Deals
Warner Chappell and Play It Again Music have signed singer-songwriter Faith Hopkins to a joint publishing deal. Hopkins released her debut single ‘Oops (There Goes My Heart)’ last week, co-written with Kyle Clark and Dylan Brady. Ben Vaughn, President & CEO of Warner Chappell Music Nashville, says, “Faith’s vibrant songwriting, combined with her charming vocals, captivated us instantly”. Dallas Davidson, Founder of Play It Again Music, adds, “When I first heard Faith’s music, I could immediately tell her writing was a breath of fresh air”.
The Last Dinner Party have signed with UK collecting society PPL for international neighbouring rights royalty collection. The five-piece band, who topped the UK charts in February with their debut album ‘Prelude To Ecstasy’, join other artists like Lewis Capaldi and Ice Spice who have partnered with PPL this year. Kate Reilly, Chief Membership And People Officer at PPL, says, “Rarely does a band make such a huge impact in such a short space of time as The Last Dinner Party. They are truly unique, an exceptionally talented band and bound to be one of the UK’s biggest musical exports”.
Rock band The Calling has signed with United Talent Agency for representation and CTK Enterprises for management. The group, known for hits like ‘Wherever You Will Go’, recently reformed in 2023 with new members joining founding vocalist Alex Band. “The Calling is back! And we are beyond THRILLED to have a killer new team on board with us including Danny Nozell at CTK Enterprises managing, and Neil Warnock at UTA for worldwide agency representation”, says Band. He adds, “To have such powerhouses believe in us means SO MUCH, and we can’t wait to share our new music with our loyal fans, connect with new ones, and take over the world”.
BMG Nashville has signed breakout artist Lanie Gardner to its roster. Gardner, who gained viral fame with her rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams’, has amassed millions of views across social media and streaming platforms, alongside a collaboration with David Guetta and touring with Jelly Roll. JoJamie Hahr, EVP of Recorded Music at BMG Nashville, says, “Lanie is exactly the kind of artist we look for when adding to our incredible roster - unique, exciting, an insatiable work ethic, and a heart that matches her art. We are so excited to help execute her vision”.
Prescription Songs, the music publishing company founded by Dr Luke, has signed artist-songwriter-vocalist Hayley May to a publishing deal. May has collaborated with a number of high-profile artists in dance music, including Tiësto, John Summit and Dillon Francis. A&R Cameron Kooklanfar says, “I’m beyond excited to be partnering with the creative genius that is Hayley May. Since the moment we initially met, I had felt something incredibly special about not only her pure talent as a songwriter but also her unwavering work ethic and genuine personality that truly make working alongside one another such an incredible experience”.
Audio Chateau Records has secured $4.5 million in funding from investors including Glen Baros, Gillian Hormel and Jonathan Schulman. The label, launched in January 2024 by Audio Up Media, has also appointed several executives to its leadership team. Grayson Flatness, formerly of Sounds Good, joins as A&R consultant, while Kate London takes on the role of Head Of Legal And Business Affairs. Baros, managing partner at Exceleration Music, and Schulman will serve as the label’s first appointed board members. Audio Chateau Records’ current roster includes regional Mexican act Grupo Linea, comedy-country performer Uncle Drank, and Randy Savvy of the Compton Cowboys.
Progrock.com’s Essentials label has signed three UK prog acts: Solstice, Ghost Of The Machine, and Clive Nolan. The label, established in 2022 by Mark and Rayna Monforti, has previously released albums by Discipline, Chester Thompson and others. Solstice is working on a follow-up to their 2022 album ‘Light Up’, while Nolan’s Imaginaerium project will release ‘The Siege’ later this year. Andy Glass of Solstice says, “These days, the music industry is all about having a resilient DIY ethic, and we needed to work with folks who shared our levels of focus and drive”.
Appointments
Sony Music has appointed Christoph Behm as CEO of its operations in Germany, Switzerland and Austria from 1 Sep. Behm, who has been with Sony Music since 2011 in various senior roles, replaces Patrick Mushatsi-Kareba, who is departing the company at the end of August. The Berlin-based executive will report to Daniel Lieberberg, President of Sony Music Continental Europe And Africa. Lieberberg says, “Christoph has played an important role building and expanding our business across this region during the streaming era”. Behm adds, “It fills me with pride to now lead the company that I have served in various roles for so many years. We are at another exciting time for our industry, and I look forward with great confidence to this next chapter for Sony Music GSA”.
Australian live and ticketing company TEG has named Tim McGregor as its new Global Head Of Touring. McGregor, previously Managing Director of TEG Live since 2016, will now oversee the company’s concert and festival operations across Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the UK, Europe and North America. The role spans multiple TEG subsidiaries including TEG Live, TEG Dainty and Laneway Festival. Geoff Jones, TEG Group CEO, says, “Tim’s outstanding track record in the live entertainment industry draws on more than three decades of experience. His in-depth industry knowledge and excellent business acumen make him the ideal choice to lead the overall concert and festival touring strategy for TEG across the globe”. McGregor adds, “I am excited to be furthering my remit with TEG to build its touring operations locally and globally. I am immensely proud of all that we have achieved to date, but this is only the beginning”.
Legal
A woman has been charged with attempting to defraud Elvis Presley’s family through a scheme to auction the Graceland estate. Missouri resident Lisa Jeanine Findley allegedly fabricated documents claiming that Presley’s daughter had borrowed $3.8 million from a fictitious company, using Graceland as collateral, and sought $2.85 million from the family to settle the non-existent debt. The plot involved multiple aliases, forged court filings and a fraudulent foreclosure notice in a Memphis newspaper announcing a 23 May auction of Graceland. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M Argentieri says, “As part of the brazen scheme, we allege that the defendant created numerous false documents and sought to extort a settlement from the Presley family”.
TikTok has gained a significant legal advantage in a lawsuit alleging improper data collection from non-users via its use of tracking pixels. A US federal judge has indicated he’s likely to reject a request to treat the case as a class action, which would have allowed over 100 million people to sue TikTok collectively. The lawsuit claims the company’s tracking code on third-party websites like Hulu and Etsy gathers personal information from people who don’t use TikTok. Gloria Park, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, says, “What TikTok is doing is extraordinary”, adding that TikTok’s behaviour is like “installing millions of cameras pointing to the windows of homes belonging to 100 million Americans and monitoring their personal activities”. However, the judge expressed doubts about whether such a large group had sufficiently similar experiences to be treated as a single class. Luis Li, representing TikTok, argues that “the overwhelming majority of the information supposedly gleaned from the pixel don’t identify anyone or any sensitive data”.
Kanye West has settled a copyright infringement lawsuit over his track ‘Life of the Party’. The suit, filed by Phase One Network in November 2022, alleged unauthorised use of a sample from Boogie Down Productions’ 1987 track ‘South Bronx’. West and Phase One Network reached an agreement on 16 Aug to dismiss him as a defendant. The track, featuring André 3000, appeared on a deluxe version of West’s 2021 album ‘Donda’ While West has been dismissed from the case, Kano Computing, the British tech company that developed the Stem Player device with West for the song’s release, remains a defendant. Kano is now in administration having called in the liquidators in June 2023 citing the termination of its deal with Ye “due to the artist’s public engagement in an anti-semitic campaign” as a contributing factor in the company’s financial difficulties.
Streaming, Digital & Broadcast
Spotify has partnered with global anime brand Crunchyroll to expand its anime music offerings. The streaming platform has added custom ‘Curated by Crunchyroll’ playlists to its Anime hub, including ‘Crunchyroll Anime Essentials’ and character-themed selections. This collaboration comes as Spotify reports a 395% surge in global streams of anime music since 2021. The Anime hub will also feature Crunchyroll’s podcast ‘Crunchyroll Presents: The Anime Effect’. Kyota Onishi, Head Of Music in Japan at Spotify, says, “We are THRILLED to partner with Crunchyroll to bring listeners a new curation of anime music to explore. On Spotify, global streams of anime have surged over the past few years, and we hope the Anime hub will become an indispensable part of anime culture”.
OfCom, the UK’s media regulator, has awarded 25 small-scale DAB radio multiplex licences across London and Southeast England, expanding access for nearly 11 million listeners. The initiative leverages innovative small-scale DAB technology to provide a cost-effective DAB broadcasting route for local commercial, community and specialist music services. The roll-out has already enabled multiplex launches nationwide, with this round bringing the total licences awarded to 112. OfCom reports, “On average, each multiplex is currently broadcasting eleven radio stations, with new services launching all the time”.
Noctil, which describes itself as a “no-code metadata platform”, has opened an office in Kochi, India, increasing its headcount by eight people, to a total of twelve across the USA and India. The company aims to double its staff to 24 by expanding the Indian centre to 20 employees by the end of 2025. The company says that over the past five years its platform has “processed over 100 million sound recordings, completed more than 100,000 catalogue registrations, and helped over 50,000 rightsholders get paid”. Jacob Varghese, Founder and Director of Noctil, says, “The opening of our new centre is a testament to our belief in the power of global collaboration. By uniting top talent globally, we’re creating an environment where diverse ideas are exchanged and innovation thrives. Our mission has always been to democratise technology for the music industry”.
KakaoBank, South Korea’s largest internet-only bank, has acquired a 14.99% stake in music tech startup Naivy for 908 million won ($680,000). Naivy’s PLAM platform offers music distribution, royalty management and data analysis services for artists, alongside a consumer app that rewards listeners. The deal integrates PLAM’s user-facing features into KakaoBank’s app, allowing customers to earn small payments for music engagement. A KakaoBank spokesperson says, “We decided to invest in Naivy to support fintech startups with outstanding technology”. KakaoBank is part of Kakao Corp. which owns South Korea’s hugely popular ‘everything app’ KakaoTalk, as well as music streaming platform Melon and the Kakao Entertainment label and management business.
Kartoon Studios has partnered with LiveOne, Inc to produce, publish and distribute original music for its ‘Winnie-The-Pooh’ projects, which are set to premiere on Kartoon Channel on Amazon Prime Video in 2025. The collaboration aims to create original songs, albums and soundtracks for Kartoon Studios’ ‘Winnie-the-Pooh’ films and series. The animated feature, ‘A Hundred Acre Christmas’, is scheduled to debut on 24 Dec, followed by five holiday specials and a 104-episode animated series. Andy Heyward, Chairman & CEO of Kartoon Studios, says, “LiveOne has revolutionised the digital entertainment and live-streaming space since its launch in 2015 by leveraging technology to enhance user engagement and interaction with content creators and media partner”.
Live
The Musicians’ Union has called on the BBC to restore ‘Strictly Come Dancing’s full live band. Following pandemic-related reductions, the production has offered to retain the complete ensemble for only four episodes of each series, down from the previous fourteen. Geoff Ellerby, National Organiser at the MU, says, “We worked hard with broadcasters and studios in mitigating the risks to get musicians working under new restrictions, and although we were agreed that following these temporary measures we would work towards normality as soon as possible, ‘Strictly’ is refusing to re-instate the full live band”. Naomi Pohl, the MU’s General Secretary, adds, “There are very few shows on television with a house band now and we don’t accept that ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, of all programmes, needs to cut corners in this way”.
The Night League, the company behind Ibiza clubs Hï Ibiza and Ushuaïa, has unveiled plans to open [UNVRS], billed as the world’s first ‘hyperclub’, on the island in 2025. The new venue says it will combine “the high-end service, luxury and attention to detail of a nightclub with the infrastructure, scale and ambition of arena events, creating a never-before-seen concept in nightlife entertainmen”.. The announcement was preceded by an elaborate marketing campaign involving Will Smith and video footage of a purported UFO sighting near Es Verdà. Yann Pissenem, owner and CEO of The Night League, says, “This campaign has been truly out of this world. Now that the truth is out there, we can’t wait to welcome everyone to our new universe in 2025 as we launch the world’s first hyperclub”.
Other industry news & events
UK record industry trade group BPI has invited applications for its Equity And Justice Advisory Group. The group, which meets six times annually, seeks individuals from various roles, seniority levels and regions across the UK to contribute their skills and experiences to the BPI’s diversity initiatives. Applications are open until 19 Sep, with interested parties required to submit a statement or video outlining their professional background and areas of diversity advocacy. Hailey Willington, BPI DEI Manager, says, “Ensuring our industry operates with equity and in an inclusive way is a priority for us all, which makes the guidance of our Equity And Justice Advisory Group particularly valued by the BPI”.
Ariana Grande has partnered with HeadCount, a US-based nonpartisan nonprofit organisation focused on youth voter registration, to encourage fans to check their voting status. The collaboration follows Grande’s 2019 partnership with HeadCount, which registered over 30,000 fans to vote during her tour. A recent Harvard University study cited by HeadCount suggests that leveraging celebrity voices is particularly effective in promoting civic engagement, with 78% of the young voters registered digitally through HeadCount in 2020 going on to vote at the polls. Lucille Wenegieme, CEO of HeadCount, says, “Young voters have the power to decide the 2024 election. We’re THRILLED to be partnering with Ariana Grande again to help get as many young people registered as possible - providing them with the tools they need to make their voices heard at the polls this November”.
Michael Goldstone, founder and co-owner of independent record label Mom+Pop Music, has been named the recipient of the Seymour Stein Global A&R Award, to be presented at MUSEXPO on 19 Mar 2025 in Burbank, California. The award, created by A&R Worldwide and MUSEXPO, honours music industry executives making significant contributions to artist discovery and development. Goldstone’s career spans decades, including roles at major labels and signing influential artists such as Pearl Jam and Rage Against The Machine. A press release from A&R Worldwide says, “This prestigious award celebrates Michael Goldstone’s exceptional A&R skills and his keen ability to discover and sign talented, culture-defining artists”.
Abbey Road Studios has announced rock music photographer Jill Furmanovsky as the Icon award winner for its Music Photography Awards 2024. Furmanovsky, whose career spans over 50 years capturing iconic musicians, will be honoured at the awards ceremony taking place at Abbey Road on 3 Oct. The studio has also named Sam Rockman as its Photographer In Residence for 2024, following his success as a finalist in two categories at the 2023 awards. Furmanovsky says, “It is an honour to be given such a prestigious award by Abbey Road, a place that holds a special place in heart. I’ve had the privilege of photographing some of the greatest musicians in the world, on the road, in concert on location, and recording in magical places like Abbey Road Studios”.
Releases & Tours
Black Midi frontman Geordie Greep has released first solo single ‘Holy, Holy’. His debut solo album ‘The New Sound’ is out 4 Oct.
færy has released her new single ‘anam cara’. Her debut album ‘rising’ is out 31 Oct.
Lucius have released their new single ‘Old Tape’, featuring The War on Drugs’ Adam Granduciel.
Joanna Sternberg has released her new single ‘A Country Dance’.
Gia Ford has released her new single ‘Try Changing’. Her debut album ‘Transparent Things’ is out 13 Sep.
Girlhood have released their new single ‘Kissing You’.
Paul Russell has released his new single ‘Homecoming’. His debut EP ‘Again Sometime?’ is out 30 Aug.
Ka has released his new album ‘The Thief Next To Jesus’.
Shelailai has released her new single ‘MY MY’. Her debut EP ‘Butterfly Effect’ is out 17 Sep.
Alan Sparhawk has released his new single ‘Get Still’. His debut album ‘White Roses, My God’ is out 27 Sep.
Warm Human has released her new single ‘My Moods!!’. Her new album ‘Hamartia’ is out 11 Oct.