Here you will discover music industry news covering all aspects of the music industry. We deliver the most up-to-date information and content to the music community.
The music industry moves at a fast speed, and maintaining a watchful eye on everything can be an obstacle in itself. Nevertheless, we have eliminated this barrier, and you can easily stay comprehensively informed at all times via our music industry news area below.
The latest music industry news.
Talent Is Timeless Partnership with Universal Audio
Talent Is Timeless, the premier platform for songwriters over 50, is proud to announce its partnership with Universal Audio, a leading manufacturer of professional audio recording hardware and software. Universal Audio will sponsor the 2023 Talent Is Timeless songwriting competition with three of their Volt 2 Studio Packages, providing winning artists with cutting-edge equipment to help bring their creative vision to life. The 2023 competition is set to be the biggest yet, with an exceptional line-up of judges, including Ian Matthews of Kasabian, the British rock band known for their energetic live shows and hit albums such as "Empire" and "West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum". Grammy award-winning folk singer-songwriter Judy Collins, British folk singer-songwriter Ralph McTell, and many other notable industry figures will also join the judging panel. The Talent Is Timeless movement was founded in 2020 with the aim of providing a platform for artists over 50 who are still making meaningful contributions to the music industry. The organization has since grown to almost 10,000 members, with songwriting competitions and other initiatives aimed at fostering a supportive community of mature artists. "We're thrilled to be partnering with Universal Audio for the 2023 Talent Is Timeless songwriting competition," said Saskia Griffiths-Moore, Founder & CEO of Talent Is Timeless. "Their support and expertise will help bring even more excitement to the competition and provide our members with valuable learning opportunities. We're grateful for their commitment to supporting mature artists and can't wait to see the results of this partnership." Roland Rauch, Universal Audio says “Talent is Timeless is a great initiative, and Universal Audio is proud to support the platform. Music, creativity and talent are indeed timeless and can never be restricted by age.”
Boomplay And Merlin Agree To Licencing Agreement Expansion
Boomplay, Africa's popular music streaming service, and Merlin expand their licencing deal to include 47 new African countries. Phil Choi from Boomplay said: "As our user base and service grows rapidly across the continent, it's important that we have the right partners to continue on this journey with us, and to grow and support the local music industry." "As the world leader in independent music rights, we're delighted that Merlin shares the same vision as us, and together with Boomplay's advantages in the digital music sector and Merlin's top-quality catalogue of songs, we can look forward to a striving music eco-system for many years to come."
CD Baby Pays Out More Than $1 Billion To Artists
Since its founding in 1998, CD Baby, the music distributor owned by Downtown Music Holdings, has reportedly paid out more than $1 billion to musicians. Andrew Bergman from, Downtown said: "As business partners since 2014, we appreciated the depth of CD Baby's organization and its incredibly loyal client base, two key drivers of our acquisition. Unique in the industry, they have long understood that not all creators are the same, each having their own story, ambition and art to share." "With CD Baby now leveraging resources across Downtown's platform, including technology, royalty collection, global licensing operations and capital, we are able to drive equity and innovation to all creators at an accelerated pace."
Bruce Springsteen Sells Music Catalog For $550 Million
The purchase of music catalogues is becoming the equivalent of premier league clubs purchasing the world's best footballers; the money spent is out of this planet! Furthermore, Sony Music Entertainment has purchased Bruce Springsteen's music rights for a whopping 550 million dollars! Although we do not know the ins and outs of the deal, insiders revealed the amount, and Sony also stated: "The agreement involves two separate deals — one for Springsteen's recorded work and another for his songwriting rights, known as music publishing."
Warner Pay $400 Million To Acquire 300 Entertainment
Warner Music Group recently purchased 300 Entertainment from Kevin Liles, and it has emerged that the record company paid $400 million in cash for the label. Kevin Liles founded 300 Entertainment in 2021, with former Warner Music staffer Lyor Cohen working alongside him.
Apple Staff To Work Remotely Indefinitely
In February, Apple employees, including those who work in Apple Music, will no longer be expected to return to the office. Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, indicated that staff would be permitted to work from home 'indefinitely,' with a 'yet-to-be-determined' return date. Also, all of its corporate employees will receive $1,000 to purchase work equipment for their homes.
430 Songs Hit Over 1 Billion Video Views On TikTok
In 2021, TikTok was a breakthrough year for music, with over 430 songs surpassing 1 billion video views. TikTok's Global Head of Music, Ole Obermann, said: "TikTok opens the door to new artists, new sounds, underground and DIY scenes as well as the classic hits, connecting them with a global audience and passionate music community like never before."
The Music Industry Commits To Net-Zero Emissions By 2050
The world's most well-known record companies, such as Sony, Universal, and Warner, are joining independents in signing climate schemes that will allow for a more sustainable future by 2050. There are presently two schemes, the Science-Based Targets and the SME Climate Community, and large corporations are signing on to them.
Universal Music Group Enters The NFT Market
With their latest announcement that they will develop 'Virtual Identities,' Universal is paving the road forward in the NFT space. The flagship label will team up with Genies, the avatar tech company, for their project, and they also state they will create NFTs for their artists. Celine Joshua from Universal said: "UMG continues to lead and unlock what is possible with Web 3.0 and virtual economies. With our Genies partnership, we created an ideal framework and toolkit to empower our artists in the evolving digital universe."
Symphonic Distribution Announce New VP Of Product
According to recent reports, Ali Lieberman will join Symphonic Distribution as Vice President of Product. Speaking about the new appointment, Ali said: I’m thrilled to join the team at Symphonic and am very impressed with the high-quality services they offer creators. I can’t wait to build some really cool products with talented people that will further the success of Symphonic and our artists.” Symphonic Distribution, situated in the United States, is a digital music distributor.
Spotify For Artists Now Available In 16 New Languages
Following Spotify's growth into a slew of new nations, the streaming firm has added 16 more languages to its Spotify For Artists platform. Spotify said: "Until now, Spotify for Artists has only spoken one language." However, this is now about to change.
The Beatles Interviews To Go To Auction As NFT’s
The Beatles' vintage audio interviews will head to auction this week as NFTs. The interviews, which are separate interviews with each member, have not seen the light of day in decades. Speaking about the revelation, Jonathan Firstenberg said: "The owners of VOCR acquired this remarkable archive from its creator, Kathleen Wittbold, because they understood that there would always be future growth in the value of audio content for all things related to classic rock music. All of the interviews contained with VOCR are unique, and, like any other important and unique object or artwork, they will continue to grow in rarity and value over time."
‘Brennan Bill’ Gets Rejected By The Government
The 'Brennan Bill', which would have likely removed income from labels, failed to pass through the UK Government. Kevin Brennan introduced the new law that allowed artists to receive direct payments from streaming sites, circumventing labels. Many labels were not pleased, even though many artists thought it was the proper thing to do. Although there are good considerations on both sides, the government has decided to reject the law, despite the fact that some of the world's most famous musicians favour it.
Warner Appoint New SVP For International
Warner Recorded Music has appointed a new SVP of international, Phebe Hunnicutt. Speaking about the new position, Phebe said: “It’s an exciting time to join Warner Music as it works with partners to tap into opportunities in rapidly developing new markets, as well as to drive innovation and offer fans new ways of enjoying music." "I’ve navigated similar change in the media sector and want to bring my experience from that to bear in this new role. The more we can grow our presence worldwide, the better we can support our extraordinary roster of artists, wherever they’re from.”
2K Teams Up With SoundCloud To Find New Artists
2K, the game publisher behind the popular basketball game NBA 2K22, has teamed up with SoundCloud to search for new talent for their new soundtrack. On the 2K Beats: The Search website, artists can submit their original tunes for consideration.
Record Labels Are Not Happy With Politicians Suggestion
With his proposal to pay royalties directly to performers instead of through the label, a British politician sends record labels into a frenzy. Although the proposed bill would allow artists to earn more from their music, many question its practical benefit. Furthermore, labels will have little motivation to break songs, creating a catch-22 situation in which the artist may have little streaming figures in the first place. On the other hand, many musicians are enthusiastic about the idea, believing that they should be able to earn more money from their streams. A spokesman for the BPI said: "This Bill would bind British music in red tape, reduce income for the most entrepreneurial artists, stifle investment and innovation by record labels, and disproportionately harm the independent sector."
Sony Music Acquires $100m Worth Of Shares In NetEase Cloud Music
NetEase, the Chinese company, will list its music streaming service, NetEase Cloud Music, on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on December 2nd. Sony Music has subscribed to a substantial number of shares for $100 million as part of the pre-IPO process.
New Executive Vice Creative President Announced By Sony Music Publishing Nashville
Sony Music Publishing Nashville has got a new executive vice president of creative, Josh Van Valkenburg. Josh will report to Rusty Gaston, the CEO of Sony Music Publishing Nashville, who has extensive expertise in signing over number-one hit songwriters.
Spotify Steps Up Global Expansion Strategy
Spotify is expanding into six more countries: Iraq, Libya, Tajikistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Venezuela, and the Republic of the Congo. This announcement means that Spotify is now available in 184 markets, and it comes as part of the company's global expansion strategy.
Distrokid Is Entering The NFT Market
Distrokid, the online music distribution service, is expanding into the NFT industry. Furthermore, with so many music industry companies and musicians entering the NFT area, it only seems sensible that one of the world's largest online distributors follows suit. Distrokid has teamed up with 10,000 independent artists to create one-of-a-kind NFTs for each artist's music. Philip Kaplan from Distrokid said: "There are many ways blockchain and NFTs can be helpful to musicians."
TuneCore Reveals Service To Distribute Directly To Social Platforms
TuneCore, the online music distributor, has announced a new service that will allow musicians to release their music straight to social media sites like Instagram and TikTok. According to TuneCore's recent statement, there will be no upfront price for the new service, but TuneCore will receive a "small" revenue share.
Spotify Acquires Audiobook Distributor Findaway
Spotify is expanding its audiobook offerings by acquiring Findaway, a leading audiobook distributor. Spotify and Findaway will accelerate the growth of audiobooks as a result of the new acquisition. According to Gustav from Spotify's reach team: "It is Spotify's ambition to be the destination for all things audio both for listeners and creators. The acquisition of Findaway will accelerate Spotify's presence in the audiobook space and will help us more quickly meet that ambition."
$1 Million Advance Paid To Artist In Bitcoin
EMPIRE, the distributor and publisher, is leading the music industry with cryptocurrency payments, having paid a $1 million advance in Bitcoin using Cash App. Money Man received the first advance of its kind, with the distributor utilising modern technologies.
Kobalt Sign Young Thug On Global Publishing Deal
Photo Credit: Frank Schwichtenberg | Licence After recently signing with Kobalt, Young Thug is now a member of the company's publishing roster. According to the deal, Kobalt will handle all publishing administration, sync, and creative services for the rapper's future songs. Kobalt's VP, Jill Tschogl, said: "Young Thug's track record for impacting the modern sound of hip-hop, trap and popular music is undeniable. He is not only one of the most Influential songwriters and artists in rap today, but a cultural icon."
Warner Music Taiwan Appoint New Managing Director
Jasmine Hsiao is the new managing director of Warner Music Taiwan. Jasmine will report to Warner Music Asia co-presidents Chris Gobalakrishna and Jonathan Serbin. The new hire has over 20 years of expertise in the music industry and will begin working in the position immediately. Hsiao said: "I'm excited to take up this opportunity to lead the brilliant team here in Taipei."
Fader Launch A New Management Division
Fader, the indie label, has announced the formation of a new management branch called Fader Management. Jon Cohen, a co-founder of Fader, said: “FADER Management is a natural evolution of the artist development we offer through all of the services Cornerstone and FADER provide. Management enables us to use the infrastructure across our companies to play a bigger role in helping artists build and execute the right strategy and develop incredible creative.”
Deezer Partners With German Broadcaster RTL
Deezer has formed a strategic partnership with RTL, a German broadcaster. The music streaming app will deliver music, audiobooks, and radio plays for RTL+, which will launch in 2022. Deezer's CEO, Jeronimo Folgueira, stated: "RTL+ will offer users an integrated entertainment experience with all the content they love in one seamless package.
UMPG And Lionel Richie Sign Exclusive Agreement
Lionel Richie is one of the best-selling musicians, with over 125 million albums sold worldwide. As a result, it's no surprise that the hitmaker has struck an exclusive deal with Universal Music Publishing Group. UMPG will take care of his catalogue in the future as part of the exclusive contract.
Warner Music Asia Accounces New Co-Presidents
Chris Gobalakrishna and Jonathan Serbin have been named co-presidents of Warner Music Asia. Both presidents will be based in Hong Kong and report directly to Simon Robson, Warner's president of international recorded music. Chris Gobalakrishna said: "I'm honoured to be working with Jonathan to lead our Asian operations. Asia is such a dynamic region, with dramatic growth prospects, which is also driving the latest tech developments in music streaming and the wider ecosystem.
New Office For Universal Music Publishing China Opens
After deciding to extend its operations in China, UMP China has launched a new office in Shangai. Mo LiangJin spoke about the opening and said: “UMP’s new office opening is a strong support for Jing’an District to continuously promote the development of a multi-dimensional, high-level cultural and creative industry. Jing’an District is committed to creating an optimal business environment whilst providing thoughtful services to enterprises to support UMP China’s further growth.”
New Trailblazer Award Revealed By A&R Awards
The A&R Awards by Music Business Worldwide have developed a new Trailblazer: The Richard Antwi Award. Before his tragic death in 2016, Richard Antwi was a music pioneer. Furthermore, the award is established in his honour and will recognise those who have made significant contributions to the music industry by assisting the careers of other musicians. Richard's mother, Felicia Adanse, said: "The Trailblazer award definitely captures Richard's legacy. We want to thank MBW for recognising Richard's contributions and hope this award will encourage and uplift future trailblazers."
David Bowie Estate Contemplating Selling Bowie’s Catalog
David Bowie's heirs are considering selling the late singer's catalogue for an estimated $200 million. Furthermore, the estate of David Bowie are negotiating a sale of Bowie's songwriting portfolio, and there are reportedly many interested bidders.
Sony Music’s Streaming Revenue Surpasses $1 Billion
According to the latest financial statistics, Sony Music is experiencing massive growth in streaming revenue. Sony's recorded music division earned over $1 billion in the three months running up to September. It's a watershed moment for the music company, experiencing these new highs for the first time.
Spotify Sells Large Stake In Distrokid
Spotify, the music streaming platform, has sold two-thirds of its Distokid shareholding, according to sources. The total which Spotify has pulled is estimated to be roughly $223 million.
SoundCloud Teams Up With Splice
Splice and SoundCloud have teamed up to develop a new programme for up-and-coming musicians. The new scheme, dubbed Nova by the two businesses, will be open to unsigned Splice and SoundCloud creators. Maria Egan, Splice's Chief Music Officer, said: "We're opening the doors to our most talented users and leveraging our global producer community to amplify these creators. The power of our platform, alongside this incredible partnership with SoundCloud, will give artists a unique opportunity to kick start their careers."
Adele Breaks A New Spotify Record
Adele has returned with her new track, 'Easy On Me,' which is already breaking records! Furthermore, in a single day, the new song became the most listened to song on Spotify. In just seven days, 'Easy On Me' has crossed 84.95 million chart streams, making it Spotify's most-streamed song in a week.
Warner Is Now Worth More Than $27 Billion
According to yCharts, Warner Music is worth more than $27 billion. Also, given the new analysis, the legendary music corporation is worth $1 billion more than it was last year. In addition, WMG's share price has increased by 60% in the last five years, and an individual share currently costs $48,06 as of October 21, 2021.
Spotify And Shopify Team-Up. Great News For Musicians And Fans!
Spotify has partnered with Shopify, an e-commerce platform, to enable bands to sell merchandise straight from within the Spotify platform. Camille Hearst from Spotify said: "For many fans, Spotify is the primary way they interact with an artists' music, and we are excited to give artists a new way to capitalize on that moment. We want to provide artists with as many resources as possible to help turn listeners into fans, fans into superfans and, ultimately, help artists earn more. '"The integration of Shopify's powerful backend for powering commerce presents a significant step forward in our efforts to help artists maximize additional revenue streams and give them agency over their careers."
Apple Music Introduces A Voice Plan Subscription
The streaming provider Apple Music is launching a new subscription called 'The Apple Music Voice Plan.' The new membership will be $4.99 and will use Siri, Apple's built-in voice recognition capability. Oliver Schusser from Apple said: Apple Music and Siri are natural partners and already work seamlessly together. With Siri actively used on hundreds of millions of devices worldwide, we are thrilled to add this new plan that delivers an effortless music experience just by using your voice and makes Apple Music accessible to even more people around the world." Many individuals, however, are perplexed as to why they will charge for this, as it appears to be a service that should be built-in at no additional cost.
Spotify Songwriters Should Be Paid More According To The Industry
The industry and songwriters have long chastised Spotify for not increasing its royalty payment. Despite mounting criticism, the Spotify board of directors and other leading music tech businesses are opposed to increasing their income split with people who make the platform what it is: a music service. Spotify and other significant platforms intend to lower songwriter rates, even more, to make matters worse for songwriters. Milk and Honey's Lukas Keller slammed the door. He stated, "This is the most disgraceful move that Big Tech could make against the creators. It's happening in our front yard, and we see you — pride goeth before a great fall."
Australian Music Industry Urges Government To Do More For Live Events
Following concert cancellations due to the pandemic, the Australian music industry is pressing the government to take a stand and lead on the live music business. In the United Kingdom, the government has been collaborating with insurers to support events that had to be cancelled owing to COVID-19. Down under, though, the situation is different, with venues still in dire need of assistance. Sarah Hanson-Young from The Greens' said: "The live performance sector isn't asking for a hand-out, it is asking for a product that simply isn't available right now so that they can plan gigs, festivals and events with confidence they won't keep taking massive financial hits with ongoing restrictions and lockdowns."
ANote Music Brings In Beyoncé’s Father As A Senior Adviser
According to a close source, Beyoncé's father, Mathew Knowles, will join ANote Music as a senior advisor. The future growth of the marketplace for investing in music royalties will receive guidance from the music industry veteran. Knowles said: "Since first meeting ANote at an industry event in 2019, I've been thoroughly impressed by Marzio and his team's pioneering approach to alternative funding solutions for music rights owners.
Musicians Can Now Get Paid In Cryptocurrency
Musicians will be able to receive payments in cryptocurrency thanks to a partnership between UnitedMasters and Coinbase. Steve Stoute, the CEO of UnitedMasters, said: “Working with Coinbase to give independent artists the ability to be paid in crypto is a natural next step for us, using technology to ensure that the economics of the music business favor the creators behind it. As the financial sector continues to evolve and innovate, we’re committed to putting our artists in the best position to benefit from these changes.”
BMG Sign 5 Seconds Of Summer
5SOS, the global sensation, has joined BMG. Furthermore, the four-piece from Australia has inked a new deal with BMG to release a new album. BMG's, Thomas Scherer said: “With their high level of success and global appeal, BMG is the perfect partner for a band of this magnitude and what they want to accomplish. Ash, Michael, Luke, and Calum are now in the driver’s seat as both entrepreneurs and creators. We will be working together as partners every step of the way to bring them to the next level they so very much deserve. We are proud to welcome the band, Ben Evans, James Sully, and the entire 5SOS team and family to BMG.
Epic Games And Warner Provide Funding To Licencing Platform LICKD
LICKD, the music licencing platform that provides content creators with a catalogue of legally available tunes, has received funding in a fresh investment round. The Nick Mason group led the £5.1 million fundraising round, with Epic Games and Warner also contributing to the platform's development. Paul Sampson, the CEO of LICKED, said: "We are thrilled to have closed this round at what is a pivotal time for Lickd. As the content creator space continues to expand, there is a huge opportunity for all types of business to invest in new areas and to work hand-in-hand with companies such as ours to positively transform the music industry.
Beat Marketplace Beatclub Bring In Justin Timberlake
Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore | Licence Justin Timberlake will be joining Timbaland, a long-time friend, at Beatclub, the beat marketplace. The iconic pop singer intends to contribute to the new platform while also networking with other musicians. Timbaland and Gary Marella, his manager and business partner, launched Beatclub, a new platform for beats.
Live Nation Announce New Head Of Urban Tour Marketing And Strategy
Jennifer Smith will be in charge of Live Nation's urban tour marketing team. Jennifer's new job will entail overseeing all marketing initiatives for Live Nations' R&B and Hip Hop lineups on tour. Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Drake, The Weeknd, Travis Scott, Ms. Lauryn Hill, and others are among the artists with whom she will collaborate.
Warner Records Gets A New A&R President
According to Warner Records, Steve Carless will take over as President of A&R. In his new job, Steve will collaborate with the A&R team and report to CEO Aaron Bay-Schuck. The new hire has a significant resume in the music industry, including projects working with Beyonce, Big Sean, Pusha T, and others.
The British Government Calls For Music Industry Review
The House of Commons in London calls for a watchdog to investigate the UK music industry's structure. Why? Because there are concerns that the large labels have too much clout, forcing the competition to grow too "ferocious." The BPI said: "Supporting further market growth and preserving UK music's dynamism, investment and innovation is the most effective way to ensure that even more artists benefit".
Twitch Teams Up With Music Publishers
Amazon-owned Twitch has reached an agreement with music publishers to work together to develop new productive collaborations. The new agreement will allow Twitch to open up new opportunities for music publishers and strengthen the link between gaming and music. CEO of the national music publishers association, David Israelite, recently spoke about the revelation. David said: “Both NMPA and Twitch are creator-focused and our respective communities will greatly benefit from this agreement, which respects the rights of songwriters and paves the way for future relationships between our publisher members, songwriters and the service." “Through our discussions, Twitch has shown a commitment to valuing musicians and to creating new ways to connect them with fans in this burgeoning and exciting space."
Wolverhampton Wanderers Launch A New Record Label
That's right; you heard it right! Wolves will launch a new label, Wolves Records, in collaboration with ADA by Warner Music. Peter Rudge, a legendary music manager, will serve as a strategic consultant for the label, which is actively seeking fresh talent.
Medialab Buy Genius, The Lyrics Company
According to current sources, Medialab, the Los Angeles-based corporation, has purchased Genius, the lyrics database, for $80 million. Genius started life in 2009, and since then, more than two million contributors have contributed material to the platform. Tom Lehman, the co-founder of Genius, said: "MediaLab’s commitment to investing in artists and fan-driven communities makes them the ideal partner to propel Genius forward."
Beatclub By Timbaland Is To Join IBM’s Mentorship Program
Beatclub, Timbaland and Gary Marella's beat marketplace has received an invitation to join IBM's Hyper Protect Accelerator mentorship programme. The IBM Hyper Protect Accelerator helps early-stage entrepreneurs, and it has already served at least 45 since its inception. Furthermore, when Beatclub launches later this year, it will expand and grow under IBM's program. Gary Marella said: "We are so honored to be the first music company to be invited into IBM's accelerator program.
New Documentary Examines Music Industry’s Blind Eye To Wrong Doing In The 70s And 80s
'Look Away,' a new documentary from Sky Documentaries, looks at the music industry in the 1970s and 1980s. It delves into the blind eye from the music industry when rockstars began having sexual connections with adolescent females. Sophie Cunningham, the director, spoke to Sky News and said: "There are so many stories. So many I was just not able to tell – and that's because of money and power – success and celebrity goes a hell of a long way to keeping people quiet".
The US Recording Music Industry Is Booming
In the first half of 2021, the recording music industry in the United States grew. Furthermore, new data shows that revenue from recorded sales increased by $1.5 billion in the first quarter of this year, compared to $7.1 billion in 2020. The increase is due to a rise in music streaming.
Apple Music Is Now Leveraging Shazam Technology
Apple Music, the music streaming service, is now integrating Shazam's technology into its platform to ensure all rightsholders get paid. Apple, which owns Shazam, uses the song finding tool to ensure that owners of the music that appear in mixes get their share of royalty payments, and it is part of Apple's plan to ensure a fair deal for music creators.
TuneCore Reveals New Vice President Of Marketing
Nicholas Krus is the new vice president of marketing at music distributor TuneCore. Krus will report to Andreea Gleeson, the CEO, and will take control of all marketing activities. Andreea said: “Nick is that rare individual who is actively right and left brained. He can analyze data one minute, then turn around and produce highly creative and innovative marketing initiatives. I trust that under his leadership, TuneCore’s best in class marketing team will continue putting artists first – listening to what they want in order to advance their careers – and delivering innovative initiatives to uniquely meet those needs.”
Watchdog Says There Are Competition Concerns After Sony’s Recent Purchase
Sony Music recently acquired Awal, and a UK watchdog now fears that this will give the large music company a substantial monopoly in the market, prompting competition concerns. The CMA (Competition and markets authority said: “The CMA is concerned that the loss of an innovative competitor like AWAL could, despite continued presence of the other major labels, lead to worse terms for artists and less innovation in the music sector.”
Australian Music Industry Gets Behind National Vaccine Campaign
The Australian music business supports the national vaccination drive by encouraging music fans to get vaccinated. Key industry figures have been bolstering the campaign with one statement saying: “Help us stop the interruptions and get vaxxed as soon as you can. Every jab makes a difference, and every Australian can play their part.”
South Africa Launches First Official Chart
The first official South African music chart has been launched, with the chart places based on streaming data. The new TOSAC list will utilise data from streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer. Sean Watson from the Recording Industry Of South Africa said: "This represents a significant milestone and a much-needed step up to aligning with popular forms of music consumption for the local music industry."
Tencent Holdings End All Exclusive Label Deals In China
Due to China's recent exclusivity ban, Tencent is removing all of its exclusive music deals in the country. Nevertheless, Tencent has stated that they "will continue to cooperate with the upstream copyright party in a non-exclusive way, and will negotiate with the upstream copyright party on non-exclusive cooperation matters". Essentially, this implies that they will no longer have exclusive possibilities with some of China's most prominent labels.
Halsey Believes The Music Industry Mistreats Pregnant People
Singer Halsey blames the music industry for its treatment of pregnant people. The star said: "You have to call the CEO of X, Y, Z and say, 'Hey, hi. I'm just calling to let you know, I'm pregnant. I didn't want you to find out on Instagram. I wanted to tell you myself, personally. It's still business as usual over here though, don't worry. My personal choice isn't going to affect your profitability or your productivity or your assembly line. And also, in what world would you ever have to call me to tell me that you were having a baby? But I have to call you because it impacts your product."
Why Has Warner Music Been Making So Many Leader Changes?
Warner Music has recently changed several senior executives, leaving many people perplexed as to why. When asked about the strategy, Warner's Simon Robson said: "In an environment where the music business is both more globalised than ever and hyper-localised at the same time, our international leadership team positions us brilliantly for our next phase of growth. And we're super excited about the new executives we've brought in and promoted. One of Warner Music's strengths is how we look at artists' careers as global from day one, and with our network of expertise around the world we deliver maximum impact for talent." "These individual leadership changes in our different territories have each been based on unique circumstances. And each of the leaders who have left, or are leaving, do so with our immense gratitude for their amazing contributions over many years. They all care deeply about their teams and our artists and they've partnered with their successors to make the transitions go smoothly."
Linktree Expands With Music Link Feature
With its music link capability, Linktree will integrate with Songlink/Odesli. The new feature will give musicians more chances to grow on streaming platforms and provide music lovers with additional options to discover new songs. CEO of Linktree, Alex Zaccaria, said: “Before co-founding Linktree, my brother Anthony and I spent a lot of time helping artists grow their audiences and establish their digital presence, having come from three generations of family-run music businesses." “Our acquisition of Songlink/Odesli and the launch of Music Links solves these challenges that so many in the music industry face by allowing them to seamlessly promote music and reach a global fanbase through an enhanced streaming experience." “Linktree continues to evolve to meet the needs of all creators and help them connect with a diverse range of audiences.”
China To Ban Music Which Insults Others At Karaoke Venues
Insulting lyrics do not sit well with China. As a result, the government has decided to prohibit all disparaging music from being played in its karaoke establishments. The government will conduct inspections and spot checks to ensure that venues comply with the new rule, which will take effect in October. Therefore, if you are a musician looking to make it in China? Please keep it clean.
Spotify To Buy Back $1 Billion Of Stock From Shareholders
Spotify has begun repurchasing $1 billion in stock from its shareholders. One of the reasons Spotify may repurchase its stock is because it believes it is undervalued and has a lot of room for growth in the future. Paul Vogel, CFO at Spotify, said: “This announcement demonstrates our confidence in Spotify’s business and the growth opportunities we see over the long term."
Tunecore UK Gets A New Head
Tunecore have announced a new head for its UK operations. Furthermore, Sarah Wilson will take over the giant distribution platform and have more oversight in Ireland, NZ, and Australia. Sarah Wilson said: "I am thrilled to take on this wonderful role at TuneCore, a dynamic and future-facing company." “Coming off the back of a growth phase during lockdown there is so much potential for continued expansion in the territories I’m overseeing." “I expect the current business landscape to change rapidly over the next few years. I’m grateful to Faryal and the team at TuneCore/Believe for inviting me into their fold and can’t wait to dive in!”
Distrokid Welcomes Valuation Of $1.3 Billion
Distrokid, the music distributor popular with independent labels and musicians, has received a $1.3 billion investment from Insight Partners. Philip Kaplan, the company's founder and CEO, said: "Our growth has been wild, but the mission hasn't changed. Most of all, we're incredibly honored and thankful for every artist who's chosen DistroKid to be a part of their journey." "I'm excited to partner with Insight Partners as we continue building amazing things to help musicians and empower creators worldwide."
Body Image And The Music Industry
Photo Credit: Andy Witchger | Licence Lizzo recently spoke with Zane Lowe on body image in the music industry. The singer said: “I feel like fat is the worst thing people can say about me at this point. This is the biggest insecurity. It’s like, ‘How dare a pop star be fat?’ I had to own that.” “I feel like other people who were put on that pedestal, or who become pop stars, probably have other insecurities or have other flaws, but they can hide it behind a veneer of being sexy and being marketable.”
AEG Will Require All Fans To Have A Covid-19 Vaccination
AEG, one of the world's most prominent concert organisers, has announced that all concert attendees will be required to provide proof of vaccination before entering a venue. According to AEG, the regulation will be in force no later than October of this year, giving music lovers plenty of time to acquire the vaccine before upcoming performances. Chairman and CEO of AEG presents, Jay Marciano, said: "We have come to the conclusion that, as a market leader, it was up to us to take a real stand on vaccination status."
Live Promoter Expresses Emotions After Live Gigs Return
A Belfast live music promoter has expressed his delight at returning live performances following a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19. The Custom House Square booker, said: “We haven’t done an outdoor show on this site for two years now, so to be here today, gearing up for this show, is a really big deal.” “Already there is a queue of people getting vaccinations done and to be honest, it’s pretty emotional to be back and to see everyone hard at work and feeling so excited about the opening show." “I’ve been doing this now for 16 years but some of the people on site have been doing it for 40 years. The biggest problem for us over the last year and a half has been that we wanted to work and weren’t able to." “We love what we do and get enjoyment and dignity from our work, so it was very difficult to have that taken away from us.”
Sony Music Germany Buys Stake In Kids Entertainment Company
Sony Music Germany has announced a new stake in Tiger Media International GmbH. It will enable Sony to expand in the domains of children's entertainment, and the new investment will aid their long-term strategic plans. Sony Music Germany's Patrick Mushatsi-Kareba said: "Together, we are developing a direct-to-consumer business channel which enables us to directly access our main target group, parents and children."
£750 Million Insurance Scheme For Live Events In The UK
The British government, led by Boris Johnson, has announced a live events reinsurance scheme covering concerts and festivals that cannot go ahead due to COVID-19. According to the government, it is: “One of the only insurance schemes in the world to cover such a wide array of live events and not put a cap on costs claimed per event”.
Live Nation Gives Artists Power To Set Their Own Covid-19 Rules
Live Nation, the music promoter, allows its touring artists to make their own decisions about the COVID-19 requirements. Although the major music promoter is interested in bringing people together, it will not enable unvaccinated employees to work at its events. However, Live Nation has released a document outlining 'best practices' to prioritise show safety.
Edinburgh Fringe Festival May Take Half A Decade To Recover
Photo Credit: Festival Fringe Society | Licence According to the Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, the festival’s recovery could take up to five years. Shona McCarthy reiterates the need for more assistance for artists, venues, and promoters and aid to help them recover faster in the coming years. McCarthy said: “The Fringe is not publicly funded and the Fringe Society has had to depend on a loan for our survival. We’re not just going to bounce through this unscathed. We’re talking about a three-five year recovery.” “The Fringe is completely dependent on earned income. The Fringe has to be commercial at its heart as that is the only way to cover costs – whether you’re an artist, a venue or the Fringe Society, the entire ecosystem is dependent on washing its own face.”
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