Search Results for: 2003

On May 15, Linkin Park will unleash Minutes to Midnight, their much-anticipated follow-up to 2003’s Meteora. And though the album has been in the works for nearly four years now, it’s actually based on a concept that’s much, much older – and much, much creepier than you might expect. “The title is a reference to the Doomsday Clock, which was created by these scientists at the University of Chicago after the United States dropped the atomic bomb on Japan to end World War II,” Linkin Park co-frontman Chester Bennington explained. “Given the idea that mankind now had this ultimate destructive… Read more »

A rock archive Web site is fighting back against a copyright lawsuit brought by some of music’s most notable classic rock acts, dragging two major record labels into the battle. In December, Led Zeppelin, the Grateful Dead, Santana and the Doors sued Wolfgang’s Vault claiming that the Bill Sagan-owned Web site violates intellectual property rights by selling merchandise and streaming concert archives belonging to the musicians. In response, Wolfgang’s Vault attorney Michael Elkin recently filed a 40-page counterclaim against the musicians and their labels, Sony BMG and Warner Music Group. “Far from being about bootlegging, consumer confusion or infringement of… Read more »

Britney Spears is certainly not the first celebrity to go off the rails in full view of her once-adoring public. But hers is one of the most spectacular falls from grace in recent memory, meticulously documented by paparazzi and bystanders, and uploaded instantly for the titillation of the masses. At 25 she’s certainly young enough to resume her career after she regroups, and for perspective, we’ve compiled some of the most notorious celebrity flameouts of the past 10 years, along with the success (or not) of their efforts to get back on track. We’ve rated these 1-4 in ascending order… Read more »

The Killers and the Arctic Monkeys, indie rockers from opposite sides of the Atlantic, took two trophies apiece Wednesday at Britain’s prestigious music-industry awards, the Brits. Las Vegas natives The Killers, who broke out in Britain before finding success at home, were named international group of the year at the British equivalent of the Grammys. They also took the international album prize for “Sam’s Town.” Infectious rockers the Arctic Monkeys – who released Britain’s fastest-selling debut album after building a cult Internet following – were named best British band. The Sheffield quartet also took the British album prize for “Whatever… Read more »

With Sting’s simple “Ladies and gentlemen, we are the Police,” one of the most iconic bands of the last 30 years ended a long absence from live performing to launch the 49th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday night. Blasting off with the unmistakable, reggae-fied “Roxanne” riff from guitarist Andy Summers and the hard jazz drumming of Stewart Copeland, the Police lived up to their top billing on the show, providing a spirited kickoff to one of the most anticipated reunions in a year full of get-backs. With a buff-if-balding Sting in fine form and voice, the trio’s homage to a… Read more »

After toiling away for seven years and building a rabid fan base in the Christian market, Relient K broke through to mainstream success with the 2004 release “Mmhmm.” The band’s career illustrates that sometimes the least calculated of efforts reap the most rewards. “Our band’s philosophy is we do what we do and whatever happens around us, happens around us,” lead vocalist/songwriter Matt Thiessen says. “We write the songs we want to write and try to have fun with the band. It’s not like we went into the record saying, ‘This would be a great radio song.”‘ Relient K’s fifth… Read more »

If you were among the 90 million or so Americans who tuned in to Super Bowl XLI, you were no doubt left with a few questions to go along with your Monday morning hangover: Is Rex Grossman just Neil O’Donnell reincarnated? Do people honestly find Carlos Mencia funny? And what was Prince doing working a version of the Foo Fighters’ “Best of You” into his high-octane halftime set? Well, we may not have the answers to all those quandaries – though we do suggest guzzling some Pedialyte to cure that crippling crapulence. But we can try to get to the… Read more »

It’s no secret – particularly to various employees at Gambleversity.com, MyBookie.org and/or BetOnAnythingThatMoves.net – that we here at MTV News enjoy the occasional foray into the exhilarating world of wagering. Of course, the key word here is occasional. But with Sunday’s Grammy Awards on the horizon, we convened the MTV News Bet-ological Braintrust – which is really nothing more than a couple of writers and “Hammerin’ ” Hank Goldberg on speakerphone – and determined just which of the Grammy’s 108 categories are most ripe for some sweet speculation. While there are plenty of intriguing possibilities – the battle between Eddie… Read more »

He’s an actor, Grammy-winning singer and two-time Best Burp Award-winner. Now Justin Timberlake can add another title to his resume: awards-show host. Timberlake has been tapped to host Nickelodeon’s 20th annual Kids’ Choice Awards on March 31 at the University of California, Los Angeles. “I’m revving up to have an even bigger blast than usual” at the ceremony, said Timberlake, 27, who is nominated for best male singer along with Chris Brown, Jesse McCartney and Sean Paul. “While honoring kids’ opinions, it taps into the kid in all of us.” Timberlake previously won three Kids’ Choice Awards, including favorite musical… Read more »

Linkin Park are to release their third studio album ahead of a headline slot at this year’s Download Festival. The as-yet-untitled-set is confirmed for release on April 30th, with the U.S. rockers also preparing a single to hit a week prior, on April 23rd. Co-produced by Rick Rubin and the band’s co-lead vocalist Mike Shinoda (who toured his side project throughout 2006), the set is described as ‘unpredictable’ by the band’s other singer Chester Bennington. “[It’s] dark and spooky, poppy and very melodic…” he says. “We’re straying away from a lot of the predictable sounds we’ve had in the past.… Read more »