Music News Page 1041

The newly reconstructed Wembley Stadium has finally opened up its slot to configure live concerts and George Michael is made the first pop artist to perform on the fresh stage on June 9, 2007.

He may be the first artist presented in the much-delayed reconstructed building but actually he had been performing in the building's old form several times, both with Wham! or solo. "He's no stranger to this great stage having performed at the old stadium both with Wham! at Live Aid and also as a solo artist, so this is a fitting first gig in the new stadium," Wembley's managing director, Alex Horne said upon the upcoming gig.

Releasing third album titled "The Best Damn Thing" on April 17, 2007 Avril Lavigne is ready to take off her baggy pants and put on several more various outfits. Claiming she does not have a theme for her new record, Avril definitely is offering a more colorful approach compared to previous albums.

Dr. Luke, Deryck Whibley and Butch Walker are among several notorious names incorporated to engage in this album. Travis Barker of the band +44 has also contributed his drumming demo in this album. Speaking on the making of the record, the newly wed exposes the availability of love songs because it is 'what she is feeling now'. "Of course, I still have my boy-bashing songs, but they're very playful. So the record is really fun and cool and different and honestly, I think it's my best record yet. I can say that with confidence."

Within 2 years span after album "X&Y" release on June 6, 2005, Coldplay is finally ready to release its fourth studio album which has not been named, yet been predicted to be out anytime in late 2007.

During his busy schedule of Latin American tour, frontman Chris Martin addresses on behalf of the band that this album has a different color compared to the band's previous albums. "I think for a long time people felt like we were a band in black-and-white, and now we feel like because we have this incredible job, now we can do whatever we like and try all kinds of new things," Martin said.

Following the increasing list of people inducting for the Performers category in the 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Jay-Z, Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, Rage Against the Machine's Zack de la Rocha and The Rolling Stones' Keith Richards are among some of the names jotted in.

The induction ceremony will go as Jay-Z inducts Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Vedder inducts R.E.M., Rocha inducts Patti Smith and then Richards for The Ronettes. Still, the ceremony is added with Velvet Revolver's performance, which is included due to Van Halen's withdrawal from the guests list.

Hosted by LL Cool J and attended by A-list celebrities, the 38th Annual NAACP Image Awards has announced its winners for the music category.

First of all, Prince takes the nomination of Outstanding Male Artist with initial competitors of Chris Brown, Jay-Z, John Legend and Lionel Richie. The vocal wonder Mary J. Blige on the other hand, takes on the female position. With that she beats her fellow warriors Beyonce Knowles, Corinne Bailey Rae, American idol winner Fantasia Barrino and also India.Arie. Besides the award, Mary also brings home Best Music Video for "Be Without You".

With the constantly changing front man and no near future recording plan for rock band Van Halen, the band has confirmed its cancellation to participate in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame supposedly mapped on May 12, 2007 in Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

The empty slot will be filled in by Velvet Revolver with lead vocalist Scott Weiland and guitarist Slash speaking on behalf of the band. Releasing the upcoming album "Libertad" later this year, the band is very much the more available and prepared candidate for the festival.

Following the phenomenal album "Medúlla" which was released in 2004, Bjork has set to confirm the release of her sixth studio album on May 7, 2007 under the name "Volta".

It has been reported that Bjork herself has got her hands in the entire production of this album. She has also gone solo in the process of writing the songs, but tapped several artists to collaborate in the album. The lists comprised are Mark Bell from LFO and American rapper Timbaland.

The duo Brooks & Dunn with their contemporary country music will hold up several concerts all around America. To top it off, the band invited Alan Jackson in to perform a number of compilations as well as doing solos on the same stage.

They have announced that their 30 coast-to-coast tours will embark from Virginia Beach, Va. on May 10 and then continue up to October 21 in Orlando. Several regions in between that they will also visit include Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Denver, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, San Diego and also Washington, D.C.

After a two years vacuum, the awaited album of The White Stripes is finally coming out somewhere this year under the title "Icky Thump", though no date has been specified yet. It is the sixth album of the Grammy Award winner rock duo after "Get Behind Me Satan" in 2005. Taking a three weeks process of recording in Blackbird Studio, Nashville to finish this album, it is a period of time which is longest in the band's recording history.

As quoted in the band's official site, Meg White the drummer and vocalist of the band, has faintly mentioned the words "good", "musical in nature" and also "finished" to describe the status of the album. Meanwhile the guitarist and vocalist Jack White who had been busied performing with his other band The Raconteurs in the past two years claimed their feeling towards this album as "almost into it".

Held in Hammersmith Palais, London-UK on Friday, March 1, Arctic Monkeys' music remains a favorite in the 2007 NME Awards. After last year's triumph, this year the British band took home 2 awards, Best Album for "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I Am Not" and also Best Music DVD for "Scrummy Man".

The event also honors Muse as the Best British Band while giving My Chemical Romance the title Best International Band. Three newcomers in the music industry, Klaxons, Jamie. T, and The View have also won their awards. Klaxons who had just released its first album "Myths of the Near Future" in January 2007 grabs the Best New Band Award. The Scotish band The View brings home Best Track for its song "Wasted Little DJs" while Jamie T. holds the trophy of Best Solo Artist. Claiming his excitement Jamie is somewhat skeptical, "It's my first big award. It'll probably be my last."

On Thursday, March 1, New York rapper MIMS has topped Billboard 100 with the song "This Is Why I'm Hot" after leaping as great as 31 positions straight ahead to no.1. The leap is recorded as the third biggest in the chart's history as well as scoring the first #1 single for its label, the Capitol Records. The song has also created quite a stir in numerous radio stations with a total spins up to 1000 per week and absorbed a growing 59 million listeners.

With the sudden shoot up, he knocked out Justin Timberlake's single "What Goes Around...Comes Around" out of its seat and put it in the third place. Meanwhile the song "Don't Matter" by Akon is trailing behind MIMS at no. 2 before tying his spot at no. 5 a week before. The third topper last week Nelly Furtado with "Say It Right" slides down to no. 6 this week while Ludacris' "Runaway Love" featuring Mary J. Blige falls a little bit steeper at no. 9.

The final nominees for this year's CMT Music Awards have been announced Wednesday Feb 28th. Among them there are Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, and Carrie Underwood who are the leading nominees, with three nominations each.

As of Rascal Flatts, the American Country band vies for the categories of Video of the Year for "What Hurts the Most" and Group Video of the Year for "Life Is a Highway" and "What Hurts the Most". Chesney, in the meantime, is nominated for Video of the Year, Male Video of the Year, and Video Director of the Year all for "You Save Me".

Paris Hilton is just great, in the eyes of John Legend. The soul star revealed to Star magazine that he wants to record a duet with the socialite who has had her own album, "Paris".

The idea to do duet with the hotel heiress crossed the star's mind after he bought her single "Stars Are Blind". "I bought her single 'Stars are Blind'. I thought it was a great song and should have done better even than it did," Legend told the publication. "I'd do a song with her. It would be an interesting experience."

Norah Jones isn't easy to be beaten. The jazz pianist has her album "Not Too Late" debuts at No. 1 spot on the Billboard album charts for a third, non-consecutive week, moving 100,000 in the week ended Sunday Feb 25th. With that attainment, the set thus becoming the first album to score three weeks at No. 1 since the "Now 22" compilation last summer.

Next on the chart is DAUGHTRY's self titled debut album which climbs all the way from No. 9 to No. 2, with sales of 84,000 copies. Following in at No. 3 is Fall Out Boy's "Infinity on High", jumps two places from No. 5, taking in another 79,000 copies. The 11th installment of the popular "Kidz Bop," featuring covers of Kelly Clarkson's "Walk Away" and Beyonce Knowles' "Irreplaceable" by children, in the meantime, bows at #4 with 75,000.

A reunion has been planned, but it won't happen, not now at least. Spice Girls' former manager, Simon Fuller says the girls group has planned to return to the industry "with a big bang," which will include a world tour. Unfortunately, the reunion plan is blocked by Melanie C's reluctance.

"All of the girls are up for it and the reunion will definitely happen in the next 18 months. The only person showing any reluctance is Mel C. She thinks her solo career is bigger than the band, which is just not the case. She needs to wise up and realize a reunion would be amazing for everybody concerned," Fuller said.