Hot Music Beat

George Strait, who had his 55th No. 1 single this year and was recently inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame, returned Thursday to the Country Music Association Awards with top nominations including entertainer and male vocalist of the year.

Strait and Brad Paisley led with five nominations each. Strait was also nominated for musical event of the year, for a performance with Jimmy Buffett and Alan Jackson; album of the year for “It Just Comes Natural”; and single of the year for “Wrapped,” his 55th career No. 1 single.

Paisley is nominated for entertainer, male vocalist, his album, “Fifth Gear,” best single for “Ticks,” and best music video with “Online.”

Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban rounded out the entertainer of the year category.

Josh Turner joined Chesney, Paisley, Strait and Urban with nominations for male vocalist of the year.

Bluegrass star Alison Krauss was nominated for female vocalist of the year, along with Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire and “American Idol” winner Carrie Underwood.

The top nominations were announced on ABC’s “Good Morning America” by Sara Evans and Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland. The rest were announced in Nashville by duo Montgomery Gentry and 17-year-old Taylor Swift, who was nominated for the Horizon Award for new artists.

“They kind of tortured me a little bit at the end by not saying my name right away,” she said of Montgomery Gentry”s nail-biting introduction. “I kind of freaked out. I was excited. I started shaking.”

The CMA Awards are scheduled for Nov. 7 in Nashville.

R&B star Sean Kingston will play slain rap heavyweight Notorious B.I.G. in an upcoming biopic. The singer, who is dominating the charts with summer hit Beautiful Girls, has landed the lead role in the movie, which is being produced by Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. This is a different issue but would the producers ever ask him to cut his weight and look a bit better as an appearance for the movie as they do for the female leads. Oh, I think they won’t be complaining about his weight since they have already had an audition with him and has been told that he will be playing the role in the movie. Now if it were a plum actress should have been asked sign the dotted line with an agreement clarifying that she should be able to shed such and such pounds or else could be facing an axe. Look at Sean he looks a truck full of garbage to me and my views do not in any way speak about his singing skills. Just his size to huge and would rather be better for a comic role.

Avril´s performance of Girlfriend on teen choice awards 2007. She got it as the best vídeo 4 Girlfriend…
Avril Lavigne – Girlfriend, live teen choice awards

Singer-songwriter Newton Faulkner has hit the top spot in the UK album chart, confirming him as one of this year’s hottest new artists. I feel good there are new artist who are smashing their way up to the top of the charts. Otherwise all that we see is, old and saturated artist grabbing the top slot week after week. We need fresh talent and even the market needs newer artist who will ask from less money from record companies to sign on to produce new albums. What I would also like to see more often are some kind of freelance singers who haven’t been singed on by music companies they bang their way on to the charts, take people by awe, leave their peers zapped and their music becomes a hit at night clubs. This way they inspire more of a music culture that’s independent from the clutches of music bosses. Wishful thinking but I wish there exist some place like this.

Although a jury last week convicted Jose Padilla of supporting terrorism, rapper-actor Mos Def thinks that Padilla may not have gotten the due process the criminal justice system promises.

“We all know the history of insufficient evidence or testimony under duress — at the very least, legal circumstances that demand some sort of reinvestigation, a new consideration for facts, and just the truth — basically saying these people are not the criminals they’re being made out to be,” he told The Associated Press in an interview Thursday.

“(It’s) the climate that we live in, people’s rights and liberties being taken advantage of — the whole situation with Jose Padilla,” he said. “Basically the state being able to just charge any individual with anything and prosecute them on the basis of that.”

Mos Def is hoping to draw attention to what he sees as inequities in the United States’ criminal justice system this weekend with the 10th annual “Black August” benefit concert at The Nokia Theater in New York City. Other performers include socially minded rappers such as Talib Kweli and Dead Prez, and rapper Saigon.

Organized by The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, “Black August” was organized to create awareness about the cases of people that the organization believes has been unfairly convicted, such as Assata Shakur, whose image is included on the concert flyer.

Shakur, a member of the Black Liberation Army, escaped prison in 1979 after being convicted of killing a New Jersey state trooper and lives in Cuba as a fugitive.

“It’s so interesting how people are doing all this international philanthropic work, but this is real philanthropy — freeing innocent people, clearing their name or calling this system into account for how it responds to the truth. These people are telling the truth,” said Mos Def.

Padilla, a U.S. citizen, was convicted along with two defendants of conspiracy to murder, kidnap and maim people overseas. The three were accused of being part of a North American support cell that provided supplies, money and recruits to groups of Islamic extremists. The defense contended they were trying to help persecuted Muslims in war zones with relief and humanitarian aid.

If this is what comes from resting up, Amy Winehouse may have been better off remaining on the road. Just three days after calling off her U.S. tour and vowing to return to a countryside “retreat” to deal with her ongoing “health issues,” the “Rehab” chanteuse was photographed in London Thursday with bloody scrapes and cut marks all over her face and body. Holy cr**. This is weird and sick. Very very sick! Cutting is a sign of a horrific mental illness than goes far beyond substance abuse. Although someone who has a mental illness unrelated to substance abuse may attempt to use drugs and alcohol to mask it. See Britney Spears. She needs to be checked for manic depression, bipolar disorder, or some other chemical imbalance of the brain. This what too much of success does to people, it’s like a horrific virus once it hits you, you are finished and slowly all of these maniacs get lost in world that’s eating them up on their own will. Until yes you fight back that eject that virus out and that’s exactly what Amy should be aiming to do.

MTV may have lost Lily Allen’s performance due to her visa issues but that wouldn’t stop the fun from spreading. MTV has announced a whole new slew of additional performer’s for this year’s Video Music Awards which would air on September 9.

Added to the existing line up of Timbaland, Kanye West, Fall Out Boy, Chris Brown, Amy Winehouse, The Foo Fighters and Rihanna are Nelly Furtado, Gym Class Heroes, Lil’ Wayne, T-Pain, Cee-Lo and Daniel Merriweather.

Timbaland serves not only as a performer but also as the ‘maestro’ in charge of creating show-stopping artist collaborations. With the list that MTV has, collaborations will no doubt be just that.

Aaron Lewis is determined not to be what you expect. The front man of the band Staind is a bass fishing, camouflage wearing, pickup truck driving, country music and talk radio fan. And, as Lewis has often said, he’s a “musician, not an entertainer.” Yes, I heard this over and over again and each musician who starts new of the block wants to be creative and looks to make ground breaking music like never before and some of them do manage to achieve super music and greatness, but that’s the point where things start spiraling out of control, they think the world is their play ground and it’s a carnival life they are living now. The start to make trash music that’s painful to the ears of the listener and they become mere celebrities who once were looking to do something out of the league. Out of every 10 musicians I would say just 3 musicians could ever continue to pursue what had initially set out their goal to achieve. I hope these artists if they ever read my words, do not feel themselves at a new low.

Blur drummer Dave Rowntree has admitted he battled an addiction to cocaine at the height of the band’s fame in the 1990s. Rowntree, 43, revealed his former addiction in an article urging the U.K. government to review their anti-drugs policy in British newspaper The Guardian. Firstly Dave stop blaming the government for doing little to stop drug trafficking and their anti-drugs policy. They are doing everything to prevent heroin and other drugs from entering the country but thanks to people like you and the drug mafia you just keeping finding ways to foil their attempts and spoil the little good work that they do with international agencies. As they say that charity begins at home similarly if you want the government to do something about drug related problems with the youth you will have to be willing to take the first positive step in that direction by saying no to drugs.

Gwen Stefani was a good girl, just like she promised. The 37-year-old pop star wowed fans in Muslim-majority Malaysia on Tuesday, performing in costumes that showed almost no skin after Islamic critics claimed that her revealing clothes could corrupt the country’s youth. You can wear clothes that cover your body tip to toe and that’s great as well and even if you want to wear clothes that reveal the flesh that’s fine too, but don’t give me the argument that not wearing a full length dress will corrupt the country’s youth. There is the internet, playboy and other magazine’s that are freely available in each country that is even to corrupt a 14 year old. And scores of Porn movies that are available at your nearest CD vendor that cost you almost nothing are good sources for adult entertainment. That Gwen has kept her promise shows that she didn’t have bad intentions. I can think of a lot of other performers and even ordinary people who would corrupt a youth population before Gwen Stefani ever would.

The Hive’s new single Tick Tick Boom, from their brand new album The Black & White Album. In stores October 8th

Unlike recent leaks in the music industry, this is the real deal and not some unfinished and very rough demo. Kylie Minogue just leant her magical voice to the track ‘I Talk Too Much’, a song off the US release off of Just Jack’s album. This is the first new Kylie song, sort of, in years.

It’s been a while since she released a new track after she went on a sabbatical to battle breast cancer but from the song that she did with Just Jack, it’s obvious that she hasn’t lost her touch yet. It’s just a matter of time until Kylie makes her own new release. I can’t wait!

Kanye West may be beating 50 Cent in the music polls when it comes to pre-orders but that doesn’t mean Kanye can be declared the winner in their rivalry. Proof of that would be the list that Forbes just came out with – the list of the Hip Hop Cash Kings.

Jay-Z, who took in $36 million in 2006, is on top. But what’s interesting with the list is that 50 comes in at #2 with $32 million while Kanye is at #8 wth only $17 million. Doi.

The rest of the top 10 is as follows:
#3 Diddy – $28 million
#4 Timbaland – $21 million
#5 Dr. Dre – $20 million
#6 Eminem – $18 million
#7 Snoop Dogg – $17 million
#9 Pharrell Williams – $17 million
#10 Scott Storch – $17 million

Nicole Richie’s rocker boyfriend appeared with his band Good Charlotte on “Live! With Regis and Kelly” on Thursday. Philbin was talking to Joel Madden about his pregnant socialite girlfriend and he asked if Madden had any plans to put a ring on her finger any time soon. Madden confessed that he’d hoped it would be a surprise. Philbin moved on quickly to question Madden’s twin brother then. Joel also told Regis that he’s been reading books to help him prepare for the birth of their child. Richie is four and a half months pregnant with their baby. I still find them to be an extremely odd couple but then again it was odd when he dated Hilary Duff too. He seems to like those girly girls rather than the rocker ones like himself. I think marriage is laughable for these two but that’s hardly any of my business. I guess they want to do the honourable thing and tie the knot. After all, it unties very easily in Hollywood. Nothing lasts forever there.

A rep for singer Amy Winehouse has announced that the plug is being pulled on the remaining August concert dates. She was hospitalized for extreme exhaustion last week and since then there have been rehab rumours surrounding her. Her spokesperson Tracey Miller said that she is taking the necessary time to deal with her health issues. From there they requested that Amy’s privacy be respected. There were no further comments. Her and her husband reportedly checked in and out of a rehab retreat. He said they just went home to get a guitar. It’s obvious that everyone has their vices though we may not all share the same ones. If she’s entering rehab of any kind then it’s clearly more than exhaustion. It leads me to recall all of the college and university students popping speed so they can study and work two jobs to get by. I wouldn’t be surprised it some stars are doing it too and it’s only going to lead to one of two things. Death or burnout.

Gwen Stefani says she wants more children – but not while she’s on tour and not until she’s done another No Doubt record. Her 1-year-old son, Kingston, has been traveling with the 37-year-old singer on her ”The Sweet Escape” tour.

That’s great news for us fans that she is committed to the 6th album of the group NO DOUBT. ”I go from the tour bus to the hotel room to the concert venue – all while carrying my baby,” Stefani said. But my advice to her right now would be to take it easy on herself and not to over work her body, she got a long career ahead of her and taking to many responsibilities could have a burn out effect on her. Managing the kid, being on a long tour thousands of miles away in Australia and then having it all the time in her mind that she has to fulfill the commitment that she has made to her band. All this can be taxing and their plenty on time in which she can do the touring job.

On Monday came the big announcement that some rock n’ roll fans have been waiting two decades to hear. Classic rock band Van Halen will reunite with original lead singer David Lee Roth. It has been twenty years since the singer quit the band. Roth who is 52 years old now, spoke animatedly at the press event, promising that the North American tour consisting of twenty-five dates will just be the beginning to a new album and eventual world tour. Roth went on to add that this reunion will be nothing like that of The Police. Van Halen wants this to be an ongoing reunion, not a short term money making gig. Another difference with Van Halen is that bass player Michael Anthony has been replaced by Eddie Van Halen’s son, Wolfgang who is only 16 years old. The tour will begin in North Carolina in September and wrap in December in Calgary, Canada. It sounds like there may be a little something for everyone. Any kid with a rock star dream should go and check out Van Halen’s kid on bass. It sounds purely inspirational. Fans, new and old, with appreciate a new look at a classic band.

Police in Indiana seized marijuana and illegal mushrooms in a raid on New Found Glory’s tour bus. The band’s roadie was arrested after the drug bust in Indianapolis on August 1 and later charged with possession – but band members were allowed to go free. The cops have held the right culprit and released the innocent, I think the cops have busted actually. Why arrest the roadie man, he was merely doing his job of carrying the band for the shows and the members of the band might really be the people who were carrying the marijuana and mushrooms to consume while on tour. The police in Indiana have got hold of the wrong person and he should immediately be released the New Found Glory band should be called for interrogation, this way we shall all lose our faith in police system in the country. Lately there have been so many incidents involving stars and celebs that it is hard to think of someone else being the culprit.

Since being reported and complained against as one crappy neighbor, country singer Billy Ray Cyrus has learned to pick up after himself.

The old country dog is learning a new trick. But then again, it doesn’t take rocket science to pick up some dog poop. Future star Miley Cyrus’, AKA Hanna Montana, dad must have felt some pressure building around his recent indecent shortcomings and decided to sack the fresh poop in his Toluca Lake neighborhood over the weekend.

Looks like it’s not just his new album that’s picking up steam. But did it really need complaints against him for it to happen? It’s common etiquette isn’t it?

Kanye West’s rival 50 Cent recently lost his cool this week. He was reportedly furious at the fact that a new video of his was leaked to the web. What’s worse? He thinks that the leak was an inside job at Interscope.

The video ‘Follow My Lead’ was intended to drop in October and it features a collaboration with Robin Thicke.

When 50 found out about the leak, he freaked out and supposedly told Interscope execs that he refused to do promo work for his new album and then went on a destructive rampage. He has now refused to contact anyone from the label and Interscope is now doing damage control while rescheduling 50’s public appearances.

Yep, he’s going to retire.