Global
Page: 73
SYDNEY, Australia — Iconic Australian concert promoter Michael Chugg and his company Chugg Music are joining forces with Select Music and artist manager Dan Biddle on Wheelhouse Agency, a new venture.
The booking agency will lasso the growing business that is country and Americana across Australasia, and boasts an extensive roster at launch, including Sheppard co-founder Amy Sheppard, INXS’ Andrew Farriss, Casey Barnes, Kingswood, Shannon Noll and more.
Wheelhouse’s leadership team includes Chugg and his business partner Andrew Stone, the reigning artist manager of Australia’s AAM Awards; Select Music’s Stephen Wade (CEO) and Rob Giovannoni (senior agent), and country music artist manager Dan Biddle, director of Dan Biddle Management and special projects manager for Chugg Music.
Giovannoni and Biddle are named co-heads of the agency in addition to their existing roles, while Katie Krollig, a six-year veteran with Select Music, joins the Wheelhouse team as lead agent while continuing to service her roster of Select Music artists.
Wheelhouse Agency represents “a big moment for us,” Chugg tells Billboard from Nashville, ahead of the presentation of Billboard’s 2023 Country Power Players.
Chugg’s appetite for country music is legendary. Last year, he became the first-ever recipient of the Country Music Association’s Rob Potts International Live Music Advancement Award. He was the sole Australian shortlisted for the new category, which celebrates an individual’s significant contributions to the live music industry by helping to build audiences for country music outside the United States.
With the late Potts, Chugg built the CMC Rocks festival brand, which expanded with CMC Rocks The Snowys, CMC Rocks The Hunter and the popular CMC Rocks Qld leg, and he has guided Barnes’ award-winning career in country through Chugg Music.
Country music is exploding in popularity in Australia right now.
Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” is the current No. 1 on the ARIA Singles Chart, a position it has locked-up for two months. It’s parent, One Thing At A Time, also led the national albums survey, thanks in part to his successful Australasian tour in March, which included a set at CMC Rocks Qld.
Close behind on the national chart is another U.S. country star, Luke Combs, whose “Fast Car” sits at No. 5, its peak position in its ninth week since release. Combs will tour Australia and New Zealand this August.
Frontier Touring, which struck a joint venture with Chugg Entertainment in 2019, is producer of both treks.
“The growth of country music in Australia over the last few years has been well documented and it was clear that the market needed a new agency to service the many great new artists coming through along with the established artists who are kicking major goals,” comments Chugg in a statement.
“With our many decades of experience across all facets of live touring, combined with our knowledge of the country music industry, there is no better team in Australia to help artists develop their live careers and grow their audiences.”
Read more at wheelhouseagency.com.au.
Wheelhouse Agency roster:
Amy Sheppard
Andrew Farriss
Bud Rokesky
Casey Barnes
Henry Wagons
James Blundell
Kingswood
Lane Pittman
Leroy Macqueen
Loren Ryan
McAlister Kemp
Sara Berki
Sara Storer
Shannon Noll
Sweet Talk
Taylor Moss
The Paper Kites
Travis Collins
Wagons
BRISBANE, Australia — Twenty years after its launch in a red-hot entertainment market, Oztix, Australia’s biggest independent ticketer, just got bigger with the acquisition of Local Tickets.
With immediate effect, Local Tickets, a smaller, rival ticketing agency specializing in local events across the country, is rebranded to Localtix. And as part of the arrangement, all Local Tickets employees join its new parent, while founder and CEO Kristen Goldup is appointed as brand director across Oztix and Localtix.
Also, Oztix events will be populated across 70 local ticket marketplaces, expanding the marketing potential for events ticketed by Oztix.
“Our brands and product offerings are entirely complementary, and after just one meeting with Oztix, it was clear that we had great synergy and shared a mutual culture of putting our clients first,” comments Goldup, who founded the agency in 2011. “My Local Tickets clients will benefit greatly from access to a new collaborative platform, and even more eyeballs will be on our local tickets marketplace websites with Oztix events being listed”.
Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.
Currently, Oztix handles ticketing for venues, festivals and expos such as Big Red Bash, Crafted Beer & Cider Festival, Good Things Festival, and Summernats, while the new addition to its ranks works across a range of agricultural shows, rodeos, turf clubs, hospitality events and more.
Oztix presented its new family members with a celebratory lunch Tuesday (June 6) at its Woolloongabba headquarters, close to Brisbane’s Gabba stadium and timed to coincide with the annual Queensland Day.
“At any given time,” Oztix commercial director Seth Clancy told industry guests, “the business boasts 4,000 events on sale across the country across both platforms.” Prior to the acquisition, Oztix sold close to 3 million tickets each year.
Now, the enlarged group employs 50 full-time staff and hundreds of casual staff at events around the country, notes Oztix co-founder Stuart Field. Each year, millions are pumped into technology and innovation, he explained, a sometimes painful but essential outlay “to evolve with the way technology is changing.”
Co-founder Brian “Smash” Chladil recounted the business’ first steps, starting out under his house in Toowong, in Brisbane’s inner west, and landing contracts with mega-festivals Big Day Out, Soundwave and Falls.
“The next 20 years are looking great,” he explains, “we’re growing because our clients are growing, we’re growing because we win new business and mainly because we don’t lose business.”
Guests at Oztix’s “launch and lunch” included QMusic president Natalie Strijland and CEO Kris Stewart; Fortitude Music Hall and The Triffid venue director John “JC” Collins, former bass player with Powderfinger; Vicki Gordon, founding executive producer and program director of the Australian Women in Music Awards (AWMA); and Shane King, state member of parliament for Kurwongbah.
Australia’s ticketing industry is dominated by the big two, Live Nation affiliate Ticketmaster, and TEG-owned Ticketek. Oztix expands as a new player arrives on these shores in AEG-owned ticketer AXS, led by venue management professional and former Gold Cost Suns chief Andrew Travis as CEO of AXS Australia and New Zealand.
The chart miracle that is Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding’s EDM hit is showing no signs of letting-up in the U.K.
“Miracle” (via Columbia) retains top spot on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, published June 2, for an eighth non-consecutive week at No. 1.
That feat equals Harris’ all-time reign over the U.K. survey, matching the eight weeks “One Kiss” with Dua Lipa spent at the summit back in 2018.
Meanwhile, David Kushner’s viral hit “Daylight” (Miserable Music) holds at No. 2, while Afrobeats artist Rema’s “Calm Down” (Mavin) completes the podium, up 5-3 for a new high.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Loreen’s 2023 Eurovision Song Contest-winning entry “Tattoo” (Polydor) continues to stick around, logging a third week in the top 10. The Swedish singer’s pan-European hit dips 4-10.
The highest new entry on the latest survey belongs to J Hus, as “It’s Crazy” (Black Butter) arrives at No. 15. “It’s Crazy” is the East London rapper’s first taste of new music as a lead artist in three years. With its lofty debut, the hip-hop artist earns his 13th U.K. top 40 appearance.
Taylor Swift is on the rise once again, thanks to the release of Midnights (The Til Dawn Edition) (via EMI). A trio of tracks make a dent — the maximum allowed under the Official Charts Company’s singles chart criteria — led by “Karma,” this week’s big gainer thanks to a new cut featuring rising rapper “Ice Spice”. It’s up 67-12, while “Hits Different” bows at No. 18 and “Snow On The Beach,” which features additional lines from guest artist Lana Del Rey, reenters the top 40 at No. 24.
Also new to the chart is Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night” (Warner Records), lifted from the forthcoming Barbie movie soundtrack. It drops in at No. 20, for Lipa’s 23rd U.K. top 40 appearance.
Finally, as news of Tina Turner’s death spread the globe, fans paid their respects by listening to the rock legend’s greatest hits. The late singer’s signature song “The Best” (Parlophone) reenters the U.K. chart at No. 25, having peaked at No. 5 in 1989, while her comeback smash from 1984, “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” returns at No. 35. “What’s Love Got To Do With It” is Turner’s highest-peaking solo track in the U.K., reaching No. 3. Turner died May 24 at the age of 83.
Billboard Japan recently interviewed MAN WITH A MISSION and milet, who collaborated on “Kizuna no Kiseki,” the opening theme song of the anime TV series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc.
The two had previously collaborated on the ending theme song “Koi Kogare.” A CD containing both songs was released on May 31. MAN WITH A MISSION is also in the middle of its first world tour in four years, visiting North America, the U.K. and other parts of Europe in May and June and playing in Asia in the fall.
On behalf of Billboard Japan, journalist Tomonori Shiba spoke with milet and MAN WITH A MISSION’s Jean-Ken Johnny, getting an inside look at the process of writing the song and discussing the shared musical roots of the two musicians and their feelings about touring overseas.
To start with, what did you first think when they asked you to write the opening theme for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc?
Jean-Ken Johnny: It’s really popular, not just in Japan, but around the world, so, honestly, I was pretty nervous. On the one hand, I was very grateful, but on the other hand I was thinking about how I needed to straighten up and get serious.
milet: LiSA and Aimer sang the previous theme song together, so it would’ve been really lonely if I sang alone, but since I’d be working with MAN WITH A MISSION, the Ultimate Life Form, I knew I’d be in good hands.
This time, the anime producers suggested having male and female vocals, which is what led to this collaboration between MAN WITH A MISSION and milet, right?
Jean-Ken Johnny: That’s right. In Swordsmith Village Arc, Muichiro Tokito and Mitsuri Kanroji, who are “Hashiras,” fight alongside Tanjiro Kamado. The anime producers said they wanted a song with both male and female vocals, in line with the story. We provided them with a lot of different demo songs.
“Kizuna no Kiseki” features Japanese instruments, like shamisen and taiko drums. Where did you come up with the idea for that arrangement?
Jean-Ken Johnny: We listened to other songs that had been used in the series and found that the soundtracks for the films used a lot of Japanese instruments. However, the theme songs had never really put those instruments front and center. We thought we’d give the song more of an impact by prominently using Japanese instruments in the intro. We also knew that they’d go well with rock, so we figured if we combined live playing with sampling, we could create a really distinctive song. That was our idea from the very start when we began writing the song.
“Kizuna no Kiseki” Music Video
What kind of motifs did you use in the overall melody and sound of the song?
Jean-Ken Johnny: We thought about what elements would be shared in common with our musical sensibilities, what genre would be right for the anime, and what would set the song apart from other songs. We decided that an alternative, punk-like vibe would work really well. From the very start of the writing process, we were thinking of having milet sing, which we also hoped would provide the song with a bit of freshness.
milet, what were your impressions of the song creation process?
milet: As a Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba fan myself, I remember listening to the demo and being really moved by how well it went with the actual story. Also, my first impression was that the song easy to sing for me — I liked the melody, and it made it easy to bring out my own personal vocal qualities. I especially like the low-pitched bridge. I found the whole song to be packed with all kinds of ideas.
Why did you name the song “Kizuna no Kiseki” (“Miraculous Connections”)?
Jean-Ken Johnny: I think the Swordsmith Village Arc depicts the importance of connections — not just the connections between the main characters, but also their connections with all of the people who appear in the story. I wanted to pick a title that focused on that. To be honest, we’ve never given a song a name as direct as this one, but we wanted something really powerful, extremely straightforward.
Have you, MAN WITH A MISSION and milet, found any commonalities in your roots and the artists that influenced you?
Jean-Ken Johnny: Absolutely. When we started talking about it, it was just amazing how many artists we’ve both been influenced by. Sigur Rós, Smashing Pumpkins, and more recently, The 1975. A ton of artists that are also my absolute personal favorites. Before we collaborated with milet, the whole band was already fans of her voice and her artistry. When we found out that we shared a love for the same music, it suddenly made sense why we’re such big milet fans.
milet: When I first heard MAN WITH A MISSION, I was sure that their rock roots must overlap a lot with my own. But when I actually talked to them about it, I was astounded by just how much overlap there was. We also talked about movie music, and I was surprised at how similar our interests were there, too, with us both liking composers like Ennio Morricone, John Williams, and Hans Zimmer.
So, milet, your voice was being envisioned for the song from the very start. Jean-Ken Johnny, what do you think is so appealing about milet’s vocals, and what features set it apart?
Jean-Ken Johnny: Part of it’s the tremendous vitality in her voice. I really like the fabric of her vocals. I’m constantly impressed about how unrivalled her voice is. It’s not just her vocal qualities, but also how she sings, and the amount of emotion she pours into singing. It’s very multifaceted, taking the listener in various directions. There’s tenderness, and power, and beauty, but at the same time a certain darkness. There’s just so much packed into the emotions of her songs. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba isn’t all bright and cheery. There are also darker elements, deeper elements, like its philosophy and how it looks at life and death. We wrote the song knowing that she’d be perfect for it.
I’d like to ask you a bit about “Koi Kogare.” Yuki Kajiura wrote the lyrics and the music to the song, so I’m sure the songwriting process was different than that of “Kizuna no Kiseki.” How did work on “Koi Kogare” start?
milet: I started adding vocals from the demo stage. It was basically the first time I’d begun adding vocals while the track was far from being finished, so I found it really difficult. However, I felt really strongly about the melody and the lyrics, so much that it’s all I needed to 100% understand the meaning and message of the song. I think I successfully took on the challenge of properly conveying what was behind the words of the song.
“Koi Kogare” Music Video
How did the song arrangement process go?
Jean-Ken Johnny: First, Yuki Kajiura sent us the song with milet singing all of the vocals. Then we started to arrange it as a band. It was our first time working with Kajiura-san, so at first we were putting out feelers about all kinds of things, like vocal range. She really respected the band’s music sensibilities, sound, and, I guess you’d say, philosophy. The process was a very easy one for us.
milet, how do you feel about how “Koi Kogare” turned out?
milet: I don’t think previous Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba songs really emphasized love or women’s emotions. I myself had never really sung straightforward songs about being in love before, so it was really fresh and new to me.
What was the recording process like?
milet: The song was a challenge for me. Kajiura-san provided a lot of detailed direction. For example, she recommended pronouncing “a” like “wa” in the verse. There were suggestions like that for almost every word. The direction changed my concepts about singing. She taught me about the meanings of the lyrics, and the meaning of placing those lyrics on the melody of the song. It was a really precious experience for me.
MAN WITH A MISSION will be embarking on the “MAN WITH A MISSION World Tour 2023 – WOLVES ON PARADE,” in May and June. It’ll your first world tour in four years, and you’ll be visiting North America, the UK, and the rest of Europe. How are you feeling about the upcoming tour?
Jean-Ken Johnny: I haven’t been (overseas) in a long time. Fortunately, we’ve been able to keep in touch with our fans through sites like YouTube. I’m really looking forward to meeting them again in person. This time, we’ll be going on tour with a whole new album, so I’m sure the audience will have a great time.
MAN WITH A MISSION has performed shows in a lot of different countries since 2013. Looking back, how do you feel about that experience?
Jean-Ken Johnny: I’ve always been enamored by the idea of a band that’s loved around the world, so right now I feel like I’m in the process of chasing my dreams. Music has no borders, and it brings people together, regardless of their nationalities. World tours let us experience that, a little bit at a time, and I see them as incredibly important within my own career. I’m just overjoyed to be able to tour around the world.
Looking at global music trends, and the shape of rock, what do you see as the strengths of MAN WITH A MISSION as a Japanese rock band?
Jean-Ken Johnny: I feel like I’m still looking for my own particular strengths. From the perspective of the rock genre, there’ve been some pretty severe changes in the rock scene as we know it over the past 10 or 15 years. We’re still exploring, trying to figure out how a rock band can break through in the modern era. However, we do feel that the spirit of rock still lives on, unquenched. We see ourselves as carrying on the legacy of 90s music, fusing it with modern heaviness and a modern approach. When I hear news about rock still going strong, it’s tremendously encouraging, and I just hope that we can also be that kind of band.
Recently, there’s been a prominent trend of Japanese rock bands reaching overseas audiences through anime. What are your thoughts on that?
Jean-Ken Johnny: Even more than music spreading through the growth of the genre, I think what’s important is that we’re in an age where, thanks to the rich social media and internet environment, it’s easy for localized movements to arise. I think that for the Japanese music scene, the biggest factor is anime. Anime is incredibly influential. I feel like the easiest way for people to get into listening to cool Japanese music is through anime. Anime, I believe, provides Japanese bands with an opportunity to take the initiative and perform on the world stage. It’s a very powerful method for achieving that.
In closing, MAN WITH A MISSION, milet, could you please talk about your vision and prospects after having released these two songs?
Jean-Ken Johnny: We were fortunate to be able to collaborate with milet to create these wonderful songs, so now I’m just full of expectation, looking forward to seeing what kind of future these songs will create.
milet: I’m really looking forward to further refining the songs through my live performances. I think when I perform the songs in festivals and overseas, it’ll open up new vistas. I’m looking forward to seeing that, and I hope when I perform, people will see my individuality coming through in the songs, and I’ll be able to deliver the songs’ important messages directly to the audience.
—This interview by Tomonori Shiba first appeared on Billboard Japan
Morgan Wallen’s name is now etched in the ARIA history books as “Last Night” (via Republic/Universal) enters week eight at No. 1. “Last Night” holds top spot on the latest Australian singles chart, published June 2, making it the longest reigning leader by a male American country singer since the ARIA Charts launched in 1983. It beats by a week Billy Ray Cyrus’ seven-week stint at the top with “Achy Breaky Heart” in 1992.Taylor Swift gets some good karma on the ARIA Charts, following the release of Midnights (Til Dawn Edition) (via Universal), which returns to No. 1. Swifties have been obsessing over the fresh cut of “Karma,” which features Ice Spice and flies 59-2 for a new chart peak, besting its No. 9 high from 2022. It’s one of several album tracks on the rise, including “Snow on The Beach,” which features additional lyrics from Lana Del Rey and reenters at No. 12; while “Hits Different” impacts the chart for the first time at No. 16. Dua Lipa shuffles into the top 40 with “Dance The Night,” lifted from the Barbie soundtrack. It’s new at No. 22 for her 21st top 50 single in Australia, a streak that dates back to “Be The One,” which reached No. 6 in 2015, ARIA reports.Also impacting the chart for the first time is “America Has a Problem” by Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar, a remix of a cut from Bey’s chart-topping album from 2022, Renaissance. It’s new at No. 32. Over on the ARIA Albums Chart, Swift’s Midnights returns to the summit, up 7-1, for its first stint in the penthouse since February of this year. Midnights has now logged 13th non-consecutive weeks at No. 1. Matchbox Twenty lights up the tally with Where The Light Goes (Atlantic/Warner), their fifth studio album. It’s new at No. 2 for the week’s highest debut. Thanks to Swift, the U.S. group misses out on extending its streak of No. 1s. They’ve landed four thus far, with Yourself Or Someone Like You (1996), Mad Season (2000), career retrospective Exile On Mainstream (2007) and North, their most recent studio album from 2012.Rockabilly “supergroup” the Barnestormers complete the podium with their self-titled set, new at No. 3 with the debut of their self-titled album (via Mushroom Group’s Bloodlines, distributed by Universal Music Australia). The Barnestormers features Jimmy Barnes on vocals, the Living End’s Chris Cheney on guitar, Stray Cats’ Slim Jim Phantom on drums, producer Kevin “Caveman” Shirley on bass, and Squeeze keyboardist and broadcaster Jools Holland.Close behind is Sydney indie band Boy & Bear, which bows at No. 4 with their eponymously titled fifth album (through UNFD/Orchard). It’s the fourth top 5 appearance for the ARIA Award winners, a run that includes No. 1s for 2013’s Harlequin Dream and 2015’s Limit Of Love.Finally, Tina Turner proves she’s still simply the best, as Aussies remember the U.S. R&B legend by returning to her greatest hits. “The Best” (Rhino/Warner), which soundtracked Turner’s campaigns for Australia’s professional rugby league, reenters at No. 29 on the singles survey after peaking at No. 4 in 1989 (a duet with Aussie rocker Jimmy Barnes, which also appeared in a league campaign, hit No. 14 in 1992). Her signature comeback song “What’s Love Got To Do With It” returns at No. 84, while a string of her albums enjoy sales and streaming spikes: All The Best (up 28-17), Private Dancer (reentering at No. 53) Tina! (No. 58). Turner passed away May 24, aged 83.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
YOASOBI’s “Idol” continues its domination over the Billboard Japan Hot 100, on the chart released May 31. The Oshi no Ko opener adds another week at No. 1 to bring the total to seven, becoming the duo’s longest stay atop the list so far.
On the chart tallying the week from May 22 to 28, “Idol” ruled four metrics of the chart’s methodology: streaming, downloads, video views, and karaoke. The “Into the Night” pair dropped the English-language version of its latest smash along with the accompanying video this week, and this led to figures for video jumping from 7,620,563 to 9,300,982 weekly views. The song also toppled Vaundy’s “Kaiju no Hanauta” from the top spot for karaoke, where it had led for 12 consecutive weeks.
Logging its seventh week atop the Japan Hot 100, “Idol” is now aligned with some of the biggest hits of J-pop in recent years: Official HIGE DANdism’s “I LOVE…,” “Pretender,” and Kenshi Yonezu’s “Lemon.” It also surpassed YOASOBI’s own “Yoru ni kakeru” (“Into the Night”), which scored 6 weeks in 2020 and went on to top the year-end list for that year.
Most weeks at No. 1 on Japan Hot 100:
Official HIGE DANdism “Subtitle” 13 weeksGen Hoshino “Koi” 11 weeksAimer “Zankyosanka” 9 weeksLiSA “Homura” 8 weeksKenshi Yonezu “Lemon” 7 weeksOfficial HIGE DANdism “I LOVE…” 7 weeksOfficial HIGE DANdism “Pretender” 7 weeksYOASOBI “Idol” 7 weeksYOASOBI “Yoru ni kakeru” 6 weeksAdo “New Genesis” 6 weeks
INI’s “Fanfare” jumps to No. 2 on the Japan Hot 100 after debuting at No. 10 last week. The CD single launched with 522,251 copies to hit No. 1 for sales, and the track also ruled radio this week. The track also hit No. 2 for downloads after increasing by 619 percent from the week before, while streaming fell 18 percent to come in at No. 22.
The new song “Hikari no naka e” (“Into the Light”) by Kessoku Band — the fictional band from the TV anime Bocchi the Rock! that aired last fall — is off to a good start, debuting at No. 10 on the Japan Hot 100 after hitting No. 4 for sales and No. 3 for downloads. The other new song by the band called “Aoi Haru to Nishi no Sora (“Blue Spring and Western Sky”) also bowed at No. 70 on the song chart after hitting No. 4 for downloads, indicating the lasting popularity of the beloved anime series.
The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.
See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from May 22 to 28, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.
Flume, Confidence Man, Julia Jacklin, Daniel Johns and Vance Joy are among the high-profile nominees for the 2023 AIR Awards, set for Aug. 3 in Adelaide, South Australia. The coveted independent album of the year will be contested by former Silverchair frontman Johns (for FutureNever), Jacklin (Pre Pleasure), King Stingray (King Stingray), Laura Jean (Amateurs), and Northlane (Obsidian).Also in the running for honors are Cub Sport, Genesis Owusu, The Jungle Giants, Ball Park Music, Pnau & Troye Sivan, and The Wiggles, organizers the Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR) announced Wednesday (March 31). In a change from tradition, AIR this year adds two new industry categories, independent marketing team of the year and independent publicity team of the year, while the main business category — best independent label — will be selected from a shortlist that features ABC Music, Chapter Music, Domestic La La, Liberation and UNFD.This year’s edition will be held at the Freemasons Hall in the city of churches, through a long-term alliance with the South Australian government.“It is fantastic to be hosting the awards here in Adelaide – Australia’s only UNESCO City of Music – and I congratulate all of the nominees,” comments state minister for arts Andrea Michaels member of parliament.“It’s a wonderful opportunity to recognise the work the independent music industry does in providing talented and emerging artists and music businesses with a platform to share their art with a wider audience.”
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The 17th annual AIR Awards will be bookended by the Indie-Con Australia conference, a gathering that focuses “on issues that are specifically relevant to the independent music sector,” organizers explain. Indie-Con is set for Aug. 2-4 at Mercury Cinema.See the full list of nominations here and below.
BEST INDEPENDENT BLUES AND ROOTS ALBUM OR EPBABY VELVET – Please Don’t Be In Love With Someone ElseDOPE LEMON – Rose Pink CadillacLITTLE QUIRKS – Call to UnknownsWILLIAM CRIGHTON – Water and DustZIGGY ALBERTS – Dancing In The Dark
BEST INDEPENDENT HIP HOP ALBUM OR EPALLDAY – Excuse MeDANTÉ KNOWS – Phase OneJESSWAR – LIFE’S SHORT, LIVE BIGKWEEN G – Sensible RebelYAWDOESITALL – LIFE I CHOSE
BEST INDEPENDENT COUNTRY ALBUM OR EPADAM BRAND – All or NothingANDY GOLLEDGE – Strength Of A QueenCASEY BARNES – Light It UpFREYA JOSEPHINE HOLLICK – The Real WorldLYN BOWTELL – Wiser
BEST INDEPENDENT JAZZ ALBUM OR EPBARNEY MCALL – Precious EnergyDONNY BENÉT – Le PianoJEREMY ROSE – Face to FaceMILDLIFE – Live From South Channel IslandSURPRISE CHEF – Education & Recreation
BEST INDEPENDENT CLASSICAL ALBUM OR EPENSEMBLE OFFSPRING – To Listen, To Sing – Ngarra-Burria: First Peoples ComposersMELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA/BENJAMIN NORTHEY – Nigel Westlake: Blueback [Original Motion Picture Score]MIRUSIA – SongbirdTASMANIAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA – NightlightWILLIAM BARTON/VERONIQUE SERRET – Heartland
BEST INDEPENDENT CHILDREN’S ALBUM OR EPEMILY WURRAMARA – Ayarra Emeba (Calm Songs)EMMA MEMMA – Emma MemmaPLAY SCHOOL – Very Jazzy Street PartyTEENY TINY STEVIES – How to Be CreativeTHE WIGGLES – ReWiggled
BEST INDEPENDENT DANCE, ELECTRONICA OR CLUB SINGLECUB SPORT – Always Got The LoveFLUME – Say Nothing feat. MAY-ALIME CORDIALE, IDRIS ELBA, FATBOY SLIM – Holiday Fatboy Slim RemixMEMPHIS LK – CoffeePNAU & TROYE SIVAN – You Know What I Need
BEST INDEPENDENT PUNK ALBUM OR EPBODY TYPE – Everything Is Dangerous But Nothing’s SurprisingHARD-ONS – Yummy!PRESS CLUB – Endless MotionTEEN JESUS AND THE JEAN TEASERS – Pretty Good For A Girl BandTHESE NEW SOUTH WHALES – TNSW
BEST INDEPENDENT HEAVY ALBUM OR EPCLAMM – CareNORTHLANE – ObsidianPARKWAY DRIVE – Darker StillTHORNHILL – HeroineYOURS TRULY – is this what i look like?
BEST INDEPENDENT DANCE OR ELECTRONICA ALBUM OR EPCONFIDENCE MAN – TILTFLUME – PalacesNINAJIRACHI – Second NatureTELENOVA – Stained Glass Love (Telenoir Versions)THE JUNGLE GIANTS – Love Signs Remixed
BEST INDEPENDENT ROCK ALBUM OR EPBALL PARK MUSIC – Weirder & WeirderCAMP COPE – Running with the HurricaneKING STINGRAY – King StingrayOCEAN ALLEY – Low Altitude LivingSLOWLY SLOWLY – Daisy Chain
BEST INDEPENDENT SOUL/RNB ALBUM OR EPASHLI – Only OneBECKAH AMANI – AprilFELIVAND – TiesWANDERERS – WANDERERSWINSTON SURFSHIRT – Panna Cotta
BEST INDEPENDENT POP ALBUM OR EPBIG SCARY – Me and YouDANIEL JOHNS – FutureNeverJEM CASSAR-DALEY – I Don’t Know Who To CallTELENOVA – Stained Glass LoveVANCE JOY – In Our Own Sweet Time
BREAKTHROUGH INDEPENDENT ARTIST OF THE YEAR – PRESENTED BY PPCAANDY GOLLEDGEJEM CASSAR-DALEYKING STINGRAYTEEN JESUS AND THE JEAN TEASERSWANDERERS
INDEPENDENT SONG OF THE YEARCUB SPORT – Always Got The LoveGENESIS OWUSU – Get InspiredJEN CLOHER – Mana TakatāpuiJULIA JACKLIN – I Was NeonKING STINGRAY – Camp Dog
INDEPENDENT ALBUM OF THE YEARDANIEL JOHNS – FutureNeverJULIA JACKLIN – PRE PLEASUREKING STINGRAY – King StingrayLAURA JEAN – AmateursNORTHLANE – Obsidian
INDEPENDENT MARKETING TEAM OF THE YEARABC MUSIC, THE ORCHARD – The Wiggles, ReWiggledCHUGG MUSIC, THE ANNEX – Lime Cordiale, Cordi ElbaDOMESTIC LA LA – Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, Pretty Good For A Girl BandFUTURE CLASSIC – Flume, PalacesI OH YOU, MUSHROOM MARKETING – Confidence Man, TILT
INDEPENDENT PUBLICITY TEAM OF THE YEARGENNA ALEXOPOULOS – Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, Pretty Good For A Girl BandMUSHROOM PUBLICITY – Confidence Man, TILTPOSITIVE FEEDBACK – Lime Cordiale, Cordi ElbaRPM, THE COMMS DEPARTMENT – The Wiggles, ReWiggledTHINKING LOUD – Genesis Owusu, Get Inspired
BEST INDEPENDENT LABELABC MUSICCHAPTER MUSICDOMESTIC LA LALIBERATIONUNFD
The late, great Tina Turner is about to make a major chart comeback. As U.K. fans mourn Turner’s death last Wednesday (May 24), aged 83, the legendary performer could land four titles in the national albums chart, led by The Platinum Collection. Turner’s career retrospective could crack the top 10 for the first time, reentering at No. 8 on the midweek chart, the Official Charts Company reports. The Platinum Collection originally peaked at No. 14 following its release in 2009.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Close behind is Turner’s 1989 LP Foreign Affair, which features her hit “The Best.” Foreign Affair is set to reenter the Official Chart at No. 10.
Another hits compilation, 1994’s The Collected Recordings, is poised for a No. 12 return, while the U.S. superstar’s Private Dancer from 1984, one of the greatest comebacks of the 20th century, could vault to No. 31, having originally peaked at No. 2.
During her lifetime, Turner landed nine top 10 albums in the U.K., including two No. 1s (Foreign Affair and the soundtrack to What’s Love Got To Do With It).Lewis Capaldi blasted to No. 1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart last Friday (May 26) with Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent, the fastest-selling album of 2023. Broken By Desire leads the midweek chart again, ahead of two former leaders, Taylor Swift’s Midnights (up 10-2), which benefits from the release of Midnights (The Til Dawn Edition); and Harry Styles’ Harry’s House (up 5-3), which lifts as he makes a victory lap of his homeland with his Love On Tour. Meanwhile, Mick Hucknall’s Simply Red could bag the highest new entry with Time, new at No. 4 on the Official Chart Update. If Time keeps ticking away, it’ll give the British act their 15th U.K. top 10. Also eyeing top 10 berths are singer-songwriter Arlo Parks’ sophomore album My Soft Machine, the followup to the U.K. indie star’s debut Mercury Prize-winning LP from 2021, Collapsed in Sunbeam. My Soft Machine is new at No. 5 on the chart blast.
Finally, veteran alternative pop act Sparks’ is set for a best chart position since 1974 with The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte. The U.S. act, which recently completed a tour of the U.K., is eying a No. 6 bow on the national chart.
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Albums Chart is published Friday (June 2).
BABYMETAL made a stop in Bangkok, Thailand, over the weekend (May 28) for the second show of its first headlining Asia tour, performing for fans at the True Icon Hall. During the set, the kawaii metal group — a trio again with new member MOMOMETAL officially joining long-standing members SU-METAL and MOAMETAL — invited the […]
YOASOBI dropped the new English-language version of their No. 1 hit “Idol” on digital platforms and shared the accompanying music video. “Idol” is the latest single by the breakout duo that serves as the opener of the TV anime series Oshi no Ko. Released digitally April 12, the track is still at No. 1 on the […]