Music News

The Black Eyed Peas may release an album without Fergie.
The 'I Gotta Feeling' hitmakers are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, having formed in 1995, but the 39-year-old vocalist - who is part of the band along with will.i.am, Taboo and apl.de.ap - has revealed they may honour the milestone without her because she didn't actually join until 2003.
When asked if they have discussed plans for their 20th year, she said: "Not really. I was just in the studio last week and I saw Taboo there, and I heard something will was doing and it was great. But maybe the guys are doing something? I haven't been in the group for 20 years, so it's more their anniversary of being together for 20 years. So maybe they're putting out an album themselves."
The group have been on an indefinite hiatus since 2011, but will.i.am, 39, previously announced the band would reform for their anniversary despite Fergie saying she is focusing on her solo album which is also due to be released this year, and has not spoken with her bandmates about future material.
She told entertainment news website Digital Spy: "Well I just saw Taboo at the studio for a few minutes, but I'm working on my stuff and I only have a certain amount of hours I can be in the studio because I have Axl. So I'm just very focussed on finishing my album right now."
The Black Eyed Peas' last single was their 2011 hit 'Don't Stop the Party', while Fergie has teased material from her second solo album with the single 'L.A. Love (La La)' which was released in September.

Madonna is "profoundly grateful" that a man suspected of leaking her upcoming album has been arrested.
The 56-year-old singer was left infuriated in December when tracks from 'Rebel Heart' appeared online but a 39-year-old Israeli has now been arrested in Tel Aviv by the Lahav 433 crime-fighting agency for "breaking into" her computer and the 'Hung Up' hitmaker has expressed her relief at the news.
She wrote on Facebook: "I am profoundly grateful to the FBI, the Israeli Police investigators and anyone else who helped lead to the arrest of this hacker. I deeply appreciate my fans who have provided us with pertinent information and continue to do so regarding leaks of my music. Like any citizen, I have the right to privacy.
"This invasion into my life -- creatively, professionally, and personally remains a deeply devastating and hurtful experience, as it must be for all artists who are victims of this type of crime."
It seems Madonna wasn't the only star targetted by the hacker.
A statement from Lahav 433 said: "[The suspect] broke into the personal computers of several international artists over the past few months and stole promotional final-cut singles which have yet to be released and traded them online for a fee...
"In light of the findings of the investigation, the unit collaborated closely with the FBI, with suspicion of even more break-ins to computers owned by unknown international artists, stealing and selling their works."
Soon after the leaked tracks surfaced online, Madonna branded the hacking "artistic rape" and a form of terrorism".
In a controversial Instagram post which was later deleted, she wrote: "This is artistic rape!! These are early leaked demo's half of which wont even make it on my album the other half have changed and evolved. This is a form of terrorism. Wtf!!!! Why do people want to destroy artistic process??? Why steal? Why not give me the opportunity to finish and give you my very best? (sic)"

Take That want to write a James Bond theme.
The musical trio - featuring Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald - are currently promoting their new song 'Get Ready For It', which they recorded for the upcoming film 'Kingsman: The Secret Service', and have confessed they are keen to be involved with the music for the 24th spy film, 'Spectre', as well.
Howard said: "I would love to write a Bond theme!"
The movie - which is scheduled to be released in November - will see Daniel Craig reprise his role as James Bond, and although details of the cast have been confirmed, the makers have remained tight-lipped over who will feature on the much-anticipated soundtrack.
Earlier this week, Mark Ronson admitted any involvement in the project is "every little boy's dream", while Lana Del Rey and Sam Smith have also been suggested as serious possibilities.
Ed Sheeran previously tipped Sam for the film's single, with 44-year-old Gary also backing the 'Stay With Me' hitmaker after discovering he is the bookmakers' favourite to record the theme.
He said: "He'd be brilliant. Get him in!"
Acts to have sung title tracks for previous James Bond movies include Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones, Paul McCartney and Madonna, with Adele winning Academy, Golden Globe, Grammy and BRIT awards for 'Skyfall', which she sang for the 2012 movie.
As well as hoping to be involved in the 007 project, Gary - who released his seventh studio album with the band last year - added he hopes there will be more film opportunities in the pipeline for the group in the future.
He told entertainment news website Digital Spy: "I think movies in general is a very exciting area for us."

Sir Elton John is earning $500,000 (£330,750) for each Las Vegas show.
The 67-year-old singer-songwriter started the ninth leg of his 'The Million Dollar Piano' residency at The Colosseum, Caesars Palace, last week, and is reportedly taking 88% of all ticket sales.
According to TMZ, the 'Candle in the Wind' hitmaker has to sign off on all ticket prices, ranging from $55 (£36) to $1,000 (£662) in the 4,296 seated arena, meaning he is able to increase the amount he earns.
The huge sum means Elton - who wed his husband David Furnish at his home in England last month on the ninth anniversary of their civil partnership - has now become the highest-earning musician per show in Las Vegas history, overtaking 'Till The World Ends' singer Britney Spears.
The 33-year-old pop sensation is believed to earn $475,000 (£314,220) per show, which is considerably less than Elton, especially as the venue of her residency, Planet Hollywood, has more seats at 4,600.
Those paying the expensive sum to see the iconic British musician perform are treated to an 18-track celebration of his greatest hits including 'Tiny Dancer', 'Your Song', 'I'm Still Standing', and an encore of his song from the 1994 film 'The Lion King', 'The Circle of Life'.
The series of shows are set to end on January 24, before he returns for a further 17 shows until April 14.

Damon Albarn is scoring an 'Alice in Wonderland' musical.
The Blur frontman has announced his debut musical 'wonder.land' will be based on the Lewis Carroll novel and will open at the Olivier Theatre on London's South Bank in November before being shown at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris in 2016.
While the 46-year-old singer-songwriter will score the music for the production, director and actress Moira Buffini has been enlisted to write the lyrics.
The soundtrack follows the star's debut solo album 'Everyday Robots' which was released last year, which was shortlisted for the 2014 Mercury Prize and has earned him a nomination for Best Male at the BRIT Awards.
The show - which is being produced in collaboration with the National Theatre and Manchester International Festival - promises to be a modern reinterpretation of the classic children's story, with the protagonist heading to the internet instead of down a rabbit hole.
The synopsis reads: "Aly, 12, loves this extraordinary virtual world. Bullied at school and unhappy at home, wonder.land lets her escape from her parents, from teachers, from herself. Online, Aly becomes Alice: brave, beautiful and in control. But some of the people she meets the weird Dum and Dee, the creepy Cheshire Cat, the terrifying Red Queen - seem strangely familiar. As hard as Aly tries to keep them apart, real life and 'wonder.land' begin to collide in ever more curious and dangerous ways."
Tickets to the show go on sale on January 22 at 11.30am.

Mark Ronson wants to work on the James Bond soundtrack.
The DJ and producer admitted he would like to be involved with the music for the upcoming James Bond film, 'Spectre', saying he believes it is something every male musician wants to do.
When asked about possibility of contributing to the soundtrack, he said: "If I was asked for, I would definitely be - I mean the Bond thing is like every little boy's dream, so sure, why not?"
The movie - which is currently being filmed - is scheduled to arrive in cinemas in November, with Daniel Craig returning to play the iconic spy for the fourth time and Sam Mendes directing the movie following the success of his 007 debut with 'Skyfall'.
However, the 39-year-old musician - who recently released his fourth album 'Uptown Special' - confessed he has not been asked to record for the upcoming film, so doesn't want to get his hopes up by thinking about the project.
He said: "I mean, they haven't asked me, so I don't like to get too wrapped up in things."
The 'Uptown Funk' hitmaker was questioned about the prospect at the London premiere of action comedy movie 'Mortdecai', which he provided the soundtrack for, and admitted he would also be up for collaborating with the film's star, Johnny Depp.
Talking about the prospect, he said: "I heard Johnny's an amazing guitar player!"

The Vaccines want their new album to sound "terrible" in 10 years time.
The group have been working on their third LP and have deliberately shunned the "timeless" sound of their first two offerings, 'What Did You Expect..?' and 'Come of Age', in favour of something which reflected this year.
Frontman Justin Young said: "I wanted to make a record that was important in 2015 and sounded like 2015, sonically and emotionally.
"I think with our next album we wanted to make something that sounds amazing next year and then terrible in 10 years. If you listen to anything from the 1990s now, it sounds f***ing awful but that's part of its identity."
And the rocker is keen for the album to lead the way into a new sound.
He said: "The record's hyper-stylised in a way we've never worked before. Nothing is natural-sounding, it's a lot more future sounding.
"We wanted to be creative and exploratory. We wanted to make a genre-defining record rather than something that would just fit in."
The 'Post Break-Up Sex' singer also lamented the lack of "ambition" in rock music, insisting it is a lot less "adventurous" than other genres.
He told NME magazine: "People just aren't ambitious in rock music. If you take hip-hop or pop, they're a lot more adventurous, they break a lot more rules.
"If you listen to some of the stuff on the radio right now, it's f***ing far out."

Iggy Azalea wants to still be "gyrating in a leotard" when she's 35.
The 24-year-old Australian star doesn't know how long her career will last but even if it's just a few years, she hopes to be remembered for "sparking a change" in attitudes towards hip-hop.
She said: "If I have a very long career and can be gyrating in a leotard at 35, that would be great. You never know how long you'll be in people's good graces, especially in this business. I hope it's long -- but I could be here for three or four years and then be out, like most artists.
"So it depends. I might be here for a long time.
"At the very worst, if I have a short-lived career, at least I could say I sparked a change -- that I inspired some leniency in what people accept in hip-hop."
The 'Bounce' hitmaker - who is nominated for four Grammy awards - has faced criticism from a number of fellow hip-hop stars but admits receiving recognition at awards ceremonies helps her shrug off the harsh comments and feel validated.
Asked how she copes with haters, she told GQ magazine: "Awards season helps. Anytime where people get to choose who they want to have a voice and they choose me, I just think that makes it worth it. And that gives me the patience to just bite my tongue.
"When people choose me as the person they think should be speaking for them, I think, Well, I don't really care what someone in the industry or another artist has to say about it. Your opinion is biased anyway, because you want people to listen to your voice.
"So having actual people who choose me, it makes me think, I have a place, and I don't care what other people have to say about it. I was a fan of rap music growing up, and I didn't feel like there were enough characters that represented me and my situation. So I think it's needed."

Rihanna is planning a huge New York concert.
The 26-year-old singer is gearing up to release her eighth studio album and is reportedly in talks to perform in an enormous show which could shut down one of the city's busiest neighbourhoods for four days.
The NBA All-Star Weekend concert is being organised by Jay Z's company Roc Nation and although no deal between the pop sensation and the company has yet been reached, the Bajan beauty is believed to be keen to sing some of the new tracks from her upcoming album, tentatively titled 'R8'.
The performance will be held in the Flatiron Pedestrian Plaza, and local communities have been advised to prepare for the closure of major streets throughout the city, including Broadway, from February 10 to 13 due to the huge demand the 'We Found Love' hitmaker is expected to attract.
Last month, Rihanna and Jay Z held talks in Roc Nation's head office in New York where they were believed to be speaking about her LP - on which she has worked with Kiesza, Sia and Florence Welch - which is expected to be released later this year.
However, Rihanna - whose last album, 'Unapologetic', was released in 2012 - has been secretive about the record and has not officially announced any information about it.
Attempting to squash speculation about her forthcoming activities, she previously posted on Twitter: "ANY news about #R8 will be delivered directly from me!!!! (sic)"