack Antonoff, a native of Bergenfield, New Jersey, added, “tons of time. I grew up going there and through all the years of us being friends and starting Fun. we’ve been going there almost ever summer. It’s a place that means a lot to us.”

The men of Fun. will do their part on tonight along with the cast of the “Jersey Shore” and dozens of other stars to lend a hand to those who were impacted by Sandy during MTV‘s “Restore the Shore” benefit.

Taylor Swift wants you to help “Restore the Shore” on Thursday night!

“Restore the Shore” will air live on MTV tonight at 11 p.m. ET, and will feature appearances by the cast of “Jersey Shore” from MTV‘s Times Square studio, as well as cameos by other celebs all of whom will be asking viewers to contribute to the rebuilding and restoration of Seaside Heights.

But you don’t have to wait until then to help out: Text SHORE to 85944 to make a $10 donation now. Funds will focus on meeting the immediate emergency needs of Seaside residents, such as shelter, food and health services. The Red Cross is also helping feed emergency workers, handling inquiries from concerned family members outside the disaster area, and providing blood and blood products to victims.

Join Vinny and the gang on Thursday night when they host the “Restore the Shore” benefit at 11 p.m. ET.

Stars contributing messages of support who will be featured on-air include One Direction, Alicia Keys, Mac Miller, Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, Britney Spears, Pharrell, Pink, Demi Lovato, Kim Kardashian, Ne-Yo, Kelly Clarkson, Bruno Mars, No Doubt, fun., Carly Rae Jepsen, Swizz Beats, the Jonas Brothers, Ludacris, All Time Low, Sean Kingston, Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Carson Daly of “The Voice,” Ashley Greene, Dakota Fanning, Nikki Reed, Peter Facinelli and Elizabeth Reaser of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2,” Jay Leno, the cast of “The View,” Simon Cowell, L.A. Reid, Wendy Williams and many more.

“Restore the Shore” will feature live performances from Gym Class Heroes (with special guest Oh Land) collaborating on the comeback anthem “The Fighter,” as well as “American Idol” season 11 winner Phillip Phillips playing his stirring hit single “Home.”

“Please help the community of Seaside Heights rebuild,” said Fun. keyboardist Andrew Dost.

From 4 p.m. until midnight, the cast of “Jersey Shore” — as well as stars from other top MTV shows including “Awkward,” “Teen Wolf,” “Teen Mom,” “The Challenge,” and “The Real World” — will be live in MTV‘s Times Square studio, calling donors to thank them for giving. Unlike a conventional telethon where viewers call in and hope to speak with a celebrity, MTV‘s “Restore the Shore” will feature stars personally calling individuals who donate via Indiegogo at “Restore the Shore” or make a $10 donation by texting SHORE to 85944. All funds raised will go to Architecture for Humanity, an internationally recognized nonprofit that led rebuilding efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. They are now setting out to help rebuild the famed boardwalk, local businesses and homes in Seaside Heights ravaged by the storm.

Don’t miss “Restore the Shore,” airing live tonight at 11 p.m. ET on MTV. Text SHORE to 85944 to make a $10 donation now.

Snooki Helicopters Over Jersey Shore Boardwalk Before ‘Restore the Shore’ Fundraiser

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They say you can never go home again. And in the case of “Jersey Shore” star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, that’s literally true in the wake of superstorm Sandy. The new mom and Seaside Heights legend took to the air recently to view the destruction wrought by the killer storm from a helicopter and she was shocked at what she saw.

“Oh my god!” Snooki gasped as she flew over the boardwalk that she came to know so well on the hit MTV show, shocked at the site of the nearly wiped out Funtown Pier and its roller coaster, which now sits in the ocean. “This really sucks. The whole pier is just gone. It’s really sad. The roller coaster that I always go on is in the water.”

Wiping tears from her eyes, she added, “there’s like no boardwalk. We had so many memories here and everything’s just destroyed.”

Snooki will join her fellow “Shore” cast members and an all-star cast of musicians to lend a hand to those who were impacted by Sandy during MTV‘s “Restore the Shore” benefit on Thursday night.

Taylor Swift wants you to help “Restore the Shore” on Thursday night!

“Restore the Shore” will air live on MTV tomorrow at 11 p.m. ET, and will feature appearances by the cast of “Jersey Shore” from MTV‘s Times Square studio, as well as cameos by other celebs — including Taylor Swift — all of whom will be asking viewers to contribute to the rebuilding and restoration of Seaside Heights.

But you don’t have to wait until then to help out: Text SHORE to 85944 to make a $10 donation now. Funds from will focus on meeting residents of Seaside’s immediate emergency needs, such as shelter, food and health services. The Red Cross is also helping feed emergency workers, handling inquiries from concerned family members outside the disaster area, and providing blood and blood products to victims.

Join Vinny and the gang on Thursday night when they host the “Restore the Shore” benefit at 11 p.m. ET.

Stars contributing messages of support who will be featured on-air include One Direction, Alicia Keys, Mac Miller, Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, Britney Spears, Pharrell, P!nk, Demi Lovato, Kim Kardashian, Ne-Yo, Kelly Clarkson, Bruno Mars, No Doubt, fun., Carly Rae Jepsen, Swizz Beats, the Jonas Brothers, Ludacris, All Time Low, Sean Kingston, Christina Aguilera, CeeLo Green, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Carson Daly of “The Voice,” Ashley Greene, Dakota Fanning, Nikki Reed, Peter Facinelli and Elizabeth Reaser of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2,” Jay Leno, the cast of “The View,” Simon Cowell, L.A. Reid, Wendy Williams and many more.

“Restore the Shore” will feature live performances from Gym Class Heroes (with special guest Oh Land) collaborating on the comeback anthem “The Fighter,” as well as “American Idol” Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips playing his stirring hit single “Home.”

From 4 pm until midnight (ET) on Thursday, the cast of “Jersey Shore” — as well as stars from other top MTV shows including “Awkward,” “Teen Wolf,” “Teen Mom,” “The Challenge,” and “The Real World” — will be live in MTV‘s Times Square studio, calling donors to thank them for giving. Unlike a conventional telethon where viewers call in and hope to speak with a celebrity, MTV‘s “Restore the Shore” will feature stars personally calling individuals who donate via Indiegogo at “Restore the Shore” or make a $10 donation by texting SHORE to 85944. All funds raised will go to Architecture for Humanity, an internationally recognized non-profit that led rebuilding efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. They are now setting out to help rebuild the famed boardwalk, local businesses and homes in Seaside Heights ravaged by the storm.

Don’t miss “Restore the Shore,” airing live Thursday, November 15 at 11 p.m. ET on MTV. Text SHORE to 85944 to make a $10 donation now.

Snooki Helicopters Over Jersey Boardwalk Before ‘Restore The Shore’

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They say you can never go home again. And in the case of “Jersey Shore” star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, that’s literally true in the wake of superstorm Sandy. The new mom and Seaside Heights legend took to the air recently to view the destruction wrought by the killer storm from a helicopter and she was shocked at what she saw.

“Oh my god!” Snooki gasped as she flew over the boardwalk that she came to know so well on the hit MTV show, shocked at the site of the nearly wiped out Funtown Pier and its roller coaster, which now sits in the ocean. “This really sucks. The whole pier is just gone. It’s really sad. The roller coaster that I always go on is in the water.”

Wiping tears from her eyes, she added, “there’s like no boardwalk. We had so many memories here and everything’s just destroyed.”

Snooki will join her fellow “Shore” cast members and an all-star cast of musicians to lend a hand to those who were impacted by Sandy during MTV‘s “Restore the Shore” benefit on Thursday night.

Taylor Swift wants you to help “Restore the Shore” on Thursday night!

“Restore the Shore” will air live on MTV tomorrow at 11 p.m. ET, and will feature appearances by the cast of “Jersey Shore” from MTV‘s Times Square studio — as well as cameos by other celebs — all of whom will be asking viewers to contribute to the rebuilding and restoration of Seaside Heights.

But you don’t have to wait until then to help out: Text SHORE to 85944 to make a $10 donation now. Funds from will focus on meeting residents of Seaside’s immediate emergency needs, such as shelter, food and health services. The Red Cross is also helping feed emergency workers, handling inquiries from concerned family members outside the disaster area, and providing blood and blood products to victims.

Join Vinny and the gang on Thursday night when they host the “Restore the Shore” benefit at 11 p.m. ET.

Stars contributing messages of support who will be featured on-air include One Direction, Alicia Keys, Mac Miller, Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, Britney Spears, Pharrell, P!nk, Demi Lovato, Kim Kardashian, Ne-Yo, Kelly Clarkson, Bruno Mars, No Doubt, fun., Carly Rae Jepsen, Swizz Beats, the Jonas Brothers, Ludacris, All Time Low, Sean Kingston, Christina Aguilera, CeeLo Green, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Carson Daly of “The Voice,” Ashley Greene, Dakota Fanning, Nikki Reed, Peter Facinelli and Elizabeth Reaser of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2,” Jay Leno, the cast of “The View,” Simon Cowell, L.A. Reid, Wendy Williams and many more.

“Restore the Shore” will feature live performances from Gym Class Heroes (with special guest Oh Land) collaborating on the comeback anthem “The Fighter,” as well as “American Idol” Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips playing his stirring hit single “Home.”

From 4 pm until midnight (ET) on Thursday, the cast of “Jersey Shore” — as well as stars from other top MTV shows including “Awkward,” “Teen Wolf,” “Teen Mom,” “The Challenge,” and “The Real World” — will be live in MTV‘s Times Square studio, calling donors to thank them for giving. Unlike a conventional telethon where viewers call in and hope to speak with a celebrity, MTV‘s “Restore the Shore” will feature stars personally calling individuals who donate via Indiegogo at “Restore the Shore” or make a $10 donation by texting SHORE to 85944. All funds raised will go to Architecture for Humanity, an internationally recognized non-profit that led rebuilding efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. They are now setting out to help rebuild the famed boardwalk, local businesses and homes in Seaside Heights ravaged by the storm.

Don’t miss “Restore the Shore,” airing live Thursday, November 15 at 11 p.m. ET on MTV. Text SHORE to 85944 to make a $10 donation now.

Phillip Phillips: Where In The World Did He Get That Album Title?

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Ever since “American Idol” champ Phillip Phillips announced Monday that his debut album would be called The World From the Side of the Moon, we here at MTV News have been channeling Susan Miller and studying astral charts and lunar calendars in a desperate attempt to figure out just what the heck P-Squared is trying to tell us.

Is his album title some half-glazed paean to Pink Floyd? A tribute to that Red Bull dude who jumped from the edge of space? A collection of words he randomly picked out of Colton Dixon’s hat? Or is he trying to make some offhanded comment on the very strange nature of celebrity itself?

To be honest, we’re perplexed. So after taking an informal poll of the MTV Newsroom, here’s what we think Phillips’ album title is supposed to mean. We’re probably wrong, but hey, at least we now know the difference between a Waxing Gibbous and a Waning Crescent.

He is a closeted Newt Gingrich supporter: You remember Newt, the aptly named guy who was seeking the Republican presidential nomination? Kinda pudgy? Promised to build a colony on the moon if elected? Yeah, him. Anyway, perhaps this is Phillips’ secret way of paying homage to Gingrich’s grand idea. It was either that or The World From the Side of the Elimination of the Environmental Protection Agency.

He is over the moon: Only two years ago, this dude was working in a pawn shop. Now he’s hanging with Boyd Tinsley and fiending for Benihana. If we were Phillips, we’d be pretty jazzed about life right now too.

He’s a huge Warren Moon fan: Who can blame him? Warren was awesome in “Tecmo Super Bowl.”

He wanted to go to the only place in the universe where they’re not playing “Home”: The side of the moon is still totally feeling Mumford Sons’ Sigh No More, for the record.

He had just crushed a box of Moon Pies, was at a loss for an album title: Like any good Son of the South, Phillips undoubtedly appreciates the power of two graham crackers, marshmallow and chocolate coating (or banana) — which is why he decided to name his album after the official delicacy of Mobile, Alabama. To be followed by his second disc, RC Cola.

He watched “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” on Netflix: He felt like disappearing to a cold, desolate place after sitting through the vampire/werewolf love triangle.

‘American Idol’ Champ Phillip Phillips To Release Debut On November 19

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“American Idol” season 11 champ Phillip Phillips is on target to release his major-label debut on November 19. The album, titled The World From The Side of The Moon, will drop on the same day as the first greatest hits set from the original “Idol,” Kelly Clarkson.

A spokesperson for Phillips could not be reached for confirmation, but Amazon.com has listed the pre-Thanksgiving title and release date.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Phillips has been performing one new song on the “Idol” tour, “Take Me Away,” and has talked about another, “Drive Me,” during interviews.

Phillips, 22, has already scored a major hit with his “Idol” coronation song, “Home,” which has sold nearly 2 million downloads to date and helped provide the soundtrack to the Summer Olympics. The gritty singer has been chronicling the recording sessions on his Twitter feed for months, telling fans on August 25 that he’s been “working very hard on the album,” and then updating them again on September 27th, saying that he was once again “working hard in the studio.”

Back in late August Phillips gave MTV News a peek at his process, saying, “I’ve written with people who aren’t like me, then I’ve written with people who totally get it. It’s like a blind date, and you never know what’s going to happen,” he said. “But it’s really cool because they learn from you and you learn a little bit from them. And sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn’t. I’m more critical about my writing, and I’ve worked with some people who are even more critical, and I like that. You just learn new things from different people … I’ve worked with some cool people so far.”

Phillips also promised that fans who loved “Home” will likely be pleased with tone of the disc and the direction he’s headed musically.
“There’s a couple of tunes similar to ‘Home,’ maybe I don’t know if they’re quite as sing-a-long, but they’ve got the same feel — hopefully, the ones I’m talking about make it on the album,” he said. “And there’s a lot of other ones that represent what I did on the show; they have the sax in it, the horn section with the electric guitar, the cool drum sounds, because I love crazy drum parts … it’s a little mixture of both.

The late nights continued following the “Idol” summer tour, with Phillips grinding it out in the studio again on October 4 and then laying down some more vocals the next day. He’s been cagey all along, telling fans a few days later that he sang what might be his “favorite song on the album,” and then on October 11 announcing that he’s only got “4 more songs to sing!” before he wraps up the sessions.
By Saturday he was already teasing the title, tweeting, “goodnight world … see you when the moon gets tired.”