New Music Releases - November 16, 2010

Christmas music choices are abundant this week, including holiday albums from Annie Lennox, the cast of Glee and Pink Martini. 

Some great reissues on vinyl including albums from Jimi Hendrix, Journey, Bruce Springsteen and Boston, to name a few.

As always, CVR Blog picks are in RED.





A Day To Remember - What Separates Me From You
Alabama - Double Play
Annie Lennox - A Christmas Cornucopia

Bee Gees - Mythology (4 CD)

Billy Joel - The Hits (remastered)
Billy Ocean - Nights
Bjørn Torske - Kokning
Black Keys - Moan (reissue) (Vinyl)
Black Keys - The Big Come Up (reissue)(Vinyl)
Bobby Darin - That's All (Vinyl)
Bombay Bicycle Club - Flaws

Boston - Boston (180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl / Ltd. Edition / Gatefold Cover)

Boz Scaggs - Silk Degrees (Vinyl)
Bruce Springsteen - The Promise (2 CDs)
Bruce Springsteen - The Promise (4 LPs) (Vinyl)

Bruce Springsteen - The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story (3 CD/3 DVD)

A 3-CD and 3-DVD reissue package from rock icon and 20-time Grammy winner Bruce Springsteen includes the remastered 1978 classic album Darkness at the Edge of Town with a feature-length documentary and an 80-page notebook with archival materials and, never-before-seen photos. Number two on Amazon's rock chart, number 11 on Amazon's music chart, and number seven in pop. On Columbia/Sony Records, a scaled-down version includes 21 previously unreleased songs and an essay by Springsteen.

Bryan Adams - Bare Bones
Chick Willis - Mr. Blues: The Best Of So Far
Chris Tomlin - And If Our God Is For Us
Church - Heyday
Church - Seance

Colloseum - Valentyne Suite







Crushed Stars - Convalescing in Braille
D'Eon - Palinopsia
Darren Hayman - Essex Arms
Deerhoof/Physical Forms - "Hoofdriver" 7"
Dinah Washington - The Fabulous Miss D: The Keynote, Decca and Mercury Singles 1943-1953

Duane Eddy - The Birth of a Guitar Legend - The Jamie Singles Sessions 1957-1962

Elves of Heaven - This Christmas EP
Elvis Costello - National Ransom (Vinyl)
Elvis Presley - Double Play
Eric Clapton - Clapton (2 LPs) (Vinyl)

Expo '70 - Sonic Messenger  (Vinyl)

Faun Fables - Light of a Vaster Dark

Frank Zappa - Frank Zappa- The Torture Never Stops DVD

Freddie Jackson - 4 U (I Will)
Fugazi - In on the Kill Taker (reissue) (Vinyl)
Fugazi - Red Medicine (reissue) (Vinyl)
Fugazi - Steady Diet of Nothing (reissue) (Vinyl)
Gallery - Best of

Germs - Live At The Starwood (12/3/1980)








Glee Cast - Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album
Heatwave - Candles
Heatwave - Hot Property
Heaven & Hell - Neon Nights: 30 Years of Heaven & Hell: Live at Wacken
Home Video - The Automatic Process

INXS - Original Sin








Japandroids - Heavenward Grand Prix (7" + mp3) (Limited Edition)

Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band - Almost Acoustic (reissue)
Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band - Ragged But Right (reissue)
Jesu - Heart Ache & Dethroned
Jesu - Heartache & Dethroned (2-CDs)

Jimi Hendrix - BBC Sessions (3 LPs)


Jimi Hendrix - Blues (2 LPs)

Jimi Hendrix - Blues (CD/DVD)
Jimi Hendrix - Live At Woodstock (2 CDs)

Jimi Hendrix - Live At Woodstock (3 LPs)




Jimi Hendrix - Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year (Single)
Jimi Hendrix - West Coast Seattle Boy: The Jimi Hendrix Anthology (4 CDs/1 DVD)

Jimi Hendrix - West Coast Seattle Boy:The Jimi Hendrix Anthology (8LP Box)




John Denver - Double Play
John Fahey - Blind Joe Death (Vinyl)

Journey - Escape (180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl/ Ltd. Edition/ Gatefold Cover)





Julian Cope - Floored Genius, Volume 2
KT Tunstall - Have Yourself a Very KT Christmas
Keith Urban - Get Closer
Kenny Nolan - All Time Greatest Performances

Kid Rock - Born Free (2LP W/Bonus CD)

Kisses - Heart of the Nightlife
La Sera - Never Come Around (Vinyl)
Lavinia - There Is Light Between Us
Le Switch - The Rest of Me
Lee DeWyze - Live It Up
Lee Hazlewood - Strung Out On Something New: The Reprise Recordings (reissue)
Loreena McKennitt - The Wind That Shakes The Barley
Majors for Minors - Bee Gees for Babies
Mariage Blanc - Mariage Blanc

Mommyheads - Finest Specimens





Nelly - 5.0
Nelly Furtado - Best of Nelly Furtado
Nilsson - Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night (Vinyl)
Norah Jones - ...Featuring Norah Jones
Pan American - For Waiting, For Chasing
Pigeons - Liasons

Pink - Greatest Hits... So Far!!!

Pink Martini - Joy to The World
Pipettes - Earth Vs the Pipettes
Queers - Back to the Basement
Rascal Flatts - Nothing Like This
Regina Spektor - Soviet Kitsch (reissue)
Rihanna - Loud
Russian Futurists - The Weight's on the Wheels

Sharon Van Etten - I'm Giving Up on You (7" + mp3)(Vinyl)

Shipping News - One Les Heartless to Fear
Shondes - Lines & Hooks + 3 EP
Shuteye Unison - Our Future Selves
Sights - The Most of What Follows Is True
Status Quo - Live at the BBC (1 CD)
Status Quo - Live at the BBC (4 CDs)
Status Quo - Live at the BBC (8 CDs)
Stereolab - Not Music
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Double Play

Stooges - The Stooges (Rhino Handmade Collector's Edition)

Supertramp - Breakfast in America (remastered with bonus CD)
Temper Trap - Conditions Remixed
Various Artists - 30 Rock: Original Television Soundtrack
Various Artists - Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album
Various Artists - Next Three Days (soundtrack)
Various Artists - Tangled (soundtrack)
Various Artists - The Fire & Fury Doo Wop Story (2 CDs)
Volumes - The Concept Of Dreaming
Warlocks - Rise & Fall EP & Rarities
Waylon Jennings - Double Play
Years - Semblance Magic

 Find New Jazz Releases Here



The Bad Penny New Music Releases Schedule (The Bad Penny Blog)

Mariage Blanc – Mariage Blanc (self-released)
Calm Hatchery – Sacrilege of Humanity
The Church – Heyday and Seance (remastered reissues with bonus tracks; pre-orders come with instant album downloads, digital sampler)
Crushed Stars – Convalescing in Braille
Deerhoof/ Physical Forms – “Hoofdriver” 7-inch (limited to 1,000 copies) DVAS – Society
False Positive – False Positive
Faun Fables (features Sleepytime Gorilla Museum’s Nils Frykdahl) – Light of a Vaster Dark
Black Francis – “The Golem” DVD (score of 1920 film “The Golem: How He Came Into the World”; available at BlackFrancis.net and Amazon)
Black Francis – The Golem Rock Album (rock opera derived from Black Francis’ previously available “Golem” score; available at BlackFrancis.net and Amazon)
French Miami – Motor Skills
The Glass – At Swim Two Birds
Gold Motel – Summer House (physical version; previously available digitally; self-released)
Harmonious Bec – Her Strange Dreams
Hellmouth – Gravestone Skylines
Home Video – The Automatic Process
Japandroids – “Heavenward Grand Prix” 7-inch (limited to 2,000 copies)
Jesu – Heart Ache & Dethroned
Johanna and the Dusty Floor – The Forest EP
Norah Jones – … Featuring (features new and past collaborations with Foo Fighters, Belle & Sebastian, Outkast, more)
Jonquil – One Hundred Suns EP
Killing Joke – Absolute Dissent (first recording with original lineup in 27 years; two-CD deluxe edition, titled Absolute Respect, includes bonus disc featuring Killing Joke songs covered by Metallica, Nine Inch Nails, Foo Fighters)
Kisses – The Heart of the Nightlife
La Sera – “Never Come Around” 7-inch
Lavinia (features members of Caspian, Eksi Ekso, more) – There Is Light Between Us EP
Lord Huron – “Into the Sun” 7-inch
Radical Face – Touch the Sky EP
The Russian Futurists – The Weight’s on the Wheels
Shapers – “Virginia Reel”
The Shondes – Lines & Hooks +3 EP
Shuteye Unison – Our Future Selves
Shy Child – Liquid Love
Sonny Smith – 100 Records Volume 2: I Miss the Jams (five-LP box set version; CD edition due November 30)
The Soft Moon – The Soft Moon
Soviet League (features members of the Autumns and the Sugarplastic) – Soviet League
Stereolab – Not Music
The Stooges – 1970: The Complete Fun House Sessions (reissue of seven-CD box set; previously out of print; Rhino Handmade) and Have Some Fun: Live at Ungano’s (New York concert from 1970; includes performance of all Fun House songs, save “L.A. Blues,” plus previously unreleased songs “Have Some Fun” and “My Dream Is Dead”; comes with a poster, liner notes by Lenny Kaye and two photos)
Bow Thayer & Perfect Trainwreck – Bottom of the Sky (self-released)
Triumph of Lethargy Skinned Alive to Death – Some of Us Are in This Together (two LPs)
Sharon Van Etten – “I’m Giving Up on You” 7-inch (limited to 500 copies)
Rusty Willoughby – Cobirds Unite (features Visqueen’s Rachel Flotard)
Robert Wyatt – Cuckooland; EPs (CD only); Schleep; and Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Remember, if you are a record company and have new releases or know of any I missed (especially vinyl), please email me and I will add your music to the list. I also do reviews of new vinyl, email me for more information.

New Music releases are put together from a variety of online sources by blog owner Robert Benson

Have new music for the list? Email me at rbenson30@wi.rr.com  

Top Vinyl Record Sales on eBay

A special thank you to Norm & Jane at Vinyl Record Talk for this great data.  Stop by their radio show (Tuesday 8:00PM Eastern / 5:00PM Pacific on Radio Dentata) and give it a listen, I highly recommend it!!









Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 11/06/2010

Back from several weeks in and out of California, bringing records home from all outdoors, about 120,000 total. Now that I have inventory queued up, time to catch up on the Top 5. The week ending October 30th has fallen into oblivion, which was a bad week on many levels and I don't miss it.

Damn decent to see a 78 make the list any week, but at the top and over $10k is something special. So is this Robert Johnson record. The seller stated "You'll never see a better copy unless you were standing at the pressing plant in 1938." I'll dig up this or something from Robert Johnson for VRT this week - we are returning with a new show.

Three soul records make the list this week with two 45's and the "Black Out" LP which is a compilation of local funk bands out of Oklahoma from 1970.


1. 78 - Robert Johnson "Me & The Devil Blues" / "Little Queen Of Spades" Vocalion 04108 - $12,100.00

2. 45 - Ellipsis "People" / "Gregory Moore" Briarmeade - $3,605.00

3. LP - Leonid Kogan "Beethoven Violin Concerto" Columbia SAX 2386 UK Pressing - $3,560.00

4. 45 - Harvey Scales "Trying To Survive" / "Bump Your Thang" Magic Touch 3002 - $3,170.00

5. LP - various artists "Black-Out: New Sounds Of '70" Century - $3,107.00



Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 11/13/2010

Another one of those weeks where the old guard monsters take over the list. The Beatles "Please Please Me" makes the top of the list again, while the Led Zeppelin "Road Box" sells for about half of its usual price. The Fix's punk 45 from the seventies gets the #4 spot; this record looks more and more like the essential punk collectible.


1. LP - The Beatles "Please Please Me" Parlophone UK Gold Black label 1st Stereo - $5,796.95

2. LP - The Beatles "Yellow Submarine" Odeon (for export) - $5,168.64

3. 45 - The Poets "Wrapped Around Your Finger" / "Wait Until Tomorrow" J-2 DJ Copy - $3,661.00

4. 45 - The Fix "Vengence" / "In This Town" - $3,383.00

5. 12" - Led Zeppelin “Road Box” Test Pressing - $3,300.00


More on this week's top 5 on Tuesday 8:00PM Eastern / 5:00PM Pacific on Radio Dentata.  Vinyl Record Talk

Music News & Notes

Desultory Reveals "Counting Our Scars" Album Artwork

The album artwork for "Counting Our Scars", the new full-length release from reunited Swedish death metallers Desultory is now revealed. The album artwork and layout was designed and conceptualized by artist Travis Smith (Nevermore, Opeth, Amorphis, King Diamond, etc).

Comments Desultory singer / guitar-player Klas Morberg: "It’s been more than a year now since we entered the studio to record the first Desultory album in over a decade. This album will write a new chapter in the history of the band and it has been with great anticipation and endurance we have waited for the cover art to take form. We wanted the whole package, from music and lyrics to the visual appearance to communicate the same feeling, and as it turned out, this work had to take time. Now, at the very last hours of this long year, we are finally ready to reveal it all to you. We hope you think it was worth the wait, we do."



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WMG Become Full Owners Of Roadrunner Records

Roadrunner Records, one of the industry's longest running metal and hard rock labels, has now been fully purchased by Warner Music Group. Warner had previously bought 73.5% of the company in 2007. An internal memo from label founder and CEO Cees Wessels announcing the changes, as appearing on Billboard's website, can be read below:

"Since joining the Warner Music family, we have enjoyed some of our greatest creative and commercial successes as a label. Most importantly, we have retained our unique identity while also expanding our horizons, thanks in part to the tremendous expertise and experience we can tap into as part of the Warner Music family and the relationships we have built with our Warner Music colleagues around the world.

"I am very proud that Roadrunner is now a fully-fledged stable mate of such iconic labels as Atlantic , Warner Bros. Records, Elektra, Asylum and Rhino, and I believe that we are in this position thanks to our team’s hard work and consistently original approach over the years. The vast majority of our staff around the world will experience little or no change to their roles.

"However after carefully reviewing our operations, we have decided to transfer the support functions across to our Warner Music colleagues in some territories. This is not an easy process to undertake, but we believe that, by making these changes, we can take Roadrunner to the next level by focusing our resources on marketing our existing line-up of acclaimed artists as well as discovering the stars of tomorrow."

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Tankard Reveals New Album Artwork

German heavy metallers Tankard have announced that their new studio album, "Vol(l)ume 14" will be released through AFM Records on December 17th. A deluxe edition of the record will also be released, which will contain the band's full set from Headbanger’s Open Air 2009.












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Unwritten Law to release album in March 2011

Unwritten Law have recently announced the artwork and approximate release date for their upcoming album on Suburban Noize Records/BreakSilence. For the artwork, the band invited fans to submit proposed covers and will be releasing three of those covers on three different album versions. Scott Russo explained:

"We wanted to bring our fans into the process of making this record so we decided to have a contest where the fans make the artwork for the cover. We got a lot of great artwork and it was very hard to decide. We couldn't get everyone to agree on one clear cut winner, so we decided to take our three favorite entries and have three different covers for the album. I think, for me, the fly cover was my favorite because it took what my interpretation of 'Swan' was literally; something disgusting turned into something beautiful. The second image of the feather in blood was everyone's all around favorite, because it seemed kind of soft, romantic and violent at the same time. The final entry of the woman with wings sitting on a chair just looked classy and timeless. We felt this image of the introverted girl waiting to explode was an amazing interpretation that depicts the beauty of coming of age. We're really happy that fans got to be a part of the creation of this Unwritten Law record."

The album is tentatively scheduled for release in March of 2011.

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Metallica Planning New Album, More 'Big Four' Tour Dates

Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich has recently said that the band are set to record a new album next year. Ulrich said the group are looking forward to starting work on the follow-up to 2008’s ‘Death Magnetic.'

“There's a bunch of balls in the air for 2011, but I think the main one is we really want to get back to writing again," he said. "We haven't really written since, what, '06, '07, and we want to get back to kind of just being creative again.”

He added: “I'd say, March or April, and start probably putting the creative cap back on and start writing some songs."

Ulrich also told Pulse of Radio that Metallica hoped to perform more ‘Big Four’ dates with Slayer, Anthrax and Megadeath in the coming years.

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INXS to Releases New Album ‘Original Sin’

INXS has just released their new album ‘Original Sin’ in Australia and Canada with more being announced soon. It is the first musical project between INXS and original manager CM Murphy in well over a decade. The band has recorded several of their signature hits reimagined by some of the world’s finest musicians including: Ben Harper, Rob Thomas, Tricky, Nikka Costa, just to name a few.

“We’re thrilled to welcome INXS back to Atco. This album will reunite the band and their great music with their significant fanbase, and by way of some very special guests, to a new audience,” said Kevin Gore, President & CEO of Rhino Entertainment

This Date In Music History - November 15

Birthdays:

Bill Fries (CW McCall) (1928)

Petula Clark (1932) Her 1965 US #1 "Downtown," was the first UK female singer to score a #1 single in the US.

Rick Kemp - Steeleye Span (1941)

Frida Lyngstad - Abba (1945)

Steve Fossen - Heart (1949)

Joe Leeway - Thompson Twins (1957)

Kevin Eubanks (1957)

Christian "Flake" Lorenz - Rammstein (1966)

Jesse Sandoval - Shins (1974)

Chad Kroeger - Nickelback (1974)


They Are Missed:

William Edward John (November 15, 1937 - May 26, 1968) was better known by his stage name 'Little Willie John.' He was an R&B singer who performed in the 1950s and early 1960s and is best known for his popular music chart successes with songs such as, "All Around the World" (1955), "Need Your Love So Bad" (1956) and "Fever" (1956).

Born on this day in 1933, Clyde McPhatter, the Drifters. Died on June 13, 1972.

Born today in 1905, Mantovani, Orchestra leader. He died on March 30, 1980.

French music producer and songwriter Jacques Morali, died of complications from aids in 1991. Formed The Village People and co-produced their film, Can't Stop the Music. Between 1974 and 1982 Morali produced over 65 albums.

In 2000, Eddie Snyder, pianist for The Cascades on their 1963, Billboard #3 hit, "Rhythm Of The Rain," died of cancer at the age of 63.

Born on this day in 1954, Tony Thompson, Chic. Thompson died on November 12, 2003.

Born today in 1968, Ol' Dirty Bastard (also known as ODB, Dirty, Dirt McGirt, Dirt Dog, Big Baby Jesus, Osirus, Joe Bannanas), born Russell Tyrone Jones. (1997 US & UK #1 album ‘Wu-Tang Forever’). Collapsed and died at a Manhattan recording studio in New York on November 13, 2004 (age 35).


History:

In 1956, Elvis Presley made his acting debut as the movie 'Love Me Tender' premiered. Despite critical reaction, it takes in nearly $4 million in just two months.

In 1959, Johnny and the Moondogs, played in the final heat of the 'TV Star Search' competition at The Hippodrome Theatre, Manchester, England. Judging was done by the volume of applause each group received when it is called back onto stage at the end of the night. Since the Moondogs had no money to stay overnight in Manchester, they were forced to head back to Liverpool before they were called back onto stage.

The Rolling Stones made their US TV debut on Hullabaloo in 1965, performing "Get Off Of My Cloud."



The Doors officially signed with Elektra Records in 1966 in a deal for the band to produce seven albums. The band also reluctantly agreed to release "Break On Through" as their first single. The lyric "She gets high/she gets high/she gets high" was changed to “She gets/she gets/she gets" in order to secure radio play.

In 1966, the Jefferson Aiplane recorded their hit "Somebody To Love."

Janis Joplin was arrested at her concert in Tampa, Florida in 1969 and charged with using "vulgar and indecent language." The incident began when a policeman with a bullhorn ordered people in the audience to sit down and Joplin responded, "Don't fuck with those people! Hey, Mister, what're you so uptight about? Did you buy a five dollar ticket?" When police backstage instructed Joplin to tell the audience to take their seats, she replied, "I'm not telling them shit." After being arrested in her dressing room, Joplin was released on $504 bond and all charges were eventually dropped.

The first album by Karen and Richard Carpenter, "Offering" was released by A&M Records in 1969. It would not be a big seller, but a single from the LP, a remake of the Beatles "Ticket to Ride", would gain national attention. Their next album, 'Close to You' would establish them as major international stars.

Grand Funk Railroad released their sixth album, "E Pluribus Funk" in 1971. Music critics bashed it, but fans think otherwise and bought enough copies to push it to number five on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart.

ABBA were guests on "American Bandstand" in 1975. They performed "S.O.S." and "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do."

Chic was awarded their second Gold record of the year in 1978 for "Le Freak," which will hit #1 in the US next January. The group had earlier received a Gold record for "Dance, Dance, Dance."

Echo & the Bunnymen made their performance debut in Liverpool, England in 1978.

In 1980, Blondie had their fifth UK #1 single and third #1 of this year with "The Tide Is High," a song written by reggae star John Holt (also a #1 in the US).

Kenny Rogers started a six week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1980 with "Lady," a song written and produced by Lionel Richie.

Kiss played the first North American date on their 119 date Animalize Tour at Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1984.

Pop history was made in 1986 when the Top 5 UK singles were all by female vocalists; Corinne Drewery from Swing Out Sister, Mel and Kim, Susannah Hoffs from The Bangles, Kim Wilde and Terri Nunn from Berlin who were at #1 with "Take My Breath Away."

In 1988, Metallica's US tour for 'And Justice For All' opened in Toledo, OH, with Queensryche opening.

Milli Vanilli producer Frank Farian held a press conference in 1990 to confirm the rumours that the two members of the group Rob and Fab had not sung on any of their hit records.

In 1990, David Bowie opened on Broadway in the title role of The Elephant Man.

Ozzy Osbourne announced his retirement from touring after a gig in California in 1992, saying "Who wants to be touring at 46."

In 2000, Michael Abram, the Liverpool man who stabbed George Harrison after breaking into his home, was awarded a not guilty verdict at Oxford's Crown Court. But the verdict was returned in view of Abrams mental history, and he was taken into care. Idiot....

Winners at The MTV Europe Awards in 2000 included All Saints for best pop act, Ricky Martin won best male artist, Madonna won best female artist, Red Hot Chili Peppers won best rock band, Blink 182 won best new act & Jennifer Lopez won best R&B act.

In 2002, the UK music industry made the decision to include computer downloads as part of the pop singles chart in an attempt to restore credibility to the Top 40. OD2 the online music distributor would compile the new chart with the official chart company.

Robbie Williams snubbed a Take That reunion in 2005 when he decided to stay at his Los Angeles home. A behind the scenes TV documentary had arranged for all five members to reunite to coincided with the release of a greatest hits CD and DVD.

Sony Records celebrates the 30th anniversary of Bruce Springsteen's classic "Born To Run" album by releasing a CD/DVD set. T he package contains remastered tracks and a DVD on making the album. "There's no other record (of mine) quite like it," says Springsteen. 2005

"Sublime: Gold," a 42 track retrospective dropped in 2005. The tracks were from the band's three studio albums, plus previously unreleased material.

In 2006, U2 won a court battle over allegedly stolen Bono memororabilia. The items, an iconic Stetson hat, a pair of metal earrings, a green sweat shirt and a pair of black trousers, were in the possession of a former stylist. An 'iconic' Stetson hat???

Kenneth Donnell, from Glasgow, paid £83,000 (over $133,000) in 2007 for two tickets to see Led Zeppelin rehearse and perform at the O2 arena in London on the 10th December. Donnell bid for the tickets as part of an auction for the BBC's Children in Need.

Jay-Z went to #1 on the US album chart in 2007 with ‘American Gangster’ his 10th #1 album. This made the rapper joint second with Elvis Presley for the most #1 albums on the chart; only the Beatles have had more, with 19. Since 1998, all eight of Jay-Z's solo studio albums hade hit #1, in addition to his ‘Collision Course’ project with Linkin Park and his ‘Unfinished Business’ collaboration with R. Kelly.

Slash, Bon Jovi's Richie Sambora and ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons were among the performers at a 2008 Cleveland tribute concert honoring electric-guitar pioneer Les Paul. "The legion of guitar players I grew up listening to would have been completely different had Les not been around," says Slash. The event is part of the American Music Masters series, supported by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

In 2009, 61-year-old Yusuf Islam, known as Cat Stevens in the 1970s, took the stage in Dublin for the inaugural performance of his first full tour since 1976. After converting to Islam at the height of his popularity, he had rejected Pop music until 2006 when he released "An Other Cup", following it with "Roadsinger" this year.

The Library of Congress announced in 2009 that Paul McCartney is the winner of the Gershwin Prize of Popular Song. "It's hard to think of another performer and composer who has had a more indelible and transformative effect on popular song and music of several different genres than Paul McCartney," says Librarian of Congress James H. Billington.