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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.
Global advertising and communications company Havas appointed Damien Escobar as its first-ever global chief music officer, effective immediately. Based in New York City, Escobar’s role is to provide insights into strategy and production in support of brands looking to enhance their storytelling with music. His agency experience includes serving as svp of music and culture at Havas unit Arnold Worldwide, though Escobar is perhaps best known in music circles as an accomplished — and chart-topping — violinist. Just last year, his song “Taboo” spent two weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Smooth Jazz Airplay chart, and he scored a No. 1 on both Classical Albums and Classical Crossover Albums charts with 2017’s Boundless. Escobar’s pre-solo group Nuttin’ But Stringz placed third in the 2008 season of America’s Got Talent and the “hip-hop violinist” and former child prodigy was later profiled on NBC’s TODAY show. At his new gig, Escobar reports to Donna Murphy, global CEO of Havas Creative Network and Havas Health & You.
“Damien is a creative and innovative force in the industry—and we’ve seen how his multifaceted talents have already shaped and elevated campaigns for some of our biggest brands,” said Murphy. “He is at the heart of contextualizing the sound with the visuals; amplifying the story the brand wants to tell through music. This role will allow him to help continue creating these stories for all our Havas clients.”
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Meanwhile…
Warner Chappell Music appointed Lisa Li as managing director of China. Based in Beijing and reporting to Arica Ng, president of Asia Pacific, Li will be responsible for leading all of WCM’s operations in China, while also collaborating with other teams across Asia to strengthen the Warner brand in the region. Having Li’s back will be Mar Ma, who has been appointed director of A&R at the publisher. Prior to joining WCM, Li served as head of business development at Warner Bros. Discovery in China. She’s also held senior roles at HBO China, Disney Interactive and others. Ma’s CV includes a decade of experience that includes stops at both Warner Music China and Universal Music Publishing China. “Lisa’s strategic mindset, leadership skills, and passion for the entertainment industry make her the ideal person to capitalize on the tremendous growth opportunities in China,” said Ng.
UMG Nashville named David Friedman to the newly-created role of vp of national promotion and strategy. Friedman oversees all strategic elements of UMG Nashville’s promotion operation. Friedman most recently led the MCA Nashville promotion team. “Over the past year, the UMGN promotion department has evolved, and having someone with David’s vast experience running point on our overall radio strategy makes the department stronger,” UMG Nashville evp/COO Mike Harris said in a statement. “Having his expertise at the center is a natural fit, and I’m really excited for David and to see where he can take this new role.” –Jessica Nicholson
Warner Records promoted Josh Reich to senior vp of Top 40 promotion. The Chicago-based radio veteran, who reports to evp of promotion and commerce Mike Chester, will lead the label’s pop promotion department in efforts to promote Warner singles across 170 pop radio reporters. Reich has been with Warner since 2011 and was most recently vp of Top 40 promotion & digital strategy. He had past stops at WXRT/Chicago, A&M Records and RCA Records. “Josh is a well respected promotion executive who brings outstanding depth and knowledge to his position. “[Reich’s] reputation and results are first-class, matched only by his ability to close,” said Chester. “He truly embodies our culture of artist development and I’m thrilled to have him leading our pop efforts at this exciting time in our label’s history.”
Online recording studio and music publishing platform Tunedly made two major changes at the top. Co-founders Chris Erhardt and Mylene Besancon are no longer chief executive officer and chief creative officer, respectively, replaced with Ben Jackson and Katja Glieson in the key roles. “This change at the top promises to inject new energy into Tunedly, leveraging Jackson’s extensive industry experience and Glieson’s creative prowess to drive the platform forward,” the company said. Launched in 2015, Tunedly connects songwriters and other music creators with session musicians for professional music production and music publishing services. Jackson is a music producer with “deep industry knowledge” while Glieson comes bearing a track record of success as a social media content creator. While no longer CEO, Erhardt will remain a member of the board and focus on launching TunedCoin. Besancon, meanwhile, has already taken the reins as CEO of song personalization platform Bring My Song To Life.
Photo Credit: Quadir Thomas
Dina Marto joined UTA as an executive in the global agency’s music division. She is based in Atlanta and will report directly to partner and co-head of UTA Atlanta Rob Gibbs. Prior to UTA, Marto founded and ran Twelve Music & Studios, where her client list over the course of a decade included Theron Thomas and Polow Da Don, as well as labels including Atlantic Records and Maybach Music Group. She also previously worked with L.A. Reid at Island Def Jam, where she A&R’d albums by the likes of Young Jeezy, Nas, Rick Ross, Janet Jackson, LL Cool J and more. She also co-founded C & D The Agency in 2020, a women-led marketing agency dedicated to empowering minority women. Gibbs commented that Marto’s “deep connections in the city’s music scene will undoubtedly open doors and create new opportunities for our clients.”
The Grand Ole Opry promoted three executives in its ranks. Nicole Judd has been elevated to associate producer, show development, contributing to the development/production of all Opry shows in addition to serving as a programming liaison for various internal and external teams. Judd has been with the company 17 years, most recently serving as Opry marketing manager. Gina Keltner has been promoted to associate producer, talent. Keltner, who marks her 25th year with the Opry, will book more than 200 Opry shows per year, as well as other events and initiatives. Audrey McGrady, who has been with the Opry since 2017, has been promoted to talent manager, managing all talent-related show advancement for Opry shows and contributing to various aspects of show production and programming strategy with the Opry programming and artist relations team. –Jessica Nicholson
Nettwerk Music Group welcomed Talia Rubino as vp of global sync, a role where she’ll spearhead creative strategies to maximize sync opportunities for Nettwerk artists, writers and labels. Rubino has racked up 16 years of experience in sync licensing, first with Warner Music on the label side before a highly accomplished 10-yeare run in publishing at Warner Chappell Music. “Her extensive experience in artist development and facilitating licensing opportunities makes her an invaluable asset to our leadership team,” noted Nettwerk president and COO Simon Mortimer-Lamb. “Nettwerk’s ethos is artist-first, career forward, and Talia’s skills align perfectly with that promise.”
Diversified Production Services, the live entertainment event producer behind such shows as the Global Citizens Festival, iHeartRadio Music Festival and the Roots Picnic, hired live events veteran Darren Pfeffer as president. The New York City-based exec is coming off more than six years at MSG Entertainment, where he rose to evp of MSG Live. Prior to that, put in a mere 21 years at iHearMedia, where as svp of music and entertainment marketing he led the company’s live entertainment division. According to RAMP, DPS also announced that co-CEO Dave Meyers will transition to a senior advisor role at the company.
NASHVILLE NOTES: Go West Creative promoted Eileen Valois (pictured) to president and CEO of the full-service creative and events agency. Valois joined GWC three years ago as president and chief operating officer following a lengthy and accomplished career in experiential brand building being an all-around “intuitive disruptor,” the company said. Congratulate her at eileen@gwcg.com … SMACKSongs promoted Carly Sater to creative manager. Sater joined the company in 2019. Her day-to-day responsibilities include signing and developing songwriters, booking writing sessions and creating opportunities for writers … Boutique artist services label Twelve6 Entertainment promoted Travis Myatt to president and general manager, and also elevated Willow Belenski to project manager and Alaina Maggart to the new role of creative manager, Twelve6 Publishing … Black River Entertainment svp of promotion Mike Wilson has left the company after more than a decade, telling Music Row “it’s now time to move on to a new challenge.”
Position Music added industry veteran Jay Moore to its executive team as vice president and head of investments, reporting to president and CEO Tyler Bacon out of Position’s Los Angeles offices. As vp and hoi, Moore will lend an analytic hand around label and publishing signings and catalog acquisitions. Prior to joining Position, Moore was chief investment officer at Ditto Music. He has also worked in a senior director capacity at Kobalt Music. “The ability to quickly analyze and price deals is a crucial piece of ultimately closing them,” said Bacon. “We are immediately seeing the benefit of his work in the current pipeline, along with the work he did on our recent Gesaffelstein acquisition.”
The Syndicate scooped up BMG veteran Alina Akhmadullina as director of label services in its quickly-expanding label services/project management department. The year-old division already works closely with Round Hill Records, Rhino, Loosegroove Records, Dine Alone and Vydia, among others. At BMG, Akhmadullina rose to senior marketing manager during a five-year stretch in which she worked on campaigns for Slash, Billy Idol, Karen O, Godsmack, Hollywood Undead and Run The Jewels. “Alina brings a depth of knowledge, unparalleled enthusiasm, and a loaded range of skills to The Syndicate,” said Rob Gross, svp of label services. “As we build out the Label Services/Project Management division and offerings, Alina will be a pivotal force behind our upward build and growth.” The LA-based Akhmadullina can be reached alina@thesyn.com.
740 Project, the marketing firm and record label fresh off wins for its work with Killer Mike and Ye, elevated Nancy Liu to partner and Jacolyn Carrasco to vp of marketing. Liu has spent the past two years as president of the marketing firm and, as partner, joins co-founders Jesse “Punch” Edwards, Rahim Wright and Charley Greenberg with that title. 740 is fast approaching its 10th year and currently boasts a tight relationship with Quality Control artists Lil Baby, Migos and Lil Yachty, as well as Megan Thee Stallion, J Balvin and Travis Scott.
RADIO, RADIO: MCA Nashville elevated UMG veteran Miranda McDonald to vp of promotion, leading all radio initiative for the label’s roster. She arrives from UMG Nashville, where she was vp of national promotion and worked across multiple teams, including at MCA, Capitol and Mercury … Shari Roth joined Big Loud Records as vp of multi-format radio, effective immediately. She most recently served as national director of radio accounts at Warner Music Nashville for eight years … Speaking of, Warner Music Nashville expanded senior vp of radio Kristen Williams’ role, making her vp of radio and commercial partnerships.
Tixr appointed Stéphane McGarry to the role of vp of partnerships and country manager as the ticketing platform looks to expand its “already robust roster of partners” across Canada. McGarry arrives from AudienceView, where he was vp of sales. Prior to that, he was Crowtorch’s president of Canadian operations. Tixr already has a robust portfolio in the Great White North, including deals with Sonic Concerts, Cowboys Music Festival, Game Con Canada and more. Robert Davari, co-founder and CEO of Tixr, said McGarry has “consistently added value to every organization he’s touched, and collaborating with him has been on my agenda for years.”
BOARD SHORTS: Music tech platform Hook announced its inaugural group of outside advisors: DJ/producer KSHMR; SNAP head of music partnerships Manny Adler; venture capitalist Abe Burns; Downtown Music Holdings founder & chairman Justin Kalifowitz; Hundred Days founder & co-president Ben Klein; and Reed Smith managing partner Gregor Pryor … SOLID, aka the Society of Leaders in Development, announced its 2024 board of directors, led by president Rio Van Risseghem (The Orchard), vp Zach Green (Green P&M), secretary Melissa Flaxman (Black Box) and treasurer Lizzy Stone (Wiles + Taylor & Co). See a full list here.
ICYMI:
Steve Berman is vice chairman, Annie Lee is COO and Geoff Harris is CFO at the newly conjured Interscope Capitol Labels Group, encompassing Interscope, Geffen, A&M, Capitol, Blue Note, Priority, Verve and Motown … The Ivors Academy named Roberto Neri as its new CEO … Black Music Action Coalition co-founder Willie “Prophet” Stiggers (pictured) joined the founders board of the Neil Lasher Music Fund at Caron Treatment Centers … and Capitol Music Group co-president Arjun Pulijal stepped down after 11 years at the company.
Last Week’s Turntable: Luminate Focuses on Indie Retail
Cortez Bryant’s Blueprint Group, Jared Gutstadt’s Audio Up and Anthony Martini’s Gravel Road have formed a new management partnership to represent the Compton Cowboys and its leader, Randy Savvy.
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The Compton Cowboys are a childhood group of eight friends from the Compton neighborhood of Los Angeles, who use music, horseback riding and equestrian culture to improve their inner-city community. Savvy, who is also a musician, launched the collective in 2017.
The first endeavor in the new alliance is to launch Compton Cowboys Coffee, in partnership with creative studio Avenue C, which helped design, package and build the coffee line. The brand will launch in the third quarter of 2024 with the first range of flavors named after song titles on Compton Cowboys Presents Street Country Street Country Vol 1: Once Upon A Time In Compton, a mixtape from Savvy that will come out in April via Gutstadt’s Virgin Music Group-distributed Audio Chateau label, timed to Savvy’s April 28 appearance at Stagecoach. Flavors include High Horse, Bad Apple, Cali Hold ‘Em, Iced Out Bolo and Regulate.
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The first single from the project, “High Horse,” comes out today (March 8) and features Reggaeton duo Jowell and Randy. The song is featured in the Audible original scripted podcast, Finding Pierre: A Hip Hop Odyssey, produced by Audio Up. The six-part series stars and is loosely based on NBA star JaVale McGee and his career as an NBA champ and record producer. Audio Chateau Records will release the podcast’s soundtrack on March 29.
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“Randy has created an incredible brand with the Compton Cowboys. Throughout my career I’ve never looked at the artists I’ve worked with as just musicians, but as powerhouse brands! That’s literally been my Blueprint (pun intended),” said Bryant, who has worked with Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj and Lil Nas X, in a statement. “Randy will surely be one of the great music entrepreneurs, having already established the Compton Cowboys brand. The best part is it’s not just about the music, it’s also about community, it’s about exposure and opportunity to take inner city kids and give them a view of equestrian life. This will create a narrative in the world of country music that’s inclusive.”
The partnership will be looking at several non-music opportunities as well, including fashion, media and brandings. “We see this moment as a ‘go big’ scenario for the Compton Cowboys / Randy’s brand,” said Gutstadt, who co-founded JinglePunks and Audio Up Media, as well as worked with Jelly Roll and Steven Tyler. “Over the past several years it’s been a time of incredible turbulence- which is great for disruptors. Randy is one of those. Music discovery continues to be among the biggest challenges, and most artists have to think beyond what a typical release schedule looks like. By tethering together a media business with music, product and content, we believe that artists of the future can have it all from day one and not be tethered to antiquated ideas such as TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.”
“When I first met Randy Savvy on his family’s ranch in Compton, I came away impressed and inspired and immediately wanted to bring him into Gravel Road for management. What he’s done with Compton Cowboys goes beyond music and products, so I wanted to assemble a supergroup of like-minded partners to help expand the brand and push forward Compton Cowboys’ mission of helping communities through horses,” said Martini, who has also worked with Jelly Roll. Lil Dicky and Tyga. “By combining the resources of Gravel Road, Audio Up and Blueprint Group, our reach is vast across all verticals with each of us bringing a unique skillset to build Compton Cowboys into a multimedia force for positive change.”
Elefant Traks, the award-winning independent Australian label and artist management company, is calling time.
Established by Kenny Sabir and a group of multicultural friends back in 1998, Elefant Traks is the “champion of the underdogs,” forged out of “activism” and a DIY mentality, explains Tim Levinson (aka Urthboy), managing director and artist manager at the Sydney hip-hop specialist.
As the music firm hit its straps, so too did its roster which has included Australian Music Prize 2013 winners Hermitude, L-Fresh The Lion, The Herd, Joelistics, Horrorshow and others.
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The independent music community took notice, announcing Elefant Traks as best independent label at the 2012 AIR Awards.
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“Just as we celebrate 26 years of independent music, we are also officially calling it a day,” comments Levinson, who has led the business since 2002, taking the helm along with members of the Herd including Kaho Cheung, Richard Tamplenizza and Dale Harrison.
“It’s sad but it’s also a cause for celebration as we look back on all the accomplishments of our artists,” Levinson continues. “So many friendships were made and relationships developed and songs were written. So many cultural stories were told.”
Elefant Traks’ ethos was then as it is now: its artists and team “didn’t want to hang around or wait for any corporation to give us permission, to do the things that we love on our own terms,” he explains.
Today, “the challenges that face artists and the businesses that revolve around them are greater than ever before,” he explains. But while the “adversities that face artists might seem insurmountable, the future will be written by those who innovate and come up with new ideas in much the same way that Elefant Traks did back in 1998.”
Staff at the indie music business include Dale Harrison (production manager), Jannah Beth (A&R, project manager), Carolina De La Piedra (A&R, artist manager) and Sofia Nicotra (communications coordinator).
Before the doors close sometime later in 2024, Elefant Traks will host a round of finale parties, details of which will be announced shortly.
A new bill designed to increase streaming payouts for artists was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday (Mar. 6). Titled the Living Wage for Musicians Act, the legislation proposes the establishment of a new royalty fund that would pay artists directly, bypassing labels altogether.
Introduced by Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), the bill aims to boost artists’ streaming royalty from fractions of a penny up to one penny per stream by way of the new fund. It proposes to fund the additional royalty payments, in part, by mandating the addition of a fee to every streaming subscription equal to 50% of the subscription price — an amount that would be set anywhere between $4 and $10. The bill would also establish a royalty cap for tracks that generate at least 1 million streams per month, with royalties generated by the tracks beyond that number to be divided among all artists.
Notably, the bill would not affect the existing payout model but rather establish a separate fund on top of what artists already receive under the current system.
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“It’s only right that the people who create the music we love get their fair share, so that they can thrive, not just survive,” said Tlaib, who has long advocated for higher royalty payments to artists on streaming services, in a statement.
Damon Krukowski, a member of the band Damon & Naomi (and formerly Galaxie 500) and an organizer for the Union of Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW), added in a statement, “There is a lot of talk in the industry about how to ‘fix’ streaming — but the streaming platforms and major labels have already had their say for more than a decade, and they have failed musicians.”
The UMAW partnered with the representatives in drafting the act.
It’s unlikely streaming services and top labels will support all of the changes proposed by the bill. Daniel Ek, Spotify’s co-founder/CEO, expressed reluctance for years to raise subscription prices, although they did finally increase in 2023, rising from $9.99 to $10.99. Also likely to be unpopular with streaming services: a mandate that 10% of all of their non-subscription revenue, including from advertising, goes to the fund as a way to further increase payments to recording artists.
Labels and some artists also seem likely to oppose the cap in which the most popular artists share portions of their streaming revenue with the rest of the streaming pool. And labels — which have lobbying power through the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) — will also likely challenge the provision that would see artists paid directly from the fund rather than through the labels themselves.
An RIAA representative declined to comment on the bill.
Interscope Geffen A&M chairman/CEO John Janick unveiled the newly restructured ‘West Coast’ label operation for the Universal Music Group today (March 7), under the banner Interscope Capitol Labels Group, with himself retaining the title atop the new configuration. As part of the announcement, longtime IGA vice chairman Steve Berman retains his title atop the new company, overseeing things for Interscope, Geffen, A&M, Capitol, Blue Note, Priority, Verve and Motown; and IGA CFO and longtime finance veteran Annie Lee takes on the title of chief operating officer at the new ICLG.
Under the new configuration, Capitol Music Group chief financial officer Geoff Harris will become the CFO of the new company, which is the result of the major overhaul of the Universal Music Group label structure that UMG chairman/CEO Lucian Grainge first announced on Feb. 1. Under the new structure, UMG’s West Coast labels now fall under Janick’s purview, under the banner of ICLG, while its East Coast labels — consisting mostly of Republic, Def Jam, Island and Mercury — will be overseen by Republic co-founder and CEO Monte Lipman. News of the new East Coast structure is also expected soon.
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More details of the ICLG configuration are still to come, but Capitol Music Group’s new executive structure has come into focus this past month, with former Geffen boss Tom March as chairman/CEO and UMPG veteran Lilia Parsa as president, following the departures of prior CMG chair/CEO Michelle Jubelirer and president Arjun Pulijal. The company has been going through extensive layoffs in the past week, as IGA and Capitol formally merge together.
In a press release, Janick said that, in addition to Berman’s continued role overseeing the labels and the ICLG brand, Lee will work with Harris to “integrat[e] finance, operations and culture” and make sure that “ICLG runs efficiently and sustains a positive experience for its artists and teams.”
“Steve and Annie are both highly accomplished executives who have been critical to our company’s growth and success for more than two decades,” Janick said in a statement. “They have worked closely with me in redesigning ICLG to benefit and enhance each individual label under our umbrella and foster an entrepreneurial spirit that will set the standard for what a modern music company should be. I congratulate Steve and Annie on their well-deserved promotions, and look forward to sharing enormous success with them in the coming years.”
Berman is an Interscope legend, having joined the company in 1991 just after its founding and risen through the marketing and sales ranks to president by 2005, then vice chairman of the expanded IGA in 2010 alongside label co-founder and CEO Jimmy Iovine. Berman retained the title after Janick took over in 2014, and now takes on additional oversight of the Capitol labels under ICGL.
“Every aspect of our redesign will enable us to provide optimal support for our artists and their creativity, while securing the best and most innovative opportunities that will help expand their global brands,” Berman said in a statement. “I’ve devoted nearly my entire career to this company and its artists, and I am excited to continue working with John, Annie and the entire ICLG team on this next phase of our journey.”
Lee joined Universal in a finance role in 2005, and moved to Interscope the following year, rising through the finance ranks at the company to become CFO in 2019. In her new role, she takes on operational responsibilities for the broader label group.
“I am looking forward to working with John, Berm and our entire team as we continue to build ICLG into a modern music company that is both a powerful partner to artists and their teams and a fulfilling and creative environment in which to work,” Lee said in a statement. “We are well positioned for the future and I’m excited for what’s to come.”
Warner Music issued a formal notice on Thursday disclosing its interest in acquiring the French digital music company Believe, a surprise move that would entail outbidding an earlier effort by a consortium led by the firm’s founder and CEO. The announcement, made before the opening of the Euronext Paris stock exchange, where Believe is listed, […]
If bosses at the world’s biggest technology companies were still in any way doubting the European Union’s commitment towards regulating the digital marketplace, the 1.8 billion euro ($1.95 billion) fine levied against Apple on Monday (March 4) by the European Commission for breaking competition laws over music streaming served as a powerful statement of intent.
This week, more new EU rules come into force governing how the largest online platforms operate in Europe, now that the deadline for complying with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) has passed.
Beginning today (March 7), the six tech giants designated “gatekeepers” by the European Commission — Apple, Google parent company Alphabet, Amazon, TikTok-owner ByteDance, Meta and Microsoft – are required to comply with a raft of legislative changes designed to rein in their global dominance.
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They include outlawing companies favoring in-house services at the expense of third-party providers and forcing platforms to offer other businesses, such as apps, access to the data they generate – allowing smaller services to contact their customers directly and making it easier for users to switch services.
The laws are enforceable by fines of up to 20% of total worldwide turnover (aka, gross revenue) for repeat infringers, or, in extreme cases the “last resort option” of forced divestments and the break-up of businesses.
THIS IS FINE
The changes are already having a significant impact on digital music services and, in turn, the global record business.
In January, Apple announced that it will begin allowing European users to download app stores other than the company-operated one that comes installed on iPhones. It will additionally lower the fees it charges developers for purchases made through the App Store, reducing commission from the existing 15% to 30% level to between 10% and 17% for developers using the company’s payment-processing system.
However, Apple’s plans to charge “high volume” services with over one million users a €0.50 ($0.54) “Core Technology Fee” per download, per year, for using alternatives to the App Store has been heavily criticized by a number of European businesses, including Spotify and Deezer.
“Apple’s new terms not only disregard both the spirit and letter of the law, but if left unchanged, make a mockery of the DMA,” said the streaming services in an open letter to the European Commission, sent last week and also signed by 32 other European digital companies and associations, including trade body Digital Music Europe.
The new fee structure, which only apply in the 27 EU member states, will deter app developers from opting into the revised terms “and will hamper fair competition,” say Spotify and Deezer, calling on regulators to take “swift, timely and decisive action against Apple.” (In January, Spotify stated in a company blog post that the new fees “equates for us to being the same or worse as under the old rules.”)
Similar anti-competition concerns were behind the European Commission’s decision to fine Apple 1.8 billion euros at the start of March, following longstanding complaints from Spotify over Apple’s restrictions to outside developers and the 30% fee it charges them on all purchases made through iOS apps. (Apple has said it will appeal the fine, which was issued under existing EU terms, rather the Digital Markets Act).
Defending its response to the new EU provisions, Apple estimates that less than 1% of developers will pay the Core Technology Fee and warned that the DMA brings greater risks to users and developers by compromising its ability to detect malware, fraud and illicit content in external apps.
NOT JUST APPLE
Other so-called gatekeepers – defined by policy makers as a platform with an annual turnover of more than 7.5 billion euros ($8.1 billion) and more than 45 million active monthly users in the EU region — are also making sweeping changes as a result of the DMA.
Aside from Apple, music executives will be paying most attention to how ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok responds to the law’s provisions. In November, the company launched an appeal against the EU’s classification of TikTok as a “gatekeeper” arguing that the platform is a “challenger, not an incumbent, in the digital advertising market” and that the new rules could hamper its ability to “remain competitive and grow.”
Despite the ongoing legal challenge, TikTok has already taken a number of steps to comply with the terms of the DMA, including the launch of enhanced data portability tools that allow developers to download and export data profiles, followers and posts from TikTok to other services with users’ permission. These changes are being introduced now to European users, TikTok announced in a blog post on March 4, “with plans to roll out globally in the near future.”
In January, Google and YouTube parent company Alphabet announced that it will allow users to pick their default browser and provide more links to competing sites when searching Google – although, like Apple, Alphabet’s compliance with the DMA has been questioned.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter) this month, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney criticized the tech giant for imposing a commission fee of up to 27% for any app purchases made not using Google’s payment services. (Google/Alphabet has previously been issued three major fines totaling 8.2 billion euros by the EU over antitrust issues).
Meanwhile, Meta is allowing users to separate their Facebook and Instagram accounts to prevent personal information being shared for targeted ads. Amazon is modifying its Amazon Ads service to provide stronger data protections for customers, and Microsoft is implementing changes to its Windows operating system.
The terms of the Digital Markets Act only apply to companies and services operating in the 27-member state EU block, but their impact extends far afield. Following the EU’s lead, similar regulations to rein in tech companies’ dominance are being drawn up in several other nations, including Japan, South Korea, India, Brazil, Australia and the United Kingdom.
What meaningful impact the DMA or comparable international legislation will actually have on curbing Big Tech — and the music companies that either drive or rely upon them to reach audiences — could take years to be felt, if at all, but EU regulators say they are not shying away from the challenge.
“We are looking very carefully at how companies are complying [with the DMA]” the European Commission recently said in a statement, “and once we have full enforcement powers will not hesitate to act.”
Spotify will pass-on the music streaming tax imposed by the French government by hiking its subscription prices in that market.
As previously reported, France’s National Assembly last December approved a so-called “CNM Tax” on streaming brands, the funds from which would finance the national public body, The Centre National de la Musique (CNM), which was created in 2020 and is already partly financed by the live music industry.The tax was predictably decried by the streaming services. For platforms that earn more than 20 million euros ($22 million) in annual turnover — including Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer — a new tax charge of 1.2% would be applied on all streaming revenue generated in France in addition to their existing tax duties. Social media platforms including Facebook and TikTok, which license and feature music, would also be subject to the taxes.
Spotify, the global market leader, said it couldn’t absorb the Macron government’s new costs and would offset them one way or another.After announcing back in December that the streaming giant would pull its financial support to a number of local music festivals, Spotify today (March 7) confirms a price increase for its premium packages – applied only to subscribers in France. Reps from Spotify claim the tax doesn’t add up. This new fee “will generate approximately 15 million euros, when the CNM’s administrative budget (office fees, personnel, capital expenditure, media monitoring or professional training etc.) sits at 20.2 million euros,” reads an open statement issued today.
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“Our concern is that possibly less than half of its overall 146.9 million euros budget will find its way toward effectively aiding music.”Spotify, the message continues, “has proudly championed French artists for the past 15 years; we certainly didn’t wait for the CNM to be created in 2020 to help artists find success in France, and outside of France; to help promote French repertoire and grow the royalty pool for French rights holders. Spotify’s payments have totaled close to 225 million euros in 2022 alone (or about 1/4th of all the French recorded music industry revenues for that year). That is up more than 200% percent since 2017.”The price increase isn’t laid out, though Spotify promises to update its French subscribers over the coming weeks with full details.
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“To put it bluntly, all French users will see their subscription plan fee go up,” the message confirms. “French users will now pay the highest subscriptions across the European Union.”
Read Spotify’s open-letter below.
Spotify Premium subscribers in France will soon experience a price increase due to additional costs on music streaming services imposed by the government, as part of the “CNM Tax.” While we worked very hard to encourage the government to avoid adding this tax, unfortunately they decided to move forward.
Perhaps you’ve never heard of the CNM – it’s a public body that commissions studies on the French music industry, and provides financial aid to record labels and the live industry. At the end of 2023, as part of its 2024 budget, the French government decided that digital music streaming services will now have to pay a new tax in order to finance it. Our worry, on top of what would be equivalent to a double payment on our part, has been that this tax will not go directly to artists, nor will it have a tangible output visible to fans; instead, it will simply come at the expense of listeners, and create an additional middleman – the CNM. In fact, this tax will generate approximately 15 million euros, when the CNM’s administrative budget (office fees, personnel, capital expenditure, media monitoring or professional training etc.) sits at 20.2 million euros. Our concern is that possibly less than half of its overall 146.9 million euros budget will find its way toward effectively aiding music.
Spotify has proudly championed French artists for the past 15 years; we certainly didn’t wait for the CNM to be created in 2020 to help artists find success in France, and outside of France; to help promote French repertoire and grow the royalty pool for French rights holders. Spotify’s payments have totaled close to 225 million euros in 2022 alone (or about 1/4th of all the French recorded music industry revenues for that year). That is up more than 200% percent since 2017.
Yet, with the creation of this new tax, Spotify would be required to give approximately two-thirds of every euro it generates to music to rights holders and the French government. Of course, this is a massive amount and does not allow for a sustainable business. As we have long said, we simply can’t absorb any additional taxes. Even after making the difficult decision to reduce our artist marketing budget and support of French music festivals – which is an essential vehicle for Spotify to continue to drive hundreds of millions of euros to the music industry – it still continues to impede our ability to operate in France. Accordingly, over the coming weeks and months, we’ll need to make changes to our price plan in France.
To put it bluntly, all French users will see their subscription plan fee go up. French users will now pay the highest subscriptions across the European Union.
Spotify is increasing prices in France in order to offset these new costs. We’ll come back to our French subscribers over the coming weeks with the full details on the upcoming price increase.
For more information on the global streaming economy, the players, and the process, visit our website Loud & Clear.
The Ivors Academy, a U.K.-based songwriter advocacy organization, has named Roberto Neri as its new CEO.
The organization was previously helmed by Graham Davies, who is now the leader of the Digital Media Association (DiMA) in the United States, and interim CEO Charlie Phillips.
Neri has worked in the music publishing business for over 20 years. Previously, he held C-suite roles as CEO of Believe’s publishing operation and CEO and COO of Utopia Music Services. His other previous positions include executive vp/head of business development at Downtown Music, founder/CEO of Eagle-i Music, vp of international at Bug Music and publishing relations manager at PRS for Music.
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Additionally, Neri has erved as chair of the Music Publishers’ Association and director of the UK Music, PRS for Music, MCPS and PPL/PRS boards. He is the trustee of Music for My Mind, a charity that provides music therapy for dementia patients and their caretakers.
Established in 1944, The Ivors Academy — previously known as the British Academy of Songwiters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) — advocates for songwriters’ best interests in local politics and in the music business. In recent years, it has campaigned to introduce the EU copyright directive, amplified the #BrokenRecord campaign to call out unfair streaming economy practices and partnered with YouTube Music to host a songwriting camp for members. The organization is perhaps best known for its annual songwriter award ceremony, the Ivor Novello awards, one of the biggest nights in music publishing in the United Kingdom.
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“On behalf of the Board and Academy, I am thrilled to welcome Roberto Neri as our new CEO,” said Tom Gray, the Ivors Academy chair. “He brings a huge breadth of industry experience, knowledge and leadership skills. His commitment — and ours to him — is to be the most influential voice for songwriters and composers in the world.”
Neri added, “I am deeply honored and humbled to step into the role of CEO of The Ivors Academy. It is a dream job to fervently advocate for and represent songwriters and composers, who I have been fortunate enough to represent for over two decades globally. I believe now, more than ever, is the pivotal moment to ensure music creators’ interests are protected, championed, valued and recognized for their central and indispensable role in the success of the entire music business.”
GYROstream, the Australian-owned music distribution company, assembles a new-look leadership team at home and abroad, as the business pursues its goal to become the country’s No. 1 net exporter of music, Billboard can exclusively reveal.
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Leading the changes is Adrian Burke, former label partnerships lead at Spotify Canada, who is tapped to steer its North America activities, which include GROUP SPEED, GYROstream’s recently-launched boutique artist services company.
Based in Toronto, Burke is named GM at GROUP SPEED, with duties for guiding strategic direction for the new business in North America and liaising with the group’s team to help “elevate artist careers,” reads a statement.
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Burke completed a seven-year stint with Spotify, where he cultivated key partner relationships for the streaming giant, developed global artist campaigns and implemented data-driven strategies to help create millions of incremental streams for artists worldwide, reads a statement.
Burke is one of several new faces at GYROstream, which, across all brands, boasts 39 employees in seven countries, including company co-directors Andy Irvine (CEO), Viv Mellish (CMO) and Alex Wilson (head of distribution and customer service).
New faces at the tech business include Harry Young, who steps into the newly-created role as senior A&R manager role across the group, working alongside Burke. Young served in A&R capacities for more than a decade with Dew Process Records + Publishing, where he discovered Mallrat and worked with a roster that includes Spacey Jane, Tkay Maidza, Allday, YNG Martyr, Tyne-James Organ, Alice Ivy and more.
The fleshed-out A&R team includes Benjamin James, now appointed as global head of A&R across all brands; and Australia-based A&R and streaming partnerships coordinators Molly Jackson and Taylor Dwyer, a new recruit based in Los Angeles with a primary focus on GROUP SPEED.
Among the key arrivals at GYROstream is trailblazing digital strategist Alison Bremner, who is named as head of artist marketing strategy, a prominent music post working across both GROUP SPEED and GYROstream. Bremner is recognized for her part in @thexhan’s success on TikTok as the short-video platform’s most-followed creator in Australia with 18 million fans, and for facilitating partnerships with Gucci, Red Bull and other blue-chip clients.
(From left to right) GYROstream’s Alex Wilson, Adrian Burke, Viv Mellish and Andy Irvine.
GYROstream
Based in Brisbane, GYROstream expands its core operations team at its headquarters, adding staff in customer service, distribution operations, product development and royalty management, topped off with a fresh website.
“Expanding our artist services offering globally through GROUP SPEED and opening it up to new markets as a standalone product is the next evolution of our business and we can’t wait to see what this team achieves together,” comments group CEO Irvine. Exporting Australian and New Zealand music to the world is a critical piece. “We believe we are well on the way to becoming Australia’s leading net-exporter of recorded music within five years and this new team are determined to achieve that goal,” he continues.
Founded in the Queensland capital in 2018, GYROstream represents thousands of artists across Australia and New Zealand for artist services and global digital distribution, and delivers to upwards of 100 digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple, TikTok, Amazon and YouTube.
In 2021, GYROstream took out The Music Network’s Tinnie award for Music Distributor of the Year; the following year launched Find My ISRC, a tool to assist DIY artists, managers and labels to keep track of their recordings online; and in 2022 established the GYROrecords label.
Today, its suite of activities include royalty payment splits, publishing administration via GYROpublishing, publicity through GYROpr, digital marketing through GYROdigital, and the white-label distribution platform DistroDirect.
Key staff have made the long haul for SXSW 2024 for DistroDirect’s official showcase event next Tuesday, March 12 at Las Perlas, in Austin, TX.