WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH: A CONVERSATION WITH THE RIAA’S MICHELE BALLANTYNE
She knows what "RIAA" stands for. (3/24a)
IFPI: MUSIC REVENUE HITS $26.2B
Streaming accounts for more than two-thirds of the income. (3/22a)
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HIP-HOP AT 50
The astonishing first half-century of a world-rocking genre.
K-POP'S NEW ARRIVAL
Who's next to grow the profile of Seoul music?
FESTIVAL SEASON
Are we about to see new attendance records set?
RAINMAKERS: GEORGE SANTOS
He signed Elvis.
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The Lathums are heading for their second U.K. Official Albums #1 with From Nothing to a Little Bit More (Island). Over on singles, PinkPantheress is challenging Miley for the top spot.
Slowthai is set for his third Top 10 with UGLY (Method) at #2, while Mimi Webb’s debut, Amelia (RCA), looks set to land at #3.
A re-issue of De La Soul’s 1989 debut, 3 Feet High and Rising (Chrysalis), could earn the album a new peak at #5.
Folk act Tide Lines are at #6 with the self-released An Ocean Full of Islands. The late Eva Cassidy’s estate has teamed up with the London Symphony Orchestra and Australian-British composer Christopher Willis for I Can Only Be Me (Blix Street), which is new at #7 today.
This week’s Top 10 could be rounded out by Genesis, whose BBC Broadcasts live album (UMR/EMI) is set to become their 21st to chart inside the Top 10, at #9.
On the U.K.’s Official Singles midweeks, PinkPantheress’ “Boy’s a Liar” (Parlophone) is just less than 3k sales behind Cyrus’ “Flowers” (RCA) at #1. Can the track surge ahead by Friday?
The Ariana Grande remix of The Weeknd’s “Die For You” (Republic/Island) is heading for a new peak at #3, while Libianca’s “People” (5K) could enter the Top 10 for the first time on Friday, at #10.
Mimi Webb’s “Red Flags” is running toward its highest chart position yet at #13, while Mae Stephens’ “If We Ever Broke Up” (EMI) rises one to #19.
Glastonbury has announced its final two headliners for this year’s festival: Arctic Monkeys and Guns N’ Roses. They join Elton John at the top of the bill.
Arctic Monkeys will headline the Friday night of the event, which takes place 6/21-25 at Worthy Farm in Somerset. GNR headlines Saturday night.
Elton was revealed as Sunday’s headliner in December.
Lizzo will open for Guns N’ Roses and has joint headline billing. Other acts on the lineup include Alt-J, Aitch, Alison Goldfrapp, Becky Hill, Carly Rae Jepsen and Lewis Capaldi.
Gorillaz’s Cracker Island (Parlophone) is their second U.K. Official Albums #1, hitting the top slot 17 years after they last did it. Over on singles, Miley Cyrus #1.
Gracie Abrams makes her Official Albums Chart debut with Good Riddance (Interscope) at #3 and Adam Lambert has his first solo Top 5 as High Drama (Warner Music) lands at #5 today.
New collaborative project Obey Robots (Laura Kidd and Gareth ‘Rat’ Pring) are new at #14 with One in a Thousand (My Big Sister Recordings).
Yeat makes his first U.K. Albums Chart appearance with Aftërlyfe (Geffen) at #20, while Shame’s Food for Worms (Dead Oceans), at #21, is their third Top 40 entry.
On the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart, Cyrus’ “Flowers” (RCA) has claimed a seventh consecutive week at #1. The track tallied 5.2m streams to remain on top this week.
In doing so, “Flowers” is the longest-running #1 by a female solo artist in the U.K. since Adele’s “Easy on Me” (Columbia) spent eight non-consecutive weeks at the summit in 2021/2022.
At #2, “Boy’s a liar” (Parlophone) by PinkPantheress holds steady.
The Weeknd’s “Die for You” (Republic/Island) breaks into the Top 10 for the first time, at #4, thanks to a new remix with Ariana Grande.
Lizzy McApline’s “Ceilings” (AWAL) is up two to #7, while Libianca’s “People” (Sony) also rises two to #11. Mae Stephens has her first Top 20 hit with “If We Ever Broke Up” (EMI) jumping three to #20.
British musicians are facing a price hike of 251% for U.S. visas, with 70% of acts saying they’ll no longer be able to tour stateside, according to a study.
Proposals mean that petition fees for the P visa, which is used for acts to perform temporarily in the U.S., will increase to $1,615 (£1,352) from $460 (£385). The O visa, used for a longer-term working visit, would climb by 260% to $1,655 (£1,375) from $460 (£385).
In a survey by UK Music, the Music Managers Forum (MMF) and the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC), 70% of members said the increased visa charges would mean they would no longer be able to tour the USA.
According to the Musicians' Union, 96% of members surveyed said that increased fees will impact the feasibility of future touring, while 26% said they will lose money on tours as a result.
UK Music has written to Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch, urging her to persuade her American counterparts to drop the “deeply damaging” hike.
In the letter, signed by organizations from across the British music industry, UK Music Chief Executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin wrote, “These deeply damaging proposals would be catastrophic, both for U.K. artists and for their American audiences who have a huge appetite for British music. These plans must be scrapped.
“The U.K. and U.S. have enjoyed decades of mutually beneficial musical exchange that have strengthened our special relationship and brought huge social, cultural and economic benefits. We should be making it easier for musicians to tour the States, not harder.
“We call on ministers to urgently raise this issue with their U.S. counterparts and work with them to avoid an outcome that would be mutually detrimental to both our countries.”
U.K. record label trade body BPI has turned to the games industry to find its new CEO: Jo Twist, formerly of U.K. games and interactive entertainment org Ukie, will take the post in July.
Twist replaces Geoff Taylor, who left in December. Since then, BPI Chief Strategy Officer Sophie Jones has been acting as interim CEO, a role she’ll remain in until Twist arrives.
Prior to Ukie, which she’s been CEO of since 2012, Twist held positions at the BBC and Channel 4. She has a 25-year background in interactive entertainment, technology, education, creative media and youth culture, and experience in influencing, stakeholder management and organisational change.
“Jo has outstanding credentials and, along with her fresh perspective, she will bring a rich breadth of experience garnered in games and across the creative industries,” BPI Chair YolanDa Brown said. “This will prove invaluable to the BPI and to U.K. recorded music as we navigate great changes in our industry.”
Twist sits on a range of high-level boards, committees, and advisory groups, including the Creative Industries Council, Creative UK Council, and the AHRC Creative Industries Advisory Group. In 2016, she was awarded an OBE for services to the creative industries.
Gorillaz’s Cracker Island (Parlophone) could become the group’s first #1 album in 17 years.
Gorillaz have taken an early lead in this week’s U.K. Official Albums race with Cracker Island (Parlophone). Over on singles, Miley Cyrus remains on top.
Cracker Island could be Gorillaz' second #1 album, and first in 17 years.
Gracie Abrams is set to make her Official Albums Chart debut with Good Riddance (Interscope) currently tracking for #2. Adam Lambert could score his first solo Top 5 with High Drama (Warner Music) at #4 today.
New collaborative project, Obey Robots (consisting of Laura Kidd and Gareth ‘Rat’ Pring), also eye a Top 5 debut with One in a Thousand (My Big Sister Recordings) starting at #5.
Elsewhere in today’s midweek Top 10, The Slow Readers Club’s Knowledge Freedom Power (Velveteen Records) is #7, while Callum Beattie’s Vandals (3Beat) starts at #9.
On the U.K.’s Official Singles midweeks, Cyrus’s “Flowers” (RCA) is currently set for a seventh consecutive week at #1. However, “Boy’s a liar” (Parlophone) by PinkPantheress is less than 3k sales behind, providing strong competition.
The Weeknd’s “Die For You” (Republic/Island) looks set to break into the Top 5 for the first time, thanks to a new remix with Ariana Grande.
P!nk could see “TRUSTFALL” (RCA) secure a new peak this week at #11, while George Ezra’s “Green Green Grass” (Columbia) eyes a return to the Top 10, at #10, thanks to a viral “sped up” mix.
Mae Stephens is on course to break the Top 20 for the first time with “If We Ever Broke Up” (EMI) at #20.
P!nk has claimed her fourth U.K. Official Albums #1 as Trustfall (RCA) outsells its closest competition by more than 2:1. Over on singles, Miley Cyrus tallies a sixth week at the top.
P!nk now ties with Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Adele and Beyoncé on the list of female solo artists with the most #1 albums in Official Charts history. Trustfall reached the albums summit with over 65% of its total made up of physical sales.
Elsewhere in today’s all-new Top 3, Inhaler’s second album, Cuts & Bruises (Polydor), debuts at #2 while Welsh rock band Those Damn Crows secure a career-best with Inhale/Exhale (Earache) at #3.
Electronic duo Orbital’s Optical Delusion (London Music Stream) is also new at #6. It’s their fourth Top 10 record to date.
On the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart, Cyrus’s “Flowers” (RCA) extends its lead as 2023’s longest-running #1 with 7.4m streams this week.
PinkPantheress’ “Boy’s a Liar” (Parlophone) has jumped to #2 in its 10th week on chart. Coi Leray has her first-ever U.K. Top 10 entry with “Players” (Uptown/Republic) climbing five to #7, while Tiësto and Tate McRae’s “10:35” (Atlantic/Ministry of Sound) breaks into the Top 10 for the first time, at #8.
Lizzy McAlpine’s “Ceilings” (Harbour Artists & Music) leaps 12 places to #9. Niall Horan’s “Heaven” (Capitol) is this week's highest new entry, debuting at #18.
Stacey Tang and Glyn Aikins have been promoted to co-presidents of RCA U.K., replacing David Dollimore.
Tang and Aikins have worked together at the label since 2018, and between them have decades of experience across marketing and A&R.
They report to Sony Music U.K. & Ireland Chairman and CEO Jason Iley, who said, “They are both champions of music, are passionate about nurturing a new generation of artists, and know how to bring out the best in their teams and the artists they work with.”
Tang has served as EVP at RCA since 2021. She’s been responsible for spearheading campaigns for domestic artists including Cat Burns, Little Mix and Bring Me The Horizon, while achieving international success with Miley Cyrus, Mimi Webb, Lil Nas X, Beyoncé, SZA and P!NK. Prior to RCA, Tang was MD at Columbia U.K.
Aikins joined Sony in 2018 as co-president of Since 93, a label partnership with RCA, which will continue to operate under its umbrella. Since its launch, he has signed, developed and nurtured Aitch and multi-BRIT nominee Burns. Aikins also co-signed Tems with RCA U.S. and has overseen her international rise. Prior to joining Sony, Aikins signed and developed artists such as Artful Dodger, Naughty Boy and Emeli Sandé.
Dollimore, who started running RCA U.K. in 2016, said: ‘In my seven year tenure at RCA U.K., I am very proud to have built, led and mentored an incredible label group and worked with brilliant partners, management teams, writers and producers I will be collaborating with again in the future.
“I have had the privilege of working with some of the most talented artists in the U.K. including Biig Piig, Jade Thirlwall and Cat Burns, who all have huge careers ahead of them. It has been a fantastic journey from building the Ministry of Sound label from scratch to becoming part of the Sony family and I wish Stacey, Glyn and RCA U.K. all the best for the future.”