NEWS WRAP

• A swag of new releases out at media this week including this new tune from Mark Ronson. Featuring the vocals of Katy B, ‘Anywhere In The World’ is being used by Coca Cola to promote the upcoming Olympic Games and what they’re calling “the beat of London 2012”. It’s out digitally on May 14.
• Also doing the rounds this week are the aforementioned tracks by Kate Miller-Heidke, Sam Sparro, Maroon 5 and Nelly Furtado, as well as Damien Leith’s ‘Got My Mind Set On You’, Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Dark Side’, Lights’ ‘Banner’ and Kaskade ftg. Skylar Grey’s ‘Room For Happiness’. For a more comprehensive list of the tracks making their way to media each week, ‘Like’ our official FACEBOOK page.
• More details have emerged of just how fast tickets sold to the Prince concerts, which went on sale yesterday. According to event publicists, the first shows in both Sydney and Melbourne sold out within minutes, despite widespread anger over the ticket site’s failure to cope with demand. Six shows are now part of next month’s schedule.

• Any new release by Danish composer Trentemoller is met with great excitement here at auspOp HQ, so you’ll understand a little bit of wee came out when the image (left) arrived with us late yesterday. It’s a cover version of a track by Gun Club and features Marie Fisker on vocals (she’s part of Trentemoller’s live band and previously worked on his single ‘Sycamore Feeling’). ‘My Dreams’ will be released digitally early next week.
• It’s not just the national ratings that Channel 9’s hit new show ‘The Voice’ is shaking up. The international smash premiered on Sunday night to a huge audience of more than 2.1 million viewers nationally and then strengthened its figures further last night, pushing through the 2.5 million barrier. It looks like the music charts, too, are in for a shake-up. One glance at the iTunes singles chart today and we see it’s littered with performances from the show (and hit songs performed on it). Kate Bush’s iconic ‘Wuthering Heights’ is currently sitting at No.11 after contestant Laura Bunting’s performance, while Rachael Leahcar’s stunning rendition of Piaf’s legendary ‘La Vie En Rose’ is just one spot behind. Seal’s singles ‘Kiss From A Rose’ and ‘Crazy’ occupy two positions each within the top 100. ‘The Voice’ continues tonight on Channel 9.

• US folk songstress Shawn Colvin is on the verge of releasing her eighth studio album. The singer rose to prominence here in Australia back in 1997 with her hit single ‘Sunny Came Home’. It was lifted from her fourth studio album ‘A Few Small Repairs’ and both single and album were the only real chart success she’s achieved down under. No doubt the team at Warner Music will be hoping to turn that all around when they drop her new LP ‘All Fall Down’ on Friday June 01.
• It’s not the only new album Warner’s been publicising today, with confirmation that Linkin Park will release their upcoming album ‘Living Things’ in Australia in late June. The album’s first single ‘Burn It Down’ has been released to both radio and retail, with the album due on Friday June 22.
• Something For Kate are nearing the end of the writing process for their brand new album. The LP, the band’s sixth, is still untitled and a release date is presumably still some way off, given the band has yet to head into the studio to record. You can catch a snippet of the band rehearsing the new tunes HERE.

• The team at Channel [V] has officially caught ‘The Buzz’, revealing that they’ll be unearthing brand new artists who are standing on the precipice of musical greatness. The Channel [V] Buzz Artist will aim to showcase an act the channel “thinks deserves a bit of a nudge”. The first Buzz Artist will be revealed on May 01.
• Rap ensemble Public Enemy have announced a change of date and venue for their upcoming show in Melbourne. Originally locked down for May 15 at the city’s Palace Theatre, the band will now instead take to the stage at the Esplanade Hotel two nights later on May 17. The other dates and venues (in Sydney and Brisbane) remain unchanged.
• Melbourne outfit Trial Kennedy has decided to hang up its boots. They’ll say a hearty ‘farewell’ with a national tour throughout June, which will see the band play in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Newcastle and Adelaide before bidding a final ‘goodbye’ at Melbourne’s Corner Hotel on Saturday June 23.

• Carly Rae Jepsen has remained steady in the top spot on the British singles chart this week with her debut single ‘Call Me Maybe’. She held off Justin Bieber (with whom she shares management) and his new single ‘Boyfriend’, which debuted at No.2. Usher’s ‘Climax’ slammed into the No.4 position, Fun. ftg. Janette Monae pop in at No.7 with the belated British release of ‘We Are Young’ and Sway’s in at No.8 with ‘Level Up’.
• And Nicki Minaj could only hold the top spot on the UK albums chart for a week with her latest long player ‘Pink Friday : Roman Reloaded’. International sensation Adele and her multi-million selling album ’21’ have returned to the top spot. Alabama Shakes’ album ‘Boys & Girls’ has premiered at No.3 and Lana Del Rey’s album ‘Born To Die’ has popped back into the top ten.

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