*NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Destiny's Child To Play Live On 'Today'
(04.17) Source - MTV: Early birds catch the worms, and this year they'll also be able to catch live performances from *NSYNC, the Backstreet Boys, Jennifer Lopez and Destiny's Child on NBC's "Today" show.
�����Those artists, as well as Ricky Martin, Sugar Ray, Shaggy and a host of others are slated to participate in the sixth annual "Today" Summer Concert Series, a 22-week string of free, televised concerts staged outside the midtown Manhattan studios of NBC-TV's "Today" program.
�����The concerts will be held Friday mornings at 8:30 AM, with the exception of the Backsteet Boys' July 2 performance, which falls on a Monday. The "Today" Summer Concert Series lineup, according to a show spokesperson:
�����4/27 - Rod Stewart
�����5/4 - Sting
�����5/11 - Destiny's Child
�����5/18 - Ricky Martin
�����5/25 - James Taylor
�����6/1 - Gloria Estefan
�����6/8 - Trisha Yearwood
�����6/15 - Sugar Ray
�����6/22 - Prince
�����6/29 - Earth, Wind & Fire
�����7/2 - Backstreet Boys
�����7/6 - Shaggy
�����7/13 - Jennifer Lopez
�����7/20 - Jimmy Buffett
�����7/27 - Neil Diamond
�����8/3 - Ringo & His All-Starr Band
�����8/10 - Melissa Etheridge
�����8/17 - Tim McGraw
�����8/24 - *NSYNC
�����8/31 - TBA
�����9/7 - John Mellencamp
�����9/14 - Macy Gray
�����9/21 - Sheryl Crow
Preshow Recap: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards
(04.17) Source - Allstar: *NSYNC, Britney Spears, Lil' Bow Wow, and Baha Men pulled in two nominations each for 14th Annual Kids' Choice Awards, which will be telecast live on Nickelodeon Saturday, April 21.
�����All four acts are fighting it out in the Favorite Song category - *NSYNC with "Bye, Bye, Bye," Spears with "Oops! ...I Did It Again," Lil' Bow Wow with "Bounce with Me," and Baha Men with "Who Let the Dogs Out." *NSYNC and Baha Men are also up for Favorite Singing Group, along with the Backstreet Boys and Destiny's Child.
�����Spears' second nomination is for Favorite Female Singer, battling it out with Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez, and Pink. Lil' Bow Wow's second chance at a trophy is in the Favorite Male Singer category, where he's up against Ricky Martin, Sisqo, and Will Smith. Aaron Carter is the only musical act in the Favorite Rising Star category.
�����Rosie O'Donnell, the originally scheduled host, was forced to bow out to due to health issues. A slew of presenters and personalities, including Sisqo, Baha Men, Carson Daly, Tara Reid, Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Ray Romano, Jessica Alba, Rob Schneider, Jackie Chan, Tony Hawk, and The Rock, will be sharing introductory duties in her place. Performances by the Backstreet Boys, Destiny's Child, Aaron Carter, and Lil' Bow Wow are also on tap for the awards show, while 'NSync is scheduled to appear throughout the show.
�����Janet Jackson, Brandy, and Shaquille O'Neal are the only musical acts in non-music categories this year. Jackson's up for Favorite Movie Actress for The Nutty Professor II, Brandy's up for Favorite Television Actress for Moesha, and O'Neal gets a nom for Favorite Male Sports Star. Also, MTV's Total Request Live host Carson Daly is up for Favorite Television Actor. (Since when are hosts actors?) Among the nominees for Favorite Movie are Charlie's Angels and Big Momma's House, while Favorite Cartoon nominees include The Simpsons, Powerpuff Girls, and Rugrats.
�����The event will air live from Santa Monica, Calif.'s Barker Hanger on April 21 on Nickelodeon. Winners were chosen by fans, who voted at Nick.com and participating Burger King restaurants nationwide.
�����Here are the nominees in the music categories:
�����Favorite Song
�����Lil' Bow Wow, "Bounce with Me"
�����*NSYNC, "Bye Bye Bye"
�����Britney Spears, "Oops! ... I Did It Again"
�����Baha Men, "Who Let the Dogs Out"
�����Favorite Male Singer
�����Lil' Bow Wow
�����Ricky Martin
�����Sisqo
�����Will Smith
�����Favorite Female Singer
�����Christina Aguilera
�����Jennifer Lopez
�����Pink
�����Britney Spears
�����Favorite Singing Group
�����Backstreet Boys
�����Baha Men
�����Destiny's Child
�����*NSYNC
�����Favorite Band
�����Blink-182
�����Creed
�����Dixie Chicks
�����Red Hot Chili Peppers
Michael Jackson Plans Star-Studded NYC Show
(04.17) Source - Billboard: The King of Pop is celebrating his 30th anniversary as a solo artist with a regal concert. A spokesperson for Michael Jackson announced yesterday (April 16) that the superstar will be feted Sept. 7 at an all-star concert at New York's Madison Square Garden. Among the artists slated to appear are the Jacksons, Jill Scott, Whitney Houston, Britney Spears, *NSYNC, Marc Anthony, and Shaggy.
�����The concert, which will be taped for TV broadcast, will also feature a reunion between Jackson and his brothers, marking the first time all of them have performed together since the 1980s. As previously reported, the group is planning a reunion album, which will be their first since 1989's "2300 Jackson Street." Michael has not appeared on a Jackson family album since 1984's smash hit "Victory."
�����Jackson hasn't performed at a concert in the United States since his "Bad" concert tour in the late 1980s. He's working on a new album, slated for release in the fall, and will debut material from the album at the show. The success of the album is considered crucial to his career, which has suffered due to his eccentricities and allegations of child molestation.
�����In a statement, Jackson, 42, said: "I am very excited to celebrate my 30th anniversary as a solo artist with such a distinguished array of talent, friends, and fans. I look forward to performing live and reuniting with my brothers on this special night."
�����Jackson first hit the charts with the Jackson 5 in 1969, and started his career as a solo artist two years later. The title track of his 1972 solo debut album, "Got To Be There," reached No. 4 on The Billboard Hot 100. His 1982 album "Thiller" is one of the best-selling albums of all time, having been certified last year for U.S. sales of 26 million copies by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Michael Jackson Plans Anniversary Bash
(04.17) Source - Wall Of Sound: When the King of Pop throws himself a party, the whole royal chart-topping family is sure to be on the guest list. Michael Jackson's Sept. 7 Madison Square Garden bash, celebrating his 30th anniversary as a solo artist, will not only include a reunion with his brothers � the siblings broke through as the Jackson 5 in 1969 � but also feature reigning hit-makers Britney Spears, *NSYNC, Shaggy, Marc Anthony, and Whitney Houston.
�����"I am very excited to celebrate my 30th anniversary as a solo artist with such a distinguished array of talent, friends, and fans," Jackson said in a statement released through his publicist Monday. "I look forward to performing live and reuniting with my brothers on this special night."
�����Jackson, 42, was the youngest of five brothers � and the star � in one of pop's original boy bands. But shortly after the Jackson 5 topped the charts with songs like "ABC" and "The Love You Save," the 12-year-old Jackson began to branch out into a solo career. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice � with his band and as a solo artist.
�����Jackson was a dominant force in pop throughout the '80s, and his 1982 album, Thriller, is one of the top-selling albums ever. The singer has not performed a U.S. tour since the late '80s, following the release of Bad. He has long been working on a new solo album, which is due out this fall � and he plans to debut material from the album at the all-star show.
Britney Spears, *NSYNC Join Jacksons For Michael Jackson: The Solo Years 30th Anniversary Celebration
(04.16) Source - Allstar: Michael Jackson will be reunited onstage with the Jackson 5, as well as perform with the likes of *NSYNC, Britney Spears, and Whitney Houston, among others, for Michael Jackson: The Solo Years 30th Anniversary Celebration in New York City's Madison Square Garden Sept. 7th.
�����The performance, which will end Jackson's 11-year hiatus from performing in the U.S., is also set to feature 20 other guest artists, including the likes of Shaggy with Ricardo "Rikrok" Ducent, Jill Scott, and Marc Anthony as well as Mya, Tamia, and Deborah Cox, who will all perform together.
�����Jackson, along with Tito, Jackie, Marlon, Jermaine, and Randy, are on tap to reunite the Jackson 5 for the first time in 20 years to sing a medley of its Motown and Epic Records classics. Michael will also debut a new single from his upcoming, as-yet-untitled Epic album.
�����Numerous other performers are expected to be announced shortly, including a group of 40 pop, R&B, and country legends, all of which will sing a tribute to the King of Pop. Backed by a 40-piece orchestra, 12 background singers, a 300-member gospel choir, a 200-member children's choir, and 40 dancers, the concert, which will be shown throughout the world as a two-hour television special, looks to be one of the biggest live events in music this year. Chairmen for the event include such stars as Elizabeth Taylor, Gregory Peck, Yoko Ono, and Sean Lennon, among others.
�����"I am very excited to celebrate my 30th anniversary as a solo artist with such a distinguished array of talent, friends, and fans," Michael Jackson said in a statement released Monday (April 16). "I look forword to performing live and reuniting with my brothers on this special night."
�����Tickets for Michael Jackson: The Solo Years 30th Anniversary Celebration will go on sale the first week of June.
Michael Jackson To Perform With *NSYNC, Britney, Jackson 5
(04.16) Source - MTV: Long-quiet pop superstar Michael Jackson will return to the spotlight in September with a massive concert tribute to his own career that will include a reunion with the Jackson 5 and collaborations with *NSYNC, Britney Spears and Whitney Houston.
�����The September 7th event at New York's Madison Square Garden will reunite Jackson and his brothers for the first time since the '80s, with the Jacksons teaming with *NSYNC on at least one song, according to Jackson's publicists.
�����Jackson will duet with both Spears and Houston, as well as debut a new single from his upcoming album during the show, billed as Michael Jackson: The Solo Years 30th Anniversary Celebration. The show will also include performances from Marc Anthony, Shaggy, Jill Scott, Mya, Tamia and Deborah Cox.
�����"I am very excited to celebrate my 30th anniversary as a solo artist with such a distinguished array of talent, friends and fans," Jackson said in a statement. "I look forward to performing live and reuniting with my brothers on this special night."
�����According to a press release from Jackson's publicists, the show's lavish production will include a 300-member gospel choir, a 200-member children's choir, a 48-piece orchestra, 40 dancers and 12 background singers. The show will climax with "40 pop, R&B and country legends singing together" in tribute to Jackson, the press release said. The show will be taped for a two-hour television special.
�����Jackson, who was inducted last month into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (see "Aerosmith Thrilled, Steely Dan Unimpressed At Rock Hall Ceremony"), has not released a full-length album of new music since 1991's Dangerous, and has not toured the United States since the '80s.
Timberlake Gets Literary
(04.14) Source - Rolling Stone: He's been the subject of a handful of teen-targeted biographies, and now *NSYNC's Justin Timberlake will join girlfriend Britney Spears as a novelist. Timberlake has signed a deal with Ballantine Books to publish his first piece of fiction, Crossover Dribble, in what is reported to be a seven-figure deal.
�����Publishers are keeping the details of the book's storyline under wraps, but it apparently centers on a professional basketball phenom (cheekily named Jason Windriver) trying to help his team win a championship.
�����A publishing date has not yet been set for the book, nor is there any word as to whether Timberlake will be writing it by himself. Spears' novel, A Mother's Gift, was co-written by her mother, Lynne, and was published this month.
*NSYNC Tour Will Give Fans A Taste Of Celebrity
(04.13) Source - MTV: *NSYNC will make the songs on Celebrity famous this spring, before the album even comes out. The pop stars say they'll be generous with music from the record during their upcoming tour, which kicks off more than a month before the LP's release.
�����"It's kind of like we're being Napster on the road," Chris Kirkpatrick told MTV News' Chris Connelly at the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards on Tuesday.
�����*NSYNC's PopOdyssey tour gets underway May 18 at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, while the follow-up to No Strings Attached (2000) hits stores on June 26. The boy band is scheduled to play 45 dates in 38 cities.
�����"We hope that everyone's not sick of us," Justin Timberlake said.
�����"Because I'm sick of us," Kirkpatrick said.
�����The group has not yet chosen Celebrity's first single, but will do so next week, JC Chasez said. Timberlake, Kirkpatrick and Chasez attended the awards show without Lance Bass and Joey Fatone, who are in Toronto shooting the film "On the L."
�����In other 'NonSYNC news involving the boys, Timberlake said he recently met with Michael Jackson to discuss a possible collaboration.
�����"I had a couple meetings with the man himself, and he's an extraordinary artist. He kicked me out of the meeting 'cause I wouldn't stop asking for autographs," Timberlake joked. "So I don't know how far it's going to go."
Misc. *NSYNC News
(04.13) Source - Various: Here's some minor news tidbits for those of you who don't know:
�����~Pop quintet *NSYNC cleaned up at last night's Blockbuster Entertainment Awards at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The group nailed the prizes for Favorite CD (No Strings Attached), Favorite Single ("Bye, Bye, Bye"), and Favorite Pop Group at the seventh annual ceremony, which also dishes out trophies for movies and video games. Other musicians to take home hardware included Christina Aguilera (Favorite Female Artist), Eminem (Favorite Male Artist), and Destiny's Child (Favorite Group). Pink and Nelly won the female and male awards for Favorite New Artist.
�����~Rosie O'Donnell has been forced to bail on hosting Nickelodeon's 14th Annual Kids' Choice Awards on April 21 due to health reasons. The host slot will be filled by not one, but a slew of other celebrities including Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers, and an undisclosed special guest. O'Donnell has been ordered by a doctor to not travel due to unnamed health reasons. The talk show host could still be recovering from a hand injury last week, which required surgery. She was expected back to The Rosie O'Donnell Show on Monday (April 16). Among the music acts scheduled to perform at the show in Santa Monica, Calif., are the Backstreet Boys, Destiny's Child, Aaron Carter, and Lil' Bow Wow. *NSYNC, Britney Spears, Lil' Bow Wow, and Baha Men, meanwhile, pulled in two nominations each.
*NSYNC Takes Home Three Blockbuster Entertainment Awards
(04.11) Source - Allstar: *NSYNC was the big winner in the music category at the Blockbuster Awards, taking home honors for favorite CD (No Strings Attached), favorite single ("Bye Bye Bye"), and favorite pop group on Tuesday night (April 10) at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
�����Christina Aguilera, Eminem, and Destiny's Child won two awards each. Aguilera grabbed honors for female artist of the year and favorite Latino artist. Rapper Eminem also walked away with two awards: favorite male artist of the year and favorite rap artist. Destiny's Child's two Blockbuster Awards were for favorite group of the year and favorite R&B group. In addition, favorite soundtrack honors went to the Charlie's Angels soundtrack, which featured the Destiny's Child hit single, "Independent Women Part 1."
�����Among the evening's performers was Creed, which performed its hit single "Higher" from the album Human Clay. Ricky Martin performed "Loaded" from his Sound Loaded album, while LeAnn Rimes performed her Blockbuster Award-winning song "Can't Fight The Moonlight" from the Coyote Ugly soundtrack, and Stevie Nicks and Sheryl Crow collaborated on "Fall From Grace."
�����The Blockbuster Awards is one of the world's largest publicly-voted awards shows, honoring achievements in movies, music, and video games from the past year. This year, more than 22 million votes were cast in 60 categories. The Seventh Annual Blockbuster Awards ceremony taped Tuesday and will air tonight (April 11) on Fox.
*NSYNC Takes Home Three Blockbuster Entertainment Awards
(04.11) Source - Allstar: *NSYNC was the top musical act at the seventh annual Blockbuster Entertainment Awards Tuesday (April 10) night at L.A.'s Shrine Auditorium, winning Favorite CD (No Strings Attached), Favorite Single ("Bye, Bye, Bye"), and Favorite Pop Group.
�����The major music categories were mostly split, however, with a poodle-haired Christina Aguilera snagging Favorite Female Artist, Eminem taking Favorite Male Artist, and Destiny's Child walking off with Favorite Group of the Year. Pink and Nelly were the Favorite New Artists.
�����Don't look for Eminem to accept his award when the event is televised Wednesday (April 11) night, however. After escaping a jail sentence on Tuesday, the rapper was a no-show, and Blockbuster only taped the categories whose winners bothered to show up.
�����Memo to critics who complain about the GRAMMY Awards and Oscars being popularity contests: At least those awards aren't voted on by 20 million unqualified patrons of a mammoth national video chain. In fact, the need for a Blockbuster Entertainment Awards at all was a question on many minds, including presenter Paul Reiser. "They're a store, but suddenly they're an award-presenting institution," said the comedian, biting the hand that hired him. "I'm proud to say that next year I'll be presenting at Herb's Liquor Mart music awards show."
�����Fox will televise the awards Wednesday night at 8 PM EST/PST, 7 PM Central. Here is the full list of Blockbuster Entertainment Awards winners:
�����* Favorite Female Artist of the Year: Christina Aguilera
�����* Favorite Male Artist of the Year: Eminem
�����* Favorite Group of the Year: Destiny's Child
�����* Favorite Female - New Artist: Pink
�����* Favorite Male - New Artist: Nelly
�����* Favorite Group - New Artist: 3 Doors Down
�����* Favorite Artist - Rap: Eminem
�����* Favorite Female Artist - Country: Faith Hill
�����* Favorite Male Artist - Country: Tim McGraw
�����* Favorite Duo or Group - Country: Dixie Chicks
�����* Favorite Female Artist - R&B: Toni Braxton
�����* Favorite Male Artist - R&B: Joe
�����* Favorite Group - R&B: Destiny's Child
�����* Favorite Artist - Rock: Lenny Kravitz
�����* Favorite Group - Rock: Limp Bizkit
�����* Favorite CD: No Strings Attached, *NSYNC
�����* Favorite Artist - Latino: Christina Aguilera
�����* Favorite Group - Latino: Son by Four
�����* Favorite Single: "Bye, Bye, Bye," *NSYNC
�����* Favorite Female Artist - Pop: Britney Spears
�����* Favorite Male Artist - Pop: Ricky Martin
�����* Favorite Group - Pop: *NSYNC
�����* Favorite Soundtrack: Charlies Angels
�����* Favorite Song from a Movie: "Can't Fight the Moonlight" from Coyote Ugly, LeAnn Rimes
*NSYNC Meet & Greets Get A New Look
(04.10) Source - Fan Club Newsletter: *NSYNC will have a new format for what used to be called a meet and greet. There will be no meet and greet on this tour but they've replaced it with something even more fun for fan club members. They will be called Sound Check Parties. Here is a rough outline of how the Sound Check Party will work. Remember, this is a rough outline and the guys reserve the right to change it at any time.
�����*NSYNC will sound check two songs as the private audience watches. What fun to actually be in the stadium before anybody else and see and hear *NSYNC singing just for YOU! After completion of the sound check, the guys will do a question and answer session. A microphone will be available in the audience so guests can ask questions. The guys will have their microphones on stage so everybody will be able to hear both the question and the response. During the Q&A time, guests will be allowed to take photos of the guys. Once the Q&A session is over the guests will be given a pre-signed autographed picture of *NSYNC as they depart.
�����In multi-show cities the Sound Check Party will be on the first night ONLY. All guests must have a show ticket to attend a sound check party. You may still use your existing fan club request form to apply for these Sound Check Parties. We will still be drawing the winners for each city by lottery and we will still notify the winners only. If you win the lottery draw this Sound Check Party if for yourself only, no family or friends will be allowed into the stadium with you. Please make personal plans about how to meet up with your family and friends after the Sound Check Party is over.