• Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of DJ Mehdi’s death. Read reflections on the French electro pioneer from LOUISAHHH!!! and Clash magazine.

  • The always-controversial Amanda Palmer has come under fire yet again, this time for asking musicians to perform with her in exchange for beer and hugs. Palmer told The New York Times that she cannot afford to pay a full backing band. Skeptics have questioned this claim, citing her recent Kickstarter campaign raising over a million dollars and her well-publicized marriage to the high-profile writer Neil Gaiman.

  • The shortlist for the U.K.’s Mercury Prize has been announced. Nominees include Jessie Ware, Alt-J, Django Django and Michael Kiwanuka.

  • After President Obama used Bruce Springsteen’s “We Take Care Of Our Own” during the Democratic National Convention, sales of the song spiked 409 percent.

  • There may be less holograms of dead rappers to look forward to at next year’s Coachella. The company behind the now-infamous Tupac projection has filed for bankruptcy.

  • We’ll be talking more about how internet fame translates to major label success, following the Weeknd’s new deal with Universal Republic.

  • MTV’s VMAs still apparently boosted sales for artists who appeared at the awards show, including Frank Ocean, Psy and P!nk, though Nielsen reported that viewership went down by more than half from last year’s ceremony. As for Psy, the viral K-pop star appeared on the “Today” show this morning.

  • The Velvet Underground lost its dispute with Andy Warhol’s estate over the use of the iconic artwork of The Velvet Underground And Nico.