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For the first time, Billboard is expanding its peer-voted Power Players’ Choice Award globally, asking music industry members from all sectors across the world to honor the international executive they believe had the most impact across the business in the past year. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and […]

For the first time, Billboard is expanding its peer-voted Power Players’ Choice Award globally, asking music industry members from all sectors across the world to honor the international executive they believe had the most impact across the business in the past year. Voting is now open to all Billboard Pro members, both existing and new, […]

Attorneys for Bad Bunny have filed a lawsuit against a fan who posted videos from a recent concert to YouTube, arguing the Puerto Rican rapper was essentially forced to sue after the alleged bootlegger demanded that YouTube keep the clips online.
In a complaint filed Friday in federal court, attorneys for Bad Bunny (Benito Martínez Ocasio) claimed Eric Guillermo Madroñal Garrone posted videos covering ten songs from a February concert in Salt Lake City to his YouTube channel “MADforliveMUSIC,” infringing copyrights and “luring” viewers to his page.

Worse yet, the lawsuit claims, when Bad Bunny submitted a takedown request to YouTube, Garrone responded with a formal counter-notice defending his right to post the clips. That move would legally require YouTube to repost them – unless, that is, Bad Bunny went to court to stop them.

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“Defendants have objected to the removal of the unauthorized bootlegs from YouTube, refused to agree not to re-post the unauthorized bootlegs, and requested that YouTube reinstate the unauthorized bootlegs,” Bad Bunny’s attorneys wrote. “Unless enjoined by this court, defendants will continue to infringe Ocasio’s rights.”

Such disputes over online content happen all the time, but they’re usually handled without a lawsuit. Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, artists like Bad Bunny can file a takedown request to online platforms like YouTube, requiring the site to pull down the allegedly infringing material. That’s typically the end of the story, especially in cases of extensive footage of full songs.

But the DMCA also empowers internet users to object to such requests if they believe that they’ve made a “fair use” of the materials in question – like, say, a news clip of a Bad Bunny concert that incidentally featured some of his music, or a parody video that mocked him by riffing on one of his songs.

In the case of Garrone’s footage, Bad Bunny’s representatives filed a takedown notice for all ten of the clips from the Salt Lake City concert, arguing that they featured unauthorized recordings of huge hits like “Yo Perreo Sola,” “Me Porto Bonito,” “Dakiti” and others. That notice initially succeeded in getting the clips pulled down.

But according to the lawsuit, Garrone then filed a DMCA counter-notice, requesting “reinstatement of the videos as soon as possible.” In a copy of the notice that was included in Bad Bunny’s lawsuit, Garrone argued that he had made “legitimate use of the content” and that the takedown notice “constitutes a serious detriment to my informative and outreach activities.”

“The removed videos also cover the start of the worldwide tour of Puerto Rican reggaeton artist Bad Bunny, with this being his first date out of the 47 planned across North America, constituting in itself a newsworthy event of high public interest and significant informative scope,” Garrone wrote. “In my opinion, the artist also benefits from the dissemination of the content in his own promotion, as his show is carefully captured, conveying the reality of the moment without alterations or post-production in the content.”

Under the DMCA, that move would require YouTube to repost Garrone’s footage unless Bad Bunny filed a copyright infringement lawsuit within ten days. In an email included in the lawsuit, YouTube warned Bad Bunny’s reps that “if we don’t get a response from you, the content at issue may be reinstated.”

“Your response must include evidence that you’ve taken legal action against the uploader to keep the content from being reinstated to YouTube,” the video site told Bad Bunny’s reps. “Usually, evidence would include a lawsuit against the producer which names the YouTube URLs at issue and seeks a court order to restrain the alleged infringement.”

On Friday, Bad Bunny’s lawyers did exactly that. They argued that Garrone’s videos “do not qualify as fair use” that would entitle them to reinstatement, and that they instead violated his rights.

“Each of the unauthorized bootlegs, both individually and collectively, negatively impacts the market for authorized uses of the Bad Bunny works by, among other things, luring YouTube viewers and associated advertising revenue away from authorized videos of the Bad Bunny Works,” the rapper’s attorneys wrote.

The lawsuit also accused Garrone of violating federal trademark laws by using Bad Bunny’s name in promoting the clips, and of violating a federal law specifically aimed at bootlegging.

Reps for Bad Bunny did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Garrone could not immediately be located for comment, because his YouTube page has been disabled.

After excitedly booking her showcase at next week’s South by Southwest music festival, Zoë Mead, the British shoegaze artist known as Wyldest, tried to land other U.S. club and festival gigs to offset her already-high travel expenses.
To do all this legally, she learned, required getting a temporary work visa costing $460 plus another $2,800 for faster processing. Hiring a lawyer or immigration specialist to file the application would have added another thousand dollars minimum to the bill. “It’s just too risky,” she says. “You have to reject a hell of a lot of things, which is really frustrating.”

And beginning April 1, immigration and visa entry costs for international artists playing festivals, concerts or label events in the U.S. are set to rise even higher.

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The fees for filing “O” and “P” visa petitions — the former covers “individuals who possess extraordinary ability,” the latter “internationally renowned performing groups” and music ensembles of up to 25 people — will increase from $460 to maximum costs of $1,655 and $1,615, respectively. That price includes a $600 Asylum Program Fee, which the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will use to offset the costs of adjudicating cases of immigrants seeking asylum from persecution and violence — a process unrelated to the music business. 

There are, however, reduced rates for visa applications backed by a promoter, agency, festival or record company (the so-called petitioner) with less than 25 full-time employees. For those companies, the new fee is capped at $830 (including a $300 asylum levy). For non-profit petitioners, the total fee is capped at $530. (Crews and traveling production staff also require either an appropriate O or P visa to work in the U.S., while artists invited to perform at official showcase events like SXSW, such as Mead, maybe able to enter the U.S. using an ESTA/Visa Waiver, which costs $21). 

USCIS representatives say the increased fees will cover rising business costs and reduce processing backlogs. They also contend the pricing surge will not affect musicians because promoters, club owners and labels will be paying the fees.

It’s cold comfort for international acts — especially those starting their live careers — who fear those costs will ultimately be passed on to them, making it too expensive for all but established artists to play U.S. dates. “It’s going to have a chilling effect,” says Rita Sostrin, a Los Angeles-based immigration attorney who represents many international acts. “I’m certainly hearing a lot of displeasure from my clients for these higher fees.”

The fear among international artists, especially those at the start of their live careers, is that the extra costs will ultimately be passed onto them, making it too expensive for all but established international acts to play American concert venues and festivals. “That burden of applying for and paying for the visas is shared across the artists, managers, promoters and venues,” says Neeta Ragoowanski, president of the Music Managers Forum U.S., which opposes the fee increases. “It’s going to affect artists’ decisions on how these tours go,” she says. 

Last year, USCIS temporarily paused its plans to increase fees following strong opposition from artist and music-industry advocacy groups such as the National Independent Venue Association and UK Music.

The new fees being introduced April 1 are nominally lower than the non-tiered rises first proposed by USCIS, but still represent “a significant extra burden for touring U.K. bands and artists, particularly for emerging acts that operate on the tightest of margins,” says UK Music interim chief executive Tom Kiehl.

Those margins are being squeezed tighter by the majority of international artists needing to pay out for “premium” visa processing, says Andy Corrigan, owner of U.K.-based Viva La Visa, which specializes in immigration services for music acts and has recently work on U.S. touring arrangement for The Damned and former Spice Girl Melanie C. Premium processing fees rose in February from $2,500 to $2,805 with the time for processing applications increasing from 15 calendar days to 15 business days.

“Almost every band that we deal with has to use premium because the standard processing is so uncertain,” he says. “The whole system is loaded against new and emerging artists. It’s grossly unfair.”

Corrigan says he has lowered his company’s visa fees following the price rises “to try and mitigate the increase in costs for everybody,” but fears that some artists will be tempted to enter the U.S. illegally, without the proper visa documentation in place, as a result of the extra financial burden being placed on them. 

“People have got to take a longer-term view and recognize the value of cultural exchange and music, and not just think that they can squeeze every dollar out of the sector,” says Jon Collins, chief executive of U.K. industry trade group LIVE. He calls USCIS’s January sudden announcement of the rise in visa fees – following a period of consultation – a “fait accompli” that will have a detrimental impact on the health of the U.K. and U.S. grass roots music industry. 

“It just feels like you’re constantly being slapped in the face,” says Mead, who had to turn down an invitation to play a pre-SXSW festival, New Colossus, in New York next month. “It was already expensive, and they put it up even more, and it’s like, ‘how?’”

Trueno has signed a record deal with Sony Music Latin, Billboard can announce. The Argentine rapper and singer, known for his socially conscious lyrics, is a leading force in the hip-hop scene of Latin America. “Joining Sony Music US Latin is a big step in my career! I am very excited to be able to […]

A suspected drug overdose and the forces of nature soured the 2024 Pitch Music & Arts festival, a long-weekend camping festival in Victoria, Australia which wrapped its seventh edition.

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Pill-testing is back in the national headlines after a 23-year-old man, who is understood to have consumed black-market drugs, died after being airlifted to The Alfred hospital in the early hours of Sunday morning.

“Our thoughts are with their family and friends. We have our Crowd Care team on site to support patrons and staff, and are committed to providing support services to those who need them,” reads a statement from organizers.

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The identity of the man, from Niddrie in Melbourne’s northwest, has not been disclosed. “We cannot comment further at this time given the necessity to protect the privacy of those affected,” the statement continues.

As party-goers and their families absorbed the news of a suspected drug fatality, Greens spokesperson Aiv Puglielli called on the state government to “shift gears and finally set up pill-testing” at music events.

“While this Labor government continues to stall,” Puglielli adds in a statement “young Victorian lives are being put at risk.” Even with “pure MDMA we’ve seen how extreme heat can deal a deadly blow. So with untested drugs circulating, this was truly a disaster waiting to happen.”

According to the Guardian, two other men, aged in their 30s and 40s, were taken to East Grampians Health Service suffering suspected overdoses, and are said to be in a stable condition.

Pill testing was trialed at Canberra’s Spilt Milk festival in 2018, paving the way for the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) government launching the country’s first fixed-site health and drug checking service as a six-month pilot in July 2022. That service has now been extended to December 2024.

Victoria’s leadership, however, has no current plans to trial pill testing in the state, though a spokesperson told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation earlier in the year that $21 million of taxpayers’ money is spent each year on harm reduction activities, which include engaging with attendees at festivals and nightclubs.

Pitch is produced by Untitled Group, the largest independent music and events company in Australia, whose festival brands include Beyond The Valley, Sun Cycle NYD, Grapevine Gathering, Wildlands, Ability Fest and more.

Earlier, Untitled scrubbed the final day of Pitch, set for Monday, March 11, as “extreme” heat swept through the state. “Through consultation with authorities,” reads a statement issued by organizers Sunday afternoon, “we have been directed to cancel the remainder of Pitch Music & Arts 2024 in light of an updated extreme fire danger warning issued this afternoon for tomorrow.”

The message continues, “we have consistently followed the guidance of relevant authorities throughout the entire process.”

Though guests weren’t in “immediate danger,” the statement continues, “everyone on site” was encouraged to “calmly pack-up” and move along.

The climate crisis is real, it’s here, and it’s ruined many festivals in this part of the world. According to Green Music Australia, the lobby body for music and the environment in Australia, over 45 music festivals in Australia have been partially or fully cancelled due to weather impacts since 2015. On top of that, notes CEO Berish Bilander, other cultural events have cited rising insurance premiums due to weather as a cause for cancelation.

Add Moomba Festival to that list; organizers scrapped Monday’s parade, due to hazardous conditions.

Following two consecutive sold-out events in 2023 and 2022, Pitch, a celebration of music, arts, and community, brought back a ballot system for 2024.

The event was slated for March 8-12 in Moyston, about 140 miles west of Melbourne, coinciding with Victoria’s Labour Day long weekend.

(WMG) revealed its interest in acquiring the French music company.
Believe shares rose 2.5% to 15.88 euros ($17.38) after WMG announced its interest in the owner of distributor TuneCore, publishing administrator Sentric and such record labels as Naïve and Groove Attack. Last week, Believe announced it had interest from an unnamed party, which caused the share price to exceed the 15 euro ($16.52) per share offer from a consortium led by CEO Denis Ladegaillerie and investment funds EQT and TCV. After the potential suitor was given a name, Believe’s share price rose even more. WMG, which hasn’t made an official offer, said it would pay “at least” 17 euros ($18.60) per share. WMG shares fell 4.4% to $33.93 this week. 

With Believe trading at 15.88 euros ($17.38), investors don’t appear convinced that WMG will make an offer at 17.00 euros. Not only would WMG need to pass regulatory scrutiny, the Ladegaillerie consortium has a head start and appears to be moving quickly to close the deal. Last week, the consortium said it waived the board’s condition that an independent expert weigh in on its offer’s fairness to shareholders. WMG’s announcement singled out the maneuver, stating that “WMG considers that such a waiver violates a number of rules of French securities regulations which are meant to protect shareholders (including the sellers and their investors) and the Company, and that the validity of such waiver could be challenged.” 

Sphere Entertainment Co. shares rose 10.1% this week to $48.77, adding $127 million to the company’s market capitalization and bringing its year-to-date gain to 43.5%. Three of four live music companies posted gains in an otherwise muted week for music stocks: German promoter CTS Eventim gained 2.2% to 75.10 euros ($82.19), while on Thursday (Mar. 7), Live Nation shares surpassed $100 for the first time since May 2, 2022. The concert giant finished the week up 2.7% to $99.75. 

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The 20-company Billboard Global Music Index fell 0.9% to 1,700.37 this week as half the stocks were gainers, nine were losers and one was unchanged. Streaming stocks had an average gain of 4.2% thanks to an 18.4% improvement by music streamer LiveOne. Abu Dhabi-based streaming company Anghami rose 3.2%. The bigger streaming companies lost ground, however. Spotify fell 1.6% to $259.40, a rare stumble for a stock that has gained 38.1% year to date. Deezer shares dropped 0.4% to 2.24 euros ($2.45).

K-pop stocks were down across the board this week. JYP Entertainment, home to Twice and Stray Kids, fell 8.0%. SM Entertainment, home to aespa and Girls’ Generation, dropped 6.5%. HYBE sank 2.3% and YG Entertainment, the company behind BLACKPINK, slipped 1%. The four companies have an average year-to-date loss of 22.7%. HYBE’s 16.7% decline in 2024 is the best of the group. Elsewhere, JYP Entertainment shares have fallen 33.1% and SM Entertainment and YG Entertainment dropped 20.6% and 20.4%, respectively. 

Stocks were mixed globally. In the United States, the Nasdaq composite dropped 1.2% to 16,085.94 and the S&P 500 declined 0.3% to 5,123.69. U.S. stocks reached new records on Thursday following comments by Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell that indicated the central bank will ease interest rates. “If the economy evolves broadly as expected, it will likely be appropriate to begin dialing back policy restraint at some point this year,” Powell told the House Committee on Financial Services on Wednesday (Mar. 6).

Stocks ended the week on a down note after Friday’s U.S. jobs report offered mixed messages to investors. Total confirmed payroll rose by 275,000 in February, but at the same time, the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points to 3.9% and wages rose just 0.1% in February — not necessarily welcome indicators, but perhaps signs that the Federal Reserve can move ahead with future rate cuts without fearing the economy will overheat. 

In the United Kingdom, the FTSE 100 fell 0.3% to 7,659.74. South Korea’s KOSPI composite index rose 1.4% to 2,680.35. China’s Shanghai Stock Exchange index improved 0.6% to 3,046.02. 

The beloved Just for Laughs festival in Montreal, a vital annual event in the comedy world, has canceled its 2024 edition and laid off about 70% of its staff.
The festival’s managing body, Groupe Juste pour rire inc. (JPR), is facing financial hardships and has sought legal measures to avoid bankruptcy. JPR said the decision is aimed at finding new investors or potential buyers to keep the festival afloat. The challenges leading to this point include the economic strain from the pandemic and other industry hurdles, including rising costs and media mergers. Despite the tough times, organizers hope to come back stronger in 2025. 

“The decision to initiate restructuring proceedings was reached after thorough consideration of all options available to the company,” a news release states, “taking into account its very difficult financial situation given the significant changes in our business landscape in recent years.” – Rosie Long Decter

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Billboard Women In Music Expands to Canada in 2024

This June, Billboard Women In Music is expanding to Canada, shining a light on the influential women and gender-diverse talents who are shaping the nation’s music scene. With this expansion, Billboard Canada aims to honor those making significant strides across the industry, from production to live performances.

The music community is invited to participate, with nominations now open. It offers a platform to recognize and celebrate the outstanding contributions of individuals in the Canadian music industry while fostering a more inclusive and diverse musical landscape.

Canadian executive Golnar Khosrowshahi, the founder/CEO of Reservoir Media, one of the biggest independent music companies in the world, is an Executive of the Year hall of famer. This year, she offered this piece of advice: “Pivot to a path that allows for growth equally across your professional and personal lives. You should not have to compromise, but rather be empowered to find the route that allows for the multitudes present in you.” – Richard Trapunski

Music Canada’s Game-Changing Update: Video Streams Now Count Toward Gold and Platinum Certifications

Earlier this week, Toronto-based Music Canada announced a significant update to its Gold/Platinum Program for Single Awards: It will now incorporate official video streams into the certification calculations.

The change celebrates the evolving ways fans engage with music, particularly through video. With this update, video streams from platforms like YouTube, Vevo and Apple Music from Jan. 1, 2020, onwards will contribute to the criteria for Gold, Platinum and Diamond certifications, ensuring that artists who engage fans through music videos receive recognition toward certifications. – David Farrell

4batz has signed a deal with Drake’s label OVO Sound for one EP, according to two executives familiar with the deal. The EP deal is a short-term license, the sources say. A rep for Drake and OVO declined to comment. Multiple labels have been wooing 4batz since his track “act ii: date @ 8” — […]

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Shelby Lynne has signed with Monument Records and will now be managed by Little Big Town‘s Karen Fairchild, who is stepping into music management.
Led by co-presidents Shane McAnally and Jason Owen as well as general manager Katie McCartney, Monument will reissue Lynne’s 1999 album, I Am Shelby Lynne, on Apr. 5 in honor of its 25th anniversary, with a limited-edition vinyl release slated for the summer.

Meanwhile, Lynne is also working on her new studio album with Fairchild, fellow singer-songwriter Ashley Monroe and producer/engineer/mixer Gena Johnson (Ashley McBryde‘s Lindeville, Chris Stapleton‘s Starting Over).

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Lynne, who moved back to Nashville in 2018, said in a statement, “It’s good to be back in Nashville. Being back in this city has lit me up. I’ve come full circle and I can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on.”

Since issuing her 1989 debut album, Sunrise, Lynne has traversed genres including country, rock and pop with her music. In the early 1990s, several of her songs, including “Things Are Tough All Over,” cracked the top 30 on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart, while her sixth studio album, 1999’s I Am Shelby Lynne, featured the top 20 Billboard Triple A chart hit “Gotta Get Back.” The album also led to Lynne winning best new artist at the 43rd annual Grammy Awards. She has also picked up honors including the ACM Awards’ top new female vocalist accolade. Additionally, she has been featured in movies and TV shows including Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line.

In addition to Little Big Town, Fairchild has written songs recorded by Kelsea Ballerini and Anne Wilson. In a way, Lynne’s signing to Monument Records marks a full-circle moment for Fairchild as well, as Little Big Town’s 2002 self-titled debut album was released on the label (the group has been with Capitol Nashville since 2008).

McAnally said in a statement, “Artists like Shelby Lynne come once in a lifetime. Her impact on artists and fans alike, including me, has been deep and wide. I’m so proud to be a part of bringing her artistry back to the forefront with new music.”

Fairchild added, “It feels important to reintroduce Shelby Lynne’s genius to a fresh wave of artists and fans. I’m blown away by her profound knowledge of music and the enormity of her talent. Shelby’s uniqueness lies in her extraordinary capacity to delve into human pain and beauty through her powerful voice and storytelling.”