Deals
Sentric has signed an administration agreement and formed a creative joint venture with Cooking Vinyl Publishing. The deal gives Cooking Vinyl’s clients access to Sentric’s royalties infrastructure, quarterly accounting and sync team. “Sentric will strengthen our business operations and provide us with the resources to further grow and support our roster of amazing writers”, says Cooking Vinyl Publishing Managing Director Ryan Farley. Sentric CEO Chris Meehan adds, “We’re excited to bolster their A&R ability and current catalogue with Sentric’s tech and people”.
Gamma, the media company founded by former Apple Music executive Larry Jackson, has established strategic partnerships with several African and Middle Eastern music entities. The company, which creates, distributes and markets content across music, podcasts and films, has formed alliances with The Music Arena, The Temple Company and Sol Generation Publishing And Distribution in Africa, as well as LPME Records in the Middle East. “It’s incredibly gratifying to see the enthusiasm shown by our new strategic partners, their artists and stakeholders in aligning with Gamma”, says Sipho Dlamini, the company’s President for Africa and the Middle East. The partnerships aim to connect regional artists to global audiences, focusing on cross-cultural collaborations and international exposure.
Believe has fully acquired Doğan Music Company, reportedly Turkey’s largest independent label, by purchasing the remaining 40% stake for €38.3 million. The Paris-based music company initially bought a 60% majority stake in DMC in 2020 for €18.8 million. DMC represents several major Turkish artists including Tarkan, Sezen Aksu and Ajda Pekkan. The deal is pending approval from competition regulators.
BandLab has partnered with London’s Strongroom Studios to create exclusive royalty-free sample packs for its online music production platform. The collaboration adds new content to BandLab’s existing library of over 100,000 samples, featuring recordings from producers, engineers and artists who have worked at the Shoreditch facility. Strongroom Studios, which has hosted artists like Dua Lipa and Radiohead over its 40-year history, enters the sample pack market for the first time through this partnership. BandLab says, “This is the latest among many updates that demonstrate BandLab’s commitment to eliminating any barriers to creativity and making music creation accessible”.
Universal Music has partnered with ProRata.ai, a new venture developing technology to compensate content owners when generative AI uses their work. ProRata, founded by Idealab Studio, aims to enable fair attribution and revenue sharing for creators. “We look forward to exploring all the potential ways UMG can work with ProRata to further advance our common goals and values”, says Lucian Grainge, Universal Music’s CEO. The strategic agreement will see UMG help shape ProRata’s technology for music industry applications.
IPOA has been established as the new collecting society for performance rights in the country of Georgia, replacing the previous society after winning a government-sponsored open competition. The artist-founded organisation, which represents 99% of Georgia’s musical talent, aims to bring transparency and efficiency to royalty collection and distribution. “Georgian artists wanted to reap the benefits of European approaches to accountability and transparency, combined with American expertise in rights management, all while maintaining their unique artistic spirit and vision”, explains Stefan Schulz, Head Of International Relations for the new society. IPOA’s expenses are capped by law, with General Director Giorgi Nikolaishvilli noting, “Our commitment to service is high, in part because we are artist-founded”.
Warner Chappell Music has signed singer-songwriter and producer Hueston to a publishing deal. Hueston, who reached the semi-finals representing Rhode Island on NBC’s American Song Contest in 2023, recently became the first artist signed to UMG Nashville’s new Silver Wings Records imprint. “His vocals and emotional songwriting make him stand out in all the right ways”, says Ben Vaughn, CEO of Warner Chappell Music Nashville. Hueston adds, “I am grateful and excited to be part of the Warner Chappell Music family and for all of the music that will come from this relationship”.
Appointments
US collecting society SoundExchange has appointed Jessica Roffe as Associate Director on its industry relations team. Roffe, an executive with experience in artist relations, brand marketing and royalty distribution, joins the organisation after various roles at MTV, BMI, NBCUniversal/Telemundo and HBO. Based in Miami, Roffe will report to Doug Cohn, Vice President of Artist & Label Relations.
Julie Greenwald has announced her unexpected departure from Warner Music’s Atlantic Music Group during an emotional staff meeting. The long-serving executive was already due to step aside as CEO of Atlantic on 1 Oct, making way for Elliot Grainge to take over as part of a major round of restructuring at Warner. As part of what was described as a “leadership transition” in a recent announcement by the company, Greenwald was expected to remain as Chair of AMG. However, she will now step down entirely in October, remaining as a consultant until January 2025. Telling staff to get back to work and focus on the label’s artists and releases, she reportedly said that she would be “fine” and that during recent discussions with Lyor Cohen, WMG’s former CEO and chair, Cohen had reminded her that she was “Julie Fucking Greenwald”.
Canadian talent agency Paquin Entertainment Group has appointed Andrew Akman as Chief Operating Officer. Akman, based in Toronto, brings three decades of media and entertainment experience to the independent Canadian company, which represents artists like Michael Bublé and Bryan Adams, and which recently acquired the Canadian operations of global talent agency APA. “Andrew’s expertise in media and entertainment and his entrepreneurial spirit make him an ideal fit for Paquin as we continue to expand the range and scale of our global businesses”, says Gilles Paquin, Chairman & CEO. Akman adds, “I’m incredibly excited to join Paquin at such a pivotal stage”.
Venue operator ASM Global has appointed Ralph Marchetta as Regional Vice President of Live Entertainment. Marchetta, previously General Manager and Senior Vice President at Phoenix Footprint Center, will oversee booking for Desert Diamond Arena and State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, as well as contribute to ASM Global’s content development strategy. Jason Rio, Senior Vice President Of Live Entertainment And Content Development at ASM Global, says, “With his far-reaching experience and the content team we are building, the ASM Global team will provide a greater number and wider array of profitable events to the entirety of Arizona and surrounding regions”. Marchetta adds, “This is an amazing opportunity for me to maximise my experience with ASM Global’s strengths to leverage our relationships with other promoters, artists, managers, agents and content producers and substantially grow this market in coming years”.
Labels, Publishing & Distribution
Sony Music has reported its financial results for its fiscal first quarter ending 30 Jun, with recorded music revenue up 26% year-on-year to 299 billion yen ($1.8 billion) and publishing revenue rising 28.7% to 97 billion yen ($602 million). The company’s “other” category, which includes merchandise, live performances and licensing revenue, jumped 81% to 73 billion yen ($453 million). Sony Group Corp President Hiroki Totoki notes that alongside streaming growth, the quarter’s music revenue gain was driven by “higher revenues from merchandising and live events”. Top sellers for the period included Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’, Future and Metro Boomin’s ‘We Don’t Trust You’ and Travis Scott’s ‘Utopia’.
Warner Music has reported its fiscal third quarter results for the period ended 30 Jun with total revenue reaching $1.554 billion. Revenue for the quarter is down 0.6% year-on-year but up 0.6% in constant currency. The company’s recorded music subscription streaming revenues rose 13.7% year-over-year at constant currency, adjusted for certain factors. “Our strong subscription streaming growth in Q3 was driven by the performance of our music and healthy industry trends”, says WMG CEO Robert Kyncl. While digital revenue showed growth, the company saw declines in physical sales, artist services and expanded-rights revenue. Warner Chappell Music, the group’s publishing division, experienced an 8.9% increase in revenue at constant currency. Overall, WMG’s net income grew to $141 million, up 14% compared to the prior year’s quarter.
HYBE has reported record quarterly revenue of 640.5 billion won ($465 million) for Q2 2024, a 3.1% year-on-year increase, despite a sharp 85.9% drop in net profit to 16.53 billion won ($12 million). The K-pop entertainment company’s “artist direct-involvement” segment, which includes recorded music and concerts, saw a 2.9% year-on-year decline in revenue to 423.89 billion won ($308 million), while its “artist indirect-involvement” segment, covering merchandising, licensing and fan platforms, grew 17.4% to 216.58 billion won ($157 million). CEO Jason Jaesang Lee comments, “The second half of 2024 marks the beginning of our new era that focuses on fostering music, platform and tech-driven future growth initiatives for long term success”.
Legal
Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann has filed a criminal complaint against German news outlet Der Spiegel over its reporting of sexual misconduct allegations from 2023. The allegations, which Lindemann denied, stemmed from claims by female fans of misconduct at pre-concert events. Though an official investigation was dropped in August 2023, Lindemann is now taking legal action. His complaint, filed with the Hamburg Public Prosecutor’s Office, alleges Der Spiegel’s coverage included falsified documents and attempted trial fraud. Lindemann’s lawyers at Schertz Bergmann state: “In so far as it has now been established that two affidavits were not actually rendered as submitted, this is a matter that must be clarified by the criminal prosecution authorities”.
Space Ibiza has been forced to rebrand its residency at Eden nightclub as “NOSPACE” following a trademark dispute. The Valencia commercial court annulled Space Ibiza founder Pepe Rosello’s rights to the brand name in favour of the Matutes family, owners of Fiesta Hotels & Resorts SL. Rosello, who founded the original Space Ibiza club in 1989 and had been running events at Eden using the brand, stated he “respects the ruling” but will appeal. Eden Ibiza says, “We believe it is crucial to launch NOSPACE to protect this vital part of the Ibiza clubbing scene”. The ruling marks the latest development in a long-running legal battle between Rosello and the Matutes family over management of the original Space nightclub, which closed in 2016 and is now Hï Ibiza under Matutes family ownership.
Former US President Donald Trump has claimed that Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis is treating rapper Young Thug “unfairly” in his ongoing criminal trial. During a live stream appearance with Adin Ross on 5 Aug, Trump referred to Young Thug as a “patriot”, stating, “I’ve heard he’s being treated very unfairly by [DA Willis], and I would tell her she’s gotta treat these patriots that are being all -it’s terrible. They’re going after them…He’s gotta be treated fairly”. Trump has his own history with Willis, who indicted him on sixteen Georgia statutes in August 2023 following a probe into the 2020 election results. That case is currently on hold pending an appeal, with the Georgia Court Of Appeals set to hear arguments on 5 Dec, after the November presidential election.
BTS member SUGA has been fined and had his licence revoked for riding an electric scooter while intoxicated in Seoul. The 31 year old K-pop star, currently serving his mandatory military service as a social service agent, issued an apology saying, “I thought it was a short distance and didn’t realise that you can’t ride an electric scooter while intoxicated, so I violated the road traffic laws”. Big Hit Music, BTS’s record label, responded: “We deeply apologise for causing disappointment and concern to many due to the artist’s inappropriate behaviour. We will ensure that such incidents do not occur again in the future and will exercise greater caution”. SUGA is expected to complete his military service in June 2025.
Live
Journey have cancelled their upcoming UK and Ireland tour due to “circumstances beyond the band’s control”, amid escalating internal strife. The 50th Anniversary Freedom Tour, set to begin on 30 Oct in Cardiff, would have been the band’s first performances in the UK and Ireland in a decade. The cancellation follows a lawsuit filed by keyboardist Jonathan Cain against guitarist Neal Schon in Delaware’s Chancery Court, alleging Schon “maxed out a $1 million credit card limit, exceeded hotel allowances and chartered private jets at the band’s expense”. Cain’s lawsuit noted, “The band’s actual onstage performance is, at the moment, one of the only aspects of the business that has not suffered”, a statement which would seem no longer to be the case.
The Australian government has launched the Revive Live Program, offering $8.6 million in grants to support established live music venues and festivals across the nation. Announced as part of the 2024/2025 federal budget, the programme aims to provide essential support during the current cost of living crisis while stimulating long-term sustainability in the music industry. “This funding will help to address the challenges contributing to cancellations and closures among the live music scene”, says Minister For The Arts, Tony Burke. Applications are open until 23 Aug4, with a focus on improving accessibility and creating career pathways for musicians and music workers with disabilities.
Lauryn Hill and The Fugees have abruptly cancelled their US ‘Miseducation Anniversary Tour’ three days before its scheduled start, with no reason provided to fans. Refund notices were sent out and tour dates removed from the Ticketmaster website. This marks the third tour cancellation for the group since 2021, following previous issues with pandemic restrictions and Hill’s vocal health. The tour was set to feature material from The Fugees’ ‘The Score’ and Hill’s solo debut ‘The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill’.
Pitbull has secured naming rights for Florida International University’s football stadium in a deal worth $6 million over five years. The agreement, announced yesterday, will see the 20,000-seat venue renamed Pitbull Stadium. As part of the deal, Pitbull will create an anthem for the school, promote FIU on social media and appear at one athletic fundraising event annually. The artist, also known as Armando Christian Pérez, will pay $1.2 million per year and receive ten days of rent-free stadium use annually. Additionally, Pitbull’s Voli 305 Vodka will become the preferred vodka brand at the stadium. FIU Athletic Director Scott Carr says, “Armando’s financial support is program-changing, but him providing a microphone to amplify FIU will be even more beneficial to growing our brand”.
Other industry news & events
Taylor Swift has dominated the nominations for the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, securing ten nods including Video Of The Year for her collaboration with Post Malone, ‘Fortnight’. The awards will take place on 10 Sep at UBS Arena in New York. Other leading nominees include Eminem and Sabrina Carpenter with six nominations each, while British artists Dua Lipa and Coldplay received nods in the Best Pop and Best Rock categories respectively. Irish acts are also represented, with Hozier nominated for Best Alternative and U2 for Best Rock.
Releases & Tours
Toro y Moi has released two new singles, ‘Hollywood’ featuring Ben Gibbard and ‘CD-R’. His new album ‘Hole Erth’ is out 6 Sep.
yunè pinku has released her new single ‘Believe’. Her new EP ‘Scarlet Lamb’ is out 4 Oct.
Logic1000 has released her new EP ‘mother :;~ rebirth’.
Fontaines D.C. have released their new single ‘Here’s The Thing’. Their new album ‘ROMANCE’ is out 23 Aug.
Asake and Travis Scott have collaborated on new single ‘Active’.
Drake has shared three new singles on a website called ‘100 Gigs for Your Headtop’. The three tracks are ‘It’s Up’ featuring Young Thug and 21 Savage, ‘Blue Green Red’, and ’Housekeeping Knows’ featuring Latto.
Nina Leo has released her new single ‘Blind Spot’.
Massive Wagons have released their new single ‘Night Skies’. Their new album ‘Earth To Grace’ is out 8 Nov.
Yu Su has released her new single ‘Avanvera’.
Rex Orange County has released his new single ‘The Table’. His new album ‘The Alexander Technique’ is out 6 Sep.
INVT and K-LONE have collaborated on new EP ‘LOCA’.
B.D.B aka Bicep and Benjamin Damage have released their new single ‘CHROMA 005 A.L.O.E’.
Laurie Anderson and ANOHNI have collaborated on new single ‘India And On Down To Australia’.
piri & tommy have released their new single ‘99%’.
Kylie V has released her new single ‘Lucky Streak’.
Fleet Foxes’ frontman Robin Pecknold has announced a solo US tour.
Bright Eyes have released their new single ‘Rainbow Overpass’.