International
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When it comes to music, Canada punches above its weight. Artists like Drake, The Weeknd, Justin Bieber and Alanis Morissette have spent the last few decades among the biggest in the world – a feat for a country that pales in population to its neighbour down south. In boardrooms, too, Canadians are well represented in positions of influence.
That’s evident in Billboard Canada’s 2024 Power Players list, the first expansion of the Power Players and Power 100 to Canada. The list features music executives who are working on the world’s biggest tours, managing the industry’s most valuable song catalogues, and breaking artists from all over the world.
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One of the country’s biggest strengths when it comes to music is cultural fluency and a seemingly innate ability to globalize. As Punjabi music, K-pop, Latin music, Afrobeats and more global genres become ever more popular, Canadians are ready to both export talent across borders and capitalize on trends others might not even know about yet.
This year’s set of submissions and nominations were extremely competitive. The Power Players list recognizes achievements across the board but highly prizes impact in Canada and breakthroughs by Canadians on the international and world stage, especially those that can be clearly measured and substantiated.
The Leaderboard features executives from Live Nation, Warner Music Canada, Reservoir Media and more. Find the whole list here.
Canada’s No. 1 Power Player: Arthur Fogel
The industry icon behind many of the biggest world tours of the last year started out at a punk venue in Toronto.
Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour topped Billboard’s 2023 Boxscore list as the highest-grossing tour of the year and one of the biggest of all time. U2’s opening residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas redefined big-stage sound-and-vision spectacle and became the fastest-grossing residency in Boxscore history. And Madonna culminated her career-spanning Celebration Tour with a massive, record-setting concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, attended by more than 1.6 million people.
Arthur Fogel was instrumental in all of them.
Fogel is the Chairman of Global Music & President of Global Touring CEO of Global Touring at Live Nation. He’s stationed at the company’s Los Angeles headquarters, but he’s one of several high-powered Canadian executives in their boardroom. Michael Rapino, Live Nation’s President and CEO, is also from Canada.
And, Fogel notices, like they are on big stages, Canadians are overrepresented in some of the most important positions in the music industry.
“I don’t think the Canadian industry gets enough credit on any number of levels. If you look at the artists that have come out of Canada over a number of years and generations, it’s pretty incredible how much talent that has come out of a country this size,” Fogel says. “The same holds true for the business side.”
Read a wide-ranging Q&A with Fogel in Billboard Canada’s latest digital cover story.
Shortlist Announced for the Billboard Canada Non-Performing Songwriter Award
Five impressive songwriters have been shortlisted for the inaugural Billboard Canada Non-Performing Songwriter Award, presented by SOCAN.
These songwriters each had a banner year in 2023, penning memorable songs with indelible melodies that garnered Grammy nominations, top chart placements, and millions of streams.
They are recognized for their work as songwriters for other artists, making an impact from behind the scenes – a first for an award of this kind in Canada.
Here are the nominees, with the winner being announced at Billboard Canada’s Power Players event on June 2 at the CN Tower:
Elizabeth Lowell Boland
Lowell is a singer, songwriter and producer known for her collaborations with Madison Beer, Charli XCX, Tate McRae, Charlie Puth, Lennon Stella, Hailee Steinfeld, bülow, Lu Kala and many more. With two songs on Beyoncé’s critically acclaimed new album – the international smash “Texas Hold’em” and upcoming single “Bodyguard” – Lowell has become a trusted collaborator for the legendary artist. She also wrote “Blame Brett,” the breakout hit for Toronto band The Beaches.
Aaron Paris
Aaron Paris is a songwriter, record producer and composer from Toronto. Having worked with artists including Ariana Grande, Kanye West, Drake, DJ Khaled, Russ, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Kali Uchis, NAV, Charlotte Cardin and more, Aaron has built a strong international reputation as a musical composer and collaborator. In 2023, Aaron co-wrote over 70 major artist releases and received five Juno nominations and 2 Grammy nominations for songs he co-wrote.
Tobias Jesso Jr.
Tobias Jesso Jr. is a North Vancouver-born, L.A.-based songwriter and two-time Grammy-winner. In 2023, he earned the first-ever Grammy Award for Songwriter of The Year for his work on releases by Harry Styles, Adele, FKA Twigs, Orville Peck, King Princess, Diplo and Omar Apollo in addition to taking home Album of The Year for his contributions to Harry Styles’ Harry’s House. He was also a major contributor on Dua Lipa’s most recent album Radical Optimism co-writing on multiple tracks including the big single, “Houdini.”
Jeremy Fedryk
Jeremy Fedryk – a.k.a. Sarcastic Sounds – spent much of 2023 immersing himself in the budding folk-pop scene. The year was highlighted by his writing contribution to David Kushner’s international smash “Daylight,” which accumulated over 1 billion Spotify streams and reached multi-platinum status in every major market. His success continued with the release of Chance Pena’s “I am not who I was,” which has amassed over 170 million Spotify streams and reached the top 20 of Billboard’s alternative chart.
Ali Willa Milner
Fresh off a Grammy nomination for her work with The Knocks and Dragonette, Ali Willa Milner found herself part of six Juno nominations for her work in 2023. Her writing led to nominations with Rêve, Katie Tupper, and multiple nominations for Aysanabee who won two, including Songwriter Of The Year.
A Seoul court has barred K-pop giant HYBE from dismissing Min Hee-jin as CEO of its ADOR subsidiary label following HYBE’s internal audit and subsequent police report against the executive last month. The decision will keep Min in her role as CEO, by extension allowing her to stay in control of the label’s sole artist, girl group NewJeans.
As Bloomberg cites from local Korean coverage, “The Seoul Central District Court said HYBE’s evidence and rationale were not sufficient to back the company’s case for Min’s dismissal.” Despite HYBE’s 80% stake in ADOR (where Min has an 18% stake, with the last 2% retained by other executives), the company cannot vote to dismiss Min, which it was expected to do at a company shareholder meeting scheduled for Friday (May 31).
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“We urge HYBE to respect the court’s decision,” Min’s attorney said in a statement, per Bloomberg. “If Hybe takes any action to remove Min from her position as CEO, it will be in direct violation of the shareholders’ agreement.” The legal reps shared their hope that Min’s leadership team at ADOR would also stay intact.
In its own statement, HYBE acknowledged the court’s decision and said it would not utilize its voting rights but vowed to “follow up within the framework of the law.” The company noted that the court admitted Min had sought ways to weaken HYBE’s control over ADOR — efforts that could have led to Min independently running ADOR, taking NewJeans out of the HYBE system or pressuring HYBE to sell its shares in the subsidiary label. The company say sit still plans to pursue its breach of trust case after finding “substantial evidence to prove that Min deliberately led the plan to take over management control of the subsidiary.”
In the meantime, the 2023 Billboard Women in Music honoree will be able to continue directing NewJeans following ADOR’s release of two new singles from the group: “How Sweet” and “Bubble Gum.” The group’s debut Japanese single, “Supernatural” — which reportedly reinterprets a ’00s Pharrell single — is set to drop in June.
Despite the court ruling, the ongoing K-pop power struggle is hardly resolved, and in fact has only widened since HYBE’s initial audit in April.
Following HYBE’s request for her to exit her role as ADOR CEO, Min held an emotional two-hour press conference in which she detailed her concerns and struggles with other teams in the HYBE LABELS system. AsThe New York Times‘ Seoul reporter Jin Yu Young noted in her report, Min’s “pushback against HYBE and its founder, Bang Si-Hyuk, has resonated widely in South Korea, where corporate life can be punishingly hierarchal.”
Last week, HYBE label BELIFT LAB announced it had submitted a letter of complaint for obstruction of business and defamation against Min stemming from Min’s claims that BELIFT girl group ILLIT had copied NewJeans music, style and creative concept. The conflict has also involved the parents of NewJeans members, who have voiced worries about Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein’s reputation and treatment in a letter.
The court order follows last Friday’s release of new material from NewJeans and fellow HYBE artist RM, both of whom will likely make substantial bows on the Billboard charts next week.
On a recent trip to New York, I spoke on a panel discussing the state of the global music industry. During the Q&A, someone asked, “When will the day come that Taylor Swift isn’t the biggest artist in the world?”
Answer: She already isn’t.
Now, maybe it’s a matter of perspective. From a Western vantage point, it’s a valid question. Given Swift’s ubiquitous media coverage, it’s hard to imagine a day when she isn’t at the top of our industry. In the past year alone, she has broken records, won awards, and inspired fans. But her achievements are only one slice of the global picture.
The music industry is increasingly interconnected, with content moving across markets and access to that content expanding in ways many do not see. With that comes the opportunity to reach massive populations from emerging markets, whose focus rests on domestic artists and local language content. I think a future where the next big global star arises from somewhere other than the U.S. is barreling towards us, and they won’t be singing in English.
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My confidence here is informed by my home, the United Arab Emirates, which sits at the intersection of Asia, Africa, and Europe, and has a population representing over 200 nationalities. I am deeply embedded in this region and its music industry, and I have firsthand exposure to music’s evolution in these markets, watching the increasing dominance of local language music and recognizing how it is reshaping pop culture. That change is happening quickly across listenership, subscription growth, access to music and more.
Evaluating a superstar from the West against a superstar from the East is not an apples-to-apples comparison. There is important context missing from the raw numbers, particularly in available streaming metrics, which fail to fully represent the consumption in the East or the potential for monetization in the years to come.
The multinational streaming platforms have thoroughly established themselves as the leaders in monetization. For example, Spotify has carved out a reputation as the market leader with over 602 million monthly active users globally, 236 million of which are paying. However, those multinational platforms are relatively new to the MENA region and other emerging markets and are still building a user base. In contrast, domestic streaming platforms in the wider region have had longer to build a strong user base (e.g., India’s Gaana boasts 200 million monthly active users), but their monetization hasn’t caught up yet.
However, if we look at the sheer market size, the opportunity in emerging markets is undeniable. The populations of the U.S. (330 million) and the U.K. (67 million) are dwarfed when compared to India (1.4 billion), MENA (489 million people), Pakistan (243 million), or Nigeria (227 million). Music consumption in some of these markets is already outpacing the West (in rate of growth) and will soon surpass the West (in volume).
The data is there. Emerging markets have been the major driver of global subscription growth since 2021, and Goldman Sachs’s 2024 Music in the Air reports their contribution is expected to reach 70% by 2030. In Luminate’s 2023 report they highlighted that India’s streaming volume increased by nearly half a trillion streams year-over-year vs. 184 billion for the U.S. At that rate, particularly as the U.S. reaches a point of saturation, we could see India surpass the U.S. in consumption this year.
You might think that the increased availability and monetization of streaming platforms in emerging markets would translate to the Taylor Swifts of the West reaching even more listeners. The truth is those listeners increasingly care more about their own domestic stars and regional music culture than what the West exports to them.
YouTube launched globally in 2005 and has long been the established service for streaming and discovering music, thereby more adequately reflecting music listening preferences in the region. If we look specifically at Swift, there is no denying she is massively popular on the platform. On YouTube’s Global Music Charts for April 19-25 (the week her latest album dropped), she sat squarely at #1. However, eight of the Top 10 songs that week were actually non-English releases by artists from around the world. How many of you know the Bhojpuri hit “Maroon Color Sadiya” (which was #3 that same week)? Expand that to the Top 40, and only eight songs are in English. This is only on YouTube; consider the impact of additional domestic streaming platforms, which are even more skewed toward local language artists in each market.
Local language matters; the era of pop music being defined as “Anglo-American” is over. Looking at streams per day in India in 2023, Statista found Hindi represented over 40% versus English’s 25% share. What’s more, vernacular language and regional music, which made up the remaining 34%, was notably the fastest-growing genre from 2020 to 2023. In its 2023 report, Luminate highlighted how the share of English language music declined by 12% globally since 2021, while the share of Hindi music has essentially doubled. Even in the U.S., the share of English language content is down 3.8% since 2021.
The global diaspora which is consuming Arabic, Hindi, and other global languages is in the West too, augmenting the shift I’m describing. The meteoric transformation of K-pop into a global phenomenon is a particularly strong example of this expansion, thanks to groups like BTS, BLACKPINK and Stray Kids. In addition to its huge following in Korea, the genre has swept the West, with Korean being the 3rd biggest language by consumption in the U.S. in 2023, according to Luminate.
So, is Taylor Swift really the biggest artist in the world? Given the change I’ve described in streaming adoption across emerging markets, the importance of domestic platforms, and the sheer fact that on a country-by-country level domestic acts reign, the answer is no. Last time I checked, India, Pakistan, the Middle East, China and most of Africa have their own superstars — and they represent most of the populated world. There’s no telling how high those local artists will climb before their stars eclipse the likes of Swift in ways that become much more obvious to the rest of us.
Spek is the founder/CEO of PopArabia & ESMAA and the executive vp of international & emerging markets at Reservoir. He was recently named to Billboard’s International Power Players 2024 list, having previously appeared on the list in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
When the United Kingdom votes on July 4 to elect its next government, business leaders around the world will be closely monitoring the outcome to see what it means for them. For the music industry, the upcoming general election — announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday (May 22) — could also lead to major change depending on who wins.
According to the latest opinion polls, the Labour Party is more than 20 points ahead of the ruling Conservative Party, which has been in power for 14 years. Unless Sunak achieves an extraordinary turnaround in the next six weeks, Labour leader Keir Starmer is widely expected to be the next resident of Number 10 Downing Street, most likely with a big majority of Parliamentary seats.
Should that happen, Starmer has said he plans to make a number of reforms that will impact the world’s third-largest recorded music market, touring and regulation of the tech industry, all of which will reverberate beyond the United Kingdom’s borders.
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Tougher Rules for Ticket Resale Platforms and Prospect of Future Arena Tickets Tax
In March, Starmer announced that a future Labour government will cap the resale prices of concert tickets and introduce tougher regulations for secondary ticketing platforms such as Viagogo, which has already been subject to numerous investigations and inquiries in the United Kingdom.
The Labour policy would limit the number of tickets individual resellers could sell on resale platforms and give the U.K. competition watchdog greater powers to take “swift” action against services and scalpers who break the rules, Starmer said.
Any change at Number 10 could also have big implications for the global touring business. Earlier this month, a Parliamentary committee called for a new voluntary levy to be added to arena and stadium tickets sold in the United Kingdom to support struggling grassroots music venues.
To stem the tide of small venue closures, the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee said the voluntary levy should be introduced “no later” than September. If progress is not made, the government should set up a statutory levy, advised the committee, which also called for a cut in sales tax (VAT) on tickets for grassroots music shows.
Whichever political party wins on July 4, it will be expected to respond to the CMS committee report on the grassroots music sector. As for the committees themselves, they all cease to exist after Parliament is dissolved on May 30, although a new bunch will be formed after the election made up of a cross-party selection of MPs. They can pick new topics or industries to investigate — or can choose to build upon the work of their predecessors, meaning Parliamentary interest in the music business is unlikely to go away.
Given the huge contribution the U.K. music industry makes to the country’s economy — £6.7 billion ($8.2 billion) in music sales, concerts, recording studios, touring and music tourism in 2022, according to trade organization UK Music — government leaders will be keen to be seen doing all they can to protect the sector.
Regulating AI and Big Tech
Following the general election, the hot issue of regulating the use of artificial intelligence (AI) is likely to be near the top of the legislative agenda and will continue to be a source of heavy lobbying from the tech and music industries.
The current Conservative government has spent the past several years consulting on the topic but has yet to deliver any firm plans and has generally pursued a light touch “pro-innovation” approach to the regulation of AI.
In 2023, the government quietly shelved a proposal by The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) for a new text and data mining (TDM) exception that would have allowed AI developers to freely use copyright-protected works for commercial purposes (albeit with certain restrictions) following fierce criticism from the music industry.
Since then, there have been repeated calls from music trade groups like labels trade body BPI for the government to follow the European Union’s lead and defend creators, musicians and rights holders from the potential risks of generative AI models.
Earlier this month, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Music called for a comprehensive “pro-creative industries” AI bill that protects the music business from the “threats” posed by the technology. Among its recommendations were banning AI developers from using copyright-protected music for training purposes without consent, as well as the requirement for tech companies to clearly label all AI-generated content.
If Sunak retains power, music executives will be keen to see him urgently press ahead with U.K.-specific legislation around AI and ensure the United Kingdom doesn’t fall behind other countries and markets in regulating the sector.
Labour’s position on AI, as outlined by Starmer last summer, is that they will bring in stronger regulations than the Conservatives, although details are thin on the ground and the party’s stance does appear to have softened in recent months as it attempts to court business leaders and tech executives by presenting itself as a “pro-innovation” government-in-waiting. Labour had been working on an AI strategy document ahead of the general election announcement, which it was expected to launch this month.
Addressing Artists’ and Songwriters’ Discontent Over Streaming Terms
Over the past four years, the United Kingdom has led the way in addressing artist discontent over low payments from music streaming. Since 2020, when the pandemic-enforced shutdown of the live industry brought the issue to the fore, there have been numerous Parliament-led inquiries into the record business, including a review of the major labels’ market dominance by the U.K. competition watchdog.
In December 2021, a bill was debated in Parliament that would have required record companies to pay musicians and songwriters a bigger cut of streaming revenue. It was defeated at the first stage, but the prospect of government intervention in the U.K. music business has seen record companies beef up their public policy teams and divert a huge amount of time and resources into dealing with the various probes.
The heightened scrutiny of the music industry has yet to result in any law changes, but it has increased pressure on labels to improve artist terms and contracts. A government-led working group focusing on creator remuneration recently launched (which insiders say is likely to continue post-election) and the noise around low streaming royalties for many artists is unlikely to die down anytime soon.
Last month, the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee published a report calling for government ministers to “do more to make sure music makers are paid fairly” and to press ahead with a package of sweeping copyright reforms. The committee’s recommendations included overhauling the revenue split between recording and publishing rights from music streaming, currently set at around 55% for recording and 15% for publishing, to better reward songwriters.
“It’s vital that any incoming administration ensures we deliver on recommendations made by the Culture Select Committee to reset the streaming market and support grassroots live touring,” says Annabella Coldrick, chief executive of the U.K. Music Managers Forum (MMF).
“More broadly, we need a government that values British music, puts it at the forefront of U.K. growth policy, and backs it with a credible music strategy to maximize our industry’s potential both domestically and internationally,” Coldrick adds.
Whether that responsibility falls to Sunak or Starmer will be determined by the British public on July 4. If Labour does win the general election, there’s a chance that two high-profile figures from the music world could join them in government. Dave Rowntree, the drummer for Blur, is running as the Labour candidate for the Conservative-held Mid Sussex seat, while Tom Gray, co-founder of indie rock band Gomez and chair of songwriters and composers body the Ivors Academy, is the party’s chosen candidate for the Brighton Pavilion constituency.
Apple has launched a legal challenge against the 1.8 billion euro ($1.95 billion) fine assessed by the European Commission for breaking competition laws and unfairly favoring its own music streaming service over rivals including Spotify.
According to court records, the U.S. tech giant filed an appeal with the EU’s Luxembourg-based General Court earlier this month.
Details of what is contained in the legal action, listed as: “Apple and Apple Distribution International v Commission,” are not yet publicly available. Representatives of Apple and the European Commission did not respond to requests to comment.
Apple had previously said it would appeal the EU’s fine, which was handed down in March following a long-running investigation triggered by complaints from Swedish streaming service Spotify.
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At the time of the ruling, the European Commission’s Margrethe Vestager said Apple had “abused its dominant position” for almost a decade by restricting rival music streaming apps from informing consumers about alternative, cheaper music services available outside of the App Store.
As a result, many users paid “significantly higher prices for music streaming subscriptions” because of the high fee imposed by Apple on developers, which was then passed on to users, the commission said.
Apple has always strongly denied those claims, arguing that EU investigators had failed “to uncover any credible evidence of consumer harm.” The commission’s decision “ignores the realities of a market that is thriving, competitive, and growing fast,” the tech company said in a statement two months ago.
The nearly $2 billion fine was issued as part of an ongoing EU-wide effort to rein in the global dominance of big tech companies through large financial penalties and regulatory measures.
In March, just a few days after Apple received its penalty notice, new EU rules came into force governing how the largest online platforms operate in Europe as part of the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The DMA requires the six tech giants designated as “gatekeepers” by the European Commission — Apple, Google parent company Alphabet, Amazon, TikTok-owner ByteDance, Meta and Microsoft — to comply with a raft of provisions, including not favoring in-house services at the expense of third-party providers.
The laws are enforceable by fines of up to 20% of total worldwide turnover (a.k.a. gross revenue) or, in extreme cases, the “last resort option” of forced divestments and the break-up of businesses.
In response, companies like Apple have been overhauling how they operate in the 27-member EU bloc, allowing European users to download rival app stores and lowering the fees charged to developers for purchases made through the App Store.
However, Apple’s plans to charge “high volume” services with over 1 million users a €0.50 ($0.54) “core technology fee” per download, per year, for using alternatives to the App Store has been heavily criticized by a number of European businesses, including Spotify and Deezer.
On March 25, the EU announced that it was investigating Apple, along with Meta and Alphabet, for potential breaches and non-compliance with the DMA’s terms.
Apple’s legal challenge against the commission’s $1.95 billion fine opens yet another battlefront with EU regulators. The tech company has previously had some success in the General Court — the European Union‘s second-highest court, which hears cases brought by companies against the commission.
In 2020, EU judges overturned a previous ruling by the commission that Apple had underpaid 13 billion euros in taxes to the Irish government. That case subsequently went to the European Court of Justice and is still slowly making its way through the legal process.
Apple’s latest court fight could be just as longwinded and take several years before any ruling is made by the General Court, which would also be open to appeal.
The latest escalation in the power struggle between HYBE and Min Hee-jin, the CEO of its subsidiary label ADOR, has arrived in the form of legal action from a separate label under the Korean conglomerate.
In a statement released Wednesday (May 22) local time in Seoul, HYBE label BELIFT LAB announced it is taking legal action against Min for defamation over her claims that the BELIFT team behind girl group ILLIT plagiarized her and ADOR’s work with NewJeans. The label is accusing Min of “obstruction of business and defamation,” according to the statement.
The news is just the latest development in a saga that has seen HYBE file a police report accusing Min of a “breach of trust” via an alleged plan to take over management control of ADOR, which was followed by an emotionally charged press conference on April 25 during which Min refuted the allegations.
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One of Min’s most widely discussed claims from the press conference was that BELIFT LAB “copied all the formulas that we had with NewJeans” for the recently launched ILLIT, including musical concept, fashion collaborations and more. As reported by the Korea JoongAng Daily, Min said the members of ILLIT are “innocent” and “it’s the adults that have sinned.”
Since that claim, online fighting between fans and social-media users on both sides of the conflict has brought various claims against multiple parties within the HYBE LABELS system, from artists to executives.
Further in its May 22 statement, BELIFT LAB declared that “Min’s accusations of plagiarism are not true” and that the label is “vigorously pursuing all necessary legal avenues to clarify the facts,” noting that the claims are Min’s opinions. The agency, which also houses boy band ENHYPEN, touched on the five members of ILLIT, noting that Yunah, Minju, Moka, Wonhee and Iroha “have been facing unjustified malicious attacks, ridicule, and slander,” adding that they “strongly urge these defamatory actions, ill-willed slander, the spreading of misinformation, and any form of personal attacks to stop.”
The news comes amid a major week for HYBE, as the company prepares for the highly anticipated releases of both Right Place, Wrong Person — the latest solo album from BTS‘ RM released under BIGHIT MUSIC — and How Sweet, a two-track single from NewJeans under ADOR, both out on Friday (May 24).
See the official English-language version of BELIFT LAB’s statement, as provided to Billboard by HYBE:
Hello,This is BELIFT LAB.
Today, May 22, our company has formally submitted a letter of complaint against Hee Jin Min for obstruction of business and defamation. This action follows Min’s unfounded and erroneous allegations against ILLIT, a group of artists represented by BELIFT LAB.
We would like to make it clear that Min’s accusations of plagiarism are not true. We have provided conclusive evidence to the appropriate judicial authority to refute them. We are committed to vigorously pursuing all necessary legal avenues to clarify the facts, regardless of the time it will take.
It is important to note that claims of plagiarism should not be determined by an individual’s biased opinions but should instead be assessed through established legal standards and processes. It is regrettable that our artists and employees are being subjected to unwarranted speculation and misinformation, impacting their hard work and integrity.
Additionally, members of ILLIT have been facing unjustified malicious attacks, ridicule, and slander, in spite of the fact that the members are unrelated to the accusations at hand. We strongly urge these defamatory actions, ill-willed slander, the spreading of misinformation, and any form of personal attacks to stop.
BELIFT LAB will spare no effort to protect our artists and employees.
Thank you.
It doesn’t take long to understand that Rose Villain is an artist who is truly interested in what she talks about. Above all, she wants to know who is in front of her – be it her make-up artist, a member of her team, her press office or the bartender. She is a passionate artist who takes care of her music down to the smallest detail and is also a girl with empathy and a good dose of irony. That doesn’t hurt, especially when dealing with topics that can turn out to be traps of banality.
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The 35-year-old Rosa Luini from Milan is enjoying a big turning point in her career thanks to her participation in the 2024 Sanremo Festival, her presence in the Netflix talent show Nuova Scena as a judge and the release of her new album, Radio Sakura, which includes the single “Come un Tuono” feat. Guè, currently at No. 1 on Italy’s singles chart.
Rose Villain has never stopped expressing her opinion on the topics of environmental sustainability and gender inequality. Having lived and studied in the United States — where she likes to return whenever she can — has also contributed to her vision of the world.
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The new issue of Billboard Italy is dedicated to the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 17 goals of the program are all fundamental, but do you think there is one that you are most attached to?
I am very sensitive to the topic of environmental sustainability. This is why years ago I decided to become vegan. I started from a need related to health, also due to my family history. I had read Michael Greger’s book How Not to Die, which explains in a simple and clear way the impact of meat farming on our environment. Then I started watching documentaries that showed in an even more shocking way the cruelty to which we subject animals. I feel like my life has really improved since becoming vegan, because I feel like I’m doing something for others every day. I notice that when we have dinner with friends, we now talk a lot about the environment, because everyone is worried. But at the beginning I was much more aggressive when I spoke out about these issues.
And now?
I understood that you achieve much more when you explain things calmly and delicately. When it comes to gender equality, for example, if we women attack, then men will retreat. Sometimes in the past I got so angry that I even cried. Now I realize that I have a duty to speak my mind. I try first to inform myself well and then pass the message on.
Do people ask you the classic question “why vegan — wasn’t being vegetarian enough?”
It’s totally different, because even the milk or egg industries pollute as much as the meat industry. The only thing that changes is the killing practice. But it is also absurd cruelty to remove the calf from the cows to have their milk, after they have been made pregnant specifically for that. However, I consider myself an imperfect vegan. I try to do my best, but if I’m on tour and if there’s no alternative, I also eat a croissant with butter. However, vegan food will be the diet of the future. That’s for sure.
Would you like to do more for the environmental sustainability of music and concerts?
Billie Eilish is making vinyl from recycled plastic. I would like to follow her example, also because she is a great inspiration: she is very young and vegan. For tours, I try to participate in green festivals, but the problem is travel. For my part, I try to prefer the train to the plane, whenever possible.
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Coldplay also try to reduce their carbon footprint while touring. You will be opening their shows in Rome in July.
Songs like “Fix You” and “Yellow” were part of my youth, like that of many other people. Who hasn’t listened to them after a breakup? Having been chosen by them to open their concerts still seems incredible to me. I also like the fact that for this tour they always chose women as opening acts.
They like to meet the opening acts when they can. What would you ask Chris Martin?
I would ask him for a featuring right away! I’m joking… I would like to ask him what the key is to remain an artist for so long, how he has retained his audience. In other words, the secret of their artistic immortality.
Going back to the initial question, is the issue of environmental sustainability the one that is closest to your heart among the goals of the 2030 Agenda?
You know what the fundamental goal is that I believe summarizes all the others? Attention for others. If we were all less self-centered, it would be a better world. Few things are needed: kindness, attention, and education. At school they should also teach how to treat women, nutrition and above all respect for others.
You have been fighting for years on the topic of gender inequality. Do you see improvements in the music industry?
Yes. We must thank the American rappers, who have cleared a free narrative, even about sex, expressing themselves as they want. This trend is also arriving in Italy. Let’s take for example Elodie, who during the tour danced as if she were on a cube in the disco. She was criticized but probably didn’t care. Annalisa, same thing. I think there is nothing more beautiful than a woman who feels free to behave as she wants. In my opinion we women are now much more united.
Have you witnessed any abuse?
Sure. A form of pressure that I can’t stand is having to dress sexy. It literally drives me crazy. I also saw it in America. I remember the CEOs who hit on me when I was only 20 years old. We need to learn to say a firm no. But many things have improved since #MeToo, fortunately.
As a child, did you dream of becoming more of a pop star or rapper?
Absolutely a pop star! My myth was (and is) Madonna, who is definitely multifaceted. And The Weeknd is the greatest pop star of our time, in my opinion.
Is there a genre you would focus on?
I love rock. But I think I range a lot in my albums, especially in Radio Sakura, where there are bachata, punk, country and electronica. I don’t want to choose a single genre for a concept album. I want to do everything I like.
Nude pictures of you created with artificial intelligence have circulated on the internet. Does progress sometimes scare you?
A.I. is certainly important. It could help solve many problems or discover new cures for diseases that are now incurable. But it must be regulated in a very strict and precise manner. I also fear that they might use my voice to create videos where they make me say horrible things.
If you had children one day, what would you fear for them?
That they live in a country at war and totally inhospitable, with an out-of-control climate. I would like to have children, precisely to tell them: “You must fight to save the planet.” But Gen Z is very aware, I really trust them.
Canadian musicians who worked with Steve Albini are sharing their admiration.
Albini’s phenomenally prolific career included work on an estimated 2,000 albums, including landmark alt-rock records by Nirvana, Pixies and PJ Harvey. A wide range of notable Canadian artists worked with Albini and were quick to respond with effusive tributes to the Chicago-based studio wizard.
Toronto drummer, composer and author Don Pyle worked with Albini as a member of acclaimed Toronto instrumental bands Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet and Phono-Comb. Albini was an admirer of Shadowy Men, even sending them a fan letter that helped prompt the band to hire him for sessions that led to the trio’s second album, 1993’s Sport Fishin’: The Lure of the Bait, The Luck of the Hook.
Albini would later work with Dallas Good and The Sadies on The Sadies’ 2001 album Tremendous Efforts and then its 2006 live album, The Sadies In Concert, Vol. 1, recorded at Lee’s Palace in Toronto (Pyle also assisted on the record). Alongside fellow Shadowy Men member Reid Diamond, Beverly Breckenridge and Good (later of The Sadies fame), Pyle was also in the lineup of Phono-Comb, a Toronto band that recruited Albini to work on its 1996 album, Fresh Gasoline.
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In an interview with Billboard Canada, Pyle confirms that his late friend Dallas “definitely had a warm relationship with Steve. The Sadies recorded with him on two occasions. I know Steve definitely enjoyed the experience around coming up here and doing The Sadies live album. Doing the Phono-Comb album allowed for more social time and friendship to happen with them. Steve definitely respected who Dallas became.”
Acclaimed Guelph post-rock band King Cobb Steelie worked on material with Albini prior to the release of its second album, 1994’s Project Twinkle, which would later be credited to Bill Laswell as producer.
“He stayed at my house for a week and was a very generous and gracious guest,” group frontman Kevan Byrne tells Billboard Canada. “I think we were one of the first sessions he engineered after In Utero. Steve raved about Dave Grohl’s drumming and insisted that our drummer buy new white-coated Ambassador heads. Then he used a heat gun to break them in.”
Toronto hardcore faves Fucked Up offered up a succinct and poignant tribute on X: “rip steve…you hated our band and made fun of us while we were recording at your studio but you stood for something honest and fair in music and tried to make it a better place in everything you did and there will never be another one like you.”
Head to Billboard Canada for more remembrances and Albini tidbits from KEN Mode, Joel Plaskett, Metz and more.
Feist, Allison Russell, Mustafa Shortlisted for 2024 Prism Prize
The Canadian Academy has announced the top 10 Canadian music videos of the year. The videos, selected from a pool of 300 by a jury of music and video production professionals, have been shortlisted for the 2024 Prism Prize. The award comes with a $20,000 prize.
Singer-songwriter Feist, pop-rock group The Beaches, roots artist and Grammy winner Allison Russell, musician and poet Mustafa, and hip-hop duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids (who took home the prize last year, for “Damn Right”) are all amongst the shortlisted nominees.
Since its introduction in 2013, the Prism Prize has been celebrating outstanding work in Canadian music video production. The shortlist is determined by a jury of more than 120 leading figures in Canadian music, film and media arts. In evaluating the music videos, the jury considers elements such as originality, style, creativity, innovation and execution.
Each of the top 10 finalists is also eligible for the fan-voted Audience Award, which comes with a $2,500 CAD prize for the winner.
A celebration of the Class of 2024 will take place in July, featuring a screening of the top 10 videos and the announcement of the winners.
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The 2024 Prism Prize Top 10 (in alphabetical order):
Blame Brett – Artist: The Beaches | Director: Ievy Stamatov
Borrow Trouble – Artist: Feist | Directors: Mary Rozzi, Colby Richardson, Heather Goodchild & Leslie Feist
Demons – Artist: Allison Russell | Director: Ethan Tobman
feral canadian scaredy cat – Artist: young friend | Director: Sterling Larose & Zachary Vague
I’m Good – Artist: Snotty Nose Rez Kids | Director: Sterling Larose
I Wanna Be Your Right Hand – Artist: Nemahsis | Directors: Norman Wong & Amy Gardner
My Mind At Ease – Artist: Dominique Fils-Aimé | Director: Adrian Villagomez
Name of God – Artist & Director: Mustafa
Of Woods And Seas – Artist: Alaskan Tapes | Director: Andrew De Zen
Revenge of the Orchestra (feat. Magugu) – Artist: Apashe | Director: Adrian Villagomez
LONDON — Two of the United Kingdom’s leading music management companies have joined forces after ATC Management acquired a majority stake in Raw Power Management, whose clients include rock bands Bring Me The Horizon and Bullet For My Valentine.
Financial terms reveal that ATC paid £1.4 million ($1.8 million) for a 55% stake in Raw Power, which was founded in 2006 by CEO Craig Jennings, Rod Smallwood and Andy Taylor. Headquartered in London and with offices in Los Angeles, Raw Power’s other clients include The Mars Volta, The Damned, You Me At Six, Don Broco, Heartworms, Kid Kapichi, The Chisel and Refused.
Under the new partnership, Raw Power’s U.K. team, including Jennings and commercial director Don Jenkins, will relocate to ATC Management’s London headquarters. Both companies’ LA-based operations will also merge with immediate effect.
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Raw Power employs 14 staff across its U.K. and U.S. offices. The firm said there will be no job losses because of the deal.
According to a regulatory financial filing, Raw Power generated £2.3 million ($2.9 million) in revenue in the year ending Feb. 28 2023. Profit before tax was £326,000 ($412,000).
As part of the majority stake deal, ATC will loan Raw Power up to £1.3 million ($1.6 million) in additional funds to pay off historic debts. Listed among those liabilities in Companies House records is a £1.9 million ($2.4 million) loan from Phantom Music Management, the company of Iron Maiden’s long-time manager (and Raw Power co-founder) Rod Smallwood.
Since its formation in 2006, Raw Power has built itself into one of the leading rock artist management companies in Europe.
Bring Me The Horizon, who are managed by Jennings and the firm’s U.S. president, Matt Ash, won best rock/alternative act at this year’s Brit Awards and have surpassed 1 billion Spotify streams and more than 5 million equivalent album sales worldwide.
The British band’s most recent album, 2020’s Post Human: Survival Horror, topped the charts in the U.K. and peaked at No. 3 on Billboard’s Hard Rock albums chart. A sold-out U.K. and Ireland tour in January sold 140,000 tickets across 10 dates, says Raw Power.
ATC Management was founded in 1996, initially as a boutique ticketing and marketing business, before focusing on artist management. Part of the independently owned ATC Group, which also encompasses live booking agency ATC Live, merchandise company Sandbag and livestream business Driift, the management business represents more than 60 artists, including Nick Cave, The Smile, PJ Harvey, Yaeji, and Johnny Marr. ATC Live represents more than 500 acts, while Sandbag has relationships with 750 artists.
In 2021, ATC Group, which is headquartered in London and operates offices in Los Angeles and New York, listed on the U.K.’s Aquis Stock Exchange.
Commenting on the deal, Raw Power’s Jennings said the merger with ATC marked “a new era” for both companies and would turn them into a “powerhouse organization.”
“Both ATC and Raw Power value integrity, belief in the acts we look after, passion for the music and doing everything for the benefit of our artists,” said Jennings in a statement. “This feels like a massive opportunity to take our artists to a whole new level.”
“At heart, our two companies have a common purpose – to support artists and empower them to achieve their creative and commercial goals,” said Adam Driscoll, CEO, ATC Group. “By coming together and combining forces, the capacity to deliver on those goals has increased substantially.”
Metro Boomin stands poised in quiet confidence, silhouetted against the backdrop of the Great Pyramids of Giza. With an aura of timeless grandeur, the three pyramids echo the iconic rhythm of his “Young Metro 3x” producer tag. Framed meticulously by his photographer, Gunner Stahl, the moment is frozen in time, capturing not just an artist, but a convergence of history, culture and creativity. As the desert sun bathes the scene in a golden light, Metro Boomin’s presence among the pyramids becomes more than a photograph – it’s a testament to the enduring legacy of artistry and innovation.
In this juxtaposition of ancient wonder and contemporary music, Metro’s presence before the pyramids speaks volumes. It demonstrates hip-hop’s enduring influence and its ability to transcend time and space, from Missouri to the Middle East. Metro Boomin’s April 30 concert at the Kundalini Grand Pyramids venue sold out in record time, whereby Live Nation, the organizer, announced a second night in his routing through the Middle East (including a show in Abu Dhabi’s BRED Festival). The majority of the audience knew the words to at least one if not several of his songs and collaborations played during his nearly two-hour set, suggesting that Metro Boomin’s music has found a home in hearts of youth culture worldwide.
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Per Billboard Explains, Metro Boomin’s Billboard Hot 100 breakthrough as a producer came with Future’s “Honest,” which hit No. 55 in 2013. Over the next three years, he produced 23 more Hot 100 hits. He earned his first No. 1 on the Hot 100 for his work on Migos and Lil Uzi Vert’s collab “Bad and Boujee,” which topped the chart for three weeks in 2017. The episode explains that Metro boasts a remarkable tally of 16 top 10 hits on the Hot 100, including noteworthy productions like The Weeknd’s “Heartless” in 2019 and his collaborative effort with Future and Kendrick Lamar, “Like That,” which clinched the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100 for three weeks this year.
His collaborations with prominent rap artists on groundbreaking albums have been stellar, with seven top 10 entries on the Billboard 200. According to Billboard Explains, notable highlights include Double or Nothing with Big Sean, which peaked at No. 6 in 2017, Savage Mode II, which ascended to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2020, and his solo project Heroes and Villains, which claimed the top spot on the Billboard 200 in 2022, maintaining a record-breaking 18-week reign atop the Top Rap Albums chart. So far in 2024, Metro’s collaborative album with Future, We Don’t Trust You, and the follow up album, We Still Don’t Trust You, both debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200.
Despite the accolades, Metro maintains a subtle balance of confidence and humility, driven by what feels like a clear sense of purpose in how he approaches making music and chart-topping hits. Throughout his two shows at the Kundalini Grand Pyramids venue, Metro praises his audience and carries with him a sense of wonderment at performing against the backdrop of some of the oldest structures in the world. “I’ve always wanted to see this [the pyramids] with my own eyes, but I could never even fathom doing a show and performing in front of something as crazy and legendary and history as this,” says Metro. “I’m grateful for everyone, for the whole country.”
Metro displays this love in his Cairo shows, wrapping himself in an Egyptian flag as the epic intro of “Superhero (Heroes & Villains)” with Future and Chris Brown plays out in one of his closing tracks in the set. He seems completely unfazed that he is performing solo. He emcees his set, engaging frequently with the audience while delivering a mixtape of his massive body of work, masterfully scripted together in a way that tells a story of what it means for a kid from St. Louis, Miss., to end up making music that captivates the entire world.
When asked about his first hip-hop memory, and what song or album compelled him to pursue the genre artistically and professionally, Metro points back to the year 2000, with the release of Nelly’s Country Grammar. Still in kindergarten at the time, there was no going back for Metro, and with the support of his mother, Leslie Joanne Wayne, he went on to become the most sought-after hip-hop producer of his generation, and a catalyst for reviving the genre’s placement on the Billboard charts.
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As reported by Billboard, with We Still Don’t Trust You arriving atop the Billboard 200 only three weeks after We Don’t Trust You debuted at No. 1, that marks the shortest gap between new No. 1s by an artist since Future replaced himself at No. 1 in 2017 in successive weeks with his self-titled album (March 11, 2017, chart) and HNDRXX (March 18, 2017), both of which debuted at No. 1.
According to Metro Boomin, this success came as a result of what he calls “really caring,” coupled with the urgent need to continue competing with oneself, in order to do better than whatever he did last. But there was a deeper force at play beyond just his individual work ethic, which propelled his consecutive albums with Future to unprecedented heights.
In June 2023, Billboard reported that “rap had yet to produce a Billboard 200-topping album or Billboard Hot 100-topping single” that year, while industry executives grew concerned over the genre’s growth and potential stagnation. So for Metro, things got personal.
“I really took it personally, in the past couple years, seeing different outlets and people sh-tting on hip-hop, saying ‘hip-hop is dying, hip-hop is this, it’s been this long since there was a hip hop No 1…’ says Metro Boomin. “Just trying to spin that whole hip-hop is dying narrative, at the same time trying to celebrate 50 years of hip-hop. I felt they were trying to wash our genre and culture away, I’m still in the game, and I take it personal. Those kind of things disturbed me, at the same time, it was the kind of fuel I needed.”
Reflecting on his roots and the impact of his work on hip-hop, Metro’s passion for the genre is radiant. This undeniable drive propels him to continuously elevate his presence on the Billboard charts and within the genre at large. With each chart-topping hit and sold-out show, Metro Boomin not only cements his own legacy but also pays homage to hip-hop while ensuring its continued relevance for generations to come. Because for Metro, hip-hop is not dead, it’s very much alive and thriving.
Metro Boomin for Billboard Arabia
Gunner Stahl
Metro Boomin for Billboard Arabia
Gunner Stahl
Metro Boomin for Billboard Arabia
Gunner Stahl