LYOR PULLS OUT OF MUSIC BIZ

Lyor Cohen has bowed out of his keynote address for the Music Biz conference in Nashville, organizers announced Wednesday.

The conference address by YouTube’s head of global music will now be given by Pandora CEO Roger Lynch. Sony Music Nashville Chairman/CEO Randy Goodman will also join Lynch onstage.

Among the topics to be discussed are new listening trends, how the streaming market is impacting music labels, the growth and of voice-activated devices and predictions of what the increase in music streaming means for the future of the business.

Although there was no word from organizers on why Cohen bailed, successfully ducking rights holders' questions about YouTube royalties could be among the reasons.

“Roger has consistently had his finger on the pulse of what’s next throughout his career, having founded and grown multiple companies in the online TV space,” Prexy James Donio, "we’re interested to hear how his experiences as a leader and entrepreneur in adjacent industries have informed his vision for Pandora and what he sees ahead for the future of the music business.”

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