November seems like a good time to curl up with some hot tea, some petites madeleines, and a copy of Marcel Proust’s Swann’s Way, with Vinteuil’s Sonata playing softly on the hi-fi. Wait -- is that even possible? Does such music exist? Blair Sanderson investigates this tantalizing classical conundrum.

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Taylor Swift dethroned the Twilight soundtrack from the top of the Billboard 200, selling 592,000 copies of her second album Fearless. [RollingStone.com]

Guns N' Roses' long-awaited Chinese Democracy and Electric Arguments, the first album from Paul McCartney's electronic side-project the Fireman in a decade, are streaming on each artist's respective MySpace pages. [PopEater.com]

Following Jackson Browne's August lawsuit against John McCain for using Browne's song "Running on Empty" in McCain's campaign commercials, McCain has filed a motion to dismiss Browne's suit and an anti-SLAPP motion, which is often used by defendants to seek monetary damages after a plaintiff has subjected a defendant to a lawsuit meant to chill free speech. [Billboard.com]

Speaking of lawsuits, Taco Bell has issued a response to 50 Cent's lawsuit against the fast-food chain for a publicity stunt that mentioned his name without his permission. [Idolator.com]

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If 1991 was the year that punk broke, 1993 was the year that Alternative took hold. Nirvana and Pearl Jam delivered follow-ups to their blockbusters, rock radio was ruled by their imitators Stone Temple Pilots, pop radio saw more guitars than it did in years thanks to R.E.M. and their followers like the Gin Blossoms. Thanks to PJ Harvey, Liz Phair, Belly, Luscious Jackson, Juliana Hatfield, and the Breeders, it was the year of Women in Rock -- so coined by papers looking hard for a trend -- but Guyville didn't cower either, thanks to major-label debuts by Urge Overkill and the Afghan Whigs. And that was just in the U.S.!

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