Katy Perry remains in control of the Billboard Hot 100 for a fifth week with "I Kissed a Girl." The song sold more than 166,000 downloads in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan, staying ahead of Rihanna's "Take a Bow" at No. 2 and Chris Brown's "Forever," which jumps 4-3 and is the top digital gainer.

50 Cent has sued Taco Bell, claiming the fast-food restaurant chain is using his name without permission in advertising. The rapper says in a federal lawsuit that Taco Bell features him in a print ad asking him to change his name to 79 Cent, 89 Cent or 99 Cent. His real name is Curtis Jackson.

Backstreet Boys Howie Dorough and A.J. McLean are continuing to work on their first solo projects even as the group has started work on its sixth studio album.

The Keith Jarrett Trio is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the reissue of two out-of-print concert DVDs and a short fall tour.

Rachael Yamagata says her ambitious sophomore album, "A Record in Two Parts ... Elephants and Teeth Sinking Into Heart*," "almost goes against everything I believe in (for) a record.

For his new concept album, "Along Came a Spider," Alice Cooper wanted to create a serial killer people could, well, like.

DMX rapped for reporters outside a Phoenix courtroom after pleading not guilty to felony charges of theft and identity theft. Then he plugged his new album.

Indie rock outfit Annuals will release its debut for Sony-distributed Canvasback Music, "Such Fun," on Oct. 7.

A music publishing company that owns the rights to the Rolling Stones' song "Play With Fire" sued rapper Lil Wayne today (July 24), saying he released an altered version of the song without permission.

Kanye West has joined forces with MTV for the documentary "Choose or Lose & Kanye West Present: Homecoming," the next installment of the "Choose or Lose" campaign which tells the stories of war veterans and the difficulties they face once they return home.

There's an odd co-production credit on Nils Lofgren's new album, "The Loner -- Nils Sings Neil" -- for David Briggs, the famed Neil Young cohort who passed away 1995.

One rapper replaces another atop The Billboard 200 this week, as Nas' untitled Def Jam album dethrones Lil Wayne's Cash Money/Universal set "Tha Carter III." Nas' album sold 187,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, becoming the rapper's fifth No. 1 here.

Pop star Pink has set an Oct. 28 release for her as-yet-untitled fifth album. The LaFace/Zomba set is led by the single "So What," which will hit radio early next month and digital outlets shortly thereafter.

Rap star DMX has been indicted in Arizona on charges that he used a false identity to try and avoid paying medical expenses incurred during a hospital visit.

In his first interview in months, Dr. Dre says his years-in-the-works album "Detox" should be out before the end of the year. "Everybody is going to love it. In a perfect world, I'm shooting for a November or December release," he told USA Today.

A business management and accounting firm sued Courtney Love for nearly $1 million yesterday (July 22), claiming she failed to pay them a share of profits from the sale of Nirvana's publishing catalog.

In the wake of Lindsey Buckingham's latest solo project, Fleetwood Mac is gearing up for a tour in early 2009 that will likely be followed by a new band album. Contrary to earlier reports, Sheryl Crow will not be a part of the tour.

Metallica has confirmed the track list for its upcoming album, "Death Magnetic," due in September via Warner Bros.

On the day Nas' untitled Def Jam album hit No. 1 on The Billboard 200, the rapper joined political groups Color of Change and Move On, along with fans and protesters, outside of the Fox News building in New York to protest the network's portrayal of African-Americans.

The Billboard 200 will greet a new No. 1 next week in the form of Miley Cyrus' "Breakout" (Hollywood) or Sugarland's "Love on the Inside" (Mercury Nashville), which are neck and neck on the Nielsen SoundScan's Building chart released today (July 23).

The Pretenders will roll out their new album, "Break Up the Concrete," as one MP3 per week with a different partner leading up to the Sept. 23 CD street date via Shangri-La Music.

Some of the biggest names in music, including Beyonce, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, Mariah Carey and Justin Timberlake, have signed on for the fifth Fashion Rocks concert, to be held Sept. 5 at New York's Radio City Music Hall and broadcast four days later by CBS.

With "CSNY: Deja Vu," his documentary of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's controversial 2006 Freedom of Speech Tour, rolling out this week, Neil Young says his upcoming musical plans mostly involve his long-in-the-works "Archive" series as well as hitting the road.

Rock veteran Robert Plant squares off against teenage singer/songwriter Adele on the 12-album shortlist for the 2008 Nationwide Mercury Prize, announced in London this morning (July 22).

Former Phish frontman Trey Anastasio will warm-up for his Aug. 10 set at the All Points West festival in New Jersey via a rare club show with his band Classic Tab three days earlier at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn.

Jessica Simpson has christened her debut country album "Do You Know" and will release it Sept. 9 via Columbia Nashville. First single "Come on Over" rises 26-23 this week on Billboard's Hot Country songs chart.

Damon Albarn's score for the opera "Monkey: Journey to the West" will be released in the fall via XL Recordings in North America.

Plain White T's have released the track list for their Sept. 23 release, "Big Bad World" (Hollywood).