Universal had 40 percent of U.S. music business last year, including the top four most streamed artists of 2018. But who will buy Universal – Spotify? Liberty Media? This sounds wild, but streaming is still growing: “Consensus in the music industry and the investment community is there is a lot more growth left for music streaming as markets around the world open up to subscription.” – The Wall Street Journal
Tag: 01.27.19
Why Do Reboots Attract Such Cultural Anxiety ?
And yes, we are talking (again) about Ghostbusters, but “every rebooted franchise plays off our longing for the past—the implicit promise that it can make us feel just like we did the first time. We know, if only subconsciously, that this isn’t possible. Deep down, we resent it.” – AV Club
A Banksy Tribute Is Stolen In Paris
The tribute to victims of the 2015 Bataclan massacre, painted on an emergency door in the concert hall, was cut out and removed. “The theft, which occurred overnight on Friday, involved ‘a group of hooded individuals armed with angle grinders,’ AFP news agency reports, citing a source close to the investigation, said.” – BBC
At The SAG Awards, Mrs. Maisel And Black Panther Come Out Ahead
And so does Glenn Close. What does this mean for the Oscars? Hm. (Full list of nominees and winners at the link.) – Los Angeles Times
Was ‘Rent’ The Last Broadway Musical To Go Live On TV?
Even before star Brennin Hunt broke his ankle 10 minutes before the end of dress rehearsal, Fox was rethinking its live Broadway musical plans. Why? Money, of course: “The television network might make its own jukebox musical based on the songs of a popular artist for its next live musical telecast. Developing a show from scratch, as opposed to mounting a Broadway show like Grease or Rent, allows Fox to ‘create our own IP and have some ownership,'” said the Fox Entertainment president. – Forbes
The Booker Is Losing Its Hedge Fund Sponsor
Can we stop calling it the “Man Booker” after the Man Group pulls out? Yes, but, well, we may be part of the problem: “Relations between Man Group and Booker organisers had been strained for some time, with a company source suggesting they felt underappreciated.” – BBC
Author Angie Thomas Says Books Can Help Spark Social Change
But not if the books don’t get published – and, says the author of the wildly popular novel The Hate U Give (which also became a popular 2018 movie), that’s one of the publishing industry’s challenges. – The Guardian (UK)