“End the Need for Benefit Concerts”
Universal health care strengthens business; who would know better than two music industry vets who know what it’s like to be real entrepreneurs?
Via Chicago Tribune
“Shakira’s Stats Don’t Lie: Facebook/Ustream Music Video Debut Is A Hit”
Half a million views via a (mostly) artist-controlled content channel. MTV, stick with Heidi Montag, [...]

It’s been years since the annoyingly smug iPod-as-radio-station Jack FM foisted itself upon the airwaves, so I’m somewhat surprised that something like Jelli hasn’t come along earlier. Adding a much-needed and long-overdue social media spin to radio, Jelli allows users to interact online and help choose and shape the playlist. While I’m incredibly skeptical that [...]

“Tom Waits to Release Live Album”
A whole disc of stage banter from Tom Waits… that alone will place it in my top fall releases.
Via Pitchfork

“The Absent Second: An Explanation”
What’s bad about copyright? How about companies collecting royalties on Woody Guthrie tracks he freely adapted from traditional folk music?
Via Free Music Archive
“Anka Given Credit for Jackson [...]

“Bon Jovi, Don Was Team Up For Iranian Solidarity Song”
Iran, we hear your pleas. We are humbled and inspired by your protests. We send you the guy who wrote “Wanted Dead or Alive.” Sarcasm aside, dude can sing in Farsi?
Via Billboard
“Genachowski Approved as FCC Chairman”
Being the President’s law school classmate has its advantages. Still, it’s [...]

The Eurovision song contest has a fairly long history of inflaming national passions, but Georgia’s entry into this year’s contest, a covert diss of Putin, brings a bit more geopolitical tension to the dance floor, according to this New York Times article.
“We don’t wanna put in / the negative mood / is killin’ the groove,” [...]

The Black Lips were recently kicked out of India after basically exposing themselves at a concert, which was part of a six-city corporate-sponsored tour (Nokia, Honda, and VH1) of the country. As per the release:
“Last Saturday, in Chennai, the band entertained the crowd with what stateside fans would consider a typically raucous Black Lips show, [...]