From Neil Young’s war against Spotify and Joe Rogan to the surprising second coming of Wig Wam, we have gathered the biggest stories in music this week.
The last week of January 2022 did not disappoint. Everywhere you look in music this week, big things were happening. From massive tour announcements to another impressive wave of big-budget catalog deals, it’s safe to say the entertainment business is fully operational once more.
We cannot ease your workload or give you more hours in the day, but we can help you stay informed. That is why we are thrilled to introduce This Week In Music, a brand new weekly column highlighting the best and most talked-about stories throughout the music industry. Each Friday, we will post links to various need-to-know articles and information.
But let’s be honest. There is no way we can hope to cover everything that happens. If you see a headline we missed that people need to know, please do not hesitate to send james@haulix.com an email. We’ll include your links in the next update.
The Biggest Stories of The Week
Neil Young Versus Spotify and Joe Rogan
Music legend Neil Young made headlines after sharing a now-deleted post on his official website. He took issue with streaming giant Spotify over the company’s relationship with controversial podcast host and comedian Joe Rogan. In his post, Young asked his managers and record label to remove his music from Spotify because he said the music and podcast platform is “spreading fake information about vaccines — potentially causing death to those who believe this disinformation spread by them.” Spotify announced the following day that it would be removing Young’s music, which inspired the company’s competitors to begin promoting his presence on their platforms. SiriusXM gave Young his own channel.
The Unlikely Resurrection of Wig Wam, the band behind Peacemaker’s incredible opening theme
Have you seen the HBO MAX original series Peacemaker yet? Starring John Cena and written by James Gunn, the series includes an incredible opening sequence featuring the entire cast performing a choreographed dance to an 80s hair metal song by the oft-forgotten group Wig Wam. The credits have become so popular since the series launch in early January that the band has seen renewed interest in their otherwise quiet career. Billboard spoke to Wig Wam about everything, and the results did not disappoint.
Move over, emo festivals. The emo cruise is here!
Just when you thought it was safe to go in the water, the Emo’s Not Dead cruise has arrived to carry your residual teen angst on the high seas this November! Organizers have revealed that Dashboard Confessional and Underoath sit atop the bill, with New Found Glory, Thursday, Plain White T’s, Silverstein, Hawthorne Heights, William Ryan Key (formerly of Yellowcard), Cassadee Pope, and Emery helping to transport fans back to the genre’s early 2000s heyday. The cruise also promises the live debut of Your Broken Hero and live band karaoke group The Emo Band.
‘American Idol’ Creator Simon Fuller Unveils First Group Formed on TikTok, The Future X
TikTok has given us dozens of modern music stars in its short lifetime. It seems that previously undiscovered talent is catapulted onto everyone’s For You page every few weeks and given a brief moment to shine, but can the platform produce an original group? American Idol creator and Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller says “yes,” and he’s out to prove his belief with a new group called The Future X. The collective comprises three singers and four dancers, each discovered on the social media platform. All seven members — Angie Green, Luke Brown, and Maci Wood, plus dancers Jayna Hughes, Sasha Marie, Tray Taylor, and Drew Venegas — auditioned last fall by posting a video on TikTok using the hashtag #NextInMusic. The Future X is currently living together in Malibu, creating content and developing original material.
Dylan, Fonsi, and Tritt sell their catalogs
The music industry’s gold rush to purchase every artist catalog available continues this week with another round of acquisitions from the biggest names in music. Sony acquired the rights to Bob Dylan’s catalog of hits and originals for a deal rumored to be worth more than $150 million. Country star Travis Tritt sold his catalog to Reservoir Media for an undisclosed amount in a sale covering his entire recorded music career. Elsewhere, Latin sensation Luis Fonsi made a deal with HarbourView Equity Partners rumored to be worth above $100 million.
The Weeknd is the number one artist on Earth (On Spotify)
Following the successful release of Dawn FM earlier this month, The Weeknd continues to add accolades to his already storied career. According to Spotify, the Canadian vocalist is currently the number one most listened to artist on the planet, with 86.1 million monthly listeners. Justin Bieber formerly held the record for the most monthly listeners on Spotify, and the “Peaches” artist currently has 81.24 million on-platform monthly listeners in second place. Ed Sheeran is ranked third (78.04 million), against fourth for Dua Lipa (69.21 million), and fifth for Adele (60.49 million).
Song of the Week: Vein.fm – “Fear in Non Fiction”
Trying to briefly describe the music Vein.fm makes is a lot trying to explain the beauty of a starry night without light pollution. You may convey a basic understanding to the average person, but some things have to be experienced before you can understand them. Vein.fm makes the kind of hard-hitting and unpredictable rock that keeps you glued to each thumping beat and throat-scorching scream. It’s the musical equivalent to a high-speed freight train barreling down a mountainside with sparks flying as brakes fail and the cars begin to wobble. There is a chance for disaster at every turn, yet the band makes it work. For Vein.fm, there is fun to be had in maintaining a constant sense of chaos, and it makes for one of the most exciting listening experiencing in recent memory. Preorder the band’s new album, This World Is Going To Ruin You, today!
