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Specific Media-owned MySpace has rolled out a MySpace music player with features such as built-in search, music recommendations and integration with one-time arch social network rival Facebook. The new player boasts over 40 million tracks, with 30 million exclusives from unsigned artists. Listeners will be able to use the advertising-supported service for free.

Queen and Talenthouse have joined forces for a spot of crowdsourcing by tasking remixers, musicians and producers with remixing the Queen hit Don’t Stop Me Now, says Maria Stadtmueller. The contest marks the first time Queen has released isolated stems – including Freddie Mercury’s original vocals – of the song.

Leading country artist across social media platforms? Easy, that would be Taylor Swift, who heads the Groovecount Global Country Music Rankings, compiled by Groovecount.com for brand-m, says Mark Terry. The chart aims to provide a comprehensive perspective on popularity and digital reach in the genre, aggregating data from five social networks and digital services.

Beyoncé heads the Groovecount Global RnB Music Rankings, compiled by Groovecount.com for brand-m, says Mark Terry. The chart aims to provide a comprehensive perspective on popularity and digital reach in the genre, aggregating data from five social networks and digital services.

Beyoncé’s Groovecount of 72.4% puts her eight percentage points ahead of second-placed Chris Brown, with Usher back in third on 56.5%. The first seven spots in the rankings are claimed by US artists, with the UK’s Taio Cruz the first non-American to place, in eighth.

New tools are democratising the DJ booth and digitising the jukebox of old, making anyone a potential influencer and expanding the possibilities for discovery, says JWT in its Things To Watch: Music report, writes Mark Terry. Blip.fm was an early player, but the space heated up this year with Turntable.fm’s idea of interactive listening, the ad agency says.

Rihanna is today unlocking the second single from her Talk That Talk album as part of the run-up to the collection’s release 21 November, writes Mark Terry. Two days ago, the Rihanna Navy – as her biggest fans are called – got the iTunes pre-order for the new album. Now, the artist will reward her 46 million Facebook fans with the single pick You Da One on the social network as part of the Unlocked campaign.