DEALS
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Spotify has partnered with Bandsintown to include its event listings on artist profile pages within the streaming service. "Our partnership with Bandsintown reinforces our commitment to help artists connect with and monetise their fanbases”, says Jon Ostrow, Associate Director, Growth & Discovery, Live Events at Spotify. “With more concert listings and data directly sourced from artists, this integration gives artists more control to update their tour schedules on Spotify and ultimately improves the fan experience of discovering and purchasing tickets”.
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UTA has signed Kylie Minogue to represent her for touring activity in North America. This follows her winning the Grammy for Best Pop Dance Recording for her song ‘Padam Padam’.
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Warner Chappell France has signed a publishing administration deal with Lofi Records, the offshoot of the Lofi Girl YouTube channel, best known for its ‘lofi hip hop radio - beats to relax/study to’ livestream. “Lofi Girl is a complete phenomenon and a world leader in this growing genre”, says Warner Chappell France MD Matthieu Tessier. “The team have built a massive global community and are developing an impressive label full of talented artists from all over the world”.
APPOINTMENTS
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Sony Music Publishing has opened a new office in Dubai, as part of its Middle East and North Africa division. It will be led by Dounia Chaaban, who says, "I look forward to working hand in hand with the incredibly talented team at Sony Music Publishing to propel the MENA music industry to new heights. Together, we will create an environment that nurtures creativity, fosters innovation, and unlocks the boundless potential of the region's musical landscape”.
LEGAL
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Epic Games and choreographer Kyle Hanagami have agreed to end their ongoing copyright infringement legal battle. Hanagami accused Epic of lifting elements of a dance routine he created for the music video that accompanied the Charlie Puth song ‘How Long’ and then using them in an ‘emote’ in the Fortnite video game called It’s Complicated.
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A judge in California has dismissed many elements of the copyright infringement lawsuits filed against ChatGPT owner OpenAI by writers including comedian Sarah Silverman and author Paul G Tremblay. However, the AI company wasn’t seeking dismissal of a core direct infringement claim, and the plaintiffs were given the option to submit an amended complaint.
LABELS
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Defected Records has launched Afro-house label One People. It is headed up by Allan Nicoll, who also leads independent label Stay True Sounds and is A&R Director for Defected as a whole. “The opportunity to establish a label in collaboration with Defected has allowed for an even broader global platform and through One People, I am excited to present the rich and dynamic offerings of the genre to audiences worldwide”, he says. One People’s first release will be Alex Wann single ‘Peperuke’, featuring Nes Mburu on 23 Feb.
GIGS & FESTIVALS
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Therapy? have announced UK and Ireland tour dates later this year to mark the 30th anniversary of their 1994 album ‘Troublegum’. The shows - which will conclude with a night at Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London on 16 Nov - will see them perform the album in full.
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Oysterband have announced that they will retire from touring after one last outing with singer June Tabor later this year. The run of seven dates around the UK will finish at the Barbican in London on 19 Oct. Tickets go on sale on Friday.
RELEASES
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Neil Young and Crazy Horse have announced that they will release a new album ‘FU##IN’ UP’ on 26 Apr. It will feature re-recorded versions of a selection of their songs to mark their 50th anniversary as a band. They are also due to head out on a US tour in April and May.
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Pearl Jam have announced that they will release new album ‘Dark Matter’ on 19 Apr. They will also be playing shows in the UK and Ireland in June, including a performance at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 29 Jun.
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Kim Petras has released surprise EP ‘Slut Pop Miami’, a companion to 2022 EP ‘Slut Pop’.
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Injury Reserve’s RiTchie has released his debut solo single, ‘RiTchie Valens’.
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The Narcotix have released new single ‘The Lovers’. Their debut album ‘Dying’ is out on 1 Mar.