| TOP STORIES | Prosecutors cite Kelly's marriage to Aaliyah as a reason to continue to deny bail READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| DEALS | Bucks to rep Australia's Gaga Music in the UK READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| MEDIA | Final new stations at Global are Smooth spin-offs READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| EDUCATION & EVENTS | EMI Music Sound Foundation rebrands as Universal Music UK Sound Foundation READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| GIGS & FESTIVALS | Numerous Avicii collaborators to perform at fundraising tribute concert Kano announces 2020 tour dates READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| ONE LINERS | Help Musicians UK, Festival Congress, Matthew Herbert, more READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| AND FINALLY... | Elton John stamps 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 9060. | |
 |
TICKETMASTER - CLIENT SERVICES MANAGER, MUSIC (LONDON) The Client Services Manager, Music, will be responsible for the management of all aspects of Ticketmaster's client relationships (Music) whilst working closely with directorial and regional 'stakeholders' in the development, and execution, of current and future business strategies. For more information and to apply click here. |
 |
MANNERS MCDADE - JUNIOR MUSIC PRODUCER (LONDON) We are looking for a creative Junior Producer, supporting our Head Of Deptartment and working closely with our composers and artistson bespoke composition projects. For more information and to apply click here. |
 |
HOSPITAL RECORDS - PROMOTIONS MANAGER (LONDON) Hospital Records is hiring a full-time Promotions Manager to join the Hospital Records team in its south London office, to manage all promotional activity for the label’s releases, event brands, and festivals Hospitality In The Park (UK) and Hospitality On The Beach (Croatia). For more information and to apply click here. |
|
HOSPITAL RECORDS - COPYRIGHT ASSISTANT (LONDON) Hospital Records is hiring a full-time Copyright Assistant to assist in the day to day running of both the publishing, legal and finance departments. The successful candidate will need to have attention to detail and research skills as well as excellent communication skills when dealing with internal and with external sources. For more information and to apply click here. |
 |
X-RAY TOURING - ASSISTANT TO LIVE MUSIC AGENT (LONDON) This is a fantastic opportunity at X-Ray Touring for an exceptionally organised administrative assistant with previous office experience in the creative industries. The ideal candidate will be flexible, self-motivated, impeccable attention to detail, the ability to prioritise and remain calm under pressure. For more information and to apply click here. |
 |
DHP FAMILY - PROGRAMMING & MARKETING MANAGER, OSLO (LONDON) DHP Family currently has an exciting opportunity for a Programming and Marketing Manager to join the Oslo venue team. Along with a competitive annual salary and benefits, you would be responsible for the creation and curation of events within the venue. For more information and to apply click here. |
 |
ULTRA MUSIC - MARKETING MANAGER CONSULTANT (LONDON) Ultra Music is seeking someone to support our marketing initiatives out of London. The position calls for a dynamic, detail-oriented individual with music industry experience and connections. For more information and to apply click here. |
 |
!K7 - JUNIOR LABEL MANAGER (BERLIN) !K7 has been offering artist and label services since 2002 in order to provide a worldwide sales, distributions, and marketing team. We are looking for a Junior Label Manager in our Berlin office to assist in the day-to-day operations of the label service team. For more information and to apply click here. |
 |
DOMINO - BUSINESS AFFAIRS MANAGER (LONDON) Domino are seeking a Business Affairs Manager to join our London office. They will be involved in drafting producer or artwork agreements, negotiating broadcast licences, managing publishing deals and advising the creative or digital teams on copyright issues - among other tasks. For more information and to apply click here. |
 |
BNDR - LIVE STREAM OPERATOR & VIDEOGRAPHER (LAS VEGAS/LOS ANGELES) BNDR Live is a part of a new mobile music streaming app dedicated to showcasing live music concerts and events. It is seeking to appoint a Live Stream Operator & Videographer who will undertake fulfilling work that will be showcased to music fans globally in real time. For more information and to apply click here. |
 |
THE IVORS ACADEMY - MEMBERSHIP MANAGER (LONDON) The Ivors Academy is looking for a Membership Manager who will be responsible for the effective management of its membership offering, membership administration and member relations. For more information and to apply click here. |
 |
STRUT RECORDS - PRODUCT MANAGER (LONDON) Strut Records - one of the UK's leading record labels dedicated to unearthing the lost gems of dance music past - has an immediate opening for a product manager to help manage the day-to-day operations of the label and its releases. For more information and to apply click here. |
 |
GREEN HOUSE GROUP - FREELANCE JUNIOR SOCIAL MEDIA EXEC (LONDON) Green House Group is looking for a junior social media account executive with one to two years experience to join us initially on a freelance basis. For more information and to apply click here. |
 |
NTSU - TECHNICAL SUPERVISOR, TRI-CAMPUS (NOTTINGHAM) The NTSU Entertainments Department is looking to recruit a Technical Supervisor to assist with the management of sound, lighting and visuals for events and other activity. For more information and to apply click here. |
Prosecutors cite Kelly's marriage to Aaliyah as a reason to continue to deny bail
Prosecutors leading the criminal action against R Kelly in Chicago have brought up the musician's 1994 marriage to fellow music star Aaliyah as a reason why he should continue to be held in custody without bail as he fights an assortment of sexual abuse charges.
The new legal filing aims to counter ongoing efforts by Kelly's legal team to secure bail for their client as he awaits trials in both Chicago and New York. He has been held in custody since his arrest in July.
Although the papers do not specifically name Aaliyah, they use the marriage to highlight Kelly's alleged "intentional and prolific" abuse of underage girls. Because, of course, although the criminal charges are new, Kelly has faced allegations of routine abuse against women, including young teenagers, for years.
According to Page Six, in a plea to the judge overseeing the case, prosecutors state: "[Kelly] even married a fifteen year old girl when he was 27 years old. The government produced in discovery to the defendant the official marriage application, marriage certificate, and annulment records for this marriage. Far from being a one-time mistake, defendant's sexual abuse of minors was intentional and prolific".
Kelly and Aaliyah married in secret in 1994, putting her age as eighteen on the marriage certificate, although she was actually only fifteen. The pair had begun a relationship after he produced her debut album, 'Age Ain't Nothing But A Number', which was released in 1994.
The marriage was annulled by her parents six months later. Kelly has previously denied that they were married or that they were even in a relationship. Asked for comment on the latest filing by prosecutors, Kelly's attorney Steve Greenberg said that the marriage was "ancient" and "irrelevant" to the current criminal cases.
The musician's legal team is expected to again request that he be granted bail at a hearing later this week. Last week, they filed to have him removed from solitary confinement - prosecutors countering that he isn't in solitary confinement because he has a cellmate.
Bucks to rep Australia's Gaga Music in the UK
Bucks Music has announced an alliance with Australian music rights firm Gaga Music which will see the former manage and administrate the latter's song rights in the UK and Ireland.
Gaga says that it "administers a wide array of independent music copyrights via a network of like-minded partners". Its roster includes the likes of Fazerdaze, Wolf & Cub, The Middle East, Holly Throsby, The Cat Empire, Hayden Calnin and Hockey Dad.
Confirming the new tie-up with Bucks in the UK, the firm's founder Grant Gillies said: "Gaga Music is proud to be joining the iconic Bucks Music Group. We're humbled to be part of such a rich music heritage. Our intention has always been to offer our artists access to a worldwide network of quality partners and we're confident we've found our people here at Bucks".
Meanwhile at Bucks itself, the firm's Head Of Creative Sync Jonathan Tester said: "I was introduced to Grant and [General Manager] Nadine [Riezouw] over at Gaga by a music supervisor who suggested we should connect. Having spoken to Grant it was clear that we share the same values as independents as well as a love of developing and supporting new talent. They have a phenomenal roster of bands and artists, and we are very excited to be able to work the catalogue for sync in the UK".
Final new stations at Global are Smooth spin-offs
Global has announced that the final two of the five new radio stations it is launching are both extensions of the Smooth brand, it having already added a new Capital station and two new Heart stations in the last few days. Both new Smooths go live today.
One of those super new Smooths will be focused on all things country music, taking on the Country Hits station that rival Bauer launched back in March. The other is Smooth Chill, described as "the perfect antidote to our busy lives, featuring non-stop chill out music".
The latter in essence takes over from an existing station in the Global portfolio known simply as Chill. It was one of two digital stations established in the 2000s that Global acquired along the way and which still operated on various channels even though they were not core brands for the media firm. The other was rock station The Arrow, which has been wound down entirely as the new Heart, Capital and Smooth spin-offs have gone live.
Announcing all this, Smooth's Managing Editor Sam Jackson said: "To launch two new Smooth branded stations on one day is hugely exciting for us and confirms our vision to grow and develop the brand". Offering a few, though not many, more specifics, he added: "Smooth Country will celebrate the best country music hits, while Smooth Chill will play the best music to relax and unwind to, no matter what time of the day".
Elsewhere in Global news, the media company has announced an alliance with Midlands-based radio group Quidem. The new deal will see core Global brands extend in the region, replacing Quidem's Touch FM, Banbury Sound and Rugby FM.
The Midlands firm will remain independent, but will license Global-owned brands in a similar fashion to Irish broadcaster Communicorp Media, which operates Capital, Heart and Smooth outlets in the UK. Global will also provide ad sales and local news services to Quidem's network of stations.
EMI Music Sound Foundation rebrands as Universal Music UK Sound Foundation
Music education charity the EMI Music Sound Foundation has rebranded as the Universal Music UK Sound Foundation, the EMI record company that created the organisation in 1997 now being a subsidiary of Universal, of course.
The charity supports music-making children and schools by providing donations, grants and bursaries that allow beneficiaries to access musical instruments, equipment and training. As it changes its name to reflect "the substantial support the independent charity receives from Universal Music Group", the Foundation has confirmed it has now distributed more than £8 million to the schools, students and educational organisations it supports.
Commenting on all this, Adam Barker, Universal Music UK's business affairs chief, who is also chair of the Foundation's trustees, said: "Since our inception in 1997, the Foundation has focused on ensuring that the significant benefits and the joy of studying music remain available to as many young people from all backgrounds across the UK as possible".
He added: "Universal Music is proud that our support allows 100% of the charity's funding to be channelled to the vital work that the newly re-named and highly respected Universal Music UK Sound Foundation undertakes year after year".
| Approved: T Evann Musician and producer Tyler Darrington has made music across various projects and with various collaborators. His new solo venture, T Evann, sees him build a psychedelic pop sound with real warmth and soul. "For a long time I was frustrated and confused about where I was in terms of musical direction", he says. "I was making a lot of material in various genres but it felt like nobody was listening or paying it any attention. Then I reconnected with my core motivation to make music: my own enjoyment". On debut single 'Day Will Rise', he adds: "This is a song describing those epiphanies, which I revisit sometimes, to remind myself that it's all for the personal love of it; self-belief and patience are important to artistic expression". That new track centres on a pitched up vocal hook - initially an error in the studio which he ran with. With dense harmonies and other counteracting vocals, it becomes one of the most arresting things about the record. Darrington's first album as T Evann - titled 'Give (Take)' - is set for release later this year. For now, listen to 'Day Will Rise' here.Stay up to date with all of the artists featured in the CMU Approved column by subscribing to our Spotify playlist. |
Numerous Avicii collaborators to perform at fundraising tribute concert
A tribute concert will be staged in honour of Avicii in his hometown of Stockholm later this year. It will feature many of the artists who appeared on his biggest hits and raise money for the mental health awareness charity that was set up by his family following his death by suicide last year, the Tim Bergling Foundation.
Among the artists already confirmed to appear are Adam Lambert, Aloe Blacc and Rita Ora. They will each perform live versions of Avicci's music accompanied by a 30 piece band. His father Klas Bergling explains: "Tim had plans for his music to be performed together with a large live band, and now we are realising his dream and giving fans a chance to experience his music in this unique way".
The show will also include opening sets from David Guetta, Kygo, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Laidback Luke and Nicky Romero.
Bergling continues: "We are grateful that his friends, producers, artists and colleagues are coming to Stockholm to help. They have all expressed a sincere interest and desire to engage in efforts to stem the tide of mental illness and lend their support to our work with the Tim Bergling Foundation. We are very much looking forward to this evening, which will be a starting point for the foundation's work going forward".
The tribute concert will take place on 5 Dec with tickets going on sale this Thursday.
--------------------------------------------------
Kano announces 2020 tour dates
Kano has announced new tour dates for early 2020, in addition to those he already has booked in this autumn.
The announcement follows the release last week of the rapper's latest album, 'Hoodies All Summer', which you can see him discuss with Akala here.
Tickets for the new dates go on general sale on Friday. Here they all are:
31 Jan: Bournemouth, Academy
1 Feb: Cardiff University Students Union
2 Feb: Bristol, Academy
3 Feb: Liverpool, Academy
7 Feb: London, The Drumshed
12 Feb: Leeds, Academy
13 Feb: Nottingham, Rock City
14 Feb: Birmingham, Academy
15 Feb: Manchester, Victoria Warehouse
MANAGEMENT & FUNDING
Music charity Help Musicians UK has opened up applications for its Peter Whittingham Jazz Award, which provides a total of £10,000 in funding to up to four emerging artists in the jazz genre. The deadline for applicants is 14 Oct - info here.
--------------------------------------------------
EDUCATION & EVENTS
The full programme has been announced for this year's Festival Congress from the Association Of Independent Festivals, which takes place in Sheffield on 6-7 Nov. Sessions include legendary rock photographer Jill Furmanovsky in conversation, a live recording of Rob da Bank's 'A-Z Of Festivals' podcast, and a keynote from Bert Cole of performance art collective Arcadia Spectacular. Info here.
--------------------------------------------------
ARTIST NEWS
Matthew Herbert has composed an original score for 'The Cave', a new documentary film from Feras Fayyad. In it the director returns to his native war-torn Syria to follow a dedicated team of female doctors who treat casualties in an underground hospital while battling systemic sexism. The film premieres later this month at the Toronto Film Festival.
--------------------------------------------------
RELEASES
Benny Blanco has released the video for 'Graduation', featuring Juice Wrld.
Avril Lavigne has released a new version of her song 'Head Above Water', featuring Travis Clarke of We The Kings.
Wretch 32 has released the video for new single 'Mummy's Boy'. "In a Caribbean household, 'mummy's boy' is almost like the worst insult you can give a kid", says the rapper. "I was the mummy's boy, with two older sisters and two younger sisters. Me, I take power in it, because the mummy's boy became the man of the house; the head of the family. So it's just something that has a negative connotation can be flipped into a bigger positive".
Gabrielle Aplin and JP Cooper have released new collaboration 'Losing Me'.
Bat For Lashes has released new single 'Desert Man'. Her new album 'Lost Girls' is out this Friday.
HXXS have announced that they will release their debut album, 'Year Of The Witch', on 18 Oct. Here's its first single, 'Learner'.
Check out our weekly Spotify playlist of new music featured in the CMU Daily - updated every Friday.
Elton John stamps
"Oh I wish I could tell you this face to face, but there's never the time, never the place, so this letter will have to do, I love you", sang Elton John in 'Amneris' Letter'. Unless you're thinking of Shania Twain's version. In which case she sang it. Unless you're thinking of a performance of the musical from which it originates. In which case some random actor sang it. Or a non-random actor. But an actor.
Anyway, none of this is really relevant to this news story, except that if John, Twain, any random actor or even Amneris herself wanted to send anyone a letter, they could now do so using one of twelve Elton-themed stamps. Look, I thought finding some lyrics to kick this off would be fun, but it's ended up just making the introduction really long-winded and confusing.
Elton John's got some stamps. There, that's the story. Are you happy now?
The Royal Mail has announced that it's issuing a set of twelve postage stamps featuring pictures of Elton John. Eight feature classic album covers, while a mini set of four show the musician plonking about with his piano on stage somewhere, marking the fact that he's planning to quit touring forever after one final 70,000 year tour.
"To say I was surprised when Royal Mail got in touch, is an understatement", says John. "Never did I think I'd appear on a stamp! It's wonderful, a great honour".
Can that be true? Surely everyone expects to appear on a stamp at some point. I know I do. But twelve! That's really the thing that marks him out. Not only that, he's only the second solo musician to get a whole set of stamps to himself.
The first was David Bowie, and he had to die before the Royal Mail eventually caved in. The Beatles and Pink Floyd have had their own sets too, but they're bands remember, and let's not dilute this any further. This is Elton's day.
"Elton is one of the most successful British solo artists of all time", says the Royal Mail's Head Of Stamp Strategy(!) Philip Parker, a little too eager to justify this decision. "He has recorded some of the best-known songs in pop history such as 'Candle In The Wind' and 'Rocket Man'. Our stamps issued today showcase some of his most iconic albums, and celebrate his fantastic musical contribution".
You can buy each stamp at just the postage price it represents, or you can purchase a variety of presentation sets that range from 'almost reasonable' to 'a bit fucking pricey'.
|
 |
CMU helps people to navigate and understand the music business. We do this through our media, our training and our research, and at a range of music industry events. 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 CMU Digest and CMU Trends. CMU Insights is our music business consultancy: supporting the industry. CMU Pathways is our music education consultancy: supporting educators. CMU:DIY is our future talent programme: supporting new music talent.
You can read our Privacy & Data Policy here |