Full disclosure: as we begin to deliberate our year-end report, the battle for Rookie of the Year is pretty much down to HAIM and Lorde. One, a road-tested sisterly rock trio whose rapid ascent will soon culminate in an appearance on Saturday Night Live. The other, a 17-year-old pop superstar, the greatest thing out of Kiwi since kiwis (?), who’s managed to dominate the Billboard charts and befriend David Bowie. Who will reign supreme? That’s for us to figure out in the coming weeks. What you need to do is click play on the video below and watch footage of HAIM and Lorde covering Sheryl Crow’s “Strong Enough” during VH1’s You Oughta Know concert in New York City this week. If the Internet doesn’t explode by the time you’re done watching, then check back here in early December when we reveal the results. Though, right now the only word crossing my mind is “tie.”
