SATURDAY NEWS WRAP #82

• Madonna’s new single ‘Give Me All Your Luvin’ is making an immediate impact on iTunes charts around the world, where the single is already heading for the top ten. As we write, the single is No.11 on the US iTunes chart, No.13 in Britain, just outside the top 30 in Japan and at No.43 on the Australian iTunes store.
• Sony Music’s latest release schedule reveals a couple of pop nuggets hitting digital retail in Australia in the next few weeks… Olly Murs’ single ‘Dance With Me Tonight’ will drop on February 24, with Carrie Underwood’s ‘Good Girl’ and Bic Runga’s ‘Hello Hello’ due on Friday March 02.
• By now you’ll be aware that there’s a corking new Ladyhawke single out and about called ‘Black White & Blue’. What you may not know, however, is that the team at her label Modular is giving away a free remix! Score! Get your mittens on the Big Pink Remix for no pennies over at THIS WEBPAGE.
• Aussie outfit Hoodoo Gurus will release their best-of album ‘Gold Watch’ on Friday March 16. The 20 track collection contains classics like ‘Waking Up Tired’, ‘My Girl’ and one of our personal faves ‘Miss Freelove ’69’. A new track called ‘Use-By-Date’ is set to open proceedings.
• US publicists have informed us that soul star Eric Benet is on the verge of releasing a new album. It’s called ‘The One’ and it’s proceeded by the single ‘Real Love’, the video for which premiered recently. Though we’re not allowed to see the clip here in Australia because of geographical restrictions, fans can stream the new single at his OFFICIAL WEBSITE.
• Darren Hayes is counting down the launch of his single ‘Bloodstained Heart’ over in the UK – and he decided to do something altogether different. He met his most dedicated fans outside London’s Somerset House and have them all a hug. Sweet! Check out the clip below. ‘Bloodstained Heart’ was the auspOp Pop Single Of The Year for 2011. It hits British retail later this month.

• Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Steve Lukather, collectively known as G3, have announced a second and final show in Melbourne as part of their forthcoming tour. After selling out the city’s Palais Theatre on March 31, they’ll now play a second date on April 01. Tickets are on sale on Friday (February 10).
• Alternative country chanteuse Eilen Jewell will also hit our shores this year. Ragged Company Touring has announced that the singer will visit for a series of East Coast shows in late March before hitting the Byron Bay Bluesfest on April 05 and 06.
• Adele has maintained her No.1 heading on the Billboard Hot 100 this week with her single ‘Set Fire To The Rain’. But she’s had to hold off a strong challenge from Kelly Clarkson, whose single ‘Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You’ is roaring towards top spot – up six places to No.2 this week. Jessie J’s ‘Domino’ is now up to No.8, while our own Gotye & Kimbra are racing up the charts with ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’; this week up 19 places to No.31.
• On the Billboard 200 albums chart this week, Adele is still chugging away in the No.1 position with her album ’21’. The rest of the top five, however, is all new… Tim McGraw’s ‘Emotional Traffic’ debuts in the No.2 spot, Lamb Of God’s ‘Resolution’ is in at No.3, the Grammy Nominees album debuts at No.4 and Ingrid Michaelson’s ‘Human Again’ is in at No.5. Kellie Pickler’s ‘100 Proof’ debuts at No.7, Seal’s ‘Soul 2’ is in at No.8 and Kari Jobe’s ‘Where I Find You’ finds itself at No.10 on debut.
• And don’t forget… for a comprehensive look at what’s happening on the Australian charts, join us each and every Sunday morning with our weekly Chart Watch segment. It goes live at 9am AEDT. Guess we’ll see you tomorrow.

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