Billboard.biz - Branding Music News

Grammys Book Big Brands, Bigger Ad Rates As 30-Second Spots Command $800,000 Apiece

Andrew Hampp, New York — 2012-02-10 12:11:00.0

Pepsi, GM, Ford and Hyundai place big ads at Grammys, while Paul McCartney makes a rare appearance in an ad for Harman Kardon's JBL speakers.

Backbeat: Raphael Saadiq Rocks, L.A.Mayor Villaraigosa Predicts Big Adele Grammy Wins at Delta Party

Justino Aguila (@musicscribeLA), Los Angeles — 2012-02-10 12:05:00.0

Quincy Jones, Estelle, Patti Austin and Christina Milian were in the house as Raphael Saadiiq performed and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa predicted that Adele will "walk away with a lot of Grammys" on Sunday.

Apple to Unveil New iPad in March (Report)

Associated Press — 2012-02-10 07:30:00.0

A news report says Apple plans to unveil a new iPad early next month.

Business Matters: Embracing the Chaos Earns TuneCore $10,000 from iTunes Match

Glenn Peoples (@billboardglenn), Nashville — 2012-02-09 19:15:00.0

How Apple iTunes Match has earned TuneCore $10K through a technique called "embracing the chaos. Also, Tiesto: DJ/App; and the endless bandwidth consumed bickering over piracy damage amounts,

Backbeat: Yuna Gets Love From Pharrell, Cornerstone at Brooklyn Showcase

Andrew Hampp and Jem Aswad, New York — 2012-02-09 16:05:00.0

Fader Label's Yuna performed a short set that doubled as a listening party for her new self-titled album out in March, while Pharrell discussed his recent collaborations and Fader Media CEO Andy Cohn had some choice words about previous employer Spin.

Andre 3000, Gorillaz, LCD's James Murphy Team Up for Converse Track

Jason Lipshutz, New York — 2012-02-09 11:40:00.0

As part of Converse Inc.'s continuing "Three Artists. One Song" campaign, Gorillaz, former LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy and Outkast rapper Andre 3000 have teamed up to write "DoYaThing," to be released Feb. 23 with a new Gorillaz footwear collection.

Paul McCartney To Debut New Songs On iTunes Streaming

Associated Press & Billboard Staff — 2012-02-09 07:46:00.0

Paul McCartney will debut the songs from his new album "Kisses on the Bottom" in a free live streaming performance on iTunes this morning. The news comes just as McCartney has pulled his catalog from subscription services.

Rock Hall Adds Six Groups, Including Miracles, Crickets to List of Inductees

Associated Press — 2012-02-09 07:30:00.0

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame says six additional groups, including the Crickets, the Famous Flames, and the Miracles will be inducted this year after a committee determined they should be recognized with their previously enshrined original lead singers (which included Buddy Holly, James Brown and Smokey Robinson, repectively.)

Backbeat: Grammy Glam Kicks Off Celebrations, Neil Portnow Discusses Protests

Justino Aguila, Los Angeles — 2012-02-08 13:36:00.0

Grammy Glam, presented by CoverGirl, Olay, and Venus and featuring guest DJs Erykah Badu and DJ Spinderella, last night kicked off the week of festivities leading up to the Grammy awards. The event also provided an opportunity for Recording Academy President Neil Portnow to comment on the planned protests against the Grammys' decision to cut 31 categories from this year's awards.

AT&T-Samsung Sign Sponsorship Deal With Rag & Bone, Band of Horses To Play Launch

Ray Waddell, Nashville — 2012-02-08 09:00:00.0

AT&T and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) has inked a sponsorship pact with hot fashion brand rag & bone for the U.S. launch of Samsung’s new device, the Samsung Galaxy Note. Band Of Horses will perform the launch party on Feb. 14 in New York during fashion week.

Bruno Mars Heads Back to Grammys With Smeezingtons

Ryan Pearson, Associated Press — 2012-02-08 08:33:00.0

While Bruno Mars has six nominations for this Sunday's Grammy Awards -- including one for album of the year for the worldwide best-seller "Doo-Wops and Hooligans -- it's also the Smeezingtons time to shine. The trio is nominated in the producer of the year category for their hits with Mars, but also Lil Wayne and the Far East Movement.

Super Bowl Seen Online Via Live Stream By 2.1 Million

Jake Coyle, Associated Press — 2012-02-08 08:15:00.0

The first ever live stream of the Super Bowl drew 2.1 million unique viewers, which according to NBC made it the most-watched single-game sports event online.

Backbeat: Beyonce Steps Out, Nas Has Wings at Jay-Z's Carnegie Hall After Party @ 40/40

Erika Ramirez, New York — 2012-02-07 07:58:00.0

Last night, after the first of two charity concerts at Carnegie Hall, Jay-Z celebrated at his NYC nightclub, The 40/40 club, with wife and new mom Beyoncé, who made her first public appearance since giving birth, as well as rapper Nas, BET's Stephen Hill, Roc Nation's Rich Kleiman, Def Jam's Shawn "Pecas" Costner of Def Jam and many more.

Four Tet, Fever Ray, Terry Riley Featured On Blonde Redhead's Japan Benefit Comp Out Today

Andy Gensler (@andygensler), New York — 2012-02-07 07:22:00.0

Today marks the release of "We Are The Works In Progress," an album to benefit Japanese disaster relief featuring such artists as Terry Riley, Four Tet, Fever Ray, Deerhunter, Interpol and David Sylvain and Ryuchi Sakamototo performing alternate and demo versions of songs. The album was compiled and organized by Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead.

Verizon To Launch Streaming Service With Redbox, Challenge To Netflix

Peter Svensson, Associated Press — 2012-02-07 07:00:00.0

Phone company Verizon Communications Inc. will challenge Netflix and start a video streaming service this year with Redbox and its DVD rental kiosks.

Shazam Says Super Bowl Audio Tagging Was a Win

Eliot Van Buskirk, Evolver.fm — 2012-02-06 18:38:00.0

Music-tagging app Shazam said that its experiment in audio tagging led to "record engagement" during the Super Bowl, when it encouraged fans to tag songs heard during advertisements and the halftime show

Doritos, H&M, Chrysler Take Top Super Bowl Ad Honors -- Pepsi's Elton Ad Tops Music

Andrew Hampp, New York — 2012-02-06 12:53:00.0

According to BrandBowl, the marketers with the top scores in volume and favorability were Doritos, H&M and Chrysler, with Pepsi and Chevrolet finishing close behind, while music recognition app Shazam saw record engagement during the game.

Backbeat: Windish Agency, Ticketfly Throw L.A. Taco Party For Touring Execs @ New Echo Park Digs

Mitchell Peters, Los Angeles — 2012-02-06 12:07:00.0

The Windish Agency, in partnership with Ticketfly, hosted a party for music execs to celebrate the company new office in Echo Park, Angeles, with Windish prez Tom Windish, Goldenvoice VP Elliot Lefko, Live Nation's Shane Shuhart and more. in addition to its new L.A. digs, the firmhad 17 new hires over the past 12 months and expanded it event production and sponsorship initiatives for its roster of more than 550 acts.

Madonna's 'Give Me All Your Luvin' Has a Super Start at Radio

Gary Trust, New York — 2012-02-06 11:55:00.0

The new track, boosted by Clear Channel promotion and her Super Bowl halftime performance, debuted at No. 24 on the Mainstream Top 40 chart after less than three days of availability.

Music Apps To Look Forward To @ SXSW Accelerator

Eliot Van Buskirk, Evolver.fm — 2012-02-06 10:35:00.0

With MIDEM out of the way, it's time to look forward to the next big conference on the docket: SXSW. Here's a look at some of the music and technology apps that will come up at SXSW's Accelerator program.

NFL, NBC Apologize For M.I.A.'s Super Bowl Halftime Bird Flip

Barbara Ortutay, Associated Press — 2012-02-06 07:49:00.0

The NFL and NBC are apologizing for British singer/rapper M.I.A.'s extended middle finger during Sunday night's Super Bowl halftime performance of Madonna's new single, "Give Me All Your Luvin.'"

Dave Grohl On Rock And The Grammys

Derrik J. Lang, Associated Press — 2012-02-06 07:23:00.0

With six nominations, Dave Grohl's Foos Fighters tied Adele and Mars for the second-most nominations (behind Kanye West). Here Grohl discusses his competition, previews what viewers can expect on Sunday from the band's Grammy performance and mused about being the rock band with the most nominations.

Videos: All 2012 Super Bowl Music Ads, From Elton John to the Darkness, And More

Andrew Hampp, New York — 2012-02-05 23:39:00.0

Music was back in a big way at the Super Bowl Sunday night. Artists like Elton John, Melanie Amaro, Motley Crue and The Darkness made on-camera appearances, while Echo & The Bunnymen, The Cult and James Brown had some of the most talked-about synchs.

How fun.'s 'We Are Young' Scored Chevy's 'Stunt Anthem' Super Bowl Spot

Andrew Hampp, New York — 2012-02-05 19:50:00.0

With music synchs on the rise for this year's crop of Super Bowl advertisements, Chevy's new Super Sunday ad features tricks, stunts, and a whole lot of fun.

Super Bowl Synch Report: 8 Placements Each for EMI, Warner/Chappell; Budweiser Prepping 4

Andrew Hampp, New York — 2012-02-03 21:10:00.0

The top four publishing companies – EMI Music, Universal Music, Warner/Chappell and Sony/ATV — are reporting a healthy marketplace for synchs and placements at the Super Bowl, with each having at least six placements in ads.

Super Bowl Goes Organic Thanks To Farm Aid

Thom Duffy, New York — 2012-02-03 20:41:00.0

Concessions at the 2012 Super Bowl, for the first time, will serve organic food, sourced through Farm Aid, the music-industry-backed group supporting American farmers. Co-founded in 1985 by Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp, with Dave Matthew later joining its board, Farm Aid has raised more than $39 million for U.S. farmers

Flo Rida's 'Good Feeling' Tapped by Budweiser for Super Bowl Spot

Andrew Hampp, New York — 2012-02-03 20:30:00.0

Flo Rida feels a lot like Tom Brady or Eli Manning right about now. The rapper's No. 3-peaking single "Good Feeling" is about to become even more ubiquitous after it's featured in a Super Bowl commercial for Budweiser, titled "Eternal Optimism." The song is juxtaposed against The Cult's "She Sells Sanctuary" and apparently has made Flo Rida one happy rapper.

Urban Act Chino y Nacho Partner With McDonald's In Happy Meal Campaign

Justino Aguila (@musicscribeLA), Los Angeles — 2012-02-03 20:16:00.0

Chino y Nacho, the Venezuelan urban and tropical act, are partnering with McDonald’s in a campaign that will have the entertainers tied to the popular Happy Meal with their images and a chance to hang with the duo. The campaign began Feb. 2 and ends March 21.

Backbeat: Skrillex's Secret 'Blindfolded' Show, Where Even Lyor Cohen Got Skrillified

Andy Gensler (@andygensler), New York — 2012-02-03 18:30:00.0

An invitation for an "Exclusive Private Event" to see the Grammy-nominated DJ sensation Skrillex instructed invitees to meet at NYC's WeSC Concept Store and prepare to be "Blindfolded and Driven to A Secret Location." The murky details didn't prevent droves of model-types, mussy-haired indie boys, candy ravers and music bizers like WMG Chairman of Recorded Music Lyor Cohen from checking out Skrillex's highly-danceable set of bombastic beats.

Business Matters: Is Madonna Behind Live Nation's Stock Surge?

Glenn Peoples, Nashville — 2012-02-03 18:14:00.0

Live Nation's stock jumped 3.4% Friday following reports that tickets for Madonna's 2012 tour would go on sale after Sunday's Super Bowl, where the singer is performing at the halftime show. Elsewhere, Amazon's Kindle Fire is helping get music to Android users but is still far behind the iPad, and Kickstarter's platform just keeps growing.

Dance Music's Most Influential Executives

Kerri Mason, New York — 2012-02-03 16:45:00.0

Nine of EDM's most influential business creatives, from DJ/Producer Afrojack to HARD Events founder Gary Richards to Atom Empire co-founder Stephanie LaFera.

Publishing Briefs: UMPG's Andrew Jenkins Named ICMP Chair; Imagem, Reel Muzik Werks Ink Deals

Ed Christman, New York — 2012-02-03 12:30:00.0

Universal Music Publishing Group executive VP of international Andrew Jenkins has been elected as chair of the International Confederation of Music Publishers at the organization’s general assembly annual meeting, held at MIDEM on Jan. 29, serving a two-year term. Elsewhere, Imagem signed two global publishing deals, and Reel Muzik Werks signed up La Toya Jackson and others.

Video: 2012 Super Bowl Music Ads, With Elton John, Melanie Amaro, Motley Crue, OK Go, More

Andrew Hampp, New York — 2012-02-03 12:21:00.0

After playing a quiet role in last year's Super Bowl, music will be making a big comeback this year. From Melanie Amaro singing Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” to the themes from “Rocky,” “Star Wars” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” making major impacts, here’s a peek at just some of the music-themed spots everyone will be talking about during Sunday’s big game.

Bon Iver's Justin Vernon On (Not) Playing the Grammys, Endorsing Bushmills

Andrew Hampp, New York — 2012-02-03 10:02:00.0

Bon Iver may be up for four Grammys, and frontman Justin Vernon may even appear (digitally, anyway) in a striking new commercial for this year's ceremony, but you won't see the band performing next Sunday. Vernon told Billboard Thurday night in a profanity-laced interview his band would not be playing the award show at an event for Bushmills whiskey, which the band is endorsing.

Madonna Premiering 'Give Me All Your Luvin'' On Clear Channel Platforms

Derrik J. Lang, Associated Press — 2012-02-03 08:45:00.0

Clear Channel announced plans Friday to premiere Madonna's new single "Give Me All Your Luvin'" and its music video across Clear Channel radio stations, electronic billboards and online venues. Clear Channel, which owns 850 stations nationwide, estimated the promotional campaign would reach more than 150 million people globally.

Sports Illustrated To Highlight Indie Bands in Swimsuit Issue, Music Festival

Andrew Hampp, New York — 2012-02-02 18:14:00.0

The magazine will be pairing each of the 17 indie bands with a different model, will release new or previously unreleased tracks on SI.com, and will feature 10 of the bands at a two-day music festival at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, headlined by the Black Lips.

Bono, Elevation Partners Set to Win Big From Facebook Sale

Glenn Peoples, Nashville — 2012-02-02 14:44:00.0

Bono and his company Elevation Partners, which he co-founded and for which he serves as managing director, stand to make a major windfall on Facebook's IPO filing, announced yesterday.

Backbeat: Joe Walsh Rocks Troubadour, Irving Azoff With Ringo -- and First New Songs In 20 Years

Phil Gallo, Los Angeles — 2012-02-02 14:37:00.0

Joe Walsh played a private party at LA's Troubadour last night in front of an industry-heavy crowd that included Live Nation Chairman Irving Azoff, Paramount's Randy Spendlove, Grammy's Ken Ehrlich as well as musicians David Crosby, Stewart Copeland and Jeff Lynne. Walsh debuted music from his first original music album in 20 years as well as classics like "Rocky Mountain Way which featured Ringo Starr on drums.

Don Omar Records Track for Mexico's Cerveza Sol (Video)

Leila Cobo (@Leilacobo), Miami — 2012-02-02 14:30:00.0

Don Omar, whose hit "Danza Kuduro" just surpassed the 300 million views on youtube, has inked a deal with Mexico's Cerveza Sol for their Carnaval Sol 2012 campaign.

'Glee's' 'Smooth Criminal' Selling Big; Heading For High Chart Debut

Keith Caulfield, Los Angeles — 2012-02-02 14:14:00.0

"Glee's" take on Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" could debut on the Billboard Digital Songs chart in the top 20 and in the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 in the coming week.

Backbeat: Van Halen Packs VIP-Loaded L.A. Club Show

Ryan J. Downey with additional reporting by Phil Gallo, Los Angeles — 2012-02-02 13:16:00.0

Van Halen played a packed club show at Henson Studios in Hollywood that mixed old tracks with new ones, Vegas-style showgirls, and a crowd that included Irving Azoff and Jimmy Iovine.

Sony Reports $2 Billion Loss in Third Quarter

Gavin J. Blair, The Hollywood Reporter — 2012-02-02 11:18:00.0

Sony announced net losses of 159 billion yen ($2.04 billion) for the third quarter, while Sir Howard Stringer defended his record as CEO as he handed over the reins to Kazuo Hirai.

The Message of Facebook's IPO Filing: Social is Your Future

Glenn Peoples (@billboardglenn), Nashville — 2012-02-02 11:17:00.0

Reading through Facebook’s 188-page IPO filing is like an episode of “This Is Your Life.” This is where you and your artist’s fans spend a good chunk of your lives. This is how you will advertise on the Web. This is where people share their interests in music, videos and games. But now there are usage numbers, financial information and details of growth strategy.

Shazam To Offer Exclusive Content For Fans Tagging Songs During Super Bowl

Eliot Van Buskirk, Evolver.fm — 2012-02-02 11:00:00.0

Shazam plans to let Superbowl viewers tag the audio coming out of their television sets on Sunday, with participating brands giving away over one million items to viewers who tag songs.

Facebook $5 Billion IPO Fueled By Advertising

Tim Peterson, Adweek — 2012-02-02 06:30:00.0

Advertising dollars accounted for 85 percent of Facebook’s $3.7 billion in revenue for 2011, and U.S. advertisers alone contributed 56 percent to the company’s 2011 revenue pile, per the SEC filing.

Bruce Springsteen Playing Exclusive Apollo Concert for SiriusXM Subscribers

Erik Pedersen, THR — 2012-02-02 05:55:00.0

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will play a concert at the Apollo Theater in Harlem exclusively for subscribers that will air on SiriusXM’s E Street Radio channel. The March 9 show will be three days after the release of Wrecking Ball, Springsteen’s 17th studio album.

Facebook Files For IPO, Hopes to Raise $5 Billion

Barbara Ortutay and Michael Liedtke, Associated Press — 2012-02-01 17:21:00.0

Facebook indicated it hopes to raise $5 billion, the most for an Internet IPO ever and largest since Google Inc. raised just shy of $2 billion in 2004, and could make its stock market debut in as little as three to four months..

Bob Marley, Mumford & Sons, Ginger Baker Docs to Premiere at SXSW Film Festival

Phil Gallo, Los Angeles — 2012-02-01 16:38:00.0

The festival, which runs for nine days beginning March 9, will present 10 films in its 24 Beats Per Second series of music-related films, including "Beware of Mr. Baker" and "Big Easy Express," chronicling Mumford's U.S. train concert tour.

Tony Bennett, Coldplay, Foo Fighters to Perform @ MusiCares Grammy Week Event

Dan Rys, New York — 2012-02-01 13:46:00.0

The event, honoring Paul McCartney, will be hosted by comedian Eddie Izzard and will also see performances by Alicia Keys, James Taylor, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Katy Perry and more.

Willie Nelson Signs With Legacy Recordings, Promises Five New Albums

Dan Rys, New York — 2012-02-01 12:05:00.0

Seven-time Grammy Award winner Willie Nelson has signed with Legacy Records in a deal that will allow him to personally curate a series of archival releases and put out five new albums, beginning this Spring.

Google Music an 'Oxymoron' Says Outgoing Warner Music Group Chairman Edgar Bronfman, Jr.

Glenn Peoples (@billboardglenn), Nashville — 2012-02-01 11:50:00.0

Outgoing Warner Music Group chairman Edgar Bronfman, Jr. called Google Music an "oxymoron" that's run by a company conflicted about how to value other parties' information. Bronfman spoke Tuesday at the Wall Street Journal's AllThingsD's D: Dive Into Media conference.

Sony's Kazuo Hirai to Replace Howard Stringer as CEO

Malcolm Foster, Associated Press — 2012-02-01 08:51:00.0

Sony Corp. announced Wednesday that Kazuo Hirai, who leads the company's core consumer products business, will replace Howard Stringer as CEO and president as the electronics and entertainment company tries to turn around its fortunes.

Vevo Earned $150 Million in Revenue Last Year, Says CEO Rio Caraeff

Ryan Nakashima, Associated Press — 2012-02-01 08:04:00.0

Vevo, the online music video service launched by Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment in late 2009, pulled in $150 million in revenue last year, chief executive Rio Caraeff revealed on Tuesday.

Lana Del Rey's Debut Album Hits No. 1 on iTunes in 14 Countries

THR Staff — 2012-02-01 07:27:00.0

Lana Del Rey, the buzzed-about and controversial singer's new album Born to Die had a strong showing its first day out, despite less-than-stellar reviews.

Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul Break Silence On X Factor Shakeups

Jethro Nededog and Shirley Halperin, The Hollywood Reporter — 2012-01-31 18:30:00.0

Paula Abdul and show creator and judge, Simon Cowell both released back-to-back statements Tuesday reacting to the news that X Factor had not renewed the contracts of Abdul, judge Nicole Scherzinger and host Steve Jones.

Bon Iver, 'Holocene' Featured In Surprising Grammy Ad

Jillian Mapes, New York — 2012-01-31 18:09:00.0

Bon Iver's Justin Vernon previously had some choice words for the Grammy Awards, but it's seems he's changing his tune -- or at least going along with the Recording Academy's surprising new commercial for his band.

Future of Music Coalition's Artist Revenue Study @MIDEM: Fan-Funding, Grants Outweigh Merch, Sponsorship

Glenn Peoples (@billboardglenn), Nashville — 2012-01-31 14:02:00.0

A "first look" white paper on Future of Music Coalition's Artist Revenue Stream project was prepared and released at MIDEM. The study showed musicians get more income from fans and grants than merchandise and corporate sponsorships. The median gross income of respondents was $55,561 -- higher than U.S. median income -- but with only 42 percent of respondents deriving all of their income from music.

Mark Ronson On 'Move To The Beat,' His Olympic Anthem For Coca-Cola @MIDEM

Andrew Hampp, Cannes — 2012-01-31 12:40:00.0

If K’naan’s “Wavin’ Flag” created for the 2010 FIFA World Cup set the template for what Coca-Cola could do with music, brace yourself for Mark Ronson’s “Move to the Beat” campaign. Ronson, along with Topspin's Ian Rogers and Coca Cola senior VP Wendy Clark, discussed the track, its different versions (including one with Katy B) and the feature-length documentary based on the song.

Jimmy Iovine Denies Pitching Reality Show

Shirley Halperin, Erin Carlson, THR — 2012-01-31 10:45:00.0

Interscope Records chief/"American Idol" mentor Jimmy Iovine denied reports that he's pitching his own reality show, calling the rumors "nuts."

Newt Gingrich Sued for Using Survivor's 'Eye of the Tiger' in Campaign

Associated Press — 2012-01-31 10:12:00.0

Rude Music Inc., contends that Gingrich has used the song "Eye of the Tiger" since 2009 without the permission of the composers.

Facebook's Dan Rose Talks Music, App Economy, Skrillex @MIDEM Keynote Q&A (VIDEO)

Andrew Hampp, Cannes — 2012-01-31 08:23:00.0

Dan Rose, Facebook’s VP of partnerships, spoke with Billboard editorial director Bill Werde at MIDEM's keynote Q&A about Facebook Music's five billion songs shared since September, its early-adoption of Skrillex, the app economy and more.

Clear Channel Acquires Stake in Ryan Seacrest Productions

Georg Szalai, THR — 2012-01-31 08:10:00.0

Radio giant Clear Channel said Tuesday that it has acquired an unspecified minority stake in Ryan Seacrest Productions, the production company created by American Idol host Ryan Seacrest, giving it a foothold in the TV industry as it looks to push beyond the radio space.

X Factor Shake-Up: How Simon Cowell Fired Paula Abdul, Steve Jones, Nicole Scherzinger

Shirley Halperin, THR — 2012-01-31 07:52:00.0

A Fox spokeswoman said Monday that the judge and host will not return for the show's second season. No other details were provided.

Trisha Yearwood Launching Food Network Series

Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter — 2012-01-30 19:14:00.0

Grammy winner Trisha Yearwood is cooking up something new. The best-selling author of two cookbooks has inked a deal to star in a six-episode daytime cooking show for the Food Network. In the as-yet-untitled series, Yearwood will share food traditions and display her Southern hospitality, sharing recipes with friends and family and preparing Sunday dinners to planning family reunion barbecues.

Vodafone, German Ad Agency TLGG Win MIDEM's First Marketing Campaign Competition

Andrew Hampp, Cannes — 2012-01-30 17:35:00.0

The agency, representing client Vodafone, won the competition by representing the three most important traits of a campaign - artist value, brand value and sustainability, according to judge Olivier Robert-Murphy, global head of new business for Universal Music Group UK.

Video: MIDEM Hack Day Highlights: MyNight, Badgify, JPC2000, More

Dan Rys, New York — 2012-01-30 13:07:00.0

Hack Day's developers presented 18 new programs and apps at MIDEM today, including playlisters using Spotify integration, Slideshow soundtracks integrated with Facebook, and badge displays with visualization powered by the Echo Nest, among others.

Backbeat: Merlin, Spotify, Other Music Biz Execs Converge on Carlton Hotel Bar @ MIDEM

Louis Hau, Cannes — 2012-01-30 12:06:00.0

Executives from Merlin CEO Charles Caldas to Ariel Publicity President Ariel Hyatt, as well as employees from Spotify, Downtown Music, McCann Erickson and Copyright Exchange hit the Carlton Hotel Bar after a day of meetings and events.

Backbeat: MIDEM Pulse Check: Attendance Is (Reportedly) Up, But Conference Is Scaled Down

Andrew Hampp, Cannes — 2012-01-30 11:53:00.0

The first two days of 2012's MIDEM seemed a scaled-back version of conferences past, with panels, meet-ups and hack sessions rarely topping out at over 200 attendees. "They finally caught up with the realities of the business,” a 25-year MIDEM vet said. X5, a Swedish digital music company X5 may not have gotten the memo with their lavash party at the Carlton's Sean Connery suite Also in town: the Ting Tings, Shakira, LMFAO and Seal.

Saatchi CEO Kevin Roberts Declares Death of Marketing, Future of Movements @ MIDEM

Andrew Hampp, Cannes — 2012-01-30 10:23:00.0

"Marketing is dead," said Roberts in his keynote speech, declaring the future of advertising as a "VUCA world," meaning either Volatile Uncertain Complex and Ambiguous, or Vibrant Unreal Crazy and Astounding.

Midemlab Winners Announced: Apsmart's MPme, LiveOne's Crowdsurfing, Ovelin's WildChords

Louis Hau, Cannes — 2012-01-30 08:32:00.0

The winners of the second midemlab contest were announced Monday with Apsmart's MPME, LiveOne Group's Crowdsurfing, Ovelin's WildChords taking top honors.

Madonna Rolling Out New Single on 'American Idol,' Super Bowl

Marc Schneider, New York — 2012-01-30 07:47:00.0

Video for 'Give Me All Your Luvin',' Featuring Nicki Minaj & M.I.A., Will Be Previewed on 'American Idol' this week and this weekend there's her Super Bowl halftime show.

Getty Images Music Teams With Joss Stone, Indie Artists for Guestlist @MIDEM

Andrew Hampp, Cannes — 2012-01-29 13:42:00.0

Getty Images Music is making further strides into music supervision with a new project, Guestlist. The service will include new, cherry-picked tracks from artists like Joss Stone as well as indie artists like Visqueen, J-Zone, Melissa Ferrick, the Peach Kings and Simian Ghost, among others.

Sony's Tim Schaaff Answers Five Questions @MIDEM

Andrew Hampp, Cannes — 2012-01-29 12:05:00.0

Tim Schaaff, president of Sony’s Entertainment Network division, sat down with Billboard at MIDEM for a 30-minute discussion about the company’s future plans for expanding Music Unlimited, its relationship with Spotify and bouncing back from the hacking scandal.

Coca-Cola's Emmanuel Seuge, Billboard's Most Powerful Branding Exec, On Music Biz @MIDEM

Andrew Hampp, Cannes — 2012-01-29 08:12:00.0

At a MIDEM panel, Emmanuel Seuge, Coca-Cola’s head of global ent. and sports marketing (and Billboard’s No. 16 most powerful person in music) spoke about brands playing a more integrated role in contributing to the music biz and hinted at a possible Spotify partnership. Coca-Cola is expected to spend $200 million globally on music in 2012.

Can MIDEM Hack Day Help Cellist Zoe Keating Share Loops With Fans?

Louis Hau, Cannes — 2012-01-28 11:33:00.0

About 30 developers are participating in the second MIDEM Hack Day, which was introduced by SoundCloud's Dave Haynes and Six Two Productions' Martyn Davies. One request by cellist Zoe Keating asked developers for an easy way to share loops with fans. Developers will present their creations on Monday.

MIDEM's Direct2Fan Camp Panel: Social Media Not A Career Shortcut

Louis Hau, Cannes — 2012-01-28 10:52:00.0

A MIDEM panel on direct-to-fan tactics, which included Tim Quirk, Google's head of global content programming for Android (and former Too Much Joy singer) and singer-songwriter Michelle Phelan turned out to be full of cautionary advice for those thinking social media can provide artists with career shortcuts.

Midem's Euro RSCG Pitch Session: The Sound of Sex & Music

Andrew Hampp, Cannes — 2012-01-28 09:44:00.0

Figuring out the sound of sex and music was the directive from Alasdair Graham of Reckitt’s ad agency Euro RSCG London, at a MIDEM pitch session Saturday. Discussion centered on Durex condoms' new U.K. campaign for its Performax brand featuring Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" and a Facebook music game powered by Sonicbids.

Scalper 'Assault' Caused Website Jam for Bruce Springsteen Ticket Sales, Ticketmaster Says

Dan Rys, New York — 2012-01-27 18:14:00.0

Fans attempting to purchase tickets for Bruce Springsteen's upcoming "Wrecking Ball" tour were locked out by a frozen Ticketmaster site, which the company attributed to an "assault" by scalpers looking to re-sell tickets for a profit.

Report: Facebook May File For IPO Next Week, Could Raise $10 Billion

Associated Press — 2012-01-27 16:05:00.0

Facebook is expected to file IPO paperwork as early as next week, in a move that would value the social networking site at between $75-$100 billion, dwarfing Google's initial IPO value of $23 billion in 2004.

Backbeat: Cloud Nothings Play Record Release Show, Pitchfork's Ryan Schreiber Parties Like It's His Birthday

Maria Sherman, @mariasherm N.Y. — 2012-01-27 15:15:00.0

Last night, hotly-tipped Cleveland-based band Cloud Nothings performed in front of a sold out crowd (which included a 40-person press list) at NYC's Studio at Webster Hall. In the house: booking agent Dan Traci from the Windish Agency, Jason Kapiskosky from Carpark and Pitchfork founder Ryan Schreiber -- a frequent sighting at indie buzz-band shows who partied like it was his birthday because, well, it was his birthday.

Billboard Reveals the 2012 Power 100

Billboard Staff — 2012-01-27 13:30:00.0

Billboard found something else that Irving Azoff, executive chairman of Live Nation, can sit atop: In the January 28 issue of the magazine, Billboard unveils the Power 100, a ranking of the most powerful people in the music business.

Andrew MacNaughtan, Award-Winning Rock Photographer, Dies

Karen Bliss, Toronto — 2012-01-27 09:47:00.0

Toronto-based photographer MacNaughtan died of a sudden heart-attack while on assignment for rock trio Rush.