Music Biz Headlines: Taylor Swift Continues Her Prolific Decade, The Guess Who's Classic Duo Returns
All the stories making news this week: Drake's lawyers want to see Lucian Grainge's emails, Lil Wayne cancels his Toronto concert at the last minute, Chappell Roan continues her love affair with Saskatchewan and much more.
Taylor Swift
It's a busy week for music news.
This week, mega-star Taylor Swift returns to dominate headlines via news of the upcoming release of The Life of a Showgirl, her 12th album. Chappell Roan continues to create a stir with her name-dropping of Saskatchewan, famed pop duo Hall & Oates settle a bitter lawsuit, Brad Paisley and Emmylou Harris will enter the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Drake-UMG lawsuit takes a dramatic new turn.
Read these stories and more in this week's collection of music biz headlines.
Canadian Music Biz Headlines
Guess Who Is Coming Back? Randy Bachman & Burton Cummings Return With Their Classic Band Name
The recent settlement of a bitter dispute over ownership of the band's name allows its two legendary songwriters to now perform as The Guess Who, and they have announced their first live dates. – Kerry Doole, Billboard Canada
Since the release of "The Subway," the Grammy-winning pop singer is putting Western Canada on the map. – Heather Taylor-Singh, Billboard Canada
Shania Twain Once Worked the McDonald’s Drive-thru. Here’s What She Says She Learned
The country-pop icon talks about her early McDonald’s job, her new Canada-only campaign, and why “Come On Over” still resonates.– Karon Liu, Toronto Star
“With sharp declines in public arts funding and sponsorship, our future is now uncertain,” said event organizers on the festival’s website. – Heather Taylor-Singh, Billboard Canada
The British Columbia-born country artist's first-ever acoustic tour is skipping the U.S. and doubling down on his home country — from coast to coast. – Heather Taylor-Singh, Billboard Canada
.Conservative MP Calls on Minister to Apologize to MAGA-affiliated Singer over Concert Cancellations
Marilyn Gladu, the opposition critic for civil liberties, says in a letter dated last Friday that denying the permits did not “preserve the principle of inclusion” but had the opposite effect in excluding Sean Feucht and many Canadians who had planned to attend the events.– Canadian Press
On Elisapie, Native North America, and Kevin James Howes' Slo-Can project
Indigenous acts sparked interesting conversations at this year's Vancouver Folk Music Festival. – Allan MacInnis, Georgia Straight
Lil Wayne Concert in Toronto Postponed With Fans Already Inside Venue
An onscreen message citing “unforeseen illness” was displayed just one hour before the rapper was set to go onstage. – Stefano Rebuli, Billboard Canada
Joel Quarrington and Tania Miller Dream of Italy
Tania Miller and company will look ahead to the summer’s closing concert, “I Dream of Italy,” on Thursday, Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m. in FirstOntario Concert Hall’s Boris Brott Great Hall.– Leonard Turnevicius, Hamilton Spectator
International Music Biz Headlines
Taylor Swift Announces New Album, ‘The Life of a Showgirl’
"So I wanted to show you something," Swift says in a promo clip for her appearance on the New Heights podcast. "This is my brand new album, The Life of a Showgirl." – Tyler Jenke, Billboard
And that doesn't even count live albums. – Paul Grein, Billboard
Drake Wants to See Kendrick’s Record Deal & UMG CEO’s Emails in ‘Not Like Us’ Lawsuit
A series of new legal filings claim Universal Music Group has withheld key evidence from Drake's team. – Rachel Scharf, Billboard
HYBE Chair Bang Si-hyuk Pledges to Return to Seoul to Face IPO Fraud Investigation
As HYBE's name continues to dominate news headlines, Chairman Bang Si-hyuk has broken his silence.– Billboard Korea
Ex-Rolling Stones Guitarist says New York Met has his Lost Gibson Les Paul. The Museum Disagrees
A guitar once played by two members of the Rolling Stones is at the centre of a dispute between the band’s former guitarist Mick Taylor and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. –Jill Lawless, Associated PressEmmylou Harris and Brad Paisley are headed for Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
Country superstar Brad Paisley and Americana powerhouse Emmylou Harris will be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, the organization announced Wednesday. – Maria Sherman, Associated Press
Why Vinyl Collectors are so Bent Out of Shape About Packaging Flaws
As buyers increasingly look at LPs as valuable collectors' items, shipping damage has become a bigger area of concern — and suppliers are looking for solutions. – Steve Knopper, Billboard
Hall & Oates Resolve Legal Feud Over 'Ultimate Partnership Betrayal'
Daryl Hall and John Oates have been fighting since 2023 over Oates' plans to sell half their joint venture to Primary Wave. – Rachel Scharf, Billboard
Pakistani Musicians Use Folk Songs and Rap to Raise Climate Change Awareness
Villagers hush when Pakistani folk musician Sham Bhai starts singing about climate change, her clear voice rising above the simple squat dwellings. – AP
