DEALS
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Believe has acquired Indian music and film company White Hill Music’s Punjabi catalogue. “Punjabi music is not only the second largest Indian genre in terms of market share in India, but it is one of the most popular Indian genres internationally”, says MD of Believe India, Vivek Raina. “It’s been a massive honour to accompany the growth and digitalisation of White Hill Music’s fantastic roster and catalogue since 2017 and I’m now THRILLED to see them join the Believe family for this new page of our common history”.
APPOINTMENTS
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Big Machine Label Group has promoted Mike Rittberg to COO and Clay Hunnicutt to EVP Label Operations. “Mike is the consummate professional. He has become incredibly important to the operations of BMLG and is a great co-pilot for our continued growth”, says CEO Scott Borchetta. “Clay has done an exceptional job at elevating the growth and artist development for the Big Machine Records imprint. In his new role, he’s able to take his insights and energies to all of our imprints during this extremely exciting time in our industry”.
LEGAL
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The US Register Of Copyrights has begun a review of the designation of the Mechanical Licensing Collective and the Digital Licensee Coordinator, as required under the 2018 Music Modernization Act. Basically it will review the role of the MLC as the administrator of the US compulsory licence for mechanical rights, and the DLC’s role representing the digital services in relation to that licence. “We are confident that this review will confirm that The MLC continues to meet all of the criteria set out in the MMA, while affording us the opportunity to highlight the many successes our team and our stakeholders have achieved since launching The MLC’s full operations”, says MLC CEO Kris Ahrend.
ARTIST NEWS
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BMG has reportedly ended its partnership with Roger Waters over his controversial statements about Israel, Ukraine and the United States. According to Variety, a publishing deal signed in 2016 has now ended, with CEO Tom Coesfeld having already cancelled plans to release a new solo recording of Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ last year.
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Jake Shears has launched new podcast ‘Queer The Music’. Each episode looks at a different LGBTQ+ artist and one of their songs. Out now are the first two episodes, looking at ‘You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)’ by Sylvester and ‘I Do This All The Time’ by Self Esteem.
AWARDS
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Ghetts, Sugababes and Cristale have joined the list of performers at this year’s MOBO Awards on 9 Feb. Sugababes have also been announced as the recipients of the MOBO Impact Award.
GIGS & FESTIVALS
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Adele has announced a four night residency in an 80,000 capacity pop-up stadium in Munich this August. “A one off, bespoke pop-up stadium designed around whatever show I want to put on?” she says in a post on Instagram. “I couldn’t think of a more wonderful way to spend my summer and end this beautiful phase of my life and career”. Tickets go on general sale on 9 Feb.
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A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie has announced UK shows in May, including a performance at the O2 Arena in London on 2 May. Tickets go on general sale on Friday.
❤️🩹
Aurora and Gabriels have been added to the line-up of this year’s BRITs Week in aid of War Child. You can buy tickets or enter prize draws to win entry here.
🧊
Ice-T’s Body Count have announced UK tour dates at the end of June and beginning of July, with shows in London, Manchester and Glasgow.
RELEASES
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Pet Shop Boys will release new album ‘Nonetheless’ on 26 Apr, with new single ‘Loneliness’ out now. They’ve also announced five performances at the Royal Opera House in London on 23-27 Jul.
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Paramore have released a cover of Talking Heads’ ‘Burning Down The House’. The band also have a collaboration with SZA in the works, the singer revealed in an Apple Music Q&A.
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Becky Hill will release new album ‘Believe Me Now?’ on 31 May. It includes her latest single ‘Never Be Alone’ featuring Sonny Fodera.
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Ghetts has released new single ‘Tumbi’. His new album ‘On Purpose, With Purpose’ is out on 23 Feb.
✏️
The Breeders have released a cover of Guided By Voices’ ‘Shocker In Gloomtown’ and announced UK tour dates in June. The run of shows included a night at Troxy in London on 25 Jun. Tickets go on general sale on Friday.
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BADBADNOTGOOD have released new single ‘Take What’s Given’ featuring Reggie.
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Camera Obscura have announced that they will release their first album in over ten years, ‘Look To The East, Look To The West’, on 3 May. Out now is lead single ‘Big Love’.
🪢
Ibibio Sound Machine will release new album ‘Pull The Rope’ on 3 May. Out now is new single ‘Got To Be Who U Are’. They’ve also announced UK shows in May, June and November.
🎱
Louis Carnell has released a collaboration with Wu-Lu, ‘Eight’, the latest (and eighth) track in his ongoing ‘111’ series.
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The Narcotix have released new single ‘The Sun’. Their new album ‘Dying’ is out on 1 Mar.