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NASHVILLE â In a keynote interview on the last day of the Music Business Association annual conference, SESAC CEO John Josephson easily sidestepped an early question on what he thought about the seemingly hip-hop-like feud that had recently evolved between ASCAP and BMI, over the latterâs decision to switch to a for-profit model and its subsequent acquisition by a private equity firm. But he wasnât shy in touting the advantages his company offers songwriters and publishers over the competing U.S. performance rights organizations.
When BMI announced it was switching to a for-profit model and was acquired by New Mountain Capital, ASCAP took to social media reaffirming its commitment to pay out out all revenue it collects â minus overhead â and unlike BMI, not taking any profit.
âI have nothing to add to that conversation,â Josephson said in response to the feud characterization put forth by interviewer, Billboard editor at large Robert Levine.
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Josephson nevertheless acknowledged that it will be interesting to watch BMIâs evolution of its business model, saying it may cause indigestion but he doesnât think it will have a big impact. Beyond that, he said it will also be notable to see âwhat will happen to the beef between some of the large publishers and BMI.â
When Levine observed that some rights holders say it is tricky to leave some U.S. PROs, Josephson responded, âThe great thing about the U.S. market is people can chooseâ a PRO.
But when Levine pointed out that it isnât always easy to leave some PROs, Josephson agreed, pointing that there has been friction in moving from one PRO to another that has even resulted in arbitration. However, at SESAC, âwe donât view our writers and publishers as captives,â he said. âIf they want to leave, they are free to go. We win by delivering better service and more money. If you do that, then you donât have to make it difficult to leave.â
In focusing on SESACâs future, Josephson said that the company has an infrastructure that serves as an intermediary between rights holders and businesses that want to exploit music and it has been looking for ways to leverage that capability. âWe think we can double or triple our market share,â Josephson said.Â
It has already grown considerably through the acquisitions of 11 different companies, including the Harry Fox Agency, Audiam and Audio Network, within the last decade, he said. It also has a joint venture in Mint Digital Services with the Swiss collective management organization SUISA. All in all, its multi-pronged approach has made SESAC a global company, he added.
Furthermore, he added SESAC currently has a âbacklog of 7 or 8 companiesâ it is talking to now about acquiring. If deals are made, Josephson said SESAC can help such companies âgrow at a faster rate than they already have been organically growing,â all of which will deliver âcompound growth.
Beyond its PRO, SESAC divides its company into three segments, church music resourses, audio-visual licensing and music services for publishers and labels. Of the latter segment, which includes the aforementioned HFA, MINT, and Audiam, he said. âWe are not interested in the long tail. We are interested in small publishers and small labels. Over time we want to broaden services that we offer to those customer groups.â
In turning to church music resources, he said Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) has been âa great business for us.â In fact, he said, it was the âfirst extension of our business to be global,â with more than 50% of the church licensing occurring outside the U.S. He conceded that licensing to that segment is not without challenges, noting that churches tend to operate on a non-profit business and may expect to pay lower rates, âeven though they are multi-million dollar commercial enterprises.â
As for SESACâs audio-visual segment, he said it is a much biggerâ business for the company that it is for ASCAP or BMI.
For the last seven years, SESAC has been majority owned by the giant private equity firm Blackstone, which he says has been a great relationship and a phenomenal capital source.
âThey give us a lot of latitude to pursue our vision of where we want to take our business,â Josephson said. âItâsâ not like they tell us what we can do and canât do. They think about whatâs best for the longterm business.â
When interviewer Levine observed that most private equity often invest with the goal of cashing out within five years, Josephson said that the Blackstone fund that invested in SESAC has an investment goal of holding a company for â10-15 years, which is why we were interested in selling to them. They donât think about what we can do to goose earnings this year,â and instead focus on the long-term.Â
When Levine expanded to the overall impact that private equity has had on the music business in recent years, Josephson observed that in the past private equity had sometimes disappeared from the music industry equation. But going forward, âas long as interest rates donât go up further dramaticallyâŚprivate equityâs involvement in the music industry may wax and wane but I donât think it will disappear.â
Itâs time for another spin around the Executive Turntable, Billboardâs comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings â and all things in between â across music. We also have a weekly interview series spotlighting a single executive, if thatâs your thing. After focus group testing we landed on âExecutive of the Weekâ â find them here.
Ralph W. Peer was named managing director of peermusic UK, based in London. In addition to his new role, Peer will continue directing company initiatives in Australasia, Africa and the Middle East, with his new mouthful title being managing director of U.K. and Australasia and vp of peermusicâs African and Middle East operations. Peermusic UK staff will report directly to Peer, with peermusic Europe president Nigel Elderton continuing to oversee creative and administrative operations throughout Europe. Peer, who is the grandson of late peermusic founder Ralph S. Peer, joined the family business full time in August 2019 as vp for Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East but soon added business affairs work in the London office as well. âWe remain steadfastly focused on providing our peermusic roster of artists, songwriters, and producers with the very best in executive talent, A&R prowess, sync, and administrative expertise,â said Elderton. âWith this move, we know our U.K. office remains in very capable hands as we continue to expand peermusic as the preeminent independent music publishing company throughout Europe.â
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Brendan Anthony joined Big Loud Texas as vice president of the recently launched label. The delicious sounding BLT was founded by Miranda Lambert and Jon Randall in late 2023 in partnership with â you guessed it â Big Loud Records. The Austin-based Anthony will oversee the labelâs operations and work closely with Lambert, Randall and the Big Loud brass in Nashville. Prior to joining Big Loud, Anthony spent nearly a decade as director of the Texas Music Office, which guides music policy statewide in close partnership with the governorâs office and other agencies. In 2026, he created the Music Friendly Texas Communities program, which helps connect dozens of cities across the state to encourage economic development of local industry stakeholders. Earlier in his career, Anthony served as head of e-commerce and artist relations for ONELIVE Media. âWeâre so proud to have Brendon join us at Big Loud Texas,â shared Lambert. âHe is as passionate as we are about the Texas music scene and has knowledge that will benefit artists in so many ways.â
Cumulus Media appointed Travis Daily as vice president of Country, putting him in charge of content for the companyâs 55 country stations in the U.S. He replaces Charlie Cook, who departs at the end of the month. Prior to joining Cumulus in Nashville, Daily was program director at Beasleyâs WQYK in Tampa and before that spent 17 years in vaulted roles across the Clear Channel/iHeartRadio empire. âWhen Charlie Cook told me he was departing, I was faced with one of the tougher decisions of my career: who could I trust to lead and represent our vast fleet of important Country stations with the finesse and character that Charlie did? On every front, Travis rises to the demands,â said Brian Philips, chief content officer.
Burr
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The Recording Industry Association of America elevated Erin D. D. Burr to senior vice president of media relations and Matthew Bass to vp of research. Burr joined the RIAA in August 2022 following a nearly 12-year tenure as a communications executive at Big Machine Label Group. In addition to handling press outreach, Burr handles strategy surrounding Gold & Platinum certifications at the music industry lobby group. Bass has spent the last decade at RIAA, where he helps craft the orgâs highly researched annual reports. He has also played a major role in modernization efforts across RIAAâs Gold & Platinum program. âErin and Matt are stars who have already shined so brightly at RIAA and in their new roles will be even more visible and effective,â said RIAA chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier. âAs the music community works together to address unprecedented new opportunities and challenges from the meteoric rise of streaming to the current effort to chart a path towards responsible and pro-artist AI, we are all lucky to have Erin and Matt embracing greater responsibilities.â Erin can be reached at eburr@riaa.com while Matthew is at mbass@riaa.com.
BMG promoted Marc Johlen to managing director for operations in Germany, Switzerland and Australia (GSA), the companyâs third largest territory after the U.S. and U.K. Johlen joined BMG in 2020 following a tenure at Budde Music to lead the GSA publishing team, which has since signed Robin Schulz, Bunt., Michael Schulte, AVAION and other big names to its roster of writers and producers. Johlen will be based in Berlin and report to Maximilian Kolb, evp of Continental Europe repertoire & marketing. âMarc is a forward-thinking leader with a proven track record in publishing, artist management and career development,â said Kolb. âHis global perspective and local expertise make him an ideal fit for this role within our new organizational structure.â
Sony Music Publishing promoted Nasra Artan to the new position of head of international A&R, effective immediately. Sheâll work across all of SMPâs A&R teams to build opportunities and drive collaborative initiatives for roster writers. The London-based Artan, who joined Sony in 2022 as European A&R manager, will continue reporting to SMPâs president of international, Guy Henderson. âIn addition to her skill set, energy and drive, Nasra approaches the creative world with an open mind, knowing that great songwriters and big songs can come from anywhere,â said Henderson.
Shareholders recently affirmed Utopia Musicâs plan to rebrand as Proper Group, which now intends to move more of its operations from Switzerland to London as the music distribution and tech company eyes a âmore focused approach that aligns with its long-term goals.â As a result of the realignment, the company said the âSwiss entity is being right-sized to reduce operational costs,â bringing an undisclosed number of layoffs. âAs we step into a new era of growth and technological advancement at Proper Group, I want to express my sincere sorrow that part of our journey involves parting ways with some of our valued colleagues,â said Michael Stebler, who is wrapping up his brief tenure as transitional CEO. The company said it would instead split its focus into two areas, with Drew Hill taking on the role of CEO of Proper Distribution and a TBA executive to lead its Music Tech division.
Nick Spampanato has been promoted from svp of venue operations to chief operation officer of venues for global live leader AEG Presents. The LA-based executive oversees the business and operations for AEGâs 50 owned and operated clubs and theaters, and reports directly to Brent Fedrizzi, AEG Presents President, North American Regional Offices. Spampanato joined AEG in early 2019 following a 10-year tenure at MSG Entertainment, where he rose to svp and oversaw all operation of the legendary Forum arena in Inglewood, Calif. Prior to MSG, Spampanato put in over 17 years in management at venues owned by Live Nation. âHis track record speaks for itself,â noted Fedrizzi. âHeâs got an institutional knowledge of venue management at every level, from clubs and theatres all the way up to arenas. Nick has a clear vision on how to effectively manage our critical portfolio of owned and operated venues, and how to propel the business forward.â
Former Billboard news director Colin Stutz recently joined Stand Together Music as managing director of artist relations. At his new gig, Stutz is tasked with building a team that will assist and champion artists looking to deliver on ways to push social change. Stand Together Music works alongside music industry stakeholders to co-create custom-fit solutions around societal challenges including criminal justice, addiction recovery, education, free speech and ending the war on drugs. (Stand Together recently partnered with Marcus King to launch a foundation to support sober touring musicians.) âWith his wealth of experience and passion for driving social change through music, Colin is a great addition to our team,â said Colette Weintraub, head of Stand Together Music, Sports & Entertainment. âTogether, we look forward to empowering artists to make a meaningful impact on the issues that matter most to our society.â
Educational Media Foundation (EMF) CEO Todd Woods has resigned. EMF is the Tennessee-based parent company of Christian radio networks Air1 and K-LOVE. Woods will continue in an advisory role through June, while EMF board chair Tom Stultz takes on the role of interim CEO. Woods joined the company in 2022 and rose to CEO in March 2023.
Universal Music Group promoted Todd Goodwin to senior vp of culture marketing and creative strategy at °1824, the creative and marketing division he launched with the label in 2019. °1824 provides UMG labels with services including content creation, public relations, A&R scouting, brand partnerships, strategic insights and experiential marketing. Additionally, Goodwinâs team produces live-streaming events. Goodwin will remain based at UMGâs Santa Monica office and continue reporting to Michele Anthony, Executive Vice President of Universal Music Group. âTodd has created a best-in-class creative resource as well as a path for the next generation of industry leaders,â Anthony said. âIâm thrilled to announce his promotion and congratulate the 1824 team on all of their accomplishments.â
Elsewhere at UMG, the label group elevated Sanujeet Bhujabal to managing director of Universal Music India and South Asia. Previously the evp of content at the label, Bhujabal will report to Devraj Sanyal, the chairman and CEO of India & South Asia. UMISA also said Viral Jani had been appointed chief revenue officer.
Former Nettwerk Music Group executive Jon Granat and ex-Ipecac Recordings general manager Marc Schapiro launched Auxilium Music, a highly curated and boutique publishing administration company. Auxiliumâs inaugural roster since coming into existence earlier this year includes Melvins legend Buzz Osborne, post-metal artist Bryant Clifford Meyer of Isis and Palms, Michael Crain of thrash supergroup Dead Cross and singer-songwriter Fay Wolf, among others. Indie-minded and self-published songwriters/artists itching for a more personalized option for publishing administration can hit up Granat and Schapiro at info@auxiliummusic.com.
TaP Music welcomed veteran artist manager Will Bloomfield to the team as co-president and head of global artist management. Heâll work alongside co-presidents Wendy Ong and Anna Neville, as well as co-founders Ben Mawson and Ed Millett, to oversee all areas of the TaP business (TaP Management, non-profit TaP Futures and TaP2, formerly TaP Sports). Bloomfied spent the last two decades at Modest! Management, where he rose to partner working a stacked roster of talent including One Direction, 5 Seconds of Summer, MNEK and more. (Back when he was eligible, Bloomfield was featured in our 40 Under 40 list.) âWill joins us at a time of great change in the industry and what we believe is an opportunity for managers and artists,â said Mawson and Millett. âTaPâs founding principle of self sufficiency informs our approach to management now more than ever, with a range of specialists across all key areas.â
PULSE Music Group promoted Annie Aberle to senior vp and head of creative. Previously vp of A&R, with a roster including James Blake, Ryan Beatty and Jack Rochon, Aberleâs expanded remit now includes overseeing creative strategy for the companyâs roster of writers and producers across its publishing division. Aberle is based at the companyâs Los Angeles headquarters and reports directly to co-CEO Scott Cutler and group president Ashley Calhoun. âOne of the most essential parts of this job is remaining a fan firstâAnnie does not lose sight of that,â said Calhoun. âAnnie knows how to deliver a strategy for each of our clients that makes them inspired to show up and show out in the studio every day.â
UTA went on a parter promotion spree, elevating two dozen staffers to the lofty title across media, publishing, talent, publishing and other disciplines. In the music division, new partners include Obi Asika, Kevin Gimble, Steve Gordon, Jeffrey Hasson and Matt Meyer. In comedy touring, Doug Edley and Heidi Feigin made the grade. Head over to THR for a full rundown of the promotions.
Music marketing veteran Joe Aboud officially launched consultancy firm 444 Sounds, with a roster including Sony Music, UnitedMasters, Major Recordings and artists such as Jung Kook and Enrique Iglesias. Aboud was most recently vp of marketing and streaming at HITCO, and prior to that worked as a marketing manager at Atlantic Records.
NASHVILLE NOTES: Natalie Kilgore has boomeranged back to Brown Sellers Brown, rejoining the music company as vp of publicity. Kilgore previously held the same role at BSB from 2020 until late 2022, when she joined BBR Music Group to develop its in-house media relations department. BSB is home to two labels, Quartz Hill Records and Stone Country Records ⌠Soft rocker Walter Egan â whose âMagnet and Steelâ was a top 10 hit in 1978 â joined Nashvilleâs Hippie Radio 94.5 to host a show called âWaltâs Record Vaultâ ⌠Primary Wave Music officially launched Sun Label Group as a biome for legendary labels like Sun Records and Gaither Music, among others. Paul Sizelove will oversee SLG as president, with each of the labels â which also includes Green Hill Music, Rural Rhythm and emeraldwave by Green Hill â retaining their own leadership and organizational teams.
Global Merchandising Services hired veteran executive Lisa Streff as senior vp of licensing & brand development for North America. Founded in 2008, Global works with artists on design, product development, branding, manufacturing, and direct sales of licensed merch. Streff, who was most recently svp of global licensing for UMGâs Epic Rights and Bravado units, will focus on growing the North American licensing programs for Globalâs roster of clients.
MNRK Music Group promoted Ian âJ.Y.â Williams to senior director of A&R, in charge of signing and developing untapped talent for the label. Williams joined MNRK in March 2022 as director of A&R and since then has played a pivotal role in developing acts including Kash Doll, K. Michelle, Tyfontaine, OBN Jay, C Stunna and Neek Bucks, among others. Prior to MNRK, Williams worked in artist management at Atlantic Records and has consulted artists through Def Jam, EMPIRE and RCA.
Music consultancy firm Huxley hired Jordan Shepley as associate director of publicity and Chisomo Phiri as communications manager. Shepley will help oversee publicity for Huxleyâs roster, which includes J Balvin, Kelly Lee Owens, Munya Chawawa, Calvin Harris and A24 Music. Phiri will handle corporate communications for clients Three Six Zero, Dirty Hit and SailP. In addition, Huxley has also promoted Emily Connick to junior publicist and has hired Tom OâSullivan, who joins from Sold Out Advertising, as a team assistant.
Concert and festival promoter FKP Scorpio is widening its focus to cover exhibitions, family events and special projects with the rebranded FKP Scorpio Entertainment. FKPEâs leadership team includes James Cassidy and Barry Campbell, who have been appointed president and senior promoter, respectively. Also joining the team are Nathan Birch as head of ticketing, Daisy Parry as special events coordinator, Suzy Bryant as marketing consultant, and Ollie Catchpole as comedy promoter.
AI-driven music financing platform beatBread hired Julian Dunn as director of business affairs. A former corporate attorney, Dunn most recently worked in the Bay Area startup scene at Segment and Hightouch.
ICYMI:
Lucian Grainge
UMG chairman and CEO Lucian Graingeâs pay package for 2023 was approved by shareholders ⌠Downtown Music elevated Tom Allen to president of its newly hatched royalties and financial services division ⌠Warner Music restructured its Mexican music division but did it in-house ⌠and Brent Fedrizzi (âmemba him from the Nick Spampanato blurb?) was named president of AEG Presentsâ North American regional offices.
Last Weekâs Turntable: Allison Moorer Joins Country Hall
Last year, an unknown artist named Tommy Richman stunned as a guest on Brent Faiyazâs Larger Than Life, appearing on âUpsetâ alongside FELIX! (The song reached No. 12 on Hot R&B Songs last November.) But now, Richman, who is signed to Faiyazâ ISO Supremacy label, is making a much larger impression with a hit of his own.
On April 26, Richman released the bouncy âMillion Dollar Baby,â on which he flexes his falsetto and genre-blurring sensibilities. The song debuted with 38 million official U.S. streams in its first week of release (April 26-May 2), according to Luminate. âMillion Dollar Babyâ also scored Richman his first Hot 100 entry, debuting at No. 2 â behind only Taylor Swift and Post Maloneâs âFortnight.â The song also debuts atop the Steaming Songs chart, making Richman the first artist since Olivia Rodrigo with âDrivers Licenseâ in 2021 to launch a solo first entry atop the chart.
As previously reported by Billboard, the songâs grand entrance resulted in a boost for Richmanâs discography; not including âBaby,â Richmanâs catalog posted nearly 2.1 million on-demand U.S. audio streams (across April 26-29), a gain of 106% from the four-day period before. And now, in its second week, the song not only remains at No. 2 on the Hot 100, it climbs to No. 2 on the Billboard Global 200 and reaches No. 1 on the TikTok Top 50, as it continues to gain steam.
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The Woodbridge, Va.-born artist was the first to sign to ISO Supremacy (in partnership with PULSE Records). In addition to scoring a feature on Faiyazâs last album, Richman also opened for the label boss on his 2023 F*ck the World, Itâs a Wasteland Tour. And now, Darren Xu, COO of ISO Supremacy, earns the title of Billboardâs Executive of the Week.
Despite much of this success seemingly coming out of nowhere, Xu canât help but look back knowingly, having always believed Richman would reach this moment. As âBabyâ continues to grow â thanks in large part to TikTok, where the song has soundtracked 218.3K clips and counting â his team is focused on the future. As Xu, says: âItâs going to be all gas, no brakes.â
Since the Hot 100 began in 1958, only five other acts have debuted in the chartâs top two with no prior history on the chart. Why is âMillion Dollar Babyâ connecting so strongly?
I feel like âMillion Dollar Babyâ is a real testament to the climate of social media today. It really shows that if you make good music, it will reach the right audience. Tommy is creating new sounds and the music will speak for itself.
Tommy was the first artist signed to Brent Faiyazâs ISO Supremacy â what were Tommy and the team looking to gain in signing with Brent?
There was a mutual respect and collaborative energy between the two of them from day one, so the connection just made sense. We knew weâd all win big.
Whatâs the key to managing an emerging star today?
Donât let people rush or pressure you into taking steps you donât need to, and prioritize the artistâs taste and vision.Â
How are you planning to keep momentum going â for the song and Tommy more broadly?
You guys are going to have to just stay tuned and keep an eye on what we do next. All I can say is itâs going to be all gas no brakes.
In March, Spotify began paying music publishers and songwriters a discounted royalty rate for streams on its premium tiers â and the music business isnât accepting the change without a fight. Spotify says that by adding audiobooks to its premium offerings, these subscriptions have been reclassified as âbundles,â a type of plan that qualifies for […]
The Mechanical Licensing Collective (the MLC) has filed a lawsuit against Spotify, calling the way the streamer reclassified its premium, duo and family plans as âbundlesâ and started paying a discounted royalty rate to publishers and songwriters âimproper.â
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âThe financial consequences⌠are enormous for songwriters and music publishers,â the MLC writes in the complaint.
News of the lawsuit arrives just a week after Billboard published its estimate that publishers and songwriters will earn about $150 million less in U.S. mechanicals in the next year, compared to what they would have been owed had the services not been bundled.
The root of the conflict started late last year when Spotify added 15 hours of free audiobook listening to Spotify premium, duo and family plans in the United States and other markets. At the time, this was a free extra for subscribers, and Spotify continued to pay the original full mechanical royalty rate for musical works in the United States.
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Starting in March, however, Spotify quietly launched an audiobook-only plan, then started to reclassify its premium, duo and family plans as bundles because audiobooks were included. According to Phonorecords IV, the agreement that dictates U.S. mechanical royalty rates for 2023-2027, bundles of multiple products are an inherently different type of subscription and thus use a different, lower royalty rate, given that multiple offerings must be paid for from the same subscription price.
In the lawsuit filed by the MLC, which processes and distributes mechanical royalties to publishers and songwriters in the United States, the organization argues âpremium is exactly the same serviceâ as it was previously. âPrior to March 1, Spotify paid mechanical royalties on the entirety of Premium revenues, subject to certain specific reductions identified in Section 115, despite the fact that Premium subscribers also had access to the same number of hours of audiobooks as Audiobooks Access subscribers now have,â the lawsuit reads.
âOn March 1, 2024, without advance notice to the MLC, Spotify unilaterally and unlawfully decided to reduce the Service Provider Revenue reported to the MLC for Premium by almost 50 percent,â reads the complaint. â[This was done] by improperly characterizing the service as a different type of subscription offering and underpaying royalties, even though there has been no change to the premium plan and no corresponding reduction to the revenues that Spotify generates from its tens of millions of Premium subscribers.â
Spotify provided a statement to Billboard in response to the lawsuit, saying: âThe lawsuit concerns terms that publishers and streaming services agreed to and celebrated years ago under the Phono IV agreement. Bundles were a critical component of that settlement, and multiple DSPs include bundles as part of their mix of subscription offerings. Spotify paid a record amount to publishers and societies in 2023 and is on track to pay out an even larger amount in 2024. We look forward to a swift resolution of this matter.â
Reports of Spotifyâs change to its royalty rate structure for premium, duo and family plans first arrived in April. Immediately, the National Music Publishersâ Association (NMPA) began speaking out against Spotifyâs reclassification, calling it an âend to our period of relative peaceâ and âpotentially unlawful.â
On Wednesday (May 15), the NMPA sent Spotify a cease and desist letter regarding a separate issue: allegedly unlicensed lyrics and video. In the letter, NMPA general counsel/executive vp Danielle Aguirre also mentioned there might be some publishing content that âwill soon become unlicensedâ by its members. Spotify fired back at the letter in a statement, which read: âThis letter is a press stunt filled with false and misleading claims.â
In its lawsuit filed Thursday, the MLC claims that to qualify for the bundle subscription rate, âan offering must include at least two distinct products or services. Premium does not,â adding, âPremium already consisted of unlimited music and access to other audio products including up to 15 hours of audiobook listeningâ as well as other offerings like podcasts.
The MLC further argues that the audiobook-only plan Spotify launched in March is not a different product, saying that it offers more than just audiobooks. âNew Audiobooks Access subscribers are being granted access to 15 hours of audiobooks listening and the same access to unlimited, ad-free, on-demand music that Premium subscribers are provided. The only difference is that subscribers to Audiobooks Access are paying $9.99 per month, rather than $10.99, to receive the same product,â reads the complaint.
The MLC also notes that the âaudiobook access subscription page does not appear to be directly accessible from Spotifyâs websiteâ â making the point that the offering is difficult to find. As a consequence, the MLC says it believes âthere is little doubt that the number of subscribers who will sign up for Audiobooks Access is likely to be a fraction of the Premium subscribers.â
A few months ago, the MLC also sued Pandora, another streaming service it collects mechanical royalties from in the United States, for what it says is a failure to properly pay streaming royalties. That lawsuit is ongoing.
The MLC and the Digital Licensee Coordinator (DLC) â the organization intended to represent the majority interests of digital music providers affected by the blanket license set up by the Music Modernization Act (MMA) â are also currently in the process of their first five-year check-up (called a âre-designationâ process) to ensure both are effectively fulfilling their duties. This routine, five-year check, conducted by the U.S. Copyright Office, allows the two organizations to self-report on their progress and gives key stakeholders â including the Digital Media Organization (DiMA) â the opportunity to speak to the strengths and weaknesses of the organizations.
The MLCâs operational costs are paid for by DiMA members, including Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more, as set forth by the Music Modernization Act (MMA). In a blog post in March, DiMAâs CEO/president, Graham Davies, pointed out that the MLC is âsuing one of the licensees [Pandora] that pays its costs.â The NMPA replied to this post by defending the MLC, saying that streamers âdo not want what is in the best interests of music publishers or songwriters,â calling DiMAâs ânewâŚstrategyâŚan effort by the worldâs largest digital companies to leverage their power to pay less.â
The NMPAâs president/CEO David Israelite provided a statement of support for the MLC lawsuit, saying, âwe applaud the MLC for standing up for songwriters and not letting Spotify get away with its latest trick to underpay creators. The MLC is tasked with challenging services who falsely report royalties, and we commend their swift action. The lawsuit sends a clear message that platforms cannot improperly manipulate usage â in this case unilaterally redefining services as a bundle â in order to devalue music. We strongly support the MLC and will continue to pursue justice.âÂ
[Trigger warning: this article contains descriptions of domestic violence, as well as sexual and physical abuse.]
Marilyn Manson has signed a record deal with indie metal label Nuclear Blast, Billboard has confirmed.
In a statement sent to Billboard, the label said it is âheralding a new phase in the career of this iconic metal artist,â though it declined to provide further details on the nature of the deal. On Wednesday (May 15), the label shared a video of Manson on Instagram that appeared to tease new music.
Rolling Stone was first to report the signing.
The news comes more than three years after Manson (born Brian Warner) was dropped by his previous record label, Loma Vista Recordings, after his former girlfriend Evan Rachel Wood and several other women accused the rock musician of sexual abuse. Following the allegations, Manson was also dropped by his agency, CAA, and longtime manager Tony Ciulla.
After previously disclosing that she was sexually abused by an unnamed perpetrator, Wood named Manson as the culprit on Feb. 1, 2021, via a statement on Instagram, in which she shared that the rocker started âgroomingâ her when she was a teenager and âhorrifically abusedâ her for years. After she went public, at least a dozen other women came forward with similar allegations, including three more former girlfriends: Game of Thrones star Esme Bianco, Ashley Morgan Smithline and a Jane Doe. Mansonâs former personal assistant, Ashley Walters, also accused him of sexual assault.
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In the wake of the accusations, the Los Angeles County Sheriffâs Department opened a criminal investigation into reports of domestic violence perpetrated by Manson between 2009 and 2011. The findings were submitted to the L.A. District Attorneyâs office in September 2022, though prosecutors at the time said they needed more evidence before considering criminal charges.
Manson was also sued by several of his alleged victims, including Bianco, Walters, the Jane Doe, Smithline and a second Jane Doe who claimed Manson had sexually assaulted her while she was underage. The lawsuits filed by two of the women â Walters and Smithline â were subsequently dismissed, while Manson settled out of court with Bianco and the first Jane Doe. Smithline later recanted her allegations, claiming Wood and others had âmanipulatedâ her to âspread publicly false accusations of abuseâ against Manson. Last December, an appeals court revived Waltersâ case, ruling that the trauma she claims to have suffered may have led her to suppress memories of the alleged abuse, thereby allowing her to override the two-year statute of limitations in California.
Manson has denied all of the womenâs allegations.
While he hasnât released an album since 2020âs We Are Chaos, Mansonâs career appears to be picking up steam. In March, he announced his first live dates in nearly five years, revealing that he and Russian deathcore band Slaughter to Prevail would embark on a 30-date arena/amphitheater tour with Five Finger Death Punch that begins in August.
Rimas Sports â an agency partnership between Bad Bunny and executives Noah Assad and Jonathan Miranda â has signed The Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald AcuĂąa Jr. to an exclusive representation agreement, the company tells Billboard. âWe are thrilled to welcome the AcuĂąa family to Rimas Sports,â Miranda, CEO of Rimas Sports, said in a statement. […]
Universal Music Group (UMG) shareholders approved CEO Lucian Graingeâs 138.8 million euros ($128 million) compensation package from 2023 in a nonbinding advisory vote at the companyâs annual general meeting in The Netherlands on Thursday (May 16).
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A majority of investors voted to approve all proposals up for a vote this year, including the reappointment of billionaire Bill Ackman, Cyrille Bollore and others as non-executive directors despite criticism from shareholder advisory groups Glass Lewis, who last month called UMGâs pay practices excessive and said the board lacked independence.
Advisory shareholder votes like these are only advisory and not enforceable, but they are closely watched as indicators of investorsâ feelings on a companyâs pay policies and the people who make up their boards. Anytime a significant percentage of investors expresses disapproval, which Glass Lewis defines as 20% or more, directors consult with shareholders about how to make internal changes to address their concerns.
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Investors in Live Nation and Cumulus Media used recent shareholder meetings to vote their disapproval of those companiesâ CEO pay packages.
UMG did not immediately disclose the percentage of votes cast in support of the proposals at this yearâs annual meeting, which was livestreamed only to registered shareholders. Last year, a slim majority of UMG investors representing roughly 59% of shares voted in approval of UMGâs remuneration policy, which details the 2023 compensation packages paid out to Grainge and deputy CEO Vincent Vallejo.
About 58% of UMGâs voting shares are collectively held by Ackmanâs Pershing Square Capital Management, Tencent, Bollore and Vivendi. Last year, all four shareholders voted to approve UMGâs remuneration policy.
Graingeâs total 2023 compensation is 138,814,000 euros, or $128,264,000 based on a monthly average foreign exchange rate of 0.924. In 2022, he was the third highest-paid music executive, having made total compensation of 47.3 million euros ($49.7 million) thanks to a 28.8 million euros ($30.3 million) performance bonus in addition to a base salary of 15.4 million euros ($16.2 million).
In 2023, Grainge had a base salary of 7.5 million euros (just over $8 million) and bonus of 15.16 million euros (nearly $16.3 million), and a one-time transition equity award worth 92,406,852 euros (roughly $100 million). That award was paid out in half in restricted stock units and half in performance stock options. The performance stock options vest over the coming five years and can only be excised once UMGâs stock hits certain thresholds.
Glenn Peoples contributed reporting.
NASHVILLE â Ahead of the 2024 Music Biz conference, Music Business Association president Portia Sabin predicted that artificial intelligence would be the most hotly-discussed topic.
âAI is the big one that everyoneâs talking about,â she told Billboard.
That premonition proved true during the current conference (held in Nashville May 13-16), as dozens of speakers across the spectrum of music, tech, legal and more discussed AIâs uncertain future in the space, and its current impact on the industry.
One such panel was âHow AI and Tech Are Shaping the Business of Musicâ on Monday (May 13). Moderated by Elizabeth Brooks, managing partner at Better Angels Venture, the panelistsâhead of artist marketing and digital strategy at Friends At Work, Jeremy Gruber; senior vp of product and technology at MAX, Jeff Rosenfeld; MADKAT founder Maddy Sundquist; and singer-songwriter Stephen Day â discussed the emergence of AI in music, some of the concerns surrounding its potential impact on artist creativity, and how artists can maintain an authentic connection to their fans.
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As the sole artist on the panel, Day kicked off the AI portion of the discussion and countered that, despite the recent uptick in the use of generative AI in popular music â most recently with Drake on âTaylor Made Freestyle,â the diss track in which he uses AI to recreate Snoop Dogg and the late Tupac Shakurâs voices, which has since been taken down after the Shakur estate threatened to take legal action â heâs not concerned about generative AIâs emergence. âOverall, Iâm not really scared about it because technology has always advanced,â he said. âThe human with the heart and the soul is what makes it important.â
Rosenfeld agreed, adding that âtechnology continually upends the business of music,â pointing to social media as an example of something that changed digital marketing strategies for artists and labels. One group that could be at risk though, he said, are artists that people donât have a direct connection with, like film/TV composers. âItâs the personal connection [that fans are after]. It is the person and their story behind the music that people relate to,â he said. âAnd thatâs why itâs important to have a relationship with your fans.â
Rosenfeld isnât the first exec to note that risk for artists who make instrumental music. In a 2023 Billboard story, Oleg Stavitsky, co-founder/CEO of AI-driven functional sound company Endel, pointed to âfunctional musicâ (that is, a type of audio ânot designed for conscious listeningâ) as an area of focus for their firm. While the company isnât in the business of making hits, itâs focused on making music that promotes sleep or relaxation (lo-fi music, ambient electronics, etc.) with help from AI tools. Another company, LifeScore, which uses AI to âcreate unique, real-time soundtracks for every journey,â recruited James Blake to create an AI ambient soundtrack titled Wind Down.
While thatâs a threat to that corner of the market, the panelists were largely optimistic, albeit cautiously, about AIâs future impact.
âAI is not our overlord today,â Brooks said. Added Rosenfeld, âItâs enabled small businesses to expand⌠Itâs destabilizing, but at the same time empowering.â
At a separate panel on Wednesday (May 15) titled âHow AI Is Changing the Way We Market, Promote & Sell Music,â the speakers also had a positive outlook on AI in the industry. Moderated by co-founder and CEO of 24/7 Artists, Yudu Gray, Jr., the panel featured chief product officer of SymphonyOS, Chuka Chase; head of communications & creator insights at BandLab Technologies, Dani Deahl; and Visionary Rising founder LaTecia Johnson.
Chase said that his company has used AI to streamline the process of finding and growing an audience for artists. One way has been to use AI to build a setlist for an emerging artistâs first tour. Chase explained that his team was able to harness AI by sending out emails and putting out polls in order to gain insight into what that artist should perform in each city. âWe went into the CRM and blasted emails to put out polls, a microsite asking what songs [that artist] should perform. After a couple hours we got around 20,000 responses,â he said, adding that he could then plug that data into GPT and make a setlist based on the most-requested songs.
For Deahl, whoâs also a DJ and music producer, AI has helped with delegating various administrative tasks. âOne of the biggest hurdles that artists now have to overcome is they donât have to just worry about the creative components⌠They have to worry about all these different facets of their business.â She argues that any tool that gives her the ability to âcut out the BSâ and give her the time to focus on the creative process is the best way to help her amplify her work. âNot every artist is built to be an entrepreneur,â she said.
Several companies are beginning to launch similar âAI assistantsâ for these kinds of admin roles. Last month, for example, Venice Music launched a new tool called Co-Manager âto educate artists on the business and marketing of music, so artists can spend more time focused on their creative vision,â Suzy Ryoo, co-founder and president of the company, said in a statement at the time. The idea is to, as Deahl said, give artists more time to be artists.
To that end, as AI tools become more prominent, the humans on an artistâs team are now more crucial than ever. While AI tools perhaps shrink the size of an artistâs team due to their functionality, Deahl doesnât envision a world in which human roles are fully replaced. âI donât worry about replacement when it comes to the people I engage with,â she said. âIt would be a really lonely road for me as an artist if the only things that I relied on were AI chatbots or tools that tell me what my strategy should be. I need human feedback.â
Concord confirmed on Thursday it will no longer proceed with its $1.51 billion offer to buy Hipgnosis Songs Fund, giving rival bidder Blackstone a now unimpeded path to acquire the Merck Mercuriadis-founded company and its catalogs of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Journey, Neil Young and others. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news […]