In its first 20 years, MTV has had a profound effect on the musical tastes of those who watch the dedicated music channel, according to a recently completed Billboard.com poll. Out of 5,392 respondents, 35% say that watching the channel has exposed them to a wider range of music than they would normally have listened to, while an additional 27% believes that MTV has occasionally influenced their musical tastes.

Maxwell is living in the moment. The self-described "perfectionist" reveals that he is learning to stop worrying about the future and trying to enjoy more of the present. That attitude is reflected in the songs and title of Maxwell's third studio album, "Now," due Aug. 21 on Columbia Records.

Michael Jackson's forthcoming Epic album, "Invincible," will include a collaboration with Carlos Santana, according to producer Teddy Riley, Billboard Bulletin reports. While Epic says no release date has been set, Riley, who worked on the project, says the album will "definitely be released before the end of the year." A source says it is expected Oct. 29 internationally.

London garage collective So Solid Crew -- featuring MCs such as Megaman and Romeo, plus DJs such as Oxide and Dan the Man -- made its expected arrival at the top of the U.K. singles chart yesterday (Aug. 12) with "21 Seconds." It sealed a triumphant weekend for Ministry of Sound, the powerhouse dance company which owns the Relentless label, on which it was released.

After writing and producing for a host of established artists, Puerto Rican singer/songwriter/producer Tommy Torres has launched his solo career with a persuasive album of mostly original compositions (most are co-writes) that break rank with standard Latin pop.