K-pop fans who are in the Los Angeles area between Aug. 2 and Sept. 15 will want to make their way to the Grammy Museum at L.A. Live. The interactive exhibit HYBE: We Believe in Music, A Grammy Museum Exhibit chronicles the history of HYBE, which is home to the likes of BTS, SEVENTEEN, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, ENHYPEN and LE SSERAFIM. The exhibit will kick off on Aug. 1 with “Global Spin Live: TWS,” a program featuring a conversation with K-pop group TWS, followed by a performance. Exhibit tickets are available on the Grammy Museum’s website.
The exhibit traces HYBE’s evolution and influence by showcasing artifacts from its roster of artists. The displays feature original outfits worn in music videos such as “Yet to Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)” by BTS, “MAESTRO” by SEVENTEEN, “Sugar Rush Ride” by TOMORROW X TOGETHER, “Sweet Venom” by ENHYPEN and “EASY” by LE SSERAFIM. HYBE: We Believe in Music also boasts accessories and performance gear worn by ZICO, fromis_9, BOYNEXTDOOR, TWS, &TEAM and ILLIT. The exhibit is said to mark the first time these artifacts will be on display together in one location.
Other highlights include interactive sing-along and dance rooms, a dedicated Fan Section that celebrates the support between HYBE artists and their fandoms, a Mono to Immersive room featuring BTS’ 2022 Grammy telecast performance of “Butter,” a Photoism Booth that allows visitors to pose alongside their favorite K-pop artists, in addition to exclusive video content with producers, artists, music videos and more.
“HYBE and their artists represent the present and future of the global music landscape, and our goal with this exhibit is to deepen the appreciation and respect for its creators and performers,” said Michael Sticka, president/CEO of the Grammy Museum, in a statement. “HYBE has contributed to creating a playground of innovation that inspires fandoms that transcend age, gender, geography and beyond. The Grammy Museum is thrilled to provide a space where fans can express their love for K-pop and feel closer to their favorite idols.”
HYBE COO Taeho Kim added, “Putting out an exhibition that captures HYBE’s journey is a new experience for us. We’re very excited about this partnership with Grammy Museum, and we look forward to welcoming music fans who visit the museum to enjoy and connect with our historical pieces.”
Nearly a decade after K-pop became a global pop phenomenon, the Recording Academy has yet to add a separate Grammy category for K-pop recordings. (And there won’t be one next year, either. No categories will be added for the 2025 awards.) BTS has received five nominations in existing categories, including three for best pop duo/group performance, for “Dynamite,” “Butter” and “My Universe,” the latter a collab with Coldplay.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2024-07-09 14:41:372024-07-09 14:41:37Artifacts From BTS, SEVENTEEN & More HYBE Artists to Be Displayed in Grammy Museum Exhibit
The lyrics to hip-hop artist Kid Cudi’s 2009 song “Pursuit of Happiness” include the lines “I’ma do just what I want/ Looking ahead, no turning back.”
Those lyrics also serve as a musically freeing anthem for bluegrass artist and banjo virtuoso Trajan “Tray” Wellington, who includes a fleet-fingered, hip-hop-tinted bluegrass version of the tune on his seven-song project, Detour to the Moon, out July 12 via Mountain Home Music Company.
“I’ve always considered myself an explorer of the banjo. I always try to look at it as exploration within music and always pushing boundaries,” the 25-year-old Wellington tells Billboard. “I think within roots music, a lot of the time it can get stagnant and people feel like they have to do a certain avenue and appeal to this or appeal to that.”
Wellington grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, and counts his grandfather’s CD collection as his first brush with musical infatuation. Initially, Wellington began playing electric guitar, until six months later he found a Doc Watson greatest hits CD in the collection, which inspired him to learn to flat pick guitar. Then Wellington’s middle school had a Mountain Music Club, where his teacher brought out a banjo and began playing the bluegrass standard “Salt Creek.”
“I had never heard anything like it,” Wellington recalls of picking up the banjo at age 14. “I fell in love with it, and pretty much immediately put the guitar to the side and began learning banjo.”
His proficiency on the instrument was apparent even before his graduation from East Tennessee State University’s prestigious Bluegrass, Old Time and Country program, as he had already won the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA)’s 2019 momentum award for instrumentalist of the year while performing as part of the group Cane Mill Road (which also earned the IBMA’s momentum band of the year award that same year).
He followed with the independent EP Uncaged Thoughts in 2020, before signing with Mountain Home Music Company later that year. He’s since performed on the IBMA’s World of Bluegrass main stage, hosted the Momentum Awards ceremony and led banjo workshops at Merlefest and Gray Fox music festivals.
Wellington’s music has always carried within it the indelible influence of jazz music, and that is apparent again on his latest outing, with his bluegrass-meets-new age take on Duke Ellington’s “Caravan,” while nodding to bluegrass artist Bill Keith’s 1970s banjo-spotlighting rendition.
“When I was trying to work it out on banjo, I figured out this cool chord voicing for it,” Wellington says. “I was like, ‘This makes it sound almost like a new-age sound,’ so I tried to take that and make it sound even more spacey in a way. My fiddle player at the time, Josiah Nelson, knew ‘Caravan,’ so I asked him to play the melody of ‘Caravan’ over it and it just gave a totally different vibe from any other version I’ve heard.”
Elsewhere, he offers a stunning rendering of John Hiatt’s “Lift Up Every Stone,” but also melds these re-imaginings with originals such as “Spiral Staircase.”
His sound fuses his musically progressive probing with traditional bluegrass elements. In addition to Nelson, joining him are bassist Katelynn Bohn, drummer Mike Ashworth (of Steep Canyon Rangers), singer/guitarist Nick Weitzenfeld, steel guitarist DaShawn Hickman, vocalist Wendy Hickman and Americana artist Kaia Kate. Detour to the Moon was recorded at Arden, North Carolina’s Crossroads Studios, a recording space often utilized by bluegrass luminaries including Bryan Sutton, Lonesome River Band, Doyle Lawson, and Alison Krauss & Union Station member Barry Bales.
Wellington has also made considerable strides in dismantling musical boundary lines and stereotypes with his music. Most notably with his 2022 debut full-length album Black Banjo, Wellington has been a fierce advocate for increasing diversity and representation within the genre.
“With the Black Banjo project, No. 1 was the idea that Black people invented this music; they belong here,” he says. “No. 2, and one of the biggest things I would say I face sometimes — but not as much anymore — was people trying to tell me what I need to do with my music, like ‘You have to do this as a Black musician,’ or ‘You need to play some songs on the gourd banjo,’ or ‘You need to play these songs by these people from time to time. People feel the need to say that, but it’s a very one-dimensional way of looking at how to showcase Black art in this music. Really, the best way you can do it is letting these Black individuals have prime slots to showcase their talent. I just had to realize that I’m my own musician, with my own set of influences.”
He expanded on the mission of Black Banjo by teaming with three other Black roots musicians late last year — vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Kater, bassist Nelson Williams and fiddler/vocalist Jake Blount — to form the group New Dangerfield. They released their debut single, “Dangerfield Newby,” in April and Wellington says the group is prepping to release another song later this month and are set to head into the studio to record an album later this year.
“We’re four different artists that have different backgrounds, different sets of musical personalities and what we’re trying to do now is figure out how it all works together,” Wellington says.
He says he has seen representation grow in terms of artists of color within the genre, but there is still much work to be done in terms of representation within the bluegrass genre’s audience.
“When I very first started, I don’t remember seeing many people at all that were Black,” Wellington notes. “As I got older, I started realizing a lot more and was like, ‘It is weird how there are not many people that look like me in this music.’ But I think there has been more representation and I think a lot of organizations are doing work to make sure people feel welcomed. But there is still a lot of work that needs to be done, especially within the audience spectrum, especially. I’d love to see that aspect of it grow. Musicians [are] one thing, but still, most places I go, like 95%, it’s primarily a white audience. And I think it’s as much of a mix of the musicians as well as the actual venues themselves, because there are certain places [where] just a bunch of people of different backgrounds don’t feel comfortable going. If you’re walking into a room that’s primarily white, as a person of color, you do feel like an outlier. It’s about making people feel welcome when they come in.”
While he works to advocate for greater diversity within roots music, and expand the genre beyond traditional boundaries, he also has a bucket list of artists he hopes to one day work with — including bluegrasser Billy Strings, Snarky Puppy’s Cory Henry, and singer Bella White.
“While I’m still building and still growing as an artist, I do feel like I’m getting to do a lot of cool things I’ve always wanted to do,” Wellington says. “I just got back from a short tour in Europe, and I was at the airport last night and had the realization, like, ‘Man, I started playing banjo at 14. And 14-year-old me would’ve never thought I’d be doing what I’m doing now.’”
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2024-07-09 14:01:452024-07-09 14:01:45Tray Wellington Expands on His Progressive Bluegrass Sound With ‘Detour to the Moon’: ‘I’ve Always Considered Myself an Explorer of the Banjo’
Indie folk singer-songwriter Shaya Zamora has signed with Atlantic Records, which will release his new single, “Sinner,” on Friday (July 12), the label tells Billboard. Atlantic says shortform content teasing the upcoming track has already generated more than 24,000 creates and 20 million views on TikTok.
A native of rural Washington, Zamora only officially began releasing new music last summer and dropped his debut EP, Eulogize, in late January. The set was propelled by the success of its breakout track “Cigarette,” which boasts more than 25 million streams on Spotify alone. That was followed by his Atlantic debut, the single “Pretty Little Devil,” which caught fire on TikTok where it has racked up more than 160,000 creates and over 260 million views, according to the label (“Devil” was added to TikTok’s #NewMusic global discovery hub.) On Instagram Reels, “Devil” boasts more than 16,000 creates and over 85 million views.
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More new music from Zamora is slated to drop later this year.
Zamora is managed by Matt Reed at Hyphen Media Group and Devin Poindexter at Mad Jack Management.
Also this week…
Ciara signed with WME for worldwide representation in all areas. The singer, who a press release states has sold more than 23 million records and nearly 30 million singles worldwide off hits like the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single “Goodies” and “1, 2 Step” featuring Missy Elliott, is currently working on her eighth album, which will include the previously-released single “How We Roll.” In addition to her music, Ciara was recently featured in Warner Bros.’ 2023 musical adaptation of The Color Purple. She also recently signed with align PR and continues to be represented by IMG Models.
Also at WME, Belgian techno DJ and producer Amelie Lens signed with the agency which will represent her for touring and support the expansion of her labels and brand across events and collaborations. Lens owns two labels: Lenske (Farrago, AIROD, Ahl Iver) and Exhale Records, which is geared toward aspiring producers and is behind the EXHALE event series. Lens’ upcoming tour dates include performances at festivals including DOUR Festival, Tomorrowland and Junction 2.
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Vector Management welcomed several new artists to its roster under the leadership of Vector West head Nicki Loranger. They include rapper Yung Gravy, electronic duo 3OH!3, DJ Valentino Khan, indie pop band The Aces, singer-songwriter Jack Harris and DJ-producer 4B. Gravy, Khan and 4B came to the agency through manager Henley Halem, who also officially joins Vector as a manager alongside Bryant Barnes and Gabriel Apodaca, who brought 3OH!3 to the firm.
Nashville-based label and management company Gravel Road, led by Anthony Martini and Rich Barnerhas, signed country-rock duo Lakeview to the label side of the business. According to a press release, the duo’s Jesse Denaro and Luke Healy earned nearly 30 million streams with their breakthrough hit “Home Team” and recently released the new song “Money Where Your Mouth Is” featuring Gideon. The Gravel Road roster also includes Compton Cowboys and producer Scattered Brains. – Jessica Nicholson
Big Machine Label Group imprint Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment (formerly BMLG Records) signed rising singer-songwriter Shaylen. Following a decade in Los Angeles making pop music, Shaylen returned to Nashville in 2022 and has since scored successes on the country music front including the single “What If I Don’t,” which currently boasts more than 29 million streams on Spotify alone. She’s managed by Two Hats Music Group in Nashville.
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Brazilian electronic artist and DJ Victor Lou (“Diu Diu Lai”) signed with UTA for global representation, excluding Brazil, in all areas. Lou recently came off his international tour Summer All Day, which concluded in Orlando, Fla., at the end of March. It was Lou’s first run in the U.S. Festival performances on the tour included Rock in Rio, Lollapalooza, Tomorrowland, XXXperience and Só Track Boa.
Nettwerk signed San Jose, Calif.-based lo-fi beatmaker and multi-instrumentalist Knowmadic, who has scored streaming success with tracks including “Faces” and “Fade.” The label will release his upcoming album, rain check, later this summer.
R&B singer-songwriter TA Thomas signed with High Standardz/Def Jam Recordings, which released his new single, “Risky,” on June 27. Thomas’ debut album, Caught Between 2 Worlds, dropped last September. Thomas is managed by Tosh Mac.
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King Thief, billed as a “punk supergroup” featuring members of Teenage Bottlerocket, This Is a Standoff, Choke and The Fullblast, signed to Thousand Islands Records, which will release the band’s debut single, “Gymposter Syndrome,” on Wednesday (July 10), followed by an album this fall. The band consists of Eric Neilson (Change Methodical, Midnight Peg), Ryan Podlubny (Fullblast), Shawn Moncrieff (Choke), Nick Kouremenos (Fire Next Time, This Is a Standoff, TheJohnsons) and Darren Chewka (Teenage Bottle Rocket, Old Wives).
After decades of brushing off the label, Eminem is finally embracing the title of “White Rapper.” Now, to be fair, he’s doing it as part of a promotional team-up with slider slingers White Castle as part of the roll-out of his upcoming album. The burgers and beats collaboration was announced on Monday (July 8) in a post featuring examples of the limited-run EMINEM X WHITE CASTLE merch line.
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The items include a White Rapper white tee, featuring the phrase spelled out in White Castle font inside the chain’s signature logo, with the legend “Established in 1972… Buy ’em by the ‘sack’” just underneath.
The burger bash comes as Slim Shady is gearing up to release his 12th studio album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce), which is due out on July 12. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame MC also dropped the long-awaited, blood-soaked video for the single “Tobey” on Monday, in which Marshall hangs out on the steps of his Detroit childhood home before he kills a version of himself with a chainsaw in the Cole Bennett-directed clip.
The upcoming LP is the follow-up to 2020’s Music to Be Murdered By, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Em his history-making 10th consecutive chart leader. The first single from The Death of Slim Shady, “Houdini,” gave Em his best-charting single on the Billboard Hot 100 this decade after it debuted at No. 2.
So far, information about the album has been spare, but the wind-up and title seem to hint at Marshall planning to bury some of his past. Among the clues are the fake obituary that ran in his hometown Detroit Free Press newspaper, followed by mentor and longtime collaborator Dr. Dre teasing the project in March on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and a horrifying video teaser earlier this month featuring a demon baby.
Check out images of the Eminem/White Castle collab below.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2024-07-09 13:14:102024-07-09 13:14:10Eminem Teams With White Castle For ‘White Rapper’ Merch Collab
After three marriages and a few high-profile romances, Britney Spears seems ready to go it alone. In a since-deleted post, the 42-year-old singer who is in the midst of divorcing her third husband, actor/model Sam Asghari, announced that she is done with men.
According to screen grabs from fans of the Sunday Instagram post, Spears paired an inspirational message reading “Her attitude is savage, but her heart is gold” along with the strident vow, “Single as f–k. I will never be with another man as long as I live.” As of Tuesday morning (July 9), the single talk and comments were gone and the post featured just the uplifting quote.
Spears’s first marriage, a Las Vegas wedding to childhood Jason Alexander, lasted less than 55 hours and was quickly annulled. She married former dancer Kevin Federline in September 2004, less than nine months after her Sin City quickie. The pair stayed together for two years and had two sons during their union, Sean Preston Federline and Jayden James Federline.
Spears met her third husband, Asghari, on the set of her 2016 “Slumber Party” video, with the pair making it official in January 2017. The singer and personal trainer stayed together through the difficult unwinding of her long-running conservatorship, marrying in June 2022 and then announcing they were headed for divorce in August 2023.
Before swearing off anymore XY action, in January, Spears also rubbished talk of an upcoming album by clearly stating that “most of the news is trash,” adding, “they keep saying I’m turning to random people to do a new album… I will never return to the music industry !!!”
Check out a fan screen grab of Spears’ vow of singledom.
Six years after going public on the London Stock exchange, a majority of Hipgnosis Songs Fund shareholders voted on Monday (July 8) to sell the fund to Blackstone for $1.6 billion, according to a regulatory filing.
According to the filing, 99.97% of shares voted voting in favor of selling to the private equity giant–59.21% of eligible voting shares participated in the vote.
The vote ends a roller coaster year for shareholders and the fund’s board, which initiated the search for external buyers to appease investors who, frustrated by the fund’s low stock price and the cancellation of its dividend, voted against continuation last September.
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The decision by a majority of Hipgnosis investors to sell to private equity follows a similar decision by Round Hill Music Royalty Fund investors, who voted to sell to Concord Music Group for $469 million last September. Both funds provided pure-play investment in music copyrights, and both were taken private in under seven years.
The trillion-dollar global investment giant initially became involved with Hipgnosis in 2021 when senior managing director at Blackstone Tactical Opportunities Qasim Abbas launched a private acquisition fund with HSF founder Merck Mercuriadis. By acquiring Hipgnosis Songs Fund’s portfolio of some 65,000 songs, Blackstone owns all of Hipgnosis, including the private music assets in Hipgnosis Songs Assets and Hipgnosis Song Management, the investment advisor to both portfolios.
The collection of rights held by HSF includes songs by Neil Young, Journey, Lindsey Buckingham and Blondie, and many songwriter and producer’s shares of royalty rights for songs performed by Justin Bieber and others.
Blackstone’s offer awards investors $1.31 per share and values HSF’s share capital at a total of $1.584 billion.
In addition to the Hipgnosis companies, which Blackstone owns through its Tactical Opportunities fund, Blackstone also owns the music rights organization SESAC and MNRK Music Group.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2024-07-09 12:06:292024-07-09 12:06:29Blackstone Wins Shareholder Support to Buy Hipgnosis Songs Fund
BLACKPINK’s LISA is the latest addition to the line-up for the 2024 Global Citizen Festival.
The K-pop superstar will mark her first live solo set at a festival she co-headlines this year’s event, where she joins previously confirmed headliners Post Malone, Doja Cat, Jelly Roll and Rauw Alejandro.
The timing is sweet. Just this week, LISA landed her first Billboard Global Excl. U.S. No. 1 with “Rockstar,” which opened at the summit. The song was first teased on TikTok earlier last month when LISA joined the social media site and set a Guinness World Record by gaining 1 million followers in just over two hours. That’s just one in an impressive and expanding collection of records smashed by LISA, Jennie, Rosé and Jisoo.
“We are thrilled to join forces with LISA for what will be her first ever solo performance at a music festival,” comments Katie Hill, senior VP, head of music, entertainment and artist relations at Global Citizen, the world’s leading organization seeking to end extreme poverty. “LISA is not only an incredible performer, but also a powerful advocate, leveraging her voice and platform to drive action on some of the most urgent challenges our world is facing.”
As previously reported, the concert will be presented at the Great Lawn in New York’s Central Park on Sept. 28, and hosted by Global Citizen Ambassador actor Hugh Jackman. The day will also feature appearances from Jane Goodall, as well as Coldplay singer Chris Martin, the festival curator.
“As world leaders gather in New York for the UN General Assembly,” reads a statement, “the 2024 Global Citizen Festival will advocate for the equity of all people, calling on governments, philanthropists and the private sector to ensure the basic needs of the world’s marginalized communities are fulfilled, including immunizations and strong health systems, quality education, and nutritious food.”
Tickets to the Global Citizen Festival are free and can be earned by taking action on the Global Citizen app or at globalcitizenfestival.com to defeat poverty, defend the planet and demand equity.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2024-07-09 12:06:272024-07-09 12:06:27BLACKPINK’s LISA Joins Lineup For 2024 Global Citizen Festival
The variations just keep on coming. On Monday (July 8), Taylor Swift dropped a new acoustic version of her The Tortured Poets Department song “Fortnight” featuring Post Malone. The hushed take on the single from Swift’s latest No. 1 album features the two singers trading vocals over a shimmery, unplugged arrangement.
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The refresh is bundled with the original album version as well as bubbling remix by New York indie duo Cults. In an Instagram post on Tuesday morning (July 9) the band re-posted the striking cover image of the single featuring Swift modeling Posty’s signature face tats along with a message thanking the pop idol for roping them into her expansive universe.
“Honored to have been given the opportunity to remix legend @taylorswift song ‘Fortnight,’” they wrote.
The remix and unplugged take are the latest iterations of the double album that has been issued in a wide variety of physical variants, including multiple CD, vinyl, cassette and deluxe takes.
Swift recently added another accolade to her already bulging basked of records this week when TTPD hit its 11th consecutive and total week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (dated July 13), which ties the singer’s latest with both her 1989 and Fearless as her longest-leading No. 1 albums. TTPD is also the first album by a woman to spend 11 weeks in a row at No. 1 since the Whitney Houston-led soundtrack to The Bodyguard had a 13-straight week run together at No. 1 (of its 20 total nonconsecutive weeks at the top ) from December 1992 to March 1993.
Swift’s Eras Tour juggernaut marches on this week, with the first of two shows at the Stadion Letzigrund Zurich on Tuesday (July 9).
Listen to the new “Fortnight” remix and see Cults’ post below.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2024-07-09 11:54:532024-07-09 11:54:53Taylor Swift Drops Hushed Acoustic Version of Post Malone Collab ‘Fortnight’
LONDON — Universal Music Group is to merge its historic Island and EMI label divisions as part of a widespread restructuring of the company’s U.K. business that will also see the launch of new Audience and Media Division to support artists and labels.
The announcement was made on Tuesday (July 9) by David Joseph, chairman and CEO Universal Music U.K. and Ireland, in an internal memo, which has been viewed by Billboard.
The reorganization of Universal Music’s U.K. operations follows changes the company made to its U.S. teams earlier this year with the formation of Interscope Capitol Labels Group and Republic Corps.
That structure is now being loosely mirrored in the United Kingdom with the creation of what Joseph called “two new powerhouse frontline label groups” — Island EMI Label Group, headed by Louis Bloom as president, and the newly formed Polydor Label Group, led by Ben Mortimer.
Both label groups will be home to multiple labels “all with creative autonomy,” said Joseph’s memo. Each department will also contain a team dedicated to supporting artists from the wider UMG family, said the Universal U.K. boss.
In line with the restructuring, which comes into effect Oct. 1, Universal is shuffling its executive ranks.
EMI Records co-president Jo Charrington has been appointed president of a “reimagined” U.K. arm of Capitol, which will sit within the wider Polydor Label Group, as will 0207 Def Jam, led by president Alec Boateng. (Billboard understands that Boateng’s brother and co-president of 2017 Def Jam Alex Boateng is to remain with Universal and will be given a job within an international division).
EMI Records’ other co-president, Rebecca Allen, will take up the role of president of Universal’s Audience and Media Division (AMD), a newly formed U.K.-based department dedicated to serving artists and labels that will have a global remit.
Joining Allen in the Audience and Media team will be Suzy Walby (media), Kate Wyn Jones (Audience and Digital Strategy) and data and strategic branch The Square insight team, led by Jack Fryer.
In his internal staff memo, Joseph said the “industry first” AMD team “will revolutionise how we deliver for our artists” and will become Universal U.K.’s largest division.
Not mentioned in the memo is the scale or number of job losses that will result from the changes, although it does state that the consultation period for staff whose roles are potentially at risk starts today and will continue until mid-September.
In the United Kingdom, it is a legal requirement that companies must follow so-called “collective consultation” rules if it is making 20 or more employees redundant within any 90-day period. Universal U.K. declined to comment on staff redundancies.
Not impacted by the changes are Laura Monks and Tom Lewis, who will continue in their current roles of Decca co-presidents, which will remain a stand-alone label. Hannah Neaves remains sole president of Universal Music Recordings.
“As a company, we must continue to be forward-looking, innovative, and bold. Developing artists now requires more creativity and patience than ever before,” said Joseph in his internal memo.
Joseph went on to say that the restructure would “strengthen our labels’ capabilities to deepen artist and fan connections.”
“We are committed to being the number one place for artists, fans and talent,” surmised the U.K. CEO. “I have an incredible appreciation for our team given what we have achieved in the past and what I know we will achieve in the future.”
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Projections indicate she’ll hold the No. 1 spot for a fourth consecutive week. Meanwhile, her former chart-topper “Espresso” remains steady at No. 2 in the midweek update.
But watch out Sabrina — Shaboozey is shaking things up! His single “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – which famously interpolates J-Kwon’s 2004 smash “Tipsy” – is currently just over 1,000 chart units behind Carpenter, sitting pretty at No. 3.
With such a narrow gap, could Shaboozey finally sip his way to the top?
The track debuted at No. 41 on the Official Singles Chart, climbed to No. 16 the following week, and gave Shaboozey his first U.K. Top 10 single a week later when it rose to No. 6.
Shaboozey
Meanwhile, British breakout star Myles Smith is aiming high with his track “Stargazing.” The single is set to leap two spots to No. 4, marking his highest chart position to date. Smith first appeared on the Official U.K. Singles Chart with his 2024 single “Solo,” which peaked at No. 69. His debut EP, You Promised A Lifetime, reached No. 30 on the Official Albums Downloads Chart.
Following their show-stopping headline slot at Glastonbury Festival, Coldplay’s latest track “feelslikeimfallinginlove” is on a sky-high trajectory, projected to reach a new peak in the top 20, landing at No. 12.
Meanwhile, Shady’s back (back again), as Eminem returns with his new track “Tobey” featuring Big Sean and Babytron, from his forthcoming album The Death of Slim Shady. “Tobey” is climbing a whopping 59 places to No. 17.
It follows the success of Eminem’s previous single “Houdini,” which marked his 11th U.K. No. 1 single in June 2024.
“Houdini” was the Detroit rapper’s first fully solo No. 1 since “Toy Soldiers” in 2005 and his first U.K. chart-topper since 2020’s “Godzilla,” featuring Juice WRLD.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2024-07-09 08:25:172024-07-09 08:25:17Sabrina Carpenter Holds U.K. No. 1 as Shaboozey Turns Up the Heat
