ANDROID EVICT GROOVESHARK FROM APP STORE
Google have evicted the mobile app for the slightly controversial Grooveshark streaming music service from their Android Market platform, meaning users of Android smartphones won't be able to use the mobile version of the Grooveshark service without hacking their devices. The Grooveshark iPhone app was removed from Apple's store last year.

According to CNET, Grooveshark was taken off the Android Market because it "violates Google's terms of service". But Billboard reckon that the app has really been removed at the request of the major record companies, and most likely Universal. Certainly that was the reason the American streaming platform disappeared from Apple's app store.

As previously reported, Grooveshark claims to be a legit digital outfit, pointing out it has licences from EMI and some indies, and that it operates a takedown system in accordance with the DMCA. But many in the industry, especially at the majors, and especially at Universal, do not agree, arguing that Grooveshark's free in-part-unlicensed streaming service is hindering the growth of subscription-based streaming platforms in the US. So much so Universal are suing them.

Grooveshark built its catalogue of music by allowing users to upload their MP3 collections. In some ways it's a great idea, in that it hands over the hassle of digitising catalogue to the fans, and means Grooveshark's library is much more comprehensive than many of its competitors, who are still waiting for the majors to get round to converting huge amounts of their older content into MP3. But it also means a certain portion of the Grooveshark library is online without the rights holders' consent.

Billboard reckon the timing of Grooveshark's eviction from the Android app store is significant. Google's legal man Kent Walker is testifying before the US government's House Judiciary Intellectual Property Subcommittee on piracy issues this week, meanwhile execs in the web giant's music department are reportedly talking to major label bosses about them licensing a digital locker service. It's thought one major or another used those facts to put extra pressure on App Team Android to remove the Grooveshark app.

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MURRAY DEFENSE TO SAY JACKSON COMMITTED SUICIDE
So, did Michael Jackson commit suicide? Well, lawyers for Dr Conrad Murray suggested that he might have done in a US court yesterday. Doc Murray, of course, is accused of killing Jackson by negligently administering the drug Propofol the morning the king of pop died back in 2009. Murray denies the charges.

There were indications last month that Murray's legal team might suggest that Jackson gave himself an extra shot of propofol the morning he died, resulting in his death. And yesterday Murray's legal man Ed Chernoff suggested Jacko might have done so to deliberately end his own life, as he panicked about the scale of his debts and the stresses of the 'This Is It' project on which he was relying so much to keep creditors at bay.

Chernoff told a pre-court hearing: "The crux of the defence is going to be that Michael Jackson engaged in a desperate act and took desperate measures that caused his death. We believe at the time Michael Jackson died he was a desperate man in relation to his financial affairs". To that end Chernoff requested access to the late pop star's finances, though Howard Weitzman, legal rep for the Jacko estate, objected to that request, and the judge agreed there was no need for Team Murray to get their hands on the accounts.

Meanwhile Deputy District Attorney David Walgren, speaking for the prosecution, said the suggestion Jackson committed suicide was "an irrelevant sideshow" aimed at distracting the jury from the real issues in this case.

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TURNER SAYS IT'S TIME FOR A NEW GUITAR SOUND
Arctic Monkey Alex Turner has told NME he thinks the 'next big thing' will be just another young guitar band, emerging in the same way his young guitar band emerged back in 2005. This was apparently in response to a recent debate in the press about how guitar music is in trouble. Yes, that old chestnut.

He told the music mag: "Everyone thinks that the next big thing has got to sound really modern and new, but to get something that sounds fresh, it can just be three kids with guitars and not a lot else. There's enough username-and-password music already, know what I mean? I hope it does happen again, though."

Speaking about his own band's subsequent work, and the special quality inherent in a first album, he added: "We'll never get that initial naivety back. You can't, like, fake that thing, like what's on the first record. It's just a time and a place... but yeah, I'd love for a band to come through and turn the charts upside down for a couple of weeks."

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BRYAN FERRY RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL AFTER TESTS
Bryan Ferry has been discharged from hospital after being admitted for tests on Tuesday, when the singer was forced to pull out of a London 2012 event at the O2 arena because he was unwell. His publicist hasn't revealed exactly what was wrong, but has said that Ferry didn't suffer a heart attack - presumably in response to media speculation - and has confirmed that the health problem, whatever it is, will not affect the singer's plans for a solo tour, beginning on 19 Apr in Israel.

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GRAMMYS GET AN OVERHAUL
The Grammys have announced that they are planning some major changes in time for next year's ceremony. Around 31 categories will be cut, meaning that the number of gongs will drop from 109 to 78, and that the ceremony will last about two days instead of three.

The changes will mean that gendered awards will be lost across the board; for example, in categories such as pop, rock, and R&B, instead of there being separate gongs for male, female and group vocals, just one prize will be handed out. There will also be a smaller number of awards in genres such as classical music, gospel and folk, whilst some instrumental categories will be phased out. Meanwhile, some of the smaller fields - Hawaiian, Native American, Zydeco/Cajun and polka - will be made into one 'regional roots' section.

There are also some new rules about how entries will qualify: Categories must have at least 40 entries - this used to be 25 - to generate a shortlist of five nominees, and sections with between 25 and 39 entries will have three nominees only. If the entry figure drops below 25, no award will be given in that category, and if that happens for three consecutive years, the category will be dropped entirely.

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STONE ROSES REUNION IN THE OFFING
According to The Sun, the Stone Roses are set to reform after Ian Brown and John Squire recently "buried the hatchet" at the funeral of bassist Mani's mother. A mega-bucks reunion is now in the offing.

Of course there have been many Stone Roses reunion rumours over the years, none of which were in any way true. Though everyone seems to think this rumour has more credibility.

Two facts for you: The Stone Roses were brilliant. This reunion is not required.

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BLOC PARTY REVEAL PLANS TO WORK ON NEW ALBUM
Russell Lissack has confirmed to NME that he and fellow Bloc Party star Kele Okereke have been making plans to work on a new album.

The band have, of course, been on hold since Okereke decided to concentrate on his solo record in 2009, and Lissack has recently been touring with Ash. Rumours that the band might be getting back together began when Ash confirmed Lissack would be leaving their live set up later this year.

Lissack explained: "Well, we met up at Christmas - that was really nice - and talked about doing another record... Kele and I started working on Bloc Party stuff together and separately. We're having a bit of a break until the festivals are over, because people have commitments during the summer, but we're going to get back properly in September and sit in a rehearsal studio to work on new band material."

He added that the hiatus has only fueled his enthusiasm for the band: "I really missed hanging out with those guys. I've been friends with Kele since we were kids, but we've not really seen each other much since the break. In fact, I've not really seen a lot of the other guys either... I've also really missed playing some of our songs again. The time away has really just reignited the passion I have for Bloc Party."

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BEASTIE BOYS POST NEW SINGLE ON WEBSITE
The first single from the Beatie Boys' long awaited new album, a track called 'Make Some Noise', leaked online recently, so the band has responded by putting it on their website too. Mike D wrote on the band's blog: "This wasn't really part of the plan, but since this track is out there we wanted to let you hear it here first, or maybe second. Enjoy". The album, 'Hot Sauce Committee Part Two', is due out in May.

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RECORD STORE DAY RELEASE ROUNDUP
A veritable smorgasbord of enticing releases are scheduled to mark the annual celebration of musical independence that is Record Store Day on 16 Apr. If you weren't already aware, the following treats will only be available at independent record shops on the appointed day. Hurrah!

Amongst the temporary array of exclusives is a single from US rockabilly bloke Dan Sartain, and vinyl offerings from the likes of Mazes, Miles Kane and The View. Specially-commissioned EPs from Beth Ditto, Esben & The Witch and Tracey Thorne will also be available.

Various split singles will also be released, including a collaboration between Brad Laner and Joensuu 1685, plus a tribute to Cardiacs' lead singer Tim Smith by Oceansize and Porcupine Tree. of Montreal have also paired up with Casiokids on another dual release entitled 'Expecting To Fly'/'London Zoo'.

Stay abreast of the Record Store Day updates and goings on by consulting the website: www.recordstoreday.co.uk.

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BATTLES ADD EXTRA LONDON SHOW
Having sold out an intimate show at London's ICA, New York experimentalists Battles have tacked an extra capital city stop onto their upcoming UK tour schedule. The string of shows will mark the release of their new album 'Gloss Drop', which is due out on 6 Jun on Warp.

The band also have some festival appearances lined up, including a headlining slot at Standon Calling in August.

Tour dates:

3 Jun: Brighton, Concorde 2
4 Jun: Manchester,O2 Apollo (Co-headlining with Caribou)
6 Jun: Leeds, Cockpit
7 Jun: Glasgow, The Arches
8 Jun: London, Heaven

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THE KABEEDIES ANNOUNCE TOUR DATES
Steve Lamacq-approved indie troupe The Kabeedies have announced that they'll be projecting their brand of frenetic pseudo-pop across a series of UK live dates, which kick off with a hometown show in their native Norwich.

The band are also offering their insistently summery new single 'Santiago' as a free download here: thekabeedies.bandcamp.com

Now back to those tour dates:

20 Apr: Norwich, The Waterfront
4 May: Reading, The Oakford
5 May: Brighton, Latest Music Bar
6 May: London, Amersham Arms
7 May: Bristol, Mother's Ruin
8 May: Cardiff, Undertone
9 May: Coventry, Kasbah
10 May: Cambridge, Cornerhouse
11 May: Birmingham, The Rainbow
12 May: Leeds, Milo
13 May: Leicester, Firebug
14 May: Manchester, Night & Day
15 May: Chester, The Laugh Inn

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FESTIVAL LINE-UP UPDATE

CAMDEN CRAWL, Various Venues, London, 30 Apr-1 May: Organisers of this sprawling Gaymers-sponsored event have added controversial skate-rap collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, who for the sake of my sanity shall hereafter be known as ODWGKTA, as the closing act for this year's programme. Graham Coxon, The View and Killing Joke complete the Crawl roster, which features such already-announced highlights as British Sea Power, Simian Mobile Disco and err, Razorlight. www.thecamdencrawl.com

FIELD DAY, Victoria Park, London, 06 Aug: Erol Alkan, Villagers, Born Ruffians, Cloud Control and a back-to-back set from James Holden and Four Tet's Kieran Hebden are amongst the latest crop of attractions on the Field Day bill, which already boasted Warpaint, Wild Beasts, The Horrors and James Blake. www.fielddayfestivals.com

GUILFEST, Stoke Park, Guildford, 15-17 July: Family favourites N-Dubz and Ziggy Marley are the newest kids on the Guilfest block, being the latest couple of announcements for the "quintessentially English" bash. They join James Blunt, Razorlight and Peter Andre on a towering list of music greats booked to perform at Guilfest this year. www.guilfest.co.uk

HAMPTON COURT PALACE FESTIVAL, London, 7-18 Jun: Slotting in nicely with the family-friendly ethos of Hampton Court's summer concert programme are Westlife, Kerry Ellis and Brian May, who will join James Blunt, Bryan Adams and Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band on the line-up. This eleven day festival will also feature a firework-filled finale from opera star Alfie Boe, which is sure to be a cracker. www.hamptoncourtpalacefestival.com

ØYA, Middelalderparken, Oslo, Norway, 9-13 Aug: Kanye West is set to bring his 'Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' crashing down on the otherwise civilised proceedings at Oya festival, which was already poised to host acts including Lykke Li, Janelle Monae and Pulp. www.oyafestivalen.com/pages/eng

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PARLOPHONE A&R CHIEF TO OVERSEE VIRGIN UK
Following the departure of Virgin Records UK President Shabs Jobanputra at the start of the week, EMI announced yesterday that A&R duties for its Virgin UK division would be handed over to Miles Leonard, who already heads up such things at its Parlophone label.

Leonard will now oversee talent scouting and artist development at the combined division, and also look to "broaden relationships with individual artists, and establish consistent A&R principles across the two complementary but distinct labels".

He will report to EMI Music UK CEO Andria Vidler, who said these very words yesterday: "Miles is an outstanding A&R executive, and he's been a key member of my senior management team throughout my time here. His knowledge and ability to build solid and trusted relationships within both the creative community and the company itself will be of real importance to us as we build on our success of the last year. Signing great artists, and nurturing them throughout their careers is at the heart of what EMI has to do, and in Miles we have someone who can really partner with artists to create the best possible outcomes".

Miles himself said: "I am thrilled to be working again with the Virgin label, having started my career at Virgin 20 years ago. I have always admired Virgin for its innovative and original artists, and the culture of Virgin which has always been artist-led. To be able to continue in my role at Parlophone, as well as taking on the Virgin label is not only a great challenge, but also an exciting one".

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PHOENIX AND ONE MEDIA TO RE-RELEASE GUT AND JET STAR CATALOGUES
Catalogue label Phoenix Music has announced an alliances with digital rights company One Media which will see a number of digital compilations put out into the market using tracks from the old Gut Records and Jet Star catalogues, which Phoenix acquired when the two former independent record companies went bankrupt in 2008 and 2009 respectively. According to Music Week, the compos will include music from some 1200 artists, including Jimmy Somerville, Rick Wakeman, Space, Tears For Fears and Tony Christie.

One Media's Michael Infante told Music Week: "This is yet another multi layer deal with over 1200 artists and over 8000 tracks and further demonstrates our ability to acquire cross-genre of music catalogue styles. This will work well for us within the One Media established catalogue of music rights and will be recompiled with existing One Media recordings to form many new and exciting albums".

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UNIVERSAL PUBLISHING DO CLASSICAL SHEET MUSIC DEAL WITH HAL LEONARD
Sheet music publishers Hal Leonard have announced a deal with Universal Music Publishing's classical division which will see the former handling the distribution and rental of printed scores of chunks of Universal's classical catalogue, including the works of Verdi, Puccini, Rossini, Donizetti and Bellini.

Under the worldwide deal, Hal Leonard will represent Universal's printed music completely in some areas and territories, while also working with Universal's own sheet music publisher Editio Musica Budapest, which will continue to operate independently, but with Hal Leonard providing distribution in some markets.

Universal Publishing's David Reznor told reporters: "We feel confident entrusting the support of our printed music and hire rights for our classical music publishing catalogues to Hal Leonard. Our companies have enjoyed a solid relationship for many years, and we have been very pleased with their representation".

Meanwhile Hal Leonard's Larry Morton added: "Much of the world's most highly regarded classical music is contained within these catalogues. We are thrilled by the prospect of expanding our relationship with Universal Music Publishing Classical, teaming with their talented staff to release new publications befitting this exceptional material".

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THE PIRATE BAY GETS FIVE MILLIONTH REGISTERED USER
The Pirate Bay scored its five millionth registered user this week, according to TorrentFreak. Which might not sound like many, given the high profile the controversial BitTorrent service enjoys, and that the much younger Spotify has over ten million users. But don't forget you don't need to sign up with TPB to use their service, and most people therefore won't, so in reality The Pirate Bay is much much bigger than any of the legit music services.

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BAUER MEDIA OUT OF RUNNING TO BUY BBC MAGAZINES
Q, Kerrang! and Mojo owners Bauer Media are out of the running to buy the BBC's magazines business, according to The Guardian.

Earlier this year it was thought Bauer was favorite to get the Beeb's magazines, which are currently published by the broadcaster's commercial division BBC Worldwide, and which includes Radio Times, BBC Music Magazine and the Top Of The Pops mag. But sales talks have seemingly fallen through, and BBC Worldwide is now talking to other possible bidders.

The BBC is being forced to sell off its magazines to placate other media owners who argue that the Beeb's commercial division has strayed too far from the Corporation's core business as a broadcaster and TV and radio programme maker.

There is great interest across the magazine sector for individual BBC titles, though the Beeb wants to sell the entire magazine division as one unit, which has reduced the number of potential bidders considerably.

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VAN OUTEN: "JOHNNY WASN'T READY TO SHARE CAPITAL SHOW"
Denis Van Outen says that one of the reasons she quit the Capital FM breakfast show after just six months in 2008 was because she felt co-host Johnny Vaughan was not ready to share the limelight.

Vaughan, of course, had already been fronting Capital's breakfast show for four years when the station paired him with his old 'Big Breakfast' presenting partner Van Outen in a bid to resurrect a double act that had worked well on the Channel 4 show. But Van Outen quit the radio programme six months later, officially because she couldn't stick the early starts.

But according to Radio Today, she told Richard Bacon on 5Live this week: "He wasn't happy that I joined in the first place. He made it quite clear. He was used to doing the show on his own so I felt a little bit uncomfortable being there".

She added that since Vaughan had teamed up with current co-presenter Lisa Snowdon, he seemed to have readjusted to the double act thing, saying: "Of course now the show has changed completely and Lisa I think is absolutely lovely and great and it works brilliantly. I think it was just taking him some time to get used to the fact that there was somebody else in the mix and it wasn't just him".

She also revealed that the slight flop of their Capital pairing had tarnished her friendship with Vaughan, who she was no longer really in touch with. Van Outen: "It's a shame because we were really good friends. It was a really difficult situation - it wasn't a comfortable environment to be in. I did try and speak to him after I left but he sort of blocked me. It's a shame but things happen and change you never know hopefully one day it'll all sort itself out".

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BRITNEY SONGWRITER SAYS DON'T KNOCK SPEARS FOR THE LACK OF SONGWRITING CREDITS
A songwriter who penned a tune on the new Britney Spears album 'Femme Fatale' has come to the pop star's defence after some criticised Spears for having no songwriting credits on her new record.

Heather Bright says that it is very common for pop artists to not write their own songs, and that Britney should be commended for not insisting on getting songwriting credits on tracks she didn't really input on, like some pop stars do, partly for the kudos, and partly for the share of publishing royalties such a credit brings.

Writing on her blog, Bright said: "I would just like to address one thing! The media is talking trash about how Britney didn't write any of the songs on her album ... HELLO! Wake up everybody! NONE OF THESE ARTISTS WRITE THEIR OWN SONGS!!!!!! (there are a few exceptions ... lady gaga, will.i.am/BEP, chris brown is starting to write a lot of his own stuff ... ummmm ... and now I'm running out of artists)".

She continues: "Anyway ... here's my thing ... and I feel VERY passionate about this issue. Britney could have come to me, like all these other A-list artists, and said ... 'Hey, you wanna be on my album? I'm gonna need writing credit for that song AND part of your publishing even though I didn't write anything! And then I'm gonna go on tour and gross $150 million in ticket sales and not give you any of that, even though I'm performing your song!' I could rattle off a laundry list of artists who I've had that conversation with!"

She concluded: "Britney's one of the few artists I've worked with who didn't try to take something that wasn't hers. In my experience, from a business standpoint, her entire team is nothing less than a bonafide class act!"

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