Christmas 2020 news 17 Dec 2020
News and features from 18 December-3 January. Updated daily.
4/1/21 - most content has now been moved to the RotD daily email
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BUSINESS
Live Nation to raise another $500m in debt sale. (Billboard)
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NEWS
Sandie Shaw blasts Spotify for handing out a fortune to former royals for podcast while paying only small amount in royalties to musicians. (Mail)
US charts: Taylor Swift's Evermore debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 with a figure of 329,000. (Billboard)
Maxwell’s Restaurants, which owns nightclub Café de Paris in London's West End, has gone into liquidation, leading to the loss of 400 jobs. (Times)
Printworks London tweeted "following a review via Arts Council England's official complaints procedure we’re delighted to announce that the original decision has been overturned and we’ve now been awarded a grant".
@mreazi has now surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify across all credits.
@marshmellomusic and @thegreatkhalid's "Silence" has now surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify.
@edsheeran's "Photograph" has now surpassed 1.5 billion streams on Spotify. It’s just the tenth song to hit this milestone.
@halsey’s "Without Me" has now earned over 1.5 billion on-demand streams in the US.
@the1975’s 'The 1975' has now surpassed 1.5 billion streams on Spotify.
@ArianaGrande becomes the first artist in history to surpass 80 million monthly listeners on Spotify (81.18M).
@taylorswift13's "Shake It Off" has now surpassed 3 billion views on YouTube. It's her most watched video.
@katyperry and @taylorswift13 are the only female artists to have a music video with at least 3 billion views on YouTube.
@rihanna’s 'Unapologetic' has now surpassed 2 billion streams on Spotify.
@lauvsongs' '~how i'm feeling~' has now surpassed 2 billion streams on Spotify.
43 different albums reached #1 on the UK albums chart in 2020, the most in a single calendar year in history.
@DUALIPA's 'Future Nostalgia' has now surpassed 3 billion streams on Spotify. It's the first 2020 album by a female artist to hit this milestone.
@lizzo's "Truth Hurts" has now earned over 1 billion on-demand streams in the US.
@JBALVIN has now surpassed 25 billion streams on Spotify across all credits. He's the fourth artist to hit this milestone.
In 2020, @DUALIPA became the first female artist in Spotify history to have four songs with over 1 billion streams each.
1.445 million vinyl albums were sold in the US in the week ending December 17, marking the biggest vinyl sales week in Soundscan history. #1 seller was @taylorswift13’s ‘folklore'.
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DIGITAL
A privacy advocate points out that his premium Spotify account in the UK shares his listening data with 246 different third party advertising vendors (each with their own privacy policy), and alleges the company is using 'dark patterns’ in user interface design to confuse. (Twitter)
Underground remixers have chosen to upload their creations as podcast episodes to Spotify, hoping to circumvent copyright infringement detection by the platform. (Variety)
Spotify has almost doubled its UK workforce to more than 400 staff. (SundayTelegraph)
Square, the mobile payment app led by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, might end up acquiring Tidal. Dorsey and Jay Z have reportedly discussed a possible sale, but it is unclear if the alleged negotiations will actually result in an acquisition. (Vibe)
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FEATURES
The best albums and songs of 2020 (BBC - Mark Savage)
The best songs of 2020 (MoS - Tim de Lisle)
Best albums of 2020 in a mixed year for pop. (FT - Ludovic Hunter-Tilney)
The 40 best albums of 2020 (Independent) Fiona Apple's Fetch the Bolt Cutters tops the list.
With Machine Gun Kelly and Post Malone swapping gold grills for guitars this year, are white rappers using Black aesthetics becoming a thing of the past? (Guardian)
British tech entrepreneur Rob Lewis hopes his karaoke service Roxi will help reunite fractured households this Christmas. (Mail)
With streaming down and the collapse of live shows, it’s been a difficult year for artists – but music has still offered solace. (Guardian - Leonie Cooper)
Artist features:
Rapper MF DOOM died on 31 October. Here he is remembered by Tyler, the Creator, Flying Lotus, El-P, and more. (Pitchfork)
MF Doom: a hip-hop genius who built his own universe of poetry. (Guardian - Stevie Chick)
Arlo Parks: ‘People like to write that I was confused about my sexuality – but I never felt that’. (Independent - Ellie Harrison)
Elliott Smith, who died in 2003, is inspiring fans in a younger generation, led by Phoebe Bridgers. (SundayTimes - Richard Godwin)
Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, aka Bad Bunny, was the most streamed artist on the planet in 2020. (Times - Ben Hoyle)
Ahead of his tenth series of The Voice, will.i.am offers his thoughts on an ever-changing world. (Telegraph - Guy Kelly)
Paul Heaton: ‘If my manager says: “Don't do something stupid!” I know it’s a thing to do’. (Guardian - Niall Doherty)
Lauren Mayberry on Chvrches' spent the year sitting alone with her thoughts, hopes, dreams and self-loathing – and poured it all into song. (Guardian - Alim Kheraj)
As she prepares to ring in 2021 with a performance on screens at Piccadilly Circus, Patti Smith explains why she’s optimistic amid the ‘debris’ of Trump’s years in office. (Guardian - Fiona Sturges)
Jean-Michel Jarre on how his avatar will play live in the cathedral on New Year’s Eve. (Times - Sarfraz Manzoor)
David Byrne: “I have a little bit of hope. Not every day, but some days”. (NME)
Crying on the dancefloor: How dance music got emotional in 2020. (Independent - Sean Griffiths)
On the eve of the release of her debut album, Arlo Parks discusses weird dreams about Harry Styles and the Gucci bag that got away. (Face - Craig McLean)
Q&A: Busta Rhymes (Guardian)
Fame & fortune: Don Black, lyricist (SundayTelegraph)
Jamie Cullum’s guide to writing the perfect Christmas album. (SundayTimes - Jonathan Dean)
For writer James Graham, one plus side of 2020 was being able to work with Elton John and Jake Shears on a new musical telling the wild story of televangelist turned gay icon Tammy Faye Bakker. (Guardian)
Sixty years after he first appeared on Desert Island Discs, Cliff Richard returns to talk about suing the BBC and why he never married. (Guardian)
The Beatles were on the brink of breaking up, but new footage shows it was still love. (Mail, Sun)
This much I know: Luke Goss (Observer)
Multiply by Dora Jar and other new tracks (Guardian - Mark Beaumont)
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SHOWBIZ
Ed Sheeran's touring company Nathan Cable Touring recorded turnover of more than £70m and profits of £37m in the year to 31 March. His Ed Sheeran Ltd firm, which gets money from the writing, recording and production of his music, made a £29m profit on turnover of £48.1m. (Sun)
Robbie Williams's You’re Not Famous company turned over £19.8m in 2019. (Sun)
George Michael's sound recording and music publishing company Nobby’s Hobbies Holdings netted £4.3m alone last year, taking the net worth of the late singer’s music businesses to £8.3m. (Sun)
Cardi B has finally settled a two-year, $30m battle with her former manager Klenord “Shaft” Raphael, who claimed he discovered the rapper in 2015. (AllHipHop)
Nile Rodgers tweeted "My mom #BeverlyGoodman #RIP passed away around 6am today. I breathed some of my 1st breaths with her and she breathed some of her last with me. My brothers and I will contact everyone soon. Today I'm numb".
Experts are predicting that by the end of the decade, the average pop song will be around the two-minute mark as attention spans decrease. (Telegraph)
The Neverland ranch of Michael Jackson has reportedly been sold to billionaire investor Ron Burkle for a quarter of its initial asking price. (BBC)
Wham!’s Last Christmas has reached No 1 in the UK singles chart for the first time, 36 years after it was first released. (Guardian)
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REVIEWS
Albums
Eminem (Telegraph - 4* Neil McCormick, Standard - 3* David Smyth, Guardian- 3* Alexis Petridis, FT - 2* Ludovic Hunter-Tilney)
Paul McCartney (Standard - 4* David Smyth)
Billy Childish (FT - 4* David Cheal)
Various artists: Southeast of Saturn (FT - 4* Ludovic Hunter-Tilney)
Steve Earle and the Dukes (Observer - Neil Spencer)
Drive-By Truckers (Observer - Phil Mongredien)
Steve Earle & The Dukes (FT - 4* David Cheal)
Barry Gibb (MoS - 5* Tim de Lisle)
Singles
David Bowie 'Mother'/'Tryin To Get To Heaven' (MoS - 4* Tim de Lisle)
Live
Boy George and Culture Club - Wembley SSE Arena (Telegraph - 3* Ali Shutler)
Hot Chip and friends - livestream (Telegraph - 3* James Hall)
Fleet Foxes livestream (Observer - Kitty Empire)
Books
The Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne (Times - 4* James Jackson)
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BIGGER PICTURE
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INTERNATIONAL
In the US, the Covid-19 Stimulus Bill could make illegal streaming of works including movies and music tracks carry a penalty of up to 10 years in jail. (Billboard)
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NEWS & PRESS
Payday Music Publishing expands LA operations
New Synch Hires, Coachella Sessions and Studio Expansion Payday Music Publishing (‘Payday Publishing’), the leading independent publishers of Electronic Dance Music, Pop, Hip-Hop, Jazz and Reggae, has announced two senior hires to further bolster its LA based sync department.Jamey Sussman and...more
LIVE Trust welcomes first £500k in ticket contribution pledges
“An excellent start, with more to come” – Jon Collins, CEO LIVE LIVE (Live music Industry Venues & Entertainment), which represents 15 live music industry organisations, has announced that the LIVE Trust, a transformative new funding initiative that will offer much...more
NTIA Celebrates Milestone as International Nightlife Association Gains Full United Nations NGO Status, Elevating Global Night Time Economy
Only four months after obtaining consultative status, the INA is now recognised as a Full Member of CoNGO, further solidifying nightlife's global relevance. The International Nightlife Association (INA) announces its elevation to Full Member status within the Conference of Non-Governmental Organisations...more
Henri Lanz appointed as Senior International A&R & Creative Advisor for Warner Music Nordics
Warner Music Nordics has made a significant addition to its senior leadership team with the appointment of Henri Lanz, one of the region's most respected music industry experts. The award-winning producer, successful songwriter and experienced music industry executive has taken up...more
UniteSync: How a Producer Merged Information Science and Artistic Passion to Find Songwriters and Musicians' Unpaid Royalties
Carlos Palop should have been living the dream. A producer and electronic artist, Palop was seeing real traction with some of his lofi tracks. Streams were picking up--and yet the more he looked at his royalty statements, the more discrepancies...more
David Arnold and Anne Nikitin in conversation at The Ivors Academy Summit 2025
Acclaimed composers David Arnold and Anne Nikitin will be in conversation at The Ivors Academy Summit supported by ICE and PRS for Music on 20 May in London, a major new event designed to empower songwriters and composers with the practical knowledge, tools and connections to make...more
Impala welcomes European Commission's scrutiny of acquisition of Downtown by Universal Music Group
IMPALA, the European association of independent music companies, welcomes the European Commission’s decision to investigate the proposed merger between Universal Music Group (UMG) and Downtown Music Holdings, home to companies such as Fuga, CD Baby, Songtrust, Curve, AdRev, as well...more
Moby and Little Walnut Productions Relaunch mobygratis: Free Music Access for All Creators
Platform now offers 500 new unreleased tracks, multitrack audio, and upgraded tools to empower independent creatives On Thursday, April 24, 2025, internationally renowned musician and activist Moby announced the relaunch of mobygratis at NeueHouse Hollywood. Powered by Little Walnut Productions, mobygratis...more
Music venue SWX Bristol relaunches as Electric Bristol
Electric Group, the UK's fastest growing music venue operator behind iconic spaces like Electric Brixton and NX Newcastle, announces the rebranding of SWX Bristol to Electric Bristol. This exciting new chapter cements the venue's status as a key player in the UK's live touring music scene...more
Armada Music Publishing Inks New Deals with Bloom Twins, SHELLS and Trance Wax
The publisher has also extended its deal with Da Beatfreakz following the massive success of their 26x platinum hit ‘Prada’ last year Armada Music Publishing, the dedicated publishing division of Armada Music Group, has announced a slate of new deals with...more
Young Music Boss Announces 2025 YMBAwards Nominees, Celebrating the Power Behind the Hits
The Young Music Boss Awards (YMBAwards) is delighted to reveal the nominees for its 2025 edition, recognising the vital architects behind the music industry’s biggest success stories. Taking place on Thursday, 12th June 2025 in London, this year’s ceremony will...more
Spitfire Audio collaborates with The Last of Us composer Gustavo Santaolalla to create new virtual instrument 'Ronroco'
THE SOULFUL SIGNATURE SOUND OF HIS ICONIC RONROCO, HEARD IN OSCAR AND GRAMMY WINNING SCORES, IS DEEPLY SAMPLED IN EXPERTLY PROGRAMMED NEW PLUGIN Composer Gustvo Santaolalla’s journey has been extraordinary. His mastery of this underappreciated Andean instrument has been applied to...more
M83's Anthony Gonzalez announces new label Other Suns
ANTHONY GONZALEZ announces details of his Other Suns record label and its forthcoming releases. M83’s A Necessary Escape; the soundtrack to anticipated film Dakar Chronicles (French title) / Dakar: Race Against the Desert (International title), out 27th June. He will also...more
Indies on a roll as Record Store Day UK reaches historic high
All-time record of 278 Shops Participate 18% uplift in sales to all-time-high Over 70 additional events including performances " Preliminary results from Record Store Day – held on April 12 – confirm that it was the largest and most successful yet in...more
MPG Awards 2025 - Winners
The Music Producers Guild, in association with Dolby and Mix With The Masters, has revealed the winners of their 2025 MPG Awards at a sold-out celebration at The Troxy in East London. The night honoured the producers, engineers and studios who are shaping the future of recorded...more
Universal Music UK announces new leadership in its Communications & Policy team
Universal Music UK (UMUK) today announces the appointment of two new leaders in its communications and policy team, who will have responsibility for leading initiatives across all parts of the Universal Music UK business. Rachel Tregenza, who has been with Universal...more
New survey reveals UK fans want greater transparency over AI generated music
Four in every five music listeners believe that human creativity is essential to music, and that music must not be ingested by AI systems unless authorised, new survey reveals More than 1,750 music listeners across the UK were surveyed as part...more
Nominations announced for The Ivors with Amazon Music 2025
Lola Young receives three nominations in her first year of recognition by The Ivors Academy RAYE, Ghetts and Conor Dickinson each receive two nominations Charli xcx, Ghetts, Jordan Rakei, Lola Young and BERWYN in contention for Best Album Wham!’s “Last Christmas” in the...more
Limitless Live announce winners of the Limitless Black Influence Awards 2025
LIMITLESS LIVE ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH BLOOD DONOR CHARITY ACLT & AFTV MEDIA The Limitless Black Influence Awards are proud to announce this year’s winners, celebrating the outstanding contributions of Black influencers and change-makers across ten dynamic industries. These awards shine...more
University of Westminster Music Degree course celebrates 30 years & makes history
BBC hit comedy drama BOARDERS Original Soundtrack album announcedReleased 2 MayFirst single ‘Gold’ by Joy & Jee Melodies will drop 24AprilDownload single here, Listen to full album here & Album DSP link here Announcing BOARDERS Original Soundtrack - a unique collection of Black music from the next generation of composers graduating...more
Better Noise Music announce four new key signings
BETTER NOISE MUSIC ANNOUNCE FOUR NEW KEY SIGNINGS YELLOWCARD, SABATON, THE RASMUS, IN THIS MOMENT AS PART OF WIDER EXPANSION MOVE FOLLOWING CATALOG SALE BETTER NOISE MUSIC, fresh from celebrating its fifth year as #1 Billboard and Media Base Active Rock Radio label, is further...more
Diplo signs global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music
The Multi-GRAMMY Award-Winning Global Force Continues to Redefine the Modern Music Landscape Warner Chappell Music (WCM) has signed a worldwide administration deal with the highly acclaimed, award-winning DJ, record producer, and label executive, Diplo. The thirteen-time GRAMMY nominee and three-time winner...more
Bucks signs Man Power to worldwide deal
Bucks Music Group has signed DJ and music producer Man Power to an exclusive worldwide publishing deal. With a genre spanning discography that takes in a who’s who of both the biggest and the most esoteric record labels working in house,...more
IMS Business Report - Electronic music industry grew 6% year-on-year in 2024, reaching $12.9 billion global valuation
IMS Ibiza, the annual thought-leadership summit at the intersection of electronic music, culture, technology, and business, today unveils the IMS Business Report 2025. Presented live early today at IMS Ibiza, the report returns for its eleventh edition, authored for the third...more
Winners of American Songwriter's 2024 Song Contest
The Grand Prize Winner, as well as the First and Second Place Category Winners were selected by an esteemed panel of judges which included artists such as Jason Mraz, Katie Gavin, Lauv, MarcLo, Quinn XCII, AJ McLean, Tiera Kennedy and...more
Music Venue Trust launch Annual Report with Special Event in Scottish Parliament
Report Reveals Scottish Grassroots Music Venues Subsidised Live Music by £14 million in 2024 Charity calls on MSPs to enforce business rates relief for all grassroots music venues under 1500 capacity Music Venue Trust (MVT), which represents hundreds of UK grassroots music...more
Warp Publishing joins IMPEL
Iconic company has a diverse roster including Boards of Canada, Slowdive, Khruangbin, Danny Brown, Speakers Corner Quartet, Autechre and more. Warp Publishing is a leading independent music publishing company with offices in London and Los Angeles. It grew out of Warp...more
Data & Communication Save Fuel Says New AGF Report
A Greener Future has released a report revealing the current status and future trends in the use of power at festivalsThe Low Emission Festivals Report examines current energy management practices at events and identifies opportunities for improvement. The report, which is based on...more
The F-List Youth Industry Network to Empower Young Women and Gender Diverse Individuals in Music
The F-List Youth Industry Network to Empower Young Women and Gender Diverse Individuals in Music – Application Deadline Extended to 8th May 2025 The F-List for Music is proud to announce the launch of the Youth Industry Network, a pioneering...more
Sony Music Publishing Nashville & Marv Green Sign Rising Singer-Songwriter Caiden Wallace
Sony Music Publishing Nashville, in partnership with legendary songwriter Marv Green, today announced the signing of breakthrough country singer-songwriter Caiden Wallace to a global publishing agreement. The co-venture will see Marv Green’s Out Yonder Music working alongside SMP to advance...more
THE HEADLINES
How economic volatility will impact US labels’ fandom monetisation push (see Comment)
Spotify is said to be raising its subscription prices across Europe and Latin America (see Digital)
Culture Secretary to review the Music Export Growth Scheme (see News)
The music industry wants solutions. But do listeners see problems? (see Comment)
The next generation of independent music tastemakers (see Features)
BPI survey confirms music consumers believe human creativity is fundamental to music (see Reports)
Eight UK cities join forces for 'Music Fans Voice' survey (see Reports)
Did the Spotify 1,000 stream rule cost artists $47m?
Meet the editors crafting some of Spotify’s top playlists (see Features)
Two Guardian music writers spent a week assessing the limits of living with and without Spotify (see Features)
Ruth Barlow of AIM and Beggars Group on UMG, Downtown and why she believes ‘regulators must act’ (see Comment)
Jack Dorsey says it’s time to ‘delete all IP law’ — and Elon Musk agrees — amid continued AI training debate (see News)
Viagogo's anti-consumer practices show why only a price cap can stop law-breaking ticket touts (see News)