US Music Sales rise for First Time Since 2004

Digital tracks and albums help fuel 4 percent gain

2011-07-07

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- U.S. music album sales grew in the first six months of the year from a year ago, the first gain since 2004, thanks to rising sales of digital tracks and albums. Read the complete article

Anthony Lawyers Blast Cable News After Acquittal

Remarks seemed aimed at Nancy Grace of the HLN network, which has enjoyed huge viewership

2011-07-06

DAVID BAUDER AP Television Writer

No sooner had Casey Anthony been acquitted on charges of killing her daughter than her attorneys lashed out against cable news coverage that they said unfairly cast the verdict as shocking. Read the complete article

Jill Scott Rocks Sassy New Look, Music at Essence

Neo-soul singer shares stage with Anthony Hamilton

2011-07-05

CHEVEL JOHNSON Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Neo-soul artist Jill Scott brought a sassy new look, new music and a surprise performance Saturday night with soul-singer Anthony Hamilton on the second day of the Essence Music Festival. Read the complete article

LA's Mariachis Form Union in Bid to Boost Prices

Competition has gotten cut-throat at city’s famed Mariachi Plaza

2011-07-05

CHRISTINA HOAG Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The musicians looking for work at the city's famed Mariachi Plaza are singing a lot of ai-yai-yai's these days. With the number of gigs plummeting by more than half over the past two years, competition has gotten so cut-throat at the square that fistfights and shouting matches have erupted as musicians underbid each other to land scarce jobs. Now a group of veteran plaza musicians have banded together to form a type of mariachi labor union to stop what they call "mariachi pirates" from slashing prices to half the going rate. Read the complete article

Justin Timberlake Part of Group Buying MySpace

Singer's involvement a clear sign that MySpace will try to reconnect with its musical roots

2011-06-30

RYAN NAKASHIMA Business Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Justin Timberlake apparently wasn't satisfied with just playing a social media impresario in the movies, so now he's becoming one in real life. Read the complete article

Parkrose's Yung Mil Wins Meeting With Russell Simmons

Young rapper won Def Jam Rapstar contest

2011-06-29

Parkrose High School’s Ezekial Jones, 17, won the national Def Jam Rapstar “Get Schooled Video Contest” on Tuesday, earning him an exclusive meeting with Russell Simmons and Kevin Liles in New York City. Read the complete article

R&B Diva LaBelle Files Countersuit in Beating Case

Claims altercation began after West Point cadet hurled racial insults at her

2011-06-29

JUAN A. LOZANO Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) -- Veteran R&B diva Patti LaBelle says in a countersuit filed against a West Point cadet who claims she ordered her bodyguards to beat him up outside a Houston airport terminal that the altercation began after the cadet hurled racial insults at her.
But an attorney for the cadet, Richard King, denied his client ever said any racial slurs to LaBelle. Read the complete article

Lady Gaga Sued Over Fundraising Effort for Japan

Detroit-area attorney wants accounting of singer’s wristband campaign

2011-06-28

DETROIT (AP) -- A lawsuit filed in Detroit claims music star Lady Gaga is misleading her fans with an online pitch for donations for victims of the Japan earthquake. Read the complete article

4 honors for Chris Brown at Music-Heavy BET Awards

Singer named best male R&B artist and won best collaboration for "Look At Me Now"

2011-06-27

SANDY COHEN AP Entertainment Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The BET Awards honor various arts, but Sunday's ceremony was all about the music. There were more performances than awards during the 3 1/2-hour show at the Shrine Auditorium, where singer Chris Brown and rappers Lil Wayne, Rick Ross and DJ Khaled did double-duty, each taking the stage twice to perform.

Amy Winehouse Breaks Down on First European Tour Stop

Hyper intoxicated meltdown puts to question her viability as a performer

2011-06-21

The video is painful to watch, an artistic train wreck for all to see. The question is what Amy Winehouse is going to do next.
The five-time Grammy Award winner, whose battles with alcohol and drug abuse have long overshadowed her music career, had a very public meltdown on stage Saturday night in Belgrade, the first stop of her European summer concert tour. Read the complete article