U.S. Music Revenue Rises, Boosted by Streaming Services

Music revenue rose 16.5 percent to $8.7 billion in the U.S. in 2017, and the majority of the increase is due to music streaming services. According to an annual reportfrom the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), via Wall Street Journal, it’s the second consecutive year of significant growth since 1999.

Eminem Is Now The RIAA’s Second-Most Successful Singles Artist Of All Time

Over the course of the last twenty years, Eminem has established himself as one of the biggest selling artists in both hip-hop and music at large.

Jay Z’s New Album ‘4:44’ Is Already Certified Platinum

The RIAA has announced Jay Z‘s new album 4:44 has been certified platinum. The announcement came with a photo of Hov standing next to his new plaque, along with the message: “Props to JAY, he’s done it again!”

Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Damn’ Reaches Platinum Status in Less Than 1 Month

Kendrick Lamar‘s new album Damn, which hasn’t even been out for a month yet, has already been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Interscope Records shared the good news Thursday:

Yuna – Castaway ft. Tyler, The Creator

Action Bronson – Mongolia ft. Hologram, Meyhem Lauren

KAYTRANADA – The Worst In Me ft. Tinashe

Future & Lil Uzi Vert – That’s It

H.E.R. – Damage

TOBE NWIGWE – EAT

A little bit of soul

This image of the Soul Nebula (IC 1848) combines 21.1 hours of exposures through Hydrogen-alpha, Oxygen-III, and Sulfur-II filters. This object resides in the constellation Cassiopeia the Queen.

Jellyfish in the ocean of space

Supernova remnant IC 443 has the common name the Jellyfish Nebula, and it lies at the top right of this image. The other, larger, nebula is IC 444. Both objects are in the constellation Gemini the Twins. Terry Hancock from Grand Mesa, Colorado

Seven sisters

The Pleiades (M45) is the most famous star cluster in the sky. It lies 444 light-years away in the constellation Taurus the Bull. The clouds of gas seen in this image are not connected to the stars, but are a dust cloud through which the cluster is passing. Dave Doctor from Las Cruces, New Mexico

Old friend

The Orion Nebula (M42) may be the most photographed deep-sky object of all. It’s a huge emission nebula and star-forming complex. In addition to the glowing hydrogen, however, the object also has regions of both reflection and dark nebulae. James Esch from Lovettsville, Virginia

Boom goes the star

The Cygnus Loop is a huge supernova remnant some 2,500 light-years away. It has many components, and this image shows two of them well. At the top is the Witch’s Broom (NGC 6960), and Pickering’s Triangle (which doesn’t have its own designation) lies down and to the lower left of the Broom. Naresh Singh from Saint Petersburg, Florida

Natural satellite