Julie Andrews, Roy Haynes, the Juilliard String Quartet, the Kingston Trio, Dolly Parton, the Ramones, and George Beverly Shea will receive lifetime achievement Grammys, the academy announced today. The awards will be presented in a private ceremony on Feb. 12, the day before the televised Grammys.
Archive: December 2010 (21-30 of 79)
Dec 22
2010
02:05 PM ET
Michael Jackson's posthumous 'Michael' debuts at No. 3
Apparently, Michael Jackson’s posthumous album isn’t quite thrilling U.S. audiences. Despite finishing on top around the world in countries like Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden, Michael debuted at No. 3 on U.S. charts, according to Reuters. The album has performed better even in Canada and Belgium, where it finished at No. 2. (It sits at No. 3 in Japan, and at No. 4 in Britain, France, and Denmark.)
Though Epic was anticipating a sales number nearing 400,000, Michael only sold 228,000 copies its first week. Music fans gobbled up 259,000 copies of Taylor Swift’s “Speak,” however, sending the young singer to No. 1 for the third week in a row. (Susan Boyle sits at No. 2 with The Gift, which picked up 254,000 copies.) More posthumous Michael Jackson albums and tracks are expected. See EW’s Michael album review.
Read more:
‘Michael’ EW review
Michael Jackson estate signs huge 10-album deal with Sony: Is this a good idea?
Dec 22
2010
01:01 PM ET
Josh Farro on Paramore departure: 'We've always been treated as less important than Hayley.'
Image Credit: RD/Kirkland/Retna LtdSeems being part of Paramore was “Misery Business” for recently departed band members Josh and Zac Farro. A few days after Paramore confirmed that their guitarist and drummer had quit the band via its official site, Josh took to his blog to share why the two members had decided that they belonged to Paramore no more. And they seemed to have settled on a scapegoat: Frontwoman Hayley Williams.
The long post, which chronicles how Williams’ manager and family have controlled the band since its formation, claims Paramore’s band members were always forced to play second banana to the singer. “Her dad would constantly threaten to ‘pull the plug’ on the whole band if we complained about anything, suggesting that we were hired guns and Hayley was the real artist, when in reality we were also part of the band,” Farro writes. “We’ve always been treated as less important than Hayley … We toured for two-and-a-half years building our fan base, pretending to be a band that started naturally. In reality, what started as natural somehow morphed into a manufactured product of a major label, riding on the coattails of ‘Hayley’s dream.’”
Farro also shared grievances regarding the band’s songwriting process: READ FULL STORY »
Dec 21
2010
12:33 PM ET
Paramore confirms departure of guitarist, drummer
Image Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.comThe Paramore family has just gotten smaller. In a blog post dated Dec. 18 on their official site, the Brand New Eyes band announced that guitarist Josh Farro and drummer Zac Farro will be leaving the group. “A couple of months ago, Josh and Zac let us know that they would be leaving the band after our show in Orlando last Sunday,” the post reads. “None of us were really shocked. For the last year it hasn’t seemed as if they wanted to be around anymore. We want Josh and Zac to do something that makes them happy and if that isn’t here with us, then we support them finding happiness elsewhere.”
Never fear, Paramore fans: The remaining members — including frontwoman Hayley Williams, bassist Jeremy Davis, and guitarist Taylor York — continue to be tight-knit, and have no intentions of breaking up anytime soon. “We never for a second thought about leaving any of this behind,” the post reads. “We really hope that you can be encouraged by the fact that the three of us who are still here are ready to take on another chapter of our journey together.”
Read more:
‘Glee’ covers Britney Spears and Paramore: Hear it now!
Dec 21
2010
11:03 AM ET
Kings of Leon buses go up in flames; London show postponed
A Kings of Leon concert at the O2 Arena in London scheduled for tonight has been postponed, as members of London’s Fire Brigade battle a blaze that sprung up outside the arena in two of the band’s tour buses, according to CNN. The Grammy-winning rock band is promoting its fifth album, “Come Around Sundown.”
Dec 21
2010
09:49 AM ET
Chris Brown completes domestic violence course
Chris Brown has completed the court-ordered course on domestic violence that he was required to take as part of his legal agreement after pleading guilty to assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Rihanna. The singer proudly tweeted the news — ‘im done with class” — and included a photo of his Certificate of Completion. In a follow-up tweet, he wrote, “i have enough self respect and decency to be proud of accomplishing this DV class.. Boyz run from there mistakes.. Men learn from them!!!thx”
Read more:
Chris Brown avoids jail time in plea bargain
Chris Brown sentenced
Chris Brown: “I was wrong for what I did”
Dec 20
2010
04:14 PM ET
Justin Bieber collaborating with Rascal Flatts. That sound is Nashville squealing.
Image Credit: Paul Froggatt/PR Photos; PRN/PR PhotosBieber fever has officially gone country. Justin Bieber, who has previously collaborated with music superstars like Ludacris and Usher, announced via Twitter Sunday that he will work with Rascal Flatts on a song for his new album, My World 2.0. “I love @Rascal Flatts and Im honored that they are making music with me,” Bieber wrote.
Bieber’s tweet confirms Rascal Flatts singer Gary LeVox’s statements on WSIX, a Nashville radio station: “[Justin] asked us to do a duet with him on his next record,” LeVox told the station. “It’s actually a really good song!” Also reportedly set to record with the tween superstar on My World 2.0: Ne-Yo and Diddy.
This all, of course, begs the question: What musical genre will Bieber conquer next? Gregorian chant?
Read more:
Justin Bieber won’t face assault charges
Justin Bieber: Google King
Willow Smith plans to tour with Justin Bieber
‘Never Say Never’ gets a new 3-D trailer
Dec 17
2010
06:39 PM ET
Captain Beefheart: Five Essential Albums
Image Credit: Richard McCaffrey/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images Rock music lost one of its most legendary stars today with the death of Captain Beefheart (aka Don Van Vliet), who passed away at the age of 69 of complications from multiple sclerosis. Below you’ll find a list of what, in our opinion, are the top five Beefheart albums. Whether you’re a Captain lover or virgin, please do check them out on this sad day.
Dec 17
2010
04:45 PM ET
Captain Beefheart, a.k.a. Don Van Vliet, dies at 69
Image Credit: Jan Persson/Redferns/Getty ImagesAvant-garde rock legend and visual artist Don Van Vliet, who performed under the name Captain Beefheart, passed away today at age 69. A representative of New York City’s Michael Werner Gallery, which showed his paintings, confirms the sad news to EW. Van Vliet died of complications from multiple sclerosis at a hospital in Northern California this morning.
Born in California in 1941, Van Vliet dubbed himself Captain Beefheart and began experimenting with eccentric rock’n'roll sounds in the mid-1960s. His first two releases with the Magic Band drew positive notice from some connoisseurs but failed to connect with the wider public. Van Vliet next forged a close creative partnership with Frank Zappa, a former high school classmate, who signed Beefheart to his Straight Records and produced 1969′s Trout Mask Replica. While the bizarre double album was not a major commercial success, it quickly became a cultural landmark. Van Vliet effectively redefined the frontiers of popular music, singing snatches of surreal imagery in disturbing tones over music that drew on blues, jazz, psychedelia, and a thousand other subgenres. Trout Mask Replica is still cited today as an essential art-rock document.
Van Vliet continued recording as Captain Beefheart with a rotating group of Magic Band members through 1982. (Read about his five best albums.) In later years, he shifted his primary focus to creating visual art, a world in which he won some acclaim. The Michael Werner Gallery displayed his work for decades, with their most recent Van Vliet show occurring in 2007. Earlier this month, one of Van Vliet’s paintings was reportedly being offered at an asking price of $40,000.
Please join the Music Mix in sending our condolences to Van Vliet’s family and friends.
(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)
More from EW.com:
Captain Beefheart: His five best albums
EW reviewed three reissues by Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band in 1999
Dec 17
2010
11:00 AM ET
Dr. Dre teams with 'Mafia Wars': Good news for 'Detox'?
Image Credit: Bryan Bedder/Getty ImagesIs Dr. Dre‘s Detox really coming out next year? Maybe! Here’s one more sign that the long-delayed album is on its way: This morning, Dre announced that he is partnering with the online game Mafia Wars for a promotional campaign.
According to a press release, starting this weekend, Mafia Wars players can watch Dre’s new video for his single “Kush” within the game. They can also play a “Hustlin’ Wit Dre” game-within-a-game that will let them “collect Dr. Dre-inspired, limited edition virtual goods such as headphones, a vintage car, and weapons.” Players will have a chance to win signed headphones from the superproducer’s Beats by Dr. Dre line, as well as signed copies of Detox whenever it comes out…which would certainly suggest that that event is looming on the horizon, no?
What do you think of this news? Does this convince you that Detox will be on sale in the near future?
(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)
More on the Music Mix:
Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg steam up the club in “Kush” video
Dr. Dre tells us what’s up with Detox
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