$6.95 (U.S.), $8.95 (CAN.), £5.50 (U.K.), €8.95 (EUROPE), Y2,500 (JAPAN)
Billboard
Latin Grammys
Special Report
Follows Page 26
HOT SPOTS
4 More Than Skin Deep
Jessica Simpson's new album
explores the depths of her
'love of a lifetime' and her
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4 A Really Big Show
The Beatles brought Beatle-
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78 Dylan Goes Supersonic
Once upon a time, it felt so
fine-and now it sounds even
better. Bob Dylan will soon be
available on SACD.
$6.95 US $8.95CAN
THE INTERNATIONAL NEWSWEEKLY OF MUSIC, VIDEO AND HOME ENTERTAINMENT • www.billboard.com . AUGUST 23, 2003
:
High Honors WMG, BMG
A Struggle
Sting Named Billboard's
Century Award Winner For Control
BY MELINDA NEWMAN
LOS ANGELES—Possessed with a
beguiling intellect, deft songwriting and
musical skills and a haunting, rough-
hewn voice, Sting has been a proven
hitmaker for nearly 25 years.
Whether as a member of the Police
or during his acclaimed solo career,
Sting—born Gordon Matthew Sum-
ner-has taken fans on an arresting
musical journey that has incorporated
reggae, jazz and Middle Eastern
rhythms and yet has always been
anchored by a sure-footed command of
classic pop sensibilities.
For his enduring influence and contri-
butions to music, Sting has been named
the 2003 recipient of the Century Award.
(Continued on page 15)
Latin Rap: Heat Up,
Obscenity Down
BY LEILA COBO
MIAMI—Spanish language rap acts are making inroads
into the U.S. Latin market mainstream, propelled by
songs with less vulgar, more radio-friendly lyrics.
With the added power of broader distribution, two
current hitmakers are leading the trend, Puerto
Rican artist Don Omar and the West Coast's Akwid.
(Continued on page 66)
Sergio Gomez,
one-half of rap/
banda group
Akwid.
A Billboard staff report
A deal that could create the second-largest
music company in the world is looking less like
a merger of equals and more like a subtle strug-
gle for control.
Bertelsmann AG, which is in negotiations with
AOL Time Warner to merge their respective
music units, is concerned that it might emerge
as a junior partner. But what both sides really
want is control of the merged unit, according to
sources at the German company.
The real issue here is control. Financial sav.
ings are secondary, the sources say.
Executives are widely reported to be in the
final stages of secret negotiations, working out
(Continued on page 67)
The Stones
Go Digital
BY MELINDA NEWMAN
LOS ANGELES-The Rolling Stones are finally
shedding their digital-age moss.
The veteran mega-group: its label, EMI/Virgin;
Best Buy: and ABKCO have struck an exclusive
two-week deal with Rhapsody, the online music
service, to make virtually the entire Stones cat-
alog available for digital purchase or streaming
starting Aug. 18.
Rhapsody and Best Buy's exclusivity with the
Stones lasts through Aug. 31. After that, the
EMI/Virgin material will be available for down
load through all legitimate services, including
Apple's iTunes and MusicNet.
The Stones, one of the few remaining super-
(Continued on page 67)
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