August 31, 2009 – It looks like Jay-Z still has ninety-nine problems -- and those who envy or criticize him are at the top of the list. In the new Blueprint 3 leak "Hate," the rap superstar reaches out to all who diss, wondering what he did to earn their ire. "You haters, how do I gain your favor?" Jay-Z asks."I need to know 'cause I care / I need you to love me, I swear." Kanye West, who produced, guests on the track, declaring that he, too, just wants some sugar -- especially from all those girls "who love Katy Perry." "Hate" is the third peek at The Blueprint 3, following "D.O.A. (Death to AutoTune)" and current single "Run This Town,"which features West, Rihanna and a badass video. The Blueprint 3 drops September 11, the same day Jay-Z hosts a 9/11 benefit concert in New York.For Jay's sake, we hope the show will be hater-free. LISTEN: Jay-Z, "Hate"

August 28, 2009 – For four iterations of the Guitar Hero franchise, one rock icon has been notably absent: Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain -- but that all changes with Guitar Hero 5, out September 1. Cobain will appear as a playable character for fans to shred with on a pair of Nirvana classics: Nevermind single "Smells Like Teen Spirit," and an exclusive live version of "Lithium," recorded during the trio's legendary 1992 performance at England's Reading Festival. "Kurt Cobain is one of the most recognizable frontmen in rock'n'roll....

August 28, 2009 – If you think the Twilight movies only appeal to pre-teen girls with a crush on Robert Pattinson (sigh), think again. Many indie-rock artists seem to be fans themselves, judging by the increasingly jaw-dropping list of new material slated for the New Moon soundtrack. Last month we learned that Thom Yorke and Bon Iver had submitted songs written for the second movie in the Twilight series and now we can add Death Cab for Cutie to that list.

August 28, 2009 – Last month we introduced Mariachi El Bronx, the new south-of-the-border alter-ego of Los Angeles group the Bronx. A hardcore punk band doing straight-up mariachi music -- has April Fool's Day come early?It hasn't, and this group is no joke. The band's new sepia-hued video for "Cell Mates" shows them at their Mexicana finest, resplendent in light-adorned matador suits as they perform in La Cita, a small L.A. bar. Meanwhile, two patrons play dominoes, a guy attempts to coax a rooster to do god-knows-what, and these six rockers prove they have what it takes to bring the cultural music of their hometown to punk fans.Though this new sound transcends novelty, the band's sense of humor remains. "We have a rooster in the video," guitarist Joby Ford tells SPIN.com. "Man, we love music videos.

August 28, 2009 – Dave Grohl / Josh Homme / John Paul Jones supergroup Them Crooked Vultures has been generating so much excitement recently, it's easy to forget Grohl's other group. Yeah, the Foo Fighters, remember them? Well, to help refresh your memory, the band will release Foo Fighters Greatest Hits November 3 via Roswell/RCA. It's their first release since 2007's Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace. In addition to classics like "Best of You" and "Everlong," Greatest will also feature two news songs, "Wheels" and "Word Forward," which the band -- Grohl, Taylor Hawkins (drums/vocals), Nate Mendel (bass) and Chris Shiflett (guitar) -- recorded with producer Butch Vig especially for the release. Grohl and Co. performed "Wheels" for Barack Obama at the White House on the Fourth of July.

August 28, 2009 – "I guess you just don't enjoy me anymore," Amazing Baby frontman Will Roan sings in his group's cover of "Black and White," a catchy tune by 1980s power-pop group the dBs. He couldn't be more wrong.Performed at SPIN's tent backstage at Lollapalooza, this excellent cover is all about Roan's cocky sneer, which gives the self-pitying tune an aggressive kick.The video is the latest in our series of Lollapalooza covers. Check out Kevin Devine's take on the Smiths' "There Is a Light Than Never Goes Out" here, and thenewno2's performance of Thom Yorke's "Black Swan" here.Watch Amazing Baby's cover below. And if you're itching to hear some of the Brooklyn band's original material, watch them play "Headdress" -- also recorded backstage at Lolla -- here.

August 27, 2009 – After last year's "Paper Planes" mania, we were beginning to think that the summer of 2009 would pass without another globe-trotting M.I.A. jam colonizing our ear drums.We shouldn't have worried."Rain Dance," the latest from Afro-combo the Very Best, features the Sri Lankan songbird proving that a throbbing tribal beat and veiled come-ons are all you need to pack the dance floor. The Very Best are Malawian singer Esau Mwamwaya and British production duo Radioclit.They first got together in 2007 when Radioclit's Etienne Tron bought a bike from a second-hand furniture store run by Mwamwaya near Tron's studio.After building buzz with their 2008 mixtape Esau Mwamwaya and Radioclit are the Very Best -- which also featured M.I.A.

August 27, 2009 – Here's some of the strangest music news to hit the Internet this week: Mandy Moore: The new spokesperson for Red Bull Energy Douche. "It gives your vagina wings!"[Funny or Die] Kiss is ringing in their 35th anniversary with a tour -- and this baker celebrates with cupcakes! [Flickr] Ever wanted to hook up with a World of Warcraft character? The faux girl-group behind this hilarious video sympathizes. [YouTube] Alice Cooper is playing the role of a vampire in new film Suck. So, does art imitate life or vice versa? [Fliqz] Hire Kylie Minogue as your wedding singer for about $3.2 million ... or you could get Duran Duran for the bargain rate of $800,000. [The Independent] The best way to reach God status in the metal community: quit your band to pursue a career as a funeral director!

August 26, 2009 – When you've had over thirty top-ten singles, as Madonna can boast, elaborate career retrospectives are justified -- and that's just what's coming next month. The Material Girl has just announced the track listing for Celebration (out Sept. 28) and, like the pop star herself, it's quite something. The audio version packs thirty-six newly remastered songs onto two CDs, including classics like "Like a Virgin" and "Borderline" and newer hits like "Music" and "4 Minutes," her Justin Timberlake collaboration.The songs were chosen partly by the singer and partly by fans through manager Guy Oseary's Twitter account. Not content for mere nostalgia, Madonna recorded two new songs for inclusion. The title track was released as a single in July, and the collection will also include "Revolver," a song she recorded with Lil Wayne. But what would Madonna really be without all those music videos?

August 26, 2009 – Whether abandoning the protest movement by going electric or ditching common decency by appearing in a Victoria's Secret commercial, Bob Dylan has made a career out of confounding expectations.