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    Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul, Gets R-e-s-p-e-c-t From Harvard Univ.

    Keith Girard
    Aretha Franklin, who demanded r-e-s-p-e-c-t in her hit 1967 song, won the ultimate respect from Harvard University. The esteemed institution bestowed her with an honorary Doctor of Arts degree. The university announced this year’s honorees today (May 29) on its Web site. The list includes Former New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (Doctor of Laws), Former President George H.W. Bush (Doctor of Laws) and novelist Isabel Allende (Doctor of Letters)....
    R & B
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    Lily Allen Posts Weird Selfie Dancing Topless in Spanx WTF? (watch!)

    Keith Girard
    Lily Allen, the whimsical UK singer, danced like no one was watching wearing nothing but spanx. Except she filmed the whole thing and posted it on Instagram. No explanation, except to say she thought it was “cool.” Allen, 29, looked like she was in her dressing room, apparently getting ready for a show, when she filmed herself. Allen was in Glasgow, Scotland over the weekend performing in the BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend concert. ...
    HIP-HOPMusic
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    ‘Trip-Hop’ Trio London Grammar Is Latest to Storm America (video!)

    Winchester
    I’ve been listening pretty much non-stop for the past week or so to the latest discovery from the U. K. The collection, from the trio London Grammar, could be the best yet out of Great Britain, and that’s saying a lot. The British invasion in its latest incarnation has produced such artists as Adele, Amy Winehouse, Florence Welch, Duffy, Ellie Goulding and Jessie J. London Grammar bills itself as a Brit trip-hop trio. The group consists of stunning Hannah Reid, Dan Rothman and Dominic ‘Dot’ Major....
    BETWEEN THE LINESPOP
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    Lana Del Rey Delivers New Wispy Ballad ‘Shades of Cool’ (listen!)

    Keith Girard
    Lana Del Rey sings in her signature wispy style in her new melodic ballad “Shades of Cool.” The song departs from her previous work in at least one way: it’s less fatalistic than most of her previous work. This time out the 27-year-old singer is hooked on a boyfriend who is all about “blue eyes and jazz and attitude.”...
    POP
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    Lea Michele New ‘On My Way’ Video Lacks Her Own Music Style (watch!)

    Keith Girard
    Lea Michele’s new video for her song “On My Way” features her signature look, but doesn’t really establish a musical style she can call her own. It’s pretty much homogenized pop in look and feel. Michele is sexy enough. She’s honed her moves for the camera during five seasons on the hit Fox television show “Glee.” She’s drawn comparisons to Cher Lloyd and even to Lana Del Rey, although we don’t see it. Other artists drawing mentions are Iggy Azalea and Christina Aguilera....
    POP
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    Zach Martin Has Seen It All in Radio, From Beatles to Boomer’s Zoomer

    Winchester
    Radio-vet Zach Martin, head of Creative Services for WFAN (66AM) in New York City, has seen a lot of radio history in his career. But even he’s surprised by the changes in modern radio. Today, many radio listeners are probably unaware that on-air announcers (called DJ’s) once actually programmed their own music. Nowadays, it’s all done by computers and focus groups....
    BETWEEN THE LINES
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    Bilal Finally Steps Out of the Wings With New Album ‘A Love Surreal’

    Keith Girard
    Bilal’s list of collaborators reads like most people’s playlists: The Roots, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Erykah Badu, Common, John Legend, J Dilla, and Robert Glasper. But to get to this point in his career, it took a lot of waiting. Late 2013 brought the release of A Love Surreal, distributed by eOne Music. In support of the album, Bilal played at Stage 48 in Manhattan last weekend (May 9), with more touring to be expected....
    JAZZ
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    John Lennon’s Doodles, Cartoons, Poems Heading for Auction in NYC

    Keith Girard
    John Lennon best known as a world-class musician with The Beatles. was also a world-class doodler and writer. Now some of his non-musical works, including nonsense poems, doodles and comic drawings, are heading for auction in New York City. Lennon produced the material during the 1960s at the height of the band’s fame, when “Beatlemania” was sweeping the world. Publisher Tom Maschler saw Lennon’s drawings and writings in 1962 and convinced him to write and illustrate a book....
    ArtAUCTIONS
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    Gwen Stefani, Pharrell Hit Voice With Hollaback Throwback (watch!)

    Keith Girard
    Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams, the newest coaches on ABC’s “The Voice,” gave a glimpse of what they’ll bring to the show last night (May 6) with a kickin’ rendition of Stefani’s 2004 hit, “Hollaback Girl.” The song has a lot of meaning for both. The song appeared on Stefani’s debut solo album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby and Pharrell co-wrote it with her and Chad Hugo....
    DANCE
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    Chris Martin Dances With Abandon With Coldplay on SNL (watch)

    Keith Girard
    Chris Martin, recently “uncoupled” from wife of 10 years Gwyneth Paltrow made his first public performance since their split, dancing with abandon to “A Sky Full Of Stars” on Saturday Night Live. Martin, frontman for UK supergroup Coldplay, has accepted much of the blame for the break of his marriage and the couple is trying to move on with some New Age assistance. Paltrow and Martin announced the split in March...
    ROCK
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    Rita Ora Horror! She Goes Down for Terry Richardson (photos!)

    Keith Girard
    Rita Ora, the British singing sensation has found a way to raise her profile on this side of the pond. She sheds almost all her clothes for photographer Terry Richardson, who has a knack for getting celebrities to disrobe, despite his pervy reputation. Ora, a Rihanna look-a-like, scored the most No. 1 singles on the UK Singles Chart two years ago with her captivating mezzo-soprano vocal range....
    CELEBRITIES
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    Miley Cyrus, Back On Her Feet, Talks About ‘Scary’ Drug Reaction (listen!)

    Keith Girard
    Miley Cyrus, who was laid up in the hospital for almost two weeks after an allergic reaction to an antibiotic, is out, back on her feet and ready to resume her concert schedule. She talked about her “poisoning” with Ryan Seacrest on his radio show. Calling the experience scary Miley related: “I had basically been poisoning myself with something I didn’t know I was really scary allergic to.”...
    CELEBRITIES
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    Rob Cantor Is Not A Trampoline, Even If His Career Seems Like One

    Keith Girard
    Rob Cantor first found the national spotlight as a singer-songwriter in the Michigan-rooted quintet Tally Hall. With four lead vocalists (and five songwriters), the band’s unique, genre-bending sound and highly-cerebral music videos helped cultivate a cult following that seemed to put them on a fast-track to success. Their popularity led to a record deal with Atlantic Records and the release of their debut studio album, Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum. Then, the wheels came off. ...
    POP
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    Rihanna Sizzles, Topless to a Hot Brazilian Beat in Vogue (14 photos!)

    Keith Girard
    Rihanna has been out of the spotlight since her last tour ended, but she’s still raising eyebrows with stunning photos like her spread in the new issue of Vogue Brazil. In the Latin American country, famed for it’s expansive beaches, the air is cool, the sun is hot and women wear little or no clothing. Needless to say, the Barbadian singer goes native....
    R & B