Star of MTV's Buckwild Found Dead

A spokesperson for the network said in a statement, "We are shocked and saddened by the terrible news about Shain Gandee, and those involved in this tragic incident. We are waiting for more information but at this time, our main concern is for the Gandee family and their friends. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. Shain had a magnetic personality, with a passion for life that touched everyone he met and we will miss him dearly." You can read the MTV report for more details.

Justin Bieber Pranks TMZ

Teen popstar Justin Bieber played an April Fool's prank on gossip site TMZ and fans on Monday by inviting fans to call him but giving out the site's "tip line" number.

Bieber played his prank with a posting on Twitter. He tweeted fans, "As promised taking all fan phone calls TODAY at (888) 847 9869. Talk to u soon!"

When the anxious fans placed calls expecting to reach Beiber they were instead connected to the TMZ' tip line, according to Billboard.

Bieber later removed the tweet, but by then the tweet had gone viral through fan's screen captures. The pop star has over 36.9 followers on Twitter and at press time there was no indication how many of them called the tabloid's tip line by mistake yesterday.

Beyonce and Andre 3000 Teaming Up For Winehouse Cover

Beyonce and Andre 3000 will be teaming up to record an Amy Winehouse song for the upcoming soundtrack to the film "The Great Gatsby."

The soundtrack is being executive produced by Beyonce's husband Jay-Z and the singer will collaborate with Andre 3000 on a new version of Winehouse's "Back to Black."

The film is set to be released on May 10th. An unnamed source from Interscope Records told E! Online that the new song will be "a very different take on 'Back to Black.'"

So far there has been no official word released about the collaboration. The soundtrack is also expected to feature original music from Jay-Z, but track details for the project have not been released.

John Mayer Confirms Break Up With Katy Perry

John Mayer confirmed that he and Katy Perry have ended their relationship in an interview on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, talking in public about the split for the first time.

"The last time I saw you, you were at the Grammys," said DeGeneres. "You were sitting on the same row as Portia and I with Katy. I know Katy, she is a good friend as well, and I know that since then, you're not together any more."

"Correct," Mayer confirmed the breakup. "Listen, it was a very private relationship going in. It was a private relationship during, and it's a private relationship, still," he said.

"I can understand asking the question based on some previous answers I have given, but I have finally learned how to put the wall between one thing and the other. I've been much happier since then. I'm on the same journey as everyone else. Coupling is a tricky thing," he continued. Watch video from the appearance here.

Hunter Hayes and Stevie Wonder Teaming Up For ACM Performance

(Radio.com) The Academy of Country Music announced that Hunter Hayes and Stevie Wonder will perform together during the live broadcast of the ACM Awards on April 7.

According to R.A. Clark, son of the late Dick Clark and executive producer of the ACM Awards, as the show producers were talking to Hunter about his musical influences, Stevie Wonder's name came up. They then put a call into Wonder, and he agree to do it.

Hunter is one of the hottest rising stars in country music today, which was something that was not lost on Wonder. "When we reached out to Stevie," said ACM president Bob Romeo, "he knew a handful of Hunter's songs and he wanted to jump on the bandwagon."

Clark elaborated on the choice. "When Hunter's on tour, he covers some Stevie Wonder music," he explained. "That's what got us thinking about it." And when they went to Stevie with the idea, the R&B legend told them, "'I know that yong man, I"ve listened to him, he's a great talent.'" more on this story

Flavor Flav's Fiancee Hospitalized, Denies Overdose Claims

Flavor Flav's fiancee Liz Trujillo, who is starring with the rapper on this season's "Couples Therapy," was hospitalized yesterday.

A representative for Flavor Flav told TMZ that Trujillo suffered from exhaustion and not an overdose as they had reported earlier.

The site quoted a source that they labeled as a "honcho on the show" that said she was hospitalized after an accidental overdose and said that it was not a suicide attempt.

Flav's rep said that Trujillo was kept awake all night "doing 'Couples Therapy' stuff" and reportedly accused producers of hyping the hospitalization for ratings.

The rep said, "The claim of an overdose, or any involvement of drugs, could not be further from the truth."

Read the TMZ report here.

Legendary Record Producer Phil Ramone Dead at 79

(Radio.com) Phil Ramone, the producer who worked with such varied acts as Frank Sinatra, Billy Joel, and Ray Charles, died Saturday (March 30) in New York at the age of 79.

Ramone, a native of South Africa but raised in Brooklyn, had been a presence in the music industry since the 1960s. His work was not only prolific but also well respected, earning him 14 Grammy awards and even more nominations.

He collaborated with artists of all genres, from Liza Minnelli to Sinead O'Connor and Paul McCartney. He is perhaps best remembered as being responsible for staging duets of unexpected artists, such as Sinatra and Bono of U2, a practice that stems back to his work as an engineer on the 1965 album Getz/Gilberto, a collaboration between Stan Getz and João Gillberto.

Ramone had an especially close working relationship with Joel and is featured on the back cover of his 1977 album The Stranger. Joel was one of the first artists to release a statement this past Saturday, saying, "I always thought of Phil Ramone as the most talented guy in my band. He was the guy that no one ever, ever saw onstage. He was with me as long as any of the musicians I ever played with — longer than most. So much of my music was shaped by him and brought to fruition by him."

Other artists, such as McCartney, Barbra Streisand and Bette Midler have responded in length or via Twitter. A common thread seems to focus on not only Ramone's talent, but also his kindness. Read the tributes.

Madonna The First Female Billionaire Of Pop Music

(Radio.com) After a successful 2012, Madonna has progressed from being just your average millionaire to the first female billionaire of pop music. But the addition of the Material Girl into the billionaire (mostly) boys club is more than just a culmination of one good year. It's the result of a cleverly strategized career that has spanned three decades, 12 albums and more than a handful of business ventures that allowed Madonna to take her career — and more importantly, her money — into her own hands.

Calling 2012 a good year for Madonna is clearly an understatement. The singer was the top-earning pop star thanks to her record-breaking MDNA world tour, which made over $300 million dollars in ticket sales, according to Pollstar. Not to mention, as the The New York Post reported, she made $75 million in merch sales over the course of the 88 shows and pulled in another $10 million in TV rights and DVD sales.

Madonna doesn't just rely on her music to bring in money, though. Last year she raked in an estimated $10 million for her Material Girl clothing line and shoe line. She also earned $60 million from sales of her debut perfume, Truth or Dare, exclusive to Macy's, a store that your average Madonna fan can afford to shop at.

The icon also makes good business choices. She teamed up with Smirnoff Vodka and made $10 million dollars. And even though no exact numbers have been released, it's been reported that her investments in Vita Coco coconut water and gym chain Hard Candy have earned her a good chunk of change. more on this story

AEG To Argue Death Doctor Was Michael Jackson's Employee

An attorney for concert giant AEG says in a new interview that Michael Jackson was paying Dr. Conrad Murray directly at the end of his life.

That fact may help the concert promotion company win the wrongful death lawsuit brought against them by Jackson's mother Katherine and his three children.

AEG Live signed on to promote Michael Jackson's comeback "This Is It" concerts at London's O2 Arena. He was preparing for the shows when he died.

Jackson died on June 25, 2009 and the Los Angeles County coroner said the famed singer died from "acute proposal intoxication" as well as two other drugs, which were allegedly administered by Dr. Conrad Murray.

The Jackson family lawsuit reportedly blames Jackson's death on AEG, claiming the promoters were responsible for Dr. Murray, who was convicted for the involuntary manslaughter of Jackson and is currently serving a prison sentence for the crime.

CNN spoke with an AEG Live lawyer Marvin Putnam for their upcoming documentary "Michael Jackson: The Final Days," which will air this Friday at 10 P.M.

"[Murray] was chosen by Michael Jackson," Putnam told CNN. "He was brought to Los Angeles by Michael Jackson. He had been Michael Jackson's long-time physician and continued in that capacity and was directed by him and could only be fired at will by him."

Billboard reports that AEG also reportedly intends to present evidence of drug addiction and discuss Jackson's court case over child molestation accusations, for which he was acquitted. Read their report for more details

Coldplay Beat The Beatles and Pink Floyd

(popmusiclife) Coldplay's "A Rush Of Blood To The Head" has been named the favorite album of all time by BBC Radio 2 listeners.

The BBC reports Coldplay's second album, released in 2002, beat the likes of Pink Floyd and The Beatles to top the Radio 2 poll.

"A Rush Of Blood To The Head," which includes hits such as "Clocks" and "The Scientist," topped the charts in 2002 and sold more than 2.8 million copies in the UK.

Taking second place in the Radio 2 list was Keane's 2004 record "Hopes And Fears," while Duran Duran's "Rio" came third in a list that featured just two albums from the last decade. more on this story

LL Cool J Reveals Authentic Album and Tour Details

LL Cool J has revealed the details for his forthcoming studio album, Authentic, which is set to be released on April 30th and will feature a number of high profile guests.

The famed rapper didn't just stick to hip-hop when it came to lining up collaborations for the effort. As previously reported the two highest profile guests on the album are country star Brad Paisley and hard rock guitar legend Eddie Van Halen.

The album will also feature guest contributions from Bootsy Collins, Chuck D, Charlie Wilson, Earth, Wind & Fire, Monica, Snoop Dogg, Seal, Blink-182's Travis Barker and more.

"With Authentic, I wanted to work on a project that showed my genuine love for all music," LL says. "Collaborating with these myriad of artists was an amazing experience and this album got me back to my roots and is for the fans across all generations who love real music too."

LL Cool J will be supporting the album release with his "The Kings Of The Mic" headline tour where he will be joined by DJ Z-Trip.

The tour will also feature performances from Ice Cube, Public Enemy and De La Soul and will kick off on May 23, 2003 in Tucson, AZ. more on this story

13-Year-Old Animator Creates New Paul Oakenfold Video

Celebrated DJ, remixer and producer Paul Oakenfold has released the official music video for the track "Who Do You Love" featuring Austin Bis.

When it came to creating the clip, Oakenfold didn't opt to use a big name director, instead the video was created by 13-year-old Scottish animator Morgan Spence.

The track is featured on the "Who Do You Love" EP which features a full vocal mix from Perfecto regular Richard Beynon and club mixes from Bass Ninjas whose recent remix back catalogue includes work for The Saturdays and Flo Rida. Watch the video here.

Monterey Jazz Festival Lineup Announced

Organizers for the Monterey Jazz Festival have announced the lineup for this year's festival which will take place September 20–22 at the Monterey Fairgrounds.

56th annual Monterey Jazz Festival will include performances from Diana Krall; Wayne Shorter Quartet; Bobby McFerrin; Bob James & David Sanborn featuring Steve Gadd & James Genus.

The event will also feature Dave Holland's PRISM featuring Kevin Eubanks, Craig Taborn & Eric Harland; Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas Quintet: Sound Prints; George Benson; The Relatives; Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club; Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra; and Gregory Porter. Visit the official site for more details.

Demi Lovato Sets Album Release and Reveals Controversial Cover

(popmusiclife) Demi Lovato has unveiled the cover art and street date for forthcoming new album, "Demi," on the heals of last week's announcement that she would also be returning this fall for season 3 of The X Factor.

Due May 14, the cover of Lovato's fourth album shows a fresh-faced portrait of the singer featuring blacked out hair and a grey-scaled body pose, with Demi holding her head in her hands.

The project's lead single, "Heart Attack," is out now. The song recently debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes chart in 18 countries (including the U.S.) and No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (the second-best Billboard debut of the year).

Check out the cover art and the Heart Attack video here.

India.Arie Denies Bleaching Her Skin

(Radio.com) Last year, India.Arie sounded off on the Nina Simone biopic, criticizing the producers for casting Zoe Zaldana, who has a light skin tone, to play the darker-hued Simone. Arie has recently found herself in the midst of her own color controversy.

When Arie posted the artwork for her new single, "Cocoa Butter," her own skin appeared to be lighter than it does in real life. The singer, best known for extolling the virtues of darker skin in songs like "Brown Skin," faced a backlash for her new-lighter-look.

While some questioned Arie's motives and judgement, others wondered if the singer was using skin bleaching cream to make herself appear lighter. She was quick to laugh off the accusations.

She tweeted, "Personally speaking! i'm happy to say I have NOT BLEACHED my skin LOL! ROTF at the thought." more on this story

Pharrell Williams vs. Nardwuar

Pharrell Williams turns the table on music journalist Nardwuar the Human Serviette with the first ever Pharrell Williams vs. Nardwuar pulling out all the stops and ALMOST leaving Nardwuar speechless.

They sing, rap, talk about Nardwuar's mysterious past, and Pharrell gives Nardwuar a tutorial on how to properly pronounce the term "ho" like a rapper.

Pharrell Williams vs. Nardwuar is featured on William's new i am OTHER YouTube channel. "The idea for i am OTHER really came from the fans," says Williams.

"They often say I inspired them to think outside the box and I wanted to establish a creative collective which represents that same philosophy.

"I believe individuality is the new wealth and I am dedicated to creating and supporting projects that encourage originality."

Check out Pharrell Williams vs. Nardwuar here.

Daley Finding Success With 'Throwback Soul'

(Radio.com) Some artists are discovered in back room deals by industry insiders who package them and turn them into a commodity that the iTunes buying public can stomach. And some artists, like Manchester's blue-eyed soulful son Daley, spring (nearly) fully formed from their own imagination with accolades from their peers.

Daley is part of the burgeoning soul and R&B movement out of the UK. He came on the heels of Adele and Amy Winehouse, whose "Love Is A Losing Game" he covered and released on the date of her untimely passing, but he's very much his own man. Daley's music at times harkens back to the '90s, and at others takes listeners back to the Sade vibe of the '80s. Sometimes he can even go further back to the '60s, but his music never seems to rely very much on the idea of being grounded in modern day production and style.

"I think the term that I've come up with that I really feel like works is future throwback soul, if I was going to have to put it in a little phrase, because it is literally what it says," Daley said in an interview with Radio.com.

"The music I make definitely always has soul at the core. When I write, I write from a very honest place and hopefully a very relatable place. In terms of where it is musically, it's definitely inspired by music from the past and the things I've been influenced by and inspired by. I really want my music to feel of its time and even a little futuristic. Although there are many artists who pull it off very well, I don't want to be an artist who is retro or old school." more on this story

Singled Out: Kevin Lester

Today Kevin Lester a.k.a. 'The LionCityBoy' tells us about his new single "Hear Me Go" from his debut EP "Everything You Love, You Hate, " which is being released today (April 2nd). Here is the story:

While writing the album, I was continuously exploring the idea of two worlds like dreams and nightmares and love and hate. It's the idea that while living in this similar space, there are extremes.

This time I was exploring the joy I get from being on stage, a place I feel most empowered in but looking back at this very stoic music audience regarding themselves as safe listeners. They clap after songs, they jump when only told to, don't get me wrong they're vibing to the music but it seems to be trapped within them.

Having been blessed to play at such great cities like New York, I've witnessed crowds just letting loose and just going wild! That energy that cannot be replaced, the human element of music, the listener. Hear Me Go invites the listener to my world almost begging you to go crazy.

The suit and tuxedo reference resembles constraint and control as we usually are at black tie events. Then addressing that even then, not to be afraid, let go, get dirty, mosh or bounce off the walls if it feels right too.

I imagine an audience of well-dressed people, sipping expensive champagne speaking in perfect-no-street-lingo language suddenly exploding with energy around a parquet dance floor when Hear Me Go kicks in through the speakers. The crowd becomes unruly and moshes. The chandelier shakes from the burst of havoc that has ensued. The audience suddenly realizes that there is no time to cage any part of you.

"Now make 'em rush to the floor"

The lyrics are laced with some of my favorite fashion influences, Yohji Yamamoto, Singaporean fashion designer and friend of mine Wykidd and the classic hero Hugo Boss. Mr Porter, a favorite tastemaker for suits makes an appearance as well. I hope to always get the listener involved in my life when I'm writing songs.

"When your friends try to fit the shoes you left her,
No laces on some leather/Blazer slim or double breasted
Black on black/ my pocket square/Get me seats on debonair"

This topic though borderline popular is close to my heart. I've always felt held back until music gave me my voice, gave me a reason to speak. I've stepped out of my own shell and here I am for all the world to see.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself here and learn more about the album right here!

Wait there is more!