Critics were queueing up to pronounce The X Factor terminally ill last night, as its final sees male singers with varying degrees of street cred vying for a somewhat tarnished winner’s crown. Simon Cowell, driving force behind the show, was under mounting pressure to step in, with ratings and ad revenues down significantly on previous series. Once the dominant presence in living rooms across the country every weekend, the show is now beaten regularly in the ratings by BBC1’s rival show Strictly Come Dancing, which attracts up to 2 million more viewers.

A series of lacklustre winners in previous years, along with the departure of Cowell from the judging panel, has led to a long-term decline in the once unstoppable programme’s fortunes. Viewing figures last weekend were 40 per cent below the equivalent semi-final show two years ago, the last year Cowell was a judge. Read more here

News Update: Los Angeles-based electro-pop duo Capital Cities signed to Capital Records.  They have performed in front of sellout crowds all over California, including The Troubadour and El Rey Theater. The track ‘Safe And Sound” reached #1 on CMJ’s A&R Chart.

PSY has been taking over America with his surprise smash hit “Gangnam Style” but there’s new information on the South Korean pop star that will soon change his popularity among U.S. fans.

It turns out PSY has been involved in several anti-American protest performances. According to Mediaite.com he smashed a model U.S. tank while onstage in 2002 to oppose 37,000 U.S. troops that descended on the Korean Peninsula.

A few years later, PSY cursed Americans after a South Korean missionary was executed. His song “Dear American” sets the record straight.

“Kill those f***ing Yankees who have been torturing Iraqi captives/Kill those f***ing Yankees who ordered them to torture/Kill their daughters, mothers, daughters-in-law and fathers/Kill them all slowly and painfully,” he raps.

PSY is slated to perform for President Obama for a Christmas In Washington special to air on TNT Friday, December 21. As a result, a petition to rescind his invitation has been created by outraged Americans for his anti-American song lyrics. Read more here

News Update: Saints of Valory who we profiled last April has signed to Atlantic Records. Saints Of Valory hail from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in, late 2009 & the band decided to launch out of Austin after experiencing SXSW 2010 & have since become one of Austin’s top acts, all in one year’s time. Their debut EP, “The Bright Lights,” was self released in December 2010 and the track “Providence” was well received at Triple A radio, climbing as high as 49th on the nationwide Mediabase chart.
Contact: info@saintsofvalory.com

Justin Biebers manager Scooter Braun went on a Twitter rant following Wednesday night’s Grammy Awards nominations announcement. Writing to his over 2 million followers, the 31-year-old Braun defended his No. 1 client Justin Bieber who received no Grammy nominations. “I just plain DISAGREE,” he tweeted. “The kid deserved it. Grammy board u blew it on this one.” Other artists that were snubbed include Psy, Coldplay and Nicki Minaj.