business
One Year In: Tour Photographer Catherine Powell Bought a House, Is Hitting the Road With Dan + Shay
When COVID started, none of us knew that a year later we’d still be in this. [In] March last year, everyone was kind of like, “Prepare for three months off, and then come summer we’re gonna be back on the road,” or “Come fall we’re gonna be back on the road.” So I formatted [my online print store to sell my photographs] in a way where it was only open for like six weeks or something like that — it got me through those months that I planned on not being on the road and a little past that. And then I was like, “Aww sh–, I should have done this for longer.” But it is what it is. Unemployment would go up and down in terms of, some weeks we got that bonus and that was great and that could fully keep me afloat, but then when that ...
As Voting Opens for 2021 CMA Awards Nominations, Here Are the Races We’re Watching
The CMA has announced that it will allow Morgan Wallen, who is under a cloud because of his videotaped use of the N-word in January, to compete in categories in which there are other collaborators on the project, such as album of the year, but not in individual categories, such as male vocalist of the year. It will be interesting to see if CMA voters nominate Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album for album of the year. The blockbuster is in its 22nd week at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top Country Albums chart. Long-running No. 1 albums are usually nominated in this category. Of the 27 previous albums that have topped the country chart for 20 or more weeks, 20 have been nominated in this category. The most recent album to hit that mark before Wallen’s album, Luke Combs’ What You See Is What Y...
Hipgnosis Raises $215 Million With Stock Offering, Exceeding Target
“I am once again delighted with the support from both our existing and new shareholders with an oversubscribed raise of over $215 million, £156 million,” said Hipgnosis founder Merck Mercuriadis in a statement. “We will deploy this immediately into our pipeline of songs and I am incredibly appreciative of the incredible songwriters who have entrusted us with their iconic works. We will now have a portfolio of almost $2.5 billion of extraordinarily successful and culturally important songs, which offers a massive opportunity for us to add value with our Song Management which manages these songs with bandwidth and responsibility.” As the company announced last month, Hipgnosis expects to use the proceeds from the placing to acquire catalogs already lined up by The Family (Music) Limite...
Randy of Reggaeton Duo Jowell y Randy Inks Exclusive Deal With ONErpm
Randy Ortiz, best known as “Randy Nota Loca,” has signed an exclusive contract with ONErpm, Billboard has learned. The Puerto Rican artist, who officially kicked off his career in 2002 as part of the popular reggaeton duo Jowell y Randy, inked a deal with the distribution and marketing company for the release of his upcoming solo album. Under the new deal, Randy will release a compilation of three new solo singles, forming the “first season” of his next studio album, where he experiments with new reggaeton and perreo fusions including R&B, electronic guaracha and more. 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...
‘Framing Britney Spears’ & More Music Docs That Are Vying for 2021 Emmy Nods
Another music doc, Tina (HBO), about rock legend and survivor Tina Turner is also seen as a very likely nominee in the category, while still others are seen as having a reasonably good chance of receiving a nod: The Boy From Medellín, which follows musician J Balvin as he prepares for a concert in his hometown (Medellín, Colombia); The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, a look at the famed brother trio, of which Barry Gibb is the sole survivor; and The Go-Gos, a look at the iconic female rock band. The last two winners in the category — Leaving Neverland and The Apollo, about the legendary Harlem club — were both music docs, and both aired on HBO. Two other music docs have won in the category in the past decade: George Harrison: Living in the Material World, a...
Sony and Roblox Strike Strategic Partnership to Bring More Artists Into Games
The music and gaming industries have increasingly converged over the past two years, and while Fortnite led the way with in-game performances by Travis Scott and Marshmello, Roblox — where players don’t just play games, but create their own — has recently grown its profile as well. Lil Nas X performed the first-ever live virtual concert in Roblox in December, where he debuted new track “Holiday,” sold virtual merchandise like a cowboy hat and offered a behind-the-scenes interview, and Roblox says the experience drew 36 million visits. In May, Larsson drew 4 million visitors to the Roblox launch party for an expanded edition of her album Poster Girl, which was set in a virtual rendering of her Swedish lake house. A major selling point for these music-gaming par...
BUA increases price of cement
BUA Cement Plc has increased the ex-factory price of its cement product by N200 per bag. The cement manufacturer, it was reliably gathered, unveiled its new price increase from N2,800 to N3,000 per bag over the weekend. The price increase by BUA is contrary to what he has repeatedly asserted that his company does not have any justification to increase the price of cement as it is currently making enough returns. It would be recalled that BUA Cement, in various statements issued between April 24 and June 18 this year, had refuted any claims of increase in the ex-factory price of its cement products by N300 per bag, stating that, “the company had no plans to increase prices of its cement now or in the near future.” According to a statement issued on April 24, 2021, the company stated that, “...
Queen’s ‘Greatest Hits’ Set to be Crowned Again on U.K. Albums Chart
If it keeps its momentum when the weekly chart is published this Friday, it’ll mark the album’s fifth week at the summit, and its first stint at the top since the LP ruled the chart for four straight weeks in November and December 1981. With more than six million copies sold, Queen’s Greatest Hits is the best-selling album in the history of the U.K.’s recorded music industry. Also, it has logged 952 weeks in the Official Albums Chart to date, behind just ABBA’s Gold (1,000 weeks) and Bob Marley and The Wailers’ Legend (984 weeks). Queen last ruled the U.K. chart with 2020’s Queen + Adam Lambert Live Around The World, their first time leader since 1995’s Made In Heaven. Ahead of its release, Royal Mail released a collection of stamps to commemorate the group’s 50-ye...
Fueled by Euro 2020, Soccer Anthems Kick a Goal In Midweek U.K. Chart
If England progress to the final, and go all the way – something the team has never done in the UEFA tournament – expect the single to keep scoring. If it does, it would give the track a fifth stint at No. 1, extending its national chart record. Meanwhile, “Vindaloo” (Union Square Music) by Fat Les, the collective of Blur bassist Alex James, actor Keith Allen, and artist Damien Hirst, is at No. 40, and is charting to its first appearance in the top tier since 2010, when it reentered at No. 32 around the time of the World Cup. Also, New Order’s former chart-leader “World In Motion” (London) is at No. 57. “World In Motion,” which features a rap by retired soccer star John Barnes, was the Official World Cup 1990 song. Down the list, rap duo Krept & Konan are at No. 73 with “Olé (We Are En...
Ed Sheeran’s ‘Bad Habits’ Blasts to No. 1 In Australia
“I’m so delighted and did not expect this start so a huge thank-you all for streaming, downloading and buying the single,” says Sheeran in a statement. “I hope you are enjoying it! After a decade in this industry I take none of this for granted. More to come soon”. The single is lifted from Sheeran’s forthcoming fifth album, the follow-up to No.6 Collaborations Project, which led the national albums survey in July 2019. Sheeran has a deep connection with the land Down Under, where he’s broken several chart records and set the all-time mark for ticket sales on a single tour. Earlier this year, the Brit debuted a new song, “Visiting Hours,” at the state memorial in Melbourne for the late Mushroom Group founder Michael Gudinski. Sheeran “is a superstar artist and an adopted son here in Austra...
Ed Sheeran Celebrates U.K. No. 1 and Promises ‘Loads More Music on the Way Soon’
The singer and songwriter becomes just the ninth act to reach that double-figures atop the leaderboard. He joins Calvin Harris and Eminem on 10 No. 1 singles across their careers. Only Take That (12), Madonna (13), Cliff Richard and Westlife (14) and The Beatles (17) and Elvis (21) have more chart crowns. “Thank you so much for giving this era such a flying start,” he continues. “Loads more music on the way soon, but for now I’m gonna crack open a beer and toast to you lot.” “Bad Habits” is the third single to debut at No. 1 this year, following Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” in January and Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” in April. U.S. singer and rapper Doja Cat makes a splash with Planet Her (Ministry of Sound), which debuts at No. 3 on the national albums tally, and two...
Ed Sheeran’s ‘Bad Habits’ Heading for Second Week Atop U.K. Chart
The new song debuted atop the Official U.K. Singles Chart last Friday, giving Sheeran his 10th No. 1. In a celebratory post, he promised “loads more music on the way soon.” Elsewhere on the chart blast, several singles are on course for new peaks within the Top 10, including Galantis, David Guetta and Little Mix’s “Heartbreak Anthem” (No. 3); Maneskin’s “I Wanna Be Your Slave” (No. 4) and “Beggin'” (No. 6); and Calvin Harris’ “By Your Side” with Tom Grennan (No. 8). Following England’s 4-0 drubbing of Ukraine in the UEFA European Championships, the football anthem “3 Lions” by Baddiel, Skinner & The Lightning Seeds lifts eight places to No. 14. With England entering the semis of the tournament for the first t...
