Spotify Usage Explodes After F8, Facebook Integration

What's cooler than three million monthly active users? Five million monthly active users. Spotify, which launched in America after a few modifications on July 14, saw monthly usage increase over 50 percent following the September 22 Facebook F8 conference, where Spotify CEO and co-founder Daniel Ek took the stage to talk about Spotify's new integration with Facebook. On the day of the F8 announcement, approximately 3.4 million people had used Spotify so far that month according to AppData.our editor recommendsSpotify Brings Radio Feature to U.S. Two Months After LaunchNew Data Shows Spotify's Mobile Penetration in Europe Still Small But GrowingRhapsody Takes Shot At Spotify's Biz Model As of today, it lists Spotify as having about 5.3 million monthly active users -- an approximate 56 percent increase. That said, daily usage has dipped since the announcement, possibly in part due to the phenomenon we're calling " Dissed Connections." Obviously, this chart shows a big spike right after the announcement, but more importantly, its new baseline appears higher than it was before. Like other music services including MOG, Rdio, and Slacker, Spotify now adds your listening activity to your friends' Facebook feeds, so they can listen to and comment on your songs (unless you don't want it to). In retrospect, this came as no surprise, because the first time I met Daniel Ek, for breakfast in NY in July 2009, he told me he didn't envision Spotify as a music social network -- instead, he said, he'd rather let someone else build the social network. That someone turned out to be Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg. Facebook integration seems to be working well for Spotify based on its September numbers. Whether it can keep that up next month is another story -- and from where we're sitting, largely depends on whether Spotify can convince people to use its upcoming Private Listening feature when they don't want to share, rather than disconnecting Spotify from Facebook permanently. Related Topics Facebook Spotify

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Start Looking: Browse the Key Art for AMC's Hell on Wheels

Hell on Wheels "Bloodstream is going to be leaking."So promises the poster for AMC's latest period drama Hell on Wheels.Fall TV: Obtain the lowdown about this season's must-see new showsSet as a direct consequence from the Civil War, the series informs the storyline of Confederate veteran Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount), whose mission to avenge his wife's dying as a result of Union soldiers takes him west to operate on building the transcontinental railroad.The drama also explores the issues faced by recently emancipated slaves, a lot of whom still work with a meager wage for that corrupt and greedy railroad. Rapper Common (Date Evening) stars as you such former slave, while Colm Meaney (Star Trek: Generation X) plays a businessman searching to learn in the railroad.Fall TV: Begin to see the 17 stars and also hardwearing . eyes about this yearThe cast includes Dominique McElligott (Leap of the season), Ben Esler (The Off-shore), Philip Burke (Law & Order) and Eddie Warrior spears (In to the West). The series was produced and compiled by Tony and Joe Gayton, who'll also executive-produce the series.Get a first consider the full-sized poster below. Hell on Wheels premieres Sunday, November. 6 at 10/9c on AMC.

David Z. Goodman dies at 81

David Zelag Goodman, who shared an Oscar nomination for the script to "Lovers and Other Strangers" and also wrote "Monte Walsh," "Straw Dogs" and "Logan's Run" during a successful run in the 1970s, died Monday, Sept. 26, in Oakland of a brain disorder called progressive supranuclear palsy. He was 81.Goodman's work proved enduring: "Monte Walsh," starring Lee Marvin, was remade in 2003 as a TNT telepic starring Tom Selleck; Rod Lurie's remake of Sam Peckinpah's "Straw Dogs" was released two weeks ago; and a remake of "Logan's Run," to star Ryan Gosling, is in the works at Warner Bros.Producer Zev Braun, who worked with Goodman for decades, described the screenwriter as "a man who understood human nature, and because he understood human nature, he understood drama."Goodman took an unusual course to a career in Hollywood.Born in NY to immigrant Jewish parents who wanted him to be a rabbi, Goodman studied at a yeshiva. Eventually his interests turned to the secular world, however, and he earned a B.A. in English from Queens College in NY and then headed to Yale, where he studied drama.Goodman had his antiwar play "High Named Today" produced Off Broadway in 1954, when he was 24. The NY Times' Brooks Atkinson called him an "original" and "talented" writer.Goodman's first effort in showbiz was the script for the Hammer-produced adventure film "Stranglers of Bombay" (1959). Next he worked in television, penning eight episodes of "The Untouchables" and episodes of "Combat!" and a show called "Mr. Broadway."He returned to bigscreen work with the highly regarded 1970 comedy "Lovers and Others Strangers," which he, Renee Taylor and Joseph Bologna adapted from a play by Taylor and Bologna. The same year he co-penned the critically acclaimed Western "Monte Walsh."In 1971 came the violent, controversial "Straw Dogs," which Goodman co-scripted with Peckinpah based on a novel. Star Dustin Hoffman would remain a friend of Goodman's.Goodman scripted the 1974 mystery thriller "Man on a Swing," starring Cliff Robertson, and the 1975 remake of "Farewell, My Lovely," starring Robert Mitchum.He made an impression with his first attempt at science fiction, "Logan's Run," in 1976. (Goodman was brought onto the project after a number of other writers couldn't make it work, and he ultimately earned sole credit for the script.)Goodman's strong decade continued with 1977's "March or Die," starring Gene Hackman and Catherine Deneuve, and the memorable thriller "Eyes of Laura Mars," which he co-scripted with John Carpenter and others.He then returned to television for a miniseries adaptation of Howard Fast's "Freedom Road."Goodman scripted "Fighting Back" and "Man, Woman and Child" in the early 1980s.Producer Braun said that in addition to his own work, Goodman "had the capacity to put his finger right on the problem in a script. And the best example was when Sherry Lansing brought him in to address problems in the script for 'Fatal Attraction.' Goodman said to Lansing of the Glenn Close character, 'You can't let her off the hook! You should kill her! Let's drown her!'"Goodman did not have any other movies produced for decades, but he and Braun co-penned "Cover," the story of Russian spy Sasha Litvinenko's poisoning, which is currently in pre-production.Goodman is survived by his wife, Marjorie, to whom he was married for 61 years; a daughter, Kevis, a professor of English at UC Berkeley; and a sister. Contact Carmel Dagan at carmel.dagan@variety.com

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ROLL CALL: Justin Bieber Takes Selena Gomez On Titanic-Sized Date

By Jesse SperoLOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Your Daily Dispatch of Celebrity Shenanigans The King Of Selenas Heart!: Justin Bieber reportedly pulled out all the stops on Friday night when he surprised girlfriend Selena Gomez with a movie date night at The Staples Center in Los Angeles. According to TMZ, following Selenas Friday night concert at the Nokia Theatre, Justin told Selena, Follow me, and they headed through the underground tunnel that runs from the Nokia to Staples. Once there, the couple who had the entire arena to themselves enjoyed dinner and then watched Titanic. Biebs was reportedly inspired by the movie Mr. Deeds, in which Adam Sandlers character has a similar date at Madison Square Garden. According to TMZ, Biebs booked Staples for free (he recently sold-out three nights there) ! romance isnt dead. treat your lady right fellas. #REAL, the singer Tweeted on Friday night. J.Lo Gets On The Floor: Jennifer Lopez had quite the weekend too! After appearing at the iHeartRadio music festival in Las Vegas, J.Lo hit up PURE Nightclub at Caesars Palace, where she reportedly enjoyed herself. One of her dancers took his shirt and gave her a lap dance, a source told People. She was laughing and loving it. Check out Jen getting busy on the dance floor, HERE! Meow!: The first shots of Anne Hathaway in her Catwoman costume from the upcoming The Dark Knight Rises caused a ruckus with fanboys for not being feline enough, but new shots of Anne with ears and an eye mask should make Caped Crusader fans very happy. Check out Annes new Catwoman shots, HERE! LiLo Strikes A Pose: Lindsay Lohan is back at work modeling for German designer Philip Plein. The actress was spotted shooting in Lake Como, Italy (George Clooneys backyard) over the weekend. Check out Lindsays new modeling gig, HERE! Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Box Office: Lion King Keeps No. 1, Moneyball Hits It From the Park

Moneyball Kaira Pitt, Rachelle Lefervre and Robert P Niro were no match for nostalgia in the box office, as Disney's re-discharge of The Lion King held to the No. 1 place, Box Office Mojo reviews. The 1994 film made an believed $22.a million in the second week back. Arriving second for that weekend, Moneyball was top among new releases. The baseball drama starring Pitt introduced in $20.six million (the greatest opening for any baseball movie ever). Close behind was the inspiring family film Dolphin Tale, which gained $20.two million. Take a look at our fall preview for art galleries, scoop, premiere calendars and much more! Abduction, the experience movie headlined by Twilight's Lautner rated 4th with $11.two million. Killer Elite, starring P Niro, came $9.5 million to accomplish the very best 5. Contagion snapped up no. 6 place, with $8.5 million. Rounding the top ten: Drive (No. 7, $5.7 million), The Assistance (No. 8, $4.4 million, getting its total to $154.4 million), Hay Dogs (No. 9, $2.a million) and I'm Not Sure How She Will It (No. 10, $two million).

'All My Children's' ABC Finale Goes Out With Bang; 'The View' Celebrates Series (Video)

ABC The waterworks kicked off early during the Friday, Sept. 23 broadcast of The View, marking the network finale of ABC's All My Children. Susan Lucci served as a guest host of the program, discussing the storied 41 year history of her beloved soap. PHOTOS: 'All My Children': Famous Alums of ABC's Daytime Drama The series went out with a signature cliffhanger -- and a bang -- as [SPOILER] JR fires a gun at an unknown target at a Chandler mansion party, where nearly the entire town was in attendance. Though All My Children has said goodbye to its television home, the drama will live on through the Internet via Prospect Park. Lucci's Erica Kane decides to pursue her lifelong Hollywood dream, moving to California and leaving Jackson (and his marriage proposal) behind. Lucci remains undecided regarding her own involvement in the web series, but Erica vows to get Jackson back... Someday. STORY: 'All My Children' Remembered by Viewers on Last Day Series creator Agnes Nixon and executive producer Julie Carruthers joined Lucci in the studio, as well as actors Cameron Mathison, Alicia Minshew, Rebecca Budig and Vincent Irizarry. Pre-taped segments were also aired, featuring former cast-members Carol Burnett and Josh Duhamel. Carruthers shared her favorite storyline from the long-running program, saying, "I think one of the stories I'm the most proud of and there are quite a few, but one that stands out is the story on-camera of Brot Monroe and off-camera of JR Martinez." The retired U.S. soldier was chosen out of 600 injured war vets for the job, and has parlayed the gig into a stint on Season 13 of Dancing With the Stars, airing currently on ABC. The special also featured a reunion between Kim Delaney and Lawrence Lau, who played lovebirds Jenny and Greg on the series. "It was a wonderful Romeo and Juliet story that lasted for three years," Lau said of the on-screen romance. "They developed it so gently and so believably for years." Debbi Morgan and Darnell Williams (aka Jesse and Angie) also hit the couch for a little reminiscing of their own love story. Watch the full episode below, including a look at the final moments on set --- complete with a champagne toast and one final cast photo. ABC Susan Lucci The View All My Children

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AMCs 'Hell on Wheels' Leads TV's Wild For Western Trend

Lengthy considered an inactive TV format, the Western series might be creating a large go back to the little screen. Additionally to AMC's Hell on Wheels, which bows in November and it is set among your building from the Union Off-shore Railroad within the 1860s, the genre is becoming probably the most in-demand in TV development circles throughout the present cycle.our editor recommendsAMC Announces Premiere Date for 'Hell on Wheels' 'Twilight's' Cam Gigandet Joins TNT Western 'Gateway' PHOTOS: Fall TV Preview 2011: 10 Fresh Faces To Understand TNT lately purchased to pilot Gateway, an action-adventure occur 1880s Colorado, from executive producer Bruce C. McKenna (The Off-shore). ABC nabbed Gunslinger from David Zabel (Detroit 1-8-7) and Hangtown, a procedural pitch occur the Wild West, from Battlestar Galactica mastermind Ron Moore. CBS and author Nicholas Pileggi (GoodFellas) are preparing Rob Lamb, in line with the sixties adventures of the real-existence cowboy-switched-Vegas sheriff, and NBC has purchased a script for Rob Cassidy's 1840s-set The Frontier. VIDEO: AMC Announces Premiere Date for 'Hell on Wheels' "They're simple, emotional tales that you could seem sensible of poor the planet,Inch AMC senior vice president original programming Joel Stillerman states from the appeal. It doesn't hurt that True Grit, the Western movie remake starring Shaun Bridges and Matt Damon, made a lot more than $250 million during the cold months, which makes it the 2nd-greatest-grossing Western ever. Hell on Wheels follows AMC's 2006 Western miniseries Damaged Trail, its first original scripted effort but still its greatest commercial success. "Authors are looking for 'what's next' always," states a TV agent, observing that it's been a difficult year to market sci-fi and comic fare because of the "uncertain future" of fall series Grimm, The River and Terra Nova. STORY: NBC Saddles As much as Another Western Project To be certain, the most recent crop is stuffed with twists around the traditional formula that grown popular in the past of TV with your series as Gunsmoke and also the Rifleman. For example, NBC sister studio Universal TV provides an untitled Western told from the female perspective from Peter Berg and fellow Friday Evening Lights producers. Zabel's series also focuses on a lady hero. The knock on dust-and-tumbleweeds dramas is they are "noticeably American," as you source puts it, which could hurt worldwide. What's more, the genre is frequently belittled for older-skewing viewership, hardly the coveted demo of deep-pocketed marketers. However the benefit of the Western appears timeless. States Stillerman, "There's often a good guy along with a theif, relatively obvious moral limitations, and visually it's an attractive genre." Related Subjects ABC AMC NBC CBS Peter Berg TNT Hell on Wheels