Headlines for March 17, 2010
By: Roisin Bonner
Jackson Estate Signs Record-Breaking Deal
If you thought you'd heard the last of the whole milking Michael Jackson's death for all it's worth movement, you were sorely mistaken. According to unconfirmed reports, the Jackson estate has signed a recording contract with Sony for $250 million, the largest in history. The contract, which extends to 2017, stipulates that Sony will own and market unreleased songs, video games, a DVD, and a re-release of Jackson's fifth album, Off the Wall. Video games? Yikes.
Stream New She & Him
Anyone reading the sentence above would have a hard time believing it was written by an English major. Believe us, though, it makes perfect sense: She & Him, the indie act comprising Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward, are streaming their new album, Volume 2, on NPR. We like its 1950's ballad vibe. The album will be available for purchase on March 23. Click here to listen.
Music Industry is a Pollution Machine
You know all those concerts you go to and CDs you buy (ok, used to buy before you downloaded illegally)? It all contributes to a buttload of greenhouse gases. According to a new study by Environmental Research Web, the amount of emissions that the music industry in the UK alone is responsible for totals over 540,000 tons per year. The biggest part of this footprint comes from concerts, with the rest made up by recording and publishing. The study was commissioned by the nonprofit environmental group Julie's Bicycle, with the support of activist-artists such as U2, Sting, Annie Lennox, and more. We wonder if the study noted the eco-trashing nature of U2's 360° tour.
