‘Be the Change: Women Making Music’ Report Reveals Challenges Faced by Female Creators

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorFor more than a decade, Taylor Swift fans have been convinced that her song “Hey Stephen” is about Stephen Colbert… actually that’s not true at all, but it was the conceit for a bit on the late night host’s show Tuesday night that featured the singer.Using last week’s release of Swift’s re-recorded version of her 2009 album “Fearless” (which includes the song) as the peg, Colbert brought the singer onto the show via Zoom to address the question.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorIt would be an understatement to say that Jeffrey Harleston is a busy man. As if being general counsel and executive VP of business and legal affairs for the world’s largest music company, Universal Music Group (UMG), wasn’t enough, he has five or six other major gigs going on simultaneously.For the past year, Harleston, who is keynote speaker at Variety’s Power of Law breakfast this year, has also been interim chairman/CEO of Def Jam Recordings.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAttorney Joel Katz, former founding chairman of Greenberg Traurig’s entertainment and media practice and a top official at the Recording Academy, has joined Barnes & Thornburg. He will remain based in Atlanta, where he will serve as as senior counsel for the firm’s entertainment, media and sports practice.

A new report has emerged about the alleged toxicity within WarnerMedia ever since Ray Fisher leveled serious claims about what went on behind the scenes during Justice League.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorVeteran artist manager Adam Leber has announced the launch of his new management and media company Rebel (Leber’s name spelled backwards) in partnership with LiveNation.Under this banner, he will continue to represent longtime clients Miley Cyrus, Lil Nas X and Labrinth, among others, for management worldwide. He remains based in Los AngelesMost recently, Leber has operated as a partner of Maverick, which he co-founded in 2014.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorSony Music Publishing announced it has acquired the song catalog of Paul Simon, one of the most successful and influential songwriters of the past 75 years. The milestone deal includes Paul Simon’s classic songs spanning more than six decades, from his time as a member of Simon & Garfunkel, through his extraordinary career as a solo artist – among them, “The Sound of Silence,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “The Boxer,” “Mrs.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorMemphis rapper NLE Choppa was arrested Sunday in Davie, Fla.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorYoshiki, leader of the group X Japan, has donated $100,000 in support of mental health to MusiCares to help music creators and industry professionals affected by depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, or other mental health concerns, the organization announced Monday.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorSome artists are coy about their sexuality, and some just go for it.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Mondo.NYC music and tech conference has announced its 2021 dates and schedule — which is currently a four-day virtual interactive meeting and livestream, although organizers are “hopeful” that conditions will allow at least some elements to take place in person.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAhead of Twitter’s CEO Jack Dorsey testifying before the House Energy & Commerce Committee this afternoon, the RIAA, the National Music Publishers Association, the American Association of Independent Music, Songwriters of North America and the Music Artists Coalition have jointly penned a letter to committee leadership detailing how Twitter has “failed to meet the basic standards of moderation when it comes to the rampant theft of creative works on its platform,”

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorIn the wake of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement last month that mass-gatherings can begin a cautious return this summer, the London music festival All Points East has announced more performers for its 2021 edition — scheduled for August 27-30 in Victoria Park — and the country’s largest festival, Glastonbury, is moving ahead with plans for a scaled-down event in September.Joining previously announced All Points East headliners Jamie xx, Kano, and

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorTriller, the short-form video app, has struck a licensing agreement with the National Music Publishers’ Association, which represents most American music publishers. The deal will see the platform compensating the songwriters and publishers covered by NMPA when their songs are used in videos on the platform.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe already-crowded music-catalog-acquisition business just got a formidable new player: Germany-based music company BMG and global investment firm KKR have announced they will join forces to pursue recorded music, music publishing and other music-rights acquisitions.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe staff of Secretly Group, one of the largest independent music companies in the U.S., announced plans on Tuesday morning to form a union to address a list of concerns they’re hoping to correct with a union contract, according to an open letter and an article in Rolling Stone.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorDaddy Yankee was named Songwriter of the Year for the third time and Sony Music Publishing won top publisher honors at the ASCAP 2021 Latin Music Awards on Monday night. Daddy Yankee’s haul for the evening added to his record-setting total of 42 ASCAP Latin Music Awards.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorStrokes frontman Julian Casablancas has signed a worldwide publishing agreement with Concord Music Publishing, covering his past and future solo works (including his 2013 song with Daft Punk, “Instand Crush”) and various projects including The Voidz. Casablancas won his first Grammy last weekend, for the Strokes’ album “The New Abnormal.”“We are beyond excited that Julian has joined Concord Music Publishing.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorLegendary singer Linda Ronstadt has sold her recorded music assets to Irving Azoff’s new venture, Iconic Artists Group.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is moving from October 2021 to April of 2022, two industry sources with knowledge of the situation tell Variety.