Deals
Audiomack has partnered with Mogul to enhance royalty tracking for artists using its platform. The collaboration allows over 30 million monthly users to monitor their Audiomack royalties alongside other revenue sources through Mogul’s system. Mogul, which launched earlier this year, has tracked $100 million in royalties within four months and helped artists recover $150 million. Jeff Ponchick, CEO of Mogul, says, “We are THRILLED to partner with the leading creator friendly platform in the music industry”. Jacob Lowy, Manager Of Licensing & Music Partnerships at Audiomack, adds, “This partnership unlocks financial freedom and transparency, providing artists not just with distribution royalty tracking, but with entry points to new revenue streams”.
Universal Music Group has expanded its partnership with B2B music and streaming technology provider Tuned Global through a new global licensing agreement for the major’s recorded music catalogue. The deal allows Tuned Global clients to access technological expertise and licensing support for UMG’s music in one place, enabling them to target specific repertoires such as afrobeats, pop or jazz. Con Raso, Tuned Global’s Managing Director, says, “This partnership is designed to provide a consolidated route to market for promising music projects and companies who reach out to Tuned Global, wanting to access UMG’s recorded music catalogue, but unsure who to reach out to”.
NOREH has signed a record deal with 5020 Records. The Venezuelan singer, songwriter and producer has been active in the Latin music scene since 2020, releasing three albums independently. “We are extremely pleased to welcome NOREH as a new member of the 5020 Records family”, says Rafa Arcaute, President of 5020 Records. NOREH adds, “Being part of 5020 is exciting because, like me, they believe in daring songs with soul”. The artist is currently on his Baladas Tatuadas Tour, performing in Venezuela, the US, Spain and South America.
Sony Music Entertainment Vietnam has formed a strategic partnership with Great Entertainment, one of Vietnam’s leading music labels. Under the agreement, Sony Music will acquire rights to distribute and market Great Entertainment’s catalogue and frontline releases. Several high-profile releases are planned, including a new album from Masew in October 2024 and new singles from Quân AP in the first quarter of 2025. Angela Pong, General Manager of Sony Music Entertainment Vietnam, says, “This partnership marks a significant milestone as we continue to support and elevate the incredible talent emerging from Vietnam’s vibrant music scene”.
Appointments
Warner Chappell Music has announced changes to its European A&R team, including two promotions in its Nordics division and a new appointment in Germany. Marion Skogseth has been named A&R Manager and Leslie Tay has been promoted to Senior A&R Manager in the Nordics, while Jost Kaiser has rejoined the company as Head Of A&R Dance in Germany. Tay, who is based in Sweden and has been with WCM since 2022, says, “I love that I get to work alongside our amazing songwriters, and looking to the future, I am excited to help shape what is yet to come”. Kaiser, working out of the Berlin office, notes, “I am THRILLED to be back at Warner Chappell Music at such a transformative time for dance music”.
Audoo has appointed senior music industry executives Steve Clark, Isabel Garvey and Sean O’Malley as board advisors. Clark, COO of Round Hill Music, Garvey, COO of Warner Music UK, and O’Malley, CEO & Founder of Regard Music, join existing Audoo advisors Cliff Fluet and Alistair Macdonald. The music recognition technology company, which processes public performance royalties, has expanded globally with its Audio Meters active in fifteen countries and having processed over 75 million songs. This follows recent partnerships with PMY Group and Irish collecting society IMRO. Ryan Edwards, Founder and CEO of Audoo, says, “The combined experience of Steve, Isabel and Sean brings a powerful wealth of knowledge across labels, publishers, rightsholders and creators – to have such revered executives join our existing world-class group of board members and advisors demonstrates the strength of belief in the business as we continue to build and refine the Audoo offering.”
Legal
An interim order has been issued in Jasleen Royal’s copyright infringement litigation in the Bombay High Court against T-Series, Raj Ranjodh and Guru Randhawa over the song ‘All Right’. The singer alleges unauthorised use of her musical works, which she created in March 2022 as a potential track for Runway 34 promotional events. After discovering the release of ‘All Right’ by T-Series, featuring Randhawa’s, vocals in December 2023, Royal took legal action. The court has issued an interim order requiring T-Series to remove the song from all streaming platforms and prohibiting Ranjodh and Randhawa from exploiting it. Any future use of the song by the defendants requires providing Royal with two weeks’ prior notice.
Namecheap has been recommended for inclusion in the European Union’s Counterfeit And Piracy Watch List by Dutch anti-piracy group BREIN. The domain registrar has been flagged as ‘uncooperative’ for failing to voluntarily block pirate sites that Dutch ISPs are required to block in the Netherlands. BREIN says, “Namecheap has never complied with these requests and always insists on a US court order and is therefore willfully uncooperative as these cases clearly concern evidently illegal websites.” The group’s submission also highlights the effectiveness of site blocking in the Netherlands, noting that the number of blocked The Pirate Bay domains has dropped from over 200 in 2018 to around 50 today.
Streaming, Digital, Broadcast & Retail
Tracksy has partnered with NEXARTIS to integrate the latter’s Media Identity Suite into its AI music generation platform. The collaboration aims to enhance ownership verification and rights management for music creators using Tracksy’s platform. Tommy Beringer, Co-Founder and CEO of Tracksy, says, “By collaborating with NEXARTIS, we are setting a new standard in the music industry. Our goal is to equip music creators globally with tools that respect their creativity and encourage innovation.” As part of the extended collaboration, Beringer will join the Industry Advisory Council at The Open Commercial Media Ecosystem, an industry organisation founded by NEXARTIS. Laura Brugioni, Chief Commercial Officer at NEXARTIS, comments, “Partnering with Tracksy was a natural fit. Their commitment to ethical practices and dedication to the creative community aligns perfectly with our values.”
Singular Hearing has launched a new noise-free audio recording feature for its HeardThat app. The feature uses the app’s AI technology to transform smartphones into advanced audio recorders for capturing conversations, lectures and other content in noisy environments. Bruce Sharpe, CEO of Singular Hearing, says, “This new feature marks an important step in applying our audio technology in new ways. By adding noise-free recording, we enable users to capture clear audio in any environment”. The app stores recordings directly on the user’s phone and is now available on Android and iPhone devices.
Rough Trade has announced plans to open a record shop on London’s Denmark Street, marking the first time the iconic music hub will have a dedicated vinyl store. The new Rough Trade outlet will complement existing instrument shops and music venues on the street, enhancing its appeal as a destination for music enthusiasts. While the store will not include a live performance space, it will host album signings and collaborate with neighbouring venues HERE and The Lower Third to support Rough Trade’s existing out-store events programme.
Live
The National Independent Venue Association has launched a new certification programme called ‘Live Independent’ for venues, promoters and festivals in the US. The initiative aims to recognise excellence in independent music venues and encourage fans to support certified local establishments. Bandsintown, a gig-discovery platform, has partnered with NIVA to feature Live Independent branding on its service, including a map of certified venues. Stephen Parker, executive director of NIVA, says, “When fans and artists choose independent stages, they’re investing in the soul of their community”.
Other Industry News & Events
Concord Label Group has merged Concord Records and Fantasy Records into a single entity operating under the Concord Records name. The newly combined label, led by co-Presidents Margi Cheske and Mark Williams, will continue to work with artists across genres while “upholding Concord’s mission of championing artists, elevating voices and impacting culture”. A new logo has been unveiled for the merged brand, designed – the label says – to “establish a fresh path forward” while “honouring the label’s legacy”. The label’s roster includes both emerging and established artists such as Allison Russell, Daffo, John Vincent III, and Thirty Seconds To Mars. Tom Becci, Chief Executive of Concord Label Group, says, “This merger allows Concord to best utilise our global platform while maintaining the boutique level of service artists have come to expect.”
Outwrite, a new songwriting incubator, has launched in India in collaboration with Grammy-nominated American songwriter and record producer Savan Kotecha and Indian talent management company Represent. The venture, helmed by Aayushman Sinha and Murtuza Gadiwala, aims to bridge the gap between Indian and international music standards, offering local songwriters opportunities to reach the global stage. Kotecha, known for his work with artists like The Weeknd and Ariana Grande, says, “The songwriting and producing talent in India is unparalleled”. Outwrite will provide services including music business education, project management and legal support, while addressing issues such as unfair payouts and limited knowledge of rights in India’s music industry.
MXTR, a new artist accelerator platform, has launched with a commitment to champion and fund emerging artists. MXTR offers artists funding, majority share deals, master ownership and full creative control. The platform is powered by AudioActive, a music organisation that has provided talent development services for underground and underrepresented youth since 1999. It has signed its first artists, R&B/Neo soul singer-songwriter Orla Rae and British rapper Dred, with an official launch party scheduled for 18 Sep at Alphabet in Brighton. Adam Joolia, CEO, says, “Exceptional talent and music is the lifeblood of the music business and artists should not have to compromise to get their music out into the world. MXTR is here to support and accelerate artists and help them to smash through some of those barriers”.
Chartmetric has released its 2024 Trigger Cities Report, highlighting influential music markets that can propel artists to international recognition. The report identifies Latin America as hosting the most trigger cities due to its large, interconnected population and high levels of music streaming and social media activity. Mexico City and Santiago have the highest user base of monthly Spotify users, contributing to their status as Tier 1 trigger cities. Southeast Asian cities remain strong trigger markets, with countries like Indonesia having young, digitally-driven populations. The report notes that Western cities are less influential as trigger cities due to different sharing behaviours, despite their large diaspora populations.
Help Musicians and DJ Mag have announced the recipients of their Electronic Music Award, a twelve month career accelerator programme for UK-based electronic music creators. A panel of industry experts has selected 25 applicants who will receive up to £3000 for a chosen music project, along with business advice, networking opportunities and access to an eight-session online course in music business skills. NGAIO, a Bristol-based artist, says, “As someone who is still getting used to calling themselves ‘a producer’, my confidence has risen by receiving this award alone”. Iain McGoldrick, Head Of Business Development of DJ Mag, adds, “We are incredibly excited to start working alongside this amazing cohort of awardees”.
Artist News
The members of NewJeans have publicly called for HYBE to reinstate Min Hee-jin as CEO of their label Ador by 25 Sep. The K-pop group made the demand during a YouTube livestream earlier today, two weeks after Ador’s board removed Min from her position. They also accused Ador parent company HYBE of “subtle bullying”, adding that Min was their only protection against that conduct. “The Ador that we want is an Ador where the music production and company management are done by Min Hee-jin as the CEO”, NewJeans member Minji stated. The livestream came as NewJeans’ video director Shin Woo-seok announced plans to take legal action against executives at Ador, accusing them of damaging his reputation. The dispute centres on whether or not Shin had permission to upload NewJeans content to his own YouTube channel.
Queen have announced a newly mixed, mastered and expanded reissue of their 1973 self-titled debut album, set for release on 25 Oct. The reimagined version, titled ‘Queen I‘, includes 63 tracks with 43 brand new mixes across six CDs and one LP. Brian May says, “This is not just a remaster, this is a brand new 2024 rebuild of the entire Queen debut album, which, with the benefit of hindsight, we have re-titled ‘Queen I’.” The reissue features intimate studio recordings, demo tracks, rare live performances and previously unheard audio from the band’s first-ever live performance in August 1970.
Mew has announced their break-up after 30 years, with farewell shows planned for May 2025 in Denmark. The Danish alternative band, formed in 1995, will perform their final concerts at the Aarhus Congress Center on 29 May and the Royal Arena in Copenhagen on 31 May, billed as ‘Mew 30’. Jonas Bjerre, the band’s frontman, says, “It’s been quite a journey, that’s brought me and my lovely bandmates on countless adventures, for which I am eternally grateful”. Tickets for the farewell shows go on sale at 10am local time on 13 Sep.