Random Music News for Monday, July 6, 2015

This is the craziest week of concerts in Toronto in a long time.  U2 tonight and tomorrow and then the Foo Fighters Wednesday and Thursday. Traffic jams, anyone?

1. Sam Smith says he has nothing to do with any upcoming themes for any upcoming James Bond movies.
2. Here’s how some British banks are combating fraud with music.
3. Blue Note is going to open a jazz club in China.
4. Nope. No more live performances by the Beastie Boys. Ever. Good. It wouldn’t be right.
5. Amy Winehouse has turned into a popular subject for street art.
6. Nick Cave is not now a toy.
7. Billy Joel got married again.
8. Apparently Lily Allen partied so hard at Glastonbury that she collapsed and had to be given oxygen.
9. Paul McCartney had something to say about John Lennon’s “martyr” status.
10. Elvis haunts this tiki bar.
11. James Bond: the musical. (Via Tom)
12. If you went to see Magic Mike XXL on the weekend, you might be interested in this list of male stripper songs that allegedly make women go crazy.
13. There was mini-Spice Girls reunion this weekend. Sort of.
14. Justin Bieber leaves Australia after a visit with his shady spiritual advisers.
15. There’s a coup in Burundi. Since the government has cracked down on the media, reporting is being done via a music-sharing site.
16. Human curation is back. That’s great news.
17. Interesting that Apple Music is available in 100 countries–but not China.
18. Monster headphones is looking to secure some kind of deal with Spotify.