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When Frances Moore started in the Brussels office of The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) in 1994 as regional director for Europe, the trade organization represented six major labels that made most of their money selling CDs – and mostly in Europe and the U.S. When she retires at the end of this year, she will leave a business with three majors that’s truly global and focused on streaming. In between, Moore scored some of the key policy wins that made that happen, especially since ascending to the top job in 2010. She also transformed IFPI into a global force and served longer as CEO than any of her predecessors.
Moore started just as the major labels and other media companies began pushing for laws to protect digital content – an effort that ultimately resulted in the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act in the U.S., and the 2001 Copyright and Information Society Directive in the European Union. One of her major achievements was IFPI’s passage of the 2019 copyright directive that addressed some of its shortcomings by tightening up some of the safe harbor rules that created a “value gap” between what rightsholders made from licensed services like Spotify and what they got from user-upload-fueled services like YouTube. In between, she led IFPI efforts to extend the term of copyright protection for recordings in Europe and establish a public performance right for recordings in China, plus strengthened IFPI’s operations in markets that barely existed when she started at the organization three decades ago.
You announced in July that you would retire at the end of the year, but some executives can’t quite picture that – you have a reputation for working extremely hard. What are your plans?
I can’t really picture me retiring, either! Come the first of January, I’ll tell you the answer. I’ll take a rest at the beginning and see what happens afterwards.
You’re leaving an organization that’s much more international than the one you joined in 1994.
When I joined, the two big markets were Europe and the U.S., and the bulk of the industry’s revenues came from those two places – the other territories were much smaller. But IFPI was always an international organization: There was already an office in Hong Kong and two small offices in China, so it was more a question of how you brought everyone together.
You started in Brussels and played a major role in building up the organization there.
There was a Brussels representation [when I started] but they didn’t really have U.S. [style] lobbying and that’s what I brought to build a campaign for the [2001] copyright directive. Back in the ‘90s, Europe had a lot to learn about lobbying. I remember suggesting to one of the major national groups that they bring in a lobbyist and they were shocked. It was as if I had suggested bringing in a lady of the night. Lobbying wasn’t seen then as a clean profession.
You started at IFPI right before the first copyright directive and one of your big accomplishments as CEO was to get the 2019 copyright directive passed. That was supposed to address some of the issues with the first one, but the implementation of it in different EU countries has varied. How do you see that?
For the first copyright directive, we built something at the European level that we never had before – we had 32 organizations working together from books, film, music, you name it. In implementing the WIPO treaty, we had a good, strong directive that let companies go online with confidence. When it came to the second one, the issue was what we called ‘the value gap’ [the difference between what it cost companies to license content and how little some of them were paying to use it]. Companies were doing deals with one hand tied behind their back. That was a hard campaign to fight, not because of the arguments – people could see that – but because we had huge opponents. Now some of these companies we work with and they’re a part of the success of the music industry. But as far as EU Parliament, they said this was the hardest-fought campaign they ever had to deal with. Luckily, they came through in the end.
In theory, you got what you needed. But the directive was implemented quite poorly in some countries, especially Germany.
There are 27 countries and there’s one that hasn’t implemented it yet – Poland. But Donald Tusk [who became Polish Prime Minister on December 13], will make sure it’s implemented. In most countries, it has been done faithfully. In Germany and in Belgium, we had problems and we’re taking it to court. But it was a signal more than anything else. To some degree, once it was adopted, the tech companies realized that they had to do what it was asking for.
What do you consider your biggest accomplishment?
I think my biggest accomplishment was putting together an A-level team. I don’t like the cult of personality – everything we do, we do as a team.
Your job is like herding cats – there are the national recording business organizations and the major labels – now small, medium, and large. It’s a very tough act to follow.
The job isn’t to be an expert in legal policy – the job is to hold the ball tight and keep running forward. There’s a global search [for a successor] and I think we’ll be able to announce the person shortly, and I wish that person all the best. The most important thing is that the companies speak with one voice – then everything else becomes easier.
Frances Moore and Taylor Swift
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
You’ve had support on policy issues over the years from some very famous artists. Did you ever get starstruck?
I’m a Scottish rationalist – I don’t do starstruck. We have this program, Friends of Music, when artists come to the Parliament and they perform, and it moves you. I remember Jamie Cullum was performing in Strausberg [Germany] and at one point he stopped playing on the keys of his piano and just strummed on the wood. It was pure music. I don’t get starstruck but I get impressed beyond belief with talent.
You are leaving an organization that’s much more diverse than the one you joined in 1994. For example, you have women regional directors in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Latin America. Was that a priority for you?
That was the state of the world [in 1994] – it wasn’t just the recording industry. In my case, there was never a point of saying I’m going to recruit a woman – you can only put together an A-level team if you choose the best candidates. We have six regional teams, and three are led by men and three are led by women. That’s balanced but not deliberately balanced – it just worked out that way.
What’s going to be the most important priority for your successor?
AI, because if you don’t get it right, it could decimate the industry. That’s the big one. There are some technology companies saying that there are text and data mining exceptions and we fit in there, so we don’t have to respect copyright. Wrong.
Every time Taylor Swift shows up in Kansas City, people eat more donuts.
Last July, Donutology’s two stores in the city made 20,000 donuts in a single weekend after marketing “Tayl-gating” 30-packs, including Lavender Glazes and Caramel Is a Cat bismarcks, to meet the demand of 74,000 Swifties at two Arrowhead Stadium concerts. The stores hastily hired former employees for around-the-clock frying and assigned their marketing director, Abby Meyer, to help in the packaging department. “It hasn’t really died since then,” Meyer says.
Unlike other U.S. cities on last summer’s Eras tour, Kansas City’s Swiftie boom continues, thanks to the singer’s high-profile presence in the city this fall with her boyfriend, Travis Kelce of the NFL’s Chiefs. And Donutology isn’t the only one cashing in on the buzz: Local businesses such as clothing shops Westside Storey and Made In KC and restaurants Piropos and Prime Social have significantly boosted their sales, social-media views and website traffic over the past few months.
“We can’t attach a number to it,” says Tim Cowden, president/CEO of the Kansas City Area Development Council. “It’s an incredible opportunity that she is providing our region.”
According to the city’s Economic Development Council, Eras tickets across the United States sold at an average price of $1,200, so the Kansas City shows generated $88.8 million in revenue. Additionally, Swifties bought $1,300 to $1,500 worth of meals, merch and other goods throughout the tour, and for Kansas City, that amounted to an overall financial impact of $185 million to $200 million. Then, after Swift’s widely viewed appearance last Sunday in a vintage Chiefs sweatshirt during the team’s game against the Green Bay Packers, Westside Storey, which sold her the item, landed an unprecedented 100 online orders in the two or three days after the game, according to the store’s owner, Chris Harrington.
“It’s quite insane,” says Harrington. “It’s just driven traffic like we’ve never had before. We’re waiting to see when it ends.”
Piropos, the Argentine restaurant where Swift and Kelce had a Kansas City dinner date in late October, reports a similarly massive word-of-mouth reaction. “We didn’t put up any sign. People just called us,” says Cristina Worden, the restaurant’s owner. “We got more reservations, we have more commentary. It’s been great for every business.”
The Eras-related sales spike in Kansas City took Keith Bradley, co-owner of the 11-store gift-and-apparel chain Made In KC, by surprise. Ticketholders streamed into town, buying apparel, jewelry, candles and hats, and the stores scrambled to adapt by launching Swift-themed drinks and friendship bracelets. Nearly three months later, when Swift attended her first Chiefs game, “it felt like that was a new wave,” Bradley says, adding that his shops’ most popular holiday-season products are “anything Taylor and Travis,” such as candles and T-shirts.
The Swift-Kelce romance is a feel-good, fast-moving story and a “buzzworthy partnership,” as Katie Essing, a University of Missouri assistant teaching professor of marketing, describes it — which allows brands to attach themselves for exposure without fearing backlash or consequences. After Swift publicly ate chicken fingers with ketchup and what appeared to be ranch dressing at a Chiefs game in late September, KFC referred to Swift on social media as its “Ranch Queen” and Heinz launched a new flavor called Ketchup and Seemingly Ranch. “Brands having anything to do with ranch could jump on social media,” Essing says. “And that’s what we see happening with the brands in the Kansas City area with this relationship.”
The Eras Tour was so huge — grossing $900 million plus, with 63,000 ticket sales per show, or 3.3 million overall, according to Billboard estimates — that officials and businesses in host cities had to be asleep to not take advantage of the marketing opportunities. Tampa named Swift “honorary mayor”; Las Vegas lit up its Gateway Arches in colors representing all of her albums; and Seattle’s Japonessa Sushi Cocini racked up $10,000 in sales of “Reputation” sushi rolls and cocktails packed with glitter. But only Kansas City has extended its Swiftie effect beyond Eras.
Kansas City mayor Quinton Lucas says the NFL Draft in April, which reportedly drew 312,000 attendees and generated $164.3 million, led to “flack” from some local businesses. (Owners complained about street closures, excessive traffic and high parking costs that kept regular customers away.) “Taylor Swift was the opposite — for almost no municipal investment, we’re getting a heck of an investment,” he tells Billboard. “Any mayor would love to have Taylor Swift just start randomly coming to their city. This is great for our economy. It’s great for our culture. It’s great for letting people know we have this dynamic city. Life kind of sucks, so it’s nice to just see two happy people enjoying life.”
SiriusXM’s announcement that it planned to merge its stock with Liberty SiriusXM Group, a tracking stock of Liberty Media, helped the SiriusXM share price climb 16.4% to $5.40 this week after it lagged for much of 2023. Friday’s high mark of $5.78 nearly brought the stock back to where it ended 2022, at $5.84 per share.
The deal, which requires regulatory approval and is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2024, “will create value for all stockholders by eliminating the tracking stock structure, enhancing liquidity and allowing former LSXM stockholders to participate directly in the ongoing performance of SiriusXM,” said Greg Maffei, Liberty Media president/CEO, in a statement released Tuesday (Dec. 12).
Elsewhere, Live Nation climbed 9.2% to $93.00 this week thanks in part to an investor note by Morgan Stanley analysts that raised the price target to $110 from $100. Analysts pointed to a “secular shift” in consumer spending on experiences, the company’s increased disclosure about its Venue Nation business and a “highly unlikely” chance the Department of Justice will break up the company following its antitrust probe. Morgan Stanley’s $110 price target implies the stock, which is up 33.4% year to date, has 18% upside after Friday’s close.
Those big gains from SiriusXM and Live Nation, as well as a 4.1% gain from Universal Music Group, one of the index’s most valuable components, helped the Billboard Global Music Index increase 2.2% this week to a record 1,522.78. Nine of the index’s 20 stocks finished the week in positive territory, 10 stocks lost ground and one was unchanged.
Other indexes soared this week after the U.S. Federal Reserve held interest rates unchanged on Wednesday (Dec. 13) and indicated it would cut interest rates three times in 2024. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite set a record closing price of 14,813.92 on Friday, marking a 2.8% gain for the week. The S&P 500 is still 2% away from its high mark after finishing the week up 2.5% to 4,719.19. In the United Kingdom, the FTSE 100 rose 0.3% to 7,576.36. South Korea’s KOSPI composite index gained 1.8% to 2,563.56.
The Billboard Global Music Index’s second-largest increase came from Reservoir Media, which gained 15% to $6.82. The stock’s $6.89 closing price on Thursday was its highest since $7.06 on Feb. 16 and is 31.4% above its 52-week low of $5.19 set on Aug. 10. Chinese music streamer Tencent Music Entertainment gained 8.0% to $8.88.
Hipgnosis Songs Fund gained 4.9% to 0.701 pounds ($0.89) after the company announced on Monday (Dec. 11) the sale of 20,000 non-core music assets for $23.1 million. The proceeds will be used to pay down its revolving credit facility. On Friday, the company also announced the appointment of Christopher Mills as an independent non-executive director effective immediately. Mills, who has a reputation as an activist investor, is CEO/investment manager of North Atlantic Smaller Companies Investment Trust and founded Harwood Capital Management in 2011. Following the news, Hipgnosis Songs Fund shares rose 2.3% on Friday.
Music streaming company Anghami dropped 30.4% to $0.94, bringing its three-week decline to 66.5%. Other than Anghami, however, no other stock finished the week with a loss greater than 5%. iHeartMedia fell 4.9% to $2.52 and MSG Entertainment dropped 3.2% to $31.16.
Peso Pluma‘s Double P Records has signed a global distribution agreement with The Orchard, the company announced on Friday (Dec. 15).
The Mexican star, in partnership with his manager George Prajin, launched the imprint in April after his extraordinary rise to the global charts following the smash hit “Ella Baila Sola” with Eslabon Armado. Double P Records is subdivision of Prajin Parlay Records, Prajin’s West Coast-based indie label that signed Peso in 2022, which already had The Orchard as its distribution partner.
“Peso’s vision was to create a label home to develop new talent with bespoke, collaborative, and transparent plans that meet artists where they are and help propel them forward, which aligns completely with The Orchard’s ethos,” Jason Pascal, executive vp of global artist & label partnerships at The Orchard, who negotiated the deal said in a statement. “With this new global distribution partnership, artists signed to Double P will have access to tools that empower them to build global networks of their own.”
“Jason and The Orchard have been instrumental from the start,” added Prajin. “We make an amazing team, and I am excited to continue the relationship as we continue to take Música Mexicana global.”
Peso serves as Double P Records’ CEO and head of A&R with a roster that includes Mexican music acts Jasiel Nuñez, Tito Laija (Peso’s cousin and one of his co-writers), Los Dareyes De La Sierra and Raúl Vega. “I’m super happy to be able to help my friends because that’s how I see them. I don’t see them as my artists,” Peso previously told Billboard about launching his imprint. “More than anything, I want them to know that if I could do it, so can they. I’m on this journey with them; we’re paddling together. I tell them, ‘Learn from whatever is happening in my career. Take notes because I’m still growing just as you are.’”
Peso, 24, who this year alone entered 22 songs on the Hot 100, played a significant role in leading the genre’s seismic growth in the United States and beyond. His album Génesis made history when it debuted and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, the highest ranking for a Mexican music album on the tally. The set is up for best música mexicana album at the Grammys in February.
Peso Pluma will continue to release music through Double P/Prajin Parlay.
Each week we’ll be sharing the most important news from the north with Canada’s top music industry stories, supplied by our colleagues at Billboard Canada.
For more Canadian music coverage visit ca.billboard.com.
PARTYNEXTDOOR’s Decade-Old Track Tops Canada’s TikTok Year-End
Every year, TikTok takes a look back at the songs and creators that made a mark on the year. At times, it feels like an alternate dimension.
The most popular TikTok song in Canada this year belonged to PARTYNEXTDOOR – no doubt a major hip-hop and R&B artist. However, the version of the Canadian star’s 2014 song “Her Way” that tops the list is not the original, but a sped-up version attached to a dance challenge.
“The song’s accelerated tempo seemed to resonate perfectly with the fast-paced, dynamic nature of TikTok,” says Kat Kernaghan, Head of TikTok Music Canada. “It’s not just about consuming the music; it’s about actively participating in the creative process.”
Many of the biggest songs on the social media platform were the ones that people interacted, memed and played with the most. That can resurrect an older song, like Justin Bieber’s “Beauty and a Beat,” which was released over a decade ago in 2012.
Here’s the full list of most popular songs on TikTok in Canada this year:
When it comes to the most popular artists on TikTok in Canada this year, it’s an interesting mixed bag. Tate McRae is on the list after a year that saw her transcend social media onto the stage of SNL and the cover of Billboard. Artists like Lauren Spencer Smith, Alexander Stewart and Faouzia made intimate and emotional music that people related to so much they had to use the sound. Others, like Tiagz, blurred the lines between “creator” and “artist,” making content designed to go viral first, then chart later.
Find the full list here.
Why Changes Could Be Coming to Montreal’s Music and Noise Laws
Montreal venue owners have been making noise about existential threats to their businesses. Now, the City of Montreal says a new nightlife policy will make changes to how noise is regulated in the city.
On Nov. 20, Sergio Da Silva incited a conversation about noise complaints when he posted a screenshot of a message recently received by Turbo Haüs, a long-running rock venue he co-owns located in Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles entertainment district.
In French, the message informs Turbo Haüs that they may be subject to a fine of up to 12,000 Canadian dollars ($8,950) because noise from the venue was audible in a nearby residential region.
Turbo Haüs is far from the only venue affected by noise complaints in Montreal.
Prominent venue The Diving Bell Social Club, is currently preparing to close down this month, in part due to complaints the venue says they’ve received from a neighbouring landlord.
Responding to questions about noise complaints, Julien Deschênes — a political aid for the City of Montreal — tells Billboard Canada that a new nightlife policy is currently under development at the city, and should be ready for city council approval in January. The policy, Deschênes says, will seek to implement the “agent of change” principle, which puts the burden on new buildings that go up near commercial establishments to adapt to the existing noise in the area and not vice versa.
Deschênes says that the specific framework is not yet finalized, but that the policy will aim for implementation in the Ville-Marie borough, home to Turbo Haüs, as well as Plateau-Mont-Royal, where The Diving Bell is located.
Montreal has a reputation for supporting arts and culture — launching the careers of Canadian stars like Kaytranada and Grimes just in the last decade — but as rents rise, new developments go up, and the city landscape changes, artists and cultural workers are raising concern about the future of the city’s venues. READ MORE
SOCAN Foundation Announces Winners for 2023 Black Canadian Music Awards & Young Canadian Songwriters Awards
The SOCAN Foundation has announced the five winners of its fourth annual Black Canadian Music Awards, a group of rising talents in Canada’s music industry. Toronto hip-hop artist DVBLM; R&B singers Liza, Savannah Ré, and Myles Castello; and genre-hopping NAIIM take home $10,000 each as this year’s winners, with support from Sirius XM.
The awards, which were announced on Dec. 12, seek to recognize Black creators from all over the country. They’re determined by a jury of Black artists and industry experts from a pool of applicants.Honourable mentions for this year’s awards went to Eleanor, Tona, Kirk Diamond & FINN, Mah Moud and Ryan Ofei.
The SOCAN Foundation also just announced winners for another awards program: the Young Canadian Songwriters Awards.
The winners include seventeen-year-old Sofia Kay, who recently helped K-POP group Tomorrow x Together hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200, co-writing their single, “Sugar Rush Ride.”
The winners of that award are:
Andelina Habel-Thurton for “Le grand retour de l’insomnie”
Brighid Fry (a.k.a. Housewife) for “Matilda”
Elizabeth Royall,for “Numb”
Fin McDowell for “People I Barely Knew”
Sofia Kay, for “Fuu”
READ MORE
If it’s Friday, you know it’s high time for another spin around the Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music.
Keychange U.S., a non-profit organization championing gender equity and inclusion across music, added four new members to its board of directors: Andreea Gleeson (TuneCore), Christine Osazuwa (Measure of Music, Shoobs), Jessica Sobhraj (Cosynd), and Matthew Yazge (Whitman Insight Strategies). Additionally, Keychange U.S. hired YouTube and Reddit veteran Maria Gironas as its new general manager, working closely with the board on its stateside initiatives. Founded in 2017, Keychange focuses on empowering women and gender minority artists and industry pros. The organization’s goal is to reshape the music industry to make it more inclusive. Keychange’s Gender Equality Pledge has been signed by more than 650 global music organizations. The U.S. expansion of Keychange was launched in June 2022 with funding from TuneCore and its Paris-based parent Believe.
“After launching the gender equality study, BE THE CHANGE three years ago, it was important that we continued to support the mission of the report, namely, to see the industry move towards more equitable and diverse representation across genders. That’s what led us to Keychange,” said Gleeson. “Witnessing the impact of what Keychange has been able to achieve in Europe and the many lives it has influenced, it became apparent that we needed to bring similar efforts to the US. I’m honored to be named US Chair for the Board of Directors. Together with the rest of the illustrious board, I am excited to continue to drive impact, both globally and locally, for women and gender-expansive individuals, be they developing music creators or rising executives.”
South Korean tech conglomerate Kakao, owner of Kakao Entertainment and a majority stakeholder in K-pop company SM Entertainment, appointed Shina Chung to be its next CEO. She currently runs the company’s venture arm. When Chung officially takes over the mothership in March, she’lll be Kakao’s first female chief executive and has already signaled change is afoot at the perpetually embattled company. “I will carry out active and responsible management,” Chung said. “I will not miss this opportunity for change because Kakao does not have much time.” Her appointment arrives a month after Kakao and its former chief investment officer were indicted for stock manipulation related to its pursuit of SME earlier this year. Kakao owns the country’s dominant chat app, KakaoTalk, and subsidiary Kakao Entertainment owns Starship Entertainment, home to K-pop megastars Monsta X, as well as South Korea streaming app Melon. In August, Kakao Entertainment and SM Entertainment revealed their plans to create a North American joint venture by the end of this year.
Ming Lu was appointed to the newly created role of vice president of artist development and entertainment strategy at Universal Music Greater China. Ming Lu’s job will be to build up opportunities for the label’s Chinese-language roster and facilitate opportunities for artists across film, TV, gaming and other sectors. Ming Lu joins Universal from Warner Music, where he most recently served as a senior director. Prior to WMG, he put in five years as director of artist management at Modern Sky.Based in Beijing, Ming Lu will report directly to Timothy Xu, chairman and CEO of UMGC. “With his keen insights on youth culture and strategic approach in the entertainment businesses, Ming Lu will be instrumental to drive the innovation and growth at the very heart of our business – providing the full spectrum of services and utmost opportunities for artists,” said Xu.
All in the Family: Veteran journalist Raina Kelley is VIBE‘s new editor-in-chief. Starting Jan. 2, Kelley will oversee the editorial direction and vision of the 30-year-old VIBE brand as it begins a new chapter as part of the portfolio of its sister publication Variety. She’ll work closely with Variety co-EICs Ramin Setoodeh and Cynthia Littleton, who’ll expand their remits as editorial directors of VIBE. The NYC-based journalist was most recently vp and EIC of Andscape, the ESPN vertical devoted to covering the intersection of Black culture and sports. She assumed the leadership role in May 2021 after serving as managing editor of the site (then called The Undefeated) for five years. Prior to The Undefeated, she served as deputy editor at ESPN The Magazine. Vibe joined the Penske Media portfolio — which also includes Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter — through its 2020 joint venture with MRC. “We’re thrilled to welcome Raina to the Variety family,” said Setoodeh and Littleton. “Raina brings with her an incredibly rare set of skills and experiences across politics, sports and media. She will be instrumental in maintaining VIBE’s unique voice of authority and infusing her perspective into all of our initiatives. We look forward to VIBE’s exciting evolution ahead.”
Agency Briefs: Creative Artists Agency (CAA) announced 16 promotions to agent. Those promoted include Gabrielle Fetters, Megan Glendinning, Justin Gorkowitz, Evan Greenberg, Leilani Houston, Alex Hubert, Hannah Kaiser, Ashley King, Kyle Margolis, Peppa Mignone, Max Miller, Khalil Roberts, Sarah Phillips, Cami Potter, Jack Upton, and Connie Yan to agent or executive. (Dave Brooks) … GOA Music & Speakers (Greg Oliver Agency, Inc.) has expanded and elevated its staff, with Tim Robinson joining as an artist agent, and David Richt being promoted from booking coordinator to artist agent. GOA Music currently represents Big Daddy Weave, Tasha Layton, Rhett Walker and more. (Jessica Nicholson)
Death Row Records hired UMG veteran Kat MacLean Daley as the revamped label’s first vp and head of publishing, effective immediately. No surprise, MacLean Daley reports directly to DRR owner Snoop Dogg and is based in Los Angeles. In her new role, she’ll handle day-to-day operations and focus on building on Death Row’s publishing prowess, plus expand the label’s catalog and roster. She joined UMPG in July 2017 in the business and legal affairs department, and worked her way up to director of music sampling and business development. “Kat’s already a legend in the world of clearances and publishing, and her drive and discipline was what I wanted to bring to Death Row,” said Snoop. “The talent that has been a part of Death Row for over 30 years deserves to have their songs heard, but also to be properly licensed and paid as songwriters and producers. I know that Kat is the right person to take care of our history, while also helping us write the story for the chapters to come. There’s a Kat in the Dogg house now.”
Board Shorts: The Country Music Association elected its board of directors for 2024, with new board members including Austin Neal (The Neal Agency), Shannan Hatch (SESAC), Mike Harris (UMG Nashville), Jeffrey Hasson (UTA), Annie Ortmeier (Triple Tigers Records), Rachel Whitney (Spotify), Brent Daughrity (Gallagher), Deana Ivey (Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp), Michelle Tigard Kammerer (Amazon Music), Adam Weiser (AEG Presents), Stephen Parker (NIVA) and John Zarling (615 Leverage + Strategy). The board officers for 2024 will be Kella Farris, chairman (Farris Self & Moore, LLC), Jay Williams, president-elect (WME), Jennie Smythe, president (Girlilla Marketing) and Ben Vaughn, secretary/treasurer (Warner Chappell Music Nashville) … Former Stone Temple Pilots manager Steve Stewart joined the advisory board of Sonar Media, a new music, social media, and streaming mobile platform … Former AOL and Univision-ary Kevin Conroy joined the advisory board of American Weekend Entertainment, parent of Gen Z influencer network Music Daily.
ICYMI:
Warner Music Nashville appointed Stephanie Wright as senior vp of A&R … WME announced detailed departmental changes relating to A&R and bookings … Scott Hendricks (pictured) will be leaving Warner Music Nashville at the end of the month … The National Independent Talent Organization (NITO) hired Nathaniel Marro as its first managing director … and Datwon Thomas was named executive producer of talent for Dick Clark Productions (DCP).
Global creative audio network Squeak E. Clean Studios named Chris Clark and Michael Gross (MG) co-managing directors of the U.S. At the same time, Hamish Macdonald will step aside as global managing director of the company, which creates soundtracks and sound designs for ads, film and TV, but he’ll continue to oversee Squeak E’s operations in Australia. Clark joined the Squeak squad in 2020 from ad giant Leo Burnett, while MJ is two years in after a tenure at someplace called “Google.” Macdonald said he is “so proud of this announcement,” adding, “It is such an incredibly exciting next stage in Squeak E’s growth and a much deserved promotion to two great leaders. Both Chris and MG have all the talent, skills and drive to handle the role of MD independently, but as they both bring insights steeped by equally impressive backgrounds from different sides of the industry, they are the dynamic duo to lead this incredibly talented team into the stratosphere.”
Radio, Radio: Partridge Family star Danny Bonaduce retired from Seattle radio this week after 12 years at classic rock station KZOK. Bonaduce, who said he’ll take it easy in Palm Springs but keep a place in his “beloved Seattle,” said recently that he has hydrocephalus, a neurological disorder caused by a buildup of fluid in cavities deep within the brain … Australian radio legend Richard Kingsmill announced his retirement after a 35-year reign as a champion of music at Triple J radio. “His dedication and passion for supporting Australian music and musicians has shaped our industry,” said APRA AMCOS in a statement. “An absolute a radio her. Big bravo.”
Warner Music Group veteran Barry Landis launched Pivot Music, a new label offering scoring and licensing services for filmmakers and music supervisors. Pivot’s general manager of operations is Ben Jones, a graduate of Belmont University’s Curb College of Music Business. “I’m excited for this new approach to the music industry,” says Jones. “The models for business are constantly changing and being at the frontlines of these shifts is crucial.”
Anastasia Brown departed Visionary Media Group (VMG), where she has been chief content strategist since 2020. Brown’s role centered on directing the creation and allocation of all digital and physical content across platforms for VMG’s music, film, television and scoring projects. Her 30-year career includes roles as a music supervisor, artist manager, music publisher, film/soundtrack/TV producer, author, TV personality, A&R/label executive and content creator at companies including Firstars Management in Nashville, Ark 21 Records, the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corporation and Warner Nashville. She earned a Grammy nod for her role as music consultant on the 2011 Footloose remake and served as an on-air judge on the USA Network series Nashville Star from 2005 to 2007.
Experiential entertainment company Mycotoo promoted Cirque du Soleil alum Michael Wilder to director of production and hired Jessica Herrera as director of business development. Wilder has 25-plus years of experience under his belt, and recently spearheaded Mycotoo’s production for the fan activation for Netflix’s “Stranger Things: The Experience.” Herrera has 16 years of economic development experience and was previously the director of econ dev for the city of El Paso, Texas. Mycotoo CEO Seth Cover: “Their unparalleled expertise and track record of success will be undoubtedly valuable in enabling us to deliver live experiences that bridge entertainment, human connection, and inspiration to audiences worldwide.”
Executive Turntable: Spotify’s UK Boss Departs
Warner Music Group has partnered with British health tech start-up MediMusic to trial “music as medicine” to help relieve pain, anxiety and stress. MediMusic will conduct research testing in several closed randomized controlled trials in both the United States and the United Kingdom that will deliver playlists from the Warner Music catalog to patients and sample groups to observe how they respond to the music in real-time.
“MediMusic’s proprietary algorithms extract the relevant features from the digital DNA of a piece of music, resulting in a fingerprint for healthcare use,” according to a press release, with the help of artificial intelligence, machine learning and patient data. The company then automatically creates personalized 20-minute playlists and plays the music through a streaming device called the MediBeat and a pair of headphones. Patients wear a heart rate monitor on their wrists to monitor the physiological effect of a piece of music.
The release states that initial trials conducted by MediMusic and the UK National Health Service using the MediMusic technology reduced the heart rate of anxious dementia patients by 25%.
Secretly Distribution announced new global multi-year deals with Danger Mouse‘s 30th Century Records, the catalog of singer-songwriter David Gray and Madlib‘s Madlib Invazion. Secretly will support all of 30th Century Records’ new music and back catalog, including vinyl reissues. For the Gray catalog, the company will work with Bella Figura Music to provide the catalog with global digital support and vinyl reissues. And for Madlib Invazion, Secretly will handle distribution for Madlib and the rest of the label, including new music from Madlib expected next year.
Additionally, Secretly announced multi-year contract renewals with three longtime label partners: Captured Tracks, Rhymesayers Entertainment and Run for Cover.
SoundCloud announced partnerships with dance label Helix Records and hip-hop label Payday Records to offer expanded global artist services for emerging electronic and hip-hop artists identified by SoundCloud for a potential signing with one of the labels.
ASM Global and Voltus, a distributed energy resource platform and virtual power plant operator, struck a partnership through which ASM Global-managed venues will be paid for energy reduction efforts across all venues located in wholesale and regulated power markets in the United States. Earlier this year, the ASM Global Acts Foundation announced a plan to convert the company’s venue portfolio into the world’s most sustainable, which includes reducing energy consumption by 25% by 2030 from this year’s baseline and becoming carbon neutral by 2050.
Colorado Springs, Colo.-based live entertainment company Notes Live entered into a non-binding letter of intent for a business combination transaction with wine producer Fresh Vine Wine, a company listed on the NYSE American stock exchange. The two parties expect to negotiate and enter into a definitive agreement before the end of January; Notes Live is planning to seek shareholder approval for the transaction at a meeting scheduled for Jan. 31.
The final closing is expected in the second quarter of 2024, subject to closing conditions including approvals by NYSE American of the continued listing of the combined company’s common stock after the closing. The combined company’s common stock would trade on the NYSE American under the ticket “VENU” following the closing.
Notes Live currently operates two entertainment campsites in Colorado Springs and Gainesville, Ga. and is also developing luxury amphitheaters in Colorado Springs; Broken Arrow and Oklahoma City, Okla.; and northern Texas. According to a press release, “The parties expect that the owners of Notes Live would own a substantial majority of the issued and outstanding shares of Fresh Vine common stock on a post-transaction basis, which may be in excess of 90%.”
The Feldman Agency is teaming with Tennis Canada to launch The Bowl at Sobeys Stadium, a new open-air concert venue in Toronto. Located on the York University campus, the Bowl will accommodate up to 9,000 guests and feature private lounges and an onsite restaurant.
Lucas Thomashow, former senior vp at Avex, announced SANA, a new label that will be a joint venture with recently launched artist and label services company Santa Anna (led by Todd Moscowitz and Lee L’Heureux), Sony Music and independent label LISTEN TO THE KIDS (founded by Conor Ambrose). SANA’s partnership with Santa Anna will encompass distribution, marketing and promotion, while the A&R and marketing teams at LISTEN TO THE KIDS (which partnered with Santa Anna in January 2023) will work with SANA on the strategy and development of the label. SANA will be based in LISTEN TO THE KIDS’ studio and offices in L.A.
Production company Jesse Collins Entertainment has signed with CAA for representation. The company, which boasts three divisions — specials, unscripted and scripted — is next slated to produce the 75th annual Emmy Awards. The company’s credits include the American Music Awards, BET Awards, Becoming a Popstar, Cardi Tries, American Soul and The New Edition Story. Founder/CEO Jesse Collins and president Dionne Harmon executive produce all Jesse Collins Entertainment programming; the company has a multi-year, non-exclusive overall deal with Paramount Global.
Lyric licensing and data solutions company LyricFind and music metadata leader Music Story extended and expanded their multi-year relationship. The broader partnership allows Music Story to help further LyricFind’s commercial reach by selling the company’s services to customers in the United States and globally. Prospective customers can also tap Music Story’s U.S. and international metadata services.
“By making Music Story an extension of LyricFind’s services, we’re taking a major step forward in unlocking the power of metadata to help more people discover and enjoy the music they love with lyrics while ensuring that songwriters and copyright holders are fairly compensated for their incredible work,” said LyricFind founder/CEO Darryl Ballantyne in a statement.
B2B streaming media service Tuned Global partnered with the new “artist-centric” streaming platform Sona to help launch Sona’s music service and marketplace, sona.stream. Tuned Global will provide content delivery, tools and reporting services for Sona under the deal, including its content delivery and APIs that will allow fans to create playlists and launch radio stations based on their favorite artists (beginning in 2024).
Co-founded by artist/producer TOKiMONSTA and Laura Jaramillo, Sona allows fans to stream music for free without subscriptions or ads but also to buy SONAs, or digital twins of specific songs that share future streaming rewards with their owners. Artists can choose which songs to auction as SONAs, while fans can purchase songs as SONAs to earn 70% of that song’s future streaming rewards on the Sona platform.
Beats marketplace BeatStars has partnered with software developer Resonant Cavity, creators of the popular mobile studio and vocal effects app Voloco, to integrate with Voloco beginning in January. “Our collaboration with BeatStars will bring the best beat catalog into the most powerful mobile recording studio,” said Patrick Flanagan, CEO/founder of Resonant Cavity, in a statement. “As artists experience studio-quality vocals from Voloco over top-tier beats from BeatStars producers, they’re going to be inspired to create something exceptional.”
UnitedMasters has officially launched in Nigeria, Billboard can exclusively announce. The global music distribution platform aims to connect independent African artists to the global stage.
With UnitedMasters’ premium music distribution services, innovative technology and first-of-its-kind artist marketing solutions, Nigerian artists will be able to upload and distribute their music to global media parters — such as Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, Apple Music, YouTube, Snap and TikTok — as well as critical African services, like Boomplay, Audiomack, Muska, Music in Ayoba, Anghami and Joox.
“UnitedMasters’ move into Nigeria is the next logical step in making independence the standard setting for the music industry all around the globe,” UnitedMasters CEO Steve Stoute said in a statement to Billboard. “While we’re active in a number of exciting markets around the world, Nigeria is simply second to none when we talk about talent density and untapped potential, both for individual artists and the Naija diaspora as a whole.”
UnitedMasters offers tailored music distribution plans for artists, from the “Debut” tier with 90% royalty retention to “Select” tier, which includes unlimited music releases and brand collaborations. For the special Nigerian launch, UnitedMasters will introduce reduced pricing, with the “Select” tier at 20,000 NGN/year, as part of its commitment to accessible, high-quality music distribution for all independent artists in Nigeria.
“Nigeria is already a musical powerhouse, and our role is to ensure that the cultural command it enjoys today becomes an economic and political annuity for generations to come,” said Stoute. “Our promise that you can shape the future of music without sacrificing your ownership is critical to establish in Nigeria, while artists from around the world seek to emulate the success of these Naija heroes. As we see it, winning with, not just within, Nigeria is the one move that will accelerate our cause in every market.”
Nigerian American rapper Tobe Nwigwe and Nigerian producer Sarz are already on the platform. In June, Billboard exclusively announced that UnitedMasters was partnering with Sarz and his 1789 imprint in efforts to discover, develop and empower the next generation of African artists and producers. Sarz recently released his “Happiness” single, featuring Asake and Gunna, via 1789 and UnitedMasters ahead of his new album, which is due in 2024. “Happiness” arrived three months before his previous “Yo Fam!” single with Crayon and Skrillex.
As part of the launch, Nwigwe and Sarz will perform during a “Live from Lagos” concert on Thursday (Dec. 14) in collaboration with Don Julio, with VIPs being served Don Julio 1942. In the coming months, Don Julio and UnitedMasters will continue working together by unveiling a series of programs aimed at spotlighting independent Nigerian artists and making strategic investments in the future of Nigerian music. UnitedMasters will utilize the brand partnerships they already have with Don Julio, Coca Cola, the NBA and more, while simultaneously building relationships with brands on the ground to support local artists and contribute to the prosperity of the Nigerian music industry.
“Don Julio partnerships are often driven by cultural truths. Don Julio has organically been a part of the Afrobeats scene for years, so when we were looking for meaningful ways to enter into the Nigerian market, the UnitedMasters launch was an obvious choice,” added Sophie Kelly, svp of global tequila and mezcal at Diageo. “This partnership will begin in December, but ultimately expand Don Julio’s presence in the music scene of Nigeria throughout 2024.”
In less than two months, the-ever first North American music industry climate summit will happen at the USC Campus in Los Angeles. Today (Dec. 14), the event is announcing a robust list of speakers and programming for the day-long event.
Happening Feb. 5, the Summit will feature speakers including Lindsay Arell, head of sustainability at ASM, Maggie Baird the founder of Support + Feed, John Fernandez, the director of the Environmental Solutions Initiative at MIT, Adam Gardner, the co-founder and Co-Director of REVERB (and also the guitarist and vocalist for Guster), Garrett Keraga, the senior manager of sustainability, policy & advisory at ClimeCo, Cassie Lee, the CEO of Sound Future, Michael Martin, the CEO and founder of r.World & Effect Partners, Amy Morrison, the president & co-founder of the the Music Sustainability Alliance, Lesley Olenik the vice president of touring at Live Nation and Jake Perry, the director of operations at C3 Presents.
Other speakers will represent companies including TAIT, CES, Coca Cola, Overdrive Energy Solutions and Rock-it Global. Additional speakers will be added before the event. Panels will be moderated by GreenBiz Chairman & Co-founder Joel Makower and address climate-related problems specific to the music economy including carbon emissions from fan travel, waste management, clean energy options and much more. See the complete Summit program below.
The Music Sustainability Summit is being produced by The Music Sustainability Alliance, an organization that provide science-based solutions, business case analyses, best practices, and tools for operational change across the industry. Tickets for the event — running 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. — are available on a sliding scale between $25 and $200 and are available now.
“We welcome all, the climate curious and the climate experts,” Music Sustainability Alliance co-founder and president Morrison said upon the Summit’s announcement. “There will be something for everybody.”
Music Sustainability Summit 2024 Program
Our Place in the World, Welcome from the MSA: Get grounded in space in time with Amy Morrison and Michael Martin, co-founders of the MSA, and Joel Makower, founder of GreenBiz – the most vital resource for greening the economy on the planet.
What’s the Problem?, The New Music Sustainability Basics: Emissions and waste are hard to measure, so we’ve gotten the experts to do it for us. MIT presents an overview of the music industry decision makers from a sustainability lens, showing us where to place our emphasis – ClimeCo brings a holistic picture of the problems we face, based on interviews from players across the music landscape. Finally, Cassie Lee from Sound Future shows us how to leverage the power of live events as a catalyst for climate innovation.
The Artist-Activist Spectrum, Artist Discussion: You’re small, you’re huge. You’re an activist first, you’re an artist first. Most likely, you’re somewhere in between. Join artists from all over the spectrum as they speak openly about the challenges, anxieties, and joys of climate action. And learn how to most effectively support them in their quest for impact.
What We Eat Matters, Food, Carbon, and Equity: “Plant-based eating is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on the earth.” – Univ. of Oxford. This conversation will explore how the music business can set precedent for other industries. From catering, to concessions, to community outreach, we will shine a light on how to eat more sustainably for the planet and each other. This conversation will show the opportunities artists and the music industry have, to shift to a more equitable food system and how they can impact local communities.
That’s Trashy!, Waste Management: It’s the most visible problem in the live music industry: millions of plastic cups, food containers, and pounds of food waste. No one likes it, it’s expensive, and there’s a solution. Join the people engineering the future of zero waste venues, and hear directly from waste haulers and concessionaires about the pain points of the transition.
Dark Days for Diesel, New Horizons for Power: Diesel generators are like the gas-powered leaf blower of the music industry: dirty, loud, and carbon-polluting… but familiar and reliable. As clean energy technologies become more widely available, festivals are leading the way in innovative power solutions to shift the industry away from fossil fuels. Meet the experts battery-powering the revolution and learn how you can hop on the train before it leaves the (solar-powered) station.
Haul it All, Freight, Trucking, Logistics, and Shipping: Whether you’re touring with a convoy of 18-wheelers, a fleet of cargo planes, ocean freight or just an acoustic guitar, getting all your gear from place to place is top-of-mind from an emissions perspective. Learn how to design cleaner, less-wasteful touring from the ground up and what artists and tours are doing today to reduce their environmental and social impact.
The Elephant in the Car, Fan Travel: It sucks, and no one wants to talk about it: anywhere from 50 – 90% of the music industry’s emission problems come from fan transportation. Like it or not, we generate the demand, and that means we’re responsible for the planes, trains, and automobiles that get people to the show. How do we even get started? From shuttle programs, to incentivizing mass transit, to lobbying for clean energy, it’s time to bite the bullet and build a livable future for our fans and ourselves.
Our Voice, Our power, Climate Communications and Fan Engagement: We’re musicians and music business professionals, not scientists. So let’s learn how to use our best weapons – our voices – to fight climate change. Learn from climate communication experts about the most effective ways for musicians and their teams to talk about climate – without fear of getting canceled.
Processing: What Just Happened?, Moderated Group Discussion: Joel Makower of GreenBiz leads us in conversation. Now that you’ve got the lay of the land, it’s time to put it all together. Meet with your new (and old) partners on the journey. Ask questions about your place on the road to zero emissions. If you’ve got questions, chances are, you’re not the only one. In this session, the audience has a chance to join the discussion and inform what’s next.
Where do we go from here?, Onwards and upwards with the MSA: Learn what’s next for the MSA and others in the industry, including plans for getting together to help each other along, and shared resources for maintaining a high level of impact.
Argentine singer-songwriter Maria Becerra has signed with Wasserman Music for representation worldwide (except in Mexico, Chile and Argentina), the talent agency announced on Thursday (Dec. 14). She will be represented by agents Juan Toro and Ryan Soroka. The deal caps off a significant 2023 for Becerra who in May signed a label deal with Warner […]