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24 Feb 2023

This Cozy Teddy Coat Is Beloved by Shoppers & It’s Only $54: Where to Buy It Online

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It’s hard to explain the feeling of cuddling up in a warm teddy coat on a cold day. Oversized teddybear coats date back to the 1920s and hit fashion runways in 2013. Since then, teddy coats have become a soft and cuddly fashion staple for winter.

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And they’re not hard to find. You can buy teddy coats at most major retailers, although too many options can make it hard to pick the right choice. If you’re a budget shopper, this plush teddy coat is just $54 at Amazon and it’s a No. 1 bestseller.

The coat is available in dozens of colors including the caramel, dark caramel, black, brown, beige, red and army green and sizes ranging from small to 3X-Large.

Amazon

Angashion Women’s Fuzzy Fleece Lapel Open Front Long Cardigan Coat Faux Fur Warm Winter Outwear Jackets Dark Camel S

$53.99

The coat runs true to size, but if you’re looking for an even baggier fit, you might want to size up. Otherwise, this stylish coat pairs perfectly with jeans, joggers, skirts, dresses, leggings, sweaters and more.

Whether you’re shopping for clothes, shoes, beauty and grooming products or other must-haves in a hurry, Amazon is the perfect resource to find just about anything. Prime members enjoy free delivery on millions of items, plus member-only discounts and other perks (click here to launch a free 30-day trial).

Want more variety? We searched around and found a handful of other teddy coat options like this caramel borg coat, which is on sale at ASOS for $65.

This cream-colored fluffy maxi coat is discounted to $101.50 at ASOS and this Steve Madden Saide Sherpa Coat, featuring available mocha bisque and pristine ivory, is on sale for $83 at Revolve.

UGG’s Gertrude coat is another good choice. The double-breasted, faux-shearling overcoat is cozy and warm, lightweight and comfortable with a two-button closure and side pockets to keep your hands warm.

Amazon

UGG Gertrude Coat

$247.99

The Gertrude coat is available in sizes XXS to 3X and in four colors, including winter white (pictured above), cloudy grey, firewood and ink black.

Looking for something short? The Joplin Faux Fur Teddy Jacket from Free People is a shorter alternative to UGG’s Gertrude earning positive reviews for being ultra-soft and cozy. The two-button jacket, available in ivory, sweet pistachio and smoked pink, serves up a relaxed fit with an exaggerated notched lapel and comfy side pockets. The Joplin is out of stock at Free People.com, but you can find it online at Nordstrom and Revolve.

Lastly, this oversized sherpa trench from Alo Yoga has snagged over 300 customers reviews. The coat is available in camel, ivory or black and sizes ranging from XXS (00-0) to XL (16-18).

For more wintery recommendations, be sure to check out our list of the best puffers, parkas and other coats to buy right now.

24 Feb 2023

J-Hope Is Louis Vuitton’s Newest ‘House Ambassador’

Louis Vuitton announced Friday (Feb. 24) that BTS’ J-Hope is the luxury brand’s newest ambassador.

“He is beloved by fans across the world for his upbeat energy, precise choreography and creative musical direction,” the fashion house said in a statement to share the news. “With a positive on-and-off-stage presence, J-Hope continues to push artistic boundaries and inspire international audiences.”

Along with the rest of his BTS bandmates, the Korean rapper previously served as an ambassador for Louis Vuitton back in 2021. The K-pop boy band even wore custom suits by the label to the 2022 Grammy Awards. More recently, J-Hope was seated front row next to Louis Vuitton women’s creative director Nicolas Ghesquière for the fashion house’s menswear presentation during last month’s Paris Fashion Week.

To celebrate the renewed partnership, Louis Vuitton Worldwide shared a series of editorial photos on their official social channels of the “Chicken Noodle Soup” star modeling ensembles from their Fall/Winter 2023 collection, including an iridescent jacket in the brand’s signature monogrammed print, a chic cloud gray varsity jacket emblazoned with “Vuitton” in maroon lettering across the chest and a streetwear-inspired denim hoodie with radioactive yellow stitching.

Earlier this month, J-Hope unveiled his new documentary J-Hope in the Box on Weverse and Disney+. The film documents the 200 days leading up to the release of his debut solo album Jack in the Box as well as the K-pop idol’s history-making headlining set at Lollapalooza 2022.

Check out J-Hope repping the latest fashion-forward Louis Vuitton looks as house ambassador below.

24 Feb 2023

From The Weeknd x Ariana Grande to Karol G, What’s Your Favorite Music Release of the Week? Vote!

The last Friday of February brings a slew of new releases, including an all-star team-up between The Weeknd and Ariana Grande, Karol G‘s new album and more.

The Weeknd and Grande have returned to make magic again, this time with a 2023 remix of the crooner’s 2016 track “Die for You.” In light of the Starboy slow burner seeing a resurgence on the Billboard charts, thanks in part to TikTok, Grande hopped on the track to provide a swooping verse of her own, silky vocal runs and larger-than-life high notes. The track has so far peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, but the remix could potentially allow it to soar to new heights.

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Karol G’s Mañana Será Bonito is begging for virality, largely in part due to its sizzling Shakira collab “TQG,” which serves as a major kiss-off to both of their exes. But the album’s equally strong cuts — “Provenza,” “Cairo” with Ovy on the Drums and the Romeo Santos duet “X Is Solvemos” — further proves Karol is more than here to stay. (See Billboard‘s ranking of Mañana Será Bonito‘s collabs here.)

Jonas Brothers, Don Toliver, Gorillaz and Halsey — with “Die 4 Me,” not to be confused with the “Die for You” remix — all return with new releases, but which song or album is your favorite? Vote in the poll below, or enter your own pick for the best new music.

24 Feb 2023

Stax Records Icon Al Bell and More Reflect on 50th Anniversary of ‘Wattstax’ 

Paying tribute to 1972’s momentous Wattstax Benefit Concert and Black History Month, Stax Records and Craft Recordings are issuing a series of releases today (2/24).

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Leading the rollout are three new releases, starting with the 12-CD box set, Soul’d Out: The Complete Wattstax Collection. In addition to featuring the complete 1972 concert at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the collection includes 31 previously unreleased tracks. It’s all accompanied by a 76-page book with an introduction by Wattstax creator and former Stax chief Al Bell and essays by music writers Rob Bowman and Scott Galloway.

Wattstax: The Complete Concert also boasts all of the event’s speeches and stage banter, including MC Rev. Jesse Jackson’s well-known “I Am Somebody” speech. Available on both six-CD and 10-LP formats (both of which come with the aforementioned 76-page book), there’s also the one-CD project The Best of Wattstax, which boasts a handpicked selection of 20 of the concert’s best musical performances starring a host of Stax luminaries — including Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, The Bar-Kays, Carla Thomas, the Emotions and Rufus Thomas.

Rounding out the Stax/Craft release series are reissues of the two original soundtrack albums: Wattstax: The Living Word and The Living Word: Wattstax 2. Newly cut from the original analog tapes and packaged in a 2-LP format, the albums feature highlights from the concert and the documentary film about the event. Speaking of Columbia Pictures’ Wattstax film, released in 1973 and celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Sony Pictures is re-releasing the documentary in theaters today, and for a limited time at participating Alamo Drafthouse Cinema locations.

In honor of the Stax Records/Craft Recordings new release series and the re-release of Wattstax, the festival’s creator Al Bell and several other Stax Records principals spoke with Billboard about their recollections of the history-making festival.

Al Bell, former owner/chairman of Stax: One of the beautiful things I recall about the festival is interacting with all the good people at Stax and those in Southern California’s Watts community in putting the event together. It was all about us as a people coming together in one unified spirit to make it happen. I’ve never experienced anything as powerful. Remember, this was a period of time when, generally speaking, white people got nervous when they would see two Black people together. We were there at the festival for seven hours with 112,000 Black people in the audience, and not one single incident happened. Nothing. 

I wanted them [white people] to see us differently. And for us to see ourselves in a proud way. And it happened. When I stood onstage that day, looked up in the stands and saw all of our wonderful Black people in harmony, enjoying themselves and interacting with the performances … It was the happiest moment in my life. Just go and take a look at the documentary. Really see what you’re seeing. Hear what’s being said. Listen to the words and music of the songs. Because it all tells a complete story from the first song to the last song.  

Wattstax

Courtesy Photo

The concert has since emerged as a symbol of the African American community’s resilience and strength, showcasing the transformative power of music in bringing people together and sparking cultural expression. As we mark this historic anniversary, let’s reflect on the profound impact of this landmark event and its ongoing relevance. The talented musicians who graced the stage were part of the Stax family, representing the diversity and richness of Black culture at the time and amplifying the voices and stories of the Black community.  

But let’s also recognize the ongoing struggle for racial equality, and the imperative will continue to progress in this area. Wattstax remains a beacon of hope, a symbol of the power of music to inspire, heal and bring people together. Its legacy and enduring message of community inclusivity and cultural expression must be embraced by new generations in their pursuit of positive change — and a better world.

Deanie Parker, former Stax vp of public affairs; retired founding president/CEO of the Soulsville Foundation: I can recall many remarkable moments, such as the picture-perfect L.A. weather; the most “colored” people ever crowded together and harmoniously enjoying Stax music; the way Rufus Thomas successfully piloted dancing fans off the Rams football field and getting them back to their seats … August 20, 1972 was a happy day indeed. Our persistent obstacle was the distance – Memphis to L.A. We worked so hard for months to plan every detail: travel and housing logistics, concert lineup, repertoire, preparing musical arrangements, procuring performance clearances, marketing/communication and on-site artist management.

But we were single-minded about our Wattstax mission. It mirrored Stax’s practice from the company’s inception: to always give back inclusively to the people that supported Stax. With help from Concord and our global supporters, the Stax philosophy and mission continue through the Stax Music Academy, Stax Museum of American Soul Music and The Soulsville Charter School. The Soulsville Foundation, which operates the three programs today, is [now the Stax] star.

David Porter, former Stax vp of A&R/talent; Grammy-nominated songwriter/producer: It was a spirit and an energy that I had never felt before — and haven’t since. Here was an L.A. stadium of more than 100,000 people who looked like me, bonding in unity and love, releasing a oneness that you felt nothing could break or separate. It didn’t matter if the songs were popular to the audience or not. The spirit sent back to every performer was one of gratefulness and love for them being there. To feel that from that many people that way was unimaginable. It was a unity message to the country.

The music was about uplifting and strengthening the self-esteem of Black people in this country. Stax had no idea that our music would be accepted the way it was by a different audience. It was felt that Black radio was the only platform that would give the continuous exposure our songs needed. So for us to give back to such a huge number of people at a time of racial unrest in the country was our way of not only saying we felt what they felt in the Watts riots, but of also our offering of a day to put the anger aside and enjoy just being together. The deep meanings in our songs and the music’s gospel, rhythmic feel was our way of giving back. The day before, we also did a parade through the Watts [L.A.] community to connect even more with people there.

The Emotions’ Wanda Hutchinson and Sheila Hutchinson, former Stax artists: 

Sheila: The lyrics of the songs being performed were intensified due to the cause attached to Wattstax. The songs were a motivation for people to think of what they could do, not just be angry. Being from Chicago, we weren’t super keen on what had occurred in Watts, but we knew we came to be a part of a positive community healing … [bringing] the power of positivity and love through music.

Wanda: That’s why the Staple Singers’ “Respect Yourself” was such a big song — because [Mavis Staples] wanted young Blacks to look at themselves as being equal to everyone else. And it didn’t look that way by how the police were treating people in the Black community, which we still see going on today. It always stood out to me how monumental it was to be performing at that big of a venue in L.A. with the top Black artists, appealing to folks from the Christian side, young teenagers and the R&B crowd. Everyone was learning about their self-worth.

I remember Mavis and Pops Staples talking about how much [the foul treatment that led to the Watts Riots] was deeply hurting the Black community. This was the way we could fight that hate. Wattstax was also important because Stax was a major Black record company. The concert sent a message to the world that Black people were aware of what had gone down in Watts; that communities around the country were affected.

Sheila: And that we were going to stand together. 

24 Feb 2023

How the Push for a ‘Longer Story’ Launched PinkPantheress & Ice Spice Into the Hot 100’s Top 5

Rising British singer PinkPantheress has been gaining recognition with a set of mixtapes and EPs that have caught the attention of fans, and the U.K. charts, over the past few years. And while she had been bubbling under in the United States, she had yet to crack the Hot 100 until this month, when her single with Ice Spice, “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2,” went viral and debuted at No. 14 on the Hot 100 before rocketing to No. 4 this week. The track is the first Hot 100 Top 10 for both artists, as well as the first duet by two acts who are each making their first Hot 100 Top 10 appearance to reach that mark in only two weeks since February 2021.

The story of “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” started in November, when PinkPantheress’ original, solo version of the song was released and started gaining traction — where else? — on TikTok. A few months later, rising Bronx MC Ice Spice jumped on the remix and the two shot a video in New York City. Released Feb. 3, the “Pt. 2” remix exploded out of the gate, making waves not just in the United States but also globally; this week, it concurrently shot up to No. 4 on the Billboard Global 200. And that earns 300 Entertainment vp of marketing Lallie Jones the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.

Here, Jones discusses the viral spark that 300 — along with its U.K. and global partners at Warner Music Group — managed to turn into a Top 5 hit, the differences between the U.S. and global marketing campaigns and the impact of radio jumping on the song, which led U.S. spins to increase 258% week over week. “One can embark on a release with what you think will and should happen, but timing and cultural appetite will always dictate the impact of a record,” she says. “The collision of PinkPantheress’ underground notoriety and mystique, mixed with Ice Spice’s ubiquity and virality, led to a pop culture explosion.”

This week, PinkPantheress and Ice Spice’s “Boy’s a liar, Pt. 2” surged to No. 4 on both the Hot 100 and the Billboard Global 200 charts. What key decisions did you make to help make that happen?

So much about this project has been a collaborative effort amongst PinkPantheress, her management and the global team across WMG. Our goal at 300 was to utilize the remix to broaden her already growing profile and further develop her reach Stateside. PinkPantheress’ music transcends genre, but it was important in the U.S. market to establish her as a Black artist creating on her own terms. As such, we strategically secured support from social accounts that could help accelerate the cultural conversation. We also targeted influential livestreamers and enlisted creators whose reaction videos propelled the track’s consumption. The official video also played a key role in setting this release on fire as the No. 1 trending video on YouTube for 11 straight days. PinkPantheress really wanted to step into Ice Spice’s world and film in NYC with the rising directors George and Fred Buford. Zak Boumlaki, her incredible marketing lead at Warner Records U.K., and I ensured the cast reflected youth and diversity that truly resonated.

The original “Boy’s a liar” was released in November. Why did you guys want to put out this remix, and how did it come together?

The original “Boy’s a liar” sound started to go crazy on TikTok in November, and once released, the track continued its viral trajectory throughout the holidays. The U.S. and U.K. teams pushed for an additional version, believing that the song deserved a longer story. It was PinkPantheress’ decision to enlist Ice Spice for the remix. Coincidentally, Ice Spice had posted the song on her IG stories, and PinkPantheress responded to it by asking if she’d like to team up.

The song has been a smash out of the gate, becoming the first duet by two acts each making their first Top 10 appearance on the Hot 100 to reach that mark in only two weeks since February 2021. What was the marketing plan behind it?

Leading up to release, the main marketing anchor was releasing a vibrant visual that placed the two artists in the same world. Initially, we wanted to keep the collaboration a surprise, with the intention of slowly teasing the partnership on both artists’ TikTok accounts. [But] snippets of them shooting together fueled a frenzy, and, even before the partnership was revealed, there was a bubbling conversation amongst their fans fantasizing about what would happen if the two actually came together. One can embark on a release with what you think will and should happen, but timing and cultural appetite will always dictate the impact of a record. The collision of PinkPantheress’ underground notoriety and mystique, mixed with Ice Spice’s ubiquity and virality, led to a pop culture explosion.

The song is not just No. 4 in the U.S., but also globally. How did the worldwide rollout plan differ from the U.S. plan?

In [the U.S.] market, we face the common challenge of tying the artist themselves to their music, especially when they’re not from here. While other markets might have impacted radio at launch, our plan was to first focus on setting the table culturally before pursuing a commercial radio push. We had the fortune of PinkPantheress being Stateside on release weekend and were able to capture her moving around with different artists, including her linking with Ice Spice throughout the weekend. Seeing her outside in the States is all part of her establishing a true U.S. presence.

The song has grown significantly in streams (up 54%) and radio airplay (up 258%) in just its second week out. How do you plan to keep the momentum going?

There’s no ceiling for this song or PinkPantheress as a writer, producer and artist. Despite its online ascension, the radio story is only beginning and the track will see a multi-format impact in March. Radio airplay will take the song’s consumption and visibility to the next level, positioning the track as one of the most popular anthems of the year. Alongside radio, the track will sustain momentum through thoughtful digital strategy, out-of-home campaigns, and her upcoming appearances at U.S. festivals this year. Following her gut and internal compass has resulted in PinkPantheress developing into one of the most intriguing artists of this time. Our North Star is protecting her brand and supporting her vision by pursuing only the right opportunities that will take her to new heights.

24 Feb 2023

Kelly Rowland & Trevante Rhodes & More Tapped To Star In Tyler Perry’s Netflix Film ‘Mea Culpa’

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Kelly Rowland Set To Star In Tyler Perry's 'Mea Culpa'

Source: Variety / Getty / Kelly Rowland

The devil works hard, but Tyler Perry and his typewriter work harder. The Emmy and Honorary Oscar winner is hard at work on his next Netflix project, and it’s boasting some Black star power.

Spotted on Deadline, the next Netflix project written, directed, and produced by Tyler Perry, Mea Culpa, is coming. It will star Kelly Rowland (Think Like A Man), Trevante Rhodes (Moonlight, The Predator), Sean Sagar (The Gentlemen), Nick Sagar (The Princess Switch trilogy), and RonReaco Lee (Nappily Ever After).

The film follows an ambitious criminal defense attorney trying to become a partner at the law firm and takes on a case of an artist who possibly killed his girlfriend.

Mea Culpa is the fifth feature from Perry at the streaming giant. It follows Six Triple Eight, A Fall From Grace, A Madea Homecoming, and A Jazzman’s Blues.

Six Triple Eight is a drama based on the true story of an all-Black, all-female, World War II Battalion that went into production last month and will see Kerry Washington star in the film and serve as an executive producer as well.

Kelly Rowland Is Back In Her Acting Bag

Rowland, a Grammy and Billboard Music Award-winning artist, has again caught the acting bug. She starred in Freddy vs. Jason, The Curse of Bridge Hollow, and Bad Hair. She was also in previous episodes of The Equalizer, L.A.’s Finest, A Black Lady Sketch Show, American Soul, and Empire.

Rhodes gained stardom after his stellar performance in Barry Jenkin’s Academy Award-winning film Moonlight and other films Bruiser, The United States vs. Billie Holiday, Bird Box, The Predator, and 12 Strong.

He was most recently seen in the controversial HULU series Mike portraying Mike Tyson.

—

Photo: Variety / Getty

24 Feb 2023

Karol G Drops ‘Mañana Será Bonito’: All the Collaborations Ranked (Staff Picks)

The sunny and lighthearted “Mientras Me Curo Del Cora (While My Heart Heals)” opens Karol G‘s highly anticipated new album Mañana Será Bonito, out today (Feb. 24).

Powered by a disarming, joyous whistle, her stripped-down vocals take center stage in this opening track. “Give me time/ I’m not at my best moment, but I’ll get better little by little/ Today, I’m down but tomorrow will be prettier,” she sings. Time was what Karol G needed to heal from heartbreak. Now, she’s entered a new era that’s marked by a renewed sense of freedom and empowerment.

“Mientras Me Curo” serves as Karol’s introduction to the set, but don’t be tricked by its simplicity in terms of production. In fact, the rest of the tracks on the album are quite the opposite — packed with fast-paced verses, raw and sensual lyrics with dembow, regional Mexican and reggaetón powering the beats. Along the way, she tapped a few fellow hitmakers for star-studded collaborations, including Shakira on “TQG,” “Dañamos La Amistad” with Sech and “Pero Tú” with Quevedo. The set also includes previously released collaborations with Romeo Santos (“X Si Volvemos), Ovy on the Drums (“Cairo”) and Maldy (“Gatubela”).

The highly awaited collab with Shak finds the two Colombianas in a sultry music video, confirming once more that there’s no messing with them (and their hearts). Meanwhile, on the simmering reggaetón track “Pero Tú,” the Medellín singer continues to cultivate the allusions of passion, set against pensive piano chords and an irresistible rhythm. This time, Karol is armed with a hypnotic coo like that of a siren, which captures Quevedo as a love interest.

Mañana Será Bonito is Karol’s fourth studio album, and it follows her 2021 Grammy-nominated KG0516, which scored Karol her first No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top Latin Albums. The set earned the biggest week for a Latin album by a woman since Shakira‘s 2017 El Dorado.

Below, check out all the collaborations on the set ranked:

24 Feb 2023

Linkin Park’s ‘Lost’ Launches at No. 1 on Hot Hard Rock Songs Chart

Linkin Park debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Hard Rock Songs chart, as its recently unearthed track “Lost” bows atop the Feb. 25-dated ranking.

In the Feb. 10-16 tracking week, “Lost” earned 10.3 million radio audience impressions and 9 million official U.S. streams and sold 12,000 downloads in the United States, according to Luminate.

It’s Linkin Park’s second No. 1 on Hot Hard Rock Songs, which began in 2020, following “In the End,” which reigned for two weeks in 2021 due to gains sparked by iTunes sale pricing.

“Lost” also begins at No. 2 on Hot Alternative Songs and at No. 4 on both Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and Hot Rock Songs.

On the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, “Lost” starts at No. 38, Linkin Park’s highest charting entry since “Burn It Down” reached No. 30 in 2012. It’s the band’s 11th top 40 Hot 100 hit, and fifth to debut in the region. The group hit a No. 2 best with “In the End” in 2002.

As previously reported, “Lost” became the first to debut at No. 1 on the Rock & Alternative Airplay chart in more than a decade on the strength of its radio audience.

The track also tops the Rock Digital Song Sales, Alternative Digital Song Sales and Hard Rock Digital Song Sales surveys, as well as Hard Rock Streaming Songs.

“Lost,” with vocals by Chester Bennington, who died in 2017, was originally recorded for the sessions for Meteora, Linkin Park’s second studio album, released in March 2003. It’s part of a 20th anniversary reissue of the album, due April 7.

24 Feb 2023

What’s TikTok Trying to Prove by Turning Off Music in Australia? 

What’s TikTok without music? That’s the central question at the heart of debates between major rights holders and the Bytedance-owned social media platform negotiating rates for their content, and a group of Australian users have been pulled into the middle to try to find out.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that that TikTok is running tests in Australia that limits the amount of licensed music some users can encounter on the platform. The test impacts fewer than half of Australia-based accounts, and it doesn’t affect everyone in the same way, according to a person familiar with the situation. The test puts people into multiple cohorts and provides them with different libraries of sounds to use in video creation. So, not everybody in the test will have the same catalog to choose from. Likewise, users in the test cohorts have different encounters with audio. Some people in test cohorts will encounter muted music on other users’ videos. This allows TikTok to compare and measure the different ways people interact with the app.

The results may inform TikTok’s licensing strategy, but evidence that some Australians are unhappy members of the test cohort can be seen on Twitter. “Tiktok really ruining its own app with all this ‘sound removed’ garbage,” one Australian user tweeted last week. Another echoed the sentiment: “wtf is up with tiktok removing like half the sounds??? like i swear ive seen SO many tiktoks where the sound has been removed.”

The risk of upsetting users and creators isn’t lost on TikTok. “We appreciate it’s disappointing if a certain track is unavailable or if a sound is muted on a previous video,” the company said in a statement. “This change will not be in place for long and not all music is affected.” The test will run from a month to a month and a half, according to a source familiar with the situation, meaning it should conclude by mid-March.

Why would TikTok degrade its user experience even in a relatively small market like Australia? A source familiar with the company’s thinking said TikTok is using the experiment to study what is trending, how users are accessing the platform through different entry points and how they are enjoying it. It is not a negotiating tactic, the person said. Nonetheless, the company is gathering the data during a year when most, if not all, of TikTok’s agreements with music rights owners come up for renewal. The source said it is predictable that TikTok would gather this information ahead of high-stakes negotiations, like those ongoing with major labels and other stakeholders.

Around the music industry, there are different interpretations for TikTok’s actions. One explanation is that TikTok is doing what tech companies do all the time: run tests, collect data and analyze the results. That narrative fits with what’s known. Australia, an important yet small and isolated English-speaking market, is a popular place for tech companies — Spotify, Facebook, Google, Tinder and others — to test new products. Much like these other companies, TikTok is an engineering-led company with engineers who want to take data-driven approaches to making decisions on how much time and resources should be invested in projects, building systems and, yes, even licensing rights. Sometimes, as history has shown with most of those other companies, too, a different mindset puts them at odds with creative industries.

“I don’t think they truly understand music at these tech companies,” says a record label executive. “It just doesn’t resonate with them.”

Negotiating tool?

TikTok, of course, has numerous people from the music world on staff: Ole Obermann, global head of music, and Tracy Gardner, head of licensing and partnerships, are former Warner Music Group executives. Jordan Lowy, head of music publishing licensing and partnerships, previously worked at Universal Music Group and Disney Music Group, and dozens if not hundreds of other music industry alums work at TikTok in editorial and artist partnerships. But the company looks and acts like a social media company, not a music company.

A less benign view of the test is that TikTok is looking for a rationale to argue music is not important to the platform – or not as important as labels believe. Annabelle Herd, the CEO of ARIA, the trade body for the Australian record industry, said TikTok “seeks to rationalize cutting artists’ compensation” and “downplay the significance of music on its platform.” Another industry executive believes the test is meant to lower expectations going into discussions with rights holders. “They’re looking to anchor their negotiating position near zero,” says a music industry source.

TikTok has spent years playing up music’s importance to creators, users and artists. “Music is at the heart of the TikTok experience,” Obermann stated in the opening words of the TikTok 2021 Music Report. That year, around 430 songs surpassed 1 billion views, up 200% from the previous year, and over 175 songs that trended that year charted on the Hot 100. In the company’s 2022 year-end report, Obermann reiterated TikTok’s value to artists, saying the platform “continues to unlock real-world opportunities for artists and labels, helping talent to secure record deals, brand collaborations, chart success, or be re-discovered decades later.”

And while the platform has certainly evolved beyond lip-syncing videos – book reviews and finance advice abound, for example – much of the recent news coming out of the company still involves music: StemDrop, an interactive, collaborative songwriting platform led by Max Martin, Syco Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Samsung; a Calvin Harris virtual reality concert; and welcomes to The Rolling Stones and Dolly Parton for joining the platform.

Anecdotally, exactly how important records labels’ music is to TikTok is debatable. Its top three trending songs of 2022 were independent releases, and the No. 1 song, “Sunroof” by Nicky Youre & Dazy, was originally released independently through SoundOn, TikTok’s music distribution business that’s been known to add promotion to music uploaded through its service. In all, only five of the top 10 of 2022 were signed to major labels. Major label music is arguably more important to on-demand streaming platforms and radio stations. By contrast, all the top 10 tracks of Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 and Radio Songs charts were released through major labels.

But major label music is everywhere on TikTok. Lizzo’s “About Damn Time” was the No. 4 trending song of 2022. Pharrell Williams’ “Just a Cloud Away” was No. 5. Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” was No. 10. And TikTok’s ability to give unknown artists a large audience increases its need to license music from labels. “Sunroof” was so successful that Youre signed with Colombia Records and reached No. 4 on the Hot 100.

What’s past is prologue

TikTok has ample motivation to reduce what it pays music rights holders. Licensing costs eat up more than 70% of a music subscription service’s revenue with little left over after paying operating expenses. Social networks, on the other hand, generate huge sums of free cash flow. Facebook, for example, had an operating margin of 25% in 2022 and 40% in 2021.

Services that once butted heads with music rights holders decided it was wiser to build partnerships that enriched both sides. Like TikTok, YouTube began as an ad-supported platform built on user-generated content and characterized by minuscule royalties. Over time, YouTube attracted better advertisers, built a strong on-demand premium service and became a major source of revenue for labels and publishers. In the 12-month period ended June 30, 2022, YouTube paid music rights holders $6 billion through YouTube advertisements and fees from the YouTube Music subscription service.

Now, YouTube has “a phenomenal partnership” with rights owners after it “decided that music is important to us forever,” Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl, YouTube’s former chief business officer, said during WMG’s Feb. 9 earnings call. It invested in music “holistically” by building a copyright management platform, Copyright ID, launching the YouTube Music subscription service and taking on TikTok with its short-form video platform, YouTube Shorts.

TikTok appears to share YouTube’s ambitions to offer a multitude of services that segment the market into ad-supported and paying customers. Parent company Bytedance already has an on-demand music service, Resso, operating in Brazil, Indonesia and India, and a separate on-demand service, Qishui Yinyue, in China. But in major markets like the U.S., TikTok users that want to listen to an entire track and explore an artist’s catalog end up going – in large numbers – to on-demand services like Spotify and Apple Music. Pairing its short-form video platform with an on-demand service would give TikTok a “significant opportunity” to leverage data and manage customers across multiple platforms, says one of the music industry sources. “Why would they not want to capture that demand themselves?”

“TikTok needs to do that [also],” Kyncl said during Warner’s earnings call. “It’s the right decision for them to evaluate.”

Additional reporting by Liz Dilts Marshall

24 Feb 2023

Britney Spears Declares This Surprising Deep Cut Her ‘Favorite’ Song From Her Discography

Britney Spears revealed her favorite song from her extensive catalog on Thursday (Feb. 23).

“My song ‘The Hook Up’ !!! It was never released as a single but it was always my favorite !!!” the pop star shared alongside one of her signature Instagram montages before she deleted it on Friday. In the video, Brit playfully models a short black cocktail dress with matching feathers framing its sweetheart neckline.

“The Hook Up” is quite a deep cut compared to Spears’ litany of pop hits. Featured on her 2003 album In the Zone, the dancehall-inflected track was produced by Tricky Stewart and Penelope Magnet — the duo who also helmed lead-off “Me Against the Music” featuring Madonna and fan favorite single “Outrageous.” The album also featured hit singles “Toxic” and “Everytime” before Spears moved on to her first greatest hits collection, 2004’s Greatest Hits: My Prerogative.

Memorably, “The Hook Up” was also included on the set list for the superstar’s short-lived Onyx Hotel Tour, sandwiched between “Everytime” and “I’m a Slave 4 U” before the worldwide trek was canceled due to Spears injuring her knee on the set of the “Outrageous” music video in June 2004.

Earlier this week, the singer took to Instagram to show off an original dress she had made with help from a girlfriend and joked around in an accent, telling her followers, “So, guys, I just want you to know, if I ever shut down my Instagram, do not call the cops. Don’t ever be a roller coaster. Never be a roller coaster!”

Spears’ comments seemed to stem from the January incident in which worried fans called authorities to perform a wellness check at the performer’s home after she temporarily deactivated her Instagram account.