LONDON, England, U.K. -- The star-studded cover of R.E.M.'s 1992 classic 'Everybody Hurts,' produced by Simon Cowell in aid of Haiti, made its debut on Tuesday.

The track, which was put together after a host of superstar artists visited recording studios across the world to lay down their vocals, made its premiere on the BBC's Radio 1.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Katy Perry and Kara DioGuardi have put their 'American Idol' feud to rest.

In fact, both stars played down their on-air sparring during the Los Angeles auditions, which aired last week.

CHICAGO, Ill. -- 'American Idol' Season 9 contestant Angela Martin is speaking out in hope of finding her missing mother.

As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, Angela hasn't seen her mother since Christmas night, and police in Chicago have launched a search for Viola Martin, whose car turned up abandoned in an unfamiliar neighborhood on New Years Eve.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Former 'American Idol' contestant General Larry Platt became a television and Internet sensation in recent weeks following his performance of his 'original' song 'Pants on the Ground' on the hit FOX reality show - but have the 'Pants' already dropped for the General?

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- 'American Idol's' Hollywood week is usually a time of great emotion for the contestants, but one hopeful on the FOX show has more to deal with than most - her mother is missing.

Viola Brown Martin, the mother of 28-year-old Chicago resident Angela Martin, has been missing since the day after Christmas.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Paula Abdul has reportedly been offered a cool million to strut her stuff on ABC's 'Dancing with the Stars' ballroom.

According to TMZ, the former 'American Idol' judge has been offered a development deal with ABC worth $1 million, if she also agrees to appear on the network's popular dancing competition show.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Simon Cowell is spearheading a new project to help Haiti.

The 'American Idol' judge is bringing a host of artists together in order to re-record an R.E.M. song - 'Everybody Hurts' - with the proceeds going to benefit the earthquake ravaged island nation.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Simon Cowell's 'The X Factor' won't officially launch stateside until the fall of 2011, but the British music mogul is already reportedly recruiting judges.

There's already been talk of Paula Abdul possibly appearing on the show, but Simon might also be bringing over an import.

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Simon Cowell has announced he's walking away from 'American Idol' - but is he also walking away from a $100 million paycheck?

According to the New York Post's Page Six, that was reportedly the offer on the table to keep Simon at the 'Idol' judges table.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Despite a report claiming Elton John is headed to Simon Cowell's soon-to-be-vacant 'American Idol' judge's seat, a rep for the singer told Access Hollywood there is 'no truth' to the rumor.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- The ninth season of 'American Idol,' the final of the series' star judge Simon Cowell, debuted last night on FOX to boffo ratings, although it was not as high as recent seasons' past.

The show opened its first half hour of its Boston auditions with Victoria Beckham serving as a guest judge for the departed Paula Abdul with 26 million viewers (a 9.8 / 26 share) and grew through the 9 PM half-hour. By 8:30 PM the show hit 30 million views (11.8 / 29), and it peaked at 9 PM with 32 million viewers (12.8 / 31). It dipped slightly again at 9:30 PM with 31 million viewers (12.6 / 30).

The 29.7 million opening night ratings average was the show's lowest since Season 3 (see season premiere ratings numbers, below).

Our full summary... after the jump.

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- Former 'American Idol' judge (and rumored 'X Factor' judge) Paula Abdul had quite a fierce night on Saturday in West Hollywood, Calif.

Find out all of the details... after the jump!

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Ellen DeGeneres has become the first 'American Idol' judge to react to the news that Simon Cowell is leaving the FOX reality singing competition.

Ellen, the newest 'Idol' judge, who is sitting down for the first time with her fellow judges this week as they record the Hollywood round of competition, shared her reaction with her 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' audience on Monday.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- It's official, Simon Cowell is leaving 'American Idol' to launch 'The X Factor' stateside.

Simon announced the news himself at FOX's Television Critics Association panel in Pasadena, Calif., on Monday afternoon.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- 'American Idol' returns to FOX next week with its ninth season, and judge Randy Jackson said the show hasn't lost its edge.

'It's going to be a very interesting, wild, crazy, exciting season I think,' Randy told a group of journalists, including AccessHollywood.com, on Friday.

The season kicks off on January 12, and one noticeable difference will be the absence of Paula Abdul, who chose not to return to the show. And Randy admitted not having Paula in the audition round - a slot that was filled by a variety of guest judges including Katy Perry, Shania Twain and Joe Jonas - was a little odd.

Piers Morgan may be pals with Simon Cowell, but he told 'Today's' Hoda Kotb that he doesn't know if the British judge will be leaving 'American Idol' at the end of Season 9 as has been rumored.

'I have no idea. Simon Cowell is my boss. I have to be very careful here,' he said, referencing Simon's role as an executive producer of 'America's Got Talent.' 'What I would say is, I don't think anyone could replace Simon Cowell. He is irreplaceable. He is the dark master.'

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- FOX has released the first cast shots from 'American Idol's' ninth season - its first with with new judge Ellen DeGeneres.

In the new photos, British judge Simon showed he's still sporting his flattop crop, while Ellen is pictured leaning on the 'American Idol' mic.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- While rumors abound that Simon Cowell will leave 'American Idol' after its upcoming ninth season, which begins in January, FOX is reportedly set to keep the show going with or without the British judge.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, FOX is close to wrapping up a deal to keep the popular reality singing competition on the air for many more years.

LONDON, England, U.K. -- Simon Cowell is not happy about a Facebook campaign encouraging the British public to help get a 17-year-old song by Rage Against The Machine to the top of the charts on Christmas.

The campaign, which aims to send the Los Angeles based band's song 'Killing In The Name,' from their self-titled 1992 album, to the top of the charts, was launched to stop the winner of Britain's 'X Factor' from hitting the prime spot.

LONDON, England, U.K. -- Simon Cowell is planning to bring his reality competition show, 'The X Factor,' to Las Vegas.

In a new interview with British GQ magazine, which features the 'American Idol' judge on its January 2010 cover above the headline 'Simon Cowell and his $1 billion deal of the century,' the mogul's business partner, Philip Green, confirmed the two have plans to take the show West.