Topic: Billboard.com

Five Whitney Houston songs race up Britain's music charts after death

Five Whitney Houston songs had made it into the Top 40 in Britain's music charts by Wednesday, led by 'I Will Always Love You,' following her surprising death on Saturday.

Whitney Houston investigation: Too soon to tell if drugs involved

Whitney Houston: Toxicology test results won't be known for weeks. L.A. officials wouldn't comment on the prescription drugs found in Whitney Houston's hotel room.

Grammys 2012: Would a computer have picked Adele? (+video)

Grammys 2012: Adele won six awards at Sunday's Grammys. But Adel should have lost to Bruno Mars, according to a computer algorithm that predicts which songs will be hits and which will be flops.

David Archuleta takes break from singing career to join Mormon mission

David Archuleta was the runner-up on 'American Idol' and has released three albums, but the singer says he will take a two-year break from all of that to join mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

2012 Grammy nominations: Potter, Porter and Mormons - who will win?

2012 Grammy nominations for 3 Broadway musicals pit 'The Book of Mormon' against 'Anything Goes' and 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.'

Katy Perry vs. LMFAO for the song of summer

"Last Friday Night (TGIF)" faced off against "Party Rock Anthem" for the title of summer anthem in 2011.

Buddy Holly honored on 75th birthday

Buddy Holly is remembered on what would have been his 75th birthday with Buddy Holly Day, and with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

Amy Winehouse album: the pluses and pitfalls of a posthumous release

Amy Winehouse fans have been hoping for a follow-up to her ‘Back in Black’ album. There are plenty of cautionary tales, as well as success stories, about how to do a posthumous release right.

Yakety Yak lead singer Carl Gardner lived for music

Yakety Yak, their single from 1958, spent seven weeks as the No. 1 rhythm and blues song. 'He loved his singing,' Veta Gardner said of her husband of 24 years. 'That was his whole life.'

American Idol: Paul McDonald leaves, Kelly Clarkson returns

American Idol recap: The two remaining girls (Haley Reinhart and Lauren Alaina) avoided elimination. Idol original Kelly Clarkson sang. But the Paul McDonald American Idol Adventure is over.

Top Picks: '127 Hours,' Amos Lee's latest album, 'The Complaints,' and more

Danny Boyle's cinematic survival tale '127 Hours,' Amos Lee's soulful album 'Mission Bell,' Ian Rankin's intriguing detective story 'The Complaints,' and more recommendations.

Esperanza Spalding: Grammy talent evident, back in 2008

Esperanza Spalding won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist Sunday night in Los Angeles. Just a few years ago, Esperanza Spalding spent time in Boston - first as a student, then as a teacher at the world-renowned Berklee College of Music.

John Lennon: Top 6 most influential songs

The 30 years that have passed since John Lennon's death have done little to diminish him as one of the most respected musicians of the 20th century. As a member of one of the most successful and influential songwriting teams of all time, he changed the face of popular music. Lennon was a mad experimenter, a avant-garde visionary who not only responded to the tenor of his day, but set it. He was also a master of wide appeal, able to temper his unorthodox impulses with approachability. Many of his innovations are now essential components of pop music. Here are six of his most influential songs:

Why Wayne Newton wants you to visit his Las Vegas home

Wayne Newton is saying he wants to open his home to the public. Why, and what can you see inside?

Wyclef Jean: Preacher's son to rap star to presidential contender

Wyclef Jean, president of Haiti? It would cap the Haitian immigrant's trajectory from rebellious preacher's son to millionaire rap star to humanitarian worker.

Walter Hawkins, Grammy award-winning gospel singer, dies

Walter Hawkins, the Grammy Award-winning gospel singer, composer and pastor from Oakland, died Sunday.

Why the Justice Department wonders if Apple is cheating

The US Justice Department is reportedly looking into Apple's music deals. Is the king of digital music resorting to dirty tricks?

Monsters of Folk: Making hits without the hype

Even in this age of iTunes and Rock band video games, the supergroup has found an audience and an album hit.

The origin of that terrible Monster Mash song

The Monster Mash song is back – thankfully, only for another day.

Spotify: A new bounty of free music

This European app streams free music and makes money for musicians.

Notes on a bridge

Composer Joseph Bertolozzi has recorded sounds from the Mid-Hudson Bridge to create a new kind of symphony.

Musicians page through their pasts for book deals

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In new move, bands play complete albums in concert

As CD sales plummet, novelty gigs win box office bump and delight audiences.

Goodbye Raffi, hello hipster!

Kid's music gets a rock 'n' roll makeover that soothes adults.