APPOINTMENTS
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PRS For Music has appointed Stevie Spring as its new Chair. She replaces Stephen Davidson, who steps down after a decade in the role. She is currently also Chair of mental health charity Mind. “I love working with creative people and I love music”, she says. “I’m very excited to be joining the PRS For Music Board at a time of such challenge and such opportunity”.
🔊
Deezer has appointed Ivana Kirkbride as Chief Commercial Officer. “Deezer’s partnerships model has unlocked invaluable channels into the music industry for a wide range of companies to achieve sustainable growth”, she says. “As we continue to build on this track record of success, I’m THRILLED to be joining the team in Paris to take Deezer to the next level together and scale globally. We will explore innovative strategic partnerships across new markets and sectors, with the goal of driving profitable revenue growth for the future”.
☁️
SoundCloud has appointed Tom Sansone to the roles of CFO and COO. He moves over from Kobalt. “I am passionate about helping businesses realise their potential and am incredibly excited about the opportunities for SoundCloud”, he says. “I’m looking forward to working with an incredible leadership team and board to execute on the strategy to empower artists and fans to share and connect through music and to build on our strong financial footing”.
🪑
The Copyright Alliance in the US has appointed Richard James Burgess – CEO of American independent music sector trade group A2IM – as a floating board member. “My dedication to the arts and intellectual property rights is unwavering, and I am committed to protecting the creative works that enrich our culture and to advocating for the fair compensation and rights of authors and creators”, he says.
DIGITAL
🍎
Apple’s classical music streaming app Apple Music Classical is set to launch in China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau on 24 Jan, the company has announced. The app – available to any Apple Music subscriber and designed to make the streaming service easier to navigate for classical music fans – first launched in March last year.
MEDIA
📻
Steve Lamacq and Huw Stephens will present their BBC Radio 6 Music shows from different grassroots music venues around the UK during Independent Venue Week, which begins on 29 Jan. “Independent Venue Week is always a great opportunity to spotlight the importance of our smaller venues”, says Lamacq. “But this year, with hundreds of grassroots venues facing [significant] rent increases, rising energy costs and other cost of living pressures, I think it’s even more crucial to celebrate the role they play, not just in nurturing new talent but bringing local musical communities together”.
ARTIST NEWS
🕯️
Southwark Coroner’s Court has ruled that Sinead O’Connor died of natural causes. The musician passed away, aged 56, last July. In a brief statement confirming the cause of death, the court said yesterday that “the coroner has therefore ceased their involvement in her death”.
AWARDS
✨
Alan Moulder is set to receive the Icon Award at this year’s MPG Awards, the Music Producers Guild has announced. “It is such a great honour to be recognised for my contribution to our industry over the last 40 years”, says the record producer and mix engineer. “This award is not just a celebration of my work but a testament to the transformative power of collaboration”. The ceremony itself will take place at Troxy in London on 25 Apr.
RELEASES
🇺🇸
21 Savage has announced that he will release his third album ‘American Dream’ this Friday. It serves as the soundtrack to his debut film ‘American Dream: The 21 Savage Story’, the trailer for which you can see here.
😄
The Smile have released new single ‘Friend Of A Friend’ from their upcoming second album ‘Wall Of Eyes’. They have also announced that they will screen the Paul Thomas Anderson directed video for the song in cinemas later this month. The new album will also be played in full at each event. More details here.
🐅
Waxahatchee will release new album ‘Tigers Blood’ on 22 Mar – her first under a new deal with Anti-. Out now is new single ‘Right Back To It’.
🌹
Torres has released new single ‘Wake To Flowers’. Her new album ‘What An Enormous Room’ is out on 26 Jan.
🩸
Yonaka have released new single ‘Predator’, which features on the soundtrack of new video game ‘Valorant’.
🍁
Bodega will release new album ‘Our Brand Could Be Your Life’ on 12 Apr. Out now is new single ‘Tarkovski’.
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Julia Holter has announced that she will release new album ‘Something In The Room She Moves’ on 22 Mar. Out now is new single ‘Spinning’. She is also set to play London’s EartH on 9 Apr.
7️⃣
Louis Carnell has teamed up with Okkyung Lee for new track ‘Seven’, part of his ‘111’ series of collaborations, which has previously seen him work with artists including Keeley Forsyth, Lee Ranaldo, Coby Sey, KMRU, Ben Vince and Yara Asmar.
👀
Folly Group have released new single ‘Pressure Pad’, taken from their new album ‘Down There!’, which is out on Friday.
🌭
Fat Dog have released new single ‘All The Same’. They’ve also announced a show at Electric Brixton in London on 18 Apr.