43 minutes ago

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Usher's 2004 album, "Confessions," has sold 9.4 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, but tentative release dates keep coming and going for its follow-up, which is now nebulously slated for sometime this year via Jive Records.

So what's the holdup? "He has been taking a pretty long time to put it out, but I think he's ready now," says longtime collaborator Jermaine Dupri, who scaled back his contributions to the new album after taking the reins of Island Records' urban music department last February.

"The last couple times I've been around (him), you could tell he's got the bug to hurry up and put this record out. He wants to get back out here and give the people that. He's got that itch."

Dupri declined to specify his contributions, but said, "I know that I've done my songs and I know that my songs on his record are crazy."

He is known to have produced the track "The Realest," which was at one time mentioned as a possible first single. Labelmate T-Pain produced "All the Time," while Atlanta rapper Ludacris guests on "Dat Girl Right There," which leaked last month.

Reuters/Billboard

By BETSY BLANEY, Associated Press Writer 4 minutes ago

LUBBOCK, Texas - Buddy Holly’s widow is trying to keep the woman whose name was made famous by the 1950s hit song “Peggy Sue” from selling a book about her friendship with the rocker.

Maria Elena Holly says Peggy Sue Gerron’s “Whatever Happened to Peggy Sue?” is unauthorized and will harm her late husband’s name, her own reputation and that of her company, Holly Properties.

“It’s very interesting that this woman makes up all these stories,” Maria Elena Holly said Friday from her home in Dallas. “He never, never considered Peggy Sue a friend.”

Gerron, who lives in Lubbock, said she and another woman wrote the 283-page book because 2008 is the 50th anniversary of the release of “Peggy Sue.” Buddy Holly also recorded “Peggy Sue Got Married.”

Gerron said material for the book came from about 150 diary entries she wrote during the time she knew the singer, she said.

“I wanted to give him his voice. It’s my book, my memoirs,” she said from Tyler, where her publishing company held a news conference Friday defending Gerron’s right to pen her biography. “We were very, very good friends. He was probably one of the best friends I ever had.”

Maria Elena Holly said she would sue if excerpts she’s read online appear in the book, which is due in bookstores later this month.

“I don’t understand why people do that, especially when she knows that people know the truth,” she said.

This week, her attorney, Richard Wallace, sent a cease-and-desist letter to TogiEntertainment Inc., an Oklahoma City-based publishing house. Wallace declined to comment Friday.

Buddy Holly died Feb. 3, 1959, in a plane crash that also killed singers Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson. Holly was 22.

Maria Elena Holly, who married the singer just months before the crash, has for years owned the rights to her late husband’s name, image and related trademarks, and other intellectual properties, the letter said.

No one involved in the book’s publication sought consent to use Buddy Holly’s name or image — “his likeness will be featured prominently” on the book’s cover and the subtitle reads, “Memoirs of Buddy Holly’s Peggy Sue,” according to the letter.

“Confusion and tarnishment of Buddy Holly’s name and Ms. Holly’s reputation are likely to result from this unauthorized book,” the letter states.

It demands the ceasing of promotion and sale of the book, removal of the subtitle and cancellation of all book orders. It also asks for refunds on any deposits for the book and for an accounting of revenues from any sales.

Mark Faulk, chief executive officer of TogiEntertainment, said the threat of a lawsuit won’t deter Gerron or his company.

“It’s obvious that they do not want the work released,” he said. “My feeling is that Maria Elena fears the truth will come out about Buddy Holly. If there is a lawsuit, our belief is that it will be totally frivolous.”

Buddy Holly’s brother, Larry Holley, said “Peggy Sue” was not the original name in the song. Buddy Holly initially intended to use “Cindy Lou,” his niece, Larry Holley said.

Maria Elena Holly said her husband changed the name after Crickets drummer Jerry Allison asked him to because he had a crush on Gerron. Allison and Gerron married in July 1958.

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On the Net:

TogiEntertainment: http://www.togientertainment.com

By Katie Hasty 32 minutes ago

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Almost a month after its digital-only release, the soundtrack to the hit movie "Juno" debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 this week.

The Rhino Records release sold 38,000 copies in the week ended January 6, its second atop Billboard's Digital Albums tally, taking total sales to 75,000 copies since December 11, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The album finally hit shelves on Tuesday.

No artist has benefited more from the record's sudden and unexpected rise than Olympia, Wash.-based singer/songwriter Kimya Dawson, whose music is prominently featured in the teen-pregnancy comedy.

When "Juno" director Jason Reitman asked the film's star, Ellen Page, what music she thought her title character would listen to, Page responded, "The Moldy Peaches" — the quirky pop duo Dawson was in with Adam Greene until 2004. A song from that act made the final cut for the film's soundtrack, as did several tracks from Dawson's very personal K Records solo sets "Remember That I Love You" (2006) and "Knock-Knock Who?" (2004). Additionally, two tracks from her side-project Antsy Pants were appended to "Juno," which also boasts songs from Buddy Holly, Cat Power, Belle & Sebastian and Sonic Youth.

"I've always done my own booking and management," Dawson says. "And if people want to (license) my stuff, they have to come to me. With 'Juno,' I had to read the script before I OK'd it, to make sure it was something I could feel good attaching myself to. It worked that I did."

The personal attachment to the film is exactly what has made the soundtrack so effective in the marketplace, according to Rhino Entertainment executive VP/GM Kevin Gore. "Everyone who's seen the movie feels a musical connection to it. Kimya's songs fit in beautifully," Gore says. "There's a wonderful indie spin to it, but it appeals to a very broad audience because of the way the film was written."

Rhino is working with Dawson to coordinate an East and West Coast tour stint in support of the effort, though Dawson is "always touring anyway," she says. They hope to arrange in-store performances so that Dawson can still stick to her guns playing all-ages shows, as she insists.

Sales for "Juno" are expected to remain strong as the movie expands into new markets. The Fox Searchlight release has earned more than $56 million to date, and is generating awards-season buzz.

In tandem, Dawson has experienced a massive uptick in the sales of her solo output, particularly "Remember That I Love You," which has moved 25% of its 5,000 total sales in the last four weeks.

"It's not a big stretch for people who like the movie 'Juno' to like Kimya's music," K Records GM Mariella Luz says. "Her music addresses things that people all have strong feelings about. It sells itself."

Reuters/Billboard

By Robert Thompson 48 minutes ago

TORONTO (Billboard) - For Simple Plan, the multimillion-selling pop-punk band from Montreal, "The End" was also a new beginning.

After a year writing material for the follow-up to 2004's "Still Not Getting Any . . .," the band was struggling to find a way forward, drummer Chuck Comeau says. But last spring in Miami — where Simple Plan had gone to test-drive some songs in the studio with producer Danja (Nelly Furtafo, Justin Timberlake) — it became clear the group could forge a bold new sound.

"It really clicked for the first time in Miami when we came up with 'The End,"' Comeau says, referring to one standout track from the band's self-titled third studio album, which hits North American stores February 12 through Atlantic Records.

"It was different and cool-sounding," he says. "There were beats, which is something we haven't used, and Pierre Bouvier's vocals were so much more layered."

The three songs created in Miami opened Simple Plan up to new possibilities. "We were discovering new music that had us excited," Comeau says. "Modern-sounding records, like the Justin Timberlake record. It takes a lot of balls to admit you like it, but it's amazing."

With the band feeling it had reached new heights with the Danja-produced tracks, including "When I'm Gone" and "Generation" (both also involving producer Arnold Lanni, who helmed the group's 2002 debut, "No Pads, No Helmets . . . Just Balls"), producer Dave Fortman came in to finish the album.

The album rolls out internationally through February. Lead single "When I'm Gone," issued digitally October 29, climbed to No. 18 on the January 5 Canadian Hot 100 after eight weeks on the chart. It premiered globally on the band's Web site (http://www.simpleplan.com) along with a preorder for the album through online retailer Lala. The single's video debuted on mtv.com and MTV's "TRL" December 12.

Simple Plan toured for around 18 months in support of "Still Not Getting Any . . ." — which has sold 1.5 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan — and a spring/summer North American tour is in the works.

The band undertook several "sneak attack" performances at top 40 radio stations' shows in U.S. markets in early December. It then played a December 18 date at the Highline Ballroom in New York, a recording of which launched December 31 on YouTube. The band is also playing three shows in London on January 27.

Even as the band members embrace a more embellished sound, Comeau is keen to emphasize that the group's SoCal punk roots shine through on the new set.

"We could not have made this record without having grown up on pop-punk from California — NoFx, Green Day and that sort of thing," he says. "That's where the arrangements and the energy comes from. Now there are beat-driven verses that explode into the huge choruses that we're known for. But it is still Simple Plan."

Reuters/Billboard

Tina Dirmann and Gina Serpe Fri Jan 11, 12:49 PM ET

Los Angeles (E! Online) - Suddenly there's a whole new meaning to "Come On Over Baby" for Christina Aguilera.

The five-time Grammy winner and hubby Jordan Bratman welcomed their first child in Los Angeles on Friday.

The couple announced the birth in a quick text message to friends and family around 4 p.m.: "Baby has arrived. Mom and dad are doing well!" (Apparently not even the prospect of dirrty diapers can dampen their spirits.)

There were no further details immediately available. "As soon as I have more information I will let you know," the singer's rep said.

While E! News was able to confirm the impending stork delivery last July, Aguilera herself, despite an ever-expanding midriff, didn't publicly acknowledge the pregnancy until early November, when she told Glamour magazine she would "enter into mommyhood" sometime in 2008.

The 27-year-old onetime Mouseketeer has kept a relatively low profile throughout her pregnancy—aside from the now-requisite nude-and-pregnant spread in this month's Marie Claire—opting to keep the details of her first born a secret, never revealing to press either the babe's due date or gender along the way.

Unfortunately, she failed to share the keep-mum edict with pal Paris Hilton, who back in September publicly congratulated the "most beautiful pregnant woman in the world" while hosting an MTV Video Music Award party at Las Vegas nightclub LAX.

In early November, Aguilera held the first of three scheduled baby showers at her Beverly Hills home, wherein we got the first clue about the baby's sex: all of the guest's baby gifts had a decidedly blue bent.

Aguilera told Marie Claire this month that she and hubby Bratman, a 30-year-old music-marketing exec, always had plans to start a family, but were nonetheless surprised when they learned a baby was already on board.

"We were planning on starting to try after the [Back to Basics] tour," she said. "And so, I had gone off the Pill to prepare my body, because I didn't know how much time it would take. You've heard it takes some time—except with Power Egg and Super Sperm here. I'm like, 'Oh my God, can you believe it just happened?' "

Aguilera and Bratman tied the knot in Napa Valley, California in November 2005 after three years of dating.

34 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES - An attorney for Kevin Federline wants the Police Department to release its investigative report on an incident at ex-wife Britney Spears’ home a week ago that led to the pop star losing custody of her two sons.

According to a court order released Friday by Los Angeles County Superior Court, there was a hearing Thursday in the couple’s child custody dispute. Federline’s attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, asked for the police report and also requested the names of the law enforcement officers who responded.

A hearing on the requests will be held Monday.

Police intervened Jan. 3 when Spears refused to return the children to Federline after a court-monitored visit.

After a standoff, Spears, 26, was taken to a hospital in an ambulance that was chased by a crowd of photographers.

The next day, Commissioner Scott Gordon awarded sole legal and physical custody of 1-year-old Jayden James and 2-year-old Sean Preston to Federline and suspended Spears’ visitation rights.

Spears left Cedars-Sinai Medical Center a day and half later.

According to the court order, Gordon denied a request from Spears’ lawyers that the next hearing be closed to the media. That means that, unlike most of the previous hearings, Monday’s proceedings could be open to the public and the media.

By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, AP Music Writer 21 minutes ago

NEW YORK - Another year, another downward turn for the record business. So what will the industry do?

While overall music sales were up 14 percent in 2007, most of that growth was due to the sale of digital tracks. More telling, album sales were down 9.5 percent, and every genre suffered a sales decline, from rap (down a whopping 30 percent) to rock (12.5 percent) to country (16.3).

So The Associated Press decided to ask a few industry insiders — and one notable businessman outside it — what, if anything, can be done to reverse the slide in 2008. Here are their opinions.

___

“Big” Jon Platt, President, West Coast Creative/Head of Urban U.S., EMI Music Publishing:

I don’t know if fixing is the right question … it’s more, what can we do to build on a new business model? That’s the problem, is that everyone is trying to fix the old model, and that’s obviously not working, so we need to build on a new model.

The business itself has to get back into artist development, which I think has kind of fallen by the wayside at most labels — not all labels, but most. We don’t really have many new stars — we’re hanging on to the ones who have been here for quite some time, and there’s been no real bona fide superstars as we know them (in urban music) … that have proven themselves to really be able to have a full career, sell three million albums on the first album and a million the second album.

We just have to be creative in thinking of ways to grow an artist. The digital realm is here to stay, and we’re capitalizing on that right now. From a revenue standpoint we’re capitalizing on it but we now need to brand real artists to that whole part of the business as well.

Everyone has to kind of dive into this, but again, it gets back to the one thing from the old model which should come to the new model, which is artist development. It all goes back to that, artist development and hit records, and if it starts there, who knows where it can end?

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50 Cent, whose own album, “Curtis,” fell short of multiplatinum expectations this year:

I think we are going to continue to see decreases in actual sales, and the reason why is the reason why we’re seeing increases in iPod sales and technology. You can’t escape it. On some levels, the more iPods you sell the more people are going to be conditioned to download it … You see how often people use their cell phones for music now, the ringtones sell a lot. It’s changing, so the actual business model has to change so you have to gauge it on different things.

Outside of the country, I’ve pretty much been sold out in every venue I’ve been in: The awareness isn’t changing. The actual record sales may be changing but people are actually getting the material the best way they can and coming out to see the show. This is why the music business is exploring creating a new deal system that allows them to create a 360-deal that allows them to be a part of an artist’s touring and merchandising at the same time. I think it’s the only way you can have a major company interested in providing the marketing dollars to create superstars. I don’t think it’s possible for you reach the point (without it) — even with the best material, without the right presentation, I don’t think the public will embrace it. When you have a record that doesn’t connect right away, if the company doesn’t have a passion behind an actual artist and feel like this kid is an actual star and support it, it’s just going to whither away.

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Michael McDonald, co-founder of ATO Records and manager of artists including John Mayer and Ray LaMontagne:

The bottom line is if anyone had a simple answer, it would be in motion already. In my opinion the role of management is becoming more crucial than it ever has been. Just because of downsizing, et cetera, the labels can’t physically provide the level of service that they once did. So managers can either accept it or start building on their end, building the infrastructure to provide the artists with the level of marketing promotional services that were offered.

In terms of sales, I don’t know that it will ever rebound to the days of old, but I do think music is as relevant and there’s more music out there than ever before. The focus on revenue streams is what’s going to shift which leaves the majors in a difficult spot.

I think the idea of genuine partnership is something that’s going to have to really sink in, because up until now, from the deal perspective, the major-label artist relationship has not been based on partnership. I always equate it to paying off your mortgage and then the bank still owning your house. I think that fundamental part of the relationship has to change. Everyone is looking for a solution, but the solution does not look like the music business has looked for the last 30 years.

I think the big opportunities aren’t always coming throughout the label anymore, it’s flowing much through management, and sometimes directly through the artists. There was a day when the majors were unequivocally the gatekeepers … (now) people on both sides are reaching out directly to one another, to the point of sometimes reaching out directly to the artists.

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Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks (and “Dancing with The Stars” alumni)

“They have to reinvent themselves as music companies rather than CD sales organizations. They sell music and they need to be everywhere and anywhere music generates revenue. From merchandise to concerts to licensing and more. This isn’t new information to them, but their ultimate solution may be in reducing the price of CDs to under $5 across the board and building artists in order to monetize everywhere else.”