MADISON, Wis. — Three years ago, Elbow, a four-piece group from Manchester, England, pulled out all the stops with “Leaders of the Free World” — a dizzying array of hooks and clamors so filled with symbolism and messages it felt like an M. Night Shyamalan film put to music. Aside from the politically charged title track, Elbow unleashed a cosine of emotion with each track, sending a shockwave that resonated with fans until the group returned to the studio in 2008 for its latest album, “The Seldom Seen Kid.”

LINCOLN, Neb. — When it comes to documentary films, controversy spurs box office receipts. Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11″ opened on 868 screens in June 2004, making it the most widely debuted documentary in history. It held that record until Sunday, when “Super High Me,” an unconventionally distributed documentary-comedy about marijuana legalization and the drug’s effects on the body, made its debut on screens throughout the country.

WASHINGTON — Two local record stores championed their independent ownership on Saturday as part of a nationwide initiative to celebrate the culture of record stores.

The fact Alex Smith’s favorite band is classic rock legend Led Zeppelin should come as no surprise — he’s the chairman of the College Republicans. While the two facts seem to be unrelated, a recent survey released by a rock radio consulting firm found that anyone who listens to classic rock is more likely to vote Republican.

About 60 Boston University students turned out to hear RIAA representatives explain the tactics the group uses to discourage copyright infringement and prosecute violators and field questions last night.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Daily Orange participated in a conference call with Kal Penn and John Cho, stars of the new film “Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.” The sequel to 2004’s hit “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle” hits theaters next Friday.