Insider Today: No more diet soda

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Happy Saturday and happy holidays! I hope you're spending this time with family and remembering late loved ones who made this time special. There's no special dispatch from me this week as I'm doing the same. Until next week!

On the agenda:

• Why it's nearly impossible to make money as a musician in 2024. (Unless you're Taylor Swift).
• French châteaus are cheap until you try to live in one.
• After drinking soda daily, one reporter decided to cut down to avoid ultra-processed foods.
• A look inside a private penthouse at the Four Seasons Jackson Hole.

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Want to make money as a pop star? Good luck, babe!

Music has always been a business, but it's no longer enough for artists to survive on talent or fame alone. Streaming, TikTok, and the ballooning costs of touring have all dramatically altered the industry's traditional routes to making money.

Artists today have to strategically post on social media, navigate the complexities of legal and financial bureaucracy, plan cost-efficient tours, and more. And after all of that, it's often still not enough to turn a profit.

The harsh reality of the music industry.

The French château dream-turned-nightmare

There's a glut of châteaus all around France on sale for next to nothing. But they come with a catch: they're huge money pits.

Real-estate agents say prospective château buyers should set aside at least 1.5% of the purchase price just for annual maintenance. Plus, if the place is classified as a historic monument, add some French bureaucracy to the process. It's a big reason the French aren't interested in châteaus.

And Americans are finding this out the hard way.

Quitting 'diet' drinks

Diet drinks may be marketed as healthier alternatives, but as one dietitian told BI's Rachel Hosie, "they're far from being a health drink."

Regularly consuming ultra-processed foods, like artificially sweetened diet sodas, have been linked to a myriad of potential health risks, like type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. For a few months, Hosie tried cutting down her diet-soda intake. She said her tastebuds quickly adapted to the healthier options, but they're more expensive.

These are the 3 lessons she learned.

An opulent mountain getaway

Located near Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park, the Four Seasons in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, offers a luxurious stay for about $11,000 a night. To even access one of its 31 private residences, guests take a special elevator.

BI's Joey Hadden toured the hotel's Granite Residence, a 4,355-square-foot penthouse, with five bedrooms, a full kitchen, and a spacious pantry. She said the space felt more like a luxury home than a hotel accommodation.

But the smallest room was her favorite.

What to shop

• Black Friday deals still live: Just because it's Saturday doesn't mean Black Friday is over! There's still time to shop great Black Friday deals from top brands like Apple, Dyson, and more, whether you're finishing up your holiday gift list or shopping for yourself.
• Cut the cord: All those streaming services can add up quickly, but we've got the scoop on the Black Friday streaming deals and bundle discounts you can still take advantage of.
• Dress for success: Forget to buy yourself that new pair of jeans? Don't worry — our style editors are sharing the best women's clothing deals you can still score today.

More of this week's top reads:

• Drake lost his rap battle with Kendrick Lamar. Now he claims the streaming game is rigged.
• Why journaling is now part of a regular wellness routine for many male fitness and 'hustle' influencers.
• A server at a winery shares the common mistakes customers make at a wine tasting.
• Miss Universe runner-up says she wasn't offended by the CEO calling the winner's blond hair and blue eyes the 'ultimate evolution' for the pageant.
• 'Parks & Rec' cocreator Mike Schur said the show would look 'hopelessly naive' if it were made today.
• A writer and his girlfriend spent 12 days at 5-star hotels in Morocco — and only spent $250 out of pocket.
• Dating apps are turning to matchmaking to lure in users.
• A couple moved to Japan and turned an abandoned $6,500 home into a guesthouse.
• A managing partner at R360 who runs a group for centimillionaires said the members want their kids to have purpose — and prenups.

The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York City. Grace Lett, editor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York.