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NEWS ABOUT: pop music

55-Year-Old Singer Leaves Pop Tarts in the Dust

Beyoncé, Swift should hear Lucinda Williams

(Newser) - Beyoncé and Taylor Swift ought to get real and hear 55-year-old songstress Lucinda Williams, David Hajdu writes in the New Republic. Reviewing albums by all three, Hajdu dismisses Beyoncé's "bipolar" attempt to drum up musical personas, and warns Swift against such concoctions as her star rises. Williams' album,... More »

What Makes Joel the Worst Singer Ever?

Contempt, phoniness drives 'really bad art'

(Newser) - Billy Joel serves up his own brand of schlock-rock, but why is it so uniquely bad? Critic Ron Rosenbaum easily pans the piano man—"anodyne, sappy, superficial, derivative, fraudulently rebellious"—but what he hates most is the “unearned contempt" in Joel's tunes. It's usually for “the... More »

Brit Spells Trouble on 'If U Seek Amy'

Racy double meaning in If U Seek Amy could get it B-A-N-N-E-D

(Newser) - Bleeping out cuss words is all but mundane for radio stations, but Britney Spears' third Circus single, If U Seek Amy, (say it fast, boys and girls) has them a bit perplexed on how to censor. Nice try, Brit, but most DJs won't be allowed to play it, MTV reports.... More »

Brit's Circus Tops the Charts

Will be singer's fifth No. 1

(AP) - Britney Spears' latest CD, Circus, has landed her back at a familiar position—No. 1. The singer's comeback CD—make that her second comeback CD—will top the album charts next week, according to her label, Jive. Though Nielsen SoundScan does not release its official figures until today, estimates have... More »

Woo-Hoo! Blur to Reunite This Summer

(Newser) - Blur, the '90s Britpop band famous for “woo-hooing” through its hit single “Song 2,” will reunite this summer for a live show in London, NME reports. The original four members of the band have not performed together publicly since 2000, and the long-awaited reunion announcement has fueled... More »

Britney Album Heading to No. 1

(Newser) - It looks like Britney Spears will have her fifth No. 1 album next week. Her new Circus CD is poised to debut in the top spot when figures are released, Billboard reports. Spears is expected to sell about 455,000 copies. Among female artists, only Barbra Streisand, Madonna, Mariah Carey,... More »

Country Music's Pop Push as Off-Key as GOP's Populism

As Republicans' populists appeal hits dull notes, so does country's pop flirtation

(Newser) - Joe the Plumber is transforming himself into Joe the Country Singer, but he might not want to quit his day job, whatever it was. In the New Republic, David Browne warns that “country is no longer the music of the middle for many Americans.” Instead, Barack Obama's iPod,... More »

Beyoncé More Gimmicky Than Fierce

Diva shows split personality on new double album

(Newser) - Beyoncé’s latest, I Am … Sasha Fierce, consists of two discs: one with “some lovely ballads” and the other “aggressive, sexual, and, well, fierce,” writes Leah Greenblatt in Entertainment Weekly. But despite a few gems, “the collection might have been better served had she... More »

Britney Sweeps 3 VMA Awards

But delivers uninspiring 'performance'

(Newser) - Comeback kid Britney Spears swept three MTV Video Music Awards last night—but delivered an uninspired performance, reports ABC News. Fans had hoped Spears' appearance would redeem her image after the star's last addled MTV performance. But Britney delivered a meek Valley Girl skit with Superbad star Jonah Hill, lamely... More »

Tokio Hotel Rocks Screaming Tweens

With big hair, big riffs and MTV buzz, Germans threaten to go mainstream in US

(Newser) - Having dominated Europe, German rockers Tokio Hotel are threatening to go mainstream in the US, if the reception their riff-heavy pop metal earned among screaming preteens in San Francisco this week is any indication. "The best way to describe the glam-metal-emo-pop-tween group," Aidin Vaziri writes in the Chronicle,... More »

Alanis Ex Cops to Making Mess, Inspiring Song

Full House star confirms rumors that he 'oughta know'

(Newser) - Comedian Dave Coulier says he is indeed the target of Alanis Morissette's angry 1990s hit "You Oughta Know." The two had a nasty breakup at the time, but Coulier denied the rumors that he was the creator "of the mess that you made when you went away"... More »

Rick Astley, Watch Your Virtual Back

Now-classic YouTube prank spreads into politics as 'Barackroll'

(Newser) - The infamous (and infamously annoying) stunt known as a "RickRoll"—a Web link allegedly of interest to the recipient that actually leads to a YouTube video of Rick Astley singing "Never Gonna Give You Up"—has a sequel, E! reports: the "Barackroll." It intercuts... More »

Brit Says Bye-Bye to Sam Lufti

Restraining order's up, but he's still kicked to the curb

(Newser) - A restraining order was lifted yesterday against Sam Lufti, the man by Britney Spears' side during her string of embarrassing mishaps earlier this year. But he won't be seeing her any time soon, reports AP. The singer "does not want to be further harrassed or contacted" by her former... More »

Best Brouhahas Over Albums

Recent controversy over Nas's new release is far from the first

(Newser) - Nas’s new album gained its fair share of buzz before release because he originally planned to call it the 'n-word.' He settled on no title at all. Other album controversies, from the Los Angeles Times:
  • The Beatles, Yesterday and Today: The so-called butcher cover featured mutilated baby dolls
... More »

Chief Justice Ain't Got a Bob Dylan Quote

Roberts almost cites singer correctly in dissenting decision

(Newser) - A Supreme Court decision was livened up this week by a quote from 1960s thinker, Robert Dylan—known to his fans as Bob. Regarding a stand-off between phone companies, Chief Justice John Roberts quoted, "When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose," from Bob Dylan's 1965 hit... More »

I Was Never In It to Win It: 'Accidental' Idol

Cook says he 'was never in it to win it'

(Newser) - David Cook almost didn't audition for American Idol—he was there to offer moral support to his younger brother. But goading from his family kicked off a whirlwind journey that took him from fledgling Midwest rocker to Billboard star. Cook tells Rolling Stone about his modest beginnings—and his early... More »

50 Top Pop Brainiacs

Lennon, Marley, Berry rock on

(Newser) - "Towering natural abilities" and "exceptional creative powers" infuse the most memorable music of generations, forged by Blender's top 50 pop-music geniuses. The top 10:
  1. Bob Dylan: Each of his brave self-reinventions is "an authentic American original."
  2. John Lennon: "His drive pushed the Beatles from a
... More »

Fox Boots 'Idol' Favorite's Dad From Backstage

Despite warnings, Archuleta's papa altered Tuesday song

(Newser) - David Archuleta may be the fan favorite on "American Idol," but his dad is now Fox's persona non grata backstage. The network has banned Jeff Archuleta, who had been intensely involved in prepping his son, after his call Tuesday to change the lyrics of “Stand By Me,... More »

Country's Eddy Arnold Dies at 89

The 'Tennessee Plowboy' sold 85M records, brought music to the masses

(Newser) - Eddy Arnold, the “Tennessee Plowboy,” died this morning at the age of 89, the Tennessean reports. Ranked as Billboard’s most popular country musician of all time, Arnold sold more than 85 million records and had 37 singles on the pop charts. Besides being remembered as a caring... More »

Britney Custody Hearing Gets Off to Low-Key Start

Singer appears distraught as she attempts to gain more time with young sons

(Newser) - Britney Spears attended a custody hearing today, and the scene at the courthouse was surprisingly calm, People reports. The singer looked distraught during a recess, but she appeared to be in higher spirits returning to the courtroom. Because she remains under the conservatorship of her father, the court is unlikely... More »

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