Morning Music Notes – Facebook Continues World Domination

Apologies for the lack of updates yesterday. The music world kept dropping interesting nuggets on the world that you had to go elsewhere to find out – we don’t want that happening. Unfortunately, I was held hostage by a gang of space robots who can’t stand PeteHatesMusic, thereby limiting me to my one post. These robots hinted that over the next week, they will limit PHM to one post per day, and oddly, it will be done by guest editor “rich”. He must’ve done something to make them happy (it must’ve been all the space robot posters in his room). Without further adieu:

Facebook Launches Major Changes, Including Teaming with Spotify

Big news out of Facebook’s f8 Conference yesterday. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a Facebook partnership with (legal!) music streaming service, Spotify. Spotify took Europe by storm and came to America earlier this year. It is not available (legally) in Canada right now. As you listen to music on Spotify/Facebook, your friends will know what you are listening to (warning Nickelback fans!). Your friends can share and join your stream if they like the song as much as you do. This is the new Listen with a Friend feature, which might sound hokey, but think of the popularity of similar models, like turntable.fm. Reports will also be created to show who you listen to the most, top albums, songs, etc. So not only will you know what your friends (and their babies and pets) are up to, you will now know what they are listening to. Cool, not creepy, or so I tell myself.

Mark Zuckerberg has hit the nail on the head – it’s amazing how much you can learn about music through your friends. I typically do that through face to face word of mouth, and the occasional YouTube video link shared via Facebook, but the potential is high, especially given the reports that will be created. When people who don’t know Radiohead (?!) see I have listened to them 1000 times on Facebook, they might get interested.

That’s also what this site is for, although to a much lesser degree and audience. Sharing new music, sharing news, learning about bands, and space robots. In December, when PeteHatesMusic has London representation, we will be making full use of the Spotify on Facebook features, so you know what we are listening to and can make recommendations that way.

And fear not, Canadian music fans, a bevy of music sponsors besides Spotify were listed, and some of these can be streamed right here in the Great White North. Music partners at launch include:

TuneIn
iHeartRadio
AudioVroom
Earbits
Deezer
Spotify
Rdio
Slacker
MixCloud
Turntable.fm
MOG
Rhapsody
Songza
SoundCloud
Jelli

For those that don’t know Spotify, or would like an illustrative look at the new partnership, check out the video below.

[youtube FjAr5nGzjV8]

And if all of this is too serious for you, check out 7 minutes of Andy Samberg from Saturday Night Live (and Lonely Island) fame doing an impression of Mark Zuckerberg. This is what actually kicked off the keynote speech, so Facebook does have a sense of humour. Note the awesomeness that is when Mark Zuckerberg actually walks out and they accidentally put the WRONG NAME AND TITLE of the guy who CREATED Facebook. Captions guy, you’re fired!

[youtube WCuvzENr4oY]

New Video from Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke

Kele Okereke might fear that Bloc Party have kicked him out of the band – holding a practice without the singer is your first hint – but he cares not right now. Kele has unveiled the new video for his collaboration with Lucy Taylor, called What Did I Do. The track is the first single from his forthcoming EP, ‘The Hunter’. Get ready dance floor, here I come!

Kele Okereke feat. Lucy Taylor – What Did I Do
[youtube EFBxZaWZy-k]

U2’s From the Sky Down Documentary Trailer

After opening at TIFF earlier this month, the U2 documentary From the Sky Down will hit theatres shortly. Unsure if you want to see it? Let this trailer entice you (or put you off forever). Unsure who U2 are? Well, you’re on the wrong website, and you might have an even better reason to see the documentary.

[youtube TQ0Zhqb8Qgw]

Listen: The Twilight Sad – Kill It in the Morning

Scottish rocks, the Twilight Sad are about to release their third album, No One Can Ever Know. For those who don’t know the Twilight Sad, after hearing their vocals for 3 seconds, they are clearly Scottish. Check out (or download) their latest track, Kill It in the Morning, below.

The Twilight Sad – Kill It In The Morning by Fat Cat Records