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AP Dhillon’s new major label deal is off to a good start.
The Punjabi-Canadian artist’s first single on Republic Records, released “in alliance with” Universal Music Canada, has debuted at No. 53 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100.
“Old Money” is a catchy and replayable mix song with lyrics that translate to something reminiscent of post-breakthrough Drake: “Every girl wants to know how I’m doing / ever since they realized my worth.”
But what elevates the song into full blockbuster is its music video, which reunites two major movie stars for a cinematic homage to the ’90s action films from India that Dhillon grew up watching. Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt star in the video alongside Dhillon and his longtime collaborator Shinda Kahlon in an epic and bloody short film complete with car-chases and gunfights (it ends with the message, “Say no to violence”).
Dhillon isn’t the only star from India making moves on the Canadian Hot 100. “Big Dawgs” from Hanumankind and Kalmi moves into the top 10 this week, hitting No. 9 at the same time it also hits No. 9 on the Global 200 and No. 8 on the Global Excl. U.S. chart. Punjabi-Canadian artist Karan Aujla‘s debut Bollywood soundtrack single “Tauba Tauba” also holds on the Canadian Hot 100 at No. 81. The Punjabi Wave is in full force.
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Head here for a full breakdown of this week’s Canadian Hot 100. – Richard Trapunski
Charlotte Cardin, Jully Black and More to Perform at Billboard Canada Women in Music 2024
Billboard Canada Women in Music is loading up with talent for the Sept. 7 celebration in Toronto.
Guest of honour Alanis Morissette will appear at the event alongside other stars including Jessie Reyez, and they’ll be joined by some big live performances.
Montreal singer-songwriter Charlotte Cardin will take a rare break from her world tour during a breakthrough year with charting hits from “Confetti” to “99 Nights” and performances at the NBA All-Star game and for Justin Trudeau and Joe Biden.
Jully Black is planning a special cover for the event. The celebrated R&B/soul artist, who has collaborated with artists like Nas and Kardinal Offisshall, has been repping Canada for decades, and is now being embraced by new generations of fans.
Breakout pop singer LU KALA will accept her Rising Star award at the ceremony, and she’ll also grace the stage for a performance of her empowering pop hits. Acclaimed Toronto hip-hop artist Haviah Mighty will co-host the Billboard Canada Women in Music event and also bring the energy in a performance of her own.
A pair of fast-rising singers will also get a spotlight. Juno-winning Montreal artist Rêve has hit the Billboard charts a number of times with her infectious dance-pop hits, and was also named Billboard’s Dance Artist of the Month. Soulful Plains Cree and Salish singer Tia Wood released her first single, “Dirt Roads,” just two months ago, but already has a dedicated audience of fans who’ve been following her on her popular TikTok account.
Tickets to attend Billboard Canada Women in Music are available for purchase here.
Former Just For Laughs Executive Christine Melko Ross Joins Live Entertainment Company Outback Presents
A former executive at Just For Laughs is taking her expertise to another major live entertainment promoter.
Christine Melko Ross will be the new senior vp of global operations at Nashville-based Outback Presents, taking charge of expanding the company’s Canadian footprint.
Melko Ross was with Just for Laughs (JFL) for 23 years, before the Montreal comedy company filed for creditor protection earlier this year to avoid bankruptcy and laid off the majority of its staff. At JFL, Melko Ross helped launch the Toronto edition of the Just for Laughs festival, built up the company’s touring division, and was integral to its flagship Montreal festival’s operations.
In Canada, Outback isn’t as high-profile as a comedy brand, but the company placed No. 6 on Billboard‘s year-end Box Score promoters list for 2023 and is handling upcoming tours from comedians like Shane Gillis, Bill Burr and Jim Gaffigan.
Melko Ross tells Billboard Canada she’s excited to help Outback grow its presence in Canada, and not just in major markets like Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary.
“Canadians love to laugh so we want to make sure that they’re entertained from coast to coast,” she says. “There’s lots of opportunity to do things in smaller places.” She highlights cities like Victoria and Regina and emphasizes that the Maritimes are often overlooked by touring acts.
“They’re great audiences — Halifax has five universities in it. That’s a growing market.”
It’s a tricky time for the live performance industry. Many festivals and venues, JFL amongst them, are facing existential threats from a combination of factors: lost revenue during the pandemic, rising overhead costs, and audiences that are slow to get back in their seats.
But Melko Ross says comedy fans have been coming to shows in droves.
“I think it’s gonna continue growing,” she adds. “I do think that that’s one area of the arts that has been very strong.”
JFL itself was revived in a smaller form this summer when Quebec comedy company ComediHa! acquired its assets. The new owner put on a renamed edition of the festival featuring Dane Cook and Bassem Youssef.
“It’s a brand that many of us hold dear to our heart, so hopefully the spirit of that remains,” Melko Ross says of JFL. – Rosie Long Decter
Presidential politics has been its own form of pop stardom for decades — certainly since Bill Clinton worked the saxophone on The Arsenio Hall Show, and probably since actor Ronald Reagan won the White House. At some point during that time, the party conventions became less like political meetings and more like pop concerts — staged presentations, usually in arenas that also host concerts, where icons perform their greatest hits. This year former president Barack Obama even came out during the Democratic National Convention to present a sly remix of his own tag line as a tribute to vice president Kamala Harris: “Yes she can.”
Like most remixes, this requires some knowledge of the original, so it’s not aimed at everyone — a 25-year-old voter would have been nine when Obama’s “Yes we can” campaign slogan first got big. The point is to rally superfans, excite influencers and inspire enough enthusiasm to pull in some undecided voters. It’s politics as cinematic universe — now with blinking LED wristbands and the “politics of joy.”
Increasingly, the modern way of expressing a worldview is to join a fan army, of a musician, a content creator, or even a politician. Now that pop culture has swallowed everything, fan relationships help people define what tribe they belong to, the way class or place of origin did before the Internet made those things so much less relevant. Supporting former president Donald Trump isn’t so much about favoring his policies, whatever they are, as about liking his frankness (or his insanity) or sharing his sense of grievance. (Isn’t everything rigged?)
The idea of a fan “army,” as opposed to a “club,” implies some kind of tension — or at least a tendency for devotees to define themselves against other tribes. Part of supporting Trump is condemning the media and “the deep state,” just like part of loving BTS is bemoaning that journalists just don’t get how great they are. Sides have always been chosen — think about the Beatles and the Rolling Stones — but now who fans don’t like is as important as who they do.
Not so long ago, politics involved… well, it involved more actual politics. Democrats wanted a bigger role for government, while Republicans like Grover Norquist wanted to drown it in the bathtub. Obama and Trump made it more about personality and worldview — “Yes we can” or “Make America great again.” (To Obama, the arc of history was bending toward justice; to Trump, everything was just going downhill.) Obama had plenty of policy ideas, but he campaigned on hope and change, which are hard to be against — who could run on despair and stasis? Besides, it’s harder than ever to pass ambitious legislation these days.
The conventions, which started as actual meetings and then became appointment viewing for people interested in politics, are now aimed more at fans of a certain party. And they deliver. Most people I know, most of whom are Democrats, think Harris did great, and I agree. But how could she not? She had an enthusiastic audience, good warm-up acts, even nice lighting. Most important, she has the momentum of momentum. The real question is how she’ll do with journalists and how she’d fare in a debate against Trump.
The closest thing to an open question was the potential for disruptive protests over the war in Israel and Gaza, which seemed like they could echo the ones that took place during the 1968 Democratic National Convention, also in Chicago. (With Hamas and Hezbollah firing rockets at Israel daily, it seems weird to refer to this as a war in Gaza.) Back then, anti-war protesters in Grant Park chanted “the whole world is watching” — a line from a Bob Dylan song — as police beat and arrested them. Recently, some did the same, but these days the whole world can now see everything on social media, though they can sometimes struggle to tell if it’s real or generated by AI.
After every big pop culture moment comes the fan army drama. In this case, that means Harris supporters have to convince far-leftists that they’re better off voting for her than staying home. Robert Kennedy plans to endorse Trump, because maybe he can get a look at the Roswell files. And Trump will complain that he’d be much more popular if only the charts were tabulated differently.
In November, we’ll figure out who’s No. 1. Until then, we have to wait and see if Taylor Swift will endorse a candidate — and whether either one will be half as effective as she is at using her dedicated fans to generate mainstream attention.
Welcome to another edition of Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. While you’re here, we also have a weekly interview series spotlighting a single executive and a regularly updated gallery honoring many of the industry figures we’ve lost throughout the year.
Warner Music welcomed seasoned artist manager and marketer Oscar Scivier as its Hong Kong-based senior director of A&R for Asia. The label said Scivier will work closely with regional management on developing A&R strategies, plus support WMG’s over-arching vision to introduce local artists to global audiences. Scivier was most recently head of music at Digital Arts and Sciences, which followed a five-year run at First Access Entertainment, where he A&R’d Rita Ora, Madison Beer, DJ Regard and others. He also made earlier stops at Ultra Music, working with Steve Aoki, Kygo, OMI and Benny Benassi, and Three Six Zero, where he day-to-day’d Deadmau5 and Michael Woods. “Adding Oscar to our worldwide A&R team strengthens our ability to swiftly seize artist development opportunities and reaffirms WMG’s commitment to providing the best platform for the most impactful and popular talent,” said Kabiru Bello, vp of global A&R at Warner Recorded Music. “His wide-ranging experience as a producer, label manager and artist manager will make him a superb addition to our company’s leading team of A&R executives.”
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Stern Management secured the services of industry veteran Marisa Jeffries in the newly created role of general manager. She’ll work closely with the company’s roster, which includes The Black Angels, Phosphorescent, Metric, Finn Wolfhard and others. Jeffries was most recently U.S. lead of label partnerships at TikTok, where she nailed down opportunities for the likes of Taylor Swift, Rosalia, Steve Lacy and Omar Apollo — quality work that earned her a spot on Billboard‘s Women in Music list in 2023. Earlier in her career, Jeffries drove marketing strategy for Sony Music’s catalog division and prior to TikTok she spent five-plus years working label relations at SoundCloud. “I have been constantly inspired by Marisa and her community of colleagues and friends who break artists in new and inventive ways,” said Stern Management founder Nick Stern. “Her superpower has always been drawing out the best in people and building long-lasting partnerships founded on trust, excitement and a love for doing cool things.”
Universal Music Sweden tapped Mattias Caliste to lead the newly launched Def Jam Recordings Sweden. The label’s opening roster includes Asme x Sarettii, Sebastian Stakset and Zikai. His team will include Hamid Jamshidi, Hermon Alemseghed and Mathilda Sachs, plus UMG’s regional and global network. Caliste is a former member of Swedish hip-hop group Fjärde Världen (Fourth World) and was most recently in charge of Virgin Music Sweden, where he worked with artists including 23 and Asme. “Def Jam raised me!” Caliste said. “I grew up on artists like Public Enemy, EPMD, LL Cool J, Redman & Method Man, Warren G and many others who all released some of their most outstanding albums under Def Jam. The label has a legacy that is incredibly important for hip hop as both a genre and a subculture.”
Stern Management secured the services of industry veteran Marisa Jeffries in the newly created role of general manager. She’ll work closely with the company’s roster, which includes The Black Angels, Phosphorescent, Metric, Finn Wolfhard and others. Jeffries was most recently U.S. lead of label partnerships at TikTok, where she nailed down opportunities for the likes of Taylor Swift, Rosalia, Steve Lacy and Omar Apollo — quality work that earned her a spot on Billboard‘s Women in Music list in 2023. Earlier in her career, Jeffries drove marketing strategy for Sony Music’s catalog division and prior to TikTok she spent five-plus years working label relations at SoundCloud. “I have been constantly inspired by Marisa and her community of colleagues and friends who break artists in new and inventive ways,” said Stern Management founder Nick Stern. “Her superpower has always been drawing out the best in people and building long-lasting partnerships founded on trust, excitement and a love for doing cool things.”
Jake Owen and Keith Gale launched Good Company Entertainment Records, a label and artist services appendage of their management company of the same name (sans the ‘Records’ part). GCE Records aims to provide marketing services, digital and creative tools, global distribution and management services for new and established artists, including first signing Styles. “GCE Records is an alternative model to introduce artists and new music,” explained Gale. “Providing key services similar to that of the traditional record label, but dissimilar to the label structure in various facets, our artist partners and their teams have the creative freedoms to remain true to their unique brand of music that sets them apart.”
Chris Walters is now chief financial officer of Gateway Studios & Production Services, a St. Louis-based live events company that provides lighting, audio and high-tech video services for artists and festivals including Phish, Greta Van Fleet, Governors Ball, Professional Bull Riders and more. The “Studios” part of the company’s name refers to the massive, 330,000 square-foot tour and live event rehearsal campus it is currently building in STL’s Chesterfield Valley area. When online, the facility will house five separate studio spaces where events and tours destined for small theaters, stadiums and everything in between can be produced and rehearsed from soup to nuts before hitting the road. Walters has been at Gateway since 2021, following a six-year run at Emerson Automation Solutions.
Top Drawer Merch elevated Robbie McPhail to vp of sales. As part of his new role, McPhail will take lead on sales strategies for both e-commerce and in-person festival/tour merchandising, plus oversee logistics, inventory and shipping matters. McPhail joined Los Angeles-based TDM in 2016, working on-site operations at festivals such as Cali Vibes, Portola, Invisible Friends and dozens more. “His experience behind the booth gives him a unique perspective on which sales strategies are successful and which initiatives need to be implemented in the future,” the company said.
Brett Kaminsky was made partner at Felcher & Freifeld LLP, where the Cardozo School of Law grad has posted up for nearly 11 years. Most recently a senior associate, Kaminsky handles a broad swath of legal matters for F&F’s recording artists, songwriters, producers, managers and entertainment executives, including contract negotiations, licensing and branding matters and performance agreements.
Charlotte-based live events management and production company Midwood Entertainment has Joel Grubb as talent buyer and event producer. Grubb previously served as a promoter at Rival Entertainment in Atlanta, managing outdoor and special events at venues including Sweetland Amphitheatre and Chandler Park Music Festival, and contributing to booking shows at Rival’s venues including Eddie’s Attic and The Earl. In his new role, Grubb will oversee booking for a variety of venues, festivals, concert series, and special events across the southeast and beyond. Grubb also played a key role in developing/curating the indie rock festival Highball. –Jessica Nicholson
Agua Caliente Casinos hired Nick Sitar as the chain’s new director of entertainment. Based in Rancho Mirage, Calif. and reporting to Saverio Scheri, COO, Sitar is tasked with booking artists at all three of ACC’s properties in California. Prior to joining the company, he served as regional director of entertainment programming at Caesars Entertainment, where he handled bookings at all of the company’s non-Vegas properties.
ICYMI:
Christoph Behm
Christoph Behm was named the new CEO of Sony Music Germany, Switzerland and Austria (GSA), replacing Patrick Mushatsi-Kareba, who is exiting the company at the end of August … Jonathan Roberts will spearhead UTA‘s new Christian music division … and former Billboard editorial director Bill Werde will lead Syracuse University‘s new master’s degree in music business as part of the school’s prestigious Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries.
Last Week’s Turntable: Warner Chappell Promotes Zach Bryan’s A&R Guy
When Home Rule Records owner Charvis Campbell got a cold call from the Office of the Vice President of the United States on May 3, 2023, he felt the way most people would have when confronted by the same scenario: perplexed.
“It felt like an interview, like a background check,” Campbell tells Billboard. “When we were done, I was like, ‘Wait, this is kind of weird.’”
But the calls continued. Next, VP Kamala Harris’ representative asked if anyone from the Uptown Washington, D.C., record store would be in the shop that day and mentioned that someone from the office might stop by. Then, Campbell got another call from a different representative who strongly suggested he stick around. The next thing he knew, the Secret Service came to inspect the 2,700 sq. ft. independent record store — and then the vice president followed.
With a swarm of press around Vice President Harris, Campbell tried to help her around the store by asking what she might be interested in. “I’m like, ‘Okay, you want to talk about Coltrane?’ and she was like, ‘No, I want Mingus.’ She was looking for the real jazz,” says Campbell. “She had that keen sense to want some real hardcore music.”
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On May 9, Harris posted a video on Instagram that showed her walking away from HR Records — which specializes in used jazz, soul, R&B, funk and more — with three vinyl records: Charles Mingus’ Let My Children Hear Music (“one of the greatest jazz performers ever”); Roy Ayers’ Everybody Loves the Sunshine (one of her “favorite albums of all time”); and Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald’s “beautiful” collaborative 1959 album, Porgy and Bess.
“It was one of those things that wasn’t planned,” says Campbell, adding that Vice President Harris asked about the challenges of running his small business and engaged with several people who happened to be in the shop. “It was very unexpected, but sincere in the sense of her enjoying the music and wanting to learn more about the shop.
“For me,” Campbell adds, “it was, ‘There’s a lot of other places you can be right now, but the fact that you took the time says you’re supportive of small businesses, but also of our shop.’”
After Harris’ visit and her subsequent clinching of the Democratic nomination for president, Campbell says there has been a notable increase in HR’s social media engagement, and out-of-town visitors will stop by to take a photo where Harris once was. It’s been a boon for one of the rare Black-owned record stores in the country (Campbell estimates there are only about 20 to 30 across the nation), not to mention for such a young establishment.
Campbell and his business partner Michael Bernstein opened HR Records in 2018 with no music business experience between them (though Bernstein had worked as an independent musician many years prior). Campbell had been driving up to Baltimore from D.C. on a regular basis to purchase vinyl from the small independent shop East-West Records until its owner, Bill Coates, informed Campbell the store would be closing for good.
“I would tease the owner and say, ‘Hey, if we bring this to D.C., we’ll make some money,’” says Campbell. “Being the wise sage that he was he said, ‘No, you don’t want to get into the record business.’”
Undaunted, Campbell bought Coates’ entire collection and quickly realized he needed to do something with it. Initially, the collection went into the back of an antique shop for about six months, before Campbell and Bernstein landed on a location for HR Records. In 2018, they opened their doors on 702 Kennedy Street NW and began selling exclusively used vinyl.
Kamala Harris shops at Home Rule Records with ownwer Charvis Campbell in Washington, DC, on May 3, 2023.
MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images
HR Records does not lack for inventory, with thousands of records packed into bins and decorating the walls. (“Too many to count,” says Campbell.)
In addition to vinyl, the store carries CDs and merch that each account for roughly 10% of its inventory. The other 80% is a curated collection of rare and used jazz, soul, reggae and African music records. While the store has participated in Record Store Day, Campbell found it overwhelming for such a small and niche shop. “I would prefer to have that ‘68 Blue Note on the wall as opposed to the reissue of it,” he says. “The reissue sounds great, but I’ll go for the original any day.”
To fill the crates with rare vinyl, Campbell has had to develop relationships with a lot of private collectors, which he considers the hardest and best part of his job. “Once we sell that amazing Sun Ra or Coltrane or Eric Dolphy record, it’s gone,” Campbell says. “That’s what I think [Coates] was getting at. It’s going to take time and effort to build up a place where people feel comfortable giving you their records so that records are coming in the door.”
It has taken years for Campbell to acquire many collections, but he says the effort has been worthwhile. Developing those private collector relationships has led to even greater opportunities, like creating The HR Music and Film Foundation, which was born from COVID-relief work the store did for musicians by hosting gigs at the small stage in the back of the shop, filming them and promoting the videos and artists on their social media. After roughly 15 shows, the HR team realized they could get more support if they formed a not-for-profit organization.
Today, the HR Music and Film Foundation produces live musical performances, concerts, film screenings and festivals. It also educates youth in the community through workshops, classes and hands-on experience, allowing them to develop confidence and skills in music production, audio production, filmmaking, photography and graphic design. The foundation’s first project was a documentary on Black Fire Records, a Black-owned independent jazz label that started in D.C. in the 1970s. In support of the film, the foundation launched a local outdoor festival with live music and an evening screening of the documentary in 2022. The third annual Home Rule Music Festival took place in June and the documentary aired on PBS in 2023.
“When I think of the work we’ve done now with our foundation and the documentaries,” says Campbell, “It’s about using the medium of film combined with music which is so powerful in terms of being able to tell stories and educate people and educate our community.”
More in this series: Grimey’s in Nashville, Tenn.; Twist & Shout in Denver, Colo.
Sony Music Masterworks acquired a majority stake in Black Sky Creative, a company that produces immersive entertainment, experiential retail and live experiences for IP and brands. Black Sky will become part of Masterworks’ live division and focus on creating scalable experiential properties across music, film/TV, gaming and more. Black Sky founder Jeff Delson will continue leading the company’s day-to-day operations, while his partners Lee Rosen and Shannon Ramirez will work to develop new projects for Masterworks in close collaboration with Masterworks president Mark Cavell.
Independent label Oh Boy Records inked a worldwide distribution deal with Secretly Distribution. Oh Boy Records was founded in 1981 by singer-songwriter John Prine and continues to be run by the late artist’s family. Oh Boy’s catalog includes albums from Prine, Kelsey Waldon, Swamp Dogg, Alice Randall and Arlo McKinley. Oh Boy artist Dan Reeder’s album Smithereens and music from folk trio Palmyra will be among the first new Oh Boy titles to be handled by Secretly Distribution’s global team and distribution network. – Jessica Nicholson
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Audio Chateau Records, the new label launched by Audio Up Media, raised $4.5 million in funding from investors including Glen Barros, Gillian Hormel and Jonathan Schulman. The label also announced part of its leadership team, with Baros (a managing partner at Exceleration Music) and Schulman acting as Audio Chateau’s first appointed board members. Elsewhere, Grayson Flatness (formerly of Sounds Good) joins Audio Chateau as an A&R consultant and Kate London has been named head of legal & business affairs, a role she also serves at Audio Up Media. Audio Chateau’s artist roster includes Grupo Linea, Uncle Drank, Randy Savvy of the Compton Cowboys and Maejor Audio Sunshine, described in a press release as a “health and wellness supergroup” that features Audio Up founder Jared Gudstadt along with artists Maejor and Bipolar Sunshine.
ADA partnered with former Hall of Fame athlete and banker Travis Wilson‘s FTS Global Management to provide global distribution for FTS’ artists, including The Game, Eric Bellinger and Konshens.
Resale marketplace Tixel partnered with Stuart Galbraith‘s U.K. concert and festival promoter Kilimanjaro Live. Through the deal, Tixel will provide Kilimanjaro with tools that enhance transparency and fairness, including dynamic pricing and secure resale options for fans, while offering insights into Kilimanjaro’s customer base. “We are thrilled to announce Tixel as our partner on a number of KMJ shows,” said KMJ Entertainment head of partnerships Elliott Brough in a statement. “This collaboration marks our first steps towards offering safe ticket resale for fans who can’t attend and ensuring that live music enthusiasts are not exploited by touts. Partnering with Tixel not only provides us with valuable data but also opens up opportunities to develop unique strategies for our future events. “
Spotify partnered with anime brand Crunchyroll, which will now have custom “Curated by Crunchyroll” playlists within Spotify’s Anime hub as well as a “dedicated shelf of content” within the hub, including Crunchyroll podcast Crunchyroll Presents: The Anime Effect. The hub will also boast an editorially curated lineup of playlists including Anime Now, Anime on Replay and Women of Anime. “We are thrilled to partner with Crunchyroll to bring listeners a new curation of anime music to explore,” said Kyota Onishi, Spotify’s head of music in Japan, in a statement. “On Spotify, global streams of anime have surged over the past few years, and we hope the Anime hub will become an indispensable part of anime culture.”
French streamer Deezer signed a multi-year joint distribution partnership with global sports streaming service DAZN. Starting in France, Deezer users will be offered premium access to DAZN, with DAZN offering similar access to Deezer users later in the year. Through the agreement, both companies will collaborate through marketing initiatives and create co-branded sports and music experiences. A global expansion is planned down the road, starting with Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Synchtank, which provides asset, rights and royalty software for the music business, struck a partnership with AI-based stem separation and lyric transcription company AudioShake. Through the deal, Synchtank users will be able to create AudioShake stems directly within their workflows that can then be used for remixes, immersive mixing, fan engagement and more. “Sync deals move fast, and in this industry it’s critical for artists and labels to act quickly,” said AudioShake co-founder/CEO Jessica Powell in a statement. “AI stems help prevent rightsholders from missing out on opportunities and revenue in sync, marketing, or fan engagement. Partnering with Synchtank allows us to bring high-quality sound separation directly into the workflow of rightsholders globally.”
Virgin Music Group partnered with Riot Games to release the soundtrack album for season 2 of the Riot Games animated series Arcane on Netflix. Virgin will distribute the album globally with the exception of China, where Tencent will distribute. The Emmy-winning Arcane, whose first season debuted on Netflix in November 2021, centers on two champions from Riot’s League of Legends game. Season 1 featured Imagine Dragons’ “Enemy” as its theme song, with the overall soundtrack racking up more than 5.6 billion global streams, according to a press release. Season 2 is set to debut in November, with the soundtrack album dropping sometime this fall.
LONDON — The U.K. competition regulator has closed its investigations into Apple’s App store and Google’s Play Store on the grounds of shifting “administrative priorities” as it prepares to rollout stronger enforcement powers over tech companies.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened an investigation into Apple in 2021 following complaints from developers over the way that the California-based tech giant operates its app store.
For many years, developers and app makers have complained about Apple’s restrictions to outside developers and the up-to-30% fee it charges them on all purchases made through its app store.
Two of the company’s biggest critics have been Spotify and Fortnite developer Epic Games with the latter taking its fight against Apple through the U.S. courts (Epic eventually lost the case, but in the process a California ordered Apple to make changes to how its store operates, including allowing links to outside platforms and third-party services).
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The CMA opened a separate investigation into suspected anti-competitive conduct by Google in relation to its own app store in June 2022.
Both of those probes have now been dropped, the competition watchdog announced Wednesday (Aug. 21), pending reforms to U.K. competition and consumer protection laws, which are due to come into force later this year under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA).
The act, which was passed by the previous government administration in May, grants the CMA new and expanded powers over how large digital companies operate in the United Kingdom, including the ability to directly impose fines of up to 10% of global annual turnover for firms found to be breaching consumer protection and competition laws.
“Once the new pro-competition digital markets regime comes into force, we’ll be able to consider applying those new powers to concerns we have already identified through our existing work,” said Will Hayter, executive director for digital markets at the CMA, in a statement.
The CMA said that should Apple or Google each or both be designated as having “strategic market status” – a categorization that requires global turnover of more than £25 billion or U.K. turnover of more than £1 billion — it will be able to use its new powers to investigate the companies “more holistically” than it could under its now-closed probes.
The regulator said it expects to launch three to four investigations into companies with strategic market status (SMS) within the first year of its new powers coming into force. If the CMA finds businesses are using their status to gain an unfair competitive advantage, it says it will take “targeted and proportionate action” to address their behavior.
The CMA also said that it has rejected new commitments from Google that would have given app developers the choice of using alternative payment options to Google Play’s billing system, under proposals known as “Developer Only Billing” and “User Choice Billing.” Those proposals failed to “address its competition concerns effectively,” said the CMA.
In response, a spokesperson for Google said the company has actively engaged with the regulator throughout their investigation and has “made a number of significant commitments to further broaden the billing options available to developers through Google Play.”
Google says that its fees are the lowest charged by major app stores with 99% of developers qualifying for a service fee of 15% or less. The company says that in 2022 its Android app business generated almost £10 billion in revenue for British developers and supported over 457,000 jobs in the U.K. Apple did not respond to requests for comment when contacted by Billboard.
The CMA’s warning that it will continue to closely monitor the tech sector over competition concerns and may reopen further inquiries in the not-too-distant future comes as regulators and politicians around the world look at ways to curb the dominance of tech giants like Apple, Amazon, Google and Meta.
In March, the European Commissioned fined Apple 1.8 billion euro ($1.95 billion) for breaking competition laws and unfairly favoring its own music streaming service over rivals including Spotify. [Apple appealed in May.]
The company has also been forced to make a number to how its App store operates in the 27-member EU trading bloc as a result of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which officially came into force in 2022, although companies had until March this year to comply with its terms.
The Digital Markets Act requires tech companies trading within the EU region to open up their services and platforms to other businesses and allow them to operate more freely.
For music streaming services like Spotify that means it is now able to list pricing information inside its app for European users – an update that is “something as obvious as it is overdue,” the company said in a blog post earlier this month. Freemium Spotify users looking to upgrade can also see special introductory offers and the pricing once a promotion ends.
While Spotify has welcomed the gradual loosening of restrictions, it says its long-running battle with Apple isn’t over and continues to criticize the company for preventing EU iOS users from purchasing subscriptions in-app because of what it describes as “illegal and predatory taxes Apple continues to demand, despite the [European] Commission’s ruling.”
Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communication is launching a new master’s degree in music business in 2025. The addition expands on the undergraduate program in the recording and entertainment industries. Both degree programs are named after renowned music publishing executive and former head of Sony Music Publishing Martin (Marty) Bandier, who graduated from Syracuse in 1962. […]
Warner Records has signed Madrid-based pop singer and multi-instrumentalist Rusowsky via a joint venture with Rusia IDK, an artist collective led by Rusowsky and singer-producer Ralphie Choo.
Rusowsky (real name Ruslan Mediavilla) is a well-known figure in Madrid’s alternative music scene. He started releasing music in 2019 and has since collaborated with artists including C. Tangana, DELLAFUENTE and Choo; he’s also played festivals including AXE Ceremonia, Sonar and Lollapalooza in South America. According to a press release, he’s racked up more than 115 million global streams across his catalog.
“This partnership is emblematic of Warner Records’ storied history as a home for true artists across all genres,” said Jackson Harris, manager of A&R at Warner Records, in a statement. “Rusowsky and RUSIA IDK are inspiring a musical and cultural revolution. From head-turning music to mesmerizing live performances, I’m excited for new audiences to learn about these brilliant musicians.”
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Added RUSIA IDK founder Manuel Jubera Suárez: “This is an unprecedented partnership that not only marks a before and after in the Spanish music scene, but also represents a key to enter the American market. The intention is to open new doors for Spanish music, bringing its essence and diversity to a global stage. Thanks to Aaron Bay-Schuck, Tom Corson, Jeff Sosnow and Jackson Harris. And, of course, it would never have been possible without mori, DRUMMIE, Ralphie Choo, Rusowsky and TRISTÁN!, the true essence of RUSIA-IDK.”
Rusowsky is represented by agent Devin Landau at TBA.
Elsewhere…
Katharine McPhee signed a label deal with Nashville-based company Melody Place, which will release new music from the singer and actress early next year. McPhee is slated to make her Grand Ole Opry debut on Oct. 12.
U.K. band The Last Dinner Party signed with PPL for the collection of their international neighboring rights royalties. In February, the five-piece group notched a No. 1 album in the United Kingdom with their debut studio set Prelude to Ecstasy. According to a press release, the band accumulated more than 688,000 seconds of airplay between April 2023 and May 2024, with the majority (62%) of that coming from their debut single “Nothing Matters.”
PULSE Records signed former America’s Got Talent winner Grace VanderWaal. The label released her new single, “Call It What You Want,” on Friday (Aug. 16); it will be followed by an album next spring. VanderWaal is managed by Brad Cohen at Raw Material and booked by Janet Kim at UTA.
BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville signed country singer-songwriter Lanie Gardner, who first rose to attention with her rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams.” She was recently featured on the Twisters soundtrack with the track “Chasing the Wind” and is slated to tour with Jelly Roll and ZZ Ward. Her most recent single is “Lord Knows.”
Red Bull Records signed singer-songwriter Morgan (“ADCT”) and released her new single, “Bum Bum,” on Friday (Aug. 16). Morgan previously released collaborations with and wrote songs for the dance group Rudimental before collaborating with acts like Purple Disco Machine, Sonny Fodera and Sigma. She released her debut solo EP, Alien, in 2020.
Music, audio post-production and sonic branding company Barking Owl added composer, songwriter and producer Dan Romer to its roster. Barking Owl will exclusively represent Romer — whose scores include Beasts of the Southern Wild, ABC’s The Good Doctor and HBO MAX’s Station Eleven, among others — for advertising and branded content. His production credits include A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera’s “Say Something” and Shawn Mendes’ “Treat You Better.”
Pop-rock artist Bailey Spinn, known for her popular YouTube covers of songs including Olivia Rodrigo’s “Traitor,” signed with AWAL, which released the acoustic version of her viral song “Happy Ending” on Aug. 7 (to be followed by the release of her debut album). Spinn is managed by Temima Shames at Next Step Talent and booked by Jason Parent at Sound Talent Group.
Canberra, Australia band Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers signed with Mom + Pop for the world (minus Australia and New Zealand). The band is ramping up for the release of I Love You Too, an extended version of its debut album I Love You, on Sept. 20; the set will feature three new songs, including the newly-released “Dull.” The Jean Teasers opened up dates for Foo Fighters in Australia and are slated to play several shows in the U.S. later this year, including a slot at Eddie Vedder’s Ohana Festival.
Wasserman Music signed country singer-songwriter Angie K to its roster, with Wasserman’s Nate Ritches representing her for worldwide representation. A 2024 CMT Listen Up Artist, Angie K is repped by JR Schumann for management, Huskins-Harris for business management and Essential Broadcast Media for public relations. – Jessica Nicholson
Singer-songwriter Christian Hayes, who first garnered attention when he posted a video of himself singing his song “Leaving” on Instagram in September 2023, has signed with WME, Universal Music Publishing Group and Flood Bumstead McCready & McCarthy for business management. He is managed by Helena Capps at Wildrose Projects. According to a press release, Hayes’ single “LILY” has racked up more than two million streams since its release this spring.
Warner Music Nashville signed The Band Loula and will release its major label debut track, “Don’t Call Me,” on Friday (Aug. 23). The band is managed by Mary Hilliard Harrington, Chip Dorsch and Christina Dunkley and booked by Grace Stern and Jay Williams at WME.
Artist-composer duo Idle Echoes (composed of Arkfoo and Jeff Dodson) has released its debut album Velvet Phoenix on the ALIBI Music label. ALIBI Music is best known as a provider of music and sound effects for licensing in film, TV, advertising, video games and more.
Christoph Behm has been named the new CEO of Sony Music Germany, Switzerland and Austria (GSA), replacing Patrick Mushatsi-Kareba, who is exiting the company at the end of August.
Berlin-based Behm, who began his career at Sony Music in 2011 and has worked in a number of senior roles for the label over the past decade, including head of streaming and director of digital sales, will report to Daniel Lieberberg, president of Sony Music Continental Europe and Africa.
In a statement announcing Behm’s promotion, Lieberberg said the newly appointed CEO’s “deep understanding of our DSP partners and creativity as a leader will serve him well in his new role.”
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“Christoph has played an important role building and expanding our business across this region during the streaming era,” said Lieberberg. “He has worked closely with our artists to bring their music to new fans in innovative ways and has embraced continuous industry change to create opportunity despite rapidly shifting paradigms and business models.”
Sony Music did not provide any details about Mushatsi-Kareba’s departure from the company. The outgoing CEO has headed Sony Music’s operations in the GSA region since 2018 when he joined the label from Universal Music Germany. Prior to that, Mushatsi-Kareba spent eight years at Apple, where he was responsible for overseeing the tech company’s music business in multiple European markets, including Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland.
Although Sony Music GSA has enjoyed significant commercial success over the past six years, sources with inside knowledge of their relationship tell Billboard that Mushatsi-Kareba and Lieberberg did not always see eye to eye.
Prior to his promotion to CEO, Behm held the role of senior vp of Sony Music GSA’s commercial division, where he oversaw a large team, including the company’s family entertainment business. In the past two years, Behm’s responsibilities grew to also encompass oversight of catalog, sales and streaming departments in the region.
Top-selling frontline Sony artists in the GSA market include Apache 207, Nina Chuba, Rap Larue and Reezy.
“It fills me with pride to now lead the company that I have served in various roles for so many years,” said Behm, who takes up the CEO post on Sept. 1, in a statement. “We are at another exciting time for our industry, and I look forward with great confidence to this next chapter for Sony Music GSA,” he added.
Germany is the world’s fourth-biggest recorded music market in IFPI’s annual rankings behind the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom.
Maxie Solters, a third-generation entertainment publicist, died unexpectedly Thursday (Aug. 15) in Los Angeles. She was 37. She was also a writer, actor and producer. No cause of death was shared.
Solters followed her father, Larry Solters, and her grandfather, Lee Solters, in the family business. Her grandfather was a legendary press agent, who handled such acts as Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, Carol Channing and Frank Sinatra. Larry Solters’ Scoop Marketing represents the Eagles, Irving Azoff and Iconic Artists Group, among other clients.
Solters, who was known for her helpful and friendly demeanor, joined Scoop in 2012, working with such clients as the Kia Forum, the Hollywood Bowl and Music Forward.
Maxie Solters
Solters family
Solters grew up in Sherman Oaks, California, and graduated from Oakwood School and the University of Southern California with a theater degree. Before joining Scoop, she worked in film and television casting and also served as a coordinator for One Billion Rising, the global movement for justice and equality. In addition to acting in a number of theatrical productions, Maxie, who was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, also created, produced and starred in her own comedy web series, including 2016’s Chooch and Adventures in Online Dating and 2017’s Climax! The Series.
Her social justice work also included involvement in V-Day International and work on women’s rights.
Survivors include her father, Larry, and his partner, Carol Greenhut; her mother, Debra Graff; her longtime partner, Dim Dobrin; her aunt, Susan Reynolds; her cousin, Jonah Reynolds; and her dog, Pookie. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Maxie’s name to One Billion Rising, a cause she deeply believed in.