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Artist News Business News Deals Digital Industry People Labels & Publishers One Liners Releases
One Liners: Ed Sheeran & Elton John, Kylie Minogue & Years & Years, Tears For Fears, more
By Andy Malt | Published on Thursday 7 October 2021
DEALS
The parent company of French high-quality music platform Qobuz – Xandrie SA – has acquired Japanese hi-res download service e-onkyo from electronics manufacturer Onkyo Corporation. “Thanks to the acquisition of e-onkyo music, Qobuz has taken a new step in its international development and is successfully pursuing its growth ambitions on the Asian market”, says Qobuz Deputy CEO Georges Fornay. “This union will allow Qobuz to offer a high value-added and eclectic music offer as well as the most complete high-resolution download offer on the market. In the long term, Qobuz also aims to rapidly launch a streaming offer in Japan”.
Universal Music Publishing Germany and Electric Feel Europe have signed producer-songwriter Sonus030 to a worldwide publishing agreement. “I am very happy about this step and have found the right partner in EF and UMPG to be able to operate globally and take my skills to the next level”, he says. “It feels like my career is just beginning. Thank you for the trust and here’s to a great collaboration”.
Legendary hardcore band Botch have signed a new deal with Sargent House to release their entire catalogue on digital music services. Vinyl reissues are coming next year too. “We’re continuously humbled by the ongoing interest in our band despite the fact that we’ve been broken up for nearly two decades”, they say. “With the folding of Hydra Head Records in 2020, we were presented with the dilemma of figuring out how to keep the catalogue available to both newly initiated and longtime fans. We were lucky to have the support of Sargent House, who are helping keep Botch’s legacy alive by administering the digital catalogue”.
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APPOINTMENTS
UK song rights collecting society PRS For Music has announced that Fabienne Leys will lead its North American member and industry relations. “I am THRILLED to work with the PRS For Music team on their North American strategy, and connecting with members at important stages in their careers”, she says. “It’s crucial for organisations and individuals to stay ahead of the game in our ever-evolving industry, and I look forward to expanding and strengthening the relationships between PRS For Music and its members in the region”.
Universal Music’s Capitol Music Group in the US has appointed Mike Sherwood as EVP Global Commercial Marketing & Strategy. “I’m THRILLED to join the Capitol Records team during this transformative time for both the label and music business at large”, he says. “As our industry has been reinvigorated in recent years, it has created tremendous opportunities for artists on a global scale. I’m excited to bring my vast experience and expertise in helping artists take advantage of those opportunities as we develop the next generation of global superstars for this iconic company”.
Sony Music Publishing has promoted Michael Abitbol to Head Of US Digital. “It is an honour to represent the best songwriters, composers and catalogues in the world and to help ensure that their work receives the value it deserves in our evolving digital market”, he says. “I am confident that our revamped US digital team, together with our incredible leadership, can create exciting new opportunities for Sony Music Publishing’s songwriters in the digital space”.
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ARTIST NEWS
Ed Sheeran and Elton John have recorded a Christmas single together. Sheeran confirmed in an interview with NPO Radio 2 in the Netherlands that the new track will be out later this year. “Elton rang me on Christmas Day [last year] to say ‘merry Christmas'”, Sheeran said. “Elton rings me almost every single day. He said, ”Step Into Christmas’ is number six in the charts! I want to do another Christmas song – will you do it with me?’ It’s just me and him. It’s great”.
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RELEASES
Before she boards the plane back to Australia, Kylie Minogue has released new Years & Years collaboration ‘A Second To Midnight’. The track is lifted from the upcoming special edition of her ‘Disco’ album.
Tears For Fears will release their first album for seventeen years, ‘The Tipping Point’, on 25 Feb 2022. “Before everything went so right with this album, everything first had to go wrong, it took years, but something happens when we put our heads together”, says the band’s Roland Orzabal. “We’ve got this balance, this push-me-pull-you thing – and it works really well”. Here’s the title track.
K-pop group Aespa have released new single ‘Savage’.
Moonchild Sanelly and Sad Night Dynamite have teamed up for new track ‘Demon’, which features on the new ‘FIFA 22’ video game soundtrack. “It was amazing to work with the guys on this track”, says Sanelly. “I love their sound and when I heard their twisted instrumental, I knew I needed to write about this ‘Demon’ that was in my life at the time – a very real and dark experience I was going through. It’s great how the guys developed the story and sound, especially as this was a deep one for me”.
Eartheater is back with new single ‘Scripture’.
Bitch is back with new single ‘Hello, Meadow’. “The song is a wild romp about capitalism/industry v Mother Nature”, she says. It’s taken from her new album, ‘Bitchcraft’, which is out on Kill Rock Stars on 4 Feb 2022.
Scandal have released the video for their new single ‘One More Time’.
Check out our weekly Spotify playlist of new music featured in the CMU Daily – updated every Friday.
