Music Biz Headlines, Oct. 30, 2019
A tribute to Stony Plain head Holger Petersen (pictured), streaming is killing micro-labels, and Sony Music is booming. Also in the headlines are Selema Gomez, Kanye West, TobyMac, Morrissey, cover songs, Mare Winningham, Robert Evans, Bob Dylan, Kiss, Coheed and Cambria, David Hood, and John Legend.
By Kerry Doole
Forbes: Salute to Holger Petersen, a man of many musical achievements
Next month Holger, and media peers, will be celebrating five decades of an absolutely amazing career. The industry gathers late in November to aptly salute his many achievements in both the broadcasting and music industry.– Edmonton Sun
BACKXWASH won’t back off
The MC rose through the battle-rap ranks of Montreal to take on her biggest opponent yet: the white patriarchy. – Morgan Mullin, The Coast
How streaming killed underground micro-labels
The vital role once held by small record labels has all but vanished, writes Arachnidiscs Recordings founder Jakob Rehlinger. – NOW
Is Selena Gomez referencing Justin Bieber in her new music?
Whisper queen Selena Gomez released her new single this week, “Lose You to Love Me,” after a two-year hiatus, and fans are speculating that it might have a whole lot to do with her ex-boyfriend Justin Bieber. – Sadaf Ahsan, National Post
International
Sony Music posts another billion dollar quarter as streaming revenues grow
According to MBW calculations based on a fiscal update from parent Sony Corp today (October 30), Sony Music’s global streaming revenues hit $622m in the quarter, up 21.4% year-on-year. – Tim Ingham, MBW
Eleven Seven Label Group rebrands as Better Noise Music
Eleven Seven Label Group (E7LG) has rebranded as Better Noise Music. The move has also triggered the consolidation of E7LG’s other imprints – the alt-leaning Five Seven Music and hard rock flagship Eleven Seven – under the Better Noise Music umbrella. – Celebrity Access
Critic's Notebook: Kanye West's 'Jesus Is King' is a dull, dead-end spiritual quest
The hotly awaited new album is slapdash, tiresome and vacuously provocative — the work of an artist in a major creative crisis. – Jonny Coleman, Hollywood Reporter
Christian rapper TobyMac cancels Canadian tour after the death of his 21-year-old son
Truett Foster McKeehan, the oldest of TobyMac’s five children, had embarked on a musical career of his own. – Ian Courtney, Celebrity Access
‘I was born great’: Liam Gallagher talks bravado and brothers
Spend a few minutes with Liam Gallagher and it’s clear the rocker hasn’t lost any of his bravado, right down to counting himself among the greats in rock history. Jonathan Landrum Jr., – AP
The 30 Best Cover Songs of the 2010s
There’s an art to pulling off a good cover song. The rendition must succeed while resembling the original—to a reasonable degree—and also incorporating new elements that make it different. Here are the best cover songs of the 2010s. – Paste
Morrissey performs in LA wearing explicit anti-Guardian vest
Former Smiths frontman and supporter of far-right party For Britain has criticised the UK newspaper in the past. – Josh Halliday, Guardian
Not just an actress, Mare Winningham is also a folk music force
When she was in high school Mare Winningham was convinced she would become a song-writer singing folk songs. “I thought that would be my livelihood,” she shares. “I was writing songs and playing in little clubs in the 1970s.” She is now set to appear in A Girl From The North Country. – Jeryl Brunner, Forbes
Robert Evans, producer who brought Paramount back from the brink, dies at 89
The charismatic former actor rescued the studio in the 1960s by greenlighting such game-changing films as 'Rosemary's Baby,' 'The Godfather' and 'Chinatown.' – Mike Barnes , Duane Byrge, Hollywood Reporter
How Bob Dylan’s ‘Make You Feel My Love’ became a modern standard
More than 450 artists have recorded this tender ‘Time Out of Mind’ deep cut, from Billy Joel to Adele. What’s made it so ubiquitous? – David Browne, Rolling Stone
Kiss extends End of the Road farewell tour another two years
If you thought Australia was the end of the road for Kiss’ End of the Road farewell tour then think again. Kiss has added another two years to the tour. – Noise11.
David Hood presented with replica of stolen 1961 Fender Jazz bass guitar
The famed bassist's original 1961 Fender guitar was stolen in New York in 1973 where he was playing on tour with the band Traffic. A replica was recently made for him by Drew Tomecko. – Russ Corey, Times Daily
Coheed and Cambria cancel upcoming tour dates, Drummer to undergo heart surgery
The prog metal band has announced the cancellation of their remaining 2019 tour dates as drummer Josh Eppard prepares to undergo heart surgery. – CelebrityAccess
John Legend updates Baby It's Cold Outside to remove date rape lines
American singer-songwriter John Legend has revamped the 75-year-old classic “Baby It’s Cold Outside” for the #MeToo era, after it was banned last year as critics said it encouraged date rape. – Reuters
