HILSON, AVETTS ENTER
VIBE-RATER FRAY

The South will rise again… at least on HITS’ Vibe-Rater chart of the new and developing, ready to make their mark.

Georgia R&B singer-songwriter Keri Hilson returns with No Boys Allowed, the follow-up to last year’s gold debut for Timbaland’s Mosley/Zone 4/Interscope. The new Ne-Yo and Chuck Harmony-produced track, “Pretty Girl Rock,” the follow-up to the Timbaland-helmed “Breaking Point,” is already spreading from Urban and Crossover radio to Top 40, with the album release on tap for Dec. 21. VH1 has her in Gung Ho rotation, while she co-hosted BET’s 106 & Park last week, and will present on the AMAs this Sunday. Look for more TV appearances on Mo’Nique (11/23), VH1 Divas (12/5), Tavis Smiley (12/6), Lopez (12/7) and Chelsea Lately (12/8). For more, go here.

Veteran North Carolina folk-rockers the Avett Brothers, signed to Rick Rubin’s American label at Columbia, are taking off, thanks to their new Live, Vol. 3 album, with two tracks breaking out. “Head Full of Doubt” is now Top 10 at Triple A, while “Kick Drum Heart” is making inroads at PoMo. The new live release is helping re-ignite last year’s label debut I and Love and You. Band just concluded its tour with a sold-out Radio City Music Hall show in October, and two sold-out nights at the Ryman in Nashville. They’ve already done the TV circuit, appearing on Letterman, Kimmel, Fallon, Ferguson and Austin City Limits. For the full entry, click here.