Janet Jackson Complains About Promotion of New Album; George Michael Kicks Off US Tour

Janet Jackson complained to SOHH.com that Island Def Jam Records isn't promoting her debut album for the label. Discipline has sold only 392,000 copies in the U.S. Two of its singles, "Feedback" and "LUV," failed to crack the Top 30. "Rock With U" never made it onto the chart. An Island Def Jam representative told Billboard magazine, "Unfortunately we haven't experienced the results we would have liked with this new album. But we respect and support Janet."


The Police kicked off their reunion tour in May 2007. They've just announced their final show together will take place on August 7 at New York's Madison Square Garden. The show will benefit two New York public television stations. The Police will also contribute $1 million to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's environmental initiative, MillionTreesNYC.



Illinois-based rock group Disturbed debuts at Number One on the Billboard 200 this week with its latest CD Indestructible (week ending June 21). The album sold 252,000 copies its first week of release. This marks Disturbed's third consecutive Number One debut. According to Billboard.com, only six other rock bands have debuted in the top spot with three consecutive studio albums. They include Van Halen, U2, Metallica, the Dave Matthews Band, Staind and System of a Down.


On June 17, Mick Hucknall, lead singer of the British pop group Simply Red, will release his solo debut album. Tribute To Bobby features Hucknall's covers of 12 songs popularized by American blues legend Bobby "Blue" Bland. Hucknall says, "His music has this sophistication to it, a jazz tinge. There's also the darkness of his lyrics - Bobby sings with a really twisted pain and sorrow. He's one of the vocalists who influenced my singing style long before I became a slave to pop success."


The 39th annual Songwriters Hall of Fame inductions will be held in New York City on June 19. This year's inductees include songwriter Desmond Child, Country legend Loretta Lynn, British songwriter Albert Hammond, Academy Award-winning composer and lyricist Alan Menken and singer-songwriter John Sebastian. In addition, Goo Goo Dolls leader John Rzeznik will receive the Hal David Starlight Award, which is given to songwriters who make a significant impact in the music industry with their original songs. Previous Starlight Award winners include Rob Thomas, Alicia Keys, John Mayer and John Legend. And, Canadian singer Anne Murray is this year's recipient of the Howie Richmond Hitmaker Award. That award honors artists who have had a substantial number of hit songs for an extended period of time. Clive Davis, Garth Brooks, Chuck Berry, Whitney Houston, Michael Bolton, Gloria Estefan and Diana Ross are among the previous Hitmaker Award recipients.


NEW ALBUM RELEASES

New albums scheduled for release on June 17 include: Viva La Vida by Coldplay, Before the Amplifiers, Live Acoustic by Sister Hazel, Rise & Fall, Rage & Grace by The Offspring, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded by Rihanna, Love The Woman by Chante Moore, No Rules by Rebecca Lynn Howard, Greatest Hits, Volume Two by the Goo Goo Dolls, Nostradamus by Judas Priest and One Of The Boys by Kate Perry.


MUSICAL EVENTS/FESTIVALS/BENEFITS


The 35th annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival will take place June 19-22 in Telluride, Colorado. This year's lineup includes Ryan Adams, Ani DiFranco, Arlo Guthrie, the Del McCoury Band, Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby with Kentucky Thunder and Tift Merritt, among many others.


TOUR DATES AND INFORMATION

On June 15, Melissa Etheridge kicked off her "Revival" tour in Clearwater, Florida. She'll be supporting her latest album The Awakening. Etheridge told Billboard.com that the 12-week tour will "musically take you through my life story. I'm going to tell you that story and show you how I have come to where I am now."

British pop singer George Michael begins a 21-city North American tour on June 17. Shows start in San Diego, California and wrap up on August 3 in Sunrise, Florida. Michael's latest album, Twenty Five, is a 29-track, double CD anthology with several new songs. They include new duets he recorded with Mary J. Blige and Paul McCartney.

On June 19, Country star Toby Keith will kick off his "Biggest and Baddest" tour in Birmingham, Alabama. Opening the 43-date outing are Carter's Chord, Mica Roberts and Trailer Choir. All three are new acts signed to Toby's Show Dog Records. Toby is reportedly working on a new studio album for release later this year.