Artist News Awards Business News Deals Digital Gigs & Festivals Industry People Labels & Publishers Live Business One Liners Releases

One Liners: Spotify, Apple Music, 60% of One Direction, more

By Andy Malt | Published on Tuesday 3 December 2019

DEALS

The good old Hipgnosis Songs Fund has acquired yet another song rights catalogue, this time that of songwriter and producer Fraser T Smith, who has worked the likes of Adele and Stormzy. “Every time I hear one of Fraser’s songs they always feel special”, says fund founder Merck Mercuriadis. “He writes and produces enormously successful songs that make popular music not only special but culturally important”.

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APPOINTMENTS

Alice Hogg has joined booking agency ATC Live as an agent. She was previously at UTA, though spent the last three years on the other side of the live music business as a talent buyer at Live Nation. She says she’s “pumped” to be returning to an agent role.

Price-capped ticket exchange TicketSwap has hired Chris Carey, founder of Media Insight Consulting and the FastForward conferences, to be its Head Of International Marketing bringing “his expertise in marketing, research, data analysis and consumer insights to TicketSwap’s marketing and growth strategy”. The ticketing company will also join the conversation at the next edition of FastForward in Sydney in April.

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LABELS & PUBLISHERS

UK and US song right collecting societies PRS and BMI have announced the signing of a new reciprocal agreement. Societies around the world routinely collaborate so that they can rep each other’s catalogues when licensing broadcasters, venues and other licensees in their respective home countries. “Agreement”, says PRS boss Andrea C Martin. “Commitment”, adds BMI chief Mike O’Neill. Very reciprocal.

American distribution and label services agency Human Re Sources has launched a UK office to be headed up by Amal Omari and Matt Ott. The firm – which is allied to Troy Carter’s Q&A business – has also just signed London-based rapper Lancey Foux.

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DIGITAL

Spotify‘s done its annual ‘Wrapped’ thing, totting up the most streamed artists and songs of the year and also, for the first time, the decade. So, Drake is the most streamed artist of the decade and Post Malone is the most streamed artist of the year. Ed Sheeran’s ‘Shape Of You’ is the most streamed track of the decade and ‘Señorita’ by Camila Cabello and Shaun Mendes is the most streamed track of the year. In the UK, Ed Sheeran pushes Post Malone down to number two in the 2019 artist chart, and our favourite song is ‘Someone You Loved’ by Lewis Capaldi.

Apple Music‘s also done an end of year thing, but it’s calling it the Apple Music Awards. “The musically diverse group of inaugural winners have sparked deep social conversation, influenced culture and inspired our customers around the world”, reckons Apple’s Oliver Schusser. “We couldn’t be more excited to celebrate them”. So, Artist Of The Year is Billie Eilish, Breakthrough Artist Of The Year is Lizzo and Song Of The Year is ‘Old Town Road’ by Lil Nas X. Glad someone’s finally celebrating all of those.

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RELEASES

Harry Styles has released the video for new single ‘Adore You’. His new album, ‘Fine Line’, is out on 13 Dec.

Liam Payne has released the video for his Christmassy Christmas song, ‘All I Want (For Christmas)’.

Another Ex-1Der? Sure, why not. Louis Tomlinson‘s got a new video out too, for his recent single ‘Don’t Let It Break Your Heart’.

Another Christmas song? Sure, why not. Katy Perry has released a new video for her 2018 Christmas single ‘Cozy Little Christmas’.

Madness have released politically charged new single ‘Bullingdon Boys’.

Låpsley has released new track ‘Ligne 3’. Her new EP, ‘These Elements’, is out on Friday.

Skinny Living have released the video for recent single ‘No Messiah’, directed by Charlotte Regan. “‘No Messiah’ is a song written from the perspective of someone frustrated with a loved one’s ability to see their own strength”, says frontman Ryan Johnston. “It reaches out to remind them the power they have to make a change. It was clear that Charlotte was the perfect director to bring across authentic real life stories in a way that both suits the song and the band that we are”.

Lung Dart have released the video for ‘AV Duet’ from their new album ‘Slouching Towards Meridian’.

Nardeydey has released new single ‘Slippin’. “I wrote ‘Slippin’ with the message of not worrying about other people’s approval, which is something I do a lot”, she says.

Here’s the last decade in pop in just under three minutes, courtesy of DJ Earworm.

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GIGS & TOURS

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds are the latest act to be added to Forestry England’s Forest Live line-up for 2020. The band will play three forest dates next summer. More details here.

The Quietus has announced a Christmas fundraiser to help keep the website in operation into 2020. Performing will be a supergroup called Sly And The 77 Snapped Harrga Teeth Of The UKAEA, featuring members of Sly And The Family Drone, Snapped Ankles, Harrga, Teeth Of The Sea, Nostalgia 77 and UKAEA. Details here.

Check out our weekly Spotify playlist of new music featured in the CMU Daily – updated every Friday.