INTERVIEWSThursday's Music Roundup

[Updated: 5:36 P.M.]

NEWS:

JAY-Z Plays New Songs at Secret NYC Show
H.O.V.A. rocks free concert at Manhattan's intimate Gramercy Theatre -- and sets off a fire alarm. [SPIN]

ELLEN DEGENERES Replaces PAULA ABDUL as 'AMERICAN IDOL' Judge
"Think of all the money I'll save from not having to text in my vote," she said. [MTV]

SONIC YOUTH Reschedule West Coast Tour
Guitarist Lee Ranaldo fractured his wrist playing tennis... how punk rock! [LA Times]

BEACH HOUSE Signs with Sub Pop for New Album
After a month writing in solitude, the Maryland duo emerges with third studio release. [gorillavsbear]

COURTNEY LOVE: I Didn't Approve Kurt Cobain 'Guitar Hero' Avatar
"I think Kurt would despise this game," she writes. [Twitter]

GIRLS Announce Fall Tour
The San Francisco band's first-ever headlining outing kicks off in Hoboken, NJ, Nov. 2. [Matador Records]

HATEBREED, CANNIBAL CORPSE, UNEARTH Tour Together
Decimation of the Nation 2 Tour kicks off in November. [Blabbermouth]

SUFJAN STEVENS to Play 'Seven Swans' Album at ATP
Songwriter to perform revered 2004 album track-for-track in Upstate, NY. [Twitter]

WU-TANG CLAN's GHOSTFACE KILLAH Announces U.S. Tour
Staten Island, NY, rapper hits road behind September 29 release. [NME]

RADIOHEAD, BLUR Members Defend Illegal Music Downloaders
Rockers respond to England's plan to suspend the internet access of illegal file sharers. [Gigwise]

AGAINST! ME In Studio for 'New Wave' Follow-Up
Nirvana producer Butch Vig is back as the punks try to top 2007's Album of the Year. [SPIN

SPEECH DEBELLE Wins MERCURY PRIZE
VIDEO: Get to know to the London lady rapper who just won the UK's most prestigious music award. [SPIN]

MP3s & VIDEOS:

WATCH: SUNSET RUBDOWN Premiere "Black Swan" Video
Spencer Krug and Co. serve up skeletons, ink blots, and kaleidoscopes -- trippy! [Pitchfork]

DOWNLOAD: MARK LANEGAN's SOULSAVERS, "Death Bells"
EXCLUSIVE: Butthole Surfers' Gibby Haynes sings backup on this new track. [SPIN]

DOWNLOAD: CHRIS BROWN Releases Song on Twitter
The song's topic: Twitter itself. [Twitter]

LISTEN: 50 CENT's Baby-Making Jam
Ne-Yo joins in on smooth-talking new song. [SPIN]

WATCH: DIDDY's New Music Video
Bad Boy's new group Dirty Money reveals clip for "Angels." [Last Train to Paris]

WATCH: ALICE IN CHAINS Play Two New Songs Live
Seattle rockers unveil "Check My Brain" and "Acid Bubble" at Washington, DC, gig. [Blabbermouth]

LISTEN: MEGADETH's New Album, 'Endgame'
Stream the metal band's record a week before its Sept. 15 release! [MySpace]

WATCH: KILLERS Joined Onstage by WOLFMOTHER
The two bands cover the Animals' "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." [YouTube]

LISTEN: DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE Post 'Twilight' Song Preview
Hear a clip of "Meet Me on the Equinox," the Seattle band's New Moon track. [New Moon]

WATCH: FEVER RAY Debut "Seven" Music Video
An elderly woman sets a spell on farm animals in this weird clip! [Music Slut]