Music Streaming Has Taken Over

For the first time ever, digital download sales of music on services like iTunes have gone down by over 10%.  The converse of this is a dramatic increase in the percentage of people who use music streaming services like Spotify which offer paid users unlimited access to millions of songs on demand.  The shift is interesting in that the download has reigned supreme ever since the introduction of the iPod but as the smartphone revolution has taken over society, it's allowed the average person to have access to these online mobile services which were previously out of reach for people on the go.  This isn't limited to the United States either.  The trend has taken off worldwide as evidenced by Deezer, a streaming service available in 182 countries.  As technology continues to evolve it's only a matter of time until the next big thing takes over the music industry but it seems that streaming is certainly the way of the near future.  For those interested in the newest trends, read the Rolling Stone article on Deezer below.

Deezer - Worldwide Music Streaming

Best New Artists for May 2014

Every month Spin releases its picks for the 5 best new artists to watch and this month its a mix of folk pop, art rock, and hip hop which all offer a sense of nostalgia in their music while still remaining fresh and modern.  The emotional and raw songwriting of Broken Twin and the Pere Ubu like noise rock of Dub Thompson have peaked my interest.  Mostly because I love hearing people sing earnestly and intensely and I can't remember the last time a new band was compared to Pere Ubu.  Also on the list are folk inspired Greg Give Peter Space (love the name), classic Detroit inspired Kaytranada, and hip hop crew The Outfit TX whom spin compares to Outkast.  Check out full descriptions of these newbies in the link below.

SPINS Best New Artists - May 2014

Star Wars Episode VII Cast Announced!!!

FINALLY!  We can all breath a sigh of relief now that the cast of Star Wars Episode VII has been officially announced and all the heavy hitters from the original trilogy will most definitely be reprising their roles.  No more beating around the bush Harrison Ford!  Fans will get to see all their favorites.  Ford as Han Solo, Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, and Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia along with the towering Peter Mayhew as Solo's partner Chewbacca and the two lovable droids C-3PO and R2-D2 played by Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker.  In addition, the new cast has been announced and includes Adam Driver and Oscar Isaac who worked together on the critically acclaimed Inside Llewyn Davis last year, and CGI heavyweight Andy Serkis who rose to fame playing the roles of King Kong, Caesar in Planet of the Apes and Gollum in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.  To see the entire cast sitting together and going over scenes drives home the fact that this film is most definitely a reality.  With a slated release of December 2015 we still have plenty of time to speculate as to the events of the film but for now, knowing that fans will get to see their beloved characters return to a galaxy far far away after over 30 years is enough.  Read the Rolling Stone article below for a more complete list of actors and words from director J.J. Abrams.

Star Wars Episode VII Cast