Music agenda: new albums by The Shins, Madonna, Katy Perry
On March 19, American band The Shins returns to the music scene with a comeback album, while Madonna unveils her much-hyped MDNA. Katy Perry fans can get their hands on a special edition re-release of Teenage Dream featuring new tracks.
27th Winter Music Conference
March 16-25
Miami Beach, Florida, US
The premier electronic music event features 2,000 artists and DJs every year with hundreds of events, club parties, and workshops. The annual gathering attracts 100,000 attendees and industry representatives from around the world for a DJ Spin-off, a Record Collectors Show, and the International Dance Music Awards. The sold-out Ultra Music Festival is scheduled March 23-25 in downtown Miami. Similar fests include Detroit's Electronic Music Fest and Nature One near Frankfurt.
http://wintermusicconference.com
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The Shins: ‘Port of Morrow'
March 19/20
UK/US
Grammy-nominated band The Shins will release their first album since 2007's Wincing the Night Away with Port of Morrow, also their first release on Columbia Records and frontman James Mercer's new label Aural Apothecary. Meanwhile fans can stream the entire album via the band's website and iTunes until its US release date on March 20.
http://mercerhouse.theshins.com
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Watch the video for the album's single "Simple Song": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoLTPcD1S4Q
Madonna: 'MDNA'
March 26
Worldwide
American pop star Madonna is releasing her 12th studio album, MDNA, via Interscope Records on March 26. Her world tour in support of the album launches May 29 in Tel Aviv, followed by 26 stops in European cities and 26 stops in North America. She is also heading to Australia and South America for the first time in 20 years. Those dates have yet to be announced.
http://www.madonna.com
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Katy Perry: 'Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection'
March 26/27
Worldwide
American pop star Katy Perry is set to re-release her sophomore album Teenage Dream as a special edition on March 27. Fans can expect the release to include the Kanye West-backed version of Perry's single "E.T.," the remix of "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" featuring Missy Elliott, a Jon Brion-produced acoustic version of "The One That Got Away," and a seven-minute Tommie Sunshine remix of the album's six singles.
http://www.katyperry.com/news
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Red Hot Chili Peppers World Tour
March 29 - November 1
North America, Europe, Middle East
American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers is launching a tour in support of tenth studio album I'm With You. The tour launches in Tampa, Florida, on March 29, followed by a slew of shows in the region including a stop at the Bonnaroo music festival in Tennessee on June 9. The band also tours Europe and the Middle East through October 25, including stops in Paris, Madrid, Moscow, Tel Aviv, Athens, and Dublin.
http://redhotchilipeppers.com
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2nd Lollapalooza Chile
March 31 - April 1
Santiago, Chile
First launched in 1991 by Perry Farrell, lead singer of Jane's Addiction, Lollapalooza is an iconic American festival with its roots in the alternative music scene. The event expanded to Chile in 2011 and moves into Brazil in 2012 (April 7-8). Bjork, Foo Fighters, MGMT, Arctic Monkeys, Calvin Harris, and Skrillex are booked in both Chile and Brazil.
http://www.lollapalooza.com
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Juno Awards
April 1
Ottawa, Canada
Canada's music awards show, now in its 41st year, airs on Sunday, April 1 on CTV from Scotiabank Place in Ottawa. Nominees include Canada’s own Drake, Justin Bieber, Avril Lavigne and Nickelback. Nominees for the International Album of the Year category include Adele, Coldplay, Lady Gaga, LMFAO, and Rihanna. William Shatner will host the ceremony.
http://junoawards.ca
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Nicki Minaj: 'Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded'
April 3
Worldwide
American hip hop artist Nicki Minaj is unveiling Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded on April 3, which reportedly will focus on her gay male alter ego Roman Zolanski from her debut album, Pink Friday. That album peaked at number one in the US, where it saw its greatest success.
http://mypinkfriday.com
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Elvis Costello World Tour
April 10 - June 10
North America, Australia, Europe
Famed English musician Elvis Costello is touring his "Spectacular Spinning Songbook" show to North America on April 10 with a performance in Vancouver, followed by stops in Los Angeles and Melbourne, among others, before heading to Dublin on May 9. After 12 stops in the UK, he heads to the continent for a show in Paris on May 29. The tour wraps up in Reykjavik on June 10.
http://www.elviscostello.com
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13th Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
April 13-15 and April 20-21
Indio, California, US
Every year, more than 100,000 music fans head to the Southern California desert for the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, now split into two sold-out installments for 2012. Headliners are Radiohead, The Black Keys and rappers Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. Stay tuned to the event's website for announcements regarding whether or not the webcast will be available this year.
http://www.coachella.com
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Coldplay World Tour
April 17 - September 22
North America, Europe
In support of Mylo Xyloto, Coldplay kicks off their world tour in Edmonton on April 17 and ending with a pair of shows in Los Angeles on May 1 and 2. Coldplay will then tour Europe May 18-26, while returning again August 28 - September 22 for shows in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Paris, and Prague, among others. The band also returns to the US in late June for shows across Texas and along the East Coast. http://www.coldplay.com
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