Music Business News: North America

From Drake and Kanye’s blockbuster albums to Apple Music’s new DJ Mix technology: It’s MBW’s Weekly Round-up

The biggest stories of the past five days – and why they matter

Apple Music is now using Shazam technology to identify tracks in DJ Mixes so that rightsholders get paid

Thousands of mixes are already available on Apple Music

Round Hill Music Royalty Fund acquires catalog of Dennis Elliott, former drummer of Foreigner

Foreigner has sold more than 80 million records worldwide, including 37.5m in the US

Brands can now sponsor Spotify’s personalized Release Radar playlist

Release Radar is the platform's third personalised playlist to be made available for sponsorship

Tim Dadson promoted to General Counsel at SoundExchange, Brieanne Jackson upped to Deputy General Counsel

Colin Rushing stepping down as Chief Legal Officer

Virtual artists are an opportunity for the music business – not an enemy

Spirit Bomb's Ian Simon on why he believes avatars can change the music biz – all for the better

Drake’s Certified Lover Boy, Spotify, and the destruction of the all-dominant streaming superstar

What the performance of Drizzy's new studio record tells us about a growing trend in the music business

SESAC President and COO Kelli Turner to exit, succeeded by Scott Jungmichel

Scott Jungmichel promoted to President and COO