Billboard.biz - Publishing Industry News

Warner Music Group Spent Less, Revenue Remained Flat in Holiday Quarter

Glenn Peoples, Nashville — 2012-02-09 12:54:00.0

Key releases by Michael Buble, Nickelback and the Black Keys helped Warner post flat earnings in the fourth quarter of 2011 and first of the company’s fiscal year. In other words, Warner spent less to generate the same revenue.

Katy Perry to Release 'Teenage Dream' Special Edition in March

Jason Lipshutz, New York — 2012-02-09 12:37:00.0

Katy Perry's album Teenage Dream will be re-released March 27 as Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection, and will feature the entire original album, three new tracks and four alternate versions of songs.

Kobalt Music Group Signs Gotye To Publishing Deal

Lars Brandle (@larsbrandle), Brisbane — 2012-02-08 19:33:00.0

Kobalt Music Group has added another marquee name to its roster with the signing of smoking-hot Australian artist Gotye to a worldwide music publishing deal. The new pact, inked by Kobalt Music Publishing Australia, does not cover Australia and New Zealand, where independent music firm Alberts represents the artist’s catalog.

Paul McCartney Titles Pulled from Subscription Services

Glenn Peoples, Nashville — 2012-02-08 15:14:00.0

The Concord Music Group/Hear Music catalog of Paul McCartney was ordered removed from subscription services, affecting some of his recent solo albums, as well as a slew of older releases by McCartney and Wings that were reissued in 2010.

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.

Business Matters: Vevo Should Pay Up, Say Songs Music, Downtown, TuneCore

Glenn Peoples, Nashville — 2012-02-07 20:54:00.0

Vevo made headlines last week when the video service announced it had generated $150 million in revenue in 2011. A week later some independent music publishers are saying it’s time they got their share. Also, Flingo plans to use the $7 million it has raised in Series A funding from August Capital to build out the infrastructure for its automatic content recognition technology. And comedian Louis CK proves that young People will pay for content through his recent video offering.

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.

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.

Drake Sued Over 'Marvin's Room' by Purported Ex-Girlfriend

Eriq Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter — 2012-02-03 15:32:00.0

Drake's ex-girlfriend, Ericka Lee, has claimed she was the voice on the other end of the now-famous phone call in "Marvin's Room," and is now suing Drake for excluding her from sharing co-writer royalties

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.

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.

Analysis: Edgar Bronfman's Big Statements About Universal/EMI Deal Are Business As Usual -- But Much More Public

Ed Christman, New York — 2012-02-02 16:37:00.0

Edgar Bronfman’s widely reported comments opposing Universal’s purchase of EMI’s recorded-music division are just baseball as usual, sources say, noting that opposition is usually made in private. Besides, the regulatory agencies will probably pay more attention to retailers, artists and indie labels and publishers …

Billy Ray Cyrus Signs With Amazon

Hillel Italie, Associated Press — 2012-02-02 16:30:00.0

Billy Ray Cyrus, country star and father of singer/actress Miley, signed with Amazon.com to publish his upcoming memoir "Hillbilly Heart," due out in the spring of 2013.

SAYCO, Leading Colombian Rights Society, Stripped of Duties

Leila Cobo (@leilacobo), Miami — 2012-02-01 18:14:00.0

Colombia’s Authors and Composers Society (SAYCO) the country’s leading performance rights society, has been stripped of its duties for one month beginning Jan. 31 following a wide range of mismanagement accusations.

Kenny Gamble Remembers Don Cornelius, Origins of 'Soul Train' Theme

Gary Graff, Detroit — 2012-02-01 18:06:00.0

Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff are "honored" to have written and produced "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" -- aka the theme to "Soul Train," which has been playing throughout the world in the wake of host Don Cornelius' death on Wednesday. Gamble recalls the creation of that song.

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.

Grammy Awards 2012: All Our Coverage

Billboard staff — 2012-02-01 10:56:00.0

Billboard's 2012 Grammy Awards hub.

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.

Pitbull To Receive BMI President's Award

Leila Cobo (@Leilacobo), Miami — 2012-02-01 07:52:00.0

Pitbull, a permanent force on the Billboard charts in the past 24 months, will be honored with BMI’s President’s Award at the 19th annual BMI Latin Music Awards taking place March 30 at the Encore Wynn Las Vegas.

Video: Edgar Bronfman Jr. Says Warner Music Will Fight Universal-EMI Merger 'Tooth and Nail'

Billboard staff — 2012-02-01 07:13:00.0

On his last day as chairman of Warner Music Group, Edgar Bronfman Jr. promised that the company will fight Universal’s purchase of EMI “tooth and nail,” adding that it strikes him as “hubris particularly for Universal to think it's going to be easy to buy EMI, and frankly to think they can buy EMI at all."

Megaupload Raid Energizes European Online Piracy Debate

Andres Cala (@andcala), Madrid — 2012-01-31 15:58:00.0

The FBI’s spectacular raid of Megaupload in New Zealand for alleged copyright infringement has reenergized the online piracy debate in Europe, from government and media all the way down to online forums and blogs, radicalizing positions but also spurring calls for negotiations to find some kind of middle ground.

Backbeat: Joss Stone, Tom Silverman, Richard Gotterher @ Kobalt MIDEM Party

Louis Hau and Andrew Hampp, Cannes — 2012-01-31 15:36:00.0

Kobalt Music Group and founder/CEO Willard Ahdritz hosted a party Monday night at the Carlton Hotel, where Kobalt clients Joss Stone and Paul van Dyk made appearances, as well as execs from Stromatolite, SENA, AWAL and Tommy Boy Records.

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.

The Future of Cloud Music Debated by Publishers, Rights Holders, Digital Services @MIDEM

Louis Hau, Cannes — 2012-01-31 11:49:00.0

Over the past year, cloud-based music lockers have begun entering the mainstream, embraced by major players like Apple, Amazon and Google. But as was obvious Tuesday during a MIDEM panel discussion on the topic -- featuring reps from BMI, Rdio, SACEM, PRS, Nokia and others -- there are still many questions about what cloud services should be and where they're headed.

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.

Kent Earls Named Head of Universal Music Publishing Nashville, Replacing Pat Higdon

Ed Christman, New York — 2012-01-30 14:56:00.0

Kent Earls has been named executive VP/GM of Universal Music Publishing Group, Nashville, the company announced today, filling the void created by the departure of Pat Higdon, who had been president. Earls will report to UMPG president North America Evan Lamberg.

Indie Music Biz Gathers @MIDEM To Create Global Manifesto

Lars Brandle (@larsbrandle), Cannes — 2012-01-30 12:10:00.0

Leaders of the independent music community gathered at MIDEM this week to hammer-out the first global manifesto, a 10-point blueprint which is hoped could pave the path to a better future for the indie sector. The overarching theme of the manifesto, explains AIM chair Alison Wenham, is that “we want to be treated fairly. It’s about equitable and fair treatment for artists.”

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.

Marc Anthony To Receive Founders Award At ASCAP Latin Music Awards

Leila Cobo (@Leilacobo), Miami — 2012-01-30 07:30:00.0

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) will honor Marc Anthony with its “Founders Award” during its 20th annual Latin Music Awards taking place March 20 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.

Copyright Extension, Reversion Are Focus of Legal Panel at MIDEM

Louis Hau, Cannes — 2012-01-29 09:15:00.0

Recent changes in U.S. and European copyright law may not seem like the most scintillating topic for a Saturday afternoon. But a MIDEM panel titled "New Horizons in Copyright Law" drew an overflow crowd.

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.

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.

Seymour Stein: Billboard Icon 2012

2012-01-27 13:23:00.0

Seymour Stein helped begin the Billboard Hot 100 chart when he was only 14 years old. He later began Sire Records with producer Richard Gottehrer and went on to sign Madonna. In recognition of his lifelong achievements and vision in moving the music industry forward, Stein will be the first recipient of the Billboard Icon Award.

Did Universal Music Expose a Flaw in the YouTube Takedown Process?

Eriq Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter — 2012-01-27 13:00:00.0

In the wake of its legal fray with Megaupload, Universal has come under renewed scrutiny for its top secret agreement with YouTube over the takedown process for copyrighted videos.

Richard Sanders Appointed President of Kobalt Music Group

Ed Christman, New York — 2012-01-27 12:46:00.0

Willard Ahdritz, Founder and CEO of Kobalt Music Group, today announced the appointment of Richard Sanders to the newly created position of President.