• This week’s EMI release schedule reveals that Sam Sparro fans will have to wait just a tiny bit longer to get their mitts on the singer’s new album ‘Return To Paradise’ (pictured). Originally slated for a May 25 release, the album has now shifted to Friday June 01.
• Sony Music will release the soundtrack for the first season of the new musical drama ‘Smash’ here in Australia. The series is airing locally on Foxtel’s ‘W Channel’ and the soundtrack features a selection of popular songs covered by the stars of the show. The ‘Smash’ soundtrack drops locally on Friday May 04.
• The boys from Green Day have announced that they’re currently holed up in the studio recording a trilogy of new albums. ‘¡Uno!’, ‘¡Dos!’, and ‘¡Tré!’ will be given staggered releases, kicking off with ‘¡Uno!’ in September this year. ‘¡Dos!’, and ‘¡Tré!’ will be released in November and January respectively.
• Universal will continue the 50th Anniversary celebrations of Australia’s original pop princess Judith Durham with the release of the Australian Cities Suite (pictured). The album features musical tips of the hat to some of Australia’s best cities, including ‘Sydney, Girl Of My Dreams’, ‘Seldom Melbourne Leaves My Mind’, ‘Meet Me In The Mall In Brisbane’ and ‘Happy Years I Spent In Hobart’. Universal will also release ‘Gift Of Song’, an album recorded for A&M Records in 1969 which has never before been released on CD. Both albums are set for release on April 27.
• Wu Tang’s RZA has remixed the latest single from US outfit Portugal. The Man. Even better for punters is that the remix of ‘All Your Light (Times Like This)’ is available as a free download from the Atlantic Records Soundcloud page (which you’ll find HERE).
• Aussie singer Matt Corby originally announced just the five dates for his upcoming winter tour, but with his popularity soaring in recent months, he’s now completely sold out ten shows around the country. It’s been announced this week that Matt would join The Temper Trap and 360 as part of Triple J’s ‘One Night Stand’ in Dalby, Queensland on Saturday June 02.
• Gorgeous Gossling has released the final in a series of live acoustic videos that she’s dropped to celebrate the upcoming release of her ‘International Living’ EP next Friday. The final track in the series is called ‘Love Fall Foul’ and you can check out the live video HERE.
• Think you have what it takes to jump in front of the camera and become the latest presenter for Channel [V]? The search for the next face of [V] is now in its final stages, after the channel earlier asked for auditions via their OFFICIAL WEBSITE. More than 2000 people have already applied for the post, but you’ve got until April 27 to get your entry in before the Channel [V] crew heads around the country to meet the potential candidates.
• Melbourne songstress Shelley Segal has released her new project ‘An Atheist Album’. She’ll officially launch the album at PJ’s Sidebar at Southgate in the Victorian capital on Monday.
• Australia’s not the only country Carly Rae Jepsen’s taking over, it would appear. The singer’s debut single ‘Call Me Maybe’ debuted atop the UK singles charts earlier this week, displacing Chris Brown’s ‘Turn Up The Music’ to No.5. Gotye & Kimbra are up again – to No.3 – with ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’.
• The UK albums chart belongs to Nicki Minaj. Her album ‘Pink Friday : Roman Reloaded’ slammed the No.1 position, relegating last week’s No.1 (Madonna’s ‘MDNA’ to No.7. Debuting at No.2 was Labrinth’s ‘Electronic Earth’ and kids’ interactive creatures Moshi Monsters are taking over the charts with an album, debuting at No.4 with ‘Music Rox’.
• Over in the US, Fun. still holds the top spot with their single ‘We Are Young’, but they’re under attack from some Aussies! Gotye & Kimbra have edged to No.2 on the Billboard 100 chart… Will they make it all the way to No.1? Not if a parade of British boybands has anything to do with it, with both The Wanted and One Direction pushing towards the top. The Wanted are up to No.3 with ‘Glad You Came’, One Direction are up to No.4 with ‘What Makes You Beautiful’.
• On the US albums chart, Madonna’s album ‘MDNA’ takes a tumble from the No.1 position here too. It’s down to No.8 in its second week on sale, beating out Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way’ for the title of the biggest second-week sales drop from No.1 in history. Nicki Minaj is hot to trot here too, debuting at No.1 with ‘Pink Friday : Roman Reloaded’. Rascal Flatt’s new album ‘Changed’ debuts at No.3, Of Monsters And Men’s ‘My Head Is An Animal’ at No.6 and Martin Sapp’s ‘I Win’ at No.9.
• And don’t miss our regular Chart Watch, back from 9am AEST tomorrow, bringing you all the latest from this week’s ARIA charts.
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