In the final quarter of 2019, BBC Radio 1’s listenership dipped below 9 million for the very first time, according to newly reported figures. About 8.97 million weekly listeners tuned into Radio 1 during 2019’s last three months; that figur…
Category archives: Feature Story
Snoop Dogg Backtracks After Issuing Violent Threats Against Gayle King
In the wake of an official response from CBS and widespread outcry, Snoop Dogg has backed away from threats he issued to CBS This Morning host Gayle King. Last week, King interviewed former WNBA star Lisa Leslie, and a clip of their time together was r…
Kesha Ordered to Pay Over $373,000 Ahead of Dr. Luke Defamation Trial
Dr. Luke’s defamation lawsuit against Kesha hasn’t yet gone to trial, but a judge has already ordered the singer-songwriter to pay over $373,000 in damages. On Thursday, New York Supreme Court Judge Jennifer Schecter ruled that Kesha had in fact defame…
Apollo Transco Vinyl Manufacturing Plant Goes Down In Flames — Literally
The Apollo Transco lacquer-production facility has been destroyed in a raging fire — the cause remains unknown. Late yesterday, a fire broke out inside Apollo Transco’s lacquer-production warehouse, and authorities have now indicated that the building …
TSA Destroys a Priceless Instrument Belonging to African Musician Ballake Sissoko
TSA has ripped apart and destroyed a custom-made kora belonging to Ballake Sissoko, a prominent African musician from Mali. The incident was described in detail through a post on Sissoko’s personal Facebook account. Ballake’s background, professionali…
Identifyy Sees Massive Growth — HAAWK Now Represents YouTube, Facebook & Instagram Rights for Over 75,000 Artists
How do indie artists and smaller producers get access to YouTube Content ID and Facebook Rights Manager? Artists signed to Merlin-affiliated labels have a shot at claiming and monetizing, if their labels are able to staff up and do the work. And majo…
Spotify Reaches 124 Million Premium Subscribers — But Quarterly Losses Top $85 Million
Spotify closed 2019 with 124 million premium subscribers—a 29 percent increase from 2018’s year-end figure—but this user influx wasn’t enough to prevent the company from sustaining heavy overall losses. Spotify’s earnings report also indicated that th…
Jennifer Lopez, Shakira Weren’t Paid for Their Super Bowl LIV Halftime Performance
The NFL has a longstanding tradition of not paying its Superbowl Halftime performers — J.Lo and Shakira were no exception. It’s the biggest stage on the planet, and it doesn’t pay sh—t. According to multiple reports and sources this week, t…
Juice WRLD Surviving Family Members Could Face a $300 Million Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
Despite the rapper’s untimely death, Juice WRLD family members could find themselves battling a $300 million copyright infringement lawsuit starting in March. Before Juice WRLD’s shocking death from a massive overdose, the rapper was being …
Lil Nas X Drives a Financial Boom at Sony Music — Quarterly Revenues Approach $2 Billion
Sony Music Entertainment sees a Q3 increase in revenue, across both recorded music and publishing. Lil Nas X — inked to Columbia/Sony back in March of 2019 — helped to drive the results. After an intense bidding war last year, Sony Music label Columbi…