Blog News Universal Music Africa and superstar French rapper Booba expand exclusive distribution deal, launch new label Deal will see the artist's entire catalog available for the first time across the African continent
News Spotify launches free Premium offer for TikTok users in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland and Turkey Eligible TikTok users can get three or four months free Spotify Premium, depending on the market
News Tencent Music forced to give up exclusive label deals in China (report) China’s State Administration of Market Regulation (SAMR) will also reportedly fine Tencent 500,000 yuan (approx. $77,150)
News TikTok rival YouTube Shorts expands beta into over 100 countries YouTube Shorts is launching a new set of features
News Justin Prakash promoted to CFO of Concord Music Publishing and Concord Theatricals Prakash replaces Kent Hoskins, who was promoted to CFO of Concord in March of this year
News Snoop Dogg to headline virtual festival on VenewLive – a livestream platform backed by HYBE, home of BTS VenewLive is a project from a JV between Big Hit and Kiswe called KBYK Live, in which YG Entertainment and Universal Music Group have also invested
News Over 500,000 artists manage their lyrics through Musixmatch. Now it’s expanding into distribution. New Musixmatch Pro service is set to launch in Q4 2021
News Virgin Music Label and Artist Services launches in Brazil Brazilian superstar duo Henrique & Juliano join the Work Show roster as first signings under the agreement
News UK rap star Wretch 32 inks worldwide publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music Agreement covers future works, plus back catalog
News Sony Music Publishing teams with Australia’s Alberts to rep AC/DC, Vanda, Young & Wright catalogs Sony will administer the entire catalogs of the rock band and legendary songwriting team
News From Queen’s big money to Hipgnosis’ new fund-raise: It’s MBW’s Weekly Round-Up The biggest stories of the past five days – and why they matter
News Portishead release ABBA SOS cover as SoundCloud exclusive via platform’s fan-powered royalties system Release marks the first time the track will be commercially available on a major streaming platform
Analysis News TikTok is parking its tanks on YouTube’s lawn… as report says its users are more engaged than its rival’s TikTok surpasses YouTube for average hours spent per month per user in both the US and the UK on Android
Interviews ‘We want to be as transparent as possible, and as global as possible.’ Sony Music Publishing's Johnny Tennander on staying creative, and running the firm's Scandinavian company during a pandemic
News Actually… Universal Music Group spent nearly $3 BILLION on catalog acquisitions and artist advances last year Vivendi's annual report shows that UMG splashed out $2.87 billion on catalogs and artist advances in 2020
Interviews ‘Managers should be well compensated and own equity in what we’re developing.’ Music managers Ty Stiklorius and Lily Crockford discuss their newly agreed partnership, why the UK’s traditional artist/manager deal is no longer fit for purpose and the issue with ‘hustle culture’ in the US
News Indian rapper Badshah was the world’s No.1 songwriter on YouTube last year, says new report Second biggest songwriter on YouTube last year was Tones and I, shows Blokur data
News Primary Wave buys 50% stake in master recordings of musician Chris Isaak in ‘multi-million dollar’ deal Deal includes a strategic alliance that will allow him to sign new artists to a joint venture, as well as a recording contract with Sun Records