Music Investment Tops $600 Million In 2012 according to Digital Music News.

“Anyone who thinks investment in music is ‘drying up’ clearly hasn’t looked at the numbers. Because with less than two weeks left in 2012, investment in music-related startups and companies has reached $619.3 million, a near-34 percent gain over 2011.

Spotify wasn’t the biggest catch, either. Deezer claimed a monstrous $130 million round, while Sonos received a handsome $135 million in financing. Those rounds, coupled with Spotify’s $100 million, accounted for roughly half the total pot.

Here’s the rundown of every financing round that we reported in 2012, typically confirmed by the participants (company, investors, or both), or filed publicly. Other times, figures were reaffirmed by publications like the Wall Street Journal. If we couldn’t solidly confirm the round, it wasn’t included.” Check out the chart here

The life of a celebrity can be quite alarming. In fact, cops have closed in on a real life ‘Justin Bieber’ kidnapping case.

“Investigators say two would-be hit men from Albuquerque may have had their sights set on the teen mega star; Justin Bieber. They had it planned down to the ties they were going to use to strangle to the pop star and three other people. A warning, the details are pretty graphic. Justin Bieber played for a sold out house just a few weeks at Madison Square Garden in New York City.That’s where investigators say Mark Staake and his nephew Tanner Ruane planned to take down the teen sensation.Turns out their Bieber fever started long ago, at the state prison near Las Cruces.” Read more here

Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger irked some fans with an attempt at humor during Wednesday night’s 12-12-12 Concert For Sandy Relief at Madison Square Garden. During his set with The Stones, Jagger told the crowd that there should be a benefit show the next time it rains in London.

“This has got to be the largest collection of old English musicians ever assembled in Madison Square Garden,” Jagger said. “But I’ve got to say, if it rains in London, you’ve got to come and help us, OK?”

Many fans quickly took to Twitter after hearing the remark to express some shock as victims of Hurricane Sandy in the tri-state were still reeling from the $70 billion in damages caused by the storm.

“Anyone else think Jagger’s ‘If it rains in London, you guys have to help us’ line was a bit out-of-bounds?” wrote Twitter user. Read more here

Remember singer-songwriter James Blunt the mega hit You’re Beautiful?

British singer James Blunt has said he wants to become a Swiss citizen after living in the tax-friendly country for the past five years. ‘As soon as the authorities will let me, because I don’t know if I’ve been here a sufficiently long time, I would like to become Swiss,’ he told a Swiss newspaper at the weekend. ‘Verbier is my home,’ said the 38-year-old multi-millionaire, who bought a chalet in the ski resort in 2005.

Blunt has spoken of taking a break from his musical career, propelled in 2005 when the multimillion album seller, Back to Bedlam, first brought him to fame. His three albums have sold 18 million copies. Meanwhile, Blunt revealed his unusual plans for New Year’s Eve: ‘I want to run around the resort disguised as a cow.’

It might take his mind off ugly rumours that surfaced in the UK last month linking him to a tax scandal, insisting attempts to question his contribution to the nation’s finances are a ‘witch-hunt’.The You’re Beautiful star hit headlines when it emerged his name was on a leaked list of HSBC bank customers with an offshore account on the Channel Island of Jersey.

The list, which also contains the identities of several other high-profile Brits, has sparked a tax probe by officials at Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, but Blunt is adamant his banking practices are legitimate and insists he pays his fair share into the UK’s public purse.

Depeche Mode has signed a new worldwide deal with Columbia Records and will release a new album in March 2013.

“Depeche Mode is one of the greatest rock bands of the modern era,” Columbia Records CEO Rob Stringer said. “Despite selling millions of albums over many years they have still maintained a freshness and mystique in all aspects of their career and are truly a global band with huge fanbases in literally every country. Their new album is unique and invigorating and their best work for ages and we are excited to be involved with Depeche Mode as a worldwide company.”