Business
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Digital distributor DistroKid has acquired Bandzoogle, a platform specializing in helping artists create websites and sell their wares to fans. Launched in 2003 and based in Ottawa, Canada, Bandzoogle powers more than 60,000 artist websites and e-commerce stores, and provides solutions for crowdfunding, subscriptions and mailing lists. “At DistroKid, we’re always working on innovative ways […]
Mexican music singer-songwriter Ivan Cornejo has signed an exclusive global publishing agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), the company announced Wednesday (Sept. 13). The deal with UMPG comes just weeks after Cornejo joined Interscope Records’ roster — he had been signed to indie label Manzana Records since 2021. “I’m incredibly grateful about my signing with […]
A government watchdog agency in France has ordered Apple to withdraw the iPhone 12 from the French market, saying it emits levels of electromagnetic radiation that are too high.
The National Frequency Agency, which oversees radio-electric frequencies as well as public exposure to electromagnetic radiation, called on Apple in a statement Tuesday to “implement all available means to rapidly fix this malfunction” for phones already being used.
Corrective updates to the iPhone 12 will be monitored by the agency, and if they don’t work, “Apple will have to recall” phones that have already been sold, according to the French regulator’s statement.
Apple disputed the findings and said the device complies with all regulations governing radiation.
The agency, which is known by the French acronym ANFR, said it recently checked 141 cellphones, including the iPhone 12, for electromagnetic waves capable of being absorbed by the body.
It said it found a level of electromagnetic energy absorption of 5.74 watts per kilogram during tests of a phone in a hand or a pocket, higher than the European Union standard of 4 watts per kilogram.
The agency said the iPhone 12 met the threshold when radiation levels were assessed for a phone kept in a jacket or in a bag.
Apple said the iPhone 12, which was released in late 2020, has been certified by multiple international bodies and complies with all applicable regulations and standards for radiation around the world.
The U.S. tech company said it has provided the French agency with multiple lab results carried out both by the company and third-party labs proving the phone’s compliance.
Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s minister in charge of digital issues, told France Info radio that the National Frequency Agency “is in charge of controlling our phones which, as there are software updates, may emit a little more or a little less electromagnetic waves.”
He said that the iPhone 12 radiation levels are “slightly higher” than the standards but “significantly lower than levels where scientific studies consider there may be consequences for users. But the rule is the rule.”
Cellphones have been labeled as “possible” carcinogens by the World Health Organization’s cancer research arm, putting them in the same category as coffee, diesel fumes and the pesticide DDT. The radiation produced by cellphones cannot directly damage DNA and is different from stronger types of radiation like X-rays or ultraviolet light.
In 2018, two U.S. government studies that bombarded mice and rats with cellphone radiation found a weak link to some heart tumors, but federal regulators and scientists said it was still safe to use the devices. Scientists said those findings didn’t reflect how most people use their cellphones and that the animal findings didn’t translate into a similar concern for humans.
Among the largest studies on potential dangers of cellphone use, a 2010 analysis in 13 countries found little or no risk of brain tumors.
People’s mobile phone habits also have changed substantially since the first studies began and it’s unclear if the results of previous research would still apply today.
Since many tumors take years to develop, experts say it’s difficult to conclude that cellphones have no long-term health risks. Experts have recommended that people concerned about their cellphone radiation exposure use earphones or switch to texting.
Diddy is gearing up to release his first album in 13 years, The Love Album: Off the Grid, on Sept. 15.
While the music and business mogul is in album mode, his multiple interests continue to be overseen by a seasoned group of executives, including his management team at SALXCO. Read on to learn about the executives working behind-the-scenes at Combs Global, REVOLT TV & Media and more.
Nathalie Moar – Longtime Advisor and Communications Lead
Moar is a. global communication strategist who manages Diddy’s narrative and brand image across his multi-brand empire, as well as all of his various activations.
Che Pope – Head of Love Records
Pope’s experience in the music industry spans 25 years in both the creative and executive arenas of the music business. The Grammy-winning producer has collaborated with artists such as Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Carlos Santana, Destiny’s Child, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Dr. Dre, The Weeknd, Diddy and Kanye West.
Frankie Santella – Vice President of Music Management & Strategic Partnerships
Santella was first hired by Diddy as part of Bad Boy Management in New York City, where he was involved in cultural events such as Diddy’s 50th birthday celebration, 2013 attendance at Burning Man and collaborations with such companies as Nike, Ciroc, WWE and Live Nation. In 2020, Santella moved to Los Angeles to work at Combs Global.
Kristina Khorram – Chief of Staff to Sean “Diddy” Combs
Khorram works side by side daily with Diddy and spearheads many of his projects and events.
Deon Graham – Chief Brand Officer
Graham oversees brand presence, strategic marketing, growth and development for Diddy’s portfolio of companies.
Tarik A. Brooks – President
The seasoned executive, with over 22 years of experience, oversees all business operations and investments owned by Diddy.
Detavio Samuels – CEO of REVOLT TV & Media
Samuels leads all business efforts with a bicoastal team of young executives and creators, working to build the world’s largest Black-owned media company.
Jay Lundy – Senior VP of Investing & New Ventures
In his role, Lundy leads new ventures, investment diligence and business development strategy.
Dr. Steve Perry – Founder & Head of Capital Preparatory
Perry is an educator, bestselling author, and founder and head of schools at Capital Preparatory Schools. Since 2006, he has sent 100% of their predominantly low-income, minority and first-generation high school graduates to four-year colleges.
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WATCH: Diddy Talks About His New Album ‘The Love Album,’ New Record Label & More
Triple Tigers, the Nashville-based label home to chart-topping country artists Scotty McCreery and Russell Dickerson, has named Kevin Herring and Annie Ortmeier co-presidents, while former president Norbert Nix has left the company.
Herring had served as the label’s senior vp of radio promotion. Ortmeier joins from Universal Music Group Nashville where she was senior vp of streaming marketing. They will report to George Couri, Triple Tigers co-founder and Triple 8 Management co-founder. The moves align with Triple Tigers’ focus on terrestrial radio and digital media, such as streaming and social platforms.
“Triple Tigers 2.0 is here,” Couri said in a statement. “I look forward to stepping into a more active role, as well as having Kevin and Annie form a dual attack in the worlds of both radio and streaming & digital. Kevin’s radio singles batting average here is unmatched in the industry, and Annie comes from leading streaming and digital strategies at the biggest label in the business. With our company intentionally focused on maintaining a very small group of artists who benefit from dedicated attention, there will be tremendous impact on our roster.”
Launched in 2016 as a joint venture between Thirty Tigers, Sony Music Entertainment-owned distributor The Orchard and Couri’s Triple 8 Management (whose clients include McCreery, Eli Young Band and Corey Kent), the label has had tremendous success right from the start with McCreery’s first five singles and Dickerson’s first four singles going to No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. Dickerson’s current single, “God Gave Me a Girl,” is bulleted at No. 11 on the chart, while McCreery’s new single, “Cab in a Solo,” is bulleted at No. 40. Jordan Fletcher is also on the boutique roster. Couri is now Triple Tigers’ remaining managing partner.
A representative declined to comment on whether Triple Tigers co-founder David Macias had sold his stake in the company.
“I am very proud and honored to be entrusted with a leadership role at Triple Tigers,” said Herring, in a statement. “This is an amazing group of people and artists who are dedicated to making world class country music and lifting up the artists, songwriters, format and community.”
Ortmeier added, “I am excited to be joining George, Kevin and the team at Triple Tigers. I have admired Triple Tigers and the incredible success they have had thus far and am looking forward to being able to build upon that success with Scotty, Russell, Jordan and the team!”
Nix, who was also a partner in the label, is set to launch VISCYRL, a new artist development company in partnership with the Orchard. He leaves with fond memories. “It was us against the world. A David vs. Goliath story,” he says. “The most exciting thing for me was being able to bring in this team of people who were dedicated to the music and understood the vision. We came out of the chute with a string of No. 1 singles. It was an honor to lead that group of people.”
Stability AI, one of the world’s most prominent generative AI companies, has joined the likes of Google, Meta and Open AI in creating a model that generates clips of music and sound. Called “Stable Audio,” the new text-to-music generator was trained on sounds from the music library Audio Sparx.
Stability touts its new product as the first music generation product that creates high-quality, 44.1 kHz music for commercial use though a process called “latent diffusion” — a process that was first introduced for images through Stable Diffusion, the company’s marquee product. Stable Audio uses sound conditioned on text metadata as well as audio file duration and start time to allow for greater control over the content of the generated audio.
By typing prompts like “post-rock, guitars, drum kit, bass, strings, euphoric, up-lifting, moody, flowing, raw, epic, sentimental, 125 BPM,” users can create up-to 20 seconds of sound through its free tier, or up-to 90 seconds of sound via its pro subscription.
In its announcement, the company touts Stable Audio as a tool for musicians “seeking to create samples to use in their own music.” The music generated could also be used to soundtrack advertisements and creator content, among other commercial applications.
“As the only independent, open and multimodal generative AI company, we are thrilled to use our expertise to develop a product in support of music creators,” says Emad Mostaque, CEO of Stability AI. “Our hope is that Stable Audio will empower music enthusiasts and creative professionals to generate new content with the help of AI, and we look forward to the endless innovations it will inspire.”
This is not the AI giant’s first foray into audio and music AI. The company already has an open-source generative audio label, HarmonAI, which is designed to create accessible and playful music production tools “by musicians for musicians.” Parts of the HarmonAI team, including Ed Newton Rex, its vp of product, took part in the designing of Stable Audio.
Urgent action is needed to protect the United Kingdom’s longstanding success as one of the world’s biggest exporters of music, warns a new report from umbrella trade organization UK Music.
In particular, robust copyright laws must be put in place to ensure that creators and rights holders are shielded from the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI), says the trade body’s “Manifesto for Music,” published Tuesday (Sept. 12), which calls for increased government support to grow the sector.
In 2021, U.K. music exports totaled £2.5 billion ($3.1 billion) — up 10% on the previous year, but still lower than 2019’s pre-pandemic figures — according to data from UK Music. Those export totals are made up of record sales, publishing revenue, overseas touring by British acts and tourism spending by international tourists attending live shows in the United Kingdom.
When it comes to recorded music, hit albums by Harry Styles, Glass Animals and Ed Sheeran helped British music exports climb to a record high of £709 million ($910 million) last year, maintaining the country’s long-held position as the second largest exporter of music globally after the United States, according to labels trade body BPI.
Overall, the United Kingdom is the world’s third biggest recorded music market, as per IFPI rankings, behind the United States and Japan.
However, the growth of streaming in emerging territories such as Latin America, the Middle East and South Korea has eaten into the United Kingdom’s share of the global music market, which has fallen from a peak of 17% in 2015 to 12% in 2022. To arrest that decline, UK Music has published a five-point plan to boost exports, protect venues and studios, and promote diversity.
Among the trade group’s recommendations is the enforcement of strong copyright protections against generative AI systems, including clear labeling and a requirement for AI developers to keep and disclose records of any music works used for training purposes.
UK Music is additionally asking policymakers to introduce specific personality and image rights into the British legal framework — and ensure that AI-generated music is clearly distinguishable from human-created works.
Last month, a U.K. Parliament committee issued its own report on regulating the use of AI technology in the music and creative industries. One of the committee’s key recommendations was for the British government to commit to abandoning plans for a proposed (and since shelved) new text and data mining (TDM) exception that would allow AI companies to freely use copyright-protected works for commercial purposes.
“It’s critical that we ensure AI enables and supports human artistry and creativity, and does not damage it,” said UK Music interim chief executive Tom Kiehl, echoing the committee’s request to rule out any new TDM exceptions.
“Strong copyright and intellectual property protections must be at the center of any approach when it comes to AI,” said Kiehl.
Other recommendations in UK Music’s manifesto include the introduction of a new tax credit — similar to what’s in place in other European markets and some U.S. states — encouraging new music production in the country.
The trade group, which recently saw chief executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin exit the London-based organization to work for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, is also calling for increased investment in music education and for the government to secure a post-Brexit cultural touring agreement with the European Union that would reduce costs for U.K. acts touring Europe.
“Without action, the U.K. risks being overtaken by countries who are more proactive and ambitious in promoting their music sectors,” said Kiehl.
The United Kingdom’s moves to police the rapidly evolving AI sector come as other countries and jurisdictions, including the United States, China and the European Union, explore their own paths toward regulating the nascent technology.
Range Media Partners has launched a music publishing division and tapped Casey Robinson to lead it, the company announced Tuesday (Sept. 12).
Robinson arrives at Range Media from Hipgnosis Songs Group, where he served as executive vp of A&R and led the company’s pop division, working with artists and songwriters including Monsters & Strangerz, John Ryan, Julian Bunetta, Normani, Teddy Geiger, Imad Royal, Dan Wilson, Joe London and Steph Jones. He joined Hipgnosis following the company’s 2020 acquisition of Big Deal Music Group, where he served as co-president/partner. Robinson also previously worked as senior director at BMI, where he signed Imagine Dragons.
Other employees of Range’s new publishing division include director of A&R and publishing Sam Drake, director of A&R Federico Morris and manager and vp of A&R Jared Cotter. The division has already signed songwriter Geoff Warburton, known for his work with artists including Shawn Mendes, Demi Lovato, Keith Urban and Elle King.
“Casey and the team believe there is a tremendous opportunity to launch a boutique publishing company inside of the Range ecosystem,” said Range Music founding partner/Range Media Partners co-founder Matt Graham in a statement. “The connectivity to our management roster, label, film/TV relationships and music supervisors provide a fertile ground for developing writers and producers … His experience as a builder at Big Deal and Hipgnosis is essential to getting our strategy and culture honed to ensure maximum opportunity for our talent. We couldn’t be more excited about what we can create together.”
Added Robinson, “I’m thrilled to be joining the creative team at Range. Since the company’s creation just a few years ago, I’ve admired its spirit, culture and dynamic growth. Range’s curated approach to identifying and fostering talent across genres will serve as a blueprint for how we build the publishing company, which will be dedicated to long-term career growth for both artists and writers.”
Launched in September 2020, Range Media is led by managing partners Graham, Jack Minihan, Tyler Henry, Melissa Ruderman, Chris Thomas, Evan Winiker, Cory Litwin and Shawn McSpadden, as well as partners Michele Harrison, Greg Johnson, Rachel Douglas, Ace Christian and Joel Zimmerman.
Rosalía has a new manager.
The Spanish superstar has signed with Jaime Levine of Seven Mantles for global management, sources tell Billboard. Rosalía was previously managed by Rebecca León of Lionfish Entertainment, with whom she parted ways this past February after a five-year relationship.
Levine spent over a decade managing global superstar Shakira but recently transitioned from management into a senior advisor role for the Colombian star on ongoing projects, sources say. By all accounts, the two continue to have an amicable professional and personal relationship. Shakira, who was named Billboard’s Woman of the year during the first-ever Billboard Latin Women In Music event in May, is currently recording a new album and planning a new tour for 2024. She is slated for a star Q&A at Billboard’s upcoming Latin Music Week.
Rosalía’s albums have earned a combined 747,000 equivalent album units in the United States, according to Luminate, with 880 million on-demand official streams across her catalog, 84,000 albums sold and 98,000 song downloads.
She also has seven entries on the Billboard Hot 100, the latest of which — “Beso” with Rauw Alejandro — is her highest-charting there, peaking at No. 52. She also has 21 entries on Hot Latin Songs, including seven top 10s; 10 entries on Latin Airplay, of which eight reached the top 10 and seven hit No. 1. Her 2022 release, Motomami — her third studio album — ruled Latin Pop Albums for 25 weeks, making it the longest-leading Latin Pop set this decade. The album earned Rosalía her first and only entry on the Billboard 200, debuting and peaking at No. 33 in April 2022; it also received the Latin pop album of the year award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards.
Rosalía was poised to launch her international tour at the time of her split with León, with stops at major festivals including Coachella and Lollapalooza Chile and Argentina. The Spanish star continued successfully with her touring plans, amidst much speculation about who would eventually take over as her manager.
Rosalía’s Motomami tour, her first-ever global trek, included 66 performances in 21 countries across three continents. The “Saoko” singer performed to nearly two million people around the world, according to a press statement. The tour ended with a July 22 performance at Lollapalooza Paris, where Rosalía gave an emotional speech.
“The blessings that Motomami has given me are endless,” she told a crowd during the tour. “Many of you discovered me thanks to this project, thanks to this album. I’m so thankful to all of you. I don’t know what the next chapter will look like, there are some ideas but I don’t know. Only God knows.”
Over the course of 15 years, MPT Agency, founded by Raffi Keuhnelian and Anto Dotcom, has mastered the art of getting artists heard and discovered by fans across the globe. The music publicity, promotion and marketing agency serves as a bridge between music executives and artists that can create longevity by accelerating their careers. Together, Keuhnelian and Dotcom have grown an agency that has succeeded with a range of international acts from A-listers to garage bands. As they continue to grow this roster, they use digital tools to stay ahead of the curve.
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Artists have been finding their wings with the company since its first office opened in Montreal, Canada. Now the team works with acts from the three major labels as well as hundreds of emerging artists, shaping their stories and images they need to make their mark in the industry.
One of their many success stories is Colin Brittain, who went from being a hobbyist producer to supporting artists in their journey to the Billboard charts. After a brief exposure campaign and strategic collaboration with MPT Agency, the young producer built a presence that attracted collaborators including Papa Roach, 5 Seconds of Summer, and the Jonas Brothers.
This year has been defined by the explosion of non-western music markets. With a team of 20 across four continents, Keuhnelian and Dotcom have their eyes set on the next billion streamers. In 2023, MPT Agency worked with Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment to ignite careers in Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Japan, Ukraine, Korea, and Nigeria. These efforts generated over 1.2 billion views a month and resulted in three major label signings. Most notably, MPT Agency recently supported K-pop group FIFTY FIFTY in its inclusion on the Barbie soundtrack. Keuhnelian and Dotcom’s efforts have proven that the music business is a global affair and they are leading the new trend.
Raffi Keuhnelian of MPT Agency
Chris Carpenter
As the music business continues to expand globally, consumption habits are evolving with it. MPT Agency’s hybrid approach combines exposure marketing and career development to help artists develop sustainable careers in a modern music landscape that prizes virality. “Premium streamers are a niche of the past,” Keuhnelian explains, “Today the ultimate engaged fans are the communities, the listening groups, tastemakers, influencers, bloggers, and readers; they hold the balance of power in a song’s viral uptake. When it comes to igniting a career overseas, harnessing the power of these communities can build overnight empires if the sound is right.” MPT Agency approaches fanbase creation and growth by integrating artist branding with niche communities everywhere, from the traditional social media landscape of YouTube Shorts, TikTok & Instagram, to the self-propelled communities on Reddit, Discord and key music blogs.
The globalization of the music industry has been accelerated by technology, a fact that MPT Agency not only recognizes but incorporates into its mission. Dotcom and Keuhnelian further committed themselves to being ahead of the curve when they launched the Virtual Publicist service, which leverages AI, databases and more to streamline publicity campaign management and outreach. This unique platform gives users affordable and accessible support as they navigate their careers.
Anto Dotcom of MPT Agency
Chris Carpenter
“Artists and labels need to partner with us fully, or their tracks will miss the beat,” says Dotcom. “While leveraging their streaming presence to conquer global markets is just the beginning, it is the hands-on development we give debut artists that allows them to navigate those once-in-a-lifetime situations. Meeting managers, executives, and publishers—this is what the artist needs to do with the presence and exposure we are giving them. We build the foundations for what will be a chart-topping career and make sure their network is hooked on the message.”
In an ever-shifting market, Anto Dotcom and Raffi Keuhnelian have reimagined the path artists must follow to reach their dreams. If you are primed for the spotlight, look to leverage Keuhnelian and Dotcom’s marketing expertise by visiting MPT Agency and Virtual Publicist.