| Available to premium subscribers, CMU Trends digs deeper into the inner workings of the music business, explaining how things work and reviewing all the recent trends. | |
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FIVE CONTENDERS FOR MUSIC'S ENEMY NUMBER ONE - UPDATE! A year ago, CMU Trends identified five contenders for enemy number one of the music industry. This week we review what has happened in the subsequent twelve months, and ask whether relations between the music community and its potential enemies improved or worsened in 2017. [READ MORE] |
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TOP FIVE MUSIC LAWSUITS TO WATCH IN 2018 As 2018 gets underway and we start to look at the music year ahead, let's not forget the stage that is the courtroom. What litigation and legal wrangling could have an impact on the music business this year? CMU Trends picks five big cases, reviews the story so far and considers the possible ramifications of each legal battle. [READ MORE] |
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ONLINE MUSIC PIRACY - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE While the music industry has shouted a lot more about safe harbours than piracy in recent years, that could be about to change. But if the music community gets vocal about piracy once again, what kind of piracy will dominate the conversation? CMU Trends reviews developments in online piracy from the rise of Napster to the new services gaining momentum today. [READ MORE] |
| TOP STORIES | Ireland adds more websites to web-blocking list READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| DEALS | Universal Music Publishing expands Disney deal READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| BRANDS & MERCH | Nando's opens recording studio in Soho restaurant READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| DIGITAL & D2F SERVICES | Nearly 40 million Americans now using smart speakers, research finds READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| RELEASES | Editors announce new album and tour dates READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| GIGS & FESTIVALS | Jack White announces London shows READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| ONE LINERS | Grammys, Beck, MGMT, more READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| AND FINALLY... | Andrew WK offers to pay fan's speeding fine READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| Check out all the latest job opportunities with CMU Jobs. To advertise your job opportunities here email [email protected] or call 020 7099 0906. | |
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BALLANTYNE COMMUNICATIONS - MUSIC PR & COMMUNICATIONS CO-ORDINATOR (LONDON) Here at BC HQ we are going through a period of growth and are looking to find a highly motivated and passionate person to join the team and to play a key role in our PR work. For more information and to apply click here. |
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SOLAR MANAGEMENT - ACCOUNTS MANAGER (LONDON) Busy London based artist and producer management company Solar requires an Accounts/Finance Manager. For more information and to apply click here. |
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KOBALT MUSIC GROUP - SENIOR CREATIVE SYNCHRONISATION MANAGER (LONDON) Kobalt has a unique opportunity to be an integral part of Kobalt’s quickly growing, London-based sync team, working with a diverse catalogue and a passionate team dedicated to our commitment to bring transparency and the highest possible level of service to our clients. For more information and to apply click here. |
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SNAPPER MUSIC - ACCOUNTS ASSISTANT AND ADMINISTRATION (LONDON) Snapper Music is an Accounts Assistant. This role is an ideal position for a school leaver looking for a career in the music industry. For more information and to apply click here. |
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LIVE NATION UK - SOCIAL AND CONTENT MANAGER (LONDON) Live Nation UK's Social and Content Manager is responsible for managing and building the LN UK social channels and LNTV publishing platform. You will also support the shared team goal to grow reach, engagement and first party data. For more information and to apply click here. |
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IDOL - HEAD OF DISTRIBUTION (PARIS) To keep abreast with the current business and technological expansion, IDOL is creating this position. The main purpose of this role is to manage, co-ordinate and optimise IDOL’s core activity. For more information and to apply click here. |
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ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT FESTIVALS - MEMBERSHIP & PROJECTS CO-ORDINATOR (LONDON) The Association Of Independent Festivals is looking for a new Membership and Project Co-ordinator to assist the General Manager of AIF with the day-to-day organisation and administration of the association. For more information and to apply click here. |
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THRILL JOCKEY RECORDS - DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & PROMOTIONS, EUROPE (LONDON) Thrill Jockey Records is seeking an experienced person for Director of Marketing and Promotions for Europe to be based out of our East London office. For more information and to apply click here. |
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PROPER MUSIC - ROYALTY ADMINISTRATOR (DARTFORD) Working as part of the overall Finance and Business Affairs team, reporting to the Head of Department, the successful candidate will oversee royalty processes and reporting for all group companies. For more information and to apply click here. |
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WARP RECORDS - INTERNATIONAL MARKETING & PROMOTIONS CO-ORDINATOR (LONDON) Warp Records is looking for an energetic and enthusiastic individual to join its international team based in London. Your role will be to help us deliver great campaigns for our artists internationally. For more information and to apply click here. |
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INVOLVED GROUP - ROYALTY & ACCOUNTS ASSISTANT MANAGER (LONDON) Owned and managed by global DJ trio Above & Beyond and James Grant, Involved Group is looking for an experienced Royalty & Accounts Assistant Manager to join our busy and growing Finance Team. For more information and to apply click here. |
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O2 ACADEMY BRIXTON - ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER (LONDON) Academy Music Group is recruiting for an Assistant General Manager to assist in all aspects of the operation of the building in relation to events staged at O2 Academy Brixton. For more information and to apply click here. |
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THE ORCHARD - CLASSICAL LABEL MANAGER (LONDON) The Orchard has an immediate opening for a classics specialist to manage key classical label relationships across Europe and beyond. Essential to this role is an extensive knowledge of classical repertoire and a thorough understanding of classical metadata and the unique needs of classical labels and orchestras when it comes to digital operations and marketing. For more information and to apply click here. |
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MUSIC PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION - MUSIC PUBLISHING EXECUTIVE (LONDON) The Music Publishers Association is seeking a highly organised, pro-active, efficient and positive team player to work as its Music Publishing Executive, taking responsibility for specific licensing related duties as well as offering admin support to its staff and assisting with the smooth running of its office. For more information and to apply click here. |
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SJM CONCERTS - VIP ASSISTANT (MANCHESTER) SJM offer exclusive VIP ticket packages across many of our major tours for artists such as Take That, One Direction, Little Mix and Coldplay which over the last year has amounted to over 60,000 packages. Working as an assistant to the VIP Manager within our VIP department, the VIP Assistant is responsible for the day to day administration of our exclusive VIP packages, as well as providing general office admin support. For more information and to apply click here. |
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ISOBEL GRIFFITHS LTD - TRAINEE ORCHESTRAL FIXER (LONDON) A Trainee Orchestral Contractor (aka Fixer) is required to join an office of six staff, based in the Chelsea Harbour area of SW10. The company books freelance orchestral and specialist musicians for feature films, video games, TV film scores, records and TV commercial recordings. For more information and to apply click here. |
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MAMA FESTIVALS - HEAD OF CREATIVE PRODUCTION (LONDON) MAMA Festivals is one of the UK's leading festival businesses. The Head Of Creative Production works alongside managers and consultants to deliver creative aspects of Lovebox, Citadel and Wilderness festivals. For more information and to apply click here. |
| CMU Insights provides training and consultancy to music companies and companies working with music. Find out about our seminars, masterclasses and primers here... | |
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CMU SEMINARS: MAKING MONEY FROM MUSIC COPYRIGHT Mondays 5, 12, 19 Feb 2018 at 6.30pm in London These three CMU Insights seminars together provide a user-friendly guide to how music copyright works and how music rights make money. You can book into each individual session at £49.99 per seminar or you can book a place on all three at the special price of £125. CLICK HERE FOR INFO. |
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CMU SEMINARS: BUILDING A FANBASE AND FAN BUSINESS Mondays 26 Feb, 5, 12 Mar 2018 at 6.30pm in London These three CMU Insights seminars together provide an overview of how to build a fanbase for new artists and new music. They also look at how artists can use these channels to build a direct-fo-fan business. You can book into each individual session at £49.99 per seminar or you can book a place on all three at the special price of £125. CLICK HERE FOR INFO. |
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CMU PRIMER: KEY MUSIC BUSINESS TRENDS 2018 These are courses we can run in-house at your company As we head into 2018, CMU Insights is now offering music companies a special two-hour primer session reviewing five key areas of the music business, summarising important developments from the last twelve months and looking at the challenges that lie ahead in the next year. Including: the streaming business, piracy, safe harbour, ticketing and data. CLICK HERE FOR INFO. |
Ireland adds more websites to web-blocking list
Good news for Ireland-based web-blocking fans. The number of websites blocked on copyright grounds in Ireland just grew a little.
Web-blocking is, of course, a preferred anti-piracy tactic of the entertainment industry, despite the limitations of the approach. The main limitation being how easy it is to circumvent the blockades with a simple Google search. But rights owners nevertheless believe web-blocking plays a role in driving people to legit content sites.
Quite how web-blocking works varies from country to country, though usually rights owners get an injunction from a court ordering internet service providers to block specific piracy sites.
The music industry got things going in Ireland by securing a web-block injunction against The Pirate Bay back in 2013. The movie industry then jumped on the bandwagon last year getting three piracy sites blocked.
It's the movie studios that secured another round of blocks this week, this time against 1337x.io, EZTV.ag, Bmovies.is, 123movieshub.to, Putlocker.io, RARBG.to, Gowatchfreemovies.to and YTS.am.
Although ISPs often moan about web-blocking when it's new, they usually fall in line once the injunctions start to flow in. That's true in Ireland too, with none of the ISPs affected by this injunction raising any objections in court.
Says Stan McCoy, boss of the Motion Picture Association in Europe: "As the Irish film industry is continuing to thrive, the MPA is dedicated to supporting that growth by combatting the operations of illegal sites that undermine the sustainability of the sector".
He goes on: "Preventing these pirate sites from freely disturbing other people's work will help us provide greater job security for the 18,000 people employed through the Irish film industry and ensure that consumers can continue to enjoy high quality content in the future".
Universal Music Publishing expands Disney deal
Universal Music Publishing and the Disney Music Group have signed a new deal to expand the number of territories where the Universal publisher administers music owned by Disney Music Publishing.
The contract adds the UK, Ireland, Israel and various additional territories in Africa and the Caribbean to the major's responsibilities. It already represents Disney's publishing catalogue in South East Asia, and various parts of Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean.
"We are THRILLED to expand our relationship with UMPG into Europe and beyond", says Disney Music Group President Ken Bunt. "Their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit make for the perfect match for Disney Music Publishing".
Universal Music Publishing CEO Jody Gerson adds: "Disney is home to one of the most iconic catalogues in history, one that spans cultures, generations and genres. We are honoured to expand our global collaboration with Disney and we look forward to developing outstanding creative opportunities that build on the company's outstanding legacy".
Universal first began working with Disney Music Publishing in 2004, and began expanding the territories it administers for the company in 2015. Songwriters represented by DMP include Dewain Whitmore, Melissa Peirce and Doug Rockwell.
Nando's opens recording studio in Soho restaurant
Hey, you remember that time PJ Harvey recorded an album in a glass box at Somerset House? Well now your band can have a similar experience. Except in a Nando's.
In its newly renovated Soho branch, Nando's has built a recording studio, which will be visible to diners as they tuck into some crappy chicken, covering it and themselves with the hottest sauce they can find in order to burn away the nagging doubt that they've made a terrible mistake. Watching some musicians at work will probably help with that as well, while - from inside the studio - this whole venture might inspire some interesting music. You know, it might.
The project is an expansion of the Nando's Music Exchange mentoring project, which is apparently a thing. The studio will be available to use for free for any artists willing to put themselves through the ordeal.
"We're really excited to open our first music space, both for our growing network of artists but also for our fans looking for a unique experience in restaurant", says a Nando's spokesperson. "Some of the best ideas have started over Peri-Peri (or so we're told), so we're looking forward to hearing what happens when we bring together chicken and tunes!"
If you fancy your work being reduced to the level of an easier to maintain tropical fishtank, you can apply here.
Nearly 40 million Americans now using smart speakers, research finds
According to new research from NPR and Edison Research in the US some 16% of Americans have a smart speaker.
Admittedly that stat is based on a survey done late last year of just over 1800 consumers. But if applied to the US population at large, that's 39 million Americans who now can't get through the day without the help of Alexa (or at least something a little bit Alexa-esque. Although mainly Alexa, who is very Alexa-esque).
Smart speakers, rather than smart phones, are expected to drive the next phase of growth in streaming music, which could put Alexa maker Amazon - a late entrant into the streaming market - back in the game.
The majority of those surveyed by NPR and Edison said that they listen to more audio now that they have a smart speaker, and that said speaker has resulted in them using other audio-playing devices like phones and radios less.
The growth of voice activated gadgets like Amazon's Alexa-powered Echo came up in a recent interview in Variety with Steve Barnett, CEO at Universal Music's Capitol division in the US.
He mused: "Obviously voice recognition is a big thing for the future. Alexa changed a lot of things. It took Amazon, who had been out of the game, and put them back in, and in a profound way. If you think that Alexa is only live in about nine countries, wait until it's in 50 countries".
| Approved: Takara Araki Singer-songwriter Takara Araki released her debut track, 'Actress', on a Mona Records compilation last summer. Since then, things remained deathly quiet, until last month she began releasing a new track every Sunday night. The six tracks currently available in this run of new releases see her experimenting with different pop and electronic sounds. Each slickly produced track shows off a different facet to her songwriting, while also giving an insight into her development as a writer and performer. Most impressive to date are 'Die For Me' from earlier this month, and most recent track 'Paranoia'. Both have an absorbing undercurrent of darkness to them, while the latter sees her experiment more with abstract sounds to accentuate the simple performance at the centre of the recording. Stay up to date with all of the artists featured in the CMU Approved column by subscribing to our Spotify playlist. |
Editors announce new album and tour dates
Editors have announced that they will release their sixth album, 'Violence', on 9 Mar. They've also just released the video for the LP's first single, 'Magazine'.
'''Magazine' is a pointed finger aimed at those in power", says frontman Tom Smith. "Some corrupt politician or businessman - a character, and a tongue in cheek poke at the empty posturing and playing to the masses of the power hungry".
Sounds like fun, right? Here's that video.
The band will also be touring in March - tickets go on general sale on Friday. Here are the dates:
4 Mar: Birmingham Town Hall
5 Mar: Manchester Cathedral
6 Mar: London, Clapham Grand
Jack White announces London shows
Jack White has announced that he will play two nights at the Hammersmith Apollo in June, in support of new solo album 'Boarding House Reach'.
The new album is set for released on 23 Mar. First single, 'Connected By Love', is out now. Watch the video for that here.
Tickets for the live shows will go on general sale on 26 Jan. Or he's doing that Ticketmaster Verified Fan thing for a pre-sale that starts on 22 Jan. So that's nice. Here are the dates:
27 Jun: London, Hammersmith Apollo
28 Jun: London, Hammersmith Apollo
Grammys, Beck, MGMT, more
Other notable announcements and developments today...
• 4Music will broadcast the Grammy Awards in the UK this year, if you were wondering.
• Beck has released the video for 'Fix Me', taken from his latest album 'Colors'. It's got kids and dogs in it.
• MGMT's new album 'Little Dark Age' will be released on 9 Feb, it has been announced. They'll also play Electric Brixton in London on 6 Feb.
• Nathan Fake has announced that he will release new EP 'Sunder' on 23 Feb. Here's the title track.
• CupcakKe has released the video for 'Duck Duck Goose', from her new album 'Ephorize'. Probably don't watch it in the office.
• Preoccupations - formerly known as Viet Cong - have announced that they will release new album, 'New Material', on 23 Mar. "It's an ode to depression and self-sabotage", says vocalist Matt Flegel of the record. Here's first single, 'Espionage'.
• U2 have announced two new UK tour dates for this autumn. They will play Manchester Arena on 19 and O2 Arena in London on 23 Oct. Tickets go on sale on 26 Jan.
• David Byrne has announced that he will play a handful of UK shows in Jun, including a performance at the Hammersmith Apollo in London on 19 Jun.
• Screaming Females will tour the UK in May. Their new album, 'All At Once', is out on 23 Feb.
• Check out our weekly Spotify playlist of new music featured in the CMU Daily - updated every Friday.
Andrew WK offers to pay fan's speeding fine
Andrew WK offered to pay a fan's speeding fine after he was caught driving too fast while listening to the musician's new single.
"Casually driving down the M4 and [Andrew WK's] new single comes on [The Radio 1 Rock Show] and now I have a speeding ticket", tweeted Luke Mitchell. "Totally worth it".
Responding, Andrew WK initially called it "the price of partying", but then offered to pay the £100 fine, saying: "I would like to pay this speeding ticket for you. I was responsible for the sonic party power that caused you to speed".
In fact, lots of offers started to roll in. A ticketing company got in touch to offer free tickets to an Andrew WK show, and his record label Music For Nations invited the speedy driver to come and have a pre-release listen to the new album. All of which I'm not sure sets the best example when it comes road safety.
Luckily the rozzers were watching, with Thames Valley Police interjecting: "You may 'Want Fun' and to 'Party Hard' but we want you to be safe. Drive safely dudes and party on (responsibly)".
That might come across a bit "how do you do, fellow kids", but it does get across the point that speeding fines are there for a reason. No, not that reason, Clarkson. Until we're all in self-driving cars, there needs to be some deterrent against us all launching ourselves at each other like falling elevators.
Seemingly recognising this, Mitchell said that he had "asked Andrew WK to donate the money to a far more worthy cause than myself". Though he also noted that Andrew WK had already offered him free tickets to a show instead. So I'm not sure anyone really learned anything. I wonder if the effect will be the same if I'm caught trying to speed away from another car playing a Liam Payne single.
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CMU supports the music community by providing news, business intelligence, training and education. CMU Daily covers all the latest news and developments direct by email. Setlist is a weekly podcast dissecting the biggest music business stories. CMU Premium gives you access to the weekly CMU Digest and CMU Trends. CMU Insights provides training and consultancy for music companies. CMU:DIY provides workshops and resources for future music talent.
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