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Sheryl Crowe Headlining Montreal’s Pop Music Festival 2014 (audio)

Sheryl Crow is among the acts headlining this year’s Pop Montreal 2014 music festival, which is gaining on its more establish jazz festival, with such acts as Ronnie Spector, Suzanne Vega and others. Plus, Juno award winners A Tribe Called Red will play a free concert at Place Émilie-Gamelin. The Canadian city has made music one of its tourism calling cards and definitely knows how to throw a party....
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Iggy Azalea Slams Fan Bullying With Her Own Sharp Words on Twitter

Iggy Azalea responded to a raft of fan push-back for slamming rapper Nicki Minja with some choice words of her own blasting fans for taking sides, cracking jokes about artists and starting feuds. She was particularly harsh on those fans who “have done NOTHING. NOTHING! With your lives.” After Iggy's album came out, some critics proclaimed her the next big thing in rap, which didn't sit well with Minaj. ...
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Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul, Gets R-e-s-p-e-c-t From Harvard Univ.

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)....
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Lily Allen Posts Weird Selfie Dancing Topless in Spanx WTF? (watch!)

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. ...
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‘Trip-Hop’ Trio London Grammar Is Latest to Storm America (video!)

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....
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Lana Del Rey Delivers New Wispy Ballad ‘Shades of Cool’ (listen!)

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.”...
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Lea Michele New ‘On My Way’ Video Lacks Her Own Music Style (watch!)

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....
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Bilal Finally Steps Out of the Wings With New Album ‘A Love Surreal’

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....
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Gwen Stefani, Pharrell Hit Voice With Hollaback Throwback (watch!)

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....
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Chris Martin Dances With Abandon With Coldplay on SNL (watch)

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...
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Rita Ora Horror! She Goes Down for Terry Richardson (photos!)

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....
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Rob Cantor Is Not A Trampoline, Even If His Career Seems Like One

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. ...
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Rihanna Sizzles, Topless to a Hot Brazilian Beat in Vogue (14 photos!)

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....