Thursday 31 January 2013, 11:11 | By Chris Cooke

Tips: Making money from copyright

CMU:DIY

CMU Business Editor Chris Cooke explains how music copyrights make money.

If you write music and/or lyrics, and then record your songs (at your own expense), you are now a fully fledged copyright owner. Well done. In fact, you own three separate copyrights in every song: there is one in the music, one in the lyrics and one in the sound recording (by default – ie unless a contract says otherwise – the musical and lyrical rights belong to the creator, the sound recording rights to whoever paid for the recording to take place).

We all know copyrights make money, but how? Well, if you are the owner of a copyright, then there are certain things that only you – as the copyright owner – are automatically allowed to do in relation to your song and/or recording. These ‘things’ are called the “acts restricted by the copyright” in law, and in the UK they are listed in Section 16 of our Copyright, Designs & Patents Act.

Which says the copyright owner has the:
– exclusive right to copy the work.
– exclusive right to issue, rent or lend to public.
– exclusive right to perform, show, play or ‘communicate the work’ in public.
– exclusive right make an adaptation of it.

What this means is that only you, by default, can make copies of your work, perform your work in public, or adapt your song or recording. And if anyone else wants to do any of those things, they need your permission. When you grant permission, you provide a licence allowing someone else to copy, perform or adapt (usually subject to terms and limitations).

With regards to ‘copies’, with the sound recording, that’s straight forward isn’t it? Only you can legally make copies of your record. With songs, it’s the same, only you can make copies of your song, whether that means a photocopy of the sheet music, or a copy of a recording of the track.

Regarding public performance, the word ‘public’ is interpreted widely here. Basically anything outside your home or car constitutes public. Shops, offices, cafes and bars that play music – whether live music or recorded music over a PA – need permission of whoever owns the copyrights in the songs and recordings being played.

Regards adaptations, this means remasterings and remixes of recordings, and reworks of songs (a new arrangement of the musical score, an alteration of the lyrics).

Obviously, until someone wants to copy, perform or adapt your work, your copyrights are worthless. But the minute there is an appetite to copy, perform or adapt, then your copyrights can be monetised – because usually you would grant permission to the copier, performer or adaptor in return for money.

But how much money? Well, that depends. The basic principle is that you can ask for whatever you like – or, assuming you want to do a deal, more realistically what you think you can get. However, remember collective licensing.

Collective Licensing
In certain scenarios, for various reasons, the music industry at large has decided to licence its entire catalogue as one, charging a standard per-play or revenue share fee. Where this applies, collecting societies like PRS For Music and PPL negotiate so called blanket licence deals, collect the money from licencees, and distribute that back to rights owners, in theory based on how much their work was used.

Collective licensing generally applies where companies use music a lot (eg radio, TV, clubs, labels releasing records, the live sector), and where it would be impractical for every rights owner to negotiate terms with ever licensee for every track used. Where it applies, smaller rights owners (including self-releasing artists) would be foolish not to opt in to the collective licensing system, ie join their local collecting societies.

Once inside, this means you will receive standard royalty rates based on how much your music is used. You can’t negotiate a million pound deal on your own, then again, in the areas covered by collective licensing, you probably never would have been able to do so anyway, and this way someone else takes care of the actual negotiations and licensing shenanigans for you.

Fair Dealing
It’s also worth noting that there are a number of exemptions in copyright law, where the exclusive rights of the copyright owner do not apply. This means a user can use your work without your permission (sometimes a royalty is still due, but the right of veto is removed). The exemptions vary from country to country (and are often called ‘fair use’, rather than the English term ‘fair dealing), but most often apply for those involved in education, cultural criticism, news reporting, satire and archiving. The fair dealing exemptions in the UK are currently under review and may be extended.

Chris offers more insights on music rights through the CMU Insights training courses. Click here for more information.

Approved: Veronica Falls

CMU Approved

Veronica Falls’ modi operandi may have changed only slightly since their excellent eponymous LP circa 2011, but that’s no bad thing at all. New LP ‘Waiting For Something To Happen’ features the same pallid minor-to-major shifts and chill guitar tremors as the releases preceding it, but has its extra charms: a greater clarity of tone and a new sense of space and panoramic sound, of leaving what’s really the best feature of any VF track, its stepped boy-girl harmonics, to breathe.

You may, if you want to, hear ‘Waiting For Something To Happen’ in advance of its 4 Feb release date via Pitchfork’s aptly-titled Advance gadget, which is flawed in that its prone to stick, and has no ‘pause’ option. But still, give it a go via this link, and/or listen to ‘My Heart Beats’ on YouTube asap:

Record sales up in January as HMV collapse rallies sales

Business News HMV Timeline Labels & Publishers Retail Top Stories

Just ask 6music, there’s nothing like a very visible axe hanging over your head to rally music fans. Record sales for January are up 11.6% on 2011, constituting the best start to a year for the UK record industry for at least three years.

It’s widely assumed that HMV’s high profile administration has had an tangible impact on record sales in a traditionally quiet month – whether that be shoppers attracted by the massive sale the flagging retailer launched just before going into administration, or consumers rushing to spend their HMV vouchers (once administrators started accepting them again), or simply people keen to show their support for their local record shop, now that the last big national entertainment retail firm is fighting for survival.

Commenting on the figures, compiled by the Official Charts Company and published by the Entertainment Retailers Association yesterday, the boss of the retail trade body, Kim Bayley, told CMU: “This is an extremely positive result and a great start to the year. It certainly demonstrates that there is far more robust demand for music than is often assumed. There has been a significant public reaction to the threat to HMV. Stores have been inundated with customers concerned that they may lose their local store and this appears to have translated into sales”.

It’s worth noting these figures include digital as well as physical revenues, and the now customary post-Christmas rush of download sales instigated by the acquisition of new digital devices over the festive period will also have had an impact. Though ERA says that physical has performed particularly well in the last fortnight since HMV’s administration was confirmed.

The battle to save HMV continues, with restructuring firm Hilco still expected to acquire the retailer’s brand and up to half its stores, with other shop units sold off to fashion retailers and supermarkets.

Meanwhile celebrity businessman Theo Paphitis, from ‘Dragons Den’, has told the Mail he is talking to HMV’s administrators about acquiring some of the companym’s stores for his Ryman and Robert Dyas chains. He also told the tab that he believes the HMV brand is worth having, and that he has considered bidding for it, though he reckons a firm with entertainment retail experience is more likely to secure that part of the pie. AKA Hilco.

Korda Marshall to chair Official Charts Company

Business News Labels & Publishers Retail Top Stories

Infectious Records chief Korda Marshall, a veteran of the UK record industry, has been appointed as Chairman of the Official Charts Company, the joint venture between record label trade body BPI and the Entertainment Retailers Association that does all that important counting and number crunching for us each week.

Marshall replaces Rob Salter, the former boss of entertainment products at Tesco, who has stepped down from his charts role having departed the supermarket giant last month. The Infectious boss will serve an initial two year term in the non-executive OCC Chairman role.

Confirming his appointment, Marshall, who has held major label roles in addition to running Infectious as an indie twice, told CMU: “The Official Charts Company is a hugely important organisation. It not only provides data, analysis, programming and visibility for artists but is, in many ways, the custodian of our industry’s history. It is a real honour to be given a role to play in the evolution and growth of the Official Charts Company and I am looking forward to working with Martin and his excellent team during what is a challenging but also very exciting time for the music industry”.

Meanwhile the OCC’s MD Martin Talbot added: “I am delighted to welcome Korda as our new chairman. He is a progressive and experienced entrepreneur with a real vision for the Official Charts, as well as a music man with an unbeatable track record of signing and launching new acts, from commercial pop through to the coolest, most credible acts. He is the perfect person to help us take the next steps on following the excellent contribution of Rob Salter over the past couple of years”.

Noel Gallagher diagnosed with tinnitus

Artist News

Noel Gallagher has revealed that he was recently diagnosed with tinnitus.

Speaking to Talk Sport, he said: “I went for a brain scan. They did find it… I’ve got a bizarre ringing in my ears. I think it’s just through playing guitar for the last 20 years, so I had to sit in a tube in the hospital. The funny thing is they give you these headphones and I chose classical music. It came on and it was the exact music I play to my little kid when he goes to bed. I was in there for 25 minutes. It was horrible”.

Commenting on the diagnosis, he said: “It’s an accumulation of many things but I’ve had a bloody great time doing it all and if I do eventually die of brain disease, it will have been worth it”.

Tinnitus Awareness Week this year takes place from 4-10 Feb.

Ryan Seacrest made Honorary Chairman of Grammy Foundation

Awards

Broadcaster Ryan Seacrest has been made Honorary Chairman of the Grammy Foundation, the not-for-profit organisation that sits alongside Grammy organisers The Recording Academy with the remit of “cultivating the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contribution of recorded music to American culture”. The DJ will sit alongside actual Chairman Rusty Rueff, who we suspect will continue to do most of the work.

Neil Portnow, executive chief at both the Recording Academy and Grammy Foundation, told CMU: “I speak for all of the officers and directors of the Grammy Foundation in wholeheartedly welcoming Ryan to our board. I’ve known Ryan personally and professionally for many years, and his energy, integrity and keen vision will bring an increased strength to our mission and programmes”.

Seacrest himself added: “Contributing to the great work of the Grammy Foundation will be an honour and privilege, as music has forever been a powerful force in my life. It’s truly exciting to join the board and help launch the Music Educator Award, which will recognise one of America’s greatest treasures: music teachers”.

Talking of the Grammys, Justin Timberlake will perform at the big awards show on 10 Feb. So that’s nice. Can we arrange for the indies to all sit in the front row, so they can throw rotten fruit at the creative chief of MyFuckTheIndiesSpace?

Timbaland signs to Roc Nation

Business News Deals Management & Funding

Timbaland has signed to Roc Nation. Or at least Roc Nation has “welcomed” Timbaland “to the Roc Nation family”, which I assume is the same thing.

Plans, quotes, dates there are none. But there is a nice picture of the producer and Roc Nation boss Jay-Z sitting in a studio together, which is just as good, I’d say.

Barry Gibb re-signs to Warner/Chappell

Business News Deals Labels & Publishers

Barry Gibb has extended his publishing deal with Warner/Chappell, which he originally signed in 2002. The deal covers his entire back catalogue. Says Gibb: “I am very proud to be extending my relationship with Warner/Chappell. The people there are great and I look forward to a long and fruitful partnership with a view to maximizing the potential of The Bee Gees and my personal catalogue”.

The CEO of Warner’s publishing division Cameron Strang added: “Barry is among pop music’s greatest artists, both as a hit-maker and as a performing star. WMG is delighted to provide a home for the Bee Gees’ legendary music and is proud that Barry entrusts Warner/Chappell with his stunning catalogue of songs. We are excited to be building on our long and productive partnership”.

Gibb will head out on a world tour later this year, performing songs from Bee Gees anthology boxset ‘Mythology’, which was released in December, marking their 50th year in the music business.

Alison Moyet signs with Cooking Vinyl

Business News Deals Labels & Publishers

Cooking Vinyl has announced the latest artist to sign up to one of its worldwide service deals, a certain Ms Alison Moyet. Under the new partnership, Moyet will release her eighth studio album, produced by Guy Sigsworth, in May.

Confirming the deal, Moyet told CMU: “It is a very happy place I find myself in. I am more than delighted to be joining Cooking Vinyl and working with a company of people that support the direction I have taken for my eighth solo studio album”.

Her manager Richard Griffiths, from Modest! Management, added: “We are thrilled to be working alongside Cooking Vinyl for Alison’s next release. They were they obvious home for this record, which we are all incredibly proud of”.

While Cooking Vinyl’s Rob Collins said: “Alison is a legend and has made an outstanding record on her own terms. I think a lot of people will be surprised, in a good way, about how amazing the record is”.

Lana Del Rey recording again

Artist News

Lana ‘LDR’ Del Rey has gone back into the studio, or so suggest photos appearing in the Daily Mail of her going into a studio in LA.

The divisive pop-ette is most probably making a start on a follow-on to her 2012 debut ‘Born To Die’. The Daily Mail says the new LP will be her third, but the Daily Mail is mistaken. It’s possible they’re including LDR’s releases as Lizzy Grant in the count, though they also seem to think ‘Paradise’ was an album, rather than an EP and an extended re-release of ‘Born To Die’.

Anyway, look at several photos of the “stunning redhead” and her “flawless and glowing complexion” as she “croons into the microphone” via this very special (if factually inaccurate) article.

The Strokes assign title, release date to new LP

Releases

The Strokes say they’ve made a new LP titled ‘Comedown Machine’, and are going to release it on 25 Mar.

As semi-predicted, its first single will be ‘All The Time’, which has an LP-preceding issue date set at 18 Feb.

Another of its featured tracks, ‘One Way Trigger’, is still streamable via this player, and/or downloadable via this link.

Cold Cave to share new EP “soon”

Releases

Wesley Eisold’s chill and gaping vanity band Cold Cave are releasing a new EP via Deathwish, the label presided over by Converge’s Jacob Bannon, and its name is ‘Oceans With No End’.

It’ll bear but a pair of tracks, a title A-side and its reverse ‘People Are Poison’. Apparently, that last one “plods forth with an angry swagger in direct juxtaposition to the title track’s driving urgency”, so that’s illuminating. Can anything “plod with an angry swagger”? I guess it can.

Deathwish HQ says the EP will be “available soon” but fails to clarify when. How soon is soon? We’ll all just have to wait, and maybe move to Asia, because Cold Cave will be playing live in Asia in April/May.

Nitin Sawhney playing one-off Roundhouse show

Gigs & Festivals

Multi-instrumentalist and composer of the score to the BBC’s ‘Human Planet’, Nitin Sawhney, has fixed a single live show in his sights this year (so far, anyway), via which to promote the tbc June release of his new ‘live to vinyl’ compilation, ‘ONEZERO’.

He and select guests will appear at London’s Roundhouse on 27 Jun. Tickets are on sale now at this link.

Matthew E White adds April dates

Gigs & Festivals

Despite the fact that he’s just done a score of shows to mark the release of his first solo LP ‘Big Inner’, the hirsute and groove-loving Mr Matthew E White has promised he’ll be back again in spring. Like a lamb.

Anyway, he’ll be gambolling about as follows:

21 Apr: Bristol, Thekla
24 Apr: Glasgow, Arches
25 Apr: Manchester, Sound Control
26 Apr: London, Queen Elizabeth Hall

And this is the video for ‘Big Inner’ innard ‘Will You Love Me’:

Festival line-up update – 31 Jan 2013

Artist News Festival Line-Up Update Gigs & Festivals

Festivals, ahoy! I say that because this year’s maritime-themed HMS Bestival – which celebrates its tenth birthday this year – has just way-hayed anchor on its first wave of 2013 artists, as stars headliners Elton John (plus band) and Snoop Dogg, plus the slightly lesser-billed MIA, Flaming Lips, Franz Ferdinand, Angel Haze, Jessie Ware and Belle & Sebastian. What a pleasing mix.

Elton is marking 40 years since his ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ LP was first released, and of that, he says this: “I haven’t played any of the major festivals in the UK in recent years, so when the opportunity to play Bestival came up I was very interested. I’ve heard that the Bestival audience comes in fancy dress and I can’t wait to see that, they must all look amazing from the stage. At various times I have worn enormous feathered head-dresses, cloaks, hot pants, jumpsuits, clown suits, Donald Duck, Minnie Mouse, French Maid, The Eiffel Tower and The Statue Of Liberty onstage! Wearing fancy dress makes us all feel less inhibited so I think it’s a great way to enjoy live music”.

Great, so Elton’s into it. He may also like the first listings missive sent by Scots monster-fest Rock Ness, as features Example, The Vaccines, Ellie Goulding, The Maccabees, Jessie Ware and Camera Obscura.

After the hoohaa of last year’s Hackney Weekend, Radio 1’s Big Weekend returns to normal service in May, heading over to 2013’s UK City Of Culture, Londonderry in Northern Ireland, for three days of music from 24-26 May. First on the line-up are Olly Murs and Two Door Cinema Club. The previous weekend, 13-17 May, young people in the city will be invited to attend a series of workshops and session on working in radio.

Says the BBC’s Head of Live Music & Events (Popular Music), Jason Carter: “The last Big Weekend in the city in 2004 was a legendary music moment in Northern Ireland and it’s so great to be able to return with an even bigger show second time around”.

Over at Liverpool Sound City, AlunaGeorge, Enter Shikari, King Krule, Future Of The Left and Dexys are amongst the new additions to the line-up. As previously announced, Tracey Thorn and The Wombats will also speak at the conference section of the event. Also, a score of new artist revelations have been attached to roving pop/punk/rock beast Slam Dunk, which has just ‘gone international’ by adding all-day events in Glasgow, Cardiff and Dublin to its existing Leeds, Hatfield and Wolverhampton-based editions. All six sub-fests carry varying rosters, so view the intricacies of each via this link.

And now, please stay tuned to take in info on all the above, and additional artist… additions to ironically-titled northern pop bash Chester Rocks, mild and citrus-y indie melee Lemonfest, Henley’s premier 1980s love-in Rewind, and small-but-shapely Danish do Spot:

BESTIVAL, Robin Hill Country Park, Isle Of Wight, 5-8 Sep: Elton John, Snoop Dogg, MIA, Franz Ferdinand, Flaming Lips, Bombay Bicycle Club, The Roots, Belle & Sebastian, Jessie Ware, Disclosure, Sinead O’Connor, Chic feat Nile Rodgers, Squarepusher, Hot Natured, Angel Haze, The Polyphonic Spree, Johnny Marr, Bastille, Peace, The Strypes, DJ Fresh, Rudimental, Dexys, The Walkmen, John Cooper Clarke, Lissie, The Wonder Stuff, Caravan Palace, The Cuban Brothers, Matthew E White, While She Sleeps, Merchandise, Mikill Pane, True Tiger, Sexy Sushi, Is Tropical, Skaters, Lulu James, Swim Deep, Drenge, Jagwar Mar, Fleetwood Bac, Jaipur Brass Band, Kawa Circus, Lewis Watson, Jaws, J-Cats, Richie Hawtin, Carl Cox, A-Yo (Mark Ronson v Zane Lowe), Annie Mac Presents, Seth Troxler, Julio Bashmore, Maya Jane Coles, Erol Alkan, David Rodigan Mbe Presents Ram Jam, Dixon, Kerri Chandler, Eats Everything, Numbers (Jackmaster, Spencer, Redinho, Sophie Rustie), Joy Orbison, Fabio & Grooverider, Hospitality Take Over feat High Contrast, Danny Byrd, Nu:Logic, Fred V & Grafix, Marcel Dettman, DJ Yoda, The Daft Punk Tribute Night In The Hidden Disco, Redlight, Bondax, Heidi, Ed Rush, Fake Blood, Jesse Rose, Justin Robertson, A Love From Outer Space, Ben UFO, Cyril Hahn, Daniel P Carter, Catz N Dogz, My Love Is Underground, Cashmere Cat, Krankbrother, Ben Pearce, Dollop DJs, Alexander Nut, Roska, Bodhi, Kry Wolf, Coley From Luv*Jam, Crispin J Glover, Bad Zuke. www.bestival.net

CHESTER ROCKS, Chester Racecourse, Chester, 15-16 Jun: The Wanted, Jessie J, Lawson, Union J. www.chester-rocks.com

LEMONFEST, Newton Abbot Racecourse, Devon, 1 Jun: Lucy Rose, The Skints, Tall Ships, I Divide, and local favourites Mad Dog Mcrea, Adam Isaac, Towns, Big Wave, Shoot The Moon, Owen Penrice, Land Of The Giants, Your Last Day, Hysteria, The Kedellas. www.lemonfest.co.uk

LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY, various venues, Liverpool, 2-4 May: Dexys, Enter Shikari, Thee Oh Sees, Mount Kimbie, Future Of The Left, AlunaGeorge, King Krule, Darkstar, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Outfit, Hacktivist, Marmozets, Neck Deep. www.liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk

REWIND FESTIVAL, Temple Island Meadows, Henley-on-Thames, 16-18 Aug: The B-52s, The Pointer Sisters, Kim Wilde, ABC, Belinda Carlisle, Nik Kershaw, Blancmange, Sonia, The Blow Monkeys, Cutting Crew, Heaven 17, The Sugarhill Gang, Then Jerico, Billy Ocean, Go West, Paul Carrack, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, The Flying Pickets, Matt Bianco, Aswad, Imagination feat Leee John. www.rewindfestival.com

RADIO 1’S BIG WEEKEND, Ebrington Square, Londonderry, 24-26 May: Olly Murs, Two Door Cinema Club. www.bbc.co.uk/bigweekend

ROCK NESS, Loch Ness, Scotland, 7-9 Jun: Example, Basement Jaxx, Madness, The Vaccines, Bombay Bicycle Club, Ben Howard, Ellie Goulding, The Maccabees, Jessie Ware, Camera Obscura, Newton Faulkner. www.rockness.co.uk

SLAM DUNK, Leeds University/South Hertfordshire University/Wolverhampton Civic/ O2 ABC Glasgow/Cardiff University/ The Academy Dublin, 24-29 May: Four Year Strong, Pierce The Veil, The Wonder Years, Man Overboard, Fireworks, The Early November, Memphis May Fire, Woe Is Me, Hands Like Houses, Bury Tomorrow, Yashin, Jody Has A Hitlist, Wounds, Red Enemy, We Are The Ocean, Handguns. www.slamdunkmusic.com

SPOT, various venues, Aarhus, Denmark, 3-4 May: Halasan Bazar, Cancer, Broken Twin, We Were Born Canaries, Yast, Kissaway Trail, Bloodgroup, The White Album, Simian Ghost, Far Away From Fiji, Einar Stray, Broke, Baby in Vain, Golden Kanine. spotfestival.dk

Alicia Keys named BlackBerry’s Global Creative Director

Brands & Merch

MySpace has Justin Timberlake, Polaroid has Lady Gaga – you’re not a real company until you have a musician pretending to be your creative director these days. And now BlackBerry has Alicia Keys. Woopee for BlackBerry.

The company announced its new range of smartphones yesterday, and slipped in the news of Keys’ appointment to the made up role of Global Creative Director. Which, as The Verge pointed out, is a pretty good deal for someone who described themselves as a recently converted “iPhone junky” less than a month ago.

Presumably after family members staged some sort of intervention regarding the iPhone addiction, Keys ran to BlackBerry and begged for their help, ie a professional reason to only use a phone so devoid of excitement, that it would never lead to any sort of dangerous dependency.

Bigging up the all new BlackBerry 10 platform yesterday, Keys said: “Staying connected has become a vital part of my creative process. I have been using the BlackBerry 10 for a few weeks now, and I’m truly inspired by its innovation. It has entirely revolutionised the experience. I know the potential this platform has to help creative people be more productive, and help productive people be more creative. This is such an incredible age to be living in, with such profound advances in communications and technology. As Global Creative Director, my goal is to inspire creativity with this platform, and I’m so excited to jump right in”.

Glad to hear you’re all better now, Alicia. Also thrilled by her rehabilitation, BlackBerry President and CEO Thorsten Heins said: “Alicia Keys has come to BlackBerry because she believes in the product and technology, and subscribes to our overriding philosophy to ‘Keep Moving’: to empower people through mobile computing and communications. We are excited she will be bringing to us her enormous capabilities, as well as a vast network of relationships in the entertainment, social media and business communities, to help shape our brand and grow our business”.

Quite what being Global Creative Director for Blackberry actually involves isn’t clear, though it’s a shame for the flagging phone maker it didn’t include defending the brand to the BBC yesterday, given that anyone would have been better at that job that the firm’s European MD Stephen Bates. But it seems the singer will be far too busy contributing to a new initiative called the Keep Moving Project, which will see “some of the world’s most inspirational people” keep on moving. Which is an opportunity for the recently reunited Five surely? Though Keys has gone and recruited film director Robert Rodriguez and author Neil Gaiman instead. Here’s a video of them spouting on about the project:

Psy goes nuts for pistachios

Brands & Merch

After gaining over a billion views for one video on YouTube in just six months, it must be hard to know what to do next. Go nuts or sell nuts? Those are basically the only two choices. The only two in the world. Psy has gone with selling nuts, so well done to him. He’ll star in an advert for Wonderful Pistachios, which is due to premiere during the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Announcing the hook-up, Psy, who will wear a green suit in the advert, said: “The Wonderful Pistachios brand is fun, just like me. Also, I love pistachios and I look good in green”.

It seems like a perfect combination, yes. But has Psy got across just how perfect it is? No, he has not. Typical, you just can’t rely on these celebs. Luckily, Marc Seguin, VP of Marketing at Wonderful Pistachios owners Paramount Farms, was on hand. He blurted: “The Super Bowl is the most widely watched sporting event of the year, ‘Gangnam Style’ is the most-watched YouTube video, and Wonderful Pistachios is the top-selling snack nut item on the market. It’s a powerhouse combination”.

Yes, it’s almost too perfect. They were all clearly made for each other. But what will happen in the advert? “They will see Psy as they know him, with his personality and great moves”, Seguin told ABC. “They will see the same ‘Gangnam Style’ action that has swept the nation. They will see him opening pistachios the way only he could”.

Like a horse?

New Sylvia Rhone label ready to launch

Business News Labels & Publishers

Sylvia Rhone’s new venture with Sony Music will be called Vested In Culture, according to Billboard. So there’s something.

As previously reported, the former Universal Republic chief departed the Universal Music Group in 2011 as Lucian Grainge got about properly rejigging the company, and moved over to Sony to join her former boss at UMG, Doug Morris, now CEO of Sony Music Entertainment. Rhone has been working on her new business, which will operate in partnership with Sony’s Epic label, for nearly a year now.

Rhone will report into Epic chief LA Reid with the new venture, which she will run from a New York base. Artists on Vested In Culture’s launch roster include pop acts Kat Dahlia, Quadron and Sebastian Mikael, R&B singer-songwriter Deon Young and rappers Casey Veggies and Cashius Green.

Commenting on the new label, Rhone told reporters: “The partnership between Vested In Culture and Epic Records marks an exciting new chapter in my career. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Doug Morris and LA Reid, and couldn’t ask to work with better music men than them. I look forward to building a great label and being a part of their continued success”.

Earache and Century Media announce alliance

Business News Deals Labels & Publishers

Metal labels Earache and Century Media have announced a new alliance which will see the latter distribute the former’s physical releases in the US.

The new partnership will kick in tomorrow. Earache previously used EMI’s Caroline Distribution in the States, though that deal expired last October. Where as EMI provided straight distribution services, under the new deal Century will be more involved in the US marketing of Earache’s records.

According to Billboard, Earache’s North American Label Manager Al Dawson said: “We talked to a bunch of different people about how we could move forward [after our EMI deal ended], and Century Media definitely came up with the most attractive offer for us as far as what their role would be”.

While Century Media’s Don Robertson told the trade mag: “When Al Dawson approached me about licensing their catalogue and future releases, I thought it was a complete no brainer if we could make a sensible deal”.

Backstage buys Sonicbids

Business News Deals Digital Live Business Media

Entertainment industry trade mag Backstage has bought Sonicbids, the online platform that connects grass roots artists and tour/festival promoters in the live sector. Backstage already provides services to link actors, models and dancers with casting directors.

Confirming the deal, the value of which has not been confirmed, though the New York Post estimated $15 million, Sonicbids founder and CEO Panos Panay said: “Sonicbids and Backstage share the same mission of opening doors for the creative community. Joining forces creates amazing synergies and brings the worlds of music, film and social marketing even closer together”.

The combined company will be led by Backstage CEO John Amato, who added: “This market has great growth potential but has been underserved. We want to step in to become the destination site for performing artists to book opportunities, manage their careers and educate themselves”.

RAJAR round up

Media

So, the latest set of only slightly made up RAJAR radio listening figures are out, and look, here’s the ten things you need to know about them.

1. Radio 1, having reconfigured its schedules to better appeal to its core youth demographic, saw its weekly listenership slip to 11.09 million in the last quarter, down from 11.2 million the previous quarter and 11.66 million a year ago. Though the all-new Nick Grimshaw breakfast show commanded an audience of 6.69 million, which is only 40,000 down on the old Chris Moyles show, which isn’t at all bad given the big shift in style in the station’s primetime slot.

2. Radio 2 and 6music had good quarters, both hitting all time highs. Radio 2 scored a record 15.1 million listeners per week in the last quarter, up from 13.9 million and 14.3 million on the previous quarter and year respectively. Perhaps those giving up on Radio 1 are switching over to its more grown up sister station. 6Music extended its weekly audience to 1.89 million, from 1.62 million and 1.44 million in the previous quarter and a year ago.

3. Radio 2’s Chris Evans Breakfast Show remains the biggest in the country, hitting 9.52 million weekly listeners, up from 8.96 million a year ago.

4. Radio 3 saw its weekly audience fall slightly, from 2.10 million a year ago to 2.06 million. Meanwhile the BBC Asian Network also lost some listeners, down to 453,000 from 472,000 this time last year.

5. In London, Bauer’s Magic remains the most listened to station, despite seeing its audience slip from 1.16 million to 2.03 million.

6. Sister London station Kiss also lost some listeners, but also retained its position as third biggest in the capital.

7. Global Radio can still boast to having London’s biggest breakfast show in the form of Dave Berry and Lisa Snowdown on Capital FM, even though it saw its audience slip to 1.1 million.

8. In terms of Global’s stations overall, Capital lost a quarter of a million listeners year on year, but is still second biggest in the city. Heart also saw its figures decline, but it remained fourth biggest. Xfm scored its highest reach in over two years, with audience up to 445,000.

9. Digital radio accounted for a third of radio listening overall, slightly up year on year.

10. In terms of digital-only stations, 6music now has the biggest audience, with Smash Hits the most listened to commercial digital station.

Artrocker magazine goes digital

Media

Artrocker Magazine has announced that it is ditching its print edition and will now be available exclusively in digital form. As previously reported, its publishers launched an iPad edition last year, and the next edition will also be available via the Google Play Store for Android users, as well as on Amazon’s Kindle Fire.

Artrocker’s Editor-In-Chief Tom Fawcett told CMU: “Artrocker has always been an innovator. When people were still ‘clubbing’ in the noughties we started a rock n roll night and put on the first London shows by the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, The Black Keys, Interpol, Maximo Park and so many more great bands that went on to reshape music and culture on a global level. When people were saying the music industry was dead we launched a record label and suddenly the tide turned and vinyl sales rose for the first time in over a decade. People were saying ‘Magazines are over’ so we started a magazine, and here we are, almost ten years later, still going strong and again utilising the technology and tools available to us”.

So, there you go.

Prototype anti-paparazzi glasses demonstrated

And Finally

So, Justin Bieber breaking traffic laws and Harry Styles writing rude notes may soon be a thing of the past, thanks to a new set of photo-ruining glasses that will bring about the end of the paparazzi industry. For sure.

Designed by Professor Isao Echizen at The National Institute of Informatics in Tokyo, who demonstrated a prototype in a paper published last year, the glasses shine out infrared light, which is invisible to the human eye but appears in digital photographs, covering the wearer’s face in purple dots.

Of course, it does mean walking around with some silly glasses on, but that’s OK, because they’re actually designed to stop facial recognition software from working, so it won’t just be celebrities wearing them. Though if everyone starts wearing them, we’ll just get used to people having purple dots in front of their faces and it won’t be weird any more. Maybe humans will evolve to have actual purple dots in front of their faces. And then where will we be? Right back to square one, that’s where.

Playlist: Widowspeak

CMU Playlists

Molly Hamilton and Robert Earl Thomas, aka Widowspeak, released their eponymous debut album in 2011, drawing on a range of influences from 1950s pop to 1970s psych. For their second album, ‘Almanac’ (out now via Captured Tracks), the pair delved further into North and South American music of yesteryear, pulling them together and arranging them into something that makes sense in 2013.

We asked Earl Thomas to put together a playlist for us. This is what he said about his choices: “This playlist gathers songs that influenced the writing and recording of our album ‘Almanac’, along with some of Molly and my personal favourites. We’ve definitely been drawn to the American west and southwest recently and it’s ushered in an infatuation with fingerpicking, slide guitars and cowboy vocals. There are influences from other parts of the world as well, but they serve to augment and update our sense of Americana”.

WIDOWSPEAK’S TEN
Click here to listen to the playlist on Spotify, and then read on to find out more about Robert’s choices:

01 Neil Young – Old Man
All of ‘Harvest’ has been a significant influence on us. I could’ve picked any track really, but this one has a lovely slide part.

02 Sons Of The Pioneers – Cool Water
This is the epitome of ‘cowboy choir’ vocals, which impart such a perfect feeling of the open West.

03 Caetano e Chico – Partido Alto
What a great revolving groove and vocal delivery. It’s kind of like a South American ‘Season Of The Witch’.

04 Tom Petty – Breakdown
This song has such a slinky cool and Tom Petty has such a backwoods charm to him.

05 Hallelujah Chicken Run Band – Mudzimu Ndiringe
This song is great for the morning. It’s the same thing over and over but it seems to grow and multiply.

06 The Flying Burrito Brothers – Christine’s Tune
Gram Parsons and The Flying Burrito Brothers made country music for a new audience and their recordings have endured as a strange meeting between cowboy and hippie.

07 Santo & Johnny – Sleepwalk
This is an iconic song that imparts a beautiful, sentimental feeling. It’s also so slippery!

08 The Carter Family – I Never Will Marry
Early Carter Family is the best, Maybelle kills it. While there are plenty of good examples, this one just always stands out to us as the best.

09 Michael Hurley – The Time Is Right
A simple, endearing duet.

10 The Eagles – Hotel California
Yes it’s kinda cheesy and The Eagles did a lot of bad, but there’s something undeniable about this epic.

Approved: This Is Head

CMU Approved

Formed in 2008, Swedish quartet This Is Head released their debut album, ‘0001’, in 2010. The record saw them attempt, mostly successfully, to blend krautrock, indie rock and disco. A generally upbeat, fun record, it had moments where the band allowed their darker influences to take hold more, such as on the album’s standout track, ‘0011’.

Due to release their second album, ‘The Album ID’, on 27 Mar through Adrian Recordings, the first track to appear from it, ‘A B Version’, sees them heading down that darker route again. At least at first. Opening with atmospheric synths, broken up by stabs of trombone, though it starts dark, and has lyrics to match, it eventually gives way to a soaring instrumental section excitedly rushing towards the end of its allotted five minutes.

Watch the video for ‘A B Version’ here:

Concerns raised about AEG’s expansion in London

Business News Deals Legal Live Business Top Stories

The Office Of Fair Trading is investigating plans to award AEG the management contract at the Wembley Arena, it has been revealed.

The live music giant quietly won the Wembley deal late last year, replacing Live Nation as managers of the North London arena. But, according to The Guardian, concerns have been expressed – presumably by AEG’s rivals – that the US-owned live entertainment firm is becoming too dominant in the capital.

While in global terms Live Nation is a bigger live entertainment promoter than AEG Live, the wider Anschutz Entertainment Group has become increasingly dominant in London in recent years. Last summer it acquired one of the capital’s bigger theatre venues in the Hammersmith Apollo and last November announced it had secured the rights to stage concerts in Hyde Park.

But of most relevance to the Wembley deal is the fact that AEG operates The O2 and the arena that sites under the former Millennium Dome. Once it is managing the Wembley Arena, that would put the company in charge of the capital’s two main arena venues, as well as the Apollo, often the ‘stepping stone venue’ for bands and comedians looking to move from theatres to arenas.

The OFT investigation will look at whether the proposed Wembley deal will lead to a “substantial lessening of competition” within London’s live music market. If the OFT decides there are legitimate concerns, it could refer the AEG/Wembley deal to the Competition Commission.

AEG’s main rival Live Nation’s growth in London caused concerns at the OFT back in 2007 when it acquired a slice of the Academy Music Group. Regulators forced the live music firm to sell the Hammersmith Apollo and London Forum (both to MAMA) in order to get approval for its AMG deal.

Commenting on the new concerns about AEG’s dominance in London, one live industry source told The Guardian: “If AEG have control of the management of the two biggest venues there is of course the issue that they could look to impose ticket price increases, and exert more control over the artists and types of events”.

It’s not clear how quickly the OFT will rule on the matter. AEG, of course, is currently up for sale, with top man Tim Leiweke recently saying that the sale process was moving along nicely.

Ray Charles’ family win legal battle with Foundation

Business News Legal

The Ray Charles Foundation has lost in its legal battle against the late soul star’s children, though it has pledged to appeal the ruling.

As previously reported, the heirs of Charles have issued a termination notice to the publisher of the singer’s songs, Warner/Chappell, exercising a right under US law that gives songwriters the option to reclaim copyrights, previously assigned by contract to a publisher, after 35 years. It’s a right that is only just coming into effect, and some legalities around it are still to be tested in court.

The main issue is what happens if a publisher claims that a song was written as a ‘work for hire’, ie the publishing firm hired the songwriter to pen a track, rather than the songwriter creating the work and then assigning the rights in it to a corporate entity by contract. Arguably in the work for hire scenario the reclaim option does not apply.

The Ray Charles Foundation is currently the beneficiary of its founders’ copyrights, ie the songwriter’s royalty is paid to the Foundation by Warner/Chappell. If the family take back the copyrights, they essentially cut off the charity’s income stream.

The charity claims that the family attempting to take ownership of Charles’ copyright breaks an agreement reached between the singer and his children before his death in 2004. However, they originally tried to block the family’s actions by claiming Charles wrote some of his songs on a work for hire basis, so the reclaim option was not relevant. But Charles’s children successfully argued that if that was the case, only Warner/Chappell could try to block their termination notice, not the Foundation.

The charity subsequently changed its position on the status of Charles’s songs. Which probably didn’t help their case when the specific Foundation v Family case came to court. And a court has now found in the family’s favour.

But the Foundation is not giving up yet, insisting it is acting according to Charles’s own wishes prior to his death. The charity’s President Valerie Ervin told reporters: “The very clear and unmistakable intention of both Ray Charles and all his children [when making a 2002 agreement] was that, in exchange for a substantial payment, the children were not to raise any claims against their father’s estate. The children who filed these termination notices violated the sacred promise they made. They took their father’s money and now come back for more”.

She added: “The law is very unsettled in these matters and we intend to seek resolution through the courts. Meanwhile, The Foundation will continue its substantial charitable works as intended by Mr Charles. Ray Charles never let anything stand in the way of his work and The Foundation continues with his legacy”.

50 Cent reckons Ross drive-by a set up

Legal

50 Cent has accused rival rapper Rick Ross of staging the drive-by shooting that occurred in Florida earlier this week. As previously reported, Ross was seemingly targeted by gunmen as he drove in his Rolls Royce with his girlfriend Shateria L Moragne-el near his home in Fort Lauderdale.

Despite initial reports that the rapper’s car had been hit, and that the attack had cause Ross to crash the vehicle into a wall, it subsequently transpired that Ross, Moragne-el and the Rolls all escaped pretty much unscathed. Though it was reported that windows of nearby buildings had been smashed by bullets, and photos showed that the Rolls had swerved into some bushes.

However, the ever sympathetic 50 Cent reckons the lack of bullet holes in his rival’s car (not to mention in his rival) probably means the whole thing was a PR stunt to up Ross’s street cred. Tweeting on the incident, Fiddy said on Monday: “Hahaha fat boy hit the building? It looks staged to me. No holes in da car”.

Of course Fiddy and Ross have been beefing for some time.

Brian Welch rejoins Korn for live dates

Artist News Gigs & Festivals

Guitarist Brian ‘Head’ Welch has rejoined Korn, at least for a string of upcoming live shows. Welch originally left the band in 2005 after a struggle with drug addiction led him to find Christianity, deciding that the band’s output didn’t chime with his new found beliefs. It’s a reunion that has been some time in the making though. Word first reached the band that Welch wanted back in 2009, and in May last year he performed one song with them at the Carolina Rebellion Festival.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Welch said that he’d been at the festival with his daughter and happened to bump into Korn’s other guitarist, James ‘Munky’ Schaffer, explaining: “I hadn’t seen [him] in seven years, and talked with him for 30 minutes. It was really heavy. Then, ten minutes before they went on stage, [bassist] Fieldy is like, ‘I’m just saying, we have a guitar set up for you’. I’m like, ‘What? I just want to see you guys! Alright, I’ll play ‘Blind”. It was just crazy, because it was really emotional. That’s what set it up. Munky called me a month after that, and he said, ‘Hey, if you ever want to come back, the door’s open. We miss you'”.

Warming to, and perhaps going a bit overboard with his theme, he continued: “Everyone is broken in this world. There’s so much divorce, hate and unforgiveness. For people to see this, I think it’s just really uplifting. I never thought it would happen, and I’m not sure they did either. The fans just love it, because a lot of the fans back in the day were like, suicidal, and from broken homes and abuse. They looked up to us like their family. And to see their family split up was hard on them. To get it put back together, there is a joy around the people who care about it”.

However, it’s not clear at this stage how long the reunion will last, as Welch is still working with his new band Love And Death, which he formed last year. He said: “We’re going slow. We’re hanging out when I’ve got time, but I’ve got my [own] album out, and they’re busy doing their stuff. But I’d say anything is possible right now”.

Jamie N Commons signs to KIDinaKORNER

Business News Deals Labels & Publishers

Bluesy singer-songwriter Jamie N Commons has signed to Universal in the US, via a deal with producer Alex Da Kid’s KIDinaKORNER label, which is a subsidiary of Interscope. In the UK his music will be released through Universal’s Fiction Records. I hope you’re keeping up with this. Well, even if you’re not, you’ll be able to get hold of Commons’ new EP this spring – there’s no way they can stop you.

Says Alex Da Kid of the deal: “Every so often you are introduced to an artist that transcends time. Jamie N Commons is such an artist. I am pleased to welcome Jamie N Commons to the KIDinaKORNER/Interscope family”.

A brand new Jamie N Commons track is currently soundtracking the trailer for the new series of US TV show ‘The Walking Dead’, having been written exclusively for the show. You can hear/see that here:

Thursday 31 January 2013, 11:11 | By Chris Cooke

CMU Business Editor Chris Cooke explains how music copyrights make money.

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