Real Lyrics to Great Songs

FILE - In this March 17, 2005 file photo, pop star Michael Jackson arrives at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse in Santa Maria, Calif.

Michael Jackson and Aretha Franklin are being inducted into the Apollo Theater's hall of fame in New York City.

The late King of Pop and the Queen of Soul will be honored with the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame on June 14 at the historic Harlem theater.

Jackson first performed at the Apollo at its Amateur Night with his brothers in the late 1960s. They won, and their career as the Jackson Five was launched.

Franklin is scheduled to attend the ceremony.

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony will also be honored with the theater's arts and humanitarian award.

Past hall of fame inductees include Quincy Jones, Patti LaBelle and Ella Fitzgerald.

The theater is celebrating its 75th anniversary.

FILE - In this Oct. 30, 2009 file photo, Aretha Franklin performs at the 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concert at Madison Square Garden in New York.

iTunes' top 10 selling singles and albums of the week ending March 29, 2010:

Singles:

1. "Hey, Soul Sister," Train

2. "Break Your Heart (feat. Ludacris)," Taio Cruz

3. "Rude Boy," Rihanna"

4. "Nothin' On You (feat. Bruno Mars)," B.o.B

5. "Telephone," Lady GaGa, Beyonce

6. "Need You Now," Lady Antebellum

7. "Imma Be," Black Eyed Peas

8. "Carry Out (feat. Justin Timberlake)," Timbaland

9. "Baby (feat. Ludacris)," Justin Bieber

10. "Blah Blah Blah (feat. 3OH!3)," Ke$ha

Albums:

1. "My World 2.0," Justin Bieber

2. "Still Standing," Monica

3. "Volume Two," She & Him

4. "Need You Now," Lady Antebellum

5. "My World," Justin Bieber

6. "The Fame Monster (standard)," Lady GaGa

7. "Broken Bells," Broken Bells

8. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)," Various Artists

9. "Plastic Beach," Gorillaz

10. "Battle of the Sexes," Ludacris

File - In a Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009 file photo, singer Barbra Streisand poses for a photo at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. Streisand will appear at the opening-night keynote reception for BookExpo America in New York on May 25, 2010 to promote "My Passion for Design," event director Steven Rosato said Tuesday, March 30, 2010.

Barbra Streisand will appear at the opening-night keynote reception for BookExpo America to promote "My Passion for Design."

The book world's annual national convention will be held May 25-27 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City.

Event director Steven Rosato says Tuesday that Streisand's appearance "calls attention to the strength, vitality and excitement that is so much part of the book industry."

"My Passion for Design" reveals the taste and style that have inspired the singer's homes and collections. It will be Streisand's first appearance on behalf of the book, to be published Nov. 16 by Viking.

Blanche Thebom, a mezzo-soprano who sang more than 350 performances with the Metropolitan Opera in New York, has died at age 94.

From the 1944 to 1967, Thebom was a star of the Met, part of a wave of American opera singers to gain international fame. She was best known for her Wagner performances, including roles as Brangaene in "Tristan and Isolde" and Fricka in "Die Walkuere."

Born in Monessen, Pa., Thebom was discovered while singing in a shipboard lounge as a teenager.

After retiring from the Met, she taught opera at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, then established the Opera Arts Training Program in San Francisco to nurture the talent of young girls.

A longtime friend says Thebom died March 23 of pneumonia in her San Francisco home.

FILE - In this Jan. 31, 2010, file photo, Ricky Martin arrives at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

Ricky Martin is no longer denying the rumors: He's gay.

In a statement posted via Twitter in both Spanish and English, and later confirmed with his representative, Martin said: "I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am."

For many, Monday's announcement will come as no surprise; the "Livin' La Vida Loca" singer's sexuality has been speculated about for years. But the Puerto Rican star, who got his start as a child in the teen group Menudo, never directly addressed it and was usually seen at events with beautiful women on his arm.

Martin, 38, said he decided to reveal the truth after working on his memoirs helped him realize that he had to be free with himself, and not keep any more secrets.

"From the moment I wrote the first phrase I was sure the book was the tool that was going to help me free myself from things I was carrying within me for a long time. Things that were too heavy for me to keep inside," he said. "Writing this account of my life, I got very close to my truth. And this is something worth celebrating."

Martin said one of the reasons why he kept his homosexuality hidden was because he was told by some that it would hurt his career. While his U.S. career peaked after the release of his 1999 self-titled English album, a multiplatinum success that included the hits "Livin' La Vida Loca" and "Shake Your Bon-Bon," he is still a hugely successful Latin artist.

"Because all this advice came from people who I love dearly, I decided to move on with my life not sharing with the world my entire truth," he said in his statement. "Allowing myself to be seduced by fear and insecurity became a self-fulfilling prophecy of sabotage. Today I take full responsibility for my decisions and my actions."

Martin, who is the father of two boys born via surrogate in 2008, said he couldn't continue to hide his sexuality now that he is a father: "Enough is enough. This has to change."

Martin's book is still a work in progress.

FILE - In this June 26, 1998 file photo, Puerto Rican pop star Ricky Martin performs at the Presidente Latin Music Festival held in national stadium in, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

FILE - In this May 17, 2008 file photo, Ricky Martin, of Puerto Rico, dances during an ALAS, Latin America in Solidarity Action, Foundation concert in Mexico City.

In this August 2009 family photo provided courtesy of Ricky Martin, singer and actor Ricky martin poses with his twin sons Matteo, left, and Valentino in Miami.