Andy Rehfeldt jells the angry vocals from their track Angel of Death with the upbeat 80s synth-pop of Wham!’s holiday staple Last Christmas for a new killer holiday classic.
Bill Murray is asked what he wants that he doesn’t yet have. He gives a surprising and meaningful answer you might not expect.
Bill Murray is asked what he wants that he doesn’t yet have. His answer is honest, candid, and resonates with many of us.
My Next Read: Switched on Pop: How Popular Music Works, and Why it Matter
With today’s publication of Switched on Pop: How Popular Music Works, and Why it Matters, Oxford University Press releases a 224-page recipe for the “Secret Sauce Behind Pop-Music Hits” (The Wall Street Journal). Authored by Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding – creators and hosts of the eponymous podcast – the new book is an ear-opening exploration of the stars and singles defining our collective, 21st Century soundtrack.
Structured as a series of 16 deep-dive case studies, each chapter uses a specially-chosen chart-topper as the entrypoint into understanding the concepts, techniques, themes, and trends that help make certain songs so ubiquitous. By illuminating the inner-workings of building blocks like meter and melody, to the techniques of syncopation and modulation, even ideas around genre and identity, poptimists, snobs, and passive listeners alike will all be able to hear hits by Outkast, Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson, and more in ways they never have before – find the full track list below.
Since personal revelations on the ingenuity of Carly Rae Jepsen sparked the idea to launch the Switched on Pop podcast five years ago – now part of the Vox Media Podcast Network – Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding have produced hundreds of episodes, welcomed guests like Lizzo, and become trusted authorities on Top 40 analysis. Sloan is also the Assistant Professor of Musicology at the University of Southern California, and Harding is the podcast’s Executive Producer, a multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter.
Complete with illustrations by Iris Gottlieb, Switched on Pop: How Popular Music Works, and Why it Matters packs the same “addictive” (Rolling Stone), “insanely fascinating” (BuzzFeed) mix of “rigor and charm” (Vulture) as the show into a timely new text.
Based on the critically acclaimed podcast that has broken down hundreds of Top 40 songs since 2014, showing that pop music really does matter.
With engaging discussions and eye-catching illustrations by Iris Gottlieb, every music lover—from fanatics to skeptics, teenagers to octogenarians, non-musicians to professional composers—will discover something ear-opening.
Explains the musical techniques behind 20 years of pop hits and why they’re loved, revealing the surprising connections between contemporary pop music and musical styles from around the world and across history
The One Song Angel Olsen Wishes She Wrote
Angel Olsen talks about the one song she wishes she wrote, “Half Baked” by Jimmy Campbell.
Nevin Grant to be Inducted into the Canadian Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame
Canadian Music Week is pleased to announce that Nevin Grant of CKOC is to be inducted into the Canadian Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame, and will be the recipient of the Allan Waters Lifetime Achievement Award.
Music director of CKOC from 1968 until his retirement in 2003, Nevin is recognized as one of the top music programmers in Canada. He is an avid record collector, with his massive collection containing over 15,000 45 RPM singles alone. “I became a serious collector of 45 rpm recordings in the mid-Fifties. I tried to collect every hit single… I’d also buy any recording I really liked, whether a hit or not.”
His reputation as “The Hitmaker” was solidified over his 37-year career at CKOC. He was known for breaking new hits, and his knack for finding the latest and greatest in pop music was a huge part of CKOC’s success. After graduating in Radio and Television Arts from Toronto’s Ryerson University, Nevin started at CKOC in 1966 as a copywriter and became Creative Director, Music Director, Assistant Program Director then Program Director.
Following his retirement from CKOC in 2003, Nevin also became an author, offering his insightful recollections on the music, times, books, movies, fads, fashions and pop culture icons of 1955-1989 in his book Growing up with the Hits!: Reliving The Best Time of Your Life – 1955-1989.
Grant helped launch many broadcasters’ careers over the years, great DJs like Roger Ashby, Ronald J. Morey, Gord James, Dave Charles, Brent Sleightholm, Bob Steele, Mike Jaycock, Peter Jaycock, Franklyn Cooper, “Rock ‘N'” Ray Michaels and Bob Bratina, who would eventually become mayor of Hamilton.
Neill Dixon, president of Canadian Music Week and producer of the awards, says: ”We are very pleased to announce the induction for Nevin Grant. There’s a personal connection here, He always had time for the “record guys” dropping off vinyl 45’s to the station including myself as newbie RCA rep. back in the day.”
Jim Waters adds “I can’t think of a more deserving recipient of this prestigious award, which is presented in recognition of Nevin’s extraordinary contribution to the broadcast industry.”
Grant joins the ranks of previous recipients including Marilyn Denis, Roger Ashby, Chuck McCoy, John Donabie, Bill Evanov, David Marsden, John Derringer, Paul Ski, Don Shafer, Bob Laine, and J. Robert Wood. The Waters Family, specifically Allan Waters, founded the CHUM broadcasting empire in 1954 and built it into one of Canada’s most respected and successful broadcast companies.
Nevin Grant will be honoured at the 2020 Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Awards on May 21st, 2020 at the Bluma Appel Theatre (St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts.)
The Breakdown: Billie Eilish and Finneas on ‘Bad Guy’
It took Billie Eilish 34 “Duh”s to craft her hit song, “Bad Guy” — or at least that many takes of the word. And all that repetition paid off: Eilish recently garnered six Grammy nominations, including “Bad Guy” for Record and Song of the Year and When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? for Album of the Year.
The siblings discuss how they wrote their Grammy-nominated hit song in our video series
The real story behind this Harry Styles album cover
The fisheye album cover is a modern music staple. This is the story of where it came from.
Broken Record: Andre 3000 and Rick Rubin In Conversation
Andre 3000 opens up to Rick Rubin in one of his most candid interviews ever. He talks about the early days of OutKast, how he first found his voice, how his mental health diagnosis has been both a blessing a curse, why it’s so hard for him to write new material, and why he would rather perform at flea markets these days than sold-out arenas.
Cross border Mergers and Acquisitions: Effects and challenges faced
Cross border Mergers and Acquisitions or M&A are deals between foreign firms and national firms in the target country. This deal is such in which the assets and processes of the firms in different countries are combined to form a new legitimate entity.
Types of Merge and Acquisition for cross border
Merge and Acquisition for cross border can be classified in two types:
- Inward cross border M and A: This type involve an inward movement of capital due to the sale of a domestic company to a foreign investor.
- outward cross border M&A’s: involves outward capital movement for purchasing of a foreign firm.
In spite of these differences, inward and outward M&A’s are closely linked as on a whole M&A transaction comprise of both sales and purchase.
Factors that encourage cross borer Merger and Acquisition
- globalization of financial markets
- falling demand due to international competition and market pressures.
- seek new market opportunities since the technology is fast evolving
- geographical diversification which would result in exploring the assets in the other countries
- increase companies’ efficiency in producing the goods and service
- fulfilment of objective to grow profitably
- increase the scale of production
Effects of cross border merger and acquisition
Capital Buildup
cross border merger and acquisition contribute in capital accumulation on a long-term basis. In order to expand their business, it not only starts investment in plants, constructions and equipment’s but also in the tangible assets such as the technical know how skills rather than just the physical portion of the capital.
Employment Creation
From time to time it is seen that the Mand A that are undertaken to drive restructuring may lead to downsizing but would lead to employment gains in long terms. the downsizing is sometimes essential for the continued existence of operation.
Technology Handover
when businesses from different countries combine together when it sustains effects of transfer of technology, sharing of the best management skills and practices and investment in intangible assets of host country. this in turn lead to innovation and has an influence on the operation of the company.
Challenges faced by cross border M and A
There are certain challenges in terms of different economic, legal and cultural structures. They might face difference regarding There could customer’s choices, business practices, and the culture which could pose as a huge threat for companies to fulfil their strategic objectives. some of the challenges related to cross border merger and acquisitions are as follows:
Political Concerns:
Any political concerns that arise have a major role in cross bored merger and acquisition political situation has major role in cross border merger and acquisition, particularly for industries which are politically sensitive such as defense, security etc. it is also important to concern of the parties like governmental agencies employees, suppliers and all other interested should be addressed subsequent to the plan of the merger is known to public. There should be prior notice given and discussion whither labor unions and otter concerned parties. it is important to identify and evaluate present or probable political risk arising
Cultural challenges
this can be a huge threat to the success of cross border mergers and acquisition. there have been a lot of mergers that have faced failure due to cultural differences. when there is a cross border transaction there are issues that arise because of the geographical scope of the deal. Intercultural; disagreement is one of the major objectives behind the alliance I business should be well aware of the intercultural engenderment and prospects that come hand in hand with amalgamation process and prepare tier workforce to manage these issues.
Legal Consideration
companies wanting to merge cannot overlook the challenge of meeting the various legal and regulatory issues that thy are likely to face. hence before considering the deal it is important to Revie the employment regulation, antirust statue and other contractual requirements to be dealt with.
Tax and Accounting Consideration
Tax matters are critical particularly when it comes to structuring the transaction. The proportion of debt and equity in transaction involved would influence the outlay of tax hence a clear understanding of the same becomes significant. if the parties initiating to cross border Mand A are well aware about the financial and accounting terms in the deal, it would aid in minimizing the confusion.
Due Diligence
this forms a very important part of M and A process. Apart from legal, political and regulatory issues we discussed above there are also infrastructure currency and other local risks which need thorough appraisal. Due diligence can affect the terms and conditions under which the M and A transaction would take place, influence the deal structure, affect the price of the deal
Merger and acquisition services
The whole process of cross border merger and acquisition can provide great benefits to companies. Each and every process for merger and accusation is done is a proper order to have a business in a region with high economic power such as the United Arab Emirates.
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