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The breakdown in licensing talks between Universal Music Group (UMG) and TikTok affects far more than Universal recording artists and songwriters.
Every now and then, a music company pulls its recorded music catalog, publishing catalog or both from a digital service provider after licensing talks break down — Warner Music Group did this with YouTube in 2008, for example. It happened again starting Feb. 1 when UMG started pulling its recordings from TikTok after the two companies couldn’t come to an agreement on a new licensing deal.
The licensing breakdown first affected artists signed to UMG record labels. Take the Q4 Hot 100, a list of the top 100 tracks in the fourth quarter. UMG’s various record labels — including Republic Records and Interscope Records — released 41 of the 100 tracks, among them Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer,” Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red” and Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”
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On Tuesday (Feb. 27), TikTok began removing compositions part-owned by Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG). On the publishing side, UMG has an interest in 40 of the Q4 2023 Hot 100 tracks, such as SZA’s “Snooze” (a track released by Sony’s RCA Records), Jack Harlow’s “Lovin on Me” (a track released by Warner Music Group’s Atlantic Records) and Usher’s “Good Good” (a track released by gamma, an indie newcomer).
Since every recording involves two copyrights — one for the master recording, one for the composition — the damage of UMG’s decision to pull its repertoire from TikTok is larger yet. Counting both recorded music and music publishing, UMG has an ownership interest in 61 of the Q4 2023 Hot 100 tracks. Twenty of those 61 tracks have a UMG publishing interest but were not released by a UMG-owned record label. Another 20 of those tracks have a UMG publishing interest and were released by a UMG record label. UMG does not have a publishing interest in the remaining 21 of those tracks that were released by a UMG record label.
That’s far larger than UMG’s market share in either recorded music or publishing. UMG had a 39.4% share of U.S. recorded music by distribution in 2023 (a 29.4% share by ownership) and a 15.8% publisher’s market share of the Hot 100 in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Ownership interest, not market share, gets to the true impact of the UMG-TikTok impasse. Today’s popular songs have multiple co-writers, each of whom might have a different music publisher. When a track includes a sample or interpolation of another composition, those works’ songwriters get credits on the new work, too. The 41 tracks on the Hot 100 in which UMG has a publishing interest have an average of 5.5 songwriters. Eight of those 41 tracks had 8 or more co-writers; four of them had 10 or more co-writers. Of the 41 tracks with UMG ownership interest, only Irving Berlin’s 83-year-old “White Christmas” was written by one person.
The more songwriters who are on a single track, the higher the odds that any one music publisher can remove a track during a licensing dispute. An example of this complexity is “What It Is (Block Boy)” by Doechii featuring Kodak Black, released by UMG-owned Capitol Records (the track entered the Hot 100 in May thanks to success on TikTok). The recording includes a sample of TLC’s 1999 hit “No Scrubs” and interpolates a hook from “Some Cut” by Lil Scrappy and Trillville, which reached No. 15 on the Hot 100 in 2005. “What It Is (Block Boy)” has 16 co-writers, including the 4 co-writers of “No Scrubs” and 6 co-writers of “Some Cut.”
A wide swatch of the music publishing business is represented in “What It Is (Block Boy).” The Music Licensing Collective’s public database lists 7 different publishers attached to the composition: UMPG, Sony/ATV, Warner Chappell Music, Disney, BMG, Concord and Reservoir Media. UMPG’s 3% collection share is the smallest of the seven publishers.
To be sure, the Hot 100 from the fourth quarter of 2023 isn’t a perfect reflection of what is currently most popular — or would be popular if not for the licensing impasse — at TikTok. The TikTok Billboard 50 shows the platform’s most popular music is a mix of Hot 100 staples (“Lovin On Me”) and indie music that otherwise wouldn’t be seen on a Billboard chart (Aphex Twin’s “QKThr”).
This headline-grabbing development isn’t a story of one music company against one tech company; labels and publishers that renewed their licensing deals with TikTok have unwillingly joined UMG’s battle with the platform. UMG’s inability to reach a deal with TikTok impacts every major label group and likely touches every music publisher of note.
It’s time for another spindle around the Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. Earlier this week, UMG announced a “strategic organizational redesign” that has so far resulted in several top executives — and many others — losing their jobs across the label group, though the scope of the headcount reduction is still unclear. Billboard’s Dan Rys is following closely here.
The Digital Media Association (DiMA) hired seasoned legal exec Colin Rushing to the newly crafted position of executive vp and general counsel at the music streaming trade group. Rushing previously spent nearly 14 years at SoundExchange, where he rose from senior counsel to chief legal officer during a consequential tenure — his job was to lead rate-setting efforts before the Copyright Royalty Board — that made him a fixture on Billboard‘s annual list of top music lawyers. Since leaving SX in September 2021, he has taught at Belmont University and acted as director of the Copyright Society of the South.
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“[Rushing] brings all his invaluable expertise of US copyright law and a reputation for achieving consensus solutions,” said DiMA President and CEO Graham Davies. “Colin’s knowledge of the US licensing system combined with his passion for championing streaming will be hugely valuable. His appointment underlines our work on a global basis, where we seek maintain and develop environments that ensure our members can continue to innovate and contribute to the music growth success story.”
Meanwhile…
Kelly Rich exited her role as COO at Nashville-based Red Street Records. Rich initially joined Red Street as a consultant in 2022 and was named COO later that year. Rich previously served as country lead at Amazon Music. Rich’s career also includes time as Big Machine Label Group’s senior vp of sales, marketing and interactive, as well as time stints at UMG Nashville, DreamWorks, Arista Nashville, BMG and more. Elsewhere at Red Street, Sally Allgeier has been promoted to national director of country promotion, while Jess Loper has joined as vp of A&R and publishing for Red Street Christian. Loper previously served as vp of brand management for Toby Mac’s Gotee Records and Publishing. Amanda Roach also joins Red Street Records as manager of country A&R and Publishing. Roach was previously catalog manager and A&R coordinator at Warner Chappell Music. –Jessica Nicholson
Chris Muratore
Luminate, which feeds data to the Billboard charts, is turning to music analytics executive Chris Muratore to cement relations with the indie music retail sector ahead of the launch of its new data platform later this year. Muratore joined Luminate earlier this month as director of partnerships, with a clear focus on working with various stakeholders to ensure physical sales data collection is accurate. The 30-year industry veteran most recently co-founded Border City Media, the tech startup behind music consumption data tool BuzzAngle Music. Prior to Border City Media, Muratore spent 18 years in various executive roles at SoundScan/Nielsen Music, where he oversaw all data relationships and analytics for the company and, notably, was a trusted analytical source for countless media outlets including this one. Muratore is reachable at cmuratore@luminatedata.com. FYI: Luminate is an independently operated company owned by PME TopCo, a joint venture between Penski Media Corporation and Eldridge. Billboard is an independently operated company owned by PME Holdings, a subsidiary of PME TopCo.
Damaris Rex-Taylor has been promoted from general manager to managing director at RCA Records UK. Rex-Taylor joined the Sony Music UK label in 2019 as director of marketing before rising to GM two years later, and during her tenure has spearheaded various marketing and promotional strategies and led campaigns for Tyla, Travis Scott, Miley Cyrus and other roster artists. The recent Oxford grad has past stops at Chrysalis and Parlophone, and proudly moonlights as co-chair and a founding member of Sony Music UK’s Social Justice Fund supporting anti-racist initiatives. “We’re delighted for Damaris to step into her new role,” said Stacey Tang and Glyn Aikins, co-presidents of RCA UK. “She’s an innovative leader, holds a wealth of knowledge and has a tremendous understanding of creative strategy, instinctively knowing how best to support all our artists. Since joining RCA she’s shaped the incredible team we have, and we’re excited to see her take the label into a new era.”
Warner Music Nashville promoted Kristen Williams to senior vp of radio and commercial partnerships. Williams has helmed the radio division since 2010 but now will add the commercial partnerships team — which works on retail, catalog and direct-to-consumer efforts — to her dailies. WMN co-president Ben Kline said “this set-up positions us to work in a more sophisticated way while continuing to super serve our artist community and partners in this ever-changing, dynamic business environment.”
Jared Fox was promoted to senior vp across two divisions at SiriusXM: artist and industry relations, where he oversees talent bookings, and content marketing and partnerships, where he and his team manage and maintain relationships with existing talent partners. All told, Fox oversees a staff of over 40 at the satellite radio company. Recent wins on the artist relations front include Green Day rocking Irving Plaza and Maluma’s recent concert in Vegas ahead of the Super Bowl. As for partnerships, team Fox has a talent list that boasts Carrie Underwood, LL Cool J, Kelly Clarkson and more. Fox joined SiriusXM in 2013, following stints at Vevo, Atom Factory and Epic, and was most recently vp of artist and industry relations. He reports to Scott Greenstein, president and chief content officer.
Meanwhile, SiriusXM president Scott Greenstein announced two big additions to its podcast leadership team this week. Sarah van Mosel, a former executive at Sirius subsidiary Stitcher, returns in the newly-created position of senior vp of podcast strategy. In this role, van Mosel will focus on podcast acquisitions and new talent development. Working closely with Sarah will be Adam Sachs, who’ll zero in on podcast programming and production as SiriusXM’s senior vp or podcast content. Colin Anderson stays on and will continue to report to Sachs, “making an all-star podcast production team,” said Greenstein, also SiriusXM’s chief content officer. “With this new team structure, we are now set up to take full advantage of the podcast opportunity ahead of us. I’m excited for what this team is capable of.”
Mom+Pop Music elevated Jackie Vanzura to director of digital, reporting to svp and head of digital Lindsay Schapiro. Vanzura joined the NYC-based indie label two years ago as a digital marketing manager leading strategy for roster artists, including SEB, Magdalena Bay and Odie Leigh. On tap for Vanzura is spearheading digital strategy for MGMT’s new album, Loss Of Life. Prior to Mom+Pop, Vanzura worked at WMA. “Jackie is a talented member of the Mom+Pop team,” said Schapiro. “Her creativity combined with her passion for music and her digital know-how contributes to our success. We are thrilled to see her growing into this new role.”
NASHVILLE NOTES: Hill Entertainment Group welcomed Machaela Nesler-Scibilia as analytics & digital coordinator and Gipson Clark as touring & operations coordinator, with both reporting to president and CEO Greg Hill … Trevor Provost is the new marketing manager at Severance Records, the recently launched rock label co-founded by Mike Easterlin and Steve “Stevo” Robertson as part of a joint venture with Big Loud Rock. Provost was previously in the management department at SMACKSongs … Three Riser House promotion executives were elevated to new positions. Jeff Davis rose to vp of promotion from East Coast regional promotion director, Roger Fregoso was upped to national director of promotion from senior director of West Coast, and Nathan Cruise climbed to senior regional director of promotion from Central regional promotion director.
Palm Tree Crew Management co-founders Myles Shear and Kygo welcomed Parker Aimers as the artist management division’s chief operating officer and head of artist management. Based in Miami’s Sunset Harbor, Aimers will focus on A&R, touring and digital opportunities across Palm Tree’s roster, including Griffin, Sam Feldt, Forester, Petey Martin and others. He joins Palm Tree from Toronto’s Northside Artists, where he worked extensively with Loud Luxury, Bebe Rexha and Kane Brown. Kygo’s Palm Tree umbrella includes this management arm, which works closely with Live Nation, and Palm Tree Records, a global joint venture with Sony Music Entertainment.
Round Room Live, which produces family shows like Blippi and the national tour of Shrek the Musical, hired Dina E. Meyers as svp of business development. In her new position, Meyers will be responsible for finding and securing fresh content and other revenue-making projects for the company. She joins Round Room Live after serving as head of new markets & business development for Lighthouse Immersive, the company behind the wildly popular “Immersive Van Gogh” exhibition. Prior to Lighthouse, she held roles at AEG Live and S2BN Entertainment, and she’ll continue to lead her own company, DEM Entertainment Consulting. “With her accomplishments ranging across innovative event production, key partnerships, sponsorship activations, and broad industry relationships, we’re excited to welcome Dina to the Round Room family,” said Round Room Live founder and co-president Stephen Shaw.
IDOL handed Mandy Freebairn the role of U.S. label and project manager as the European indie distributor works to rapidly develop its North American division. Based in New York, Freebairn will report to IDOL’s stateside general manager, Thomas Sharp Maxwell. Freebairn’s appointment coincides with the announcement of two North American label deals for the company, with Le Plan Recordings and Old Soul Music. She joins IDOL from Omnian Music Group, where she project managed releases from The Lemon Twigs, Widowspeak, Juan Wauters and others.
BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville announced a round of promotions and hirings. Dawn Ferris, who joined the company in 2010, was promoted to director of national promotion for Broken Bow Records. Ferris previously spent 12 years at Arista Records. Ellen (Mundy) Ford has been named manager of marketing, while Krista Hayes joins as manager of group strategy & syndication. Ford previously worked as a day-to-day manager for WORKS Entertainment and as the SE manager of radio promotion for Revival Music Group. Hayes comes to BBR from Cumulus Media, where she served three years as promotion and marketing director. –JN
James Fava joined global management company Three Six Zero as a partner. Fava will continue as director of his Australia-based management firm Intergalactic Fantastic Worldwide, where his artists include Dom Dolla, Anna Lunoe, Torren Foot and Airwolf. The partnership with Fava gives Three Six Zero an Aussie foothold to compliment its established offices in Los Angeles, Miami and London. “James is a huge talent,” said Mark Gillespie, CEO and founder of Three Six Zero. “I am confident that his expertise will be a great asset for Three Six Zero as we continue to expand our business globally.”
London-based rights acquisition company Bella Figura Music hired Billy Millar as senior vp of creative and Chris Presland for the role of catalog project manager. Millar, formerly of BMG and Hipgnosis, will oversee global sync and creative opportunities for the company’s catalog, which includes David Gray’s label and albums. Presland, who arrives following an eight-year run at AWAL, will focus on delivering digital and vinyl reissue support for Gray’s recorded works. Since its launch a year ago, Bella Figura has made a number of high profile acquisitions from artists, writers and producers such as R3HAB, Jeff Silverman, Darrel Brown and Guy Chambers.
RADIO, RADIO: Bauer Media Audio UK appointed Robert D’Ovidio as its new director of music broadcast, on-demand and premium, effective immediately. He’ll work to build cross-brand partnerships and initiatives across Bauer brands and reports to chief content and music officer Ben Cooper … SBS chief financial officer José Molina has exited the Hispanic broadcaster. He first joined SBS in 2001 as director finance, eventually rising to svp of finance before leaving in 2015. After stomps at MundoMax and Univision, he returned to SBS as CFO in 2019.
Creator media company QYOU promoted Lexi St. John to evp of QYOU USA, Morgan Barclay to svp of strategy and Chris Smith to vp of QYOU Studios. QYOU Media USA promoted Kerri Ramgren to senior director of operations, Tim Isenberger to senior director of account management and planning, and Eric Frick to senior manager of business intelligence.
ICYMI:
Jeronimo Folgueira is out as CEO of music streaming service Deezer … Jay Beelin was promoted to vp of international touring at AEG … BMG elevated Marian Wolf to head up its massive North American publishing unit … and Paul Hourican announced he was leaving TikTok, where he served at global head of music operations.
Last Week’s Turntable: A Long Goodbye at A2IM
Some of the most important workplace skills can only be learned on the job — from building relationships with colleagues to positioning yourself for a promotion to dealing with long hours to being able to tell if a work situation is truly strange or totally normal.
But for women — many of whom find it easier to confide in other women at work — finding a colleague to figure these things out with can be harder in a male-skewing industry like the music business.
A 2023 study conducted by Luminate, Tunecore and Believe found a host of female-specific challenges in the music industry, including increased instances of sexual harassment, ageism and unequal representation along with a persistent wage gap. These challenges are particularly acute in the indie realm, where, despite some improvements, senior leadership continues to be largely male.
“Independents tend to be niche spaces and our company sizes are smaller,” says Katie Alberts, COO of the Atlanta-based Reach Records. “If you have a historic trend of men being in leadership and your company only has 10 people, you might not have that female executive within your company as an example for other women.”
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To take on the issue, Merlin, the digital music licensing partner for independent labels, launched a new mentorship program for women, Merlin Engage, early last year. The program paired 18 executive-level mentors with mentees from around the indie label space for a six-month program designed to offer community, leadership skills and advice on how to thrive and rise within the industry and the indie space in particular. The program was initiated by Marie Clausen, managing director of Ninja Tune North America and a Merlin Engage mentor. The 2024 Merlin Engage program starts March 20.
When she applied for the debut program, Magali Ould of Secret City Records was in discussions with upper management about a possible promotion. “We’re 14 employees,” she says. “It’s not a huge company, so every promotion is crucial.”
Magali Ould and Katie Alberts
Nadia Zheng; Courtesy Photo
Secret City president/CEO Justin West, who’s also a Merlin board member, suggested that Ould apply to the Engage program to connect with other women in leadership roles. Ould was accepted and paired with Jenna LoMonaco, the head of U.S. marketing at digital distribution service ONErpm. Over the next six months, the pair regularly spoke on the phone, discussing things like how to build and demonstrate leadership skills, how to prioritize, personality management within the company, public speaking, and presenting skills and relationship building.
Having a mentor, Ould says, gave her a “better understanding and perspective on what it takes to be upper management.” It also helped her score the promotion she was aiming for: Secret City GM.
Ould says working with LoMonaco also helped her see that many of the situations she was dealing with at work, and which seemed potentially unique to her work life, were actually common. Ould says this understanding enhanced her confidence, particularly in moments when she would have previously second guessed herself. She says this knowledge and confidence have helped her stand her ground as a woman in a leadership position.
“Jenna said, ‘Don’t mistake my kindness for weakness,’ which was very helpful for me,” Ould recalls. “I think women can be perceived as being nice, but then we don’t take our space so people might think they can just get their way. This experience showed me how to be caring and also how to still get s— done.”
Alberts of Reach Records served as a mentor in the program and says the experience was extra special because her mentee was pregnant. As such, the pair not only talked about professional goals, but also created a plan for her transition back into work after maternity leave and adjusting to life as a working mom. While the official program is over, Alberts and her mentee are still in touch on work and life matters.
“To see that we did the prep work for a smooth transition back to work, then seeing her reintegrate into working life as a new mom, is super cool,” says Alberts.
In addition to ongoing one-on-one meetings (for which mentors and mentees set their own schedule), the debut Engage program included three program-wide meetings over Zoom, with participants from across the United States. along with cities including London, Brussels and Cape Town, South Africa. The second Engage program will include 15 mentor-mentee pairings, with participants from 10 countries and 28 different Merlin-affiliated companies.
Alberts, who’s returning as a mentor, says there won’t be any major changes to the program except for potentially more of the program-wide Zoom meetups given how much information was mined from hearing about other mentor/mentee experiences. These wider meetings also allowed for participants to collaborate across companies and territories, with the diversity of Merlin affiliated labels allowing for noncompetitive knowledge sharing.
“We’re able to learn and grow from each other through this exchange of information,” says Alberts. “Like, ‘Hey, we made this mistake on this platform, or here’s how we optimized in this in a really interesting way.’”
“That allows us to pool resources,” she continues, “And I think there’s a lot of alignment with Merlin’s vision in that too, because it’s about the collective weight of independents together.”
Range Media Partners has opened a Nashville office and signed Tanya Tucker as a management client.
Tucker joins a robust roster of country clients that includes Russell Dickerson, Dylan Gossett, Stephen Wilson Jr., Shaboozey, Drayton Farley, Yola, Luke Grimes, Ryan Bingham, songwriter Geoff Warburton (with Big Machine Music), Midland (with Sandbox Entertainment), and Hailey Whitters and Brent Cobb (both with Make Wake Artists).
The opening of the office, located in the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood, follows last summer’s hiring of Nashville-based executives William Lowery and Shawn McSpadden. Lowery, senior vp of partnerships and business development, came from Brigade Media Capital and managing partner McSpadden came from Red Light Management. Range co-founding managing partner Jack Minihan also relocated to Nashville at the end of last year. Additionally, Range Media Partners managing partner/music division founder Matt Graham and Range artist manager/head of touring Kyle Wilensky will split their time between Nashville and Los Angeles.
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In addition to the music team that numbers around 10, the office will include Range Sports’ head of football Kyle Strongin, who represents roughly 40 NFL players, including San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.
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Even though Range has managed country artists for the last few years, establishing a physical Nashville office “is the thing that really lets people know that you’re in town,” Graham tells Billboard. “It’s one thing to get on a plane and be there, it’s another to open an office and have full-time employees that are making it a living, breathing organism on a daily basis and a place where other companies and artists can come and sit and have a conversation. It sends a different message of commitment.”
Courtesy of Range
Graham says Range picked the Wedgewood-Houston area, also home to Apple Music, because “that area is such a beehive of activity and energy in the music business right now. We’re certainly not making everyone be there every day, but we want people to come in and be social and be thoughtful and be creative.”
The newest addition to the Nashville artist roster is icon and Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Tucker. “The Midland guys have a really great relationship with her. They’ve done some shows together, she did their podcast. I’m a huge fan of her career and I think she’s having a real resurgence,” Graham says of Tucker, who took home the Grammy for best country album in 2020. “I think all the pieces are in place for her to have a massive next wave of her career. There’s a real 360 approach to the things that she can do going forward that is not just going to be about recording music and touring. And I think that’s what she found really appealing about Range.”
On the other end of the spectrum, Range is experiencing tremendous success with newcomers Dylan Gossett, whose song “Coal” has surpassed 100 million streams and has sold out a pop-up show in London with a 2,500-person waiting list; Stephen Wilson Jr., who made his late night debut on Late Night with Seth Meyers in February; and Nigerian-American artist Shaboozey, of whom Kacey Musgraves has already declared herself a fan.
Graham says Range is actively looking to add more artists to its curated roster. “I think in Nashville, it’s very important that we stick to what we’re good at and know,” he says. “We like artists that push boundaries and are visually interesting and are breaking new ground in different ways. There’s just so many different new pockets and sub-genres of country that have emerged in the past few years. We want to keep looking into new territory. I think just looking to pick up tried-and-true country radio artists that are leaving disgruntled management situations is just not as exciting for us as building new talents.”
Range will share its Nashville space with Get Engaged, a branding entertainment company that has worked with such companies as Raising Cane’s, Morphe Cosmetics and Ryl Tea with Morgan Wallen, as well as country artists like Cole Swindell, Kane Brown and Chris Young.
Since launching in 2020, Range Media Partners’ music division has formed its own label in partnership with Capitol Music Group and Virgin Music & Artist Label Services and represents artists including Jack Harlow, Saweetie, Pentatonix, Paul Russell, Alec Benjamin and Lauv.
Indian Star Diljit Dosanjh Is Making History in Canada
Diljit Dosanjh is making more history with his latest tour announcement.
The artist has revealed where he’ll be taking his Dil-Luminati tour this summer, adding 12 new dates following his previously announced stadium show in Vancouver. The tour promises to be monumental: Beginning in Vancouver and ending in Toronto, it marks the first time a Punjabi artist has headlined Vancouver’s BC Place and Toronto’s Rogers Centre. The BC Place performance is set to be the largest-ever Punjabi music concert outside of India, at a sold-out capacity of 54,000.
That record-breaking Vancouver show kicks off the tour on Apr. 27, and from there Dosanjh plays three more Canadian cities — Winnipeg, Edmonton and Calgary — before heading south of the border to the United States for eight shows. Dosanjh then finishes the tour back in Canada at Rogers Centre on Jul. 13.
The tour looks to be another milestone in the influential artist and actor’s career and marks another boost for the rise of Punjabi music in Canada. In 2023, Dosanjh became the first Indian-born artist to play Coachella, opening up the doors for artists like Punjabi-Canadian musician AP Dhillon, who will perform at the festival this summer.
Dosanjh previously became the first Indian musician to sell out Vancouver’s Rogers Arena and Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, and this time around he’s levelling up to stadiums in those same cities.
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Pre-sale for the Dil-Luminati tour begins Feb. 29. Tickets for the Vancouver date are already on sale. – Rosie Long Decter
Major Canadian Broadcasters Call for Government Support of Local Radio
A lot is at stake for Canadian broadcasters and musicians in the upcoming federal budget.
Canadian media company Stingray, which manages over 100 radio stations, has joined forces with independent radio broadcasters to call for strong support from the federal government for the local radio sector. Stingray and the group of broadcasters have made their message clear in a letter to Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and Minister of Canadian Heritage Pascale St-Onge, calling for measures that will assist local radio amidst declining advertising revenues.
Canada’s radio industry, which contributes $373 million to Canadian content, has suffered from advertisers’ pivot toward tech giants like Meta, while consumers are increasingly using streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. According to the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, in 2023, more than 200 Canadian radio stations were at risk of closing, with 40% of stations operating at a loss.
Bell Media recently announced it was selling 45 of its 103 radio stations amidst company-wide cuts and nearly 4,800 layoffs. (Billboard Canada recently spoke with three radio experts on how the industry is navigating turbulent times).
Stingray’s letter suggests that at least 70% of the Government of Canada’s advertising expenditures should be dedicated to local media, across print, digital, radio and TV. It also calls for a tax credit of at least 20% for advertising with Canadian media outlets.
“The local radio sector is an integral part of our national identity,” said Stingray CEO Eric Boyko. “Stingray and our respected independent industry partners are calling on the government to implement these measures, which are critical to the sector’s viability.”
The independent industry partners supporting the letter include companies like Atlantic radio network Acadia Broadcasting, which owns 16 stations; London, Ontario’s Blackburn Media, which owns 13 stations; and Western Canada company Pattison Media, which owns 48 stations. – Rosie Long Decter
Canadian Hip-Hop DJ/Promoter Sean Lalla Remembered By Questlove, A-Trak and others
Sean Lalla, a Canadian hip-hop DJ and promoter, has died at age 49. His body was found at an Airbnb in Trinidad and Tobago on Feb. 20.
Of Trinidadian origin, Lalla was raised in Toronto, then moved to Vancouver in 1996 to study at Cap College. He later told Vancouver alt-weekly Georgia Straight, “I hated the slow pace of Vancouver and the lack of things to do and places to go if you were a hip-hop head. Rather than complaining about it, I tried to do something about it.”
Lalla founded Spectrum Entertainment and began booking shows. In 2005, Georgia Straight wrote that he was “one of the city’s top concert promoters, and his annual showcase, 604 Hip-Hop Expo, is one of Canada’s most dynamic festivals.”
For his 2005 festival, Lalla booked American star Questlove, of The Roots fame. Upon learning of Lalla’s death, Questlove paid tribute on Instagram: “So devastated to hear the news of Sean Lalla’s passing. Throwing the dopest parties. Back when touring was my DNA you always knew you’d do his parties like 4-6 times a year.”
Under his DJ moniker, Elsewhere Sonido, Lalla travelled to Mexico City, Brazil and Japan to DJ large and sometimes intimate parties. On his Instagram page, Lalla described himself as “a sample searching siempre, a rare groove rescuer, and occasional DJ cosplayer.”
On Instagram, renowned BBC radio DJ Gilles Peterson, who hosted Lalla earlier this month, called him a “total legend” and a “humble music fan. We were last together just the other week … digging (for records) early in the morning on a Saturday before my radio show.”
Montreal turntablist/producer A-Trak (also one-half of Chromeo) remembers Lalla booking him for his first show outside of Quebec when he was 15 years old.
“Sean paid attention to the small things, the local talents, and he elevated them,” he tells Billboard Canada. “We reconnected many times over the last 5-10 years. I was happy that he was working with Maseo from De La Soul; they were a great pair. I was proud when I saw the respect he was getting from world-renowned crate diggers. His love for music ran as deep as his friendships.” – Kerry Doole
Federal prosecutors are accusing NBA YoungBoy (a.k.a. YoungBoy Never Broke Again) of violating the terms of his house arrest by using unspecified drugs — and of telling his supervising officers that he has “no intentions” of stopping. In a filing Thursday (Feb. 29), prosecutors asked a Louisiana federal judge to set a hearing to deal […]
Just days after the Universal Music Group‘s publishing catalog began coming down from TikTok, Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) released a new statement stressing its concerns about artificial intelligence and online safety on the short-form video app. The company stated these are “equally” important issues to TikTok lack of “fair compensation” to songwriters.
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UMPG also acknowledged in its new statement that “the disruption is difficult for some of [its songwriters]” but says leaving the TikTok app is “critical for the sustained future value, safety and health of the entire music ecosystem.”
At the end of January, UMG announced in a letter to its artists and songwriters that it would be allowing its license with TikTok to expire, saying that TikTok refused to pay the “fair value” of music and no deal could be reached. (Tiktok fired back with its own statement, hours later, saying UMG’s decision was motivated by “greed”.) Within days, UMG tracks were removed from Tiktok en masse, including the catalogs of superstars Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Drake, BTS and more who are signed to UMG record labels. In the letter, the company noted that these takedowns would also include its publishing arm, UMPG, but the publishing-related removals did not begin until Tuesday, Feb. 26.
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Now, any song, even if it was released by a non-UMG record label, is subject to takedown on TikTok if even one UMPG-signed songwriter was involved in its creation. Because UMPG is the second largest publisher in the world, these publishing takedowns were wide reaching, impacting almost every record label in one way or another.
In response to the publishing takedowns, TikTok said in a statement on Wednesday, “[UMG’s] actions not only affect the songwriters and artists that they represent, but now also impact many artists and songwriters not signed to Universal. We remain committed to reaching an equitable agreement with Universal Music Group.”
Read UMPG’s new statement to its songwriters below in full:
TikTok is removing UMPG songs because there is no license in place. As you may have heard, to-date, they have not agreed to recognize the fair value of your songs, which so many other digital partners around the world have done.
As we previously addressed in our open letter, in addition to fair compensation for your songs, the negotiations have also focused on two other critical and equally important issues: protecting you, human artists and songwriters, from the harmful effects of AI; and online safety for TikTok’s users, including your fans which include young children.
TikTok’s intentions with respect to AI are increasingly apparent. While refusing to respond to our concerns about AI depriving songwriters from fair compensation, or provide assurances that they will not train their AI models on your songs, recent media reports reveal “TikTok and ByteDance leaders have long wanted to move the app beyond music.” Reflecting on our open letter, other commentators have noted where this distancing from the music industry could lead, fueled by AI: “TikTok has an incentive to push the use of these AI recordings rather than the copyrighted and licensed recordings.”
Every indication is that they simply do not value your music.
We understand the disruption is difficult for some of you and your careers, and we are sensitive to how this may affect you around the world. We recognize that this might be uncomfortable at the moment. But it is critical for the sustained future value, safety and health of the entire music ecosystem, including all music fans.
As always, UMPG will only support partners that value songwriters, artists and your songs. We have a long history of successfully fighting for our songwriters and will continue to do so. You should expect nothing less from us.
The layoffs and restructuring at the Universal Music Group have begun to take place, multiple sources tell Billboard.
As part of the new structure, several top executives have been laid off, Billboard can confirm. Interscope Geffen A&M president of promotion Brenda Romano is among those to have been let go, as well as Interscope’s executive vp/head of media strategy and communications Cara Donatto and Def Jam executive vp of media and brand strategy Gabe Tesoriero.
So far, Billboard has confirmed over two dozen layoffs across UMG labels, including Interscope, Republic, Capitol, Def Jam and Island.
The layoffs began shortly after Universal wrapped up its fourth quarter earnings call Wednesday, during which chairman/CEO Lucian Grainge confirmed a long-rumored “strategic organizational redesign” that would result in “reduced headcount” and “efficiencies.” A UMG spokesperson declined to say how many staffers would be affected by the cuts, but the company told investors that it expected to realize 250 million euros ($271 million) in annual savings by 2026 through the move. Universal saw 11.11 billion euros ($12 billion) in revenue in 2023, and reaped a net profit of 1.26 billion euros ($1.37 billion).
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The layoffs had been in the offing since last October, when Grainge mentioned that UMG would need to “cut to grow” in a Q3 earnings call, then said in a January New Year’s memo to staff that despite UMG being the “most successful company in the history of the music industry,” the company would “further evolve our organizational structure to create efficiencies in other areas of the business, so we can remain nimble and responsive to opportunities as they arise, while also taking advantage of the benefits of our scale.” A spokesperson then confirmed cuts were coming in a statement Jan. 12, after Bloomberg reported the company planned to cut “hundreds” of jobs in the first quarter of the year.
Layoffs continued Thursday (Feb. 29), and some staffers speculated to Billboard that they may continue into Friday. There is no word on how many people were affected, nor any specifics in what departments they were, though in addition to promotions, publicity and A&R, at least some people in logistics, synch, international and commercial marketing were among the layoffs. Staff members from Republic, Interscope, Capitol, Island and Def Jam were among those laid off.
On Feb. 1, Grainge announced in an internal memo that Universal would be restructuring its label operations, adopting a loose East Coast-West Coast operation wherein Republic Records co-founder/CEO Monte Lipman would begin to oversee Republic, Def Jam, Island and Mercury, and Interscope Geffen A&M chairman/CEO John Janick would take responsibility for Interscope, Geffen, Capitol, Motown, Priority, Verve and Blue Note. Days later, Capitol Music Group chair/CEO Michelle Jubelirer announced she was stepping down from her post and was replaced by Geffen president Tom March as chairman/CEO of Capitol and Universal Music Publishing Group executive Lillia Parsa joining as co-president alongside Arjun Pulijal.
As part of the new alignment, and with Donatto and Tesoriero out at Interscope and Def Jam, respectively, it appears that Capitol Music Group executive vp/head of media strategy and relations Ambrosia Healy will now run corporate communications for the West Coast labels, and Republic Records executive vp of media and artist relations Joe Carozza will oversee corporate communications for the East Coast labels.
Reps for UMG did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Additionally, reps for several individual labels either declined to comment or could not be reached for comment.
This story is developing.
A federal judge ruled Thursday (Feb. 29) that an unnamed woman suing Sean “Diddy” Combs over allegations that he “sex trafficked” and “gang raped” her must reveal her identity as the case moves forward.
The judge acknowledged that disclosing the accuser’s identity “could have a significant impact on her” due to the “graphic and disturbing allegations in this case,” but said the woman had failed to prove that she could proceed anonymously.
“While the court does not take plaintiff’s concerns lightly, the Court cannot rely on generalized, uncorroborated claims that disclosure would harm plaintiff to justify her anonymity,” Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke wrote.
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The judge cited previous lawsuits against Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein in which John Doe and Jane Doe accusers, respectively, had been denied anonymity and said that allowing cases to proceed under a pseudonym in the U.S. court system was “the exception and not the rule.”
The ruling will not take effect immediately; instead, the accuser will not be revealed until after the judge rules on Diddy’s pending motion to dismiss the lawsuit. It’s unclear when that ruling might come. If the case survives, the Jane Doe will be forced to reveal her name.
Thursday’s decision came in one of several abuse cases filed against the hip-hop mogul late last year. In the current case, the unnamed Jane Doe accuser claims that Combs and former Bad Boy Records president Harve Pierre “plied” her with drugs and alcohol before raping her in a Manhattan recording studio when she was a high school junior.
Combs has strongly denied those allegations, saying: “I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.” Last week, he formally responded to the lawsuit, arguing that that the allegations are “fictional” and violate his constitutional right to due process.
For months, the two sides have wrangled over whether the Jane Doe accuser could proceed anonymously. She argued that the media attention she would face would result in fresh trauma, adding to what she already allegedly suffered. Diddy’s attorneys argued strongly the other way, saying it would be unfair to let his accuser proceed under a pseudonym while his name was dragged through the mud.
On Thursday, the judge sided clearly with Diddy’s argument, ruling that she had failed to show the kind of “particularized harm or current vulnerabilities” that would necessitate such special status.
“Although this case involves highly sensitive allegations and Doe has not publicly revealed her identity, all other factors weigh against Plaintiff’s motion should this case survive Defendants’ dispositive motions,” the judge wrote.
The radio business’ slog through a slow advertising market appears to be improving in 2024. “As we look to the year ahead, we see 2024 as a recovery year and we expect a return-to-growth mode,” iHeartMedia CEO Bob Pittman said during the company’s Thursday (Feb. 29) earnings call for the fourth quarter of 2023. Explore […]