Please Stop Covering 'Hallelujah': Leonard Cohen

They gather outside Oslo courthouse

(NEWSER) - Anders Behring Breivik hates the Norwegian song "Children of the Rainbow"; he says it's a Marxist anthem. So 40,000 Norwegians, inspired by an Internet campaign, gathered in rainy Oslo today to belt out the tune near the courthouse where Breivik is being tried, AFP reports. The brightly-clad protesters carried Norwegian flags and roses symbolizing peace in the wake of Breivik's massacre. Among the singers were culture ministers from several Nordic countries, as well as schoolkids and the songwriter himself, Lillebjoern Nilsen, who directed the performance. More»

Will 'Pitchfork' keep Adele from taking the crown?

(NEWSER) - It’s the end of the year, which means a glut of music sites releasing “Best Of” lists. Indie-loving Pitchfork picks the top 100 tracks of the year; here are the top 10, which include some mainstream surprises:

1. M83, “Midnight City”
2. Bon Iver, “Holocene”
3. EMA, “California”
4. Nicki Minaj, “Super Bass”
5. Real Estate, “It’s Real”
6. Destroyer, “Kaputt”
7. Beyoncé, “Countdown"
8. Cass McCombs, “County Line”
9. Azealia Banks, “212”
10. DJ Khaled, “I’m On One” (Feat. Drake, Rick Ross, and Lil Wayne)

Gold prices push the cost of 5 rings to $650

(NEWSER) - If your true love gives you everything from 12 drummers drumming to a partridge in a pear tree this year, he or she will have shelled out $96,824. That’s up 10.8% from last year, the AP reports. High gold prices pushed the cost of five gold rings up 30% to $649.95; nine ladies dancing now costs $6,294.03, up 15%; the price of feed and availability led to a 78.6% jump in the price of two turtle doves, to $100. More»

Even 'I Kissed a Girl' not as obvious as it sounds

(NEWSER) - In honor of Jay-Z’s Decoded, which breaks down the meanings behind his songs, the Independent offers up the true stories behind 10 hits:

• Katy Perry, “I Kissed a Girl”: The message behind this one seems fairly obvious, but Perry has insisted it’s actually about heterosexual friendships and was only sexed up to sell more records.
• Van Morrison, “Brown Eyed Girl”: Though many think it’s about heroin use, Van Morrison has said it is about an interracial relationship and was originally titled “Brown Skinned Girl.”

Even though the YMCA is now just the 'Y'

(NEWSER) - Fans of dorky dances, rejoice: The Village People aren't changing their famous song, even though the actual YMCA doesn't exist anymore. (The organization is shortening its name to the "Y.") Lead singer Victor Willis says the song and, more important, the dance will continue with all four letters, no matter how extraneous they may be, reports the AP . More»