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Source: Bernard Smalls / iOne Digital / HHW Gaming / Nintendo / Nintendo Switch OLED
Xbox and PlayStation currently have Black Friday sales, so it should be no surprise that Nintendo is also joining the money-saving fun.
Like Xbox and Playstation, Nintendo’s Black Friday sale has also come early, before the official start of the annual shopping holiday on November 27.
The iconic gaming company is offering discounts on software and hardware, so if the gamer in your life is interested in a Switch console, there is no better time to swipe the card for one.
Right now, there are sales on Switch console bundles, accessories, and, of course, games. HHW Gaming did all the hard work finding the deals for you, so sit back and hit the gallery below to see what you can save a few coins on.
1. Nintendo Switch Console Bundles
Source:Nintendo Switch Mario Kart 8 Bundle
First things first, you’re going to need a Nintendo Switch console. Thankfully, there are bundle offers that won’t take a massive bite out of your bank account.
Right now, you can score a Nintendo Switch bundle with a copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and 12 months of Nintendo Switch Online, allowing you to play classic NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, and Sega Genesis games for just $299.99 while supplies last at My Nintendo Store.
Now, what if the Nintendo fanatic wants an OLED model specifically? It’s a good thing there are Nintendo Switch OLED console bundles that also come with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and 12 months of Nintendo Switch Online, also available on the My Nintendo Store website.
But wait, there’s more.
Nintendo has also slashed the price of the Nintendo Switch Lite: Hyrule Edition for $209.99, which comes with a bonus Nintendo Switch Online and an expansion pack. You can scoop one up at Best Buy, Target, and GameStop while supplies last.
2. Black Friday Sale On Games
Source:The Legend of Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom
You got the Nintendo Switch console, and now you need some games. Yes, plenty of them are on sale right now, including some top-rated titles.
But you better hurry; some of these deals only last until Nov.30, while others will continue until December 2 as part of Nintendo’s cyber deal offerings.
That’s just a handful of titles. For more games not listed above, be sure to check out Nintendo’s cyber deals, Best Buy, Gamestop, Target, and Walmart.

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Source: Bernard Smalls / iOne Digital / HHW Gaming / PS Portal / PlayStation
It looks like Sony is eager to return to the handheld gaming market after the surprise success of the PS Portal.
According to a Bloomberg report, Sony is developing a new handheld gaming console that will allow gamers to play PlayStation 5 games without being tethered to the internet or console.
The website reports Sony is making the console to rival Nintendo, which currently dominates the handheld gaming market, with the Nintendo Switch and its successor, rumored to be arriving in 2025, will only cement that dominance. Microsoft is also currently making its own handheld gaming device, which is a “few years out,” Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer revealed.
Portable PC gaming consoles, such as Valve’s Steam Deck and Asus’ ROG Ally, have also made great strides in the handheld gaming market.
PlayStation is looking to build off the success of the PS Portal, the eight-inch gaming device that steams PS5 games via the cloud over Wi-Fi, and the PS5 console’s remote play feature. Bloomberg reports that Sony originally intended for the PS Portal to be a standalone device to expand PlayStation’s gaming audience.
If this is the case, it will mark PlayStation’s return to a territory that it is very familiar with thanks to previous devices, the PSP (PlayStation Portable), and its successor, the PS Vita.
Social Media Is Smelling What Sony Is Cooking
Gamers have been reacting to this news because, believe it or not, plenty of people out there, like Kinda Funny’s Greg Miller, have been screaming at Sony to drop a follow-up to the PS Vita.
Well, that day is currently far away. Until Sony officially drops the bomb, you can peep more reactions to the rumored new PlayStation handheld device in the gallery below.
2. Mmmmhmmm
3. Never forget
4. Interesting
5. Yes please
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Source: PlayStation / Black Friday
Xbox got the Black Friday ball rolling early; now, it’s PlayStation’s turn to offer gamers fantastic deals on games, consoles, accessories, and more.
On Friday, November 22, PlayStation announced its Black Friday sale is live. The best part is that you don’t have to wait until Nov.25 to take advantage of it or leave the comfort of your home.
The Black Friday deal is wide-ranging, offering discounts on the latest accessories, games, PS VR 2, and even the PS5. So, if you have been on the fence about getting Sony’s latest console, consider this the perfect opportunity to see play has no limits.
This deal is truly the gift that keeps on giving and will help you get a leg up on your Christmas shopping, ensuring that you have no issues nailing down that PS5 console and all the accessories and games you need to go with it.
But enough talking from us, hit the gallery below to see what PlayStation Black Friday offerings.
2. PS5 Cover Plates, DualSense Controllers, & Headsets
Source:PS5 Cover Plates
Is the white PS5 and DualSense controller too boring? Don’t worry—you can secure fresh cover plates and a matching controller to help your new console stand out in your entertainment center.
Cover Plates for both PlayStation 5 Slim and the original console model are on sale. Cosmic Red, Midnight Black (PS5 Slim also), Nova Pink, Galatic Purple, and Starlight Blue for the All-Digital and Disc-Drive original PS5 model are just $44.99.
Sterling Silver, Cobalt Blue, and Volcanic Red for the PS5 Slim All-Digital and Disc-Drive model are $49.99
As for the DualSense Controllers, Galatic Purple, Cosmic Red, Midnight Black, Starlight Blue, Gray Camouflage, and White colors are on sale for $54.99.
The Cobalt Blue, Chroma Indigo, Chroma Pearl, Sterling Silver, and Volcanic Red finishes cost $59.99.
Last but certainly not least, headsets and earbuds are also on sale. The Sony INZONE Wireless H5 headset is currently $129.99, the INZONE wireless noise-canceling earbuds are $179.99, all colors of INZONE H9 wireless noise-canceling headphones are $199.99, and the INZONE H3 wired headset costs only $79.99.
The PULSE 3D wireless headset, in all colors, is only $79.99; the PULSE Elite is $129.99, and the PULSE Explore wireless earbuds are $169.99.
3. Blockbuster Games Are Also On Sale
Source:Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
You’ll need some games to play on your brand new PS5, or if you already have one, these titles (if you don’t already own them) would fit nicely in your collection, adding to your continually growing backlog of video games.
Thankfully, you’re in luck because PlayStation is offering some decent price cuts on these popular titles:
Head here to see the complete list of titles PlayStation is offering at discounted prices.
4. PS VR2 Gets A Hefty Price Cut
Source:Getty
For those who didn’t know or just plain forgot, PS VR2 is a thing. If you were contemplating getting the latest PlayStation VR headset and were just waiting for a price cut, this is the moment you were waiting for.
Right now, PlayStation VR2 costs only $349.99. You can even scoop up a Horizon Call of The Mountain bundle at the same sale price.
That is a pretty significant price cut for the PS VR2, which still has some life in it. Games like Alien: Rogue Incursion and more are on the way.
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Source: PlayStation / Black Friday
Xbox got the Black Friday ball rolling early; now, it’s PlayStation’s turn to offer gamers fantastic deals on games, consoles, accessories, and more.
On Friday, November 22, PlayStation announced its Black Friday sale is live. The best part is that you don’t have to wait until Nov.25 to take advantage of it or leave the comfort of your home.
The Black Friday deal is wide-ranging, offering discounts on the latest accessories, games, PS VR 2, and even the PS5. So, if you have been on the fence about getting Sony’s latest console, consider this the perfect opportunity to see play has no limits.
This deal is truly the gift that keeps on giving and will help you get a leg up on your Christmas shopping, ensuring that you have no issues nailing down that PS5 console and all the accessories and games you need to go with it.
But enough talking from us, hit the gallery below to see what PlayStation Black Friday offerings.
2. PS5 Cover Plates, DualSense Controllers, & Headsets
Source:PS5 Cover Plates
Is the white PS5 and DualSense controller too boring? Don’t worry—you can secure fresh cover plates and a matching controller to help your new console stand out in your entertainment center.
Cover Plates for both PlayStation 5 Slim and the original console model are on sale. Cosmic Red, Midnight Black (PS5 Slim also), Nova Pink, Galatic Purple, and Starlight Blue for the All-Digital and Disc-Drive original PS5 model are just $44.99.
Sterling Silver, Cobalt Blue, and Volcanic Red for the PS5 Slim All-Digital and Disc-Drive model are $49.99
As for the DualSense Controllers, Galatic Purple, Cosmic Red, Midnight Black, Starlight Blue, Gray Camouflage, and White colors are on sale for $54.99.
The Cobalt Blue, Chroma Indigo, Chroma Pearl, Sterling Silver, and Volcanic Red finishes cost $59.99.
Last but certainly not least, headsets and earbuds are also on sale. The Sony INZONE Wireless H5 headset is currently $129.99, the INZONE wireless noise-canceling earbuds are $179.99, all colors of INZONE H9 wireless noise-canceling headphones are $199.99, and the INZONE H3 wired headset costs only $79.99.
The PULSE 3D wireless headset, in all colors, is only $79.99; the PULSE Elite is $129.99, and the PULSE Explore wireless earbuds are $169.99.
3. Blockbuster Games Are Also On Sale
Source:Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
You’ll need some games to play on your brand new PS5, or if you already have one, these titles (if you don’t already own them) would fit nicely in your collection, adding to your continually growing backlog of video games.
Thankfully, you’re in luck because PlayStation is offering some decent price cuts on these popular titles:
Head here to see the complete list of titles PlayStation is offering at discounted prices.
4. PS VR2 Gets A Hefty Price Cut
Source:Getty
For those who didn’t know or just plain forgot, PS VR2 is a thing. If you were contemplating getting the latest PlayStation VR headset and were just waiting for a price cut, this is the moment you were waiting for.
Right now, PlayStation VR2 costs only $349.99. You can even scoop up a Horizon Call of The Mountain bundle at the same sale price.
That is a pretty significant price cut for the PS VR2, which still has some life in it. Games like Alien: Rogue Incursion and more are on the way.
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Source: Epic Games / Fortnite
Fortnite is taking your character’s footwear game to another level.
At this point, the question should be, what’s not in Fortnite? Beginning today, the ridiculously popular video game will introduce its latest feature, a virtual sneaker wardrobe led by Nike and Jordan Brand that will introduce iconic silhouettes and custom designs into the game.
To kick things off, players can use their V-Bucks to virtually scoop up a pair of Nike Cortez Leather OG, Nike Air Foamposite One “Galaxy,” Nike Shox R4 “Comet Red,” and Fortnite’s exclusive Chomp Stompers.
Jordan Brand takes flight beginning November 22 through November 26, and players can virtually cop sneakerhead favorites like the Air Jordan 3 Retro “Palomino,” Air Jordan 3 “Black Cement-Gray,” Air Jordan 11 “Bred,” and Air Jordan 4 Retro “Manila.” Select sneakers, notably the Air Jordan 3 “Black Cement” and Air Jordan 11 “Bred,” will also be available.
According to HypeBeast, the Air Jordan 3 “Black Cement” already had a “shock drop” release, and the Air Jordan 11 “Bred” will launch in the game and physical stores simultaneously.
This news follows our initial reporting that the Air Jordan 1 “Black Toe Reimagined” will be part of the Season 2 Remix Pass and a new “Show ‘Em Off” emote, available from November 21 through December 1.
All of the kicks will be available to over 500 existing Fortnite skins, with Epic Games pushing for compatibility with 95% of all skins by spring 2025, giving players even more stylish options for their favorite Fortnite skins.
Fortnite Chapter 2: Remix also introduced Eminem, Ice Spice, Juice WRLD, and Snoop Dogg as playable skins.
Now is a good time if you’re looking for an opportunity to jump back into Fortnite. You can see more photos of the in-game kicks in the gallery below.
1. Fortnite
Source:Fortnite
Fortnite introducing Nike sneakers into game. fortnite
2. Fortnite
Source:Fortnite
Fortnite introducing Nike sneakers into game. fortnite
3. Fortnite
Source:Fortnite
Fortnite introducing Nike sneakers into game. fortnite
4. Fortnite
Source:Fortnite
Fortnite introducing Nike sneakers into game. fortnite
5. Fortnite
Source:Fortnite
Fortnite introducing Nike sneakers into game. fortnite
6. Fortnite
Source:Fortnite
Fortnite introducing Nike sneakers into game. fortnite
7. Fortnite
Source:Fortnite
Fortnite introducing Nike sneakers into game. fortnite
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Source: EA Sports / Tiburon / Madden NFL 25
The Saquan Barkley spin hurdle is now one of the best signature football plays since Odell Beckham Jr.’s epic one-handed grab, and can now be done in Madden NFL 25.
In its latest Gridiron Notes, EA Sports shared that Madden NFL 25 players will see several new updates in the game following the release of the latest update.
The inclusion of Saquan Barkley’s spin hurdle heads those updates. It has easily taken the lead in being THE PLAY of the 2024-25 NFL season, so it should come as no surprise that the developers at Tiburon went out of their way to get the move into the game, showing off the impressive power of the new physics engine.
Here is a breakdown of how they got the incredible football play into the video game:
The next step was to pore through hours of real-life motion capture and figure out which animations could be combined, adjusted and tweaked to give us Saquon’s surrealism. Spade said the genesis of the animation came from old Superstar Mode motion capture, and with a little “animator magic,” what they concocted conjured the spectacle that is Saquon Barkley.
Madden Game Designer Spade spoke about the move, saying, “It’s rare, this day and age, to see something that’s never been done before. That’s when we knew we wanted it in-game.”
See Saquan Barkley pulling off the move in-game below.
So, how do you pull off the move? EA shared the instructions:
Triggering the Saquon Spin Hurdle – To trigger the spin hurdle the ball-carrier must be Saquon Barkley, the defender must be incoming from a 45 degree angle in front of the ball carrier, the defender must be within a close proximity to the ball carrier, and the user must press the hurdle button with the right timing.
Other Updates Coming To Madden NFL 25
Barkley’s incredible play isn’t the only addition to the game following the latest update. Madden gamers can expect many fixes, quality-of-life improvements, updates to players, game modes, and new gear.
Head here to see the full breakdown of the latest Madden NFL 25 update.

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Source: Anna Barclay / Getty / Bluesky
Hey Elon, you hear those footsteps? That’s Bluesky coming for your spot.
Spotted on Engadget, Bluesky has officially crossed 20 million as its growth shows no signs of slowing down. This latest milestone for X, formerly Twitter’s direct competitor, comes on the heels of the platform crossing 15 million users less than a week ago and tripling its user base in only three months.
While boasting 20 million users is impressive, Bluesky is still far behind X and Meta’s Threads platforms. However, if Bluesky can maintain its popularity and the mass eXodus continues, there is no reason it can’t be up there with the big boys.
Per Engadget:
Though it’s still far smaller than its rivals Threads and X, Bluesky’s current momentum is notable. The app has had several days over the last week where it added a million new users in a single 24-hour period. That’s similar to the growth rate of Threads, which has been getting a million new sign-ups a day for “going on three months,” according to an update last week from Meta’s Adam Mosseri. Threads reached 275 million monthly users earlier this month and has added at least 15 million since the start of November.
Bluesky Tops Both Apple and Google’s App Stores
Bluesky still has some ground to make up, but all signs point upward for the social media platform. It’s been the number one app in Apple’s App Store for the last six days and the top non-gaming app in the Google Play Store for the previous four days. Threads is holding down the second spot in the App Store.
Meanwhile, X continues to bleed subscribers following Musk’s ridiculous changes to the platform, and many users are complaining about how much Trump/right-wing propaganda has taken over timelines since Musk got in bed with sweet potato Hitler.
Celebrities like Gabrielle Union, Stephen King, Mark Hammill, and more have also said goodbye to X for Bluesky’s greener pastures.
Journalists and other organizations also have left X in large numbers for Bluesky.
Consider us on board for Elon Musk taking an L.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. It’s officially the time of year when you begin brainstorming the ultimate gifts for everyone on your list. That includes the […]
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Source: Anadolu / Getty / Instagram
For years, people have been complaining about their recommendations on Instagram, and finally, the photo/video-sharing platform is now allowing users to take action.
As spotted on The Verge, Instagram is testing a new feature that will allow users to “completely refresh” the content that is being recommended to them.
Meta says the recommendations reset feature will “soon roll out globally” and allow users to completely clear their algorithm recommendations on their Feeds, Explore, and Reels.
Per The Verge:
The new feature will be available to users of all ages, including Teen accounts. “We want to make sure everyone on Instagram – especially teens – has safe, positive, age-appropriate experiences and feels the time they’re spending on Instagram is valuable,” Meta said. “We want to give teens new ways to shape their Instagram experience, so it can continue to reflect their passions and interests as they evolve.”
Meta states the whole process can be done in “just a few taps,” and resetting your recommendations will “start to personalize again over time” based on the content you routinely interact with on the platform.
So, if you spend time on Instagram looking at “baes and baddies,” the algorithm will keep that kind of content coming. Now, if you want some wholesome stuff featured on your timelines, start double-taping and sharing it so you can clean up the timeline.
But wait, there’s more. During the reset process, you can also review who you are following and decide to hit the unfollow button to change your recommendations further.
We need other social media platforms like X, even though it’s dying a slow death, to introduce a similar feature.
“I feel like that guy in Don’t Look Up,” says Andrew Batey, co-CEO/co-founder of streaming fraud detection company Beatdapp. “I’ve been yelling about the comet coming for years, and so many people haven’t taken it seriously. Now, I think it’s arrived.”
On Nov. 4, Universal Music Group sued TuneCore and its parent company Believe in a $500 million copyright infringement lawsuit, claiming that TuneCore’s “business model” of letting users upload a massive volume of songs for a low flat rate is powered “by rampant piracy” and that TuneCore “makes little effort to hide its illegal actions.”
According to the lawsuit, some of these uploads are remixed or sped up versions of UMG hits and titled with slight misspellings of the artists or works they are infringing — like “Kendrik Laamar,” “Arriana Gramde,” “Jutin Biber” and “Llady Gaga.” UMG also alleges that TuneCore has “taken advantage of the content management claiming system” on YouTube “to divert” and “delay… payment of royalties” that belong to record labels.
Trending on Billboard
The nine-figure lawsuit serves as a searing indictment of the way one of the world’s largest DIY distributors is allegedly conducting its business. It’s also being viewed as an indictment of the business model of DIY distribution as a whole because, as Jamie Hart — founder of publishing administration company Hart & Songs — explains, “These problems are definitely not unique to TuneCore.” Throughout her career, Hart has spent time at SoundCloud and at Downtown’s YouTube royalty collection service AdRev (now part of FUGA), learning about the intricacies of rights management online, and why it can get so messed up. “This is happening across all self-upload distribution companies at a big rate, and it has been happening for years.”
Along with users profiting from content containing copyrighted material that doesn’t belong to them (sometimes colloquially referred to as “fraud,” “fraudulent content,” or “modified audio” in certain contexts), experts say DIY distributors are also usually the pipes that let in an excessive amount of songs that will be used in “streaming fraud” schemes — a term used to describe the process of artificially juicing stream counts to siphon money out of the royalty pool.
Batey and fellow Beatdapp co-founder/co-CEO Morgan Hayduk see this is the start of a serious crackdown on distribution companies like TuneCore, with “a small window for [distributors] to get on board” and clean up their issues with infringement and fraud before it leads to serious consequences. For those unwilling to put in the extra effort to prevent much of the illegal activity on their services, the Beatdapp leaders fear the financial penalties from streaming services or lawsuits from rights holders, like UMG, could be harsh enough to put some of the small players out of business and lead to consolidation.
“We don’t want to see consolidation,” Hayduk says. “It’s healthy to have a lot of distributors in the market, for users and for our business, too. We want to see them clean up their act, but they need to start now.”
Over the last few years, there have been a number of efforts made to address the growing problems in DIY distribution — from streaming fraud to copyright infringement to sheer volume. Last year, TuneCore, Distrokid, CD Baby, Symphonic, Downtown and more joined together to form the Music Fights Fraud coalition, an attempt to self-police these issues through a shared database. (Since then, Beatdapp alleges that there has only been an increased amount of streaming fraud across the industry.) Spotify also announced new amendments to its royalty payment models in an effort to curb these issues, including financial penalties for distributors and labels that perpetuate fraud.
But this fall, a number of high-profile instances of anti-fraud regulation have started popping up in quick succession. In September, federal prosecutors indicted a North Carolina musician in the first ever federal streaming fraud case, alleging he used two distributors to upload “hundreds of thousands” of AI-generated tracks, and then used bots to stream them, earning him more than $10 million since 2017.
Then, in October, TikTok cited issues with “fraud” as its reason for walking away from renewing its license with Merlin, a digital licensing coalition representing thousands of indie labels and distributors. Instead, TikTok reached out to Merlin members individually — something which TikTok says could help them curb fraud from specific members, but which Merlin calls an excuse to “fractionalize” its membership and “minimize” TikTok’s fees for indie music.
Experts are torn about whether or not the problems at these DIY distributors will be easy or hard to solve. One DIY distribution employee, who requested anonymity, says stopping bad activity is a never ending game of “wack-a-mole” and that it is “impossible to catch everything” even with a quality control team. “There’s so much content pushed through at once that a lot slips through the cracks.” They add, however, that there is too much of an emphasis on “quantity over quality” at these companies and that they need to hire more quality control personnel than they have right now.
But Larry Mills, senior vp of sales at Pex, a company that provides tools for content identification and rights management, believes “it actually isn’t that hard of a problem to solve. Some distributors and DSPs are just making a business decision to use lesser technologies that aren’t tuned to finding modified audio or covers until they are forced to.”
Beyond contracting a third-party service, like Pex or Beatdapp, or spending a millions on more full-time staffers, there are also much more simple measures that can be taken. Greg Hirschhorn, CEO/founder of distributor Too Lost and a member of the Music Fights Fraud coalition, said in an October interview that his company has seen significant success by simply requiring users to submit a photo ID and a selfie before uploading songs to Too Lost. “There’s no hiding from it, and it’s easy,” Hirschhorn says. “If you break the law using our site, I have your information, and I can just send it to local law enforcement or to the streaming service.” Hirschhorn claims he has offered to implement this same service for fellow MFF members, but he says no one has taken him up on it.
According to Mills, the new UMG lawsuit against Believe has encouraged more action. “Thankfully, people are starting to take this seriously. Our phones are certainly ringing more since [the UMG lawsuit],” he says.
An employee at one of the DIY distributors also has seen a change in attitude about these problems in light of the UMG lawsuit. “A lot of us [in distribution] have been talking about this lawsuit,” this person says. “This is a systemic issue in distribution. No company is blameless … Other distributors should be f-cking nervous.”
For those in the business of helping artists and writers collect their rightful royalties online, like Hart and Jon Hichborn, founder of royalty tracking company Records on the Wall, “There’s too much responsibility on the rights holder,” as Hichborn puts it, to police their copyrights. “It’s mind boggling. I track down royalties 24/7. Imagine if I wanted to be a musician who was writing and performing? There would not be enough time in the day to do it all.”
Still, the continued dysfunction and challenges stemming from DIY distributors has birthed a lucrative cottage industry for companies like Pex, Beatdapp, Hart & Songs, Records on the Wall and more that are designed to clean up the mess that is protecting copyrights and collecting royalties on the internet today. “My business unfortunately does thrive on everybody screwing up,” laughs Hichborn. “It’ll never go away.”
It’s unclear what the future looks like for DIY distributors. While Beatdapp foresees “extinction” for distributors that don’t get their act together, Hirshhorn predicts great change “in the amount of quality control, the amount of KYC [“know your customer” checks], the amount of diligence required,” but he doesn’t see it as an apocalyptic event. As he’s found with the implementation of ID checks, even if the scale of songs a distributor releases goes down some, a distributor can still thrive. Too Lost, he says, is doing better than ever, earning over $50 million in annual revenue this year.
“At the end of the day, you just shouldn’t be able to make money on the internet — whether it’s from music, gaming, or the creator economy — if you don’t disclose exactly who you are,” Hirshhorn says. “That just makes total sense… The music industry is always slow to adopt any changes, but this is what the future will look like.”