Another Miley Controversy- Lady Gaga- Garth Brooks Vs Hospital- Nick Jonas Books TV Gig- Jason Mraz Muppets- Racy Britney Vid- Lil Wayne Leak and more

Rapper Lil Wayne's bad week took further turn for the worse on Wednesday night (Dec. 16) as "Rebirth," the long-delayed follow-up album to his chart-topping "The Carter 3," leaked on the internet more than six weeks before its official release date. more - more on this story

Susan Boyle's 'I Dreamed A Dream' The Biggest Album of the Year

It's not about the feel good story, which will only take you so far and won't convince people to buy an album. Susan Boyle's story is about a voice that captured the world's attention and a modern day success story where a rare talent has captured the imagination of music fans the world over and showed that there is no need for gimmicks or controversy to make people want to hear your music- you just need to have a voice they want to hear! With that in mind, Susan Boyle continues her record setting ways this week. Here is what Columbia Records had to say about it:

Susan Boyle's 'I Dreamed A Dream' (Columbia Records) dominates the charts holding down the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 for the third consecutive week with 581,966 copies sold. The album has also received RIAA-Triple Platinum Certification for shipping over three million units to retailers nationwide. 'I Dreamed A Dream' continues to break records by becoming the biggest selling album released in 2009.

In addition, 'I Dreamed A Dream' is the first album released in 2009 to hold the #1 spot consecutively for three weeks and has garnered the highest album sales for a debut artist during that time period. YouTube announced today that Susan Boyle's "I Dreamed A Dream" from "Britain's Got Talent" is their most watched video of 2009. - more on this story

Semi Precious Weapons Extend US Lady Gaga Tour Through 2010

Brooklyn rockers Semi Precious Weapons will tour with Lady Gaga through 2010! The tour takes them all over the country, including a four-night stand at New York's famed Radio City Music Hall.

The band received previous rave reviews on their recent tours with Ladyhawke and rock icons The Sounds, so be prepared for a seductive spectacle that will keep the celebration going long after the stage show ends.

Semi Precious Weapons took a break from their busy touring agenda to get back into the studio with producer Jack Joseph Puig (The Rolling Stones, Green Day) in November. Stay tuned for more information about their upcoming new record, due out next year! - dates

Timbaland Hard Rock Cafe Album Release Party

On Thursday, December 17, 2009, Hard Rock Cafe Hollywood, CA will host a live performance by acclaimed rapper and producer Timbaland to celebrate the release of his latest album Shock Value II.

Guests who purchase the Shock Value II CD at the event location will have the opportunity to meet with Timbaland and have him autograph their copy.

In addition, Timbaland will donate his microphone from the evening's performance to become a permanent part of Hard Rock's world-famous memorabilia collection - more on this story

Never Shout Never Sell Out

Never Shout Never, the brainchild of 18-year-old singer-songwriter and guitarist Christofer Drew, has sold out all eight shows on his December tour, which begins December 16th in Philadelphia, PA, and runs through December 30th. With each venue holding between 500 and 1,100, Never Shout Never will perform for more than 5,000 fans by the end of the month.

Never Shout Never are touring in support of their Butch Walker-produced Loveway Records/Sire Records debut What Is Love?, which will be released on January 26th, 2010. The digital version of a four-song EP sold through clothing retailer Hot Topic is now available from all digital service providers. The EP features two songs from What Is Love? ("Jane Doe" and the title track), a live track ("Big City Dreams" from 2008's The Yippee EP), and a b-side ("She's Got Style"), plus two music videos ("On the Brightside" from 2009's The Summer EP and a live video of "Trouble" - a song from 2009's Me & My Uke EP - that was shot in Grand Rapids, MI, in July). In addition, the video for "What Is Love?" can now be viewed on MySpace.

Drew will hit the road in January for a solo acoustic tour in support of What Is Love? Never Shout Never recently completed a headlining tour, culling tunes from the upcoming release, as well as from the three EP's Drew released on his own Loveway Records, including The Summer EP, which broke into the iTunes Top 10 Album chart in June. Drew took home the coveted "Breaking Woodie" Award at the MTVu Woodie Awards in November. - more on this story

Lissie Announces January Tour Dates

Today Lissie announced a new run of January tour dates, beginning January 7th at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC, and concluding January 23rd at the Henry Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, CA. All dates will be in support of City and Colour except for January 13th at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis, MN, which will be her own headlining show.

Lissie's EP Why You Runnin', released November 10th by Fat Possum, has been receiving glowing coverage from the press. In addition to a nod for her song "Little Lovin'" in Marie Claire's 'Need to Download' column (January 2010), London's Sunday Times recently profiled her in a 'Breaking Act' piece and raved, "...Lissie Maurus has the voice, the songs, and the image - freckle-faced barefoot prairie girl transported to an LA canyon in 1972, cooing like an angel and strumming an acoustic guitar - to be huge in 2010."

Last month, Lissie wrapped up a tour with Ray LaMontagne and two shows with A.A. Bondy, in addition to her own headlining shows at the Mercury Lounge in New York, NY, and the Bootleg Theater in Los Angeles, CA. She also performed on KCRW's influential program 'Morning Becomes Eclectic' and taped NPR's 'World Café Live,' which will air January 5th, 2010. - more on this story

Dan Black North American Tour And Album Release Coming

After creating a hot and heavy buzz across the internet in late 2008, inking a deal with Universal Records the following year, Dan Black is about to set his sights stateside with the release of ((un)) which features a selection of new tracks only available in the United States in Spring 2010. He also announced some North American Tour Dates

Dan Black first entered our radars with his inventive hybrid of hip hop and indie rock, inspired by the well known Notorious B.I.G. classic to create HPNTZ. In no time at all, the hip hop/indie fusion became a viral sensation, eventually prompting a phone call from Biggie Smalls' camp who forbade Black from using the original lyrics from the late hip hop icon - and thus "Symphonies" was born...

Enter Grammy Award nominee Kid Cudi, who upon falling in love with "Symphonies" recently collaborated with Dan Black in the studio in New York City for their forthcoming single set for release in early 2010. - more on this story

Smile Smile To Deliver Truth On Tape Next Year

Blend hauntingly beautiful vocal lines with a modern folk sound, add emotionally bare, intimate lyrics…and the result is Smile Smile. The Dallas duo will release their sophomore album, Truth On Tape, via Kirtland Records on February 9th, 2010.

A fitting description of Smile Smile comes from the band's hometown newspaper Dallas Observer: "A sort of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah/Mazzy Star hybrid of sing-along folk, buzzy-country leaning tunes and uptempo/downtempo swings, with brilliantly unconventional songwriting and smart harmonies anchoring the whole deal."

Comprised of singer/guitarist Ryan Hamilton and singer/pianist Jencey Hirunrusme, Smile Smile's music chronicles the personal lives of Hamilton and Hirunrusme, two musicians who fell in love and started a band. The pair released their first album (BLUE ROSES) while planning their lives together: they got engaged, shared a home and looked towards the future as a married couple. Along the way infidelity ensued, the dream crumbled and the two ended their relationship, but not their musical ties. The songs on Truth On Tape detail the heartbreaking end of a union, emotions to which we all can relate. - http://www.smilesmilemusic.com

Fastfood of Art? MTV and Subway Team Up

MTV Networks and Subway today announced the launch of "Subway Fresh Buzz," a campaign highlighting the freshest multimedia talent from the United States. The program is anchored by SubwayFreshBuzz.MTVIggy.com, a site that features profiles, performances and exclusive content from 20 emerging artists, comedians and musicians. MTV Networks is distributing the experience across its network of Web sites and through social media platforms.

"Our new venture with MTV Networks is a great way for Subway fans to keep up with emerging trends and artists," said Tony Pace, Chief Marketing Officer for the Subway Franchisee Advertising Fund Trust (SFAFT). "The 'Subway Fresh Buzz' partnership with MTVN will introduce artists that, in the past, may not have had the opportunity to showcase their talents."

"MTVN's partnership with Subway on the Fresh Buzz project is a great example of how media can be the message and execution can build equity," said Kevin Arrix, Executive Vice President of Digital Advertising Sales, MTVN. "Subway is enabling a new generation of artists to be exposed in the U.S. and we are thrilled to partner with them on this program. The artists and trends that we're spotlighting are among the future of pop culture and shine a bright new light on Subway and MTV Networks." - more on this story

Mix Up Har Mar Superstar

Indaba Music announced today that underground indie/dance/R&B sensation Har Mar Superstar has selected the company's global community of 350,000 musicians to remix his new single, "Tall Boy."

Har Mar, along with actress Eva Mendes (who stars in the futuristic themed video for the track) and George Augusto (of Dilettante Music, Har Mar's record label), will select the winning remix.

AOL will then host the winner's remix as a free featured download on the site's main page for a full week in early February. Entries will be accepted - here

Standard Fare Are Coming

Standard Fare may be named after a sign spotted on a bus, but the effect is anything but pedestrian - these Sheffield indie poppers are the kind of band whose name you'd happily scrawl on the cover of your school exercise book. A power trio comprising Emma Kupa, Danny How and Andy Beswick, they're set to release their debut album, The Noyelle Beat, on Bar/None Records on March 9.

Recorded in six days with an indie aesthetic that would have made John Peel proud, the album is named for a formative period in the band's development when they travelled across the channel to play at a festival in Noyelles Sous Lens, France. "It was where we felt our sound came together," says Danny, and the collection of songs they were playing became "The Noyelle Beat."

What does The Noyelle Beat sound like? Packed with lovelorn tunes, youthful energy and Emma and Danny's brilliantly balanced his 'n' hers vocals, that's what. The album even displays a uniquely charming approach to world issues: "Global warming is getting me down / It's making the sea between us wider and deeper," sings Emma on Philadelphia. Elsewhere, 15 tells the story of a strange attraction for a 15 year-old. "Nothing happened!," we're reassured. - more on this story

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