Music News

Taylor Swift has been branded a hypocrite by a photographer.
Jason Sheldon has penned an open letter calling the 'Shake It Off' hitmaker's photography policy "unfair", just a day after she announced she would be withdrawing her music from Apple's new streaming service because they wouldn't be paying writers, producers and artists during a three-month free trial period.
Speaking about the singer's decision to stand up against Apple, he wrote on his blog: "I applaud it. It's great to have someone with a huge following standing up for the rights of creative people and making a stand against the corporate behemoths who have so much power they can make or break someone's career."
However, he then posted a copy of the contract each freelance photographer is made to sign when taking pictures at her shows, which stipulates images can only be used once, with worldwide rights then belonging to her.
He continued: "How are you any different to Apple? If you don't like being exploited, that's great ... make a huge statement about it, and you'll have my support. But how about making sure you're not guilty of the very same tactic before you have a pop at someone else?"
Continuing to criticise the 25-year-old star, he accused her of using him and other photographers in order to get "marketing material for free".
He added: "Photographers need to earn a living as well. Like Apple, you can afford to pay for photographs so please stop forcing us to hand them over to you while you prevent us from publishing them more than once, ever.
"With all due respect to you too Taylor, you can do the right thing and change your photo policy. Photographers don't ask for your music for free. Please don't ask us to provide you with your marketing material for free."
Meanwhile, Taylor's boyfriend Calvin Harris has congratulated her for her letter, which prompted Apple to announce they have reversed their decision, and will now pay acts while customers use their free trial.
He tweeted: "I just played a gig inside a giant owl and my girl just changed the entire music industry what a day (sic)."

Ed Sheeran thinks his record sales are "insane".
The 'Thinking Out Loud' hitmaker can't believe his second LP 'X' has clocked up almost 10 million sales in just a year.
He posted: "Multiply came out a year ago today, what a year, closing in on 10 million units which is insane. Thanks for anyone that owns it in any capacity x (sic)"
He later added: "Oh sweet, multiply has apparently also spent the entire year in the UK top 10. UK u rule (sic)"
Meanwhile, a mural of Ed made from 13,000 ticket stubs has been unveiled in London.
Ticket retailer StubHub created the 8m x 10m artwork in Russell Square after it was revealed his three sold-out Wembley Stadium shows have been the most searched/bought artist since the summer began.
Closely behind Ed - who performs at the iconic venue next month - in the search stakes is his close friend Taylor Swift in second place, with Paloma Faith in third.
Also featured on the list were Tom Odell in fourth place and Florence & the Machine - who will now headline this year's Glastonbury Festival after Foo Fighters were forced to pull out - in fifth, while Ella Eyre, Jessie J and Foxes have also proved popular.

StubHub's hottest acts appearing across UK stages this summer:
1. Ed Sheeran
2. Taylor Swift
3. Paloma Faith
4. Tom Odell
5. Florence & the Machine
6. Ella Eyre
7= Jessie J
7= Foxes

Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell's cancer has returned.
The 52-year-old musician was first diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma - an uncommon cancer that develops in the lymphatic system - in 2013, and is now "saddened" the returning illness will "prevent" him from his duties in the band for the foreseeable future.
A statement on Facebook read: "I'm saddened by the fact that my cancer has returned. However, I'm beyond consolation that it's return will prevent me from being able to do my job for a while. I'm still working on a schedule of treatment with my doctors, but I will see you all very soon. My apologies."
In November 2014, Vivian announced he was in remission from the cancer and in July of the same year revealed he would undergo stem cell surgery, despite still being in remission.
The 'Pour Some Sugar On Me' hitmakers are scheduled to play almost 50 cities in the United States and Canada during their upcoming tour, which kicks off tomorrow (23.06.15) in Tampa, Florida, with Trixter guitarist Stevie Brown reportedly replacing Vivian, as he did the last time he was unable to perform due to having treatment.

Chic featuring Nile Rodgers were joined on stage by Cara Delevingne and Sam Smith in London yesterday (21.06.15).
The 'Le Freak' band performed a set packed with their greatest hits at Barclaycard British Summer Time in Hyde Park, ending the performance with a star-studded stage invasion.
As well as the 22-year-old supermodel and the 'Stay With Me' hitmaker - who previously worked with Nile on Disclosure's 'Together' - U2's The Edge, 'Strictly Come Dancing' and 'Dancing with the Stars' judge Bruno Tonioli and a series of other people crowded around the disco icon and his band.
After the concert, Sam Smith gushed on Instagram, writing: "LOVED seeing one of my favourite people today!! @nilerodgers!! Every time I see you perform it brings me so much happiness x love you sir x (sic)."
Meanwhile, other acts performing throughout the day included Years & Years, Mika, Grace Jones, and headliner Kylie Minogue, who sang a career-spanning 90-minute set.
The 47-year-old star arrived on stage in a floral crown and fur-lined cape, treating the 60,000-strong crowd to three further costume changes, including a red sequinned minidress, a strapless silver jumpsuit and a tuxedo-inspired leotard complete with diamond jewellery.
Aside from her eye-catching outfits, Kylie - who has been singing for more than 25 years - performed some of her greatest hits including 'Better the Devil', 'Wow', 'Can't Get You Out of My Head' and 'Spinning Around'.
The musician also threw back to the beginning of her career by prompting a sing-a-long to the theme tune of Australian soap 'Neighbours', on which she began her showbiz journey.
Barclaycard British Summer Time continues on Friday (26.06.15) when The Who will perform along with Kaiser Chiefs and Paul Weller, while Taylor Swift will headline on Saturday (27.06.15) with support from John Newman and Ellie Goulding.

Taylor Swift has hit out at Apple for not paying artists on its new streaming service.
The 25-year-old singer-songwriter has refused to hand over her '1989' album to the technology giant and has posted an open letter on her Tumblr account explaining her decision.
Taylor - who's also removed her music from rival service Spotify - said: "I'm sure you are aware that Apple Music will be offering a free 3 month trial to anyone who signs up for the service.
"I'm not sure you know that Apple Music will not be paying writers, producers, or artists for those three months.
"I find it to be shocking, disappointing, and completely unlike this historically progressive and generous company."
Although Taylor acknowledged the move will not make a huge difference to her own financial wellbeing, she insisted her actions were not those of "a spoiled, petulant child".
The 'Bad Blood' hitmaker concluded her letter: "It's not too late to change this policy. We don't ask you for free iPhones. Please don't ask us to provide you with our music for no compensation."
Following the publication of Taylor's letter, Eddy Cue, the Senior Vice-President of Internet Software and Services at Apple, suggested the company will change its policy.
He tweeted: "#AppleMusic will pay artist for streaming, even during customer's free trial period.
"We hear you @taylorswift13 and indie artists. Love, Apple."

Michael Eavis wishes Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley could come back from the dead to play at Glastonbury.
The musical festival's founder has revealed if he could choose any artist from their heyday to play at the event - which takes place on Worthy Farm in Somerset - it would be the two musical legends.
He told the Sunday Telegraph newspaper: "It would have to be Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and the Grateful Dead. [Jerry] Garcia was fantastic. His music went on for hours and hours and it never got boring. I went to see them once at the Rainbow in London and then came back to milk the cows."
Meanwhile, it's been claimed 79-year-old Michael - whose daughter Emily Eavis now manages the festival - could be set to miss out on this year's event after fainting while cycling through the nearby village of Pilton two weeks ago.
A source told the Mail on Sunday newspaper: "Michael is determined to carry on business as usual but it is likely we will see less of him than usual this year."
Michael is set to hand over the reigns to his daughter entirely when the festival - which kicks off on Wednesday - reaches its 50th year in 2020.

Damon Albarn handed out ice creams to fans at Blur's headline performance at Barclaycard Presents British Summer Time in Hyde Park on Saturday night (20.06.15).
The 'Song 2' hitmaker's dished out the tasty treat to those lucky fans that had managed to secure a place on the coveted front row.
The band performed a 23-strong setlist complete with tracks from their latest album 'The Magic Whip' as well as their classic hits.
Near the end of the show, Damon paid tribute to guitarist Graham Coxon for being the driving force behind their new album.
He told the crowd: "I just want to say thanks to Graham for getting The Magic Whip into shape ... And I want to thank the backing singers, the ice cream van, and you, the fans."
With the band - which also includes bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree - making their third appearance at Hyde Park in six years, the crowds gave them a warm reception as they played some of their most well-known songs including 'Girls & Boys', 'Go Out' and 'Coffee & TV'.
And the band couldn't stop thanking their fans for all the home support.
He added: "Thanks so much for coming back to see us again. It's great to be back in Hyde Park. It's like home - well, it is home really.
"I love it here. I really love it here."

Blur's full setlist at Barclaycard Presents British Summer Time in Hyde Park:

'Go Out'
'There's No Other Way'
'Lonesome Street'
'Badhead'
'Coffee & TV'
'Out of Time'
'Beetlebum'
'Thought I Was a Spaceman'
'Trimm Trabb'
'He Thought of Cars'
'End of a Century'
'I Broadcast'
'Trouble in the Message Centre'
'Tender'
'Parklife'
'Ong Ong'
'Song 2'
'To the End'
'This Is a Low'
'Stereotypes'
'Girls & Boys'
'For Tomorrow'
'The Universal'

Tommy Lee finds it "really amazing" that none of Motley Crue are dead.
The drummer admits the mid-1980s was a "bad" time for the 'All Bad Things Must End' hitmakers - which includes Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars - because they were all "not waking up", "overdosing" and "like a bomb ready to go off".
The 52-year-old rocker is amazed the band - who are in their 34th year together - are living to tell the tale and survived, because he was sure "someone was going to die".
He told BANG Showbiz: "People were not waking up, people were overdosing and people were f***king. Like a bomb ready to go off, like someone was going to die. The fact we made it through that is really amazing because we had all of the ingredients for bad and for something to go extremely f***ing bad."
The notoriously outrageous rock outfit reached their limits living in Los Angeles, surrounded by "drug dealers" and "distracting" girlfriends, so moved to Vancouver, Canada, to focus on their music and Tommy thinks it was a good decision.
He added: "Somehow in 1989 we decided alright we've got to stop and we all decided to get sober and move the f***k away from Los Angeles, move away from the dealers and the girlfriends and the distractions and the bulls*it and we went to Vancouver and made the best record of our lives. That time was probably the baddest."

Katherine Jenkins thinks her singing has improved since she got pregnant.
The 35-year-old mezzo soprano is expecting her first child with husband Andrew Levitas and has found her changing shape has added depth to her vocals.
She said: "A lot of female singers say their voice is better when they're pregnant and I think that's happening to me.
"My voice is bigger and more rounded, so I'm loving being pregnant and don't want it to end."
However, the blonde beauty is concerned her voice could "scare" her unborn tot.
She added: "I just hope I am not scaring her with the volume and vibration of my voice.
"She'll either be in there enjoying my singing or she'll eventually start kicking and saying, 'Be quiet Mummy, you're too loud.' "
Katherine is still working out during her pregnancy and doing her best to eat healthily, though she won't deprive herself of any treats.
She told Britain's HELLO! magazine: "I've been very into fitness - running and boot camp classes - over the last few years so it is just a case of adapting that for what works for my body now. While I'm still running, I've swapped boot camp for yoga and spinning.
"I have a good attitude to food. I have a huge appetite but I make sure I eat the right things. It's about putting the right nutrients into your body.
"Everything in moderation though - if I want to have chocolate, I have it."