Aaliyah’s Estate Posts Update on Bringing Her Music to Streaming Services

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorDarcus Beese, president and CEO of Island Records since David Massey’s departure in 2018, will exit the company, a rep for parent company Universal Music Group has confirmed to Variety.“Darcus informed us of his decision to return to the U.K. for personal reasons and to pursue new career opportunities there,” the statement reads.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Los Angeles-based music and technology company Create Music Group has launched a beta version of Create Carbon, a credit card that it says will give music creators the ability to access their royalties as soon as they’re earned, rather waiting to receive them via regular monthly payouts.The company prides itself on showing artists how much money they’re making on a daily basis by pulling millions of different data points from sources like Spotify, Apple Music

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorJason Flom’s Lava for Good Podcasts — whose “Wrongful Conviction” series brings to light the wrongful incarceration of innocent people — has joined forces with the content network and podcast listening service Stitcher for a series of new criminal justice-focused podcasts.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorSony Music Entertainment announced it has entered into a definitive agreement with Kobalt Music Group to acquire Kobalt’s recorded-music operations, including AWAL, and Kobalt Neighboring Rights.AWAL and Neighbouring Rights will become a new division within SME’s suite of independent artist and label services offerings and will be enhanced by the technology and network of SME’s independent music distribution company, The Orchard, according to the announcement.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorVeteran rapper T.I. and his wife Tameka “Tiny” Harris have denied the most recent round of allegations from Sabrina Peterson, who previously accused the rapper of holding a gun to her head.The latest round of allegations are in a series of screenshots of DMs from several women accusing the rapper and his wife of disturbing incidents of sexual abuse and other transgressions allegedly from more than a dozen women.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Coda Collection, a new multi-media company, is launching a channel on Amazon Prime featuring rare concerts and music documentaries, exclusive premieres for films and more. The channel is combined with an editorial destination across Coda’s desktop and mobile sites, providing another perspective on the artists and music featured in the content.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe South by Southwest Music Festival has announced its initial list of showcasing artists who have been invited to perform online at the 35th annual event, taking place March 16 – 20, 2021.According to the announcement, the event “will be a unique online musical experience where industry professionals and music lovers can discover an unparalleled range of artists and styles from around the world, expanding listeners’ horizons from their own homes.”Showcases and

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorIt is no overstatement to say that on an Inauguration Day filled with memorable moments, 22-year-old poet Amanda Gorman’s poetry reading was definitely one of the most lasting.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorUnofficial reports began trickling out a few days ago, but now it’s official: Drake has become the first artist ever to surpass 50 billion combined streams on Spotify, a rep for the streaming service confirmed to Variety.Drake himself didn’t wait for official confirmation, posting the news on his Instagram Story over the long holiday weekend.Drake via his IG story pic.twitter.com/olaTZqwCHh— Drake Direct (@DrakeDirect_) January 18, 2021The feat is impressive but not

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorA Michigan nurse whose informal performance of “Amazing Grace” at a local hospital became an online sensation last year will sing at a memorial for those who have died from COVID-19 on Tuesday (Jan. 19), ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.Lori Marie Key, 29, of Belleville, Michigan is set to sing “Amazing Grace” as part of the tribute ceremony to be held at 5:30 p.m.

Aaliyah's estate is trying to give fans what they want.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorLegendary singer Ronnie Spector, who sang many of Phil Spector’s greatest productions as lead vocalist with the Ronettes and was married to him for six tumultuous years, posted about his death on Sunday, calling him a “brilliant producer but a lousy husband.”“It’s a sad day for music and a sad day for me,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “When I was working with Phil Spector, watching him create in the recording studio, I knew I was working with the very best.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorIn the wake of Hipgnosis Song’s blockbuster growth, former Geffen Records president Neil Jacobsen, who launched his own songwriter-producer management firm in 2019, is lining up a $200 million IPO on the New York Stock Exchange for a new company called the Music Acquisition Corporation.

Fans are getting an update on when Aaliyah’s music will appear on streaming services.

Today would have been the 42nd birthday of Aaliyah, the late singer who tragically died almost 20 years ago in a plane crash.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorIn a move that brought deep chagrin to songwriters and publishers and joy to the broadcasting industry, after years of talk, the Justice Department has decided to leave unchanged the 80-year-old consent decrees that govern the public performances of music, Makan Delrahim, the outgoing Justice Department Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division, announced Friday.The music publishing community and particularly performing-rights organizations ASCAP and BMI

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorBMG announced that it has acquired “outright” Fleetwood Mac co-founder Mick Fleetwood’s interests in the band’s recordings.The deal gives BMG Fleetwood’s royalty interest in over 300 recordings, including the hits including “Dreams” — which enjoyed a massive resurgence due to recent popularity on TikTok — “The Chain,” “Go Your Own Way” and “Landslide” from albums including the multiplatinum albums “Fleetwood Mac,” “Rumours,” “Tango in the Night” and others.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAtlanta rapper YFN Lucci is wanted on a murder charge in connection with the Dec. 10 shooting of 28-year-old James Adams last month in the southwest area of the city, Atlanta police confirmed to Variety.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorElectric Lady Studios, one of the few remaining major recording facilities in New York City, continues to expand its creative endeavors by striking a partnership with the estate of legendary indie singer/songwriter and visual artist Daniel Johnston.As part of the new partnership, Outsider Art Fair will present “Daniel Johnston: Psychedelic Drawings,” an exhibition of over 30 works by the late musician and self-taught artist, at the studio — you can see five examples