‘Rebuilt By Humans’ debuts at Number 3!

Following his second album ‘Rebuilt By Humans’ going straight in at number 1 on iTunes, and number 3 in the album charts, Newton Faulkner announces his brand new single “Over And Out” set to be released on November 29, 2009.

Watch Over and Out video:

Although he has only just embarked on his current sold out tour, he has also announced a new must-see 14-date UK tour, starting in Galway on 27th February 2010 and finishing at London’s Hammersmith Apollo on 17th March 2010. Tickets went on sale Friday 9th October.

‘Rebuilt By Humans’ is the follow-up to his debut album, the Number 1, million-selling ‘Hand Built By Robots’ – which spent over 10 months inside the Top 40 Album Chart, and became one of the Top 20 Biggest Selling UK digital albums of all time, producing massive hit singles like “Dream Catch Me”, which spent an outstanding 43 Weeks in the Top 100.

There’s a good reason why the Brit-nominated the acoustic-guitar virtuoso Newton Faulkner’s second album is called ‘Rebuilt By Humans’. At the start of this year, the singer-songwriter broke his wrist in France and dislocated his entire right hand. Faulkner nearly lost the movement in his hand and after a series of painful procedures by French medics and a career saving operation at home in the UK, Newton was successfully rebuilt by humans and within days was back doing what he loves most, playing his guitar as taught by the legendary Eric Roche.

Newton says, “I wanted to avoid the classic second album thing of complaining about how great things have gone and all the hard work. I had brilliant fun making this album, and hopefully it sounds that way”.

Thanks to the fans and to the doctors, Newton Faulkner is back on the live circuit and can’t be missed.

Buy Music:

Newton Faulkner on amazon.co.uk

Newton Faulkner on amazon.com

Newton Faulkner 2010 tour dates:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

February 2010

27th Galway, Radisson Hotel
28th Belfast, Ulster Hall

March 2010

1st Dublin, Olympia
3rd Edinburgh, Picture House
4th Leeds, Academy
5th Bristol, Colston Hall
7th Sheffield, City Hall
8th Cardiff, St David’s Hall
9th Plymouth, Pavilion
11th Bournemouth, Opera House
12th Birmingham, Symphony Hall
14th Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall
15th Manchester, Apollo
17th London, Hammersmith Apollo

Tickets are priced £17.50, except Galway and Belfast £22, Dublin 22 euros, Cardiff and Birmingham, £17.50 /£18.50 / £19.50 and London £18.50

For the latest tour dates and information, go to:

Newton Faulkner Myspace
Newton Faulkner Official Website

Billboard cover star and US indie sensation Ingrid Michaelson will release her UK debut album ‘Everybody’ on 19 October, 2009, and the single “Maybe” on 16 November. She has also announced her biggest UK headline show to date at London’s Scala on 23 November.

Michaelson previously made her live debut on these shores with a Royal Albert Hall performance as support to Jason Mraz, and two subsequent sold-out headline shows at Water Rats and Bush Hall.

Ingrid Michaelson achieved major mainstream success on her own terms when her 2007 album ‘Girls and Boys’ sold over 400,000 copies on her label Cabin 24 Records.

Buy Music:

Ingrid Michaelson on amazon.com

Ingrid Michaelson on amazon.co.uk

The album’s success was prompted by the hit single “The Way I Am” which was featured in a major Old Navy commercial campaign and the song “Keep Breathing” which was used during the 2007 season finale of Grey’s Anatomy. The public reaction was phenomenal; Michaelson and her lyrics became Google’s two most popular searches and “The Way I Am” went on to sell 1.5 million copies.

Since breaking into mainstream consciousness, Michaelson’s ascent has continued unabated as she became history’s most successful unsigned artist.

‘Girls and Boys’ topped the Billboard Heatseeker and Alternative New Artist Album charts, while “The Way I Am” peaked at #3 on iTunes as her MySpace page received 90,000 hits per day.

Her story became a media sensation as she appeared on numerous major TV shows including Good Morning America, Conan O’Brien and Jay Leno and was featured in every magazine from Billboard and Rolling Stone to the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.

Ingrid Michaelson Widget:

Her popularity in the live arena grew relentlessly too, with a tour as support to Dave Matthews saw her play to 20,000 capacity arenas. She has also played several major festivals with the size of her headline shows also growing rapidly.

The early success of ‘Maybe’ suggests that ‘Everybody’ will prove to be another smash hit album.

The single became the most added track at Billboard’s Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks, tying with Madonna and Kelly Clarkson.

Ingrid Michaelson Official Website
Ingrid Michaelson on Twitter

Alice In Chains hit No. 1 on Billboard Rock Songs Chart with lead single “Check My Brain”

“Check My Brain” video premieres on MTV2’s Unleashed – playing every hour on the hour

Band announces European tour dates

Hailed by Spin as “one of the catchiest songs of Alice In Chains‘ history,” lead single “Check My Brain” has blanketed rock and alternative radio and rocketed straight to No. 1 on Billboard’s Rock Songs Chart and No. 1 on the R&R Rock Chart.

The riff-driven track appears on the band’s highly anticipated new album, ‘Black Gives Way To Blue’ (Virgin/EMI), available September 29, 2009.

Playboy gave the disc four stars, calling it “Alice In Chains’ Back In Black,” Revolver praised the record for its “dense tapestry of heavy guitars and soaring melodies” and Reuters wrote “the heavy guitars, submerged vocals and thunderous rhythm section assures fans that the band has lost none of its menace.”

The “Check My Brain” video premiered on MTV2’s “Unleashed,” airing every hour on the hour. It also debuted on MTVu, as well as on MTVMusic.com, MTV2.com and MTVu.com.

The clip was directed by Alex Courtes, whose credits include U2’s “Vertigo,” Wolfmother’s “Woman” and the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.”

Watch Check My Brain video:

The band (guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell, guitarist/vocalist William DuVall, drummer Sean Kinney, bassist Mike Inez) has been previewing songs from the album during their current sold-out buzz tour, which wraps September 30th at the Avalon in Los Angeles.

Alice In Chains will celebrate the release of ‘Black Gives Way To Blue’ with a special two-night performance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on September 29th and 30th.

Next up is a headlining tour of Europe, set to kick off November 12th in Glasgow.

Buy Music:

Alice In Chains on amazon.com

Alice In Chains on amazon.co.uk

Alice In Chains 2009 tour dates:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

Sept. 16 Cleveland, OH House of Blues – SOLD OUT
Sept. 17 Detroit, MI St. Andrew’s Hall – SOLD OUT
Sept. 19 Chicago, IL House of Blues – SOLD OUT
Sept. 20 Milwaukee, WI The Rave – SOLD OUT
Sept. 21 Minneapolis, MN First Ave – SOLD OUT
Sept. 24 Seattle, WA Moore Theater – SOLD OUT
Sept. 26 Portland, OR Roseland Grill – SOLD OUT
Sept. 28 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore – SOLD OUT
Sept. 30 Los Angeles, CA The Avalon – SOLD OUT
Nov. 12 Glasgow, Scotland Barrowland
Nov. 13 Birmingham, UK Birmingham Academy
Nov. 14 Manchester, UK Manchester Academy
Nov. 16 London, UK The Forum
Nov. 17 London, UK The Forum
Nov. 19 Tilburg, Holland 013
Nov. 20 Antwerp, Belgium Trix Zaal
Nov. 21 Weisbaden, Germany Schlachthof
Nov. 23 Dortmund, Germany FZW
Nov. 24 Prague, Czech Rep. Lucerna
Nov. 25 Warsaw, Poland Stodola
Nov. 27 Budapest, Hungary Petofi Csarnok
Nov. 29 Vienna, Austria Gasometer
Nov. 30 Munich, Germany Thearterfabrick
Dec. 2 Milan, Italy Alcatraz
Dec. 3 Fribourg, Switzerland Fri-Son
Dec. 4 Paris, France Bataclan

For the latest tour dates and information, go to:

Alice In Chains Official Website

Prior to the commencement of their UK tour, The Boxer Rebellion will celebrate the physical release of their highly-acclaimed album UNION with a series of free shows and signing sessions at HMV stores, including a performance at hmv’s flagship Oxford Street store on 13 September, 2009 which will be introduced by Radio 1 DJ Edith Bowman.

After each 30-minute show, the band will remain in the store to meet fans and sign advance copies of UNION.

HMV 2009 shows and signings:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

11 September – hmv Dublin, Grafton Street – 5pm
13 September – hmv London, Oxford Street – 1pm
14 September – hmv Manchester, Market Street – 5pm
15 September – hmv Newcastle, Northumberland Street – 5pm
17 September – hmv Nottingham, Wheelergate – 5pm
18 September – hmv Bristol, Broadgate – 5pm

The Boxer Rebellion shot to fame earlier this year when the digital version of their album UNION went Top 5 on both iTunes UK and US Album Charts with 48 hours, resulting in the band entering the Top 100 US Billboard Album Charts with no label backing whatsoever.

UNION also knocked My Morning Jacket off the iTunes US Alternative Albums No.1 that week, and at one point was outselling the likes of Coldplay and Kings of Leon. The CD version of the album is being manufactured and promoted in partnership with hmv, marking a ground-breaking collaboration between an artist and retailer.

The Boxer Rebellion have infamously suffered a stop-start career at the hands of a volatile music industry. The aptly-titled and self-produced UNION is the triumphant result of what can be achieved when ability, commitment and relentless drive converge towards a shared, immovable goal.

From the opening assault of “Flashing Red Light Means Go” through the insistent “Spitting Fire” to the redemptive closer “Silent Movie”, the overriding effect of UNION is of going through an emotional storm and arriving replenished on the other side.

UNION will be on sale at hmv and Fopp stores across the country, as well as in selected independent retailers. The CD version of the album includes bonus tracks as well as exclusive interviews, track-by-track commentary, and filmed lessons from the band, powered by Opendisc technology.

Buy Music:

The Boxer Rebellion on amazon.com

The Boxer Rebellion on amazon.co.uk

For more information about Boxer Rebellion, go to:

The Boxer Rebellion MySpace

The Boxer Rebellion Official Website

“Manos Al Aire” is also #1 in Italy, Colombia, Chile and Central America, as well as Top 5 in Mexico, Spain, Argentina, and Germany, where it has already been #1

“Manos Al Aire” has been a top selling digital single on iTunes, and one of the most popular ringtones from Universal Music Latino

Grammy Award winning Canadian-Portuguese superstar Nelly Furtado has made history by reaching NUMBER ONE on Billboard’s HOT LATIN SONGS chart with her single “MANOS AL AIRE,” the lead single off of ‘Mi Plan’, her fourth studio album which is her first completely recorded in Spanish.

This is the first time that a North American artist makes this achievement with a song that was originally written in Spanish, not a translated version of an English language song.

Nelly Furtado has sold over 18 million albums in her career, with close to 10 million in sales were from her last album ‘Loose,’ which was the #1 global album seller in 2007.

Nelly Furtado’s upcoming album ‘Mi Plan’ will be released on September 14, 2009 in more than 50 countries, and on September 15th in the U.S.

The first single, “Manos Al Aire”, is already a success in Germany and Italy, where it had been #1 in radio, as well as in Colombia, Chile and Central America. The single is also Top 5 in Mexico, Spain and Argentina.

Nelly Furtado, who is known for wide-ranging musical taste and her interest in different cultures, has invited a select group of international artists from diverse genres, like Alejandro Fernandez, Josh Groban, Juan Luis Guerra, Julieta Venegas, La Mala Rodriguez, Buika and Alex Cuba, which have contributed giving a special touch to the album.

Nelly has always had a bond with latin music, in 2002 she recorded a duet with Juanes, on the song “Fotografia”, which peaked to number one in 12 countries including the US. She has also collaborated with top latin artists Calle 13 and Wisin y Yandel.

On September 13th, Nelly will start an intensive promo tour, which will take her to the most important Latin and American TV shows in the U.S., and also visiting European countries such as Germany, France, Spain and England.

Buy Music:

Nelly Furtado on amazon.com

Nelly Furtado on amazon.co.uk

For more information, visit:

Nelly Furtado Spanish site on Universal

Nelly Furtado Official Website
Nelly Furtado on Twitter

2 Disc ‘Celebrate’ CD out September 21st on Warner Brothers

‘Celebration: The Video Collection DVD’ out September 28th

Warner Bros. Records has confirmed the final track listing for Madonna’s upcoming ‘Celebration’ CD – The “Ultimate” Compilation – and ‘Celebration: The Video Collection’ DVD.

The songs which were selected by Madonna and her fans have all been exquisitely remastered.

‘Celebration’ will be available as a two-CD set as well as a single CD.

‘Celebration: The Video Collection’ DVD will include unedited and never before seen footage of “Justify My Love” along with 27 Madonna videos to be released on a 2 disc DVD compilation for “the very first time” including “Into The Groove” and “Give It To Me” as well as the just completed video of Madonna’s new single “Celebration.”

Buy Music:

Madonna on amazon.com

Madonna on amazon.co.uk

Madonna clearly continues to rule the dance floor with her latest single. In the US her “Celebration” Remix EP is number 1 on iTunes Dance Album chart and number 5 on Billboard’s Club Singles Chart.

On the international front so far, the “Celebration” single is already #1 in Italy, Denmark and Holland, #2 in Japan, top 10 airplay in UK and Top 5 airplay in every other major market.

Another newly recorded song, “Revolver” featuring Lil Wayne is also included on the ‘Celebration’ CD.

Artwork for the packaging of the CD and DVD was designed by renowned street pop artist Mr. Brainwash.

Currently on tour in Europe with her sold out “Sticky & Sweet” Tour, the multi-Grammy winning Rock and Roll Hall of Famer with the highest grossing tour in history for a Female Artist, is scheduled to end her tour with her final show in Israel on September 2nd.

Watch “Holiday” video from the Virgin Tour:

Madonna Celebration CD Track Listing:

CD 1:
01) Hung Up
02) Music
03) Vogue
04) 4 Minutes
05) Holiday
06) Everybody
07) Like A Virgin
08) Into The Groove
09) Like A Prayer
10) Ray Of Light
11) Sorry
12) Express Yourself
13) Open Your Heart
14) Borderline
15) Secret
16) Erotica
17) Justify My Love
18) Revolver

CD 2:
01) Dress You Up
02) Material Girl
03) La Isla Bonita
04) Papa Don’t Preach
05) Lucky Star
06) Burning Up
07) Crazy For You
08) Who’s That Girl
09) Frozen
10) Miles Away
11) Take A Bow
12) Live To Tell
13) Beautiful Stranger
14) Hollywood
15) Die Another Day
16) Don’t Tell Me
17) Cherish
18) Celebration

Madonna Celebration DVD Track Listing:

01) Burning Up
02) Lucky Star
03) Borderline
04) Like A Virgin
05) Material Girl
06) Crazy For You
07) Into The Groove
08) Live To Tell
09) Paper Don’t Preach
10) True Blue
11) Open Your Heart
12) La Isla Bonita
13) Who’s That Girl
14) Like A Prayer
15) Express Yourself
16) Cherish
17) Vogue
18) Justify My Love
19) Erotica
20) Deeper and Deeper
21) Rain
22) I’ll Remember
23) Secret
24) Take A Bow
25) Bedtime Story
26) Human Nature
27) I Want You
28) You’ll See
29) Frozen
30) Ray Of Light
31) The Power Of Good-Bye
32) Beautiful Stranger
33) American Pie
34) Music
35) Don’t Tell Me
36) What It Feels Like For A Girl
37) Die Another Day
38) Hollywood
39) Love Profusion
40) Hung Up
41) Sorry
42) Get Together
43) Jump
44) 4 Minutes
45) Give It 2 Me
46) Miles Away
47) Celebration

Buy Music:

Madonna on amazon.com

Madonna on amazon.co.uk

Madonna Official Website

International Superstar Robbie Williams set to release his new album ‘Reality Killed The Video Star’ on November 10th

The amazing ROBBIE WILLIAMS, who has sold a staggering 55 million albums worldwide has announced that he will release his brand new album ‘Reality Killed The Video Star’ globally on November 9, 2009 followed by a digital release in the U.S. on November 10th on EMI’s Virgin Records.

Buy Music:

Robbie Williams on amazon.com

Robbie Williams on amazon.co.uk

Robbie teamed up with producer Trevor Horn (Paul McCartney, Seal, Pet Shop Boys, Cher) for ‘Reality Killed The Video Star’ which was recorded and mixed London.

Robbie Williams has consistently set new records for album and ticket sales, not least when he entered the Guinness Book of Records in 2006 having sold 1.6 million tickets on one day for his 2006 tour. That tour played to 3.7 million people in total. Three years previously he played the biggest live music event in UK history when his 3 nights at Knebworth saw him play to over 365,000 people.

Robbie has also won more Brit Awards than any other artist to date, has won 3 Ivor Novello awards for songwriting and holds the UK record for the fastest selling Greatest Hits album ever – that same album reaching number 1 in 18 countries.

For more information on Robbie Williams, please visit:

Robbie Williams Official Website

Lots of stuff happening around A-ha this week, with a big signing and performance at HMV / Westfield shopping centre in London.

Photos from the day:

Read More:

A-Ha Blog

More signing and performance pictures from the day on Flickr:

A-ha photos

A-ha Official Community Website
A-ha on Twitter

After hitting #1 on the Billboard dance chart with “Boom” her slinky, Nancy Sinatraesque 60’s era vibe first single, pop music alchemist Anjulie is gearing up for the release of her self-titled debut album from Hear Music, August 4, 2009.

Buy Music:

Anjulie on amazon.com

Anjulie on amazon.co.uk

mtvU recently tapped her as one of their “Freshman 5” this summer, one of five exciting new artists the channel believes are about to jump from college favorites to household names.

MTV has heavily supported the Adria Petty directed video for “Boom” while featuring many songs from the album in the hit shows The Hills and The City. Additionally, VH1 has showcased her songs on their show Tough Love.

USA Today recently gushed “rising indie diva” Anjulie’s music “a soul- kissed confection” and NEXT Magazine raved “The album has intelligent lyrics and a point of view. One of the few records this year we’ve loved from start to finish.”

Canadian born from Guyanese descent, singer-songwriter / multi-instrumentalist Anjulie is a captivating and authentic new talent in pop music. Ingeniously fusing the world-music rhythms and Top 40 melodies she was inspired by growing up in Toronto, she creates startlingly imaginative songs that underscore her undeniable melodic gifts and crackle with provocative, confessional, lyrical word-play.

Watch “Day Will Soon Come” video:

‘Anjulie’ was co-written with her producer and longtime songwriting collaborator Jon Levine (of Canadian R&B hit makers the Philosopher Kings), and produced by Colin Wolfe (Dr. Dre, Monica). “Boom” received heavy airplay nation-wide beginning with Santa Monica’s influential public radio station KCRW where celebrated DJ Chris Douridas first championed it.

The new single “The Rain” is a flamenco-flavored, sophisticated urban gem that hits with the sharp initial blast of her contemporaries, M.I.A., Nelly Furtado and Corinne Bailey Rae.

Anjulie has spent the year playing to rapturous audiences, including a sold-out national tour opening for Jesse McCartney while putting the finishing touches on what is sure to be one of 2009’s most exciting debuts.

Her sparkling new website can be found at anjuliemusic.com and you can follow her as she launches the new record at Twitter.com/Anjulierocks.

Beginning August 4th, ‘Anjulie’ will be available at participating Starbucks locations in the U.S. and Canada and wherever music is sold.

Anjulie Official Website

Anjulie on Twitter

Lead Single “It’s A Business Doing Pleasure With You” Goes On Sale Today (July 28th) At All Digital Retailers

On October 20, 2009, Curb Records will release ‘Southern Voice’, Tim McGraw’s first studio album in two and a half years. See below for track listing.

Lead single “It’s A Business Doing Pleasure With You” is available now at all digital retailers. An up-tempo, tongue-in-cheek tale about the price paid for loving a woman who loves designer labels, the song was penned by Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger and singer-songwriter Brett James. “It’s A Business Doing Pleasure With You” was #1 Most Added in its first and second weeks at radio and is already 15* on the Billboard Country Singles chart.

With the new album, McGraw once again pushes the bounds of his artistry with characteristic honesty, grit and soul – qualities that have, throughout history, exemplified the Southern voice.

Recorded in Nashville with his longtime producer, Byron Gallimore (Faith Hill, Sugarland, Phil Vassar), it is the follow-up to ‘Let It Go’, which debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 in April of 2007.

McGraw will support ‘Southern Voice’ with an extensive tour in 2010.

Buy Music:

Tim McGraw on amazon.com

The track listing for Southern Voice is as follows:

1. Still
2. Ghost Town Train
3. Good Girls
4. I Didn’t Know It At The Time
5. It’s A Business Doing Pleasure With You
6. If I Died Today
7. Mr. Whoever You Are
8. Southern Voice
9. You Had To Be There
10. I’m Only Jesus
11. Forever Seventeen
12. Love You Goodbye

Tim McGraw Official Website

Four hit singles, with over 9 million sold

What wakes up in Vegas…couldn’t possibly remain a secret, if it has anything to do with KATY PERRY, the Capitol Records multi-platinum singer-songwriter who has completely captured the fun, the rhythm, the smarts, the look and the sound of our times in her smash debut album ONE OF THE BOYS.

WAKING UP IN VEGAS, the fourth hit single from the album, is this week’s No. 1 most-played record on the mainstream top 40 pop radio stations across the country, an extraordinary feat of late-game staying power for Perry, whose story began, amazingly, a full fourteen months ago with the official release of Katy’s first worldwide No. 1 hit, “I Kissed a Girl.”

With the album’s second single, “Hot N Cold,” also a No. 1 in the format, Perry is only the fourth artist in the history of Billboard’s mainstream top 40 airplay chart to have scored three No. 1s from a debut album: Katy joins Ace of Base, Avril Lavigne and Lady GaGa in this accomplishment.

The public enthusiasm for Perry, her music — and, honestly, everything about her, has continued unabated since her sensational arrival and top 10 album debut: last week, Katy appeared on the popular Rockefeller Center concert series of NBC’s Today show, and on August 8th will fill in as solo host, fittingly, on her pal Ryan Seacrest’s “American Top 40″ weekly radio countdown show.

Katy Perry has also completed taping an episode of MTV’s signature Unplugged series for cablecast this year, and shot a special in-studio performance for Clear Channel Radio’s online Stripped feature. And she continues to dominate the magazine covers of 2009, most recently Billboard, Paper, Seventeen, Cosmopolitan and Complex.

Also in the upper reaches of the national pop chart, Perry is the co-writer of Kelly Clarkson’s current single, “I Do Not Hook Up,” from the No. 1 album, ‘All I Ever Wanted’.

Watch video – Waking Up In Vegas:

“Waking Up In Vegas” was co-written by Perry with veteran hitmakers Andreas Carlsson and Desmond Child. The track was produced by Greg Wells. Grammy and MTV Video Music Award winner Joseph Kahn directed the video clip, filmed in a two-day Las Vegas shoot co-starring Joel David Moore (Bones, House, Avatar, Grandma’s Boy).

Katy’s first two single releases, the seven-week Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “I Kissed a Girl” and the No. 1 mainstream top 40 radio hit “Hot N Cold,” are RIAA-certified for triple-platinum sales.

‘One Of The Boys’ also includes the #1 VH1 Countdown ballad hit “Thinking of You” and the pre-album online video blockbuster of late 2007, “Ur So Gay.”

Katy Perry is a Brit Award and MTV Europe Music Award winner, and is also a Grammy Award, MTV Video Music Award and Teen Choice Award nominee. Katy has played 150 shows around the world since she joined the Van’s Warped Tour on June 20, 2008, including 55 sold-out headlining “Hello Katy” concerts.

Buy Music:

Katy Perry on amazon.com

Katy Perry on amazon.co.uk

Katy Perry tour dates, late Summer 2009:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

July 28 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom
July 30 Atlantic City, NJ Borgata
August 2 Houston, TX Verizon Wireless
August 4 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amp. (w/No Doubt)
August 29 Los Angeles, CA tba
August 30 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
September 4 Salem, OR Oregon State Fair
September 5 Seattle, WA Bumbershoot

Photo credit: Frank Micelotta

Katy Perry Official Website
Katy Perry MySpace

Aussie band enjoys best chart bow to date as they launch Samsung Mobile™ promoted tour with featured screenings of Rock Prophecies film

Thanks to an unprecedented promotional and marketing campaign, which included a launch party/showcase at the famed Capitol Tower, as well as their current headlining tour, Powered by Samsung Mobile™ (in conjunction with The Agency Group), Aussie rock sensations Sick Puppies‘ Virgin/EMI Music album, ‘Tri-Polar’, debuts this week at #31 on the Billboard Top 200, with a total of 16.5k in sales. It is the band’s best-ever chart bow.

Buy Music:

Sick Puppies on amazon.com

Sick Puppies’ new single, “You’re Going Down,” which also served as the theme for WWE’s Extreme Rules PPV broadcast last month, cracked the Top 20 at both Active and Modern Rock stations such as WRIF Detroit, WIYY Baltimore, WCHZ Augusta, KLAQ El Paso, WHXR Portland. WSUN Tampa and WJRR Orlando. The WWE website is currently offering downloads of “You’re Going Down” through an iTunes purchase link.

The July 7 record release/tour launch event at Capitol’s famed Tower, co-sponsored by Samsung Mobile™ along with T-Mobile, featured a screening of Rock Prophecies, the documentary about the band’s good friend, legendary rock photographer Robert M. Knight, who originally took the group under his wing when they came to America, introducing them to the people who helped kick-start their stateside career. Samsung will also sponsor showings of the film along the tour route, promoting their camera phone, under the banner, Samsung Memoir Presents Rock Prophecies.

Sick Puppies are also currently featured on Joost.com’s “Countdown to Release” feature with a series of webisodes that document the making of the album at www.joost.com. They have also released a variety of exclusive content at iTunes, Napster.com and Walmart.com.

Insert the Tri-Polar CD into your computer and it will direct you to a site with access to free downloads of a pair of trailers from Rock Prophecies featuring the Sick Puppies, as well as an exclusive, previously unavailable bonus track.

Samsung’s sponsorship of the tour will include several Sick Puppies’ acoustic performances on site at T Mobile locations, a national radio promotion, as well as flat-screen and camera phone giveaways in designated markets as part of a “Roadie for a Day” promotion, with winners getting a chance to experience a day with the band, including tickets to the show in their city.

Sick Puppies will also offer three text and photo blogs a week shot with their Samsung Memoir camera phones at www.rockprophecies.com and www.SickPuppies.net/SamsungMemoirMoments. In addition, Samsung will include insert cards in the first 60,000 units of the new album, which will lead you to bounus content at www.sickpuppies.net/bonus.

Sick Puppies relocated to Los Angeles four years ago, taking the world by storm with their song, “All The Same,” used for a video shot in a Sydney shopping mall featuring their friend Juan Mann, who held up a hand-written placard offering “Free Hugs,” a clip seen by more than 10 million viewers on YouTube alone, spurring six-figure sales of their Virgin/EMI Music major label debut, ‘Dressed Up As Life’.

2009 Tour Dates:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

Thu 7/23 Chicago, IL House Of Blues
Fri 7/24 Milwaukee, WI Rave 2
Sat 7/25 Ft. Wayne, IN Pieres
Sun 7/26 Flint, MI The Machine Shop
Tue 7/28 Pontiac, MI Crofoot
Wed 7/29 Grand Rapids, MI Intersection
Thu 7/30 Toledo, OH Headliners
Fri 7/31 Chestwick, PA Chest-A-Area
Sat 8/1 Albany, NY EdgeFest
Sun 8/2 Lancaster, PA Chameleon
Tue 8/4 Allentown, PA Croc Rock
Wed 8/5 Poughkeepsie, NY Chance
Thu 8/6 Burlington, VT Higher Ground
Fri 8/7 Portland, ME The Station
Sat 8/8 Syracuse, NY WKRL
Sun 8/9 Rochester, NY
Tue 8/11 New York, NY Highline
Wed 8/12 Philadelphia, PA The Note
Thu 8/13 Baltimore, MD Recher Theatre
Fri 8/14 Jacksonville, NC Hooligans
Sat 8/15 Charlotte, NC Amos
Sun 8/16 Hilton Head, SC Shoreline
Tue 8/18 Columbia, SC Headliners
Wed 8/19 Atlanta, GA The Loft
Thu 8/20 Orlando FL House of Blues
Fri 8/21 Tampa, FL The State Theatre
Sat 8/22 West Palm, FL Respectable Street
Mon 8/24 Ft. Walton The Swamp
Tue 8/25 Baton Rouge, LA The Varsity
Wed 8/26 Layette, LA Nite Town
Sat 9/5 Seattle, WA Bubbershoot
Tue 9/8 Colorado Springs, CO BlackSheep
Wed 9/9 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater
Fri 9/11 St. Louis, MO Pageant
Sat 9/12 Noblesville, IN Verizon Wireless
Sun 9/13 Dayton, OH

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

Sick Puppies Official Website
MySpace
Sick Puppies on Twitter

The follow up to the band’s critically acclaimed, ‘Take To The Skies’, was released worldwide on June 16th and digitally in the United States.

Watch “Juggernauts” video:

The Andy Gray (U2, Korn) produced ‘Common Dreads’ has been touted by Absolute Punk as “an outlet of mammoth proportions” and by the BBC as an album “packed with anthems.”

Buy Music:

Enter Shikari on amazon.com

Enter Shikari on amazon.co.uk

Enter Shikari is currently in the States on a headlining tour with August Burns Red, Bless The Fall and I Wrestled A Bear Once and have announced they will join The Bled and Alesana on a full U.S. tour this fall.

For the latest tour dates, music and information, go to:

MySpace
Enter Shikari Official Website
Enter Shikari on Twitter

The new video for Ben Harper and Relentless7’s track “Fly One Time” debuted July 8th on AOL Music’s homepage and AOL’s Spinner.com.

The video features clips of amazing footage depicting the highs and lows of life through the eyes of incredible athletes and humanitarians.

Professional Cyclist Lance Armstrong, Pro-Big Wave Surfers Laird Hamilton and Dave Kallama, Pro-Skater Christian Hosoi, Sport Climber Lynn Hill, Tightrope Walker Nick Wallenda, Olympian Jesse Owens and spiritual leader, the Dalai Llama are all featured.

The video for “Fly One Time” also premiered internationally in Italy on MTV on July 8th and on Sympatico/MSN in Canada on July 20th. MSN in France and AOL.de in Germany will premiere the video in the coming weeks.

Ben Harper and Relentless7 will also perform the new single on the Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien on Friday, July 31, 2009.

Ben Harper and Relentless7 are in the midst of a world tour supporting their new album ‘White Lies For Dark Times’, which was released on May 5th and debuted at No. 9 on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart.

Buy Music:

Ben Harper on amazon.com

Ben Harper on amazon.co.uk

This marks Ben Harper’s 3rd consecutive Top 10 Billboard debut.

In addition, the album reached the top 10 charts in France (#6), Italy (#7) and Switzerland (#7).

The press is raving about the new album:

The Associated Press gives the album an “A,” calling it “another superb collection” while USA Today says “Harper revisits his blues-rock roots with renewed energy.” ‘White Lies For Dark Times’ is a “Critics Choice” at People Magazine and Spin dubbed it “an impressive array of American music, ranging from muddy blues to eerie folk to Hendrixian wah-wah.”

Ben Harper and Relentless7’s energetic live performance is the heart of the band. On April 22nd, they performed to over 100,000 fans at the Piazza del Popolo in Rome, Italy for the Nat Geo Earth Day Festival. The entire set also aired live on the internet for fans across the globe to watch. The band brought the same energy to Manchester, Tennessee in June where they rocked an overflowing tent with an explosive set at Bonnaroo 2009.

The band is scheduled to perform at festivals across the country and abroad including Mile High, Fuji Rock, Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits Music Festival.

Fans can also look forward to a legendary Austin City Limits television performance to air in October on PBS.

Ben Harper 2009 Festival tour dates:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

July 9 Ottawa, ON CAN Cicsco Ottawa Bluesfest
July 11 Masontown, WV All Good Festival
July 12 Montreal, QC CAN Montreal Jazz Festival
July 18 Commerce City, CO Mile High Music Festival
July 25 Niigata, JPN Fuji Rock Festival
July 26 Burnaby, BC CAN Virgin Festival
Aug 8 Chicago, IL Lollapalooza
Sept 20 Tempe, AZ Fall Frenzy
Oct 4 Austin, TX Austin City Limits Music Festival

Photo credit: Danny Clinch

“Fly One Time” video on Spinner.com

For the latest tour dates, music and more, go to:

Ben Harper and Relentless7 Official Website

Orem, Utah’s The Used, who have been tantalizing fans by previewing new songs during the Bamboozle and Bamboozle Left Festivals and during recent headlining dates, are proud to announce the release of their fourth studio album, entitled ‘Artwork’, on September 1, 2009. Starting July 21st a deluxe pre-order package of the release will be available only at www.theused.net.

Buy Music:

The Used on amazon.com

Produced by Matt Squire, ‘Artwork’ is a raw collection of eleven songs that not so delicately teeter the line between being aggressively discordant and charmingly hooky.

The first single, “Blood On My Hands” premiered June 30th; it sold over five thousand copies in the first day and shot to #9 on the iTunes Alternative Chart.

The track, which guitarist Quinn Allman describes as the song that “sums up everything about The Used” hits radio July 14th.

“Blood On My Hands” is confined chaos, brutally thrashing one moment and proffering a pop-driven, sing-along chorus the next. “Empty With You,” a track frontman Bert McCracken says is “about feeling empty and lonely but as long as you have someone who can feel lonely with you then everything’s okay,” surges with passion and gripping honesty, while “Kissing You Goodbye” balances the album’s predilection for propulsive rage with its quieter, piano-driven exploration of what it means to have someone to lean on.

“This record is more sincere,” Allman says. “It’s got a sound more reminiscent of the first record. Lyrically, it completely engulfs you and makes you feel safe but it’s all about feeling alone and empty and knowing there’s always a light. If you’re frustrated that much it means you care that much. The lyrics carry you through the record and you’re right with Bert and where he’s at. The music isn’t showing off. It’s just being what it is. I think the fans will appreciate all that.”

“This record is about coming together,” McCracken adds. “Whether it’s through positivity or negativity, it’s about coming together through anything.”

‘Artwork’ encapsulates the past eight years of this hard-touring band, which has made the rounds of Warped Tour, Ozzfest, Projekt Revolution, Give It a Name, Reading, Leeds, and Taste of Chaos. The Used have sold more than two million albums in the U.S. Their previous release, 2007’s ‘Lies For the Liars’, debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard Top 200.

The Used Official Website