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| Britney Spears Unveils Her <i>Circus</i> Stimulus Package Posted: 04 Mar 2009 07:47 AM PST Brit's spectacular show steamrolls over the haters, and even converts a few, in Bigger Than the Sound.
Britney Spears should probably be president at this point. She knows how to get things done. This was more than evident on Tuesday night at the New Orleans Arena, when Britney pulled back the flaps on her Circus tour, a two-hour spectacle of lights and sounds (and more lights and sounds), a dizzying mélange of epic dance numbers, bare midriffs, flames, wayward acrobatics, burlesque tassles, floating furniture and very little actual singing. Not as if that last part mattered.
In fact, we could probably debate for hours about whether or not Britney actually sang a note during her show (and I'm sure we will in the comments below), but suffice it to say it didn't look like she did. At one point, she was placed in a box and sawed in half by that dude who used to be on "Saved by the Bell," and her vocals didn't even waver a note, surely a first in the world of performing — and, to be honest, it was almost better that way. To debate such a minor detail as singing would be missing the entire point of the evening. And of Britney Spears. Because for 120 amazing minutes on Tuesday, Britney positively killed it. She was in her element, holding the squealing masses in the palm of her hand, and she did not let up until the bitter end, when she was dressed as a sexy cop and bathed in a shower of sparks. Say what you want about her — and there's certainly plenty to say — but you can never again argue that she does not put on a total and complete show. Not after Circus, at least. This was Spears facing up to her detractors. This was her doing things the way she wanted: Singing be damned, let's dance. If Britney Spears fans couldn't care less about hearing her sing and would rather see her look amazing and dance all nasty, well, then the Circus tour is for Britney fans, and no one else. President Obama should take notes. Because Circus is Britney's stimulus package. I didn't realize this until hours after the show, as I sat in my hotel room watching CNN, but it makes sense. It's a metaphor that works on many levels (her outfits got a rise out of many, to say the least), but let's focus on just one: It's her bit of necessary evil, a somewhat troubling bit of musical legislation that, had she gone any other way but her own, had she listened to the naysayers, certainly wouldn't have worked. Where Obama made concessions to Republicans (tax cuts) to get his package passed, Britney steamrolled over the haters and just did things her way. There are no tax cuts on this tour, just lots of dancing and a few martial-arts sequences. And that's why Britney's stimulus package will succeed, while Obama's isn't looking so hot right now. And while that seems like a long — not to mention incredibly over-generalizing — way to go to make a relatively insane point (since when has that stopped me in the past?), allow me to continue onward for just a few more paragraphs. See, before I flew to New Orleans on Tuesday, I was sort of like the Bobby Jindal to Britney's package. I was ardently opposed to practically everything she had ever done. I thought she was short-sighted and somewhat irresponsible and would saddle our future generations with debt beyond their wildest contemplation. Now, after seeing her strut and sweat her way across the stage for two hours, after realizing just how brave the Circus is, I am completely changed. I am a supporter. I think it will work. At the very least, I will definitely accept funds from it. And you should too — not just because free money is good money. Trust me, it's not too late to jump on the Britney train. No one in the press box at the New Orleans Arena had made the leap yet, and there are millions out there just like them. Maybe you are one of them. I know I was. In tough times, we need decisive leaders, capable of taking action and making tough decisions. We need someone who is willing to go out on a limb, to shoulder the responsibility for ourselves and our future generations. We need Britney Spears. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Rick Ross Announces Mini-Tour, <i>Deeper Than Rap</i> Details Posted: 04 Mar 2009 02:42 AM PST Miami MC releases song titles, collaboration information for album that drops April 21.
According to Rick Ross, his Deeper Than Rap album — set to drop April 21 — will be his hip-hop "inauguration." The LP, originally slated for a March 24 release, has been pushed back a month. Ross and his reps recently released a bit more info on the project, supplying us with collabos and song titles.
"Valley of Death" features Mary J. Blige, while The-Dream's go-to guy, producer Tricky Stewart, supplied the beat for "All I Want." Other beat men on the LP include the Runner, who wrote tracks for "Boss' Lady," "In Cold Blood" and "Laid Back," and Drumma Boy, who helmed "Face." The J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League — the team behind many tracks on Ross' previous albums — produced "Maybach Music, Pt. 2," which features Lil Wayne and Kanye West. The League's handiwork can also be heard on "Rich Off Cocaine" and "Yacht Club." Nas also has a cameo on "Usual Suspects." The Boss is also planning a mini-tour of New York this spring, the first stop being in 50 Cent's home borough of Queens. "We got something coming up real soon," Ross told us recently. "We're having a big concert in New York City. The money I make will go to underprivileged kids — some of the orphans. I'm starting in Queens, then I'm going to the Bronx, then I'm going to Brooklyn, then I'm stopping in Harlem, then I'm going to 305 [Miami]. Real people do real things." Ross' label, Def Jam, does not have the official dates for these stops as of yet. Related Videos Related Artists |
| 'American Idol' Recap: Lil Rounds, Felicia Barton, Scott MacIntyre Bring It Posted: 04 Mar 2009 06:48 AM PST Jorge Nuñez also gets noticed, as does Nathaniel Marshall, in a bad way.
The third round of top 36 performances unfolded Tuesday night pretty much like the previous two: Some wannabes just picked the wrongs songs, others blasted up from nowhere and the frontrunners grabbed a few more feathers for their caps. First the good news: Lil Rounds might be your next American Idol. The night ended with the woman who could be this year's top contender, the 24-year-old mother of three, biting into Mary J. Blige's "Be Without You" and nailing the midtempo inspirational number with strength and confidence, leaving judge Simon Cowell looking a bit stunned. "Brilliant," was all he could say, with Randy Jackson adding that Lil Rounds is among the best they've found this year, as he gave mad props for her "swagger." The unanimous thumbs up went all the way down the line, with Paula Abdul quipping, "I have the sneaking suspicion we're going to see you for many more Lil Rounds." (Look back at our "American Idol" live blog to relive last night's performances.) The night's biggest surprise was Felicia Barton, 26, a stay-at-home mom from Virginia Beach, Virginia, who didn't originally make it to the top 36, but who was called back when Joanna Pacitti was disqualified. Barton was out to prove to the judges that she belonged in the competition, and she nailed it. Wearing a black leather jacket, black spangly top and black jeans, she came out swinging on Alicia Keys' "No One," knocking the vocals out of the park and winning over the crowd in the process. "Isn't it funny how the universe works," Paula said. "Your talent, your gift is unbelievable. ... I'm so glad we brought you back." Simon liked the performance, though he felt it was a bit "copycat." Randy loved it, and Kara DioGuardi praised Barton's attitude, presence and new sexy look. "I noticed you for the first time tonight, I really noticed you," she said. The show's first blind contestant, Scott MacIntyre, went old-school with Bruce Hornsby's "Mandolin Rain," initially warbling unevenly through the saccharine ballad, dropping a series of bum notes along the way until hitting a couple of soulful runs near the end. Randy said the vocal wasn't perfect, but that the good parts were really good, and he could really feel the emotion in the performance. "You move mountains when you step on that stage," Kara said, excusing MacIntyre's not-so-great notes by saying even when he's off, he's off with passion. Calling him "one of our finest," Paula said she couldn't wait to hear MacIntyre get back behind the piano in the next round. Simon blasted the bland song choice while admitting that MacIntyre was growing on him as he appeared to gain confidence, saying he would be "amazed" if MacIntyre didn't advance. The other pleasant surprise was Ju'Not Joyner, 26, who transformed Plain White T's "Hey There Delilah" into a meditative John Legend-esque soul serenade. Randy loved that Joyner switched up the tune and held back, while Kara loved his smooth, fluid take and encouraged him to really bust it loose next time. Simon said it was better than he expected, but actually wished Joyner had stripped it back even further and found his "moment." The rest of the performances were a mixed bag. Von Smith opened the night, singing Marvin Gaye's "You're All I Need to Get By," in a quavering, whispery voice that grew stronger as he went on, seemingly shaking off his serious case of nerves. Wearing a baggy gray suit and red T-shirt with matching sneakers, Smith ended on a strong note, busting out some of his signature falsetto. Jackson said Smith was even better than he remembered him during the Hollywood weeks. Kara praised Smith for coming into his own and delivering a solid performance. Simon said that Smith reminded him of Clay Aiken, which was a good thing, though he added that the resemblance also extended to Smith's "appalling" clothing choices. Taylor Vaifanua, 17, a high school student from Hurricane, Utah, tried the dramatic ballad "If I Ain't Got You" by Alicia Keys, while rocking black latex tights and an indistinct black, gray and white minidress, bringing a classic, emotional R&B feel to the song. Kara said it's "obvious" that Vaifanua has a voice and talent, but her personality has yet to emerge. Paula Abdul was perplexed by Vaifanua's decision to sing a song she'd already sung during the Hollywood round. Trying to shake off the nerd tag, Alex Wagner-Trugman, 19, chose Elton John's "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues," growling and crooning the verses while bouncing away from the microphone to do a white-boy boogie several times, eventually tossing aside the stand (by accident, he said) and emoting his way through the ballad with a sandpaper and silk edge. Paula praised him for being an entertaining showman. Simon said that while it was fun watching him, it was no fun listening to his "ridiculous" growling. "You're like a little hamster trying to be a tiger," Simon sniped. "It just was actually a bit stupid." The news wasn't much better for San Diego's Arianna Afsar, 17, who performed the first ever ABBA song on the show, "The Winner Takes It All," struggling through the first half and then busting out the vocal strength the judges had earlier praised. Simon said there was a "certain irony" to the lyrics because it was "absolutely terrible," and the funereal arrangement did her no favors. "It was your worst performance by a clear mile," he said. Karaoke hostess Kristen McNamara, 23, went the blues route, with a laid-back cruise ship cover of Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason," accented by half a dozen soul growls and whoops. Kara praised McNamara for being a great singer, but said she would have rather seen a more rocking song. Simon said it just wasn't clear who she was yet, trashing her pink-icing "pageant" dress and gold stilettos. While all the judges questioned McNamara's not-quite-there fashion choices, it was clear that brash drama machine Nathaniel Marshall (who wants it "so bad," has he mentioned that?), was more than secure in his unique style. In the debut performance of Meat Loaf's power ballad "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" on the show, Marshall brought some "Starlight Express" Broadway sass to the suggestive tune, accenting his smarmy vocals with a "Miami Vice" electric-blue jacket, matching headband, yellow tank top and second-skin black pants. "Some people will quite like that, the minority," Simon snarked. "The majority probably, like me, thought it was verging on excruciating." The acerbic judge blasted the "awful" image Marshall brought with his Olivia Newton-John headband. But he added that on the positive side, people will remember the performance and that Marshall was fun. Randy said it was hard to imagine what kind of record Marshall would make as an artist, and Kara suggested he dial down the fun and show a more serious side. Texan Kendall Beard, 24, went native for "This One's for the Girls" by Martina McBride, smiling her way through the girl-power country anthem while wearing a canary-yellow dress, with what looked like a clutch of dried flowers lashed to her waist. Kara praised Kendall's "big personality" and choice of a country tune, but said the vocals were not great. Paula loved the outfit, which Beard's mother put together. And Simon said that though she picked the right song and was cute, "halfway through, I couldn't wait for it to end." Also performing was Puerto Rico's Jorge Nuñez, 21, who was earlier told to work on his English pronunciation and distracting dancing. While bravely choosing the potentially cheesy "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" by Elton John, Nuñez did everything the judges asked and delivered a powerful performance of the big ballad. The change did him good, as Paula emotionally praised his hard work with a dialect coach, though Simon reversed field and said perhaps he should sing with an accent, as his voice was very strong. "You were born to sing, that's your thing, that's your gift," Kara said, bringing Nuñez to tears. The next three contestants will be put through to the top 12 on Wednesday night's (March 4) show. Then the judges will round out the top contenders with their favorites during Thursday night's wild-card show. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos |
| Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr To Reunite At David Lynch Benefit Posted: 04 Mar 2009 02:42 AM PST Former Beatles have not performed together since 2002.
Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr will reunite onstage for the upcoming "Change Begins Within" concert, which benefits the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace. The concert, also featuring Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, Sheryl Crow, Donovan, Ben Harper, Moby, Paul Horn, Bettye Lavette, and My Morning Jacket's Jim James, takes place at New York's Radio City Music Hall on April 4. The April 4 show marks the first time McCartney and Starr will perform together since 2002. McCartney was announced as the show's headliner in January but Starr was recently added to the bill. The two surviving Beatles' connection to David Lynch likely stems from the fact that the group was instrumental in introducing transcendental meditation to the world in 1968, when they spent several weeks in India studying with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The bandmembers came away with different impressions of the experience, as George Harrison embraced Indian religions but John Lennon later slammed the Maharishi in his song "Sexy Sadie." The David Lynch Foundation encourages transcendental meditation in schools. According to the foundation's Web site, the practice "is a simple, natural, effortless, easily learned technique practiced silently for 15 to 20 minutes twice a day, sitting comfortably in a chair with the eyes closed. During the practice, the mind settles down, experiencing finer levels of thought, until it transcends the finest level of thought and experiences the source of thought, pure consciousness — the unified field — the source of the unlimited creativity and intelligence expressed in human life and in nature." Last April, the Lynch Foundation held a similar but much smaller benefit concert in Fairfield, Iowa (the location of Maharishi University, this country's only school based on the principles of Transcendental Meditation). MTV News attended the event and spoke with Lynch about his advocacy of TM. Related Artists |
| Posted: 03 Mar 2009 11:40 PM PST 'Someone like a Common or a Lupe Fiasco or a Mos Def,' Nick says of who he'd like to get on their next album.
Although the Jonas Brothers have name-checked bands like the Zutons and the Kings of Leon as influencing the sound of their next album, they do admit that they would like to give their music a bit more street cred. "There's a song we wrote recently and we were thinking ... it does sound different and kind of strange, and [we'd like to work with] a rapper who has some real meaningful lyrics," Nick, the self-proclaimed "most hip-hop" Jonas, told MTV News. "[Someone who] has some real depth to what he's saying — someone like a Common or a Lupe Fiasco or a Mos Def. Someone who takes more of a spoken-word approach. That'd be really cool."
Kevin said that they definitely appreciate hip-hop, hinting that adding that type of vibe to the album is definitely a possibility. "We have a hip-hop bone in us somewhere," Joe added. The guys have started work on the follow-up to their hit album, A Little Bit Longer, and already have an idea of the direction they want to take the sound, describing it as a "summer album." "The next album ... we've been in production for it. We're taking our time with it — we've been taking our time with it since the beginning of this television show," Joe said of their upcoming Disney Channel show, "J.O.N.A.S." . "We started recording on our summer tour last year. ... I would say we have eight or nine songs completed that we're still tweaking here and there." "It's more like five or six," Nick corrected. Joe — who joked that the guys have somewhere between five and 20 songs recorded — added, "We're really proud of it. It's a good step for who we are as musicians. As we get older, so does our music. There's a lot more horns and it's really fun. I think people are going to be able to jam out to it in their cars or their mom's cars or their boom boxes." Boom boxes? "We're bringing it back," Kevin joked. Maybe Kevin is really the "most hip-hop" of the group. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Michael Jackson Expected To Announce London Concerts Posted: 04 Mar 2009 12:16 AM PST Series of shows at O2 Arena may be announced at press conference Thursday.
Prince, Britney Spears ... and Michael Jackson. The self-proclaimed "King of Pop" is scheduled to make a personal appearance Thursday to announce an upcoming residency at London's O2 Arena, according to British media reports. Jackson, who has struggled to regain his career footing since his acquittal on child-molestation charges in 2005, has not performed live in England since his brief 2006 appearance at the World Music Awards and has not played a consistent string of dates since his 1996-97 HIStory World Tour.
The popular O2 Arena has been the site of a number of artist residencies, including a 21-night stand by Prince in 2007, a 17-night sold-out run by the Spice Girls in 2008, stints by Take That and Kylie Minogue, and a two-week string of shows by Britney Spears slated for June. A spokesperson for Jackson did not return an e-mail requesting comment at press time but said Tuesday that a "special announcement" about Jackson would be made Thursday at the 20,000-capacity venue, according to reports. In late November, Randy Phillips, President and CEO of AEG Live, said that the company — which books and runs the O2 — has been chasing Jackson for two years looking for a multi-night engagement. Though no deal was signed at the time, Phillips said AEG has had a "standing offer" to Jackson since 2006 to re-create his landmark Thriller album in its entirety at the O2 but had struggled to nail down a firm deal with the elusive singer. The Associated Press reported that it's been widely rumored that Jackson could play up to 30 dates at the O2, smashing previous residency records. A spokesperson for AEG Live had not returned requests for comment at press time. London's Telegraph reported that Jackson, 50, arrived in Great Britain on Tuesday. Though his Thriller is the biggest-selling album of all time, Jackson's career has been overshadowed for much of the past 15-plus years by his reported financial problems, mysterious actions, multiple lawsuits, controversies surrounding his three children, failure to return to commercial viability with his recent albums, the forced sale of his Neverland Ranch last year and an upcoming April auction of thousands of his personal possessions, which were reportedly put on the block to stem some of his alleged financial distress. Though many artists have claimed to be working on songs for Jackson's upcoming album, the singer has not played a full concert or released a new record since 2001's lackluster Invincible. Related Artists |
| Britney Spears Fits Just About Everything Into First <i>Circus</i> Tour Stop Posted: 03 Mar 2009 11:38 PM PST Pop star seems genuinely touched by the warm reception given to her by the fans at the New Orleans Arena.
NEW ORLEANS — So, how was the opening night of Britney Spears' Circus tour? Well, here's how the first 20 minutes went ... that ought to give you a pretty good idea: A red curtain descends upon the stage. Music starts pounding — the drumbeat of the apocalypse — and keeps building, until a lone ballerina and a mime appear. The mime is clutching a piece of chain-link fence, which he begins twirling faster and faster, until it turns into a geometric square. Then three jugglers and a little person take the stage, then Shaolin monks in black robes, who do a martial-arts routine, complete with kitanas and spinning axe kicks. Then clowns come out with nunchucks. They're followed by acrobats and gymnasts in long flowing robes, performing a routine to the music from "Kill Bill." Then everyone — mime, clowns, jugglers, little person and monks — do a sort of samba, and then Perez Hilton shows up on the video screens to deliver a monologue while dressed as Queen Elizabeth. Then Britney appears and murders him with a crossbow. And then the show starts. Seriously. Yes, welcome to Britney's Circus, a big, huge, loud, funny, nonsensical three-ring affair that includes everything under the big top — even an actual big top.
Broken down into four acts — "Circus," "House of Fun," "Freakshow/Peepshow" and "Electro Circ"— the two-hour show is every set designer and choreographer's wet dream, or nightmare, or both. There are literally dozens of costume changes, dancers of all shapes and sizes and acrobats and set pieces that fly about willy-nilly. (This is surely the first concert in history to feature cholos on tricycles, a Bollywood number and a pair of martial-arts routines). It's truly a sight to behold ... the biggest show under one roof. (Take a look at photos of Britney's elaborate Circus sets and costumes here.) At times, Britney herself is almost dwarfed by the spectacle. She looks great in her myriad of outfits (Genie! Drill Sergeant! Kinda Stripper!) And she can still move with the best of them ... it's just, well, she's almost lost in the sheer hugeness of the production around her. Of course, there were still plenty of highlights — the one-two opening combo of "Circus" and "Piece of Me" was great, as Brit descended from the sky (and got trapped in a gilded cage), strutted and popped, the electro beats whirring around the arena and the lights popping. "Radar" was sultry, as Spears donned a sparkly Wonderbra and did a pole dance. And as she laughed and blew kisses to the cheering audience during the night's lone quiet moment, "Everytime" (which, it should be mentioned, she sang perched on the handle of a floating umbrella), she seemed genuinely touched by the warm reception given to her by the fans at the New Orleans Arena. Still, by the time the third act ("Freakshow," which showcased her naughty side) rolled around, it was almost difficult to pick her out from all the noise. Again, this has less to do with Spears than it does the massive production she's surrounded herself with, though it must be said that her version of "I'm a Slave 4 U," complete with flames and a fierce dance routine, managed to rise above all the ephemera. And by the time she said good night with another great one-two wallop ("Womanizer" and a reprise of "Circus"), dressed in a sexy policewoman outfit, she looked exhausted. But happy. And why not? She brought the circus to her hometown, and it was a huge, sold-out, screaming success. It probably just would've benefited from a little more Britney Spears, that's all. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Miley Cyrus Writes About Being Bullied In New Book Posted: 04 Mar 2009 08:42 AM PST 'Miley Cyrus: Miles to Go' also chronicles her breakup with Nick Jonas.
In Miley Cyrus' memoir, "Miley Cyrus: Miles to Go," the teen star describes in depth the bullying she received from the "the Anti-Miley Club" in her pre-teen years growing up in Tennessee, according to AccessHollywood.com. "The girls took it beyond normal bullying. These were big, tough girls," Cyrus says in the book, which hit stores on Tuesday. "I was scrawny and short. They were fully capable of doing me bodily harm."
During one of those instances, the mean girls locked Miley in the bathroom during class. "They shoved me in. I was trapped. I banged on the door until my fists hurt. Nobody came," she writes. "I spent what felt like an hour in there, waiting for someone to rescue me, wondering how my life had gotten so messed up." Miley also describes how the girls escalated their bullying on the future star by confronting her and challenging her to a fight. "It seemed like Operation Make Miley Miserable was escalating to a new level. More like Operation Take Miley Down," she recalls. "Three girls strutted up and stood towering over me. My stomach churned. I clutched my grilled-cheese sandwich like it was the hand of my best friend. It pretty much was my best friend those days. I was done for. "They started cussing me and telling me to get up. I sat there, frozen. I didn't know what to do," she continues about the incident, which ended when the principal stepped in. "Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I wasn't chicken. What could they do to me? I was surrounded by people. I stood up, still a foot shorter then they were, and said, 'What's your problem? What did I ever do to you?' " Her classmates also teased her about her family, telling her, "Your dad's a one-hit wonder. You'll never amount to anything — just like him." But it's not only the hard times in Tennessee that Miley shares in the book. She also talks about working hard to beat out her competitors, like "Gossip Girl" star Taylor Momsen, for the role of "Hannah Montana." "I didn't dare forget the struggle. There was a reason for it. I brought that girl with me, and she reminds me to be compassionate," she writes. "To not hold grudges. To be supportive. To be there for others when I know I'm needed." Cyrus, who describes ex-boyfriend Nick Jonas as "Prince Charming" in the book, still seems surprised that their relationship didn't last. "It felt like the whole world stopped. Nothing else mattered," she says about meeting him, adding that when they broke up it was "the hardest day ever." "Deep down, I know we weren't being our best selves," she says of their time together. "And that was what I wanted — and thought I deserved — in a relationship." While dealing with the pain of the breakup, Cyrus says she wrote the song "7 Things" so that she could "punish him, to get him back for hurting me," but the song ended up being "about forgiving, not forgetting." It's hard to imagine that our love is a story with an end," Miley writes. "But you know, at least I'm getting some really good songs out of it." Related Artists |
| No Doubt Offer Entire Digital Back Catalog Free With Concert-Ticket Purchase Posted: 04 Mar 2009 09:15 AM PST It's 'a cool way to get people listening to our music,' said guitarist Tom Dumont.
The economy is hitting everyone hard, forcing music lovers to cut back and make some hard choices about which concerts they can afford to shell out for this summer. But No Doubt have come up with a plan aimed at making sure their fans are super-motivated to check out the reunited band when they kick off their first North American tour in more than five years in May. How does a free digital copy of the band's entire catalog sound? That's the plan No Doubt rolled out earlier this week, when they offered fans purchasing the top-price-level tickets for their shows online a crack at the full musical monty.
There are some stipulations — like the deal only applies to tickets priced at $42.50 or more before extra fees, excluding lower price levels and lawn seats. But otherwise fans who sign up online when tickets go on sale on Saturday will get each and every digital song, beginning with the band's self-titled 1992 debut up through their 2003 The Singles 1992-2003 collection. That includes The Beacon Street Collection (1995), their 1995 breakthrough Tragic Kingdom, 2000's Return of Saturn, 2001's Rock Steady and the 2003 Everything in Time (B-sides, Rarities, Remixes), plus their cover of Adam and the Ants' "Stand and Deliver," the only new recording included in the set. That song will be performed for the first time ever on the band's May 11 appearance on the CW's "Gossip Girl." "Since the band is heading back to the road, we wanted to find a cool way to get people listening to our music and stoke them with a great deal at the same time," said No Doubt guitarist Tom Dumont in a statement announcing the deal for the 80 songs. "With this download, it's easy for fans to get psyched up to hear our music live once again, and that rocks." While No Doubt are not the first band to offer bonus music along with a ticket — Coldplay have announced plans to give away a free album during their summer tour, and Prince pioneered the stunt by including a copy of his then-new Musicology CD with tickets to his 2004 tour — their offer is certainly the most generous one from a major act to date. The download codes for the songs will be e-mailed to ticket buyers about a month before the date of the show for which they've purchased tickets and will be good for 30 days after the tour ends. The tour, with opening act Paramore, kicks off on May 2 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and is currently slated to run through August 1 in Irvine, California. Related Artists |
| Taylor Swift Beats Ex-Boyfriend Joe Jonas On <i>Billboard</i> Posted: 04 Mar 2009 09:59 AM PST The Jonas Brothers' '3D' soundtrack comes in at #3; Lamb of God stomp in at #2.
Talk about insult to injury. First, the Jonas Brothers' "3D Concert Experience" had to settle for second place at the box office. Then, on next week's Billboard 200, the movie's soundtrack CD will have to make do with being #3. Who will top the chart? Why, none other than Joe Jonas' ex, Taylor Swift, whose Fearless will notch its 11th (non-consecutive) week at #1 on sales of 73,200, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan. With a nearly 20 percent increase in business, Swift proved unbeatable again. Richmond, Virginia, metallers Lamb of God thundered to an impressive #2 with their sixth studio album, Wrath, with sales of 67,600, for their best chart debut to date.
The JoBros are the only other debut in the top 10, well behind at #3 with 49,700. That's a far cry from the #1 debut of their previous studio album, A Little Bit Longer, which sold more than 525,000 copies when it hit the charts in August. The soundtrack to Oscar-winning underdog flick "Slumdog Millionaire" finally saw the huge post-awards-show bump everyone expected, with an 18-place leap to #4 on sales of 44,100. We're not sure if that 109 percent increase from the previous week was helped by the remix of Best Original Song winner "Jai Ho" featuring the Pussycat Dolls' Nicole Scherzinger. The rest of the top 10 was rounded out by the usual suspects: Nickelback's Dark Horse (#5, 40,800), Beyoncé's I Am ... Sasha Fierce (#6, 35,400), Lady Gaga's Fame (#7, 32,500), the Fray's self-titled second album (#8, 31,300), Jamie Foxx's Intuition (#9, 30,800) and Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak (#10, 25,500). A couple of recent top 10 debuts have fallen hard, including Gap Band leader Charlie Wilson's Uncle Charlie (from #2 to #20), Lily Allen's It's Not Me, It's You (#16 to #27) and M. Ward's Hold Time, which dropped 28 spots to #59 in its second week, with sales of 10,000. Storming back up the charts for no discernible reason is the Christina Aguilera greatest-hits comp Keeps Gettin' Better, which rockets from #159 to #66 on 9,400 in sales, a nearly 150 percent increase from the week before. Hyped Somali rapper K'Naan's second album, Troubadour, which features cameos from Damian Marley, Maroon 5's Adam Levine, Mos Def and Metallica's Kirk Hammett, debuts at #32 on sales of 15,300. Joe Budden's Padded Room bounces in at #42 with 13,600 in sales, and Project Pat lands at #70 with 8,700 units moved of Real Recognize Real. Way, way down the list is the solo album from Cypress Hill's B-Real, Smoke & Mirrors, which sneaks in at #148 with 3,800 in sales. And for those keeping score, Guns N' Roses' disappointing comeback album, Chinese Democracy, sank to its lowest position to date, #137, with just 4,000 new sales, as the 13-plus-years-in-the-making CD appears to have stalled out just above the half-million-in-sales mark. The charts should finally get a shake-up, and a possible takedown of Swift before the three-month mark, when U2's hyped No Line on the Horizon hits next week. Related Artists |
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