Comedian Russell Brand, best known to American audiences for his critically-acclaimed turn in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” will return as host of the MTV Video Music Awards.
But Brand was not the only name MTV slated for the show; in a Tuesday announcement, it also confirmed two music acts for the show–one is the hottest-selling artist in the business, while the other is a critically-acclaimed band itching to truly breakout in America.
Swift, the big seller, hits the stage with a “brand new version” of hit single “You Belong With Me.” A familiar face to MTV’s audience, Swift held red carpet duties last year.
The band, meanwhile, is one that is looking to finally score a chart topper in America. Having used multiple media to achieve recognition in American–“Supermassive Blackhole” memorably appeared on the “Twilight” soundtrack, “Knights of Cydonia” made waves on “Guitar Hero III” and “Time is Running Out” closed an episode of “Entourage”–English band Muse has not been able to make a splash on the mainstream American charts (the biggest American hit to date is “Starlight,” which landed at second on the modern rock chart).
The MTV performance of new single “Uprising,” however, might prove capable of doing the trick. Since performing at the MTV Movie Awards this spring, band Kings of Leon, which had finally been in the process of a breakout in America thanks to hit single “Sex on Fire” from album “Only By the Night,” has reached new levels of domestic success with “Use Somebody.” Following the band’s performance, the song, which had already been a modern rock format hit, surged up the iTunes sales charts and, combined with new levels of airplay, has become a top 20 hit in America.
Other acts have yet to be confirmed.
Brand’s return as host is interesting. The comedian’s turn last year did not receive glowing reviews, but it appears MTV liked the controversy he generated by ripping on the Jonas Brothers’ purity pledge.
“This year will be a controversy-free festival of love and discrete orgasms,” said Brand of this year’s show.
The show airs on September 13.