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CMU’s One Liners: Ward Thomas, Jeffrey Azoff, Music Week Awards, more

By Chris Cooke | Published on Tuesday 8 March 2016

Other notable announcements and developments today…

• Sony Music UK has signed its first “homegrown country music artist” in the form of Ward Thomas, via a JV with WTW Music, which released the duo’s debut album in 2014. Sony COO Nicola Tuer is “THRILLED” about the arrangement.

• Artist managers are awaiting with interest a new app that has been developed by Sony Music in Sweden that promises to give artists signed to the major access to streaming and royalty data on the fly. It’s been overseen by Sony’s Michelle Kadir, an ex-Spotify exec, who has spoken to Sweden’s Di Weekend about the venture, noting that “transparency has been the key word when we developed this”. If and when rolled out across Sony, it may bring the major up to Kobalt-levels of transparency, but will there be full disclosure?

• Jeffrey Azoff is leaving CAA to set up his own management company, Full Stop Management, the talent agency has confirmed to its staff, according to Billboard. It’s thought that a key initial client of Full Stop will be that Harry Styles guy you may have heard about.

• Robert Plant, Femi Kuti, Laura Marling and I Am Kloot will all play at this year’s Meltdown festival, as curated by that Guy Garvey chap. The festival takes place at London’s Southbank Centre from 10-19 Jun with tickets on sale from 18 Mar. More here.

• Music Week has announced the shortlists for its annual industry awards, with Jon Ollier, Banquet Records, Syco, Sam Eldridge and a Cilla Black best of album amongst the nominees I just randomly selected. Well done all of you for being randomly selected by me. Just think, you’re already winners, and the actual awards don’t take place until 28 Apr.