Tag: Music News

Categories
Industry News News

This Week In Music (May 27, 2022)

Music News 5/27

From Harry Styles’ record-breaking vinyl sales to Pepsi’s surprising halftime show decision, we’re bringing you the need-to-know music news of the week.

If you’re reading this, congratulate yourself. You are less than four full days from the end of May, which means you’re nearly halfway through 2022. There are probably moments in your life when you doubt yourself, your direction, and your goals, but that time is not today. We are celebrating existence. After two years of a global pandemic, countless gun-related tragedies, and more personal challenges than anyone will understand, you made it to this day, time, and place. You’re still here, kicking ass and taking names. Take pride in that.

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

Harry Styles third studio album shatters first-week vinyl sales records

Harry Styles continues to fly on vinyl.

The pop star’s third solo album, the eponymously-titled “Harry’s House,” has set a record for the largest sales week for a vinyl album in the U.S. The LP sold more than 146,000 copies within three days of its May 20 release. Styles takes the crown from Taylor Swift, whose vinyl version of “Red” (Taylor’s Version)” had broken previous single-week sales records when it debuted last year.

Styles’ vinyl success doesn’t come as a huge surprise. The 28 year-old singer’s 2019 album “Fine Line” was a No. 1 seller on vinyl in 2020 and continued through 2021 as the No. 4-selling vinyl album. His self-titled debut record also found success on the old-school format, selling 236,000 copies on vinyl when it debuted in 2017.

Pepsi Will No Longer Sponsor The Super Bowl Halftime Show, Ending A Decade-Long Sponsorship

Pepsi is bowing out of its association with the Super Bowl Halftime Show.

After a decade as the presenting sponsor of the Big Game’s star-studded entertainment break, Pepsi has decided this year’s performance featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar will be its last.

The soft drink giant plans to concentrate more of its media spend in digital as traditional broadcast TV audiences continue to dwindle. While the Super Bowl may be one of the last vestiges of appointment television, its halftime show faces myriad challenges from social media, streaming and other mediums.

In a statement, Pepsi said ending the partnership reflects a “larger strategic shift to bring unprecedented music and entertainment experiences” to consumers “where they are now, and where they will be in the future.”

Justin Timberlake Sells 100% of Song Catalog To Hipgnosis

Hipgnosis Song Management has acquired the song catalogue of Justin Timberlake.

Financial details of the deal weren’t disclosed. Hipgnosis, the Notting Hill, London-based company founded in 2018 by former music manager Merck Mercuriadis, called Timberlake “the iconic American singer, songwriter, record producer and actor who is one of the most influential artists of the last 20 years and named by Billboard as the best performing male solo artist in Top 40/Contemporary Hit Radio history.”

Hipgnosis said Friday that it has bought 100 percent “of all of Justin Timberlake’s copyright, ownership and financial interests of the writer and publisher’s share of public performance income, and the catalog of musical compositions written by Justin Timberlake.” Also included in the sale are “the worldwide administration rights to the compositions, subject to the remaining term of Universal Music’s administration rights, which expire in 2025.”

Zach Bryan’s American Heartbreak Smashes Record For “Most-Streamed Country Album In A Single Day” In 2022

Oologah country music artist Zach Bryan’s Warner Records debut album, “American Heartbreak,” smashed the 2022 record for most streams by a country album in one day on Spotify and Apple Music.

The album was released Friday, May 20. “American Heartbreak” is available here via Warner Records.

A news release said the record-setting album has garnered critical applause. “Part of the reason why the Oklahoma native has become one of the genre’s most visible rising stars of the year is his ability to tackle different themes and moods with aplomb,” Billboard said. “Another reason is his voice — sturdy but with an approachable lightness.”

Bryan, who has surpassed one billion global streams, shared the music video for the single “Whiskey Fever” on the day the album was released. Watch it here.

TikTok Introduces Live Subscriptions

From beauty tutorials to watching your favorite recipes being prepared, learning new gaming tips and everything in between, TikTok LIVE allows creators to inspire, entertain and connect with engaged communities in real-time. And as we continue to connect creators with a global community, we’re always exploring new ways to reward creators for their creativity.

Today we’re introducing LIVE Subscription, a monthly subscription on TikTok for people to show their appreciation for their favorite LIVE creators. LIVE Subscription will initially be available to invite-only creators this month and will then become available globally over the coming months.

Bringing creators and viewers closer together with LIVE 

LIVE Subscription is an extension of our efforts to build diversified creator monetization opportunities that suit a range of creator needs. LIVE Subscription gives creators the opportunity to increase their earnings while continuing to grow their community and also provides engaged communities an opportunity to thank their favorite creators on a regular basis.

At launch, subscriber perks will include:

  • Subscriber Badges: Subscribers receive badges that are displayed next to their name on their profile and upgraded over time.
  • Custom Emotes: Subscribers get access to exclusive emotes custom-designed by the creators to use during LIVE sessions to bring the community together and make your sessions more spirited.
  • Subscriber-Only Chat: When the subscriber-only chat is turned on, creators and their subscribers have exclusive access to one another, enhancing an even more personal connection between creator and viewer.

SONG OF THE WEEK: The Wonder Years – “Summer Clothes”

Categories
Industry News News

This Week In Music (May 6, 2022)

From Bad Bunny’s surprise announcement to Soundcloud’s latest acquisition, it’s been another unpredictable week for music news.

April showers gave way to May flowers and a whirlwind week of music news we won’t soon forget. Maybe it’s the warm weather and sunshine or the upcoming summer festival season, but the music biz is thriving at the moment. Deals are being made, hits are being released, and technology is further decreasing the time it takes to go from thinking about your favorite artist to interacting with them. Isn’t the future amazing?

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 MUST-READ MUSIC NEWS OF THE WEEK:

SoundCloud acquires Musiio, an AI music curator, to improve discovery

An online audio sharing platform and streamer, SoundCloud has acquired Musiio, an AI music curation company. With Musiio’s team and technology, SoundCloud plans to strengthen its music discovery features. The terms of the deal are undisclosed.

Based in Singapore and founded in 2018, Musiio built an AI that can “listen” to music faster than any human possibly could, tag the audio and curate playlists. The technology helps predict which songs a listener would want to hear next, and if users spend more time on SoundCloud, then the company ultimately profits.

Major labels control 70% – 87% of tracks on major Spotify playlists

Spotify claims equal access to its playlists, but a new data analyisis by industry consultancy Music Tomorrow shows just how dominate the major labels are of the larger official Spotify playlists.

In its Made to be Found report released earlier this year, Spotify said that in 2020 and 2021 more than 150,000 artists were added to a Spotify offical playlists for the first time.

Deeper in the report, the company found major labels accounted for nearly 70% of the tracks added to Spotify’s ‘New Music Friday’ playlist -30% for UMG and19% each for Sony Music and WMG.

The control majors have over playlists is made clearer when you look at rap. On Spotify’s top hip-hop playlists ‘Rap Caviar’ and ‘Get Turnt’ major label dominance jumped to 86% and then to 87% on the ‘Today’s Top Hits’ and ‘Pop Rising’ playlists.

Spotify Island launches in Roblox, a first for any streaming platform

Roblox fans, pack your bags—Spotify is entering your world. Today, we are introducing Spotify Island, a paradise of sound where fans and artists from all over the world can hang out and explore a wonderland of sounds, quests, and exclusive merch. 

Spotify is the first music-streaming brand to have a presence on Roblox, a virtual universe where users can create and play games and share experiences with friends. Through this interactive world, we’re creating a place where fans can link up and create new sounds together, hang out in digital spaces, and gain access to exclusive virtual merch. Spotify Island is an audio oasis that has it all. 

Roblox users can mingle with artists, complete interactive quests, and unlock exclusive content. Players can also enjoy an immersive audio experience by creating music and exploring sounds at the virtual beat-maker stations powered by Soundtrap. The island will have other musical Easter eggs at every turn for eagle-eyed users to discover. Users can even climb to the top of “The Charts” by collecting points.

Bad Bunny shocks music world with surprise album, Un Verano Sin Ti, due out today (May 6)

After making his first-ever appearances at Tuesday’s Met Gala, Latin superstar Bad Bunny is preparing to release his fifth studio album “Un Verano Sin Ti,” or “A Summer Without You,” at 9 p.m. Pacific on Thursday. It is the follow-up to 2020’s “El Último Tour del Mundo,” which became the first all-Spanish-language album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

The Grammy-winning Puerto Rican singer released the new album’s artwork and track list on Wednesday morning.

Modeled after a mixtape, “Un Verano Sin Ti” will contain 23 songs split into two “sides.” Featured artists include Puerto Rican reggaetón MCs Chencho Corleone, Tony Dize and Jhay Cortez, as well as rising pop star Rauw Alejandro and indie darlings the Marías and Buscabulla. The Colombian cumbia-pop duo Bomba Estéreo will also guest on a track titled “Ojitos Lindos.”

The album will close with the balmy “Callaíta,” his 2019 summer jam with star producer Tainy.

SONG OF THE WEEK: Stray From The Path – III

Categories
Industry News News

This Week In Music (April 29, 2022)

From Soundcloud’s impressive royalty payments to Lizzo’s Roblox debut, we’ve gathered all the music news fit to print this week.

April is ending on a high note this week, as dozens of incredible artists flood new music Friday with exciting releases that will inspire waves of creativity worldwide. One could argue every new music Friday accomplishes that feat, but something about this week feels special. Maybe it’s the way we watched the world’s richest man spend the equivalent of the US budget for fighting climate change to purchase Twitter, but there is a feeling in the air that anything is possible—as long as you have several billion to spare, of course.

As for us, we’re hard at work on the biggest developments in company history. The bosses tell us we cannot spill the beans, but believe us when we say the future is bright.

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 Need To Know Music News of The Week

Over 75% of artists on Spotify have less than 35 monthly listeners

Spotify loves to promote having 8 million creators on its platform, but Music Business Worldwide has learned some startling truths about the activity of those musicians. Notably, the site found that only 21.6% of all artists on the app have more than 50 monthly listeners, and only 7% have more than 1,000.

Lizzo and GAYLE will perform in ‘Roblox’ for the Song Breaker Awards

Logitech has announced its second annual Logitech Song Breaker Awards will be hosted in Roblox and will feature a performance by Lizzo.

The Song Breaker Awards will premiere in Roblox on Saturday, April 30, and will be hosted by YouTuber and TikTok entertainer Bretman Rock, along with multi-Grammy Award-winning artist Lizzo, who will debut her metaverse performance.

“I’m excited to be making my metaverse debut with Logitech and to be performing ‘Special,’ which is a song that means so much to me,” said Lizzo. “As a musician and creator, I love that [the] Logitech Song Breaker Awards show recognizes the unique talent of all creators, and how each of them are making an impact on pop culture and music.”

Warner Music launching podcast network Interval Presents

Warner Music Group has launched a podcast network that will include a slate of shows hosted by Lupita Nyong’o, Jason Derulo and Billy Mann. Called Interval Presents, the network is led by Allan Coye, WMG’s senior vp digital strategy and business development, and will focus on developing podcasts with subjects at the intersections of music, pop culture and social impact, the company said on Tuesday.

Nyong’o’s podcast, produced by Snap Judgment, will explore the African diaspora through the lens of nonfiction storytelling. Derulo will star in a fictional romance show with noir influences, while Mann will speak with other artists about failure and overcoming adversity.

WMG has also partnered with Snap Judgment, Awfully Nice and Double Elvis to create content for the podcast network. Upcoming podcasts will include a series from Double Elvis that explores the impact communities of color have had on entertainment mediums like radio, print and TV, while another series from the production company will tell the history of major Warner Music artists like Aretha Franklin.

Soundcloud announces ‘Fan-Powered Friday’ Event

To celebrate one year of their fan-powered platform, SoundCloud is launching ‘Fan-Powered Friday – a one-day event on Friday, April 29th that invites fans to stream music from their favorite independent artists all day long, and SoundCloud will double the artist’s payout — matching 100% of the revenue earned that day. 

Think about that for a second. Soundcloud will match every cent earned by artists on its platform this Friday, April 29. Such an undertaking would be crazy for any label to attempt, let alone a streaming service boasting thousands of artists. Nothing like this has been attempted at such scale previously, except for Bandcamp Fridays, and even that isn’t a far comparison.

In addition to announcing Fan-Powered Friday, Soundcloud shared several data insights from the first year of their new royalties system:

  • On average, independent artists earn 60% more through Fan-Powered Royalties v. the traditional pro-rata model 
  • Communities are feeling the love from fans: artists from scenes like Tribal House and Neo-Soul, and the collective Soulection, earned 2X more 
  • Fans are making an impact by supporting the artists they love: there was a 97% increase in fans contributing more than $5 to a single artist 
  • Fan-Powered Royalties contributed to the growth of the number of independent artists monetizing on SoundCloud by 30% (March 2021-present)

What remains to be seen is whether or not another streaming service will follow Soundcloud’s lead and offer fan-powered royalties.

Roger Daltrey says the music industry has been “stolen” from artists

Roger Daltrey has said he believes that the music industry has been “stolen” from artists during a recent interview.

Speaking to The Independent, the frontman of The Who claimed that the band’s 2019 studio album ‘WHO’ left him £10,000 out of pocket. “Musicians cannot earn a living in the record industry anymore,” Daltrey told the publication.

“That is ridiculous, and they’re being robbed blind by streaming and the record companies, because the old deals with record companies that existed in the Seventies, Eighties and Nineties, they’re still working on the same percentage breaks.”

SONG OF THE WEEK: Caliban – “Alien”

Categories
Industry News News

This Week In Music (April 22, 2022)

From Walmart’s upcoming music festival to Wu-Tang entering Fortnite, we’ve gathered all the music news fit to print from the third full week of April.

If you’re reading this, you made it. The third week of April 2022 came and went like fury, but you remain undefeated in your quest for music business longevity. You’ve accepted that each setback is another opportunity for growth, and you appreciate each victory because you understand what it took to make it this far. We’re proud of you. Hopefully, you’re proud of yourself as well.

As for us, we’re hard at work on the biggest developments in company history. The bosses tell us we cannot spill the beans, but believe us when we say the future is bright.

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 Stories In Music This Week

Is The Resurgence Of Vinyl Records Good News For The Environment?

Tomorrow (23 April) is Record Store Day, which is a chance for music lovers around the world to unite and indulge in their favourite pastime, without fear, judgement or next month’s credit card statement.

Researchers at Keele University estimate vinyl records typically contain around 135g of PVC material with a carbon footprint of 0.5kg of CO2.

Based on that calculation, sales of 4.1m records would produce 1,900 tonnes of CO2, which does not take transport and packaging into account.

The music business, like many other sectors after COP26 is keen to flex its sustainability muscles, so should more be done to promote more eco-friendly ways to produce vinyl and enjoy the music we all love.

Simon Parker, the founder of eco-friendly record club Naked, said he had always been aware that he’d been selling records made from plastic, but it had never caused him serious concern because most vinyl records enjoy such a long lifespan.

“I don’t think vinyl records are something people think of as a product with an environmental impact,” he told Forbes. “They’ve been around for such a long time that we take their existence for granted. But when we started looking into it, we soon realised there was a problem.”

Walmart Heirs Hoping To Launch Arkansas Music Festival

Names like Coachella and Bonnaroo are fixtures of the music and arts festivals scene. But one newcomer is about to enter the mix, with the help of none other than America’s richest family.

Members of the Walton family, heirs to the Walmart fortune, are helping to launch a new art and music festival later this year, The Wall Street Journal reports. The event is known as FORMAT, short for For Music + Art + Technology, and it will kick off during the weekend of September 23.

Its launch is being led by two grandsons of Walmart founder Sam Walton, Steuart and Tom Walton, and the latter’s wife, Olivia Walton. They’re working with creative firm Triadic and Lollapalooza concert promoter C3 Presents on the festival, according to the Journal.

FORMAT will take place on a 300-acre field surrounded by woods belonging to the Waltons in Walmart’s birthplace of Bentonville, Arkansas; there will be 400 camping sites on the festival’s grounds. The event will target an older demographic than the typical music and arts festival, welcoming up to 17,000 guests in their 30s and 40s, with tickets starting at $275, the Journal reports.

Wu-Tang is coming to Fortnite

It may not be a sequel to Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style, but it’s something: the Wu-Tang Clan is coming to Fortnite with a new clothing collection. The iconic members of the hip-hop supergroup aren’t coming to the game themselves; instead, players will be able to buy Wu-Wear gear in the Fortnite item shop starting April 23rd at 8PM ET. There will be two different outfits available, along with some Wu-Tang accessories like reactive backpacks and, naturally, a Wu-Tang hands emote.

Warner Nashville Succession Plan to Proceed in 2023, With John Esposito Taking Emeritus Role

As expected, Warner Music Nashville’s chairman-CEO John Esposito — widely known in Music City as just “Espo” — will move to an emeritus role in 2023 in a long-talked-about succession plan that will see his two key lieutenants moving into more elevated roles, a source close to the situation confirms to Variety. The move is expected to be formally announced within the next few weeks.

The label’s two current executive vice presidents, Ben Kline and Cris Lacy, are expected to pair up and together assume Esposito’s chairman-CEO roles at the label, as has been expected since they were promoted to their current posts in 2019. Billboard reported the news early Tuesday; a rep for Warner declined comment.

The move comes as no surprise, since Esposito has long said that he foresaw Kline and Lacy succeeding him. Having previously said he could never see retiring altogether, Esposito is expected to stay on in an oversight role.

RIP Cynthia “Plaster Caster” Albritton

Cynthia “Plaster Caster” Albritton, an artist whose best-known work her sculptures of male rockers members has died at 74. Representatives for the sculptor and self-described “recovering groupie” confirmed the news to Variety, reporting that Albritton died in her home town of Chicago on Thursday (April 21) after a long illness.

Caster became famous for her molds of body parts, including the penises of Jimi Hendrix and his bassist, Noel Redding, the Animals’ Eric Burdon, a variety of rock tour and road managers, the MC5s Wayne Cramer and Dennis Thompson, singer Anthony Newley, the Dead Kennedys’ Jello Biafra, the Buzzcocks’ Pete Shelley and more than 40 other filmmakers and rock-adjacent figures.

Spotify Makes Video Podcasting Available to All Creators via Anchor

Spotify’s evolution into video continues with a new development available to millions of creators worldwide. This week, Video Podcasts are open to all Anchor creators in the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Like their audio counterparts, video creators can reach millions of people on Spotify and leverage exclusive monetization offerings—including Spotify’s Podcast Subscriptions—to turn Video Podcasts into a new source of income. Fans, meanwhile, have the option to either view episodes front-and-center or seamlessly switch them to the background for on-the-go listening.

New features include:

  • Podcast Subscriptions: Spotify Podcast Subscriptions will be available for video podcasts, empowering creators to own their monetization model by creating exclusive content, gating video, and more.
  • Free Integration with Riverside: Spotiify has partnered with Riverside – a platform for remote audio and video recording. The integration enables creators to record and publish video content for free with Riverside, with a quick distribution path to Spotify via Anchor.
  • Embeddable video: Now, when you embed a Video Podcast episode from Spotify, the video will play directly in the embed player wherever you placed it.
  • Video Bulk-Replace: Bulk-replace allows Anchor creators to easily replace their existing audio episodes with video versions from an easy-to-use interface,
  • Video Analytics: Video-specific analytics will give creators deep insights into their videos’ performance on Spotify, enabling them to better understand their audience and publish content suited to them.
  • Interactive capabilities: Interactive podcast features, like Polls and Q&A, will be available for Video Podcasts, so creators can connect with and get feedback directly from their listeners.

SONG OF THE WEEK: Undeath – “Defiled Again”

Categories
Haulix Industry News News

This Week In Music (April 15, 2022)

From Spotify’s latest rebrand to Elon Musk’s multi-billion dollar offer to buy Twitter, we’ve gathered all the news you need to know in one easy-to-read place.

Wow! The second full week of April was one to remember. Every week in music is full of surprises, but this one took the cake. Whether you’re still blown away by the 521% rise in viewership for the CMT awards on Monday night or still fighting to get that new Harry Styles song out of your head, we won’t blame you for feeling a little tired today.

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 Stories In Music This Week

Spotify Brings Live Audio to Main App, Rebrands Greenroom as Spotify Live

Spotify has announced it will integrate the live audio capabilities from its companion app, Spotify Greenroom, within the main Spotify streaming app. Greenroom will also rebrand as “Spotify Live” as part of these changes. At launch, Spotify’s main app will only feature live content from select original programming, while the standalone Spotify Live app will continue to allow independent creators to go live.

While both apps will now feature live content, there will be some differences, the company told TechCrunch.

Spotify Live will continue to work as Greenroom did, by allowing creators to interact with their audience in real time and serve as a creation mechanism for hosts. But live listening in the main Spotify app will not support the interactive features, like audience questions. Instead, it offers the ability for creators to reach a broader audience of Spotify’s 406 million global listeners.

For the time being, only Spotify’s own original programming will livestream in the main app, the company noted.

Virtual Avatar Company Genies Raises $150M at $1B Valuation 

Genies, a Los Angeles-based avatar startup with close ties to the music industry, raised $150 million in Series C funding led by Silver Lake and existing investors Bond, NEA and Tamarack Global, the company announced today. The deal values Genies at over $1 billion.

The six-year-old company has partnerships with Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group as their official avatar and digital goods NFT provider, and has partnered with artists including Cardi B, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Shawn Mendes, J Balvin and Migos. Genies creates virtual identities for artists to use across the metaverse and releases digital wearables – such as a J Balvin space suit and a Mendes digital hoodie — for fans to collect and wear in the metaverse. Last year, Genies widened its ambition by launching a marketplace, The Warehouse, to allow individual designers to buy, sell and trade avatar designs.

“We believe avatar ecosystems are going to shape Web3 the same way that mobile apps defined Web2,” said CEO Akash Nigam in a statement. “In Web3, Gen Z avatar ecosystem builders are going to be the leaders of innovation and, through our creator tools, we strive to empower their wildest imaginations, ideas, and experiences as avatar creations.”

Live Nation’s Veeps Brings Livestream Concerts to IOS, Android, Roku, Etc.

Veeps, the streaming platform founded by Benji and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte and acquired by Live Nation, has announced a new series of consumer apps and slate of concerts to go with them.

Forthcoming livestreamed concerts include Kings of Leon from London’s O2 Arena, dance act Galantis from the stunning Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, the folk-rock duo Indigo Girls, Icelandic blues-rock band Kaleo), singer/songwriter LP, avant-metal singer Poppy and Guns N’ Roses’ Slash and his group with Conspirators.

The new products mean that viewers can receive the stream directly in their televisions without having to cast from a phone, screen-share or connect with cables; at the same time, the phone and tablet service has been upgraded to native app quality.

Veeps apps are available for free download on Apple TV, Roku, iOS, and Android.

Elon Music Makes $43 Billion Unsolicited Bid To Purchase Twitter

The richest person on Earth is looking to extend his stake in Twitter from 9% to 100%.

Elon Musk has made a controversial offer to buy Twitter Inc., saying the company has extraordinary potential and he is the person to unlock it.

The world’s richest person will offer $54.20 per share in cash, representing a 54% premium over the Jan. 28 closing price and a valuation of about $43 billion. The social media company’s shares soared 18% in pre-market trading.

Musk, 50, announced the offer in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday, after turning down a potential board seat at the company. The billionaire, who also controls Tesla Inc., first disclosed a stake of about 9% on April 4. Tesla shares fell about 1.5% in pre-market trading on the news.

Latin Music Revenue In The US Experiences Double-Digit Growth For Sixth Consecutive Year

RIAA’s just-out year-end U.S. Latin music revenue report for 2021 shows a sixth consecutive year of double-digit growth for the genre, with revenue up 35% from 2020 to $886 million, the highest recorded figure (before adjusting for inflation) in history. According to RIAA, Latin music’s level of growth outpaced that of the overall recorded music business, as recently reported. Latin’s share of total U.S. music revenue also continues to grow, from 5.4% in 2020 to 5.9% in 2021.

Streaming, accounting for 97% of Latin music revenue in 2021, saw a 36% gain from 2020 to a best-ever $857 million, driven by paid subscriptions’ 69% share of streaming revenue, itself up 35% to $593 million. Making up 9% of Latin music streaming revenue is radio’s share from digital and customized services such as SiriusXM and Pandora, which grew 22% to $77 million in 2021 following a slight decline in 2020.

“Latin music continues to rise, powering the overall music market and connecting with fans in a historic way,” RIAA Chief Operating Officer Michèle Ballantyne says. “In a year when Bad Bunny was the most streamed artist in the world, stars like Becky G and Anitta pumped out chart-topping hit after chart-topping hit, and audiences joyfully flocked to Latin-powered stadium and arena shows as live performance ramped back up, Latin label teams and artists continue soaring to new heights.”

BONUS: Ambient Music Isn’t A Backdrop. It’s an Invitation To Suspend Time.

This week, The New York Times ran a length essay from critic Isabelia Herrera on ambient music and the role it plays in our lives/culture. It’s a fascinating deep dive that benefits from Isabella’s willingness to share personal struggles she’s experienced as of late. Don’t miss it!

SONG OF THE WEEK: Zach Bryan – “Late July”

Have you ever heard a voice and knew immediately that your life was about to change? That’s how we felt the first time someone showed us the talents of Zach Bryan. A self-made man writing songs of love and loss set in middle America, Bryan is gearing up to lease an epic, 31-track debut album later this year. “Late July” is one of many songs off that record, and it has been tugging at our heartstrings for days. Enjoy:

Categories
Industry News News

This Week In Music (April 8, 2022)

From the Coachella headliner shuffle to Pink Floyd’s new song, we’ve gathered the biggest stories from across the industry.

If you’re reading this—Congratulations! You’ve made it through the first full week of April 2022. Spring is officially underway, and the industry is transitioning into summer tour season. That might seem a bit premature, but with ticket sales at an all-time high and artists ready to hit the road, live performances are the talk of every meeting. Will COVID let us have a great summer? Only time will tell.

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 Stories In Music This Week

Bad Bunny Breaks Yet Another Record

When Bad Bunny sets out to do something, he does it with the authenticity and passion he has for his artistry. In doing so, he has become a global icon who continues to elevate his stardom by pushing his creativity and breaking barriers with it. Well, his efforts are continuing to pay off, especially now thathis recent 35-date El Último Tour Del Mundo 2022 has officially become the highest-grossing tour by a Latine artist, according to Billboard Boxscore ’s over three-decade history of recording said numbers. 

According to figures reported by Billboard Boxscore, El Último Tour Del Mundo’s 35 shows grossed $116.8 million and sold 575,000 tickets. “That breaks down to $3.3 million and 16,400 tickets per night, or $4.7 million and more than 23,000 tickets in each market,” the publication reported. It overrode Luis Miguel’s earnings of $101 million in 2018-2019. Moreover, but in conversation with Bad Bunny’s agent Jbeau Lewis, Lewis told Billboard that “according to Ticketmaster, it was the third-highest sales day for any tour of all time, and would likely have broken the record had there been more dates to add.” Incredible, right?

The Weeknd and Swedish House Mafia to headline Coachella after Ye drops out

After Kanye West dropped out of Coachella less than two weeks ahead of his scheduled performance, the festival has confirmed The Weeknd will join Swedish House Mafia to fill the headliner slot.

The Swedish three-piece and The Weeknd—who collaborated last year on “Moth to a Flame”—will close out the festival on Sunday. Swedish House Mafia were already set to play the festival, as the lineup announcement in January showed, but they had no specific date listed for their performance. Some suggested, as Variety did, that their position on the poster was in case Ye decided to drop out.

Amazon Music Price Increase

Starting next month, some customers of Amazon’s unlimited streaming music services will be paying more.

The Amazon Music Unlimited individual plan for Prime members is increasing from $7.99 to $8.99 per month, or from $79 to $89 per year. In addition, the Amazon Music Unlimited single-device plan (which allows one designated Echo or Fire TV to stream music) is going up by a dollar, rising from $3.99 to $4.99 per month. The updated pricing starts on May 5.

The ecommerce giant is raising the prices “To help us bring you even more content and features,” Amazon said in a customer notice on its site.

Pink Floyd Releases First New Song in 28 Years

This week Pink Floyd release their first newly created music since 1994’s The Division Bell when they release their new single and video for Hey Hey Rise Up with all proceeds going to Ukraine Humanitarian Relief.

The new single sees David Gilmour and Nick Mason joined by long time Pink Floyd bass player Guy Pratt and Nitin Sawhney on keyboards and features vocals from  Andriy Khlyvnyuk of Ukrainian band Boombox.

The song, which was recorded last week in David Gilmour’s barn, uses Khlyvnyuk’s vocals from an Instagram post of him singing Ukrainian WWI protest song The Red Viburnum In The Meadow in an empty Sofiyskaya Square in Kyiv. The title of the Pink Floyd track is taken from the last line of the song which translates as ‘Hey Hey Rise up and rejoice’.

South Korea is Building An Arena Dedicated To K-Pop

Earlier this week, South Korean internet company Kakao and the Seoul Metropolitan Government put forward plans to construct an entirely new arena dedicated to K-Pop.

Dubbed the Seoul Arena, the stadium is scheduled to be built in the Chang-dong, Dobong-gu area and is expected to be complete by October 2025. The ground breaking ceremony will be hosted in June after the final implementation plans are approved. The arena will host approximately 18,000 seats, with a capacity of 28,000 people for standing performances. A medium-sized performance venue that seats 7,000, as well as a movie theater and other commercial facilities, are to be included in the final blueprint.

SONG OF THE WEEK: Silverstein – “Die Alone“

Categories
Industry News News

This Week In Music (February 4, 2022)

From the ongoing Spotify controversy to the Silk Sonic’s arrival in Fortnite, it’s been another crazy week in the music industry.

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 + Other Musicians + The White House Versus Joe Rogan and Spotify

The Spotify troubles continued this week. Many more joined his efforts after legendary rock artist Neil Young made headlines by demanding his music be removed from the streaming service following Spotify’s refusal to remove controversial podcast host Joe Rogan. Multiple musicians, including all of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, have claimed to request removal from Spotify. Even the White House weighed in by saying the app “could be doing more” to prevent the spread of misinformation. HOWEVER, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek remains seemingly unphased, telling staff this week that Rogan is necessary for the streamer to achieve its ‘bold ambitions’ and ‘find leverage’ over competitors.

Silk Sonic Usher In A New Era of Music And Gaming Cohesion

Bruno Mars and Anderson . Paak’s Silk Sonic has officially joined Epic Games hit video game Fortnite in partnership with Fortnite and Atlantic Records. The ‘Icon Series’ launch includes new in-game outfits, an in-game radio station, and a player tournament. Described as the “first of its kind,” Icon Radio launches today (February 3). It allows players to tune into the new station inside cars and listen to tracks from the An Evening with Silk Sonic album, with funk icon Bootsy Collins sitting in as radio host.

Inkcarceration announces 2022 lineup: Korn, Disturbed, more

Inkcarceration, Mansfield’s rock and metal music festival, returns to the Ohio State Reformatory this summer, featuring headlining acts Korn, Disturbed, Breaking Benjamin, and Evanescence. The festival is set for July 15-17, and tickets are on sale now at Inkcarceration’s website, with day and weekend passes available, along with camping packages. Beyond the headlining slots, Inkcarceration will feature a string of heavy-hitters, including Lamb of God, Seether, Falling in Reverse, Three Days Grace, Theory of a Deadman, and more.

Sony generated $7.5bn in revenue last year across music and publishing, up a startling 24% YOY

Big bucks aren’t just for catalog sales. In terms of recorded music revenues across the calendar year of 2021, MBW calculates that Sony Music generated USD $5.77 billion – up 25.2%, or $1.16 billion, on the equivalent figure from 2020. In terms of music publishing revenues (generated by Sony Music Publishing and its sister company in Japan) in calendar 2021, Sony turned over $1.72 billion – up 19.7%, or by $284 million, on the equivalent figure from 2020.

HitPiece finds itself in hot water after allegedly attempting to sell NFTs of copyrighted material

Something strange happened this week. A new NFT Marketplace known as HitPiece began circulating online. The site offered one-of-one NFTs featuring various artists from every level of the industry. Big-name acts currently selling out theaters appear alongside bedroom recording artists who have never performed in front of a crowd. The common thread? None of the artists agreed to the NFTs, the site, or the price of the non-fungible token. Most knew nothing of the site whatsoever until one label, Needlejuice Records, started making a fuss on Twitter.

Categories
Industry News News

This Week In Music (January 28, 2022)

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!

Categories
Editorials Industry News News Recommendations

This Week In Music (January 21, 2022)

From the Weird Al biopic to the most ambitious emo festival ever, we have gathered the biggest stories in music this week.

2022 is barely underway, and the music industry is moving at lightning speed. We have a hard time keeping track of everything happening throughout our business, and we have a good feeling you do as well. After all, who has the time? Between ambitious goal-setting and endless tasks, most professionals barely have time to clear out their inbox, let alone read the latest industry headlines.

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:

REST IN PEACE: Meat Loaf (1947-2022)

Friday morning started out rough with the news that rock vocalist Meat Loaf has died at the age of 74. The singer’s manager, Michael Greene, confirmed Meat Loaf died Thursday night. Sources with knowledge tell TMZ he was supposed to attend a business dinner earlier this week for a show he’s working on—”I’d Do Anything for Love”—but the dinner was canceled because he became seriously ill with COVID. Sources tell the outlet that condition quickly became critical.

Daniel Radcliffe to play ‘Weird Al’ ‘ankovic ‘n biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has signed on to play ‘Weird Al’ ‘Yankovic in a biopic written by the famous parody master. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story will enter production later this year with plans for an exclusive Roku release soon. “When my last movie UHF came out in 1989, I made a solemn vow to my fans that I would release a major motion picture every 33 years, like clockwork. I’m very happy to say we’re on schedule,” Yankovic said in a statement. “And I am absolutely thrilled that Daniel Radcliffe will be portraying me in the film. I have no doubt whatsoever that this is the role future generations will remember him for.” 

Paramore, My Chemical Romance to headline massive When We Were Young Festival in October

The aptly titled When We Were Young festival released its official lineup on Tuesday (January 18), bringing every 2000s emo-pop band to Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 22, 2022. The single-day festival will feature more than 60 bands performing across multiple stages. Emo veterans My Chemical Romance and Paramore will headline. Other nostalgic bands set to take the stage are Bright Eyes, AFI, The Used, Bring Me The Horizon, Boys Like Girls, Avril Lavigne, Taking Back Sunday, Dashboard Confessional, We the Kings, Alkaline Trio, Manchester Orchestra, Dance Gavin Dance, the All-American Rejects, Anberlin, 3OH!3, Atreyu, the Ready Set, Jimmy Eat World, La Dispute, the Wonder Years, Hawthorne Heights, Car Seat Headrest, Wolf Alice and many more.

Bono says he doesn’t like the name of his band U2 and gets ’embarrassed’ listening to their music

During an interview on the Awards Chatter podcast, legendary rock icon and 61-year-old singer Bono said he finds many of U2’s songs cringeworthy, and he now struggles to listen to his vocals. “I’ve been in the car when one of our songs has come on the radio, and I’ve been the color of, as we say in Dublin, scarlet. I’m just so embarrassed,” Bono told the podcast. Later, in the same conversation, he mentioned the band’s early-2000s hit “Vertigo” as one of the few songs in U2’s catalog he enjoys.

GRAMMYS move to April 3, will now take place in Las Vegas

COVID is messing with awards season. The latest victim of Omicron’s continuing havoc is the GRAMMY awards, which were originally scheduled to take place on January 31 in Los Angeles. The awards celebration will now take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 3, the Recording Academy has confirmed. The CMT Awards, originally scheduled to air live that night on CBS, will be moved to later. Trevor Noah, host of The Daily Show, will host the event.

The Weeknd’s ‘Dawn FM’ Breaks Billboard Global 200 Record

Don’t let those “blinding lights” fool you. The Weeknd may not have the GRAMMY nominations he rightfully deserves, but he does have the biggest album of 2022. Dawn FM has been out less than a month, but the eclectic record is already outperforming its competition. The album continues to be at the top of the charts across the globe, including The Weeknd’s home country Canada, U.K. Australia, Ireland, Sweden, and Switzerland. The album debuted at No. 1 on Apple Music U.S. and in 125 countries and is also No. 1 on Spotify U.S. and Globally. The Dawn FM tracks positioned in the Global 200 list include “Sacrifice” which holds the No. 2 spot, “Take My Breath,” “Gasoline,” “Out of Time,” “Is There Someone Else?” and “How Do I Make You Love Me?.” The “Save Your Tears” remix assisted by Ariana Grande from his 2020 album After Hours is also on the list. According to Billboard, only one other artist has ever had more Global 200 entries in a single week, making The Weeknd just behind the country-pop artist, Taylor Swift. Kanye West trails The Weeknd with 23, followed by fellow Torontonian Drake at 22 and 21 songs on Global 200.

TikTok is falling in love with one of Celine Dion’s biggest hits

There is nothing TikTok users love more than a sound with endless possibilities. The insanely popular video-sharing platform has made a habit of resurrecting forgotten radio hits to amuse young audiences, and the latest trend is no different. As you can see below, people are using the bridge to “It’s All Coming Back To Me” to live out their wildest performance fantasies. While Celine gives the track her all, TikTok users return the energy with wildly creative lip-syncing efforts. Check it out:

Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige Featured In Blowout Super Bowl Halftime Trailer

The biggest game of the year is right around the corner, and it boasts one of the most exciting Halftime shows in recent memory. The program itself remains a mystery, but fans can expect to hear some of the biggest pop songs in history performed on the world’s largest stage. This year, taking the mic will be none other than Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, and Mary J. Blige. We doubt you need another reason to watch, but if you do, check this out:

Song of the week: Undeath – “Rise From The Grave”

Our friends at Prosthetic Records know how to find the best cutting-edge metal bands on the planet. Their decision to sign Undeath a few years back signaled the start of a death metal revolution in the U.S. We can think of no other heavy band that has undergone the growth or sonic evolution that Undeath has experienced in the last two years. “Rise From The Grave,” the lead single off the group’s upcoming second album, showcases how far they’ve come with brutal instrumentation and guttural vocals. If you like what you hear, please consider preordering the record.

Categories
Industry News News

Music Biz News Roundup for August 16, 2019 [VIDEO]

The Haulix news show returns with headlines from the world of streaming, podcasting, and more.

Music Biz News is back with all the stories you need to know from the last week in entertainment. In this episode, host James Shotwell shares the truth behind Amazon Music subscription numbers, the launch of Wouldstock, Spotify‘s latest attempt to lure podcast fans, and more.

Want even more video content? Subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Exit mobile version