By Wonderwall.com Editors
8:15am PDT, Mar 13, 2020
Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals are officially postponed
Music fans everywhere are crying! On March 10, Coachella and Stagecoach music festival organizers announced that the 2020 festivals would be postponed while the nation is dealing with the coronavirus crisis. The events have been tentatively rescheduled for October, but that all depends on artist availability (Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett and Eric Church are headlining Stagecoach; Rage Against the Machine, Travis Scott and Frank Ocean are headlining Coachella). Over the week, scores of musical acts including Billie EIlish, Blake Shelton, Zac Brown Band, Dan + Shay and Ciara, just to name a few, also canceled or postponed concerts and tours in the wake of the pandemic.
RELATED: Coachella headliners ranked
Led Zeppelin Scores Big Win in 'Stairway to Heaven' Copyright Case
Led Zeppelin notched a major win in their ongoing copyright battle over their smash hit "Stairway to Heaven." On March 9, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a jury verdict that found the song did not infringe on the 1968 song "Taurus." This ruling comes on the heels of a massive change in the industry, which has been fighting a battle against frivolous copyright suits since the infamous "Blurred Lines" trial of 2015. The court overturned the so-called "inverse ratio rule," a precedent that has governed copyright cases in the 9th Circuit for the last 43 years. In overturning the rule, the appeals court says that the idea of "access" has changed in the modern age, as a vast catalogue of works are easily available on streaming platforms. The Led Zeppelin case began in 2014 when a journalist filed suit on behalf of the estate of Randy Wolfe, the late frontman of the band "Spirit." The lawsuit claimed that "Stairway to Heaven" was lifted from the song "Taurus." Led Zeppelin's attorney said in a statement, "I'm thrilled they did do it. It's a terrific decision. I have renewed faith in the 9th Circuit."
RELATED: '70s rock bands: Where are they now?
Jazz pianist McCoy Tyner dead at 81
Sad news for jazz fans. McCoy Tyner, one of the most influential jazz pianists of all time who was best known for his work with John Coltrane, passed away on March 7 at 81. His family released a statement saying, "It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of jazz legend Alfred 'McCoy' Tyner. McCoy was an inspired musician who devoted his life to his art, his family and his spirituality. McCoy Tyner's music and legacy will continue to inspire fans and future talent for generations to come."
RELATED: Stars we lost in 2020
2020 Spotify Awards: The winners list
The first ever Spotify Awards took place on March 5 in Mexico City and the major winners at the inaugural awards show included Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Karol G and more. Bad Bunny cleaned up, taking home prizes for Spotify artist of the year and most streamed male artist while Banda MS took home most followed artist and Karol G won the most streamed female artist prize. The winners were calculated solely by "user-generated data or the patterns and listening habits of Spotify users in Mexico." The ceremony included a big performance by J Balvin and the Black Eyed Peas, who sang their crossover hit "Ritmo."
Neil Diamond performs at benefit 2 years after retiring from touring following Parkinson's diagnosis
On March 7, a few lucky fans in Las Vegas got to see music icon Neil Diamond on stage once again. This performance marked one of the few times the legend has delivered his hits following his 2018 Parkinson's disease diagnosis. The singer-songwriter performed at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Sin City on March 7 where he was honored at Keep Memory Alive's 24th annual Power of Love Gala. "I'm feeling great, this is an important thing they're doing and I feel honored to be part of it and take part in it," Neil told the crowd. In addition to receiving an award presented by Jimmy Kimmel, Neil sang a variety of his hits including "Hello Again," "Forever in Blue Jeans," "Cracklin' Rosie," "Love on the Rocks," "I Am… I Said," "September Morn" and probably his most famous song, "Sweet Caroline." After a rocking show, March 7 was proclaimed "Neil Diamond Day" in Las Vegas. Other gala attendees included Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, Kelsey Grammer, Paula Abdul, "Botched" star Paul Nassif, "Bar Rescue" star Jon Taffer and British singer Matt Goss.
Billie Eilish talks body shaming during concert
On March 9, Billie Eilish kicked off the North American leg of her world in Miami — which was postponed days later in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic — and got candid with her fans. Before performing her hit "All the Good Girls Go to Hell," the singer played a video interlude that addressed body shaming. In a voiceover for the video, the star asks, "The body I was born with, is it not what you wanted?" She continued, "If I wear more, if I wear less, who decides what that makes me? What that means? Is my value based only on your perception? Or is your opinion of me not my responsibility?" All of this comes after fans have noticed that Billie continually wears baggy clothes to events. She has previously said, "Nobody can have an opinion because they haven't seen what's underneath."
Tekashi 6ix9ine set for release from prison 3 months early
It was revealed on March 11 that Daniel Hernandez, known professionally as Tekashi 6ix9ine, would complete his prison sentence on Aug. 2, according to his attorneys — a release date that's three months sooner than expected. The rapper was famously arrested in 2018 for his involvement with the gang Nine Trey and admitting to hiring someone to shoot rapper Chief Keef as well as selling heroin. He signed a plea deal thanks to his cooperation with federal law enforcement officers — his assistance helped authorities put several gang members behind bars. The rapper was denied his request to serve the remainder of his sentence in alternative housing. He reportedly plans to move away from New York, out of concern for his safety, once his sentence is complete.
Lizzo calls out TikTok after swimsuit video was removed
Lizzo continues to be a champion for body positivity! After the singer called out social media platform TikTok for removing her videos on March 6, the social media site slyly re-added her videos on the platform. "Tiktok keeps taking down my videos with me in my bathing suits. But allows other videos with girls in bathing suits," the Grammy winner said in a video. A spokesperson for TikTok claimed that Lizzo's video was removed because it appeared to violate the platform's community guidelines, which state that users are not allowed to show their underwear. Once TikTok reviewed Lizzo's video, it was determined that she was wearing a swimsuit, not underwear. It was then restored. Truth hurts, baby!
