Random Music News for July 4, 2014

‘Murica! USA! USA! USA!

1. StubHub is doing its best to take on Ticketmaster but so far, it’s not going well.
2. Hey Maggots! A new Slipknot album is 98% done.
3. Wait:  Lady Gaga wants to work with Rob Halford of Judas Priest?
4. How to create a pop star out of thin air.
5. Shakira will shake it during the World Cup closing ceremonies.
6. Beck’s Song Reader is going to get a CD release. (Thanks to Michael for the link.)
7. So how much can you make as a busker?
8. A new class of stars is made entirely of metal.  (Not music-related, but make your own jokes.)
9. Robbie Williams fell of a stage and broke his arm.
10. Want to play NXNE 2015? They start taking applications next week.
11. And another clue that Spotify plans to launch in Canada reasonably soon:  they’re looking for a Canadian marketing specialist.
12. Looking for Paul McCartney’s house on Google Street View? You won’t find it anymore thanks to the EU’s new “right to forget” ruling.