Flickr photo via Chris Drumm
- Over the years you may have asked yourself: “Why don’t we have a Simon Cowell DJ competition show?” Well, the powers that be have heard your prayers. Simon Cowell is launching a DJ competition show. You are welcome.
- Clear Channel is adding a lot of college radio stations to iHeart Radio. So even if you can’t listen on-air, you can support your college radio stations on the go.
- Iggy Pop is the 2012 ambassador of Record Store Day. Record Store Day is an international holiday “honoring independent music shops and the vinyl-heads that support them with special releases and in-store performances.”
- Etta James passed away last week of lukemia at the age of 73. Her funeral will be Saturday. Rev. Al Sharpton will eulogize.
- There are only two Oscar nominees for Best Original Song this year: “Real In Rio” by Sergio Mendes and “Man Or Muppet” by Bret McKenzie. This surprised many since there were 39 songs entries from the likes of the National, Zooey Deschanel and others.
- File-sharing site Megaupload was shut down by the FBI last week, and the Anonymous hacking collective fired back by crashing the sites of Universal, EMI, the MPAA and even the FBI.
- Indie music publisher Spirit Music just bought the Who catalog from Pete Townshend. Need some cash, Pete?
- While digital music revenues increased 8 percent in 2011, the music industry’s overall market value still fell from $16.7 billion to $16.2 billion.
- Henley Business School in the U.K. has launched the first ever MBA program geared toward the music industry.
- Busta Rhymes hates Spotify and says the music streaming service is detrimental to artists, but he’s got a soft spot for Megaupload.
- Congress put SOPA and PIPA on hold last week, but this isn’t the end of politicians meddling in our Internet privacy.
Industry Wrap is a weekly CMJ column covering industry-related music news. Send tips to Kate Shapiro at kshapiro [AT] cmj [DOT] com.
