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03 Nov 2023

The Beatles’ ‘Now and Then’ Debuts on Rock & Alternative Airplay Chart After One Day

After less than one day of airplay, The Beatles’ “Now and Then” debuts at No. 37 on Billboard’s Rock & Alternative Airplay chart dated Nov. 11.

In the Oct. 27-Nov. 2 tracking week, “Now and Then” – with all of its airplay logged Nov. 2, after it premiered at 10 a.m. ET – earned 1.1 million audience impressions, according to Luminate. That total includes plays on stations that report to the Adult Alternative Airplay survey, where the track is bubbling under thanks to 136 spins in its first day, and Mainstream Rock Airplay, via 27 detections.

“Now and Then” is the third song from The Beatles to reach Billboard’s rock airplay charts since the lists’ inception (Mainstream Rock Airplay in 1981, Alternative Airplay in 1988, Adult Alternative Airplay in 1996 and Rock & Alternative Airplay in 2009). “Free as a Bird” debuted and peaked at No. 8 on Mainstream Rock Airplay in December 1995 and appeared on the inaugural Adult Alternative Airplay tally (Jan. 20, 1996) at No. 11, while “Real Love” peaked at No. 16 on Adult Alternative Airplay in March 1996.

“Now and Then” is billed as the final Beatles song, first recorded as a demo in the late 1970s by John Lennon and initially meant for the band’s The Beatles’ Anthology series in the mid-‘90s before being shelved by the surviving members of the band. It was completed and released this year after new technology helped extract Lennon’s vocals from the original demo while also using guitar recordings from George Harrison from the initial attempt to finish the song.

The first full week of activity for “Now and Then” will be reflected on Billboard’s Nov. 18-dated charts, including the streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Billboard Hot 100 (encompassing activity tracked Nov. 3-9).

All Billboard charts dated Nov. 11 will update on Billboard.com on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

03 Nov 2023

Sheryl Crow Hails Olivia Rodrigo As ‘the Real Deal’: Watch

Olivia Rodrigo officially has the Sheryl Crow stamp of approval. During a Thursday (Nov. 2) appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the nine-time Grammy winner sang the “Bad Idea Right” singer’s praises as she discussed the upcoming Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

“She’s the real deal. She’s precious,” Crow gushed. “She’s a great songwriter. She seems kinda unaffected by all of it, you know? When I was 19 — her age — I was like, ‘How do you fill out this application for college?!’”

Rodrigo — who took some time to attend class at USC’s Thornton School of Music after wrapping the promotional run for her Sour album — is now 20 years old, making her several years younger than Crow’s highest charting Billboard Hot 100 hit, 1994’s “All I Wanna Do” (No. 2).

The “Strong Enough” singer revealed that she first met Rodrigo “last year during a whole bunch of Grammy stuff.” “We wound up on some stuff together, and she’s super cool,” she added. “She asked me to do this thing when she came to Nashville, and so I was like, ‘OK!’”

The “thing” in question was an intimate, stripped-down September performance at The Bluebird Café in Nashville. The pair duetted on Crow’s 1996 hit “If It Makes You Happy” (No. 10).

In the caption for a Sept. 29 Instagram post — which consisted of an adorable photo of the two stars posing with magazines while sitting under hair dryers — Rodrigo wrote, “Pinch me! Sang one of my favorite songs of all time with the greatest of all time @sherylcrow !!!! what an honor!!!!” Crow also reposted the image to her main feed with the caption, “Funnest day ever with the amazingly brilliant @oliviarodrigo! What a talent!! And the loveliest young woman!”

As for Friday’s Rock Hall induction, Crow — who dropped a new song called “Alarm Clock” on Friday (Nov. 3) — explained that she simply “texted [Rodrigo] and said, ‘Hey, would you do the Rock Hall with me?’ And she was like, ‘I’d love to! I’d be so honored!’”

The “Good 4 U” singer — who is also a finalist for top female artist at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards — will again join Crow onstage for a performance at the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which kicks off at 8 p.m. ET.

“I was cool with my kids!” Crow quipped of getting Rodrigo to join her.

Watch the “Everyday Is a Winding Road” singer discuss her relationship with Olivia Rodrigo above, and her performance of “Alarm Clock” on The Tonight Show below.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=84A4-7JPz1k&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

03 Nov 2023

Global Citizen & pgLang Create New Touring Circuit ‘Move Africa’

Global Citizen and pgLang have teamed up to create a new touring circuit throughout Africa titled Move Afrika: A Global Citizen Experience. To kick off the initiative, Kendrick Lamar will headline Move Afrika: Rwanda at the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, on Dec. 6. Lamar’s pgLang company will serve as the Curator of Move Afrika for the next five years, from 2023 until 2028. 

According to a press release, the goal of Move Afrika will be to “address the world’s inequities by creating job and entrepreneurship opportunities for the continent’s emerging generations through an annual series of world-class live events.” It will also “drive transformative investments within local communities, engage local artists, vendors, agencies and crews, and provide opportunities for on-the-job skill development and training.”

Rwanda will host Move Afrika for the next five years. After that, the tour schedule will add more countries with hopes of expanding to five by 2025. Partners of Move Afrika include pgLang, the Rwanda Development Board and TimesLive.

“Africa is driving culture and creativity globally, but the Continent has been left out of the global music touring circuit for too long,” says Hugh Evans, co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen. “By moving from one-off events to the sustained commitment of an annual tour, Move Afrika will drive transformative investments across Africa through the pioneering of a world-class touring circuit.”

“Our goal with Move Afrika is to inspire local youth and artists to unlock their creativity. We hope to curate an immersive experience that empowers various communities and cultures across Africa and around the world for a lifetime,” adds pgLang.

Move Afrika will also aim to include regional artists to the Dec. 6 show to perform alongside Lamar. For more information and tickets to the event, fans can go here. 

03 Nov 2023

Why Restricting ‘Taylor’s Version’-Style Re-Recordings Could Backfire (Guest Column)

Lawyers often say that bad facts make bad law – meaning that unusual or unlikely details of a case can shape precedent in unpredictable ways. But bad facts can also make for bad contracts, to judge by the contractual restrictions on re-recording that major labels may be adopting in the wake of the success of Taylor Swift‘s “Taylor’s Version” of her albums.

Re-recording restrictions, a common contractual provision that has been part of record deals for decades, are intended as a kind of post-term noncompete. Their understandable economic purpose is to stop an artist from re-recording songs released under a contract that has run its course in order to benefit a subsequent label – and let the subsequent recording compete with the original without a comparable investment. Under that logic, the reasonable duration of a re-recording restriction would be a few years, as was the practice before the “Taylor’s Version” releases came out. It’s harder to justify locking up artists for a protracted period that might be longer than the duration of the original recording agreement.

That duration could be limited, too, by a potential legal challenge. Both the federal government and many states restrict the enforceability of noncompete clauses in employment agreements, particularly when they limit economic freedom. (Examples include California Business and Professions Code Section 16600, and the recently passed New York Senate Bill S3100A, which New York governor Kathy Hochul is expected to sign.) Next year, the Federal Trade Commission will vote on banning noncompete clauses in employment agreements altogether. Labels often say that recording artists aren’t employees, but that wouldn’t necessarily put these kinds of restrictions above the fray – especially if they last longer than seems reasonable.

Few artists re-record anything, and those who do usually only revisit one or a few hits, maybe their biggest album at most, and that’s more likely if there’s a contractual dispute. It’s unprecedented for a significant artist to re-record his or her entire catalog, repackage each album and promote their rerelease – particularly when the original hit releases are still readily available. That requires motivation. Or, in Swift’s case, perhaps, frustration. But in a “Taylor’s Version” world, who wants to be the one who let it happen again?

Chris Castle

Chris Castle

Laura Lee Nall Photography

Without getting into the he-said-she-said of the sale of Big Machine, including Swift’s recording catalog, it’s important to note that it was an unusual case. So, it’s worth asking if there’s a lower-risk alternative.

If a label is going to sell a living artist’s entire catalog – or sell a company whose value is dominated by that catalog – the safe thing to do might be to offer the artist a chance to bid on it. Or, failing that, at least consult with the artist to create a comfortable situation, even if that requires additional assurances or an additional payment. If you think it’s only necessary to do the minimum, look at what can happen with an overly legalistic approach. To artists like Swift, these recordings are their life.

Changing the recording agreement template to try to guarantee an outcome may backfire. “Taylor’s Version” simply isn’t a normal situation – it’s one that involved the world’s most popular artist, who is as attached to her catalog as any performer, plus just as business-savvy as most executives. It’s a situation that was almost impossible to anticipate – so making contracts even more one-sided may not help. Instead, a change like this could draw the attention of President Biden’s FTC, which seems to have an abiding interest in noncompete clauses. Especially if a number of competitors just happen to push the same contractual change at the same time.

If labels must have extended re-recording restrictions, couldn’t they add a sweetener, such as offering living artists a right to match the highest bid if their recording catalogs are ever sold individually, or a blocking right over the buyer or something similar? Alternatively, they could also just leave things be.

An overreaching re-recording restriction could also provoke retaliation from artists’ lawyers. They could make leverage points like post-term marketing restrictions and audits more important deal points in order to fight restrictions. That means disfavored buyers might have to wonder how hard it could be to get the approvals they need, or how much they would like continual audits. And in cases where artists are also principal songwriters, buyers could also have trouble clearing song rights, especially for new purposes like AI.

Some labels may be less concerned with expanding this restriction than they are with winning a competitive negotiation to sign a new artist. And if a competing label agrees to a shorter restriction, it could be an easy compromise that would cost little or nothing.

There’s always a temptation to add restrictions to contracts, but in this case, the exercise could backfire. Labels might be advised to be careful what they wish for.

Chris Castle is an Austin-based lawyer. He represents artists, publishers, songwriters and startups on commercial and public policy matters.

03 Nov 2023

LL Cool J & The Roots Reimagine ‘Mama Said Knock You Out’ for NBA In-Season Tournament Anthem

As the NBA season embarks on its inaugural In-Season Tournament Friday (Nov. 3), the league tapped two rap cornerstones to form a triumphant anthem: LL Cool J and The Roots combine two of their classic efforts — “Mama Said Knock You Out” and “Here I Come,” respectively — to create the official anthem. The video finds LL and legendary Roots members Questlove and Black Thought joining forces to fuse their hits to create a memorable mash-up to kick off the In-Season Tournament.

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Thought first leads the way by chanting the hook from the group’s “Here I Come” before LL takes centerstage to recite his striking verse from his Grammy-winning song. Instead of rapping inside a boxing ring like in his classic video, LL performs on the In-Season Tournament stage alongside the NBA Cup, the trophy given to the winning team.

LL Cool J and The Roots

Courtesy Photo

According to the NBA’s press release, the anthem “will serve as the musical backdrop for the stages of the In-Season Tournament, starting with Group Play involving all 30 teams and progressing through the single-elimination Knockout Rounds, culminating in the Championship.”

“I’ve been a fan of the NBA ever since I can remember, and it’s a real honor to have my record serving as the anthem for this monumental moment,” said LL in the release. “I’m excited to see the energy of the song translate to the play on the court during the NBA In-Season Tournament.”

Earlier this summer, LL and The Roots shared the stage for The F.O.R.C.E. Tour.

Check out their mash-up above.

03 Nov 2023

Beatles Digitally Reunited in Wistful ‘Now And Then’ Video Directed by Peter Jackson

With a full day to absorb the melancholy strains of the final Beatles song, “Now and Then,” fans had ample time to prepare for the accompanying video directed by Oscar-winner Peter Jackson.

So when the official high-tech sentimental journey dropped on Friday morning (Nov. 3), you could almost hear the nostalgic global sigh at Jackson’s contribution to the final chapter in rock’s most epic tale. The four-and-a-half minute video opens with some guitar tuning and footage of a cassette being pushed into a tape machine as drummer Ringo Starr takes his place behind the kit and bassist/singer Paul McCartney readies his pick.

Once an unseen hand presses play, viewers are magically transported back to the final Beatles recording session in 1995, where McCartney, Starr and guitarist/singer George Harrison began the process of rediscovering a decades-old song demo’d by late bandmate John Lennon. As Lennon’s keening vocals rise up, Jackson juxtaposes a profile shot of Lennon staring out at the sunset with a floating image of the young Beatles goofing around in their prime.

In a release describing the video prior to release, Jackson promised that it would take fans on a “poignant and humorous” journey that invited viewers to celebrate the band’s timeless and enduring love for one another.

Conjuring an image Beatles fans could only dream of, Jackson does that that by sliding a shot of a current-day McCartney in the studio laying down his backing vocals into frame, as he appears to stare across the universe at the ghostly Lennon shadow. The video then cycles through a series of then-and-now pictures and videos of the band in their salad days and a sure-to-be-talked-about sequence in which archival shots of Lennon and Harrison are spliced in aside present-day McCartney and Starr in a recording session.

“Now and Then” is the final song written by Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr, and it was finished by living members McCartney and Starr more than 40 years after the group began work on it.

A master of studio tech, the Lord of the Rings director aims to recapture the energy, love and spirit of the group by placing a young Macca next to the now-octogenarian rock icon watching a string section lay down their parts, as a young Harrison goofs around over his left shoulder. Starr plays drums alongside his youthful self and a number of shots find Lennon doing silly dances in a variety of scenarios amid a cascade of previously unseen photos and videos of the band members as children and at the peak of their global pop powers.

In his statement before the video’s release, Jackson described worrying that there was no footage of Lennon’s original late 1970’s home recording of the song’s demon with just voice and piano (and a TV blaring the the background) and none of living members finishing the song last year. Jackson said he was ready to walk away before McCartney and Starr sent him footage of their sessions, with the Beatles’ Apple Corps then stepping in to provide more than 14 hours of long-forgotten film shot during a 1995 session featuring the pair, and late guitarist/singer Harrison in the studio working on the song; Lennon was killed by a deranged fan in 1980 outside his New York apartment building — where the song was demo’d — and Harrison died in 2001.

Jackson also got help from Lennon’s son, singer Sean Ono Lennon, and Harrison’s widow, Olivia, and son, Dhani, who found some unseen home video to add to the project. The band’s original drummer, Pete Best, also offered up some of the earliest film of the band performing in their leather suits that had never been seen before.

With that footage in hand, Jackson — who was also behind the acclaimed 2021 The Beatles: Get Back miniseries — set out to make a project that would “bring a few tears to the eye. The video is complimented by a 12-minute Now and Then — The Last Beatles Song documentary written by Oliver Murray that dropped on Wednesday.

Watch Jackson’s “Now and Then” video below.

03 Nov 2023

Apple Services Revenue Hits $22.3B, Another New Record

Apple reported a blowout quarterly earnings report, with its serviced division (which includes Apple TV+, Apple Music and other media-related offerings) hitting another new record with $22.3 billion in revenue.

That was up from $19.2 billion a year ago, and from $21.2 billion in its last quarter.

In total, Apple delivered revenues of $89.5 billion in its fiscal Q4, with profits of $23 billion, reflecting strong demand for its iPhone line.

“Today Apple is pleased to report a September quarter revenue record for iPhone and an all-time revenue record in Services,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, in a statement. “We now have our strongest lineup of products ever heading into the holiday season, including the iPhone 15 lineup and our first carbon neutral Apple Watch models, a major milestone in our efforts to make all Apple products carbon neutral by 2030.”

Apple is seeking to improve its revenues and margins in its services business, raising prices on Apple TV+ and other subscription offerings last month. Apple TV+ now costs $9.99 per month, though it is also included in the Apple One subscription bundle, which includes products like Apple Arcade, Apple News, and extra cloud storage.

“We achieved all time revenue records across App Store, advertising, Apple Care, iCloud, payment services and video, as well as the September quarter revenue record on Apple Music,” Cook added on the earnings call.

As for Apple TV+, Cook touted Martin Scorsese’s new movie Killers of the Flower Moon, and noted the awards that ths ervice has garnered.

“We’re telling impactful stories that inspire imagination and stir the soul,” Cook said. “Making movies that make a difference is also at the heart of Apple TV+, and we were thrilled to produce Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, a powerful work of cinema that premiered in theaters around the world last month.”

Apple CFO Luca Maestri added on the call that Apple’s services division now has “well more than one billion” subscribers.

Also on the call, Cook confirmed that the company is investing significantly in generative artificial intelligence: “Obviously we have work going on, I’m not going to get into details about what it is because as you know, we don’t we really don’t do that,” Cook said in response to a question from an analyst. “But you can bet that we’re investing, we’re investing quite a bit. We’re going to do it responsibly. And you will see product advancements over time where those technologies are at the heart of them.”

This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.

03 Nov 2023

Inside the Making of Jimmy Buffett’s Final Album: ‘He Was So Proud of This One,’ Says Longtime Bandmate Mac McAnally

As Jimmy Buffett worked on his 32nd studio album, Equal Strain on All Parts, earlier this year, he never acknowledged that it could be his final set.  

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“I wasn’t necessarily thinking in terms of this being the last thing he had to say, but I think, in retrospect, he probably was,” says guitarist/songwriter Mac McAnally, who has produced Buffett’s albums with his fellow Coral Reefer Band mate Michael Utley since 1997. “But he never let on. He never surrendered to what was actually happening.” 

Buffett, 76, died on Sept. 1 after a four-year battle with skin cancer and lymphoma. “There were people in our organization that didn’t know he was ill,” McAnally says. “He didn’t want anybody feeling sorry for him. He just wanted to be this big ray of positivity that he always was. When I went and said goodbye to him the night before he died, he was still smiling just wider than his face.” 

After they finished recording in the summer, Buffett kept tinkering with the sequencing, as McAnally realized the beloved singer-songwriter was rearranging the songs to tell his life’s journey. “When he heard the whole album in sequence, he was so proud of this one in a way that I’ve never seen him be,” McAnally says. “And that may be because he knew it was the last one and he got it right.”

The album, out today (Nov. 3) on Mailboat/Sun Records, opens with “University of Bourbon Street,” which takes listeners to New Orleans, the city where Buffett’s career began more than 50 years ago, and concludes with a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Mozambique,” a country he longed to visit. In between are autobiographical songs such as “Close Calls” — which recalls some of Buffett’s real-life escapades, including getting beaten up by Sheriff Buford Pusser of Walking Tall fame — and “Portugal Or PEI,” which serves as a travelogue of his wanderlust and also lyrically references past hits “Volcano” and his breakthrough song, “Come Monday.”   

Moving “Bourbon Street,” which features the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, to the first slot “was the last modification to the sequencing that he did,” McAnally says. “And it ends with ‘Mozambique.’ That’s still him wanting to go the rest of the places that he never got to go. From where he started to where he intended to go. It’s a life story in between. He put so much thought into this group of songs.”

Buffett began cutting basic tracks in January at Nashville’s Blackbird Studio, and then headed back to his studio in Key West, Florida, to record the vocals, working on the album between concerts until he stopped playing live in May. Though Buffett’s vocal ability sometimes wavered depending upon where he was in his medical treatments, ultimately, McAnally and Utley captured Buffett in very strong form. “I think he really sang well, from the heart, on this one,” McAnally says. “If something has to be your last thing to say, I believe this is one to be proud of.” 

The 14-track album is classic Buffett, with songs representing so much of what has endeared him to generations of fans,  including the humorous “Fish Porn,” written with noted author/columnist and longtime Buffett buddy Carl Hiaasen and McAnally; the easygoing, escapist “Nobody Works on Friday”; the steel-drum-lined “Ti Punch Café” (featuring Angelique Kidjo); and the reflective, yearning “Columbus.”

Buffett adds his familiar island lilt to “Mozambique.” The new rendition features Emmylou Harris, who also sang on Dylan’s 1976 version. “She thanked us for giving her a lyric sheet because she said when she sang on the original with Dylan, he wouldn’t tell her the lyrics. She was just having to watch his mouth,” says McAnally with a laugh.

Buffett, who often posted photos of his Cavalier King Charles Spaniels on his Instagram, also covered “Like My Dog,” a top 30 country hit for Billy Currington in 2011 written by Scotty Emerick and Harley Allen. “Jimmy loved his dogs more than maybe anything on earth except the show,” McAnally says. 

Even though there was no talk in the studio about it being the final album, first single, “Bubbles Up,” written by Buffett and Will Kimbrough, serves as a fitting farewell to fans, with its message of hope and resilience. The song was inspired by Buffett participating in Navy SEAL training, including jumping out of a helicopter into the ocean with a weighted pack on his back. 

McAnally recalls the advice the admiral overseeing Buffett gave: “’When you’re down in the water and you don’t know where you are, follow the bubbles. That’s how you get to where you’re supposed to be.’” 

McAnally knew they were on to something special with the song, so much so that he prodded Buffett to replace a vocal recorded earlier in the process. “He generally doesn’t like to be pushed in the studio, and I made him go back and work on his vocal,” he says. “I was like, ‘This is too good, Jimmy. Let’s record it again and really tell the story…’ He didn’t want it to be slick and polished, he wanted it to sound like a bunch of people around a campfire figuring out what’s important about life.” 

When McAnally played Buffett the revised version, “He smiled as big as he’s ever smiled on the happiest day of his life, but tears just rolling,” he says. “He was like, ‘This is so good. Thank you.’”

 “Bubbles Up” debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Rock Digital Song Sales chart for the week ending Sep. 14, according to Luminate. It also started at No. 2 on the Country Digital Song Sales chart. Earlier this week,  CMT debuted the emotional video, which includes footage spanning Buffett’s adult life and his love for spending time on the water and on the stage. 

On a lighter note, the album also includes “My Gummie Just Kicked In,” a song inspired by a line Paul McCartney’s wife, Nancy, jokingly said after she tripped while she and McCartney were out to dinner with Buffett and his wife. McCartney plays bass on the track. Buffett flew to Los Angeles in June to be with McCartney in the studio, while McAnally advised remotely.

“Paul wrote himself out a very detailed Paul McCartney chart to play the song. He put a lot of work into it,” McAnally says. “It’s very rare that someone can go in by themselves and overdub on a track that’s already been recorded and add energy to it, but Paul McCartney played bass on that track like a 20-year-old Beatle. It’s unbelievable.”

The title track, written by Buffett and McAnally and inspired by a saying from Buffett’s grandfather, reveals the secret to a good nap is making sure one’s body weight is equally distributed. “It takes a second to realize he’s talking about something good,” McAnally says.

Cameras captured the recording process and a few behind-the-scenes videos have already rolled out. McAnally says it’s possible that a documentary on the making of Equal Strain could be forthcoming. “It will be the final complete project,” he says of the album. “Since we have quite a bit of content that arose from it, I think they’ll probably make use of that  because there’s never a bad time to see that smile on his face.”

Buffett didn’t leave a lot of music in the vault, but McAnally says there are some existing tracks he’d also love to see released. There were only two songs recorded for Equal Strain that didn’t make the album, but, “We have a few things over the years of Jimmy that are really good,” he says. “There can be a posthumous release, but it will be just literally a collection of things that we did and we never put out for whatever reason. He’s got a gorgeous version of Joni Mitchell’s ‘Amelia.’ I can’t believe we didn’t put it out when we recorded it.”

McAnally says Buffett’s wish was for the Coral Reefer Band, who backed Buffett in various iterations since the ‘70s, to continue. “The Coral Reefer Band is second family to all of us. We are a family. And Jimmy wants us to continue and we want to continue,” he says. “There’s ongoing discussions about the best way to do that, the most practical way to do that and how to do it in a way that is worthy of the legacy that we’re part of.” 

In the immediate future, McAnally will take part in a tribute to Buffett on Nov. 8’s CMA Awards. The salute will also include Zac Brown Band, Kenny Chesney and Alan Jackson, three acts that he’d recorded with and were deeply influenced by him. 

03 Nov 2023

Megan Thee Stallion Drops “Cobra,” Turns Pardison Fontaine Into Public Enemy No. 1

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After much anticipation, Megan Thee Stallion finally dropped her latest single, “Cobra” and while some fans are rejoicing at the new cut, others have taken aim at her ex, Pardison Fontaine for allegedly cheating on her while she was going through the emotional and legal motions with Tory Lanez.

For the visuals to “Cobra,” Thee Stallion from H-Town embraces the whole “shedding dead skin like a snake” analogy and finds herself literally shedding skin (seductively we might add) while onlookers take photos of her in her own terrarium where she goes through the process. Showing off her new and more toned physic, Megan makes no apologies for the woman she’s worked hard to become as she flaunts every bump and curve that’s been driving men crazy since she stepped into the game.

But what had fans talking was one particular line in which she spit, “Pulled up, caught him cheating/getting his d*ck sucked in the same spot I’m sleeping/Lord, give me a break, I don’t know how much more of this sh*t I can take.” Needless to say fans were quick to pounce on Pardison on Twitter vowing to put the beats on him for daring to step out on Megan when she needed his support the most.

Check out the video to Megan Thee Stallion’s “Cobra” below and peep some of the internet’s reaction to her reference to Pardison Fontaine below and let us know your thoughts in the comments section.



03 Nov 2023

Executive Turntable: Guitar Center Leadership All Shook Up; Warner Classics VP Comes to America

It’s Friday! That means another spin around the Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across the music industry.

Guitar Center tapped longtime board member Gabriel Dalporto to be the musical instrument re-and-etailer’s new CEO, effective immediately. The appointment follows the sudden departure of Ron Japinga, who joined the company in 2014 and has served as CEO since 2016. The company gave no reason for Japinga’s exit but did stress that he will no longer serve as a member of the board. Other changes in the offing include the return of Tim Martin as chief financial officer and the appointment of Ken C. Hicks as chairman of the board. Dalporto most recently served as CEO of online education platform Udacity, and he previously served in various senior roles at online lender LendingTree. He has been a member of the company’s board of directors since 2018. Leading that board, effective immediately, will be Hicks, currently the executive chairman of Academy Sports. Additionally, Martin is back in the CFO spot, which he occupied from 2012-2022. (He spent his break from slinging guitars as COO and CFO of Torrid Holdings, a direct-to-consumer apparel brand specializing in plus-size clothing.)

Sean Michael Gross, the head of WMG’s classical music unit in the UK, has added North America to his remit. As vice president of Warner Classics UK & North America, Gross will split his time between London and the States, and continue to report to Warner Classics president Alain Lanceron. The California native joined Warner in 2021 and in that short time has grown the label’s market share and workeed with a roster that includes Fatma Said and Abel Selacoe, among others. Prior to joining WMG, Gross accumulated professional credits at IMG Artists, 21C Media Group and Askonas Holt. “Sean has been a tremendous asset to our global Classics team in the last couple of years,” said Lanceron. “He is always at the forefront of change in the classical music sector, taking an innovative approach that embraces the future.”

The Orchard‘s largest office outside of NYC has given its co-leaders some title bumps. Effective immediately, Ian Dutt has been elevated from managing director to president of UK operations, while Chris Manning will now put managing director, UK and Europe on his business cards instead of general manager. Both are based in London — where they oversee a team of 150-plus employees and will continue to lead global efforts and day-to-day operations for the Sony-owned distribution company. Dutt joined Orchard in 2016 as part of its merger with Sony RED UK, where he was MD. Manning began his Orchard journey in 2008 and has held a plethora of positions there including label and operations manager, and senior director of international operations. They’ll continue to report to Colleen Theis, president and COO. “Ian and Chris will continue to spearhead operations for our artist and label partners, expand our network, and seek out amazing independent talent in our second biggest market,” said Theis. “Together, they are an unparalleled team who work tirelessly to connect our clients from the region to audiences worldwide.”

Bay Area indie label, publisher and distributor EMPIRE elevated industry veteran Elliott Peters to general counsel. Peters, who joined the company in 2020 and was most recently svp of global business, will now oversee EMPIRE’s legal and business affairs and be the fine print point person for all deals with DSPs and retailers. Prior to EMPIRE, Peters spent nearly two years as vp of business and legal affairs at SoundCloud, and before that held executive roles at RDIO — as it was being sold to Pandora — and Apple. He kicked off his music industry career in 2000 at Warner Music Group and over the course of 10 years at the major, rose to svp of head of digital and legal affairs. “Elliott has been tremendous in helping EMPIRE scale globally,” said EMPIRE CEO and founder, Ghazi. “As we continue to enter new markets around the world, Elliott will spearhead our efforts worldwide.”

Laura Mendoza joined Sony Music Publishing as managing director of its Colombia office, effective immediately. She’s based in Bogotá and reports directly to Jorge Mejia, Sony Music Publishing president & CEO, Latin America and U.S. Latin. A creative executive with 20-plus years in the music industry, Mendoza most recently served as head of label and artist solutions Central America, Andean & Southern Cone Region at Believe Distribution Services. Prior to that, she worked at Altafonte Music Network and at EMI Music Colombia. In her new role at Sony Music Publishing, she’ll be responsible for overseeing SMP Colombia’s business operations and advancing its growth initiatives, working closely with the company’s Latin America and U.S. Latin teams, as well as industry partners across the region. “It is an honor to work alongside so many talented professionals across the company,” Mendoza says. “Both the challenge and the opportunity of developing the careers of such a fantastic roster will allow me to contribute to a better industry and to the growth of SMP songwriters globally.” –Sigal Ratner-Arias

ICYMI: BMG terminated about 40 employees on Oct. 27, including executive vp of global repertoire Fred Casimir and senior vp of global repertoire Jason Hradil. The cuts effectively halted its international marketing department for recordings as well as its Modern Recordings label … Sounds Australia veteran Esti Zilber will take the reins at the national music export body, succeeding Millie Millgate as executive producer.

Kobalt promoted Sean Dishman to senior director of creative. The Los Angeles-based exec has clocked nine and a half years at the publishing administration company and was most recently creative director, having signed acts such as Madison Cunningham, Mac DeMarco, Jamila Woods, Poppy and Magdalena Bay, as well as some of Kobalt’s more whimsically named clients like King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs. Kobalt also credits Dishman with major assists in releases by Lil Yachty, The Wombats and Yeek, among others. “[Dishman’s] knowledge & passion for music spills over into all that he does for our clients,” glowed Jamie Kinelski svp and head of West Coast creative. “His impeccable taste makes him a valued member of our global creative team, and I am thrilled to see continued growth at Kobalt.”

Nashville-based writer/artist development company Eclipse Music Group promoted Penny Gattis to partner. As a co-owner, Gattis will continue overseeing the publishing division, while taking on an expanded role in the overall strategic direction of the firm, including the Eclipse Management and Penumbra Records divisions. Gattis joined Eclipse as general manager of publishing in 2020 and has since been instrumental in earning cuts with artists including Morgan Wallen, Luke Bryan and Jake Owen, as well as sync placements with brands including Lexus, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. Gattis’s career also includes time at Round Hill Music, BMI and Tom-Leis Music. “Penny has the perfect combination of creativity, tenacity and relationships to support our creative clients and to advance Eclipse to the next level,” said Kurt Locher, principal of Eclipse Music Group.

Entertainment business management firm FBMM has named Jen Conger and Erica Rosa as owners. Conger has expertise in royalty analysis, domestic and international touring, sponsorship and endorsement deal negotiations, commercial insurance and estate planning. She oversees over $90 million in revenue each year on behalf of her clients. Conger also became the first female associate business manager in the firm’s history, and five years later, was promoted to business manager. Rosa joined FBMM as the firm’s first full-time royalty employee and was named vp, royalties and contract compliance in 2021. From 2020 to 2023, she relocated to Los Angeles to help establish the company’s Los Angeles office. Rosa has played an essential role in multiple eight- and nine-figure catalog sales and also oversaw unpaid royalty recoveries and prevention of loss revenues of over $200 million.

Blue Raincoat Music, an artist management, publisher and label all rolled into one, increased it London office by four in one fell swoop. Founded in 2014 by Robin Millar and former Chrysalis CEO Jeremy Lascelles, the Reservoir-owned company welcomes…

  • Dan Walton, project manager of catalogue reporting to Dermot James. Previously a product manager at Demon Music Group.
  • James Batsford, project manager reporting to Dermot James. Previously a freelance label consultant, but before that managed releases at Domino Records.
  • Ben Asplin, copyright manager of commercial music operations reporting to Tina McBye. Previously a royalties manager at BMG.
  • Tian Anderson, artist management assistant reporting to Amy Frenchum and Rupert King.

SMACK added Jaice Cousins as digital coordinator. The Ohio native and Belmont University graduate previously served as product data management coordinator for Warner Music Group. In her new role, Cousins will oversee SMACK’s social media management across all digital platforms, as well as contributing to marketing campaigns and strategy for SMACK clients including Walker Hayes, Kylie Morgan and Jenna Davis. Cousins will report to director of marketing and artist development Molly Bouchon.

“Outlaws & Mustangs” singer Cody Jinks has put together a new, independent team as he gears up for the release of his next album in 2024. The team includes Malia Barrett (president, Late August Records), Amber Dee (director of tour marketing), Joe Greenwald (vp of radio and streaming, Late August Records), Logan Hacker (day to day manager), Keith Kilgore (tour manager) and Liz Slyman (director of marketing). Jinks said in a statement, “As my team and I traverse the next part of this journey, it’s hard not to think that now I am truly more independent than ever. That is exciting.”

Point72 Ventures hired Brett Kernan as a new advisor at the investment firm. Since its 2016 launch by New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, Point72 has invested in 120-plus fintech, enterprise and consumer companies, including Range Media, Mirror and Hook. According to Kernan, he holds the distinction of being employee #1 at music tech company Splice, where he handled music partnerships for over seven years before co-founding early-stage investment group Wave7, where he has served as individual advisor for Soundful and JioSaavn.

The MAP Fund, a financial supporter of original live performance projects across the United States and its territories, appointed David Blasher as executive director. He had been interim executive director since the beginning of the year. Prior to joining MAP Fund, Blasher was director of global legal operations and innovation at NBCUniversal. MAP Fund also appointed Meital Waibsnaider as its new board chair and Ron Ragin as the inaugural director of programs.

Multi-discipline AI company Futureverse announced that Artist Partner Group founder and CEO Mike Caren has joined as a founding partner of its text-to-music venture called JEN. Expected to release in early 2024, Jen can form up-to three minute songs as well as help producers with half-written songs through offering ‘continuation’ and ‘in-painting’ as well. Other JEN principles include Futureverse co-founders Shara Senderoff and Aaron McDonald, as well as Alex Wang, the company’s head of AI research.

Last Week’s Turntable: Three Six Zero Adds Caron Veazey as Partner