Blog Posts by Grace Stanisci

Marianas Trench. (George Pimentel/WireImage)

The 2013 MuchMusic Video Award nominations were announced today, and for the second year in a row, Vancouver rockers Marianas Trench lead the pack.

Upon learning about their six mentions in categories like Pop Video of the Year, MuchFACT Video of the Year, Video of the Year, Director of the Year, Your Fave Artist/Group and Your Fave Video, the band tweeted their excitement:

Just behind Marianas Trench, Toronto rapper Drake nabbed five nominations and Nova Scotia’s Classified received four nods.

The 2013 MMVAs are set to take over Toronto on June 16 with performances by Demi Lovato and Korean pop star PSY, who will also co-host the event. Both artists are also mentioned in the categories of International Video of the Year – Artist and Your Fave International Artist/Group.

Right now, fans can head here to vote for their favourite musicians in three categories, including, Your Fave Artist/Group, Your Fave Video and Your Fave International Artist/Group.

You can also vote for what you think Lovato and PSY should perform at the MMVAs by heading to their respective pages here and here.

Check out more nominee reactions below.

Taylor Hill/Getty Images

In 1998, Los Angeles rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars played their first show in Toronto. In a very candid interview with Yahoo! Canada Music, the group recalled their visit to the Great White North and why performing in Canada matters so much to them.

“Our first show in Toronto was in 1998 at the Horseshoe Tavern,” lead singer Jared Leto said. “It’s been a while now.”

“We were so excited,” drummer Shannon Leto added. “We were rehearsing down the street in this warehouse, getting ready for the show and we all got there and were so excited and there were like three people out there. It was great.”

This week, the band (consisting of brothers Jared and Shannon Leto and guitarist Tomo Milicevic) releases their fourth studio album, "Love Lust Faith + Dreams," and even though they’ve come a long way, they still remember their special Canadian fans.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

YouTube phenom and invisible horse rider PSY has been announced as this year’s MuchMusic Video Awards co-host. The “Gentleman” himself will also perform during Toronto’s largest block party, and it seems like he’s excited to take over the city on June 16.

"I'm looking forward to co-hosting and performing at the MuchMusic Video Awards,” the 35-year-old singer said in a statement. “And I’m looking forward to seeing all my fans in Canada!"

Executive producer Sheila Sullivan says that the “Gangnam Style” hitmaker will “bring the party” to the event. We assume PSY will share the hosting duties with the MuchMusic VJs like LMFAO did last year.

“His explosive energy and fun approach to music is a great fit for the MMVAs, and our audience,” Sullivan said. “With PSY fronting the show, the biggest street party in the world just got that much louder.”

Last week, Demi Lovato was revealed as the show’s first performer, and just like with the “X Factor” judge’s upcoming appearance, fans can vote on what PSY will sing at the MMVAs between “Gangnam Style,” “Gentleman,” a combination of the two or his next single.

We think that the MMVA stage is the perfect place for a performance of “Gentleman,” especially if it’s the remix, which PSY’s manager Scooter Braun began teasing us with on May 13.

Candice Glover wins "American Idol."

It's official: Candice Glover is the Season 12 “American Idol” champion. She's the first female victor since Jordin Sparks won in 2007 and the fifth girl overall to ever win the singing competition. Now, the question is if Glover will go on to become one of the most successful "Idol" winners of all time. She'll have these folks to compete with:

Justin Bieber and Carly Rae Jepsen (Photos by C Flanigan/WireImage)

With rumours swirling that “American Idol” judges Mariah Carey, Keith Urban, Randy Jackson and Nicki Minaj will all be fired from the show, the question on everyone's minds is: Who will they hire to judge next season?

This week, Canadian singer/songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen says that although she’d be “too motherly” to judge, she thinks that her mentor Justin Bieber would be perfect for the job.

"Justin would be awesome," the 27-year-old singer told The Hollywood Reporter. "He's got lots of great opinions when it comes to the music world and he's very experienced especially for being so young."

Cory Schwartz/Getty Images

Nine Inch Nails bassist Eric Avery was scheduled to perform with the band at the Fuji Rock Festival in Naeba, Japan, on July 26 -- but now it looks like that won’t be happening.

According to Billboard, frontman Trent Reznor announced 48-year-old Avery as part of Nine Inch Nails’ live lineup in February, ending the band’s four-year break. However, this week Avery revealed that he no longer wants the job.

"its with very mixed emotions i tell you all that im pulling out of NIN," the bassist wrote in a Facebook post on May 15.

He continued, “i know. its been a tough call and i don't know if its the right one. but i really want to focus on my musical life here in la, on film work in particular. as the tour dates kept growing… i just got overwhelmed. i just got home from a year of heavy travel with garbage, the idea of leaving town for another year and a half, and with all the intensity that nails demands… fortunately my friend Trent understands all this and appreciated my pulling the plug now instead of deep into 2013 and 14. go get em gentlemen.”

You might remember that along with Perry Farrell, Dave Navarro, and Stephen Perkins, Avery is a founding member of the alternative rock band Jane’s Addiction, but left the group in 2010. He also played on Canadian chanteuse Alanis Morissette’s 2002 album “Under Rug Swept.”

Nine Inch Nails’ remaining lineup consists of Adrian Belew, Alessandro Cortini, Joshua Eustis, Ilan Rubin and Reznor. Even though fans seem upset with Avery’s decision to leave, some are wishing him luck with his journey.

Astronaut Chris Hadfield returned home this week and was greeted by Simple Plan’s Pierre Bouvier, who finished the band’s song “Astronaut” on Earth after the Canadian Commander kicked it off on the International Space Station.

Hadfield was on the ISS for almost five months and while in orbit. The 53-year-old Commander not sang parts of a Simple Plan song while in space, but he also joined the Barenaked Ladies for a tune called “I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing,)” which he co-wrote with band member Ed Robertson.

Selena Gomez at the MTV Movie Awards (Getty Images)

We might have to start calling Selena Gomez “Snooki” as the pop singer has revealed that pickles are one of the things she needs to have with her while on the road.

"Incense, pickles always," the 20-year-old artist told MTV. "I don't know. I actually have a boring rider. I'll be honest... ramen. That's what I have. I'm more about food and apparently incense."

While the combination of pickles, ramen noodles and incense might seem odd, it’s still one of the tamest lists of items we’ve ever seen on a tour rider.