business
Warner Music Becomes Twitch’s First Major-Label Partner
Warner Music Group (WMG) is the first major recording company to partner with Twitch in a deal that will bring WMG artist channels, original music programming and more to the livestreaming platform. To start, WMG is launching artist channels for Warner Records stars Bella Poarch and Saweetie, plus Atlantic Records singer and producer Sueco, where they’ll share exclusive and behind-the-scenes content. Additionally, social media-focused digital media company IMGN — which WMG acquired last year — will produce a slate of original shows like “The Drop,” to discuss music news; “Freestyle Throwdown,” where rappers freestyle based on topics chosen by the audience; and “The One,” where guest artists perform the songs that influenced them. “...
Disney Sues To Maintain Full Rights to All Marvel Characters
Walt Disney Company is filing a series of blockbuster suits to keep full control of the Marvel characters including, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Thor and others. The New York Time has reported that the lawsuits are looking to invalidate copyright termination notices that have been served by these characters’ illustrators. Should Marvel lose the lawsuit, Disney would be forced to share ownership of these billion-dollar characters. The dispute first came into light when Marc Toberoff, a well-known intellectual property lawyer served Disney and Marvel Entertainment copyright terminations on behalf of five of his clients. Amongst those are Lawrence D. Lieber and his older brother, Stan Lee. Other clients including Steve Ditok and Don Heck are also looking to reclai...
Tony Awards 2021: Full List of Winners
Here’s the complete list of winners. The categories are listed in alphabetical order. Best book of a musical Jagged Little Pill, Diablo Cody — WINNERMoulin Rouge! The Musical, John LoganTina: The Tina Turner Musical, Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar, and Kees Prins Best choreography Jagged Little Pill, Sidi Larbi CherkaouiMoulin Rouge! The Musical, Sonya Tayeh — WINNERTina: The Tina Turner Musical, Anthony Van Laast Best costume design in a musical Jagged Little Pill, Emily RebholzTina: The Tina Turner Musical, Mark ThompsonMoulin Rouge! The Musical, Catherine Zuber — WINNER Best costume design in a play Slave Play, Dede AyiteA Soldier’s Play, Dede AyiteThe Inheritance, Bob CrowleyA Christmas Carol, Rob Howell — WINNERThe Rose Tattoo, Clint Ramos Best directi...
Tony Awards 2021: Facts & Feats
Here are noteworthy facts and feats associated with this year’s Tony Awards. Moulin Rouge! the Musical is just the sixth show in Tony history to win 10 or more awards in one night. The Producers (2001) is the all-time champ with 12 wins, followed by Hamilton (2016) with 11 and Hello, Dolly! (1964), Billy Elliot: The Musical (2009), The Band’s Visit (2018) and Moulin Rouge! the Musical with 10 wins each. Moulin Rouge! The Musical did even better at the Tonys than Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film Moulin Rouge! did at the Oscars. (It helps that musicals and dramas have separate categories at the Tonys, whereas they must compete with each other at the Oscars.) The film received eight nominations, including best picture and best actress for Nicole Kidman, but won in just two categories...
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 ...
14 Things That Changed (or Didn’t) at Farm Aid 2021
Here are 14 things that changed — or didn’t — at Farm Aid 2021. Neil Young bowed out Citing his concerns with “the COVID pandemic surging,” Neil Young announced Aug. 18 that he would not join his fellow Farm Aid board members — Nelson, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and Margo Price — at this year’s show, after playing every Farm Aid since it launched in 1985. “I don’t want to let anybody down, but still can’t shake the feeling that it might not be safe for everyone,” Young said in a statement. “While I respect Willie, John and Dave’s decisions to stick with it and play, I am not of the same mind. It is a tough call.” He added: “We will be back. There is much work to do together.” Proof of vaccination or COVID tests were required Farm Aid in mid-August announced...
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...
CTS Eventim Planning North American Expansion, Starting With Big Apple Circus
“North America is the most attractive market in the world for live entertainment and ticketing,” Schulerberg said in a statement. “The platform eventim.com puts us in an ideal position to benefit from the restart there. The sale of tickets for Big Apple Circus is a first step on this journey. We are already in discussions with potential partners and customers about making our cutting-edge ticketing systems available to them soon.” The Big Apple Circus is being co-produced by veteran entertainment executive Michael Cohl, a longtime promoter of bands like The Rolling Stones who briefly served as chairman of Live Nation in 2008. For much of the last decade he’s been producing touring shows through his company S2BN and a recent $10 million payout from the Small Business Administration as part ...
Neumos in Seattle, in a Pandemic: Shows Are Still Canceling
How are things going for you since we last talked? We had our third break in at (my restaurant) Life on Mars. I now have an alarm. The funny thing about me not having an alarm, is that when I moved to Washington in 1991, I sold burglar alarms for three years. I know how shitty they can be with false alarms and everything, so I was like ‘I don’t want an alarm.’ But this time we had a pro job. They came in through the back door, got into the office, took our portable P.O.S. devices and multiple laptops. The other times people broke in, they didn’t get much. This time they got us bad. We’ve got insurance and all that but there is still a deductible. It’s not cheap. It is a pain the ass and I am still dealing w...
The Weeknd, H.E.R. and Motown’s CEO Honored at First BMAC Music in Action Awards
That mission statement remained front and center throughout the nearly three-hour ceremony/dinner during which emotions ran high. The Weeknd, co-recipient of The Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award for his philanthropic support of various charities and organizations including COVID relief, Black Lives Matter and MusiCares, recalled the first time he met the industry icon. “He pulled up to one of my club gigs in Las Vegas; he’s one of the reasons why I started making music,” said the emotional singer, to whom Jones presented the award via videotape. “He said he’d wait for me to visit with fans first before we talked. He was teaching me the lesion that nothing is more important than people and giving back. This is the best award I’ve ever gotten in my life, I swear. I won’t take this for g...
Jenifer Smith Now Heads Urban Tour Marketing at Live Nation Concerts
Jenifer Smith has been named head of urban tour marketing & strategy at Live Nation Concerts. Smith, who oversaw the global marketing efforts for the recently announced Fugees reunion tour, will supervise the team supporting the concerts division’s roster of R&B/hip-hop tours. Among the established and rising artists that Smith will be supporting across tours and key festivals are Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Drake, The Weeknd, Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, H.E.R., Young Thug and Jack Harlow. She will also be developing and building out Live Nation’s urban tour marketing team. In a statement announcing Smith’s new executive post, Omar Al-joulani, head of talent & touring for Live Nation Concerts, said, “Whether it’s artists or our own internal team, Live Nation is always inve...
