AltWeeklies Wire
Steven Wells Is Still Dishing It Out. And He Can Still Take It. Can You?new
No wonder American music journalism sucks. We've raised a generation of mewling, puking brittle-boned pony hugging, mediocrity-loving music journalist milksops who don't wanna rip both rock and the English language a new asshole.
Philadelphia Weekly |
Steven Wells |
04-13-2009 |
Music
Tags: commentary, music criticism
Advertisers Go from Licensing Songs to Releasing Themnew

The synergy of marketing and indie music has evolved so swiftly that selling a tune for use in a commercial or video game seems almost quaint. Marketers aren't just horning in on the territory of record labels' promo departments -- they're starting to act like labels.
Chicago Reader |
Miles Raymer |
04-13-2009 |
Music
Your Guide to Understanding Rap Lyricsnew

Good news for perplexed suburbanites: a new site called UnderstandRap.com lets experienced rap interpreters explain difficult urban slang to hip-hop neophytes.
Boston Phoenix |
David Thorpe |
04-08-2009 |
Music
Fifteen Years After Kurt Cobain's Death, Would-Be Nirvanas Share His Broken Crownnew
Ever since Kurt Cobain, Seattle's seminal grunge hero, shot himself in the head, slews of would-be successors to Nirvana's sonic throne have come and gone.
Phoenix New Times |
Niki D'Andrea |
04-08-2009 |
Music
Light in the Attic Releases the "Sgt. Pepper's of French Music"new
Seattle-based Light in the Attic Records has become the first label to release Serge Gainsbourg's Histoire de Melody Nelson in the United States. Knowing this, the question is: Why didn't anyone else ever think of doing it?
Seattle Weekly |
Brian J. Barr |
04-06-2009 |
Music
Polyvinyl to Release Pele Rarities Compilationnew
Polyvinyl Records plans to pay tribute to one of its better fallen acts, Milwaukee's brain-twisting post-rock group, Pele, with a two-hour-plus compilation of rarities and reissues of the group's two full-length albums.
Shepherd Express |
Evan Rytlewski |
04-03-2009 |
Music
Change of Direction at SXSWnew
Ten years ago, SXSW was widely accepted as the ultimate opportunity for baby bands and A&R representatives to make goo-goo eyes at each other. But today younger, wiser bands don’t bat their eyelashes at the majors like they used to, and South by Southwest is all the better for it.
Boston Phoenix |
Michael Brodeur |
03-27-2009 |
Music
Tags: music industry, SXSW
Music's Biggest Party Reflects a Shifting Music Industrynew

The music industry is shrinking, but there are more bands than ever before, and more ways to hear them. A report from the frontlines of SXSW.
The Portland Mercury |
Ned Lannamann |
03-26-2009 |
Music
Tags: music industry, SXSW
A Tent, a Stocked Cooler, and a Smokin' Suite of Music Festivalsnew
For live music lovers in a rough economy, there's no better investment than a festival. Bring your own beer, sleep out under the stars, and relax or dance away the evenings to an array of talented acts.
Charleston City Paper |
Stratton Lawrence |
03-25-2009 |
Music
Tags: music festivals, South Carolina
Mic in Tracks Magicnew

Privately recorded "mic in tracks" snippets washed through the Net during Napster's heyday and these marvelous oddities are too good to keep private.
North Bay Bohemian |
Gabe Meline |
03-20-2009 |
Music
A Power Shift Within Nashville's Musicians Union Signals Changing Timesnew

To onlookers, Local 257 became a battleground far larger than Nashville's city limits, in a sort of proxy grudge match for control. At stake was leadership of the fourth largest local in the world's largest trade organization for professional musicians.
Nashville Scene |
Brantley Hargrove |
03-20-2009 |
Music
For These Local Magpies, the Music Was Just the Beginningnew
Transfer’s rock ’n’ roll dreams may have not immediately come true, but the company they started may help others realize theirs.
San Diego CityBeat |
AnnaMaria Stephens |
03-18-2009 |
Music
Through Being Coolnew
If even McDonald's is making fun of hipsters now, the pretentious shits who live to be in the know about the latest band, boutique or blog — and, more importantly, to make sure everybody else knows they're in the know — are officially just this side of irrelevant.
Houston Press |
Chris Gray |
03-17-2009 |
Music
Serious Guitars in the Airnew
Later this month, the Santa Barbara Symphony presents a citywide International Guitar Festival, a grand tradition begun two years ago and bigger and better the second time around.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Josef Woodard |
03-16-2009 |
Music
LiveNation Battles Neighbors Over Big Concertsnew
LiveNation is re-envisioning the landmark landscape of San Francisco's Nob Hill to include a more regularly booked concert hall.