Stevie Wonder will receive the 2004 Century Award, highest honor for creative achievement. The magazine's late editor-in-chief, Timothy White, and former publisher Howard Lander created the award in 1992. Previous recipients include George Harrison (1992), Buddy Guy (1993), Billy Joel (1994), Joni Mitchell (1995), Carlos Santana (1996), Chet Atkins (1997), James Taylor (1998), Emmylou Harris (1999), Randy Newman (2000), John Mellencamp (2001), Annie Lennox (2002) and Sting (2003). Stevie Wonder presented Sting with his Century Award last year. Wonder says, "It's an honor to be included in the amazing group of artists who have received Billboard's Century Award. I'm overjoyed." He'll receive the award at the December 8 Music Awards in Las Vegas.
The week ending November 6, Rod Stewart makes his first ever Number One debut on the 200 chart with his third standards album, . The collection sold more than 240,000 copies its first week in U.S. record stores. The last time Stewart reached Number One on Top 200 album chart was in 1979 with "Blondes Have More Fun." Stewart's previous two pop standards releases, "It Had To Be You: The Great American Songbook" and "As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook, Volume II," each sold more than two million copies in the U.S. Combined worldwide sales total more than 10 million copies. Both received Grammy nominations. The current single from is Stewart's remake of the Louis Armstrong classic, "What A Wonderful World."
The Royal Swedish Academy of Music has announced the winners of its 2005 Polar Music Prize. They are Brazilian singer Gilberto Gil, cited for his "unflinching creative engagement in bringing to the world the heart and soul of the rich music of Brazil," and German singer Dietrich Fischer-Diskau, chose for "his unique artistry in every area of classical singing and for his unparalleled achievements as a penetrating and innovative interpreter of art songs in the German language." The two will each receive more than $137,000. Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf will present the honors on May 23rd, 2005.
November 1, EMI Records released legendary singer Tina Turner's new anthology, in overseas markets. The North American release is tentatively set for February of 2005. In addition to many of Turner's hits, "All The Best" features three new tracks, "Something Special," "Complicated Disaster" and her remake of Journey's "Open Arms." Also included on the 33-track, double CD set is Turner's live version of the late Robert Palmer's 1986 Number One single, "Addicted To Love."
Madonna has been cast to voice the part of Princess Selenia in the upcoming animated motion picture The $80 million film is based on Luc Besson's series of children's. Besson wrote the screenplay and will direct the film, which is expected to hit theaters in 2006.
reports that a new popularity chart will debut beginning with the magazine's November 6 edition. The "Hot Ringtones" chart will list the Top 20 polyphonic ringtone sales for each week as provided by the major ringtone distributors and wireless carriers. The chart will be included in magazine's new Digital Entertainment special section.
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Rock group Linkin Park and hip-hop star Usher were the top winners at the October 25 Radio Music Awards in Las Vegas. Usher was named Hip-Hop Artist of the Year and he also took home the Hip-Hop Song of the Year award for "Yeah!" Linkin Park won the Rock Artist of the Year category and the Alternative Rock Song of the Year honor for "Numb." Other winners included Beyonce, named Top 40 Artist of the Year; Tim McGraw, Country Artist of the Year; and Train, Modern Adult Artist of the Year. During the ceremony, Janet Jackson was presented with the Legend Award. Nominees were based on the top played songs on radio. Votes by radio program and music directors selected the winners.
