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A new report by the Canadian Live Music Association (CLMA) reveals that live music contributes billions to the Canadian economy.
That’s over $10 billion in GDP during 2023 alone to be precise. Hear and Now: Understanding the economic power and potential of Canada’s live music industry is the first-ever economic impact assessment of Canada’s live music industry, identifying the significance of live music in Canada at the same time as it emphasizes major challenges.
The study, which is led by research firm Nordicity and commissioned by the CLMA, notes that these numbers have been achieved largely without a dedicated fiscal policy framework incentivizing live music. “$10.92B in combined impact from live music and tourism spending… without trying.”
Erin Benjamin, CLMA president & CEO, emphasizes that these numbers show the importance of supporting music venues.
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“More live music activity — an increase in live music activity at every rung of the venue ladder — will mean more folks spending their income in that space. It generates the tax revenue, it generates the labour income,” she told Billboard Canada at a press launch for the study at Allied Music Centre in Toronto this week (Jan. 30). “Live music is the vehicle that stimulates that kind of economic activity.”
Though the Canadian live industry is a big part of the country’s economy, it faces serious challenges.
In Canada, venues are closing down. Toronto saw roughly 15% of venues close permanently during 2020-2021 alone. A venue shortage especially impacts emerging artists, who need a venue ladder — a scale of increasingly-large venues they can work up to — as they grow their career. “The critical shortage of small and mid-sized venues restricts access to local live music,” the report states.
Benjamin tells Billboard Canada that on a policy level, she would love to see more support for the sustainability and growth of small venues. “The first few rungs on the venue ladder are the most vulnerable. We want to make sure we’re not losing our incubator spaces and our discovery spaces.” She mentions CLMA’s pilot initiative with FACTOR Canada, the Promoters Program, which supports companies presenting live music in Canada. She hopes to see the program made permanent.
Musicians and industry members are also facing increasingly tough conditions when it comes to making a living. The report estimates that in 2023, the average salary for a full-time employee in the Canadian live music industry was around $31,000 — putting music industry workers below the poverty line.
Read more on the report here.
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Canadian Airplay Charts Find a Home on Billboard Canada
Seven charts are debuting on Billboard Canada.
The Canadian Airplay Charts, all of which track Canadian radio airplay, have found a new exclusive home at Billboard Canada’s charts hub.
They’ll be updated every Thursday and live alongside the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 and Billboard Canadian Albums chart.
The charts cover seven different types of radio airplay, diving into what’s performing well in adult contemporary, country and rock across Canadian radio.
“Billboard Canada is the official home for Canadian music charts,” says Mo Ghoneim, President of Billboard Canada. “Making these airplay rankings available on our platform is part of our commitment to providing deeper insight into what’s shaping radio and music across the country.”
Together, the new charts provide a snapshot of the radio landscape, which provides a new angle on music distinct from the Canadian Hot 100.
While Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars hold the top spot on Canadian Hot 100 with “Die With a Smile,” Myles Smith’s “Stargazing” holds the No. 1 spot on the Canadian All Format Airplay chart at launch.
The radio charts regularly feature Canadian artists, thanks in part to Canadian content regulation. In Billboard Canada‘s breakdown of the 2024 year-end charts, radio’s influence on Canadian pop was clear, uplifting rising Canadian artists like LU KALA, Preston Pablo, Josh Ross, Alexander Stewart and Jamie Fine.
Weekly analysis of the radio charts will now accompany Billboard Canada’s regular chart beat stories tracking the Canadian Albums and Canadian Hot 100 charts.
The seven charts include: All Format Airplay, AC Airplay, CHR Airplay, Hot AC Airplay, Country Airplay, Mainstream Rock Airplay, and Modern Rock Airplay.
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AI-Generated Album Appears On Nova Scotia Musician Ian Janes’ Spotify Profile Without His Permission
Nova Scotia musician Ian Janes is speaking out against music by Ian Janes.
Janes, a Music Nova Scotia Award winner, says an AI-generated album was falsely added to his Spotify profile, under his name.
He tells CTV that he found out when Spotify sent him a notification urging him to promote his new release — but he hadn’t released anything new.
When he went to his Spotify profile, he says, there was indeed a new album, but not one he had recorded.
“It’s AI-generated music that you would listen to when you’re on hold,” he describes to Global. The album was removed from his profile but remains on Spotify under a separate profile, also using the name ‘Ian Janes.’ Janes’ lawyer says that it’s not technically a copyright violation unless the music uses Janes’ likeness or his actual compositions.
The album bears the hallmarks of fraudulent music designed to score streams. It has a title that means nothing but seems poetic, Street Alone, and a large number of tracks (20). Several of the songs are named after popular hits but are not actually covers of those songs, like “Ho Hey,” “Summertime Sadness,” and “Give Your Heart A Break.” The music sounds like it could be made entirely within Ableton or Logic Pro.
Last year, nine Canada-based music streaming sites were taken down for streaming manipulation. IFPI, the worldwide recording industry association, and Music Canada had filed a complaint stating that the sites were selling fake streams to boost play counts.
It’s not clear how the distributor who uploaded Street Alone was able to gain access to Janes’ profile. But Janes’ situation demonstrates a clear risk for independent musicians as these tactics proliferate.
“If a name isn’t proprietary, and titles aren’t proprietary, what’s going to keep an AI music company from using the name of existing musicians and using the names of the songs they’ve released?” Janes says.
Last Week: How Music Companies Are Fighting the ‘Streaming Tax’
Welcome to Executive Turntable, Billboard’s weekly compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across the music business.
Earlier this week, we released our annual rankings of the music industry’s top executives, however, Thursday brought the shocking news of the passing of one those honorees. Ben Vaughn, president and CEO of Warner Chappell Nashville, died Thursday of undisclosed causes at only 49. “The music community has lost a truly extraordinary executive and human being,” said Troy Tomlinson, chairman and CEO of rival UMPG Nashville.
Read on for this week’s updates.
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Alison Smith, longtime executive vp and chief distribution and publisher relations officer at BMI, announced her retirement after nearly 40 years with the company. Starting in 1985 on a temporary assignment in Nashville, Smith’s career at BMI has evolved through multiple departments, ultimately overseeing all domestic and international royalty distribution and administration services for over 1.3 million affiliated songwriters, composers and music publishers. She’s been based in New York since 1987 and will officially step down at the end of March. In her announcement to colleagues, Smith expressed her deep affection for the PRO and said her decision leaned heavily on wanting to spend more time with family and friends. She pointed out the fact she spent her entire career at BMI “says everything about our company, the people, and our mission to support, guide and protect our songwriters, composers and publishers,” adding, “music has always been my passion and will continue to be, and I know BMI will always be a shining star in this business.” Among her numerous industry accolades, Smith was recognized as one of Billboard’s Women in Music for two consecutive years in 2018 and 2019, and again in 2023.
BMI president and CEO Mike O’Neill commended Smith’s significant contributions to both BMI and the wider music community. He also announced that Smith will serve as a strategic advisor for the next two years, with Shouvik Das, svp of distribution, publisher relations & administration services, assuming her responsibilities and reporting directly to him.
“I have known Alison since I began working at BMI 30 years ago, and she has been a colleague, partner, advisor and friend to me every day that I have been here,” O’Neill said. “Alison is part of the fabric of BMI, and she has helped us become the company we are today. She has touched so many lives in an indelible way, not just internally at BMI but also within the larger music community. She will be missed.”
Meanwhile…
Universal Music Publishing Group welcomed Jamie Kinelski as the publisher’s new senior vice president of A&R, reporting to evp and head of U.S. A&R, Jennifer Knoepfle. Based in New York, Kinelski will focus on signing, developing and mentoring songwriters, artists and producers while helping expand UMPG’s U.S. A&R team. Kinelski previously served as senior vp and head of West Coast creative at Kobalt, where she signed and developed artists like Rogét Chahayed, Cuco, and Father John Misty. She also built key partnerships with Heavy Duty Publishing and 88Rising. Before Kobalt, she was creative director at ASCAP, working with artists such as Big Sean and HAIM. Knoepfle praised Kinelski’s leadership and “fierce” advocacy for songwriters, calling her a “tremendous asset to the dynamic and fresh executive team we are building,” adding, “her vast publishing and leadership experience will be extremely valuable to our company’s continued growth.”
Concord promoted Jonathan Eby to executive vp of information systems and technology. Eby will continue to be based in Concord’s Nashville office, and will oversee the company’s global technology, including infrastructure, development and strategy across all of Concord’s business areas. Eby joined Concord in 2017, and previously served as COO of classical music distributor/label Naxos. –Jessica Nicholson
NASHVILLE NOTES: Former CAA music agent Sabrina Butera launched the artist and influencer management company Collide Talent, offering a full-service platform for artists, influencers and entrepreneurs. The company’s initial roster includes country artist Austin Snell, whom she rep’d at CAA, and DIBS Beauty co-founder Courtney Shields … 615 Leverage + Strategy relaunched as Results Global with its existing partners, chief marketing officer John Zarling and COO Jackie Campbell, remaining atop the organization’s structure. The team, which counts Dolly Parton as its largest client, also includes brands account director Alissa Endres, manager of talent projects and music marketing Dawson Simmons, account coordinator Aden Henke, creative director Frashier Baudry and media planner and strategist Lauren Miskella … Business management firm O’Neil Hagaman added principal Rick Myers. He spent the last three years as Big Machine Label Group svp of finance and IT.
Joseph Morrison and Amy Hart, veterans of Eliot Grainge’s 10K Projects, teamed up with tech entrepreneur Scott Lewis to launch prairy (prairy.xyz), a remote-only label focused on speed in closing deals and servicing artist needs. The prairy team is strategically located across the U.S. and Canada, including Los Angeles, Nashville, New York and Atlanta. Operating without a physical office, prairy uses a San Francisco venture-style model that emphasizes speed, iteration and flexibility. The label has already signed a diverse roster of artists, including Dylan Espeseth, .idk., Ri Wavey, Nicole Amoroso, yurms and has partnerships with TRENCH HOUSE and others. Lewis emphasizes prairy’s commitment to operational agility, saying the “system is broken, and we think there’s a better way. The music industry is accustomed to schedules set by the month – we prefer to get things done in days, not weeks.”
BOARD SHORTS: The MLC appointed four new members to its advisory committees. Jennifer Falco of Hipgnosis Songs Group joins the Dispute Resolution Committee, while Iwona Wyrzykowska of Universal Music Publishing Group, Jessica Richling O’Malley of Warner Chappell Music, and Kristina Johnson of Kobalt Music have been named to the Operations Advisory Committee … NAMM elected eight new board members to three-year terms during its 2025 Show. The newly elected board members are Mayumi Allison, Betty Bennett, Jenna Day, Jeremiah Manriquez, Tim Pratt, Thomas Ripsam, Tom Tedesco and Hans Thomann … The Worldwide Independent Network held aboard meeting on Jan. 23, confirming Zena White and Maria Amato for a third term as chair and treasurer, respectively. New members include Felippe Llerena as director, with Cecilia Crespo and Ian Harrison joining as observers. Tony Kiewel transitioned from observer to director. Outgoing members Alejandro Varela, Sandra Rodrigues and Garry West were thanked for their contributions. A full list of WIN board members is here.
ShopKeeper Management, founded by Marion Kraft in 2009, promoted Crystal Dishmon to co-manager of Miranda Lambert alongside Kraft, while continuing to manage Tenille Townes. Dishmon, with extensive industry experience, including senior roles at AEG and Dale Morris, has been with ShopKeeper since 2010. Additionally, Laura Spinelli has been promoted to day-to-day manager for Lambert and continues as digital marketing manager. Spinelli has led innovative marketing campaigns and brand partnerships during her nearly decade-long tenure at ShopKeeper. Based in Nashville, ShopKeeper represents Lambert, Townes and Pistol Annies. The promotions highlight ShopKeeper’s commitment to mentorship and empowering female leaders in the music industry.
Ross Anderson, a former Warner Music communications executive, has launched Dept. of Connection, a New York-based PR agency focused on helping next-gen artists and brands build lasting cultural connections. The agency’s celestial roster includes Deafheaven and Superheaven, no relation, with more projects t/b/a soon. Anderson previously served as vp of public relations at Elektra Entertainment, leading campaigns for Turnstile, Slipknot, Gojira, Twenty One Pilots and more, until his departure in September of last year. He began his career at Atlantic Records in 2007, working his way up to vp. You can reach Ross here.
Rough Bones, a boutique label based in London, launched a new office in Lagos, Nigeria, to expand into the Afrobeat genre. Leading the office is senior A&R exec Jeffrey Onuoha, operations manager Daisy Ogunlana, digital strategist Eskor Umo, and A&R rep Samuel Mark.
Indie distributor IDOL appointed Camille Floch as international marketing and label services coordinator. Floch, previously a label manager at [PIAS], will work under Constance de Bosredon, promoted to head of international, marketing and label services in 2024. In comments, De Bosredon welcomed Floch and highlighted IDOL’s commitment to labels and artists. IDOL also announced this week that it has partnered with Mexican Summer and Dom Recs for global digital distribution, marketing and audience development.
ALL IN THE FAMILY: Former Billboard-er Andrew Hampp is now managing director of music and consumer partnerships at Variety. Since joining the PMC publication in 2022, he has created partnership opportunities with brands like TikTok, Sony Audio and Cash App. Hampp’s priors in the branding space include founding 1803 LLC, where he consulted for clients across media, advertising and music, and a two-and-a-half year tenure as vp at MAC Presents. In a past life, Hampp was Billboard’s senior correspondent, covering branding, sponsorships and tech during much of the 2010s.
ICYMI:
David Field
Warner Records upped Mike Chester to general manager … Arwen Hunt will lead Various Artists Management‘s new office in Australia … AEG promoted Adam Wilkes to president/CEO of AEG Presents, Europe and Asia-Pacific and elevated Alex Hill to president/CEO of AEG International … Wasserman Music hired five key executives … David Field stepped down as president/CEO of Audacy … Katie Welle is now head of U.S. A&R at SMP … Eve Konstan is out as Spotify‘s general counsel … and the longtime president of the Kennedy Center is passing the torch. [Cont.]
Last Week’s Turntable: WMG Changes Things Up in Hong Kong
Prosecutors have filed a superseding indictment against Sean “Diddy” Combs that includes additional victims and new allegations in the sprawling criminal case against him, according to documents entered in New York federal court on Thursday (Jan. 30). Though it includes no new charges, the amended indictment extends the amount of time Combs allegedly operated a […]
In case you missed it: Suno has picked up another lawsuit against it.
Before you read any further, go to this link and listen to one or two of the songs to which GEMA licenses rights and compare them to the songs created by the generative music AI software Suno. (You may not know the songs, but you’ll get the idea either way.) They are among the works over which GEMA, the German PRO, is suing Suno. And while those examples are selected to make a point, based on significant testing of AI prompts, the similarities are remarkable.
Suno has never said whether it trained its AI software on copyrighted works, but the obvious similarities seem to suggest that it did. (Suno did not respond to a request for comment.) What are the odds that artificial intelligence would independently come up with “Mambo No. 5,” as opposed to No. 4 or No. 6, plus refer to little bits of “Monica in my life” and “Erica by my side?”
“We were surprised how obvious it was,” GEMA CEO Tobias Holzmüller tells Billboard, referring to the music Suno generated. “So we’re using the output as evidence that the original works were elements of the training data set.” That’s only part of the case: GEMA is also suing over the similarities between the AI-created songs and the originals. (While songs created entirely by AI cannot be copyrighted, they can infringe on existing works.) “If a person would claim to have written these [songs that Suno output], he would immediately be sued, and that’s what’s happening here.”
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Although the RIAA is also suing Suno, as well as Udio, this is the biggest case that involves compositions, as opposed to recordings — and it could set a precedent for the European Union. (U.S. PROs would not have the same standing to sue, since they hold different rights.) It will proceed differently from the RIAA case, which involves higher damages, and of course different laws, so Holzmüller explained the case to Billboard — as well as how it could unfold and what’s at stake. “We just want our members to be compensated,” Holzmüller says, “and we want to make sure that what comes out of the model is not blatantly plagiarizing works they have written.”
When did you start thinking about bringing a case like this?
We got the idea the moment that services like Suno and Udio hit the market and we saw how easy it was to generate music and how similar some of it sounds. Then it took us about six months to prepare the case and gather the evidence.
Your legal complaint is not yet public, so can you explain what you are suing over?
The case is based on two kinds of copyright infringement. Obviously, one is the training of the AI model on the material that our members write and the processing operations when generating output. There are a ton of legal questions about that, but I think we will be able to demonstrate without any reasonable doubt that if the output songs are so similar [to original songs] it’s unlikely that the model has not been trained on them. The other side is the output. Those songs are so close to preexisting songs, that it would constitute copyright infringement.
What’s the most important legal issue on the input side?
The text and data-mining exception in the Directive [on Copyright in the Digital Single Market, from 2019]. There is some controversy over whether this exception was intended to allow the training of AI models. Assuming that it was, it allows rights holders to opt out, and we opted out our entire membership. There could also be time and territoriality issues [in terms of where and when the original works were copied].
How does this work in terms of rights and jurisdiction?
On the basis of our membership agreement, we hold rights for reproduction and communication to the public, and in particular for use for AI purposes. As far as jurisdiction, if the infringement takes place in a given territory, you can sue there — you just have to serve the complaint in the country where the infringing company is domiciled. As a U.S. company, if you’re violating copyright in the EU, you are subject to EU jurisdiction.
In the U.S., these cases can come with statutory damages, which can run to $150,000 per work infringed in cases of willful infringement. Is there an amount you’re asking for in this complaint?
We want to stake out the principle and stop this type of infringement. There could be statutory damages, but the level has to be calculated, and there are different standards to do that, at a later stage [in the case].
Our longterm goal is to establish a system where AI companies that train their models on our members’ works seek a license from us and our members can participate in the revenues that they create. We published a licensing model earlier this year and we have had conversations with other services in the market that we want to license, but as long as there are unlicensed services, it’s hard for them to compete. This is about creating a level playing field
How have other rightsholders reacted to this case?
Nothing but support, and a lot of questions about how we did it. Especially in the indie community, there’s a sense that we can only discuss sustainable licenses if we stand up against unauthorized use.
The AI-created works you posted online as examples are extremely similar to well-known songs to which you hold rights. But I assume those didn’t come up automatically. How much did you have to experiment with different prompts to get those results?
We tried different songs, and we tried the same songs a few times and it turned out that for some songs it was a similar outcome every time and for other songs the difference in output was much greater.
These results are much more similar to the original works than what the RIAA found for its lawsuits against Suno and Udio, and I assume the lawyers on those cases worked very hard. Do you think the algorithms work differently in Germany or for German compositions?
I don’t know. We were surprised ourselves. Only a person who can explain how the model works would be able to answer that.
Tell me a bit about the model license you mentioned.
We think a sustainable license has two pillars. Rightsholders should be compensated for the use of their works in training and building a model. And when an AI creates output that competes with input [original works], a license needs to ensure that original rightsholders receive a fair share of whatever value is generated.
But how would you go about attributing the revenue from AI-created works to creators? It’s hard to tell how much an AI relies on any given work when it creates a new one.
Attribution is one of the big questions. My personal view is that we may never be able to attribute the output to specific works that have been input, so distribution can only be done by proxy or by funding ways to allow the next generation of songwriters to develop in those genres. And we think PROs should be part of the picture when we talk about licensing solutions.
What’s the next step in this case procedurally?
It will take some time until the complaint is served [to Suno in the U.S.], and then the defendant will appoint an attorney in Munich, the parties will exchange briefs, and there will be an oral hearing late this year or early next year. Potentially, once there is a decision in the regional court, it could go [to the higher court, roughly equivalent to a U.S. appellate court]. It could even go to the highest civil court or, if matters of European rights are concerned, even to the European Court of Justice [in Luxembourg].
That sounds like it’s going to take a while. Are you concerned that the legal process moves so much slower than technology?
I wish we had a quicker process to clarify these legal issues, but that shouldn’t stop us. It would be very unfortunate if this race for AI would trigger a race to the bottom in terms of protection of content for training.
Soundstripe, the Nashville-based music licensing company for creatives, agencies and brands, acquired tech startup The Rights, which helps streamline the synch licensing process for labels, publishers and music supervisors. According to a press release, the deal will help Soundstripe “accelerate its development of the music industry’s most robust click-to-license platform,” which is slated to launch in the first half of this year.
Warner Music Group’s indie distributor and artist services arm ADA extended its partnership with Sonny Fodera‘s label Solotoko, which has also released music by Dom Dolla, John Summit and Tita Lau, among others.
Nashville-based Walk Off Entertainment inked a global distribution deal with Virgin Music Group. Walk Off Entertainment was founded by Chris Ruediger, who also founded the creative community/promotional outlet The 615 House. The first releases under the new deal are expected in the first quarter of 2025; the company’s client roster includes Gareth and Abby Anderson. – Jessica Nicholson
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Record label LASAL announced a strategic distribution and joint venture partnership with Capitol CMG, marking “a new era in the faith-based music industry and a significant milestone for both companies,” according to a press release. Capitol will act as a partner in signing and developing artists alongside LASAL. “In Spanish, LASAL translates to ‘The Salt,’ which adds flavor and restores balance within the body,” Samuel Ash, founder of LASAL, said in a statement. “That is our purpose: to restore balance in the music industry while allowing artists to freely express their creativity and faith without limits. Capitol CMG shares this vision, and together, we believe we can inspire and impact the world.” – Griselda Flores
Independent distributor IDOL signed global partnerships with two labels: Brooklyn-based Mexican Summer (Cate Le Bon, Hayden Pedigo) and Dom Recs, a new imprint launched by Dan Petruzzi and Roxy Summers that is gearing up for its first album release, Twin Shadow’s Georgie. Both labels will receive global digital distribution, marketing and audience development services under their respective deals.
Tuned Global, a leading cloud platform for the music industry, partnered with AudioShake in a deal that will give Tuned Global clients access to AudioShake’s AI-based tools, including stem separation and lyric transcriptions. AudioShake technology is now available to Tuned Global’s white-label streaming applications and via Tuned Global’s advanced APIs.
Ticketing and live event marketplace Tixr partnered with full-scale event production company Social House Entertainment. Through the pact, Social House will integrate Tixr technology to optimize ticket sales and allow it to better manage merch, VIP experiences and other event services while streamlining the ticketing process. Social House is behind the popular multi-city Tacos and Tequila Festival and other events.
Tickets for Good, which offers affordable event tickets to healthcare workers, teachers, charity staff and others facing economic barriers, expanded into the Netherlands following launches in the U.S. and the U.K. The launch is being supported by Greenhouse Talent, ID&T, Mojo Concerts and This is Live, as well as ambassadors Robbie Williams and MassiveMusic founder Hans Brouwer. Led by Simone van Hövell and Linda Holleman, Tickets For Good Netherlands encompasses more than 30 healthcare institutions, reaching over 150,000 healthcare workers.
Live Nation Urban partnered with Black on the Block, a monthly vendor festival that highlights Black-owned businesses. Through the deal, Black on the Block will expand to seven cities in 2025, kicking off March 23 at Global Life Field in Arlington, Tex. Other new stops made possible by the pact include Houston, Atlanta, Detroit and Charlotte, N.C.
Ben Vaughn, president/CEO of Warner Chappell Nashville, died on Thursday (Jan. 30). A cause of death was not disclosed. He was 49.
The much-beloved Vaughn, who was Billboard‘s Country Power Players executive of the year in 2020, joined Warner Chappell Nashville (WCN) in 2012 and was promoted to president in 2017, adding the role of CEO in 2019. The Belmont University alumnus was honored with Belmont’s Music City Milestone Award in 2015.
Warner Chappell Music co-chairs Guy Moot and Carianne Marshall released the following memo to Warner Chappell Music staffers that read in part, “It is with broken hearts that we share the unthinkable news that Ben Vaughn, President & CEO of Warner Chappell Nashville, passed away this morning. Our deepest condolences are with his family and many friends.”
Under Vaughn, WCN had consistently dominated the country music publishing market. In 2024, they were crowned ASCAP Country Music and BMI Publisher of the Year (for the fifth time) and marked their third consecutive quarter at No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay publisher rankings. Apart from Q3 of 2022 to Q3 of 2023, Warner Chappell Nashville had held the quarterly top spot, dating back to the first quarter of 2017. In November 2019, ASCAP, BMI and SESAC all named WCN their country publisher of the year — only the third time a publishing company has been honored as such, and a first for WCN.
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Among the singer/songwriters Vaughn worked with were Thomas Rhett, Zach Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Riley Green, Warren Zeiders, Hunter Phelps, Bailey Zimmerman, Jessi Alexander, Liz Rose, Josh Phillips, Thomas Rhett, Nicolle Galyon and Randy Montana.
The father of three was extraordinarily passionate about songwriters, especially developing ones, and relished helping young singer/songwriters find their voice and their first record deal. “There’s so many people that want that record deal, so helping someone get to that spot is one of the hardest things in the music business,” Vaughn told Billboard in 2020. “So the job is to take away the nos and help that person get to a place where you get a yes.”
Tributes poured in quickly. Jon Platt, chairman/CEO of Sony Music Publishing, who worked with Vaughn at EMI and then brought him over to Warner Chappell in 2012, said in a statement, “I am deeply saddened by the passing of my friend Ben Vaughn, and united in grief with the entire songwriting community. Ben dedicated his life to songwriters. As an exceptional leader and mentor, he leaves an indelible mark on the music business. I extend my deepest condolences to his loved ones and all who were touched by his spirit. I feel privileged to have known Ben and shared a close relationship with him. He was the best of the best and I will miss him greatly.”
“Ben was warm, welcoming, and always someone that supported and elevated the American songwriter,” says Lucas Keller, president/founder of Milk & Honey. “The world will not be the same without him – this is a loss most cannot process today. We met 15 years ago on my first trip to Nashville when he was at EMI, and I’ll never forget him.”
“Our hearts are heavy today in learning about the passing of longtime ACM Board Member and former ACM Board Chair, and good friend to all of us, Ben Vaughn,” added Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music. “Ben was a champion of the country music genre and strong advocate for songwriters and good songs. He served as board chair of the Academy in 2018 and was the first music publisher to serve as chairman in the Academy’s history, in addition to serving on the ACM Lifting Lives board. On behalf of the ACM Board, ACM Lifting Lives Board, and the ACM staff, we send our condolences to Ben’s family, friends, coworkers, and all of those who crossed his path and were lifted up by his passion. His memory will live on forever through the great music he made happen.”
Vaughn grew up in the tiny community of Sullivan, Ky., and comes from “a proud tradition of coal miners, teachers and mechanics,” he told Billboard. As a high school student, he got a job as a weekend DJ at country radio station WMSK-FM, which set him on a path to Nashville. “I would devour the vinyl and read all the publishing and writer credits,” he told Billboard. “I thought, ‘I want to go where these people are.’ ”
That led him to Nashville’s Belmont University and an internship at WCN in 1994 under then-executive vp Tim Wipperman, who taught Vaughn the intricacies of publishing. While there, he got to know producer Scott Hendricks, whose Big Tractor publishing company had a partnership with WCN. Hendricks was so impressed with Vaughn that he eventually asked him to run Big Tractor — while Vaughn was still a college student. “He said, ‘I’m going to give you six months to see how it goes, but if you quit school, I’ll fire you,’ ” recalls Vaughn.
Through the decades, Vaughn remained in wonderment of songwriters and the new worlds they created. “It is awe-inspiring how much talent it takes to create something out of nothing that literally can make the whole world sing,” he said. “The most sacred responsibility is to help connect writers’ dreams to their goals. The fact that as publishers we are trusted to hold that space for them is everything.”
Moot and Marshall’s full memo to WMG:
To everyone at WMG,
It is with broken hearts that we share the unthinkable news that Ben Vaughn, President & CEO of Warner Chappell Nashville, passed away this morning. Our deepest condolences are with his family and many friends.
Ben has led our Nashville team since 2012, and we know that many of you around the world got to know him over the years. Anyone who had the pleasure of working with him will be as shocked and saddened as we are.
First and foremost, Ben was an extraordinary human being. He met everyone with enthusiasm, warmth, and generosity. His smile was huge, and his sense of humor was infectious.
He was always a passionate advocate of songwriters and a topflight music publisher. The Nashville community has lost one of its greatest champions, and he will be profoundly missed by so many across our company and the entire industry.
We are planning to visit the Nashville team very soon and thank you all for helping support them through this awful tragedy.
With love,
Guy & Carianne
This is a developing story.
Heidi Montag’s 15-year-old dance-pop album Superficial has generated nearly $150,000 from streaming and digital sales since the MTV reality show star lost her home to the Pacific Palisades wildfire in Los Angeles in early January.
In the days following the destruction of the couple’s home on Jan. 7, Montag’s husband Spencer Pratt took to TikTok, sharing videos of the ashes and their children’s burned toys and asking viewers to stream wife Heidi’s music. Pratt later told Variety in a Jan. 17 article that he made a combined $24,000 from donations on TikTok, but he had no idea if they were making any money from her music.
His plea appears to be paying off. From Jan. 3 to Jan. 23, Montag’s 2010 album Superficial and its individual songs have generated $147,011.61 from streaming, digital album and song sales and publishing revenue, according to Billboard estimates based on data from Luminate.H
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This month, Montag made her first appearance on the Billboard Artist 100 chart, which ranks the most popular artists of the week, and Superficial and its songs landed on the Billboard 200, Top Album Sales, Top Dance Albums and Hot Dance/Pop Songs charts for the week of Jan. 25. Her appearance on those charts may translate into additional revenue for her new album Superficial 2, which the artist released last Friday (Jan. 24).
Montag has also benefitted from widespread support. TikTok launched a Heidi hub with a link to create content using a sped-up version of her song “I’ll Do It.” (TikTok says that, as of Jan. 28, there are more than 2.8 million creations using the track — both the original and sped-up remix.) The online marketing hub LinkTree paid for a billboard in Times Square with the message “Stream Superficial by Heidi Montag” and Montag appeared on Good Morning America, according to her TikTok posts.
The ramp-up in revenue has been swift. In the first week of January, Billboard estimates that the album produced $1,762.97. Following Montag and Pratt’s request, the album and songs produced $98,002.57 in the second week of January and $48,009.04 in the third week of January.
Digital album sales have contributed the greatest amount of revenue so far, generating revenues of $82,497.22, based on Billboard estimates.
In the first week 2025, nine digital copies of the album were sold, worth about $50. In the second week of 2025, 11,258 digital copies of the album were sold, worth about $62,930; and in the third week of 2025, 3,484 digital copies of the album were sold, worth about $19,475.
Montag and Pratt did not respond to requests for comment made to their publicists.
Additional reporting by Ed Christman.
SiriusXM reported revenue from subscribers fell by nearly 4%, while ad revenue held flat for the full year in 2024, as the satellite radio company’s nascent streaming app failed to jump-start its subscribers as hoped.
The company generated $8.7 billion in revenue and adjusted EBITDA of $2.73 billion last year, representing declines of 3% and 2% respectively from 2023 figures. Subscriber revenue declines were the biggest contributing factor to the ho-hum year, but it was partially offset by the company lowering costs by cutting marketing, business expenses and staff.
“At the end of 2024, we took significant steps to refocus on SiriusXM’s core strengths and enhance operational efficiency,” Sirius Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Witz said in a statement. “By prioritizing our core in-car subscription business, leveraging our streaming capabilities, and growing our leadership in ad-supported audio, we are well-positioned to deliver long-term value. Looking ahead, we are energized by the opportunities to build on this strategy and continue offering unparalleled audio experiences through our platforms.”
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SiriusXM announced in December that was shifting marketing and other resources away from the streaming app it launche in Dec. 2023 to prioritize its subscribers who pay to listen to its music, sports and news radio and podcasts in vehicles.
Sirius is the dominant provider of audio entertainment subscriptions in vehicles in the U.S. but concerns over softening subscriber revenue and an eagerness to attract more younger subscribers pushed the launch of a streaming app last December.
The company met its 2024 financial targets–adjusted EBITDA of $2.73 billion and a margin of 31%–but its executives were peppered by questions about disappointing advertising revenue and internal guidance that 2025 will see sharper declines in adjusted EBITDA than they saw in 2024.
The company has a complicated business model, part of which hinges on customers choosing to start paying for their service after first trying a free trial subscription. Witz told analysts on their earnings call they expect to stabilize conversion rates this year for certain product lines like its 360L, a new premium in-vehicle audio platform with more channels. That said, she advised the number of net new subscribers in 2025 is again expected to decline.
The company said it is expecting $8.5 billion in total revenue in 2025, with $1.15 billion in free cash flow and $2.6 billion in adjusted EBITDA.
Here are the main take-aways from SiriusXM’s fourth quarter and annual earnings report:
The SiriusXM segment of the overall company–which doesn’t include Pandora–reported 2024 revenue of $6.6 billion, down 4% from 2023. The decline was driven by lower susbcriber, equipment and other revenue and a smaller average base of self-pay subscribers.
Average revenue per user in 2024 of $15.21 fell 35 cents from the prior year because of declining ad revenue, lower rates the company gets paid from automakers to offer promotional plans in their cars, and more people subscribing only for the streaming app, which has a lower price than the in-car subscription.
SiriusXM self-pay subscribers fell by 296,000 in 2024. The company had 33 million total subscribers as of Dec. 31, 2024.
SiriusXM gross profit totaled $3.9 billion in 2024, 6% lower than 2023, but with a gross margin of 60%, roughly flat from 2023.
Pandora and Off-platform self-pay subscribers decreased by 101,000 in the fourth quarter to end the year at 5.8 million in total.
Pandora and off-platform revenue totaled $2.15 billion in 2024, up 2% from 2023, helped by increased revenues from subscribers, advertising, podcasting and programmatic sales.
Mike Chester has been promoted to general manager of Warner Records, expanding his responsibilities to include digital and viral marketing, as well as artist development, while continuing to oversee promotion and commerce.
Based in Los Angeles, Chester reports to co-chairman & COO Tom Corson and works closely with label CEO & co-chairman Aaron Bay-Schuck on company goals and artist release strategies.
Chester joined Warner in 2018 as executive vp of promotion, later adding commerce to his title in 2021. His leadership has been instrumental in Warner Records’ revitalization, earning him recognition as Billboard‘s Executive of the Week following a barrage of midyear wins in 2024.
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Before Warner, he served as senior vp at Scooter Braun’s SB Projects, working with Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, and spent over a decade at Def Jam Recordings. He began his career at Arista Records before moving to Atlantic and then Def Jam in 2004.
Corson and Bay-Schuck praised Chester’s leadership, artist relations expertise, and strategic vision, crediting him with playing a key role in Warner’s resurgence.
“He possesses extraordinary leadership qualities, has excellent artist relations skills, and knows how to balance all with confidence, compassion, and integrity,” they said. “He is an invaluable member of our senior management team and we know he will continue to thrive and innovate in his new role.”
Chester also shared his excitement about the new role, emphasizing Warner’s dedication to artist development and innovation.
“The team here at Warner is phenomenal, and our artist roster – from emerging talent to superstars – is second to none,” he said. “We pride ourselves on being the premiere artist development label, and we constantly discover new avenues in which to bring even more music to fans. I’m excited to continue promoting, innovating, and building careers in this dynamic and rapidly expanding musical environment.”
While the Los Angeles wildfires have all but silenced the many parties and performances that were slated to precede the Feb. 2 Grammy Awards ceremony, legendary record man Clive Davis says his annual pre-Grammy gala — which he is calling his 50th — will still take place on Feb. 1, this time for a cause greater than celebrating the music industry.
“Seeing the ongoing devastation that has been caused by the wildfires in Los Angeles, we feel strongly that the pre-Grammy gala should be a fundraising event to provide needed funds for all those affected, including many in the music community,” Davis says. “We are working closely with our longtime partners at the Recording Academy and will help support their MusiCares Los Angeles Fire Relief effort through fundraising at our event. We want to ensure that the evening will not only be a memorable night of music but will also provide impactful support for those very much in need.”
A week before Davis, 93, made the decision to convert the gala into a philanthropic event, he spoke to Billboard about its origins in 1976 and some of the more memorable experiences he’s had at his soiree — which he calls “one of the most exciting aspects of my life” — over the last five decades. One of Grammy Week’s most coveted invitations, the gathering attracts a cross-section of celebrity that in previous years has included former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Kim Kardashian, Caitlyn Jenner, Beck, Serena Williams, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Dave Grohl, St. Vincent, Quincy Jones, Clarence Avant, Dua Lipa, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and “Weird Al” Yankovic. They come to mingle and watch musical performances by an unannounced lineup of acts that have included Whitney Houston, Dionne Warwick, Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, Gladys Knight and Green Day, to name just a few.
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Clive Davis and Whitney Houston onstage at the 2011 event
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Davis says a documentary about the gala’s history by producers Jesse Collins and Rob Ford is in the works and will include never-before-seen footage from the event over the years.
Now that invitations have gone out, what kind of response are you getting in light of the fires?
The response is the strongest ever. But beyond that, the paramount concern is safety, health and getting out of this disaster.
Your first gala was in 1976. What led to your decision to throw a party?
I started Arista. Obviously, you can only hope that your first record goes straight to the top of the charts, and that’s what happened [with Barry Manilow’s “Mandy”]. Barry then gets two Grammy nominations. He comes to me and says, “Where’s our party? Every label has a party the night of the Grammys.” I said, “You’re right, but Barry, we just formed. At best we’ll have one table at Chasen’s.”
I thought, “I’ve got to come up with a different idea.” I decided to have our party the day before the Grammys. I invited everybody, and Stevie Wonder showed up, Elton John showed up and John Denver showed up. I said to myself, “My God, I think I’ve landed on a really compelling idea to celebrate the night before.” And that began the tradition.
Barry Manilow (left) and Clive Davis at the 2016 Pre-Grammy Gala and Salute to Industry Icons.
Lester Cohen/WireImage
The evening always includes a budding star and at least one classic performer who blows the audience away. Where did that idea come from?
In 2001, for the first time, I was going to introduce a best new artist category, and I told Alicia Keys, “I’ve got good news and bad news. I’m going to invite you to sing ‘Fallin’ ’ at my party.” This was before she broke. She said, “What could be the bad news?” I said, “Well, right before I introduce you, Angie Stone and Gladys Knight [are] singing ‘Neither One of Us,’ and I can’t let Gladys leave the stage without singing ‘Midnight Train to Georgia.’ ” I love that one of the great old-time performances will be followed by the introduction of a brand-new artist.
Will the 50th anniversary be reflected in the party?
There will be elements. We have some great performers who will show why over the 50-year period this evening is so unique.
You will present Universal Music Publishing Group chairman/CEO Jody Gerson with the Industry Icon Award. Does she choose any of the performers?
Yes, she’ll have one performer sing in her honor.
If you could only pick one favorite memory from the gala, what would it be?
At the height of Arista Records, there was a short-lived attempt to stop my earning capacity, which had been very considerable. I had to leave Arista and form J Records, which would mean I would no longer be working with Whitney Houston or Santana 30 years after signing him initially. That was the only year [2000] I had only two artists perform: Santana on the birth of Supernatural [the massive hit album Arista released in 1999] and Whitney Houston. The emotion I felt with her singing “I Believe in You and Me” and “I Will Always Love You” to me can never be duplicated.
Have you thought that 50 years is a good number to step away from the party on a high note?
We’ll deal with the future afterward. This evening is my paramount consideration.
Carlos Santana and Alicia Keys onstage at the 2005 gala.
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