Britney is back - and so are the brickbats

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Britney Spears hasn't even taken her seat as the new judge of "The X Factor," but the pop icon is already getting a lesson in the media glare of live, talent show television. Spears had barely wrapped up an appearance in New York confirming she is joining the singing contest before the celebrity knives were out, raising the question of how well the singer, who went through a public meltdown in 2007, can handle all the newfound attention. ...

Booker T. & the MGs bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn dies at 70
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn, a member of Booker T. & the MGs whose thick bottom grooves anchored many of the classic soul hits from the 1960s, has died on tour in Japan, his friend and bandmate Steve Cropper said on Sunday. Dunn was 70. Dunn, an integral part of the Memphis soul sound as bassist for the MGs, the house band for Stax and Volt records, died Sunday morning after finishing two shows at the Blue Note Night Club in Tokyo, Cropper said in a posting on his Facebook page. ...

Tracy Morgan "fine" after Denver health scare

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - For the second time this year, high altitudes wreaked havoc on "30 Rock" star Tracy Morgan, who had to be briefly hospitalized on Saturday when he became dehydrated and suffered flu-like symptoms in Denver. But the comedian, who had to miss a scheduled standup performance in Denver Saturday because of the illness, is now back in New York City and feeling fine, his rep tells TheWrap. TMZ.com first reported the news. Morgan himself updated fans on Twitter Monday, writing, "Feeling a little better … had to call in sick on Saturday. I'm sorry I had to cancel. ...

The top 10 songs and albums on the iTunes Store

iTunes' Official Music Charts for the week ending May 14, 2012

Whitney Houston's daughter stars in reality TV series

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Whitney Houston's teenage daughter will star in a reality TV show that follows the family of the "I Will Always Love You" singer as they cope with her sudden death earlier this year. The Lifetime channel said on Friday that Bobbi Kristina Brown, 19, Houston's mother Cissy, the singer's brother Gary, and her manager and sister-in-law Pat Houston would all appear in the show that will air later this year. ...

Jury convicts man of murdering singer Hudson's family members

CHICAGO (Reuters) - An Illinois jury on Friday found the former brother-in-law of Grammy- and Oscar-winning singer and actress Jennifer Hudson guilty of murdering three members of her family in 2008. William Balfour, 31, was found guilty of breaking into the Hudson family home and fatally shooting Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, 57, her brother Jason Hudson, 29, and her 7-year-old nephew Julian King. He faces the possibility of life in prison without parole. Jennifer Hudson, wearing a long black-and-white printed sweater, dabbed at her eyes after the verdict was read. ...

"Storm and Grace" best thing from Presley since "Suspicious Minds"

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Some thoughts on Lisa Marie Presley: "Too bad she ain't just like her daddy/Oh what a shame/She got no talent of her own/It's just her name." No, that's not our review. That's Presley anticipating (or reviving) some of the conventional/cynical wisdom about her musical career in "Sticks and Stones," a bonus track on the deluxe version of her new album, "Storm & Grace." She even refers to her own possibly hereditary pout: "She looks bad, she looks mad... ...

Beach Boys-inspired musical to open in Las Vegas
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - The recently reunited Beach Boys aren't just re-igniting interest in their catalog on concert stages these days - their pop classics will also be finding new life on the theatrical stage soon. "Surf the Musical," which revolves around such Beach Boys chestnuts as "California Girls," "I Get Around" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice," is coming to the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino this summer, with a week of preview performances beginning on June 11 and an official opening night of July 17. Kristin Hanggi, who was nominated for a Tony award for "Rock of Ages," will direct. ...

Carrie Underwood keeps Billboard No. 1, Adele going strong
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Country singer and "American Idol" winner Carrie Underwood continued her reign on the Billboard 200 album chart on Wednesday, while British songstress Adele climbed back to No. 2 after 64 weeks on the chart with "21." Underwood's fourth studio album "Blown Away" sold 119,000 copies this week, down from the 267,000 sales debut last week, but enough to keep her No. 1 position on the chart. Grammy-winner Adele's "21" shows no sign of slowing down, selling 101,000 copies over the past week, bringing total sales of the album in the U.S. to more than 9 million. ...

OneRepublic drummer Eddie Fisher arrested in Denver
DENVER (Reuters) - Drummer Eddie Fisher of the alternative rock band OneRepublic was arrested in Denver on Tuesday on suspicion of assault, disturbing the peace and destruction of private property, police said. There was no immediate word from authorities on what led to the arrest, but Fisher, 38, was being held without bond at the Denver city jail, according to the Denver Sheriff's Office. Denver police spokesman Sonny Jackson said the musician was taken into custody Tuesday morning but he had no details on the circumstances of the case. Fisher was scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday. ...