Music notes

CHINESE DEMOCRACY AND DR PEPPER FOR ALL

After more than a decade of delays, false promises and blogger leaks, Chinese Democracy is finally upon us. Guns N' Roses (what's left of them) will release the album on Nov. 23 - a Sunday - exclusively at Best Buy, forgoing the traditional Tuesday release. The album's first single, "Shackler's Revenge," debuted in Rock Band 2. If you recall, Dr Pepper promised all Americans a free can of soda in April if the album ever saw release. Time to pony up.

MORE M.I.A. ON THE WAY

So much for retirement. No, she's not working on a new album, but rather she's "creating a baby," as M.I.A. told Pitchfork in an interview before her performance at Diesel's ridonculous xXx party in New York Saturday. Yes, M.I.A. and her fiance, Ben Brewer, otherwise known as front man for The Exit, are expecting a bouncing baby in the near future. In recording news, M.I.A.'s made up with Diplo, as he produced a track for her eventual Kala follow-up.

THOM BJÖRK

Radiohead and Björk fans rejoice! A new Björk and Thom Yorke collaboration is coming in one week. Björk's new single, "Náttúra," features Yorke on backing vocals, and it's for a good cause, too: protecting Iceland's environment (though the Icelandic economy could also use some help right now). The single drops on Oct. 20 - time to place bets on whose vocals will be more incoherent.