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• Morrissey signed with Lost Highway to release his next album Years of Refusal Stateside. Refusal is due out February 17th, with a single “Black Cloud” out February 2nd. The former Smiths singer will also tour the U.S.

• The Pretenders will release an iTunes Originals set of their reimagined hits on December 23rd. The band will also unwrap a digital holiday EP, featuring Chrissie Hynde take on songs like “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” and “Blue Christmas.”
• Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks live from the Hollywood Bowl will be released in early ‘09 on the rocker’s own label, Listen to the Lions Records, which will be distributed by EMI.
• While CDs struggle, DVDs are seemingly doing pretty well: The ABBA-infused Mamma Mia! film sold 2.25 million copies in the U.S. its first week. In the U.K., the DVD sold 3.2 million to break Titanic’s decade-old first week record.