Christmas break news 2024 05 Jan 2025
5/1/25 - Key news, features and more have been moved to the daily email, dated 6 January.
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BUSINESS
Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square Capital Management is closing out an investment fund that held a stake in Universal Music Group and is distributing 47m shares of the music company to the fund’s co-investors. (MBW)
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NEWS
Drake claims Spotify helped UMG boost Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us', but Spotify now says the action is a "subversion" of the legal system and never should have been filed. (Billboard, MusicAlly)
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DIGITAL
Why Tidal is focusing on building new DJ tools and content in 2025. (MusicTech)
Is Amazon Music joining Spotify in implementing a 1,000-stream royalties minimum? (DMN)
So long, Kingship — Bored Ape ‘supergroup’ deletes social handles, YouTube channel, and website as NFT fallout continues. (DMN)
Spotify shuts down ‘Unwrapped’ artist royalty calculator with legal threats. (DMN)
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MEDIA
Zoe Ball thanks Radio 2 listeners for ‘special intimate relationship’ and signs off with message of female empowerment. (Guardian) Richie Anderson has also confirmed he will be leaving, as he moves to afternoons on Radio 2. (Sun)
Johnnie Walker was like a big brother to me. (Telegraph - Paul Gambaccini)
Radio 2 listeners vote 'Suspicious Minds' as their favourite Elvis song. (BBC)
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FEATURES
The Top 50 albums of 2024 (Sun) David Gilmour's 'Luck and Strange' tops the list.
Secrets of the best Christmas hits — by the stars who wrote them. (Times - Blanca Schofield)
Mud’s Rob Davis on Keir Starmer, Kylie and the legacy of Lonely This Christmas. (Telegraph - James Hall)
How Spotify and Apple killed the Christmas Number One. (Telegraph - James Hall)
Phil Collins’s physical decline has never been a secret. But a new documentary on his struggles makes for sobering viewing. (Telegraph - Neil McCormick)
How the Oasis reunion tour is fuelling a comeback for the Britpop look. (Observer - Lauren Cochrane)
From Beyoncé awards snub to Brat summer: This year's biggest cultural moments. (BBC)
Singer Alex Kapranos: 'Fatherhood's like the early days of Franz Ferdinand'. (BBC - Jonathan Geddes)
Will Slowthai be 'cancelled for the rest of time'? (BBC - Ethan Gudge)
TikTok is awash with would-be rock stars paying homage to the Beatles in their viral videos. (Times)
The Worst Songs of 2024. (Variety)
New music for 2025 (Guardian)
Inside the making of Bob Dylan film A Complete Unknown. (Guardian - Alexis Petridis)
My family call it Old Lady Clubbing, but my giddy ‘nights out’ have lit up a dismal 2024. (Guardian - Gaby Hinsliff)
The precipitous decline of UK nightclubs. (Guardian - Rob Davies)
Es Devlin: I didn’t fall out with Adele over her Las Vegas show. (Times - Richard Morrison)
The title of Charli XCX’s hit album heralded the return of recession pop and a new vibe for Gen Z (FT - Srinidhi Balakrishnan)
In the same way that the Boss became the poet of the working man, Taylor Swift’s secret is her ability to read the mind of the modern woman. (Telegraph - Neil McCormick)
How Co-op Live bounced back from chaotic launch. (Guardian - Hannah Al-Othman)
How Jay-Z’s bombshell rape case has cast a shadow over Beyonce’s bid to make lookalike daughter Blue Ivy a superstar. (Sun)
Better Man: How the film turned Robbie Williams into a chimp. (SundayTimes - Emily Prescott)
What music stars were really listening to in 2024. (Guardian - Michael Cragg)
Clubbing has changed dramatically in the past 25 years: is the party over, or just getting started? (Guardian - Joe Muggs)
‘We’ve been through the wringer’: Doves on addiction, breakdowns – and touring without singer Jimi Goodwin. (Guardian - Dave Simpson)
If popular culture is anything to go by, 2024 is the year we simply gave up. (Guardian - Kirsty Major)
Obituary: Alfa Anderson - singer best known for Chic’s Le Freak (Times)
Music to listen out for in 2025. (Guardian - Alexis Petridis)
Scissor Sisters on their reunion, rightwing reactionaries – and riotous origins. (Guardian - Kate Solomon)
Ranked: Petula Clark’s 20 best songs (Guardian - Alexis Petridis)
My shooting music stars of 2025 - and they're all Brits. (Mail - Adrian Thrills)
Back with a new solo album, Gary Kemp reveals why he wants to ‘die without enemies’. (Times - Michael Odell)
Is The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones the greatest rock chronicle? (Times - Adrian Sibley)
Franz Ferdinand discuss their rapid rise to fame in the early Noughties, reconciliation and writing about existential fears in their latest album. (Times - Will Hodgkinson)
How Bob Dylan is capturing gen Z. (Observer - Matt Thorne)
A Life in The Day: Bonnie Tyler (SundayTimes)
Debbie Harry opens up about fame, fashion — and dating at 79. (SundayTimes - Julia Llewellyn Smith)
Myles Smith talks about his musical hero Ed Sheeran, being on the president’s playlist and his Luton roots. (SundayTimes - Blanca Schofield)
Bob Harris says Johnnie Walker's warmth and adventurous spirit set the bar for broadcasting. (SundayTimes)
Will Timothée Chalamet’s biopic A Complete Unknown win over Bob Dylan’s diehard fans? (SundayTimes - Jonathan Dean)
Q&A: Julian Lennon (Observer)
My holidays: Rachel Stevens (SundayTimes)
Life of a Song: I Will Survive (FT - Neil Armstrong)
Laufey speaks about learning to love her distinct voice, her pivot to Christmas music – and her chance encounter with Hollywood star Bill Murray. (Independent - Ellie Muir)
Jade on Little Mix, going solo, and her candid new single ‘IT Girl’. (Independent - Annabel Nugent)
What Oasis can learn from the Stone Roses reunion. (Independent - Ed Power)
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SHOWBIZ & NEWS
Stormzy has been given a nine month driving ban for using his mobile phone while driving. (Guardian)
The Robbie Williams song 'Forbidden Road' from Better Man, shortlisted for best original song at the Oscars, has been disqualified, as it “incorporates material from an existing song that was not written for the film”. (Variety)
Court hears Digga D supplied cannabis to entourage. (BBC)
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra hopes to attract new audiences with the likes of Lady Leshurr and Big Dog Yogo — after relaxing its rules on the filming of performances on phones. (Times)
R&B singer and songwriter Muni Long claimed that a high-ranking executive at Atlantic Records requested she write soul music for non-Black artists, an offer she immediately declined. (Vibe)
Live Aid campaigner Bob Geldof was ‘scathing about African leaders’, files reveal. (Guardian)
Speech Debelle has been ordered to compensate Arts Council England after an employment tribunal dismissed her claims of racial discrimination and harassment. (Times)
A dark web dealer who stole unreleased music and sold it has been given a suspended 21-month jail sentence. (Guardian) She had illegally accessed cloud storage accounts linked to the artists.
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REVIEWS
Albums
Moonchild Sanelly (FT - 3* Ludovic Hunter-Tilney)
Ethel Cain (Guardian - 3* Alexis Petridis)
Film
Better Man — Robbie Williams (Times - 1* Kevin Mahar, Telegraph - 4* Robbie Collin, FT - 4* Danny Leigh, Mail - 4* Brian Viner, Guardian - 3* Peter Bradshaw, Observer - Wendy Ide)
Becoming Madonna (Guardian - 3* Peter Bradshaw)
Live
Paul McCartney - O2 arena, London (Observer - 4* Kitty Empire)
Beyonce - NFL Christmas Gameday (Guardian - 4* Ben Beaumont-Thomas, Telegraph - 4* Ed Power)
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INTERNATIONAL
Plans for concerts at Real Madrid’s stadium are on hold following ‘noisy neighbour’ complaints. (FT)
NEWS & PRESS
The Great Escape conference announces first keynote and featured speakers for 2025
RIZZLE KICKS’ JORDAN STEPHENS ANNOUNCED AS FIRST KEYNOTE FIRST FEATURED SPEAKERS AND SESSIONS INCLUDE: SIMON RAYMONDE IN CONVERSATION WITH PAT NEVIN, BBC RADIO 1, SOUNDCLOUD, SONGKICK, PPL, MIDIA RESEARCH AND MANY MORE The Great Escape is thrilled to unveil the first keynote and...more
Ampollo announces advisory board appointments
Respected Music Industry Figures Andy Saunders, Emily White, Colin Barlow, Karl Nielsen and Charlie Rapino Join Groundbreaking Music Production and Fan Engagement Platform Velocity Communications Founder & CEO Andy Saunders will Chair New Advisory Board AMPOLLO the innovative music platform launched in...more
Concord Music Publishing signs singer-songwriter Zachary Knowles
Today, Concord Music Publishing announced the signing of Nashville based alternative, pop, and country singer-songwriter Zachary Knowles. The worldwide publishing deal, effective immediately, includes all Knowles’ future works. Zachary Knowles is a 25-year-old singer-songwriter originally hailing from Magnolia, Texas. Making music and releasing it...more
The Music Works to address underrepresentation and boost access for young people to the music industry
Award winning charity The Music Works joins forces with Warner Chappell, YouTube & BRIT Awards to address underrepresentation and boost access for young people to the music industry “These aren't just fun experiences, they're potentially life-changing moments that can spark careers...more
Universal Music UK announces new Artist Relations team
Universal Music UK today announces changes to its Artist Relations team, designed to reinvigorate and strengthen the offer, and ensure it is at the centre of a label's day-to-day approach, delivering a world class service to artists. The new team, led...more
UK recorded music market reached a decade of continuous growth in 2024, as annual streaming revenue surpassed £1 billion for the first time
BPI reports UK recorded music revenue increased by 4.8% to £1.49 billion in 2024, a new nominal high. Streaming revenue broke through the £1 billion barrier for the first time, rising by 5.7% to £1.02 billion. Despite a decade of growth, British...more
FLG signs Italian alternative rock duo Peaks!
FLG, the newly launched imprint of Frontiers Label Group, is thrilled to announce the signing of Italian alternative rock duo PEAKS!. Dedicated to championing innovative, guitar-driven music and pushing the boundaries of modern rock, FLG aims to foster a new generation...more
Song writing returns to Denmark Street with the Denmark Street Songwriters Retreat
First songs to be written on iconic Denmark Street in decades Outernet, the music, culture and entertainment district in central London today announce their partnership with TransAtlantic Artists to launch the inaugural Denmark Street Songwriters Retreat on Sunday March 23rd. For many...more
AWAL names Aniket Parpillewar Head of India and South Asia
AWAL INDIA EXPANDS GLOBAL ARTIST ROSTER WITH NEW SIGNINGS Today, AWAL announces the appointment of Aniket Parpillewar as Head of India & South Asia. Based in Mumbai, Parpillewar’s leadership will continue to spread the AWAL mission of empowering independent-minded artists in...more
Recognition Music Group launched
Launch of leading music rights investment and management company Recognition will continue to protect and enhance legacy of songs in its catalogue Identity reflects unique quality of Company’s portfolio and the cultural significance of these songs Recognition Music Group, (“Recognition” or “the Company”),...more
Brighton Music Conference announce first wave of speakers and new health, wellbeing and lifestyle focus
Brighton Music Conference (BMC), the UK’s leading electronic music and networking event is excited to announce the first wave of speakers and session topics for its 12th edition. Taking place from 21st to 23rd May 2025, the award winning BMC will once...more
OVO Arena Wembley and Molson Coors unveil new partnership
STUNNING NEW COORS LOUNGE PREMIUM EXPERIENCE TO LAUNCH IN APRIL AS LONDON’S MOST ICONIC LIVE ENTERTAINMENT VENUE CELEBRATES 90 YEARS, OVO ARENA WEMBLEY UNVEILS VISION FOR THE FUTURE OVO Arena Wembley, one of the world’s most iconic and longest standing arenas is...more
Attune Launches Pioneering 'Urgent Response Guide'
Season Two of ‘Empathy For The Devil’ Podcast Announced London-based mental health and addiction specialists to the music and associated entertainment industries Attune, have announced the launch of The Urgent Response Guide (URG), a groundbreaking new set of resources. Available free of charge...more
Elizabeth Rodda named President, US Latin, Peermusic
Peermusic, the world’s largest global independent music publishing and neighbouring rights company with 39 offices in 32 countries, has promoted Elizabeth Rodda to President, US Latin, Latin America and Global Society Relations, as announced today by CEO Mary Megan Peer, to whom Rodda...more
Music industry stakeholders launch Australian Music Venue Foundation
New Organization will Focus on Protecting Grassroots Music Venues Senior live music industry figures have joined forces to launch a new not-for-profit organization that will be focused on representing the interests of grassroots music venues (GMVs) in Australia. The Australian Music Venue...more
5 UK artists receive PRS Foundation and BBC Introducing support to showcase at SXSW 2025
The artists were selected to perform by BBC Introducing and PRS Foundation teams of experts and tastemakers after submitting their music to the Uploader PRS Foundation, the UK’s leading charitable funder of new music and talent development, in partnership with BBC Introducing announce...more
Ministry of Sound Announces Landmark Ticketing Partnership with DICE
Ministry of Sound, the globally renowned nightlife and entertainment juggernaut, has signed an extensive partnership deal with DICE, the world’s largest independent ticketing platform. This strategic collaboration marks a new era in digital ticketing for one of the UK’s...more
Openplay expands suite of catalog management services with launch of Openplay Reach
Industry veteran Bob Barbiere appointed EVP and General Manager of OpenPlay Reach to expand the coverage, features and functionality of the platform OpenPlay, the music industry's leading catalog management platform and business engine, announces a further expansion of its capabilities with the addition...more
Audoo partners with GEMA on Music Impact Study, demonstrating real-time songplay data across gastronomy and retail
This utilisation of Audoo Audio Meters™ adds to the tech company's portfolio of international business partners on a mission to revolutionise public performance royalties for music creators, licensees and businesses. Music technology company Audoo partnered with GEMA, the German performing rights...more
Billy Steinberg and Ezra Steinberg Sign Global Deals with Sony Music Publishing
Admin deal unites Billy’s new & classic songs under one roof; Ezra joins SMP’s roster of songwriters Deals launch Steinberg Music, which will house Billy & Ezra’s compositions Legendary, award-winning songwriter Billy Steinberg and his son Ezra Steinberg, a rising songwriter, have...more
Amazon Music, DistroKid Face Major Lawsuit for Unpaid Royalties, Shadowbanning
Marc Mysterio is an award-winning musician and multi-faceted celebrity who was tapped by IBA Boxing to compete for its vacant championship vs. Jake Paul and collaborated with a who's-who–according to Billboard–including: Flo Rida, Crash Test Dummies, David Guetta, Avicii, Samantha...more
Abbey Road launches the Abbey Road Music Photography Awards podcast - celebrating the photographers behind the lens
PRESENTED BY ACCLAIMED MUSIC PHOTOGRAPHERS CHARLOTTE PATMORE & KATY CUMMINGS THE FIRST EPISODE WITH RANKIN AND BETH DITTO IS OUT NOW - LISTEN HERE 2024 ABBEY ROAD MUSIC PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS WINNER TOM PALLANT ANNOUNCES DEBUT EXHIBITION BATTERY EXHAUSTED FROM 4-7 APRIL AT OUTERNET LONDON Abbey...more
Bauer Media Audio UK announces new Hits Radio and Greatest Hits Radio sub brands
Greatest Hits Radio 70s, Greatest Hits Radio 80s, Hits Radio 90s and Hits Radio 00s launch on 31st March on DAB+ The Hits Radio and Greatest Hits Radio brands are growing, as Bauer Media Audio UK announces the launch of four new...more
DawBell Founders Rich Dawes And Stu Bell Top The PRWeek Power Book (Entertainment Agency)
DawBell co-founders Rich Dawes and Stu Bell have been named the Number 1 entertainment PRs by PR industry bible PR Week. The Power Book, published annually by PRWeek, is an extensive list of the most influential and respected comms professionals...more
Youth Music warns that young people across the UK will lose access to grassroots music within ten years
Youth Music, the UK’s leading charity helping marginalised young people make and monetise music, has today announced its urgent £1 million ‘Rescue the Roots’ fundraising campaign to address the funding crisis threatening grassroots youth music projects across the country. The sector...more
Green Man festival launches 2025 edition of the Green Man Rising Competition for grassroots UK artists
Inviting UK artists to submit for the chance to open the iconic Mountain Stage at sold out 2025 edition of Green Man, entries open now Green Man 2025 takes place 14th - 17th August Green Man, Wales’ largest music, arts and science...more
Louise Redknapp partners with Absolute Label Services
Iconic singer Louise Redknapp has partnered with Absolute Label Services for the release of her sixth studio album. Titled ‘Confessions’, the album will be released on May 23 on Louise’s own Lil Lou Records, with Absolute providing a range of services...more
Music Export Growth Scheme's latest £1.6 million round helps 58 acts across the UK reach new global audiences
Independent artists receiving support in 23rd round of funding include Nubiyan Twist, Wunderhorse, corto.alto, Far Caspian, Jadu Heart and Fat Dog MEGS has supported over 450 artists over 11 years, generating a return on investment of nearly £14 for every...more
The Flints sign to Nettwerk
The Flints share whirlwind new single 'The End is the End' Out now on Nettwerk Stream and share 'The End is the End' Manchester-based pysch-pop duo and multifaceted creative powerhouse twins, The Flints, share an addictive whirlwind new single, 'The End is the End' out...more
Lang Lang International Music Foundation To Expand She's A Star to Empower More Young Women in Music
On International Women's Day, the Lang Lang International Music Foundation (LLIMF) is proud to announce plans to expand She's A Star, its groundbreaking programme dedicated to empowering young women through the arts. Following a successful launch in October 2024 at Hornsey School...more
THE HEADLINES
Spotify is trumpeting big paydays for artists – but only a tiny fraction of them are actually thriving (see Comment)
Spotify paid over $4.5bn to music publishers over the last two years, so why are songwriters struggling? (see Analysis)
UK recorded music market reached a decade of continuous growth in 2024 (see Reports)
Spotify says its payouts are getting better, but artists still disagree (see Digital)
How to score a No 1 single (it might take 20 years) (see Features)
Pop stars used to rail against injustice – now they’re too afraid of getting cancelled (see Features)
A global phenomenon: The creative community’s viral outrage against AI theft (see Features)
Sony Music: AI copyright plans are “rushed, unbalanced and irreversible” (see News)
How much will the Grassroots Levy raise? And what should we do with it? (see Comment)
Spotify’s algorithms have pushed artists to make joyless, toothless music (see Opinion)
Musicians have one of the highest suicide rates in the world (see News)
Is old music eating new music? (see Analysis)
Mood Machine by Liz Pelly "a savage indictment of Spotify" (see Books)
Mining fandom: Music’s Drive to Survive moment (see Comment)
Social came for music streaming’s lunch – now is the time for streaming to bite back (see Comment)
The desperate need for optimism and action in the music industry (see Comment)