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Neil Diamond will donate royalties from "Sweet Caroline," a top-5 hit that has been played at every Boston Red Sox home game for more than a decade, to the charity supporting victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.The veteran crooner on Thursday retweeted a message from Nielsen that explained “Sweet Caroline” sales were up 597 percent after the April 15 Boston bombings, selling 19,000 copies. With the retweet, he added his own line, “Donating these royalties to #OneFund!” VIDEO: Neil Diamond Surprises Red Sox Fans With 'Sweet Caroline' “Sweet Caroline” has become intrinsic to the healing process following the bombings, which killed three and injured approximately 180.The song, which has been adopted as the Red Sox's anthem and played during the 8th inning of every home game since 2002, has rung out at sporting events across the country after the lethal attack.Diamond made an impromptu visit to Boston's Fenway Park on April 20 to sing his 1969 … [Read more...] about Neil Diamond to Donate ‘Sweet Caroline’ Royalties to Boston Charity

2 Chainz has reportedly been acquitted of drug charges which had forced the rapper to miss a tour of Australia.PHOTOS: The Scene at Coachella Music Festival 2013went on to arrest the Grammy-nominated artist for marijuana possession, despite later claims that he doesn’t smoke.Chiddy Bang, Joey Bada$$, Angel Haze, Spit Syndicate, Thundamentals and its curator Nas. Organizers canceled the multi-city event April 18, citing 2 Chainz’s “visa issues resulting from a pending unresolved court case” among the big reasons.Based on a T.R.U. Story bowed at the top spot of the Billboard 200 in August 2012 with 147,000 copies sold. … [Read more...] about 2 Chainz Found Not Guilty of Marijuana Possession

Alan McGee, the legendary Scottish entrepreneur who discovered Oasis and founded the celebrated British label Creation Records, is back in the game.McGee has teamed with British independent music firm Cherry Red Records to launch the new label, 359 Music.McGee had walked away from the record business after his Poptones venture was dissolved in 2007, instead focusing on his DJing, writing and living the good life in rural Wales. PHOTOS: The Scene at Coachella Music Festival 2013 In a statement, however, McGee explains that his five-year stint in the country had him “reinvigorated by new music again” and from which “there has been much talk about how I will return to music.” Also, he cites his long-term friendship with Cherry Red’s chairman Iain McNay as a catalyst for starting another indie label -- though he admits he’d originally planned to do a deal with major label backing in Japan.“But when it came down to it I realized that I didn't … [Read more...] about Creation Records Founder Alan McGee Starts New Label

David Bowie’s 1969 classic “Space Oddity” has always been out of this world. Now, an astronaut has re-imagined the song by taking it into orbit -- quite literally.Commander Chris Hadfield has remade “Space Oddity” with a remarkable video shot from the International Space Station. In the five-minute clip, Hadfield is seen floating in zero-gravity while strumming his acoustic guitar, and looking-on at spectacular images of our world few will witness with their own eyes. PHOTOS: The 10 Most Shocking Images From David Bowie's 'Next Day' Video When he sings, "Here am I sitting in a tin can/far above the world/Planet Earth is blue/And there's nothing left to do" -- he’s speaking from experience.The song is set to a full arrangement, recorded back here on earth by producer Joe Corcoran and piano arranger Emm Gryner. The vocals and guitar, however, were recorded in space. With his extraterrestrial performance, the 53-year-old Canadian has achieved the … [Read more...] about Astronaut Chris Hadfield Creates Offworld Cover of David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’ (Video)

Beatles fans: Help! will be here soon. Nearly 48 years after its theatrical release, the Fab Four’s second feature film will be issued on the Blu-ray format this June with a stack of extra material.The Blu-ray edition of Help! will carry the digitally-restored film and 5.1 soundtrack plus an hour of extra features, including a 30-minute documentary on the making of the film, memories of the cast and crew, an in-depth look at the restoration process, an outtake scene, and original theatrical trailers and radio spots. PHOTOS: The Beatles to The Wanted: The Evolution of Boy Bands Also, there’s an introduction by the 1965 film’s director, Richard Lester, and an appreciation by Martin Scorsese included in the Blu-ray disc’s booklet.The Blu-ray version is slated to arrive June 21 in Australia, June 24 in Europe and June 25 in North America, the band announced today via the official Beatles Website. STORY: Stay the Night on a Beatles-Inspired Yellow … [Read more...] about Beatles ‘Help!’ Comes to Blu-Ray

Nemo, the blizzard that body-slammed the Northeast yesterday into this morning, dumping feet of snow driven by high winds blowing frigid air, forced the cancellation or postponement of several concerts in the region, underscoring yet again why February is among the touring industry’s lightest months.As Friday turned into Saturday, more than half a million people were without power in the Northeast, road traffic had ground to a halt, and thousands of flights were cancelled, the latter situation surely causing difficulties for those artists and music bizzers trying to make it from New York and elsewhere to the more hospitable climes of L.A. for the Grammys Sunday. STORY: East Coast Blizzard Wreaks Havoc on BAFTAs, Grammys But bands and agents take their chances and tour when and where they must, particularly at the club and small venue level, and that sector was hit very hard specifically in the Boston market, where the whole weekend of concerts were cancelled. Among the … [Read more...] about Winter Storm Nemo Impacts Live-Music Business In Northeast

Daft Punk's hugely hyped Random Access Memories can now add Spotify record holder to its growing list of achievements.The French electronic act’s fourth album has topped Mumford & Sons’ Babel as the most-streamed album in the first week of U.S. release, according to a note distributed by Spotify. Mumford & Sons’ sophomore set surpassed 8 million streams upon its release in October 2012, smashing the previous record by a factor of three. PHOTOS: Scores That Rock: 10 Musicians Who Crossed Over to Movies The music-streaming service also notes that Random Access Memories set a record for one-day streams in its debut week, and that it is “on track” to have the biggest first week of any album since Spotify opened for business in Sweden back in 2008.Spotify hasn’t revealed numbers to accompany those statements, with the exception of the 27 million-plus figure which the single “Get Lucky” has apparently streamed … [Read more...] about Daft Punk’s ‘Random Access Memories’ Sets Spotify Record

Pop diva Rihanna scores her sixth million-selling album in the U.S. this week, as her latest release, Unapologetic, sails past the million mark, according to Nielsen SoundScan.Unapologetic, released late last year, sold another 9,000 (down 17 percent) in the week ending May 26, bringing its to-date total to slightly more than 1 million. The set -- her seventh studio album -- also became her first No. 1 on the Billboard 200, following six earlier top 10 entries. PHOTOS: Rihanna's Diamonds World Tour in Pictures In reaching the threshold in its 27th chart week on the Billboard 200 (falling 33-39 this week), Unapologetic is selling at a faster clip than her previous album, 2011's Talk That Talk. The latter took 43 frames to reach 1 million.Of Rihanna's seven studio releases, all but one have sold a million. Only her debut, 2005's Music of the Sun, has missed the mark, moving 607,000 to date. Her biggest selling set is 2007's Good Girl Gone Bad, with 2.8 million. Her total … [Read more...] about Rihanna Earns Sixth Million-Selling Album

George Michael has been released from hospital almost two weeks after he was airlifted from an accident scene on a British motorway.In a statement posted May 28 on the artist’s website, Michael’s reps confirm he has been discharged and that “he continues to rest and recuperate. He is well and thanks everyone for all the messages of support.”The former Wham frontman is lucky to be alive after he apparently tumbled from the passenger side of a car doing 70 mph. Although his PR team haven’t discussed the accident at great length, the official line at the time was that Michael had been “treated for superficial cuts and bruises but is fine."The length of his stay in hospital suggests the extent of his injuries was rather significant. Eyewitnesses have since opened-up to the British press. One onlooker, Katherine Fox, told The Sun newspaper that Michael had “a nasty cut on his forehead and the back of his head. There was blood all down his face and … [Read more...] about George Michael Discharged From Hospital After Car Accident

Magic Slim, a dynamic guitarist who helped shape the sound of Chicago's electric blues, died Feb. 21 in a Philadelphia hospital. He was 75.Born Morris Holt in Torrance, Mississippi in 1937, Slim’s recording career ran from the sixties through to recent times, built on his peerless guitar playing, raw vocals and fondness for the stage. His influence on the blues scene runs deep and his backing group the Teardrops have been described as "the last real Chicago blues band."He went on to forge a career that brought border–crossing recognition among the music community and, later, festival-goers. Eddie Vedder was one such fan. After hearing the bluesman wow a crowd, Vedder asked Slim to open a Pearl Jam show in Chicago back in 1994. PHOTOS: Note Perfect: The 15 Best Portrayals of Musicians in Movies Slim’s story was one of perseverance and talent. He was raised Grenada, Mississippi, where he took an early interest in music, honing his vocal talents in the church … [Read more...] about Blues Guitarist Magic Slim Dies at 75

Rick Huxley, bass player and founding member of the Dave Clark Five, part of the first brigade of the “British Invasion,” has died at the age of 72.The quintet -- comprising Huxley, Dave Clark, Mike Smith, Lenny Davidson and Denis Payton -- carved up a big slice of success on both sides of the Atlantic with such hits as “Bits And Pieces,” “Catch Us If You Can" and “Glad All Over.”The latter track peaked at No. 6 in the U.S. and No. 1 in the U.K. back in 1963, when it knocked the Beatles’ "I Want to Hold Your Hand" off the top of the chart. For a time in the early 60s, the Beatles were the only British band with a bigger profile than the DC5. PHOTOS: Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2013 The foot-stomping five-piece reached the Top 40 17 times between 1964 and 1967 in the U.S., and managed more appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show than any other English act. Throughout the band's career, Huxley would perform on bass, vocals and acoustic … [Read more...] about Dave Clark Five Founder Rick Huxley Dies at 72

Rapper A$AP Rocky is aiming for the No. 1 slot next week on the Billboard 200. Industry sources suggest his major-label debut Long.Live.A$AP. could sell around 130,000 copies by the end of the tracking week on Sunday, Jan. 20.The new Billboard 200 chart's top 10 will be revealed on the morning of Wednesday, Jan. 23.The set, released through A$AP Worldwide/Polo Grounds/RCA Records, has spun off a top five hit single on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart with "F--kin' Problems." The song, which features Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar, hits a new peak this week, rising 5-4 on the tally. PHOTOS: 20 Best and Worst Music to Movie Crossovers A$AP Rocky's new album might be one of only two debuts in the top 10 next week, as the only other title aiming for the region is the new Kidz Bop 23 compilation. The effort features kid-friendly covers of such recent top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits as Rihanna's "Diamonds," Justin Bieber's "As Long As You Love Me" and One Direction's "Live While We're … [Read more...] about A$AP Rocky Poised for No. 1 Billboard Debut