Massive demand for Jackson memorial tickets (Reuters)

Reuters - More than half a million fans from around the world applied for 17,500 free tickets to Michael Jackson's public memorial service next week, organizers said on Friday as a massive security operation got underway.

One Jonas Brother Off the Market: Kevin's Engaged! (E! Online)

E! Online - There are only two Jonas Brothers left.

Pixies planning Hollywood-themed new album (Yahoo! Music)
Yahoo! Music - Pixies frontman Black Francis has revealed that he is planning to record the band's first new album since 1991's Trompe Le Monde with a Hollywood film director.

How Jackson's "Thriller" changed the music business (Reuters)
Reuters - In early 1984, when Epic Records executives presented their slate of upcoming releases at the convention in Hawaii of parent company CBS Records, they couldn't resist playing up the success they were experiencing. So between the pitches for new albums, Epic inserted stock footage of semi trucks and a voice-over that thunderously announced, "There goes another load of Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' albums!"

Cuba's Fidel Castro honored with a reggaeton song (Reuters)

Reuters - Since he swept into power 50 years ago, Cuba's Fidel Castro has been honored in poems, movies and paintings and now in reggaeton, a form of music widely popular among Cuban youth but not island leaders.

Stone Temple Pilots accentuate old faves (Reuters)

Reuters - For a reunited band bent on having a future, Stone Temple Pilots spent most of its House of Blues show Wednesday visiting the past -- the distant past.

Who Owns the Beatles Songs Now That M.J.'s Dead? (E! Online)

E! Online - Now that M.J. is dead, who has the rights to the Beatles songsand will we be able to buy them on iTunes?

The Killers announce plans to release covers album (Yahoo! Music)
Yahoo! Music - The Killers' Brandon Flowers and Ronnie Vanucci have told NME.COM that the band are planning to record an album of covers before the end of the year.

Michael Jackson's music had impact around the globe (Reuters)

Reuters - Michael Jackson went from being Gary, Ind.'s most talented kid to one of the most recognizable human beings on the planet. While his worldwide album sales were astounding, that wasn't the sole reason for his fame. His ascendancy went far beyond the cash register -- he inspired dance moves, dictated fashion trends and raised awareness for social causes around the globe.

ABBA's Andersson shoots down London reunion talk (AP)
AP - Forget those reports that Swedish supergroup ABBA will be reuniting to cover Michael Jackson's sold-out concert dates.