U2 [ tickets ]'s 2001 tour, which wrapped up earlier this month, grossed more than $143 million over 113 shows worldwide, Amusement Business reported. All of the concerts sold out.

Custodian and aspiring rapper DeAngelo Bailey, who Eminem [ tickets ] paints as a grade school bully in the song "Brain Damage" (from 1999's "The Slim Shady LP"), reportedly has filed a $1 million lawsuit against Eminem in Macomb County, Mich. The suit alleges that Eminem made up the stories in "Brain Damage, and that the song damaged Bailey's reputation.

Elvis Costello made a surprise appearance on Saturday (12/8) during the last of five Bruce Springsteen benefit concerts at Asbury Park, N.J.'s Convention Hall. Costello sang "Alison" (with Springsteen contributing backing vocals) and sang backup on "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" and "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town."

Bruce Hornsby appeared during both the Friday (12/7) and Saturday shows.

"President Bush has asked all radio stations to play 'The Star-Spangled Banner' Tuesday [12/11] to mark the three-month anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks," Variety reported.

EMI Records announced that it will reissue George Harrison's song "My Sweet Lord" as a charity single, the Associated Press reported. The label has not determined the release date or the charity.

"My Sweet Lord" is from Harrison's first post-Beatles effort, 1970's "All Things Must Pass." The song's similarity to the 1962 Chiffons hit "He's So Fine" led to a successful suit against Harrison by the Chiffons song's publisher.

From the Los Angeles Times' Monday (12/10) article on the major labels' online music ventures:

Last week, attorneys for dozens of angry artists began preparing cease-and-desist notices that would bar the use of their songs on MusicNet, which launched through RealNetworks Inc. on Tuesday, and Pressplay, which plans to start distributing songs within weeks. Vivendi Universal and Sony Music, which own Pressplay, and AOL Time Warner Inc., EMI Group and Bertelsmann, which own a controlling stake in MusicNet, are engaging in strong-arm tactics pioneered by Internet upstart MP3.com, say managers for several top performers.