| EMI Releases Remastered Beatles Hits |
On September 9, EMI Music will release digitally remastered versions of the Beatles' 12 studio albums, as well as their "Magical Mystery Tour" soundtrack and "Past Masters Volume 1" and "Volume II" compilations. Each will be packaged with expanded booklets that include original and newly written liner notes, plus rare photographs. For a limited time, the 12 studio sets will contain a short documentary about the making of the albums. All 14 collections will also be available in a box set that includes documentary DVDs.
| Beatles Video Game Hits Stores |
Also on September 9, "The Beatles: Rock Band" electronic video game will be released for Sony Playstation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii. The game will feature forty-five Beatles classics. On the same day, the Beatles' single, "All You Need Is Love," will be released exclusively for Xbox 360 players as a paid download. Proceeds from sales of the track will go to Doctors Without Borders.
| DJ AM Autopsy Inconclusive |
Celebrity disc jockey Adam "DJ AM" Goldstein was found dead in his New York apartment on August 28. He was 36. Autopsy results were inconclusive and toxicology tests are expected to take several weeks. A crack cocaine pipe and prescription pills were reportedly found in his apartment. Ironically, in October, DJ AM was planning to premiere his MTV reality show "Gone Too Far," in which he and families of drug abusers stage interventions. Last September, DJ AM and Blink 182's former drummer, Travis Barker, were critically injured in a Learjet crash that killed the four other passengers. They were returning home from a concert in Columbia, South Carolina. Investigators have still not determined what caused the crash.
| Colbie Caillat Makes Impressive Billboard Debut |
24-year-old pop singer Colbie Caillat makes her first Number One debut on the Billboard 200 this week (week ending September 12). Her new album, Breakthrough, sold 106,000 copies its first week of release. Caillat's 2007 debut release, Coco, sold only 51,000 its first week, but has now reached sales of two million copies in the United States. The album produced the international hit, "Bubbly."
| Chris Brown Gives First TV Interview Since Rihanna Assault |
On August 31, Chris Brown gave his first television interview since being arrested for assaulting Rihanna in February. The 20-year-old hip-hop singer said, "I'm in shock because, first of all, that's not who I am as a person and that's not who I pride myself on being. So, when I look at the police reports or I hear about the police reports, I don't know what to think." His mother, Joyce Hawkins, sat in on the interview with CNN's Larry King. She added, "He came and he actually spoke to me about what happened, and I was totally shocked, totally upset about the whole situation. I know that Chris has never, ever been a violent person, ever." Brown said that he's still in love with Rihanna, adding, "I made a mistake, and I - it was just something I have to live up to and own."
| Paula Abdul to Host 'VH1 Divas' |
Paula Abdul's first job since announcing her departure from American Idol will be to host the September 17th "VH1 Divas" concert in New York. The show will feature Kelly Clarkson, Jordin Sparks, Adele, Leona Lewis and Miley Cyrus. Proceeds will go to the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, which works to keep music education in American public schools. Since 1997, the VH1 Save The Music Foundation has donated more than 43-million-dollars worth of musical instruments to public schools in 100 U.S. cities.
| New Album Releases September 8 |
"The Blueprint 3" by Jay-Z, "Bomb In A Birdcage" by A Fine Frenzy, "#1s…And Then Some" by Brooks & Dunn, "Sound The Alarm" by Howie Day, "Love & War" by BarlowGirl, "Joy" by Phish, "Good Day" by Peter White, "Popular Songs" by Yo La Tengo and "The Stone Roses 20th Anniversary" (2-CD/DVD box set) by The Stone Roses.
| Musical Events/Festivals/Benefits |
Country star Tim McGraw will perform a concert in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania to benefit his Neighbor's Keeper Foundation. In 2005, Tim and his wife Faith Hill formed the foundation to provide goods, services and finances to individuals in need.
On September 11, rapper Jay-Z will perform a charity concert at New York's Madison Square Garden. One-hundred-percent of the proceeds will go to the New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund. The fund was created in 1985. Since then, more than $114 million has been raised for New York City police and firefighters killed in the line of duty. Jay-Z says he was inspired to help the charity after watching news footage of the heroic efforts that followed the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
| Awards Presentations/Winners |
On September 9, The Recording Academy will honor 20-time Grammy winner Vince Gill for his career achievements during its first "GRAMMY Salute To Country Music." Performers include Alison Krauss, Steve Martin, Michael McDonald, Brad Paisley and Vince's wife, Amy Grant. Previous "Grammy Salute To" specials have honored artists in classical, jazz and gospel music.
| Look Who's Going On Tour! |
On September 9, actor, comedian and bluegrass musician Steve Martin will kick off a U.S. tour in support of his new album, The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo. The release spends its second week at Number One on Billboard's Top Bluegrass Albums chart (week ending September 12).
Plain White T's and Snow Patrol will begin a tour on September 10 in St. Paul Minnesota. North American dates run through October 20. Plain White T's, which are best known for the 2007 Number One hit "Hey There Delilah," will support their new album, "Big Bad World." Snow Patrol's latest album, "A Hundred Million Suns," was released last year and has sold more than one million copies worldwide.
