Christina Aguilera’s Manager Irving Azoff Tops First Billboard ‘Power 100 List’
Longtime Eagles, Christina Aguilera and Seal manager Irving Azoff has been named the most powerful man in music in Billboard magazine’s first ever Power 100 list.
Azoff, the chairman of ticketing company and artist management group Live Nation, leads the countdown, which is dominated by industry executives.
The exceptions include new parents Jay-Z and Beyonce, who are ranked collectively at 13, U2 and their manager Paul McGuinness at 27 and top songwriter Lukasz ‘Dr. Luke’ Gottwald at 30.
Also making the list are Jon Bon Jovi, American Idol host/radio DJ Ryan Seacrest, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Simon Cowell.
Check Out Chris Brown’s Brand New Single ‘Turn Up The Music’
Multi-platinum selling superstar Chris Brown is getting the party started early with his brand new single “Turn Up The Music,” being released to radio stations now! The track will be available at all digital music stores on February 14.
Written and produced by The Underdogs, the energetic track will appear on “Fortune,” the eagerly anticipated follow-up to Brown’s critically acclaimed 2011 release “F.A.M.E.”
“F.A.M.E” has garnered 3 Grammy Awards nominations including Best R&B Album, and Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance for his hit single “Look At Me Now.”
Brown is currently in the studio adding the finishing touches to “Fortune.” The official release date for “Fortune” will be announced soon.
For more information and up-to-date Chris Brown news, please visit www.planetchrisbrown.com, www.chrisbrownworld.com www.mechanicaldummy.com and follow @ChrisBrown.
Beyonce Is Subject Of New College Course
Hip-hop fans can now study Beyonce thanks to a new course at Rutgers University.
Lecturer Kevin Allred has signed up to teach Politicizing Beyonce as part of the school’s Women’s and Gender Studies curriculum.
The class offers New Jersey students the chance to watch the pop star’s music videos and explore how the “Single Ladies” hitmaker’s image and music has impacted the world.
An overview of the course on the university’s website reads, “The performer’s music and career are used as lenses to explore American race, gender, and sexual politics… Course topics include the extent of Beyonce’s control over her own aesthetic, whether her often half-naked body is empowered or stereotypical, and her more racy performances as her alter ego, Sasha Fierce.”
The course includes class discussions, which “often lead to other vocalists, including Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Lady Gaga, and contemporary musicians who embrace the soul singing tradition like Adele and the late Amy Winehouse.”
Beyonce’s husband is also the subject of his own higher education course – Georgetown University is currently offering students the chance to take the Sociology of Hip-Hop: Jay-Z.
Newly Single Katy Perry Looked Fun & Flirty At Las Vegas Nightclub
Katy Perry and J. Molinari Jewelry co-hosted the 1OAK Nightclub Las Vegas grand opening weekend and GiveLove event on Friday night. The pop star looked like she was having a great time, posing for photos in a sexy blue dress with blue hair.
Katy took to Twitter to thank all of the guests for turning out, writing, “Thanks to everyone who helped out w/ (with) the Give Love event at Mirage & 1 Oak LV. Go to Givelove.org to see how u can make a difference!”
Her ex Russell Brand filed for divorce from Katy on December 30. Both seemed to have swiftly moved on. The actor moved into a new home in Los Angeles just weeks after splitting with the singer.
Last week Katy returned to the stage in Indonesia for her first concert since the break up. The two were married for just 14 months.
Is Cher Dead?
“RIP Cher” was trending on Twitter Thursday night and took on a life of it’s own.
It even got Kim Kardashian whipped into a frenzy causing her to tweet, “Did I just hear Cher has passed away? Is this real? OMG”
Millionaire Matchmaker Patti Stanger was duped too tweeting “Is this for real? I don’t see it anywhere.”
Kim added “I hope this is a twitter joke and not true. I don’t see it on the news anywhere. I’m praying its not true…”
From what we can tell Kim was right on track — it was extremely UNFUNNY Twitter joke.
It appears the “RIP Cher” trend on Twitter may have been started by a user by the name “@Lorraine_Star,” who faked a retweet from CNN.
Her bogus tweet read, “RT @CNN: American recording artist Cher dies at 65 years old. Found dead in Malibu home.”
We are pretty confident that Cher is alive and well — and probably getting her beauty rest about now, but we have an email out to her rep to be sure.
Songwriter Sues Over B.o.B.’s Track ‘Airplanes’
B.o.B.‘s hit single Airplanes is the subject of a lawsuit from a songwriter who claims she helped write the track but failed to receive a credit.
The hip-hop star found chart success in 2010 with the track which features Paramore singer Hayley Williams on vocals.
Songwriter Christine Dominguez has now filed suit against the song’s producers, Jeremy Dussolliet and Tim Sommers, who work under the names Kinetics and One Love, suggesting she contributed to the song but was not given any recognition.
She filed papers in court in New York on January 23rd alleging Dussolliet and Sommers asked her to help create the melody for Airplanes but cut her out of subsequent royalty payments.
The papers state, “In a transparent effort to keep all the credit and earnings for themselves despite Dominguez’ substantial contribution to the joint work, defendants omitted her from the listing as the author of Airplanes on the 2010 release and elsewhere. Nor have defendants accounted to Dominguez for revenues derived, either from the 2010 release, or any other source.”
Dominguez is seeking a share of the profits from CD, digital, and ringtone sales, according to Allhiphop.com.
DVD Review: ‘God Bless Ozzy Osbourne’
In some ways, God Bless Ozzy Osbourne seems a bit unnecessary, a bit of grandeur and posturing – as it were – for a man who helped to shape the course of heavy music throughout the years.
As far as content, God Bless Ozzy Osbourne covers the necessary evils – Black Sabbath, drug addiction (sort of), and family life, though the proceedings are less than biting.
God Bless Ozzy Osbourne plays like a skeleton outline of Ozzy‘s life. While the man’s alcoholism is addressed, it’s quickly dismissed as just being part of Osbourne’s lifestyle back in the day.
The Black Sabbath frontman’s tenure with the band is discussed as well, though it’s the segments involving his relationship with the late Randy Rhoads that provide the most enlightening and touching sections of the film. In terms of added content, God Bless Ozzy Osbourne offers a collection of deleted scenes (check out Ozzy’s fight with the film’s director) and a Q&A between the man and his sullen son Jack.
God Bless Ozzy Osbourne is a film seemingly better suited for those who haven’t been following along with Osbourne’s trials and tribulations throughout the years, though it is more than worth a viewing, just keep in mind that it probably won’t offer much in the way of groundbreaking information.
Grade: B-
Noel Gallagher is a Godlike Genius
Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:15:23
While his brother Liam may disagree with this sentiment, Noel Gallagher is a Godlike Genius! The former Oasis member will receive the Godlike Genius Award at this year’s NME Awards.
Gallagher will be feted at the annual ceremony in London, which will be held on Leap Year, which is Feb. 29.
When acknowledging the honor, Gallagher said that “I have dreamt of this moment since I was 43 years old. I accept that I am now a genius, just like God.” He succeeds last year’s winner Dave Grohl.
Think Liam Gallagher, the brother he battles with profusely, will show up to crash the party and the awards?
—Katie Sheehan
01.27.12
Tags: Noel Gallagher, Oasis, Dave Grohl
Bruce Springsteen Tour Dates Announced
Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:19:04
Bruce Springsteen Photos
Bruce Springsteen Videos
The Boss will be back in town next month!
Bruce Springsteen is embarking on another tour. We have the dates and the on-sale dates, too!
March 18th – Atlanta, GA – Philips Arena (on sale Feb 4)
March 19th – Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum (on sale Feb 3)
March 23rd – Tampa, FL – Tampa Bay Times Forum (on sale Jan 28)
March 26th – Boston, MA – TD Garden (on sale Jan 28)
March 28th – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center (on sale Jan 28)
March 29th – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center (on sale Jan 28)
April 1st – Washington, DC – Verizon Center (on sale Jan 28)
April 3rd – East Rutherford, NJ – Izod Center (on sale Jan 27)
April 4th – East Rutherford, NJ – Izod Center (on sale Jan 27)
April 6th – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden (on sale Jan 27)
April 9th – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden (on sale Jan 27)
April 12th – Detroit, MI – The Palace of Auburn Hills (on sale Jan 28)
April 13th – Buffalo, NY – First Niagara Center (on sale Jan 28)
April 16th – Albany, NY – Times Union Center (on sale Jan 28)
April 17th – Cleveland, OH – Quicken Loans Arena (on sale Jan 28)
April 24th – San Jose, CA – HP Pavilion (on sale Feb 3)
April 26th – Los Angeles, CA – Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena (on sale Feb 3)
April 29th – New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (on sale now)
May 2nd – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center (on sale Jan 27)
Are you going to see The Boss? He’s from Jersey, so you gotta love Jersey!
—Katie Sheehan
01.27.12
Tags: Bruce Springsteen
The Knocks to Tour This March
Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:24:56
The Knocks have announced their upcoming Neon Gold Tour, a six-date run of shows in early March, which will happen right before before DJ B Roc and Jpatt head to SXSW and the already-sold-out Ultra Music Festival. Tickets are on sale now so get ‘em so you can go see the electro hip-hop duo.
Tour Dates:
March 1st New York, NY @ Santos Party House (Neon Gold Tour)
March 2nd Boston, NY @ Middle East Downstairs (Neon Gold Tour)
March 3rd Hartford, CT @ Trinity College – The Mill (Neon Gold Tour)
March 6th Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall (Neon Gold Tour)
March 7th Philadelphia, PA @ The Blockley (Neon Gold Tour)
March 9th Savannah, GA @ Savannah Stopover Festival
March 11th Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade – Purgatory Stage (Neon Gold Tour)
March 13-18th Austin, TX @ SXSW
March 23rd Miami, FL @ Ultra Music Festival
Are you going to attend The (School of Hard) Knocks this March?
—Katie Sheehan
01.27.12
Tags: The Knocks, DJ B Roc