HITS' HIGH FIVE: LATHERED IN SPF30

Before we head out the door to work on our tans—or at least neutralize our blue skin, as George Carlin once said—here’s a quick round-up of week’s top stories. Sand, saltwater and chronic not included.

The iTunes store’s front page tells us a lot about major-label strategies in the breaking of new releases. Make sure you’re looking in the right column, though.

The Cannes Lions honored Sir Lucian Grainge and he explained his role at Universal: “I scout for brands and digital platforms and new forms of technology as well as great people to collectively work on behalf of our artists."

I.B. Bad weighs in on the effects of streaming, chiefly bigger budgets and big-money signings.

With Volume Two of our History of the Music Business being stapled together by costumed superheroes from Hollywood Boulevard during their off-hours, author Michael Sigman explains how he got so many legends on the horn.

We keep humming “Despacito” to the tune of “Desperado,” but for a new generation we’re just showing our age. Commercially, this is a song for the ages.