Jem Aswad-Senior Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

SoundCloud to Lay Off 8% of Staff - variety.com
variety.com
23.05.2023

SoundCloud to Lay Off 8% of Staff

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor SoundCloud announced that it will be laying off around 8% of its global staff in an email from CEO Eliah Seton obtained by Variety. The move, which will impact around 40 people, follows a more-severe round of cuts back in August that saw the company reducing its headcount by some 20%. “Ultimately, I take accountability for this decision and will carry that with me every day,” Seton wrote. “Most importantly, we are absolutely determined to treat everyone with the utmost respect and manage this process in as generous a manner as possible.  “This is a challenging but essential decision to ensure the health of our business and get SoundCloud to profitability this year,” he continued. “In doing so, we are securing the company’s future for the millions of artists who rely on us for their living and their self-expression, and the millions of fans who come to SoundCloud for the joy of music. It is critical to ensure that SoundCloud thrives in our mission to influence culture, be the preeminent home for artists and fans and lead what’s next in music.

Scott Schinder, Veteran Music Writer, Dies at 61 - variety.com - New York - New York - Texas - Austin - city Austin, state Texas
variety.com
12.06.2023

Scott Schinder, Veteran Music Writer, Dies at 61

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Veteran music writer Scott Schinder, who wrote for virtually every major music publication over the course of a three-decade-plus-long career, has died after a long illness, his friend Randy Haecker confirms to Variety. Schinder’s work can be read in Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, Billboard, Time Out New York, the Austin Chronicle, Please Kill Me, Creem, Musician, Newsday, Stereophile, Musician, Tower Pulse, New Musical Express, Melody Maker, Texas Music, SXSWorld and probably many others. No cause of death has been announced; he was 61. A native of Long Island and a longtime New York resident, Schinder was a ubiquitous presence on the city’s music scene, where, beginning in the 1980s, he could be found most nights of the week at CBGB, Irving Plaza, Maxwells, Under Acme, Brownies and multiple other venues of the era. Indeed, the photo on his author page at Please Kill Me could have been taken at one of dozens of different venues in the city on any of a couple thousand evenings (it was actually taken at CBGB circa early 1990s).

Sam Smith and Madonna Drop Fiery New Single, ‘Vulgar’ - variety.com - Britain
variety.com
09.06.2023

Sam Smith and Madonna Drop Fiery New Single, ‘Vulgar’

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Although it was rumored and teased for weeks before it was officially confirmed, it’s really not a surprise to see Madonna collaborating with Sam Smith: “Unholy,” the British singer’s hit with Kim Petras, was not only the most provocative song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 since Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP,” it was exactly the kind of song that Madonna has released more than once in her career: intentionally controversial and boundary-pushing, both musically and thematically (“Unholy” is essentially about a family man having unsafe sex). Thus, she was a perfect person to introduce Smith and Petras before they performed the song at the Grammys: “Are you ready for some controversy?” she began, before continuing, “If they call you shocking, scandalous, troublesome, problematic, provocative or dangerous, you are definitely onto something.”

Why Prince Changed His Name to an Unpronounceable Symbol 30 Years Ago, and What Happened Next - variety.com - Minneapolis
variety.com
07.06.2023

Why Prince Changed His Name to an Unpronounceable Symbol 30 Years Ago, and What Happened Next

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor The music world has seen countless reinventions, rehabilitations, transformations and image overhauls, but there’s never been anything quite like Prince changing his name to an unpronounceable symbol on his 35th birthday, 30 years ago today. His motivation for doing so was never clearly stated, although many assumed it was a ploy to get out of his contract with his longtime label, Warner Bros. Records. He announced the decision in a statement that read, “It is an unpronounceable symbol whose meaning has not been identified. It’s all about thinking in new ways, tuning in 2 a new free-quency.” Since, obviously, the symbol did not exist on a computer keyboard, Warner Bros. sent floppy discs to media outlets containing a digital rendition of the image, although most gradually landed on referring to him as “The Artist Formerly Known as Prince.” Television outlets were also provided with a brief video featuring the symbol, punctuated with an appropriately iconic-sounding digital clank, similar to the ones film companies used when their logos appeared in film credits.

‘Girl From Ipanema’ Singer Astrud Gilberto Dies at 83 - variety.com - Britain - Brazil - New York - Germany - city Rio De Janeiro
variety.com
06.06.2023

‘Girl From Ipanema’ Singer Astrud Gilberto Dies at 83

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Astrud Gilberto, the smooth-voiced Brazilian singer whose version of “The Girl From Ipanema” introduced bossa nova to much of the world and is likely one of the most recognized popular hits of all time, has died, according to the Guardian. No cause of death has been reported; she was 83. The daughter of a German father and a Brazilian mother, the singer was born Astrud Evangelina Weinert in Bahia in 1940 and mostly raised in Rio de Janeiro. She married bossa nova pioneer/ singer-guitarist João Gilberto in 1959, and although the marriage lasted only a few years, but she kept his name. In 1963, she joined him on a trip to New York to record the “Getz/Gilberto” album with jazz saxophonist Stan Getz. She ended up singing “Girl From Ipanema” inadvertently: Producer Creed Taylor had wanted to record an English version of the Brazilian song “Garota De Ipanema” and Astrud, whose father taught languages, was the only Brazilian at the session who spoke English. It was the first song she’d ever recorded, but her un-studied, lighthearted take on the song’s unforgettable melody turned it into a monumental international hit, which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy for Song Of the Year.

Coldplay’s ‘Music of the Spheres’ Tour Drastically Reduces Band’s Carbon Footprint, Sets New Standards in Sustainability - variety.com - Malaysia - county Ocean
variety.com
06.06.2023

Coldplay’s ‘Music of the Spheres’ Tour Drastically Reduces Band’s Carbon Footprint, Sets New Standards in Sustainability

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Coldplay — along with Billie Eilish, Dave Matthews Band, Jack Johnson and others — are among the most environmentally friendly major touring artists in the world, and the group has provided an update on the sustainability initiatives in their “Music of the Spheres” World Tour, which began in March 2022 and has so far sold more than 7 million tickets. According to the report, the current tour: – has so far produced 47% less CO2e emissions than their previous stadium tour in 2016-17; – 66% of all tour waste has been diverted from landfills;

Brit Beat: Parklife Festival, Featuring the 1975, Heats Up Festival Season - variety.com - Britain - county Harding
variety.com
02.06.2023

Brit Beat: Parklife Festival, Featuring the 1975, Heats Up Festival Season

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor It’s been a tough couple of years for live music in the U.K., but now AEG Presents UK CEO Steve Homer sees light at the end of the tunnel. “Last year, we had some big successes and some big losses,” he tells Variety. “Now, we’re over that hump, sales patterns are almost back to pre-COVID levels in terms of predicting how things will sell. The business is in reasonably good shape, bearing in mind all the difficulties with people’s available money to spend.” Homer has been in sole charge for 18 months now, following the surprise exit of co-CEO Toby Leighton-Pope, now MD at TEG Europe. And having made several key hires in recent months – including former Royal Albert Hall exec Lucy Noble as artistic director; former Live Nation exec Lee Laborde as SVP of the promoting division; and former SJM promoters Chris Wareing (SVP of global touring) and Paris Harding (promoter) – Homer is now leading the company’s expansion into several new areas.

Cynthia Weil, Co-Writer of ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,’ ‘Make Your Own Kind of Music,’ On Broadway’ and More, Dies at 82 - variety.com - New York - Manhattan - city Uptown - city Midtown
variety.com
02.06.2023

Cynthia Weil, Co-Writer of ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,’ ‘Make Your Own Kind of Music,’ On Broadway’ and More, Dies at 82

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Grammy-winning Songwriters Hall of Fame member Cynthia Weil — who co-wrote “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” “On Broadway,” “Make Your Own Kind of Music,” “On Broadway,” “Walking in the Rain,” “You’re My Soul and Inspiration,” “Uptown,” “Kicks,” “Here You Come Again,” “Through the Fire,” “Somewhere Out There” and many other hits with her husband and Brill Building colleague Barry Mann — has died, her daughter confirmed to TMZ on Friday morning. No cause of death was announced; she was 82. “My mother, Cynthia Weil, was the greatest mother, grandmother and wife our family could ever ask for,” Jenn Mann said. “She was my best friend, confidant, and my partner in crime and an idol and trailblazer for women in music.”

Grace Jones Electrifies New York With Eye-Popping — and Hilarious — Show: Concert Review - variety.com - New York - New York
variety.com
01.06.2023

Grace Jones Electrifies New York With Eye-Popping — and Hilarious — Show: Concert Review

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Grace Jones was one of the most iconic artists of the early ‘80s, with a boldly androgynous and prescient image and string of brilliant albums with a pioneering sound and expertly curated covers that fused R&B, new wave and reggae into a fusion that has been echoed everywhere from Rihanna to Massive Attack and beyond. Now 75, she’s continued performing but hasn’t released an album since 2008, and seemed to drop below the radar for all but her fanbase, influencees and the LGBTQ and Pitchfork audiences until the past few years, when the brilliance of her “Warm Leatherette,” “Nightclubbing” and “Living My Life” albums became even more undeniable. Yet even fans who’d seen her shows in the past probably were not prepared for the eye-popping, mind-blowing concert she staged as part of Blue Note Jazz Festival at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom on Wednesday night, which mere words cannot do justice. At 75, her always-deep voice sounds as great as ever, her outfits and staging are as provocative as ever, and she could give Mick Jagger a literal run for his money in terms of fitness and dexterity at a certain age. Best of all, for all her hauteur, diva-tude and icon status, she never takes herself too seriously and every outfit, headdress, and staging touch had an undercurrent of humor that’s sadly lacking in most artists — and her stage banter is absolutely hilarious, although the humor often lay less in what she was saying than the way she said it (although lines like “Why do you need a dick if you’ve got a dildo?” land in a multitude of contexts).

How Real Is Queen’s ‘Billion-Dollar Catalog Deal’? - variety.com
variety.com
01.06.2023

How Real Is Queen’s ‘Billion-Dollar Catalog Deal’?

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor After months of murmurs, news broke just before the long Memorial Day weekend that, according to unnamed sources, the surviving members of Queen were in the process of closing a deal for the legendary group’s catalog for a mind-boggling $1 billion. Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company, was said to be the likely buyer. Three sources tell Variety the deal is in advanced stages — although another close to the situation says it is very preliminary — and that the billion-dollar price tag is “real.” However, exactly what is included in the package is not entirely clear. The deal “is Universal’s to lose,” two sources said — although Sony Music is said to be waiting in the wings — owing to the company’s longstanding relationship with the group, which signed with EMI in 1972 and remained with the company, which was acquired by Universal in 2011, throughout its career, However, in 1991 it signed a deal with Hollywood Records for U.S. and Canadian recorded-music rights only, which led to a later acquisition by the company of those assets — and therein lies one of the complicating factors.

Billy Joel to End Madison Square Garden Residency in 2024, After 150 Concerts - variety.com - New York - New York - county Adams
variety.com
01.06.2023

Billy Joel to End Madison Square Garden Residency in 2024, After 150 Concerts

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Billy Joel and Madison Square Garden Entertainment announced on Thursday that the singer will end his record-breaking residency at the iconic New York venue in July of 2024, after 10 years and some 150 concerts. The first of the final 10 concerts will take place on October 20, 2023. Throughout the course of his run, Joel has sold more than 1.6 million tickets. The announcement was made during a press conference at the venue, attended by Joel, MSG CEO James Dolan and New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “There’s only one thing that’s more New York than Billy Joel — and that’s a Billy Joel concert at MSG,” Mayor Adams said. “For more than 50 years, Billy’s music has defined our city and brought us together. On behalf of 8.5 million New Yorkers, congratulations, Billy, on a historic run of sold-out shows at MSG, and thank you for a lifetime of bringing joy to us all.”

Ezekiel Lewis Named President of Epic Records - variety.com - city Motown
variety.com
01.06.2023

Ezekiel Lewis Named President of Epic Records

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Epic Records has appointed Ezekiel Lewis to the post of president. He will continue to report to Sylvia Rhone, Epic Records’ Chairwoman and CEO, and to lead the A&R division while helping run the day-to-day operations of the company. Lewis has served as the company’s executive vice president and head of A&R since 2020, working closely with such artists as 21 Savage, Bia, Black Eyed Peas, DDG, Future, Giveon, Madison Beer, Meghan Trainor, Mimi Webb, Southside, Zara Larsson and more. Prior to joining Epic in 2017, Lewis served as senior VP of A&R at Motown Records from 2011, working with such artists including Ne-Yo, Erykah Badu, Migos, Lil Yachty, T.I., and Rich Homie Quan. He is also a Grammy-winning songwriters who has co-written and co-produced songs for Justin Bieber, Mary J. Blige and Usher, and also worked closely with Mariah Carey and Yo Gotti. In 2010, he founded Bar Music Group, a music publishing company that included projects Chris Brown, Future, Trey Songz and others. As a musician, he signed with David Foster’s 143 Records and played a key role in Trey Songz’s career. In 2004, Lewis co-founded the Clutch, a collective of songwriter-producers responsible for hits by Omarion, Ciara, Britney Spears, Timbaland and others.

Joe Trohman Returns to Fall Out Boy After Mental-Health Hiatus - variety.com
variety.com
30.05.2023

Joe Trohman Returns to Fall Out Boy After Mental-Health Hiatus

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Joe Trohman has returned to Fall Out Boy after taking a several-month hiatus from the band to focus on his mental health. The guitarist and founding member announced his return on social media on Monday. “Hey everyone, I’m officially back!,” he wrote. “I want to thank everyone for the love and support while I took some time away to focus on my brain and get healthy for my family, my friends and myself.” He also thanked Ben Young, the band’s longtime guitar tech, who filled in for him during the hiatus. Trohman announced his mental-health break in January, shortly after the band announced its eighth album, “So Much (for) Stardust,” and a new label deal with Fueled by Ramen/ Elektra Records.

Beyonce Pays Tribute to Tina Turner With Powerful ‘River Deep – Mountain High’ Performance in London - variety.com - London - county Turner
variety.com
30.05.2023

Beyonce Pays Tribute to Tina Turner With Powerful ‘River Deep – Mountain High’ Performance in London

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Beyonce never does anything by half, and never until she’s ready. Thus, it’s not a big surprise that she paid musical tribute to her idol Tina Turner several days after the icon’s death last Wednesday — and with a stripped-down version of the song that is not only the most musically complex in Turner’s catalog, but one of the most complicated hit singles of all time: “River Deep – Mountain High,” the 1966 hit written by Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry with producer Phil Spector.

Celine Dion Cancels All Tour Dates Due to Rare Neurological Disorder - variety.com
variety.com
26.05.2023

Celine Dion Cancels All Tour Dates Due to Rare Neurological Disorder

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Celine Dion has canceled all 2023 and 2024 dates on her “Courage” world tour due to her ongoing struggle with a rare neurological disorder called Stiff-Person Syndrome. The dates had been rescheduled from 2022. “It is with tremendous disappointment that we have to announce today the cancellation of the Courage World Tour,” she wrote in a social media post Friday. “I’m so sorry to disappoint all of you once again. I’m working really hard to build back my strength, but touring can be very difficult even when you’re 100%. It’s not fair to you to keep postponing the shows, and even though it breaks my heart, it’s best that we cancel everything now until I’m really ready to be back on stage again. I want you all to know, I’m not giving up… and I can’t wait to see you again! – Celine xx…”Tickets purchased for the forty-two cancelled dates will be refunded via the original point of sale. For further ticket inquiries or options, ticketholders should reach out to their original point of purchase.In a 2022 announcement postponing the original dates, Dion described her battle with the rare ailment, which affects approximately one in a million people.

Butthole Surfers’ ‘Strange, Grotesque, Unparalleled’ Early Catalog Reissued by Matador Records - variety.com - USA - Texas
variety.com
25.05.2023

Butthole Surfers’ ‘Strange, Grotesque, Unparalleled’ Early Catalog Reissued by Matador Records

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor The Butthole Surfers were probably one of the most confrontational rock bands of all time, bursting out of Texas as a hardcore act in the early 1980s before mutating into an acid-drenched surrealist nightmare, with famously unhinged concerts featuring blinding strobe lights, nudity, feedback and deafening volume. The group eventually developed a more commercially friendly sound (relatively speaking) and scored an alternative-radio hit in the 1990s with “Pepper,” which cleverly combined a psychedelic rock sound with vocalist Gibby Haynes’ talk-rapping. Yet there was a lot of chaos before that hit, and Matador Records has reissued most of the band’s recorded output from its first decade: the albums “Psychic…Powerless…Another Man’s Sac,” “Rembrandt Pussyhorse,” “Locust Abortion Technician,” “Hairway to Steven” and “piouhgd,” along with EPs and other material recorded during the band’s “strange, grotesque, and ultimately unparalleled first decade,” according to the announcement. The albums, owned by the group but licensed by Matador, are all now available on streaming services; information on physical releases is expected in the coming weeks.

Foo Fighters Reveal New Drummer in Livestreamed ‘Preparing Music for Concerts’ Event - variety.com - Colombia - Chad - state New Hampshire
variety.com
21.05.2023

Foo Fighters Reveal New Drummer in Livestreamed ‘Preparing Music for Concerts’ Event

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor As expected, Foo Fighters revealed their new drummer during a livestreamed event on Sunday: And as expected, it’s veteran session man and longtime friend Josh Freese. The band launches a massive tour — their first without drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died tragically in Colombia last year — in New Hampshire on May 24. While the band announced its intention to continue late last year, they went to great lengths not to reveal the identity of their new drummer. They played into this during the opening moments of the livestream, called “Foo Fighters: Preparing Music for Concerts,” which featured all of the members joking around with each other in their rehearsal room, with their guitars on.

In Historic Decision, Supreme Court Rules Andy Warhol’s Images of Prince Violated Photographer’s Copyright - variety.com
variety.com
18.05.2023

In Historic Decision, Supreme Court Rules Andy Warhol’s Images of Prince Violated Photographer’s Copyright

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor In a ruling that could have vast implications in the copyright world, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that images of Prince created by Andy Warhol that were based on photos taken by Lynn Goldsmith violated her copyright, according to CNN and multiple news outlets. The ruling was 7-2. The court rejected arguments made by the late Warhol’s foundation that the work was sufficiently transformative and did not violate copyright laws. While the work was created in the 1980s, Thursday’s ruling arrives against the backdrop of AI, which has created vast copyright implications over what constitutes originality. Warhol coopted many photographs, logos and other forms of artwork — ranging from soap boxes to iconic photographs — into his works.

After 43 Years, Atlantic Records President of Promotion Andrea Ganis Is Leaving the Company - variety.com
variety.com
18.05.2023

After 43 Years, Atlantic Records President of Promotion Andrea Ganis Is Leaving the Company

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Andrea Ganis, Atlantic Records’ legendary president of promotion, is leaving the company after 43 years, she announced in a message to staff today, which follows below in full. She began at the company as a secretary in 1980, became head of the department and eventually rose so high in the ranks that they invented the president of promotion title for her. In a 2020 interview with Variety looking back at her career, she said, ““My early years began with the Rolling Stones, Bette Midler, Abba, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Genesis, Phil Collins, U2, Stevie Nicks and so many more, including songs that I forgot I promoted until I hear them in a store and point up and say, ‘I worked that record!,’” she laughed.  

New York Music Month’s Full Schedule Announced, Launching June 1 - variety.com - New York - New York
variety.com
17.05.2023

New York Music Month’s Full Schedule Announced, Launching June 1

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor New York’s Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment has announced the full schedule of free programming for the sixth annual New York Music Month, taking place in June with concerts, performances, industry talks and workshops, and the community-sourced calendar for users to upload free and ticketed music events happening across the five boroughs — see the full schedule at NYMusicMonth.NYC.  “This New York Music Month, with a calendar jam-packed with celebrations — like the city’s 50 th anniversary of hip-hop — the beat of New York City will be heard around the world,” said Mayor Eric Adams. “Between the free rehearsal spaces, workshops, master classes, songwriting camps, and more, there is something for everyone sprinkled throughout the five boroughs, which, as music always does, will serve to unite, educate, and entertain us.”

Foo Fighters to Host Streaming Event on Sunday — and Reveal New Drummer? - variety.com - Colombia - state New Hampshire
variety.com
17.05.2023

Foo Fighters to Host Streaming Event on Sunday — and Reveal New Drummer?

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Foo Fighters have dropped the second song from their forthcoming album “But Here We Are,” a bruising punk-tinged song called “Under You,” with the album due on June 2. But they also announced a special streaming event on Sunday that seems likely to reveal their still-unannounced new drummer, who is widely expected to be session veteran Josh Freese. The band launches a massive tour — their first without drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died tragically in Colombia last year — in New Hampshire on May 24. According to the announcement, “Foo Fighters: Preparing Music for Concerts” is a streaming event on Live Nations Veeps platform “packed with rock & roll (including debut performances of songs from ‘But Here We Are’), exclusive behind the scenes footage, and a few surprises—all captured in the spacious yet homey confines of the band’s own 606 studios.”

Margo Price Writes Heartbreaking Essay About Nashville School Shooting and Gun Control - variety.com - Nashville
variety.com
16.05.2023

Margo Price Writes Heartbreaking Essay About Nashville School Shooting and Gun Control

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Singer-songwriter Margo Price has never been a conventional country artist and she is one of the very few to make outspoken statements in favor of stronger gun-control laws in the U.S. She and her husband prominently attended memorial ceremonies for the victims of Nashville’s Covenant School shooting this spring and today she posted a deeply moving essay in Rolling Stone titled “Sit Beside Me in the Darkness.” It is marks her first piece of writing since her 2022 memoir, “Maybe We’ll Make It,” in which she addresses many hard life subjects, including the death of her infant son due to congenital heart disease. It’s a long and detailed essay that covers the meeting she and fellow singers Amy Grant, Sheryl Crow, Ruby Amanfu, Allison Russell and Will Hoge had with Gov. Bill Lee and the unexpected empathy she felt for him, the faith she has in Gen Z, and the change she believes women can create when working together. 

The Weeknd Downplays ‘Ridiculous’ Media Reports on ‘The Idol,’ Hints at His Next Chapter - variety.com
variety.com
16.05.2023

The Weeknd Downplays ‘Ridiculous’ Media Reports on ‘The Idol,’ Hints at His Next Chapter

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor In a sprawling new cover story in Vanity Fair, the Weeknd talks about the dark rumors surrounding his forthcoming HBO series “The Idol” and speaks broadly of what will apparently be the third iteration of his musical persona.   The series comes at a transitional time for the artist, who spoke of his theatrical ambitions in an expansive 2020 Variety cover story pegged to the release of his blockbuster album “After Hours.” In many ways “The Idol” is a conclusion of that dark, superstar phase of the Weeknd: Although he insists he is not Tedros, the abusive and misogynistic Svengali he portrays in the show — who is manipulating a pop star played by Lily Rose Depp, both career-wise and personally — it’s not worlds away from the nihilistic, sex-obsessed, drug-addled persona that populates many of his songs. In fact, he says he’s closer to Depp’s character.          

Empire Names Jennifer Cabalquinto Chief Financial Officer - variety.com - USA - San Francisco - county Oakland - county Bay - county Alameda - Beyond
variety.com
15.05.2023

Empire Names Jennifer Cabalquinto Chief Financial Officer

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Today, Empire, the independent record label, distributor, and publisher, has named Jennifer Cabalquinto to the post of chief financial officer. Cabalquinto will oversee all day-to-day and long-term financial planning and accounting operations for the music powerhouse, and strategize Empire’s reach beyond music into the sports, videogame, tv/film and live entertainment sectors.  Cabalquinto arrives at Empire with more than 25 years of experience working witn the financial foundations in various entertainment industries. Previously, she held Chief Financial Officer positions at 2K Games, Universal Studios Hollywood, Telemundo and the Golden State Warriors, where she most oversaw the development and financial execution of Chase Center and was one of the few c-suite women executives in the NBA during the Warrior’s five straight NBA Finals appearances and three NBA championships.

Daft Punk’s ‘Random Access Memories’ Anniversary Edition Is a Reappraisal and Reaffirmation of Its Genius: Album Review - variety.com - Choir
variety.com
12.05.2023

Daft Punk’s ‘Random Access Memories’ Anniversary Edition Is a Reappraisal and Reaffirmation of Its Genius: Album Review

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor When Daft Punk launched its fourth and presumably final mission statement, “Random Access Memories,” into the atmosphere 10 long years ago, it was greeted with the kind of genre- and generation-spanning adulation that’s rare in any genre. At the time of its release, the supernova of cool around Daft Punk was so pervasive — and the hits from the album, particularly “Get Lucky,” were so ubiquitous — that it topped album charts all over the world, won four Grammys (including album of the year and best-engineered album) and got a whopping 8.8 score from Pitchfork, a publication that played no small role in the duo’s rise. Yet it was a drastic about-face for the pioneering duo, whose electronic and dance music of the previous 15-odd years had spawned countless influences and whose world-shaking 2006-7 tour basically spawned EDM. Fans expecting another electronic masterpiece instead they got a deliberately retro album that intentionally used the technology and recording techniques of the ‘70s and ‘80s to evoke the pristine, perfectionist grooves of Michael Jackson, Chic, Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac and others — and even unfurled a yacht-rock flag on “Fragments of Time.” It has orchestras, choirs and a battery of top-notch musicians including pioneering funk guitarist Nile Rodgers, virtuoso bassist Nathan East, pedal steel guitarist Greg Leisz and powerhouse drummer Omar Hakim. There are guitar solos, tinkling electric pianos, ‘70s funk bass, piledriving drums and even acoustic guitars. Bored with electronics, the duo “wanted to do what we used to do with machines and samplers, but with people,” said the duo’s Thomas Bangalter.

The Go-Go’s Charlotte Caffey Sells Catalog to Seeker Music (EXCLUSIVE) - variety.com - Beyond
variety.com
11.05.2023

The Go-Go’s Charlotte Caffey Sells Catalog to Seeker Music (EXCLUSIVE)

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Seeker Music has acquired the masters and publishing catalog of Charlotte Caffey, lead guitarist and a primary songwriter of pioneering all-female group and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members the Go-Go’s. Caffey co-wrote some of the group’s biggest hits and was the sole songwriter on its signature song, “We Got the Beat.” Since its release in 1981, the song has become the group’s most successful and most-covered track. She also had a hand in writing the group’s hits “Head Over Heels,” “Vacation,” “How Much More” and “Turn to You.” Beyond her work with The Go-Go’s, Caffey has also written songs covered by such artists as Keith Urban (the country hit “But for the Grace of God”) and her Go-Go’s bandmate Belinda Carlisle, as well as in the film and TV space, where she’s written several theme songs, including for the “Clueless” TV series.

Warner Music’s Publishing Posts Strong Results in Otherwise Bumpy Quarter, CEO Sees Potential in AI and Streaming Price Increases - variety.com
variety.com
09.05.2023

Warner Music’s Publishing Posts Strong Results in Otherwise Bumpy Quarter, CEO Sees Potential in AI and Streaming Price Increases

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor New Warner Music CEO Robert Kyncl faced a light release schedule during his first two quarters in office and has promised not to candy-coat the results. Although the company’s revenue was up 4% and its publishing division posted a strong quarter, the company is just beginning to emerge from that thin stretch of releases with strong performances from three recent albums from its Atlantic Records division, from Ed Sheeran, Jack Harlow and Tiesto. As he did in his first earnings call, Kyncl nodded to that situation and then looked ahead to a robust release schedule for the remainder of 2023, with upcoming releases from Dua Lipa, David Guetta, Lil Uzi Vert, Burna Boy, Kelly Clarkson, Tiago PZK, Bailey Zimmerman, and others. “I’m very confident in the path forward, as we combine creative and marketing excellence with tech innovation to propel our growth,” he said.

The Roots’ Black Thought (aka Tariq Trotter) to Release Memoir, ‘The Upcycled Self’ (EXCLUSIVE) - variety.com - Birmingham
variety.com
09.05.2023

The Roots’ Black Thought (aka Tariq Trotter) to Release Memoir, ‘The Upcycled Self’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Tariq Trotter — aka the Roots’ co-founder and rapper better known as Black Thought — will be releasing a memoir titled “The Upcycled Self,” out Nov. 14 on One World. While Trotter, who has won four Grammy Awards and three NAACP Image Awards, has been a deeply successful and influential artist for nearly four decades, the announcement notes that Trotter’s story “begins with a tragedy: as a child, Trotter burned down his family’s home,” it says. “‘The Upcycled Self’ doesn’t just narrate a riveting and moving portrait of the artist as a young man, but gives readers a courageous model of what it means to live an examined life. In vivid vignettes, he tells the dramatic stories of the four powerful relationships that shaped him — community, friends, art, and family — each a complex weave of love, discovery, trauma, and loss.”

Ed Sheeran Says ‘101 Songs With the Same Chord Sequence’ Helped Him Win ‘Thinking Out Loud’ Lawsuit - variety.com - New York
variety.com
09.05.2023

Ed Sheeran Says ‘101 Songs With the Same Chord Sequence’ Helped Him Win ‘Thinking Out Loud’ Lawsuit

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor In his first interview since his victory in the “Thinking Out Loud” copyright infringement lawsuit last week, Ed Sheeran told “Good Morning America” why he feels the jury believe that he did not copy Marvin Gaye’s 1973 hit “Let’s Get It On” for his song. It was “101 songs with the same chord sequence, and that was just, like, scratching the surface,” he said, adding that the jury “was very quick to see that and be like, ‘Oh, yeah.'” (Sheeran seems to have chosen that number randomly to illustrate a multitude.) Sheeran had been steadfast in his denial that he’d taken from Gaye’s song, despite the lawsuit brought by the family of Gaye’s co-writer on the song, the late Ed Townsend. While Sheeran’s song does recall the tempo and chord progression of Gaye’s hit, ultimately his testimony and even performance of the song, solo on acoustic guitar, during the trial helped to lean the jury in his favor. He even mashed it up with other songs that are generally similar.

Sum 41 Announce Split: ‘We Are Excited for What the Future Will Bring for Each of Us’ - variety.com - Canada
variety.com
08.05.2023

Sum 41 Announce Split: ‘We Are Excited for What the Future Will Bring for Each of Us’

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Long-running Canadian pop-punk act Sum 41 have announced that they are splitting up after 27 years together, with their forthcoming album, their ninth studio effort, to be their last. “‘Being in Sum 41 since 1996 brought us some of the best moments of our lives,” the band wrote in a social-media message on Monday. “We are forever grateful to our fans both old and new, who have supported us in every way. It is hard to articulate the love and respect we have for all of you and we wanted you to hear this from us first. “Sum 41 will be disbanding,” it continues. “We will still be finishing all of our current tour dates this year, and we’re looking forward to releasing our final album ‘Heaven :x: Hell,’ along with a final worldwide headlining tour to celebrate. Details will be announced as soon as we have them.

Will.I.Am Launches Formula 1 Partnership Via Tag-Team Single With Lil Wayne - variety.com
variety.com
05.05.2023

Will.I.Am Launches Formula 1 Partnership Via Tag-Team Single With Lil Wayne

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Black Eyed Peas frontman and veteran producer, entrepreneur and motor-racing enthusiast Will.I.Am has announced a partnership with Formula 1 that he’s launching with a new single with Lil Wayne titled, naturally enough, “The Formula.” Will is Formula 1’s new Global Artist in Residence, and the 2023 FIA Formula 1 championship season will see the release of more F1-inspired tracks as part of a Global Artist in Residence alliance, culminating in a new Will.I.Am solo album slated for the fall of 2023.  “The Formula” is the first music to be released and will also be featured within the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix broadcast on May 7. 

Kali Uchis Steams Up Radio City Music Hall With Sultry, Regal Set: Concert Review - variety.com - USA
variety.com
05.05.2023

Kali Uchis Steams Up Radio City Music Hall With Sultry, Regal Set: Concert Review

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Now that’s an entrance. The stage for Kali Uchis’ “Red Moon in Venus” tour is bathed in red-pink light, centered around an elevated platform with stairs leading up either side and archways beneath. A gradually brightening, supernova-like light fills the video screen behind it. The singer enters the stage, slowly carried by her six dancers, but obscured by the kind of giant frilly feathers you see in old movies, where a luxuriating empress is being gently fanned with them by servants. They scale the steps, gently set her down in the middle of the platform, then pull away the feathers as the crowd shrieks, revealing Uchis standing regally with her back turned, looking at the audience over her shoulder, clad in an all-red ensembled of a halter, short skirt, stockings, sleeves and a pair of towering boots with needle-thin heels. As “Telepatia” starts, she busts some slinking moves while the dancers peel off until one of them returns, delivering her microphone.

Live Nation Posts $3.1 Billion in Revenue, Record Attendance as Global Touring Returns - variety.com
variety.com
04.05.2023

Live Nation Posts $3.1 Billion in Revenue, Record Attendance as Global Touring Returns

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Despite angry words from Taylor Swift, major issues with its Ticketmaster division, a Senate hearing and incoming legislation, Live Nation posted another record-breaking quarter in Q1 of 2023, with a record $3.1 billion in revenue — up 73% from the same period last year — and a record 19.5 million fans attending its events as the global touring business returns to full strength. The company’s concerts division already has sold almost 90 million tickets for shows this year already, more than 20% ahead of last year, and posted adjusted operating income of $320 million, a 53% increase. “With many major tours — from Beyoncé to Drake to Bruce Springsteen — demand was so strong that even when artists added a number of additional shows, they still were not able to meet all of the fan demand,” Rapino said.

Will Ed Sheeran’s ‘Thinking Out Loud’ Win Stop Other Copyright-Infringment Lawsuits? Attorneys Weigh in - variety.com
variety.com
04.05.2023

Will Ed Sheeran’s ‘Thinking Out Loud’ Win Stop Other Copyright-Infringment Lawsuits? Attorneys Weigh in

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Much of the music industry heaved a collective sigh of relief when the news broke Thursday that Ed Sheeran was found not liable on a copyright claim alleging that he copied key elements from the Marvin Gaye ‘70s hit “Let’s Get It On” for his own song “Thinking Out Loud.” The case is one of countless similar infringement cases that have been brought before courts, settled, or continue in seemingly endless loops of appeals. But there’s little question that recent ones — at least the ones that followed the 2015 “Blurred Lines” decision that shook the industry — have sided with creators. The lawsuit around Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse” went on for five years before being decided initially in favor of Christian rapper Marcus Gray — who claimed her song was substantially similar to his earlier track “Joyful Noise” — but was overturned in 2020 when a judge ruled that the eight-note “ostinato” Perry allegedly copied lacked the “quantum of originality” to warrant copyright protection (Gray’s appeal was unsuccessful). Later in 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up the long-running copyright battle over Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” leaving in place a ruling that rejected infringement allegations over the 1971 song. The justices denied a petition aimed at reviving the case, ending six years of litigation over claims that the song’s writers, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, plagiarized the song’s iconic intro from the 1968 song “Taurus” by the group Spirit.

50 Cent Unveils ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’’ 20th Anniversary Tour Dates - variety.com - Australia - Paris - New Zealand - USA - Atlanta - Netherlands - Houston - county Rich - city Salt Lake City - city Oslo
variety.com
04.05.2023

50 Cent Unveils ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’’ 20th Anniversary Tour Dates

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Veteran rapper, actor and entrepreneur Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has announced dates for a global tour in celebration of the 20th Anniversary of his galvanizing debut album, “Get Rich or Die Tryin’.” Produced by Live Nation and presented by Sire Spirits, The Final Lap Tour will make stops across North America and Europe including Toronto, Brooklyn, Atlanta, Houston, Amsterdam, Oslo, Paris, and many more. Additional markets are expected to be announced soon.  Busta Rhymes will support on all dates, and Jeremih will support on all North American dates. According to the announcement, the “Final Lap Tour” “will feature the rap icon performing dozens of fan-favorite and chart-topping hits along with select tracks that have not been performed live in decades. Plus, the tour will feature support from special guest and longtime friend,  with more special guests to be announced. 

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