A lovely story in Brooklyn Vegan about New York bassist Philippe Arman from metal and rock bands SOMNURI and The Advertisers, who became a subject of a viral video. He was waiting for the subway in Brooklyn, and while he was sitting on a bench, 24-year-old Bronx artist Devon Rodriguez made a portrait of him. Rodriguez then posted a video of his sketches in progress on his Instagram which ended up getting over five million views after being featured on Instagram REELS. Philippe reached out to Devon and asked to purchase the original drawing. The pair met on Bleecker St. in Manhattan where Devon gifted him the artwork (watch that video here).

Morrissey has been dropped by his label BMG, because, as Morrissey Central reports, the new executive "has announced new plans for 'diversity' within BMG's artist roster, and all projected BMG Morrissey releases/reissues have been scrapped". Morrissey commented that "this news is perfectly in keeping with the relentless galvanic horror of 2020. We would be critically insane to expect anything positive". Morrissey has been involved in several controversies lately involving his far-right remarks.

Investment fund Shamrock Holdings has purchased the rights to Taylor Swift's first six albums from Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings, marking the second time in 17 months that ownership over her early recordings has changed hands, Variety reports. The deal of record label Big Machine's resale is thought to be worth somewhere in the region of $300-$400 million. Shamrock Capital, which now owns Swift's first six albums, is a private equity firm originally set up by the Disney family. Swift isn't happy with this deal either, since Scooter Braun will maintain some control of her recordings. Swift signed a deal with Big Machine in 2004 granting them ownership of the master recordings to her first six albums in exchange for a cash advance to kick-start her career. Ownership of masters means the owner controls what can be done with the original recording of a song or album, from re-releases and box sets to making it available for use in an advert or on a streaming platform. Swift, as the writer or co-writer of her music, still owns the publishing rights, which means she has the power to veto some of the owner's attempts to exploit her recordings.

Almost all record labels producing classical music CDs today require artists to pay them, as companies are unlikely to earn enough profit on sales to cover their costs - Van magazine reports on the shift of responsibility. Big artists also don't get their CDs for free anymore. Costs range from about $6,000 to release with a small label, to up to $70,000 for a recording with a major label. Artists still want their music on a CD, for applications, networking, press, and to record their careers...

A funny story in the Guardian about UK's Relentless Records, a home to children's song, as well as some UK drill. In, 2018 Relentless' founder Shabs Jobanputr signed a deal to distribute 'Baby Shark', a children’s song that recently became the most viewed video ever on YouTube with 7.04bn views. The Baby Shark deal has proved a money-spinner for Relentless, and it has "given us a platform to do other things. It gives us more flexibility to take a few more risks with things like Headie One”, Jobanputra said.

Nick Cave has announced a special online listen-along event of the breakthrough Bad Seeds album 'Murder Ballads' on November 26 via the Bad Seeds online TV station YouTube channel. The chat will also feature former Bad Seeds Mick Harvey and Blixa Bargeld.

The sound and experimental music BBC unit, Radiophonic Workshop is preparing to make history with a musical project that will make the internet a musical instrument. A performance of their composition 'Latency' is inspired by lockdown Zoom calls and the delay that appears, which they will extend into several seconds. Instead of trying to play at the same time, which they can't due to latency, the Radiophonic Workshop will play one after another, in sequence, rather than in parallel, as RW's Bob Earland says to Guardian - “The sound gets sent to someone, and they add to it, and it keeps going round". The performance is on 22 November on YouTube, the day before the anniversary of the first transmission of 'Doctor Who' theme song in 1963 which is also Delia Derbyshire Day, in honour of the Radiophonic Workshop’s leading light, who created the sound of the show’s famous theme tune.

The iconic music store chain Tower Records that closed its doors nearly 14 years ago, has returned as an online service last Friday. The new Tower Records has plenty of music on sale already, including vinyl, cassettes, and CDs. They also have a merchandise section, online events, and a digitized version of their original Tower Pulse! magazine. Tower Records was founded in Sacramento, California in 1960, and it quickly grew in popularity for its enormous catalog, in-the-know staff, and famous clientele. In 2006 they were forced to file for bankruptcy and liquidation due to dwindling sales.

Buffalo rapper and Griselda member Benny the Butcher was shot in the leg at a Walmart in Houston, Texas on Saturday during an attempted robbery, TMZ reports. The New York rapper was visiting a local Walmart with a couple of friends, and while they were in their car in the lot, a car with 5 guys inside pulled up next to them and whipped out guns demanding their chains. One of the five fired a round into Benny's leg, which caused the crooks to flee. The Houston shooting happened the same day that Baton Rouge rapper Boosie Badazz was shot in the leg in Dallas, where Boosie was visiting to pay his respects to his Dallas-based collaborator Mo3, who was shot and killed in his hometown on Wednesday, TMZ reports.

UK music magazine Uncut has released its list of best albums of 2020, with a variety of albums on the expansive list, including Laura Marling, Tamikrest, Fiona Apple, Moses Boyd, Phoebe Bridgers, Jason Isbell, JARV IS..., Haim, etc. The top 20 spots: 20. Bruce Springsteen - 'Letter To You'
19. Brigid Mae Power - 'Head Above The Water'
18. Frazey Ford - 'U kin B the Sun'
17. SAULT - 'UNTITLED (Black Is)'
16. Stephen Malkmus - 'Traditional Techniques'
15. Fontaines D.C. - 'A Hero's Death'
14. Courtney Marie Andrews - 'Old Flowers'
13. Tame Impala - 'The Slow Rush'
12. Moses Boyd - 'Dark Matter'
11. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - 'Reunions'
10. Laura Marling - 'Song For Our Daughter'
9. Shirley Collins - 'Heart's Ease''
8. JARV... IS - 'Beyond the Pale'
7. Bill Callahan - 'Gold Record'
6. Waxahatchee - 'Saint Cloud'
5. Thundercat - 'It Is What It Is'
4. Drive-By Truckers - 'The New OK'
3. Phoebe Bridgers - 'Punisher'
2. Fleet Foxes - 'Shore'
1. Bob Dylan - 'Rough and Rowdy Ways'

Late rapper King Von’s latest album 'Welcome to O’Block' surges to the No. 5 spot in its second chart week at Billboard 200, following the rapper’s death on Nov. 6 in a shoot-out at his album release party in Atlanta. 26-year-old's debut album earned 44,000 equivalent album units in the week. Ariana Grande holds on to the No. 1 spot with her 'Positions' earning 82,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Nov. 12 (down 53%).

Mariah Carey's 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' returned to Spotify's Top 40 last Sunday - a full two weeks earlier than three years ago, and it also reappeared on the iTunes chart on 2 November, BBC reports. Behind her in the Spotify chart are six more Christmas songs, including The Pogues' 'Fairytale of New York' and Michael Bublé's 'It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas'. However, listeners in countries like Estonia and Iceland started shuffling their Christmas playlists in October, and in the Philippines as early as - September.

Loyle Carner shared his new Madlib-produced jazzy 'Yesterday'; 'Feel the Thunder' is a funny song - Haim trying to sound like Guns N' Roses, 'Welcome to the Jungle' to be specific; Makaya McCraven made a dubby jazz remix of Nuby Garcia's 'Source'; Your Old Droog features El-P, Black Thought, Mach-Hommy, and Tha God Fahim on 'Pravda'.

Israeli company Noveto Systems has invented a new product named SoundBeamer 1.0 that can beam music directly into the listener's head, without the use of earbuds or brain implants. It reportedly works by creating a personal sound bubble for the user with 3D audio of their choosing, be it from an album, movie, or video game, while filtering in the natural sounds already occurring around them, AP reports. The company promises surround-sound experiencing of proper audio.

Suspect208 boasts 20-year-old Noah Weiland on lead vocals (son of late Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland), 16-year-old Tye Trujillo on bass (son of Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo), and 18-year-old London Hudson on drums (son of Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash). The quartet is rounded out by guitarist Niko Tsangaris, Blabbermouth reports. The boys play hard rock.

Kylie Minogue has become the first female artist to have a number one album in the UK in five separate decades, next to boys such as Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Paul Weller and David Gilmour. Her new album, 'Disco', topped the charts with 55,000 sales, making for the best opening week of any new release in 2020 so far, the UK Official Charts reports. It is her eighth number one, meaning she has overtaken Elton John, Cliff Richard and George Michael in the all-time chart leaderboard. Minogue's chart-topper was made in the middle of the lockdown, with the star forced to buy recording equipment and learn computer software so she could record her vocals at home.

The British government has announced the latest round of its £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund, with this new tranche of aid totaling £18 million to be shared by eight arts and cultural organizations, among them Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London, the London Venue Group, and the Academy Music Group. Music Business Worldwide compares this concrete help to the one US venues are being offered.

Metal magazine Decibel has published its list of the 40 best albums of 2020. It goes from Dark Fortress on No 40 to Napalm Death at the top. The ful list:

40. Dark Fortress, 'Spectres from the Old World'
39. Fawn Limbs, 'Sleeper Vessels'
38. Exgenesis, 'Solve et Coagula'
37. Megaton Sword, 'Blood Hails Steel – Steel Hails Fire'
36. Oranssi Pazuzu, 'Mestarin Kynsi'
35. Svalbard, 'When I Die, Will I Get Better'
34. Enslaved, 'Utgard'
33. In the Company of Serpents, 'Lux'
32. Xibalba, 'Años En Infierno'
31. Wake, 'Devouring Ruin'
30. Cirith Ungol, 'Forever Black'
29. Proscription, 'Conduit'
28. Celestial Season, 'The Secret Teachings'
27. Midnight, 'Rebirth by Blasphemy'
26. Krallice, 'Mass Cathexis'
25. ACxDC, 'Satan is King'
24. Temple of Void, 'The World That Was'
23. Atramentus, 'Stygian'
22. Tombs, 'Under Sullen Skies'
21. Haunt, 'Flashback'
20. Kirk Windstein, 'Dream in Motion'
19. Pallbearer, 'Forgotten Days'
18. Lamp of Murmuur, 'Heir of Ecliptical Romanticism'
17. Godthrymm, 'Reflections'
16. Dropdead, 'Dropdead'
15. Ripped to Shreds '亂 (Luan)'
14. Vile Creature, 'Glory, Glory! Apathy Took Helm!'
13. Of Feather & Bone, 'Sulfuric Disintegration'
12. Armored Saint, 'Punching the Sky'
11. Incantation, 'Sect of Vile Divinities'
10. Goden, 'Beyond Darkness'
9. Paradise Lost, 'Obsidian'
8. Uada, 'Djinn'
7. Sweven, 'The Eternal Resonance'
6. Necrot, 'Mortal'
5. Spirit Adrift, 'Enlightened in Eternity'
4. Paysage d’Hiver, 'Im Wald'
3. Imperial Triumphant, 'Alphaville'
2. Eternal Champion, 'Ravening Iron'
1. Napalm Death, 'Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism'

The Flaming Lips have announced the "World's First Space Bubble Concert" - the band and the audience will all spend the show in giant plastic bubbles, at Oklahoma City's The Criterion on December 11. There are only 100 tickets available. Tickets are good for three people in each bubble and "All attendees must sign the waiver before attending the show".

Both the NME and Guardian's Alexis Petridis expect British-Gambian rapper Pa Salieu to be the next UK star. He combines afroswing, dancehall and UK road-rap, in "refreshingly original and inventive" way, very clubby, yet dark. Petridis calls Pa Salieu "Britain’s hottest new rapper", and his debut mixtape "smart, original, raw".

Ticketmaster is working on a system that would allow concerts to resume, and it is based on verifying the vaccination status of attendees before allowing them entrance to shows, or else making sure they've recently tested negative for the virus, Billboard reports. Ticketmaster is working on a smartphone-based system that would allow ticketholders to send proof of having received a vaccine, or having tested negative during a 24-48 hour period, without which they would be denied entrance to events.

Eric Church won the top prize, entertainer of the year, at last night's CMA Awards, while Maren Morris took home three awards, including female vocalist of the year, as well as single and song of the year, both for the first time, for 'The Bones'. Billboard lists all the winners.

Just some great guitar playing by Gwenifer Raymond on 'Hell For Certain'; Hey Colossus euphoric new song 'Medal' found a place on their new double album; Whitney K released an interesting Leonard Cohen-meets-Velvet Underground-sounding song 'Maryland'; Told Slant delivered a new take on indie-rock, with added harp, on 'Family Still'.

Los Angeles court has rejected an attempt by Britney Spears to have her father removed as conservator of her estate, but didn’t close the door on ousting him at a future date and — per the singer’s request — appointed a financial fiduciary as a co-conservator, LA Times reports. Jamie Spears has been his daughter's legal guardian for 12 years, due to concerns about her mental health. Britney Spears' attorney said in court she fears her father and will not resume her career so long as he has power over it.

Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl met "a rock star" - a 10-year-old drummer Nandi Bushell from England. The two had a drum-off battle online this fall, so during this Monday's 40-minute meeting organized by the New York Times, Grohl told Nandi "I feel like I'm meeting a Beatle". During the chat, Dave Grohl invited Bushell to play with the Foo Fighters when they come to England, they exchanged stories of how they first started playing the drums, agreed to write a song together, and had a "jam".

Irish pop-rock singer and songwriter Niall Horan has sold impressive 125,000 tickets for his online concert held at empty Royal Albert Hall in London. These tickets were sold in whopping 151 countries across the globe - which “you’d never come close to on a tour”, producer Ric Salmon told Variety. The data suggest that two-to-three people are watching each stream sold, which would make it 400,000 watching Horan's show. The tickets went for £16 a pop, with all of it going to his crew.

A ripping metal song sung by a Louisiana alligator, Bernie Sanders impersonator rapping about Vermont, an ode to the mythical "Florida Man" - make up, among 500 other songs, 'Our 500 States Project', a sort-of finish of Sufjan Stevens' 50 states project. It was helmed by Joey Clift, a 36-year-old comedian and television writer, who, in the midst od lockdown in the US, rounded-up 200 contributors. These creatives made an album for each of the 50 states, including new ones for Michigan and Illinois, plus one for the U.S. territories and one for the moon - “there’s a flag up there, so I figured I gotta do it” Clift told Pitchfork. The whole project is on Soundcloud.

A wee bit early in the year, Rough Trade has announced their 2020 Albums of the Year list, with Hazel English on spot No. 20, and Sault at the top. This year's best album is 'Untitled (Black Is)' because it "delivers equal parts grace and charge, manoeuvring through disparate sub-genres to create a magnificent medley of exaltation. Rarely has there been an artistic statement this stirring, this staggering, this powerful".

Full list:
20. Hazel English - 'Wake Up!'
19. Working Men’s Club - 'Working Men’s Club'
18. Oklou - 'Glamour'
17. Thurston Moore - 'By The Fire'
16. Tom Misch + Yussef Dayes - 'What Kinda Music'
15. Caribou - 'Suddenly'
14. Idles - 'Ultra Mono'
13. Osees - 'Protean Threat'
12. Waxahatchee - 'Saint Cloud'
11. Cornershop - 'England Is A Garden'
10. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - 'Sideways to New Italy'
9. Porridge Radio - 'Every Bad'
8. bdrmm - 'Bedroom'
7. Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs - 'Viscerals'
6. Dream Wife - 'So When You Gonna'
5. Jarv Is - 'Beyond The Pale'
4. Laura Marling - 'Song For Our Daughter'
3. Rina Sawayama - 'Sawayama'
2. Phoebe Bridgers - 'Punisher'
1. SAULT - 'Untitled (Black Is)'

Jack Johnson's song 'Upside Down' got millions of new listens when it was used in a TikTok video about TV-purchase scam. Simple Plan’s 'I’m Just a Kid' suddenly powered its way to a platinum certification 15 years after its debut when it was used in a huge TikTok Trend. The same abrupt re-explosion happened with L’Trimm’s 1988 'Cars With the Boom', and of course with Lizzo’s 2017 'Truth Hurts', Rolling Stone says looking at the power of the Chinese social network.

K-pop band BTS has clinched four trophies at this year's MTV Europe Music Awards, including the coveted Best Song prize with its latest hit 'Dynamite' and Best Virtual Live for its concert that was held online amid the new coronavirus pandemic. They also won Best Group and Biggest Fan, Variety reports. Lady Gaga was voted best artist, DJ Khaled won best video for the song 'Popstar', first-time EMA winner Yungblud took home the best push prize, while British group Little Mix won best pop.