Britney Spears "Circus" is back -- new album, tour (Reuters)

Reuters - Britney Spears starred in her own "Circus" on Tuesday, performing songs from her new album of that name under a big top in New York City, unveiling plans for a 2009 tour and celebrating her 27th birthday.

Bonnaroo sets dates for 2009 (Reuters)
Reuters - The eighth Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival will take place June 11-14, 2009, on its usual site in Manchester, Tennessee, an hour southeast of Nashville.

Beyonce to perform at Essence Fest in New Orleans (AP)

AP - Beyonce is the first artist lined up for next year's Essence Music Festival in New Orleans.

Celebrities to flock to inauguration for Obama (AP)

AP - The Super Bowl? Forget it. The Oscars? Who cares. The biggest star-studded event on the horizon is President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration.

Neko Case schedules "Cyclone" for March (Reuters)
Reuters - Neko Case will follow 2006's "Fox Confessor Brings the Flood," the best-selling album of her career, with "Middle Cyclone."

Brandy breaks 4-year recording hiatus (Reuters)

Reuters - You can't blame Brandy for being a little nervous stepping back into the recording studio. Four years have elapsed since the release of the R&B/pop singer's fourth album, "Afrodisiac." And it has been just two years since her headline-making car accident in which another driver died.

Civil rights beacon, folk singer Odetta, dead at 77 (Reuters)

Reuters - Odetta, the deep-voiced folk singer whose ballads and songs became for many a sound track to the American civil rights movement, has died aged 77, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.

Latest Details on Travis Barker, DJ AM Reunion Gig (E! Online)

E! Online - More details on the Travis Barker-DJ AM reunion we reported last week.

Christian rockers Red guided by "Instinct" (Reuters)
Reuters - In an interesting clash of inspiration that combines "The Divine Comedy" and a highway accident, Red's sophomore album, "Innocence & Instinct," echoes the emotional ups and downs the Grammy Award-nominated rock act has experienced over the last two years.

New Jay-Z song leaks, old videos go mobile (Reuters)

Reuters - Jay-Z fans have both new and old music to enjoy this week.