Blackpink is an undeniable force right now. And anyone who doesn’t yet understand the hype will have the chance to check it out for themselves when the group hosts its top-of-the-line livestream concert on YouTube this weekend. Since signing with Universal Music Group’s Interscope Records in the United States in …
Read More »Dua Lipa's Very Expensive Concert Is the Future of Livestreaming
Dua Lipa‘s Thanksgiving-weekendStudio 2054livestream was a smashing success: It drew five million viewers — a number that Lipa’s team says is a new record for livestreams — and broughta starry guest list that included Kylie Minogue and Elton John. Fans can definitely expect more livestreams from Lipa, her management team …
Read More »Spotify Is Fusing Music, Podcasts, and Radio in New 'Original Shows'
Why stay in a single lane when you could take all of them? On Wednesday morning, Spotify announced “Original Shows” — a mélange of music, podcasting, and audio clips that feels oddly similar to an AM/FM radio experience, as the latest new feature on the rapidly expanding streaming service. “We’ve …
Read More »J Dilla Died In 2006. He's Now Being Sued for Using a 1974 Rock Sample
2020’s spate of copyright cases just keeps getting weirder. In the latest legal tussle over music rights, the record label and publishing companies that worked on J Dilla‘s Donuts — an album that dropped three days before the hip-hop artist’s death in 2006 — have until next Wednesday to respond …
Read More »Music From Netflix's Erotic Romance '365 Days' Is Shooting Up the Charts
For the last month, amid the usual teen flicks and true-crime shows, an erotic drama has sat at the top of Netflix‘s list of most popular offerings. That film, 365 Days (365 Dni) — which movie critics have called a Polish 50 Shades of Grey —has garnered an intense, if …
Read More »Bon Jovi's Richie Sambora Is the Latest Victory for Merck Mercuriadis
Richie Sambora is selling the rights to his nearly 200-song catalog to song-acquisition investment company Hipgnosis Songs Fund, Hipgnosis announced on Monday. Financial details between the company and the former Bon Jovi guitarist weren’t specified, but given Merck Mercuriadis‘ reputation to overpay for his acquisitions and the number of hits …
Read More »Music Streaming Is Down in the Time of Social Distancing
As the spread of COVID-19 isolates more and more Americans in their homes, many thought that they would be coping by streaming more music — and, in turn, helping to soften the inevitably catastrophic blow that the pandemic will have on the music industry. But that doesn’t seem to be …
Read More »Recording Academy Officially Fires Grammy CEO Deborah Dugan
The Executive Committee of The Recording Academy — the organization that controls the Grammy Awards — issued a letter to members on Monday informing them of the termination of President/CEO Deborah Dugan‘s employment. Dugan was placed on administrative leave 10 days before the January 26th Grammys for allegations of misconduct. …
Read More »Sony's Music Recording and Music Publishing Companies Are Now One
Sony Music Entertainment and Sony/ATV — Sony’s recorded music and publishing divisions, respectively — will come together under one umbrella company next month, creating a structure in line with that of the other two major music companies. In an internal memo sent on Wednesday and reviewed by Rolling Stone, Sony …
Read More »Spotify Invents the Car Radio
Spotify is no longer a music-streaming company. On Wednesday morning, the company announced a new playlist that combines music, news and podcast content for the first time and in one single personalized feed. The change effectively offers a leveled-up alternative to terrestrial radio and positions the Swedish streaming service as …
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