This story appears in Rolling Stone‘s 2021 Future of Music issue, a special project delving into the next era of the multibillion-dollar hitmaking business. Read the other stories here. “Throughout my life, I’ve been judged because I’ve been labeled a pretty girl,” says Saweetie. But like a diamond, Saweetie is …
Read More »Entertainment Giant HYBE, Home of BTS, Purchases Scooter Braun's Ithaca Holdings
The American subsidiary of HYBE, the South Korean entertainment conglomerate that’s home to BTS and other artists, has acquired a 100% stake in Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings, Music Business Worldwide reports. Ithaca comprises a handful of different endeavors and entities, including Braun’s management company, SB Projects, which represents Justin Bieber, …
Read More »Kygo Helicoptered a Piano Up a Mountain for His Virtual Concert
On Thursday (or Friday, depending on your time zone), Kygo will release his virtual concert, performed from atop a snowy mountain in Norway’s Sunnmore Alps. To make it happen, the Norwegian DJ and pop hitmaker spent more than $100,000 of his own money, according to manager Myles Shear. “Since I …
Read More »Why Limited-Capacity Concerts Just Don't Make Sense
A few weeks ago, New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced the state would reopen large arenas at 10 percent capacity for sports and music — spiking Google searches for “concerts in 2021” and setting off a flurry of excited chatter about live music‘s long-awaited return. “One thing is clear, we …
Read More »UMG, YG Entertainment Invest in Big Hit Joint Venture For Livestreaming Platform
Universal Music Group has partnered with South Korean labels YG Entertainment and Big Hit Entertainment to invest in a livestreaming platform, Big Hit announced on Tuesday, putting the world’s largest music company directly into the livestreaming space. UMG and YG have invested an undisclosed sum in KBYK Live, a joint …
Read More »Megan Thee Stallion Is TikTok's Most Listened-To Artist in 2020
Capping off its most notable year to date, short-form video app TikTok — whose fast-growing hit-maker clout has been a defining story in 2020’s quarantined music industry — released its first music report detailing the biggest hits, artists and musical trends on the app from the year on Wednesday morning. …
Read More »The World's Most Obnoxious Song Has a New Publishing Deal
It’s repetitive, irritating and totally played-out (unless you’re a kid.) But “Baby Shark” isn’t going anywhere If Sony has its say. As part of a new deal, Sony/ATV, the world’s largest music publisher, is now handling the publishing for “Baby Shark” along with the rest of the music catalog from …
Read More »Why the Major Music Companies' Profits Are Soaring in the Year of Chaos
At the start of the pandemic, concerns were mounting that the record industry was going to get lacerated. But at least in the case of the major music companies — Universal, Sony, and Warner — a different narrative is now starting to emerge. Not only were Sony’s recorded music revenues …
Read More »Amazon, Facebook, and Instagram Are Each Launching Music-Tech Projects
When Marshmello and Halsey wanted to tease their new song, “Be Kind,” at the end of April, they enlisted the help of the biggest TikTok star, Charli D’Amelio, to do so. On Wednesday, the pair employed another creative marketing initiative by launching “the first-ever musical experience” for Amazon‘s voice-activated Echo …
Read More »Get Ready, Gamers: A Virtual Music Festival Is Coming to Minecraft
Not even a month after Travis Scott’s record-breaking Fortnite concert, the music business is already busy rolling out new gaming initiatives. The latest such venture, unveiled on Thursday, is Electric Blockaloo, a virtual concert with over 300 artists that will take place inside the video game Minecraft. Diplo, A-Trak, Above …
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