Looks like it’s another home run for MTV’s long-running Unplugged series. Over the years, the recently revived franchise has given us classic performances. On the top of my head, Nirvana, Maxwell, Alanis Morrisette, 10,000 Maniacs and Mariah Carey all come to mind. As part of the 6-episode season, MTV signed on Adele, Paramore and Katy Perry as three of the artists to receive the unplugged treatment.

Today, Katy Perry’s stripped-down-set debuted across multiple on-air channels a full day before the entire “Unplugged” performance hits stores in both a traditional album format and a deluxe CD/DVD edition. Perry performs her biggest hits from her debut album and even gives “I Kissed a Girl” a jazzy makeover. She also performs a couple of new songs for the special- “Brick by Brick” and a cover of Fountains of Wayne’s “Hackensack”.

As part of the special, Katy is featured in an extended interview where she tells stories and gives a background perspective behind her biggest hits. Palladia- MTV’s high-def television channel- will also air a half-hour version of the special on November 27 @ 9pm and midnight.

Listen to a jazzed up version of “I Kissed a Girl” after the jump

Homorazzi’s Fashion Police Trinity is back. This time Redd, Tommy & Donovan take on the outfits seen on the MTV Video Music Awards red carpet- by far the most irreverent carpet of them all. Hope you enjoy our playful and biting critiques.

MVA’s Big Winners: Beyonce & Taylor Swift

Redd: I do like this outfit on Beyonce, it does show a lot of skin in the front without appearing to be too indecent. It’s also less theatrical than her usual getups… maybe this one isn’t from the House of Dereon. A classic one shoulder sheath dress would have been the appropriate choice for Taylor, but it ages and makes her look like she’s well into her 30′s. Although a little color and youth would have been a better choice.

Donovan: You called that one correctly Redd, this isn’t another fashion monstrosity from the House of Crap Dereon. Beyonce looks smoking hot in this red hot Cavalli minidress- it accentuates all her best assets. “Ring The Alarm” for sure. Not only did she look Sasha Fierce in this plunging outfit, but the girl was even hotter during her “Single Ladies” performance! Out of context, Taylor Swift’s dress does look a tad Hollywood wife-ish but when you consider the fact she arrived to the awards on a horse drawn carriage a la Cinderella, it all fits. Loved her modern take on a classic fairy tale. Beyonce even played her fairy godmother when she brought Swift on stage to redo her speech. Taylor was definitely the evening’s princess.

Tommy: Beyonce Beyonce Beyonce…I think Beyonce’s favourite thing in the world is double sided tape for real. Every deep V she wear, her tits are ALWAYS safely secured, and always perfectly displayed. I will say that I am SO happy she stopped letting mama dress her. And Taylor, wel funny thing is I have actually grown to like this girl. I still HATE Love Song, but I think this girl is so cute. I love her first dress more than the red one she ended in.

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UPDATE Sept 3, 2009: A version of her new single Cowboy Casanova was leaked online yesterday so Carrie Underwood rushed out the first single and posted it on YouTube. It’s a bit more rocker that I would’ve expected from her. Does it have hit written all over it?

On November 3 Carrie Underwood will release her third album since winning American Idol Season 4 in 2005. Where did the time go? Since her win, the 26 year old country singer has sold millions of records. For her debut album Some Hearts, she sold over 7 million while her follow up garnered 3 million in sales. Not one to rest on her laurels, Underwood is working hard prepping her third offering, Play On. Once again she has collaborated with Mark Bright who has had a hand in producing both her first two albums. Bright is a hit-making machine in the country world, having made hit albums for Rascal Flatts, Sara Evans and Trisha Yearwood to name a few.

Hoping to add perhaps a pop feel to her new album, Underwood has enlisted renowned Swedish producer Max Martin to produce a track for her upcoming album. Max Martin is the genius behind some of the most infectious songs of our time such as: Kelly Clarkson’s “My Life Would Suck Without You” and “Since U Been Gone“; Britney Spears “Baby One More Time“; Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl“; and Pink’s “So What“. He’s also worked with Avril Lavigne, Sugababes, The Veronicas, Backstreet Boys, Bon Jovi and Daughtry. Does the collaboration mean Underwood is moving into the pop world or is Martin taking a stab with country music. Only time will tell what the two come up with. In fact, the track might not even make the album according to Sony Music Nashville, Joe Galante. He stated they haven’t heard the track as of yet and the track’s eventual placement is still up in the air.

Check out Carrie’s latest single after the jump

Updated with newly confirmed guest judges, Neil Patrick Harris, Kristin Chenoweth & Avril Lavigne. Sadly Kelly Clarkson was never added as a guest judge but I’ll still leave her on the list cuz I absolutely LOVE her.

It seems like every other day there is breaking news on the latest guest judge signing on in the wake of Paula Abdul’s departure from American Idol. Instead of just regurgitating the news, I’ll be putting my own spin on things and actually rank them from worst to best on their potential judging abilities. The criteria I will be using is a highly elaborate algorithm which I’ve concocted that takes into account vocal range, album sales figures, pop culture relevancy and overall prettiness. You know, the important things in life.

8. Victoria “Posh Spice” Beckham

Audition City: Boston, Massachusetts & Denver, Colorado

Pun Prediction: Stop Right Now! Thank you very much, I need somebody who can sing a note.

Opinion: Okay, I can give credence to why she was a guest judge for the finale of Project Runway Season 4. The be-yotch knows her Gucci from her Pucci, but unless I’m in a contestant for “How To Snag A Hot British Footballer”, I am not taking any advice from Miss Posh to heart. When the Spice Girls were selling out stadiums in the 90s with their PG-13 brand of “Girl Power”, Victoria was the least talented vocally within the quintet. That’s saying a lot, considering the Spice Girls weren’t exactly singing powerhouses. Having Victoria Beckham on the panel pushes Paula Abdul’s singing prowess up a few levels- almost to Mariah Carey-like levels. Okay, not that high but you get my drift.

7. Neil Patrick “Doogie Howser” Harris

Audition City: Dallas, Texas

Pun Prediction: I can’t believe you’re only 16 and have that huge voice. You’re like the Doogie Howser of the music world.

Opinion: Besides being often seen watching the contestants in the American Idol live audience, I have no idea what qualifies him to be on the judging panel. The one thing going for Harris is that he’s actually kinda funny- that’s how he landed the hosting gig for this year’s Emmy Awards. If the Idol producers are now looking for vocally-challenged guest judges to fill the panel, GIVE ME A SHOUT. I promise I’ll be loopier than Paula given that I’m supplied with a few Jager bombs.

See how Shania Twain, Joe Jonas, Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry and Mary J. Blige rank.

Despite being offered more than a 30 percent increase which represented a multi-year-eight-figure salary, Paula Abdul has walked away from American Idol. The entire entertainment industry is shocked by this as most industry pundits thought she would re-sign. I mean what else is she going to do? Since an 11th hour deal couldn’t be made, the American Idol producers are trying to figure out what to do during the season 8 auditions and beyond. In the interim before Idol premieres in January, female pop stars will serve as guest judges for the seven week audition tour. It was announced today that Katy Perry and Victoria “Posh Spice” Beckham would be the first fill-ins. It’s almost a coming-home of sorts for Beckham as Simon Fuller, the creator of American Idol, was the Svengali that created the Spice Girls. Seriously, how loaded is this man? I love me my “Posh Spice” and think she’s a perfect “temp” for Paula- they’re on par when comparing their “vocal range”.

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Every once in a while you hear a song and you think WTF. Then you hear it a few more times and you’re like this song is FRIGGIN AWESOME. That’s exactly what happened to me when I first heard LMFAO’s “I’m In Miami Bitch“. You’ve probably heard the song on the radio, at the clubs or on YouTube and probably had a similar response. On our (Brian and I) recent road trip to California, we heard this song literally on the hour every hour on radio stations from Seattle, Portland, San Francisco to Vancouver. Recently, I had a wicked opportunity to talk to this electro-hop duo from Hollywood. My only regret was that I didn’t conduct the interview at a club with a Vodka / Red Bull in hand as I’m sure it would’ve been a hella good time.

LMFAO is comprised of two Hollywood DJs named Redfoo and his nephew Sky Blu. The two began tinkering with DJ equipment as a pastime and have since turned clowning around into an art and a business. With early remixes of Fergie’s Clumsy, Kanye West’s Love Lockdown and Katy Perry’s Hot N Cold garnering some attention, the duo then started to make original dance songs in their studio apartment. The outcome was “I’m in Miami Bitch” which they released on their MySpace space which lead them to a record deal with Interscope Records. The two then developed their signature look of wearing loud colors, glasses with no lenses and sporting their own self-designed t-shirts and created their own label and clothing line, Party Rock (http://lmfao.bigcartel.com/).

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I do not religiously sync my music to my iPhone or iPod shuffle…usually this happens before I go on a trip. I updated it shortly before leaving for Orlando with the most current dance tunes that I knew were going to be played and were going to be our weekend anthems. Three of the songs I used on the video slideshow I made HERE. I rarely listen to original versions of tracks and usually search for remixes done by my favourites such as Digital Dog, Tony Moran, Abel, Jason Nevins, Soulseekerz, Ralphi Rosario, Rauhofer, DJ Escape, Karmatronic, Dave Aude, Offer Nissim, Deadmau5 to name a few.

So what 10 tracks currently live in my iPod?

Kelly Rowland – When Love Takes Over (Abel Ramos Paris with Love Remix)

Finally Kelly Rowland came out with a real hit! Too bad that it took a collaboration with David Guetta to get there. If you’re trying to figure out what song this samples….it’s Coldplay’s “Clocks”. B-rilliant!

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Country Music, say what? You never thought I’d be the one writing about this genre of music did you? Out of the entire Homorazzi cast, you would’ve expected Dan to be the one who loves the country twang. Though hip-hop & R&B are my first loves, I do enjoy country music and getting down at the Chattahoochee where it gets “hotter than a hoochie coochie”. I even have a country playlist on my iTunes that I have labeled under an alias should anyone be snooping through my computer *cough cough* Landon.

Even though country music sometimes gets a bum rap from the urban gays, begrudgingly we’ve all sung (and perhaps danced) to a Shania Twain song here and there. Country music in the past few years has evolved from the “ride your horse to field whilst smoking some tobacco” days to more of a country-pop sound. This evolution has made Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift household names.

Recently I was made aware of Mercury Records/Island Def Jam’s newest singing sensation, Jessie James. Not to be confused with the infamous American outlaw, this Jessie James is a talented young singer-songwriter who’s looking to conquer the music scene. She’s Christina Aguilera meets Underwood meets Shania Twain.

Click here to listen to her first single and watch her hot video