• Hawthorne Heights has signed to Wind-Up Records.

• The relationship between the major labels and Apple is still antagonistic and intense, regardless, Apple has the upper hand. “Whether the industry likes it or not, the iTunes chart showing the most popular songs in America is a major influencer of how kids today discover and communicate with their friends what kind of music they like,” said Charlie Walk, the former president of Epic Records, a unit of Sony Music. “It’s a very powerful thing right now in American pop culture and immediately validates a hit song.”

• After one deep breath, Jennifer Hudson returned to the spotlight Sunday with a flawless performance of the national anthem before the Super Bowl. When she returned to her dressing room, she anxiously asked pre-game show producer Rickey Minor “How did I do?”

“I told her ‘Touchdown!'” Minor told The Associated Press after the performance.

Minor insisted that Hudson and Faith Hill, who sang “America the Beautiful” before the national anthem, use the tracks the NFL requires them to submit a week before the game. “That’s the right way to do it,” Minor said. “There’s too many variables to go live. I would never recommend any artist go live because the slightest glitch would devastate the performance.”

Is there something wrong with this story? I’m more confused with the fact Hudson asking ‘How did I do?”. Maybe she was referring to if her lip movements matched with her voice. I understand that we are living in superficial times and that lip-synching in many instances is required from a production standpoint to ensure quality for broadcast. I just hope that Hudson and her management team were aware before taking the gig that lip synching is frowned upon for obvious reasons, hence, expect the negative press.

• Eminem’s new single ‘Crack Bottle’ can be heard here. We are not feeling this and looking at other comments, it seems most are on the same page. Our advice to Skittles is to keep on writing…

• “In the old days, double-platinum meant something,” said Avery Lipman, co-president of Universal Republic Records. “Now we don’t have a unified chart, and it’s all Swiss cheese because we don’t just look at album sales.” Flobots were Universal Republic’s No. 1 new artist of 2008 — and they were the third- best-selling new alternative artist industrywide that year, according to Lipman. They’ve moved more than 300,000 copies of their self-produced, full-length debut, “Fight With Tools”, sold 1.5 million tracks digitally, and had impressive numbers at the merchandise booth.

Chris Brown didn’t have it easy in the beginning after myspace shut his page down when rapper Chris Brown became famous. Instead, Chris now goes by the name of Tofer Brown and it seems to be working as he sings with passion and the songwriting is excellent. Tofer wrote a recent song with Bleu (Aware Records) who has written for the Jonas Brothers, Jon Mclaughlin, and Green River Ordinance. Editor of Spin, Doug Brod says this:

“Now this is impressive! You’ve got that delicate, vulnerable thoroughly engaging voice (nice falsetto!), memorable songs, busy but not fussy production. Sure, some would say this is middle of the road (and we already have enough Keanes and Frays in this world), but I say this is the sound of classic pop. Take a bow!”

Currently meeting with labels and publishers.

• Our favorite tracks are When I Get Over You and Something To Love.

• Fore more information contact csbmusic@gmail.com

For better or for worse, Microsoft’s Songsmith has become today’s internet story.

Songsmith allows anyone to record their own pop songs, thus, you sing into the microphone and the computer creates music for you.

Microsoft released a promotional video for Songsmith which became viral, but more importantly, a laughing stock. In fact, there are several Songsmith reinterpretations that have been posted on YouTube, and many of the videos have been viewed more than a hundred thousand times.

Of course I took the time and clicked on some videos and this is a must watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d77eycBpuBY

The bottome line?

“Proof that computers shouldn’t be allowed to make music,” wrote one. Another said: “After you hear a few, your brain implodes into a sludge, and they start to sound bad-good. Or good-bad.”

The Queen Killing Kings may restore your faith in indie music . Sure this New Haven act could win over the hearts of NYC East Village hipsters, but unlike other fashion-conscious indie bands, The Queen Killing Kings will achieve their status through their music more so than their clothes. The band just signed to Wind-Up Records.

• Our favorite tracks include Birds With Iron Wings and
  Into The Woods.

• For more information contact JBromley@manatt.com

1. Kelly Clarkson ‘My Life Would Suck Without You’ (279,605)
2. The All American Rejects ‘Give You Hell’ (173,504)
3. Lady Gaga ‘Just Dance’ (149,996)
4. The Fray ‘You Found Me’ (145,337)
5. Kanye West ‘Heartless’ (143,783)
6. The Pussycat Dolls ‘I Hate This Part’ (143,783)
7. Beyonce ‘Single Ladies’ (119,891)
8. Taylor Swift ‘Love Story’ (112,020)
9. Britney Spears ‘Circus’ (107,132)
10. Jason Mraz ‘I’m Yours’ (90,231)
11. The Veronicas ‘Untouched’ (81,788)
12. Pink ‘Sober’ (73,667)

Mainstream pop/dance/club is dominating every genre as far as digital single sales. Country star Taylor Swift dominates the Top Album chart with 62,575 albums sold followed by Beyonce and Nickelback. In my opinion, these hot digital tracks are OK, far from great. If you want to sell 150,000 singles a week then you need to write something just a little better than what’s out there. We certainly want to hear what you come up with – email tips@kingsofar.com