The Star in Frisco’s Post

Here’s a recap of recent music industry hires and in-house promotions as of January 26th, 2024. https://lnkd.in/eK_dM6kC #musicindustry #musicbusiness #musicnews #musicindustrynews #musicjobs #musiccareers

Utah doesn't have a sustainable music industry. Despite the Grammy Award-winning talent in our community (with nearly a dozen local artists making it onto The Voice and American Idol in 2023-2024 alone), the industry isn't mature enough yet to support the talent here. Sure, we have concert venues that can support national touring acts, we've got a great studio system, a smattering of indie venues, and radio stations just like everywhere else in the US. But the majority of the industry here caters to national acts, most of which are signed to the Big 3 (Sony Music, Universal, and WMG). They're the only ones that have a large enough draw to make lucrative amounts of money. The vast majority of the radio stations here are owned by only 3 organizations: iHeartMedia, Broadway Media, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And none of them give serious radio play to local artists. This makes it really difficult for artists to make a living here. Salt Lake and Provo are at least 6 hours from another major city, which makes touring incredibly difficult. The absence of the bar culture (due to the LDS demographic) so prevalent in places like NYC, LA, and Nashville makes it hard to gig consistently or make money while gigging locally. With no label presence developing talent, artists are left to fund everything themselves: merch design and manufacturing, recording, distribution, etc. We also don't have entertainment lawyers. So artists have to navigate legal issues on their own. It's no wonder most musicians from Provo who "make it" do so only after moving to areas with sustainable infrastructure. I'm really, really proud of the work the team at Provo Music Magazine is doing. We're building out several important systems that aim to directly address these issues while putting money in the pockets of musicians. Over the last several months, I've had the opportunity to build out an entire process for an acoustic video and audio series. Created in partnership with Mason Winter at the acclaimed June Audio, we've welcomed over a dozen artists to come record 3 acoustic tracks + video free of charge. Funded by generous sponsors in the growing Utah tech industry, this series will provide artists with meaningful exposure. We'll also be releasing the sessions to streaming services at no cost to the artist. Royalties will be split equally between Provo Music Magazine, our engineers on the project, and the artist. Not only do they not have to pay to create some new content, they'll get paid in the long run. Every time someone streams these sessions, they simultaneously support local music journalism, the studio system, and the artist they're streaming. Please consider watching our first session in the series. https://lnkd.in/gYCpPFQw

Here’s a recap of recent music industry hires and in-house promotions as of January 12th, 2024. https://lnkd.in/deRuS2aZ #musicindustry #musicbusiness #musicnews #musicindustrynews #musicjobs #musiccareers

👏🏼 Some of my personal favorites on this list!

SaCSA supports Creative Australia's Australian Music Economic Impact Study, the first comprehensive national analysis of our music sector's economic contribution. We encourage all musicians and industry professionals to take part in this vital initiative by completing a brief 5-10 minute survey: https://lnkd.in/gtTrASPE Importance of the study: ▪️ Assesses the industry's economic impact ▪️ Informs key policy decisions ▪️ Strengthens advocacy for the Australian music scene Conducted by McAtamney & Advisors in collaboration with Music Australia, this research will provide valuable insights into our music industry's economic landscape. Your contribution will: ▪️Help shape the future of Australia’s music industry ▪️Enhance understanding of its value ▪️Support continued investment and growth Your participation is vital for accurately representing the significance of Australia’s diverse Arts Industry. For more information about the study, please visit https://lnkd.in/gUPeQfRK

🎶 Big news in the music world! Sony Music is set to acquire the legendary Queen music catalog, along with several other rights, for a staggering £1 billion (around $1.27 billion), sources confirm to Variety. This monumental deal, first reported by Hits, excludes revenue from live performances, which founding members Brian May and Roger Taylor will retain as they continue to tour with singer Adam Lambert. What do you think of this significant acquisition? Is investing in iconic music catalogs a wise move? Share your thoughts below! #Queen #MusicCatalog #SonyMusic #MusicIndustry #InvestmentOpportunity #IconicBands #MusicRights #BrianMay #RogerTaylor #AdamLambert #EntertainmentNews

Last year I worked as the Live Music Manager at the John Peel Centre for Creative Arts, for 6 months. I'm also a music artist. I'm sure there are many people like me that sit on both sides of the fence (of the music industry), and it puts us in a unique position. I see there's a lot of discussion about supporting local grassroots music venues and that's a very positive thing. But one thing I still see far too often, is small venues and promoters expecting artist and performers to play for free on the grounds of 'exposure'. I realise many venues operate on a shoe string budget and its a shame many are closing, but we have to stop exploiting new artists and talent. Rarely did I ever see a gig at the JPC turn a profit on ticket sales. We hoped to break even from ticket sales and the bar money was the profit. That's kind of another conversation... because alcohol is a poison and it's a sorry state of affairs that this is the only way small venues can make money and turn a profit. During my time at the JPC I always paid every act fairly and adequately... but I can give you a long list of promoters and venues that don't, with so many exploiting artists (paying them in 'exposure') to turn a profit for themselves. Let's remember the audience comes to watch the artists. If you're making a profit (from the bar or otherwise) you must pay the artists. In fact you must pay the artists full stop. Thats why agents issue contracts right. There's a risk factor here, and that's the nature of the business. The artists should not be the ones to bear the brunt. If you cant afford to pay the artists, I would say that maybe you shouldn't be a venue and/or promoter. I can see first hand that the model is broken. I don't have all the answers, but let's just remember that the artists are the heart and soul of the industry, an industry that since its very beginning has been built on the exploitation of artists. Music venues are at a large a commercial venture, they're setup to turn a profit and to pay employees. No one should be earning a living or turning a profit from a product which they are receiving for free.  #GrassrootsTouring #MusicIndustry #SupportLocalVenues #payartists

Exciting times ahead for #Afrobeats and ultimately multiple genres of African music as Universal Music Group makes a strategic bet on Mavin Records 🌍 🎶. Best of all, by keeping the brilliant minds and business savvy of Don Jazzy and Tega Oghenejobo at the helm, the deal rewards and recognizes local leadership and the unique entrepreneurial talent and spirit that catapulted Mavin to success. It’s a true win-win. In addition to capital, Marvin gains access to UMG's vast distribution network, industry expertise, and partnerships. UMG gains major first-mover advantage, including direct access to more of the best of Africa's original, vibrant, and electrifying music – arguably the freshest and most exciting music on the global stage today, and likely for some time to come. The strategic alliance is also set to supercharge Mavin’s growth, with the potential to be a major hub for African music. With initiatives like the Mavin Artist Academy and the executive leadership program, we're not just talking one-off hits; we're talking about the potential for building an ecosystem that nurtures talent, promotes collaboration, and innovates for a growing and increasingly diverse global market for African music. From Afrobeats to Amapiano, this move is about amplifying African music, creating more opportunities for artists, and bringing the magic of African music to platforms and venues across #Africa and worldwide. Even more exciting times are ahead for African music. Where UMG and Mavin are leading, others are sure to follow! Here's to making history, breaking barriers, and building bridges. Let's go! 🚀 💫 #UniteInAfrica #AfricanMusicToTheWorld