Latest news with #musicbusiness
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
THR's 2025 Top Music Lawyers: Nominations Are Now Open
Behind every successful artist, executive and company in the music business is a good lawyer. Among the most constant presences in an superstar artist's life, their attorney is across every record deal, tour contract and legal dispute that comes their way. And as the industry gets ready to face the most disruptive period it's ever seen with the coming artificial intelligence revolution, lawyers are becoming even more crucial to help address existential questions on how it will change copyright law and how artists' interests can be protected. More from The Hollywood Reporter Kanye "Ye" West Struggles Through Chaotic, Rain-Soaked Shanghai Concert Will Justin Bieber Land a No. 1 Debut With 'Swag?' Jeff Lynne Cancels Final ELO Show Due to Health Issues Once again, The Hollywood Reporter is getting ready to recognize the best music attorneys in the game, and we're accepting nominations to highlight the attorneys with the most high-profile music clients, who are closing the biggest deals, taking on the most pressing cases and shaping music's legal future. This year's top music lawyers list will be featured in the Oct. 1 edition of The Hollywood Reporter for our Grammys Issue. If you or your client would like to be considered, please fill out a submission through this form. The deadline for submissions is Aug. 8. If your submission is chosen, a THR journalist will be in touch with more information on next steps. Best of The Hollywood Reporter From 'Party in the U.S.A.' to 'Born in the U.S.A.': 20 of America's Most Patriotic (and Un-Patriotic) Musical Offerings Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025

Wall Street Journal
15-07-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Fake Vocals and New Styles: AI's Potential Influence on the Music Industry - Tech News Briefing
The rise of artificial intelligence could reshape the music business just as it has sparked headlines and fear around the corporate world. Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. joins host Patrick Coffee to discuss how the new technology will likely swamp listeners with millions of AI-generated songs, but could also help composers overcome writers' block and craft better hooks. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter.


The Sun
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Ed Sheeran reveals secret boozy night out with major sports star as he lifts lid on his huge celeb pals
AS one of the nicest blokes in the music business, it's no wonder Ed Sheeran's little black book is crammed full of huge celebrities. And in a new chat on The Louis Theroux podcast, he talks about famous friends including Van Morrison, who once woke him up at 6am after a boozy night out with Rory McIlroy, demanding to see him. 17 17 17 'I was doing a gig in Belfast and my grandmother had come down to the gig and she loves golf,' Ed said. ' Rory had come down and she loved being around him. We stayed up super late talking to him, and I'd say we went to bed at like 4am. 'About 6am, I got a call on my hotel phone from the hotel — 'Mr Morrison's in the lobby, he wants to have breakfast with you'. 'I was half asleep and half drunk. So I just hung up and I was like, 'I have no idea who Mr Morrison is.' 'Then I got another call and they said, 'Sorry, Van Morrison is in'. 'I ran downstairs and there he was waiting for me and we had breakfast, which is really surreal. 'I'm a huge fan. We spoke for ages about everything we did. One of the subjects was actually Spotify. 'I had embraced Spotify quite early in my career and I think he was asking me to explain Spotify to him.' Ed also talked about hanging out with Eminem after he worked on the rapper's 2018 song River. 'He loves comic books, Marvel movies and video games,' Ed explained. Ed Sheeran left red-faced after cops in India demand he shut down street performance 'I sent him a Nintendo 64 with Goldeneye on it because he'd never played it.' About his new album Play, which is out on September 12, Ed said it feels like a double-edged sword. He explained: 'The two joys of my life professionally are writing songs and performing. I f***ing hate releasing music. 'You love the songs so much and then suddenly you're putting them out there and that might change your relationship with them if other people don't like them. 'I'm trying my hardest not to let that happen. 'I find releasing it just kind of sucks the joy out of it.' ED ON DAVE... 17 'HE'S done a lot of production on the new record because aside from being a brilliant lyricist, he's also an incredible producer and writer.' ...ON SIR ELTON 17 'HE still calls me Ed She-ran. I just think that's just programmed in.' ...ON STORMZY 17 'I BOUGHT my first car, a Mini, and I then drove him to the pub. He didn't fit in the back.' ...ON EMINEM 17 'HE seems like he'd be quite shy but I don't think he is when you get to know him. His humour is very similar to mine.' ...ON SAM FENDER 'I MESSAGED him just being like, 'I really like this song'. I still haven't met him, but I at least know that there's a connection somewhere of mutual respect.' PITBULL LEADS BALD E PARTY 17 17 17 PITBULL is back at London's O2 Arena for another two sold out nights after a successful show earlier this year. Delivering possibly the most fun gig i've ever been to, his Party After Dark Tour is a nostalgic trip down memory lane with feel good banger after banger after banger. Everyone there simply wants to have a good time - with the tube to the venue packed with fans in costumes all singing at the top of their lungs. Chancing my luck, I opted to dress as Mr Worldwide himself... and safe to say it went down a treat backstage. After a flurry of possibly the hottest female dancers I've ever seen, Pitbull appeared out of his dressing room - catching my outfit and grinning from ear to ear. "Man I love it" he laughed before giving me a big hug. I quickly launched into a short tale of how I'd ran to Soho that afternoon to buy my baldcap - bumping into three other music lovers doing exactly the same thing. Smiling Pitbull said: "Well next time you see them you make sure you tell them from me thank you. I love all my Bald E's. "We are going to have a great show tonight. I can feel it. "For the first time tonight my band are going to dress as Bald E's too." He added on stage: "I tell you why I call you guys [fans] the bald E's. Because we fly high, and we soar high like bald eagles. So therefore we are the bald E's "And everywhere we go, and anytime you're there, you put on that bald cap and you already know you are going to have the time of your life. In fact new date from QR Code Generator have revealed searches for 'bald cap' have it an all time high in the UK amid Pitbull's tour. It's hard to quite put into words the energy in the O2 - 90% of the sold out 20,000 venue has come dressed as the star. Sure concerts like Taylor Swift have an amazing atmosphere and everyone dresses up but vibe at Pitbull is... different. No one cares about looking sexy or Instagram-ready as they are wearing a rubber bald cap and shirt. They are simply there to have a good time - and boy does he pull it off. You don't need therapy. You just need two hours at a Pitbull gig. By Jack Hardwick MARIAH BACK TO HER GOLD SELF 17 GOLDEN girl Mariah Carey turned back the clock and looked remarkably youthful as she performed at the BET Awards in Los Angeles. Wearing a glittering mini-dress, she sang her new single, Type Dangerous, before collecting the Ultimate Icon Award. Jennifer Hudson, Snoop Dogg and Kevin Hart were also at the event celebrating black entertainers, as was breakout rapper Doechii, who used her Best Female Hip-Hop Artist speech to take aim at Donald Trump for his crackdown on people protesting against immigration raids. The star, who will perform at Glastonbury later this month, said: 'Trump is using military forces to stop a protest. 'I want you all to consider what kind of government it appears to be when every time we exercise our democratic right to protest, the military is deployed against us. What type of government is that?' PULP HEAD TO GLASTO 17 GLASTONBURY got fans into a frenzy when organisers announced the full festival line-up, including a mysterious band called Patchwork. Now I can reveal who the band destined for the Saturday Pyramid Stage actually are – as I have been told punters can expect a set from Pulp. Jarvis Cocker and co headlined the festival 30 years ago and last did a surprise set there in 2011. But they are about to return following their comeback with new music. The band are set to top the charts this Friday for the first time in 27 years thanks to their album More, so this will be the perfect way to celebrate. There are also plenty of whispers about surprise Glasto performances from Lewis Capaldi and Haim, so there's lots to look forward to in three weeks' time. But organiser Emily Eavis kept schtum about who Patchwork are when asked about them during the Sidetracked by Glastonbury podcast on BBC Sounds. Speaking to hosts Annie MacManus and Nick Grimshaw, she said: 'I've been working on Patchwork for a long time. I tell you what, pretty much since I saw you this time last year I've been working on Patchwork.' Asked if that meant they took 'a lot of persuading', she added: 'Well, it's more logistical.' Foo Fighters did a set under the name The Churnups in 2023, and this sounds just as exciting. MILEY END TO FAMILY QUARREL 17 MILEY CYRUS has revealed she was the one to end the family feud following her parents' divorce. On the Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky podcast yesterday, she explained: 'My family and I have had a really difficult, dark decade. 'Half of us weren't speaking to each other at one point. And we cleaned all that up. That was a really important part of my year.' She added: 'I watched what happens when you don't clean things up as they're happening.' Asked if they'd had therapy, Miley said: 'We're so messy. We didn't even do any of that. To get each other in a room to even get to counselling would have been a war. So it was easier to just go, 'white flag'.' Miley, above, has written a song, Secrets, for her next album, about reconnecting with dad Billy Ray. RONNIE'S A PAINT ROLLER 17 FANS of Ronnie Wood can get their hands on his new art as he celebrates 50 years as a member of the Rolling Stones. The rock great, who is as handy with a paintbrush as he is with a guitar pick, had his work on display at the band's official store in London's Carnaby Street last week, before putting the items up for sale on his website. The musician's new exhibits include 50 – The Portraits which are hand-finished canvases of Sir Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and the band's late, great drummer Charlie Watts. Superfans can also buy an exclusive bundle that includes four portraits and a setlist from Ronnie's first show with the Stones in 1975, along with a limited-edition 7in vinyl single which contains a new recording by Ronnie. MUSE, the best live band I've ever seen in my life, have stepped in at the last minute to replace Kings of Leon as top of the bill for Madrid's Mad Cool Festival. The American rockers were forced to pull out after singer Caleb Followill injured his foot. But British act Muse will headline the opening night on July 10 instead. MICK HUCKNALL will be awarded ASCAP's Golden Note Award as he celebrates Simply Red's 40th anniversary. He will be handed the honour – recognising extraordinary career milestones – at an American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers ceremony in London on June 17. London singer and songwriter Lola Young will pick up the ASCAP Vanguard Award. Mick, you're my hero.


Bloomberg
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Bloomberg
A Big, Pending Case Unites and Divides the Music Industry Over Fraud in Streaming
Hello, hello. Welcome back to Soundbite. Yesterday I spent part of the day at a conversation about fraud in the music business. It was partially put together by Katherine C. Reilly, the former head of the complex frauds and cybercrime unit for the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. Previously, she helped bring the case against Michael Smith, who is accused of using generative artificial intelligence to make songs and drive streams to them to the tune of $10 million. The results of the case could set a major precedent in the streaming era. Smith's lawyers didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. During the conversation, Reilly gave some backstory on how the case came together, and the audience got a little heated over the current state of fraud prevention in the streaming world. We'll dive in. Also, my calendar is booking up pretty quickly, but if you'll be in New York next week for all the music industry and Tribeca happenings, let me know. I'd love to meet with some more people.


News24
27-05-2025
- Business
- News24
Ami Faku's music journey: From her sonic evolution to being business savvy
Ami Faku says the right team and separating logic from emotions is crucial in surviving the music business. She says the bond she creates collaborating with fellow artists is what shines through in her art. Ami is working on her next album and will be performing at the Sunset Music Series on 1 June. ________________________________________________________________________ From an Eastern Cape church girl to becoming the voice of amapiano's renaissance, Amandu 'Ami' Faku's creative talent speaks volumes. She has been a steady presence in South African music since being featured on chart-topping tracks like Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa's Abalele and Asibe Happy, whether she's songwriting or blending her melodic harmonies with the log beats and synths of arguably South Africa's most recognisable music export. Now with five years under her belt making hits and bagging awards, the 32-year-old artist is honing her craft, more intentional than ever about surrounding herself with the right people in her team and giving her audience what they want. Ami admittedly describes herself as 'very upfront' - whether it's putting her all in her music or making herself heard during our conversation over the rumbunctious personalities doing her hair at the salon. Learning the art of business and music The entertainment and subsequent music industry is no walk in the park, especially if one is surrounded by those who might not have your best interests at heart. It has been reported that Ami launched legal proceedings against her manager and his record label citing alleged lack of financial transparency and unpaid royalties. Steering clear from the subject, the musician instead gave TRUELOVE some insight into how she has grown regarding her approach to the technical and business side of music, while staying true to her passion and integrity. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ami Faku (@ami_faku) 'I've grown in terms of just knowing my weaknesses and strengths and not being afraid to ask questions. For instance, the business side of things is extremely important. And also knowing that being emotional is - when it comes to the business - it's not about that. So, separating the two, with the music you can be [emotional] but with business you have to use logic and sense.' Ami continues, 'So I've taken my part in every day trying to learn the business side of things. And knowing when to ask questions and what to ask. And also just having the right team is extremely important, especially for your business. So, understanding that has done a great number for me. Because I wasn't good at that, so I knew I wasn't, so I took my time to just work on that.' Trusting her instincts Ami's latest projects include soulful harmonies with artists like Nkosazana Daughter intertwined with expertly curated beats from producers like Black Coffee, MashBeatz and Karyendasoul. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ami Faku (@ami_faku) She is intentional about who she works with, explaining that building relationships, a connection and a bond with fellow creatives gives that art that much more meaning. Ami says, 'Connection is very important. Relationships are extremely important and that's what I prioritise. So, when you don't have that bond with people, it lacks in the art. So, for me, I've realised through just always working with people that, that's super important in just general, generally in everything you do in life.' Something new on the horizon Many are still waiting in the wings for another full album project from the musician since her 2019 release Imali, and Ami assures her supporters that it is well on the way. 'Because it's been too long,' she acknowledges. But for now, fans can look forward to seeing her at the Johannesburg edition of the Sunset Music Series, set to be held at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden on Sunday, 1 June 2025 alongside the Thugela Fairy, Sonini songstress Simmy. 'Mostly I'm looking forward to just performing with the full band,' Ami shares. 'That usually is not how I perform, so when I'm getting the opportunity to, that really makes me excited because then there's a connection that we all have, and we've played for over five years together, so it's gonna be a fun for us and as well for the audience.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sunset Music Series (@