Gina Serpe Mon Dec 31, 4:53 AM ET

Los Angeles (E! Online) - It may be a new year, but time will tell if it's also a new Mindy McCready.

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The trouble-prone country warbler was granted early release from Tennessee's Williamson County Jail Sunday after more than five months in lock-up on a probation violation charge.

"I'm so happy to be out," the 32-year-old singer said. "I'm the happiest girl in the world right now."

McCready was greeted by her manager and family after exiting the jailhouse—and kissing its gates—just after 9 a.m. The "Guys Do It Everytime" songbird had been behind bars since July, when she was arrested in Florida on charges of battery and resisting arrest stemming from a domestic dispute with her mother.

McCready was formally sentenced to a year of incarceration in September as a result of the Florida bust, which violated the terms of a 2004 drug arrest. In that case, she was sentenced to  three years' probation for obtaining the painkiller OxyContin with a fake prescription.

At the time of her sentencing, the singer received credit for 75 days already served. Her term was further shortened for good behavior—something she plans on continuing outside the confines of jail.

McCready, whose woes include a suicide attempt, drug overdose and hospitalization after a beating from her ex-boyfriend, said upon leaving the facility that she plans to turn her life around by focusing only on those things that truly matter to her.

"Oh my god, I'm gonna work," she said. "Work work work. And sing. And go see my son, who I've missed more than anything you can possibly imagine."

McCready's son, 21-month-old Zander McCready, has been staying with the singer's mother at her Fort Myers residence since the country star's bust over the summer.

And while the sprung singer has completed her jail time, she's not yet made good on her debt to society. McCready will remain on probation for two more years.

3 minutes ago

BOSTON - “Weepin’” Willie Robinson, a blues singer who performed with Steven Tyler and Bonnie Raitt but also spent time homeless, has died at age 81.

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Robinson had been a sharecropper, an Army veteran and a friend of performers, including B.B. King.

“He was truly the elder statesman of the (Boston) blues. He was our godfather. He was the most dear man,” Holly Harris, host of “Blues on Sunday” on WBOS radio, told The Boston Globe for Monday’s editions.

When he sang, “you knew he meant it because he had passion,” Harris said.

Robinson died Sunday in a fire started by a cigarette he was smoking in bed, the Boston Fire Department said.

He had worked a benefit concert with Tyler and two Boston Music Awards shows, in 2005 and again earlier this month.

Robinson was born in Atlanta and picked cotton and fruit with his family up and down the East Coast. After spending time in the Army in the 1940s, he became a master of ceremonies and doorman at blues clubs in Trenton, N.J., where he met King and other legends and eventually sang with King’s 21-piece orchestra.

His daughter, Lorraine Robinson, told the Globe her father found his place on stage.

“A great smile would come on his face and he would be in his own little world, like he’d tune everything out,” she said. “He just, like, felt the music. It was so much in his soul.”

Robinson settled in Boston in 1959 and played in clubs, but by 2005 he was living on the street and out of touch with his family. Blues performers learned of his situation, held a benefit concert and made sure he was fed and clothed.

Robinson later performed everywhere from local clubs to the hallways of the rest home where he lived.

His wife, Alice, died four decades ago.

17 minutes ago

COLUMBIA, S.C. - A reworked version of “Amistad,” an opera about an 1839 slave ship rebellion, will be performed at the 2008 Spoleto Festival USA.

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The festival runs from May 23 to June 8. It will include 45 productions and 140 performances.

“Amistad” will be staged at the Memminger Auditorium, built in the 1930s as a reproduction of a Colonial-era theater. The venue recently underwent a $6 million renovation.

“We were trying to find something to reopen the Memminger that was off the beaten track and with a strong connection to Charleston,” said Emmanuel Villaume, the festival’s director of opera and orchestral music.

“Amistad,” composed by Anthony Davis, was produced by the Chicago Lyric Opera in 1997.

“I felt this was a piece that clearly meant a lot to (Davis), but it was just too big for its own sake,” said festival director Nigel Redden. “In some ways, it was a smaller opera hiding in an elephant suit.”

“Amistad” will be revised for the Spoleto Festival performances. It will be directed by Sam Helfrich.

“I’m scaling it down to make it leaner and stronger,” Davis said. “I’m very excited about this, and Charleston seems the obvious place to do it, with its connection to the slave trade.”

The festival will also present “La Cenerentola,” Rossini’s comic telling of the Cinderella fairy tale.

“It’s a true entertainment event,” Villaume said. “It’s one of (Rossini’s) best pieces musically.”

___

On the Net:

Spoleto Festival USA:

http://www.spoletousa.org/

By Jonathan Cohen 22 minutes ago

NEW YORK (Billboard) - What's the biz to do when the top-selling album of 2007 was a Christmas project released in November, Josh Groban's "Noel," and the second-best was a soundtrack to Disney's "High School Musical" movie sequel?

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Superstars underperformed, and not enough up-and-comers took their commercial fortunes to the proverbial next level. Still, there's a wealth of highly anticipated albums heading into stores later in 2008, including new sets from the likes of Madonna, U2, Metallica, Mariah Carey and Shania Twain.

In the meantime, Billboard presents a peek at the music you'll be hearing about in the first quarter.

JANUARY

Willie Nelson, "Moment of Forever" (Lost Highway, January 29)

The latest salvo from the legendary Nelson was produced by country superstar Kenny Chesney and Buddy Cannon. While Nelson contributed three songs, the 74-year-old also tapped the songwriting talents of Randy Newman (on the poignant "Louisiana 1927"), Kris Kristofferson, Big Kenny of Big & Rich and Dave Loggins, among others. Nelson also covers Bob Dylan's "Gotta Serve Somebody" and Dave Matthews' "Gravedigger," while the bluesy "Worry B Gone" is a duet between Nelson and Chesney.

Sarah Brightman, "Symphony" (Angel/EMI Manhattan, January 29)

Mega-selling soprano Brightman furthers her crossover ambitions here with songs featuring Kiss' Paul Stanley ("I Will Be With You"), Andrea Bocelli ("Canto Della Terra") and Fernando Lima ("Pasion"), in addition to a cover of Faith Hill's "There You'll Be" sung in Italian. "Symphony" will be supported with a PBS special during spring pledge-drive season and also sets up "Repo! The Genetic Opera," Brightman's film debut, due later in '08.

Motel, "17" (Warner Music Latina, January 29)

Motel rode a pop/punk wave in Mexico with the success of its 2006 self-titled album, but its U.S. exposure was mainly limited to Texas and Puerto Rico. Warner Music Latina has bigger plans for "17," which debuted at No. 23 on the Mexican sales charts in November, according to trade group Amprofon. Out digitally since November 20, to coincide with an early pitch for the single "Y Te Vas," the album will arrive January 29 stateside on CD. The label is courting pop network Super Estrella with a more commercial single.

FEBRUARY

Lil Wayne, "Tha Carter III" (Cash Money)

Widespread leaks forced the rapper to move this project from last fall to February. Wayne has collaborated with everyone from Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado to Kanye West and the Game, but it's unclear what exactly will wind up on the finished project. "I did ask for a list of the songs that were leaked, so I can throw some new joints on there," he says. "I switched the beat up to a lot of them, because the rap is already out there and everybody loves the song, whatever the song shall be."

Nas, "Nigger" (The Jones Experience/Def Jam)

Never one to back down from a challenge, Nas is moving forward with the controversial title of this album, originally expected in December. With production from DJ Toomp, Jermaine Dupri and Sean "Diddy" Combs' Hitmen crew, the rapper pulls no punches on tracks like "You're a Nigger Too" and "The Fear." "There's a fun level to the album," he told MTV. "There's an attractive, sexy, aspect to it; a stylish aspect, a flashy aspect. It takes negatives and makes them good."

Ja Rule, "The Mirror" (The Inc.)

On the heels of a public feud with 50 Cent and a 2005 FBI case against Inc. principals Irv and Chris Gotti, Ja Rule calls "The Mirror" a growth process that covers a lot of substantive ground. "This is a very grown-up album, expressing a lot of true feelings," says the artist, who worked with such producers as Channel 7 and Erick Sermon. "But it's a fun album as well–a dramedy." Tracks include the "Eleanor Rigby"-sampling "Judas" and "Damn," a song Ja Rule says he wrote with Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Lopez and Christina Milian in mind.

Nicole Scherzinger, "Her Name Is Nicole" (Interscope)

She's dominated the charts and the airwaves with the Pussycat Dolls, but vocalist Nicole Scherzinger is finding solo success a bit harder to come by. Her debut album was bumped last fall from October 16 to November 20 and then to February, after initial singles "Whatever U Like" featuring T.I. and "Baby Love" failed to dent the Billboard Hot 100. Collaborations have been put to tape with Sting, Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody, Akon and Kanye West, but word is Scherzinger may cut some new tracks as well.

Sheryl Crow, "Detours" (A&M/Interscope, February 5)

"The songs are very inspired by the last three years of events in my life," Crow says of a time that found her battling breast cancer and splitting with partner Lance Armstrong. First single "Shine Over Babylon" is "is very environmentally conscious, in the tradition of Bob Dylan," while Crow's infant son can be heard on the tune "Lullaby for Wyatt."

Lenny Kravitz, "It Is Time for a Love Revolution" (Virgin, February 5)

Kravitz played nearly all the instruments on his first effort in three years, which was recorded at his studio in the Bahamas as well as Miami, Paris and New York. "The last record was still very natural, but it had a cleaner sound," he says. "On this one, I was really into using more of the room mics and getting a lot of spill. I wanted to hear the walls and the room." The result is a more-stripped down feel on rockers like "Bring It On," "Love Love Love" and the fast boogie "Will You Marry Me."

Anthony Hamilton, "Me" (So So Def/Zomba Label Group, February 5)

On his third album, R&B crooner Hamilton says fans will find songs that are "full of life and situations we all go through, the changes of men and women and relationships with God and family and children — and the political side of Anthony Hamilton." Look for the album to include Diane Warren's soul-oozing ballad "Do You Feel Me," which also appeared on the "American Gangster" soundtrack. Collaborators include Mark Batson, Kelvin Wooten, James Poyser and the Avila Brothers.

Jack Johnson, "Sleep Through the Static" (Brushfire/Universal, February 5)

Johnson's latest album was recorded on tape machines that ran on 100% solar-powered energy. First single "If I Had" is a lighthearted love song with swirling electric guitar arrangements. Much like prior efforts, Johnson rarely meanders into the minor keys, though songs like "They Do, They Don't" tread into deeper and sometimes darker subject matter. Johnson says, "Some of the songs are about raising (kids). Some of the songs are about the world that these children will grow up in; a world of war and love, and hate, and time and space."

Dolly Parton, "Backwoods Barbie" (Dolly, February 5)

The country legend veers between new material and interpretations of Smokey Robinson's "The Tracks of My Tears" and the Fine Young Cannibals' "She Drives Me Crazy" on her new effort, which is being released on her own Dolly Records imprint. Look for the title cut to appear in the forthcoming Parton-spearheaded musical "9 to 5," based on her classic '80s film. A world tour kicks off in Februray, preceded by club shows in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.

Simple Plan, "Simple Plan" (Atlantic, February 12)

After two sets of energetic pop/punk, Simple Plan collaborated with Timbaland associate Nate "Danjahandz" Hills, '90s pop svengali Max Martin and rock producer Dave Fortman for an album that brings the noise but also incorporates dance grooves, hip-hop beats, power balladry and, on first single "When I'm Gone," synthesizer loops. "There was sort of a realization that we needed to really take chances and just go for it and . . . challenge ourselves," drummer/co-writer Chuck Comeau says. He and frontman Pierre Bouvier actually wrote an initial set of songs they abandoned because they weren't quite moving Simple Plan forward. "We don't want to become the band that just stays where they are," Comeau says.

Rick Ross, "Trilla" (Slip-N-Slide/Def Jam, February 19)

The Miami rapper's sophomore album was supposed to be out in time for Christmas, but a few clearance snafus forced the project into early '08. One of the affected tracks was the DJ Toomp-produced "This Me," which Ross calls "a real personal record I wanted to make sure got on the album." R. Kelly guests on current single "Speedin'," while Jay-Z, Pharrell, T-Pain, Nelly and Freeway make their presence felt on other tunes. "It's going to be the biggest street album of the year," Ross promises.

Janet Jackson, "Discipline" (Island, February 26)

After a nearly 10-year stint at Virgin, Janet Jackson is starting fresh with boyfriend/Island Urban Music president Jermaine Dupri by her side. Island Def Jam chairman Antonio "L.A." Reid is personally steering her project, with assistance from Rodney Jerkins (on the single "Feedback"), Ne-Yo, Stargate, Tricky Stewart and the-Dream. "Janet's (new) music is exciting," Reid says. "My guess is that Janet, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis will do something together because they have such magic. But we've experimented with things for no other reason than to find some freshness and give her some different challenges musically."

Erykah Badu, "Nu Amerykah" (Universal Motown, February 26)

Breaking a five-year hiatus, Badu is set to return with "Nu AmErykah," which she says was inspired by her two children and the direction of contemporary American culture. "The first half of the album speaks to my creative interpretation of Francis Ford Coppola's 'Koyaanisqatsi,' and the second half is more traditional," she says. Working with producers Sa-Ra, Kareem Riggins, Mike Chavarria, Madlib, Bilal and the late J Dilla, Badu crafted 18 tracks of funky, 808 bassline-driven R&B music, which will be spread across two separately sold discs. The 9th Wonder-produced "Honey" is the first single and is climbing Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and "Soldier 7" may be the second.

Goldfrapp, "Seventh Tree" (Mute, February 26)

Goldfrapp fans are in for a noticeably different sound from the British duo on their fourth album. Although it doesn't completely eschew the synth-fueled dance grooves of prior efforts, there's a greater emphasis on ethereal, psychedelic pop in the vein of early Air. "We did talk quite a lot about what kind of instruments would get that kind of warmth and that kind of sound we wanted," Alison Goldfrapp says. "We'd never used acoustic guitars before. We wanted the sound to be delicate, but not weak."

MARCH

Ashlee Simpson, "Bittersweet World" (Geffen)

With Timbaland, Kenna and the Neptunes' Chad Hugo providing the beats, Simpson indulges her '80s fetish on her third album. The sassy "Boys" imagines the Cardigans' "Lovefool" atop a Chic rhythm, and there's a "Beat It" vibe on the chugging "Rag Doll." "I almost wish I lived my 20s in the '80s," says Simpson, who was born in 1984. "A lot of the record is a bit cheeky. Sometimes I'm writing about something serious, but it was fun for me to kind of goof around as well." Simpson put in a fair share of 14-hour days in the studio; often she'd leave at night and return the next morning to find that Hugo had crafted a song based on conversations from the previous day. "Everybody really had their hands in this album," she says.

The Offspring, TBA (Columbia)

For its eighth record, the Offspring headed to the studio with an unexpected producer in tow — Bob Rock, best-known for his work with Motley Crue and Metallica. He didn't change the Orange County, Calif., punk band's sound too much, though; lead singer Dexter Holland describes one fan hearing new tracks and proclaiming it to sound like "new old Offspring." Holland also sought guidance from Rick Rubin throughout the process, and describes the bearded one as an "invaluable resource."

Gavin DeGraw, TBA (J)

It will be close to five years since the release of his debut, "Chariot," when DeGraw's new set hits stores. The currently untitled album features a more seasoned, edgier version of the 30-year-old songwriter, whose tuneful voice will be heard over more guitars and more "primal" piano lines. "I played really simple piano parts in order to get out of the way of the melody and the lyrics, to enhance what's meant to be heard," the New York resident says. Produced by Howard Benson, the album features first single "In Love With a Girl," the playful "Cop Stop" and the catchy-chorused "Young Love."

Estelle, "Shine" (Homeschool/Atlantic)

The first artist inked to John Legend's label offers a fresh helping of R&B and soul on "Shine," augmented by guest turns from Kanye West, will.i.am, Cee-Lo, Wyclef Jean and Legend himself. "It's all about the songs and music," Legend says. "British soul artists haven't come with the right music. Estelle has the right music and producers; her music will speak for itself. She's undeniably a star."

Alan Jackson, "Good Time" (Arista Nashville, March 4)

With a new single, "Small Town Southern Man," already climbing Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, one of the genre's most reliable hitmakers will return in March with his 15th studio album. "Good Time" also includes the Martina McBride duet "Never Loved Before," the self-explanatory "Country Boy" and "Sissy's Song," a tribute to a deceased family friend. Jackson wrote all the tunes, which were produced by longtime colleague Keith Stegall.

Bauhaus, "Go Away White" (Bauhaus Musik, March 4)

The good news for Bauhaus fans: "Go Away White" is the group's first studio album since 1983. The bad news: There will be no further activity from the legendary goth band, which reunited in 2005 for the Coachella festival and later toured the world, but has since splintered due to internal tensions. "We have that 'gothic' tag," drummer Kevin Haskins says. "But if you actually listen to our music, there's a lot of humor and light." Pointing to cuts like "Eternal Summer of the Damned," "Adrenaline" and "Black Stone Hearts," he says, "With this album, I see all that. It all came out again."

Michael McDonald, "Soul Speak" (Universal Motown, March 11)

Though the idea of a third Motown album was broached, McDonald wanted to engage in a little "soul speak" for his next album. The Simon Climie-produced set features a variety of covers like Van Morrison's "Into the Mystic," Stevie Wonder's "For Once in My Life," Bob Marley's "Redemption Song," a bluesier treatment of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and three originals that McDonald says "seemed to fit on the record." The covers, he adds, "are songs I remember hearing as a kid that really changed my musical direction or turned my head around. They were more sophisticated than the average pop song."

Moby, "Last Night" (Mute, March 11)

The bald techno maven's Mute debut "is best-described as an eclectic dance record," according to the man himself. "I Love to Move in Here" features veteran rapper Grandmaster Caz, who co-wrote "Rapper's Delight," while two tracks are "big, piano-driven rave anthems." There are also "some atmospheric songs and some techno songs that sound like buildings falling down," Moby says.

Leona Lewis, "Spirit" (J/Syco, March 18)

The 2007 winner of the United Kingdom's "X Factor" talent contest shocked the industry when "Spirit" became the fastest-selling debut in U.K. history. Its first single, "Bleeding Love," also logged multiple weeks atop the U.K. singles chart. The album's U.S. rollout comes under the watchful eye of RCA Music Group chairman Clive Davis. "She has power and range and this ability to transform a song. That's what the world will see," says Davis, whose clout attracted such contributors as Dallas Austin, Ne-Yo, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Walter Afanasieff and Salaam Remi.

Panic! at the Disco, TBA (Decaydance/Fueled by Ramen, March 25)

For its second album, this Las Vegas four-piece is relying less on ProTools and more on actual instruments. "If anything, it sounds more like a band," guitarist/lyricist Ryan Ross says. "We've been tracking live and doing minimal overdubs." Many of the songs are influenced by "bands that my parents grew up on," Ross says, citing such classic rock acts as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and the Beach Boys. "I'm getting into that early rock'n'roll stuff," he says. Lyrically, songs like "Things Have Changed" and "Nine in the Afternoon" move away from the "whole one-liner, sarcastic thing" and focus on "everyday things," Ross says.

Reuters/Billboard

4 minutes ago

FRANKLIN, Tenn. - Mindy McCready, who was sentenced in September for violating probation from a 2004 drug arrest, has been released from jail.

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The 32-year-old country singer was released Sunday morning, said a clerk at the Williamson County jail.

The violation occurred in July when McCready was accused of scuffling with her mother and resisting arrest at her mother’s home in Fort Myers, Fla.

She still must serve two years’ probation.

Her attorney, Lee Ofman, said McCready has learned her lesson and will stay out of trouble.

She had a No. 1 single in 1996 with “Guys Do It All the Time.”

By Antony Bruno 36 minutes ago

DENVER (Billboard) - There is a reason people still buy CDs more than they do digital albums. Actually there are several, but viruses that come along with music via peer-to-peer sites (P2P) and a concern over digital rights management (DRM) aren't the only culprits.

Digital music files just don't provide the same amount of content that a CD package does. That includes liner notes, extended album art and lyrics. Buy a digital album today and all you get are a list of tracks and (maybe) a thumbnail image of the album cover that you can't even read.

It's one of the reasons music fans still turn to P2P networks for their music. In addition to providing music free of charge and free of DRM, P2P sites in many cases also include digital copies of such extras typically found in the CD. According to label sources and pirate network tracking firms, fans downloading full albums from BitTorrent sites almost universally choose files that include scans of the CD booklet over those that don't.

Of course, there is little that can be done with those scans other than view them on a computer. Imagine if the music industry and the digital music services got together and offered an official way to access the same content, but make it available on portable devices as well as make it interactive.

There are two ways to accomplish this. One is working directly with a digital music service and hardware developer to ensure all this new content has an outlet. The other is to go it alone.

For the former, iTunes is the most likely candidate.

Although hardly life-threatening, iTunes is facing new competition from Amazon and a variety of social networking sites. While it has made great advancements with the iPod, iTunes' innovation has been slow. The service looks and operates much like it always has. The only new features are in video.

In 2008, look for Apple to make nice with its label partners by offering a bit more with each download, such as lyrics and more interactive album art.

iTunes is the only music service that has a built-in video download feature. The others offer only streaming video. It's also one of the few services that feature a tightly integrated device — the iPod. Apple is in a great position to roll out new features across its online store and its devices at the same time.

Microsoft's Zune is another place to watch for this, for the same reasons. It also has the integrated service and device, as well as ownership of the technical building blocks needed (such as Windows Media Player). And since it's still lagging far behind Apple in the digital music game, Microsoft could easily tap digital extras as a battleground for new market share.

The problem is that the four major music companies rarely work together on anything. So another angle would be for each to go it alone. If digital music services can't or won't incorporate better metadata into their downloaded files, look for third-party applications to emerge that will do so after the fact.

Early examples of this are two games developed for the iPod — "Musicka," created by the developers of the original music rhythm game "PaRappa the Rapper," and "Phase," created by "Rock Band" and original "Guitar Hero" developer Harmonix. Both are rhythm-based games that let users "play" along to the songs on their device by pressing buttons at the right time.

The point is that if these game companies can do it, there is no reason why labels can't offer (or commission) their own iPod plug-in that will import better album art, liner notes and lyrics directly from the label or artist and ported into iTunes and the iPod.

In the year ahead, look for several efforts from both camps as digital music distribution becomes more important to the music industry as well as a point of increasing competition among service providers.

Here are a few areas to watch:

ALBUM ART

As music formats have changed through the years, album artwork has suffered. It has gone from sprawling center spreads adorning vinyl LPs to stamp-sized thumbnails accompanying MP3 files. But as digital becomes the predominant format, look for album art to evolve.

The early groundwork for this already has been laid. Last spring, Warner Music Group (WMG) added interactive booklets based on Apple's Quicktime software to about 75 albums sold on iTunes, providing photos and links to more multimedia content. The problem was it was also based on Flash technology, which the latest version of Quicktime disabled due to a security flaw.

There is additional activity on the mobile front. All labels are working with phone manufacturers on the "mobile album" concept — a bundled digital package that includes the full song, ringtone, wallpaper image and other assets for one price.

LYRICS

While a lyrics page is quite commonplace in the pages of a CD booklet, they are nonexistent with digital music files. In fact, most digital music services only let users search for songs by artist, track or album name. None have an integrated lyrics search tool, and you certainly can't download lyrics to your iPod or other device.

Slowly, things are changing. Yahoo Music last year launched the first publisher-authorized online lyrics search page thanks to Gracenote, which has taken on the task of untangling the Gordian knot of music lyrics publishing rights for service providers.

That search page isn't integrated with the Yahoo Music Unlimited service, though. What's lacking is an affordable way to attach those lyrics to the digital file of the song they belong to. Digital music services would have to pay an extra fee per download to offer that capability, and devices would have to add a new "lyrics" tab or some other functionality for users to subsequently access the words while the song plays.

Look for Gracenote and its service provider partners to develop exactly that in the year ahead.

LINER NOTES

Perhaps the most fundamental changes coming to album extras are in the liner notes. In a CD booklet, it's all well and good to list a bunch of people to thank and leave it at that. In the digital age, liner notes become far more interesting.

Rather than thanking so-and-so producer for doing such a great mixing job or their family for support, digital albums can provide behind-the-scenes footage of the producer and band at work, or perhaps a "making of" featurette, interview Q&A, family photos/video, etc.

One area to look for such innovation is with the CDVU+ and MVI formats created by Walt Disney and WMG, respectively. Technically these are multimedia CD formats, not digital music formats. But both represent a step toward expanding the way all involved view a music product.

Both add what can best be called "digital magazines" to a CD that, when inserted into a computer, allow fans to access videos, link to online features, lyrics and more. These physical products represent the bridge between old-school CDs and the digital future. As labels focus on selling more digital albums instead of individual tracks in the new year, expect them to learn from these experiments and begin creating similar all-digital packages as well.

Reuters/Billboard

26 minutes ago

TORONTO (Billboard) - In a strong year for Canadian talent, acts ranging from alt-rock band Arcade Fire to polka king Walter Ostanek have tallied up no fewer than 20 Grammy Award nominations among them.

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Leading the pack with four is pop singer/songwriter Leslie Feist, who goes by her last name. Among her mentions, best new artist, which has not been won by a Canadian since (American-born) Robert Goulet in 1962.

Joni Mitchell and Michael Buble each received two nominations. Power-rock trio Rush will be hoping for its first ever Grammy, for rock instrumental performance.

Industry insiders say the nominations have genuine commercial value domestically.

"When a Canadian receives a nomination," said Ken Kirkwood, director of product at the HMV Canada retail chain, "they're usually (already) a household name here, but the added attention and focus they receive always helps in selling more CDs."

Kirkwood said Feist would likely benefit significantly from her nominations. Her CD "The Reminder," a contender for pop vocal album, has sold more than 500,000 copies in the United States and Canada, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

In Canada, weekly sales soared to 4,100 from 2,400 following the December 6 Grammy announcement. Unfortunately for Feist, she will be competing with six-time nominee Amy Winehouse in three of her four categories.

Buble saw weekly sales of "Call Me Irresponsible," a contender for traditional pop vocal album, increase to nearly 7,000 from around 4,000 in the same period. It is currently No. 9 on the Canadian pop chart.

Reuters/Billboard

7 minutes ago

LONDON (Billboard) - Singer/songwriter Joan Armatrading scored a couple of firsts in the U.S. music business in 2007.

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"Into the Blues" — her 16th studio release — was the first CD by a British female artist to top Billboard's Blues Albums chart, when it debuted at No. 1 in May.

And earlier this month, she became the first female British artist to score a Grammy nomination in the contemporary blues album category.

"There's a couple of firsts happening here," she says with a laugh. "Not bad for a 57-year-old."

Armatrading, who has received two prior Grammy nominations, spent much of 2007 touring "Into the Blues" internationally. The disc, which has sold about 17,000 copies in the United States, It marks her first deep foray into the blues after an eclectic career spanning the pop, jazz, rock and R&B genres.

"There's blues on all the CDs," she says. "It's always this mixture, (but) I really wanted to just write one (style). What I enjoyed was that I could still be eclectic, because there's gospel blues, rock blues, swamp blues, all these different things happening."

Although there are no specific marketing plans around the nomination, Armatrading is looking forward to attending the Grammys ceremony in Los Angeles on February 10. She will be up against Doyle Bramhall, J.J. Cale & Eric Clapton, Robben Ford, and Bettye LaVette.

"You might hear artists saying awards don't mean anything," she says. "They're lying."

Reuters/Billboard

18 minutes ago

AIKEN, S.C. - Five of James Brown’s children say their late father’s will should be invalidated because his former advisers used undue influence to get him to create charitable trusts that the advisers would profit from, according to court documents filed this week.

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The children were largely left out of the financial portion of the will, which leaves the bulk of the soul singer’s money to trusts set up to educate Brown’s grandchildren and needy kids.

Atlanta attorney Louis Levenson said the children discovered earlier wills drafted by their father that cast doubt on whether he truly wanted to leave his estate to charity.

“There was sporadic indication that Mr. Brown intended to benefit some charities, but the circumstances surrounding the making of these documents have always been clouded in mystery,” Levenson said.

Five Brown children are challenging the will in Aiken County Probate Court. They claim Brown’s longtime advisers Buddy Dallas, Alford Bradley and David Cannon convinced the soul singer to create the trusts so the advisers would profit from managing the two charities after Brown died.

Dallas denied the allegations and called attempts to void the will “an act of desperation.”

“No one told James Brown what to do,” Dallas said, adding that if he were going to use his influence to benefit himself, “I would have just influenced him into giving me something.”

The Brown children challenging the will are Deanna Brown Thomas, Venisha Brown, Daryl Brown, Yamma Brown Lumar and Larry Brown. A sixth child named in Brown’s will, Terry Brown, has hired a different attorney.

One grandchild whose tuition would be paid for by the trusts has accused his relatives of trying to break the charities to get the money.

Most of Brown’s estate, including his Beech Island home and rights to his image, name and music, would go to the James Brown “I Feel Good” Trust for the education of needy children in South Carolina and Georgia, as well as to a family trust to educate his grandchildren younger than 35.

Brown died on Christmas Day 2006 of heart failure. He was 73.

Just how much money is involved in Brown’s estate is unclear. In October, Forbes reported Brown made an estimated $5 million in 2005 alone. But attorneys have said Brown’s accounts do not have the money they expected.

By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, AP Music Writer 18 minutes ago

With the hundreds of albums released this year, finding ten that rose to the top was surprisingly difficult — few were special enough to merit repeat listens, let alone remain in your brain long after the CD stops playing.

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Here are the rare records with a permanent place on our playlists in 2007:

1. “Back to Black,” Amy Winehouse: The tragedy of 2007 is that Amy Winehouse is now simply known as the “Rehab” chick with the drug habit, not as the gifted singer-songwriter who created the most compelling album of the year. Winehouse’s raspy, soulful voice is dazzling enough on its own; add the retro-soul licks and the alternately hilarious, heartbreaking lyrics, and it’s an album that you just cannot shut off. While “Rehab” was a clever, gimmicky hit, it can’t begin to reflect how amazing “Back to Black” truly is.

2. The Bird and the Bee, “The Bird and the Bee”: Imagine the Carpenters on an acid. That’s the best way to describe the surreal pop debut of The Bird and the Bee, comprised of the duo Inara George and Greg Kurstin. George’s vocals are dreamy and angelic, but the lyrics are anything but — one of the album’s best tracks is “(Expletive) Boyfriend.”

3. “Finding Forever,” Common: Maybe Common is just too darn clever and crafty for his own good. Once again, he put out an excellent rap disc that didn’t get the attention it deserved, but perhaps only a select group can appreciate the intellect, wit, and charm he dispenses with each rhyme: This ain’t for the “Crank Dat (Soulja Boy)” crowd. Though rap certainly needs some Common Sense these days more than ever.

4. The “Once” soundtrack: “Once,” starring Marketa Irglova and the lead singer of the Frames, Glen Hansard, was the perfect romantic movie that flew under mainstream radar. The same could be said about its wonderful soundtrack. Irglova’s sweet voice is the perfect accompaniment to Hansard’s raspy vocals — they don’t need much else, and the simple production of just a piano here or guitar there makes the music even more intimate than the touching lyrics convey.

5. “Graduation,” Kanye West: Truth be told, “Graduation” is actually West’s weakest album — but when you consider the first two, “The College Dropout” and “Late Registration,” were nothing short of brilliant, it’s OK that this one rates as just very, very good. West’s use of techno beats give some tracks a more experimental sounding vibe, but it’s his always clever rhymes that make you listen again and again.

6. “Double Up,” R. Kelly: Given the nonsense that permeates 1/3 of this disc, “Double Up” shouldn’t even be on this list. But how can it not be when the rest of the songs are so crazy and so good? When you can make a prison visit a must-listen-to groove (”Best Friend”), you are truly creating the stuff of genius. Plus, he gets extra credit for that whole “Trapped in the Closet” saga.

7. “As I Am,” Alicia Keys: Though it’s not a perfect album, it contains perhaps three of the most perfect songs you can find in pop today — “Wreckless Love,” “Lesson Learned” and the slow-jam piece of ecstasy otherwise known as “Kiss Me Like You’ll Never Kiss Me Again.” And thankfully, unlike her past albums, most of the other songs on “As I Am” are strong enough to make you want to listen to the CD in its entirety, instead of cherry-picking the best tracks.

8. “Alright, Still,” Lily Allen: Lily Allen doesn’t have the greatest voice, and is not much of a stage presence, as her live performances this year bore out. But you’d never guess that by listening to her charming debut, buoyed infectious ska-pop beats and wry lyrics. Like Winehouse’s “Back to Black,” producer Mark Ronson’s handiwork elevates this CD.

9. “Good Girl Gone Bad,” Rihanna: Rihanna’s hard-driving sophomore CD blended pop-rock, electronica and a dash of R&B for slick and sexy club music. It also separated her from the wanna-be Beyonce pack. Though much of the credit for this disc’s allure goes to the producers who came up with the catchy beats, Rihanna delivers a powerful punch despite her somewhat thin voice — its her emotive vocals that helped to make “Umbrella” one of the most requested songs of the year, and what makes the ballad “I Hate That I Love You” so passionate.

10. “Kala,” M.I.A.: The British born, Sri-Lankan raised rapper got even more eclectic — if that’s even possible — with “Kala,” a mish-mash of Indian beats, African rhythms, electronic synths and fierce rapping. It’s not as hypnotic as her debut CD, “Arular,” but it’s just as fiery.

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Honorable mention:

“Because of You,” Ne-Yo

“American Gangster,” Jay-Z

“Sound of Silver,” LCD Soundsystem

“In My Element,” Robert Glasper

“Blackout,” Britney Spears (YES, I SAID IT!)