Spotify Paid Out $7 Billion to the Music Industry — Labels, Publishers and Others — in 2021

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorCourtney Holt, a top executive in Spotify’s podcasting business and a four-year veteran of the company, is leaving the streaming giant, a source close to the situation has confirmed to Variety. The source said that Holt’s departure was his decision and is amicable, and that he will stay on as an advisor to the company for the next several months at least.

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 EditorElvis Presley’s catalog will be administered by Universal Music Publishing and represented by Authentic Brands Group, the companies announced Tuesday.As part of the expanded relationship, UMPG and ABG will represent Presley’s catalog of hits worldwide (excluding the U.K.), which includes such classics as “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” “It’s Now or Never,” “Memories,” “A Little Less Conversation,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Love Me Tender,” “Viva Las Vegas,” “Amazing Grace,” “All Shook Up,” “Tears on My Pillow” and countless more.The deal, terms of which were not disclosed, comes at an auspicious time, as Baz Luhrmann’s biopic “Elvis,” starring Tom Hanks and Austin Butler, arrives in theaters June 24 and premieres next month at the Cannes Film Festival. ABG’s formidable portfolio includes such iconic celebrity brands such as Presley, Marilyn Monroe and Muhammad Ali.

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 EditorThere is exactly one person on earth who could be serenaded on his 90th birthday by (in order) Barry Manilow, Patti Smith, Dionne Warwick, Kenny G, Art Garfunkel, Earth Wind & Fire, Bruce Springsteen and Alicia Keys — and have the whole evening capped off by a brilliant Mark Ronson-helmed “megamix” of great songs from across that birthday boy’s 60-plus-year career. The answer is so obvious we’re not even going to bother.Yes, Clive Davis’ 90th birthday party, held Wednesday night at the memorably named Cipriani South Street at Casa Cipriani in Lower Manhattan, was truly one for the ages.

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 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 last day of Women’s History Month, results of a new research report reveal from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative concludes that, for women in music, “the last decade has been one of insignificant change in the recording studio.”The study, titled “Inclusion in the Recording Studio?” is the fifth annual report on the music industry from Dr. Stacy L.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorPophouse Entertainment has acquired the master recordings and publishing of electronic music titans Swedish House Mafia, the company has announced. The Stockholm-based entertainment company, which was cofounded by ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus and is best known for endeavors such as the forthcoming “ABBA Voyage” show, virtual experiences and gaming, has acquired the masters and publishing (including their writer’s shares) of the trio’s back catalog, and will form a joint venture with its members to develop and amplify the Swedish House Mafia brand worldwide, according to the announcement.

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.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorRoxy Music, the legendary and influential British group who launched during the glam-rock era of the early 1970s but evolved into a suave and romantic brand of pop that influenced everyone from Chic to Duran Duran and Maxwell, will tour for the first time in 11 years to mark the 50th year since their groundbreaking self-titled debut album.Singer-songwriter Bryan Ferry, saxophonist Andy Mackay, guitarist Phil Manzanera and drummer Paul Thompson will perform 13 arena shows across North America and the UK, beginning September 7 in Toronto at the Scotiabank Arena.The tour will take the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members across the U.S., including New York’s Madison Square Garden and The Forum in Los Angeles, before culminating with a performance at the O2 Arena in London. Tickets for the Live Nation produced North American shows will go on sale Monday, April 4 (10 a.m.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorSpotify, which suspended its paid subscription service in Russia earlier this month due to that country’s unprovoked and bloody invasion of Ukraine, has announced it will “fully suspend our service in Russia,” apparently indefinitely. It joins dozens of other music companies that have ceased operations in the country.“Spotify has continued to believe that it’s critically important to try to keep our service operational in Russia to provide trusted, independent news and information in the region.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorVeteran dance music executive Patrick Moxey has announced details of his new label group and has signed a new, worldwide deal for two key record labels with Warner Recorded Music.The agreement, which encompasses the legendary Payday Records and the newly created Helix Records, will see Warner Recorded Music handling global digital distribution via its independent services arm ADA Worldwide, and includes the option for the parties to co-sign new repertoire.The move comes just weeks after Moxey left Ultra, the label he founded during the 1990s, and Sony Music.Helix Records, the group’s new flagship electronic dance music label, which was officially launched this week at Miami Music Week, has already signed several artists, including electronic duo Snakehips, British-Australian band AR/CO, legendary house dj/producer Marshall Jefferson, and tech house maven DJ Susan. Helix and Payday Records have offices in Los Angeles, New York, and London with 36-member team covering marketing and promotions in Canada, Sweden, Germany, France, and Australia.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorMulti-platinum-selling rapper Trippie Redd, one of the first signings to 10K Projects, has re-upped with the company in a “long-term deal that will keep him at the label for years to come,” according to the announcement.In just five years, Trippie has released four studio albums, six mixtapes, eight EPs and almost three dozen singles — not to mention countless guest appearances — adding up to 15 Platinum and 8 Gold certifications.“We launched 10K Projects as a label where artists have complete creative freedom and the support to realize their vision,” said the label’s founder and CEO, Elliot Grainge. “Trippie Redd has thrived under these conditions, releasing a lifetime’s worth of music in just five short years and becoming a singular voice in contemporary music.” Trippie Redd commented: “Elliot signed me when I was 16.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe global recorded music market grew by 18.5% in 2021, driven by growth in paid subscription streaming, according to IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry), the organization that represents the recorded music industry worldwide. Figures released Tuesday in IFPI’s Global Music Report show total revenues for 2021 were $25.9 billion.While the free version of the report does not attach numbers to all of the rankings, they’re pretty fascinating anyway:The top 10 global artists, based on “consumption across all formats and all countries, weighted based on the value of each method of consumption,” are:The top 10 global digital singles were: The top 10 all-format albums were:And, for good measure, the top-selling vinyl titles across the world were:Digging into the data, the report notes that paid subscription streaming revenues increased by 21.9% to $12.3 billion, with 523 million users of paid subscription accounts at the end of 2021.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorOn Thursday morning, Dolly Parton ventured into the belly of Fox News’ hotbed of propaganda and misinformation, “Fox & Friends,” in an attempt to set the record straight about her decision to decline her likely nomination into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.“Well, I didn’t feel exactly right about that,” she said, while being interviewed on the show along with James Patterson, who co-authored her new book “Run, Rose Run.” “Because my perception, and I think the perception of most of America — I just feel like that’s more for the people in rock music. I’ve been educated since then, saying that it’s more than that, but I still didn’t feel right about it.