Patrick Stump
Photo: Scott Gries/ Getty Images

Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump has been named one of the un-sexiest men of 2007 by Boston alt-weekly The Phoenix. He lands at #95 on the list, right next to Larry King and Jon Heder. ...

Prodigy, who will start serving a three-and-a-half-year jail sentence on a charge of gun possession for which he was indicted in October, plans to issue his second solo album while behind bars. H.N.I.C. Part 2 will drop in March, feature production from Mobb Deep group mate Havoc and Alchemist, and be integrated with Voxonic technology, which converts a voice into hundreds of languages with near-perfect accuracy. Prodigy also released a statement regarding his upcoming sentence, saying, "Throughout my life, I have always lived through adversity. I'm a survivor. You don't understand the mental power that I have. While I'm locked up, I'm going to be writing lyrics, working on the script for my second feature film, 'Dope,' and finish writing an autobiography of my life, which will be finished by the time I'm released. My mind is going to be focused, and I'll have time to think and map out my entire plan. The experience will make me a tougher, stronger person. I'm gonna work on getting out faster, so I can get back to doing what I do best. When I get home, it's gonna be on!" ...

R.E.M. have christened their forthcoming album Accelerate and set an April 1 release date for the effort. The album was produced by Jacknife Lee (Bloc Party, Snow Patrol) and will feature "Until the Day Is Done," "Living Well Is the Best Revenge" and "Staring Down the Barrel of Middle Distance." Expect the band to tour in the spring. ... It's not like she was expecting an Oscar nomination, but a nod for the worst? In a poll conducted by AOL's Moviefone Web site, 58 percent of respondents gave Lindsay Lohan the dubious distinction of turning in the worst performance by an actress in 2007 for her role in "I Know Who Killed Me." Another one of Lohan's box-office bombs, "Georgia Rule," finished second among the more than 3.8 million voters, just behind the Eddie Murphy comedy "Norbit," as the biggest waste of $10. "Norbit" also earned the comedian the title of worst performance by an actor. ... Eddie Murphy and "Good Luck Chuck" producer Tracey Edmonds got hitched during an intimate New Year's Day ceremony on a private island in French Polynesia, according to People.com. Johnny Gill was reportedly Murphy's best man. ...

Radiohead singer Thom Yorke has hit back at the boss of his former label, EMI Music, after claims that the band had rejected a nearly $6 million advance for their new album while demanding the copyrights to older titles. In a December 29 post on the group's official Web site under the heading "FYI — if you care — for your information," Yorke wrote, "We did not ask for a load of cash from our old record label EMI to re-sign. That is a L I E. The Times in the U.K. should check its facts before it prints such dirt. What we wanted was some control over our work and how it was used in the future by them — that seemed reasonable to us, as we cared about it a great deal. [EMI boss Guy] Hands was not interested. So neither were we. We made the sign of the cross and walked away. Sadly." Yorke said the group was upset about the airing of "dirty laundry" in public. Separately, Yorke told BBC Radio 4 that releasing In Rainbows solely as a digital download — the physical album hit stores this week — would have been "stark raving mad" because 80 percent of fans still buy physical releases. "We didn't want it to be a big announcement about 'everything's over except the Internet, the Internet's the future,' 'cause that's utter rubbish," Yorke said. "And it's really important to have an artifact as well, as they call it, an object." Yorke, in one of his first public comments about the decision to release In Rainbows under a pay-what-you-wish scheme, explained that Radiohead had a "moral justification in what we did in the sense that the majors and the big infrastructure of the music business has not addressed the way artists communicate directly with their fans. ... In fact, they seem to basically get in the way. Not only do they get in the way, but they take all the cash." He also denied reports that In Rainbows was downloaded more than 1.2 million times in its first week, but, in keeping with the band's silence on sales, would not confirm how many times it was actually downloaded. "It's total nonsense. ... We're the only people who know, and it feels wrong to say exactly what happened," he said. "But it's been a really nice surprise and we've done really well out of it." ...

The presidential race will bleed over into late-night TV on Wednesday night (January 2) when David Letterman chats up Democratic contender Senator Hillary Clinton and Jay Leno welcomes Republican candidate Mike Huckabee on the respective comeback episodes of their shows. Chingy will perform on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," while Lupe Fiasco will play on the "Late Show With David Letterman," with Robin Williams also appearing. Letterman struck a deal with the Writers Guild of America that will allow him to return to air with writers, but Huckabee and Chingy will be crossing the picket line with their appearances on Leno's show, as the writers' strike continues. ... "L.A." Reid, Denzel Washington, Steven Spielberg, Brett Ratner, Billy Joel and others partied Sunday on a private yacht owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, and Jon Bon Jovi and Robbie Robertson performed at the shindig, according to Fox News. ...

Staind's Aaron Lewis, along with members of Boston, Tesla, Stryper and other bands, will join host Dee Snider of Twisted Sister at the fifth anniversary Relief Fund Charity Concert, to be staged February 25 at Providence, Rhode Island's Dunkin' Donut Center. The event is being put on by the Station Family Fund, a group founded by survivors, family members and community members affected by the Station fire, the February 2003 nightclub tragedy that claimed 100 lives. Proceeds from the show will go to the survivors of the fire, many of whom did not qualify for Social Security benefits. ...

The lineup for Dave Mustaine's Gigantour 2008 has been revealed. The trek, to launch in mid-April and run through late May, will feature his band Megadeth, as well as In Flames, Children of Bodom, Job for a Cowboy and High on Fire. ... P.O.D. have set an April 8 release date for When Angels & Serpents Dance, the band's forthcoming LP. The record will feature a guest appearance by Suicidal Tendencies mainman Mike Muir. ... Former Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland's band, Black Light Burns, have begun work on material for their second album, which is set for release in early 2009. Borland said in a statement that the new stuff is "a lot more guitar-heavy than it is synth-heavy. The feeling/tone is a little more fun and weird compared to the darkness of the first album." The effort follows the band's debut disc, last year's Cruel Melody. ... Hatebreed were forced to postpone the final concert in their Stillborn Fest series after guitarist Frank Novinec broke his ankle. No word yet on when they'll make up the gig, which was supposed to happen Sunday in Rochester, New York. ...

A lawyer who previously represented Death Row Records boss Marion "Suge" Knight in a $130 million lawsuit over ownership of the onetime gangsta-rap powerhouse is asking a judge to set that judgment aside. According to the Los Angeles Times, in a hearing set for Wednesday attorney Dermot Givens is asking that the judgment be voided because of what he claims is new evidence that the plaintiff, singer Lydia Harris, and her imprisoned drug-dealing husband, Michael, allegedly duped a Los Angeles judge into ruling against Knight. The motion contends that Harris hid from the court that she had filed for bankruptcy five years before suing Knight and that she never claimed an ownership stake in Death Row during that legal proceeding. The motion also alleges that recent sworn testimony by the couple shows that Michael Harris, an alleged crack kingpin, was the real party of interest in her lawsuit against Knight; Michael Harris sued Knight in 1996 claiming he helped finance Death Row, and was awarded a $300,000 out-of-court settlement. Lydia Harris filed a separate suit in 2002 claiming that she and Knight started the label together and that he cheated her out of millions in profits. ...

James Brown's final recordings have been caught up in the legal feud over the late rock legend's estate, according to The Associated Press. Brown recorded an album in Los Angeles in summer 2006, but courtroom disputes over who should get his music royalties are preventing the release of the tracks. More than 50-60 additional unreleased songs recorded by Brown are also reportedly in the archives. ... The Jersey Boys have a bit of a problem on their hands. Tommy DeVito, ex-bassist of Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons — on which the "Jersey Boys" story is based — is being sued by the widow of a man who also wrote a story about the group, according to TMZ. Donna Corbello says her late husband Rex Conrad Woodard's yet-unpublished book was the basis of the Broadway smash, and she is reportedly seeking a declaration that he is the volume's "joint owner" so she can get some of the future profits from the production. The suit was recently filed in a district court in Texas. ...

It's Hammer time all over again. MC Hammer is about to launch a new Web site that he hopes will rival YouTube as the online hub for sharing and watching dance videos, according to AP. He is the co-founder and chief strategy officer of DanceJam.com, which will go live later this month and profit from Internet advertising. Perhaps the site will reverse Hammer's hard luck — he filed for bankruptcy in 1996 with nearly $14 million in debts. ... Evan Farrell, an indie-rock bassist who played with the Magnolia Electric Co. on tour and, earlier this year, left the Rogue Wave fold, died the weekend of December 22-23 after sustaining injuries from a house fire in Oakland, California. He was 33. "He was a fixture in our community and a bright spot in all of our lives," Secretly Canadian, the label the Magnolia Electric Co. call home, said about Farrell in a statement. "He was exceptionally talented, funny and genuine."

12.28.07

Brandy is in the clear — according to TMZ, the Los Angeles city attorney will not be filing charges against the singer over the multi-car crash that claimed the life of a woman in December 2006. The attorney had until the end of the day Friday (December 28) to file criminal charges against Brandy in the incident. The singer's attorney, Blair Berk, reportedly responded with a statement, saying, "These past 12 months have posed an extraordinary hardship for Brandy and her family, who have been unfairly forced to live under a cloud of suspicion initially caused by the ill-advised and premature press release sent out by the California Highway Patrol accusing Brandy of wrongdoing before the police investigation was even finished. However, Brandy continues to be mindful that she was so fortunate to be uninjured in this accident and there was a life lost that should be remembered." Brandy is, however, still facing a $50 million wrongful-death suit from the family of the victim, Awatef Aboudihaj. ...

Yung Joc was seven hours late to an arraignment on a felony gun charge on Wednesday and was scolded by the judge in the case after an arrest warrant was issued. But the rapper (born Jasiel Robinson) tried to clear his name in a statement released through his lawyers. "I have the utmost respect for the laws of this country and would never deliberately commit an act that would jeopardize my freedom, my family or my career," he said, according to TMZ. "I've worked very hard to achieve my goals, and it's unfortunate that this current situation has garnered more attention than the many donations I've made and the charitable work I've done with various organizations. ... I'm proud to be a citizen of America, where we are taught to believe that every person is afforded the presumption of innocence. That being said, I have full respect for the judicial system and its due process. I look forward to resolving this situation and moving forward to a positive and prosperous 2008." Joc is due back in court on January 25 in connection with his arrest Sunday at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, where authorities said he tried to take a loaded gun onto a flight. He faces a possible sentence of up to 18 months for the charge. ...

Lil Wayne told MTV News a couple of months ago that he was planning to drop Tha Carter III: The Leak on December 18, with the official Tha Carter III LP to follow February 12, but he actually slipped out a five-song EP called The Leak through Rhapsody and Amazon on Christmas Day instead. The disc features "I'm Me," "Gossip," "Kush," "Love Me or Hate Me" and "Talkin' About It." "Gossip" has been rumored to be a dis song directed toward 50 Cent, but as Weezy told Mixtape Monday in late October, "I recorded that song in 2006. ... I don't make records or say anything about people. I don't beef with people. Everybody knows that. ... My words are more important than you."...

Radiohead decided to split with their longtime label EMI in the fall after the company's new boss, Guy Hands, rejected a deal that would have cost the company more than $20 million, according to the London Times. The U.K. outlet reports that the band had been offered a $6 million advance by Hands for In Rainbows, but demanded more. An EMI spokesperson who was not named told the Times that, "Radiohead were demanding an extraordinary amount of money, and we did not believe that our other artists should have to subsidize their gains." The bandmembers reportedly responded that they believed more big-name artists would be leaving EMI and accused Hands of not negotiating seriously with them. The deal Radiohead sought also reportedly included the handing over of some of the copyrights to their back catalog, a move that could have cost the label millions in future earnings. Band manager Bryce Edge told The Times, "We couldn't move ahead with EMI because Guy Hands irrevocably refused to discuss the catalog in any meaningful way. We sold 25 million records, and we have the moral rights over those six albums. We wanted a say in how they are exploited in the future. We were not seeking a big advance payment, or a guaranteed marketing spend, as discussions never got that far." ...

Members of Angels & Airwaves, No Doubt, 30 Seconds to Mars, Bad Religion, Journey, Pennywise — as well as the Roots' ?uestlove — will hammer away at the skins when they perform at a January 5 drum-off hosted by former Jane's Addiction member Stephen Perkins. The Guitar Center contest, which began three months ago, will culminate with a show at the Music Box @ Fonda in Hollywood that will also feature performances by the four finalists in the store's competition. ... "The Beyoncé Experience - Live," which came out in DVD form in late November, will be broadcast for U.S. troops stationed in Iraq on New Year's Eve via the AEG Network. The programming block will also include Celine Dion's "A New Day" and Garth Brooks' "One Artist, One City, One Time." ...

It's official: David Letterman has reached a deal with striking writers and will return to the air with a full staff on Wednesday. Jeff Hermanson, a Writers Guild of America executive, told Reuters that talks between the union and Letterman's Worldwide Pants production company had led to a "full, binding, independent agreement" that features provisions for paying writers for work distributed online. Protesting writers have been demanding compensation for Internet-content. Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Kimmel are also returning to the air on Wednesday, and Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert on January 7, although none of those late-night hosts will be coming back with their respective writers. ...

Jessica Simpson is enjoying Nashville as the relocated singer/actress records her upcoming, yet-untitled country album there. "Nashville is a very warm city," she recently told Billboard.com. "The people are friendly and kind. There is a sense of community, which thrives on music. There is no animosity ... only respect for one another's talent." The effort is due in 2008 through Columbia Nashville and will be the follow-up to 2006's A Public Affair. Simpson didn't provide many more details on the project, and when asked if she would be hitting the road to support it, she said, "Since the record is in the beginning stages, there hasn't been much talk about a tour just yet." ...

Meanwhile, Franz Ferdinand's third album doesn't have a name yet either, but the band has shed some more light on the successor to 2005's You Could Have It So Much Better. "I suppose we're heading back to the idea of dance music," frontman Alex Kapranos told RollingStone.com. "It's more of a dance record than a rock record." The band has tapped an unlikely producer — Brian Higgins (Kylie Minogue, Cher) — for some of the songs. "It appeals to my contrary side," Kapranos said. "And I don't like the distance between bands and pop music there is now. Dr. Dre or Timbaland or the Neptunes are making the songs you've never heard before, not the indie kids strumming their f---ing guitars." ...

Chris Rock has jumped into the 2008 presidential-election conversation, comparing Senator Hillary Clinton to the current commander in chief and voicing his support for rival Senator Barack Obama in a recent interview with The New York Times. "I love Hillary Clinton, but to me she is the Democratic version of George [W.] Bush: someone who is running, and the only reason you know who this person is because of their name. ... She has much more in common with George Bush Jr. than she does with Oprah Winfrey." He added, "It's neck and neck against a woman whose husband was the president, and [Obama is] a black man that no one knew a couple years ago. That is an unbelievable achievement." ...

Sean Penn and Robin Wright Penn are divorcing after 11 years of marriage, according to People.com. The "Into the Wild" director and "Beowulf" actress have two children together, boys ages 14 and 16. ... In another marital development, Marilyn Manson and Dita Von Teese's divorce still isn't finalized yet — Von Teese filed in December 2006, citing Manson's alleged infidelity and partying — but they are now legally permitted to marry other people, People.com reports. Their marital status was terminated Thursday, but the ex-couple have yet to settle their finances. Manson, 38, has been dating Evan Rachel Wood, age 20. ...

While Josh Groban is enjoying a record-setting run atop the charts with his holiday album, Noël, Variety reports that the rest of the music business had a horrible Christmas week. Overall music sales during the Christmas shopping season were down 21 percent from last year. From the week of Thanksgiving through December 23, 83.9 million albums were sold, a steep decline from 2006's total of 105.28 million.

• Fall Out Boy
• Prodigy of Mobb Deep
• Lindsay Lohan
• Radiohead
• Brandy

Madonna
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images

Time to pucker up for Madonna's next album — Billboard.com reports that the singer has settled on the title for it: Licorice. The effort, which will reportedly feature "Candy Shop" and "The Beat Goes On" (featuring Pharrell), is due in late April and will be Madge's last effort for longtime label Warner Bros. Kanye West is said to be a guest on "The Beat Goes On," according to the site, which also reports that Madonna's vintage track "The Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" will get an update on the new disc. ...

Jessica Sierra pleaded not guilty on Thursday (December 6) to charges of disorderly intoxication, resisting arrest and violating conditions of her parole on earlier felony battery and possession charges, according to The Associated Press. The former "American Idol" finalist was arrested early Sunday morning outside a bar in Ybor City, near Tampa, Florida, after causing an unspecified disturbance while working inside the establishment. Sierra's lawyer reportedly said he is consulting with doctors to map out a comprehensive drug and alcohol plan for the ex-"Idol" contestant, who is currently being held without bail. Sierra is to remain in jail at least until her next hearing on December 20. ...

Gym Class Heroes, the Academy Is ... and Relient K will help anchor next year's Warped Tour, according to Alternative Press. Every Time I Die, From First to Last and the Bronx are also among the first 18 bands named for the summer trek, with the dates yet to be announced. ... Speaking of summer fests, Bonnaroo will take place June 12-15 in Manchester, Tennessee, Billboard.com reports. The lineup will be revealed in late January or early February. ... Your chance to download Radiohead's In Rainbows is about to end. The band has announced that the InRainbows.com Web site will close Saturday. But you can still plunk down $80 for the box set at Radiohead's online w.a.s.t.e. store, while supplies last. ...

Ne-Yo and Macy Gray are joining Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy and others as they pitch in for presidential aspirant Senator Barack Obama. Ne-Yo and the Goo Goo Dolls will play at an Obama fundraiser in Universal City, California, on Monday, while Gray, Tweedy and others will perform at the senator's Friday event in Obama's hometown of Chicago. On a related note, Wilco will set out for a two-week U.S. tour in February. ... Paris, you've got nothing on Britney — Spears outdid Hilton on eBay in terms of related items sold this year. AP reports that 34,345 Brit-related items were sold, compared with 27,377 for Paris. A mere 8,099 items related to Lindsay Lohan were auctioned, while on the movies front, "Transformers" beat out Harry Potter with 442,342 and 344,825 related items sold, respectively. ...

Indie-rockers, state attorneys general and anti-smoking activists are finding themselves on the same side, oddly enough — some of them are reportedly peeved about an ad for Camel cigarettes that appeared alongside a cartoon-heavy indie-rock feature in the magazine's November 15 issue, Pitchfork reports. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. has stopped promotions for its "The Farm" marketing campaign after nine attorneys general sued the company over the ads, according to North Carolina's Winston-Salem Journal. More states are reportedly expected to also sue R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., which could face a fine of more than $100 million for violating a 1998 agreement between 46 states and tobacco manufacturers. The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement banned the use of cartoons to sell market cigarettes in 1997, effectively killing off Joe Camel. Also being debated, according to Pitchfork, are Camel-sponsored concerts that have featured the Flaming Lips, Band of Horses and the Faint. ...

Alicia Keys will ring in the new year with a performance on the roof of New York's Rockefeller Center as part of Carson Daly's shindig on NBC, People.com reports. The show, which will air December 31 at 11:35 p.m. ET, will also feature Lenny Kravitz performing in Times Square. Keys will sing two songs from her latest album, As I Am. ... LL Cool J, Rev Run, Petra Nemcova, Brett Ratner and other celebs have ponied up items for an ongoing online charity auction staged by Russell Simmons' Diamond Empowerment Fund. "Diamonds Give" features 15 lots of donated diamond pieces and runs through December 16 on eBay. ...

It sounds like U2 might be going back to the future on their upcoming album. The band, which flirted with dance beats and techno on such albums as 1991's Achtung Baby, is incorporating trance, metal and Moroccan influences on its new disc, according to an interview with Bono in The Independent. The singer said fans will "feel the difference. ... Normally when you play a U2 tune, it clears the dance floor. And that may not be true of this. There's some trance influences." He also said the yet-untitled and unscheduled album has some "very hardcore guitar" and "real molten metal" from guitarist the Edge that doesn't sound "like anything we've ever done before, and we don't think it sounds like anything anyone else has done either." Though he wouldn't categorize the album as "world" music, Bono said its sound was inspired in part by a religious music festival the guys attended in Fez, Morocco, where they were exposed to Sufi music. "It was a real humbling thing for a punk-rock shouter, listening to these people who just close their eyes for 40 minutes and sing the most sophisticated melodies." So far, U2 have recorded enough material for two records, he added. ...

Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson recently hung with locals, bathed in an irrigation ditch in their boxers and visited an orphanage in Peru this week, according to AP. An image that surfaced shows the two, who reportedly stayed at a cheap hotel room that cost less than $50 per night, smiling and waving in Cuzco. Cameron Diaz, Bill Gates and others visited the area earlier this year. ... Courtney Love has a new video on her hands ... kind of. A clip featuring manga character Princess Ai — whose universe of properties was co-created by Love — will premiere at the New York Anime Festival on Saturday. "Princess Ai: Broken Leash," which includes live action, animation and music, will appear as part of a CD/DVD anthology due in fall 2008. ... It's hard to keep old punks down. After their recent reunion tour of England this year, punk grandfathers the Sex Pistols will hit the road again next summer, according to Reuters. Guitarist Steve Jones did not give any specifics about the 2008 tour on his Los Angeles radio show on Wednesday, other than to say that the group might play an upcoming charity show at London's Royal Albert Hall organized by Who singer Roger Daltrey. ...

And the battle over James Brown's estate goes on. According to AP, two former trustees for the late singer's estate say the judge who is handling the disputes made them resign in late November. In recently filed court documents, Buddy Dallas and Alford Bradley reportedly said they want to retract their resignations and that South Carolina Circuit Judge Jack Early used "improper judicial influence." They are also seeking for the appointment of their successors to be overturned.

12.5.07

Unlike Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie, Kiefer Sutherland is not getting off easy with his DUI — the "24" actor has been sentenced to 48 days in a Los Angeles County jail for his September 24 arrest and violating his probation. The actor must start serving his sentence at the Glendale City Jail prior to March 30, UsMagazine.com reports. He has also been sentenced to five years of probation, must finish a year-and-a-half-long alcohol-education program and go to weekly therapy sessions for a half-year. Sutherland, who had a previous DUI before his fall arrest, had been pulled over by police after making an illegal U-turn and reportedly blew twice the legal blood-alcohol level during a breathalyzer test. He issued a statement after entering a no-contest plea in early October, saying, "I'm very disappointed in myself for the poor judgment I exhibited recently, and I'm deeply sorry for the disappointment and distress this has caused my family, friends and co-workers on '24' and at 20th Century Fox." ... Contrasting with Sutherland's devastating news, Richie caught a break on Wednesday when her court-mandated anti-drinking program granted the socialite a leave of absence, according to People. Coordinators at the program were reportedly worried for Richie's safety, with her rep saying such leaves of absence are granted to people with medical conditions and that she did not get special treatment. Richie is eight months pregnant and has to complete the 18-month program as part of her DUI plea deal ...

Bad news for Vanessa Hudgens: A Los Angeles judge ruled Wednesday (December 5) that a breach-of-contract suit by her former lawyer can go forward, according to CBS News. Brian L. Schall is suing the "The High School Musical" star for breach of contract, although Hudgens has argued that she was a minor at the time she signed the agreement and therefore isn't bound to it. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Tricia Ann Bigelow said the matter of Hudgens disaffirming her contractual obligations within a reasonable time period is a "factual issue," and that Hudgens' decision to wait until she was 18 years and 9 months old to reject the contract is an issue for either a jury decision or a motion for summary judgment. The next hearing in the case is slated for January 15. ... Lindsay Lohan might be facing another setback too: Raymundo Ortega, the busboy who is seeking $200,000 in damages stemming from Lohan's collision with his van in October 2005, says he has proof the starlet was drinking before the crash, according to The Associated Press. He reportedly filed papers Tuesday. ...

An interview with T.I. that was conducted prior to his October arrest on gun charges appears in the December/January issue of Rap-Up magazine, which features him and Nicole Scherzinger on alternate covers. The rapper said he has a new urban-clothing line on the way — called "A King of Oneself" — and also revealed his interest in a different type of endeavor: commercial construction. "I want to build a Home Depot or a Wal-Mart, shopping centers," he told the mag. Tip cited Tupac as the rapper who had the most influence on him growing up — and called out some other big names for keeping him out of trouble. "Sometimes I be wildin' out, then [Suge Knight says,] 'Man, you got too much going on, you can't do that. It ain't like the old days,' " said the rapper, who is currently under house arrest. "[Jay-Z] will tell me the same thing, [Diddy] tell me the same thing, Kevin Liles — everybody trying. Wyclef is another one. People, I guess, just care." ...

For her part, Nicole Scherzinger named Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson as the singers she admires the most. She also talked about someone else you may have heard of — Kanye West — and why the tracks he produced for her solo debut didn't make the cut. "I wasn't able to really finish them in time," said the singer, whose Her Name Is Nicole LP is due January 29. "When I have the right time and the right album, I wanna finish those songs. There was talks of putting Common on one of them." Scherzinger also talked about shooting her "Whatever U Like" video with the other Rap-Up cover artist, T.I. "When we did the video it was crazy 'cause we were all up in each other's grills, like [director] Paul Hunter really made us go there, but it was great. He's a professional. Paul was making us tug on each other; we were hard-core for a hot second." ...

Jay-Z celebrated his 38th birthday with Beyoncé in Paris on Tuesday, according to People.com. The couple reportedly holed up in a hotel suite, took a drive around the city, ate at L'Avenue restaurant and caught a cabaret show. ... Pete Wentz, Chris Brown, the Jonas Brothers and Corbin Bleu all made Teen magazine's list of the 50 Hottest Guys in Hollywood — but Zac Efron takes the cake by topping the bunch. ... Keira Knightley stripped down for the revealing cover of the latest issue of Interview magazine. "How does that always happen?" the "Atonement" actress asked herself, in the interview, of taking off her clothes. "Because I say yes, I suppose." ...

Styles P, Hurricane Chris and Fabolous will bring some yuletide cheer to Russell Simmons and Rev Run's eighth annual Youth Holiday Party in New York on Tuesday, with MTV News' own Sway acting as one of the emcees. For the festivities, the Simmons brothers and their Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation will turn the Fillmore at Irving Plaza into a winter wonderland, raffling off prizes like an Xbox 360 and tickets to a taping of "106 & Park." Kids will also get Target gift cards. ...

Journey are counting a new singer among their ranks: Arnel Pineda. The Filipino crooner, who previously covered the band's songs with his group the Zoo, is the third Journey singer in two years — he follows Jeff Scott Soto, who left the fold earlier this year after filling in for Steve Augeri, who split with the band in 2006 due to medical reasons. "I know they'll expect me to sound exactly like 'the voice,' " Pineda said in a statement, referring to yet another former Journey singer: Steve Perry. "But that will never happen. I know there's only one Steve Perry in this world." "Arnel doesn't sound synthetic and he's not emulating anyone," added guitarist Neal Schon, who discovered the singer's Zoo clips online. "I tried to get a hold of him through YouTube and I finally heard from him ... but it took some convincing to get him to believe that it really was me and not an imposter." ...

Deerhunter, Black Dice, Fischerspooner and others have chipped in unreleased new songs for Living Bridge, a two-CD collection of songs by bands who have previously recorded at Brooklyn, New York's Rare Book Room Studio. The 25-song package will hit stores February 26 and christen Rare Book Room Records, a new label. ... The Breeders will be back in '08 with a new disc hitting stores April 8. Mountain Battles will arrive six years after the band's previous effort, Title TK, which the band took nine years to put out following its most successful album, 1993's Last Splash. The Pixies-affiliated group is also due to tour throughout the year, hitting up South by Southwest and Coachella along the way. ... Peaches will sweeten up New Year's Eve this year by counting down the clock in downtown Los Angeles as part of Hard NYE's bash. She will also perform, as will Justice. ...

Paula Abdul was a "disaster" on "Saturday Night Live" when she hosted the show two years ago — so says Tina Fey in the January issue of Playboy. "I was pregnant at the time and probably a little moody, but I remember thinking, 'She's a disaster!' " Fey said. ... Vivica A. Fox booked herself on Wednesday on charges of driving under the influence, TMZ.com reports. A judge ordered on Monday that the actress be booked or face a bench warrant. ... Charges were dropped against Jonathan Rhys-Meyers after he apologized for creating a drunken fracas at an airport in Ireland earlier this year. The actor, who faced two charges of public drunkenness and breach of peace, said through his lawyer that he intends to make a donation to an unspecified charity. ...

The one guy who seemed kind of charmed by Borat's antics in last year's "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" has joined the parade of people suing the fake Kazakh reporter. According to Reuters, driving instructor Michael Psenicska's suit against the film's makers and star Sacha Baron Cohen claims that he was tricked into participating in a film that he was led to believe was a "documentary about the integration of foreign people into the American way of life." Psenicska said he was paid $500 in cash to give Borat a driving lesson and described the experience as "surreal," saying Cohen drove erratically down residential streets, drank alcohol and yelled to a female pedestrian that he would pay her $10 for "sexy time." Psenicska is seeking $100,000 in compensatory damages and additional punitive damages for being misled, and for the emotional harm he allegedly continues to suffer. Psenicska said if he had known the true nature of the film, he never would have participated. The studio behind the flick said the suit had no merit and that Psenicska was a willing participant in the film. ...

Eddie Vedder is making his first video appearance since his spot in Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" clip 15 years ago. Mr. Ed is supporting his soundtrack to "Into the Wild" with a video for "Guaranteed." ... Saosin can't get enough of the road — the band, which toured for most of 2007, has rolled out a new 2008 itinerary. The California rockers will take Armor for Sleep and the Bled along for their jaunt, which starts January 21 in Tucson, Arizona, and ends February 14 in Chico, California. ... The sounds made by the creepy creatures in Will Smith's new movie "I Am Legend" might seem familiar to Faith No More fans — Mike Patton is the one behind them. The always-busy musician, who previously lent his voice to video games like "The Darkness" and "The Portal," is also delving into the film world with "A Perfect Place," a noirish short film for which he composed the music. ...

The family of Justin Barker, the white student who was allegedly beaten by six black classmates last year in Jena, Louisiana, has filed a civil lawsuit against the teens, their parents, the local school board and a seventh student who was not charged in the case, USA Today reports. The lawsuit claims that the attack on Barker was of "such extreme nature so as to require emergency medical care and treatment for the harm inflicted by the attack, and resulting in extensive and permanently disabling injuries." The suit, filed Thursday, also alleges that employees of the LaSalle Parish School Board were not adequately supervising students or maintaining discipline. ...

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will flex his rock muscle on Friday at a fundraising show featuring Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy performing solo alongside buzz band the Cool Kids, Third Eye Blind singer Stephan Jenkins, Jill Sobule and local indie bands the Changes and Canasta. The "Change Rocks" show will take place at the Riviera Theatre in Obama's hometown of Chicago, with tickets ranging from $50 to $500 apiece. ... Hillary Clinton's campaign has had a change of heart. Less than a month before the Iowa caucuses, Clinton has dropped her controversial campaign theme song, "You and I" by Celine Dion, and replaced it with "Blue Sky" by Colorado 1990s college faves Big Head Todd and the Monsters, according to ABC News. ...

We can see now why comedian Dave Chappelle might have walked away from that $50 million Comedy Central deal: He'd rather be doing stand-up. Chappelle broke his own endurance record on Sunday with a set at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood, California, that lasted six hours and 12 minutes, besting his previous mark, set in April, by a good five minutes. Club owner Jamie Masada told AP that Chappelle was on a mission. "Dave was determined to keep his record because he recently heard that Dane Cook was planning on trying to break [his] record," Masada said. ... R&B singer Avant has signed to Capitol Records to release his next album, due in the summer. The multiplatinum crooner was previously signed to MCA, before the label folded into Geffen Records, through which he released four albums and a string of hit singles, including his breakout "Separated." Avant's yet-untitled next album is expected to include production from Rodney Jerkins and Mr. Collipark, among others.

• Madonna
• Gym Class Heroes
• Alicia Keys
• Radiohead
• The Academy Is...

Britney Spears
Photo: Alexander Tamargo/ Getty Images

Britney Spears suffered a setback in her child-custody dispute with ex-husband Kevin Federline during a hearing on Monday (September 17). An anticipated "secret witness" — who turned out to be one of the singer's ex-bodyguards — came forward to file a declaration to the court and make himself available to testify on "issues of nudity by Ms. Spears, drug use and safety issues involving the children post-rehab," according to his attorney Gloria Allred. Spears' attorney chose not to cross-examine Tony Barretto, so the ex-bodyguard did not take the stand, which "shocked" Allred, she said. "Since neither the court nor Ms. Spears' attorney chose to examine our client from the witness stand regarding the particulars of his highly explosive and relevant declaration, it stands unrefuted and unchallenged," Allred told reporters outside the courthouse. However, contents of that declaration were not made public Monday, nor were the court's minutes from the closed hearing, so there's no word on how the declaration was received. Federline's attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan told reporters he didn't see a quick end to the custody dispute, since the next hearing isn't set until November 26, with another court date to follow in December. "I don't see it being resolved before that time," he said. To make matters worse for Spears, she lost two members of her team on Monday. Attorney Laura Wasser is no longer providing her with legal representation in the custody battle, Wasser confirmed to MTV News — the singer has new representation in Marci Levine, according to Levine's office. Shortly after Wasser threw in the towel, Spears' management company, the Firm, quit as well, according to People. "It saddens us to confirm media reports that we have terminated our professional relationship with Britney Spears," read the statement. "We believe Britney is enormously talented and has made a terrific record, but current circumstances have prevented us from properly doing our job. We wish Britney the best." ...

Meanwhile, the level of absurdity surrounding the Spears/Federline saga has reached a new height. As the former spouses' custody battle continued in Los Angeles Superior Court, another story started to unravel outside the courthouse: that of an alleged contract hit on Federline's life. According to the FBI's Los Angeles office, a "non-specific," "low-credibility" and "uncorroborated" threat on Federline's life was received. "Since there was no federal jurisdiction, we shared the information with the local authorities," FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller told MTV News. "We take every threat seriously. But there was no specificity, no corroboration, and it could not be substantiated." The LAPD, who seemed to take the threat a little less seriously, laughed when asked about it, telling MTV News, "We do not have a current investigation." Federline's rep had no official comment, but his lawyer told reporters outside the courthouse on Monday, "Until I see what the alleged threat was, I can't speak to that." ...

Dave Grohl has opened up to U.K. newspaper The Guardian about the death of his former Nirvana bandmate Kurt Cobain. "Kurt dying shocked me into running away from music for a while," he divulged. "I started Foo Fighters because I didn't want to retreat. I couldn't imagine joining another band and sitting behind the drum set, because I would always think about Krist [Novoselic] and Kurt." Grohl also revealed that while one of the Foos' earliest songs, "I'll Stick Around," was not directed at Cobain's ex-wife, Courtney Love, he wouldn't be surprised if similar comparisons are made over "Let It Die." The song, featured on the Foos' new album, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, features the lyric "A simple man and his blushing bride/ Intravenous, intertwined." The tune was "written about feeling helpless to someone else's demise," Grohl said. "I've seen people lose it all to drugs and heartbreak and death. It's happened more than once in my life, but the one that's most noted is Kurt. And there are a lot of people that I've been angry with in my life, but the one that's most noted is Courtney. So it's pretty obvious to me that those correlations are gonna pop up every now and again. I still remain a little secretive about it all." ...

Even at Sunday night's Emmys, where he wasn't nominated for anything, Kanye West couldn't win. The rapper notorious for loudly expressing his award-show-freeze-out frustrations playfully lampooned his sore-loser reputation during a skit in which actor Rainn Wilson ("The Office") beat Kanye at a game of "Don't Forget the Lyrics" based on 'Ye's song "Stronger," with the loser doomed to retiring from show business. After West slipped up and sang "that's how long I've been on you," comedian Wayne Brady joked that Mr. West picked "the wrong time to speak properly," pointing out that the lyric ends with the words "on ya." A smiling West exclaimed, "I never win!" The consolation? West had a front-row seat for the Los Angeles ceremony, right next to multiple winner Tony Bennett. Later on in the evening, he popped over to Justin Timberlake's concert at the Staples Center for a rendition of West's "Stronger," according to TMZ.com. ...

The stars of "High School Musical" are still in negotiations for a third flick, Corbin Bleu told People magazine. "Truthfully as long as it's a good script and as long as everybody is being paid fairly, I would be more than happy to go and have one last hurrah," he said. The 18-year-old actor also revealed that he's never actually been to an "HSM" premiere due to various scheduling conflicts. ... Comic book fan Ghostface Killah is partnering with Adult Swim for a free tour set to hit college campuses next month. The trek, which will feature Witchdoctor as the opening act, will begin October 1 at the State University of New York in Albany and run through an October 19 gig at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Indie-rockers ... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead and Dethlok — the once-fictional animated band featured on the Adult Swim program "Metalocalypse" — are joining forces for a separate free trek, but shows have not been announced beyond the October 29 start date. ...

Will Ferrell isn't your typical actor, so it makes sense he wouldn't be your typical charity donor either — he's raising money for a friend's cancer foundation by auctioning a cameo spot in his new flick, The Associated Press reports. Online bidding for an appearance in "Step Brothers" began Monday and ends September 26, and the opening bid was $5,000. The winner will be announced September 27; get to meet with Ferrell at the Cancer for College golf tournament dinner at Temecula Creek Inn in Temecula, California; and shoot a scene with the actor in October. The proceeds will go to Craig Pollard's Cancer for College foundation — Pollard and Ferrell were fraternity brothers at the University of Southern California. ...

Apparently Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor plans to disband the group's current lineup following the final gig on its current tour, which is set for Tuesday in Honolulu. Reznor told Honolulu's Star-Bulletin that he wants "to switch things around a bit." Nine Inch Nails, he said, "as a rock band configuration [has] done it and we've done it again. I see other ways I can present the material in concert, more challenging, something new. I don't want it to go stale." The band has been touring together for more than two years and currently includes drummer Josh Freese, guitarist Aaron North, bassist Jeordie White and keyboardist Alessandro Cortini. ... Marilyn Manson is teaming up with a French family-run distillery, Matter-Luginbuehl, to produce thousands of bottles of his own brand of absinthe, called "Mansinthe." Production on the line started last month, and so far, 6,000 bottles have been made. No word on when "Mansinthe" will be commercially available, or for that matter, where. ... Former Evanescence members Ben Moody and David Hodges have collaborated with Celine Dion for a track slated to appear on the singer's forthcoming Taking Chances LP, due November 13. The duo wrote and produced one track for Dion, called "This Time." ...

Live Nation, which runs the House of Blues chain, has either canceled or moved to alternate venues five heavy-metal concerts previously scheduled at House of Blues clubs located on Walt Disney Co. property in Anaheim, California, and Orlando, Florida, according to the Los Angeles Times. In Anaheim, a gig that had been booked two months earlier and was set to feature Machine Head, Arch Enemy, Throwdown and Sanctity on September 7 was moved to a different venue; a show that was supposed to feature Cannibal Corpse, the Black Dahlia Murder, the Red Chord and the Absence on September 13 was also shifted to a different club; and Obituary's planned September 26 concert has been canceled. Two other shows, scheduled for the House of Blues in Orlando, have been moved as well. John Vlautin, vice president of communications for Live Nation, said in a statement that "House of Blues offers a range of entertainment to match the audience at our venues. It was determined that the mix of entertainment at our two Disney locations should be different from our other venues." ...

After months of delays, the free-download site SpiralFrog finally launched on Monday, offering users the chance to choose from more than 700,000 songs and 3,500 videos from a number of independent labels and Universal Music Group acts like Amy Winehouse, Timbaland, Rihanna and Fall Out Boy. The ad-supported site requires users to wait 90 seconds while downloading tracks and sign in every month to answer some questions about their buying habits. Unfortunately for iPod users, the site doesn't work with the biggest-selling MP3 player, and users can't burn the songs onto CDs.

09.14.07

Kanye West's Graduation is proving to be quite the bear. The album leads with 781,000 copies sold over the 603,000 moved by 50 Cent's Curtis according to projections, Billboard reports. "It's just a few days out," Fiddy told the news outlet, qualifying the numbers. He said the music industry "would consider me to be a hip-hop favorite because of my sales history, and people like to root for the underdog." He also took some time Thursday to sound off about Sunday's VMAs on New York's Hot 97, saying he was shorted compared to 'Ye — even though West has also been complaining he didn't get enough airtime during the show. Fif also managed to take a swipe at his record label, Interscope, during the VMA rant: "As far as the VMAs were concerned, Kanye received the upper hand. I ain't going to front. He had four looks — his song 'Stronger,' his new record 'Good Life,' he had a performance with Soulja Boy, 'Crank [That],' and then he came out with me. So I feel like Def Jam is doing a better job of promoting the CD than Interscope. Interscope is just relying on my base and the actual music. I was on the VMAs for one minute and 20 seconds. I should've just stayed home." ...

Last weekend, Britney Spears had the VMAs to worry about — this weekend, it's her kids. On Friday (September 14), a Los Angeles Superior Court judge postponed making a ruling on whether court documents relating to the singer's divorce and custody case with ex-husband Kevin Federline should be sealed or open to the public. "Access Hollywood" and People magazine were among the media outlets representing the public's interests. Outside the courtroom, Spears' divorce attorney Laura Wasser spoke to reporters, telling them this is a frustrating time for the singer. "I think she just wants to be a mom," Wasser told reporters, "and both of her kids' birthdays are this week, and I think she would've liked to celebrate with them without having to worry about the entire nation — the entire world — being concerned about what's going on with her personally and her custody battle with Mr. Federline." On Monday, the judge will hear Federline's order to show cause for primary physical custody of the couple's two children: Sean Preston, who turned 2 on Friday; and Jayden James, who turned 1 on Wednesday. ...

Earlier this week, the "American Idol" judges had at Britney Spears' VMA performance — now "Dancing With the Stars" judge Carrie Ann Inaba is following suit. "When I watched it, I think they gave her a great place to make a comeback," she told Newsweek. "It was more mature than we've seen in the past. The thing that was unfortunate is that the center of the performance was Britney, and she was only giving about 30 percent. That's why it fell short. The backup dancers focused all the energy right to Britney, and she was the weakest link. ... I think fear got the best of her." ... Jamie Foxx got a place on Hollywood's Walk of Fame on Friday, and when he chatted with reporters at the induction ceremony, he inevitably gave his two cents on Spears' performance. "I think Britney's gonna be fine," he said. "I think that she was courageous to get up there and do her thing. I wish her well for that." ...

Common and Q-Tip will co-headline this year's 2K Sports Bounce Tour, which will kick off September 22 in Milwaukee and conclude October 14 in Los Angeles, according to Filter magazine. Q-Tip is featured in "NBA 2K8" as a playable character and is on the video game's soundtrack as well. ... Mark Ronson — who manned the ones and twos inside the Palms' Pearl Theatre during last weekend's Vegas VMAs — has slapped two U.S. tour dates onto his itinerary: October 3 (Los Angeles) and October 5 (New York). ...

A fire broke out at the Austin City Limits Music Festival on Friday afternoon, injuring four people, according to Austin360.com. The flames erupted inside a trailer located behind the beverage-vendor tents between two of the festival stages, and Pete Yorn's set was stopped as the fire was extinguished. All four people were transported to Brackenridge Hospital, and two are in critical condition. ...

Madonna, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher attended a Kabbalah conference in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Friday to celebrate the Jewish New Year, according to The Associated Press. She reportedly didn't speak with the media, and the conference was closed to TV cameras. ... Master P visited Monroe Middle School in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Thursday and spoke to roughly 800 students about the importance of education, good financial management and a vision for success, AP reports. The rapper was approached by math teacher Bonnie Mwanda, who reportedly heard he would be in town and thought his success might be an inspiration for her students, many of whom come from similar backgrounds as the hip-hop mogul. "If the principal tells me y'all have a good year, I'm going to bring Romeo back to do a concert," he told the students, according to AP. ...

Fred Durst has been keeping a relatively low profile these days, but the Limp Bizkit frontman was given a 120-day suspended jail sentence after pleading no contest to seven misdemeanors way back on August 16, AP reports. He was also ordered to perform 20 hours of community service and fined $1,500 for assault, battery and reckless driving, for deliberately hitting two people with his car in Los Angeles in October 2006. Moreover, Durst was hit with a restraining order, is not allowed within 100 yards of the two victims — whose names have not been revealed — and cannot possess a firearm. ...

Elton John made a surprise appearance onstage during a Prince concert at London's O2 arena Thursday night. BBC News reports that John joined Prince for a cover of the Beatles' "The Long and Winding Road." After the two-hour-plus show, Prince ducked into the O2's smaller theater and played another two-hour gig, which included covers of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" and another Beatles song, "Come Together." ... Led Zeppelin fans are getting more time for a chance at tickets to see the band perform a one-off reunion gig November 26 at London's O2 arena. Organizers behind the concert — a tribute to late music icon Ahmet Ertegun — are extending the lottery-application process to Wednesday, Billboard reports. The Web site set up to handle registrations received 89.5 million attempts in a 12-hour period on Thursday, according to the news outlet. ...

Members of underground-rock heroes Shudder to Think will reconvene for a one-off gig at New York's Mercury Lounge on Monday, Pitchfork reports. Frontman Craig Wedren and guitarist Nathan Larson — whose conflicts were part of the reason the band broke up in the late '90s — will get together with drummer Kevin March for the gig, although bassist Stuart Hill will not be accompanying them. ... Glassjaw have booked three California dates for next month. The reunited band will play October 28 in Hollywood; October 29 in San Diego; and October 30 in Pomona, California. ... Iconic punk band Operation Ivy's 1991 self-titled compilation LP will be reissued on November 6 on Hellcat. The classic release has been remastered and will also be available for download for the first time. ... PJ Harvey's White Chalk album has shifted from a September 25 release date to October 2. ...

AT&T's Blue Room, the site where political comments made by Pearl Jam during Lollapalooza were censored a month ago, has announced a new policy to avoid repeating that controversial practice during its webcast of this weekend's Austin City Limits Music Festival. According to AT&T spokesperson Steven Schwadron, "AT&T has developed an AT&T Blue Room policy to maintain integrity of the live performances featured on the site. AT&T will not edit any audio during the live webcast, of performances. We may edit visual content — either through camera angle changes or video blackouts — if there is strong sexual content. Also, we are going to have a clear viewer-discretion messaging both before and during the webcasts. The terms and conditions of the site, which users accept when they choose to view the webcast, requires users to be at least 13 years of age." ...

It's been 42 years since Johnny Cash's arrest in Starkville, Mississippi, for picking flowers from a resident's garden. But a judge who is reviewing the matter could potentially pardon the late musician, according to BBC News, and the city plans to instead honor him with the Johnny Cash Pickin' Festival from November 2-4. Cash wrote the track "Starkville City Jail" — which he performed at his legendary live At San Quentin prison LP — after spending a night in the city's prison.

• Kanye Lectures On The Importance Of Graduation

• Kanye West
• Justin Timberlake
• Nine Inch Nails
• Celine Dion
• Machine Head

LaKisha Jones performs Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing" on March 7
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Fox

As the music director on "American Idol," Rickey Minor is well schooled on how to sing a Celine Dion song in a competition.

"You don't," Minor said bluntly. "You simply don't. Can you play one-on-one [basketball] with Kobe? No. So don't do it — you're gonna lose. Now, you can play with someone else and have a great game and have fun."

If Minor's words sound familiar, it's because he subscribes to the same school of thought as judge Randy Jackson, who has berated contestants over the years for taking on the biggest and best singers of all time.

As Jackson repeats nearly every week, some artists are untouchable. Celine and Whitney Houston are at the top of the list, followed by Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan and even Christina Aguilera. Randy has also said the same about Stevie Wonder, even though the show had a Wonder-themed week last season.

So if one of the judges and the leader of the band are advising the "Idol" hopefuls to avoid these singers, why are their songs among the most sung on the show?

Well, the catalogs of artists like Dion and Wonder are so vast that perhaps they are just too difficult to ignore. But the more likely answer is that the contestants just don't agree — or care.

"I think if you can sing, you can sing any artist," recently eliminated contestant Stephanie Edwards said. "The only thing is, if you're going to sing somebody's song that they sang very well, don't sing it just like them, because if you sing it just like them, they are going to compare you to that artist. Like with me and the Chaka song ['Sweet Thing']. I didn't sing it like Chaka Khan, but I still was compared to Chaka Khan. So it kind of didn't go like I wanted it to go."

"I think you have to know what you can sing and what you can do," added LaKisha Jones, who clinched her way into the finals with Houston's "I Have Nothing." "Before I learned Aretha and before I learned Jennifer Holliday, I've always sung Whitney, so I knew that I could sing a Whitney song. And a lot of people can't because she has a five-octave range, but I like to challenge myself."

Another reason so many songs from the so-called untouchables end up on "Idol" is because the singers are constantly being given lists of songs that are available rights-wise, and those by Celine and other untouchables are often included.

"That's why I don't agree," season-six semifinalist Jared Cotter said. "What are the songs there for? What are they on the list for? The fact is, what's good about those songs is that nobody is going to do them the same. I'm not going to do it like Stevie did it — I tried, but I'm not Stevie Wonder, you know? I'm me. I put my own different twist to it."

Still, Cotter's rendition of Wonder's "If You Really Love Me" got him a disappointing review and sent him home. "As much as [Jackson] said that I didn't have any originality, I really feel like if he did his homework and went and looked at the videotape, that I did," Cotter insisted.

Brandon Rogers, who worked as a backup singer for Aguilera before making the "Idol" finals, pointed to this season's youngest contestant, Jordin Sparks, to prove Jackson and Minor wrong.

"She sang [Aguilera's] 'Reflection' and blew it out," Rogers said. "That's one of the untouchables and she touched it."

Contestant Blake Lewis also disagrees that some singers are untouchable and, not surprisingly, said it's "all about the arrangement." "That and where it lies in your voice," he said. "If you think you can sing a song, go for it."

Debra Byrd, the show's vocal coach who often sides with Jackson and Minor, agreed that LaKisha nailed Whitney.

"It works when they put their stamp on it," she said.

As for "Idol" co-executive producer Nigel Lythgoe, he's not sure he would put too much stock in anything Jackson or any of the other judges say.

"If I was a contestant listening to everything that's been said over the last six seasons, I wouldn't know what to do," he said. "They tell you one week you're playing it safe and then the next week they tell you it's dangerous.

"You just have to go out there and sing and knock their socks off, end of story," he concluded.

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

• "American Idol" Season 6 Performances
• "American Idol" Top 12 Party

• Celine Dion
• Whitney Houston
• Stevie Wonder
• Randy Jackson

Mos Def (file)
Photo: Geffen

They don't call him "The Mighty Mos Def" for nothing.

The Brooklyn MC scored his highest-ever chart debut with his second solo album, The New Danger, selling more than 95,000 copies to open at #5 on next week's Billboard albums chart. Mos' last album, Black on Both Sides, bowed at #25 back in October 1999, selling more than 53,000 copies, according to SoundScan.

But Mos Def's best wasn't good enough to overtake Celine Dion, whose Miracle debuts at #4; the collaboration between Dion and photographer Anne Geddes sold more than 107,000 copies. Nelly's Suit jumps two spots to #3, selling more than 143,000 copies, while its counterpart, Sweat, holds steady at #12 on just over 62,000 copies.

The top two albums in the country remain unchanged. The ubiquitous Usher continues to benefit from the re-release of his Confessions album, which sold another 176,000 copies to stay at #2. And country's George Strait holds on to the #1 spot, as his greatest-hits collection, 50 Number Ones, sold more than 189,000 copies.

Hilary Duff's self-titled album holds at #6, selling more than 85,000 copies. And in a rare top-10 tie, SoundScan reports that Green Day's American Idiot and Good Charlotte's The Chronicles of Life and Death sold an identical 73,484 copies to share the #7 spot. Tim McGraw is #9 for a second straight week, moving more than 67,000 copies of his Live Like You Were Dying album.

Sum 41's semi-serious Chuck debuts at #10, selling more than 65,000 copies, giving the guys their highest-ever chart debut. But the taste of victory must be semisweet: Their last album, 2002's Does This Look Infected?, opened lower (at #32) but sold more (76,000 copies). Pop vets Duran Duran open at #17, selling more than 54,000 copies of their new album, Astronaut.

Other notable debuts on next week's chart include Amy Grant's Greatest Hits: 1986-2004 at #48; the emo-riffic Straylight Run's self-titled debut at #100; the soundtrack to Jennifer Lopez's "Shall We Dance?" at #184; and indie rockers Pinback's Summer in Abaddon at #196.

Nitpicking At Nelly's Numbers
Next week's chart will show the largest difference yet between Nelly's Suit and Sweat: nine places and more than 81,000 copies separate the two simultaneously released albums. While the sales of Sweat fall just slightly and the album retains its #12 position, Suit actually has increased its weekly total for the past two weeks, by 17 percent last week and 3 percent in the week prior. After both albums have been out for over a month, Suit's sales are nearing 1 million (more than 940,000), while Sweat's top out at more than 675,000, approximately 71 percent of its companion.

Hardcore Nelly fans probably own both halves of the St. Lunatic's musical double-feature, as evidenced by the albums occupying the top two places on the chart the week after their September 14 release. But even five weeks ago, Suit bettered Sweat by more than 50,000 copies.

However, less committed fans are probably finding more songs that they like on Suit, making it continually outshine Sweat.

As the titles imply, Sweat is the dirtier, grittier half, whose sexually suggestive first single, "Flap Your Wings," served as its introduction. Suit, meanwhile, is a smoother, more refined R&B affair, and, given Usher's success with Confessions, that seems to be the sure-shot formula in 2004. As such, Suit's two singles, "My Place," and "Over And Over," are outperforming Sweat's first two, "Flap Your Wings" and "Tilt Ya Head Back," at radio. It also doesn't hurt Suit's cause to have country superstar Tim McGraw on "Over and Over," giving the track that all-important crossover appeal. The tune is among the most-added at top 40 pop stations — and it's also the one receiving the biggest increase in spins by the stations that already have it on their playlists.

Besides McGraw, Suit also features contributions by Pharrell Williams, Jaheim, Snoop Dogg and Anthony Hamilton, a cast that packs more retail clout than Sweat's guest roster of Lil' Flip, Murphy Lee, Fat Joe and Christina Aguilera.

It's Beginning To Sound A Lot Like Christmas
It's not even close to Thanksgiving, the traditional start of the holiday season, and already Christmas albums have arrived on the chart. Perennial far-out favorites the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Mannheim Steamroller just dropped Lost Christmas Eve and Christmas at #26 and #54, respectively. More holiday-themed albums will undoubtedly surface in the weeks to come, each looking to rank among the more successful ones, such as 1998's Home For Christmas by 'NSYNC, which sold more than 2.6 million copies, and Christina Aguilera's 2000 LP My Kind of Christmas.

On The Move
Velvet Revolver's recent newsmaking escapades — a rescheduled free show in Hollywood on Thursday that was supposed to take place last Tuesday (October 12), but city officials wouldn't allow them to play atop the Hustler Store — helped their debut, Contraband, jump up eight spots to #31. Sales should continue to bode well for the rockers throughout their five-week fall tour, which kicked off Saturday.

With a second single, "Mr. Brightside," following "Somebody Told Me," the Killers' Hot Fuss, will also make a significant stride from #45 to #35.

Hanging Out And Hanging On
Other than the Cinderella story that is Maroon 5's Songs About Jane, there aren't many albums able to reside in the Top 40 for more than a year after their release, but Switchfoot's Beautiful Letdown might give the funky fivesome some worry. After 76 weeks on the chart, the fourth album by the San Diego quartet will occupy the #33 spot, following previous positions at #36, #38.

The Black Eyed Peas' 69-week-old Elephunk, isn't much further behind, up one spot this week to #37.

This story updated on October 10 at 4:21 p.m. ET

• Mos Def
• Celine Dion
• Nelly
• Tim McGraw
• George Strait

Celine Dion (file)
Photo: Sony

Visitors to Sin City might complain of injury to their wallet or their conscience, but this past Saturday, two performers felt a more severe pain.

Celine Dion and Willie Nelson got some bad news in Las Vegas over the weekend when they learned they would have to cancel upcoming shows due to neck pain and carpal tunnel syndrome, respectively, according to The Associated Press.

Dion's heart will go on, but her regular gig at Las Vegas' Caesars Palace will be postponed for a few days, according to the AP. A doctor reportedly told Dion, who has been hindered by a sprained neck for the last week, that she needed to rest.

The French-Canadian singer canceled three performances of her nightly show, "A New Day ...," on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, but will take the stage again on Saturday to continue the second year of her three-year stint at the hotel-casino.

The 71-year-old Nelson reportedly cut short his Saturday performance in Las Vegas due to severe pain from carpal tunnel syndrome. According to the AP, the country singer has canceled concerts for the next two months — including an appearance at the three-day Bonnaroo Music Festival in June (see "Dave Matthews, Maroon 5, 58 Other Acts To Play Bonnaroo") — to undergo surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome.

• Celine Dion
• Willie Nelson

"American Idol" judges Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell, and Paula Abdul
Photo: J. Viles

When the Emmy nominations were announced on Thursday morning, the usual suspects led the way: "Six Feet Under" (16), "The West Wing" (15), "The Sopranos" (13) and "Sex and the City" (13). But a number of music specials landed multiple nominations, among them concerts from Cher, the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen, and the reality smash "American Idol" garnered several nods as well, according to the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Cher's prime-time special "Cher - The Farewell Tour" led the musical pack with six Emmy nominations, including nods in Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special, Music Direction, Technical Direction, Lighting Direction and, not surprisingly, Costumes and Hairstyling.

"American Idol" was close behind with five nominations, including the big one, Outstanding Reality/Competition Program, where it will face off against "Survivor," "The Amazing Race" and specials commemorating Bob Hope and the history of film. "Idol" also was nominated in the nonfiction directing, sound, lighting and technical directing categories.

Both Bruce Springsteen and the Rolling Stones had strong showings as well, with the Stones' special "Rolling Stones - Licks World Tour, Live From Madison Square Garden" earning four nominations and Springsteen's "Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band" NBC special taking three. Both the Stones and Springsteen will compete with Cher for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special.

Other music-related nominations include an editing notice for "Paul McCartney's Back in the U.S." special and a choreography nod for Celine Dion's Vegas extravaganza, "Celine in Las Vegas: Opening Night Live." Though they didn't get a nomination in the reality-series category, "The Osbournes" was recognized in the Outstanding Nonfiction Program (Alternative) race and the makers of the Pepsi Twist commercial featuring the Osbournes/ Osmonds were nominated for Outstanding Commercial.

Hitmaker to the stars Desmond Child (Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Ricky Martin) was nominated for Outstanding Music and Lyrics for the song "Everyone Matters" from the "It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie," where he will be competing against "Everybody Hates Ned Flanders," from "The Simpsons" episode "Dude, Where's My Ranch?" VH1's "Behind the Music" was nominated for Outstanding Nonfiction Series.

The 55th annual Emmy Awards will take place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on September 21.

• Bruce Springsteen
• Cher
• Celine Dion

The Isley Brothers
Photo: DreamWorks

After more than 49 years in the music business, the Isley Brothers scored their first #1 album debut. The group's new record, Body Kiss, sold 155,000 copies its first week on shelves, according to SoundScan figures released Wednesday (May 14), besting their 2001 album, Eternal, which debuted at #3.

The Isleys' top position on next week's Billboard albums chart has a lot to do with the roster of guest talent on the LP. Eleven of 12 tracks were produced and arranged by R. Kelly, and the disc features Snoop Dogg on the song "I Like" and Lil' Kim on the title track.

The #2 position on the chart will go to Norah Jones' Grammy-sweeper Come Away With Me, which climbs three places to #2 with more than 138,000 copies sold. Sunday being Mother's Day and Jones being featured in People's "50 Most Beautiful" issue could have played a part in the disc's high placement in its 63rd week on the chart. To date, Come Away With Me has sold close to 6 million copies.

Former professional surfer turned bluesy acoustic songwriter Jack Johnson rides the #3 slot with On and On, which sold in excess of 132,000 records its first week out. Cher remains at #4 with The Very Best of Cher, which, after six weeks on the chart, has sold more than 120,000.

50 Cent drops from #1 to #5 this week. Get Rich or Die Tryin' sold 120,000, bringing the rapper's grand total to more than 4.5 million in just 14 weeks.

Atmospheric female-fronted hard rockers Evanescence continue to hang on to the #6 slot with their debut album, Fallen (101,000), which is nearing the platinum mark after 10 weeks on the chart.

Celine Dion's latest offering, One Heart, is #7 (almost 96,000), just above the soundtrack to the "The Matrix Reloaded" (93,000). The double-disc set features the new P.O.D. song "Sleeping Awake," their first with new guitarist Jason Truby, as well as new tracks by Rob Zombie, Deftones, Team Sleep and more.

The last two positions in the top 10 are filled by Kelly Clarkson, the "American Idol" popularity contest winner, whose glossy debut, Thankful, drops six slots to #9 (93,000), and the soundtrack to the film "Lizzie McGuire" at #10 (92,000).

The biggest chart plummet goes to Lil' Mo's Meet the Girl Next Door, which free-falls from #17 to #43. American Idol Season 2: All-Time Classic American Love Songs also suffers a major decline, descending from #2 to #11. Madonna's American Life, which debuted two weeks ago at #1, drops from #8 to #15. Bone Crusher's Attenchun! skids 13 spots to #24, and in its second week, Kelly Price's Priceless falls 17 to #27.

Noteworthy debuts include Blur's Think Tank, which checks in at #56, Richard Thompson's Old Kit Bag at #121, Anthrax's We've Come for You All at #122 and Tomahawk's Mit Gas at #137.

• 50 Cent
• The Isley Brothers
• Norah Jones
• Evanescence
• Celine Dion

Linkin Park's Chester Bennington
Photo: Amy V. Cooper for MTV.com

If Linkin Park felt in limbo while writing "Somewhere I Belong," those feelings must have subsided by now, as they prepare to take their place at the top of next week's Billboard 200 albums chart.

The rap-rockers' second LP, Meteora, sold more than 810,000 copies in its first week, according to SoundScan figures released Wednesday (see "Linkin Park Expand Meteora's Musical Horizons ... In 40 Minutes Or Less"). By comparison, their slow-burning debut, Hybrid Theory, which wound up being the best-selling LP of 2001, took more than 12 weeks to reach that mark. The band's remix LP, Reanimation, got there in just under nine weeks last summer.

On the heels of her televised concert in Las Vegas last week, Celine Dion's One Heart takes second place on the chart, after selling more than 431,000 copies. The Canadian diva's homage to her three-year engagement with Sin City's Caesar's Place will be followed by the 12th edition of the popular Now That's What I Call Music! series. With contributions from Jay-Z, Nelly and Justin Timberlake, the disc sold more than 256,000 copies.

The three whopping chart debuts push 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin' down to #4, its lowest chart position since its February 6 release. Selling 193,000 copies last week is also a low point for the Queens rapper, though having moved more than 3.7 million copies in eight weeks, 50 can probably buoy such a dip.

R&B slow jammer Brian McKnight's sixth album, U Turn, lands at #7 after selling more than 108,000 copies in its first week out. Cam'ron protégés the Diplomats trail behind the crooner with their debut, Diplomatic Immunity (see "Cam'ron's Diplomats Packaging Mixtape Hits With Official Debut"). Fueled by the single "Dipset Anthem," the LP sold more than 91,000 copies.

Rounding out the top 10 are Norah Jones' Come Away With Me, stepping back three spots to #5; the soundtrack to "Chicago" at #6, enjoying a 25,000-copy goose after the film cleaned up at the Academy Awards; Evanescence's Fallen, dropping four to #9; and R. Kelly's Chocolate Factory, sliding down seven spots to #10.

B2K get credit for making the biggest leap, jumping from #84 to #13 with their second album, Pandemonium!, released December 10. A reissued version featuring a DVD accounts for much of the surge, as sales went from 13,000 two weeks ago to 64,000 last week (see "B2K Fans, Get Ready To Buy Pandemonium Again".)

Let 'Em Burn by Cash Money Millionaires the Hot Boys also enjoyed blazing sales last week (see "Hot Boys Plan To Burn The Competition With First LP In Four Years"). The group's third album sold more than 63,000 copies to land at #14.

Other notable debuts include the audio companion to the DVD magazine Rewind Hip-Hop, which features tracks from 50 Cent, Mobb Deep and DJ Whoo Kid, among others, at #34; female trio 702's Star at #45; Christian pop singer Stacie Orrico's self-titled second album at #59; jazzy R&B duo Les Nubians' One Step Forward at #79; Ringo Starr's latest, Ringorama, at #113; Damnation and a Day by Ozzfest second-stage headliners Cradle of Filth, at #140; Roseanne Cash's Rules of Travel at #143; New Zealand rockers D4's 6Twenty at #164; and Warped Tour staples NOFX's Regaining Unconsciousness at #187.

For a feature interview with Linkin Park, check out "Linkin Park: Pretty Boring, Pretty Huge."

• Linkin Park
• Celine Dion
• 50 Cent
• Brian McKnight

Linkin Park's Meteora is poised for a meteoric rise to the top of the Billboard chart. Following up Hybrid Theory, the biggest selling album of 2001, the boys have refined their angsty rock-rap for the new album, which features the single "Somewhere I Belong."

French duo Air release City Reading (Tre Storie Western), an instrumental interpretation of the Italian writer Alessandro Baricco's novel City, about a young math genius and his vivid fantasy life. Produced by Nigel Godrich (Radiohead), the hour-long CD contains just three tracks.

Meanwhile, Aphex Twin's 26 Mixes for Cash features, you guessed it, 26 tracks. The double-disc set features ambient remixes of David Bowie, Philip Glass and Saint Etienne on the first CD, and a more deconstructed, driving sound working with Nine Inch Nails and Meat Beat Manifesto songs on the second.

The indomitable Celine Dion is back again to deliver her signature power ballads and inspirational adult contemporary on One Heart. Plus she even tries her hand at some "dance" tracks like "I Drove All Night."

The Diplomats — Cam'ron and pals Jimmy Jones and Juelz Santana — drop their debut album, Diplomatic Immunity, which finds the crew taking on September 11 on the track "Ground Zero," and an unlikely quasi-cover of Jefferson Starship's "We Built This City."

Les Nubians, the French lovelies who gave us 1998's Princesses Nubiennes, have finally taken One Step Forward, while the D4, a New Zealand garage band, release their 6Twenty alongside Cradle of Filth's Damnation & a Day and Vic Chesnutt's Silver Lake, featuring the love story "Band Camp" and the Brian Wilson homage "Fa-La-La."

Finally, you know the drill about this compilation: all hit songs all the time. Now That's What I Call Music! Vol. 12 is no exception. Just to name a few, there's Justin Timberlake's "Like I Love You," "Jenny From the Block" by Jennifer Lopez, and B2K's "Bump, Bump, Bump."

Now let's see what else we'll be bumping this week.

Out Tuesday, March 25:

• 702 - Star (Motown)
• 9th Creation - Bubble Gum (P-Vine)
• Acid Ape - Fleshspa (Abstract Sounds)
• The Adventures of Jet - Muscle (Suburban Home)
• Afro Celts - Seed (Real World)
• Air - City Reading (Tre Storie Western) (Astralwerks)
• All Systems Go - Fascination Unknown (Bad Taste)
• Tony Allen - Home Cooking (Shakti)
• Antimatter - Antimatter Vs. Antimatter (Asphodel)
• Aphex Twin - 26 Mixes for Cash (two CDs, Warp)
  Buy Now: 26 Mixes for Cash (Warp)
• Appalachian Express - I'll Meet You in the Morning (Rebel)
• Apple Thieves - Lads Will be Lads (Crazy Love)
• Appliance - Are You Earthed? (Mute)
• Joan Armatrading - Lovers Speak (Denon)
• Dave Audé - Mixed Live Club Velvet St. Louis (Moonshine Music)
• Big Mountain - Cool Breeze (Rebel Ink)
• Boulevard Knights - Boulevard Knights (Familia)
• Brave Saint Saturn - Light of Things Hoped For (Tooth & Nail)
• Garth Brooks - Complete Set (CD and Book, Lake Shore)
• Dave Brubeck - Park Avenue South: Live at Starbucks (Telarc Jazz)
• Call Me Ishmael - Effervescing (Americans Are Coming)
• Rosanne Cash - Rules of Travel (Capitol)
• Vic Chesnutt - Silver Lake (New West)
• Christian Death - Ashes (Cleopatra)
• Codec & Flexor - Tubed (Emperor Norton)
• Freddy Cole - In the Name of Love (Telarc Jazz)
• Steve Cole - Ny La (Warner Bros.)
• Copeland - Beneath Medicine Tree (The Militia Group)
• Cradle of Filth - Damnation and a Day (Red Ink)
• Cream - BBC Sessions (Universal)
• D4 - 6Twenty (Hollywood)
  Buy Now: 6Twenty (Hollywood)
• Chico DeBarge - Free (Koch)
• Derailers - Genuine (Lucky Dog)
• Celine Dion - One Heart(Epic)
• Diplomats - Diplomatic Immunity (two CDs, Diplomat/Roc-a-fella/Def Jam)
  Buy Now: Diplomatic Immunity (Diplomat/Roc-a-fella/Def Jam)
• DJ Cam - Soulshine (Koch/In the Paint)
• Dream Evil - Evilized (Century Media)
• Even in Blackouts - Myths & Imaginary Magicians (Lookout!)
• Experience Unlimited - Experience Unlimited (P-Vine Japan)
• The Exploited - F**k the System (Spitfire)
• F-Minus - Wake Up Screaming (Hellcat)
• Fine Arts Militia - We Are Gathered Here (Koch)
• Fox - For Fox Sake (Cherry Red)
• Jerry Garcia - Complete Set (CD and Book, Lake Shore)
• Gardeweg - All I Want (Radikal)
• God Dethroned - Into the Lungs of Hell(Metal Blade)
• Heavils - Heavils (Metal Blade)
• Hot Boys - Let 'Em Burn (Universal)
• Idlewild - The Remote Part(Capitol)
  Buy Now: The Remote Part (Capitol)
• Iguanas - Plastic Silver 9 Volt Heart (Yep Roc)
• Wanda Jackson - The Wanda Jackson Show (DCN)
• Daniel Johnston - Fear Yourself (Gammon)
• Joy Electric - The Tick Tock Treasury (Tooth & Nail)
• Sammy Kershaw - I Want My Money Back (Audium)
• Kindred the Family Soul – Surrender to the Love (Epic)
• Greg Koch - Radio Free Gristle (Favored Nations)
• Toshinori Kondo - Death is Our Eternal Friend (Diw)
• James Last - A World of Music (two CDs, Eagle)
• Tom Lellis - And in This Corner (P-Vine Japan)
• Les Nubians - One Step Forward (OmTown)
• Les Sans Culottes - Live at Arlene Grocery (DCN)
• Linkin Park - Meteora (Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Linkin Park Expand Meteora's Musical Horizons ... In 40 Minutes Or Less"
  Buy Now: Meteora (Warner Bros.)
• Los Hombres Calientes - Volume Four: Vodou Dance(Basin Street)
• Madonna - Complete Set (CD and Book, Lake Shore)
• Brian McKnight - U Turn (Motown)
• Miss Kittin - Radio Caroline 1 (Emperor Norton)
• Monsters - Hunch (Crazy Love)
• Motorbass - Pansoul (Astralwerks)
• Maria Muldaur - A Woman Alone with the Blues (Telarc)
• Nataraj XT - Ocean Birds (Nutone)
• Willie Nelson - Broken Promises (Proper Pairs)
• NOFX - Regaining Unconsciousness (EP, Fat Wreck Chords)
• Oasis - Complete Set (CD and Book, Lake Shore)
• Old Man's Child - In Defiance of Existence (Century Media)
• Stacie Orrico - Stacie Orrico (ForeFront/Virgin)
• Ozzy Osbourne - Complete Set (CD and Book, Lake Shore)
• Overkill - Killbox 13 (Spitfire)
• Pearls Before Swine - Jewels Were the Stars (Water)
• Perpetuous Dreamer - Dust.Wav (Radikal)
• Plumb - Beautiful Lumps of Coal (Curb)
• Doc Powell - 97th and Columbus (Heads Up)
• Rage Against the Machine - Complete Set (CD and Book, Lake Shore)
• Dave Ralph - Resident Alien (two CDs, System)
• Royal Beat Conspiracy - Dig It (Bad Afro)
• Ray Ruff - Buddy Holly Sound (Hydra)
• Dino Saluzzi Trio - Responsorium (ECM)
• Sea of Green - Chemical Vacation (The Music Cartel)
• Scars of Tomorrow - Design Your Fate (Thorp)
• Severed Savior - Brutality Is Law (Unique Leader)
• Sharks - Live in Japan (Crazy Love)
• Wayne Shorter - Alegria (Verve)
• Sixty Stories - Anthem Red (Smallman)
• Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder - Live From the Charleston
• Music Hall (Skaggs Family)
• Slowpho - Hotel Sleep (Water)
• Stage - Stage (Maverick)
• Stairwell - The Sounds of Change (Hopeless)
• Kay Starr - For Real (Perfect Pairs)
• Ringo Starr - Ringorama (Koch)
• John Stewart - Havana (Appleseed)
• Sugar Ray & the Bluetones - Sugar Ray & the Bluetones (Severn)
• Trent Summar and the New Row Mob - Live at 12th and Porter (DCN)
• Sunday Driver - A Letter to Bryson City (Doghouse)
• Supernatural - The Lost Freestyle Files (Babygrande/Koch)
• Sworn Enemy - As Real as It Gets (Elektra)
• T-Love - Long Way Back (Astralwerks)
• Larry Tee - The Electroclash Mix (Moonshine Music)
• George Thorogood - Ride Til I Die (Eagle)
• Tourniquet - Where Moth and Rust Destroy (Metal Blade)
• Waterdown - The Files You Have on Me (Victory)
• Josh Wink - Herehear (System)
• Erica Wylie - Stoop (Artemis)
• Savina Yannatou - Terra Nostra (ECM)
• Youngster - Firme Oldies (Familia)
• Various artists - Best of Narada World (Narada)
• Various artists - Best of Return of the DJ (Bomb Hip Hop)
• Various artists - Black Flag Tribute - Black on Black (Initial)
• Various artists - Euro Lounge (Putumayo)
• Various artists - Gotta Serve Somebody: A Gospel Tribute to Bob Dylan (Columbia/Legacy)
• Various artists – "Hellraiser" Chronicles (Silva America)
• Various artists - Inside Deep Note: Music of 1970s Adult Cinema (Ost)
• Various artists - New Latin Noveau (Shakti)
• Various artists - Now That's What I Call Music! Vol. 12 (Virgin)
• Various artists - Smoking Popes: Tribute (Double Zero)
• DVD: Jane Bunnett - Cuban Odyssey (Blue Note)
• DVD: Various artists - Straight From the Projects (Image Entertainment)

April 1:

• White Stripes - Elephant (V2)
  Read: "White Stripes To Put Their Best Trunk Forward On April Fool's Day With Elephant"
• Robbie Williams - Escapology (Virgin)
  Buy Now: Escapology (Virgin)

April 8:

• Russell Crowe and 30 Odd Foot of Grunts - Other Ways of Speaking (Artemis)
• Godsmack - Faceless (Universal)
  Read: "Godsmack's Visions Of Spinal Tap, Dio, Worse Prompt A Change"
• Lisa Marie Presley - To Whom It May Concern (Capitol)
• Yo La Tengo - Summer Sun (Matador)

April 15:

• Thicke - Cherry Blue Skies (Interscope)
  Read: "Robin Thicke: Mixing The Beatles, Zeppelin And Hendrix With Jay-Z"

• Linkin Park
• The Diplomats
• Aphex Twin
• Celine Dion
• NOFX

• Celine Dion