The six music blogs unceremoniously dumped by Google are in the process of getting back online. All bar one have of the blogs has been restored, or moved to alternate webhosting after Google’s Blogger service pulled the plug on the six blogs amid claims of illegal hosting of copyrighted content.

The six blogs – Pop Tarts, Masala, I Rock Cleveland, To Die By Your Side, It’s a Rap and Living Ears – were shut following Google’s receipt of DMCA notices compelling the company to remove the offending blogs. The blogs’ owners each claim to have been given permission to use the disputed tracks by the artists themselves or their record labels.

The bloggers also claim Google gave them no indication of how to file counter-claims against the notices in order to stop Google from closing the accounts. Each of the six blogs, which are big in their respective genres of music are hosting on Google’s Blogger platform.

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Gigwise report that the man who gave the world Rick Astley, The Reynolds Girls, Steps and Sonia will be the man responsible for the UK’s 2010 Eurovision Song Contest entry.

The man in question is music mogul Pete Waterman who has written hit songs in the past for acts including Westlife and Kylie Minogue and, according to Gigwise is ‘relishing the opportunity’.

The United Kingdom has become something of an also-ran in the competition, which has become more about political voting than the music but Phil Parsons – the BBC’s Eurovision executive Producer – is hopeful Waterman can build on the success of Andrew Lloyd-Webber, whose song ‘My Time’ sung by Sugababes singer Jade Ewan made fifth place in the 2009 contest.

Oslo, Noway will stage this year’s competiton on May 29^th.

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Radiohead guitarist Ed O’Brien has taken a swipe at the music industry for not moving quickly enough in the digital era says Music-news.com.

The debate surrounding music piracy in the digital age has been raging back-and-forth since the early days of Napster, but O’Brien nailed his colours onto the ‘for’ side of the debate.

Radio station, XFM.co.uk claim O’Brien said that the music industry’s current problems with piracy are solely their own fault, while the website PaidContent.org quote the guitarist as saying:

‘I have a problem when people in the industry say ‘it’s killing the industry, it’s the thing that’s ripping us apart’. I don’t actually believe it is … [Pirates] might not buy an album, but they’re spending their money buying concert tickets, a t-shirt, whatever.

‘It’s an analogue business model in a digital era. The business model has to change. You’ve got to license out more music – have more Spotifys, more websites selling more music. You’ve got to make it slightly cheaper to get music in order to compete with the peer-to-peers.

‘That’s been the whole problem in the last 10 years. Why are we here now? Because the recording industry dragged its feet over digital.’

Is O’Brien right? Let us know in the comments.

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Incessantly annoying X-Factor failures Jedward have issued the news that people dreaded to hear: the bee-hived twin duo are to release their debut single next month.

The twins, who have probably kept hair-gel sales for L’Oreal up for the next five years have teamed with failed rapper Vanilla Ice to record Ice’s ‘Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)’. The twins – John and Edward Grimes – performed the track on Week six of the live finals and again during the National Television Awards.

Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby) is released digitally on January 31st, with a physical release following on February 15th.

And, if you’re really desperate to find out what the twins are up to, you can do so on their new official website, www.planetjedward.net

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Rocker Ted Nugent has never been one to shy away from causing a little controversy, but his latest outburst has been centred towards Barack Obama, the United States president.

Nugent’s latest tirade came as he spoke on the Fox Business Channel, as reported by Classic Rock Magazine. Nugent ranted about Obama and that he ‘should be put in jail.’

“I think that Barack Hussein Obama should be put in jail. It is clear that Barack Hussein Obama is a communist.

“Mao Tse Tung lives and his name is Barack Hussein Obama. This country should be ashamed. I wanna throw up.”

But Ted wasn’t happy to stop there and vegetarians also got it in the neck from the outspoken rocker.

“You guys are denying yourself the sensual, spiritual stimuli of the good mother Earth that you can only get as a hands-on, reasoning predator.”

It’s not the first time Ted has caused a stir with his controversial rantings. The rocker is a well-known activist and advocate of hunting and gun-ownership in the States, and has often clashed with animal rights movements.

During a N-Dubz interview on The Chris Moyles show, Chloe Moody sent in a text labelling the band as ‘losers’ and describing Dappy as ‘repulsive’. However, the next day she received a threatening message from Dappy saying: ‘Your [sic] gonna die’.

The singer is also alleged to have tried to phone Ms Moody, but she missed the calls.

Dappy is believed to have obtained Ms Moody’s number without the producer’s knowledge.

“I missed two calls from a number I didn’t recognise, so I texted back asking who it was, and I got a text saying ‘your gonna die’.” claimed Ms Moody.

The message went on to say: “U sent a very bad msg towards Ndubz on The Chris Moyels [sic] Show yesterday Morning and for that reason u will never be left alone!!! If u say sorry I will leave you alone.”

Dappy issued an apology through his management and Ms Moody was offered free concert tickets to a N-Dubz show. The star has, however, yet to apologise to Ms Moody personally.

A statement released by the singer real name Dino Contostavlos – said: “I called her in the heat of the moment when I was angry, but that is no excuse for my behaviour.”

“I’m genuinely sorry. I’d also like to send my sincerest apologies to Radio 1.”

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The BBC received numerous complaints following coverage of last year’s album launch of U2’s ‘No Line On The Horizon’ which included a concert on the roof of Broadcasting House and the alteration of the BBC logo to ‘U2=BBC’. The launch, which happened last February led critics to complain that the BBC had given the band millions of pounds of free publicity across TV, Radio and online media.

The corporation’s editorial complaints unit upheld the complaints, stating that coverage of the launch breached BBC guidelines surrounding advertising and gave suggested an endorsement of the album by the BBC, and said a reference to the BBC being “part of launching this new album”, in an interview between Zane Lowe and U2’s Bono on BBC Radio 1, was inappropriate.

The complaint follows on from a similarly upheld complaint surrounding the corporation’s coverage of Coldplay’s ‘Viva la Vida’ tour.

(Image by Pop Martian)

Montag last hit the headlines after appearing in Playboy and worrying how to tell her parents about the shoot. She wears a little more clothes for the Miss Universe performance but makes sure they’re nice and flesh coloured.

If you’ve not already heard of The Guild let alone watched them via Xbox Live then this latest clever piece of viral marketing from them will change that. It’s a spoof music video which calls on all that is holy of MMO (or near enough).

Felicia Day, star and the brains behind The Guild, is on a roll recently given her appearance in the “missing” Dollhouse last episode/in between of season 1. You’ll remember that The Powers That Be granded Dollhouse a season 2 despite poor showings in the States.

At the time of writing this video is now 3rd in “All Music Videos” in iTunes US.

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Look at the poor violinist though.

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