DIDDY, NE-YO TO PERFORM AT THE AMAS
We’ve just learned Ne-Yo and Diddy—Dirty Money have been announced as performers at the 2010 American Music Awards. The entertainers join previously confirmed performers including Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Ke$ha, Christina Aguilera, Bon Jovi, P!nk and Usher. Viewers will be able to watch the event live from Los Angeles when it airs on ABC Sunday, November 21st at 8 PM.
KE$HA TOPS BILLBOARD HOT 100 CHART
As we reported yesterday, Ke$ha debuts at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with her new single “We R Who We R.” Taylor Swift is making waves on the chart as 11 songs from her number one album Speak Now appear on the chart. Swift’s “Sparks Fly” leads the way at number 17, while “Mine” falls eight spots to number 21. Far East Movement’s breakthrough single “Like a G6” featuring Cataracs & Dev falls to number two after two weeks at the summit. Former number one, “Just the Way You Are” by Bruno Mars, falls one notch to number three, ahead of Rihanna’s “Only Girl (In The World),” which also slips a spot to number four. Nelly’s “Just A Dream” rounds out the top five.
NEW CHRISTINA SONGS FROM BURLESQUE SURFACE
According to ThatGrapeJuice.net, “Express” will be Christina Aguilera’s first single from the Burlesque soundtrack, which will arrive in stores on November 16th. The website also posted a clip from the film featuring Aguilera singing “I’m A Good Girl.” X-tina will perform a song from Burlesque on the American Music Awards, which will beam out from the Nokia Theater at LA Live on November 21st on ABC at 8 PM Eastern.
HEAR IT! Take a listen to “Express” here: http://thatgrapejuice.net/2010/11/song-christina-aguilera-express/
SEE IT! Check out the clip from Burlesque here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybhZMu3JEpo&
KE$HA TOPS DIGITAL SONGS CHART
Ke$ha tops the Digital Songs chart with her new single “We R Who We R” selling over 280-thousand copies. According to Billboard, it marks the most downloads in one week since Taylor Swift’s “Mine” bowed atop the list with 297-thosuand copies in August. It’s Ke$ha’s second number one on the Digital Songs chart, following her premiere effort, “Tik Tok,” which reigned for six weeks back in January. Last week’s number one song, Far East Movement’s “Like a G6,” falls to number two, selling 178-thosuand copies. Willow’s “Whip My Hair” bows at number four with 137-thosuand copies, Swift’s “Sparks Fly” comes in at number eight with 113-thousand, while Kanye West’s “Monster” screams 59 spots to number 10 in its second week with over 97-thosuand downloads.
BABY SPICE PREGNANT!
Emma Bunton, better known as “Baby Spice,” is expecting her second child. The 34-year-old singer announced via Twitter that she and Jade Jones are expecting their second child together. The new addition is due in May and will join three-year-old big brother Beau Lee. According to People.com, this will be the ninth Spice baby: Victoria Beckham has three sons – Brooklyn, Romeo, and Cruz; Melanie Brown has two daughters – Phoenix and Angel; Geri Hallwell has a daughter Bluebell; while Melanie Chisholm has baby Scarlet, who is just under two.
GAGA MAKES A VIDEO OF PEOPLE DRESS AS GAGA
If you went out on Halloween this year, then you almost certainly saw someone dressed up as Lady Gaga. Well the pop star asked people to send her pictures of themselves in their Gaga costumes, and she then proceeded to make a ten-minute long video of all the pics. Check out the compilation on YouTube now.
DIRECT LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSXKR8kPdRY
GAGA’S MONSTER BALL TOUR RIDER
Have you ever wondered what is on Lady Gaga’s rider while she is out on her Monster Ball tour? Well The X magazine claims to know. A source says that the pop star demands a whole bunch of different food and drink items, including Red Bull, Vitamin Water, dried mangos and a whole roasted chicken. But the source says the most important items are honey and an oxygen tank, which she uses to preserve her voice. Learn more at ContactMusic.com.
NEW VIDEO FROM NATASHA BEDINGFIELD
Natasha Bedingfield has just released the video for her new song “Strip Me,” the title track off of her forthcoming album. Check it out now on her official website, NatashaBedingfield.com. Strip Me the album is due out on December 7th.
SPEND NEW YEAR’S EVE WITH MICHAEL FRANTI
Want to spend New Year’s Eve with Michael Franti? Well the singer-songwriter is going to be celebrating in Ubud, Bali, and proceeds from the event will benefit a good cause. So if you feel like taking a little trip with Michael during the holidays, head to MichaelFranti.com and get all the details.
THE SCRIPT’S ALBUM HAS AMERICAN RELEASE DATE
The Script have finally announced a U-S release date for their brand new sophomore album Science & Faith. The disc, which debuted at number one when it was released in September in the U-K and Ireland, will be available in the states on January 18th. Learn more about the Irish rocker’s new album at TheScriptMusic.com.
FM THROWS A FREE CONCERT IN L-A
Far East Movement excited fans by throwing a free concert at the Key Club in West Hollywood, California. The sold-out show started when DJ Virman stepped behind the turntables to play songs for the excited crowd. A video montage followed, which introduced each member of the band. J-Splif, Kev Nish and Prohgress came out on stage in astronaut helmets as they performed their first song of the night “I Party.” The group went on to perform such songs as “Girls on the Dance Floor,” “Don’t Look Now” and even paid tribute to the Beastie Boys. Singer Dev surprised fans as she joined the group on stage to perform “Like A G6.” The group ended the night by performing their new single, “Rockteer.” FM’s Free Wired album debuted at number 24 on the Billboard album chart three weeks ago. The band is currently on tour and take the stage in Bakersfield, California tonight.
MAROON 5 MAN BLOGS
Maroon 5 keyboardist Jesse Carmichael just posted a brand new blog on the band’s official website. See what the piano-man has to say for himself at Maroon5.com.
P!NK RELEASES A NEW SONG
P!nk just released the video for her song “Raise Your Glasses,” but she’s not done giving new music to her fans. The pop star just put up online the song “F**kin’ Perfect,” which will be on her forthcoming Greatest Hits… So Far!!! album. Listen now at PinksPage.com.
TRAIN RELEASE SAVE ME, SAN FRANCISCO GOLDEN GATE EDITION
The San Francisco Giants are the champions of baseball, so perhaps it’s only fitting that one of the best known bands from the City by the Bay have released a new album. Train’s Save Me, San Francisco Golden Gate Edition is now available online, and it features a couple of new songs, some different versions of old songs, and even a cover of Rihanna’s hit “Umbrella.” Learn more at TrainLine.com, or simply head to iTunes or Amazon.com and pick it up today.
NICKELBACK TO BEGIN NEW ALBUM IN FEBRUARY
Nickelback just wrapped up a very long tour, but fans already want to know when they’ll begin working on the follow-up to Dark Horse. Billboard reports that singer Chad Kroeger expects to start writing in earnest around February and would hope to work with Dark Horse producer Mutt Lange, but only in a writing capacity. So there you have it!
2010 MTV EMAS SET TO ROCK MADRID
This Sunday, the 2010 MTV EMAs take place live in Madrid, Spain. The annual awards show will be hosted by Eva Longoria and features performances by Kings of Leon, Linkin Park, Rihanna, Katy Perry, 30 Seconds to Mars, Kid Rock and many more. But just because the event is taking place across the pond doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy it! The 2010 MTV EMAs air on MTV2 on Sunday at 9 PM Eastern. Don’t miss it!
JAMES BLUNT TALKS TO PEOPLE IN THE ARMY
James Blunt knows just what to do if he ever feels like he’s having a bad day. According to ContactMusic.com, the “You’re Beautiful” singer, who was formerly a soldier in the British Army, talks to some of his friends who are in “places like Afghanistan at the moment.” He said that he hears about the “incredibly hard” times that they’re having, and that it really “puts things into perspective.”
MICHAEL BUBLE ON ACCESS HOLLYWOOD
A behind the scenes look at the video shoot for Michael Buble’s new song “Hollywood” was recently featured on Access Hollywood. Don’t worry if you missed it though, because you can see the segment now on the singer’s official website. Head to MichaelBuble.com to watch.
INGRID MICHAELSON ACOUSTIC
Ingrid Michaelson stopped by Perez Hilton’s studio in Los Angeles to perform a couple of songs acoustically, including her new tune “Parachute,” as well as the song that made her famous, “The Way I Am.” Check out the stripped down performance on the gossip site now.
http://perezhilton.com/2010-11-03-ingrid-michaelson-live-and-exclusive-intimate-acoustic-performance
CHESNEY ANNOUNCES STADIUM TOUR WITH UNCLE KRACKER
Kenny Chesney will be back in touring mode this summer with his Goin’ Coastal Tour after taking a break from the road in 2009. He will head to nine different stadiums next year where he will co-headline the dates with the Zac Brown Band. Uncle Kracker and Billy Currington will serve as opening acts for the all-day shows. Kenny will make at least seven-thousand tickets available for 25-dollars for the majority of his stadium dates, and 13-thousand available for the March 19th Tampa show.
TAYLOR SWIFT HAD THE HOTTS FOR JAKE OWEN?
Taylor Swift has sold over a million copies of her highly-anticipated Speak Now album in the first week, and the rumors are swirling that her song “Sparks Fly” was written about a fellow country musician — Jake Owen. Taylor fans did a little research on her MySpace blog and found a post Taylor wrote in October 2006 about her experience opening up for Jake at a bar called Duke’s in Portland, Oregon. The lyrical code for “Sparks Fly” is Portland, Oregon and the lyrics have changed since the first time she performed the song live in 2007. One of the verses that has since been altered was, “You say my name for the first time, baby, and I Fall in love in an empty bar.”
KID ROCK TO PERFORM ON THE 44TH ANNUAL CMA AWARDS
Kid Rock will take the stage next week when he performs at the 44th Annual CMA Awards. He is nominated for Musical Event of the Year for “Don’t You See” — his duet with the Zac Brown Band. He has a career total of two CMA Award nominations, having also been nominated in 2003 for Vocal Event of the Year for “Picture” — his duet with Sheryl Crow. His new album, Born Free, will be in stores on November 16th. The 44th Annual CMA Awards will broadcast live from Nashville on Wednesday at 8PM Eastern on ABC.
LIL WAYNE’S FIRST TWEET AFTER PRISON STINT
Just hours after being released from Riker’s Island on Thursday morning, DJ Scoob Doo posted a Twitpic of Lil Wayne enjoying a cigar near his laptop with a glass of wine. The rapper tweeted to his 890-thousand plus followers: “aaaaaaahhhhhhmmmmm baaaaakkkkkkkkkk!” Be sure to visit MTV.com for a full breakdown of what Wayne did during his first 72 hours of freedom.
SWIZZ BEATZ TO TEACH AT NYU
Swizz Beatz has just announced that he’s been appointed as the first Producer In Residence at New York University for The Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music. The hitmaker said in a statement, “I’m excited to be able to take my many years of experience in the music business and use it as an example to instruct students. The invitation from Mr. Davis is humbling and I’m honored.” Students can expect Beatz to take part in group lectures, mentoring programs and music critiques for the remainder of the semester. Nice!
GUCCI’S CHARGES GET DROPPED
According to the Associated Press, Gucci Mane has reportedly been cleared of all charges filed against him stemming from his arrest on Tuesday. The rapper allegedly drove recklessly and damaged government property before being locked up in Atlanta’s Fulton County Jail. However, prosecutors have opted to drop the case for unknown reasons. We’ll keep you posted with further updates.
AKON LOVES BEING A CELEBRITY
Akon has accomplished so much since he first made a splash in the industry with “Locked Up” in 2004. Who knew he’d go on to evolve as an artist, discover new stars like Lady Gaga, introduce his clothing line, Konvict Clothing, and headline tours worldwide. He reflected on what the best part about being famous is (See Related Cuts #4 -& #5). In related news, the singer is putting the finishing touches on his upcoming Stadium LP, which will arrive on November 22nd.
MARIO CLEARED OF ASSAULT CHARGE
Billboard.com reports Mario has been cleared of all assault charges for allegedly pushing his mother, Shawntia Hardaway, “eight feet into a living room wall” in their shared Baltimore apartment. Prosecutors had no choice but to drop the case after Hardaway changed her story and claimed that her son never touched her. She was under the influence of an unknown substance when she initially called the police last month. No further details are known at this time.
NEW DETAILS ON FAITH EVANS NEW FILM ROLE
SingersRoom.com has learned new information on Faith Evans taking the lead role in Blondie, the biopic about Florence Ballard, the original lead singer from The Supremes. The script will be based loosely on the book The Lost Supreme and Evans has reportedly spent time with Ballard’s family to learn more about the legendary singer. Fans can expect the Bille Woodruff-directed film to hit the big screen next summer with an accompanying soundtrack featuring Lauryn Hill, Kelly Price and others.
TREY SONGZ REMIXES KANYE’S “RUNAWAY”
Trey Songz is hard at work on a new mixtape titled #LemmeHolDatBeat. The singer, who’s notorious for making unofficial remixes, has just leaked the revamped version of Kanye West’s “Runaway.” Check out the new tune via Tremaine’s official website today!
SONG LINK: http://hulkshare.com/vubfvwswsg7q
CIARA TALKS TURNING 25 YEARS OLD
On October 25th, Ciara turned 25 years old. We recently caught up with the singer to find out how she feels and the biggest thing she’s learned since bursting on the scene with “Goodies” in 2004 (See Related Cut #6). The singer is looking forward to the release of her highly anticipated album, Basic Instinct, which will be available on December 14th.
SOULJA BOY TALKS BEING LYRICAL
In XXL’s November 2010 issue, Soulja Boy addressed why he chooses to make rap music that isn’t profoundly lyrical. As he grows as an artist so that people take him seriously, SB explained, “I don’t want to be super-Lupe-Fiasco-lyrical and n****s don’t know what the f**k I’m talking about.” Soulja just wants “to be the best” to where he’s “nominated for [a GRAMMY for] Best Rapper with Jay-Z and Kanye West and Lil Wayne.” In related news, the rapper’s upcoming album, The DeAndre Way, will be available on November 30th.
TALKING POINT: If Soulja tried to become more lyrical and thoughtful in his music, would it improve his career or hinder it? How would his fan base react?
REAL RICK ROSS DROPS CASE AGAINST RICK ROSS
We’ve just learned the multimillion dollar lawsuit filed by “Freeway” Ricky Ross against rapper Rick Ross has reportedly been dismissed. The convicted felon was looking to win ten-million dollars for trademark infringement since Rozay allegedly used his name without consent and gained significant profits. AllHipHop.com confirms the there is still a chance for Freeway to appeal the decision. We’ll keep you updated!
T.I. TO RELEASE NO MERCY FROM PRISON
Billboard.com has learned T.I. intends to release his oft-delayed album, now titled No Mercy, while he’s incarcerated for violating the terms of his probation. The follow-up to 2008’s Paper Trail will include contributions from Chris Brown, Kanye West, Eminem, Christina Aguilera and The-Dream. The disc arrives on December 7th. In related news, Tip has served three days of his eleven month sentence inside Arkansas’ Forrest City Correctional facility.
