Jackson tribute lineup announced
Jermaine Jackson has revealed who will perform at a tribute to his late brother Michael.

Mary J. Blige, Natalie Cole and Sister Sledge are among the artists that will take part in the concert, reports The AP.

Chris Brown, Akon, Angela Basset and Germany-based boyband US5 are also confirmed for the gig, which will see the entertainers cover Michael's hits.

More names will be announced at press conferences in London and Berlin later this week.

The tribute, which will be held outside the Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna, will be broadcast live around the world on September 26.

65,000 fans are expected to attend the concert along with Jackson's family and children.


Mika: 'I was weird and reclusive'
Mika has revealed that he was a "weird and reclusive" teenager.

According to Showbiz Spy, the 'We Are Golden' singer explained that his new album was inspired by his adolescence.

"It's still joyful pop music," he said. "I needed to liberate myself from my childhood. I was a weird, reclusive teen."

The popstar added that the new record The Boy Who Knew Too Much includes a 'break-up' song.

"There's a song called 'Rain' which was a break-up letter, but I thought it would be funny to put a disco beat behind it," he said. "It's my form of revenge. I'm quite a passive-aggressive person."

Mika concluded: "A lot of artists are more protective of themselves on their second album. I don't give a how I'm perceived.

"Famous people are boring and only think of themselves."


Mayo to replace Evans on Radio 2 daytime
BBC Radio Five Live presenter Simon Mayo will replace Chris Evans on Radio 2 daytime next year.

It was announced yesterday that Evans would be taking over from Sir Terry Wogan on the Radio 2 breakfast show. Mayo, 50, will fill in the slot left in the scheduling by Evans's shift.

According to The Sun, Mayo did not want to move to Salford, Manchester with Five Live in 2011, so was pleased with the station switch.

"His family lives down south. Bosses figure he is pretty much perfect for the Radio 2 slot so he might as well have it," said a source.

Wogan, 71, confirmed on his show yesterday that his final breakfast broadcast will be on December 18.


Florence: 'Mum thinks music is bad idea'
Florence Welch has admitted that her mother is sceptical about the financial benefits of the music industry.

The 22-year-old, who released debut album Lungs under the name Florence and the Machine in July, revealed that her mum doesn't believe she can afford to pay her bills as a singer.

"My mum knows I love the music business but she doesn't see this as something I can make a living from," Welch is quoted by the Daily Record as saying.

"She says, 'If I thought you were going into this to make money, I'd tell you to stop. But I can see you are doing it because you love it so much, so I think you should go for it'. But she thinks as a business, it's an awful decision.

"Right now, the fact that I am able to travel around, perform and play means I am exceptionally lucky. I am interested in making music, not money."

Welch has described her debut disc as the "culmination" of the first 22 years of her life.


Dizzee Rascal 'wants to work with Prodigy'
Dizzee Rascal has reaffirmed his desire to work with The Prodigy.

Having collaborated with dance producers Calvin Harris and Armand Van Helden, the 'Holiday' rapper revealed that he hopes that the 'Warrior's Dance' band will be interested in working on a track together.

"I think a good collaboration would be The Prodigy," Rascal told BBC 6 Music. "I've been saying that for a while but I just know for that next level of banging sound I know I could get that from them.

"What [The] Prodigy do, what they've been doing for the past however long, they are the pinnacle of rave for me."

The star went on to describe the sound of his fourth album Tongue 'N' Cheek, due on September 21, saying: "You can leave it playing over and over again. There's nothing too heavy as in subject on there. There are a couple of things that are going on with the government and things like that. But on the whole it's pretty nice.

"I never really liked house but now I'm older and I've been to Ibiza and places like that I get it. Loads of pretty girls, no-one wants to kill each other, everyone's happy. It's wicked."


Liam Gallagher wants Oasis to continue?
Liam Gallagher may continue fronting Oasis without his older brother Noel, a report has claimed.

The frontman is reportedly keen to sustain the Britpop rockers despite the main songwriter quitting the group last month.

A source told the News of the World: "[Liam has] decided that just because the guitarist has quit, it doesn't mean the band should collapse.

"He's been on holiday with bassist Andy Bell and both of them reckon they can keep going and create good music - even without Noel."

The insider added: "Liam has been writing a lot and Andy has made a big contribution to the band."

If Liam continues to front Oasis, he will be the Manchester outfit's only original member.


John Lydon 'saddened by Oasis split'
Sex Pistols singer John Lydon has reportedly revealed that he found it "sad" to hear that Oasis had split up.

The punk icon, who recently confirmed details of a Public Image Ltd reunion, confessed that he was upset to hear that guitarist Noel Gallagher had walked out of the rock group last month.

"It is sad," Female First quotes Lydon as saying. "They're a nice backdrop on a dull day. There's no content or depth to Oasis but it's still poignant.

"Noel is fantastic, one of Britain's finest," he added, before suggesting that Liam Gallagher had copied his vocal style. "Liam's alright if you want a second-rate Rotten.

"I remember hearing 'Rock 'n' Roll Star' f


Kasabian: 'We'd give Mercury cash away'
Kasabian have reportedly declared that they will donate the money to charity if they win the Mercury Prize this year.

The band are widely considered as one of the favourites to walk away with the award for third album West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum at the event tonight.

According to Angry Ape, guitarist Serge Pizzorno said: "It's not just up to me but we'll probably give it to charity. But if it gets lost on the way out to a barman, so be it.

"If we win, London is gonna get ambushed by some maniacs – people will have to board up their houses. It would be amazing to win but I wouldn't be surprised if it goes either way."

He added: "It's just nice to be in the mix."


Jay-Z brings forward new album release
Jay-Z has been forced to move the release date of The Blueprint 3 forward in the US after the album leaked online last week.

According to Billboard, the record was scheduled for release on September 11 but the LP will now be available from tomorrow - three days ahead of the original date.

As previously reported, Jay-Z recently declared that he was "excited" by the prospect of fans hearing the album early.


First act confirmed for Glastonbury 2010
The first act confirmed to play Glastonbury Festival 2010 has been revealed.

Bristol-based The John E Vistic Experience have won a slot at the festival by winning the RockStar unsigned competition, which is organised by Michael Eavis and Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios.

The band beat off competition from Strangefruit and Daybreakers in the final, which took place in front of an audience of 4,000.

Glastonbury, which celebrates its 40th anniversary next year, will take place from June 23 to 27, 2010 at its regular home in Worthy Farm, Somerset.

Bob Dylan, Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys, Foo Fighters, Coldplay and Kanye West are among the acts rumoured to be headlining the event.


Lady GaGa 'admits to drug past'
Lady GaGa has reportedly claimed that she used to snort "bags and bags of cocaine".

The 'Poker Face' star, who recently credited her father for helping her to quit using drugs, said that she once sank so low that she thought she would die.