Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday doubled down on her reasons for giving interviews on her second anniversary in office only to journalists of color by again pointing a finger at … Click to Continue »
Australian rapper Masked Wolf (born Harry Michael) is having an out-of-this-world chart week with his breakthrough, TikTok-assisted single “Astronaut in the Ocean,” which soared to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart this week while also enjoying its highest placement yet on the Hot 100 at No. 6.
“Astronaut in the Ocean” drew 19.9 million U.S. streams in the week ending May 13, according to MRC Data, a new weekly best for the song. Radio airplay also surged, with audience impressions up to 33.7 million in the week ending May 16, an 18% jump from the previous week. The track currently sits at No. 16 on the all-genre Radio Songs tally.
Explore the team of musicians, producers and more behind the track with recording credits provided by Jaxsta below.
Artists:
Main Artist – Masked Wolf
Songwriters:
Composer Lyricist – Harry Michael
Composer Lyricist – Tyron Hapi
Producers:
Producer – Tyron Hapi
Engineers:
Masterer – Klaus Hill
Mixer – Tyron Hapi
Vocal Engineer – Simon Cohen
Labels:
Distributor – Warner Music Group
Label – Elektra Records
Explore the full “Astronaut in the Ocean” credits on Jaxsta here.
A federal judge in Memphis has denied Anita White’s motion to dismiss the band Lady A’s declaratory judgement action against the Pacific Northwest—based blues singer.
On May 13, Judge William Campbell also denied White’s request to transfer venues from Middle Tennessee, where Lady A originally filed its suit, to Washington State. Courthouse News first reported the ruling.
The band’s suit, filed under their individual names of Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and David Haywood, asks for a ruling confirming that the trio, formerly known as Lady Antebellum, is not violating White’s purported trademark rights by using the name Lady A.
Last June, the band announced that it would stop using the Lady Antebellum name, “in recognition of the hurtful connotations of the word ‘antebellum,’ according to the 20-page ruling, and would continue on as Lady A. The band had registered and received several trademarks for the name Lady A with the United States Patent and Trademark Office going as far back as 2010 with no opposition.
After Lady A announced the name changed, White came forward, stating she had performed under the name Lady A for decades, and cited albums released under that name going back as far as 2010. She hired a Memphis-based attorney and engaged in conversations with the band over the next several weeks. The band’s attorneys drafted a “co-existence” agreement, which White rejected.
Later in June 2020, White enlisted a new attorney who sent the band a new co-existence agreement which demanded payment of $5 million to White and another $5 million to charities selected by her. The band did not respond to that agreement.
Instead, in July, the band filed the declaratory judgment action against White. In response, White alleged she has used the name for three decades and owns common law rights on the name and sought relief for “trademark infringement and unfair competition.”
The judge dismissed the request to transfer jurisdiction based on, among other issues, that White had performed or traveled to Memphis using the name Lady A no fewer than five times over the last several years and her music is available for download in Tennessee, as well as she had hired Memphis-based course. The three members of Lady A are Tennessee residents.
On White’s second argument that the case against her be dismissed because “it is an improper ‘anticipatory’ declaratory judgment action.” Among the reasons White cites is that “the plaintiffs failed to continue negotiations after receiving her $10 million offer, and filed this suit instead. Defendant argues the plaintiff’s ‘gamesmanship’ is similar to that criticized by the courts” in other cases. The judge disagreed, writing that “there is no evidence Plaintiffs engaged in any other behavior that ‘misled’ Defendant into believing negotiations would continue. Indeed, it would not have been unreasonable for Plaintiffs to believe Defendant effectively ended negotiations by extending a revised settlement offer requiring a $10 million payment that was not a part of the earlier discussions.”
Lady A’s representative declined to comment on the ruling. White’s representative did not respond to a request for comment.
No further court date for the case has been set.
In the remaining weeks of May, many Latin artists will be dropping their albums, just in time for the Latin Grammys submission deadline of May 31.
On that date, to be considered worthy of recognition in the Latin Grammy process, artists must have entered recordings and music videos released during the eligibility period (June 1, 2020-May 31, 2020).
Though Billboard can’t confirm if this is the plan for the wave of new Latin album releases in May, it’s evident that music lovers will have tons of music of all genres to enjoy this summer.
From Lunay’s “El Niño” to Carlos Rivera’s “Leyendas,” and beyond, check out all of the sets below.
Abhir Hathi – Lazos y Nudos
Release Date: May 21
Newcomer Abhir Hathi brings his debut album charged with futuristic trap sounds, indie-EDM fusions and more, as heard in previously released singles “Reflejos,” “Perros,” “Rodeos” and “A Medias Verdades” in collaboration with KIDDO and Recycled J.
Alex Cuba – Mendó
Release Date: May 21
Bringing his distinctive folk, funk and rock hybrid to life, the four-time Latin Grammy winner presents his new album Mendó, a testament to the respect other artists have for Alex. On this set, Cuba collaborates with renowned artists including Antonio Carmona, Cimafunk, Lila Downs, Gian Marco, Raul Midón and Gilberto Santa Rosa.
Andres Calamaro – Dios Los Cria
Release Date: May 28
Argentine rock icon Andrés Calamaro is teaming with artists such as Vicentico, Lila Downs, Julio Iglesias and Raphael for his upcoming album Dios Los Cría. The 15-track set will breathe fresh air to some of Calamaro’s anthems including “Flac” in collaboration with Alejandro Sanz and “Tantas Veces” in duet with Mon Laferte.
Carlos Rivera – Leyendas
Release Date: May 21
Mexican crooner Carlos Rivera will take fans on a trip down memory lane with his album Leyendas, in which he offers a new rendition of Latin’s most classic songs and, at the same time, honors the legacy of Latin music greats such as José Luis Perales, Gloria Estefan and Franco De Vita, to name a few. “Honoring the great legends of our music is an obligation for all of us who follow the path that they made,” Rivera said in a statement.
El Prefe – El Sueño de un Niño
Release Date: May 21
Cuban newcomer El Prefe (short for “el preferido”) makes his big debut in the music industry with El Sueño de un Niño, produced by Latin Grammy-winning producer Mr. Vla. The 12-song album, home to trap, drill, reggaeton and dembow tunes, includes collaborations with Leslie Shaw, Gemelo and Mr. Vla.
JFab & Paola Fabre – Pa’ Que Te Duela
Release Date: May 21
Dominica duo JFab & Paola Fabre are keeping traditional and modern bachata alive with their first-ever album dubbed Pa’ Que Te Duela. The album, according to the rising music pair, is “full of love, passion, and many mixed feelings, a dream come true.”
Juan Ingaramo – La Batalla
Release Date: May 21
Inagaramo, a 2019 Latin Grammy nominee for best new artist, will drop his fourth studio album, La Batalla, which includes his hazy urban-pop single “Casamiento.” The Argentine singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist has collaborated with artists such as Los Ángeles Azules, Julieta Venegas and Jesse Baez, to name a few.
Juan Pablo Vega – Juan Pablo Vega
Release Date: May 21
Artist-producer Juan Pablo Vega will present his self-titled sophomore album, home to innovative R&B, pop, indie, groove, funk and reggae melodies. Vega began teasing fans with his new music as early as January 2020, including singles “Prófugos” with Colombian rapper Mabiland and “Matando” in collaboration with Spanish artist Vic Mirallas.
Juanes – Origen
Release Date: May 21
Juanes’ forthcoming 10th studio album titled Origen is a collection of reimagined songs that have inspired his career. The set was previewed with a captivating cover of Fito Paez’s 1992 love anthem “El Amor Después del Amor” and subsequently, the Colombian star released a Spanish-language version of Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark.” Origen will be released along with a documentary set to premiere on Amazon Prime that same day.
Lenny Tavarez – KRACK
Release Date: May 27
Lenny Tavarez kicked off 2021 presenting new music from what would become his debut solo album, KRACK, dropping this month. The set, which was released as a series of four songs per month, includes already-released singles “TBT,” a romantic reggaeton with Brytiago, “Discipulos” with Dalex and corrido tumbao “Enfermados de Riqueza” with Natanael Cano and Ovi, to name a few. “‘KRACK’ is the most commercial album I’ve done,” the artist previously told Billboard.
Leonel Garcia – 45RPM
Release Date: May 21
Mexican Singer-songwriter Leonel García is set to release his eighth studio album as a soloist titled 45RPM, the title derived from the most common form of the vinyl single and its play speed. As ever, García deftly fuses R&B, soul and pop in this 17-track set that is set to follow his 2020 covers album Amor Pesado.
Los Plebes del Rancho de Ariel Camacho & Christian Nodal – Recordando a una Leyenda
Release Date: May 21
Paying homage to the late sierreño star, Ariel Camacho, Los Plebes del Rancho and Christian Nodal have joined forces on Recordando una Leyenda, a 10-track set where they revamp Camacho’s hits such as “Hablemos” and “Ya Lo Supere.” The album also includes the bonus track “2 Veces,” which hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay and top 10 on Latin Airplay.
Luis Figueroa – Canciones del Alma
Release Date: May 28
Puerto Rican tropical and pop-urban singer-songwriter, Luis Figueroa, will drop his debut studio set, Canciones del Alma, an album that will include his versions of songs that have “inspired and molded him into the artist he is today.” His single “Hasta El Sol de Hoy,” nabbed Figueroa his first top 10 on any Billboard airplay chart, rising 18-9.
Lunay – El Niño
Release Date: May 21
Lunay’s highly-awaited sophomore album El Niño comes two years after his Billboard-charting debut Epico. Marking the first release under La Familia Records, Chris Jedi and Gaby Music’s independent label, El Niño is a celebration of Lunay’s life and career up to now. “I wanted to make an album before I was 21 to reflect everything that I am right now – what I’m living and what I’ve learned so far – making fun songs for the streets and the clubs, while still being El Niño inside and outside the studio,” he said in a statement. The album includes collaborations with Chencho Corleone, Anitta, Bryant Meyers, Zion, Chanell, and Juliito.
Marrón – in
Release Date: May 21
With the release of his 10-track set, Brooklyn-based artist Marrón will continue to showcase his synth-wave and ’80s-influenced melodies. With singles such as “Lockdown,” “Friend,” “This Side,” and “Till I Find You,” the set also includes music videos that will take fans into a Stranger Things meets John Hughes journey. “Just A Little Longer” is the focus track.
Natalia Lafourcade – Un canto por México Vol. 2
Release Date: May 28
A continuation of her Latin Grammy-winning and Grammy-nominated 2020 album Un Canto Por México Vol. 1, part two is set to drop May 28 featuring star-studded collaborations with Pepe Aguilar, Jorge Drexler, and Mon Laferte, among others. Like Vol. 1, this second album honors Lafourcade’s love and admiration for Mexico’s folklore and culture.
Queralt Lahoz – Pureza
Release Date: May 28
Spanish singer Queralt Lahoz will soon drop her album Pureza, including her new single “Si la luna quiere.” The mesmerizing track can easily set the tone for the album with traditional-meets-modern flamenco melodies full of sentiment and energy.
Rawayana – Cuando los Acefalos Predominan
Release Date: May 31
Venezuelan artist collective, Rawayana, will release a subtle yet mature protest album about the situation in Venezuela and other Latin American countries with the release of Cuando los Acefalos Predominan. Home to collaborations with other Venezuelan artists, such as Los Amigos Invisibles, Cheo Pardo, and Akapellah, the album will be released with a month-long art installation in Mexico City, where fans can experience life in Latin America via art.
The Mavericks – En Español Edición Deluxe
Release Date: May 21
Grammy-winning band The Mavericks are set to drop a special deluxe version of their first-ever Spanish-language album aptly titled En Español. “En Español Edicion Deluxe” will expand the collection featuring more Mavericks tracks in Spanish, including their recently released “Por Ti Yo Quiero Ser.” Released in August, the set scored the country music band’s first top 10 on the all-genre Top Latin Albums chart (dated Sept 5.).
Typically, breakups stink. You wade through the emotional sludge of hurt feelings and heartache, spending nights you used to share with your object of affection instead watching Netflix, eating chips and going to bed early. It’s rarely exciting and not always pretty. Sometimes though, those janky relationships just slough off like dead skin and you emerge out the other side sleeker, chicer, happier and more evolved.
So goes the themes of “Heartbreak Anthem” a new single out Thursday (May 20) from Galantis, Little Mix and David Guetta. Could this track be about Jesy Nelson’s departure from Little Mix last December? Hard to say! (Beyond the fact that in a press release Galantis says they’ve been working on the song for over a year.)
What we know for sure is that the song’s production is built from brightly plucky strings and synth, with the lyrics — in the grand tradition of Destiny’s Child’s “Survivor” — focused on being better than that: not holding grudges, understanding that while sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t, and that while maybe we’ll fix this, it’s also possible we won’t. Whatever! Who cares!
In fact, despite the titular implications, this scrappy crew of musical stars emphasizes the song is actually not a heartbreak anthem at all, because these ladies just “ain’t got no time to dwell on it.” Indeed, bless up.
The track then swells into the kind of massive bubblegum-leaning dance/pop that Galantis has made their bread and butter since blowing up with “Peanut Butter Jelly” and that Guetta has been uplifting the damn world with for a decade-plus.
“Heartbreak Anthem” is out via Big Beat. Listen below.
In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Quincy Jones recalls that his “Fly Me to the Moon” recording with Frank Sinatra and Count Basie was the first song played on the moon — but that doesn’t mean he has any interest in going to outer space too.
“Oh my God, I’m not going there,” Jones says in the interview, which kicks off the magazine’s new “THR Icons” series. “Richard Branson and Paul Allen and Elon [Musk] are trying to get me to go with them. [They say] ‘It’s $250,000, I’m going to let you go free.’ Uh-uh.”
“Fly Me to the Moon” was a different story. As the legend goes, Buzz Aldrin told Jones that he played his recording of the song with Sinatra and Basie during the famous Apollo 11 mission. When asked by THR if his song was the first played on the moon, Jones answered, “You’re goddamn right.”
“I recorded it with Count Basie in four-four time,” Jones recalled. “When he wrote it originally, he wrote in three-four. [Singing] ‘Fly … me to the moon …’ One, two, three, one, two, three. You can’t swing in three-four. Sinatra said, ‘I like it the way you did it with Basie, the four-four. Would you consider doing that with me and him?’ I said, ‘Hell to the yeah!’ So I had to sit in my hotel room in San Remo and overnight I had to write that arrangement. No piano, nothing, just write it. Frank died when he heard it, man. I was so happy because, really, that was my first thing for him. I was 29, you know? Those guys were in their 50s and 60s.”
Jones also talked about his former next-door neighbor Elon Musk and his recent stint as the host of Saturday Night Live. “He’s funny. I’m glad he did it. What the f—, it shows he has a sense of humor. He wasn’t hilarious, but he was funny. At least his attempt was funny.” Other topics the now-88-year-old musician covered in the interview included Elvis Presley, facing racism in the film industry, and last year’s Black Lives Matter protests.
The interview kicks off the “THR Icons” series, which will put a spotlight on Hollywood legends. “It’s hard to overstate the impact that Quincy Jones has had, not just on music and Hollywood, but pop culture,” Nekesa Mumbi Moody, editorial director of The Hollywood Reporter, said in a press release announcing the series. “He’s created music that has been part of the soundtrack for multiple generations, broken down racial barriers and set a blueprint for others to follow. He is the perfect person to launch our new series, celebrating the trailblazers who helped make a difference in the industry.”
[Spoiler alert: This story contains the identity of the eliminated contestant on Wednesday night’s (May 19) The Masked Singer.]
The Masked Singer is down to its final four singers, and on Wednesday night’s (May 19) episode, fans said goodbye to one abominable showman.
Yeti joined the competition during Week 6 as the final wild-card contestant and remained the last one of the bunch standing until his elimination this week. After a handful of explosive performances — including one on rollerblades — he immediately became a fan favorite and proved himself as a true entertainer.
The icy beast is a self-proclaimed quadruple threat, and rightfully so, as he was unmasked as Omarion. The multitalented R&B singer-songwriter and actor has his hands full as he gears up for the release of Dreamland: The Rise and Fall of Black Wall Street, a documentary produced by LeBron James’ SpringHill Company. For the film, Omarion performs the song “We Will Never Forget” alongside Lalah Hathaway and Kierra Sheard.
Billboard caught up with Omarion to discuss his signature dance moves, Corn Pops and how The Masked Singer allowed him to be felt rather than seen.
You entered the show as a wild card. How were you recruited?
My team got the call and I really didn’t know what to expect as a performer. The process kind of just happened fast. Shoutout to my agent and my team for making that happen. My boys Bow Wow and T-Pain made me feel comfortable about [it] because I didn’t know what to expect! Like, how is this gonna go? [I had to] do this and do that, and then when I pull up to the set, I have to wear a mask and no one can know who I am. I’m like, “Oh, this is interesting. Let’s see how this goes.” That’s basically how I got recruited.
As someone who is known for singing and dancing in their performances, how did you move around in the Yeti costume?
It was a challenge. A lot of people don’t know that that suit was about 60 extra pounds, so it was a challenge moving. And also, just to keep the character continuity, I didn’t want to give myself away by doing too much movement or some of my signature movements, which I couldn’t even do because the suit was so big. I couldn’t do my signature chest pop because it was the Yeti chest! It was a challenge, but it was fun nonetheless.
I grew up listening to you, so from your first performance, I knew it was you instantly.
That’s one of the aspects that I love about the show. It plays a type of hide-and-go-seek game with the people that appreciate my work, you know what I mean? It’s like, “I know who that is. I can’t see him right now, but I know who that is!” I was telling someone earlier, I posted a picture of my mom and there’s people under the photo in the comments like, “Hey, I know you’re the Yeti,” and I’m like, “Whoa! This is funny.” I love that aspect of the show. My audience and people that appreciate my music, they was able to reconnect in that hide-and-seek way.
One of your clues was the letter that said you are quadruple threat. I know triple is singer, dancer and actor, but what’s the fourth one?
Well, it’s more than four, [but] I’m an author. I’m actually writing a book that will be out in 2022; it’s titled Full Circle: Lessons and Takeaways on How to Live An Unbothered Life. Aside from being an author or writer, producer, entrepreneur, I could keep going on, but yeah, quadruple threat, baby.
What did the corn clue mean?
So the corn was for the Corn Pops commercial that I did. That was actually the first time I was introduced as Omari to the world. I booked my first national commercial which was a Corn Pops commercial, “Gotta have my Pops.” And anybody who’s a cereal lover knows that when Corn Pops was poppin’, they was really poppin’! So that was, like, my first acting gig that I ever booked.
The doughnut clue to represent the letter “O” was clever too. I didn’t get it at first.
Actually, I didn’t look at it like that, but it was for Randy’s Donuts. I’m from Inglewood, so Randy’s Donuts was what it was for. But it was an “O” too! It’s not completely wrong — it’s actually both.
Can you walk me through some of your song choices?
What I wanted to do was create a sonic story arc. I think that is important for me to come in on an R&B tip, which was “If It Isn’t Love” [by New Edition]. That was such an iconic group. I come from that lineage of performers, of groups. It’s only, like, three or four people that have ever came out of a group — Michael Jackson being one, Justin Timberlake being another, Beyonce being another, and myself. So that was a little hint right there.
Then “Lonely” [by Justin Bieber and Benny Blanco], my performance with the skates, I really wanted to just do big tempo, ballad, uptempo, ballad. I wanted to show my diversity as an artist, especially with [“Bless the Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts]. I was doing my best to hide myself inside of the music. My perspective was I really wanted to do songs that I actually like, that I feel connected with, and do something that I felt like people would enjoy and that I enjoyed myself.
You seemed like a fan favorite. Were you surprised to have been voted off?
Yes, very surprised because I’m not sure that outside of the Yeti suit, that if we brought out the hits, that anyone could dare to compare. [Laughs] But also, I think that an aspect of me wasn’t really trippin’ about competing and winning, even though I felt like the Yeti should have won. Not only just because he was the most adorable character, but for the range as well. I still enjoyed it and I still really appreciate being able to be felt rather than seen.
As long as I’ve had an audience, only through mediums like The Masked Singer do you actually get the opportunity to do things that can further your relationship with performing, and I felt like The Masked Singer was going to do that — and it did just that. Being in that suit and hearing the compliments from the judges and them not seeing me, that was dope. It was dope to after have been performing for almost 23 years, still be able to be felt. I think that’s prolific and something that I needed to remember as a performer and continuing on. That’s what people remember — how you made them feel. I’m happy that I was able to be open enough to be able to experience singing other people’s songs, I’ve never done that, [but] I’m glad I did this.
When Nick Jonas announced he was hosting the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, the singer pre-emptively gave himself the “best host ever” award. “It’s unbelievable,” he pretends to tell his brother Joe in the clip below.
But just how many times has Jonas even been a host to warrant him the (fictional) award? Well, the 28-year-old pop superstar has flown solo in his music and in his hosting endeavors apart from the Jonas Brothers, from the Kids’ Choice Awards to Saturday Night Live.
The 2021 Billboard Music Awards will air live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, May 23, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC. But before Jonas does the honors of hosting the BBMAs for the first time, Billboard rounded up his best hosting gigs from the past below.
January 2010: Live! With Regis and Kelly
The Jonas Brothers member co-hosted the Jan. 8, 2010-dated episode of Live! With Regis and Kelly. He filled in for Regis Philbin and joined Kelly Ripa in interviewing Zach Braff and Marion Cotillard. The then-17-year-old teen sensation was greeted with screaming fans in the audience, much to Ripa’s surprise.
June 2013: Miss USA pageant
Although his wife Priyanka Chopra has Miss India and Miss World titles under her belt, and ex-girlfriend Olivia Culpo was crowned Miss USA and Miss Universe, Jonas has had his own experience in the pageant world. He co-hosted the 2013 Miss USA pageant with E! News personality Giuliana Rancic. During the bikini competition, he brought out his brothers Joe and Kevin Jonas to perform “Pom Poms,” “Neon” and “First Time.”
March 2015: Kids’ Choice Awards
Nick broke out into an electrifying opening performance of “Chains” and “Jealous” and got slimed at the 2015 KCAs, which marked the first time he hosted an awards show.
February 2021: Saturday Night Live
Jonas pulled double-duty on the Feb. 27, 2021-dated episode of SNL by hosting and performing songs from his latest album Spaceman. But he assured fans (and brother Kevin in the audience) during his opening monologue that the JoBros are still intact regardless of his solo music pursuit while starring in some comedic sketches, which can be revisited here.
Cher is getting the biopic treatment thanks to Universal and Oscar-winner Eric Roth.
Roth is set to pen the screenplay for a feature film about the life and career of the multi-hyphenate entertainer, whose decades-long career has spanned music, television, fashion and film. It has included multiple studio albums, a comedy variety show, and a Las Vegas residency, as well as an expansive acting career that included Silkwood, Mask, The Witches of Eastwick and Moonstruck, the latter of which earned her a best actress Oscar.
Mamma Mia! producers Judy Craymer and Gary Goetzman are set to produce the project, having worked with Cher on the Mamma Mia! sequel, Here We Go Again.
Cher, who turns 75 years old today, shared the news on her Twitter.
The yet-to-be-titled project comes as Hollywood is seeing a surge of rock biopics following Elton John’s Rocketman and Freddie Mercury’s Bohemian Rhapsody. The Bee Gees, Whitney Houston and Elvis are also all getting the feature film treatment.
Roth, whose credits include Munich, A Star Is Born and Forrest Gump, previously worked with Cher on the 1987 thriller Suspect. He most recently penned the script for Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, which will star Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro.
This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.
Björn Ulvaeus, co-founder of Swedish music group ABBA, discussed copyright buyouts for TV series and streaming services and how royalties allowed him to write “from 9 to 5″ with Billboard in a new interview.
The Swedish songwriter, musician, singer, guitarist and producer has sold more than 400 million records worldwide. His advocacy for authors’ rights fuels his role as the president of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), which protects the rights and promotes the interests of the more than 4 million creators around the world it represents. He discussed creators’ rights and the future of songwriting in an interview with Billboard deputy editorial director Robert Levine and CISAC director general Gadi Oron on Friday for the Billboard Pro Spotlight series, “Creators and Copyright,” which examines some of the urgent issues in copyright domestically in the United States and internationally.
Copyright buyouts for streaming services allow companies like Netflix to buy all the rights to a composition, with the songwriters collecting the money upfront and bypassing any royalties on the backend. “It’s of course up to the individual songwriter and the situation that he’s in personally when he allows a buyout or not,” Ulvaeus says, adding that CISAC offers advice for songwriters who are contemplating whether to give their rights away or not. But from Ulvaeus’ personal experience, he wouldn’t recommend it.
“Being a songwriter myself and knowing what copyright has done for me and the sense of pride I have in owning my rights, I would tell any songwriter, ‘Please don’t do it unless you really, really have to,’” he suggested.
Ulvaeus’ compositions extends beyond his work with ABBA: He co-wrote the lyrics for the musicals Mamma Mia!, Chess and Kristina från Duvemåla and co-composed the music for the first two with his fellow ABBA member and songwriting ace Benny Andersson. Ulvaeus and Andersson also worked together on both of the Mamma Mia! films based on ABBA’s pop hits, which the two co-wrote starting in the 1970s. But the competition for songwriters to get paid has only grown “fiercer,” he notes, over the decades.
On April 16, the 76-year-old hitmaker commissioned a study done by MIDiA Research, which has expertise in the music and digital media businesses, called “Rebalancing the Song Economy.” The study argues that songwriters, despite their many revenue streams of performance, sync, mechanicals and streaming royalties, have less diverse income than performing artists because all of their money stems from the song itself. And with the COVID-19 pandemic halting live performances and closing down restaurants, shops and bars that play and sell music, streaming has become the prime source of songwriters’ income but leaves them with pittance. An illustrative model in the “Rebalancing the Song Economy” study that determines streaming growth by measuring actual income growth for the label, the artist, the publisher and the songwriter proves the songwriter does not prevail and, much like the artist, can only measure their growth in hundreds of dollars, compared to the label and publisher’s millions.
“It’s more tempting now because the copyright money was much more for more people, and streaming has, of course, made a huge difference. So I think it’s easier now to do that,” he continued. “You’re so unsecure and you don’t know if someone is paying you money straight away or something, you don’t know what’s going to happen to it. The competition out there is fierce, and it’s much fiercer than it was during the ’70s when Benny Andersson and I could afford to write from 9 to 5 because of royalties.”
Watch the full interview above, and find more on Billboard Pro’s Spotlight on Creators and Copyright.
