Although the Smashing Pumpkins packed it in a few years ago, that was far from frontman Billy Corgan's swan song. It did, however, make way for his Zwan songs. With the help of fellow rockers Dave Pajo (Slint, Tortoise), Matt Sweeney (Chavez, Skunk), Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle) and Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlain, Mary Star of the Sea was born. (Check out Zwan's music at MTV.com First Listen.)

You'll be more mixed up than Kay Slay after the rest of this week's new releases shout-outs. The batch features one compilation after the next, starting with Erasure's '80s-infused interpretation of Other People's Songs. Can you say "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley, "Everyday" by Buddy Holly, and "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles? Andy Bell can.

Next up is Lou Reed's dark mixed set, The Raven, which was inspired by the writings of horror master Edgar Allen Poe. David Bowie and Steve Buscemi are among the stars who contribute their voices to the album, which is filled with a seamless blending of Poe's poems and stories with Reed's, and also includes a new version of "Perfect Day."

Dirty Vegas' Night at the Tables features the group's own music, plus songs by the likes of dance and trance well-knowns Frankie Knuckles, Kylie Minogue and Underworld, while N.V.A. Straight From the Crates Vol. 1 houses new tracks by Mos Def, Black Moon, the Pharcyde and Jurassic 5. Finally, Papa Roach and N.E.R.D. team up for the "Biker Boyz" soundtrack, which also includes cuts from Jadakiss featuring Ron Isley, Redman featuring E3, and Metallica, Ja Rule and Swizz Beatz.

Now let's get the rest of these albums in the mix.

Out Tuesday, January 28:

• 4 Way Street - 4 Way Street (Sliced Bread)
• A Static Lullaby - Don't Forget to Breathe (Ferret)
• Acousticsol - Acousticsol (Pure and Simple)
• Apocalypse Theater - Lost in America (Underground Inc)
• Backdraft - Here to Save You All (Abstract)
• A Band of Bees - Sunshine Hit Me (Wall of Sound/Astralwerks)
• Blackstreet - No Diggity: The Very Best of Blackstreet (Interscope)
• Boils - Ripping Waters (EP, Thorp)
• Brainstorm - Funky Entertainment (Capitol)
• Butthole Surfers - Butthole Surfers/Live Pcppep (Latino Bugger Veil)
• Claude Challe - Near Eastern Lounge from the R.E.G. Project (Virgin)
• Steven Curtis Chapman - All About Love (EMD)
• Richard Clayderman & Rahul Sharma - The Confluence (Narada)
• Click - Gently Unraveling (Fowl)
• Colorform - Send Forth Your Soul (Synchronic)
• Contempt - Secret Around Us (World War III)
• Ry Cooder & Manuel Galban - Mambo Sinuendo (Nonesuch/Perro Verde)
• Chris Cutler - Solo (ReR)
• Stefano Di Battista - Round About Roma (Blue Note)
• Kasse-Mady Diabate - Kassi Kasse: Music From the Heart (Narada World)
• Dirty Vegas - Night at the Tables (Ultra)
  Buy Now: Night at the Tables (Ultra)
• Dogwood - Seismic (Tooth & Nail)
• Erasure - Other People's Songs (Mute)
• Eternal Gray - Kindless (The End)
• Stephen Fearing - That's How I Walk (Shawn Colvin guests) (Philo/Rounder)
• Furthermore - She and I (Tooth & Nail)
• G-Wiz - Just Like You (Orpheus)
• Grave - Back From the Grave (Century Music)
• Benny Green and Russell Malone - Jazz at the Bistro (Telarc Jazz)
• Fred Hersch - Live at the Village Vanguard (Palmetto)
• Randy Howard - I Rest My Case (Sugar Hill)
• Human League - Dare/Love & Dancing (Caroline)
• Human League - Reproduction (Caroline)
• Human League - Travelogue (Caroline)
• K-OS - Exit (Astralwerks)
• Kid Brother Collective - Highway Miles (One Day Savior)
• Kill Pill - Outside These City Walls (Uprising)
• Sonny Landreth - The Road We're On (Sugar Hill)
• Adrian Legg - Guitar Bones (Favored Nations Acoustic)
• Loose Fur - Loose Fur (Drag City)
• Jesse Malin - The Fine Art of Self-Destruction (Artemis)
• Midtown, Recover, and Blue Medic - New Old Rare (Fueled by Ramen)
• The Monkees - Live Summer Tour (King Biscuit)
• Mul-Ty - Made 4 Love (Universal)
• David Murray Latin Big Band - Now Is Another Time (Justin Time)
• Mutiny UK - In the Now (System)
• Bob Neuwirth - Bob Neuwirth (Water)
• Aaron Neville - Believe (EMI Gospel)
• Nightingale - Alive Again (The End)
• Nightmares on Wax - Carboot Soul (Warp)
• Oingo Boingo - Boi-ngo (MCA)
• Old Friends Quartet - Feelin' Fine (EMD)
• Original Fierce - Fierce Factor (American)
• Pigface - Easy Listening (Underground Inc)
• Poww Brothers - Faithful (Orpheus)
• Pressure - Anthem (EP, Uprising)
• Pretty Girls Make Graves - Pretty Girls Make Graves (EP, Dim Mak)
• Project Rocket - New Years Revolution (Uprising)
• Flora Purim - Speak No Evil (Narada Jazz)
• Raunchy - Velvet Noise (Nuclear Blast)
• Lou Reed - The Raven (Sire/Reprise)
  Read: "Lou Reed's Obsession With Edgar Allan Poe Spawns The Raven"
• Rock Kills Kids - Rock Kills Kids (Fearless)
• Rondellus - Sabbatum (medieval tribute to Black Sabbath, The Music Cartel)
• Scene Creamers - I Suck on That Emotion (Drag City)
• ScoLoHoFo - Oh! (Blue Note)
• Mark Selby - Dirt (Vanguard)
• Virgil Shaw - Still Falling (Future Farmer)
• The Snowdogs - Deep Cuts, Fast Remedies (Victory)
• Somehow Hollow - Busted Wings and Rusted Halos (Victory)
• Souls of Mischief - Spark (Chocolate Industries)
• Stakker - Eurotechno (Rephlex)
• Steel Train - For You My Dear (EP, MCA)
• Storm - Unpredictable Amalgamation (Orpheus)
• Summer at Shatter Creek - Summer at Shatter Creek (Absolutely Kosher)
• Sweet Honey in the Rock - The Women Gather (EarthBeat!)
• Swimmingpool - Anything That Doesn't Move (Combination)
• Teena Marie - Irons in the Fire (MCA)
• Danny Tenaglia - Choice (Ultra)
• Underwater - Bleed Me Blue (Tribunal)
• Cheryl Wheeler - Different Stripe (Philo/Rounder)
• Zwan - Mary Star of the Sea (Reprise)
  Read: "Billy Corgan In Search Of Personal 'Jesus' On Zwan Debut"
  Buy Now: Mary Star of the Sea (Reprise)
• Various artists - Absolute Body and Soul (Time Life)
• Various artists - Astro Bar (Water Music)
• Various artists - Back to the Future 80s (Topaz)
• Various artists - Bare Essentials, Vol. 2 (Naked/Astralwerks)
• Various artists – "Biker Boyz" soundtrack (DreamWorks)
  Read: "Papa Roach, Neptunes Team Up For 'Biker Boyz' Soundtrack"
• Various artists - Bodega Lounge (Ark 21)
• Various artists - Electricity - An Electropop Sampler Volume Two (Ninthwave)
• Various artists – "The Guru" soundtrack (Universal)
• Various artists - High Times Presents: Rip This Joint (Uni/Win)
• Various artists - Hit the Breaks (Radikal)
• Various artists – "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" soundtrack (Virgin)
• Various artists - "Les Miserables" highlights (Decca)
• Various artists - Mixdown (ForeFront)
• Various artists - More Music from "Coyote Ugly" (Curb)
• Various artists – "Movern Callar" soundtrack (Warp)
• Various artists – N.V.A: Straight from the Crates Vol. 1 (Avatar)
• Various artists – "Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey" soundtrack (Six Degrees)
• Various artists - Pure 80s Love: The #1 Hits (Universal)
• Various artists – "The Recruit" soundtrack (Varese Sarabande)
• Various artists - Sourcelabs (Source)
• Various artists – "Two Weeks Notice" soundtrack (Varese Sarabande)
• DVD D.I.Y. or Die: How to Survive as an Independent Artist (Music Video Distributors)
• DVD Manu Chao - Babylonia en Guagua (Virgin)
• DVD Natalie Cole - Ask a Woman Who Knows (Hip-O)
• DVD Midge Ure - Rewind: The Greatest Hits Tour (Eagle Eye/Pioneer)

February 4:

• Jars of Clay - Furthermore: From the Studio to the Stage (BMG)
• Pet Shop Boys - Disco 3 (EP, Sanctuary)
• Various artists - "Daredevil" soundtrack (Wind-Up)

• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Nocturama (Epitaph)
• Massive Attack - 100th Window (Virgin)
• John Mayer - Any Given Thursday (Sony)
• Various artists - We're a Happy Family: A Tribute to the Ramones (Sony)

• R. Kelly - Chocolate Factory (Jive)

• Third Eye Blind - Crystal Baller (Elektra)

• Zwan
• Lou Reed
• Dirty Vegas
• Blackstreet
• Erasure

Forced to twiddle their thumbs through the lucrative summer concert season while singer Scott Weiland pried himself away from drugs in rehab, Stone Temple Pilots finally hit the road with their newly non-fried frontman.

"It's a pleasure to see him wake up in the morning and actually have a smile on his face and absorbing and enjoying what we're doing," STP's Robert DeLeo said.

"I don't know what will happen tomorrow or next week," Weiland said. "I could be strung out again, but right now I'm enjoying my life, and every moment I'm onstage with the band we look at each other and smile and it's like, 'I love you guys.' "

Hitting shelves was the new book "The Making of Evita," which included an introduction by Madonna and chronicled the 85 costume changes she had for the film "Evita," involving 45 pairs of shoes, 56 pairs of earrings, 39 hats and 42 different hairstyles. Those wanting to look this way themselves could scurry off to Bloomingdale's department store in New York City, which had installed an Evita boutique with decidedly non-peon prices.

"It's a little high for being 100% polyester," one shopper said about an item of clothing. "It's a little high."

There was also a new line of Estee Lauder makeup inspired by the movie, as well a shade of lipstick similar to that worn by Madonna's Evita.

With all this high-end merchandise, it seemed a Madonna wannabe's life was much simpler back in the '80s, when a penny-pinching Madonna fan could emulate her look rather inexpensively at such places as the Madonna Boutique at Macy's in New York. Ah, the days of 10-for-a-dollar rubber bracelets and mesh half-shirts ...

Before reaching the top of the charts in 1996 with the song "No Diggity," Blackstreet member, producer and writer Teddy Riley created a new genre of music in the '80s combining R&B vocals and hip-hop beats called new jack swing. Riley's first foray into music, though, started on the streets of Harlem in New York City.

"I'm from the rap world," Riley said. "I came up with rap when [Grandmaster] Flash was rockin' the beat box. I was rocking the beat box too. I was just underground, down low. Came out there with my little Casio and my Carousel and rocked in the park and that's what made me continue doing music."

In 1988, Riley embarked on his own, turning his attention toward R&B and forming the trio Guy. Two platinum albums later, Guy disbanded and Riley went on to produce and write hits for Wreckx-N-Effect, Michael Jackson and Bobby Brown. Brown's tune ("My Prerogative") was, in fact, a collaboration with future Blackstreet member Chauncey Hannibal.

Riley and Hannibal kept their partnership going by forming Blackstreet in 1993, and in '96, Blackstreet released their album Another Level with two new members, Eric Williams and Mark Middleton.

"Me and Chauncey used to sing together years ago, singing gospel, and we always said if one of us made it the other would go back to help him out," Williams said. "And that's exactly what happened when the other two guys left the group."

"Through a mutual friend of Teddy and myself, he let me know Blackstreet was looking for new members," Middleton said. "So I came down and auditioned and the rest in history."

For more "This Week In ...", check out the This Week In Archive.

• Stone Temple Pilots
• Madonna
• Blackstreet

Blackstreet's Teddy Riley
Photo: MTV News

HOLLYWOOD — Everybody, Blackstreet's back. No, not Backstreet as in the Boys, Blackstreet as in "No Diggity."

New Jack Swing pioneer Teddy Riley revealed at Tuesday's BET Awards that he and Chauncey Hannibal have put aside their bitter rivalry and re-formed the group with singers Mark Middleton and Eric Williams.

Those four have also reunited with past Blackstreet members Levi Little, Dave Hollister, Joseph Stonestreet and Terrell Phillips for a ballad fittingly titled "Bygones," according to a spokesperson for their new label, DreamWorks.

Blackstreet are recording an album now and plan to release it October 22. "The name of the album is Level Two, though we're not really sold on the name yet, but Level Two is the idea," Riley said.

So far the group has recorded with Havoc from Mobb Deep and hip-hop legend Erick Sermon, who produced a portion of the band's 1994 self-titled debut. "We have more people coming," Riley said. "They want to get in on the project because they hear what the first single is sounding like, so they love it."

The kickoff single, the party track "Wizzy Wow," features guest vocals from Mystikal. Blackstreet are shooting a video for the track late next month in Toronto. "It's just an unbelievable track," Riley said. "Everybody loves it. We tested it everywhere. We were gonna drop it at the end of August, but they pushed it up to August 1st."

The group, which had gone through several lineup changes, split bitterly in 1999, with Riley suing Hannibal for slander over comments he made on a solo album (see ).

Since then Riley has maintained his status as a top producer, working with 'NSYNC, Michael Jackson and Joe, including his #1 hit "Stutter."

Blackstreet won a Grammy for their 1996 single "No Diggity," which featured guest vocals from Dr. Dre.

• Blackstreet

Teddy Riley
Photo: Interscope

Teddy Riley is gearing up for his debut solo album, BlackRock, to be released this fall. In the meantime, look for the disc's first single, "Party and Bullsh--," on the "Rush Hour 2" soundtrack in August.

The album will be the New Jack Swing pioneer's first step back into the spotlight after years behind the scenes as a producer, and marks his first release for Virgin Records, according to the label. In addition to working on Joe's #1 hit "Stutter," Riley worked with Product G&B on their upcoming debut, and just wrapped up production on Michael Jackson's long-awaited Invincible (see "Michael Jackson Previews 15 Invincible Tracks").

The Guy founder put the kibosh on a possible reunion of his last group Blackstreet late last year (see "Teddy Riley Says Blackstreet Reunion Unlikely"). The group, which scored a Grammy for their 1996 single "No Diggity," split acrimoniously in 1999, with Riley and former partner Chauncey Hannibal exchanging nasty words and legal threats for much of last year.

BlackRock is set for a November release, while the video for "Party and Bullsh--," featuring Riley, Method Man and "Rush Hour 2" stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, will be shot later this month, according to the label.

• Blackstreet
• Teddy Riley

The reported reunion of Blackstreet is unlikely to happen, according to former bandleader Teddy Riley.

"Dave did talk about it, but there was no follow-up, so I'm doing a lot of other stuff that is taking my career by storm," Riley said. "I have to move on."

Riley added that he did not speak to Hannibal.

Blackstreet, which won a Grammy Award for its single, "No Diggity," disbanded acrimoniously last year and only recently settled litigation between Riley and Hannibal (see "Blackstreet's Hannibal, Riley Settle Legal Disputes").

According to Riley, the initial plan was to record one Blackstreet track that would be included on Hollister's next solo album, but that too is no longer likely to happen.

Hollister will be following up his 1999 solo debut, "Ghetto Hymns," with a new effort titled "Chicago '85." He's currently touring with Mary J. Blige.

Riley is currently working with the vocal group Profyle, whose new song, "Liar," was the fastest-growing single at retail last week, according to "Billboard." The group's album, "Nothing But Drama," is scheduled for release from Motown next week.

The producer-musician is also working on a new Michael Jackson album, and his recent work has included tracks on the latest LPs by Joe and 'NSYNC.

• Blackstreet

After announcing that he had filed a $2 million lawsuit against Blackstreet founder and bandmate Teddy Riley, the group's Chauncey Hannibal has issued a statement divulging that he has never taken any legal action against Riley.

"Obviously, there have been creative and artistic differences that have arisen between myself and Mr. Riley," reads the statement, which was sent to MTV News by Riley. "I feel it is necessary to make this statement in order to express my regret for the false statements which were made about Teddy, by the media and others. Please understand that I am not, nor have I ever taken legal action against Teddy Riley or his agents or assigns. Additionally, I am not seeking two million dollars from Teddy Riley or his record label LOR Records."

In May, Hannibal told MTV News that he had filed a $2 million lawsuit charging Riley with misappropriation of funds (see ).

The statement, dated June 22, also notes that Riley had developed the concept of Blackstreet in 1993 and that Riley had given Hannibal the opportunity to develop his artistic talents, which then led to a successful musical career.

Hannibal adds that he has issued the statement "to express credit where it is due, and to express my desire to move beyond the legal action which has commanded a significant amount of both mine and Teddy's time."

Shortly after Hannibal's initial statements to the press and the release of a song by Hannibal purported to be dissing Riley, Riley launched his own $2 million lawsuit charging Hannibal with defamation of character and slander (see "Teddy Riley Sues Ex-Bandmate"). According to Riley, he considers the statement an apology and the issue has now been settled.

• Blackstreet

Teddy Riley, who led the Grammy-winning group Blackstreet, filed a $2 million lawsuit against former member, Chauncey Hannibal, last Friday in Virginia Beach Circuit Court.

The crossover R&B group, formed in 1993, disbanded a year after winning the best R&B group performance Grammy for their single, "No Diggity."

According to the Associated Press, Riley feels that Chauncey Hannibal defamed him by promoting his rap song, "Shame On You," during appearances on MTV, and various radio stations.

Riley accuses Hannibal, who performs as Hannibal Black, of stealing the song from him, and reciting lyrics that imply that Riley is an "unethical and dishonest person."

Riley wants the court to force Hannibal to refrain from performing the song, and leveling further accusations against him.

"I never said his name in that song," Hannibal replied. "If you want to take it like that, okay. The truth hurts. But I never said his name."

• Blackstreet

Blackstreet's Teddy Riley has responded in detail to allegations made by his now-former bandmate Chauncey Hannibal with a statement sent exclusively to MTV News.

As we previously reported, Hannibal filed a $2 million lawsuit charging Riley with misappropriation of funds, claiming he never received royalties and that he and the other members of Blackstreet were not properly compensated after the demise of the group's label deal with Interscope Records.

Riley in turn filed a countersuit that includes charges of defamation of character and slander. The producer-performer previously told MTV News that he had done "nothing but good business" with Hannibal (see "UPDATE: Blackstreet's Chauncey Disses Riley, Sisqo On Wax").

"I can't understand how a man gets so desperate he would do anything to bring another man down," Riley's statement begins. "[Hannibal is] not a street kid. He's a church boy, and I don't understand why he's coming street with me."

In his statement, Riley takes the Blackstreet story back to the group's earliest roots, detailing his first meeting Hannibal and the formation of the Blackstreet lineup including Hannibal (whom Riley dubbed "Chauncey Black") and Riley along with Hannibal's find, Levi Little, and Riley's suggestion, Joe Stonestreet.

Riley also goes into the group's signing with Interscope. "I made a deal where Chauncey Black made more than ten times the industry standard," he asserts.

"[Hannibal] did not write on any of the Blackstreet songs, so I gave him some of my publishing to make his deal sweeter," Riley states. "Check the credits. All Blackstreet members received publishing for songs on which they sang lead. Now, try and name a Blackstreet hit on which Chauncey sang lead. You can't, because he did not sing any of the hits. He got publishing, though."

Riley goes on to state that he gave Hannibal down payments on both his and his mother's homes, helped him out of a bad tax situation with $150,000 cash, and convinced Interscope to pay Hannibal monthly stipends.

The producer-performer also details the circumstances leading to the departures of various group members, including the dismissals of Levi Little and later member Mark Middleton, both of which Riley attributes to jealousy on Hannibal's part.

"Eric Williams was the only member who didn't get dismissed, because he is C. Black's best friend, which was what I thought I was," Riley says. "Best friends do not do what C. Black is doing now to me."

Riley concludes by stating, "I've retired as an artist and devoted myself to developing new young stars," and apologizes to the public "for music you are missing while this nonsense goes on."

• Blackstreet

Blackstreet member Chauncey Hannibal has filed a $2 million lawsuit against R&B luminary and fellow Blackstreet founder Teddy Riley, charging Riley with misappropriation of funds. In response, Riley has filed a countersuit of his own.

Hannibal claims he never received royalties, nor was he or the other members of Blackstreet properly taken care of after the demise of Blackstreet's label deal with Interscope Records, which released the group's album "Finally" early last year (see "Blackstreet Rep Denies Breakup Rumors").

As if that weren't enough, Hannibal has also lyrically attacked R&B colleague Sisqo. Chauncey told MTV News on Wednesday that there had been some animosity brewing between the two with regard to some personal issues.

In response, Riley has filed a countersuit charging Hannibal with defamation of character and slander. Riley, who claims he has done nothing but good business with Hannibal, is currently in talks with Sisqo about filing a dual suit against the singer.

• Blackstreet
• Dru Hill
• Sisqó

The R&B trio Guy has finally put together a new album after a decade of solo pursuits by its three members, Teddy Riley and brothers Aaron and Damion Hall.

-- John Gill

• Blackstreet
• Guy

Classic Unplugged Photos

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