Last weekend we learned that Janet Jackson will be releasing a greatest hits collection, titled Number Ones, in November and today we get our first look at the album artwork. Amazon has been updated with the release info for the collection (you can see the tracklist HERE), including the album artwork:

Zzzzzzz. I understand the photo used for this album cover art was taken back in 2001 … and appeared in the tour book for Janet’s All For You Tour. It’s like they aren’t even trying very hard to market this collection … I am not impressed. I am hearing that Miss Jackson will be releasing a new studio album of entirely new music in 2010, which is exciting, but this release just seems like a throw-away to me. If the folks behind this release don’t seem to care about promoting the disc, why should I care about buying it?

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After releasing her first greatest hits collection back in the mid-90’s, Design of a Decade: 1986/1996, Janet Jackson feels it is high time to release another collection of her greatest hits. Spanning her entire career, Number Ones will compile 2 discs featuring many of Janet’s hits … some of which, ironically, never hit #1 on the Billboard charts:

What songs fans will get if they purchase Janet Jackson’s upcoming greatest hits album have been uncovered. Sixteen tracks are listed in the first CD, and there will be eighteen songs in the second package. Beside including smash hits from her previous releases, the double-disc album will also have a brand new song called “Make Me” which has come out since September this year. In addition, Janet’s duet track with her brother Michael Jackson, “Scream”, also appears on the list. The new compilation is titled “Number Ones” and becomes Janet Jackson’s first greatest hits set after 1995 release “Design of a Decade: 1986-1996″. It will be released across United States on November 17 with Nelly, Q-Tip and Joni Mitchell listed as featured guests.

HMMM … how very Madonna of you, Janet. Didn’t Madge first release The Immaculate Collection (1990) before releasing her new Celebration (2009) greatest hits collection? Tho, in Janet’s defense … it has been 13 years since her last singles collection and let’s not forget that Maddy released 2 other collections (Something to Remember in 1995 and GHV2 in 2001) in between Immaculate and Celebration. I was expecting her new song Make Me to appear on a new album but I guess we’ll have to wait until 2010 to hear any of that new stuff. After the jump, check out the tracklist for Janet’s new 2-disc singles collection Number Ones …

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Janet Jackson, who has been seen at various Milan Fashion Week events in Milan, Italy in the past week, made a special appearance at La Permanente to attend amfAR’s Inaugural Milan Fashion Week Event to add her starpower to the drive to raise much needed funds for The Foundation for AIDS Research. Janet was joined on the red carpet by current Out magazine covergirl Donatella Versace but she graced the stage all on her own during the event … here are a few photos:

US singer Janet Jackson lent her star power to a gala charity in Milan that raised more than a million dollars for AIDS research, organisers said. “This battle needs all of us to be brave warriors,” Jackson said during a brief appearance at the Monday evening dinner and dance organised by the Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR). The evening’s biggest sale was a Dsquared jacket signed by Janet Jackson and other celebrities, snapped up by Diesel designer Renzo Rossof for 36,000 euros (53,000 dollars). Earlier a pair of handmade boots decorated with some 3,000 stones, made for Michael Jackson but never worn by the late king of pop, went for 10,000 euros. He died June 25 aged 50.

Janet Jackson is a real trooper … it’s very commendable for her to lend her name to such an important cause. She’s had a difficult year and I’m sure her work has kept her grounded but it’s really amazing that she also is making time to do much needed charity work as well. Keep up the amazing work, Janet!!

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]

Janet Jackson famously paid tribute to her late brother Michael Jackson in song and dance at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards in NYC, NY earlier this month but she has since made her way to Europe to partake of the Fashion Week activities going on there this week. Janet was spotted in the front row of the Giorgio Armani Spring 2010 show at Milan Fashion Week yesterday … here are a few photos:

I gotta say, it’s really great seeing Janet’s trademark smile again. She’s had a tough time dealing with the death of her brother, I’m sure, so carrying on with work seems like a great idea right now. As you may recall, Janet leaked the first single off her new album after her MTV VMAs appearance and now she’s checkin’ out next season’s fashions at Milan Fashion Week. It’s great to see her happy again. I hope we continue to see happy Janet in the weeks/months to come.

[Photo credit: Wireimage]

Pretty much every celeb in NYC made their way out to attend the Marc Jacobs Spring 2010 fashion show which took place at The Armory here for New York Fashion Week yesterday and then made their way, post haste, to the Hiro Ballroom for the afterparty. Here are a few pics of some of the celebs who attended the event last night:

This is but a smattering of the celebs who packed themselves into the ballroom to celebrate Jacobs’s newest collection. So … wanna see what all the fuss was about? After the jump, check out a few of the pieces that walked down the runway yesterday for the Marc Jacobs and the Marc by Marc Jacobs Spring 2010 collections …

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As we are all pretty much aware by now, the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards were handed out at Radio City Music Hall here in NYC last night in a ceremony that was mired in controversy but also featured heartfelt tributes to the late Michael Jackson as well as a few spectacular performances and on stage appearances. Here are a few photos from the red carpet arrivals last night:

But for a few exceptions, most everyone looked amazing on the red carpet. I loved all the shiny bling that some folks were wearing … particularly Kristin Cavallari who wore a simple vintage dress and looked absolutely amazing in it. The show itself was really fun .. the opening tribute performance to MJ was really very cool and except for Kanye West’s douchey behavior, the show was very entertaining. Here are a few pics from the show and some deets about what went down:

Planned and random acts of kindness reigned at the MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday night. Among the planned acts: Janet Jackson’s opening tribute to her brother Michael, whose death at age 50 on June 25 rocked the music world. The production began with Madonna recalling her encounter with Michael and reminding the audience that “Michael Jackson was a hero.” And while “he seemed otherworldly,” she added, “he was also a human being.” And then, the performance began. Dancers crept up on stage with original Thriller video airing in the background. The dancers’ moves duplicated the ones being performed on the video. Then a sequence of Michael’s hits played. Bad and Smooth Criminal led to Scream, his duet with Janet, who broke through glass to make her way onstage and sing along with the video. The loud, almost angry performance had the audience on its feet. After the tribute, Madonna said backstage that “it was good to finally get to say my piece.” And then near the end of the show, in a gracious act of kindness, video-of-the-year winner Beyoncé offered young country music star Taylor Swift a second chance to say her piece with an acceptance speech. The moment came after Kanye West took everyone by surprise early in the show when he went onstage to interrupt Swift’s acceptance speech for best female video for You Belong With Me … The teen country star returned for her live performance of You Belong With Me later in the show. Celebrities reacted backstage. Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong said, “Well, you know, she’s young, I think she’ll get over it. I think he needs to get it over it also. It was very uncomfortable sitting there.” “I feel bad for Taylor,” said Kristin Cavallari. “I think it was really disrespectful” … Other music-related news items had guests talking at the awards show, too. American Idol’s Kara DioGuardi was asked about her new colleague at the judges’ table, Ellen DeGeneres. “I feel fantastic. I feel ecstatic. I can’t wait for January, when we can all be on the panel.” DioGuardi added that she has been in touch with former judge Paula Abdul. “I’ve spoken to her, and she seems to be doing really well, and that’s what matters.” Abdul is set to play host at the VH1 Divas special on MTV’s sister network on Thursday night (9 ET/PT). Faye Dunaway had two divas she was looking forward to seeing on Sunday at the VMAs. “Lady Gaga and Beyoncé. How could you not love Beyoncé?” Dunaway asked. Ne-Yo echoed Dunaway’s sentiment. When asked who he was rooting for, he replied, “Besides myself?” and then added, “I’m here to see Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Pink, everyone. I’m here just to enjoy the electricity.” And the atmosphere was electric, with returning host Russell Brand doling out his brash brand of humor. Among the stars: Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys, Eminem, Jermaine Jackson, Katy Perry, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner.

For me, the live performances were the highlight of the entire night. After the jump, check out a few photos from the press room and watch a couple of my fave performances from the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards …

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The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards opened up with a touching tribute by Madonna for the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson. In what seemed like a semi-off-the-cuff address, Madonna delivered a speech that sought to highlight the similarities that she shared with Michael Jackson in an attempt to outline what went wrong with his life. While some felt that the speech focused too much on her (and, to be honest, I can understand why), I personally feel it was a touching tribute that was very Madonna (right down to the chastisement to the viewing audience that “we abandoned Michael Jackson” with the implication being that we are somewhat to blame for losing him) … and very well suited for MJ’s memory. Here are a few photos of Madonna on stage delivering her tribute address:

Michael Jackson, who was not only one of the most influential forces in MTV’s history but also provided its Video Music Awards with some of its most irreverent moments, got reverential treatment Sunday as Madonna and his sister Janet provided emotional tributes — one through words, one through song. It was a tender, special moment — a rarity for the Video Music Awards. But the mood didn’t last for long, thanks in part to another onstage outburst from Kanye West. Madonna kicked off the show at Radio City Music Hall with a poignant speech about her relationship with Michael Jackson, which began when she was a youngster idolizing the then-child star, then morphed into a friendship when both were at the apex of their careers, and later, grew distant. Madonna lamented the negative publicity that dogged him in his later years. “Sometimes, we have to lose things before we can truly appreciate them,” said Madonna, dressed in black. “Yes, Michael Jackson was a human being, but yes, he was a king,” she told the celebrity-studded crowd, which included Michael’s brother Jermaine and father Joe Jackson. “Long live the king.”

Once Madonna stopped talking about her, she really let her personal feelings about Michael Jackson come to the forefront of her speech and honestly honored his memory. After the jump, watch video of Madonna delivering her address (along with a full transcript of her speech) and watch video of Janet Jackson and her troupe of dancers paying homage to MJ in their own way — in song and dance …

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