This Week's Top Pop Stories

Here are the top stories from this week's Day in Pop and the top Day in Pop digest stories

George Michael Going To Jail- J.Lo Idol- Rich Cronin Final Song- Britney- Rocky Horror Glee- Lady Gaga- Petey Pablo Arrested- New Kanye West Song- Susan Boyle Leak- more

This week's top Day in Pop digest stories Pt I: (Yahoo) George Michael was sentenced to eight weeks in jail and lost his license for five years Tuesday for driving under the influence of drugs when he crashed his car into a London photo shop. more

Casey Affleck has settled the sexual harassment cases filed against him by two women who worked on the controversial pseudo-documentary about Joaquin Phoenix. more

Jennifer Lopez has sealed a one-year deal valued at around $12 million to become a judge on Fox hit show "American Idol," according to reports. A deal would allow Lopez to be at the auditions of the new season of "Idol," which starts next week. more

On the MTV VMAs red carpet, Katy Perry said she has plans to tour behind "Teenage Dream" in 2011, MTV reports more

Brandon Flowers and wife Tana announced today that they are expecting their third child, People reports more

Jason Mraz opens up about his visit to Ghana with Free The Slaves and shares how a YouTube musician's "Freedom Song" shows the power of what music can do in a great new online video you can check out here.

American boyband star Rich Cronin sings of his health struggles and "endless pain" in the last track he recorded before losing his battle with leukaemia last week. The former LFO member died last Wednesday, September 8 after suffering a stroke following a five-year struggle with cancer of the blood. more

Spike Lee will direct a live webcast of a concert featuring John Legend and the Roots. The live stream will be webcast on YouTube, via the music video website Vevo. more

Oprah Winfrey might have surprised her talk show audience Monday by giving them all a free, eight-day trip to Australia but the trip also surprised Australians -- with a A$3 million (US$2.8 million) bill. more

Paris-based fashion house Thierry Mugler has tapped Lady Gaga's stylist, Nicola Formichetti, as creative director for its women's and menswear labels. more

Veteran character actor Harold Gould, who played Valerie Harper's father on television's "Rhoda" and the con man Kid Twist in the 1973 movie "The Sting," has died. He was 86. more

A Spanish agency that represents Penelope Cruz says the Oscar-winning Spanish actress is pregnant. more

Rufus Wainwright to Perform 'Songs for Lulu,' Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall more

BBC presenter Ray Gosling, who falsely claimed that he smothered his dying lover in a so-called mercy killing, is given a suspended sentence for wasting police time more

(Billboard) "American Idol" Did Not Meet J.Lo's Demands. Although she will receive a handsome deal for becoming a judge on "American Idol," Jennifer Lopez's demands for a $15 million pay check and guaranteed TV/film deals were not met by Fox and "Idol" producers, Deadline reports. more

(ASB) Producer Sean Garrett who told E! Online that he is back working with Britney Spears. "I'm going into the studio with her," Sean said during MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, September 12. "I love Britney. I want to help her grow. I want to do stuff that's going to be able to travel around the world." more

(Billboard) Meat Loaf and Barry Bostwick, who starred as Eddie and Brad Majors in the 1975 classic "Rocky Horror Picture Show," will lend their talents to "Glee" next month for the show's tribute to the film, E! reports. more

(Yahoo) A South African pop group known for its World Cup collaboration with Shakira has been barred from performing in neighboring Zimbabwe after releasing a video depicting President Robert Mugabe as a chicken, band members said Monday. more

(Yahoo) A spokeswoman for John Mayer says that the singer has discontinued his Twitter account with his Battle Studies Tour "now at a close and a return to the studio planned." more

(Yahoo) Bob Marley's family lost a lawsuit seeking the copyrights to several of the late Jamaican reggae singer's best-known recordings. more

(Yahoo) Actor John Malkovich will star as the 18th-century womanizer Casanova in a new Austrian theater production. more

(Yahoo) Winfrey kicked off her 25th and final season of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on Monday with promised surprises. After teasing the 300 audience members with a suggestion she might take them on a trip to New York, Philadelphia or Los Angeles, she said her last season merited something "bigger." more

(ASB) Cypress Hill and Apple executives have been slapped with a copyright infringement lawsuit over a song released almost 20 years ago. The bosses of California-based Drive-In Music Company have accused the group of illegally sampling a portion of The Music Machine tune "Come on In" on the band's 1991 track "How I Could Just Kill a Man", more

(ASB) Elton John has promised fans "very special guests and memorable moments" at his upcoming show to kick off the BBC's annual music festival. The "Rocket Man" was announced on Monday, September 13 as the first performer in the line-up of the BBC's Electric Proms event in London next month. more

Just in time for the Christmas rush, the DVD/Blu-ray version of "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" is set for release on December 4th. more

(NME) Lady GaGa has named her new album 'Born This Way'. The singer revealed the title during her acceptance speech for the Video Of The Year category at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards more

(Billboard) Lady Gaga has signed a licensing deal with beauty company Coty to issue fragrances under her moniker, Perez Hilton reports. more

(Yahoo) Lady Gaga, producer withdraw dueling NY lawsuits: They may have had a bad romance, but now there's a cordial professional split between Lady Gaga and a music producer who said she ditched him as both a collaborator and a boyfriend after he helped launch her career. more

(Yahoo) Officials say rapper Petey Pablo has been arrested at a North Carolina airport on gun charges. He is charged with being a felon with a gun and carrying a concealed, stolen weapon. more

(ASB) Another track from Kanye West has just been released. Called Good Friday, the song is a star-studded affair with the likes of Kid Cudi, Common, Big Sean, Pusha T and Charlie Wilson on the line-up. more

(Yahoo) Take That's Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow performed live together for the first time in 15 years on Sunday, singing their new single "Shame" at a charity concert in London to raise money for British soldiers more

(ASB) Simon Cowell has lashed out at Lou Reed for allegedly refusing permission for Scottish singer Susan Boyle to perform his "Perfect Day" anthem - branding the decision "pathetic". Boyle was left crushed and with a "heavy heart" after she was barred from covering the song on "America's Got Talent" during rehearsals for the show last week. more

(ASB) In related news: Amid controversy surrounding report that Lou Reed banned Susan Boyle from singing his song "Perfect Day", a studio version of the British singer covering his track made its way out on the web. more

(Yahoo) On a weekend that Hollywood was largely content to cede to football and late-summer barbecues, Sony-Screen Gems' "Resident Evil: Afterlife" led the box office. more
HBO's "Hung" and FX's "Sons of Anarchy" are adding to their casts. more

(Yahoo) Steve Harvey says he's bringing change to "Family Feud" and viewers better get ready to laugh when he debuts as host of the show today. more

(Yahoo) Actor Kevin McCarthy, who played the frantic doctor trying to save his friends and neighbors in the science-fiction movie classic "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," has died at age 96. more -

2010 MTV Video Music Awards Recap and Winners List

One night a year MTV returns to their roots and actually features music when they put on the MTV Video Music Awards. This year's event took place on Sunday night. Here is the official wrap-up and winner list: Lady Gaga dominated the 2010 MTV VMAs, adding eight to her collection of Moonmen with awards including "Video Of The Year," "Best Dance Video," "Best Pop Video" and "Best Female Video."

Eminem, who opened this year's Awards with a triumphant performance, walked away with two statues for "Best Male Video" and "Best Hip Hop Video." VMA newcomers 30 Seconds To Mars and Florence + The Machine took home their first wins for "Best Rock Video" and "Best Art Direction," respectively. Justin Bieber was voted "Best New Artist."

A year after Taylor Swift's first VMA win was interrupted by Kanye West, the two returned to musically play out last year's drama, once again on the VMA stage. For an exclusive live performance, Taylor sang "Innocence," an emotional song she wrote about how she felt after last year's incident. Later in the evening and this year as an official performer, Kanye debuted "Runaway" (featuring Pusha T from Clipse), a personal statement on the turbulence of the last year. - more on this story

Glee State of Mind Premieres

Gleeks can take a listen to the World Premiere of the Glee cast's take on "Empire State of Mind" online.

Glee: Season 2 premieres on Fox next Tuesday, September 21st at 8pm and gleeks can check out Gleethemusic.Com every Monday to hear the rest of Season 2 tracks exclusively before each episode; music is available on iTunes day of show.

Finally, Glee The Music: The Complete Season One music bundle is now available on iTunes. With that out of the way, check out the new song - here

Robert Francis Hits The Road With Jason Mraz

Robert Francis returned to the U.S. for a run of headlining dates and shows supporting Jason Mraz which kick off this past weekend.

The four week jaunt includes a performance at this year's FarmAid concert on October 2 in Milwaukee, where he'll also share the stage with the likes of legends Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and John Mellencamp as well as noteworthy acts like Jeff Tweedy, Band of Horses, and more.

Last fall saw the release of Robert's label debut, Before Nightfall. Produced by Grammy award winner D. Sardy, the album has a warmth and organic vibe that showcases Robert's take on timeless American rock. - more on this story

Playing For Change Add Dates to Fall Tour

Playing For Change have announced some additional dates to their North American Fall tour.

The 29-city tour follows a successful summer run, and kicks off with a newly added 10/9 show at The Eccles Center for the Performing Arts in Park City, UT.

Also added to the initial tour announcement are shows at The Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara (10/28), ParkWest in Chicago (11/10), and Stage One in Fairfield, CT (11/20). The tour will close on 11/22 in Alexandria, VA. - more on this story

Garth Brooks Inspires New Movie

Lifetime Television have announced plans to make an original movie based on Garth Brooks' hit song "Unanswered Prayers."

The film, which will premiere in November, explores the themes of marriage, family, community and second chances with love, asking "Did I let the one I loved get away or is she right in front of me?"

This is the story of a happily married father (Eric Close) living the American dream. When the woman (Madchen Amick) of his high school fantasies returns home, he has to face his past and will be presented with a choice that could change his future forever. Samantha Mathis will portray his wife. Produced by Sony Pictures Television, the film will shoot in the Richmond, Virginia, area. - more on this story

Josh Groban Returns with Hidden Away

Josh Groban's new single "Hidden Away," hits digital retailers Tuesday and was released to radio Monday.

The song comes from Groban's fifth studio album, Illuminations, which will be released this fall on 143/Reprise Records.

Here is some background info we were sent over: On Illuminations, Groban worked with veteran producer Rick Rubin, known for his critically acclaimed work with Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash, and Dixie Chicks among many others. - more on this story

Leonard Cohen's Songs from the Road Hits Stores

(PR) Leonard Cohen's Songs from the Road hits stores this week in a DVD/CD, Blu-Ray and LP formats.

Collecting the best live performances from his first tour in over 15 years, the release celebrates the legendary singer-songwriter's revered catalog in a live album and concert documentary.

Filmed in HD, Songs from the Road includes performances from Cohen's 2008-2009 world tour. Featuring performances in Israel, Europe and the US, the DVD and Blu-Ray editions feature a bonus "behind the scenes" backstage interview with band members conducted by Leonard's daughter Lorca Cohen - more on this story

N*E*R*D* Gorillaz Tour

(42 West) N*E*R*D* will hit the road with Gorillaz on their "Escape to Plastic Beach Tour" which kicks off on October 6th in Boston, MA.

In addition to N*E*R*D*, De La Soul, Little Dragon, and Bobby Womack will join the Gorillaz Plastic Beach band which features Mick Jones and Paul Simonon of the Clash as special guests.

N*E*R*D* are set to release Nothing, their fourth studio album this fall. The group came up with the title because according to N*E*R*D* front man Pharrell Williams "It's like nothing you've ever heard." Whereas their first album, In Search Of…, was an imaginative, exploration of identities, their second album, Fly Or Die, sought out the range of genres and sounds that have influenced the group, and their third album, Seeing Sounds, grinded everything together, Nothing promises to be an album that delivers a brand new N*E*R*D* sound, an album that amplifies the attitudes, style and persona that has made Pharrell, Chad and Shae the transcendent cultural icons they are today. - more on this story

Lil Boosie Incarcerated

Lil Boosie will be releasing his new album Incarcerated on September 28th under less than ideal circumstances. Warner Bros. Records sent over this background on the release:

The album, full of all new music, is led by the contemplative and melancholy "Rain" where the rapper, despite his recent trials, testifies, "I can clearly see the sunshine, but I'm steady walkin' through the rain." Boosie adds, "This project is some of the songs I recorded right before I turned myself in in November."

Last fall, Lil Boosie (real name Torrance Hatch) was sentenced to four years in prison for violating his pre-arraignment probation and to a third-offense marijuana-possession charge that was in connection with an October 2008 arrest where police found a bag of marijuana, a blunt and a gun in his vehicle. The drug charge alone carried a 20-year sentence, with a mandatory minimum of fives years for the gun charge. After the plea, the judge ordered Lil Boosie to be electronically monitored and to clear all concert dates with the court while awaiting sentencing. - more on this story

Karen Elson Added To T Bone Burnett's The Speaking Clock Revue Premiere That Also Features Elton John, Mellencamp, Elvis Costello, Gregg Allman and more

Press Here sent over word that Karen Elson will be joining T Bone Burnett in the just announced premiere of The Speaking Clock Revue, a multi-artist concert extravaganza on October 16th at the Wang Center in Boston and October 20th at the Beacon Theater in New York City.

In addition to Burnett and Elson, both evenings of the Revue will feature performances by Elton John & Leon Russell, John Mellencamp, Elvis Costello, Gregg Allman, Ralph Stanley, Jeff Bridges, Punch Brothers and newcomers The Secret Sisters.

In addition, Neko Case and Jim James from My Morning Jacket will join the lineup in Boston and New York respectively. - more on this story