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Day in Pop Report for 01/24/2013


Junior Seau's Family Sues The NFL
The family of the late San Diego Chargers star Junior Seau has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the NFL.

The 43-year-old football star died last May from a self-inflected gunshot wound to the chest. TMZ reports that his family filed the wrongful death lawsuit today in San Diego, claiming the league willfully hid the truth about the dangers of repetitive blows to the head ... such as those regularly sustained by professional football players.

According to the lawsuit, Seau suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) from those hits -- a condition that his family claims drove him to suicide.

The Seau family is also suing NFL helmet manufacturer Riddell -- calling the helmets dangerous and claiming the company was "negligent in their design." Read the full TMZ report for more details

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Adele To Perform At The Academy Awards
(popmusiclife) Adele has confirmed that she will perform her Oscar-nominated song "Skyfall" at the 85th Academy Awards in Los Angeles on February 24.

Adele will perform the James Bond theme live for the first time anywhere during her exclusive Oscar show performance. It will also be Adele's first public performance since the Grammys last year.

"It's an honor to be nominated and terrifyingly wonderful to be singing in front of people who have captured my imagination over and over again," she said. "It's something I've never experienced and probably only ever will once!" more on this story

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Prince Returns With Screwdriver
(Radio.com) More rumblings from the Purple One from the frozen tundra of Minneapolis. After Prince's mysterious six shows last week at the Dakota Jazz Club, he has launched a new website featuring a brand new song and lyric video for "Screwdriver."

The website also has what appears to be a trailer for an upcoming DVD of his 2009 performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival, as as well as a song from a female artist named Andy Allo.

The new website, which appears to be official, follows the launch of a official-seeming Twitter handle that has been posting remixes and even a new Prince song. more on this story

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Jennifer Hudson Thinks American Idol Has Run Its Course?
(Radio.com) While promoting her new film, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete, at the Sundance Film Festival, Jennifer Hudson had some kind words for the return of Destiny's Child. But unfortunately, didn't show the same excitement for American Idol.

Hudson, who came in seventh during the third season of Idol, thinks the show should quit while it's ahead, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

As a fan of the show, which had its season 12 premiere last week with new judges, Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban, Hudson says it "should allow itself to go out on top�and gracefully."

"Everything has its time," she said. "American Idol has changed the face of television. So, not everyone can say that. And it's always been a phenomenon. I'm proud to have come from American Idol, so I just say, 'Go out on top.' " more on this story

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Sheryl Crow Dodges Tough Lance Armstrong Questions
(Radio.com) Sheryl Crow may be speaking out about former fiance Lance Armstrong, but she's not saying much.

In a much hyped about interview with Entertainment Tonight, Sheryl remarked on Armstrong's choice to come clean about using enhancement drugs saying: "I think that honesty is always the best bet and that the truth will set you free."

The singer, who said she had only seen "bits and pieces" of Armstrong's confession with Oprah, continued by saying: "To carry around a weight like that would be devastating in the long run."

In the exclusive interview, which took place on the set of The Voice where Sheryl is helping out Blake Shelton on the upcoming season, she chose not to talk about whether or not she knew if Armstrong was doping but remarked, "It must be really hard to walk around knowing you aren't telling the truth about something. I always contend the truth is the best way to go." more on this story

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Alicia Keys To Reinterpret National Anthem At Super Bowl
(Radio.com) Alicia Keys will be getting fans ready for some football at this year's Super Bowl.

The singer has confirmed she'll be singing the National Anthem before the game on February 3. But don't plan to hear the same old rendition you're used to.

"It's a historical moment, that day, so I'm looking forward to really doing it my style and my way," she told MTV News. "I'm looking forward to really making it great." more on this story

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Justin Timberlake To Make Live Return During Super Bowl Weekend
Justin Timberlake is set to make his live return to stage where he will perform his first solo concert in several years at a New Orleans charity concert during Super Bowl weekend.

Timberlake will be performing at the "DIRECTV Super Saturday Night" event, being held February 2 at DTV SuperFan stadium, according to FMQB.

The event benefits Shriners Hospitals for Children and is tied in with the 7th Annual Celebrity Beach Bowl. Find out what other music events are happening around the big game here.

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Stevie Nicks Teaming Up With Lady Antebellum For Crossroads Concert
(Radio.com) Fleetwood Mac is gearing up for a new tour, but singer Stevie Nicks will continue collaborating with other musicians.

On Friday night, she performed with Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters as part of his Sound City Players collective at the Sundance Film Festival.

And now, she's announced that she will hook up with country superstars Lady Antebellum for an upcoming episode of CMT's Crossroads series. CMT says that the episode will be shot in Los Angeles and will air later this year (no specific dates were provided for the shooting or the air date). more on this story

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George Strait Reaching Back To Older Songs For Farewell Tour
(Radio.com) Last week George Strait kicked off his two-year farewell Cowboy Rides Away Tour, which he announced last fall during a press conference at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.

So what can fans expect from these shows? As George told Radio.com, there are a few songs he's definitely looking forward to playing. "'Troubadour' for sure," he said. "And 'I'll Always Remember You.' That's gonna be one that's probably going to have the most meaning during these shows. And I kinda wrote it so the fans would know how I really felt. That's gonna be a tough one."

He also said he's "probably going to reach back and pull some of that old stuff out" that he and the band haven't done in a long time, "just for good memory's sake." He's got plenty to work with, then, as his large, impressive catalog reaches back more than 30 years and includes such early gems as "The Chill of an Early Fall," "Ocean Front Property," "Unwound," "Amarillo by Morning," and of course, "The Cowboy Rides Away." More including streams.

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Depeche Mode Releasing New Song In Early February
(Radio.com) Legendary synth-rock pioneers Depeche Mode have announced that "Heaven" will be the first single from the band's still-untitled 13th studio album, due for a spring 2013 release. The new song is set to hit retailers on February 5.

"I am very happy with how the album turned out," said the band's main songwriter Martin Gore in a press release. "The music has a similar vibe to Violator and Songs of Faith and Devotion and I think the songs on the album are among some of the very best we've done."

Depeche Mode kicks off a world tour in May with a show in Tel Aviv, Israel, although there are strong hints that the band could be on the bill for this year's Coachella festival in April when the line-up is finally announced. more on this story

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LMFAO's Sky Blu Reveals Solo Details
(Radio.com) LMFAO have split to focus on solo projects for the time being and Sky Blu stopped in on B96/Chicago where he revealed the details of his new album.

And while his first single, "Pop Bottles" is an LMFAO style-banger, Blu revealed that we almost got a rock album from him.

"We have about two albums. The second album, follow me if you can follow me here," Blu grinned and instructed, "the second album I made with some of my friends�and it was real rock � it was just different. It was different music because I've been doing electro for so long. I was like, 'Yeah man, this is dope!' And then I sat back and listened to it and I said, 'Oh man, people ain't gonna to expect this from me.' So I said, 'Let me get back to my roots.'"

But Blu's roots are expanding � as he elaborated, his forthcoming album, whose name he declined to reveal, will have more than you expect from the party hound. And, interestingly, that he's already got his next album planned. more.

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fun. Ask If The Grammys Can Retract A Nomination
(Radio.com) To say it's been a whirlwind year for fun. is an understatement � their debut album Some Nights is a smash hit, and now they're up for six Grammy nominations.

But the boys are ready to see how things play out next month, although they expressed some concerns to 96.5 TIC/Hartford. "Can they retract a nomination?" frontman Nate Ruess asked.

"If you do something horrible enough, I would imagine they can retract it," joked Jack Antonoff.

"Like admit to using steroids?" Nate quipped.

"Metaphorical, musical steroids. This is not actually music," Jack snapped back. more on this story

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Lifehouse Aim For Spaghetti Western Feel On New Video
(Radio.com) Lifehouse named their new album Almeria after a city in Spain where Spaghetti Westerns originated. So, it makes perfect sense that the group's first music video for the album embodies the feel of these classic Westerns.

Shot in picturesque Box Canyon, Colorado, the video for "Between The Raindrops" featuring Natasha Bedingfield shows rolling hills, cowboys, pickup trucks and fittingly, raindrops.

Frontman Jason Wade told Radio.com how the idea came together. "We did it up at Box Canyon at our manager's place. It lended itself to the textures of the album," Wade explained. "The place that he lives up there, it used to be one of those Western ghost towns where they used to film all of those Westerns."

Wade said since the band couldn't go to Spain themselves the location seemed like the next best thing. "The video is essentially a performance piece. Natasha [Bedingfield], myself and the band appear in different vignettes and there's an ominous storm that's coming towards the camera," he said. Watch the video here and read more comments.

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2 Chainz To Appear On CBS' 2 Broke Girls
(Radio.com) After the 55th Annual Grammy award show ends and the trophies are all doled out, 2 Chainz will be swinging with the cast of CBS' 2 Broke Girls. The Grammy nominated rapper will be making a cameo on the sitcom.

According to THR, 2 Chainz will be playing himself. He surprises Max (Kat Dennings) and Caroline (Beth Behrs) who are on a private plane to the GRAMMY Awards.

2 Broke Girls is a comedy that airs on CBS about two waitresses with dreams of starting their own business. The odd couple (streetwise Max Black and sophisticated Caroline Channing) are on a mission to raise the money for their startup. more on this story

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New Kids On The Block, Boyz II Men and 98 Degrees Plan Summer Tour
New Kids On The Block, Boyz II Men and 98 Degrees announced this week that they will be teaming up for a summer tour.

Dubbed The Package Tour, the summer trek will kick off on May 31st in Uncasville, CT and will conclude on July 13th in Minneapolis.

The tour will also be 98 Degrees first trek in over 12 years. "We are really excited to get back on the road together and tour with our friends in NKOTB and Boyz II Men. Looking forward to playing our hits and trying out some of our new tracks too," said Nick Lachey.

New Kids on the Block will be touring in support of their forthcoming album, "10," which will be released on April 2nd with the first single, "Remix (I Like The)," set for release next Tuesday (January 28th) on iTunes.

"Ladies, we're coming for you," said NKOTB member Donnie Wahlberg. "This is going to be the craziest year yet-the single, the album, the tour with 98 Degrees and Boyz II Men � We can't wait to give fans 'The Package!'" more on this story

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Taylor Swift Discusses 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together'
(Radio.com) From country ballads to frenzied dubstep and vibrant dance-pop concoctions, Taylor Swift's latest album Red is a variety pack of emotion and energy. Yet one thing that binds so many of her songs together is their undeniable catchiness. She is a master of the hook, both melodic and lyrical.

Which is exactly the reason that, once you heard it, her GRAMMY-nominated single "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" was nearly impossible to get out of your head.

And it's also a big reason why Swift chose it as the first song to be released from Red. Picking that track "jumped out to me," she told Radio.com. "I would play it for my friends and family, and they would come back a few days later singing it, word for word. They couldn't get it out of their heads."

Selecting "Never Ever" as the lead single was part of the fun of creating the album for Swift. As she said, Red is "a really eclectic group of songs," offering an emotion for every song, and "no particular song defines the rest of the album." So part of the decision to pick "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" as the lead single was to "make people wonder if that was what the rest of the record sounds like. It's exciting to keep people on their toes." More including stream here.

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Hunter Hayes Shares His Grammy Playlist
(Radio.com) When it comes to Grammy-winning songs from years past, what are your favorites? We asked that very question to some of today's biggest and brightest musicians, and got some fantastic Grammy-winner playlists in return. Blake Shelton made a list for us last week, and today we have a new list from 21-year-old country star Hunter Hayes.

The Grammy Awards are less than three weeks away (Feb. 10), and Hunter has been nominated in three categories: Best County Solo Performance (for his Number One hit "Wanted"), Best Country Album (for his debut album Hunter Hayes), and Best New Artist. The latter is a multi-genre category and puts him up against Alabama Shakes, fun., The Lumineers, and Frank Ocean.

All the songs on Hunter's playlist won Grammys in years past. These include hits from contemporaries of his such as Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley, and Taylor Swift (with whom he once toured), as well as a few classics from the likes of Vince Gill (the beautiful "Go Rest High on That Mountain"), Dwight Yoakam ("Ain't That Lonely Yet"), and Merle Haggard ("That's the Way Love Goes," which was not Merle's biggest or most iconic hit, but it was his only GRAMMY win up to that point). Hunter also included a few non-country songs

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Ed Sheeran Soundcheck Special Goes Online
UK music star Ed Sheeran is the featured guests for the latest installment in the Walmart Soundcheck Risers series.

For the show, Sheeran gives a special acoustic performance of new single "Lego House" and also sits down for a revealing interview.

Fans will find out the inspiration behind hit singles, 'The A Team' & 'Lego House,' 2013 tour plans with Taylor Swift, writing with One Direction and why his Grammy nomination took him by surprise. You can watch it here.

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