DEALS
🇦🇺
Concord Music Publishing has signed a global publishing agreement with Australian songwriter John Butler. “I am very pleased to be joining the Concord Music Publishing family”, he says. “It is exciting to be working closely with a team based out of Australia and being reconnected with people who I have worked with in previous years and feel as passionate about music as I do”.
🇫🇷
Distributor FUGA has entered into new partnerships with French indie label Record Makers and Potion Records, the label founded by Belgian producer and DJ The Magician. “We are very proud to be the chosen distribution partner for some of the most renowned labels in the French region who have a proven and longstanding history of excellence”, says FUGA CCO Dorothée Imhoff. “We look forward to working closely with both Record Makers and Potion Records’ teams and maximising the reach of their music globally”.
APPOINTMENTS
🇺🇸
CEO of the American Association Of Independent Music, Richard James Burgess has announced that he will step down in 2026. “Leading this exceptional organisation has been an extraordinary experience”, he told the organisation’s AGM. “I am profoundly grateful for the support and dedication of our board members, the invaluable work of our founding members and prior presidents who set up the organisation to succeed, and the unwavering commitment of our many members”.a
💡
Catalogue acquisition firm The Circuit Group has announced several new hires as it launches a new label services division. James Sutcliffe comes on board as Chief Strategy Officer; Simon Birkumshaw is Director Of Operations, Label Services; Ian Massoth is Director Of A&R, Label Services; Shivani Phull is Chief Financial Officer Advisor; Bianca Price is Social Media Manager; Nick Sung is Director Of Marketing; and Charlie Tadmanis is Director Of A&R.
AWARDS
🏆
Entries are now open for this year’s Production Music Awards. The deadline is 26 Jul. "This industry is built by talented, passionate people who care deeply about what they do”, says founder Richard Canavan. “In 2024, the Production Music Awards celebrates the very human art of making music”. Sure. The ceremony takes place on 20 Nov at London’s IndigO2.
GIGS & TOURS
⌛
Taylor Swift has said that her Eras Tours will not have any more dates added. That still means she’ll be on the road until December though. She made the announcement on stage at the tour’s 100th show in Liverpool. “This is the very first time I’ve ever acknowledged to myself and admitted that this tour is gonna end in December”, she said. “Like, that’s it”.
RELEASES
🍦
LL Cool J has released new single ‘Saturday Night Special’ featuring Rick Ross and Fat Joe. It’s the first single from his first album for a decade, ‘The FORCE’, which will be out in the autumn.
🔑
Alison Moyet will mark her 40th anniversary as a solo artist with a new album called ‘Key’. Out on 4 Oct, it will feature reworked versions of old single and fan favourites, plus two new songs. Out now are a new version of ‘All Cried Out’ and new track ‘Such Small Ale’. She will also be touring the UK and Ireland in February and March 2025.
🦴
Rag N Bone Man has announced that he will release new album ‘What Do You Believe In?’ on 18 Oct. The title track came out last month. He will follow it up with a UK tour in November.
💎
Bree Runway has released new single ‘Just Like That’.
🐙
Tokimonsta will release new album ‘Eternal Reverie’ later this year. Out now is new single ‘Switch It’ featuring Cakes Da Killa and Gawd.
🧛♂️
Avey Tare has released new single ‘Vampire Tongues’ featuring Animal Collective bandmate Panda Bear.
💨
Pale Waves have released new single ‘Perfume’. Their new album ‘Smitten’ is out on 20 Sep.
🩵
Mike Lindsay has released new single ‘Two Blues’ featuring Anna B Savage, taken from his new album ‘Super Shapes Vol 1’, which is also out today. There are two launch shows - one at Rough Trade East in London tonight and another at Where Else in Margate tomorrow.
🪩
Logic1000 has released new single ‘Side By Side’ featuring Empress Of. The track is taken from a new collection of reworked versions of songs from her debut album ‘Mother’, which will be out on 7 Aug.
🧚♀️
Hakushi Hasegawa has released new single ‘Gone’ featuring Kid Fresino. Their new album ‘Mahōgakkō’ is out on 24 Jul.
⛪
Jesus Piece have released new single ‘FTBS’.
🎪
Jahnah Camille has released new single ‘Carnival Sounds’. Her debut EP ‘I Tried To Freeze Light, But I Only Remember A Girl’ is out next week.