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Multiplatinum country singer/songwriter/producer Chris Young has signed with Black River Entertainment’s Black River Records roster.
Joining Black River marks a major career shift for Young, who had previously been with Sony Music Nashville’s RCA Nashville imprint since the start of his career, signing there in 2006.
Young has released nine studio albums, amassed over 9 billion on-demand streams, notched 11 Billboard Country Airplay chart-topping songs and has earned numerous ACM, CMA, CMT and Grammy Awards nominations. He’s won two CMT Music Awards for performance of the year (for his song “Drowning”) and collaborative video of the year (for the “Famous Friends” music video with Kane Brown).
This year, the Grand Ole Opry member registered another Country Airplay top five with “Young Love & Saturday Nights,” the title track to his most recent album, which was released in March.
“Nineteen years is an amazingly long time to have a career, much less be at one place with one team,” Young told Billboard. “This is the next chapter for me and I couldn’t be more excited to be where I’m at.”
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Young says his deal with Sony ended around September. “I had the chance to be a free agent. I felt sort of like an athlete a little bit,” he says. “I was prepared to take all these [label] meetings, and I went in and [Black River Records] were the first meeting. By the end of that meeting, I told them, ‘I want to be here.’”
Black River Records is also home to artists including five-time Grammy nominee Kelsea Ballerini, Scotty Hasting, Pryor Baird and MaRynn Taylor.
Though Young is the newest addition to the Black River Records roster, he has long had ties to the company. His 2012 song “Neon” was an early Black River Publishing cut, and he recorded his albums I’m Comin’ Over and Losing Sleep (both of which debuted at No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart), as well as his holiday album It Must Be Christmas, at the company’s Sound Stage Studios.
Young hints there is new music already on the way.
“[Black River] had done their research and they were like, ‘We want you to be part of this group. We’re ready to go to work immediately.’ And I gave them a dropbox with 20 songs in it,” Young recalled.
Black River Entertainment president and CEO Gordon Kerr tells Billboard, “I really do think his music is the soundtrack to a generation of country music. I’ve heard some of the music that’s coming and he’s going to deliver on that… I’m so grateful to RCA and [former label head] Joe Galante and the staff for pouring into Chris for 19 years. That’s really important for us to be able to give them the kudos and respect, because they helped Chris build that. For us, the future is to say that we are going to take that and build on it.”
Earlier this year, Young made another career shift, switching management from The AMG to Red Light Management, with Kailyn Finnegan serving as Young’s manager.
Now heading into 2025 with a new label deal in place, Young says, “I really do feel like it’s set up to be an incredible year. I’m really happy and excited for the beginning of next year, for everybody to hear all this.”
Palestinian American producer DJ Habibeats has signed with San Francisco-based record label, publisher and distributor EMPIRE. The artist, who’s based in Los Angeles and grew up in the Bay Area in a family originally from Ramallah, Palestine, began producing dance music as a teenager. During his rise, he’s had residencies at venues throughout California and […]
Primary Wave has partnered with Itzhak Perlman, buying a stake in the violinist’s royalties from the dozens of recordings he has issued or appeared on in his five-decade-plus career, the company tells Billboard. The agreement also includes image and likeness rights. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
According to Luminate, Perlman’s U.S. album consumption totals about 469,000 units. He’s also received 47 Grammy nominations, winning 16 times, according to Primary Wave. Other honors include a Presidential Medal of Freedom, a National Medal of Arts, a Medal of Liberty, four Emmy Awards, a Kennedy Center Honor and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
As part of the deal, Primary Wave’s marketing team and publishing infrastructure will work closely with Perlman on new marketing, branding, digital and synch opportunities, as well as film and TV projects.
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“I am excited to work with Primary Wave to see what plans they develop to take care of my recordings and to see what new opportunities they bring to the table,” Perlman said in a statement.
The deal covers such recordings as “Vivaldi: Four Seasons – Spring,” “Vivaldi: Four Seasons – Winter” and “Vivaldi: Four Seasons – Summer” as well as “Black Orpheus: Manha De Carnaval,” “24 Caprices, Op. 1,” “Concerto For Violin and Orchestra I,” “Violin Concerto, Op. 35” and others.
“Itzhak Perlman is hands-down the greatest violinist of our time,” Lexi Todd, vp of business & legal affairs at Primary Wave, said in a statement. “It is a true honor to have had the pleasure to work with Mr. Perlman and his team on this partnership, and we are all looking forward to working together on new opportunities to spread his undeniable musicianship and his incredible story.”
FloyyMenor and Cris MJ‘s “Gata Only” was the top song on TikTok globally in 2024. “Gata Only” also cracked the top 10 in the U.S., according to the platform’s announcement on Wednesday (Dec. 4), although Tommy Richman‘s “MILLION DOLLAR BABY (VHS)” was the biggest TikTok song stateside.
Catalog songs did not appear to perform as well on the app in 2024. In the U.S., almost every one of the top tracks was new, with the exception of Blood Orange’s “Champagne Coast,” a gauzy, yearning cut from 2011.
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In 2022, in contrast, catalog accounted for four of the top 10 songs in the U.S.: Pharrell’s “Just A Cloud Away,” Labrinth’s “Forever,” WILLOW’s “Wait a Minute!” and Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God).” And in 2023, older songs like Justine Sky’s “Collide,” PARTYNEXTDOOR’s “Her Way,” and Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” were embraced by TikTok users, rocketing into the platform’s top 10.
At the same time, sped-up tracks did not have as much success on TikTok as they have had in the past, despite other streaming platforms’ growing interest in trying to tap into the sped-up craze. In 2023 in particular, the four most popular songs on TikTok in the U.S. were all sped-up. But this year, no sped-up songs appeared in the top 10 Stateside — or in the U.K., or in the global ranking.
“Gata Only” initially became popular in Chile — Floyymenor’s home — before spreading to Mexico, Argentina, and the rest of Latin America, according to Mike Weiss, head of A&R at UnitedMasters, which signed the singer. “After the regional growth, TikTok became the springboard that pushed the song into the U.S.,” Weiss continues. “The real moment when non-Spanish speakers started using the sound with videos like ‘POV: You don’t speak Spanish but can’t stop listening to this song.’”
That trend was soon launching 30,000 videos per day. “Next thing we knew,” Weiss says, “‘Gata Only’ was huge in Italy, France, and everywhere around the world, even places where you wouldn’t expect a Spanish language song to explode.”
Alongside FloyyMenor’s breakout single, other major hits on TikTok in the U.S. include Ye and Ty Dolla $ign’s “Carnival” and Lay Bankz’s “Tell Ur Girlfriend.” Along with “Champagne Coast” and “Million Dollar Baby,” this means that half of the Top 10 were releases from independent labels. (Though parts of the indie community currently have a contentious relationship with TikTok.)
“Tell Ur Girlfriend” went viral in part thanks to a dance trend — a throwback to an earlier time on TikTok. “These young girls made this amazing dance, and we started to spend heavily on it, having influencers do it,” recalls Alec Henderson, head of digital at Artist Partner Group, which signed Bankz. “Most of last year and the first half of this year, dancing was not what was popular on TikTok anymore. This one brought that nostalgia-dancing thing back to life.”
Bankz, FloyyMenor, and Richman were dominant in the U.S. and also appeared in the top 10 globally. Billie Eilish was the only other artist to manage this, with her glossy hit “Birds of a Feather.”
U.S. Top 10 TikTok Songs:“MILLION DOLLAR BABY (VHS)” – Tommy Richman“CARNIVAL” – ¥$ & Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign feat. Rich The Kid & Playboi Carti“Tell Ur Girlfriend” – Lay Bankz“Type Shit” – Future & Metro Boomin & Travis Scott & Playboi Carti“Never Lose Me” – Flo Milli“Champagne Coast” – Blood Orange“BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Billie Eilish“Magic Johnson” – ian“TGIF”- GloRilla“Gata Only” – FloyyMenor & Cris MJ
Global Top 10 TikTok Songs:“Gata Only” – FloyyMenor & Cris MJ“Pedro” – Jaxomy & Agatino Romero & Raffaella Carrà“Alibi” – Sevdaliza feat. Pabllo Vittar & Yseult“MILLION DOLLAR BABY (VHS)” – Tommy Richman“Tell Ur Girlfriend” – Lay Bankz“La Diabla” – Xavi“Nasty” – Tinashe“BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Billie Eilish“Forever Young” – Alphaville“Beautiful Things” – Benson Boone
Maurene Ryan Comey, a lead prosecutor in the sex trafficking case against Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, has joined the prosecutors’ team in the ongoing case against Sean “Diddy” Combs. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Comey, who also happens to be the daughter of former FBI director James Comey, […]
BMG has promoted Katie Kerkhover to the role of senior vp of A&R, Frontline Recordings, North America. In the expanded role, Kerkhover will lead A&R teams at BMG’s offices in Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York and Toronto.
Kerkhover is currently based in Nashville, but will split her time between Nashville and Los Angeles. She reports directly to Jon Loba, president, Frontline Recordings, The Americas.
Kerkhover was previously promoted to vp of A&R, Frontline Recordings for BMG in Nashville in 2022, overseeing BBR Music Group’s roster of artists on its imprints Broken Bow Records, Stoney Creek Records and Wheelhouse Records, in addition to scouting, signing and developing new talent for the roster. In leading A&R for BBR Music Group, Kerkhover has worked with artists including Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Jason Aldean and Chayce Beckam, and is working with Blake Shelton’s team on his upcoming BMG Nashville debut project.
Since joining BMG in 2020, Kerkhover has also worked in music publishing, serving as senior director of creative, where she managed BMG’s Nashville roster of songwriters, including Stephen Wilson Jr., Emily Landis, Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy and Beckham, among others, while also signing and developing new songwriters and artists.
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Loba said in a statement, “When looking for the perfect candidate to lead A&R in North America and elevate our frontline efforts in multiple offices, we didn’t have to look very far. Katie has quickly become one of the most accomplished and respected A&R executives in the business, with the track record to match. Like many of the best A&R executives, her background in publishing has served her well in building deep and trusted relationships within the creative community and helping artists realize their unique visions. Having seen firsthand her work with our Nashville roster, including with creatives on both coasts, I am so excited to see what additional magic she helps create for our BMG Frontline Recorded team.”
The music industry’s lawyers were busy this year — from Diddy’s downfall to Live Nation’s antitrust case to Young Thug’s gang charges to novel questions about AI.
An Atlanta jury on Tuesday issued a verdict largely acquitting Young Thug’s two remaining co-defendants in the long-running trial of his alleged YSL gang.
After nearly a year of testimony, jurors found Deamonte “Yak Gotti” Kendrick not guilty on any of the slew of charges he was facing. They found Shannon Stillwell guilty on a single charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, but not guilty on any others.
The verdict, which will allow both men to walk free on Tuesday, is a major loss for the Fulton County District Attorney’s office, which had accused Kendrick and Stillwell of racketeering, murder, firearms and drug charges – accusations that exceeded those leveled against Thug himself.
After the verdict was read, Judge Paige Reese Whitaker sentenced Stillwell to 10 years in prison but ordered him to serve only two, which were covered by time already served during the long-running trial. The remaining eight years of his sentence will be served on probation, the judge said.
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The verdict came a month after Thug himself escaped the case. After botched testimony from a state’s witness sparked talk of a mistrial, Thug’s attorneys rejected a plea deal with prosecutors and instead opted to simply plead guilty – a gamble that paid off when Whitaker sentenced him to just 15 years probation with no time served in prison.
Combined with Thug’s exit, Tuesday’s verdict marks the end of criminal trial that has captivated the music industry for nearly than two years. Pitting prosecutors in America’s rap capital against one of hip-hop’s biggest stars, the YSL case has raised big questions — about the fairness of the criminal justice system; about violent personas in modern hip-hop; and about prosecutors using rap lyrics as evidence.
Kendrick and Stillwell were two of the more than two dozen men indicted alongside Thug in May 2022. In a sweeping indictment, prosecutors alleged that his “YSL” — nominally a record label standing for “Young Stoner Life” — was also a violent gang called “Young Slime Life” that had wrought “havoc” on the Atlanta area for nearly a decade.
The case, built around Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) law, claimed that YSL committed murders, carjackings, and many other crimes. Prosecutors said Thug was “King Slime,” operating as a criminal boss amid his rise to fame, but accused Kendrick and Stillwell of some of the most serious crimes — including carrying out the 2015 murder of rival gang leader Donovan Thomas that played a central role in the prosecution’s case.
From the start, the YSL case was beset by delays. Starting in January 2023, it took an unprecedented 10-month process just to pick a jury. After the trial itself got underway in November 2023, prosecutors meandered through a vast list of witnesses that included more than 100 names. Earlier this year, the case was delayed for weeks over a bizarre episode that resulted in the presiding judge being removed from the case.
Days before Thug pleaded guilty, several of his co-defendants either did the same or took plea deals. But Kendrick and Stillwell rejected offers and opted to continue to litigate the case, leading to Tuesday’s verdict.
Thought he trial is over, the YSL case isn’t quite over. Several other defendants were separated from the case early in the proceedings and could face similar trials in the future.
A new live experience for movie fans, combining cinema with famous film scores and soundtracks, is launching at Hollywood Park near SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Launched by theatrical production group For The Record, CineVita is a first-of-its-kind “Live Cinema” venue, housed in the world’s largest Belgian Spiegeltent tent, measuring in at 15,000-square-feet. The traveling venue features 3,000 hand-beveled mirrors, hand-cut stained glass windows, and ornate wood-carved detailing and built by the Rik Klessens in collaboration with Emmy Award-winning designer Matt Steinbrenner.
CineVita opens Jan. 21, 2025 with debut show, Tarantino | Pulp Rock, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Pulp Fiction and Quentin Tarantino’s cinematic universe with a high-octane 360-degree concert experience. Tarantino | Pulp Rock intertwines iconic scenes and soundtracks from all nine of Tarantino’s films—Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Jackie Brown, Death Proof, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood—reimagined and performed by a live band and cast of exceptional artists performing songs including “Stuck in the Middle with You,” “Bang, Bang, My Baby Shot Me Down,” and “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon.”
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“For over a decade, I’ve watched For The Record grow into something truly special—an inventive, nostalgic celebration of cinema and music,” said actress and long-time supporter Demi Moore, noting she learned of CineVita from her oldest daughter.
“When Rumer first joined this talented group of artists, I saw firsthand the sense of community and creativity they fostered,” Moore added. “Now, with CineVita, that vision has reached new heights. The idea of stepping into a beautiful, handcrafted tent and escaping into the golden age of cinema is pure magic. It’s a nostalgic journey through our favorite films, but it’s also about something deeper—bringing people together to share a common experience, much like the movies have always done. I’m so proud to help bring this unique vision to life and service audiences across the country from LA to NY and beyond!”
The CineVita will remain in Los Angeles through mid-summer before embarking on a national tour across the United States. Following Tarantino | Pulp Rock, For The Record will bring to life additional signature productions from its catalog, paying tribute to legendary directors like John Hughes, Baz Luhrmann, the Coen Brothers, Paul Thomas Anderson, Martin Scorsese, Robert Zemeckis, and Garry and Penny Marshall. These shows—each a cornerstone of the For The Record legacy—will deliver unforgettable live cinema experiences to Los Angeles audiences before setting off to captivate the nation.
“Hollywood Park was envisioned as a premier destination for unforgettable events, and we are thrilled to add the world premiere of CineVita to this dynamic space,” said Jen Sandstrom vp of programming and booking, SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park. “This genre-defying experience will transport our community and visitors alike into the golden age of cinema through live performances, celebrating the arts and further establishing Hollywood Park as a vibrant destination.”
“As a theater kid at heart, I immediately saw the incredible potential of CineVita,” said Whitney Kroenke Silverstein, daughter of LA Rams and Kroenke Sports and Entertainment owner Stan Kroenke. “This project brings together so many aspects of my life—from my love for live performance to my commitment to using music as a vehicle for positive impact. Hollywood Park and SoFi Stadium provide the perfect backdrop for CineVita’s world debut. This project reflects KSE’s dedication to making Hollywood Park and Inglewood a vibrant hub for cultural events, and I’m thrilled to help make that vision a reality.”
Tarantino | Pulp Rock is directed and adapted by Anderson Davis, with music supervision and arrangements by Jesse Vargas, choreography by Sumie Maeda, and costume design by Steve Mazurek. CineVita’s design team includes lighting design by Emmy Award-winner Mike Berger, and sound design by Tony Award nominee Joshua Reid.
The Moët & Chandon VIP Experience at the CineVita will feature premier seating, table service, complimentary champagne and European-inspired treats, curated by DLS Events to complete the full sensory journey. With every seat in the house offering an exceptional view, CineVita makes this groundbreaking experience accessible to everyone.
Tickets for this limited engagement go on sale to the public on Friday, December 6 at 10 a.m., with a special pre-sale starting today, December 3. Performances begin on January 21.
Tickets are available at TheCineVita.com. Performances are Tuesday-Sunday at 8PM. Matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 3PM. Ticket prices range from $49-$225. VIP packages are also available. CineVita is located at 1248 S. District Drive in Inglewood, CA near The Shops at Hollywood Park.
Troy “Tracker” Johnson will launch TRACK mgmt in January following nearly 10 years with Big Loud Management.
The new full-service Nashville-based management company, a partnership with Live Nation, will launch with clients HARDY, Dallas Smith, Jake Worthington and McCoy Moore, who follow him from Big Loud Management, as do artist managers Emily Smith and Drew Magid. HARDY, Dallas Smith and Worthington remain on Big Loud Records. Moore is unsigned.
“It’s been a long time coming for TRACK mgmt and now seems like the perfect time to make it a reality,” Johnson said in a statement. “I’m beyond grateful for the Big Loud partners — Seth England, Joey Moi and Craig Wiseman — for not only having a hand in my journey but also providing me with so much support. I’m excited to have Emily Smith and Drew Magid on the TRACK mgmt team. It’s going to be a great start to 2025.”
The move comes as Big Loud Management prepares to wind down by the end of next year. “Working with Tracker for over a decade, from the very beginning of Big Loud Mgmt, has been an incredible journey,” said Big Loud partners England, Moi and Wiseman in a statement. “As Big Loud concludes its artist management venture at the end of 2025, we couldn’t be prouder to see Tracker embark on his own entrepreneurial path. He and his team are more than ready for this moment, and we look forward to supporting TRACK mgmt in the years to come.”
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TRACK mgmt
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England says Big Loud’s focus will remain on its label and publishing divisions. “Prioritizing a greater work-life balance is something top of mind now that I am a father of two and need greater bandwidth,” he tells Billboard. “I will continue to lead our records and publishing divisions as their growth requires greater focus. This shift is a return to my first love. Continuing to foster close relationships with all management clients, it’s my privilege to help guide those not working with Tracker’s team to their next destination.”
Big Loud’s management roster still includes, among others, Ernest, Jagwar Twin, Ashley Cooke, Lauren Watkins and Mackenzie Porter. Morgan Wallen departed Big Loud Management earlier this year, though he remains on the label.
Prior to joining Big Loud Management when it started in 2015, Johnson worked in the music business in his native Texas beginning in the early 2000s and earned his nickname from being a tour manager who excelled at keeping track of things. Additional artists he has worked with include Wallen, Florida Georgia Line and Chris Young.