LADY A TOPS BILLBOARD ALBUM CHART
Lady Antebellum’s second album, Need You Now, debuts at number one on the Billboard album chart, selling a whopping 481-thousand copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. That’s the biggest debut sales week for any album since Susan Boyle’s I Dreamed a Dream bowed atop the list with 701-thousand copies in November, and the best for a country album since Taylor Swift’s Fearless opened at number one on the chart with 592-thousand copies back in November 2008. Last week’s number one, the Hope for Haiti Now charity compilation, drops to number two with 143-thousand copies. Lady Gaga’s The Fame holds at number three, while the aforementioned I Dreamed a Dream album drops two notches to number four. Barry Manilow’s The Greatest Love Songs of All Time debuts at number five selling 57-thousand units. Michael Jackson’s This Is It leaps 11 spots to number six, thanks to the release of the DVD of the film. Next week, you can expect a sales hike for Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and more of the artists who won GRAMMYS on Sunday.
JOHN MAYER PUTS ON A SHOW
John Mayer has been gearing up for his Battle Studies tour in a venue in South Carolina, and the singer-songwriter gave some of his fans, who had been waiting outside trying to get a peek at Mayer, a very special treat. The Associated Press reports that on Tuesday night, Mayer gave some students from the University of South Carolina a free two hour show, where he ran through the set-list that he is thinking of using on his headlining tour. Mayer hits the road with Michael Franti beginning tonight in Sunrise, Florida.
JOHN MAYER TALKS TIGER WOODS
John Mayer has always been one to speak his mind, and this time he opened up about Tiger Woods. He spoke to British paper The Independent, saying, “Tiger Woods’ problems come from him being married. The end. It has nothing to do with control. If Tiger Woods was a single guy, what sort of angle would there be to a text message?” Read what else he has to say about the golfer at Independent.co.uk.
LADY GAGA GETS A NEW TATTOO
Lady Gaga had been writing on Twitter about getting a tattoo that said “Little Monsters,” in honor or what she calls her fans, and it seems that she finally did it! The “Bad Romance” posted a picture of her new ink her Twitter account, and it shows “Little Monsters” written in cursive on the arm she usually holds the microphone with. See it for yourself now at Twitter.com/LadyGaga.
GAGA WANTS TO BUY THE PIANO FROM THE GRAMMYS
Lady Gaga wants to buy the piano that she used to open up the GRAMMYs, but it’s easier said than done. That’s because it was designed by Canadian artist Terrence Koh and costs about 300-thousand dollars! According to ContactMusic.com, Gaga is trying to get the money together to purchase it as a commemoration of what she called her “favorite performance” ever.
SPICE GIRL GOES SOLO
A member of the Spice Girls is stepping out to do her own thing. According to ContactMusic.com, Melanie Brown, perhaps best known as Scary Spice, is working on a solo album and already has seven songs, but wants 15 to 20 before deciding which will make the record. No word yet on when we can expect to hear the new music.
LEAD PUSSYCAT DOLL TO MODEL
No one may know much about the current state of the Pussycat Dolls, but there is information to be learned about lead singer Nicole Scherzinger. According to the New York Post, Nicole has signed a contract to work for modeling-agency Wilhelmina Models. ContactMusic.com reports that Scherzinger joins other celebs that work for the company such as Fergie and Jessica Simpson.
HEAR SOME NEW DAVID COOK
David Cook is in New York City working on the follow-up album to his hit self-titled debut, and the former American Idol posted a video blog to keep his fans updated with how it’s coming along. Head to DavidCookOfficial.com now to see him messing around in the Big Apple studio, and to also hear a little bit of a new song from the record.
GAVIN DeGRAW HELPS FIGHT MALARIA
Gavin DeGraw has been a staunch supporter of the Nothing But Nets campaign, which aims to help protect people in impoverished countries by giving them nets that defend them from the dangerous disease of malaria. In a post on his official Web site, Gavin writes a note to all his fans, thanking them for helping to raise money to purchase and distribute more than 600-thousand nets, keeping more than one-million people safe. Learn more about Nothing But Nets and see what else Gavin has to say at GavinDeGraw.com.
NAS, DRAKE, PHARELL JOIN BET HAITI CONCERT
According to BET.com, more celebrities have been added to the list of performers for BET’s SOS: Saving Ourselves – Help For Haiti concert this Friday. Nas and Drake are now scheduled to join previously confirmed performers Chris Brown, Mary J.Blige, Akon, Robin Thicke, Monica, Jazmine Sullivan, Justin Bieber, Busta Rhymes, India Arie, Kirk Franklin Damian Marley, Pitbull, Keri Hilson and Ludacris at the American Airlines Arena in Miami. The event will be hosted by Diddy, Pharrell Williams and Queen Latifah and will help raise money for the Haiti relief efforts. Be sure to tune in at 8 PM Eastern on BET, Vh1, MTV or Centric.
JERMAINE AND JANET REUNITE FOR ALBUM
According to Rap-Up.com, former couple Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri has reunited for the singer’s highly anticipated upcoming album. The “Make Me” singer’s eleventh studio effort will pick up right where 2008’s Discipline left off — which JD executive produced. The new project will also receive contributions from Bryan-Michael Cox and Rodney Jerkins. No release date or title has been provided yet.
DIDDY TO LAUNCH BUSINESS SCHOOL IN HARLEM
On Anderson Cooper’s CNN show, AC 360, Diddy revealed he wants to change his bad boy image and give back to the world by building a business school located in Harlem, New York. The mogul explained, “It’s more than just about business, there’s more that I’m supposed to do, there’s more that I’m gonna do.” Diddy added, “I want to have an academy that’s known for building leaders. I feel that’s one of the things I can have an impact on.”
LIL WAYNE COVERS ROLLING STONE, TALKS PRISON
In the newest issue of Rolling Stone magazine, Lil Wayne graces the cover and talks about keeping busy until he serves a year in prison for gun possession. Weezy states, “I don’t like to stop, I believe you stop when you die.” The rapper plans to spend his remaining time with his family and working on new material until he heads to Riker’s Island on Tuesday. He added, “This is Lil Wayne going to jail. Nobody I can talk to can tell me what that’s like. I just say I’m looking forward to it.” The issue is available on newsstands now.
PATRICK STUMP “NOT IN FALL OUT BOY”
Patrick Stump, frontman of Fall Out Boy, has announced that he’s not in Fall Out Boy right now. The Chicago singer spoke with Spin Magazine about the current status of F-O-B, saying that he’s not sure whether they’ll play as a band again or not. Stump did say that whatever decisions Fall Out Boy come to, “it will be for the right reasons.” This comes a day after bassist Pete Wentz said he couldn’t see himself playing in Fall Out Boy again anytime soon. Learn more at Spin.com.
DETAILS ON SANTANA’S SUPERNATURAL: LEGACY EDITION
Ten years ago, Carlos Santana’s Supernatural was the big winner at the GRAMMY Awards and on February 16th, the classic album will be re-issued as a two-volume set called Supernatural: Legacy Edition. Along with a re-mastered version of the original album, the package will also boast seven previously unreleased tracks, including ones with Dave Matthews and Eric Clapton, along with remixes and instrumental versions. Meanwhile, Carlos kicked off a run of shows called Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through The Hits at Las Vegas’ The Joint yesterday. For all the dates, head to Santana.com.
Track List for Second Disc of Supernatural: Legacy Edition
1. “Bacalao Con Pan”
2. “Angel Love (Come For Me)”
3. “Rain Down On Me” ft. Dave Matthews & Carter Beauford
4. “Corazón Espinado” (Spanish Dance Remix) ft. Maná
5. “One Fine Morning”
6. “Exodus/Get Up Stand Up”
7. “Ya Yo Me Cure”
8. “Maria Maria” (Pumpin’ Dolls Club Mix) ft. The Product G&B
9. “Smooth” (Instrumental)
10. “The Calling Jam” ft. Eric Clapton (instrumental)
11. “Olympic Festival” (from the Girlfight soundtrack)
BONNAROO LINE-UP TO BE ANNOUNCED TUESDAY
Organizers of the Bonnaroo festival made an announcement about the event’s line-up yesterday. The festival promoters revealed that the bill for the annual three day gathering in Tennessee will be slowly revealed on Tuesday via an unusual multimedia presentation. Following the announcement, tickets will be on sale. Learn more at Bonnaroo.com.
DISNEY MAKES UNIQUE BASSES FOR A GOOD CAUSE
If you’re looking for a unique bass, Disney and the GRAMMY Foundation have the answer. The two are pairing up to auction off hand-painted instruments which will benefit the GRAMMY In the Schools programs. Five string basses, each one-of-a-kind works of art, have been designed and painted by renowned Walt Disney Animation studio artists. The instruments will be on display at art museums across the country before going under the gavel at Las Vegas’ Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in the summer. Learn more at GRAMMYInTheSchools.com.
