Bands

The Collector's edition of Janet Jackson doll is here. This doll comes with at Certificate of authenticity. The doll creation is of her 2010 American Idol Performance. How much would you pay for this doll? is it worth the bidding price? Which ultimately was fine, because although the Divinely Janet doll is an absolutely gorgeous replica of Janet when she performed on American Idol earlier this year, it's not exactly one that we would have chosen being the group of Janet fans that we are. A style and fashion trendsetter, Janet has so many iconic looks throughout her career that could translate well into a miniature plastic version of the diva. With that said, Janet Jackson Barbie dolls is definitely a keeper, but for the average American the price needs an adjustment.

“Inspired by the ultra-glam black gown she wore during her 2010 American Idol performance, I knew we had to recreate that look for her one of a kind doll,” says Mattel Designer Jackeline Gonzalez, who crafted the Janet Barbie. “Look closely dolls, Janet’s sassy, short hairstyle, unique face and body sculpt and face painting all meticulously duplicate the legendary singer’s features.”

Gonzalez “duplicated the black gown, including the body-hugging cat-suit underneath that she revealed during her second, upbeat performance. Her gown is kissed with bling created by countless hand-placed Swarovski crystals. Even her mic is crystal-studded.”

Become an icon and register to be apart of upcoming showcase for musician in September. http://longemusicians-eorg.eventbrite.com/#

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March. 5, 2013) — GRAMMY U^®— a program created to prepare college students interested in pursuing a career in the music industry — announced today the Era Of The Engineer tour with  GRAMMY^® -nominated engineer/producer Young Guru — an educational program, that will launch April 8, 2013, in Philadelphia and make 13 stops across the United States. This exciting new platform will offer college students the opportunity to explore the importance of the audio engineer's role in today's do-it-yourself recording climate through town hall discussions and in-studio sessions. For GRAMMY U coverage, updates and breaking news, please visit our social networks on Twitter and Facebook.

A three-time GRAMMY nominee and member of The Recording Academy^® Producers & Engineers Wing^® Advisory Council, Young Guru possesses more than a decade of experience in sound engineering, production and A&R for acclaimed labels Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings. Throughout his expansive and diverse career, he has collaborated with artists such as Beyoncé, Drake, Jay-Z, Rick Ross, and Snoop Dogg, among others. Recognizing the accessibility people have to make music in today's world, Young Guru created the Era Of The Engineer lecture series to emphasize and teach about the importance of audio engineers and the record-making process.

The 13-city tour, sponsored in part by HP and Disc Makers, will launch Monday, April 8 in Philadelphia and conclude on Sunday, April 28 in Memphis. GRAMMY U students and members of the P&E Wing are invited to attend the 90-minute lecture panels. Additional tour dates include:

April 8:      Philadelphia, Drexel University
April 9:      Seattle, JBL Theater at, EMP Museum
April 10:    Berkeley, Calif., Fantasy Studios
April 12:    Los Angeles, The Recording Academy
April 15:    Chicago, SAE  Institute
April 16:    Washington D.C., SoundExchange
April 17:    New York City, NYU at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music
April 22:     Oklahoma City, Academy Of Contemporary Music, University of Central Oklahoma
April 24:     New Orleans, Loyola University
April 25:     Miami, Miami Dade College
April 26:     Atlanta, Emory Center for Ethics (will be streamed live at www.ethics.emory.edu)
April 27:     Murfreesboro, Tenn., Middle Tennessee State University
April 28:     Memphis, Royal Studios

About GRAMMY U
GRAMMY U is a unique and fast-growing community of full-time college students primarily between the ages of 17 and 25, who are pursuing a career in the recording industry. The Recording Academy created GRAMMY U to help prepare college students for their careers in the music industry through networking, educational programs, and performance opportunities. GRAMMY U is designed to enhance students' current academic curriculum with access to recording industry professionals to give an "out of classroom" perspective on the recording industry. For GRAMMY U coverage, updates and breaking news, please visit social networks on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Rapper Rick Ross was the apparent target of a drive-by shooting in Fort Lauderdale early Monday morning.

Fort Lauderdale Police confirmed to The Huffington Post that Ross, born William Roberts, was in a 2011 Rolls Royce driving eastbound on busy Las Olas Boulevard when a gunman in another vehicle opened fire around 5 a.m.

Moments later, Ross' vehicle struck the wall of an apartment complex after the driver turned a corner to escape the bullets and lost control.

WSVN reports "dozens" of shell casings were found at the scene, but neither Ross nor his passenger, rumored girlfriend fashion designer Shateria Moragne-el, was injured.

"Two or three little palm trees" were run over in the crash, according to the Miami Herald.

Witnesses said Ross had been celebrating his 37th birthday at the nearby Floridian restaurant after a night spent at club LIV in Miami Beach.

The restaurant was also struck in the hail of gunfire, reports the Herald. Onlookers there said they heard about 15 shots, which sounded like they came from a high-powered rifle.

Ross, a Miami native, lives in nearby Davie. Detectives are urging anyone with information regarding this shooting to contact FLPD's Violent Crimes at 954-828-5546.

Exclusive: Rob Wiesenthal Out at Sony/ATV, Heading to Warner Music
Rob Wiesenthal, President of Sony/ATV’s international business, is leaving the world’s no.1 music publisher and is expected to join Len Blavatnik’s Warner Music Group as chief operating officer, according to three people familiar with the situation.

BMG Beats Warner/Chappell to 'New Wave'-Heavy EMI Publishing Divestitures for $90 Million
BMG successfully outbid Warner/Chappell to win control of nearly 30,000 songs divested by EMI, including popular UK ‘80s hits from acts like Tears for Fears and Culture Club.

Glassnote Pitting Majors Against Each Other, May Get 'Outlandish' Deal
With Glassnote's distribution deal with RED ending on the last day of February, Daniel Glass is pitting Doug Morris against Lucian Grainge in hopes of coming out with a multi-million-dollar payday, according to sources.

Business Matters: Joining Spotify Hasn't Been Good for Metallica's Sales
Billboard.biz looked at Nielsen SoundScan data for Metallica's studio albums for four-week periods leading up to Christmas from 2008 to 2012. Based on the catalog's performance in previous years, album sales were 15% below expectations the week the titles were added to Spotify and 35% below expectations the following week. Sales were in line with expectations the week before the titles were added to Spotify. Read more for various explanations for the drop in sales.

Ross On Radio: Songs That Made A Difference In 2012
Every year, "Ross On Radio" looks at songs that made a difference in the previous year--not just the biggest hits but songs that had a broader impact on how a format was programmed. With top 40 becoming more acoustic and less "Turbo-Pop" in 2012, there are no shortage of candidates. But the most significant record on a number of levels was still a turbo-pop record that might not have been extraordinary -- had it been in English.

NEW ALL-STAR SHOWCASE WILL SCHEDULE INDIE BANDS
Tonight, Wednesday, Nov. 21, from 9 p.m. - 2 a.m., the Dave Schulz All-Star Jam will launch at Confidential, 424 N. Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills, CA. No cover (till midnight). Featured players will include touring members of: Cameo, Gap Band, A Perfect Circle, Kool and the Gang, Pink Floyd, Chambers Brothers, Guns N' Roses, Billy Idol, Lou Reed, Puddle of Mudd, Kid Rock, Frank Zappa, Canned Heat, Stevie Wonder, Sheila E, Goo Goo Dolls, Berlin and English Beat. This event, co-produced by Music Connection, Macafrica & Jeffrey R. Gund, will be hosted by Kim Gregory Entertainment and Dave Schulz. Between 9 p.m. -10 p.m. there will be complimentary appetizers and glass of champagne. Dinner / Bottle Service available. Once this Jam gets established on the scene, there are plans to hire talented indie bands to perform. So come out and support the inaugural Dave Schulz All-Star Jam, meet some people and get your act in the running for a showcase slot.

Atlantic is currently looking for a Director of Rhythmic/Pop A&R at Warner Music. Must have prior knowledge and passion of rhythmic/pop music and possess a willingness to travel. Typical duties include scheduling collaborative songwriting sessions, scouting and researching new artists/songwriters/producers. For more information and to apply, visit http://bit.ly/TeaCrX.

$50 OFF + FREE T-SHIRT: EXCLUSIVE MANDALA BLACK FRIDAY SALE FOR MC READERS
Synesthesia Corp. is offering an exclusive discount just for Music Connection readers this Black Friday. Order any drum (single, double, or triple pack) and enter the code "BlackFridayMC" at checkout to get $50 off your order plus a free Mandala Drum T-Shirt. This offer only lasts for 24 hours on Black Friday. Get full details at http://synesthesiacorp.com/products

MC'S FRIDAY FREEBIE: LAST WEEK'S WINNER, THIS WEEK'S PRIZE
Last week's winner of the Music Connection "Friday Freebie" was Clifford Hritz from Pennsylvania, who won an exclusive promo package from Disc Makers, the world's largest CD & DVD manufacturer for independent musicians, filmmakers and businesses. Music Connection's current Freebie is from New Life Digital Media. One lucky winner a choice of two great CD Replication Packages featuring 1,000 full-color CDs. Options include a variety of attractive Jewel Cases, 4-Color Booklets, Full-Color Printed CD Jackets, Poly-Wrap, Barcode and Free Shipping (Continental US). So ENTER NOW! Go to the Music Connection website and look up in the top right corner for the words "FRIDAY FREEBIE." Winners are announced every Friday after 1 p.m. on the Friday Freebie page. musicconnection.com.