Organizers for the California festival Desert Daze have called off this year’s event. In an announcement organizers stated, “It is no longer possible to execute the weekend as planned.” 

The event, which has remained independent since launching in 2012, was unable to move forward with the 2024 edition due to “rising production costs and the current volatile festival market,” according to the announcement. 

“Desert Daze is more than a festival or business venture to us,” said Desert Daze co-founder Phil Pirrone in a release. “The community that we’ve cultivated together means so much to us and is the reason we will work to find a way to keep this beautiful thing going for many years to come.” 

The 2024 edition of Desert Daze was set to take place Oct. 10-13 in Lake Perris, Calif. Headliners for this year’s event were to include Jack White, Cigarettes After Sex, Alex G, The Mars Volta, Thundercat, Liz Phair and De La Soul.  

“With each year, we do our best to serve the Desert Daze community,” added Pirrone. “We are always learning and working diligently to improve the experience, and we tried everything to find a way forward this year. While we hit pause for now, we will be working in the background to deliver another special experience for all of us to share in the future. We thank you for your support.” 

All pass holders for the 2024 festival will be refunded and will be contacted directly via their point of purchase. While the main event will not take place this year, side shows under the Desert Daze Presents banner will go forward as scheduled.  

For additional information, head here.

TikTok creates viral hits. YouTube is unparalleled in its ubiquity. But music subscription services pay the bills.  

More than three out of every five dollars earned by U.S. record labels in the first half of 2024 — 60.2% to be exact — came from premium subscription services, according to the RIAA’s mid-year report. That marks the first time subscriptions exceeded a 60% share of total revenue, topping the 59.5% share in the first half of 2023 and the 59.3% mark for full-year 2023.  

Ad-supported on-demand streaming, on the other hand, has lost momentum, growing just 2.5%, half the rate of paid subscriptions. The slowdown has been dramatic: Three years ago, advertising revenue rebounded from a pandemic slowdown by surging 54.1% in the first half of 2021 and another 17.7% in the first half of 2022. Its share of total industry revenue — 10.3% — has slipped, too, from 10.5.%, 11.3% and 10.5% in the three preceding first-half periods.  

Other ad-supported segments also lag paid subscriptions’ growth rate. SoundExchange distributions, which include some ad-supported streaming as well as royalties paid by satellite radio subscribers, rose just 3.8% to $517 million. Other ad-supported streaming, which covers services not operating under statutory licenses, fell 1.5% to $155 million.  

The situation around advertising is worse than the numbers might suggest. Ad-supported, on-demand streaming isn’t confined to services such as Spotify’s free tier and YouTube. A new generation of platforms, such as TikTok and Instagram, are grouped into this category, too. Without these emerging platforms, ad-supported streaming would look even worse off.  

For an industry that must constantly seek growth, advertising is too small to play the role. In the most recent quarter, Spotify got 12% of its revenue from advertising — both music and podcasts — compared to 88% from subscriptions. Even if advertising becomes a bigger part of the business, CEO Daniel Ek said during the company’s April 23 earnings call, it won’t be a major factor in helping the company reach 20% revenue growth. “Anything we can do on our subscription side will obviously materially outperform any improvement on the ad side,” said Ek.  

Free music has played an important role in building today’s music ecosystem, though. In 2009, author Chris Anderson followed The Long Tail with a lesser-known book titled Free that promoted the notion that not charging for digital goods can be a wise strategy. While The Long Tail was a smash success, Free never rose to the same level of renown. But Anderson’s idea proved to have merit. The same year Free was published, Spotify launched a “freemium” music streaming service in the United Kingdom—the world’s third-largest music market—that utilized a free, ad-supported tier intended to drive listeners to the paid version. Ad-supported royalties were miniscule, but it worked as planned. Free listening turned out to be an effective tool to attract customers that would, at some point in the future, become some of Spotify’s 246 million subscribers. 

The growth potential for the subscription business lays outside the U.S. Globally, subscription streaming accounted for 48.9% of recorded music revenue in 2023, according to the IFPI, more than 11 percentage points below the share in the U.S. (The RIAA reports retail value in the U.S. while the IFPI reports wholesale values for each market.) Worldwide subscription penetration is only 15%, Warner Music Group CFO Bryan Castellani noted during an Aug. 7 earnings call, “and there’s a lot of headroom to go from 800 million subscriptions today to well over a billion over the next five years.”  

The future may be a combination of free and subscription. In May, Sony Music Entertainment CEO Rob Stringer called for streaming platforms to charge users of ad-supported tiers a “modest fee” to make free streaming “more than a marketing funnel” to attract customers. Stringer also called on short-form video platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts to step up their payments to rights owners. "More and more, these are primary consumption sources, and they need to be valued accordingly," he said.

With subscriptions now exceeding 60% of U.S. revenue and advertising losing share, free platforms will likely come under more pressure to deliver more royalties. Until that happens, though, expect the industry to increasingly put its hopes for revenue growth in subscriptions.

Ice Spice has seen plenty of people speaking on her body throughout her career, and now, she’s controlling the narrative and taking back the power of her figure.

The Bronx native posted a workout video on Thursday (Aug. 29) showing off components of her routine while on the road for tour. “We beatin them allegations bae,” she wrote, brushing off the Ozempic claims that were thrown her way earlier this year.

She received a ton of love in her comment ssection from peers including Chloe Bailey, Saweetie, Bktherula and more. “Body on point,” Chloe wrote.

Fans chimed in, hyping up Ice as well. “Mic drop ozempic doesn’t make you toned. Tell em ice,” one person said. Another added, “Yes baby show them wasssssswhat!”

Ice Spice had enough of everyone talking about her weight and decided to clap back at those with loose lips and defend her work ethic during an X Spaces Aug. 19.

“I actually came on here to talk about that real quick. I wish y’all never learned the word Ozempic,” she said. “That’s one thing I wish. Oh my God! Like, what even is Ozempic? What the f–k is that? Genuinely, what is that?”

Ice continued: “You lazy-a– b—–s never heard of a gym? It’s called the gym, it’s called eating healthy, it’s called being on tour. Like, what the hell? Maybe if I was sitting at home all f–king day, it’d be easier to stay big.”

The 24-year-old is wrapping up her Y2K! World Tour in Miami with a final show at The Fillmore Miami Beach on Saturday (Aug. 31), and then she’s slated to make an appearance on Sunday (Sept. 1) at Club LIV.

Ice Spice released her anticipated Y2K! debut album in July with features from Gunna, Travis Scott and Central Cee. The LP reached No. 18 on the Billboard 200. 

Watch Ice Spice’s workout video below:

LONDON — Nearly three decades after Oasis‘ cultural and commercial peak, the Gallagher brothers — songwriter/guitarist Noel and singer Liam — are once again making headlines around the world, following the shock announcement that the long-warring siblings are to reunite for a series of huge outdoor shows in the United Kingdom and Ireland next year.

In the U.K., anticipation for the band’s comeback has been building since rumors began circulating several weeks ago that the feuding brothers had buried the hatchet after a 15-year war of words and were set to return. The group split up in 2009 when Noel quit before a show at French music festival Rock en Seine following an argument with Liam.   

Oasis fans’ wildest dreams were realized on Tuesday (Aug. 27) with the announcement that the band will play a massive 14-date stadium tour of the U.K. and Ireland next summer, marketed as ‘Oasis Live ’25.’

“The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised,” Oasis bullishly said in a statement, prompting a feverish rush of news coverage in their home country and beyond that has reignited interest in the Britpop-era rock act. 

Registration for the tour’s ticket pre-sale opened the same day. 48 hours later the group announced three extra concert dates due to “unprecedented demand.” 

The additional gigs mean Oasis will now play five nights at London’s 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium, five nights at Heaton Park in their home city of Manchester (80,000 cap.) and three shows at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh (67,000-cap.), as well as two performances at Dublin’s Croke Park (83,000-cap.) and two shows at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium (74,000-cap.).

With tickets expected to quickly sell out when they go on sale Saturday (Aug. 31), Oasis look set to perform to around 1.3 million people across the 17-show run, according to Billboard‘s calculations.

That puts the band’s live return at a similar level to Taylor Swift‘s recent U.K. and Ireland leg of her “Eras Tour,” which spanned 18 sold-out stadium shows, including eight nights at Wembley Stadium – a new record for a solo singer at the venue. The estimated total attendance for Swift’s U.K. shows was 1.2 million, not including her three shows at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.

With tickets to Oasis’ live shows priced between £65.00 ($85.00) and £250.00 ($330.00), excluding fees, Billboard estimates that the tour — jointly promoted by Live Nation, SJM Concerts, MCD and DFC — could gross the band around £200 million ($262 million) on ticket sales alone (based on an average ticket price of £150.00). When VIP and premium packages, merchandise, sponsorship, performance rights and future filming revenues are factored in total earnings are likely to be at least double that amount, according to talent agent Jonathan Shalit, posting on X before the three extra concert dates were announced.

FINANCIAL WINDFALL?

“It’s a once in a generation moment for a lot of music fans to experience an iconic rock band that has a very special place in many people’s hearts. It’s also going to be a really big economic moment for the country and music industry,” Tom Kiehl, chief executive of umbrella trade body UK Music, tells Billboard.

In 2023, 19.2 million “music tourists” — defined by UK Music as someone who travels outside of their hometown or city for a gig or visiting from overseas — attended live concerts and festivals in the United Kingdom, up 33% on the previous year, generating 8 billion pounds ($10.3 billion) for the country’s economy.

Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at investment firm Hargreaves Lansdown, says the frenzy of interest in Oasis’ return ensures it will create large revenues for hotels, taxis, bars, restaurants and pubs in cities where the band is performing “bringing a significant boost to the U.K. economy.”

The U.K. leg of Swift’s “Eras Tour” was estimated to have earned £1 billion ($1.3 billion) for the U.K. economy, according to analysis by Barclays bank, based on Swifties each spending a projected £848 ($1,100) on tickets, travel, accommodation, outfits and other expenses.

“While spending by Oasis fans might not reach those heady heights, they are unlikely to hold back from splashing the cash to celebrate the brothers’ return,” Streeter tells Billboard.

In Oasis’ home city of Manchester, the band’s five shows will earn the local economy over £15 million ($19.7 million), says Sacha Lord, the city’s nighttime economy advisor and founder of Parklife music festival.

WILL A RISING TIDE LIFT ALL BOATS?

Alongside the financial benefits, live execs hope that the explosion of interest in Oasis will strengthen support for the U.K.’s struggling grassroots music sector, where the band cut their teeth in the early 1990s, but has experienced a tide of small venue closures in the decades since.

According to the Music Venue Trust (MVT), just under 150 grassroots venues closed or stopped staging live music in the U.K. in 2023. Of the 15 venues that Oasis played on its first ever tour, nine are reported to have closed or are no longer putting on gigs.

To stop the wave of small venue closures, live execs are pushing for the British government to cut sales tax (VAT) on tickets for all grassroots music shows from 20% to the European average of between 5-7%. Doing so “will mean more shows and festivals, thriving venues of all sizes and [help] the next world class superstars off the U.K. talent production line,” says Jon Collins, CEO of U.K. music trade body LIVE.

“The Oasis reunion is a huge moment not just for fans, but for the live music industry too,” Andrew Foggin, global head of music at ticketing company DICE, tells Billboard. “These high profile, beloved artists serve as a catalyst to get people out more. They don’t just draw crowds to massive stadium events, but they also remind people what makes live music so special, creating benefits for the rest of the industry.”

As for the Gallaghers themselves, they stand to land a sizable royalty windfall even before a single ticket is sold. On the back of Tuesday’s reunion announcement, Oasis’ Spotify streams spiked 690% globally, says the streaming service, with some of the band’s lesser-known songs such as “Turn Up The Sun” and The Swamp Song” enjoying especially large spikes (450%-plus) in the U.K. The band has more than 24 million monthly listeners on Spotify with its most popular song, “Wonderwall,” having been streamed more than 2 billion times in total.

On TikTok, Oasis has seen a 101% increase in video views, creations and user engagement over the past seven days, with #OasisReunion having 109 million video views over the past two weeks, reports the platform. (Billboard understands that Sony Music owns the master rights to Oasis’ entire catalog, which it licenses back to the band’s label Big Brother Recordings, with the exception of 2008’s final album Dig Out Your Soul, which Sony doesn’t own).

“Oasis has always been popular on TikTok, and the news of the reunion has taken it to another level,” says Adam Read, TikTok’s U.K. and Ireland music programs manager. “Fans have celebrated in typically creative ways, whether it’s dressing up like Liam Gallagher waiting [for] the on sale or remixing classic Oasis tracks in unique TikTok videos. We’re excited to see how the community will continue to get creative with the band’s catalog on the platform.”

So far, the only live dates announced by Oasis are the 17 shows in the U.K. and Ireland, although the fact that the band is calling its 2025 outing a world tour suggests that international dates, including possible U.S. shows, will likely follow. It’s anticipated that additional U.K. shows could be announced if the initial ticket allocation sells out quickly, although the band has made it clear that it will not be playing next year’s Glastonbury festival, as previously rumored.

“Oasis were the last big band of the pre-digital era,” enthuses Kiehl. “There’s a legendary status attached to them and there’s a whole new generation of Oasis fans who have never seen them perform live, as well as all of their original fans from the Nineties, so their return is going to be a really big moment for the music industry and live music.”

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Passionate about music? Here’s your chance to learn from some of the best in the business with MasterClass.

The subscription service is currently offering two memberships for the price for one. This Labor Day deal ends soon, so you’ll have to act fast to redeem the 50% discount.

Music lovers can take classes taught by Mariah Carey, John Legend, Christina Aguilera, Usher, Herbie Hancock, Reba McEntire, Alicia Keys, Nas, Questlove, Metallica, Timbaland, Yo-Yo Ma, Ringo Starr and other singers, songwriters, musicians and producers.

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How much does MasterClass cost? The platform starts at $120 a year. The subscription gives you unlimited access to all classes, including new courses launched monthly.

The membership also unlocks access to the streamer’s mobile and TV apps, high-definition videos, and class workouts that you can download and watch on a smartphone, computer and other devices such as Apple TV, Fire TV, and Roku devices. MasterClass also provides Audio Mode for certain courses, so that members can download classes and watch them offline from the plane and other modes of transportation.

From beginners to novices, MasterClass courses are designed to suit all skill levels. Every class includes around 20 videos that are approximately 10-minutes each, and a detailed workbook. The course instructor will walk students through the curriculum, which comes with a step-by-step instructions, but also encourages students to explore their own creativity by going “beyond the session content.”

For more music-related product recommendations, read our roundup of the best Masterclass music courses to take, best portable recording booths and instruments to grab on sale.