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Concord Acquires Catalog of ‘Famous Friends’ Songwriter Corey Crowder

Concord Music Publishing has acquired the majority of country songwriter-producer Corey Crowder‘s catalog and signed him to a co-publishing deal that also includes his future works. He was formerly signed to Tree Vibez.

The acquisition of Crowder’s catalog includes Chris Young’s two-times platinum single “Famous Friends” (featuring Kane Brown) and other hits from Young, Florida Georgia Line and Chase Rice, among many others.

“Corey is a proven, consistent, country hit-maker,” says Brad Kennard, senior vp of A&R at Concord Music Publishing in Nashville. He adds that the signing and acquisition represent “a big leap forward for Concord’s footing within the active country market. We are committed to representing significant real estate in the format. Further evidenced by locating Concord global headquarters here, we aim to continue our aggressive growth in Nashville.”

Kennard adds that Crowder’s catalog “stacks up with the best of the best and fits perfectly” alongside the company’s existing roster of country songwriters, including Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, Andy Albert, Josh Miller and Russell Dickerson.

Crowder, a Georgia native, relocated to Nashville in 2010 and has built a catalog of songs that also includes Young’s Billboard Country Airplay chart-toppers “I’m Comin’ Over” and “Think of You” featuring Cassadee Pope (neither of which is included in the acquisition). He’s also a co-writer on the Florida Georgia Line hits “Long Live” and “I Love My Country,” as well as the duo’s Rice collaboration “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.” In 2022, Crowder earned the Country Music Association’s Triple Play award for his role in writing three chart-topping songs within a 12-month period. He’s spent a total of four weeks atop Billboard‘s Country Songwriters chart.

As a producer, Crowder’s credits include work on Florida Georgia Line’s Life Rolls On album, Justin Bieber‘s “Yummy (Country Remix),” LoCash‘s “One Big Country Song” and the Chris Tomlin/Lady A collaboration “Who You Are to Me.” He’s also enjoyed placements on TV shows including Nashville, One Tree Hill and The Real World.

“The Concord team has such a great vision and passion for great songs and songwriters,” adds Crowder in a statement. “I’ve known a lot of the team and their writers for some time now. So, it felt like a natural fit.”

Ozzy Osbourne Is the Co-Worker From Hell in Preview of Super Bowl LVII Commercial

Imagine hanging in the office break room with the Prince of Darkness. Heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne gets dressed up for work in a dress shirt, tie and an office-appropriate amount of eyeliner in the 15-second preview of his upcoming Super Bowl LVII commercial for workplace finance/HR software company Workday in which the Blizzard of Oz tries to fit in with his fellow desk jockeys.

In the clip, Ozzy plays the fresh face in the typing pool who doesn’t quite fit in with the rest of the worker bees. “Who’s the new guy,” asks his cubicle mate, as the woman at the desk next to him whispers, “I don’t know, but he’s supposed to be some kind of rock star.”

Cue Ozzy spinning around in his chair looking sweetly menacing, what with his tattoos, handful of rings, long hair and raccoon eyes. “Which one of you wants a piercing?,” he asks sweetly as the guy across from him points to their co-worker. “On Sunday, February 12th, the corporate world will be rocked,” the screen reads at the end of the clip. According to Variety, the full one-minute ad from the first-time Super Bowl advertiser Workday slated to air in the third quarter will also feature Joan Jett and Gary Clark Jr.

The description of the preview reads, “Where are the rock stars in your organization? Look around—they might be sitting right next to you. Join Ozzy as he gets ready to rock the corporate world on football’s biggest stage.” This year’s Super Bowl will take place on Feb. 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

Check out the preview of Ozzy’s Super Bowl ad below.

Archie Roach Posthumously Recognized In Australia Day Honors

Archie Roach, the legendary Indigenous Australian artist whose song “Took the Children Away” was recognized with a Human Rights Medal, has been posthumously awarded in the Australia Day honors.

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Roach is appointed as a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for his service to the performing arts and to Indigenous rights and reconciliation, officials announced on Jan. 26 — Australia’s national day.

The Gunditjmara (Kirrae Whurrong/Djab Wurrung), Bundjalung senior elder, songman, prolific storyteller and First Nations champion contributed some of this country’s finest works, across a 30-year-plus career, spanning eight albums.

Few songs can touch quite like Roach’s 1991 song “Took The Children Away,” a heartbreaking tale of the enforced separation of First Nations children from their families.

The song received an international Human Rights Achievement Award, the first time that the honor had been bestowed on a songwriter.

Roach, or Uncle Arch as he was lovingly known, was celebrated on numerous occasions during his lifetime. He was made a Member of The Order of Australia (AM) (in 2015), and received the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music (in 2017).

The songsmith was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2020, marking the 30th anniversary of the release of Charcoal Lane, his debut full length album which carried “Took The Children Away.” The song is now preserved in the National Film And Sound Archive Of Australia.

Throughout his life, he dedicated himself to supporting others. In 2014, he founded The Archie Roach Foundation which established to “nurture meaningful and potentially life changing opportunities” for young First Nation artists.

When he died July 30, 2022 after a long illness, at the age of 66, prime minister Anthony Albanese led tributes.

Though Roach has left us, his music continues to resonate. At the 2022 ARIA Awards, Roach posthumously won best independent release for “One Song,” the final song he wrote.

“One Song” is one of 20 contenders for the coveted song of the year at the 2023 APRA Music Awards, set for April 27 at Sydney’s ICC.

See the complete Australia Day Honours List here.

The 25 Best Valentine’s Day Gifts for Every Budget

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Valentine’s Day is in three weeks!

For those who haven’t formulated a list yet, we rounded up a collection of gifts that are outside the typical heart-shaped box of candies, jewelry or flower bouquets. From apparel to electronics, the items on our list are perfect for that special someone in your life – even if that someone happens to be you.

See below for a roundup of the 25 best Valentine’s Day gifts for every budget.

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Best Fashion & Beauty Valentine’s Day Gifts

Converse

Chuck Taylor All-Star Move Platform With Hearts

$80

These Chuck Taylors platforms will make a cute gift idea for a stylish Converse fan. Customized with a special Valentine’s Day-inspired Chuck Taylor ankle patch with gold-foil embroidery, the hi-tops feature a durable canvas upper with a comfortable platform heel.

Urban Outfitters

Urban Renewal Remade Heart Tie-Dye Crew Neck Sweatshirt

$59

Give someone a heart this V-Day. This oversized tie-die crew neck sweatshirt is an upcycled, crew neck shirt from Urban Renewal and features a relaxed crew neck with long sleeves and rib-knit banding at the neck, cuffs and hem. The shirt is available in pink, purple and black.

Nike

Nike Sportswear Club Fleece Joggers

$55

The Nike Sportswear Club Fleece Joggers combine a classic look with the soft comfort of fleece for a comfortable outfit for Valentine’s Day and beyond. Complete the look with a Nike Sportswear Club Fleece Mens’ Full Zip Hoodie.

Gap

Heart Print Boxers

$14.95

These heart print cotton boxers from Gap will cost you less than $15. The cotton boxers (available in XS-XXL) have received dozens of positive customer reviews for their comfortable fit and affordable price. Click here to shop men’s boxers and boxer briefs up to 7XL.

Savage x Fenty

Live in the Clouds Iridescent Lace Caged Demi Bra

$2 for $29 (VIP offer)

Feeling savage? Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty is one of the hottest brands for “heartbreakers season.” The lace caged demi bra pictured above is available in band sizes 32-46 and cup sizes from A up to H. The matching panties are available in sizes XS to 3X. The bra and panties are available in rose violet pink and blackened gray pearl. Click here to visit the Savage x Fenty V-Day shop.

Kate Spade

Kate Spade Sam Icon Intarsia Heart Faux Shearling Small Tote

$398

Special delivery! Meet, the Intarsia Heart Faux Shearling Mini Tote by Kate Spade. This adorable purse features a magnetic snap closure with an interior zip pocket and slip pocket and an adjustable crossbody strap. Want more V-Day options? Check out Kate Spade’s 3D Heart Coin Purse ($110), Heart of Heart Ring ($128) and Embellished Overlapping Hearts Tea ($98).

Ted Baker London Brittes Hat And Gloves Set

Ted Baker London

Ted Baker London Brittes Hat and Gloves Set

$66 $95 31% off% OFF

Spring hasn’t sprung just yet, so if you know someone who could use a cozy gift for Valentine’s Day, gift them with a hat and gloves set from Ted Baker London. The wool-blend set is available in red or blue.

ColourPop major flirt cheek duo

ColourPop

ColourPop Cheeky Duo

$22

Looking for a cheeky gift? ColourPop dropped a Valentine’s Day-edition of its cheek duo in heart-shaped compacts. The set contains Hot 2 Touch pressed powder in a bright, cool-toned shade and Love Struck pressed powder highlighter in silver/baby pink. Shop the collection here.

Macy’s

Dior Savauge Eau de Toilette Spray

$199

You can’t miss with a fragrance gift. Dior Savauge Eau de Parfum Spray blends woodsy and sweet notes of radiant Calabrian bergamot, pepper and Amberwood. Find additional men’s fragrances here and be sure to see our list of the best fragrances gifts sets.

Amazon

Tame the Wild Premium Beard Straightener Kit

$40.99 $43.99 7% OFF

Grooming gifts are great for Valentine’s Day. This kit includes a heat protectant, bear soap, beard balm, a wooden brush and storage case.

Best V-Day Tech Gifts:

Uncommon Goods

Long Distance Touch Bracelet

$from $12.99

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, but it’s also great to stay connected. This waterproof bracelet lets you connect with loved ones without the need for social media or video calls. Simply download the app to connect the Long Distance Love Bracelet and set and tap your bracelet to send a Bond Touch to someone you love

Amazon

Victrola Vintage 3-Speed Bluetooth Portable Suitcase Record Player with Built-in Speakers

$69.40 $89.99 23% OFF

Perfect for a living room, office or bedroom, this Victrola suitcase record player features upgraded premium sound quality with three RPM speeds (33 1/3, 45 and 78) and sits on sound isolating feet to prevent vibration. The record player also has Bluetooth and wired connection options to play music from a desired device or CD player.

Amazon

1 BY ONE Belt Drive Turntable with Bluetooth Connectivity

$159.97 $199.99 20% OFF

If you prefer something free-standing for less than $200, the 1 By One belt drive turntable is crafted from an aluminum die-cast platter and a polished stainless-steel spindle. This Bluetooth turntable has a high-torque DC motor durable rubber belt to help produce uniform inertial mass (for exceptional stability and rotation). It also has an Audio-Technical Moving Magnet-type cartridge with stylus to produce rich, warm audio and outstanding sound clarity. For a pricier option, Victrola’s Stream Onxy Turntable is officially available for pre-order. The $600 turntable works with Sonos speakers and features an Audio Technica AT-VM95E cartridge for high-fidelity sound.

Amazon

Apple Watch Series 8 [GPS + Cellular 41mm] Smart watch

$489.00

The Series 8 is the most up-to-date timepiece in Apple’s watch series. It’s equipped with an always-on retina display, optical heart sensor, sleep monitor, blood oxygen sensor, 32 GB of storage, Bluetooth 5.0 and the battery lasts for up to 18 hours on a single charge. Apple Watch Series 8 is available in a range of different colors including, red, black, white and blue.

Amazon

Beats Fit Pro – True Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds –

$199.95

The Beats Fit Pro Earbuds have a trio of soft, silicone ear tip options for the ultimate comfort. The earbuds are designed with a flexible wing tip so that they stay secure in your ear while providing high-quality acoustics. Special audio with headtracking deliver a truly immersive listening experience and distinct listening modes: Active Noise Cancelling and Transparency Mode. The battery in Beats Fit Pro Earbuds lasts up to 26 hours with charging case. Looking for a cheaper option? Try JLab Go Air Pop Bluetooth Earbuds ($24.88).

Harman Kardon Onxy Studio 4 Speaker

Harman Kardon

Harmon Kardon Onxy Studio 4 Speaker

$99

The Onxy Studio 4 Speaker offers dual device connections, eight hours of playtime, and built-in voice logic, echo and noise cancellation. The speaker can connect to other speakers via Harman Kardon connect+ app, plus it has a cool shape.

Boozy Presents for Valentine’s Day: Best Alcohol Gifts for Cocktail Lovers, Wine Drinkers & More

Boozy drinks are an easy way to check off your Valentine’s Day list. And for those who don’t drink there are a lot of great non-alcoholic options and cocktail-inspired candies.

Choosing the best boozy gift isn’t always easy, namely because there are so many options. If you can’t decide on what to get, a bottle of wine or champagne is always a safe choice.

For whisky and bourbon lovers, Woodford Reserve Barrel Select ($54.99) and Glenmorangie ($146.99) are a two great options that won’t break the bank. Click here to shop best-selling vodkas.

And then there’s tequila. Founded in 1870, Tequila Herradura offers a range of different tequilas, including silver and reposado, but the Legend stands alone.

Reserve Bar

Tequila Herradura Legend

$131.99

This unique, añejo tequila is made from the finest agave and aged in new, heavily charred and grooved American White Oak barrels.

Ethel M Chocolates

Ethel M Chocolates Cherry Cordial Collection 12-Piece Premium Chocolate Assortment Box

Not your average candy! These boozy candies are spiked with Paul Mason VSOP Brandy and topped with a dark chocolate coating.

Pinaq Rose

Tipx

Pinaq Rose

$36.99

More points for originality! Pinaq rosé is a pre-mixed tropical liqueur made with French VSOP Cognac, Premium Dutch Vodka with raspberry and apple flavors and a splash of rosé wine in a beautiful, pineapple-style bottle. Pinaq is available at retailers such as Total Wine, Tipx and on Drizzly.

Thoughtful Gifts for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to show your love — whether your’e shopping for a significant other, friend or family member. Keeping that in mind, we rounded up a few, thoughtful and useful gifts for the kitchen, bedroom and the close.

Urban Outfitters

Heart-Shaped Mini Waffle Maker

$16 $18 11% off% OFF

Small but mighty, this mini waffle maker makes a great gift for a breakfast-obsessed foodie. The waffle maker includes nonstick coating and an ultra-compact design for easy storage.

Le Creuset

Le Creuset L’Amour Collection Soup Pot

$275

This cookware might steal your heart! Le Creuset’s L’ Amour Soup Pot is covered in pink and red hearts and perfect for cooking soups and stews.

Uncommon Goods

Kissing Mugs

$65

Smooches! These Kissing Mugs hold up to 11 ounces of liquid and are available in red and tan (pictured) and blue and gray.

Amazon

Infmetry Capsule Letters

$12.99

More proof that you can find a thoughtful gift at any price! Each capsule has a blank piece of paper to write whatever you like. The bottles are available in small, 25-piece capsule and larger, 90-piece capsules.

Uncommon Goods

The Wellness Deck

$19

Shopping for co-workers? Get a Work Wellness Deck. Each of the 60 cards features an actionable way to bring more balance to your work life, whether it’s mental health, physical well-being or co-worker relationships.

Amazon

KingZiYu Love Sign Set of 4 Ceramic Small Flower Vases

$49.99

This vase set will bring a little love in the room. The ceramic vases measure just six inches, making them small enough to fit on a mantel, window seal, bookshelf, dinning room table and more.

Austin Butler Credits ‘Clairvoyant’ Vanessa Hudgens for ‘Elvis’ Role

Austin Butler caught some heat from fans earlier this month when he referred to his ex-girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens as an unnamed “friend” when discussing how he landed the role of Elvis Presley in the 2022 Baz Luhrmann biopic for The Hollywood Reporter‘s Actor’s Roundtable.

However, in a new interview with The Los Angeles Times, Butler cleared up that the friend was in fact Hudgens, whom he dated for nearly a decade before the duo split in 2020. “I was with my partner at the time,” he told the reporter, who recalled Butler’s story, in which he was in the car when his “friend” heard him singing along to an Elvis song and encouraged him to seek out the role of the King of Rock and Roll.

“The month before I heard that Baz was making the movie, I was going to look at Christmas lights with a friend, and there was an Elvis Christmas song on the radio and I was singing along, and my friend looked over at me and goes, ‘You’ve got to play Elvis.’ I said, ‘Oh, that’s such a long shot,’” Butler said during the THR interview, without mentioning Hudgens by name. Fans pieced together that the High School Musical star was the subject of the story, as she told a nearly identical anecdote back on a 2019 episode of Live with Kelly and Ryan

When the LA Times reporter followed up, asking if the person in the car was Hudgens, Butler agreed. “We’d been together for so long and she had this sort of clairvoyant moment and so I really, I owe her a lot for believing in me,” he shared.

Travis Scott, Playboi Carti & D-Block Europe to Headline 2023 Wireless Festival

Wireless Festival announced its 2023 lineup Wednesday (Jan. 25), featuring headliners Travis Scott, Playboi Carti and D-Block Europe.

The three-day festival will be held at London’s Finsbury Park from July 7-9, 2023. The London summer festival will also feature emerging and established R&B and hip-hop acts such as Lil Uzi Vert, Metro Boomin, Latto, Ice Spice, Headie One, Bryson Tiller, Joey Bada$$, FLO, Mariah the Scientist, Lil Durk, Lil Tjay, Popcaan, Glorilla and many more, as not every name on the lineup has been revealed.

50 Cent is listed as the special guest, while DJ Target, Kenny Allstar, Nadia Jae, Remi Burgz, Seani B and Tiffany Calver are the festivities’ hosts.

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Scott made his way across the pond in August 2022 for his first headlining performance since his 2021 Astroworld Festival tragedy that left 10 people dead. He sold out both shows at London’s O2 arena and, shortly after, teased his upcoming studio album Utopia on social media. Carti is also expected to release an album this year, tentatively titled Music.

Three+ U.K. mobile customers began having access to a limited pre-sale on Wednesday morning for 48 hours. Barclaycard customers can also access a limited pre-sale and receive 10% off tickets until Friday at 8:59 a.m. Tickets will go on sale for the general public here on Friday at 10 a.m.

Check out the 2023 Wireless Festival lineup, as well as the official lineup promo video, below.

Bad Bunny Reaches Tentative Settlement in ‘Safaera’ Copyright Lawsuit

Bad Bunny has reached a tentative settlement in a lawsuit that accused the Puerto Rican superstar and his collaborators of “unauthorized incorporation” of three DJ Playero songs into his 2020 track “Safaera,” according to legal documents obtained by Billboard.

The “settlement in principle” was reached Jan. 17 after both parties — in this case, Bunny and the Florida-based company AOM Music — participated in a mediation. After notice of the settlement was filed with the court, a federal judge in California suspended future hearings in the case.

The court document notes that the process will “take some time since the settlement is complex and will require the review and approval of multiple corporate and individual parties.” The parties are required to submit a joint report on the status of the settlement if a dismissal of the case hasn’t been filed by Feb. 17.

Filed by AOM Music, also known as BM Records, on Sept. 27, 2021, the lawsuit claimed that Bad Bunny “stole” samples from reggaeton pioneer DJ Playero’s “Besa Tu Cuerpo,” “Chocha Con Bicho” and “Sigan Bailando” for “Safaera,” a global hit that was included on the superstar’s history-making album YHLQMDLG. “No license or authorization was obtained,” the suit alleged.

After the complaint was filed, DJ Playero took to Instagram with a statement clarifying he knew nothing of the lawsuit and had nothing but respect for all the artists involved. “I am proud that I was part of opening the doors to these artists who are known worldwide today,” he wrote, “a song that sounds on the radio and in the world with part of a track of mine is a beautiful feeling that no one can imagine.”

Produced by Tainy, DJ Orma and Subelo Neo, the nearly five-minute “Safaera” — which features Jowell & Randy and Ñengo Flow — is a mashup of old school perreo and reggaetón beats and samples and interpolates various classic hits, including the signature six-note hook to Missy Elliott’s “Get Ur Freak On.”

When it was released in early 2020, “Safaera” was temporarily pulled from Spotify due to a claim that a fragment of the song had not cleared the corresponding rights. In a back-and-forth last year, rapper Missy Elliott weighed in on Twitter after successfully getting her royalties for the song.

Elliott’s response came after Jowell (of Jowell & Randy) claimed his royalties had dropped to 1% after the rapper was properly compensated. “Sadly you mislead all these people to make them think I have 99%,” Elliott wrote at the time. “Now I don’t talk business on line because that’s messy but now we are here I have 25% and there is 6 other samples & 15 other writers on this one song.”

Read the full settlement notice below:

Did Selena Gomez Tease Her New Album on Instagram?

Selena Gomez had fans buzzing with a mysterious Instagram post she shared on Wednesday (Jan. 25).

The star posted a series of film snaps that look like they were potentially taken at a recording studio. In the two photos, Gomez is seen jamming out with blonde hair, and cleaning up a spilled drink on the floor. She simply captioned the post “3,” leading fans to speculate that the singer is working on her third studio album.

The IG post comes just a week after Gomez replied to a fan comment on another one of her photos, noting that an album is, in fact, on the way. When a fan asked the very pertinent question, “Where is the album,” Gomez responded with some very exciting news: “Oh, it’s coming,” she wrote. Back in May 2022, she shared on the Crew Call podcast that she’s in the studio working on the record.

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Gomez’s most recent album, Rare, was released in 2020 and featured “Look at Her Now” and “Lose You to Love Me.” Rare gave Gomez her third No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart, as both her previous solo albums, 2015’s Revival and 2013’s Stars Dance, also topped the tally. Meanwhile, her 2021 Spanish-language EP Revelación marked the multi-hyphenate’s first No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart.

At press time there was no additional information on the new album or its release date.

Taylor Swift Is the Least of Ticketmaster’s Worries After Senate Hearing

Could Taylor Swift be responsible for breaking up Live Nation and Ticketmaster?

For anyone watching the three-hour U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, aside from frequent quotes of her lyrics, the connection between the pop star and the politicians’ probe is probably starting to feel tangential. And despite Live Nation president and CFO Joe Berchtold’s efforts to shift blame for Swift’s disastrous (yet record-breaking) ticket sale from Ticketmaster to scalpers and bots, most everyone else involved was focused on the m-word — monopoly.

The senators’ line of thinking is that if the Live Nation-owned platform didn’t have such market dominance (around 80% of large venues in the U.S. have exclusive Ticketmaster deals), greater competition would force the company to innovate and improve its services — potentially avoiding the kinds of issues that spoiled the Swift sale last November. But while disruptions to Swift’s highly anticipated North American Eras tour caused such a commotion that Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) felt compelled to call this hearing, by Tuesday it seemed only Berchtold wanted to explore the immediate problems that brought down the sale.

Instead, the lawmakers see taking on Ticketmaster as a winning political issue and an opportunity to reach constituents who have long complained about the ticketing giant. During the hearing, for example, Klobuchar railed against high ticket prices, saying, “To have a strong capitalist system, you have to have competition.” But would competition in ticketing actually drive down ticket prices when it’s the artists who set the price, as Berchtold said, and not Ticketmaster?

For the senators, it hardly matters. Perception is reality and poor perception could lead to serious issues for Live Nation and Ticketmaster. Whether or not the companies’ dominance is a problem in the market, Ticketmaster is widely so despised that it has clearly become an easy target for rare bipartisan political action propelled by incredible public support.

About an hour into the hearing, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) laid out a potential path for Democrats in the Senate, potentially with support from Republicans, to force Live Nation into divesting its holdings in Ticketmaster.

Since merging in 2010, the combined companies have been operating under a consent decree, promising not to leverage Live Nation’s touring content in a way that would punish venues for not signing up for Ticketmaster’s services. A Department of Justice intervention, in which the assistant U.S. attorney for antitrust goes to a federal judge with evidence “of monopolistic and predatory abuses,” Blumenthal said, would be the most obvious path toward an intervention forcing Live Nation to divest Ticketmaster. There’s recent precedent for this, too. In 2019, the DOJ punished Live Nation for the six violations by extending the term of the decree five years and forcing the company to pay the reimbursement of millions in investigatory and litigation costs. The DOJ also appointed an independent monitor and required Live Nation to install an internal antitrust compliance officer. If the DOJ caught Live Nation violating the decree again, the government would have a strong case to take before the government showing that the consent decree wasn’t effective and that the merger would have to be unwound.

Hinting that DOJ anti-trust attorneys appointed by Biden are once conducting another review of the company’s compliance with the consent decree, Blumental warned that any violations found during the current review would be grounds for splitting the company in two.

“If the Department of Justice uncovers violations of the consent decree,” Blumental said, “unwinding the merger ought to be on the table.”

Other senators during the committee threatened to take legislative action if the DOJ didn’t do something about Live Nation and Ticketmaster’s combined strength. Government witness Kathleen Bradish, vp for legal advocacy at the American Antitrust Institute, however, testified that any legislative remedy — like legislation to enhance and clarify U.S. antitrust laws and a regulatory framework to clean up the mostly unregulated ticketing market — would have to be coupled with strong antitrust enforcement action through existing antitrust law in order to break up the company.

Even if there is the political will to unwind Live Nation and Ticketmaster, that outcome is likely still a long shot. Still, even if the companies survive the DOJ probe and can eventually end the consent decree, it’s difficult to see how they repair their image going forward. To most senators on the panel, the company is an illegal monopoly openly operating in defiance of the world’s most powerful legislative bodies. And to most aggrieved fans, it’s screwing up their ticket buying and gouging them to see their favorite acts.

Fivio Foreign ft. Tata, Jenn Carter & Kyle Richh “Notice Me,” PnB Rock “London” & More | Daily Visuals 1.25.23

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Fivio Foreign put the rap game on notice in 2022 with the release of his debut studio album, B.I.B.L.E., but can the Brooklyn drill rapper maintain his presence and popularity in Hip-Hop throughout 2023? He certainly feels he can.

Coming through with some new visuals to “Notice Me,” Fivio recruits the talents of Tata, Jenn Carter and Kyle Richh to turn up with him from the streets to an apartment party where they blow smoke, bust some moves and drop some bars.

Elsewhere the memory of PnB Rock lives on as his fans are treated to a posthumous visual in “London” in which the Philly rapper was living his best life at a pool party with a gang of friends while making it rain on everyone in attendance. Rest in Power, King.

Check out the rest of today’s drops including work from Trippie Redd featuring Summrs, Jay Fizzle, and more.

FIVIO FOREIGN FT. TATA, JENN CARTER & KYLE RICHH – “NOTICE ME”



PNB ROCK – “LONDON”



TRIPPIE REDD FT. SUMMRS – “BIGGEST BIRD”



JAY FIZZLE – “KING SH*T”



TAY B FT. A BOOGIE WIT DA HOODIE – “ASK



GOLD CHAIN MUSIC FT. PLANET ASIA, MONTAGE ØNE, A PLUS THE KID & K.BURNS – “IT AIN’T FAIR”



K CAMP – “IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK”



BAS – “DIAMONDS”



917 RACKZ – “SANCTIONED”



NAOMI SHARON – “ANOTHER LIFE”



DABOII FT. K8DO – “BING BONG”