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The Death of the Electric Guitar

Jason Tate

Geoff Edgers, writing for The Washington Post:

The numbers back him up. In the past decade, electric guitar sales have plummeted, from about 1.5 million sold annually to just over 1 million. The two biggest companies, Gibson and Fender, are in debt, and a third, PRS Guitars, had to cut staff and expand production of cheaper guitars. In April, Moody’s downgraded Guitar Center, the largest chain retailer, as it faces $1.6 billion in debt. And at Sweetwater.com, the online retailer, a brand-new, interest-free Fender can be had for as little as $8 a month.

Halsey Talks With The Guardian

Halsey
Jason Tate

Halsey recently sat down with The Guardian:

Her own career seems to be in no danger of dissolving, but something she says suggests that she may one day change its direction for the sake of self-preservation: “Ultimately, I’m going to end up a songwriter. I don’t think I’m going to be an artist for ever. People who do it have a sick masochism.”

Apple and Record Labels Working on New Deals

Jason Tate

Bloomberg:

The record labels’ deals with Apple expire at the end of June, though they are likely to be extended if the parties can’t agree on new terms by then, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information.

The negotiations would bring Apple closer to the rate Spotify Ltd. pays labels, and allow both sides to adjust to the new realities of the music industry.

And:

Apple initially overpaid to placate the labels, who were concerned Apple Music would cripple or cannibalize iTunes, a major source of revenue.

The growth of Apple Music hasn’t been as detrimental to iTunes as labels had feared. But record labels are still asking for precautions.

The Secret Lives of Playlists

Jason Tate

Liz Pelly, in a fantastic article about the secret lives of playlists:

Not all Spotify playlists are created equally. To begin understanding this, look at them closely. Literally. Choose a playlist in Browse, and look at its cover art. Look in the corner for a logo. Look at another. Look at all of them.The vast majority of their square, tinted, Instagram-like front covers will wear a tiny Spotify insignia, that little circle with slanted waves—the artist who designed the logo says it is a visualization of streaming. On other playlists, you’ll occasionally notice different logos: the thick cursive word Filtr, the all-caps logo for Topsify, or simple rounded text reading Digster. These are the playlisting brands owned by the major labels: Filtr by Sony, Topsify by Warner, and Digster by Universal. Very rarely you might see an independent label or brand logo.

And:

Pay-to-playlist is real. For labels to influence Spotify-created playlists, Jeff describes a whole network of back-scratching and gatekeeping. While money might not be directly changing hands between majors and Spotify for direct access to playlist, there is a bigger picture where labels and Spotify provide value for each other – things like driving social traffic by getting artists to post Spotify links, doing paid media, and advertising. “If you can go to these [streaming] accounts and say, we have a $5,000 ad plan, and we are going to drive exclusively to Spotify…” he explains. Well, isn’t that a relationship they will want to keep mutually beneficial?

Eric Leaves Turnover for the “Foreseeable Future”

Turnover
Jason Tate

Turnover have announced that Eric has left the band for the “foreseeable future.” They posted the following on Facebook:

Many of you have noticed Eric’s recent absence from the band and we wanted to take a minute to address it before we start sharing new music.

Eric has left the band for the foreseeable future to address personal issues, and has been receiving professional counseling related to his personal relationships and emotional abuse allegations made against him. The band agreed this was the best course of action to accept responsibility for this behavior and to help Eric make personal changes in how he manages his interpersonal relationships.

We are sorry for not addressing this publicly earlier on. We wanted to address the issue directly with Eric in a private space but now realize this wasn’t the right way to go about things. We stand with victims of abuse – always. We are working hard to find real solutions to these issues that force all people in these situations to address their actions and to accept accountability and responsibility for them.

‘Watchmen’ TV Series From Damon Lindelof in the Works

HBO
Jason Tate

The Hollywood Reporter:

Fresh off of critical favorite The Leftovers, Damon Lindelof is in talks for a potential Watchmen TV series for HBO. Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that the project is in the early development stages. An official deal is not yet in place. Representatives for HBO and producers Warner Bros. Television declined comment.

While I do think this is better suited for the small screen (and without any Zack Snyder), I dunno, part of me just wonders if the magic came specifically from the comic medium.

The Han Solo Film Loses Its Directors

Star Wars
Jason Tate

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have left as directors for the Han Solo movie:

Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that the style and vision of Lord and Miller clashed with that of Lawrence Kasdan, the legendary screenwriter behind the classics Empire Strikes Back and ‪Raiders of the Lost Ark, who also wrote, with his son, Jon Kasdan, the script for the Han Solo stand-alone set (for now) to be released in 2018.

This sucks.

Uber Founder Resigns as CEO

Uber
Jason Tate

Uber’s CEO, Travis Kalanick, is out:

Travis Kalanick stepped down Tuesday as chief executive of Uber, the ride-hailing service that he helped found in 2009 and that he built into a transportation colossus, after a shareholder revolt made it untenable for him to stay on at the company.

Mr. Kalanick’s exit came under pressure after hours of drama involving Uber’s investors, according to two people with knowledge of the situation, who asked to remain anonymous because the details are confidential.

Daniel Day-Lewis to Retire

Film
Jason Tate

Daniel Day-Lewis has announced he is retiring from acting.

The 60-year-old star, who has played presidents, writers, and gang leaders in a career that has spanned four decades, has one final film awaiting release, an untitled drama set in the world of high fashion. It is scheduled to hit theaters on December 25, 2017 and reunites him with Paul Thomas Anderson, who directed Day-Lewis to a best actor Oscar in 2007’s “There Will Be Blood.” Day-Lewis intends to help promote the movie, according to a person familiar with his plans.