Music News: Frankmusik, Rihanna, NKOTB, Beatles iPod

Robbie Daw presents a weekly pop music update here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own site called Chart Rigger.

Frankmusik is the electro-music project of 22-year-old London remixer Vincent Frank, an upcoming artist in his own right who recently finished a U.K. tour with Sam Sparro and Alphabeat.

In an interview last month with Click Music, Vincent spoke about working with Stuart Price (who is currently working on the Killers' third set) on his debut Frankmusik album: "Because the album's not coming out until March 2009, I've got Stuart Price working on the record. I could namedrop the fact that, you know, he did Madonna's last album... but I don't need to... sorry. [laughs]. He's very, very, very talented, and very successful, and I think he sees a bit of me in him, when he was younger. He's very inspiring to work with, and there's no ego, and there's no bullshit, like a lot of big producers can have, when you go into their studio, and take up their time - this is very much an us project. He's gone to America to do The Killers' album, when he comes back in July, we'll be working on mine for about three weeks.

In the meantime, a track called "In Step" is available from U.K. iTunes. (Here on the U.S. store, you can download the tracks "Perfect Symmetry" and "Time Keeps Movin'" by Baby Origami and Frankmusik.)

This is the recently released video for "In Step":

Emo poster children Fall Out Boy record a duet with rapper T.I., which bassist Pete Wentz describes as sounding like "something from The Nightmare Before Christmas."

Rihanna to be the face of Gucci's new UNICEF charity campaign. In the meantime, the pop diva appears on the cover of In Style's August issue, where she talks about her own look, and being inspired by Grace Jones: "It has evolved without my even noticing it. Lately I’m obsessed with Thierry Mugler…Grace Jones inspires me…she has extraordinary style and she’s fearless. I love designer Martin Margiela: Kanye West told me about him. I also like Dsquared, Chloé, Zac Posen—he makes flattering lines."

First New Edition and now Michael Jackson: If reports are to be believed—and at this point, nothing's shocking—the onetime King Of Pop is recording a duet with New Kids On The Block. "It's very exciting, says 38-year-old Kid, Donnie Wahlberg. "It's one big party and everyone wants to join us."

Bloomingdales will offer a limited-edition Beatles iPod during the holiday season, stocked with every song from the band's back catalog. Of course, by limited, I mean there will only be 100 available. The Fab Four's songs are still unavailable on iTunes, but Bloomingdales recently acquired the rights to Beatles images from Apple Records.

Any bedroom DJ can become Mariah Carey's top MySpace friend.

After not appearing on television since 1975, legendary rock act Rush to do The Colbert Report. Says Stereogum, "The best part of all this, of course, is that thanks to Stephen's tendency to interview bands post-performance, we'll finally get to stop wondering if Geddy Lee speaks like an ordinary guy."

It's not out stateside till Friday, but Mamma Mia! has already topped the U.K. box office in its opening weekend.

THE WEEK'S NEW RELEASES:

The ninth studio album from Nas, Untitled. Somewhat controversially, the set was originally to be called Ni**er.

Madonna's "Give It 2 Me" remix EP.

John Mellencamp's folk rock album, Life, Death, Love And Freedom, available on iTunes and at a Starbucks near you (as it's on the Hear Music label).

Australian diva Delta Goodrem's U.S. debut, Delta.

Former American Idol contestant Ace Young's self-titled set.

Rockin'! It's Foreigner's No End In Sight: The Very Best Of...

New singles from the Jonas Brothers ("Pushin' Me Away"), The Cure ("Down Under"), Pat Green ("Let Me") and Lil Mama ("What It Is").

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Music News: Chris Martin Answers The Gay Questions, Plus Sub Pop, Yaz, Beck

Robbie Daw presents a weekly pop music update here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own site called Chart Rigger.

No, it didn't come during an interview with a gay magazine. Rather, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin was posed with the question, "Do you know how I know you're gay?" while answering reader questions submitted to Blender's "Dear Superstar" column. The answers are posted at the magazine's website in audio form.

So came Martin's reply: "We have a lot of gay fans. It's something I'm very proud of. In fact—well, I'm proud of anybody after us—a lot of gay guys like us 'cause of the music. Guy [Berryman, guitarist] does have a big gay following as well, because he's...you know. One of our best concerts ever, this gentleman came up to us after the concert, and he went straight up to Guy and said, 'More light on you. They need to put more light on you.' We were like, Yep, you tell him, man."

What Chris Martin, who admittedly has only had one other relationship before Gwyneth Paltrow, stopped short of saying was that Guy Berryman (pictured right) is pretty darn hot...something he actually goes into full-on when answering another question. But first, the Blender moderator jumped into the gay questioning.

BLENDER: "When I was doing some research for this interview, I read—this is probably a pretty fairly common experience among, I will say, boys or dudes of our demographic—where at boarding school for awhile, you weren't quite sure. You felt that you might be gay up until a certain age."

CM: "Every kid does, man. When you're 14 or 15, you're like, 'Hey, what am I? What's the deal here? What am I gonna turn out like?'"

BLENDER: "Was there any kind of boarding school experimentation?"

CM: "Sadly not. I wish I could report... I was very lucky because we lived right next to a girl's school. So there was never that sort of 'Which one on the island would you eat first?' kind of period."

Interesting choice of analogy. Anyway, here's what he went on to say about Guy Berryman: "My entire life is spent trying to push him forward at photo shoots. This is a serious answer—he is our packaging. He's a good-looking guy. The rest of us look OK—we work hard to stay thin and all that stuff—but he's a handsome bastard, and none of us pretend that if he wasn't in the band we'd be as popular... He's reponsible for all of our calendar sales."

Sub Pop—the seminal Seattle indie label that unleashed Nirvana, Soundgarden, emo, The Shins and Postal Service into the mainstream—has turned 20. It's latest slogan? "Sub Pop...going out of business for 20 years." Billboard runs through the label's top 20 moments, albums and videos, as well as interviews co-founder Jonathan Poneman. iTunes also has a special selection of discounted top picks from Sub Pop's back catalog to celebrate the anniversary.

The Los Angeles Times interviews Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet of Yaz ahead off the duo's three L.A. shows this week: "I'm aware that I have a lot of gay fans, and I love it. In the 1970s when I grew up as a punk rocker, we were all on the outside and I think that we found common ground with one another." The four-disc Yaz box set, In Your Room, was released yesterday.

Pinned by Prince Charles: Kylie Minogue received an Order of the British Empire (OBE) last week at Buckingham Palace.

And here you were thinking Kanye West is just plain annoying...

Annie Lennox just another name being floated around—along with Duffy, Duran Duran and Leona Lewis— for singing the next James Bond theme, for the fall's Quantum Of Solace.

Here is a video, something completely new and exciting from Mariah Carey that you've surely never seen before—her writhing around in a bikini.

THIS WEEK'S NEW RELEASES:

Modern Guilt, Beck's eighth studio album, produced by himself and Danger Mouse.

Patches From The Quilt, an EP from Gym Class Heroes released ahead of the group's September release of the full Quilt album.

Alison Moyet's The Turn, a solo album that initially was releaded in the U.K. last fall, but no doubt has been put out here to coincide with the Yaz reunion, box set and tour.

Estonian pop singer Kerli's Love Is Dead.

Moby's EP for single "I Love To Move In Here," featuring 12 remixes of the track.

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Corporate Cannibal: Grace Jones is Back

Grace Jones is back with her first track in 19 years from her album Hurricane due out in October, and she'll eat you alive, AFTER THE JUMP...

Previously
Jonesing for a Record in Wales [tr]

(via boy culture and popbytes)

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Music News: Jay-Z Burns Oasis At Glastonbury, George Michael, Annie, Kurt Cobain, Sam Sparro, Labelle

Robbie Daw presents a weekly pop music update here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own site called Chart Rigger.

Jay-Z headlined England's famed Glastonbury festival on Saturday, a controversial move given the rock-heavy bill the event usually touts. Perhaps no one was more vocal about their disdain for Hova as headliner than Noel Gallagher of Oasis: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If you start to break it then people aren't going to go. I'm sorry, but Jay-Z? No chance."

In turn, the rapper and music mogul clearly wowed the crowd with his opening song choice: a cover of "Wonderwall."

On a bit more tame note -- well, lately, at least -- George Michael brought his 25 Live tour to The Forum in Los Angeles on Wednesday. It was the first time he's played L.A. since 1988.

Just before the final encore, in which he performed "Freedom '90," Michael was surprised by Bo Derek, who walked on stage to give him a birthday cake as his band played "Happy Birthday." The London-born singer is 45.

Enough about Jay-Z...what were the reviews like for Sam Sparro's appearance at Glastonbury?

Word on the street has it that Norwegian pop blondie Annie, of "Chewing Gum" fame, has got a new EP out. Towleroad vehemently looks down upon illegal filesharing, but something tells me that if you typed in "Annie" and "EP" into a search engine, you might be taking the first step to finding out more information on this bit of noise.

This Delicate Film We've Made, a live concert DVD containing the last night of Darren Hayes' 2007 tour, will be released from his own Powdered Sugar Productions on July 22.

Creole Lady Marmalade! All three original members of seminal '70s funk-glam trio LaBelle are set to reunite for their first album together since 1976. The group will also perform this Saturday during the Essence Festival -- where else -- down in ol' New Orleans.

London's Madame Tussauds Wax Museum will unveil a statue of Amy Winehouse later this year: "We are really pleased to be creating Amy; she is a real icon in mondern British music, a continual award winner and an internationally recognized star widely requested by our guests.

So imagine if a bunch of Alanis Morissette fans got together online and did karaoke to try to win free concert tickets...

Did you know you can now purchase Converse sneakers from Nordstrom with writing from Kurt Cobain's journals on them? This seems like something to get up in arms over, but if Courtney Love says it's ok, then... Oh, well. Whatever. Nevermind.

Aerosmith's Steven Tyler finally admits he checked into rehab to recover from more than just foot surgery: "I don't know about (guitarist) Joe (Perry) but I was off and running and I didn't like the me that was me. This was a month ago, so I just put the brakes on and checked into detox and just pulled the plug on all of it."

TODAY'S NEW RELEASES:

Where The Light Is, a live CD/DVD from John Mayer recorded at Los Angeles' Nokia Theater.

High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens' second solo effort, Identified.

R.E.M.'s iTunes-only set, Live: From London.

Love To Make Music To, from L.A.-based electronica producer Daedelus.

New singles from The Faint ("The Geeks Were Right"), LL Cool J ("Baby") and Lee Ann Womack ("Last Call").

Guilt, a new EP from Sheffield indie band The Long Blondes.

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The Gay Man's Katy Perry — "I Kissed a Boy"

Towleroad reader Landon Bryce whipped up this parody of Katy Perry's hot single "I Kissed a Girl". Of course, Bryce wrote and sang this one for the boys. Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP (not adult, but utilizes vintage gay adult film footage possibly NSFW)...

And for your reference, here's Katy Perry's version:

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #311

MICHELLE OBAMA: Her appearance on The View.

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN: A sneak peak at the upcoming series Sordid Lives.

EGG: First-ever video of human ovulation, to accompany these shots from last week.

GIVE IT 2 ME: The "making of" of Madonna's latest video.

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here.

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Music News: Aimee Mann, Prince, Radiohead, Gavin Rossdale, Daft Punk, Austin City Limits

Robbie Daw presents a weekly pop music update here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own site called Chart Rigger.

Low alto vocals delivering bar-raising lyrics in a semi-monotone manner? Must be time for a new Aimee Mann album! Coinciding with the release of her latest LP @#%&! Smilers yesterday, Mann did an in-store performance at L.A.'s Amoeba record store. You can stream the show at the Amoeba website.

As well, Cafe Largo, long the somewhat resident Los Angeles venue of performers like Mann and Jon Brion, recently relocated from Fairfax Avenue to the 280-seat Coronet Theater on La Cienega Boulevard. Aimee performed at the new location Monday night with Brion accompanying her.

You can also check out Blackbook's feature on indie artists (including Mann) who are changing the sound of movies: " As Mann can attest, it is far more common for songwriters, especially ones with cult followings, to find themselves in the baffling quicksand of 'work-for-hire'.”

The cover of Radiohead's "Creep" that Prince rocked out at Coachella last month has now been removed from YouTube at the command of the purple, copyright-crazy one. Instead it's been replaced with this.

Radiohead's two-disc Best Of, covering all the band's output on Capitol/EMI, was released yesterday along with an accompanying DVD. In addition, the British rock group's back catalog finally sees the light of day on iTunes this week. Now if only the Beatles' music would follow suit. And, er, Garth Brooks...

Also out this week is WANDERLUST, the solo album from Gavin Rossdale (pictured right). And how is it, you might ask? Why, let's take a look at iTunes to see what the user Bob Dylan Rocks has to say in his one-star review titled "Crap": "Maybe someday Gwen will give him his balls back!!!!!!"

The True Colors Tour kicks off with a bang...and a striped pantsuit.

Pack your favorite T-shirt that you'll end up taking off at some point in the sweltering 95 degree weather -- the 2008 Austin City Limits festival lineup has been announced.

Daft Punk are in no hurry while they work on their new album.

And because you were probably worried about him, you should know that Kid Rock has sworn off celebrity relationships after Pam Anderson: "I got burnt too hard. I got completely thrown under the bus, no question about that. I don't want anything to do with the whole world she is in. It's a very dark place. I'm not going to get caught up in any of that [bleep] anymore ... those Hollywood relationships."

Ending on a fun note, here's the Bimbo Jones remix video for Danish pop act Alphabeat's "10,000 Nights" single, out now in the U.K. (Catch the un-remixed version here.)

OTHER NEW RELEASES THIS WEEK:

What is technically Weezer's third self-titled album (and their second record produced by Rick Rubin), also unofficially known as The Red Album.

The Declaration, Ashanti's first full-length set in four years.

Jewel's foray into country music, Perfectly Clear.

Indestructible, the fourth album from hard-rocking alt band Disturbed.

R&B/jazz singer Lalah Hathaway's new set, Self Portrait.

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Morrissey Commands Boys to Leap with his Magic Tambourine

Morrissey just came out with a new video for his single "All You Need is Me" which I find somehow hypnotic. Maybe it's the bright colors and cheerful sunniness that seem so different from his usual gloom, or maybe it's that v-neck he borrowed from Simon Cowell, but I think it's more likely his harem of acrobatic bandmates.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Chris Crocker Gives His Pork and Beans to Weezer

Chris Crocker appears up close and personal with Weezer, in their new video for "Pork and Beans" which honors geeky individualism, web personalities, and viral videos, and also features Miss South Carolina Lauren Caitlin Upton, the guys behind the Mentos and Diet Coke video phenomenon, Kelly of Shoez fame, and Kevin Federline.

The video is already an internet phenomenon in and of itself, with over 3 million views in just four days.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Music News: How Gay Is Katy Perry? Plus, Nas, Pet Shop Boys, Jennifer Hudson, The Ting Tings

Robbie Daw presents a weekly pop music update here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own site called Chart Rigger.

Beginning last year, I'd been getting pitches from a publicist dealing with online press for an artist called Katy Perry and her song "Ur So Gay." To be completely honest, I just didn't dig the song. But as the title might imply, I also started wondering whether or not I was right to feel a bit offended by the lyrical premise -- a female telling off her H&M scarf-wearing boyfriend with the insult, "You're so gay and you don't even like boys," implying that he'd rather spend time with his friends and "MySpace-ing," etc. I basically chalked it up to me being a bit uptight, the song not being my thing, and moved on.

But the pitches kept coming. Soon Katy was signed to Capitol Records, a major label, and the press releases started mentioning Perez Hilton was touting her as a next big thing for summer 2008. In an interview with Blender, Perry, who turns out to be a pastor's daughter, exclaims, "I'm completely outrageous and I'll do anything for attention!"

Now the singer's got a heavily-promoted single called "I Kissed A Girl" (not a Jill Sobule cover), though it doesn't have a video. But rather than expound upon what I think of a seemingly heterosexual 23-year-old woman singing about her drunken female conquest, "I don't even know your name, it doesn't matter/You're my experimental game," I thought I'd turn it over to see what you, the Towleroad reader, think.

Are Katy Perry's lyrics offensive, or are they just silly, gimmicky pop songs by a self-proclaimed attention seeker to be taken with a grain of salt? Clips of "Ur So Gay" and "I Kissed A Girl" are below.

Two things to think about: 1.) A bit of digging finds that Katy Perry released an album of Christian music a few years back under the name Katy Hudson. 2.) Would your thoughts on the level of offense, if any, be different if it were a straight male artist singing either song (particularly if the latter were "I Kissed A Boy")?

Incidentally, Katy Perry's album, One Of The Boys, is out in June.

Hip hop star Nas drops the original controversial title for his new album.

The Pet Shop Boys are working on new material with frequent Sugababes' collaborators Xenomania. Meanwhile, clips from a 2006 episode of U.K. program The South Bank Show on Dusty Springfield have popped up on YouTube, wherein the Boys discuss what it was like working with the singer on her 1991 album, Reputation.

Recording artist Ferras (pictured left) -- whose track "Hollywood's Not America" you likely recognize as this season's American Idol good-bye song -- took to his MySpace blog Friday to dedicate the new single "Liberation Day" to the overturning of California's ban on same-sex marriage: "YAY!!!!!!!!!! ITS LIBERATION DAY EVERYONE!!!! WAKE UP!!!!!! It's 'LIBERATION DAY' for GAY PEOPLE everywhere!!!! The road to liberation day has been a long one, filled with tears and a great fight, but one that thankfully does not include giving up hope. Today, the end of the road is a little bit closer. Today, two people in love can finally be recognized just like everyone else. Its about love, acceptance and life. This is not only about a piece of paper, its about human rights. Its about rejoicing in the beauty of each and every person living on this planet! Its about individuality and the right to exist! Gay people are citizens just like everyone else and should be afforded the same rights. Without recognizing gay marriage as a legitimate expression of love, partnership and equality, we are still living in the dark ages-communicating a message of intolerance and hate. It's 2008. Its a new time. A new era. A time to wake up and 'throw your illusions away.' May all beings rejoice and be happy, as we get one shot- one life- to be all we can be, be the best humans we can be and to love and be loved equally, as we all bleed the same blood. To all my gay and lesbian peeps- this ones for you. All my love and respect, FERRAS"

Darren Hayes will appear as a guest judge on the upcoming season of Austalian Idol, along with fellow Aussie Tina Arena. The London-based singer will help suss out talent in the U.K. for the program: "As an Australian entertainer living in London I definitely have a soft spot for Aussies trying to make it overseas. Rather than judging people, I'm going to be looking for that little bit of magic that someone once saw in me."

Janet Jackson's going on tour: "It will definitely be a big production but it will definitely also be something that I've never done before, that people have never seen from me before." Don't they all say that?

Jennnifer Hudson's album due out in September: "I think people will be pleasantly surprised, because it shows a side of my work that no one has heard before." Now, hold on a second...!

TODAY'S NEW RELEASES:

The Ting Tings' debut set, We Started Nothing. The dancey pop/rock duo have the current #1 single on the U.K. chart with "That's Not My Name," while they're also enjoying a sizeable stateside hit with "Shut Up And Let Me Go," thanks to its inclusion in an Apple commercial.

Donna Summer's Crayons, her first studio album of pop material since 1991's Mistaken Identity.

Stop Drop And Roll from Foxboro Hottubs. The big "secret" is that it's actually Green Day doing punk-infused, '60s-sounding bubblegum.

Liverpool electro quartet Ladytron's fourth LP, Velocifero.

Actress Scarlett Johansson's album of Tom Waits covers, Anywhere I Lay My Head.

Jesse McCartney's Departure. McCartney is currently enjoying the success of having co-written Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love" with OneRepublic's "Ryan Tedder."

New singles from Aimee Mann ("Freeway"), Solange ("I Decided, Pt. 2") and Judas Priest ("Visions").

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Bill O'Reilly Flips Out - The Dance Remix

Check it out, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Music News: Cyndi Lauper Creates A Residence For Homeless LGBT Youth, Plus NIN, Jay-Z Vs. Oasis, Pete Burns, Ace Of Base

Robbie Daw presents a weekly pop music update here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own site called Chart Rigger.

Many of you -- yes, that means you, buster --are probably reading this while at work. But while some of us are counting the minutes as the day wears on, as Cyndi Lauper points out in a Q&A with Newsweek, things could always be worse.

The singer discusses some of the odd jobs she had before she became a successful recording artist: "I tried to work in an office. Apparently, my clothes weren't right. I was a Gal Friday the 13th. I would answer phones and people would call up very upset. Then they'd call back screaming and yelling because I had to go to the file room and I would get sidetracked. I used to fall asleep reading the mail. I didn't want to. But it was so boring to me and I hated it."

One job Cyndi might be more happy to do is collaborating with Colleen Jackson and New York's West End Intergenerational Residence to create the True Colors Residence, "a permanent supportive housing program for homeless LGBT youth 18-24 years old."

Lauper notes in an open letter: "In New York City, a very disproportionate number (up to 40%), of homeless youth identify as LGBT. Even more disturbing are reports that these young people often face discrimination and at times physical assault in some of the very places they have to for help. This is shocking an inexcusable... We'll be building from the ground up so our residents will have a brand new, modern building with studio apartments for each resident and both indoor and outdoor community space to socialize or attend education and recreation programs. Each resident will be responsible for paying affordable rent based on their income and will receive ongoing assistance in obtaining employment best suited to their individual interests and skills."

As well, Cyndi Lauper's first studio album of original material in 11 years -- Bring Ya To The Brink -- will be released in two weeks, from Epic. The first single, "Same Ol' Story," was added to iTunes last week.

In 2001, Lauper was set to release an LP called Shine stateside, but plans with the label fell through, and the album eventually only saw the light of day in Japan, while she self-released an EP of some of the tracks domestically a year later.

Props to Towleroad reader Crispy, who in last week's music column commented that I forgot to mention Nine Inch Nails' digital release of new album The Slip, completely free of charge, on the band's website: "[lowercase sic] as a thank you to our fans for your continued support, we are giving away the new nine inch nails album one hundred percent free, exclusively via nin.com. the music is available in a variety of formats including high-quality MP3, FLAC or M4A lossless at CD quality and even higher-than-CD quality 24/96 WAVE. your link will include all options - all free. all downloads include a PDF with artwork and credits. for those of you interested in physical products, fear not. we plan to make a version of this release available on CD and vinyl in july. details coming soon."

As a fellow Western Pennsylvanian who grew up only a county away from him, I hope Trent Reznor can forgive me for not mentioning it sooner!

Can you name three reasons why Dannii is better than Kylie?

It's Jay-Z vs. Noel Gallagher over a "controversial" Glastonbury headlining gig: "We don't play guitars, Noel, but hip-hop has put in its work like any other form of music. This headline show is just a natural progression."

But if jetting off to England to see Oasis and Jay-Z's pissing contest isn't your thing, why not catch this summer's Regeneration Tour, headlined by the Human League and featuring Belinda Carlisle, ABC and Naked Eyes on the bill? Those heading to dates on the West Coast will be lucky enough to catch Pete Burns of Dead Or Alive, who's joining the tour from August 2 - 11.

Finally -- what we've all been waiting for! Gnarls Barkley's Cee Lo Green and Jack Black to cover disco classic "Kung Fu Fighting" for Dreamworks' Kung Fu Panda.

Not content to just give away their music for free, Coldplay now doing two gigs free of charge in New York and London next month.

Has it really been 14 years? Below is the video for the #1 single on Billboard's Hot 100 chart this week in 1994:

Jeez, and they thought life was demanding without understanding in the '90s...! Ace Of Base's "The Sign" initially spent four weeks at #1, beginning in March of '94, before being knocked off by R. Kelly's "Bump N' Grind." After a four-week stretch for the latter, "The Sign" returned to the top for two more weeks that May.

The Swedish quartet's same-titled album would go on to tie with Disney's Lion King soundtrack for the year's best-seller, at 7 million copies moved.

TODAY'S NEW RELEASES:

Death Cab For Cutie's Narrow Stairs. (And, hey, how about a new Postal Service album while you're at it, Ben?)

We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things., a collection of three EPs Jason Mraz had released in recent months.

New singles from the reunited New Kids On The Block ("Summertime") and Kaskade & Dedmau5 ("Move For Me").

Two new singles from The Cure (The Only One"" and "NY Trip"), who plan to release songs on the 13th of each month until the August release of their as-yet-untitled 13th album.

Brit blue-eyed soul singer Duffy's debut LP, Rockferry, which contains her current hit, "Mercy."

11, the appropriately-titled 11th studio album from Bryan Adams.

Hot Chip's four-song EP for single "One Pure Thought."

A remix EP for American Idol runner-up Blake Lewis' woefully overlooked "How Many Words."

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Music News: Coldplay Continue To Give Away Their Music, Plus Madonna, Donna Summer, Clay Aiken

Robbie Daw presents a weekly pop music update here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own site called Chart Rigger.

Last week Coldplay offered up "Violet Hill," their first single off forthcoming album Viva La Vida, Or Death And All His Friends, as a free download for seven days on their official site. It was reportedly downloaded by two million people, where "It would have outsold the whole of last week's [UK] top 40 (singles) four times over." The band continue to give the track away this week -- at least in their home country -- as a 7" vinyl single packaged in with British rock journal New Musical Express.

NME usually washes up on these shores in bookstores and newsstands with an inflated import price. The Coldplay issue offers new photos of the band and a brand new look for the mag: "Not only have we launched a brand spanking new-look magazine this week that’s seen us strip everything back to let the words and photography shine through, we’ve also added a whole load of new features to give you even more news, bands and gigs than ever before. Plus, to top it all off, the pièce de résistance is a FREE, 7-inch vinyl copy of Coldplay’s new single, 'Violet Hill.'"

Back here in the States, "Violet Hill" and a "single edit" of new track, "Viva La Vida", were added to iTunes. The latter is being offered for free with pre-orders of the album.

Yee-owch! Here's an interview MTV's John Norris did with Madonna and Justin Timberlake. Madge doesn't seem too jazzed to be talking to Norris, as she gets a tad frosty with him toward the end. (Of course, that might expain why the awful, out-of-key singing moment was then used in the montage.)

Meanwhile, with first-week sales of 280,000, Billboard reports today that Madonna's Hard Candy has topped the album chart, giving her a seventh #1 on that tally. As far as female artists, only Barbra Streisand has had more chart-topping albums, with eight total.

Amongst others, Donna Summer worked with producer Greg Kurstin on Crayons, her first album of original material in 17 years (due out May 20). Kurstin recently produced tracks on Kylie Minogue's X. "Stamp Your Feet," the current single off Crayons, pretty much makes you wanna do just that, though they could have done without the video.

New Stephen King/John Mellencamp musical originally set for a 2009 debut has been delayed.

Last show ever by The Police to benefit New York arts, while the band also donates to Bloomberg's MillionTreesNYC.

In a one-star (out of five) review, the New York Daily News assesses Clay Aiken's new CD, On My Way Here: "From the new songs' lyrics, we discover that Aiken has 'seen the best and the worst' of life. He has walked 'through fire,' 'risen from the ashes' and felt 'the weight of the world' on his shoulders. Along the way, he also discovered that 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger,' which finally led him to realize, 'by the grace of God go I.'
If the universe holds any more survivor cliches, I've never heard them."

What are your iPod habits and desires?

THE WEEK'S NEW RELEASES:

"Take A Bow", a new single from Rihanna off the upcoming re-release of Good Girl Gone Bad. (Not a Madonna cover.)

Gavin DeGraw's self-titled third album.

Home Before Dark, Neil Diamond's latest set of original material, produced by Rick Rubin.

Sony's 20th anniversary enhanced CD/DVD version of Midnight Oil's Diesel And Dust.

The always-charming Toby Keith's 35 Biggest Hits.

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #282

NANCY PELOSI: Has the House Speaker's personal love for Bush gotten in the way of her disagreement with his policies?

BILL O'REILLY: Responds to Karl Rove's suggestion of a question for Hillary Clinton (who is appearing on his show tonight): "That question is way too smart for me. I have stupid questions, but they’re fun."

THE ONES: New video for "When We Get Together" featuring Debbie Harry, Scissor Sisters, Jody Watley, Casey Spooner, Ultra Natè, Colton Ford, Ari Gold, Peppermint, and Nick Scotti.

JOHN MCCAIN: Screw 100 years in Iraq. How about a million?

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here.

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Music News: So What Do You Think Of Hard Candy? Plus Coldplay, Glastonbury, Amy Winehouse, Robyn, Portishead

Photo courtesy Pud at Madonnalicious.

Robbie Daw presents a weekly pop music update here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own site called Chart Rigger.

I'm going way out on a limb and assuming there might be some Madonna fans amongst the readers of Towleroad. So in honor of the release today of Madge's 11th studio album, Hard Candy, lets turn it over to you guys -- what are your thoughts of the album? Did you celebrate with a big bag of Jolly Ranchers or wallpaper your bedroom with 100 copies of the vinyl? Wish she woulda been a little more Material Matron and a little less Hooker Of Dorian Gray with the cover art? Let us know what you think!

Live outside the U.S. and not able to jet over to Madonna's gig at New York's Roseland Ballroom tomorrow night? Vodafone is making the show available for free to customers in 14 different countries. Says the company's global chief marketing officer, “Vodafone's strategy is to offer different music flavours and innovative formats allowing customers to experience music on their mobile in any way they wish."

Is Amy Winehouse recording the new Bond theme for November's Quantum Of Solace? "She has been doing some work in the studio, but [the Bond theme] is speculation, basically," says her label's spokesperson. "It would be lovely, but there's nothing to confirm at this stage."

Saturday Night Live alum Cheri Oteri's father, Gaetano Thomas Oteri, was killed over the weekend, and his roommate, country songwriter Richard William Fagan, has been charged with the murder: "...the roommates had an alcohol-infused brawl around 9 p.m. Saturday night and Fagan allegedly cut Oteri, his music associate and publisher, with a 4- to 6-inch long Colt pocketknife. Police spokesman Don Aaron said Oteri died from a significant laceration to the wrist. Fagan is best known for penning the No. 1 songs 'Be My Baby Tonight' and 'Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)' for John Michael Montgomery."

Coldplay have unveiled the cover art (pictured right) for fourth album, Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends, due out June 18. Today the band's new single, "Violet Hill," was made available as a free download from Coldplay's official site. The track will be free for one week before its official release to online digital music stores.

Mel B. denies rumors the Spice Girls will play Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday party in London this summer, as she's far too busy modeling underwear and recording a solo album.

With Coachella over, all guitars (and Jay-Z) point toward Glastonbury.

In February I interviewed Robyn for Towleroad, and today her full self-titled album finally sees its American release. In a final nod to Madonna, below is the video for Robyn's current U.K. single, "Who's That Girl."

TODAY'S NEW RELEASES:

Third, the long-awaited third album from Bristol trip-hoppers Portishead, who performed at Coachella over the weekend. It's now been 11 years since their last full-length set of original material.

Shine, from 28-year-old London singer Estelle. The album features the single "American Boy," a duet with Kanye West that recently spent a month on top of the U.K. chart.

The Roots' Rising Down, featuring guest appearances by Mos Def, Common and Talib Kweli.

Santogold's self-titled debut. The Philadelphia-based artist topped numerous music mag's "ones to watch" lists last year.

Lyfe Jennings' third album, Lyfe Change.

Nine Lives, a new solo offering from Steve Winwood which also features Eric Clapton on the song "Dirty City." Winwood turns 60 in May.

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Music News: Coachella! Plus Midnight Juggernauts, Chris Brown, Yaz, Madonna, STP

Robbie Daw presents a weekly pop music update here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own site called Chart Rigger.

Since the inception of Indio, California's Coachella Music & Arts Festival in 1999, a half-dozen similar events inspired by Coachella (read: imitators) have cropped up annually across the states. The San Diego Union-Tribune sizes them all up, along with the growing festival fever sweeping the country.

Nevertheless, there's really only one Coachella, and this Friday kicks off the three-day outdoor "do" in the desert. Big-name headliners for the '08 fest include Roger Waters, Jack Johnson and the recently-added Prince, but flashier draws for the hipster set are Portishead, Kraftwerk, and Death Cab For Cutie. Other artists making a stop at Coachella this year are Hot Chip, M.I.A., Goldfrapp, Aphex Twin, Justice and Simian Mobile Disco, amongst over a hundred more.

One act to look out for this weekend is Melbourne electro trio Midnight Juggernauts. The synth-heavy Aussie act, which at times brings to mind Jeff Lynne in his E.L.O. days, gained attention after posting songs on MySpace and then meeting Justice, eventually being invited to support them on a tour last year.

Here are the videos for Midnight Juggernauts' "Tombstone" and "Into The Galaxy." Their debut album, Dystopia, sees a U.S. release from Astralwerks May 27.

Veteran alt rockers Love & Rockets just announced two warm-up shows prior to their Coachella gig: Pomona's Glass House tonight, and Cane's in San Diego on Thursday. They'll be the first full sets the trio has done in nine years. Says founding Rockets member David J to NME.com: "The time feels right for this band again. We'll be focusing on the music from our first four albums, the more guitar-based stuff."

In addition to some live content from the bands performing being available at Coachella.com, AT&T announced today it'll be exclusively webcasting from the event at AT&T Blueroom, while on-demand content will be made available next month.

If you've got tickets and aren't quite sure which stages to run back and forth between or how to plan who you want to see when, Artist Direct offers up a pretty decent preview of the festival.

Like your pop breezy, danceable, Euro-sounding and heavy on the vocoded effects? (And, no, this isn't leading up to something on Madge's new album.) Then check out Chris Brown's new single, "Forever," a new track tacked onto the re-release of Brown's latest set, Exclusive, and added to iTunes today. Bonus gay points -- not that the song needs any more -- to Chris for working with Polow da Don on "Forever," who crafted Fergie's "Glamorous."

Back in January I mentioned the reunion of Yaz's Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet (pictured left) for their Yaz Reconnected tour. So what was it like the first time in 18 years they saw each other in person?

"No Air" and "Tattoo" singer Jordin Sparks was forced to cancel an Earth Day show at Washington D.C.'s National Mall today, as well as several other dates with Alicia Keyes, due to an acute vocal cord hemorrhage. "Jordin is on a vocal rest, but she's expected to make a full recovery and join Alicia on tour in May," says a statement from Jive Records.

Things are rolling along for the reunited Stone Temple Pilots. Meanwhile, think you have the chops to blow Slash away?

Though it peaked at #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 stateside, Madonna's "4 Minutes" became Madonna's 13th single to top the U.K. chart on Sunday. She's racked up 12 #1s in the U.S. so far, spanning from 1984's "Like A Virgin" to 2000's "Music." Can you guess the other 10? (They're listed here.)

Perhaps the reason Sony BMG chief Clive Davis was shafted last week was for licensing this song, which recently spent two months at #1 in Germany, for an American release.

Forty-five seconds of new music from Franz Ferdinand has leaked.

TODAY'S NEW RELEASES:

Ashlee Simpson's third album, Bittersweet World, featuring production by Timbaland and Chad Hugo of the Neptunes.

Hideaway, the third LP from indie folk-pop duo The Weepies. Last year the band collaborated with Mandy Moore on her album Wild Hope.