Weekly music agenda: NME Awards online voting, Weezer remix content

(AFP/ALBERTO SAIZ)

Now through February 24, online voting is open for the Shockwave NME Awards, organized annually by major UK music magazine NME. Also ongoing: Through March 9, American alternative band Weezer is accepting worldwide submissions for its "Love is the Answer" remix/cover contest.

Johnny Cash's 'American VI'
February 22
International

American VI: Ain't No Grave, the sixth and final installment in Johnny Cash's American album series, will be released on what would have been the singer's 78th birthday. The album includes Cash's "Ain't No Grave" and the previously unreleased "I Corinthians: 15:55," as well as a series of covers, including Sheryl Crow's "Redemption Day," Kris Kristofferson's "For The Good Times," Bob Nolan's "Cool Water," and Ed McCurdy's "Last Night I had the Strangest Dream."
http://www.losthighwayrecords.com

NME Awards online voting
Through February 24
London, UK

Voting is currently underway for the 2010 Shockwave NME Awards, awarded by UK music magazine NME (New Music Express). The awards began in the 1950s, lasted for more than ten years, and then came back in 1994 as an alternative to the pop-focused Brit Awards. The NME Awards are distinguished by their online voting system, which is now open leading up to the February 24 Awards ceremony in London. Among nominees: Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, Muse, Oasis, and Biffy Clyro. To vote, visit the NME website.
http://www.nme.com/awardsvote

Coldplay Viva la Vida tour
February 26 - March 11
Latin America

English rock band Coldplay is set to begin the final leg of its worldwide Viva la Vida Tour, which has already included a total of 159 shows in 25 countries across the globe. The final concerts will take place in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico beginning on February 26. British rock musician Bat for Lashes is the opening act for all Latin American dates.
http://www.coldplay.com

'Almost Alice' CD release
March 2
International

The soundtrack album for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland will feature artists' reinterpretations of songs from Walt Disney's 1951 animated film. Almost Alice will include tracks by Owl City, Robert Smith from The Cure, and Franz Ferdinand, as well as All Time Low, Mark Hoppus, ete Wentz, and Avril Lavigne, whose "Alice (Underground)" is the soundtrack's first single. Burton's live-action adaptation of Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland, starring Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, and Anne Hathaway, will begin making its way to theaters March 5.

'Plastic Beach' by Gorillaz
March 8
International

The Gorillaz, British musician David Albarn's collaboration with a revolving roster of musicians, will release a third studio album, Plastic Beach, on March 8. The album's first single, "Stylo," is a collaboration with Bobby Womack and Mos Def that MTV News staffers are calling a potentially "trend-setting track for 2010." The band's most recent studio album, the Grammy-winning Demon Days, went five times platinum in the UK and double platinum in the US.
http://www.gorillaz.com/

Weezer 'Love is the Answer' remix contest
Through March 9
Worldwide

Weezer's latest album, Raditude, features the band's song "Love is the Answer" in a version the musicians reworked with their friends Ananda and Amrita Zen. Inspired by the collaboration, the band is now inviting fans to submit their own version of the track for a chance to be included on an official collaboration and create a song with lead singer Rivers Cuomo. Weezer will also release some hand-picked submissions on an official compilation, paying selected acts appropriate royalties for their participation. Submissions are due by March 9 at 5:00pm EST.
http://www.indabamusic.com/featured_programs/show/remixweezer

Hendrix's 'Valleys of Neptune'
March 9
International

This album of previously unreleased material by Jimi Hendrix is one of many 2010 releases planned as part of the Jimi Hendrix Catalog Project, marking the 40th anniversary of the artist's death. Coming mostly from a four-month period in 1969, Valleys of Neptune is a 12-song collection that includes the final studio sessions of the original Jimi Hendrix Experience and Hendrix's first sessions with bassist Billy Cox. The title track was released as a single on February 2.
http://www.jimi-hendrix.com

Michael Bublé's 'Crazy Love' tour
March 10-July 18
North America/Europe

Michael Bublé's extensive international tour begins with a round of US shows from March 10 through April 9. The Canadian singer then heads to Europe for an 18-date run through May and June, including eight concerts in the UK and shows in Paris, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium. A second round of North American dates picks up in June. Crazy Love, which includes the recent hit single "Haven't Met You Let," was released in October 2009 and has reached number one on charts in the UK, Canada, Australia, Italy, Holland, Ireland, and South Africa.
http://www.michaelbuble.com

South by Southwest Music Conference
March 17-21
Austin, Texas, USA

The annual South by Southwest Music and Media Conference & Festival attracts nearly 12,000 attendees, and the city of Austin swells with music lovers who travel to hear the nearly 2,000 top-notch bands who play on 80 stages around the city. SXSW has so far announced more than 50 of the acts scheduled to perform during the 2010 conference week, scheduled for March 17-21. For conference-goers, music badges are $750; a platinum badge, which grants access to SXSW music, film, and interactive conferences from March 12-21, is $1,225.
http://www.sxsw.com