By: Zach Brendza | Features Editor
Justin Beiber, Street Racer
On Christmas Eve, he said he was retiring, which unfortunately, seemed unlikely. Now after being arrested for drag racing and drunk driving, maybe the 19 year-old Canadian pop star will finally call it quits. Fingers crossed.
You all know the story. Last Thursday morning, he raced a rented yellow Lamborghini. He got pulled over, resisted arrest (nonviolently), fails a sobriety test at the scene and a Breathalyzer at the Miami Beach police station, all according to Rolling Stone.
The worst part about this is that the Lambo wasn’t even his, it was rented. Come on. You’re THE Beibs. Can’t you ball out and get your own whip? Also, according to an officer on the scene, his car and the car he was racing only got up to 55 to 60 miles per hour in a residential neighborhood where the speed limit is 30. If he was really as bad as he seems, he would have pulled a Vin Diesel in The Fast and The Furious and burned some rubber.
With his arrest, maybe Beiber will call it quits. If he did, I wouldn’t complain. But if he could take Nickelback with him, that’d be great.
Baby, baby, baby, oh … yes.
World Cup song
Brazil has got it going on. In 2016, the South American country will host the Summer Olympics. This summer, the country will host another sporting spectacle: the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
But what would a world unifying event be without an anthem to get things popping? It would be nothing. And who better to write and perform than Pitbull? Because who doesn’t love Pitbull?
Don’t answer that.
“We are One (Ole Ola),” just announced as the event’s official song, will feature guest appearances by Jennifer Lopez and Brazilian singer Claudie Leitte. The trio will perform at the World Cup Opening Ceremonies on June 12 at Brazil’s Arena de Sao Paulo. The World Cup will run from June 12 to July 13.
Bringing in Pitbull and J-Lo is a good move in appealing to the Latino population. But involving Leitte, a home grown talent from Rio de Janeiro, is the most important part of this. FIFA has done well with using artists from the country where the World Cup has been hosted, pairing Shakira with South African ensemble Freshlyground for 2010’s anthem “Waka Waka” in South Africa.
Let’s just hope this year’s anthem doesn’t sound like a bunch of buzzing vuvuzelas, the unofficial sound of the World Cup.
Digital down
It’s 2014, a new year. Things must be great. Not for the digital download community, according to Billboard Biz.
Through the third week of the year, track sales are down 11.9 percent and digital album sales are down 13.3 percent, according to Nielsen SoundScan, the official tracking service of music and music video products in the U.S. and Canada. Through the first three weeks of 2013, track sales were up 2.2 percent and digital album sales were up 18.1 percent, also according to Nielsen SoundScan.
While purchases have gone down, streaming music is rising. Beats Music, a new music streaming app, was the second most downloaded free iPhone app on iTunes this week. Internet streaming site Pandora had 76.2 million monthly users at the end of December 2013.
With decline in downloads and increase in streaming, the world of music may yet again be encountering a paradigm shift in the way music is purchased and listened to. In the ever changing world of music, the Willy Wonka Candy slogan seems applicable: what will they think of next?
Whats Out This Week
David Crosby – Croz
Of Mice & Men – Restoring Force
The Lawrence Arms – Metropole
On The Horizon
2/8 G. Love & Special Sauce w/ Kristy Lee @ Stage AE
2/13 Robert Randolph and the Family Band w/ Big Gypsy @ Altar Bar
2/15 Reggie and the Full Effect w/ Dads, Pentimento and The Spacepimps @ Altar Bar
2/15 Cults w/ Moon Rings @ Mr. Small’s
Just Announced
4/18 William Fitzsimmons @ The Rex Theater
5/2 Wye Oak @ Mr. Small’s
5/5 The Both (Aimee Mann and Ted Leo) @ Mr. Small’s
6/5 The Naked and Famous @ Stage AE (outdoors)