Michael Jackson and Diana Ross in 1984
Photo: Julian Wasser/ Liaison

More of Michael Jackson's close friends and collaborators are speaking out and remembering the singer after news broke on Thursday of Jackson's untimely passing. Everyone from Diana Ross and Paul McCartney to director John Landis are remembering how amazing it was to work with the legendary pop star who changed the sound and look of pop music indefinitely.

"I can't stop crying; this is too sudden and shocking," Jackson's friend and co-star in "The Wiz" Diana Ross told MTV News in a statement. "I am unable to imagine this. My heart is hurting. I am in prayer for his kids and the family."

"It's so sad and shocking," said former Beatle McCartney, who worked with Jackson on several songs (including "Say Say Say" and "The Girl is Mine"), but feuded with the singer after Jackson purchased the publishing rights to the Beatles catalog in a manner that McCartney felt was underhanded. But, according to The Associated Press, he said, "I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever."

Jackson's longtime friend Brett Ratner told MTV News in a statement, "Michael was not only a great friend, but a true inspiration in my life. I will never forget his kindness to me, and his beautiful heart. He was the best father and truly loved his children. I will miss him."

Eddie Van Halen, who played guitar on Jackson's "Beat It," told TMZ, "I am really shocked; as I'm sure the world is, to hear the news. I had the pleasure of working with Michael on 'Beat It' back in '83 — one of my fondest memories in my career. Michael will be missed and may he rest in peace."

John Landis, who directed Jackson's groundbreaking music video for "Thriller" (and was suing the singer over a Broadway musical based on the video), issued a statement to TMZ about Jackson. "I was lucky enough to know and work with Michael Jackson in his prime," the director said. "Michael was an extraordinary talent and a truly great international star. He had a troubled and complicated life and despite his gifts, remains a tragic figure. My wife, Deborah, and I will always have great affection for him."

A spokesperson for Elizabeth Taylor, who supported Jackson through all of his legal dramas, told TMZ said that "Dame Elizabeth Taylor is too devastated by the passing of her dear friend Michael Jackson to issue a statement at this time."

	Michael Jackson: A Life In Photos

Meanwhile, actor Corey Feldman, who as a boy was friends with Jackson, admitted on his Web site that though he'd had a falling out with Jackson in 2001, "I come to you today with great sadness, acknowledging the loss of the greatest entertainer in the history of mankind. For me he was more than that, he was my idol, he was a role model, he was someone to cry to when my childhood was unbearable, he was a brother, he was a dear friend.

"I am trembling and shaking at the moment and it is very hard to type," Feldman wrote.

"I am filled with tremendous sadness and remorse. All I choose to remember from this point is the good times we shared and what an inspiration he was to me and the rest of the world. Nobody will ever be able to do what Michael Jackson has done in this industry, and he was so close to doing it all again. I am truly, and deeply sorry for all of the heartbroken fans and supporters worldwide. I think I am still in shock. So I must end this now."

MTV will be paying tribute to MJ throughout the weekend with music videos, exclusive performances and calls and tweets from celebrity admirers and friends. For everything we've got on the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit "Michael Jackson Remembered."

Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.

• Michael Jackson's Video Legacy
• Michael Jackson Fans Pour Into The Streets
• A Celebration Of Michael Jackson On MTV
• Michael Jackson: A Tribute

• Michael Jackson: A Life In Photos

• Michael Jackson
• The Beatles
• Diana Ross
• Paul McCartney

Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr on stage at the "Change Begins Within" concert
Photo: CBS

The last time they played together was in 2002 for a tribute concert for the recently deceased Beatle George Harrison. But when Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr performed onstage last weekend, it was for a considerably more joyous occasion.

During the "Change Begins Within" benefit concert for the David Lynch Foundation at New York's Radio City Music Hall, the two British rockers played several songs together, including jointly singing a Beatles tune they'd first performed more than 40 years earlier.

Just past 11 p.m., McCartney was wrapping up a set of Beatles classics ("Can't Buy Me Love," "Let It Be") and solo numbers ("Band on the Run") when the 66-year-old addressed the crowd. "At this point we would like to introduce somebody to you who you know, you've heard his name," said McCartney. "He's going to come out here and play you a little song this joyful night." He then introduced Starr as "Billy Shears," the pseudonym he used on the Beatles 1967 classic, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Out came Ringo, and the two remaining Beatles performed "With a Little Help From My Friends." They shared a microphone as they sang, and then shared a hug. Afterwards Ringo took a seat behind the drum kit to accompany McCartney and his band through McCartney's rare track "Cosmically Conscious," as well as "I Saw Her Standing There."

While the highlight for the 6,000 people in attendance was no doubt the chance to see Paul and Ringo together again, the entire night was filled with musical stars. Eddie Vedder performed a solo version of his single from the "Into the Wild" soundtrack, Moby rocked a tune from Play, and Ben Harper came through with a track from his upcoming album, White Lies for Dark Times. Other performers included Sheryl Crow, Jim James of My Morning Jacket and soul singer Bettye LaVette. And before he played with his ex-bandmate, Ringo performed a mini-set that included Beatles fave "Yellow Submarine."

The David Lynch Foundation, created by the legendary director of "Blue Velvet," supports teaching Transcendental Meditation to students in "at-risk" schools.

• The Beatles
• Paul McCartney
• Ringo Starr

Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr
Photo: KMazur/WireImage

Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr will reunite onstage for the upcoming "Change Begins Within" concert, which benefits the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace. The concert, also featuring Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, Sheryl Crow, Donovan, Ben Harper, Moby, Paul Horn, Bettye Lavette, and My Morning Jacket's Jim James, takes place at New York's Radio City Music Hall on April 4.

The April 4 show marks the first time McCartney and Starr will perform together since 2002. McCartney was announced as the show's headliner in January but Starr was recently added to the bill.

The two surviving Beatles' connection to David Lynch likely stems from the fact that the group was instrumental in introducing transcendental meditation to the world in 1968, when they spent several weeks in India studying with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The bandmembers came away with different impressions of the experience, as George Harrison embraced Indian religions but John Lennon later slammed the Maharishi in his song "Sexy Sadie."

The David Lynch Foundation encourages transcendental meditation in schools. According to the foundation's Web site, the practice "is a simple, natural, effortless, easily learned technique practiced silently for 15 to 20 minutes twice a day, sitting comfortably in a chair with the eyes closed. During the practice, the mind settles down, experiencing finer levels of thought, until it transcends the finest level of thought and experiences the source of thought, pure consciousness — the unified field — the source of the unlimited creativity and intelligence expressed in human life and in nature."

Last April, the Lynch Foundation held a similar but much smaller benefit concert in Fairfield, Iowa (the location of Maharishi University, this country's only school based on the principles of Transcendental Meditation). MTV News attended the event and spoke with Lynch about his advocacy of TM.

• Paul McCartney
• The Beatles

The Killers' Brandon Flowers
Photo: John Shearer/ WireImage

One of winter's annual waiting games is finally over. After days of speculation, false deadlines, more speculation and a totally bogus leaked lineup posted by none other than Ryan Seacrest, the talent roster for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was announced early Friday morning (January 30), and it's full of surprises.

In keeping with a recent trend of major heritage artists headlining on one night (Prince, Roger Waters), former Beatle Paul McCartney will top the bill for the first night of the 10th annual three-day desert fest (April 17-19) at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. It is McCartney's first-ever U.S. festival appearance, in support of his recent release under the Fireman moniker, Electric Arguments.

The Killers have the top-billing honors on the second night, along with a surprising second headliner, troubled British singer Amy Winehouse, who hasn't played a show in the U.S. in more than a year due to her ongoing struggles with drugs and health issues. The final night is topped by goth rock legends the Cure and reunited shoegazer icons My Bloody Valentine.

As always, the wildly eclectic festival will present a wide range of rock, noise, dance and indie acts, including Morrissey to Franz Ferdinand, iconic poet/crooner Leonard Cohen, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, mashup DJ Girl Talk, the Ting Tings, the Hold Steady, TV on the Radio, hush rockers Band of Horses and Fleet Foxes, pummeling metalists Mastodon, drum-and-DJ duo Travis Barker and DJ AM (a.k.a. TRAV$DJ-AM), buzzy Glaswegian rockers Glasvegas, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, possibly retiring rapper Lupe Fiasco, hip-hop legends Public Enemy and Swedish dance/trance queen Lykke Li.

The full lineup of the festival:

April 17:  Paul McCartney, Morrissey, Franz Ferdinand, Leonard Cohen, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Beirut, The Black Keys, Girl Talk, Silversun Pickups, the Ting Tings, the Crystal Method, Ghostland Observatory, Crystal Castles, the Airborne Toxic Event, We Are Scientists, N.A.S.A., Patton & Rahzel, M. Ward, the Presets, tThe Hold Steady, A Place to Bury Strangers, Felix da Housecat, Buraka Som Sistema, Ryan Bingham, Bajofondo, Peanut Butter Wolf, Noah & the Whale, White Lies, the Bug, Alberta Cross, Los Campesinos!, Craze & Klever, Molotov, Switch, Gui Boratto, Steve Aoki, the Aggrolites, People Under the Stairs, the Courteeners, Cage the Elephant, Dear and the Headlights.

April 18:  The Killers, Amy Winehouse, Thievery Corporation, TV on the Radio, Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes, MSTRKRFT, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Atmosphere, Mastodon, TRAV$DJ-AM, Henry Rollins, Crookers, Turbonegro, Hercules and Love Affair, Superchunk, Glasvegas, Dr. Dog, Drive-By Truckers, Booker T & the DBT's, Amanda Palmer, the Bloody Beetroots, Surkin, Para One (Live), Calexico, Liars, Bob Mould Band, Zane Lowe, Electric Touch, Blitzen Trapper, James Morrison, Drop the Lime, Glass Candy, Thenewno2, Gang Gang Dance, Billy Talent, Ida Maria, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Zizek, Cloud Cult, Tinariwen.

April 19:  The Cure, My Bloody Valentine, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Throbbing Gristle, Lupe Fiasco, Paul Weller, Peter Bjorn and John, X, Antony & the Johnsons, Roni Size, Public Enemy, Jenny Lewis, Groove Armada, Paolo Nutini, Christopher Lawrence, Lykke Li, The Kills, Okkervil River, M.A.N.D.Y., Clipse, Sebastien Tellier, F---ed Up, Perry Farrell, The Horrors, Late of the Pier, K'naan, Junior Boys, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Supermayer, No Age, Vivian Girls, Shepard Fairey, Themselves, Gaslight Anthem, the Knux, Mexican Institute of Sound, the Night Marchers, Marshall Barnes.

Tickets for the show go on sale on Friday at 12 p.m. ET, with three-day passes going for $269 and single-day tickets for $99, plus applicable fees. And, for the first time at Coachella, in a nod to the financial struggles affecting many Americans, promoters are offering the option to buy three-day tickets and onsite camping on a payment plan (50 percent down) through February 28.

• Paul McCartney
• The Killers
• The Cure
• My Bloody Valentine

Madonna performing in Boston on Wednesday
Photo: Bizuayehu Tesfaye/AP Photo

Madonna was back at work Wednesday, just hours after her divorce from husband Guy Ritchie was confirmed. And while she didn't mention Ritchie by name during her show at Boston's TD Bank North Garden, she did make some comments that certainly could be about him.

Madonna opened the show with "I'm Not Sorry," and told the crowd, "That's right, I'm not sorry," according to Daily Mail.

Later in the show, before performing "Miles Away," she said, "This song is for the emotionally retarded. You may know a few people like that. God knows I do."

Earlier this year, Madonna told Elle the song is about Ritchie. "So many people have to deal with long-distance relationships," she told the magazine. "It's not easy. You have to work hard to make it work." The song includes the lyrics "When I'm gone you'll realize/ That I'm the best thing that happened to you."

The Daily Mail also reported that during Madonna's October 6 show in New York — with 29 dates left in the tour — Madonna made the comment "In exactly 29 moves, the queen will dump the king," which the paper speculated showed a plan, evidently since abandoned, on the singer's part to announce her divorce after the tour.

The Daily Mail reported that relations between the two have become so strained that they're mostly speaking through personal assistants.

"It has become so bad that they cannot be in a room together for more than a few minutes without having a shouting match," a source reportedly told the paper.

People.com reported that a source told them Ritchie is "doing fine" and relieved the news is public, and is currently back to work on his next film, "Sherlock Holmes."

Madonna has reportedly hired Fiona Shackleton and Nicholas Mostyn, the lawyers Sir Paul McCartney hired for his divorce from Heather Mills. When all is said and done, their settlement could be the largest in Britain's history.

• Madonna Reflects On New Album, Evolving Career

• Madonna
• Paul McCartney

Zac Efron
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

Zac Efron is doing fine after having his appendix removed Tuesday (January 15), according to People.com. The star — who recently signed on for "High School Musical 3" — was rushed to Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after suffering from appendicitis, TMZ.com reports. "Zac had his appendix removed and is recuperating," the actor's representative, who was not named, reportedly said in a statement. ...

A very revealing photo of Heidi Montag graces the new cover of Maxim, and for the accompanying interview, she also revealed to the mag that she wants to be the next Madonna. "But it's not like with most pop artists, where they have a song sent to them that has nothing to do with their emotions or lives," she insisted about her yet-untitled, in-the-works LP. "It's all about me and my life. I'm taking my time to make sure it's a classic. I don't want to be the next pop person who's in or out. I want to be like Michael Jackson, Madonna, Stevie Wonder — all the greats." Montag also dished on new parents Nicole Richie and Joel Madden recalling that one time they "came up to [Montag's fiance,] Spencer [Pratt,] and me at the Beverly Hills Hotel [in California] and started yelling something Spencer said about Nicole in an interview, like, two years ago. ... Joel was yelling, 'You've been talking sh-- about my girl!' " ...

Madden has blogged on the Web site for his clothing company, DCMA, about arriving home with his and Richie's daughter, who was born on Friday. "Well I am finally home with my beautiful girlfriend and our brand new little daughter," the Good Charlotte frontman wrote. "Harlow Winter Kate Madden was born on January 11th 2008 at 3:13 p.m. She weighed in at 6 pounds and 7 ounces. She is 19 inches long and growing everyday already! She really is a wonderful addition to the GC/DCMA/DEADEXEC family. We are so blessed to have this beautiful little baby in our lives. I want to thank everyone for all the love and kind words they've sent our way. We apologize we weren't accepting gifts/cards/calls at the hospital, but if you'd like to send something, we'd rather you make a donation to the Richie-Madden Foundation, which we started in Harlow Winter's honor. She looks so much like her mom it's crazy! She eats like a little maniac and she's really sweet. She barely ever cries, even when daddy is changing her diaper, and believe me I suck when it comes to diapers, but I'm learning! I can't wait to show off some pictures, until then, THANKS!! and GOD BLESS... Joel." ...

From an "Umbrella" to a handbag: Rihanna has made a match with Marc Jacobs as she and the fashion designer have partnered to produce a new pair of purses named after the leggy singer. The two models are available as a part of Jacobs' spring line. ... Missy Elliott has stepped up with two new tunes for the February 5 soundtrack to "Step Up 2 the Streets." The MC's "Ching-A-Ling" — which is already sizzling in the streets — and "Shake Your Pom Pom" will appear on the soundtrack, and might resurface on her yet-untitled new LP, due in May. The soundtrack also features Cassie, who stars in "Step Up 2 the Streets," as well as T-Pain, Flo Rida, Trey Songz, Plies and Scarface. ...

Twista has inked a deal with Koch to release a project with his longtime group, the Speedknot Mobstaz. The Mobstaz's forthcoming sophomore album, Mobstability II: Nation Bizness, is set to feature Jim Jones and production by Cuzzo and China White Productions. ... The Grammys will not be getting a free pass from the Writers Guild of America. The Los Angeles Times reports that the Grammys have not asked for a special waiver to allow striking Guild employees to work on the show, but even if they did request one, it would not likely be granted. In addition, a number of top musicians who also have Screen Actors Guild cards, including Justin Timberlake and Queen Latifah, are being lobbied by the WGA not to attend the February 10 show, according to AdAge.com. ...

In a $35 million lawsuit filed on Monday, Victory Records claimed that Virgin/EMI "improperly induced" Hawthorne Heights to disregard their contract with the independent Chicago label. In a news release on the suit, Victory also claimed that Virgin/EMI paid $55,000 to the band, which used the money to fund the initial phase of a 2006 lawsuit against Victory, and helped the bandmembers search for a music-industry lawyer to help them with their legal action. "The facts alleged in this case demonstrate classic interference with contractual and business relations," Victory lawyer Robert Meloni said. "They did more than merely offer a carrot to the band, but also saddled the horse, paid for a rider to take the reins, and led it out of the barn." The suit seeks $10 million in compensation and $25 million in punitive damages for Virgin/EMI's "willful, wanton and deliberate conduct." Victory maintains that HH owe the label two more albums, but the band, which lost guitarist Casey Calvert in November after a fatal drug interaction, has vowed not to record for Victory again. ...

Rancid fans, time to grow those Mohawks back — the band started recording new material in a California studio on Monday. The punks' yet-unnamed follow-up to 2003's Indestructible is due later this year, on guitarist Brett Gurewitz's Epitaph/Hellcat label, of course. ... Tiger Army have welcomed an old comrade back into their ranks. Stand-up-bass player Geoff Kresge, who toured with the psychobilly band from 1999-2004 — and who also has a stint with AFI on his résumé — replaces Jeff Roffredo, who "left the band on good terms to pursue other interests," according to a press release from the band's publicist. Tiger Army hit the road earlier this week and have a heap of shows planned for throughout the year. ...

Now that Marilyn Manson and Twiggy Ramirez have reconciled, what better way to celebrate than with some concerts? Manson has tacked on a few more to his upcoming trek, which starts Saturday in Orlando, Florida. The newly added gigs will be staged in Phoenix (February 27); Dallas (February 29); Austin, Texas (March 1); and Houston (March 2). Veteran rock act Ours will be the opening act on the tour, according to Pollstar.com. ... Here's a novel idea: Yellowcard are giving fans who buy the rockers' Live From Las Vegas at the Palms release an early chance at getting tix to one of their upcoming shows. The iTunes exclusive will be available starting January 22, and fans who snatch it up before January 29 will get a Ticketmaster code allowing them to nab up to four tickets for the band's trek, which starts March 7 in Salt Lake City and ends April 12 in Los Angeles. From Las Vegas at the Palms immortalizes Yellowcard's show at the Palms Casino Resort's Pearl venue in October. ...

EMI — home to Coldplay, the Rolling Stones and other acts — will slash a third of its work force, or 1,500-2,000 jobs, over the course of the next months, multiple outlets reported Tuesday. According to the Web site for England's Telegraph, the reunited Verve could be the next major group to withhold its upcoming album in light of the major-label shake-up. The paper reports that the Verve may join Robbie Williams and Coldplay in threatening to hold onto their next albums unless they receive assurances about the company's financial health and how their albums will be marketed. The company's new boss, Guy Hands, was reportedly to be grilled by the managers of some of the label's top acts on Tuesday as he revealed plans for streamlining the company. ...

"American Idol" judge Randy Jackson is known for name-dropping, but his new album, Music Club Vol. 1, might finally back up some of his boasting. Jackson's upcoming solo album, due March 11, will feature pals ranging from Mariah Carey and Joss Stone to Jason Mraz, former "Idol" contestants Elliott Yamin and Katharine McPhee and country star Travis Tritt. Fellow judge Paula Abdul will be featured on "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow," her first new recording in more than a decade. Last week, TVGuide.com reported that Jackson and Abdul had been rehearsing a video for the single, and that she was in talks to perform it at the Super Bowl on February 3. Also included on the album are Van Hunt, Three 6 Mafia, Angie Stone, Richie Sambora and Keb' Mo'. ...

My Morning Jacket are going big time: The longhaired Kentucky rockers will headline a show at New York's Radio City Music Hall on June 20. The band's yet-untitled album will drop 10 days earlier. ... Noise Pop just got a bit noisier. The Walkmen, the Dodos, MSTRKRFT, Stellastarr and the Helio Sequence have climbed onto the roster for the San Francisco fest, which is happening February 26-March 2. Jamie Kennedy's comedic documentary "Heckler" — which features George Lucas, Rob Zombie, David Cross and others — will open the Film Festival portion of the event. ... Carla Bruni has been making headlines lately amid her high-profile romance with French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Now the chanteuse can parlay that attention into promotion for the wide release of No Promises, an album that is currently only available Stateside on iTunes and at Barnes & Noble stores. The disc — which is being issued through Downtown Records, home to Gnarls Barkley and Spank Rock, and pays tribute to English-language literary legends — will hit retail stores nationwide February 19.

1.14.08

Nearly six years after the alleged sex tape first surfaced, the court proceedings in the R. Kelly case continue to move at a snail's pace. The prosecutors originally sought to have testimony from one expert witness, Dr. Sharon Cooper, cover several different areas — the age of the girl on the tape based on forensic pediatrics, the identification of the man on the tape based on the vein pattern on his hands, and the behavior profile of the girl based on the psychology of child sex-abuse victims. Judge Vincent Gaughan had previously ruled that Dr. Cooper could testify about the victim's age, but not the behavior profile, so prosecutors had asked him to reconsider. At a hearing on Monday (January 14), Gaughan ruled once again that Dr. Cooper would not be able to testify about why the girl in the case would deny that she was a victim, or how common denial is in sex-abuse cases. Kelly is due back in court March 12 for another pre-trial hearing, while the trial itself is slated to start on May 9. ...

And the Wu-Tang Clan infighting goes on. U-God — who complained about RZA being callous toward him in the studio nearly four years ago — is now suing Wu's label, alleging that he is owed $170,000, according to TMZ.com. U-God (born Lamont Hawkins) reportedly filed papers in a New York district court, alleging that Wu Music owes him money for services rendered dating back to March of last year. Wu Music is licensed to Universal Music. ...

Paula Abdul doesn't just have the seventh season of "American Idol" on her mind these days. "I want kids!" the singer recently told Ladies' Home Journal for its February issue. "If it doesn't happen naturally, I can always adopt." The 45-year-old Abdul opened up even more about her personal life, saying of 32-year-old boyfriend J.T. Torregiani, "I've experienced real loneliness, so I love knowing there's someone I can share the good and the not-so-good with." ... Everyone's wondering how the seventh season of "Idol" is going to fare in light of some retooling and the writers' strike, but if you ask Chris Daughtry, the show is "in a state of decline." The Daughtry frontman recently spoke with RollingStone.com about the show, adding that if it doesn't right itself, "it's probably not gonna last too much longer. I'm sure that'll be used against me, but that's the truth, you know?" He also said the show is "definitely lacking some credibility at this point." ...

White Stripes, Foo Fighters, Kings of Leon, Mark Ronson, Klaxons, Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Cheifs and recent MTV Artist of the Week Kate Nash have all landed Brit Award nominations, although Leona Lewis, Mika and Take That have scored the most, with four apiece. Rihanna, Ronson, Kaiser Chiefs, Kylie Minogue and Paul McCartney are slated to perform at the February 20 ceremony. ... R.E.M. have pulled the curtains back on a new Web site surrounding the April 1 release of their 14th studio album, Accelerate. Their NinetyNights.com Web site has daily high-definition-video snippets shot by Arcade Fire collaborator Vincent Moon ...

Björk attacked a newspaper photographer who was attempting to take her picture at the Auckland International Airport on Sunday, according to reports in the New Zealand press. The singer, who was flying in to perform at the Big Day Out concert on Friday, reportedly ripped New Zealand Herald photographer Glenn Jeffrey's shirt after he snapped a photo of her. Jeffrey told the New Zealand Press Association that he was warned by a man traveling with Björk not to take her picture, and once he did, the singer came up behind him, grabbed the back of his shirt and tore it before tumbling to the ground. In 1996, Björk attacked a reporter in an airport in Bangkok, Thailand, after she objected to being photographed. ... The Walkmen and White Rabbits will hop along the U.S. this month for nine shows. On the itinerary are Pittsburgh (Wednesday); Detroit (Thursday); Milwaukee (Friday); Madison, Wisconsin (Saturday); Chicago (Sunday); St. Louis (January 21); Columbus, Ohio (January 22); Philadelphia (January 23); and Baltimore (January 24). ...

For the first time in 25 years, former Clash members Mick Jones and Topper Headon reportedly shared the same stage at a gig by Jones' new band, Carbon/Silicon. The duo performed "Train in Vain" and "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" during the set. ... Megadeth have recruited Chris Broderick (Nevermore, Jag Panzer) to be their newest guitarist, following the recent departure of Glen Drover. Broderick will make his live debut with the band on February 4, at a gig in Finland. ...

Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali said the band will not be revived following the late November death of frontman Kevin DuBrow. In an online statement, Banali claims he had been "approached to see if I would be interested in contacting Rudy Sarzo and Carlos Cavazo and to audition singers for Quiet Riot." He said that he's even fielded an offer to re-form "the version of Quiet Riot that included Paul Shortino, Carlos Cavazo and Sean McNabb." But Banali rejected any suggestions of the band performing live. "My friendship, love and respect for Kevin DuBrow, as well as my personal love and affection for Kevin's mother and his family, makes it inconceivable for me to ever entertain any ovation to re-form or to continue Quiet Riot," he wrote. "It would also be a disrespect to the fans who have supported [the band] for nearly 25 years." ...

Roger Avary, the Oscar-winning co-writer of "Pulp Fiction," was arrested on Sunday after a fatal single-car crash in Ojai, California. According to a Reuters report, Avary, 42, was charged with vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence, and was released from jail after posting $50,000 bail. Andreas Zedini, a 34-year-old passenger in the car, died of his injuries at a local hospital. Avary's wife, Gretchen, 40, was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries after being thrown from the car.

• Heidi Montag Poses For Maxim

• Good Charlotte
• Justin Timberlake
• Queen Latifah
• Hawthorne Heights
• The Verve

Radiohead's Thom Yorke
Photo: XL

In April, Trent Reznor released Year Zero, a concept album about a future society teetering on the brink of apocalypse. It was supposed to be a grand work of fiction, but it could just as easily have been about the music industry in 2007 — a bleak, burned-out world where the sky fell on a daily basis and the rivers ran red with the blood of record execs. (That the album didn't sell well only furthers the analogy ...)

Make no mistake about it, 2007 was a b-a-a-a-d year for the industry. According to Nielsen SoundScan, album sales were down 15 percent from 2006 (a trend that's continued for eight straight years now); big-name artists jumped ship in increasingly complicated — and messy — ways; and the powers-that-be seemed to get even more heartless and disconnected, thanks to a series of lawsuits, feuds and terrible decisions.

In fact, you could probably say that 2007 was Year Zero. Things started to change because they couldn't possibly get any worse.

In the first installment of our three-part series on the future of the music industry that is rolling out this week, here's a blow-by-blow recap of just how bad the year was ...

The Future Of Music Part 1:The Year The Music Industry Broke: In 2007, CD sales continued their freefall and superstars began bailing from major labels. And that's just the beginning ... Part 2: What Makes A Star These Days? CD sales are just a small part of it. We take a look at other ways artists are getting their names out there and making money ... Part 3: The Future: What will the music industry be like in a year? Five years? We spoke with experts — they don't know either but have some fascinating theories ...

January 14: The "Dreamgirls" soundtrack tops the Billboard albums chart with sales of just over 60,000 copies. It's the lowest sales total for a #1 album in SoundScan's 16-year run, beating the record set the previous week, when the soundtrack landed at #1 with sales of 66,000 copies.

January 30: Sony BMG announces that it has reached a proposed settlement with the Federal Trade Commission that would allow consumers to trade in CDs with the controversial self-installing "rootkit" antipiracy software — which the company had included without consumers' knowledge — "through June 31," according to a press release (of course, in keeping with the less-than-forthright spirit of the whole rootkit issue, there are only 30 days in June). The company also agrees to pay up to $150 to repair any damage to computers caused by users trying to remove the digital-rights-management software, which was revealed to cause serious security risks. The settlement also calls for Sony BMG to disclose any limitations on consumers' use of the music CDs, and prohibits the company from collecting user information for marketing purposes and from installing software without users' consent. Sony is also required to provide a way for users to easily uninstall the rootkit software.

March 5: In a blow to small Internet radio, the Copyright Royalty Board — made up of three copyright-royalty judges appointed by the librarian of Congress — significantly increases the royalties paid to musicians and record labels for streaming digital songs online, ending a discounted fee for small Internet broadcasters. Under the ruling, the current rate of $0.08 each time a song is played will more than double by 2010. In April, a coalition of webcasters, including National Public Radio, attempts to request a new hearing, but the Royalty Board rejects the appeal, and on July 15, the royalty hike goes into effect. In November, both AOL and Yahoo contemplate shuttering their Web radio services due to the increased royalties.

March 21: Paul McCartney leaves longtime label EMI to sign with Starbucks' new record label, Hear Music. His album, Memory Almost Full, is released in June through both traditional retailers and more than 6,000 Starbucks locations in the U.S., and sells more than 160,000 copies in its first week. "For me, the great thing is the commitment and the passion and the love of music," McCartney tells an audience of Starbucks shareholders. "It's a new world now and people are thinking of new ways to reach the people, and for me that's always been my aim."

June 11: In a move that would have seemed unimaginable in the label-driven industry of old, Kelly Clarkson feuds openly with the head of her label — Sony BMG head Clive Davis, for decades one of the most powerful industry executives — and parts ways with her management company, the Firm, amid controversy about her upcoming album My December. Three days later, concert promoter Live Nation announces that Clarkson's summer tour in support of the album has been canceled due to underwhelming ticket sales. My December hits stores later in the month, and sells more than 290,000 copies in its first week, giving Clarkson the #2 album in the country — behind the "Hannah Montana" soundtrack — but shows little staying power. Clarkson later apologizes for her remarks.

July 10: Canadian indie outfit Stars make their new album, In Our Bedroom After the War, available for download just 10 days after completing it — and some three months before its scheduled release date. The move is done with the blessing of their label, Arts& Crafts, and the album becomes a mainstay on the iTunes Music Store's most-downloaded list.

July 15: Prince ticks off his U.K. record label and Britain's Entertainment Retailers Association when he decides to release his new album, Planet Earth, for free with the Sunday edition of the British newspaper The Mail. It's estimated that 2.27 million people receive the album, which helps boost sales of tickets for his 21-night stand at London's O2 arena. "It's direct marketing, and I don't have to be in the speculation business of the record industry, which is going through a lot of tumultuous times right now," Prince says.

September 19: Kanye West's Graduation sells nearly 957,000 copies to claim the top spot on the Billboard albums chart. 50 Cent's Curtis bows at #2 with sales of more than 691,000. Both are the best first-week numbers of 2007 (besting Linkin Park's Minutes to Midnight, which scanned 623,000 copies in May), and Graduation notches the biggest first week in nearly two years — beating, interestingly, West's Late Registration, which sold more than 860,000 copies when it was released in September 2005.

October 1: Radiohead shock fans by announcing on their blog that not only have they completed their much-anticipated new album, In Rainbows, but that "it's coming out in 10 days," via download — leading to reams of "this is a taste of the future of albums"-type commentary. The bandmembers, who have been free agents since the release of 2003's Hail to the Thief, decide to release the album by themselves in two formats: download-only, which allows fans to name their price for the album, and as a deluxe "discbox" version (priced at approximately $80).

October 4: The Recording Industry Association of America wins its first case against file-sharing, when a jury finds 30-year-old Brainerd, Minnesota, resident Jammie Thomas guilty of copyright infringement. In question were 24 music files she allegedly posted on the peer-to-peer site Kazaa. Thomas is ordered to pay $220,000 in fines — or $9,250 per song file. Her lawyers appeal the ruling, on the grounds that it is "unconstitutionally severe," but in December, the U.S. Department of Justice intervenes, urging the courts not to rule on the constitutionality of the damages, as "Copyrights are of great value, not just to their owners, but to the American public as well."

October 8: Trent Reznor announces the end of his 13-year relationship with Interscope Records, writing on his site, "As of right now, Nine Inch Nails is a totally free agent, free of any recording contact with any label. ... It gives me great pleasure to be able to finally have a direct relationship with the audience as I see fit." He then goes on to write that there are "exciting times" ahead. And he's not kidding: Within a week, he promises (threatens?) to scuttle Interscope's release of a Year Zero remix album by leaking tracks from it to the Internet, then announces that he's partnering with Saul Williams to release The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust! via download, and gets into a public argument with the Universal Music Group over the legality of a proposed fan-only remix site, before deciding to launch the site himself.

October 9: One day before downloads of In Rainbows are scheduled to begin, Radiohead send an e-mail to those who've ordered it, stating that the album will be encoded at 160 kilobits per second, a rate far inferior to their other LPs, which are all available for download at 320 kbps (or most MP3s floating around file-sharing sites like OiNK, for that matter). This angers many fans, who feel that the band duped them by not announcing the encoding rate upfront, and the bad feelings are only furthered when Radiohead's managers give an interview to a British trade mag, in which they suggest the download version of In Rainbows is a promotional tool for the actual CD.

October 10: In Rainbows is made available for download. Over the next two months, much speculation ensues as to just how many people downloaded it and exactly how much they paid to do so: Early reports have more than 1.2 million fans downloading it at an average price of $8, though later findings by comScore, a company that measures consumer activity online, adds that more than 60 percent of downloaders paid nothing for the album. Neither Radiohead nor their publicists discuss the financial aspects of the download experiment, though the band does issue a statement dismissing comScore's findings as "wholly inaccurate."

October 16: Madonna finalizes a massive 10-year deal with Live Nation, believed to be worth $120 million. It's the largest so-called "360 deal" in history, involving not only Madge's future studio albums but her tours, merchandising, film and TV projects, DVD releases and music-licensing agreements. "For the first time in my career, the way that my music can reach my fans is unlimited," Madonna says in a statement. "The possibilities are endless. Who knows how my albums will be distributed in the future?" The deal brings to an end the singer's 25-year relationship with Warner Music Group, which has released all of her albums to date.

October 23: OiNK, "the world's biggest source for pirated, pre-release albums," is shut down after a two-year criminal investigation led by Interpol (the international police organization headquartered in Lyon, France ... not the band). Officers raid the apartment of OiNK's creator, a 24-year-old Brit named Alan Ellis, and seize the site's servers in Amsterdam. Ellis is arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and copyright infringement, and the e-mail addresses of the site's more than 180,000 users are made available to police — though it is not known whether they could face criminal prosecution as well. Ellis' trial is scheduled to begin in February.

November 7: Thanks to a last-minute rule change by the folks at SoundScan, the Eagles' Wal-Mart-only LP, Long Road Out of Eden, debuts at #1 on the Billboard albums chart with sales of more than 711,000 copies. The total nearly triples that of the country's #2 album, Britney Spears' Blackout, and gives the group — which hadn't released an album of new studio material in 28 years — the second-highest debut of 2007.

November 27: Universal Music Group CEO Doug Morris gives a disastrous interview to Wired magazine, in which he compares the music industry to a character from the comic strip "Lil' Abner," calls college students who download music "criminals" and explains the industry's inability to keep up with the Internet by saying, "There's no one in the record company that's a technologist. ... It's like if you were suddenly asked to operate on your dog to remove his kidney. What would you do?"

November 28: Reigning "American Idol" champ Jordin Sparks' self-titled debut lands at #10 on the Billboard chart with sales of 119,000 copies. It's the lowest first-week sales total for any "Idol" winner — by more than 180,000 copies.

December 3: Island Def Jam lays off nearly 6 percent of its staff. Rumors of axings at major labels like Sony BMG and the Universal Music Group begin to swirl — and at press time, it looked like they may have begun. The Warner Music Group announces that it has cut bonuses for employees, and Terra Firma, the private equity group that owns EMI (home to Capitol Records), reportedly makes "cutbacks a core part of its strategy." There are also reports of massive reshuffling at labels like Epic, RCA and Arista.

December 31: In Rainbows is set to be released to retailers in the U.K. through XL Recordings. The U.S. release will come one day later, through TBD Records, an offshoot of the Dave Matthews-founded ATO Records.

• The Future Of Music: What's Next?

• Madonna
• Radiohead
• Nine Inch Nails
• Paul McCartney

Ja Rule
Photo: Scott Wintrow/ Getty Images

There are probably bigger challenges in life than trying to clear a Beatles sample. We just can't think of any right now.

Just ask the Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, or maybe Ja Rule, both of whom recently attempted the musical equivalent of scaling Mount Everest with one hand tied behind your back: clearing original master Beatles samples for use in their songs.

Of course, both did a whole lot of shouting from base camp, which seemed rather ill-advised, considering the treacherous climb ahead. And when neither was successful in their attempts — the Wu's "The Heart Gently Weeps" and Ja's "Father Forgive Me" feature not original Beatles samples, but rather reworked (or "interpolated") versions of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Eleanor Rigby" (see "Wu-Tang Clan's 'First-Ever Cleared Beatles Sample' Claim Is Incorrect") — it was hardly news. After all, these are the songs of the Beatles (and the myriad of corporations, limited partnerships and publishing companies associated with them) we're talking about here. They can't be had without a fight.

"If a recording artist wanted to build a song around a Beatles sample, they have to go through three different license holders," said Janice Brock, a spokeswoman for Sony/ATV, the music-publishing company that owns the famed Lennon/McCartney Northern Songs catalog (and as such, also owns roughly 90 percent of the entire Beatles song output). "They have to go to the original master-license holder, which is EMI Records. They have to go to the Beatles themselves, who are represented by Apple Corps Ltd., and they have to go to Sony/ATV, which represents the song itself.

"It's a fairly difficult, lengthy process, which is why most people probably don't bother," Brock continued. "And as you know, the Beatles have never granted a master-license sample."

And it's that challenge, that finality, which makes an original Beatles sample the Holy Grail of song-building. Which is probably why both the RZA and Ja made big noise about clearing Beatles samples — even if, you know, they actually hadn't. There's a certain amount of swagger that comes with even securing permission to rework a Beatles song into one of your own. After all, even that doesn't come for free.

"With a sample, it's not an issue of difficulty of clearing it. If somebody doesn't want to let you have it, you can't use it," said Todd Brabec, a vice president at ASCAP, the international society of composers, songwriters and music publishers. "A lot of songwriter/publisher deals give the writer the ability to approve usage. And in the case of a sample — using someone else's song to make a new one — it's a negotiation of what your share of all this new song's earnings is going to be. In the case of most high-profile compositions, the new songwriter forfeits all their songwriting royalties."

"If you're going to put someone else's song in your song and build a song around it, you'd have to give away 100 percent of the copyright," Brock added. "So you don't actually earn songwriter royalties for doing that. It generally goes to the original writers. In the case of Ja Rule's ['Father Forgive Me,'] the song sample is an interpolation, it's not an original master use, so in turn for doing that, his songwriter royalties go to the Beatles."

So just for reworking a pair of Beatles compositions in their new songs, both the Wu-Tang Clan and Ja Rule agreed to turn over all songwriting royalties to the original songwriters — in this case, the estate of George Harrison and Lennon/McCartney, respectfully. Also, for each copy of the Wu's The 8 Diagrams or Ja's The Mirror that is sold or downloaded, the rappers will pay both the original writers and their publishing companies (Harrisongs and Sony/ATV) 9.1 cents, an amount mandated by federal law.

Is it all worth it? Well, we guess that's up to the artists themselves. But just getting to this point has been a battle. Then again, nothing in the realm of music publishing — and all its marvelous facets, including sample clearances and statutory fees — is simple.

Publishing is probably the least understood, most complicated (and most unsexy) aspect of the music industry, yet it's also one of the most lucrative: a near billion-dollar-a-year business that's as much about corporations and copyright law as it is creativity and compositions. It's the bizarre point where artists looking to make a statement crash directly into songwriters looking to make a living. And as record sales continue to bottom out, artists trying to have their music heard (and get paid) are exploring every facet of publishing ... which means it's only gonna get more, uh, complicated from here.

"Most people think of the music business only as records, but the big money — the continuing money — is in writing and publishing songs. Because now a song can be used in several TV series, a lot of films, video games, ringtones — all these different uses, not just in the U.S. but throughout the entire world," Brabec said. "And you're getting royalties every time you get one of these new uses. And it's only going to get more interesting. Record sales are going down the tubes, but I'm optimistic about all the other areas in which songwriters can exploit — in the best possible way — their songs.

"Radio and TV performances are the biggest areas, but you can make a lot of money on just having a song in a singing fish doll," he continued. "You'd rather have a singing fish doll than a million-seller, believe me."

And with more and more money up for grabs, does that mean we can expect to see less of these high-profile sample battles? It's doubtful.

"I think there's a certain quality to some of these songs, that no matter how daunting it might seem, there's always going to be an artist who wants to use a sample of them," Brabec said. "There's always going to be a desire for that timeless quality."

• Wu-Tang Clan
• Ja Rule
• The Beatles
• RZA
• John Lennon

Jessica Simpson
Photo: MJ Kim/ Getty Images

The news happens all the time, even while you're catching up on beauty sleep. Check out this brief rundown to bring you up to speed this morning — a quick heads up from your friends at MTV News.

Here's what we've got: No Doubt have a whole batch of songs ready to go — but you won't get to hear them for more than a year thanks to Gwen Stefani's busy schedule, Tom Dumont told us. "Tony, Adrian and I have been busy preparing material for the album since this time last year," Dumont said. "So we have a lot of instrumentals looking for words." ...

It's mourning time for devotees of the black-and-burgundy mall fixture: Hot Topic stores are getting a "lighter and brighter" makeover following a three-year sales dip. "The intent was to be current with what's going on in the music environment," according to Darrell Kinsley, Hot Topic's vice president of merchandising, marketing and store design. "You check any teen's iPod, they don't have just punk or metal music on there." ...

Comics badass Frank Miller let us in on some of the plans for his big-screen adaptation of "The Spirit." The script's written, the storyboarding is coming soon, and you can expect the film to go "a step further" "300" and "Sin City" when it comes to technology-enhanced visuals, he told us. Miller's also got an eye on his top bad guy. "I would love for [Samuel L. Jackson] to be the Octopus in the movie, the chief villain," he said. ...

And Paris Hilton will be in court today for a hearing to determine whether she will be sent back to jail to serve the remainder of her sentence. Check back early this afternoon for the verdict.

Quote of the Day: "The entire side of our trailer was covered with blood and guts, and we had to clean it off with cans of Pepsi." — Despised Icon's Alexandre Erian

Here's what everyone else is talking about:

It's already got a poster, and now Jessica Simpson's "Major Movie Star" has a director. Variety reports that Steve Miner ("Day of the Dead," "Halloween H20") will helm the comedy, starring Simpson as a spoiled celebrity who decides to join the Marine Corps. The film begins shooting next month. ...

World leaders attending the G8 conference in Germany pledged $60 billion to fight AIDS on Friday (June 8) — and Bono is not pleased, Reuters reports. "I am exasperated," he said in a phone interview. "We are looking for accountable language and numbers. ... They say they will keep their pledges on Africa but it is remarkable. In a 25-page document we can't see any evidence of how they are going to get to those. It is a maze." ...

When he isn't taking world leaders to task, Bono has been working on new songs in Morocco with U2 bandmates as well as Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, U2.com reports, but the band isn't planning to put the music out anytime soon. "We have no plans for the music yet," Bono said. "We're just going to make it until we can't not put it out!" ...

Paul McCartney will outsell Rihanna and T-Pain to take #1 on the next Billboard albums charts — that's Hits Daily Double's prediction based on one-day sales reports. McCartney's Memory Almost Full is on track to sell 180,000 in its first week, with Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad and T-Pain's Epiphany each paced to sell about 160,000. Daddy Yankee's El Cartel: The Big Boss is on target for 110,000 sales, while Marilyn Manson's Eat Me, Drink Me is estimated to top 90,000 sales. ...

While Rihanna may miss #1 on the next albums chart, she's holding the top spot on the current Hot 100 — and is the very first artist to top the brand new Canadian Hot 100, Billboard reports. Shop Boyz's "Party Like a Rockstar" also stays put on the Hot 100 at #2. T-Pain's "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')" climbs one spot to #3. Fergie's "Big Girls Don't Cry" jumps four positions to #4, and Maroon 5's "Makes Me Wonder" slips two spots to #5. ...

The Recording Academy has decided to hand out more even more prizes on Grammy night, bringing the total number of categories to 110. Variety reports that the former Latin rock, alternative or urban album category has been split into two — Latin urban album and Latin rock/alternative album — and a zydeco or Cajun album category has been added. The 2008 awards will be held February 10 in Los Angeles. ...

George Michael won't spend time in jail for his "driving while unfit" offense, a judge announced Friday. BBC News reports that the singer is likely to get a suspended sentence or community service after pleading guilty to the charge related to his October arrest. ...

Warner Music and AnywhereCD have settled their legal dispute, agreeing to terminate their contract on September 30 — and sell music by Warner artists (including Green Day, Madonna and Red Hot Chili Peppers) without copy protection in the meantime, Reuters reports. The companies filed battling lawsuits over AnywhereCD's posting of Warner albums for sale without digital-rights management encoding back in April.

• MTV Movie Awards: Backstage Pass

• In Focus: Samuel L. Jackson

• Jessica Simpson
• U2
• Paris Hilton
• Paul McCartney
• Rihanna

Mariah Carey
Photo: Scott Gries/ Getty Images

If there's one thing "American Idol" fans should expect from the show's sixth season, it's familiar faces, both in the early audition episodes and later in the finals.

When the series premieres Tuesday (January 16), the usual hodgepodge of good and bad singers and the judging drama that goes along with them should take up a fair share of the airtime. But there'll also be something the show hasn't seen a lot of in the past: repeat contestants and the even more intense judging drama that goes along with them.

"There's kids who've tried three times already, and they've worked hard and lost weight and hired a music coach and still don't make it," said Cecile Frot-Coutaz, chief executive officer of FremantleMedia North America Inc., which produces "Idol." "There's a few you'll remember. There's a couple who come back and do make it, which is nice. Then you have the others who don't make it and don't want to take no for an answer, either. They're begging and pleading and saying, 'You don't know how much this means to me.' It's a lot of great, sad, heart-wrenching stories — very genuine actually."

Once the wannabe "Idols" are narrowed down to the coveted final 12 (on March 8), the familiar faces will arrive in the form of celebrity guests, who will be more recognizable than in previous seasons. Think more Elton Johns and Rod Stewarts, less Paul Ankas and Verdine Whites.

"We have some really exciting names coming up and that's really where we're focusing our efforts, getting greater and bigger stars to come on the show and work with the kids," Frot-Coutaz said.

No one's naming names yet, but the long-gestating Paul McCartney rumors are more rampant than ever — perhaps that's the big mid-season stunt Frot-Coutaz has teased? — and Randy Jackson has been tempted to tap into his much-hyped Rolodex, beginning with Mariah Carey.

"We've tossed it around a bit," said Jackson, who oversaw Carey's touring band last year (see "Mariah's Summer Adventure: No 'Rolling Crib,' But Makeovers For The 'Classics' "). "I think she'd be great because I think still, for me, she and Whitney [Houston] and Celine [Dion] are those three big, great divas -- some of the better singers of our time. I mentioned it to her. ... She's definitely open to it, so we'll see what happens."

Frot-Coutaz also mentioned she'd like to book a few former finalists. "You have to fit with the themes, but we like to have people back from the season before," she said. "Chris, Katharine, Taylor. It's a great way to tie it in and show the [current] contestants what these people are like a year later."

Chris Daughtry's "Home" is also in contention to replace Daniel Powter's "Bad Day" as the show's unofficial elimination song, although producers are also looking at a number from Will Young, the original "Pop Idol" winner in England. "We're trying to keep it in the family," Frot-Coutaz said.

As for what else to expect in season six, as always, the contestants seem to be influenced by the previous season, with even a few gray-haired Southern gentlemen turning up in hopes to repeat Taylor Hicks' success.

"There was more rock guys because of Chris Daughtry and there were a couple of more Taylor Hicks kind of guys that were kind of in the middle somewhere," Jackson said. "I think fortunately for us every year, the show gets more validation because people see that there's great people that have won and gone on to great careers. So we get a lot more talented people every year."

Although the show traveled to Birmingham, Alabama, this season for tryouts (home of Hicks, Ruben Studdard, Bo Bice and Diana DeGarmo), Jackson predicted the winner will come from somewhere else. He wasn't, however, about to predict a male or female victor, as he's done in the past.

"Simon and I have been saying it's more like season one — I think it's going to be somebody that really grows during the competition," Jackson said. "There are a bunch of standouts, but what we've seen over the years is that you see these people audition in their audition city and they're great. Then they come to Hollywood week and they're not so great and the tension just gets worse and worse and worse as the season goes on. So it's who can really stand in there and take it and show up every week and be amazing."

On the other side of the judging table, Frot-Coutaz said Simon Cowell is as grumpy as ever and Paula Abdul is becoming more critical (especially during the Seattle tryouts, which have been dubbed "the disaster in Seattle"). "Every year she goes a little more towards the dark side," Frot-Coutaz said of the usually affable Abdul.

As for Jackson, well, expect more signature Randy. "I'm going to wear more yellow and lime green in honor of Gnarls Barkley," Jackson said. And he's serious, dawg.

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

• Mariah Carey
• Paul McCartney
• Daniel Powter
• Taylor Hicks
• Daughtry

Rihanna, Amy Winehouse, Mika Rock The 2008 Brit Awards

• Rihanna
• Mika
• Ozzy Osbourne
• Kylie Minogue
• Amy Winehouse

2008 Grammy Award Nominees: Akon, Fergie, T.I., More

• Akon
• Amy Winehouse
• Jay-Z
• Christina Aguilera
• Justin Timberlake

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

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