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LONDON – Independent labels trade body IMPALA is calling on regulators to investigate Universal Music Group’s acquisition of [PIAS] over concerns that the deal restricts competition in the global record business and “narrows options for artists and labels.”
[PIAS] co-founders Kenny Gates and Michel Lambot announced earlier this week that they were selling their remaining shares in the indie label group to Universal Music Group (UMG), which already owns a 49% stake in the company, for an undisclosed sum.
The deal gives UMG full ownership of [PIAS]’s services division [Integral], which provides physical and digital distribution services to more than 100 indie label partners including ATO, Beggars Group and Secretly Group and will henceforth merge with Virgin Music Group.
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Also falling under UMG’s control because of the share sale is the [PIAS] Label Group, home to indie imprints Play It Again Sam, harmonia mundi, Spinefarm, Source and partner labels such as ATO, Heavenly, Mute and Transgressive. Despite the change in ownership, [PIAS] says its label group business will remain completely autonomous.
In response, IMPALA and several of its associate national trade groups are calling on competition regulators to launch an investigation into what it described as “unchecked concentration in the music market [which] continues to be a serious problem.”
“The bottom line is UMG’s acquisition of [PIAS] will increase the power of [UMG] across Europe and beyond, including the U.K. and the USA, and IMPALA expects regulators in these jurisdictions to take action,” said the Brussels-based organization, which represents over 6,000 indie music companies in Europe, in a press release on Friday (Oct. 18).
Helen Smith, IMPALA’s executive chair, said she “expects” regulators to review the [PIAS] acquisition “and answer the question the industry is asking about how it is possible for UMG to gain more market share after it was already considered too big?”
“A share deal is one thing, this is something else,” said Smith, who is calling for competition officials to assess how the deal impacts physical and digital music markets, including distribution services, “as well as the impact on competitors, digital services, artists and fans.”
Geert de Blaere, the chair of Belgian association BIMA, said that while the Belgian market owes a debt of gratitude to [PIAS] for showing entrepreneurs what is possible, the impact of the company’s takeover by UMG “will be structural, significant and long lasting” for the independent music business.
“This is completely different to a share deal as UMG takes over the market share of [PIAS]. Scale and stability in the whole independent sector will be lost. Incremental shifts in the market across the majors leverages disproportionate influence in the hands of a few companies. Each time that happens the result is more control over how the market develops,” said de Blaere in a statement.
Supporting calls for an investigation, IMPALA chair Dario Draštata said the deal strengthens UMG in terms of market share, “eliminates a principal competitor” and “narrows options for artists and labels.”
Representatives for UMG and [PIAS] did not respond to requests for comment when contacted by Billboard.
The acquisition of [PIAS] by the world’s biggest music company further grows the dominant market share enjoyed by UMG and follows the expiration of a 10-year ban on the music giant acquiring certain music companies or catalogs in Europe.
Those restrictions were placed on UMG in 2012 by the European Commission as one of the conditions of the company’s $1.9 billion takeover of EMI going ahead. As part of that process, the European Union’s executive branch forced UMG to divest the Parlophone Label Group, which was bought by Warner Music Group (WMG) for around $750 million, as well as the offloading of numerous EMI entities in Europe, and the Chrysalis, Mute, Sanctuary and Co-op Music labels.
To receive regulatory approval to buy EMI, UMG committed to not re-acquire any of the assets sold, or re-sign any artists signed with labels it had divested for a period of 10 years. Just a few months after that decade-long ban expired in September 2022, Universal acquired a 49% minority stake in [PIAS], which owns some of those previously off-limits catalogs, including Co-op Music.
On Tuesday (Oct. 15), UMG announced it had grown its minority interest to full ownership, following Gates and Lambot’s decision to sell their controlling stake.
The acquisition of [PIAS] by UMG is part of a growing trend of major labels looking to the independent sector to increase their market share, either by enhancing their distribution offerings for indie artists and labels or by investing in, or buying, independent music companies.
In 2019, UMG acquired independent distribution and marketing company Ingrooves Music Group. One year later, Sony Music bought J. Erving‘s digital distribution and label services company Human Re Sources from Q&A, followed in 2021 by its purchase of artist services company AWAL and Kobalt Neighbouring Rights from Kobalt Music Group.
Major indie label acquisitions over the past decade include WMG buying Netherlands-based Spinnin’ Records in 2017 and Sony Music’s purchase of U.K. dance label Ministry of Sound in 2016.
On a smaller scale, WMG has been steadily growing its recorded music interests in Central and Eastern Europe, buying minority stakes in Croatia’s Dancing Bear Music, Slovenian independent label NIKA and Serbia’s Mascom. And this week, WMG Benelux announced the acquisition of Dutch label Cloud 9 Recordings.
Referencing the major labels’ pursuit of key independent labels, Draštata, who is also president of Balkan indie label trade association RUNDA, said the practice was becoming an “issue across Europe.”
“The loss of such big players for the independent sector compounds the competitive impact and the risk is that this trend will continue,” said Draštata in a statement. “We have been signalling the problem of creeping dominance for many years and it’s time for a new competition approach to address this question.”
Warner Chappell Music and Giant Music Publishing have signed Jiggi to a joint publishing deal. He is best known as co-writer on Cash Cobain, Bay Swag and Ice Spice‘s “Fisherrr,” which has already generated 418,000 song consumption equivalents since its April release, as well as B Lovee and Cash Cobain’s “All Alone.” Giant Music had […]
Sandbox Succession, the legacy division of Sandbox Entertainment, partnered with the Patsy Cline estate through Patsy Cline Enterprises. Under the agreement, Sandbox Succession will collaborate with Cline’s daughter and heir, Julie Fudge, to expand her legacy across film, TV, publishing, merchandising, hospitality and licensing. Gregory Hall, a key player in the management of Cline’s estate, will remain an instrumental member of the team. A new biography and documentary on Cline are both in development. Sandbox Succession also represents the estates of Johnny and June Carter Cash and Loretta Lynn.
Business-to-business digital music platform Tuned Global forged a partnership with streaming fraud detection company Beatdapp, through which Tuned Global will incorporate Beatdapp’s fraud detection capabilities into the Tuned Global platform. The deal will help Tuned Global ensure that client royalties are fairly distributed to rights holders. Beatdapp also has deals in place with Universal Music Group and the Mechanical Licensing Collective.
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Oak View Group (OVG) and Middle East event management and venue operator Ethara struck a joint venture to enable OVG’s entry into the Middle East market. Under the agreement, Ethara — which operates venues in the United Arab Emirates, including the Etihad Arena, Etihad Park, Yas Marina Circuit and Yas Conference Centre — will provide OVG with knowledge of local markets, with the two companies exploring growth opportunities together across the region. Ethara will also work closely with Rhubarb Hospitality Collection (RHC), a British venue caterer recently acquired by OVG, to improve the fan experience by providing food, beverage and hospitality services at venues across the Middle East.
Dreamliner, a provider of upscale travel coach buses for entertainers, acquired two events logistics companies: Denver-based Shomotion and Nashville-based Show Pro, with founders of each company joining Dreamliner’s executive team. Dreamliner will retain all Shomotion and Show Pro employees and expand its footprint by adding Shomotion’s Denver facility and Show Pro’s Nashville facility. The acquisition adds over 70 trucks and 220 trailers to Dreamliner’s offerings. – Jessica Nicholson
AtVenu, a leading provider of live event software and payment solutions, received a $130 million equity investment from Sixth Street Growth. The partnership will allow atVenu to expand and speed up the company’s growth into new live event markets, including sports and food and beverage. AtVenu helps ease the process of managing locations, inventory and the deployment of point-of-sale hardware while offering real-time data for organizers to optimize the event experience. According to a press release, the company processes more than $1.6 billion in merchandise and food and beverage volume every year and works on more than 125,000 events annually, from small clubs to stadiums. Raymond James served as atVenu’s financial advisor in the transaction.
Armada Music Group’s BEAT Music Fund acquired several new catalogs. They include the artist shares from a portion of techno pioneer and artist Kevin Saunderson‘s Inner City catalog; master and artist royalties for trance DJ and Coldharbour Recordings owner Markus Schulz; and the catalog of Robbie Rivera’s dance label Juicy Music. BEAT’s roster, through acquisitions, also includes Sultan + Shepard, Jax Jones, Amba Shepherd, VIVa MUSiC, Sola Records, King Street Sounds and Chocolate Puma.
Warner Music Group (WMG) Benelux acquired Netherlands-based record label Cloud 9 Recordings, which counts artists including Claude, Jaap Reesema, Kris Kross Amsterdam, Snelle and Turfy Gang on its roster. Under the deal, the Cloud 9 team will relocate to The Amsterdam Music Harbour, which serves as the creative hub of WMG Benelux in the Amsterdam Houthavens. Raymond van Vliet will retain his role as president of Cloud 9, which will remain a separate label, as well as his responsibilities at Blue Skies Publishing. Along with the acquisition, WMG Benelux entered an exclusive global administration agreement with the Cloud 9-affiliated Blue Skies Publishing, which represents songwriters including Claude, Davina Michelle, Edwin van Hoevelaak, Flemming, Frank van Etten, John Dirne, La Fuente and Snelle and owns several catalogs. Blue Skies Publishing will continue to manage the creative process with its current team, while its office in the Dutch town of Laren will serve as a satellite office for Cloud 9.
Moombix, described as a music education platform enabling adult hobbyists and aspiring music professionals to have one-on-one online classes with expert teachers, closed a seed funding round of over 1.9 million pounds ($2.47 million), led by Iceland’s Frumtak Ventures with participation from angel investors. The money will be used to scale the Moombix marketplace and improve the user experience, accelerate customer acquisition and prepare for a strategic launch into the U.K., where 200 teachers have already signed up to offer classes, according to a press release. Moombix offers classes on instrument learning, voice coaching, DJing, production and more.
Downtown-owned business-to-business distributor FUGA struck a new partnership with UNIFIED Music Group, a multi-service music company that operates across Melbourne, Syndey, L.A., New York, Nashville and Toronto. Under the deal, FUGA will support UNIFIED Recorded Music labels including UNFD and Domestic La La, which will leverage FUGA’s platform and suite of services, including strategic marketing and account management, social video management, YouTube channel partnerships, physical distribution, synch and licensing solutions via Downtown Music Publishing, and neighboring rights collection through Downtown Neighbouring Rights. Since 2022, UNIFIED has been a client of Downtown-owned royalty accounting platform Curve.
Live Nation signed a deal to manage Allas Live, a 2,500-capacity open-air venue within the Allas Sea Pool complex in Helsinki, Finland. Under the deal, Live Nation will also manage the Allas Live outdoor concert series in partnership with Allas Sea Pool.
ASM Global reached an agreement with the City of Worcester, Mass., to extend ASM’s management services of the city-owned DCU Center Arena and Convention Center. The five-member Civic Center Commission, which oversees ASM’s management contract on behalf of the city, voted unanimously to recommend the contract extension. As part of the 10-year extension, ASM has committed to a $3.5 million investment in the DCU Center that will focus on enhancing food and beverage operations, creating digital advertising opportunities and implementing further technology upgrades.
Acrisure Arena, located in Palm Springs, Calif., announced Silvercrest as the official sponsor of its exclusive outdoor VIP space, the Silvercrest Compound. The space includes a nine-hole mini golf course along with bocce ball, pickleball, half-court basketball, fire pits, and food and beverage offerings just steps away from the stage.
T.I.‘s son Clifford “King” Harris Jr. was arrested earlier this week in Georgia. Fox 5 Atlanta is reporting that jail records indicate the rapper’s 20-year-old son had an open warrant for his arrest in Pickens County for failure to appear in court. The warrant stems from charges of speeding, driving with a suspended license, and […]
In July, popular influencer/podcast host Tinx took to TikTok to ask her followers a question: “Are labels and artists asking random people to make content about music and not say[ing] it’s an ad?” The answer in the over 700 replies to the video was a resounding and simple “yes.”
“Sound campaigns” have been an integral part of music marketing since TikTok took off in 2019, but they differ from other paid promotion campaigns on social media. Captioning a video with #ad, or another similar disclosure, is required by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) when companies “pay you or give you free or discounted products or services” in exchange for featuring their product in a video, but that has never been the standard for the paid promotion of a song. “Any essence of perceived authenticity can be stripped away when a creator tags a video as paid,” says one digital marketing agency CEO.
As a result, one major label marketer believes “75% of popular songs on TikTok started with a creator marketing campaign,” but says that there’s no way to actually track how many of the songs that go viral on TikTok do so organically or are boosted by thousands to hundreds-of-thousands of dollars’ worth of paid promo.
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When asked for clarification about whether or not promoting songs in the background of videos requires disclosure, a representative for the FTC said, “While we can’t comment on any particular example, that practice seems somewhat analogous to a product placement… When there are songs playing in the backgrounds of videos, there are no objective claims made about the songs. The video creator may be communicating implicitly that they like the song, but viewers can judge the song themselves when they listen to it playing in the video. For these reasons, it may not be necessary for a video to disclose that the content creator was compensated for using a particular song in the background in the video. We would evaluate each case individually however.”
While it is not, in most cases, an FTC violation to run undisclosed creator campaigns to promote singles on TikTok, Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts, it remains a little-understood area of music marketing that many music fans are not aware is happening. “The beauty of Tiktok, for me, has disappeared because I’m super cynical and believe everything I see there, disclosed or not, is paid to be promoted,” says the digital marketing agency CEO. (Most of the sources in this story requested anonymity in order to speak freely about how these campaigns work.)
Often, digital marketing gurus will reminisce about the days of the Hype House bros and the D’Amelio’s TikTok reign, around the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which were considered the good ol’ days for creator marketing. At the time, it was expected for successful TikTok virality to translate into boosts in streams practically every time. “Back then, it made sense to pay over $10,000 a video for those famous kids to post your song. There was a high probability of [return on investment] ROI in 2020,” says a second digital marketing agency CEO. One creator manager says they remember a top creator at the time boasting about getting “$50,000 to just play the sound” in the background of a TikTok.
Typically, these creators would be instructed by an artist manager, a label, or a third-party digital marketing company (most times the latter) to perform a certain trend along with the song, like a dance or a certain filter, in exchange for money.
But these days, experts like George Karalexis, CEO of YouTube marketing and rights management company Ten2 Media, say it’s “more expensive and harder than ever to start a trend” online. As Billboard reported in 2022, TikTok tracks in the U.S. were streamed far less that year than they were in 2021, according to the most recent available data from Luminate.
Now, this unpredictability has led to top creators rarely fetching rates of over $10,000 for the use of a song in a video. Instead, digital marketers are spreading their budgets over many videos from smaller creators to make the illusion of a less-detectable groundswell of support. The second digital marketing agency CEO says today’s payment ranges from $25 for a micro creator (at or below about 10,000 followers) to $10,000 for a TikTok star to post the song.
Recently, a cottage industry of startups has popped up in the creator campaign space, automating the connection between smaller creators and artists looking to pay them to promote their songs. One of the leading companies, Sound.Me, for example, recently ran a creator campaign for “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” through their service. TikTok is also offering up a similar service with its “Work With Artists” feature inside the app, which allows qualifying creators (those with over 50,000 followers and living within a certain territory) to get paid to use songs, like Halsey’s cover of “Lucky,” in their videos.
Even when an artist is willing to spend a significant budget on one particular creator, that doesn’t mean the creator will always accept. Sound promos are known to be less lucrative for creators than other brand deals, like fashion or skincare, and thus it’s common for top creators to “shoot [the artist’s team] an outrageous number, knowing a sound campaign is not necessarily worth their time otherwise,” says the creator manager.
It is also far less common to ask for a specific type of video from a creator today. Instead, the second digital marketing CEO says “it’s not really about pushing specific creative. It’s just about finding the right creators for the artist’s target audience and kind of just letting the influencers run with creative freedom.”
All of this makes discerning the paid promotion of a song from organic enthusiasm more challenging than ever. Even more complicated, the creator manager says that it’s “best practice” for creators “who want to work with a specific brand to show for free that they are using the brand’s products anyway to attract their attention. Same goes for songs.”
The sign of true success for these campaigns is when social media use of the song grows far beyond the initial budget, encouraging unpaid creators to jump in and use the track, too, multiple digital marketing sources say. “The value is in the people [using the song] that aren’t being paid,” says Jeremy Gruber, head of artist marketing and digital strategy at management company Friends at Work. “Success is when we have 13 types of videos going on at once to the song,” adds one indie label marketer. “We can’t even tell what’s happening.”
Typically, these sound campaigns are conducted in phases, and while they are common, they are not expected for every single release, three label marketing sources say. $5,000 is the low-end for what two digital marketing agencies believe would be a fruitful campaign, but the spending can grow to $80,000 (or even into the six figures for rare cases) if it is a big-name artist and the song is reacting positively. Typically after the first round of the campaign, the team will watch and see if the song grows. If it does, then a next wave of spending will be opened up and seeded out to creators to stoke the flame.
Gruber believes an ethical gray area arises when artists’ teams offer money to music curation influencers to explicitly recommend a song without disclosing the transaction to viewers. Unlike a “product placement”-like promotion which simply streams in the background, these music curators use TikTok to talk to the camera, telling consumers to take action and check out new songs in exchange for undisclosed money, concert tickets or other perks. When asked about this type of promotion specifically, the FTC declined to comment on whether or not disclosure is needed.
It’s also common for record labels to turn to social media-based blogs, typically in the rap genre, like WorldStarHipHop, Rap, Our Generation Music and more which offer pay-to-play promotion on TikTok and other social platforms to create the appearance of organic online chatter. In one message exchange, reviewed by Billboard, a representative from Rap told a music company that “solo” posts go for $1,000, but they offer discounted rates for ordering in “bulk.” Typically, these payments are not disclosed to consumers.
While it might come as a surprise to some music lovers to learn how often these paid campaigns are used, the general consensus among the eight sources spoken to for this story is that it isn’t harming anyone to do it —at least not in the types of campaigns that resemble product placements. “Music, to me, is this beautiful art form and it is completely different from other ‘products’ in other industries [that run creator campaigns],” says the first digital marketing agency CEO. “We do feel that ethically we’re promoting content that is a net positive to society.”
It may not be as effective as it was a few years ago, but creator campaigns are largely believed to still be essential to market songs today, whether it’s on TikTok or on Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts (which is increasingly common). Says the second digital marketing agency founder: “It’s still the best thing we have.”
This story was published as part of Billboard’s new music technology newsletter ‘Machine Learnings.’ Sign up for ‘Machine Learnings,’ and Billboard’s other newsletters, here.
Breakaway is breaking out. The touring electronic music festival announced Thursday (Oct. 17) that it’s expanding to six new markets in 2025. These new cities are Atlanta; Dallas; Huntsville, Ala.; Philadelphia; Phoenix and a yet to be announced Northern California city. The festival will throw two-day events in these cities next year, along with previously […]
Members of 2 Live Crew have won a jury verdict allowing the hip hop legends to regain legal control of much of their catalog from a small record label that owned their copyrights for decades.
After years of litigation, a Florida federal jury said Wednesday that Uncle Luke (Luther Campbell) and the heirs of Fresh Kid Ice (Christopher Wong Won) and Brother Marquis (Mark Ross) were entitled to invoke copyright law’s “termination right” – a provision that allows creators to take back their works decades after they sold them away to a company.
Attorneys for Lil Joe Records, which bought the band’s catalog out of bankruptcy in the 1990s, argued that termination didn’t apply to 2 Live Crew’s albums. Lawyers for Campbell and his late bandmates argued back that the right to terminate was “inalienable” and couldn’t be forfeited.
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In Wednesday’s verdict, the jurors sided with 2 Live Crew, finding the band members had lawfully regained control of the five albums at issue in the case — including their provocative 1989 record As Nasty as They Wanna Be, which reached No. 29 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum.
In a statement to Billboard, 2 Live’s attorney Scott Alan Burroughs said he and his clients were “extremely pleased” with the outcome: “Our team has fought this battle for nearly four years and are thankful to have had the opportunity to present our case to the jury and see justice served. The verdict was a total and overwhelming victory for our clients and artists everywhere.”
Meanwhile, Richard Wolfe, lead counsel Lil Joe Records and label owner Joe Weinberger, vowed to appeal the verdict, saying it dealt with novel legal questions about the interplay between termination rights and federal bankruptcy law.
“Since this is a matter of first impression … which has never before been heard by any court, it may go to the Supreme Court,” Wolfe told Billboard. “The bankruptcy code is clear that all assets of a bankrupt party are part of the bankruptcy estate. All means all.”
The verdict was first reported by Law360 and confirmed by Billboard.
2 Live Crew, a pioneering hip hop group known for the backlash sparked by its sexually-explicit lyrics, is just the latest classic act to use the termination right, which typically kicks into action 35 years after a song was released.
Jay-Z has already invoked it to win back control of his debut album Reasonable Doubt, a fact revealed during a recent legal dispute over Damon Dash’s stake in Roc-A-Fella Records. Earlier this year, Cher won a legal battle with Sonny Bono’s widow over whether termination trumped a decades-old divorce settlement. And before that, groups of artists filed class actions against Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment, seeking to win back control of their masters en masse.
2 Live’s dispute kicked off in November 2020, when Campbell and other members notified Lil Joe that they planned to invoke termination and take back control of their music. Lil Joe and Weinberger had purchased 2 Live Crew’s catalog when the group’s previous label, Luke Records Inc., went bankrupt in 1995. When the two sides could not come to terms, Lil Joe sued the members in federal court.
During the case, the label argued that the bankruptcy sale, which had been signed by a judge, made clear that the album rights were “free and clear of any and all liens” or other caveats. The company also argued the albums were created as “works for hire” – meaning Lil Joe had always been the legal owner of the copyrights, and there were no rights to 2 Live to take back in the first place.
But at the trial this month, 2 Live’s attorneys told a different story. As reported by Law360, Burroughs argued the group had “trusted” Weinberg but that he had “betrayed them and steered them into bankruptcy,” where he was able to purchase the rights to their music on the cheap. He called the story a “tale of deceit and dishonesty that wouldn’t be out of place in a Netflix movie.”
Lil Joe can appeal the outcome, first by asking the judge to overturn the verdict and then by taking the case to a federal appeals court. Such proceedings could take months or even years, depending on how higher courts rule.
The music’s industry’s newest leadership and wellness conference, organized by jump.global, will return for its second year Nov. 17-20 in Los Angeles. Today (Oct. 17), the conference announced its final keynote speaker, Kei Henderson.
Henderson will deliver a featured interview on Nov. 19, sharing stories about music management, founding a label and also the importance of taking time off – in 2019, Henderson took a partial hiatus from the music industry to prioritize her mental health.
“Conferences like this are more than necessary for the music industry, and I feel incredibly honored for the opportunity to share my journey with like minds,” Henderson said in a statement to jump.global. “We need more spaces that are not just about the highlight reel, but the real.”
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Henderson joins a previously announced lineup of speakers including Michelle Jubelirer, former chair and CEO of Capitol Music Group, and Jacqueline Saturn, president of Virgin Music Group North America and evp of global artist relations. Jubelirer will speak with Bandier Program director, Bill Werde, while Saturn will speak with her sister Samantha, appearing together on stage for the first time.
Launched last year, the jump.global Annual Summit operates as an end-of-year personal and professional development conference and retreat for the music industry. The conference brings together coaches and professionals to lead workshops, keynotes and panels on topics such as financial wellness, mental health, effective leadership and more.
Most notably, the summit does not list any speakers or attendees with their titles or company names on-site, aligning with its guidelines and tagline that “your first and last name matter more than your job title.”
“The summit is [provides] the rare opportunity to focus on executive development, instead of artist development,” says jump.global Founder Nick Maiale. “We’re so excited to return for a second year and provide a safe space for everyone — whether you’re part of a music team, longtime friends from your internship days, a consultant growing your business, an HR professional, or someone seeking inspiration.”
Badges can be purchased here.
Legendary singer-songwriter Randy Newman has sold his share of his recorded music and publishing rights to Litmus Music, a catalog-acquiring firm backed by private-equity giant Carlyle Group.
The deal encompasses Newman’s seminal film scores along with his catalog of popular solo hits. The rights acquisition includes his compositions for Disney franchises like Toy Story (“You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” “We Belong Together”), Monsters, Inc. (“If I Didn’t Have You”) and The Princess and the Frog (“Almost There”), among others.
The list of non-animated movies he has worked on over the decades includes The Natural, Three Amigos, Awakenings, The Paper, Maverick, Ragtime, Pleasantville, Meet the Parents, Seabiscuit and his recent pairing with director Noah Baumbach, for The Meyerowitz Stories and Marriage Story.
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The lifelong Angeleno launched his career in 1968 with a self-titled solo debut but came into his own in the following decade with a string of critically acclaimed albums including 1970’s mature 12 Songs, 1972’s lush Sail Away, 1974’s provocative Good Old Boys and 1977’s slick Little Criminals. His solo output slowed in the 1980s, but included 1983’s pop-leaning Trouble in Paradise and 1988’s rock-tinged Land of Dreams. In 1995, he released musical album based on the story of Faust, followed by a more traditional pop-rock effort in 1999’s Bad Love and then 2008’s jazzy Harps and Angels. He has also released three collections of stripped-down versions of his work under the moniker of The Randy Newman Songbook.
His catalog of solo hits, featuring that folksy, does-he-have-a-cold? warble, includes “I Love L.A.,” “Short People,” “It’s Money That Matters,” “Feels Like Home,” “Short People,” “Baltimore” and “It’s A Jungle Out There.” Many of his songs have been picked up and made into hits by others, including “Mama Told Me Not To Come” (Three Dog Night) and “You Can Leave Your Hat On” (Joe Cocker).
Newman’s work ethic over the years has earned him seven Grammys, three Emmys, two Oscars, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and inductions into the Songwriters and Rock & Roll Halls of Fame.
Litmus did not disclose financial terms of the acquisition. Launched in August 2022 with a $500-million-investment from Carlyle’s Global Credit Platform, Litmus has so far acquired publishing and recording rights of artists from a range of genres, including rights to Katy Perry’s first five studio albums for Capitol Records, Keith Urban‘s master recordings and a package of publishing and performance copyrights from producer Benny Blanco.
Dan McCarroll, co-founder of Litmus Music, expressed unbridled enthusiasm about the acquisition, calling Newman a “brilliant songwriter and performer” whose work transcends generations. Hank Forsyth, co-founder and CEO, thanked Newman for entrusting them with his songs, which “continue to transcend time and illuminate films. And Alex Popov, head of private credit at Carlyle, emphasized the enduring presence of Newman’s music as a “staple of childhood memories and experiences for decades.”
On Thursday (Oct. 17) at the Amsterdam Dance Event, representatives from SoundCloud, along with Dutch producer Mau P, took part in a panel during which SoundCloud revealed that electronic music listeners are the most engaged demographic on the platform, among other insights.
This takeaway is based on data that found that electronic music fans over-index for all music activities on SoundCloud, company representatives said, adding that compared to fans of other genres, electronic music fans are 52% more likely to comment, 104% more likely to share music and 85% more likely to repost.
SoundCloud has long been a key hub for electronic music producers, offering a place where remixes and live sets, which aren’t available on many other DSPs, can live alongside new productions, creating a catalog that’s unique to the platform. The way SoundCloud allows for direct artist-to-fan communication has also helped foster the kind of superfans the general industry has become increasingly interested in finding and cultivating. As Jack Bridges of SoundCloud said during a panel this past April, “A lot more artists and labels go to SoundCloud early… and build records from nothing and by artists messaging their fans directly because we have the tools to do that.”
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The platform is becoming increasingly popular among producers. The company reports that the platform is seeing increased uploads of electronic music, with those uploads projected to rise by approximately 21% in 2024 compared to last year. Plays of electronic music genres on the platform have also grown, by roughly 6% since 2022, with electronic music expected to account for nearly 22% of all plays on the platform this year.
And while electronic music is a truly global genre, some areas naturally over-index, with SoundCloud finding that Vietnam has the third largest electronic listener base. Elsewhere, Central and Northern Europe have the most consistent and engaged SoundCloud electronic listeners, while Belgium, Austria and Germany are among the top countries where electronic music is the platform’s most-streamed genre.
In terms of subgenres, house music gets the most SoundCloud plays, listening time and listeners. Hardcore is second in plays and listening time, while trance is second in the number of listeners and third in plays and listening time. SoundCloud reports that trance is also the fastest-growing genre, with a 24% increase in listening time and an 11% rise in listeners since 2023.