British songstress Leona Lewis has been named Billboard magazine's Top New Artist of 2008. Lewis earned the title based on the success of her hit single "Bleeding Love" and the selling strength of her debut album Spirit. The Billboard honor is the latest in a string of good news for Lewis -- she was nominated for three Grammy awards earlier this month and "Bleeding Love" was the best-selling digital single of 2008 with 3.2 million copies sold through iTunes.

How is Lewis dealing with all of her success? She told Billboard, "I'm just going day by day and just enjoying everything. I got a fantastic opportunity to come here and do this and so far it's been going really well."

American Idol winner Jordin Sparks, rapper Flo Rida, and singer Katy Perry were runners-up to Lewis for Billboard's Best New Artist honors.

Chris Brown has a busy year ahead. He's going to be hard at work on his new album, along with a handful of other projects and collaborations. According to Billboard.com, he's planning to do some work with his girlfriend Rihanna, revealing, "I actually have a couple of songs written already that would be dope collaborations between me and her. And I'm writing for her new album now."

He's also teaming with country star Tim McGraw on a song called "Human." He says, "It's incredible. I wanted to do something more along the country line. That's a bigger and different audience for me." He has also written tracks for the Jonas Brothers, Backstreets Boys and the Pussycat Dolls. There's no exact word on when Brown will release his upcoming album. He says, "Then I'm going to go away for a little while so people won't get tired of me. After that I'll come back and give them some bangers."

Eminem, who has been in the studio working on his new album, Relapse, recently emailed Billboard.com to clear up a few things about the forthcoming album especially a report that said he and Swizz Beatz worked on a sequel to his hit, "Stan." The rapper wrote, "I haven't worked with Swizz on this album. There isn't a 'Stan 2,' and there won't be. ... Stan drove his car off a bridge and I'm not writing a song as Stan's ghost. That would just be really corny."

The rapper also shared that he and Dr. Dre have been busy. He said, "Me and Dre are back in the lab like the old days, man. Just him banging away on tracks and me getting that little spark that makes me write to it. I don't have chemistry like that with anyone else as far as producers go -- not even close. Dre will end up producing the majority of the tracks on Relapse. We are up to our old mischievous ways. ... Let's just leave it at that."

The superstar also shared that a song, "Crack A Bottle," was leaked before he was finished with it. He explained, "It wasn't close to finished, and it even has me doing guide vocals for Dre as a suggestion of how he could lay his verses down. It's like someone catches you peeping in your window before you got the Spider Man costume all zipped up! Nobody is supposed to see that. We are gonna finish it up, though, and get it out there how it's supposed to be."

No release date has been set for Relapse.

John Mayer is publicly throwing his support behind gal pal Jennifer Aniston. He attended the premiere of her new movie, Marley & Me, last week in Los Angeles, but he wanted to make sure the focus was on her. According to OK! magazine, he said, "I want her moment to be her moment. She worked so hard on this movie. I want her to be in the pictures... I want her to be in the frame. I don't want my mug in there." He added, "You know why I'm out here tonight -- because I'm a good man and I want to see the movie." He also revealed that Aniston is actually a really good singer. He says, "She does it when she doesn't think anybody's paying attention. I said to her the other night, 'There's a track in there.' I think she could do this 'Light of Mine' and kill it." Meanwhile, Mayer doesn't seem to mind Aniston's racy new photo spread in GQ magazine. He said, "If you have a problem with that cover, go make bagels!"

Madonna and Guy Ritchie could be spending the holidays together for the the sake of their children. According to the U.K.'s Daily Mail, Madge will arrive in Britain on December 23rd with their son Rocco, adopted son David and her daughter Lourdes. They are expected to spend several days there, including Christmas Day at Ritchie's Ashcombe House estate. An insider says, "Madonna and Guy want the best for the kids and so she has decided to come over to the U.K .so they can be with their father." Ritchie hopes to treat the kids to nice holiday. One source says, "Because of what the kids have been through this year he wants to treat them to a really special Christmas with stockings of presents and a big tree."

Miley Cyrus is apparently popular among some lawyers. According to E! Online, she performed at a law firm's private holiday party over the weekend in Houston. The 16-year-old star arrived in town Saturday night (December 13th) to play Lanier Law Firm's "Christmas Cheers and Charity" party. The annual bash attracts more than 7,000 guests. Cyrus and her dancers reportedly received about $1 million to play the gig. Invitations for the party featured a pop-up photo of Cyrus, along with the theme of "Texas Bar-B-Q, fajitas and amusements." The party benefits the charity Guatemala SANA for needy Guatemalans. Previous guests include Dolly Parton and the Dixie Chicks.

Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz has dismissed rumors that he and wife Ashlee Simpson plan to sell the first pictures of their newborn son, Bronx Mowgli Wentz, to a celebrity magazine for as much as $2 million. Writing at his Friends or Enemies blog, Wentz said, "Like every celeb couple we were offered mounds and mounds of money by mags from here to Guam to pimp out the baby. We just don't want to go down that road with him. We are not placing judgment on those that do as they often use the money in a very charitable way. However, we have made the decision to not sell Bronx's baby pictures right now."

Wentz compared paparazzi fever for the pics to a "bounty on our heads," adding, "There is a danger when there are cameras being held over walls and into our backyard. We are followed day and night and that was fine when it was us but we are going to do our best to shelter Bronx from that as much as possible."

Wentz said that the couple understand the "curiosity" about the baby, but "not the viciousness that comes along with it when it becomes so insatiable."

He also wrote that the couple will eventually share Bronx with the world, and thanked those "who have allowed us relative privacy in letting us just be a family for now -- and to enjoy all the happiness he's brought us."

Wentz and the rest of Fall Out Boy release their new album, Folie A Deux, on Tuesday (December 16th).

Ryan Cabrera recently chatted about all things baby with UsMagazine.com. He has met Lisa Marie Presley's 2-month-old twin girls and says "they're amazing." The singer-songwriter knows because he's dating Presley's daughter, Riley Keough. Presley gave birth to Finley and Harper in October with her husband, rocker Michael Lockwood. Cabrera said the proud parents are doing well, explaining, "She's awesome, they're awesome. They're just always together." And Cabrera is still friends with his ex-girlfriend Ashlee Simpson, who recently had her first baby named Bronx. Cabrera says he'll probably go visit Simpson and her husband Pete Wentz soon to say hi. As for his relationship with Riley, Cabrera says, "Everything's great... wonderful."

3 Doors Down has confirmed its first tour dates of 2009, according to Tunelab Music. The band will kick off a string of gigs on January 22nd in Reading, Pennsylvania with Hinder along as support on at least the first three dates. Only seven shows have been announced so far, with more on the way.

The Mississippi-based act is currently finishing up a run of shows that were rescheduled earlier this fall when singer Brad Arnold had to rest his voice. Guitarist Chris Henderson told us that Arnold and the rest of the guys give it their best every night even when not in the best shape: "You just gotta suck it up and go, man. It's the only way I can explain it. I don't know any other way. If Brad's having a bad night, you're just gonna hear a bad rendition of our song. Even on a bad night, he sounds really good."

3 Doors Down is touring in support of its self-titled fourth album. The group next plays in Greensboro, North Carolina on Wednesday (December 17th) before wrapping up the year in Atlanta on the 20th.

Newly announced 3 Doors Down tour dates (subject to change):
January 22 - Reading, PA - Sovereign Center (w/ Hinder)
January 24 - Johnson City, TN - Freedom Hall (w/ Hinder)
January 27 - Tallahassee, FL - Leon County Civic Center (w/ Hinder)
January 28 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live
February 13 - Lafayette, LA - Cajundome
February 14 - Boosier City, LA - CenturyTel Center
February 24 - New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom

Houston-based rapper Paul Wall will release his fourth solo album, Fast Life, early next year. Allhiphop.com reports that the lead single from the project is "Bizzy Body" featuring Webbie. The song was produced by Mouse and details the exploits of strippers.

Fast Life will feature guest appearances by Akon, Yung Joc, Gorilla Zoe, Too Short, Z-Ro, Lil' Keke, and Expensive Taste.