musicFriday, July 17, 2026
The biggest story today is a hacked code dump confirming that AI music startup Suno scraped YouTube and Deezer to train its models. It's a smoking gun for the major labels' copyright suits, and it shifts the conversation from speculation to evidence.
The Suno leak is the day's defining story, but there's also a thoughtful retrospective on why independent music platforms struggle to survive.
Hacked source code from Suno reveals it scraped YouTube Music, Deezer, and Genius for training data, directly supporting the labels' claims of copyright infringement. The breach also exposed customer data, adding a privacy scandal to the legal one.
A reflection on the closure of Nina Protocol, an indie music marketplace that promised 100% artist payouts. It's a sobering look at why mission-driven platforms struggle to survive, especially as AI and streaming tighten their grip.
Two longform pieces trace the evolution of albums from very different artists.
A year-in-the-making profile of Steve Lacy's album 'Oh Yeah?', tracing how it evolved from a sad post-breakup collection into something more dynamic. The piece captures Lacy working through personal turmoil in real time.
Allison Russell's new album 'In the Hour of Chaos' arrives with a Juno, a Grammy, a Tony nomination, and a Billboard Hot 100 entry already behind her. The profile explores how she finds hope amid the noise.
A few pieces capture the energy of artists on stage, from arena tours to punk clubs.
Olivia Dean's first U.S. arena tour kicked off at L.A.'s Crypto.com Arena, a huge leap from her 1,500-capacity shows a year ago. The review captures her rapid rise and connection with the crowd.
LA punk band Generacion Suicida brings a self-deprecating mission to 'depress the punks' in Richmond. The review captures their live energy and frontman Tony Abarca's deadpan ethos.
10 of the Best Under-the-Radar Rap Mixtapes of 2026pitchfork.com
Gracie Abrams Swaps One Hot Hair Accessory for Another: The Puffy Headbandwww.vogue.com
Adam Scott on the Music That Made Himpitchfork.com
TOMORA: AURORA and Tom Rowlands’ Kaleidoscopic Playgroundfloodmagazine.com
19 New Songs Out Todaywww.brooklynvegan.comTom Everett Scott Got to Do Every Dad’s Oasis Dreamwww.vulture.com
A profile/interview piece about actor Tom Everett Scott, who plays Elle Woods' father in the new Amazon prequel series 'Elle' (a Legally Blonde prequel). The article focuses on how Scott got to fulfill a lifelong dream of performing Oasis's 'Wonderwall' on screen, as his characte
Ava Max Scores: The Pop Star on the World Cup, Her Favorite ABBA Song, and Morewww.rollingstone.com
Pop star Ava Max discusses her recent music releases including the FIFA World Cup 2026 anthem "Energy," her creative process, a recent elevator scare, and her favorite ABBA song in a new interview at FIFA House in New York. She reflects on her career momentum, her Freddie Mercury
You're Killing Me Composer on Breaking into Episodic TV, Themes & Morebleedingcool.com
An interview with composer Alexandra Petkovski (FJØRA) about her work on the Acorn TV murder-mystery series "You're Killing Me." The article explores her evolution from a musician whose work appeared in TV shows and video games to becoming a composer for episodic television, disc
Zara Larsson on Depop Partnership and Closet Clean-Outswww.thecut.com
A profile/interview with Swedish pop star Zara Larsson about her fashion collaboration with Depop, where she discusses her approach to personal style, sustainability in fashion, the process of cleaning out her closet for the Depop partnership, and how her fashion sense intersects
A Look Back at Ariana Grande’s Dating Historywww.harpersbazaar.com
A comprehensive retrospective of Ariana Grande's high-profile romantic relationships, from her early romance with Big Sean and her relationship with Mac Miller, to her engagement to Pete Davidson, her marriage to Dalton Gomez, and her more recent relationship with Wicked co-star
A detailed retrospective on the Ramones' 1976 self-titled debut album, which initially sold only 6,000 copies but is now recognized as a groundbreaking, world-changing record. The article explores the band's origins, the recording process, the cultural context of mid-70s New York
"Some might even think we're a hair band. We also get called power metal." Armored Saint have always…www.loudersound.com
An interview/profile of Armored Saint frontman John Bush, who discusses the band's latest album "Emotion Factory Reset," their musical evolution, and the band's identity. The piece covers Bush's history including turning down Metallica in the early 80s and his tenure with Anthrax
Wake Up - song and lyrics by Arcade Fireopen.spotify.com
open.spotify.com/track/6Hmj7S...
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