Random Music News for Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Albert Einstein got the hell out of dodge when he fled Nazi Germany for the US on this day in 1933. And here’s some music news for October 17.

1. Now that the Harvey Weinstein scandal as broken wide open, people have begun to expose sexual exploitation in the music industry.
2. For example…
3. Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, Dave Grohl continues to foster his reputation as The Nicest Man in Rock™.
4. Here are the Canadian music sales numbers for the last week vs. last year: Total album sales, -16.7%; CDs, -13%; digital albums, -23.6%; vinyl, +18%; streaming, +79%.
5. It was another bad week for physical music sales in the US. NF’s Perception debuted at #1 by selling 38,000 copies. If you were wondering about Liam Gallagher, his solo album entered the US SoundScan charts at #7 with 16,000 units sold. Compare that to the 100,000+ sold in the UK.
6. Marilyn Manson on Justin Bieber: “He has the mind of a squirrel.”
7. Here’s an optimistic look at the future of Canadian music journalism.
8. Iggy Pop on what it’s like to transition to a career where record sales don’t matter.
9. Music Heals is a Vancouver charity that (as you might guess from their name) promotes the use of music for various kinds of therapy. Read about them here.
10. FKA Twigs is going to launch a new magazine–on Instagram.
11. More on the future of podcasts and smart speakers.
12. There’s a new bionic ear that is helping hundreds in the UK.
13. A bit harsh, but I see what they’re saying: “How brands bought out underground music.”
14. Iron Maiden’s Eddie is going to be repurposed into a Halloween edition of Angry Birds.
15. Wanna buy Elvis’ infamous TCB revolver?
16. Bill Murray has made his Carnegie Hall singing debut. Wait–what?