crests the cds and vinyl

Garland music director Mort Lindsey dies at 89

Bret Michaels settles case with CBS, Tonys over injury

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rock singer Bret Michaels has settled a lawsuit he filed against the Tony Awards and CBS for damages to his head after a stage set piece knocked him down and he claimed it contributed to a brain hemorrhage he later suffered. The terms of the settlement were not released. Michaels sued CBS and Tony Awards Productions after he performed in 2009 with his band Poison during the awards telecast of Broadway's best shows, claiming producers failed to tell him how to exit the stage safely. ...

Jay-Z announces 2-day Philly music festival

Jay-Z is in a Philadelphia State of Mind: The rapper announced a two-day music festival Monday in the City of Brotherly Love.

Beach Boys-inspired musical to open in Las Vegas

"Storm and Grace" best thing from Presley since "Suspicious Minds"

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Some thoughts on Lisa Marie Presley: "Too bad she ain't just like her daddy/Oh what a shame/She got no talent of her own/It's just her name." No, that's not our review. That's Presley anticipating (or reviving) some of the conventional/cynical wisdom about her musical career in "Sticks and Stones," a bonus track on the deluxe version of her new album, "Storm & Grace." She even refers to her own possibly hereditary pout: "She looks bad, she looks mad... ...

Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb dies aged 62

Jessica Sanchez, Phillip Phillips make "Idol" final

NEW YORK (Reuters) - He brought the "American Idol" judges to their feet, but Joshua Ledet couldn't win over fans and was sent home from the top-rated TV talent show on Thursday, leaving Jessica Sanchez and Phillip Phillips to battle for the crown on next week's finale. The elimination of Ledet - through audience voting and not by the judges - sets up a final showdown between Sanchez and Phillips to determine who will be named the next "American Idol," a distinction that has belonged to hitmakers such as Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, among others. ...

Lady Gaga gagged in Indonesia after Islamic opposition

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Pop star Lady Gaga has been refused a permit to perform in the Indonesian capital next month over security concerns, police said on Tuesday, after Islamic groups voiced strong objections to her "vulgar" style. Three Islamic groups have expressed their opposition to the concert on June 3, demanding it be stopped, national police spokesman Saud Usman Nasution said by telephone. Indonesia, a secular state, has the world's largest population of Muslims as well as significant minorities of Christians, Buddhists and Hindus. ...

Analysis: Key to Universal-EMI decision: Has music business lost control?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - On the face of it, Universal Music Group's bid to buy a big chunk of EMI stands to make the world's leading music company an even more formidable force, combining Universal's star lineup of Lady Gaga and Rihanna with the British company's deep library of The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Katy Perry. Certainly the fierce opposition from rival Warner Music Group, consumer groups and independent music companies makes it seem that way. They have all vowed to fight it tooth and nail, telling U.S. ...

Contestants? It's TV talent judges basking in fame, cash

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Time was when TV talent shows set out to turn wannabes into stars. These days? Not so much. It's the celebrity judges who are raking in the cash and using TV contests not only as a way to re-launch a fading career, but to further boost a thriving one. For music stars in an era of weak record sales, the trend spells victory for their bank account, but for fans and the music industry always hungering for a new star, it's a loss. And for TV networks, the once cheap-to-produce shows are ever more expensive, yet they don't always pay off in bigger audiences. ...

Britney is back - and so are the brickbats

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Britney Spears hasn't even taken her seat as the new judge of "The X Factor," but the pop icon is already getting a lesson in the media glare of live, talent show television. Spears had barely wrapped up an appearance in New York confirming she is joining the singing contest before the celebrity knives were out, raising the question of how well the singer, who went through a public meltdown in 2007, can handle all the newfound attention. ...

Renowned baritone Fischer-Dieskau dead at 86

Adele notches up two Ivor Novello songwriting awards

LONDON (Reuters) - British singer Adele won two Ivor Novello awards for songwriting on Thursday, adding to a lengthening list of musical accolades, but she lost out in the best album and song categories. The 24-year-old chart queen picked up two coveted Ivor Novello prizes for the most performed song of 2011 ("Rolling in the Deep") and songwriter of the year. ...

MTV's Video Music Awards get a big new location

Singer Robin Gibb, Bee Gees co-founder, dies at 62

LONDON (Reuters) - Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb, who with brothers Barry and Maurice helped define the disco era with their falsetto harmonies and funky beats on smash hits such as "Stayin' Alive" and "Jive Talkin'," has died after a long fight with cancer. He was 62. The singer had colon and liver cancer and, despite brief improvements in his health in recent months, passed away on Sunday evening. "The family of Robin Gibb ... announce with great sadness that Robin passed away today following his long battle with cancer and intestinal surgery," a statement posted on his official website said. ...