Lady Gaga, Drake Nominated For Best New Artist At MTV's VMAs

Nirvana, Eminem, Guns n' Roses and 50 Cent, what do they all have in common? They were all winners of MTV Video Music Awards' Best New Artist trophies, and now Lady Gaga, Drake, Kid Cudi, Asher Roth and 3OH!3 will look to join those names as they compete in the same category at the 2009 VMAs, taking place on September 13th at New York's Radio City Music Hall.

Lady Gaga has had the biggest year of the five nominees, as her The Fame spawned blockbuster hits like "Just Dance" and "Poker Face" as well as a a Rolling Stone cover story. But the buzz around Drake — and the huge sigh of anguish surrounding his leg injury, which yanks him from Lil Wayne's Young Money tour — make him a worthy opponent. Asher Roth and 3OH!3 have had big years on the radio and on the road, and Kid Cudi's remixes have had him on critics' lists for the past 12 months, too.

As Rock Daily previously reported, Green Day will take the VMA stage for the third time when they perform a cut off their 21st Century Breakdown. Joining Billie Joe Armstrong and Co. on the VMAs stage will be Taylor Swift, Pink and Muse, who will debut their new song "Uprising." British comic Russell Brand will once again serve as the evening's host after a controversy-filled first time on the VMA stage, drawing the ire of Jordin Sparks and offending the fans of the Jonas Brothers. Gossip Girl's Chace Crawford, Katy Perry and Ne-Yo have thus far been named as presenters.

This year's VMAs will be the first in New York after a two-year vacation out west. We'll have the rest of this year's VMAs nominees later today, so keep it post at Rock Daily for all the details.

Related Stories:
• Green Day to Perform at VMAs, Billie Joe Armstrong Ready for "Memorable Experience"
• VMAs Return To New York With Russell Brand, Taylor Swift, Muse
• Photos: Britney Spears, Lil Wayne, Paramore and More at 2008 VMAs

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Song Stories

“Is It True”

Brenda Lee | 1964

As the British Invasion reached its peak in 1964, Brenda Lee went from Nashville to London to record one of her hardest-rocking hits, her perky vocal backed by a stuttering, squalling guitar. That guitar was played by session musician Jimmy Page, yet to skyrocket to fame with first the Yardbirds and then Led Zeppelin. "She said to me, 'I've come here to make a record with the British sound,'" remembered producer Mickie Most. "She felt she wouldn't get the same sound in Nashville because they're only just catching up on the British beat group sound of about six months ago."

More Song Stories entries »

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