International
Billboard Global Charts at One Year: How Video Streaming Helped Power the Charts
Notable videos such as Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” Future’s “Life Is Good” featuring Drake, and, a chart hit in its own right, Pinkfong’s “Baby Shark” have each racked up massive views online, helping these songs heighten and extend their global chart runs. Meanwhile around the world, video streaming helps diversify the charts, specifically with hits sprinkled throughout Asia. Japan and South Korea make up for the bulk of representation for Asian artists, although certain Indian acts have found success bolstered by official music videos for their charting hits. Jubin Nautiyal’s “Lut Gaye,” featuring Emraan Hashmi, climbed to No. 23 on the Global Excl. U.S. survey in April. But throughout the Hindi-language track’s chart run, it was the most or second-most streamed video i...
Live Nation Expands Artist Discovery Platform ‘Ones to Watch’ Into Australia
Ones to Watch Australia launches proper on Oct. 8 with a live showcase at Adelaide’s Lion Arts Factory, featuring performances from local acts Colourblind, East AV3 and Teenage Joans and three of South Australia’s 2021 Robert Stigwood Fellowship Recipients. The invite-only launch-night is a collaboration with the government of South Australia’s Music Development Office, and Music SA, and it takes place as part of the trade body’s annual industry showcase event, Scouted. According to a statement issued Thursday (March 30) from LN, Ones to Watch Australia will “showcase rising new talent” from across the country, including musicians, bands, and producers, who’ll be provided with “professional support to help kickstart their careers by leveraging Live Nation’s global network.” One...
Cadence Weapon Wins 2021 Polaris Music Prize in Canada
Cadence Weapon’s fifth studio album Parallel World was announced as the winner of the 2021 Polaris Music Prize on Monday (Sept. 27). The prize is awarded to the “best full-length Canadian album based on artistic merit, regardless of genre, sales or record label,” according to the organization. Cadence Weapon, a Canadian-American rapper (real name Roland “Rollie” Pemberton), hails from Edmonton, Alberta. His win was announced during an event that was streamed live from CBC Toronto’s Studio 211. This is the 16th year of the Polaris Prize, which is presented by CBC Music. Past winners include Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs (2011) which also won a Grammy as album of the year, and three albums by acts that subsequently went on to collect Grammy nominations – Caribou (2008), Kay...
The Lathums Set to Oust Drake From U.K. Chart Throne
Drake’s Certified Lover Boy (OVO/Republic Recordings) beat Lil Nas X’s Montero (Columbia) by the tightest of margins on last Friday’s chart, but don’t bet on either winning the current race. Drizzy’s latest drops to No. 3 and Lil Nas X’s debut album dips to No. 6. Meanwhile, Australian pop singer Natalie Imbruglia is on track for her first U.K. Top 10 album in 14 years with Firebird (BMG), new at No. 4, while Tom DeLonge’s Angels & Airwaves are flying high with Lifeforms (Rise Records), new at No. 7. If it keeps its altitude, Lifeforms will give the U.S. alternative rock outfit their first Top 10 in 15 years. Also aiming for Top 20 debuts this week are sets by Sleep Token (This Place Will Become Your Tomb at No. 11 via Spinefarm), Nao (And Then Life Was Beautiful at No. 16 via RCA), Tr...
Drake’s ‘Certified Lover Boy’ Beats Lil Nax X’s ‘Montero’ In Tight U.K. Chart Race
Blasting in at No. 5 on the latest chart is Tion Wayne’s debut Green With Envy (Atlantic), bowing just ahead of Bob Dylan’s Springtime In New York: The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 (Sony Music CG), new at No. 6. With its sprightly arrival, Springtime becomes Dylan’s 41st Top 10 album, as it racks up the most physical sales of the week. English prog-rock veterans Genesis bag their first Top 10 album in seven years with the career retrospective The Last Domino (UMC/Virgin), new at No. 9, while Birmingham drill rapper M1llionz completes the top 10 with his debut mixtape Provisional License (Ten Percent). There’s a notable appearance this week by NCT 127, whose third Korean-language album Sticker (Virgin Music) gives the K-pop boyband their first U.K. Top 40 appearance. It’s new at No. 40. Meanwhile...
Coldplay and BTS Tackle Ed Sheeran For U.K. No. 1
“My Universe” is lifted from Coldplay’s forthcoming album Music Of The Spheres, due out Oct. 15. So far, Coldplay has collected two No. 1 singles in their homeland (for “Viva La Vida” and “Paradise”), while BTS has a U.K. chart best of No. 3 (for “Dynamite” and “Butter”). Sheeran has ruled the chart for 13 consecutive weeks with “Bad Habits” and now “Shivers.” His latest track should enjoy a boost following the Brit’s performance for the return episode of BBC One’s The Graham Norton Show, which aired last Friday (Sept. 24). Further down the list is “Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah)” by Nigerian artist CKay, which looks set to retain its Top 10 position for a second week. It’s currently at No. 9. The tune was first released in 2019 and has discovered a life of its own ...
Steve Strange, Co-Founder of X-ray Touring, Dies at 53
The talent agency added: “A universally known, hugely respected and loved character — if you hadn’t already seen him at a gig or festival, you’d most certainly hear his infectious and infamous laugh. Steve had the best ears in the agency business, signing and developing the careers of countless world class Artists from small club venues to vast international multi-stadium tours. He will always be remembered with love by his friends & colleagues at X-ray and the world over.” Over the years, Strange’s client roster at X-ray included such artists as Coldplay, Eminem, Snow Patrol, Chance the Rapper, Queens of the Stone Age, and many others. He also operated Strange World Management, overseeing acts like Lightning Seeds, Last in Line Wayward Sons, FM, Equador and Swe...
Lean Latin, Go Global
As Latin music continues to grow, Deep Dive looks at what’s happening now and what’s next, from the current explosion of regional Mexican acts like Grupo Firme to the new wave of stars. Plus: a data-driven look at the top Latin acts globally, and a directory of key labels, bookers, digital marketers and other businesses. 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 by chatting, sharing photos, blogging and help give users back their fair share of Internet revenue.
Tomorrowland Looks to Expand to Three Weekends to Recover Pandemic Losses
Wilmsen notes that it’s currently unclear how long it might take for the municipalities to evaluate this request. “We hope soon,” she says. The pandemic has dealt a series of blows to Tomorrowland, which typically hosts roughly 400,000 attendees over two weekends each summer. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Tomorrowland has been forced to cancel six festivals — four total weekends in Belgium (in 2019 and 2020) and a pair of Tomorrowland’s winter events in France. Wilmsen says that organizers never intended to expand to three weekends, but are doing so in an attempt to recoup 5 million euros ($5.8 million) in lost revenue the company experienced in 2021 and an additional 20 million euros ($23 million) in anticipated losses. Expanding to three weekends woul...
Australia’s Top Promoters Launch Contest for Concert Tickets, But You Must be Vaccinated to Apply
To be eligible, you must be over 18; be a resident of Australia; enter within the competition window (Sept. 15-Nov. 30); answer a simple question; and “be fully vaccinated under the Australian national COVID-19 vaccination program,” a statement reads. Winners will get a plus-one to see the likes of Dua Lipa, Alanis Morissette, Kiss, Lorde, David Gray, Tyler, the Creator and many others, with the concerts calendar adding dates on a daily basis. The novel campaign is an extension of #VAXTHENATION, a nationwide call-out launched earlier this month, and led by hundreds of musicians, industry leaders and businesses. It’s an initiative of the so-called LIVE Alliance, a gathering of industry stakeholders and advocates, including the Association of Artist Managers (AAM), APRA AMCOS, ARIA, Australi...
Lil Nas X’s ‘Montero’ Leads U.K. Chart Race
At the halfway stage, just 400 combined sales separate Montero from the No. 2-placed album, Bob Dylan’s Springtime in New York – Bootleg 16 (Sony Music CG), the market leader on physical sales. Springtime is on pace to be the legendary singer and songwriter’s 41st U.K. Top 10 album. Meanwhile, Drake’s former leader Certified Lover Boy (OVO/Republic Records) is at No. 3, while prog-rock titans Genesis bow at No. 4 with the career-retrospective The Last Domino (UMC/Virgin), which could give the British band their first Top 10 album in seven years. According to the OCC, just 2,500 combined sales separate Montero and the fifth-placed album Green With Envy (Atlantic), the debut from British rapper Tion Wayne. Also chasing top tier debuts are titles from Spiritbox (Eternal Blue at No. 8 via...
China’s Version of TikTok Limits Kids’ Screen Time to 40 Minutes Per Day
TikTok owner Bytedance is set to bring in screen time caps for Douyin, the Chinese version of the phenomenally successful app, for users under 14 years old as Beijing continues to crack down on the influence of tech companies in the country. According to a report in Bloomberg, Douyin made significant changes to its ‘youth’ mode last week, limiting daily usage time to a maximum of 40 minutes for those aged under 14 and also banning them from accessing the app from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. The company has now also rolled out a new youth-orientated version on Douyin, dubbed Xiao Qu Xing or ‘Little Fun Star,’ that, via its algorithm, promotes and prioritizes more educational videos and allows users to like but not upload their own clips. You Deserve to Make...
