Movie studios call off legal action against LimeWire
The US movie industry has called off its legal efforts to squeeze $200 million out of defunct file-sharing company LimeWire, Torrentfreak has reported, possibly because the litigation was going to be more involved, and therefore more expensive, than initially hoped.

As much previously reported, the Recording Industry Association Of America pursued a long legal battle against LimeWire and its founder Mark Gorton after the company became the leading file-sharing operation based in the US jurisdiction after the demise of Napster, Grokster et al.

Gorton continued to battle on, despite the landmark ruling in the Grokster case making his legal case very weak, partly (certainly in latter years) because he thought he could persuade the major labels to do a deal in order to participate in a legit LimeWire digital music service that was in development.

But the major labels - via the Recording Industry Association Of America - were in no mood to forgive the years of copyright infringement LimeWire had enabled and profited from, and kept up the legal pressure until the US courts confirmed that the Lime Group was liable for the copyright infringement it facilitated.

Eventually Gorton gave up the fight, shut his business down, and paid the majors $105 million in damages. Settlements with the music publishers and the indie-label representing Merlin were also reached. But what about all the movies and TV shows illegally shared over the LimeWire network?

With the ruling from the RIAA case in hand, legal reps for America's six major movie and TV studios last year launched their own litigation against what remains of the Lime company and Gorton himself, pushing for $200 million in damages. Hollywood's legal men said this was an open and shut case - if the record industry's copyrights were infringed by LimeWire, so were theirs - and a summary judgement should be passed to say as much.

LimeWire's lawyers disagreed, though, arguing this should be treated as a separate case. Partly because this was about movies not records but, possibly more importantly, the specific infringements identified by the movie companies related to 2009 and 2010 when, the former file-sharing firm said, it had already altered its operations a little. Therefore the principles of the RIAA case couldn't be simply applied with no further debate.

Quite why the movie industry requested its legal action be dismissed last week isn't clear, though it seems likely that the studios had been hoping for a speedy resolution to this case, and a speedy pay day to accompany it, and possibly got cold feet when it looked likely that the judge wasn't going to issue a summary judgement, resulting in a long, bitter and expensive legal battle. The studios may have also considered what the carcass of LimeWire and Gorton himself would be able to pay even if they won.

Norway joins Sweden in including streaming data in album chart compilation
It's no secret, of course, that streaming services have made more of in impact in the Scandinavian markets than anywhere else so far, so it's perhaps no surprise to hear that both the Swedish and Norwegian record industries are now including streaming data in their official album charts.

Sweden, where streaming platforms now account for about 70% of recorded music revenues, and which started including streaming data in its singles chart back in 2010, started doing likewise with its albums chart in September. And as of the start of this month, the Norwegian record industry - where streaming revenues likewise bring in more than two thirds of the revenue - has followed suit.

When announcing the inclusion of streaming stats in his album chart earlier this year, Ludvig Werner, the boss of record industry trade body IFPI Sweden, said: "The change is completely natural because so much of Swedes' listening is done through music streaming services. The new charts provide a better picture of the reality that is the mix of ways - physical, downloaded and streamed - that Swedes consume music today".

Meanwhile Marte Thorsby of IFPI Norway said this week: "We've been working on a model for a combined album chart for a long time now. We're very happy to finally present a new and revitalised album chart. Of the total music sales in Norway, streaming accounts for nearly 70%, which is one of the largest streaming shares in the world. The time is right to include streaming in the album chart".

In most other territories, even where digital revenues now exceed physical product income, usually the download stores like iTunes are still generating by far the most monies for the record labels. Though the US industry does now include streaming data in its main Billboard 100 singles chart, but not in the official albums countdown. In the UK streaming data is yet to be incorporated into the main charts for either single tracks or long players.

London record shop On The Beat for sale on eBay
Independent record shops - and especially vinyl sellers - are doing much better these days, so we're sometimes told. So, now's the time to get into the business, no? But who can be bothered doing the groundwork, like establishing a brand and buying stock?

Not me, that's for sure. Thankfully, here's an opportunity to avoid all those boring bits and head straight into a John Cusack style fantasy: London record shop On The Beat is up for sale... on eBay. The shop, which has been trading in Soho for several decades, is going for the low, low price of £300,000 (or your best offer), stock, history and all. Though, according to the listing, it can only be posted within the UK, so no shipping it brick by brick to the US.

Says owner Tim Derbyshire: "Without someone buying it, it will disappear. If you're mad about music, love vinyl and want to keep the dream alive, here's your chance to take on an Aladdin's Cave of musical gems. I've given it my heart and soul for all these years but it's time for me to step down and let another passionate music lover take over".

Make your offer (or just pay the full price and bag the 5000 Nectar points also on offer, you cheapskate) here.

Live Nation's concert attendance and revenue figures up this summer
So, despite some wobbles here and there, the summer of 2013 proved to be good for the live music business, if the latest financials from Live Nation are anything to go by.

The live giant has reported that attendance at its concerts worldwide was up 27% year-on-year this summer, resulting in revenues 15% higher than a year ago at $2.26 billion, with revenue increases in the firm's touring, sponsorship and ticketing divisions. And while profits were down 24% to $43.8 million, that included a $36 million charge on extinguishment of debt, and exceeded analyst expectations by quite a margin.

Live Nation boss man Michael Rapino told reporters: "Consumer demand has come back strong for us this year, as we have had attendance growth across concerts globally, from new artists to the legends and everyone in between".

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New appointments galore at Ticketmaster UK
Following the recent appointment of new MD Simon Presswell at Live Nation's Ticketmaster UK business, a number of other new appointments have now been made.

Coming into the business will be Nick Griffiths, previously with SkyIQ, who becomes Ticketmaster's Sales Operations Director; Tommy Tyekiff from Ingenious Media, who will become VP for Business Transformation at the start of next year; and Nihal Pekbeken, joining the ticketing firm from NBC Universal, where he will become VP Global Marketing and Creative Services.

Internally, current Marketing Director Dan Pearce will be promoted to the role of VP Marketing & Business Development for Ticketmaster's ticket resale business; Andrew Parsons, currently VP Sales, will become VP Music & Comedy; and Doug Smith, VP Client Services, will expand his remit taking on responsibility for the operations team within the business.

Commenting on all this rejiggery, Presswell told CMU: "We have brought in top talent with extensive technology and media experience, which will further strengthen our business. My key focus is to ensure that we consistently deliver the very best service for our clients and the most fan-friendly experience for our customers".

Justin Bieber invests in new social network for teens
With teens reportedly sliding away from Facebook as it becomes the social network of their parents, and Bebo yet to regain its control of the online teen market, Justin Bieber's latest investment may just turn out to be a shrewd one. Or it could turn out to be a big fat waste of money. But what does he care? He's Justin Bieber. He can make more money by charging fans £800 for a meet and greet (aka barely meet and then get manhandled off the premises)

Anyway, the pop teen - a regular tech investor - has led a seed funding round for a new social network aimed at teenagers, called Shots Of Me. Created by mobile game developer RockLive, the company has so far raised $2.7 million from Bieber and other investors and is now approaching venture capital firms for more.

RockLive CEO John Shahidi told Fortune: "We got to know Justin after he began playing our games and tweeting about it. He's been very involved in our products, helping us test things and providing feedback... When we told him that we were looking to create a social network for teens that really addresses what they aren't getting on other networks, and which tries to deal with things like cyber-bullying, his eyes just lit up".

Whether Shots Of Me will actually attract any teenagers remains to be seen, and few details about the service are available (though it's probably reasonable to guess that it centres on selfies), but the app is due to go live on Apple's App Store later this week.

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Bloom.fm reach half a million users
Streaming music service Bloom.fm, which offers a cheaper lite option for consumers at just £1 a month, says it has now past the 500,000 registered users landmark.

The mobile centric service, launched at the start of the year, and which is based on the theory that more mainstream consumers would rather pay less money to access less music than is possible on Spotify-type set ups, recently staged a substantial advertising campaign which London-readers would have been hard pushed to miss, as well as adding an Android app alongside its existing iOS one.

Both of which helped the firm reach its half a million user point. Bloom.fm boss Oleg Fomenko told CMU: "Reaching half a million users is a significant milestone. We're giving mass-market music fans what they need - a fairly priced service that's beautifully designed and enjoyable to use. This is a great start - we're building a strong brand and we've got huge ambitions".

New PD for Smooth Radio
As Global Radio continues to slowly absorb slices of the Real Smooth business it acquired last year, it's been announced that Dick Stone will become Group Programme Director for the Smooth Radio network, in addition to his existing Global role of PD for Capital FM in the East Midlands.

Confirming his expanded role, Stone told reporters: "I'm both proud and privileged to take on this new role. The team at Smooth is immensely talented and I'm looking forward to working closely with them to power the station to new heights. It's going to be exciting, great fun and I can't wait to get started".

Global's Director Of Broadcasting Richard Park added: "Alongside his enthusiasm and wealth of experience, Dick has a proven track record at Global with Capital FM in the East Midlands. We are thrilled to promote him to this new role at Smooth Radio".

Rizzle Kicks and Eminem on hip hop bigotry
Huey-baiting pop tykes Rizzle Kicks have quite rightly kicked off a bit at misogyny and homophobia in hip hop, saying it really does their head(s) in. Airing his irritation via the BBC, the duo's Jordan Stephens said of often rapped words like "fag": "Turns of phrases take a while to die out, but when it's vicious, I don't understand why you'd bother. Think of something more inventive to say. It's a cultural thing that needs to piss off, basically".

And: "I think it's even worse for women. I had an ex-girlfriend who was seriously up on her hip hop, and I played her this song 'Clique' with Jay Z, Kanye and Big Sean. The first lyric is 'I tell a bad bitch do whatever I say'. And she just turned around and said, 'what's that?' I don't think we know any women - smart women, who you'd want to be friends with - that would proclaim themselves as a bad bitch".

Right on. In parallel news, rapper Eminem has had to explain why it is he says "faggot" over and over on his new LP, particularly in one of its tracks 'Rap God', which features the phrase "gay looking" as a diss.

Claiming he doesn't relate that kind of term to homosexuality, Shady tells Rolling Stone: "I don't know how to say this without saying it how I've said it a million times. But that word, those kind of words, when I came up battle-rapping or whatever, I never really equated those words. It was more like calling someone a bitch or a punk or asshole. So that word was just thrown around so freely back then".

"Not saying it's wrong or it's right, but at this point in my career - man, I say so much shit that's tongue-in-cheek. I poke fun at other people, myself. But the real me sitting here right now talking to you has no issues with gay, straight, transgender, at all. I'm glad we live in a time where it's really starting to feel like people can live their lives and express themselves. And I don't know how else to say this, I still look at myself the same way that I did when I was battling and broke".

In conclusion: "I've been doing this shit for, what, fourteen years now? And I think people know my personal stance on things and the personas that I create in my music. And if someone doesn't understand that by now, I don't think there's anything I can do to change their mind about it.

Oh hang on, Marshall - how about you just, like, don't use the word "faggot"?

Release round-up: Bombay Bicycle Club, Flume, Cate Le Bon and Yoko Ono
So, a "hopeful" new Bombay Bicycle Club album is on the cards for 3 Feb, not that anyone knows its name, bar possibly the band. Following 2011's 'A Different Kind Of Fix', its topmost single, 'Carry Me', is watchable via one of those interactive clips, but only if you slide your cursor from side to side. It's quite slow to load, but give it a spin now if you like.

Hype-y producer Flume is streaming his new hip hop mixtape, 'Deluxe Edit'. It has Ghostface Killah, Killer Mike, How To Dress Well, Twin Shadow and Autre Ne Veut on it, and can be heard on Pitchfork's Advance player.

And another thing. You can now get a handle on 'Mug Museum', the new LP by Wales' Cate Le Bon, by listening to it early via NPR. It's released for real next week by Turnstile, and features Perfume Genius. Hear it right here.

Lastly, let's lay this release round-up to rest with a surreal new Yoko Ono video. Guest-starring Yoko's friends Questlove, Roberta Flack, Cibbo Matto, Reggie Watts, and Beastie Boys Ad-Rock and Mike-D, the aptly-titled 'Bad Dancer' is taken from Ono and the Plastic Band's latest LP, 'Take Me To The Land Of Hell'. Dance along to it now.

Warp artists to take over Tate Britain in Deller tribute
Warp Records signings Oneohtrix Point Never, Hudson Mohawke and Rustie will all provide sonic titivation next month at a Late At Tate Britain show hosted by the label.

All the acts will back installations inspired by Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller's 1998 piece 'The History Of The World', a spider diagram likening acid house to traditional British brass band music.

Deller himself will be present on the night to oversee a redo of his 1997 work 'Acid Brass', a series of brass arrangements of house and techno songs. As well as all that, the free-entry event - which is happening at the Tate on 6 Dec - will feature a live AV set by Warp's newest hireling Patten.

Details here.

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Ja Ja Ja announces November club night line-up, ahead of inaugural festival
Ja Ja Ja has announced that the November edition of its Nordic showcase club night, and its fourth birthday party, will feature performances from Nabiha from Denmark, YAST from Sweden and Jaakko Eino Kalevi from Finland.

More information on that and links to listen to the acts on show are available here.

But before all that can happen, there's the little matter of the debut outing of the Ja Ja Ja Festival, which takes place at The Roundhouse in London this Friday and Saturday. It will feature a whole load of great music, film, art, food and more, including headline sets from Mew and The Ravonettes.

A good proportion of the acts on the line-up have already been marked 'CMU Approved', so you can attend with confidence. Luckily, there are still some tickets left, which you can purchase here.

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Motörhead reschedule European tour
Motörhead have confirmed brand new live dates to replace those they laid off last week. As previously reported, the band postponed their European tour to give frontman Lemmy Kilmister time to recover from various health problems.

The first of the rescheduled UK shows is at Glasgow Academy on 13 Feb, with the run concluding on 20 Feb at the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham. Since listings don't seem to be on the official Motörhead site as I write, go over to Classic Rock for the full rundown.

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Lianne La Havas, Theme Park and Thumpers playing Converse Winterized night
Lianne La Havas will headline a special, Converse-branded live night as part of the sneaker-maker's new 'Get Winterized' series of events, which begins on 9 Nov with a showing of 'Wayne's World' and an on-the-spot score by the London Metropolitan String Quartet.

La Havas will then play unplugged, and in the open-air, at the final GetWinterzied bash at
London's New Cross House on 30 Nov, finding support in the co-billed Swim Deep, Theme Park and Thumpers, and Two Inch Punch a DJ slot.

Info on how to get into the free-entry show, and the three other 'Get Winterised' events, is via this page.

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Field Day expands to weekender, whilst CockRock is placed on hold
Wiley will likely be pleased to hear that Cumbria's non-profit CockRock festival, the event from which he received a fee for barely even playing at earlier this year, not only won't take place in 2014, but also mightn't happen ever again.

CockRock organisers have released a statement describing the festival's future as "uncertain", adding that "over the last few years as with many festivals we have suffered financially, this coupled with a number of unwelcome restrictions that have been placed on the festival has meant that we have struggled in many ways".

The note continues: "It's with great sadness and a very heavy heart that we must now announce that CockRock will not run in 2014. At this moment in time we cannot say if we will return again in the future, we hope this is not the end but at the moment the future for CockRock is very uncertain. We're truly gutted to say we won't be running next year and that our lovely town that we are very proud to live in no longer has a large capacity music festival".

Whilst CockRock languishes in hard times-ville, another festival, the London-based Field Day, seems to be keeping pretty well, thanks, and will next year lengthen from its erstwhile single-day duration to a 7-8 Jun weekender. It'll apparently still be called Field Day, singular, despite now stretching over two days, plural, so that's nice.

Tom Baker of Eat Your Own Ears, who co-host the event with Bugged Out!, BleeD and Lanzarote, yelps excitedly: "I am thrilled that Field Day is now taking place over two days in London's Victoria Park. It's been a long time coming. I can't wait to reveal who's playing... so keep your eyes on @fielddaylondon for more super exciting news very soon!"

Super early bird tickets are already available for day one of the festival, so get them via the Field Day site.

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Festival line-up update: Primavera Sound, Download, Secret Garden Party and more
Well this is flamin great news, Arcade Fire will headline next year's Primavera Sound festival, which takes place in Barcelona between 29-31 May. They're so far the only act confirmed but anyway, who cares!

Back in Donington, Linkin Park, Aerosmith and Avenged Sevenfold are amongst the first bookings confirmed for Download 2014. All three acts will take top billing, with Fall Out Boy, Alter Bridge and Rob Zombie also announced.

Linkin's Lester Bennington says of the band's USP, which is that they're going to perform 'Hybrid Theory' in full: "We have been kicking around the idea of playing 'Hybrid' for some time and the perfect opportunity is Download 2014. The legendary energy of the Download crowd is the apex of the rock experience and we are very excited to share this special night with them".

Awesome. And now, find yourself further awed by the latest groupings of acts added to Bearded Theory, Beermageddon, the Beverley Folk Festival and July's 'Goodbye Yellowbrick Road'-themed Secret Garden Party:

BEARDED THEORY, Catton Hall, Walton-Upon-Trent, Derbyshire, 22-25 May 2014: Carter USM. www.beardedtheory.co.uk

BEERMAGEDDON, Stoke Prior Country Club, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, 22-24 Aug 2014: Hybris, Designs Of Chaos, Godslave. www.beermageddon.co.uk

BEVERLEY FOLK FESTIVAL, Beverley Racecourse, East Yorkshire, 20-22 Jun 2014: Billy Bragg, Ben Walker, Fake Thackray, Josienne Clarke. www.beverleyfestival.com

DOWNLOAD, Donington Park, Derbyshire, 13-15 Jun 2014: Linkin Park, Avenged Sevenfold, Aerosmith, Fall Out Boy, Rob Zombie, Alter Bridge. www.downloadfestival.co.uk

PRIMAVERA SOUND, Parc del Forum, Barcelona, Spain, 29-31 May 2014: Arcade Fire. www.primaverasound.com

SECRET GARDEN PARTY, Mill Hill Field, Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon, 24-27 Jul 2014: May Raabe & The Palast Orchester. www.secretgardenparty.com

Charvil's rules for a happy marriage
Having been married for four whole months now, it's probably safe to assume that Avril Lavigne and Chag Kroeger will never ever split up or even have an argument or anything. And therefore, it's totally appropriate for them to start dishing out their rules for having a successful marriage.

Now, if I was being fair, I'd point out that Chavril probably had no idea that People magazine would put together an article about their "rules for a successful marriage" when they were asked about their relationship by the publication. But I'm not in that sort of mood, and anyway, these are clearly not good rules for any kind of happy relationship, even if proposed as an aside in an interview.

They start with the fairly reasonable, "make time for each other", noting that they never spend more than two weeks apart, even when touring, and later note that it's important to simply enjoy being together doing nothing. Oh, they're so cute. But in the middle they say that they have rules not to drink or go to nightclubs (or "anywhere that you're asking for trouble") if they're apart.

In summary, the couple that only trusts each other or has fun when they're together, stays together. Write that down, newlyweds.