Industry News
LEGAL & MANAGEMENT
Barbra Streisand Barbra Streisand Re-Signs With Columbia Records, Will Celebrate 50 Years
February 22, 2012 – Record Labels | Legal & Management | Retail
Barbra Streisand will remain on Columbia Records, the Sony Music-owned label has announced today, with only Tony Bennett having been on the label for a longer period of time. » Full Story
How Ten New or Renovated Venues Are Reshaping The Nation's Touring Circuit
February 22, 2012 – Touring | Legal & Management | Branding
From Brooklyn to Kansas City and points beyond, a wide range of new buildings and freshly renovated veteran facilities are making news and offering new opportunities for touring artists. » Full Story
Pierre Juneau, Champion of Canadian Music Talent, Juno Awards Namesake, Dead at 89
February 22, 2012 – Radio | Record Labels | Legal & Management | TV & Film
Pierre Juneau, for whom Canada’s national Juno Awards is named and formerly the head of the Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC) from 1968 to 1975, died Tuesday at the age of 89. Juneau is credited with the promoting Canadian artists and bringing international respect to the country’s domestic talent. » Full Story
TuneCore TuneCore Offers Royalty Collection Service in Canada
February 22, 2012 – Publishing | Global | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile | Retail
Online distribution service TuneCore is offering Canadian songwriters and music publishers an administrative service to collect any unpaid royalties from online sales and streaming, yet publishers like Peermusic are skeptical. » Full Story
EU Suspends ACTA Copyright Treaty Ratification
February 22, 2012 – Record Labels | Publishing | Global | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile
The European Commission, facing steep opposition, is suspending efforts to ratify an international anti-counterfeiting agreement and instead referring it to Europe's highest court to see whether it violates EU rights. » Full Story
Apple iPads Apple Defends Use of iPad Trademark in China During Heated Court Battle
February 22, 2012 – Global | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile
Apple defended its right to use the iPad trademark in China in a heated court hearing Wednesday that pitted the electronics giant against a struggling company that denies it sold the mainland China rights to the tablet's name. » Full Story
Megaupload Founder Kim Dotcom Released on Bail
February 22, 2012 – Record Labels | Publishing | Global | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile
The founder of the file-sharing website Megaupload was released on bail Wednesday after a New Zealand judge decided Kim Dotcom lacked means to flee because his funds had been seized. » Full Story
AEG logo 133 Anshultz.png Judge Dismisses AEG Live From Joe Jackson Lawsuit
February 21, 2012 – Touring | Legal & Management
A judge has granted a motion to dismiss concert promoter AEG Live from a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by Michael Jackson's father. City News Service says the judge agreed with AEG attorneys who said Joe Jackson should have joined a separate suit filed by his wife, Katherine. The judge says the law does not favor multiple suits by individual heirs. » Full Story
Pirate Bay Business Matters: Pirate Bay Could Get Blocked in U.K., Grooveshark May Be Out in Denmark
February 21, 2012 – Record Labels | Global | Legal & Management | TV & Film | Digital & Mobile | Retail
The Pirate Bay could be forced out of the U.K. after a court ruling Monday declared that the site was going "beyond merely enabling or assisting" in sharing copyrighted content. Germany has also kicked Skyload.net out of the country, while Denmark may be doing the same to Grooveshark. Elsewhere, Shazam keeps expanding its user base, while ThingLink launches on Facebook. » Full Story
Robert Hendrix, Jimi's Cousin, Experience Hendrix SVP/COO, Dies At 65
February 21, 2012 – Publishing | Legal & Management | Rock & Pop
Robert "Bob" Hendrix, first cousin to Jimi and Senior Vice President/Chief Operating Officer for Experience Hendrix, L.L.C., which helped re-master old material and release new Jimi Hendrix box sets and compilations, died Sunday, Feb. 19. He was 65. » Full Story
Universal Music Group Universal Music Formally Requests EU Approval to Purchase EMI's Labels
February 20, 2012 – Record Labels | Global | Legal & Management
Universal Music Group today formally requested European Union regulators’ approval to buy EMI's recorded-music division. In a related development, the New York Post reported today that UMG CEO Lucian Grainge guaranteed current EMI owner Citigroup its reported $1.9 billion purchase price even if regulators quash the deal. » Full Story
Thrillcall logo Business Matters: Thrillcall's New iPhone App Has Your Live Music Daily Deals
February 17, 2012 – Touring | Record Labels | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile | Retail
Live music event aggregator Thrillcall launched an iPhone app this week that focuses on exclusive tickets and packages. The app may give music fans daily deals, but Thrillcall is no Groupon. Also, there was a bit of a dustup this week after ReDigi accused Capitol Records of forcing Rdio to disable the 30-second streams and album art the subscription service was providing to ReDigi. And music industry trade groups RIAA and IFPI are considering bringing a lawsuit against Google for its role in digital piracy. » Full Story
mj Michael Jackson Estate Sues Former Manager
February 17, 2012 – Legal & Management
Michael Jackson's estate sued the singer's former manager on Friday, claiming he lined his own pockets by persuading the pop superstar to sign unconscionable contracts in the final year of his life. » Full Story
Whitney Houston Funeral Service Live Streamed Here Sat. 2/18 at 12:00 p.m. ET (Watch)
February 17, 2012 – Record Labels | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile | Rock & Pop | R&B/Hip-Hop
Whitney Houston's loved ones will gather tomorrow (Feb. 18) for a private funeral service at Newark, N.J.'s New Hope Baptist Church. But fans worldwide will be able to mourn and remember the life and legacy of the superstar via an online video broadcast of the memorial, which Billboard.biz will carry live right here. Expected guests include Aretha Franklin, Clive Davis, Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Kevin Kostner and Houston's ex-husband Bobby Brown.   » Full Story
France To Launch Organization To Preserve Local Music
February 17, 2012 – Global | Legal & Management
French Minister of Culture Frederic Mitterrand has announced the launch of CNM, the French National Center for Music, designed to support local French creativity and diversity in terms of record and concert production. » Full Story
AEI Media Inks Deal With Verse Music Group To Publish Drum 'N' Bass
February 17, 2012 – Record Labels | Publishing | Global | Legal & Management | Dance
AEI Media, a U.K.-based music-and-media company specializing in developing acts for the British-originated urban genre called Drum 'n' Bass, has linked up with New York-based independent publisher Verse Music Group to launch a publishing joint venture called AEI Music Publishing. » Full Story
Janet Jackson in Preliminary Talks to Join 'The X Factor'
February 17, 2012 – Record Labels | Legal & Management | TV & Film | Branding | Rock & Pop | R&B/Hip-Hop
One week after news broke that Whitney Houston was under consideration for a judge’s seat on the show, reports have surfaced that Janet Jackson could be joining the show following the recent ousters of judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger and host Steve Jones. » Full Story
Whitney Houston's Funeral: Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder to Perform; Clive Davis to Speak
February 16, 2012 – Record Labels | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile | Rock & Pop | R&B/Hip-Hop
Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder will perform at Whitney Houston's funeral, while record label executive and the singer's mentor Clive Davis will speak, a rep has confirmed. » Full Story
Roger Daltrey Cancels Australian Tour, Sherbert's Clive Shakespeare Dies
February 16, 2012 – Touring | Record Labels | Global | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile | Retail | Rock & Pop
Roger Daltrey's Australian tour has been cancelled due to "unforeseen scheduling conflicts," the Aussie government has reportedly held secret meetings to discuss piracy, and more from the Australian music biz. » Full Story
U.K.'s SOCA Shuts Down RnBXclusive Music Blog, Threatens Users With 10 Years Jail
February 16, 2012 – Record Labels | Global | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile | R&B/Hip-Hop
A popular British music blog containing links to unlicensed music files has been shut down by the U.K. police agency SOCA (Serious Organised Crime Agency) and  te users of the urban music site threatened with up to ten years imprisonment and an unlimited fine. » Full Story
Whitney Houston's Funeral To Be Live Streamed
February 16, 2012 – Record Labels | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile | Rock & Pop | R&B/Hip-Hop
They won't be there in person, but singer Whitney Houston's millions of fans worldwide will be able to share in her homecoming service Saturday as they watch her private funeral on the Internet. » Full Story
Apple iPads Chinese Authorities Seizing iPads
February 16, 2012 – Global | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile | Branding
Authorities have seized iPads from retailers in more Chinese cities in an escalating dispute between Apple Inc. and a struggling local company over the trademark for the popular tablet computer, news reports said Thursday. » Full Story
FCC Plans To Nix National Wireless Network
February 16, 2012 – Record Labels | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile
Federal officials plan to kill a proposal by LightSquared to build a new national high-speed wireless network that was seen as a way to accommodate growing consumer demand for movies, music and games on mobile device. The FCC concluded the network in some cases would jam personal-navigation and other GPS devices. » Full Story
Billboard, THR To Provide Music and Entertainment Content To Associated Press
February 15, 2012 – Record Labels | Publishing | Global | Legal & Management | Branding
Sister publications Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter announced today they are making their content available for worldwide use on digital platforms to customers of The Associated Press. » Full Story
whitney houston Whitney Houston Mourners Face Dearth of Places to Grieve
February 15, 2012 – Record Labels | Legal & Management | R&B/Hip-Hop
In Whitney Houston's hometown, her family plans a private church service, with no public memorial set. In Los Angeles, where she died, there's not even a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame for fans to pile flowers. So for the legion of music lovers mourning a global superstar, where do broken hearts go? » Full Story
David Rodigan, Reggae-Dancehall DJ Extraordinaire, Receives MBE From Queen Elizabeth
February 14, 2012 – Touring | Radio | Global | Legal & Management | R&B/Hip-Hop
David Rodigan, the phenomenal reggae-dancehall DJ, fierce soundclash battler, radio host and utterly unique character was today awarded a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, or MBE, this morning in a ceremony conducted by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace (for real). » Full Story
How Ana Free Became A YouTube Phenom, Topped Charts, Opened For Shakira Without Label or Mgmt
February 14, 2012 – Touring | Record Labels | Legal & Management | Indies | Digital & Mobile | Branding
Ana Free is a YouTube phenomenon. Without label, manager, booking agent or publisher, this young, entrepreneurial, Anglo-Portuguese artist's online videos have led to chart-topping singles, sold out gigs at clubs in the U.K. and opening for Shakira. And, she has a crowd-sourced debut coming out this spring. » Full Story
Spanish Court Dismisses Case Against Major P2P Site
February 14, 2012 – Record Labels | Legal & Management | TV & Film | Digital & Mobile
A Spanish court has dismissed the case against popular peer-to-peer movie download site Cinetube citing legal precedents and concluding that redirecting online traffic is not illegal per se, even if it is to copyrighted content, according to the verdict disclosed yesterday. » Full Story
adele grammy 617 Exclusive: Adele's Manager Jonathan Dickins Talks Grammys, 2012 Tour Plans, and When to Say No
February 14, 2012 – Touring | Legal & Management | Branding | Rock & Pop
Adele's manager Jonathan Dickins spoke with Billboard.biz -- the day after his client won six Grammy Awards -- about her big night, touring plans, positive relations with record labels, commercial uses of her music and more. The said Grammy night was "like a fairy tale — something you dream about." » Full Story
Licensing Talk With TuneCore, BMI, SoundExchange Gets Fiery at SF MusicTech
February 14, 2012 – Record Labels | Publishing | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile | Retail
A heated debate on licensing and payments overshadowed the SF MusicTech summit, with execs from TuneCore, Music Reports, SoundExchange and BMI arguing over the future of payments for rightsholders. » Full Story
Grammys Embrace of Chris Brown Draws Criticism
February 14, 2012 – Record Labels | Legal & Management | TV & Film | R&B/Hip-Hop
The Grammy Awards' warm embrace of Chris Brown three years after his assault of Rihanna has drawn the ire of viewers who claim the controversial R&B star shouldn't have been rewarded with such attention. » Full Story
60,000 Germans Protest ACTA Anti-Piracy Legislation
February 14, 2012 – Record Labels | Publishing | Global | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile
An estimated 60,000 people demonstrated over the weekend in more than 50 German cities against the international anti-piracy treaty ACTA. In Berlin alone there were over 10,000 protestors and 6,000 in Munich.  » Full Story
Kenny Rogers Sues Capitol Over Royalties
February 13, 2012 – Record Labels | Legal & Management | Country
Kenny Rogers is the latest artist to sue a record label for not paying a 50% royalty for music sold through downloads or as a ringtone. » Full Story
Whitney Houston's Death Still Under Investigation, Police May Release More Info Today
February 13, 2012 – Record Labels | Legal & Management | R&B/Hip-Hop
Whitney Houston's life of glorious song and unnerving self-destruction apparently ended in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Grammy weekend, but it could be weeks before investigators know exactly why she died. Beverly Hills Police Lt. Mark Rosen said that his agency may release more details Monday about Houston's death » Full Story
Latin Jazz Musicians Protest Grammy Awards, L.A. Mayor Supportive Of Artists
February 12, 2012 – Record Labels | Legal & Management | Jazz | Latin
Latin jazz musicians protested with signs and loud music outside the Grammy Awards on Sunday as they continued their nearly yearlong fight to reinstate 31 categories which were eliminated by the Recording Academy in 2011. » Full Story
bobby brown Bobby Brown Issues Statement On Whitney Houston's Passing
February 12, 2012 – Record Labels | Legal & Management | R&B/Hip-Hop
Bobby Brown today issued a short statement on the passing of his ex-wife Whitney Houston who died yesterday at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. » Full Story
Whitney Houston May Have Drowned in Tub, Taken Xanax Before Death (Report)
February 12, 2012 – Record Labels | Legal & Management | R&B/Hip-Hop
Reports have begun to surface about Whitney Houston's final hours and what may have caused her tragic death. » Full Story
Benjy Grinberg, John Branca Honored at Primary Violator Grammy Brunch
February 12, 2012 – Record Labels | Legal & Management | Indies | Rock & Pop | R&B/Hip-Hop
It wasn’t just eggs, French toast, fruit and potent cocktails being served at the second annual Primary Violator Managers Brunch. Here Primary Violator hosts Michael (Blue) Williams, Chris Lighty and Larry Meste honored managers Benjy Grinberg of Rostrum Records and John Branca. Also, Goodie Mob was in the house. » Full Story
Spotify, Shazam, Turntable.fm Are Hot Topics at Grammy Social Media Summit
February 11, 2012 – Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile
The Grammys drew top-drawer names from the digital music world for this year's edition of their Social Media Rock Star Summit series, with Shazam CEO Andrew Fisher, Turntable.fm Chairman Seth Goldstein, GetGlue CEO Alex Iskold, and Spotify's artist-in-residence D.A. Wallach of pop duo Chester French on the panel, which was moderated by Ian Rogers, CEO of Topspin Media. » Full Story
Daniel Ek Talks Spotify's Growth at Entertainment Law Luncheon; John Branca Shares Priceless Michael Jackson Story
February 10, 2012 – Backbeat | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile
At the Grammy Foundation's 14th annual Entertainment Law Initiative Luncheon and Scholarship Presentation, Spotify head Daniel Ek explained his company’s history and anticipation about its growth. and veteran attorney John Branca recalled humorous situations involving his clients Michael Jackson and the Beach Boys. » Full Story
miley cyrus Miley Cyrus and Manager Split; Replaced By Selena Gomez in Sony's 'Hotel Transylvania'
February 10, 2012 – Legal & Management | TV & Film | Rock & Pop
Coinciding with the studio announcing a new actress to co-star with Adam Sandler in the upcoming animated vampire flick, sources confirm that Jason Morey and the former Disney star have also parted ways. » Full Story
Backbeat: Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Pre-Grammy Reception
February 10, 2012 – Record Labels | Publishing | Legal & Management | TV & Film
Public and community service was the overriding theme at Hollywood's Falcon Restaurant for the Morgan Stanley Smith Barney's pre-Grammy reception. Hosted by MSSB senior VP and wealth advisor Octavius T. 'Ted" Reid III, the jam-packed soiree brought forth a diverse mix of executives from the financial, legal and royalty realms. » Full Story
Vevo Logo New Without Curser Business Matters: Vevo Opens Up on Super Bowl Piracy Blunder, RIAA Chief Slams Google
February 10, 2012 – Record Labels | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile | Retail | Executive Turntable
Vevo, the music video operation jointly owned by Universal and Sony, got itself caught in the middle of the broiling Internet copyright debate between illicit streaming web sites and the copyright holders represented by its parent organizations by illegally streaming the Super Bowl at a corporate party, and are now facing the backlash. Elsewhere, Slacker grabs a high-level exec, and the RIAA Chief slams Wikipedia and Google. » Full Story
Backbeat: Nicolas Jaar Tours Globally, Launches Arts Collective, Changes Face of Music In Between Semesters
February 10, 2012 – Backbeat | Global | Legal & Management | Indies | Branding | Dance
It’s been a whirlwind two months for Nicloas Jaar. Hanging out at his sold-out Music Hall of Williamsburg show last week with Jaar, film maker and art collective partner Noah Kraft and Alastair Duncan of Infamous PR the young musician had his plate full with a global tour, launching an arts collective and, of course, dropping a top secret music format that could change how we listen to music... » Full Story
Ley Sinde.png Sinde Law Piracy Battle Headed to Spanish Supreme Court, With Global Implications
February 10, 2012 – Record Labels | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile | Retail
The Spanish Supreme Court this week agreed to test how much oversight power a government should have over the Internet when it targets illegal downloading of copyrighted content, kicking off a battle between rightsholders and those opposed to government oversight that may get bitter before it gets better. » Full Story
Google Seeking Digital Play for the Living Room, Closing to Motorolla Acquisition: Report
February 10, 2012 – Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile | Retail | Branding
Google is looking to expand further into the living room with a wireless home entertainment system that would rival Apple's AirPlay, and is also close to receiving approval over the acquisition of Motorola. » Full Story
Clarence Clemons' Nephew Jake to Play Sax on Springsteen Tour
February 10, 2012 – Touring | Record Labels | Legal & Management | Rock & Pop | R&B/Hip-Hop
Bruce Springsteen announced Thursday that two musicians — Jersey Shore sidekick Eddie Manion and Clarence Clemons' nephew Jake — will "share the saxophone role" during the E Street Band's "Wrecking Ball" world tour, which begins March 18 in Atlanta. » Full Story
Business Matters: Embracing the Chaos Earns TuneCore $10,000 from iTunes Match
February 9, 2012 – Record Labels | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile | Branding | Dance
How Apple iTunes Match has earned TuneCore $10K through a technique called "embracing the chaos. Also, Tiesto: DJ/App; and the endless bandwidth consumed bickering over piracy damage amounts, » Full Story
Grammy Protestors Drop Off 23,000 Signatures at NARAS Headquarters
February 9, 2012 – Record Labels | Legal & Management | Latin
More than a dozen musicians, community leaders and supporters dropped off a thick stack of documents on Thursday (Feb. 9) with a reported 23,000 signatures at the Recording Academy headquarters as part of an ongoing effort to compel the organization into reinstating 31 categories that were eliminated last year. » Full Story
U.K. Music Launches Equality & Diversity Charter
February 9, 2012 – Record Labels | Global | Legal & Management | Indies
A newly launched Equality & Diversity charter, coordinated by the industry umbrella organization U.K. Music, is aiming for 100 individual, company and organization signatories by the end of 2012 to address the issue of ethnic-minority recruitment in the industry. » Full Story
Backbeat: Jimmy Iovine Honored by Dr. Dre, Stevie Nicks, Mary J. Blige, Many More at Grammy P&E Event
February 9, 2012 – Backbeat | Record Labels | Legal & Management | Rock & Pop | R&B/Hip-Hop
Jimmy Iovine was awarded the Recording Academy Presidents Merit Award last night during a Grammy week event honoring producers and engineers amidst a calvacade of stars and music biz. The long list included Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Stevie Nicks, Colbie Caillat and will.i.am. who heard both Skylar Gray and Lana Del Ray perform. Read on for the life-long lesson Iovine learned working as an engineer on Bruce Springsteen's "Born To Run." » Full Story
Paul McCartney.jpg Paul McCartney To Debut New Songs On iTunes Streaming
February 9, 2012 – Record Labels | Global | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile | Branding | Rock & Pop
Paul McCartney will debut the songs from his new album "Kisses on the Bottom" in a free live streaming performance on iTunes this morning. The news comes just as McCartney has pulled his catalog from subscription services. » Full Story
Business Matters: TastemakerX Raises $1.8 Million to Deliver New Social Music App
February 8, 2012 – Global | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile | Retail
TastemakerX is a new music discovery app that allows users to develop an influence score, building a follower base based on music tastes, social graphs and finding the right bands at the right times; CEO Marc Ruxin called it "fantasy sports for music lovers." Elsewhere, CDs remain a valuable commodity, while consumer confidence rose but still lags far behind. » Full Story
Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Titles Pulled from Subscription Services
February 8, 2012 – Record Labels | Publishing | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile | Retail | Rock & Pop
The Concord Music Group/Hear Music catalog of Paul McCartney was ordered removed from subscription services, affecting some of his recent solo albums, as well as a slew of older releases by McCartney and Wings that were reissued in 2010. » Full Story
iLike, Early Digital Music Trailblazer, Officially Dead
February 8, 2012 – Touring | Legal & Management | Digital & Mobile
iLike, an online service for sharing and discovering music that was one of digital music’s most exciting startups, is officially dead. Visits to the iLike.com URL are being redirected to a MySpace page with a notice about iLike’s demise. » Full Story
 
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