It’s Time To Rewrite The Artist Marketing Playbook [MIDiA’s Mark Mulligan]

Niche is music’s new mainstream, writes MIDiA analyst Mark Mulligan, which means that in the brave new world of music marketing, targetting trumps reach. "Instead of blowing a huge budget on carpet bombing TV, radio, print, online artists and their teams are finding their exact audiences, writes Mulligan, "focusing on…

Sam Fender Pulls Music Video for Latest Single After a Fan’s Seizure Goes Viral

Samuel Thomas Fender – better known as Sam Fender – recently released his latest single. Described as ‘euphoric,’ the English singer and songwriter dropped a cut of ‘Will We Talk?’ Featuring distorted guitar effects, Fender proudly sings, “Blue Monday …

Following a Record $5.7 Million Fine In America, TikTok’s Faces a British Investigation Over Child Privacy Violations

TikTok hasn’t exactly had the best year. Near the end of 2018, the ByteDance-owned company beat YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram in total mobile downloads.  In the U.S. alone, the short-form video sharing app grew 25%. It seemed things would get better…

Social Community Music Startup Unitea Raises $2.3 Million in Funding

Unitea has confirmed a new fundraising round. The social music community app has raised $2.3 million in the startup’s latest investment round. Unitea raised $200,000 in its first investment round five years ago.  Then, the startup received $1.2 million…

Defending Taylor Swift, Sky Ferreira Claims the Music Industry Forces Underage Singers Into Exploitative Contracts

Over the weekend, Taylor Swift blasted both Scooter Braun and Big Machine Label Group’s (BMLG) Scott Borchetta. Overdramatizing Braun’s acquisition of her former label, she called the move “my worst-case scenario.” “This is what happens when you sign a…

You Shouldn’t Go On Tour Unless You’ve Done These 3 Things

While the prospect of touring is hugely exciting for new bands, they may be unaware of the grueling realities of life on the road. That said, if you’re determined to hit the pavement and bestow your music on the masses, at least make sure you’ve first done these three things….

Justin Bieber Lambasts Taylor Swift’s ‘Bullying’ of Scooter Braun — ‘That’s Crossing a Line’

Influential music industry manager Scooter Braun made a surprise announcement this past weekend. He purchased Taylor Swift’s former label, Big Machine Label Group (BMLG), in a deal valued at more than $300 million (full details on the acquisition here)…

Free Social Music Discovery App LÜM Launches To Boost Emerging Artists

LÜM has launched its its iOS app designed to connect merging artists with new fans. The Madison, WI based startup recently closed their $1.2 million seed financing and recently partnered with concert promoters Frank Productions. LÜM’s goal is to decrease the disparity between mainstream and undiscovered music by leveraging streaming…

Epidemic Sound Raises $20M At $370M Valuation

The explosion in video creation on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok and elsewhere has been good for Epidemic Sound. The Swedish startup has raised just $20 million at a $370 million valuation to expand its platform which allows online creators to soundtrack videos. Investors in this round include Korea’s DS…