Also, Dave Matthews and John Mayer will join the FireAid lineup and perform together for the first time.
Live Nation said additional artists will be added to the FireAid lineup in the coming days. Organizers said the event will raise money for “rebuilding communities devastated by wildfires and supporting efforts to prevent future fire disasters in Southern California.”
FireAid will be held in two venues: the Intuit Dome and the Forum in Inglewood, California. Tickets for the concert go on sale Wednesday, Jan. 22.
FireAid will also be livestreamed across various platforms including Apple TV, Max, Netflix, Paramount+, SiriusXM, Spotify and YouTube. It will also air in select AMC theaters.
Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release deal reached: Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli government would vote on the ceasefire deal with Hamas that calls for a pause in fighting and the release of hostages. And the clock ticks toward TikTok possibly going dark this weekend. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
Ceasefire deal reached with Hamas to release hostages: Netanyahu
A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas will soon finally come to fruition. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early Friday morning, Jan. 17, that Israel reached an agreement with Hamas to return Israeli hostages, including Americans held in the Gaza Strip.
Talks of a deal hit a snag Thursday, Jan. 16, when Netanyahu said Hamas tried to reverse parts of the agreement.
Israel’s security cabinet is now set to meet Friday to discuss the ceasefire and hostage release deal. A wider cabinet vote to approve the deal is expected on Saturday, Jan. 18.
The deal would see a pause in fighting in Gaza and the phased release of Hamas hostages and Palestinian prisoners. If approved, it would take effect Sunday, Jan. 19.
This development comes as huge blasts from southern Israel could be seen over the Gaza skyline early Friday morning.
On Thursday, Israeli air strikes killed at least 72 people in the territory, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Israel’s military said it hit approximately 50 militant targets across the Gaza Strip over the past day, including weapons storage facilities and rocket launch sites.
This is not unprecedented in past conflicts. Both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before the ceasefire as a show of strength.
Los Angeles residents told not to return home as landslides pose new threat
A new threat looms in fire-ravaged Southern California: landslides. Authorities said leveled structures no longer hold the earth in place in some parts of the hillside and water from fire hoses and broken pipes has saturated the ground, creating a dangerous situation.
Los Angeles officials urged residents forced to evacuate by the deadly wildfires over the past week not to return home yet. They’re urging the evacuees to wait at least another week to return — whether their home was destroyed or spared — so emergency responders can remove toxic waste from incinerated neighborhoods and cut off potentially dangerous electricity and gas lines.
The Environmental Protection Agency needs to remove hazardous materials from damaged and destroyed homes before debris can be hauled away and utilities are fully restored.
The deadly fires claimed the lives of at least 27 people and more than 82,000 are still under evacuation orders.
The Palisades and Eaton fires continue to burn with no end in sight. They’ve scorched a combined area of about 60 square miles and destroyed thousands of homes.
As of CalFire’s latest update, the Palisade Fire remains 22% contained while the Eaton Fire is now 55% contained — up from 45% on Thursday.
Biden admin signals it won’t enforce TikTok ban
As a reported 170 million users wait with bated breath, a Supreme Court decision on whether to uphold a U.S. ban on the popular social media app TikTok is expected anytime now. That ban is set to take effect this Sunday.
However, the Biden administration is now signaling it will not immediately enforce the ban, instead leaving it up to the Trump administration which starts Monday, Jan. 20, with President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Trump already asked the Supreme Court to delay the ban. The Washington Post also reported this week he’s considering an executive order to suspend the ban’s enforcement.
Even if neither administration takes action to enforce the ban, TikTok can still decide to voluntarily shut down when the deadline hits Sunday. However, TikTok is not required to go dark — it’s the app stores and internet hosting services that could be on the hook if they keep providing TikTok to Americans.
The Justice Department has said that TikTok is a national security risk because the app could lead to the Chinese government accessing vast amounts of personal data from Americans.
Confirmation hearing for Gov. Noem, Trump’s DHS secretary pick, to begin Friday
In just three days, President-elect Donald Trump will take the oath of office and become the nation’s 47th president. As Inauguration Day approaches, confirmation hearings continue in Washington for Trump’s cabinet picks.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, will appear before the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Friday, Jan. 17. The hearing was originally scheduled for earlier in the week but was pushed back.
If confirmed by the Senate, Noem would oversee a department with at least 250,000 employees and multiple agencies, including Customs Border and Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Secret Service, the Federal Emergency Management, the Transportation Security Administration and the Coast Guard.
SpaceX Starship explodes shortly after 7th launch
The latest test flight from Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship rocket did not go according to plan Thursday night. SpaceX said the world’s largest rocket exploded shortly after taking off from Texas for its seventh launch.
FireAid lineup includes Billie Eilish, Green Day, Jelly Roll, Lady Gaga
FireAid, the Live Nation concert benefiting the victims of the California wildfires, will take place on Jan. 30 and the lineup has now been released.
Billie Eilish; Earth, Wind & Fire; Green Day; Jelly Roll; Joni Mitchell; Lady Gaga and Stevie Sicks are among the entertainers committed to performing. Also, Dave Matthews and John Mayer will perform together for the first time.
Live Nation said additional artists will be announced in the coming days. Organizers said the event will raise money for “rebuilding communities devastated by wildfires and supporting efforts to prevent future fire disasters in Southern California.”
FireAid will be held in two venues: the Intuit Dome and the Forum in Inglewood, California. Tickets for the concert go on sale Wednesday, Jan. 22.
FireAid will also be livestreamed across various platforms including Apple TV, Max, Netflix, Paramount+, SiriusXM, Spotify and YouTube. It will also air in select AMC theaters.
Spotify moderation features in question as users see porn in search results
Spotify is facing backlash for sexually explicit content allegedly showing up in search results. The Verge first reported on Sunday, Dec. 29, that a Reddit user shared a screenshot of a pornographic video they said appeared after looking up the artist M.I.A.
Several other Spotify users on the Reddit thread said they also saw it or something similar and mentioned erotic audio tracks ending up on playlists.
The spokesperson for the streaming service said the content mentioned has been removed due to a violation of its policies.
These incidents raise the question of how explicit content gets past the platform’s content-blocking settings.
While Spotify hasn’t commented on the specifics of content moderation, Mashable noted the company doesn’t police podcasts before they’re uploaded, which may explain how the explicit content slipped through.
This situation comes as Spotify looks to invest in more video features with the demand for visuals growing, especially with podcasts.
Edison Research found about 84% of monthly podcast listeners consume podcasts with video and about 71% actively watch the podcast while listening.
Spotify reported a 140% increase in the number of video podcasts in its top 50 U.S. podcasts list in 2024 compared to 2023.
Spotify’s top two podcasts, “The Joe Rogan Experience” and “Call Her Daddy,” both include video.
The platform currently hosts more than 300,000 video podcast shows.
Spotify is also looking to capitalize on the popularity of audiobooks by adding video features.
Authors now have an option to submit a short video for their audiobooks, including interviews or behind-the-scenes footage from the audio recording.
The platform also released a “follow along” feature found in the “extras” section. It intends to makes users feel like they’re flipping through a book with illustrations, photos and graphics.
New book accuses Spotify of promoting fake artists to reduce royalty rates
The next time you fire up Spotify, you may hear an artist you’ve never listened to before. A new book alleges that, in some cases, that’s because the artist doesn’t exist and may be part of an elaborate scheme by the company to reduce royalty rates.
The Swedish music and podcast streaming giant funnels listeners toward what it dubs “perfect fit content,” or what author Liz Pelly less-charitably describes as “low-budget stock muzak” in her forthcoming book, “Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist.”
Pelly’s book accuses the company of conspiring to make “ghost artists” make up more of the music played on their platform.
The process would benefit Spotify in two ways. First, it would mean more plays for songs that do not require paying royalties. Second, it would drive down the rate Spotify pays top artists based on their percentage of the platform’s overall streams.
She alleges that, to make this happen, the company relies on a network of over a dozen production firms and even had employees slot the tracks into some of its widely streamed curated playlists.
Pelly’s book follows years of reports about the company’s alleged involvement with ghost artists.
Pelly traveled to Sweden to find the production companies that produced the tracks. She also spoke with musicians and Spotify employees and reviewed internal documents and Slack messages.
One Slack message from a Spotify employee raised concerns about the fairness of using ghost artists.
“I wonder how much these plays ‘steal’ from actual ’normal’ artists,” the employee wrote.
Spotify has repeatedly denied creating fake artists. A Spotify spokesperson told Harper’s, the outlet publishing Pelly’s book excerpt, that it welcomes artists who publish under a pseudonym.
What’s new in 2024 as Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay released
It’s that time of year — Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay are here! These popular features give users a personalized reel of their top songs, artists and podcasts as the year draws to a close. Beyond the personalized stats, however, the platforms have also unveiled the year’s biggest trends and new features.
Top songs and artists of 2024
Spotify Wrapped spotlighted Sabrina Carpenter’s hit single “Espresso,” which topped the U.S. songs list. Over on Apple Music Replay, Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us” –– aimed at rapper Drake –– claimed the most-played song of the year.
Podcasts were also in the spotlight. “The Joe Rogan Experience” ranked as Spotify’s top podcast globally and in the U.S., while Taylor Swift ruled the music charts. For the second year in a row, Swift became Spotify’s top global artist, with over 26 billion streams worldwide. Her album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” was a major factor in securing her the top spot.
Female artists dominate
Women made waves this year, with female artists claiming eight of the 10 spots on Spotify’s most-streamed albums globally. Swift also reigned supreme on Apple Music Replay, earning the platform’s top artist and top album honors. The singer thanked her fans on social media for their support.
Country and crossovers
Country music saw a significant crossover, with artists like Post Malone, Lana Del Rey and Beyoncé bringing the genre into new spaces. These trends show the evolving music tastes of listeners in 2024.
Spotify’s new AI-powered features
This year, Spotify introduced new AI features to enhance the Wrapped experience.
AI-powered podcast: This premium-only feature personalizes a podcast experience based on a user’s top songs, artists and podcasts.
AI DJ: A fan-favorite, the AI DJ provides expert commentary on a user’s year in music and is now available in Spanish.
AI playlist creator: Premium users can now generate personalized playlists based on prompts like “my top five genres.”
Audiobook ranking debut
For the first time, Spotify revealed its top global audiobooks list. After launching 15 free hours of audiobook listening for premium subscribers last year, the feature has gained traction. Author Sarah J. Maas dominated the list, with three spots in the top 10 thanks to her viral popularity on TikTok.
Drake accuses UMG, Spotify of unfairly boosting Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’
Rapper Drake is taking legal action against record label Universal Music Group and streaming app Spotify. The Canadian rapper claims both companies unfairly promoted his rival Kendrick Lamar during a public spat earlier this year.
Lawyers representing Drake allege the companies illegally manipulated streaming numbers for Lamar’s diss track about him, “Not Like Us.”
They cite online reports of Apple users hearing “Not Like Us” when asking for Drake’s album. In addition, they quote an alleged whistleblower who said they received money to set up bots to stream the song.
Drake’s company is not launching a full lawsuit yet. Instead, they filed an action in New York on Monday, Nov. 25, asking the companies to preserve documents ahead of a potential lawsuit.
Universal has record label deals with both Drake and Lamar.
A spokesperson for Universal told multiple outlets that Drake’s allegations are “offensive and untrue,” and that “fans choose the music they want to hear.”
Drake’s team filed a second legal action on Tuesday, Nov. 26, in Texas accusing Universal of taking similar actions with iHeartRadio, Billboard reports.
But this filing also accuses the label of defamation for choosing to release the song.
Lamar released the song in May during a feud in which he and Drake traded new releases of songs insulting each other.
In “Not Like Us,” Lamar refers to Drake and members of his entourage as “certified pedophiles” and implies Drake may be a sex offender himself.
Meanwhile, Lamar released a new album on Friday, Nov. 22, called “GNX.”
“Not Like Us” has earned four Grammy nominations and Lamar will perform at the Super Bowl in February.
Despite taking action against Spotify, Drake still leads in its metric of average monthly streams. The Canadian rap star receives 73 million plays each month, while his rival earns 63 million.
Nature gets its own artist page on Spotify to support global conservation efforts
In a new initiative aimed at raising funds for global conservation efforts, nature now has its own artist page on Spotify. This endeavor from the “Sounds Right” project is backed by the United Nations, with a goal of utilizing music as a tool for protecting and restoring the environment.
The project curates a playlist featuring songs that incorporate sounds from nature such as rainfall, animal calls or gusts of wind. The playlist also includes tracks from artists like David Bowie, Ellie Goulding and V from BTS. Just like any other musician on the audio streaming platform, “NATURE” will receive royalties based on the number of listens generated.
Half of the royalties that NATURE’s artist page brings in will be allocated to the environmental nonprofit charity EarthPercent. The group will then distribute the funds to various conservation initiatives around the world.
Sounds Right has identified organizations for potential funding which operate in the regions of India, Indo-Burma, Myanmar, Philippines, Atlantic Forest, Tropical Andes, Madagascar, the Indian Ocean Islands and Sundaland. Forbes estimated that this initiative could generate more than $40 million over the next four years.
Over that span, the Sounds Right project hopes to reach more than 600 million individual listeners. Following its launch on April 18, the initiative already garnered more than 2.5 million listeners in its first month of operation alone.
Israel carries out strike against Iran in response to drone attack
Israel struck back in its first military response to Iran since last weekend’s attack. The 12-person jury is selected in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, April 19, 2024.
Israel carried out strike against Iran in response to drone attack
Israeli forces struck back against Iran early Friday, April 19, morning following last weekend’s drone and missile barrage toward Israel, but details remain sparse in the aftermath.
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Iranian officials reported their anti-aircraft systems intercepted three small drones near an air base and nuclear site in the province of Isfahan, causing no reported damage. Iranian army commander Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi said the explosions heard in the area were related to air defense actions against suspicious objects.
The United Nation’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed no damage to Iran’s nuclear sites following the incident. Iran temporarily closed its airports after the attack but they have since reopened.
While Israel has not officially commented on the attacks, several officials from Israel, Iran and the U.S. have confirmed the strike to multiple news outlets, marking Israel’s first military response to Iran’s assault that involved 300 missiles and drones, with 99% intercepted.
The direct attack by Iran was reportedly in retaliation for a suspected Israeli airstrike on Iran’s embassy in Syria earlier in the month, which killed seven officials, including a top general.
For nearly a week, Israel indicated plans to retaliate for Iran’s actions despite advisement against it from the U.S. and its allies. An Israeli official told The Washington Post the attack was intended to demonstrate Israel’s capability to strike inside Iran.
An Iranian official told Reuters that Iran has no plans to respond to Israel’s attack.
Congresswoman’s daughter among dozens detained at pro-Palestinian protests
More than 100 students were arrested Thursday, April 18, at Columbia University during a pro-Palestinian protest on the campus’s main lawn. The arrests occurred as New York City police, in riot gear, dismantled a makeshift tent city that had been set up by the protesters without school permission.
In a statement to the Columbia community, Shafik announced the suspension of all students participating in the protest, expressing regret over their refusal to resolve the situation peacefully.
The protests started on Wednesday, April 17, while Shafik testified on Capitol Hill, where she was accused of failing to respond to antisemitism on campus.
Full jury seated in Trump’s hush money trial
The historic hush money criminal trial of former President Donald Trump has seated its full jury, with the judge stating, “We have our jury,” after the 12th juror was selected during day three of the trial in New York on Thursday, April 18.
One alternate was chosen, with five more still needed. The judge expressed hope that jury selection would conclude Friday, April 19.
The day began with the dismissal of two of the seven jurors selected earlier in the week. One juror was dismissed after expressing doubts about remaining impartial after being questioned by family and friends. The second juror was excused after concerns arose about the truthfulness of his answers regarding whether he or any family members had been accused of a crime.
The judge replaced the two and then selected five others to complete the jury, including a speech therapist, a former wealth manager, a physical therapist and a product development manager.
Opening statements are tentatively scheduled for Monday, Aril 22.
FBI: Chinese threat to U.S. infrastructure is bold, unrelenting
FBI Director Christopher Wray emphasized the immediate threats China poses to U.S. national and economic security, highlighting U.S. critical infrastructure as a primary target during his speech at the Vanderbilt Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats on Thursday, April 18.
Wray detailed the Chinese Communist Party’s drive for power, which motivates their strategies including the theft of intellectual property and technologies crucial to future economies.
“I’m talking about everything from indiscriminate hacking to economic espionage, to transnational repression, to fentanyl and the precursor chemicals that are coming out of China and ending up in our communities,” Christopher Wray, director of the FBI, said. “What we’re facing today is the CCP throwing its whole government into undermining the security of the rule of law world.”
Nearly a year ago, Microsoft reported that the cyber group Volt Typhoon had been secretly accessing critical infrastructure organizations in the U.S. since mid-2021. Security researchers from Microsoft and Google have linked the Volt Typhoon group to China. The group targets sectors such as communications, utilities, transportation, and government to spy on and infiltrate those networks.
Earlier this week, a spokesperson from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Volt Typhoon is not affiliated with China’s government but is a criminal ransomware group.
Netflix adds 9.3 million subscribers, will no longer report quarterly tally
On the same day Netflix announced it had added more than 9 million subscribers in the first quarter of the year amid its crackdown on password sharing. The streaming giant said it would no longer report subscriber numbers each quarter.
The 9.3 million additional subscribers far surpassed estimates, bringing the global total to nearly 270 million subscribers — a record high.
The company also reported over $9 billion in revenue, a 15% increase from a year ago. Netflix said it is switching to announcing subscriber additions only when major milestones are reached.
Netflix told investors that the company’s success should be assessed based on its revenue and operating margins, adding that time spent using the service is the best way to gauge customer satisfaction.
Taylor Swift’s latest album breaks Spotify record before being released
One of the most anticipated albums of all time is now available, breaking records even before its release just hours ago. Spotify reported Taylor Swift’s 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” broke its record for the most pre-saved album in the streaming service’s history.
Swift’s latest album dropped overnight, with the Grammy winner surprising fans by announcing this release is a double album, sharing 15 extra songs with fans at 2 a.m.
No numbers have been disclosed yet on the success of “The Tortured Poets” album.
Swift’s 2022 album “Midnights” spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard charts and earned the Grammy for album of the year.
Apple faces nearly $2 billion fine as EU rules against tech giant
Apple is facing a nearly $2 billion fine from the European Union. The EU leveled the fine in response to an antitrust penalty against Apple on Monday, March 4, ruling it forbade rivals like Spotify from notifying customers of how they could pay for cheaper subscriptions outside of Apple’s app store, according to The Associated Press.
The EU said that the fine imposed on Apple “reflects both Apple’s financial power and harm that Apple’s conduct inflicted on millions of European users.”
However, Apple disagreed with the decision.
“The facts simply don’t support this decision,” the company said in a statement regarding the EU’s ruling.
The ruling by the EU comes after Spotify argued Apple’s 30% commission fees hurt the company financially while benefiting Apple. The Verge reported that Apple was able to sell subscriptions to Apple Music through its app store without being assessed a similar fee.
However, Apple challenged Spotify’s arguments, saying Spotify added more than 100 million subscribers outside of its app store over the last eight years, according to The Verge. Additionally, Apple contends that Spotify benefited from Apple’s software tools and app updates without paying for the services because of that.
The ruling by the EU is part of a larger crackdown. According to The New York Times, a new EU rule that mandates Apple to allow third-party marketplaces on the iPhone goes into effect this year. Apple is reportedly refining its app store to comply with the law.
Apple is also facing a legal fight in the U.S.
The New York Times reported that a U.S. court ruled Apple must allow app developers to link to other payment methods. A judge ordered the move after a legal challenge from Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite. As a result, Apple did allow developers to link out to web-based payment methods, but it is still charging up to a 27% commission fee.
Meanwhile, as European regulators enforce penalties on Apple, the company reported revenue of $119.58 billion and a net profit of $33.92 billion in its latest quarter.
“To align Spotify with our future goals and ensure we are right-sized for the challenges ahead, I have made the difficult decision to reduce our total headcount by approximately 17% across the company,” Ek said. “I recognize this will impact a number of individuals who have made valuable contributions. To be blunt, many smart, talented and hard-working people will be departing us.”
It marks the latest round of layoffs in Spotify’s ongoing battle to become profitable; the company let go about 800 workers already this year. In June, the company announced it was consolidating its podcast division, cutting about 200 jobs in a division in which it had recently invested heavily.
“I know you will all be anxious to hear the next steps about how this process will work. If you are an impacted employee, you will receive a calendar invite within the next two hours from HR for a one-on-one conversation,” Ek said.
Spotify isn’t alone in slashing jobs; this year, major layoffs swept across the tech industry. Meta, Amazon, Google, Microsoft and IBM announced hundreds of thousands of layoffs in 2023.