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+ The big, fat, tasty economics of Hermès bags
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OVERWORLD:
-Why the scarred music industry is controlling and suing AI-
ONE BETWEEN:
-The big, fat, tasty economics of Hermès bags-
THE DEPTHS:
-The biggest of boys-
 | O |  |
Control or be controlled
Why the scarred music industry is controlling and suing AI
In the 2000s, the music industry got hurt bad. The rise of illegal MP3s chopped revenue and was why it had to transform into streaming to compete.
Publishing giants will never let that go down again — which is why they're suing small AI players early. It’s control, or get controlled.
Recently, the big three (UMG, Sony, Warner) initiated a legal battle against AI music companies Suno and Udio, two AI music pioneers.
Here’s how it’s going down:
Bad boys: Suno and Udio operate by generating music through text prompts, which have seen considerable success culturally and financially.
Suno partnered with Microsoft Copilot, making its technology widely accessible.
Udio gained attention for creating "BBL Drizzy," which is awesome.
These companies are accused of massive copyright infringement by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on behalf of these labels.
The lawsuits allege that they've used copyrighted material from various artists across genres without permission, seeking damages up to $150,000 per work.
Suno and Udio defend their technologies as innovative, claiming their models generate new music rather than replicating existing songs.
However, the RIAA has cited instances where AI-generated songs closely mimic well-known tracks, such as a piece resembling Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" and another echoing ABBA's "Dancing Queen."
Why it’s a big, big deal: The debate extends beyond simple copyright infringement to questions about the essence of creativity and the rights of artists in the digital age. The outcome of these lawsuits could set a precedent for how AI-generated content is treated legally and culturally in the future.
THE KING NEEDS YOU
Human, you are a mere . Do you not seek grander ventures? A greater title? Honor? Take up arms, and help me expand my kingdom!
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That sweet, sweet leather
The big, fat, tasty economics of Hermès bags
In 1983, a frustrated woman and a CEO were randomly seated next to each other on an airplane. They were Jane Birkin, British actress, and Jean-Louis Dumas, CEO of Hermés.
During the flight, Birkin's straw bag spilled all her belongings on the floor. She then vented to Dumas; there were no leather weekend bags she liked.
Jane Birkin, at the time.
The two sketched out a design together on an Air France sick bag. Today, at 40 years old, the Birkin bag is more than just a high-end accessory; it's a complex financial and social phenomenon.
Fat price: A basic Birkin 25, priced at $11,400 in Hermès boutiques, can be resold immediately for up to $23,000, and potentially fetch as much as $32,000 on platforms like Instagram or pop-up stores.
Gosh darn: Elite shoppers go to extraordinary lengths, including gifting concert tickets, offering trips on private jets, or even handing out envelopes of cash to woo store staff.
Cutthroat system: Shoppers need to prove themselves. In order secure a Birkin they need to buy a lot of other Hermes products, like a $87,500 canoe.
For some, this is brutal capitalist exploitation, with Hermès facing lawsuits alleging unfair sales practices. For others, it’s part of the game; the quest for a Birkin is as much about the journey and the status as it is about the bag itself.
✦QUICK HITS✦
✦Business & Tech✦
He’s free: Julian Assange was released from a British prison and is heading to a Pacific island to plead guilty to a conspiracy charge as part of a plea deal with the U.S. Justice Department, potentially concluding his yearslong legal battle.
Haters rejoice: Nvidia, briefly the world’s most valuable company, fell 13% after three days of losses, dragging down related tech and chipmaker stocks despite ongoing high demand for its AI chips.
Slow week: Bitcoin's value dropped below $60,000, declining 7% to $59,562.54, marking a nearly 11% decrease over the past week. Cryptocurrency investment products faced outflows, influenced by expectations of fewer rate cuts and ongoing inflation concerns.
Ferrari's upcoming all-electric model, launching in late 2025, promises the emotional and performance qualities emblematic of the brand, according to CEO Benedetto Vigna. It’s controversial as Ferrari plans to not do artificial motor sounds.
✦Fashion & Culture✦
Billion-dollar flick: "Inside Out 2," amassing $724.4 million globally, leads 2024's box office and may join the billion-dollar club. Poised to break records, it benefits from broad appeal and strategic release timing.
Yikes: Dr. Disrespect has been terminated from the game-studio he co-founded. The alleged reason is for “sexting a minor in the then existing Twitch whispers product.”
Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" could be nominated for a Grammy, as it’s officially eligible for it. Would that happen, it’d be a sickening turn in all of this.
✦Hmm… Interesting✦
Cozy 2-minute read: reflections on the fear of failure and seeking recognition
Good 5-minute read: Has Facebook Stopped Trying?
Big read for big brains: The Case for Not Sanitizing Fairy Tales
Really cool 1981 blog post: Round Rects Are Everywhere!
ONE
BETWEEN
THE DEPTHS
It demands watching
The biggest of boys
There's something specifically nostalgic about a comedically large 90s CRT TV.
Like something a 90s cartoon dad would watch, you know? Art imitates life and life imitates art, and so on.
Case in point: In 1989, Sony introduced the US to the PVM-4300, a colossal, fucking monolithic cathode ray tube (CRT) TV.
Quite the move, seeing how the American market at a time when the U.S. was sliding into a recession.
This badboy was 43 inches and was far from typical household electronics.
And it's as fat as the fattest of humans; 450 pounds. That weight, plus the 27-inch height, made it hard to even fit through standard door frames.
Priced at a staggering $40,000 ($96K today), it was clear that this TV was designed for a prominent place in the living room, rather than a more private setting like a bedroom.
Today's sleek, wall-sized OLEDs might make the PVM-4300 seem less impressive, but the PVM has a charm of its own; it has that 90s monolithic Sony darkness. Real satisfying.
