DEALS
🖊️
Bucks Music Group has signed Little Barrie to an exclusive worldwide administration and sync services deal, encompassing six studio albums and future works. The band's extensive catalogue includes the ‘Better Call Saul’ theme and has enjoyed placements in various other US TV shows including ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’. Frontman Barrie Cadogan has also contributed to a number of film and TV projects including Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis’ and BBC’s ‘Peaky Blinders’, while also co-writing with a wide range of artists. Bucks' A&R Flash Taylor says, “There are times in a publisher's life when an opportunity comes around to work with a band that you have admired for years, and Little Barrie is one of those bands for me”.
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Inverted Music UK has acquired the complete catalogue of electronic music pioneer John Mills-Cockell, expanding on a previous admin deal. The Canadian composer’s work spans various genres and media, including film, television and theatre, as well as contributions to bands like Syrinx and Intersystems, with his compositions sampled by artists such as Talib Kweli and Bonobo. Inverted Music UK Director Ethav Mojgani says, “John is a true visionary whose music has not only shaped the sound of electronic music but has also resonated with contemporary artists across various genres”.
🤠
Morgan Wallen and booking agent Austin Neal have launched Sticks Management, with Wallen as the sole client. The country star’s former co-managers Seth England and Kathleen Flaherty are stepping down, though Wallen will continue to work with England’s Big Loud label.Meanwhile Flaherty has been appointed Executive Director of the Morgan Wallen Foundation, where she's served since 2022. Wallen recently performed at BST Hyde Park, setting a record for the largest country music show in the UK.
✏️
Round Hill Music has signed songwriter and producer Brandon Day to an exclusive publishing deal. Day has written for artists like Brantley Gilbert and Eli Young Band, and produced for Gilbert and Plain White T’s. Lindsay Will, Round Hill’s Senior Director Of A&R, says, “He's the full package as a songwriter; he can write, sing and fully-produce an unbelievable track”. Day adds, “I'm so proud to be a new addition to Round Hill’s growing roster. It is truly such a blessing finding people who believe in what I can do in the writing room”.
🇦🇺
Universal Music Australia has launched Irruk Birruk, a not-for-profit label distributing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music globally, in partnership with Linc YowYeh and artist Briggs. The initiative has already released over 150 recordings. UMG President Sean Warner says, “We acknowledge and respect the importance and lasting impact First Nations peoples have had in shaping culture, community, expression and connections through music for many years”. Briggs adds, ”My intention with Irruk Birruk is to ensure the next chapter for Indigenous Artists is strong, unbroken and sustainable”.
🚀
Sony Music’s RCA Records has signed London-based rapper BERWYN in the US in preparation for his debut album release ‘WHO AM I’. The twelve track project explores themes of race identity and immigration. John Fleckenstein, COO of RCA Records, says: “We're THRILLED to welcome BERWYN to the RCA Records family. He's a unique talent with an incredible ability to tell a story through music”. BERWYN remains signed to Sony’s Columbia UK for the rest of the world.
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Polish guitarist Jakub Zytecki, formerly of prog rock band Disperse, has signed with InsideOutMusic. Zytecki says, “It fills me with joy to enter the next chapter of my career with the great InsideOutMusic on my side”. Label head Thomas Waber adds, “Jakub belongs to a new generation of extremely talented guitar players that can also write great songs. We are excited and proud to be building a career and future together!”
APPOINTMENTS
💡
Muse Group, the company behind popular music creation tools MuseScore, Ultimate Guitar and Audacity, has announced three key executive appointments. Debbie Diekelman joins as CFO, Sven Ahrens as Chief Growth Officer and Mohammed "Mo" Chahdi as COO. CEO Eugeny Naidenov says, “Sven, Mo and Debbie bring deep and diverse experience to our senior leadership team. Their visionary approach, proven success in scaling businesses and passion for our mission will be invaluable as we continue to evolve to best serve our global community of musicians, educators and learners”. The appointments follow Muse Group’s acquisition of sheet music publishing company Hal Leonard last year.
LEGAL
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Source Music has filed a 500 million won ($361,328) lawsuit against ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin for alleged defamation and business disruption affecting girl group Le Sserafim. Both Source Music and ADOR are subsidiaries of HYBE. The lawsuit, filed at the Seoul Western District Court, comes after Min claimed during a 25 Apr press conference that HYBE had prioritised Le Sserafim’s debut over NewJeans in 2022.
💨
Wiz Khalifa was arrested for drug possession at Romania’s Beach Please! Festival on Saturday, 13 Jul , after allegedly smoking cannabis on stage. The rapper, who was found with “eighteen grams of cannabis”, according to anti-organised crime prosecutors DIICOT, was charged and later released. Khalifa apologised in a post on X, stating, “I didn't mean any disrespect to the country of Romania by lighting up on stage. They were very respectful and let me go. I'll be back soon. But without a big ass joint next time”.
❌
Julian Koster, bassist for indie rock band Neutral Milk Hotel, has been accused of sexual assault and grooming by musician Anna “Nesey” Gallons. Gallons alleges that Koster began grooming her at age fifteen and sexually assaulted her twice in 2005. Koster denies these claims, saying “I have been the victim of intimidation, manipulation and abuse by Nesey Gallons for many years”. He acknowledged entering a consensual relationship with Gallons in 2001 when she was sixteen, admitting it was “wrong to allow the relationship to happen at all”, but denies other accusations. Koster is seeking an order of protection against Gallons and her spouse, citing “thousands of threatening and manipulative messages”.
LIVE
🌪️
Pohoda Festival in Slovakia ended prematurely after a severe storm caused a tent collapse on Friday night, injuring 29 people. The festival, which began on Thursday with performances by Arlo Parks, Skepta and James Blake, was forced to cancel Friday’s scheduled concerts by Morcheeba and Royal Blood. Festival director Michal Kaščák stated, “The tent that collapsed was designed for wind speeds of 35 metres per second”, though exact wind speeds during the incident were unclear. Nearly 30,000 attendees were evacuated following the storm, with police initiating a criminal investigation into the collapse.