As if Simon Cowell didnt have a big enough ego already, he is getting ready to be knighted by the Queen in the Quees’s Birthday Honours List. The Britain’s Got Talent and X Factor judge, 50, is expected to be dubbed “Sir” for his charity work and generating millions for the British record industry.
Cowell surprisingly endorsed David Cameron to lead Britain in the final few days of campaigning. But Mr Brown had made no secret of his admiration for the mastermind behind the star-studded fundraising CD for the victims of this year’s Haiti earthquake. Cowell, who has even dined at No10 with Mr Brown and wife Sarah, helped to raise almost £1million for the appeal by getting the likes of Robbie Williams and Rod Stewart to help record Everybody Hurts.
Those of you not lucky [Ha ha] enough to live in the UK may have missed this Easter Monday’s broadcast of The People’s Artist Chart on the Beeb. Based on plays reported to Phonographic Performance Limited, AKA PPL, a body that licenses broadcast and other performances of tracks that are signed up to its catalogue (and charges mysteriously priced licensing fees to venues), the chart detailed the artists that had most plays in the decade 2000-2009. Here they are:
1. Madonna
2. The Beatles
3. Robbie Williams
4. Queen
5. Take That
6. Sugababes
7. Elton John
8. Elvis Presley
9. Abba
10. Coldplay
Incredible to see Elvis still topping the play charts after almost 40 years since his death, and that the pop bands of yesteryear are still more active on the airwaves than current acts. Does this list really define the decade? Listen to the programme via the BBC iPlayer here, and make your own mind up.
It been thirty years since the original members of Band Company performed together in the UK.
Plans to play eight dates in the UK during April next year have just been set in stone, and with all the original band members no less. Singer Paul Rodgers, drummer Simon Kirke, guitarist Mick Ralph and new bassist Lynn Sorensen. The last time the founding members reunited on stage was back in August of 2008 when they performed at the Seminole Hard Rock & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
Original and current singer Paul Rodgers, in his stint away from Bad Company, enjoyed some success with the remaining members of Queen. A tour that managed some success and eventually climaxed in an album together, The Cosmos Rocks.
Although there is no news of any further plans for Bad Company yet beyond their short tour next year, the band are releasing a DVD/CD box set in February. Ticket are on sale from 20th November (tomorrow). Tour dates are as follows:
April 1 – Birmingham LG Arena.
April 2 – Manchester Arena.
April 4 – Sheffield City Hall.
April 5 – Cardiff CIA.
April 7 – Newcastle Arena.
April 8 – Glasgow Clyde.
April 10 – Brighton Center.
April 11 – Wembley Arena.
Over at MusicAlly they have put together a great list of the top 20 bands on Facebook according to their popularity. 20 most popular music artist fan pages from the chart though, and they are (with number of fans):
1. Rihanna (1.52 million)
2. Coldplay (1.49 million)
3. Lil Wayne (1.34 million)
4. Linkin Park (1.33 million)
5. Chris Brown (1.3 million)
6. Metallica (1.22 million)
7. Pink Floyd (1.16 million)
8. Bob Marley (1.13 million)
9. Red Hot Chili Peppers (1.12 million)
10. Justin Timberlake (1.05 million)
11. AC/DC (997,000)
12. Daft Punk (912,000)
13. Beyonce (906,000)
14. Queen (900,000)
15. Evanescence (873,000)
16. Jonas Brothers (843,000)
17. Radiohead (793,000)
18. Kanye West (792,000)
19. Katy Perry (791,000)
20. Akon (753,000)
