Alicia Keys finds "freedom" from Motown sound (Reuters)

Reuters - A music industry desperate for bankable superstars has all but anointed Alicia Keys as heir to the golden era of Motown, when Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson and others made it seem easy to pump out timeless R&B hits.

Kool & the Gang gives rare US concert in Havana (AP)

AP - American R&B pioneers Kool & the Gang helped Cuba get its funk on, bringing their eclectic mix of sounds Sunday to an open-air stage a stone's throw from the sparkling waters of the Caribbean.

The Strokes to make UK festival comeback with Jay-Z (Yahoo! Music)

Linkin Park, Nickelback top decade's rock charts (Reuters)

Reuters - Linkin Park's trademark anthemic hooks came to represent a core sound in rock music in the 2000s, so it's no surprise that the band ranks as the top act of the decade on Billboard's Rock Songs and Alternative Songs decade-end tallies.