Quick Hits: BET Awards, ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Awards, John Legend, Bon Jovi, Breaking Benjamin, Van Halen, Blur, Pixies
June 29, 2009
Beyoncé
While Sunday's BET Awards were largely dedicated to honoring the memory of Michael Jackson, the network also handed out over a dozen trophies during the night as well. Beyoncé won two awards: Best Music Video for "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" and Best Female R&B Artist. Ne-Yo was named Best Male R&B Artist, with Lil Wayne winning for Best Male Hip-Hop Artist. M.I.A. won for Best Female Artist, Day26 won as Best Group and Keri Hilson was named Best New Artist. "Live Your Life" from T.I. f/Rihanna won the Viewer's Choice award, while host Jamie Foxx won Best Collaboration for "Blame It," his tune with T-Pain.
Last Friday, June 26, ASCAP hosted its 22nd Annual Rhythm & Soul Music Awards in Los Angeles. The ceremony honored Michael Jackson with a moment of silence, a video montage and Ne-Yo covering "Lady In My Life." The Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award was given to Smokey Robinson, while the ASCAP Golden Note Award went to Alicia Keys, who also won three more Awards during the evening. Mikkel Eriksen & Tor Hermansen (aka Stargate) and C. "Tricky" Stewart & The-Dream were named Songwriters of the Year. ASCAP named EMI Music Publishing as Publisher of the Year.
Cherry Lane Music Publishing has extended its publishing deal with John Legend. The deal will cover all songs in Legend’s current catalog as well as future works. The extension of the relationship also includes a new joint venture partnership between Legend and Cherry Lane, named HomeSchool Music, to sign writers to the roster. Legend commented, "I've had such a great, successful working relationship with Cherry Lane. It felt right to expand the partnership and create a new business venture. I look forward to working with them further and finding and developing new talent."
Jon Bon Jovi and exiled Iranian singer Andy Madadian have covered Ben E. King's classic "Stand By Me" as a message of solidarity to the people of Iran. The track was produced by Don Was and also features Richie Sambora on guitar. Was tells Billboard that the song, which is currently found online as an embeddable video, "is not for sale. It wasn't intended to be on the Billboard charts, wasn't meant to be a hit record or even pressed on a CD. It's intended to be downloaded and shared by the Iranian people. The whole idea was to get it into Iran and tell them... to carry on, that the world is watching and we're with you." You can hear the cover in the video below:
Breaking Benjamin have recording the follow-up to 2006's Phobia. The rockers announced on their website that they are in the studio with producer David Bendeth and working on a new track called "I Will Not Bow."
Congratulations to Eddie Van Halen, who married girlfriend Janie Liszewski on Saturday. Van Halen's son Wolfgang served as the best man for his father's second marriage, while his brother/drummer Alex Van Halen officiated the ceremony, according to People magazine.
The reunited Blur will release an online-only live album documenting their headlining gigs on July 2 and 3 in London's Hyde Park. Both shows will be released via blur.co.uk.
The Pixies will play a fall tour of the U.K. and Europe, honoring the 20th anniversary of their album Doolittle. The band will play the entire record, along with its b-sides, every night. The tour begins with two nights in Dublin on October 1 and 2 and winds up in Paris on October 15.
