Last year, the singer-songwriter Cavetown, who has amassed a small but fervent following releasing frank, hushed guitar pop, signed a deal with Sire Records. In the weeks leading up to his major-label debut, he had developed a detailed rollout plan. “We had pop-ups planned in New York, Philly, and London,” …
Read More »Should Music's Biggest Companies Be Doing More to Help Right Now?
Days after the cascade of music-tour suspensions in the U.S. due to the coronavirus crisis, Bandcamp, an online music and merch shop, announced it would waive its revenue cut for a day to support the artists using the platform. Bandcamp’s CEO Ethan Diamond revealed Monday that fans spent $4.3 million …
Read More »The Three Major Publishers Generated More than $3.2 Billion in 2019 — That's $369,000 Per Hour
The recorded music divisions of the Big Three record labels (Universal Music Group, Sony Music Group, and Warner Music Group) generated more than $1 million every hour from streaming alone in Q4 last year. When Music Business Worldwide announced these calculations last week, it caused a stir in the global …
Read More »Rolling Stone and Music Business Worldwide Enter Comprehensive New Deal
Rolling Stone‘s parent company Penske Media Corporation announced on Monday a strategic investment in Music Business Worldwide — a deal that brings the two publications closer than ever before, adds another heavyweight to PMC’s family of media brands, and further enriches Rolling Stone‘s coverage and analysis of the global music …
Read More »Recording Academy Fires Back at Deborah Dugan as Battle Intensifies
In the latest development in one of the nastiest ongoing fights in the music industry, the Recording Academy has a message for recently ousted CEO Deborah Dugan: Bring it on. Last week, Dugan sent an open letter to the Academy asking for her arbitration clause to be waived, a request …
Read More »Aerosmith Enlist Cheap Trick, Jonas Brothers, Kesha and John Legend for Grammy MusiCares Tribute
Everyone’s Sunday best made an early appearance for Friday night’s MusiCares event at the Los Angeles Convention Center. It didn’t matter if you were a music business attorney or host Russell Brand; your hairspray was extra-strength and your shoes were shining.And since the charity, now in its 30th year as …
Read More »Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven' Goes to Court (Again) on Monday
The music business will experience collective déjà vu next week when Led Zeppelin goes back to court facing claims that it ripped off its signature “Stairway to Heaven” from Spirit’s “Taurus.” But this time, the stakes are much higher. Related: Page and Plant Break Their ‘Stairway’ Embargo at 2007 Reunion …
Read More »A K-Pop Concert Movie Is Coming to YouTube
In November, BTS‘s Burn the Stage: The Movie broke global records by being the best-selling film of all time in the event cinema genre, which comprises all live and recorded entertainment on a theater screen, including ballets, operas and sports games. Adding to that victory is that the K-pop boy band’s film …
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