‘On Record’ Book Series Is a Time Capsule of Pop Music, Year by Year

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorSony Music Entertainment announced a pair of big promotions on Monday, elevating Melissa Thomas to executive VP of International Marketing, U.S. Repertoire and Monica Cornia to Senior VP of Sales, Commercial Music Group.Thomas (pictured above left), who was previously SVP, will continue to report to Sony Music Group Chairman Rob Stringer.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorIt’s safe to assume that the mouths of wizening hipsters across the country dropped open with astonishment when they heard “Mind Your Own Business,” a 40-year-old song by short-lived British post-punk quintet Delta 5, blasting from their TVs when a new Apple ad aired during the NBA play-ins.The song was the first single by Delta 5, which grew out of the late ‘70s Leeds University art-school scene that spawned post-punk luminaries like Gang of Four and the Mekons.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorGrammy-winning songwriter and producer James Steed, professionally known as DJ SwanQo, has signed with Giant Music Publishing, a division of the Azoff Company. Giant, in partnership with Pardison Fontaine’s St.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorVivendi, owner of the world’s largest music company, Universal Music Group, told investors on Tuesday that it is considering selling an additional 10% stake in the company to an unnamed U.S. investor.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorWhen the votes were tallied in Georgia last November, then counted again and again, Donald Trump was characteristically vocal in his outrage that Georgia, a longtime Republican state, had turned blue.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe “Hella Mega Tour” featuring Green Day, Fall Out Boy and Weezer has unveiled new dates, beginning in July and stretching into September.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorOne thing we did not expect to see on this Spring Monday morning was a high-quality audio duel between two of the world’s biggest music streaming services.At around 9 a.m. ET, Apple announced that its Apple Music is bringing “industry-leading” sound quality to its subscribers, with the addition of Spatial Audio with support for Dolby Atmos.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorShaed are a Washington DC-based trio who scored a massive hit two years ago with “Trampoline,” a song from their second EP that featured Zayn on the remix.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorRising British songstress Jorja Smith seemed to arrive fully formed with her Grammy-nominated, BRIT Award-winning 2018 debut album “Lost & Found,” a sultry R&B collection with flashes of Amy Winehouse and Sade.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorFor the past 15 months, many of us have felt starved by the absence of live music from our lives — as if our bodies have been deprived of an essential nutrient and we’re suffering from some existential scurvy.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorManuel Abud has been named CEO of the Latin Recording Academy, effective Aug. 1, the Board of Trustees announced on Wednesday.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorWhether they realize it or not, most rock fans of the past 20-odd years — especially indie rock fans — already know the work of artist Steve Keene.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorIn one of the more surreal developments the music world has seen in a year filled with them, Rough Trade NYC, the sprawling record store that closed down its location in trendy Williamsburg shortly after the pandemic hit last year, will be opening in a new location on June 1 — in the iconic 30 Rock building in Midtown Manhattan, the longtime home of NBC, just steps from Radio City Music Hall.“Following the impact of COVID-19, Rough Trade’s decision to relocate

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorJust under a year ago, as protests gripped the U.S.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Weeknd will perform at the Billboard Music Awards on May 23 — which is only fitting since he’s the top finalist this year with nominations in 16 categories, riding the success of his blockbuster “After Hours” album and its smash single “Blinding Lights,” which has crushed multiple streaming and chart records.Over the course of his decade-long career, the Weeknd has racked up a dazzling number of Billboard chart records: He’s had 34 top 40-charting hits on the

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorLongtime Live Nation CFO Kathy Willard is retiring effective June 30, CEO Michael Rapino announced during the company’s earnings call on Thursday. The company is planning for Joe Berchtold, who currently serves as Live Nation’s president, to assume the role of president and CFO.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorWhile tours and festivals for later this year are being announced every day and Live Nation’s stock recently reached an all-time high based on the concert industry’s anticipated return to health, the company’s first-quarter earnings report showed that the concert industry is just beginning to revive, it had a rough quarter — as it had predicted on its last earnings report, and as would be expected.The company’s adjusted operating income loss for the quarter was $152

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorHipgnosis Songs has acquired yet another catalog, this one from Andrew Watt, who recently was named 2021 Grammy Producer of the Year for his work with Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa, Post Malone and Ozzy Osbourne.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorSolomon Sounds, ne Solomon Sobande, the former manager of the late rapper and songwriter XXXTentacion, has joined Capitol Records as senior vice president of A&R, reporting to Capitol Music Group (CMG) chairman and CEO Jeff Vaughn. Sounds is tasked with signing and develop artists for the company’s flagship label.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe new Wasserman Music agency and livestreaming service Twitch have partnered to launch “There is Light,” an indie-centric channel and concert series. The series will present 20 live concerts from independent music venues in the U.S.