Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) stands as Argentina’s most celebrated musical innovator, the man who single-handedly transformed the tango into a global phenomenon. Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) is Argentina’s most famous musical name—the man who has almost single-handedly brought the passion, thrill and beauty of the tango to a worldwide audience. Would the composer and bandoneon player have been able to achieve this without years of studying in Paris with the great Nadia Boulanger? ...

Plants vs. Zombies (2009), crafted by PopCap, is more than just a game. Sure, I could wax technical about how it’s essentially a finite Markov Decision Process (MDP) with a tightly defined set of actions and stochastic outcomes. But really, it’s about strategic greenery and quirky zombies invading your lawn in an oddly delightful dance of sunlight and survival. If I frame it as an MDP, I might sound nerdy… Just kidding, the game is a blast. ...

Ever stumbled upon a track that plays like a secret everyone knows but no one talks about? Well, Ariana Grande’s unreleased single “Communicate” fits that bill perfectly. It’s an intriguing piece about the dance of words and silences that happens right before a relationship officially starts. And here’s the kicker—it’s somehow popped up officially on platforms like Apple Music and Spotify, but not under Ariana’s name. Instead, it’s credited to “Who Do We Blame.” Curious, isn’t it? ...

Welcome to our holiday music series! As the days grow shorter and our playlists longer, we’re embarking on a delightful musical escapade. Grab your favorite headphones (or earplugs, if Aunt Carol starts singing again), and let’s dive into some sounds that make the season bright. Let’s start with some classical––hit. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major, K. 545, famously dubbed the “Sonata Facile” or “easy sonata,” is anything but straightforward for performers. This piece, while masquerading as a beginner’s practice piece, demands a profound understanding of its delicate complexities and the composer’s intentions. ...

I caught an interesting bookz-roughly translated as Lam Chua’s weibo Sharp Comments. Chua Lam, alongside Jin Yong, Ni Kuang, and Wong Jim, is renowned as one of the ‘Four Great Talents’ of Hong Kong. He is also a celebrated filmmaker, author, and gourmet. Chua has a playful, iconic blend of amusement and innocence that effortlessly wields with perfect balance of playfulness and perceptiveness–an attitude that inspires and amazes his readers. ...

This week, Chenhao Zhang from Northwestern University visited ITCS and gave a talk on Regulation of Algorithmic Collusion, based on his ongoing collaboration with Prof. Jason Hartline. Here’s a background of the topic, summary of the talk and their work (hopefully), and some discussion afterwards. Regulation of Algorithmic Collusion ABSTRACT Consider sellers in a competitive market that use algorithms to adapt their prices from data that they collect. In such a context it is plausible that algorithms could arrive at prices that are higher than the competitive prices and this may benefit sellers at the expense of consumers (i.e., the buyers in the market). This paper gives a definition of plausible algorithmic non-collusion for pricing algorithms. The definition allows a regulator to empirically audit algorithms by applying a statistical test to the data that they collect. Algorithms that are good, i.e., approximately optimize prices to market conditions, can be augmented to contain the data sufficient to pass the audit. Algorithms that have colluded on, e.g., supra-competitive prices cannot pass the audit. The definition allows sellers to possess useful side information that may be correlated with supply and demand and could affect the prices used by good algorithms. The paper provides an analysis of the statistical complexity of such an audit, i.e., how much data is sufficient for the test of non-collusion to be accurate. ...

Over the past few days, we’ve explored the cyclical dominance of nostalgic hits, scrutinized the peaks and pitfalls of Taylor Swift’s illustrious yet controversial career, and delved into the power struggles over master recordings. Each narrative underscores the immense influence of stardom and its complex interplay with the music industry’s mechanics. Music, inherently a personal form of art and enjoyment, has no right or wrong when it comes to individual taste. However, an unbiased approach is crucial when studying the music industry. As we conclude this series, we focus on the curse of popularity—how Taylor Swift’s omnipresence might have unintentionally reshaped the entertainment landscape, revealing the double-edged sword of excessive public attention. ...

The Tug-of-War Over Master Recordings - Taylor Swift’s battle over her early music illuminates the complex dynamics of the music industry Taylor Swift’s recent outcry over the control of her early masters highlights a lesser-known, yet crucial aspect of the music business: the power dynamics between artists and record labels. In the history of the music business, many artists have not had control over their own careers. What has recently made the topic into major news is that Taylor Swift has discussed her torrid experience in the industry. The pop star has a long record of challenging the powers that be, and while her latest battle is unlikely to end in victory, she has shone a light on one of the less understood aspects of how artists and record labels interact. ...

How streaming killed the Christmas charts - Mariah Carey’s seasonal ubiquity illustrates the new economics of music: Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You is often quipped to be her pension fund—and rightly so: In 2017 Mariah Carey crept in at number nine with her massive 23-year-old hit, “All I Want for Christmas is You”. Since then the oldies have shuffled relentlessly forward (see chart). Last Christmas half of America’s top ten songs were more than half a century old. Indeed Ms Carey, then aged 51, was one of the younger artists: two of her fellow chart toppers were drawing a pension; three had joined the heavenly chorus. ...

Has Taylor Swift peaked? - The musician is at the height of her commercial, but not her creative, power Taylor Swift’s immense popularity has brought her as much scrutiny as acclaim. The recent release of her album The Tortured Poets Department left many feeling underwhelmed. She reigns in commercial success, but creatively? Taylor swift has a strong claim to being the most popular entertainer of the 21st century—and perhaps of all time. Five of the ten most popular albums in America in 2023 were hers, according to Luminate, an analytics firm. Ms Swift’s albums have now cumulatively racked up 384 weeks in the top ten of the Billboard chart, beating a record previously held by the Beatles. She is halfway through the most lucrative concert tour ever. A film version of it grossed over $260m at the box office last year. ...