Random Music News for Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Wasps. I want to sit outside and enjoy a coffee or something, but the stupid wasps are everywhere. And now, the music news for September 27.

1. Canadian music sales for the week vs. last year at this time: Total albums, -17.2%; digital albums, -24%; physical albums, -12.1%; CDs, -13.5%, vinyl, +14.8%; streams, 79.9%.
2. A new report says that two-thirds of Millennial video consumption isn’t even being measured.
3. Meanwhile, Instagram says it has 800 million monthly users.
4. China has blocked WhatsApp. Again.
5. Good question: Where’s Beats by Dre in this whole “take a knee” protest?
6. An Australian Idol winner is facing 15 years in prison on drug charges…
7. …and an Aussie X Factor contestant is involved in a money laundering case.
8. Is this our first look at the first smart speaker from Sonos?
9. And while we’re on the subject, what’s radio’s role in the whole smart speaker thing?
10. Check this out: an Internet-connected commuter trucker jacket.
11. Would you like to buy shares in Eminem? Call your broker.
12. Note how most of the world’s most valuable companies are tech companies.
13. Seven people were arrested in Egypt for raising the rainbow flag during a performance by a gay singer.
14. Next year, the GPS in our phones could be accurate to within 30 centimetres. There’s a new GPS chip coming.
15. Here’s an interesting box set linking music of a variety of genres from the 20th century.
16. The head of a major podcast network allegedly pulled a gun an employee when he wouldn’t fake some data.
17. Diddy is still the richest rapper.