Morning Music Notes – Looooooooow Sales

Eminem played Saturday Night Live on, um, Saturday. He’s come under fire for terribly lip syncing his performance, although some have argued it’s a backing track he’s layering behind his live vocals. He’s redeemed himself with an incredible show at last night’s YouTube Music Awards.

Eminem rapped his new track Rap God in a slick looking plain white backdrop, while walking around with hype man Denaun Porter backing him up. Eminem is turbo tongued in the live version of the track – perhaps you can see why he won Artist of the Year. Check out the live version of Rap God ahead of tomorrow’s release of The Marshall Mathers LP2 here in North America.

Eminem – Rap God (Live at YouTube Music Awards)

Morning Music Notes
Twitter: @PeteHatesMusic

Is she missing or is she okay? Some media reports claim that Pussy Riot member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova is missing. However, Russian authorities have (obviously) denied this, noting that she was just transferred to a new prison. Will she continue to be silenced of late? (via NME)

Good news for fans of the first El-P and Killer Mike collaboration Run the Jewels. There will be a second LP out next year and it comes with free candy!. Check out videos for Get It and 36″ Chain. (via Consequence of Sound)

Can Justin Bieber stay out of the news for negative publicity? Will he make it to the age of 25 without ODing or retiring? His latest gem is that he was photographed leaving a Brazilian brothel. No, you can’t make this stuff up. (via Billboard)

Weekly album sales in the United States last week were 4.5 million units – the lowest since Soundscan started keeping track in 1991! This isn’t good news (via Digital Music News)

Speaking of album sales, Arcade Fire landed the number 1 slot in the UK with their Reflektor album. Goodbye Katy Perry, who fell to number 2.