• Chart Roundup: T-Pain’s sophomore album Epiphany debuted atop this week’s Billboard charts with 171,000 copies sold. Rihanna’s Good Girl Gone Bad came in at the #2 spot, selling 162,000 copies and edging Sir Paul McCartney’s Memory Almost Full by only 1,000 copies. If T-Pain and Rihanna outselling Paul McCartney proves anything, it’s that we need to open more Starbucks. Despite the debut-heavy top three, combined album sales were still down 8.3 percent compared to the same week last year.
• Best news ever: Radiohead are “nearly there” with “there” being the completion of the band’s new album.
• Only Lollapalooza would be cruel enough to schedule Regina Spektor, The Hold Steady, Roky Erickson, and CSS sets all at the same time on four different stages.
• Tony Soprano is not dead, according to Journey’s Steve Perry, who refused to let “Don’t Stop Believin’” soundtrack a Soprano family massacre.
• Watch Justin Timberlake’s new video for “Lovestoned,” which clocks in at a modest, un-“What Goes Around…”-like 4 minutes and 54 seconds.
• Shh… The White Stripes are supposedly playing a secret show in NYC at the venue formerly known as Irving Plaza (and now known as the Fillmore East) on June 19th.

Photo: Getty

• Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy will guest-star, fittingly, as The Voice of God in an upcoming episode of the Comedy Central cartoon Lil’ Bush. Other rockers getting in on the animated, Bush-bashing fun are Frank Black, who will talk on behalf of Satan, Dave Grohl, and members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Iggy Pop lends his larynx to the reoccurring role of Lil’ Donald Rumsfield.
• Katherine McPhee, already the black sheep of American Idol, will make her big screen debut by starring in an independent film, The Last Caller.” Are you surprised by her secret hipster coolness? She thought you might be. “It’s something that a lot of people wouldn’t expect me doing,” the almost Idol said of the role.
• Download Ziggy Marley’s new single “Into the Groove” from his sophomore solo album “Love is My Religion” here, where you can also check out an interview with the artist.
• What would happen if someone shot over 70,000 still photographs and made them into a music video? Find out by watching the new video for The Polyphonic Spree’s “Running Away.”
• According to reports, Jay-Z and Beyonce are rumored to be engaged for the 748th time since April.
• Watch this incredible a cappella interpretation of Grizzly Bear’s “Knife” by some collegiate barbershop octet.

• Prince has declined an invitation from Michael Jackson to rule arenas the world over on a joint tour. We imagine that after complaining about Prince’s snub at the Sultan of Brunei’s son’s birthday party (which netted The King of Pop $10 million just for showing up), a vindictive Jackson swore he’d spend the appearance fee on buying the rights to Prince’s music.
• Graduation is coming a half-semester early as Kanye West has pushed the release date for his forthcoming album up to late August.
• Listen to clips from Clive Davis’ favorite album of 2007, Kelly Clarkson’s My December.
• Marilyn Manson has been reading way too much UsWeekly (which is a good thing…) When he’s not out gallivanting with his 18-year old girlfriend and carrying around pictures of Justin Timberlake, Manson likes to discuss that time Lindsay Lohan showed him her “fire crotch.”
• MTV Unplugged is being reborn. The concert series that brought us iconic acoustic performances by Nirvana and Bob Dylan back when MTV still showed music programming is back with acts like… Bon Jovi and Kenny Chesney. As mentioned earlier, The Police will tape one as well.
• Just in case you didn’t hear him the first million times, Johnny Marr reiterates that there is no way The Smiths are reuniting.

• As promised, here’s Amy Winehouse gracing the cover of the next issue of Rolling Stone, on stands nationwide this Friday. Come back tomorrow to get all the smoking details from our definitive profile.
• Billboard Roundup: Linkin Park’s one week reign has ended at the hands of Maroon 5’s It Won’t Be Soon Before Long, which debuted at #1 with 429,000 copies sold. Linkin Park came in at #2 despite a 68 percent sales decline for their album Minutes to Midnight. Three more debuts made the Top 5: Ozzy Osbourne’s Black Rain, U.S.D.A.’s Cold Summer and The Used’s Lies For The Liars. Maroon 5 also set the record with most digital album sales in one week with 102,000, beating the record Linkin Park set last week. Despite the big debuts, album sales were still down 16.7 percent over the same week last year.
• Not satisfied with already owning The Beatles, Michael Jackson has staked his claim in both Shakira and Eminem.
• Katherine McPhee feels she’s not being allowed American Idol visitation rights.
• Check out this video of the Arcade Fire covering indie-favorites Clinic’s “Distortions.”
• Babyshambles are hard at work in a London studio, working on their next album. Maybe that’s why Pete Doherty didn’t show up for a DJ gig last night.

• The British diva who’s making major waves in the U.S. will be on the next cover of Rolling Stone. An in-depth profile on the songstress thus far, our story follows her to Florida for her shotgun wedding and reveals which music legends motivate Winehouse to sing. Check back tomorrow for a peek at the exclusive photos.
• Who wants new music? Check out leaked songs from Ryan Adams (“Everybody Knows”), the White Stripes (“Conquest” & “You Don’t Know What Love Is”), Lauryn Hill (“Lose Myself”), and The New Pornographers (“My Rights Versus Yours”)
• Justin Timberlake is launching his own record label, dubbed Tennman Records, to be a joint venture with Interscope Records. Although no artists have been signed yet, it’s safe to assume Marilyn Manson wants in.
• Check out this video of vertigo-stricken Sufjan Stevens performing atop a steep roof in Cincinnati.
• Britney Spears opens up to her fans in a long, grammatically-imperfect letter posted on her website. Spears pulls at heartstrings as she discusses rehab, her children, and her anxiousness to meet God. So much sincerity, you almost forget the letter resides next to a glamour shot of a topless Britney.

• Yesterday at the Phil Spector trial, details of infamous missing “fingernail” finally emerged. The gunpowder-stained fingernail, alleged to have been shot off of Lana Clarkson’s hand as she defended herself against Spector, was confiscated by forensic expert/Court TV star Dr. Henry Lee. Lee not only has yet to turn over the fingernail to authorities, he denies even finding the fingernail, rendering a valuable piece of evidence for the prosecution missing. Also on Wednesday, jurors were treated to gory crime scene photographs of the Clarkson’s death, as well as testimony from the paramedic who declared the former actress DOA. The trial is in recess until next week.
• We don’t know what provoked Marilyn Manson to cover Justin Timberlake’s “What Goes Around” but we assume it has something to do with the strange influence dating a 19 year old has had on his iPod.
• Ex-Soundgarden/Audioslave singer Chris Cornell and Snoop Dogg are set to headline the Hamburg, Germany portion of Live Earth. Insert “If they let Snoop Dogg in the country” joke here.
• Paul Simon briefly reunited with Art Garfunkel in Washington DC to commemorate Simon winning the inaugural Library of Congress Gershwin Award.
• The Strokes are taking 2007 off in an effort to avoid releasing another First Impressions Of Earth

• Ryan Adams appeared at a Louisville concert this weekend wearing a shower cap, white plastic sunglasses and a hoodie. Adams reportedly kept the stage banter to a minimum, but during the 20-minute show, the Easy Tiger material he played was reportedly “excellent.”
• Faux-metal band Spinal Tap wants The Office mastermind Ricky Gervais to join them onstage at Live Earth. On a comedic scale of 1 to 10, this is an 11.
• The Killers’ Brandon Flowers has bronchitis, forcing the band to cancel shows in Denver, Seattle and the KROQ Weenie Roast. Make-up dates have been announced.
• Wu-Tang’s Method Man was pulled over in NYC and charged with unlawful possession of 28 grams.
• Nelly is set to pimp both Pimp My Ride and energy drink Pimp Juice in South Africa.
• The John Mayer/Jessica Simpson relationship is reportedlyover.
• The Strokes and challengers-to-the-Youtube-throne IMEEM are teaming up by showcasing an alternate video for the song “You Only Live Once.” It will be directed by Star Wars art director Wayne Fu, who channels Kubrick’s 2001 for the new video.
• The wait is over: Ween will release a brand new EP on June 8th, followed by a new album later this year.

• Will Phil Spector be acquitted thanks to Little Man Syndrome? In a 2005 videotaped confession of innocence aired last night, 5′ 5” Spector noted it would be geometrically impossible for him to kill 6′ 2” Lana Clarkson (with heels on), based on the downward angle of the gunshot. Testimony resumes Monday morning.
• Paris Hilton has managed to cut her jail time in half, thanks to her “good behavior.” The good behavior in question: She showed up to a court date. If only Phil Spector had it so easy.
• Coney Island’s own Siren Festival has announced its first wave of performers. Leading the charge are the New York Dolls, We Are Scientists, The Noisettes and more.
• Cee-Lo and Dangermouse will join forces once again for the new Gnarls Barkley album, expected to drop this September.
• Animal Collective has revealed the details of their next album, Strawberry Jam, due this autumn.
• Mash-up master Girl Talk has quit his day job to focus full-time on music and going to Pittsburgh Pirates games.

• As promised, here’s the Web debut of Rolling Stone’s new cover, featuring the rock & roll combo of Johnny Depp and Keith Richards. Come back tomorrow for an excerpt of our lively and hilarious Q&A with the Pirates of the Caribbean III stars.
• Chart Roundup: Michael Buble’s Call Me Irresponsible makes the quantum leap from #2 last week to #1 this week, as Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s Strength & Loyalty enters the chart in the second spot. While we’re kinda creeped out by the image of 119,000 people rushing out for the new Bone Thugs album, we take solace in the fact that Bjork’s Volta came in at #9 and Elliott Smith’s posthumous New Moon came in at #24.
• Fergie gets introspective (boring) in her new video for “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” In the video, Fergie lies in bed with that guy from Heroes for what seems like an eternity, then performs with a back-up band that looks like it’s auditioning for Rock Star: Smashmouth.
• According to reports, Ike Turner was arrested and locked up last night in LA. While details are sketchy, we’re pretty sure the charges stem from an outstanding felony narcotics warrant and not the usual felony wife-beating warrant.
• Details for the Brad Delp memorial concert have been announced. Delp, the former lead singer of Boston, died in March. Among the bands performing are Cheap Trick, Sammy Hagar and two Delp acts: the remaining members of Boston, and his Beatles cover band Beatlejuice.
• What happens when you combine one of the greatest actors of our time with Duran Duran? You get the inimitable Bruce Campbell singing “Hungry Like a Wolf” in this incredible commercial for Old Spice. [via PopCandy]
• Christina Aguilera has received a rare thumbs-up from China’s censors to perform live in Shanghai. Last year, the Rolling Stones and Jay-Z both had to cancel concerts in China due to their “indecent lyrics.” We assume the Chinese Ministry of Culture hasn’t really listened to Aguilera’s “Candyman.”

• The M+Ms, aka Britney Spears and dancers, are bringing their not-so-secret act to Florida for two “concerts.” Brit promises she’ll lip-synch even better in Miami than she did in San Diego.
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Istanbul, Turkey have been added to the roster of cities participating in the Al Gore-endorsed Live Earth concert series on July 7th. The “24-hour, 7-continent” affair also includes New York, London, Sydney, Johannesburg, Shanghai and Hamburg. No word yet on the brave souls who will play Live Earth: Antarctica, but we recommend the Arctic Monkeys, Ice Cube and The Avalanches, for synergy reasons.
• The other day, we gave you a preview of Ryan Adams’ new album Easy Tiger. Now you can listen to his song “Two” for yourself. That’s new mother Sheryl Crow on background vocals. [via Stereogum]
• The Thrills have announced the details of their new album Teenager, their first album in three years. Notice how the supposed “hidden” track is totally revealed.
• Producer Rick Rubin is officially taking his genius to Columbia Records.

• Fans of Pirates of the Caribbean, look no further. Our next cover story is a Q&A with the most rock & roll “father and son” of all time: Keith Richards and Johnny Depp. Come back Wednesday for a look at the bitching cover image and a peek at the story. Tomorrow we’ll drop our lead album review, in which Rob Sheffield gives Wilco’s new disc four stars.
• Speaking of Wilco, Jeff Tweedy and co. ask (very politely) that you please purchase their new four-star album Sky Blue Sky when it comes out tomorrow.
• After you’re finished stealing Paul McCartney’s recently-leaked Memory Almost Full, make amends by legally downloading the remainder of Paul McCartney’s solo works.
• More post-Imus fallout? The new 50 Cent video “Amusement Park” has been deemed too hot for MTV.
• Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin, and whoever else is in the new Smashing Pumpkins have announced a two-city residency to promote their new album Zeitgeist. During the 17-gig residencies (8 shows in San Francisco and 9 in Asheville, NC) the band will be “taking chances in the hope of taking fans, and their music, to new places.” By new places, we assume they mean Asheville, NC. Full press release after the jump.

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• Prince announced today that he will play a mind-boggling 21 shows in London, starting with seven nights at the O2 Arena on August 1st. Not only will these shows likely be awesome, but they will also be cheap. Ticket prices have been set at £31.21 — an apparent reference to the title the Purple One’s last album. Ticket buyers will also get a copy of the singer’s new, as-of-yet-untitled studio album. “Last time I was here, a lot of people didn’t get to see me, so we’re trying to make it affordable,” Prince said. “That’s why we’re doing an extended stay. I got used to this while working in Las Vegas. I also have a wide fanbase, which come to multiple shows all the time.”
• Nothing says “we miss you Princess Diana” like a Spice Girls reunion, apparently. In a potentially dangerous confluence of ’90s zeitgeist, the Spice Girls are rumored to be reuniting to play the upcoming Princess Diana memorial concert. The request supposedly came from Prince William and Prince Harry themselves. That’s weird.
• On May 12 Wilco will take over Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion.” We feel comfortable saying this will be better than the movie.
• The Australian Live Earth show will feature performances by Crowded House, Wolfmother, Toni Collette with her band the Finish (apparently Toni Collette has a band called the Finish), and Jack Johnson. Okay. Cool.
• Tori Amos is currently writing a musical and you should be stoked, but she can’t really talk about it. “I think I am writing a musical! I’m gushing but I’m under lock and key,” the singer teased. “I’m trying to be Lloyd Webber and Rice. I’m trying to be both. I’m busy.”

• For those of you who haven’t been Tivo-ing the Phil Spector trial, here’s a little update: The defense is claiming Lana Clarkson shot herself, while the prosecution is claiming Spector had a history of pulling guns on women he was dating. Phil’s hairdo is holding steady.
• The U.S. installment of the Virgin Festival is starting to look pretty good. The event, which takes place at Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course on August 4th and 5th, now features the Yeah Yeah Yeahs as well as The Police, Bad Brains, Smashing Pumpkins (playing one of their first gigs in years), Modest Mouse, Wu-Tang Clan and Amy Winehouse, among others.
• Gossip frontwoman Beth Ditto will now be writing a weekly advice column for the Guardian. We will be reading it.
• A new version of Alien Rock: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Extraterrestrial Connection looks at Mick Jagger’s apparent thing for UFOs. The book claims that he saw a UFO sometime in 1968, which led Jagger to develop a life-long passion for UFOs.
• Bez has been refused entry to the U.S.A. to play the first Happy Mondays show in the States for 15 years. The Mondays were set to perform at Coachella, and will still play, but will have to do so without their lead member after his application for a visa was rejected.

• Rumor has it that Kelly Clarkson’s appearance on tonight’s super-obscenely-special-must-see-amazing-fabulous episode of American Idol (it’s all for a good cause so you’re supposed to feel guilty if you don’t watch) will involve her singing a cover of Patty Griffin’s “Up to the Mountain” with Jeff Beck of all people. You know we’ll be watching.
• You gotta admire Pharrell’s commitment to getting his flop of a solo album — 2006’s In My Mind — some play. The guy apparently stalked ?uestlove into teaming up with him to re-work the albums tracks and wants to re-release it with the new title Out of My Mind. “Pharrell called me at 4 a.m. like three times in a row from Japan,” ?uestlove said. “I picked up and in his ’sell a drowning man water’ mode, he sold me on the album: ‘I need to make this world see my vision with this record. Please help me translate it, man!’ He had me dressing and in the studio starting this record five hours later.” No word yet on whether Pharrell’s label, Interscope Records, is behind the re-release.
• We’re still in awe of the sheer quantity of drugs Willie Nelson was busted for possessing back in September. All these months later it’s good to hear that Nelson’s only punishment for his victimless crime is six months probation and the payment of $1,024. St. Martin Parish Assistant District Attorney Chester Cedars said he dismissed the citations against both Nelson and his tour manager because there was no indication they “had anything to do with the contraband.” Comedy.
• Someone at iTunes UK is cowering behind the watercooler right now as yesterday’s rumors that Bjork’s new album Volta leaked on iTunes two weeks before its release date seem to have actually been true. Volta was available on UK iTunes late from Monday night to early Tuesday morning.
• FINALLY The Long Blondes‘ album Someone to Drive You Home is coming out here in the states (on June 5th). We’ve had a serious crush on the band’s cheeky new wave sound forever, so we’re almost as psyched the record will be available here as we are that they are planning to tour in support of it. Dates after the jump. [via BrooklynVegan]

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• Remember what Eddie Van Halen looked like before he headed off to rehab? This is him now. What a difference a month-plus and several hundred dollars of highlights can make. Rock on Eddie.
• LIFEbeat, a U.S. charity dedicated to educating young people about HIV/AIDS prevention, is organizing a series of after-party shows and other performances by artists, the proceeds from which (tickets are $10) will go to fund the charity’s work. The artists involved include the Fratellis, the Hold Steady, Third Eye Blind, Duncan Sheik and Lesley Gore.
• Damon Albarn said there will be no more Gorillaz records. “We’re trying to make a film next, starting in September hopefully. It will be a film score,” the rocker said of the band’s next project. “There won’t be another pop record.”
• Morrissey is already planning to snub his potential nomination to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame next year. The notoriously particular rock and pop cultural visionary is – along with the rest of the Smiths – reportedly on the short list of possible inductees, but the Mozzer has said he won’t attend the ceremony because of his ongoing issues with drummer Mike Joyce. “Morrissey has never forgiven Joyce and if organizers think he’s going to bury the hatchet by joining him to accept this award, they’ve got another thing coming. The only way he could be persuaded to turn up would be if Joyce decides not to attend,” a source explained.
• Check out new Bob Dylan North American tour dates. The whole list is after the jump.
• Interpol may or may not be releasing their forthcoming new album on July 10th. (Or is it October 7th?) [via Pitchfork]

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