Chris Brown will soon be on TV to remind us that, in America, men who beat women can not only become successful beyond most of our wildest dreams — they can command respect from our venerable award-giving institutions, too. The former teenage R&B; idol is performing at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards — the Grammys, you will recall, was the site of Brown's stunning downfall. He's admitted to beating his then-girlfriend Rihanna after a party before the 2009 ceremony, which led both stars to pull out of the event. Brown is currently serving five years probation for the felony assault ...

The 54th Annual Grammy Awards are almost upon us! Hey, we'd love to help you with your office pools and living room side-bets with some sure-thing Vegas-ready odds. However, we always seem to be dead wrong (fucking Esperanza Spalding). So here are some completely arbitrary, critical decisions on who should win the nine biggest categories, just in case you want to know who we're rooting for on the SPIN couch. Everything You Need to Know About the 54th Grammy Awards Nominations Record of the Year Adele - "Rolling in the Deep" Bon Iver - "Holocene" Bruno Mars - "Grenade" Mumford & Sons - "The Cave" Katy Perry - "Firework" Who Should Win: Adele Why: This one goes to the producers, engineers, and performer for making the total pop package. Bon Iver and Mumford are a little to insular, Bruno and Katy a little too eager. Adele somehow lives right in between, both muted and bombastic, rockist-pleasing "authentic" and poptimist-pleasing immediate. It’s the "Heart Shaped Box" of a new generation. We had it all! Album of the Year Adele - 21 Foo Fighters - Wasting Light Lady Gaga - Born This Way Bruno Mars - Doo-Wops & Hooligans Rihanna - Loud Who Should Win: Lady Gaga Why: It did rank the highest of these five albums on our Top 50 Albums of 2011 list , and we can’t exactly give the award to Fucked Up, can we? Writes our own Mikael Wood: "Beneath the hair and makeup and arena-razing disco-metal grooves, Born This Way delivers a message that old glamazon Pete Seeger could dig: She thinks pop can still move policy, and she might be right." Song of the Year Kanye West - “All of the Lights” (songwriters: Kanye West, Jeff Bhasker, Really Doe, & Malik Yusef) Mumford & Sons - “The Cave” (songwriters: Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Marcus Mumford & Country Winston) Bruno Mars - “Grenade” (songwriters: Brody Brown, Claude Kelly, The Smeezingtons & Andrew Wyatt) Bon Iver - “Holocene” (songwriter: Justin Vernon) Adele - "Rolling in the Deep" (songwriters: Adele & Paul Epworth) Who Should Win: Adele Why: This one goes to the songwriter, and naturally we'd want to give it to the co-writer of our No. 1 single of 2011 , a blown-out blowback of relationship bluster and that high D that can drown out car alarms. Best New Artist The Band Perry Bon Iver J. Cole Nicki Minaj Skrillex Who Should Win: Skrillex Why: Before you Bon Iver fans tear us limb from limb in the comments section, let us clarify. Although we clearly love Bon Iver's extra-naked, sensitive, '80s AM gold take on folk rock, our guyliner-and-glasses pal is essentially helping reinvent a new musical language of bowel-busting bass and whirring industrial noise. Bon Iver's forbear Bruce Hornsby already won this very award in 1987, while an electronic artist has never taken one home. Let's hear it for drawing new blood. Best Rock Album Jeff Beck - Rock ‘n’ Roll Party (Honoring Les Paul) Foo Fighters - Wasting Light Kings of Leon - Come Around Sundown Red Hot Chili Peppers - I’m With You Wilco - The Whole Love Who Should Win: Foo Fighters Why: Because exactly one album on this list actually "rocks." Best R&B; Album ...

I'm sure that I'm not alone in having a love/hate relationship with R. Kelly. Love his music. Hate the messenger. I've already resigned myself that resistance is futile because this dude consistently makes great music. Such as his latest song...

While we are desperately biting our tongues to not include sarcastic and biting references to a certain old Chappelle's Show sketch involving a parody of "Ignition", we have to give it up to R. Kelly. His new track, "Share My Love," off his upcoming twelfth (that's right, twelfth) studio album, Write Me Back, is the hottest thing R. Kelly has produced in years. It's got that old school Al Green/Marvin Gaye R&B; with a catchy up-tempo beat and an absurd number of strings and horns.

Despite his penchant for timeless love making anthem – and there are plenty of them – Robert Kelly’s propensity to craft a damn good dance record shouldn’t be ignored. Where [...]

Kellz is back. R. Kelly has released the 1st single, “Share My Love”, off his new LP, Write Me Back . The track certainly seems inspired by one Barry White and takes us back to the care-free stepping time of the legend’s music. (Think “Happy People”).  While he continues to prep the album, don’t forget about the Love Letter Cruise , that the man is putting on in October! Hopefully he’ll contain himself on the high seas. R. Kelly - “Share My Love”

Singer drops taster for new studio album 'Write Me Back'

R. Kelly evokes Barry White in the new disco influenced track, “Share My Love.” This is the first single off of his forthcoming album, Write Me Back, out in May via RCA. Kells is keeping busy with an album, book (Soula Coaster: The Diary of Me), and a cruise to organize this year. “Share My [...]

Part of the fun in R. Kelly announcing a brand new album is trying to figure out which one of his many sounds the new collection will be revolved around. Will we be getting sexy groove 12 Play Kellz, retro-focused Love Letter Robert, soap opera drama “Trapped In The Closet” R. or the hip hop-informed [...]

After today's sad announcement on the passing of Don Cornelius, it's hard not to hear any other news without that shading on it. http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/immaculate-noise

"Whatever deity may guide my life/Dear Lord/Don't let me die tonight" -- Jay-Z/R. Kelly, "Don't Let Me Die" Yeah, okay. Invoking Jay-Z to bring some coolness factor to your movie/trailer is kind of cheap, but hell, it also works. The Super Bowl spot for "G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation" has arrived it has caused acrimony within the Playlist offices. Some are scoffing the movie looks completely dumb. While offers will concede that point but also add that sword-fighting on mountains and motorbikes that turn into bombs and Bruce Willis saying "Call me Joe" are all ...

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, R. Kelly , the three-time Grammy Award winning King of R&B;, released his brand new single “ Share My Love ” to radio today. The new single will be available at all digital music providers on February 14th. It comes off his 12th studio album, Write Me Back , that is set for release this May. TheNext2Shine: Exclusive RNB Music Downloads

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, R. KELLY, the three-time Grammy Award winning King of R&B;, released his brand new single “Share My Love” to radio today. “Share My Love” will be available at all digital music providers on February 14th. Written and produced by R. Kelly, the infectious up-tempo track is the first single

Maybe we’ve been watching too many Soul Train performances today, but when did disco make a definitive comeback? R. Kelly hops into his soula coasta and heads back to the 70’s for his glittering, surprisingly non-rambling new musical offering “Share My Love”, the lead single his forthcoming album Write Me Back. If you’re in the ... More »

R. Kelly went full crooner on last year’s not-praised-enough Love Letter, so it’s probably no surprise that R&B;’s most famous oddball returns with the disco-tinged “Share Your Love,” the first single from his new one, Write Me Back. The lyrics? Classic Kels. “Now that we’re in this room / Let’s do what we’re born to [...]