"Well, you know, he used a word that's not necessarily very nice, but I'm sure he's got some sort of justification for it. And I'm not going to take it personally. It's cool, Eminem! If you get mentioned in an Eminem song, you're doing something right. And I'm sure he was planning on creating some controversy, because he's a smart guy."

-"American Idol" runner-up and For Your Entertainment artist Adam Lambert, responding to a possible homophobic slur that Eminem may have directed at Lambert in the lyrics to a song called "Elevator." The song, from Eminem's upcoming album Relapse: Refill, hit the Internet late last week and immediately sparked a debate over the lyric in question. But while Lambert doesn't approve of the word in question, he still gave Slim Shady the thumbs-up. After all, Lambert himself is no stranger to courting controversy himself, as his performance at the American Music Awards a few weeks ago resulted in complaints to the network, canceled appearances and plenty of chatter on the Web. Lambert's For Your Entertainment currently sits at #19 on the Billboard album chart, while Eminem's Relapse: Refill hits stores on December 22.

"I often come back to things like Radiohead and Hope of the States and things like that for those harder scenes," Radcliffe said. "I don't know what else I've been listening to ... Godspeed You Black Emperor! I've been listening to them loads, which kind of does get you to a place of deep fear and sadness and anger, which is helpful sometimes."

Radcliffe spinning Kid A would make perfect sense, as that album is heavy with paranoia and the burden of an inevitable future, two things Potter is constantly forced to carry around his neck. And Godspeed You Black Emperor! is a brilliant choice just for the reasons Radcliffe mentions. The album he mentions in the video below is excellent, but may we suggest he invest in a copy of Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven?

Knowing what Radcliffe likes, what sort of albums would you suggest to the "Harry Potter" star? Leave your suggestions in the comments. For what it's worth, he would probably be a big fan of the National (Boxer is best for melancholy scenes) and the self-titled album from the Big Pink (which combines romance and claustrophobia pretty exquisitely.)

"I'm having a strange renaissance with the guitar solo," he said. "I think playing with Dave Navarro on the Spirits in the Sky tour reignited my desire to totally go there. He was just kicking my rear all over the place. He's so good, and it made me get competitive."

As Corgan points out, you have to go toe-to-toe with Navarro on the guitar because it's difficult to compete with him in other areas. "You can't compete with the abs," he said. "He's about the handsomest guy ever — girls are melting over railings to get to him. The solo is the only way to compete!"

"A Song for a Son" is currently available for free on the official Smashing Pumpkins Web site, with more tracks from the album coming soon.

2009 is coming to a close, which means it's time to look back on some of the best songs, albums, artists and moments that passed through our collective consciousness in the past 365 days. Stay tuned for more insights from the folks here at MTV News (including James Montgomery's list of the 25 best songs of the year), but we begin our 2009 retrospective with the answer to this week's MTV Newsroom poll question: What was the best concert you saw in 2009? Check out what the staff thought below, and let us know what your best live show was in the comments.

Sabrina Rojas Weiss
After missing many chances to see the Beastie Boys in the past two decades, I was super excited to finally see them at All Points West this year. Then MCA had to go and get cancer. But as consolation prizes go, Jay-Z wasn't too shabby, especially after we'd spent hours in the rain and knee-deep swamp slime — though, as you can see in this video, I came to enjoy that too (I'm the dork in the green poncho). We were still slogging our way to the main stage at New Jersey's Liberty State Park when, to our amazement, the first pounding notes of the Beasties' "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" started up. How classy is Hov? The Blueprint 3 was months away, but he did treat us to "D.O.A." and too many classic hits to count. And even way back behind the soundboard, you could still see every member of the crowd rapping along to every word. Our shoes were still weighed down with mud as we headed back to Brooklyn, but that was one uplifting show.

Jocelyn Vena
There was definitely a time when in my life when I was cool and saw all the cool bands and went to concerts quite frequently. That's when I was young and carefree and able to stay awake past 10 p.m. Now I'm old and usually only go to see live music for work related purposes. And the acts I now see are pop acts, who as it turns out are the cool acts to see.

I saw three great concerts this year. The first was the Jonas Brothers secret show at Irving Plaza. Yeah, my spot wasn't great and I didn't get to see as much of Joe, Nick and Kevin as I would have wanted to (thanks to the hundreds of screaming girls in my way). But Irving Plaza is a lovely small venue here in NYC and the guys sounded great there.

Also, in one week I got to see both Taylor Swift and Britney Spears tear up Madison Square Garden. These two pop princesses may put on two very different live shows, but the fact of the matter is they both have that "it" factor that made a show worth going to. Britney Spears wears lots of sparkles and dances around in a cage, while Taylor wears lots of sparkles and plays her guitar. They both had me singing along and they both have masses of loyal fans who didn't miss a word. I felt fearless in that crazy circus, my friends.

April Richardson
I was lucky enough to see a lot of great shows this year (Billy Bragg, Jarvis Cocker, Franz Ferdinand, Lloyd Cole, Sparks playing Kimono My House in its entirety), but the top of the list for 2009 and perhaps the last, like, five years is the Manic Street Preachers at the Avalon in Los Angeles on September 25. I had waited more than 10 years for this to happen, as almost all of the dates on their U.S. tour for This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours in 1999 were canceled. My friend Chip — the only other person I know that lives within 100 miles of me who likes the Manics — and I lined up early outside of the Avalon to secure close spots on the floor and was pleasantly surprised to find that the audience was comprised only of fellow hardcore fans. We really appreciated this during the show, as not a single person in the 3/4-full venue took their eyes off the stage the whole night, with none of the random drunken yelling and stumbling around from the people that just wander into a concert from off the street, knowing nothing about the band ahead of time. Everyone there was into it, appreciating the rare moment we had with this group of dudes from Wales.

They played plenty of old hits and plenty of songs from their haunting new album, Journal for Plague Lovers, with lyrics written entirely by still-missing-and-presumed-dead bandmember Richey Edwards. It was a magical night, and the guys were so into it and seemed so genuinely excited to be there and to be welcomed by such devoted fans. We were rapt the whole show, singing along to jams from "Motown Junk" to "A Design for Life" to "Your Love Alone Is Not Enough" (which James Dean Bradfield sang both parts — I guess Nina from the Cardigans was busy that night).

It was awesome. I can't think of anything more eloquent than that, really. It ruled. Afterward, when Chip and I finally made our way out of the venue and onto the sidewalk, we just sort of looked at each other and breathed, "Whoa." Well worth the 10-year wait.

Adam Murphy
I had the pleasure of attending my first Coachella Music and Arts Festival this past April. No, I didn't camp out, nor did I engage with the desert spirits in any meaningful way (I stayed in a hotel room with about 14 people) but I still came away with a pretty wild musical experience. My main stage highlights from this eclectic installment of the festival included epic performances from Leonard Cohen (who had a super-tight band) and Morrissey, who (awesomely) played five Smiths songs, and (semi-hilariously) wretched and had a minor fit due to the overpowering smell of barbecue wafting into his vegan nostrils. (That barbecue was pretty great, actually. All the food is great there.) The best of the rest: Junior Boys (joined by a live drummer), Etienne de Crecy (and his insane 3D cubic light show) and Sebastien Tellier (who told us that, "Zees ees a zong about my ... bisexualitee"). Chemical Brothers tore it down with maybe the most epic DJ set in the history of time, but that might just be smoke and lasers on the brain. And at the end of the weekend, I got a sonic brainwashing from My Bloody Valentine. That pretty much takes 2009 for me.

Kyle Anderson
In the history of me, I don't think I went to fewer shows than I did in 2009. It's a combination of a lot of things, but I mostly don't like to be in crowds and I don't care about as many bands anymore (because I'm secretly 74 years old). But the shows that I did see were all top-notch. I saw the Hold Steady perform all of Separation Sunday at the Bowery Ballroom, caught crazy-intense sets from the Mars Volta and Atmosphere at Outside Lands, swooned in front of Neko Case and watched as Rob Zombie melted my face just the other night. But by far the best show I was at all year was Nine Inch Nails at Webster Hall. The band went on a much-publicized farewell tour, and since The Downward Spiral helped me get through my middle and high school years (and because Trent Reznor is one of those rare performers who can take me back to that same feeling of teenage angst again and again), I had to catch them on what might be their way out (but probably not). And lo and behold, I managed to score tickets to the night where they played all of The Downward Spiral in order. The band was intense, the crowd was sweaty and devoted, and I was able to scream along with the chorus of "Heresy" (for those not in the know: "God is dead/ And no one cares/ If there is a hell/ I'll see you there"). Call me a sucker for nostalgia, but allowing me to tap into the inner life of my angry-for-no-reason 15-year-old self was well worth the price of admission and puts Trent at the top of the heap.

Justin Bieber's promotional tour for his debut album My World continues unabated, and followers of his Twitter feed have been treated to his thoughts about traveling, updates on his whereabouts and, most importantly, the excellent batch of pictures he has been snapping while on the road. Over the weekend, Bieber posed with Jordin Sparks at a radio festival concert, and on Monday night he grabbed a photo with fellow Canadian singer Celine Dion during his trip to see the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

On Tuesday night (December 8), Bieber made an appearance at an industry event that also featured Adam Lambert, Pete Wentz and a host of others. Bieber tweeted twice while at the event, each accompanied by a photo. In one shot, he's posing with Mary J. Blige. "Such a legend!" Bieber wrote. "Wow, it's Mary J!"

But it's the other photo that is the most intriguing. "Just got a kiss from Rihanna!" he tweeted. "Life is amazing!" He didn't post a photo of the kiss, but did show off the lipstick mark the singer left on his cheek. Bieber's pursuit of Rihanna was first mentioned on "Ellen" a few weeks back and they were both at Monday night's Knicks game (though presumably not together). Though Bieber told Ellen DeGeneres that he rebuffed her advances, perhaps he's making progress. In any event, the 15-year-old singer has become one of the most popular characters for other musicians to pose with — a designation that should keep him in the limelight this holiday season.

By Sabrina Rojas Weiss

Fox, I'm not very happy about the fact that next week is the show's season finale, when there will still be six contestants remaining. That said, I've already chosen my favorite dancer, so maybe America's had enough time to make up its mind too (and a December 23 finale wouldn't be ideal, either). Actually, it's harder to decide who should be in the top six than who should win the title next week. Let's go through my predicted fates for them individually, shall we?

Ashleigh: Going home. OK, I'm sorry she injured herself this week, but before she tragically dislocated her shoulder, I was ready for her to go home. I am also heartless.

Russell: Top six. Everyone is in love with him. Even Nigel called him "Sunshine" (slightly making up for that atrocity that was his leather-jacket-plus-off-white-shirt-and-tie ensemble). His Santa routine was hilarious, his Shane Sparks hip-hop routine flawless and his Bollywood number was even convincing. On the downside, Ashleigh is the second partner of his to wind up injured — could that possibly be his fault?

Kathryn: Top six. Last week, I wrote, "This season's Jeanine?" in my notes. She certainly is following the season five winner's trajectory of peaking at the right moment, as the judges said. I wonder if Ashleigh wanted to do something to Kathryn's shoulder after seeing her "boiling" chemistry with Ryan during the cha-cha. As for their first number, Nigel, I have been over your disco obsession since season two. PLEASE STOP.

Ryan: Top six. Classy, classy move, telling people to vote for his wife. He's never been my favorite, but it was a pleasure to see him entirely in his element tossing Kathryn around in that silly disco. Aside from the chemistry, his footwork in the cha-cha was beautiful, and I really wish there had been more of that and less sexy posing.

Ellenore: Possibly going home instead of Ashleigh. If Ash gets the pity vote, I think Ellenore — one of my favorite contemporary dancers on this show ever, to emulate the judges' liberal superlatives — is in danger of slipping through the cracks, as consistently good dancers frequently do. She was awesomely vicious during that "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" number (despite the distracting napkin) and hilariously quirky in the Tabitha and Napoleon alien hip-hop piece. I loved the latter, but sadly, voters don't go for funny as much as they do moving or sexy.

Legacy: Going home. Sorry, Legacy's adorable dad, I didn't want to type that. I was rolling on the floor after his solo and that phone call from "America." (Also, big points for using Chromeo!) His death-defying stunts in the Travis Wall piece were breathtaking. I just think Russell's going to steal his votes.

Mollee: Top six. Last night was the first time I actually liked Mollee, though I think a lot of that had to do with Jakob and the brilliant stylists who discovered how good she looks in '40s- and '50s-era costumes. That waltz was gorgeous, though — especially that hip-assisted spin where it looked like she was being lifted out of Jakob's arms. And I even took to her sex-kittenish solo.

Jakob: Top six (and winner, pretty please?). He defies gravity and still has enough humor to pull of a silly Broadway number. I'm frustrated that my limited dance vocabulary can't cover why he's so good. My only fear is that people didn't vote for him because they assumed he had it in the bag. Crossing fingers and toes, people!

Every day a multitude of stars wanders through the halls of MTV News to talk about their latest projects and goof around with our intrepid correspondents. But sometimes we catch stars elsewhere, and that's why we put together Spotted!, a daily compendium of stars in the wild.

Like the first volume, Timbaland's new album Shock Value II is a star-studded affair full of unlikely collaborations and left-field guest spots all anchored by the producer's innate ability to make every beat sound like a chart-topping hit from the future. Justin Timberlake, Drake, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and Daughtry all stop by, each one lending his or her own personality to an eclectic mix. Despite that combination of superstars, no album sells itself, which is why Tim was in New York City yesterday making a bunch of promotional stops (including a visit to the MTV Newsroom). He was also downtown at J&R Music World to shake hands with the people and sign copies of Shock Value II.

Tim wasn't the only star hanging with MTV yesterday, as Chris Brown stopped by for a chat about Graffiti and a handful of Hollywood stars talked to us on the red carpet at the Golden Globes Young Hollywood Party in Los Angeles. Click here for these photos as well as the entire "Spotted!" archive, which features over 300 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Justin Bieber, Adam Lambert, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Rihanna!

When cast members Lea Michele and Cory Monteith stopped by the MTV Newsroom a few weeks ago, they talked about their favorite tunes that ended up on Volume 2, including a classic by a former Beatle. "We have 'Imagine' by John Lennon," Michele said. "I don't think you could top that, really. I'm doing 'Crush' by Jennifer Paige, a total '90s throwback. It's cool because it's only on the show for two seconds, but on the album you get the whole song." Check out the pair's reflections on the soundtrack below, and be sure to check out the fall finale tonight at 9 p.m.

Just how brightly did Joel's star shine in his heyday? On this day in 1989, he saw his song "We Didn't Start the Fire" ascend to the top position on the Billboard chart. It was his third chart-topper (after "It's Still Rock and Roll To Me" and "Tell Her About It") and by far one of the most absurd songs to sit at the top of the heap. The song's lyrics reference dozens of famous historical events and characters, all laid out in rapid-fire fashion with a shout-along chorus sandwiched in between. It must be the only #1 single in history to reference thalidomide, Richard Nixon and the Brooklyn Dodgers all in the same track. Joel never made it back to the top of the charts, but on the other hand, the video for "We Didn't Start the Fire" is one of the best of the 1980s.

For those not familiar with Jawbox's oeuvre, they're one of the great post-hardcore bands. They began their life playing in the Washington, D.C. punk scene and put out records for Fugazi frontman Ian MacKaye's Dischord Records. The buzz surrounding their indie success lead to a major-label deal, and they even had a minor hit in 1994 with a delightful blast of melody and noise called "Savory" (which could be found kicking around MTV that spring). The band split amicably in 1997 and splintered into a few different bands (most notably Burning Airlines), and band members Bill Barbot and Kim Coletta launched DeSoto Records, a successful indie label that has introduced the world to the likes of the Dismemberment Plan and Les Savy Fav.

The band just saw their classic 1994 album For Your Own Special Sweetheart get a deluxe re-release, and their performance of "Savory" on Fallon's show was extremely tight. The angular riffing and savage thump of the rhythm section still sounds fresh, especially in today's cleaned-up rock environment. You can check out the clip of their performance below (Fallon's Web site also has a few online-exclusive tunes, including the excellent "F=66"). At the moment, the band doesn't have any plans on extending the reunion past Monday night, but it was good to have them back — even if it was just for a few minutes.