BUSINESS OF INDIE: Downtown Acquires CD Baby • Mojo Expands Catalog • Spinnin’ Records Turns 20 • More

In this Business Of Indie update, CD Baby is sold to Downtown Music, indie publisher Mojo expands its catalog, Spinnin’ Records turns 20, zines make a comeback and so much more. Like Hypebot’s More News section, The Business Of Indie is nestled under its own Indie tab at the top…

Everything You Need To Know About Article 13

The Article 13 copyright directive passed the European Parliament this week, bringing with it sweeping copyright reform, limits to Safe Harbor and an end to YouTube as we know it, at least in the EU. The legislation is complex, so here is Everything You Need To Know About Article 13….

A2IM Names Indie Libera Award Nominees 2019: Mitski, Bad Bunny, Courtney Barnett, More

The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) has announced the nominees for its 2019 indie music Libera Awards. The Libera Awards will be held on June 20th in New York City as part of Indie Week. A2IM Libera Award Nominees 2019 Album of the Year (sponsored by The Orchard) •…

15 Major News Outlets Protest Ariana Grande Photo Agreement [Read Full Contract]

15 major news outlets have joined together to oppose a restrictive photo agreement fot Ariana Grande’s upcoming Sweetener Tour. The agreement, which all photographers must sign to recieve a photo pass, includes a clause giving Grande ownership of all of the images. The outlets – American Society of Media, Photographers…

7 Ways To Promote Your Music And Grow Your Fanbase

In the modern music industry, being talented and unique isn’t enough to help you stand out from the crowd of other artists, and gaining the kind of recognition you want in a competitive market requires careful strategizing, and a good understanding of your strengths. ________________________ Guest post by Becky Holton…

BMG Reports Strong ‘Organic’ Growth

Bertelsmann’s indie music subsidiary BMG marked its 10th year in 2018 with significant growth in revenue and profits. BMG reported that overall revenue for 2018 was up by 7.5 % to €545 million / $613 million USD. BMG attributed the revenue to “organic growth” and noted the benefits of the…

Instruments In Transit: What Artists Need To Know In Event Of ‘No Deal’ Brexit

While there’s been no shortage of media coverage over the ongoing Brexit dumpster fire, one group that often gets left out of the hypotheticals and conjectures are touring musicians. Here we look at what some of the technical ramifications might be for artists transporting their instruments between the UK and…

Spotify Tests Premium Duo Discount Subscription For Two

Spotify is testing a new subscription plan called Premium Duo that offers two Premium subscriptions for the discounted price of €12.49 a month/$14.03 USD. The new plan also comes with a new custom playlist dubbed Duo Mix based on both duo member’s listening habits. The Duo Mix from SpotifyCares on…

CD Baby, AVL Digital Acquired By Downtown Music

Downtown Music Holdings has acquired AVL Digital Group and its portfolio of music distribution, rights management and artist services businesses, including CD Baby, AdRev, DashGo and Soundrop. DMH is the company behind Downtown Music Publishing and Songtrust. The deal is estimated to be worth $200 million. In 2018, CD Baby…

Advice To Labels: When Reissuing Vinyl, Take The Extra Step

The resurgence of vinyl has breathed new life into a number formerly overlooked albums, bringing hitherto forgotten artists out of the woodwork. When it comes to these fresh pressings, however, it’s important that labels take the time (and money) to invest in top notch audio quality. ___________________________ Guest post by…