David Jenison Wed Feb 27, 5:52 AM ET

Los Angeles (E! Online) - The charts are officially Jacked!

For the second straight week, Jack Johnson and Michael Jackson have the country's bestselling albums and held down the top spots on their respective charts. For the week ended Sunday, Johnson's Sleep Through the Static topped the Billboard 200 selling 105,000 copies, according to the latest SoundScan numbers, while Jackson's Thriller: 25th Anniversary Edition ruled the Top Pop Catalog chart selling 63,000 copies.

As a reissue, the silver-anniversary Thriller was ineligible for the Billboard 200 despite selling more copies than that chart's current number two artist, Alicia Keys, who sold another 53,000 copies of As I Am.

While a pair of Jacks took the house, Kidz Bop 13 scored the week's biggest bow. The latest Kidz Bop Kids' collection–featuring kiddie remarks of Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls," Fergie's "Big Girls Don't Cry" and Boys Like Girls' "The Great Escape"–sold 49,000 copies at number four.

The latest installment tops the number seven debut for Kidz Bop 12, but Kidz Bop 9 remains the highest charter with its number two bow in early '06.

Country crooner Chris Cagle landed the week's second best bow at eight selling 37,000 copies of My Life's Been a Country Song, featuring the Top 20 country hit "What Kinda Gone." The Louisiana-born, Texas-raised singer is best known for his 2001 country chart-topper "I Breathe In, I Breathe Out" and his 2000 breakthrough hit "My Love Goes On and On."

Though not a new album, Sara Bareilles jumped 14 spots to number seven in Little Voice's first Top 10 appearance. The singer-songwriter and pianist, often compared to Norah Jones, originally opened at 15 last July with her major-label debut, which currently benefits from its hit "Love Song."

The rest of the Top 10, all repeat offenders, included big Grammy winner Amy Winehouse at three with Back to Black, the Step Up 2: The Streets soundtrack at five, the Juno soundtrack at six, Mary J. Blige's Growing Pains at nine and Taylor Swift's self-titled in the ten spot.

Jim Jones' Harlem's American Gangster mixtape rolled into the 19 spot selling 25,000 copies. The NYC rapper, whose mixtape title likely reflects his feud history with Jay-Z, releases his next official studio album this summer.

Duranguense group K-Paz De La Sierra debuted at 80 with their double-disc live set En Vivo Desde El Auditorio Nacional. This is the group's first release since singer Sergio Gomez was kidnapped, tortured and murdered–possibly by drug lords–in early December following a show in Mexico.  Their last album, Conquistando Corazones, was nominated for Best Banda Album at the recent Grammy Awards.

Other notable debuts included Secondhand Serenade's Twist in My Story at 44, former Soul Coughing singer Mike Doughty at 87 with Golden Delicious, the Raveonettes' stateside release of Lust, Lust, Lust at 108, Pastor Troy's Attitude Adjuster at 116 and Kingdom of Sorrow's self-titled debut at 131.

Overall, sales were down nearly 19 percent from last week and 13 percent compared to the same week last year.

To recap, the week's Top 10 albums featured:

  • Sleep Through the Static, Jack Johnson   • As I Am, Alicia Keys   • Back to Black, Amy Winehouse   • Kidz Bop 13, Kidz Bop Kids   • Step Up 2: The Streets soundtrack, various   • Juno soundtrack, various   • Little Voice, Sara Bareilles   • My Life's Been a Country Song, Chris Cagle   • Growing Pains, Mary J. Blige   • Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift

Sarah Hall Wed Feb 27, 3:47 AM ET

Los Angeles (E! Online) - They couldn't work it out and now judgment day looms for Paul McCartney and Heather Mills.

After the former couple was once again unable to hammer out a divorce settlement over five days of closed-door hearings this month, High Court Justice Hugh Bennett has announced that he will deliver a decision in the split on Mar. 17.

The judge's ruling will determine what portion of his fortune—estimated at a whopping $1.64 billion—McCartney will be ordered to hand over to Mills. It is unclear whether the decision will be made public.

Legal experts believe that Mills is demanding somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 million, while McCartney is offering her significantly less money to finally put an end to their four-year marriage.

Should either party disagree with the judge's decision, the case would move to the Court of Appeal, where all hearings would be open to the public and all details of the proceedings revealed.

Mills parted ways with her divorce attorneys in November and represented herself in the legal battle, while McCartney was represented by high-powered legal eagle Nicholas Mostyn.

The ex-twosome tied the knot in June 2002 and welcomed daughter Beatrice in October 2003.

They announced their separation in May 2006 and McCartney filed for divorce two months later.

43 minutes ago

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Justin Timberlake, Lou Reed, Billy Joel and Ben Harper are among the big names who've signed up to induct members of the 2008 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class next month in New York.

Timberlake will induct Madonna, Reed will induct Leonard Cohen, Joel will induct John Mellencamp, and Ben Harper will usher in late bluesman Little Walter during the March 10 event at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

In addition, Tom Hanks will induct the Dave Clark Five, Jerry Butler will induct soul producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, and John Fogerty will introduce the Ventures.

Mellencamp and the Ventures are among the artists slated to perform at the event which will air live on VH1 Classic, and will be streamed live by Best Buy at BestBuy.com.

Reuters/Billboard

Sarah Hall Wed Feb 27, 6:02 AM ET

Los Angeles (E! Online) - Amy Winehouse isn't quite ready to face the music.

A lawyer for the troubled songbird is seeking to postpone a Friday hearing stemming from Winehouse's arrest for drug possession in Norway back in October.

Winehouse and her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, were held overnight in Bergen, Norway, on charges of possessing about a quarter-ounce of marijuana. They were released the following morning after each paying fines of $715.

Winehouse later appealed the fine, claiming she was unaware that handing over the cash was tantamount to pleading guilty to the pot charge and alleging that Norwegian police mishandled the case by failing to provide an English translator.

A drug charge on her record could create problems for the singer when it comes to obtaining the proper visas to perform in the United States and other parts of the world.

However, Bergen police attorney Rudolf Christoffersen maintained at the time that the singer was only questioned by an English-speaking officer who explained in detail the charges and consequences of paying the fine.

With Friday's hearing fast approaching, Winehouse's attorney Ole Kvelstad claims the singer has not received a letter detailing the date, hence the impetus for the proposed postponement.

However, Christoffersen claims Winehouse knows the date of the hearing, even if the letter has yet to arrive.

Winehouse, who recently collected five Grammy awards, including Best New Artist, is reportedly on the up-and-up while receiving outpatient treatment for drug addiction.

Earlier this month, her mother, Janis Winehouse, told British morning show GMTV her daughter was "on the road to recovery."

Joal Ryan Wed Feb 27, 6:09 AM ET

Los Angeles (E! Online) - It's been a hard day's night for American Idol, but the show finally has a ticket to ride.

The music publishing giant that controls the Beatles' John Lennon-Paul McCartney composed hits has given Idol the go-ahead to let its contestants have their way with the likes of "Yesterday," "Let It Be" and, should someone be so brave, "I Am the Walrus."

The scoop was served up Wednesday on Idol host Ryan Seacrest's morning radio show in Los Angeles.

"It's something we've waited for seven seasons now," Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe told Seacrest. "Sony has agreed to release the Lennon and McCartney songbook to us."

The announcement seems unrelated to current Idol favorite David Archuleta belting "Imagine" on Tuesday night's show. "Imagine" was written by Lennon, sans McCartney, in his post-Beatle years, and was performed last season by Blake Lewis.

Gina Serpe Wed Feb 27, 7:05 AM ET

Los Angeles (E! Online) - The Spice Girls' shelf-life has finally expired.

What started out as plans for an 11-date comeback tour, and inevitably morphed into an all-out months-long globe-trotting phenomenon, concluded in Toronto Tuesday night, when the Spice Girls wrapped up their Return of the Spice Girls World Tour.

"Our time is up…we've come to the end of the road…there are tears of both sadness and joy," the group collectively posted in a farewell message to their Website Wednesday.

"Who would have though that our reunion could have turned out to be this amazing? It just shows what can grow out of an exciting thought, an idea, a hope, a dream. Yes, our reunion tour is proof that dreams do come true."

Not to mention proof of what a media- and business-friendly Svengali can do.

The girl-powered group—Victoria "Posh" Beckham, Melanie "Scary" Brown, Geri "Ginger" Haliwell, Emma "Baby" Bunton and Melanie "Sporty" Chisholm—confirmed the well-seasoned rumor that the Spices would be reuniting for the first time in 10 years back in June of last year, once again under the aggressively watchful eye of former manager Simon Fuller.

Plans for the handful of December one-off tour dates quickly gave way to the release of a new single, "Headlines," a greatest hits album and a rapidly-expanding world tour.

Earlier this month, however, amid the requisite flurry of mostly U.K.-generated headlines hinting at discord within the Spice World, the girls announced that they would be cutting short the tour, backing out of previously announced dates in Australia, China, South Africa and Argentina, blaming family commitments.

However, in their message to fans posted today, the Girls took time out to thank their loyal fans—the ones given the chance, anyway—for sticking by them and coming out to support them after such a long absence.

"We have been lucky enough to have shared it with the most loyal fans in the world," they wrote. "Ten years on, you came back still wanting more…and it looks like we made some new friends along the way. You have inspired and ignited us with each show, the 47 that we performed, each time was amazing and it is thanks to you."

While the Spice Girls offered no hints at whether a second reunion may someday take place—perhaps because none were needed after Halliwell announced earlier this month that "this is the last time you will ever get to see the five Spices on stage as one"—they did implore the legions of Spice fans both old and new to continue fighting the good, girl-powered fight.

"We look to the future with hope and imagination and let Girl Power live on through all of you as it will continue in us and the future generations to come," they said.

"We hate goodbyes but sadly the time has come to take our final bow so maybe our song says it best: 'Goodbye my friend, it's not the end…So glad we made it, time will never ever change it…'"

And if there was any lingering doubt that the Spice Girls had achieved the world domination they no doubt sought out back in the mid-90s, the peace-sign-throwing, Union Jack-loving group put it to rest in the conclusion of their fan letter, signing off, simply: "Mission accomplished."

33 minutes ago

NEW YORK - Maxim has apologized to its readers, but the Black Crowes are still waiting for the magazine to say sorry to the band for publishing a negative review of their new CD without listening to the full album.

“It comes as no surprise that Maxim has elected to apologize to their readers now that the world has been informed of their deception; however, that is not full accountability,” said the Crowes’ manager, Pete Angelus, on Tuesday.

Maxim editorial director James Kaminsky issued a statement earlier Tuesday apologizing to readers for the review in its March issue. The writer gave the Crowes’ “Warpaint” a rating of two-and-a-half stars out of five — but hadn’t actually heard the entire disc.

The mea culpa came a few days after the Crowes posted a statement on their Web site saying such a review was impossible since advance copies of the CD, out on March 4, weren’t made available.

“It is Maxim’s editorial policy to assign star ratings only to those albums that have been heard in their entirety,” Kaminsky responded. “Unfortunately, that policy was not followed in the March 2008 issue of our magazine and we apologize to our readers.”

Angelus said Maxim was just doing “self-serving damage control.”

“The appropriate action from Maxim is to immediately issue a public apology to the Black Crowes for disparaging both the band and their soon-to-be released new album ‘Warpaint’ without having heard the material,” he said in a statement.

A spokeswoman for the magazine declined comment when contacted by The Associated Press on Wednesday.

“Warpaint” is the Black Crowes’ first album in seven years. The blues-rock group, fronted by Chris Robinson, has released only one song from the disc, “Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution.”

The band’s hits include “Hard to Handle” and “She Talks to Angels.”

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On the Net:

The Black Crowes:

http://www.blackcrowes.com/

(This version CORRECTS spelling to `Kaminsky’ from `Kaminski’ in graf 5. Corrects spelling to `Associated’ from `Assoicated’ in graf 8.)

Josh Grossberg Wed Feb 27, 8:22 AM ET

Los Angeles (E! Online) - Every little step Bobby Brown takes these days seems to land him in trouble.This time around, however, he got lucky.

The erstwhile King of New Jack Swing has accepted an offer from authorities in Brockton, Massachusetts, to perform one year of community service in return for prosecutors not filing drug charges against him stemming from his Dec. 1 arrest in a hotel parking lot.

Brown, 39, was found outside a Holiday Inn in the Boston suburb sitting in his Lincoln Navigator SUV. "Very small amounts of cocaine residue" were found in his possession after officers responded to a 911 call about a possible brawl taking place there.

Per a spokesperson for the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office, Brockton District Court Clerk Magistrate Kevin Creedon decided against a recommendation by state police to bring a drug charge against the R&B bad boy.

Instead, the magistrate opted for community service, which he told the Boston Herald could best be served by mentoring children and young adults in a city that has been racked with violence in recent years—as opposed to picking up trash off the highway.

Brown's Beantown-based lawyer Stephanie Soriano confirmed that the crooner avoided a possible jail term in taking the deal.

"No criminal charges will issue," she told the Herald. "Mr. Brown will be accepting the recommendation of the court."

The legal eagle added that Brown was satisfied with the arrangement, noting "it's something he wants to do anyway."

He's expected to start his community service within the next couple of months.

Of course, kids these days could learn a few things about what not to do from the Being Bobby Brown star. The former superstar's career stalled in the wake of repeated arrests on charges ranging from drunken driving to failure to pay child support.

Brown has also been busy petitioning an Orange County, California, court to set aside the 2006 divorce judgment that gave ex-wife Whitney Houston full custody of their 14-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina. Both singers were MIA for a court hearing in the matter last month.

By Frank Scheck 27 minutes ago

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - It took nearly 40 years, but the supergroup Blind Faith returned to Madison Square Garden on Monday night for the first of a three-night stand.

Well, OK, it was really just Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood (drummer Ginger Baker is AWOL and bassist Rich Grech died in 1990), but these shows marking the duo's first full performances together since 1982 are plenty historic enough.

The classic rock stalwarts, who earned raves last year for their short set at Chicago's Crossroads festival, delivered a two-hour, 20-minute show featuring two-thirds of Blind Faith's recorded output — that translates to all of four songs — as well as numbers from their respective solo careers and Winwood's stint with Traffic. Beginning with Bline Faith's "Had to Cry Today" and ending with an encore of "Crossroads," it was a blues-heavy set list guaranteed to please the sold-out baby boomer crowd.

Clapton's most recent foray into his past with the Cream reunion shows seemed a distinctly chilly affair, but he clearly was having a terrific time onstage with this former bandmate. Halfway through the show, he commented: "I've been looking forward to this for a long time. . . . I'm enjoying it, so I hope you are. So who knows, maybe we'll do this a bit more, I think."

Performing with a tight three-piece band that included Willie Weeks (bass), Chris Stainton (keyboards) and Ian Thomas (drums), the duo traded vocals and instrumentals with well-practiced ease. Clapton's electrifying solos provided fresh energy to such numbers as Traffic's "Pearly Queen" and "Dear Mr. Fantasy," while Winwood's fluid keyboard work and still-soaring vocals enlivened such songs as Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing" and Clapton's "Tell the Truth." Winwood strapped on a guitar for most of the Blind Faith songs, as well as numbers including the rollicking "Low Down."

Each star also delivered one solo number, with Clapton performing an acoustic version of "Ramblin' on My Mind" and Winwood delivering a nicely moving take on "Georgia on My Mind."

Of course, the Blind Faith classics including "Had to Cry Today," "Presence of the Lord" and "Can't Find My Way Home" garnered the biggest responses, but such Clapton pop hits as "Forever Man" and "After Midnight" came close.

Reuters/Billboard

18 minutes ago

BERGEN, Norway - Amy Winehouse’s lawyer has asked a district court to postpone a hearing for the British singer-songwriter, who is accused of drug possession, local media reported Wednesday.

Winehouse and her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, were arrested in the western city of Bergen in October. They were held overnight on charges of possessing 1/4 ounce of marijuana and released the next morning after paying fines of $715 each.

The tattooed songstress later appealed the fine, claiming Norwegian police made mistakes in the case.

A court hearing is scheduled Friday. Her lawyer, Ole Kvelstad, said Winehouse hasn’t received the letter detailing the date, news agency NTB reported.

Bergen Police Attorney Rudolf Christoffersen told NTB that Winehouse knows the date of the hearing, even if the letter hasn’t arrived.

Winehouse, 24, won five Grammy Awards earlier this month, including best record (”Rehab”), best song (”Rehab”) and best new artist.

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On the Net:

Amy Winehouse:

http://www.amywinehouse.co.uk/