Deals
Tim & Danny Music and Warner Chappell Music UK have signed an exclusive global publishing deal with rising British R&B/soul singer-songwriter Elmiene. Recently nominated for the Rising Star Award at the 2024 Ivor Novello Awards, Elmiene has collaborated with Stormzy, Timbaland and Justin Timberlake. “The pen is my most valued weapon, and the publisher helps me sharpen it. Extremely thankful to Tim & Danny and Warner Chappell”, says Elmiene. Tim Blacksmith, Co-Founder of Tim & Danny Music, adds: “I am incredibly THRILLED that we at Tim & Danny Music and Warner Chappell Music are working with such a generational talent as Elmiene”.
Wise Music Group has signed an exclusive worldwide songwriter agreement with indie folk duo The Staves. The deal, announced by Campbell Connelly, part of Wise Music Group, comes after the release of The Staves’ latest album ‘All Now’ in March on the Communion label. “We’re over the moon to be joining the Wise roster alongside a long line of amazingly talented composers, many of whom we have been inspired by as a band”, say Jessica and Camilla Staveley-Taylor, the sisters who comprise The Staves. Marcus Wise, CEO of Wise Music Group, adds, “We are already enjoying building on the success of The Staves together and we look forward to future projects”.
Armada Music has partnered with Warner Music Africa and Africori to launch ‘AMAPIANO TO IBIZA’, an EP featuring amapiano reinterpretations of classic Ibiza house tracks. The collaboration aims to capitalise on the rising popularity of amapiano, a South African house music subgenre that generated 1.4 billion streams on Spotify in 2023. “We are delighted to announce this innovative partnership with Warner Music Africa and Africori”, says Maykel Piron, CEO of Armada Music Group. The EP will be released on OUT OF ORDER, Warner Music’s emerging markets dance label, with tracks rolling out through July and August, culminating in a full EP launch and release event in Ibiza in early September.
Appointments
PULSE Music Group has promoted Steven Gringer to Senior Vice President Of A&R. Gringer, previously Vice President, will continue to sign and develop songwriters and producers, and oversee international creative affairs, for the company’s publishing division. “What makes Steven really incredible as an A&R executive is his deft ability to work across genres, creating pop, Latin, hip-hop and international opportunities for our roster of songwriters and producers”, say co-CEOs Scott Cutler and Josh Abraham, and President Ashley Calhoun. Gringer’s notable clients include Gabe Simon, co-writer and co-producer of Noah Kahan’s critically-acclaimed album ‘Stick Season’, and Manuel Lara, who co-wrote and produced Kali Uchis’ global hit ‘telepatía’. Gringer states: “I look forward to continuing to help guide our clients and team to realising their highest potential and goals”.
BMG has announced that Maximilian Kolb will step down as EVP Of Repertoire & Marketing Continental Europe after twelve years with the company. Kolb, who joined BMG in 2012 and rose to his current position in 2021, says, “The music industry is undergoing one of its most revolutionary periods, and after twelve years at BMG, it’s time for a new chapter”. BMG CEO Thomas Coesfeld adds, “I would like to thank Maximilian for his extraordinary dedication and contributions to BMG over the years. His leadership and vision have been instrumental in the growth and success of our GSA and Continental Europe operations”. Alistair Norbury, President Repertoire & Marketing UK & APAC, will assume Kolb’s responsibilities on an interim basis until the end of the year.
The Scottish Music Industry Association has appointed seven members to its inaugural Equalities, Diversity, Inclusion And Access Advisory Group: Jayne Stynes (Chair), Jim Muotune, Beth Black, Sof Staune, Jo D’arc, Ailie Robertson and Kiana Kalantar-Hormozi. The group will develop an EDIA strategy for Scotland’s music industry over the next year, engaging with SMIA members and the wider Scottish music sector. “When we think about industry development, it has to be in a way that is by and for all”, states Robert Kilpatrick, CEO and Creative Director of the SMIA. The initiative, supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland, aims to reduce inequality, increase diversity, enable inclusion and enhance access within Scotland’s music industry.
Kobalt has promoted Bob Bruderman to the newly created position of Chief Digital Officer. In his new role, Bruderman will lead global digital strategy, including commercial partnerships with major platforms like Amazon, Apple and Spotify. CEO Laurent Hubert says, “Bob has been a key member of the Kobalt executive team for over a decade. He has made innumerable contributions to our business as a strategist, negotiator and leader”. Bruderman, who joined Kobalt in 2013, comments, “It’s a pivotal time in our business for songwriters and music publishers. I’m proud of the transformative impact Kobalt has on the industry”.
Labels
Mushroom Group has launched Mushroom Music, consolidating its recording, publishing and neighbouring rights activities. Co-CEOs Chris Maund and Linda Bosidis will lead the new division, which overall Mushroom Group chief Matt Gudinski calls “the most significant change to how Mushroom supports Australian artists since the sale of Mushroom Records in 1998”. The restructure includes merging the group’s media, streaming, marketing and audience functions into a single department, creating what the company describes as the largest music collective of its kind in the region.
Influence Media has launched a new frontline label called SLANG, led by Partner and founding Advisor Rene McLean. The label’s roster includes Will Smith, multi-platinum producer Camper and Grammy-winning producer 30 Roc, alongside developing artists such as rapper/singer Leaf and Flatbush rap-duo The Underachievers. McLean says: “I’m proud to lead SLANG’s efforts to partner with quality artists and invest in their growth, regardless of genre or where they are in their respective careers”.
Universal Music Group’s share price has fallen off a cliff, dropping as much as 30% to €19.93 following disappointing streaming revenue growth reported by the company in its Q2 earnings report yesterday. The decline makes CEO Lucian Grainge’s massive bonus, which kicks in at €30 per share, seem increasingly remote. UMG reported a 46% surge in first-half profit to €914 million, but streaming and subscription revenue growth of 4.1% at constant currencies in Q2 fell well below analysts’ expectations of over 10%. The stock hit its lowest point since June 2023, prompting Citigroup and Barclays to downgrade their ratings on UMG. “Investors bought UMG mostly for low-double-digit growth in paid streaming”, says Barclays analyst Julien Roch, adding that this is “the main basis for the rich valuation UMG trades at”, noting that if the company’s paid streaming growth continues to under perform, the valuation multiple of UMG’s share price may fall.
Digital
Spotify has rebranded its Ad Studio as Spotify Ads Manager, introducing enhanced advertising capabilities for all advertisers. The update offers more tools and ad formats, including advanced targeting and opt-in video, to help advertisers reach their target audiences on the platform. Sam Bevan, Spotify’s Global Head Of Emerging & Scaled Advertising, says: “I’m THRILLED to share that our newly redesigned Spotify Ads Manager brings enhanced ease, control and performance, making it easier than ever for advertisers of all sizes to get started with Spotify Advertising and connect with our highly engaged audience of 626 million”.
Legal
Japanese music piracy site Hikari-no-Akari has voluntarily shut down following legal pressure from Sony Music Entertainment Japan. The closure comes after Sony obtained a DMCA subpoena requiring Cloudflare to disclose personal details of the site’s operator. The Recording Industry Association Of Japan estimates HnA had over 15 million visitors in 2024, with 75% from outside Japan. “Based on the information to be disclosed by Cloudflare in the future, our association plans to continue to hold the operator accountable and take legal action against similar illegal sites”, states RIAJ. The music group emphasises that knowingly downloading pirated music is a criminal offence in Japan, even for personal use. HnA’s associated cyberlocker, hnadownloads.co, has also been suspended.
Young Thug’s attorney has filed a renewed motion for the rapper’s pre-trial release from prison in the ongoing YSL racketeering case. Brian Steel asked newly-appointed Judge Paige Reese Whitaker to allow Young Thug to live under house arrest with strict monitoring, citing “torturous conditions” in jail. The motion comes amid a flurry of new filings following Judge Ural Glanville’s removal, including requests for mistrial from co-defendants. Steel argues, “The most fundamental premise of our criminal justice system is that the criminally accused cannot be punished for an offence until the prosecution proves guilt beyond a reasonable doubt”.
Udio has launched Version 1.5 of its AI-powered music creation platform, introducing improved audio quality, key control and stem downloads amidst an ongoing copyright lawsuit from the Recording Industry Association Of America and major labels. The update offers 48kHz-stereo tracks with enhanced clarity and instrument separation, as well as an audio-to-audio feature for remixing uploaded tracks. “Audio quality is the foundation of the Udio platform and v1.5 represents a significant step forward”, the company states, while the RIAA continues to allege “unimaginable scales” of copyright infringement.
Industry News & Events
IMPALA has released the results of its first qualitative survey on the economic benefits of sustainability practices in the European independent music sector. The survey reveals that labels implementing sustainability measures experience multiple advantages, including cost reduction, increased innovation, and enhanced appeal to artists, fans and employees. “It’s interesting to see that companies who adopt sustainability practices are already seeing concrete advantages in other areas such as attracting artists, reducing costs, hiring and retaining employees, being seen as a leader, among other advantages”, says Helen Smith, Executive Chair of IMPALA. The study, conducted in spring 2024, involved interviews with selected IMPALA member labels across different territories and sizes, aiming to inspire further action within the industry’s 6000 members across 33 countries.
LIVE, the trade body for the UK live industry, has announced new ‘committed partners’ for its 2024 LIVE Talks programme, including Royal Albert Hall, OVO Hydro, See Tickets, Skiddle and The O2. The initiative, launched two years ago, offers free online workshops on EDI, wellbeing and sustainability issues in the live music industry. “We are very appreciative of the support we receive from our committed partners who have fully engaged with what we are trying to achieve with LIVE Talks”, says Gaby Cartwright, Head Of Partnerships at LIVE. Two new events for 2024 have been revealed: ‘Menstruation And Menstrual Health In The Live Music Industry’ on 14 Aug and ‘From Melas To Stadiums: Exploring Opportunities Within South Asian Live Music’ on 24 Oct.
Artist News
Timothee Chalamet has been revealed singing as Bob Dylan in the first trailer for “A Complete Unknown”, set for US release in December. The biopic, directed by James Mangold, covers Dylan’s early career from 1961 to 1965. Mangold praises Chalamet’s commitment, saying he was “brave enough to stand out there and make himself vulnerable, throwing himself at this”. The director confirms that Chalamet performed his own vocals, stating, “You want everyone putting everything on the line every moment”.
The Mercury Prize has announced its twelve ‘Albums Of The Year’ for 2024, showcasing a diverse range of British and Irish talent. The shortlist, revealed earlier today by BBC Radio 6 Music, includes: Barry Can’t Swim, BERWYN, Beth Gibbons, Cat Burns, Charli XCX, CMAT, Corinne Bailey Rae, corto.alto, English Teacher, Ghetts, Nia Archives and The Last Dinner Party. “The Mercury Prize recognises and celebrates the ‘Albums Of The Year’, establishing a reputation for highlighting the work of both exciting emerging talent and more established bands and artists”, states Jeff Smith, Chair of the judging panel. The winner will be announced in September.
Loyle Carner and Kojey Radical have received honorary doctorates from the University Of The Arts London. The South London musicians were among twelve creatives awarded degrees at ceremonies held at the Royal Festival Hall. Carner, known for his Mercury Prize-nominated albums, was recognised for his musical achievements and work supporting young people with ADHD. Radical, a London College Of Fashion graduate, was honoured for his multidisciplinary work blending rap, funk, spoken word and poetry. UAL Vice-Chancellor James Purnell says, “Their extraordinary input and impact on the arts, culture and society stand as a testament to the incredible value of our creative industries”.
Releases & Tours
SOPHIE has released two new singles ‘Berlin Nightmare’, featuring Evita Manji + ‘One More Time’, featuring Popstar. Her posthumous album ‘SOPHIE’ is out 27 Sep.
Pixies have released their new single ‘Chicken’. Their new album ‘The Night The Zombies Came’ is out 25 Oct.
Peter Cat Recording Co have released their new single ‘Foolmuse’. Their new album ‘BETA’ is out 9 Aug.
LANA & LEX have released their new single ‘ティファニーで朝食を (Breakfast at Tiffany’s)’.
mxmtoon has released her new single ‘i hate texas’.
Ma Sha has released her new fourt track EP ‘Pull To Stop’.
muque have released their new single ‘nevermind’.
Angie McMahon has released her new single ‘Just Like North’.
Nine Below Zero and Dr Feelgood have announced a UK collaboration tour. Tickets are available here.