The Daily Chord Weekly Recap – Friday, February 8

This week in the Daily Chord, we included stories about the detention of 21 Savage, the problems at PledgeMusic, and other notable music news from stage to boardroom. The Daily Chord updates you on the best and newest writing on the business and culture of music each weekday, check back five times a week. Send us your email and we'll send you the stories in handy email newsletter form.

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Monday, February 4

• ICE arrests rapper 21 Savage, says he's in the US illegally
  Post from CNN
• Tekashi 6ix9ine pleads guilty and agrees to cooperate with prosecutors
  Post from NY Times
• It's time to pay serious attention to TikTok
  Post from TechCrunch
• The new generation of LA rap is changing everything
  Report from Noisey
• PledgeMusic asks for patience amid acquisition talks
  Post from Music Ally
• The paths of rhythm
  Book excerpt from Longreads

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Tuesday, February 5

• English-language music is losing its stranglehold on global pop charts - and YouTube is driving the change
  Post from Music Business Worldwide
• Super Bowl synchs hold steady for music publishers despite ratings dip
  Column from Variety
• Oxford's Truck Festival announces line-up with potatoes
  Item from BBC News
• James Blake: How the producer became hip-hop's favorite Brit
  Story from The Guardian
• How saxophone player Jean-Baptiste Jacquet integrated Houston audiences
  Story from Houstonia Magazine
• The circus singer and the Godfather Of Soul
  Story from CNN

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Wednesday, February 6

• Female songwriters and producers remain 'vastly outnumbered,' says USC study of the music industry
  Post from LA Times
• Spotify reports 29% rise in MAUs to 207M but misses on Q4 revenues of $1.702B
  Post from TechCrunch
• From Coachella to Bonnaroo, 2019's best music festivals have learned to be themselves
  Post from Uproxx
• Sony and Universal face class action lawsuits from artists seeking ownership of their music
  Story from Pitchfork
• Pazz & Jop: So, are women here yet?
  Essay from Village Voice
• This is that song from 'Russian Doll'
  Story from NY Times

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Thursday, February 7

• PledgeMusic suspends contributions on all active crowdfunding campaigns until further notice
  Story from Billboard
• A 44% streaming royalty rise is now locked in for songwriters in the US - so long as the likes of Spotify don't declare war
  Post from Music Business Worldwide
• 21 Savage, American rapper
  Post from NY Times
• Thank u, next! Why pop stars fell out of love with albums
  Post from The Guardian
• Rick Rubin and the early days of hip-hop in New York City
  Book excerpt from Vulture
• Spotify music head on muting artists and that R. Kelly debacle: 'Our intentions were good'
  Interview from The Hollywood Reporter

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Friday, February 8

• Can the Grammys please anyone?
  Post from NY Times
• Chvrches interview: 'It's easy to say male headliners are what sells when that's all you're trying to sell'
  Interview from The Independent
• Wiz Khalifa makes history by releasing song on Oreo cookie
  Item from NME
• Music streaming rates 2018: Per stream rates drop and YouTube's value gap is very real
  Guest post from Hypebot
• A storm is coming to the global music industry - and more than $100 billion is at stake
  Post from Rolling Stone
• State of China's recorded-music industry, as seen through one of its quietest yet most powerful companies
  Story from Billboard