ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 2/27/13

ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -

Billie Joe Armstrong is coming clean about his struggles with alcohol and prescription drug abuse. In the upcoming issue of “Rolling Stone,” the Green Day frontman says he had been dealing with the problem for years. He admits he usually couldn’t predict where he’d end up at the end of the night, and he’d often wake up the next morning on someone else’s couch after a “complete blackout.” Armstrong says he doesn’t even remember much of his onstage meltdown at last fall’s iHeartRadio Festival, confessing that he had to ask his wife just how bad it was the next day. And when he talked to his manager, Billie Joe says he was told to return to Oakland and check himself into rehab “immediately.” You can read Armstrong’s full “Rolling Stone” cover story when it hits newsstands this Friday.

Chris Brown is opening up about his rocky relationship with Rihanna. The British newspaper the “Mirror” caught up with the singer at Elton John‘s AIDS Foundation Oscar fundraising party Sunday where he told the publication that he’s “learned a lot” since the night of his now infamous attack on his pop star girlfriend. He also calls the incident the “deepest regret” and “biggest mistake” of his life. He didn’t go into the actual details about the altercation, but he does indicate that a fight spiraled out of control. Brown was arrested and eventually sentenced to five years probation for the attack on Rihanna. He also came under fire from many in the entertainment industry. Chris says he was only able get through the intense scrutiny because of the support he had from his fans and those close to him. He says his fan base has been “incredible.” Brown also spoke about his recent reconciliation with Rihanna. Since their break up, Chris says the two have done some “serious making up.” He adds that he “worked hard” to earn Rihanna’s forgiveness.

The “Law & Order: SVU” episode that’s said to be based on Chris Brown’s 2009 assault of Rihanna is set to air tonight.  Although NBC hasn’t confirmed whether the episode was actually inspired by Rihanna and Brown’s story, the previews suggest many similarities. The network has described the episode as revolving around a young rising singer who is badly beaten by her hip-hop star boyfriend. In one preview, a tabloid is shown with the singer’s bruised and battered face on the cover, which may remind viewers of the infamous photo of a battered and bruised Rihanna. The show is bringing on a number of guest stars for the episode, including Perez Hilton, Dave Navarro and Wendy Williams. “Arrested Development” star Jeffrey Tambor will be playing the hip hop star’s defense attorney.

Adele‘s “21″ has reached a new high. The International Federation of Phonographic Industry’s latest numbers for worldwide album sales are in and “21″ is on top for the second year in a row. In 2012, the album sold eight-point-three million copies worldwide. That’s down from 2011′s 18.1 million – but still the best-selling. It’s the first time an album has topped the global charts for two consecutive years since the group started recording worldwide numbers in 2001. Taylor Swift‘s “Red” was the runner-up, moving five-point-two million copies all over the world.  Carly Rae Jepsen‘s “Call Me Maybe” was the named the best-selling single worldwide last year, moving 12-point-five million copies, followed by Gotye‘s “Somebody That I Used To Know” and Psy‘s “Gangnam Style.”

Bobby Brown will spend nearly two months behind bars for driving under the influence. Brown was in court on Tuesday to face charges of DUI and driving on a suspended license stemming from his arrest in Los Angeles last October. He pled “no contest” to the charges and was sentenced to 55 days in jail. Brown will also have to serve four years probation, as well as an 18-month alcohol program. The singer has to show up to begin serving his sentence by March 20th. Until then, he has to complete three Alcoholics Anonymous meetings per week. This marks Brown’s third DUI conviction.

Pink is the latest star to get drawn into the never-ending rumors about “The X Factor” judges’ panel next season. She was reportedly approached about a spot on the Fox show, but turned down the offer because reality show judging just isn’t her cup of tea. She said that with a brutally honest attitude like hers, the audience would end up hating her “more than they already do.” She added that Simon “is the only person who gets away with it because he’s got an accent. And he’s a man.”

Russell Brand‘s next book could include a few chapters about his short-lived marriage to Katy Perry. In a web chat with the site “Heatworld” to promote his upcoming Comic Relief gig, the eccentric English comedian said he plans to write a third installment of his “Booky Wook” personal tell-all series. He hinted that his 2011 divorce from Katy could be a subject he would touch on. He said that “you can’t write things about your life and not include things that happened in your life,” implying that addressing the high-profile romance would be unavoidable.

The final resting place of rock legend Freddie Mercury may no longer be a mystery. More than two decades after the Queen frontman succumbed to AIDS, fans are claiming to have found the place where his cremated ashes were buried – the Kensal Rise cemetery in West London. According to the “Daily Mirror” fans apparently came across a plaque in the cemetery that reads, “In Loving Memory of Farrokh Bulsara,” which was the singer’s birth name. The dates of birth and death also match up with Mercury’s. The plaque also includes a sentence in French, and is signed “M.,” which fans believe is a reference to Mary Austin, Mercury’s former girlfriend who inherited his London home following his death.

Bret Michaels is once again competing on “The Celebrity Apprentice.” Host Donald Trump says he’s not sure it was a wise move, since Bret’s a previous winner. But he says he understands the motivation. Michaels won “The Celebrity Apprentice” in dramatic fashion in the spring of 2010. While the challenge had been taped several months earlier, the final boardroom meeting to name the winner aired live — less than five weeks after Michaels underwent surgery after suffering a brain hemorrhage. And just three days before the finale he’d been hospitalized again for a “warning stroke.” As the “Celebrity Apprentice” winner, Michaels earned 250-thousand-dollars for the American Diabetes Association. This time around he’s working to raise money for his own Bret Michaels Life Rocks Foundation, which supports a variety of organizations including medical, military, and animal charities. The all-star season of “The Celebrity Apprentice” begins on NBC on Sunday.

Music industry sales are down but not out for the count in the new digital landscape. According to new figures reported by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, global sales rose last year for the first year since 1999. The point-three percent growth — a reported 16-point-five-billion-dollars in total revenue — is barely a speck when compared to the revenue rise recorded at the industry’s peak more than a decade ago. In 1999, the music industry logged 38-billion-dollars in revenue. Still, industry insiders see the new growth as a sign that the global recording industry has finally turned a corner in the battle to compete in the piracy-plundered digital age.