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LONDON, U.K. — Long-serving executive Dickon Stainer has been appointed chairman and CEO of Universal Music U.K., succeeding David Joseph, who announced he was stepping down from the role after almost 17 years in charge on Monday (Sept. 23).
Stainer’s appointment was announced in a memo from Lucian Grainge sent to staff on Tuesday (Sept. 24). For the last 10 years, Stainer has served as president and CEO of Universal Music Group’s Global Classics and Jazz division, splitting his time between London and New York.
“Dickon has embraced an expansive musical worldview throughout his career, taking artists from a wide variety of genres and bringing them to audiences globally,” said Grainge in the memo, which has been viewed by Billboard, and accompanying press release.
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“He not only has deep experience in leveraging our worldwide organization on behalf of our artists, but a track record that includes global commercial and creative artist successes and countless awards in many countries,” said Grainge, who thanked outgoing CEO and chairman David Joseph for his “many contributions. He leaves with our gratitude.”
In his new role, Stainer will be responsible for leading the overall management and strategic direction of Universal Music U.K., including Island EMI Label Group, Polydor Label Group, Decca Records, the recently formed Audience and Media Division, as well as Abbey Road Studios.
In addition to his new responsibilities, Stainer will continue his long association with UMG’s Global Classics and Jazz division in the capacity of chairman, Grainge told staff. Announcements regarding new leadership roles and internal promotions in these businesses will be made shortly, said the UMG chief.
“It is an honour to be asked by Sir Lucian Grainge to lead Universal Music U.K. The depth of talent that we have at the company, coupled with our remarkable roster of artists, gives me tremendous confidence in what we can achieve together,” said Stainer in a statement.
He continued: “Having worked in both the international and domestic divisions of UMG, I know how central the U.K. is to the global music industry – a vital repertoire source that provides the world with great artists and great music. I can’t wait to get started.”
The reorganization at the top of Universal U.K. comes just a few months after the company announced it was merging its historic Island and EMI label divisions and forming two new frontline label groups: Island EMI Label Group, headed by Louis Bloom as president, and Polydor Label Group, led by Ben Mortimer.
The U.K. arm of Universal Music is additionally launching a new Audience and Media Division to support artists and labels, headed by Rebecca Allen.
Blossoms are blooming on the midweek U.K. chart with Gary.
Hailing from Stockport, England, the indie-rock act leads the Official Chart Update with Gary (via Odd Sk Recordings), their fifth full-length album.
If it holds its course, Gary will give the band a fourth leader following their self-titled debut from 2016, Foolish Loving Spaces (from 2020) and Ribbon Around The Bomb (2022), while 2018’s Cool Like You peaked at No. 4.
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The strongest challenge comes from Chappell Roan and her former chart-leading debut album The Rise And Fall of a Midwest Princess (Island). Based on midweek sales and streaming data published by the Official Charts Company, Midwest Princess is a little over 2,000 chart units behind Gary in second place.
Scottish singer and songwriter Tom Walker could complete the podium with I Am (Relentless), his sophomore album. It’s new at No. 3 on the chart blast. Previously, the Brit Award-winning artist led by chart in 2019 with his debut What A Time To Be Alive.
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Also eyeing a top 10 debut is Katy Perry with her sixth LP 143 (EMI). It’s set to start at No. 4 on the national tally, for what would be the U.S. pop star’s fifth top 10 title and highest-charting effort in the U.K. since Prism led the chart in 2013.
Meanwhile, the xx’s Jamie xx could nab a second solo top 10 with In Waves (Young). The followup to In Colour, which peaked at No. 3, the British producer’s latest is set to start at No. 6. As a member of the xx alongside Romy and Oliver Sim, Jamie has snared two U.K. No. 1s with Coexist (in 2012) and I See You (2017).
Further down the midweek chart, West Yorkshire rock act Terrorvision could nab a career high with We Are Not Robots (Total Vegas), set to bow at No. 7; Future could score a fifth U.K. top 10 with Mixtape Pluto (RCA), on track for a No. 9 bow; and post-punk Manchester outfit Ist Ist could land a first-ever top 10 appearance with Light A Bigger Fire (Kind Violence), new at No. 10 on the chart blast.
Over on the midweek singles chart, Sabrina Carpenter looks likely to extend her reign with “Taste” (via Island). Carpenter’s latest hit is heading for a fifth week at No. 1, which would extend her record as the solo female artist with the most combined weeks at No. 1 in a calendar year. Currently, her three leaders have notched a combined 16 weeks at No. 1. Chappell Roan could have something to say about it. The U.S. pop phenom is “closer than ever to her first UK No. 1 single,” the OCC reports, as “Good Luck, Babe!” sits at No. 2, fewer than 2,000 chart units from the leader.
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Singles and Albums Charts are published late Friday, Feb. 27.
SYDNEY, Australia — Empire now has an outpost in Australia.
The Bay Area hip-hop juggernaut recruits label veteran Cameron Walsh to lead its activities in these parts as Australian territory manager.
“I’m privileged and elated to be joining the empire that is Empire, leading the label’s expansion into Australia,” Walsh comments on LinkedIn. “Empire Australia is open for business.”
Based in Sydney, Walsh brings to the role a stack of experience accumulated from major and independent labels, from Sony Music to Universal Music, EMI, Comes With Fries, and most recently with [PIAS] Australia/Inertia Music, where he served as director of label services & head of digital – Australia, New Zealand.
Empire founder and CEO Ghazi Shami confirmed the business’ latest move during an onstage interview last week at All That Matters 2024 in Singapore.
“It was something that we were looking for, for a long time,” Ghazi said during a Q&A at Hilton Singapore Orchard. “We’re really picky about the people that we select in territories to plant the flag because they have to be representative of our ethos of our cultural composition, and there has to be some type of commitment to excellence that we perceive.”
Empire launched in San Francisco back in 2010 as a digital distribution specialist. A year later, Spotify arrived in the United States.
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As its name would suggest, the company grew into a vertically-integrated powerhouse with some 250 global staff, and is active in every conceivable part of the music industry.
Ghazi’s company is recognized as a force in hip-hop and the surging Afrobeats genre. This year, Empire has enjoyed a smash hit this year with Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which logged multiple months at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, smashing chart records along the way. The single also went to No. 1 on Australia’s ARIA Chart and cracked the top 10 in the U.K. “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” earns an 11th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, extending 2024’s longest reign.
“The music that they’re making here is, honestly, the most culturally important thing I’ve done in my entire career, and I’ve been in the music business since I was 14,” Empire founder/CEO Ghazi told Billboard in 2023. “These guys are the kings of where they come from, and they’re about to be the kings of everywhere if we keep doing what we’re doing. It’s phenomenal to see what’s happening.”
Halestorm and I Prevail’s collaboration “Can U See Me in the Dark?” is the newest No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, rising a spot to top the tally dated Sept. 28. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The song becomes Halestorm’s seventh No. 1 and […]
Myles Smith earns his first No. 1 on a Billboard songs chart, ruling the Alternative Airplay tally dated Sept. 28 with “Stargazing.”
The song became Smith’s first Alternative Airplay entry when it debuted in June. The British singer-songwriter is the first act to reign in a first appearance this year and the first since Bad Omens with “Just Pretend” in September 2023.
Smith is also the first artist to score a first Alternative Airplay No. 1 in 2024.
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Smith scores the second straight Alternative Airplay leader for RCA Records, after Cage the Elephant’s “Rainbow” ruled for two weeks. It’s the first time that a label has linked two consecutive No. 1s since April 2021, when MGK and blackbear’s “My Ex’s Best Friend” led for two weeks, followed by Imagine Dragons’ “Follow You,” both via Interscope Records.
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RCA last led in succession with three titles in December 2014-March 2015: “Something From Nothing” by Foo Fighters, “Cigarette Daydreams” by Cage the Elephant and “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon.
Concurrently, “Stargazing” jumps into the top 10 of Adult Alternative Airplay (12-8) to become Smith’s first top 10, also on his first try. On the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, it bullets at its No. 3 high with 5.1 million audience impressions, up 5%, in the week ending Sept. 19, according to Luminate.
A multi-format radio hit, “Stargazing” also lifts 18-16 on Adult Pop Airplay and 26-24 on Pop Airplay, both new best ranks.
“Stargazing” ranks at No. 6 on the latest multimetric Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. In addition to its radio airplay, it earned 8.3 million official U.S. streams and sold 2,000 downloads in the week ending Sept. 19.
All Billboard charts dated Sept. 28 will update on Billboard.com on Tuesday, Sept. 24.
After 12 years of appearing on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay chart, Michael Kiwanuka achieves his first No. 1, as “Floating Parade” marches to the top of the tally dated Sept. 28.
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The British singer-songwriter and producer first reached the chart with “I’m Getting Ready,” which peaked at No. 8 in October 2012. He logged his previous best with “Hero,” a No. 3-peaking track in March 2020. He has earned seven career top 10s, including an ongoing streak of five in a row dating to “Love & Hate” in 2017.
Kiwanuka’s dozen-year wait for his first No. 1 marks the longest on Adult Alternative Airplay since an exceptionally fab break: The Beatles went a record 27 years, 10 months and two weeks between “Free as a Bird,” which ranked on the inaugural list in January 1996, and the coronation of “Now and Then” in December 2023.
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Kiwanuka is also the first artist to claim a maiden Adult Alternative Airplay No. 1 since Pharrell Williams, the co-lead act alongside Mumford & Sons on “Good People,” in April. Prior to Smith, Noah Kahan last did so with no accompanying acts, with “Dial Drunk” in September 2023.
Concurrently, “Floating Parade” rises 26-25 on the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart with 1.2 million audience impressions, up 4%, in the week ending Sept. 19, according to Luminate. It’s Kiwanuka’s highest-charting song on the list, having surpassed the No. 42 high of “Rolling” in 2020.
“Floating Parade” is the lead single from Small Changes, Kiwanuka’s fourth studio album, due Nov. 15. Predecessor Kiwanuka peaked at No. 3 on the Americana/Folk Albums chart in November 2019 and has earned 100,000 equivalent album units to date.
All Billboard charts dated Sept. 28 will update on Billboard.com on Tuesday, Sept. 24.
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Gracie Abrams sold out three nights at the Greek Theatre in L.A., and she’s giving Billboard a personal, behind-the-scenes look at the must-haves in her dressing room, how she prepared for the tour, the relationships she has with her team and more! Buy your tickets here! Gracie Abrams:Hey, Billboard, I’m Gracie Abrams. Welcome to my […]
In an interview, Janet Jackson claimed Kamala Harris isn’t Black and predicted the aftermath of the election. Keep watching to see what she said. Tetris Kelly:Janet Jackson’s rep shut down an apology issued on her behalf after she mistakenly claims Vice President Kamala Harris is not Black. In an interview with The Guardian, a reporter […]
