response 1 of 32:

Aug 23 03:54 UTC 2001

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48576-2001Aug22.html
 
This is a lengthy feature about the pop music scene in Iran, where 
religious authorities, trying to maintain control, have people flogged
for distributing bootleg recordings of Western pop/rock/rap.
(And you thought the RIAA was tough!  :)  )
 
Besides the Western popular music which we know, there is also 
an Iranian pop music created by an exile community centered around
Los Angeles, and the authorities see that as dangerous too.
 
Recognizing that trying to bar music isn't working too well, the 
Iranian government is trying to develop its own Islamic-sanitized
pop music industry -- similar to Contemporary Christian Music, 
maybe?

((This touches on one of my recurrent thoughts; that the musics
of jazz, rock and rap have been among the most powerful elements 
of America's rise to world dominance.  It echoes stories of 
jazz and rock music behind the Iron Curtain.))

response 3 of 32:

Sep 24 23:18 UTC 2001

  C-Net reports that Napster has reached a settlement with music publishers
  (*not* the record companies..)

  I found the story in the New York Times, at:

     http://www.nytimes.com/cnet/CNET_0-1005-200-7283716.html

  Unfortunately the Times requires a (free) registration.  If you don't have
  one and don't want to create one, the story's probably on C-Net's site
  somewhere..

response 5 of 32:

Oct 29 21:50 UTC 2001

  The story doesn't live up to the promise, but my favorite music-related
  headline of the week:

     "Courtney Love Ends Show in Bathroom"

  On another topic:  there don't seem to be many high-profile stories
  coming out of the music industry lately (other than benefit concert
  after benefit concert..) Is it just me, or does everyone else suspect
  that somewhere out there, at this very moment, there's an industry
  lobbyist trying to interest a sponsor in some sort of Defense of Music
  "anti-terrorism" act or sneaking very scary amendments into sure-to-pass
  "patriotic" legislation?  :-O

response 7 of 32:

Jul 5 07:11 UTC 2002

  KRJ and others may be interested in an article in one of the weekend
  sections from the New York Times -- it claims to be their fourth annual
  world music round-up.

  I haven't had time to read the whole thing but they like a number of 
  albums Ken has already mentioned (such as the recent live double album
  from Natalie MacMaster..)  

  Like everything else in the NY Times, (free) registration required:
  
    http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/05/arts/music/05WORL.html?8iwea

response 9 of 32:

Nov 16 05:23 UTC 2002

Here's a BBC story on a very retired Grace Slick, with a current
photo:
 
http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/features/story/0,11710,840824,00.html