1) Steve Jobs: “I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple”s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come. I hereby resign as CEO of Apple.”
2) Lil Wayne: “She Will,” the second single from “Tha Carter IV,” bows at No. 3 on Billboard”s Hot 100, Weezy”s best opening frame ever. Estimates for first week sales of “IV,” which drops at midnight on Aug. 29, are running in the staggering 800,000 range. He may be small, but he”s mighty.
3) Taylor Swift: The country pop princess starts her four sold-out shows at Los Angeles” Staples Center. How many 21-year olds can put that on their resume?
4) Amy Winehouse: Her “Back To Black” has now become the top-selling album in the U.K. of the 21st Century. We know we”re only 11 years in, but still… Total British sales of the set now tally 3.26 million, which moves it past the 3.25 million reached by James Blunt”s “Back To Bedlam.” Coming soon, my new Flintstones” tribute album, “Back To Bedrock.”
5) Game: The rapper is poised to knock Jay-Z and Kanye West off their throne as The “R.E.D. Album,” his first set since 2008″s “LAX,” will likely enter the Billboard 200 at No. 1. “LAX” prompted the first ever recount on the Billboard 200, with its No. 1 debut revoked after it turned out the Slipknot”s “All Hope Is Gone” had sold a tad more.
6) Jerry Leiber: Paul Shaffer said it best: “Lieber and Stoller? There would be no rock and rock without them.” R.I.P.
7) Nick Ashford: If he”d only co-written “Ain”t No Mountain High Enough,” we”d owe him a debt of thanks, but he and wife/songwriting partner Valerie Simpson also gave us “I”m Every Woman,” “Solid As A Rock” and so many more. R.I.P.
8) Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine: The pair could ultimately pocket $200 million each for the sale of their Beats headphones. We”re happy for them because, you know, both of them really need the money.
9) Frank Dileo: Michael Jackson”s manager during the era that earned him The King of Pop moniker dies at 63. He was Colonel Parker to Jackson”s Elvis and seldom seen without a cigar.
10) BlackBerry: Parent company Research in Motion unveils its BBM Music service on Thursday, the day after Jobs resigned. Good timing, dudes. Read more about the cloud-based service here. https://www.berryreview.com/2011/08/25/interview-with-bbm-music-senior-project-manager-nick-patsiopoulos/