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ICE Licensing // Senior DSP Audit & Assurance Manager (London)

ICE Licensing // DSP Audit and Assurance Manager (London)

Today's music business news

TOP STORY

Warner Music confirms it is participating in Deezer’s “artist-centric” pilot

It’s been confirmed that Warner Music is participating in Deezer’s French pilot of the “artist-centric” model for paying streaming royalties.

The President of Warner Music France, Alain Veille, discussed the pilot in an interview with Les Echoes yesterday, stating that the major is fully committed to working with the streaming services on developing new business models that “better reflect the value and fan engagement driven by artists and songwriters”.

Deezer’s “artist-centric” model - cleverly conceived without talking to any actual artists - is a response to calls by the major record companies for streaming services to change the way they allocate revenue to each track each month.

The changes mean that - rather than all plays of all tracks from all artists being treated equally for track allocation purposes - certain plays, tracks and artists get preferential treatment.

Under Deezer’s new model, functional audio like white noise and bird song isn’t allocated any money. Meanwhile each play of a track made by a ‘professional artist’ is counted twice, as is any play where a user actively picks a track, rather than it being pushed to them by an algorithm.

Although it was Universal Music boss Lucian Grainge who first publicly called for changes to be made to the track allocation processes employed by the streaming services, Warner Music chief Robert Kyncl subsequently also spoke about the need to reform the model. This means it’s no surprise that the mini major is also participating in the Deezer pilot.

Indeed Veille added that Warner is “delighted” to support a new model that “rewards engaging music and demonetises non-artist noise”.

Having unveiled its Universal-backed artist-centric model in September, Deezer has been busy trying to persuade all of its other licensing partners on the recordings side to sign up for the pilot, which is happening in France, its home and biggest market.

Spotify, meanwhile, is plotting its own revamp to its track allocation process, addressing the same concerns but with an alternative approach. Among other things, it will introduce an annual threshold that each track will need to pass to be allocated any money at all.

ONE LINERS

James Blake, JYP Entertainment, 070 Shake + more

DEALS

K-pop company JYP Entertainment has announced a strategic partnership with Live Nation to produce international tours for artists on its roster, including Twice, Stray Kids and Itzy.

Concord Music Publishing has signed record producer and songwriter Matt Bronleewe. “I’ve known the crew at Concord for a number of years, and I’ve seen firsthand the amazing enthusiasm and support they provide for their songwriters”, he says. “I couldn’t dream up a better team of individuals to work with and I’m excited for the creative journey ahead!”

RELEASES

James Blake has teamed up with relaxation app Endel for a second album of soundscapes - this time reimagining his latest LP ‘Playing Robots Into Heaven’. It is available on streaming services and in the Endel app now.

070 Shake has released new single ‘Natural Habitat’ featuring Ken Carson.

Atreyu have announced that they will release new album ‘The Beautiful Dark Of Life’ on 8 Dec. Latest single ‘Forevermore’ is out now. The band are currently on tour in the UK.

GIGS & TOURS

Tool have announced UK tour dates next summer, including a show at the O2 Arena in London on 3 Jun. Tickets go on general sale on 17 Nov.

Camera Obscura have announced UK tour dates next summer, including a performance at Koko in London on 7 May.

LEGAL

Kakao exec indicted following the big battle with HYBE for control of SM

Prosecutors in South Korea have indicted the Chief Investment Officer of tech firm Kakao Corp in relation to alleged misconduct during the battle earlier this year for control of K-pop company SM Entertainment.

Bae Jae-hyun is accused of violating the country's Capital Market Act by purchasing over $180 million worth of SM stock in a bid to inflate the company's share price. He allegedly made that purchase as Kakao sought to fight off a rival bid for control of SM that had been mounted by that other big player in the K-pop business, HYBE.

A proposed alliance between Kakao and SM was supported by the latter company’s management team, but not its founder Lee Soo-man. He favoured the coming together of SM with HYBE.

However, HYBE ultimately abandoned its plan to acquire a controlling stake in SM when it became clear it was unable to compete with the offer being made by Kakao.

It then emerged in April that South Korea’s financial regulator had raided the headquarters of SM following a complaint made by HYBE to the effect that Kakao had manipulated SM’s share price during the two companies’ bidding war.

According to The Korean Times, the Seoul Southern Prosecutors Office has confirmed that "Bae Jae-hyun will stand trial on charges of inflating the price of SM Entertainment shares in violation of the Capital Market Act, with the intent to undermine a tender offer from rival bidder HYBE during the heated takeover battle in February".

Kakao Corp itself has also been indicted as part of these proceedings, while Bae and two other executives are accused of not reporting their stockholdings to regulators as required.

APPROVED: NOT ME BUT US

A new project from Italian musicians Bruno Bavota and Fabrizio Somma - both solo artists in their own right - Not Me But Us sees the pair combining their talents into something new and intriguing. So far there is just one track available - ‘Nocturnal Emissions’ - but it offers a great deal of sonic information about the collaborative project.

The track combines a range of genres, from ambient to post-rock, building on a single synth drone that runs throughout. Eventually, it’s lifted further by some abstract vocalisations - the subtitles for which on the track’s video are worth hitting play for alone.

“We chose this to introduce ourselves as it’s a little bit mysterious about what the project will be”, says Bavota. “We composed it in just one afternoon and with one chord. You've got this unceasing sound of the synth that opens the track that starts building when the drums come in… it has a sort of rock vibe”.

An album is due next year.

For now, watch the video for ‘Nocturnal Emissions’ here.

LABELS & PUBLISHERS

Universal’s plans to cut carbon emissions certified by Science Based Targets initiative

Universal Music has announced that its plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions have been certified by the Science Based Targets initiative. And, it reckons, this is a first for a standalone music company.

“I am incredibly proud of the organisation-wide efforts that have brought us to this milestone”, says the major’s CFO Boyd Muir. “By aligning our operations with science-based targets, we deepen our commitment to embed sustainability principles into our business practices and to innovate for a resilient future in which both global communities and music lovers thrive”.

The major music company has committed to reducing its direct emissions and those from energy consumption by 58% by 2032 - based on a starting point of 2019. It says that it will also cut emissions from indirect sources by 62% over the same period.

DEALS

HYBE launches Latin American division through acquisition on Exile Content

K-pop powerhouse HYBE has expanded into the Latin music market via the acquisition of the music division of Exile Content. The company will be rebranded HYBE Latin America.

In a statement, HYBE said that it would “graft K-pop’s proven methodology to the Latin genre”. The new division will be headed up by CEO Kah Jong-Hyun - formerly an exec at YG Entertainment. Exile Content founder Isaac Lee will also chair the board.

In its statement, HYBE said that the Latin operation will allow its existing roster of artists “to better set foot in one of the fastest growing music markets in the world”, while also serving as “a base for developing new artists and content”.

Founded in 2019, Exile Content also has a film and TV development arm which was sold to LA-based Candle Media last year. That division remains headed up by Lee.

ARTIST NEWS

Sleaford Mods address Palestinian flag gig controversy

Sleaford Mods have issued a statement following a controversy that was caused by a video showing frontman Jason Williamson walking off stage at a recent show in Madrid after a Palestinian flag was thrown at his feet.

A video shared on social media shows the flag being thrown at the musician, at which point Williamson says “fuck off” and leaves the stage. However, in a statement, he says that this does not give the full picture of what happened.

“Some context is needed about Madrid”, he wrote. “I'm horrified by the atrocities committed in Gaza and Israel and I'm horrified by the atrocities committed elsewhere in the world that are not in the current news cycle. I'm angry about the manipulation of human grief and rage by politicians, the media, agitators and social media platforms to stoke the fire of separation, dehumanisation, division and hate”.

Turning to the show itself, he went on: “In Madrid, the show was repeatedly interrupted by someone in the audience shouting and throwing a flag/scarf on stage. I stopped the show to make comment, condemned civilian deaths and called for no more killing. This wasn't enough and the interruptions continued. I walked off stage after 80 minutes as the cumulative effect was distracting and upsetting”.

Referencing a tweet posted after the gig, in which he said that he was annoyed at being asked “to pick sides for something I ain’t got any real idea about”, he added: “The tweet in the aftermath was an attempt to apologise to those at the show, not comment widely on the ongoing atrocities. I'm as overwhelmed as you are and I don't have the answers, all I know is we are all human and there needs to be a meaningful ceasefire”.

“The slaughter needs to stop”, he concluded. “No more. No more killing. NO MORE”.

LABELS & PUBLISHERS

Warner Records partners with Underscore Works on new label

Warner Records in the US has announced a new joint venture with artist management company Underscore Works to launch Underscore Works Recordings. The new label kicks off with the signing of country artists Dipper and Wesko, and builds on Warner Records’ previous work with Underscore Works managed artist Warren Zeiders.

“The entire world-class Warner Records team have an amazing track record when it comes to breaking new acts and, more importantly, sustaining that momentum”, says Underscore Works founder Charly Salvatore. “They've been incredible partners with Warren, and there's no one else I'd want to be running alongside as we take this exciting next step in the Underscore Works journey. With a deep passion for developing emerging artists, I'm THRILLED to embark on this new chapter with remarkable talents like Dipper and Wesko, who are destined to captivate the world's stage”.

Warner Records’ Co-Chairs Aaron Bay-Schuck and Tom Corson add in their own statement: “Together with Charly, we’ve already seen incredible success with Warren Zeiders - a newcomer to the scene who has quickly made a big impact. The Underscore team shares the same dedication we have when it comes to artist development and building meaningful and lasting careers, making it a no-brainer to expand our partnership so we can support even more special artists. Dipper and Wesko are two genuinely talented, hard-working musicians with bright futures ahead, and we look forward to collaborating with Underscore to bring even more great music to fans around the world”.

AND FINALLY

Nepal introduces TikTok ban

If you were thinking of heading somewhere exotic today in order to sit back and scroll through your TikTok feed, unfortunately Nepal is no longer an option.

Because the country’s government has announced that it is instigating a TikTok ban that will apply to everyone accessing the internet there, on the basis that content distributed on the video-sharing platform is “detrimental to social harmony”.

The ban comes into force alongside a new rule that requires all social media companies operating in Nepal to set up a liaison office in the country.

Governments around the world have expressed concerns about TikTok, mainly in relation to allegations that the Chinese government has access to global user data via the video app’s China-based parent company Bytedance.

That has resulted in some governments stopping their employees from using the app on official devices. The Indian government, meanwhile, banned the use of TikTok more generally back in 2020, and - in the US - law-makers in Montana are in the process of introducing a similar ban that will apply within that state.

Nepal's Minister For Communications And Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, told the BBC that the new TikTok ban was being introduced with immediate effect and was necessary to stop the spread of "malicious content". She added that "telecom authorities have been directed to implement the decision".

However, the ban has been criticised by some of Sharma's political rivals, including Gagan Thapa, a member of the Nepali Congress party which is also part of the country's current coalition government. He said that the ban is actually an attempt to restrict free speech and that officials should be seeking to regulate the video-sharing platform rather than banning it.

He stated yesterday: “Regulation is necessary to discourage those who abuse social media, but shutting down social media in the name of regulation is completely wrong".

He cleverly wrote that on Twitter rather than expressing his viewpoint in a nifty TikTok video because, well, that would be pointless, wouldn’t it?