Britney Spears
Photo: Jive

Quentin Tarantino is known for his amazing knowledge of and love for anything and everything pop-culture related. (After all, he's even appeared as a guest judge on "American Idol.") But when he stopped by Little Steven's Underground Garage show on Sirius radio, it was a bit surprising when he revealed that he found inspiration from a slew of eclectic artists — including Britney Spears — while making "Inglourious Basterds."

While he was compiling his playlist for the radio show, Tarantino revealed a surprising crew of musicians that he enjoyed while filming his latest flick. "[This list includes] some of the music I was listening to while making my movie 'Inglourious Basterds,' " he explained. "Now these songs don't necessarily have a damn thing to do with the movie. These were some of the ones I was listening to in my off time."

The list includes a mix of rock, pop and hip-hop, with "The Rulez" by Wu Tang Clan, KT Tunstall's "Hold On," Bob Dylan's "Political World," David Bowie's "Cat People" and Jay-Z's "S. Carter."

Along with those there was also Jason Mraz's mellow acoustic version of "I'm Yours," Maroon 5's "Wake Up Call" and Barbra Streisand's "Stony End," which may seem like pretty mellow tunes for such a famously hyperactive filmmaker to enjoy. But the most remarkable name on the list was Britney Spears — who kicks off the second leg of her Circus tour Monday — and her cover of Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative."

Check out everything we've got on "Inglourious Basterds."

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• Rihanna, Quentin Tarantino, More At "Inglourious Basterds" U.K. Premiere
• Jolie, Pitt, Pattinson, More At "Inglourious Basterds" Premiere In Cannes

• Britney Spears
• Jay-Z
• David Bowie
• Bob Dylan
• K.T. Tunstall

Bob Dylan
Photo: Columbia

Bob Dylan is two for two. The folk bard will notch his second #1 album debut next week, when his 33rd disc, Together Through Life, hits the top spot, on the crest of 125,000 in sales. Dylan's last album, 2006's Modern Times, also debuted at the top, giving the influential 67-year-old songwriter and American icon the first #1 bow of his four-decade career.

After several weeks with a handful of albums doing strong business, Dylan's disc will be the only release to break the 100,000-sale barrier, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan, with the #2 album, the soundtrack to the "Hannah Montana" movie, trailing behind with 86,000. Among the other debuts in the top 10 was the Ronnie James Dio-fronted metal act Heaven and Hell (which features non-Ozzy members of Black Sabbath); The Devil You Know sold 30,000, good enough for a #8 bow. And sneaking in at #10 is a charity compilation from Playing for Change titled Songs Around the World, which debuted with 26,000 copies, thanks to the video for its cover of Ben E. King's "Stand by Me," a viral phenomenon with 10 million views to date.

The rest of the top 10 features Rascal Flatts' Unstoppable (#3, 53,000), Rick Ross' Deeper Than Rap (#4, 51,000, down 68 percent from its debut last week), Lady Gaga's The Fame (#5, 40,000), the "Twilight" soundtrack (#6, 35,000), Now 30 (#7, 33,000) and Taylor Swift' Fearless (#9, 29,000).

Rapper Mike Jones lands at #12 with The Voice (25,000); Asher Roth drops from a #5 bow to #14 with his debut, Asleep in the Bread Aisle (23,000); synth legends Depeche Mode slip 15 spots to #18 in their second week with Sounds of the Universe (22,000); and Kansas City rapper Tech N9ne makes it in at #19 in the first week for his latest, Sickology 101 (19,000). Veteran punk band NOFX coast to a #36 debut with Coaster (14,000), and Insane Clown Posse rapper Violent J lands at #48 with his solo album The Shining (10,000).

Thanks to the "American Idol" bump, Jamie Foxx's nearly platinum Intuition bumps up 10 spots to #17 (23,000), while Katy Perry's juggernaut One of the Boys leaps almost 30 spots to #56 on sales of close to 9,000. Continuing the rough ride for former male "Idol" contestants, season-five winner Taylor Hicks' independently released album The Distance squeezes back onto the charts at #180 — despite his performance slot on last week's "Idol" elimination show — selling an anemic 2,800 copies. Since its release in March, the disc has sold a little more than 27,000 copies total.

Next week promises a showdown of the R&B divas, as Ciara and Chrisette Michele vie for the top spot in their chart debuts.

• Bob Dylan
• Miley Cyrus
• Heaven and Hell

Barack Obama
Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

We've already learned that President Bush's "iPod One" is loaded with songs from Van Morrison, George Jones, Joni Mitchell and the Knack. And we're not sure what is on Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain's MP3 player (if he has one), but a revealing peek at Democratic candidate Senator Barack Obama's iPod reveals a playlist that ranges from jazz to hip-hop, pop and roots rock.

For a candidate who has already shown that he knows how to brush the dirt off his shoulder, it's no surprise that Obama's playlist includes some Jay-Z tracks, but according to an interview in the new issue of Rolling Stone that hits stands on Friday, Obama is also a big fan of Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow and the Rolling Stones.

"I have pretty eclectic tastes," Obama told the magazine, explaining that growing up in the 1970s influenced his fondness for everything from Elton John and Earth, Wind & Fire to the Stones. The anti-Iraq-war candidate said his favorite track from the British rock legends is the pugnacious anthem "Gimme Shelter," which features the famous refrain "War, children/ It's just a shot away."

Among the 30 or so songs by Dylan on Obama's iPod are tracks from the folk legend's 1975 album about the dissolution of his marriage, Blood on the Tracks, which features such iconic songs as "Tangled Up in Blue," "Simple Twist of Fate," "Idiot Wind" and "You're a Big Girl Now."

In the thick of what is promising to be a bruising battle with McCain, Obama said one of his favorites during the political season is Dylan's 1965 protest song "Maggie's Farm," a broadside against those attempting to keep him in check. "It speaks to me as I listen to some of the political rhetoric," Obama said of the song, which features the telling lyric "I try my best/ To be just like I am/ But everybody wants you/ To be just like them."

In a recent interview with The Times of London, Dylan, who has steadfastly refused to make political endorsements in the past, praised Obama, saying, "We've got this guy out there now who is redefining the nature of politics from the ground up: Barack Obama. He's redefining what a politician is, so we'll have to see how things play out. Am I hopeful? Yes, I'm hopeful that things might change. Some things are going to have to."

Another musician on Obama's playlist supporting his bid is Bruce Springsteen. "I've got to say, having both Dylan and Bruce Springsteen say kind words about you is pretty remarkable," Obama said. "Those guys are icons." The Illinois senator said he's never met the Boss, but they've talked over the phone, according to an Associated Press report on the Rolling Stone story.

"Not only do I love Bruce's music, but I just love him as a person," Obama said. "He is a guy who has never lost track of his roots, who knows who he is, who has never put on a front." And, yes, he addressed the New Jersey bard as "the Boss," because, as Obama admitted, "You've got to."   Also on Obama's playlist are classical cellist Yo-Yo Ma and jazz giants Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Charlie Parker. And though he's sometimes concerned about the messages his daughters — Malia, 9, and Sasha, 7 — might get from some of the hip-hop they listen to, Obama praised the genre for helping to break down racial barriers.

"I am troubled sometimes by the misogyny and materialism of a lot of rap lyrics," he said, praising Jay-Z, Ludacris and hip-hop impresario Russell Simmons for being "great talents and great businessmen." "But I think the genius of the art form has shifted the culture and helped to desegregate music. ... It would be nice if I could have my daughters listen to their music without me worrying that they were getting bad images of themselves."

• Bruce Springsteen
• Bob Dylan
• Jay-Z

Cate Blanchett, one of the Bobs in "I'm Not There"
Photo: Photo by Jonathan Wenk/ TWC

There's a striking sequence in "I'm Not There," Todd Haynes' new Bob Dylan movie, in which Dylan's besieged mid-'60s artistic transformation is set within the surreal glare of the spa scenes in Fellini's "8 1/2," in which a desperate film director attempted to work out his own artistic confusion. This is a perfect imaginative combination of pop-music myth and cinematic iconography, and it resonates memorably. The movie has been made with great affection for its subject, but it has some sharp edges, too; and there are two remarkable performances in it that are worth seeing.

For the most part, though, sitting through this unusual-but-not-a-lot-more-than-that picture, in which six different actors impersonate Dylan in various phases of his career, is like contemplating a package that's arrived in the mail containing something you never ordered and can't imagine why anyone else would, either. The notion that Dylan's various public personas — as opposed to his music — merit earnest contemplation at this late date seems silly. And yet here they are, on pointless parade: the whey-faced young folksinger Bob; the sharecropper-serenading protest Bob; the turned-on, meet-the-Beatles Bob; and of course the Woodstock Bob of The Basement Tapes. Actually, I suppose these multi-Dylans are thought-provoking, in a way. I kept wondering, "Why?"

There's no particularly compelling story here, apart from the familiar chronology of Dylan's career, and there's no character development apart from the obvious one of a succession of actors playing the same main character. There are only those half-dozen Dylans, wandering in a field of evocative visual cues: the doomed motorcycle ride; the Big Pink and — yikes! — "Renaldo and Clara" references; and for the Dylan fetishists who will most truly groove on this movie, more oblique touches like a Gorgeous George flyer, a visual nod to the cover of the "Freewheelin' " album, a glimpse of a faux Moondog rising up in his robes on the streets of Manhattan, and Pete Seeger and Albert Grossman look-alikes wrestling for control of the amplification system during the Dylan-goes-electric contretemps at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival.

The best of the Dylans are Cate Blanchett and Marcus Carl Franklin, not necessarily in that order. Franklin plays the larval Dylan, fresh out of Minnesota, fired up by the songs of Woody Guthrie, and spouting playful lies about his train-hopping hobo adventures. This Dylan is an 11-year-old black kid, which is a bold idea, and Franklin embraces it with startling confidence. He's irresistibly winning; and when he strums up a version of "When the Ship Comes In," surrounded by a doting white family in a suburban living room, he's a knockout.

Blanchett brings her extraordinary powers of character penetration to the sour, mid-'60s hipster Dylan familiar from D.A. Pennebaker's 1967 tour documentary, "Don't Look Back." With her skinny suits and wild, plugged-in hair, she gets the character's speed-fueled hostility just right. But there's no point at which you're not aware that this is a woman portraying a man, despite the expertise with which Blanchett pulls it off; and since she occupies a central place in the film, the imposture goes on too long and eventually settles into the shape of a stunt, which, basically, is what it is.

The other Dylans in the film are nowhere near as interesting — although Ben Wisham brings a droll snap to his brief appearances as a sort of Rimbaud-Bob. Both Heath Ledger, as the love-man Bob, fretting his way through a collapsing marriage, and Christian Bale, as Bob the Protester (and later the born-again evangelizer), are too physically substantial and movie-star-handsome: their un-Bobness is distracting. Most dismal of all is the extended allusion at the end of the picture to Sam Peckinpah's "Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid," the 1973 movie in which Dylan made his first appearance as an actor (and to the soundtrack of which he contributed the transcendent "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"). Here the Dylan role is taken on by Richard Gere, of all people, and the rambling storyline shuffles past the point of tedium into a complete shambles. (It's also unfortunate that Julianne Moore was cast as the Joan Baez figure in the film — is there anyone less like that bracingly tart woman?)

Because Haynes and his famed cinematographer, Edward Lachman, are so committed to the movie's odd concept, the picture has some value as a well-crafted curio. For most of its length, though, it's merely curious — a different and too-often tiresome thing.

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• "I'm Not There"

• Bob Dylan

Akon
Photo: MTV News

Another Akon concert disaster: The R&B singer's planned Thursday (October 25) gig at Atlanta's Emory University was canceled after several people, including his drummer, were injured while setting up for the show, TMZ reports. The left side of the concert stage reportedly collapsed after a canopy fell while crews were setting up lights. At least one student was also reportedly injured in the incident, which spurred campus police to cordon off the area as fire trucks and ambulances responded. ...

Owen Wilson's first interview since his suicide attempt in August will be posted online at midnight on Friday as part of MySpace.com's Artist on Artist series, according to USA Today. Wilson reportedly chatted Thursday with his friend Wes Anderson, who has directed the actor in all his films, including the recently released "The Darjeeling Limited." It's not yet known if the interview will deal with Wilson's personal struggles. ...

Jennifer Lopez hasn't officially announced her reported pregnancy yet, but her ex-boyfriend Diddy is already dishing his best wishes to the singer. "She's going to make a great mother," he told UsMagazine.com. "She is one of the most caring people I've ever met. When I went out with her, I saw that quality." Diddy did not tell UsMagazine.com whether he knew for sure that Lopez is expecting, but according to the outlet, she is almost five months pregnant. Previous reports indicated that she is expecting twins with husband Marc Anthony. "I'm extremely happy for her, and I will be sending some expensive god-daddy presents to her baby," Diddy said. ...

Could twins also be in Christina Aguilera's future? According to the New York Daily News, the singer is expecting two children. Aguilera has been very hush-hush about her reported pregnancy, although Paris Hilton might have taken the wind out of her sails by blabbing about the news during VMA weekend. ...

While Britney Spears is due in court Friday for another hearing in her child-custody dispute with ex-husband Kevin Federline, attention turned on Thursday (October 25) to her other case: a car crash on August 6 that resulted in two driving-related misdemeanors. Spears' lawyer Michael Flanagan entered a not-guilty plea on behalf of the singer, who was not required to show up at the courtroom in Van Nuys, California. According to The Associated Press, Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Susan Speer ruled that Spears no longer has to face a hit-and-run charge in the crash, as she has already compensated Kim Robard-Rifkin, who owns the Mercedes-Benz that the singer hit in a parking lot. (People reports the amount was approximately $1,000.) But the charge of driving without a license was not dismissed, and Speer scheduled a pretrial hearing for November 26. Flanagan told AP outside the courthouse that Assistant City Attorney Michael Amerian had offered the singer a plea deal relating to that charge, but that the deal would involve 12 months' probation. But Flanagan said that wouldn't be necessary, since Spears recently obtained a valid California driver's license. "She got a license, she has insurance, has always had insurance. The question is: Is probation really necessary?" he asked. Flanagan added that Spears had a license in Louisiana, and he also contended that she didn't have a valid California one because a camera wasn't available at the Department of Motor Vehicles when she tried to apply for a license prior to the August accident. Spears may also face fines, People reports. ...

Just weeks after Nas announced the controversial title of his December 11 album, rapper/poet Saul Williams has announced that he's given his own upcoming LP a name that is likely to cause a stir. In a post on the album's Web page, Williams said, "It is my greatest honor to present to you The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!, my new album produced by Trent Reznor and mixed by Alan Moulder," who has also worked with the Smashing Pumpkins and Reznor's Nine Inch Nails. He elaborated on the concept of the album — the title of which is clearly a play on David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars — in the post, saying, "Most people aren't aware of the world of art and commerce, where exploitation strips each artist down to 'nigger.' Each label, like 'apartheid,' multiplies us by our divide and whips us 'til we conform to lesser figures ... the only way to choose is to jump ship from old truths and trust dolphins as we swim through changing ways." The track list for the album — which is coming out November 1 in digital form on the Inevitable Web site — includes "Black History Month," "Tr(n)igger" and "NiggyTardust." Perhaps taking a tip from Radiohead, the site lets fan choose to pay $5 for the album — or nothing at all. For five bucks, customers can get either 83MB (high quality) or 128MB (very high quality) MP3 files. A third $5 option is also available, in the Free Lossless Audio Codec format, which is similar to MP3 but doesn't lose quality in the compression process — that version has CD quality (395MB) but isn't playable on iTunes or Windows Media. The free option provides an 83MB zip file that contains lower-quality, DRM-free MP3s of the songs. ...

A third teen teen testified in Vincent "Don Vito" Margera's Colorado trial on two counts of sexual assault, according to the Rocky Mountain News. Trey Hughes, 15, said he was sitting near Margera, uncle of Bam Margera, at his autograph signing at a Colorado mall in August 2006 when Vincent Margera saw the man grab at girls who asked for their photos to be taken with him. "I saw Vito grabbing girls in inappropriate places," he said. "He would touch their boobs. I saw him grab their butts." Hughes added that he saw Margera sticking out his tongue and wagging it around, "pretending like he was licking them." On Tuesday, two other teens testified in the trial. Fourteen-year-old Mina Darnell said, like Hughes, that she saw Margera grabbing at girls at the signing. "When a girl came up to get a picture, I saw him grab their boob or their butt," Darnell said Tuesday. "I wasn't focused on it the whole time, but [it happened to] at least one-quarter to one-half of all the girls who were there." She also said that after girls had their picture taken with Vincent Margera, they would say, "He just touched me!," as they were leaving. She said she did not get an autograph herself from Margera. A 15-year-old boy also testified Tuesday, saying he was shocked when he saw Margera allegedly put a sticker on his friend's breast. ...

Did Lil Wayne skimp on his bling? A New Orleans jewelry store claims in a recently filed lawsuit that the hometown rapper (real name: Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.) purchased a $138,000 diamond ring and $32,000 gold-and-diamond necklace — but that the Cash Money Records president failed to come up with all the cash money for the items, according to The Miami Herald. Jack Sutton Fine Jewelry claims Wayne owes $146,000 on the $170,000 purchase, which he allegedly made over the telephone with the store's owner, Jack Sutton, on October 6, 2006. Sutton says he and Wayne agreed to a monthly installment plan for the payments, but that when he deposited the second check, a $24,000 payment, he discovered that a stop payment had been placed on it. The jewelry-store owner claims he has reached out to Wayne to no avail, and that he is surprised because, as he told the Herald, the rapper is "one of my best customers. He spent a lot of money with me. I thought we have a really good relationship. I don't know what happened, unless it's a misunderstanding. ... I've been doing business with him for at least 10 years. He's always been wonderful with paying me." Wayne's entertainment attorney in California, Ron Sweeney, also spoke with the Herald, saying ''This is clearly a misunderstanding. If, in fact, the allegations are true, then it will be resolved. My client is very responsible." ...

Hey Harry Potter fans, got 41 grand in your piggy bank? That's how much an anonymous private bidder threw down for a copy of the hardback first edition of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" — which was subsequently retitled "Sorcerer's Stone" for its U.S. publish — that was autographed by the author as "Joanne Rowling." The bidder paid $40,326 at Christie's auction house in London, but believe it or not, that actually isn't the highest amount a copy of that 1997 edition has gone for — a copy inscribed with a Rowling personal dedication went for more than $50,000 in May at Christie's. About 500 copies were pressed for the novel's initial run. ... So much for Paris Hilton's philanthropic efforts — People reports that the children's charity that had organized the heiress' trip to Rwanda has postponed the trek due to restructuring. "Paris has been a loyal and gracious supporter of Playing for Good but the foundation has to regrettably reschedule this trip," the organization said in a statement on Thursday, according to People. "Playing for Good would like to thank Ms. Hilton for her generosity and her continued support of this initiative and is looking forward to rescheduling the trip with her at a later time." ...

Coheed and Cambria's logo has been creating something of a situation at the University of Kansas this week. After a number of dorm windows were shot out, a set of seemingly cryptic symbols were found spray-painted throughout the campus with the date "10/23/07" underneath them. The symbols were Coheed's logo, and the date referred to the release of the band's latest LP, No World for Tomorrow. Rumors spread across the campus that another shooting was being planned, and campus police were swamped with phone calls and questions about potential impending violence. ...

Metallica's forthcoming yet-untitled LP could be in stores as early as February, drummer Lars Ulrich revealed in a recent interview with The San Francisco Examiner. He also explained the metal band's decision to work with Rick Rubin rather than longtime producer Bob Rock. "For our own sanity, our own creative survival, we needed to work with a different set of circumstances and dynamics," he said. "So we've been stripped of our defense mechanisms, and it's been very invigorating to be challenged again. Rick's taken everything we've known about making records and completely turned it upside down." He said that the songs for the new LP are different from those on the band's previous offering, St. Anger. "Well, most of the intros are four to five minutes. I don't know — Metallica and short songs just don't go that well together. But whereas St. Anger was an exercise in over-pummeling the listener, these new songs echo some of our stuff from the '80s — long, epic journeys through different musical landscapes, heavier, but a lot more melodic." ...

Disturbed have entered a Chicago studio to begin recording their fourth album, the yet-untitled follow-up to 2005's Ten Thousand Fists. The band will be producing the effort itself and hopes to have it ready in time for a spring release. According to a statement from frontman David Draiman, the disc "seems to have taken on a darker character than the previous albums. It's more furiously paced and complex." ... The track list for Mudvayne's forthcoming compilation LP, By the People, for the People, has been revealed. The disc will boast 16 tracks, including a live version of "Dig"; demo versions of "Happy," "All That You Are" and "Silenced"; and an acoustic version of "Forget to Remember." Look for the album to hit stores November 27. ...

The Dave Matthews Band will play two free shows for Army football at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, on November 14 and 15. Robert Randolph & the Family Band will open the shows, which the cadets won (beating out Navy, Air Force and 100 other colleges) as part of the World's Loudest Pep Rally contest, sponsored by AT&T. ... Long-off-the-radar "American Idol" runner-up Clay Aiken is getting into the holiday spirit with an upcoming Christmas in the Heartland tour. Before hitting the road, he'll perform at the Neil Sedaka: 50 Years of Hits show on Friday in New York — the event will benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation. After that, Aiken will hit the rink November 6 in Las Vegas for a guest spot at the Capital One Holiday Celebration on Ice, which features a host of champion skaters and will air on NBC on Christmas Day. His tour launches on November 26 in Wichita, Kansas, and stops in Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Minnesota before winding up at the Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville, Indiana, on December 22. And of course in January, he joins the Broadway cast of the Tony Award-winning show "Monty Python's Spamalot," playing one of the leads, Sir Robin. ...

With one racy music-video appearance under her belt and her pipes warmed up from singing in the Beatles-themed "Across the Universe," actress Evan Rachel Wood is reportedly close to signing a deal with Interscope Records for her debut album. Entertainment Weekly reports that Wood — whose boyfriend, Marilyn Manson, is signed to Interscope — is in negotiations with the label, with a possible announcement of a deal just weeks away. ... Prince's Purple Rain tops Vanity Fair's list of the 10 best movie soundtracks of all time. Next on the magazine's list is the soundtrack to "A Hard Day's Night" by the Beatles, and ones for the reggae classic "The Harder They Come," "Pulp Fiction," "The Graduate," "Superfly," "Trainspotting," "Saturday Night Fever," "American Graffiti" and "The Big Chill." ... Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson's divorce was finalized in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, AP reports. Details of the former couple's custody arrangement over their 3-year-old son, Ryder, were not disclosed, nor were the terms of their property division. ...

It seems the Blood Brothers are calling it quits. While there hasn't been an official announcement yet, the band's management says the group is going on hiatus and will reconvene in the not-so-distant future to decide its fate. Meanwhile, a source close to the band tells MTV News that the Brothers have, indeed, split up, but did not offer an explanation for the band's demise. ... Cave In frontman Stephen Brodsky has announced the formation of a new side project, a power-pop outfit called Pet Genius. The act reunites Brodsky with former Cave In drummer John-Robert Conners, as well as bassist Johnny Northup, who played with Brodsky in Octave Museum. Pet Genius' debut hit stores Tuesday and features 11 tracks, including "The Visiting Dynamiter," "Emit Fo Deeps Eht Esare" and "Trash Heap Swing." ...

Though they won't be in attendance, the Flaming Lips are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their bold sonic experiment Zaireeka — a set of four CDs meant to be played simultaneously — with a series of in-store "performances" of the magnum opus. The first of the anniversary parties took place Monday at Seattle's Crocodile Cafe, and more will follow on Sunday at Size Records in their hometown of Oklahoma City, Tuesday at Dallas' Good Records, November 2 at Criminal Records in Atlanta and November 6 at Luna Music in Indianapolis. In addition to a costume contest, the festivities include a "virtual" appearance by singer Wayne Coyne via DVD in which he'll explain how the album works. ... Pete Doherty has been freed of a court drug-treatment order after a judge said she had received advice from experts, BBC News reports. The troubled Babyshambles frontman appeared in court on Wednesday for a review of the order, for which he had six months left to serve, but the judge said he had already been supervised over 18 months and that she was convinced the plan for the musician to stay drug-free was going to be followed. ...

Our long international nightmare is over: Both Ace of Base and "Barbie Girl" band Aqua have announced reunion tours. Swedish pop tarts Base have scheduled a series of gigs in November and December in Russia and Eastern Europe, while Danish one-hit wonders Aqua announced recently that they will be playing shows this year in conjunction with a greatest-hits album. ... For the first time in more than three decades, pioneering funk rockers Sly and the Family Stone will perform a live show, in New York on December 7 at the B.B. King Blues Club.

10.24.07

Mariah Carey paid "TRL" a visit on Wednesday (October 24) and gabbed about her new fragrance line and upcoming studio album. "I've been working on this record while I'm working on the fragrance," she revealed, saying that her yet-untitled LP and just-released M by Mariah Carey line "kind of work together." "I wanted [the fragrance] to be sensual. ... It's really been like writing a song ... this was almost the same creative process." She also explained why she pushed back her yet-untitled album, which had previously been scheduled for December 4, to next year. "You can't really put records out in December if you want the whole world to have a chance to actually hear it, [and] my fans all over the world are very important to me," she said, adding that she also wants to put out a pair of singles before the album drops. Carey dropped another hint about the effort, saying she "just had a really, really hot session with somebody in Miami," and while she was stubborn about letting us know just who the person in question is, she did let it slip that it's a man and that he's "somebody very popular." When asked what advice she might give Britney Spears, Carey didn't mention Spears specifically but said, "You gotta go through the ups to have the downs; you gotta go through the downs to have the ups. You have to go through life like any other person. To me, you just stay grounded spiritually, get your rest, and don't take it all so seriously." ...

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline were at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Southern California on Wednesday (October 24) to attend their first Parenting Without Conflict session. TMZ.com reports that the two attended a two-hour class during which a parenting coach gave the ex-spouses tips on how a divorced couple should bring up their kids, who were reportedly not present. A judge ordered Spears and Federline to attend the program in September, as well as participate in joint co-parenting counseling. In other Brit news, did she stiff the backup dancers who performed with her at the VMAs? According to UsMagazine.com, some of them were not compensated for their work on September 9, and the problem might stem from Spears being dropped by her management company, the Firm, on September 17. ...

A 15-year-old boy testified in the trial of Vincent "Don Vito" Margera, uncle of Bam Margera, on Wednesday during the second day of his Colorado trial on two counts of sexual assault, according to the Rocky Mountain News. Vincent Margera is accused of groping three 12- to 14-year-old girls during at an autograph signing at a Colorado mall in August 2006. Steve Wilson said he was more than surprised when he saw Margera allegedly put a sticker on his friend's breast. "I was really shocked because she's very young and he's — I don't know — probably like 50," Steve Wilson said of Margera, who is 51. The boy also said his friend was shaken after the alleged incident, during which Margera is also accused of putting a sticker on an underage girl's thigh. "She came up, and she was really shocked that it had happened, and she asked me, 'Did you see what he just did?' She was very serious and like terrified." Margera's attorney, Pamela Mackey, contended to the jury Tuesday that Margera was playing his "goofy, outrageous and vulgar" TV character because "that's what got the laughs." ...

Sean "Diddy" Combs says the media has been blowing out of proportion a man's accusation that he was punched by the hip-hop mogul inside a store in New York on October 13, according to Reuters. "It was something that was just totally overblown. I don't fight over girls!" he said in regards to the alleged dispute, which police have reportedly said was over an unidentified woman. However, Combs did admit that, "I am a human being, and I will get into an argument at times." Steven Acevedo alleges Combs punched him in the face twice inside Kiosk, a store located in New York's Soho neighborhood that hosts parties by night. The mogul made his remarks at a news conference in which he announced a new beverage deal with alcoholic-drink maker Diageo PLC, to develop its Ciroc vodka brand. The mogul will have a 50 percent profit share in the Diageo PLC premium line, and he could make up to $100 million over the course of the multi-year deal, depending on the vodka's success. "It is not an endorsement deal. This is something that will have my daily attention," he told The Associated Press. "I'm not just a celebrity endorser, I'm a brand builder. I'm a luxury-brand builder." Diddy added that he will be responsible for marketing the brand and deciding where to sell it. ...

First Kid Rock fought with Tommy Lee at the VMAs, last month, then he got involved in a scuffle at a Waffle House last weekend, and then he just got knocked off the top of the Billboard albums chart by Bruce Springsteen ... could things get any worse for the Rock N Roll Jesus? Apparently so: The rocker is being sued by a Kentucky man who claims his song "Slow Death" is similar to Rock's "So Hott," according to TMZ. Maurice Foreman claims he has the copyright to his song, which he wrote in 1997. Foreman says the lead-guitar notes are identical in both songs and that Rock sings "so hot" three times," just as Foreman sings "slow death." ...

Beyoncé singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"? Carrie Underwood taking on "The Sound of Music"? Fergie covering "Live and Let Die"? Believe it or not, that's what will be happening on December 2 at Los Angeles' Kodak Theatre during Movies Rock, a film-and-music event modeled after Fashion Rocks. Adding even more weight to the star-studded roster, Mary J. Blige and John Legend will team for a rendition of the "Casablanca" song "As Time Goes By," Jennifer Hudson will perform "Goldfinger" from the James Bond flick of the same name, and Elton John will tackle songs from animated flicks. The show will air December 7 on CBS, and proceeds from the event itself will go to the Entertainment Industry Foundation, which funds more than 300 charitable organizations in the greater Los Angeles area. ...

T.I., who is accused of trying to illegally purchase machine guns and silencers, says he's learned how to deal "appropriately" with conflicts and wants to set a "good example" for young people. "Sometimes man, I can be a real rational, clear-thinking, level-headed, trouble-solving person," the Atlanta rapper said in an interview before his arrest in the new issue of Complex, which hits newsstands November 6. "I can really figure out how to deal with issues appropriately and apply them to it. If I don't allow myself that time, if I don't exercise patience and really end up straight to do that, I can also let myself go into a whole 'nother level of being carried away. So I'm tryin' to exercise moral strength and rational living these days. You know, I'm 27 years old now, man? So it ain't really the best thing for me to be doing, going out there actin' like ... today is a good example to be setting for the 19-, 21-year-olds, you know?" ...

Alicia Keys headlined the Heineken Red Star Soul tour's final stop in New York on Tuesday night, performing a medley of her hits, as DJ Jazzy Jeff and No I.D. looked on at Spotlight Studios. The latter two were awarded Independent Achiever Awards, as were Antonio "AD the Voice" Delgado, J. Carter, W. Ellington Felton and Ralph McDaniels. Posthumous nods were given to Gerald Levert and J Dilla as well. Newcomer Emily King opened and DJ Cassidy manned the turntables for the festivities. ... UsMagazine.com reports that Lindsay Lohan may be gearing up for her big club-scene comeback. According to the site, the starlet will host this year's New Year's bash at red-hot Las Vegas club LAX. She had previously been slated to host her 21st birthday party at Vegas' Pure nightclub, but she had to back out of the event after entering rehab. ...

Rick Ross' album Trilla will be out December 18. Earlier this week, the bearded-hustler poster child debuted his song "Speedin' " for New York at club Home. The track features R. Kelly. ... Fabolous performed at Canal Room in Manhattan, New York, on Tuesday night as part of the AT&T-sponsored one-year anniversary celebration for trendy tech site BoyGeniusReport.com. Diddy, DJ Clue, and football star Michael Strahan and Nicole Murphy, were in attendance. Super-producer Just Blaze held down DJ duties. ...

Jay-Z has a deal with Budweiser, 50 Cent with Vitamin Water — and now Diddy has put the finishing touches on his own beverage deal, to develop the Ciroc vodka brand, The Associated Press reports. The mogul will have a 50 percent profit share in the Diageo PLC premium line, and he could make up to $100 million over the course of the multi-year deal, depending on the vodka's success. "It is not an endorsement deal. This is something that will have my daily attention," he told AP. "I'm not just a celebrity endorser, I'm a brand builder. I'm a luxury-brand builder." Diddy added that he will be responsible for marketing the brand and deciding where to sell it. ...

One person has been arrested in DeKalb County, Georgia, in connection with a series of incidents at the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts. According to a spokesperson for the center, on Saturday morning vandals defaced the building and placed a noose around the neck of a Shakur statue in the center's garden. In a subsequent attack on the statue, it was plastered with "handbills of garbled rants that include references to 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, as well as vague threats against various record companies and rappers." ...

Tommy Lee has dismissed rumors that he's mulling an offer to be the subject of an upcoming season of VH1's "Rock of Love." In his newsletter, Lee said, "I am not, nor would I ever, do a stupid show like the 'Rock of Love.' " Lee, however, had no problem signing on for "Tommy Lee Goes to College," a 2005 reality series that focused on the former Mötley Crüe drummer's experience as a student at the University of Nebraska, and didn't pass up the chance to participate in CBS' "Rock Star: Supernova," a program designed to find a frontman for a band featuring Lee and several other well-known musicians. ... Korn have written and recorded an original song inspired by the upcoming PlayStation 3 video game "Haze." The song, which shares the name of the game, will be shipped to radio and video outlets next month, coinciding with the game's November 27 release. ...

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama has added a gay minister to the lineup for his three-day concert series in South Carolina after coming under fire from gay activists for including a gospel singer who has said he believes homosexuality is a choice, AP reports. The Rev. Andy Sidden, who is openly gay, has been invited to the Sunday event in Columbia after Obama reportedly discussed his inclusion with Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, which supports gay rights. Solmonese thanked Obama in a statement but said he was disappointed the series will still include Grammy-winning gospel star Donnie McClurkin, whose assertions that homosexuality is a choice led to calls for Obama to cancel the singer's performance. After saying on Monday that he thought sexual preference "is a matter of choice," McClurkin told the Chicago Tribune on Tuesday that his ideals and his ministry were being severely misconstrued. "I don't believe that even from a religious point of view that Jesus ever discriminated toward anyone, nor do I," McClurkin said. "Most of the things that were said were totally out of context, and then other things weren't true." McClurkin lived as a gay man for 20 years and now says he is straight. He said his ministry is open to those who say they no longer want to live as a gay person, but he added that "there's never been a statement made by me about curing homosexuality. People are using that in order to incite anger and to twist my whole platform on it. There's no crusade for curing it or to convert everyone. This is just for those who come to me and ask for change." ...

In other Obama news, in an apparent slip of the tongue, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney accused the senator of urging terrorists to congregate in Iraq, according to The Associated Press. In an appearance in South Carolina on Tuesday, Romney said, "Actually, just look at what Osam — Barack Obama — said just yesterday. Barack Obama, calling on radicals, jihadists of all different types, to come together in Iraq." Romney apparently was referring to an audiotape aired Monday in which a speaker believed to be Osama bin Laden called for insurgents in Iraq to unite. A Romney spokesperson said, "He misspoke. He was referring to the audiotape of Osama bin Laden and misspoke. It was just a mix-up." ...

An arrest warrant has been issued by a Jamaican judge for dancehall singer Beenie Man after the 34-year-old Grammy winner failed to show up in court to present his plan for paying back taxes. Reuters reports that Beenie Man (born Anthony Moses Davis) appeared in court three weeks ago on tax-evasion charges and was told he owed the Jamaican revenue department $415,000, plus $246,000 in penalties, after not paying taxes for more than a decade. The singer said he was unaware he owed the money and blamed it on the company that formerly handled his business affairs. ... In the wake of the devastating fires that have driven nearly 1 million Southern California residents from their homes, San Diego rock station FM 94.9 has been carrying a 24-hour news feed from public radio station KPBS in place of its music programming. The station handed over its airwaves on Tuesday morning after KPBS' transmitter was lost in the fire on Mount San Miguel. ...

Portishead are almost done recording their third full-length album, according to a post on the trip-hop outfit's Web site. Co-founder Geoff Barrow wrote that the band has been in London finishing up the long-awaited follow-up to its 1997 self-titled album. "I think one more day messing about with it, and it will be done," he wrote. "Then into the wonderful world of mastering." He added that the group is now "working on some artwork and getting the live stuff together." In related news, GZA has been added to the Portishead-curated All Tomorrow's Parties Nightmare Before Christmas event happening in England on December 7-9. He'll also perform his classic album Liquid Swords in its entirety in London on December 9. ... Former "American Idol" contestant Kellie Pickler has been added to the performance lineup for the upcoming Country Music Association Awards. The November 7 show has also added several new presenters, including Sheryl Crow and Gretchen Wilson. ...

His music has been in Victoria's Secret commercials, and now rock legend Bob Dylan is joining the SUV crowd. In a cross-promotional stunt to hype his XM radio show, Dylan is appearing in print, online and TV ads for the Cadillac Escalade, coinciding with a Cadillac-themed episode of his "Theme Time Radio Hour" XM show. In one commercial, a determined-looking Dylan, wearing an all-black cowboy getup, is seen hurtling through the desert in a black Escalade (listening to satellite radio, of course) and properly using his turn signal to overtake a truck. ...

It might be a while before we hear from Jet again. According to a post from drummer/singer Chris Cester on Jet's MySpace page, the Australian group is going on hiatus to recharge its batteries. "We've just decided to take some well-earned time off," he said. "After touring for, well, ever, we sat ourselves down and realized that with all the time we have spent away from home, Jet could finally use some down time."

[This story was originally published at 1:32 pm E.T. on 10.25.2007]

• Britney Spears' Ongoing Saga: What's Next?

• Diddy
• Jennifer Lopez
• Britney Spears
• Saul Williams
• Lil Wayne

Sean Penn
Photo: Philip Cheung/ Getty Images

The raging Southern California wildfires that intensified over the weekend are threatening the homes of a number of stars who reside in Malibu. Mel Gibson, Jennifer Aniston, Tom Hanks, Courteney Cox and David Arquette, James Cameron, Sean Penn and Robin Wright Penn, Rob Reiner, David Geffen, David Duchovny, Mark Hamill, Olivia Newton-John and Bill Murray are among the stars who have been evacuated or whose homes are potentially in jeopardy. ...

Fall Out Boy have "an album's worth of material" good to go but aren't ready to put out their fifth LP just quite yet, frontman Patrick Stump told Billboard.com. "There's always something that hits me, like a sense of urgency — now is the time for an album — and we're not there yet," he said. "I just get this kind of wanderlust of some kind to go back into a studio. It's always a very defined point." Stump added that the band's Infinity on High, which came out in February, hasn't worn out its welcome yet. "I don't really feel like we're done with this one yet," he said. "I feel like it's still in its cycle. There's a lot of songs on it I'm really proud of." Meanwhile, in regards to the new material, Stump said there are "lots of bizarre ideas" in the mix, "everything from folk to ... actually, I was experimenting with piano phases, like Steve Reich, the composer. There'll be some weird stuff, but at the end of the day, it's probably just gonna be a pop record." Stump also said he recently filmed a guest spot for an episode of "Law & Order" that will air in February. ...

Beyoncé's tour comes to a close November 12 in Taiwan — so, fittingly, she's decided to put out a concert DVD eight days later. "The Beyoncé Experience Live!," recorded at Los Angeles' Staples Center on September 2, features her performances of "Survivor" with the reunited Destiny's Child and "Upgrade U" with beau Jay-Z. It has more than two hours' worth of content in total. ... Tool's long-promised "Vicarious" DVD will be in stores December 18 and include an extended cut of the video for the title track, bonus material and special packaging. ...

The jury trial of Vincent "Don Vito" Margera — Bam Margera's uncle — on two counts of sexual assault on a child is slated to begin Tuesday. Margera is on trial for allegedly groping three underage girls at an autograph signing in August 2006 in Colorado. The jury in the trial was slated to be seated on Monday (October 22), according to a court spokesperson. ...

Ozzy Osbourne has heart — he's donating all his net profits from his November 30 show at Los Angeles' Staples Center, including ticket sales and merch, to the Sharon Osbourne Colon Cancer Program run by his wife. ... Korn frontman Jonathan Davis has beefed up his upcoming solo tour with additional dates — the trek will get under way November 9 in Hartford, Connecticut, and run through December 11 in Las Vegas. In related news, ex-Sevendust guitarist Clint Lowery is now an ex-Korn guitarist too. He has been replaced by Shane Gibson after being forced to leave the band's current "B---h We Have a Problem" run due to a family emergency. ...

Want to get your hands on some Gorillaz stickers, badges and a "Choose Pazuzu" patch? Then make sure to pick up the special-edition version of their upcoming D-Sides collection, which has bumped from a November 6 release date November 20. The special set will also come in a glossy box and have two exclusive prints by Gorillaz co-creator Jamie Hewlett. ... The ever-outlandish Mars Volta fans are going to be required to wear costumes to the one-off show they'll play at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco on New Year's Eve. The band's next album, The Bedlam in Goliath, drops January 29. ...

The hip-hop promoter who was allegedly attacked by three of Diddy's bodyguards reportedly served the hip-hop mogul on Friday with papers over the rough-up, although they were reportedly having none of it. According to TMZ, James Waldon tried to hand Diddy papers at his Sean Jean store in New York, but his bodyguards apparently smacked them to the ground before eventually retrieving them. They reportedly chased away Waldon, who alleges in his $5 million suit that three of Diddy's bodyguards attacked him after he chatted with the Bad Boy boss at the Box nightclub in New York. ... Relient K have parted ways with drummer Dave Douglas, who will bolt after the group's tour winds down in late December, it was revealed in a Friday post on the band's Web site. No explanation has been given for the departure of Douglas, who had been in Relient K for seven years. Douglas was quoted in the post as saying he will be devoting most of his time to his Gypsy Parade project. ...

Seems there's trouble in the world of CKY. Apparently a physical altercation recently broke out between various members of the group, and they've taken to MySpace to air their dirty laundry. In a post from guitarist Chad Ginsburg, he claims he broke his foot at a gig in St. Louis, and that frontman Deron Miller "has quit CKY to pursue his own band." He added that he, along with drummer Jess Margera, will carry on as CKY. Of course, Miller has a different side to the story. He claims he didn't quit the band, but, "after the San Diego show, I started getting really depressed and couldn't eat or sleep, so of course, I started drinking more and more moderately." According to Miller, he overheard several of his bandmates talking smack about him in St. Louis, and heard some "extremely personal, painful things that were mostly untrue and stupid." Miller said he confronted the rest of the band, after which "a fight broke out. I slapped Jess' hat off of his head and [Miller was jumped] after I put on my backpack to leave the bus." He said he left the band's tour to "detox" and is considering returning to the fold "if I can get and return some apologies, because let's face it, CKY [carrying on] would both be laughable and illegal." Miller also warned that if any of the songs he wrote for the band's forthcoming album end up on the LP, he'd take legal action. ...

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie can't get enough of each other — the couple are putting together a series for HBO, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The two are creating their first production project, a drama that will chronicle workers in an international aid organization who are assigned to dangerous areas. The series doesn't have a name yet, but it will be written by Scott Burns, who produced Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" and co-wrote "The Bourne Ultimatum." ...

Cake are hitting the road for the latest edition of their Unlimited Sunshine Tour series in support of their recently released B-Sides and Rarities compilation. The tour, which kicks off November 28 with a show in Anaheim, California, will also feature performances by Brazilian Girls, Detroit Cobras, Oakley Hall, King City and Agent Ribbons. ...

Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson's divorce is almost officially over — the ex-couple have filed their divorce papers in Los Angeles County Superior Court, according to TMZ. A judge might sign off on the papers later Monday. Robinson filed for divorce in November, and he will share joint custody with Hudson of their only child, son Ryder. ... Lance Hahn, the J Church bassist who also originally fronted the San Francisco punk band, died Sunday from complications arising from kidney disease, according to Austin360.com. He was 40. In July, a tribute album called Let's Do It for Lance! was released to help raise money so Hahn, who had no health insurance, could pay his medical bills. ...

It was a scary moment for punk godmother Patti Smith during a show at Shepherd's Bush Empire in London on Sunday, when the 60-year-old singer took a fall and almost hit the edge of the stage during a show, according to a report. During an encore of her signature tune "Rock N Roll N-----," England's NME reports that Smith tripped on a speaker and fell on her face, cutting her elbow and laying on the ground for a few "agonizing" seconds. Smith allegedly joked about the fall, saying, "I'm not even f---ing embarrassed because I've done far worse," perhaps alluding to the scary fall she took in 1977 in Tampa, Florida, when she tripped off a stage and broke two vertebrae in her neck. ...

Country legend Porter Wagoner has been diagnosed with lung cancer and has been hospitalized in serious condition in Nashville, according to The Associated Press. Wagoner, 80, known for his rhinestone-dripping stage outfits and blond pompadour, is a Country Music Hall of Famer whose hits include "Misery Loves Company," "Green, Green Grass of Home" and "Skid Row Joe." He helped launch the career of Dolly Parton when he hired her as a duet partner in 1967, and Parton has said she wrote the smash hit "I Will Always Love You" (famously covered by Whitney Houston) in Wagoner's honor. ...

Police in Johannesburg, South Africa, have arrested five people in connection with the murder of reggae singer Lucky Dube, who was shot and killed during an attempted carjacking on Thursday. Reuters reports that the men were arrested in an early morning raid on Sunday, during which stolen goods were found in the house in which they were captured.

10.19.07

If you thought Jay-Z was a little premature in announcing his "retirement" four years ago, you're not alone. The hip-hop mogul admits in a new interview with XXL that he "pulled the retirement ripcord too many times." He added, "I want to never say that again. ... People looking at me like, 'Please shut up.' I was looking at [my retirement movie] 'Fade to Black' the other day. I was embarrassed. I couldn't watch. I'm not playing with you. I had to turn it off. I was cringing." On November 6, Jay-Z will issue American Gangster LP — the second album he has put out since making the "retirement" announcement in 2003. ...

Prosecutors in Philadelphia have withdrawn charges against Beanie Sigel after the rapper resolved a dispute over a rental car he had kept long past its return date, The Associated Press reports. Sigel (born Dwight Grant) had rented a 2007 Nissan Altima from Payless Car Rental in July but didn't return the vehicle by its August 13 due date. He also failed to contact the rental company. The car was reported stolen September 6 and was later returned October 5, just as detectives headed to Sigel's home to inquire about the car. Sigel has accumulated $5,000 in late fees, but he has since paid them, which caused prosecutors to withdraw the charges. ...

A Kurt Cobain biopic based on "Heavier Than Heaven," the widely praised 2001 biography of the late Nirvana singer written by Seattle journalist Charles Cross, will be executive produced by Cobain's widow, Courtney Love, according to Variety. The script for the yet-untitled film is slated to be written by "Kite Runner" screenwriter David Benioff, and Universal Pictures is funding the film. The producers have not addressed whether they have the rights to Nirvana's music for the film or which parts of Cobain's life it will cover. ...

Naomi Watts has officially pecked her way into the "Birds" remake, Variety reports. The actress is the first castmember to be announced for the new take on the Alfred Hitchcock classic, while "Casino Royale" director Martin Campbell is reportedly in talks to helm the flick, which will be produced by Michael Bay and is eyeing a 2009 theatrical release. Watts will play Melanie Daniels, a role originally taken on by Tippi Hedren, who recently sounded off to MTV about her distaste for the controversial project. ... What would Fashion Week in Southern California be like without Paris Hilton? The heiress helped close out Petro Zillia's closing show, dubbed "So L.A.," Thursday night in Culver City — although she apparently missed her sister Nicky's spring Chick collection earlier in the week. ...

Bruce Springsteen, Joss Stone, KT Tunstall, Bob Dylan and others are featured on Serve2, a recently released Hard Rock International compilation disc that benefits the Artists Against Hunger & Poverty arm of the World Hunger Year project. Unreleased tracks by those artists — plus Mat Kearney, O.A.R., the Hold Steady and more — will be featured on the set, which is available at Hard Rock Cafes. ... In addition to reuniting for some upcoming shows in November, it appears the Verve have been busy cooking up some new tunes, with the possibility of a new album in 2008. Bassist Simon Jones wrote in his blog that among the band's first new tracks in a decade are the songs "Sit and Wonder," "Judas," "Appalachian Springs," "Mona Lisa" and "Rather Be." ... U.K. shoegazers Swervedriver are also re-forming, bringing their 10-year hiatus to a close. The group is planning a worldwide tour for early next year. ... American Music Club will deliver The Golden Age — their second post-reunion effort, in fact — February 5. The track list hasn't been revealed yet. ...

Hellyeah have set November 13 as the release date for "Below the Belt," their new live DVD. The set will feature footage from the day the hard-rockers got together for the first time, along with performance footage from the making of their album, their first studio sessions and live clips from their world tour. The DVD will also boast personal interviews, as well as a few surprises. ... Irate Aerosmith fans are filing a lawsuit against the band for nixing its September 26 concert on the Hawaiian island of Maui last month, according to The Honolulu Advertiser. The class-action suit claims the band bailed from the sold-out show so it could play a bigger one in Chicago instead; that the late cancellation was unnecessary; and that it caused many fans to lose money they spent — somewhere between $500,000 and $3 million in total — on plane tickets, car rentals and hotels. The suit was filed on behalf of all ticket holders, and, under state law, plaintiffs could be eligible for triple their losses in damages and up to $5,000 if age 62 or over. ...

Stone Roses mastermind Ian Brown is giving his music a classical makeover by enlisting an orchestra to rework his hits. The singer's fifth solo release, The World Is Yours, was released last month, and Brown plans to play a set of classical concerts to put an interesting twist on his famous works. More details will be revealed in the coming weeks. ... Eels are putting out a 10th anniversary best-of set and a collection of rarities, both of which will feature a DVD and land in stores January 15. The sets will be called Meet the Eels: Essential Eels Vol. 1, 1996-2006 and Eels Useless Trinkets: B-Sides, Soundtracks, Rarities and Unreleased 1996-2006. ...

South African reggae star Lucky Dube was shot and killed in an apparent carjacking attempt on Thursday in Johannesburg, South Africa. AP reports that Dube, 43, died when he tried to drive away during the incident and crashed into a tree after being shot twice by two unknown male assailants. Dube's son had reportedly gotten out of the car shortly before the singer was shot.

[This story was originally published at 11:26 am E.T. on 10.22.2007]

• Fall Out Boy
• Beyoncé
• Tool
• Black Sabbath
• Ozzy Osbourne

Johnny Depp
Photo: Peter Kramer/ Getty Images

A popular T-shirt proclaims, "Music is what feelings sound like." But if you really want to know what feelings sound like, you may be just as well off asking an actor, not a musician.

After the monumental successes of "Walk the Line" and "Ray," stars from Johnny Depp to Mike Myers are lining up for roles in musical biopics. For actors, starring in one of these films is like a four-part symphony: part critical acclaim, part instant credibility, part box-office bang and part awards-season appeal. The chance for an Oscar winner and a #1 film all in one is music to Hollywood's ears, so it comes as no surprise that we're in for a lot more musical biopics.

Crank your stereo and sing your favorite tune — films based on the lives of these legendary singers are coming your way:

Freddie Mercury
"Pirates of the Caribbean" star Johnny Depp is in early talks to play the late Queen frontman in a biopic being produced by Robert De Niro's Tribeca Productions. He is the "perfect choice," said Jeffrey Shapiro, drummer for Queen tribute band Under Pressure.

"I always had [in mind] somebody with a theatrical background. Not just to wear the costumes, but to wear the actual vibe of Freddie Mercury," Shapiro said. "Depp's such a likable guy. The fact that he used Keith Richards [as inspiration] for 'Pirates' — you can't go wrong."

Shapiro believes Depp and Mercury have a lot in common. "They are unique in a way. They carry themselves regally but always deliver," he said. "A bit foppish at times, but you never have any question that they are good."

Joey Ramone
Variety has reported that "I Slept With Joey Ramone," an authorized biography of the late Ramones frontman written by his brother, Mickey Leigh, was recently optioned by Rory Rosegarten, a producer best known for his work on "Everybody Loves Raymond." The option gives Rosegarten complete access to the singer's estate and to the band's punk-rock catalog.

Celebrated as one of the greatest rock bands of all time (in a recent Rolling Stone poll they came in second only to the Beatles), the Ramones' popularity has continued to grow in recent years, a fact that Lauren Faccidomo of the all-girl tribute band the Ramonas attributes to their universal appeal. "They weren't bigger than life, they were average guys from New York," said the Los Angeles musician. "Their music was so catchy and simple and fun — it really crossed genres."

Life imitated art imitating life for Adrian Grenier when a ploy by his "Entourage" character, Vincent Chase, to star in a Joey Ramone biopic led to rumors that the actor was being considered for an actual film biography of the seminal rocker. While no one would confirm or deny Grenier's involvement, Faccidomo thinks Hollywood should look elsewhere.

"People know Joey by the way he looks. He's a weird-looking guy," she laughed. "Honestly, in body type and looks, Howard Stern is hands down Joey Ramone."

Keith Moon
Mike Myers hasn't starred in a live-action movie since 2003's "The Cat in the Hat," but the "Austin Powers" comic has three slated for 2008, including a Donald Margulies-scripted biopic of Who drummer Keith Moon, produced by Moon's bandmate Roger Daltrey. "Roger's dream has always been to have Mike do the role," Nigel Sinclair, co-producer of the flick, told The New York Times. "He saw Mike as the creative force for pulling the project together, with help from us."

Janis Joplin
Director Penelope Spheeris and star Zooey Deschanel will bring the tragic story of the famous rock chanteuse to the big screen in 2008 with The film was originally slated to star Pink and come out in 2005, to coincide with the 35th anniversary of Joplin's death (see "Both Janis Joplin Biopics Still In The Works — Sorta").

Lauren Bernal, lead singer of the tribute band the Kozmic Blues Band, says she hopes filmmakers portray all sides of the singer's life. "They need to do the whole story, not just all the negative stuff," Bernal said, referencing Joplin's infamous battle with heroin addiction. "She wanted a family life, the white picket fence, the kids. Things didn't go well, and she [eventually] said to hell with it."

In a further challenge to the filmmakers, Bernal argued that you can't act your way to being Janis. "It takes a lot out of you — doing Janis is high-energy," she said. "It's all about who you are. That voice of hers, that raspiness — it's natural. There's nothing fake about it."

Dusty Springfield
Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth, best known for her portrayal of Glinda the Good Witch in the Tony Award-winning "Wicked," will star as Dusty Springfield in a biopic currently in development for Universal Pictures. The film is being scripted and helmed by Jessica Sharzer, a director whose work includes episodes of "The L Word." Springfield's career spanned four decades and peaked with 1969's "Son of a Preacher Man." The British soul singer succumbed to cancer in 1999, 10 days before she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Bob Dylan
The times, they are a-changin' — but not as quickly as the actors. The Weinstein Company recently announced that it has acquired the rights to Todd Haynes' "I'm Not There," a Bob Dylan biopic in which six different actors — including Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Richard Gere and Cate Blanchett — portray the legendary singer.

"[It] has been an extraordinary opportunity, bringing Bob Dylan's life and work to the screen," Haynes said. "It has attracted the best talent in film and music."

Haynes isn't kidding. Other actors in the movie include Julianne Moore, David Cross and Michelle Williams. The film also boasts an eagerly awaited soundtrack, which will include more than 40 cover versions of Dylan's most famous work.

"Bob Dylan has lived an unbelievable and at times elusive life," Company Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein said. "He has countless fans who will now be able to really gain insight into his fascinating life."

The Parody
With so many musical biopics in the pipeline, it shouldn't surprise anyone that a spoof is on the way. The salvos, however, are coming not from the usual suspects but from "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" director Judd Apatow and John C. Reilly. Directed by Jake Kasdan, "Walk Hard" follows Dewey Cox, a character Reilly describes as "an amalgamation of Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and Waylon Jennings." "[The film is a] goof on movies like 'Beyond the Sea,' 'Walk the Line,' 'Ray,' 'The Commitments' and 'Great Balls of Fire,' the actor said. "We're having some fun with the musical biopics. We've been recording music for it, and it's quite an ambitious, crazy project."

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• Flick'd: Pitch-Perfect Movie Music

• Queen
• The Who
• Bob Dylan
• Janis Joplin
• The Ramones

Beyoncé's <i>B'Day</i>
Photo: Columbia

What birthday gift does one get for that pop star who seemingly has everything? Beyoncé's fans came through with something that she can't buy herself: a Billboard-topping debut.

Last week, Beyoncé celebrated her 25th by dropping B'Day, the former Destiny's Child member's second solo LP. And 541,000 copies of the LP were purchased its first week in stores, scoring the singer her second #1 debut on Billboard's albums chart. Dangerously in Love opened at #1 back in 2003, selling close to 317,000 units its first week in stores and going on to move more than 4.3 million copies since its release.

Nearly 400,000 copies behind Beyoncé are Audioslave, who posed the closest threat to her throne. The rockers' third studio offering, Revelations, opens this week in the #2 slot, with close to 142,000 copies sold. Sales of Revelations didn't live up to the band's two previous discs — Audioslave's 2002 self-titled debut bowed at #7 with 162,000 scans, while 2005's Out of Exile took #1 with 263,000 copies sold — though the first-week showing isn't bad considering the band has yet to tour in support of the disc.

B'Day and Revelations were among seven new releases to crack Billboard's top 200, and two of three newcomers to make the top 10. Iron Maiden's latest, A Matter of Life and Death, claimed the #9 spot with sales just shy of the 56,000 mark.

The remainder of the top 10 is teeming with regulars, including the previous week's #1, Bob Dylan's Modern Times. That record slips to #3, selling 128,000-plus units. Danity Kane's self-titled debut falls from #2 to #4 with more than 82,000 scans, and the soundtrack to "Cheetah Girls 2" is in at #5 with 68,000 copies sold. Christina Aguilera's Back to Basics follows at #6 with 64,000 scans, while Jessica Simpson's A Public Affair slips two spots to #7 with 60,000 second-week sales.

Nickelback's All the Right Reasons climbs two positions to #8, thanks to another 58,000 scans that bring the disc's 49-week total to nearly 3.5 million. Nickelback fans have apparently taken to tour openers Hinder, whose Extreme Behavior — which has been steadily climbing the chart for months — makes its first appearance in the top 10, taking #10 with sales of more than 53,000.

Jars of Clay's Good Monsters opens at #58 with sales of 15,000 and change, while Essential Alice in Chains, a retrospective release chronicling the career of the Seattle grunge act, claims the #139 spot with 6,000 scans. Javier Solís' La Historia De Javier Solís comes in at #148 with 6,000 sales, and Aaron Tippin's Now & Then opens at #163 with nearly 5,000 copies sold.

The 2006 MTV Video Music Awards were kind to at least two artists during the subsequent sales week. Panic! at the Disco's A Fever You Can't Sweat Out jumped from #21 to #15, thanks to a 13 percent boost that amounted to more than 37,000 sales. Panic claimed the Video of the Year prize for "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" and also performed the track during the ceremony. And OK Go, who stole the show with their onstage re-enactment of the treadmill-enhanced clip for "Here It Goes Again," soared from #118 to #69 with Oh No, which surged 66 percent, from 8,000 to 14,000 sales.

Check out "All Eyes On Beyoncé" for a closer look at B'Day.

• Beyoncé
• Audioslave
• Iron Maiden
• Bob Dylan
• Danity Kane

Jessica Simpson's <I>A Public Affair</I>
Photo: Epic

Talk about an upset.

Next week's Billboard albums chart is about who finished fifth as much as who claims the #1 spot. A chart-topping debut has eluded Jessica Simpson once again, as sales of the singer/actress' fifth album, A Public Affair, came in at just under 101,000. Meanwhile, Bob Dylan proved that an illustrious career is often accompanied by a loyal fanbase.

SoundScan reported first-week sales for the iconic singer/songwriter's first studio LP in five years, Modern Times, at nearly 192,000 — outselling his nearest challenger by more than 74,000 copies. It's the first time in 30 years that Dylan has held the top spot — he previously reached #1 with 1974's Planet Waves, 1975's Blood on the Tracks and 1976's Desire.

Simpson, who debuts at #5 on the chart with 101,000 sales, can look on the bright side: While A Public Affair didn't surpass opening-week sales of 2001's Irresistible (which bowed at #6 with over 119,000 scans) or 2004's Rejoyce: The Christmas Album (152,000 copies sold to debut at #16), the record did chart higher than any of the singer's previous outings — In This Skin bowed at #10 in 2003, while 1999's Sweet Kisses claimed the #65 spot.

It was a debut-heavy week for the Billboard 200, with a total of 19 fresh releases making the cut and 12 of those breaking into the top 50. Five new LPs — including Dylan's and Simpson's — cracked the top 10.

Sandwiched between last week's #1 — Danity Kane's self-titled debut, which slips to #2 with more than 117,000 sales — and Christina Aguilera's Back to Basics — down one to #4 with 101,000 units sold — is T.I. protégé Young Dro, who opens at #3 with his Best Thang Smokin'. The latest release from Method Man, 4:21 ... The Day After, debuts at #8 on the chart with 62,000 sales, while the Roots' Game Theory bows at #9 with 61,000 first-week scans.

Two soundtracks and one chart veteran round out the top 10, with "The Cheetah Girls 2" moving another 80,000 units for the #6 spot, Outkast's Idlewild scoring 78,000-plus scans for #7 and Nickelback's All the Right Reasons selling 60,000 copies to sit at #10 during its 48th week on the chart.

Too Short's Blow the Whistle comes in at #14 with close to 40,000 scans. Ray LaMontagne's Till the Sun Turns Black opens at #28 with 28,000 in sales, followed at #30 by Crossfade's Falling Away, which sold just 300 fewer copies. Hatebreed's Supremacy takes the #31 spot with more than 27,000 sales, while Tego Calderón's The Underdog/ El Subestimado claims #43 with 21,000-plus copies sold. Pete Yorn's Nightcrawler finishes at #50 with 20,000 scans, and Paula DeAnda's self-titled inaugural offering claims #54 with 18,000 units snatched up.

Beenie Man's Undisputed opens at #65 with 15,000 sales, Old Crow Medicine Show's Big Iron World occupies the #125 spot with more than 7,000 scans, and Dream Theater's Score: 20th Anniversary World Tour Live with the Octavarium Orchestra follows at #134 with nearly 7,000 copies sold.

But the week's biggest non-debut leap goes to James Blunt's Back to Bedlam, which soars from #59 all the way to #17, probably helped by his strong showing at last week's VMAs (see "Underdog Night At The VMAs: Panic, Gnarls, Blunt, Chamillionaire Win Big").

• Jessica Simpson
• Bob Dylan
• Danity Kane
• Ray LaMontagne
• Christina Aguilera

Jessica Simpson's <I>A Public Affair</I>
Photo: Sony Music

Finally Going Public: Jessica Simpson fans better have slipped into their dance shoes a bit early in anticipation of her new album, A Public Affair. Those who preordered were rewarded with not just a collector's DVD, but also a free download of the same-named single, a preview of two more cuts and entry into the "Hang With Jessica" sweepstakes. Still, anyone who picks up the LP will be able to use it to unlock an extra tune, "I Belong to Me," as a Windows download. Although Jessica's writing contributions don't surface until later in the album, she executive produced the whole shebang with father Joe Simpson. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis produced three tracks, including "Push Your Tush," while Simpson does the throwback thing by borrowing from the Cars, Stevie Nicks and the Ohio Players elsewhere. Hot stuff.

A New Method: For 4:21 ... The Day After, Method Man dug up the ashes of Jimi Hendrix by recording in Electric Lady Studios, which the guitarist breathed more than just life into in the '70s. But this Man's effort is pure hip-hop, cemented by contributions from Lauryn Hill, Fat Joe, producer Scott Storch, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Ginuwine, Raekwon, Erick Sermon, Havoc and the RZA. Quite the party.

Reggae's Undisputed Champ?: Beenie Man is feeling pretty social these days too, ushering in a handful of R&B heavyweights for his distinctly dancehall record, Undisputed. Janet Jackson pays a visit on the Neptunes-produced "Feel It Boy," Akon helps him take care of "Girls," Scott Storch touches up "Dutty Wine Gal," and Lady Saw chimes in on "My World."

Tego to Go: While Beenie is one of reggae's biggest names these days, a pioneer of one of the genre's offshoots, reggaetón, is also checking in this week. Tego Calderón's The Underdog/ El Subestimado might seem like a bilingual effort, but it's almost all sung in Spanish, save the Buju Banton-featuring "Bad Man" and "Chillin' " with Don Omar. A sample of Jimmy Cliff's "Sooner or Later" also crops up on the record, half of which was recorded in Miami.

Blow-in' It: Too Short makes this week's competition even stronger by dropping Blow the Whistle, his first proper release since 2003's Married to the Game. David Banner bolsters "Baller," and Jazze Pha partakes in "16 Hoes," but Too Short proves he can hold his own with "I Want Your Girl," "Pimpin' Forever," "Call Her a Bitch" and other instructional songs.

Game On: With all the rap heavyweights dishing up new slices this week — there's also Young Dro (Best Thang Smokin') and Loon (No Friends) — the Roots' diverse Game Theory will be a breath of fresh air. The Philly phenoms sample the Jackson 5's "All I Do Is Think of You" on "Can't Stop This," which Jay Dee produced before he died earlier this year. And the record becomes even more eclectic as Black Thought, ?uestlove and the squad tap into Radiohead's "You and Whose Army" and Sly & the Family Stone's "Life of Fortune and Fame."

Singer/Songwriter Stew: Among all the hip-hop activity, a smattering of singer/songwriters are chiming in as well, and the truly varied crew is challenging the limitations of the term. Probably the best-known singer/songwriter of them all, Bob Dylan, tallies his first studio LP in five years, Modern Times. Fans will want to scoop up the limited-edition deluxe version, which has an expanded booklet, previously unreleased photos and a DVD with four goodies: a performance of "Cold Irons Bound" that was shot during the making of the 2003 bomb "Masked and Anonymous," a rendition of "Love Sick" from the Grammy Awards and videos for "Blood in My Eyes" and "Things Have Changed." There's also another DVD, "Bob Dylan 1966 - 1978: After the Crash," which was produced in conjunction with the well-regarded Dylan fanzine Isis and culls phone conversations, rarely seen material and interviews with his collaborators.

Fellow Columbia artist Pete Yorn — who appeared alongside Dylan on the 2001 "Bandits" soundtrack — brings to a close the three-album trilogy that launched his career with Nightcrawler, which he's been hyping with a litany of in-store and club performances. Fans who preordered were gifted with the bonus limited-edition EP Westerns, which he has said was inspired by Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison, but everyone will be able to enjoy "Bandstand in the Sky," "Policies" and "The Man," which features Dixie Chick Natalie Maines.

While Yorn's Nightcrawler is a distinctly rock record, Ray LaMontagne tones it down with Till the Sun Turns Black, produced by Ethan Johns (2004's Trouble, Ryan Adams). Expect stripped roots-folk throughout from the RCA Records artist, including "Truly, Madly, Deeply," "Barfly" and "Three More Days."

Continuing to buck the major labels is M. Ward, whose fifth record features guest spots by My Morning Jacket's Jim James, Neko Case and Saddle Creek Records production stalwart Mike Mogis. Post-War boasts "Today's Undertaking," "Neptune's Net" and "Chinese Translation."

You Hear It First artist Támar Davis injects some guitar soul into the mix with Milk & Honey, which is bound to be mixed up with John Lennon's album of the same name as it hits the record racks. "Beautiful, Love and Blessed" pits her with Prince, but people ranging from Naomi Judd to Arsenio Hall have been singing her praises.

Also stepping up to the plate is Bostonian Catie Curtis, whose 12-song Long Night Moon features Mary Chapin Carpenter and the Push Stars' Chris Trapper; Iowan William Elliott Whitmore, whose nine-track Song of the Blackbird finds him reinterpreting "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"; and New Yorker Sasha Dobson, whose Modern Romance sees her branching out into Brazilian music, folk and pop.

Song Title of the Week:

"Konichiwa Bitches" from Method Man's 4:21 ... The Day After

Other Notables:

Various artists' "Kill Your Idols" DVD: After winning the Tribeca Film Festival's rather narrow Best New York Documentary Feature honor but only getting a brief theatrical run, the underground-music film gets upped with bonus interviews and live-performance clips in the DVD version. If you've always wondered what was up with your brother's No Wave fascination, or give a hoot about Sonic Youth and the scene that spawned them, here's your chance.

The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds - 40th Anniversary: If you've been waiting to find the right time to get familiar with one of the most important pop records of all time, now's your chance. The limited-edition set, which is boosted by a DVD documentary, has four different mixes of the album, plus a photo gallery and suede digipak case. If you want to get even more authentic, look for the double-colored vinyl version, for which just 10,000 pressings are being made.

Motörhead's Kiss of Death vs. John Lithgow's The Sunny Side of the Street: This record probably won't spell doom for one of heavy metal's most enduring acts, as Lemmy and the gang hang tough with "God Was Never on Your Side," "Sucker" and "Devil I Know." Also included as a bonus is a newly recorded version of the band's 1991 punk salute "R.A.M.O.N.E.S.," further cementing Lemmy's affinity for the punk gods. Probably the most polar opposite disc to Kiss of Death is Lithgow's children's album, which immortalizes the actor's take on "Inka Dinka Doo" and "I Always Say Hello to a Flower." It's another bright move, so to speak, from the former "Third Rock From the Sun" castmember.

New Releases:

• Astronautalis - The Mighty Ocean & Nine Dark Theaters (Fighting)
  
• Beenie Man - Undisputed (Virgin)
  Buy Now: Undisputed (Virgin)
  
• Berkeley Guitar - Berkeley Guitar (Tompkins Square)
  
• Birdmonster - No Midnight (spinART)
  
• BT - This Binary Universe (with DVD; DTS)
  Buy Now: This Binary Universe (DTS)
  
• Buddhist Monks and Sakya Tashi Ling - My Spirit Flies to You (Decca)
  
• C-Note - Network'n (BCD Music)
  
• Tego Calderón - The Underdog/ El Subestimado (Atlantic)
  Buy Now: The Underdog/ El Subestimado (Atlantic)
  
• Channels - Waiting for the Next End of the World (Dischord)
  
• DJ Crazy Toones - CT Experience (BCD Music)
  
• Crossfade - Falling Away (Columbia)
  Buy Now: Falling Away (Columbia)
  
• Catie Curtis - Long Night Moon (Compass)
  
• Blag Dahlia - Nina ... and Other Delights (MVD Audio)
  
• Damage Case - Tyranny (Punkcore)
  
• Támar Davis - Milk & Honey (Universal Motown)
  Read: "Tamar Davis Missed Joining Destiny's Child — But Then Her Prince Arrived"
  Buy Now: Milk & Honey (Universal Motown)
  
• Paula DeAnda - Paula DeAnda (Arista)
  
• Dirty Dozen Brass Band - What's Going On (Shout! Factory)
  
• Sasha Dobson - Modern Romance (Secret Sun)
  
• DJ Drama - STC Reloaded (BCD Music)
  Buy Now: STC Reloaded (BCD Music)
  
• Dream Theater - Score: 20th Anniversary World Tour Live With the Octavarium Orchestra (three CDs; Rhino)
  Buy Now: Score: 20th Anniversary World Tour Live With the Octavarium Orchestra (Rhino)
  
• Bob Dylan - Modern Times (deluxe edition with bonus DVD also available; Columbia)
  Buy Now: Modern Times (Columbia)
  
• Jack Frost - Out in the Cold (Warcon)
  
• Kenny Garrett - Beyond the Wall (Nonesuch)
  
• Thea Gilmore - Harpo's Ghost (Sanctuary)
  
• Godhead - The Shadow Line (Cement Shoes)
  Buy Now: The Shadow Line (Cement Shoes)
  
• Grates - Gravity Won't Get You High (Cherry Tree)
  Buy Now: Gravity Won't Get You High (Cherry Tree)
  
• Gwar - Beyond Hell (limited-edition version with DVD also available; DRT)
  Buy Now: Beyond Hell (DRT)
  
• Hatebreed - Supremacy (Roadrunner)
  Buy Now: Supremacy (Roadrunner)
  
• Dave Holland Quintet - Critical Mass (Sunny Side)
  
• Paul Gilbert - Get Out of My Yard (Shrapnel)
  
• Jin - 100 Grand Jin (Draft)
  Buy Now: 100 Grand Jin (Draft)
  
• Killa Kyleon and DJ Storm - Drank Epidemic Volume 2 (BCD Music)
  
• Ray LaMontagne - Till the Sun Turns Black (RCA)
  Buy Now: Till the Sun Turns Black (RCA)
  
• Pop Levi - Blue Honey (Counter)
  
• John Lithgow - The Sunny Side of the Street (Razor & Tie)
  
• Locked in a Vacancy - Its Always Darkest ... (Purity)
  
• Lonesome Spurs - Lonesome Spurs (Cleopatra)
  
• Loon - No Friends (Cleopatra)
  
• Lost Trailers - The Lost Trailers (BNA)
  
• Ludacris and DJ Storm - Disturbing Tha Peace (two CDs; BCD Music)
  Buy Now: Disturbing Tha Peace (BCD Music)
  
• Method Man - 4:21 ... The Day After (Def Jam)
  Read: "Method Man Drops Diddy, Seeks Clarity On New LP, 4:21 ... The Day After"
  
• Elizabeth Mitchell - You Are My Little Bird (Smithsonian Folkways)
  
• Sam Moore - Overnight Sensational (Rhino)
  
• Motörhead - Kiss of Death (Sanctuary)
  Buy Now: Kiss of Death (Sanctuary)
  
• Old Crow Medicine School - Big Iron World (Nettwerk)
  
• Stacie Orrico - Beautiful Awakening (Virgin)
  Buy Now: Beautiful Awakening (Virgin)
  
• Persephone's Bees - Notes From the Underworld (Columbia)
  
• Prids - ... Until the World Is Beautiful (Five03)
  
• Randies - Saw the Light (Elicit/ Majestic)
  
• Red Umbrella - Wishing for Boardwalk (7spin)
  
• Roots - Game Theory (Def Jam)
  Buy Now: Game Theory (Def Jam)
  
• Salvador - Dismiss the Misery (Word)
  
• Jessica Simpson - A Public Affair (Epic)
  Read: "Jessica Simpson Album Shifts Gears Along With Personal Life"
  Buy Now: A Public Affair (Epic)
  
• Snakes & Music - Isabelle (MVD Audio)
  
• Sound of the Blue Heart - Beauty? (Triple X)
  
• DJ Starscream - The New Leader (N2O)
  
• Stefy - The Orange Album (Wind-Up)
  
• Tanya Stephens - Rebelution (with bonus DVD; VP/Universal)
  
• The Summer Obsession - This Is Where You Belong (Virgin)
  
• Ty Tabor - Rock Garden (Inside Out)
  
• Theater Fire - Everybody Has a Dark Side (Undeniable)
  
• Too Short - Blow the Whistle (Jive)
  Buy Now: Blow the Whistle (Jive)
  
• The Tyde - Three's Co. (Rough Trade)
  
• Uptown - Bonafide G (BCD Music)
  
• Pete Yorn - Nightcrawler (Red Ink)
  Read: "Dave Grohl Helps Pete Yorn Rock, Tupac Inspires Him To Be Prolific"
  Buy Now: Nightcrawler (Red Ink)
  
• Young Dro - Best Thang Smokin' (Atlantic)
  Buy Now: Best Thang Smokin' (Atlantic)
  
• M. Ward - Post-War (Merge)
  Buy Now: Post-War (Merge)
  
• William Elliott Whitmore - Song of the Blackbird (Southern)
  
• Young Buck and DJ Drama - Case Dismissed (two CDs; BCD Music)
  Buy Now: Case Dismissed (BCD Music)
  
• Various artists - A Piano Tribute to Lionel Richie (Copycats)
  
• Various artists - A Sax Tribute to Christina Aguilera (Copycats)
  
• Various artists - A Smooth Jazz Tribute to Beyoncé (Copycats)
  
• Various artists - Rockabye Baby!: Lullabye Renditions of Coldplay (Baby Rock)
  
• Various artists - Rockabye Baby!: Lullabye Renditions of Metallica (Baby Rock)
  
• Various artists - Rockabye Baby!: Lullabye Renditions of Radiohead (Baby Rock)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

• Bernard Allison - No Mercy (MVD Audio)
  
• America - Struttin' Our Stuff (MVD Audio)
  
• Beach Boys - Pet Sounds - 40th Anniversary (limited-edition fuzzy package with DVD; Capitol)
  
• Tony Bennett - I Left My Heart in San Francisco, MTV Unplugged, Perfectly Frank, Tony Bennett's Greatest Hits of the '50s and Tony Bennett's Greatest Hits of the '60s (RPM/ Columbia/ Legacy)
  
• Terri Clark - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  
• Billy Cobham - Live: Flight Time (MVD Audio)
  
• Roger Daltrey - Daltrey, One of the Boys and Ride a Rock Horse (Hip-O)
  
• Sammy Davis Jr. - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  
• Steve Earle - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  
• Humble Pie - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  
• James Hunter - ... Believe What I Say (Hepcat)
  
• Julio Iglesias - 1100 Bel Air Place and Tango (Columbia/ Legacy)
  
• Millie Jackson - Still Caught Up (Southbound)
  
• Waylon Jennings - Waylon Jennings Sings Hank Williams (Hip-O)
  
• Daniel Johnston - Continued Story/ Hi, How Are You and Yip/ Jump Music (High Wire)
  
• Tom Jones - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  
• Kingston Trio - The Essential Kingston Trio (two CDs; Shout! Factory)
  
• Leah Kunkel - Leah Kunkel (Rev-Ola)
  
• Shelby Lynne - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  
• Kawabata Makoto & the Mothers of Invasion - Hot Rattlesnakes (MVD Audio)
  
• Marillion - Marbles Live (MVD Audio)
  
• Dave Mason - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  
• Kathy Mattea - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  
• Rudy Ray Moore - The Best of Rudy Ray Moore and Friends (The Pen)
  
• Iggy Pop - 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection (A&M)
  Buy Now: 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection (A&M)
  
• Primitives - Buzz Buzz Buzz (United States Distributors)
  
• Queensrÿche - Q2K (Rhino)
  Buy Now: Q2K (Rhino)
  
• Diana Ross - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  
• Stereolab - Serene Velocity: A Stereolab Anthology (Rhino)
  
• Pete Townshend - Another Scoop, All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes, Deep End Live!, Empty Glass, The Iron Man the Musical by Pete Townshend, Psychoderelict, Rough Mix, Scoop, Scoop 3, White City and Who Came First (Hip-O)
  
• Tanya Tucker - Definitive Collection (Hip-O)
  
• Waterboys - Fisherman's Blues - Collectors Edition (limited edition with bonus CD; Capitol)
  
• Bob Willis & His Texas Playboys - Legends of Country Music: Bob Willis & His Texas Playboys (three CDs; Columbia/ Legacy)
  
• Various artists - Chill Lounge (Water)
  
• Various artists - Dave Hamilton's Detroit Funk: Rare and Unreleased Twisted Funk 1967-1973 (BGP)
  
• Various artists - The Greatest Songs Ever: Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, France, Greece, Gypsyland, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Portugal, Middle East, Spain and Turkey (Petrol/ EMI America)
  
• Various artists - Highway South: Southern Rock (Time Life)
  
• Various artists - UFC: Ultimate Beatdowns, Vol. 1 (enhanced; Nitrus)

Music DVDs:

• Black Crowes - "Who Killed That Bird Out on Your Window Sill ... the Movie" (Rhino)
  
• Roger Chapman - "Family & Friends" (MVD Visual)
  
• Sandy Denny - "Under Review" (MVD Visual)
  
• Dream Theater - "Score: 20th Anniversary World Tour Live With the Octavarium Orchestra" (two DVDs; Rhino)
  
• Bob Dylan - "Bob Dylan 1966 - 1978: After the Crash" (MVD Visual)
  
• E-40 - "E-40 & the Hype on Hyphy: Town Bizness From the Yay" (Warner Bros.)
  
• Ian Gillan Band - "Live at the Rainbow 1977" (MVD Visual)
  
• Green on Red - "Valley Fever: Green on Red" (MVD Visual)
  
• The Korgis - "The Korgis DVD Kollection" (MVD Visual)
  
• Queen - "Under Review: 1980-1991" (MVD Visual)
  
• Barbra Streisand - "A Happening in Central Park" and "Barbra Streisand ... And Other Musical Instruments" (Rhino)
  
• Pete Townshend - "Psychoderelict Live in New York" (Hip-0)
  
• Various artists - "Jazz Shots From the West Coast, Vol. 1" (MVD Visual)
  
• Various artists - "Kill Your Idols" (Palm Pictures)
  
• Various artists - "Roots Daughters: The Women of Rastafari" (MVD Visual)

Coming Attractions:

September 5:

• Audioslave - Revelations (Epic)
  Read: "New Audioslave LP: 'Led Zeppelin Meets Earth, Wind & Fire' "
  Preorder: Revelations (Epic)
  
• Beyoncé - B'Day (Columbia)
  Read: "Beyonce's Triple Threat: New Album, Film, Fashion Line Before Year's End"
  Preorder: B'Day (Columbia)
  
• Iron Maiden - A Matter of Life and Death (limited edition with bonus DVD also available; Sanctuary)
  Preorder: A Matter of Life and Death (Sanctuary)
  

September 12:

• John Mayer - Continuum (Columbia)
  Preorder: Continuum (Columbia)
  
• N.O.R.E. y la Familia - Ya Tú Sabe (Roc-A-Fella)
  
• Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds (Jive)
  Read: "Justin Previews New Tracks At Hollywood Show With Help From Will.I.Am, Timbaland"
  Preorder: FutureSex/LoveSounds (Jive)
  

September 19:

• Clay Aiken - A Thousand Different Ways (RCA)
  Preorder: A Thousand Different Ways (RCA)
  
• Fergie - The Dutchess (Interscope)
  Read: "Fergie's Split-Pea Soup: Reggae, Jazz, Ludacris, B Real On 'Crazy' Solo LP"
  Preorder: The Dutchess (Interscope)
  
• Jesse McCartney - Right Where You Want Me (Hollywood)
  Read: "In September, Get Jesse McCartney Right Where You Want Him"
  Preorder: Right Where You Want Me (Hollywood)
  

• Jessica Simpson
• Method Man
• Tego Calderon
• Pete Yorn
• Too Short

"I'm Not There"

• Bob Dylan