source: Launch

"Knowing the top music sellers only gives you a slice of the overall retail story," said Russ Crupnick, VP of The NPD Group. "The age and gender of consumers can tell you a lot about their relationship to music overall and can help music labels and retailers chart more defined courses for success among targeted demographic groups."

Among consumers aged 13 to 17, "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" has topped 2003's list of most popular titles followed by "The Eminem Show" (Eminem). Consumers aged 18 to 25 also bought "Get Rich or Die" most often, but their second most purchased title was "Meteora" (Linkin Park). On the other hand, "Come Away With Me," (Norah Jones) was preferred by consumers aged 36 and older; and, unlike their younger counterparts, the over-fifty crowd also tended to purchase "Chicago" (movie soundtrack) and "Josh Grobin" (Josh Grobin).

Following are year-to-date CD sales, in millions, broken out by age and by gender:

       Table: Total YTD CD Sellers by Age/Gender (As-of 6/30/03)

         13-17  18-25   26-35   36-50  Over 50  Male     Female
------- ------ ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------------
Biggest   50      50     50     Norah  Norah    50        Norah
Seller    Cent    Cent   Cent   Jones  Jones    Cent      Jones
          Get     Get    Get    Come   Come     Get       Come
          Rich    Rich   Rich   Away   Away     Rich      Away
          Or Die  Or Die Or Die With   With     Or Die    With
          Tryin'  Tryin' Tryin' Me     Me       Tryin'    Me
          (8.7)   (12.1) (5.7) (7.2)  (7.2)     (8.5)    (5.6)

------- ------- ------ --------- ----- ------- ---------- ---------
Second   Eminem  Linkin  Norah    50    Original   Eminem   50
Biggest  The     Park    Jones    Cent  Soundtrack The      Cent
Seller   Eminem  Meteora Come     Get   Chicago    Eminem   Get
         Show    ECD     Away     Rich  (7.8)      Show     Rich
         (5.1)  (3.9)    With     or Die           (4.2)    Or Die
                         Me       Tryin'                    Tryin'
                         (3.9)    (3.9)                     (5.4)

----------- ------ ------- ------- ------ ----- ---------- -----------
Third       Simple  Eminem  Eminem Eminem Josh    Norah      Justin
Biggest     Plan    The     The    The    Groban  Jones     Timberlake
Seller      No      Eminem  Eminem Eminem Josh    Come      Justified
            Pads    Show    Show   Show   Groban  Away        (2.6)
            No      (3.8)   (3.8)  (3.2)  (4.1)   With
            Helmet                                Me
            (4.6)                                (3.9)

----------- -------------- -------- ------ ------ ------ -------------

Methodology Note: The preceding statistics are based on sales as reported by online panelists surveyed by NPD MusicWatch sales for Calendar 2003 through May, and reflects units bought by the respondent for himself or herself.

XM is ushering in the summer with a host of exclusive specials, countdowns, and live concerts on its 101 digital channels of music, news, sports, comedy, children's programs, and other entertainment choices.

"XM is the ultimate destination for live, original radio programming," said Lee Abrams, XM's Chief Programming Officer. "By listening to the thousands of XM fans who call and e-mail our on-air staff every day, XM has created a compelling lineup of summer features that create a phenomenal radio experience."

This week's edition of BusinessWeek magazine likens XM's programming to "an oasis in the desert," and Fortune.com recently called XM "the HBO of Satellite Radio." XM recently took top honors at the New York Festivals, the international competition that recognizes the best in radio, receiving five medals for its outstanding achievements in programming.

During the month of July, XM's exciting and innovative programs include:

* MTV Radio [XM 25] broadcasts MTV2 Bill shows from Coldplay, Foo Fighters, Linkin Park, and the Roots on July 4.

For more information about these and dozens of other specials across the XM dial, visit XM's web site at: http://www.xmradio.com/programming/programming_main.html

In addition to being able to vote for their favorite celebrities and performances, for the first time ever, teens will be able to influence the design elements of the show including the color of the arrivals carpet and the design of THE 2003 TEEN CHOICE AWARDS surfboard. In addition, in July, a final round of nominations will be unveiled, allowing fans to vote on their favorite movie and song of the summer, as well as other summer categories.

THE 2003 TEEN CHOICE AWARDS will reflect the voices of tens of thousands of real teens across the country. The awards represent traditional categories such as "Choice Actor" and "Choice Actress" as well as quirkier categories such as "Choice Hissy Fit" and "Choice Liar."

Teens between the ages of 13 and 19 can cast their vote through an exclusive online ballot from America Online and TEEN PEOPLE, located at AOL Keyword: Teen Choice Awards. Teens can also enter a special sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip to LA to attend the show.

THE 2003 TEEN CHOICE AWARDS will be supported by several areas on AOL. AOL Television will offer special video features and interactive elements surrounding the show. At AOL's Teens Channel, members can check out the latest buzz and gossip on the stars from TEEN PEOPLE and sound off on the nominees with other teens in special message boards and chat rooms. AOL's Teens Channel is a special area on the AOL service offering teens a full range of content and features that appeal to them most. Combining the latest news, information and exclusive features and opportunities on topics teens care about including entertainment, music, celebrities, sports, games and more with a safe and engaging online community where teens can interact and chat with each other, AOL Teens is a leading online destination for today's teens.

Linkin Park are nominated in two categories:

Choice Music Rock Group:

3 Doors Down, Audioslave, Coldplay, Good Charlotte, Linkin Park, No Doubt, Sum 41, White Stripes

Choice Rock Track:

"Bring Me To Life": Evanescence, "Headstrong": Trapt, "Like A Stone": Audioslave, "Price To Play": Staind, "Send The Pain Below": Chevelle, "Seven Nation Army": The White Stripes, "Somewhere I Belong": Linkin Park, "Times Like These": Foo Fighters

Linkin Park's Chester Bennington has been released from a Los Angeles hospital after suffering from severe back and abdominal pains.

"I finally got out of the hospital over the weekend after nine days, and the doctor instructed me to rest for the next two-to-three weeks," Bennington wrote on the band's official Web site (http://www.linkinpark.com). "Right now it seems like it was some bacteria or virus that spread throughout my intestines and body, putting me in intense pain. It also would not let me eat for a week."

"My doctors and nurses were amazing, and very helpful during my stay," Bennington continued. "I also wanted to say I truly appreciate the tens of thousands of get-well E-mails I got from fans. Our fans really are the best in the world."

Chester Bennington, vocalist for Linkin Park was admitted to a Los Angeles area hospital last Friday afternoon after an attack of severe back and abdominal pains. Bennington remains hospitalized as doctors are still trying to determine the cause of these ailments.

"All touring and video shoot plans in Europe have been put on hold this month as we make sure Chester fully recovers," states a spokesperson for the band "we wish him the best, and will keep everyone posted as to his condition.

All get-well wishes can be sent to Chester via e-mail at chester@linkinpark.com

The following European dates are being postponed or cancelled:

June
07 Rock Am Ring - Nurburg, Germany
08 Rock Im Park - Nuremberg, Germany
09 Pinkpop Festival - Holland
11 Forum, Copenhagen - Denmark
12 Hultsfred Festival - Sweden
13 Norwegian Wood Festival - Oslo, Norway
15 Berlin Arena - Germany
16 T Mobile Arena - Prague, Czech Rep
18 Bercy Paris, France
21 Doctor Music Festival - Barcelona, Spain
22 Estadio La Peineta - Madrid, Spain
23 Alantico Pavilhao - Lisbon, Portugal

Tickets to both events may be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets, including WHEREHOUSE music, Tower Records and Robinsons-May, by phone through your local Ticketmaster Charge-by-Phone number, at www.ticketmaster.com or at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

"Few sports are as connected to music as skateboarding. We've combined a competition between the most recognized names in professional skateboarding with a performance by one of today's top bands to make the Boost Mobile Pro the biggest and best action sports and entertainment event of the summer, said Boost Mobile founder and CEO, Peter Adderton. "And, we're offering tickets at an affordable price that doesn't overcharge the fans."

Skaters participating in the vert competition on Sunday, June 29, will include Bob Burnquist, Bucky Lasek, Darren Navarrette, Jake Brown, Lincoln Ueda, Max Schaaf, Mike Crum, Omar Hassan, Peter Hewitt, Pierre Luc Gagnon, Rune Glifberg, Sandro Dias, Shuan White, Mike Frazier, Neal Hendrix and Brian Howard.

Competing street skaters will include Andrew Reynolds, Chad Bartie, Austen Seaholm, Brian Anderson, Caswell Berry, Chris Senn, Colt Cannon, Daewon Song, Ethan Fowler, Evan Hernandez, Geoff Rowley, Heath Kirchart, Jim Greco, John Cardiel, Mark Appleyard, Paul Rodriguez, Rick McCrank, Tony Trujillo, Matt Mumford, Mike Carroll, Bastien Salabanzi, Eric Koston and Ronnie Creager.

At 6:30 p.m. on Friday, June 27, a skate-off between 12 wildcard contestants, including Billy Marks, Brian Herman, Darrel Stanton, Greg Lutzka, Greg Myer, Kale Nuske, Kevin Long, Leo Romeo, Peter Ramondetta, Ryan Sheckler, Terry Kennedy and Tosh Townend will decide who will join the other 39 selected street skaters for the main event on Saturday, June 28. The intimate evening performance by fan-favorite Linkin Park will follow the wildcard skate-off.

As a special incentive to its customers who attend the Boost Mobile Pro of Skateboarding or the Linkin Park concert, Boost will offer a Re-Boost card worth . Additionally, attendees at Friday's free wildcard competition can enter a drawing for themselves and a friend to win a meet-and-greet with the members of Linkin Park.

About BOOST Mobile

With headquarters in Irvine, Boost Mobile(TM) is a lifestyle-based wireless telecommunications company that focuses solely on developing and distributing communications products for the youth market.

Boost Mobile is the only pay-as-you-go wireless phone service that offers the unique Boost 2WAY walkie-talkie feature. Boost Mobile's marketing is centered on youth activities such as action sports, music, fashion and entertainment. Find more information on the Web at www.boostmobile.com.

Note to Editors: Additional event information and media accreditation applications are now available on the Boost Mobile Pro Web site at www.boostmobilepro.com. A media launch will be held at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 27, 2003, at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Several Boost Mobile Pro skaters will be present and available for interviews at the media launch.

LINKIN PARK: ON AIR
Linkin Park will be featured on WRIF's Rockline (May 12th 8:30 pm PDT, 11:30pm EDT) and on KROQ's Loveline (May 14th at 10pm-midnight). Be sure to tune in to see what the guys are up to and get your questions answered. For more information on Rockline, visit ROCKLINE. For more info on Loveline, visit KROQ.

LPTV
Linkin Park TV is a behind-the-scenes look at the band as they write and record their newly released album, METEORA. These special LPTV episodes are available through the LPTV Player and LinkinPark.com. Now that METEORA is out in stores, we are still releasing additional episodes on the player. Episode 10 is now available for viewing so click on the link below to view it. While there, be sure to also check out past episodes, music videos, and select Meteora tracks off the new Linkin Park album OUT NOW.

Meteora Player

NEWSCASTER episodes are also available for viewing on LinkinPark.com. Episodes feature Linkin Park fans across the world reporting on Linkin Park news.

LINKIN PARK APPEARANCE ON MTV ICON
Check out MTV Icon: Metallica as it re-airs on MTV and MTV2.
Chester Bennington makes a special appearance so be sure to check it out
at the following times below:

MTV:
5/7 @ 6:00pm
5/9 @ 2:00pm
5/10 @ 5:30pm
5/11 @ 1:30pm
5/11 @ 8:30pm

MTV2 repeats:
5/10 @ 4:00pm
5/14 @ 11:00am
5/16 @ 3:00am

You can also see Linkin Park and Metallica together on this year's Summer Sanitarium Tour. Also on the bill is Limp Bizkit, Deftones, and Mudvayne. Tickets are available for purchase through Ticketmaster.com so be sure to get yours before they sell out. For a complete listing of show dates and locations, visit LinkinPark.com.

Over the past year, the whole rap-rock thing has pretty much been run into the ground. The formulaic shuffle between pugilistic hip-hop verses and melodic choruses has grown staler than year-old Lucky Charms, and the roar of percussive down-tuned guitars has gotten so played out that all the volume and rage is no longer jarring or visceral.

Many acts that formerly led the revolution — including Korn, Papa Roach and Kid Rock — have revamped their sounds in an attempt to survive, and other more stubborn bands have been left scrambling to hang onto their fanbase, much of which has gravitated to hip-hop or pop-punk in a quest for new kicks.

And yet Linkin Park, whose Hybrid Theory was the best-selling album of 2001, have kept their fans hooked and begging for more. After just one week on shelves, Meteora sold more than 810,000 copies, according to SoundScan, easily landing in the #1 position on the Billboard albums chart. And the group is a top draw for the Summer Sanitarium tour, which also features Metallica, Limp Bizkit, Deftones and Mudvayne.

Linkin Park's tremendous success is somewhat baffling since they cling so tightly to the increasingly taboo rap-metal formula, shun rock-star antics and lack any sort of celebrity charisma. Even the band's casual fans might have a tough time picking the faces of vocalists Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington, DJ Joseph Hahn, guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Phoenix and drummer Rob Bourdon out of a crowd.

"We're not doing this to be stars," Shinoda shrugged. "We're just normal people behind all those lights."

"People always want to find something exciting about us, but to be honest we're pretty boring," added Bourdon, shifting the position of his backwards black baseball cap. "People wouldn't be too excited to come backstage and hang out with us. We don't party or anything, we just play Xbox and we're pretty mellow. When we play a show for 20,000 people, that's the highlight for the night. You can't go backstage after that and try and top it, so we just wait until the next show."

They're not fashionably self-destructive, they're not loudmouths, they don't hang with Britney Spears or Christian Slater. So just what is it that allows Linkin Park to thrive when others rap-rock bands are struggling? In part, it's the frustration, heartache and loneliness that spirals through the band's radio-ready songs. Whether moaning about divorce, howling about bad relationships or screaming about domestic abuse, Linkin Park transfer their pain into powerful music.

"We spend a lot of time on our lyrics," said singer and screamer Bennington, who splits songwriting duties with rapper Shinoda. "It's a good way to confront a lot of things that we've dealt with in the past that our fans can relate to. On this album, I reacted to how I dealt with a lot of pain in my life and how I was sexually abused when I was young, and what I went through after that [with drugs and rebellion]. And then I look at where I am today, and take those negative experiences and turn them into positives."

As much as Linkin Park want to inspire abused youths, they also strive to appeal to music fans from normal households. That's why their lyrics are vague and cryptic — while their words evince anger, angst, distress and mistrust, they leave the motivations for these feelings a mystery.

"We don't talk about situations, we talk about the emotions behind the situations," Bennington explained. "Mike and I are two different people, so we can't sing about the same things, but we both know about frustration and anger and loneliness and love and happiness, and we can relate on that level."

"I think that's one reason we have a really diverse fanbase," Bourdon added. "There can be a 12-year-old kid at school that's frustrated doing his homework [who likes our songs], and someone [else] who's 40 who has been fired from a job or something."
Not all Linkin Park fans are drawn to the lyrics. Just as many are attracted by their churning music, which elates, agitates and inspires. In the same way Nirvana perfected the soft verse/loud chorus recipe, Linkin Park have mastered rap-metal. They weren't the first or even the 101st to take on the style, but they integrate the elements better than almost anyone, and in the process pull in a diverse range of metal, pop and hip-hop fans.

Meteora is a logical progression from Hybrid Theory. Once again, the band flaunts an arsenal of riffs that buzz like taunted bees; syncopated beats and dizzying scratching, which power the rhythms; and vocal hooks that offset the aggressive raps and frost the songs with commercial sheen. But this time, Linkin Park embellished their tunes with experimental flourishes. Many tracks are laden with bizarre samples: "Breaking the Habit" and "Faint" feature string arrangements by Beck's dad, David Campbell, and "Nobody's Listening" is enhanced by the exotic whistle of a Japanese flute.

"What we really wanted to do was just push ourselves and push each other to really find new ways to be creative," Shinoda said. "We wanted each sample that was in each song to be something that might perk your ear — something that you might not have ever heard before."

They took a major step toward experimentation with their 2002 remix album, Reanimation, on which they reinterpreted Hybrid Theory with the help of a range of other artists including Kutmasta Kurt, Pharoahe Monch, Aceyalone, Korn's Jonathan Davis, Staind's Aaron Lewis and Orgy's Jay Gordon. And what they gleaned from those sessions they implemented on Meteora.

"We got to see a lot of different styles of writing that we ordinarily wouldn't have explored," Delson said, picking at a painted black fingernail. "I think that really helped to evolve our writing process."

Of course, ambition has its price. In their crusade for innovation, Linkin Park became dangerously obsessive, endlessly looping samples, chopping them up and playing them backwards and recording countless takes of different songs. Shinoda and Bennington wrote 40 choruses to the single "Somewhere I Belong" before they had one their bandmates were happy with. When Bourdon was in the studio he suffered from insomnia, and when he managed to fall asleep he dreamed of drum patterns gone awry.

"We really learned the meaning of pressure," Delson said. "But it wasn't pressure from outside people. It was artistic pressure from ourselves. You can't control the commercial success of a record, so there's no point in investing energy in that. But the quality of your record is entirely up to you, and you can't blame anyone else if you write crappy songs. Before we did Meteora, I listened to Hybrid Theory and Reanimation, and I was like, 'Dude, I'm really proud of these records. I don't remember how we did it, and I don't know how we're gonna do it again. We're kind of screwed.' Then, fortunately, we were able to invest ourselves fully in the process for 18 months, and that helped us make a really great record."

Linkin Park started writing Meteora in the back of their tour bus in the summer of 2001 when they were on Ozzfest. By the time they got home, they had tons of ideas, which they finessed and molded into songs. When they were done writing, they had 30 complete tracks, which they shaved down to the 12 (plus one eerie intro). The entire disc is around 36 minutes long, just over half the length of many new rock albums.

Even though they're each only a few minutes long, the songs on Meteora are complete expressions. "We think of our songs like little movies," Shinoda said, scratching his scruffy goatee. "You want the type of story that builds to a climax. You have the twist or the fight scene, then a tiny realization at the end. And somehow, by the time we're done, it always comes out to be about the same size."

Considering that the band wrote 30 cuts, fans might wonder why there aren't more than 12 on the final LP — or they may just be thankful they don't have to wade through so-so material to get to the good stuff, a problem with more than a few current albums.

"We wanted a group of songs that would sit well together because we wanted to make a record that you could pop into your CD player and, from beginning to end, there would never be a spot where you start daydreaming," Bourdon explained.

With 8 million copies of Hybrid Theory sold, Linkin Park have been successful enough to earn what every band wants — complete artistic control. And when they use the words "complete control," they don't mean hiring other people to handle everything except the music. DJ Joseph Hahn has shot the majority of the band's videos, including "Somewhere I Belong," Shinoda has overseen most of the artwork, including the 40-page insert for Meteora, and the full group plays a major role in coordinating fan-club activity.

The only problem with being so consumed with all aspects of your work is it leaves little time for anything else. And when such an intense album schedule is coupled with a lengthy worldwide tour itinerary, tensions can start to boil. The wear and tear of being away from friends and family heavily informed Meteora and colored the claustrophobic vibe of the songs.

"When you haven't done anything normal like going shopping or going to the supermarket, things get really weird," Bourdon said. "Everything becomes a different life and every day is busier than the one before it. It's all really exciting and we try to stay in a good frame of mind, but sometimes it gets hectic and stressful and you feel like you can't breathe. Just being at home is like a vacation."

Unlike the many bands whose members become snippy under duress, Linkin Park survive strain by bonding together. When they discovered how hard it was to maintain a relationship on the road, and learned how many people they considered friends were actually opportunists, they turned inward, gaining strength from their own chemistry.

taken from mtv.com

I changed all the e-mail forms on the site, now everthing is working easier and better :)

Faceless, the Boston band's third LP, sold more than 266,000 copies, according to SoundScan figures released Wednesday (April 16), breaking Linkin Park's two-week hold on the top slot. Meteora trailed Godsmack's aggro opus by more than 80,000 copies to place second on the chart.

1,584,000 copies of "Meteora" have been bought in the United States in 5 weeks since it's release date on March 25th.

Among the other presenters are Aaron Lewis and Mike Mushok of Staind, previous honorees Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Lisa Marie Presley, Slash, Sean Penn and Chester Bennington of Linkin Park. The annual honor goes to an artist or group for their "collective contributions and impact on music videos [and] pop culture" over the course of their career.

The 90-minute tribute to the long-enduring metal band is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6. In addition to a look back at the band's rise from underground idols to mainstream stars, the show will feature performances of Metallica songs by Limp Bizkit, Korn, Avril Lavigne and Sum 41. Metallica will close the show with a performance of its own.

Members of Blink-182, Michelle Branch and Rob Zombie are also expected at the show.

mtvICON:Metallica premieres Tuesday, May 6 at 9:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. CT

We added some new stuff on the site: sotm, lpotm, fan finder, win our award, videography.

Have fun here :)