[NEWS] IRVING AZOFF RESIGNS FROM 'LIVE NATION' BUT WILL STILL MANAGE CHRISTINA AGUILERA

Photo Credit: Zimbio

So, it looks like the almighty, powerful and influential man in music has resigned from Live Nation:

Irving Azoff, the longtime manager of the Eagles band, is resigning as chairman of concert promoter Live Nation Entertainment Inc. and selling off 1.7 million shares to Liberty Media Corp. 

Azoff, 65, will continue to manage the acts that he brought to the company, including the Eagles and Christina Aguilera. Live Nation said in a statement it did not expect Azoff's departure or the restructuring to have a material impact on its operating results. (Source)

I wonder if this will hurt or help Christina Aguilera in 2013.

Update: Billboard has tallied up all sales and downloads for 'Lotus' and 'Bionic'

Aguilera is mainly TV draw these days. She reportedly is making $10 million this season on "The Voice." Aguilera's latest album, "Lotus," was released on November 13 and has sold 182,000 units and 687,000 tracks, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Her previous release, the 2010 album "Bionic," has sold 314,000 units and 1.15 million tracks to date. Aguilera has been an infrequent touring artist in recent years. Her "Back to Basics" tour in 2006-2007 grossed $48.2 million, according to Billboard Boxscore. Her 2010 "Bionic" tour was cut short in part due to poor ticket sales. (Source)

[NEWS] HURRICANE SANDY BENEFIT PLANS CAME TOGETHER OVERNIGHT, SAY ORGANIZERS

NBC's Friday night benefit for victims of Hurricane Sandy – set to feature Bruce Springsteen, Christina Aguilera, Sting, Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi and network stars Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon, Brian Williams and Matt Lauer – came together in a rush of coast-to-coast communications, some challenged by sketchy post-hurricane cell service, throughout the day yesterday, organizers tell Rolling Stone.

Newsman Williams texted Springsteen; Lauer called Bon Jovi; NBC executives reached out to Sting, Joel and Aguilera (who was born on Staten Island). All agreed quickly.

Aguilera was planning to fly from Los Angeles to New York to promote The Voice this week. When she called her manager, Irving Azoff, to ask how she could help Hurricane Sandy victims in some way, he wasn't even sure if she could make it into the city. "She's already talking about 'how can I do something?' and coincidentally we're trying to figure out if she's even going to do her New York trip," Azoff says.

The manager and his team were frantically working on details when Paul Telegdy, NBC's president of alternative late-night programming and specials, called an hour later. "We're going to try to do this telethon," he said. "You think Christina's going to be interested?" Aguilera quickly accepted a singing slot during Friday night's benefit for the American Red Cross, and the post-storm travel plans came together.