Court: Prince Stole His Hit
An Italian court has ruled that Prince stole his 1994 hit, “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World,” from two Italian writers. The Roman Court of Appeals agreed that Prince borrowed heavily from “Takin’ Me to Paradise,” which was written by Bruno Bergonzi and Michele Vicino, Billboard reports.  The court ruled that Prince can no longer distribute the song in Italy. In addition, he may have to pay royalties to Bergonzi and Vicino and their publishers that he has collected to date. That will be determined later, if another hearing confirms the song was plagiarized. “Our song was first released in 1983, at the height of the Italian dance boom and it appeared on assorted compilations that were distributed internationally,” Bergonzi told Billboard.com. “When we first heard Prince’s song we immediately took action, but this case has been dragging on for 15 years and it isn’t over yet, such is the slowness of the Italian legal system. We only decided to go public with our story now.”   

  
Inauguration List is Indeed A-List
The performance list for President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration has blown up to include an eclectic mix of mega-stars – from the biggest names in hip hop to legends of bebop. Among those participating in the official kickoff at the Lincoln Memorial on Jan. 18 are R&B stars Beyoncé, John Legend, Mary J. Blige and Usher; jazz legend Herbie Hancock; soul-stirrer Stevie Wonder; and hip-hopper will.i.am; rocker Bruce Springsteen; and country-western crooner Garth Brooks. Read more here.