The Daily Chord Weekly Recap – Friday, September 23

The week in music news was dominated by reaction to the RIAA's mid-year report which showed a stabilizing trend supported by increases in streaming revenue. The 'consent decree' ruling by the Department of Justice was rejected by a US District Court judge as the case continues to draw legal challenges. Other link-worthy names this week include Harambe, Michael Bloomfield, and Charley Pride.

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Monday, September 19

• Judge rejects Justice Department ruling on music licensing
  Story from NY Times
• From Dave Grohl to Ringo Starr: The secrets of star drummers
  Feature from The Guardian
• Creative Commons licenses under scrutiny: What does 'noncommercial' mean?
  Post from Ars Technica
• Aussie rockers Crowded House to reunite 20 years after epic farewell show
  Post from Mashable
• Hardcore music nerds dream up their ultimate phone
  Post from Wired
• 10 reasons why Willie Nelson's Farm Aid is unlike any other music festival
  Post from Billboard

Tuesday, September 20

• The music industry is finally making money on streaming
  Post from Bloomberg
• Kaytranada is the winner of the 2016 Polaris Music Prize
  Post from CBC
• Music festivals and the pursuit of exclusivity
  Post from Consequence Of Sound
• Jason Aldean debuts at no. 1 following the Adele model
  Story from NY Times
• AmericanaFest flourishes in the face of challenge
  Story from The Tennessean
• How the hell is James Arthur on the cusp of UK number one?
  Post from NME

Wednesday, September 21

• It took a couple of decades, but the music business looks like it's okay again
  Post from Recode
• New songwriting group SONA explains their lawsuit against the DOJ
  Guest post from Hypebot
• Spotify is trying to become the music platform for modern dating
  Post from The Atlantic
• iHeartMedia to launch paid music streaming service: sources
  Story from NY Post
• Laying down tracks: Billy Bragg and Joe Henry take a railroad trip to the blues
  Interview from The Guardian
• Charley Pride reflects on his 50th chart anniversary and lack of diversity in country music
  Interview from Billboard

Thursday, September 22

• Music streaming wars: Consolidation looms as lower prices kick in
  Post from Variety
• The blessed, cursed life of Bon Iver
  Profile from NY Times
• The 10 most uplifting songs ever - according to science
  List from The Telegraph
• The challenge of presenting 'African-American music': First, define it
  Story from Washington Post
• Riot grrrl trailblazer Allison Wolfe on the music that made her
  Feature from Pitchfork
• Austin author Ed Ward revisits rock's first guitar hero, Michael Bloomfield
  Post from Austin Chronicle

Friday, September 23

• Playlists 'more popular than albums'
  Post from BBC News
• John D. Loudermilk, who wrote 'Tobacco Road' and 'Indian Reservation,' dies at 82
  Obituary from NY Times
• Smule has changed the music industry completely: Here's how
  Interview from Forbes
• Internet memes help Harambe songs go viral, hit charts
  Post from Billboard
• America needs its own Polaris Prize
  Post from MTV News
• 'The world's first songs composed by artificial intelligence' are neither first nor entirely artificial
  Post from Spin