Katy Perry, Pitbull, Chris Brown and Adele also found support from MTV.com readers.
By James Montgomery

Lady Gaga
Photo: Getty Images

Now that school's out and folks are slathering on the sunscreen, we figured it was time to take the temperature of the annual Summer Jam Sweepstakes — the race to dominate the airwaves (and your tanning playlist) during the long, hot months of the year.

So last week, we published our initial rankings in the race for the Summer Jam crown, a list that was topped by Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)," with Pitbull's "Give Me Everything" and LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" following close behind. A whole host of other big-name stars — like Eminem, Nicki Minaj, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Adele, to name just a few — also made the cut, along with some dark-horse candidates (like Foster the People, Maroon 5 and David Guetta) who are determined to make this competition close.

Of course, our rankings had you talking too — in fact, the conversation in our comments section got so huge (we even heard from a Hall of Fame third baseman!) that we've decided to spotlight some of the best back-and-forth right now. What's your pick for the Song of Summer 2011? Here's what you had to say:

"This has been Katy's decade so far! She made pop music fun again." — Tuffy Luvvy

" 'Lighters' by Eminem, Royce and Bruno Mars all the way, baby! It's a long-shot, I know. I think Katy Perry will get it, but you never know." — lilbittaflava

"I like Katy, but 'I Wanna Go' from Britney sounds more like a summer song." — Aaron

"Britney Spears! 'I Wanna Go' just makes my summer great!" — Melissa Goulart

"Britney Spears all the way! 'I Wanna Go' all the way! I'm still in love with Pitbull's 'Give Me Everything,' and his album is amazing. Nicki Minaj's 'Super Bass' is sick, love it!" — RyanJaggerz

" 'The Edge of Glory' is a glorious pop anthem-masterpiece, no need for it to be crowned as a 'jam.' Adele's 'Rolling' is heart-touching, breathtaking and also a masterpiece." — Spyros Venturis

" 'Moves Like Jagger' by Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera is amazing!" — SuperZonic Jbsz

"Oh I couldn't believe when I saw them, thank you so much MTV for putting them on the list ... I love them, talking about of course FOSTER THE PEOPLE YEAHHHHHHH." — hotalejandro

" 'Tonight Tonight' by Hot Chelle Rae! I could party to that every day of the summer." — WhatShouldIDo?

"You guys forgot about New Boyz ft. Chris Brown, 'Better With the Lights Off,' and Lupe Fiasco ft. Trey Songz, 'Outta My Head.' " — booklady

"All these songs have that 'I've heard it all before' sound to them. Nothing special about any of the songs on the list. A lot of the 'artists' on this list would be better off working a mop at a Waffle House. It's Kanye's fault." — Mike Schmidt

What do you think? Share your Summer Jam picks in the comments below!

• 2011 Song Of Summer Battle

• Katy Perry
• Lady Gaga
• Britney Spears

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666863/lady-gaga-britney-spears-fans-pick-their-2011-summer-jams.jhtml

Julianne Hough Julie Benz Julie Berry K. D. Aubert

Watch the Throne track 'Otis' samples the oft-covered song originally recorded in 1932.
By Rob Markman

Kanye West
Photo: Flanigan/ FilmMagic

Before Jay-Z and Kanye West turned it into a playground for their lyrical warfare, Otis Redding's 1966 version of "Try a Little Tenderness" was a classic in its own right. Yes, a sampling of the tune appears on "Otis," a track off the highly anticipated Watch the Throne LP, but the song has penetrated pop culture throughout the years, and this latest incarnation of the soulful track proves that the love affair is still strong.

Otis Redding - Try A Little Tenderness (Live in... by Maliiiiiii

Written by James Campbell and Reginald Connelly (under the pseudonym Irving King) and originally recorded in 1932 by the Ray Noble Orchestra, then again in 1933 by actress Ruth Etting and Bing Crosby, "Try a Little Tenderness" would go on to be covered by many. Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Aretha Franklin all put their spin on it. But to this day, Redding's rework remains most popular.

In 1986's "Pretty in Pink," actor Jon Cryer, playing the goofy character Duckie, danced to the song in one of the coming-of-age film's more memorable scenes. Five years later in 1991, actor Andrew Strong sang the tune in the film "The Commitments." Perhaps the most comical use of the song's lyrics came in 2001's "Shrek." Donkey (voiced by Eddie Murphy) finds himself giving love advice to the cartoon ogre who is trying to crash the wedding ceremony of his beloved Princess Fiona and the villainous Lord Farquaad. Pinning Shrek up against a closed door, Donkey breaks out into song when he wails, "You wanna hold her? Please her? Then you gotta, gotta try a little tenderness."

Wu-Tang Clan's Masta Killa sampled the love song on his 2004 cut "D.T.D." and even brought bandmates Raekwon and Ghostface Killah along for the ride.

Singer Chris Brown took a crack at the classic in the 2007 flick "This Christmas," modernizing the song by displaying his vocal chops with elongated runs and his usual Breezy swag. In May, Amber Riley, a.k.a. Mercedes Jones on "Glee," tried a little tenderness herself and put her stamp on the track in season two of the popular show.

Now, it's Jay-Z and Kanye. Even 45 years after its release, Otis Redding's "Try a Little Tenderness" is as influential as it was in the 1960s. Who would've guessed it?

What is your favorite "Try a Little Tenderness" nod? Tell us in the comments!

• Jay-Z
• Kanye West
• Otis Redding

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1667642/otis-reddings-tenderness-kanye-jay-z-shrek.jhtml

Larissa Meek Laura Harring Laura Prepon Lauren Bush

Womanizer

• Artist: Britney Spears
• Label: Zomba Label Group/Jive
• Director: Joseph Kahn
• Album: Circus

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=501686&vid=288244

Genelle Frenoy Georgianna Robertson Georgina Grenville Gina Carano