Pictured (l-r): Jamie Spinks, head of A&R at Columbia U.K.; Anthony Orum SMAB Solicitors (repping NQ Records), NQ CEO & founder Michael Adex; Dipesh Parmar, Columbia U.K. president; Amy Wheatley, Columbia U.K. MD (Photo Credit: Joe McGowan)
Growing U.K. music company NQ has signed a partnership with Columbia Records U.K. and The Orchard.
As part of the deal, Columbia Records will have access to emerging talent in the north of England, where NQ is based. The artists brought forward will receive the support of the Sony label for production, recording and marketing. NQ artists will also gain access to The Orchard’s full suite of services and global network.
NQ, which encompasses label, publishing and management arms, currently works with top-selling British rapper Aitch, South London artist Blanco, Birmingham rapper MIST, Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling production duo WhyJay & LiTek (WhyTek), and recently signed East London rapper Morrisson.
With the new collaboration, Aitch, who hit #2 in the U.K. with his debut album (released via UMG U.K. labels Capitol/EMI) in 2022, has signed an exclusive recording partnership with NQ powered by The Orchard. He is expected to release new music early this year.
Dipesh Parmar, president of Columbia Records U.K., said the status of Michael Adex, founder and CEO of NQ, “as a Manchester music-scene powerhouse gives us further access to northern talent via his broad network across the U.K.
“Myself, Amy [Wheatley] and the Columbia team are delighted to be partnering with NQ, we share the same vision in nurturing and developing artists early, and we're excited for what the new venture will bring."
Ian Dutt, president of The Orchard U.K., added, "NQ's artist-first approach directly aligns with The Orchard's M.O. We look forward to working with Adex and the NQ team and bringing their talent-rich legacy to global audiences."
Adex called the partnership “a great way to open our artists to international markets via The Orchard's and Columbia Records U.K.’s global distribution channels, while NQ Records continues to add value with a bespoke, artist-centric approach on the frontlines.
“As game changers in the industry today, this partnership demonstrates our combined commitment to shaking up the music industry and championing amazing talent both in the north and south.”
The Last Dinner Party are heading toward #1 on the U.K’s Official Albums Chart with their debut, Prelude to Ecstasy (Island). Over on singles, Noah Kahan remains on top.
Should it remain at #1, Prelude to Ecstasy will cap off an exciting few months for the British band, who’ve been crowned BRITs Rising Star and BBC Sound of… 2024.
Jamie Webster could gain his highest-charting album in the U.K. yet with 10 For The People (Modern Sky) at #2.
Paul McCartney and Wings’ third set as a band, Band on the Run (Capitol), is looking to re-enter the Top 10 thanks to a special reissue.
Kula Shaker’s Natural Magick (Strange Folk) starts at #5, while singer/songwriter Dylan John Thomas’ self-titled debut album (Ignition) is predicted for a re-entry at #8.
On the U.K.’s Official Singles midweeks, Kahan’s “Stick Season” (Republic) is tracking for #1 for a sixth consecutive week.
TikTok star Benson Boone could claim his first U.K. Top 10 single on Friday with “Beautiful Things” (Night Street/Warner Records), which is up three to #7.
“Alibi” (Major Toms/Asylum) by Ella Henderson and Rudimental is expected to jump 11 to #13. Megan Thee Stallion’s “HISS” (Hot Girl Productions) is predicted to rise 17 slots to #14.
The Last Dinner Party’s “Nothing Matters” is set to fly into the Top 20 at #19.
James Arthur has emerged as the surprise victor of this week’s U.K. Official Albums Chart race with his fifth set, Bitter Sweet Love (Columbia). Over on singles, Noah Kahan remains on top.
Despite The Smile and The Reytons engaged in a battle for #1 midweek, Arthur edged ahead in the final hours. Bitter Sweet Love is the biggest album on digital downloads this week while 74% of its sales total came from physical copies. It’s Arthur’s second #1 and fifth Top 3.
The Reytons’ self-released Ballad of a Bystander ends the week at #2. Radiohead offshoot The Smile—comprised of Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood and Tom Skinner—celebrates a career best with Wall of Eyes (XL) at #3.
Tom Odell’s Black Friday (UROK) is new at #5. Future Islands’ People Who Aren’t There Anymore (4AD) is their first U.K. Top 10 at #7.
On the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart, Kahan’s “Stick Season” (Republic) has a fifth week at #1. It’s the most-streamed song of the week with 8.8m listens.
Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” (Atlantic) is up three to #3. Madonna returns to the U.K. Top 10 for the first time in years with her The Weeknd and Playboi Carti collab, “Popular” (Republic), jumping four to #10.
Outside the Top 10, “Beautiful Things” (Warner Records) by Benson Boone rises seven to #11, while “Never Lose Me” (RCA) by Flo Milli climbs two to #15.
Attending Women in CTRL’s launch event in London were, front row L-R: Eve Horne (Executive Director, MPG), Ruth Barlow (Chair of AIM), Jo Twist (Chief Executive, BPI), Naomi Pohl (General Secretary, MU), MJ Olaore (Chief Operating Officer, BPI), and Christine Geissmar (Chief Operating Officer, PPL). Second row L-R: YolanDa Brown OBE DL (Chair, BPI), Suzanne Hughes (Chief People Officer, PRS), Nina Radejewski (Head of Membership, AIM), Mika Sellens (Executive Director, MPG), Kate Reilly (Chief of Membership & People Office, PPL), Jackie Davidson MBE (PPL Board), Annabella Coldrick (Chief Executive, MMF), Eunice Obianagha (Head of Diversity, UK Music), Andi Hopgood (Vice Chair, MU), and Sophie Jones (Chief Strategy Officer, BPI). Back row L-R: Natalie Wade (Director of Music Industry, PPL), Janeace Thompson (Director of Talent, Culture and Experience, PRS), Paul Bonham (Director, MMF), Roxanne De Bastion (FAC Board, Artist), Kelli-Leigh (Artist/ FAC Board), Billie Morton Riley (Membership, FAC), Nadia Khan (Founder & CEO, Women in CTRL), and Jess Kangalee (Community, Women in CTRL).
The boards of U.K. music industry trade associations have surpassed 50% female representation, which is up from 32% in 2020, according to a report from Women in CTRL.
The report examines the gender and ethnic representation of women in executive teams across the boards of UK Music and the 10 trade associations that sit under its umbrella.
More than 55% of organizations have achieved 50% gender representation on their boards. The report also examines senior roles, finding that 45% of chief executives are women, up from 20% in 2020. Twenty-seven percent of chairs across the trade bodies are women, up from 0% in 2020.
More than 50% of executive teams across the organizations are made up of women and non-binary individuals, 14% of which are women from a global majority background.
Sixteen percent of board members across the organisations are women from a global majority background, up from 3% in 2020.
Nadia Khan, founder of Women in CTRL, called the results “a milestone” and a “powerful signal of the progress and change resulting from the music industry's recent commitments to inclusivity and diversity.”
“It demonstrates that concerted efforts lead to tangible change, and I'm proud of the progress we've collectively achieved,” she said.
Khan urged the industry to succession plan in order to achieve sustained success. “Fostering inclusivity at the leadership level not only safeguards progress but also lays the foundation for a future that authentically mirrors the rich diversity of the music industry.”
Sony Music Publishing U.K. has bolstered its creative team with a new hire and two promotions.
ZaZa Kazadi joins from Never Dies Management as Senior A&R Manager. Previously, Kazadi managed artists and producers including ZieZie and Sonzi. He also spent two years as A&R Manager at BMG Music Publishing, working with K-Trap, TSB and others. All three are based within SMP’s London office.
Adrienne Bookbinder, an electronic music specialist who has signed Dom Dolla, Jazzy, ANOTR, Gorgon City, Eli Brown and more across her time at the pubco, has been elevated to Senior A&R Manager, U.K. and Europe.
Nasra Artan, who has spent the last year delivering new creative opportunities for SMP’s European and international roster and securing key signings including Fumes Beats, has been named Senior European A&R Manager.
“Nasra, Adrienne and ZaZa embrace what A&R is in 2024 and we are all looking forward to seeing their achievements in their respective roles," said David Ventura, president and co-MD, U.K. and SVP International at SMP, to whom the trio report.
The U.K. has created a Code of Good Practice on Transparency in Music Streaming to improve transparency around licensing and royalties that will take effect 7/31.
The Government’s Intellectual Property Office has oversight of the code, which has been developed and agreed by 12 music industry bodies.
It sets out agreed standards of good practice, forming part of a shared ambition across the music industry to build greater trust in music-maker contracts, streaming licensing deals, royalty payments, usage data, audit rights, and communication to music creators.
The code aims to help improve creators’ understanding of how their music is licensed, administered and used, helping build confidence and clarity that they are being paid correctly when their music is played via streaming services. It’s described as “a pledge from the music industry to a race to the top on transparency” and is said to be the first such commitment of its kind in the world.
Bodies who have signed up include label trade body BPI, the Association of Independent Music, retailers org ERA, the Music Managers Forum, PRO PRS for Music and the Musicians’ Union.
The agreement of the code is part of the commitment made by the Government in response to the recommendations of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee’s Inquiry into Music Streaming, which called for a “complete reset” of the recorded music industry.
After enacted, signatory organizations will meet every six months to consider how it’s working, with a formal review set for 2026.
The agreement “articulates what good practice looks like in terms of transparency and communication throughout the digital music supply chain,” said BPI Chief Exec Jo Twist. “This success builds meaningfully on the recent progress around metadata and other significant measures addressing creator concerns around music streaming.”
The Council of Music Makers—an umbrella body that reps various music creator orgs—welcomed the code, while calling the commitments “modest.” “It provides a framework that can be used to start tackling the ‘systemic lack of transparency’ in music streaming that was identified by the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee in 2021.
“Since then, the lack of transparency in streaming has increased, with individual streaming services announcing new business models, such as payment thresholds and spatial audio uplifts, developed without consultation with music-makers or their representatives, making it even harder to understand how they are paying through.
“We now need everyone working in the industry to fully embrace the code, and to go above and beyond in providing music-makers with the information they need to properly manage, understand and audit the digital side of their individual music-maker businesses.”
Seven-time BRIT Award nominee RAYE is the second artist set to perform at the ceremony on 3/2. She joins Dua Lipa on the bill.
RAYE broke records as the most nominated artist in any one year. She’s up for Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Pop Act, R&B Act and Song of the Year.
Her performance at the BRITs will be preceded by her biggest headline show to date, also at The O2 Arena, on 3/15. There, she’ll perform her debut, My 21st Century Blues (Human Re Sources), with The Heritage Orchestra and The Flames Collective. RAYE did a similar set at The Royal Albert Hall in September last year. What her performance will look like at the BRITs remains to be seen.
More performers will be announced in due course. Other artists up for multiple noms include Lipa, Central Cee, J Hus, Blur, Little Simz and Young Fathers.
Misogyny in the U.K. music industry is endemic, according to a Government report that details the ways in which women are discriminated against and marginalized in the business.
The report, pulled together by the Women and Equalities Committee following oral evidence sessions with people from across the industry, paints a damning picture of the state of gender equality.
Despite work to increase diversity in recent years, women working in the British music industry face limitations in opportunity, a lack of support, gender discrimination, and sexual harassment and assault, according to the report summary.
There’s also the "persistent" issue of unequal pay in a sector dominated by self-employment and gendered power imbalances. These issues are said to be intensified for women faced with intersectional barriers, particularly racial discrimination.
NDA agreements on victims of discrimination, harassment and abuse are raised as particularly problematic. "Victims with little agency in the process are threatened into silence by organizations seeking to protect their reputation and the perpetrators of abuse who work for them," reads the report.
Non-reporting of incidents of sexual harassment and abuse is reportedly high, with victims who report behavior struggling to be believed. When they are, more often that not, it is their career not the perpetrators’ that ends, said interviewees.
“The music industry has always prided itself on being a vehicle for social change; when it comes to discrimination, and the harassment and sexual abuse of women, it has a lot of work to do,” the report concludes.
The report details a number of recommendations to improve the status quo. These include a potential amendment to the Equality Act to better protect those facing intersectional inequality; increasing investment in diverse talent; mandatory equality, diversity and inclusion training; better support for working parents; better protections for freelancers and the licensing of recording studios, which includes a sexual harassment risk assessment and clear reporting pathways.
