With the Grammy awards last night bouncing back in the ratings (though I still didn't watch it, they at least had the sense not to go up against American Idol like last year), the RIAA was in full effect and showing their rebel streak by blue-stating the Dixie Chicks with honors they'd never see at the Country Music Awards.

For the first time since Eric Clapton in 1993 bestowing upon the DCs FIVE awards, including album of the year, record of the year and song of the year. WHEW!

Even as mainstream pop waxed, rap records were waning as hip-hop got no love from the Recording Academy with zero nominations outside the rap category for the first time in years. Perhaps there is still hope for America's youth.

Why do I think the Dixie Chicks won for "Not Ready to Make Nice"?

Their co-author of course: Dan Wilson, Minneapolitan songwriter from Semisonic and Trip Shakespeare shared the honors.

What's interesting in all this music industry PR wasn't the reunion of The Police (though cool), but that it came even as Apple's extraordinary sense of timing has just finished forcing media companies of every ilk to bow before the iPod monopoly of consumers similarly locked into the iTunes digital distribution channel. (read more)