U2's new album destined for British No. 1

Irish band U2's new album "No Line On The Horizon" is destined to hit number one in Britain at the end of the week, with first-day sales of 65,000, industry figures and the Official Charts Company said on Tuesday.

The group's 12th studio album is expected to be one of the pop world's biggest in 2009, and strong sales would provide a boost for an industry struggling to reverse a downward trend in physical record sales.

The Official Charts Company (OCC) said the album had sold more than four times as many copies as its nearest rival in the first two days of the new chart week, putting it on course to be the fastest-selling album so far this year.

While U2's stature and the publicity blitz in the run-up to No Line's release on Monday virtually guaranteed it a number one slot in Britain, the outright figure is likely to be more closely watched.

The OCC did not give a figure, but Music Week publication said first-day sales were around 65,000, a total one industry expert said was impressive but not record-breaking.

The OCC said No Line would be U2's 10th British No. 1 album, putting them on a par with the Rolling Stones and Madonna and one shy of Elvis Presley. The Beatles hold the record with 15.

No Line is the group's first album in over four years and is being released by Vivendi's Universal Music Group label.

U2's last record, "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb," sold nine million copies worldwide.

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Michael Jackson expected to announce comeback in UK

U.S. pop star Michael Jackson will be in London this week to make a "special announcement," representatives said Tuesday, and industry sources said it is likely to involve a series of comeback concerts in the city.

Outside Organization, the music PR company which represents Jackson in Britain, has sent an emailed invitation to a press conference at the O2 arena in London, where the concerts are likely to take place probably later this year.

Jackson and representatives from music promoter AEG Live are expected to attend the Thursday event.

The 50-year-old last appeared at the World Music Awards in London in 2006, but the much-hyped return of one of the biggest pop acts of all time was a critical flop after he sang only a few lines of "We Are The World."

The man behind "Thriller," the best-selling album of all time, has generally kept a low profile since his acquittal in 2005 of child sex abuse charges.

He has recently been living in luxury rented accommodation in Los Angeles after spending time in Las Vegas, Ireland and Dubai since the trial.

Rumors and reports of record deals and live comebacks, as well as numerous health problems, have been rife in recent years.

British bookmaker William Hill is already offering odds that Jackson will not turn up for the run of concerts he is expected to perform at the O2 arena.

Jackson's record label Sony did not have any immediate comment.

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Jimmy Fallon debuts Monday as 'Late Night' host

Almost a year after Jimmy Fallon was named new host of NBC's "Late Night," and 10 days after predecessor Conan O'Brien departed, Fallon makes his debut Monday.

Fallon's scheduled opening-night guests include Robert De Niro and Justin Timberlake, with Van Morrison his musical guest. It airs at 12:35 a.m. EST.

An hour earlier on CBS, "Late Show with David Letterman" was scheduled to kick off some musical excitement of its own: the first of a full week of performances by the superstar band U2. In an unprecedented weeklong booking by "Late Show" (airing at 11:35 p.m. EST), U2 is promoting its new album, "No Line on the Horizon."

Fallon, who is a former cast member of "Saturday Night Live" with several films to his credit, has tapped a longtime "SNL" hand, Michael Shoemaker, to be his producer. Co-producer is Gavin Purcell, who ran "Attack of the Show," the daily Net-centric news hour on cable's G4 channel.

Lorne Michaels (who used to be Fallon's boss on "SNL") continues as "Late Night" executive producer.

The New York-based show, taped Monday afternoon, was not expected to be made available for preview by critics before airtime.

But details and glimpses of the Fallon-era "Late Night" have been shared with viewers in the form of "video blogs" on the show's Web site for weeks.

"I know I'm gonna get reviewed off the first show, as opposed to the first couple of months," Fallon predicted in a recent interview. "'He's no Conan,' or 'He's no Letterman' - I just want that to be said, and put out there. Then viewers can relax and watch and enjoy."

Fallon's on-air arrival sets in motion a carefully arranged host shift by NBC. O'Brien, who took over "Late Night" from its original host, Letterman, in 1993, is now devoting full time to readying his version of the Los Angeles-based "Tonight Show," where he will land in June.

"Tonight Show" veteran Jay Leno will return to the air come fall with a weeknight prime-time talk-variety show airing at 10 p.m.

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British rock group Oasis cancels China tour

Concert organizers confirmed Monday that British rock band Oasis has canceled tour dates in Beijing and Shanghai in April.

The shows, scheduled for Beijing's Capital Arena on April 3 and the Shanghai Grand Stage on April 5, would have been the first in mainland China for the group, currently on a world tour promoting its latest release, "Dig Out Your Soul."

No explanation has been given for the cancellation, said a venue manager who refused to give his name.

Ticket sales for the show were halted Feb. 28, according to the official China Daily. Details on ticket refunds would be announced later, according to a statement on the ticketing Web site emma.cn.

Last month, the band had posted on its official Web site that: "Oasis are excited to announce their first-ever shows in China as part of their current world tour." The Web site is temporarily unavailable but the band's MySpace page has no mention of cancellations.

It's unclear whether the band will play a previously announced show in Hong Kong on April 7.

A growing number of Western musical acts have traveled to China in recent years, including the Rolling Stones and Elton John.

However, China closely regulates live performances, especially after Icelandic singer Bjork embarrassed authorities last year by shouting "Tibet!" at the end of her concert in Shanghai.

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Jonas Brothers concert film lacks dimension

For the most part, the experience is missing from Disney's "Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience."

This is, of course, a 3-D concert film built around the squeaky-clean band of brothers so popular with female tweeners. But director Bruce Hendricks makes little use of 3-D technology other than to have a band member occasionally throw something at the camera. The producers did hand out glow-in-the-dark wands to the audience, so cameras catch waves of color undulating in the dark. A runway thrusts out into the audience for a brother to venture out into a sea of 3-D-grasping female hands. And that's about it.

Not that this will dissuade any of the Jonas Brothers' loyal troupe of female youngsters. Disney looks to score big with that demographic not only with this movie but the soundtrack and DVD. Every other moviegoing demographic shrugged its shoulders. The film debuted disappointingly at No. 2 with estimated weekend sales of $12.7 million.

The concert, taken from the brothers' Burning Up tour last year, mostly was filmed at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., despite the film's curious attempt to make it look like everything is happening in and around Manhattan. Guess the Big Apple is more hip than the home of the Anaheim Ducks.

Adding to the pedestrian presentation are "backstage" antics and a single-song Central Park concert that are surprisingly lame. Throw in a few chase sequences where the brothers are pursued by overexcited fans, which serve only to remind you how much more cinematic Richard Lester's "A Hard Day's Night" was, and you have a dubious experience indeed.

The main selling points to the band, which originally gained popularity on Disney Channel, are their clean-cut, "family-friendly" image -- which is fine so far as it goes. Certainly their musicianship and onstage professionalism are smooth, though maybe a bit too smooth. There is little spontaneity in anything they do.

The brothers make good dance music with a strong beat and rhythm. In this concert, they never attempt a ballad or, for that matter, anything other than uptempo raves and fuzzy guitar licks. The sound amplification and the screams of freaked-out tweens tend to drown out the lyrics, but what does come through mostly is bubblegum.

Hendricks devotes considerable footage building a character around Robert "Big Rob" Feggans, bodyguard to the band as he is for other top musical acts. But there is little payoff to the buildup other than a brief appearance onstage late in the film doing a half-hearted rap against the brothers' pop-rock sounds.

At one point, the band is joined onstage by Disney's latest ingenue, 16-year-old Demi Lovato, who has a voice but like the brothers lacks a presence. Another forgettable appearance is made by 19-year-old country star Taylor Swift.

The subtext here is the extreme youth of the film's performers, even though two of the three Jonas Brothers are legally adults -- Kevin is 21, Joe 19 and Nick 16. Tell you what: How about a battle of the bands between the aging Jonas Brothers and Jack Black's elementary-school kids in 2003's now-classic "School of Rock"? The Jonases wouldn't stand a chance.

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Jonas Brothers hit flat note at box office

Teen idols the Jonas Brothers got beaten up by a pistol-packing granny at the weekend box office in North America, failing to live up to the hype generated by their concert movie.

"Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience" came in at No. 2 with estimated three-day sales of $12.7 million, distributor Walt Disney Co said on Sunday. The studio had hoped for $15 million, which itself paled against wild industry forecasts that reached as high as $25 million.

The film's core audience of screaming young girls was evidently outnumbered by the older black women who ensured that "Madea Goes to Jail" logged a second term at No. 1.

The comedy about a tough-talking old lady earned $16.5 million, taking its 10-day total to $64.9 million. The Lionsgate release has already become the biggest of the six movies prolific filmmaker Tyler Perry has released since February 2005. Perry, 39, dons drag to play Madea, a character featured in many of his critic-proof films and plays.

Lionsgate is a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment Corp, in which activist investor Carl Icahn recently disclosed that he had taken a 14.3 percent stake.

Meanwhile, "Slumdog Millionaire" jumped two places to a new high of No. 3, on the heels of its eight Oscar wins last Sunday. The Mumbai-set romantic drama earned $12.2 million, the biggest haul for a best-picture winner in at least 10 years, said News Corp-owned distributor Fox Searchlight.

The three-day haul represented a 45 percent increase over last weekend's sales, thanks in part to a boost in the theater count by almost a third. British director Danny Boyle's film has earned $115.1 million after 16 weekends.

MILEY VS. JONAS

The disappointing No. 2 start for "Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience" is a rare setback for the fresh-faced siblings -- Kevin, 21, Joe, 19 and Nick, 16.

The best yardstick was Disney's hugely popular concert film "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds," which opened to $31.1 million a year ago, and ended up with $65.3 million.

But the earlier film was originally scheduled to be a one-week-only engagement, which stoked feverish demand. On the other hand, "Hannah Montana" opened in 683 theaters, while "Jonas Brothers" was playing in 1,271 outlets. Cyrus is arguably a bigger act, with her own Disney Channel TV show. The Jonas Brothers' own show will not premiere on the cable network until the summer.

Disney distribution president Chuck Viane said he was not disappointed with the debut, suggesting that some of the more bullish forecasts were unrealistic. With the average 3D theater auditorium holding just 240 people, attendance was "very, very good," he said.

Overall ticket sales rose for the fourth consecutive weekend, and for the ninth time in 10 weekends. The populist offerings are providing recession-weary moviegoers with some modestly priced escapism, studio executives said.

Tracking firm Media by Numbers said revenues are up 17 percent at $1.8 billion so far this year, while the number of tickets sold is up 15 percent.

One of the biggest surprises of the year is the Liam Neeson thriller "Taken," which earned $10 million in its fifth weekend, rising one place to No. 4. Its tally stands at $108 million, giving the Irish actor his biggest headlining role. The movie, released by News Corp's Twentieth Century Fox, was produced and financed by French filmmaker Luc Besson.

Another female-driven movie, "He's Just Not That Into You," swapped places with "Taken," earning $5.9 million. The total for Warner Bros. Pictures' ensemble romance stands at $78.5 million after four weekends. The studio is a unit of Time Warner Inc.

Twentieth Century Fox had less success with the only other new entry in the top 10. "Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li" opened at No. 8 with $4.7 million. But the studio said it was distributing the film for a fee on behalf of closely held producer Hyde Park, and was happy with the debut.

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Bruce Willis being sued for $4 million

Actor Bruce Willis and his production company are being sued in Los Angeles for $4 million for breach of contract.

The lawsuit filed Friday alleges Willis Brother Films agreed on a contract with three companies to produce the feature film "Three Stories About Joan," which Willis was to star in and direct.

The lawsuit alleges that on Sept. 29 Willis quit as director without notice in violation of the agreement.

Phone calls to Willis' publicist and attorney were not immediately returned.

Henry Gradstein, attorney for the companies suing Willis, says the courts will resolve the matter. He had no further comment.

The plaintiffs include Foresight Unlimited, Signature Entertainment Group and Three Stories Productions.

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French film honors Hoffman, Penn

The French film industry honored Dustin Hoffman and saluted Sean Penn Friday during a ceremony that saw its coveted Cesar for best film going to Martin Provost's "Seraphine."

In all, "Seraphine" took seven Cesars, the French equivalent of the Oscars. The film is based on the magical true-life story of a painter known as Seraphine of Senlis. Paris' Musee Mayol recently exhibited her works.

Yolande Moreau, who plays Seraphine, won in the 34th annual Cesar awards best actress category for her portrayal of the dimwitted maid whose talents as a painter were discovered by a German art collector on the eve of World War I.

The Cesar for best actor went to Vincent Cassel in "Mesrine," another story based on real life, this time the tale of a gangster. "Mesrine" won three Cesars, including the best director award to Jean-Francois Richet.

Dustin Hoffman, 71, received a special Cesar, a day after the two-time Oscar winner was named an honorary commander in France's National Order of Arts and Letters.

He fought back tears Thursday. On Friday, he was visibly awkward - and admitted it when collecting the Cesar to a standing ovation.

"I never learned how to bow," Hoffman said, adding that only acting made him feel sure of himself and declaring before leaving the stage, "I ain't finished yet."

This year's best-actor Oscar winner Sean Penn, a guest of honor, presented the best film award to Martin Provost for "Seraphine."

The "Milk" star's own movie, "Into the Wild," missed the best foreign film award which went to the Israeli animated documentary by Ari Folman "Valse avec Bachir" (Waltz With Bashir).

The French school drama "Entre les murs" (The Class) - which won the Cannes film festival last year - took home the Cesar for best adaptation. The Paris high school class that the film was based on presented the award for best set design - which went to Thierry Francois for "Seraphine."

On a disappointing note, the all-time box office hit for a French film, "Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis," being remade in the United States by Will Smith as "Welcome to the Sticks," failed to take an honor in the only category for which is was nominated, best original scenario. That Cesar went to "Seraphine."

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Fans stunned by Rihanna-Chris Brown reconciliation

Fans of singers Chris Brown and Rihanna expressed dismay on Saturday at reports the couple had reunited just three weeks after Brown was alleged to have assaulted her.

Celebrity magazines People and Us Weekly said that the R&B stars were spending time together at the Miami home of hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs -- and that Rihanna's father was supporting her decision.

"I love my daughter with whatever road she takes. I'm behind her win or lose. I will be supportive. If that's the road she wants to choose, I'm behind her," Rihanna's dad Ronald Fenty told Us Weekly from his Barbados home.

Fans could scarcely believe the news that came a week after a picture, showing the 21-year-old "Umbrella" singer with bruises to her face and swollen lips, was leaked on the Internet.

"All the abusive men are celebrating," Highroller33138 wrote in a posting on the MTV.com website. "It sets a terrible example for women everywhere. Rihanna really disappointed me."

"Stupid, really stupid. ... I hate women like this," wrote ladyofthelake in a posting on TVGuide.com.

On Friday People quoted an unidentified source saying the couple, who had been dating for about a year, were back together.

"They care for each other. While Chris is reflective and saddened about what happened, he is really happy to be with the woman he loves," the source told People.

Representatives of Brown, 19, a clean-cut teen idol whose hits include "Run It!", declined comment on the reports. Rihanna's publicist did not return calls seeking comment.

Los Angeles prosecutors have yet to decide whether to file charges against Brown after his arrest on February 8 on suspicion of making criminal threats against a woman.

The alleged assault on the eve of the Grammy Awards caused both stars to cancel their scheduled appearances. Brown issued a statement a week after the incident saying he was "sorry and saddened" and seeking counseling.

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Lionel Richie still on the "Go" after 30 years

"Hello" may be among Lionel Richie's signature No. 1 songs, but for more than 30 years, the singer-songwriter hasn't so much as paused for a "bye for now."

The five-time Grammy Award recipient and Academy Award winner has been a fixture on the pop, R&B, adult contemporary and dance charts -- beginning in 1974 as a founding member of the Commodores, then as a solo artist and producer from 1981 on -- with a consistency seldom seem in the music business.

A quick count: six R&B chart-toppers with the group, then five No. 1s on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs -- and on the adult contemporary (AC) list, 11 No. 1s that have spent a staggering total of 51 weeks riding the chart's crest, including "Endless Love" (with Diana Ross), "Truly," "All Night Long (All Night)" and "Say You, Say Me."

Now, the title track and first single from Richie's new album, "Just Go," due May 19 on Island, has catapulted into the AC top 20 in only three weeks, a rare feat for a radio format that is not known for chart momentum. The song is also gaining on the adult R&B tally, where it is No. 31 for the week ended February 22.

"What freaking year is this?" asks Richie with a laugh. "This opens up a wonderful feeling of 'I remember this.' Times like these make it all the more exciting. In a way, this feels better than the days when everything was still ahead, with 'Brick House,'" the Commodores' top-five 1977 hit.

Collaborating with Richie on the new album are contemporary hitmakers The-Dream, Tricky Stewart and, on the playful reggae-splashed single, Akon.

"You never know how these things are going to go, but we could have recorded a whole side of the album," Richie says of hip-hop singer-songwriter Akon. "I am used to being the control guy -- the writer, producer, arranger and singer. But Akon understands melody, he's a storyteller. We wrote this song in two and a half hours. It was a love fest. I told him, 'You are Lionel Richie 2009.'"

Richie's recipe for longevity? "If you've got a good tune, you've got a couple of years to work it. If you've got a song, you can have a career. Songs stick," he says. "Somewhere along the line, parents played my records over and over again for their children. Now their kids are showing up. It's college time all over again, which is amazing."

In addition, long-term success requires adapting to an ever-evolving industry. "There's a difference between the music business and the business of music. You can go to bed tonight with a No. 1 record and wake up tomorrow ice cold. Survival is about taking time to make record labels and radio understand who you are -- your brand. This is a business of relationships, and it's still my responsibility to go meet the DJs. A lot of artists forget that."

Richie will extend his hand to audiences with a 100-date European tour launching in March in Dublin and wrapping in May in Belgium. Stops in the United States and Australia follow.

"I'm kind of laughing at getting to go through this whole process again," Richie says. "It's been an unbelievable journey. In my head, I'm just getting started. Call me in 20 years and we'll talk about the next chapter."

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