Music Biz Headlines, Nov. 22, 2019
Stars (pictured) gets theatrical, Leonard Cohen's swansong, and the grief of Dallas Green. Others in the headlines include Whipped Cream, Arthur Fogel, Chilly Gonzales, Lyor Cohen, ASAP Rocky, Taylor Swift, Audiam, Lil Nas X, eOne, Amazon Music HD, Black Crowes, Ja Rule, and Phil Lynott.
By FYI Staff
Indie rockers Stars get dramatic in new play/concert hybrid
Nearing their 20-year anniversary, the Montreal-based band has found a way to tell their story, including details even long-time fans may not know. – Tabassum Siddiqui, NOW
For Dallas Green’s City and Colour, a triumphant tour is also a reminder of a terrible loss
All the success in the world will never compensate for the sudden loss of a friend. So while this fall has witnessed a most triumphant return to action for Dallas Green and City and Colour, that triumph has been undercut by the unexpected passing of longtime producer, engineer and all-around band best bud Karl “Horse” Bareham in late September. – Ben Rayner, The Star
Canadian producer Whipped Cream rises to the top
Whipped Cream's Lil Xan collab "Told Ya" marks the producer's signing with Big Beat Records. After a big year -- including major festivals -- Whipped Cream has her sights on a breakout 2020. – Dylan Owens, Billboard
Pianist Chilly Gonzales on 'the respect of other musicians'
Canadian musician Chilly Gonzales knows the music business inside and out. He releases music on his own label,and has collaborated with musicians such as Feist and Mocky. – Deutsche Welle
Leonard Cohen keeps his word with posthumous album
Today, his clever and colourful posthumous LP Thanks for the Dance is released. It’s a final farewell, with no future studio albums likely to come, despite Cohen’s last-days hope for more collaborations with his producer-musician son. – Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail
The cantor who collaborated with Leonard Cohen
Cohen’s father and great grandfather both served as president of the Orthodox synagogue which Zelermyer affectionately refers to as “The Shaar.” – Howard Blas, Jerusalem Post
Eleanor Collins, Canada's first lady of jazz, turns 100
History-making TV host and entertainer says she still wants to 'give it all I've got.' – Roshini Nair, CBC News
Live Nation’s Arthur Fogel on U2, David Bowie and the Australian touring landscape
Arthur Fogel is the biggest player in live music who doesn’t sing, dance or strum a guitar. The Canadian-born impresario has been characterised by Bono as “clearly the most important guy in live music.” Madonna called him a promoting “genius.” All with good reason. – Lars Brandle, The Industry Observer
International
YouTube’s Global Head of Music Lyor Cohen calls out the record industry’s obsession with data.
Speaking on stage November 19 in New York at a YouTube Music event celebrating 45 years of Hip Hop, the veteran record exec suggested that “the industry is so focused on the data that it’s a problem”. – Murray Stassen, MBW
Rapper ASAP Rocky becomes an unlikely star of impeachment inquiry
ASAP Rocky has entered U.S. history as more than just a rapper: His name keeps appearing during testimony related to the House impeachment inquiry into President Trump. – Christie D, LA Times
Taylor Swift vs. Scooter Braun and the imminent rerecording war
If the Swift/Big Machine controversy was the result of fear over how her performance would be commercially exploited in the distribution market, this points to a developing issue for the future relationship between artists and record labels that will not simply end with the AMAs. It's one that is born of technological shifts as much as egos. – Eriq Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter
15% of Audiam's $120M in collections over the past four years comes from recovered royalties
US-based digital rights agency Audiam has confirmed that it collected over $120 million for its clients over the past four years. – Murray Stassen, MBW
Lil Nas X among those honored with 2019 Smithsonian Magazine American Ingenuity Award
The hit rapper is cited in the Performing Arts category. – Celebrity Access
Teenagers run the music industry. Here’s why.
The youth of today understand how to exploit semi-ironic, non-committal attitudes common on the Internet. This is most easily exemplified by 20-year-old rapper Lil Nas X, who in the span of a year turned himself from a tweetdecker into a global sensation. – Varsity
How glossy Christmas adverts changed the music industry
In an era of shrinking revenues, musicians have pivoted to writing songs for adverts, blurring the distinction between brand and art. – Emily Bootle, New Statesman
Hasbro's $4B buyout of eOne could be blocked by UK antitrust authority
The deal was due to be one of the most significant buyouts in entertainment rights, including music, this year. – Tim Ingham, MBW
Amazon is blitzing its Music HD service with a major advertising campaign — starting with the Beatles
Amazon Music has revealed its first TV ad for its new Amazon Music HD service. The ad also celebrates the 50th anniversary of the release of Abbey Road. – Ashley King, Digital Music News
Ja Rule cleared of wrongdoing over Fyre festival disaster
Plaintiffs were unable to prove rapper’s social media promotion led to ticket purchases, judge says. – Andre Wheeler, Guardian
How a wearable translates music for deaf audiences
Accessible technology can open new doors for its users. The key is to work with them to understand what they need. – Brian Nordli, Builtin
Black Crowes at The Troubadour
That’s rock and roll. You know it when you see it, when you feel it, when you hear it. Now I know why Chris Robinson gets all the girls. In regular life, he’s just a skinny, geeky guy. But when the music start – Bob Lefsetz, Celebrity Access
'From Abba to Zappa': Michael Putland's shots of rock royalty – in picture
Putland, who died this week aged 72, was said to have snapped every major musical star from A-Z. His new book The Music I Saw pairs images of the many stars he captured over his 50-year career – including the Rolling Stones, the Cure and Donna Summer – with his memories of this heady era of music history. –The Guardian
Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott’s to be honoured with commemorative coin
Marking 70 years since the musician's birth, a coin commemorating frontman Phil Lynott is being launched by Ireland’s Central Bank. He is to be remembered with the issuing of 3,000 special coins at a face value of €15. – Charlotte Krol, NME
