.

Day in Pop Report for 02/06/2015


Lil Wayne Releasing Free Album
Lil Wayne isn't letting his battle with his record label and the delay of his long-awaited "Tha Carter V" album stop him from providing his fans with new music.

The rapper announced via Twitter on Thursday morning that will soon be releasing "The Free Weezy Album", which follows last month's release of the mixtape "Sorry 4 The Wait 2".

Wayne posted the following two tweets on Thursday (February 5th), "Free album. Free Weezy season. The Free Weezy Album #FWA," and " The Free Weezy Album...komin soon#FWA".

More on Lil Wayne - Lil Wayne Music, DVDs, Books and more - Lil Wayne T-shirts and Posters

Nickelback Singer Explains One Direction Collaboration
In a new interview, Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger has revealed more details about his recent collaboration with members of the British boyband One Direction.

The collaboration was revealed when studio engineer and former Daughtry and Trapt member Robin Diaz posted an Instagram photo showing Kroeger with One Direction's Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne, according to ABC.

Now Kroeger explains the collaboration in a new interview with ET Canada. "They asked if I was gonna be in town and if I would like to come down to the studio and come up with some ideas on a song, just do a little songwriting," Kroeger says in the interview. "I was very flattered. I'm like, 'Wow, the biggest band in the world wants me to come down and spit out a couple ideas.'"

More on One Direction - One Direction Music, DVDs, Books and more - One Direction T-shirts and Posters

fun. Not Breaking Up But Not Inspired To Play Together
fun. addressed speculation that the group were breaking up in a lengthy posting on Facebook on Wednesday night. The band reassured fans that they are not splitting up, but they also said that they are not currently inspired to work together and are instead inspired to work on other projects.

Here is their statement: "A lot of you have been asking us for an update on when to expect new music from fun. As you know, we like to give you guys news and updates when they are ready, but there has been a lot of recent chatter and we hear you and wanted to speak to you directly to explain a few things. o here goes-

"first and foremost to answer the question that has been raised most often: fun is not breaking up. fun was founded by the 3 of us at a time when we were coming out of our own bands. one thing that has always been so special about fun is that we exist as 3 individuals in music who come together to do something collaborative. we make fun records when we are super inspired to do so. currently nate is working on his first solo album, andrew is scoring films and jack is on tour and working on bleachers music. the 3 of us have always followed inspiration wherever it leads us. sometimes that inspiration leads to fun music, sometimes it leads to musical endeavors outside of fun. we see all of it as part of the ecosystem that makes fun, fun.

"you guys are EVERYTHING to us. honestly. We want to treat YOU GUYS (our amazing fan base) with the respect you deserve; and that is by making music when we are fully ready to make it and never giving you guys anything that is less than 100%. 'Some Nights' was a successful album and it would have been very easy for us to jump back in the studio and capitalize on our momentum. but making records and touring when its 'good for business' means nothing to us. we make records and tour when we are inspired to do so. that is the very reason why we have built such a special connection with all of you. that is how we can be the most honest to the people who support our music.

"It's also important for you guys to know that the 3 of us are very involved and supportive of all these different projects going on within the fun family at the moment. that fact that our tiny club can produce so many different kinds of music together and as individuals is very special to us. as always, we'll keep you guys updated! all our love nate, jack and Andrew"

See their Facebook page here.

More on fun. - fun. Music, DVDs, Books and more - fun. T-shirts and Posters

Imagine Dragons Announce North American Tour
Imagine Dragons have announced that they will be launching an extensive North American tour this summer in support of their forthcoming album, "Smoke + Mirrors".

The group has recruited Metric to provide support on the trek which is scheduled to kick off on June 6th in Edmonton, AB at Rexall Place and conclude on August 1st in Boise, ID at Taco Bell Arena.

Imagine Dragons new studio album, "Smoke + Mirrors", is scheduled to be released in North American on February 17th, 2015 and was recorded in the group's new home studio. Check out the tour dates here.

More on Imagine Dragons - Imagine Dragons Music, DVDs, Books and more - Imagine Dragons T-shirts and Posters

Kanye West Plans Free Show for NBA All-Star Weekend
(Radio.com) If you've been waiting to see Kanye West perform his stripped-down new tracks in the flesh, the opportunity has arrived. That is, if you'll be in New York when the NBA All-Star Weekend is in full swing.

West will treat his audience to a free show on Feb. 12. The event, which also features Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant, is part of Roc City Classic, a new annual event thrown by Jay Z's Roc Nation.

For those looking for the connection between West and Roc Nation--other than the fact that West and Jay Z happen to be friends and Watch the Throne collaborators--Kanye's DONDA has partnered with the management company. Meanwhile Kevin Durant is signed to the sports division of Jay's company, Roc Nation Sports. Read more here.

More on Kanye West - Kanye West Music, DVDs, Books and more - Kanye West T-shirts and Posters

Kelly Clarkson Releases 'Heartbeat Song' Video
(Radio.com) Kelly Clarkson has released the video for "Heartbeat Song" and the clip takes its title quite literally. First--it's a song, of course. But then there's the opening scene, which shows the monotonous beeping of a heart rate monitor before it flatlines.

Such is the story behind "Heartbeat Song," the video for the first single from Clarkson's upcoming Piece by Piece. Something--generally a relationship--is flatlining, and here's what happens afterward.

While the subjects in the clip pick up the broken pieces of failed relationships, Clarkson is found in a colorful room that mimics the lighting scheme of the Piece by Piece album cover. The heartbeat monitor returns as everyone finds new friendships and relationships to cultivate. Watch the video here.

More on Kelly Clarkson - Kelly Clarkson Music, DVDs, Books and more - Kelly Clarkson T-shirts and Posters

Justin Bieber Appears On Ellen To Make Another Apology
(Radio.com) Justin Bieber is not done apologizing yet--though at this point it might be hard to keep track of what exactly he's apologizing for. The singer appeared on Ellen yet again, in an episode that airs today, to apologize for that confessional video he posted after his last Ellen appearance, in which he apologized for his past behavior.

In case you need a recap: 'I was afraid about what people were thinking about me right now," Bieber said in his confessional video about his January Ellen appearance. "I didn't want to come off arrogant or conceited. Or basically, how I've been acting the last year and a half�I'm not that person who says 'I don't give a f-.' I'm not that kid. I'm a person who genuinely cares."

Now Bieber has again explained his thinking behind those words and his decision to share them. "It was the first time I was on television for a long time and I just was worried about what people were thinking about me," he recently told Ellen DeGeneres. "Like I said last time, I did a lot of things over the past few years that I'm not proud of.

"People often forget that, even with their comments and stuff they think it doesn't get to me," Bieber continued. "But it gets to me. You know things that people say bother me and I gotta be strong enough to just keep it pushing. Yeah, that's why I just wanted to make a video to just let people know that I'm human, I love people, I love love, I'm passionate about things and I'm passionate about being better and growing so I think that this is going to be an awesome chapter in my life and I'm so glad that I have you guys supporting me." Watch the clip here.

More on Justin Bieber - Justin Bieber Music, DVDs, Books and more - Justin Bieber T-shirts and Posters

Glen Campbell I'll Be Me Full Soundtrack Album Set For Release
(Radio.com) Following the release of a five-song EP last year, Big Machine Records this month will release an album-length soundtrack to the documentary Glen Campbell�I'll Be Me. The album includes all songs from the EP plus five additional tracks, and it's set to be released on February 17th.

Among the songs are six recordings by Glen Campbell himself, including 'I'm Not Gonna Miss You,"� which is the last song Campbell ever recorded. It was cowritten by Campbell and producer Julian Raymond and is among the most-nominated songs on this year's award show landscape, having earned nods from the ACMs, GRAMMYs and even the Oscars.

Additional Campbell recordings include "All I Need Is You" and "The Long Walk Home," plus live recordings of "Wichita Lineman" and "A Better Place," both recorded at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium.

The soundtrack also features two recordings by Campbell's daughter Ashley ("Remembering" and "Home Again"), plus two versions of The Band Perry's take on Campbell's classic "Gentle on My Mind"--which they have also released as a music video. Read more here.

More on Glen Campbell - Glen Campbell Music, DVDs, Books and more - Glen Campbell T-shirts and Posters

Man That Found Bobbi Kristina In Bathtub Speaks Out
(Radio.com) Bobbi Kristina Brown is still in the hospital in Atlanta, "fighting for her life," according to a statement from her family, but the man who found Brown unconscious in her bathtub on Saturday morning (Feb. 1) is now speaking out. Mainly, to clear his own name.

Max Lomas, who is a friend of Brown's, was charged with drug and firearm possession on Jan. 14 after cops were sent to his house on allegations that he had drugged his girlfriend and was holding her against her will. This caused many to wonder if Lomas had anything to do with Brown's current condition.

But, Lomas' lawyer reached out to People to deny his client's involvement, stating, "He is devastated by the news of her medial condition." Lomas' lawyer also say says even though his client has had legal trouble in the past, Lomas has "nothing to do with the Brown situation."

His lawyer made clear that Lomas is not a convicted felon--he pled not guilty to the Jan. 14 charge--and he has not been questioned, formally or informally, in connection with the Brown case.

The statement also gives more detail to what happened that morning, claiming that it was Lomas not Brown's boyfriend, Nick Gordon who found her face down in her tub on Saturday. Bobby Brown denied his daughter and Gordon were married, despite reports. This follows news that Kristina's aunt, Marion Houston, filed a restraining order against Gordon in March 2014 for making "threatening comments and post[ing] photos of guns with the intention of making petitioner fearful for her personal safety." Read more here.

More on Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston Music, DVDs, Books and more - Whitney Houston T-shirts and Posters

Miranda Lambert's MuttNation Announce 2015 Mutts Across America
(Radio.com) Miranda Lambert continues to raise awareness for the lives of shelter animals, a cause that is very close to her heart. In the past seven years, Lambert's MuttNation Foundation has raised over $1.5 million to improve the quality of life for shelter dogs.

For the second year, MuttNation Foundation will host its annual Mutts Across America: 50 States/50 Shelters initiative. The idea is to provide financial support to 50 select animal shelters across the U.S.

'I feel so passionately about helping all animals and I'm thrilled that we have once again been able to give to phenomenal shelters all across the country," Lambert said in a press release. "The people at these shelters do such amazing work day in and day out and are truly heroes for the animals."�

The goal of the initiative is to donate at least $3,000 to 50 shelters in the country with the total money distributed amounting to $206,000. Read more here.

More on Miranda Lambert - Miranda Lambert Music, DVDs, Books and more - Miranda Lambert T-shirts and Posters

Migos Release New Song 'One Time'
(Radio.com) Fresh off releasing two collaborations--one track with Lil Wayne, one mixtape with Bobby Shmurda and more--Migos have dropped yet another release.

This time it's the lead single from their debut album. Yes, Migos have still yet to release their studio debut, even though they've racked up nearly a dozen mixtapes, solo and collaborative. So here we go--maybe this is the start of that album's eventual release, at long last.

Produced by Deko, "One Time" works like any other Migo track: it hinges on repetition. You can probably guess from the title which line gets said over and over. If not, here's a sample of the lyrics: "Take your ho for the first time (one time)/ And I only hit her one time (one time)/ I walk in the jewelry store for the first time/ I'm walkin' out lookin' like Busta Rhymes."

"One Time" is planned to show up on Y.R.N. 2, which currently does not have a release date but is reportedly set for sometime this year. Listen to the new track here.

More on Migos - Migos Music, DVDs, Books and more - Migos T-shirts and Posters

Britney Spears New Boyfriend Opens Up To Extra
(Extra) Only "Extra's" Charissa Thompson one on one with Charlie Ebersol. Just days after making his first official public appearance with girlfriend Britney Spears at Super Bowl XLIX, Charlie Ebersol telling Charissa, "I'm incredibly lucky," about his relationship with the pop superstar.

When asked for his thoughts on Britney's sexy ad for her new Intimate lingerie line, Charlie simply said, "I would say that's a very accurate depiction of a beautiful blonde woman." The two started dating last fall and Ebersol has already bonded with Britney's sons, Sean Prescott and Jayden James.

The 32-year-old the son of longtime NBC Sports Executive, Dick Ebersol, and actress Susan Saint James, also one of the survivors of the 2004 plane crash that took his younger brother, Teddy's life, revealing, "It defines who I am." Charlie saying his mom gave him two important pieces of advice after the crash. "The first thing she said was, 'you can be sad, but you can't be mad sad,' and my mom also said 'what you're going to do with your life, you have to choose things that you love, not confuse things you're good at for things you love.'

His mother's wise words inspiring the mission statement for his production company, "We will only create content that creates joy, happiness, and change."

His latest project delivers on all 3 fronts. Charlie is Executive Producer of "NFL Characters Unite" an annual documentary series that pairs NFL superstars who faced adversity in their youth, with young kids facing similar troubles today. "The premise of the show is that we take the superstars, and we introduce them to kids who are going through the exact same thing the player went through when they were a kid, and the player helps the kid," said Charlie who also revealed he was a victim of bullying in his own childhood. He calls the series an opportunity to create what he "would've liked to have had as a kid, which is some superstar coming and saying you know, 'I went through this too.'" Read more here.

More on Britney Spears - Britney Spears Music, DVDs, Books and more - Britney Spears T-shirts and Posters

Rihanna Swims With Sharks for 'Harper's Bazaar'
(Radio.com) Rihanna was a good girl, gone bad. Now she's gone aquatic. For the March issue of Harper's Bazaar, Rihanna graces the cover in a gold lame one-piece that would certainly make Prince Leia jealous. But it's a photo inside the issue that has people talking that talk.

With a little help from photographer, Norma Jean Roy, the Barbadian beauty hits the ocean with three eight-foot sharks. And no, we're not talking about one of Katy Perry's smiling, dancing sharks. We're talking about the real thing with lots of sharp teeth.

"Check what happens when a badgal and fashion photographer/certified diver Norman Jean Roy get together!" Rihanna tweeted with a clip of the shoot.

In the clip we see that yes, Rihanna dived right in and didn't seem to care that her photo shoot partner was a Great White. And yes, this did allow RiRi to check something off her bucket list. Wonder if working with a Beatle was also on there too? here.

More on Rihanna - Rihanna Music, DVDs, Books and more - Rihanna T-shirts and Posters

Madonna Releases New Video Via Snapchat
(Radio.com) Despite having uncontrollable leaks surrounding her release of Rebel Heart, Madonna is still managing to break new ground through the release of the album. The always innovative pop icon has taken to Snapchat for the first premiere in the service's history.

The jokes here are obvious. For one, why would you want to premiere a video that is going to disappear in a couple seconds? Maybe this kind of flirtation with unproven technology is what lead to all these leaks in the first place. But, the truth is that Snapchat's "Discover" feed is a thing that is (for now) the only place to watch Madonna's "Living for Love" video.

The video reportedly is of a matador theme, which indicates a return to the aesthetic she first tackled in the video for her 1994 single, "Take a Bow." Read more here.

More on Madonna - Madonna Music, DVDs, Books and more - Madonna T-shirts and Posters

John Mayer Interviews Katy Perry's Super Bowl Sharks
(Radio.com) We are deep into the week following the Super Bowl, and just about all the good post-event interviews have been conducted. Players like MVP Tom Brady and losing coach Pete Carroll have done their part, and Katy Perry has reaped her benefits.

But, The Late Late Show, with its latest stop on the revolving door of hosts, John Mayer, might have one-upped everyone. They booked Katy Perry's dancing Super Bowl sharks.

Yes, and not just the more desirable get, the Left Shark. They also nabbed the more professional Right Shark, too. The segment plays out by pretending they are actual sharks and it is all fun and good. But maybe a more genuinely funny moment comes right after, when show guest Andy Cohen makes slight jab at the rumor that Mayer is in fact dating Katy Perry again. "Mazel to you and your family, and your girlfriend," prompting Mayer to respond, "your questions make gossip stories."

Watch the shark interview here.

More on Katy Perry - Katy Perry Music, DVDs, Books and more - Katy Perry T-shirts and Posters

Taylor Swift Shakes It Off at Her Grammy Museum Exhibit
(Radio.com) It's Grammys week and Taylor Swift is in town, naturally; after all, she's up for her share of the big awards this weekend. Plus, she's got her own exhibit at the GRAMMY Museum right now, so as one would, she visited it Thursday (Feb. 5): and she has the slightly embarrassing Instagram video to prove it.

Swift showed up in a section of the exhibit for "Shake It Off," featuring a giant boombox in which a TV playing the song's music video on loop sits while dim lights change color around it.

What does one do in such circumstances? Dance, of course. "Went to the Grammy Museum in LA to see the exhibit they did on ma life," she wrote on Instagram. "My behavior was as embarrassing as usual." Watch it here.

More on Taylor Swift - Taylor Swift Music, DVDs, Books and more - Taylor Swift T-shirts and Posters

Common and Arcade Fire Star Playing in NBA All-Star Celebrity Game
(Radio.com) The NBA All-Star game weekend is shaping up to be music-filled. Not only do Ariana Grande, Kanye West and potentially Drake and Nas have scheduled performances, the roster for the celebrity game has just been announced and it features two very familiar faces (and voices): Common and Arcade Fire's Win Butler.

The two musicians will reportedly join Kevin Hart, Chadwick Boseman, Ansel Elgort, Nick Cannon, Little League star Mo'ne Davis, and more on the court, according to People.

Meanwhile Spike Lee and New York Knicks player Carmelo Anthony have signed on to coach the two teams, alongside ESPN Radio's Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg. Read more here.

More on Common - Common Music, DVDs, Books and more - Common T-shirts and Posters

50 Cent's Infamous First Pitch Memorialized With Baseball Card
(Radio.com) One of baseball's greatest moments of 2014 is being memorialized. 50 Cent's first pitch at The New York Mets's Citi Field was famously awkward, leading to rounds of mockery from the likes of announcer Bob Costas and former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who tweeted, "@50Cent, bet you my first pitch will be better than yours was!"�

The throw happened last May but last month the famous rapper received an award from the MLB, calling it 2014's 'Most Memorable First Pitch"� award, which 50 Cent proudly posted on Instagram.

Now the card company Topps, the primary producer of sports trading cards, has announced a commemorative baseball card with an image of 50's pitch. Read more here.

More on 50 Cent - 50 Cent Music, DVDs, Books and more - 50 Cent T-shirts and Posters

Royal Blood Reveal North American Tour Plans
(Radio.com) At this year's KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas, Royal Blood were tasked with kicking the whole thing off. So, given that it has only been a couple months since that show, the fact that they now have a massive headlining tour, opening gigs with Foo Fighters, and a spot at Coachella all in the works, well, it speaks a lot to how fast they are rising.

As for the headlining tour, the itinerary has been announced and it will see the duo playing packed theaters and clubs across the country, beginning with Coachella and a sold out show at the Fonda on April 13.

Other stops of note include the Metro in Chicago and the 9:30 Club in Washington D.C. Queens of the Stone Age offshoot Mini Mansions will support them.

Check out the dates, including their Foo Fighters support slots and fest appearances, which include Bonnaroo and Governors Ball as well here.

More on Royal Blood - Royal Blood Music, DVDs, Books and more - Royal Blood T-shirts and Posters

Mario Lopez Talks Save By The Bell Reprisal With Jimmy Fallon
(Extra) On Wednesday night "Extra" host Mario Lopez put on a mullet wig, changed into his old wardrobe, and busted out some dance moves on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" as he reprised his role as A.C. Slater in a "Saved by the Bell" reunion sketch with his some of his fellow co-stars. Today Fallon joining Mario on Extra at Universal Studios.

Jimmy gushing over Mario's appearance hugging him with gratitude, "You killed it, you were amazing." He continued, "When you came out as Slater, I don't know if you guys saw it (to the crowd), you came down as Slater and the audience wouldn't stop clapping, you had to like speak to say your lines so we could move the sketch along, it was such a big applause."

Jimmy taking "The Tonight Show" to Los Angles this week, thrilled to be number one in late night, "I'm just a lucky guy and I really want people to look at The Tonight show the way I used to watch The Tonight Show, as a kid, it always was like a privilege to watch, I would ask my dad and my mom can I stay up, can I stay up late and watch Johnny Carson, just the monologue, just a couple jokes then I'll go to bed, then they'd go alright, it was a big deal in my house."

Jimmy thankful for the support of Jay Leno, "He gives me advice all the time, I still talk to him, he's the nicest guy, if it wasn't for Jay Leno, I wouldn't have this job."

Jimmy looking forward to celebrating the 40th anniversary of "Saturday Night Live "I'm working on something too, I might see Justin Timberlake there."

Jimmy's good friend Justin just confirming the news that he is expecting a baby with wife Jessica Biel, saying JT is excited, "He's so excited man, so excited, I mean this guy, they're going to be great parents and also how lucky is that baby, they baby's like Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake are my parents, jackpot!" Read more here.

More on Save By The Bell - Save By The Bell DVDs and Blu-Rays

Eric Church Goes Behind the Scenes Of Outsiders Tour
(Radio.com) Few musicians are completely alone when they step onto a stage to perform. And in the case of country superstar and GRAMMY-nominee Eric Church, that's an understatement of massive proportions.

In a video feature that aired Thursday (Feb. 5) on CBS This Morning, reporter Mark Strassmann took viewers behind the scenes on Church's massive Outsiders world tour, as it packed up in Fresno, Calif., and then made its way south to Los Angeles.

What Strassmann uncovers is a massive production involving more than 100 crew members and some 170 tons of equipment, all of which needs to be loaded out in a matter of hours--then back into the new venue the following morning.

"This is a very large-scale production," tour manager Todd Bunch told Strassmann. Bunch's voice is calm and steady, but you can see in his eyes he's not kidding around. "A short day for us in 18 hours."

Bunch also notes that putting on a show of this scale is, as you might imagine, "very expensive. Just rolling down the road in 14 trucks and 12 buses, the fuel cost alone is amazing." Read more and watch the clip here.

More on Eric Church - Eric Church Music, DVDs, Books and more - Eric Church T-shirts and Posters

Jaden Smith Releases Surprise New EP 'This Is the Album'
(Radio.com) "OHH MY GOD JADEN SMITH DID SOMETHING CRAZY." Those words did not come from the keyboard of some anonymous Internet bystander. No, they're straight from the horse's mouth--the Twitter of Jaden Smith himself.

The crazy thing he's done is release a new EP out of the blue, breaking the radio silence he's maintained for several months. The releases came on a site called thisisthealbum.com, which also hosts a new video for the song called "4 My 1," which features dimly lit shots of Jaden bouncing and dancing down a street while unleashing Jaden-ism after Jaden-ism.

For example: "What is you talking about? What is you talking about?," he raps, before answering his own question: "I'm talking about reading a book up in London and walking around till it's dark out." Read more here.

More on Jaden Smith - Jaden Smith Music, DVDs, Books and more - Jaden Smith T-shirts and Posters


The Walking Dead Mid-Season Premiere Preview Goes Online
(Radio.com) It's been a loooong two months since we last saw a new episode of The Walking Dead. But let's be honest: we needed that time to recover from the mid-season finale which saw the death of (do we need to say "Spoiler alert" here?) Beth (played by Emily Kinney).

This weekend, TWD returns, and AMC has just posted the first two minutes of the mid-season premiere (watch the video above). The first thing we see is a shovel, digging in the dirt, presumably digging her grave.

Soon we see Beth's sister Maggie (Lauren Cohan) weeping, and we hear Father Gabriel Stokes (played by Seth Gilliam, and BTW, we don't trust this guy, do we?) reading a eulogy. Noah (Tyler James Williams), Beth's friend from the hospital, weeps.

"We know if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens," says Father Gabriel, calmly, as we see photos of what seems to be a young Noah with another boy, possibly a friend or brother. Read more and watch the preview

Read more here.

More on Walking Dead - Walking Dead DVDs and Blu-Rays


Wait there is more!

Read Today's Day in Rock report for even more music news!

Share this article

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it Share on Reddit email this article



Click here to read today's full Day in Rock report

tell a friend about this article

.


...end




advertisement