Something Corporate back in the studio for ‘best of’ album
The band spent last week in a Santa Monica recording studio.
The band spent last week in a Santa Monica recording studio.
DETROIT – Amidst tough economic times and an ever changing music industry, not everybody can sell records like Lil’ Wayne. Mix in the rise of illegal file sharing and an over saturation of acts flooding the music scene, and it’s easy to see why bands can’t carry on, much less sell thousands of records.
NEW YORK – The Audition lived up to more than its name would suggest Wednesday night in Webster Hall.
Memphis musician Jimmy Jay Lindsey Jr., better known as Jay Reatard, was found dead in his home in Midtown’s Cooper-Young neighborhood this morning, according to family and friends. He was 29.
LOS ANGELES – Michael Jackson’s arms were covered with punctures, his face and neck were scarred and he had tattooed eyebrows and lips, but he wasn’t the sickly skeleton of a man portrayed by tabloids, according to his autopsy report obtained by The Associated Press. In fact, the Los Angeles County coroner’s report shows Jackson was a fairly healthy 50-year-old before he died of an overdose. His 136 pounds were in the acceptable range for a 5-foot-9 man. His heart was strong with no sign of plaque buildup. And his kidneys and most other major organs were normal. Still, Jackson… Read more »
Eminem’s music publisher wants a bigger slice from Apple. Eight Mile Style and a co-plaintiff, Martin Affiliated, are suing Apple, claiming they never authorised the use of 93 songs in a downloadable format on Apple’s popular iTunes service. The non-jury trial is expected to start Thursday in the rapper’s hometown of Detroit, unless a settlement is reached Wednesday with the help of US Magistrate Judge Virginia Morgan. Eight Mile also is suing Aftermath Records, which controls the recordings in question, saying it didn’t have the right to make deals on digital downloads. It’s unclear from court documents just how much… Read more »
There was a time when most aspiring musicians had the same dream: to sign a deal with a major record label. Now, with the structure of the music business shifting radically, some industry iconoclasts are sidestepping the music giants and inventing new ways for artists to make and market their music – without ever signing a traditional recording contract. The latest effort comes from Brian Message, manager of the alternative band Radiohead, which gave away its last album, “In Rainbows,” on the Internet. His venture, called Polyphonic, which was announced this month, will look to invest a few hundred thousand… Read more »
In early 1984, when Epic Records executives presented their slate of upcoming releases at the convention in Hawaii of parent company CBS Records they couldn’t resist playing up the success they were experiencing. So between the pitches for new albums, Epic inserted stock footage of semi trucks and a voice-over that thunderously announced, “There goes another load of Michael Jackson’s Thriller albums!” Trucks weren’t really leaving the warehouse every few minutes, but Thriller was still shattering expectations more than a year after its November 30, 1982, release. Epic was selling more than 1 million copies per month in the United… Read more »
Just when they thought she was in, they pulled her back out. In what is likely a surprise to no one, Amy Winehouse has canceled plans to perform in London next week in what would have been her first U.K. appearance of the year. The concert, scheduled to take place May 31st, was one of many gigs planned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her label, Island Records. It was due to be the final show of the weeklong celebration. According to a statement issued by her representative, “Amy Winehouse’s management has regretfully announced that Amy and her band will… Read more »
LOS ANGELES (Billboard) — Nearly two weeks after the premiere of Disney’s “Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert” film, the sibling music act has unveiled dates for a world tour. The 44-date North American leg begins June 20 at the Dallas Cowboys New Stadium in Texas and wraps Aug. 31 at the Scotiabank Place in Ottawa. Before the North American arena dates, the Jonas Brothers World Tour 2009 will play a handful of dates in South America in mid-May and head to the United Kingdom and Europe in early June. The Jonas Brothers trek will feature support from “American Idol” winner… Read more »