Miley Cyrus
Photo: Evan Agostini/Getty Images

For teen pop fans, it's déjà vu all over again: Young pop starlet rises to fame on the wings of virginal Disney (or Nickelodeon) goodness, only to shock us when she suddenly goes bad.

But for some reason, the firestorm over the seemingly topless photos of the squeaky-clean Miley Cyrus in the upcoming issue of Vanity Fair have risen to a new level of hysteria, much of it, admittedly, fanned by the media. (See what Cyrus tourmates the Jonas Brothers and idol Hilary Duff and a perceptive 21-year-old MTV News intern have to say about the provocative pics.)

All this hullabaloo begs the question: Haven't any of you been paying attention over the past few years?

For those of you who may have missed the earlier signposts on this well-traveled road from not-a-girl-not-yet-a-woman-hood, here are some of the previous red flags thrown up by teens who were in a big hurry to grow up.

The Good Girls Gone Bad

Britney Spears: As if the jailbait-in-a-Catholic-schoolgirl-miniskirt video for Brit's breakthrough 1999 hit "... Baby One More Time" weren't enough of a break from the former Mouseketeer's innocent past, her Lolita-like cover shot for Rolling Stone magazine that same year, when she was 17, had tongues wagging. In addition to spreading rumors that she'd had breast implants, the shots showed her in just her underwear sprawled on a pink satin sheet, clutching a Teletubby doll and talking on the phone.

Christina Aguilera: The fellow former "Mickey Mouse Club" member also debuted in 1999 with an album of come-hither pop tunes, like "Genie in a Bottle," but with a (slightly) more demure persona than Spears'. She began kicking the image to the curb two years later by appearing in sexy lingerie in the video for the "Moulin Rouge" soundtrack remake of Labelle's "Lady Marmalade." She then made the light-speed jump from good girl to very, very bad one with her 2002 album Stripped, which featured raunchier songs, including the first single "Dirrty." The infamous video for that track had Aguilera modeling chaps and a red bikini, showing off her new tattoos, body piercings and multicolor extensions amid images of mud wrestling, foxy boxing, contortionists and other sexual fetishes. The image makeover peaked with a 2002 Rolling Stone cover in which she appeared nude with only an electric guitar covering her body.

Lindsay Lohan: This Disney star has set the low bar for the tumble from pixie cutie to tabloid target. From her debut in 1998 in "The Parent Trap" at age 12 to 2003's "Freaky Friday," Lohan was on track to become the biggest teen/tween star of her era. For Lohan, the crossover from girl to woman wasn't signaled by a sexed-up photo shoot, though, but by her presence at nightclubs years before her 21st birthday, rumors of substance abuse, multiple arrests, three trips to rehab and an endless string of panty-less photos that at one point rivaled Spears' own commando assault.

Vanessa Hudgens: After making her name in such family-friendly fare as "Quintuplets" and "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody," the star of Disney's "High School Musical" (hmm, is there a pattern emerging here?) was 18 when she hit the big time, reveling in the attention from the massive hit TV movie. Less than a year after rising to superstardom, her rocket ride hit a snag when provocative photos of her surfaced online, showing the teen star in lingerie and totally nude.

Jamie Lynn Spears: Like Cyrus, Britney's 17-year-old little sister made her name as the star of a kid-friendly TV show, in Spears' case, the Nickelodeon series "Zoey 101." But just two years into its run, the teen announced that she was pregnant with her first child by her boyfriend, 18-year-old Casey Aldridge.

The Exception

Avril Lavigne: If all of the above are cautionary tales about teen girls who are in a big hurry to shed their virginal "good girl" persona and morph into sexy women before they could vote (or, in some cases, drive), Canadian singer Lavigne is the antidote to that bullet train to hormone-ville. Debuting at age 18 with Let Go, the singer's skate-rat image included baggy pants and T-shirts with her then-ubiquitous men's tie instead of body-hugging miniskirts and dresses. For years, Lavigne studiously avoided sexing up her image, playing the role of tomboy, until around 2006, when the now-married 23-year-old began wearing more revealing clothes and posing for photos in provocative outfits. She really upped the ante in a recent Blender cover on which she was seemingly topless with a banner headline across her chest that read, "Hell Yeah, I'm Hot!"

• Miley Cyrus
• Hannah Montana

Miley Cyrus
Photo: MTV News

BURBANK, California — Miley Cyrus isn't just the world's biggest pop sensation. As the star of the Disney Channel's absurdly popular "Hannah Montana" TV show and a soon-to-be blockbuster 3-D movie, and the voice behind a #1 album, she's become a veritable voice of a whole generation. Go ahead — ask any teen or tween girl.

Now, with "Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert," the girl behind the wig is going to step out into the spotlight for the first time. MTV News recently caught up with the 15-year-old starlet to talk about the biggest differences between her two stage personas, who she looks up to, and where she sees herself in five years.

MTV: The movie is subtitled from one of your songs, "The Best of Both Worlds." What does that mean to you? Why is it important for you to show the world both Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus?

Miley Cyrus: Because the kids can relate to the TV show, so I think having Hannah come up onstage is really — it gives it, like, a cool vibe. [But] it shows [just] one girl, but definitely two sides. I like that — you get both tastes of music. And I think it's just really fun. I mean, it was so perfect to name this tour "Best of Both Worlds." It really couldn't have got any better.

MTV: That said, in the film, you do such an easy transition between Hannah and Miley. But what's the biggest difference between the two?

Cyrus: All the styles — not only the hair and the makeup and the wardrobe, all that kind of stuff — it's more the style of music. It's more of a poppy vibe for Hannah, more of like a rock and roll. The [recent] album was called [Hannah Montana 2:] Meet Miley Cyrus, and [that] was more real-life scenarios I could put to a tune.

MTV: So what's something that your fans are gonna watch in this movie and learn about you, the real Miley Cyrus?

Cyrus: I think more than seeing me onstage, it's seeing me backstage, because you get to see me hanging out with my family and my buddies, and riding around in the golf carts. They did such a good job of not overdoing it and making it where you're lilike, "OK, rehearsal, rehearsal!" You get to see me having fun. I like that because they get to really see why I do what I do — it's 'cause I love it.

MTV: My nieces, hand to God, know every single lyric of every single song you've ever put out.

Cyrus: Oh, that is so sweet.

MTV: What do you think in five years they're gonna have memorized? Where does the Miley Cyrus train go from here?

Cyrus: I don't know. I mean, hopefully, I definitely wanna keep doing more writing and another album. So hopefully I can do that sometime this year, but also some films. I'd love to definitely do some more movies, more where I can be an artist and an actress. I'm really excited just to really dig deep into a character.

MTV: In the movie, you're like all the Beatles rolled into one, with all the girls outside screaming and chanting.

Cyrus: Right!

MTV: So on the converse, who's someone that you look up to and idolize?

Cyrus: I think all the Disney girls. They always try to take good girls and make them something that they're not, and so I think that — I just really give them their props for standing up, because it gives all of us [hope]. We're a team. When I'm [out], I'm not only representing myself and the channel, I'm representing all the guys and the girls that are on the channel.

MTV: I've heard you look up to Hilary Duff in particular. Is that right?

Cyrus: Yeah, because she's on Disney, or was on Disney Channel, and she's kind of set the way for all of us, not only just in a business sense, but [by] saying that it is OK to be a good girl. Like, that's cool! It's kind of just given us all inspiration to go out. Whether it was her or not, I would definitely be doing what I'm doing, but she definitely made it more acceptable.

MTV: Is she someone you'd like to follow, to have a career like hers?

Cyrus: For sure. I wanna do it my own way, and I have different ways. [But] she's very vocal about it as well. She likes going out and talking about being a good role model. [Similarly,] in the things I do, like a 3-D movie, where you get to see that it's not fake, it's not just being at an interview and saying, "Yeah, I wanna be a good girl." It's really showing you making right decisions in the movie.

MTV: Have you ever gotten a chance to talk to her? What was the best piece of advice she's ever given you?

Cyrus: It was basically just, "Remember why you do what you do — 'cause you love it." I mean, it definitely stinks when there's an early call time and it's not the best part when you're doing the same thing over and over. There's downs. But remember why you do it. It's not only because you love the business side of it, but looking out and seeing girls smile, you know. When there's not much, when they're going through a negative time in their life, being the one positive thing that they can hold on to, I mean, that's really amazing.

MTV: Is there a dream scenario you have, let's say, when you're 20? In a perfect world, where would you be?

Cyrus: Perfect world is, I think, pretty much now, what I'm doing. Hopefully, I can just keep singing and acting and just doing what I love and living the dream.

Check out everything we've got on "Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert."

Visit Movies on MTV.com for more from Hollywood, including news, reviews, interviews and more.

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• Miley Cyrus Is The Latest Disney Darling

• "Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert" Movie Premiere

• Hannah Montana
• Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus at the "Best of Both Worlds" premiere on Thursday
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images

HOLLYWOOD — The Highland Avenue block of Hollywood Boulevard is surrounded on both sides by tattoo parlors and stores selling steamy lingerie. But on Thursday evening, it suddenly became the place to be for every Los Angeles teen, pre-teen and little girl at heart for the premiere of "Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert" at Disney's El Capitan Theater.

"It's great being here," Miley's father, Billy Ray Cyrus, beamed to MTV News while standing next to his daughter. "It's about the music, the fans, the passion for Hannah Montana and, you know, the passion for Miley."

That passion was evident to anyone within earshot. The all-screaming, all-jumping chorus of fans stretched hundreds of feet beyond the red carpet, their combined squeals reaching a volume comparable to a jet plane. So loud was the ovation when Miley began her walk down the carpet that local residents unaware of what the celebration was for might have been forgiven had they thought the Beatles were back in town.

"Yeah, but I don't think they've ever had their own premiere," screamed Cyrus (who apparently needs to rent a copy of "A Hard Day's Night").

The movie, a 3-D concert film compiled during two Hannah Montana concerts in Salt Lake City, takes great pains to show the two sides of the 15-year-old pop sensation: the precocious rockabilly of Hannah against the more delicate and soulful Cyrus. But there was no delineation for the real-life Cyrus as she strolled down the carpet, surrounded by a slew of celebrity fans, including Vanessa Williams, Ashley Tisdale and the Jonas Brothers. A wide smile across her face, the teenage Cyrus couldn't help but act like, well, a teen.

"I mean, it's awesome!" she enthused. "To have all the celebrities here — they're all here for you! I'm so excited."

It's because "you're awesome," Miley, celebrity fans said as they walked down the carpet.

"She's such an amazing singer and dancer and actor, but she's also so sweet and down to earth," fellow Disney Channel star Madison Pettis said. "She's an amazing friend."

"She's fearless and confident," "Bratz" actress Chelsea Staub exclaimed.

"Well, I know from Miley — she loves what she's doing, she loves making music, she loves acting," a smiling Billy Ray said, pausing to look once more at his daughter and then the crowd of fans behind her. "And it's very evident."

Check out everything we've got on "Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert."

Visit Movies on MTV.com for more from Hollywood, including news, reviews, interviews and more.

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Want trailers? Visit the Trailer Park for the newest, scariest and funniest coming attractions anywhere.

• 'Hannah Montana' Heads To The Big Screen

• "Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert" Movie Premiere

• Hannah Montana
• Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus (file)
Photo: Getty Images

Every kid knows Miley Cyrus lives a double life as Hannah Montana, but a recent stunt involving an actual body double has fans questioning the wildly popular character's true identity all over again.

A video that has been making the rounds online captures the pop tart onstage at a recent gig on her Best of Both Worlds Tour, shaking it loose with a group of dancers and opening act the Jonas Brothers during a performance of "We Got the Party." The clip shows someone ushering her to the back of the stage, after which she vanishes and a girl who is dressed like Hannah — in the same pink trench coat she wears, with blond hair obscuring her face — dances, dashes up the stage set and lip-syncs the rest of the song. According to The Associated Press, Cyrus was taken offstage through a trap door.

On Friday (January 11), Cyrus' publicist confirmed that not only was the video legit, but that the body double is actually being used throughout the tour, according to a statement issued to MTV News. PR group PMK chalked up the switch to a costume change.

"To help speed the transition from Hannah to Miley, there is a production element during the performance of 'We Got the Party' incorporating a body double for Miley," PMK said in the statement.

"After Hannah has completed the featured verse on the duet with the Jonas Brothers, a body double appears approximately one to two minutes prior to the end of the song in order to allow Miley to remove the Hannah wig and costume and transform into Miley for her solo set," the statement continued. "Other than during this very brief transitional moment in the show, Miley performs live during the entirety of both the Hannah and Miley segments of the concert."

This is hardly the only headline to accompany Cyrus' Best of Both Worlds jaunt. Last year, officials in multiple states launched probes surrounding it after fans and their frustrated parents were shut out of tickets. According to Pollstar.com, the lucrative tour — which is slated to continue through the rest of the month — grossed a whopping $36 million last year.

• Miley Cyrus
• Hannah Montana

Hannah Montana (a.k.a. Miley Cyrus)
Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images

The Hannah Montana tour is definitely one of the hottest tickets in town for tweens and their parents, but one woman admits she went a little overboard in trying to win tickets for her daughter. Texas mom Priscilla Ceballos apologized Friday (January 4) on NBC's "Today" show for writing an essay falsely claiming the girl's father had died in Iraq just so the girl could see Hannah (a.k.a. Miley Cyrus) in person. "I just wanted to help my daughter write a compelling story," she said. The fabricated essay won the contest's grand prize, which included airfare for four to Albany, New York, and four tickets to a sold-out Hannah Montana concert there, as well as a makeover that included a blond Hannah Montana wig. "Please accept my heartfelt apology and please do not punish my child for my mistake," Ceballos urged on the show. ...

What's harder to find than a City of Gold? For "American Idol" rocker Chris Daughtry, it was one of his own songs. Daughtry was commissioned to write a song to play over the end credits of "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," but the single, "Feels Like Tonight," was left on the cutting-room floor, reports Variety. "It's a great song, and probably could have been a good marketing tool, but when we put it up with the movie, it just felt wrong," Disney music chief Mitchell Leib told the Hollywood trade. ...In other "Idol" alumni news, Season Two winner Ruben Studdard and semifinalist Frenchie Davis (who got the boot from the show after Fox discovered that she worked for an adult Web site before trying out) have signed on for the 30th anniversary national tour of the Tony Award-winning musical revue "Ain't Misbehavin'." Richard Maltby Jr. co-wrote and directed the Broadway production, which showcases the music of "Fats" Waller, and he will re-create his original direction. Studdard was in need of some good news after being the first "Idol" winner to be dropped from his label, when J Records let him go in December. Since appearing on "Idol," Davis was in the Broadway cast of "Rent." The "Ain't Misbehavin' " tour will begin in November and run at least through May 2009. ...

Literature probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of C-Murder, but the rapper — who is to be retried on a second-degree murder charge on February 11 — is taking part in a unique book club that connects readers with authors. On January 19, C-Murder will help christen the New Orleans "chapter" of the Conversations Book Club when he joins the group at the Comfort Inn & Suites downtown to discuss "Death Around the Corner," his recent novel about the city. ...

R.E.M., My Morning Jacket, Vampire Weekend, Daniel Lanois, Tech N9ne and My Brightest Diamond are among the initial slate of bands scheduled to perform at this year's South by Southwest festival. Lou Reed will be the keynote speaker at the fest, which will take place in Austin, Texas, March 12-16. ... Birdman is being sued for allegedly sampling other artists' songs without paying for them. The lawsuit, which was filed in New Orleans, claims that the Cash Money Records co-founder (real name: Bryan Williams) owes several music publishers money for using copyrighted songs without permission. ... Does Britney have some competition? Both Whitney Houston and her estranged husband, Bobby Brown, were no-shows Friday (January 4) at their scheduled court appearance, TMZ.com reports. According to the Web site, Whitney's attorney, Stephen Kolodny, said the singer was sick. ...

Bay Area producer/DJ Amplive won't be putting out his remix of Radiohead's In Rainbows after all. Just a month after announcing his remix album, Rainydayz Remixes, which was to feature a cameo from Too Short, Amp announced on his MySpace page that he had received a cease-and-desist letter from Radiohead's publisher, Warner/Chappell, on December 18 that barred him from releasing the unapproved album, according to a story on Pitchfork linked to from Amp's site. In a video on his MySpace page, a dejected-looking Amp, holding a sign that reads "free," laments, "In Rainbows is one of the top Radiohead albums, and I'm a big Radiohead fan, and it was all done in celebration." He says he wanted to show his appreciation for Radiohead's pioneering pay-what-you-want scheme by doing a hip-hop remix album that would also have featured Del Tha Funkee Homosapien and Jurassic 5's Chali 2na. He says he wishes that Radiohead could hear the free remix album, which he knows they would like, and suspects the band is not to blame for the legal action. "Thom [Yorke], holla at me, man," he pleads to the band's frontman at the end of the message. ...

Australia's first couple of music, Silverchair singer Daniel Johns and singer/actress Natalie Imbruglia, have announced that they will separate after four years of marriage, according to the Melbourne Herald Sun. The pair announced their split in a joint statement released Friday (January 4) that read, "While we are very sad that our marriage has ended, we want to make it clear that our parting is amicable and we remain friends. ... This mutual decision has not been taken lightly or quickly. However, our career demands and our lives in different parts of the world have brought us to the point where unfortunately this difficult decision was necessary for both of us. We have simply grown apart through not being able to spend enough time together." ... On March 25, long-running, genre-spanning party-poppers the B-52s will return with Funplex, their first album of new material since 1992's Good Stuff (and their first to feature co-frontwoman Cindy Wilson since '89's Cosmic Thing). Guitarist Keith Strickland describes the album as "loud, sexy rock and roll for your pleasure zones, with the beat pumped up to hot pink," just in case you were wondering. ...

Josh Groban had a great Christmas, but the music industry? Not so much. For the eighth year in a row, album sales were down, with total album sales diving 15 percent in 2007 to 500.5 million units, according to year-end figures from Nielsen SoundScan. The Los Angeles Times reports that it was the lowest tally and steepest decline since Nielsen began publishing estimates based on in-stores sales data in 1993. There was a bright spot with digital-album sales rising 2.4 percent to 30.1 million units, but even that paled in comparison to the 19 percent uptick in 2006. The overall picture, including albums, singles and individual-song downloads, showed a rise of 14 percent to 1.4 billion units, which, again, was down from the 19 percent gain in 2006. ...

Last year's Live Earth concert and the Roskilde Festival in Denmark will be recognized with environmental honors at the upcoming Midem Green World Awards in Cannes, France, later this month, according to BBC News. The awards pay tribute to events that promote a greater awareness of environmental issues. Live Earth is being recognized for the strict green guidelines it set out in order to create a low-impact worldwide event, while Roskilde, one of the largest European festivals, is earning praise for serving all its drinks in recyclable plastic mugs. ...

Not everyone is psyched about the huge music festival that is slated to touch down in Vineland, New Jersey, this summer courtesy of a hookup between Lollapalooza promoters C3 and the people behind England's Glastonbury Festival. According to the Vineland Daily Journal, a group of citizens, including a former City Council president, have mobilized under the banner of Neighbors Against Rock Concert Site in an attempt to block the show. The first meeting of NARCS is slated to take place Thursday, with the goal of blocking the festival — currently scheduled for August 8-10 — from taking place on a local 570-acre farm. The event is expected to draw 35,000-40,000 people over three days, with mostly on-site camping, which neighbors worry will have a negative impact on the area due to potential increases in traffic, noise, crime and pollution. According to the Journal, NARCS isn't opposed to the festival, just its location. The group is considering a lawsuit to stop the show, while suggesting that promoters move it to a more "appropriate" location, such as the local county fairgrounds. ...

The once-in-a-lifetime New Year's Eve gig at a small club in Surrey, England, that featured Who guitarist Pete Townshend, former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and guitar god Eric Clapton might not be a one-off after all. The secret show, which the trio performed under the name Totally Abandoned, benefited charity and included mostly "old classics," according to London newspaper The Independent. A Thursday post on the Who's site confirmed that the gig took place and teased that "a much larger gig" could happen in New York before March. ...

Stephen Stills is recovering after having surgery for prostate cancer on Thursday. He is expected to be at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25 for the world premiere of "CSNY/ Déjà Vu," a movie directed by Neil Young that revolves around his and Stills' group, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

1.3.08

T.I. adjusted his calendar Thursday (January 3) after an Atlanta judge postponed until February 19 a suppression hearing that had been scheduled for Thursday. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Grand Hustle rapper's lawyers are seeking to have evidence thrown out because they claim it was obtained as a part of an illegal search when T.I. (real name: Clifford Harris Jr.) was arrested in October for allegedly attempting to purchase illegal machine guns. Lawyers for the rapper filed a motion in November stating his vehicle had been searched without a warrant, consent or probable cause. He has been under house arrest awaiting trial after posting a $3 million bond in late October. ...

Chris Brown has hit a bump as he tours across the U.S. — the singer's set designer is suing him for breach of contract, according to TMZ. John Troxtel claims in a federal lawsuit he filed Christmas Eve that while he was paid for some of his labor, "extra work was required and requested." He says an oral agreement was made but that the touring company has refused to make good on its promise. Troxtel, who is seeking more than $1 million in damages, is also reportedly suing Brown for unjust enrichment. ...

Former B2K groupmates Dreux "Lil Fizz" Frederic and Jarell "J-Boog" Houston have released a statement through their publicist regarding the claims of sexual molestation Raz-B made against manager Chris Stokes in recent online videos. "We had nothing to do with the [videos], their release and/or their claims, we are unaware of any inappropriate behavior," the statement read. Raz-B later retracted and apologized for the accusations. Meanwhile, Raz-B's business partner had no comment on a new, recently surfaced tape of Raz-B, his brother Ricky Romance and Stokes, and said he didn't know when it was shot. ...

Nate Dogg suffered a stroke on December 19, according to a coordinator for the hip-hop crooner's recently formed gospel choir, Innate Praise. Reports had circulated that the longtime Snoop Dogg associate had been admitted to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center in California after suffering a heart attack. Erica Beckwith, however, confirmed to MTV News that Nate Dogg was released on December 26 after being treated for a stroke and is currently in a medical-rehab facility to assist him in his recovery. ...

The Jonas Brothers have inked a fat deal with Live Nation, and it's being called the first of its kind for an up-and-coming group, according to Billboard. The multimillion-dollar agreement will see the band of brothers playing a jaw-dropping 140 shows at theaters and arenas over the next two years. Eight shows have been lined up so far for the Look Me in the Eyes Tour, in Tuscon, Arizona (January 31); Las Vegas (February 1); Los Angeles (February 2); Everett, Washington (February 5); Portland, Oregon (February 6); February 8 (Salt Lake City); El Paso, Texas (February 11); and San Antonio (February 12). ... Radiohead have, according to the U.K.'s The Times, agreed to a deal with iTunes — which some fans may have noticed, given that the band's In Rainbows album is now available through the online store. "In terms of digital income, we've made more money out of this record than out of all the other Radiohead albums put together, forever," Thom Yorke reportedly said about the release. ...

Bono has teamed with Hard Rock for a new tee that is benefiting the Wildlife Conservation Society's Conservation Cotton Initiative, which helps educate impoverished African farmers. The Bono Signature Series T-shirt, which will be available starting Monday at Hard Rock's terrestrial and online shops, is being made available via Edun, a socially conscious clothing company that Bono and his wife, Ali Hewson, launched in spring 2005. ... Bright Eyes mainman Conor Oberst, who toured as part of the Vote for Change Tour in support of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004, performed at a rally for another Democratic contender, Senator Barack Obama, in Iowa on Tuesday. According to The New York Observer, Oberst played for a crowd of approximately 1,000 Obama supporters and at one point told them, "I met the next president of the United States earlier today." But that's hardly the only star Obama has on his side. Scarlett Johansson was a special guest at a rally for him in Iowa on Wednesday night, according to The Nation. She reportedly spoke with a group of young supporters in Des Moines. ...

The Facebook profile cited in many articles (including MTV News') about Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the late Benazir Bhutto's son, is a hoax, according to a statement from Farahnaz Ispahani of the Pakistan Peoples Party. "The statement that's on [the Facebook profile] is not his statement," he told The New York Times. "It seems genuine but according to Mr. Zardari, and we checked with him, the Facebook statement has not been written by Bilawal." ...

Foo Fighters are following in Justin Timberlake's footsteps — the band is participating in this year's "My Grammy Moment" segment for the February 10 awards ceremony. Unsigned instrumentalists — sorry, singers — are getting the chance to perform with Dave Grohl and the gang as part of an orchestra, with the winner being showcased as the featured instrumentalist. Interested? Record a performance video that is no longer than one minute and reflects your talent and submit it here. A Grammy Awards panel will choose 45 quarter-finalists, after which the public will narrow down the group to semifinalists who will perform with the five-time Grammy-nominated band. ... Christina Aguilera and Katie Holmes, starring side by side in a new flick? Rumors are circulating online that the two have been tapped for an upcoming comedy called "Humboldt Park," but Rene Rigal, who is executive producing the flick, told MTV News in regards to the castings, "We haven't heard anything as of yet." ...

Mark this one with a "WTF?" on your calendar: Keytar-wielding indie-rockers and former You Hear It First artists Mute Math will open for Matchbox Twenty and Alanis Morissette on their Exile in America tour, which runs from January 25 in Hollywood, Florida, through March 18 in Las Vegas. ... Hot Chip will pad their February 5 release, Made in the Dark, with a smattering of shows in April. The British electro-poppers will play nine gigs, from an April 10 one in Philadelphia through an April 24 show in San Francisco. ... Meanwhile, Ween are barreling on with their longest tour in three years. The band will play six gigs in January — from January 23 in Washington, D.C., through January 31 in Orlando, Florida — and is slated to play February 1-2 in St. Petersburg and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, before jetting overseas. ...

Sketch-comedy duo Tim and Eric have a few friends you may know. Maroon 5 bassist Mickey Madden, Phantom Planet frontman Alex Greenwald and the Like singer/guitarist Z have chalked up covers of songs by the pair's fictional Casey and His Brothers group. Check 'em out on TimAndEric.com. ... Sean Penn will head the awards jury at this year's Cannes Film Festival, which is slated for May 14-25. According to AP, the "Into the Wild" director said "a new generation of filmmaking may have begun," and that there seems to be "a rejuvenation of cinema building worldwide." ...

The Offspring are nearly finished with the follow-up to 2003's Splinter. According to a post from frontman Dexter Holland on the punk-rockers' Web site, they're "taking a quick break from recording right now to be with our families. I've got two lyrics to do, a couple more to sing, and various musical tweaks and fixes to get done. Then, we'll be ready to mix." There's no release date for the album yet, but the Offspring "want to thank all our fans who have been so patient, and we want you to know that we've been in the studio nearly every day now for quite awhile working hard to make a great record," the post says. ...

Former Kid 'N Play frontman Christopher "Play" Martin was reportedly hospitalized over the weekend when his car was struck by another vehicle whose driver was wounded by a bullet. According to North Carolina's The News & Observer, the one-time rapper's car was struck after a man — suspected of fleeing from where a home robbery took place — was allegedly fired upon by local police. The man, identified as Raul Riva Aldamo, reportedly died as a result of the gunfire. Martin and his companion, Michelle Gonzales, were released from doctor's care on Wednesday, and according to a rep for Martin, he is at home recovering.

• Hannah Montana
• Miley Cyrus
• R.E.M.
• My Morning Jacket
• Vampire Weekend

Miley Cyrus (a.k.a. Hannah Montana)
Photo: Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images

On September 20, a New Jersey woman named Kerry Inman bought a membership to the official Miley Cyrus fan club for her daughter, Alyna. Five days later, they logged on to MileyWorld.com at exactly 10 a.m., the time Hannah Montana concert tickets became available via presale for fan-club members. But despite having the fan-club edge and being on time, they were already shut out — no tickets were available for either of the Best of Both Worlds shows in their area, January 4 in Pittsburgh and January 5 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Kerry Inman didn't go back to MileyWorld and ask for a refund or even try to cancel her membership. She didn't contact Interactive Media Marketing or Smiley Miley, the two companies governing the official Miley Cyrus (a.k.a. Hannah) fan club. So why is she the person at the center of the class-action lawsuit that was filed Tuesday against the fan club? Because of all the women on whose behalf the lawyers are taking action, she had logged on at the precise time tickets should have been available to fan-club members, attorney Aaron Rihn told MTV News.

Rihn, an attorney at Robert Peirce & Associates P.C. — which, along with Glassman, Edwards, Wade & Wyatt P.C., filed the suit in federal court in Tennessee — said that because it's a class-action suit, the claim isn't so much about what happened to one fan-club member, but to the group as a whole.

"She could have been any one of a dozen women. This is different than if this were about just one plaintiff," he said. "Before we filed the suit, we talked to a large number of women, mostly mothers who had bought memberships to try to help get concert tickets, and when they couldn't get the tickets, some sought refunds and some [tried] to get an answer from the fan club but got no response."

Most of the women seeking recourse were brought to the law firms' attention because of office gossip — some of the women who work at Robert Peirce & Associates P.C. in Pittsburgh were in the same position and had found that their friends and neighbors were as well, once they started talking at Brownies events and PTA meetings. Rihn said after they heard a lot of stories about the same complaint, a half-dozen women agreed they wanted to take legal action. Two or three of those women, he said, had tried to get refunds and cancel their memberships but didn't get a reply. Though the number of people that were initially represented by the suit was small, Rihn said, "it was clear to us that this was an endemic problem."

"More than 70,000 MileyWorld members obtained concert tickets as a result of their membership in MileyWorld," Cyrus rep Meghan Prophet countered, noting that each member could purchase up to four tickets apiece, so the total number of tickets made available to fan-club members was more than 250,000 nationwide. Kansas City, Missouri's Spring Center, for instance, has 18,500 seats; 11,000 seats were made available for the concert, of which 4,000 were sold to the public, with the rest going to the fan club, according to the National Association of Ticket Brokers.

"MileyWorld members had far greater access to concert tickets than the general public and other fan clubs," Prophet said, "and the claim that the vast majority of MileyWorld members were unable to obtain concert tickets is simply false."

Since filing the suit, Rihn said, over a thousand people have contacted his law firm in the last 24 hours to join the class-action suit. But since his firm has yet to discuss the case with Interactive Media Marketing or Smiley Miley for discovery purposes, the information they have is limited to those individual stories and media reports. Based on those reports, Rihn believes MileyWorld had upward of 1 million members, so he disputes that 70,000 members getting tickets would be a fair amount.

"That's a very small percentage of Miley's actual fan base," Rihn said. "That makes it more of a lottery than a realistic benefit of fan-club membership."

[This story was originally published at 4:25 p.m. ET on 11.14.07]

• Miley Cyrus
• Hannah Montana

Jessica Simpson (file)
Photo: MJ Kim/ Getty Images

Jessica Simpson gets physical in the new issue of InStyle, breaking out her trainer's plan to "get your best body now!" But she turns inward as well, telling the magazine for its November issue — which hits racks Friday (check out the full cover here) — that, "I was the princess in the fairy tale — then reality came crashing in, and I learned that isn't always how life works." She insisted that "I am in complete control of my life" after going through her divorce with Nick Lachey and, while she didn't call out ex-boyfriend John Mayer by name, she did reveal, "I've had my heart broken since my divorce. That's OK. I believe you fall in love more than once and get your heart broken more than once. Trust me, I have cried myself to sleep." ...

Kanye West isn't exactly the kind of guy who needs an ego boost, but Jennifer Lopez and Pharrell puffed him up a bit anyway in recent interviews with MTV Europe. J. Lo says she finds West "to be a very smart businessman" and that his album faceoff with 50 Cent was "clever." "I think it's fun for publicity. ... It was really about a healthy competition between two amazing artists," said the singer — whose new album, Brave, unfortunately hasn't been faring too well in record stores. Pharrell is cheering West's Graduation — when asked if he's happy for West's success, the super-producer replied, "Absolutely. That album is a classic: flawless production; lyrically, he absolutely, absolutely took himself to another level. ... He is in the clouds with that album." ...

While he was at it, Pharrell also championed an entirely different musical act — Swedish garage-rockers the Hives, who he teamed with for their November 13 release, The Black and White Album. "Those are my guys," he said. "[They're] fun, they're smart, they have a great image, they love music." Pharrell, who knows a thing or two about turning the knobs, said he actually picked up a few tips from Hives frontman Pelle Almqvist. "Forget about it. He knows everything. I'm in the studio learning things from him." ...

While 50 may still be stinging from the aforementioned chart battle, he's reportedly moving on to something else — a new G-Unit project. The group has pegged December 18 as the release date for their sophomore effort, Shoot to Kill, and Funkmaster Flex will premiere the first single, "Wanna Lick" (featuring Lil' Kim), Friday on Hot 97, according to XXL magazine. "Cancel Christmas, it's over," 50 told the mag in regards to the much-anticipated release. ...

Sorry, Mariah fans — looks like her new album isn't coming out this year after all. While her record label confirmed that her yet-untitled follow-up to The Emancipation of Mimi would be dropping December 4, a label representative now says Carey is still recording and the date has not been solidified. ... Wyclef Jean helped rake in almost $250,000 as part of a charity-poker event he co-hosted Tuesday at the Vail ski resort in Colorado. Jean performed a handful of tunes as well, including renditions of two traditional songs, "La Bamba" (Mexico) and "Guantanamera" (Cuba). Thrice, Joey Fatone, Boyz II Men and others attended the Vail Hold'Em Poker Event for Your Cause, which involved celebrities competing to win money for their charities of choice. ...

Alicia Keys, KT Tunstall, Earth, Wind & Fire, Annie Lennox, Juanes, Junoon and Melissa Etheridge will perform at the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize Concert slated for December 11 in Norway. Al Gore picked Etheridge for the event, which will serve as a salute to him and the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for their efforts to raise awareness about climate change. Gore and the panel won the Nobel Peace Prize last week. ... Speaking of Lennox, she got an unusual scare at her Tuesday concert in Boulder, Colorado, when a man wearing a gas mask and a cape turned up in the crowd toward the end of her show, according to "Access Hollywood." The singer reportedly dropped the mic and booked it backstage without addressing the crowd, though she returned to the stage after the man was removed. "That was really freakish and disturbing, whatever the hell it was. He owes me and my band a f---ing apology," Lennox lashed out on her blog. The man's name hasn't been released, since he has not been charged with a crime, and it's unclear if he will be, as he didn't actually get onstage. ...

Are Rihanna and Josh Hartnett an item? One would be led to think so after seeing the "30 Days of Night" actor's Thursday appearance on "The Morning Show With Mike and Juliet." When the hosts asked him to address rumors that he's dating Rih Rih, he started smiling and stuttering heavily. "No, no, come on, you guys," he said. "We weren't supposed to talk about these sort of things, were we? I thought we were going to come out here and talk about the movie. ... I can't really respond to things like that, because if I start responding to them, then everybody wants a response on everything." ... Francis Ford Coppola unleashed: The director is ripping into two of his "Godfather" actors, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, as well as Jack Nicholson, telling GQ that the Oscar-winners have become too apathetic. "They all live off the fat of the land," the esteemed director said, adding that he doesn't know "what any of them want anymore." The interview is featured in GQ's November issue, which hits newsstands Tuesday. ...

Radiohead will be chasing Rainbows — well, technically, their new album, In Rainbows — with an international tour next year, Billboard.com reports. The band is reportedly planning to hit the tarmac in May and continue playing sizeable venues through the end of the year. The trek would be unusual given that frontman Thom Yorke has voiced his distaste for international touring in the past, and the band played only select shows in the U.S. and Europe in summer 2006. ... Bruce Springsteen continued to speak out about his political beliefs at his Thursday night show at New York's Madison Square Garden, sounding off about wiretapping and infringements on the Bill of Rights. He also made an elliptical reference before performing the title track to his new Magic LP, saying the song was "not about magic but about tricks." Bono, Jon Stewart, James Gandolfini and R.E.M.'s Mike Mills were in attendance, RollingStone.com reports. ...

Josh Homme says Queens of the Stone Age could "blow through a whole record quick" with their new roster, according to Billboard.com. "Queens sounds better than it ever has live, but we're trying to figure out how to tour and how to [write and record], 'cause I think for everyone right now, the idea of creating something is even more enticing than going on the road," he told the site. In addition to Homme, the QOTSA lineup includes multi-instrumentalist Troy Van Leeuwen and drummer Joey Castillo, who joined the entourage in 2002, and two musicians who hooked up with the band earlier this year — keyboardist Dean Fertita, who has also toured with the Raconteurs, and Wires on Fire bassist Michael Shuman. ...

Johnny Marr, former guitarist for the Smiths and current axeman for Modest Mouse, has a new handle: professor of music. Manchester, England's University of Salford has given Marr the honorary title and tapped him to host workshops on music composition and performance, according to U.K. newspaper The Guardian. ... If you thought the Led Zeppelin roller coaster being constructed for the Hard Rock Park was out there, wait till you hear what else is in store: a mock Mount Rushmore sculpture called "Mount Rockmore" and featuring the likenesses of Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, Bob Marley and Elvis Presley. The 50-acre park — located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina — is set to open in the spring. ...

John Goodman left the Promises Malibu Alcohol and Drug Rehab Treatment Facility in Southern California — the rehab center where Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan also stayed — after being treated there for an undisclosed reason and undisclosed period of time, The Associated Press reports. The actor "took the necessary steps to remain sober the rest of his life," according to a statement issued by his publicist, Stan Rosenfield. Goodman earned an Emmy Award this year for his part in "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." ...

Joey Bishop, a comedian who was a member of Frank Sinatra's famed Rat Pack, died Wednesday night in Newport Beach, California, of multiple causes, AP reports. The actor, who appeared in the original "Ocean's Eleven" movie, was 89. ... AP also reports that Deborah Kerr, an actress who appeared in "The King and I" and "From Here to Eternity," died Tuesday in England after battling Parkinson's disease. She was 86.

10.17.07

C-Murder will be tried a second time on a second-degree murder charge, The Associated Press reports. A trial date has been set for February 11. The rapper, who was born Corey Miller, stands accused of the shooting death of 16-year-old Steve Thomas at a Louisiana nightclub on January 12, 2002. His 2003 conviction was tossed in March 2006 after prosecutors withheld criminal background information on witnesses from Miller's attorney. If convicted, he faces a mandatory life sentence without parole. ...

What would a day be like without Britney Spears news? Legal representatives for the singer and her ex-husband, Kevin Federline, were present at an ex-parte hearing called by his lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan on Wednesday (October 17), according to Us Weekly. Commissioner Scott M. Gordon sealed the courtroom for the one-hour Los Angeles Superior Court meeting, which pertains to the former couple's child-custody dispute. Spears and Federline were not present for the one-hour meeting in Los Angeles Superior Court but are required to be in court for a hearing on October 26. Relatedly, Spears is apparently making no secret of her distaste for Gordon, Us Weekly also reports. The singer was heard griping about Gordon at a department store in Beverly Hills late last week, allegedly ranting to her assistant, "I hate my judge. He is so mean. Just an old fart. He told me I was being catty with him, but he was being catty with me and paid me no respect at all. ... His job is to sit there and tell people what to do. And that's just so sad, because he gets off on it." She was also heard singing Rihanna's "Umbrella" while shopping in the store. The magazine also reports that Spears was seen wearing a zip-up jacket with the phrase "F--- Off Lover Boy" while driving in Malibu on Tuesday. ...

Well, maybe Brit should have listened to Lance Bass. He's speaking up about the troubled singer, telling GQ that he's been trying to get through to her. "I tried. I tried. She's my neighbor in Beverly Hills [California]. She lives next door. I tried to get in touch with her — I wanted to be that friend to help her. I don't think she's having any of her old friends anymore," he told the magazine for its November issue. Equally revealing, Bass said he disclosed to the pop star that he was gay years before he came out in public. He said he reached out to her after her quickie Vegas wedding in January 2004. "I felt bad for her," he said. "I knew she was about to go through a lot of crap. I felt the need to share something. So I sat her on my bed, and I'm like, 'Well, I'm gay!' " ...

"Hannah Montana" fans, get ready to see your hero in a whole new light — she's hitting the big screen ... and in 3-D! The upcoming movie "Hannah Montana/ Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour" will get the 3-D treatment for a theatrical release that will play in theaters from February 1-7, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film will be shot during various stops on her 54-city tour, which starts Thursday in St. Louis. ...

Linkin Park's Chester Bennington broke his arm on Sunday during a concert in Melbourne, Australia. The band's Web site features a video showing the frontman's limb in a cast. Despite the injury, Bennington continued to perform with the Park, for their entire set. ... My Chemical Romance have booked a special gig at Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey, for October 24. Tickets for the sold-out show went for $100 apiece, with all proceeds going to charity. In other MCR news, RollingStone.com reports that the band has put the finishing touches on a yet-untitled DVD surrounding its recent tour. The disc, reportedly due out early next year, will feature the group's full performance of The Black Parade in Mexico City. ...

Kanye West gave a surprise performance at a launch event for T-Mobile's Sidekick LX at Griffith Park in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. He played a batch of Graduation songs, after which DJ AM and Steve Aoki did some spinning. A slew of celebs turned out for the event: Nick Cannon, Bow Wow, Shia LaBeouf, Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler, Carmen Electra, Jack Osbourne, Wilmer Valderrama, JC Chasez, Frankie Muniz and, yes, even Chris "Leave Britney alone!" Crocker. ...

Rivers Cuomo has let slip what fans can expect on his just-announced demos compilation release. He told RollingStone.com that the release will have about 18 songs, including his original demo for Weezer's "Buddy Holly" — and, get this, a cover of Ice Cube's "The Bomb." He also said he'll be unveiling songs from an unfinished space-rock concept album. ... Apparently everyone in Kid Rock's camp isn't sharing in his Rock N Roll Jesus SoundScan spoils: His longtime manager, Ed "Punch" Andrews, has decided to retire, according to Billboard.com. Rock has reportedly found a replacement in Vector Management, which handles Bon Jovi, among others. ...

In September, Robert Plant dismissed a potential Led Zeppelin tour that would be held after their reunion gig at the O2 Arena in London on November 26 — but is Jimmy Page leaving the door open? He hinted as such in an interview with Canada's Winnipeg Sun, saying, "Let's do the O2 show, shall we? And then we'll speak to you afterwards." But, he added, "That's what we have on our horizon at this point. I know you want to hear other answers, but I'm afraid that's all I can give you." The guitar god was less vague about the prospect of new Zep material, saying he would be "really surprised" if there wasn't any. "We're musicians ... as we're playing we'll probably be coming up with all manner of things," he said. Bassist John Paul Jones also spoke with the newspaper, saying, "Basically, we are concentrating on this show. That's where all the energy is going. I mean, who knows, but one step at a time." ...

Cat Power, a.k.a. Chan Marshall, will take on Bob Dylan's "I Believe in You," James Brown's "Lost Someone," Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son" and other classics on her second covers album, Jukebox. The January 22 release — which was previously titled Covers II, according to Billboard — also features a pair of originals: "Song to Bobby" and a new version of one of her older cuts, "Metal Heart." One would expect Marshall to perform the Dylan tune when she salutes His Bobness at an upcoming event called "I'm Not There: In Concert a Celebration of Todd Haynes' Film." My Morning Jacket, Calexico and Mason Jennings have also been tapped for the concert, which will take place November 7 at New York's Beacon Theatre. The movie, which stars Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett and others, is due in theaters November 21. ...

Ryan Adams can't get enough of "October Road," apparently. The mercurial singer/songwriter's music is featured in the TV drama and its ad bumpers, and now he's ganging up with the cast for his new video. Adams plans to shoot a clip for "Follow the Lights" — a song included on his Tuesday EP of the same name — Sunday in Los Angeles, and it's due to premiere January 7 during the first episode of the show's second season. The collaboration marks the first time the cast of an ABC show has gotten together to take part in an artist's music video. ...

From the "Man, please don't do this" file, it seems George Lucas is entrenched in one of two planned "Star Wars" TV projects, a live-action spinoff, the Los Angeles Times reports. Lucas told the newspaper he has "just begun work" on the series, which, as he previously told MTV News, will be set between "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" and the original "Star Wars." He reiterated to the Times that the spinoff will focus on minor characters from the series, not Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader. He also joked that the series would be about "the life of robots." ... Bleeding Through singer Brandan Schieppati has teamed with Bad Religion drummer Brooks Wackerman, No Use for a Name guitarist Dave Nassie and ex-Distillers bassist Ryan Sinn to form a new band called the Innocent. The thrash-metal act has been working on material but there's no word yet on when it might record and release an LP. ...

For the second time in a month, Apple Inc. has done something it's not known for: dropped its prices. Effective immediately, the price for songs on iTunes without copy protection will drop from $1.29 to 99 cents. Apple started selling some DRM-free songs in May at a premium price. ...

Elliott Smith's girlfriend, Jennifer Chiba, cannot collect on the deceased indie-rock icon's estate even though he allegedly said he would make sure she was financially set for the rest of her life, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Chiba had sued Smith's estate in 2004, arguing that he had promised her as such and that, because they had lived together — and shared their earnings and property equally — she was entitled to a portion. But a split California appellate court ruled Tuesday that while she did have a "cohabitative agreement" with Smith, Chiba — who had been seeking more than $1 million — also had a recording management agreement and acted as an unlicensed talent agent. If she appeals, a state Supreme Court review could be possible.

• Jessica Simpson
• Jennifer Lopez
• Pharrell Williams
• Kanye West
• The Hives

Madonna
Photo: Gareth Davies/Getty Images

Madonna finalized her massive 10-year deal with Live Nation on Tuesday (October 16), although the exact terms have yet to be disclosed. The deal involves her new studio efforts, tours, merchandise, DVD releases, sponsorships, licensing agreements, fan club, Web site, and TV and film projects. "The paradigm in the music business has shifted, and as an artist and a businesswoman, I have to move with that shift," she said in a statement. "For the first time in my career, the way that my music can reach my fans is unlimited. I've never wanted to think in a limited way and with this new partnership, the possibilities are endless. Who knows how my albums will be distributed in the future? That's what's exciting about this deal — everything is possible. Live Nation has offered me a true partnership, and after 25 years in the business, I feel that I deserve that." She did, however, have some kind words to say about former label Warner Bros.: "I appreciate their hard work and value the many relationships I have developed over the years with the label in the U.S. and around the world. I have an album coming out with them next year, and I'm excited about it. We still have work to do together." And Warner Bros. returned the enthusiasm in its own Tuesday statement: "We congratulate Madonna on her future plans. She is one of the most remarkable artists of our time. We are excited to issue her upcoming album next year. We are also honored to own her catalog of recordings from the past 25 years, as well as to manage her library of songs for an extended period of time. From all of us at Warner Music Group, we thank Madonna for a valued and enduring partnership." Live Nation also announced a new Artist Nation arm that will launch with Madonna and have divisions dedicated to dealing with an artist's recorded music, merchandise, concert tickets, sponsorships, marketing and more. ...

Foxy Brown (real name: Inga Marchand) pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to assault charges stemming from the alleged cell phone-throwing incident that took place in July, The Associated Press reports. The rapper, who is serving a one-year jail term at New York's Rikers Island Correctional Facility for violating her probation, entered the plea in a Brooklyn state Supreme Court. On Friday, she refused to get on a correction-department bus twice for a court arraignment. Brown allegedly hit neighbor Arlene Raymond after they got into a fight over Brown blasting her car stereo outside her home in Brooklyn. ...

One of 50 Cent's employees was arraigned in Hartford, Connecticut's Superior Court on Monday on two counts of carrying a pistol without a permit, two counts of second-degree assault and one count of weapons in a motor vehicle, according to The Hartford Courant. Dwayne "Hove" McKenzie, who has been jailed since early Sunday on $1.5 million bail, is expected to be released as early as Monday after the bail amount was cut in half following the arraignment. The charges stem from incidents over the weekend in which McKenzie, who resides at Fif's Farmington mansion, is accused of pistol-whipping a nightclub promoter. Four days later, McKenzie was found with a 9mm Glock and another handgun when police stopped him in downtown Hartford to serve him a warrant on an unrelated weapons charge. Two months ago, McKenzie lost his right to carry a pistol after firing a gun at a man who robbed him. His cases have been continued until November 6. ...

Need another Shakira fix? The singer has slapped together a live DVD/CD, simply called "Oral Fixation Tour," for release on November 13. The disc immortalizes her l40-city, 2006-'07 world tour — which more than 2.5 million people attended, according to her publicist — and features 17 performances, including ones with Wyclef Jean and Alejandro Sanz. Bonus video clips, behind-the-scenes footage and a documentary capturing her trip to Colombia in support of her Pies Descalzos child-education program are also tucked onto the DVD, while the CD has a batch of live songs. The main program will also be screened at select theaters starting November 12. ...

Talk about "girl power" — the Spice Girls are putting a very feminine touch on their upcoming Greatest Hits set by selling it exclusively at Victoria's Secret stores. The November 13 release will be available elsewhere in downloadable form beyond VictoriasSecret.com, but the physical copies will only be at VS stores or via a pre-order on the aforementioned Web site starting midnight Wednesday and ending midnight Thursday. The group is also taking part in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which tapes November 14 in Los Angeles and airs December 4 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. ...

Last we heard from Weezer, they were planning to hit the studio in July to record album number six and get it out next year. Now comes news — via a post on frontman Rivers Cuomo's blog — that Geffen has agreed to put out a disc of his favorite demos he recorded from 1992-2007. "I hope you enjoy it. I may also be able to put out more demo CDs in the near future," reads the post. RollingStone.com reports that the collection, due December 11, will be called Alone - The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo. Cuomo's planned book has been postponed to a later date. ...

The Smashing Pumpkins, Metallica, Linkin Park and Chris Cornell are among the big names who'll be featured on the forthcoming Live Earth - The Concerts for a Climate in Crisis CD/DVD package, due November 20. Recorded July 7 at Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore's Live Earth concerts, which served to raise awareness about the climate crisis, the set will also include performances by the Black Eyed Peas, the Foo Fighters, Kelly Clarkson, Dave Matthews Band, Beastie Boys, Bon Jovi and John Mayer. Net proceeds will benefit the Alliance for Climate Protection, whose mission is to persuade the public about the importance and urgency of adopting and implementing effective and comprehensive solutions for the climate crisis. ...

It looks like the "Hannah Montana" ticket controversy is spurring the government to act on ticket scalpers. On Monday, a federal judge prohibited the use of automated software to buy mass tickets from Ticketmaster, Reuters reports. The move was provoked by a suit Ticketmaster lodged in April against Pittsburgh's RMG Technologies before tickets for the Miley Cyrus tour went on sale. Ticketmaster argued that the company's software allows scalpers to move ahead of other customers in line and purchase mass amounts of tickets that can be resold at higher prices. "They're cheating consumers out of a fair shot at these tickets, and we're not going to stand for it anymore," said Joe Freeman, a lawyer for Ticketmaster. U.S. District Court Judge Audrey Collins has issued a preliminary injunction against RMG that bars the company from "creating, trafficking in, facilitating the use of or using computer programs or other automatic devices to circumvent" the Ticketmaster Web site's copy-protection system. State attorneys general are also figuring out if ticket resellers have broken consumer-protection laws in at least three states: Pennsylvania, Arkansas and Missouri. ...

U2 are planning quite the birthday bash for their classic LP The Joshua Tree. The album will be reissued in multiple configurations — as a single CD, two-CD package, as a collectible box with an additional DVD, and as a double-vinyl set — on November 20, Billboard reports. Rare material including B-sides, demos, alternate takes and more are expected to appear on the updated versions of the album, which originally came out March 9, 1987. The DVD will reportedly featured a July 4 show held that year at the Paris Hippodrome, in addition to the Brian Eno-produced documentary "Outside It's America." The package housing two CDs and a DVD will also have five portfolio prints, and bandmembers have scribbled up new liner notes for the reissues. ...

Let the jokes begin: Clay Aiken is joining the cast of "Monty Python's Spamalot" on Broadway. The "American Idol" runner-up will play one of the lead roles, Sir Robin — which was previously taken on by David Hyde Pierce — from January 18 through May 4 in the production, which was spawned by "Python" member Eric Idle and directed by the esteemed Mike Nichols. "Let's not lie, the chance to work with legendary creative minds like Mike Nichols and Eric Idle is, on its own, a reason to jump at this opportunity," he told The Associated Press. ...

Don Imus is likely to return to radio December 3 on New York City's WABC-AM, the country's biggest talk-radio station, according to Variety. His deal with the station — also home to another inflammatory jock, Rush Limbaugh — is expected to be finalized this week and will also involve a TV element that could allow him to regain his national platform. ... Idlewild guitarist Rod Jones sustained a hairline fracture in his arm in an accident last weekend, according to a post on the band's Web page. Jones tripped and took a tumble down a flight of stairs backstage at the Carling Academy in Liverpool, England. He iced the injury and still took the stage with the band, fumbling his way through its set. A post-show visit to the doctor revealed it was a minor break, and Jones plans to continue playing with the band on its latest tour. ...

Hot Chip will issue their next LP, Made in the Dark, on February 5. Look for the electronic indie-pop group's third effort to feature 13 cuts, including first single "Shake a Fist," "One Pure Thought" and "Wrestlers." ... The Hellacopters have thrown in the towel, according to the band's MySpace page. In a statement, the band revealed that "the reasons behind this very difficult decision are many and too personal to go into here." Still, the band's seventh and last studio album will be released, sometime early next year. "We feel like we wanna say one last goodbye to you and throw in the towel with a bang, so we're aiming to do a farewell tour through Europe and Scandinavia sometime in the spring." ...

YouTube has come up with a new way to fight video piracy and leaks — by employing new technology that would automatically remove copyrighted material from the site, AP reports. Hoping to appease angered movie and TV studios, the site will feature filtering tools crafted to allow the owners of copyrighted videos to block their material from appearing on YouTube. But if the owners want to keep their copyrighted material on the site, the new technology also allows them to sell ads surrounding it. ...

First Angelina Jolie lost her husband in a movie, now she's losing her son. The actress — who recently played the wife of slain reporter Daniel Pearl in "A Mighty Heart" — will star in Clint Eastwood's "The Changeling," an upcoming drama about a woman whose son goes missing in Los Angeles in the 1920s, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film, based on a true story, will also star John Malkovich. ... The Academy Award for Best Screenplay that Orson Welles won in 1941 for "Citizen Kane" — the greatest movie of all time, according to the American Film Institute — is going up on the auction block. The prize will be displayed at Sotheby's in New York on December 7-10 and sold December 11 for an estimated $800,000 to $1.2 million.

10.15.07

Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds came out way back in September 2006, but he doesn't want you to forget about him this holiday season. The singer has compiled two new gifts for fans: a special edition of the album and a new DVD to boot. FutureSex/LoveSounds Deluxe Edition, due November 27, will feature his "Until the End of Time" duet with Beyoncé and other to-be-named bonus tracks featuring big-name artists. The reissue will also house a bonus DVD with unreleased concert footage, making-of clips, director commentaries and more. The double-DVD "FutureSex/LoveShow Live From Madison Square Garden," on the other hand, will drop a week earlier — and only be available at Best Buy. Expect to see the August 15 concert in full on the disc, as well as before and after footage, song-by-song commentary from JT, backstage clips, interviews and more. ...

Britney Spears is inviting her fans — the ones who haven't been too turned off by VMA performance or new video, at least — to an open casting call for dancers on Monday (October 15) at the Millennium Dance Complex in North Hollywood, California. The tryouts will be held from 5-9 p.m., with "all styles welcome," according to "Access Hollywood." The tryouts will be for an upcoming tour and her next video, although it's not yet known for which song it will be. Spears reportedly planned to hold the auditions last week but was a no-show. ...

Lindsay Lohan has filed a countersuit against a man who accused her of negligence and drinking when she hit his parked van in West Hollywood, California, in October 2005. According to CBS' Los Angeles TV affiliate, the actress is asking for more than $75,000 in damages for the repair of her car and the cost of renting other vehicles after she hit the vehicle owned by Raymundo Ortega, who subsequently sued Lohan for at least $200,000 in damages. She also says Ortega made an illegal U-turn and that he and an unspecified number of defendants were "negligent in the ownership, operation, repairs and maintenance" of his van, according to the suit. As for Ortega's claim that she drove drunk, Lohan says the California Highway Patrol report — which his lawyers have called hearsay — does not support that allegation. The suit says Ortega made the drunk-driving claim "as a battering ram to force a settlement." A trial date for both suits has been set for April 7. ...

50 Cent got real with a roomful of high school students in Connecticut on Friday, which was named "50 Cent Curtis Jackson Day" in Bridgeport, the Connecticut Post reports. More than 50 juniors and seniors from three high schools were invited to Mayor John M. Fabrizi's office for what they were initially told was a discussion with city and school officials about services for young people, but they got a surprise visit from 50, who told them to look past some of his lyrics and judge him by the man he has become. "I say in one of my songs I hate cops. I don't hate cops," he said, reportedly nodding to Bridgeport Chief of Police Bryan T. Norwood. "But I am expressing the feelings of a young boy who sees the cops take his brother away, and hates them for it." When asked how he could rectify his beliefs with some of his other lyrics, he said, "Rap is very competitive. You can't show your vulnerabilities, or another artist will use that against you in their content. Also, you don't paint the whole picture at one time, with one color. I want to show more of my character, but it has to come out over time." 50, who has been in Bridgeport filming a new movie, "Righteous Kill," said he's been wanting to get involved in the city — so he presented a $25,000 check from his G-Unity Foundation to an education program called Hall Neighborhood House. During the events, 50 made two more interesting remarks — he suggested his feud with Kanye West was actually just a marketing ploy ("His label and my label are both owned by Universal Music Group"), and replied to a question about his moniker with a pun: "50 Cent is a metaphor. It means change." ...

Ashlee Simpson might have broken out a few tunes from her upcoming, yet-untitled LP over VMA weekend, but apparently it's not quite there yet. The singer had originally aimed for the LP to come out in November, but her label has now slotted it for a first-quarter 2008 release. ... Taking a cue from Avril Lavigne, Ashley Tisdale is on a mall tour to support her debut album, Headstrong. The "High School Musical 2" star's trek kicked off Sunday in Columbus, Ohio, and runs through November 1 in Dallas. ... Beyoncé is heading to Shanghai. The singer will perform at the Chinese city on November 3 as part of her international tour — despite the fact that she previously had to scrap a show in Malaysia after it was preceded by dress-code problems. China previously canceled a show by boyfriend Jay-Z after calling his lyrics too "vulgar," and officials also told the Rolling Stones in the past not to perform their racier material. Beyoncé is set to play Wednesday in Ethiopia and Saturday in Romania, after which she'll hit Turkey, India, Thailand, Indonesia and then China — first on November 1 at Macau — Philippines, South Korea and Taiwan. ...

Q-Tip brought out Stevie Wonder for his encore Sunday night at the Key Club in West Hollywood, California. The two performed "Superstition," with DJ Scratch from the legendary EPMD on the ones and twos. ... John Legend has pegged February 12 as the release date for Estelle's Shine, the first album to come via his HomeSchool label through Atlantic, Billboard reports. Legend acts as executive producer on the effort, while Wyclef Jean, Will.I.Am, Swizz Beatz and Mark Ronson also contribute production, and Kanye West and Cee-Lo make guest appearances. Legend told the mag he's three songs into his next, yet-untitled album, which he hopes to have out in the summer. ...

Pink knows how to party like an animal. The ardent People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals supporter hosted a party for the activist group's president, Ingrid Newkirk, in Los Angeles over the weekend. The bash, which featured pink champagne and veggie "not" dogs among its offerings, served to boost Newkirk's new book, "Let's Have a Dog Party," and Bill Maher, Kevin Nealon — and Pink's dogs — were also in attendance. In other PETA news, the Suicide Girls will soon be seen in the group's noted "We'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" series — they are posing Monday for photos that will be used in the nude-ad campaign and other advertising efforts. ...

Paris Hilton felt "empty" as a partygoer, and now she wants to "leave a mark on the world," she told Newsweek for its new issue, which hits stands Monday. In the article — called "Ms. Hilton Gets Serious. Please Stop Laughing." — she maps out plans for a five-day trip to Rwanda that will have her visiting schools and health-care clinics. "I'm scared, yeah. I've heard it's really dangerous," she said about going abroad. "I've never been on a trip like this before." Scott Lazerson, founder of Playing for Good — the children's charity the heiress will be traveling with — added that, "She's using her celebrity and the cameras that follow her for the good of humanity." The article also reveals that Lazerson is planning to film the trek and sell it as a reality show, called "The Philanthropist," that would feature other celebrities helping the poor. ...

What's a Radiohead? That's what at least one member of the Bush White House is wondering after Deputy Press Secretary Tony Fratto revealed that he's a big fan of the band and plans to pick up its new album, In Rainbows, according to The Washington Times. Another deputy press secretary, Scott Stanzel, called himself an "appreciator" of Radiohead's music as well, while National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe added that he's "90 percent sure" he's got a few of their songs on his iPod — although none from 2003's Hail to the Thief, which is widely considered to be a slam on the president. When Press Secretary Dana Perino was asked about the group, she replied, "I don't even know what that is. Is that a band?" ... Kirsten Dunst, Blondie frontwoman? Works for Deborah Harry. The group's singer said she's given Dunst her blessing to take on the role for an upcoming, yet-untitled Michel Gondry flick. "She's probably capable of a lot of things she hasn't been asked to do yet, and doing something that's sort of left of center would be great for her," Harry told AOL's Spinner. "I've met with her a couple of times and hung out with her socially. She's just a sweetie." ...

The Arcade Fire joined none other than Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band onstage at a Sunday show in their native Canada, Billboard reports. The indie-rockers joined the more seasoned squad for a rendition of "State Trooper," then performed their own song "Keep the Car Running" with backing from the E Street Band at Ottawa's Scotiabank Place. ... Marilyn Manson's Chatsworth, California, mansion is on the market and can be yours for a cool $1.1 million, according to the Los Angeles Times. The five-bedroom abode features a recording studio, an office-library and a "bonus room." There's also a pool and a covered barbecue. ... Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora, who checked into a rehab facility over the summer, botched his lines when he made an unexpected appearance on "Saturday Night Live" over the weekend. Host Jon Bon Jovi did his best to salvage the appearance by bringing his band onstage to play music. ...

More good news for Led Zeppelin fans — not only is the band getting back together for a November 26 reunion gig, but it will soon be shaking up the digital sphere by making its songs available online. On Monday, Zep announced plans to make all their LPs available — as full albums, or à la carte — through all digital-music services on November 13. Their songs will soon be available as ringtones and mobile features in an exclusive deal with Verizon Wireless as well. The band also launched its MySpace page on Monday. In a separate deal, the band is expected to receive $60 million in exchange for lengthening its ties to music publisher Warner/ Chappell Music for at least 10 years, according to The New York Times. ... The Police have put the kibosh on two more shows — their Monday and Tuesday concerts in Manchester, England — due to frontman Sting's throat infection. The band's Friday and Saturday shows, set for Cardiff and London, respectively, will go ahead as planned. ...

Houston rapper Big Moe (born Kenneth Moore) died on Sunday, The Associated Press reports. The 33-year-old rapper, a member of DJ Screw's Screwed Up Click posse, was best known for his 2002 single "Purple Stuff," from his second album, Purple World. ...

Remember the Mighty Mighty Bosstones? Well, the long-dormant ska-core kings will return December 30 for a performance at the Hometown Throwdown in Cambridge, Massachusetts, following "numerous threats of bodily injury from the under-18 crowd," the band joked on its MySpace page. No word on whether the band plans to write and record, but we'll keep you posted. ...

A pair of concerts slated to take place simultaneously in Tel Aviv, Israel, and the West Bank town of Jericho on Thursday — to support the call for a solution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict — have been scrapped. The free shows, due to be headlined by Bryan Adams, were called off after Palestinian supporters reportedly said they were threatened over the stance of the show's organizer, the One Voice group, which some Palestinians say ignores their perspectives on lasting peace and Palestinian refugee issues. The Jericho gig was canceled last week, according to a BBC News report, and Israeli organizers followed suit. ...

Universal Music Chairman/CEO Doug Morris is hoping to join forces with other record companies to create an industry-owned music-subscription service to compete with iTunes, BusinessWeek reports. The magazine says Morris has already roped in Sony BMG Music Entertainment as a potential partner and is talking with Warner Music Group as well. The labels control a combined 75 percent of the music sold in the States. Morris also reportedly wants to involve wireless carriers and plans to name the service Total Music. ...

Could Jon Peter Lewis be getting a second wind? The former "American Idol" contestant self-released his first album, Stories From Hollywood, in November 2006 after he didn't have any luck scoring a major-label record contract after participating on the show. But now the disc is getting wider distribution thanks to a new deal with Iowa indie label Authentic Records. Lewis also has a new tour in the works — it starts November 15 in, fittingly, Cedar Falls, Iowa. ...

And just when you thought you'd heard the last from Corey Clark, the former "Idol" contestant faces up to two years in jail and a potential fine of up to $150,000 after pleading guilty to a felony charge of harassment. Four other charges were dismissed as part of the plea deal. The harassment charge stems from Clark's violation of a court order by placing calls to his father-in-law in August 2006. Months earlier, his wife, Monica Rodriguez Gonzalez, filed for the order — which banned him from contacting her or eight other people, including their child — after claiming he had abused her. Clark will be sentenced in early November in an Arizona court.

[This story was originally published at 2:28 p.m. ET on 10.16.2007]

• Madonna
• Foxy Brown
• 50 Cent
• Linkin Park
• Miley Cyrus

Lil Wayne after his arrest in Boise, Idaho, on October 5
Photo: Ada County Sheriff's Office

Lil Wayne was arrested in Boise, Idaho, Friday night on a felony fugitive charge issued in Georgia for allegedly possessing a controlled substance, The Associated Press reports. Wayne, who was booked into the Ada County Jail, was expected to miss a scheduled concert Saturday night because his charges made him ineligible for bond. As a result, an Ada County sheriff's deputy told AP, the jail has been flooded with angry calls from fans. The 25-year-old rapper, born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., is set to be formally charged Tuesday. ...

"This about to get ugly, this about to go crazy." First T.I. had his way with Britney Spears, and now it's Lil Mama. The diminutive rapper is about to drop a remix of Spears' single "Gimme More," in which she gives the singer some props but spends most of the song boasting about her own skills: "I'm what's hot. Ever see 'G-Slide'? I can bring it back." (Listen here for a preview of the track.) Lil Mama then calls out the "followers," saying she has no competition because she's "so far ahead of my time." And, in what could be an analysis of why Spears has had so many troubles as of late, Lil Mama says, "People always going to tell you what you want to hear," that there's been "too many yeses, not enough noes, not enough real," which means even "the best get torn." Who knew the dance track could be a cautionary tale as well? As Lil Mama raps, "You've been warned by the voice of the young." ...

K-Fed may have physical custody of his children with Spears, but People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is urging him to take the custody battle to the doghouse. In a letter faxed to Federline on Thursday, PETA President Ingrid Newkirk requested that he ask the judge for custody of the couple's pets. "It's no secret that Ms. Spears' impetuous 'pet' purchases and lack of caretaking skills have been a serious concern of ours," she wrote, noting that in 2006 the singer was "the overwhelming choice" for worst celebrity dog owner in polls conducted by New York Dog and Hollywood Dog magazines. Newkirk was also concerned that Britney's latest dog, London, was more of an "accessory" and noted that the Los Angeles chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had already investigated the dog's lack of veterinary care after breaking his leg when he was stepped on. "As a father, your main concern is the comfort and stability of your children," Newkirk wrote. "London and the other animals whom the boys consider to be part of the family have provided that comfort and stability ... being separated from the animal friends whom they share a bond with is undoubtedly traumatic for them." ...

Jennifer Lopez has a lot more on her hands than just a new album and joint tour with husband Marc Anthony: The couple are expecting twins, TMZ.com reports. The children would be the first for the pair; Anthony has a daughter and two sons from two previous relationships, one of which resulted in marriage. Lopez and Anthony launched their En Concierto trek in late September and will continue on it through a November 2 date in Miami. Her new album, Brave, drops Tuesday. ... The Spice Girls have cooked up their first single in seven years, called "Headlines," according to BBC News. "It's a Spice Girl classic," Geri Halliwell told the news outlet. We are so proud of it. We started putting words down before we even had the finalised 'yes' from everyone." The Girls' reunion world tour launches December 2 in Vancouver, British Columbia, and will be preceded by their Greatest Hits set, due in stores November 20. ...

Owen Wilson briefly attended the Los Angeles premiere of "The Darjeeling Limited," his new movie with director Wes Anderson, on Thursday night, according to People. He reportedly avoided the red carpet and instead entered the theater through a private entrance, after which he joined co-stars Jason Schwartzman and Anjelica Huston, and Natalie Portman (who starred in an Anderson-directed short film tied to "Limited"), onstage. Anderson introduced Wilson as "my best friend," and the audience reacted with strong applause. "I've never made a movie without him. And I hope I never have to," Anderson added. It was Wilson's first major public appearance since he was hospitalized following what police deemed a suicide attempt. ...

Kanye West and designer Takashi Murakami, who have collaborated together on 'Ye's album covers, are putting their heads together again for a collection of gold, manga-style pendants, according to Women's Wear Daily. The rapper wore a diamond-studded one out to Givenchy's in New York earlier this week, according to WWD. "They'll be more accessible, they won't be all diamonds," he reportedly said. "The eyes are not perfectly done. Murakami cringes when he sees the eyes." ... Kid Rock tested out a handful of new songs at a surprise show at Emerald Theatre in Mount Clemens, Michigan, on Thursday night, according to The Detroit News. The show, which ran more than two hours long, had reportedly been announced less than 24 hours earlier, and tickets sold out in five minutes. ...

Beyoncé must be breathing a little easier — the singer hasn't encountered opposition from Muslim groups in Indonesia over her planned November 1 concert there, according to Reuters. She won't have to follow a strict dress code, which she would have had she performed in Malaysia, the country previously scheduled to host the show. ... Ginuwine has filed a lawsuit in New York against King Music Group Inc., according to AP. In the suit, the R&B star claims he was tricked into signing a contract with a record label that didn't even exist. He said he was persuaded to ink the deal back in May, and according to the contract, he was to receive $1.75 million, including a $500,000 advance, to record his first album for the label. But five months later, he hasn't put out any material and hasn't been paid a dime. The lawsuit claims there's no corporate record for King Music Group Inc. anywhere in New York, California, Florida or Tennessee. The filing charges breach of contract, fraud and negligent misrepresentation, and seeks $4 million in damages. ...

Brad isn't the only previously defunct project Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard is reuniting — he's also bringing back Green River, an early Seattle grunge act that featured PJ's Jeff Ament, and Mudhoney's Mark Arm and Steve Turner. The band has scheduled one reunion gig, for Sub Pop's 20th anniversary concert next summer. ... The reunions continue with news that Eve 6 have also been resurrected, three years after splitting up. The group plans to write and record its next full-length effort early next year, with a full North American headlining tour expected to follow. ... And it's been nearly 10 years since we've heard new music from Portishead, but it seems the act is finishing up its third studio album — although it might not sound like you'd expect. According to band principal Geoff Barrow, the still-untitled effort will feature new elements. "It sounds pretty different from what we have done before," he wrote on the band's Web site. "I don't think the fondue society will be happy." ...

Of Montreal, Ween, Sebadoh, Caribou and Man Man are among the initial list of bands for the spring All Tomorrow's Parties shindig, set to take place in England over the course of two weekends in May. Dates, as well as 24 more artists, will be announced for the event, which is being co-curated by ATP and Pitchfork. ... Carbon/Silicon — the band featuring the ex-Clash singer/guitarist Mick Jones and former Generation X bassist Tony James — will release their debut album, The Last Post, October 23. The band formed in 2004. ...

Just like Magic, Bruce Springsteen might have another LP on the way. The Boss, who just issued his new album this week, has a pile of leftovers "that I think are great songs and should end up somewhere, but they just didn't quite fit with this group," producer Brendan O'Brien told Billboard.com. Springsteen has already put out four albums in the last five years, with 2002's The Rising ending a seven-year studio dry spell. On a more bizarre note, an Olympic equestrian is suing Springsteen for breach of contract after the rocker allegedly reneged on a deal to a horse worth $850,000. Todd Minikus filed a suit Thursday in a Florida court, claiming Springsteen and wife Patti Scialfa had put a $25,000 deposit on the horse but later reconsidered buying the animal for their daughter. ...

Isaac Hanson left a Dallas hospital on Friday after recovering from surgery for a pulmonary embolism, caused by a blood clot in the extremities breaking away and traveling to the lungs. The eldest member of Hanson expects to make a full recovery and is due to be released from the hospital Friday (October 5). The band's agents and promoters are trying to reschedule makeup days for the shows it missed. ... Shaggy lives! The dancehall star will perform "Church Heathen" at the Samuel Peters/ Jameel McCline World Boxing Council heavyweight fight at New York's Madison Square Garden on Saturday. The song is featured on his new CD, Intoxication, out November 13.

10.04.07

Nick Cannon has split up with his fiancee, Victoria's Secret model Selita Ebanks, according to People. "Selita and Nick are taking a break to focus on their careers but still very much love each other and remain the best of friends," Ebanks' representative Melissa Raubvogel told the magazine. In early May, Cannon and Ebanks became engaged after the actor took her on a ride in a chauffeured Rolls-Royce Phantom to New York's Times Square — right across the street from the MTV offices — where "Selita, will you marry me?" appeared on the giant Jumbotron. ...

A year after Jadakiss was arrested in Yonkers, New York, and hit with drug and gun charges, prosecutors have dropped the case against the rapper (born Jason T. Phillips) and his co-defendant, Kristian Smith. The Associated Press reports that the Westchester Country district attorney's office asked a judge to dismiss the charges against 'Kiss last week, less than a month after a jury acquitted a third man who was arrested in the case. Darnell Frazier was cleared when DNA tests didn't link any of the three men to the guns found in the car. The rapper's lawyer said it was a "travesty" that the case went as far as it did and that the charges have affected his career. ...

After stunning the music world with their pay-what-you-want download scheme for their upcoming album, In Rainbows, Radiohead are putting the finishing touches on a major-label deal to get the album in stores as well. In an interview with BBC Radio 4, the band's managers said they expect to sign a deal within the week. "We've got about seven days to sort it out. We tend to fly by the seat of our pants," co-manager Chris Hutton said. "The band are incredibly proud of this record and feel that it deserves to be brought into the mass marketplace. That's why we need a record company who have that infrastructure to deliver the CD." ...

Did "Hannah Montana" fans get cheated? Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel is seeking documents from five ticket-sale sites as he investigates whether a fast sellout of a Miley Cyrus concert violated scalping laws, AP reports. Frustrated parents have complained about scalpers selling tickets at four to five times the face value. McDaniel has given the companies 20 days to respond and, on September 21, issued a consumer alert warning parents to research who was selling the tickets before purchasing them. The city council in Kansas City, Missouri, is also looking into the sales. ...

Billy Corgan is stepping up to help the family of Dr. Robert Moog preserve the late electronic-synthesizer pioneer's legacy. The Bob Moog Foundation, which was created after his death in 2005, is planning a Bob Moog Museum and trying to preserve decaying Moog artifacts — schematics, Moog prototypes, reel-to-reel tapes and beyond. "I directly appeal to any musician who has been touched by the work of this great man and spirit to help contribute to the foundation, to please help preserve the work and legacy of Dr. Moog before time has taken an irreversible toll on his archives," Corgan said in a statement. "I humbly also ask any fan of electronic music to consider a donation to the foundation, in recognition of his influence on many of your favorite musical artists." ...

Modest Mouse are still hungry — even though the group has toured extensively in support of March's We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, it has pieced together another road itinerary. Issac Brock and his crew will start with a two-night stand in Spokane, Washington, on Halloween and end with a show in New Orleans on December 15. Man Man and Love as Laughter will open all dates. Also, the band's AOL Spinner Session debuts Friday, while its MySpace video campaign — a 10-day event that will include the premieres of four MM clips — begins Wednesday. ... Ben Lee is also plotting a trek, to hype his recently released CD, Ripe. He'll hit the road November 1 in Santa Barbara, California, and bring his tour to a close December 13 in San Diego. ...

M.I.A. recently spent a couple of days making beats and rhymes with girls at a juvenile-detention center in Australia via Heaps Decent, an initiative that gives a boost to indigenous and underprivileged youth hoping to break into the music biz. According to a post on the Heaps Descent MySpace page, the yet-untitled song they created will soon be released, with all proceeds going to the initiative. M.I.A. screams "popo mind control!" on the hook of the song, according to the post, but its title is not yet known. ...

Can't wait until November 13 for the Killers B-sides album, Sawdust? Well, you can get a taste of what the band has in store with its just-released cover of the Joy Division song "Shadowplay." The Killers' label has posted a stream of the track right here. ... Nirvana's historic "MTV Unplugged in New York" performance is finally coming to DVD. Due November 20, the disc will contain the 66-minute unedited show — including "Something in the Way" and "Oh, Me," which were featured on the accompanying CD but not in the show when it originally aired. Previously unreleased rehearsal and documentary footage will flesh out the set. ...

It seems like just about everybody has something to say about Britney Spears these days. On the Thursday (October 4) broadcast of "Oprah," Sinéad O'Connor sympathized with Spears, reportedly saying, "She had two babies within the space of two years, [there] doesn't seem like a terrible amount of support from the people around her," according to AP. She later added: "I think to attack someone as a mother is very dangerous. I would say that's what puts a young girl on a precipice which is very, very dangerous, in my opinion. Some people may end up really regretting the way they're treating her." ...

And Deborah Gibson — who, like Britney, was a one-time teen queen — has given her two cents on the matter to "Entertainment Tonight." "I think this is probably Britney's lowest point now ... and maybe it'll be what she needs to get herself back together. And then maybe she will regain custody. That's what I hope. I think that has to affect you on such a primal level, to have your kids taken away, so maybe this is the wake-up call that she needs. ... I really think people see Britney as little girl lost. A girl who did not have a childhood, which I can relate to in a way, and she started even younger publicly. ... She's rebelling. She's living her life in reverse in a way." ...

Isaac Hanson, 26, the eldest member of Hanson, remained hospitalized Wednesday night after complaining of chest and shoulder pain following a performance Tuesday night at the House of Blues in Dallas. AP reports that Hanson was taken to Baylor University Medical Center on Tuesday night after the show and was reported to be in stable condition. A Dallas TV station, KDFW, reported that Hanson was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism, caused by a blood clot in the extremities breaking away and traveling to the lungs. ... Los Angelenos have an extra incentive to keep their cars parked and instead take public transportation to the LA Weekly Detour festival on Saturday. Those who bring their Saturday Metro tickets to the Goldenvoice booth at the fest will be able to enter a contest for free Coachella 2008 tickets. Bloc Party, Justice, Turbonegro and more are heading up this year's Detour fest. ...

Don Imus is close to finishing a deal that would get him back on the air, according to Variety. The controversial shock jock has an impending deal with Citadel Broadcasting that would deny any move to satellite radio — earlier this year, Sirius Satellite Radio expressed interest in Imus. Citadel is owned by ABC Radio, which syndicates conservative talk-show host Sean Hannity and others. ... A man has been arrested in Los Angeles in conjunction with the theft of confidential photos and computers being used for "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." The man, whose identity has not been released, was taken into custody after a sting operation in which the man intended to sell some of the photos, police told AP. ...

The Recording Industry Association of America scored a victory on Thursday when a jury decided that a Minnesota woman had in fact shared copyrighted music online and ordered her to pay $222,000 in damages, AP reports. The six record companies had alleged that Jammie Thomas had shared 1,702 songs online, and the jury ordered her to pay the companies $9,250 for each of the 24 songs that had been focused on in the case. Thomas, her attorney and the jury declined to comment afterward, according to AP, but the RIAA's lead attorney, Richard Gabriel, said, "This does send a message, I hope, that downloading and distributing our recordings is not OK." It was the first-ever file-sharing case to go to trial in the RIAA's four-year campaign to stop illegal downloading.

• Lil Wayne
• Lil Mama
• Britney Spears
• Kevin Federline
• Kanye West

<i>Hannah Montana</i>
Photo: Disney

If you're wondering, "Who the heck is Hannah Montana?" you probably don't have kids.

She's Miley Cyrus in real life: the daughter of mullet-rocking country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, and the star of the Disney Channel original series "Hannah Montana." On the show, she plays a young girl leading a double life — she's a regular teenager by day and a pop star by night. But this week, Montana also happens to be the biggest thorn in the collective side of New Jersey rock troupe My Chemical Romance.

Over the last seven days, the music industry has been wondering just who would reach Billboard's peak first this week. It was a tight, three-way race between the "Hannah Montana" soundtrack — which features tracks from the Click Five, Jesse McCartney and even the Cyruses themselves — My Chemical Romance's third studio LP, The Black Parade, and neo-soul singer/pianist John Legend's Once Again. It was anyone's guess who'd wind up on top, and for a spell, My Chemical Romance seemed to have the advantage. But according to the latest SoundScan totals released Wednesday morning (November 1), a #1 debut just wasn't in the cards for MCR.

Hannah Montana sold more than 281,000 copies its first week in stores, outperforming The Black Parade — #2 with 240,000 — by more than 41,000 units, while MCR's conceptual opus edged out third-place Legend by more than 9,000 scans. The Black Parade's impressive first-week numbers stomped debut sales of the group's 2004 release Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, which has moved close to 1.5 million copies to date; that record opened at #103, with 12,000 units.

By comparison, Once Again's opening-week totals creamed those generated by Legend's 2004 outing Get Lifted, which has sold about 1.8 million copies to date and opened at #7 with 116,000 scans. And there's even more reason for Legend to smile this week, as Get Lifted returns to the top 200 at #141 after more than a month off the chart, with 6,800 sold.

Twenty-three newcomers hit the chart this week, but Hannah, My Chemical Romance, and Legend are the only three new releases to open in Billboard's top 10. Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds hangs tough at #4 with another 89,000 copies sold, and Evanescence's The Open Door slides three spots to #5 on 78,000 scans its fourth week in stores. Hinder's Extreme Behavior follows at #6 with sales at 69,000, while Diddy's Press Play slips from #1 to #7, thanks to a 65 percent sales drop off that resulted in second-week scans of 60,000. Tony Bennett's Duets: An American Classic claims the chart's #8 slot, with 53,000 copies sold, with Nickelback's All the Right Reasons at #9 with sales of 49,000. The Killers' Sam's Town rounds out the top 10 with close to 47,000 scans.

Just missing the top-10 cut at #11 is Jibbs' debut, Jibbs Feat. Jibbs, which netted opening-week sales of close to 47,000. Lil Boosie's Bad Azz follows at #18 with 41,000 scans, while Shareefa's Point of No Return claims the #25 spot with nearly 37,000. Brooke Hogan's Undiscovered surfaces at #28 with about 30,000 scans, and "The Nightmare Before Christmas" special-edition soundtrack, which includes the film's original score and five new versions of songs from the movie that have been reworked by Marilyn Manson, Panic! at the Disco, Fall Out Boy, Fiona Apple and She Wants Revenge, bows at #31 with nearly 27,000 copies sold (see "Fall Out Boy, Panic, Marilyn Manson Add To New 'Nightmare Before Christmas' Soundtrack").

Paul Stanley's Live to Win finishes at #53 with 17,000 copies purchased, while R&B singer Kelly Price's This is Who I Am follows at #54 with 16,000 scans. Gucci Mane's Hard to Kill claims #76 with 12,000 copies grabbed up, and Sparta's Threes finishes at #83 thanks to 11,000 units scanned. The latest outing from Bright Eyes, 200, owns the #107 spot with sales reported at 9,000 while Ben Folds' Supersunnyspeedgraphic, the LP opens at #114, generating 8,000 in first-week sales.

Converge return to the chart at #151 with No Heroes selling 6,000 units its first week in stores, followed at #153 by Moby's best-of collection Go: The Very Best of Moby at #153 with 6,000 copies sold. Vultures, the new one from Smile Empty Soul, debuts at #169, having sold 5,000 its initial week of release.

• Hannah Montana
• My Chemical Romance
• John Legend
• Justin Timberlake
• Evanescence