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11 Aug 2023

Congress’ AI Stumbles Leave Artists and Creators At the Mercy of Big Tech (Guest Column)

As artificial intelligence remains the hottest topic of 2022, last month President Biden stood alongside big tech leaders as they pledged impotent “voluntary commitments” to control the emerging technology. Those leaders did so fully comprehending the dangers posed by the rapid and unrestricted penetration of AI through society — which are especially grave for artists and creators.

None of the commitments can give anyone in the music or creative industries comfort. They are as basic and malleable as “prioritizing research” and “sharing information on managing AI risks.”  It is impossible to monitor big tech’s compliance with them. Even worse, all of the commitments are unenforceable. 

We are already experiencing the consequences of the unbridled development and use of AI. Copyrighted material is being routinely ingested and used by AI conglomerates without the consent or even knowledge of rights holders. AI-generated vocals and deepfakes — given prominence by the Fake Drake and The Weeknd’s “Heart On My Sleeve” saga — are prevalent and becoming more realistic by the day. “Artificial streaming” — whereby AI bots create and upload songs, and then artificially inflate streaming numbers — is a massive issue for the streaming industry. Misinformation and inaccuracies in AI output are rampant. Generative AI programs suffer from what experts call “hallucination” — where they make up or misrepresent facts. The victims are widespread, ranging from lawyers given fake legal cases to cite in court papers, to a professor named as the accused in a sexual harassment scandal fabricated by AI.

Nicholas Saady

Nicholas Saady

The lacuna of AI regulation and long wait for decisions in significant AI court cases leaves rights holders, and broader society, at the mercy of big tech. That includes the protagonists of the 2016 Cambridge Analytica scandal (where there were laws in place prohibiting such misconduct), Frances Haugen’s 2021 revelations about Facebook and its platforms’ impact on issues such as teen health and even human trafficking, as well as those being investigated by the FTC for engaging in unfair or deceptive practices causing harm to consumers. Some in this group have recently shown immense hostility to lawmakers, and threatened to leave the EU if it regulates AI. None are those whose history or current actions compel public trust. 

We also have minimal, if any — a point recently illustrated by the California Stability AI lawsuit, in which key issues are copyright infringement and data scraping — transparency around the ingestion and scraping of data by companies that own generative AI. Content and data protections were not formulated with current forms of AI in mind. Nor were copyright and right of publicity laws. It is unclear whether they provide sufficient protections, and in any case, are difficult to enforce amidst the black box of AI data ingestion. 

Draconian regulation is not the answer to these issues. Nor is inaction. Congress has been exceptionally slow to move. While some lawmakers have proposed legislation, held a few congressional hearings, and suggested new federal agencies to deal with AI, nothing meaningful has resulted. The significant AI litigation is also not progressing quickly. Recently, a Federal Judge indicated that he was inclined to dismiss the California Stability AI lawsuit, but would give the plaintiffs a chance to reformulate their case. This means any decision or guidance is unlikely this year. Similar court cases will not provide definitive guidance soon, and many may settle. Even if decisions are released, they will not be universally applicable. 

U.S. Congress’ inaction starkly contrasts the European Union’s continued development of its “AI Act,” which includes important guardrails for the use of AI. For generative AI such as ChatGPT, the AI Act requires disclosure of content generated by AI; prohibitions on the ability to generate illegal content; and publication of copyrighted data used for training. It also prohibits real-time and remote biometric identification systems and cognitive behavioral manipulation using AI. While the final form of the Act is being negotiated, the EU hopes to “reach an agreement by the end” of 2023. 

However, the EU AI Act is not a panacea — especially not for artists and creators, as music industry organizations like GESAC, ICMP, IFPI, IMPALA and IMPF recently pointed out to the EU. To properly protect human creativity and rights in creative output, more can be done to increase transparency regarding the data on which AI is trained and record keeping of the same — particularly content which is protected by registered copyrights. Such publicly accessible information will enable artists and creators to determine if their content has been ingested by AI, and also to make fully informed assessments as to whether AI outputs constitute infringement or fair use of their content. Stronger protections around the use of video and audio deepfakes and digital recreations of humans, particularly celebrities, are becoming an increasing priority to protect privacy, creativity and livelihoods.   

The stakes are too high for a wait and see approach. We saw what happened when that approach was employed with cryptocurrency: FTX and other similar debacles. The potential impact of generative AI is greater because of its universal application and almost limitless potential. As history and the cacophony of current AI lawsuits make clear, big tech has little regard for the intellectual property, livelihoods and creativity of artists and creators, nor for individuals’ privacy and personal information. 

The recent “voluntary commitments” won’t change a thing. Congress should take swift action. It has a unique opportunity to lead the world in AI regulation by passing an enhanced version of the EU AI Act.  The risks of inaction amidst the rapid development and use of generative AI — like AI’s capabilities — are in many respects, existentially threatening.

Nicholas Saady is a U.S. and Australian lawyer, who represents high-profile organizations and individuals — including major artists, labels and agents — regarding complex intellectual property, technology and commercial matters.  He has also published widely on issues relating to technology, AI, NFTs and cryptocurrency.

11 Aug 2023

Truth Social User Drops Dime On Would-Be Biden Assassin Killed By The FBI

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Wednesday (Aug. 9), the FBI gunned down MAGA disciple, Craig Robertson, after he threatened to shoot and kill President Joe Biden and Manhattan DA, Alvin Bragg. But interestingly enough, the man was put on to the FBI by a fellow MAGAt.

CNBC is reporting that the FBI was tipped off of Robertson’s intentions in by a user on Truth Social. The platform serves as a social media website for far-right Trump supporters who use the site to promote conspiracy theories, their hate of liberals and democrats, and in the process, further remove themselves from reality in search of a safe space for their worst and often times racist impulses. A Truth Social user contacted the FBI about Robertson’s troublesome posts in March to which they responded with a visit to his Utah residence. Robertson turned them away and told them to come back with a warrant.

With Joe Biden touching down in Utah this week, the FBI went to Robertson’s home armed with a search warrant, but Robertson greeted them with a gun this time and from there it was all downhill for the Trump fanatic.

CNBC reports:

Robertson, 75, was armed when FBI agents confronted him at his home in Provo on Wednesday morning and pointed his weapon at agents and did not respond to their commands before they fatally shot him, a senior official told NBC.

Agents were there to arrest him on a federal criminal complaint accusing him of making death threats against Biden, Bragg and FBI agents.

Robertson was killed hours before Biden arrived in Utah for a visit.

In a social media post on Sunday, Robertson wrote, “I heard Biden is coming to Utah.” He added that he was dusting off his “M24 Sniper Rifle.”

Robertson was described by the FBI in that complaint as a white man “approximately 70-75 years old” who was surveilled “wearing a dark suit (later observed as having an AR-15 style rifle lapel pin attached), a white shirt, a red tie, and a multi-colored (possibly camouflage) hat bearing the word ‘TRUMP’ on the front.”

Naturally, MAGA country has described the incident as another example of Joe Biden using the FBI to kill innocent Americans who oppose his views comparing them to the Gestapo of Hitler’s Germany, but come on now. The man pointed a gun at the FBI. What’d they expect to happen? White privilege can only take you so far in America.

As for who spilled the beans on Robertson’s diabolical plan, no one knows. But best believe those Truth Social users will somehow place this on “the radical left” and continue to blame everyone but themselves for everything that’s “wrong” in this country.

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11 Aug 2023

New York City Honors Run-DMC With Their Own Day

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Adidas x Hip Hop Anniversary - Wed Aug 9

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As Hip-Hop pioneers, Run-DMC’s legacy is undeniable and New York City is cementing it further by giving the group its own day.

Through a press release, it was announced that New York City Mayor Eric Adams bestowed Rev. Joseph “Run” Simmons and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels with a proclamation declaring an official “Run-DMC Day”, which will forever be celebrated on August 9th. The news comes as the Hollis, Queens group was feted with the Run-DMC Pop-Up Celebration by Adidas Originals. The group made the news public through their Instagram page.

“Coinciding with the group’s Friday (August 11th) return to headline the Hip Hop 50 Live Concert, the pop-up gives fans access to merchandise from Barriers Worldwide and the Crate NY in addition to coolers in partnership with Igloo and other Run-DMC novelty merchandise items,” the press release also stated, taking time to acknowledge the group’s longstanding partnership with Adidas. The pop-up will run through August 12th at Bleecker Street Trading in Manhttan.

The honor comes as the group is fresh off of their sensational performance at the Rock The Bells Festival at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York last Saturday. They will also be performing at the Hip Hop 50 Live concert to be held at Yankee Stadium, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the culture since the first jam held by DJ Kool Herc at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in The Bronx in 1973. It adds to a run some believed to be their final one, as DMC had stated before in an interview with Rock The Bells that the group would take its final onstage bow this past April.

“Run-DMC is over,” he said at the time. “The only way Run-DMC gets back together is if The Beatles get back together. Can that happen?” He continued: “The final show that we are ever going to do is going to be at Madison Square Garden in April. It’s going to be the last episode of the documentary we’re doing. Run-DMC’s last show ever. ‘Cause it’s time for Run to go be Paul McCartney and me to be John Lennon. We done did what we could do.”

McDaniels and Simmons, along with the late Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell, forever shaped Hip-Hop culture with their debut album in 1983. Attaining superstardom, the group was honored with a Lifetime Achievement award from the Grammy Awards in 2016.

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11 Aug 2023

The Future 50: Predicting R&B/Hip-Hop’s Next Legends 

Billboard forecasts which next-gen artists, creatives and executives will be tomorrow’s greats.

Future 50

Billboard

If there’s one constant in the music industry, it’s this question: Who’s got next? As hip-hop’s 50th anniversary celebration continues, its various GOAT lists, special compilations and other reflections on the past have also elicited conversations about which younger artists now would warrant a similar spotlight in the future. After the respect and props being accorded to hip-hop’s fearless pioneers this year, who will be the next trustees ensuring hip-hop’s future? 

With that in mind, Billboard is observing National Hip-Hop Day today (Aug. 11) with the unveiling of its Future 50 list. Instead of focusing solely on rap artists, Future 50 represents all of the players most likely to change the game, including R&B artists as well as songwriters, producers and executives working in the realms of hip-hop and R&B. The Future 50 will be revealed 10 names at a time alphabetically, with the entire list posting in December.  

In determining those selected, we considered the impact each candidate has achieved to date, but focused even more on the potential each has for sustaining and building on that momentum in the coming years. Weighing into that assessment were factors such as chart achievements, industry accolades, cultural influence and skill set. As a result, some of those chosen are already household names, some are getting there, and some you may not be familiar with just yet. The executives we picked, who hail from record labels, publishing companies, management and other industry sectors, show outsize promise based on their acquisitions, signings, partnership ventures and what they’ve helped their clients achieve. 

Now read on and see who’s got next in the first installment of Billboard’s Future 50.  

11 Aug 2023

Executive Turntable: UMG Has Sights on Singapore; SiriusXM Promotes Jen Leiweke to VP of Artist Relations

Universal Music Singapore hired Alice Kent as general manager, overseeing day-to-day operations and spearheading efforts to up the UMG division’s presence in the Southeast Asian island country. She reports to UMG chief of South East Asia Calvin Wong, who says Kent “brings with her a pioneering spirit and a wealth of experience from her decades of working in the music and entertainment industry” — including a recent stretch as marketing, partnerships and business development director at Live Nation Entertainment Singapore, and before that senior roles at both Warner Music and Sony Music. Among the many feathers in Kent’s cap include securing sponsorship deals for Blackpink and brokering partnerships with Singtel and PayPal, in addition to working with Billie Eilish and the Singapore Tourism Board.

Alexander Vazelakis was named head of A&R for longstanding dance imprint Ultra Records. This is Vazelakis’ return to the label, where he previously spent nearly a decade working with artists including Sofi Tukker, Icona Pop, Steve Aoki, Anabel Englund and DVBBS. Based in Los Angeles, Vazelakis most recently served as VP of A&R at both Helix Records and Ultra Publishing and now reports to Ultra Records President David Waxman. –Katie Bain

SiriusXM promoted longtime executive Jen Leiweke to vice president of artist and industry relations. Previously a senior director on the talent and industry relations team, Leiweke joined Pandora in late 2010 and has worked across marketing, brand partnerships, live and experiential. In the past year, Leiweke helped develop a major sponsorship framework with American Express around SiriusXM’s Small Stage Series, which has featured performances from John Legend at The Wiltern in Los Angeles and Halsey at Union Transfer in Philly, among others. She also helped launch SiriusXM’s first foray at Miami Art Basel along with partner Chase Sapphire. Prior to joining Pandora, which was acquired by SiriusXM in 2019, Leiweke held positions at Alison Prod Public Relations and AEG.

Marigo Mihalos was also promoted to vice president at SiriusXM, where she oversees the entertainment booking team specializing in film, TV, and lifestyle. Before joining the satellite radio giant, Mihalos launched her own PR agency and later solidified her reputation as a booker on television shows like The Wendy Williams Show and Who Want to Be a Millionaire. Her best-of list of wins at SiriusXM include snagging the entire cast of Elvis for a Graceland appearance and orchestrating a collaboration between Bravo host-with-the-most Andy Cohen and icon-of-icons Dolly Parton at Dollywood. She can be reached at Marigo.mihalos@siriusxm.com.

Nashville-based publishing and artist development company Back Blocks Music expanded its team, adding Autumn Ledgin as senior director of A&R and Elizabeth Cook as creative coordinator. Back Blocks Music was founded by Billboard Power Player and 40 Under 40 recipient Rakiyah Marshall, with a roster including Ashley Cooke, Lily Rose, Blake Pendergrass and Tucker Wetmore. Ledgin previously worked at Good Company Entertainment, as day-to-day manager for the company’s roster, including Jake Owen and Larry Fleet, before adding A&R duties and becoming a board member and planning coordinator for the Jake Owen Foundation. Cook joins Back Blocks Music during her senior year at Belmont University as a songwriting major; she previously interned at Creative Nation and King Pen. –Jessica Nicholson

Believe-owned TuneCore appointed Tash Shah as its new vice president of International at the digital music distributor. Shah is a 12-year veteran at Spotify, where she served as the streaming giant’s first head of marketing in the UK and most recently held the title of director of growth programs. At her new gig, which is based in London, she’ll drive TuneCore’s international growth into new global markets oversee a team across 17 countries, while developing programs to benefit TuneCore’s growing roster of artists and labels. Shah will eventually report to TuneCore’s TBA chief revenue officer, but in the interim will work directly with CEO Andreea Gleeson.

Songtradr appointed Paul Langworthy to chief revenue officer of the music licensing marketplace and distribution platform. Reporting directly to CEO Paul Wiltshire, Langworthy’s focuses will include expanding licensing, music management, and creative branding opportunities, as well as continuing expansion into markets where music rights management remains under-monetized. Langworthy was previously CEO of U.K. digital music company 7digital, which Songtradr scooped up earlier this year for roughly $23 million. At the time of the acquisition, it was announced that Langworthy and the bulk of 7digital’s senior leadership team would join Songtradr. “Paul has a proven track record of successfully managing large teams, multiple revenue streams and has a deep understanding of the complex music rights ecosystem we work in,” said Wiltshire.

ICYMI: Tom Becci joined Concord Label Group as chief executive … peermusic appointed Elizabeth Rodda as president of Latin America and global society relations … About sixty employees are set to be impacted by layoffs at CAA … and Quality Control CEO Pierre “P” Thomas won Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players’ Choice Award.

A2IM hired Melissa White as director of membership and Jasmine Lopez-Alvarez as marketing manager of the independent music advocacy group. In their new roles, White will oversee A2IM’s label relations and membership engagement strategy, while Lopez-Alvarez will manage marketing initiatives and spearhead membership growth. White arrives from sample marketplace Tracklib, where she rose to music catalog director; Lopez-Alvarez has clocked time at SiriusXM, Maruder and HIFI. “Their experience and passion for independent music will play a crucial role in developing our reach and furthering our mission,” said Richard James Burgess, CEO of A2IM. You can reach the pair at melissa@a2im.org and/or jasmine@a2im.org.

Industry veteran Nathalie Rubin joined PR collective Hustle&Co. as account supervisor. Based in Los Angeles and reporting to founder and CEO Jenn DeMartino Callister, Rubin’s remit will center around driving campaigns for clients including music investment firm Influence Media Partners, destination experience company Vibee and something called Spotify (specifically its EQUAL and GLOW programs). Prior to joining Hustle, Rubin served as publicity manager at Elektra Entertainment, acing press campaigns for the label group’s artist roster found on Fueled by Ramen, DTA Records and the mothership imprint. She kicked off her career with a five-year stretch at BMG Recorded Music, where as in-house publicist she worked directly with a murderer’s row of rock favorites including Evanescence, Thrice, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and My Chemical Romance’s Frank Iero. She can be reached at Nathalie_Rubin@hustleandco.com.

The Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC), a non-profit organization founded in 2020 to combat systemic racism in the music business, added rapper-activist Cordae and Live Nation Urban president Shawn Gee to its Executive Leadership Council. Cordae and Shawn Gee, who received the Social Impact Award at BMAC’s inaugural annual gala, join a growing list of industry leaders on the ELC, including Dina LaPolt, Wassim “Sal” Slaiby, Jonathan Azu, Tariq Cherif and Jeff Azoff, among others. See a full list here.

VRTCL, a content management and influencer marketing agency, promoted Imani “Mango” Lewis to director of music and Jenn Rilloraza to director of brands and content. In their new roles, Lewis will lead overall strategy and operation of the music and social teams, while Rilloraza will continue working with her team to develop authentic content on behalf of some of the world’s biggest brands. Both report to FH Media CEO, Ash Stahl, who says they “have a proven history of working closely with artist and commercial brands to amplify their messages in ways that are completely authentic.” VRTCL was acquired by Create Music Group in early 2022 and folded into an FH Media roster that also includes influencer brands Flighthouse, Teenager Therapy and Retirement House.

Nashville Notes: Musicians On Call, a Nashville-based nonprofit that brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities, announced a series of promotions and new hires. Promotions include Kat Weeks to vp of marketing, Torianne Valdez to senior talent manager and PJ Cowan and Caroline Love to senior program managers. New hires include Orenda Senior as program coordinator and Sasha Arnkoff as executive assistant … Triple Tigers hired Nashville-based Blake Nixon as director of Southeast promotion. He previously held a similar role at Show Dog Nashville … Shelby Yoder founded songwriter/producer management company willo&co. She was previously head of Milk & Honey Nashville.

11 Aug 2023

Kevin Costner Declares He’s ‘Officially a Swiftie’ After Seeing The Eras Tour With His Daughter

No one is immune to the Swiftie spell, not even two-time Academy Award winner Kevin Costner.

After seeing Taylor Swift perform at one of her SoFi Stadium shows in Inglewood, Calif., with his daughter, Costner took to Instagram to declare that he’s officially fallen into the Eras Tour concertgoer to certified Swiftie pipeline. “My videos are blurry, but I had an amazing time with my daughter at the @taylorswift show,” the actor wrote, captioning a trio of photos and videos of Swift onstage.

“I was absolutely blown away watching her art bring so many people together,” he continued. “I had a great view of her band and had a blast watching them, too. An inspiring night. I’m officially a Swiftie!”

The Bodyguard star was close to the side of the main stage, where he snapped videos of Swift singing “22” and “Don’t Blame Me.” In one picture he shared, thousands of fans in the audience could be seen with their light-up bracelets, glowing in tandem with the stage effects.

Costner — who is also the frontman for country rock band Kevin Costner & Modern West — isn’t the first star to attend an Eras Tour concert and come out of it a diehard fan of the “Anti-Hero” singer. Diplo shared that he’s a “motherf—ing Swiftie now” after catching a concert in Las Vegas, and former Arizona Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt raved about Swift after seeing her opening night in Glendale. “So much respect @taylorswift,” he wrote. “When your fans pay for a ticket, they are getting their money’s worth and some.”

The Yellowstone actor was one of dozens of celebrities to show face at one of Swift’s six concerts at SoFi, including Lupita Nyong’o, Meghan Markle, Brie Larson, Charlize Theron, Selena Gomez, Austin Butler, Mariska Hargitay, Jeff Goldblum and more. Stars such as Halsey, Sadie Sink, Anya Taylor-Joy and Karlie Kloss were at the pop star’s Wednesday (Aug. 9) finale show — which marked the end of the Eras Tour’s first U.S. leg — where they joined thousands of fans in witnessing Swift’s announcement that 1989 (Taylor’s Version) will arrive Oct. 27.

See Kevin Costner’s post about the Eras Tour below:

11 Aug 2023

LL Cool J Reveals He Has an Unreleased Collaborative Album With 50 Cent: ‘It Didn’t Work’

Hip-hop has been a collaborative culture since its inception, and from Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch the Throne to Drake and 21 Savage’s Her Loss, collaborative albums have become their own phenomenon within rap music. And LL Cool J almost added one to the collection. The rapper revealed on the Wednesday (Aug. 9) episode of The Breakfast Club that he once wrote a collaborative album with 50 Cent.

“I tried to do a more collaborative writing album. I did a whole album with 50 Cent. And we were writing together on this album,” LL Cool J recounted. “And when it was done, I listened to it. I’m like, ‘It sounds good. I like the music, it sounds cool, but it ain’t me.’ So, I ain’t put it out.”

“It was nothing against 50, I love 50,” he clarified. “I just wanted to try something different. Maybe we collaborate, write together … It didn’t work.”

When one of the radio show’s co-hosts brought up “Paradise,” LL’s 2002 Billboard Hot 100 top 40 hit (No. 36), the Grammy-winner explained, “50 wrote the chorus on ‘Paradise’ for Amerie, which she sung. He didn’t write my rhymes … when that happened, I didn’t even know 50 was involved. That was The Trackmasters, they got that done.”

As one of the most celebrated and decorated rappers of his era, LL’s artistry has always been as important to him as his persona. “The collaborative thing, when it comes to my verses, that doesn’t work for me,” he said.

The “Mama Said Knock You Out” rapper also mused about the apprehension that comes with continuing to rap while aging, and said that he “loves” to be underestimated because “it makes the jabs that much stiffer.”

Watch his interview with The Breakfast Club above.

11 Aug 2023

Friday Music Guide: New Music From Olivia Rodrigo, Karol G, Trippie Redd and More

Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond. 

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This week, Olivia Rodrigo wrestles with a (great) bad idea, Karol G keeps collecting W’s and Trippie Redd shows a new side of himself. Check out all of this week’s picks below:

Olivia Rodrigo, “bad idea right?” 

Two years ago, Olivia Rodrigo preceded her debut album with a spectacularly emotional ballad and a head-banging pop-punk anthem; both of those songs, “drivers license” and “good 4 u,” reached the top of the Hot 100, and Sour became a year-defining full-length. Rodrigo is utilizing a similar playbook with her sophomore effort, GUTS, as the theatrical epic “Vampire” has been followed by the driving shout-along “bad idea right?” — although the new single is far from a rehash, instead mixing pop, riot grrrl rock and new wave into a compact call-and-response ode to ex-boyfriend temptation. More than anything, Rodrigo understands how to give wide swaths of listeners exactly what they need, regardless of tempo or sound — it’s the reason why she’s a superstar at the age of 20.

Karol G, Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season) 

Few popular artists are having a better commercial year than Karol G: after Mañana Será Bonito album became the first all-Spanish language album by a woman to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, the Colombian superstar plotted headlining dates in football stadiums, performed on Saturday Night Live and popped up on the best-selling Barbie soundtrack. Now, the winning streak continues with Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season), a companion piece to her recent album, but also a 30-minute project that stands on its own; new collaborations with Kali Uchis and Peso Pluma are especially dynamic, while previously released single “S91” sounds even more impactful in the context of a full-length.

Trippie Redd, A Love Letter to You 5 

A Love Letter to You 5 may be the fifth and final edition of Trippie Redd’s popular mixtape series that began in 2017, but the 19-track project feels particularly thoughtful and expansive, as if the hip-hop streaming juggernaut wanted to end the project with the biggest, best installment possible. Lil Wayne, Roddy Ricch and The Kid LAROI all swing by, although the pair of collaborations with Skye Morales, the gifted singer and Trippie Redd’s former partner, are especially poignant, and shed new light on a prolific star’s emotional range.

DJ Khaled feat. Lil Baby, Future & Lil Uzi Vert, “Supposed To Be Loved” 

Summertime is a season for beach days, backyard barbecues and star-studded DJ Khaled singles — and although it’s already mid-August, Khaled has come through with a song that will no doubt linger in the mainstream until the leaves begin to fall. “Supposed To Be Loved” not only corrals Lil Baby, Future and Lil Uzi Vert and lets them unfurls some surprisingly tender bars, but Khaled positions the hip-hop summit over a sample of Michael Jackson’s “P.Y.T.,” as extra insurance that the new single will be smooth and summer-friendly.

V, “Love Me Again” 

A few weeks after his BTS band mate Jung Kook topped the Hot 100 chart with his Latto collaboration “Seven,” V steps forward with his own solo bid, albeit with a very different sonic approach. “I wish you would love me again / No, I don’t want nobody else,” V sings, his vulnerability matched by sensitive R&B production that motions toward jazz and classic soul; the subtleties of “Love Me Again” begin to reveal themselves on the first listen, then deepen with each new play.

Editor’s Pick: The Hives, The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons 

Swedish punk veterans The Hives invaded America during the garage-rock movement of the early ‘00s, as singles like “Hate to Say I Told You So” and “Walk Idiot Walk” made their intense presences felt on MTV and alternative radio. The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons is the quintet’s first album in over a decade, but from the opening riffs of lead track “Bogus Operandi,” the group swaggers back into view like they never left, filling 31 hard-charging minutes with punk performances that will make any thirtysomething want to get back in the pit.

11 Aug 2023

Katharine McPhee Foster Cancels Jakarta Shows Due to ‘Horrible Tragedy’ in Family

Katharine McPheeFoster alerted her fans that she has been forced to cancel the final two dates in Jakarta this week due to an emergency in her family. The singer — who rose to fame as Katharine McPhee when she was the runner-up on the fifth season of American Idol — posted a message on Instagram on Friday morning (Aug. 11) explaining the situation.

“It’s with heavy heart I announce I have to miss our final 2 shows of our Asia run. David and I have had a horrible tragedy in our family and at least one of us needs to get back home to our family,” she said of herself and husband songwriter/composer David Foster.

“Please know how sorry I am and how much I wish to return one day and perform for you all.”

At press time the singer/actress had not detailed the nature of the family tragedy, but she had received a number of supportive messages from her friends, including husband Foster’s ex, actress/songwriter Linda Thompson, who wrote, “sending you and David love & hoping that everything is OK.” Nicole Scherzinger wrote, “sending my love and prayers for your family,” while Orange is the New Black actress Kimiko Glenn, fellow former Idol contestant Pia Toscano and Amanda Kloots offered their love and support as well.

McPhee and Foster, who have a two-year-old son, started dating in 2017 and got married in 2019; David Foster has five daughters from his previous relationships. The couple have been on the road together this summer on the David Foster & Friends tour, with the Jakarta dates slated to kick-off at the Sentul International Convention Centre on Saturday (Aug. 12).

A spokesperson for McPhee Foster had no additional comment at press time.

See Foster’s post below.

11 Aug 2023

‘We Can’t Franchise This Festival, It’s Uniquely San Francisco’: Outside Lands’ Founders on Its 15th Anniversary

It’s kind of a miracle Outside Lands ever happened at all.

The team behind the event started pitching it to San Francisco officials in 2006. Inspired by the city’s musical lore and the fact the city somehow didn’t yet have a major fest, their goal was to host a world class music festival in the city’s historic Golden Gate Park, a verdant thousand-acre landmark tucked between the city’s Richmond and Sunset districts.

While the park had hosted bluegrass, drum circles and ’60s-era acid tests, a concert had never happened there after the park’s 7p.m. curfew. But the team pitching the festival — Rick Farman of Superfly, the company behind Bonnaroo, and Allen Scott, Sherry Wasserman and Gregg Perloff of San Francisco’s independent show promoter Another Planet Entertainment — had a vision, and they were willing to jump through hoops to make it happen.

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They mailed the 28,000 residents in the park’s adjacent neighborhoods notifying them of proposed festival hours and road closures. They set up a multilingual community hotline for residents to notify fest officials of blocked driveways, sent out mailers, ran ads in three newspapers and launched a website in English, Russian, Chinese and Spanish with information about the event. The hired an arborist to determine how close to trees and root systems they could build stages. They deployed a sound engineer to measure the park’s ambient noise, re-routed bike lanes and figured out where to put breaks in the the fence line so the feral cats living in the park could enter and exit.

“It was very, very difficult,” says Scott. “The city was very skeptical too, and it took a while for us to trust the city and the park and for them to trust us. Now we’re all in lockstep.”

The team finally got the green light for the festival in 2008, when they launched Outside Lands with headliners Radiohead, Tom Petty and Jack Johnson. 15 years later, the festival is a cultural, musical and economic juggernaut, having evolved along with San Francisco while showcasing the best of local culture. Outside Lands 2023 starts today (August 11) in Golden Gate Park with headliners Kendrick Lamar, Foo Fighters and ODESZA, along with more than 100 other acts.

Outside Lands 2022

Outside Lands 2022

Alive Coverage

Upon launching in 2008, Outside Lands came to life in the same year as several other major North American music festivals including All Points East in New York and Mile High Music Festival in Denver. This was also the same year as the recession, and while many of the other events launched in 2008 had faded out just a few years later, by this time Outside Lands had become a phenomenon, generating $60 million in economic impact for the city in 2011 alone.

“That [number] changed the entire conversation with the city,” says Scott. “People started not just seeing this not just as a music festival with a bunch of people out having a good time… [In terms of economic impact] it’s like having the Major League Baseball All Star game [in the city] every year.”

Scott and Farman credit the festival’s longevity to Golden Gate Park itself, with the venue providing a singular, distinctly San Franciscan atmosphere. So too does the festival focus on incorporating other elements of the city.

In 2018, the festival debuted Grasslands, becoming the first major U.S. music festival to feature a curated cannabis area two years after California legalized recreational marijuana. (Outside Lands received the city’s first ever permit for cannabis sales and consumption at a festival.)This year Grasslands returns with more than 20 different cannabis brands, many of them local, extending the heady lineage of the park from the era when the Grateful Dead played on the park’s Hippie Hill.

Outside Lands 2022

Outside Lands 2022

Alive Coverage

New this year is Dolores, a electronic-focused stage that pays homage to San Francisco’s rich history of queer parties, performances and activism. The area is being programmed by a spate of SF-based queer party promoters including FAKE and GAY, OASIS and Hard French, and will feature a weekend’s worth of music from local and regional DJs, drag queens and more.

Another major infusion of local culture comes via the festival’s food programming, which over the years has grown to feature food from more than 95 local restaurants, as well as drinks from 30 breweries and a flurry of Northern California wineries. (Those who are especially flush this year can also opt for the Premium Experience ticket, which includes unlimited food and drinks, a personal concierge service, golf cart rides to stage and which runs at roughly $5,000.) Scott says organizers have turned down food vendors from Las Vegas, L.A. and New York, and equates the importance of the fest’s food and beverage options to that of the music lineup itself.

“We want to be a force, and I think we have been in representing so many positive elements of what’s going on in the city,” says Farman. “When you look at the amazing culinary and beverage scene that’s going on at Outside Lands, these are local purveyors that are open today that people go to and are thriving and have the ability to do a very difficult thing, which is transforming to being a vendor staffed with quality people out in a park. These are real signs of a healthy community and a healthy economy.”

Demonstrating these healthy aspects of San Francisco has become more crucial for the festival over the last few years in particular, as the city has gained a reputation as a nexus of homelessness, drug use and business closures, particularly following the pandemic.

“Now it’s even more essential that we celebrate what makes San Francisco great,” says Scott. “We’ve been kicked a lot lately. The media and places around the country like to kick us when we’re down. This [festival] is a reminder to everyone of what makes San Francisco such an amazing city.”

This year’s sold out festival anticipates hosting roughly 220,000 attendees over its three days. They’ll hear music at eight stages named after iconic San Francisco locations (Sutro, Twin Peaks, Panhandle, etc.), they’ll drink wines grown in vineyards throughout the region, smoke NorCal kush, eat local foods and generally just add to the musical legacy of the city and park itself. For the organizers, all of that and everything else they’ve achieved more than makes up for the work it took to help them lock in the festival site more than 15 years ago, one they hope to keep utilizing, says Scott, “for as long as time goes.”

“For better for worse, we can’t franchise this festival around the country or world,” he adds. “It’s uniquely San Francisco.”

Outside Lands 2022

Outside Lands 2022

Alive Coverage