Thursday 31 July 2014, 11:59 | By Chris Cooke

Kim Dotcom assets back in court

Business News Legal MegaUpload Timeline Top Stories

So, the assets of MegaUpload founder Kim Dotcom were being discussed in court again this week, on two separate levels.

First up, as previously reported, both the US authorities and the American music and movie industries have called for assets seized from Dotcom when his MegaUpload enterprise was shutdown by the feds in 2012 to remain frozen.

Dotcom is, of course, accused of enabling rampant copyright infringement by running MegaUpload, and is facing both criminal and civil action as a result. However, attempts by the US to extradite the Mega founder have been long drawn out, and a court in New Zealand earlier this year said that assets seized back in 2012 should now be returned; Dotcom’s lawyers say their client needs access to that money to help fund his defence.

Needless to say, prosecutors in New Zealand acting for the Americans have appealed that decision, while the record companies and movie studios also want the frozen assets to remain so, because they are suing for damages for the alleged copyright infringement, and want to make sure there’s plenty of former Mega money available for them to receive should they prevail in that litigation.

A court considered the appeal this week, though is yet to reach a decision. Meanwhile a separate conversation was had about the monies Dotcom does have access to, with some questioning how the Mega chief can afford to continue to live a seemingly lavish lifestyle while pumping money into new business ventures and political causes.

To that end Dotcom’s enemies reckon the Mega chief is accessing assets from his former business that were hidden from the authorities, and a New Zealand judge has now demanded he account for all his assets “wherever they are located” by 20 Aug. For his part, Dotcom insists the money he is currently spending comes from business ventures outside and subsequent to MegaUpload.

Finally, in Mega news, back in the US a court has agreed to postpone the civil litigation against Dotcom from the major labels and movie studios until at least 1 Apr 2015, now that we know an extradition hearing regarding the criminal proceedings against him won’t happen until at least next year. Team Dotcom don’t want any civil litigation reaching court until any criminal action has run its course.

Peermusic and APRA/AMCOS do pan-Asian licensing deal

Business News Digital Labels & Publishers

Music publishing company Peermusic and Australasian song rights collecting society APRA/AMCOS have announced a new pan-Asian licensing agreement. Under the deal, APRA/AMCOS will represent Peermusic’s catalogue in all Asian territories, except Japan, on a non-exclusive basis.

Peermusic’s President Of Asia-Pacific And Strategic Markets Mary Megan Peer said of the partnership: “At a time when digital music use is growing in all countries in this region, licensing our catalogue to digital services is increasingly important. By leveraging the APRA/AMCOS team’s experience in digital licensing and strong backend systems, we expect to be able to license and collect more efficiently, creating a better experience for licensees and increased income for our writers”.

APRA/AMCOS CEO Brett Cottle added: “Users are consuming music in more ways than ever before and we are working hard to ensure songwriters are fairly compensated for the value their work creates no matter where, how or when it is delivered or consumed. We’re excited to increase the opportunity for Peermusic’s diverse catalogue to reach audiences throughout Asia as new legal mobile and online music and audio-visual platforms gain traction. In many cases Asia is at the forefront of these new digital services and we are proud to be the trusted partner throughout the region for both Universal and now Peermusic. We look forward to bringing other publishers into the fold”.

Traditionally in the scenarios where collecting societies license on behalf of publishers and songwriters they do so only in their home territories. However, in the digital domain, this has proven limiting, as most digital services want to operate in multiple countries. To that end in Europe some collecting societies are now offering multi-territory licences for some of the catalogues they represent.

Meanwhile in Australia, APRA/AMCOS entered into a partnership with Universal last year that is similar to the new Peermusic deal, so that it also represents the major in various Asia Pacific countries on digital matters.

US festival ditches R Kelly following criticism

Artist News Live Business

A festival in Ohio has scrapped R Kelly as one of its headliners following criticism of the singer’s booking, due to ongoing allegations of sexual abuse.

Although the Fashion Meets Music Festival, which is due to take place at the end of August, initially defended Kelly’s appearance on its line-up, calls for it to cancel the booking continued to grow, with two bands, Saint Seneca and Damn The Witch Siren, pulling out of the event in protest and local radio station WCBE 90.5 FM withdrawing its sponsorship.

On Wednesday, with no sign of the backlash dying down, organisers of the festival said in a statement that they and Kelly had “decided to part ways”.

In a joint statement to Columbus Alive, FMMF and Kelly said: “Fashion Meets Music Festival and headlining artist R Kelly have come to the mutual decision to cancel Kelly’s upcoming performance at the inaugural Fashion Meets Music Festival”.

Kelly also released a separate statement via a spokesperson, saying: “R Kelly is sorry to disappoint his fans, but looks forward to seeing them in the near future during one of his upcoming tours”.

As previously reported, Kelly was acquitted of a number of child abuse charges in 2008, though questions over the handling of the trial and other accusations against him, particularly the number of out of court settlements he has reached with accusers, still raise doubts about his innocence in some quarters.

Interest was renewed last year, when journalist Jim DeRogatis questioned Kelly’s booking as the headliner of the Pitchfork Music Festival. DeRogatis published a detailed timeline of his investigation into accusations against Kelly, and was interviewed by The Village Voice about it.

DeRogatis said: “He was tried on very narrow grounds. He’s never had his day in court as a rapist. It’s fifteen years in the past now, but this record exists. You have to make a choice, as a listener, if music matters to you as more than mere entertainment. And you and I have spent our entire lives with that conviction. This is not just entertainment, this is our lifeblood. This matters”.

Kelly meanwhile dismissed the claims, telling US radio station V-103 when asked to comment: “When you get on top of anything, it’s very windy. It’s about holding your balance once you get up there… You have to spiritually be a climber”.

Which doesn’t really answers anything. He is now apparently working on a house album.

Stephen Bryan leaves Warner Music for SoundCloud

Business News Digital Labels & Publishers

Warner Music Group digital exec Stephen Bryan has announced that he is departing the major after seventeen years to take up a new role at SoundCloud.

Currently WMG’s Executive Vice President Of Digital Strategy And Business Development, Bryan will become SoundCloud’s new Senior Vice President Of Business Development And Strategy. So that’s a shortening of his job title by one whole word. Not sure if that had anything to do with the move.

Bryan told Billboard: “[The decision to move] had nothing to with WMG. When I joined, it was the very beginning of the digital transition – the reason why I stayed there so long is that I’ve always felt a deep passion to navigate this incredible transition to digital platforms. I think that change will accelerate in the near future, and a company like SoundCloud enables me to continue that”.

7digital promotes Paul Shannon

Business News Digital

7digital has announced the promotion of Paul Shannon to VP Of Technology. He replaces the departing Rob Bowley.

Says 7digital CEO Simon Cole: “I’m really pleased that we have very quickly been able to promote from within and with such immediate success. It shows the strength of the team that Rob Bowley built for us here at 7digital and for that and all his dedication we thank him and wish him well”.

Shannon added: “I’m tremendously excited to take on this new role and overwhelmed with the support from both 7digital’s senior management team and technology team. My initial plan is to develop a technical strategy team formed of existing group members allowing them to get more involved in the direction of our team and API platform. I’m particularly looking forward to the new opportunities we’ll find in digital music and radio, and want to make cutting edge technology the forefront of all our new adventures.”

Shannon was made Assistant VP Of Technology at 7digital in 2012, having originally joined to lead the company’s content ingestion team in 2011.

RAJAR Round Up: 6 out-performs 3 (just), Radio 2 still biggest

Business News Media

Ah, radio listening figures, that quarterly helping of audience stats from the radio industry’s RAJAR body. Here’s five snippets from the batch…

1. 6 Music is now bigger than Radio 3 (just) in terms of overall number of people listening, the former pulling in 1.89 million and the latter 1.88 million, despite 6 Music only being available on digital networks, while Radio 3 has an FM outlet. 6, of course, has seen its audience surge ever since the Beeb threatened to shut it down. Perhaps they should announce they’re closing flagging R3 to give it an audience boost too.

2. Radio 2 continues to wear the ‘biggest in Britain’ badge, even though its overall number of listeners was down slightly on the last RAJAR quarter to 15.5 million. Though the station’s Chris Evans breakfast show saw its audience rise again, compared to both the last quarter and the last year.

3. Radio 1 also enjoyed a slight increase in audience this quarter, as did its breakfast show fronted by Nick Grimshaw. Grimmy pulls in 5.97 million people aged 15+ a week, 6.39 million if you include kids under fifteen. And why wouldn’t you?

4. In the commercial domain, good news for Capital FM which is the biggest commercial player in London ahead of Magic, Kiss and Heart, in that order, but not so good news for it’s new sister station Capital Xtra, which has a RAJAR of 358,000 listeners daily, nearly half that pulled it by the station it controversially replaced, Choice.

5. Overall listening on the DAB digital network increased again, 7% year-on-year, so that 48.5% of the adult population is now listening to some radio on DAB. Elsewhere radio listening via the web and apps was up, while listening via digital TV was down.

For more juicy radio-based stat joy, take a look at this infographic RAJAR has put together.

Physically released music videos to require age ratings from October

Business News Labels & Publishers Media

The British Board Of Film Classification has confirmed that physically released music videos will, from later this year, be required to have age ratings from the organisation prior to being released.

As previously reported, this follows a review of the Video Recordings Act by the government, which was completed last year. Until now, only physically released music videos containing “extreme” content have required an age rating. Under the pending changes to the Act, anything that fits the criteria for a twelve certificate or above will have to be classified by BBFC examiners. Previously these would have been stamped ‘exempt’, or simply not put forward for review at all.

The changes had been expected to come into force in the spring, but will now become a legal requirement from 1 Oct.

The Video Recordings Act does not currently apply to digital platforms, where most music videos are surely consumed these days, though at the request of the government the BBFC and record industry trade group the BPI are jointly working on a pilot scheme for applying age ratings to online videos.

Banks unhappy with Neon Jungle cover

Artist News

Banks is none too pleased with a cover of her 2013 single ‘Waiting Game’ appearing on Neon Jungle’s debut long-player, ‘Welcome To The Jungle’. Released this week, the album version of the track comes after the group recorded a live studio version for their Vevo channel earlier this year.

Writing on her Facebook page, Banks said: “People keep asking why I let Neon Jungle put my song ‘Waiting Game’ on their album when my album has yet to come out. The answer is I was never asked. I was as shocked as you to see this song made up of my own heartbeats on their album. A song that was born from my real life, my real heartache, my real fingertips when I was at one of the most confusing times in my life”.

She continued: “How strange it is to see it used on someone else’s album before it even comes out on mine. It makes me feel very uncomfortable. Like my own thoughts were stolen from me and sold as someone else’s. I am a new artist and new to this business and I am told it is legal. But it feels really icky. I guess I can only hope ‘Waiting Game’ means as much to Neon Jungle as it did to me when I wrote it”.

If she thinks that’s bad, she should hear it when I sing it. And, in the case of the Neon Jungle version, she will at least get some money from it. Her ‘people’ are right that the group are not breaking any laws by covering her song, so long as they pay the required publishing royalties.

Anyway, now that this has become a thing, you’re going to have to take sides.

Here’s Banks’ original:

And here’s Neon Jungle’s live version:

Damon Albarn busy, but not with Blur

Artist News Gigs & Festivals Releases

Are you still waiting for Blur’s reunion album? Well, the latest word is that it may never get finished. I think that might have been the previous word too. And the word before that. There have been so very many words.

In an interview for the latest edition of the NME, Albarn said that it “may just be one of those records that never comes out”, adding that their decision to record in Hong Kong had proven a mistake: “There was too much commuting between where we were staying and where we were recording, and it was a bit too hot. I think that’s why we didn’t get it finished”.

So, that’s that. But there is a new Blur record coming out. Well, sort of. The band announced this week that they will release ‘Live At The Budokan’, a live album recorded in Japan in 1995, on 11 Aug. The album was originally only made available in the UK to members of the band’s fanclub, but this remastered version will be made available to anyone at all.

Albarn has some solo things going on too. He’s working on a musical work “based on a very beloved kids’ book, but with a very modern take on it” for next summer. He doesn’t say which book, but I’m guessing ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’. He’s also playing a show at the Royal Albert Hall on 15 Nov, tickets for which will go on sale at 9am tomorrow. Robots welcome.

And lastly, he’s just put out a new song, recorded for the soundtrack to new Luc Besson film, ‘Lucy’. It’s called ‘Sister Rust’ and you can hear it here:

Lily Allen off Bridget Jones musical

Artist News

Lily Allen is officially ‘no longer associated’ with the musical adaptation of them Bridget Jones’ Diary’ films and, in fact, books.

In spite of having already written love songs to fridges and other things for the score to the show, which has been a in the making since 2011, Allen has now told The Sun that she is “out of the picture”, with her tracks consigned to the bin by the musical’s makers, adding: “I wrote some great music for it, but [original ‘BJ’ author] Helen Fielding wants to go back and write a whole new story. It’s been a long-term project and I was happy to do my bit”.

So there, she did her bit, and no one can possibly say or do fairer than that. Still, it’s a bit of a blow to the musical, which as far as anyone knows at the moment doesn’t have anyone on board to write its soundtrack. Maybe Rita Ora’s free to do it, I really have no idea. She’s usually available though.

Led Zep announce more album re-issues

Artist News Releases

Following other re-issuey business last summer, Led Zeppelin have announced plans to continue this year by putting out new versions of their fourth and fifth albums, ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ and ‘Houses Of The Holy’.

Both records will be available in a variety of physical and digital forms, all remastered by Jimmy Page himself and bolstered with demo and discarded mixes of songs from each album that he found in a cupboard somewhere. For example, there is a mix of ‘Stairway To Heaven’ done at Sunset Sound Studios. Imagine.

If you plump for the big box set versions, you’ll not only get them on CD and vinyl, along with a number printed of the album cover, but also a download of all the audio in 24bit studio quality.

But what about the chance of some new Led Zep work, or just them playing the old ones live again? You should probably continue to not hold your breath. Frontman Robert Plant has told the Express that actually it’s Page holding things up, which is the opposite of what Page himself has previously said.

Says Plant: “I feel for [Jimmy]. He knows he’s got the headlines if he wants them. But I don’t know what he’s trying to do. So I feel slightly disappointed and baffled. A couple of years ago I said, ‘If you’ve got anything acoustic, let me know. I’ll give it a whirl’. It was hands across the water. He just walked away. But we couldn’t do anything proper. The weight of expectation is too great”.

Well, anyway, both of these re-issues will be released by Warner/Atlantic on 27 Oct.

Gerard Way details solo LP

Artist News Releases

Now that his Chemical Romance is over and done with, orangey-haired man Gerard Way has confirmed a release date for what will be his first solo LP, ‘Hesitant Alien’. Basically, it’ll be available on “9.30.14”, which clearly is simply an American way of saying 29 Sep.

More is revealed in a teaser trailer, and this memo from Way, who says: “I wanted to make the small things sound big. My intention was to make 100% uncompromised art, using the currently least radio-friendly instrument, the guitar. I knew there would be lots of fuzz pedals. I knew I would play Fender instruments. I knew I would look at who my guitar heroes were in art school, Mary Timony and Carrie Brownstein, and I drew a lot of influence from shoe-gaze and Britpop. I want the record to sonically galvanize people”.

“Sonically galvanize”, that has to sting. Here’s that teaser trailer to ease the pain:

White Lung stop to confirm UK shows

Artist News Gigs & Festivals

Ascendant Canadian punks White Lung are due to plug their current LP, ‘Deep Fantasy’, on a just-announced tour of the UK. So, now you know.

So the dates are probably a priority, and they are like so:

3 Nov: London, Shacklewell Arms
4 Nov: Brighton, Green Door Store
5 Nov: Manchester, Soup Kitchen
6 Nov: Glasgow, Stereo

Next is the video to White Lung’s ‘Deep Fantasy’-featuring new single ‘Face Down’. Plant yours in it now:

Tall Ships playing small ‘LP preview’ dates

Artist News Gigs & Festivals

Bearded band Tall Ships are sailing off on a disproportionately small tour of the nation’s littlest dives in October. They do so in order to preview their TBC new LP, which will follow 2012’s ‘Everything Touching’. Be there, or don’t.

Here are the dates and, underneath, a clip advertising them:

8 Oct: Manchester, Soup Kitchen
9 Oct: Bristol, Christmas Steps
10 Oct: London, Old Blue Last
11 Oct: Brighton, Prince Albert

Tom Petty don’t dance

And Finally Artist News

Something from the ‘old men complaining about things’ file now, and Tom Petty has spoken to USA Today about the many things that annoy him. Things like modern pop music, the way other people record albums, the sound quality of MP3s, religious hypocrisy, and the state of US politics. He covered it all.

He’s also not, you may be surprised to learn, a massive fan of DJs playing at festivals. Or EDM-focussed festivals at all. “Watch people play records? That’s stupid”, he winced. “You couldn’t pay me to go. I’m not oversimplifying it. That’s what’s going on. I don’t think it would be any fun without the drugs. It’s a drug party”.

Need more convincing? Well, Petty actually predicted the two drug-related deaths at last month’s Las Vegas Electric Daisy Carnival. He said: “You take that many kids to Vegas in the summer, what could go wrong? I knew it as soon as I saw the ad. I went, ‘Ooh, dead people’. Do you need the money so bad that you’ll put some kid’s life at risk?”

Of course, as sad as it is when it happens, if you put 300,000 people in one place for a period of time, statistically, there’s a high chance someone will die. So it’s probably unfair to say that by putting on an event you’re consciously putting people to death. After all, people die at the sorts of festivals Petty plays too.

Are EDM festivals just ‘drug parties’ though? Let’s ask David Guetta:

Post by Save The Beat Mag.

Approved: Tops

CMU Approved

Having released their ‘Tender Opposites’ LP back in 2012, Canadian band Tops, the main sideline of Paula wizard David Carriere, have wisely taken their time in making a new one, chipping away at their sideways line in idiosyncratic pop and feeding in a string of preview singles.

The newest of those, ‘Way To Be Loved’, plays at the top of the tracklisting to the band’s latest LP, which is titled ‘Picture You Staring’. Dipping into Tops’ stylistic pop pool a la past tracks like ‘Double Vision’, it’s a swirl of the outfit’s typically offbeat melodic tendencies, but breathes a more meditative air than they usually go for.

The same is the case with ‘Sleepwalker’, which finds singer Jane Penny leaning into the lower, softer reaches of her voice, giving a sense that older is, indeed, wiser.

Hear both ‘Way To Be Loved’ and ‘Sleeptalker’ now:

Global management group joins call for more transparency in digital dealing

Business News Digital Top Stories

Following the indie label community’s recent Fair Digital Deals Declaration, which saw hundreds of independent record companies commit to be fair and transparent with their artists when it comes to the often complex and secretive world of digital music deals, the International Music Managers Forum – which brings together artist manager trade groups around the world – has issued its own call for more clarity in the digital domain.

The trade body notes that, for all the talk back in the day of the web cutting out the middle man for artists, in fact “within the digital music value chain there are a number of stakeholders, positioned between creators and consumers”. Those stakeholders play a key role but, says the IMMF, have a duty to the artist community to ensure “transparency” and “fair remuneration”. Indeed the IMMF says it will refuse to support any stakeholders who do not embrace those basic principles.

It then goes into things in a little more detail, calling specifically for “global pricing transparency”, basically ensuring artists know exactly what revenue is generated by what content on what services, so they can make informed decisions about which platforms to embrace. They also want “usage data transparency”, basically artists should have access to all and any data a digital platform provides a label or publisher, and “licensed service statements”, a concise summary for creators on how deals between rights owners and digital companies are working.

The IMMF’s statement also includes one of the management community’s biggest bugbears over the digital deals the labels do, what happens to any kick-backs the record company enjoys such as advances and equity. There has been much debate about whether labels are obliged to share with their artists such kickbacks – which are linked to entire catalogues rather than individual songs or recordings – though most managers reckon there is definitely an ethical obligation to do so, and some a legal one too.

WIN’s statement also called for labels to act fairly in this domain, though the IMMF is possibly more resolute on the matter, writing: “Even in cases where the money is non-attributable [to specific tracks] it should be objectively evaluated and shared pro-rata with the creators. Non-attributable does not mean unpayable. If non-attributable truly meant ‘unpayable’, how would the money have ended up being attributed to rights holders in the first place?”

Concluding, the IMMF states: “Digital holds an unprecedented potential to deliver transparency, itemisation, and line-by-line accessible accounting to all stakeholders in the digital music value chain. However this potential will only be realised for creators if they are fairly and transparently involved and empowered. It is in each stakeholder’s own interest to work with, and not against, the interests of our creators, because without the creators there would be no value chain in the first place”.

US copying levy collector sues car makers

Business News Labels & Publishers Legal

So, America’s Alliance Of Artists And Recording Companies. Remember them right? No, me neither. But it’s an organisation that exists to collect, distribute and administer royalties generated by the copying levies that are applied in some jurisdictions on products that allow users to make copies of copyright works.

Sometimes these levies are a kickback in the copyright system in return for the ‘private copy’ exemption that says people can make back up copies of recordings for their own personal use. Other times the levies are more the result of deals to ensure the makers of copying kit can’t be found liable for contributory infringement if and when their technology is used by others to infringe.

On its website the AARC says it “provides a music royalty, generated by the sales of automobile infotainment systems, blank CDs, personal audio devices, media centers, and satellite radio devices that have music recording capabilities, to its 300,000+ members worldwide”. So that’s fun.

It’s the first of those royalty generating things that has brought the AARC into the news, because the royalties group is in dispute with the car industry in America. It claims that Ford and General Motors are in breach of the 1992 Audio Home Recording Act by placing hard drives in their cars that, amongst other things, allow users to rip music onto the disk for in-car enjoyment, without paying a levy to the AARC.

The not-much-talked-about-these-days Audio Home Recording Act is the bit of American legislation that introduced some copying levies into the US copyright system. Though a court case in the late 1990s limited the reach of the Act somewhat, by saying the rules did not apply to the makers of MP3 players because they were hard disks able to store other software, and were therefore exempt from the levy system. It’s that ruling that Ford and GM are likely to rely on if this case gets to court.

But, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the AARC says in its litigation: “Defendants have violated and continue to violate the AHRA by manufacturing or importing and distributing digital audio recording devices without complying with the AHRA”.

It goes on: “Defendants distribute these devices either pre-installed in vehicles or intended for use in vehicles. Defendants designed these devices for the express purpose of copying music CDs and other digital musical recordings to a hard drive on the devices, and they market these devices emphasising that copying function”.

The royalties group wants an injunction stopping the distribution of the allegedly offended in-car disk systems, and damages for every one sold in recent years. $2500 per vehicle in fact.

Three Six Zero partners with Warner on recordings and publishing

Business News Labels & Publishers

The Three Six Zero Group has announced a new partnership with Warner Music on publishing and recordings.

The newly launched Three Six Zero Publishing will work in partnership with Warner/Chappell on the music publishing side of things, while new record label Three Six Zero Music and Warner Bros Records US will jointly sign artists to record deals.

Three Six Zero co-founder Mark Gillespie said: “Three Six Zero Group is a place where artists can develop and grow with support from all areas of our business. Warner Bros Records and Warner/Chappell Music are powerhouses in contemporary music. There’s no better group to team with as we look at new ways to blend genres and help developing artists break through and established artists cross over”.

Warner Bros Records and Warner/Chappell CEO Cameron Strang added: “By bringing together Warner Bros Records and Warner/Chappell with Three Six Zero, we’re creating a full service music company for exciting new artists. Dean Wilson and Mark Gillespie have swiftly established their company as a creative force and we’re excited to work with them”.

The first recording artists to be signed under the partnership are GTA, Cut Snake, and Anabel Englund.

Vevo on the market

Digital

Hey, it’s been a few months since we had any sort of speculation about Vevo being up for sale now. But don’t worry, it’s back.

According to The Information, Vevo’s co-owners Universal and Sony having hired Goldman Sachs back in April to come up with a plan for the future of the company, the bankers are now in early talks with potential buyers. Initial hopes were, reportedly, that a new minority investor could be found to inject some cash, like current partners Abu Dhabi Media and Google, but that having failed suitors are now being courted to take control of the company.

Re/code reports that a valuation of between $700 million and $1 billion is being thrown around. Though with the company currently not turning a profit, despite revenues in the hundreds of millions, the bankers are reportedly trying to convince Universal and Sony to reduce the cut of ad revenue they take as content providers to give any new investor a higher chance of making a return on their investment.

Names suggested as possible buyers include DreamWorks, which already put in a bid earlier this year, Yahoo! and Amazon. Google has also been suggested as potentially being interested in taking full control of the company – though it seems unlikely that Sony and Universal would agreed to that.

Rhapsody claims two million paying users

Business News Digital

Rhapsody International, the digital music company that operates both the Rhapsody and Napster streaming services, and the recently launched Rhapsody unRadio venture too, announced yesterday that it now has two million paying subscribers.

Which is an interesting boast for what is one of the longest established subscription-based digital music operators in the market (Rhapsody being early to market in the US, as was the legit Napster in the UK), in that it’s a hell of a long way behind the ten million paying users boasted by the relative upstart that is Spotify.

But whatever, Team Rhapsody seem pleased with their two million achievement, up from one million paying users in 2011. As with most streaming services, mobile network alliances have helped. Rhapsody unRadio in the US is a partnership with T-Mobile, and a similar set-up will launch under the Napster brand in France via an alliance with tel co SFR.

Commenting on that, the firm’s SVP for Europe, Thorsten Schliesche, told CMU: “We are very satisfied with the development of Napster in France and with Napster Découverte’s successful co-operation with SFR. France is one of the fastest growing markets in Europe. The success of our service proves that customers are eager for a blend of on-demand and radio music”.

TV On The Radio sign to Harvest, plant new LP details

Artist News Releases

TV On The Radio have pointed to the release later this year of their new LP, ‘Seeds’.

Their first since the sad death of bassist Gerard Smith in the spring of 2011, it is arriving “this fall” via the band’s new US label, Capitol’s Harvest Records, this following TVOTR’s decampment last year from Interscope.

And that’s it for the time being, really. So pending extra details, why the hell not check a ‘Seeds’ teaser clip here:

Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett preview jazz LP

Artist News

Young Lady Gaga and her showbiz granddad Tony Bennett have released a sheet of details on their long-awaited shared LP, ‘Cheek To Cheek’. And here they are, posing ‘head quite near to head’. And here again, in a clasp I’m calling ‘chin to quiff’. And here again, clinching the ‘Cheek To Cheek’ stance finally.

Aaaanyway, the deal with ‘Cheek To Cheek’ is this; it’s being released on 22 Sep, and will feature the pair’s 2011 collaborative cover of Cole Porter’s ‘Anything Goes’, and some other songs of a similarly jazzy ilk.

Gaga, an original jazz baby who was raised on smoky songbook classics, says: “The collaboration has been so wonderful. It’s so natural singing with Tony. I just learn so much from him every day. I’m so happy”.

Tony B adds: “She sings so wonderful and she’s actually really a great jazz singer. She improvises every time we do a song. We do it over and over and it’s different every time”.

Wow, ain’t that a kick in the head. Watch Gaga and Tone promoting wild abandon in this ‘Anything Goes’ clip:

Rare Roni Size Reprazent shows confirmed

Artist News Gigs & Festivals

Having recently detailed his new solo LP ‘Take Kontrol’ dnb demigod Roni Size has confirmed three 2014 appearances by his Reprazent ensemble, which is quite big news I guess.

The shows will find Size playing live beside co-Reprazentatives Dynamite MC, Onalee, Si John, Dave Amso, Jay Wilcox and Danny Cox, and TBA special guests.

Contemplating the date, Size, who releases ‘Take Kontrol’ on 25 Aug, and will in the new year follow that with new Reprazent material, says: “Bringing back Reprazent has been on my mind for some time now. I’m looking forward to playing new tracks from the new album. There’s no better feeling than when you walk on to the stage to perform a live show, the noise of the crowd, the screaming that turns into a roar! All of a sudden, its all systems go – then we all become one!”

The dates look like this:

11 Oct: Manchester, Warehouse Project
6 Nov: London, Village Underground
6 Dec: Bristol, In:Motion

UPDATE 31 Jul 2014, 15:00: Added Manchester and Bristol show information.

Marianne Faithfull books London show

Artist News Gigs & Festivals

Rock n roll grand dame Marianne Faithfull is going to grace the capital’s Royal Festival Hall with a live send-off for her aptly-titled new LP, ‘Give My Love To London’.

Falling on 29 Nov in the middle of a winter tour of Europe, the show also marks the 50th anniversary of Marianne’s ‘célébrité’, and is her only British PA of 2014.

As previously reported, ‘Give My Love To London’ is released on 29 Sep, this featuring guest appearances by Portishead’s Adrian Utley, Brian Eno, Ed Harcourt and The Bad Seeds’ Warren Ellis and Jim Sclavunos, any of whom might plausibly show up at the London date.

Shop for tickets at this link.

Shabazz Palaces, Melt Yourself Down, James Chance and Séb Tellier to play LDN’s Illuminations

Artist News Gigs & Festivals

Cosmic rappers Shabazz Palaces, Franco-pop-o-naut Sébastien Tellier and Melt Yourself Down (featuring a rare PA by guest James Chance) are all listed to play live headline sets at this year’s Illuminations festival, live promoter Rockfeedback’s London-based series of one-off shows and arts/film events.

Taking place in various spaces all over London from 27 Oct – 7 Nov, the Illuminations 2014 programme starts off with a screening of ‘Wild Combination’, a film portrait of late alt-disco infiltrator Arthur Russell.

Also on the film side, and thanks to a collaboration with the Hackney Picturehouse, are a showing of Fugazi doc ‘Instrument’; a Channel 4 ‘Random Acts’-curated night of short films featuring the likes of Savages and Jacques Greene; a ‘from the vault’-style parade of ‘shocking and sensational’ music videos from MTV’s ‘120 Minutes’; and on 31 Oct, a Halloween screening of ‘Godfather Of Gore’ Lucio Fulci’s horror movies with live rendition of their Fabio Frizzi-written scores.

Details, listings and ticket links are available here.

Rizzle Kicks love bees, hate wasps

And Finally Artist News

Your mum’s favourite rapping pop duo and also mine, Rizzle Kicks, hate wasps, accusing them of being “fucking dickheads”. On the other hand, bees, in Rizzle Kicks’ dual minds, are the artists of the insect world. This is the way life is these days.

Yes, indeed, RK have set off a ‘beef’ with the winged, sting-ed insects (wasps). Stating the case for bees, the band’s Jordan tells Q Magazine: “Bees are almost honourable, man. Firstly they create some sweet, sweet honey. Which is fucking GREAT. Thanks, bees, for the honey. And if they sting you they die, so when it comes to stinging, they’re really passionate about what they do”.

And he adds: “They’re like passionate artists. Bees are like painters. All they do is give and give and give, and sometimes they give too much”.

But wait. Jordan says of wasps: “Wasps on the other hand are just cunts. No honey, no passion, they just go around stinging children just because they can. They’re fucking dickheads”.

Sometimes it’s good to try to think of things from your enemy’s point of view though. And here Jordan does just that: “I suppose given the choice I’d like to be a focused missile kind of wasp, just stinging the shit out of other cunts. Jeremy Clarkson in the eye. BANG! Fuck you!”

Harley, by the way, is scared of wasps. So now we all know a lot more than we ever desired to know on the topic of Rizzle Kicks and bees/wasps.

Approved: Laura Groves

CMU Approved

Originally going as XL-signed singing-writing alias Blue Roses, Yorkshire girl Laura Groves’ story is one of DIY-discovery, of eking out her own voice – and given name – and now she’s released a solo EP titled ‘Thinking About Thinking’.

Also a part of approved trio Nautic, whose ‘Navy Blue’ EP is one of my favourites of the year, Groves’ willowy voice digs a line in songs of meditative longing, yielding, love and loves lost.

Laura plays London’s St Pancras Old Church tonight (tickets still available here), a show you definitely need to be at. Hear her ‘Thinking About Thinking’ EP here first.

<a href="http://deekrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/thinking-about-thinking-ep">Thinking About Thinking EP by Laura Groves</a>

New PIPCU initiative aims to invade the piracy ad spots

Business News Digital Legal Top Stories

The City Of London Police’s IP Crime unit has announced a new initiative which aims to replace advertising on piracy websites with warning notices telling users that the sites are under investigation for copyright infringement.

As previously reported, targeting the revenue streams of copyright infringing online operations has become a key element of the fight against piracy, and a top priority for the police’s IP specialists, or PIPCU.

Because of the way online advertising works banner ads for legit brands often appear on piracy sites without the brand really knowing, because the advertising has been placed by outsourced ad networks. Those ads generate income for the people running piracy platforms, but also give the services a sense of legitimacy in the eyes of many web-users, who can’t necessarily tell legit content services from the illegal ones.

PIPCU hopes that if it can replace those big brand ads with stern police notices, users will be encouraged to go looking for their online content elsewhere. Quite how the ad invasion will work technically speaking isn’t clear, though PIPCU is working with a company called Project Sunblock on the initiative.

Of course, concerns have been expressed in the past that PIPCU has a mandate to target piracy sites in this way without there necessarily being a court order confirming that a website is indeed infringing copyright.

Though in its announcement about the new ad invasion tactic the police unit stresses that its internal team properly investigates the operations of any piracy sites before acting, and that operators of such platforms are given notice before any action is taken, allowing them to dispute infringement claims, or put their houses in order.

In the vast majority of cases the sites being targeted are clearly prolific infringers, though presumably PIPCU can’t afford to accidentally take down a site that is legit, or even where the legalities of the operation are uncertain.

Confirming the new initiative this morning, PIPCU boss Andy Fyfe told CMU: “This new initiative is another step forward for the unit in tackling IP crime and disrupting criminal profits. Copyright infringing websites are making huge sums of money through advert placement, therefore disrupting advertising on these sites is crucial and this is why it is an integral part of Operation Creative”.

He went on: “This work also helps us to protect consumers. When adverts from well known brands appear on illegal websites, they lend them a look of legitimacy and inadvertently fool consumers into thinking the site is authentic”.

Meanwhile Project Sunblock CEO Duncan Trigg added: “Protecting brands online is at the heart of what we do, so we’re delighted to be selected to help the police tackle online piracy and bring about a safer marketplace for advertisers in the UK”.

He went on: “Without realising it, advertisers are allowing their brands to be associated with illegal sites, and regrettably, this happens more often than it should. But each time it does, brands are effectively putting money in the back pocket of criminals. As advertisers funnel more money into online spend, initiatives like this are crucial to safeguarding their brands as well as their budget”.

CMU goes live at The Roundhouse TONIGHT

Business News Education & Events Top Stories

If you’re free tonight and looking for some music industry chat, then look no further than CMU’s live podcast recording at The Roundhouse.

Dan Le Sac, Sentric Music’s Simon Pursehouse and Digital Music Trends host Andrea Leonelli will join CMU Editor Andy Malt to discuss some of the big news stories to come out of the music business in the last month. Plus a couple of funny ones.

Tickets are available from the Roundhouse website now, or there will be a handful on the door this evening. CMU Digest subscribers can get 50% off when they book online.

Thursday 31 July 2014, 11:59 | By Chris Cooke

So, the assets of MegaUpload founder Kim Dotcom were being discussed in court again this week, on two separate levels.

READ MORE ABOUT: Kim Dotcom | MegaUpload

Thursday 31 July 2014, 11:58 | By Andy Malt

Music publishing company Peermusic and Australasian song rights collecting society APRA/AMCOS have announced a new pan-Asian licensing agreement. Under the deal, APRA/AMCOS will represent Peermusic’s catalogue in all Asian territories, except Japan, on a non-exclusive basis.

READ MORE ABOUT: APRA/AMCOS | Peermusic

Thursday 31 July 2014, 11:57 | By Andy Malt

A festival in Ohio has scrapped R Kelly as one of its headliners following criticism of the singer’s booking, due to ongoing allegations of sexual abuse.

READ MORE ABOUT: Fashion Meet Music Festival | R Kelly

Thursday 31 July 2014, 11:56 | By Andy Malt

Warner Music Group digital exec Stephen Bryan has announced that he is departing the major after seventeen years to take up a new role at SoundCloud.

READ MORE ABOUT: SoundCloud | Stephen Bryan | Warner Music

Thursday 31 July 2014, 11:55 | By Andy Malt

7digital has announced the promotion of Paul Shannon to VP Of Technology. He replaces the departing Rob Bowley.

READ MORE ABOUT: 7digital | Paul Shannon

Thursday 31 July 2014, 11:54 | By Chris Cooke

Ah, radio listening figures, that quarterly helping of audience stats from the radio industry’s RAJAR body. Here’s five snippets from the batch…

READ MORE ABOUT: BBC Radio 1 | BBC Radio 2 | BBC Radio 3 | BBC Radio 6 Music | Capital XTRA | Choice FM | DAB | Heart Radio | Kiss | Magic | RAJAR

Thursday 31 July 2014, 11:52 | By Andy Malt

The British Board Of Film Classification has confirmed that physically released music videos will, from later this year, be required to have age ratings from the organisation prior to being released.

READ MORE ABOUT: BBFC

Thursday 31 July 2014, 11:51 | By Andy Malt

Banks is none too pleased with a cover of her 2013 single ‘Waiting Game’ appearing on Neon Jungle’s debut long-player, ‘Welcome To The Jungle’. Released this week, the album version of the track comes after the group recorded a live studio version for their Vevo channel earlier this year.

READ MORE ABOUT: Banks | Neon Jungle

Thursday 31 July 2014, 11:50 | By Andy Malt

Are you still waiting for Blur’s reunion album? Well, the latest word is that it may never get finished. I think that might have been the previous word too. And the word before that. There have been so very many words.

READ MORE ABOUT: Blur | Damon Albarn

Thursday 31 July 2014, 11:49 | By Andy Malt

Lily Allen is officially ‘no longer associated’ with the musical adaptation of them Bridget Jones’ Diary’ films and, in fact, books.

READ MORE ABOUT: Lily Allen

Thursday 31 July 2014, 11:48 | By Andy Malt

Following other re-issuey business last summer, Led Zeppelin have announced plans to continue this year by putting out new versions of their fourth and fifth albums, ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ and ‘Houses Of The Holy’.

READ MORE ABOUT: Led Zeppelin

Thursday 31 July 2014, 11:47 | By Aly Barchi

Now that his Chemical Romance is over and done with, orangey-haired man Gerard Way has confirmed a release date for what will be his first solo LP, ‘Hesitant Alien’. Basically, it’ll be available on “9.30.14”, which clearly is simply an American way of saying 29 Sep.

READ MORE ABOUT: Gerard Way

Thursday 31 July 2014, 11:46 | By Aly Barchi

Ascendant Canadian punks White Lung are due to plug their current LP, ‘Deep Fantasy’, on a just-announced tour of the UK. So, now you know.

READ MORE ABOUT: White Lung

Thursday 31 July 2014, 11:45 | By Aly Barchi

Bearded band Tall Ships are sailing off on a disproportionately small tour of the nation’s littlest dives in October. They do so in order to preview their TBC new LP, which will follow 2012’s ‘Everything Touching’. Be there, or don’t.

READ MORE ABOUT: Tall Ships

Thursday 31 July 2014, 11:44 | By Andy Malt

READ MORE ABOUT: David Guetta | Tom Petty

Thursday 31 July 2014, 11:27 | By Aly Barchi

Having released their ‘Tender Opposites’ LP back in 2012, Canadian band Tops, the main sideline of Paula wizard David Carriere, have wisely taken their time in making a new one, chipping away at their sideways line in idiosyncratic pop and feeding in a string of preview singles.

READ MORE ABOUT: Tops

Wednesday 30 July 2014, 11:49 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Fair Digital Deals Declaration | International Music Managers Forum (IMMF)

Wednesday 30 July 2014, 11:48 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: AARC | Ford | General Motors

Wednesday 30 July 2014, 11:47 | By Andy Malt

The Three Six Zero Group has announced a new partnership with Warner Music on publishing and recordings.

READ MORE ABOUT: Three Six Zero Group | Three Six Zero Music | Three Six Zero Publishing | Warner Chappell | Warner Music

Wednesday 30 July 2014, 11:46 | By Andy Malt

Hey, it’s been a few months since we had any sort of speculation about Vevo being up for sale now. But don’t worry, it’s back.

READ MORE ABOUT: VEVO

Wednesday 30 July 2014, 11:45 | By Chris Cooke

Rhapsody International, the digital music company that operates both the Rhapsody and Napster streaming services, and the recently launched Rhapsody unRadio venture too, announced yesterday that it now has two million paying subscribers.

READ MORE ABOUT: Napster | Rhapsody | Rhapsody International

Wednesday 30 July 2014, 11:44 | By Aly Barchi

TV On The Radio have pointed to the release later this year of their new LP, ‘Seeds’.

READ MORE ABOUT: TV On The Radio

Wednesday 30 July 2014, 11:43 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Lady Gaga | Tony Bennett

Wednesday 30 July 2014, 11:42 | By Aly Barchi

Having recently detailed his new solo LP ‘Take Kontrol’ dnb demigod Roni Size has confirmed three 2014 appearances by his Reprazent ensemble, which is quite big news I guess.

READ MORE ABOUT: Reprazent | Roni Size

Wednesday 30 July 2014, 11:41 | By Aly Barchi

Rock n roll grand dame Marianne Faithfull is going to grace the capital’s Royal Festival Hall with a live send-off for her aptly-titled new LP, ‘Give My Love To London’.

READ MORE ABOUT: Marianne Faithfull

Wednesday 30 July 2014, 11:40 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Illuminations | James Chance | Melt Yourself Down | Sébastien Tellier | Shabazz Palaces

Wednesday 30 July 2014, 11:39 | By Aly Barchi

Your mum’s favourite rapping pop duo and also mine, Rizzle Kicks, hate wasps, accusing them of being “fucking dickheads”. On the other hand, bees, in Rizzle Kicks’ dual minds, are the artists of the insect world. This is the way life is these days.

READ MORE ABOUT: Rizzle Kicks

Wednesday 30 July 2014, 11:09 | By Aly Barchi

Originally going as XL-signed singing-writing alias Blue Roses, Yorkshire girl Laura Groves’ story is one of DIY-discovery, of eking out her own voice – and given name – and now she’s released a solo EP titled ‘Thinking About Thinking’.

READ MORE ABOUT: Blue Roses | Laura Groves

Tuesday 29 July 2014, 11:02 | By Chris Cooke