Music Bender

Although he’s got 2 major singles burning up the charts as this is being typed - Enrique Iglesias’ “Do You Know? (The Ping Pong Song)” and Chris Brown’s “Wall 2 Wall” - Sean “The Pen” Garrett is just getting started. He’s currently prepping songs for new albums from the likes of Usher, Nicole Scherzinger, Keyshia Cole and Ashlee Simpson. But the project he’s most excited about is Britney’s Spears‘ upcoming album.

Back in December, Garrett told Showbuzz that “her album’s going to be incredible! I am really excited. She’s been very happy-go-lucky in the studio. Her mindset is great — she seems very focused.” And Garrett promised that he was going to give her some tracks that are “going to be talked about. Exciting, aggressive, fun. We’re definitely getting back to the basics with her. We’re trying to make the world dance and sing to her beat.” At that press time, they had already done 7 songs for her album.

In a recent interview with Billboard Magazine, Garrett gave an update on his work with Spears and leaked a bit of info about one special record they cooked up together. “I’ve got this one record I’ve been holding for 10 months that everyone has tried to buy, but I stayed with Britney on it. I guarantee it will shake up the world. It’s uptempo, out of control … it’s wowzers, produced by me and Bloodshy. I can’t give the title yet, but the record is done and definitely what people want to hear from her.”

According to Spears’ label, Jive, her lead single - most likely the aforementioned Garrett track - will hit airwaves in September while the album will be on store shelves before the clock strikes 2008.

Fabolous holds down the top-spot for a 2nd week in a row with his latest LP, From Nothin’ to Somethin’.

Despite no sales increase and slipping out the main top-10, R. Kelly’s latest album, Double Up, sneaks back up to #2. He moved 50,621 units to bring his total sold so far to 629,138.

T-Pain experienced a similiar position boost despite a sales decrease as Epiphany moves back to #3.

This week’s Hot Shot Debut on the chart belongs to ATL’s latest hip-hop trio Shop Boyz. After teaching all of America how to “Party Like A Rockstar”, 52,277 showed their appreciation by picking a copy of Rockstar Mentality, placing the album at #4.

Our 2nd-highest debut on the chart belongs to Def Jam’s latest signee and R&B’s newest cosmopolitan chanteuse, Chrisette Michele. The singer’s nostalgic voice already mesmerized audiences on the hooks of “Lost Ones” and “Can’t Forget About You” and now she’s taking her brand of soulfully jazz-tinged-and-slightly-funked-out R&B, lead by the single “If I Have My Way”, straight to the bank as her debut album, I Am, lands at #5 on sales of 26,515.

DJ Khaled’s sophomore compilation, We The Best, debuted strong last week at #2 but slips down to #6 this week; Khaled moves 30,317 units this week, bringing his grand total to 109,427.

Although she’s had the #1 song in the country for 5 weeks strong, Rihanna will have to settle for having the 7th most popular R&B album, Good Girl Gone Bad, this week.

Amy Winehouse and Back to Black creep back up one space to #8.

Ne-Yo nears closer and closer to out the top-10 as Because of You clings on to the #9 spot, with sales of 28,969 bolstering his complete total to 574,930.

And rounding out the top-10 is another debut, this one from Zomba’s newest hitmaker, Huey, and his debut release, Notebook Paper. The young rapper got 28,821 people to “Pop, Lock & Drop” some coin for his album.

Bon Jovi score their 3rd #1 album, and their 1st album to debut at #1, with Lost Highway. Led by the single “(You Want To) Make A Memory”, Bon Jovi’s tenth studio album sold 291,532 copies to claim the pole position.

The White Stripes have officially taken their garage-rock-meets-blues-rock and crossed it over from the underground to the mainstream as they snag a #2 debut with their 6th album, Icky Thump, the follow-up to 2005’s Get Behind Me Satan, which debuted at #3. With the title track also serving as the lead single, the album sold a total of 223,056 copies.

While Brad Paisley scores his 3rd #1 debut on the Top Country Albums chart, he’ll have to settle for #3 on the Top-200. Brad’s 6th album, 5th Gear, which contains the #1 Country single “Ticks”, sold 197,151 copies in its 1st week.

After selling over 204,000 copies to claim the top spot on last week’s top-200 chart, country superstar Toby Keith slides down to #4 with his 12th studio album, Big Dog Daddy, on sales of 73,990, bringing his grand 2-week total to 277,953.

Paul McCartney’s Memory Almost Full drops to #5 on sales of 64,351, bringing his total this week to 331,765.

Linkin Park’s Minutes to Midnight rests comfortably at #6 on sales of 63,144. Their grand total this week? 1,188,321.

Despite taking a 17% dip in sales, Amy Winehouse climbs up 3 and fades Back to Black at #7 on the chart. With “Rehab” slowly exploding at radio, 62,473 more folks went out and picked up Amy’s CD, bringing her total sum to 696,345.

Maroon5 edge closer and closer to being out the top-10, landing at #8. It Won’t Be Soon Before Long moved 62,254 units this week, with 863,739 people total having picked up the album.

After a #2 debut last week, Fabolous slips 7 down to #9 with 58,878 copies of From Nothin’ to Somethin’ sold, 217,886 total.

And rounding out the top-10 is T-Pain’s former #1 album, Epiphany, with 56,237 units moved off shelves this week, 309,771 units moved in just 3 weeks time.

We’ve come together for an exclusive World Tour and this is the only place to register your details online! Just click the link below, choose which city you want to see us in, and fill in your information. Who knows if this will ever happen again, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity! To make it fair, we will randomly pick who gets to buy tickets. This is a chance for you, our real fans to come and see us — the last chance to dance!

Lots of love - Emma, Geri, Mel B, Mel C, Victoria

That’s right! You’re wide awake and fully conscious and the world has not come to an end! This is legit! Baby, Ginger, Scary, Sporty & Posh will be live on stages around the world come this December! The girls will perform 11 dates in eight countries, beginning with a concert Dec. 7 in Los Angeles. The tour will press on to Las Vegas, New York, London, Cologne, Madrid, Beijing, Hong Kong, Sydney, Cape Town and Buenos Aires.

It will be the first time all five singers have performed together since 1998, when Halliwell left the group. The tour will support the November release of a greatest hits compilation through Virgin Records. In addition, filmmaker Bob Smeaton will oversee an official documentary on the reformed band, which will be distributed worldwide at an undisclosed date. But all the global Spice fans need not get their hopes up too high; the group admitted the reunion is unlikely to become permanent. “We want our kids to see what we do,” said Victoria, who is married to soccer superstar David Beckham. “I might even get to be the cool one in my family for once.”

By SANDY COHEN AP Entertainment Writer

Beyonce was the undisputed leader heading into Tuesday’s BET Awards. The 25-year-old singer-actress had a leading six nominations _ twice as many as any other nominee, including female R&B artist, collaboration, video of the year and the viewers’ choice award.

Jennifer Hudson, Ciara, Gnarls Barkley and Akon were all triple nominees, while a host of others Ludacris, Diddy, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Robin Thicke, Mary Mary, Lil Wayne, Ne-Yo, Corrine Bailey Rae and the late Gerald Levert scored two nominations each.

But that wasn’t all the star power expected at the Black Entertainment Television Awards at the Shrine Auditorium. Other celebrities on the guest list were Al Sharpton, Alicia Keys, Terrence Howard, Queen Latifah, D.L. Hugely and Rihanna.

Comedian Mo’Nique was picked for the third time to preside over a ceremony that includes planned performances by Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, 50 Cent, Diddy, Ciara and Usher.

”We bring together different eras and different genres of music,” said Stephen Hill, executive producer of the BET Awards. ”It feels like a family reunion.”

Besides honors for artists and athletes in 14 categories, the BET show intended to pay tribute to Diana Ross with a lifetime achievement award and name Don Cheadle the year’s humanitarian award winner.

Nominees and winners were chosen by a panel of media and entertainment-industry executives.

Now in its seventh year, the BET show unlike most of today’s televised awards ceremonies continues to grow in both audience and star power.

”If you want authentic black culture, which is now pop culture, we’ve become the destination,” Hill said.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.