bbfree
Thomas Coesfeld to Succeed BMG’s Maximilian Dressendörfer as CFO
Thomas Coesfeld has been named deputy chief financial officer at BMG, effective Oct. 15. He will assume the role of CFO on April 1, 2021, succeeding Maximilian Dressendörfer, who is taking on new responsibilities at the company. Since June 2019, Coesfeld has served as chief strategy officer on the executive committee of the Bertelsmann Printing Group, a division of BMG’s parent company Bertelsmann. He also serves as CSO at Mohn Media. In his new role, he will report to BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch and Bertelsmann CFO Bernd Hirsch. Coesfeld began his career in 2014 as a management consultant at McKinsey in Munich, Germany, where he gained experience in sales and strategy with a focus on the insurance, logistics, and automotive industries. He joined Bertelsmann at the top of 2016 and spent a year ...
The Long-Awaited Return of Cam — And Why She Took Her Time
Country singer Cam’s boundary-pushing new album will finally arrive this fall — and on a new label. Two years ago, Cam was at a crossroads in her career. In the spring of 2018, she embarked on the Listening Room Tour, a series of intimate club dates that featured stripped-down arrangements and the kind of real talk that goes down between friends over a bottle of wine. But at the same time, the relationship with her Nashville label was strained, and close to ending. Instead of letting that cast a shadow over her performances, it sparked something inside of her — and having a direct line to her audience was added fuel. “I remember being so fucking spicy,” she says now. “I was like, ‘Fuck it!’ I laughed so hard, and people had such a good time. I was like, ‘This is why I’m here, not the other...
Inside Amazon’s Big Push in Latin Music: Exclusive
The online retail giant launches its first major Latin music brand. Amazon Music is placing a new big focus on Latin music with the launch of “Amazon Music LAT!N,” a Latin music brand with a broad umbrella that includes over 100 new and revamped playlists, an emerging artist program, merchandise, video and multiple catalog programs among many other initiatives. Using the tagline “La Musica que nos conecta” (The music that connects us) — a reference to the fact that Latins come from many countries and cultures but are connected by music and language — the LAT!N hub, which includes music in Spanish and Portuguese, will live within Amazon at amazon.com/latinmusic. It seeks to establish Amazon as a major player in Latin music streaming and content, as well as retail. “T...
Keith Urban Returns With ‘The Speed of Now Part 1’: Stream It Now
Keith Urban’s life is so busy, his albums drop in stages. Just 24 hours after hosting the ACM Awards, the Australian country star drops Part 1 of The Speed of Now, his 10th studio album. The new LP spans 16 tracks and includes collaborations with Eric Church, Nile Rodgers, Breland and his previously released single with Pink, “One Too Many,” which the pair performed Thursday night at the ACM Awards. “When I collaborate, I’m always looking for that ‘third thing,’” Urban said ahead of release. “There’s what I do, there’s what my collaborator does and then there’s this ‘third thing’ that I’m most curious about. That’s what interests me the most – when the sum of the parts becomes even more than what I envisioned. That’s what I love so much about it – finding common ground, shaping...
Anitta Drops Bilingual ‘Me Gusto’ Featuring Cardi B and Myke Towers: Stream It Now
Cardi B is everywhere right now, mostly at or near the top of the charts with “WAP,” her naughty collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion. The Bronx rapper lends support to Anitta on the new single “Me Gusta,” which arrived at midnight and also features guest Myke Towers. Anitta, who hails from Brazil, has teased the track through the week. Cardi is totally onboard with the project, on which she switches between rapping in English and Spanish. “You guys know how I love Spanish music, you guys know how I love Brazilian funk, and I’m just really excited,” she enthused. Stream “Me Gusta” below. [embedded content] You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet...
Ava Max’s Long-Awaited Debut Album ‘Heaven & Hell’ Is Here: Listen
Ava Max’s career immediately reached orbit with her breakout 2018 single “Sweet But Psycho.” More than two years on, the U.S.-born pop singer will hope to fly even higher with her debut album Heaven & Hell, which dropped in full at midnight. The double-album spans 15 tracks, including the previously released “Who’s Laughing Now,” “Kings & Queens,” “So Am I,” “Torn” and “Sweet But Psycho,” which bagged four consecutive weeks atop the Official U.K. Singles Chart and cracked the Top 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Stream Heaven & Hell below. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat and make money in the process. Earn rewards b...
Complex Names Maurice Peebles New Editor-In-Chief
Complex Networks has named a new editor-in-chief to oversee its news and video operations: Maurice Peebles, who will take over the job beginning Oct. 5. Peebles, who most recently was digital editor-in-chief at SportsNet New York for two years, replaces Damien Scott, who left Complex in April, according to the company. Peebles is returning to the company where he started as a digital intern in 2006, and eventually became the deputy editor of its sports vertical for two years. He also spent time working at Bleacher Report, Barstool Sports and The Ladders. “We are excited for Maurice to rejoin Complex at such a pivotal and culture-shifting time not only for our company but also for media in general,” Complex general manager Donnie Kwak, to whom Peebles will report, said in a stat...
Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett & All the Record-Setters at the ACM Awards
A tie for entertainer of the year? Beautiful. Crazy. There was a shocker at the end of the 55th ACM Awards, the first tie for entertainer of the year (or any major category, for that matter) in the show’s history. The co-winners were Carrie Underwood, winning in the category for the third time, and Thomas Rhett, winning in the category for the first time. Swift is the first woman in ACM history to win entertainer of the year three times. She previously won the award in 2008-09. The only other female artist to win twice in the category is Taylor Swift, who took the prize in 2010-11. Rhett won a second prize this year—video of the year for “Remember You Young.” That award was announced in the run-up to the show. Underwood previously won female artist of the year three times (2006-08). Rhett ...
Nine Can’t-Miss Moments From the 2020 ACM Awards
On Wednesday night (Sept. 16), the Academy of Country Music finally got to hold its long-delayed awards ceremony. Postponed from the original April 5 date after the pandemic sent everyone into lockdown, the 2020 edition of the ACM Awards moved to Nashville for the first time, adjusted to social distancing and no audience and still managed to pull of a show that had plenty of striking moments—including a tie for the coveted entertainer of the year. There were none of the usual cutaways to the audience or shots of Taylor Swift singing along to every song with gusto. Instead, a raft of top names performed from three iconic Nashville venues: the Grand Ole Opry House, Ryman Auditorium, and the Bluebird Cafe, while Keith Urban hosted live from the Grand Ole Opry. Here are some of the top moments...
‘The Mandalorian’ & ‘Watchmen’ Win Big on Night 3 of Creative Arts Emmys
Are these shows now the front-runners to win on Sunday for outstanding drama series and outstanding limited series? Are you watching The Mandalorian on Disney + and/or Watchmen on HBO? Lots of Emmy voters are. These shows won five and four awards, respectively on Night 3 of the Creative Arts Emmys. Both shows are in the running to win more awards at Sunday’s Emmy Awards broadcast on ABC. The Mandalorian is a contender for outstanding drama series; Watchmen, for outstanding limited series. Other shows that were saluted on Night 3, albeit with just award each, include The Crown, Succession, Stranger Things and The Handmaid’s Tale, all of which are also nominated for outstanding drama series; and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which is nominated for outstanding comedy series. Read the tea leaves ...
Bogota Music Market: 5 Takeaways From Henry Cárdenas’ Inspiring Chat
On the third day (Sept. 16) of the Bogotá Music Market, Billboard‘s Leila Cobo sat down with Henry Cárdenas, owner and president of event and concert promotion firm Cardenas Marketing Network (CMN) for the weekly daily “inspiring” conversation. During the chat, the pair talked about the impact the COVID-19-imposed lockdown has had on the live industry, when shows are likely to resume again and how he met his longtime friend and business partner Marc Anthony. Cárdenas was part of a number of panelists featured on BOmm’s first all-digital edition with programming that includes 20 panels, workshops and showcases running through Sept. 18. The full program and viewing instructions can be accessed here. Below, find five takeaways from the nearly one-hour ch...
Tenille Townes Reminds Us of ‘Somebody’s Daughter’ at the 2020 ACM Awards
From the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tenille Townes played a moving “Somebody’s Daughter” for the 2020 ACM Awards. Following his performance from the Bluebird Cafe, Luke Combs introduced Townes, who also won new female artist of the year at the ceremony. “I’m humbled to receive this honor from the academy,” Townes said. “I’m so thrilled to be here playing a song that was inspired by a young girl standing on the side of the interstate, holding onto a cardboard sign. It’s a reminder that we’ve all got a story and I think especially in these times, we really need each other.” Alone with her guitar, Townes then went into an emotional performance of her song. Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton with Gwen Stefani, ...
