Miley Cyrus, Raven Simone and Aly & AJ's Alyson Renae Michalka
Photo: Disney/ Hollywood Records

It started in 2003, when the soundtrack to a Disney Channel movie called "The Cheetah Girls" quietly went double platinum.

"It just shocked everybody," recalled Cheetah Girl Sabrina Bryan. "No one was going to guess that. And then 'High School Musical' came out and just knocked everything out of the ballpark."

As a matter of fact, the soundtrack to "High School Musical," another Disney production, has sold nearly 3.5 million copies since it was released in January, more than any other album in 2006 (see "What Is 'High School Musical' And How Did It Get To #1?").

Spawning a national tour, an upcoming sequel and several solo careers (see " 'High School Musical' Stars On Tour: Don't Expect Any Dirty Looks" and " 'High School Musical' Stars Have Sequel, Solo Projects In The Works"), "High School Musical" is clearly a phenomenon in its own right, but it's also part of a larger tween takeover that is having an enormous impact on music.

While the rest of the industry is struggling, artists aimed at 8- to 12-year-olds are soaring, with the soundtracks to "The Cheetah Girls 2" and "Hannah Montana" — which recently spent two weeks at #1 (see " 'Hannah Montana' Holds Billboard #1; K-Fed's Tough Week Continues") — and Aly & AJ's Into the Rush all nearly platinum.

"I think it's teaching the record execs and the public who really buys albums," said "High School Musical" star Lucas Grabeel. "The kids have parents, the parents have money, the parents want to give them what they want, and not only is Suzy gonna get one, but her brother Joe is gonna get one too."

On average, tweens spend $51 billion annually, according to recent data, and another $170 billion is spent on them. For that reason, preteens have become big business, or, as The Associated Press declared in a recent article, "Tweens are the new teens."

"What was the statistic a couple years ago, that we spent the most money in the whole entire country?" said Raven Simone of "The Cheetah Girls" and "That's So Raven." "Hello! The kids are about to rule the world."

Tween-oriented entertainment is nothing new. After all, "The Mickey Mouse Club" — whose '90s revival on the Disney Channel launched the careers of Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera — dates back to the '50s. More recently, Hilary Duff demonstrated the mighty muscle of Disney with her "Lizzie McGuire" character.

Still, tween album sales have never been this high. So why now? Well, for one, many argue that the quality has never been this high. "I am totally impressed by everybody out there," said Vanessa Hudgens, the first breakout star from "High School Musical." "I think everybody is really stepping it up a notch."

"Kids smell bullsh--," added Ron Fair, the A&R guru behind Aguilera and the Pussycat Dolls. "I don't know how, but they do. They gravitate towards the real stuff. For instance, the Vanessa record that's out right now, that's a really strong pop record."

Fair recently got into the tween business with the Slumber Party Girls. To promote the act, he's partnered with CBS (which is airing their TV show on Saturday mornings), Mattel, Archie Comics, the Limited and KOL (AOL's kids' site).

"Things that used to have tremendous meaning in the entertainment industry have changed," Fair said. "Kids aren't hearing the Cheetah Girls on top 40 radio because top 40 radio isn't playing it. And these records could go on to sell millions of copies without radio and without MTV. When did that ever happen in the last 15 years?"

Television, especially, has proven invaluable, as it provides consistent exposure to fans. "I know when Hilary Duff's first album came out, that was the big thing, and I was like, 'Mom, this is what I want for Christmas,' " said Miley Cyrus, who plays Hannah Montana and has her own solo album in the works (see " 'Hannah Montana' Star Miley Cyrus Ready To Break Out, Hilary-Style"). "It's because you grow up watching the show and you kind of experience the same thing the show talks about, and then once they are older, you are older too. So you feel like you kind of know the person."

"I think that each girl stands for what the girls are in this country today," Raven added. "With every girl that the Disney Channel pumps out, it's someone that you can look up to, and I'm very proud to be a part of that genre right now."

Of course, television carries broader expectations, meaning that in the tween world, a good voice alone doesn't cut it. "What we think is so attractive about our group and things like 'High School Musical' is that they involve acting, singing and dancing," said Kiely Williams of the Cheetah Girls, who are currently recording their first non-soundtrack album. "It's all-encompassing, and they want to see that."

So if tweens are saving the music business, the question is: Will the industry learn from them? "Bottom line is, I believe people love music more than ever — they're just not buying CDs," Fair said. "And I think that the strength of the tween thing is it's so on-target. We know who the buyer is, we know where they are and we know how to reach them.

"What do 'The Cheetah Girls,' 'Hannah Montana' and 'High School Musical' have in common?" he continued. "The Disney Channel. So they obviously figured out, in a very profound way, who their audience is. And it's [something] top 40 can't figure out because they're serving too many niches. You can't be all things to all people, so as music and film and all popular culture progress, I think you're going to see more defined, smaller niches that are done with a different business model."

• Tweens Take Over

• Aly & AJ
• Raven-Symoné

Green Day (file)
Photo: Warner Bros. Records

After a four-year absence, Green Day are finally coming around again. On Tuesday, the pop-punk trio will release their seventh studio album, American Idiot, their first since 2000's Warning.

A concept album, American Idiot dips into power pop, punk and glam rock and takes cues from the band's own earlier albums to create a rock opera featuring tracks with titles like "Jesus of Suburbia," "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," and "Wake Me Up When September Ends."

Meanwhile, another trio, hard rock band of brothers Chevelle, releases its third studio album, This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In). Bolstered by the rising success of their first single, "Vitamin R (Leading Us Along)," this type of album could secure them a high spot on the Billboard 200.

Toning the rock down about 20 or 30 notches is newcomer Skye Sweetnam. The 16-year-old Canadian pop songstress with a penchant for self-deprecating lyrics (she refers to herself on "Hypocrite" as "Avril lite," "bubblegum Britney" and "manufactured skate punk") releases her debut, Noises From the Basement.

Raven-Symoné starred as Olivia on "The Cosby Show," earned the title of youngest artist ever signed to MCA records (at age 5), and collaborated with Stevie Wonder. Now, five years after releasing her sophomore album, Raven-Symoné is claiming the present day for herself. Her third release, This Is My Time, hits stores this week.

Canadian rapper k-os releases his second album, Joyful Rebellion, the follow up to 2003's Exit. With tracks like "B-Boy Stance," about bringing hip-hop back to its simpler roots; "Papercutz," about biased journalists; and "The Man I Used to Be," about Michael Jackson, Joyful Rebellion is a new rap album for the old rap soul.

Also out this week are albums by VHS or Beta (Night on Fire), Willie Nelson and Friends (Outlaws and Angels), Elvis Costello (The Delivery Man and Il Sogno), Keb' Mo' (Peace ... Back by Popular Demand), the Cramps (How to Make a Monster), Al Franken (The O'Franken Factor Factor: The Very Best of the O'Franken Factor), and Ben Harper with the Blind Boys of Alabama (There Will Be a Light).

Out Tuesday, September 21:

• Eric Andersen - The Street Was Always There (Appleseed)
• Anti-Depressive Delivery - Feel Melt Release Escape (Laser's Edge)
• Steven Bernstein - Diaspora Hollywood (Tzadik)
• Jake Brennan & the Confidence Men - Love & Bombs (Yep Roc)
• Don Byron - Ivy-Divey (Blue Note)
• Steven Curtis Chapman - All Things New (Sparrow)
• Chevelle - This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In) (Sony)
  Read: "Chevelle Get Revved About Ritalin, Ashlee And Stripping On 'TRL' "
  Buy Now: This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In) (Sony)
• Client - City (Mute)
• Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains - The Big Eyeball in the Sky (Prawn Song)
• Colossal - Welcome the Problems (Asain Man)
• Converge - You Fail Me (Epitaph)
• Elvis Costello - Il Sogno (Deutsche Grammaphon)
• Elvis Costello - The Delivery Man (Lost Highway)
• The Cramps - How to Make a Monster (Vengeance)
• Willy DeVille - Crow Jane Alley (Eagle Rock)
• Don't Look Down - The Fear in Love (Nitro)
• Jimerson Douglas - White Christmas (Amerimusic)
• Paul Dunmall - I Wish You Peace (Cuneiform)
• Dwarves - The Dwarves Must Die (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
• Elevator Division - Years (Second Nature)
• Far Corner - Far Corner (Cuneiform)
• Fattburger - Work to Do (Shanachie)
• Fiver - Let It All Fall Down (Devil in the Woods)
• John Fogerty - Deja Vu All Over Again (Geffen)
• Al Franken - The O'Franken Factor Factor: The Very Best of the O'Franken Factor (Artemis)
• Jan Garbarek - In Praise of Dreams (ECM)
• The Go Find - Miami (Morr Music)
• Green Day - American Idiot (Reprise)
  Read: "Green Day: Anatomy Of A Punk Opera"
  Buy Now: American Idiot (Warner)
• Clive Gregson - Long Story Short (Gadfly)
• Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama - There Will Be a Light (Virgin)
  Buy Now: There Will Be a Light (Virgin)
• Jessica Harper - Hey, Picasso (Rounder)
• Ray Herndon - Livin' the Dream (Compendia)
• Hot Water Music - The New What Next (Epitaph)
• Ironhorse - Bring It On (V-Tone/Compendia)
• Richard Leo Johnson Trio - Poetry of Appliance (Cuneiform)
• Scram Jones - Loose Cannons (Vs.)
• Jump5 - Dreaming in Color (Sparrow)
• k-os - Joyful Rebellion (Astralwerks)
  Read: K-Os Rewrites Hip-Hop's Rulebook With Joyful Rebellion
  Buy Now: Joyful Rebellion (Astralwerks)
  
• Karate - Pockets (Southern)
• Keb' Mo' - Peace ... Back by Popular Demand (Epic)
  Buy Now: Peace ... Back by Popular Demand (Epic)
• E.G. Kight - Takin' It Easy (Blue South)
• King Diamond - Deadly Lullabye Live (Metal Blade)
• Paul Krassner - The Zen Bastard Rides Again (Artemis)
• Krumbsnatcha - 11.19 the Rebirth (Golden Eyes)
• Lair of the Minotaur - Carnage (Southern Lord)
• Lil' Romeo - RomeoLand (Koch)
• Buddy Miller - Universal United House of Prayer (New West)
• Mr. Doctor - Documentary (Epidemic)
• Muffins - Double Negative (Cuneiform)
• Willie Nelson & Friends - Outlaws and Angels (Lost Highway)
• Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Welcome to Woody Creek (DualTone)
• Penny Arkade - Not the Freeze (Sundazed)
• Po' Girl - Vagabond Lullabies (Nettwerk)
• Jonny Polonsky - The Power of Sound (Loveless)
• Poster Children - On the Offensive (EP, Hidden Agenda)
• Raven-Symoné - This Is My Time (Hollywood)
  "Raven-Symone Takes On The Bad Guys"
  Buy Now: This Is My Time (Hollywood)
• Red Lights Flash - Free ... (A-F)
• Paul Rishell & Annie Raines - Goin' Home (Tone-Cool)
• River City Rebels - Hate to Be Loved (Victory)
• Riverside - Out of Myself (Laser's Edge)
• Charlie Robison - Good Times (DualTone)
• RTX - Transmaniacon (Drag City)
• Shadows Fall - War Within (Century Media)
  Buy Now: War Within (Century Media)
• Elliott Sharp - Radio Hyper Yahoo (Gaff)
• Solvent - Apples and Synthesizers (Ghostly)
• Sukilove - You Kill Me (Hidden Agenda/Parasol)
• Skye Sweetnam - Noise from the Basement (Capitol)
  Read: "Skye Sweetnam Calls Herself 'Bubblegum Britney,' So Critics Don't Have To"
• These Arms Are Snakes - Oxeneers or the Lion Sleeps When Its Antelope Go Home (Second Nature)
• Kevin Tihista's Red Terror - Wake Up Captain (Parasol)
• Chris Tomlin - Arriving (Sixsteps)
• Tsunami Bomb - The Definitive Act (Kung Fu)
• Twinemen - Sideshow (Hi-N-Dry)
• Keith Urban - Be Here (Capitol Nashville)
• Vader - The Beast (Metal Blade)
• VHS or Beta - Night on Fire (Astralwerks)
• White Willow - Storm Season (Laser's Edge)
• Gary Wilson - Mary Had Brown Hair (Stones Throw)
• Yang - A Complex Nature (Cuneiform)
• Year Future - The Hidden Hand (EP, Gold Standard)
• Various artists - 13 Ways to Live (Red House)
• Various artists - cELLAbration: A Tribute to Ella Jenkins (Smithsonian Folkways)
• Various artists - Disney Princess: The Ultimate Song Collection (Walt Disney)
• Various artists - The Late, Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered (Gammon)
• Various artists - Women of Latin America (Putumayo)
• Various artists - "American Pimp" soundtrack (Shout! Factory)
• Various artists - "Star Wars Trilogy" original score (Sony)
• DVD: Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band - "2003 Tour" (Rhino)

September 28:

• Brian Wilson - Smile (Nonesuch)
• Joss Stone - Mind, Body & Soul (S-Curve)
• Hilary Duff - Hilary Duff (Hollywood)
• Queen Latifah - The Dana Owens Album (Interscope)

October 5:

• Barenaked Ladies - Barenaked for the Holidays (Warner Bros.)
• Cake - Pressure Chief (Sony)
• Good Charlotte - The Chronicles of Life & Death (Sony)
  Read: "Good Charlotte Get Serious With The Chronicles Of Life And Death"
• R.E.M. - Around the Sun (Warner Bros.)

October 12:

• Camper Van Beethoven - New Roman Times (Vanguard)
• Celine Dion - Miracle (Sony)
• Duran Duran - Astronaut (Sony)
• Chris Isaak - Chris Isaak Xmas (Warner Bros.)

October 19:

• Michael Jackson - The Ultimate Collection (Sony)
• Jimmy Eat World - Futures (Interscope)
  Read: "Jimmy Eat World Say If You Don't Like Futures Right Away, Don't Bother"
• Le Tigre - This Island (Universal)
• Elliott Smith - From a Basement on the Hill (Anti)

• Green Day
• Chevelle
• Lil' Romeo
• Raven-Symoné
• Elvis Costello

Raven-Symoné (file)
Photo: Hollywood Records

UNIVERSAL CITY, California — Raven-Symoné isn't asking for guys to do backflips over her. One is fine.

"Backflip," the first single from the actress/singer's new album, is, in her own words, "about respect."

"I like to explain the video, it helps the song," said the "That's So Raven" star, who just shot the clip in Los Angeles. "I'm with this guy and he's just being disrespectful to me. I'm coming in the house trying to offer him popcorn and he's throwing it all over me, talking on the phone [when] we're supposed to be having some quality time together. So through all of this I'm just typing on my Blackberry and writing something down mischievously and we don't know what's going on."

The video, directed by Sanaa Hamri (Prince's "Musicology," Jay-Z's "Song Cry"), continues with Raven's birthday party, where the guy shows up late without a present. "Not that it matters, but you can get a card or something," Raven said. "Anyway, we find out that I'm reprogramming him, kinda like 'Stepford Husbands,' making him a little more respectful, loving and [willing to] listen some more, not necessarily catering just to me, but come on now, let's be serious."

The R&B-flavored "Backflip" was written and produced by Scott Storch, whose credits include Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River" and Christina Aguilera's "Can't Hold Us Down," and Kara DioGuardi, best known for Ashlee Simpson's "Pieces of Me" and Hilary Duff's "Come Clean."

Raven's album, This Is My Time, due September 21, also features production and songwriting contributions from Tricky, Robin Thicke, Diane Warren, Walter Afanasieff (Destiny's Child), Guy Roche (Brandy) and Matthew Gerrard (Jessica Simpson). There are no guest stars, however.

"I wanted this album to be pure me," said Raven, who co-wrote five of the songs. "I've had two albums prior to this, but not a lot of people know about them, so I didn't want to come out with someone to help me. I wanted to do it on my own."

Raven has, however, had plenty of help from Disney, which broadcasts her show on the Disney Channel and owns her label, Hollywood Records. Disney included the title track of This Is My Time on the soundtrack to "The Princess Diaries 2: The Royal Engagement," which also co-stars the actress (see "Kelly Clarkson, Lindsay Lohan Provide Entries To Princess Diaries 2 LP").

As Olivia on "The Cosby Show," Raven started her entertainment career early, and in 1989, at the age of 5, she became the youngest artist to sign with MCA Records. Her 1993 debut, Here's to New Dreams, featured the single "That's What Little Girls Are Made Of," which was the first radio hit for a then little-known songwriter by the name of Missy Elliott.

Raven's second album, 1999's Undeniable, featured a collaboration with Stevie Wonder, and in promoting the release she opened several dates for 'NSYNC.

Along with picking up the pace of her music career, Raven is lined up to shoot a few more movies in the coming months, including "All-American Girl" and a remake of "Sparkle" (see "Look Out, Hilary Duff — Here Comes Raven").

• Raven-Symoné

Snoop has settled on a title for his upcoming album, which is being released as a joint venture between Snoop's Doggy Style Records and the Neptunes' Star Trak label. R&G: (Rhythm & Gangsta) The Masterpiece is due November 16. ...

Mary J. Blige is in discussions to appear in her first Broadway musical, "Brooklyn," which will open in October. The singer recently performed in the off-Broadway play "The Exonerated." Blige is also looking into recording a song from "Brooklyn" for her next album. ... New Found Glory, in conjunction with Guitar Center, are offering fans the opportunity to see the band live in New York. One grand-prize winner will receive a trip for two to the Big Apple to attend a New Found Glory show, $500 in spending money, a New Found Glory merchandise pack, and a Fender Stratocaster guitar signed by the band. Interested fans should visit www.newfoundglory.com for more information. ...

The Axis of Justice, created by Audioslave's Tom Morello and System of a Down's Serj Tankian, is gearing up to right political wrongs at a July 17 concert at the Avalon in Los Angeles. The lineup will also include Jurassic 5 and Pete Yorn. ... They Might Be Giants' John Flansburgh has collected tracks by R.E.M., Blink-182, Fountains of Wayne, Elliott Smith and the Black Eyed Peas' Will.I.Am. for a benefit compilation due August 10. Proceeds from the sale of the album will go to political activist groups, such as MoveOn.org, Music for America and others. ...

It's going to be a busy summer for Killswitch Engage. The band has just announced that it will play the Jägermeister fall tour along with Slayer. The trek begins October 13 and runs through the end of November. Additionally, Killswitch will play the Aggressive Music Festival on July 18 in Glens Falls, New York; headline Hellfest on July 24 in Elizabeth, New Jersey; and headline their own tour from August 13 through September 25 with special guests From Autumn to Ashes. Eighteen Visions and 36 Crazyfists will open. ... New York hipsters the Walkmen have been tapped to open for Modest Mouse on tour this summer. The trek, conceived in the wake of the cancellation of Lollapalooza, will begin July 16 in Chico, California. ...

Raven is eyeing a song called "Back Flip" to be the first single from her new album, due in the fall. "You have to do cartwheels and backflips to get to my heart," she explained. "You can't just sit there and expect me to do everything." ... Rah Digga said label issues have caused the delay of her long-awaited second album, Everything Is a Story, but she's confident it will be released before year's end. Making the best of the situation, Digga is returning to the studio with the Youngbloodz to add to an album already featuring Lloyd Banks, Fabolous, Snoop Dogg and others. "I have a lot of stuff out as leak joints," she added. "I have songs out on the street with Mary [J. Blige] and Lil' Kim." ...

Carl Thomas shot a video this week for his Just Blaze-produced "My First Love," the latest single from his second album, Let's Talk About It. "I'm talking about the woman I'm with at the time, [and how] she just reminds me of my first love," Thomas explained. ... MC Lyte has recorded a song with Xzibit for her next album, due in September. She also recently collaborated with Boyz II Men for a song on their upcoming covers album. ...

A musical featuring the music of the Ramones will hit the stage in Perth, Australia, in August, according to Playbill. In the frenetic spirit of the Ramones themselves, "Gabba Gabba Hey" packs 18 songs into a 70-minute show, and finds time to add a "touching love story" to the mix. Tommy Ramone will serve as the musical director. "Gabba Gabba Hey" is slated to run for four days at Perth's Monkey Bar; producer Michael Herrmann hopes to bring the show to the U.S. at some point. ... Paul Westerberg is prepping his next solo album, Folker, due out on Vagrant in September. The former Replacements frontman recorded and produced the record in his Minneapolis basement studio and plays every instrument on the disc. ... "First of the Gang to Die" will be the second single from Morrissey's You Are the Quarry. The track, due July 13, will be available as a CD single, along with three new B-sides. ...

7.01.04

How hot are copies of Lloyd Banks' new album, The Hunger for More? A distribution house in the Northeast was robbed of an undisclosed amount of cash and approximately eight boxes of the CDs (200 copies) over the weekend. A downtown New York record store had nearly 100 copies of the CD stolen from its racks by a single perpetrator on Tuesday, the album's first day in stores — though they were later recovered. ...

Michelle Branch is now a married woman. She married her bass player, Teddy Landau, in a ceremony that took place just days before her 21st birthday, which is on Friday. ... Meanwhile, Branch has signed on to be a guest creator for the new Estée Lauder cosmetics line, Flirt!, which will have a rotating cast of creators who sign on twice a year. The singer's collection will be a line of nail polish with matching lip color, with each shade named after a song from her album Hotel Paper. The collection will debut in October in Kohl's department stores. ...

Joan Jett is going to play one hot mom in an alternate version of Hoobastank's next video, "Same Direction." Though the band shot a clip on Monday and Tuesday of this week in Los Angeles, it's shooting a second take on Friday with a new concept, which will include a cameo by the mother of all tough-chick rockers. ... You make the burgers, Hoobastank will bring the buns. One lucky fan can win a private backyard barbecue and concert with the band. To enter, fans have to sign up for Yahoo! Messenger, and then put five or more people on their Yahoo! Messenger list between now and August 2. Fans of the band can check out www.hoobastank.com for details. ...

Mariah Carey has been tapped to sing the Olympic anthem at the opening ceremonies for the 2004 Olympic Games, to be held August 13 in Athens, Greece. ... Almost all of the Roc-A-Fella family is scheduled to converge on the Pontiac Silverdome near Detroit on Friday for the Roc-A-Fella 4th of July Takeover. Jay-Z, Cam'ron and the Diplomats, Twista and members of State Property are scheduled to perform. Dame Dash, who will also be on hand, says that this is only the beginning of his family's massive gatherings; he's planning a Roc-A-Fella tour in the coming months. ...

The organization Black Americans for Life is urging blacks to protest BMG Entertainment, the parent group of Usher's record label, LaFace, over the lyrics on an Usher remix by rapper Joe Budden that advocate violence against pregnant women. On the remix of "Confessions," Budden rhymes, "Pray that she abort that/ If she's talkin' bout keepin' it/ One hit to the stomach/ She's leakin' it." The group is also requesting that the remix be pulled immediately. ... Scott Weiland's finally got a start date for his DUI trial in Los Angeles — on Wednesday, a judge decided that the case should go to trial on Friday. ...

In the July issue of Glamour U.K., Christina Aguilera talks about her love life — with both men and women. Of her boyfriend Jordan Bratman, she says that they're not engaged, as rumored, but that she's fallen in love. "He's amazing in every way and he's not part of the hype," she told the magazine. "I always fall for guys who hate the spotlight, which is obviously difficult for them. ... It's hard for a man to enter my world because they can get stuck in my time, my schedule. But I'm not going to change who I am and what my world is about just to appease someone else." That includes experimenting with women, apparently. "The female body is sexier than the male and I have a deep appreciation for it," she said. "People should be attracted to people, and their sex shouldn't matter." Aguilera admitted to kissing Pink once, at a party "years ago," when they were playing spin the bottle. The magazine asked if it was a bad kiss, and Aguilera said, smiling, "No. Not at all." ...

William Hung's new cover of Queen's "We Are the Champions" isn't quite taking off like his rendition of "She Bangs," but the "American Idol" reject has made a fan in Queen guitarist Brian May. "People send us covers every day," May said. "The only time we ever say no is if it's something abusive to women or racially abusive or something like that ... but if people are honestly interpreting the song, then how could you possibly tell them you didn't want them to do that? As they say, it's the greatest compliment, so thank you, Mr. Hung." ... Couldn't travel to Sweden to catch the last Incubus show? Have no fear, the band will be releasing Live in Sweden 2004 on July 13, as part of a series of bootleg CDs that includes Live in Japan 2004 and Live at Lollapalooza. Fans can listen to tracks from the upcoming release, which includes the first live performance of "Crowded Elevator," and later purchase the CD in its entirety, at www.incubusbootlegs.com. The band will donate a portion of the proceeds from each CD to its Make Yourself Foundation. ...

Puddle of Mudd shot a video this week in downtown Los Angeles for their next single, "Spin You Around." Victoria's Secret model Marisa Miller stars in the clip. ... Mos Def has finished a new album, tentatively titled The New Danger. The LP, due out September 28, is not the much-discussed rock album from his band Black Jack Johnson, but rather a straight hip-hop album. Mos is currently filming his role as Ford Prefect in the upcoming flick "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." ...

After years of slumping sales partially blamed on illegal downloaders, the music industry finally has something to celebrate. For the first half of 2004, sales are up 7 percent, or 19.8 million units, compared with the same period last year. Paid digital downloads are also steadily on the rise. ... Perry Farrell, David Byrne and Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne are among the artists collaborating with Thievery Corporation on their next album, due early next year. ...

The Polyphonic Spree are asking fans to create a video for "Hold Me Now," the first single from Together We're Heavy, due July 13. The winning video will be submitted to MTV and the director will receive $5,000. Details are available on the band's Web site. ... Jack Russell, lead singer of Great White, has sued his former publicist Charrie Foglio for slander, according to The Associated Press. The suit, filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges that Foglio threatened to tell charity organizations associated with the 2003 concert at which 100 fans were killed in a fire that Russell and his manager Obi Steinman were withholding money they promised to use for a fund to benefit survivors. While Russell claims that the profits from the tour went solely to the charity, Foglio alleges that Russell was keeping some of the proceeds for himself. ...

Keith Richards will join Norah Jones, Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams and Dwight Yoakam for Return to Sin City: A Tribute to Gram Parsons. The event, which honors the late country-rock legend, consists of two concerts, July 9 at the Santa Barbara Bowl in Santa Barbara, California, and July 10 at the Universal Amphitheatre in Universal City, California. ... Electronic music fans can get their fix with Warp Records' DVD collection, "Warp Vision (The Videos 1989-2004)," a video compilation 15 years in the making, due September 21. Among the artists featured are Aphex Twin, Nightmares on Wax, Autechre, Antipop, Plaid and LFO. ... The Goo Goo Dolls will perform a special Fourth of July concert in their hometown of Buffalo, New York. A DVD featuring footage from the show is slated to be released later this year. ...

• Snoop Dogg
• Mary J. Blige
• New Found Glory
• Killswitch Engage
• Raven-Symoné

Gwen, Beyonce, Paris, Game, More At The 2006 American Music Awards

• Gwen Stefani
• Beyoncé
• Weird Al Yankovic
• Game
• Josh Groban

Paris, Usher, Mischa, At The 2004 Teen Choice Awards

• Usher
• JoJo
• Lindsay Lohan
• Lenny Kravitz
• Raven-Symoné