Spotify (not available in the US) has shown media outlets how they have built a sustainable revenue model, paying record labels royalties in two of its international markets, and a share of ad-based revenues in another four. The socially enabled, P2P-based music service lets users stream music through a custom application on user’s computers for a monthly fee, or free with advertising support. In the service’s home country of Sweden, Spotify revenues already top iTunes.

So the gist of it is: a new music industry revenue model is rising, and it’s good for consumers and labels alike.

Read more at the Telegraph UK

Not only is she mega-talented, insanely popular, and probably one of the best-selling artists of the twenty-oughts, Taylor Swift is also very generous:

“Something I wanted to do at the end of this amazing year and especially on my birthday was give back to something I really believe in, which is education,” Taylor told the mag. “The schools that I went to and the amazing people I got to learn from really turned me into who I am, and I wanted to give back.”

And so, the 20 year-old (!)  donated $250,000 to those schools. In addition, she baked (herself) treats for guests at her birthday party in Henderson, Tennessee. Too cool Taylor.

Guitar hero and studio innovator Les Paul has diead at age 94.

More at Mtv.com CNN

Writer, director, producer, and music aficionado John Hughes passed away yesterday. As a true child of the 80′s (my very first actual memories are in 1980), his movies are part of my own cultural makeup. Music was always a big part of any Hughes film, so here’s my John Hughes mini-mix to celebrate:

Billy Idol – Rebel Yell
Oingo Boingo – Weird Science
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – If You Leave
Simple Minds – Dont Forget About me
Yello – Oh Yeah

Earlier this week, a YouTube video of 5 year-old Wesley playing his cover of Johnny Chash’s Folsom Prison Blues. Moments later, the meme had expanded to this list of 10 youths playing various rock covers (well, 9 covers, and one helluva jam). My favorite has to be the drummer:

See all 10 videos at Urlesque