The Torah and the Bible as we know them today may have only been possible thanks to the destruction of the First Temple of Israel and Judea in 587 BC. Before its destruction, Judaism was a religion of rituals; sacrifices, votive offerings, and prayers. However, the loss of the Temple — and therefore a central place of worship where these acts could be performed — broke the religion’s reliance on ritual, driving it towards studying texts instead. Read full article here
Oddities
Why Do Modern Pop Songs Have So Many Credited Writers?
The music industry has changed dramatically over the last few decades – with the number of songwriters credited on number one hits more than doubling. This is due to a combination of factors, including money, the computer and a changing definition of what songwriting is. For example, if The Beatles’ classic “I Feel Fine” was released today, it would likely have four writers credited instead of two, due to the influence of producers, samples and interpolations. With the rise of lawsuits, artists now preemptively add songwriter credits to their songs, even if the similarities between their song and the source material are coincidental. It all goes to show that the music industry is becoming more complex and competitive. Read full article here
Merv
March 29, 2023
