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Samsung’s Galaxy S4 passes 10 million channel sales within one month of launch

Samsung co-CEO Shin Jong-kyu  told media last week that he expected the company’s new flagship smartphone the Galaxy S4 to pass 10 million channel sales this week, and that has proven to be true as the electronics giant announced the milestone (via Yonhap News) today.

The Galaxy S4 was released at the end of April so, by hitting 10 million sales already, it has reached the milestone 20 times faster than its predecessor — the Galaxy S3 — which needed two months to hit the same lofty goal.

The device has a premium 5-inch 1080p display, set at an impressive 441 ppi. Under the hood is a quad-core 1.6 GHz Cortex-A15 processor, bumped up by an additional quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 chipset. That’s a whole lot of processing power.

The Galaxy S4 has enjoyed a monumental marketing campaign both before and after its launch, starting with a number of teaser videos that included Seth Rogan and Paul Rudd during the Superbowl, as well as this little chap leading up to the launch event in New York.

The Broadway-style unveiling in the Big Apple drew some criticism from the press, but it was without doubt one of Samsung’s grandest and most high-profile media events. Billboard and television advertisements have since swamped a number of major cities, giving the Galaxy S4 the best possible chance at retail.

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Samsung’s Galaxy S4 passes 10 million channel sales within one month of launch

Gewinner des Tages – Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez legt heißen Auftritt hin

Heiß, heißer, Jennifer Lopez! Die 43-jährige Sängerin gehört noch lange nicht zum alten Eisen. Ganz im Gegenteil, ihr sexy Outfit und ihre energiegeladene Performance rissen die Zuschauer bei den „Billboard Music Awards 2013“ in Las Vegas von den Sitzen. Auf der Bühne präsentierte La Lopez mit Rapper Pitbull ihren neuen Song „Live It Up“ im sexy Glitzerbody mit Federärmeln und in kniehohen Lederstiefeln. Dabei dürften nicht nur ihre Tänzer ins Schwitzen gekommen sein.

SpotOn

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Gewinner des Tages – Jennifer Lopez

Taylor Swift – Taylor Swift überstrahlt alle bei den „Billboard Music Awards 2013“

Kritische Worte, einen heißen Lapdance und viele glückliche Preisträger: Die Verleihung der „Billboard Music Awards 2013“ am Sonntag in Las Vegas bot übliches US-Show-Spektakel. Als absolute Gewinnerin des Abends dürfte sich, einmal mehr, Country-Star Taylor Swift fühlen.

Country-Sternchen Taylor Swift setzt ihren Siegeszug mit ihrem aktuellen Album „Red“ fort. Bei den „Billboard Music Awards 2013“ in Las Vegas gewann die 23-Jährige satte acht Trophäen. Belgiens Exportschlager Gotye und R´n´B-Sängerin Rihanna räumten mit immerhin vier Awards ebenfalls groß ab.

Der Abend gehörte jedoch Swift, die bei der Zeremonie im MGM Grand unter anderem die wichtigen Preise für „Künstler des Jahres“, „Bester weiblicher Künstler“ und „Bester Billboard 200 Künstler“ einheimste. Mit den Worten „Danke, dass ihr aus meiner Musik den Soundtrack eurer Emotionen macht“ bedankte sich die Sängerin bei ihren Fans und schob hinterher: „Ihr seid die beste und längste Beziehung, die ich je hatte.“

Ihre neue Single „22“ stellte Taylor Swift auf der Bühne vor. Hier gibt´s den Hit als Download

Swift gewann zudem die Auszeichnungen für „Bester Country Künstler“, „Bester Künstler bei Digitalen Songs“, ihr 3,7 Millionen Mal verkauftes Album „Red“ siegte in den Kategorien „Bestes Album“ und „Bestes Country-Album“. Außerdem war ihr Hit „We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together“ der „Beste Country Song“.

Für „Somebody That I Used To Know“ -Sänger Gotye hat sich die Reise in die USA ebenfalls gelohnt. Der belgische Songwriter gewann vier „Billboard Awards“, unter anderem für den besten Radio Song. Ebenfalls vier Trophäen kann Rihanna in ihren Wohnzimmerschrank stellen. Die „Stay“ -Interpretin wurde unter anderem zum besten R´n´B-Künstler gewählt.

Mahnende Worte schickte Teenie-Star Justin Bieber bei seiner Dankesrede für den „Milestone Award“ an seine Kritiker. „Ich bin 19 Jahre alt und mache, glaube ich, einen ganz guten Job. Alles sollte sich um die Musik drehen, um das Handwerk. Das ist kein Spielzeug. Ich sollte ernst genommen werden“, sagte Bieber und erntete damit auch Buhrufe. Der 19-Jährige nahm zudem zwei weitere Preise in Empfang und performte mit Will.i.am den gemeinsamen Song „#Thatpower“ .

Auf der Bühne ließ es zudem Altmeister Prince krachen. Die 80er-Legende erhielt den „Icon Award“ und spielte zum Dank ein Medley aus „Let´s Go Crazy“, „Frankenstein“ und „Fix Ur Life Up“. Einen der Höhepunkte des Abends zeigte Paradiesvogel Nicki Minaj, die bei der Performance ihres Songs „High School“ ihrem Duettpartner Lil Wayne auf der Bühne einen Lapdance gab.

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Taylor Swift – Taylor Swift überstrahlt alle bei den „Billboard Music Awards 2013“

JT: Mouseketeer to megastar

Justin Timberlake is having a moment. The singer-actor-entrepreneur recently got married, hosted Justin Timberlake is having a moment. The singer-actor-entrepreneur recently got married, hosted “Saturday Night Live” for the fifth time and released his third solo album, and he’s set to put out another record in less than a year. Here’s a look back at JT’s rise to stardom.

Timberlake and Biel smooch for the cameras at the Staples Center in 2012. Despite remaining mum on the topic, the pair reportedly got <a href='http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/28/festive-engagement-party-for-jessica-biel-and-justin-timberlake/' target='_blank'>engaged</a> in December 2011.” border=”0″ height=”360″ id=”articleGalleryPhoto0021″ style=”margin:0 auto;display:none” width=”640″/><cite style=Timberlake and Biel smooch for the cameras at the Staples Center in 2012. Despite remaining mum on the topic, the pair reportedly got engaged in December 2011.

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Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

Justin Timberlake through the years

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(CNN) — Justin Timberlake is an Entertainer. That’s JT, with a capital “E”: Everyman, Everything and Everywhere right now.

With the long-awaited release of “The 20/20 Experience,” his first album in seven years, 32-year-old Timberlake has managed to endear himself to both women and men — crafting an amalgam of talents that have made him a character not seen in a generation or two in show-business: The well-rounded performer.

You won’t find anyone else like him in music, or Hollywood for that matter. It’s an organic chemistry of likability: equal parts movie star, debonair showman, TV comedian and successful businessman.

“My idols have always been the types of guys who could do anything,” Timberlake told “The Guardian” in 2011. “Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Sinatra, Dean Martin; and when you look up to people like that, you don’t accept that you need to be compartmentalized.”

“I wouldn’t call him Frank Sinatra,” “Billboard”‘s , Phil Gallo told CNN. “I’ll go Bing Crosby because Bing Crosby was more of the, A, wise investor, B, very specific vocal style that evolves — but you knew it was Bing, just as you know this is Justin. And the acting in the kind of movies they were — arty, but they told a good story and they appealed to the audience of the day.”

Timberlake’s business ventures are as diverse as professional sports franchises and golf courses, fashion, the Internet, and restaurants. Gallo added, “Here’s somebody who really understands popular culture — who knows a good project when it’s presented to him, that — that captures a certain zeitgeist.”

And then there’s the music. It, like the singer, oozes old school.

“I will not be the type of artist that puts out 10 to 15 albums,” Timberlake recently told “Rolling Stone.”

“That’s just not who I am. They’re really special to me. I write music all the time, but until you really feel that desperate need to shout from the rooftops and express yourself in that way, I just kind of keep it to myself. I enjoy making music so much that if it doesn’t come out, that’s OK.”

Once Timberlake decided that “The 20/20 Experience” was worth sharing with the world, he and close friend and producer Timbaland agreed, he told “Rolling Stone,” to make music “without all the hoopla of, like expectations. Let’s just make something that feels genuine … and … for me, it’s the best stuff I’ve ever done.”

Timberlake from Tennessee

Gospel is in his soul; Elvis is the King. Justin Timberlake is a kid from Memphis, after all. Home was actually north of the big city: Millington, Tennessee.

The grandson of a preacher and son of a choir director never passed up a chance to perform. Early videos of young Justin singing in church and in local shows reveal a boy who idolized Presley, and was himself becoming the performer with the something-special swagger.

Bob Westbrook, who gave 8-year-old Justin his first real singing lessons, told CNN Timberlake’s X factor comes from “his mannerism and his charisma, his hair, that whole bit, his natural stage feel.”

“People in the music industry always talk about this thing or that thing, but he definitely always had that thing. Always,” Trace Ayala, his best friend and William Rast business partner, added.

The adult Timberlake now jokes about his lack of formal training, but still thinks his sound is from the past, “Funny enough, I learned how to sing when I was a kid [by] imitating singers … like Al Green and Don Henley. I was an only child and was obviously really bored, so I would entertain my parents by imitating cartoon voices like Scooby Doo, Boo Boo and others. So, you know that about me now, I guess. I’m killing any cache of cool I’ve managed to build up over the years,” he told “Ask Men.”

Ayala believes their hometown informs everything they do.

“Memphis is a very, very, very musical town, everything revolves around music. From the time we were little kids, you’d go to dinner and the bar next door has a live band playing. So I feel like Memphis breeds that, or at least it brings it out in you, you know?”

N Sync to Solo

In 1993, Justin was singing, dancing and acting in the Disney Channel’s “The Mickey Mouse Club” alongside a group who would later become a who’s-who of teenage idols, including Ryan Gosling, Cristina Aguilera, J.C. Chasez and future girlfriend Britney Spears.

In 2000, ‘N Sync’s “No Strings Attached” was the top-selling album of the year and Justin Timberlake’s picture was hanging inside the locker of teenage girls around the world.

‘N Sync founding member Chris Kirkpatrick described to CNN what it was like working with him then: “It’s almost like he is a perfectionist, but there’s no work involved. You know, it’s really just boom, boom, done. It’s like, ‘There it is.’ One take Timberlake.’”

Timberlake’s writing skills were getting him noticed by other big acts, too. Michael Jackson wanted “Gone,” a JT-penned ‘N Sync song from their last album, “Celebrity,” Timberlake’s manager Johnny Wright told CNN.

“We were at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Michael’s people came and they said, ‘Hey, you know, I think Michael wants to record that record.’ I looked at Justin and I was like, You’re not giving that record away, because I knew how important that record was to him and what it meant for him as a writer to finally get songs.”

But by 2002, Justin’s high-profile relationship with Britney Spears was falling apart and ‘N Sync went on hiatus.

“Everybody was kind of figuring out, ‘What are we gonna do for the next six months?’” Wright recalled. “And then Justin kind of tapped me and said, “I know what I’m gonna do.” He says, “I’ve had this music inside of me for quite a while. I’m gonna take this time and I’m gonna go make a record.”

Then Justin launched the solo career that would define his next decade.

His debut album “Justified,” which spawned hits like “Rock Your Body,” “Cry Me a River,” and “Like I Love You,” soon became hot enough to land him on the biggest stage of all.

Super Bowl XXXVIII was broadcast live on February 1, 2004, from Houston on CBS. As “Billboard”‘s Gallo remembers it, “Justin Timberlake is at the Super Bowl performing with Janet Jackson and he reaches over and he pulls away her top and he has now, apparently, committed the crime of the century.”

A swift apology put Justin back on track, and his star continued to rise.

His sophomore album, the club-friendly “Future Sex/LoveSounds” gave us hits (and new vernacular) like “Sexy Back” and “What Goes Around … Comes Around” in 2006.

That was the last new music we’d hear from Timberlake until now, but in the meantime, his career would explode from Grammys to Emmys, music to movies, including the Academy Award-nominated “The Social Network.” He began investing in business ventures that interested him, became a must-see host of “Saturday Night Live,” and has shot films with major stars like last year’s “Trouble with Curve” with Clint Eastwood, and the upcoming Coen Brothers’ “Inside Llewyn Davis,” and “Runner, Runner” with Ben Affleck.

Then came the last six months.

“Suit & Tie”

A fall wedding in Italy to actress and Hollywood crush Jessica Biel landed Timberlake back on magazine covers and back into water cooler conversation.

He followed that up with the new album, released March 19, led by the single “Suit & Tie,” featuring Jay-Z. “The 20/20 Experience,” which was completed in just four weeks, according to Wright, is currently on pace to sell 850,000 to 900,000 copies in its first week, likely knocking Mumford & Sons’ “Babel” out of the top-selling slot of the year.

On top of that, it was just announced that Timberlake will follow up the soulful album with an additional 10 tracks later this year.

An immensely successful “SNL” hosting gig preceded a week of instantly viral and hilarious appearances on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.”

Not only is Timberlake making what Kirkpatrick refers to as “grown folks music,” he’s also “doing a great job at reinventing himself,” the former bandmate said.

“The one thing I always say about Justin is he always had an eye and an ear for what’s next. Not what’s cool, but what’s next.”

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JT: Mouseketeer to megastar

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Spotify readies roll out of mega-brand apps, starting with AT&T, Intel and more

Sptofu1 Spotify readies roll out of mega brand apps, starting with AT&T, Intel and more

As Spotify continues to ramp up its revenue efforts by launching its first branded advertiser page across Europe, the music-streaming platform is now readying to take things to the next level by introducing branded apps from big companies such as AT&T, McDonald’s, Intel and Reebok.

As AdAge reports, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek is set to introduce the branded apps at the magazine’s Digital Conference in New York next week, and they will be rolled out over the next few months.

Since it launched in 2008, Spotify has been monetizing through subscriptions and advertising (on the free accounts), and as we’ve seen with the recent move towards Facebook and Twitter’s model of launching fully-fledged brand pages, it’s looking at ways to increase its revenue streams to offset the huge costs of licensing 16 million songs.

Indeed, it emerged today that Spotify is hoping to hit $1bn in revenue this year, and getting big brands on board in any capacity can only help it achieve this.

Spotify finally launched in the US last summer, and it’s there that the branded apps will hit first. The music streaming service started morphing into a platform in November, integrating apps inside Spotify, beginning with the likes of Songkick, Pitchfork  and Billboard. It has been gradually rolling out more apps since then.

AdAge notes that the first brand apps will include AT&T’s ‘Surround Sounds’, which plots songs on key locations relating to the track, for example where they were written, recorded or performed. This means you’ll be able to create playlists based on regions – perhaps in the neighborhood where you live. SpotifyApp Spotify readies roll out of mega brand apps, starting with AT&T, Intel and more

Reebok’s app, on the other hand, creates playlists to work out to, whilst Intel’s ‘Sifter’ will recommend songs and artists based on what a user’s Facebook friends are listening to.

Earlier this week, Spotify launched its embeddable Play Button, letting bloggers and online publishers embed any Spotify song, album or playlist directly on their website. We later noted that whilst it was an awesome idea, it could’ve been a lot better, given that it still relies on the listener to have Spotify installed on their machine.

However, it’s indicative of how Spotify is really making the push to hit the mainstream and build a more profitable business as it continues to shell out millions of dollars each year to record labels. And it’s still taking on investment too, recently securing more than $100m, which only adds more pressure to start bringing in the big bucks.

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Spotify readies roll out of mega-brand apps, starting with AT&T, Intel and more

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Adele is the first artist to go double platinum on iTunes, with 2 million downloads

Screen Shot 2012 02 22 at 11.35.04 AM 520x245 Adele is the first artist to go double platinum on iTunes, with 2 million downloads

Columbia records announced today that Adele has become the first artist to rack up double platinum sales on iTunes reports Jim Dalrymple at The Loop. The company’s press release lays out some impressive stats regarding the artists’ sales, especially since her six Grammy Awards.

Adele passed up the 2 million download mark on the US iTunes store of songs including her hit record ’21′. The album simultaneously becomes the longest running #1 by any woman in Billboard history, with, you guessed it, 21 weeks at the top spot, non-consecutively.

The album sold 730,000 copies in the last week since her Grammy appearance and wins, which come exactly one year after its release.

The singer underwent vocal surgery several months ago and thanked her doctors from the Grammy stage after tying Beyoncé for the most awards by a female artist in a year. She also tied Eric Clapton’s record for awards to a British artist.

The album 21 itself has also sold almost 2 million copies.  The 2 million download mark being crossed within a single year of it being released earns her the honor of being the first double platinum artist on Apple’s iTunes service in the US.

Apple reported a record revenue in Q1 2012 of $1.7 billion from the iTunes Store.Last December, Apple pushed their iTunes cloud music services out to many Latin American countries, including Brazil and brought the services to Japan just yesterday.

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Adele is the first artist to go double platinum on iTunes, with 2 million downloads

Singer Whitney Houston dies at 48


Singer Whitney Houston dies at 48

By the CNN Wire Staff

February 12, 2012 — Updated 0123 GMT (0923 HKT)

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Representative: Singer Whitney Houston has died at age 48
  • She sold more than 170 million albums, singles and videos
  • The entertainer has struggled with addiction problems

(CNN) — Legendary pop singer Whitney Houston has died at age 48, her representative Kristen Foster said Saturday night.

The cause of death and where she died were not immediately known.

According to her official website, Houston sold more than 170 million albums, singles and videos over her career.

Houston was set to appear in this year’s “Sparkle,” a remake of the 1976 hit, which was loosely based on the story of The Supremes. It was her first movie role since 1996′s “The Preacher’s Wife.”

Her body of work includes seven straight Billboard No. 1 hits in the 1980s, including “Saving All My Love for You,” “Greatest Love of All” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go.” Billboard puts her soundtrack to the movie “The Bodyguard” as one of the top 10 biggest-selling albums of all time.

The daughter of singer Cissy Houston, Whitney was born on August 9, 1963, in Newark, New Jersey. Famed music producer Clive Davis reportedly spotted Houston 20 years later in a New York nightclub, signing her on the spot, according to her website.

In May 2011, Houston got help for her much-publicized struggle with drugs and alcohol, her representative said at the time.

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Singer Whitney Houston dies at 48