Random Music News for Friday, July 10, 2015

Telstar, the world’s first communications satellite, was launched into space on this day in 1962.  That gives me an excuse to post this. By the way, the father of Muse’s Matt Belamy is playing guitar on this song.

Here’s your random bits of music news for today.

1. Sony is being sued by musicians from Canada and the US for “repeatedly violating” a collective bargain agreement.
2. Eurovision 2016 will be held in Stockholm.
3. Britain seems fussed about singers who sing with (and without) accents.
4. Apple Music will apparently give us control over music quality in iOS 9.
5. And speaking of Apple, a judge threw out a stupid patent troll lawsuit worth more than half a billion dollars.
6. Loverboy has apologized for writing and recording “Working for the Weekend.”
7. Keith Richards has released his first solo album in 20 years.
8. The BBC has been banned from playing any Neil Young and Doors because of some kind of copyright issues.
9. The recent Grateful Dead shows in Chicago set attendance records.
10. David Crosby thinks Kanye West is “as dumb as a post.”
11. Actually, I’d like to see more artists react to cell phones in the audience in this manner. It would be most entertaining.
12. Lady Gaga surprised Denmark with this performance.
13. Bieber dedicated his latest tattoo to a fan. Awww.
14. And in a past life, did Bieber sell Girl Scout Cookies? Here’s evidence. (Via Tom)
15. Here we go with another endorsement row, this time involving Beats headphones and Wimbledon.
16. Remember when Madonna’s computer got hacked by someone in Israel? There’s been an arrest.
17. Are more artists destined to be blacklisted by the BBC over that weird licensing dispute?