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FYI

Music Biz Headlines, May 22, 2019

Famed honkytonk The Matador (pictured)  is sold, Dan Boeckner is a true rocker, and a new report on Canadian copyright. Others in the headlines include Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Chris Taylor, Alessia Cara, Lizzo, Gordon Lightfoot, The Persuasions, Eurovision, Don Was, John Prine, and Whitney Houston.

Music Biz Headlines, May 22, 2019

By Kerry Doole

 


Rock isn’t dead, and Dan Boeckner is proof as he readies his latest salvo with Operators

All darkness-on-the-edge-of-town sullenness and plenty of post-punk power under the hood, live-wire Montrealer  Boeckner is one of the last true rockers left standing. –  Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail

The Matador dies, and Toronto takes another step toward generic sameness

The death of the famed honkytonk is as good an illustration as any that Toronto will not allow any more of the kind of interesting and unique places that have, in the past, made this a city worth living in. –  Edward Keenan, Toronto Star

Toronto’s immaturity costs us the magic of the Matador

The Matador was a catalytic “container” for the memories of countless Torontonians. And those memories have value. –  Ben Rayner Toronto Star

Review: Snotty Nose Rez Kids' Trapline is hip-hop as it was intended

On their new album, the Haisla Nation duo builds on the biting and celebratory sound of their first two mixtapes, but this time louder and prouder. –  Chaka V. Grier, NOW

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This week In the Hot Seat with Larry LeBlanc: Chris Taylor, Global President of Music, Entertainment One (eOne).

As Canada’s leading Young Turk music attorney of the ‘90s, Chris Taylor developed and utilized an extensive list of industry contacts that lead to the international recognition of such clients as Drake, Nelly Furtado, Death From Above1979, MSTRKRFT, and Sum 41. He remains a Young Turk with a vision of having eOne as a leading and special global music player. –  Celebrity Access

Alessia Cara proves she’s got the chops and talent to insinuate her best days remain ahead

Against a backdrop of R&B rhythms and brandishing her soulful warble, Cara bridged the gap between star and commoner, preferring to sing with her audience rather than sing at them while offering an air of approachability. –  Nick Krewen,Toronto Star

Amazing! Canada just came up with a brilliant new digital copyright regime — finally

A blockbuster new report on the future of copyright in Canada was released recently, and its ideas are breaths of fresh air in a Canadian copyright and intellectual-property scene too long smothered and defiled by the negative views of the antis — anti-copyright and anti-IP activists and academics. – Financial Post 

New report examines weak spots in Canada's copyright act, urges DSPs to be regulated like other services

The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage has released its report on remuneration models for artists and creative industries, as part of the federal government’s review of the Copyright Act. –  Karen Bliss, Billboard

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Review: Lizzo proved her star status at Danforth Music Hall

With a bigger Toronto show already announced, the ascending R&B/hip-hop show's concert was like a group hug or a motivational seminar with catsuits. –  Natalia Manzocco, NOW 

Canada has a solution for growing local talent: Make streaming services pay for it

The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage has unveiled its report on the Copyright Act, and the local music industry is rejoicing. –  Daniel Sanchez, Digital Music News

International

Rhiannon Giddens and what folk music means

The roots musician is inspired by the evolving legacy of the black string band. –  John Jeremiah Sullivan, New Yorker

Review: Gordon Lightfoot melts hearts at Tarrytown Music Hall in New York   

On May 17, acclaimed Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot headlined the exquisite Tarrytown Music Hall in upstate New York for a great turnout of fans. –  Markos Papadatos, Digital Journal

The Persuasions sue UMG, WMG, Sony/ATV, more over 48 years of unpaid royalties

The Brooklyn a cappella group claim that they are owed millions of dollars in royalties. –  Madison Bloom, Pitchfork

Madonna dancers, Iceland band criticized for showing Palestinian flag during Eurovision TV final in Israel

Eurovision Song Contest organizers say they were taken aback by the display of a Palestinian flag during Madonna’s guest appearance, which defied contest rules. Separately, the Israeli broadcaster of the Eurovision Song Contest said on Sunday that an unauthorized display of Palestinian flags by Iceland’s band could draw “punishment” from the event’s organizers. –  Dan Williams, Reuters

How one local sound engineer revolutionized rock and roll

In the 1970s, sound engineer Bob Heil didn't even know who The Who was when the band asked him to improve their concert sound. The rest is rock and roll history. –  Art Holliday, ZDTK

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An interview with Blue Note boss Don Was

He’s the shamanic funk star who produced everyone from the Rolling Stones to Bob Dylan. Now, he is steering jazz’s most iconic label into the future – by embracing its ‘secret scene.’ – Ammar Kalia, The Guardian

John Prine, Margo Price raising money to fight Alabama abortion ban

The pair will release a new recording of Prine’s ‘Unwed Fathers’ to benefit Alabama chapter of the ACLU.  –  Jon Freeman, Rolling Stone

Whitney Houston’s estate plans a hologram tour and a new album

Whitney Houston, who had 11 No. 1 hits, died seven years ago. Last week, her estate signed a deal with Primary Wave Music Publishing, a music and marketing company. –   Ben Sisario, NY Times

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The Strokes debut new song, cover Erasure at group's first concert in two years

Plus, the band plays "Ize of the World", "On the Other Side", and "The Way It Is" for the first time since 2006. –  Alex Young,  CoS

Sony Music to deliver 'real-time' royalty data to artists

The company, run by CEO Rob Stringer out of its HQ in New York, will launch two new payment features for its acts – ‘Real Time Royalties’ and ‘Cash Out’ – via its Artist Portal this fall. The company says the new launches will “allow our artists and royalty participants to view and withdraw earnings faster than ever before”. –  Tim Ingham, MBW

Apple, Amazon, Google, and others sued for selling thousands of pirated recordings

The estate of Harold Arlen, the man responsible for composing Over the Rainbow and numerous other classic songs, is suing Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Pandora for selling unauthorized recordings of some of the songwriter’s most famous music. –   Jon Porter, The Verge

7 Nashville record labels and what genre of musician they sign

Here are seven of Music City's hippest indie labels and a look at who they sign. – Liam Duncan, Musicindustryhowto.com

MGM Resorts faces up to $800 million in settlements over Route 91 Festival massacre

Two years after the horrific Route 91 Festival shootings, MGM Resorts International may finally settle with hundreds of victims. That’s according to a recent quarterly filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). –   Daniel Sanchez, DMN

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Lil Nas X attends Los Angeles premiere of Netflix's "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on June 20, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.
Leon Bennett/Getty Images

Lil Nas X attends Los Angeles premiere of Netflix's "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on June 20, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Music News

Lil Nas X Says New Music Is Coming ‘Next Month’

The star hasn't released an album since his 2021 debut LP Montero.

New Lil Nas X music is around the corner!

The 25-year-old superstar took to social media to tease a release he has in store. “GUESS WHOS FINALLY DROPPING NEW MUSIC NEXT MONTH ?!!” he captioned the self-taped video, in which he’s seen dancing around his bedroom to a bouncy unreleased song. “Hit me with your lovin’/ Boy I know you want it/ Pick me up and love me/ I’ll be waiting on you,” Lil Nas X sings on the breezy track.

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