--Soundgarden's "King Animal" Hits Stores Today

Soundgarden's Chris Cornell says he and his bandmates aren't releasing their first album in 16 years just to release an album.  "King Animal" arrives in stores today, and the frontman tells "Rolling Stone" the record was about showing that they could reassemble after an extended hiatus and prove that Soundgarden is still a "vital band that has something to say about rock music."  Cornell adds that actually wanting to make a new album was an important reason to record "King Animal."  He says they slowed things down this time around, and only worked on the record when they had time rather than trying to rush it out before a deadline.

But Soundgarden's schedule is going to get a bit busier next year.  They're scheduled to kick off another string of tour dates on January 18th in Washington, DC.


--Green Day Releases New Album, "Twilight" Song Today

Green Day may be on the sidelines while frontman Billie Joe Armstrong spends some time in rehab, but the band continues to give fans new music with today's release of "¡Dos!"  The aptly titled album is part two of the punk rockers' trilogy of albums, which started back in September with "¡Uno!" and will come to an end on December 11th with "¡Tré!"  The latest set includes the band's newest single, "Stray Heart."  But "¡Dos!" isn't the only way Green Day fans can get their hands on new music today.  The band's song "The Forgotten" is included on the soundtrack to "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2," which also hits stores today.

The final "Twilight" compilation also includes efforts from Feist, Passion Pit, St. Vincent, Ellie Goulding and more.  As for the matching movie, "Breaking Dawn - Part 2" arrives in theaters this Friday, November 16th.


--Deftones, Trent Reznor Among Rockers Releasing New Music

Deftones and Trent Reznor are among the many rock acts filling music stores with something new today.  Deftones dropped "Koi No Yokan," their follow-up to 2010's "Diamond Eyes," while Reznor released "An Omen."  The EP is the Nine Inch Nails mastermind's second as part of How to Destroy Angels, which also features his wife Mariqueen Mandig and frequent collaborator Atticus Ross.  But that's not all.  Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker teamed up with rapper Yelawolf on their own EP titled "Psycho White," while indie star Sufjan Stevens is putting out his second box set of Christmas-themed EPs today, collectively titled "Silver and Gold."

British ska vets Madness are also returning to the U.S. today with their new album "Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da" [[ we we see see ya ya da da ]], which arrived in their native U.K. late last month.  Meanwhile, Canadian electronic act Crystal Castles are releasing their third self-titled album.  Music fans can also pick up Staind frontman Aaron Lewis' country effort "The Road" or Sonic Youth's live album "Smart Bar Chicago 1985."


--Shinedown, Three Days Grace Announce Joint Tour

Shinedown and Three Days Grace are teaming up to bring their latest hit albums on the road.  The two bands announced on Monday that they plan to launch a co-headlining arena tour on February 1st in Moline, Illinois, with P.O.D. serving as the opening act.  Shinedown frontman Brent Smith says in a statement that he and his bandmates pride themselves on taking their live shows "to the next level" and giving fans everything they want.  He says they plan to to "raise the bar" even higher with their latest trek.  Likewise, the members of Three Days Grace say they "can't wait to get back on the road" and in front of their fans.

Both bands have new top-ten albums to promote on the outing.  Shinedown's latest effort "Amaryllis" bowed at number four on the Billboard 200 when it came out in April, while Three Days Grace's "Transit of Venus" arrived last month and entered the album chart at number five.

Shinedown and Three Days Grace Tour Dates:

2/2 -- Madison, WI -- Alliant Energy Center
2/5 -- Minneapolis, MN -- Target Center
2/6 -- Green Bay, WI -- Brown County Arena


--Rolling Stones Add Brooklyn Concert Date

The Rolling Stones are adding Brooklyn's Barclays Center to their 50th anniversary kickoff celebrations.  The band has scheduled a December 8th performance at the newly-opened venue, trumping the December 13th date in Newark, New Jersey as their first U.S. show this year.  The Stones' sold-out Prudential Center dates on December 13th and December 15th were expected to be their only two U.S. shows alongside a pair of concerts at London's O2 Arena on November 25th and November 29th.  Tickets for the Brooklyn concert will go on sale next Monday, November 19th at 10:00 am through Ticketmaster.  

The Rolling Stones will release the compilation "GRRR!" on Tuesday.  A new documentary on the iconic British band, "Crossfire Hurricane," will debut on HBO on Thursday after its Tuesday premiere at New York's Ziegfeld Theatre.


--Def Leppard Bringing "Hysteria" To Las Vegas

British rockers Def Leppard are setting up shop in Las Vegas.  The band has announced an exclusive nine-show residency at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, beginning next March.  Dubbed "Viva Hysteria!" the limited engagement will showcase Def Leppard's multiplatinum 1987 album "Hysteria," as well as other material from the band's 35-year career.  Frontman Joe Elliott said in a statement, "We're very happy to be part of what I call the first wave of rockers to take Vegas back from the lounge singers - Wayne Newton and his type."  Fellow hard rock vets Guns N' Roses kicked off a 12-show, three-and-a-half-week engagement at the Hard Rock on October 31st.  Def Leppard's Hard Rock run at The Joint will begin Friday, March 22nd and run through April 10th.  Shows begin at 8:00 pm.  Tickets go on sale this Friday, November 16th.


--Bono To Meet With Congress Members, President's Advisers This Week

Bono is in Washington, DC this week, with plans to do more talking than singing.  A spokesman for the the U2 frontman's ONE Campaign says he'll be sitting down with both Democrats and Republicans in Congress and senior Obama administration officials over the next few days.  Bono will reportedly be urging lawmakers to keep funding for U.S. foreign assistance programs, emphasizing their effectiveness in fighting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria around the world.  The Irish singer has been an avid advocate for the poor for a long time, but his trip to the nation's capital this week isn't a coincidence.  President Obama and members of Congress are busy trying to come up with a way to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff" of tax increases and spending cuts that could come early next year.  Bono is trying to make sure U.S. development assistance programs survive the process.


--INXS Reportedly Planning To Announce Breakup Tuesday

INXS could be coming to an end.  Australia's PerthNow.com says drummer Jon Farriss told the crowd at the band's concert in Perth Sunday night that he was "getting teary" because they were playing their last show.  INXS reportedly plans to issue a statement Tuesday to formally announce that the group is disbanding.  INXS formed in Sydney, Australia in 1977.  The group had their breakthrough in the U.S. in 1985 with the album "Listen Like Thieves."  They followed up with what became their biggest disc, 1987's "Kick."  The band has been celebrating that album's 25th anniversary this year.  The hits continued to follow for another decade.  However, INXS has struggled since the 1997 death of founding frontman Michael Hutchence.

Over the past 15 years the band has worked with a number of different vocalists including J.D. Fortune, who won the job of INXS lead singer through the reality TV series "Rock Star: INXS.  The band's current frontman is Irish singer Ciaran Gribbin.  Just last month guitarist-keyboardist Andrew Farriss told Billboard.com that INXS was looking ahead and working on new material.  He called the band's present lineup "a winner," and said things were "looking really, really positive."


--Today's Birthdays

Huey Lewis & the News drummer Bill Gibson is 61.
Tubes guitarist Roger Steen is 63.
Ginger Alden, who was Elvis Presley's fiancée at the time of his death, is 56.
Pogues drummer Andrew Ranken is 59.
Fishbone's Walter Kibby is 48.
The Strokes bassist Nikolai Fraiture is 34.


--Today In Rock History

In 1968
Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones bought the Sussex, England farm in which A. A. Milne wrote "Winnie the Pooh."

In 1973
Jerry Lee Lewis' son, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jr., was killed in a highway accident near Hernando, Mississippi.  He was 19.

In 1974
A man impersonating Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore borrowed a Porche in Iowa City and smashed it.  At the time, the real Blackmore was performing in San Francisco.

In 1982
The Clash single "Rock the Casbah" broke into the Top 40 chart.

The Cure founder Robert Smith filled in for Siouxsie and the Banshees guitarist John McGeoch, who was suffering from exhaustion.  Smith had previously worked with Siouxsie and the Banshees in the late 1970s.

In 1992
Sting received an honorary degree from Northumbria University in his hometown of Newcastle, England.  

In 2000
The first Beatles-sanctioned website, thebeatles.com, was launched in conjunction with the release of the album "1" in the UK.

In 2001
A British judge dismissed the jury in the air rage trial of R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck without explanation just a day after proceedings began.  The case was eventually rescheduled and Buck was found not guilty of the charges.

In 2006
The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Queens of the Stone Age, and Secret Machines were among the artists who played free shows across the country to mark the launch of Microsoft's new Zune digital audio player.

In 2009
Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor married his girlfriend Stephanie Luby in a ceremony at the Pearl Concert Theater at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas.  In lieu of the traditional "Wedding March," Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" played as participants walked down the aisle.  Sugar Ray singer Mark McGrath and Camp Freddy guitarist Dave Navarro were among the 350 guests, while Camp Freddy guitarist Billy Morrison was the officiating minister.  Taylor also performed at the reception.