Downtown Publishing

Katy Perry released her sophomore album Teenage Dream today on Capital Records. DMP songwriter/artist Bonnie McKee contributed 4 tracks to the new release, which includes the first two singles “California Gurls,” and “Teenage Dream,” as well as “Part Of Me” and “Last Friday Night”.

Katy Perry recently became the 10th solo female in the Hot 100’s 52-year history to concurrently place two titles in the top five as a lead artist, as her former six-week Hot 100 No. 1, “California Gurls,” featuring Snoop Dogg, rebounds 4-3 and “Teenage Dream” jumps 9-5 with Digital Gainer honors (185,000 downloads sold, up 27%). Go Bonnie Go!

California rockers Papa Roach are scheduled to release their highly anticipated new album Time For Annihilation on August 31st. Time For Annihilation will feature five brand new studio tracks, plus live recordings of their biggest hits including “Last Resort,” “Scars,” “Forever,” and “Lifeline” from their 2009 tour with Shinedown. The band enlisted veteran hit-maker David Bendeth (Paramore, Breaking Benjamin, Drowning Pool) to produce the album, and the first single, “Kick in the Teeth”, was released on June 22nd.

DMP’s very own Kid Sister is featured on The Jersey Shore Soundtrack, out today, with new song “Look Out Weekend (feat. Nina Sky)”. The soundtrack is a collection of 16 dance songs inspired by the reality TV stars of the show, and includes tracks from artists such as Enrique Iglesias, Lil Jon, LMFAO, and Akon in addition to Kid Sister.

Since the release of their latest album, Release Me, The Like have been attracting so much attention, even Zac Posen demanded some time from the LA quartet. To promote his forthcoming Target collection, the designer tapped budding filmmaker Gia Coppola (of the famous Coppola clan) to create a stylish short viral video for the band’s hit song Fair Game. What’s more, the album seems to be inspiring musicians everywhere with remixes popping up all over the internet. Check out RCRD LBL’s website for free downloads of the newest remixes from The Like!

Katy Perry recently debuted her new single “California Gurls” via a Twitter announcement. “California Gurls” is co-written by Perry, DMP’s own Bonnie McKee, and hitmakers Dr. Luke, Max Martin and Benny Blanco.

“California Gurls” is a big, bright, decidedly beach-friendly pop tune, full of sunshiney synthesizers, starry, electronic whooshes and loose, funky, wah-wah guitar flourishes. As if all that weren’t enough to guarantee it instant summer-jam success, well, then wait until you hear the positively massive chorus, on which Perry sings about Daisy Dukes-wearing California gurls with “sun-kissed skin so hot [it’ll] melt your popsicle.” Oh, and Snoop Dogg also shows up midway through to contribute a verse dedicated to the “toned, tanned, fit and ready” Cali girls he loves. -MTV.COM

Miley Cyrus exclusively premiered the music video for new single, “Can’t Be Tamed” last week in anticipation of her upcoming album release on June 22nd.

The single “Can’t Be Tamed” is described in a Hollywood Records statement as being about “self-empowerment where Miley asserts her need to stay true to herself in her relationships and it’s sure to become an anthem among her legions of fans around the world.”

Cyrus worked with producers including John Shanks (Sheryl Crow, Celine Dion, Kelly Clarkson, Bon Jovi) and long-time song-writing collaborators Tim James and Antonina Armato on the set. James and Armato produced and co-wrote “Can’t Be Tamed” with Cyrus, and the video was directed by Robert Hales (Justin Timberlake, Gnarls Barkley, Kings of Leon).

Watch the Music Video for Can’t Be Tamed.

Drowning Pool’s first single “Feel Like I Do”, off the brand new self-titled album, is currently charting No. 22 on the Billboard Rock Chart. “Feel Like I Do” was also recently featured on ESPN during the NFL Draft broadcast on April 22nd, and Drowning Pool’s new album Drowning Pool is out today via Eleven Seven Music. For more information visit the Drowning Pool website.

Nikki Sixx, international rock icon and host of the nationally syndicated radio programs Sixx Sense with Nikki Sixx and The Side Show with Nikki Sixx, recently hosted a one-hour radio special entitled “Drowning Pool: The Album.” The special featured in-depth conversation with the all-American, anthemic rock band about the inspiration for their new self-titled album, which will be released April 27; their top-five active rock single “Feel Like I Do”; and the continued challenges the band has faced and survived, including the death of their first singer and the loss of their second one. Other than Van Halen, no other rock band has been able to have sustaining hits with three singers, and Drowning Pool addressed their success with this during the interview. In addition, listeners were able to hear unreleased songs from the new album.

Nikki Sixx stated, “Drowning Pool has overcome the odds and succeeded despite losing two lead singers since their first record. Most bands would crumble under these circumstances, but Drowning Pool emerged a better band. Their new, self-titled record is a testament to their staying power and their perseverance through hard times and tough challenges. I was proud for them to share the stage with Mötley Crüe on Crüe Fest last year and am proud to interview them for Sixx Sense.”

Ozomatli celebrated their 15 year anniversary on April 1st. In their fifteen years together as a band, celebrated Los Angeles culture-mashers Ozomatli have gone from being hometown heroes to being named U.S. State Department Cultural Ambassadors. Their music— a notorious urban-Latino-and-beyond collision of hip hop and salsa, dancehall and cumbia, samba and funk, merengue and comparsa, East LA R&B and New Orleans second line, Jamaican ragga and Indian raga— has long followed a key mantra: it will take you around the world by taking you around L.A. To make this anniversary even sweeter, the guys recently received a rave review from Billboard for their new album Fire Away.

On its fifth studio album, “Fire Away,” Ozomatli shows a remarkable ability to innovate with its most expansive and energetic set in years. While the opening track, “Are You Ready?,” recalls the brass-infused Latin dance party that drew fans to the band’s debut, the new set is full of moments that conjure up an image of a group in the studio getting excited about trying something new. The results are almost all wonderful, particularly the picture-perfect ’60s funk of “45,” the Southern bluesy anthem “Gay Vatos in Love” and the effects-laden ballad “Love Comes Down,” with its psychedelic distorted bridge. These musical detours are what keep “Fire Away” so interesting; just when you think you’ve got a song—or Ozomatli—figured out, the band hits you with something new. —Ayala Ben-Yehuda

Watch Ozomatli perform their first single “It’s Only Paper,” and discuss the story behind Jack Johnson’s involvement:

Fire Away, the Grammy Award-winning band’s fifth full-length, is set for an April 20 release on Mercer Street Records / Downtown Records.