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Blanket Jackson Sees the Light of Day

(Newser) - The carefully guarded children of Michael Jackson made a rare public appearance at his memorial yesterday, but for one of them it was even more revolutionary: Prince Michael Jackson II—aka Blanket—was seen fully for the first time, Fox News reports. Blanket, who was famously dangled by his father...

King of Pop Still Reigns on Charts

Album sales up 90% from first week

(Newser) - Michael Jackson is still dominating the Billboard charts, with his solo albums selling 800,000 copies in the first full week after his death and 2.2 million songs downloaded. His Number Ones collection is the top-selling album in the US as well as No. 1 on Billboard’s Top...

Royalties Deal May Save Internet Radio

(Newser) - Record labels and the online radio industry have reached a deal on royalties that insiders think will allow the medium to survive, the New York Times reports. Larger sites like Pandora will pay the labels 25% of revenue or up to 14 cents for every song they stream—whichever is...

Moby's Wait for Me Is Pleasant, Bland
 Moby's Wait for Me 
 Is Pleasant, Bland 
music review
Jul 6, 2009 5:29 PM CDT

Moby's Wait for Me Is Pleasant, Bland

Pitchfork describes album as 'background music in the purest sense'

(Newser) - Moby’s latest album, Wait For Me, is a pleasant if forgettable trip to the artist’s softer, more ambient side, writes Jess Harvell for Pitchfork. Coming a decade after 1999’s Play, a record that perfectly captured the “post-rave” zeitgeist of pop at the time to become a...

Journey's 'Don't Stop' an Unlikely Phenom

Song achieves icon status, nearly 30 years later

(Newser) - By songwriting standards, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” should never have made it past No. 9, which is where it stalled on the charts when it was released in 1981. But since then, the song—which doesn’t get to its anthemic chorus until 3 minutes and...

'Freebird' at 35: a Joke and a Classic

(Newser) - Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Freebird" is 35 years old now, and in the course of its life, the song "has been an anthem, a demand, an ode to personal independence, the lamest heckle in the history of rock," writes Christopher Borelli in the Chicago Tribune. "But what it...

Ex–Beatles Manager Klein Dead At 77

Abrasive manager feuded with both Paul McCarney and Mick Jagger

(Newser) - Allen Klein, the bare-knuckle Beatles manager whom many blame for splitting up the group, died today after battling Alzheimer’s disease, Reuters reports. The former New Jersey accountant, who also managed the Rolling Stones, became a legend in his own right, known for his gangster-like business style in a career...

Producer: Jacko Dazzles on Unreleased Ballad

(Newser) - We haven't heard the last of Michael Jackson's music. An unreleased ballad called "Don't Be Messing Around" ranks up there with his best stuff, says longtime Jackson producer Bruce Swedien. "Michael plays piano on it, and it's just beautiful," he says. "Oh my God, there's nothing...

Lottery Planned for 17,500 Free Jacko Memorial Tickets

(Newser) - Organizers will give out 17,500 free tickets to Tuesday’s Michael Jackson memorial at Los Angeles’ Staples Center, the Times reports. The drawing will occur Sunday, and ticket-seekers can register online. Trying to avoid a rush, the promoter kept some details secret, saying only “there will be no...

A Little Bit Cloudy, a Little Bit Rock 'n Roll

Weather Channel abandons smooth jazz for harder-edged music

(Newser) - The Weather Channel has ditched its familiar smooth jazz background music for the likes of the Rolling Stones—to the delight of watchers and advertisers alike. “People would have it on but they wouldn’t be watching and they wouldn’t be listening,” the exec who pushed the...

5 Truly Awful Albums
 5 Truly Awful Albums 
OPINION
Jul 1, 2009 5:59 PM CDT

5 Truly Awful Albums

(Newser) - Israeli researchers have created the sonic phenomenon of a black hole that kills sound. Which, of course, led Scott Thill of Wired to whip up a list of five atrocious albums he'd like to toss into the newly made void.
  • Scream, Chris Cornell: With nary an actual scream on the
...

Best Rock Comebacks of All Time
 Best Rock 
 Comebacks 
 of All Time
OPINION
Jun 30, 2009 4:42 PM CDT

Best Rock Comebacks of All Time

You may not realize it, but Elvis was once a has-been

(Newser) - In honor of Blur’s triumphant return Sunday at the Glastonbury Festival, the Independent compiles a list of the best rock-and-roll comebacks:
  • Elvis Presley: The King was practically a has-been in 1968, following his army stint and a string of lackluster films. His black-leather-clad, blues-heavy appearance on an NBC Christmas
...

Will.i.am Reveals Jacko's Last Album: Dance Music

Singer kept demos extremely private

(Newser) - Michael Jackson plotted his comeback album with Will.i.am, and the Black Eyed Peas frontman now tells the Mirror it was going to be “something Michael has never done before—a dance music album.” The King of Pop kept the demos “under lock and key,”...

Bon Jovi Launches Iran Protest Video in Farsi

(Newser) - Jon Bon Jovi has released a music video in support of Iran protesters in which he sings Stand by Me in Farsi with exiled Iranian singer Andy Madadian, reports Reuters. "It's not for sale," said a producer of the video, which was first released on mydamnchannel.com. "...

Back to the Stone Age: Teen Trades iPod for Walkman

Teen trades his Apple for a Sony for 1 week

(Newser) - In honor of the debut 30 years ago this week of the Sony Walkman, 13-year old Scott Campbell tried using the device for a week in place of his iPod. Campbell found the gadget took some getting used to, he writes for the BBC: “It took me three days...

Jackson Funeral Will Hold for Autopsy No. 2: Dad

(Newser) - Michael Jackson's father, Joe, says planning for the pop star's funeral is awaiting results of a second autopsy. Joe Jackson told reporters outside the family's Southern California compound at midday today that the second autopsy is under way, and he expects results soon. The county coroner conducted an autopsy Friday...

10 Essential Jackson Videos
 10 Essential Jackson Videos 
Jun 27, 2009 11:22 AM CDT

10 Essential Jackson Videos

(Newser) - Michael Jackson videos are once again hot commodities. Here are Newser's top 10 posted on YouTube and showing up on favorites lists all over (to see them, click on "Videos" at left):
  • His 1983 Motown TV performance, in which he shows off his moonwalk.
  • "Thriller"
  • "Beat It"
...

Jackson Left Behind Secret 100-Song Library

(Newser) - Michael Jackson might have a few albums left in him. The singer left behind over a hundred recorded songs that could now be released posthumously, the Times reports. The songs were made for his children, according to Jackson biographer Ian Halperin, but because the singer also left behind about $400...

World's Fuss Over Jackson 'False Emotion'

(Newser) - The outpouring of grief over Michael Jackson’s death really has nothing to do with the singer, Hadley Freeman writes in the Guardian. Just look at him: “For the past 15 years, ever since the first child-abuse allegations,” Freeman writes, “he has been a figure of freakishness....

New Rule: No Good Songs, No Best Song Oscar

Category may be skipped if year's contenders aren't deemed worthy

(Newser) - Future Academy Awards may not include an Oscar for best original song, the New York Times reports. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has changed the rules for the category: Only songs that score reach 8.25 or better in its scoring system will be nominated. If only...

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