Happy birthday Record of the Day!
15th anniversary
Austin Daboh, Senior Editor, Spotify
Record of the Day is a valuable daily resource for all that's going on in the music business. Congratulations on 750 issues, long may it continue!
Huw Stephens, Radio 1
There's a lot of work that goes into RotD, and it shows every day. There's so much going on, it's hard to keep up with it all. But it gets easier with your work, so thanks for keeping us updated!
Mike Smith, Managing Director, Warner/Chappell
Record of the Day felt like the first chance the music business had to get all of its news and updates together in one place every day. Plus, it was a great opportunity to hear something new and worth listening to. I always check it out in the morning and it informs so much of what we do as a business. Good luck guiding us through the next fifteen years.
Martin Mills, founder, Beggars Group
I love my morning news digest, it’s the best. And it’s so great to see all that work being done before I’m even awake.
Mark Davyd, MVT, CEO
Congratulations to Record of the Day on your 15th Anniversary! These days I barrage your news desk with the desperate plight of the UK's Grassroots Music Venues, but way before I became an irritating news piece RotD was my go to curator for new music. As well as being a vital resource for industry buzz and news, the main thing you need to know about RotD is that they've got impeccably good taste. These days, in a deluge of media sources that sometimes feels like a tidal wave, that's becoming even more important. Here's to another 15!
Alex Hardee, partner, CODA Agency
Record of the day is the first thing I look at when I get in each day and open my inbox, well actually it’s about the eighth thing after I have deleted all my spam and overnight emails from America, however, it is always insightful, up-to-date, well written and informative. In fact it’s perfect apart from one suggestion I have to make, maybe it should be called Stream of the day moving forward.
Martin Goldschmidt, Chairman, Cooking Vinyl Group
Get up in the morning baked beans for breakfast, followed by Record of the Day (Desmond Dekker and Martin Goldschmidt)
Darcus Beese, President, Island Records
Every day we spend so much time on socials to see what’s going on. But before the socials exploded I’d start every day reading RotD to catch up on what’s been going on across the business. I still do! RotD has always been and remains an invaluable one stop shop for news and information about the industry. 15 years... Wow! One love, Darcus & the Island family.
Jon Turner, Managing Director, Island Records
RotD is as much part of my working day as listening to music, answering emails, checking streaming data and speaking to artists and managers. It sets me up for the day with all the vital developments across the industry. Congratulations on 15 years and keep on doing what you do so well.
Simon Wheeler, Director of Digital, Beggars Group
I’ve been receiving RotD in my inbox ever since it started, it’s part of my daily routine to get a round-up of the latest news. When I look back at my other emails from that time (yes I am that retentive…) there aren’t many companies that are still around… Vitaminic, OD2, VirtueTV, PressPlay, Liquid Audio, Media Defender – Paul & team, you’ve outlasted them all!
Neil Hughes MD, RCA UK
I find RotD a vital read every single day of the week. Continually impressed with how comprehensive their coverage is across all areas. Massive congratulations on the 15 years, what an achievement in this day and age! To me what you guys do is more useful than ever…Thank you for making my life easier by providing all the info you do!
Malcolm Dunbar, Co-Founder and President, PledgeMusic UK & Europe
A 15th birthday is several lifetimes in this industry and warm congratulations to Record of the Day on this anniversary. Lots of important news and music has come to me first through the unmissable daily bulletins and the magnificent weekly magazine. Testament to the continuing high standards of the publication that it still is one of the first emails that I open every day and read from top to bottom. Stand out moments over the 15 years have been many and varied and too numerous to mention. Paul, Liz and the team congratulations to you all, a big thank you from PledgeMusic and I look forward to several more lifetimes reading Record of the Day.
Kim Bayley, CEO, ERA
Record of the Day has the reputation of being the indomitable resource for anyone in music. Always on the button editorially and expertly covering a wide breadth of industry topics, Record of the Day probably saves me an hour each morning by providing a one stop shop of daily music news for ERA and our members. Keep up the great work.
Sarah Liversedge, MD, BdI Music
Record of The Day is one of the first emails I open in the morning – always an eclectic range of artists to check out and always interesting news articles and contacts. I recently signed a worldwide exclusive publishing deal with Irish singer songwriter, Ailbhe Reddy – RotD were behind her music from the outset – I also bumped into the wonderful Paul Scaife at her Great Escape gig which was rammed. Very grateful for the support RotD has given me and my artists and songwriters over the last 5 years, most recently a photo of me featured in the Weekly Mag just after I received a Gold Badge Award!
Alison Wenham, Chairman and CEO, WIN
Since RotD launched, it has always been one of the more welcome daily inbox arrivals, offering a comprehensive overview of the news, decent features and gossip. A very happy birthday to the RotD team!
Shabs Jobanputra, President, Relentless Records
I think I asked Paul to do our first featured track when he started off. We all knew at Relentless that it had the reach and power to get things moving in a campaign. Well done for making it through and for still being part of the conversation.
Nigel Elderton, PRS Chairman, and MD and European President of Peer Music
From the insightful Media Mongrel to in-depth interviews, Record of the Day is indispensable to the music industry. As it reaches its 15th birthday, I would like to say congratulations to Paul and his team, and long may it continue.
Andy Prevezer, VP of for Press Warner Music & Parlophone & SVP Press Strategy, WMUK
I was a supporter right from day one. I thought that a daily email with all the latest news, music and reviews from both print and, latterly, online sources, with links attached, was a brilliant idea and something that would make everyone’s lives here at the labels so much easier each day. And so it has proved. Thankfully it’s gone from strength to strength, broadened its remit and coverage along the way, and remains the first destination for my information fix every morning. Happy anniversary RotD, here’s to the next 15!
Jane Dyball, CEO, MPA Group Companies
Record of the Day provides a handy point for which it is possible to read detailed articles of insight, catch up on a snapshot of the week's news and be directed towards interesting new talent. In a crowded market, RotD has found a niche and The Music Publishers Association Group of Companies congratulates them on that achievement and on reaching this impressive milestone.
Jonathan Morrish, MorrishComms
So, Record of the Day. Fifteen years old. A granddaddy of the digital age - but still so, well, youthful, zestful and, importantly, relevant! And you do just what you say on the tin..!
I can’t remember how us PRs survived before you came on the scene. But I can remember how our day would start - going through every page of every paper. Time consuming, not to mention - the dirty fingers, the dirty hands! The chance we might miss something….
So, what do you give us all?
Well - first off a chunk of music. And that’s no bad way to start the day! As well as being a constant reminder that, without aspiring writers and musicians, we have nothing in the ‘industry of human happiness’.
Next you give us news. All that has gone on - and sometimes it feels like more - in the last twenty fours. And in digestible, bite-sized chunks. You give us easy access to ’stuff’ across myriad media platforms. Click and hey presto, it’s just there in front of us. Clean. Stuff that no one poor executive would ever have the time to find once her or his day has started. Nuggets of stuff buried in nooks and crannies of the 21st century media landscape but where so many good writers and observers and commentators ply their trade, shoot their views, publish research, mouth off.
And of course, because news is information and information makes us all better at what we do, you give us power. You help make us all better at what we do.
So, music, news, access and power and all in an entertaining way! Hell - you even line up for us relevant radio listening and TV watching when we have a night in…And in all of that daily mix, that access, you give us that priceless commodity in today’s world - time.
RotD - you have shaved years off my life - here’s to your next 15!
Guy Moot, President of Worldwide Creative, Sony/ATV
Huge congratulations to Record of the Day on reaching 15 years.
Professor Jonathan Shalit OBE, Chairman, ROAR Group
Quickly spreading the word throughout the entire music industry on a new song has never been as important as now. Record of the Day reaches key influencers in every part of the music industry quicker and more effectively than any other media available. I know this personally from acts as diverse as Rebecca Ferguson, N-Dubz, Pixie Lott, Katherine Jenkins, WSTRN and Louisa Johnson. Happy 15th birthday!
Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive BPI & BRIT Award
Record of the Day is part of the fabric of the UK music business. It combines breadth with brevity and it’s an essential read in the morning to bring you up to speed with what’s new and interesting in the world of music. Congratulations from everyone at the BPI to Paul, Liz and the whole RotD team on your achievement.
Vick Bain, CEO, BASCA
I find reading RotD every morning essential preparation on my commute so that by the time I get into my office I feel I have a good idea of what is going on in the music business. I feel prepared for my day…I keep an eye on BASCA’s news to ensure our comms are working and we have the coverage we expect and I look forward to reading about the latest developments of other organisations and individuals. Sometimes I read a surprise or two…some good, sometimes sad, but always useful. As a presentation of everything we need to know it is unsurpassed, and I ensure my managers get it too. Thanks for all your help – and happy birthday.
Richard Griffiths, Co-Founder, Modest! Management
I love Record of the Day. Every morning I lay in my bath reading it so I’m fully up to speed before going into the office!
Jeff Smith, Head of Music, BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music
Happy birthday Record of The Day. I wake up most mornings to the newsletter and I always make an appointment to look at the weekly edition. It's a great one stop way to find out what's going on in the music industry.
Jon Gisby, Head of Europe, Vevo
Record of the Day is an essential part of my morning routine, giving me a fantastic synopsis of everything I need to know regarding the media and music industry. I wouldn’t start my working day without it.
Jo Hart, founder, Hart Media
For us, Record of the Day is much more than an email every morning. As part of the Hart Media team’s busy day-to-day schedule, it is important to get the latest news and see what is happening out there in the world of music. RotD is also a great platform for artists who want to be recognised for their hard work and is very useful for young & unsigned artists looking for representation, I personally have discovered some incredible artists via RotD and have worked alongside a selection of fantastic musicians that have previously been featured. Happy birthday Record of the Day, thank you for all that you do and here is to the next 15 years!
Jeremy Lascelles, CEO, Blue Raincoat Music
TGF RotD!! Put most simply, it cuts through the crap and gives me a nice, simple, digestible distillation of what is being written about. And most importantly, it means I don’t have to spend any more of my money on a Rupert Murdoch publication.
Damian Christian, Director Of Promotions, Atlantic Records UK & SVP Of Promotional Strategy, WMUK
I always have a cheeky look every morning, tips, gigs of the day etc! We have had many of our artists profiled over the last 15 years, too many to mention. Here is to the next fifteen..
George Ergatoudis, Head of International Shows & Editorial, Spotify
RotD's daily email is an essential part of my morning routine. It provides an invaluable one-stop shop for music news and it regularly leads me to interesting articles I would have missed. I'm also a huge fan of Media Mongrel in the weekly magazine - it's essential reading every issue!
Martin Talbot, Chief Executive, Official Charts Company
Congratulations to Paul and his team (past and present) on their 15 years. RotD provides an essential overview of the day’s music industry headlines - and continues to be one of the first emails I check out every morning. Even when he was a competitor (in my Music Week days), it was always difficult not to like and admire Paul too - it is no mean feat to launch and run a business in the entertainment industry. And 15 years is a lot of headlines.
Adrian Pope, Chief Digital Officer, [PIAS]
Record of the Day has always been reliable, relevant, and required reading. Like many good things in life, it’s a simple idea, done very well.
David Manero, Producer, Wisebuddah
As soon as RotD magazine lands in my inbox I head straight for the Mongrel section for all the gossip from the radio world, the charts and music telly. It’s my favourite place to find out what’s been going on out there in the week. Obsessed. Long may it continue!
Paul Hitchman , President of Kobalt Music Recordings
RotD has been a must for me every morning over the last 15 years. Along with my morning coffee I don’t think I could get started without it! I love how it covers both the key news of the day but also points me in the direction of more esoteric reads and views, it’s like a daily conversation with someone who is as passionate about music and the music industry as I am.
Sarah Mitchell, Head of Member Services, PPL
Record of the Day is a news source that I would encourage anyone with an interest in the music industry to read on a regular basis. It keeps me and my team up-to-date with need-to-know information, ranging from key business news including updates on advances in industry technology, right through to breaking artist and showbiz stories. Congratulations on reaching 15 years and here’s to many more!
Tony Wadsworth
When RotD first arrived, it was a game changer in the industry, bringing together everything that's relevant in the day's media, all dropping in your inbox at an unearthly hour. Paul and his team of music fans have a great feel for what's important, relevant or just simply a bit of a laugh. Here's to another 15 years and may the news start to get better…
Ben Turner, Graphite / IMS / Bestival
It’s hard to imagine life without Record of the Day… So much so that we replicated its format for the IMS Industry Insider which I conceptualized from getting so much out of the main Record of the Day for the last 15 years. Paul Scaife has always been supportive of all my ventures and he was equally positive when I suggested we copied his idea for an electronic version! I can tell you that industry people in the electronic music genre can’t imagine life without Industry Insider now. Big props to Liz Stokes for delivering it on our behalf every week of the year. Survival in media is one thing – survival in trade media is another level of fight, passion and determination. The music industry should herald Paul’s work and rather than him giving out the awards all the time, he should get one. Respect to the whole team for their continued pursuit in excellence.
Ritch Esra, Publisher, Music Business Registry
Congrats on your 15 wonderful years of covering this industry. Here’s to the next 15!
Andy Hind, Head of Communications, PRS for Music
Congratulations to Paul and all of the team at Record of the Day for reaching such an impressive milestone. 15 years of daily essential news and thought provoking commentary. Keep it up.
Dr Adam D Hudson, Producer, BBC 6 Music
An essential read every morning. I've got lots of musical tips from here and I regard it as a good litmus test for music if its featured. I've picked up on stories for the shows, and even found my girlfriend a job through it!
Paul Sexton, journalist and broadcaster
So, I guess it must have been in 2002 that Mr. Scaife and I were using the excuse of discussing his idea for what became Record of the Day as a reason to go to the pub. 15 years later, somehow, we’re all still here, and less surprisingly, still in the pub. Thank you for a decade and a half of getting up early, of continuing to believe in the notion that music journalism hasn’t cashed in its chips just yet, and for being a voice of reason helping us negotiate the music minefield. Happy birthday!
Michael Dugher, CEO, UK Music
Record of the Day has become an indispensable part of the UK music industry’s morning routine. It's the one stop shop for your daily dose of what's happening in the global music scene - from gigs, new records, industry developments, celeb news and public policy. Congratulations on 15 fantastic years.
Peter Quicke, MD, Ninja Tune
RotD has been very useful for keeping up to date with the ever-changing music business.
Barnaby Hooper, Communications Director, The O2
If you want to know what's going on, get Record of the Day. It's the must read every morning and quite frankly if it isn't in RotD, it didn't happen. Paul and Liz do a cracking job and are two of the best connected journos in the business. From the daily news, to the in-depth features in the weekly mag, the charts to the new music, they've got it covered. Congratulations on 15 very successful years.
Stephen Budd, Stephen Budd Music
RotD has been a work-day ritual for the last 15 years. Cappuccino (check), Log in (check), download RotD (check!). As a business resource, it’s invaluable. I have picked up new clients, made records with acts and more. For promoting acts I managed, such as Dry the River and Songhoy Blues, RotD was instrumental in creating early-doors awareness, for which I (and they) will always be grateful.
John Giddings, Solo Music Agency
Record of the Day is the first mail I read when I get into the office. I find out everything that has happened, or is happening in the industry. What people have said, what tours/shows are being announced, who is changing jobs. It is all there on one page - thank you!
Geoff Travis, founder, Rough Trade
I get up in the morning and part of my routine after having some coffee is to read Record of the Day.
It's nearly as bad as the coffee addiction; I ask myself why I can't be bothered to switch to green tea or water with a hint of lemon but I just like coffee. RotD is the same, I just like it. It tells me what's going on in the industry and it keeps me connected to what everyone in our industry is reading as headline news. Without it I would be drifting along on a river of my own making with no idea what was round the next bend. I mean how else would I know what Robbie Williams was up to? Long may it continue.
Peter Button and the Clintons subscribers
Thanks Record of The Day for keeping us fully informed of what’s going on in the music business. Every morning, as regular as clockwork, you are there. Happy anniversary and long live Record of the Day.
Steve Tilley, director, Kilimanjaro Live
RotD has been a regular part of my daily routine for as long as I dare to remember. From a contact I need for a particular artist to saving time actually reading all of the papers/blogs/magazines to find relevant articles, album or live reviews, it’s an essential and great value for money tool. Here’s to another 15 years!
Peter Leathem, Chief Executive, PPL
Over the past 15 years, Record of the Day has established itself as a genuinely trusted source of music industry news and opinion through both its morning bulletin and weekly Thursday e-magazine. I would like to thank them for their excellent industry coverage and congratulate them on this impressive milestone.
Steve Lewis, Steve Lewis Services
Many congratulations on reaching this landmark and producing what has become, for me anyway, an indispensable start to every working day.
Harvey Goldsmith
I loved RotD from the beginning. It gives a great roundup of daily entertainment news. Well curated, thanks team.
Adam Webb, FanFair Alliance/AL1 Communications
As a rundown of the most important news stories and features, the daily is about as important as coffee to my morning routine – i.e. near essential. And from a music PR's perspective, to get listed in "headlines" pretty much ensures that the campaign/story/launch you've been working on has gotten off to the best possible start - while you know a piece in the Weekly will be seen by 'those who matter' throughout the industry. I'm truly grateful that Paul and Liz have given FanFair Alliance an opportunity to write in length about secondary ticketing, although I miss David Balfour's Thursday pm analysis, one of the finest business journalists around. Fond memories too of the Music Journalism & PR Awards, and still genuinely bowled over that you ever gave me a blue plate. Happy Birthday RotD.
Annabella Coldrick, Chief Executive, Music Managers' Forum
The Record of the Day 'daily' is one of those emails you look forward to digesting each morning. Nothing distracting, just a rundown of the biggest stories and must-reads - setting you up for the day. Like many others in the industry, I suspect I'd be lost without it, and on behalf of MMF members would like to wish Paul, Liz and team our collective congratulations on such a landmark birthday.
William Luff, Managing Director, Wilful Publicity
I’ve always found Record of the Day to be an invaluable tool for news, and reference, across the sector of music publicity. Having a daily digest of what stories and artists are being covered, and by whom, is a great asset in planning future campaigns. It also gives a wider overview of industry and broadcast news and is a great way of discovering new music.
Ric Blaxill, Music And Content Director Planet Rock, Kerrang! And Heat Radio, Bauer Media
RotD is a consistently high quality music and broadcasting industry news source, pulling together national and international news alongside considered insight, opinion and access to reviews, discussion and music profiles across the media. The perfect e-mail to start the day if you are interested or involved in the music or the entertainment media, and clearly written and compiled by a passionate and expert team.
Sam Potts, Head of Radio, Columbia
Checking Record of the Day in the morning is habitual as my morning coffee. It’s essential for staying informed and connected with the industry.
Lynne McDowell, Head of Communications, PPL
Reading Record of the Day’s daily bulletin is an essential part of my morning routine; it is unmissable for anyone who wants to stay informed on the latest developments within the UK music industry. On a personal note, Paul and his team have been a pleasure to deal with both at PPL and in previous roles – many congratulations on this landmark 15th anniversary.
Nicola Formoy, Head of PR, Vevo
Reading Record of the Day is an integral part of my morning commute and I never take for granted the relief of being informed of the day's news from the moment I step into the office. As an added bonus Paul and Liz are a dream to work with and have been instrumental in helping us communicate out Vevo’s news across the years. We’re hugely appreciative of the support they’ve shown us.
Chris Carey, founder, Media Insight Consulting
I’ve been subscribed for over a decade now and RotD is a big part of my morning routine. I enjoy the variety of topics as well as the summaries of the gig and album reviews. It saves me a lot of reading! I’ve found some great artists too, Havelock and Anna Pancaldi to name a couple.
Dave Wibberley, Magnolia Music Artist Management
Congrats to all at Record of the Day on your 15th birthday. In 2005 RotD kindly featured a one shot home made video of my new unsigned Artist, David Ford. Within hours of publication I had Sony New York phoning to offer him an album deal. Today, David is in New York playing some East Coast shows. Your support was the pivotal moment in starting his career. We are both forever grateful.
James Foley, Senior Editor, Spotify
Congratulations to my RotD family. You raised me, corrected my typos, subbed my libellous copy and never left me short when I was skint. Here's to the next 15 years!
Jacob Adams, Research and Campaigns Manager, Attitude is Everything
Happy 15th Anniversary to Record of the Day! RotD is an indispensable source of music news for us, whether its keeping up to date on key issues impacting the industry, or finding amazing new artists to listen to in the office. We’ve greatly appreciated RotD’s support in helping us to promote our work assisting the music industry to become more accessible for Deaf and disabled people. This aim can only be achieved with the support of essential industry news outlets such as RotD providing us with a platform to reach new audiences. Thank you!
Nicola Riches, former RotD Editor
September 2001. I’d just got back from a holiday in New York (landed the minute the planes crashed into the towers), and didn’t have a job. I’d been Dep Ed of the Fly/Channelfly before that for a few years (and had even paid my dues at Mean Fiddler for a couple of bumpy months), but I was green and wet behind the ears, or whatever those phrases are that spell out naivety and youthful arrogance. I chanced upon a music email called ‘ClickMusic’ at a time when music biz people were also checking out another ‘insider’ website called The Velvet Rope. Both publications looked like they knew what they were doing – dotcom outfits seemingly leading the charge, threatening the likes of Billboard and Music Week. I emailed the contact at the bottom of the email, Paul Scaife, and asked for a job. Fortunately for me, he was stupid enough to give me one. In doing so, he changed my life.
ClickMusic, amazingly, still exists. Back then, the original company was many things to many people: a publisher of music websites, an early download site, a contract magazine publisher and a mobile content creator. Paul was GM and led the show in the quiet and understated way that seemed to become his trademark.
But then the dotcom money ran out, and Paul Scaife trundled back to his beloved Walthamstow. Little did I know he had a plan up his sleeve. Paul was the man who tipped me off about a job at Music Week (launching and running its first ever website). I think he even had a word with the team to probably tell them I was feisty, but a worker. And that I was music obsessed, although not obsessed by the sort of music he listened to (I think a DJ did *actually* save his life).
While I was launching Music Week’s first website with the assistance of a corporate publishing house, Paul was launching Record of the Day at his house using a credit card for funding; 15 whole years ago. To me, it felt like I was part of a new vanguard. And, being a young, single girl in the industry, I lived and breathed it all. Paul and I were never out of touch – he became my good friend and mentor. He bailed me out of personal troubles (I even lived at his house at one stage), and always talked to me at the bar when I knew no-one else in the room. He filled in the gaps in my knowledge without ever patronising me. He was honourable, decent and honest. The exact opposite of what most young women expect from men in the music biz, especially those 10 years their senior (sorry Paul…).
And in 2006, Paul put the word out he was looking for a new editor. I’d come to love the team at Music Week, but I knew where my heart was. I was thrilled to become editor of Record of the Day, despite the fact I had to be out of bed at 5.30am to get it done. Paul’s mantra has always been the same: ‘you’re lucky to have three minutes of anyone’s time’ and it was this mantra I stuck to - content and information that could be gobbled, quickly, over breakfast. He was ahead of his time in that pre-Twitter universe. In my role now, all the way down under in Oz, I still adhere to that.
Record of the Day was ground-breaking; a genuine service, or utility maybe, that people have come to love. I doubt very much it would be as loved as it is, if it wasn’t for Paul – for his understated, quiet tenacity, determination and passion. He’s not the sort of man who will ram opinions down your throat, and rarely will he preach about his new favourite band, but he loves it – the music and the evolving, crazy business around it. Even that cycling obsession of his plays second fiddle. He’s one of the good guys in the business - maybe even the best one. Nicely done, Paul. I miss you.