*now playing*
 

Original

Microsoft to buy Skype for $8.5B


Microsoft will acquire Luxembourg-based Skype, with 170 million active users, from an investor group led by Silver Lake, the companies said in a statement today. The agreement was approved by the boards of directors of both companies.

Original

New Software Quietly Diverts Sales Commissions


Some popular online services are using a new kind of software to divert sales commissions that would otherwise be paid to small online merchants by big sites like Amazon and eToys. Critics call the software parasite-ware and stealware. But the sites that use the software, which is made by nearly 20 companies and used by dozens, say that it is perfectly legal, because their users agree to the diversion. The amounts involved are estimated by those in the industry to have mounted into the hundreds of thousands of dollars and are likely to continue to grow – in part because… Read more »

Original

What Is Softcore? Air associates resurrect '80s new wave


Air can do strange things to people. Not the air we breathe, but Air the band. And they’ve taken three imaginative musicians – singer/songwriter Jason Falkner, occasional Beck drummer Brian Reitzell and Moog Cookbook keyboardist Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. – back to 1980. The guys, who spent much of the last two years contributing to Air’s 10,000 Hz Legend and touring to promote it, are moving ahead with their new wave trio, Softcore, now that the sounds of New Order and Gang of Four appear to be experiencing a renaissance. “Everything, in my opinion, is sort of in,” Reitzell said… Read more »

Original

Where's The Snap & Crackle In Pop Culture?


This is a difficult transition for the entertainment community. There is a growing desire, if not need, to return to some form of business as usual, yet an uncertainty as to whether this is a viable option. Parties and premieres are being resurrected, but companies are doing so furtively, like children worried about parental admonition. Stars are returning to the business of hyping their movies, albeit sheepishly. The TV trade wants its Emmys, yet seems bent on making the ceremony at once non-competitive and non-ceremonial. Dealmakers who have been struggling with the rules of the “new civility” are starting to… Read more »

Original

Napster Software Will ID Sound


The latest version of Napster’s file-swapping software includes technology that can identify songs by sound, not just their names, the company said Monday. In a posting on its Web site, the company said so-called sound fingerprinting will help the company comply with a federal judge’s order to block the free exchange of copyrighted songs and to add yet-to-be-announced features. Since March, Napster has been excluding copyright songs based on file names, which can vary substantially from user to user. For example, one user may offer the song, “Yesterday,” while another may misspell it “Yesterdy” to make it difficult to block.… Read more »

Features

10 Times Rock Ruled At The Eurovision Song Contest 


It’s the most wonderful time of year once more. Eurovision is back, and it continues to get bigger and more prominent worldwide. Though it is known as the institution that turned ABBA into superstars and showcases the wildest and weirdest creations that Europe has to offer, there is still room for some rock ‘n’ roll in the ranks.  Over the years, pop has been the predominant genre in which countries project their entries. Though guitars have been making their way slowly but surely, they sometimes take the whole competition by storm. From masked monsters and nu-metal stalwarts to glam-rock superstars,… Read more »

Features

5 Most Surprising Covers Of “Hey There Delilah” To Celebrate Song’s 18th Birthday


Today, we wish a very happy birthday to “Hey There Delilah” by Plain White T’s as the indispensable emo-pop song turns 18 years old. Not only that, but Fearless Records, who released the song on May 9, 2006, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the label’s inception this year. Over the past three decades, they have been home to some of the scene’s greatest acts, including Movements, Pierce The Veil, I Prevail, Plain White T’s, and more. It’s a whirlwind of celebrations for two monumental entities that molded the 2000s emo scene. Let’s be honest: “Hey There Delilah” had all… Read more »

News

Glixen Explores Shallow Connections On Heavy-Hitting “Lust”


Phoenix, Arizona’s shoegaze artists Glixen have just wrapped up various tour dates with Softcult, Glitterer, and fish narc, and they are back with a new heavy-hitting single, “lust.” Previously, the band released track, “foreversoon” highlighting the glow of new love. Conversely, “lust” explores new infatuation, a more superficial connection with a new person. The new track is wrapped in face-melting, fuzzy guitar riffs, which craft an awe-inspiring juxtaposition with ethereal vocals. Check out “lust” below. Lead vocalist Aislinn Ritchie says, “‘lust’ is about the yearning and wanting of somebody and the rush that that person makes you feel. It is a feeling… Read more »

News

WILLOW Drops New Song “b i g f e e l i n g s” From Upcoming LP, ‘empathogen’


WILLOW has announced her upcoming album, empathogen. The follow-up to her previous alt-rock release, <COPINGMECHANISM>, is due out on May 3. Fans get an idea of her new sound with her second song off of the upcoming LP, “b i g f e e l i n g s.” The track maneuvers the singer-songwriter into a new field, teetering on the alternative sphere. Beginning with old-timey piano keys to introduce the single before soft yet powerful vocals from WILLOW kick off the song, there’s a clear difference in style. That isn’t bad at all; there’s a variety of influences sprinkled… Read more »

COOKIE NOTICE
We utilize cookie technology to collect data regarding the number of visits a person has made to our site. This data is stored in aggregate form and is in no way singled out in an individual file. This information allows us to know what pages/sites are of interest to our users and what pages/sites may be of less interest. See more