| 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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CMU TRENDS GUIDE TO MUSIC MARKETING This five part guide provides an overview of how new artists go about building a fanbase and the basics of label-led album marketing campaigns. Part One - online now - runs through what's in the music marketing toolkit. [READ MORE] |
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CMU TRENDS GUIDE TO MUSIC RIGHTS This three part CMU Trends guide provides a beginner's guide to music copyright and the music rights business. In it, we cover ownership, controls and licensing, and review key trends in streaming, physical, sync and public performance. [READ MORE] |
| TOP STORIES | Musicians warn of Brexit's "self-built cultural jail", call on Theresa May to consider a more positive future READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| LEGAL | Court throws out Gwen Stefani song-theft case Kanye West fights class action status for lawsuit over Life Of Pablo "never, never" tweet READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| LABELS & PUBLISHERS | Warner launches new music start-up investment fund READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| EDUCATION & EVENTS | A:E Day returns to Manchester with Roxanne De Bastion, Lisbee Stainton and Jack Gourlay READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| AWARDS | Guy Garvey to be named Artists' Artist at Artist And Manager Awards READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| ONE LINERS | DJ Semtex, Tom Morello, Charli XCX, more READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| AND FINALLY... | Quincy Jones backtracks further on Beatles "worst musicians" comments READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| CMU Insights is our training and consultancy business providing training courses, conference sessions and research reports for music companies. | |
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MUSIC MEDIA & PR SEMINAR Part of the 'Building A Fanbase & Fan Business' seminar series This two hour seminar on Monday 15 Oct puts the focus on music media and music PR, plus the results of the most recent CMU Insights journalist survey. Tickets are just £49.99. [READ MORE] |
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MECHANICS OF MUSIC MANAGEMENT SEMINARS A new five part seminar series starting Tuesday 2 Oct The Music Managers Forum has teamed up with CMU Insights to present a new five part training programme exploring best practice and current trends in artist management. [READ MORE] |
| Check out all the latest job opportunities with CMU Jobs. To advertise your job opportunities here email [email protected] or call 020 7099 9060. | |
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BELIEVE - MARKETING MANAGER (LONDON) Managing a diverse roster of artists across our in-house labels AllPoints and A4Ward as well as label services projects, this role is tasked with creating, delivering and implementing marketing and promotional campaigns for domestic and international releases. For more information and to apply click here. |
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NOTTINGHAM TRENT SU - MARKETING CO-ORDINATOR (NOTTINGHAM) The NTSU Entertainments department are looking to recruit a marketing co-ordinator to plan and implement effective marketing and promotional campaigns that will maximise attendance at events. For more information and to apply click here. |
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AUDIO NETWORK - SENIOR A&R MANAGER UK & EUROPE (LONDON) Audio Network seeking a Senior A&R Manager (UK & Europe) to work in the A&R team. You will have a primary focus on the implementation of Audio Network’s UK and European A&R and wider music strategy. For more information and to apply click here. |
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THE ORCHARD - INTERACTIVE MARKETING MANAGER (LONDON) The Orchard is looking for a savvy, seasoned digital music marketer to promote its distributed artists in Europe and beyond. The ideal candidate will come from a label or distribution background and have an exceptional understanding of the digital space. For more information and to apply click here. |
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DOMINO - PRODUCT MANAGER (BERLIN) Based in our Berlin office, Domino Recording Company is seeking a full time Product Manager to run artist campaigns for the German market. For more information and to apply click here. |
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BIMM - EVENTS & CAREERS ASSISTANT (LONDON) This role provides a unique opportunity to assist the BIMM Artist Development, Events, Guests and Careers teams. The position will involve assisting with day to day administration as well as getting involved with hosting masterclasses and assisting at the external BIMM events. For more information and to apply click here. |
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WARP RECORDS - UK PROMOTIONS CO-ORDINATOR (LONDON) Warp Records has an exciting opportunity for a UK Promotions Co-ordinator, to be based in their London office. The full-time role is part of the UK team, supporting creative and effective campaigns for the label’s roster of ground-breaking artists. For more information and to apply click here. |
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SECRETLY DISTRIBUTION - DIGITAL MARKETING CO-ORDINATOR (LONDON) Secretly Distribution seeks a full time Digital Marketing Co-ordinator based in our London office. This individual will work closely with our international and digital teams in a wide reaching role that will focus on sales and marketing in multiple territories outside of the US. For more information and to apply click here. |
Musicians warn of Brexit's "self-built cultural jail", call on Theresa May to consider a more positive future
Bob Geldof's attempts to thwart Brexit have not been particularly fruitful or even helpful to date, but hey, I guess at least he's trying. His latest ruse is to get a load of big name musicians to write a letter to Theresa May informing her that the UK leaving the EU is "a serious madness", which I'm sure she must already be aware of. Specifically, the letter warns of the effect exiting the EU will have on the UK's music industry.
Among those to sign the letter are Ed Sheeran, Damon Albarn, Simon Rattle, Brian Eno, Jarvis Cocker, Rita Ora and Sting. In it, they warn that Brexit threatens to place us in "a self-built cultural jail", making it very difficult for artists and behind the scenes staff to continue to make British music the "huge global cultural influencer" that it currently is.
"Brexit will impact every aspect of the music industry", they write. "From touring, sales, copyright legislation, to royalty collation. Indeed it already has. As a result of the referendum vote, the fall in the pound has meant hugely increased equipment costs, studio hire, and touring costs - [which are] all now materially higher than before - and not forgetting that squeezed household incomes means [there is] less money to go to clubs and buy tracks, t-shirts, gigs and generate the vast income necessary to keep the up and comers on the road and musically viable".
Unlike those right-wing mouthpieces of the Jacob Rees-Mogg and Bonzo Johnson variety, who have tended to diss Theresa May's proposals for Brexit without providing solid and viable alternatives of their own, Geldof and co do have clear alternative approach. Though that approach is abandoning Brexit entirely and then trying to overcome the issues with the current structure of the European Union instead. Yes, there are issues, they write, but turning our backs on those issues and just running off isn't the British way.
"We must reform and restructure the EU", they write. "When Europe is in a mess, the Brits get stuck in. They don't withdraw, they double down. They get in close and messy. Make Europe the continent that we and the people of Europe want. Not the one dreamt up in another time by the ideologues, or by the undemocratic fiat of mediocre politicians, or the dull exhortations of a pallid bureaucracy. A new one. A different one. An exciting one. A rock n roll one".
I'm not sure Theresa May is particularly interested in a rock n roll EU - or even a rock n roll Brexit - judging by her music taste and dancing style. And obviously, she's made it very clear that ignoring the result of the 2016 referendum - or having a second vote to check the current mood of the nation - is not on her agenda.
Meanwhile, given recent sparring between the UK and the rest of the EU, it may no longer be in a position to lead wide-ranging reform of the Union's institutions. Though, having a good go seems like a much more positive proposal than any of the various Brexit options currently being considered. Nevertheless, we know May will never go for it.
There's a big anti-Brexit march coming up in London on 20 Oct, if that's the sort of thing that interests you. And you can read Geldof's full letter here if you so wish.
To Theresa May:
Imagine Britain without its music. If it's hard for us, then it's impossible for the rest of the world. In this one area, if nowhere else, Britain does still rule the waves. The airwaves. The cyberwaves. The soundwaves. It is of us. It is our culture.
We dominate the market and our bands, singers, musicians, writers, producers and engineers work all over Europe and the world. In turn, Europe and the world come to us. Why? Because we are brilliant at it. No one quite knows why this should be but everyone understands it to be so. The sound and the words seem universal. It reaches out, all inclusive, and embraces anyone and everyone. And that truly is what Britain IS! That is proper Global Britain.
But Brexit threatens, as it does so much else, this vast voice. This huge global cultural influencer. We are about to make a very serious mistake regarding our giant industry and the vast pool of yet undiscovered genius that lives on this little island.
Why are we closing down these possibilities for ourselves and for those as yet unknown to us? Brexit will impact every aspect of the music industry. From touring, sales, copyright legislation, to royalty collation. Indeed it already has. As a result of the referendum vote, the fall in the pound has meant hugely increased equipment costs, studio hire, and touring costs all now materially higher than before - and not forgetting that squeezed household incomes means less money to go to clubs and buy tracks, T-shirts, gigs and generate the vast income necessary to keep the up and comers on the road and musically viable.
A massive 60% of all royalty revenue paid to the UK comes from within the EU. And at home, ANY increase in import duty will mean that ANYTHING that comes to us from outside will cost significantly more. We have decided to put ourselves inside a self-built cultural jail! The very opposite of wall-destroying, prejudice-denying, ideas-generating that is the very essence of contemporary music. And yet it is the much-mocked freedom of movement that so effortlessly allows our troubadours, our cultural warriors, to wander Europe and speak of us to a world that cannot get enough of [them], and which generates countless billions for our threatened institutions.
This is all a serious madness. We must take back our future. We must reform and restructure the EU. When Europe is in a mess, the Brits get stuck in. They don't withdraw, they double down. They get in close and messy. Make Europe the continent that we and the people of Europe want. Not the one dreamt up in another time by the ideologues, or by the undemocratic fiat of mediocre politicians or the dull exhortations of a pallid bureaucracy. A new one. A different one. An exciting one. A rock n roll one.
Let's rock Europe and let's save our music, our musicians, our music jobs and our songs. Let's save our voice.
Yours, Bob Geldof and friends.
Court throws out Gwen Stefani song-theft case
A Californian judge last week threw out a copyright case that centred on a track Gwen Stefani may or may not have first heard while having her hair done. Though whether Stefani had indeed first heard the song 'Who's Got My Lightah' while having a shampoo and blow dry - allowing her to later rip it off on her track 'Spark The Fire' - wasn't really discussed. The judge dismissed the case on the basis that the two songs weren't really all that similar.
A musician called Richard Morrill sued Stefani last year accusing her and that Pharrell Williams of ripping off his 'Lightah' track on 'Spark The Fire'. Morrill is best known for his stint in early 1990s band LAPD, an outfit that later morphed into Korn. He said that some years after quitting LAPD he worked as a hairstylist in California and Stefani was a client. It was at that time that he says he played the then No Doubt star his 1996 track, subsequently providing her with a copy on CD.
Morrill said Stefani's 2014 release 'Spark The Fire' had a chorus with "almost identical" rhythm, melody and background music to his earlier work, while the lyrics were very similar too. There are actually two versions of 'Who's Got My Lightah'. The later version went "Who's got my lightah? Who got the fire?", while the Stefani track goes "Who got the lighter? Let's spark the fire". In both songs 'fire' is sung 'fi-ya', so to rhyme with 'lighter'.
Despite those various similarities, judge Dolly M Gee last week ruled that 'Who's Got My Lightah' and 'Spark The Fire' are not sufficiently similar to constitute copyright infringement.
According to Law 360, Morrill had failed, she wrote, to "show substantial similarity" between the two songs. She reckoned that pronouncing 'fire' as 'fi-ya' wasn't particularly distinct, nor was rhyming it with 'lighter'. And while there may be some similarities in rhythm patterns, "the similar rhythms are used in vastly different ways in the two songs".
With all that in mind, Gee dismissed the case through summary judgement.
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Kanye West fights class action status for lawsuit over Life Of Pablo "never, never" tweet
While Kanye West was busying doing all of those Kanye West-esque things that Kanye West does whenever there's a new Kanye West album to promote, he also found time last week to submit some legal papers in relation to an ongoing lawsuit over the way he promoted a previous record.
This is the super fun litigation that stemmed from West's Twitter pledge in 2016 that his album 'The Life Of Pablo' "will never, never, never be on Apple" and that "you can only get it on Tidal". In the end Jay-Z's streaming service only had an exclusive on the LP for six weeks, it subsequently popping up everywhere else. Although the record had evolved a little during Tidal's exclusive period.
Even though Tidal's exclusivity on 'The Life Of Pablo' was short lived, it provided quite a boost in sign-ups to its free trials. But one such new subscriber - Justin Baker-Rhett - was mightily pissed off when, despite West's "never, never" remark, it turned out he didn't in fact need to sign up to Tidal to hear the new record. He then sued claiming that the rapper and his streaming service partner had deliberately misled consumers with the "never, never" claim.
When filing the lawsuit back in 2016, Baker-Rhett's lawyer told reporters that West and Jay-Z had "duped consumers into signing up for Tidal subscriptions - which required handing over troves of valuable personal data including credit card information - under the false pretence that doing so was the only way they would be able to hear 'The Life Of Pablo'. Consequently, Tidal unjustly benefitted in myriad ways from this collection of consumers' personal data and the accompanying increase in its subscriber and streaming numbers".
The lawsuit, which has always seemed somewhat ambitious, got bounced from California to New York and was then trimmed down to size. However, earlier this year a judge ruled that Baker-Rhett's core allegation - that he was misled into signing up for Tidal by West's "never, never" tweet - could proceed to court.
The latest developments in this case relate to efforts by the Baker-Rhett side to have the litigation declared a class action, so that anyone who signed up to Tidal to access 'The Life Of Pablo' after West's "never, never" tweet could benefit if the lawsuit is successful.
In a legal filing last week, the West side argued that this case is too complicated to be granted class action status, because the motivations of each potential class member would have to be individually assessed.
Which is to say, did each person who signed up to Tidal to access 'Pablo' actually do so because of West's "never, never" remark. Did they even see the tweet? And even if they did, maybe they were aware via other coverage at the time that Tidal's exclusive was temporary, meaning they signed up because they wanted to be among the first to hear the new music.
With all that in mind, this particular lawsuit should only relate to Baker-Rhett's Tidal subscription, they reckon, so that the court can consider his specific motivations when signing up for the free trial after West's tweet.
It remains to be see what the judge reckons.
Warner launches new music start-up investment fund
Warner Music Group has launched a new investment fund that will support music-related start-ups called WMG Boost.
The major label says it is interested in "supporting entrepreneurial growth and innovative thinking in the music industry". It will provide early financial support for "early-stage businesses within and adjacent to the recorded music business". Funded start-ups will also get advice from the Warner team and access to the company's recording and publishing catalogues.
Says WMG Chief Digital Officer Ole Obermann: "WMG Boost is all about nurturing the diversity of ideas within the music ecosystem, especially at this meeting point between music and tech. This fund enables us to support thoughtful entrepreneurs, learn more about emerging business models, and invest in the creation of more opportunities for artists".
A:E Day returns to Manchester with Roxanne De Bastion, Lisbee Stainton and Jack Gourlay
The Artist:Enterpreneur Day from the Featured Artists Coalition and CMU:DIY will return to Manchester later this month with a special edition sitting alongside the English Folk Expo which is taking place in the city. Aimed at early-career artists and future industry talent from all genres, the A:E Day will once again see three artist entrepreneurs open up their respective artist businesses to explain how you build a fanbase and a business around your music.
Hosting this edition will be artist entrepreneurs Roxanne De Bastion, Lisbee Stainton and Jack Gourlay, who will each explain how they have gone about building a fanbase and generating revenue around their music making. They'll also discuss the business partners they've worked with along the way and will interview a team of music industry experts about things like social media, PR, gigging, distribution and deals.
In addition to that little lot, CMU:DIY's Chris Cooke will present five A:E Guides explaining the ins and outs of music revenues, music rights, the live business, fanbase building and an artist's key business partners. Details of the other guests due to speak will be announced soon.
This edition of A:E Day takes place at Home in Manchester on Sunday 21 Oct. Tickets for the full-day event are just £10 and are available here.
| Approved: Ayia Since 2016, Ayia have released one single per year. It's not a prolific output. It has been, however, of a consistently high quality. And their latest single, 'Slow', marks the announcement of the upcoming release of their debut album. "It is a gathering of different aspects, mostly connected to the extremes of existing", the band say of that record. "It rattles the idea of fragility, changing the interior of the surroundings. It is a concrete formalisation of a poetic gesture, genetically enhanced to become something unfamiliar". It certainly is. I think. Much of the fragility comes from the vocals, delivered by Ásta Fanney, an incredibly prolific poet and artist outside of the band. Her words are contrasted by slow-burning electronic tracks that swell with powerful bass. Watch the video for 'Slow' here. Stay up to date with all of the artists featured in the CMU Approved column by subscribing to our Spotify playlist. |
Guy Garvey to be named Artists' Artist at Artist And Manager Awards
Elbow frontman Guy Garvey will be named the Artists' Artist at this year's Artist & Manager Awards next month, it has been announced. These are the annual awards from the Featured Artists Coalition and Music Managers Forum.
Confirming the news, FAC chief exec Lucie Caswell says in the statement: "For his work with Elbow alone, Guy is an absolute legend in the artist community. A generous and heartfelt songwriter, his contribution to British music has been immense and consistent. Beyond that, Guy is a role model for us all, with his constant championing of all genres of new music, his willingness to 'give back' in so many ways and for his genuine sense of community. For all these reasons, FAC are delighted to name Guy Garvey as our Artists' Artist for 2018".
As well as this, it has been announced that Kilimanjaro Live and DHP Family will jointly receive this year's Outstanding Contribution To Music prize.
Commenting, Music Managers Forum boss Annabella Coldrick says: "Given the unbelievable successes of the FanFair campaign to overhaul secondary ticketing, it feels entirely fitting that we should celebrate the companies and individuals who have delivered a positive change for artists and audiences. Kilimanjaro and DHP Family have both led the way to help eradicate large-scale ticket touting. They are worthy winners".
The Artist And Manager Awards will take place at the Bloomsbury Big Top in London on 14 Nov, hosted again by BBC Radio 1's Gemma Cairney.
DJ Semtex, Tom Morello, Charli XCX, more
Other notable announcements and developments today...
• Having recently departed BBC Radio 1Xtra after fifteen years, DJ Semtex presented the first edition of a new Friday night show on commercial station Capital Xtra last week. "It's an honour to be at Capital Xtra", he says. "I think what they've been doing is amazing, it typifies the UK experience".
• Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello has released new solo track 'Every Step That I Take', featuring Portugal The Man and Whethan. "'Every Step That I Take' deals with the haunting voices of fear and love on the steps of the emotional gallows", he says. "We are honoured to be partnering with SAVE, a suicide prevention organisation, with this track. You are not alone and there is always help available".
• Charli XCX and Troye Sivan have released a single together called '1999'.
• Blood Orange has released the video for 'Chewing Gum', from his new album 'Negro Swan'.
• Pond have released the video for new single 'Sixteen Days'. "'Sixteen Days' is about, once upon a time, being jealous and paranoid, too ground down and mad to enjoy love and Genoa", says frontman Nicholas Allbrook.
• Dave has released new single 'Funky Friday', featuring Fredo.
• IAMDDB has released the video for 'Kurr£ncy' from her recent EP 'Flight Mode Vol 4'.
• Gary Numan will release new EP 'The Fallen' and a live album recorded at Brixton Academy on 9 Nov. Numan is set to tour the UK with The Skaparis Orchestra next month. From the new EP, this is 'It Will End Here'.
• Fyfe and Iskra Strings have released new single 'Gold', taken from their second EP, due out later this year. They will play their debut live show next month at St Pancras Old Church in London on 15 Nov.
• Tolliver has released new single 'Twisted' from new EP 'Rites'. "'Twisted' is about a great night turned suddenly dark, a night when Courvoisier and kissing strangers is the only solution", he says. "A post-show argument sent me spiralling into what was admittedly a turnt party, only to face my fractured and fucked relationships the next morning".
• Richard Ashcroft has announced a tour of the UK and Ireland in April and May next year. The run will conclude with a show at London's Olympia on 4 May.
• She Drew The Gun has announced UK tour dates for February and March next year. Their new album, 'Revolution Of Mind', was released on Friday.
• Check out our weekly Spotify playlist of new music featured in the CMU Daily - updated every Friday.
Quincy Jones backtracks further on Beatles "worst musicians" comments
Quincy Jones has further backtracked from comments he made about the Beatles earlier this year. Now, he is seemingly denying that he ever said anything at all, despite previously apologising for his comments.
In an interview with Vulture earlier this year, Jones laid into various musicians, from Taylor Swift to Michael Jackson. Asked about the Beatles, he said: "They were the worst musicians in the world. They were no-playing motherfuckers. Paul was the worst bass player I ever heard. And Ringo? Don't even talk about it".
Following a "surprise family intervention because of some silly things I've said in two recent interviews", a couple of weeks later Jones issued a statement apologising for his various comments. He said that his entire career had rushed back into his memory all at once and emerged from his mouth as "word vomit".
Now he's consolidated all this down into a more simple explanation, saying that reports that he'd bad-mouthed the Beatles were "BS". He told the Press Association: "They're the greatest songwriters that ever lived. McCartney is like my brother, Ringo too".
Whatever, he's apparently learned his lesson. Asked for his opinion on Kanye West, Jones apparently just made a zipping motion across his lips.
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