Seizing the middle is a chess strategy that involves taking control of the middle of the board, limiting your opponent’s freedom to move their pieces. In the oil industry, John D. Rockefeller infamously employed this strategy to become the richest man of his time. He offered guaranteed business to almost every railroad company in exchange for a larger rebate than his rivals, crippling his competitor’s ability to compete on oil price. 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
