CITYist

2011 will be nothing short of stellar for the music industry. From titillating debuts, to anticipated sophomore releases, the New Year is bringing with it the prospect of some truly awe-inspiring musical acts. Here are four albums dropping in 2011 that any and all music enthusiasts should invest in.

The blogosphere has been all abuzz when news broke about this pendant in the shape of Karl Lagerfeld’s head. Now, the plot thickens with busts of Lady Gaga and Michael Jackson joining the arsenal of French brand Nous Sommes (see all after the jump). Featuring Gaga in her peroxide blonde hair bow period and Michael in his “Beat It” period (you can make out the collar of his red and gold leather jacket), the pendants join Uncle Karl in a trifecta of pure pop culture goodness. Will you be rocking any of these?

It’s unclear why parents thought it was appropriate to take their 8-year-old daughters to the Lady Gaga concert last night at Madison Square Garden. Gaga is one part pop princess, one part soul songstress, one part activist, one part dominatrix and one part provocateur—and her favorite word is four letters long. Last night, the whole gang came out to play: the bra and panties ensemble from “Alejandro” and “Telephone,” the skirt composed of spikes, the disco stick, the red latex, the two cross strips of tape covering a very delicate area. And as Gaga cycled through hit after hit, “Poker Face,” “Paparazzi,” and “Bad Romance,” to name a few, her enthusiasm and compassion were unmatched. Often with tears in her eyes, she continually declared her love for her hometown, trying to give back the only way she new how, screaming, “Tonight, you will be set free!”

Kerin.Rose, designer of outrageous eyewear line A-Morir, summed up her situation to us best: “Pop stars have eaten all my time.” If you’ve seen any Lady Gaga video, including the one for “Alejandro” that we can’t seem to stop watching, then you’ve seen A-Morir. From Rihanna to Katy Perry, Ke$ha to Adam Lambert, the brand has been the go-to place for stars who would like to add a dash of S&M-flavored eccentricity to their ensembles. (We’re just wondering whether you can actually see through any of the glitter, spikes and netting.)

Cyndi Lauper and Lady Gaga appeared on the “Today Show” a few weeks back as ambassadors for MAC’s VIVA GLAM line, which benefits men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS. The interview was remarkable due to two things: Lauper’s ability to simultaneously dole out career advice to Gaga while warning of the dangers of unprotected sex, and Lady Gaga’s wisdom beyond her years. Nearly ignoring the interviewers, the two chatted about the trajectories of their own stardom and the need for women to take control of their lives and bodies. Amidst all the pop fabulosity, however, they were there for one thing and one thing only: to sell their two limited-edition lipsticks, of which one hundred percent of the sales price will go to the MAC AIDS fund.