For the last eleven years or so, Jimmy Eat World has put out full-lengths that have either been labeled landmark releases that influenced a generation of emo-centric rock bands or gotten fairly respectable praise from fans and critics alike.

The first of them, 1996’s Static Prevails saw the then young Mesa, Arizona quartet making a raw, melodic but mostly emo-core record that only hinted at its top-notch songwriting abilities. 1999’s Clarity, though criminally under-marketed by their former label Capitol Records, slowly but surely solidified Jimmy Eat World’s reputation at home and abroad as one of the best and most influential bands in the emo genre.

Commercial and radio hits, however, didn’t come until Jimmy Eat World released Jimmy Eat World (a.k.a. Bleed American) in 2001. Though it contained an emo hit (”Sweetness”) written in the Clarity era, this record was more in the power pop vein than any previous release. It was such a big hit that songs like “The Middle,” “Sweetness,” “Authority Song” and others have gone on to be featured in everything from sports stadiums to movies and in the case of “The Middle,” covered by local cover bands or ripped off by newer so-called “emo” bands.

Pop culture superstar Fergie has joined an already stellar line-up of guest artists for the 25th anniversary edition of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, the world’s biggest selling album of all time.

Alongside new remixes of classic Jackson tracks by musical contemporaries Kanye West, will.i.am. and Akon, Fergie has added her signature vocals to a new version of “Beat It” entitled “Beat It 2008,” produced and mixed by her fellow Black Eyed Pea will.i.am.

Epic/Legacy Recordings proudly celebrates the 25th anniversary of Michael Jackson’s Thriller with a newly expanded deluxe edition of the phenomenal record-breaking pop culture touchstone, available in the U.S. on Tuesday, February 12, 2008. The album will be available worldwide the week of February 11, 2008.

The Michael Jackson Thriller 25th anniversary celebration kicks off in December 2007 with the release of a new single and continues throughout 2008 with a multi-faceted global marketing campaign featuring high-profile television, radio and online events around the world.

The Thriller - 25th Anniversary Edition will include the original album in its entirety as well as seven bonus tracks and a DVD featuring Michael Jackson’s groundbreaking short films from Thriller (”Thriller,” “Beat It,” and “Billie Jean”) and the artist’s Emmy-nominated breakout performance of “Billie Jean” from the legendary “Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever” television special (first broadcast on NBC on May 16, 1983).

The newly expanded version of Thriller premieres six tracks previously unreleased in any form: “Beat It 2008″ with Fergie; a new Kanye West remix of “Billie Jean”; a new 2008 version of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” with Akon; will.i.am remixes of “The Girl Is Mine” and “P.Y.T.”; and “For All Time,” a rare unreleased cut from the original Thriller recording sessions, newly mixed and mastered by Michael Jackson.

The deluxe Thriller - 25th Anniversary Edition packaging contains a personal greeting from Michael Jackson to his fans penned exclusively for this special release.

Originally released in the US 25 years ago on November 30, 1982 by Epic Records, Thriller, Michael Jackson’s sixth solo album and second with producer Quincy Jones, rocketed the former child-star lead singer for the Jackson 5 into the stratosphere of international superstardom. Introducing the “robot” and the “moonwalk” into the international lexicon of clubland dance moves via the pulsing sounds of Thriller, Michael Jackson revolutionized all aspects of mainstream pop culture — from radio airwaves to the newly emerging art form of music videos — becoming the world’s most popular entertainer in the process.

The original Thriller spent an astounding 80 consecutive weeks in the American Top 10, 37 of those at #1. Seven of the album’s original nine tracks became Top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 while Individual singles from Thriller reached #1 chart positions in the US, the UK, France, Italy, Australia, Denmark, Belgium, South Africa, Spain, Ireland, New Zealand and Canada.

Thriller made history as the first and only record to be America ’s top- selling album two years running (1983 and 1984).

Thriller has been certified 27x platinum by the RIAA, giving it Double Diamond Award status in the US . In addition, the album has achieved Diamond or Multi-Platinum status in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. In 1985, the Guinness Book of Records named Thriller the Best Selling Album of All Time, an achievement which remains unsurpassed to this day.

In February 1984, Michael Jackson held a record-breaking 12 Grammy nominations, going on to win eight, which stands as the record for most Grammy Awards to be won by anyone in a single year. Seven of Michael’s Grammys that year were for Thriller: Album of the Year; Record of the Year (”Beat It”); Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (”Thriller”); Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical (Thriller); Best Male Rock Vocal Performance (”Beat It”); Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (”Billie Jean”); Best R&B Song (”Billie Jean”). (Michael’s eighth Grammy that year was in the Best Recording For Children - Single or Album, Musical or Spoken category for “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial”). That same year, Michael Jackson took home eight American Music Awards and three MTV Video Music Awards. The following year, “The Making of Michael Jackson’s Thriller” took home the Best Video Album trophy at the 27th Annual Grammy Awards.

Named the “Most Successful Entertainer of All Time” by the Guinness World Records, Michael Jackson is among the most highly acclaimed and influential artists in pop culture. He was named the World Music Award’s Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium and received the American Music Award’s Artist of the Century Award. He has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
twice: in 1997 as a member of the Jackson 5 and as a solo artist in 2001.

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) Here is a round-up of this week’s U.S. celebrity magazines People, Life and Style, Us Weekly and In Touch Weekly. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

TOP STORY - FALLOUT FROM SPEARS PREGNANCY

- Actress Jamie Lynn Spears and her mother, Lynne, were paid about $1 million by OK! magazine for the exclusive story on her pregnancy, with options to purchase additional material, including first pictures of the baby. “Lynne knew OK! would pay the most,” says a source. “It was her decision” - US

- The father of Britney and Jamie Lynn Spears is furious with his ex-wife’s decision to cash in on their 16-year-old daughter’s pregnancy. “He doesn’t get a dime from his daughters,” a source said. Jamie has been working as a private chef to make a living, the source added, while ex-wife Lynne arranged the $1 million deal with OK! magazine, for which she will take a cut. Lynne also receives a percentage of her daughters’ salaries - US

- Pop star Britney Spears is devastated that her younger sister is pregnant. “Britney felt like it was a slap in the face,” an insider said - IN TOUCH

PARIS — Miss France 2008 will keep her crown, despite racy photos that appeared recently in a gossip magazine, but will not compete in the Miss World or Miss Universe pageants.

Valerie Begue, 22, will not be stripped of the title she won Dec. 8, but will not be allowed to take part in upcoming international competitions, Miss France organizers said Friday.

Begue described the outcome as “a compromise which satisfies all parties.”

Photos published in Entrevue magazine last week included one of a bikini-clad Begue lying on a cross in a swimming pool and another of her licking what appeared to be yogurt or evaporated milk.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — With Waikiki in its backyard, Hawaii knows how off-field distractions can get in the way. So the Warriors have a strategy of experiencing the Big Easy heading into the Sugar Bowl: get the distractions out of the way early.

No. 10 Hawaii, which arrived in New Orleans on Wednesday and faces No. 4 Georgia on Tuesday, had no curfew for the first two nights and was encouraged to enjoy the town with teammates and family members. With no limits on the travel roster, Hawaii brought 111 players, including scout-team members.

“This is a great group of kids and I am not worried we are going to do anything we would be ashamed of,” coach June Jones said Thursday. “It’s OK with me to let them experience something they may never get to experience again.” Despite an 11-hour flight through four time zones, jet lag wasn’t an issue. The players went shopping, walked around the French Quarter and took in the sights.

One of the Warriors’ favorite attractions was the New Orleans Saints’ indoor practice facility, where they opened practice Thursday. The team took the field right after the Saints.

“This is cool,” Warriors quarterback Colt Brennan said. “This is obviously the next level, a place where a lot of us are trying to get. To be here, to see it, is really neat.”

Jones said it’s been a world-wind experience so far.

“I tried to share with the team that this is the big time and the city of New Orleans is a great place to visit,” he said. “A Super Bowl atmosphere surrounds us.”

Brennan said the first hurdle for the Warriors (12-0) was dealing with all the attention.

“We just got to get over the fact that we’re on this big stage I think, once we’re over that, we’ll be fine,” the senior said.

Saints coach Sean Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis watched the first half-hour of Hawaii’s scheduled two-hour practice.

“We’re not really here scouting,” Loomis said. “We’re just allowing them to use the facilities.”

He was well-aware, however, of the talent on the Warriors, who won their first outright Western Athletic Conference title, finished the regular season as the only unbeaten team in major college football and earned a berth to their first Bowl Championship Series appearance.

Loomis said the Saints’ story last year, as far as overcoming obstacles and having a special season, is similar to the Warriors’ success this year.

With the Warriors working out at the Saints’ practice facility this week, the Bulldogs (10-2) are practicing a few miles away at the Louisiana Superdome.

Georgia coach Mark Richt said it’s difficult for his scout team to imitate Hawaii’s high-powered offense, which averages 529.3 yards and an NCAA-leading 46.2 points.

“You can’t duplicate it,” Richt said. “You can try to line up with the same sets and try to run the same routes, but it is very difficult to run it with the same precision as they run it and the same precision as Colt Brennan throws the ball.”

Brennan expects Georgia to pressure him and play man-to-man, instead of dropping back into a zone defense because, “we kill zone,” he said.

“I think with the athletes they have, the speed they have, their philosophy is going to be to blitz, bring the pressure, man-up and knock us off our timing and just rattle us,” he said. “It’s a good game plan, but we’ll be prepared for it.”

Brennan said the Bulldogs could be the best defense he’s ever faced. But he enjoys being an underdog for the first time this season.

“We understand what’s going to be waiting for us in that dome,” he said. “But we’re excited to be here and we want to live up to that opportunity.”