International
PRS for Music Warns of Hard Times Ahead as Revenues Drop 20%
The collecting society, which represents more than 10 million musical works and has 155,000 members, says that a projected rise in online royalty income won’t be enough to offset the loss of public performance distributions, which PRS expects to fall by at least 10% in 2021. Much of the £699 million PRS distributed in 2020 — an increase of 2% over 2019 — came from royalties collected pre-pandemic, meaning the dramatic fall in income will be felt hardest by its members in 2021 and beyond, PRS for Music CEO Andrea Czapary Martin tells Billboard. “It has been a tough time and it will be a tough time again this year,” says Martin. “Our revenues will go up this year, but not back to the levels of 2019.” Globally, performance rights revenues fell by 10.1% to $2.3 billion in 2020 as a...
UK Primed to Resume Live Shows While Rest of Europe Struggles
While the United Kingdom appears poised to resume full-capacity outdoor shows this summer, many other European markets will be forced to wait until at least the fall. Greek doesn’t expect indoor shows to resume in continental Europe before the end of the year, but he does expect them in the United Kingdom by September. And with most U.S. artists choosing not to tour Europe due to a paucity of tour dates and the possibility of new virus restrictions, local U.K. and European acts will take center stage as headliners. Dieter Semmelman, CEO of Berlin-based Semmel Concerts, sees “no chance” of a return to live music events in Germany this summer and, instead, is focused on saving about 300 concerts scheduled for October through December. “It’s not a good feeling” that other markets are ahead of...
BTS Are Louis Vuitton’s New Brand Ambassadors: See Pics
BTS are the new brand ambassadors for Louis Vuitton, as both parties announced on Thursday (April 22) via Twitter. The iconic luxury brand ushered in the partnership by sharing pictures of the septet dressed in pastel suiting juxtaposed with more casual sneakers. In a statement shared on social media, Louis Vuitton tweeted: “Joining as new Ambassadors, the world renowned pop icons @bts_bighit are recognized for their uplifting messages that impart a positive influence. Louis Vuitton is pleased to welcome members, RM, Jin, Suga, J-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook.” 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 B...
Herbie Hancock, Andra Day, Jacob Collier Salute International Jazz Day’s 10th Anniversary
“Our International Jazz Day community has displayed incredible resilience, creativity, ingenuity and compassion throughout the immense challenges of the past year,” said Hancock in announcing the annual event. “While the global pandemic continues to make life difficult for so many around the world, the example of organizers from Nepal to Mexico to Cameroon inspires us to greet this historic 10th anniversary milestone with joy, courage and hope for the future of jazz.” Grammy Award-winning artist Hancock also serves as artistic director and John Beasley as musical director of the All-Star Global Concert, whose slate of jazz performers represents more than 20 countries. In addition to New York, performances will take place in Los Angeles, the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, Cape Town, Moscow, ...
Lil Nas X’s ‘Montero’ Climbs to Australian Chart Summit
There’s a new leader on the ARIA Albums Chart as London Grammar’s Californian Soil (Dew Process/Universal) debuts in the top spot. It’s their first No. 1 in three tries. California Soil is the followup to Truth Is A Beautiful Thing, which hit No. 3 in June 2017, while their debut If You Wait reached No. 2 in September 2013. The British trio will tour these parts in February 2022. The Offspring narrowly miss out on a third crown with Let The Bad Times Roll (Concord/Universal), the U.S. punk veterans’ first LP in nine years. Bad Times rolls in at No. 2 for their eighth Top Ten in Australia. The Offspring previously ruled the ARIA Albums Chart with Smash (February 1995) and Americana (January 1999). Finally, international artists Alex Henry Foster and AJ Tracey make their ARIA Chart debu...
Aurora Achieving ‘Runaway’ Success on Billboard Global Charts Thanks to TikTok Trend
The song hits the Global Excl. U.S. chart’s top 40 and leaps 130-49 on the Global 200. In 2015, Norwegian singer-songwriter Aurora released her debut EP, Running With the Wolves. She followed in 2016 with her first full-length, All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend, which reached No. 28 on Billboard‘s U.S.-based Top Rock Albums chart. Both sets begin with the song “Runaway.” Fast-forward to 2021 and the track is gaining more widespread worldwide recognition on the back of, what else? TikTok virality. On the latest lists, dated April 24, “Runaway” leaps 99-34 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart and 130-49 on the Billboard Global 200. “Runaway” received its own colorful interactive TikTok filter that dramatically changes the backlighting from da...
Paul McCartney, Chris Martin Join Pleas for Streaming Royalty Reform
The letter, backed by the Musicians’ Union and U.K. songwriters and composers body The Ivors Academy, is also signed by Bob Geldof, Boy George, Noel Gallagher, Damon Albarn, Jimmy Page and Kate Bush. It comes amid a U.K. Parliamentary probe into the streaming business that has seen major labels’ dominance of the market emerge as a central issue. The inquiry, which is being led by the Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) Committee, is looking into the economic impact music streaming is having on artists, record labels and the wider music industry. The first stage of the inquiry concluded March 22 with government minister Caroline Dinenage saying she would support a referral of the three biggest music companies — Universal Music, Sony Music and Warner Music — to the CMA. Rou...
London Grammar Hurtling to U.K. Chart Crown With ‘Californian Soil’
It’s an all-new Top 5 on the Official Chart Update, which sees AJ Tracey’s second studio album Flu Game (Revenge Records) at No. 2 (it’s the most-streamed album of the week so far); followed by The Offspring’s first new album in almost a decade, Let The Bad Times Roll (Concord); veteran Irish rock singer Imelda May’s sixth LP 11 Past The Hour (Decca); and blues-rock band Greta Van Fleet‘s sophomore LP, The Battle at Garden’s Gate (EMI), respectively. Taylor Swift’s current leader Fearless (Taylor’s Version) (EMI) looks likely to lose its crown after one week. It slumps 1-7 on the midweek chart. Meanwhile, a boxed set reissue of Jethro Tull’s A (Rhino) could catapult the 1980 album into the Top 10 for the first time. It’s at No. 8 on the chart blast. Rounding out the Top 1...
Lil Nas X’s ‘Montero’ & Justin Bieber’s ‘Peaches’ Continue Atop Billboard Global Charts
Billboard‘s two global charts (the latest of which are dated April 24) began last September and rank songs based on streaming and sales activity culled from more than 200 territories around the world, as compiled by MRC Data. The Billboard Global 200 is inclusive of worldwide data and the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart comprises data from territories excluding the U.S. Chart rankings are based on a weighted formula incorporating official-only streams on both subscription and ad-supported tiers of audio and video music services, as well as download sales, the latter of which reflect purchases from full-service digital music retailers from around the world, with sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites excluded from the charts’ calculations. ‘Montero’ Holds Atop G...
Lil Nas X’s ‘Montero’ Chasing Fourth Week at No. 1 In U.K.
While Lil Nas X appears to have the upper hand in the chart battle, there’s plenty of action down below. Riton x Nightcrawlers’ club track “Friday” featuring Mufasa & Hypeman is the most downloaded song of the weekend, and is on track for a new high. In its tenth week in the Top 10, “Friday” lifts 6-2, two places above its peak. At this early stage, the highest climber is Olivia Rodrigo’s “Déjà Vu,” up 26-12. The followup to “Drivers License,” it’s the second single from the U.S. teen’s debut studio album Sour, due out May 21. Meanwhile, singles from Tom Grennan, Masked Wolf, Mimi Webb, Ava Max and Silk Sonic are on the rise, based on the OCC’s chart blast. The Official U.K. Singles Chart is published late Friday local time. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates...
Taylor Swift Smashes Records In Australia as ‘Fearless (Taylor’s Version)’ Debuts at No. 1
According to ARIA, the 17 weeks that separate evermore first summiting and the debut of Fearless (Taylor’s Version) sets the record for the shortest span between different albums to reach the top, beating Swift’s own mark of 20 weeks between her last two LPs. Three tracks from it impact the singles chart this week, led by “Mr. Perfectly Fine (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)”, new at No. 19. Swift’s tally of eight No. 1 albums places her second on the all-time leaderboard for female solo artists, behind only Madonna (with 11). She also sits one release behind Eminem (9) for the most consecutive No. 1s. On the latest ARIA Albums Chart, Justin Bieber’s Justice (Def Jam/Universal) dips 1-2, while veteran Australian artist Richard Clapton starts at No. 3 with Music Is Love (1966-1970) ...
Joy McKean, Australia’s ‘Queen of Country,’ to Receive Ted Albert Award at 2021 APRAs
Now aged 91, McKean composed “The Biggest Disappointment, “Ringer from the Top End,” “Walk a Country Mile” and “Indian Pacific,” and did so while touring regional and remote Australia at a time when the perceived role of women was that of home maker. McKean will be in the room for the presentation during the 2021 APRA Awards, set to take place April 28 in Sydney. Her contribution to Australian country music “as a pioneering songwriter, bush balladeer, touring performer and artist manager is unparalleled,” reads a statement from APRA. The Ted Albert honor “was most unexpected,” she admits in a statement, “and I thank those who must have nominated me for such consideration by APRA.” It’s not the first time McKean been honored for her art and advocacy. In 1991, McKean was awarded th...
