RISE AND GRIND! MORNING MUSIC NEWS: Adele, Rick Ross & Florence + The Machine Are Finalists To Nab A Best Original Song Oscar AND MORE!

Incredibly, there are 75 songs that are being considered for a Best Original Song Academy Award nomination this year. This includes a number of artists that are in our hip-pop circle: Rick Ross' "100 Black Coffins" from the Django Unchained soundtrack, Katy Perry's "Wide Awake" from her Katy Perry: Part of Me movie, Adele’s James Bond theme "Skyfall" and Florence + the Machine's "Abraham’s Song" from The Hunger Games. [HitFix]

Since the two announced their engagement, we haven’t heard much from Avril Lavigne and Nickelback member Chad Kroeger. Until now. A song of Avril covering Nickelback's hit “How You Remind Me” just hit the net, and it's something to hear. [Idolator]

Tonight is the 12-12-12 star-studded concert, in which all proceeds will go to Sandy victims. There are many treats coming tonight. One of them being that there is going to be a Nirvana reunion, with Sir Paul McCartney taking the place of the deceased Kurt Cobain. Sounds epic. [Guardian]

It looks like it's going to be a great week for our boy Wiz Khalifa. The rapper's sophomore album, O.N.I.F.C., is expected to debut at number two, pushing over 150,000 records. Respect to the boy Wiz! [RapRadar] 

We all love Christmas songs. However, after hearing them 50 times in a row, things can become tiring. That's why this list of five Christmas songs you don't know about by the VillageVoice is pretty cool. [VillageVoice]