Music

Taylor Swift Honors Aretha Franklin With a Moment of Silence at Detroit Concert. Taylor Swift honored Aretha Franklin on Tuesday by holding a moment of silence for the late Queen of Soul during her concert in Detroit. Before the tribute, Swift paused her Reputation Tour show at Ford Field to say a few words about the legendary singer. "She did so much for music. She did so much for women's rights. She did so much for civil rights," Swift said, as seen in a video captured by WXYZ Detroit's Brad Galli. "She was one of those people, where no matter what you said, no matter what glowing, positive thing you said about her, it would be an understatement. Words could never ever describe how many things she did in her lifetime that made our world a better place. And this is for her." The "Delicate" singer then asked the audience to hold the moment of silence so everyone could "reflect on our life and respect for her and everything that she did in her life." Swift then proceeded to cut the lights. Swift has fond memories of Franklin. In 2014, the "Respect" singer sang "Happy Birthday" to the "Blank Space" singer. Franklin died Thursday, Aug. 16 at her home in Detroit. She was 76 years old. The "Natural Woman" singer died of advance pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type and was surrounded by family members and loved ones at the time of her passing. After her death, many fans paid their respects to the 18-time Grammy winner by attending the public viewings held at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Franklin will be laid to rest on Friday. (Eonline)

Janet Jackson clearly remembers when she fell in love with Michael Jackson's "Remember the Time" music video -- TMZ got a peek at her new music vid homage to MJ for his 60th birthday. Janet teamed up with Kwaylon Rogers -- aka @BlameItOnKway to his 3.6 million IG followers -- to shoot this 1-minute, 11-second clip. Janet plays the queen passing judgment on dancers ... just like Iman did in MJ's 1992 video. The project came about after Kway and Janet met at the Billboard Awards earlier this year. They hit it off and, soon after, Kway pitched the idea of reimagining Michael's hit video and releasing it Wednesday ... the day he would've turned 60. We're told the group rehearsed -- with Diamond Batiste behind the camera -- for a day and shot the video the next day to Janet's liking. As you should know, MJ's "Remember the Time" video -- costarring Eddie Murphy and Magic Johnson -- was hailed as a masterpiece. Kway and King Bach play the dancers desperate for Janet's approval in her tip of the hat to Michael -- which also features her new song, "Made for Now." It's a great tribute on a milestone day for MJ's family, friends and fans. TMZ broke the story ... Michael died in June 2009 after going into cardiac arrest at his Holmby Hills home. Paramedics on scene and staffers at UCLA Medical Center were unable to resuscitate him. Michael's doctor, Conrad Murray, was ultimately found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Murray still believes he did not play a significant role in Michael's homicide. (TMZ)

Ariana Grande Returns to No. 1 On the Artist 100 Chart, Aretha Franklin Reaches No. 2. Plus, Cole Swindell reaches a new peak in the top 10. Ariana Grande leaps from No. 16 to No. 1 on the Billboard Artist 100 chart (dated Sept. 1) to become the top musical act in the U.S. for a third total week, as her latest album Sweetener opens atop the Billboard 200. She first led the list in August 2014 and then again in September 2014. The Artist 100, which launched in July 2014, measures artist activity across key metrics of music consumption, blending album and track sales, radio airplay, streaming and social media fan interaction to provide a weekly multi-dimensional ranking of artist popularity. Sweetener debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 231,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Aug. 23, according to Nielsen Music. Grande concurrently charts 10 songs on the latest Billboard Hot 100, with two tracks ("No Tears Left To Cry," "God Is A Woman") placing in the top 10. Aretha Franklin rises 4-2 on the Artist 100 as the late Queen of Soul earns her highest-charting album on the Billboard 200 in 50 years, as 30 Greatest Hits moves 7-6. Franklin died on Aug. 16 at her home in Detroit. Rounding out the Artist 100's top five, Drake holds at No. 3, Post Malone rises 5-4 and Travis Scott falls 1-5. Meanwhile, Cole Swindell vaults 89-8 as the country singer's new album All of It debuts at No. 1 on Top Country Albums and No. 7 on the Billboard 200 with 50,000 units. Swindell previously peaked at No. 10 on the Artist 100 in 2016. (Billboard)

Maroon 5 to sell guitars and other music gear. A massive array of Maroon 5's gear will be up for sale on Thursday via Techno Empire's Reverb shop. The sale includes microphones, guitars, drum machines and other instruments used by the band onstage and during recording sessions throughout their two-decade career. "We used all of this gear when we were kids, working hard to establish ourselves as a band. Now, we're in a new phase and we need to clear out what we're not using anymore to make room for the equipment that will help us create what comes next," keyboardist and rhythm guitarist Jesse Carmichael said in a statement. "This gear was such a huge part of our story and I hope that it goes to an up-and-coming band or musicians who can make it part of their own story." Nearly 200 pieces from Maroon 5's gear collection will be available for purchase. Among the items are a chrome Shure wireless microphone lead singer Adam Levine used while on tour supporting 2007's "It Won't Be Soon Before Long." Guitars include a 2003 Fender '72 reissue Telecaster Thinline, a late Nineties Guild Bluesbird, a 2005 Fender Custom Shop Yuriy Shishnov Telecaster (numbered 43 of 50 made) and several Floyd Rose guitars played by Levine and James Valentine. A Gibson Les Paul Jim Beam guitar used during their "Songs About Jane" debut album tour is also included in the sale. "Either Adam or James decided to send that guitar up into the air at the end of one of the songs and when it hit the ground we hit the downbeat of the end of the song," Carmichael added. "I'm not sure if it recovered into a playable state, but it's a cool-looking guitar." Early era equipment will also be offered. A Yamaha S90 keyboard Carmichael played when the band members were teenagers performing under the name Kara's Flowers is also for sale. The keyboard was also used during Maroon 5's tour in support of "Songs About Jane" and was employed during the album's recording sessions. A custom made OD100 guitar head also hails from that era. "This was the head that I used on our very first tours right after high school," Carmichael said. Additional gear that will be on sale include an Akai MPC4000 drum machine, a MiKo keyboard, a custom-built keytar that was a one-off prototype, a Belvedere Model 1000 chord organ and several road cases stamped with the band's name. "I like the idea of road cases being passed down through different bands," Carmichael said. "It's nice to know that there's some history there when you put your gear in a case that's been all around the world with a band." (PageSix)

Us The Duo Sing Sweet Original 'Like I Did With You' and Show Off Baby Bump on 'America's Got Talent'. Us The Duo has been melting hearts and commanding so much of the conversation since their audition on America's Got Talent. The husband-and-wife team of Michael and Carissa Alvarado have already tasted the fruits of success, with full-scale tours and major-label releases. But winning AGT would be a dream come true. As the duo entered the second round, the story also moved on: they were expecting a baby. This week, Us The Duo returned to the AGT stage for a sweet performance of an original, "Like I Did With You," which they dedicated to their unborn child. And yes, Carissa is carrying a baby bump, a little girl who is due in October. Us The Duo is about to become Us The Trio. The judges were all moved by the routine, which Howie Mandel described as their "best performance yet." Viewers can vote for their favorite acts, with seven acts earning a berth in the semi-finals. (Billboard)

Daniel Emmet Performs an Aerosmith Classic in Italian on 'America's Got Talent'. Daniel Emmet made his return to America's Got Talent on Tuesday night as a wild card and he pulled a wild move by performing an Aerosmith's classic... in Italian. The classical crossover artist from Rochester, NY, proved he belongs in the competition when delivered a rendition of the rockers' Oscar-nominated "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" from 1998. The multilingual artist's elimination at the judge cuts round was a shock to AGTfollowers, but he's now a strong chance to progress through these live quarter finals. Viewers can vote for their favorite acts, with seven acts earning a berth in the semis. (Billboard)

'American Idol' Winner Taylor Hicks Claps Back at Runner-Up Katharine McPhee's Major Shade Attempt. The former "Scorpion" star tries to get out the vote by pointing out that Taylor Hicks beat her on "American Idol," but Hicks claps right back. Katharine McPhee threw some major shade at the man who beat her out for the fifth season of "American Idol," but Taylor Hicks clapped right back. The former "Smash" and "Scorpion" star captioned a photo of Hicks' winning moment, with her standing by his side as runner-up, by saying, "Voting matters," with an upside down smiley face. She then presented a link to the United States government's official voter registration page. Hicks shot right back, though, flipping a smiley face of his own in response, while agreeing to her sentiment. "You're right, voting DOES matter!" he said. "But you're a little late to the party, Kat." Hicks provided a more personal link to a PSA he did for his home state of Alabama, encouraging its citizens to vote. While McPhee has gone on to a much higher profile career since her time on the "American Idol" stage, neither of the top two finalists went on to huge success on the music charts. That honor goes to fourth place finisher Chris Daughtry, with honorable mention for country darling Kellie Pickler, who finished in sixth. After failing to find sustainable chart success, McPhee finally broke through with a co-lead role on NBC's "Smash," and her acting career has taken the lead ever since. After four years starring on CBS's "Scorpion," McPhee recently made her Broadway debut with a four-month starring role in "Waitress." Taylor Hicks has suffered a similar fate on the charts, and also enjoyed a successful run on Broadway, as Teen Angel in "Grease." He has continued to release albums and tour, as well as appearing on multiple television shows. His most recent gig is as host of INSP channel's culinary show "State Plate." Fans on Twitter loved the exchange, with many declaring Hicks the winner of this shade-off. But McPhee had her defenders, as well, with both "Idol" alums getting teased and poked. (Too Fab)

Latin Community Awards 2018 Coming to Washington in October. The Latin Community Awards 2018 will be presented Oct. 12 in Washington. The awards are an occasion to recognize the local talent of Maryland and Virginia, as well as to showcase talent from all over the world of entertainment and the media. Latin influencers, including talented Venezuelans, will have the doors open for them to shine during the event. The invited stars are joining forces to promote the gala of the Latin Community Awards as a prestigious prize among the Latin American community in the United States. The celebration will highlight the work of its president, Juan Hernndez Villegas, and its logistics director, Jessie Cruz. Among the musical guests for the evening are Ninel Conde, Pablo Montero, Fernando Allende, Jhosse and Grupo Lora, Mazizo Musical, La Banda Blanca de Honduras, Nory Flores de los Hermanos Flores, Oro Slido, Richard Yz, Nuby and Elvis Presley Jr. Film stars will also be present, including Riccardo Dalmacci, Guadalupe Hernandez, Julian Gallegos and Fernando Delgado. (Billboard)

Tyga is squaring off with the likes of Birdman and Lil Wayne by suing both Cash Money and Young Money, claiming they screwed him out of lots of loot. Here's the backstory. Tyga claims he made a deal back in 2009 in which he would produce 2 albums for Young Money. The albums -- 'Careless World' and "Hotel California" -- both charted big on Billboard. 'Careless World' charted #4 and 'Hotel Cali' charted 7. Tyga claims Young Money -- run by Lil Wayne -- shorted him "significant sums." He goes on in his lawsuit to claim in 2016 both Cash Money and Young Money agreed to pay Tyga all the royalties that he says were owed to him for years, but he didn't get squat. Tyga says he's tried over and over to get paid, only to get stonewalled. He wants no less than a cool mil. (TMZ)

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