Topix — Songs by Lady Gaga , R.E.M., Bruce Springsteen and Rihanna are being used to help those affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan . more info

Guardian Music — A thoughtful study of protest songs impresses Dave HaslamThe way Dorian Lynskey tells it, you might wonder why the writers and performers of protest songs bother. Especially if they're in a hip-hop crew who just want to party but the record label bos... more info

ContactMusic — R. E. M. frontman Michael Stipe shunned traditional recording equipment during work on the band's new album Collapse Into Now - he used his iPhone. The rocker is a big fan of his Apple gadget and used its many features to help him... more info

NME — Singer takes detour after wife's birthday bash more info

Guardian Music — This ambitious history of protest songs suggests their best days are over. They can, of course, be recycled…Among the challengers hoping to keep the X Factor winner Matt Cardle from topping the charts last Christmas were a new recording of John Cag... more info

Totally Fuzzy — a r n e l said... V.A. - Monty Python's Spamalot (Original Broadway Cast Recording) http://bestfbothworlds.blogspot.com mercurochrome said... YoungMossTongue Presents BELLE AND SEBASTIAN - Dog On Wheels BELLE AND SEBASTIAN - Lazy Line Painter Jane B... more info

VH1 Blog — We have more details on Hanson’s SXSW benefit for Japan. There’s no live concert element to the show that fans can attend — it’s a live-streaming telethon only. Hanson has taken over a studio in downtown Austin at the SXSW music fest, invitin... more info

Mercury News, California — Michael Stipe prefers to call them "films," not music videos. And no one who attended the R.E.M.-related screening at the film portion of South by Southwest on Wednesday night in Austin, Texas, would argue with that distinction. more info

Culture Bully — R.E.M. tops the charts in this week's countdown of the highest selling albums at Nashville record stores Grimey's & The Groove. more info

VH1 Blog — There are a whopping 2,000 or so acts performing at South By Southwest in Austin this year. A few are household names (Duran Duran, Erykah Badu, The Strokes), some are respected indie veterans (Low, Hieroglyphics) and others feel like they’re about... more info