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One man largely symbolizes the divergent fortunes of sister stations MTV and VH1. Can you believe it’s Ozzy Osbourne? MTV has him, and the reality sitcom starring the frazzled heavy-metal legend and his family has become the kind of water-cooler hit that cable executives only dream of. “The Osbournes” has helped MTV build the biggest audience in its history. VH1 doesn’t have him. It doesn’t have much of anything else that people are talking about, and that’s reflected in sinking ratings and management uncertainty over the future. The two Viacom-owned companies are racing in opposite directions. “Things seem to be… Read more »

Detox is no place for chronic, so expect something different from Dr. Dre on his third and final album. “I’m not talking about lowriders and blunts and all that anymore,” Dre said at his studio recently. “I mean, that’s played. As a matter of fact, I’m tired of hearing other people talk about it, to tell you the truth.” So what is the hip-hop pioneer going to talk about? “I had to come up with something different but still keep it hardcore, so what I decided to do was make my album one story about one person and just do… Read more »

The cameraman removed the digital video camera from the tripod and got ready for some hand-held shots of the X-ecutioners at Phat Beats record store in the West Village. A look of concern creased the face of the group’s publicist, who hurriedly approached the producer of the shoot. Her idea was to lead into the television news story with shots of the DJs scratching, but the X-ecutioners, whose new record, Built From Scratch, charted at #15 on this week’s Billboard 200 albums chart, don’t normally perform in retail outlets and their label rep was worried that without their precision equipment… Read more »

The Eagles, Billy Joel, No Doubt, the Dixie Chicks, Eddie Vedder and others are playing a series of benefit concerts the night before Wednesday’s Grammy Awards for a unique cause: each other. The four Los Angeles concerts Tuesday, to benefit the Recording Artists Coalition, represent a shot across the bow of the recording industry from the people whose work it markets. The artists are demanding new relations with record labels, including fairer contracts and more oversight of accounting practices. “It’s time that the artistic community grows up,” said singer Don Henley, who urged artists not to ignore the business of… Read more »

Britney Spears’s new Pepsi commercial will be unveiled during the first quarter of the Super Bowl on Sunday (February 3). The 90-second ad, dubbed “Now And Then,” will take viewers on a ride through Pepsi’s advertising history-the Pepsi Generations. Spears stars in Pepsi commercials with ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s themes, rocking all the way up to 2002 with her updated version of the “Joy Of Pepsi” song. The spot was created by Pepsi’s longtime advertising agency, BBDO New York. Spears said of the Pepsi commercial, “Commercials are always the best on the Super Bowl, so hopefully my commercial will… Read more »

It was the year when “King of Pop” Michael Jackson cried at the Oxford Union, pop teen queen Britney Spears performed on stage with a snake and Icelandic singer Bjork turned up at the Oscars dressed as a swan. British showbiz writers searched for tittle-tattle on Robbie Williams’ love life and speculated endlessly about the demise of the hit girl band The Spice Girls. But the story that grabbed the most headlines in 2001 involved a Hollywood power couple who out of the blue announced they were ending what many considered was a rock-solid marriage. The divorce of Tom Cruise… Read more »

The birthplace of the world’s most famous band the Beatles remembered George Harrison on Saturday as an inspirational musician, a spiritual man of conviction and a reluctant celebrity. Outside the Liverpool house where Harrison was born 58 years ago, fans from as far afield the United States and Australia braved the northern English cold to pay tribute to the man known as the “Quiet Beatle.” “George: a man of conviction along with John. Rest in peace,” said a note written by a fan placed with a bunch of flowers on the windowsill of the tiny house in Arnold Grove. Eddie… Read more »

Britney Spears’ third album, “Britney”, debuts at no. 1 on the album sales chart this week with 745,744 units sold, more than doubling last week’s top selling album. This gives Britney Spears the second best selling album of 2001 according to Soundscan (the no. 1 best selling album of 2001 goes to her label mates *NSYNC). Beyond all of this, Britney also becomes the first solo female performer in the history of The Billboard 200 to have her first three albums debut in the no. 1 spot. Britney demonstrates the artist’s global appeal with debuts at number one in Canada,… Read more »

EMI’s glittering roster of recording artists, from Mariah Carey to the Rolling Stones, failed to save the music giant from a dismal year, but investors are pinning hopes on new recruit Alain Levy to bring sparkle back to the balance sheet. In an industry facing its worst ever year, EMI is reeling from two failed mergers and a lack of big hits. Jaded investors are eager to hear Levy’s plans as the new head of recorded music when the group reports an expected sharp fall in first half profits Monday. EMI warned in September that full-year profits would slide 20… Read more »

The smell of dirty laundry will fill the air December 11th when Kiss and Make-Up, the autobiography of Kiss bassist Gene Simmons, hits shelves. “It’s time for our children to find out that all was not well with mom and dad,” says Simmons. “From afar, Gene looks like the evil mean one; Paul looks like the romantic, thoughtful loving one; Ace looks like the spacey kind of innocent guy; Peter’s just cute and cuddly. Kiss and Make-Up is here to tell you that what you see is not necessarily what you get – that, behind the scenes, chemicals do in… Read more »