MUSIC NEWS: MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015
NEW ALBUMS WILL NOW COME OUT ON FRIDAYS
For decades, new music releases came out on Tuesdays. By international agreement of the major record labels, new music will come out on Fridays, beginning on a date this summer that has yet to be determined. Billboard reports the debate on an international release day was prompted by piracy in Australia and Beyonce's surprise album in December 2013. Why is new music released on Tuesdays in the first place? That dates back to when music was only sold as physical copies. Not all record stores would get their Monday shipments at the same time, so it wasn't fair if some stores had the music and others did not. Tuesday became the recognized day for all stores to have the new music in stock at the same time.
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DRAKE TIES BEATLES CHART RECORD
Toronto rapper Drake has tied a record with The Beatles for the most songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at the same time. Drake has 14 songs on the chart, thanks to his surprise album, ``If You're Reading This It's Too Late.'' The Beatles had 14 songs on the chart the week of April 11, 1964, during the height of Beatlemania. The last artist to come even close to this record:
Drake. He had 12 songs on the October 23, 2013, chart.
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INFORMATION SOCIETY PAY TRIBUTE TO LEONARD NIMOY
Information Society call Leonard Nimoy ``the first cool science geek'' and say they owe their career to him. They had a number-three hit in 1988 with ``What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy),'' which featured Nimoy saying, ``Pure energy'' from a ``Star Trek'' episode. The band write on their Facebook page their album was held up for six months in 1988 because it was full of uncleared samples.
Their A-and-R man happened to run into Nimoy's son, who played the record for his father. Nimoy not only gave permission for the ``pure energy'' sample, but he said he'd re-record it if necessary.
Information Society say that ``small act of generosity'' broke the legal logjam, and the album was released. They say, ``He lived long and prospered, and helped many others to do the same.'' Nimoy died Friday at the age of 83. Nimoy was a recording artist in his own right, releasing five albums from 1967 to 1970. He also had three Grammy nominations in spoken word categories, including one for reading his autobiography, ``I Am Spock,'' in 1995.
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PANTERA CALL AUTHORITIES AFTER DESECRATION OF DIMEBAG DARRELL GRAVE
The surviving members of Pantera say they have contacted authorities after another band vandalized the grave of Dimebag Darrell in Arlington, Texas. Pantera write on Facebook such behavior will not be tolerated and they ask for respect. The vandalism included a homophobic slur and the theft of a pair of boots that had been left at the site.
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INGRID MICHAELSON AND HUSBAND ARE SPLITTING
Ingrid Michaelson's marriage is falling apart.
She and her husband, musician Greg Laswell, tell People magazine in a joint statement they have decided to separate. They married in August 2011. They have no children.
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LADY GAGA: GO JUMP IN THE LAKE
It may have been one of Lady Gaga's more conservative outfits for one of her braver stunts. She wore a navy blue T-shirt and black pants as she took a plunge into icy Lake Michigan yesterday as a fundraiser for Special Olympics in Chicago.
Her fiance', actor Taylor Kinney, jumped in without a shirt.
Temperatures hovered around the mid-20s. Special Olympics Chicago President Casey Hogan says Lady Gaga's appearance was ``a very nice surprise.'' Actor Vince Vaughn took a dip while wearing a Chicago Blackhawks jersey and jeans. About 4,500 other people also took a swim for the charity.