[HOT]
Suing the Back Off Sexy
Times are tough for those in the corporate music world, so, like a lot of people having trouble paying the bills, they’re getting into porn. Eleven major labels have teamed up to sue porn Web sites RK Netmedia and RealityKings for unauthorized use of music by big-timers like Justin Timberlake and Michael Jackson.
The lawsuit reportedly also states that the “actors” in the films sometimes lip-sync the lyrics to the songs playing “while engaged in intercourse or other sexual activity.” Seems like fair use to us, especially since Pop stars have been stealing fashion styles and stage moves from porn stars for years.
It'll be interesting to see if Fergie can be sued for lip-syncing her own songs when she starts dong porn in a few years.
[WARM]
What’s ‘New’?
The Grammys’ “Best New Artist” category has long been the most perplexing element of the awards. Many winners have, retrospectively, been an embarrassment (Milli Vanilli, Starland Vocal Band, A Taste of Honey), but the rules regulating who can and can’t be nominated are the real travesty.
Now, one of the stipulations has been fixed, but it’s the wrong one. The org announced that, in light of Lady Gaga’s snub in the category, artists who have been nominated for a Grammy previously (for singles and collaborations) will now be allowed to score a “New Artist” nomination. Gaga was nominated for a Dance Grammy in 2009, so she was ineligible for “New Artist” in 2010 (those who have won a Grammy still can’t be nominated).
The organization did nothing to fix the other dumb rules of the category, which has seen artists far from “new” nominated. “New Artist” nominees must have released one to three albums and “the artist must not have been entered for Best New Artist more than three times.” Recently, that meant that Silversun Pickups, whose 2006 debut spawned two Top 10 Modern Rock hits, was up for “Best New Artist,” while singer/songwriter Shelby Lynne somehow (a good explanation has never been given) won the trophy in 2001 after being in the biz for over a decade and releasing six albums.
How about just changing the category to “Best New Artist Whose Nomination Will Satisfy the Industry and Make Us Still Seem Relevant”?
[COLD]
Sold Down the CyberRiver
We all had a good laugh over Prince’s declaration of the death of the Internet, which he rattled off during an interview about his new album in the daily British newspaper that was giving the album away for free with a recent edition (because print media is the future!). The singer said the giveaway would help dodge online pirates and cause him “no stress,” but it looks like the Internet is having the last laugh.
Brits have been selling their free copies of the new 20Ten on various Web sites for around $20 a pop. Infuriated, Prince announced his next album will be released via Morse code and smoke signals. Bootleg Prince smoke signals went up on eBay the next day for $50 a cloud.
