The three headliners for the Glastonbury Festival have now been confirmed. U2 will close Friday night, Muse will end Saturday night, and the whole thing will be finished off on Sunday night by the legend that is Stevie Wonder.

U2 were confirmed a while ago, but Muse and Stevie Wonder were just rumors until now.

Unfortunately for anyone who wants to attend the festival on the strength of the headline acts alone, Glastonbury is already sold out. If you haven’t already secured your ticket then you’re not going.

It’s just a shame those damned flags will once again be fluttering in the wind and getting in the way of us actually seeing who is on stage.

[Photo Source: Newscom]

Post from: Brit Music Scene

Lady Gaga, JLS, Lily Allen, Pixie Lott, and Florence & The Machine have all been nominated for three or more awards. Lady Gaga is up in every category she is eligible for, those being the international awards.

Robbie Williams will be honored for his ‘Outstanding Contribution to Music’, while two new awards have been added as a one-off to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Brits. Artists will battle it out for ‘Best Performance’ and ‘Best Album’ from the last three decades.

The nominations are listed in full, along with my pick of who I think will win (in italics). Although they aren’t necessarily who I want to win, especially in the case of Paolo Nutini.

The 2010 Brit Awards Nominations In Full

British Male Solo Artist

Calvin Harris
Dizzee Rascal
Mika
Paolo Nutini
Robbie Williams

British Female Solo Artist

Bat For Lashes
Florence And The Machine
Leona Lewis
Lily Allen
Pixie Lott

British Breakthrough Act

Florence And The Machine
Friendly Fires
JLS
La Roux
Pixie Lott

British Group

Doves
Friendly Fires
JLS
Kasabian
Muse

Mastercard British Album

Dizzee Rascal – Tongue ‘N Cheek
Florence And The Machine – Lungs
Kasabian – West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
Lily Allen – It’s Not Me, It’s You
Paolo Nutini – Sunny Side Up

British Single

Alesha Dixon – ‘Breathe Slow’
Alexandra Burke ft. Flo Rida – ‘Bad Boys’
Cheryl Cole – ‘Fight For This Love’
Joe McElderry – ‘The Climb’
JLS – ‘Beat Again’
La Roux – ‘In For The Kill’
Lily Allen – ‘The Fear’
Pixie Lott – ‘Mama Do’
Taio Cruz – ‘Break Your Heart’
Tinchy Stryder ft. N-Dubz – ‘Number 1′

International Male Solo Artist

Bruce Springsteen
Eminem
Jay-Z
Michael Buble
Seasick Steve

International Female Solo Artist

Lady GaGa
Ladyhawke
Norah Jones
Rihanna
Shakira

International Breakthrough Act

Animal Collective
Daniel Merriweather
Empire Of The Sun
Lady GaGa
Taylor Swift

International Album

Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D.
Empire Of The Sun – Walking On Dream
Jay-Z – The Blueprint 3
Lady GaGa – The Fame

British Producer of the Year

Jim Abbiss
Paul Epworth
Ethan Johns
Steve Lillywhite

Critics’ Choice Award

Ellie Goulding

Outstanding Contribution to Music

Robbie Williams

Brits Performance of 30th Year

Bee Gees – ‘Stayin’ Alive’ / ‘How Deep Is Your Love’ (1997)
Bros – ‘I Owe You Nothing’ (1989)
Coldplay – ‘Clocks’ (2003)
Eurythmics and Stevie Wonder – ‘Angel’ (1999)
Girls Aloud – ‘The Promise’ (2009)
Kanye West – ‘Gold Digger’ (2006)
Kylie Minogue – ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’ (2002)
Michael Jackson – ‘Earth Song’ (1996)
Paul McCartney – ‘Live And Let Die’ (2008)
Pet Shop Boys – ‘Go West’ (1994)
Robbie Williams and Tom Jones – Full Monty medley (1998)
Scissor Sisters – ‘Take Your Mama’ (2005)
Spice Girls – ‘Wannabe’ / ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ (1997)
The Who – ‘Who Are You’ (1988)

Brits Album of 30 Years

Coldplay – A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Dido – No Angel
Dire Straits – Brothers In Arms
Duffy – Rockferry
Keane – Hopes & Fears
Oasis – What’s The Story Morning Glory
Phil Collins – No Jacket Required
Sade – Diamond Life
The Verve – Urban Hymns
Travis – The Man Who

[Photo Source: Amazon.co.uk]

Post from: Brit Music Scene

Iyaz has come from nowhere to take the top spot on this week’s singles chart with his debut release, Replay. Iyaz narrowly beat Sidney Samson ft. Wizard Sleeve with Riverside (Let’s Go) which entered straight in at number two. Florence and The Machine and The Saturdays both climbed, while Joe McElderry and Cheryl Cole both dropped out of the top ten as the X Factor factor finally fizzles out.

In what is rapidly becoming one of the greatest mysteries the world has ever seen, Paolo Nutini has retained the top spot on the albums chart with his absolutely dreadful second album Sunny Side Up. Seriously, who is buying this dross? Big climbers include Florence and The Machine and Mumford and Sons, while Elvis Presley jumped from 135 to number eight with compilation album, Elvis 75.

Top 10 UK Singles Chart

1. (-) Iyaz: ‘Replay’
2. (-) Sidney Samson ft. Wizard Sleeve: ‘Riverside (Let’s Go)’
3. (6) 3OH!3 ft. Katy Perry: ‘Starstrukk’
4. (1) Lady GaGa: ‘Bad Romance’
5. (13) Florence and the Machine: ‘You’ve Got The Love’
6. (7) Journey: ‘Don’t Stop Believin”
7. (10) Chipmunk ft. Talay Riley: ‘Look For Me’
8. (4) Ke$ha: ‘Tik Tok’
9. (17) The Saturdays: ‘Ego’
10. (3) Black Eyed Peas: ‘Meet Me Halfway’

Top 10 UK Albums Chart

1. (1) Paolo Nutini: ‘Sunny Side Up’
2. (6) Florence and the Machine: ‘Lungs’
3. (2) Lady GaGa: ‘The Fame Monster’
4. (3) Susan Boyle: ‘I Dreamed A Dream’
5. (4) Michael Bublé: ‘Crazy Love’
6. (5) Black Eyed Peas: ‘The E.N.D.’
7. (20) Mumford & Sons: ‘Sigh No More’
8. (-) Elvis Presley: ‘Elvis 75′
9. (7) Will Young: ‘The Hits’
10. (8) Muse: ‘The Resistance’

[Photo Source: Amazon.co.uk]

Post from: Brit Music Scene

Joe McElderry, who famously lost out on Christmas number one to RATM, only held the top spot in the singles chart for one week. Lady Gaga, who occupied the top spot before Christmas, has returned there with Bad Romance. The Black Eyed Peas, Ke$ha and Chipmunk are all big climbers.

A similar occurrence in the albums chart, with Paolo Nutini returning to the top spot with Sunny Side Up, an album that first hit number one in June 2009. There must be a lot of disappointed people who were given the frankly terrible album for Christmas. Florence and The Machine and Muse both climbed back into the top ten, with all three artists benefiting from the albums being lowered in price for New Year sales.

Top 10 UK Singles Chart

1. (3) Lady GaGa: ‘Bad Romance’
2. (1) Joe McElderry: ‘The Climb’
3. (6) Black Eyed Peas: ‘Meet Me Halfway’
4. (10) Ke$ha: ‘Tik Tok’
5. (4) Cheryl Cole: ‘3 Words’
6. (5) 3OH!3 ft. Katy Perry: ‘Starstrukk’
7. (7) Journey: ‘Don’t Stop Believin’
8. (8) Rihanna: ‘Russian Roulette’
9. (9) Robbie Williams: ‘You Know Me’
10. (13) Chipmunk ft. Talay Riley: ‘Look For Me’

Top 10 UK Albums Chart

1. (15) Paolo Nutini: ‘Sunny Side Up’
2. (4) Lady GaGa: ‘The Fame Monster’
3. (2) Susan Boyle: ‘I Dreamed A Dream’
4. (1) Michael Bublé: ‘Crazy Love’
5. (3) Black Eyed Peas: ‘The E.N.D.’
6. (26) Florence and the Machine: ‘Lungs’
7. (9) Will Young: ‘The Hits’
8. (35) Muse: ‘The Resistance’
9. (8) Snow Patrol: ‘Up To Now’
10. (5) JLS: ‘JLS’

[Photo Source: Amazon.co.uk]

Post from: Brit Music Scene

Muse were guests on Jonathan Ross’ chat show this week, and while he didn’t talk to them live, he did speak to them off air. He claimed in a Tweet after the show aired that lead singer Matt Bellamy hinted about a possible appearance at Glastonbury.

Ross said:

“Didn’t chat to them on the show, but Matt [Bellamy] told me they are probably doing it.”

U2 aren’t a big enough draw for me to go to Glastonbury but Muse are. If this is true then there’ll be a rush for tickets as soon as it’s confirmed. That would just leave one headliner to go and judging by the two already suggested Michael Eavis would be hard pushed to get anyone of equal stature.

[Photo Source: Newscom]

Post from: Brit Music Scene

Speaking on the event’s official website, Glastonburyfestivals.co.uk, organizer Michael Eavis said:

“I promised the best possible line-up for the show next year and the confirmation that U2 will play their first ever Glastonbury – and their first major festival gig since the early 1980s – is fantastic news.”

“We’ve been trying for years… And now we’ve finally made it happen. I’m sure they will pull out all the stops to make next year’s Glastonbury the most memorable ever.”

I’m afraid U2 aren’t the big draw they once were, and it feels to me as though Glastonbury have missed the boat by a decade or two. However, though their last album may have been a disappointment, they still have millions of fans worldwide thanks to the body of work. So, as long as they play the classics it should be a great set.

[Photo Source: Newscom]

Post from: Brit Music Scene

This week’s singles chart saw a tight race for number one between Chipmunk and The Saturdays. Chipmunk came out on top with Oopsy Daisy straight in at the top. Last week’s one and two, Jay-Z and Taio Cruz, dropped to three and four. Whitney Houston just missed out on the top ten, with Million Dollar Bill entering the charts at number 12.

Barbra Streisand managed to score her sixth number one album in the UK with Love Is The Answer, which rose from number four last week. Madonna sticks at number two with Celebration, while last week’s number one album, Brand New Eyes by Paramore, drops to three. The Resistance by Muse is already dropping (undeservedly), while Chris Rea’s and Andy Williams’ Best Of albums both enter the top ten.

Top 10 UK Singles

1. (4) Barbra Streisand: ‘Love Is The Answer’
2. (2) Madonna: ‘Celebration’
3. (1) Paramore: ‘Brand New Eyes’
4. (7) Cliff Richard & The Shadows: ‘Reunited’
5. (10) Vera Lynn: ‘We’ll Meet Again – The Very Best Of’
6. (9) Jay-Z: ‘The Blueprint 3′
7. (5) Muse: ‘The Resistance’
8. (-) Chris Rea: ‘Still So Far To Go – The Best Of’
9. (6) Dizzee Rascal: ‘Tongue N Cheek’
10. (-) Andy Williams: ‘The Very Best Of’

[Photo Source: Amazon.co.uk]

Post from: Brit Music Scene

On his September 16 radio show, Glenn Beck spent a couple of minutes waxing lyrical about Muse and The Resistance. He drew comparisons between the lyrics and the novel 1984, which actually isn’t a bad comparison to make. But he didn’t stop there.

As is Beck’s way, he took it all a little too far and presumed that Muse agreed with his scare tactics over liberal politicians and how they are running the world into the ground. While I don’t profess to know Muse’s political views, I’m guessing they’re less extreme than Beck’s are.

Which is, I’m guessing, why a Muse representative contacted the show to ask if Beck would retract his ringing endorsement of the band and the album.

Beck said:

“These guys are brilliant, they know the time that we live in. They are libertarians from England. All of the lyrics are dead on, on what’s coming our way. [The new album is] absolutely fantastic [with its warnings of a] one world government.”

“They would like me to retract my endorsement. My apologies to Muse for saying that I like them. I didn’t mean to destroy all their credibility and all their coolness. It’s an awful album and you should never go out and buy it.”

The Resistance is not an awful album and you should definitely go out and buy it. However, it isn’t necessarily the right album for Beck supporters. There’s no mention of President Obama on there or of pretty much any of the things Beck spends his life banging on about.

[Photo Source: Newscom]

Post from: Brit Music Scene

Muse have been with us since 1994, having been founded in their hometown of Teignmouth, Devon that year. And they’ve enjoyed mild success in the UK ever since the release of Showbiz in 1999. Muse have spent the last decade gaining new fans by the bucketload but international renown has been harder to come by.

Until now.

It seems that The Resistance is the album which has really put Muse on the international map. Black Holes and Revelations only managed to top the charts in seven countries, while The Resistance has already achieved that feat in 18, including, of course, the UK.

According to Digital Spy, Warner Music’s Matthieu Lauriot-Prevost told Music Week:

“When you compute the declining market that is really amazing. It is more than we were dreaming about. We have a schedule for the band for the next 18 months. It feels like it could be a big, big record.”

“Our goal is to take the band to the next level in every territory: where they are platinum, take them to double platinum, where they are gold take then to platinum. The sky is the limit.”

Big plans indeed, and why not? Muse are fantastic live, and anyone who has seen them even as a support act abroad cannot fail to come away impressed. And their ambitious and eminently classy records should be able to transcend borders and please everyone’s ears.

The UK has long coveted Muse, but it looks as though the rest of the world is also starting to wake up to their glory.

[Photo Source: Amazon.co.uk]

Post from: Brit Music Scene

In the singles chart, Taio Cruz has held on to the top spot he nabbed last week to make it two weeks in a row at number one. Empire State Of Mind jumped to number three meaning Jay-Z now has two records in the top 10. Very little movement elsewhere means this is a dull week in the UK singles chart.

On the albums front, Madonna has gone straight in at number one with Celebration, a 36-track Greatest Hits compilation. This means she has equaled Elvis Presley’s record for the most number one albums by a solo artist. The Resistance by Muse slips to number two while Dizzee Rascal has scored big with Tongue N’ Cheek entering at number three.

Top 10 UK Singles

1. (-) Madonna: ‘Celebration’
2. (1) Muse: ‘The Resistance’
3. (-) Dizzee Rascal: ‘Tongue N’ Cheek’
4. (-) Mika: ‘The Boy Who Knew Too Much’
5. (3) Peter Andre: ‘Revelation’
6. (-) Cliff Richard & The Shadows: ‘Reunited’
7. (2) Vera Lynn: ‘We’ll Meet Again – The Very Best Of’
8. (4) Jay-Z: ‘The Blueprint 3′
9. (-) Pearl Jam: ‘Backspacer’
10. (7) Kings of Leon: ‘Only By The Night’

[Photo Source: Amazon.co.uk]

Post from: Brit Music Scene