Judge: 50 Cent no two-bit song stealer

A judge has dismissed a copyright infringement lawsuit accusing rapper 50 Cent of stealing the opening line for his 2003 hit "In Da Club" from a song by former 2 Live Crew frontman Luther Campbell.
U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck found Friday that the disputed phrase was a "common, unoriginal, and noncopyrightable element of the song" and was not entitled to copyright protection.
Moreover, outside of the opening phrase, there are almost no similarities between the works, and the phrase in question represents only eleven seconds of a more than three-minute song, the judge wrote. No reasonable jury would conclude that the compositions have substantial similarities and the average person would not confuse the two songs, the judge wrote.
The original lawsuit was filed in Miami federal court in January on behalf of Lil' Joe Wein Music against Curtis James Jackson, aka 50 Cent.
The lawsuit, filed by attorney Richard C. Wolfe, said 50 Cent only changed one word from the opening line of Campbell's song from "It's Your Birthday." After repeating the word "go" several times, "Sheila" becomes "shorty" in the line, "Go shorty, it's your birthday."
Campbell's song appeared on his 1994 solo album "Still a Freak for Life."
50 Cent's publicist, Yvette Gayle, said she had no comment Friday. A message left after hours at Richard Wolfe's office was not immediately returned. A telephone message left at a listing with a similar name to Lil' Joe Wein Music was also not immediately returned.
Lil' Joe Wein Music holds the copyright to "It's Your Birthday" and other songs Campbell produced with his rap group 2 Live Crew and as a solo artist.

Asasiciated Press

Michael Jackson to appear at awards show

Michael Jackson will make a rare public appearance at the World Music Awards in London next month, organizers announced Sunday.
The reclusive king of pop will receive a Diamond Award, given to artists who sell more than 100 million albums, at the industry ceremony on Nov. 15.
"We are thrilled to be bringing the World Music Awards to London, the music capital of the world," said founder Melissa Corken. "The presence of Michael Jackson is very exciting for us."
Jackson has made few appearances since being acquitted of child molestation charges in June 2005. He left the United States soon after and has spent time in Bahrain and Ireland.
Jackson last performed in Britain in 1997. In 2001, he addressed the Oxford Union student debating society.
The World Music Awards were held in Monaco for 15 years before moving to the United States in 2004 and 2005. This year's event at London's Earls Court Arena is to be hosted by Lindsay Lohan, with performances from Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Katie Melua and Andrea Bocelli.
The annual show business awards select winners based on the strength of their worldwide record sales. Previous recipients of the Diamond Award include Rod Stewart, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion.

Associated Press

The Official UK Top 75 Singles - 30.10 - 7.11.2006

1 McFly - Star Girl (NEW)
2 Fedde Le Grand - Put Your Hands Up For Detroit (NEW)
3 Girls Aloud - Something Kinda Ooooh
4 My Chemical Romance - Welcome To The Black Parade
5 Beyonce - Irreplaceable
6 Razorlight - America
7 Amy Winehouse - Rehab
8 Bob Sinclar & Cutee B - Rock This Party (Everybody Dance Now)
9 Meat Loaf Ft Marion Raven - It's All Coming Back To Me Now
10 Scissor Sisters - I Don't Feel Like Dancin'

For the complete chart, please click here

The Official UK Top 75 Albums- 30.10 - 7.11.2006

1 Robbie Williams - Rudebox (NEW)
2 My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade (NEW)
3 Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell 3: The Monster Is Loose (NEW)
4 Rod Stewart - Still The Same: Great Rock Classics (NEW)
5 Killers - Sam's Town
6 Scissor Sisters - Ta-Dah
7 Razorlight - Razorlight
8 James Morrison - Undiscovered
9 Snow Patrol - Eyes Open
10 John Legend - Once Again (NEW)

For the complete chart, please click here

The Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart - 28.10 - 4.11.2006

1 Ludacris Featuring Pharrell - Money Maker
2 Akon Featuring Eminem - Smack That
3 Hinder - Lips Of An Angel
4 Justin Timberlake - SexyBack
5 Justin Timberlake Featuring T.I. - My Love
6 The Fray - How To Save A Life
7 JoJo - Too Little Too Late
8 Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars
9 Diddy Featuring Nicole Scherzinger - Come To Me
10 Nickelback - Far Away

For the complete singles chart, please click here


The Billboard 200 Album Chart - 28.10 - 4.11.2006

1 Diddy - Press Play
2 Evanescence - The Open Door
3 JoJo - The High Road (NEW)
4 Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds
5 Dierks Bentley - Long Trip Alone (NEW)
6 Rod Stewart - Still The Same... Great Rock Classics Of Our Time
7 Hinder - Extreme Behavior
8 Ruben Studdard - The Return (NEW)
9 Tony Bennett - Duets: An American Classic
10 The Killers - Sam's Town

For the complete albums chart, please click here

Britney baby does have name, it seems

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline continue to be coy about the name of their new baby boy. But the BBC reported Thursday that the baby, born Sept. 12, does indeed have a name. And it is - drumroll, please - Jayden James Federline. His name was revealed this week after his birth certificate was filed with officials. Spears, 24, and Federline, 28, have yet to confirm the name.
Federline, during an appearance Thursday in Los Angeles on the 101 network's music show "CD USA," would not reveal the name. "I will leave that to my wife to announce," the aspiring rapper told a reporter.
Spears' publicist, Leslie Sloane Zelnik, did not immediately return an e-mail from the AP on Friday. When he arrived, according to some news reports, the boy's name was Sutton Pierce. Speculation has bubbled since that the baby's name was something else.
Spears and Federline, aka K-Fed, were married in September 2004. They have another son, Sean Preston, 1, and Federline has two children from a previous relationship.

Associated Press

Reba McEntire draws a crowd for tribute

Reba McEntire has a pretty glitzy roster of friends and fans, and many of them came out to the Kodak Theatre to honor her Thursday night. Dolly Parton, Barbara Mandrell, Trisha Yearwood and LeAnn Rimes were among the luminaries walking the red carpet before the taping of the tribute, to run as part of Country Music Television's "CMT Giants" series.
"Well, I said no a couple of times," McEntire told AP Television. "And, then, finally, they said, `No, we're really serious, and everybody wants to do it.' And I said, 'Well, all right."
The country queen, 51, first found fame with chart-toppers such as "Whoever's in New England" and "Does He Love You." She later found success on Broadway in the long-running "Annie Get Your Gun" and in films ("Tremors"). Her TV sitcom, "Reba," has been up and running since 2001, and was one of the highest-rated shows on the recently disbanded WB network, where it left prime time last spring. The series, however, is still in production and expected to return soon to the WB's struggling successor, the CW.
Looking down the star-studded arrivals line, McEntire was clearly impressed by the turnout. "Well, it's very overwhelming," she noted, "very flattering. I am in hog heaven, to say the least. I am just thrilled to pieces."
Of course, there was no shortage of praise for McEntire on the red carpet.
"I think we have to surround and celebrate our legends, `cause we're losing them," said Wynonna Judd. "She came before me and paved the way. These strong women, I stand on their shoulders."
Pop singer Kelly Clarkson gushed praise. "I am here to tell Reba she's awesome," she said. "I love her, I adore her. ... She's just done so many great things, and so many great things for people. She's just a really great person, amazing."
The "CMT Giants" special is set to air November 18.

Associated Press

Jay-Z aims to repeat past music glories

Jay-Z has no problem with people doubting whether his upcoming CD can live up to his past glories. "I love that position," he says in an interview in XXL magazine's forthcoming December issue. "I love that challenge. That's the reason I'm making albums. That's the reason why I love hip-hop. It's a challenge every time."
"Show Me What You Got" is the first single from "Kingdom Come," Jay's return to recording since "retiring" in 2003 to become president and CEO of Def Jam Recordings.
Jay-Z (real name Shawn Carter) is taking heat for the perception that he's prioritizing his record above one by his former foe Nas, with whom Jay recently reconciled and then signed to Def Jam.
"It ain't like his album is ready and I'm like, 'No, no, Nas,'" Jay says. "It bugs me out that people really make these things up ... I'm not holding Nas' album back. His album is not ready."
Jay took over Def Jam from Lyor Cohen, who departed to be CEO of Warner Music Group. "I don't have a mentor, but I'd say he's the closest thing to my mentor that I have," Jay said of Cohen, who oversaw much of his hit-making career.
The bitter breakup with his former Roc-A-Fella Records partner, Damon Dash, was a casualty of Jay-Z's move to greener pastures. Def Jam, Jay says, offered him $20 million to dump Dash two years before the 2004 split. He rejected it.
So what eventually changed his mind and made him leave Dash?
"You know, I couldn't live," he said. "It wasn't, it wasn't what it once was, in my eyes. You know, maybe I contributed to it. We all contributed. ... Maybe being 34, as opposed to being 26, contributed to it. It was deteriorating. It wasn't the same thing."

Associated Press

Springsteen, Adams, Homme Enrich New Malin CD

Bruce Springsteen, Ryan Adams and Josh Homme are amongst the slew of guests that will appear on rocker Jesse Malin's upcoming record. The New York troubadour's third solo album, "Glitter in the Gutter" in late February or early March of next year. Produced by Rob Caggiano and Eddie Wohl (Scrap 60), the set will also feature the talents of Jakob Dylan and Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett, as well as an acoustic cover of the Replacements classic "Bastards of Young.""Glitter in the Gutter" amarks Malin's first release on Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong's East West label imprint, Adeline Records. Malin will be previewing some new tracks during a hometown show next Friday (Nov. 3) at the Living Room. He will also play Nov. 13 in Annapolis, Md.

The new album is the follow-up to Malin's 2004 Artemis set "This Heat," which reached No. 44 on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart.

Billboard

Snoop Dogg Arrested At Los Angeles Airport

Snoop Dogg was arrested yesterday (Oct. 26) on suspicion of illegal drug and gun possession. The rapper, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, was arrested at 3:45 p.m. at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, Calif., police said. He posted $35,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court Dec. 12.Airport police officers stopped Snoop Dogg at a loading zone for a vehicle code violation. When officers searched the vehicle they found a gun and marijuana, police said."There was no basis for this arrest," the rapper's attorney, Donald Etra, said in a statement. "We believe that once this is cleared up, all charges will be dismissed."The Orange County district attorney's office has been considering charges against Snoop Dogg after authorities last month discovered a 21-inch collapsible baton in his bags as he boarded a New York-bound flight from John Wayne International Airport.

Billboard

Sabbath Members Touring With, Without Ozzy

Maybe it takes a little friendly competition to nudge Ozzy Osbourne back into the studio with Black Sabbath. Original Sabbath members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward are reuniting with vocalist Ronnie James Dio, who replaced Osbourne in the band in 1979, under the moniker Heaven and Hell. The new group, named after the first post-Osbourne Sabbath album, will hit the road in early 2007, according to a spokesperson.But wait, says Ozzy. This is all just a precursor to a Black Sabbath tour with Osbourne, Iommi, Butler and Ward in late '07, along with the group's first new studio album featuring that lineup since 1978's "Never Say Die!""Tony Iommi and Ronnie Dio are working on a project together which has nothing to do with Black Sabbath," a statement from Osbourne's publicist reads. "There is only one Black Sabbath. However, Osbourne wishes Tony and Ronnie much success in their project together."Adding to the drama, Osbourne himself told Billboard.com in March 2005 that he had no interest in making another Sabbath album.

Billboard

Pink announces new single

Pink has announced details of her new single. She will release Nobody Knows on November 20. It is the fourth single to be released from her I'm Not Dead album. The release of the single coincides with her UK tour.
Tour dates include:
Manchester MEN Arena (November 5)
Cardiff International Arena (November 7)
Newcastle Metro Radio Arena (November 10)
Nottingham Arena (November 11)
Plymouth Pavilions (November 13)
Brighton Centre (November 14)
Dublin The Point (November 16)
Belfast Odessey Arena (November 17, 18)
Aberdeen Press and Journal Arena November (20, 21)
Glasgow SECC (November 23, 24)
Brighton Centre (November 26)
Bournemouth BIC (November 27)
Birmingham NEC (November 29)
Glasgow SECC (November 30)
Sheffield Hallam FM Arena (December 2)
Bournemouth BIC (December 3)
London Wembley Arena (December 4)

Ananova

Kurt still making money

Kurt Cobain has been named the top earning dead celebrity.
The former Nirvana frontman made $50m last year, according to US business website Forbes.com.
Elvis Presley made $42m last year reports NME.com.
It has been 12 years since Kurt died at the age of 27.
His widow, Courtney Love, sold 25 per cent stake of his song catalogue last year.
Other dead celebrities to make it into the top ten include John Lennon, Marilyn Monroe and Ray Charles.

Ananova

Andy Taylor leaves Duran Duran

Guitarist Andy Taylor has quit Duran Duran during the US leg of the band's world tour.
A statement on behalf of the group described the relationship with Andy Taylor as unworkable, reports the BBC.
A spokesperson for Duran Duran said the tour will continue, with a session guitarist taking Taylor's place.
The news came just hours ahead of the group's concert in Chicago.
A statement from remaining members Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and John and Roger Taylor, said a "gulf" had developed between them which meant they could no longer work effectively together.
It continued: "Although obviously disappointed and saddened about this, we are excited about the next chapter of the Duran Duran story."

Ananova