ADAM LAMBERT: SHOW TIME November 28, 2009
- Features Adam Lambert—the man with the outsize personality who delivered an audacious octave-and-a-half sitar-tinged purr of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" on the most-watched TV show in the country, dodged sex toys thrown at him onstage during the "American Idol" tour and did it all without smearing his eyeliner—is currently curled in the fetal position. » Full Story
ALLISON IRAHETA: RED HOT November 28, 2009
- Features It's a moment that Allison Iraheta isn't fond of recalling. After performing in one of the early rounds of "American Idol," host Ryan Seacrest approached her for the standard chat-'em-up interview. » Full Story
THE BILLBOARD Q&A: KRIS ALLEN November 28, 2009
- Features One year ago, Kris Allen was attending the University of Central Arkansas, playing gigs at local bars and adjusting to life as a newlywed. Now, thanks to "American Idol," he's enough of a brand name that his major-label debut is self-titled. » Full Story
THE EVOLUTION OF LEONA LEWIS November 28, 2009
- Features Violence and theft. Not words one would normally associate with Leona Lewis, the squeaky clean winner of "The X Factor," who went on to stunning worldwide success with her debut album, "Spirit." » Full Story
BLAK IS THE NEW ROC November 28, 2009
- Features It's a bleary, rain-soaked afternoon in late October, and huddled in a corner table at DuMont restaurant in Brooklyn, the Black Keys are talking vegetables. » Full Story
SPECIAL: AUSTRALIA ON THE RISE November 28, 2009
- Features Business is looking up Down Under. While the world's most powerful markets struggled with the global financial crisis of 2009, Australia's economy enjoyed slight growth in the first half of this year, and its music industry played a similar tune. » Full Story
ON THE ROAD: FRONTIER MAN November 28, 2009
- Features As a pioneer of the Australian music business, Michael Gudinski was into 360 deals before they were called "360." » Full Story
SPECIAL: AUSTRALIA'S DIVERSITY DRIVES LIVE SCENE November 28, 2009
- Features Australian concertgoers have enjoyed a lot of choice for their buck lately. The likes of Coldplay, Andre Rieu, Green Day, the Black Eyed Peas, Nickelback and Britney Spears all embarked on Australian tours in 2009. » Full Story
RIVERS CUOMO: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST November 21, 2009
- Features Contrary to what seems like popular opinion, Rivers Cuomo is not screwing with his fans. At first, it might be a little hard to believe. But on Weezer's new album, "Raditude," Cuomo is nothing if not sincere in trying to appeal to listeners. » Full Story
THE BILLBOARD Q&A: JERMAINE DUPRI November 21, 2009
- Features When Rivers Cuomo penned the opening lyrics to Weezer's "Buddy Holly," he probably never imagined he'd be making a fan out of R&B/hip-hop producer/songwriter Jermaine Dupri. » Full Story
THE PUBLISHERS QUARTERLY: EMI STAYS ON TOP November 21, 2009
- Features EMI Music Publishing Group captured the largest share of the 100 most popular U.S. radio airplay songs in the third quarter, outdistancing its rivals for the third consecutive three-month period. » Full Story
THE PUBLISHERS QUARTERLY: CONTINENTAL DRIFT November 21, 2009
- Features When the European Commission Online Roundtable on Music issued an October statement signed by publishers, collecting societies and online music services, one might have thought that the fog of confusion around Pan-European licensing of publishing rights was finally lifting. » Full Story
HOW EMI MUSIC PUBLISHING BRAINSTORMS THE NEXT HIT SONG November 21, 2009
- Features None of these 10 guys are household names—nor would you recognize any of them passing on the street—but you undoubtedly know their work. This group of songwriters is responsible for some the catchiest pop hits of the past five years—from BeyoncÉ's "If I Were a Boy" to Lil Wayne's "Lollipop" to Celine Dion's "This Time." Between them, they have written numerous No. 1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, dozens of top 10 tunes and hundreds of tracks that have been cut by the biggest singers and pop stars working today. » Full Story
THE BILLBOARD Q&A: DAVID RENZER November 21, 2009
- Features Universal Music Publishing Group chairman/CEO David Renzer hails new digital opportunities but warns of challenges for mechanical and performance income. » Full Story
ALICIA KEYS: THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE November 14, 2009
- Features An unseasonal gust of wind greets Alicia Keys as she steps out of a doorway behind a Beverly Hills hotel on a late-October afternoon. Decked out in a black leather vest and black leggings brightly accented by turquoise suede knee-high boots and a hint of matching eyeliner, the Grammy Award-winning artist gets surprised by the chilly blast as she ducks into a waiting black sport utility vehicle. » Full Story
ALICIA KEYS: GOOD VIBRATIONS November 14, 2009
- Features A whole new vibe—that's how J Records president of A&R Peter Edge describes Alicia Keys' coming attraction, "The Element of Freedom." Edge credits the album's "fresh, modern vibe" to Keys' keen understanding of a music essential: collaboration. » Full Story
ALICIA KEYS BY THE NUMBERS November 14, 2009
- Features Alicia Keys has two of the top 100 best-selling albums in the Nielsen SoundScan era (1991-present) with "Songs in A Minor" (6.2 million) and "The Diary of Alicia Keys" (4.6 million). » Full Story
THE LONG TALE? November 14, 2009
- Features The great hope for digital music was that it would make the recording industry more egalitarian—that up-and-coming bands with pluck and a knack for promotion would be able to get their work to the masses without the backing of record labels. » Full Story
A 'LONG' LIFE November 14, 2009
- Features In the online age, do artists still need labels? The Long Tail seems to imply that they don't, and many digital music executives agree. Just put the music online, they say, and fans will find it. » Full Story