Usher's <i>Here I Stand</i>
Photo: LaFace

When you think of debonair R&B star Usher, you think hits — tracks like "U Remind Me," "My Boo" and "Yeah!" You think about the fact that the dude has sold more than 30 million records worldwide. You think about the legions of fans that make each of his live gigs sell-out events, and words like "icon" start popping into your head. So it should surprise you that, over the course of more than a decade, Usher has had just one album open at #1 on Billboard's albums sales chart.

That is until last week, when the soulful crooner issued his latest studio effort, Here I Stand. According to the latest Nielsen SoundScan totals, after selling more than 442,900 copies, Usher's latest knocks 3 Doors Down's self-titled album from the peak position of next week's chart. His previous release, 2004's Confessions, also bowed on top, but with significantly stronger sales: 1.1 million, to be exact.

But that stark difference in sales shouldn't taint Usher's latest victory one bit. In a market where albums are more often pilfered than purchased, 442,900 scans is no small potatoes. Besides, Usher basically crushed the rest of the field this week. His closest competitor, the "Sex and the City" soundtrack (featuring contributions from Fergie, Jennifer Hudson and Nina Simone), enters the chart at #2, with just 65,900 sold. The nation's third best-seller, 3 Doors Down, sold a mere 63,200 units.

Here I Stand and the "Sex and the City" set were among 16 new releases making their impact on next week's Top 200. Al Green's Lay It Down opened at #9 with 33,800 copies snatched up. But Green's was the only other newcomer to crack the top 10, which is rounded out by Bun B's II Trill at #4 (selling another 40,200 copies), Leona Lewis' Spirit at #5 (38,700), Frank Sinatra's Nothing but the Best at #6 (with 36,900 sold), Duffy's Rockferry at #7 (35,900), Mariah Carey's E=MC² at #8 (35,600) and Death Cab for Cutie's Narrow Stairs at #10 (with another 33,400 scanned).

Elsewhere on the chart, Fergie's Dutchess LP, which was re-issued last week with four bonus tracks, enjoyed a 131 percent spike in sales, ending the week with 14,800 and climbing from #104 to #28 on the chart. Down in the #46 spot, selling 11,400 copies, is Fergie's Dutchess EP. Meanwhile, Cyndi Lauper returns to the chart at #41, with her Bring Ya to the Brink, which generated 12,000 first-week scans. Underoath's Survive Kaleidoscope opens at #81 with 8,000 copies sold, and Charlotte Sometimes' Waves & the Both of Us enters at #145, with sales reported at 4,300.

36 Crazyfists' Tide and Its Takers bows at #155, selling 4,200 copies. Spiritualized's Songs in A&E claims the #157 spot with 4,100 sold. Lastly, debuting at #199 with 3,100 sold, is KT Tunstall's Live From Soho.

• Usher
• Fergie
• Jennifer Hudson
• Nina Simone
• 3 Doors Down

David Cook
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images

He's been the nation's seventh American Idol for less than a week, but David Cook is already proving that, when it comes to marketable, bankable artists, he certainly fits the bill.

"The Time of My Life," the coronation song that Cook belted out at the close of last week's "Idol" finale, opens at #1 on next week's Billboard Hot Digital Tracks chart, which ranks the best-selling digital singles nationwide. With 236,000-plus downloads, Cook bumps Rihanna's "Take a Bow" from the top spot — but that's not all.

All told, 17 of the songs the 25-year-old Missouri guitarist performed during the show's most recent season are sprinkled throughout the list, according to the latest SoundScan figures. Cook's "Dream Big" follows at #7 (with 111,000 downloads), while his rendition of U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" from the season's final performance episode occupies the #9 position, having generated 97,900 downloads. At #14, with 80,000 downloads, it's Cook's cover of Collective Soul's "The World I Know," while his take on Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" was downloaded 60,000 times, earning it the chart's #18 spot.

Likewise, Cook's version of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" comes in at #21 (with 56,300 sold), his rendition of Mariah Carey's "Always Be My Baby" follows at #27 (46,600), and his performance of Lionel Richie's "Hello" occupies the #30 slot (42,300).

For being this year's "Idol" runner-up, David Archuleta isn't doing so bad himself. While he failed to inspire the sort of download action that Cook has, his take on Elton John's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" was the country's 23rd-most downloaded song, with sales of nearly 50,700. Two spots behind that, with 49,100 downloads, is his first single, "In This Moment," followed at #36 by his cover of John Lennon's "Imagine," which generated close to 40,000 downloads. Archuleta has 11 other songs on next week's download chart.

Not only was it a good week to be an "American Idol" finalist, it was also a good week to be an artist affiliated with the program. Disco diva Donna Summer appeared on the show last week, and her latest LP, Crayons, enters next week's Billboard Top 200 at #17 with 22,600 copies scanned during its initial week of release. Similarly, former "Idol" winner Carrie Underwood — who also appeared on the reality show last week — enjoyed a 58 percent boost in sales, sending her Carnival Ride up eight spots to #16 with 25,000 sold.

Former "Idol" hopeful Daughtry's self-titled debut experienced a 31 percent surge in retail interest to end the week at #20 — a 10-position jump — with 19,700 sold. And lastly, OneRepublic, who performed their hit "Apologize" alongside Archuleta, saw sales of their Dreaming Out Loud swell a whopping 107 percent to close the week out with 17,300 scans; the album, which sits in the #24 slot, shot up 64 positions on the chart.

All in all, there are 17 new releases cracking next week's Billboard album sales chart, with three of those opening in the top spots. With 154,300 copies sold during week one, 3 Doors Down's self-titled album bows on top, making it the band's second-straight #1 debut; 2005's Seventeen Days also opened at #1, but with 231,400 sold. Right behind them at #2, with 98,000 copies snatched up, is Bun B's II Trill, and with 67,000 in reported sales, it's the self-titled debut offering from "Dancing With the Stars" bombshell Julianne Hough at #3.

Jesse McCartney's Departure enters next week's chart at #14, having sold 30,200 units during its first week in stores, while Green Day vanity project Foxboro Hot Tubs' Stop Drop and Roll!!! follows at #21 with 18,900 scans. The soundtrack to "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" opens at #39 with close to 14,000 sold, while the Dresden Dolls' No, Virginia ... bows at #94 with 7,300 copies scanned. Actress Scarlett Johansson's collection of Tom Waits covers, Anywhere I Lay My Head, impacts the chart at #126 with 5,100 sold, while Mates of State's Re-Arrange Us comes in at #140, selling 4,600 copies.

The rest of next week's top 10 is rounded out by some of the industry's most consistent sellers. Frank Sinatra's Nothing But the Best falls two spots to #4 with 54,000 scans, while last week's #1, Death Cab for Cutie's Narrow Stairs, slips to #5, selling another 52,600 units. Leona Lewis' Spirit follows at #6 with 50,000 scans, with Mariah Carey's E=MC² right behind at #7, scanning 44,900 copies. Duffy's Rockferry sold 44,200 copies, tumbling four spots to #8, while Madonna's Hard Candy follows at #9 with 38,600 scans. Lastly, falling three spots to #10, it's Neil Diamond's Home Before Dark, which sold another 35,700 copies.

• 3 Doors Down
• Bun-B
• Daughtry
• Jesse McCartney

R. Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet"
Photo: Sbme

Sealed With a Kiss: R. Kelly's serialized "Trapped in the Closet" video drama is either genius or preposterous, depending on whom you ask, but Kelly's got plenty of explaining to do on the DVD set, which includes seven new chapters, running commentary and behind-the-scenes snips.

Greatest Delights: Whether you can or can't get enough of them, Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker are back this week with newly refined — and not-so-refined — product. Two unreleased cuts and a bonus DVD come with Greatest Hits, while the Haunted Cities do-over is done up right by Paul Wall.

Set Splinters: Nirvana completists undoubtedly nabbed last year's With the Lights Out box set, but even those fans will need Sliver: The Best of the Box. It's got unreleased takes of "Spank Thru," "Sappy" and a rehearsal version of "Come as You Are," plus some snappy, never-before-seen cover artwork.

Heavy Mettle: Ozzy's cover of the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil" may not be surprising, but his takes on John Lennon's "Working Class Hero" and King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man" sure are. And if you're looking for live tunes to sate your metal tastes, look no further than Slipknot's two-timing 9.0: Live, which is loaded with 24 tracks' worth of easy-listening pleasure (knot).

Like Mother, Like Daughter: June Carter Cash's Church in the Wildwood comes back this week, while the illustrious wife of Johnny is also hailed with Ring of Fire: The Best of June Carter Cash. In the meantime her daughter Rosanne also gets the reissue treatment with remastered versions of Interiors, King's Record Shop and Seven Year Ache.

Song Title of the Week:

• "Amazedisgrace" (3's Wake Pig)

Carlos Santana's All That I Am: Carlos keeps it seemingly simple with "Hermes," "Fuego" and "Con," but makes it a bit more complicated with a Spanish-language tune ("Do Tu Amor") and a DVD's worth of goodies. Oye como va again.

Public Enemy's New Whirl Order: In case you've been dodging Best Buys, PE's latest drops in other retail outlets this week. Recorded with Moby and led by the single "MKLVFKWR," Chuck and Flav keep it even realer with a bonus DVD filled with multimedia tracks, commentary and mo'.

Killing Joke's "XXV Gathering: The Band That Preys Together Stays Together" DVD: Every bit as ominous as it sounds, "XXV Gathering" finds founding and recently recruited members of the U.K.'s dastardly denizen digging into 17 tracks' worth of devastating dirge punk. It's the only DVD available from Jaz and company, so even if you missed the Shepherd's Bush Empire show, it'll be worth your wail.

New Releases:

• 3 - Wake Pig (Metal Blade)
• 7th Octave - Seventh Degree (Slam Jamz)
• The Alabama Boys - No Way I Can Lose (SMC)
• Altamont - The Monkees' Uncle (Ant Acid Audio)
• Trey Anastasio - Shine (two CDs; Columbia)
• Burt Bacharach - At This Time (Columbia)
• Ballerz Ink - Tha Hustle (Thump)
• Bobby Bare - The Moon Was Blue (Dualtone)
• BirdMan - Fast Money: Screwed and Chopped (Universal)
• Blink-182 - Greatest Hits (with DVD; Geffen)
  Buy Now: Greatest Hits (with DVD; Geffen)
• Terri Clark - Life Goes On (Mercury Nashville)
• The Cops - Get Good or Stay Bad (Mt. Fuji)
• A.J. Croce - Early On (Seedling)
• Deep Purple - Rapture of the Deep (Eagle Rock)
• Dishwalla - Live ... Greetings From the Flow State (DualDisc; Immergent)
• D.P.G. - Dillinger and Young Gotti II: Tha Saga Continuez (Gangsta Advisory)
• Ed Gein - Judas Goats & Dieseleaters (Metal Blade)
• Fatlip - Theloneliest Punk (with DVD; Delicious Vinyl)
• Garaj Mahal - Blueberry Cave (Harmonized)
• Goldfrapp - Number 1 EP (enhanced; Mute)
• Guitar Wolf - Golden Black: Greatest Hits (Narnack)
• John Hiatt - Live From Austin TX (New West)
• William Hooker, Glenn Hall, Lee Ranaldo - Oasis of Whispers (Alien8)
• Imogen Heap - Speak for Yourself (RCA)
• The Impossebulls - Slave Education (Slam Jamz)
• Freddie Jackson - Personal Reflections (Artemis)
• Eric Johnson - Live From Austin TX (New West)
• Sander Kleinenberg and Lee Burridge - This Is Everybody! On Tour (two CDs; Ultra)
• Diana Krall - Christmas Songs (Verve)
• Lagwagon - Resolve (Fat Wreck Chords)
• Lokote - Dia De Los Muertos (Thump)
• Brian McBride - When the Detail Lost Its Freedom (Kranky)
• Kate and Anna McGarrigle - The McGarrigle Christmas Hour (Nonesuch)
• Montgomery Gentry - Something to Be Proud of: Best of 1999-2005 (Columbia)
• Move.Meant - The Good Money EP (Wax Paper)
• Nirvana - Sliver: The Best of the Box (Geffen)
  Buy Now: Sliver: The Best of the Box (Geffen)
• OC - Smoke and Mirrors (Red Urban)
• Tony Orlando & Dawn - A Christmas Reunion (R2)
• Ozzy Osbourne - Under Covers (DualDisc; Epic)
  Buy Now: Under Covers (DualDisc; Epic)
• The Panic Division - Versus (Militia Group)
• The Peasall Sisters - Home to You (Dualtone)
• Princess - Princess (Sick Room)
• Public Enemy - New Whirl Order (Slam Jamz)
  Buy Now: New Whirl Order (Slam Jamz)
• Carlos Santana - All That I Am (with bonus DVD; Arista)
  Read: "Guest List For New Santana LP: Big Boi, Mary J., Will.I.Am, Bo Bice And More"
  Buy Now: All That I Am (with bonus DVD; Arista)
• Ulrich Schanuss - Far Away Trains Passing By (with bonus EP; Domino)
• Signal Drift - Set Design (Consumers Research)
• Slipknot - 9.0: Live (two CDs; Roadrunner)
  Read: "Slipknot Cap A Year Of Destruction With 9.0: Live; More Stone Sour On Tap"
  Buy Now: 9.0: Live (two CDs; Roadrunner)
• Speech - Vagabond (Bluehammock)
• Sun Kil Moon - Tiny Cities (Digipak; Caldo Verde)
• Test Icicles - Boa Vs. Python EP (Domino)
• Texas Tornados - Live From Austin TX (New West)
• Third Day - Wherever You Are (Essential)
• Transplants - Haunted Cities - Screwed and Chopped by DJ Paul Wall (Atlantic)
  Read: "Transplants Team Up With Paul Wall For First Chopped-And-Screwed Rock LP"
  Buy Now: Concrete Rose (Def Jam)
• Josh Turner - Your Man (MCA Nashville)
• The Vacancies - A Beat Missing or a Silence Added (Blackheart)
• Kenny Vance and the Planotones - Lovers Island (Varèse)
• Dwight Yoakam - Live From Austin TX (New West)
• Various artists - Dawning of a New Era (Trojan)
• Various artists - Gilles Peterson Presents BBC Sessions (RPM)
• Various artists - I Like It, Vol. 2 (Compost)
• Various artists - La Guitara: Gender Bending Strings (Vanguard)
• Various artists - Latin Grammy Nominees 2005 (Univision)
• Various artists - Now That's What I Call Music! 20 (UTV)
• Various artists - Old School House Party (Thump)
• Various artists - "According to Jim" soundtrack (Hollywood)
• Various artists - "Brokeback Mountain" soundtrack (Verve)
• Various artists - "Chicken Little" soundtrack (Walt Disney)

Notable Reissues:

• Boy Sets Fire - Before the Eulogy (with bonus tracks; Equal Vision)
• June Carter Cash - Church in the Wildwood and Ring of Fire: The Best of June Carter Cash (Dualtone)
• Rosanne Cash - Interiors, King's Record Shop and Seven Year Ache (Columbia/Legacy)
• A.J. Croce - Early On (Seedling)
• John Fogerty - The Long Road Home: Ultimate John Fogerty/ Creedence Collection (Fantasy)
• Grateful Dead - Fillmore West 1969: The Complete Recordings (three CDs; live; Rhino)
• Isaac Hayes - Ultimate Isaac Hayes: Can You Dig It? (Stax)
• Killswitch Engage - Alive or Just Breathing - The 25th Anniversary Series (Roadrunner)
• Senses Fail - Let It Enfold You (enhanced; Vagrant)
• Dusty Springfield - Live at the Royal Albert Hall (Eagle Rock)
• Taking Back Sunday - Tell All Your Friends (Victory)
• Richard & Linda Thompson - Pour Down Like Silver (with bonus tracks; Fontana)
• Various artists - Coming Home for Christmas (RCA)
• Various artists - The Complete Verve Remixed Deluxe Box (Verve)
• Various artists - Trampoline Records Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 (Rounder)

DVDs:

• George Benson - "Live at Montreux 1986" (Eagle Vision)
• Beta Band - "The Best of Beta Band Film" (Astralwerks)
• DMX - Cypress Hill's 6th Annual Smoke Out Presents: DMX (Eagle Vision)
• Duran Duran - "Live From London - Deluxe Edition" (with CD; Universal)
• Grateful Dead - "Dead Ahead: Live From Radio City" (Monterey)
• John Hiatt - "Live From Austin TX" (New West)
• Eric Johnson - "Live From Austin TX" (New West)
• R. Kelly - "Trapped in the Closet - Chapters 1-12" (Jive)
  Read: "R. Kelly To Release Chapters 1-12 Of 'Trapped' On DVD — And It's Not Over Yet"
• Killing Joke - "XXV Gathering: The Band That Preys Together Stays Together" (Red Distribution)
• John Lennon and Yoko Ono - "The Dick Cavett Show: John & Yoko Collection" (Shout! Factory)
• Yngwie Johann Malmsteen - "Concerto Suite for Guitar and Orchestra in E Flat Minor With the New Japan Philharmonic" (Eagle Vision)
• Youssou N'Dour - "Live at Montreux 1989" (Eagle Vision)
• Lou Reed - "Live at Montreux 2000" (Eagle Vision)
• Testament - "Live in London" (Red Distribution)
• Texas Tornados - "Live From Austin TX" (New West)
• Dwight Yoakam - "Live From Austin TX" (New West)
• Various artists - "Live 8 at Eden: Africa Calling" (Rhino)

Coming Attractions:

November 8:

• Limp Bizkit - Greatest Hitz (Geffen)
• The Mars Volta - Scab Dates (Universal)
• Young Buck - T.I.P. (Mass Appeal)

November 15:

• Mariah Carey - The Emancipation of Mimi: Platinum Edition (Island)
  Read: "Mariah Carey Emancipating Mimi Again, With Bonus Tracks"
• Green Day - Bullet in a Bible (with DVD; Reprise)
• Madonna - Confessions on a Dance Floor (Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Madonna Making 'Spontaneous' And 'Unapologetic' Dance Music"
  Buy Now: Confessions on a Dance Floor (Warner Bros.)

November 22:

• John Mayer Trio - Try! John Mayer Trio Live in Concert (Columbia)
  Read: "John Mayer Trio Geek Out With Live Album, Rolling Stones Jokes"
• Britney Spears - Britney Spears Remixed (Jive)
• System of a Down - Hypnotize (DualDisc same day; Columbia)
  Read: "System Of A Down Album Preview: Hypnotize Even Wilder Than Mezmerize"
  Buy Now: Hypnotize (DualDisc same day; Columbia)

• R. Kelly
• Nirvana
• blink-182
• Transplants
• Slipknot

Juvenile at a press conference for BET's "S.O.S. (Saving OurSelves): The BET Relief Telethon"
Photo: Getty Images

Among the millions in Louisiana and Mississippi who lost family members and homes to Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath are some prominent musicians who reside on the Gulf Coast, from Juvenile to 3 Doors Down.

Now, with relief efforts heavily underway, those artists are balancing their grief by using their platforms to raise money, awareness and even some hope for their hometowns.

"Many of our folks in New Orleans didn't have much to begin with, and now they have lost everything," said Juvenile, whose home on Lake Pontchartrain in St. Tammany Parish was destroyed along with all of his possessions. "Everyone has to pull together."

Juvenile was not in the area when the hurricane hit, but only about half of his 200 relatives evacuated in time and many are still missing. The rapper is performing at BET's "S.O.S. (Saving OurSelves): The BET Relief Telethon" on Friday and has been urging fans to donate to the Red Cross.

Another one of New Orleans' top rappers, Master P, lost his home and has taken action, forming Team Rescue (TeamRescueOne.com) to bring supplies to those left in New Orleans. He's also donated millions and will perform at the BET benefit.

Chopper, the "Making the Band" star whose debut album is due later this year on Diddy's Bad Boy Records, lost his house as well as friends from his childhood neighborhood, which was destroyed by flooding.

"Two of my high school friends drowned and a couple of my homies got shot out by the police," he said. "I ain't gonna lie, it's a hurtin' feelin'. It's hard for me to cry, but I shed a tear with this one."

Chopper donated $150,000 ("Out of my personal account, forget the business account," he noted) and has traveled to Houston and surrounding areas to aid in relief efforts. He's also written a song about watching his city crumble; "Crescent City Crisis" will appear on his forthcoming album.

In Miami for the MTV Video Music Awards, Chopper watched in terror as the hurricane aftermath unfolded on TV. "Hurricanes always miss us," he said. "I didn't take it that seriously. My family, though, always leave the city two or three days prior to any hurricane. Luckily they thought like that. My grandma got caught in the storm, though, and I just got in touch with her yesterday."

	Find out how you can help with the Katrina relief efforts.
	Watch "MTV News Presents: After the Storm" on Overdrive.
	Watch MTV News' Hurricane Katrina Coverage On Overdrive.
	Read personal accounts from Gulf Coast residents.
	Watch the entire "ReAct Now: Music & Relief" concert on demand.

Chopper understands how the looting broke out — "Desperate times call for desperate measures," he said — and believes there is a misconception that his New Orleans neighbors are lazy people who rely on the government for support.

"I came from the slums where we were on welfare because we had to be," he said. "It's hard for a black man to get a job. I'm 19, but I've never had a job in my life. I applied for them when I was 16, but no one wants to hire you. So you gotta do what you can 'cause bills won't wait. It's hard for black people there. Louisiana is ranked the #2 worst-educated state. Mississippi is #1. You come on the battlefield and see how it really is."

Although he believes the situation in New Orleans will get worse before it improves, Chopper is confident the city will be restored.

"I got to be strong for my family, because I'm the only strong one," he said. "It's a pretty empty feeling losing your house, but materials are sooo, so much less than your life. Your life means more than anything. We can bounce back from that. That's a no-brainer."

In Biloxi, Mississippi, where 3 Doors Down got their start, Katrina did severe damage to several of the bandmembers' homes.

"Chris [Henderson], our guitar player, has eight feet of water in his house," singer Brad Arnold said. "He built a studio for us to write in and it's not thoroughly destroyed, but just because it's not leveled, doesn't mean it's fixable. There's also a few people in Chris' family that they don't know about. And Todd [Harrell, bassist] just bought a plantation house in the country and the roof got ripped off of it."

Arnold's house on the Mississippi River miraculously survived — "The very thing that makes it vulnerable is what saved it, and it's that it's on stilts," he said — but the singer went several days before finding out his father was still alive.

Since the hurricane hit, 3 Doors Down have been hosting food drives at each of their concerts and will donate all of their proceeds from Saturday's show in Atlanta, a portion of which will air as part of MTV's "ReAct Now: Music & Relief" special (see "Kelly, Stones, Kanye Added To Massive Disaster-Relief Special").

"After the show in Virginia, they laid all the food out and it covered the entire floor," Arnold said. "That makes you proud right there."

Arnold, a Bush supporter during the election last fall, was disappointed in the pace of the government's relief efforts, but believes the nation's time is better spent focusing on supporting victims rather than complaining.

"I think we should focus on salvaging the city and worry about pointing fingers later," he said. "We just need to get them out of there. It's a really difficult situation. I don't think people realize how many bridges are in the South and how many bridges go into all those cities. Biloxi, New Orleans, all of the bridges [going in] are gone. It's hard to maneuver in New Orleans anyway. It's just an old-designed city."

Other artists whose homes were destroyed include members of Better Than Ezra, jam band Galactic, the ReBirth Brass Band, Supagroup and Cowboy Mouth. Big Star's Alex Chilton and Fats Domino also lost homes, and the latter artist needed to be rescued by helicopter (see "New Orleans Evacuates As Mayor Issues 'Desperate SOS' ").

The Cash Money crew were not available for interviews, but are taking part in both BET and MTV's benefit events.

On Saturday, be sure to watch "MTV News Special: After the Storm," which premieres at 7:30 p.m. ET. And immediately after, stay tuned for "ReAct Now: Music & Relief," MTV, VH1 and CMT's Hurricane Katrina benefit concert special. The show will run from 8-11 p.m. ET and will feature Usher, Green Day, Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Ludacris, the Rolling Stones, David Banner and many more.

• Juvenile
• 3 Doors Down
• Master P

Ashlee Simpson
Photo: Getty Images

Ashlee Simpson has mapped out nine club shows this fall to help generate some buzz for her forthcoming LP, I Am Me, which lands in record stores on October 18. The first of those dates, according to Simpson's Web site, is set for September 21 in Portland, Oregon. The trek will end in New Orleans on October 9. ...

This fall, after a three-week break from the road, 3 Doors Down will head back out for 14 more gigs, according to the band's Web site, this time with Shinedown and Alter Bridge as the opening acts. The tour kicks off in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on September 29 and wraps in Columbus, Georgia, on November 9. ... On November 1, Blink-182 will drop a Greatest Hits album, with 16 classic Blink cuts, including "Dammit," "What's My Age Again?," "All the Small Things," "Adam's Song" and "Rock Show." The disc will also include a live version of "Man Overboard" as well as a previously unreleased cover of the Only Ones' "Another Girl, Another Planet." ...

Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose has fired back at his former bandmates Slash and Duff McKagan, through his attorney. Two weeks ago, Slash and Duff filed a federal lawsuit against the singer, charging that Rose transferred the publishing rights to the band's back catalog without their permission and knowingly pocketed royalty payments that were owed to the rest of the band. But on Monday morning (August 29) Axl's attorney, Howard Weitzman, issued a statement characterizing the lawsuit as "frivolous" and "premature." He claims the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, which collects money for songwriters, issued a check for the band's collective royalties to Axl's publisher — a clerical error, he said. The check was returned and ASCAP was notified of the mistake. "Rather than pick up the telephone and contact Axl or his representatives, his former partners scurried to file a lawsuit that contained false statements about Axl rather then making an effort to learn the truth regarding ASCAP's mistake," the statement reads. "Slash and Duff have an unfortunate pattern over the past few years of filing sensational but baseless lawsuits for the purpose of generating anti-Axl propaganda." ...

The Deftones' forthcoming B-Sides & Rarities, a CD/DVD package that drops on October 4, will feature several previously released and hard-to-find covers, including versions of the Cocteau Twins' "Wax and Wane," Helmet's "Sinatra," Duran Duran's "The Chauffeur," Jawbox's "Savory," the Smiths' "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want" and the Cure's "If Only Tonight We Could Sleep." The disc will also boast a previously unavailable acoustic version of "Digital Bath." ... Garbage have canceled the European leg of their current tour, deciding instead to wrap things up at the end of September in Australia. Dates had been scheduled for October in France, Belgium and the United Kingdom. According to a statement from the band's label, Garbage have "been constantly on the road since the beginning of March" and "feel they have somewhat overextended themselves and have mutually decided to conclude their tour at the end of September. The band wishes to extend their apologies to all Garbage fans in the territories involved and thank them profusely for their support." All tickets will be refunded. ...

Don't worry, it doesn't mean Erasure are breaking up, but frontman Andy Bell is going the solo route with his upcoming album, Electric Blue, due October 4. Bell is planning to support the album, which includes a duet with Jake Shears from the Scissor Sisters, with live dates in late 2005 and early 2006. ... You Hear It First alum Nellie McKay is graduating to her next album, the follow-up to her 2004 debut, Get Away From Me. Pretty Little Head, due January 3rd, features duets with Cyndi Lauper ("Beecharmer") and k.d. lang ("We Had It Right"), as well as songs about gay marriage ("Cupcake") and tenants' rights ("The Big One"). ...

Live will release their first Epic Records album, Songs From Black Mountain, in mid-November. The first single, "The River," will hit radio stations in mid-September. ... The law firm representing Patricia Santangelo — the New York mother of five who is countersuing the RIAA over a file-sharing accusation — has started a blog called "RIAA vs. the People." The site (recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com) will track the case as it progresses and has already posted a number of legal documents and a host of links to stories about Santangelo. According to lawyer Ray Beckerman, "We have set up this blog in order to collect evidence and input about these oppressive lawsuits." The recording industry has filed 13,000 lawsuits against Internet users since September 2003, with nearly 3,000 of those accused settling for an average of $4,000-$5,000. ...

08.26.2005

The soon-to-be-disbanded Destiny's Child have been confirmed to appear at Sunday's 2005 MTV Video Music Awards. The group joins 50 Cent, Kanye West, Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson, Green Day, Usher, Jessica Alba, Orlando Bloom, Coldplay, Kirsten Dunst, Lindsay Lohan, Hilary Duff, Good Charlotte, Ciara, Alicia Keys and a host of others on the roster of artists set to appear at the show. ... Snoop Dogg will release a 19-song greatest-hits album on October 4, The Best of Snoop Dogg. Among the classics on the collection are "Still a G Thang," "Gin & Juice II," "Down 4 My N's," "Woof!," "Just Dippin'," "Snoop Dogg (What's My Name, Pt. 2)," "Lay Low," "Beautiful" and "Hell Yeah." ...

Steven "Stevo" Jensen, who was the original singer for punk band the Vandals, died over the weekend at his home in Maui, Hawaii. The cause of death has not been determined, according to a statement issued by former Vandals guitarist Jan Nils Ackerman. "Stevo was an inspiration to me and was always our friend ... always," the guitarist wrote. Jensen fronted the group from 1980 to 1984. ... Simple Plan are turning their recent "Hard Rock Live" performance into a live album, due at the end of the year. "A bunch of fans have been asking for a live record, so it just makes sense," singer Pierre Bouvier said, adding that the LP will include acoustic versions of some of their songs. ...

Beck, Sleater-Kinney, the Arcade Fire, Devendra Banhart and Talib Kweli have been added to the lineup for the inaugural Vegoose festival at Las Vegas' Sam Boyd stadium on October 29-30. The acts join a bill that already boasts Dave Matthews, the Flaming Lips, Digable Planets and others. ... Coheed and Cambria's Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV - Volume 1: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness will hit record stores on September 20 ... and so will the band's first album, The Second Stage Turbine Blade. Equal Vision plans to reissue the disc, with one new track ("Elf Tower New Mexico") and two demo cuts ("Junesong Provision" and "Everything Evil"). ...

Doctors for Glassjaw frontman Daryl Palumbo have cleared him for a single concert next week, at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom on Wednesday with the Used. "It sucks that my health did not permit me to do the whole tour but I am excited to be able to play a Glassjaw show in my hometown," Palumbo said in a statement. "I am working hard on getting better and look forward to doing more touring with Head Automatica and Glassjaw in the future." ... Hanson's album Live and Electric, due October 11, features the brothers playing all their hits — recorded live last year in Melbourne, Australia — as well as covers of Radiohead's "Optimistic" and U2's "In a Little While." The trio have also produced a documentary, "Strong Enough to Break," about why they decided to set up their own record label. "Our choice to become independent again was about our belief between us and our fans," Taylor Hanson said. "We're passionate about the future of independent music." The documentary will be screened at colleges in each market on their upcoming tour, which kicks off October 18 in Atlanta and runs through November 23 in their hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. ...

Helmet have lined up nine East Coast gigs for the fall, the first on September 22 in Providence, Rhode Island. The band — featuring original frontman Page Hamilton, guitarist Chris Traynor, drummer John Tempesta and bassist Jeremy Chatelain — will wrap things up October 2 in Baltimore. ... Covers of the Rolling Stones' "Mother's Little Helper" (by Liz Phair), Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson" (the Indigo Girls) and the Candi Staton-popularized "Young Hearts Run Free" (Gloria Estefan) are among the highlights on the soundtrack to "Desperate Housewives," due September 20. Joss Stone, Macy Gray and Shania Twain, whose "Shoes" is the first single, are also included on the album. ...

To commemorate the release of the Beatles' Rubber Soul LP, indie label Razor & Tie will release This Bird Has Flown - A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber Soul on October 25. The 14-cut disc features contributions from Sufjan Stevens, the Fiery Furnaces, Ben Harper, the Donnas, Ted Leo and others. ... Late Beatles guitarist George Harrison's landmark 1971 all-star benefit show, "The Concert for Bangladesh - George Harrison and Friends," will make its DVD debut on October 25. The DVD of the first rock benefit concert to bring together huge names for a cause features sets by Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Ravi Shankar (a.k.a. Norah Jones' father) and Harrison, who banded together to help the victims of massive flooding in Bangladesh. The two-disc package will include the original 99-minute film, 72 minutes of extras and a 45-minute making-of documentary. A double-disc CD of the show will be released on the same day, with an unreleased recording of a Dylan soundcheck. All artist royalties will go to aid UNICEF. ...

• Ashlee Simpson
• 3 Doors Down
• blink-182
• Deftones

Eminem (file)
Photo: Interscope

Eminem's performances at the New York stops of the Anger Management Tour on Monday and Tuesday will be taped for a concert special to air on Showtime in early December, according to a spokesperson for the channel. ...

Foxy Brown was in a New York court on Friday (August 5), where her lawyer filed a motion to dismiss the complaint charging the rapper with assault and harassment stemming from an August 2004 dispute at a New York nail salon. Brown, who again rejected a plea bargain that would have ensured no jail time, is due back in court on September 22. ... Marion "Suge" Knight pleaded no contest on Friday to driving without insurance and making an illegal U turn and was fined $691, The Associated Press reports. The Death Row Records founder was arrested in February and spent a week in jail after San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies pulled him over and allegedly found marijuana in his truck. Drug-possession charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence. A female passenger was charged with providing false information to police and released. Her case is still pending. ...

3 Doors Down fans in Cincinnati were treated to an unexpected unplugged set during the band's show at Riverbend Music Center Thursday night when, halfway through the 70-minute show, the lights went out after a tree downed some nearby power lines. Following a 10-minute delay, singer Brad Arnold and drummer Greg Upchurch — using a snare drum and a small PA — performed for 40 more minutes while a stagehand shined a flashlight on the singer and the audience pitched in on the choruses. Refunds will not be issued, but the band is considering returning in September for a second date. ...

Queens of the Stone Age main man Josh Homme is a whole lot of things, but superstar DJ is generally not considered to be one of them. But soon that might change, because he's recently completed work on a couple of remixes for tourmates-to-be Death From Above 1979. Homme rejiggered the DFA1979 tunes "Black History Month" and "Romantic Rights," both of which could be seeing the light of day soon on vinyl. Or, as it says on QOTSA.com, if you can't wait for that, "You better start combing the Internet in a desperate attempt to find that little piece of gold." The Queens of the Stone Age/ Nine Inch Nails tour — on which DFA1979 will serve as the opening act on some dates — kicks off on September 16 in San Diego. ... Nine Inch Nails have created a special ticketing program for the tour designed to combat scalping. Tickets to the shows will be available through the band's fan club; those who purchase tickets in this fashion will be directed to pick them up 30 minutes before doors open in each city and will be immediately escorted into the venue. Frontman Trent Reznor said that "the only complaints will be from scalpers and those who want to put our true fans at a disadvantage." There will also be a series of online auctions conducted through Ticketmaster's Web site starting on Monday at noon. Proceeds above the ticket's face value will be donated to nonprofit organization the Innocence Project, which provides post-conviction DNA testing that can yield conclusive proof of guilt or innocence. ...

Want to see Madonna with bright pink hair? A forthcoming photo book called "Maripolarama" features Polaroids taken in New York's Lower East Side during the early '80s of the scene's emerging artists — including the future Material Girl as well as Debbie Harry, Cyndi Lauper, Gloria Estefan, Grace Jones, Sade, Naomi Campbell, Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Klaus Nomi, Vincent Gallo and even David Lee Roth. Designer Anna Sui wrote an essay for the collection, due in November. ... Another trip down memory lane is in store with the book "Where They Were at 22," which profiles celebs such as P. Diddy, Pam Anderson, Bill Murray and even Karl Rove and shows where they were at this turning-point age. The essays will be compiled by Court TV editor Brad Dunn for publication next spring. ...

Just in time for Halloween, punk-rock burlesque troupe Suicide Girls are prepping a compilation called The Suicide Girls' Black Heart Retrospective. The set of goth/industrial songs compiled by Skinny Puppy producer Dave Ogilvie features 13 classics by the likes of Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, the Cure, the Cult, Bauhaus and more, as well as two previously unreleased songs by the Alkaline Trio and Atmosphere. The LP will hit shelves on September 27. ... Also on September 27, Sanctuary Records will release Rantology, a 15-track retrospective of Ministry's 25-year career. The album will feature remixes and alternate mixes created by frontman Al Jourgensen in addition to the previously unreleased track "The Great Satan." ...

England's Go! Team have already won over critics and fans in their homeland with their goofy, peppy, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach to dance music, and now — more than a year after its release — their debut album, Thunder, Lightning, Strike, is finally coming to America. The U.S. version of the Mercury Prize-nominated album (given to the U.K.'s record of the year) features two bonus tracks and re-recorded vocals on the song "Bottle Rocket," and it's due in stores on September 27. The Go! Team will launch a U.S. tour in support of the album on October 14 in Houston. ...

08.04.2005

Grammy-winning singer/songwriter John Mayer's got some leftover lyrics that didn't make the cut for his forthcoming album, Continuum, and he'd like his fans to help put those words to good use. Mayer's column in September's Esquire provides those surplus lyrics, along with a challenge — write an entire song around them. Those interested in accepting Mayer's offer can send a CD with their song to the magazine's music department; the best of the best will be posted on Esquire's Web site. The winner of the contest will receive a Fender John Mayer Signature Stratocaster, and something you can't put a price on — the freedom to "tell people we wrote a song together," Mayer writes in his column. ...

The final track list has been revealed for Franz Ferdinand's forthcoming LP, You Could Have It So Much Better ... With Franz Ferdinand. The disc hits stores October 4 and features, in order, the tracks "The Fallen," "Do You Want To," "This Boy," "Walk Away," "Evil and a Heathen," "You're the Reason I'm Leaving," "Eleanor Put Your Boots On," "Well That Was Easy," "What You Meant," "I'm Your Villain," "You Could Have It So Much Better," "Fade Together" and "Outsiders." The foot-stompin', Pixies-esque track "Turn It On," which early on the band's label considered a strong second-single contender, is missing from the disc. ... Congratulations to new mama Michelle Branch. The 22-year-old singer/songwriter and bass-player hubby Teddy Landau welcomed their first child, 7-pound, 12-ounce daughter Owen, into the world on Wednesday, her publicist said. Mother and child are now resting comfortably at a Los Angeles hospital. ...

Stevie Wonder, Ciara, Amerie, John Legend, Brian McKnight and Toni Braxton are among the acts scheduled to appear at the 10th annual Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards on September 17 in Los Angeles. Aretha Franklin, who will perform a duet with Wonder, will receive the Lena Horne Award for Outstanding Career Achievements. ... Sean Paul has set a September 27 release date for the follow-up to his 2002 breakthrough, Dutty Rock. The album will be titled The Trinity. ...

Sleater-Kinney have lined up two months' worth of fall dates in support of their new album, The Woods, kicking off with a string of shows opening for Pearl Jam on their mostly Canadian tour from September 11 through October 1. Beginning on October 3 with a show in Philadelphia, Sleater-Kinney will headline a month of gigs with support from the Ponys. The swing will also include a stop on Saturday with the White Stripes in George, Washington, and a slot on the Arthurfest show in Los Angeles on September 4. ... Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum fractured his hand recently, in what the band's label characterized as a "boating accident." As a result, he'll be unable to perform with the group on the first few dates of its forthcoming headlining tour, which resumes on August 11 in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Velvet Revolver have seven shows lined up before they hop aboard the Ozzfest 2005 train on August 23 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sorum, undergoing physical therapy at the moment, will be back with the band on that first Ozzfest date. The band will be hiring a drummer to fill in for Sorum in the interim, but a decision on just who that will be has yet to be made. ...

On the heels of last year's reunion tour, the Pixies are hoping to keep the gravy train rolling with the release of "Pixies Sell Out," a DVD capturing the best moments from seven of those shows. One date — a July 3, 2004, gig in Belfort, France — is presented in its entirety and features 27 Pixies classics, like "Here Comes Your Man," "Monkey Gone to Heaven" and "Where Is My Mind." Bonus material on the DVD includes additional performances from last year's Coachella Festival in California, New Orleans' Voodoo Music Experience, Scotland's T in the Park Festival and Fuji Rock in Japan. "Pixies Sell Out" is due in stores on October 4. ...

The members of Broken Social Scene have had a change of heart — the band's upcoming disc, originally called Windsurfing Nation, will now be self-titled. The 14-track album, due October 4, contains new songs "Finish Your Collapse and Stay for Breakfast," "Swimmers," "Hotel," "Banwitch" and the former title track, which features rapper K-Os. Dears frontman Murray Lightburn also makes an appearance on the LP. ...

• Eminem
• Foxy Brown
• Nine Inch Nails
• Diddy
• 3 Doors Down

<i>Now That's What I call Music! Vol. 19</i>
Photo: Capitol Records

Gwen Stefani, Ludacris, Eminem, Coldplay, Destiny's Child and Backstreet Boys are all intimidating retail powerhouses who, over the course of their respective careers, have sold millions of records. So R. Kelly's ego shouldn't take too bad a bruising this week: That gang of superstars has teamed up with Mariah Carey to knock him out of the top spot on the Billboard albums chart.

The latest installment in the Now That's What I Call Music! hits compilation franchise takes the chart's #1 spot this week, moving more than 436,000 copies during its initial week of release. The disc, the latest in the best-selling series, also features contributions from Will Smith, Amerie, the Killers, Shakira, 3 Doors Down and the Gorillaz. It clobbered the "Trapped in the Closet" mastermind's newest, TP.3 Reloaded, in this most recent sales race by more than 300,000 copies.

Kelly was beaten less soundly by Mariah Carey, whose The Emancipation of Mimi lands at #2, scanning close to 90,000 copies its 15th week out, besting Kelly by approximately 6,000 units and bringing total sales to more than 2.6 million. Holding for a second straight week at #4 are Brit rockers Coldplay with X&Y. The disc netted seventh-week sales of more than 81,000 — about 20,000 copies more than Bow Wow's new one, Wanted, which takes the chart's #5 after debuting on the previous week's chart at #3.

Sales of the Black Eyed Peas' Monkey Business have been unswerving. The album jumps two spots on the albums chart to #6, moving more than 60,000 copies its seventh week on store shelves. Billboard's second biggest debut belongs to Moonlight Serenade, legendary singer/songwriter Carly Simon's latest release. That album opens at #7 with over 57,000 scans, just ahead of #8 holders Mary Mary; the sisterly duo's self-titled LP scored first-week sales of close to 57,000 copies, edging Demon Days, the latest from Gorillaz, by more than 500 discs, landing the #9 spot for the animated rock troupe.

Foo Fighters climb back into the chart's top 10 following sales of more than 52,000 for the band's latest, In Your Honor, followed at #11 by original "American Idol" champ Kelly Clarkson's Breakaway, with Dave Grohl's rock compadres selling just 150 copies more than the songstress. Slim Thug's Already Platinum isn't living up to its title where sales are concerned, checking in at #12 with second-week sales of 52,000. Ying Yang Twins take #13, scoring more than 50,000 in sales for their newest offering, United State of Atlanta, followed by Stefani's solo debut, Love, Angel, Music, Baby, at #14 with sales of almost 50,000. Country star Toby Keith's Honkytonk University boosts student enrollment by more than 47,000, an 8 percent sales spike its 10th week in release.

The latest Billboard list is speckled with a number of notable debuts, including B5, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs' newest musical find, at #19. The self-titled debut from this band of five brothers (the B is short for Breeding, their last name) manages to score first-week scans of more than 44,000, making it the chart's fifth-biggest opening. The soundtrack to Jessica Simpson's film "The Dukes of Hazzard," featuring the Allman Brothers Band, Molly Hatchet, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Charlie Daniels Band, and Simpson's adaptation of Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'," claims the chart's #33 spot, with sales of 26,000 plus.

A compilation disc from the president of Virgin Records' urban division takes #43; Jermaine Dupri Presents ... Young, Fly & Flashy, Vol. 1 features tracks from Young Capone, Bow Wow, Pastor Troy and Stat Quo, and achieves opening-week sales of more than 21,000 copies. Toronto-area Christian rockers Thousand Foot Krutch take #67 with more than 14,000 copies of their latest, Art of Breaking, flying off shelves, and European dance act D.H.T.'s Listen To Your Heart takes #78 with 13,000 plus scans. And in at #128, with sales of 8,000 and change, Essential Michael Jackson, the latest collection of hits from the pop star.

Check out "Mariah Carey: Free At Last?" for more on Mimi's Emancipation.

Zombie's No Reject
Rob Zombie's having himself one crazy summer. The rocker's not only headlining the second stage on the 10th annual Ozzfest, he's also promoting his latest film, "The Devil's Rejects" (see "Rob Zombie's Second Movie Drags Horror Into The Daylight"). It seems both endeavors are boosting sales of his 2003 hits collection, Past, Present and Future. During the previous chart week, the collection scanned just 4,000-plus copies, and only 2,800 two weeks ago. But this week, the album's sales shot up 42 percent, resulting in close to 5,900 in sales — as well as Billboard's #177 slot. The surge coincides with the launch of Ozzfest and the opening of "Rejects" last weekend, which brought in a $7 million box-office take.

Common Grabs The Gold
Two months after its initial release, Common's latest, Be, has quietly racked up more than 504,000 sales, giving the Chicago MC the second gold record of his 11-year career (the first being 2000's Like Water For Chocolate, which has sold more than 757,000 copies.)

Since debuting at #2 on the chart, Be has hung in the top 50, and has spent the last three weeks hovering around in the mid-30s range. While Common's track "Go" continues to do well at radio and video, the success of the Kanye West-produced Be is rather unique, given the rapper's modest profile. It's a rare thing indeed in the rap game for someone like Common, who rhymes about love, commitment and faith, to achieve gangsta-level success.

(Check out chapters one through five of R. Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet" on MTV Overdrive.)

For a full-length feature on Rob Zombie, check out "Throne of Blood: Rob Zombie Rules As New Horror Royalty".

• R. Kelly
• Coldplay
• Eminem
• Destiny's Child
• Gwen Stefani

3 Doors Down's Brad Arnold (file)
Photo: Getty Images/Ralph Notaro

It's been awhile (pardon the pun) since New England nü-metalers Staind have been around, but the band is all set to make its triumphant return to the rock forefront this summer — and in a big way.

Staind's new album, Chapter V, will be hitting stores on August 9 (see "Staind Guitarist Has That Old Familiar Feeling About Chapter V"). The band will also be joining forces with Southern rock purveyors 3 Doors Down and hard rockers Breaking Benjamin in late June for a 44-date North American road trip. But before Staind take to the blacktop, frontman Aaron Lewis and guitarist Mike Mushok will be giving their fans a little taste of what's to come.

Monday in Cleveland, Lewis and Mushok hopped on a tour bus for what could only be described as a listening party on wheels. Last night marked the first of 14 stops on their promotional listening tour. In a posting on the band's Web site, Staind invited their fans to e-mail them if they wanted to win a chance to listen to Chapter V in its entirety.

The party will continue Tuesday (May 3) in Detroit and hit cities in Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut before wrapping up in New York on May 18.

The Staind, 3 Doors Down and Breaking Benjamin tour kicks off in Manchester, New Hampshire, on June 30, and should wrap up sometime in mid-September. Only 20 of the trek's 44 dates have been announced thus far, and tour organizers plan to add a fourth band to the lineup. MTV News will bring you those additional details once they've been firmed up.

3 Doors Down, Staind and Breaking Benjamin tour dates, according to 3 Doors Down's management:

• 6/30 - Manchester, NH @ Verizon Wireless Arena
• 7/2 - Charlottetown, PE @ Festival of Lights
• 7/4 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Borgata Events Center
• 7/8 - Mansfield, MA @ Tweeter Center
• 7/9 - Camden, NJ @ Tweeter Center at the Waterfront
• 7/10 - Portland, ME @ Cumberland County Civic Center
• 7/12 - Quebec City, QC @ The Agora
• 7/14 - Sarnia, ON @ Sarnia Bayfest
• 7/15 - Burgettstown, PA @ Post-Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake
• 7/16 - Hartford, CT @ Ctnow.com Meadows Music Theater
• 7/19 - Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
• 7/20 - Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Amphitheatre
• 7/22 - Tinley Park, IL @ Tweeter Center
• 7/23 - Columbus, OH @ Germain Amphitheater
• 7/24 - Moline, IL @ The Mark of the Quad Cities
• 7/31 - Charleston, WV @ Charleston Civic Center Coliseum
• 8/3 - Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
• 8/25 - St. Paul, MN @ Minnesota State Fair
• 8/26 - Milwaukee, WI @ Marcus Amphitheatre
• 9/4 - Syracuse, NY @ New York State Fair

• Staind
• 3 Doors Down
• Breaking Benjamin

3 Doors Down's Brad Arnold (file)
Photo: Getty Images/Martin H. Simon-Pool

Say what you will about 3 Doors Down, but there's one thing for certain: they definitely know when to listen to their fans. According to their manager, the guys had originally intended for "It's Not Me" to be the second single off their Seventeen Days album, but "due to the overwhelming response of the live audiences in Los Angeles and Europe," they decided to make "Behind Those Eyes" the next single. A final video treatment is being mulled over, and the band has set aside April 11 in Los Angeles to shoot the clip. ...

In typical rock-star fashion, Korn frontman Jonathan Davis, who, with porn-star wife Deven, became proud parents last week, has named his infant son something even more bizarre than Apple. According to Davis' Web site, Pirate Howsmon Davis entered the world on Friday, and is doing just fine. "I can't describe how I'm feeling right now," Davis wrote. Pirate is the rocker's second child, and Deven's first; Davis has a 9-year-old boy named Nathan from a previous marriage. ... Pearl Jam are in the studio working on their upcoming, as-yet-untitled album, which is tentatively slated for release in the second half of the year, according to a spokesperson. ...

Tyler Perry has hooked up with Dallas Austin to put out the soundtrack to "Diary of a Mad Black Woman." The record is dropping on April 19 and will feature the likes of India.Arie, Monica, Patti LaBelle, Tamia, Heather Headley and Tamela Mann. ... Funkmaster George Clinton is in the final mixing stages of a new P-Funk All Stars album, How Late U Gotta B B4 U Absent?, according to a spokesperson, who described it as "a taste of what's to come from Parliament, Funkadelic, George Clinton and new artists Belita Woods, Kendra Foster, JOI and [Clinton's granddaughter] Sativa." The album is slated for release in June on Clinton's C KUNSPYRUHSY label. ...

Mike Patton's already long list of contributors to his Peeping Tom project has grown even more. Turntablist Kid Koala, beatboxer Rahzel, the Melvins' Dale Crover and Patton's Ipecac labelmate Dalek have all recently signed on. ... Glasgow, Scotland, whine merchants Belle & Sebastian will release a double-disc compilation album on May 24, consisting of the 25 tracks from the band's seven Jeepster EPs as well as all of its singles, according to the band's Web site. Push Barman to Open Old Wounds will feature such songs as "Dog on Wheels," "Lazy Line Painter Jane," "A Century of Elvis" and "Take Your Carriage Clock and Shove It." ...

Need to get your goth on? On the heels of the re-release of their 1979 debut, Three Imaginary Boys, the Cure will reissue their seminal early '80s discs — Seventeen Seconds, Faith and Pornography — on April 26. The remastered two-disc sets will feature the original album, numerous rarities and a lavish booklet filled with lyrics as well as photos from Robert Smith's personal archives. ... Blues Traveler singer/harmonica player John Popper is about to launch a U.S. tour with the John Popper Project. The guitarless group features DJ Logic on the turntables, Blues Traveler bassist Chan Kinchla and Mosaic drummer Marcus Bleeker. The band has scheduled 11 dates so far, beginning with an April 14 show in Charlotte, North Carolina, with Gov't Mule and running through an April 29 date in Urbana, Illinois. ...

03.22.2005

Hilary and Haylie Duff seem to be inseparable these days — the celeb sisters are teaming up once again, this time to lend their voices to an upcoming animated film called "Foodfight!" The movie takes place in a grocery store, which comes to life after hours and features such characters as Mr. Clean, Charlie the Tuna and Twinkie the Kid dominating the action. There's no word yet on which characters the Duff sisters will play. "Foodfight!" — which will be in 3-D — is due out in the fall of 2006. ...

Audioslave's forthcoming second album now has a name: Out of Exile, which will hit record stores May 17 and feature "The Curse," "Your Time Has Come" and the current radio single, "Be Yourself." Audioslave's spring tour kicks off April 14 in Las Vegas. ... Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, the White Stripes, Kid Rock and the Pixies will headline the 12th annual Music Midtown Festival in Atlanta, which takes place June 10-12. Additional artists confirmed include Loretta Lynn, Bloc Party, the Killers, Joan Jett and Coheed & Cambria. Meanwhile, native son and producer Jermaine Dupri has been recruited to curate the festival's urban stage. ...

Fat Joe is making us wait even longer for his All or Nothing LP. The record has been pushed back to May 24; his camp has blamed "sample clearance issues" for the delay. ... Kanye West will release the "Kanye West Video Anthology" on March 22. In addition to his videos, the DVD will feature retooled versions of previously released material, like the "Jesus Walks" remix with Common and Mase, as well as a couple of songs that have never hit shelves, such as "Heavy Hitters With GLC." ... "American Idol" champ Ruben Studdard has been knocked down yet again with another lawsuit, this time from his own godfather. Ronald Edwards, also the singer's former manager, filed a $500,000 countersuit against the Velvet Teddy Bear on Friday, according to The Associated Press, accusing him of failing to pay management fees and other expenses. This comes on the heels of Studdard's $246,000 suit against Edwards, filed March 5, in which the singer accuses his former manager of mismanaging his money while acting as a business advisor. ...

Guitarist Vernon Reid announced on his blog that he will be a guest member of the Roots when they hit the road in June. His group, Living Colour, will be playing the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival at the end of April. ... Lenny Kravitz donated a signed black-and-white Epiphone Flying V guitar to help raise money for Brazil's fight against hunger, according to Reuters. He personally handed the instrument to Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at a photo op before his concert in Brasilia on Saturday. The $5,000 axe will be auctioned off on a government Web site as part of the president's "Zero Hunger" program. Now that Kravitz wrapped his first tour of Latin America over the weekend, U.S. audiences will get to see him perform Stateside when his tour here kicks off on April 5 in Dallas. ...

Meat Beat Manifesto will embark on their first U.S. tour in seven years beginning June 9; a full itinerary for the 20-city trek has not yet been announced. The electronic duo's new album, At the Center, will hit stores on May 24. ... Montreal trio the Unicorns may have called it quits, but we haven't heard the last of them yet. Two of the members, singer Nicholas Diamonds and drummer J'aime Tambour, will continue on as a hip-hop outfit called Th' Corn Gangg. The duo recently made their U.S. debut at South by Southwest and an album and tour are expected later in the year. ... Prolific singer/songwriter and studio/touring musician Mindy Jostyn died March 10 after a battle with cancer. Jostyn had worked with such artists as Carly Simon, Cyndi Lauper, John Mellencamp, Joe Jackson, Shania Twain, Jon Bon Jovi and Billy Joel, according to her Web site. Her latest solo album, Coming Home, is due later this year. ...

• 3 Doors Down
• Korn
• Pearl Jam
• Monica
• Mike Patton

Omarion (file)
Photo: Jason Campbell

Perhaps it's fitting that Omarion's left bicep is covered with a giant tattoo of an "O" capped by a crown ... after all, he is the king of the charts.

The former B2K heartthrob's debut solo album, O, sold more than 182,000 copies to take the top spot on next week's Billboard albums chart, according to SoundScan. While his debut managed to best the opening numbers of his former group's self-titled first album, which came in at #2 and sold more than 108,000 copies in March 2002, he wasn't able to beat the first-week numbers of B2K's final studio LP, Pandemonium!, which sold more than 194,000 copies when it bowed in December 2002.

Coming in a distant second on next week's chart is Ray Charles' Genius Loves Company, the duets album that earned the legendary soul singer eight Grammy awards. Last week's #1 record still managed to ride whatever remains of that Grammy buzz — selling more than 109,000 copies — but it did suffer a 51 percent drop in sales from the previous week.

Green Day are next at #3, selling more than 108,000 copies of American Idiot, and right behind them is 50 Cent's former buddy the Game, whose album The Documentary sold more than 104,000 copies in its sixth week of release.

Scoring the week's second-highest debut is Tori Amos, whose eighth album, The Beekeeper, sold more than 82,000 copies to open at #5. John Legend is next at #6 (as he lately often is), selling more than 79,000 copies of his Get Lifted album. The kiddie-core comp Kidz Bop 7 opens at #7, providing more than 73,000 screaming kids with the soundtrack to their next minivan excursion. Coming in at #8 is the more adult-friendly Eminem, whose Encore sold more than 69,000 copies and moved well past the 4-million mark in total sales.

Everyone's favorite rock quartet from Escatawpa, Mississippi — 3 Doors Down — finish at #9, selling more than 67,000 copies of their album Seventeen Days. And for the second week in a row, Kelly Clarkson rounds out the top 10, selling more than 64,000 copies of her Breakaway album.

Other notable debuts on next week's albums chart include No Limit Records supergroup Tru (featuring Master P, Silkk the Shocker and C-Murder) at #54 with their album Truth; Southern revivalist rockers Kings of Leon at #55 with Aha Shake Heartbreak; and Grammy winners Los Lonely Boys' live set, Live at the Fillmore, at #69.

And hey, next week 50 Cent will be back on the chart — his Massacre album is set to drop on Thursday.

Well Suit-ed
Way back in September 2004, Nelly released two albums simultaneously: Sweat and Suit. In their first week out of the gates, Suit — spurred on by the single "My Place" — took #1, outselling Sweat by more than 54,000 copies. And in the six months since both albums dropped, not much has changed. Suit sits at #36 on next week's chart, selling more than 28,000 copies (and more than 2.7 million overall), while Sweat barely remains on the charts — at #142 — selling a bit above 8,000 copies (and 1.2 million overall). What's the reason for the sales disparity? Probably Tim McGraw. "Over and Over," the country crooner's duet with Nelly, appears on Suit, and has achieved massive crossover success: It's been on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart for more than five months now, and the video was spun so much on Country Music Television that Nelly's been nominated for two CMT Awards. Meanwhile, "Tilt Ya Head Back," his duet with Christina Aguilera and the last single released from Sweat, has all but disappeared from the public eye. More proof that there's big money to be made from the 10-gallon-hat set.

In the Blink of an Eye
Last week's announcement that pop-punkers Blink-182 were going on indefinite hiatus was met with sadness and a whole bunch of exclamation-filled postings on the band's Web site. But it apparently also got fans out to the record store — more than 17,000 of them bought the compilation Atticus: Dragging The Lake 3, good enough to give it the #63 spot. The comp, sponsored by the clothing line/record label co-owned by Blink-182's Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge, features one Blink tune ("Not Now") as well as songs from Death Cab for Cutie, Taking Back Sunday and Gratitude.

• Omarion
• Ray Charles
• Green Day
• Tori Amos
• 3 Doors Down

Kid Rock, Missy Elliott, Clay Aiken, More At 2003 AMAs

• Ruben Studdard
• Clay Aiken
• Kid Rock
• Sean Paul
• Missy Elliott

3 Doors Down live at Convention Hall in Asbury Park, NJ October 17, 2003

• 3 Doors Down

American Music Awards Red Carpet

• B2K
• Beyoncé
• Destiny's Child
• *NSYNC
• Justin Timberlake

3 Doors Down Photos

• 3 Doors Down

MTV Exclusive: 3 Doors Down Photos

• 3 Doors Down