Adele Page 10

Actress Sophie Cookson has landed the female lead role in Matthew Vaughn's adaptation of Mark Millar's comic series The Secret Service where she will join Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Tamara Egerton and Michael Caine, reports Variety.

Cookson In TV Series, Moonfleet.

Cookson, a relative newcomer to acting, is best known for Sky's adventure TV miniseries Moonfleet alongside Ray Winstone. Kick-Ass director Vaughn decided that he wanted to cast a fresh face who he feel really fit the part, over better known names such as Emma Watson and Bella Heathcote. Whilst potentially risky, this was a choice he opted for in Kick-Ass with Chloe Moretz and Aaron Taylor-Johnson and in Layer Cake with Daniel Craig.

Continue reading: Sophie Cookson Recruited Into Matthew Vaughn's 'Secret Service' Movie

Sir Paul McCartney has launched a fresh single from his forthcoming record, and has announced that his new album will be called just that; New. Thinks could get confusing for music journalists describing "Paul McCartney's new New Album," or his "new album New" but for now we'll focus on the exciting new release that has been sneakily dropped online, also called 'New.'

Sir Paul Teased Twitter Fans, Tweeting Words Related To 'New.'

Produced by Mark Ronson, the bouncy new song, 'New,' harks back to The Beatles sound with its marching piano chords, nostalgic harpsichord effect and lovesick lyrics. Of course, because it's had Ronson within 10 feet of it, it has a bulbous horn section but has been thankfully saved from the grating trumpet-plagued ubiquity of the producer's work of yesteryear.

Continue reading: Paul McCartney Drops Surprise 'New' Single Ahead Of 'New' Album [Listen]

Adele is reportedly being lined up to play the villain in Matthew Vaughn's forthcoming drama The Secret Service, starring Colin Firth and, possibly, Michael Caine, according to the Sun on Sunday.

In a movie stinking of desperation - though don't believe everything the tabloids tell you - Vaughn and the producers are lining up a number of high profile celebrities in a bid to boost the movie's box-office hopes.

One of the guest stars is the Grammy award winner who could be cast in the role of the villain. Vaughn apparently believes the Skyfall singer will prove "great value on the big screen" for the movie, which is an adaptation of Mark Millar's comic book of the same name.

Continue reading: Adele To Play Villain In Matthew Vaughn's Drama 'The Secret Service'

Adele is apparently set to be the next singer to make the inevitable move in front for the cameras after reportedly being cast in the upcoming action film The Secret Service. The singer has reportedly joined a cast that already includes Samuel L Jackson and Colin Firth and will be flexing her acting chops in a villainous role in the new film.

Does Adele have a few more Oscars coming her way?

The 'Skyfall' singer will reportedly be playing the role of one of the villains in The Secret Service, which is being adapted for the screen from Mark Millar's original manuscript by Vaughn and Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass, X Men: First Class). Her participation in the film hasn't been confirmed just yet, so it is still unknown what role she will be playing, however some reports state that she will only be taking on a cameo role. If so, then this will be much like her last on-screen appearance - on the hit show Ugly Betty - where she also played a cameo role.

Continue reading: Adele Planning Her Move Into Acting: Singer Signs Up For Villainous Role In New Spy Film

Adele couldn’t have chosen a much better way to kick off her acting career – the soulful singer will star in a movie, directed by X-Men: First Class and Layer Cake director Matthew Vaughn. Not only that, but the crooner is about to act opposite heavyweights Colin Firth and Samuel L Jackson, Entertainmentwise reports.

This Oscar winner is just starting out her film career.

To be fair, Adele isn’t entirely new to the world of acting. In 2009, the Grammy winner made a cameo on the show Ugly Betty. And of course, she is going into it with one Oscar under her belt, which she won earlier this year for the Skyfall theme. Adele returns to the world of secret agents with Secret Service – a British spy flick, not related to 007. Go figure. Oh, and it’s probably worth mentioning that the film in question is based on a graphic novel by Mark Millar, aka the man behind the Kick-Ass comics.

Continue reading: 'Secret Service' To Serve As Adele's Acting Debut

Adele has already proved to everyone she can sing; millions of records sold sorts that one out. But now, having provided the sountrack for the world’s most successful spy movie – Skyfall – Adele is set to play the bad guy in Secret Service.

Adele as a waxwork at Madame Tussauds London

Matthew Vaughn’s The Secret Service, an adaptation of the Mark Millar-Dave Gibbons spy thriller, stars Colin Firth and Sir Michael Caine as super agents fighting a team of villains headed by Samuel L. Jackson.

Continue reading: Adele To Take Up Acting? Singer Rumoured For 'Secret Service' Role

It's not typical record company procedure, but this is Stiff Records, "where the fun never sets," - apparently.

The label sent out a hilarious press release this week, announcing the first sales figures for Johnny Borrell's - of Razorlight fame - first solo album, Borrell 1. It's actually the first new album that Stiff Records have put out since 2007 - and it sold just 594 copies. Given the Beatles reference in the title, it's probably not too serious.

But anyway, to put that into perspective, that's just less than The Voice winner Leanne Mitchell managed to shift. 

Continue reading: Stiff Records' Hilarious Press Release On Johnny Borrell's Poor Album Sales

We reckon 1D fans or Justin Bieber fans are rabid because they're mainly hormonal young girls but Bruce Springsteen appeals to a rather different demographic who have been mirroring the obsessive antics of the tweensters. 'The Boss' will perform tonight (23 July) to 29,000 fans at a sold out show, with some making absolutely sure they didn't miss out on a front row position in the standing area of the arena.

Springsteen: A True Guitar Hero.

BBC News spoke to Warrington fan Tony Tower who admitted he'd been camped outside Millenium Stadium for five days. Mr. Tower explained his need to be at the very front: "It's all about getting under the mic - it's better to be in the pit than out of it. It's the heart of the concert." He also admitted that he'd spent more than £1,300 on tickets to see his idol and that was all OK with his wife, saying "It's not about the cost - it's about the experience. My wife tells me I can afford it." Spoken like a true fan!

Continue reading: Bruce Springsteen Fans Are Crazy! Roads Closed, Camping In Queues & Thousands Spent For Cardiff Show

Lady GaGa is once again the top earning celebrity under 30-years-old according to Forbes Magazine's annual compilation of the top earning staring in Hollywood. The 27-year-old topped a mostly female top ten, amassing an estimated $80 million from the period of June 2012 to June 2013, beating her nearest rival by over $20 million. The singer could have made more too, if it wasn't for the unscheduled cancellation of the end of her 'Born This Way Ball' world tour in January after she was forced to undergo hip surgery.

Lady Gaga could have made even more, not that she needed to

Her closest competitor was Canadian teen sensation Justin Bieber, the highest place of only three males to make the list. Bieber managed to earn a reported $58m thanks to endorsements, touring, a movie and a string of releases over the past year.

Continue reading: Lady Gaga Tops Forbes' Biggest Celebrity Earners Under 30: How Much Dollar?

Lady GaGa has been a little absent from the music scene and the world of entertainment recently - put that down to her recent hip surgery - but that still hasn't stopped her from becoming the highest earning entertainer aged under thirty in the world. The 'Bad Romance' singer topped a female-dominated list, and Forbes even goes on to mention that the singer could have earned even more if she didn't have to drop out of her recent tour because of her surgery.

The Mother Monster topped the Top Earners Under 30 list for a second year

The singer has made an estimated $80 million over the course of the last year, ranging from June 2012 and June 2013. Her 'Born This Way Ball Tour' grossed $168 million before it was abruptly ended in January, with the singer also making a killing from her cosmetics range, album and singles sales and various other business ventures.

Continue reading: Lady Gaga Tops Forbes' '30 Under 30' Celebrity Earners List

Adele might be one of the liveliest performers out there, so it must have been a challenge even for the pros at Madame Tussauds to get her persona right in wax. And yet, there it is. The eagerly awaited doppelganger was revealed on Wednesday. After comments that the waxwork appears to be a slimmer version, that the pose is unnatural and so on, the general consensus seems to be that the replica is pretty much spot on – or at least as close as possible.

The figure is almost a perfect likeness.

The Someone Like You singer also reportedly approves of the figure. Madame Tussauds PR manager Nicole Fenner commented in an interview with The Telegraph. “Adele has an extremely busy schedule, especially this year. So whilst we didn’t have a sitting with her, she did actually come into our studios for a sneak peak at the figure, literally a couple of days ago,” Fenner explained. “She was delighted and said that she was so emotional and thought the wax figure was amazing.”

Continue reading: Adele's Waxy Lookalike At Madame Tussauds Has Its Big Reveal

If you’ve ever felt the overwhelming urge to give Adele a big hug – most of us have, I mean have you heard Someone Like You – her newly unveiled Madame Tussauds waxwork might just be your best bet. The singer joins the ranks of such pop stars as Rihanna, Beyonce and the late Amy Winehouse as just the latest celebrity doppelganger in the museum’s pop collection.

Completely accurate or buried deep into uncanny valley?

The wax museum’s PR manager Nicole Fenner explained that the new addition was in response to extremely high demand from museum patrons. The already large number of fans, who wanted to see Adele at Madame Tussauds only increased after the singer’s phenomenal success with Skyfall – part of the soundtrack for the anniversary Bond film, released last year. After being honored at both the Oscars and the Grammys, public interest in the singer piqued. Naturally, the museum had to respond and here she is! Or she will be, anyway, as the replica joins the museum’s permanent collection later this month.

Continue reading: Waxwork Doppelganger Of Adele Unveiled At Madame Tussauds

Adele has been immortalised in wax by the skilled sculptors at London's Madame Tussaud's as the 25 year-old singer joins their hall of fame. The likeness was revealed to an audience behind a curtain with a pianist playing her emotional hit 'Someone Like You' - how apt. It's almost creepy how perfectly they've captured the glamorous singer's looks and stance, including her billowing starlet hair and black lace gown.

Waxwork Adele Has Been Unveiled At Madame Tussauds.

In a video released by The Telegraph, Madame Tussaud's production coordinator and colourist, Alex Garnett explains that creating a wax likeness is more than getting a face to fit: "we want to get over the emotion, the presence and the sparkle that she's got and so we really wanted to capture that," adding that the position of her hands and other body language were key aspects of this. Strangely though, the flat hand at a 90 degree angle make it look like the 'Skyfall' Oscar-winning singer is about to bust out some moves and start robo-ing to Daft Punk. No? Maybe it's just us.

Continue reading: Adele's Incredible Waxwork Does 'The Robo'

The partially sighted winner of 2013's singing talent show The Voice, Andrea Begley, has voiced her concerns over disabled fans' experience at gigs. "I have had some frustrating experiences at gigs and festivals," confessed Begley, who apparently celebrated her victory by going to a Laura Marling gig. "Sometimes access can be poor because of lots of steps and poor lighting. But often the problem can lie with a lack of knowledge on the part of staff. I think it is essential for venues to train all their staff in disability awareness so as they are able to deal sensitively with disabled customers."

Andrea Begley, Winner Of The Voice 2013.

Hailing from County Tyrone, the singer lost 90% of her vision after a degenerative childhood disease, yet plays guitar and piano and hopes to someday collaborate with the likes of Adele, Newton Faulkner and Ed Sheeran. The 27 year-old from Northern Ireland beat favourite Leah McFall to sign a £100,000 recording contract. McFall was being coached by The Voice judge and former Black Eyed Peas', Will.i.am, who seemed set on knocking the wind out of the ecstatic winner's sails with an odd, unsportsmanly tweet: "You should feel the audiences vibration in the room tonight after the public's vote... its unexplainable... so sad... perplexed." According to Yahoo!'s omg!, Begley was personally congratulated by the American singer and producer after the gig, saying she has "no hard feelings."

Continue reading: The Voice Winner Andrea Begley Lobbies For Disabled Peoples' Experience At Gigs

Adele has yet another award to stick on the mantlepiece; this time the singer has been awarded an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II as part of the royal's annual Birthday Honours List. Fellow female singer PJ Harvey has also been recognised with an MBE, with sports broadcaster Clare Balding being handed an OBE, capping off a successful honours list for women, in which 47% of the list were female.

After winning yet another arm-full of Grammys and her first ever Oscar (not to mention giving birth to her first child), Adele has had yet another remarkable year in her career, with 2012 becoming the second year in a row that the singer became the highest-selling artist for the year. Harvey meanwhile has been a darling in alternative circles for most of her career and her last album, Let England Shake, even won the singer the coveted Mercury Music Prize. Thanks to her appearance throughout the Olympics, Balding endured herself to the British public even more and after a triumphant year of British sport she has emerged as one of the main stars of the year, with her royal honour no doubt being the icing on the cake of what has been a glorious twelve months.

There were of course decorations being handed out for the men too, with Welsh comic Rob Brydon being handed a MBE for his services to entertainment. In a rather unusual turn-up for the book, Blackadder star Tony Robinson has been knighted, whilst his co-star Rowan Atkinson - who has achieved worldwide fame for his roles in various movies and for his portrayal as Mr Bean - was only given a CBE. Robinson told the press upon the news that he is to be made a sir that he is "thrilled, flattered and a little gob-smacked" to get the honour, pledging, "that from this day on I'll slaughter all unruly dragons, and rescue any damsels in distress who request my help."

Continue reading: Adele And PJ Harvey Among Those Honoured In Queen's Birthday Honours List

Sam Mendes has made a U-turn on his decision to bow out of the James Bond franchise after helming the $1.1 billion Skyfall movie, considered one of the best 007 films in the series. Mendes had initially distanced himself from the idea of directing the follow-up to Skyfall, owing to his work on the West End launch of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and his directing of King Lear. Producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli appeared resigned to Mendes' departure and began the hunt for his successor, with Sherlock director Guy Ritchie installed as the early favorite to re-team with Daniel Craig.

Some speculation has suggested Craig would follow Mendes out of the door, with Idris Elba coming in as a replacement, though it now appears the high profile duo are back for a new movie. According to Deadline.com, Mendes and the producers got back in touch recently and agreed that the director could work through his theatre commitments before starting production on the new Bond film next year. 

It will be great news for fans of Daniel Craig as Bond. Since his first outing in Casino Royale, the British star has played a more vulnerable version of the ruthless agent, even appearing physically incapable of the job in some segments of Skyfall. The change of direction for the character has led to the often tongue-in-cheek overly sexualised franchise developing into an intelligent spy story with action, humor and crisp cinematography.

Continue reading: Sam Mendes Returning To Direct New 'James Bond' Movie In 2014

At 24 years old, Adele could definitely be said to be “doing alright for herself.” With enough awards on the mantelpiece to tumble the sturdiest of fire surrounds, Adele has also been announced as the richest young musician (under 30) in the UK, with an estimated fortune of around £30 million. Whilst you’re no doubt busily pondering what you would do with that much money, if your bank account was £30 million in the black, allow us to share the fortunes of some other UK pop stars.

Cheryl Cole is second, though there’s a significant gap between the two, with a fortune of £14 million, and Leona Lewis. The singer Katie Melua is worth £12 million, apparently, which must mean she’s been really savvy with her investments, surely, because we can’t remember the last time she experienced any serious chart success. Florence Welch seems to be onto a nice little earner, too, with £9 million in the bank. The One Direction lads have a tidy collective fortune of £25 million – that’s around £5 million each. Not bad when you’re still in your teens, eh.

Even Adele would be weeping with joy, however, if she had the fortunes of the UK’s real big guns at her disposal. Sir Paul McCartney and his partner Nancy Shevell have a combined fortune of a staggering £680 million. For the record, we reckon that Paul brought most of that to the relationship with him. Like, £679.9 million of it. 

Continue reading: Young, Gifted And In The Black: Adele Tops Young Musicians Rich List

10 years after legal downloads were launched, numbers have reached the billion mark, with Adele’s Someone Like You the most downloaded single of all time, followed by tracks by Maroon 5 and Gotye.

Martin Talbot, Managing Director of the Official Charts Company, said: "The explosion in download sales over the past nine years means we are genuinely now living in the digital music age." Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive of the BPI, added: "As fans increasingly download music on the move, tablets, smartphones and connected cars will drive another phase in digital music's expansion."

Adele hanging out with film's elite

Continue reading: How Adele Helped Music Industry Pass One BILLION Downloads

Adele has helped the UK recorded music industry to reach its one billionth downloaded single. The multi-million singer – who has carried the UK music industry on her back so much recently, that when she eventually retires there’ll be one of those Atlas-type statues made of her, except she’ll be holding a giant musical note instead of the globe – has the most downloaded track of all time in the new data released; ‘Someone Like You’ top of the pile of the instead of Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera and ‘Moves Like Jagger’.

Digital track sales were the highest ever in 2012, with 188.6 million shifted. That doesn’t include the total for whole albums sold, though does include album tracks downloaded individually. According to The Independent, Chief executive of the BPI Geoff Taylor said: "The digital music revolution has made it easy to buy any song you like, instantly, for half the price of a coffee. As fans increasingly download music on the move, tablets, smartphones and connected cars will drive another phase in digital music's expansion."

Official Charts Company managing director Martin Talbot added: "The explosion in download sales over the past nine years means we are genuinely now living in the digital music age - with Adele as our queen. Over the nine years of legitimate digital music, more than 16 new tracks have sold one million copies, which emphasises just how popular digital music is in the modern age." It was revealed earlier in the year that the UK music industry as a whole had also arrested a 15 year slump to record a minimal growth.

Continue reading: Adele Helps The UK Music Industry Reach One Billion Downloads

Adele is finally starting work on her third studio album, making every effort to follow her worldwide number 1 hit '21' with a new 'edgy' record.

The 'Rolling in the Deep' singer is certainly rolling in the millions at the moment with her impressive vocals earning her numerous Grammys, BRITS, a Golden Globe and an Oscar and it doesn't look like her career is going downhill anytime soon. She is set to work with two of the best names in the British music business James Ford and Kid Harpoon who have previously worked with some of Britain's favourite modern artists Florence Welch, Arctic Monkeys and Jessie Ware. "Adele wants to move with the times and is trying to make her new record sound as edgy as possible," a source told The Sun. "The team she's assembled is first rate and she's confident they can help match the success of her first two albums."

It wouldn't be overly confident to suggest that her next album will sell millions in its opening sales as it will probably be one of the most highly anticipated albums of the year on its release. We're guessing it won't be a tear-jerker like '21' either, what with Adele achieving some serious milestones in the last year both musically and personally as she is now a mother to a baby boy with her boyfriend, not to mention becoming filthy rich within two albums.

Continue reading: Adele Working On 'Edgy' New Album With Arctic Monkeys Producer

Joan Rivers may be nearing 80 and is probably made predominately of plastic now, but that still hasn't stopped her from regularly speaking her mind in a bid to knock people down a peg or two. Her latest victim is the Grammy-winning Brit singer Adele, who Rivers claimed during a chat with HuffPost Live needs to lay off the fatty food.

Joan Rivers has always had a sharp tongue

The 'feud' between the two started back in February when Rivers appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman, during which the comedienne quipped that the singer should rename her hit record 'Rolling In The Deep' to 'Rolling In The Deep Fried Chicken.' Rivers has remained quiet over Adele since then, however the notorious comic was made to readress her comment when speaking on a HuffPost Live chat.

Continue reading: Joan Rivers Blasts Adele Over Her Weight Problems

Adele could be getting set up to be the wedding singer at her own wedding! It’s been reported that she and her boyfriend might well be planning a top secret wedding at home in Brighton, on the south coast of England.

Adele and Simon Konecki her their first child together 5 months ago, son Angelo, and it appears that the Grammy and Oscar award winning singer is now taking steps to make the family fully official, with the couple setting about getting things together for a ceremony. It’s been rumoured before that they’ve married in secret, though those rumours have amounted to nothing, but according to a source for Us Weekly, things are definitely going ahead now. "She's been planning it for a while and is very involved," someone said, claiming that the nuptials between the pair will go down "in the summer or fall" and likely take place at her new home, according to another source.

The pair have been together for over a year, ever since the decorated singer got involved with Konecki’s clean-wells charity, Drop4Drop, and subsequently moved from her native London to Brighton in order for him to be near his daughter who he’d had from his previous marriage. Adele also has a good relationship with her potential step-daughter and it seems they’re living the dream at the moment. "Simon is the perfect partner and Angelo is just her life” said a source.

Continue reading: Adele And Simon Konecki Planning Secret Wedding?

Adele’s year has been pretty phenomenal so far; she’s landed a Golden Globe, an Oscar and a number one hit, with her Bond theme, Skyfall. Now, though, this are set to take an even better turn for Adele, it seems, Rumor has it that Adele, along with US star Beyonce, has been asked to perform at Michelle Obama’s 50th birthday party at the White House, the Daily Mail have reported.

Adele looks set to perform at the high profile birthday bash, which will take place on January 17. A source told the Daily Mail “America’s First Lady will be holding a huge celebrity-packed party for her birthday at the White House next year and, as she adores Adele and Beyonce, she has asked them both to sing. Adele has graciously accepted and waived her usual fee for the high-profile private performance. She will sing a selection of her most-loved hits for the First Lady and her friends.”

And for any one that’s up in arms about state money being spent on Adele’s personal expenses, worry not. The party is a private affair and not a state one, so the Obamas will be coughing up out of their own pockets.

Continue reading: Adele Chosen To Perform At Michelle Obama's 50th Birthday Bash With Beyonce

Adele has risen from her humble upbringing to global stardom. She is now a household name, respected in musical circles and adored by her fans. And perhaps best of all, she’s an Oscar-winner. But how has this affected her character? Or has it?

Well according to her aunt, Anita: she hasn’t changed one bit. “She doesn’t get any special treatment — of course not. Why would she?” she told The Sun. “There’s plenty of nieces, nephews and grandchildren in this family so no one gets any special treatment, I can tell you. They’re all treated the same.” And when the British powerhouse singer pops round to visit her relatives, she’s still got to perform the tasks of old. “Adele comes round and she’s still got to go and make her nan a cup of tea, I’m afraid,” confirms Anita. After some time away from the limelight, Adele returned to the fore, claiming a Golden Globe, a Grammy and now an Oscar in the space of two months. “There’s not a lot more for her to top now, is there? She’s worked her way through all the awards,” the singer’s aunt explained.

Continue reading: Adele – From Rags To Riches, But How Has It Changed Her?

The worldwide recorded music industry grew for the first time in thirteen years in 2012, pulling in $16.5 billion, which represents an increase of 0.3 per cent. The rise is essentially down to streaming sites and downloaded music, with Adele's massive selling album '21' and Carly Rae Jepsen's smash hit single 'Call Me Maybe' contributing heavily.

Digital record sales rose a huge 9 per cent to $5.6 billion and now account for some 34 per cent of total revenue, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. It's welcome news for the music business, which has taken a battering from piracy and declining sales of CDs in recent years. "These are hard-won successes for an industry that has innovated, battled and transformed itself over a decade," said Frances Moore, chief executive officer at IFPI. "They show how the music industry has adapted to the Internet world, learned how to meet the needs of consumers and monetized the digital marketplace."

The number of people using illegal music-file sharing dropped by 17 per cent - another encouraging statistic - with the practise thought to have peaked in 2005, when one in five Internet users over the age of 13 were using illegally accessed files. "For the music industry, which has been battling digital piracy for over a decade, last year was a year of progress," said Russ Crupnick, senior vice president of industry analysis at NPD. "Among other factors, the increased use of legal and licensed streaming services has proven to be an alternative for music fans."

Continue reading: Thanks Adele! Music Industry Grows For First Time In 13 Years

Great news for the music industry! It’s growing! Like, making money! For the first time in ages! Whilst we’re pretty sure this isn’t trickling down to the musicians too well (Spotify are in talks to reduce their payment of royalties to artists even further, for instance), but for everyone surrounding the musicians it’s a cautious positive step in what’s been a long – really long – battle.

Let’s not go nuts; the figure given by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry was a rise of 0.3% for global revenue, not exactly earth-shattering. However, given the trials and tribulations the industry has had in battling piracy, the fall in physical music sales – not to mention the larger economic situation as a whole – in recent years, any improvement should be taken with open arms. "It is hard to remember a year for the recording industry that has begun with such a palpable buzz in the air," said IFPI chief executive Frances Moore, according to The Hollywood Report. The improvement was helped by the continuing surge in digital music, with MP3, subscription and advertisement services revenue increasing 9% on the previous year to $5.6 billion, contributing to a total figure of $16.5 billion.

Another load of figures, released by the NPD group, suggested a 26% fall in the illegal downloading of music, although we’re not sure how they’ve managed to arrive at such a definitive figure given the widespread and un-marshaled availability of it. Only 11% of those 13 years old and older were estimated to have downloaded from a P2P service last year too. So is the music industry winning? Perhaps, but it still looks a little top-heavy to us, with Carly Rae Jepsen and Adele the big sellers of 2012, 21 selling another phenomenal 8.3 million units. The issue is that for the last few years the industry has seemingly relied on one or two huge stars to carry the bulk of the sector, if that dries up anytime soon, then the dark days could intensify again.

Continue reading: Recorded Music Industry Announces Profit; Is That Thanks To Adele?

Adele added another award to her already extensive collection last night as she and co-songwriter Paul Epworth took home the gong for Best Original Song at the 2013 Academy Awards show.

Adele and 'Skyfall' co-writer Paul Epworth win Best Original Song at the Oscars 2013

Continue reading: Oscars Glory For British Darling Adele With Skyfall Win

Musical stars have warmed up their vocal chords in a practise run for tonight's Oscars, among the performers are Adele and Anne Hathaway.

Adele was also at the Grammys this year

Continue reading: Oscars 2013: Adele And Les Miserables Cast Members Give Practise Performance To Oscar Workers

Last night’s Brits ceremony could well have been the blandest Brits in years. Aside from a frisson of post-breakup tension between Harry Styles and Taylor Swift (who took to the stage wearing a sexy black hot-pant jumpsuit with gold embellishments) there was little in the way of shock, surprises, or backstage gossip (or if there is, it hasn’t made it’s way down to us yet!).

Taylor Swift arrived in a long black dress before changing into her skimpier stage outfit

Continue reading: The Blandest Brits In Years? Ben Howard Provides Only Real Surprise With Double Win (Pictures)

Adele, Mumford & Sons, Emeli Sande, blah, blah, blah: nobody really cares who walks away with the Brit Awards right? Lets face it, we tune in every year in the hope of some clunky presenting, a stiletto heel break, or a wardrobe malfunction. However, something else that appears to be of interest before every Brit Awards ceremony is the shadowy goody bags that each nominee and performer gets to take home. The Academy Awards put the stoppers on their Oscars gift bags years ago, owing totax concerns, but the British don't care about that. The Brit Awards goody bags and back - but what's in them this year?

Well, according to ceremony organizers, the biggest names in pop music will be taking home a Lucky Voice Karaoke Kit, in order to practise at home, we assume. For the girls, there's also a Jack French London Primrose Bag, while for the boys, it's a Twenty8 signature bag from The London Collection. Elsewhere, there's a Paperblanks journal ensuring telephone numbers can by duly scribbled down at the after-party, and there's also some Highland Angel cufflinks and Ti Senti Milani jewellery. Fancy.

Hey, there's also a scarf (for the cold weather) and some bamboo sunglasses (for the hot weather), as well as JBL headphones and a JBL 'flip' portable wireless stereo system. Should - heaven forbid - any of the celebrities forget to shower themselves in perfume and aftershave, the goody bag contains a Hugo Boss fragrance for the guys, and a Boss Nuit perfume for the ladies.  

Continue reading: Forget The Gongs, What's In This Year's BRIT Awards Goody Bag?

A man claiming to be Adele's former boyfriend and inspiration has come forward during a song request on the radio. The man, who identified himself as Giles, talked about how he and Adele engaged in a ''whirlwind romance'', and he still thinks about her from time to time. Giles phoned into British breakfast radio show on 'Magic FM', hosted by Neil Fox, on Tuesday 19th February, 2013. He requested Elvis Presley's hit 'Always on My Mind' to be played, and then explained his reasons. 

Related: Adele Album A No-Go for 2014, Music Industry Does a Little Cry

''Why that one?" asked Giles, before clarifying: "Well it's for an old flame of mine, a very old flame called Michelle Adkins. I'd like to let her know that I'm thinking of her. She's done pretty well these days. She's actually changed her name to Adele Adkins in recent years.'' After being asked for more information about the relationship, Giles described: ''a whirlwind romance many years ago'', and added: ''It was fun and eventful. All I can stay is it's all in the lyrics if you know what I mean."

Continue reading: A Former Lover Of Adele Has Revealed Himself

The chairman of the BRIT Awards has revealed that tomorrow evening they will be ‘rewriting the wrong’ they inflicted on Adele, after the multi-million selling artist – who near enough kept the UK music industry afloat in 2011 and 2012 – was cut off during her album of the year acceptance speech at the 2012 ceremony.

Adele was cut off so that Britpop veterans Blur – who’d taken that year’s outstanding contribution award – could play out the show; however the star was understandably furious, giving a gesture as she was cut off. It’s something that BRIT chairman David Joseph recognised was wrong, in an interview given to The Guardian. "How can you take an artist who has made the biggest cultural impact musically this country has seen globally for some time and cut her off in the middle of her speech?" he said. "I very much to this day question what was happening in that control booth. I can hint that something is going to happen this year to rewrite that wrong."

Joseph also said that he had told broadcasting network ITV they should run into a commercial break if a similar situation arose this year. "I think Adele was totally justified expressing how she felt. It was a very big moment for her, but I'd stay tuned to this year's show to see if there is any form of squaring of that circle."

Continue reading: Adele Brit Awards Acceptance Speech Snub To Be Righted?

A special James Bond themed train will arrive in Edinburgh tomorrow; the vessel will then be free for fans of the franchise to travel on, as the train begins service between Waverly and London King’s Cross, Scotsman reports.

Jon Melville predicts that fans would be receptive to the idea. He said: “Skyfall, of course, has such a great Scottish connection with the filming that took place in the Highlands, so anything that we can do to get people travelling to Scotland is a great thing. If we’re talking Scotland, we have such a strong connection to Bond because of Sean Connery and because Bond is half-Scottish. People will be able to soak up the atmosphere of Sean Connery’s city and then maybe head further north and see where they filmed Skyfall.” Passengers will be free to make the four-hour journey on board the train from tomorrow, mirroring Bond and M’s voyage north for the film’s final act.

Skyfall - starring Daniel Craig as Bond - has now earned £708 million worldwide, and will also enjoy special recognition next Sunday (24th) when The Oscars take place. The Academy is set to pay tribute to the Bond franchise on its 50th anniversary. This will include speakers and a performance of Skyfall from British songstress Adele, who’ll also be hoping to win Best Original song for the Bond tune.

While some bands got some awards and gave some speeches, the real essence of The Grammys could be found elsewhere. What? You might ask; celebrity gossip of course! And what could be better than British powerhouse singer Adele telling Chris Brown off... or did she?

The photo certainly suggest she was giving him an earful for not awarding Frank Ocean with a standing ovation, which everyone else did, or for beating up Rihanna all those years ago. Adele looks like she's shouting, and Brown looks on the defensive, but that's not really the way it panned out. "Chris Brown and I were complimenting each other in that photo actually!" tweeted the Skyfall singer and Oscar nominee, confirming that a war of words didn't, in fact, take place. Adele, bless her, seemed star struck herself. And this is a 9-time Grammy award-winning artist! She was prancing around grabbing pictures with all the A-listers, including Beyonce, Rihanna, Katy Perry, and of course, the controversial Mr. Brown. 

There was one person she didn't get a picture with though, and that was Ukrainian TV prankster Vitalii Sediuk, who climbed up when the Brit singer won Best Pop Solo Performance and said: "It's such an honour to receive this award" Jennifer Lopez sorted him out, and he ended up spending a night in jail. Worth it? Probably. 

Continue reading: Was Adele Telling Chris Brown Off? She Tweets The Truth

It's less than two weeks until the most prestigious movie awards ceremony - the Academy Awards -takes place on February 24th 2013 and rumours are flying around everywhere about alleged appearances. One of the biggest is, in the wake of the 50th anniversary of the first James Bond movie 'Dr No', all six actors who have portrayed the British spy (from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig) will show up for one huge reunion on the Oscars stage. But just how likely is it happen?

Sean Connery has, according to the Daily Record, been invited to attend the so-called reunion, as sources reveal that they've 'not had a no from him'. 'Normally he is quick to turn things down', they said. 'Sean's relationship with the Oscars is good and we're hoping he'll appear.' The paper also went on to claim that Sean's 'issues' with the producers of James Bond may deter him from attending the event, although we've always thought of him as seeming rather proud of being the original 007 star so it would seem odd for him to refuse on that account. On the other hand, according to the Edinburgh Evening News, the Scottish actor didn't even know about the rumours, with his press agent claiming that no-one has yet asked him to get involved.

One who would be likely to attend is Sir Roger Moore; a man who was loved by so many that he played the role of Bond for 12 years, completing 7 movies between 1973 and 1985. He celebrated the 50th anniversary of the franchise last year by releasing his book 'Bond on Bond: The Ultimate Book On 50 Years Of Bond Movies' so it certainly seems like it's a part of his life he holds dear. He mentioned in an interview on the 'Today' show that it was like 'working with a family every 18 months' but regrets that he finished his book before he saw the latest 007 movie 'Skyfall'. 'I would write another chapter', he said. 'I think it is just the best Bond ever made.' However, as happy as he seems to be constantly associated with the fictional secret agent, he wasn't spotted at the 2013 BAFTAS on February 10th 2013 where 'Skyfall' won 'Best British Film'.

Continue reading: Will The Six Spies 'Bond' At The Oscars?

Chris Brown certainly met his match at the Grammys on Sunday evening after making the rather ill-thought-out decision to remain firmly in his seat during a standing ovation for Frank Ocean, who won the award for Best Urban Contemporary Album. Adele, 24, looked on as Chris failed to rise from his seat, shaking her head and appearing to give Brown, 23, a piece of her mind.

In fairness, Brown was always going to look silly (especially wearing a white suit) - he fought Ocean in a Los Angeles parking lot around three weeks ago, leaving the Odd Future singer with an injured hand. Though Rihanna's boyfriend applauded the Channel Orange singer, he remained in his seat, much to Adele's chagrin. Once Ocean's acceptance speech was compete, new mother Adele made her way over to Brown to discuss his behaviour, with the R&B star looking rather sheepish and attempting to explain himself. According to the Daily Mail, the pair were later seen hugging and posing - albeit stiffly - for a photograph. The Rolling In The Deep singer did manage to get a picture with two time Grammy award-winner Frank, who rounded off his successful night by making the first televised performance of his track Forrest Gump. 

Other winners at the biggest event on the music calendar included The Black Keys, Kelly Clarkson, Jay-Z and Kanye West.

Continue reading: Chris Brown Gets Almighty Telling Off From Adele Over Frank Ocean Snub

One thing popped into our heads when we learnt that Shirley Bassey would be performing at The Oscars 2013: Bond tunes. 

She just has to give us one of Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, or Moonraker, otherwise we'll be deeply disappointed. Let's look at the facts, and there aren't many: it's Shirley Bassey; it's The Oscars, and it's the 50th anniversary of James Bond, 007. Nailed on, it has to be! "We are thrilled to welcome the legendary Dame Shirley Bassey to our Oscar show," producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron said in a statement. "Her association with film music is world-renowned and we are proud that she will be making her first Oscar appearance on our telecast." She'll be joined - not on stage we don't think - by Adele and Barbara Streisand in a show that comprises three of the best singers around today. Oh and some film stars will be there too, we reckon.

Bond will be hoping for more than just a 50th anniversary celebration, which, for most film frachises would be a honour, but, given 007's paltry return from the Academy. Adele's Skyfall has been nominated for best original song at the 2013 Academy Awards; the first awards for the Bond franchise in more than 30 years, which, given the hugely popular response to Skyfall, is a disappointment in itself. 

Continue reading: Oscars 2013: Will Shirley Bassey Belt Out Those James Bond Classics?

Given her overwhelming success across the globe and regular appearances on stage, you wouldn't expect Adele to be the type of person to suffer from stage fright. With her upcoming Oscar performance though, this is exactly the case for the songstress.

Adele is set to perform her Oscar-nominated James Bond theme tune 'Skyfall' at the ceremony on February 24, but according to The Sun the singer is so weary and anxious about her upcoming gig that she’s suffering from panic attacks and insomnia. To help her get over this prevailing problem with her nerves, she is now believed to be seeking all the help see can get, including undertaking hypnotherapy sessions.

If this wasn't bad enough for the singer, according to some of her friends things took a turn for the worse when she discovered that her idol Barbara Streisand will also be performing there. A source told the paper: “A friend in LA recommended the hypnotherapist because Adele was getting so nervous about the gig." The source added, “She has been rehearsing for the show with an orchestra, but all the preparation in the world isn’t enough to keep her calm.

Continue reading: Adele Undergoes Hypnotherapy To Combat Stage Fright

This year’s Oscars ceremony will see the return of Barbra Streisand for the first time since 1977. Streisand will be making a special appearance, performing live onstage. The last time she graced the Academy stage, she was performing ‘Evergreen’ from A Star Is Born – for which she won herself a Best Original Song Oscar.

The awards show’s producers, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron revealed “In an evening that celebrates the artistry of movies and music, how could the telecast be complete without Barbra Streisand? We are honored that she has agreed to do a very special performance on this year's Oscars, her first time singing on the show in 36 years.” Streisand also won the Best Actress Oscar in 1969, for her role in Funny Girl.

Next month’s 85th Academy Awards ceremony is also scheduled to include a tribute to movie musicals, with Oscar-nominated Les Miserables featuring in the tribute as well as songs from Dreamgirls and Chicago. The ceremony is also due to feature a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the James Bond franchise, including a live performance from Adele, who is nominated for her song ‘Skyfall,’ the eponymous track from the latest Bond movie, starring Daniel Craig as James Bond. 

Continue reading: That Funny Girl's Back: Barbra Streisand Returns To Oscars Stage After 36 Years

Adele isn’t the only one getting her lungs dusted off for the Oscars next month, veteran singer and two-time Academy Award winner Barbra Streisand is also going to be making an appearance!

Streisand hasn’t performed at the prestigious movie awards for nearly four decades, but she will do on the evening of February 24, with the show’s producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron revealing the news in a statement. “In an evening that celebrates the artistry of movies and music, how could the telecast be complete without Barbra Streisand?” they said, as reported by Entertainment Weekly. “We are honored that she has agreed to do a very special performance on this year’s Oscars, her first time singing on the show in 36 years.”

Adele is there as part of the James Bond 50^th anniversary segment and also because she’s been nominated this year for her Skyfall theme song. Norah Jones will also be performing on the night, her song ‘Everybody Needs A Best Friend’, from Ted, is up against Adele’s. The last time Streisand took to the stage at the Oscars was 1977 she performed ‘Evergreen’, the love theme from A Star Is Born, going on to win an original song award the same night.

Continue reading: Barbra Streisand To Join Adele On The Bill For Oscars Night Performers

When Adele's father (Mark Evans) spoke publicly about her childhood back in 2011, that was an ending to any good work their father-daughter relationship had gone through. Now, as the Mirror reports, with the birth of his grandson, named Angelo, he has been trying to get back in touch with her daughter and is "absolutely gutted that she's cut [him] out of her life." 

"I've left messages on her phone, I've written to her and I've sent her birthday and Christmas cards but it's like I'm dead to her," he says. "I'm not interested in her celebrity or her money, I just want my daughter back and I want to be a proper grandad to the little one." 

As Evans explained in 2011, he and Adele had problems when she hit 12 because his father and one of his close friends died. By the time she was 16 they were "best mates again," but things have gone sour since.

Continue reading: Adele's Estranged Father Wants To Reconcile With Her To Be A 'Grandad'

We're going to stick our necks out and make a prediction; 2013 will be a huge year for Adele. 

With a performance at The Oscars confirmed, where she'll belt out the fantasic Bond tune, Skyfall, a strong chance of winning the award for Best Original song and a healthy baby boy, all sign point to a magnificent year ahead. 

The Academy confirmed Adele's performance, tweeting: "We're so excited to have Adele perform Skyfall on this year's #Oscars, we made a gallery dedicated to Bond Theme Songs."

Continue reading: New Adele Album In 2013? We Think So

Yesterday (January 23, 2013), we learned that Adele will be performing her song ‘Skyfall’ at next month’s Oscars ceremony. Writing for Chicago Sun-Times, Bill Zwecker revealed that a pre-recorded version of the track will be available on the night and Adele will be prepared to lip-sync if she has to. Make of that what you will, but an Academy insider insists that it’s “merely a safety net” for the show, in case anything goes wrong on the night.

This news comes hot on the heels of Beyonce Knowles’ Presidential Inauguration scandal. The world is still up in arms about whether or not Beyonce was singing live at the Presidential Inauguration on Monday (January 21, 2013). All factors seem to point to her lip-syncing and Beyonce herself has given no word on the matter. Currently, opinion is divided. Some seem to view it as pop music’s greatest scandal and a comic article from The New Yorker has jokingly (we hope!) called for the President’s resignation.

With advance warning that Adele may have to lip sync her Oscars performance, will people be more forgiving? Or would that, too, be unacceptable in our increasingly demanding world? Perhaps all pop stars should start lip syncing their performances, out of solidarity for poor, beleaguered Beyonce? 

Continue reading: 'Skyfall' At The Oscars: Adele Prepared To Lip-Sync (If She Has To)

Adele is perhaps the only celebrity of her calibre that we can imagine giving her child a name that at the very least resembles something of normalcy, unlike Beyonce's Blue Ivy or Gwyneth Paltrow's Apple. When asked about the name of her child at the Golden Globes last week she brushed it off with a joke, saying that she and fiancée Simon Konecki only call their baby 'Little Peanut'.

However, Adele has been wearing a necklace with the name 'Angelo' on it, recently, plus a source told the son that Angelo is the child's name. "Those close to Adele have been told the baby is called Angelo. We're not sure of the significance of the name," the source said. "She's wanted to keep it quiet but it was always going to come out sooner or later. Wearing an Angelo necklace not only backs up what is being said, it suggests she's not worried about people finding out."

Adele's baby arriving last year was the crowning glory to an incredible year for the singer, topping chart upon chart, breaking records and being nominated for a Golden Globe. She has begun 2013 in quite the same vain having just won that Golden Globe for her titular track for the latest Bond movie, Skyfall. She's also up for an Oscar for the same song, the results for which will be unveiled at the ceremony on February 24th. 

Continue reading: Has Adele Named Her Baby Angelo? She Calls Him Little Peanut Either Way

In a world of endless "thankyous" and classy jokes, the acceptance speech can be hard to master, considering you're expected to give it just after what can only be good news, unless you're Jaoquin Phoenix.

So when British powerhouse singer Adele popped up on stage to collect her award for best original song for the James Bond track, Skyfall, the Hollywood audience were privy to something a little different. "Oh my god! I've come for a night out with my friend Ida," she asserted. "We're new mums. We're literally here for a night out!" she added, and was met with a titter. "I was not expecting this... thank you so much for letting me be a part of your world for a night. I've been p***ing myself laughing," she said, which garnered more of a laugh, before she said, "This is for my boyfriend, Simon, who convinced me to do it, and for my lovely son," and left the stage.

She also thanked Paul Hepworth, who she co-wrote the song with, and Daniel Craig for being "such a wonderful Bond". And off she went, flustered and excited as they come, and thoroughly charming to boot. Elsewhere at The Globes, Les Miserables picked up three awards, and Ben Affleck stuck it to The Academy - who ignored him in the best director category while handing him a chance in the best film section - by winning best director for Argo. 

Continue reading: Adele Shows Hollywood How A British Acceptance Speech Is Done At The Golden Globes

Though we don't know his name yet, Adele's baby son is certainly getting treated by his famous mom. Ahead of her appearance at the Golden Globes on Sunday (January 13, 2013), the Skyfall singer took a trip to upmarket baby store Bel Bambini in Los Angeles and bought, well, pretty much everything the place had to offer.

Our clip shows Adele's security team loading her HUGE shopping haul into the back of her waiting Land Rover. The paparazzi even look surprised as security guard after security guard walk to and from the store, loading more and more baby stuff into the trunk. Adele is then escorted into the vehicle after waiting inside the store, presumably to avoid any extended contact with the paparazzi. The Londoner received the Golden Globe for Best Song on Sunday, thanking her baby-son in her acceptance speech and claiming she had travelled to the glitzy awards ceremony for "a night out." She gushed, "Oh my God. Oh my God. Honestly, I've come out for a night out with my friend. We're new Mums. We've literally come for a night out, I was not expecting this." However, when pressed backstage for the child's name, Adele said, "I'm not revealing his name. It's too intimate and personal at the moment."

Continue reading: How Much Baby Stuff?! Adele Buys EVERYTHING From Bel Bambini (Video)

This year’s Brit Awards nominations look as though they were concocted by a group of strangers, with wildly different cultural backgrounds, on a drunken night out. Is this a sign that the mainstream music world is finally starting to accept that it’s becoming more and more acceptable to have diverse musical tastes? Or are the organisers of the BRITS simply trying to spark controversy? have they lost the plot? Or is this an honest reflection of the mindset of a 2013 British music buying public? Let’s take a look at the evidence, and scrutinise some of the more baffling categories…

British Female Solo Artist Nominees – One of the more sensitive and contentious issues, here, in the British female solo artist category. Of the five nominees, only four of them were alive this year. We understand that Amy Winehouse has a lasting legacy in British pop music. We understand that she was – and, in many ways remains - a tour de force. But, for the sake of the awards, we simply have to ask, at the risk of sounding flippant, what has Amy Winehouse done for British music in the last 12 months? Sadly, nothing. Her posthumous album (released in December 2011, we should add), Lioness: Hidden Treasures was politely and quietly denounced for being little more than cuttings from the studio floor. We simply can’t get our heads around her inclusion on this list. With Bat For Lashes throw in as the ‘alternative’ wild card, to lend a touch of outsider cool to the category, it’s between Emeli Sande, Paloma Faith and Jessie Ware to catch this one, we reckon. 

Watch Jessie Ware's video for 'Sweet Talk'

Continue reading: BRIT Awards 2013 Nominees Announced: Diverse? Or Just Weird?

This awards season has already been rife with surprises and snubs, but this year's Brit Nominations has become the most surprising of all after Amy Winehouse was nominated for Best British Female, despite passing away over 18 months ago. She won that same award back in 2007, but it is the first time that any artist has been nominated posthumously. 

Competing for that same award are Paloma Faith, Bat For Lashes, Jessie Ware and Emeli Sande. Sande is the most nominated artist in this year's list, as she's also up for Best Single, a category in which she has two nominations, with 'Next to Me' and her Labrinth collboration, 'Beneath Your Beautiful'. 

"It's a really good feeling," Emile said, reports the BBC. "It feels great, a bit scary, because you never know, you might not win anything. It feels great to have this acknowledgement and recognition. And to come back here after winning the Critics' Choice and to be nominated is really, really cool."

Continue reading: Amy Winehouse Receives Posthumous Brit Awards Nomination

Despite being called the best Bond over, breaking box-office records and continuing the tradition of subsequent 007 flicks to outdo the last, Skyfall risks falling into the pantheon of James Bond films not to grab an Oscar.

Following 2 wins from 24 nominations, the odds are stacked against Skyfall, with the Academy's penchant for ignoring serialized entries. But that's hardly fair considering both the fiscal and critical success the 23rd Bond has been. 

Mark Kermode - esteemed BBC film critic - told Digital Spy: "The really interesting question is going to be Skyfall. How is Skyfall going to do at the awards because traditionally Bond movies are not awards movies? They're crowd-pleasers and they tend to be slightly neglected by the awards ceremonies. I think that what Sam Mendes has done with Skyfall is to reinvent the Bond franchise in a way that deserves to be an awards contender. I'd love to see Skyfall get significant nominations. I hope it does."

Continue reading: Is It Time For James Bond To Win An Oscar? Mark Kermode Thinks So

You would have thought a glamorous, black tie event, with expensive drinks and beautiful, sometimes evil people in attendance would see 007 shine. But for whatever reason - the Academy's reluctance to reward film series is often cited - Bond has only 2 Oscars from 24 nominations in its illustrious 50 year history. 

"It is absolutely time for Bond to get proper attention at the Oscars," Timothy Dalton - twice Bond in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill - said. "On almost every level this Bond movie [Skyfall] is right at the forefront of what cinema is capable of. [Skyfall] is an absolutely modern James Bond, a movie truly of its time. Daniel Craig is fantastic and it feels very real. It has also got a great story about M with a nice streak of cynicism. I thought the film was fabulous," he continued. Bond will be recognised without a doubt come February 24th, but in the form of a tribute rather an award. Theme song singer Adele has also been rumoured to perform at the ceremony.

Popular critic Mark Kermode, like Dalton, believes Skyfall should finally break Bond's Oscar blues. "The really interesting question is going to be Skyfall," he told Digital Spy. "How is Skyfall going to do at the awards because traditionally Bond movies are not awards movies? They're crowd-pleasers and they tend to be slightly neglected by the awards ceremonies. I think that what Sam Mendes has done with Skyfall is to reinvent the Bond franchise in a way that deserves to be an awards contender. I'd love to see Skyfall get significant nominations. I hope it does."

Continue reading: Time For "Bond To Get Proper Attention At The Oscars" Says Former 007, Timothy Dalton

Could anyone else have done Skyfall justice?

We don’t mean Daniel Craig as Bond; we’re talking Bond tunes, and perhaps no one could have trilled Skyfall with such a meaningful presence as Adele did. Considering 007’s trouble with the Academy – 2 awards out of 24 nominations in a 50 year history doesn’t paint a pretty picture for the British spy franchise – the anniversary treat of a Bond tribute at Februarys ceremony is a delightful surprise. And what better platform for Adele to make her much-awaited comeback. "We are very happy to include a special sequence on our show saluting the Bond films on their 50th birthday," said Oscar producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. "Starting with Dr No back in 1962, the 007 movies have become the longest-running motion picture franchise in history and a beloved global phenomenon." They didn’t mention Adele, but it would fit, wouldn’t it?

One barrier could be the rumours that she’s booked up to sing at the Golden Globes. If she performs, she’ll be effectively ‘cup tied’ – little joke for any of you watching The F.A Cup today – and won’t be able to perform at The Oscars. The ceremony will be on Sunday, February 24, and we’ll be covering it from best casting to best film, so stay tuned.

Adele has trademarked her name in a bid to prevent fraudsters using her moniker to sell fake merchandise for profit.

The 'Someone Like You' hitmaker discovered that many of her devoted fanbase have been the victims of being sold counterfeit items such as perfume and jewellery with the brand name of 'Adele' stamped on them suggesting that the Grammy winner had involvement in the production. 'She doesn't want anyone exploiting her name by using it on products which may trick punters into thinking she's involved with it', a source told The Sun. Her name has also protected her from identity theft, so anyone who tries to make money by using her name will have a no contest court case follow up. 

After all, after the seminal career Adele has had so far, it's no wonder that people are trying to pinch her name to make a bit of cash as now she is an internationally loved artist. She has won 94 awards and she only released her second album last year (2011). Among them are four BRIT Awards, eight Grammy awards and she may even be set to win a Golden Globe for supplying the theme song to the latest James Bond movie 'Skyfall'.

Adele has topped off yet another remarkable year by being named Billboard's top artis of 2012, whilst her second album, the hit 21, was named top album of the year in the music magazine's annual review.

The Brit singer, who also won six Grammys in February this year, was also crowned female artist of the year by the magazine too, with Canadian R&B artist Drake taking the male equivalent home. Meanwhile, fellow Brits and former X Factor contestants One Direction rounded off their phenomenally successful year by being named top new artist, but were beaten to the post of top group by Maroon 5.

In the singles department, the magazine deemed that Gotye's 'Somebody That I Used to Know,' Carly Rae Jepsen's 'Call Me Maybe' and Fun's 'We Are Young' as the top three tracks in that order. Each of the lists are based on chart performance, as well as streaming and social data.

Continue reading: Adele Named Billboard's Top Artist Of 2012

Skyfall - the 23rd James Bond flick starring Daniel Craig as 007 - has been one of the biggest hits of the year, critically and commercially. This success really comes to a head deep into award season, with the Grammy nominations in full flow, it's time to measure by numbers.

Producer Paul Epworth, who has worked with Adele before, created the Skyfall theme, and when it comes to film songs, none are more iconic, and manifestly daunting, and Bond songs. He picked up a Grammy nomination for Best Original Song yesterday. "Every single nomination in anything is really thrilling," Epworth told MTV, "but to have one in the film world as opposed to the music world, it's a really wonderful and very surprising step forward, you know?" he laughed. "I used to do work on film scores as a tape op, so I've done quite a bit of this, but this was definitely the first time that I've done it in this capacity. And to be doing it in front of ['Skyfall' director] Sam Mendes and ['Bond' producer] Barb Broccoli, it was definitely one of the most daunting sessions of my life."

It's nice to see people other than actors and directors in line for recognition for their work behind the scenes. Adele, who's powerful voice delivers Skyfall with gusto, might be due an Oscar for her troubles come February 2013. 

Wild Berries: Halle Berry had her Thanksgiving pretty much ruined last week by boyfriend Olivier Martinez and ex-beau Gabriel Aubry, who thought it a decent idea to start punching the lights out of each another on the actress' driveway. Luckily, police are unlikely to take their investigation further, which is probably in everyone's best interest.

Jenny Takes Brown Down? Plucky TV personality Jenny Johnson took Chris Brown to task on Twitter this week in a pretty humorous exchange of tweets. Most gave the Emmy winner the edge in the cyber-battle and Brown subsequently shut down his profile page!

Continue reading: A Week In News Feat: Halle Berry, Gabriel Aubry, Olivier Martinez, Chris Brown, Angus T. Jones, Rihanna, Adele, Brad Pitt And More!

Vocal powerhouse Adele has spoken candidly about her weight once again, still reiterating that she has no intentions of dropping her weight unless she absolutely has to.

Excerpts from her new biography, written by Chas Newkey-Burden, have been published in USA Today and reveal that the the 24-year-old Grammy-winning singer has no hang-ups about her body at all, with the new book quoting Adele as saying: "I've always been a size 14-16 and been fine with it. I would only lose weight if it affected my health or sex life, which it doesn't."

The latest insight, which is out just in time for Christmas, reveals much more than Adele's opinions on her own weight, covering a whole host of ups and downs experienced by the still-young songbird. The book goes on to cover the singer's adoration of her grandfather and mother, and the sacrifices that her mother made when bringing up the future platinum-selling artist. It also covers some of her vocal inspirations, who include Etta Fitzgerald and Roberta Flack, and delves into her health hang ups not including her weight, namely her smoking and drinking. 

Continue reading: Adele Says She Would Only Ever Consider Losing Weight If It Affected Her "Health Or Sex Life"

OK, so the majority of the US public have just one race on their minds today and that’s the US Presidential race. But once that’s been decided in a few hours, all thoughts will surely be turning to the all-important albums chart race… surely? Can any of this week’s releases threaten Taylor Swift’s position at the top or will she get a second term at number one?

Aerosmith have returned, after an 11-year hiatus from writing any new material. Time appears to have stood still on Aerosmith-land in those eleven years and Music From Another Dimension is pretty much as you would expect an Aerosmith album to sound. Of course, Steven Tyler’s presence on American Idol has brought the attention of Aerosmith back to a new generation of fans, so much of this material may well even sound fresh to them.

Read our review of Music From Another Dimension

Continue reading: Out Now: US Album Releases (Nov 6) Aerosmith, Ne-Yo, Skyfall OST, Third Day

Labrinth and Emeli Sande marked an impressive end to the week in the charts, as their collaborative effort, 'Beneath Your Beautiful', took the top spot thanks to an appearance on The X Factor over the weekend.

It didn’t matter who was voted to stay on the show, as the London rapper and Scotish singer Sandé proved to be the real winners of the weekend, and Emeli in particular had a weekend worth writing home about. Her collaboration with Labrinth went from 85 to number one in the charts over the space of a week, whilst her other collaboration, with rapper Naughty Boy, made it to number 10 in the charts. Her album, Our Version of Events, re-entered the upper echelons of the charts for the umpteenth time this year too, coming in second place behind Taylor Swift and her new album, Red.

Sandé’s album is the highest selling album of 2012 now, with Adele’s 21 finally being knocked from its perch.The rest of the top three was made up of Swedish House’s ‘Don’t You Worry Child’ and Calvin Harris and Florence Welch’s collab. ‘Sweet Nothing’ take numbers two and three respectively. Meanwhile, on the eve of the film’s release, Adele’s Bond theme ‘Skyfall’ fell down to seventh.