Friday 30 September 2016, 15:58 | By Andy Malt

CMU Podcast: YouTube, not YouTube, YouTube-mp3

Business News Digital Labels & Publishers Legal Setlist

CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the appointment of Lyor Cohen as YouTube’s Global Head Of Music, various rumours of streaming service acquisitions, and the record industry’s new campaign against stream ripping and legal action against YouTube-mp3. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.

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Stories discussed this week:

• YouTube hires record industry veteran Lyor Cohen as Global Head Of Music
• European Commission publishes copyright reform proposals including transparency and the value gap
• Apple not looking to buy Tidal, though Spotify could go to Facebook (but probably won’t)
• Spotify in talks to buy SoundCloud as it launches in Japan
• Record industry sues YouTube-mp3.org as stream-ripping tops piracy agenda

In brief:

• Pandora revamps premium radio offering, confirms Warner Music deal
• iHeart unveils its move into subscription streaming
• Sadiq Khan to protect venues with introduction of ‘agent of change’ principle
• Closing arguments presented in MegaUpload extradition case, as Kim Dotcom’s lawyers seek rehearing in US on seized assets
• Robbie Williams announces heavily entertaining new album
• Ed Sheeran revealed as buyer of Ed Sheer-ham

READ MORE ABOUT: Apple Music | Ed Sheeran | Facebook | iHeart | Lyor Cohen | MegaUpload | Pandora | Robbie Williams | Sadiq Khan | SoundCloud | Spotify | Tidal | YouTube | YouTube-mp3

Friday 30 September 2016, 10:29 | By Chris Cooke

Too much ambiguity in Sony’s streaming deals for summary judgement on 19’s sales v licence litigation, says judge

Business News Digital Digital Royalties Timeline Labels & Publishers Legal Media Top Stories

The long running sales v licence debate will continue in the US after a judge this week refused (in the main) to provide a summary judgement in either side’s favour in the ongoing dispute between 19 Entertainment and Sony Music.

As previously reported, 19, which reps various ‘American Idol’ winners whose music was subsequently distributed by Sony, sued the major with various gripes about the way it was paying and reporting royalties. One of those gripes was the way Sony pays royalties on digital income, and how pre-streaming contracts are interpreted when it comes to sharing monies paid over by Spotify et al.

The way digital royalties are paid on pre-digital record contracts has been a long-running bugbear of the artist community that originally went legal as iTunes revenues started to boom ten years ago. Record contracts often pay different royalties to artists on different revenue streams, a common distinction being between sales income and licensing income, the latter often getting artists a 50% royalty, while on the former the label will pay out much less, often 15% on later pre-digital contracts, and even less on older deals.

Most labels treated downloads as sales, even though the record industry’s contracts with the download stores were clearly licensing deals. Some labels argued that downloads were simply a digital replacement of physical discs, and should be treated as such in royalty terms, whatever the semantics of legacy deals may be. Others insisted that their arrangements with the likes of iTunes were distribution deals, or some other agreement that didn’t use the word ‘licence’. But, generally unconvinced by all that, a plethora of heritage artists – mainly in the US – sued for a licence royalty to be paid on downloads.

The landmark case in this domain was between Universal Music and early Eminem collaborators FBT Productions, in which the latter basically won the argument. A number of class actions against the majors followed, though these were in the main settled, with most artists accepting just nominal increases in the royalties they received on downloads, a long way off the 50% that would be paid on a true licence.

The fact that so many heritage acts seemingly accepted those slight increases arguably demonstrates a common problem for the wider artist community, which is that big rights owners will always be better equipped and better resourced to fight long and tedious legal battles, making lacklustre but quick-win settlements attractive on the artist side. Meanwhile, the assumption is that big name artists with the resources to go to court are usually offered more preferential deals behind closed doors that are then NDA-ed to the sky.

But that was downloads, what about streams? Isn’t the argument that streams should be treated as a licence rather than a sale even stronger? Well, that’s what 19 reckons, hence it included the sales v licence debate in its wider dispute with Sony Music.

This litigation has been working its way through the courts for a couple of years now. The judge overseeing the case said that 19’s argument that the higher royalty should be paid on streams depended entirely on the wording of those secret agreements struck between Sony and the various streaming companies. To that end Sony was told to share those agreements with 19’s lawyers.

At first 19 argued that the paperwork provided by the major was so heavily redacted, the matter couldn’t be resolved. But after getting a second round of documents, 19 returned to court with refined arguments as to why a higher royalty should be paid on streams, while Sony again argued that streams are clearly a sale. Both sides then wanted a summary judgement in its favour based on those arguments.

Judge Ronnie Abrams denied those requests, in the main, in a ruling this week, concluding that most of Sony’s streaming deals were sufficiently ambiguous in their wording that this dispute requires more court time. Which could, in theory, result in the specifics of 19’s deals with Sony and, more importantly, Sony’s deals with various streaming services being analysed in public at trial.

In this specific case the exact terminology under the spotlight isn’t sales v licence. The question is whether or not Sony’s streaming deals are about the sale or distribution of music – which would result in the artist getting the lower royalty – or the transmission or broadcast of music – which would result in the higher royalty.

The ambiguities often come from the fact that both sets of terms are used in the streaming deals. Sony argues that its deals only need to be in part about the sale or distribution of music for the lower artist royalty to be paid. Though there is then a debate over whether the word ‘distribution’ has been used in streaming deals in a specific copyright sense, or in a more general sense, especially if it mainly appears in section headers rather than specific contract terms. Basically, it’s all a bit complicated, hence Abrams’ reluctance to reach a summary judgement based on the submissions made by both parties to date.

There is seemingly less ambiguity in a small number of the stack of streaming contracts that have been reviewed by 19 and the judge, resulting in a few summary judgements being granted, some in Sony’s favour and some to the advantage of 19. The latter includes one of Sony’s deals with Apple, though it’s unclear what that relates to – it could be the old iTunes Radio service rather than Apple Music.

Either way, it will be interesting to see how the core elements of this case now proceed. Whether or not any precedent can be set here that could apply to other artists will depend on whether there are any peculiarities in the wording of the deals between Sony and 19. Though if the dispute ever properly gets to court, just as interesting would be whether or not we would learn anything about the labels’ streaming deals, so much of which has been hidden from the artists who are key beneficiaries of the agreements.

READ MORE ABOUT: 19 Entertainment | Sony Music

Friday 30 September 2016, 10:27 | By Chris Cooke

MIC says Congressional letter in support of BMI and ASCAP fails to deal with DoJ arguments around 100% licensing

Business News Digital Labels & Publishers Legal

The consent decrees debate continues. The MIC Coalition, which brings together trade groups representing American tech, broadcast and hospitality companies, has criticised the previously reported letter signed by eighteen members of US Congress urging the country’s Department Of Justice to reconsider its position on 100% licensing.

As much previously reported, after reviewing the consent decrees that regulate US collecting societies BMI and ASCAP, the DoJ said that – under existing rules – the two performing rights organisations were obliged to operate a 100% or full work licensing system, as opposed to the so called fractional licensing approach they currently employ.

That would mean that where a song is co-owned by an ASCAP member and a BMI member, a licensee could make use of that song with either an ASCAP licence or a BMI licence, whereas previously a licence would be required from both. The licensee would then pay one society any royalties that are due, and it would be for the PRO to ensure both rights owners got paid their respective share of that money.

The music industry believes that the DoJ got it wrong on the 100% licensing point, and BMI took the matter to court, quickly winning a judgement in its favour. And this week, eighteen members of Congress signed an open letter urging the DoJ to alter its position on this issue, noting both the ruling in the BMI court action, and the fact the US Copyright Office disagrees with the DoJ on its interpretation of the consent decrees.

The letter concluded: “DoJ should take prompt action to limit the confusion and chaos [its ruling] creates in the market, and restore certainty to the efficient licensing by ASCAP and BMI of public performing rights for the benefit of all songwriters, composers and music publishers as well as music users”.

But the MIC, which has already criticised the ruling in the BMI court case, says the Congress members who have signed this week’s letter haven’t countered any of the specific arguments put forward by the DoJ as to why it concluded 100% licensing is required under the current wording of the BMI and ASCAP consent decrees.

Says the Coalition: “After conducting a two year investigation, the Justice Department issued a meticulous closing statement setting out several pro-competitive arguments justifying its clarification that the ASCAP and BMI consent decrees require full-work licensing. Many of these pro-competitive outcomes serve to directly benefit songwriters, music licensees, and constituents in districts across America alike. Unfortunately, the member letter dispatched today fails to respond to any of those arguments”.

This debate, we are sure, will continue.

READ MORE ABOUT: ASCAP | BMI | MIC Coalition

Friday 30 September 2016, 10:23 | By Chris Cooke

Ole uses some of its new cash to expand audio-visual rights business

Business News Deals Labels & Publishers

Fresh from securing that $500 million credit facility, Canadian music rights firm Ole has announced another acquisition, though this one expands the company’s activities elsewhere in intellectual property, with new buy Compact Media mainly operating in the TV and movie space, albeit with a little bit of music royalties work on the side.

London-based Compact offers a range of services to rights owners, principally in the audio-visual domain, with particular expertise in the management of so called secondary or retransmission rights. The acquisition, says Ole, will bring it “added commercial, data and systems expertise in the space and complements our substantial, existing business in audio visual IP and AV secondary rights”.

Compact will remain under its own brand following the acquisition, and will continue to be led by its CEO David Johnson. Compact employees in London, the US and Australia will become members of the Ole team.

Says Ole chief Robert Ott: “Ole is very excited to be adding Compact’s global capabilities as a leader in the AV rights management space, and we look forward to bringing the increased benefits to our mutual clients around the world. David and his team have built a formidable business and we welcome them to Ole”.

For his part, Johnson added: “Compact Media is delighted to be joining Ole. Over the last few years we have built up a loyal and varied customer base which we believe will benefit greatly from this new combination with Ole. The team at Ole has impressed us with the quality and breadth of their service offering which we think will provide an even better platform for us to serve our client base with the personal and expert levels of service they are used to”.

READ MORE ABOUT: Compact Media | Ole Music

Friday 30 September 2016, 10:19 | By Andy Malt

Deftones to launch ale with Belching Beaver Brewery

Artist News Brands & Merch

Deftones have teamed up with the Belching Beaver Brewery in San Diego to create their own brand of beer, like all the bands do now.

Belching Beaver though. I really want to try a beer made by Deftones. But the brewery is called Belching Beaver. Even by ale standards, that’s an off putting name, isn’t it? Belching Beaver. “Hey guys! Come drink our beer – it tastes like a beaver belching straight into your mouth!” You might as well call it Farting Racoon.

OK, I think I’ve put us all off drinking any sort of beer ever again, but the fact remains that Deftones have brewed an ale with Sneezing Badger, or whatever it’s called. It contains the following hops: mosaic, amarillo, simcoe and citra. All of them were hand selected by Deftones frontman Chino Moreno. Not sure what the rest of the band were up to while he was doing that. Stirring it with a drumstick, maybe.

The ale itself is called Phantom Bride IPA. Possibly because it will haunt you afterwards and make your vision look like you’re seeing the world from behind a vale. Who can say? We’re never going to try it, cos of that whole association with vomiting wildlife, or whatever.

Despite this, Moreno has tried to put a positive spin on the whole affair by saying: “Really excited to see our Phantom Bride IPA hit the shelves. As a huge beer connoisseur it was a privilege collaborating with Belching Beaver on the flavour profiles and coming out with a beer that I would put right up with any of my favourites. Good stuff!”

Nope. Well, if you fancy sampling the feeling of having an unwell beaver build a dam of twigs in front of your intestines, while a ghost lightly flicks lace at the back of your neck, and you happen to be in Fullerton, California at 8pm on 5 Oct, you can go along to the launch party at the Slidebar and try it yourself. Deftones will not be present. They know the consequences already.

READ MORE ABOUT: Deftones

Friday 30 September 2016, 10:19 | By Andy Malt

BBC Radio 3 celebrates 70th anniversary looking to the past, present and future

Business News Media

BBC Radio 3 has launched a series of programmes and events to mark its 70th anniversary – having been launched as The Third Programme way back in 1946. The season will run for 70 days into December, kicking off with various broadcasts and live events at London’s Southbank Centre.

As well as celebrating key moments from the station’s history, the 70th Season will also hail where Radio 3 is today. In one such example of this, the station will have a composer in residence, Matthew Kaner, working on new music and talking about the process behind it for the full duration. It will also commission various composers to create new works based on the life of the station.

Commenting on the significance of BBC Radio 3 in 2016, and after 70 years of life, Controller Alan Davey told CMU: “Radio 3 remains a source of innovation and inspiration in music and culture, now more than ever. We are constantly seeking ways to connect our audience to pioneering music, to find what is new, whether it’s new jazz, new classical, new world music, new poetry/spoken word, new drama or new ways of talking about music that was pioneering and innovative in its day. As music genres increasingly blur it offers us a chance to bring people to different forms of music in new ways and through other routes”.

“As well as launching new shows and examining the music scene on the ground, we commission more new classical music than any other organisation”, he continues. “We also have a huge commitment to jazz with four dedicated shows, and a world music show. Plus there’s ‘Late Junction’, which offers a broad eclectic range of contemporary music, and was recently at the Serpentine Pavilion with a mix of accordion soul, post-punk and electronic music. Another key part of Radio 3’s role is supporting new talent through schemes like BBC Introducing and New Generation Artists. But our commitment to music and new talent is not new, it’s in our DNA and has been true of all of our 70 years”.

Asked what pieces of archive material being revisited as part of the 70th anniversary might surprise listeners, he says: “I hope they’ll be surprised at the constant questing for the new that we’ve displayed throughout our 70 years, and our playing about with the radio form – producing remarkable things like ‘Under Milk Wood’ through to the fact that many composers were given their first airing on The Third Programme/Radio 3. We’ve been constantly commissioning and broadcasting new work”.

Other highlights from the anniversary programme include new radio dramas, a new show called ‘Exposure’ showcasing new music from various locations around the UK, and a whole day focussed on the BBC’s various performing groups on 27 Nov.

For more on BBC Radio 3’s 70th Season, click here.

READ MORE ABOUT: Alan Davey | BBC Radio 3

Friday 30 September 2016, 10:16 | By Andy Malt

Cliff Richard “pleased” with CPS decision not to prosecute him, announces new album

Artist News Legal Releases

Cliff Richard has said that the final ruling not to prosecute him over allegations of sexual abuse is like “a cloud lifted”. He commented on the Crown Prosecution Service’s recent statement on the matter as he announced that he will release a new album in November.

As previously reported, earlier this week the CPS upheld its decision not to prosecute Richard over allegations of sexual abuse. The initial outcome of the investigation into claims made against the singer – that there was insufficient evidence to proceed – was challenged by two of his accusers.

Speaking on BBC Radio 2, he said that he was “pleased” with the decision and hopes it “brings this matter to a close”.

Moving on, he announced that he will release his 101st album, ‘Just… Fabulous Rock N Roll’, on 11 Nov. The record features a ‘duet’ with Elvis Presley on ‘Blue Suede Shoes’, created using archive material approved by the Presley estate, and reflects, he says, “a happy, creative, and in many ways an innocent time”.

Other covers on the album include songs made famous by Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Sam Cooke, The Everly Brothers and John Lee Hooker.

READ MORE ABOUT: Cliff Richard | Elvis Presley

Friday 30 September 2016, 10:15 | By Andy Malt

Babymetal to star in animated series

Artist News

Babymetal are to star in their own animated series, further adding to their continued awesomeness.

According to Deadline, the show will tell the story of a band (the band is Babymetal) fighting to save heavy metal from opposing forces. The show will also feature live-action performances from the band (still Babymetal), who enter the animated heavy metal world through a secret portal.

The show will be a co-production between Warner Bros Animation, and its Blue Ribbon Content studio, and Babymetal’s management company Amuse Inc.

“Babymetal have to be seen to believed”, says Sam Register at Warner Bros. “A mind-blowing, fun combination of pop vocals, heavy metal music and dance choreography brought to life by three incredibly talented teenage stars. We are huge fans here at Blue Ribbon Content and are extremely excited to help bring the Babymetal phenomenon to US audiences through this upcoming digital series”.

I’m pretty sure Babymetal have already brought themselves to US audiences, but I guess there’s always room for more. As previously reported, they’ll be bringing themselves back to UK audiences by upstaging the Red Hot Chili Peppers repeatedly in venues across the British Isles in December.

READ MORE ABOUT: Babymetal

Friday 30 September 2016, 10:13 | By Andy Malt

Kate Bush to release Before The Dawn live album

Artist News Releases

Remember when Kate Bush played all those shows at the Hammersmith Apollo back in 2014? Oh sure, yeah, I remember that it was a thing that happened. I have no recollection of any of the shows themselves though, as I didn’t go. Maybe I should have, but by the time I decided that, there were only tickets for over £100 left. And given that no one has ever put on a live show worth more than £35, I didn’t bother.

Anyway, I’ll soon be able to get basically the full experience by listening to the live album that’s about to come out. Titled ‘Before The Dawn’ – because that was the name of the show, and why would you change it now? – the record will be out on 25 Nov. People who like CDs will be able to buy it spread across three discs. On vinyl it will span four. Discs are fun.

You can see the full tracklist and read a more aggrandising blurb here, and listen to a song here:

READ MORE ABOUT: Kate Bush

Friday 30 September 2016, 10:08 | By Andy Malt

CMU’s One Liners: Katy Perry, DHP, The Voice, more

Artist News Business News Deals Gigs & Festivals Industry People Labels & Publishers Live Business One Liners Releases

Other notable announcements and developments today…

• Katy Perry and Lionel Richie have renewed their agreements with US collecting society ASCAP. “ASCAP was in my corner before anyone knew who I was”, says Perry. “Hello?” adds Richie.

• Live firm DHP Family has hired Ed Lilo, formerly Head Of Venues & Events for VICE UK, to be its Head Of Venue Programming for London. As previously reported, DHP now operates The Garage and Borderline venues as well as its original base in the capital, Oslo in Hackney.

• Tom Jones has confirmed that he will return to ‘The Voice’ as it makes its jump to ITV, having been replaced by Boy George on the last BBC series. Joining him on the judging panel will be Will.i.am, Jennifer Hudson and Gavin Rossdale.

• A surprise debut solo release from One Directioner Niall Horan called ‘This Town’ available to stream from your streaming stream of choice? Yes. Click here if your streaming stream of choice is Vevo.

• Producer Nevada has done what none of the rest of you have managed to and got Fetty Wap on a track with Leicester legend Mark Morrison. Here’s ‘The Mack’.

• Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds film ‘One More Time With Feeling’ will be screening in cinemas again from 1 Dec. Tickets will go on sale next Thursday.

• Fucked Up have released a new two track, 45 minute EP called ‘This Mother Forever’. Check it out on Bandcamp here.

• A documentary about Japanese rock group X Japan, ‘We Are X’, will get its UK premiere at the London Film Festival next month. It was funded by the producers of the shittest music documentary of all time, ‘Searching For Sugarman’, but was directed by Stephen Kijak, who made ‘Stones In Exile’, ‘Scott Walker: 30 Century Man’ and ‘Backstreet Boys: Show’em What You’re Made Of’, so it’ll probably be alright.

• Ahead of her upcoming tour supporting Swans on tour in Europe, Anna Von Hausswolff has released a video for ‘Come Wander With Me/Deliverance’. So that’s the next eleven minutes of your life sorted.

• The previously reported gig organised by the Music Venue Trust to raise money for an ‘Emergency Response’ initiative to offer legal advice to grass roots venues now has a line up led by Everything Everything, Public Service Broadcasting and Ed Harcourt. It’s on at The Roundhouse on 18 Oct. Now there’s a line-up, tickets have gone up to £30. Tickets here.

• The annual Felabration celebration of Fela Kuti will take place on 7 Oct at the Electric Ballroom in Camden. Performing will be Afrikan Boy, Tiggs Da Author, Terri Walker and more, all backed by the Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra.

• Today in ‘musicians doing things to try and get young Americans to register to vote’, Pusha T is offering the chance to meet him backstage if you sign up to stop Donald Trump getting the keys to the US. Unlike Katy Perry and Madonna, he has not got naked. Though I suppose he might be naked when you meet him.

READ MORE ABOUT: Anna Von Hausswolff | ASCAP | DHP Family | Ed Lilo | Fela Kuti | Fetty Wap | Fucked Up | Katy Perry | Lionel Richie | Mark Morrison | Music Venue Trust | Nevada | Niall Horan | Nick Cave | Pusha T | The Voice | Tom Jones | X Japan

Friday 30 September 2016, 10:04 | By Andy Malt

CMU Beef Of The Week #325: The Wolfhounds v Warner/Chappell

And Finally Artist News Beef Of The Week Business News Labels & Publishers Legal

Everyone likes a good David v Goliath tale, right? Yes. Good. Well, here’s one. Eighties indie band The Wolfhounds have been ripped off by Warner/Chappell for nearly 30 years. That’s what the band say, anyway. And this week they launched a petition calling on the Warner music publisher to bloody well stop it.

Back in 1987, the band explain, they signed a publishing deal with Working Music, which promptly went out of business. Its catalogue – including their songs – was then absorbed into parent company Warner/Chappell.

Since then, the band claim, the publisher hasn’t handed over any money or any royalty statements to any member of the band (all of whom were credited as writers), and at some point the major allegedly removed lead songwriters David Callahan and Andrew Golding from the credits of seven of their songs – including their biggest hit, ‘The Anti-Midas Touch’.

Back in 1989, the band continue, they asked their solicitor to notify Warner/Chappell that they believed the publisher had breached their contract, and therefore they were demanding the song rights be returned to the band members. Though I assume you’ve all guessed by now that that did not happen.

“Through their own solicitors, Warner/Chappell claimed that none of our songs had ever earned any money”, say the band of the 1989 correspondence. “Despite the fact that we had received payments from the Performing Rights Society for the songs, been played on the radio numerous times and played hundreds of gigs, all of which meant that royalties were coming in. The band has irrefutable documentary proof of this”.

Still, the band split the following year and it all fell by the wayside. Then Callahan and Golding reformed the band with a new line-up in 2005 and started to question what the hell happened to their publishing all over again. In 2013, Callahan started trying to engage the publisher himself, to little avail. He then managed to get some legal advice last year, but that has come to nothing. Hence this here petition.

I’m not sure what good a petition is likely to do, but anything’s worth a try, I guess. It might convince Warner/Chappell to at least clarify exactly what’s gone on here.

A search of the publisher’s database does show that Callahan and Golding’s names appear on all but seven of their songs, as they say. Though, of course, we have no way of knowing if the duo were ever officially listed as co-writers on those seven works.

There could, for example, have been a data error from the start that only subsequently came to light, rather than Callahan and Golding actually having their names removed in hindsight. Look at me, being all reasonable and providing Warner/Chappell with an excuse.

And of course, just because the band received money from PRS doesn’t mean they were due actual payments from the publisher yet. 50% of PRS income always goes direct to the songwriter, while the other 50% plus all MCPS money goes to the publisher for signed writers.

The publisher then shares that money with the writers subject to contract, and there’s usually the matter of an advance to be paid off first. So when Warner/Chappell allegedly said the songs hadn’t earned any money, they possibly meant enough money, ie to pay off the original advance.

Look at me, being all reasonable again and providing Warner/Chappell with yet another excuse. I should invoice for my time. Though none of that explains the alleged lack of royalty statements, which should set out how much income had come in (the publisher should have received at least the same PRS income as the writers) and therefore how much of any advance was still to be recouped.

But hey, I’m speculating here. Warner/Chappell have as yet not responded about the petition, so I’m relying wholly on the band’s version of events and some very basic knowledge of how music publishing contracts usually work. Either way, the band are again demanding the return of their songs, as well the reinstatement of Callahan and Golding as writers on those seven tunes, and any unpaid royalties.

Though, alas, few of those things usually happen via a mere petition. It would be a simpler world if all disputes between artists and labels/publishers could be resolved by simply getting enough fans to sign a form, wouldn’t it?

You know what petitions can achieve though? They can force people like me to tell you that The Wolfhounds have a new album coming out next month that you can pre-order now. Perhaps Warner/Chappell could start a petition demanding they assign the rights in those songs to the publisher too.

READ MORE ABOUT: The Wolfhounds | Warner Chappell | Warner Music

Friday 30 September 2016, 10:02 | By Paul Vig

Vigsy’s Club Tip: DJ Zinc at The Nest

Club Tip CMU Approved

A stalwart of the drum n bass scene, DJ Zinc, is in Hackney tonight to bang out classics and deep cuts from across the history of bass music. The man knows his stuff and will not disappoint, take my word for that.

Also on the bill is Swindle, who’ll take things a bit funkier. Often found releasing music through Gilles Peterson’s excellent Brownswood label, he’s another big draw to get your weekend going.

All in all, should be a good un!

Friday 30 Sep, The Nest, 36 Stoke Newington Road, London, N16 7XJ, 10pm-4am, £7-10. More info here.

READ MORE ABOUT: DJ Zinc | Swindle

Thursday 29 September 2016, 09:41 | By Chris Cooke

YouTube hires record industry veteran Lyor Cohen as Global Head Of Music

Business News Digital Industry People Labels & Publishers Top Stories

US record industry veteran Lyor Cohen is moving into bridge construction, and boy is it one long bridge he’s gonna have to build. The former Universal and Warner Music exec is YouTube’s new Global Head Of Music.

“Lyor is a lion of the music industry”, declared YouTube’s Chief Business Officer Robert Kyncl yesterday while announcing his new hire, even though I’m not aware of any lions who ever built a decent bridge. “From Rush to Def Jam to Island Def Jam to WMG then 300, he has consistently been a pioneer, charting the course for where music is heading”, the YouTube exec continued. Still no bridge building on that CV though.

“As we enter the growth era of the music industry, Lyor is in a position to make tremendous difference in accelerating that growth in a fair way for everyone”, Kyncl continued, still without referencing the bridge Cohen must now build. “We are THRILLED to welcome him to YouTube”. Yeah, of course you are Rob, of course you are.

Although Cohen’s new gig will come as something of a surprise to many, it’s not an entirely illogical hire. As Cohen himself points out in his memo to YouTube’s music team, it was during his tenure at Warner that the mini-major became the first big music firm to do a deal with the then fledgling video site in 2006. Though he doesn’t mention that Warner was then also the first signed-up record company to have a highly public falling out with a by then Google-owned YouTube in 2008. Still, it means he saw it from both sides.

Perhaps more importantly, Cohen has an existing alliance with Google, in that the web giant was one of the backers of 300, the independent music company he set up in 2013 after departing Warner Music. Possibly finally nervous about all the bad press it was getting from big name American artists penning anti-YouTube op-eds, perhaps the web firm decided to reach out to an existing business partner for help. I just hope they give him enough concrete.

Cohen’s new job is a bridge building project, of course, because for the record industry establishment in 2016, YouTube is the enemy. Like, the real enemy. Like, the total enemy. A bunch of money-grabbing motherfuckers who are single-handledly fucking up the revival of recorded music and in doing so fucking over every single person who ever wrote a lyric, composed a melody or sung a few words vaguely in tune. Cunts of the highest order, basically. And cunts who must die. Painfully. I’m just quoting official record industry dogma here, by the way. Well, maybe I’m paraphrasing it slightly. But only very slightly.

“Back in 2006, as an executive at Warner Music Group, I worked closely with a fledgling video site to sign its first big record licensing deal. That site was YouTube”, Cohen wrote in the aforementioned memo to his new team. “Over the next decade, I watched as your work transformed YouTube into an incredibly powerful platform that connects artists with fans all over the world”, he continued, all positive like, and with no talk of anyone being the enemy.

“Over the last two decades we have seen dramatic shifts”, he continued. “Both to the inherent value of music and the literal value that people are willing to pay. Technology and new business models have completely changed the established distribution channels that have long-served the recorded music industry. And while change has been met with understandable resistance, I strongly believe that this transformation provides opportunities that will be larger and more rewarding for both artists and the music industry”.

See, Team YouTube, all that “resistance” in the music community has been “understandable”. Your new boss just told you so. But hey, what about all these opportunities? They sound like fun. “I’m confident that we can bridge the worlds of technology and music in ways that benefit everyone”, Cohen reckons. And there it is everybody. The bridge. Looking forward to it Lyor. Can you paint it lime green?

Of course, despite the official proclamations from the record industry’s trade groups, and prolific efforts by the labels and publishers to have copyright law rewritten to force YouTube into line, and that flurry of angry opinion pieces from mainly heritage acts, the Google site does already have allies in the music community, especially among DIY and younger artists.

And, of course, even at those labels officially down on YouTube, the marketers there recognise that the video site remains a key fan engagement channel. And Sony and Universal Music’s own music video service still heavily relies on YouTube to reach much of its audience.

But Cohen will be set with the task of placating the music industry establishment and old guard – and hey, who knows, maybe even the songwriters – while trying to build on existing efforts and contacts in the grass roots music community. “I hope that together we can move towards a more collaborative relationship between the music industry and the technologies that are shaping the future of the business”, Cohen concludes.

The foundations of Cohen’s bridge, or a first attempt at fostering this more “collaborative relationship” if you prefer, might be a call to another US music industry veteran, Irving Azoff, who more than most has led the industry’s charge against YouTube, and rallied artists and managers to what started out as the labels’ battle. For Azoff, YouTube really is “evil”.

Though in Cohen he sees a potential ally. “As a prolific manager, label executive and label owner, Lyor has a long history as a defender of artist rights”, Azoff said on hearing about Cohen’s appointment, according to Billboard. “We are counting on you, Lyor, to lead YouTube to provide fair payments to artists and give them more creative control. Congratulations, Lyor, I know you can get it done”.

The new job will require Cohen to step down from his executive role at 300, something he’ll do in about two months time, though he’ll remain a significant shareholder in the company.

READ MORE ABOUT: Lyor Cohen | YouTube

Thursday 29 September 2016, 09:39 | By Chris Cooke

Promoter of Steve Aoki show where five people died jailed for four years

Business News Legal Live Business

The promoter of a Steve Aoki-headlined show in Madrid in 2012 during which five people were killed as a result of a crowd surge has been sentenced to four years in jail.

As previously reported, a Halloween concert dubbed Thriller Music Park ended in tragedy after a stampede occurred, seemingly as panicked audience members sought to exit the venue. It was thought a pyrotechnic ultimately caused the panic, though investigators said that a stream of new audience members entering the venue through an opened exit door may also have contributed to so many concert-goers seeking to exit at the same time.

Certainly the real problem was the number of people in the 10,600 capacity Madrid Arena that hosted the event. Although promoters initially insisted they hadn’t sold out the show, meaning the concert was under capacity, according to investigators over 16,500 tickets had in fact been sold. The fact that many of the exits from the main space at the arena were blocked also led to the surge of people through the main entrance that resulted in the fatalities.

According to El Mundo, Miguel Ángel Flores, as the lead promoter, was convicted of five counts of negligent homicide and 29 counts of causing harm through serious negligence, and was given the maximum sentence allowed, four years.

Seven other people involved in the event also face jail time. Though Flores reportedly plans to appeal, and to re-open his Madrid nightclub Macumba – which closed after the Thriller Music Park incident – despite a condition of his conviction being that he must stop promoting events.

READ MORE ABOUT: Miguel Ángel Flores | Steve Aoki

Thursday 29 September 2016, 09:33 | By Chris Cooke

Eighteen members of US Congress back music industry’s fight against 100% licensing

Business News Labels & Publishers Legal

Eighteen members of US Congress have called of the Department Of Justice to reconsider its decision to force 100% licensing onto American collecting societies BMI and ASCAP.

As previously reported, the DoJ, which oversees the consent decrees that regulate the two performing rights organisations, conducted a thorough review of those regulations after the music publishers requested various changes be made.

But, having done the review, not only did the DoJ decide not to make any changes, it also ruled that – under the current consent decrees – BMI and ASCAP are obliged to operate a 100% licensing system.

That means that where a song is co-owned by an ASCAP member and a BMI member, a licensee can make use of that song with either an ASCAP licence or a BMI licence, whereas previously a licence would be required from both (aka ‘fractional licensing’). The licensee would then pay one society any royalties that are due, and it would be for the PRO to ensure both rights owners got paid their respective share of that money.

The DoJ ruling has been widely criticised by the music industry, and as soon as the government agency’s decision had been confirmed BMI announced it would fight the move in the courts while ASCAP would lobby Congress. BMI then secured a win in court way quicker than everyone anticipated, with judge Louis Stanton immediately ruling that the DoJ had incorrectly interpreted that society’s consent decree.

With the DoJ still having the option to appeal that judgement, plus the status of ASCAP’s consent decree still in limbo, the wider campaign against 100% licensing continues. And to that end eighteen allies of the music industry in Congress signed an open letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who heads up the DoJ.

According to Billboard, in it they write: “We believe a well-functioning music marketplace benefits America’s music-loving public, businesses that use music to connect with their customers and, especially, more than one million songwriters and composers whose creative work is the lifeblood of the entire American music economy”.

Noting that the US Copyright Office opposes the DoJ’s position on 100% licensing, the letter says “the DoJ can no longer maintain that the language of the ASCAP and BMI consent decrees clearly prohibits fractional licensing” and therefore “the DoJ should take prompt action to limit the confusion and chaos [its ruling] creates in the market”.

Among the signatories of the new letter is Doug Collins, who has already been championing the songwriters’ cause by co-proposing the Songwriter Equity Act in Congress, and who quickly declared the DoJ’s ruling on the consent decrees “very frustrating” back in August.

READ MORE ABOUT: ASCAP | BMI | US Congress | US Department Of Justice

Thursday 29 September 2016, 09:31 | By Andy Malt

Global partners with Spirit

Business News Deals Labels & Publishers

Global Entertainment – the talent management and music publishing side of Global Radio – has signed a new administration and co-publishing deal with Spirit Music Group.

The deal will see Spirit look after Global’s publishing catalogue, which contains songs by Ellie Goulding, Corinne Bailey Rae, Jungle, The Script, LMFAO, The Vaccines, The Vamps and more.

“Spirit’s international reach, creative strength and administrative platforms make them an incredible music publishing partner”, says Global boss Ashley Tabor.

“This deal also fits well into Spirit’s aggressive growth in the UK market – on the heels of our deals with B-Unique and Polar Patrol – as well as continuing Spirit’s strong growth in North America”, adds Spirit Music Group chairman David Renzer.

As previously reported (and there mentioned by the Renzer), US-based Spirit expanded into the UK through an alliance with B-Unique last year.

READ MORE ABOUT: Global | Spirit Music

Thursday 29 September 2016, 09:23 | By Andy Malt

Live Nation to allow fans backstage in VR

Brands & Merch Business News Live Business

Live Nation has teamed up with US bank (and former short-lived EMI owner) Citi and NextVR for a series of virtual reality concerts. Under the banner ‘Backstage With Citi’, fans will be able to watch ten shows in VR, as well as heading backstage to see what the artists are up to before they get up in front of their audience.

‘Backstage With Citi’ previously ran as a series of artist interviews on Live Nation’s Yahoo channel. The rejigged offering will now be streamed through the Live Nation channel on NextVR’s app. So still sticking with the low view count theme, then.

“We want to push the boundaries of the very meaning of access beyond attendance and as technology evolves, it’s allowing us to do so”, says Citi’s Jennifer Breithaupt. “We are THRILLED to be announcing this new initiative with Live Nation and NextVR that will offer ‘front-row’ and behind-the-scenes VR concert experiences for millions of fans”.

Well, possibly not millions. But some. Still, it is quite exciting to see what can be done with virtual reality in live music. And Citi’s money helps kickstart a five year deal announced in May between Live Nation and NextVR to broadcast concerts employing virtual reality technology.

“Virtual reality is starting to take off and the time is right to experiment in the music space”, says Live Nation’s Darin Wolf. “Together with NextVR and Citi we will be able to provide unparalleled access for fans to enjoy live music and see first-hand the emotion and adrenaline rush from artists as they prepare to perform live”.

The ten artists willing to allow people in virtual reality headsets to see what they get up to backstage haven’t yet been announced. I’m sure they will be though.

READ MORE ABOUT: Citi Group | Live Nation | NextVR

Thursday 29 September 2016, 09:20 | By Chris Cooke

Spotify in talks to buy SoundCloud as it launches in Japan

Business News Digital

Spotify is in advanced talks to buy SoundCloud, according to the Financial Times, though the deal is not yet done and could as yet fall through.

Ever since it announced its licensing deals with the record companies, its launch of a premium subscription package, and the expansion of its advertising platform beyond the US, this has felt like something of a make or break year for SoundCloud.

Perhaps it has finally found a viable long-term business model, but it arguably took too long to reach that position, making its short-term survival seem far from assured. The company did secure some new financing, but for sometime it’s seemed like SoundCloud needed to be acquired by a bigger player to secure the time it needs to grow the new model.

But who, exactly, would buy SoundCloud at this point? The licensing deals with the music industry helped make the company more attractive, in that bidders were no longer buying into a potential messy legal battle with the big music rights owners, but having been most recently valued at $700 million, the SoundCloud company is arguably way over priced, given no one has actually, as yet, worked out how to make any money out of streaming music.

Indeed, it is thought that Spotify has discussed bidding for SoundCloud before, but was put off by the price tag. Though there is arguably some logic in Spotify acquiring SoundCloud, even though bunching two massively loss-making streaming services into one doesn’t come without its risks.

But Spotify has always employed a free-sells-premium strategy in order to sign-up the paying subscribers who are at the core of the firm’s business (and, indeed, the record industry’s recent return to growth).

Unlike its big three current or potential competitors in the streaming music space – Apple, Amazon and Google/YouTube – Spotify didn’t begin with a massive online audience which it could try and convert into $10 a month streaming customers.

So instead it used free music to build an audience to whom it could upsell, a strategy which has worked in the main, though which is expensive to run, and which adds tension to the company’s relationships with the record companies.

Acquiring SoundCloud would give Spotify overnight access to a significant audience of free streamers; and although there would be quite a bit of crossover with its current freemium (and premium) audience, that would be attractive in a market where its biggest competitor, Apple, gets to push its music service to anyone who buys an iPhone.

There could also be another benefit. It’s no secret that some record label execs want Spotify to strip back is own freemium offer. And while Spotify has in the main resisted those calls, it too could do with reducing the financial strain of its free level. Could it ultimately use the acquisition of SoundCloud as an excuse to turn off Spotify Free, hoping that labels might offer more friendly terms to a freemium SoundCloud that upsells Spotify Premium?

All that said, it seems unlike Spotify could afford to buy SoundCloud in a cash deal even if the latter’s investors agreed to a price at the lower end of recent valuations, so the question is whether some equity exchange arrangement can be reached. Needless to say, neither side are currently commenting on this morning’s rumours.

Though to be fair, Spotify is far too busy celebrating the fact it has finally launched in Japan, the world’s second biggest recorded music market, where streaming of the Spotify-model is still very much in its early days.

Getting label deals done in a market still currently dominated by CD sales has been tricky to say the least. The service will bring “two million artists around the world to Japan and bring the Japanese artists we all love to the rest of the world”, said Spotify boss Daniel Ek as his service went live in the country.

READ MORE ABOUT: SoundCloud | Spotify

Thursday 29 September 2016, 09:18 | By Andy Malt

PledgeMusic finalises Set.fm acquisition

Business News Deals Digital

PledgeMusic has finalised its previously reported deal to acquire Set.fm, the direct-to-fan service which enables musicians to capture and sell recordings of their live shows.

As the two companies are officially joined in matrimony, Set.fm CEO Matt Peterson also becomes PledgeMusic’s Austin General Manager.

“Set.fm exists to change the way that artists and fans interact, a philosophy at the very core of what makes PledgeMusic so special”, says Peterson. “Combining our expertise in creating high-value live content with PledgeMusic’s best-of-breed platform for directly engaging fans will create a richer experience for all involved”.

Pledge also recently acquired data-gathering platform NoiseTrade, further bolstering the company’s offering to artists.

READ MORE ABOUT: PledgeMusic | Set.fm

Thursday 29 September 2016, 09:17 | By Andy Malt

Solange to release new album this week

Artist News Releases

Solange Knowles has announced that she will release her new album, ‘A Seat At The Table’, on 30 Sep.

Following recent hints that a record was on the way, the musician properly announced it in an Instagram post yesterday, saying that she is “overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement to share this body of work I have written”. In a further statement, she described it as “a project on identity, empowerment, independence, grief and healing”.

She also posted the tracklist for the record, revealing that it features an impressive array of collaborators, including: Lil Wayne, Kelly Rowland, Q-Tip, The-Dream, Dev Hynes, Kelela, Tweet, Sampha, Sean Nicholas Savage, Moses Sumney and BJ The Chicago Kid.

A 112 page book sent to a number of fans who signed up to her mailing list earlier this month is now available on her website to accompany the album. Check that out here.

READ MORE ABOUT: Solange Knowles

Thursday 29 September 2016, 09:14 | By Andy Malt

CMU’s One Liners: Pete Doherty, Andrew WK, Madonna, more

Artist News Gigs & Festivals One Liners Releases

Other notable announcements and developments today…

• Pete Doherty has released new single ‘I Don’t Love Anyone (But You’re Not Just Anyone)’. Two versions of the song will feature on his new album, ‘Hamburg Demonstrations’, which is out on 2 Dec.

• Andrew WK has gone EDM, providing vocals on a fucking terrible new track by MAKJ and Timmy Trumpet. You can listen to ‘Party Till We Die’ here if you really want.

• Mystery Jets and PAUW have released a split EP, ahead of the latter’s upcoming UK tour. Listen on Spotify here.

• Kaytranada has released the video for ‘You’re The One’, featuring Syd. The track is taken from his ‘99.9%’ album, which was recently awarded the Polaris Music Prize, I’m sure you remember.

• Mono have released the video for the title track form their forthcoming new album ‘Requiem For Hell’.

• Grog Lisee has released a new single, ‘Guiding Light’. The song was written in memory of Al Fletcher, drummer in her band Die So Fluid, who died in July.

• PWR BTTM have released the video for ‘I Wanna Boi’, taken from their debut album ‘Ugly Cherries’.

• Empire Of The Sun have announced that they will play The Roundhouse in London on 13 Oct. New album ‘Two Vines’ is out on 28 Oct.

• Madonna is joining Katy Perry in getting naked to vote, which is a misunderstanding of that video. Whatever. Apparently naked voting is a thing now.

READ MORE ABOUT: Andrew WK | Empire Of The Sun | Grog Lisee | Katy Perry | Kaytranada | Madonna | MAKJ | Mono | Mystery Jets | PAUW | Pete Doherty | PWR BTTM | Timmy Trumpet

Thursday 29 September 2016, 08:59 | By Andy Malt

Ed Sheeran revealed as buyer of Ed Sheer-ham

And Finally Artist News

“Who would spend £6000 on a statue of a pig that (almost) looks like Ed Sheeran”, you may have found yourself wondering last week. The answer, it turns out, is Ed Sheeran. And it was £6200, to be exact.

As previously reported, the pig – along with 38 others – was sold at auction in aid of St Elizabeth Hospice in Ipswich last week. It had been part of an art trail in the city. Other musicians rendered in pig form were Elvis Presley and David Bowie. Neither of them came forward to buy their statues though, so I can only assume that both of them hate charity.

“We were wondering if he would want to buy it, but then he said he would sign the pig for the winner – he was very good at keeping everyone guessing”, the hospice’s Rachel Blackshaw told the BBC when confirming that Sheeran was indeed the buyer. “Ed has said that he is really excited about winning the pig and helping the hospice and that it will have pride of place”.

But where would pride of place for a large-ish pig statue be? I think I’d probably stick it in the hall, near the front door. I might even use it to sit on while I do up my shoelaces. That would be quite handy, actually. Really wish I’d bid against him now.

READ MORE ABOUT: Ed Sheeran

Thursday 29 September 2016, 07:52 | By Andy Malt

Approved: Debz

CMU Approved

Right, so here’s a thing. There’s this label in New York called Choice Records, which appears to have just released its first eight records all in one go. And one of those records is an EP by Debz called ‘Extended Play’.

The seven track release is a lo-fi gem. There’s a strong early New York punk feel on songs like ‘Plastic Wrap’ and ‘A Real Romance’, though the EP veers off in various other directions too.

‘Barbizon’ sounds like early 80s pop experimentation, while ‘Love Love Love Love Love’ suddenly ditches scratchy guitar and synth sounds for strings and ukelele.

Check out the full EP here:

Stay up to date with all of the artists featured in the CMU Approved column in 2016 by subscribing to our Spotify playlist.

READ MORE ABOUT: Debz

Wednesday 28 September 2016, 10:22 | By Chris Cooke

Closing arguments presented in MegaUpload extradition case, as Kim Dotcom’s lawyers seek rehearing in US on seized assets

Business News Digital Legal MegaUpload Timeline Top Stories

Lawyers for the men who led the always controversial file-transfer platform MegaUpload have presented closing arguments as part of their appeal against the previous court ruling that said the former execs should be extradited to the US to face charges of criminal copyright infringement and money laundering.

As much previously reported, the US has been trying to extradite the former MegaUpload chiefs, including founder Kim Dotcom, ever since it shut down the file-transfer business in 2012 on the grounds that the website profited from rampant copyright infringement. After many delays, the extradition hearing got under way last year, with a judge ultimately finding in the US government’s favour. But Dotcom et al appealed.

Most of the arguments presented by both sides during the appeal hearing were pretty familiar. On Dotcom’s side, legal reps continue to argue that there is not enough evidence to show that their client conspired to commit a crime, and therefore there is not a strong enough case to allow extradition under the rules of the US/New Zealand extradition treaty.

Although the main arguments from both sides have now been presented, according to Channel NewsAsia, there are still some technicalities to be addressed, meaning a ruling is likely to be a few weeks away yet. Meanwhile, it is expected that a further appeal will occur, whichever sides wins this stage.

As also previously reported, the appeal hearing was live streamed on YouTube at the request of the Dotcom side, though it seems that the mainly dull proceedings were something of a turn-off for many of the people who did tune in; appeal hearings generally being less entertaining. According to YouTube, the final afternoon’s session had about 100 viewers.

Elsewhere in MegaUpload news, another appeal of sorts. Legal reps for Dotcom have petitioned the Fourth Circuit Court Of Appeals in the US in a bid to try to secure a rehearing in relation to their client’s bid to regain assets seized by the US government during the aforementioned MegaUpload shutdown in 2012.

As previously reported, last month the Fourth Circuit backed a lower court ruling saying that Dotcom should not be reconnected to those assets, mainly because they consider the former MegaUpload chief a fugitive. The lawyers argue that there should be a rehearing on the basis that the three judge Fourth Circuit ruling was not unanimous, the ruling arguably conflicts with past precedents, and because of the wider significance of the case.

It remains to be seen if a rehearing is indeed granted, though other appeal routes are still open to Dotcom, who has previously pledged to take the case all the way to the US Supreme Court if necessary.

READ MORE ABOUT: Kim Dotcom | MegaUpload

Wednesday 28 September 2016, 10:21 | By Andy Malt

Decision not to prosecute Cliff Richard was correct, rules CPS

Artist News Legal

The Crown Prosecution Service has upheld its decision not to prosecute Cliff Richard over allegations of sexual abuse. The initial outcome of the investigation into claims made against the singer – that there was insufficient evidence to proceed – was challenged by two of his accusers.

In a statement yesterday, the CPS said: “On 16 Jun, the CPS announced that no criminal charges were to be brought as a result of Operation Kaddie. The CPS subsequently received applications to review two of the charging decisions under the Victims’ Right To Review scheme. In accordance with the scheme, a CPS lawyer who was not involved in the original decision-making process has completed a full review of the evidence and has concluded that the decisions not to charge were correct”.

As previously reported, Richard’s Berkshire home was searched by police in 2014 in relation to accusations that he had sexually assaulted a boy under the age of sixteen at a Christian faith rally in the 1980s. Subsequently, three other men came forward, accusing the singer of offences dating back to 1958. He was questioned by police a number of times, but never arrested or charged.

In June this year, the Crown Prosecution Service announced that there was “insufficient evidence” to proceed further with a prosecution. However, in August this decision was challenged by one of his accusers, who was later joined by a second.

Next month, the singer plans to lobby Parliament in bid to get a change in the law whereby those accused of sexual abuse are not publicly named until after they are charged.

Richard will attend Parliament on 17 Oct to urge MPs and Lords to back proposals put forward by former police chief and now Liberal Democrat peer Brian Paddick, who is proposing that the identity of anyone accused of a sexual offence should remain confidential until the accused person is actually charged, except where a judge feels it is in the public interest for that person’s name to be published.

READ MORE ABOUT: Cliff Richard

Wednesday 28 September 2016, 10:18 | By Chris Cooke

Judge dismisses lawsuit over Roc-A-Fella logo

Business News Labels & Publishers Legal

A US judge has dismissed a lawsuit against Jay-Z and his former business partners over the origins of the logo for the hip hop mogul’s original label venture Roc-A-Fella.

According to Reuters, a clothing designer called Dwayne Walker sued Jay-Z and his Roc-A-Fella co-founder Damon Dash, plus the label’s parent company Universal Music, in 2012. He claimed that he created the artwork that formed the basis of the Roc-A-Fella logo, and that he signed a contract with Dash back in the 1990s that entitled him to royalties for the record company’s use of the artwork.

The defendants denied Walker’s claims, arguing that the label’s logo had, in fact, been designed by the company’s then in-house art director. While two other people claimed to have seen the lost contract signed by Dash in relation to the artwork, judge Andrew Carter said those testimonies were weak, leaving “only plaintiff’s own self-serving testimony that he drafted the contract, that he and Dash signed it, and that he lost track of it in 1998”.

Walker’s legal reps still reckon that their client has a case strong enough to go to a full court hearing, and therefore they plan to appeal Carter’s decision. Said lawyer Gregory Berry to Reuters: “Walker made the logo in 1995. Then in 2013, in response to this suit – never before – the defendants find a guy who is willing to claim now that HE made the logo … Sound like a factual question for trial? We agree”.

READ MORE ABOUT: Damon Dash | Dwayne Walker | Jay-Z | Roc-A-Fella | Universal Music

Wednesday 28 September 2016, 10:16 | By Andy Malt

Spotify launches ‘near endless’ Daily Mix playlists

Business News Digital

Spotify has launched another personalised algorithmic playlist, this one focussing less on discovery and more on the music users already know and love. Daily Mix will aim to fill your day with music you dig, plus a smattering of new stuff that the service reckons you might be into as well. How nice of it.

In theory, you should now be able to press play and never have to actually think about what you want to listen to ever again. So sort of like radio, but without the talking. And sort of like the more radio-esque functionality that Spotify boss Daniel Ek promised a year and a half ago which was never really launched. But without the talking.

“As your music taste evolves, so will your Daily Mix”, says Spotify. “In fact, the more you listen, the better your mixes will become – offering an effortless music experience based entirely on your personal listening habits. Don’t like that new discovery? Simply ‘ban’ a tune to remove it from future playlists. If you love it, be sure to ‘heart’ the hit to add it to your collection”.

Yeah, that’s the other thing. Spotify has added some functions more commonly found on personalised radio services to its playlists. Well, these Daily playlists, at least. Hopefully they’ll add it to Discover Weekly too, so I stop getting served up all of the world’s most boring music every week.

Anyway, Daily Mix is rolling out on iOS and Android now, so chances are you can check it out today. New users will have to wait two weeks. Bad luck, suckers.

READ MORE ABOUT: Spotify

Wednesday 28 September 2016, 10:15 | By Andy Malt

MOBO Season launches with Kwame Kwei-Armah talk

Awards Business News Education & Events

A MOBO Season was launched yesterday, with a wide range of events to be held between now and the end of the year, including this year’s MOBO Awards in November.

Among the events is a series of ‘MOBOvation’ talks, the first of which was delivered at yesterday’s launch by playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah. Next to speak will be London’s Deputy Mayor Rajesh Agrawal.

Speaking ahead of his talk yesterday, Kwei-Armah said: “Art does not exist in its fullest self without investing in new talent; diverse talent. So it’s a huge honour to launch the MOBO Season this year because the platform that MOBO has provided in its 21 year history across British music and culture and creative industries is not only unique, but has been a game changer”.

As well as this, MOBO Season will partner with the London Film Festival on a selection of films celebrating diversity, including new Spike Lee film ‘Chi-Raq’. Another partnership is with NHS Blood And Transplant, launching a campaign to increase blood donations amongst young black and south Asian people.

“Only 1% of people who donated blood in the last year were from black communities and yet donors from these communities are more likely to have rare blood types and have conditions such as Sickle Cell Disease, which require regular blood transfusions”, says NHS Blood And Transport chief exec Ian Trenholm.

He continues: “For people with these conditions, blood from donors of the same ethnic background can provide the best chance of a match and clinical outcome. By developing this new campaign with MOBO, an organisation which has done so much to bring black music and culture into the mainstream, we hope we can do the same for blood donation, engaging and inspiring a whole new generation of blood donors to become lifelong lifesavers”.

On the launch of the whole MOBO Season, MOBO founder Kanya King says: “Twenty years in, the MOBO organisation has always had a social and cultural responsibility to motivate, elevate and celebrate creative talent and inspire future generations. MOBO, champion of diversity and inclusion, are recognising talent within music, culture, arts, fashion, media and larger society as a whole. Something that is much bigger than music alone – that is what the MOBO Season is about”.

For a full guide to what’s on during MOBO Season, click here.

READ MORE ABOUT: MOBO Awards

Wednesday 28 September 2016, 10:11 | By Andy Malt

Everything Everything to keynote at Off The Record

Business News Education & Events

Everything Everything will provide the keynote session at the first Off The Record conference for emerging artists in Manchester in November. The band’s Jonathan Higgs and Jeremy Pritchard will be in conversation with DJ and writer Dave Haslam.

Of course, the really big draw at the event will be the session put on by CMU:DIY, offering a beginner’s guide to the music industry for DIY artists, right? Well, it will definitely be one of the draws. CMU Business Editor Chris Cooke will outline the different ways musicians can make money from recordings, merchandise, gigs and brand partnerships.

Other sessions include: photographers Brian Cannon (Oasis’ ‘Definitely Maybe’) and David Drake (The 1975’s ‘I Like It When You Sleep’) in conversation with John Robb and a panel on getting your foot in the door, led by former Happy Mondays manager Phil Saxe.

And, of course, the conference accompanies the OTR festival, with performances by 30 emerging artists nominated by industry names such as Guy Garvey, Huw Stephens, John Kennedy, Tim Burgess, Lara Baker and Elizabeth Alker.

For more information and to buy tickets, click here.

READ MORE ABOUT: CMU:DIY | Everything Everything | Off The Record

Wednesday 28 September 2016, 10:09 | By Andy Malt

Pixie Geldof releases new track

Artist News Gigs & Festivals Releases

Pixie Geldof has released new single ‘Sweet Thing’, the opening track from her debut album ‘I’m Yours’, which is due out on 4 Nov on Stranger Records.

“‘Sweet Thing’ is one of the older songs on the record”, says Geldof. “It’s actually the first song I wrote after I signed with Stranger. I wanted something that channelled the country music I grew up listening to, something with a real stomp, and be a song you can wake up to. As soon as I heard it in the studio, with those drums, I knew it would be the opening track of the album”.

The musician has also announced that she’ll be performing at the launch of a new night in London called Forecast. A$AP Rocky collaborator Joe Fox will also appear live at the inaugural edition at The Scotch in Mayfair on 5 Oct. Entry is guestlist-only, don’t you know. Email [email protected] to get your name pencilled onto that bit of paper.

Now, listen to ‘Sweet Thing’ here:

READ MORE ABOUT: Pixie Geldof

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