· As if the string of musical inspirations called out on "Heart Songs" wasn't enough, Weezer have recorded three classic alt-rock covers as B-sides to the U.K. version of the "Pork and Beans" single: R.E.M.'s "Oddfellows Local 151," Tubeway Army's "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and the Psychedelic Furs' "Love My Way."
· Britney Spears' dad, Jamie, has been given the go-ahead to sell the singer's Studio City, California, home as part of the liquidation of her assets. The gated residence is the one Spears was living in when she was taken by ambulance to a psychiatric hospital in January.
· The judge in the recently concluded R. Kelly child-pornography trial has unsealed documents from the proceeding, and according to this report, they include allegations from star witness Lisa Van Allen that she received $100,000 from a Kelly associate to hand over a sex tape depicting child pornography and that one of the singer's employees threatened her life. MTV News already reported much of this information — clarifying that Van Allen received just $20,000 when she handed over a copy of the tape, not the original — during our coverage of the trial.
· Weezy's gigantic debut aside, the music industry got some bad news this week. A recent British study found that teenagers and students have an average of 800 illegally copied songs on each of their MP3 players, accounting for nearly half of the tunes on those devices. Even worse, 96 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds surveyed engage in some illegal copying.
· We're praying the Borat sling doesn't make a cameo, but if that doesn't deter you, John Mayer has announced the dates for the second annual Mayercraft Carrier cruise. It's March 27-31, and so far John Boy and Guster are the only confirmed artists.
· The first new album in a decade from the reunited Verve will hit stores on August 19. No title or track listing has been announced yet.
· The latest Nine Inch Nails album, The Slip, which was given away for free download last month, will be available as a two-disc set in an individually numbered limited run of 200,000 on July 22. The package will also contain a DVD of NIN performing live tracks from the album in rehearsal, a 24-page booklet and some stickers. The album will be available on vinyl two weeks later.
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