DEALS
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Smartlink platform Linkfire has renewed its deal to provide its Saas Marketing Platform to Universal Music. The agreement runs to the end of the year, at which point the partnership will have been in place for a decade.
APPOINTMENTS
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Kartel Agency has promoted Tom Poole to Director Of Promotions. “I’m honoured to continue my journey with Kartel and become a director at the company”, he says. “We have an unbelievably talented team at Kartel Agency, with the tools and ability to tackle almost any project and our diverse roster really showcases that”.
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White label music distribution platform DistroDirect has confirmed four new appointments around the world. Ritnika Nayan joins in India, Ben Frigeri in the US, Henriette Heimdal in the UK and EU, and Samuel Fernandes in Brazil. They are tasked with expanding the platform, which was launched in 2021 by Australian distributor GYROstream.
STATS
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Despite the continued rise in vinyl sales, only 12.8% of independent artists have ever released something on the format, according to a survey of 1000 self-releasing musicians conducted by distribution company Ditto Music. Those who do release on vinyl are also more likely to be older and play guitars - the most vinyl-happy demographics being artists over 55 and rock acts. Read more on this here.
AWARDS
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Elton John has won the Outstanding Variety Special (Live) award at this year’s Emmy Awards. This also makes him the nineteenth person in the history of the universe to have won an Emmy, Oscar, Golden Globe and a Tony. An Egot, as they’re known. Other musical Egots include Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice and John Legend.
GIGS & TOURS
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Aitch, Ash, Baby Queen, Cian Ducrot, CMAT, Keane, The Last Dinner Party, Pendulum, Sleaford Mods, Venbee and You Me At Six have all been announced as the acts playing this year’s BRITs Week in aid of War Child. The shows will take place from 19 Feb to 4 Mar. Enter the prize draw to win tickets here.
🎪
The line-up for this year’s BBC Radio 6 Music Festival in Manchester has been announced. The festival runs from 7-9 Mar and will include performances from The Smile, Gossip, Young Fathers and more. Full details here.
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Eivør has announced UK tour dates later this year, starting with a show at London’s Electric Ballroom on 7 Oct. Tickets go on general sale on Friday.
RELEASES
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Idles have released new single ‘Gift Horse’, the latest from new album ‘Tangk’, which is out on 16 Feb.
🍭
James will release new album ‘Yummy’ on 12 Apr. Out now is new single ‘Is This Love’.
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Yard Act have released new single ‘We Make Hits’. The band’s new album ‘Where’s My Utopia?’ is out on 1 Mar.
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Enter Shikari have released new single 'Losing My Grip' featuring Fever 333’s Jason Butler. Both bands will be heading out on tour together next month.
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My Life Story have released new single ‘Running Out Of Heartbeats’. New album ‘Loving You Is Killing Me’ is out on 9 Feb.
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Hafdís Huld has released two new tracks, ‘Hindsight’ and ‘Softer Shade Of Blue’. Both are taken from her new album ‘Darkest Night’, which is out on 2 Feb.