Music News

Justin Bieber and Usher are to face trial after a $10 million copyright lawsuit was reinstated.
The 21-year-old singer and his 36-year-old mentor were accused in 2013 of copying parts of a song composed by Devin Copeland, a singer known as De Rico, and his writing partner Mareio Overton, and the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia have now revived the lawsuit, which centres on the track 'Somebody to Love'.
A federal judge previously dismissed the case, ruling the two tracks differed "significantly" in tone and lyrical content, but the appeal court have now overridden the decision.
Circuit Judge Pamela Harris wrote: "After listening to the Copeland song and the Bieber and Usher songs as wholes, we conclude that their choruses are similar enough and also significant enough that a reasonable jury could find the songs intrinsically similar."
The court also found the two versions have "almost identical rhythm and strikingly similar melody."
As well as Justin and Usher, Vivendi SA's Universal Music Publishing Group and Sony Corp's Sony/ATV Music Publishing are also named in the suit.
Devin and Mareio wrote their version of 'Somebody to Love' in 2008 and claim music scouts played it for Usher.
Justin released his song, 'Somebody to Love', in 2010, while Usher also recorded a remix and another version featured him on lead vocals with his protege as featured artist.

Florence Welch's music is inspired by witches and each song is a "magic spell" to her.
The Florence and The Machine singer has admitted to founding a "witch coven" when she was in middle school and claims her fascination with witchcraft still influences her musical style.
She explained: "I think there's a kind of idea where each song is like a magic spell in order to exorcise something from yourself. There's a big theme of desire and transcendence and using the songs, almost like chants where it was to make something happen or break something; you wanted something out of you or you want to get something into you.
"So, I've always been attracted to that kind of imagery. The first bands I went to see live and the first things I was interested in had this kind of shamanic energy and this idea that it wasn't just a drink it was a kind of exorcism. And so I think being surrounded by those things kind of draws you into these kind of themes."
The 28-year-old star says that when she takes to the stage, she sees her performances as "small" exorcisms and misses them when she's not touring.
She told the blog Noisey: "Every performance is kind of like a small exorcism, or I definitely use them as such. So, I think that's why I had such a strange time when I took a break off because that connection was very important to me as a way to understand myself."
Florence also confessed to trying to put spells on boys she fancied at school with the help of her coven.
She recalled: "Me and my two friends made these spell books where we'd try to do spells on our classmates. One time, I tried to make one of my classmates fall in love with me so me and my coven put his name in a bottle, and the rule was that there had to be a drop of blood and... well, I don't know if it ever worked [laughs]."

Mark Ronson lives with a "spinning disco ball" inside his head.
The 'Uptown Funk' hitmaker revealed decades of being a DJ and writing some of the most recognised beats in the charts has made it hard for him to switch off.
He said: "Having spent 20 years of my life DJing, it is sometimes hard to shut off the spinning disco ball in my head."
The 39-year-old producer has collaborated with acts including Adele, Lily Allen, Kasabian and Bruno Mars during his career, but confessed Amy Winehouse, who passed away at the age of 27 in 2011 "was special".
Speaking about what it was like to work with the musical icon, he explained: "I was inspired by her and the music she wanted to make. I wanted to impress her.
"The thunderbolt strikes the head, the pen scribbles furiously, and that's the song. When she wrote, there was no editing. It came out like, this is the truth and this is how it's gonna stay.
"Even Adele writes with other people. Amy was special."
However, the star - who wed model Joséphine de La Baume in 2011 - said he was given a new lease of life when his recent single 'Uptown Funk' topped charts around the world.
He told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "I feel ('Uptown Funk') has given me a renewed lease on making music. From whatever I'd one on Amy's stuff, I definitely felt that window had closed behind me. To have a massive success seven years down the line, now no one can count you out."

Tinie Tempah thinks Lewis Hamilton's music is "really good".
The 26-year-old rapper has revealed he is a fan of the Formula One racer's music, admitting he was surprised at how good the star's sound is.
He said: "I heard one of his songs when I was in LA recording two weeks ago. He played me one of his songs and it's actually really good, I'm not going to lie to you."
The 'Not Letting Go' hitmaker continued to say he didn't expect the 30-year-old sportsman's track to sound like it did, and is now keen for him to release the music to see what the public thinks.
Speaking to UTV's Total Access, Tinie added: "It doesn't even sound like Lewis Hamilton. It's really, really good. It's interesting. I'm curious to see how people will react to it.
"At first I was a little bit apprehensive. But after I heard the record, I was like, yeah, why do we put people into boxes?
"Like, if you're an actor, don't you dare do a song, or if you're Arnold Schwarzenegger don't run for Governor of California."
Lewis originally began recording music in a home studio he built for his ex-girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger, but has since worked with producer Rodney Jenkins, who has previously created hits for Lady Gaga and Michael Jackson.
However, he recently hinted he has no plans to release any of his music because he wants to concentrate on his driving career.
When asked about whether he will be putting out: "I ... I don't really know. I just like doing it. I mean, if a song I did was good enough for someone to want to sing it, that'd be awesome. To be known as a writer, would be ... pretty awesome. But I'm going to try and get that third world championship and that takes priority."

Simon Cowell will be awarded the 24th Music Industry Trusts Award.
The 55-year-old music mogul - who owns record company Syco, manages One Direction and is a recognised global TV icon - will be honoured for his outstanding contribution to the music and entertainment industry and many charitable causes.
David Munns OBE, chairman of the MITS Award committee, said: "We are delighted to honour Simon Cowell with the Music Industry Trusts Award for 2015. We are proud to recognise his outstanding contributions to the UK music and entertainment industries and his personal support of many charitable causes.
"The creativity and excitement of 'The X Factor' and 'Britain's Got Talent', for example, have left an indelible impression on our contemporary culture whilst his record label Syco has proven itself a world leader in the development and success of inspiring, talented artists. Simon Cowell is a well deserving honouree."
Other honourees include Sir Elton John, Sir Michael Parkinson CBE, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sir Tom Jones, Kylie Minogue OBE, and Jools Holland.
The award will be presented on Monday 2 November at a gala ceremony in aid of music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins and the BRIT Trust.

Royal Blood sing their own songs at karaoke.
The rock duo, comprised of Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher, have revealed tracks from their eponymous debut album are now available at their local karaoke joint, and they love to sing along to the tracks even though the lyrics are always incorrect.
Mike revealed: "We've got Royal Blood songs on the local karaoke in Brighton now as well, and they have the lyrics wrong though. Which makes it even more fun."
When asked whether they actually sing their own songs, he added: "Yes. It's the first thing I do. I get the mic off, it's my go."
The 'Little Monster' rockers were scheduled to support Foo Fighters at Wembley Stadium in London during two dates this week, and while they confessed they are disappointed the shows have been cancelled after frontman Dave Grohl broke his leg, they commended him for carrying on his performance after suffering the painful injury in Sweden last week.
Speaking to Nick Grimshaw on BBC Radio 1, they said: "We were going to play a gig tomorrow with the Foo Fighters, but I'm sure as everyone who was going is aware, we're not any more. Dave hurt his leg.
"It's completely understandable [that they cancelled the shows]. He's someone I think who wants to do things properly and it's totally fair enough. He finished the show, I think it was Gothenburg when he fell off [the stage], and he like went off stage for like 15 minutes, came back on and finished the show while being put in a cast, so he's definitely committed to things like that.
"I would have definitely cried as well. I wouldn't have been able to keep going. I would have tried, then I would have burst into tears halfway through a song."

Jessie J is writing new music.
The 'Bang Bang' hitmaker - who is currently on holiday in Lisbon, Portugal with her beau, Luke James - revealed she has been writing lyrics in her "mind" and is excited to find a tune to accompany the words.
She wrote on Twitter: "I have been writing lyrics in my mind all day. Can't wait to find out what the melody to go with them will be... (sic)"
The 27-year-old pop star's hint at new material comes during the European leg of her tour, in support of her third LP, 'Sweet Talker'.
However, she recently teased she would be taking "a step back" from her music to "concentrate" on starting a family with her boyfriend, who she started dating last autumn.
She previously said: "There is going to come a time when I will take a step back from music to concentrate on other things. Do I want children? Of course I do. I don't know how many I want to have but whatever God decides to bless me with, I will give my all to."
Meanwhile, the 'Price Tag' singer has been busy with more music in recent months, after her single 'Flashlight' featured in 'Pitch Perfect 2', and she co-wrote 'Sorry to Interrupt' with British boyband Rixton.

Radiohead "took a lot of time" to make progress on their new album.
The 'Karma Police' hitmakers are currently in the studio "in periods" working on their ninth album - the follow-up to 2011's 'King of Limbs' - and guitarist Jonny Greenwood admits they were apart for so long, it took a while to settle back into working together.
Speaking to Dutch website 3voor12, he said: "We didn't do anything together for too long, so restarting took a lot of time.
"We're working in periods now. This afternoon, Thom [Yorke] and I will work on a song we started yesterday, see what it will lead to."
Though he didn't share much information about the new record, Jonny revealed the group have been re-visiting 1996 track 'Lift', in keeping with their tradition of including a "very old" song on each album.
He explained: "What people don't know is that there's a very old song on each album, like 'Nude' on 'In Rainbows'. We never found the right arrangement for that, until then. 'Lift' is just like that. When the idea is right, it stays right. It doesn't really matter in which form."
Jonny previously revealed the 'Paranoid Android' rockers have "change their method" and were experimenting with different things in recording.
He said: "We've certainly changed our method again. It's too involved [to explain how].
"We're kind of limiting ourselves; working in limits. So we'll see what happens. It's like we're trying to use very old and very new technology together to see what happens."

Little Mix want to star in a movie.
The four-piece band comprised of Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall have revealed they dream of following in the footsteps of fellow British girl group Spice Girls, who released 'Spice World' in 1997, by starring in a film of their own.
On the production, Jesy said: "Not just any film, it has to be like the Spice Girls movie and we actually act in it."
The 'Black Magic' singers - who shot to fame by winning 'The X Factor' in 2011 - made the comment at the launch of their first fragrance, Gold Magic, which will reach shops on June 24.
During a Q&A at the event in London, the group - who are expected to put out their third studio album later this year - confessed releasing a scent has been on their bucket list ever since they appeared on the ITV singing competition four years ago.
Jade explained: "When we first got put together on 'The X Factor', we made a list of what we wanted to achieve as a girl band.
"We wanted dolls, we wanted perfume, and four years later, it has finally happened."