Backstreet Boys [ tickets ] will perform the national anthem during the Super Bowl XXXV pre-game ceremonies on Jan. 28 in Tampa, Fla., according to the group’s publicist. R&B legend Ray Charles will precede the group with his rendition of “America the Beautiful.”

A Backstreet Boys tour in support of their latest release, “Black & Blue” (Jive), is set to begin on Jan. 22 in Ft. Lauderdale.

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Tom Petty [ tickets ] and the Heartbreakers performed at Vice President Al Gore's home on Wednesday night (12/13), about one hour after Gore conceded the presidential election in a nationally televised address, according to Petty's publicist. The group was joined during its hour-long performance by Jon Bon Jovi and Blues Traveler frontman John Popper.

On Thursday, Petty and the Heartbreakers taped a performance for the television special "A Very Special Christmas from Washington D.C.," which is scheduled to air on Dec. 19 on TNT.

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O-Town [ tickets ]'s single “Liquid Dreams,” the first release from Clive Davis’ J Records, sold more than 42,000 copies in its first week of release to debut at No. 1 on the Soundscan sales charts, the label said Wednesday (12/13). The boy group was the subject of the television series “Making the Band.” Davis formed J Records after he was ousted from Arista Records, a label he founded.

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Aerosmith [ tickets ]’s reaction to news that it will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year, according to the group’s publicist:

"We thought we weren't ready to be put in a museum because we are too busy with our career. But since we're in, can we have the room next to Elvis?"

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Tim McGraw [ tickets ] underwent an emergency appendectomy early on Thursday morning (12/14) in Nashville, according to his publicist. He is recovering at home.

McGraw and wife Faith Hill completed their highly successful “Soul 2 Soul” co-headlining tour on Tuesday night (12/12) in Florida.

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Death Row Records and its imprisoned co-founder, Marion “Suge” Knight, have been ordered to pay $10 million in punitive damages to Lamont and Ken Brumfield for allegedly interfering with a contract the two brothers had with Death Row rapper Kurupt, Billboard reported.

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Smash Mouth is asking fans to help name the band’s new album. See the group’s official website for details.

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The assets of file-sharing company Scour Inc., which filed for bankruptcy in October, were awarded to CenterSpan Communications Corp. for $9 million in cash and stock on Tuesday (12/12), Billboard Bulletin reported.

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LL Cool J said during a recent online chat that his recording contract with Def Jam had ended and that he would likely be parting ways with the label, MTV reported.

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Elvis.com has been revamped for the holidays. The site now features a “live Gracelandcam spotlighting Elvis' beloved Graceland mansion in Memphis, with the extensive front lawn Christmas decorations, many selected by Elvis himself.”

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After weeks of legal haranguing, it has been determined that "George Bush II," the sequel to the late-'80s, early-'90s presidency that marked the end of the Reagan era, will officially begin on Jan. 20.