Anyone working for R. Kelly, including the women and underage girls who were the victims of alleged sexual abuse were also required to sign a non-disclosure agreement, according to a new report which included highlights from the alleged document. The NDA, obtained by The Blast, is copyrighted on every page…
Author archives: Bruce Houghton
German Music Streaming Up 40% In 2018
Germany streaming music grew by over 40% in 2018 to an all-time record high of 79.5 billion, according to German music industry association Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI).While CD sales saw a 23% decline in the last year – a first for the format in the German music market – there was…
TUE. BRIEF: Tencent Stock Upgrade • Spotify Adds Artist Blocking • Apple Music, Spotify Data Protection Complaints • More
TUESDAY 1.22.19
Music Business News From Around The Web
Updated continuously under the More News tab
Spotify To Sell $100 In-Auto Voice Controlled Player, May Launch In India 1/31
Spotify is planning its first push into hardware with a long rumored voice controlled in-auto music player. It’s not clear who will buy the $100 device, since the streamer is already accessible via voice control using Alexa, Google Play and its own in-house Spotify Voice. Apple’s Siri voice control does…
Spotify Rolls Out #MuteRKelly Inspired Artist Blocking
Spotify is rolling out a feature that allows users to block an artist, including their automatically curated playlists like Discover Weekly and Daily Mix. The move comes as calls increase to #MuteRKelly and ban artists accused of sexual misconduct and hate speech. The new option removes blocked music from the…
R. Kelly Is Back On The Billboard Charts
R. Kelly is back in the Top 20 on Billboard. Given the horrific stories surrounding Kelly in recent weeks, perhaps it’s curiosity rather than being reminded of a favorite song. But either way, both Kelly and Sony, who just severed ties with the R&B singer for future projects, will profit….
Ariana Grande’s 7 Rings Shatters Spotify 24 Hour Record With 15 Million Streams of ‘7 Rings’
Ariana Grande has shattered Spotify’s record for the most plays within 24 hours. Grande’s single "7 Rings" clocked 14,966,544 streams in its first 24 hours after being released on Friday 18th. That’s 4 million more than the former record holder. The previous 24 hour record holder, holiday classic "All I…
Article 13 Falters, ‘Final’ Negotiations Postponed
The Article 13 Copyright Directive, once promoted by record labels and derided by YouTube is on the brink. Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland have said they can not support the latest draft and are blocking it from moving forward. A Monday meeting to finalize the proposal has been cancelled….
MON. BRIEF: Article 13 In Doubt • Spotify To Launch In-Car Player • R. Kelly Returns To Charts • More
MONDAY 1.21.19
Music Business News From Around The Web
Updated continuously under the More News tab
Sony Music Severs Ties With R. Kelly, But Continues To Profit From His Recordings
R. Kelly and Sony have parted ways, according to multiple sources who characterized the split as everything from mutually agreeable to the controversial rapper being shown the door. The split finally comes after months of pressure over the rapper’s alleged predatory behavior. and sexual abuse of women, including several minors….