T.I.
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images

After spending two weeks as Billboard's best-seller, rapper T.I.'s Paper Trail has been usurped by one of country's most beloved singers, Kenny Chesney. Despite generating solid, third-week sales of nearly 131,600, T.I.'s new LP just couldn't fend off Chesney's Lucky Old Sun, which enters the chart on top with more than 176,400 copies scanned.

Chesney's was among 20 new releases impacting next week's albums sales chart, and one of four to enter the chart in the top 10, according to the latest sales data from Nielsen SoundScan. Following T.I. at #3 is folk artist Ray LaMontagne's Gossip in the Grain, which debuts with 60,500 sold, while rockers Keane return at #7, having sold 43,500 copies of their latest, Perfect Symmetry. Bowing at #9, with 34,700 scans, is Lucinda Williams' Little Honey.

The remainder of the top 10 is filled out by the usual suspects. Dropping two spots to #4 next week is Metallica's Death Magnetic, with 50,600 scans, followed by Jennifer Hudson's self-titled debut at #5, with 45,800 sold. Kid Rock's Rock N Roll Jesus climbs one spot to #6, selling another 45,200 units. Ne-Yo's Year of the Gentleman holds at #8, with sales clocked at 40,400, and holding for a second week at #10, with 31,500 sold, is James Taylor's Covers.

Ingrid Michaelson's Be OK opens at #35 on next week's chart, scanning 15,000 copies its first week on store shelves, while Massachusetts metalcore outfit Unearth's March debuts at #45, with 10,900 sold. Copeland's You Are My Sunshine bows at #48, with 10,300 scans. Haste the Day's Dreamer enters at #68, with 7,700 sold. Santana's Multi-Dimensional Warrior checks in at #82, after selling almost 6,700 units, and Between the Buried and Me's Colors: Live follows at #100, with 5,400 sold.

Joe's Greatest Hits sold more than 4,700 copies, which earns it the #125 spot on next week's Top 200. Meanwhile, metallers Gojira's Way of All Flesh enters at #138, with 4,200 scans. Nikka Costa returns at #157, with her latest, Pebble to a Pearl, scanning 3,600 copies. And finally, "Pushing Daisies" star Kristin Chenoweth's A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas enters at #187, with 3,100 sold.

• T.I.
• Kenny Chesney
• Metallica
• Kid Rock
• Keane

Justin Timberlake's <i>FutureSex/LoveSounds: Deluxe Edition</i>
Photo: Jive

Well, music lovers, hopefully you're happy with the releases you snatched up this year, because from here on out, it's going to be mostly slim pickings till late January. But that doesn't mean all is quiet on the music front — here are this week's top players and the other suspects worth keeping tabs on ...

Back to the Future: Justin Timberlake fans who scooped up his Best Buy-exclusive "FutureSex/LoveShow - Live From Madison Square Garden" DVD last week are going to need a little more green on hand — the singer has slapped together a fresher version of his sophomore album too. FutureSex/LoveSounds: Deluxe Edition has a trio of bonus tracks: a new take on "Until the End of Time" that features vocals by one Miss Beyoncé, as well as alternate takes of "SexyBack" and "Sexy Ladies." The heftier price tag is also due to an extra DVD containing videos for three tunes — "SexyBack," "What Goes Around ... Comes Around" and "LoveStoned/ I Think She Knows" — as well as making-of elements and concert clips. For the sake of fans' bank accounts, let's hope Timberlake has worn out this album.

The Bark, Not the Bite: Miami MC Pitbull got some limelight love last year with a featured spot on DJ Khaled's "Born N Raised" — a tribute track to Miami-Dade County that also featured Trick Daddy and Rick Ross. Well, it seems Pitbull has learned that it helps to have friends: For his third studio LP, The Boatlift, he snagged T-Pain, Jim Jones, Twista, Lloyd, Trick Daddy, Don Omar, Frankie J, Lil Jon and more. And in case you were wondering if the album title had anything to do with the immigration debate, you wondered right: As Pitbull said in a press release, "Most immigrants that came to this country came through some type of boatlift. This is my way of taking everybody on a ride through my eyes; this is my boatlift — my way of bringing them to freedom through the universal language of music." Enjoy the ride.

Soul Train: Chuck D is always ready to take on a good cause — his latest release, The Peeps of SoulFunk: Tribb to JB, is an obscurely titled tip of the hat to departed Rock and Roll Hall of Famer James Brown. By D's side is former Air America Radio pal Kyle Jason — who was featured on Public Enemy's 2004 effort, There's a Poison Goin' On — and other peeps from D's Slam Jamz label. Together, the crew redoes Brown staples like "Say It Loud (I'm Black and Proud)" and "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved." Something smells funky indeed.

Do "Look" Back: Now that Incubus have wrapped their extensive Light Grenades jaunt, it's time to take stock of their travels with a new DVD. Fans who preordered the 120-minute "Look Alive" were gifted with bonus audio downloads of four songs performed in concert: "Anna Molly," "Megalomaniac," "Oil And Water" and "Dig." But everyone will be able to enjoy Incubus footage from their July 25 gig at Chicago's Northerly Island, as well as performances from other places across the globe. The 17-song main dish has a few other appetizers as well: rehearsal clips, documentary footage and original music interludes crafted by guitarist Mike Einziger.

Simply the Best: Common has been busy hyping his latest release, Finding Forever, and its four accompanying singles, but in the meantime, one of his former labels, Relativity, is pumping out a greatest-hits disc via Sony's archival division, Legacy. ThisIsMe Then: The Best of Common doesn't really live up to its name, since it only showcases the Chicago rapper's primo product from 1994-'97, but it does feature hookups with Lauryn Hill ("Retrospect for Life") and Cee-Lo ("G.O.D. [Gaining One's Definition]"), among others. The enhanced CD is rounded out by four bonus videos, for "Take It Ez," "I Used to Love H.E.R.," "Invocation" and the aforementioned "Retrospect for Life."

Taking a much different approach at retrospection are Mudvayne, who asked fans to pick the selections for their aptly titled By the People, for the People. Along with live recordings of their vintage songs, Mud also sling forth demos, rarities and two recently recorded cuts: "Dull Boy" and a cover of the Police's "King of Pain." By the way, fans should fret neither the release of this non-studio album nor frontman Chad Gray's participation in metal all-star squad Hellyeah — Mudvayne are threatening a new studio LP next year.

Four for Fore: If you think Thrice are biting off more than they can chew with their four-part Alchemy Index series, wait till you hear what Switchfoot frontman Jon Foreman has in store: a quartet of conceptual EPs he's putting out all by himself. Fall — to be followed next year by Winter, Spring and, you got it, Summer — comes out in digital form this week, although it will be issued as a two-disc set with Winter the day the latter effort is released, on January 15. "Because of the autobiographical nature of these songs, they became a self-portrait that was far too personal for a band to release," Foreman said in a statement. "The rest of the band [has] been pushing me to get these types of songs out there for years. So I decided to let them go." But while the rest of Switchfoot are taking a back seat for the releases, the EPs are nonetheless christening the band's own lowercase people records.

Song Title of the Week:

"Trombone Gulch" from Audience's Lunch

Album Cover of the Week:

Rob Jungklas' Gully

Other Notables:

Jesse Dayton & Brennen Leigh's "Holdin' Our Own" and Other Country Gold Duets
Haven't heard of so-called "turbo country" artist Dayton? Well, maybe you're familiar with a guy named Waylon Jennings or a band called the Supersuckers — he's played lead guitar for both over the years. Dayton has also worked with Willie Nelson and, on a slightly more bizarre note, was tapped by Rob Zombie to be part of the fake band Banjo and Sullivan for his flick "Devil's Rejects." Now he's teamed with 23-year-old singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Leigh for this oddly titled collection of country faves and original tunes like "Something to Brag About With You" and "Two Step Program."

T.H. White's The Private Spotlight
The New York multi-instrumentalist was all the rage at the city's CMJ Music Marathon last month — he's been named a "Band to Watch" on Stereogum.com too — and now the distinctively urban artist churns out his second album. Look out for the seven-minute "Blue + Cream," as well as guest-vocal appearances by Meghan Wolf, whose debut album White is co-writing and producing for release next year.

The Rumble Strips' Alarm Clock EP
In the mood for some Thin Lizzy? OK, then how about an indie-rock take on Thin Lizzy? OK, then how about an indie-rock take on Thin Lizzy that involves trumpets and saxophones? Glad we piqued your interest. The U.K. up-and-comers tackle their fellow Britons' best-known song, "The Boys Are Back in Town," and chalk up five more songs on their first Stateside release. The Rumble Strips snuck videos for "Alarm Clock" and "Oh Creole" onto the disc as well, so let's get ready to ... oh, never mind.

New Releases:

· Bear Hands - Golden EP (Freedom in Exile)
· Chuck D featuring Kyle Jason and the Banned - The Peeps of SoulFunk: Tribb to JB (Slam Jamz)
· Jesse Dayton & Brennen Leigh - "Holdin' Our Own" and Other Country Gold Duets (Stag)
· Brittney Elizabeth - Breathe In (Desert Sunrise)
· Rob Jungklas - Gully (Madjack)
· Pitbull - The Boatlift (TVT) [Buy Now]
· The Rumble Strips - Alarm Clock EP (enhanced; Kanine)
· T.H. White - The Private Spotlight (Sky Council)
· Renée Zawawi - Legends (Sapiens, Inc.)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

· Alcoholics Unaminous - 20 Years of Tanked Up Tunes (Steel Cage)
· Common - ThisIsMe Then: The Best of Common (enhanced; Relativity/Legacy) [Buy Now]
· Ian Gillan - Gillan's Best (Great American Music)
· Freddie King - Texas in My Blues (Great American Music)
· Mudvayne - By the People, for the People (Epic) [Buy Now]
· Os Mutantes - Everything Is Possible: The Best of Os Mutantes (Luaka Bop/ Redeye)
· Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds: Deluxe Edition (with DVD; Jive) [Buy Now]
· Various artists - Guys and Dolls: A Musical Fable of Broadway (Blue Moon)
· Various artists - Ultimate Grammy Collection: Contemporary Pop and Contemporary R&B (Shout! Factory)
· Various artists - "At Last the 1948 Show" soundtrack (él)

Music DVDs:

· Incubus - "Look Alive" (Epic) [Buy Now]
· The Irish Tenors - "The Irish Tenor Christmas" (Trinity)
· Keane - "Live at the O2" (Universal) [Buy Now]
· Simply Red - "Stay: Live at the Royal Albert Hall" (Universal)
· Dusty Springfield - "Live at the BBC" (Universal)
· Various artists - "Bickershaw Festival: North West England 1972" (Ozit)

Digital Releases:

· As Tall as Lions - Into the Flood (available Thursday; EP; Triple Crown/ East West) [Buy Now]
· Audience - Lunch (Virgin) [Buy Now]
· Bats for Lashes - What's a Girl to Do? (EP; iTunes exclusive; Caroline)
· Bracken - We Cut the Tapes and Scatter (Steinbeck Ultramagnetic Remix by Buddy Peace) (Anticon)
· Burnside Project - Burnside Project (Fraga)
· Flogging Molly - Alive Behind the Green Door; Drunken Lullabies; Swagger; Whiskey on a Sunday; and Within a Mile of Home (Side One Dummy) [Buy Now]
· Jon Foreman - Fall (EP; lowercase people/ Credential)
· The Michelles - Sober Rain (Kitty-Yo)

Coming Attractions:

December 4:
· Daft Punk - Alive 2007 (limited-edition version comes with bonus CD; Virgin) [Preorder]
· Ghostface Killah - The Big Doe Rehab (Def Jam) [Preorder]
· Godsmack - Good Times, Bad Times: 10 Years of Godsmack (also available with DVD; Republic) [Preorder]
· Wyclef Jean - Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant (Best Buy edition comes with three Rhapsody Original bonus tracks; Columbia) [Preorder]
Read: "T.I. Kick-Starts Wyclef Jean's LP; Mary J. Blige, Akon Tagging Along"
· Styles P - Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman) (Koch) [Preorder]

December 11:
· Bow Wow and Omarion - Face Off (also available with bonus DVD; Columbia)
Read: "Bow Wow Says His Face Off With Omarion Will Mean A 'Whole Bunch Of #1 Records' "
· R. Kelly - "Trapped in the Closet, Chapters 1-22" DVD (Jive) [Preorder]
· Mario - Go (J) [Preorder]
· Wu-Tang Clan - The 8 Diagrams (Best Buy edition comes with exclusive DVD; Def Jam) [Preorder]
Read: "Wu-Tang Clan's 'First-Ever Cleared Beatles Sample' Claim Is Incorrect"

December 18:
· Christina Aguilera - "Back to Basics: Live and Down Under" (RCA) [Preorder]
· Mary J. Blige - Growing Pains (Geffen) [Preorder]
Read: "Mary J. Blige Says She's 'Just Fine' With Her New Album, Losing 'Umbrella' To Rihanna"
· Chamillionaire - Mixtape Messiah 4 (Universal) [Preorder]
· Rivers Cuomo - Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo (Geffen)
· Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco's the Cool (Atlantic) [Preorder]
Read: "Lupe Fiasco's Cool World: Tragedy Meets 'Mad Poppy Beats'"
· Rick Ross - Trilla (Def Jam) [Preorder]

• Justin Timberlake
• Pitbull
• Common
• Keane
• Mudvayne

Hilary Duff
Photo: Evan Agostini/ Getty Images

Hilary Duff is hoping to give New Orleans a boost as the city observes the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina next week. The singer/actress will spend August 29 visiting schools, a disaster-recovery center and other locations with USA Harvest founder Stan Curtis. Duff has donated 2.5 million meals for Katrina relief through the nonprofit organization and will deliver food, backpacks and more materials over the course of the day. She'll also make the morning announcements and meet with kids at Nelson Charter School; serve lunch at Alice M. Harte Elementary School; speak at Edna Karr High School; and dish up dinner at Camp Hope in St. Bernard Parish. ...

Busta Rhymes, who was arrested Saturday and charged with misdemeanor assault among other offenses, is staying mum about his bodyguard's death, according to The New York Times. Police say Rhymes' reluctance to speak about the February 5 shooting of Israel Ramirez is another setback to the investigation, which has included interviews with 100 potential witnesses to date but has rendered no leads. A police commissioner told the paper that officials believe that if Rhymes were to come forward to talk, others might do so as well. A New York Police Department spokesperson declined to comment or confirm that Rhymes was questioned about Ramirez on Saturday, citing an ongoing investigation. ...

Compton, California, faced off with the Bronx, New York, in Harlem on Monday night when the Game's Black Wall Street team played against Fat Joe's Terror Squad in the championship game of the Entertainer's Basketball Classic at historic Rucker Park. The Game didn't make the trip to NYC for the final, but Coach Joe was on hand with his secret weapon: Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest. Joe's Terror Squad won the title by a 10-point margin. ... Simon Cowell will lead the tribute to Dick Clark at the 58th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, which NBC will air live on Sunday. Newly announced presenters for the ceremony honoring TV's best include Martin and Charlie Sheen, Ray Liotta, John Lithgow, Candice Bergen, Jeffrey Tambor and Bob Newhart. ...

Cassie lands on newsstands Tuesday (August 22) for her first stint as a cover girl. Cassie and Nick Cannon are each featured on alternate covers for Rap-Up magazine's summer 2006 issue. Inside, the singer explains that she's learned a lot from Diddy, including an unflinching passion for music. "I would hold back a lot 'cause I didn't want to look or feel weird around people, but he taught me to let go," she said. Cassie listed Will.I.Am, Scott Storch and Gwen Stefani among her dream collaborators, and revealed that Jamie Foxx is the most famous name in her cell phone. "I didn't even ask for his number. He gave it to me." ...

Every Time I Die bassist Chris Byrnes announced his departure from the metalcore band onstage at Saturday's 10th annual Dirt Fest in Birch Run, Michigan. Byrnes is the fifth bassist to come and go in the band's eight-year history. Frontman Keith Buckley told MTV News that Byrnes quit the group to take a "salary job with another band, doing sound." Buckley said Every Time I Die hope to have a replacement by September 5, when they start their Canadian tour with Alexisonfire, Cancer Bats and Attack in Black. The band will also be touring with Atreyu and From First to Last starting October 6 in San Diego. ...

Just a day after the singer of the Darkness was admitted to a rehab facility for exhaustion, another British rock frontman has gone down. After postponing dates last week due to what they said was singer Tom Chaplin's exhaustion, Keane canceled three concerts and postponed their North American tour Monday after Chaplin, 27, admitted to alcohol and drug issues. "I've been having to deal with an increasing problem with drink and drugs, and the time has come to get the professional help I need to sort myself out," the leader of the piano-rocking trio said in a message posted Tuesday on the band's Web site. "I feel desperately disappointed to be letting down our fans, but I want to get myself right now so that I can be back on the road for the rest of the year." The band is expected to reschedule the U.S. dates soon. ...

Women rocked the house Saturday night at the sold-out Wiltern LG in Los Angeles with all-girl group the Like opening up for the female-fronted Sounds. The Like experienced a few equipment problems early on in the set, prompting frontwoman Z. Berg to ask, "Anyone know any good jokes?" Powering through the technical difficulties, the band moved its hometown crowd until the Sounds took the stage. Singer Maja Ivarsson, who led the Sounds through a set that comprised much of their catalog — while sporting a short skirt that she hiked up even higher during the sexually charged "Tony the Beat" — announced that the band's next single will be "Painted by Numbers." ... Ben Kweller — whose new, self-titled album is due September 19 — will be on the road from September 13 in Houston to October 22 in Boston. Hymns are opening for the second half of the outing. ...

Seminal Scottish post-punks Josef K have never had a record officially released in the U.S. — until now. Domino Records U.S. is righting that wrong with the 22-track compilation Entomology. The third installment in Domino's "The Sound of Young Scotland" series — which includes Orange Juice and the Fire Engines — is due November 7 and will contain John Peel radio sessions, 7-inch singles and six tracks from the aborted album Sorry for Laughing. ... Culture lead singer Joseph Hill died in Berlin on Saturday, The New York Times reports. He was 57. The Jamaican vocalist, songwriter and founding member of the long-running reggae group was on a European tour with the band when he became ill. Hill's daughter Andrea told the Times that she did not know the cause of death.

08.21.2006

The next single from Diddy's upcoming Press Play will be "Tell Me," he told MTV Europe. "It's still part of the seduction phase. ... Christina Aguilera is on there, and she has one of the greatest voices in the world. This track is very, very intense. It's the perfect follow-up to 'Come With Me.' " In other Diddy news, People is reporting that the mogul and his longtime girlfriend, Kim Porter, are expecting a second child. They already have a son, Christian, and Combs has another from a previous relationship. ...

Guns N' Roses dates keep trickling out, with eight fall appearances by Axl Rose's band scheduled so far. If the last two weeks are any indication, more dates will be announced as they're booked in the coming weeks. In addition to a two-night stint September 16 and 17 in Las Vegas, followed by back-to-back gigs in San Francisco and a headlining slot at Inland Invasion in Devore, California, the band will hit Reno, Nevada (September 30); Sacramento, California (October 2); and San Diego (October 3). ...

Speaking of Devore, fans at the Saturday night stop on the Family Values Tour were surprised to see former Filter/ current Army of Anyone frontman Richard Patrick show up onstage. Patrick joined headliners Korn for a performance of Filter's "Hey Man, Nice Shot." But that wasn't the evening's only guest-singing surprise: Deftones main man Chino Moreno also grabbed the mic during Korn's delivery of "Wicked." Army of Anyone — featuring former Stone Temple Pilots Dean and Robert DeLeo and Ray Luzier — will issue their yet-untitled debut later this year. The Deftones' Saturday Night Wrist will hit stores on Halloween. ...

Authorities in Germany said Monday (August 21) that they would not be filing charges against Madonna, though the singer did include a controversial mock-crucifixion scene in her Sunday night concert in Düesseldorf, The Associated Press reports. Johannes Mocken, a spokesperson for Düesseldorf prosecutors, said the performance fell under the umbrella of laws protecting artistic freedom, and explained that while the image may be "hurtful to religious people," no crime was committed. Madonna will play the second of her two scheduled Germany shows in Hanover on Tuesday. ...

Disturbed frontman David Draiman went under the knife August 15, and surgeons successfully repaired a deviated septum that had made breathing difficult for the singer. The condition, which began to affect Draiman's vocal abilities, caused the band to miss several live gigs over the last few months. The singer consulted a number of specialists throughout the last year, and it was recently determined that he needed to undergo septoplasty to reverse and correct the damage that three broken noses had rendered over the last several years. "I'm excited and relieved that the surgery is over and can't wait to get back on the road to see our fans in Europe and to make up the dates we missed," Draiman said in a statement. ...

After three years of recording and touring, flamboyant Darkness singer Justin Hawkins apparently needed some rest. According to BBC News, the British singer known for his spandex unitards and glass-shattering vocals checked himself into the Priory rehabilitation clinic suffering from exhaustion. In a statement, a spokesperson said Hawkins was ordered to rest after three years of non-stop work. The band's third album is on schedule for release in early 2007. ... UGK are planning an early September release for their seventh album, Return of the Trill. "We're tryin' to make that Grammy cutoff," Bun B said. "We're basically gonna go back to the basics, back to the roots of the UGK foundation." Lil Jon, Manny Fresh and Jazze Pha produced tracks on the upcoming disc. ...

Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society have nixed three of the dates on their upcoming U.S. tour, as Wylde's services are needed in the studio. The guitarist has been working with Ozzy Osbourne on his forthcoming LP. The canceled shows were originally scheduled to take place October 14 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; October 16 in Atlanta; and October 18 in Baltimore. ... Hatebreed will be playing a free concert on August 30 at New York's CBGB to celebrate the release of their forthcoming LP, Supremacy. In order to get a ticket to the gig, fans must pre-order a copy of the album through the online home of Looney Tunes, a Long Island, New York, record store. ... Dredg will be playing their 2001 debut Leitmotif in its entirety when they take the stage of the Catalyst in Santa Cruz, California, on September 14. The band will also throw in a few cuts from their 2005 release, Catch Without Arms. ...

Boysetsfire guitarist Josh Latshaw has been hospitalized following a recent accident at his day job which left him with a broken neck, some broken vertebrae and a collapsed lung. While Latshaw's expected to recover from the mishap, the incident will affect the band's plans to play two East Coast farewell shows. The group announced the planned split earlier this month. ... "You Hear It First" artists and mtvU faves Plain White T's have signed to Hollywood Records and already have a new record ready for release next month. Their third LP, Every Second Counts, features the single "Hate" and drops September 12. ... Remember androgynous Brit rockers Placebo? They're back and set to launch a U.S. tour on October 17 in Phoenix, in support of their latest album, Meds. She Wants Revenge have been tapped to open on the tour, which will wrap up November 8 in Boston. ...

Devo's Jerry Casale will release his first solo album, Mine Is Not a Holy War, under the name Jihad Jerry and the Evil Doers. Fellow Devo members Mark Mothersbaugh, Bob Mothersbaugh and Robert Casale contributed to the disc. ... Pete Yorn is playing back-to-back-to-back shows in three cities — each at a different venue — over the next month. Yorn will play shows at West Hollywood's Whisky A Go Go (August 28), Roxy Theater (August 29) and the Viper Room (August 30), followed by gigs at Chicago's Double Door (September 7), Schubas (September 8) and Martyrs' (September 9) and New York performances at Joe's Pub (September 12), Mercury Lounge (September 13) and CBGB (September 14). ...

A veritable Canadian invasion is on the way courtesy of the Arts & Crafts record label. Stars singer Amy Millan is two stops into a 14-date jaunt supporting her debut solo LP, Honey From the Tombs; the jaunt ends October 3 in New York. The Hidden Cameras are launching a 30-date North American trek starting August 26 in Toronto that runs through a December 12 stop in Cleveland. Jason Collet has a 13-date trek with Rogue Wave that begins September 11 in Burlington, Vermont, and Broken Social Scene will kick off a 22-date tour of smaller U.S. markets on October 18 in Millville, Pennsylvania. Fall dates for Montreal orchestral rockers the Dears are expected to be announced soon.

• Hilary Duff
• Busta Rhymes
• Fat Joe
• Game
• Cassie

Nelly Furtado's <I>Loose</I>
Photo: Geffen Records

Much Ado About Furtado: Nelly's back, but it isn't getting "Hot in Herre." No, this is new mom Nelly, and she's letting Loose her first LP since November 2003. It's a bummer for the babe that her recent hookup with Justin Timberlake didn't make her new LP, but with Obie Trice having bumped his record at the last minute to August 15, she's still got a great shot at being the highest debut on the next Billboard albums chart. Oh, and she's got Pharrell, Timbaland and Scott Storch on the record, which should help a wee bit.

Ubiquitous? U Bet: Just in case the albums, re-releases, tours, promotional campaigns, hometown honorary ceremonies and airborne concerts weren't enough to satisfy Madonna and Korn fans, there's more coming this week. Madge has a DVD/CD set, "I'm Going to Tell You a Secret," that shadows the singer as she hops around the world on her Re-Invention Tour. The Jonas Åkerlund (U2, Blink-182)-directed documentary has unlikely appearances by Iggy Pop, Gwyneth Paltrow and Michael Moore, while the CD features 14 concert cuts, including "Die Another Day" and "Mother and Father."

Also in the DVD racks is Korn's "Live on the Other Side," which they're putting out through live-entertainment company Live Nation. That would be the third label to put out official Korn content in the last seven months, with Virgin having released the band's See You on the Other Side late last year and Korn's former label, Epic, putting out the Live & Rare comp in May. The "Other Side" video bundles together the band's recent show at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom, footage from its performance onboard an airborne private jet and a glut of interviews. Ambitious covers of Pink Floyd and Metallica tunes help seal the deal.

Still Pimpin': No doubt trying to capitalize on their still-fresh-in-mind Oscar shocker, Three 6 Mafia are pimping two new items. After having already put out a separate DualDisc version of last year's platinum Most Known Unknown, the toothy Memphis rappers are stepping up with a third edition that features the indispensable "Hustle & Flow" theme tune, "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp," as a bonus track. The "Ultimate Video Collection" is even more straightforward, cobbling together key clips from over the years.

Also double-dipping this week are Motion City Soundtrack, who are making the best of their time in the limelight by re-releasing last year's Commit This to Memory in deluxe form. Unlike Three 6, the wild-haired pop-punkers are giving fans their money's worth by slapping a bonus track, "Invisible Monsters," onto the end of the CD and chalking up an added DVD overflowing with three hours' worth of performance footage, interviews and more.

Playing Hard to Get: As for Pearl Jam's re-emergence less than two months after putting out their new studio LP, record-store clerks everywhere are grateful that the band is only sending one new live disc — not 72 — to the bins. Live at Easy Street is actually a seven-song EP that, following a similar tactic recently executed by Boy Least Likely To and J Mascis, will only be available at Coalition of Independent Music Stores. If you dug Pearl Jam's more comprehensive approach, go to their site, where they're posting downloads of concerts one to two days after they perform them.

Also going the nontraditional route is dance favorite Sasha, who is both creating and releasing a new double-disc Saturday at Los Angeles' Avalon club. Joining forces with Instant Live, the DJ will simultaneously transfer his two-hour set to CD as he performs it live, leaving fans with a pretty nifty souvenir to go home with. Even more fascinating, Instant Live already pre-licensed all the songs by other artists that Sasha will be sampling that night, so they don't hit any bureaucratic snags. Ten-thousand numbered packages will be made, and if you can't make the show, head to InstantLive.com or DJSasha.com to preorder.

Last but not least, Jay Love Japan by hip-hop's recently departed quiet genius, Jay Dee, will hit the aforementioned country this week — and remain there exclusively until BBE delivers the disc to the States in December.

Cashing in Before They Cash Out?: Is Fatboy Slim trying to tell us something with the lackadaisical title to his new collection, The Greatest Hits: Why Try Harder? Probably not, since a new single, "That Old Pair of Jeans," adorns the disc. And don't be confused by Christopher Walken gracing the cover of the album — even though this comp features "Weapon of Choice," for which Walken appeared in the award-winning video, that clip isn't on this LP. That'll appear instead on Norman Cook's July 18 DVD, the obviously named "The Greatest Hits: Why Make Videos?"

As far as roots rock goes, Old 97's were on the fritz for a while, only to come back with last year's double-disc Alive and Wired. Now comes Hit by a Train, an 18-track hoedown recapping the bulk of the band's career, from 1994-2001. Included is the 97's contribution to the "King of the Hill" soundtrack, a couple of rare live tracks and a B-side, "The Villain." Another hiatus probably isn't on the horizon, though, since they just dropped a new live EP earlier this month.

Definitely done are Luna, the indie stalwarts who closed their career with a farewell tour last year. Produced by linchpin Dean Wareham, The Best of Luna touches on seven of their eight studio records, excluding 1992's Lunapark, and captures their collaborations with underground legends Tom Verlaine of Television and Sterling Morrison of the Velvet Underground. And American Film Institute Director of the Year Matthew Buzzell got behind the lens for "Tell Me Do You Miss Me," which follows Luna as they brought their career to a solemn close.

Song Title of the Week:

"Your Lips Are No Man's Land but Mine" from the Gersch's self-titled record

Other Notables:

Keane's Under the Iron Sea: U2 and "Trainspotting" writer Irvine Welsh have taken the Brit-pop trio under their wings, but that didn't stop the sophomores from nearly breaking up after their first record. Instead of using guitars, Keane rely on effects pedals, granting the murky record "soundscapes that range from the percussive to vast oppressive walls of distortion," they say in their first-person bio.

Underoath's Define the Great Line: For their third effort, the post-rock powerhouses enlisted Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz to co-produce and the incomparable Chris Lord Alge to mix. The limited-edition digipak has a bonus DVD with behind-the-scenes footage and, more unusually, a special clip on the making of the album art.

Frank Black's Fast Man/ Raider Man: Seems like pouring his energy into the reunited Pixies has left Charles Thompson — a.k.a. Black — with a lot to say. The 27-track double-CD was tracked in Nashville and Los Angeles with some eminent session players you probably won't recognize, including Spooner Oldham, but it also features members of Cheap Trick, the Band and Tom Petty supporters the Heartbreakers. Yeah, you probably haven't heard of them either, huh?

Stuart Staples' Leaving Songs/ Lucky Dog Recordings: The Tindersticks frontman also holed up in Nashville last year to craft 10 tunes with Mark Nevers of Lambchop, singer/songwriter Maria McKee and world artist Lhasa de Sela. Stuart's 2005 solo debut, Lucky Dog Recordings, is tacked on for those who don't already have it — which would be just about all of us, since it hasn't been out in the U.S. yet.

New Releases:

• 5ive - Versus (EP; Tortuga)
  
• Agent Sparks - Red Rover (Immortal)
  
• Awesome Color - Awesome Color (Ecstatic Peace)
  
• Al Basile - Groovin' in the Mood Room With Duke Robillard (Sweetspot)
  
• Frank Black - Fast Man/ Raider Man (two CDs; Back Porch)
  
• Black Helicopter - Invisible Jet (digipak; Ecstatic Peace)
  
• Brightblack Morning Light - Brightback Morning Light (Matador)
  
• The Clarks - Still Live (High Wire)
  
• Counting Crows - New Amsterdam: Live at Heineken Music Hall February 4-6, 2003 (Geffen)
  Buy Now: New Amsterdam: Live at Heineken Music Hall February 4-6, 2003 (Geffen)
  
• Cute Is What We Aim For - The Same Old Blood Rush With a New Touch (Fueled by Ramen)
  
• Fefe Dobson - Sunday Love (enhanced; Island)
  Buy Now: Sunday Love (Island)
  
• Field Mob - Light Poles and Pine Trees (Geffen)
  Buy Now: Light Poles and Pine Trees (Geffen)
  
• DragonForce - Inhuman Rampage (Roadrunner)
  Buy Now: Inhuman Rampage (Roadrunner)
  
• Front Line Assembly - Artificial Soldier (Metropolis)
  
• Nelly Furtado - Loose (Geffen)
  Read: "Nelly Furtado Hooks Up With 'Distant Cousin' Timberlake, Emerges With 'Sexy' Song"
  Buy Now: Loose (Geffen)
  
• The Gersch - The Gersch (Tortuga)
  
• Guster - Ganging Up on the Sun (Reprise)
  Buy Now: Ganging Up on the Sun (Reprise)
  
• Sara Hickman - Motherlode (two CDs; Sleeveless/ Mesa/ BlueMoon)
  
• Hourcast - State of Disgrace (Warcon)
  
• Donell Jones - Journey of a Gemini (La Face)
  
• Keane - Under the Iron Sea (Interscope)
  Read: "Keane Nearly Followed Breakthrough With A Breakup"
  Buy Now: Under the Iron Sea (Interscope)
  
• Pearl Jam - Live at Easy Street (EP; J)
  
• Corinne Bailey Rae - Corinne Bailey Rae (Capitol)
  Buy Now: Corinne Bailey Rae (Capitol)
  
• Rapid Ric - Getcha Weight Up (two CDs; BCD)
  
• Rapid Ric and Paul Wall - Fistfull of Dollars (two CDs; BCD)
  
• Smokey Robinson - Timeless Love (New Door)
  
• Roman Candle - The Wee Hours Revue (V2)
  
• Since Remembered - Coming Alive (Blood & Ink)
  
• Stuart Staples - Leaving Songs/ Lucky Dog Recordings (with bonus CD; Beggars Banquet)
  
• The Submarines - Declare a New State (Nettwerk)
  
• Tam - Tam (Ecstatic Peace)
  
• Walter Trout and Friends - Full Circle (Ruf)
  
• Underoath - Define the Great Line (limited-edition digipak with bonus DVD also available; Tooth & Nail)
  Read: "Warped Tour Band Underoath Aren't Into Crazy Hooker Parties"
  Buy Now: Define the Great Line (Tooth & Nail)
  
• Various artists - Atlantic Unearthed: Soul Sisters and Soul Brothers (Rhino)
  
• Various artists - "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" soundtrack (Motown)
  

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

• Gene Autry and Friends - Year-Round Cowboy: Songs for the Whole Year (Varèse Sarabande)
  
• Canned Heat - Vintage (Fabulous)
  
• Marc Cohn - The Very Best of Marc Cohn (Rhino)
  
• Paula Cole - Postcards From East Oceanside: Greatest Hits (Rhino)
  
• Ronnie Earl - Heart and Soul: The Best of Ronnie Earl (Shout! Factory)
  
• Fatboy Slim - The Greatest Hits: Why Try Harder (Astralwerks)
  Buy Now: The Greatest Hits: Why Try Harder (Astralwerks)
  
• Aretha Franklin - Legends Collection (Madacy)
  
• Anson Funderburgh & the Rockers - Blast Off: The Best of Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets (Shout! Factory)
  
• Guitar Shorty - The Best of Guitar Shorty: The Long and Short of It (Shout! Factory)
  
• Coleman Hawkins - An Introduction to Coleman Hawkins (Fuel)
  
• Hee Haw Gospel Quartet - Hee Haw Gospel Quartet (Time Life)
  
• Tommy James & the Shondells - Legends Collection (Madacy)
  
• Luna - Best of Luna (Rhino)
  Buy Now: Best of Luna (Rhino)
  
• KC and the Sunshine Band - Legends Collection (Madacy)
  
• The Monkees - Legends Collection (Madacy)
  
• Motion City Soundtrack - Commit This to Memory (deluxe edition with bonus DVD; Epitaph)
  Buy Now: Commit This to Memory (Epitaph)
  
• Willie Nelson - The Complete Atlantic Sessions (three-CD box set; Rhino)
  
• The Old 97's - Hit by a Train: The Best of Old 97's (Rhino)
  
• Gram Parsons - The Complete Reprise Sessions (three-CD box set; Rhino)
  
• Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime (deluxe-edition box with two CDs and one DVD; Capitol)
  Buy Now: Operation: Mindcrime (Capitol)
  
• The Rascals - Legends Collection (Madacy)
  
• The Rembrandts - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
  
• Diana Ross - Blue (Motown)
  
• Siouxsie and the Banshees - Once Upon a Time/ The Singles and Twice Upon a Time - The Singles (Fontana)
  
• Thin Lizzy - The Definitive Collection (Mercury/ Universal)
  
• Three 6 Mafia - Most Known Unknown (special edition; Columbia)
  Read: "Kanye, Bow Wow Guest On New Three 6 Mafia Remixes"
  Buy Now: Most Known Unknown (Columbia)
  
• The Vogues - The Best of the Vogues(Varèse Sarabande)
  
• Scott Walker - Humble Beginnings: The Scott Engel Sessions (Empire Musicwerks)
  
• Matthew West - Sellout (Universal South)
  
• Various artists - Eclectic Café (Water)
  
• Various artists - GU 10 (limited edition; Global Underground)
  
• Various artists - Hip-Hop Super Hits (Universal Latino)
  

Music DVDs:

• Bruce Anderson - "Anthology" (three DVDs; Sanctuary)
  
• The Clarks - "Still Live" (High Wire)
  
• Gwar - "Blood Bath and Beyond!" (DRT)
  
• Hocico - "A Través De Mundos Que Arden" (Metropolis)
  
• Journey - "Live in Houston 1981 - Escape Tour" (Columbia)
  
• Korn - "Live on the Other Side" (Live Nation)
  
• Luna - "Tell Me Do You Miss Me" (Rhino)
  
• Madonna - "I'm Going to Tell You a Secret" (with CD; Maverick)
  
• Gram Parsons - "Fallen Angel" (Rhino)
  
• Thin Lizzy - "Greatest Hits" (Mercury/ Universal)
  
• Three 6 Mafia - "Ultimate Video Collection" (Columbia)
  
• Various artists - "Sounds of the Underground, Volume One" (DRT)
  

Coming Attractions:

June 27:

• Björk - Surrounded (seven-DualDisc box set; Rhino)
  
• Dashboard Confessional - Dusk and Summer (Vagrant)
  Read: "No Reggae Emo, But New Dashboard LP Owes A Lot To Jamaica"
  Preorder: Dusk and Summer (Vagrant)
  
• Lostprophets - Liberation Transmission
  Read: "Lostprophets Enlist Metallica Producer But Leave 'Chugga-Chugga' Metal Behind"
  Preorder: Liberation Transmission (Columbia)
  

July 4:

• Johnny Cash - American V: A Hundred Highways (Lost Highway)
  
• Rise Against - The Sufferer & the Witness (Geffen)
  Buy Now: The Sufferer & the Witness (Geffen)
  
• Hans Zimmer - "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" soundtrack (Disney)
  

July 11:

• Muse - Black Holes & Revelations (Warner Bros.)
  Preorder: Black Holes & Revelations (Warner Bros.)
  
• Sufjan Stevens - The Avalanche: Outtakes and Extras From the Illinois Album! (Asthmatic Kitty)
  Preorder: The Avalanche: Outtakes and Extras From the Illinois Album! (Asthmatic Kitty)
  
• Thom Yorke - The Eraser (XL Recordings)
  Preorder: The Eraser (XL Recordings)
  
• Various artists - Now That's What I Call Music! 22 (Sony)
  

• Nelly Furtado
• Madonna
• Korn
• Keane
• Underoath

Keane
Photo: Interscope

After breaking through to the big time with their debut, Hopes and Fears, Keane took a rather unique approach to recording album number two: They almost broke up.

For a few tense months late last year, Keane as we know them nearly ceased to exist. Almost two years of steady touring behind Hopes — followed by an immediate trip back into the studio to begin work on the follow-up (see "Keane Gearing Up To Record New LP, Tour Their Fingers Off") — had left the bandmembers battered, beaten and, well, tired of each other.

"We had been through some big highs and big lows over the past two years, from playing Live 8 and Radio City Music Hall to being on a bus together, wanting to kill each other or escape from each other," keyboardist Tim Rice-Oxley sighed. "If we had any sense, we would've taken a break, but we had this great idea to take all those emotions and head directly into the studio, and, well, it got really, really intense for a while."

It was so intense, in fact, that Rice-Oxley and drummer Rich Hughes seriously believed the band was kaput. Neither of them was communicating with frontman Tom Chaplin, and in late October they went to producer Andy Green and told him they feared the end was nigh. Making the record, it seemed, was tearing the band apart.

"It got to the point where I was afraid that I would have to wake up the following morning and think about what I was going to do next," Rice-Oxley said. "To suddenly realize that everything was disappearing was incredibly frightening. We all loved the music we were making so much, but when you're dealing with things that were really personal to all of us, when you immerse yourself in the emotions we were writing about, it can't help but bring up bad things."

Rather than take the Metallica route (attend group therapy, bring in a big-money "performance coach" to work things out; see "Documentary Probes The Drama Behind Metallica's Anger"), Keane decided to do things a "typical, English kind of way:" They just got back to work.

"I just went back into the studio in a daze, and we kept working. We certainly did lots of talking, but basically we just put our heads down and plowed through," Rice-Oxley laughed. "And slowly we all realized that none of us wanted this band to end. We were willing each other on, and it was shaky for a bit until we realized that the album was the most amazing thing we'd ever done. We had sort of inadvertently created this ruthlessly honest look at where we were at mentally."

The end result of all that turmoil is Under the Iron Sea (due June 20), a dark, complex album that sounds very much like the personal journal of a band on the brink. Lyrically, Chaplin exposes a level of self-doubt that's nearly unheard of among rock frontmen (on "Hamburg Song" he sings, "I don't want to be adored/ Don't want to be first in line/ Or make myself heard"), and musically Rice-Oxley and Chaplin create grandiose yet fragile soundscapes reminiscent of David Bowie's introspective 1977 album, Low.

But are the band's fans willing follow Keane into the darkness? Rice-Oxley hopes so, but after the two years he and his bandmates have been through, you can forgive him if he's not exactly wringing his hands over the answer.

"We're really good now. We went through all that, and we all realized we created something great together. We've learned that we have some sort of mysterious chemistry, and we've got to cling on to that," he said. "That excitement about making music together has been rejuvenating. And now people are hearing it and being excited. It makes you feel good about what you're doing. And we haven't felt that way in a while."

Track list for Keane's Under the Iron Sea, according to Interscope:

• "Atlantic"
• "Is It Any Wonder?"
• "Nothing in My Way"
• "Leaving So Soon?"
• "A Bad Dream"
• "Hamburg Song"
• "Put It Behind You"
• "The Iron Sea"
• "Crystal Ball"
• "Try Again"
• "Broken Toy"
• "The Frog Prince"

• Keane

John Legend at the 48th annual Grammy Awards nominations
Photo: Peter Kramer/Getty Images

What do Paula Cole, Marvin Hamlisch, Debby Boone, Starland Vocal Band, Jody Watley and Shelby Lynne have in common?

Each was a proud recipient of the Best New Artist Grammy who went on to ...

Well, you get the point.

It's because of these names and many more (Arrested Development, Milli Vanilli, A Taste of Honey, etc.) that, over the years, the award became known more as a curse than an honor.

(Click here for the complete 2006 Grammy nominees list.)

Recently, however, with the success of winners such as Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys and Norah Jones, Best New Artist means something again — and don't forget the Beatles won it in 1965.

So at Wednesday's ceremony, you can bet your copy of From Under the Cork Tree that all five nominees would like nothing more than to snag that golden gramophone. In fact, in a year jam-packed with new artists (the Vibe Awards gave out two in their "Next" category and neither of them, Keyshia Cole nor Young Jeezy, earned Best New Artist Grammy nods), Ciara, Fall Out Boy, Keane, John Legend and Sugarland have been aggressively campaigning all year, intentionally or not.

Here's how each nominee made it this far:

Ciara

The First Lady of Crunk & B has had us shaking our goodies since debuting last fall, but her coming-out party was undoubtedly the BET Awards, where her dance-tastic performance of "Oh" with Ludacris was followed minutes later by an enduring acceptance speech for Best Collaboration for "One, Two Step" with Missy Elliott. (It was also her first public appearance with her boo, Bow Wow.) That trophy set off a hot streak that has since included two Soul Train Awards (Best R&B Soul/ Rap New Artist and Female Entertainer of the Year), two Teen Choice Awards (Choice R&B Hip-Hop Track and Choice Make-Out Song), two MTV Video Music Awards (Best Hip-Hop Video and Best Dance Video) and one Vibe Award (Coolest Collabo). Along the way, she's also won the support of Elliott, featured her on "Lose Control"; Gwen Stefani, who took her on tour; and Michael Jackson, who invited her to sing on his as-yet-unreleased Hurricane Katrina relief single.

Fall Out Boy

To best comprehend the appeal of the Chicago punk outfit, look no further than some of the headlines they inspired in 2005: "Fall Out Boy Demand R. Kelly Finish 'Trapped In The Closet' Series," "Bored With Sleeping In Pools Of Money, Fall Out Boy Plot Secret Tour" and "Fall Out Boy's Sound Has Changed, But The Weirdly Long Song Titles Remain." FOB brought some much-needed humor to music in 2005, and it's paid off. Their strangely hilarious videos for "Sugar, We're Goin Down" and "Dance, Dance" were "TRL" staples, and the former earned them the MTV2 Award at the VMAs. Of course, the jokes wouldn't stick if the music didn't, but let's hope they take the podium for the show's sake. "I'd like to thank the Academy for nominating us for our music rather than how our bus smells," bassist Pete Wentz recently said of the nomination, sharing a sneak of what could come.

Keane

While the hipster press continually labeled other British exports "the next Coldplay," Keane quietly earned the title, taking the Breakthrough Act award at the 2005 Brit Awards, as well as Best British Album for Hopes and Fears, the country's second-best-selling LP of 2004. In America, though, it's been less about awards and sales and more about memorable performances, including a breakthrough "Saturday Night Live" appearance and a high-profile run as openers for their heroes, U2. The highlight, however, was at Coachella, where their tranquil singles like "Somewhere Only We Know" and "Bend and Break" filled the massive grounds, much like the headliner that night: Coldplay.

	The 48th Annual Grammy Awards Nominees

John Legend

Legend was just starting to become a familiar face a year ago, when he performed with mentor Kanye West at the Grammys and honored Brian Wilson at the MusiCares Person of the Year dinner a few nights earlier. But like Ciara, the BET Awards solidified him as, er, a legend-in-the-making. Along with winning Best New Artist there, the crooner treated his peers to a stunning rendition of "Ordinary People" capped only by his encore, a duet with Stevie Wonder of "My Cherie Amour. "I've never won an award before, and so this was it for me," a sincere Legend said backstage. He should be used to it by the end of the Grammys, where he's tied with West and Mariah Carey with a leading eight nominations.

Sugarland

The country trio became a duo last month when Kristen Hall left to concentrate on songwriting, a shocking departure considering how high Sugarland have been flying over the past year. Along with shipping more than 2 million copies of their debut, Twice the Speed of Life, the ATL natives scored two #2 country singles and managed to cross over to a rock audience through singer Jennifer Nettles' appearance on the Bon Jovi single "Who Says You Can't Go Home." Their successful 2005 culminated at the American Music Awards, where the group performed (without Hall) and upset the Killers and Jesse McCartney by winning Favorite New Artist. Of course, the Spice Girls and Hootie & the Blowfish won the same award in years past ...

The show's over, but there's still plenty of Grammy goodness right here on MTVNews.com. Check out photos of the hottest green-carpet and onstage moments, find out what went down at the celeb-packed parties, and share your thoughts on the performers, winners and losers.

Plus watch videos of all the nominees on MTV.com and check out exclusive video footage from the big night on Overdrive.

• Ciara
• Fall Out Boy
• Keane
• John Legend
• Sugarland

Keane's Tom Chaplin (file)
Photo: MTV.com

Do you love the soaring, emotional power of songs like "Somewhere Only We Know" from Keane's full-length debut, Hopes and Fears? Well, cherish it while you can, because the next time around things might get a bit messier.

Once they finish their current slate of U.S. dates Saturday in Grand Prairie, Texas, the English trio will begin work on their follow-up (see "Keane Gearing Up To Record New LP, Tour Their Fingers Off"), and singer Tom Chaplin promises they'll be shaking things up.

"[Pianist] Tim [Rice-Oxley] has come up with a bunch of really exciting songs," said Chaplin, 26, during an off day on the tour, when the band did some golfing and visited an alligator farm. "It's the early stages, but there's definitely a sound coming together, and it's just a matter of getting it all on tape and sounding good. We definitely don't want it to sound too polished or easy, we want something more raw and funky and exciting that reflects our live show more."

The group, which also includes drummer Richard Hughes, is pursuing the new sound in part to separate itself from the growing horde of sensitive balladeers clogging the pipeline, from Coldplay to Aqualung, but also because it isn't interested in treading the same ground.

"I'm incredibly proud of the first record and I wouldn't change a thing about it," Chaplin said. "It's about our time together and the seven years it took to get here, but we want to move forward and take a bold step in another direction."

Before you start rolling your eyes, Chaplin said he knows his guarantee sounds like a rap you've heard before: a band announces change but ends up making the same record again. "There is no way we're going to let that happen," he promised. "I can make you a guarantee that the next record won't sound like Hopes and Fears."

So far, the bandmembers have logged a few weeks in the studio working on drum sounds and picking which of the 15 to 20 new songs they think deserve further work. They've already begun road-testing a few of the new tracks, including "Nothing in Your Way," "Try Again" and "Hamburg Song."

In between a few European festival dates in June, an August stint opening for U2 in Europe and one more round of U.S. dates after that, they'll begin recording the as-yet-untitled album with Fears producer Andy Green, with hopes of releasing it in early 2006.

"We've never made a second record, so I can't say anything definitively about which songs will make it," Chaplin said. "That's the part of the journey we still have to make."

• Keane

Scissor Sisters (file)
Photo: Universal Records

The biggest winners at Wednesday night's Brit Awards in London were ...

American camp-rockers the Scissor Sisters. The flashy, trashy disco-rock group — whose self-titled debut was the top-selling album of last year in England — won three awards at the British answer to the Grammys, including International Breakthrough Act, Best International Group and Best International Album. The group blew open the night's proceedings with a typically over-the-top performance of their hit "Take Your Mama," which had them bursting out of a pair of golden eggs laid by a huge pink rooster.

The evening's other big winners include Glasgow, Scotland, rockers Franz Ferdinand (Best British Group and Best British Rock Act), Keane (whose Hopes and Fears won Best British Album and British Breakthrough) and teenage soul diva Joss Stone (Best British Female Solo Artist and Best Urban Act). The Best Male Solo Artist award went to gritty rapper Mike Skinner (a.k.a the Streets), and Muse were named Best British Live Act.

The Sisters weren't the only Yanks to crash the proceedings, as Gwen Stefani swept up the International Female Solo Artist trophy and Eminem won for International Male Solo Artist.

Live Aid founder Sir Bob Geldof was given an award for outstanding contribution to music for his work raising money for African famine relief and leading the Irish band the Boomtown Rats.

In a reflection of his massive popularity in England, Robbie Williams' "Angels" was picked as the best song of the past 25 years by a poll of BBC radio listeners, beating out selections by Queen, Kate Bush, Joy Division and "Pop Idol" winner Will Young.

• Franz Ferdinand
• Scissor Sisters
• Keane
• The Streets
• Muse

Keane's Tom Chaplin (file)
Photo: Getty Images/Jim Dyson

When Keane took the stage in early February to headline a sold-out show at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom, they revealed a band maxim that has helped drive them through the many ups and downs of their rise to success.

"We're about seeing the bigger picture," singer Tom Chaplin said, "and not being weighed down by the sh-- people give you."

To most people, Keane seemed to pop up out of nowhere in 2004 (see "Just Because A Piano Can't Move Doesn't Mean Keane Don't"), filling a void in the piano-driven rock scene that was left by Coldplay, who have yet to release a follow-up to 2002's A Rush of Blood to the Head.

But Keane have been working for this opportunity for years, having come together in 1997 while still in school. In the years between their formation and the major-label release of their debut, last year's Hopes and Fears, Keane dealt with the departure of a guitarist and halted record deals, all of which made them persevere even more.

"We spent a lot of time trying to get anywhere," said Chaplin. "We went through different guises and had different sounds and influences and a lot of them didn't work. I think it just took us time to get to the setup that we have, to get to the songs that we have, but I think that was good in the end 'cause I think that meant we're quite well prepared for what we're doing."

Now, after touring the globe for the better part of 2004, the band is learning to shoulder a new burden — the looming possibility of the so-called sophomore slump.

"There's definitely some pressure," said keyboardist Tim Rice-Oxley, "but it's good. We've always responded well to pressure, so hopefully we'll come up with something really fantastic."

The band, which also includes drummer Richard Hughes, has been writing songs for its second album since Christmas, and has since recorded a few demos.

"Everything is in limbo," said Rice-Oxley, "but I think our first proper chunk of recording will be in April."

First, though, they're up for four trophies at this year's Brit Awards on Wednesday in London. And this past weekend, Keane performed as the musical act on "Saturday Night Live," an experience Rice-Oxley was particularly excited about, calling the show "an institution in our life that's even reached us across the Atlantic."

On April 30, Keane will perform during the first day of the Coachella festival, another event they label an "institution." The band will share the stage with Coldplay as well as Weezer, Wilco, Razorlight and a host of others.

"[Coachella] is something you dream about being a part of," Chaplin said. "We can't wait for it."

Currently on tour with the Zutons — a band Chaplin calls "really energetic, soulful ... one of our ideal bands to ask to come along with us" (see "Meet The Zutons: The Best American Band From England") — Keane will tour North America until the end of February, then Europe until April, and then it's back to the States for the summer.

There's no word yet on when Keane hope to release their second album, but they have no plans to work on anyone's schedule but their own. "We're going to really take our time to make a really great record," Rice-Oxley said. "It's a bit too early to say much about it, but you know, we're very excited."

• Keane

Keane (file)
Photo: Alex Lake

England's Keane have been known to rock out so hard onstage that sometimes they have to reach for an oxygen tank.

While playing the song "Bend and Break" in Mexico City, the piano-driven alt-pop trio's lead singer, Tom Chaplin, was "puffing away on the oxygen as a preventative measure," he said.

" 'Bend and Break' is one of the big rockers we play early on, and for us it's a pretty physical experience," said pianist Tim Rice-Oxley. "And I guess for the crowd it's sort of loud and fast and exciting to watch."

Energy and onstage antics may not be what you'd expect from a band comprised of a pianist, drummer and vocalist. Still, the British band — who released their debut, Hopes and Fears, earlier this year — works hard to keep the energy level high and connect with fans.

"I think people are blown away by the amount of energy we have when we play live," drummer Rich Hughes said. "Onstage we absolutely love rocking out. We have a sort of physical reaction to playing. ... On a good night, you get that sort of [energy] bouncing off the crowd as well. It's a physical thing as well as an emotional thing."

Keane sought to record an album as memorable as their shows. "We set out to make a record that people would connect with," said Hughes, "not just get their toes tapping, but connect with emotionally, and we feel that's happening, so that's incredibly satisfying."

Hopes and Fears has garnered Keane a strong following of listeners drawn to their thick piano chords and romantic, reflective lyrics. Notoriety came slowly for Keane, though, who began as a cover band in 1997 (at the time, joined by guitarist Dominic Scott), gigging around Sussex, England. In 1999, after moving to London, the group began recording, and in 2000 Keane self-released their debut single, "Call Me What You Like."

Scott parted ways with Keane the following July, and the band opted not to replace him. Now a trio, Keane spent the rest of 2001 and most of 2002 developing their new sound, testing it out at two London shows in December. Fierce Panda founder Simon Williams (whose label's roster has also included fellow piano enthusiasts Coldplay, as well as Death Cab for Cutie and Polyphonic Spree), was in the audience and asked them to put out a single on his label.

Keane chose the instrumentally catchy, lyrically melancholy track "Everything's Changing," garnering the attention of several U.K. labels, including Island, which the band signed to in mid-2003.

Hopes and Fears, their first album on the label, is a series of sweeping, epic odes by way of swelling piano chords and prolonged vocal notes, as exemplified in their current U.S. single, "Somewhere Only We Know."

The band will next shoot a video for "This Is the Last Time," which Chaplin said "is about being in a situation where you're very close to someone but you feel there is something more out there, or you have a dream where you really want to be properly in love and you feel like you're not quite getting that. It's about going out there and trying to find something more magical."

That search for something magical also applies to the band's approach to its next record.

"We've got some stuff we're really proud of that we're just starting to work on now, and we don't want to rush into another record for the sake of it or something cheesy like that," said Rice-Oxley. "We want to make sure we don't sell ourselves short, so we're going to work out ways of developing and pushing ourselves forward and writing the best songs we can and making exciting sounds and just seeing what we can actually do as a band."

• Keane

Nokia Unwired @ Hard Rock Live: Keane 06.14.05

• Keane

2005 Austin City Limits Festival

• Coldplay
• Franz Ferdinand
• Kaiser Chiefs
• Arcade Fire
• Jason Mraz

Madonna, Snoop, U2, Coldplay, Mariah, Velvet Revolver: Live 8 London

• U2
• Coldplay
• Paul McCartney
• Elton John
• Stereophonics

Coldplay, Weezer, Nine Inch Nails And More At The 2005 Coachella Festival

• Razorlight
• Rilo Kiley
• Keane
• Weezer
• Coldplay

MTV.com LIVE: Keane Photos 06.23.2004

• Keane