INDUSTRY
Twitch Streamers Face Permabans After String of New DMCA Strikes
Both the video game and music communities were put on alert yesterday after it was discovered that a large number of DMCA takedown requests were filed against a multitude of Twitch streamers. The requests have targeted the background music in recorded clips from streams taking place from 2017 to 2019. A popular streamer on the platform, fuslie, shared her experience with the strikes and revealed that Twitch support told her that in order to avoid a potential permaban, she should delete all of her clips. The recent developments have left many wondering what the future of livestreamed DJ sets looks like, as playing a set with any non-original songs could leave an artist vulnerable to takedown strikes. While it appears as though almost every genre is included, Dexerto is reporting t...
Australia’s Concert Industry Introduces $345 Million COVID-19 Rebuilding Plan
Live Performance Australia, a prominent body representing promoters, event producers, theatres, concert venues, performing arts centres, arts and music festivals, and more, have formulated an AUD $345 million rebuilding proposal for the live entertainment industry. In 2018, Australia’s concert industry was worth USD $1.4 billion in ticket sales alone. However, according to a report from Digital Music News, the Australian music sector has lost AUD $340 million this year following sweeping cancellations in the wake of COVID-19. Live Performance Australia’s two-year “COVID-19: Live Performance Industry Rebuild & Recovery Package” poses that a similar figure will need to be disbursed in its goal to reopen Australia’s live concert industry, which...
Volunteers Create List of Over 1,000 Black Artists and Labels to Support on Bandcamp Today
As part of Bandcamp‘s “#BandcampFriday” initiative in which the music platform waives its share of sales to provide relief to creators during the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of anonymous volunteers has taken it upon themselves to compile an expansive list of Black artists and labels to support. The list, which features over 1,000 entries, was formulated and shared amid nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer. The vast majority of the music industry took part in a sweeping blackout on Tuesday, June 2nd to align with the protests and many are now amplifying their efforts to support racial justice and equality, including Bandcamp and Spotify, among others. You can check out the full list, which is housed in ...
Khalid, Wax Motif, Bebe Rexha, More Speak Out on Breonna Taylor’s Would-Be 27th Birthday
As protests continue to mount following the death of George Floyd, other slain members of the Black community at the hands of police are reentering the fray in the fight for racial justice and equality. One such case is that of Breonna Taylor, an emergency medical technician who was fatally shot by officers following a raid on the wrong home by police, who had been looking for two suspects who were already in custody at the time. Breonna Taylor’s 27th birthday would have been today, June 5th, 2020, and many people on Twitter have mobilized to send birthday cards, custom artwork, and other tributes in honor of her. A petition was also created to demand justice for Taylor, which you can sign here. Check out a list of reactions from the dance music community and music industry...
Live Nation’s Festival Republic Drafts “Full Capacity Plan” to Get Live Music Up and Running by November in the UK
Melvin Benn, the managing director at Live Nation‘s Festival Republic, has unveiled his “Full Capacity Plan” with regards to reopening the entertainment and hospitality industries in the UK, which he recently discussed on BBC Radio 1’s Newsbeat. The mission is to get them fully operational by November through partnering with the National Health Service (NHS) COVID-19 track and trace app that is currently in development. What this means is that only people who have recently tested negative for the virus would be able to attend music venues, sporting events, theatres, and restaurants. Benn is also championing the initiative as a major incentive for people to begin using the NHS app. The app tracks and traces users’ whereabouts, allowing them to know if they̵...
Watch Protesters Chant to a Dirtybird Song in Detroit, the Birthplace of Techno Music
Following a sweeping music industry blackout on Tuesday, June 2nd, a litany of record labels, streaming services, brands, and artists have implemented robust programs and donated millions of dollars to organizations fighting for racial equality and justice following George Floyd’s death. As nationwide protests continue to mount, many in the dance music community have made their efforts to support the Black Lives Matter movement known. One such supporter is Dirtybird, the beloved house and techno label that has grown to become one of the biggest tastemakers in electronic music. At a recent protest in Detroit, activists marched through the streets and chanted while using a Dirtybird song as a soundtrack, prompting the label to react on Twitter. “People protesting with o...
Mobile Game Developer Gismart Creates Opportunities for Musicians with “Games For Artists” Program
Those familiar with the video game industry know that mobile games have become a driving force in the digital realm. Due to the often casual nature of the games, they’ve been able to garner players that fall outside the traditional gamer demographic. While there are certainly lengthy mobile games that bode well with the hardcore gamer demographic, one quick look at any app marketplace will reveal how popular “hyper-casual” games are. Hyper-casual games are built around the idea of being easy to play. You won’t find detailed character creation or long cutscenes with rich backstories in these games, but what you will find is something ready to play at the drop of a hat. Designed for people who want to enjoy a game right away and not have to dedicate significant chunks...
Steve Aoki Partners with Forbes and Quicken Loans for Detroit COVID-19 Hackathon
While COVID-19 has made it difficult to host large-scale, in-person hackathons, Forbes and Quicken Loans have teamed up for a four-week virtual event. Created for those under thirty years of age, the “Detroit Hackathon: Accelerating Change” will bring some of the brightest minds in Motor City together in an attempt to create the next innovative solution to problems caused by the ongoing pandemic. Attendees will be able to receive mentorship from some of the finest in both technology and business. Included in the program is Quicken Loans’ CEO, Jay Farner, fashion designer and CEO of her eponymous company, Tory Burch, and Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom, among others. Particularly exciting for those who love EDM is Steve Aoki, who has b...
New Socially Distanced Music Venue, One Night Records, is Set to Open in London
Later this year, London will open its first socially distanced music venue. The “immersive music event and venue,” called One Night Records, is set to open its doors this coming October with its first event, “Lockdown Town.” The venue will be located in London Bridge at a secret location only accessible through hidden tunnels. “We’re going to do it safely, but we’re going to get people back together and we’re going to give them an amazing night,” said Tim Wilson, Managing Director of One Night Records, in a press statement. “The social distancing is part of the show so guests won’t notice it. We want to give Londoners something to book now and to look forward to.” The organizers of O...
The Queen Presents Highest Award for Voluntary Services in Britain to Glastonbury Festival Medics
In the UK, there is no higher honor than that bestowed by the Queen. That is exactly what has happened to the Glastonbury Festival‘s medical team, known as Festival Medical Services (FMS), who have been awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest honor available to a voluntary organization. FMS is the UK’s largest nonprofit registered charity, staffed by volunteers who provide comprehensive on-site medical services to festivals and outdoor events throughout the country. This organization, which has also expanded to other high-profile events in the region,began at the Glastonbury Festival in 1979 and recently celebrated 40 years of service just last year. They have provided doctors, nurses, paramedics, ambulances, x-ray, ultrasound, dentistr...
Aluna Francis of AlunaGeorge Pens Social Media Letter About Racist Experiences in Music Industry
Aluna Francis of renowned musical duo AlunaGeorge took to Instagram today to pen a letter about her experiences with racism in the music industry. Francis, who is the venerated voice behind some of the most celebrated songs in dance music, detailed how she feels “practically invisible” despite her significant contributions to music from white collaborators. “Over the years I’ve accepted my role as the black accessory to white peoples dance music, internally bowing and scraping for these opportunities with no acknowledgement for my contribution because I’m just used to it. I would stand on huge stages singing to thousands of white people, bringing soul, meaning and magic while feeling like an alien,” Francis wrote. “Deep down I know dance music isn’t white m...
DC’s Biggest Nightclubs are Banding Together for Pandemic Rent Relief
While some non-essential businesses are finally being allowed to conduct business again in some US cities, like restaurants, barber shops, and gyms, nightclubs and music venues aren’t so lucky. Low on the priority list for reopening after the perceived peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, US music venues may still face a long road ahead before being allowed to continue operations. Clubs across the nation are feeling the financial strain of such a long shutdown period without the ability to bring in any revenue. According to a report from Eater, in Washington, DC, some of those nightclubs are now banding together to seek relief from the city, which would help to alleviate some of the burden of rent costs. 19 of the capital’s foremost club owners joined forces...
