Kevin Rudolf in his video for "Let It Rock"
Photo: Cash Money/ Universal Republic

2008 was a huge year for rock ... and 2009 looks like it could be even bigger. So all this week, we're taking stock of the things guaranteed to rock this year. From the triumphant returns of some of the biggest bands on the planet to a handful of up-and-coming acts that we're expecting big things from in '09, we've got it all covered. This is Rock Week, on MTVNews.com.

Once upon a time, even the hugest bands on the planet were bands no one had ever heard of. They had yet to rock arenas or unite the globe or even ride on a tour bus with a working toilet, for that matter. They were just a bunch of kids with a single press photo (usually taken against a brick wall) and a whole lot of possibility. It didn't matter that the odds were stacked impossibly high against them. It was almost better that way.

These days, things are different. Thanks to the vast frontier of the Internet, practically every band has been heard by somebody, which makes the concept of them "rocketing to success" seem rather antiquated. And, perhaps dulled by nearly three decades of "Next Big Thing" articles, we tend to roll our eyes further back into our heads with each "can't miss" contender foisted on us by the music industry.

That said, please allow us to do the very same thing. Because, really, the Next Big Things have to come from somewhere, right? So while we're going to refrain from the hyperbole ("This band will change your life!") we are going to go out on a limb and say that you'll be hearing a whole lot from these guys in 2009. From Lil Wayne-approved rock stars to much-buzzed blog acts to, um, barely pubescent head-bangers, these are our top picks for 2009's Rock Rookies.

Kevin Rudolf

Who: The 25-year-old songwriter/producer grew up a guitar virtuoso then switched to making beats after being taken under Timbaland's wing. Since then, he's produced tracks for Rick Ross and Ludacris and played guitar for Justin Timberlake, LL Cool J and the Black Eyed Peas, to name just a few. His debut album, In the City, was released late last year on Lil Wayne's Cash Money Records and spawned the hit "Let It Rock," which, if you've been near a radio in the past six months, you've probably heard.

Something to Say: "Let It Rock" crossed over to the pop, rock and R&B charts and reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100, but unlike most chart fare, it's actually about something: "It's a song about the hypocrisy in the world, and I'm saying that when I come through, I'm bringing the truth," Rudolf explained. "I use the parable of the Prodigal Son, because I want to expose all the fakes out there — in the music industry, in the world, anywhere. A lot of people think it's a party record, but it's not."

Good Non-Answer, Dude: As a kid growing up in Manhattan, Rudolf worshipped at the altar of Eddie Van Halen and Jimmy Page, so he knows a thing or two about guitar shredding. But what does he think about his labelmate Wayne's playing? "He's on his own path. ... I've done a couple of songs for his new record, and they do lean a lot more rock, and he's coming at it hard," Rudolf said. "As a guitar player, he's sounding good. I'm a different kind of guitar player, you know, but he's on his own path."

Chester French

Who: Two Ivy League-educated smart-asses with a penchant for spacey, horned-up electro pop, Maxwell Drummey and D.A. Wallach met at Harvard University, named their band after a sculptor and caught the ear of Kanye West, who offered the duo a deal. They passed on that offer in favor of an even more lucrative deal from the Neptunes' Star Trak Entertainment. Judging from their debut EP, She Loves Everybody, their full-length, Love the Future (due later this year), is sure to burst with swanky hooks and smarmy jokes. Oh, and Drummey is rather inexplicably married to British socialite Peaches Geldof.

The Secret Source of 50 Cent's Abs?: Though they've already drawn comparisons to another head-in-the-clouds electro duo — MGMT — Chester French fail to see any similarities. For one, they're way more into fighting ... and physiques. "We're a band that really encourages consensual violence — never against women — but we like representing for a whole bunch of people," Wallach said. "We've all been abused by a woman in one way or another, but we come in and we take it, because we're these strong, assertive men who care about our physiques. This music stuff is really a side project for us. It's a way to earn money so that we can keep our gym memberships going. ... We're trainers too. We trained 50. Everyone knows that."

A Big, Messy Year Indeed: When they spurned Kanye for a deal with Pharrell Williams and Star Trak, CF garnered plenty of "who the f--- are these dudes?!?" headlines. Looking to silence the critics, they've been holed up in the studio, hard at work on their full-length debut. And with an album on the horizon, what else are the dynamic duo looking forward to in '09? "2009 is going to see the birth of my second child, which I'm really excited for," Drummey joked. "We're going to put an album out too."

Check back Tuesday for the first of our looks at some of 2009's most-buzzed new acts, as Rock Week continues on MTVNews.com.

• These Bands Will Rock Your 2009

• Kevin Rudolf
• Chester French
• Lil Wayne
• Pharrell Williams

Miley Cyrus
Photo: MTV News

Those "Twilight" ladies may have just kept her out of the top spot on our Woman of the Year list (don't worry, she also made our Teen Queens Who Ruled 2008 list), but it will be all about Miley Cyrus come New Year's eve. The tween mogul will help MTV close the door on this eventful year when she headlines "FNMTV Presents: A Miley-Sized Surprise ... New Year's Eve 2009."

The show will air live from 8 p.m. till 9:30 p.m. ET with live performances from Cyrus, Metro Station, All Time Low, The Academy Is ... and Kevin Rudolf.

There will, of course, also be a live countdown from Times Square during a rebroadcast of the show at 10:30 p.m., but the real action will be broadcast from the house of one lucky fan, where host Cyrus will give a special performance in his/her bedroom. The "Hannah Montana" star will surprise the fan earlier in the day and spend the afternoon hanging out with them, visiting their friends and helping their favorite charity. Miley will also dropping some serious gifts and treats on the unsuspecting fan all through the evening, during which Metro Station will also set up in their bedroom, while the other artists will perform from MTV's Times Square studio.

The show will be hosted from New York by twin Australian singers Lisa and Jessica Origliasso, a.k.a. the Veronicas. All during the night, MTV and Pepsi will encourage viewers to type into a live text-to-screen dialogue about how they plan to refresh themselves and the world in 2009. People in Times Square can text NYE to 66333 to submit messages that may appear on MTV 44 1/2 (MTV's high-definition Times Square screen), and TV viewers can text CHANGE to 66333 for the chance to see their comments appear on a crawl at the bottom of the television programming throughout MTV's New Year's Eve shows.

MTV will also upload select clips from NYE programming as mobile video to all carrier partners as well as photo galleries, MTV News coverage and Remote Control blog coverage on the MTV mobile Internet site at m.mtv.com. MTV.com will feature photos, clips, and performances, including two performances from the night that won't be seen anywhere else.

• The Teen Queens Of 2008

• Miley Cyrus
• Metro Station
• The Veronicas
• All Time Low
• The Academy Is...

MTV.com Exclusive: Kevin Rudolf

• Kevin Rudolf