EC launches wider investigation into Apple's Shazam acquisition
The European Commission has launched a wider investigation into Apple's purchase of Shazam over fears that it will affect competition within the European Economic Area.

Last month, the EC set a deadline of 23 Apr for a decision on whether or not the green light the sale. The $400 million Shazam deal wasn't actually big enough for the EU to automatically investigate the transaction. However, the deal did require approval from regulators in Austria under merger rules there, and it decided to bounce the investigation up to the EC. That move was then backed by six other EU countries: France, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Spain and Sweden.

The conclusion of that investigation was that a more in-depth investigation is required. A key concern is thought to be the amount of traffic currently directed to Spotify through Shazam. If Apple were to close off click-throughs to other streaming services, or shut down Shazam entirely, that would have a significantly negative effect for Apple Music's main rival.

In a statement, the EC commissioner in charge of competition policy, Margrethe Vestager, said: "The way people listen to music has changed significantly in recent years, with more and more Europeans using music streaming services. Our investigation aims to ensure that music fans will continue to enjoy attractive music streaming offers and won't face less choice as a result of this proposed merger".

A deadline for the new investigation has been set for 4 Sep.

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Prince's family sue over hospital treatment in days before star's death
Prince's family are suing a hospital and an individual doctor who works there over their treatment of the musician a few days before his death in 2016. The legal action follows the news last week that no criminal proceedings will be pursued in relation to the late pop star's death.

The musician died from an accidental overdose of the drug fentanyl. Investigators said last week that that was caused by "a counterfeit Vicodin pill" that contained the "dangerously powerful opioid". However, no one knows who provided him with those counterfeit pills.

Just days before his death Prince collapsed, and it's believed that incident was also caused by him taking a counterfeit Vicodin pill. However, investigators said they couldn't be certain because on that occasion the musician refused further treatment after being revived.

However, Prince's family reckon that the Trinity Medical Center and Dr Nicole Mancha should have done more following that incident.

According to Reuters, in legal papers filed on Friday, the family say that both hospital and doctor failed to properly investigate what had caused Prince to collapse. They also failed to ensure that the pop star had received appropriate counselling. That inaction, say the family, was a "direct and proximate cause" of Prince's death a few days later.

Drug store chain Walgreens is also being sued over allegations it was dispensing prescription meds to Prince for an "invalid medical purpose".

All defendants have so far declined to comment.

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Madonna loses legal battle over old pants
A New York court has dismissed Madonna's legal efforts to block an auction of her former belongings, including a love letter from Tupac.

Last year Madonna obtained a temporary injunction to block the sale of her one-time possessions - which also included an old hairbrush complete with hair and a pair of the star's pants - which had been put up for sale by her former friend Darlene Lutz.

Madonna said that she had no idea Lutz was in possession of the items that had been put up for auction. In a lawsuit filed last August, Madonna sought return of those items, including some that had actually already been auctioned off, because they weren't covered by that initial injunction.

Legal reps for Lutz argued that their client was well within her rights to sell the items. They also cited a 2004 legal settlement between Madonna and Lutz which, they argued, prevented the new litigation.

According to TMZ, it is because of that settlement that the judge considering the lawsuit ruled that Madonna couldn't halt Lutz's sale. As a result the latter's auction house has announced that the remaining items will now be auctioned off in July.

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Radar Music Creatives announces new management
Radar Music Creatives has announced that it has been acquired, following a sale agreed last year. The new owners of the company are the founders of advertising video commissioning platform The Smalls and online data analysis company SnapRapid.

The Radar company began life as Radar Music Videos, providing a platform that linked artists and labels with music video directors. It was rebranded in 2016 to broaden its remit to include other creative elements surrounding music, such as album artwork, stage visuals and websites.

"For now nothing much is going be different, but what we have in the pipeline is a new website and an updated approach to video production", says new boss Russell Glenister. "Technology is a key component of our lives, we'll be bringing some quite interesting technological solutions to Radar, but as we all know, change takes time, so please be patient as we get to grips with what we have and what we need do".

The company was founded in 2009 by Caroline Bottomley, who now leaves the company to focus on new projects, including the recently launched Shiny Awards.

Bottomley tells CMU: "I sold [Radar] at the end of last year, to get back into live event promotion. The Shiny Awards are one of those projects and I'm talking to various labels, brands and ad agencies about specialist events designed around finding great content creators. All very exciting!"

Following a pilot edition earlier this year, a larger scale Shiny Awards is due to take place in London on 25 Sep.

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CMU@TGE Top Questions: Why is there a crisis in music education?
With The Great Escape getting closer, we are currently considering ten questions that will be answered during the three CMU Insights conferences that are set to take place there this year: The Education Conference (16 May), The AI Conference (17 May) and The China Conference (18 May). Today: Why is there a crisis in music education?

There have been a plethora of articles in the last year about how music education in England is currently in crisis. Seeming to confirm this, a recent BBC survey showed that the vast majority of English schools have recently cut back lesson time, staff and/or facilities in at least one creative arts subject, which would include music.

The trend has in no small part been blamed on the English Baccalaureate - or EBacc - system. This is the way the academic performance of English schools has been assessed since 2010. Creative subjects like music are excluded from the EBacc, meaning schools are less likely to prioritise them, because achievements in those subject areas don't have a positive impact on their perceived success. It also means that when schools face funding cuts, creative art subjects are the obvious place to seek savings.

In the recent BBC survey of 1200 primary and secondary schools, 90% said there had been cutbacks of some kind in at least one creative arts subject. Meanwhile, 40% said they were spending less money on facilities for these subjects, and 30% had reduced the hours in the timetable dedicated to the creative arts. Most blamed a combination of EBacc criteria and funding cuts for these changes.

Of course, music education doesn't just take place in music class. Many students also opt for music instrument lessons. Since 2012 funding for subsidised instrument lessons has flowed via the Arts Council through local entities called music hubs. Quite how these hubs work - and what actual services they offer - varies greatly around the country. The consensus is that some do a good job of encouraging and facilitating participation in music making, others less so. The hubs, therefore, might be helping alleviate the crisis in some parts of the country, but may be contributing to it in others.

However, is the crisis - if indeed there is a crisis - all about how much time and money government and individual schools allocate to formal music education, whether that be music class or instrument lessons? Or is it also about how that time and money is used?

For example, is formal music education perhaps defined too narrowly, in terms of genre, or what exactly the music making process involves? And does that mean that - even where funding and facilities are available - some students with a passion for music would still not be engaged by the music education on offer?

There is also the question as to whether school is even the right place for young people with a passion for music to experiment with music making. Music should definitely be in the curriculum, to ensure everyone has access to it. But when it comes to more proactive music making projects, perhaps activity outside the classroom - and even outside the school - are more appealing and have more potential.

Where that's the case, both government and the music industry itself needs to ensure that such extracurricular activities are accessible to all, and that the schools can signpost those opportunities to the young people who would most benefit from them. Which brings us back to the need to join a lot of dots between all the different people, companies and organisations involved in music education. Joining those dots may not in itself overcome the crisis, but it will be a step in the right direction.

We'll be discussing the 'crisis' in music education as part of The Education Conference at The Great Escape next month. We'll debate the eBacc and the music hubs, but also delve into other topics too, and identify all the dots to be joined. Maybe we'll find that the actual crisis is quite different to that identified in all those aforementioned articles.

The Education Conference takes place on Wednesday 16 May - more info here. See more questions we'll answer at The Great Escape here.

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Avicii's family issue statement
The family of producer Avicii, real name Tim Bergling, have issued a statement, following his death last week.

"We would like to thank you for the support and the loving words about our son and brother", they said in a statement issued to Billboard. "We are so grateful for everyone who loved Tim's music and have precious memories of his songs".

"Thank you for all the initiatives taken to honour Tim, with public gatherings, church bells ringing out his music, tributes at Coachella and moments of silence around the world", they continued. "We are grateful for the privacy during this difficult time. Our wish is that it continues that way".

Bergling was found dead at a resort in Oman last Friday, where he had been holidaying with friends. The cause of death is yet to be determined, but police have ruled out foul play.

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Anna Calvi announces live return
Anna Calvi has announced her return, with a series of live shows around Europe and the promise of new music.

In a post on Instagram, she writes: "I remember looking into your eyes, I remember our energy, I remember you testing me, I remember me testing you, I remember feeling the most alive in those moments, I remember the dam breaking, like a primal scream. I want it again, I want to see you again. This new music is everything I wanted it to be. I want you to hear what I've created and laboured on with love for so long, for you, for us".

She will play a UK show at Heaven on 19 Jun. Tickets go on sale tomorrow at 11am.

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Ivor Novello nominations announced
Hey, have you been wondering who is good at songwriting? Well, fear not, we are now at liberty to tell you, because this year's Ivor Novello Awards nominations have been announced.

People who are good at songwriting include Stormzy, Dave, Sampha, Mica Levi, Elbow, Everything Everything and Elderbrook.

BASCA chair Crispin Hunt says of this year's nominations: "BASCA's nominations for the 2018 Ivor Novello Awards are, as ever, a mirror of the eclectic and inspirational reach of current UK music. The Ivors purpose is to recognise and celebrate excellence in British and Irish music writing across song, album, television, film and this year, videogames".

He adds: "As the only peer nominated music award ceremony in the country, The Ivors are inherently about musical merit and communication more than promotion and we're especially excited to be able to honour some of the phenomenal talents of the contemporary British music writing scene. Talent admired the world over. Our congratulations go out to everyone nominated today, it's fully deserved".

The nominations are as follows:

Best Song Musically And Lyrically
Everything Everything - Can't Do (Jonathan Higgs, Jeremy Pritchard, Alex Robertshaw and Michael Spearman)
Elbow - Magnificent (She Says) (Guy Garvey, Craig Potter, Mark Potter and Pete Turner)
Sampha - (No One Knows Me) Like the Piano (Sampha)

Best Contemporary Song
CamelPhat and Elderbrook - Cola (Michael di Scala, Alexander 'Elderbrook' Kotz and Dave Whelan)
Stormzy - Don't Cry For Me (Michael 'Stormzy' Omari, Varren Wade and Wizzy Wow)
Dave - Question Time (Dave and Fraser T Smith)

PRS For Music Most Performed Work
Ed Sheeran - Castle On The Hill (Benny Blanco and Ed Sheeran)
Rag N Bone Man - Human (Jamie Hartman and Rag N Bone Man)
Ed Sheeran - Shape Of You (Steve Mac, Johnny McDaid and Ed Sheeran)

Album Award
Everything Everything - A Fever Dream (Jonathan Higgs, Jeremy Pritchard, Alex Robertshaw and Michael Spearman)
Stormzy - Gang Signs & Prayer (Michael 'Stormzy' Omari)
This Is The Kit - Moonshine Freeze (Kate Stables)

Best Original Film Score
IT (Benjamin Wallfisch)
Jackie (Mica Levi)
Paddington 2 (Dario Marianelli)

Best Television Soundtrack
Babs (Rob Lane)
SS-GB (Dan Jones)
The Miniaturist (Dan Jones)

Best Original Videogame Score
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (David Garcia Diaz and Andy LaPlegua)
Horizon Zero Dawn (Joris de Man, Joe Henson and Alexis Smith)
Life Is Strange: Before The Storm (Igor Haefeli and Elena Tonra)

The winners will be announced at a ceremony at Grosvenor House in London on 31 May.

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Virgin EMI, Janelle Monáe, Chainsmokers, more

Other notable announcements and developments today...

• You can now get a daily CMU news summary via our Messenger bot. Click here to get started.

• Universal Music has promoted Rob Pascoe to the role of General Manager at Virgin EMI. He has worked in various radio focussed roles at Virgin EMI, and prior to that at Mercury, over the last sixteen years. "Radio plugging per se has become a smaller percentage of Rob's daily reality at the label", says Virgin EMI President Ted Cockle.

• Janelle Monáe has released the video for latest single, 'I Like That'.

• Chainsmokers have released the video for, 'Somebody', featuring Drew Love. The track is taken from new EP, 'Sick Boy'.

• Charlie Puth has released the video for recent single, 'Done For Me', featuring Kehlani. His new album, 'Voicenotes', is out on 11 May.

• Flowdan has released new track, 'Bodybag', featuring Irah.

• Paris has released new track 'Gone', featuring Trippie Redd.

• Real Lies have released new track, 'The Checks'.

• The live version of Spotify's Who We Be playlist will hit the UK later this year. Jaykae, Mabel, MIST, Ms Banks, Sneakbo and Yungen will play the Birmingham Academy on 14 Jun. A London date is set to follow in November.

• Incubus have announced three UK shows in September, playing Academy venues in Birmingham, Brixton and Manchester.

• Christine And The Queens will play a whole load more UK and Ireland shows, in addition to the previously announced one at the Hammersmith Apollo on 20 Nov. There's a second night in London, plus shows in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester and Dublin.

• G Flip has announced her first UK shows, starting with a couple at the Great Escape next month. Straight after, she'll play the Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen on 20 May, support Pale Waves at Heaven on 24 May, and then travel around the multi-city Dot To Dot festival.

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

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Kanye West still loves Trump, claims US radio host
While Shania Twain was apologising yesterday for giving the impression that she was a Trump supporter, Kanye West is seemingly doing no such thing. Hot 97.1 presenter Ebro claims that the rapper told him he loves Donald Trump. Still.

West was criticised for meeting with Trump shortly after he was elected president in 2016. Posing for photos afterwards, Trump said that the pair had been friends for "a long time" and that that was the capacity in which they were meeting. Although months later it seemed that friendship had gone sour, when West deleted all of his tweets referencing the meeting.

Ebro said on his 'Ebro In The Morning' show yesterday that in a discussion with West over the weekend, the rapper had told him "I do love Donald Trump".

The conversation apparently followed a tweet from West over the weekend, in which he wrote, "I love the way Candace Owens thinks". His support for the controversial conservative commentator has divided opinion.

Co-host on the show Peter Rosenberg later tweeted: "Biggest take away from 'Ebro In The Morning' today... Kanye West is still an avid Donald Trump supporter. You can process that however you like but if you're waiting for him to say 'my bad' about his Trump statements - don't hold your breath".

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