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12/20/2024
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12/20/2024
Argentina and Uruguay are two nations with deep-rooted connections to cumbia. Throughout history, artists of the genre have emerged from both sides of the Río de la Plata, becoming the soundtrack of daily life for millions of families in both countries. This past year, that cultural legacy was further strengthened by Valentino Merlo and The […]
Spotify is firing back at Drake’s accusations that the streamer helped Universal Music Group artificially boost Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” calling the allegations “false” and blasting the rapper’s legal action as a “subversion of the normal judicial process.”
The new filing is the first response to a petition filed last month in which Drake accused UMG and Spotify of an illegal “scheme” involving bots, payola and other methods to pump up Lamar’s song — a track that savagely attacked Drake amid an ongoing feud between the two stars.
In a motion filed Friday in Manhattan court, the streaming giant says it has found zero evidence to support the claims of a bot attack, and flatly denies that it struck any deal with UMG to support Lamar’s song.
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“The predicate of Petitioner’s entire request for discovery from Spotify is false,” the company’s lawyers write. “Spotify and UMG have never had any such arrangement.”
Beyond denying the allegations, the filing repeatedly criticizes Drake for going to court in the first place — calling his claims of a conspiracy “far-fetched” and “speculative,” and questioning why Spotify (a “stranger” to the “long-running fued” between Drake, Kendrick and UMG) is even involved.
Spotify also criticized Drake for the way in which he brought his claims to court — not as a full-fledged lawsuit, but as an unusual “pre-action” petition aimed at demanding information. The company accused Drake of using that “extraordinary” procedure because his allegations are too flimsy to pass muster in an actual lawsuit and would have been quickly dismissed.
“What petitioner is seeking to do here … is to bypass the normal pleading requirements … and obtain by way of pre-action discovery that which it would only be entitled to seek were it to survive a motion to dismiss,” Spotify’s lawyers write. “This subversion of the normal judicial process should be rejected.”
A spokesperson for Drake and his legal team did not immediately return a request for comment on Spotify’s filings.
Drake went to court last month, accusing UMG of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, the federal “RICO” statute often used against organized crime. He accused Spotify of participating in the scheme by charging reduced licensing fees in exchange for recommending the song to users. A day later, he filed a similar action in Texas, suggesting that UMG had legally defamed him by releasing a song that “falsely” accused him of being a “sex offender.”
The legal actions represent a remarkable twist in the high-profile beef between the two stars, which saw Drake and Lamar exchange stinging diss tracks over a period of months earlier this year. That a rapper would take such a dispute to court seemed almost unthinkable at the time, and Drake has been ridiculed in some corners of the hip-hop world for doing so.
The actions also represent a stunning rift between Drake and UMG, where the star has spent his entire career — first through signing a deal with Lil Wayne’s Young Money imprint, which was distributed by Republic Records, then by signing directly to Republic.
UMG has not yet filed a responded to the litigation in court. But in a statement issued at the time, the music giant called Drake’s allegations “offensive and untrue”: “No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.”
In Friday’s filing, Spotify echoed that criticism — arguing that civil RICO cases are difficult to prove even with ample evidence, and that Drake hardly has any: “The Petition asserts no specific facts of any kind in support of these alleged RICO and deceptive practices violations,” the company wrote. “Instead, it relies exclusively on speculation … or the claims of anonymous individuals on the internet.”
Spotify’s attorneys seemed particularly focused on disputing the idea that swarms of bots had been able to flood the platforms to fraudulently boost Lamar’s track — a hot-button issue in the modern music industry. In an affidavit attached to Friday’s filing, Spotify’s vp of music offered sworn testimony that the company “invests heavily” in efforts to “mitigate the impact of artificial streaming on our platform.”
“When we identify attempted stream manipulation, we take action that may include removing streaming numbers, withholding royalties and charging penalty fees,” David Kaefer wrote in the filing. “Confirmed and suspected artificial streams are also removed from our chart calculations. This helps us to protect royalty payouts for honest, hardworking artists.”
Time for a pre-holiday madness edition of Executive Turntable, Billboard’s compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music.
Read on for better-late-than-never personnel news and don’t forget to check out WMG chief Robert Kyncl’s year-end note to staff and dig into all of our year-end business content, plus peruse our weekly interview series spotlighting a single c-suiter and our daily calendar of notable goings-on.
Luke Armitage was appointed senior vp of global marketing at Warner Records, where he’ll oversee international marketing for the label’s U.S. roster. Based in Los Angeles, he reports to Warner Music’s chief marketing officer, Jessica Keeley-Carter, and collaborates with Warner Records’ co-chairmen Tom Corson and Aaron Bay-Schuck. Armitage joins Warner after six years at Capitol Music Group’s Astralwerks Records, where he led global marketing for artists like Marshmello and Katy Perry. He also contributed to projects by The Chemical Brothers, FISHER and Meduza, among others. Prior to Astralwerks, Armitage held court at Universal Music’s international division in London, Metropolis Studios, and Universal Music Publishing.
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Avex USA promoted Ryusuke (Ryan) Kamada to CFO, recognizing his pivotal role in the company’s growth since its 2020 launch. Ryan joined Avex in 2018 and transitioned from Avex’s Japanese headquarters to Avex USA, where he leveraged his expertise in global finance and law to expand operations in North America. He developed Avex USA’s corporate strategy, co-manages the Future of Music Fund and spearheaded partnerships with S10 and Roc Nation, among others. In Japan, Kamada was chief producer of Avex’s investment group, leading M&A and corporate venture capital investments. Prior to Avex, he worked in JP Morgan’s Tokyo office. The University of Pennsylvania grad began his career in Toyota’s legal division, handling major U.S. litigation and congressional hearings. Avex USA CEO Naoki Osada commended Ryan’s strategic vision, financial acumen, and “sincere respect and passion for songwriters are integral to the company culture.” Since its launch in Los Angeles in 2020, the U.S. branch of the Tokyo-based music and entertainment company has established a publishing division, a music start-up investment program and a record label.
Sphere Entertainment appointed Marcus Ellington as executive vp of ad sales and sponsorships, effective immediately. Ellington will develop and lead an ad sales and sponsorships unit to maximize revenue for Sphere’s assets, including the Vegas venue’s unmistakable exterior, known as the Exosphere. He’ll also drive brand-centric opportunities and broader marketing partnerships. Ellington is based in New York and reports to Jennifer Koester, Sphere’s president and COO. Ellington joins Sphere from Google, where he held various sales and partnership roles, most recently as director of Americas partnerships solutions. His experience includes overseeing relationships and ad revenue for Google’s largest media and entertainment partners. Prior to Google, he worked at Interactive One and CBS, and over the years has received industry awards and served on several boards. Koester praised Ellington’s innovative leadership and track record with premier brands “across a range of industries, which will be an asset as we continue evolving how brands can partner with Sphere to create impactful experiences unlike anywhere else.”
Melanie Santa Rosa
Third Side Music named Melanie Santa Rosa as its new head of copyright, based in New York. Reporting to co-founder/CEO Patrick Curley, Santa Rosa will lead the copyright department, focusing on transparency, efficiency and maximizing value for the independent publisher’s extensive roster, which includes Kurt Vile, SOFI TUKKER, Future Islands, Sky Ferreira and more. Santa Rosa brings a wealth of experience to the role, having previously served as executive vp of global digital copyright administration at Word Collections, managing worldwide copyright and royalty administration. She also spent 12 years at Spirit Music Group, rising to senior vp of global administration, and worked at BMI for a decade, collaborating with songwriters, publishers, and performing rights organizations. An advocate for creators, Santa Rosa serves on the AIMP New York Chapter board and is active in several industry organizations. Patrick Curley praised Santa Rosa’s expertise and reputation: “She is precisely the person we needed to lead the operation and development of Third Side Music’s worldwide collections platform in the years to come,” he said.
Infinite Reality, a leader in digital media and e-commerce leveraging spatial computing and AI, appointed Drew Wilson as chief operating officer. Wilson, who most recently served as both COO and chief financial officer at SoundCloud, will manage business operations, drive revenue, and advance iR’s strategic vision. Under his watch at SoundCloud, the audio platform achieved profitability for the first time in the company’s history, driving significant revenue growth, margin improvements and product innovation. He has also held key roles at First Look Media, AwesomenessTV, RLJ Entertainment and Warner Bros. Discovery, contributing to revenue growth and digital transformation. John Acunto, iR’s co-founder and CEO, praised Wilson’s proven ability to scale digital media businesses and his expertise in technology and fan engagement.
AEG Presents promoted Evan Marks to talent buyer for the Rocky Mountains region. Previously an assistant in the role, Marks will now oversee bookings at prominent venues like Mission Ballroom, Ogden Theatre, Gothic Theatre, Bluebird Theatre and some outdoor spot called Red Rocks. Based in Denver, he’ll report to Don Strasburg, president of Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest. A Houston native, Marks has been active in the Colorado music scene for nearly 15 years. After graduating from CU Boulder, he began his career as a talent buyer at Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom in 2017 before joining AEG Presents Rocky Mountains in 2022. Strasburg commended Marks for his passion and dedication to live music, highlighting his deep musical knowledge and strong execution skills. “Evan’s wide berth of musical knowledge and ability to execute will meet and exceed the lofty expectations of our music community.”
Eddie Kloesel has been named partner at WHY&HOW, the management company founded by Bruce Kalmick. Joining at its inception in 2020 as vp of touring and sponsorships, Kloesel was later promoted to executive vp, playing a pivotal role in shaping the company’s strategic goals. He has spearheaded brand partnerships, touring strategies and album releases, contributing to the success of clients like Whiskey Myers and Chase Rice. With a music industry career spanning nearly two decades, Kloesel began in 2005 as a day-to-day tour manager for Brandon Rhyder and joined Triple 8 Management in 2011 before becoming a member of WHY&HOW’s founding team. Kalmick calls Kloesel a a “trusted strategic thinker who approaches our clients’ business like an entrepreneur,” adding, “He’s always thinking outside the box and has brought forward opportunities that are not only lucrative for our clients but are also unique within the industry.”
Supreme Music secured the exclusive services of renowned sound designer Markus Stemler, celebrated for his Academy Award-nominated and BAFTA-winning work on All Quiet on the Western Front. This collaboration strengthens Supreme Music’s sound design and audio post-production for advertising and branded content. Stemler, known for projects like The Matrix Resurrections and Cloud Atlas, brings expertise in dialogue editing, ADR, Foley and re-recording mixing. His recent credits include Tides (2021) and Perfect Days (2023). For Supreme Music, he has contributed to standout campaigns such as Penny’s Wonderful World and the American Red Cross’ Mom, showcasing his exceptional artistry and versatility.
HarbourView Equity Partners partnered with The CultureShaker to lead its brand, marketing and PR efforts. The CultureShaker’s founder, Lucinda Martinez, will now serve as chief marketing officer of the investment firm, joined by Deborah Renteria as vice president of brand and content strategy. Martinez, known for award-winning campaigns like Game of Thrones and Insecure, brings a quarter-century of experience from Netflix, HBO and Comedy Central. Renteria brings complimenting expertise in content development and audience engagement from roles at Lionsgate, Facebook, and HBO. HarbourView CEO Sherrese Clarke Soares praised the team’s cultural and strategic insights, essential for the firm’s rapid growth, adding: “The CultureShaker is our first operating partner under our Create Platform, further cementing our position as a valued partner to artists, content creators, investors as we broaden our footprint and deepen our focus across the entertainment and creative ecosystem to continue to drive ROI.”
Curbside Concerts, a Canadian company that produces curbside concerts, welcomed Tracy Posadowski and Tom Yeates as managing directors of sales and marketing. Posadowski, co-founder of ATTCo Global Services, and Yeates, with extensive revenue management experience, aim to expand the company in Canada, enter the U.S. market, and explore new business avenues. Founded by Matt and Amanda Burgener during the COVID-19 pandemic to support struggling musicians, Curbside Concerts has grown significantly in its first four years, bringing music to people’s yards and curbs.
Isekai Records, a joint venture with Broke Records, launched in August 2024 by Ewan Jenkins, Jack Mangan and RJ Pasin, aims to be artist-friendly. Jenkins and Mangan, co-founders of E2J Artist Management, gained recognition in 2023 by managing Pasin, whose TikTok followers grew from 10,000 to 2.8 million and Spotify listeners to 7.5 million monthly. Isekai Records leverages their expertise to support emerging talent. Their debut release, “Embrace It” by Ndotz, marked their global entry and commitment to artist-centric music production.
ICYMI:
Hugh Forrest
The board of directors of Farm Aid appointed Shorlette Ammons and Jennifer Fahy to lead the non-profit effective Jan. 1 … Hugh Forrest was promoted to president of South by Southwest, where he’ll continue to oversee programming and assume full leadership of an organization. Jann Baskett, the current co-president and chief brand officer, prepares to step down on New Year’s Eve.
Last Week’s Turntable: Red Light Green Lights Former Warner Nashville Prez
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Tech billionaire Elon Musk is being hammered for using his influence and X, formerly Twitter, to force a government shutdown to aid Donald Trump.
Tech billionaire and Tesla founder Elon Musk is exerting outsized influence over President-elect Donald Trump, with some seeing him aiming to force a shutdown of the federal government. Democratic lawmakers and observers are pointing to how Musk has been using the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, to amplify calls to do so as House Majority Speaker Mike Johnson is trying to get the stop-gap bill passed with two days to go. In a post on X, Musk wrote: “Shutting down” the government (which doesn’t actually shut down critical functions btw) is infinitely better than passing a horrible bill.”
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1869476312278286359
He would also post that any member of the House of Representatives who voted for it “deserves to be out in 2 years.” Musk was joined by former Republican presidential candidate and co-chair of the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Vivek Ramaswamy, who also blasted Johnson and the bill. The call to “kill the bill” was amplified by MAGA supporters, and Trump himself said he was against the bill to raise the debt ceiling on Wednesday (Dec. 18). When asked if those actions weighed on the GOP members, Arizona Representative Andy Biggs replied, “I think it’s having an effect on some people. I think it probably is.”
The moves by Musk have earned him scorn from Democrats. “If this is the type of power he has, then he is going to be the unelected co-president of this country and we’ve got to be super blunt about it,” said Florida Representative Maxwell Frost, who had a back-and-forth with Musk on X afterward. Vermont Representative Becca Balint echoed his statements. “I’m going to be talking to my folks back home in Vermont who voted for Trump: You thought you voted for Trump, but in fact, Trump just caved to Musk,” she said to Axios.
The pressure is now on Johnson to come up with a plan to satisfy conservatives – one proposal reportedly would include a “clean CR” and dropping $100 million in disaster aid and $30 billion for farmers. Both moves would greatly affect Trump’s base. Johnson’s position is also shaky with a slim Republican majority in the House of Representatives, as his vote to remain Speaker takes place Jan. 3.
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Life behind bars is taking a toll on Diddy’s physical appearance. A reporter says he appeared to be thinner and much grayer at a recent court hearing.
As spotted on Page Six, the founder of Bad Boy Entertainment looks to have lost a bit of his signature luster. On Wednesday (Dec. 18), Diddy appeared at a hearing to review his forthcoming federal trial. Reporter Elizabeth Millner of Law & Crime was in attendance for the proceeding and gave an account about how he looked. “He appeared just astonishingly thinner, which you can expect [from him being] inside a federal detention center for a couple of months now,” she noted. “A lot different from the luxury lifestyle that he was living before, but he appeared very noticeably thinner and maybe being locked up in detention is starting to wear on him.” Millner also pointed out that his hair is a lot more gray than before.
The celebrity gossip website reached out to Diddy’s legal team for comment on the matter but did not hear back. A source that is apparently close to the “Last Night” performer told the outlet that his change in appearance is due to engaging in more physical activity while he awaits trial. “He has been very active, remains in good spirits, and, as always, he was happy to see his children,” the source explained.
Diddy is being held at Metropolitan Detention Center, Brooklyn (MDC Brooklyn). You can see reporter Elizabeth Millner’s analysis below starting at the 2:06 hour mark.
Prince, The Clash and Frankie Valli are among the artists who were selected to receive lifetime achievement awards from the Recording Academy in 2025. The awards will be presented at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony on Feb. 1 at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles.
The event, always one of the most memorable and musical of Grammy Week, will also honor the recipients of trustees awards (which go to non-performers) and a Technical Grammy Award recipient.
The other lifetime achievement award recipients are Frankie Beverly, Dr. Bobby Jones, Taj Mahal and Roxanne Shante. The trustees award recipients are Erroll Garner, Glyn Johns and Tania León. Dr. Leo Beranek is the Technical Grammy Award honoree.
Several of the awards will be presented posthumously. R&B singer Beverly just died three months ago; Prince and Dr. Beranek both died in 2016; Joe Strummer of The Clash died in 2002; and Garner, the composer of the pop standard “Misty,” died in 1977.
Several of this year’s recipients have already received major honors. Prince was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, received a lifetime achievement award at the BET Awards in 2010, and was honored by the Songwriters Hall of Fame in July (he had been voted in while he was alive, but scheduling the presentation proved difficult).
Valli was voted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of the Four Seasons) in 1990, followed by The Clash in 2003 and producer Glyn Johns in 2012. Maze featuring Frankie Beverly received a lifetime achievement award at the BET Awards in 2012. León received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2022.
“It’s an amazing privilege to honor this eclectic group of music icons during the year’s biggest week in music,” Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy said in a statement. “Each of this year’s Special Merit Award recipients has left an indelible mark on music, from paving the way for others to innovation that forever has changed the trajectory of the musical landscape. We can’t wait to celebrate this group and their achievements in February.”
Lifetime Achievement Awards are presented to performers who have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording.
Trustees Awards are presented to individuals who have made significant contributions, other than performance, to the field of recording.
Technical Grammy Awards are presented to individuals, companies, organizations or institutions who have made contributions of outstanding technical significance to the recording field.
Here’s a complete list of the 2025 Special Merit Award recipients.
Frankie Beverly (Lifetime Achievement Award)
The Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation has joined forces with Warner Music Latina for a 2025 scholarship that will be good toward a bachelor’s degree at Berklee College of Music, Billboard can announce.
The four-year Prodigy Scholarship, which will cover tuition and room and board for the 2025 fall semester, as well as wrap-around services provided by the foundation, marks the first time a Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation scholarship has been sponsored by a record label.
“This partnership embodies one of our core values: to cultivate intellectual and artistic potential by removing barriers that often impede exceptional musicians from realizing their vision,” said Alejandro Duque, president of Warner Music Latin America, in a statement. “Through strategic educational support we’re not just investing in individual careers, but in the broader cultural landscape of musical innovation.”
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Roberto Andrade, MD at Warner Music Latina, added: “At Warner Music Latina, we’re proud to support young talent through this scholarship. By empowering aspiring musicians, we’re investing in the voices that will shape tomorrow’s soundtrack. This is more than an opportunity — it’s a commitment to creativity, talent and the future of music.”
In addition to the Prodigy Scholarship, three other scholarships — from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, the Gil Family Foundation and Gibson Gives — will be available for music students between the ages of 17 and 25 with financial limitations who have a passion for Latin music.
“The support of our donors makes the fulfillment of our mission to provide educational opportunities that advance Latin music and its heritage a reality,” added Raquel “Rocky” Egusquiza, executive director at the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation. “We are grateful to Warner Music Latina, Frost School of Music, Gibson Gives and the Gil Family Foundation for hosting these scholarships, providing opportunities to aspiring Latin music creators in need of financial aid to pursue their dreams.”
Applications for all of the scholarships will be open between now and 11:59 p.m. ET on April 10, 2025. For more information and to apply, click here.
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The former chief adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams and her son officially turned themselves in to face bribery charges.
On Thursday morning (December 19), Ingrid Lewis-Martin turned herself in to face corruption and bribery charges. She and her son, Glenn Martin II, were seen heading into the lower Manhattan offices of District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Lewis-Martin was the chief adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, but she resigned abruptly on Sunday, citing a wish to spend more time with her family.
The charges of bribery facing Lewis-Martin include her son being given a $100,000 loan to purchase a Porsche by two businessmen after she allegedly helped them resolve an issue they encountered with the city’s Department of Buildings while undergoing construction on a hotel property they owned. A lawyer for one of the businessmen, Mayank Dwivedi, said that his client had committed no wrongdoing. Martin, 38, is a professional DJ who has gained prominence working several events through the years thanks to his mother and Adams, including events at Brooklyn Borough Hall and at City Hall. Going by the name of “Suave Luciano”, he also performed as part of the city’s “Rise Up” concert series in 2022.
Lewis-Martin’s reporting to the district attorney’s office makes her the highest-ranking city official out of a dozen to date to face charges since Mayor Adams was himself indicted on federal corruption charges in September. “I’m being falsely accused of something,” she said in a press conference. “I don’t know exactly what it is, but I know that I was told that it’s something that’s illegal, and I have never done anything illegal in my capacity in government.” The 63-year-old politician has been a staunch ally to Mayor Adams for decades, remarking that she is his “sister ordained by God.” A press conference by the D.A.’s office is set for Thursday afternoon.
The situation takes place during a week that has seen Mayor Adams undergo difficulties related to his case. On Monday (December 16), the city’s campaign finance board denied his re-election campaign $4.3 million in public funding. The following day, his request to move his April 2025 trial date up was denied by a federal judge.
It was a busy year for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and it looks like 2025 will be just as jam-packed. According to a press release recapping the Boss’ 2024, next year will find the 75-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend extending his global tour with the band, as well as celebrating some milestones and dusting off unheard gems from the archives.
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“Upcoming releases in 2025 will include a look back at Springsteen’s storied recoding career, featuring never-before-heard material,” read the release, which did not specify when the songs are from or what format they will be released in. In 1998, Springsteen dropped the hefty four-disc box set Tracks, which featured 66 songs, mostly never-before-released, as well as b-sides, demos and alternate versions of previously released material.
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It also noted that Springsteen will “continue his involvement” in the upcoming biopic Deliver Me From Nowhere, in which The Bear star Jeremy Allen White will portray a young Bruce.
Next year will include a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Springsteen’s landmark 1975 album Born To Run, which helped turn Bruce into a rock legend thanks to such beloved classics as the title track, “Thunder Road,” “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out,” “Backstreets” and “Jungleland,” among others.
Other anniversaries that will be marked in 2025 include the 45th anniversary of 1980’s double-album masterpiece The River, as well as the 30th anniversary of the Grammy-winning acoustic folk rock album The Ghost of Tom Joad and the 20th of 2005’s Devils & Dust.
The E Street Band will keep on keepin’ on next spring when they kick off a spring/summer run of European dates, which will kick-off with the first of three show at the Co-Op Live arena in Manchester, U.K. on May 14 and include stops in France, Germany, the Czech Republic and Spain before winding down on July 3 in Milan, Italy at San Siro Stadium.