This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Tuesday 30 June 2015, 10:22 | By Chris Cooke
Dre debut will be on Apple Music, as AC/DC head to the streaming platforms
Business News Digital
So, we all know something big is happening later today involving apples and music.
I wish it was a pie. A big fat musical apple pie. Actually, it needn’t be all that musical, I’d just take the pie. Can I have some apple pie? I love apple pie. Can someone send me some apple pie? With ice cream. Not custard. I don’t like custard. It would all be ruined if there was custard. Whatever you do, don’t put custard on my apple pie. In fact, just keep your meddling hands off my apple pie. It’s my pie, and it’s perfect.
Anyway, moving away from perfection for now, Apple Music launches this afternoon (UK time), you know, streaming, playlists, radio channels, Beats1 gubbins, Connect, integrated iTunes Match with boosted capacity, free three month trial, over 100 countries, a few pennies for the labels here and there, and no Sonos or Android but just be patient because everything comes to those who wait. As Dr Dre fans know only too well. Not that anything actually came for them.
But imagine if Apple Music arrived with Dre’s long, long, long awaited third album ‘Detox’ (or whatever he’s calling it now, if he’s calling it anything anymore) happily streaming away. Now that would be big news. But in your imagination that eventuality will have to stay. Though the Beats co-founder’s debut long player ‘The Chronic’ will be available, which is sort of news because Dre hasn’t let that record be legally streamed on the net to date, he having reaffirmed his control over the digital rights in the album a few years back.
It remains to be seen what other exclusives Apple manages to grab, you know, from people not directly associated with the tech giant. Though, of course, Taylor Swift has given the green light for them to stream her latest album ‘1989’ as well as her back catalogue, on account of them backtracking on all that ‘no royalties till autumn’ nonsense.
Though it’s not just Apple Music adding some classic never-before-streamed content to its catalogue later today. Oh no, as my big apple pie arrives later this afternoon, word has it the AC/DC catalogue will arrive on Spotify for the first time. Though it’s also expected to be on Apple Music too, and probably Rdio as well. Basically the famous digital hold-outs are using Apple’s big launch to finally embrace the streams, having not signed up to the iTunes download store until 2012.
Anyway, that’s enough streaming chatter for now. Though I do really want that apple pie.
READ MORE ABOUT: AC/DC | Apple Music | Dr Dre
Tuesday 30 June 2015, 10:21 | By Chris Cooke
BMG acquires Verse Music Group
Business News Deals Labels & Publishers
BMG has acquired the Verse Music Group, which is a bit like acquiring the Verve Music Group, but not as exciting. What a difference one letter can make. And they’re so close together on the keyboard too.
No, not really, there’s plenty of great tunage amongst the 40,000 odd songs and recordings controlled by the New York-based Verse Music Group, which includes records from the legendary funk label Salsoul Records, works by Nina Simone, Duke Ellington and John Coltrane in the Bethlehem music catalogue, and the output of Golden Records, which, by the way, was the first children’s record label in the US with recordings by the likes of Danny Kaye, Roy Rodgers, Bing Crosby and Johnny Cash.
Confirming the acquisition, BMG’s Laurent Hubert told reporters: “Verse has assembled an extremely varied and wide-ranging catalogue which touches many of the most influential moments in popular music history. There are considerable synergies with existing BMG catalogues which make this acquisition particularly exciting”. He sounds almost thrilled to me.
READ MORE ABOUT: BMG | Verse Music Group
Tuesday 30 June 2015, 10:20 | By Chris Cooke
Kobalt to administrate Blue Mountain songs catalogue
Business News Deals Labels & Publishers
Kobalt has announced a worldwide administration deal with Blue Mountain Music, the music publishing business established in 1962 by Chris Blackwell, who’s probably better known as the founder of Island Records and for being an all round British music industry legend.
So much so, Blackwell calling Kobalt the “the future of music publishing” is something else to add to the music rights firm’s big fat brag list. Just in case that mad Wired cover ever fades, what with all this sunshine we’re having at the moment. The deal will also see Kobalt providing administration and sync services to a pretty impressive catalogue of songs that includes the complete Bob Marley oeuvre and songs from the likes of U2, Free, John Martyn and plenty of newer talent.
Confirming the deal, Kobalt boss man Willard Ahdritz told reporters: “This is a monumental deal for Kobalt and for me personally. We are humbled and excited to partner with Chris Blackwell and Blue Mountain to work with their diverse catalogue of hits and timeless songs, including Bob Marley and U2, both whose influence on music and the world is immeasurable. I’ve always admired Chris’s entrepreneurial spirit, his unique gift for identifying exceptional talent, and of course his great love for jazz!”
Blackwell himself added: “I am thrilled to have Blue Mountain Music partner with Kobalt whom I believe are the future of the music publishing business. Their entrepreneurial leadership, together with their investment in and dedication to technology, is allowing for seamless and transparent collection and is making a huge difference to songwriters around the world”.
READ MORE ABOUT: Kobalt
Tuesday 30 June 2015, 10:18 | By Chris Cooke
Universal Music Publishing promotes its income tracking chief
Business News Industry People Labels & Publishers
It’s all about the royalty data, right? Well, Universal Music Publishing has promoted its VP of Income Tracking, Randi Olsen, to the role of Senior VP Of Income Tracking and Analytics. Which might just look like the addition of two words, but it’s all joined up with plans to expand the operations of Olsen’s department to provide ever more analytics and insights to songwriters signed to the major.
Confirming the appointment, the Universal music publishing firm’s CFO Worldwide Michael J Sammis told reporters: “The importance of ‘income tracking’ in the music publishing industry cannot be overstated. Randi’s commitment to this process provides immeasurable value to Universal Music Publishing and its songwriter partners”.
He went in: “She and her staff work closely with all departments, including licensing and creative, to identify issues and secure, protect and maximise our collective economic interests. This is a well-deserved promotion and I look forward to continuing to work closely with Randi and her team.”
Longtime Universal exec Olsen added: “It’s an exciting time at Universal Music Publishing and it has been a blessing to work with Mike Sammis and the team for the last eighteen years! I’m very grateful for the incredible opportunity to expand our income tracking operations, particularly during this time in our business when this area is even more complex and important to the future of our industry”.
READ MORE ABOUT: Randi Olsen | Universal Music Publishing
Tuesday 30 June 2015, 10:17 | By Chris Cooke
New pre-release content delivery platform launches tomorrow
Business News Marketing & PR
The previously reported new service designed to provide a better way for music companies to share pre-release tracks with media and industry contacts launches tomorrow.
As previously reported, Byta has been founded by music plugger Marc Brown and, he says, hopes to help a music industry that currently relies on the “toxic combination of consumer services such as Dropbox, WeTransfer and private SoundCloud links, or niche and dated ‘promo platforms'” to get new content to key industry contacts.
Brown says: “WeTransfer and SoundCloud are beautiful products, but they simply aren’t built for those working in music. I can’t overstate how bad the problem is, absolute chaos. Everyone has a story to tell and they all feel a loss of control, both as senders and especially as receivers”.
Explaining why he thinks his product overcomes the issues users find with other service providers, Brown told CMU: “Byta takes the exchange of digital audio out of email, offering senders and receivers control over their experience. Senders control security and format options, eliminating the need for multiple services. And Byta offers a free account which recipients can use to listen, download and manage received audio instead of searching for links in emails”.
You can check out the new service at byta.fm/
READ MORE ABOUT: Byta
Tuesday 30 June 2015, 10:14 | By Chris Cooke
Topspin co-founder joins Pandora
Business News Digital Industry People
While Wall Street will be closely watching the Pandora share price later today, wondering what impact the arrival of Apple Music will have on the publicly listed US streaming service, the artist and label community might be instead wondering what to make of the appointment of Shamal Ranasinghe – best known as co-founder of direct-to-fan platform Topspin – to the role of Pandora’s VP Of Product Management, Artists And Music Makers.
In his new role Ranasinghe, last seen working on another music tech start up called Fluence, will be charged with developing new products and services to benefit the artist and music community, in addition to Pandora’s existing AMP data platform, which we assume is already being further enhanced via the streaming firm’s recent acquisition of Next Big Sound.
Pandora has been putting increased efforts into providing services for artists and labels of late, of course, in a bid to improve its relations with the music community as it concurrently tries to bash down the royalties it pays to rights owners, performers and creators.
In the US, Pandora gets to licence recording rights via a compulsory licence with rates set by the Copyright Royalty Board, while so far the publishers have been forced to licence their rights via their collecting societies subject to rate court intervention. Therefore, Pandora doesn’t need to negotiate direct deals with anyone, and has generally done what it can to persuade the CRB and rate courts to keep its royalty commitments as low as possible.
Which is why everyone hates Pandora. Apart from the 80 million people who use the mainly ad-funded service of course, which is a truly impressive active-user base given the personalised radio set-up is only available in three markets, and most users are in the US. So Pandora has been trying to use its reach and data to placate artists who are pissed off about the royalty situation.
Ranasinghe will presumably play a key role in those efforts moving forward, maybe also looking to add some direct-to-fan channels into the mix.
Confirming his new job, he wrote in a blog post yesterday: “My career has been committed to building products and services for the creative community, so I’m super excited to join Pandora as a VP Of Product to continue on that mission. I’ll be working with some great people on building a better bridge between the music makers and Pandora’s massive base of music fans. We have a chance to significantly move the needle to improve the welfare of artists, while strengthening the connection to their fans”.
It’s thought Ranasinghe will still be involved in the development of Fluence despite his new job. And presumably he’ll also find time to chew the fat with at least one former Topsin colleague, that there Ian Rogers. He, of course, has mainly been occupying his time of late on that little venture they call Apple Music, which has proven that one great way to placate artists is to do the one thing Pandora doesn’t want to do, offer them more money.
READ MORE ABOUT: Pandora | Shamal Ranasinghe
Tuesday 30 June 2015, 10:11 | By Chris Cooke
TeamRock MD Chris Ingham steps down
Business News Industry People Media
The MD of rock music media firm TeamRock, Chris Ingham, is leaving the company, nearly two decades after first joining one of its flagship titles Metal Hammer.
Ingham first joined the metal mag, then owned by Dennis Publishing, in 1996, and held various commercial and editorial roles over the years, as well as helping launch sister title Classic Rock. After the magazines were acquired by Future, in 2004 he took the role of Publisher for all that company’s music titles, and subsequently launched the Prog and Blues magazines and a number of award events. He then became MD of TeamRock when it acquired Future’s rock portfolio to run alongside its other online and radio-based operations.
Confirming he was now departing the company, Ingham told reporters: “In every day work most people don’t get the chance to let their _imaginations run riot. I’ve been one of the lucky ones by having the opportunity to do just that over 20 years. There have been some incredible times, some stunning achievements and I’ve shared moments with the most committed and passionate people in rock music media. But now it’s time to move to a fresh canvas. I wish my long time colleagues well in their endeavours”.
TeamRock CEO Billy Anderson added: “Chris Ingham has decided to move on to the next phase in his career after a successful and inspiring 20 years, mostly with Future publishing but lately, with ourselves. We wish him well”.
READ MORE ABOUT: Chris Ingham | TeamRock
Tuesday 30 June 2015, 10:09 | By Chris Cooke
Folk and roots community collaborate on protest song collection
Artist News Releases
Sixteen folk and roots artists have contributed tracks to a new compilation of contemporary protest songs inspired by the recent General Election. Well, more by the utter despair some (many?) in the music community felt once the results were in.
The record has been organised by Jamie and Stevie Freeman, who run the folk, country and Americana championing Union Music Store, and they explain: “We woke up on May 8th to election results that left tens of millions of people feeling disenfranchised and without a voice. Rather than wait quietly for another five years before we got to have our say, we decided to return to the proud musical tradition of the protest song. Our votes might have counted for nothing, but we could still make our voices heard”.
They go on: “We contacted our many friends in the roots music world and asked them to contribute something to a compilation of contemporary protest songs, and the results were an incredibly diverse range of musical, emotional and political styles. ‘Land Of Hope & Fury’ was born. Sixteen artists in total donated songs with nine of them written specifically for the album. This coming together of people, all acting out of a simple desire to make the world a better place, has been the single most encouraging aspect of this project, It is the proof that Margaret Thatcher’s suggestion that ‘there’s no such thing as society’ is as wrong today as ever it was”.
The album will go on sale on 10 Jul in aid of political activist group 38 Degrees. More info at the Union Music Store.
And a tracklisting…
1. Luke Jackson – Forgotten Voices
2. Mark Chadwick (Levellers) – No Change
3. Emily Barker – Doing The Best I Can
4. Moulettes – Lullaby
5. Lucy Ward – Bigger Than That
6. The Jamie Freeman Agreement – Homes For Heroes
7. The Self help Group – Funeral Drum
8. The Dreaming Spires – Follow The Money
9. Mountain Firework Company – Filthy Lucre
10. Phil Jones (Hatful Of Rain) – New Homes
11. OHooley & Tidow – The Hum
12. Will Varley – The Sound Of The Markets Crashing
13. Chris TT – A-Z
14. Plumhall – Never Forget My Name
15. Grace Petrie – If There’s A Fire In Your Heart
16. Danni Nicholls – A Little Redemption
READ MORE ABOUT: Union Music Store
Tuesday 30 June 2015, 10:05 | By Chris Cooke
Foo Fighters expected to make it back on stage for US tour
Artist News Gigs & Festivals
Despite speculation that Dave Grohl’s broken leg might impact on the Foo Fighter’s upcoming North American tour, a tweet yesterday implied that won’t be the case.
The band were forced to cancel a number of European dates, of course, including their planned Glastonbury slot last weekend, after Grohl fell of stage during a gig in Sweden earlier this month and broke his leg.
The outfit’s US tour is due to kick off this weekend in Washington, and despite fears Grohl’s injuries might affect those dates too, the band tweeted yesterday: “Can’t f***ing wait for the 4th!!! See you at home, DC”
So there you go. Whatever, presumably Grohl will be back in full performing mode by next June, which is why his band are early favourites to headline next year’s Glastonbury Festival, amidst rumours they were rebooked as soon as they had to pull out this year.
Coldplay, Blur and Prince are the next favourites for Glasto 2016 headline slots, in terms of the odds you’ll get from the bookies. Emily Eavis, of course, has said all three headliners are already booked for next year.
READ MORE ABOUT: Foo Fighters | Glastonbury Festival
Tuesday 30 June 2015, 09:59 | By Andy Malt
Approved: Philco Fiction – June 17
CMU Approved
More than two years on from their last release – approved and still brilliant single ‘Oh Future’ – Philco Fiction re-emerged last month with ‘Bodies’, the first track from their new album. Now slimmed down to a duo and signed to Killing Moon, the sleek pop ballad set the scene for their return, while new single ‘June 17’ kicks open the door.
Actually, it more pushes back and waits before slowly marching through, but then quickly establishes its dominance in the room. Once the horn stabs arrive, there is no question that it is the new leader, a big echoing drum fill rushing up halfway through just to be absolutely certain.
Bow down to your new leader…
READ MORE ABOUT: Philco Fiction
Tuesday 30 June 2015, 09:56 | By Chris Cooke
East 17 play (unintentionally) intimate set
And Finally Artist News
Now, no sniggering at the back thank you very much, just because the reformed East 17 played to 30 people at their recent gig at Dublin’s 800+ capacity The Academy.
What, you didn’t know East 17 were back gigging again? Well, neither Tony Mortimer nor Brian Harvey are involved, so it’s debatable whether they really are, but they do have Robbie Craig on board. Yes, Robbie Craig! Who’d have thought it?
Said one fan in attendance at the recent Dublin show to The Sun: “They looked so ridiculous performing to nobody. Tony Mortimer and Brian Harvey, who sang all their big hits, aren’t with the band any more. So you just have the guys that did the dancing, John Hendy and Terry Coldwell, with a new singer called Robbie Craig”.
Still, as the streaming music market hots up and everyone’s clambering for every exclusive they can grab, it’s good to know East 17 are back in the game. Who wants an East 17 live exclusive? Rara perhaps?
READ MORE ABOUT: East 17
Monday 29 June 2015, 10:39 | By Andy Malt
Approved: Alec Lomami
CMU Approved
Congolese rapper Alec Lomami this week releases ‘Quelques Mots Suffisent’, the first of four EPs he has planned for the second half of 2015.
Lead track ‘Trouble Anxieux’ finds him in a dark mood, as he explains: “I was in a pretty dark place of existential crisis when I wrote the song. The song is a part of my own catharsis and exorcism of personal demons”. And while his lyrics might be in French, you don’t need a particularly studied grasp of the language to pick up that mood from the track.
Featuring guest vocals from Karun Mungai and Sony Base, production on ‘Trouble Anxieux’ is handled by Olugbenga (no stranger to the CMU Approved column), who matches the brooding tone of Lomami’s lyrics perfectly.
Listen to ‘Trouble Anxieux’ here…
READ MORE ABOUT: Alec Lomami | Olugbenga Adelekan
Monday 29 June 2015, 10:24 | By Chris Cooke
Sirius settles with majors over pre-1972 recordings
Business News Labels & Publishers Legal Media
American satellite broadcaster Sirius XM has reached a settlement with all three majors and ABKCO, best known for controlling the early Rolling Stones catalogue, over the long-rumbling pre-1972 copyright dispute in the US.
As much previously reported, US-wide federal copyright law only applies to sound recordings released from 1972 onwards, and is unusual in that it only provides a digital performing right for sound recording owners, so while satellite and online music services do need to pay royalties to artists and labels, other music channels like AM/FM radio do not.
Sirius is one service that does have to pay royalties, but it argued that payments were not due on pre-1972 recordings that are protected by state rather than federal copyright law. The logic went that the specific federal law that forced it to pay royalties on post-1972 repertoire didn’t apply to earlier works. Meanwhile older state-level copyright laws make no specific reference to satellite services, meaning Sirius was like any other radio station for pre-1972 records, and AM/FM stations don’t pay the labels anything whatever tracks they play.
But the record companies did not agree, arguing that actually royalties were due on older repertoire because state laws – in California and New York at least – while admittedly vague on what specific controls they provided sound recording copyright owners, didn’t specifically state that labels did not have a general performing right, like that enjoyed by song copyrights Stateside and recording copyrights as well in most other countries.
But, countered Sirius (and Pandora, which is also affected by this), if there was a general performing right for sound recording copyrights at a state level, why hadn’t the labels been charging golden oldie AM/FM radio stations all these years whenever they played tracks from the 1950s and 1960s? It’s a good question, but last year a New York judge said that previous failure to enforce a right didn’t mean that right did not exist.
Though the key ruling in all this came in California, where Flo & Eddie, previously of 1960s outfit The Turtles, first went legal on the issue. And they won, giving a second case being pursued by the Recording Industry Association Of America on behalf of the majors and ABKCO a considerable boost.
Which brings us to last week’s settlement, which will see Sirius pay $210 million for past use of pre-1972 repertoire controlled by the claimants. The broadcaster will also be licensed to use the record companies’ pre-1972 catalogue until the end of 2017 when it will need to negotiate new deals.
Welcoming the settlement, the boss of the RIAA, Cary Sherman, told reporters: “This is a great step forward for all music creators. Music has tremendous value, whether it was made in 1970 or 2015. We hope others take note of this important agreement and follow Sirius XM’s example”.
The there mentioned “others” presumably means Pandora, the other big player paying to use post-1972 recordings, but not those that pre-date federal copyright protection. Sirius and Pandora, and other digital radio services, pay royalties for post-1972 repertoire via collecting society SoundExchange, paying rates set by the Copyright Royalty Board.
It’s not clear whether the labels would opt to run pre-1972 royalties through the same body. The record industry generally doesn’t like the CRB setting rates which inevitably end up, most labels believe, below market value. Though having everything running through one system is simpler, and artists get an automatic cut of the money when SoundExchange is involved.
As the messy pre-1972 debate has rumbled on, some have proposed a change to federal copyright law in the US to explicitly extend the SoundExchange system to all sound recordings still in copyright, and it remains to be seen if there are any new moves in that direction. Certainly the pre-1972 issue is far from resolved, not least because Flo & Eddie’s litigation is ongoing, and it now has class action status meaning artists and labels not covered by the RIAA’s deal will benefit if the duo ultimately prevail.
And there is also the question as to what this all means for AM/FM stations playing 1950s and 1960s tracks which, according to the Californian ruling, in theory also need to get licences from the labels to play those records, in that state at least.
If there is any chance of that, the traditional broadcasters will lead the lobby to have all federal copyright laws (and principally the only partial performing right) extended backwards to all recordings. Though the labels would in turn lobby to have a general performing right added at a federal level so that AM/FM stations would have to start paying on all output. Indeed such moves are already underway.
So, plenty still to run on the old pre-1972 thing. For a more detailed explanation of the whole quandary check this CMU trends article, currently free to access on the website.
READ MORE ABOUT: Recordings Industry Association Of America (RIAA) | SiriusXM
Monday 29 June 2015, 10:23 | By Chris Cooke
Universal Music announced marketing deal with Marriott International
Brands & Merch Business News Deals
Universal Music last week announced a wide-ranging alliance with the Marriott group which will see artists signed to the former perform at hotels owned by the latter. It was due to kick off with Jessie J playing the St Pancras Renaissance hotel in London tomorrow, but she’s not been very well of late, so who knows if that’s still happening?
But the “new generation of experience-seekers” this “first-of-its-kind global marketing partnership” is aimed at shouldn’t worry, because there are plenty more performances from both established and new acts in the pipeline, plus there’ll be some branded video and social content gubbins available too, presumably stacked at the back of the mini-bar.
Says Universal Music’s Mike Tunnicliffe: “We are thrilled to partner with Marriott International as they share our determination to build progressive, creative, long-term relationships with brand partners. This relationship brings to life our vision to develop truly integrated partnerships beyond standard transactional opportunities for our artists and their fans around the world”.
READ MORE ABOUT: Marriott International | Universal Music
Monday 29 June 2015, 10:20 | By Chris Cooke
Robomagic announces alliance with Standon Calling
Business News Deals Live Business
Former AEG Live UK boss Rob Hallett has announced an alliance between his new previously reported business Robomagic and the Standon Calling festival, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year.
Confirming he had now taken a role on the Hertfordshire festival’s management team, Hallet told reporters last week: “I am thrilled about Robomagic’s first festival connection and look forward to working with the existing management team towards the growth of one of the UK’s most exciting and innovative events”.
Commenting on Hallet’s involvement from the festival’s side, Standon Calling Festival Director Nick Lawrence added: “We strongly believe that the combination of his unrivalled experience, skills and contacts will have an immediate and favourable impact, as well as providing what’s required to achieve success through the next stage of Standon’s development. These are very exciting times”.
READ MORE ABOUT: Robomagic | Standon Calling
Monday 29 June 2015, 10:19 | By Chris Cooke
Global buys into Snowbombing and Festival No 6 maker
Business News Deals Live Business
The new live music wing of Global Entertainment, the sister music company to Global Radio, last week announced it had taken a “significant strategic stake” in UK promoter Broadwick Live, which is my very favourite kind of stake.
Broadwick is best known for its festivals Snowbombing and Festival No.6, but also works with brands on music events. The firm will remain autonomous after the deal, but will work closely with the rapidly growing Global Live business.
Confirming the arrangement, former AEG man and now Global Entertainment CEO Randy Phillips told reporters: “When [overall Global chief] Ashley Tabor and I decided to build a live entertainment company as part of Global Entertainment, we always planned to expand into the festival and event space. The inventiveness, creativity and business savvy of Broadwick Live are the perfect complement to the growth of Global Live’s worldwide business model”.
Broadwick CEO Gareth Cooper added: “The opportunity to partner with Global Live is huge. With their vision, expertise and investment, we will be able to co-create incredible new events and experiences, and extend our existing portfolio at home in the UK and internationally”.
READ MORE ABOUT: Broadwick Live | Global
Monday 29 June 2015, 10:16 | By Chris Cooke
Speculation continues as Apple Music launch looms
Business News Digital
So, are you ready? Yes, Apple Music launches tomorrow afternoon (UK time), so if you’re enjoying all this Apple Music speculating everyone’s been doing of late, you need to get it all out of your system today. Go on, do it. Let’s face it, the speculating may be more fun than the final product.
Despite all the chatter and hype, not to mentioned the ads that are slowly emerging, there will still be some surprises within Apple Music once things start to kick off tomorrow, mainly to do with how the different elements of the music service, old and new, fit together.
And also how things will differ around the world in terms of price point and functionality. It’s expected that, as with Spotify, 9.99 will apply in dollars, pounds and euros, despite those three currencies not being in sync value wise (God knows what 9.99 euros will be worth by the end of the week).
Apple’s existing streaming service in the US, iTunes Radio, is seemingly going, with a number of themed ‘radio channels’ of similar ilk set to sit alongside the much hyped Beats1 worldwide radio service within the new platform. Whether that will all apply worldwide or just in the US remains to be seen.
Though perhaps the most interesting thing to see will be how iTunes Match fits in to it all. It’s thought that each user’s existing download collection will sit neatly alongside the Apple Music streaming catalogue. Spotify can also do that, but only on devices where a user’s MP3s are actually stored.
Because of the iTunes Match digital locker service, Apple can extend the download collection to all devices. Which means those who choose not to pay $120 a year after the three month free trial could still get the new radio channels and Connect service while just relying on their existing MP3 collections for on-demand music.
Other nuggets of info coming in as the launch of Apple Music approaches include a raft of celebrity guest hosts for Beats 1; news that there will be an app update for the existing and eventually-to-go Beats Music streaming set up making it easier to migrate over to the new Apple Music platform; and confirmation that talks are underway to bring the new service to Sonos speakers by the end of the year.
And that’s enough speculating for now I think. But enjoy it while you can.
READ MORE ABOUT: Apple Music
Monday 29 June 2015, 10:15 | By Chris Cooke
Mi-Soul arrives on DAB
Business News Media
Hey, forget about all that Beats1 malarkey, closer to home (well, closer to my home) there’s a new radio station on the DAB network. Well, not new. But new to DAB. Basically Mi-Soul, the most recent radio venture from Kiss FM founder Gordon Mac, arrived on DAB in London this weekend, having been an internet-only station to date
Commenting on Mi-Soul’s arrival to the London airwaves, Mac is quoted by Radio Today thus: “This is the most exciting development in our evolution. We have worked extremely hard for many years to prepare for this moment, and since finally being granted a license by OfCom, we are looking forward to introducing our music and stellar roster of DJs to a much wider audience”.
He went on: “While the media landscape has changed enormously since we launched Kiss FM in 1990 the lack of choice in mainstream radio is surprisingly similar to then, as much of commercial radio has migrated to the bland middle ground. There is a significant audience aged 30 years plus who listened to soulful music in their youth on Kiss FM/Choice and now have nowhere to go”.
READ MORE ABOUT: Mi-Soul
Monday 29 June 2015, 10:14 | By Chris Cooke
New CFO at Global Radio
Business News Industry People Live Business Media
UK radio major, and growing artist management and live music business, Global has appointed a new Chief Financial Officer in the form of Darren Singer, who joins the media and entertainment firm from the Guardian Media Group.
He’ll reported to Global Group CEO Stephen Miron in the new role, who told reporters: “Darren brings to Global exceptional leadership, knowledge and experience, having worked at some of the world’s most prestigious media and entertainment companies. We’re delighted to welcome Darren to Global where he will be a tremendous asset as we continue to fulfil our ambitious plans for the business”.
Meanwhile Singer himself added: “It’s an incredible time to join Global. Over the past few years, I’ve watched the company as it has stimulated the commercial radio sector’s return to growth, and more recently as it has grown its interests in the music and entertainment world in the UK and the US. I’m looking forward to joining the leadership team and playing a role in the next stage of the Global journey”.
READ MORE ABOUT: Darren Singer | Global
Monday 29 June 2015, 10:12 | By Chris Cooke
New MD at Radio Academy
Business News Industry People Media
The recently streamlined Radio Academy has appointed a new Managing Director in the form of Roger Cutsforth, who has had a long career in commercial radio, most recently at Global Radio.
Confirming the appointment, the Academy’s Chair Chris Burns told reporters: “I am delighted to announce this week that Roger Cutsforth is to become the Radio Academy’s new Managing Director. Roger currently works at Global and brings to the role a love of the industry and a passion for the ‘Creative Led Sell’. Roger will take up his new post in mid July and I know he can’t wait to get started. I think he is a great appointment for the Academy and I am really looking forward to working with him”.
Cutsforth will be charged with the task of rebuilding the Radio Academy as an organisation with “learning and networking” at its core, it having closed its London office and axed its two big events, the Radio Festival and Radio Academy Awards, late last year. News on a smaller replacement annual conference is expected this week.
READ MORE ABOUT: Radio Academy | Roger Cutsforth
Monday 29 June 2015, 10:11 | By Chris Cooke
Yes founder and bassist Chris Squire dies
Artist News
Prog rockers Yes confirmed this weekend that the band’s co-founder and bassist Chris Squire has died, a month on from him revealing he was receiving treatment for acute erythroid leukaemia.
The band said in a statement: “It’s with the heaviest of hearts and unbearable sadness that we must inform you of the passing of our dear friend and Yes co-founder Chris Squire. Chris peacefully passed away last night in Phoenix Arizona”.
Paying tribute to their late bassist, the band added: “For the entirety of Yes’s existence, Chris was the band’s linchpin and, in so many ways, the glue that held it together over all these years. Because of his phenomenal bass-playing prowess, Chris influenced countless bassists around the world, including many of today’s well-known artists”.
READ MORE ABOUT: Chris Squire | Yes
Monday 29 June 2015, 10:08 | By Chris Cooke
Joni Mitchell rep denies singer is still unable to speak after collapse
Artist News
A statement issued on behalf of Joni Mitchell has denied comments about her current condition made by David Crosby – as in one third of Crosby, Stills & Nash.
As previously reported, Mitchell was rushed to hospital in March after being found unconscious at her LA home. TMZ previously reported that the singer’s condition had worsened and that she was in a coma, but a statement approved by her long-term friend Leslie Morris denied this was the case.
But then Crosby, another longtime friend (and former partner) of Mitchell, told the Huffington Post that he was “thinking a good thought” for the singer who was “not speaking yet”.
But a new statement issued on Mitchell’s behalf this weekend denied this was the case, saying: “The truth is that Joni is speaking, and she’s speaking well. She is not walking yet, but she will be in the near future as she is undergoing daily therapies. She is resting comfortably in her own home and she’s getting better each day. A full recovery is expected”.
Responding, Crosby later admitted he didn’t know the very latest about Mitchell’s health, adding: “Thank God she is speaking …she is brave and I believe she will recover”.
READ MORE ABOUT: David Crosby | Joni Mitchell
Monday 29 June 2015, 10:06 | By Chris Cooke
CMU’s One Liners: Festival Congress returns, CD Baby conference, NWA reunion etc
Artist News Business News Education & Events Gigs & Festivals Industry People Live Business
Other notable announcements and developments today…
• Ben Ward, frontman of metallers Orange Goblin and formerly an exec at One Fifteen management, has joined the Agency Group’s UK rock team. He will work on a new roster of bands at the booking agency.
• The Association Of Independent Festivals has announced that its Festival Congress will return to Cardiff on 5 and 6 Nov with Huw Stephens off of the radio keynoting.
• The Society Of Ticket Agents And Retailers will put the spotlight on various ticketing issues at a seminar at the St James Theatre in London next Monday, including the impact of the new Consumer Rights Act on the tickets industry. More here.
• CD Baby has announced it will hold a DIY Musician Conference in Chicago in October open to any self-releasing artists, not just those using the company to distribute their content. Info here.
• Some of NWA reunited on stage this weekend alongside a premiere screening of the new documentary about the legendary hip hop group. MC Ren, DJ Yella and Ice Cube were there. Dr Dre wasn’t. Would you rather I speculate about him being too busy on the Apple Music launch, or just say something about them forgetting about Dre?
READ MORE ABOUT: Association Of Independent Festivals (AIF) | Ben Ward | CD Baby | NWA | The Agency Group | The Society Of Ticket Agents And Retailers
Monday 29 June 2015, 10:03 | By Chris Cooke
Top Glastonbury talking point? Kanye’s subtitles
And Finally Artist News Gigs & Festivals
So, having closely monitored the social networks all weekend it seems like the stand out acts at Glastonbury this year were, well, whichever artists or bands you already liked. Yes, they were great weren’t they? But all those other bands you didn’t already like? Well shit, I tell you, what a waste of space, what were they thinking etc etc etc.
Lionel Richie was in the ‘everyone loves this old timer’ slot of course, so everyone loved that older timer, though most people seemed to be more keen to post snaps of the Dalai Lama onto their social timeline of choice. And as for Kanye West’s slightly contentious headline slot on Saturday night? Well, hey, what, yeah, right, you know what I’m saying, yeah, right, of course you do.
Though, despite character comedian Simon Brodkin’s hilarious (yeah?) stage invasion, I think everyone agreed that the real highlight of West’s performance was the BBC’s subtitling of his more controversial lyrics. Well, everyone watching at home agreed that. Proving once again, that this banker is best viewed from the comfort of your living room.
READ MORE ABOUT: Glastonbury Festival | Kanye West
Friday 26 June 2015, 12:03 | By Paul Vig
Vigsy’s Club Tip: Benji B presents Deviation at XOYO
Club Tip CMU Approved
This weekend sees Benji B play all night long over at XOYO, no doubt providing an eclectic mix as he joins the dots between numerous styles and genres.
Having started off as Gilles Peterson’s understudy many moons ago, Mr B has truly risen up the ranks, not least via these Deviation nights. And this weekend he’s playing alongside D&B royalty, with Goldie and Doc Scott in Room Two pledging to “recreate history as they present Blue Note for the whole night”. Should be awesome.
Saturday 27 Jun, XOYO, 32-37 Cowper Street, Shoreditch, London EC2A, 9pm-4am, £20, more info here.
READ MORE ABOUT: Benji B | Doc Scott | Goldie | XOYO
Friday 26 June 2015, 11:56 | By Chris Cooke
Digital and streams account for ever more revenue in indie sector, according to Merlin
Business News Labels & Publishers
Hot on the heals of the Swift Intervention, as historians are already not calling it, and ahead of the big launch of Apple Music next week, indie labels digital rights group Merlin has published the results of its annual membership survey.
Unsurprisingly, given both industry-wide figures and past Merlin surveys, the key trend of the last year is the continued shift from physical to digital. And while it’s interesting to know that more than half of the responding indie labels are now making more from digital than physical overall – the industry at large having also passed that tipping point in 2014 – the more significant stat is that for a third of the labels, digital now accounts for over 75% of business.
The shift from physical to digital has generally happened faster in the indie sector than with the majors – something Merlin boss Charles Caldas discussed with CMU last year – and likewise the move from downloads to streams is also happening more rapidly with the independents. In the new Merlin study one in three labels said that streaming now accounts for over half their digital income, up from one in five in the last survey.
Despite many in the indie sector operating on tight margins, illustrated by their concern over Apple’s original proposal of a royalty free summer as it moves into streams, the majority of Merlin member labels reported overall growth in the last year, with only 16% saying revenues were down. That growth was very much linked to booming streaming income, downloads having generally peaked across the board.
Caldas has always been very vocal on the fact that indie labels often score higher in terms of market share when it comes to digital over physical, and streams over downloads. Though an interesting trend noted in the latest survey is that usage of Merlin label content was 35% higher on paid for rather than free tiers, suggesting indie label music is particularly popular amongst the all important paying premium users.
Commenting on his organisation’s latest round of stats, Caldas said yesterday: “The Merlin membership survey again shows how strongly the world’s leading independent labels are faring in the global digital market. This year’s results highlight the speed at which music fans are transitioning towards streaming and subscription services, and how independent labels are leading that change, and growing their audience in the process – with the vast majority growing their digital revenues and expanding their business overall”.
READ MORE ABOUT: Merlin
Friday 26 June 2015, 11:55 | By Chris Cooke
Rick Ross refused bail after arrest for assault
Artist News Legal
Rapper Rick Ross is currently incarcerated after being refused bail in relation to charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault and aggravated battery.
He is being held in the Fayette County jail in Georgia, with details of the alleged incident from which the charges stem being contained in an arrest warrant which has been made public.
It reads: “Subject did assault the victim, Jonathan Zamudio, (twice), with a handgun, specifically a Glock 17, 9mm, black in colour, and in doing so caused two chipped teeth, jaw injury, neck injury, and multiple scratches and contusions. The victim lost the use of his jaw and is restricted to soft foods and liquid diet only as result of not being able to chew food”.
Further allegations include that the rapper used “a handgun and physical touching to force, against his will, Jonathan Zamudio into the residence … where he was taken down a hallway, into a bedroom, and forced to remain”.
Ross has reportedly cooperated with police since his arrest, though there is no word on how he intends to plead to the charges. But we do know his bodyguard has been arrested and charged over the same incident.
It’s the rapper’s second run in with the law this month, having been pulled over by police while driving, leading to two other charges, one for a traffic violation and one for marijuana possession.
READ MORE ABOUT: Rick Ross
Friday 26 June 2015, 11:53 | By Chris Cooke
Former East Village owners jailed over brothel card payments scheme
Business News Legal Live Business
Shoreditch venue East Village shut down somewhat abruptly two years ago as its licence was suddenly revoked due to suspicions that two men involved with the business were “connected to serious crime”. Those involved with the music side of the operation expressed shock at the time as a number of booked in club nights were canned or moved to new locations.
But this week we found out more about those serious crimes as two of the venue’s former owners, Ashley Sheldrick and Terrence Hart, were jailed for a total of eighteen years for conspiring to run brothels and launder the money they generated.
According to the Evening Standard, with their Shoreditch venue struggling, Sheldrick and Hart set up bogus hospitality companies via which they secured chip and pin machines that they then provided to seven brothels across London. Customers at the brothels were then able to pay for sex and drugs via the card payment machines, with the East Village duo taking a cut. Some cards were then scammed.
Sheldrick admitted the charges and was jailed for eight years, while Hart was found guilty of the same crimes and was jailed for ten years. Two other associates received shorter sentences for similar charges in relation to the enterprise.
Confiscation proceedings are now under way to claw back monies made through the laundering scheme, with Detective Sergeant Geoff Donoghue telling reporters: “Our investigation started over two years ago. At the time, the use of bogus companies laundering vice money via chip and pin machines was very new”.
He went on: “It served to speed up the money laundering process and further enabled brothel users under the influence of drink and or drugs to be defrauded. Our evidence suggests that in three years, the group made around £12.3 million. I am pleased with the sentences these individuals have received and we are now seeking to recover as much of that money as possible”.
READ MORE ABOUT: East Village
Friday 26 June 2015, 11:49 | By Chris Cooke
Billboard reveals US chart plans ahead of global release day
Business News Labels & Publishers
Billboard has confirmed that its chart tracking week will change next month to fall in line with the all new global release day, aka Friday. Or New Music Fridays if you prefer. I don’t.
As with the UK, American new releases will have to shift from early week (Tuesday in the case of the US) to end-of-week to fall in line with the new global initiative. To bring the charts in line, Billboard and their partners Nielsen Music will now start tracking sales and streams on a Friday to Thursday basis, rather than the current Monday to Sunday. Though for Billboard’s radio airplay charts, monitoring will continue as Monday though Sunday.
In terms of when the Billboard charts go live, this is shifting to Tuesday instead of Thursday, the American charts always taking a little longer to be processed and published than here in the UK. And whereas the UK Official Charts Company will make its shift to a new chart tracking schedule via a short chart week, the US record industry will have a long chart week before the new system properly kicks into action.
As previously reported, New Music Fridays kicks off on 10 Jul, and you’ll find more info at newmusicfridays.com. Which interestingly is a domain name that was registered in July last year, back when the idea of a global release day was a mere concept and months of “consultation” was still to occur on which day to go with. So, someone was organised. Though not as organised as Sony Music UK, which registered newmusicfriday.com back in 2003. Now that’s forward thinking. Though you’d think they’d now point it to the official global release day site.
READ MORE ABOUT: Billboard | Global Release Day | New Music Fridays | Nielsen
Friday 26 June 2015, 11:47 | By Chris Cooke
Taylor Swift’s ‘1989’ will be on Apple Music
Business News Digital
So, Taylor Swift’s album ‘1989’ will be on the Apple Music streaming service when it launches next week, and I should think so too, after all the flim and the flam, and the hoo and the haa, and the shizzle and the bizzle, and all that fucking tedious jazz. Can we all talk about something else now?
Hater of all things freemium, and queen of the window when it comes to holding off her latest releases from even premium streaming sets ups, Ms Swift confirmed yesterday that Apple Music streamers, despite being on a filthy free trial, will be able to enjoy her most recent musical workings. But don’t be thinking this is all the result of some big bucks exclusivity deal. No, this is because the twonks at Apple did “the right thing” after her little blog on the Apple Music deal for artists and labels last weekend.
Wrote the Swift on Twitter yesterday: “After the events of this week, I’ve decided to put ‘1989’ on Apple Music…and happily so. In case you’re wondering if this is some exclusive deal like you’ve seen Apple do with other artists, it’s not. This is simply the first time it’s felt right in my gut to stream my album. Thank you, Apple, for your change of heart”.
Of course since Apple committed to pay royalties during its three month free trial last weekend, allowing a long line of indie labels to sign up to the new streaming platform, there has been much speculation as to what exact royalties the tech giant will be paying during the freebie period.
Various rumoured per-play figures have circulated, though if you average them out you generally get not very much money at all. But still, it could add up to decent revenue overall if everyone gets busy streaming next Wednesday. Though I did overhear yesterday that one plan was to pay everybody in M&Ms. Well, there was definitely something about Apple Music and an M&M. I wasn’t really listening.
READ MORE ABOUT: Apple Music | Eminem | Taylor Swift
