The United Kingdom continues to roll with the digital music era, with the launch of a new chart for unsigned musical acts.

Digital downloads have been progressively included in the UK Singles and Album charts. April 2005 saw the first singles chart which combined physical CD sales with legal music downloads.

That was expanded in January 2007, when all download sales became eligible for the charts (whether or not a physical version was available).

Now, fast growing British website Tourdates.co.uk is launching a new unsigned chart with free music downloads, aimed at helping non-label bands and artists promote themselves to the public and build their fan-base.

Official Press Release:

tourdates.Co.UK, Britain's fastest growing new music website, has launched a chart for unsigned bands.

The site allows new bands to upload promotional tracks, announce gig dates and create profiles to promote themselves alongside major artists such as the Arctic Monkeys and The Twang.

Tourdates Jarrod Robinson says, there are some fantastic unsigned bands in the UK and we wanted them to know how much our community likes their music, an unsigned chart seemed the perfect answer.

Chart results are announced on the site at 19:00 every Sunday, the same time as the No.1 single of the week is announced on BBC's Radio 1.

Aw cute... It's the early audition rounds of the UK's new variety entertainment tv show, Britain's Got Talent, and nasty judge Simon Cowell is in a foul mood.

But the ITV 1 show's hosts Ant & Dec have high hopes for cute little 6 year old girl Connie Talbot (gappy toothed smile and all), who is hoping to impress the judges with her rendition of the old classic 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow'...


Meanwhile, this guy looks like he's going to be one of those familiar and cringingly-hilarious "reality show disasters"... but watch how gobsmacked the judges are by Cardiff car phone salesman Paul Potts' version of 'Nessun Dorma'...

The US Disney Channel has launched a new weekly tv program looking at the lead up to the premiere of the sequel to its hit movie musical High School Musical.

Disney Channel's High School Musical 2 is set to hit screens on the Disney Channel in the USA on Friday August 17th, followed by Europe and Asia in September.

The new weekly program, The Road to High School Musical 2, will offer viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the new movie musical. Episode One sees the cast coming together again to start work on the second film, and focuses a lot on the tougher dancing and choreography in the sequel...


And here's a sneak peak of the upcoming movie, High School Musical...

The new original song and single What Time Is It?, from the cast of High School Musical 2, from the forthcoming film Soundtrack CD of High School Musical 2 - a sure fire chart hit.

The music video for What Time Is It? shows Troy, Gabriella, Ryan, Sharpay, Chad, Taylor and the rest of the East High Wildcats at school, counting down the minutes until their summer vacation begins...

* Check out High School Musical products available now at the High School Musical Store.

The popular DC Comics title Teen Titans is getting the big screen treatment.

Warner Bros. Pictures have announced a live-action adaptation of the superteam. The film will be produced by Akiva Goldsman and Kerry Foster, with a film script by American television, movie, and comic book writer Mark Verheiden.


The first Teen Titans comic was published back in 1964. The team features the sidekicks of well known "A-list comicbook heroes)... Robin (Batman), Kid Flash (Flash), Aqualad (Aquaman), Wonder Girl (Wonder Woman) and Speedy (Green Arrow).

New original characters were added to the comic series in the 80s, in a new comic which also saw the character of Robin mature into 'Nightwing'. The team also starred in a Cartoon Network series between 2003 and 2006.

Teen Titans will be the latest in a line of live-action comic book movie adaptations... The Superman and Batman franchises have been big money earners, while Sony's blockbuster film Spiderman 3 has so far earned over US$800 million dollars around the world.

There are rumours flying around in the US that the CBS network is looking at bringing back the series Jericho next year, in a shorter eight episode run, possibly as a mid-season replacement.

The serial-drama, starring Scream star Skeet Ulrich, revolves around the residents of a small rural town - Jericho, Kansas - in the aftermath of nuclear attacks on major cities in the United States. Ulrich plays Jake Green, a "prodigal son" who becomes stranded in the small town following the bombings.

The show premiered on CBS in September 2006, but after lackluster ratings was cancelled last month after 22 episodes. Season One finished with a cliffhanger episode in early May.

Following a huge "digital" outcry from fans, CBS released a statement stating they " hope to develop a way to provide closure to the compelling drama that was the Jericho story."

Now it seems CBS have had a rethink, and are very close to sealing a new deal for a second season of the series. Work is apparently underway to sign the actors to new contracts, and finding a new soundstage to house the Jericho sets.

The show has proven a hit in New Zealand on Sunday nights for local broadcaster TV3.

* LA Times: Resurrection: The fans save Jericho

Two of Hollywood's top actors are backing Barack Obama as the US Democrats' Presidential Candidate for next year's national elections in America.

Ocean's Thirteen actors Matt Damon and George Clooney revealed their support for Obama, during a promotional interview for the upcoming movie sequel at Cannes for Time magazine.

Clooney has previously shared a stage with Obama, but Damon's support was not previously known. Third Ocean's Thirteen cast member Brad Pitt is sitting on the fence at this stage...

DAMON: I'm an Obama guy too. I think a lot of the problems in the world would be mitigated if he were the face of our country. I haven't ever met him or talked to him, but he's the first person in a long time who I've been inspired by.

CLOONEY: When other politicians stop and listen, that's how you know what charisma is. You can't teach that. He walks into a room and you go, "That's a leader."

Meanwhile, Law & Order TV star Fred D. Thompson is eyeing up the 2008 presidential race for the Republican Party. The 64 year old actor has asked to be released from the NBC show Law & Order, where he has played New York District Attorney Arthur Branch for five seasons.

The former Tennessee Republican Senator is considering his options, after encouragement from conservative GOP supporters unimpressed with the party's current front-runners Rudolph Giuliani, John McCain, and Mitt Romney.