Radiohead's Thom Yorke
Photo: Jo Hale/ Getty Images

Radiohead have announced their tour plans for 2008, but if you're expecting a traditional itinerary ... well, then you really don't know Radiohead. The band has started sketching out cities and dates for next year on its Web site, but the info is only complete for three shows — and tickets are on sale for all of them: June 18 in Milan, Italy; June 20 at Germany's Hurricane Festival; and June 22 at the same country's Southside Festival. The band is also booked for Denmark's Roskilde festival and Belgium's Rock Werchter Festival, both of which will be held July 3-6. Paris; Barcelona, Spain; Dublin, Ireland; London; Berlin and other major European cities are also on the menu. ...

Seems all that "Tattoo" talk has gone to Jordin Sparks' head. The "American Idol" victor — whose new self-titled debut isn't doing so hot in record stores these days — told the San Francisco Chronicle that she decided to get a tattoo of her own after shooting the video for her latest single, "Tattoo." Sparks first asked her mother — "I would feel really bad if I did it without telling her," she said — who replied that she would get a tattoo with her daughter after she turns 18 on December 22. The singer said the tattoo will feature her brother P.J.'s name "in a nice script." ... Ashley Tisdale's performance at the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting in New York on Wednesday apparently went off with a hitch — video circulating online seems to show the "High School Musical" star lip-syncing "Last Christmas" out of step with the pre-recorded tape. Could Ashley have something in common with another Ashlee? ...

Amy Winehouse's father is speaking out regarding the singer's recent cancellation of the remainder of her 2007 concert dates and public appearances, according to BBC News. Mitch Winehouse reportedly said his daughter is "sorry for fans," that her decision to rest is "is in her best interests" — and that "all options" were being taken into consideration over whether she would go to rehab, where she had reportedly been treated earlier this year. Amy Winehouse nixed the rest of her '07 tour plans on Tuesday, saying in a statement, "I can't give it my all onstage without my [husband] Blake [Fielder-Civil]." Her husband was arrested in the U.K. earlier this month and formally charged with one count of "attempting to pervert the court of justice," or the U.S. equivalent of obstruction of justice, in connection with an alleged $400,000 plot to fix a trial. ...

Deerhunter, the Black Lips, Mastodon and more are featured in "We Fun: Atlanta, Ga.: Inside/Out," a new documentary that is acting as the companion piece to "Athens, Ga.: Inside/Out," which came out in 1987. The flick's MySpace page has much more info, including ways to help donate to the production. ... Rare silk-screened, autographed gig posters relating to the Arcade Fire, Spoon and Superchunk are being featured in Merge Records' new eBay auction benefiting Oxfam America and the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. The revered indie label, which calls Chapel Hill home, is also putting up M. Ward, Destroyer and Robert Pollard posters — the Arcade Fire one is already going for $531. ...

Expect to find Lil Wayne, Cee-Lo, Bilal, Floetry's Marsha Ambrosius and Q-Tip on the upcoming album by Solange Knowles. Solange & the Hadley Street Dreams, due in 2008, will also feature, more bizarrely, a sample from long-running down-tempo duo Boards of Canada. ... The Warner Music Group posted a big loss on Wednesday (November 29) — a 58 percent drop in its quarterly profit, according to Reuters. Sales from digital music were up 25 percent during the quarter, but the decline in CD sales dwarfed that gain. U.S. album sales are down 14 percent this year. ... Moby tracks might not be as prized these days as they were back in 1999, but the musician is giving some of them away for free all the same on a new portion of his Web site. He's giving away music to be used by indie and nonprofit filmmakers, film students and people — so long as it's used in a non-commercial or non-profit film, video or short. ...

Critics' albums-of-the-year lists are popping up left and right, but what about the King of Horror's two cents? Stephen King — who is a member of Rock Bottom Remainders, the literary all-star squad that also features Matt Groening and others — rolls out his own list in the new issue of Entertainment Weekly, which streets December 7. Steve Earle's Washington Square Serenade is his favorite album of the year, with Wilco's Sky Blue Sky and Lyle Lovett and His Large Band's It's Not Big It's Large following behind. Rounding out his list are Ozzy Osbourne's Black Rain, John Fogerty's Revival and Southern Culture on the Skids' Countrypolitan Favorites. ...

Nick Bollea, Hulk Hogan's son, was driving around 100 mph when he crashed his car in late August, according to reported police records released Tuesday, but his attorney is denying the claim. "The scientific evidence doesn't support anything like that," Morris "Sandy" Weinberg told the St. Petersburg Times. The report also says Bollea — who was cited for operating a vehicle with a breath-alcohol level of .02 percent or higher, among other infractions — told police he didn't know what road he was traveling on or in which direction, and that he had been driving 30 or 40 mph. Earlier this month, Bollea was charged with reckless driving in the crash that critically injured his friend and passenger John Graziano, who suffered a broken skull and has been comatose since the accident. ...

Ex-Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle was arrested Tuesday for not properly registering as a sex offender — the second time he's been busted for not doing so — according to The Associated Press. The musician (real name: Thomas Delmer Pyle) — who in 1993 pleaded guilty to charges of attempted capital sexual battery by an adult on a victim younger than 12, among other charges — is being held on $50,000 bond at a jail in Florida after being arrested at one of three addresses he gave to police. On November 19, Pyle was arrested on the same charge after he didn't register a new permanent address. The address on Pyle's driver's license reportedly doesn't belong to him — the musician has a house in North Carolina but has told police he wants to register at an address in Florida. Pyle left Skynyrd in 1992 after playing with the band for 17 years. ...

Jennifer Love Hewitt got engaged to boyfriend Ross McCall, a Scottish actor, last week during a trip to Maui, according to UsMagazine.com. A date reportedly hasn't been announced yet for the "Ghost Whisperer" star's wedding.

11.28.07

Lindsay Lohan was dealt a setback Wednesday (November 28) when a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled her deposition in an ongoing lawsuit can be videotaped, according to TMZ.com. The site says Judge Michael Stern ruled that Raymundo Ortega, who is suing the starlet for $200,000 in damages stemming from an October 2005 car crash, can videotape Lohan's deposition as part of his lawsuit against her. Her lawyers had argued against the motion, saying such a videotape would sell for tens of thousands of dollars. Last month, Lohan countersued Ortega, who has accused her of negligence and drinking when she hit his parked van in West Hollywood, California. A trial date for both suits is set for April 7. Also in October, Britney Spears landed a courtroom win last month when a judge ruled that her pending deposition in her child-custody case will not be videotaped. ...

John Legend is one event-full dude. He appears on one of the covers of Black Enterprise's December issue, has a TV concert special on the way and is also booked to co-host the kickoff party at this year's Florida Entertainment Summit, which begins Thursday and ends Sunday. Rick Ross, DJ Khaled and others are also participating in the summit. ... The Killers have presented fans with a new Christmas charity single, the successor to last year's "A Great Big Sled." All proceeds from "Don't Shoot Me, Santa," which was made available Tuesday as a digital download, are going to Bono's (RED) campaign, as "Big Sled" proceeds did last year. They've shot a video for the track too. ...

"High School Musical" fans can breathe a little easier — Zac Efron will be back for the third flick, according to Us Weekly. Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale were reportedly confirmed for "High School Musical 3" earlier this month, and the magazine quotes director Kenny Ortega as saying, "All of the original cast will be back." But, he added, "I have a feeling this will be the end [for the current stars]. This franchise may move to another generation!" Hudgens also commented on the upcoming flick, saying, "It's their senior year, so there's going to be graduation — and prom!," according to the magazine. ...

Autographed materials and other swag items relating to Foo Fighters, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Mayer, Bruce Springsteen, the Killers, Metallica, Stevie Wonder, Slash, Bright Eyes, Beck, the Flaming Lips, Feist, the Arcade Fire, Marilyn Manson, the Rolling Stones and a fleet of other artists will be up for bidding at the 19th annual Rock for Kids Charity Auction, which will take place Friday in Chicago. Rock for Kids gives free music lessons to underprivileged kids in the Chicago area. ... And Incubus are hoping to inject their Make Yourself Foundation charity with an influx of cash via a new auction of their own. The band has put more than 50 items up for bid on eBay, including Brandon Boyd's 2006 Mini Cooper, a custom Xbox, sneakers, a pool cue and more. Incubus have so far raised more than $600,000 for their nonprofit this year. ...

Alicia Keys has been tapped to co-host "My Night at the Grammys," a two-hour special hyping the upcoming awards show. The CBS special will also feature Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera, Billie Joe Armstrong, Beyoncé, Bono, Ricky Martin and Usher sharing their Grammy memories, with Melissa Etheridge and Faith Hill also co-hosting. "My Night" will air at 8 p.m. on Friday, while the awards ceremony itself will take place February 10 at Los Angeles' Staples Center. ... Think you're the perfect match for Bow Wow or Omarion? The guys are launching a contest in which two winners will score a dinner date with them. To enter, contestants have to make a 30-second video of themselves explaining why they would be the perfect "Wifey" for either Bow or O, and submit it here. The winners will also get autographed copies of the two's December 11 album, Face Off, which they're celebrating with a day-of appearance at Circuit City on Fifth Avenue and 43rd Street in New York. The first 500 people to buy the album at the location will get a wristband allowing entry to the autograph signing. ...

Unreleased tracks by Nas, Rihanna, Fabolous, Method Man, Redman, Bobby Valentino and Ne-Yo are being compiled onto Def Jam Sessions Vol. 1, due December 18. The so-called "ultimate bonus track collection," as a press release dubs it, features leftover cuts from the artists' latest albums and includes Nas' "The N ..." and "Where Y'All At" (from the Hip Hop Is Dead sessions); Rihanna's "Haunted" and "Cry" (Good Girl Gone Bad); Fab's "I Shine, You Shine" and "Chirp Back" (From Nothin' to Somethin'); Meth's "OD" (4:21 ... the Day After); Red's "F--- Da Security" and "Let's Go" (Red Gone Wild: Thee Album); Valentino's "Wreck" and "Let's Go" (Special Occasion); and Ne-Yo's "That's What It Does" and "Spotlight" (Because of You). ... Free agent Joe Budden previewed selections from his forthcoming independent album/mixtape, Mood Muzik 3: It's About to Get Worse, on Tuesday night at New York night spot the Plumm. The recently liberated Def Jam artist was on hand, as were rappers Joell Ortiz and Benzino. The first two installments of the Mood Muzik series were more acerbic, but the sharp-tongued MC still delivers a few lyrical uppercuts on the new disc, such as on "Ventilation": "I'm looking in his casket like he had no face/ I was at a loss for words like 'Fiascogate.' " ...

It's been almost a year since Brandy was involved in a multi-car freeway crash that claimed the life of a woman, and since the singer hasn't been charged yet, she could wind up in the clear, according to TMZ.com. The window of opportunity for the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office to file charges expires December 30, on the first anniversary of the accident — the site reports that the office is planning to wait until the last minute to make its decision. ... Yahoo and AOL might scrap their Internet radio services following a 38 percent increase in royalties to air music, according to Bloomberg.com. SoundExchange, which represents artists and labels, started collecting the mandated increased fees in July, after which Yahoo and AOL stopped directing users to their radio sites. Yahoo's Launchcast saw an 11 percent drop in the number of people using the service, while AOL Radio's audience took a 10 percent plunge. ...

Magnetic Fields, Mountain Goats, Blitzen Trapper and Cursive fans, make some noise ... the bands are anchoring the lineup for next year's Noise Pop festival. The 16th installment of San Francisco's indie-rock gala will happen February 26-March 2 and also feature Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan's Gutter Twins, whose Saturnalia debut is due in stores March 4. The Twins have also booked a Valentine's Day gig at New York's Bowery Ballroom. ... A Perfect Circle mastermind Billy Howerdel's new project, Ashes Divide, are targeting March for the release of their yet-untitled debut. He produced and engineered the effort in Los Angeles, playing all guitar, bass and keyboard parts. Drumming was handled by Josh Freese, another APC vet, and Alan Moulder (Nine Inch Nails, the Killers) engineered the disc. ... The Black Lips are hoping their 2007 hype carries over into next year: The Atlanta garage-rockers — or "flower punks," as they prefer to call themselves — are plotting a tour that will run from February 1 in Denver through March 22 in Atlanta. ...

Controversial hip-hop shock jock Troi "Star" Torain announced his return to the radio airwaves on Wednesday at a press conference held at Bryant Park Hotel in New York. Toran, who hosted top-rated morning shows at Hot 97 and Power 105 before unceremoniously departing from both stations amid clashes with management and disputes with a number of contemporaries — including Dame Dash and DJ Envy — will make his return as a part of the new independent station Pulse 87 (87.7). The Top 40 station will premiere in early January, followed by the debut of the new "Star & Buc Wild" show. ...

Natavia Lowery, the former personal assistant of ex-Ramones co-manager Linda Stein, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to Stein's murder. The Associated Press reported that Lowery, who initially denied knowing anything about the brutal slaying of Stein — who was found facedown in a pool of blood in her $3 million Fifth Avenue apartment on October 30 after her head and neck had been struck a half-dozen times — blamed a masked man at first, according to newly revealed court documents. But in a signed statement, Lowery claimed that Stein blew marijuana smoke in her face, brandished a cane and made derogatory remarks about black people. "I snatched the cane and hit her repeatedly with it," said Lowery, who is black. Her attorney said outside court that police coerced a false confession from his client by grilling her in an interrogation room for 12 hours and that the purported murder weapon has not been found. Police said surveillance tapes show Lowery leaving Stein's apartment shortly after the assault. ...

The Ozzy Osbourne pre-concert sting that was staged last month in Fargo, North Dakota — and resulted in dozens of arrests — is continuing to pay off for the police. According to North Dakota news site KXNet.com, Cass County Sheriff Paul Laney is selling T-shirts cops wore in the raid and using the money to raise money for the United Way. During the Halloween Eve sting, which was disguised as an Osbourne party, police wore "security" tees that featured a festive Halloween skull, and the image of a sheriff's-badge star could be seen in its right eye socket. "The T-shirt just became the image and look of what happened with that event, and people wanted one," Laney said, according to the site. "Initially we weren't going to do anything with it, but as I thought about it, I thought, 'Hey, what a way to give back to the community through something that happened — something positive.' So we'll give [every] penny raised to the United Way." ... In even more unusual Osbourne news, his wife, Sharon, made a macabre revelation on "Extra" on Monday — they have a suicide pact in place in the event that either she or her husband faces a terminal illness. "[When] you know you're going to die, we would want to choose the time where we want to leave," she said. "I would go with my old man, and he would come with me." But, Sharon added, "Not if it's in the next five years." She also addressed her feud with Courtney Love, saying that she can't address her allegations that the rocker hooked her son, Jack Osbourne, on drugs because the situation is "now in legal hands, so we can't talk about it, because it's gone to that stage."

• Radiohead
• Amy Winehouse
• Lil Wayne
• Cee-Lo
• Ozzy Osbourne

Musiq
Photo: Def Soul

With those sunglasses he wears all the time, it's sometimes hard to read Musiq. Except when he's onstage. He can't keep from smiling; he obviously loves what he's doing.

Wednesday night at B.B. King's in New York City, the Soulchild held his album release party for Juslisen, which drops next Tuesday (see "Musiq Croons Conversation Pieces On Juslisen" ). Unlike most shindigs of this nature, Musiq didn't just play cuts from his LP for attendees such as Jay-Z, Angie Stone, Capone and Bilal — the 24-year-old and his band played cuts.

Before the main attraction came onto the stage, the Roots' Black Thought warmed things up with his group's "The Next Movement." "We got the hot music, the hot music," he chanted while the crowd clapped. Musiq showed just how hot we was when he jumped onstage and sang "L' Is Gone" from his debut, Aijuswanaseing, to the same beat.

"Y'all better sing," he told the crowd, giggling to himself later in the evening during "Mary Go Round," also from his previous album. Other oldies but goodies included "Girl Next Door" and "Love."

As for the new material, the Philly funkster gave the crowd a preview of what's to come with "Realove," which is about a girl who's afraid of getting into a relationship; the George Harrison-penned ode to amore, "Something"; and, of course, his current single, "Halfcrazy."

Musiq will perform on MTV2 at 10 p.m. Thursday (May 2) as part of the channel's "$2 Bill" concert series.

• Musiq Soulchild
• Jay-Z
• Bilal
• Capone
• The Roots

Sigur Rós
Photo: Fatcat Records

HOLLYWOOD — Sigur Rós' voyage from Iceland to sunny California to perform at the Shortlist concert Monday proved worthwhile, as the dreamy rock quartet was awarded the evening's namesake prize.

The Virgin Megastore Shortlist Prize for Artistic Achievement in Music, as it is formally known, was given to Sigur Rós along with $10,000 and a $10,000 donation to a September 11 relief charity in the band's name.

Sigur Rós, whose name means "Victory Rose" in Icelandic, claimed the trophy at the end of an eclectic concert at the Knitting Factory that included performances from them and fellow nominees Nikka Costa, the Dandy Warhols and Talib Kweli.

Videos from the other Shortlist Prize nominees — Ryan Adams, Air, Bilal, PJ Harvey, Gorillaz and Jay Dee — were shown throughout the evening, while the organizers encouraged the capacity crowd to check out all of the contenders. The nominees, whose albums qualified by having sold fewer than 500,000 copies, were narrowed in late summer from a list of 80.

Sigur Rós, whose powerful performance found lead singer Jon Thor Birgisson struck with so much emotion he turned his back to the audience and sat down on the stage for a song, was the clear favorite of the audience, which included many of the panel members who decided the winner earlier that evening at a private dinner debate.

Beck, who introduced the group with producer Ross Robinson, watched intensely from the balcony. Robinson declared that his favorite going into the voting dinner came out victorious. "They are like one of those leaf blowers that can come in and blow away all the garbage," he said.

Other panelists present at Monday's concert included the Roots' ?uestlove, Mos Def, Macy Gray, Aimee Mann, Michael Penn, producer Steve Lillywhite and other insiders and music journalists. Dave Grohl, Trent Reznor and Lucinda Williams also submitted votes, though they could not make the event, according to organizers.

"We were politically correct for at least 95 percent of the proceedings, then when it came down to crunch time, there was more pugilism," ?uestlove said. "[The Short List] is necessary. It's bringing light into the world."

Music industry veterans Greg Spotts and Tom Sarig, who founded the Shortlist Prize earlier this year (see "Beck, Dave Grohl, Others To Recognize Best Non-Hit Album"), said the voting was so close they nearly called it a tie. Although they did not reveal who came in second, ?uestlove hinted it was Talib Kweli, who ignited the crowd by bringing Mos Def on stage for an impromptu Black Star reunion.

Other concert highlights included Costa's "unplugged," hit-laden set, and surprise acoustic opening performances by David Poe and Julia Fordham.

The Shortlist Music Prize is the first of many annual award events, according to organizers. Next up will be the Shortlist Fiction Project in early 2002.

Sigur Rós' winning album, Ágætis Byrjun , which translates from Icelandic to English as "A Nice Beginning," was recorded in 1998, though was not released in the U.S. until May (see "Sigur Ros Get 'Nice Beginning' In U.S.").

• Sigur Rós
• Talib Kweli
• Gorillaz
• Nikka Costa
• Ryan Adams

PJ Harvey
Photo: Jason Campbell for MTV.com

PJ Harvey, Gorillaz and Nikka Costa are among the 10 finalists for the newly minted Shortlist Prize for Artistic Achievement in Music.

The artists and their albums — Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea, Gorillaz and Everybody Got Their Something, respectively — were selected by a panel of "Listmakers" that includes Beck, Trent Reznor, Dave Grohl and Mos Def, as well as music journalists and producers.

The Shortlist's shortlist was announced Wednesday at the Museum of Television and Radio in Beverly Hills, California, during a broadcast of Listmaker Nic Harcourt's "Morning Becomes Eclectic" radio program on 89.9 KCRW-FM, according to an award spokesperson. It was followed by a panel discussion that featured Listmakers Macy Gray and ?uestlove of the Roots.

Other artists competing for the honor and a $10,000 cash prize are Air (10,000 Hz Legend), Bilal (1st Born Second), Dandy Warhols (Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia), Jay Dee (Welcome To Detroit), Ryan Adams (Heartbreaker), Sigur Rós (Ágætis Byrjun) and Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek (Reflection Eternal).

The winner will be awarded at a concert and party in Los Angeles later this fall.

The Shortlist Prize was created to honor creative and adventurous albums regardless of genre, much like the U.K.'s Mercury Music Prize, which this year went to PJ Harvey (see "PJ Harvey Wins U.K.'s Mercury Music Prize At Worst Possible Time").

Only albums released in the U.S. after July 2000 that have not sold more than 500,000 copies at the time of their nomination were eligible, keeping with the founders' intent to focus on emerging artists rather than established superstars. In July and August, 15 Listmakers selected up to five LPs each for a "longlist" of 49 prospective albums, which was then narrowed down in September (see ).

Shortlist sponsor Virgin Megastore, in addition to providing the cash prize, will make a significant contribution in the winner's name to victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The finalists were originally to be announced September 14 in New York as part of the New York Times Arts and Leisure Weekend Lecture Series, but the event was postponed and relocated following the attacks.

For feature interviews with Gorillaz, Bilal, Nikka Costa and the Dandy Warhols, check out "Gorillaz: In The Cage," "Bilal: Behind The Shades," "Nikka Costa: 7 Questions With Nikka Costa" and

• PJ Harvey
• Gorillaz
• Nikka Costa
• Air
• Beck

• Bilal

• Usher
• 3LW
• Christina Milian
• Bilal
• TLC