Music Biz Headlines, March 6, 2020

By Kerry Doole

Basia Bulat: Vulnerability and experimentation

When Basia Bulat started working on her fifth studio album, the singer-songwriter decided to free herself from the idea of working to a prescribed timeline. “It didn’t make sense to push the process for a deadline,” she says. “The best things take the time they need to take.” – Meredith Dault, SOCAN Words & Music 

Traveling troubles for a Canadian band

When Adam Sturgeon and his band WHOOP-Szo were booked to play Treefort Music Fest, it was the first time they would ever venture to America to play music. Doing it the “right way” almost cost them the chance to play this year’s Treefort. – Xavier Ward,  idaho Press

Mo Kenney keeps the beat 

We asked the Dartmouth rock star and certified bad ass to share her favourite tunes by women artists in honour of International Women’s Day. – Morgan Mullin The Coast

The Comfort Zone re-emerges in Parkdale

The infamous after-hours club was demolished to make way for a Spadina development, but it's back and running on Queen West – and the Silver Dollar Room is part of the plan, too. – Tom Beedham, NOW

Playlist: Eight new Canadian tracks for late winter survival

Alanis Morissette sings of suffering and trying to keep it together, and Hawksley Workman revisits a classic Canadian song that looks forward to silent summer evenings. The end of the winter is in sight. Eight new singles help in the pushing through. – Brad Wheeler, The Globe and Mail

International 

Merck Mercuriadis' Hipgnosis added to FTSE 250 Index, as stock withstands coronavirus pressures

Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited, the aggressively acquisitive music rights company run and founded by Merck Mercuriadis, has surpassed something of a financial milestone, and has announced that it will be added as a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. – Murray Stassen, MBW

Spotify’s Head of Music explains playlisting

Whether it’s New Music Friday or Ultimate Indie, a Spotify playlist selection can quite literally change an artist’s career overnight and reel in significant revenue. But how does an artist get onto a top playlist? – Forbes

TikTok Developer launches Resso music app first in India

Resso hopes to grab some of the music streaming pie that belongs to established names such as Spotify and Gaana Much like TikTok, Resso encourages the sharing of user-generated content including lyrics and comments, alongside streaming music. –The Asian Age

Vinyl sales continue to grow, but does music sound better on a record or digital streaming?

It is a stunning rebound from 15 years ago when vinyl, which was once the biggest and most valuable music format, was banished to an audio graveyard full of cassettes and 8-tracks. But a fierce debate remains about which medium delivers the best sound. – Gian De Poloni, ABC

Local music needs international appeal – industry players

The developments in sharing and streaming music impacted the way listeners of even reggae and dancehall consumed music and selectively chose songs with the sound they preferred, say a number of industry players. – Stephanie Lyew, Jamaica Gleaner

The Stranglers: how we made European Female

‘I was going out with a Parisian ballerina and projected my idea of Europe on to her. It was passionate, destructive relationship – that’s why we’re all in cages in the video’. – The Guardian

Prog rock stars Genesis announce reunion

Prog rock band featuring Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks is to perform a series of UK stadium shows for the first time since 2007. – Laura Snapes, The Guardian

Journey fire Ross Valory, Steve Smith for allegedly trying to take control of band name

Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain have fired long-time bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith from the band after accusing them of trying to fund their retirement by wresting control of the band’s name. – Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone

Kate Bush: definitely not a Tory – whatever Boris Johnson says

The singer attracted flak for praising Theresa May in a 2016 Maclean’s interview. – The Guardian