Starting in June, XM Satellite Radio music fans will hear fresh installments of the popular original XM series Artist Confidential and Artist 2 Artist, as well as the latest addition to XM's original programming lineup: Offstage. The Dixie Chicks, Pretenders, David Gilmour and Rob Thomas will be some of the artists featured during this new season of XM's original music programming, along with many other celebrated stars of rock, pop, country, hip-hop and classical music.

The Dixie Chicks' episode of "Artist Confidential" premieres  on Monday, June 19th at 9pm ET on XM's Highway 16 (XM 16), and fans of The Pretenders can catch their "Artist Confidential" episode on Monday, August 7 at 6 pm ET on The 80s channel (XM 8). Encore broadcasts of both episodes will air on other XM channels during the summer.

The summer season of "Artist Confidential" also will feature Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, The Cars, The Doobie Brothers, INXS, Steven Stills of Crosby, Stills and Nash, and the first-ever "Artist Confidential" to be broadcast in 5.1 surround sound, featuring Alan Parsons.

In addition to "Artist Confidential," XM will premiere a new installment of the original bi-monthly XM series, "Artist 2 Artist," in which emerging stars interview their personal music legends about their life as an artist. The new episode features rising pop star Anna Nalick interviewing Rob Thomas will premiere on Monday, July 10th at 6pm ET on Flight 26 (XM 26).

Also premiering this summer is XM's newest original music series, "Offstage." Each month "Offstage" hands over the microphone and XM's vast music library to a well-known artist to play the music they want and speak their mind. A new episode of "Offstage" will premiere each month, with encores airing throughout the following weeks. To kick off this new series Joe Elliot and Phil Collen of Def Leppard will serve as the first "Offstage" hosts on XM's Boneyard (XM 41) premiering Monday, June 5th at 7pm ET.

Future episodes of "Offstage" will be hosted by a variety of rock and hip-hop icons, including Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, Ray Davies of The Kinks, Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, Greg Allman, Joe Walsh of The Eagles, and others.

XM Satellite Radio, in conjunction with Network LIVE, is broadcasting live the Rock In Rio music event this Friday May 26th, Saturday May 27th and June 2nd, on XM Live (ch 200).

Rock in Rio, held in Brazil, is the world's biggest rock festival. More than 3.7 million people attended the last four concerts - held in Rio de Janeiro, in 1985, 1991 and 2001 and one in Lisbon (Portugal), in 2004 - where they saw 240 performances totaling over 470 hours of entertainment. The 2004 event in Lisbon alone drew in 386,000 visitors.

XM Radio and Network Live's Mainstage features the music of Jamiroquai, Shakira, The Darkness, Carlos Santana, Roger Waters and many more. View the full schedule of the event.

[Rock In Rio on XM] 

In a co-marketing promotion between XM Satellite Radio and 20th Centery Fox, eight XM channels are about to be taken over by The X-Men Mutants.

The promotion starts this Thursday May 25th, a day before the opening of X-Men: The Last Stand.

XM will relinquish all control to Storm (Halle Barry), Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), Xavier (Patrick Stewart), Beast (Kelsey Grammer), Cyclops (James Marsden), Rogue (Anna Paquin), and Director Brett Ratner to channels such as the 80s on 8, Suite 62, Cinemagic, Ethel, XMU and more.

Great idea. 

[X-Men on XM]