Search Results for: The Maine

The Dixie Chicks have earned their spot in the 2002 edition of Guinness World Records for having the all-time best-selling country album by a group with their debut effort, Wide Open Spaces. “When I read all the outrageous things people have done to make it into the book, I feel guilty that we did it by selling records,” says lead singer Natalie Maines. “No one else had 11 million people help them like we did.” The trio’s combined sales of their two albums, Wide Open Spaces and Fly, total more than 20 million copies worldwide. Published since 1955, Guinness World… Read more »

Pop / R&B superstar Usher has just announced his plans to headline his own U.S. Tour to kick-off in November 2001 in support of his explosive album, 8701. Usher fans worldwide have been anxiously anticipating a concert tour from the talented superstar. At last, they’ll get a chance to see Usher perform in major cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington DC and Miami, among others. The tour will kick-off in Baltimore, MD on November 29. Opening acts and venues will be announced shortly. Usher is set to play theatre-sized venues and will roll-out the second leg of the… Read more »

British music giant EMI Group Plc on Monday appointed former PolyGram president Alain Levy as the new chief of its recorded music division in a move aimed at reversing the decline at one of its main operations. EMI, home to such acts as Mariah Carey, Radiohead, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie, said Levy would become the new chairman and chief executive officer at EMI Recorded Music, replacing Ken Berry, who had left the group by “mutual agreement.” Levy also will take up a position on the main board. The company added in a statement its trading remained… Read more »

It’s been nearly four years since R&B star Monica released her last CD, 1998’s The Boy Is Mine, which featured the chart-topping title track, a duet with Brandy. Her fans won’t have too much longer to wait for new music. “I hope to have the record ready by the beginning of the year,” she says. “I’m working with Jermaine Dupri, and right now we have three songs done.” In addition to reuniting with prolific producer Dupri (Ludacris, Mariah Carey, Destiny’s Child, Lil’ Bow Wow), with whom she worked on The Boy Is Mine, Monica is getting production help from Dallas… Read more »

A fire erupted Tuesday afternoon (October 9) at the building housing Hit Factory Recording Studios, birthplace of records by artists ranging from John Lennon to Notorious B.I.G., causing an unknown amount of damage. No one who worked in the building was hurt in the blaze, according to police on the scene, though the section of the building that faces West 54th Street appeared severely damaged. The fire was contained chiefly to the fourth-floor offices of SESAC, a performing-rights organization representing songwriters and publishers that leases space in the building, according to Hit Factory executive Troy Germano. The Hit Factory has… Read more »

Pressplay and EMI today announced that the EMI has agreed to license music from its extensive catalog to the online music company comprised of Sony and Universal. Pressplay currently expects to launch its consumer music subscription service later this fall. EMI is one of the backers of MusicNet, which also expects to launch a subscription service this fall. MusicNet is the digital music distribution company formed by RealNetworks, AOL Time Warner, Bertelsmann, and EMI Group. Pressplay will offer access to a vast catalog of digital music through an array of affiliates, including Yahoo!, MSN, and MP3.com. The Pressplay service will… Read more »

There’s a lot more going on with the all-star remake of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” including a rock version that will include the frontmen from Korn and Stone Temple Pilots. The release date for the Bono-organized, Jermaine Dupri-produced project has been bumped from December 1 to October 23, and there will now be an R&B version by Dupri, a slower version produced by Bono and a rock version manned by Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst, according to the project’s publicist. Durst’s version will include rock singers Jonathan Davis, Scott Weiland and Perry Farrell. Monica, Usher, Maxwell, Jagged Edge and TLC’s… Read more »

When you’re one of the game’s most sought-after producers, working with somebody of your choice is usually not that difficult. Unless, of course, it’s another heavily sought-after producer you’re looking to work with. In August, Timbaland said he was hoping he and Dr. Dre could juggle their hectic schedules long enough to work on a major collaboration. “I want to do a Dr. Dre/Timbaland album,” he said. “We’ve been talking about that. We’re trying to do something real crazy.” On Thursday, Tim said it looks like that project is becoming more of a reality. “[We’ve] been talking about doing an… Read more »

Tim McGraw, Elton John, the Backstreet Boys and Sugar Ray will headline the third annual Radio Music Awards to be telecast live from the Aladdin Theatre of the Performing Arts on Oct. 26 on ABC. Other performers and presenters scheduled so far include Lenny Kravitz, Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks, Stevie Nicks, Kid Rock, his former girlfriend Sheryl Crow, Snoop Dogg and Nelly Furtado. The two-hour telecast recognizes the achievements of recording artists and radio personalities in various musical formats. Show hosts and nominees are to be announced at a later date. The Legend Award will be given to… Read more »

With lower Manhattan cut off to civilian traffic after Tuesday’s terrorist assault on the World Trade Center, officials at independent music magazine publisher CMJ decided to put off for a month its annual Music Marathon & Film Fest, which was to have started Thursday. The four-day event, which typically hosts scores of upcoming and established indie bands in downtown venues including the Bowery Ballroom, Irving Plaza and the Mercury Lounge, now will begin Oct. 10, a spokesman confirmed. “On behalf of the entire CMJ extended family, I wish to extend my most profound condolences to the families of the innocent… Read more »