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Indie Rock Stars
With the power of Internet promotion, the line between mainstream and underground has become very thin. Many of today's rock stars come from the "indie" world, such as Bloc Party and Death Cab for Cutie. Although some are too modest to admit it, their success (and major-label status) has made them--dare we say--"popular." Regardless of which category they end up in, they're the most exciting artists of our time.

Grammy Girls
As promised, this week's newsletter goes out to the ladies of the 51st Annual Grammy Awards. So, before you tune in this Sunday (at 8pm on CBS), get yourself familiar with the nominees. Katy Perry and her bi-curious hit single "I Kissed a Girl" will surely get all the attention, but let's not forget the other amazing new artists, such as one-name divas Estelle, Duffy and Adele.

Get Your Love On
Like the final minutes of New Year's Eve, it's crunch time to find a date for Valentine's Day. Or you can play it cool and act like you're anti-Valentine's Day (in order to attract like-minded singles). The other option, and arguably the best one, is to simply stay home and be happy you don't have to deal with crowded bars and overpriced restaurants. Whatever floats your boat, it's time to get your love on!

Under Pressure
Following the "If you can't beat them, join them" motto, there's a new urgency for the music industry to stop trying to fight Internet piracy. That's the buzz coming from MIDEM this year as label executives embrace online partnerships and creative ways to find profit on the Web. And while they move forward, one independent blogger looks back by blaming David Bowie for the recession!

Corporation Thievery
Microsoft celebrated "Global Anti-Piracy Day" yesterday as an effort to gain attention against illegitimate software. Now, we don't approve of piracy, but Microsoft is really shooting itself in the foot on this one (just like Ringo Starr did with his "No more fan mail" video announcement). Disgruntled comments are pouring in--like, for example, "People who are pirates do not want Vista!" Good point. Well, let them "celebrate" all they want, but let's just hope people don't end up in jail like the violin thief.

Hello Brooklyn
New York has always been a breeding ground for talented musicians, but not since East Coast hip-hop emerged in the '80s has there been enough of a scene there to call it a movement. Today, if you zoom in on the map, you'll find the trend-setting and musically productive borough of Brooklyn. It's definitely a mecca for indie rock hipsters, but not everyone there wears ironic thrift store t-shirts. Artists such as Nada Surf, Antibalas, and Beau Jennings have ubiquitous styles that could be from anywhere, really. And this diversity is the reason why we love New York.

Word Play
The word of the day is...Scrabble. Considering that its history dates back to 1938, it's surprising how relevant the popular board game remains today--it has made headlines twice this week for different reasons. First, the National Scrabble Championship occurred in Orlando, Florida, this past week (congratulations to the winner, Nigel Richards of Malaysia). The second related news bite, and the more controversial one, is Hasbro's copyright-infringement lawsuit against the developers of the online game Scrabulous. The popular knockoff application, which copies Scrabble not only by name but also by design, has been removed from Facebook.

Dad Rock
With Father's Day coming up, it's time to resurface one of our favorite genres: Dad Rock. It's a style that originated from the bearded soft rock era of the '70s, however, its legacy has lived on. Many of its signature artists are still recording, and some are even bigger than ever, including Neil Diamond and Van Morrison. Meanwhile, sons-of-dad-rockers, such as singer-songwriter Jakob Dylan, carry the touch.

Mom Rock
The stereotypical "mom rock" soundtrack tends to feature adult contemporary artists such as Bonnie Raitt, Carole King, and Elton John. This time-locked genre is usually referenced in the same breath as "dad rock" or even "yacht rock," which celebrates bearded '70s singers such as Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins. Now these may be the artists that our parents listen to, but what about new mothers of the '00s? It's time for a mom rock update. Here's a playlist that we think moms of today, yesterday, and tomorrow can appreciate.

DRM Downfall
At the Macworld keynote yesterday, Apple announced that iTunes will offer songs at variable pricing (yay!) and millions of songs without DRM (double yay!). On the same day, coincidently, Obama announced the addition of a top RIAA lawyer to his team. Some fear this could mean stricter copyright laws in the future, whereas companies such as Apple and Real Networks would be happy to see people using their credit cards more, rather than peer-to-peer sites.

Dear Ladies
With spring in the air and Mother's Day just around the corner, we're getting in touch with our sensitive side here at Download Music. This week we're gonna slow it down a bit and send this one out to all the ladies. In the tradition of the Beastie Boys' 1989 song "To All The Girls," modern-day crooners (Justin Timberlake and Flight of the Conchords) are keeping the dedication-style love song alive, while iconic ladies men named "Kenny" (Kenny Rogers and Kenny G) remain tender-hearted.

Finding Emo
Although "emo rock" may be more of a '90s term, contemporary bands such as Fall Out Boy, The Maine, and Dashboard Confessional have revitalized the genre. To avoid a style debate, it's safer to call them "punk-pop" or simply a "popular rock band." (Even Paramore's Hayley Williams questions whether they're even an emo band.) Whatever you prefer to call 'em, we can all agree that these talented young acts all share a common emo-tional quality to them.

Chowder Bowl
There's more at stake than usual in the Super Bowl this Sunday. There's bragging rights for not only Giants and Patriots fans, but also between Manhattan and New England clam chowder lovers nationwide. Here at Download Music, we're calling it "chowder vs. chowda." There's even a friendly wager between New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino where the loser will donate local foods (such as pizza, Dunkin' Donuts, and chowder) to charity in the other mayor's city. May the best team/soup win!

Dirty Money
If the financial crisis is bumming you out, it's time to take a break from CNN and listen to some music. Money has always been a popular song subject for musicians (Pink Floyd's "Money" is the obvious example), and though some boast about their bling bling, others write about their cash-flow problems. Fame and fortune can be admirable, but right now songs about hard times are hitting home.

Go Team!
It's that time of the year when, only for a few weeks, all the major sports seasons overlap. The NHL just started, the NBA is in preseason, the NFL is nearing midseason, and the MLB World Series starts next week. For the latter, only four teams remain (soon to be two), so sports fans nationwide are in baseball mode right now. But whatever sport you're into, it's a good time to get in the spirit and root for the home team...or at least the one you connect with the most.

All Falls Down
When you see pumpkin spice lattes back on your coffee shop's menu, you know it's also time for new fall releases! It's the biggest time of year for new music (cough: holiday sales), and high-profile artists such as Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, and The Pretenders are beginning to stock the shelves--digitally and physically.

Free Refills
Although Steve Jobs didn't get our jaws to drop this time, he did reveal some buzz-worthy updates at yesterday's Apple event. The Nano will now boast nine different colors (take that, rainbow!), and the new iPod Classic will hold 120GB for a reasonable $249. Meanwhile, Microsoft didn't miss a beat by announcing that its Zune player will offer the same size and price as the iPod Classic.

Denveroo
Forget about Bonnaroo--the Democratic National Convention is the new hot spot for live music! Well, at least for this election year. Many of Barrack Obama's famous musician supporters, such as Death Cab for Cutie, are in Denver this week to rally the troops with their own performances. And if you've seen Obama's Top Ten music playlist, it's no surprise that Kanye West and Bruce Springsteen are playing there, too.

Red State
Since Obama got all the love last week, it's only fair we stay neutral and feature the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis this week. John McCain's top ten songs speak for his generation with favorites like The Beach Boys, Neil Diamond and ABBA (the latter is on his list twice!). And while vice presidential pick Sarah Palin speaks tonight, right down the street Rage Against The Machine--a band that's definitely not on McCain's list--hopes to crash the party by playing at the nearby Target Center in the Twin Cities.

Remix the Remix
With so many artists remixing and covering songs these days, it's hard to keep track of what the original versions are. Some producers, such as Danger Mouse, become famous by remixing others. He made a name for himself in 2004 by remixing The Beatles with Jay-Z and has since become a big-time producer. (He coproduced Beck's new album.) Another trend is Web sites dedicated to remixing, such as Indaba Music, where you can download the various parts of your favorite artist's song and remix them right there in your browser.

Ladies Men
With news that the legendary soul singer Isaac Hayes died this past week in Memphis, it's time to reflect on his outstanding career. He's known by the younger generation as the voice of South Park's Chef, but older folks would agree that Hayes will be better remembered as a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artist. His most celebrated song is 1971's super-funky, Oscar-winning "Theme From Shaft." In memoriam of Isaac Hayes, we bring you a playlist featuring like-minded ladies' men.

Festival Fever
Audiophiles say the acoustics of live shows aren't as good outside, but who cares? Nothing beats seeing your favorite band on a sunny day while quaffing some cold, overpriced beer. These days, summer shows aren't just for hippie bands either. With the wide spectrum of festivals, from bluegrass to heavy metal, you can find your niche. So, after a long winter of attending concerts indoors, it's time to bust out the lawn chair and find a festival that suits you.

Black Friday
After the big feast on Thursday, it's time to shift gears from pumpkin spice to eggnog and start shopping! The day after Thanksgiving, aka Black Friday, is traditionally one of busiest days of the year for retailers (and therefore the most annoying for their employees). Although procrastinators will wait until the last minute to buy gifts, anxious shoppers will get a jump on their holiday spirit this weekend.

Fill 'Er Up
With gas prices at less than two bucks a gallon, it brings back memories of the good ol' '90s. It's even kind of fun to go to the gas station now! But before we drive around aimlessly (just because we can), remember that just this past summer we resented big oil companies. So, let's eco-consciously enjoy this cheap resource while we can.

Freedom Rock
Whether you're a conservative US history buff, a liberal pyromaniac, an independent BBQ master, or just a master at the keg stand, there's a place for you on the 4th of July. Even if you choose not to participate, the fireworks filling the night sky around you will leave you no choice but to observe. However you choose to celebrate Independence Day (ranging from mellow to party animal), please have a fun, safe holiday.

Night Moves
Now that Daylight Savings Time has ended, it's that odd time of the year when it gets dark while we're still at work (at least for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere with day jobs). Sun worshippers may be bummed, but night owls should be psyched about the extra hours of darkness. Either way, it's a good time for everyone to get out and embrace the nightlife.