Tuesday Scoop: Apple vs. Spotify

The big story…

Apple Now Has More Paid Subscribers in U.S. Than Spotify

At 28 million, Apple Music is beating Spotify in the fight over the U.S. subscriber base—a.k.a. the world’s biggest music market. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Apple has been adding subscribers at a much faster monthly pace than the Swedish music streaming service Spotify. This may mean good things for Apple’s recently announced video streaming service, meant to compete with services like Netflix (who already has some tricks up its sleeve), and for the platform’s recently launched news service called Apple News+ (even though some people are saying, where’s the news?).

In global news…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Promises to Annex the West Bank If Reelected in April

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday, April 6 that if he is reelected as the country’s head of government, he will pledge to his own supporters complete annexation of the Palestinian West Bank. In a television interview with Keshet 12, Netanyahu said that annexing the West Bank will “extend Israeli sovereignty”. Netanyahu and his conservative Likud party are competing for national elections this Tuesday, April 9 alongside other allied right-wing to far-right political parties with nationalist and religious tendencies. Read more in Duane Paul Murphy’s report for CMN.

In politics…

Eric Swalwell Joins Growing List of Democrats Running in 2020 Presidential Race

Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell announced Monday that he would be joining the 2020 presidential race. CNN reports, “Swalwell has been contemplating a run for months. The California Democrat has made several trips to early nominating states like Iowa and New Hampshire, telling reporters that he sees a space for a candidate like himself in the race and hinted earlier this month that he was ‘close to making a decision.’” Swalwell, 38, joins a growing list of 17 other Democrats running for president as a lesser-known candidate with several other big-names potentially entering the race in the coming weeks.

In sports…

NBA MVP Race

It has been quite the year in the NBA. This is the first time since 2005 LeBron James is not in the playoffs, this is Dwyane Wade’s final year, and this is the year when 12 different players had 50 point games, a new NBA record. As the season ends on April 10, there is a bare-knuckle fight for the most prestigious award: the NBA’s Most Valuable Player. Through basketball reference, there has been an MVP tracker following ten players best fit to win the award. Atop the list, two players have been most consistent at the one and two spot: Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and Houston Rockets reigning MVP James Harden. Their two styles are vastly different, yet have bolstered their teams to winning seasons. Here are some of their most significant stats. Read the rest in Adam Shay’s report for CMN.

Trending today…

Let’s Go Girls

Last but not least…

Writing About Music is Like… Talking About Movies

Movies are also an artistic experience, so some similarities like the production style and artistic choices will come up. But what links these two mediums together at the hip is the fact that they are both subjective mediums. There can be a movie wrought with countless errors and shoddy camera work, but you can never really diminish the value of the work that was put into making it. Read more in Tim Coffman’s piece for CMN.

Today’s Morning Scoop was made possible by Natalia Kolenko, Tim Coffman, Duane Paul Murphy, Adam Shay, and the CMN Staff. The Nevada Bureau of Land Management is interested in building a wall — but not the kind you’re thinking of. And let’s just say nobody has a burning desire to comply. P.S. Was this newsletter forwarded by a friend? Subscribe here to get the Morning Scoop straight to your inbox every day.