Music News Page 980

Common's video for his new single 'Drivin' Me Wild' has been completed. The clip was shot in Las Vegas earlier this month and features British import Lily Allen.

'Drivin' Me Wild' is the third official single off the rapper's seventh album 'Finding Forever'. It was produced by Kanye West and contains the samples from Rotary Connection's 'Love Has Fallen on Me'.

Music mogul P. Diddy finally announced the winners of Making the Band 4 on Sunday, August 26. The show that was held live saw Diddy cutting ten finalists to mere 5 which will make the ultimate all-male band under his Bad Boy Records.

The ten men were first split into two groups where each performed New Edition's 'If It Isn't Love'. In this round, Diddy sent contestant Dyshon home before continued with the next challenge. The remaining nine were up for a ballad version of 'Exclusive'. This time Brian H. didn't make the cut.

Ashlee Simpson's official site has announced that her third album will arrive this November. The reported star-studded new album was initially scheduled for October release.

Although the street date is within a short period of time, no title for the album or first single has been announced. The working of this set meanwhile, has begun since last year with rumored collaborators revealed sporadically.

A new song from Shop Boyz has got its video online officially. The music video for 'They Like Me', a second single pulled from the group's debut album 'Rockstar Mentality' was premiered worldwide on MTV on Thursday, August 23.

The video has now been roaming file sharing websites like YouTube. The song has David Banner in the producer line and is currently at # 98 in Billboard Hot 100. The album has so far sold under 200,00 copies despite the popularity of 'Party Like a Rockstar'.

Justin Timberlake, a regular in Teen Choice Awards, wins big in music category by gaining his 21st win this year. The singer who was serving his tour in Winnipeg accepted through a video webcast the honor for most Teen Choice wins, be it in film, TV and music.

In the video he said, "I have a whole house full of Teen Choice surfboards now. And they just never get old. I go surfing on a different one every day. And that's a lot of days to go surfing." The Ultimate Choice Award that he gained was accompanied with other winnings like Choice Male Artist and Choice Payback Track for 'What Goes Around...'.

Apparently, the recent ballad dubbed 'Baby Boy' that Britney Spears did recently is an unreleased material that is piled with another song which is now being leaked also. 'It Feels Nice' is a song which is new to music fans but not to the artist.

Due to the anticipation of Britney's new album, any sound which is new from her is marked "new single". However, 'Baby Boy' that leaked few days ago and the new one 'It Feels Nice' are said to be old materials that went unreleased. Although still to no confirmation, they are not to appear in the new album which is now due early 2008.

After 'Crank Dat', phenomenal newcomer Soulja Boy has come up with another dance tune. This time the rapper pulls 'Snap & Roll', which is still unknown to have a certain 'move' or not.

'Snap & Roll', although not much difference to 'Crank Dat', may just be a hit following the unexpected popularity of the first one. 'Crank Dat' that debuted at #47 in Billboard Hot 100 has been climbing steadily up the chart and has so far peaked at #11. Both songs will come up in his album 'SouljaBoytellem.com' that is due October 2.

X Factor winner Shayne Ward decides to give equal treatment to his new singles 'If That's Okay With You' and 'No U Hang Up'. If the former has been confirmed to be the official lead single and made the music video, the latter also gets its clip and status as the A-side song.

The video for the mid-tempo 'No U Hang Up' has just been completed and has been roaming file sharing websites for sometime. It received a cut in some scenes after it's considered "too raunchy" for younger audience. The TV executives decided to eliminate the parts where he makes out with a model in bed, swimming pool and grassy knoll.

Ready with tracks and first single, 'Heroes' star Hayden Panettiere joins Hilary Duff to be the artist under Hollywood Records. The 18-years-old actress had just signed a recording deal with the label and will release a debut album in January 2008.

A source told The Sun, "Hayden's got a great voice so we're hoping with the popularity of the show that she'll be a huge success."

Starting off as a dancer herself, Jennifer Lopez gets down to the business by calling a street audition for female dancers interested in making a cameo in her new music video. Lopez has been touring nationally since Thursday (August 23) and will visit 5 other cities in the coming weeks.

"I'm looking for somebody who's clean, who can pick up choreography but also has a stage presence," Lopez said. She herself sat at the judging panel at the first stop in New York but her entrusted man, choreographer Shane Sparks, will continue with the rest.

Rock band Goo Goo Dolls are releasing the first volume of their retrospective collection. Titled 'Greatest Hits, Vol. 1', the album will have fourteen tracks compiled from the band's previous hits including 'Iris' until the recent 'Before It's Too Late (Sam and Mikaela's Theme)'.

Beside the 'Transformers' soundtrack, there's also a theme song for 'Treasure Planet' called 'I'm Still Here (Jim's Theme) that frontman Johnny Rzeznik did as a solo in 2002. The compilation will be dropped in stores November 13 via Warner Bros. Records.

Time is all The Cure need right now. Leading to perfection, an amount of time is necessary to complete their new album, which is now confirmed to be a double CD. And for that North American Tour this fall will have to be pushed back.

The new trek is dated as far as April and May next year. The post in the band's website read, "The schedule as it stands only gives us a couple of weeks to finish our new double album before we hit the road again, and we know this just isn't enough time to complete the project to our total satisfaction."

Nearing the release date of Babyface's first album under newly-relaunched Mercury records, lead single 'Fire & Rain' has gained popularity in several radio stations. The cover of James Taylor's 1969 classics is placed #2 most-added single at AC radio and #1 in most added at Smooth Jazz.

'Fire & Rain' is taken from the R&B icon's upcoming album 'Playlist', due September 18. As previously reported, the record contains mostly covers while also having new materials within the tracks. "These songs came from memories, and these songs helped shape who I am – and they’re still shaping who I am," Babyface said earlier.

Two grand finalists of American Idol in cycle six have been making huge progress since their graduation in May this year.

Winner Jordin Sparks is officially signed to 19Recordings/Jive Records and her first single 'Tattoo' that supposes to hit the radio on Monday (August 27) has made a round in the Internet first. Her album is coming out in November with collaborators including Amanda Ghost who co-penned James Blunt's hit 'You're Beautiful'.

Expect the unexpected, R.E.M. finally gives their live album a go. After more than 2 decades running in the music industry, the band compile as many as 22 tracks in a double CD/DVD album for the first time.

The album set comprised of footage taken from a concert at Dublin'sThe Point Venue on February 27, 2005. The album will not only contain many of their greatest hits but also rarities like 'I'm Gonna DJ' that went unreleased and will be included in their 2008 album.