In what was a staggering display of star power and rock & roll might, dozens of music luminaries gathered on Friday night to celebrate Neil Young as MusiCares Person of the Year. The pre-Grammy dinner and tribute concert, which starts at $1,250 per plate with proceeds going to musicians in need, boasted the best attendance yet since the annual fete had its first seating in 1989 (honoring Young’s longtime friend and bandmate, David Crosby, appropriately enough), and featured 20 performances by heavyweights such as Wilco, John Mellencamp, Jackson Browne, Dave Matthews, Elvis Costello, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, James Taylor, Sheryl Crow and several supergroup combos, most notably, an all-star jam of Crosby Stills Nash and Young’s “Helpless” comprised of Sir Elton John, Leon Russell, T Bone Burnett, Neko Case and Sheryl Crow that was, in a word, inspiring.

Check out all of Rolling Stone’s Grammy coverage.

Host Jack Black kicked things off with a fawning introduction of the man who, not only inspired his own musical endeavor, Tenacious D, but “the best rockers out there for over 40 years.” Black riffed: “You guys ever heard of the Nineties? Neil Young influenced that entire decade — even Ace of Bass.”

Indeed, when it came to a sludgy onslaught of guitars, the evening boasted some of the best that modern day artistry can offer. Mellencamp, backed by a stellar house band consisting of Burnett, musical director Don Was, and longtime drummer Kenny Aronoff, kicked things off with a gritty version of “Down By the River,” Silver Lake indie rockers Everest, who are signed to Young’s Vapor Records, delivered “Revolution Blues” by request, while Wilco’s gloriously brash rendition of “Broken Arrow” prompted Elton John to give a standing ovation, which he proudly pointed out to the band backstage following the performance. Earlier in the night, Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy told RS,”We rehearsed this song for two days. The guys in our crew said it was the first time they’d ever seen us rehearse in three years.” He added that they’d chosen “Broken Arrow” because it’s “really episodic and strange and when you hear it, it’s pretty obvious that Wilco has taken a lot from this one song.”

Contemporaries and disciples alike, that sentiment was echoed throughout the evening. Crow, who joined Stephen Stills on accordion to perform “Long May You Run” then returned for the “Helpless” super-jam towards the show’s end, noted that watching Young perform early in her career was a life-changing experience. “The first time I saw him sitting in a circle with his guitars and his harmonium behind him was a solidifying moment for me,” said Crow. “There’s something so soulful about that man. It’s when I knew, ‘That’s what I want to do some day — sit with my guitars and play songs.’”

Others, like Dave Matthews, Ben Harper and Elvis Costello, opted for a stripped-down approach, showcasing the simplicity and beauty of a Young song in its most basic form. Matthews played “The Needle & the Damage Done” on acoustic guitar, Costello preceded with “The Losing End (When You’re On)” and Harper presented a stirring version of the CSN classic “Ohio” on slide guitar joined by three female background vocalists. Likewise, Norah Jones’ breathy “Tell Me Why” offered a softer sojourn while the threesome of Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams and Patty Griffin was the perfect counter balance to all the male energy.

And the talent only grew exponentially as the program went along. Harper was followed by a true power trio, Keith Urban, John Fogerty and Booker T., for a rousing rendition of “Rockin’ in the Free World,” while a little later, James Taylor offered a true-to-the-original “Heart of Gold” and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, in their first gig with new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, impressed with “A Man Needs a Maid.” Frontman Anthony Kiedis, sporting a Dennis Hopper circa Easy Rider look, complete with full ’stache, sunglasses and hat, delivered a gentle and nuanced performance that was the perfect preamble to Jimmy Fallon’s now infamous Young-inspired spoof of “Pants on the Ground,” which was shown on video and welcomed with cackles of laughter.

And while the jokes kept coming (”Rust never sleeps,” said Black, “and neither does Neil, unless it’s nighttime… or nap time… but all other times he’s wide awake and making the free world a better place to rock in!”), there were also moments of emotional reflection: a mention of Young’s near-fatal brain aneurysm, his annual Bridge School Benefit concert which has raised millions for children with disabilities, and his sons who both suffer from cerebral palsy.

To that end, Crosby, Stills and Nash’s serenade of “Human Highway” couldn’t have been a more fitting closer. “We’ve done that song with Neil probably 200 to 300 times so it has special significance that he’ll know and we know,” said Crosby, who called his friend of five decades “the real deal.” “There’s been too much focus in recent years on surface rather than substance,” he said. “But Neil can really write a song that you’ll remember 20 years from now. I’ve played some of the best music of my whole life on stage with that man, there were many moments that were pure magic, and I love him.”

Crosby was not alone. Backstage, throngs of awestruck celebrities mingled while singing Young’s praises. Crow and Costello kibitzed in the middle of all the action, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban held hands while catching up with Burnett, Matthew McConaughey and wife Camila Alves chatted with Beck and Tweedy while John, Burnett and a wheel-chaired Leon Russell, who are all currently in the studio together, posed for a photo nearby, and Rick Rubin and Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith discussed the band’s recent rehearsals (vibe: good!).
And as the man of the hour came up for his final bow, his bandmates watched on from side-stage and took in every word. “I forgot how many songs I’ve written,” Young cracked. “But I want you to know I’m working on a new album and I’ve already written four or five songs and I hope I’ll be able to continue for a long time.” Young noted the awkwardness in seeing his life played out in song and video. “You know how uncomfortable it is to see pictures of yourself 30 or 40 years ago,” he said, “It’s a funny feeling. I listen to some of those songs and go how, ‘How can I ever? What am I gonna do now? Who was that guy?’ Bob Dylan once said of ‘Blowin’ in the Wind:’ ‘I don’t even know that person is.’ It’s true, it’s hard to go back.”

Early in the night, Young declared to reporters that he was going to sit this one out. “I’m watching… so I don’t have to remember the words,” he joked on the red carpet. On the opposite tip was Jack Black, who had to keep things moving even if the show went nearly an hour past its allotted time. How did he rate his own performance? “I was pretty nervous and started off shaky, but I eased into it,” Black told RS. “It was just a remarkable night of musicianship. You don’t see a bill like that very often. Everyone was so incredible, and it’s a testament to Neil’s influence and awesomeness that so many people wanted to be part of this show.”

The Best New Artist category is traditionally the hardest  of Grammy Awards winners to predict. This year, with breakout superstar Lady Gaga ineligible for the prize due to an early single’s nomination in 2009, the field is particularly wide-open.

Photo: Micelotta/Getty

Sunday night Beyoncé and Taylor Swift will face off against Lady Gaga, Kings of Leon, Dave Matthews Band and the Black Eyed Peas at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. Rolling Stone will be on the ground in Los Angeles and keeping you updated on everything from the 3-D tribute to Michael Jackson to the big performances by Green Day via our live blog, so be sure to check back in for full coverage of music’s biggest night.

We’ve asked the experts (stars including Pink and ?uestlove) to predict the winners, now let’s look back at some of the most memorable moments from Grammys’ past:

• Grammys’ Wildest Fashion
(Justin Timberlake in velvet; Destiny’s Child in nearly nothing)

• Grammys’ Most Memorable Moments
(Cyndi Lauper and her date Hulk Hogan; the Soy Bomb)

• The 2009 Grammys in Photos
(Dave Grohl drumming for Paul McCartney; Jay-Z rhyming with Coldplay)

Check out all of Rolling Stone’s essential Grammy coverage.

T-Pain, Lil Wayne, Big Boi, Snoop Dogg, SNL’s Andy Samberg and Bill Hader will all provide voices for Adult Swim’s upcoming one-hour animated special Freaknik: The Musical, premiering on Cartoon Network on March 7th. T-Pain headlines the all-star cast of voices, which also includes Lil Jon, Cee-Lo, Bootsy Collins, Kid of Kid & Play, Rick Ross, DJ Drama and more. The special revolves around a bunch of teens attempting to resurrect Atlanta’s spring break party Freaknik a decade after it was shut down in the Dirty, ultimately competing in the Freaknik: Battle of the Trillest contest.

“Back in the ’90s, Freaknik was Atlanta’s version of the ultimate block party,” T-Pain said in a statement. “It was Mardi Gras meets spring break at your crazy cousin’s bachelor party and anything could happen. A decade later, I’m bringing it back for people like me, who didn’t get to experience it the first time around. We’ve recreated Freaknik’s vibe and energy with amazing animation, new music and an all-star cast of characters.”

Photo: Sullivan/Getty
Steve Jobs and Apple might have had a stranglehold on the tech beat this week with the announcement of the new iPad, but our weekend Rock List will focus on a classic gadget: the radio. Tell us your favorite, and following the post-Grammy blitz, we’ll reveal the readers’ favorites. And check out some of our best picks:

• R.E.M. – “Radio Free Europe”
• Elvis Costello – “Radio Radio”
• The Clash – “This Is Radio Clash”
• Nirvana – “Radio Friendly Unit Shifter”
• Wall of Voodoo – “Mexican Radio”

We already know it’s all-but-certain Lady Antebellum’s sophomore album “Need You Now” is headed for a No. 1 debut next week on the Billboard 200 chart, but now it’s looking like the album is going to sell more than originally expected.

Kanye West and Amber Rose kept turning heads at Paris Fashion Week. Ke$ha, Rihanna, Pharrell and the Peas hit up the NRJ Awards. Joan Jett and John Legend went to Sundance, and everyone from Madonna to Coldplay pitched in at the “Hope for Haiti Now” telethon. It all happened this week, and we’ve got the pics to prove it.

My Morning Jacket, the electrifying rock band that took nearly a year away from touring, is set to hit the road in April for a 9-date outing through several Southeastern states.

Billboard checks in with Who guitarist Pete Townshend about playing the Super Bowl on Feb. 7, his friendship with singer Roger Daltrey, and what’s next.

On the eve of the release of her upcoming album, “New Amerykah, Part II: Return of the Ankh,” Erykah Badu has announced she will be leaking a promotional viral video on her official site, erykahbadu.com. Badu’s personal publicist has confirmed.

TGIF, right? Oh, and TGKWHPAARTHB! Oh, you don’t know that one? It stands for Thank God Kanye West Has Posted An Awesome Rant To His Blog. Thought you knew!

The Louis Vuitton Don has taken time off from being in the background of incredible Amber Rose photos and decided to do what he does second best: blogging.

Today’s act of raging against the dying of the light comes in the form of verbal pimp-slap to the faces of the haters (read: fashion bloggers) out there. See Kanye and Amber have taken some heat for their proclivity to wear Bambi as a coat. And Mr. West is mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.

It’s actually somewhat coherent, as these things go. Kanye proclaims, “IT’S FUNNY TO ME WHEN FASHION BLOGGERS DOWN OUR OUFITS (sic) AND THEN SUPER JOCK OUTLANDISH S**T ON THE RUNWAY BUT THEN THEY DRESS MAD PRUDE AND DON’T LIVE FASHION.”

You hear that, you mad prudes! He goes on to touch on Michael Jackson, haters, Catholic school teachers, haters, race, athletes celebrating after a good play and haters.

West ends the rant with this stirring sign off: “REMEMBER CLOTHING IS A CHOICE. WE WERE BORN NAKED!!! FRESH IS AN OPINION, LOVE IS OBJECTIVE, TASTE IS SELECTIVE, AND EXPRESSION IS MY FAVORITE ELECTIVE. NO MORE POLITICS OR APOLOGIES!!!”

2010 is going to be awesome, guys. Kanye is back.

Cobra Starship was obviously all partied out from the original “Hot Mess” video, which was basically a rolling soiree that ended at a late-night taco joint and Gabe Saporta getting drawn on with lipstick. Which is why Cobra’s “Hot Mess Remix” video, off of the I’m A Hot Mess, Help Me – The Remix EP, features backstage footage, B-roll, and joke shots, including one not-so-funny clip of Pete Wentz and his mysterious busted face. As you probably already know, the “Hot Mess Remix” (the Suave Suarez On Pleasure Ryland version, specifically) features some tongue-in-cheek verse from Travis McCoy. Think of the video as the afterparty to the original “Hot Mess.”

Watch the “Hot Mess Remix” video here.

Somebody’s been looking at their “Amber Rose” Google Alerts. And somebody must have considered Rose’s fashion-forward (or fashion-backwards) statements from Paris Fashion Week something of a challenge.

After spotting Amber’s ripped top/flesh colored look, her head-to-toe fur ensemble and her hooded golden gown/ Snuggie situation, it seems like Kelis looked at herself in the mirror and said those magic words of self-improvement (or destruction): STEP. YOUR. GAME. UP.

So what does she do? Well, she gets herself invited to the the first annual Data Awards in Hollywood. Then she goes and grabs a box of Just For Men hair color and gets her “distinguished gray” on, grabs the glue gun and puts the feathers of a small bird on the lower part of her eyes, threads a gold chain so that it goes from one earring, through her nose ring and into the other earring… and then, just for kicks, puts some metallic cones in her hair so that she looks like the second-coming of the Statue of Liberty. Only more Fritz Lang.

THEN…

Throw on some A. McQueen “heels” (as rocked by Lady Gaga in the “Bad Romance” video), and pink rubber body suit, and you’re good to go!

This might surpass Amber’s out-there moves and approach Gaga realms of insanity/awesomeness.

What do you think of Kelis’ gauntlet-throwing style? And is all forgiven since “Milkshake” is still such a dope beat?

Nicki Minaj, the Queens, NY-born queen of Lil’ Wayne’s Young Money crew, who just dropped her latest mixtape, Barbie World, is primed to have a pretty sensational 2010. You’ve already marveled at her Nurse-Barbie-rocking-an-Austin-Powers-accent in Mariah Carey’s “Up Out My Face” video. Now find out why she’s set to run this town in 2010.

+ Her Attitude
Nicki Minaj is some kind of unholy hybrid of Lil’ Kim and Gwen Stefani. Yeah, she can be raunchy, but she can also be playful, beguiling, funny, flirty, and coy.

+ Her Words
One of the things that separates Nicki Minaj from the crowd is her playful, dexterous use of language, making mundane lines pop with her eye for detail: “I’m so pretty like, be on my pedal bike, be on my low startch, be on my egg whites.” (not, “low scrunch…egg whites.” OUR BAD, NICKI).

She’s also managed to create an entire lexicon of slang. I mean, come on, how many rappers do you know of that haven’t released their official debut album yet, but already have their own friggin’ dictionary. (AKA the “Nictionary.”)

+ Her Voice
Moving from helium-pitched heights, to snarling New York attitude, Nicki doesn’t just come up with interesting words, she also figures out consistently entertaining ways to spit ‘em; whether it’s in foreign accents or using a double-time flow. She’s basically the Jim Carrey of rappers.

+ Her Style
Borrowing from Stefani’s infatuation with the Japanese Harajuku fashion sensibility, and combining it with her own tongue-in-cheekfaux-plastic look of a Barbie, Nicki’s well on her way to becoming a style icon who’s doesn’t know from subtle.

+ Her Crew
Like any success story, Nicki Minaj has some help, and in her case it comes in the form of her Young Money family (and Barbie). Nicki fits right in, holding her own with Drake, Lil’ Wayne and the other sex-crazed boys in the crew. Just watch her as she steals the show in the video for YM’s hit single, “Bedrock.”

+ Yesterday we mentioned that Quincy Jones was corralling the likes of Bieber, Cyrus and Will Smith for a “We Are The World” re-make to aid Haitian relief efforts. Not to be outdone, Simon Cowell is putting together his own all-star Haiti benefit single, “Everybody Hurts,” (yes, R.E.M.’s “Everybody Hurts“…see bottom of post to refresh your memory) reportedly featuring Susan Boyle, Mariah Carey and Jon Bon Jovi. (Spinner)

+ Whatever Jay-Z does, Beyonce can do as well. A couple of years after Hova made a milestone appearance on 60 Minutes (remember him showing Steve Kroft how to “flow”?), Bey will go under the venerated television news magazine’s spotlight this Sunday. It airs right before the Grammy Awards. Check out a snippet. (Concrete Loop)

+ Speaking of the Grammy Awards, don’t go into your Grammy pool unprepared: let Pink and ?uestlove of The Roots handicap the nominees for you. (Rolling Stone)

+ Tired of waiting to hear Erykah Badu’s much-anticipated new album, New Amerykah Pt. II? Well, today might be your lucky day. Badu has hinted on Twitter that she might leak/stream/preview some music on her site this afternoon. (Sound of the City)

+ Keri Hilson went on the Rachael Ray Show yesterday and played an acoustic version of “Knock You Down.” More importantly, she showed the world her wild juggling skills! (Rap-Up)

+ With Fall Out Boy on an indefinite break, what better time for Patrick Stump to redesign his website, put up an esoteric Anais Nin quote and, oh yeah, prep a solo album, on which he will write, produce and perform all the music! (MTV News)

Photo:Mazur/WireImage

Pink predicts Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody” will be named Record of the Year, but the Roots’ ?uestlove thinks Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” will nab the award at Sunday night’s Grammys. Rolling Stone assembled an all-star panel of experts including nominees Keri Hilson and Silversun Pickups’ Brian Aubert to provide a little insight on who will win (and who should win) on music’s biggest night. Grab our new issue for even more picks from Adam Lambert, Patrick Stump, T-Pain and others, and check out commentary from Pink, ?uestlove, Hilson and Aubert right here:

• Grammy Face-Off 2010: Artists Predict the Big Winners

Plus, look back at last year’s ceremony and all of our best Grammy coverage here.

We’ll be on the ground in Los Angeles and live-blogging the Grammys Sunday night, so stick with Rolling Stone for interviews, photos and more.

Photo: Benett/MTV via Getty
Total iTunes downloads of the “Hope For Haiti Now” special, including both full album sales and individual tracks, have now topped $3 million, with all proceeds benefiting Haiti relief funds. As Rolling Stone previously reported, Hope For Haiti also topped this week’s Billboard 200 chart with 170,000 digital copies sold, marking the first time in chart history that a digital-only album debuted at Number One on the charts. iTunes’ $3 million haul accounts for nearly all digital sales of the project.

Check out photos of Justin Timberlake, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen and more Hope for Haiti Now performers.

In a statement, iTunes proclaims that Hope For Haiti Now was the service’s biggest one-day album pre-order in history, and that Hope For Haiti was the first special to lock up the Number One spot on their album, song and TV chart. At press time, the entire album remains Number One on iTunes Album chart, though Justin Timberlake & Matt Morris’ cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” has been bumped off the Top Songs chart after leaping to the top spot earlier this week.

Hope For Haiti Now also featured unique and intimate performances by Madonna, Beyonce with Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and Dave Matthews and the “Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)” collaboration between Jay-Z, Rihanna and U2’s Bono and the Edge. The telethon helped raise over $61 million for Haiti relief.

Related Stories:

• On the Charts: “Hope For Haiti Now” Debuts at Number One
• “Hope For Haiti Now” Raises $61 Million, Heads to Number One on the Chart
• Hope for Haiti Now: Rolling Stone Live Blogs the All-Star Telethon
• Watch Springsteen, Madonna, More Hope for Haiti Performances

Mariah Carey revealed today that her Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel remix album Angels Advocate will hit stores March 30th, just six months after Memoirs was released. To announce the news, Carey unveiled a pair of videos from the remix disc that show off two of her distinctly different sides. Up top is Mariah’s “Up Out My Face” collabo with Nikki Minaj, while the “Angels Cry” remix by Ne-Yo is below. Carey’s husband Nick Cannon directed both clips.

“Up Out My Face” captures Carey’s more playful side as she and Minaj dress up like Halloween nurses and pinup dolls. The video has a very distinct White Stripes-in-a-Target-commercial motif going. Maybe it’s Carey was comfortable with Cannon behind the camera, but the “Up Out My Face” clip seems to be the first time Mariah is genuinely enjoying being in a music video since the “Heartbreaker” era, when she was getting into catfights with herself.

The “Angels Cry” remix clip shows Mariah’s more seductive side, as she sings in a dark alley in the middle of a thunderstorm wearing only a white tank top. The video also seems to recreate what the recording session between Ne-Yo and Carey must have been like, as Cannon’s cameras reveal that the recording studio is actually built within a film studio. And there’s no shortage of product placement for her fragrance and shoes.

Check out Carey’s upcoming dates, and watch the “Angels Cry” video:

Mariah Carey

Feb. 1 – Philadelphia, PA @ Susquehanna Bank Center
Feb. 4 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
Feb. 6 – Ottawa, ON @ Scotiabank Place
Feb. 9 – Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
Feb. 10 – Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center
Feb. 13-14 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
Feb. 18 – Dallas, TX @ Nokia Theatre
Feb. 20 – Phoenix, AZ @ Dodge Theatre
Feb. 23-24 – Los Angeles, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre
Feb. 26 – Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
Feb. 27 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Caesars Palace

Related Stories:

• Mariah Carey Trades Show for Celebration on NYE in New York
• Mariah Carey Announces First Tour In Support of “Imperfect Angel”
• Mariah Carey’s Hardest “Precious” Challenge: Going With No Makeup

Photo courtesy of the Lotte Jacobi Archive

J.D. Salinger, the reclusive, legendary author of The Catcher in the Rye, died of natural causes yesterday at his home in Cornish, New Hampshire, at age 91. Salinger’s son confirmed the death in a statement to the AP, and the writer’s literary agency told the New York Times that the author had been in good health until earlier this month, despite having broken a hip last May. “He was not in any pain before or at the time of his death,” the agency said in a statement. “Salinger had remarked that he was in this world but not of it. His body is gone but the family hopes that he is still with those he loves, whether they are religious or historical figures, personal friends or fictional characters.”

In addition to 1951’s The Catcher in the Rye, one of the most read novels of all time, Salinger penned critically acclaimed works like Franny & Zooey and the short story “A Perfect Day for Bananafish.” Following the success of Catcher — a tale of adolescence and alienation told through the eyes of one of literature’s greatest protagonists, Holden Caulfield — Salinger famously became a recluse, nearly cutting off all contact from his audience of tens of millions.

Even though he spent the last handful of decades out of the public eye, the impact of Catcher in the Rye and Caulfield continued to resonate, from high schools to universities and into other arts. Musicians who have written songs directly inspired by Salinger include Green Day, whose “Who Wrote Holden Caulfield?” appeared on Kerplunk, and the Cure’s “Bananafish Bones,” while the Beastie Boys, Billy Joel and Belle and Sebastian are just a few to have used Salinger and his works as a lyrical touchstone. Catcher in the Rye also played a role in one of music’s biggest tragedies, as Mark David Chapman infamously had a copy of Salinger’s novel on hand when he shot and killed John Lennon in 1980.

After he published Catcher in 1951, Salinger retreated to New Hampshire where he began to start a family. In 1953, Salinger released his short story collection Nine Stories, which featured “A Perfect Day for Bananafish” and “For Esmé – with Love and Squalor.” Eight years later, Franny and Zooey continued Salinger’s exploration of the Glass family. Salinger’s Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction, comprised of two novellas Salinger wrote prior to Franny and Zooey, marked the author’s final official published work.

Billboard Bits serves up the best bite-sized nuggets of music news and gossip every afternoon.