Music Industry Has Made ‘Insignificant’ Progress for Female Songwriters, Artists and Producers: USC-Annenberg Study

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorFrom the T.S.A. to the Coachella festival, from your local supermarket to your local music club, mask and vaccination mandates continue to fall across the country, in the face of all credible scientific evidence that yet another coronavirus surge is not only taking place, but raging.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorFormat, a new festival merging the worlds of music, art and technology, will hold its premiere event on September 23-25, 2022, on the private Sugar Creek Airstrip in Bentonville, Arkansas.The three-day event will feature more than 50 music artists, including Rüfüs Du Sol, Phoenix, Khruangbin, Beach House, The War On Drugs, Nile Rodgers & Chic, the Flaming Lips, Jungle, and Herbie Hancock — along with integrated performances, installations, and art experiences from world-renowned artists including Doug Aitken, Nick Cave (NOTE: not the singer Nick Cave), Jacolby Satterwhite, Pia Camil, Marinella Senatore, Maurizio Cattelan’s Toiletpaper Magazine, John Gerrard in collaboration with Richie Hawtin, Justin Lowe & Jonah Freeman, Sissel Tolaas, Charlap Hyman & Herrero, and many more. Tickets will go on sale Friday, April 22 at www.format-festival.com.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorSpanish singer Rosalia has announced dates for a massive world tour in support of her breakthrough album “Motomami,” which launches with 12 dates in Spain in July and covers a total of 46 shows in 15 countries in Europe, North and Latin America and will see her through the rest of the year. Dates appear below.Variety called “Motomami,” Rosalia’s third album, “as musically innovative an album as we’ve heard in the past year.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorBrazilian singer Anitta has been a superstar in Latin America for years but is only now making a concerted move on the U.S. — and that move got a big exclamation mark with her elaborate, wide-ranging and eye-poppingly sexy performance at the Coachella festival on Friday night..@Anitta performs on the Coachella Stage during #Coachell Weekend 1.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorVeteran PR executive Dvora Englefield is joining WME as a partner and head of music artist strategy. According to the announcement, in the newly created role, Englefield will focus on ways for WME to identify and maximize new business opportunities, strategic partnerships, and client services on behalf of the agency’s music division and client roster.The Los Angeles-based excecutive arrives from the Lede Company, the top PR firm that she joined in 2018, where she was partner and head of the music division; she will finish out the month at the Lede and officially start at WME on May 9. Previously, Englefield led the music department at 42West and ran the music department at BWR.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorIndie-rock pioneers Sonic Youth have released a live album recorded in 1989 in Kyiv to support relief efforts in Ukraine, in the wake of Russia’s brutal invasion of the country.To set the context of the concert — which was recorded exactly 33 years ago — at the time, Sonic Youth were one of the first bands of their ilk to play behind what was then still known as the Iron Curtain; the Berlin Wall would come down a few months later. But at the time, U.S.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorJ Balvin has postponed his long-awaited “Jose” tour, which was scheduled to launch next week in San Antonio, citing Covid-related “unforeseen production challenges.”The six-week tour was scheduled to cross North America before wrapping in Puerto Rico on June 4; he was also scheduled to appear at the Viva LA Music Festival in Los Angeles on June 25. A quick look at Ticketmaster shows a large number of unsold tickets in many venues on the tour.Balvin, who recently released two songs with Ed Sheeran, “Sigue” and “Forever My Love,” is renowned for elaborate and eye-popping concert tours like, his 2019 “Arcoiris” tour, which stunned the Coachella audience and then traveled across the world.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe 100 Percenters, a music-creatives advocacy nonprofit, has announced a partnership with Sony Music Publishing designed to provide financial relief and support to U.S. songwriters, composers, and producers.With support from SMP, the 100 Percenters will offer relief funding to songwriters who the ongoing pandemic has impacted through its Songwriter Stimulus Program, according to the announcement.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe estate of the late Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel has signed an exclusive, worldwide agreement with Virgin Music US Latin and extended its agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group. Under the new deal, Virgin Music US Latin will now represent Juan Gabriel’s post-2008 catalog and future recordings, while UMPG will represent his entire catalog through an extended, exclusive global publishing agreement, bringing Gabriel’s music under the Universal Music roof.New music will be released “in the coming months,” the announcement continues, including the highly anticipated “Los Duo 3, including duets with Mon LaFerte and Gloria Trevi as well as posthumously recorded duets. Billboard notes that Gabriel, who died in 2016, left behind dozens of unreleased recordings, including new songs and re-recordings of older ones.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorComing off of her three Grammy Award wins last weekend, Olivia Rodrigo has added ASCAP Pop Music Awards Songwriter of the Year to her growing trophy case. The singer takes home the top ASCAP honor —her first ASCAP Award ever— recognizing her songs “Deja Vu,” “Drivers License” and “Good 4 U” and will accept the award in an exclusive video on ASCAP social media.Recognizing the chart-topping songwriters, producers and publishers behind the biggest pop music hits of 2021, The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) has announced the winners of its 2022  Pop Music Awards in virtual ceremonies.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThree members of Congress have written to Spotify co-founder and CEO Daniel Ek, criticizing him over the company’s policy of promoting an artist’s music on its Discovery Mode platform in exchange for a reduced royalty rate. Among other notes, the letter requests that Spotify label such as paid content; the company announced the policy, which has come under heavy criticism, in 2020.The letter, written on official Congress stationary and obtained by Variety, is dated March 26, 2022 and signed by Reps.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorClive Davis doesn’t do anything by half, and his 90th birthday is no exception. Not only will there be a star-studded party tonight at Cipriani in Lower Manhattan, there’s a four-part music-and-interview series on Paramount Plus culled from last year’s virtual pre-Grammy galas; a Clive Davis Gallery with personal items from across his career at New York University’s Brooklyn location; an interview on the “Rock & Roll High School With Pete Ganbarg” podcast airing April 14; a talk at the 92 St.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorDowntown Music Services has inked a global music publishing administration agreement with Brooklyn-based artist, composer and producer Daniel Lopatin, the company announced Wednesday.Lopatin, who records and performs as Oneohtrix Point Never, has released multiple albums and tracks over the years including his most recent project, “Magic Oneohtrix Point Never.”He also has collaborated extensively with the Weeknd over the past two years, serving as an executive producer on the recent “Dawn FM” album, and also was musical director of the artist’s 2021 Super Bowl Half Time performance. Earlier this year he completed work on his first full album production for another artist, Soccer Mommy’s upcoming album “Sometimes, Forever.” His production credits over the years also include David Byrne, Moses Sumney, Anohni and Charli XCX as well as collaborations with Iggy Pop, Rosalía, James Blake and Elizabeth Fraser.His original film scores include Josh and Benny Safdie’s “Uncut Gems” and “Good Time,” for which he received the Best Soundtrack Award at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorIn a move that sounds like a “Who’s on first?” routine, Shira Knishkowy is joining Another Management Company, leaving Spotify after three years to join the company that oversees the careers of such artists as Kurt Vile, Waxahatchee, Stephen Malkmus, Mary Timony, Snail Mail, Mdou Moctar and Horsegirl, as well as High on Fire, Protomartyr, Sheer Mag and others. Knishkowy’s artist-centric role at Spotify and previous multi-year roles at Matador Records, Partisan Records and Big Hassle Media make her a solid fit for her new role as artist manager and director of digital and creative strategy.Another co-founder Rennie Jaffe says, “I have ultimate confidence that Shira will take the relationships, skill-sets and most importantly the instincts she’s developed over the past 10+ years as a leading music publicist to quickly emerge as a world class artist manager.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorSummer Walker, Chloe Bailey, Muni Love, Cordae and Jimmie Allen delivered rousing performances and groundbreaking female rapper MC Lyte and singer-songwriter John Legend were honored at the Recording Academy’s first-ever Black Music Collective ceremony on Saturday night.“It’s been a long time coming, and I don’t feel great saying that,” Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. told the glittering audience at Resorts World Las Vegas.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorLooking back 50 years at anything that isn’t related to geology, evolution or astronomy feels like a glimpse at a long-bygone age. That’s especially so for the 14th annual Grammy Awards, which took place on March 14, 1972 at the Felt Forum in New York’s Madison Square Garden and were broadcast on ABC.The show was hosted by virtuoso easy-listening singer Andy Williams; presenters included Ed Sullivan, the Fifth Dimension, the Carpenters and “Brady Bunch” star Florence Henderson.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Grammy Awards have announced the roster of presenters for the big show on Sunday night: current nominees Megan Thee Stallion, Joni Mitchell and Questlove; Grammy winners Lenny Kravitz, Dua Lipa, Ludacris, Billy Porter, Bonnie Raitt, and Keith Urban; past Grammy nominees Kelsea Ballerini and Avril Lavigne; actor-musicians Jared Leto and Michaela Jaé Rodriguez; and actor Anthony Mackie.Previously announced Grammy performers include J Balvin with Maria Becerra, Jon Batiste, Brothers Osborne, BTS, Brandi Carlile, Billie Eilish, Cynthia Erivo, H.E.R., Lady Gaga, John Legend, Lil Nas X with Jack Harlow, Maverick City Music, Nas, Aymée Nuviola, Leslie Odom, Jr., Ben Platt, Olivia Rodrigo, Silk Sonic, Chris Stapleton, Billy Strings, Carrie Underwood, and Rachel Zegler. The show will also have a special tribute to Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died at the age of 50 last week while the band was on tour in South America.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorBertelsmann has announced its annual results, including details of its music division’s financial performance in 2021.BMG’s figures show its strongest performance yet, based on its investment in acquiring music catalogues and the performance of its recordings business, where vinyl sales more than doubled.Major catalogs acquired by the company in 2021 include Tina Turner, Mötley Crüe and ZZ Top, while key signings and re-signings included 5 Seconds of Summer, Bryan Adams and Louis Tomlinson in records and D’Mile, Diane Warren, the Juice WRLD estate and Mick Jagger and Keith Richards in publishing.In 2021, overall revenues grew 10.1% to €663 million (approximately $748 million) while profit measure EBITDA increased by 5.4% to €144m. According to the announcement, catalog recordings and production music both grew revenue by a quarter, while publishing revenues from streaming grew by a fifth.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorOn the heels of Elton John’s 75th birthday, the singer and AEG Presents have unveiled the final North American dates of his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road The Final Tour.” The announcement promises that the 11 new dates “mark the final shows added to his North American tour.”The new dates include additional performances in East Rutherford, NJ; Foxborough, MA; Toronto,; Vancouver, BC; and Phoenix,  along with a third show added at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Concerts in San Diego, Santa Clara, CA, and Tacoma, WA, have also been added.Elton John’s final North American show – a return to the site of what is arguably his most iconic performance, Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium – on November 20 will be his 2,000th  U.S.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorFlorence + the Machine are set to play an extended run of headline dates later this year, kicking off September 2 in Montreal with further stops including New York’s Madison Square Garden, Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl and many more. One dollar from every ticket sold will benefit Choose Love to aid refugees worldwide.The group has assembled a formidable array of up-and-coming support acts at select dates on the tour: Arlo Parks, Sam Fender, King Princess, Yves Tumor, Japanese Breakfast and Wet Leg will join as support on select dates throughout the tour.