Industry News Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group has reached agreements to sell SPIN and Stereogum, Billboard reports. SPIN has been acquired by Next Management Partners, a “private equity firm that specializes in digital media.” The firm will “assume all assets and has engaged the current team to continue publishing.” Stereogum, meanwhile, will be sold to founder and current editor-in-chief Scott Lapatine, who will take on the role of CEO.

Spotify is introducing a new feature that will design a playlist suited to your pet’s personality. Spotify for Pets algorithmically generates a playlist based on the kind of animal you have, as well as their attitude (e.g., “Apathetic” vs. “Curious” for a cat). Currently, it offers playlists for dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, and iguanas. (Sorry, rabbit and ferret parents.) Learn more below.

In 2019, U.S. listeners passed the trillion-stream mark for the first time, according to Nielsen’s annual year-end report on the music industry. There were 1.15 trillion audio and music video streams in 2019—up 29.3% from 887.4 billion streams in 2018. Read the full report via Billboard here.

According to Nielsen Music’s report recapping music sales in the U.S. across the 2010s, the Beatles’ Abbey Road was the No.

Musicians around the world have pledged to donate funds to support bushfire relief efforts in Australia, including Metallica, Elton John, Kacey Musgraves, and more. Metallica and their foundation All Within My Hands have focused on fighting the fires, pledging $750,000 to the NSW Rural Fire Service and to the Country Fire Authority in Victoria. At a recent concert in Sydney, John pledged to donate “$1 million to support the bushfire relief fund.”

Several indie record labels announced today that they’ve parted ways with Warner Music Group’s Alternative Distribution Alliance (ADA) and will be working with North Carolina distributor Redeye going forward, Billboard reports. Beggars Group—the collective of labels that includes 4AD, Matador, Rough Trade, Young Turks, and XL—are joined by Domino and Saddle Creek in the move. The labels made the change effective January 1.

Spotify will suspend all political ads in 2020, citing a need for tighter vetting tools and systems, Ad Age and Variety report. The announcement comes amid ongoing criticism of online platforms whose ad standards lag behind other media, allowing misleading or malicious content to reach voters.

The internet radio and streaming platform 8tracks is shutting down. According to founder David Porter, the site’s last day online is December 31.

A federal jury has awarded the three major labels $1 billion in statutory damages in a lawsuit against internet service provider Cox Communications, Billboard reports and documents viewed by Pitchfork confirm. Cox was found liable “by a preponderance of evidence” for the willful copyright infringement of 10,017 musical works owned by Sony Music, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group and ordered to pay a fine of $99,830.29 for each violation.

Following an antitrust investigation into the business practices of Live Nation and Ticketmaster, the Department of Justice has reached a deal with the two companies to amend and extend the regulatory agreement they signed when their merger was approved in 2010.