Deals
Possibly feeling left out by Kid Cudi and DJ Khaled’s recent Bisquick and Nesquik deals, Dua Lipa has filed paperwork to register a trademark in the UK as part of a plan to launch her own ice cream range, expanding her business ventures beyond music and lifestyle newsletter Service95. The application covers various frozen desserts, including dairy and non-dairy ice creams, cones, cakes and drinks. Lipa's foray into frozen treats follows her viral ice cream recommendation on BBC Radio 1, where she told listeners, "I don't think chocolate ice cream is that good. But you know what I like? It's very simple: I take vanilla ice cream and put olive oil and sea salt on top. I've had so many people try it, and everyone has switched to the dark side".
TickPick has secured a $250 million investment from Brighton Park Capital to accelerate growth and scale operations. The funding, announced on 22 Aug, represents the largest raise in the ticketing industry to date. Symphony Ventures, Rory McIlroy's investment partnership, has also joined as a strategic investor to help TickPick expand its platform. TickPick, founded in 2011, offers a no-fee pricing model for event tickets and has seen total sales increase 8x over the past three years to nearly $1 billion. Chris O'Brien, TickPick Co-Founder and Co-CEO, says, "We're THRILLED to announce our latest growth investment, which will help accelerate our ability to transform the ticketing industry".
Appointments
BMG has appointed Celine Joshua as Executive Vice President, Global Marketing. Based in Los Angeles and reporting to CEO Thomas Coesfeld, Joshua will oversee the company's marketing strategy and operations across its 20 offices worldwide. The newly created position complements recent organisational restructurings of the company’s US frontline recorded music and global catalogue businesses. Coesfeld says, "These recent changes further enhance our ability to deliver top-tier services to our artists and songwriters on a global scale". Joshua adds, "I'm honored to join BMG at such a pivotal time in the music industry and to work across BMG's artist roster to create exciting ways for them to connect with fans around the world".
Apple has announced that Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri will transition from his role on 1 Jan 2025. Maestri will continue to lead the Corporate Services teams, reporting to CEO Tim Cook. As part of a planned succession, Kevan Parekh, currently Vice President Of Financial Planning And Analysis, will become Chief Financial Officer and join the executive team. During Maestri's tenure as CFO, Apple more than doubled its revenue, with services revenue growing more than five times. Cook says, "Luca has been an extraordinary partner in managing Apple for the long term. He has been instrumental in improving and driving the company's financial performance, engaging with shareholders, and instilling financial discipline across every part of Apple".
Legal
The Isaac Hayes estate has been granted an emergency hearing by a federal judge in Georgia over Donald Trump's unauthorised use of the song 'Hold On, I'm Coming' at campaign events. The estate is demanding $3 million from Trump for playing the 1966 hit, co-written by Hayes, "over one hundred times" at rallies since 2022 without permission. Isaac Hayes III, the late soul singer's son, says, "Donald Trump represents the worst in integrity and class with his disrespect and sexual abuse of women and racist rhetoric". The hearing is scheduled for 3 Sep at the Northern US District Federal Court in Atlanta, with Trump, the Republican National Committee, and other entities required to appear.
Donald Trump's election campaign has claimed it had the right to use the Foo Fighters song 'My Hero' at a recent rally, despite the band's objections. The campaign told The Independent that it has permission to play the song via a licence from collecting society BMI. However, a Foo Fighters spokesperson said the band was not asked for permission and would not have granted it, adding that "appropriate actions are being taken" against the campaign. The band stated any royalties from the usage will be donated to the Harris/Walz campaign.
Outkast have filed a lawsuit against EDM duo ATLiens for trademark infringement over the use of the 'ATLiens' name. The hip-hop duo, comprising Big Boi and André 3000, initiated legal proceedings in Georgia federal court on 20 Aug, claiming they coined and trademarked the term in 1996. According to court documents, the EDM duo began using the name in 2012 and registered it as a service mark with the US Patent & Trademark Office in 2020. Attorneys representing Outkast's trademark holding company, High Schoolers LLC, state, "This is a basic brand protection issue. Efforts to resolve this matter amicably were unfortunately unsuccessful and Outkast therefore had to file suit in order to protect the valuable name and trademark ATLIENS that it created and has continuously used for nearly 30 years".
The Major League Baseball Players Association in the US has asked a federal judge in Puerto Rico to hold Bad Bunny's sports agency Rimas Sports in contempt of court for allegedly defying a recent order to follow union rules. The MLBPA claims Rimas Sports has requested arbitration in the wrong venue, from the wrong entity and under incorrect procedures. This escalation follows earlier sanctions against Rimas employees for alleged rule violations, including distributing cash and concert tickets to players. Rimas Sports denies wrongdoing, stating, "Rimas Sports is following the Puerto Rico District Court's order to arbitrate its claims against the MLBPA without waiving any appeal rights".
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by music producer Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones Jr, which accused the hip-hop mogul of sexual misconduct and other crimes. Combs's legal team argues that the lawsuit, filed in February 2024, is "replete with far-fetched tales of misconduct" and lacks basic details such as times and locations of alleged incidents. Lawyer Erica A Wolff says, "Mr Jones's lawsuit is pure fiction - a shameless attempt to create media hype and extract a quick settlement". The motion, filed in Federal District Court in Manhattan, is part of Combs's broader effort to dismiss several recent lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault and misconduct.
Nicki Minaj has been sued for $5 million by a fan named Tameer Peak, who accuses her of slander and cyber bullying. Peak claims Minaj publicly humiliated him, calling him a mentally unstable stalker and inviting him to her hotel to embarrass him on Instagram Live. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges that Minaj's actions caused reputational harm, emotional distress and financial loss to Peak. Minaj's attorney, Judd Burstein, says, "Mr Peak has been harassing Nicki on social media for years on end to no avail. He has now graduated to seeking to shake her down financially with manifestly false allegations and legally frivolous claims".
Martin Shkreli has been ordered by a federal judge to hand over all copies of Wu-Tang Clan's rare album 'Once Upon A Time in Shaolin' to his attorneys. Judge Pamela K Chen granted a preliminary injunction to PleasrDAO, a digital art collective that purchased the album in 2021 after Shkreli forfeited it as part of his fraud conviction. The ruling extends previous restrictions barring Shkreli from sharing the album and rejects his claims that he had a right to retain duplicates. PleasrDAO, which acquired what was meant to be the only copy of the album for $750,000 in 2024, sued Shkreli in June over potential leaks. Steven Cooper, PleasrDAO's attorney, says, "We are pleased that Judge Chen recognised that immediate relief was necessary to thwart the continuing bad acts of Mr Shrkeli".
Mickey Leigh, brother of Joey Ramone, has filed a lawsuit against Linda Cummings-Ramone, widow of Johnny Ramone, alleging trademark infringement related to the Ramones brand. The suit, filed on 23 Aug in Manhattan federal court, accuses Cummings-Ramone of violating federal trademark law through her "unrelenting quest" to associate herself with the Ramones. Leigh claims that Cummings-Ramone has exceeded limitations on her use of the name "Linda Ramone" and presents herself as the "keeper of the legacy". The lawsuit states, "Ms Cummings-Ramone has made and continues to make blatant attempts to exploit and personally capitalise on and benefit from the name, goodwill and legacy of the Ramones".
Streaming, digital, retail & broadcast
TIDAL has launched new songwriter tools allowing US songwriters to claim and manage their works. The platform now enables writers to organise data including their IPI unique identifer, collecting society and publisher information in one place, as well as sign up for US mechanical rights society the MLC. Songwriters can view their works categorised into Completed Works, Works Without Recordings and Unmatched Recordings, and use collaborative split sheets to improve rightsholder tracking. Agustina Sacerdote, Global Head Of Product at TIDAL, says, "Creating music sustainably in today's world is difficult, especially for songwriters who need to establish and manage their identities in order to receive recognition and fulfill their earning potential. At TIDAL we're committed to supporting early stage and self-managed songwriters with handling their careers independently. For songwriters, a TIDAL profile is a simpler way to understand and confidently manage their credits to get compensated correctly.”
Sony Group has developed a new blockchain network called Soneium, which aims to deliver Web3 applications across entertainment, gaming and finance sectors. The layer-2 Ethereum blockchain, created by Sony Block Solutions Labs (a joint venture between Sony Group and Startale Labs), is set to launch on a test network soon using optimistic rollup technology. Sota Watanabe, Director of Sony Block Solution Labs, says, "Through Soneium, we will make something people want and go mainstream beyond Web3". Sony plans to leverage its extensive global reach in Web2 to create use cases that can attract people who have never used Web3 services, including protecting rights for creator-generated content and developing fair profit-sharing mechanisms between creators and fans.
South Korea’s Kakao Entertainment will host its annual Melon Music Awards, scheduled for 7 Dec, at Incheon's Mohegan Inspire Entertainment Resort. The deal extends the partnership that saw the 2023 MMA held at the venue, which opened in November last year. That event featured thirteen k-pop acts performing for an audience of 12,000. Joseph Chang, co-CEO of Kakao Entertainment, says, "We will effectively utilise the capabilities and intellectual property held by both companies to ensure that the achievements and glory of the domestic music industry and artists are more widely recognised around the world".
Rough Trade has reported strong growth in physical music sales and is considering further expansion. The indie retailer is "assessing opportunities" for new stores, with potential locations in London under review, according to Managing Director Lawrence Montgomery. "We are selling more than double the number of records and CDs so far in 2024 than we did five years ago", Montgomery tells Music Week. The company recently opened its largest store in Liverpool, featuring a 300-capacity venue, and sees continued potential in the physical market as vinyl sales grow and CD decline slows.
Other industry news & events
The Music Industry Therapy Collective has launched Strength In Unity, a new online support group for Global Majority music artists and professionals in the UK. The initiative, starting on 10 Sep, aims to address the rise in racist violence and rhetoric by providing a space for sharing experiences and connecting with peers. The group will run over four sessions in September and October, facilitated by MITC specialist psychotherapist Tameeza Henriot and psychotherapist-in-training Wendy Cave. MITC emphasises that this is a support group, not a therapy group, focusing on peer-led discussions and mutual support rather than clinical treatment.
Golf
Tom Grennan has headlined the AIG Women's Open golf championship at St Andrews, which took place last week. Grennan says, "This is one of my favourite places on earth, no word of a lie. I watched the AIG Women's Open and it was so good, and I can see everyone is out tonight for a good night". The championship's enhanced entertainment offering led to a 30% increase in female ticket purchasers compared to last year.
Artist News
Macklemore has cancelled his upcoming Dubai concert, citing the United Arab Emirates' alleged involvement in Sudan's current conflict. The musician announced his decision on Instagram, explaining he reached this conclusion after researching the situation, saying "Until the UAE stops arming and funding the RSF I will not perform there". He added that the decision would “probably jeopardise my future shows in the area, and I truly hate letting any of my fans down”.
Slipknot DJ Sid Wilson has suffered severe burns in a bonfire explosion on his Iowa farm, but the band says he will still perform at Rocklahoma festival next weekend. Wilson posted videos on Instagram describing the incident, stating, "I had an explosion in my face. I'm OK, I'm going to be OK. But I did have some serious burns to my face and my arms". His partner, Kelly Osbourne, shared her own video commenting on the accident. Slipknot issued a statement confirming Wilson's injuries and his planned participation in the upcoming show, saying, "He's recovering with his family and will still join us on stage at Rocklahoma next weekend".
Saint Vitus Bar, the Brooklyn heavy metal venue, has permanently closed. The bar, which operated at 1120 Manhattan Ave in Greenpoint, New York City from 2011 to 2024, announced its closure on Instagram. Known for hosting major acts like Megadeth, Anthrax and Deafheaven, Saint Vitus faced legal challenges, with the NY Department Of Buildings claiming it was operating as an "illegal eating and drinking establishment". The venue's management currently has no comment on future plans, according to booker David Castillo. In 2014, Saint Vitus hosted a rare Nirvana reunion featuring guest performers like Lorde and St Vincent, following the band's induction into the Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame.
MIA has endorsed Donald Trump for the 2024 US Presidential Election. After Robert Kennedy Jr appeared at a rally on 23 Aug to suspend his own bid for the presidency and endorse Trump instead, the musician tweeted "Trump is going to ride America through the most challenging four years coming pulling out weed, and RFK will inherit America when God is ready to replant and rebuild it righteously". MIA's endorsement marks a shift from her previous criticism of Trump in 2017, when she accused his administration of being “pathological liars" and having "mental disorders". The artist recently launched Ohmni, her own clothing brand featuring items claiming to block electromagnetic frequencies.
Releases & Tours
SURF GANG founding member Eera has released his new single ‘Crash’.
Juno Mamba has released his new EP ‘Cold Rush’.
UPSAHL has released her new single ‘Tears On The dancefloor’.
Elkka and Tom VR have collaborated on new single 'Body Ache'.
Oasis have broken their sixteen year feud and announced their ‘OASIS LIVE 25’ world tour. Including four shows at London’s Wembley Stadium 25-26 Jul and 2-3 Aug. Tickets go on sale from 9am this Saturday.