American Airlines is now responding to a highly-charged, vitriolic attack from rapper Boosie Badazz. Flying is a headache, though some situations are clearly worse than others. In the case of Boosie Badazz, a missed connection that probably could have…
Author archives: Paul Resnikoff
A List of Artists Whose Masters Were Lost In the 2008 Universal Studios Fire
The ripples are just being felt from Jody Rosen’s bombshell New York Times Magazine exposé on the Universal Studios fire of 2008. The losses felt by Universal Music Group were staggering — not to mention the broader music community. Yet nobody knew ab…
Why a DJ Khaled ‘Monster Lawsuit’ Is the Best Thing That Could Happen to Billboard — And the Music Industry at Large
Billboard’s chart rankings are a beautiful mess. But what’s the solution? There’s something oddly satisfying about witnessing Tyler, the Creator topping DJ Khaled for the number one ranking on the latest Billboard 200. Somehow, a trippy exploration o…
Woodstock 50’s Venue Pulls Out, Citing Breach of Contract
The deeply-troubled Woodstock 50 just suffered two additional setbacks. After seemingly game-ending defeats earlier this year, Woodstock 50 is now facing a pair of brand-new setbacks. And the latest wave of difficulties may very well be the most signi…
Coachella Is Already Selling Tickets for Its 2020 Festival
Coachella 2019 just ended. Which means Coachella 2020 has just begun. Seemingly moments after the final notes were played at Coachella 2019, event organizer Goldenvoice/AEG is already hawking tickets for next year’s festival. In an APB sent to Digital…
DJ Khaled Is Reportedly Suing Billboard Over His 2nd Place Chart Position
Has Billboard’s make-it-up-as-you-go chart qualification process finally backfired? Once upon a time, Billboard had a pretty simple job when it came to counting and ranking weekly album sales. Using its retail-scanning sidekick, Nielsen Soundscan, Bil…
One Month Later — Where the Hell Is Rolling Stone’s Charts Release?
After getting heavily hyped, the industry is feeling a distinct sense of buzzkill. But is Rolling Stone’s chart release finally arriving? Rolling Stone owner Penske Media spent so much effort hyping up its chart release in May, you’d think the Music C…
Thematic Surpasses 1 Billion ‘Demonetization-Free’ Song Plays for Repped Artists
The LA-based Thematic is built on a simple premise: ‘demonetization-free’ licensing for content creators on platforms like YouTube in exchange for artist and song promotion. Now, in its public beta alone, Thematic, a company focused on enabling music a…
Spotify Inks an Exclusive Podcasting Deal With Barack & Michelle Obama
After spending hundreds of millions on podcast acquisitions, Spotify is focusing more on the content itself. The exclusive podcasting deal, confirmed to Digital Music News this morning, will feature ongoing contributions from both Barack and Michelle O…
U.S. Department of Justice Opens a Formal Inquiry Into ASCAP & BMI Consent Decrees
The DOJ is now taking a look at 1940s-era regulations that heavily restrict music publishers and songwriters. The U.S. Department of Justice is now taking a formal look into consent decrees that dictate pricing and other practices for public performanc…