What If You Were to Add Up Every Song Ever Played on Every Platform?

Then the infographic would look like this.  (Via Digital Music News)

Can Music Be More Effective Than Drugs?

Anyone who knows anything about music therapy knows that the answer to that question is a resounding "yes"--and now here's more proof from Canadian researchers.  From i09:

According to a new analysis of 400 published scientific papers, the old adage that “music is medicine” may literally be true. Canadian psychologists from McGill University have shown that the neurochemical benefits of music can boost the body’s immune system, reduce anxiety, and help regulate mood. The time has come, say the researchers, for doctors and therapists to start taking music much more seriously.

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Beastie Boys' Mike D Feed Hurricane Victims

[KRABI, THAILAND] For some reason, access to Rolling Stone's server is blocked from where I am in southern Thailand, so I'm grateful that John was able to provide this graphic of this story.  Click on it for more.

Attention Canadian Metal Fans: Wacken Wants You

Anyone who's into metal knows all about Wacken Open Air, the German festival that attracts people from all over the world every year.  

Now the Wacken Metal Battle is coming to Canada, having recruited 37 indide Canadian bands after sorting through hundreds of submissions to compete.  Wacken Metal Battle Canada will select one champion to represent Canada this summer's 2013 edition of Wacken Open Air Festival in Wacken, Germany.

Two events will be held, one in Toronto and the other in Montreal in May and June. The line up for these qualifying rounds will be:

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Second Wave of Acts Added to Sled Island 2013

Sled Island, Western Canada's best indie and emerging artist festival, has unveiled the second wave of act for this year's event.  From the press release:

We're completely ecstatic to reveal the second wave of artists playing at Sled Island 2013! Lineup additions include Danish hardcore phenoms Iceage, indie rock royalty Superchunk, the Miami-based doom pop of Torche, The Night Marchers featuring members of Sled Island 2012 faves, Hot Snakes, psych-rock hype factory Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Weakerthans frontman John K. Sampson, and prolific lo-fi folksters Mount Eerie performing with a full band. Also announced today is the mind-melting masters of hip hop jazz improvisation, BadBadNotGood, hyperbole-inducing Ottawa-based producer Ryan Hemsworth, frantic Vancouver punk rockers White Lung, artful R&B pop crooner Javelin and genre-defying Los Angeles DJ, The Gaslamp Killer. 

These artists join over 50 others, including the previously announced headliners The Jesus and Mary Chain, Explosions in the Sky, Swans, Divine Fits, Joel Plaskett Emergency, Colin Stetson, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Mac DeMarco, Metz and guest curators Tim Hecker and John Dwyer performing with Thee Oh Sees.

Sled Island happens from June 19-22 all over Calgary.