1. Justin Bieber: The 18-year old”s “Believe” bows at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with the largest weekly sales for a new album so far in 2012. While that”s great news for him, if 373,000 is the most the industry can muster for an artist who is keyed in to social media 24/7, cue “Taps.”
2. Adele: British singer/songwriter and singlehanded album sales savior announces her first pregnancy. Music industry cries like a baby at the thought of her disappearing for awhile.
3. Eminem: A judge rules that FBT Productions, the producers behind many of his hits, may proceed with their lawsuit against Universal Music Group, which the judge accuses of trying to “bamboozle” the court by not revealing key revenues. The landmark case will determine if downloads count as licenses or sales. The determination could mean that Universal- and other labels– will owe artists millions in back royalties. It”s not sexy, but it is a huge case.
4. Bruce Springsteen: He”s named MusiCare”s Person of the Year, following in the footsteps of Neil Young, Barbra Streisand and Paul McCartney. We can”t wait to hear Carly Rae Jepsen”s version of “Candy”s Room” at the tribute dinner.
5. Flaming Lips: The set the Guinness World Record for most live shows in 24 hours in different cities. Wayne Coyne & Co. played eight shows across Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana. The band”s comment on the feat: “Zzzzzzzz.”
6. M83: French electronic act gets the call to score “Oblivion,” the new sci-fi Tom Cruise movie helmed by “Tron: Legacy” director Joseph Kosinski. Insert favorite Cruise/Holmes joke you”ve heard this weekend here, but it must include the movie title.
7. Chris Brown/Drake: Yeah, we know it”s not going to happen, but isn”t there part of you that would have loved for the two fighting artists to have taken celebrity boxing promoter Damon Feldman up on his $1 million offer to go at it in the ring. And, by the way, never say never. We”re sure “The Partridge Family”s” Danny Bonaduce and “The Brady Bunch”s” Barry Williams never thought that”s where their careers were headed in the ’70s.
8. Swedish House Mafia: The groundbreaking superstar DJing trio announced this the current tour will be its last. As their said in their statement: “We came, we raved, we loved.”
9. Rolling Stones: Shephard Fairey designs the legendary band”s 50th anniversary. Only advice from Mick: Don”t touch the tongue.
10. Sony: While the EMI/Universal recorded music merger gets reviewed under a microscope, the Federal Trade Commission approves Sony”s $.2.2 billion purchase of EMI”s music publishing assets. The combined company vaults to the world”s largest publisher.