Day in Pop for 11/17: MTV Star Found Dead- Michael Jackson Doc Avoids Jail- New Beyonce Video- Microsoft Cofounder Has Cancer- Rihanna Hires Extreme Guitarist and more top pop music news stories of the day

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Full Report for 11/17/2009

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MTV Star Found Dead- Michael Jackson Doc Avoids Jail- New Beyonce Video- Microsoft Cofounder Has Cancer- Rihanna Hires Extreme Guitarist and more

Longtime MTV "Remote Control" host Ken Ober has passed away at the age of 52, the comedian's representative confirmed to MTV News. "His body was discovered in his home on Sunday," Mark Measures, Ober's talent agent, told TVGuide.com. "The last person to have spoken to him was on Saturday morning. No foul play is suspected, no suicide, it looks like natural causes, just no one knows the exact cause yet." more

The physician being investigated in Michael Jackson's death reached an agreement Monday in a separate child support case that kept him out of a Nevada jail. Prosecutors in Las Vegas had sought an arrest warrant for Dr. Conrad Murray after he failed to appear for previous hearings before Family Court officers attempting to collect unpaid child support more. In related news: Michael Jackson's father is refusing to give up on his bid to be included in his son's will - he's taking his case to the California Court of Appeal more

Sony sent over a note that MTV has premiered the Music Video from Beyonce (also features Lady Gaga) for "Video Phone". Check it out here

Billionaire Paul Allen, who founded US software giant Microsoft with Bill Gates in 1975, has been diagnosed with cancer, technology blogs have reported. more

Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt has joined forces with Rihanna and will be her 2010 world tour lead guitarist. Streaming Live from London, November 16, Rihanna and Nuno will be performing tracks from her album, Rated R, to a free online audience. more

The U.S. Library of Congress is awarding Paul McCartney its third Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. An all-star tribute concert is planned for early 2010 more

Since winning "American Idol" in 2005, country singer Carrie Underwood has become one of the show's highest selling graduates, but she warned the latest crop of "Idol" finalists to "stay true" to their fans if they want to find similar success. [Gee wonder who she is talking about.] more

Rapper Derek B has passed away after reportedly suffering a heart attack yesterday (November 15). The rapper, real name Derek Boland, is said to have been taken to London's Charing Cross hospital early yesterday morning. more

Morrissey's cancelled November 7 show at the Liverpool Echo Arena won't be rescheduled, organizers have announced. The former Smiths singer walked offstage at the gig after being hit by a drink thrown from the crowd. more - more on this story

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Leona Lewis Heads Up James Cameron's Avatar Soundtrack

Atlantic Records has announced the upcoming release of "Avatar: Music From The Motion Picture," the official score album companion to Oscar-winning filmmaker James Cameron's upcoming epic adventure.

The album � which features music composed and conducted by Academy Award-winner James Horner (Titanic) � will be released digitally and physically December 15th (internationally available December 14th) with pre-orders beginning at www.avatarscore.com on November 16th. Twentieth Century Fox releases Avatar in theatres everywhere on December 18th.

"Avatar: Music From The Motion Picture" will be highlighted by the film's end title song, "I See You (Theme From Avatar)" performed by multiple Grammy Award-nominated singer Leona Lewis, and produced by James Horner and Simon Franglen, the team behind Titanic's blockbuster theme song, "My Heart Will Go On." A companion video � directed by Jake Nava (Beyonc�, Britney Spears, Shakira) � is currently in production. - more on this story

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Shakira and Lil Wayne Give It Up Online

Epic Records' recording artist and international superstar, Shakira, has released her second single, produced by Timbaland and accompanying music video, "Give It Up To Me" featuring Lil Wayne, off her highly anticipated album, SHE WOLF in stores November 23rd. The "Give It Up To Me" music video is a dance showcase which stays true to Shakira's culturally diverse routines and her unmatched ability to interpret them to her own signature style.

Known for constantly reinventing the art of dance in her videos, Shakira combines techniques from across the globe in "Give It Up To Me". Shakira infused Jamaican dancehall with the complex art of "stepping," which is deeply rooted in the African American culture of fraternities and sororities. Stepping is a percussive dance which uses footsteps, hand and body clapping to a beat in military precise formations which only Shakira could translate to the hard-hitting, energetic dance beats of "Give It Up To Me". For an added twist, she learned an intricate, traditional Thai dance sequence for the video. Shakira fused the three styles, creating a cohesive and dynamic routine.

Fans can log onto Shakira's Facebook page (facebook.com/shakira) or watch and interact on Ustream on Monday, Nov. 16th at 3pm Eastern Time to witness the first ever live video premiere of "Give It Up To Me." Powered by Ustream, the leader for live broadcasting on the internet, fans will have an opportunity to interact via chat and Social Stream. - more on this story

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Hot Chip Hitting The Road

To herald the release of their new album One Life Stand, Hot Chip will be bringing their explosive live show back to North America in April.

The band will be playing tracks from new album as well as old favorites. The xx will be the band's special guests on this tour.

Hot Chip have become legendary for their unequivocally exuberant live performances, helping them to become one of the world's most original and loveable artists. As with their sold-out tour last September, the band will once again feature a live drummer on these dates adding an extra dimension to their already exhilarating shows. - more on this story

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More Woodie Performances

mtvU, MTV's 24-hour college network, today confirmed new additions to the performance and presenter roster for the sixth-annual "mtvU Woodie Awards" � the only awards honoring music voted best by college students, premiering on Friday, December 4 at 10pm ET on mtvU, MTV, MTV2 and Palladia.

Clipse will be joined by Rick Ross to perform "I'm Good (remix)," and Cam'ron will join forces with the hip-hop duo for a collaboration on "Popular Demand (Popeyes)." Additionally, Passion Pit will take a break from tour to deliver an electric performance of their single "The Reeling."

Previously announced performers include Death Cab For Cutie, Matt & Kim and The Dead Weather. Pete Wentz, Zooey Deschanel, 3OH!3, Amber Tamblyn, Asher Roth, Mary-Louise Parker, David Cross, Janelle Mon�e, and Pac Div will also be on hand to present the night's awards. In addition, DJ/producer Diplo of Major Lazer will spin the hottest beats to keep the party going all night. The "2009 mtvU Woodie Awards" will take place on November 18, 2009 at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City. - more on this story

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Ned Collette + Wirewalker Release New album

Pigeon Versus Statue is pleased to announce the release of 'Over The Stones, Under The Stars' from Ned Collette + Wirewalker out today (November 17th) via Dot Dash/ iTunes.

Mixed in Brooklyn, NY by Joel Hamilton (The Black Keys, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Sparklehorse, and Nina Simone), 'Over The Stones, Under The Stars' finds new depth of sound, digging its claws firmly into the emotively penned Collette lyrics.

While purposefully stripped of the orchestration that marked previous releases, the album conveys more of the fiery live experience of this unique band. Collette also adds piano, organ and mellotron to his usual axe slinging. - more on this story

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Nickodemus Sun People Remixed Coming

Although summer's long gone Brooklyn's foremost outernational DJ Nickodemus is ready to heat up your soundsystem with Sun People Remixed. As the title suggests, this release brings together some of the world's finest and most eclectic remixers for brand new interpretations of original tracks culled from Nickodemus' critically acclaimed sophomore artist album Sun People. "Sun People Remixed" is released Digitally on December 16, 2009 and on CD January 19. 2010 through ESL Music

Earthrise Soundsystem's take on the title track is a tribal moment; packed with West African chants, while The Spy From Cairo brings a deep island reggae sound to "Just Move Feat Kwasi" Next, The Pimps of Joytime take Brooklyn & Bucharest on down to the Big Easy with that New Orleans funk groove and both Red Astaire and Tal M Klein lay down a thick layer of funky bass on their interpretations of "Sun Children" and "N'Dini," respectively.

J Boogie brings a wonderfully warm electronic vibe to the soothing Middle Eastern vocal on ""Didibina" while Swedish producer HIRD (Fever Ray, Little Dragon) brings out a treasure trove of percussion on "La Lluvia." The warehouse doors fly open with techno on Christian Prommer's driving and beautiful remix of "The Love Feeling;" a proper warm up for Kush Arora's bone rattling 2 step crusher on "2 Sips & Magic." A comedown is necessary after that scorcher and Adham Shaikh offers the perfect R&R through his downtempo take on "WEriseWEfallWerise" Day turns to evening and the sun sets on this CD with Pablo Sanchez's smooth Hip-Hop flavored take on "Sun Children" and a gorgeous house remix of "The Love Feeling" from SABO feat new vocals from Dario Boente. - more on this story

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Dear Andy Kaufman, I Hate Your Guts!

Process Media and Cinefamily present an Andy Kaufman tribute on Thursday, December 3 at the Cinefamily/The Silent Movie Theatre, Los Angeles

The great provocateur Andy Kaufman died 25 years ago, and we honor his legacy with the release of the new Process book Dear Andy Kau[f]man, I Hate Your Guts! and an evening of rare and never-before-seen Kaufman gold pulled from the video archives of Lynne Margulies (Kaufman's girlfriend, director of the Kaufman doc I'm from Hollywood, and author of the book).

Margulies will present a treasure trove of rarities including recently unearthed footage from Kaufman's brief but illustrious career as "Intergender Wrestling Champion of the World," his legendary, never-before-seen performance at LA Improv's "Midnight Snacks" in 1975, and a video, allegedly made by a German film crew, of someone driving to the Kaufman family plot in New Jersey and exhuming Andy's corpse. - more on this story

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Barbra Streisand Manages To Go Gold In A Month

Barbra Streisand's 63rd album, Love Is The Answer has been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), little over a month after debuting at #1 on the Billboard Charts and establishing a record-breaking fifth consecutive decade in which she released a top-of-the-charts album.

Love Is The Answer becomes her 51st Gold Record along with 30 Platinum and 13 Multi-Platinum, leading all female recording artists in those categories. Streisand is the #1 female album-selling recording artist in history and the only woman to make the Top 10 all time best selling artists list.

The first full-length collection of new studio recordings from Barbra Streisand since 2005's Guilty Pleasures, and first new Barbra Streisand album since Live In Concert 2006, Love Is The Answer presents the artist as a cabaret and jazz singer of emotional clarity, depth and maturity, offering the listener a warm and intimate selection of late night meditations on love's powers, heartbreaks and solaces. - more on this story

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Family of the Year Set Album Release

Family of the Year are set to release their debut LP, Songbook under their Washashore Records on February 2, 2010. In Songbook's 15 tracks, Family of The Year channels Fleetwood Mac's musical stylings with a hint of late-era Beatles. With shining melodies, charming male/female vocals, personal folk tales and often unexpected electronic sounds, Family create some of the happiest and saddest music you've ever heard.

Like their EP Where's The Sun, Songbook will be available via FamilyoftheYear.net for optional donation. Those who donate $10 or more will receive a physical copy of the album, and for $25 or more, the band will also include a Family of The Year t-shirt or tote bag.

The band, handpicked by Ben Folds, Keith Lockhart and The Boston Pops to open for them at Symphony Hall, was recently featured on SPIN.com as one of CMJ's must-see bands. The band is currently on tour with Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic. - more on this story

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Industry Vets To Head Country Crossing Records

Ronnie Gilley Entertainment proudly announces the appointment of Music Row veterans Evelyn Shriver and Susan Nadler as co-presidents of Country Crossing Records.

"I am very pleased to have Evelyn and Susan join the Ronnie Gilley Entertainment family," Ronnie Gilley says. "I have confidence that artistic integrity will remain at the forefront as they lead Country Crossing Records with their proven unique and creative approach to the business."

Shriver ran one of the industry's most influential publicity firms and was the first female president of a major label in the history of country music when she took the helm of Asylum Records (part of the AOL Time Warner Music Group). With Nadler as Executive VP/A&R, the duo's collaboration at Asylum resulted in two Grammy wins during their first year of business. The women were also partners in the operation of Bandit Records. - more on this story

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