The language used to translate sound into digital information celebrates its 30th anniversary. Today, MIDI is everywhere, including nearly every pop song on the radio and the fountain at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.

Video game makers want their products to be as realistic as possible. Often, that means modeling virtual weapons on real ones, then buying permission to use real brand names. For gun makers, that brand placement is worth a lot more than the licensing fees they collect.

Phil Ramone was a violin prodigy; he played for Queen Elizabeth when he was 10. As a fledgling recording engineer, he manned the booth for "Alice's Restaurant." And as a producer, he recorded hits for Frank Sinatra, Billy Joel and Paul Simon. As NPR's Sami Yenigun reports, Ramone died Saturday at the age of 79.

He is the second former member of the fabled Motown group to pass away in two weeks; last week former Tempations tenor Damon Harris died. Both singers can be heard on the 1972 hit "Papa Was A Rolling Stone."

The dance music store, blog and chart is the latest acquisition in SFX's dance music buying spree.

The iconic banjo player, who played with Bill Monroe and Lester Flatt, developed a picking technique which defined the sound of bluegrass music. His "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" won two Grammy awards and made the banjo bluegrass' star instrument.

The host and executive producer of the long-running show died Wednesday morning.