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Artist News Business News Deals Digital Gigs & Festivals Live Business Media Releases
One Liners: GEMA, MSG Company, Beatport, more
By Andy Malt and Chris Cooke | Published on Thursday 5 December 2019
DEALS
German song rights collecting society GEMA has bought itself a majority stake in music distributor Zebralution because, well, who knows? Berlin-based Zebralution was part of Warner Music for ten years, but became an independent entity again in 2017.
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LIVE BUSINESS
US-based live firm MSG has filed paperwork with the Securities & Exchange Commission to begin the process of splitting itself into two businesses – one focused on venues and entertainment, the other on sport. The company confirmed plans to split into two totally separate entities last month.
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DIGITAL
Dance music focused digital platform Beatport has launched a new editorial website, Beatportal, providing articles and interviews on electronic music with a “heavy emphasis on community, diversity and education”. Check out the site here.
After more than two years Jay-Z has returned his full catalogue to Spotify. Apparently this is to mark his 50th birthday. Although maybe he’s finally conceded that it really wasn’t helping his Tidal streaming service to gain any ground on it much bigger rival.
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MEDIA
BBC Radio 1 has announced a new roster of presenters to take over shows on the station over the festive period. Emerging presenters were invited to apply earlier this year. The winners include a YouTuber, a podcaster, a tattoo artist, and the station’s first blind presenter. Full details of the 35 guest hosts are here.
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EDUCATION & EVENTS
The Association Of Independent Music’s annual conference AIM Connected will take place on 4 Feb next year at Kings Place in London and will be “totally panel-less”, with a programme of “quick-fire strong opinions”, case studies, practical workshops and speed networking sessions. Info and tickets here.
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RELEASES
Billie Eilish will release her live acoustic EP, recorded at and released through Third Man Records, this Friday. Here she is creating the artwork for one of the two limited edition pressings (plus a little preview of the acoustic version of ‘Bad Guy’).
Ellie Goulding has released the video for her cover of Joni Mitchell’s ‘River’. “I have always loved Joni Mitchell, she was one of the first female artists that made me want to be a singer”, says Goulding. “She is one of the greatest songwriters of all time and I just truly hope that I have done this song some justice”.
The Weeknd has released the video for new single ‘Heartless’.
Efterklang have released a new four track EP, ‘Lyset’. It’s available in various formats, including socks. Just in time for Christmas.
Afghan Whigs frontman Greg Dulli has announced that he will release his first ever solo album, ‘Random Desire’, on 21 Feb. He’ll be touring in March too. Here’s new single ‘Pantomima’.
Poliça have released new single ‘Forget Me Now’. “‘Forget Me Now’ is letting off some steam”, says vocalist Channy Leaneagh. “It’s about recognising a pattern of choosing people who can’t love you how you wish to be loved”.
Kali Uchis has released her first bilingual single, ‘Solita’. “I’d rather dance alone than with the devil”, she says. “This song is about healing, freedom and embracing the mixed emotions that come with that. I hope my fans feel sexy when they listen to it. I’m so excited to share more”.
Foreign Beggars will release their final album before splitting up, ‘Matriarchy’, on 13 Dec. “We thought it important to release [the album] this side of the year to give our fans one last gift, and set a clean slate for the New Year and new life”, say the trio. From it, this is ‘Young Kings & Queens’, featuring Maverick Sabre and Mali Hayes.
Soccer Mommy has released new track ‘Feed’, taken from the soundtrack of upcoming movie ‘The Turning’. “I’ve always wanted to do a song for a horror movie so I loved getting to write ‘Feed'”, she says. “It’s a song about letting a demon feed off your body. It was really fun to get to write something a little more imaginative than my other songs”.
The Darkness have released the video for ‘How Can I Lose Your Love’ from their ‘Easter Is Cancelled’ album.
Envy have released the video for new single ‘A Step In the Morning Glow’. Their new album, ‘The Fallen Crimson’, is out on 7 Feb.
Ashnikko has released the video for new single ‘Working Bitch’. “I felt like an alien cowgirl writing this song so you bet your ass I’m gonna be an alien cowgirl in the music video”, she says. Catch her live at a secret London location on 12 Dec. Details here.
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GIGS & TOURS
The 30th anniversary of The Stone Roses’ legendary Spike Island show is being marked with another show on the same site on 16 May next year. The line-up will be filled by an assortment of Manchester band tribute acts, with The Clone Roses topping the bill. Info here.
Aldous Harding has announced that she will play The Barbican in London on 20 May. Tickets go on sale on Friday.
Check out our weekly Spotify playlist of new music featured in the CMU Daily – updated every Friday.
