American Idol Upset: Lee DeWyze Beats Crystal Bowersox- Willie Nelson Shocks Fans- Art Linkletter RIP- Oprah Dropping Charity- Big Boi Video- Selena Gomez- more

While working on his first album after getting out of jail, T.I. has been quite prolific. The Atlanta MC has recorded 80 songs thus far for King Uncaged more - more on this story

Glee Cast Tops The Charts, Announce Next Album, New Season

A lot of good news for Gleeks today. The Glee cast not only announced a new album, but their new release has topped the charts and the television show has been renewed for another year. Here is the announcement:

Following a remarkable 3rd season pick-up before the end of its first season, and as the cast plays to sold-out houses in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Chicago and New York, Fox's hit comedy Glee continues to dominate Billboard's top album chart with Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers soaring to #1. Available in both standard and deluxe versions, Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers has sold an impressive 135,748 copies in its debut week. This comes on the heels of Glee: The Music, The Power Of Madonna claiming that same #1 spot only four weeks earlier. To date over 7 million Glee songs have been digitally downloaded and over 1.8 million Glee albums sold in the U.S. This week all four Glee releases occupy slots within Billboard's top 40 best selling albums (Glee: The Music, Volume 1 at #34, Glee: The Music, Volume 2 at #40 and Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna at #20).

June 8th marks the final episode of Glee's first season, and it also marks the release date of Glee: The Music, Journey To Regionals, the next official release in the Glee music songbook. This new mini-album will showcase the Glee cast's take on such classics as Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," a mash-up version of Journey's hits "Any Way You Want It" with "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'," in addition to a special 'regionals' version of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" - more on this story

World Cup Kick-Off Celebration Concert Featuring Alicia Keys, Black Eyed Peas, John Legend and More To Be Webcast Live

Vevo will webcast the Fifa World Cup Kick-Off Celebration Concert live on June 10 from Soweto/Johannesburg, South Africa.

The event will feature performances from Alicia Keys, Amadou & Mariam, Angelique Kidjo, Black Eyed Peas, BLK JKS, John Legend, Juanes, Shakira, The Parlotones, Tinariwen, Vieux Farka Toure and Vusi Mahlasela, in addition to other international superstars, and will be exclusively available on demand afterwards.

At 8:00 p.m. local time (GMT+2)/2:00 p.m. ET on June 10, Vevo will webcast the entire celebration concert in high definition live from the newly-renovated Orlando Stadium. - more on this story

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Star Pleas Down Felony Charge

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's Stanley Howse entered a plea of guilty to a fourth degree misdemeanor of disorderly conduct and received a sentence of a $250 fine on Wednesday.

The State of Ohio agreed to reduce the charges to a misdemeanor from the original felony charges in January 1999 of felonious assault with a firearm specification.

"In our opinion, the reduced charge and the $250 fine are a reflection of the fact that the evidence did not support the original charge and the positive strides Stanley Howse has made in his life with his music, his band, and of course, his family," said Howse's lawyer Edmund W. Searby of McDonald Hopkins. "We are grateful to the Prosecutor's Office for re-evaluating the facts of this case," Searby further said. - more on this story

Taylor Swift Added To Musicians On Call Monday Madness

Taylor Swift concert tickets have been added to this year's Musicians On Call Monday Madness auction, a series of weekly auctions online created for hardcore country music fans.

The series features artist memorabilia and unforgettable country music experiences, including tickets and Meet & Greet passes to Brooks & Dunn's final tour in Washington, DC and a package to attend the June 1 sold out Taylor Swift date in Washington, DC.

Other Auction items include the following: - Autographed guitars from Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, and Kellie Pickler - Meet & Greet passes and concert tickets for Keith Urban, Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney, Chris Young, Miranda Lambert, Kellie Pickler and Martina McBride

MOC Monday Madness runs from May 24 through July 4 with some items closing as early as this Friday, May 28. - more on this story

Nas and Damian 'JR. Gong' Marley Top Three Charts

Nas and Damian 'JR. Gong' Marley's new album Distant Relatives, debuted at No. 1 on 3 of Billboard's charts, including, Rap, R&B, and Reggae.

The collaboration album encompasses 14 tracks including the first singles "As We Enter" and "Strong Will Continue." Produced by Damian "JR. Gong" Marley, the release also features several guest appearances from Lil Wayne, K'NAAN and Stephen Marley.

Nas and Damian recently kicked off their 'Distant Relatives' world tour in California on May 21st, which stretches across the nation throughout May and early June, before hitting Europe. - more on this story

Martin Luther King The Musical

"I Dream," the story of the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is now a major musical drama opening in Atlanta on July 9, 2010.

Presented by Musical-Dramatic Arts and directed by acclaimed actress Jasmine Guy, best known for her role as Whitley Gilbert in the 1990s hit series 'A Different World,' the through-composed work is an inspirational portrayal of the civil rights leader from his early years through to the end of his life.*

"I feel honored to be directing such a landmark production. With a glorious score set to such a moving American story, this is an exciting and emotional experience," says Guy. "And the fact that we are premiering in my hometown, where so much of the story originated, is so fitting." - more on this story

Rockie Lynne's Songs for Soldiers

Rockie Lynne's Songs for Soldiers album will be released to the public at large on June 1st. Lynne, a veteran of the United States Army, originally created his Songs for Soldiers CD as a gift for the troops he visited while touring overseas military bases in 2008-2009. Upon returning from his tour, the demand for the project became so great that Rockie decided to release the project commercially.

A full 1/3 of album proceeds will be donated to troop-related causes by the artist, significantly more than other projects being released

A media tour to promote the release of the album will include appearances on Fox News Channel's "Fox & Friends" (5/31), Fox Business Network's "America's Daily Scoreboard" (5/31), Fox Entertainment affiliate feed (5/28), the nationally syndicated programs "Better TV" (5/28 performance and 5/31 interview), "Daytime" (5/31), ABC's "What's The Buzz" (6/1), Fox News Radio (6/1), "The Laura Ingraham Show" (6/2), and "The Daily Buzz" (6/3). - more on this story

Siren Music Festival Expands

The Village Voice has announced additional artists for the 10th Annual Siren Music Festival.

The Night Marchers, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Earl Greyhound, Screaming Females and Wye Oak will now be part of the line-up for the 10th Annual Siren Music Festival at Coney Island, NYC on Saturday, July 17, 2010 from 12:00 noon - 9:00 p.m.

These artists join scheduled performers Matt And Kim, Ted Leo And The Pharmacists, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, Surfer Blood and Harlem with more to be announced. - more on this story

Quadron Plan Busy LA Visit To Kick Off US Tour

Quadron are preparing for a busy week in Los Angeles with appearances at a music festival, an instore concert and a live radio debut.

They will be performing at the UCLA JazzReggae Festival on Sunday, May 30, the band will then perform a free 5PM in-store concert at Amoeba Music in Hollywood on Sunday, June 6, followed by their U.S. live radio performance debut on public radio station KCRW's groundbreaking 'Morning Becomes Eclectic' at 11:15am on Monday, June 7.

Quadron has announced plans for their first official tour of the U.S. Initial dates are listed - here

Kenny Rogers Honored by National Music Council

Kenny Rogers was honored by the National Music Council (NMC) this week along with Suzanne Vega, Ann Johns Ruckert, John J. Mahlmann, and the Musical Instrument Museum at its 29th Annual American Eagle Awards Luncheon at New York's Hard Rock Café.

Kenny was chosen as a winner of the award for the charity work he has done throughout his entire prestigious career. He remains dedicated to assisting in the development of young artists and songwriters and has always used his music and fame to help those in need.

The Council, which is celebrating its 69th anniversary as a trade forum for the free discussion of America's music affairs and problems, acts as a clearinghouse for the joint opinion and decision of its near-50 professional and commercial music member organizations in working to strengthen the importance of music in our life and culture. - more on this story

Moe Green Eyes Summer Album Release

Moe Green, hailing from Vallejo, California, looks to be a beacon of hope for a town in search of a hero, with the release of his debut album, Rocky Maivia, this summer on Interdependent Media.

The current economic crisis caught more than just individuals in the financial crossfire. Entire American towns went bankrupt, the largest of which is Vallejo, California, home to a once thriving and profitable music scene where artists like E-40, Mac Dre, and Celly Cell carved out a niche. Aware of the times, and the history of his hometown, Moe Green's music eschews the gangster trappings of the city's hip-hop pioneers.

Green chooses, instead, a more earnest approach to his music, earning the emcee comparisons with today's rising stars credited with offering an alternative to a genre that has long relied on, often fabricated, street credibility for success. "It's a documentation of your everyday dreamer trying to make his dreams reality," says Green about his debut and his musical direction. - more on this story

Big Kenny Joins Rock Band Relief For Nashville Flood Victims

Big Kenny is partnering with Rock Band to bring relief and donations to Nashville's flood victims. Kenny is one of the many artists joining Rock Band Relief, an organization that helps artists convert their music into playable songs for the Rock Band video game series.

These tracks can be purchased from the Rock Band Network online store and a portion of all proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross to help with the recent natural disaster. Any part of the sales commission the artist receives and wishes to donate to Red Cross will be matched by RockBandRelief.org.

John Griffin, Executive Director of the Rock Band Relief project, said of the collaboration, "Big Kenny is a natural uplifter of people and has the ability to inspire hope in those around him. He is extremely well-respected in the music community, especially in Nashville where people are really in need of some hope right now. We're so proud to be partnering with him and we hope this project will serve as a natural extension of his mission to make the world a better place through music." - more on this story

Lana Mir Set To Debut in August

Lana Mir will be releasing her self-titled debut album on August 24th via Unfiltered Records (The Postmarks, Ivy). The album is a collection of songs that wholly reflects Lana's unconventional journey.

Recorded at Stratosphere Sound in New York City and produced by Andy Chase (Ivy, Brookville) and Bruce Driscoll (Blondefire), the album is a promising beginning for the enchanting chanteuse.

Growing up in Kiev, Lana's creative options were limited, albeit her love of music was insatiable. Over time, Lana became exposed to western musicians such as Björk, Air, Marianne Faithful, Joni Mitchell and Portishead via friends who were travelling in Europe and America. Discouraged with the artificialness of the Ukrainian recording industry, where she was quickly becoming popular, Lana swiftly left home and headed for New York where the gentle and earnest songwriting she penned would have a proper home. - more on this story

Monica Mancini's New Album Coming Out Next Month

Monica Mancini's new album, I've Loved These Days, will be released by Concord Records on June 15th. I've Loved These Days is an 11-track collection of classic 60s songs and an opportunity for double-Grammy nominee to collaborate with her musical heroes, many of whom are featured on the album.

I've Loved These Days was produced by the inimitably brilliant Phil Ramone and his producing partner Gregg Field. Ramone, who produced a number of the original recordings, hand picked world-class musicians to surround Monica and her guests that he knew could bring a contemporary perspective to these classic songs. On I've Loved These Days, Mancini is also joined by an orchestra arranged and conducted by multi-Grammy winner Jorge Calandrelli, who also collaborated with Monica on a previous album, Cinema Paradiso.

The gorgeously crafted collection of songs is by artists who had a profound impact on Monica's formative musical years, including Lennon & McCartney, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Jackson Browne, Harry Nilsson, Brian Wilson, Billy Joel and Janis Ian. - more on this story

Vh1 Renews Three First Year Reality Shows

Good news for fans of the Vh1 series "Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business," "Basketball Wives" and "What Chilli Wants," as the shows enter the last month of their first season, the cable network has picked up all three shows for a second season.

Closing out their first seasons, "Basketball Wives" and "What Chilli Wants" finale on Sunday, May 30th at 10PM* and 10:30PM* respectively. "Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business" will finale on Sunday, June 27 at 9PM*.

"VH1 viewers connected strongly with these three new series this year, and we're so happy that we can continue to share these real-life stories from the worlds of music and celebrity. Will Chilli really ever let down her guard in her quest for love? How well will Brandy and Ray J step up in their family business? And how will the 'Basketball Wives' move forward in their complicated lives? We're looking forward to answering those questions in their next cycles," said Jeff Olde, Executive Vice President, Original Programming & Production, VH1. - more on this story

Leela James New Album Off To A Good Start

Leela James returned to the scene with the May 25, 2010 release of her new album, My Soul, from Stax Records/Concord Music Group.

With raw vocals and a funky vibe, the lead single off the album, "Tell Me You Love Me," was featured yesterday as USA Today's "Pick of the Week."

Outside of the studio, Leela can be seen on TV co-hosting the second season of the beauty talk show "My Black Is Beautiful," which airs Sundays at 2PM EST on BET. My Soul is now available nationwide. -

Jaicko's US Debut Coming Next Week

Jaicko will release of his debut album, Can I, on June 1st, which will be available digitally in the US and Canada.

Already a bonafide superstar in his native Barbados and fresh off of winning the Barbados Music Award for Best R&B Star, the same award Rihanna won before she made it in the states, 18 year old Jaicko is excited to share his fresh, global pop sound with music fans.

The first single from the album, "Oh Yeah," produced by the Stereotypes (Ne-Yo, Mary J. Blige, Natasha Bedingfield), reached #2 on the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip Hop singles and is a catchy, irresistible tune. The second and current single, "Fast Forward (FFWD)," produced by Ryan & Smitty (Chris Brown), is currently crossing airwaves. Jaicko has made numerous appearances performing the infectious song acoustically on many television shows across the country. - more on this story