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Artist News Business News Digital Gigs & Festivals Industry People Labels & Publishers One Liners Releases
One Liners: Pet Shop Boys, Darcus Beese, Spotify, more
By Andy Malt and Chris Cooke | Published on Thursday 4 February 2021
COVID-19 CANCELLATIONS & POSTPONEMENTS
The Pet Shop Boys have rescheduled a greatest hits tour originally scheduled for last summer, that was previously postponed to this summer. It will now take place next summer. As in summer 2022. Tickets for the original dates will remain valid.
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APPOINTMENTS
Darcus Beese is exiting his role as President of Universal’s Island Records in the US, a role he took up in 2018 having previously been head of Island Records UK. The major says Beese is returning to the UK “for personal reasons and to pursue new career opportunities”.
Sony/ATV has hired Sonia Grant-Yendell as VP Human Resources, UK and International. That’s a lot of resources to be put in charge of. Especially of the human variety. “There has never been a more critical time to be focused on the importance of people, so I am extremely excited to take on this amazing role and to partner with the incredible team at Sony/ATV”, she says. “I’m THRILLED to support the continued success and growth of the business and its employees on a global scale”.
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DIGITAL & D2F SERVICES
Spotify had 155 million paying users by the end of 2020, and its total global userbase was up to 345 million. So that was a good year. I mean, another loss-making year in financial terms, but look at all those users! Podcast listening was up too, Spotify would like you to know. Well, that information’s mainly for those investors getting nervous about the streaming firm’s expensive push into podcasting and whether it will actually boost the business long-term. It’s also looking into new ways of monetising podcasts. So shut up nervous investors. Go listen to a podcast instead.
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RELEASES
Megan Thee Stallion has released the video for ‘Cry Baby’, featuring DaBaby, from her ‘Good News’ album.
Finneas has released new single ‘American Cliché’.
Ghetts has released new single ‘No Mercy’, featuring Pa Salieu and BackRoad Gee. His new album, ‘Conflict Of Interest’, is out on 19 Feb.
Du Blonde and Ezra Furman have released a new single together, called ‘I’m Glad That We Broke Up’. “I feel like Ezra and I have been travelling towards a duet for years and we finally got our shit together”, says Du Blonde. “The track is about breaking up, regretting it and getting back together. It’s about realising that sometimes being in love doesn’t have to be all fireworks and excitement and that having someone you can fart next to is precious”.
Death From Above 1979 have released new single ‘One + One’ and announced that they will release a new album, titled ‘Is 4 Lovers’, on 26 Mar. “My wife, Eva, became pregnant not long after we started working on the song, and after hearing an early version she said, ‘I wish this song was dancier'”, says the duo’s Sebastien Grainger of the new single. “So I went back into the studio and re-worked the drums. As the record was taking shape, every time I would come home from the studio, the baby would start dancing in Eva’s belly”.
Tkay Maidza has released new single ‘Kim’, featuring Yung Baby Tate.
Julien Baker has released new single ‘Favor’, featuring Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers. “I love the song for its stark but sensitive picture of friendship, what it looks like to recover from broken trust”, says Dacus. “Makes me think about how truth only ever breaks what should be broken, and how love is never one of those things. I’m always honoured to be brought into Julien’s life and music”. Baker’s new album, ‘Little Oblivions’, is out on 26 Feb.
Fryars has released the full video for new single ‘God Melodies’, having previously made it available in clips on TikTok.
Elliphant has released new single ‘Could This Be Love’.
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GIGS & TOURS
The Weeknd, playing it safe, has announced new tour dates for October and November 2022. I mean, that’s safe right? Surely! This includes five nights at the O2 in London. A number of the dates are being moved back from 2021, with new ones also being added.
Check out our weekly Spotify playlist of new music featured in the CMU Daily – updated every Friday.
