Janet Bags the Grammys

Janet Jackson skipped last night's Grammy ceremony, where she was to honor Luther Vandross, after CBS required her to apologize for last Sunday's breast-baring performance with Justin Timberlake during the Super Bowl halftime show.

The Grammy program, which was aired on a five-minute delay, was void of any particularly titillating moments after CBS received numerous complaints for its Super Bowl coverage last week. Christina Aguilera had a graphic superimposed across her chest briefly when she accepted the award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in a skin-baring dress. "I don't want to have the same thing happen that Janet had done," she said.

Timberlake, who won a pair of awards, decided to appear at the event and apologized during his acceptance speech for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. "I know it's been a rough week on everybody," he said. "What occurred was unintentional, completely regrettable and I apologize if you guys are offended."

As a result of the controversy, Jackson's boyfriend, producer Jermaine Dupri, resigned as the president of the Atlanta chapter of the Grammys. "I didn't want to be a part of something that's not treating people in the right light," he said. "I feel like what's going on with Janet is unfair."

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Song Stories

“Youth Knows No Pain”

Lykke Li | 2011

“Like on 'Youth Knows No Pain' — we are the ones that should demonstrate, because we can take it,” Likke Li said. “We can pierce ourselves, take Ecstasy, dance all night and still go to work at our McDonald's jobs.” Despite the hedonistic sentiment in the song, the Swedish singer also admitted in hindsight her youth had repercussions. “I remember when I was 18-19 and feeling that I know it all,” Li said. “I always feel that I know it all. But that song is about realizing you don’t, and reflecting, ‘Boy, if I only knew what would follow.’”

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