Franklin had canceled shows earlier this month to undergo unspecified medical treatment.

A lawyer for the parent company of AEG Live LLC called Michael Jackson a freak on the day the singer signed a multimillion contract for a series of ill-fated comeback concerts, emails displayed for a jury on Wednesday showed.

President Barack Obama, saluting Carole King's five decades as an award-winning singer-songwriter, said Wednesday that music often is a place where people seek comfort and inspiration during trying times.

Last August, Paul McCartney threw his support behind Pussy Riot, the Russian all-girl punk collective convicted with hooliganism motivated by religious hatred, early on in the band's case. Now, the former Beatle has voiced his approval of the the Pussy Riot cause yet again, penning a handwritten letter to Russian authorities that calls for justice for the imprisoned members of the band.

Vancouver's pop-rock band Marianas Trench leads the 2013 MuchMusic Video Awards with six nominations, followed by Toronto-born rapper Drake with five and Nova Scotia rapper Classified with four.