Lady Gaga reaches 1 billion mark on YouTube just days ahead of Bieber

Lady Gaga has done it – she’s gone and collected another record for herself!

Billboard reports the pop star has officially gone down in the history books as the first artist to hit 1 billion views on YouTube.

She barely beat out Justin Bieber, who’s on track to make the mark himself sometime within the next week.

Gaga took to Twitter on Sunday to thank her fans for helping her reach the milestone first tweeting: “We reached 1 Billion views on youtube little monsters! If we stick together we can do anything. I dub u kings and queens of youtube! Unite!”

Bieber is closely behind with 966,002,774 views as of 12:30 p.m. EDT Monday, Oct. 25.

Industry experts expect he’ll easily reach the 1,000,000,000 mark by Nov. 1.

There is one YouTube record he already holds, and that is the most views for a single video for “Baby” which has had a total of 366,475,939 as of 12:30 p.m. EDT Monday, Oct. 25.

The next-closest artist to reaching the mark is the late Michael Jackson who has around 600 million views on YouTube. MTV reports the momentum has been gaining rapidly for both stars with Gaga averaging almost 1.8 million views per day in September, with Bieber logging 3.7 million per day in the same timeframe. So, should we expect Bieber to surpass Gaga? It may not be long, since July 1 to Sept. 28 the teen star has averaged almost double the number of views per day – 3.98 million to Lady Gaga’s 2.04 million.

Which pop star do you think will be on top in 6 months?

Hear new music first – HP

It’s twin boys for Celine Dion!

Celine Dion is a mother again – and x 2!

Billboard reports the 42-year-old Canadian powerhouse gave birth to twin boys Saturday via a Caesarean section at a Florida hospital.

The twins join a family made up of husband Rene Angelil and 9-year-old son Rene-Charles.

Dion’s representative told People Magazine that “Celine, Rene and their son Rene-Charles are thrilled. Celine is resting now and they plan to discuss what to name the boys when she wakes up.”

Dion had been put on bed rest and most recently hospitalized due to complications recently, and although the babies were born prematurely, they were born health, but will be spending a few days in an incubator.

Dion should have a fair amount of time with the babies before returning to Vegas, which she is scheduled to do in March 2011 for a three-year concert series at Caesar’s Palace.

Are you anxious to find out the babies’ names?

Hear new music first – HP

 

Justin Bieber to release acoustic album Nov. 23

If you’ve been anxiously awaiting new music from teen sensation Justin Bieber you are less than a month away!

The Canadian pop star announced on Twitter this weekend that he will be releasing a new acoustic album on Nov. 23.

MTV reports the acoustic album will include toned-down versions of album cuts from My World and My World 2.0 in addition to a brand new track Bieber recently recorded in Hawaii.

Dan Kanter, Bieber’s musical director and guitarist said the album has a global feel Tweeting:  “Loving the percussion… Cajones and congas! Definitely an influence from our travels around the world!”

Never one to take it slow, the new acoustic release is just the latest Bieber project, on the heels of his new auto biography and just ahead of his 3-D movie “Never Say Never” which is slated to come out in February, while he hopes to release a follow-up to My World 2.0 in the fourth quarter of 2011 featuring fellow Canadian Drake amongst what’s sure to be a star-studded lineup of guest artists.

Do you think Bieber is running the risk of an early burnout with all of these projects or do you think he’s smart to continue to strike while the iron is hot?

Hear new music first – HP

Katy Perry and Russell Brand make it official in Hindu wedding ceremony

Katy Perry and Russel Brand have officially tied the knot.

Billboard reports the duo wed in a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony Saturday at the Aman-e-Khas luxury resort in a tiger reserve in the Ranthambhore National Park in northwestern India.

Both Brand and Perry donned traditional Indian clothing – Perry wore a Sari and had henna designs on her palms and hands.

Guests included family and close friends of the couple and was officiated by a Hindu priest.

Security at the event was reportedly extremely tight, with private security guards at the resort as well as other nearby hotels where guests were staying for the entire six-day wedding celebration.

Photographers and media were not allowed into the Aman-e-Khas wildlife retreat as Brand and Perry have given exclusive coverage rights to a London magazine.

An insider reported the venue was lit with lamps, lights in the trees and was adorned with flower garlands covering the luxury tents.

The national park is home to a variety of wildlife species including tigers, leopards, wild boars, hyenas, and sloth bears. So, given the abundance of wildlife, it was only natural to include some in the procession – with Billboard reporting 21 camels, elephants, and horses formed part of the wedding procession, which was also accompanied by traditional Indian dancers and musicians.

Wondering why the couple decided to marry in India? Brand proposed to Perry in the Indian city of Jaipur on New Year’s Eve.

With the reports trickling out of the traditional Hindu wedding Brand and Perry celebrated are you now anxious to see pictures?

Hear new music first – HP

UPDATE:

We’ll have to wait and see the pictures to determine whether Perry wore a Sari or a dress, as Billboard is now reporting Perry wore a dove gray Elie Saab haute couture dress with lace sleeves.

Perry and Brand have since taken off for a honeymoon in Maldives after releasing a statement that said they were “overjoyed to confirm that they were pronounced Mr. and Mrs. Brand on Saturday, October 23. The very private and spiritual ceremony, attended by the couples’ closest family and friends, was performed by a Christian minister and longtime friend of the Hudson Family. The backdrop was the inspirational and majestic countryside of Northern India.”

There’s also been some rumblings about whether the party following the ceremony broke local noise laws that bar any noise after 10 p.m. that would disturb local communities or wildlife, after public complaints that the party continued into the early hours of Sunday.