Here’s a conundrum – Ed Sheeran offers ticket prices much cheaper than Bruno Mars, and ends up breaking sales records. Pollstar has released its 2018 Mid-Year report on the live concert industry. And the industry has never looked so good. Looking at t…
Category archives: Feature Story
Sorry, Chance the Rapper Isn’t Releasing a New Album This Week
It looks like fans of Chance the Rapper are going to have to wait a little while longer for a new album. Rumors that Chance the Rapper is releasing a new album this week have been shot down by the man himself. Vulture and Variety both reported earlier …
Universal Music Group Is Making a Huge Move Into Nigeria
Universal Music Group (UMG) is making a big expansion into Western Africa. That now includes a brand-new Universal Music Nigeria division. Once upon a time, pop superstars typically hailed from a small list of countries. That includes export-heavy re…
UnitedMasters, Alphabet’s $70 Million Bet, Releases a Limited Distribution Service
One of the most heavily-hyped startups to emerge in the past year has been UnitedMasters. UnitedMasters blasted out of the gate with a $70 million funding tranche, powered by the likes of Alphabet and Andreeson Horowitz. That’s a big bang, thoug…
Smart Speaker Installations Will Cross 100 Million This Year Alone — and Amazon Music Can’t Wait
A new report from Canalys analytics suggests that the number of smart speakers installed in homes across the world could surpass 100 million by the end of 2018. That’s a remarkable period of growth, considering less than 50 million smart speakers…
Maroon 5 Singer Adam Levine Is Now a YouTube Executive Producer
Those who enjoyed Maroon 5’s video for “Sugar” will soon have a lot more to enjoy. Think ‘Sugar’ + The Wedding Crashers on steroids, directed by Adam Levine. Maroon 5’s frontman, Adam Levine, will be executive produ…
Fired Billboard CEO John Amato Paid $18 Million to Leave, Report Claims
Despite rampant issues of sexual misconduct and mismanagement, ousted Billboard CEO John Amato was apparently paid $18 million to leave. What started out as whiff of smoke is threatening to engulf the entire Billboard building. Ahead of the weekend, Th…
Dirty Allegations Surround Ousted Billboard CEO John Amato
Billboard is a magazine, music-ranking authority, and entertainment brand that was founded way, way back in 1894. Which means that Billboard — along with The Hollywood Reporter — will probably weather this latest crisis. But firing the problem only go…
Streaming Exclusives Are Back! — Thanks to Amazon Music
Back in 2016, Universal Music Group chairman Lucian Grainge banned streaming music exclusives. But that decree only goes so far… As of Thursday (July 12th), alternative/rock group Awolnation has released the brand-new remix version of their hit …
ASCAP Wins a $1.5 Million Ruling Against Three California Radio Stations
US-based radio stations already get a free pass on recording performances. But that’s where the freebie ends. Federal courts in New York and Los Angeles have ruled in separate but related cases that Edward Stolz, owner of KFRH-FM, KREV-FM and KR…