Beyond the lights, pyrotechnics, and tabloid banter, there exists a very prominent business component to the music industry.

Indeed, it’s often a case of the bigger the star, the bigger and more complex their record deal.

Interestingly, a new report highlights that four of music’s most powerful names – Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, and Coldplay – are owing their respective labels just one more album.

The significance? Find out below…

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Mariah Carey‘s flare for all things festive is almost as renown as her 5-octave range.

Therefore, it was little surprise to see the diva getting into the Christmas spirit two months before the big day while on tour in Thailand yesterday.

The 45-year-old mom of two shared snaps of herself rocking an ensemble she described as “Mrs. Santa” during the final concert on the Asian leg of ‘The Elusive Chanteuse Show’.

More of Mimi below…

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Winning pair Lady GaGa and Tony Bennett are proving that their new duet album ‘Cheek To Cheek’ is more than a fleeting vanity project.

Beyond announcing a series of live dates in the US and UK next year, the duo have teamed with H&M to promote the chart-topping set over the holiday’s.

Together, the stars filmed a commercial for the fashion retailer featuring ‘It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)’. 

Set to premiere on November 25th, the TV and online spot was directed and shot by world-renowned music video director, Johan Renck. The campaign will also have an outdoor billboard component.

Translation? It’s a big deal…in more ways than one.

Peep behind the scenes snaps from the commercial below…

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Miguel is back! Well…almost.

Still riding high on an ‘Adorn‘ sized wave and the expertise of Lady GaGa‘s former manager in his arsenal, the entertainer now plots his return to the scene with a collaboration with none other than…Ludacris.

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After her fans learned her stint on this year’s ‘MTV European Music Awards‘ would be made available to watch in 25 million homes across the UK, Nicki Minaj’s good news train made a surprising stop at iTunes’ station today, pulled there by her new single ‘Only.’

For, though we’d say she’s yet to master the art of penning gritty yet uptempo Hip Pop numbers à la Wutang Clan‘s ‘Gravel Pit‘, the general public seem to have fallen head over heels with her latest effort…pushing it to #4 on iTunes.

So, let us know…

Why do you think ‘Only’ is soaring as high as it is?

Armed with strong material but a lack lustre promo schedule is Faith Evans, continuing on in her efforts to push her brand new album ‘Incomparable‘ on November 24th.

Today, she unlocks the visual for her new single ‘Good Time‘!

Will it be enough to ensure her new LP is shown the love its first single has made it deserving of?

Find out below…

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Despite his 8th studio album ‘UR’ getting off to a rocky start with its moderately performing singles, veteran R&B singer Usher maintains – and recently reaffirmed – that he has “nothing to prove.”

Gearing up to kick off his “UR Experience” tour in promotion of the project, the Grammy winner recently sat down with CBS Radio to dish on the new trek, reflect over his 20 year career and more.

“No doubt about it, I don’t have to prove anything. I mean I’ve been doin it for 20 years, this will be my 8th album, and I’m just naturally a hard worker, anything that I do I go after it to be the best.”

Before Montreal fans get a peek at Ush and soon-to-be R&B roadmate August Alsina in action this Saturday, tuck in below to hear Ush dish on the tour:

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Is Kelly Rowland gearing up dally with Dance music again? It certainly seems so.

Recently, the heavily pregnant performer chatted it up with our friends over at The Fader about her fifth solo album and revealed that she’s paired up with renown Electronic Dance DJ Tokimonsta to record new tracks for the set.

Peep the insightful soundbites below…

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British singing sensation Ella Henderson is making a beeline for global status.

The 18-year-old star, who has achieved blockbuster success on home soil with debut album ‘Chapter One’, made her American television debut on the Today Show this morning and ensured she left quite the impression.

Henderson, who came sixth on the UK incarnation of The X Factor in 2012, has since gone on to eclipse the achievements of most of the show’s winners and amasses critical acclaim in the process.

Can she win over the Stateside audience, though? Based on the performance below, she certainly has a strong chance…

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With over 20 years in the music industry, Common is quite literally flying the flag for longevity.

The Hip-Hop heavyweight, who rose from the underground scene in Chicago to mainstream notability with hits such as ‘Go!’, shares the secret of his staying power in the latest instalment of Honda’s 16 Bars.

Crediting a desire to fuse his own experiences with the ever-evolving sounds and trends that serve as the audio backdrop to today’s scene, the star also stresses the importance of studying the greats such as Rakim and Notorious B.I.G.

Watch Common’s wise words below…

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Three years after her UK debut album ‘ORA’ touched down in the market, Rita Ora wil launch her hotly anticipated US debut, set for takeoff in 2015.

This year, she speaks openly about a number of events set to inspire its lyrics with ‘Cosmopolitan‘, hitting the mag to dish on her relationship with Calvin Harris, her Iggy Azalea-led hit single ‘Black Widow‘ and her admiration for Katy Perry.

Oh…and why she feels sex is a “form of getting to know someone.”

An honest Ora below…

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K. Michelle officially kicked off the campaign for her sophomore album today.

The R&B star told That Grape Juice earlier this month that the title of the project would be unveiled in dramatic fashion and she’s kept her word.

Moments ago, the official trailer for the LP – the follow-up to last year’s ‘Rebellious Soul’ – was revealed in a theatrical themed trailer.

Titled ‘Anybody Wanna Buy A Heart’, the set is preceded by single ‘Love ‘Em All’ and Michelle’s new VH1 reality show ‘K. Michelle: My Life’ (which premieres on November 3rd).

Check out the album trailer below…

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