Deals
Mattel has released a signature Barbie doll commemorating legendary Mexican singer-songwriter and actor Juan Gabriel ahead of Hispanic Heritage Month. The doll, priced at $55, features a glittering bolero jacket inspired by Gabriel's iconic 1990 performance at Mexico City's El Palacio de Bellas Artes. The Barbie Signature Juan Gabriel Doll celebrates the six-time Grammy nominee's nearly four-decade career, which includes over 30 studio albums and 1500 composed songs. The doll will be available at Amazon, Walmart, Target and Mattel Shop from today.
The Other Songs and Universal Music Publishing Group have announced a new deal that will see them collaborating on publishing projects. Bruno Major is the first major signing under the new arrangement. Alastair Webber, co-founder of The Other Songs, says, "After a thirteen year wait, it is a dream come true to welcome Bruno Major to The Other Songs Publishing with the support of UMPG". Major, who has racked up 1.8 billion collective streams and completed sold-out tours, adds that Alastair and his co-founder and brother Billy “have been staunch supporters of my career since day one. I have watched with great admiration as they have built an idiosyncratic and passionate company that represents forward thinking, and truly believes in talent”.
Prada has announced Karina of K-pop group aespa as its newest global brand ambassador, according to Women's Wear Daily. Karina, whose real name is Yoo Ji-min, attended Prada's Menswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025 show during Milan Fashion Week in January. The singer joins other K-pop artists in ambassador roles for Prada, including boy band ENHYPEN and TWICE member Sana.
Prescription Songs and Disruptive Label Publishing have signed Nigerian artist, songwriter and producer JAYA to a global publishing deal. JAYA, who blends Afrobeats, Amapiano, R&B and pop, was signed by Eddie Fourcell, Vice President of A&R at Prescription Songs. The artist has already secured a placement on Da Baby's upcoming album and is working on records for several top Nigerian acts. JAYA says, "I'm THRILLED to partner with Disruptive Label and Prescription Songs for my global publishing deal. From day one, my mission has been to create Afro-global music while expanding as a multi-genre songwriter".
Bass guitar maker Spector has welcomed ANTHRAX bassist Frank Bello to its artist roster. Spector is developing a Frank Bello signature bass, set for release in 2025. In the interim, Bello will exclusively play Spector basses for rehearsals, recording and ANTHRAX's upcoming European tour in November. "I am so psyched to join the Spector family - a place that already feels like home for me!" Bello says, adding, "The great people at Spector listened and contributed to every last detail that I was looking for in a bass".
ASM Global's $2.3 billion sale to Legends has closed, ten months after its initial announcement. The delay was due to a US Department of Justice investigation into Legends for alleged antitrust violations during the deal's review. Legends has agreed to pay a $3.5 million civil fine to resolve the matter. According to court records, Legends allegedly "assumed unlawful control over ASM" during a statutory waiting period. Dan Levy, CEO of Legends, says, "The next era of Legends starts now". Legends will now manage venues including Soldier Field in Chicago and the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.
Symphonic Music Publishing has signed an exclusive publishing agreement with songwriter and producer Logan Turner. Turner, known for his work with the band BeXar, has collaborated with artists including Russell Dickerson, Keith Urban and Jelly Roll. Eric Olson, Creative Director Publishing at Symphonic, says, "As both a top liner and a producer, he can step into any role in a writer room, and effortlessly crafts songs across genres that are not only interesting and emotional, but also commercial". Turner adds, "I feel super excited and blessed to be taking this next step of my career with Symphonic".
Appointments
Dr Kenji Kitatani has been named as Chairman of Warner Music Japan. He will work with Kazuyuki 'Kaz' Kobayashi, President & CEO of the major’s Japanese business, to grow the company in the world's second-largest recorded music market. Kitatani says, "This is an exciting time in the Japanese music industry. I am delighted to take up this new role at Warner Music, working with Kaz on the continuing evolution of the company as we build the most forward-thinking label in the Japanese market." Kobayashi adds, "I am delighted to welcome Dr Kenji Kitatani to Warner Music and am pleased that such a distinguished executive has agreed to take on this challenge."
The US Artist Rights Alliance has announced new additions to its music council, including Aerosmith, Creed, Jerry Flowers, Myles Kennedy, Sevendust and Wolfgang Van Halen. The non-profit, artist-led education and advocacy organisation has also appointed acclaimed songwriter and vocalist Dan Navarro to its board of directors. Jen Jacobsen, ARA Executive Director, says, "Dan brings tremendous expertise, energy and passion for musicians' rights to ARA's efforts". Navarro, whose 40-year career includes writing the Grammy-nominated song 'We Belong' for Pat Benatar, adds, "I'm eager to help" in an era where "artists' rights are routinely threatened by technology, dismissed by industry and underserved by public policy".
Universal Music Group Nashville has appointed Derek Anderson as Senior Vice President of Commerce in a newly-created role overseeing e-commerce, retail and streaming teams for the label group. Anderson brings over fifteen years of industry and music distribution experience to the position, having previously worked at companies including Sony Music's RED Distribution, Kobalt/AWAL, The Orchard, Black River Entertainment, and most recently as Vice President Of Digital Strategy at New West Records. "His experience and knowledge of the business are going to be a big asset for both our team and our roster," says Mike Harris, UMG Nashville EVP & COO. Anderson adds, "I'm excited to be working with the exceptional team at UMG Nashville and their incredible roster".
Streaming, Digital, Broadcast & Retail
Apple has partnered with Bharti Airtel to offer its music and video streaming services free to the Indian telecom company's premium customers. Under the partnership, Apple TV+ will be bundled with premium Airtel WiFi and postpaid plans. Apple Music will be made available to premium users of Airtel’s Wynk Music app, which will then be closed down. The deal aims to give Apple access to a larger consumer base in India's $28 billion media and entertainment market. Oliver Schusser, Apple's Vice President of Apple Music, Apple TV+, Sports, and Beats, says, "We are THRILLED that Airtel customers in India will soon be able to enjoy all of the incredible content on Apple TV+ and Apple Music". According to data firm UBS, Wynk Music's share of music app downloads in India increased from 5% in June 2018 to 8% in the same quarter of 2024.
Meta and Spotify are exploring deeper music integration in Instagram, with new findings indicating a feature in development that would allow users to continuously share their listening activity through Instagram's Notes. The functionality, spotted by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, would enable users to "continuously share" their music from Spotify, as opposed to selecting a song from Instagram's catalogue. Chris Messina, a technologist, notes, "At some point over the past several weeks, Instagram had added a 'SpotifyiOS.framework' component to its app".
Song Sleuth has announced a partnership with Regalías Digitales to deploy its UGSeeker platform across the digital rights management company's catalogue. Founded in 2021, Song Sleuth uses AI and machine learning to identify undiscovered user-generated content on online platforms. The deal covers Regalías Digitales' entire portfolio of 1500 artists, songwriters and publishers. Jordan Gross, CEO of Song Sleuth, says, "We're delighted to be expanding our relationships within the music industry to digital rights management companies and performing rights organisations". Josh Arón Norek, President of Regalías Digitales, adds, "We are excited to partner with Song Sleuth to further ensure that no publishing revenue is left on the table".
Tesla has reportedly expanded its integration with SiriusXM, with a leak suggesting the streaming service will soon be available on new Tesla models including the Model 3, Model Y and the CyberTruck. The feature is expected to arrive via an over-the-air update, as Tesla has not shown interest in adding satellite radio hardware to these models. Users on reddit first spotted an advertisement for a free 30-day trial of the streaming system on the Canadian SiriusXM website, which has since been removed. The leaked information suggests a SiriusXM streaming subscription through Tesla will cost around $22.80 CAN after the free trial ends.
Live
Disclosure's surprise Boiler Room set at the Lee Valley Showground this weekend was cancelled due to a crowd surge. The duo's performance, announced just three days prior to the event in North London, was halted five minutes into their set when attendees pushed their way into the tent through a forcibly opened gap. "Unfortunately it's out of our control, but the festival has deemed it unsafe for us to play due to crowd surges", Disclosure said in an Instagram story, expressing disappointment after flying from LA specifically for the event. This incident follows a similar occurrence last month when Peggy Gou's Boiler Room set in Seoul was shut down due to overcrowding, with Boiler Room stating at the time, "During the party we faced crowd-flow issues, causing safety concerns and [leading] to the early closure of the event".
Bree Runway, Connie Constance, Matilda Mann and RORY have announced intimate live shows in London venues during the week of 7 Oct in support of War Child, the charity for children in war zones. The performances are part of War Child's Day Of The Girl initiative, which aims to highlight the charity's work protecting, educating and advocating for girls and women affected by conflict. YouTube Music is the headline sponsor for the event series, which will also include a 'Women In Music And Creative Industries Panel Day'. Clare Sanders-Wright, Live Music Lead at War Child, says, "A staggering £150K has been raised through ticket sales and fundraising through Day Of The Girl since 2021, with some of the UK's most innovative female-identifying artists sharing their voices to dial up War Child's message and work".
Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey has announced the artist line-up for its Live To Vinyl series, featuring performances by Ezra Collective, Pale Waves, Maverick Sabre and Nova Twins at Metropolis Studios in London. The sessions, starting on 7 Sep, will offer 40 fans per event the opportunity to witness exclusive performances being recorded directly onto vinyl. Each session will include a live-to-vinyl performance, a tour of the mastering suite and a Q&A with the artist. Ezra Collective says, "Being a part of Live To Vinyl with the support of Jack Daniel's is a unique experience - we've never done anything like this before so it will be a first for us and the fans".
Other Industry News & Events
BMG has reported a 11.1% increase in revenue to €459 million ($491.7 million) for the first half of 2024. Digital revenue, which accounted for nearly 70% of the company's overall revenue, grew by 20.3% compared to the same period in 2023. This follows BMG's decision to move its digital distribution in-house. Thomas Coesfeld, CEO of BMG, says, "This move is paying off". The company's operating EBITDA rose by 35.5% to €122 million ($130.7 million), with an EBITDA margin of 26.5%. Coesfeld adds, "We figured only if we anticipate trends a little earlier do we have a chance to win in this very competitive market".
US collecting society AllTrack has been accepted as a rights management entity by CISAC, the global organisation for songwriter societies, and has integrated with CISAC's data exchange tools. The performing rights organisation, which serves the independent music sector, joins ASCAP, BMI and SESAC as the fourth US society affiliated with CISAC following an extensive application and review process. AllTrack's integration with CISAC's Common Information System tools enables societies worldwide to connect directly with the company. AllTrack Founder and CEO Hayden Bower says, "We believe we have a pivotal role to play in ensuring that independent music creators and publishers are compensated fairly when their music is used and are committed to working with our fellow CISAC-affiliated colleagues to continue to advance this mission".
PRS Foundation has announced the first round of promoters receiving support through its Early Career Promoter Fund. The charity has awarded more than £50,000 in grants and wraparound support to eighteen early career promoters across England, with 57% of selected grantees being women and gender-diverse promoters and two-thirds based outside of London. Ben Price, Grants & Programmes Manager at PRS Foundation, says, "It's fantastic to see so many exciting projects taking place across England that will provide a vital opportunity for each promoter to develop their practice, platform many talented artists and DJs, and build audiences and scenes." The fund, supported by Arts Council England using strategic funding from the Department For Culture, Media and Sport, aims to bolster grassroots music ecosystems and will run until March 2025 with rolling monthly deadlines.
The Vinyl Record Manufacturer's Association and Vinyl Alliance have released their First Carbon Footprinting Report, examining the environmental impact of vinyl records from production to disposal. The study found that a standard 140g black vinyl record produces just over 1kg CO2e in its "cradle to factory gate" phase, slightly less than a pint of cow's milk. VRMA and Vinyl Alliance say, "We hope this report encourages everyone in the vinyl record industry to be radically transparent about the environmental impact of making vinyl records, and what steps we can take to reduce that impact". The report recommends several measures to decrease the industry's carbon footprint, including switching to "bio-attributed" PVC compounds and pressing exclusively on 140g vinyl.
Sotheby's has announced its inaugural popular culture auction, featuring personal items from Amy Winehouse and Marianne Faithfull. The auction includes Winehouse's handwritten lyrics and a personalised bowling shirt, brought to auction by singer Tyler James, Winehouse's close friend. James says, "Sharing these items with Amy's fans is the start of a new journey for me and a new chapter of my life in wanting to help others and give something back". Faithfull's collection includes Chanel jackets gifted by Karl Lagerfeld and a signed expired British passport. Online bidding for the auction begins on 29 Aug.
The BRIT Awards has launched a nationwide search for presenters to host The BRITs POV, a new content series for the awards' social media channels. The initiative aims to find emerging talent to create content for The BRITs' online audience of over 5 million followers across platforms including Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Successful candidates will be reviewed by a judging panel including broadcaster Remel London, who says, "I had such a great time interviewing on the red carpet at the BRITs 2024 and now I get to help the BRITs team find new hosting talent for The BRITs POV". Entries for the talent search close at 23:59 BST on 18 Sep, with The BRITs POV set to launch later in 2024.
MUSEXPO has announced that Mark Beaven, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Advanced Alternative Media , will receive its Lifetime Achievement Award at the 25th edition of the annual music conference and showcase. The award, which honours Beaven's career and contributions to the music industry, will be presented during a special luncheon on 17 Mar 2025 at Castaway, Burbank. Founded in New York City in 1982, AAM has become prominent in music publishing under the leadership of Beaven and his business partner, Andrew Kipnes, influencing landmark works such as Nirvana's 'Nevermind' and Madonna's 'Ray Of Light'. AAM's diverse client roster includes artists ranging from Taylor Swift and The Rolling Stones to BTS and Lady Gaga.
Kin-Tu, a new Glasgow-based record label, has launched with the release of a three-track EP titled 'Romance' by local artist NAMÄN. The debut release, which became available on 24 Aug, features a range of electronic music styles including house, Dutch hardcore and trance. NAM\u00c4N says, "This EP is a reflection of the last seven years of development, capturing the essence of rave culture that's shaped who I am and what I want to produce". Maveen, the founder of Kin-Tu, explains, "The label's mission is to spotlight the vibrant underground artists that Glasgow and Scotland have to offer".
Golf
Max Homa and Schoolboy Q have teamed up for the first episode of ‘Artists And Athletes’, a series produced by Rolling Stone and BMW. In the show the professional golfer and rapper, who met at Whisper Rock Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, discuss their shared love of golf and perspectives on success. Homa, a six-time PGA tour winner, says, "Get better every single day". Schoolboy Q, who recently took up golf, adds, "If you want to rap, just do it. It's not about trying to get rich, it's art, and as long as you put in the effort you should be grateful for the results".
Artist News
Drake has previewed an unreleased collaboration with Kendrick Lamar as part of his latest '100 Gigs' content release. The video shows Drake and producer Noah "40" Shebib in the studio, listening to a beat that was later used for Action Bronson's 2015 track 'Actin' Crazy'. Shebib comments on the collaboration, saying, "When he told me Kendrick, it just made so much sense. Oh, the brilliance! So good." The footage likely dates from around 2012 or 2013, before the relationship between Drake and Lamar reportedly soured in late 2013.
Netflix has announced that BTS's Jin and actor Ji Ye-eun will appear as fixed guests in its upcoming variety show 'Kian's Bizarre B&B', set to release next year. The show, produced by Jung Hyo-min, will follow webtoonist Kian84 as he operates a guesthouse on Ulleung Island, located 120 kilometres off South Korea's east coast. Jin and Ji will feature as employees of the guesthouse, marking Jin's first regular appearance on an entertainment show as a soloist. Netflix Korea says, "The show will deliver both laughter and a special sense of connection [to viewers] through the trio and guests' unique blend of healing and chaotic moments during their stay".
Singer/songwriter Bill Anderson has received the 2024 TAB Impact Award at the Tennessee Association Of Broadcasters' 76th annual Excellence In Broadcasting Awards Dinner. The event, which recognises industry excellence, took place on 20 Aug at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. As part of the award ceremony, ACM and CMA award-winning recording artist Jamey Johnson performed 'Give It Away' and 'Cheaper Than a Shrink'. TAB, which has been serving the collective needs of its members for 76 years, provides resources that support both small independent broadcasters and network affiliates.
Releases & Tours
Mustafa has released his new single ‘Old Life’. His debut album ‘Dunya’ is out 27 Sep.
Orla Gartland has collaborated with Declan McKenna on new single ‘Late to The Party’. Her new album ‘Everybody Needs A Hero’ is out 4 Oct.
Ben Lukas Boysen has released his new single ‘Quasar’. His new album ‘Alta Ripa’ is out 29 Nov.
The Waeve have released their new single ‘Broken Boys’. Their new album ‘City Lights’ is out 20 Sep.
Oslo Twins have released their new single ‘Sally’.
Kit Sebastian have released their new single 'The Kiss'. Their new album ‘New Internationale’ is out 27 Sep.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor have released their new single ‘GREY RUBBLE - GREEN SHOOTS’. Their new album ‘NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD’, referring to the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli strikes on Gaza since 7 Oct 2023, as of 13 Feb 2024, is out 4 Oct.
Soap&Skin has released her new single ‘Mystery Of Love’. Her new album ‘TORSO’ is out 22 Nov.
Draft Day has released his new single ‘CRACK THE CODE’.
Jessy Fury has released his new single ‘Heaven’.
two blinks, i love you has released his new single ‘my girl’.
Military Genius has released his new single ‘Darkest Hour’. His new album ‘Scarred For Life’ is out 1 Nov.
CASISDEAD has announced his UK headline ‘Artificial Interference’ tour, including a show at O2 Institute Birmingham on 23 Oct. Tickets go on sale this Friday here.
Crawlers have announced their first UK headline tour, ‘The Mess We Seem To Make’ tour, including a show at The Dome in London on 7 Dec. Tickets go on general sale this Friday here.
French Polymath ALIAS has announced a UK headline tour, including a show at The Lexington in London on 25 Oct.