Producer Alex Da Kid’s songs for Rihanna, Nicki Minaj and Dr. Dre have lit up nightclubs around the world. But to create the thumping chart-toppers, the British hit maker turns to the tranquillity of his Hollywood Hills living room. The 1,000-square-foot space has “a good energy,” said the 34-year-old, whose real name is Alexander Grant. “A lot of…
Imagine Dragons Announces Album, Tour
Now that you’ve had some time to soak up Imagine Dragon’s new tunes, “Believer” and “Thunder,” the band has officially announced a release date for its third album and the initial routing for its 2017 world tour. Evolve is due out June 23 via KIDinaKORNER and Interscope. Pre-orders of the album come with instant…
WHY WARNER DID A DEAL WITH YOUTUBE (AND WHY IT SHOULD THINK TWICE NEXT TIME)
On Friday evening, MBW broke the news that Warner Music Group had signed a renewed global licensing deal with YouTube – via an oddly downtrodden internal memo from WMG boss Steve Cooper. “[Our] experiences during these negotiations were proof positive of the acute need to clarify ‘safe harbor’ provisions under US and EU copyright legislation,” it read….
Fans to the Front: How Internet Fandoms Are Gaming the Music Industry
Fan accounts on social media are finding new ways to help their favorite artists reach the top of the charts — but are these campaigns effective? In her Fans to the Front column, Brittany Spanos dives into what’s happening in fan culture on the Internet. Given the deluge of music soaring at us from all platforms,…
DJ Khaled’s “I’m The One” proves music video advertising is alive and well
In the first seconds of DJ Khaled’s 2015 music video for “Gold Slugs,” you notice that the record producer is casually drinking a Four Loko (an almost unsettlingly saccharine, caffeinated alcoholic beverage notorious for its ability to cause blackouts) with lunch, the first of many signs that the video exists in a reality far from…
SOUNDCLOUD GO GOES SUPER-CHEAP IN $1 FOR THREE MONTHS PROMOTION
A subscription to the premium on-demand streaming service’s top tier offering typically weighs in at $9.99-per-month. But in a fresh promotion, new users to the service can sign up to three months of access for just $1. The discount mirrors similar promotions run by Spotify at various points in the last few years, which have helped…
Apple Music Goes Hollywood: Inside Jimmy Iovine’s Video Plans
Will.i.am was shopping a reality show to TV networks when he met Apple Music guru Jimmy Iovine on the office terrace where Iovine likes to do his biggest deals alfresco. The two go way back; Iovine signed the musician when he was running Interscope Records. The music legend loved will.i.am’s idea, a Shark Tank-style competition…
Spotify’s Blockchain Acquisition is a Big Deal
I’m almost sorry to write about the music industry again. But you should keep reading, even if it isn’t your favorite subject. Technology plays a central role in the attention economy’s transformation we are witnessing these days. Thus, Spotify’s acqui-hire of a blockchain developer team isn’t only interesting with regards to the streaming industry. It…
X AMBASSADORS RELEASE NEW SONG “TORCHES”
Platinum-selling rock band X Ambassadors release new song “Torches” today on Interscope Records. “Torches” is available for streaming and digital download via all participating digital retailers- http://smarturl.it/TorchesXA. X Ambassadors released their debut full length album VHS (KIDinaKORNER/Interscope) in June 2015, where it debuted at #7 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and has since…
