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FYI

Music Biz Headlines, Oct. 25, 2019

Emmylou Harris (pictured) tops a Calgary benefit concert, Drake turns 33 in style, and the Unison fund seeks help. Also in the headlines are Amazon, Eminem, Spotify, Sony, Catherine MacLellan, AR Paisley, PledgeMusic, Twitter, Lizzo, and the theremin.

Music Biz Headlines, Oct. 25, 2019

By Kerry Doole

Emmylou Harris joins Calgary charity band BANC for all-star fundraising concert

The event at Jack Singer Concert Hall, titled 33 1/3, will raise money for Indigenous Missing and Murdered Women, Bonapartes Animal Rescue in Nashville, Tenn., and the National Music Centre. The Oct. 29 concert will also feature Sass Jordan and Calgary pop choir Revv52. – Jon Roe, Calgary Herald


Inside Drake's star-studded birthday party with Adele, Chris Brown and more celebs

The "God's Plan" artist has turned 33, and he's been celebrating all week long. On Wednesday, Drake threw a bash at Goya Studios in L.A. with celebs Adele, Chris Brown, Sean "Diddy"Combs and more stars.  – Jess Cohen, E News

This fund helps sick and injured musicians with nowhere else to turn. Now it needs help itself

More than 800 people who have received relief from the Unison Benevolent Fund, a non-profit charity providing emergency relief and counselling to the Canadian music community since 2011. –  Nick Krewen, The Star

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Snowblink’s Daniela Gesundheit reimagines Jewish prayer music for a secular audience

Singer Daniela Gesundheit is releasing a new album of Jewish music entitled Alphabet of Wrongdoing, featuring traditional Jewish prayer songs usually performed during High Holidays services. – Tabassum Siddiqui, Globe and Mail

Catherine MacLellan, P.E.I. singer-songwriter, launches new album, 'Coyote'

Award-winning singer and songwriter Catherine MacLellan is back after a four-year break from her own singer-songwriter career. The Juno award-winning performer took a hiatus to celebrate the life and legacy of her late legendary father, Gene MacLellan. – SaltWire Network

Review: AR Paisley aims for classic hip-hop on Timeless

The Mississauga rapper has big goals on this debut album, and though he doesn't always meet them, he hits a good sweet spot. – Claudia McNeilly, NOW 

Music Notes: Fauth and BADKITTY under a Cedar Sky

As autumn starts to lose its grip on the end of 2019, remember that music in Saskatoon is still great regardless of the weather. – Matt Olson, Star-Phoenix

International

Eminem Interviewed By The U.S. Secret Service Over Anti-Trump Lyrics

According to documents obtained by Buzzfeed, Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers, was interviewed by the Secret Service in 2018, with the federal protective agency who said that Em was “exhibiting inappropriate behaviour” and his lyrics “threatens protectee.” –  Ian Courtney, CelebrityAccess

Is Amazon unstoppable?

Politicians want to rein in the retail giant. But Jeff Bezos, the master of cutthroat capitalism, is ready to fight back. – Charles Duhigg, New Yorker

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Record labels can now pay Spotify to promote artists on the platform

Yesterday, Spotify announced that, for the first time, record companies (and other industry players) will soon be able to pay to have their artists promoted to targeted fans within the Spotify ecosystem via a ‘Brand New Music For You’ pop-up visual unit. – Tim Ingham, MBW

PledgeMusic debts top $9.5M leaving ‘little prospect’ that artists will be paid says UK Court

PledgeMusic entered liquidation with $9.57 million in debt and assets worth just $20,000, according to court documents. With an “estimated deficiency” of $7,405.502.48 and secured creditor Sword Row, LLC first in line, there is “little prospect” that artists and other creditors will be paid, according to the court-appointed receiver. – Hypebot

Disillusion or Revolution? Understanding AI’srole in the future of music rights

As part of the Music Business Association’s Keeping Tempo series, Synchtank CEO Rory Bernard discusses the current state of AI applications in the music industry and what future AI applications may look like. – Synchtank

Is one Sony finally becoming a creative reality?

In a bid to differentiate itself from its key competition (Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group), Sony’s recorded music division has long tried to spin the idea that it is uniquely connected to Sony Corp’s other powerful owned-media divisions –particularly Sony Pictures (movies and TV) and Sony Game & Network Services (including PlayStation). – Tim Ingham, MBW

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Spotify saved the music industry. Now what?

Profits are hard to come by—and Apple and Amazon aren't going away. – Andrew Nusca,Fortune

German buying behavior study shows listeners love streaming, but are more willing to get physical

A University of Hamburg study commissioned by a collection of music industry organizations, including trade group BVMI and collecting society GEMA, has found an increasing willingness among German consumers to spend more money on the music they love. – Wolfgang Spahr, Billboard

How Twitter changed music

Hashtag rap! Kanye rants! Terrifying stan pile-ons! For better and worse, Twitter has forever altered the music landscape. –  Eric Harvey, Pitchfork

Happy 100th birthday, theremin!

Russian inventor Léon Theremin, a cellist and physicist, was doing research for the Russian government on something called proximity sensors. That was in 1919. Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin reportedly “adored” the newfangled contraption. – PRI's The World

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Lizzo fights back against Truth Hurts copyright claim with her own fierce lawsuit

“Have a hit, see a writ – that’s never been more true.” Those words, delivered by a leading US-based publishing figure on Monday night, have been left ringing in our ears. chatter has grown louder around the scenario of Justin and Jeremiah Raisen, who claim that they are each owed a credit on – and a portion of royalties from – Lizzo’s hit single. – Tim Ingham, MBW

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Future, Metro Boomin & The Weeknd Are War-Ready in Militant ‘Young Metro’ Video: Watch
Rb Hip Hop

Future, Metro Boomin & The Weeknd Are War-Ready in Militant ‘Young Metro’ Video: Watch

Don Toliver also makes a cameo in the clip.

Future and Metro Boomin are keeping the momentum rolling with their We Don’t Trust You joint album. The Atlanta duo recruited The Weeknd to deliver the militant music video to their “Young Metro” standout collab.

Directed by Hidji World and Omar Jones, the clip arrived Monday (March 25), and the trio is ready for war while holding down their concrete bunker.

This article was first published on Billboard U.S.

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