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One of the most prominent developers of do-it-yourself music creation platforms, BandLab Technologies, raised $25 million in Series B1 financing at a valuation of $425 million, the company announced Tuesday (May 23).
The round was led by existing investor Cercano Management – formerly Vulcan Capital, the venture capital arm of the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s Vulcan Inc. Holding company – with participation from Prosus Ventures, a giant technology investor with a portfolio that includes e-commerce, delivery, fintech and education platforms.
The new funding will allow BandLab to augment its work force, offer more emerging creator campaigns, boost its support services – such as BandLab for Education – the company stated in a press release. Last year, the company raised $65 million in a Series B round that valued BandLab at $315 million – $110 million less than the latest valuation – and was led by Vulcan Capital with participation from Caldecott Music Group and K3 Ventures.
BandLabs Technologies is best known for its namesake platform, BandLab, a mobile-first digital audio workstation with over 60 million registered users. The company also owns the long-running digital audio workstation Cakewalk, which it acquired in 2018; ReverbNation, a 16-year-old independent artist services provider acquired in 2021; and Airbit, a beats marketplace acquired in February.
It competes in a growing category of cloud-based music creation tools that offer a far more simplified user experience than common studio platforms like ProTools. Like BandLab, Soundtrap, acquired by Spotify in 2017, makes creating songs an easy and collaborative process. RapChat boasts more than 10 million music creators on its feature-rich mobile app.
“BandLab serves a vital role in today’s music creation ecosystem, enabling more artists to break through at previously unfathomable levels,” Meng Ru Kuok, BandLab CEO and co-founder, said in a statement to Billboard.” This additional investment amplifies our position in today’s environment to accelerate our vision and deepen meaningful collaborations, bridging the gap between emerging talent and established industry players. We’re ready to double down on our mission, empowering artists at scale.”
Over the last two decades, independent musicians have been given digital tools that markedly lowered the barriers to entry. Digital audio workstations like Apple’s GarageBand gave anybody with an Apple computer the ability to easily record and edit audio files. Digital distribution services such as TuneCore allowed anybody to sell their music online. Now, tools to create music have been simplified to mobile phone apps and artificial intelligence-powered products – such as BandLab’s SongStarter – give the average internet user the ability to make music.
Sometimes, BandLab users have found legitimate chart success using the app’s entry-level toolkit. Last year, “Romantic Homocide,” created on BandLab by 17-year-old Houston artist d4vd, reached No. 45 on Billboard’s Hot 100 after another of his songs “Here With Me” got him signed to Darkroom/Interscrope Records. Also last year, BandLab teamed with Billboard to launch the Bringing BandLab to Billboard portal to help expose its creators to a global audience. Two artists were featured at Billboard.com as a result: The Moon City Masters and Hitha.
Lewis Capaldi can almost taste victory in the U.K. chart race.
The Scottish singer and songwriter will be hard to beat, as Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent (EMI) notches 68,000 chart sales by the midweek point, the Official Charts Company reports, and is currently outselling the rests of the top 20 combined.
It’s on track to overtake Ed Sheeran’s Subtract (Asylum) as the year’s fastest-selling LP, and push Sheeran’s album from the summit after a two-week stay (Subtract opened with 76,000 chart sales).
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Assuming Capaldi reigns supreme when the Official U.K. Albums Chart is published Friday, May 26, it’ll give the Scot his second leader after his 2019 debut Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent, which has passed one million U.K. combined sales and features the global hit “Someone You Loved,” which is recognized by the OCC as the most-streamed song in the U.K.
Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent is already a hit machine. Three songs from it, “Forget Me,” “Pointless,” and “Wish You The Best,” have led the Official U.K. Singles Chart.
Capaldi leads an all-new top four on the Official Chart Update. Based on midweek sales and streaming data, ‘80s rockers Def Leppard could debut at No. 2 with Drastic Symphonies (Mercury), a collaboration with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, while fellow British rock band Sleep Token could complete the podium with Take Me Back To Eden (Spinefarm), set to arrive at No. 3.
Close behind is Swedish rock act Ghost with their covers EP Phantomime (Loma Vista), set to start at No. 4, while Sheeran’s Subtract is poised to drop 1-5.
Also eyeing top 10 berths are veteran prog-rock group Yes with Mirror To The Sky (Century Media), at No. 6 on the chart update, and iconic U.S. singer and songwriter Paul Simon with Seven Psalms (Sony Music CG), set to bow at No. 9.
Finally, as fans mourn the death of the Smiths’ bass player Andy Rourke, the indie legends’ music is providing some comfort. The Smiths’ hits compilation The Sound of The Smiths (Rhino) could return to top 40, at No. 30.
Lana Del Rey‘s long-overdue release of “Say Yes To Heaven” (via Polydor) could immediately land her a U.K. top 10. The U.S. alternative pop star blasts to No. 8 on the chart update, and is on track for the week’s top debut. Co-written and produced in 2012 with her frequent collaborator Rick Nowels, “Heaven” was […]
The incredible career of the late Australian impresario Michael Gudinski will be retold in a major new documentary.
Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story will roll out at theaters across Australia from Aug. 31, following its premiere Aug. 10 at the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) — the music man’s beloved home city.
MIFF pitches the film as “a uniquely Australian tribute to a much-loved industry legend.”
Helmed by Paul Goldman (Such is Life: The Troubled Times of Ben Cousins), Ego will tell MG’s tale with never-before-seen archive footage, and interviews with the likes of Jimmy Barnes, Vika & Linda Bull, Garbage, Dave Grohl, Vance Joy, Paul Kelly, Kylie Minogue, Mark Seymour, Ed Sheeran, Bruce Springsteen and Sting.
“Famed for his eccentricities and boldness,” reads a statement (May 23) unveiling the new project, Ego “dives into the psyche and unorthodox tactics of Michael as he became the frontman of a cultural movement and built a music empire whose artists created the soundtrack for a nation.”
The project is timed to drop as Gudinski’s Mushroom Group celebrates its 50 year anniversary, a party that will include a “major live event.”
Now led by MG’s son, Matt Gudinski, the independent music powerhouse is home to some two-dozen companies, active in every conceivable area of the music industry, including Mushroom Music Publishing, the country’s leading independent publisher; labels I Oh You, Liberation and Bloodlines; and the concert promotion juggernaut Frontier Touring.
The larger than life entrepreneur passed March 2, 2021, aged 68, a shock that triggered a wave of tributes from across the music world. Many of those starry friends and extended “Mushroom family” appear in the film, the trailer for which can be seen below.
“He had the energy of a rock drummer,” recounts Sting. Adds Foo Fighter Grohl, “I imagine being a rock promoter as the biggest fucking nightmare. There has to be a reason why he did it.”
Following his death, Gudinski was feted with the No. 1 spot in Billboard’s International Power Players list, and a statue of the great man was erected outside Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena, depicting MG with his familiar No. 1 hand gesture.
Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story is a Mushroom Studios production, with principal production funding from Screen Australia in association with VicScreen. It’s financed with support from the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA). Local distribution and international sales are handled by Mushroom Studios.
Jaxsta is awarded Master of Metadata honors at the Music Business Association’s Bizzy Awards 2023, Billboard can exclusively reveal.
Based in Sydney, the official music credits database snags a category that recognizes companies that have made a significant impact in the area of data processing, credit clarification, streamlining or otherwise promoting clean data and best practices.
“We are exceptionally proud to be recognized by the Music Business Association for our excellence in metadata,” comments Jaxsta CEO Beth Appleton in a statement. “It is critical that the industry has one verified source of truth and that we continually value and insist on official credits,” she continues. “Only by doing this, can we ensure that creators are paid quickly, accurately and cost-effectively.”
Currently, Jaxsta’s data set includes over 55 million recordings and almost 15 million works which are matched, deep-linked and searchable by multiple industry identifiers, including ISRC, ISWC, Spotify IDs, UPCs and more.
This Music Biz honor, adds Michael Stone, Jaxsta CTO, “is a testament to the trust placed in Jaxsta by our label partners.”
Jaxsta’s victory closely follows the launch of Vinyl.com. A vinyl-hunter’s dream, the new online store is powered by Jaxsta’s official music credits and gives record buyers verified creative contributions metadata on every album, for a deep dive into artists, songwriters, producers, composers, engineers, musicians and any other contributors.
The vision for Vinyl, its creators say, is to offer quickly expand its offer beyond selling vinyl to include merchandise, tickets, digital collectibles and other “experiences that connect fans with creators.”
First announced and held in 2022, the Bizzy Awards also presents the Leading Light Award, the Agent of Change Award, the #NEXTGEN_NOW One To Watch Award and others.
Read more here.
Ed Sheeran is unmoved at the summit of the U.K. albums survey as – (Subtract) (via Asylum) logs a second week at No. 1. The English singer and songwriter has a perfect six No. 1s, with all of his albums logging multiple weeks at the top. Just one week after scooping the year-best sales tally in the U.K., Subtract is set to chase down another target. It’ll draw level with the three-week reign of Sheeran’s 2011 debut set + (plus) if it holds its position when the next chart is published, Friday, May 26.The highest new entry on the latest chart, published May 19, belongs to English rapper Potter Payper, as his debut full-length LP Real Back in Style (0207) starts at No. 2. That’s a career high for the artist (real name: Jamel Bousbaa), who previously cracked the top 10 with 2020 mixtape Training Day 3 (No. 3) and 2021’s Thanks for Waiting (No. 8). Completing the podium is Jonas Brothers with The Album (Polydor), new at No. 3. It’s the fourth top 10 LP for the brothers Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas, following 2007 debut Jonas Brothers (No. 8), 2009’s Lines, Vines and Trying Times (No. 9) and 2019’s record Happiness Begins (No. 2).Also new to the top 10 on the fresh Official U.K. Albums Chart is Brighton, England indie-rock act Lovejoy with their third EP Wake Up & It’s Over (Anvil Cat). It’s new at No. 5, for the four-piece’s first-ever top 10 appearance, bettering the No. 12 peak for 2021’s Pebble Brain.And finally, Alison Goldfrapp grabs her first solo top 10 album, as The Love Invention (Skint) starts at No. 6. As the singer for electro-pop duo Goldfrapp, alongside Will Gregory, the British artist boasts a further five U.K. Top 10 albums: 2005’s Supernature (No. 2), 2008’s Seventh Tree (No. 2), 2010’s Head First (No. 6), 2013’s Tales of Us (No. 4) and 2017’s Silver Eye (No. 6).
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Loreen very nearly made it two wins in the space of a week.
Sweden’s representative at the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest won by a landslide with “Tattoo”. And in the U.K., “Tattoo” (via UMG International) has made a big impression with music fans, as it gathered momentum through the chart week.
“Tattoo” debuts at No. 2 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, published last Friday (May 19), in a tight race won by Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding’s “Miracle” (Columbia).
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According to the Official Charts Company, “Miracle” clocked up a market-leading 5.1 million U.K. streams during the latest seven-day stretch, for its sixth non-consecutive week at No. 1.
Meanwhile, Loreen lands a new career high, beating the No. 3 best for “Euphoria,” her winning entry from the 2012 Eurovision.
“Tattoo” leads a “record-breaking” charge for Eurovision songs in the U.K. top 10, the OCC reports, as Finland act Käärijä’s “Cha Cha Cha” (No. 6 via WM Finland), U.K. entry Mae Muller’s “I Wrote A Song” (up 45-9 via Capitol) and Norway singer Alessandra’s “Queen of Kings” (No. 10 via Universal Music AS) all enter the top tier for the first time, following the recent song contest, the final of which took place held at May 13 at Liverpool’s M&S Arena.
Further down the list, Chicago hip-hop artist Lil Durk bags his third U.K. top 40 appearance as “All My Life” (Ministry of Sound) featuring J Cole starts at No. 17, while east coast drill rapper Lil Mabu cracks the top 40 for the first time with “Mathematical Disrespect” (Lil Mabu), new at No. 27.
Finally, two songs are enjoying revivals for totally different reasons. Florence + The Machine’s “Dog Days Are Over” (Island), which appeared on the English act’s 2009 album Lungs, is on the rise following its sync to Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3. It’s up 27-21.
And as the U.K. leg of her Renaissance World Tour gets underway, Beyonce’s “Cuff It” (Columbia/Parkwood Ent) reenters the chart at No. 24.
American Idol has a new champion.
Following months of auditions, solo highs, the goodbyes, duets, trips to California and Hawaii, all of it came to a head on Sunday night (May 21) as America chose its Idol.
For those who’ve been a passenger for this latest, 21st edition, the winner had announced himself months ago. The grand finale was confirmation of what many already knew.
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During the special on ABC, the three finalists – Iam Tongi, Megan Danielle, and Colin Stough – had their last chance to impress the viewers by way of solo performances and duets with the stars.
And, with millions watching on at home, the stars did come out. Keith Urban, Kylie Minogue, Ellie Goulding, Lionel Richie, TLC, REO Speedwagon, Pitbull & Lil Jon, and others filled the screens.
America chose Tongi and Danielle as the final two contestants.
There could be only one, and that was Tongi.
The Hawaii highschooler with the beautiful voice and the tragic story had captured the hearts of Idol obsessives in recent months. With each performance, Tongi’s legend grew.
On the final, he performed Keith Urban’s “Making Memories of Us,” “Cool Down,” got the tears flowing with a tribute to his own, late father, “I’ll Be Seeing You,” and teamed-up with James Blunt for a rendition of “Monsters.”
Tongi can now kick start his career with a recording contract, part of the spoils that come with winning the annual competition.
Get the winning feeling below.
It rained, it poured, but Taylor Swift didn’t let mother nature ruin her Saturday night (May 20).
The pop superstar and her Swifties danced in the rain for her hours-long outdoor set at Gillette Stadium, in at Foxborough, MA, proof of which TayTay has shared on social media.
Judging by the snaps taken from the pit, the weather event didn’t dampen spirits.
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“Last night we all danced together in the rain for THE ENTIRE 3.5 HOUR SHOW in foxy Foxborough MA!!,” she writes.
“We’ve had rain shows at Gillette Stadium before but this was a full on deluge that never let up, I just want to thank that iconic crowd!! Love you so much you have no idea.”
Last night we all danced together in the rain for THE ENTIRE 3.5 HOUR SHOW in foxy Foxborough MA!! We’ve had rain shows at Gillette Stadium before but this was a full on deluge that never let up, I just want to thank that iconic crowd!! Love you so much you have no idea 💕🥰🥲 pic.twitter.com/I4WUjey94o— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) May 21, 2023
Swift hit the stage at 8pm and blazed through a 45-song set that included “Blank Space,” “Wildest Dreams,” “Bad Blood,” and, appropriately, “Midnight Rain” during the later, Midnights end of her set.
The 12-times Grammy winner and Billboard’s woman of the decade award winner has been described as a force of nature. On this current The Eras Tour, however, it’s been Swift and her support team and crew who’ve had to navigate some particularly bad weather.
Swift’s May 7 concert at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium was delayed by several hours due to inclement weather, which meant TayTay didn’t finish until after 1am.
Next stop: Metlife Stadium this Friday (May 28) at East Rutherford, NJ.
Fans won’t have to wait long for some new, old music from Swift. Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), the rerecording of her third album, is set to drop July 7.
NBA superstar Ja Morant continues to be under fire after being caught waving a gun on social media for the second time in three months. The debacle has again entered hip-hop circles, as Lil Wayne recently spoke on Ja’s turbulence in a new interview with Showtime’s All The Smoke podcast. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and […]
