The Music of 1989

The Guardian has a retrospective on the music of 1989. While noting that the year had its fair share of dross, it was also the year of The Stone Roses, The Pixies, Happy Mondays, De La Soul and Soul II Soul, as well as Madonna's "Like a Prayer" and New Order's "True Faith". All up, a pretty interesting year for music - and also for fashion and drugs, as the middle picture reminds us. While you may not want to be reminded of it, an American version of such a list would also give a high profile to Motley Crue and G'n'F'n'R - 1989 was also a big year for hair metal.

Who said witty subediting was dead?

Smashing Pumpkins' frontman Billy Corgan's appearance before the U.S. Congress on performers' rights payments for radio inspired that witty headline in Pitchfork.

Guitar Hero Aerosmith

The Economist reveals that Aerosmith have made more money from 'Guitar Hero Aerosmith' than they have from any of their records. Even Pump and Permanent Vacation. Now I want to know about that Aerosmith ride at Disneyworld, which I went on once.

AS THE music industry searches for a new model in the age of digital distribution and internet piracy, it is getting a helping hand from an unexpected quarter: video games such as “Guitar Hero” and “Rock Band”, which let people play along to songs on simplified imitation instruments. “These games are revitalising the industry,” says Aram Sinnreich, an industry expert at New York University. “They’re helping as both a revenue and an advertising platform.”

The main impact of the games is to provide exposure. Inclusion of their music in these popular games has allowed previously obscure bands to achieve international fame, and veteran musicians to blast the ears of a new generation. According to Activision Blizzard, the video-game giant behind “Guitar Hero III”, bands whose songs are included in the game can expect online sales of their music to increase by an average of 300% as a result. “We’re definitely in demand—we’re constantly being pitched by artists and management,” says Paul DeGooyer, senior vice-president of games and music at MTV, which publishes “Rock Band”. As well as increasing sales, having a song in his game also boosts a band’s overall fame and popularity. “We’re providing a new outlet for people to experience music,” he says.