It is now clear more than ever that TDE plans to takeover the game. Reports are surfacing that Top Dawg has  become head of the rap department at Interscope Records. Check out his tweets about his recent accomplishment here. [AlLindstrom]

I’m tired of the gimmicks that surround music releases today. True, they aren’t entirely new, but they are for some reason feeling particularly worn out lately. “Tweet this and it unlocks this; that leads to a stream of the new song,” etc. I feel as though each marketing plan starts with “insert novel new technology…

Email marketing is on the rise and proving to be more effective as time goes on. A lot of artist set up email blast for supporters, so this graph should help you maximize your efforts. [AlLindstrom]

‘ This is the last big show for three years or so,’ singer Chris Martin tells crowd It looks like Coldplay will be taking a break from live shows very soon. According to Billboard, frontman Chris Martin told the crowd at a Brisbane, Australia, show last week, “This is the last big show for three years or so,”…

Universal Music Group has appointed Steve Barnett as Chairman and CEO of its Capitol Music Group – which now includes The Beatles catalogue. In a statement, UMG said the hiring “underscores [our] commitment to expanding the marketplace for new music” as it looks to “begin the revitalisation of EMI Recorded Music”. Capitol was a key…