From the untimely death of Bollywood singer KK to the incredible first-week debut of Zach Bryan, we’ve gathered all the music news you need to know.
The first week of June is nearly complete, and you’re still standing. Congrats! Go ahead and pat yourself on the back. Whether you conquered your greatest fears in recent days or merely managed to not get fired, you survived. You are now on the precipice of a weekend with boundless possibilities. Who knows!? Maybe you’ll even get a few minutes free from your devices.
We cannot ease your workload or give you more hours in the day, but we can help you stay informed. Below you’ll find the biggest stories of the week, all covered by the best outlets in tech and entertainment. Click around, learn what’s happening, and use the weekend to prepare for the end of the month.
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 MUSIC NEWS OF THE WEEK
After using TikTok to complain about TikTok requirements, Halsey’s label gives her a release date
Halsey’s next single has a release date — with or without a TikTok moment to fuel it. Capitol Records announced in a tweet Tuesday morning that “So Good” will come out June 9, with Halsey additionally declaring that the “fiasco” over its release is apparently over.
Curiously, the release date was framed as an open letter to Halsey, suggesting that the two parties may still be doing a lot of their dialoguing via social media right now, although the promise of “open dialogue” may be as much for the fans and other artists who have rallied behind Halsey in the dispute as for the artist.
“Halsey,” tweeted Capitol, tagging the singer, “we love you and are here to support you. We are committing to a release of ‘So Good’ on June 9th, 2022.
“We are an artist-first company that encourages open dialogue,” the statement continues. “We have nothing but a desire to help each one of our artists succeed, and hope that we can continue to have these critical conversations.”
Bollywood singer KK dies shortly after performance
Indian police said Wednesday they are investigating the death of star Bollywood singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known as KK, who died at age 53 after a concert.
The singer died shortly after performing at a college festival in Kolkata on Tuesday evening, prompting a wave of tributes.
He was rushed to hospital from his hotel at around 10:30 pm, where doctors pronounced him dead.
Aroop Biswas, a government minister in the eastern state of West Bengal, said KK had died of a “suspected cardiac arrest.” But police said they are probing whether he died an “unnatural death”, with media reports saying there were injuries to his face and head.
Elvis Has Left The Wedding Chapel Business
What hath Kravis wrought? Las Vegas’ Elvis-themed wedding industry is all shook up, after a series of cease and desist letters were issued at the behest of Authentic Brands Group. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, ABG controls the King’s merchandising as well as trademarks on “Elvis, “Elvis Presley,” “and “The King of Rock and Roll.” The letter told multiple wedding chapels that Elvis weddings were unauthorized in using “Presley’s name, likeness, voice image, and other elements of Elvis Presley’s persona in advertisements, merchandise and otherwise,” and that if they did not stop by May 27, they would be seeking legal action. “This could be very damaging to our industry,” Melody Willis-Williams, president of Vegas Weddings and Viva Las Vegas Weddings, told the R-J. “Most of us are small businesses, and we’re up against a superpower with a lot of money. It could kill us in lawyer fees to fight this.”
Elvis weddings have been synonymous with Vegas since Viva Las Vegas, in which Elvis has a Vegas wedding. So why now? Did ABG object to the fake wedding that Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker had after the Grammys? Maybe with the Baz Luhrmann biopic rearing its kaleidoscopic head, ABG felt it was time to protect its investment. Regardless of why, ABG has decided the time has come to TCB.
Zach Bryan sets the rock/americana/folk charts on fire
Zach Bryan achieves his first No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top Rock Albums and Americana/Folk Albums charts, as American Heartbreak debuts atop both rankings dated June 4.
As previously reported, the 34-track set also starts at No. 1 on Top Country Albums, where it’s likewise Bryan’s first leader.
In the May 20-26 tracking period, Heartbreak earned 71,000 equivalent album units, according to Luminate. Of that sum, 65,000 are from streaming equivalent units. That translates to the best streaming week for any LP on Top Rock Albums since the chart moved to a consumption-based methodology (from ranking sales only) in February 2017. It tops the 60,000 units accrued by Machine Gun Kelly‘s Tickets to My Downfall on the Oct. 10, 2020, survey.
Bryan’s 71,000-overall unit start is also the third-best for any release on Top Rock Albums in 2022, bested only by the bows of Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ Unlimited Love (98,000 units, April 16) and Machine Gun Kelly’s Mainstream Sellout (93,000 units, April 9).
On Americana/Folk Albums, Heartbreak claims the biggest week of the year in terms of units, surpassing The Lumineers‘ Brightside, which launched with 37,000 units (Jan. 29). It logs the top sum since Kacey Musgraves‘ Star-Crossed debuted with 77,000 units (Sept. 25, 2021). As on Top Rock Albums, Heartbreak tallies the biggest frame in terms of streaming units since the chart moved to a consumption model in 2017, more than doubling the 30,000 first-week streaming units for Musgraves’ Star-Crossed.
Spotify launches new site to help artists build their careers
Spotify for Artists has reorganized and revamped its extensive self-help offering as In Focus, a new free self-guided interactive site designed to help artists and their teams achieve career goals.
While centered on Spotify, In Focus goes well beyond it to offer tools, resources, and advice centered around five categories: Create, Promote, Connect, Earn, Learn. The help comes from the Spotify for Artists team, industry experts, and artists like Olivia Rodrigo, A$AP Ferg, Phoebe Bridgers, and dozens more.
In Focus features topics including:
- Growing streaming royalties and creating new sources of revenue
- Promoting music, reaching new audiences and building a brand
- Improving songwriting and honing your music-making craft
“We get it, the music industry today is complex – requiring artists and their teams to take on more responsibility than ever before,” says Rob Fink, Senior Brand Marketing Manager, Spotify for Artists. “We’re always chatting with artists about the biggest questions and aspirations they have in their personal career journeys, and we designed In Focus as a direct result of that feedback. We want to remove the guesswork, and help artists focus on what matters most to them so they can reach their music goals.”
Check out Spotify For Artists In Focus here.
SONG OF THE WEEK: Hank Williams Jr. – “Jesus, Won’t You Come By Here”
