NEWS & PRESS
Centtrip Music bolsters senior management team
Internal Promotions Leverage Expertise in Music and Entertainment Sectors Centtrip Music, the music industry specialist division of treasury and international payments expert Centtrip, has announced two new promotions within its senior management team. Simon Liddell has been promoted from his previous position...more
PPL announces quarter four payment details
PPL pays out over £39m in latest payment- Over 81,000 members paid- ‘Copyright term extension’ payments are rising ï‚· Strong international payment of £21.5mMusic licensing company PPL has today announced a quarterly payment of £39.2 million.In total over 73,000 performers...more
Callum Caulfield promoted to Marketing Director, Atlantic Records UK
Atlantic Records UK has announced the promotion of Callum Caulfield to Marketing Director, effective immediately. In this role, he will be responsible for leading the strategic development and execution of campaigns for Atlantic’s rich and diverse roster, home to some...more
Michelle Escoffery joins PRS Board as Writer Director
Award-winning British singer, songwriter and vocal producer, Michelle Escoffery, has joined the PRS Board as Writer Director. Michelle is celebrated as one of the UK’s most respected songwriters. A member of singing family group, The Escoffery’s, she signed to Atlantic Records...more
Universal Music Publishing Group signs HRVY to global publishing deal
Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), a leading global publishing company, today announced that rising British pop sensation HRVY has been signed to an exclusive publishing deal. In 2017, HRVY’s debut EP 'Holiday' featuring Redfoo and Stylo G reached No. 2 on...more
The FAC is delighted to announce a very exciting partnership with legendary music instrument maker Roland
The partnership opens a new, collaborative relationship between the FAC and Roland, bringing masterclasses, production & music making expertise, world class facilities and more to our membership in 2019. Roland Corporation is a leading manufacturer and distributor of electronic musical...more
BASCA announces new senior hires, new strategy and rebrand in 2019
The UK creators association reveals a rebrand as part of its ambitious growth strategy for 2019.Graham Davies continues as Interim CEO, whilst MEP Emma McClarkin and music lawyer Julia Montero join as Independent Directors of the Board. The British Academy of...more
BASCA announces CEO Vick Bain stepping down
The British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) has announced that Chief Executive Officer Vick Bain is stepping down. In her thirteen years at BASCA Vick held several positions before being appointed CEO in 2012. Following a period of serious ill-health...more
Warner/Chappell signs deal with Celeste
Celeste, one of the most exciting young soul songwriters in Britain, has signed a worldwide deal with Warner/Chappell Music, the music publishing arm of Warner Music Group. The deal comes after news of Celeste’s recent signing to Polydor Records. The...more
New survey reveals boost to diversity among British music industry workforce – but leaders warn more must be done
UK Music today published the results of its 2018 Music Industry Workforce Diversity Survey. UK Music, the umbrella body representing the UK's commercial music industry, today revealed survey findings that show the changing face of Britain's world-leading music business. The survey, which...more
Moira Stuart joins Classic FM
Moira Stuart, one of the nation’s most popular and respected television and radio broadcasters, is joining Classic FM next year as the station’s new presenter.Starting in February, Stuart will become Classic FM’s morning news presenter, on air every weekday from 6.00am...more
Brit starlet and America's Got Talent finalist Courtney Hadwin signs recording and publishing deal with Syco Music and Arista Records
Courtney Hadwin has signed a long-term recording contract with Syco Music in partnership with Arista Records in the US. The 14-year-old from Hartlepool, Northern England rose to fame in the US after she starred in this year's series of America's Got Talent on...more
LyricFind and CAPASSO Launch the World's First Lyric Licensing Agreement Across Sub-Saharan Africa
In our new borderless Global music streaming market, Africa is seen by many industry analysts as the next region to drive user growth. LyricFind, the world's largest lyric licensing company, is excited to further extend their lead with published content, by...more
Joint statement from IFPI and RIAJ on the EU-Japan FTA
On December 7th and 12th, the Diet of Japan and the European Parliament both held their respective votes in favour of ratification of the EU-Japan trade agreement. As representatives of the recording industry in Japan and worldwide, we welcome the...more
Bauer Media signs Dawn French to the Greatest Hits Radio Network
Bauer Media has signed Dawn French as the station voice of national radio brand – Greatest Hits Radio. The station will play the biggest songs of the 70s, 80s and 90s, listeners will discover an upbeat, authentic, fun and entertaining formatwhere the ‘Good Times Sound...more
BPI and South Wales Police close down fake Northern Soul vinyl & CD operation
Record labels association the BPI and South Wales Police recently collaborated over a four-year period to close down a major counterfeit operation specialising in Northern Soul records.Last month, on 30th November 2018 at Newport Crown Court four defendants: Alan Godfrey,...more
Soundation unveils new studio and visual identity
On December 13th, Soundation launches a new browser-based studio and visual identity across all channels in cooperation with design agency Kurppa Hosk. Apart from the studio’s new UI, the studio engine also gains a +300% performance improvement as a result...more
Nordoff Robbins named official charity partner of Rock Choir
The UK’s leading music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins are delighted to announce the official launch of a brand-new partnership with Rock Choir, which will see both organisations working together to reach even more people with the life-changing power of music...more
CEO Alison Wenham steps down at WIN
After twelve years at the helm of The Worldwide Independent Network (WIN), the global forum for the professional independent music industry, Alison Wenham is stepping down as Chief Executive of the organisation. Prior to joining WIN full time in 2016 Alison...more
Global Underground set to release latest edition in its city album series with GU42: Patrice Bäumel - Berlin next March
Global Underground presents the latest edition in its signature city album series with GU42: Patrice Bäumel - Berlin, due for release on Friday 29th March 2019. The album, which follows the last Global Underground city series installments by Solomun, and...more
Kacey Musgraves, George Ezra and Andy C presented awards to celebrate first time achievements at the SSE Arena, Wembley
Awards were recently presented to CMA winner Kacey Musgraves, singer-song writer George Ezra and drum’n’bass legend Andy C for a series of monumental firsts at The SSE Arena, Wembley. American country music singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves was presented an award for her...more
MTV honours its top 20Â music videos of 2018
MTV today announced its top 20 global most played music videos of the year. The list is based on cumulative on air music video plays from January 1st – December 3rd, 2018. Full list below:· Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa – One...more
Help Musicians UK's new Do It Differently Fund announces first 22 awardees
Pivotal new fund for independent music creators offers nearly £60k of holistic support across creative, wellbeing and business Help Musicians UK (HMUK) today celebrated the first 22 music creators who have received funding from the charity's first ever Do it Differently Fund – which...more
Flohio, Ms Banks, Novelist, Big Zuu and more: Behind the scenes of the first ever grime and rap songwriting camp
Some of the biggest talent in UK grime and rap came together this week, for a first-of-its-kind songwriting camp. Marking the end of 2018, a year that saw Godfather of Grime, Wiley, receive an MBE for services to music, PRS for Music and ASCAP,...more
Rightsholders unite in calling for an effective solution to the value gap
As Commission, Parliament and Council meet in Strasbourg to negotiate the Copyright Directive, a broad coalition of rightholders have called for them to remember the original objective of the legislation, which is to correct the distortion of the digital marketplace caused...more
Little Mix, BTS, The 1975 and Hollywood megastars host their own Christmas Day show on BBC Radio 1.
Little Mix, BTS, The 1975, Charli XCX, HRVY and a Hollywood All-Star line-up including Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena, Emma Stone and Benedict Cumberbatch are set to host their own hour long show on BBC Radio 1 this Christmas Day with...more
Statement from Robert Ashcroft, Chief Executive, PRS for Music.
Robert Ashcroft, Chief Executive of PRS for Music said: “I would like to congratulate Paul on his appointment and look forward to working with him in his new capacity as Chief Executive of the MPA Group of Companies. Paul has given 22 years...more
AWAL Signs Worldwide Recordings Deal With Singer-Songwriter Ella Vos & hwyl records, LLC
Following Massive Success of "Words I Never Said", Ella Vos Takes Career to Next Level with AWAL AWAL, Kobalt's recording company, today announced a worldwide recordings deal with Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter and visual artist, Ella Vos. The AWAL recordings deal...more
Justin Tranter and Katie Vinten partner with Warner Bros. Records for launch of new label, Facet Records
Vinten Will Also Serve as A&R Consultant to Warner Bros. and Warner/Chappell Music Warner Bros. Records (WBR) today announced that the company has partnered with award-winning songwriter Justin Tranter and Katie Vinten, most recently Co-Head of A&R for Warner/Chappell Music, to...more
Sony/ATV signs Ella Mai to worldwide publishing deal
Sony/ATV Music Publishing has signed a worldwide deal with Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Ella Mai whose breakthrough hit “Boo’d Up” is one of the biggest singles of the year. The award-winning song climbed to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100,...more
THE HEADLINES
BASCA plans new strategy; makes appointments. (see News)
Global recorded music revenues forecast to show increase of 8.2% in 2018. (see Analysis)
Ed Sheeran scores highest gross for a touring artist in a single year. (see News)
CEO Vick Bain leaves BASCA. (see Business)
BPI to push for royalties from US radio plays in future trade agreement. (see News)
Music Industry Workforce Diversity Survey shows progress, but more to be done. (see News)
Industry groups back calls for the European Parliament to "correct the distortion of the digital marketplace". (see News)
Alison Wenham to step down from WIN. (see News)
Tencent ends first day trading up 8.6%; looks to subscription model. (see Business, Digital)
Paul Clements appointed CEO of The MPA Group. (see News)
Final ruling on the Blurred Lines case. (see News)
Tencent Music prices shares at bottom of targeted range. (see Business)
Industry bodies and artists sign letter calling on the Government for an alternative to Brexit. (see News)
Government commits £2m to fund the ongoing Get it Right anti-piracy campaign. (see News)
Ed Sheeran's Shape of You becomes the first track to reach 2bn Spotify streams. (see News)
Apple acquires Platoon. (see Business)
BBC's Sound of 2019 longlist announced. (see News)
Grammy awards nominations announced. (see News)