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Macklemore named 'The Source' man of the year

By Associated Press on Jan 7, 2014 at 1:36PM

Macklemore is The Source‘s man of the year.

The Seattle rapper was among the most-played artists of 2013, partnering with producer Ryan Lewis on hits such as “Thrift Shop,” “Can’t Hold Us,” and “Same Love” and earning seven Grammy nominations.

Macklemore discusses his hip-hop credentials, the Grammys, the role of race in his pop success, and worrying over Kanye’s opinion in an interview with the magazine.

Even though he’s also nominated for best rap album at the Grammy Awards, Macklemore says Kendrick Lamar should win: “I think it should go to Kendrick. He’s family.”

Macklemore and Lewis also are up for top honors album and song of the year.

Previous man of the year winners include Rick Ross and 2 Chainz.

Grammys: Katy Perry, Lorde and more announced as performers

By Erin Strecker on Jan 7, 2014 at 1:31PM

Image Credit: Cass Bird

The Staples Center will get to hear Katy Perry roar.

The singer will perform at the 56th Grammy Awards, the academy revealed today. Other just-announced performers include new pop royal Lorde, eight-time Grammy-winners Metallica with Grammy Cultural Ambassador to China Lang Lang; Nile Rodgers, and Pharrell Williams.

Of course, one of the most exciting parts of the Grammys in the unexpected performance duos. This year, 25-time Grammy winner Stevie Wonder will join a previously announced performance by nominees Daft Punk; and Robin Thicke will join classic rockers Chicago, who will presumably not twerk on Thicke in any capacity.

Previously announced performers include Pink and Kendrick Lamar. The Grammys, hosted by LL Cool J, take place Sunday, Jan. 26 at 8 p.m., and will air on CBS.

Stevie Wonder to perform with Daft Punk at the Grammys

By Jake Perlman on Jan 6, 2014 at 3:54PM

Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Electronic music duo Daft Punk already got lucky when their album Random Access Memories was nominated for five Grammys this year, including Album of the Year and Best Pop/Group performance for “Get Lucky.” Now, the masked pair will get to perform with Stevie Wonder at the Grammys on Jan. 26.

Pharrell and Nile Rodgers, who both appear on Daft Punk’s latest album, will also join in the performance, along with Random Access Memories session players Chris Caswell, Nathan East, Omar Hakim, and Paul Jackson Jr. Not only will the performance be the first televised gig since the album’s release in May, but it will be the first televised performance for the French group since they performed with Kanye West at the 2008 Grammys.

In addition to the Wonder/Punk collaboration, the Grammys also announced a special tribute to The Beatles, reuniting the British synthpop duo Eurythmics. The special, The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles, will air Feb. 9 on CBS, the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ debut performance on The Ed Sullivan Show, and will be taped the night after the actual Grammys. The special is also set to feature Keith Urban, John Legend, Maroon 5, John Mayer, and Alicia Keys. The performance will mark the reunion of Eurythmics, who haven’t performed since the 2005 American Music Awards. On picking the band, Grammys exec producer Ken Ehrlich says, “When it came around to booking this show, what I felt was important was to try and find those artists who not only would be able to interpret Beatles songs, but would also have an… understanding of what they meant.”

The 56th Annual Grammy Awards will air on CBS Sunday, Jan. 26, at 8 p.m. ET.

The Everly Brothers' Phil Everly dies at 74

By EW staff on Jan 3, 2014 at 9:20PM

Image Credit: Keystone/Getty Images

Phil Everly, who, along with his brother Don, made up the musical duo The Everly Brothers, died Friday in Burbank, Calif. due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease according to a report in the Los Angeles Times. He was 74 years old.

The Everly Brothers rose to prominence in the late 1950s and early ’60s and created classic hits such as “All I Have to Do Is Dream,” “Bye Bye Love,” and “When Will I Be Loved.”

Everly was born in Chicago on Jan. 19, 1939, and moved across the country with his very musical family during his childhood. He had a brief solo career in the ’70s before reuniting with his brother for a concert in London in 1983. The two were among the first inductees at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

Don, who is two years older than Phil, is still living.

More to come…

Ke$ha enters rehab for eating disorder

By Sandra Gonzalez on Jan 3, 2014 at 8:57PM

Singer Ke$ha today announced she has entered rehab, seeking treatment for an eating disorder.

In a statement, the “Timber” singer said she plans to spend 30 days in treatment.

Her full statement is below:

“I’m a crusader for being yourself and loving yourself but I’ve found it hard to practice. I’ll be unavailable for the next 30 days, seeking treatment for my eating disorder…to learn to love myself again. exactly as I am.”

Just three days ago, Ke$ha released a music video for her single, “Dirty Love,” which was also the singer’s directorial debut.

The (underwhelming) best-selling album of 2013: Justin Timberlake's '20/20 Experience'

By Nick Catucci on Jan 3, 2014 at 1:11PM

Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

In 2013, a mediocre year for mega-albums, Justin Timberlake’s mediocre The 20/20 Experience outsold everything else, going home with 2.43 million smooth-grooving fans.

As Billboard notes, no other top album has sold so little since SoundScan began tracking sale 22 years ago—for contrast, Adele’s 21 moved nearly 6 million in 2011 and almost 4 and a half million in 2012, giving her the top seller two years running.

READ FULL STORY

Judge nixes 50 Cent's bid to toss video lawsuit

By Associated Press on Jan 3, 2014 at 10:34AM

50 Cent has lost a bid to end a Florida woman’s lawsuit over a sex video posted online with him edited into it as a wig-wearing narrator.

A New York judge rebuffed the rapper’s request to dismiss Lastonia Leviston’s claim in a ruling made public Thursday. Lawyers for both sides haven’t returned calls seeking comment. READ FULL STORY

Welcome to the World's Largest Vinyl: Record-breaking Eagles record now spinning on top of L.A.'s Forum -- VIDEO

By Jake Perlman on Jan 2, 2014 at 4:20PM

For the reopening of the famed Los Angeles venue the Forum, marketing and promotion company Pop2Life is taking things to a whole new level — the roof to be exact. The Forum will reopen with a six-concert residency from the Eagles and to celebrate, they’ve created a recreation of the 1977 platinum album “Hotel California” spinning on top of the venue’s roof. The record is made of real vinyl and can be seen from planes above. — you can check (it) out any time you like.

So, just how big is it?
READ FULL STORY

Lady Gaga and Christina Aguilera release 'Do What U Want' duet

By Jodi Walker on Jan 2, 2014 at 2:10PM

Image Credit: Trae Patton/NBC

If you liked Lady Gaga’s “Do What U Want,” but thought it could use a little more “gold lame, hair, and fearlessness,” then you’re in luck. After a surprise duet performance on The Voice finale, Lady Gaga and Christina Aguilera officially released a studio version of their “Do What U Want” collaboration on iTunes Tuesday night.

Gaga originally released “Do What U Want” as a duet with R. Kelly, but in the new recording, Aguilera replaces his vocals. “Do What U Want” marks Aguilera’s second launch of a collaboration on The Voice, as she also debuted her rerecording of A Great Big World’s single, “Say Something,” with a performance on the spinning chair stage in November.

Just in time for 2014, Aguilera tweeted the news of her work with Lady Gaga on New Year’s Eve.

Happy New Year! Loved performing #DWUW with @LadyGaga so we made a special version just in time for NYE! XoXtina http://t.co/BpvXz2pUIt

— Christina Aguilera (@xtina) January 1, 2014

Listen to the duet below and cross your fingers for a music video: READ FULL STORY

Guess who auditioned for 'Inside Llewyn Davis'? Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst

By Ray Rahman on Jan 2, 2014 at 11:09AM

Image Credit: Frank Hoensch/Redferns via Getty Images

And it wasn’t for the role of the cat.

In a new Interview Magazine Q&A, Conor Oberst and Oscar Isaac hop on the phone to discuss various facets of the well-received Coen brothers movie Inside Llewyn Davis — including the fact that Oberst himself auditioned to be the star.

“I know I told you this when we met, but I tried out for your role in Inside Llewyn Davis,” Oberst says to Isaac. “And thank God for everyone that I didn’t get it. But they auditioned a lot of musicians and actors for this part, to the point where I heard the Coen brothers and T Bone Burnett say that they had more or less given up on the idea of finding someone. And then you appeared.”

Interesting! How different would the movie have been if the onetime king of the “Emoha” scene had the title role? And would he have “Roar”ed for Jimmy Fallon?

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