Deals
Boyfriend Music Ltd has launched in Lagos, Nigeria, with an American subsidiary Boyfriend Music LLC, to support artists, songwriters and producers globally. Founded by emo-afrobeat artist Chukwuka ‘CKay’ Ekweani and long-time friend and manager Joseph Salubi, the company says it is “dedicated to helping artists, songwriters and producers collect their royalties, and providing A&R services to unlock their creative potential”. Ekweani says, “We are committed to creating a formidable and transparent environment where artists, songwriters and producers can focus on their creativity while we handle the complexities of management and music publishing.” Salubi adds, “We believe in empowering creators by ensuring they receive the royalties they deserve and by offering the resources and guidance needed to thrive creatively.”
Toikido has announced a strategic licensing partnership with Tingly Ted’s, the hot sauce brand created by Ed Sheeran. The collaboration will introduce a range of Tingly Ted’s-branded consumer products globally, including fashion, accessories, toys and collectibles. Tingly Ted’s, launched by Heinz in March 2023 with an ad campaign featuring Sheeran and Ted the grumpy bear, is now available in major supermarkets across the UK. Darran Garnham, CEO of Toikido, says, “Tingly Ted’s combines Ed Sheeran’s creativity with a distinctive, fun product. Toikido is a creative, product-led IP studio, and this collaboration with Tingly Ted’s aligns perfectly with our mission”. Sheeran adds, “I’m excited to see Ted the grumpy bear on everything from t-shirts to plush toys”.
Kobalt has signed a worldwide publishing deal with producer Atmyamil, known for his work on ‘Gata Only’ by FloyyMenor and Cris MJ, and ‘Si No Es Contigo’ with Cris MJ. The producer is currently working on his own EP featuring longtime collaborators, as well as a new album with FloyyMenor and Cris MJ. Leslie Ahrens, SVP Of Creative at Kobalt Latin, says, “We’re THRILLED to welcome rising superstar producer, Atmyamil, to our Kobalt family. We look forward to supporting Atmyamil on his journey and are excited to be part of what’s next!”
Prescription Songs has extended its publishing deal with Grammy-nominated artist, producer and songwriter Fridayy. The extension follows the platinum certification of Fridayy’s single ‘When It Comes To You’ and comes less than two years after he initially signed with the company in summer 2022. Fridayy, a Philadelphia-born, Haitian-American vocalist, gained recognition for his work on the Grammy-nominated track ‘GOD DID’ featuring DJ Khaled, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, and John Legend. “Prescription feels like home for me!” Fridayy says, before offering a “shout out” for A&R Eddie Fourcell and adding “Without him who knows where I would be!”
Reservoir Media, Inc has acquired the publishing rights to the catalogue of the late Billy Strange. The deal includes hit songs such as Elvis Presley‘s ‘A Little Less Conversation’, ‘Memories’ and ‘Clean Up Your Own Back Yard’. Strange, born in Long Beach, California in 1930, was a guitarist, songwriter, and arranger who collaborated frequently with Presley and other major artists. ‘A Little Less Conversation’ gained renewed popularity in 2002 when a remix topped the singles charts in nine countries. Rell Lafargue, President and Chief Operating Officer of Reservoir, says, “Billy Strange’s influence is woven into the fabric of American pop culture. ‘A Little Less Conversation’ is one of the most recognisable songs and has influenced popular music since Elvis first sang it in 1968”.
PickleJar Entertainment Group Inc has announced a promotional partnership with country music duo Thompson Square. The collaboration, will incorporate PickleJar’s fan club technology in the “Get on the bus with Thompson Square” campaign to boost visibility and fan engagement during the duo’s 2024 and 2025 tours. Kristian Barowsky, PickleJar’s President, says, “At the very core of our business is to aggregate and accelerate the artists’ direct relationship with their fans”. The partnership will include exclusive artist content, contest giveaways and VIP experiences, with a custom-designed tour bus wrap featuring QR codes for fan interaction.
Jacqie Rivera has signed a global deal with Universal Music’s Virgin Music Group, with her first single ‘Si Pasa Una Mosca’ released yesterday. Rivera says, “Being a part of the Virgin team is an answered prayer. It feels so good to have people on your side that believe in your dreams”. Victor Gonzalez, President of Latin America And Iberian Peninsula at Virgin Music Group, adds, “Jacqie has made an incredible album and we can’t wait to share it with the world”.
William Beckmann has signed with Warner Music Nashville. The singer-songwriter, known for his traditional country and Tejano influences, has joined the major label ahead of releasing his debut single ‘Not That Strong’ today. Beckmann says, “I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity to be a part of the Warner family”. Warner Music Nashville’s Senior Vice President Of A&R Stephanie Wright notes, “William has a swagger that is both retro and youthful. Combine that with his rich, timeless vocal and the result is a modern-vintage sound that is quite unique not just to the country format, but to all genres of music”.
GR6 Music, a Brazilian funk music production company, has acquired a 33% stake in Sonar, a competitor based in Osasco, for R$15 million. André Morrisy of GR6 Music says, “Sonar has always been an important partner for us, with a business model that aligns very well with ours.” The acquisition is part of GR6’s strategy to expand its reach and strengthen its position in the local market. GR6 Music, founded about a decade ago, has evolved from focusing on shows and events to becoming a comprehensive music conglomerate, producing music, managing artists, and handling legal and artistic aspects for singers.
Warner Chappell Music has renewed its worldwide administration deal with Chilean singer-songwriter Mon Laferte. The artist, who is the most-streamed Chilean on Spotify with over 11 million monthly listeners, has returned to the publisher after initially signing with them in 2013. Laferte says, “I’m really excited for what’s ahead. They were the first ones to have faith in me”. Gustavo Menéndez, WCM’s President, US Latin & Latin America, comments, “It’s great to have Mon back at WCM. We initially signed her back in 2013 when she had just moved to Mexico, and it was perfect timing – an opportunity to understand her dreams and aspirations from the start”. Laferte is currently on her Autopoiética World Tour, which has taken her through Europe, North, Central and South America.
Paul Dainty, President of Australian live event promoter TEG Dainty, and Bohm Presents co-founders Seb and Adrian Bohm, have backed acta, a new talent booking platform that has launched in Australia. The platform says it features over 2500 entertainers and promises to distribute 100% of booking fees to talent and their representatives. acta charges talent bookers a separate fee for access to its marketplace and curation services. “acta represents a paradigm shift in talent booking, ensuring that talent are fairly compensated for their craft. This platform empowers talent and elevates industry standards”, says Dainty.
Appointments
ERA, the UK trade body for entertainment retailers and digital platforms, has appointed Linda Walker, former SVP Commercial Partnerships & Analytics at Warner Music UK, as its Chair effective 1 Sep. Walker, who began her career at an independent record shop before advancing through Warner Music’s ranks, succeeds Ben Drury, CEO of Yoto. “Digital services and retailers are the unsung heroes of the entertainment industry, playing a crucial role in turning artistic achievement into commercial success and generating more than £11 billion in annual retail revenues for the music, video and games businesses”, Walker says. ERA CEO Kim Bayley adds, “Linda Walker’s experience spans all areas of ERA’s membership from independent stores to some of the world’s largest streaming services, and she brings with her a reputation for clarity of thought and pragmatic commercialism, making her the ideal candidate for ERA Chair”.
Stats & Earnings
Pro-Música Brasil’s latest figures show that the Brazilian recorded music market grew by 21% year-on-year in the first half of 2024. Total revenue reached R$1.442 billion ($256.2 million). Subscription-based streaming revenue increased by 28.4% to R$995 million ($176.8 million), while ad-supported streaming grew by 6.6% to R$436 million ($77.5 millon). Physical format sales, dominated by vinyl records, represented just 0.6% of revenue. Paulo Rosa, President of Pro-Música, says, “The sector’s figures in the first half of 2024 continue to demonstrate the predominance of music distribution through music streaming platforms operating in Brazil, following a global trend seen over the last ten years”.
Legal
Jack White has threatened legal action against Donald Trump for using his music without permission. The musician’s response came after a Trump aide posted footage of the former president boarding a plane set to the White Stripes‘ song ‘Seven Nation Army’. White says, “Don’t even think about using my music you fascists. Lawsuit coming from my lawyers about this (to add to your 5000 others).” The incident adds White to a growing list of artists objecting to Trump’s use of their music, including Beyoncé, ABBA, Foo Fighters and Neil Young.
A court in the Dominican Republic has issued an international arrest warrant for Daniel Hernández, aka 6ix9ine. The court had previously declared the US rapper a fugitive in June after he was arrested in October 2023 for allegedly assaulting two producers who were working with his ex-partner Yailin La Más Viral. He was arrested a second time in January 2024 on domestic violence charges. 6ix9ine’s legal troubles have been ongoing, with previous convictions including a 2015 case involving a minor and a 2019 racketeering case. In this latest development, the court has also ordered the execution of a previously imposed ‘economic guarantee’ of 500,000 Dominican pesos, or approximately $8735. This international warrant enables Dominican authorities to request cooperation from international organisations such as Interpol.
Streaming, Digital, Broadcast & Retail
PIP Labs, the core developer of intellectual property-focused blockchain Story Protocol, has raised $80 million in a Series B funding round led by venture capital firm a16z crypto, the blockchain-focused arm of Andreessen Horowitz. The Palo Alto-based company, which CEO and co-founder Seung Yoon ‘SY’ Lee describes as “the programmable intellectual property layer for the age of generative AI” secured the capital at a $2.25 billion valuation, according to sources familiar with the matter. Lee says that a16z crypto “are tripling down, which is pretty rare from what I know”. Other investors in the round include Polychain Capital, Stability AI Vice President Scott Trowbridge, K11 founder Adrian Cheng and digital art collector Cozomo de’ Medici. Chris Dixon, the founder and managing partner of a16z crypto, says, “The economic covenant underlying the internet – content creators providing supply and content distributors providing demand – is being upended by the proliferation of AI. PIP Labs is building the necessary infrastructure for a new covenant.”
Aptos Labs has invested in fan engagement platform Mereo to address asset scalping and enhance artist-fan connections in the music industry. The partnership hopes to use blockchain technology to create a fairer system for rewarding fan loyalty. Mereo says that its technology means that “fans can earn benefits such as early access to merchandise and enhanced experiences at live events by accumulating financial and non-financial contributions on their fan journey”. Aptos says that its partnership with Mereo will help it to develop technology to allow “artists and other IP owners to allocate assets to their verified loyal fans, ensuring these assets remain non-transferable. Owners of these assets cannot profit from scalping but are entitled to a full refund once a burn transaction has been completed and verified on-chain”. Jaeho Jang, Co-Founder of Mereo, says, “Our team is committed to building infrastructure that enables fans to control the value of their actions and gain recognition from their communities and beyond”. Christie Lee, Head Of Partnerships, APAC at Aptos Labs, adds, “We’re THRILLED to join forces with Mereo to tackle asset scalping and better recognise true fan loyalty”.
Instagram has introduced new text tools for its reels and stories features, allowing users to personalise their content with unique fonts, animations and effects. The social media platform has also expanded its creative options for photos and carousels, enabling users to add text and layer images via stickers. Additionally, Instagram has increased the carousel limit to 20 photos and videos in a single post, providing more flexibility for users to express themselves across different content formats.
Superfan platform FanCircles says that it has raised $2 million “from several angel investors” in its latest funding round. The company says that it will use the cash to accelerate growth, scale globally and enhance its direct-to-fan music streaming platform which offers artists custom-branded apps for web and mobile, allowing them to provide exclusive content and direct sales to fans. Kevin Brown, CEO of FanCircles, says, “This investment is a testament to the incredible demand for more authentic and direct artist-fan relationships”.
Live
Basel has been selected to host the 69th Eurovision Song Contest in 2025, with the Grand Final taking place on 17 May at St Jakobshalle. The Swiss city was chosen by Swiss public service broadcaster SRG SSR and the European Broadcasting Union after a competitive selection process that considered venue facilities, local infrastructure and accommodation capacities. Martin Österdahl, Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, says, “The EBU is THRILLED that Basel has been selected as the host city for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025″. Conradin Cramer, President of the government of Basel, adds, “It is a great honour for Basel to be able to host the world’s biggest live music event!”
Cosmic Roots has cancelled its 2024 festival, originally scheduled for 5 to 8 Sep in Hampshire, due to “unpredictable ticket sales and a rise in production costs”. In a statement released earlier this month, organisers said ticket holders would receive automatic refunds and acknowledged the challenging environment for the festival industry this year. The event was set to feature electronic artists including Vlada, Sophie McAlister, Kia, Lukas Wigflex, and Mor Elian. “Please know that this is not the end of Cosmic Roots”, the statement adds.
Morrissey has claimed he agreed to a Smiths reunion tour offer for 2025, but Johnny Marr did not respond. In a blog post on Morrissey Central, the singer claims that promoter AEG made a “lucrative” offer in June 2024 for the pair to tour worldwide as the Smiths throughout 2025. “Morrissey said Yes to the offer; Marr ignored the offer”, says the blog post.
Other Industry News & Events
Network Rail has announced plans to protect the Grade-II listed Twemlow Viaduct near Harry Styles‘ home village in Cheshire from damage caused by fans. The 183-year-old structure, rumoured to be the site of the singer’s first kiss, has become a popular destination for admirers who scratch messages into its bricks. Network Rail will erect a new wall with blank panels for fans to leave messages, preserving the viaduct’s historic status. Rob Stephens, Principal Route Engineer at Network Rail, says, “To preserve the viaduct’s historic status and not spoil anyone’s fun, we have fitted an alternative wall to allow them to continue to leave their messages of love and support”.
UK record label trade group BPI has released the second episode of its Innovation Podcast series, which looks at the record industry’s innovation landscape. The most recent episode, released yesterday, features Chantal Epp from ClicknClear and Olivier Parfait from Sony Music, exploring ClicknClear’s journey as a startup addressing industry challenges. The podcast, hosted by BPI’s Innovation Manager Amalie Briden, aims to spotlight innovative ideas in the music industry, with new episodes released fortnightly on alternate Thursdays. Briden says, “The BPI Innovation Podcast series is designed for anyone working in, or interested in, the recorded music industry and the tech start-ups and scale-ups that are shaping meaningful change in how we discover, consume and engage with music”.