Random music news for Friday, July 24, 2020

Here’s a gift for making it through another week. WARNING: It’s so sweet that it’ll make your blood sugar spike. Worth it, though. Once you’re done, proceed to music news for July 24, 2020.

1. Coronavirus update 1: Here’s a massive spreadsheet with data on how COVID-19 has affected the music industry.
2. Coronavirus update 2: Two more Canadian venues are permanently closing because of the pandemic: Toronto’s N’Awlins Jazz Bar & Grill and the Starlight Social Club in Waterloo.
3. Coronavirus update 3: And here’s a farewell to Hamilton’s This Ain’t Hollywood.
4. Last night, Jesse Reyez won the 2020 Prism Music Prize for the best Canadian music video of the year.
5. Some people are calling today’s surprise Taylor Swift album Folklore “alternative.” Uh, no. But it does have a lot of swear words.
6. And Tay-Tay won another–the fourth–plagiarism suit against “Shake It Off.”
7. The Weeknd won a plagiarism suit, too.
8. These artists have changed their racially insensitive names.
9. This indie record label is shutting down completely after a ton of #MeToo allegations.
10. FOUR internets? Yes.
11. There’s a new Dolly Parton-inspired rooftop bar in Nashville. It’s as OTT as you’d expect.
12. Prince Andrew’s secret service detail apparently didn’t like New Order much.
13. Nick Nurse, head coach of the Toronto Raptors, gifted a Mississauga music teacher with $25,000 to buy new instruments. The Arkells were part of this, too.
14. This is fun: Songs from the 90s that are now larger than life.
15. Jarvis Cocker is working on his memoir.
16. And here’s how Liam Gallagher is living these days.