The Pogues guitarist Philip Chevron has been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Chevron successfully underwent treatment for head and neck cancer in 2007, but in April 2012 doctors discovered a new, inoperable tumor.

"This one is in a position whereby treatment is seriously ill-advised and would almost certainly cause stroke or worse," the band said in a statement. "The cancer is, in short, inoperable and will prove fatal in time, though it is at present impossible to measure life expectancy."

The Dublin, Ireland-born musician joined the celtic rock group shortly after the release of their 1984 debut Red Roses For Me. In recent years, he oversaw the remastering of the group's entire back catalogue. He is also the singer and founder of the punk group The Radiators From Space and has worked on theatrical music for the Old Vic Theatre in London and Galway's Druid Theatre.

He is currently on a break from both groups but hopes to continue making music.

More Music News:

• Franz Ferdinand to release album this summer
  

After previewing a rough version of song called "John Carpenter" earlier this week, Toronto R&B star The Weeknd has shared the studio version of the title track off his forthcoming sophmore album.

The eight-minute "Kiss Land" was produced by Silkky Johnson, who has also worked with A$AP Rocky, and swiches up halfway through into the studio version of "John Carpenter" similar to the track "House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls" off his first mixtape.

Listen to "Kiss Land" here.

The Weeknd can also be heard on rapper French Montana's latest single, "Gifted." Listen to that one here.

More Music News:

• Carly Rae Jepsen defends Justin Bieber
  

Justin Bieber has experienced a spate of negative press lately, but none of it has swayed Carly Rae Jepsen to join the Canadian pop star's increasingly vocal critics.

"All I see is an incredibly hard worker and a man who's just passionate about what he does," she told E! News when asked about Bieber's bad press. "I think if anything I'm inspired by how hard he works, and I definitely want to add that to my own mantra as just like working really hard and doing my thing."

Bieber has made headlines recently for abandoning his pet monkey at a Munich airport and an alleged argument with one of his neighbours that could lead to a battery charge.

Earlier this week, a music survey of American voters by Public Policy Polling found that Bieber is the least liked pop star in the United States.

More Music News:

• Kanye West rants about celeb culture at surprise gig
  

Britney Spears will start recording her eighth studio album next week, according to Will.I.am.

"We start next week," he told Billboard before the Clio Awards at the Museum of Natural History in New York on Wednesday (May 15). "Before we even start we've had these juicy sessions, where we've been bonding, building the trust and comfort. I've never worked like this before – not even the [Black Eyed] Peas."

The Black Eyed Peas main man is serving as the album's executive producer. For the past few weeks, he and Spears have been meeting to discuss the personal feelings and themes that will inform the album's direction.

"I wanted to just go to lunch for two months, which is totally different from how you typically do it," he explained. "I said, 'Let's talk about what you're excited about. Let's talk about things you've done in you career, what you're happy about. Let's talk about spending time with your kids, let's talk about your breakup. Let's talk about how now you're single, how independent you might feel.' We started talking about all that stuff. So I said, 'do you mind if I write this down? I don't mean to impose but I want to interview you. I need this to create a filter.'"

He added: "When people start bringing us stuff, I can say 'Actually we can't have this song. Yes, we want dance songs but that's a little too dark.' I want it to fit with the emotions. I'm really excited about that and honoured that she trusts me. I don't want to let her down. I just want to do it the way a brand would do it. They wouldn't say, 'Take this. Put it out.' That's not what you would do. You'd come up with a mood board, the logos, the font, all the other stuff."

Will.I.am last teamed up with Spears for "Scream & Shout," a single off his recently released album #willpower.

More Music News:

• Frank Ocean, James Blake to play OVO Fest
  

Franz Ferdinand will release their fourth album, Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action on August 27 via Domino Records.

The follow-up to 2009's Tonight, the album was recorded at frontman Alex Kapranos' Scottish studio and guitarist Nick McCarthy's Sausage Studios in London and during sessions in Oslo and Stockholm.

When the four-piece group's label asked Kapranos for a quote about the album, he said: "The intellect vs. the soul played out by some dumb band."

The Scottish four-piece broke out with the 2004 hit "Take Me Out" off their self-titled debut. Check out the track list for Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action below:

More Music News:

• Black Sabbath debut new material on "CSI"
  

Drake has revealed the line-up for his OVO Fest in Toronto. 

This year, the Toronto rapper's annual concert will take place over two nights, with R&B star Frank Ocean and British electronic musician James Blake performing on August 4 and Drake and an array of special guests headlining on August 5.

Although Drizzy promised at the end of last year's OVO Fest - which featured surprise appearances by Snoop Dogg, Nicki Minaj and Rick Ross - that the 2013 edition would upsize to the Rogers Centre, the event is happening once again at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre.

Tickets will go on sale May 24 at 10 a.m. via Live Nation.

More Music News:

• New Chris Brown single to feature Aaliyah
  

Black Sabbath made a cameo on last night's season finale of CSI and debuted a new song from their forthcoming 13 album, which comes out on June 11.

In the episode's opening scene, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, and Geezer Butler appear on stage in a rock club and perform their new song "End Of The Beginning." Osbourne also gives an interview in another scene in which he forgets giving an interview. "I don't remember 1986," he says.

The appearance apparently was not just a marketing opportunity for the reunited metal legends - they are also fans of the long-running CBS series.

"I've watched every episode since it started 'cause I like crime stuff and it was realistic," bassist Geezer Butler said in a behind-the-scenes interview about the episode, which you can watch via Ultimate Classic Rock.

More Music News:

• News outlets to fight Beyoncé's photo ban
  

Major U.S. news outlets and association representing professional photographers are threatening to blacklist Beyoncé if she does not lift a ban on taking press photos during her "Mrs. Carter Show" world tour.

Digital Spy reports that the National Press Photographers Association (NPAA) and 19 news organizations, including The Los Angeles Times, National Public Radio (NPR) and the New York Daily News, have penned a letter to the star urging her to reverse a decision to ban professional photographers from shooting her concerts.

The "Irreplaceable" singer implemented the ban after a series of unflattering photos taken during her Super Bowl half-time show went viral in February. Instead, she is offering publications and websites pre-approved images shot during shows in Amsterdam, Zagreb, Belgrade and Bratislava.

The photographers argue that the ban will have a chilling effect on the way celebs are photographed by professionals and encourage an antagonistic relationship with the press.

"Ending the ban is more likely to result in publication of fair, objective and mutually beneficial photographs that serve your interests and ours," NPAA general council Mickey Osterreicher wrote in the letter.

More Music News:

• Chris Rock teases Eminem collaboration
  

Chris Brown's next single will feature previously unheard vocals by late R&B star Aaliyah.

Rap-Up reports the singer revealed the news to reporters at yesterday's (May 14) press conference announcing the 2013 BET Awards nominees.

The single, entitled "They Don't Know," is taken from his forthcoming sixth studio album, X.

Brown shot a video for the song last weekend in Los Angeles. "I shot it in the ‘hood. I went to 60th Street and Cedar Block," he said. "[I'm] bringing both worlds together and trying to uplift the poverty side of the community and show them where I'm from. I'm from Virginia, but everybody comes from a broken home or being broke—I remember when I was."

X is due out on July 16 and will also feature collaborations with Nicki Minaj and Kendrick Lamar.

More Music News:

• Parents won't let their kids sing in Nick Cave's choir
  

Toronto rapper Drake has scored 12 nominations for this year's BET Awards including five in the Video of the Year category.

Rappers Kendrick Lamar and 2 Chainz have each been nominated for eight awards, A$AP Rocky and Jay-Z were nominated for five awards each, while Miguel and Justin Timberlake each have four.

The nominees were announced on Tuesday (May 15) in Los Angeles.

In the Video of the Year category, Drake received nods for his solo efforts "Started From the Bottom" and "HYFR" featuring Lil Wayne, as well as collaborations with 2 Chainz ("No Lie"), Kendrick Lamar ("Poetic Justice") and A$AP Rocky (F***in' Problems). Macklemore & Ryan Lewis's "Thrift Shop," Miguel's "Adorn," Rihanna's "Diamonds," "Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z's "Suit & Tie," and Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz's "Mercy" round out the category.

Drake will also compete against 2 Chainz, A$AP Rocky, Future and Kendrick Lamar for the Best Male Hip-Hop Artist Award. Azealia Banks, Eve, Nicki Minaj, Rasheeda and Rye Rye are up for Best Female Hip-Hop artist.

Another Toronto act, R&B crooner The Weekend, scored a nod in the Best New Artist category. He is up against rappers Azealia Banks, Kendrick Lamar, Trinidad Jame$ and Joey Bada$$.

The 2013 BET Awards will take place in Los Angeles on June 30. Chris Brown and R. Kelly are confirmed to perform and comedian Chris Tucker will host the ceremony.

Check out the full list of nominees here.

More Music News:

• Solange starts label, announces album