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Can Sweden maintain its dominance in the music industry?

By Maddy Savage BBC News, Stockholm

March 15, 2024

Image source, Getty Images

image captionAbba can take some credit for Stockholm's bustling music tech scene

From Abba to Spotify, Avicii to SoundCloud, Stockholm has produced both the world's most successful musicians and music technology companies.

Sweden has won the Eurovision Song Contest a record seven times, jointly holding the gong with Ireland, and this year's competition will be hosted by Malmö.

Its heritage is evident the moment you step off the subway at Stockholm Central Station.

Sergels Square, the capital's main square paved with black and white triangles, is home to the Avicii Experience, an interactive museum honoring the late Tim Bergling. He grew up here and went on to become one of the world's best-selling DJs under the artist name Avicii.

Per Sundin, CEO of Pophouse Entertainment, which runs the museum, sits on the 15th floor. The company is focused on creating the “next generation” of high-tech entertainment experiences, including incorporating London's Abba Voyage stage show, featuring Avatar versions of Sweden's biggest supergroup, into its portfolio.

The company is planning new shows in 2027, including a digital version of American rock band Kiss, after testing the technology at the band's last real live show last year.

“What are the similarities between Kiss and Abba?” Sundin asked rhetorically from his private office with floor-to-ceiling windows. “They really have super fans, and both artists have extensive catalogs and a global presence all over the world.”

Despite selling more than 2 million tickets for Abba Voyage since May 2022, Pop House Entertainment (American director George Lucas' visual effects company Industrial Light & The company has not yet realized profitability on its investments, including the technology (developed in collaboration with Magic), he said. and the East London Arena, which is dedicated to events.

Image source, Maddie Savage

image captionPer Sundin's company uses virtual technology to keep bands performing

But Sundin, a former Universal Music executive, said he believes in the concept and hopes it can be applied to a handful of other big-name artists in the future.

“This is for people who can't tour anymore, who can't make themselves this good.” [as they were]… or [want to] We do different things with their musical heritage,” says Sundin.

Pop House's innovation follows a series of other music technology success stories from Stockholm, a capital of just 1 million people.

Daniel Ek's Spotify launched here in 2008, but SoundCloud was founded a year earlier by two students at the Stockholm School of Economics, Alex Jung and Eric Wolfors. Later the business moved to Berlin.

Other companies that have made an impact globally include Soundtrack Your Brand, a subscription service that allows businesses to play commercial music without licensing issues, and Soundtrack Your Brand, a rights-free music platform for content creators. One example is Epidemic Sound. Epidemic Sound's value was recently valued at SEK 12.5 billion (£950 million, $1.2 billion), according to Swedish business news site Dagens Industri.

“Everyone knows there must be something in the water,” laughs Sarah Harlin, co-founder of Stockholm Music City. Stockholm Music City is an organization that encourages collaboration between the capital's music and technology sectors and provides support to start-up companies.

Image source, Maddie Savage

image captionSarah Harlin says Swedish startups have a culture of collaboration

On a more serious note, she argues that there are several key ingredients to Stockholm's recipe for music technology success.

These include Sweden's historically strong music scene, including artists such as Roxette, The Cardigans and legendary pop producer/songwriter Max Martin, cementing the reputation established by Abba and We give credibility to Swedish technology companies that focus on relevance.

Additionally, the country has long had a tech-savvy population, and many of today's entrepreneurs grew up in Sweden in the 1990s, when tax breaks for home hardware followed by the early adoption of broadband. I did.

Sweden's business culture, which tends to encourage cooperation over competition, also creates a collaborative ecosystem, Harlin argues.

“If we notice someone else is doing the same thing, we reach out to each other and figure out how we can do it together,” she says. “That often means no one succeeds, but everyone succeeds.”

One recent example is Elk, a company that provides a remote collaborative recording platform for artists. The company was founded after realizing that two local companies were developing similar software tools.

Ms. Harlin has just finished a meeting at The Node, a physical recording studio hub that opened last year in the same square as the Avicii Museum and includes some of the late DJ's equipment. “Where there are producers, there will be music technology startups, and there will be investors coming to check them out,” she says.

Late on a Monday afternoon, the neon pink-lit cafe area is mostly empty save for a few indifferent staff members. But Harlin says the space is creating a global buzz. “We’re already noticing people coming here from New York and London to check it out.”

Seedtable, a platform that tracks Europe's fastest-growing companies, lists 69 music and audio startups to watch in 2024, 13 of which are based in Stockholm It has a larger population than any other city.

Image source, Maddie Savage

image captionAnkit Desai is looking for a 'diamond in the rough'

A few blocks away from The Node, one of them, Snafu Records, is based in a shared office space with parquet floors and a cocktail bar.

The startup, described by co-founder and CEO Ankit Desai as “the world's first AI-enabled music label,” uses an algorithm to search the internet and identify emerging artists that are likely to make an impact. developed.

“We try to find diamonds in the rough…underrepresented artists and give them a chance to shine,” Desai says.

Since its founding in 2019, the company has signed over 150 artists. Snuff Records takes 50% of all artists' earnings, while most traditional labels take up to 80%, Desai said.

The startup's investors include Agnetha Fältskog (Agnetha from Abba), Finnish gaming entrepreneur Mikko Kodisoja and Pophouse Entertainment, with a second funding round of $7m (£5.5m) expected in late 2023. ) has been procured. However, Desai admits that funding has been difficult. It's been “much more difficult” than when he first launched the label in 2019, and the company has yet to turn a profit.

Emil Widhagen, a journalist at Swedish technology and startup news site Breakit, says many of Stockholm's music technology startups are facing similar challenges to Snuff Records as a result of the global economic turmoil. claim.

“In tougher times, people tend to turn to safer investments, and music technology companies are generally unprofitable, including even Spotify.”

In fact, Spotify, the world's largest subscription audio streaming site, posted a loss of around €75m (£64m, $82m) in the final quarter of 2023, despite cutting around 1,500 jobs. reported. However, even though the company increased prices, subscriber numbers still increased by 4%.

Some music technology entrepreneurs argue that the speed of global growth in AI tools is also putting pressure on Stockholm's rich music technology ecosystem.

Image source, Maddie Savage

image captionEmily Olson says funding is now harder for startups than ever before

“One of the biggest challenges is just trying to keep up with everything,” says COO and CEO of music technology startup Corite, which uses crowdfunding to help artists get financial support from their fans. says co-founder Emily Olson (and rewards fans if an artist scores a hit). “It's really a competition. There are a lot of companies doing a lot of great things at the same time.”

Corite has also struggled to turn a profit and is looking forward to new tools for artists and other content creators that will be released later this year.

“We are definitely humbled as we try to raise money again,” Olson said. “I think companies are going to have to prove it a little bit faster than they used to.”

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See the complete list of 2024 CMT Music Awards nominees.

The CMT Music Awards 2024 are set to brighten up the country music scene on April 7th live from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. Kelsea Ballerini, her four-time Grammy nominee, will once again take the mic as host and performer. This will be the fourth consecutive year that she will host the event.

This fan-favorite event, broadcast on CBS, celebrates the achievements of country music's brightest stars, with awards determined entirely by fan voting.

Ballerini, Laney Wilson, Megan Moloney, Cody Johnson, and Jelly Roll each received three nominations.

Nominated artists in the coveted Video of the Year category include Darius Rucker's “Fires Don't Start Themselves'' and Jelly Roll's “Need A Favor.''

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Here is the complete list of this year's nominees:

female video of the year

Ashley McBride “Light on in the Kitchen”
Gabby Barrett – “Glory Days”
Kacey Musgraves “Deeper Well”
Kelsea Ballerini “Penthouse”
Rainie Wilson – “Watermelon Moonshine”
Megan Moloney – “I'm not pretty”
Reba McIntyre “Seven Minutes in Heaven”

male video of the year

Bailey Zimmerman – “Religiously”

Cody Johnson – “The Painter”

Hardy – “Truck Bed”

Jelly Roll – “Need a Favor”

Jordan Davis – “Next Thing You Know”

Luke Combs – “Fast Car”

Morgan Wallen “Last Night (One Record at a Time Sessions)”

Group/Duo Video of the Year

The Osborne Brothers – “Nobody's Nobody”

Dan + Shay – “Save Me the Trouble”

Old Dominion – “Memory Lane”

Parmalee – “Girl in Mine”

War and Treaties – “Have You A Heart”

Tiggery Gold – “Shoot Tequila”

This year's collaboration video

Carly Pearce feat. Chris Stapleton – “We Won't Fight Anymore”

Ella Langley feat. Ko Wetzel “That's why we fight”

Jon Pardi, Luke Bryan – “Cowboys and Plowboys”

Justin Moore & Priscilla Bullock – “You, Me and Whiskey”

Lukas Nelson + Promise of the Real feat. Laney Wilson – “More Than Friends”

Mickey Guyton feat. Kane Brown – “Nothing Can Compare You”

Old Dominion & Megan Moloney – “We Can't Break Up Now”

video of the year

Ashley McBride “Light on in the Kitchen”

Brandi Clark feat. Brandi Carlyle – “Dear Anxiety”

The Osborne Brothers – “Nobody's Nobody”

Cody Johnson – “The Painter”

Darius Rucker – “You don't start the fire yourself”

Hardy – “Truck Bed”

Jason Aldean – “Let Your Boys Be Country”

Jelly Roll – “Need a Favor”

Jordan Davis – “Next Thing You Know”

Kacey Musgraves “Deeper Well”

Kelsea Ballerini – “IF YOU GO DOWN (I'M GOIN' DOWN TOO)”

Rainie Wilson – “Watermelon Moonshine”

Mickey Guyton feat. Kane Brown – “Nothing Can Compare You”

Parmalee – “Gonna Love You”

Tyler Childers – “In Your Love”

Zach Bryan – “Nine Ball”

This year's groundbreaking women's videos

Ann Wilson – “Rain in the Rearview”

Ashley Cook – “Your Place”

Britney Spencer – “Bigger Than the Song”

Tiggery Gold – “Shoot Tequila”

Breakthrough male videos of the year

Chase Beckham – “23”

Tyler Childers – “In Your Love”

Warren Zuiders “Pretty Little Poison”

Zach Bryan – “Oklahoma Smokeshow”

This year's CMT performance

Amber Riley – “RESPECT” (from CMT Smashing Glass)

Bret Michaels & Chris Janson – “Nothing But a Good Time” (from CMT Crossroads)

Carrie Underwood – “Hate My Heart” (from 2023 CMT Music Awards)

Cody Johnson – “Human” (from 2023 CMT Music Awards)

Dierks Bentley – “Drunk On A Plane” (from CMT Storytellers)

Dustin Lynch feat. Mackenzie Porter – “Thinking 'Bout You” (from CMT Campfire Sessions)

Hozier & Maren Morris – “Take Me To Church” (from CMT Crossroads)

Jelly Roll – “Need a Favor” (from 2023 CMT Music Awards)

Kelsea Ballerini – “IF YOU GO DOWN (I'M GOIN' DOWN TOO)” (From 2023 CMT Music Awards)

War and Treaties – “On My Own” (from CMT Smashing Glass)

CMT Digital First Performance of the Year

Chase Rice – “Goodnight Nancy” (from CMT Studio Sessions)

Dylan Scott – “Don't Close Your Eyes (Keith Whitley Cover)” (from CMT Digital Campfire Sessions)

Nate Smith – “Whiskey on You” (from CMT Studio Sessions)

Megan Moroney – “I'm Not Pretty” (from CMT Digital Campfire Sessions)

Steven Wilson Jr. – “Year to Be Young 1994” (from CMT Studio Sessions)

Scotty McCreary – “It Matters to Her” (from CMT Stages)

The Castellos – “I Know It Will Never End” (from CMT Studio Sessions)

The CMT Music Awards will be broadcast live on CBS from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, April 7th from 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM ET (Live) / PT (Delayed). The event will also be available for live streaming and on-demand viewing on Paramount+.

See more of Annalisa Novak

Analisa Novak is a content producer for CBS News and the Emmy Award-winning “CBS Morning.” Based in Chicago, she specializes in live coverage of her events and exclusive interviews for her shows. Besides her media work, Annalisa is a U.S. Army veteran and she holds a master's degree in strategic communications from Quinnipiac University.

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Meet George Collier, YouTube's star music transcriber

For some budding musicians (and even seasoned professionals), just looking at sheet music can trigger a fight-or-flight response, bringing up painful memories of strict piano teachers and high-pressure recitals. George Collier, a 20-year-old music transcriber, is doing his part to change that.

Collier, a student at Britain's Warwick University, pulled out snippets of videos of live performances by famous artists such as Wynton Marsalis and Celine Dion, as well as bedroom musicians who posted clips online. Add detailed instructions for what you need. He juggles harmonies, melodies, and rhythms while converting sounds into highly detailed musical notation, the results of which he shares with his more than 882,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel. His most popular video has been viewed 18 million times, up from his 5 million.

“Music can be a little demanding, especially in the whole world of music theory,” Collier says during a break between lectures, video chatting from a light-filled campus building filled with the sounds of bustling college life. Told. His videos, created with the help of a team of transcribers, interestingly decipher mesmerizing cadenzas, barbershop quartet arrangements, funk jams, and jazz solos, creating a musical score that is both scholarly and unrelenting. has softened its reputation.

His video “When You Make the Trombone SING” features Frank Lacey's uplifting trombone solo from his 1988 performance with the Art Blakey Big Band. Another clip titled “She practiced 40 hours a day for this” features Mitsuko Uchida's virtuoso Mozart piano cadenza. Although Collier specializes in jazz, he also explores the world of classical music and the performances of everyday people with impressive talent. The clip, titled “When Your Family Is Musically Competent,” features a version of “Happy Birthday,” which turns into an improvised, gospel-filled riff. His video “Pro Musician Jams With Street Performer on Subway” documents a saxophonist spontaneously playing a version of Big Joe Turner's “Shake, Rattle and Roll” with a guitarist on the London Underground doing.

“Transcription is about understanding the musical decisions made by performers,” Collier says. “It doesn't really matter how famous you are. If you make something good, people will want to listen to it.”

Laufey, a Grammy Award-winning cellist and multi-instrumentalist, has repeatedly appeared as the subject of Collier's videos, and she admires his eclectic taste. “I think this celebrates real musicianship,” she said in a video interview. “It uplifts artists who aren't necessarily the most popular.” She noted that his channel is also a powerful source of discovery. “Especially on her YouTube, there are a lot of comments like, 'I found this song from George's Collier video.'”

Collier grew up in low-lying Cambridgeshire, about two hours north of London, known for its beautiful countryside and historic universities. After she started playing piano and trumpet by the age of eight, she began to show a strong interest in jazz. In 2020, when the pandemic hit and in-person music production came to a halt, the then 16-year-old Collier began channeling his musical energy online, as a side project just for fun to combat lockdown boredom. I uploaded my first transcription to YouTube.

One of these early uploads was a particularly beautiful piano and voice of the “Hajjanga” interlude by Jacob Collier (no relation) during a performance with the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble. The video initially received only modest views, but in February 2021 it was connected to YouTube's elusive algorithm, amassing 200,000 views in just nine days.

Mr. Collier is currently a student studying philosophy and politics, but he is also the musical director of the university's a cappella group, the Leamintones, although he quipped that his work has “little to do with music.” Some of his major musical influences often appear as subjects in his transcriptions, including Jacob Collier, guitarist Corey Wong, and funk band Wulfpeck.

Being a full-time student and recently starting his own web development agency has made it difficult for Collier to incorporate the rigor of music transcription into his daily life. In order to keep the channel uploaded, he cooperates with transcribers from the United States, Germany, Hungary, Austria, etc., and even introduces online music transcription services. Far from being a pandemic pastime, his project is now monetized and functions as both a hobby and a business. Collier makes his ends meet by paying him based on views from YouTube, but in keeping with the channel's ethos of accessible music education, he makes the transcripts available for free download.

Collier said he wants viewers to “enjoy the video, be surprised by the performers, be surprised by how someone can transcribe, or be surprised by the offhand comments about the transcription.” emphasized. When traditional notation doesn't translate the raw energy onto the screen, Collier and his team improvise.

The phrase “while standing on one leg” is etched into the transcription of a flute solo as Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson's limbs become increasingly unsteady on stage. “Causes a stink face on the First Lady” is annotated on a transcription of Trombone Shorty's performance of “St. Paul's Cathedral.” Michelle Obama's face contorts in approval as Shorty's growling solo takes place during the 2012 White House “James Clinic.”

Professional musician and YouTuber Adam Neely said, “It's very scary to work on music at such a high level without some sort of influence.” Watching Collier's videos “gives you permission to laugh and find community with people you wouldn't normally consider.”

While perfecting the transcription is Collier's top priority, he also wants his videos to be seen as widely as possible, and he's learned a lot about YouTube's algorithms. Many of his videos are titled in the format “When You Hit Puberty Twice” and are transcribed vocal performances with amazing bass in the lower register or recorded incredibly fast performances. Examples include “When You Practice 40 hours a Day.” Pianist Hiromi Uehara sings George Gershwin's “I Got Rhythm.”

“It's not just super music geeks who click,” Collier said. “These are people who are not even musicians, who may not even understand the transcription, but they click on the title and keep listening to the music.” His videos have racked up more than 300 million views of his. “It's really democratization, everyone has access, everything is free,” he added.

Laufey agreed with this assessment. “I think social media has been such a great equalizer,” she said, noting that Collier's channel is “a great way for fans to learn my songs as well.”

Despite his steadily growing subscriber base, Collier is hesitant to make YouTube his full-time job. “I don't want people to risk turning what they enjoy as a hobby into a career,” he says. But until he moves on, or until the algorithm does, he still enjoys inspiring first-timers to pick up their instruments and old-timers to dust off their instruments. I'm here.

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Is your song licensing system out of sync?

When 21-year-old singer Eric Doa released the song “>one” last March, he had an unusual collaborator in Valorant. It's not another artist. This is the popular shooter game that attracted millions of players in February. Riot Games, the company that developed Valorant, used “>one” in the lyrics to refer to the game in a trailer introducing a playable character named Gekko. The track is currently Ericdoa's second most popular song on Spotify, with over 36 million streams.

“It was a huge spiritual victory,” says Maria Egan, Riot Games' global head of music and events. “Can I repeat that over and over again?” she asks. “How can we make our platform and other gaming platforms new places where new artists can find an audience?”

This is a frequently asked question in the music industry. In recent years, the industry has struggled to find reliable ways to ensure that its songs reach a wide range of listeners. The gaming community is large, young, and interested in music. In other words, an ideal target for labels. But there have been few notable recent examples of games helping new artists break out or fueling mass music discovery.

“Like music, gaming is global and has significant cultural relevance, but scalability at this intersection remains a challenge,” said Jeff Sawyer, gaming and esports agent at UTA. says. “Players and revenue are scattered in an endless web of product categories and consumer affinities, not all in one big bucket. There are some cool bespoke integrations happening, but for the music industry to achieve true scale in this category, the licensing model will need to fundamentally change.”

The truth is, the game doesn't need more label music to thrive. The gaming industry will have approximately $184 billion in revenue in 2023, dwarfing music (about $26 billion, according to IFPI). As one prominent music technology executive put it, “game business models don't need to support music.”

And even among popular games that put music to the forefront, Space remains highly competitive. “The number of FC slots is still limited, and the number of NBA 2K slots is still limited,” said Steve Schnurr, president of music at Electronic Arts (EA).

The music industry would likely benefit from more games featuring slots with more songs. But gaming industry executives say that is unlikely because of the lack of transparency in the licensing system. “Every time I talk to game publishers, they tell me at least one horror story about negotiating music rights,” says the managing director of Feel for Music, which helps music directors for games and brands. Director Ben Sumner says:

A single recording may have multiple master owners and writers, each potentially working with a different publisher, and the game company must get everyone's approval. Vicki Nauman, who in addition to founding the music technology consultancy CrossBorderWorks has licensed music for many games, once had to complete 143 contracts in order for him to clear 20 songs.

This may simply be too long for the game's timeline, explains Gavin Johnson, director of sync and partnerships at electronic music label Monstercat. “Game developers typically create quarterly, biweekly, or even weekly content,” he says. Especially in the world of “live service games,” which are free to play, dynamic, updated on the fly to reinvigorate player interest, and maintain consistent engagement. (Some of his most popular games in 2023, as measured by monthly active users, were live service games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Minecraft.)

Additionally, the music industry typically requires a large upfront payment to license a song. “Introducing music is often an experiment for games, but they don't want to pay millions of dollars for an experiment,” says Co-Founder of STYNGR, a company that provides pre-cleared music for games. says Alex Tarrand, COO.

With multiple rights holders impacting timelines and high upfront fees, many game developers find it much easier and more financially prudent to outsource their music in-house. I think there is. “If it's going to incur more costs in a way that doesn't actually advance what the game is about, we tend to think, 'Maybe we don't need to spend our time and resources on that,'” said game consultant Toa Dunn. ” he says.

Tarrand's company, STYNGR, is creating a bridge between game and music companies by signing blanket licenses with all major labels and publishers so that game developers can come to STYNGR and incorporate music into their titles. We are working on reducing friction. Instead of paying her STYNGR upfront, the developer cut the revenue share agreement.

Another company, Game Over, is taking a completely different approach, targeting gamers who watch live streams on Twitch and enjoy gameplay montage videos on YouTube and Instagram. His partner Zach Katz said this would allow him to completely avoid the industry's “arm-wrestling” over rights. The label “still believes that winning in the gaming space is tied to interaction with users.” [gaming] It’s a platform,” Katz said. In his view, that's a “mistake.” “At the end of the day, it's a win to have an audience for games and provide them with music. You can do this in other places where gamers congregate.”

Still, both music and gaming executives dream of further opportunities within games. BandLab CEO Meng Ru Kuok said, “We need to make licensing games easier and more scalable so that only large franchises can obtain licenses.”

“What I'm hoping to do is create a dialogue where we understand that synchronous relationships can bring tremendous benefits, but they still limit us,” Schnurr added. “Let's think about what the term 'sync' means and what it means going forward.” But he said music rights holders may be satisfied with the current system. He acknowledges that there is, and is wary that calls for change could cover up a campaign to marginalize music.

For now, many of the creative ideas for bringing more music into games “just aren't coming to market because of rights issues,” Nauman says.

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Country music stars fans may not see again after 2024

This year has been a tough year for country music fans.

Want more country music news? Click here.

Many performers have sadly passed away, and several others have had to step away from performing or have made the decision to curtail their careers on stage.

Below is a quick look at some of the artists that fans may not be able to see, or at least have a hard time seeing, by the time 2024 ends.

Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys

Oak Ridge Boys singer Joe Bonsall made a heartbreaking farewell earlier this year when he announced that a debilitating medical condition would force him to retire from touring.

The 75-year-old is reportedly battling a neuromuscular disorder, which led him to announce last week that he would be retiring from the tour.

“Currently, he is unable to walk, so he has basically retired from the road,'' he said. “It's just gotten too difficult. It's been an amazing 50 years. I'd like to thank the entire Oak Ridge Boys band crew and staff for the continued love and support they've shown me through it all. I'll never forget.” I hope that you will continue to think about and pray for everyone who has always supported me and prayed for me.”

'Yellowstone' star releases first full-length country album this week; Country music legend begins final full-year performance in March

While Bonsall steps down, the group will reportedly continue their farewell tour with 27-year-old Ben James taking his place.

“A young man named Ben James is singing for me. He needs your love and encouragement,” Bosnall said in a statement. “His sound is different than mine, but he brings a lot of talent to the table. The Oak Ridge Boys will be finishing up their farewell tour without me, but rest assured, I'm all It's okay! God got it!!!'' The tour is scheduled to stop at the American Music Theater in Lancaster on March 16th and March 17th.

john michael montgomery

John Michael Montgomery took the leap to 2024 by letting fans know on Facebook that he was embarking on a farewell tour.

“I have decided to end my touring career this year and in 2025,” the 58-year-old wrote. “It's been an amazing journey for me since my first song 'Life's a Dance' was released to radio over 30 years ago in 1992.”

The singer's first three albums, 1992's Life's a Dance, 1994's Kickin' It Up, and 1995's John Michael Montgomery, were all multi-platinum selling. It is said that it was an album. And he reportedly sold more than 16 million albums during his career.

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His number one Billboard hits include “I Love the Way You Love Me,” “I Swear,” and “I Can Love You Like That.”

The good news for fans of the artist is that although it sounds as if his time on the road is almost over, he reportedly hasn't ruled out the possibility of making occasional appearances and seems to be taking a break from production altogether. Music that is invisible to the eye.

“I'm sure there will be times when I have to play a show here and there because I'm so lonely,” he said in a statement. “But I feel it's time to say goodbye to road life.”

“I've been lucky and blessed to be able to do what I love for so many years,” the singer said in a post on her Facebook page.

“Please join us on our journey to say goodbye to life on the streets,” he wrote. “And I really appreciate the support over the past 30 years. It means a lot to me.”

His farewell tour has already begun.

Five other dates are scheduled and can be viewed here. For the Pennsylvanians, the closest he will get to the Keystone State on tour now will be May 31 when he plays in Xenia, Ohio.

ray stevens

Ray Stevens announced in January that he was ready to slow down and smell the roses.

He's 85 years old, so it's not that surprising, but I still hate to see him go.

The Country Music Hall of Fame inductee plans to make 2024 his last year performing live. He is reportedly scheduled to perform his farewell tour on March 16th.

It's not called a breakup or a complete withdrawal; instead, the Tennessean article calls it a slowdown.

“I've been in the music industry ever since I was 15 years old, traveling all over the world playing shows, writing and recording many successful records,” Stevens told The Tennessean. “So, I was tired.”

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Stevens performs at the West Nashville Cabaret Showroom, which opened in 2018. The venue will reportedly continue to operate after Stevens' departure, with other performers taking his place.

Stevens said he will prioritize recording once he steps away from full-fledged live performance.

The comedy songwriter and singer has been active since 1957.

“I'm looking forward to this last year. It's going to be a good year,” he told The Tennessean. “If possible, I would like everyone to come out and watch the show.”

The Gritty Dirt Band

The legendary Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has announced a farewell tour, and the good news is you might still be able to see them live after the tour ends.

The band announced in a social media post that they are embarking on a farewell tour titled “All the Good Times,” with the first show scheduled for March 21st.

But for fans of the band, there is still hope of seeing them again.

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“This is not a goodbye forever,” the band finally said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “But this will likely be the last time fans will be running around multiple cities or taking long bus rides.”

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has been performing and touring for nearly 60 years.

Formed in 1966, the band is a three-time Grammy Award winner. Current members include Bob Carpenter, Jimmy Fadden, Jaime Hanna, Jeff Hanna, Ross Holmes, and Jim Fotoglo.

Jeff Hanna and Fadden have been members of the band since the beginning. Not surprisingly given its longevity, it also has a long list of past members.

The band's first big break was with “Mr. Bojangles” in 1970, and they have produced 25 albums over the years.

“'All the Good Times' is a perfect representation of our career,” the band said in a statement on its website. “Playing our music in front of Dirt Band fans around the world has been an amazing experience for us. The most important part of it is the connection with the audience, and the give and take in that beautiful community is second to none. It's one of a kind, and that's exactly the spirit we're celebrating as we head out on our farewell tour. We're really looking forward to seeing you all and having a great time!”

Tickets for the tour went on sale on January 19th.

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Best album released March 8th: All songs reviewed: NPR

Kim Gordon's new album “The Collective'' will be released on March 8th. Daniel Neu/Artist provided Hide caption

toggle caption Provided by Daniel Neu/Artist

Kim Gordon's new album “The Collective'' will be released on March 8th.

Daniel Neu/Artist provided

A wave of spring releases may be just around the corner, but this week's biggest albums are keeping things cool in a variety of fascinating ways.

On this week's episode of New Music Friday from All Songs Thought, NPR Music's Ann Powers and Hazel Sills discuss what Jack Antonoff, Norah Jones, Moor Mother's Kamae Ayewwa and Kim Gordon have in common beyond their common release date.

Featured albums:
1. Kim Gordon, The Collective
2. Bleacher, Bleacher
3. Norah Jones, Visions
4. Moorish Mother, Great Salvation

Other notable releases for March 8th:
• Ariana Grande, Eternal Sunshine
• Boris Pupur, Letter to Yu
• Judas Priest, Invincible Shield
• YoungBoy Never Broke Again, a tribute to Gravedigger Mountain.
•Oisin Hill, cold sea
• Cyril Aimé, Fleur de Peau
• Dion, Girlfriend
• Chris Potter, Eagle's Point
• Tory, Tory
• Daniel Carter and Stefan Kristoff, in the wind
• Homeshake, CD Wallet
• Pixies on BBC
• Meat Body, Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom
• Ronnie Lion, Spanish Town
• Vanessa Bedret, eyes
• Charles Moussert: “Black holes don’t suffocate.”
• Anja Huet, Code
• Erica Angel, her obsession with voice
• Rhythm Method, Peachy
• Hanging Stars of the Golden Coast
• astrel k, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• The age of observers and mechanical entities. [released March 4, 2024]

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Apple fined $2 billion by EU over music streaming competition

LONDON (AP) – The European Union on Monday handed Apple its first antitrust fine, banning rivals like Spotify from telling users how to pay for cheaper subscriptions externally. , fined the US tech giant nearly $2 billion for giving unfair preferential treatment to its music streaming service. iPhone app.

Apple has silenced streaming services from informing users of the payment options available through their websites. That would allow people to avoid the 30% fee charged when they pay through apps downloaded on the iOS App Store, the European Commission, the 27-nation bloc's enforcement agency and head of antitrust law, said. did. Enforcer.

“This is illegal and affects millions of European consumers who have been unable to make free choices about where, how and at what price they purchase their music streaming subscriptions. ,” EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said at a press conference in Brussels.

Apple, which is contesting the decision, has been doing this for 10 years, resulting in “millions of people paying a few euros more per month than they originally had to pay for music streaming services.” “It became,” she said.

Associated Press correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports.

This is the culmination of a long, bitter battle between Apple and Spotify for music streaming supremacy. A complaint from the Swedish streaming service five years ago triggered an investigation that resulted in a 1.8 billion euro ($1.95 billion) fine.

The decision comes in the same week that new rules to prevent tech giants from cornering the digital market come into effect.

The EU is leading a global effort to crack down on Big Tech companies, including three fines totaling more than €8 billion against Google and Meta for distorting the online classified advertising market. and forcing Amazon to change its business practices.

The commission said Apple's fine is so large because it includes an additional one-time payment to deter Apple from repeating its violations or from similar violations by other technology companies.

This isn't the only penalty tech giants could face. Apple is still trying to resolve a separate EU antitrust investigation into its mobile payments service by promising to open up its tap-and-go mobile payments system to competitors.

Apple hit back at the commission and Spotify, saying it would appeal Monday's fine.

“This decision was reached despite the European Commission's failure to uncover any credible evidence of consumer harm and ignores the realities of a prosperous, competitive and rapidly growing market,” the company said in a statement. “I am doing so,” he said.

The report said Spotify stands to benefit from the EU move, with the Swedish streaming giant meeting more than 65 times with the commission during the investigation and accounting for 56% share of Europe's music streaming market. , claimed that it did not pay Apple any App Store usage fees.

“Ironically, today's decision, in the name of competition, only cements the dominant position of a successful European company that is the runaway leader in the digital music market,” Apple said.

Spotify did not address Apple's accusations, saying it welcomed the EU fine.

“This decision sends a powerful message: No company, even a monopoly like Apple, can abuse its power to control how other companies interact with their customers. “No,” Spotify said in a blog post.

The commission's investigation initially focused on two concerns. One was the iPhone maker's practice of forcing app developers who sell digital content to use an internal payment system that charges a 30% fee on all subscriptions.

These fees are a key part of Apple's services division, which generated $85 billion in revenue in the company's last fiscal year, which ended in September.

Various regulatory developments in the U.S. and Europe that threaten to reduce fees from Apple's App Store have weighed on the company's stock, which has fallen 9% so far this year, while tech-led The Nasdaq Composite Index is falling. Increased by 8%. Apple shares fell 2.5% in U.S. trading on Monday.

But the EU has since shifted its focus to how Apple can prevent app makers from telling users cheaper ways to pay for subscriptions outside of their apps.

According to the study, Apple may not allow streaming services to inform users of the cost of a subscription offer outside of the app, place a link within the app to pay for an alternative subscription, or even provide users with a different price. Prevented sending emails to inform configuration options.

“As a result, millions of European music streaming users were left in the dark about the full range of options available to them,” Vestager said, adding that the commission's investigation found that Spotify's premium service They do so because of the added constraints that found that just over 20% of consumers who would have signed up did not.

The fines come just before new EU rules come into force aimed at preventing technology companies from dominating digital markets.

The Digital Markets Act, scheduled to come into force on Thursday, imposes a series of “do's” and “don'ts” on “gatekeeper” companies such as Apple, Meta, Google parent Alphabet and TikTok parent ByteDance, leading to hefty fines. There is a risk of being fined.

The DMA's provisions are intended to prevent big technology companies from engaging in the kind of behavior at the center of the Apple investigation. Apple has already made clear how it will respond, including allowing iPhone users in Europe to use app stores other than its own and allowing developers to offer alternative payment systems.

Vestager warned that the committee will closely scrutinize how Apple complies with the new rules.

“Apple will need to open the gates to its ecosystem to make it easy for users to find the apps they want, pay for them how they want, and use them on the devices they want,” she said. .

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Sinead O'Connor's estate asks Donald Trump not to use her music

Steven McIntosh and Yasmin Rufo Entertainment Reporters

March 4, 2024

image captionMr O'Connor's estate said she would have been “disgusted, hurt and insulted” by Mr Trump's use of her songs

Sinead O'Connor's estate has called on President Donald Trump to stop using her music at his political rallies.

The singer's estate told BBC News that it is no exaggeration to say that Sinead was “disgusted, hurt and insulted” by the use of her music.

Trump is running as the Republican presidential candidate for the US presidential election in November.

O'Connor's estate and her longtime label, Chrysalis Records, said in a joint statement: “Throughout her life, Sinead O'Connor lived by a strict moral code defined by honesty, kindness, fairness, and civility towards her fellow citizens. What has happened is well known.” Existence.

“So it was upsetting to learn that Donald Trump was using her iconic performance 'Nothing Compares 2 U' at his political rallies.

“It is no exaggeration to say that Sinead would have been disgusted, hurt and insulted if her work had been misrepresented in this way by someone she herself referred to as the 'Devil of the Bible'.”

“As guardians of her legacy, we call on Donald Trump and his associates to immediately cease using her music,” the statement concluded.

The Guardian reports that before Trump took the stage on February 24, he played “Nothing Compares 2 U” as well as Abba's “Dancing Queen,” Johnny Cash's “Ring of Fire” and Elvis' It was reported that songs such as Presley's “Suspicious Mind'' were used.

O'Connor's version of “Nothing Compares 2 U'', written by Prince, spent four weeks at number one in the UK in 1990.

Trump won the 2016 election and became the 45th president of the United States, but lost to President Biden in 2020.

Who else has asked President Trump to stop using their music?

Image source, Getty Images

image captionAdele is one of a number of musicians who have asked Trump not to use their music at political rallies In response, Rihanna threatened legal action. The Rolling Stones said they sent Trump a cease-and-desist letter after he performed “You Can't Always Get What You Want” in 2016. He used the song again in June 2020, and the band is now threatening legal action if the song is played again. The family of Italian opera singer Luciano Pavarotti objected to Mr. Trump's use of the Nessun Dolma recording at a political rally. The family said Mr. Trump's views on immigration are opposed to Mr. Pavarotti's efforts to raise money for refugees. In 2016, Trump used Bruce Springsteen's “Born in America” ​​at a political rally. The singer later endorsed Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton, resulting in boos every time the former president performed the song at a rally. Adele said she didn't want Trump to use “Rolling in the Deep” and “Skyfall” for political campaigning. Sir Elton John says he believes the British musician has no place in US politics after Mr Trump used Rocket Man and Tiny Dancer at his rallies to oppose him. Sir Elton said it was not personal, but added that his own political views were very different from Mr Trump's.



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Sean 'Diddy' Combs charged in amended complaint with involvement in shooting at recording studio

LOS ANGELES — The music producer who is suing Sean “Diddy” Combs is stepping up allegations that Combs and his son were involved in a 2022 mass shooting at a Los Angeles recording studio and allegations of harassment.

On February 26, Combs was accused of sexual harassment, drugging, and intimidation by Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, the producer of his latest album, while traveling and living with Combs from September 2022 to November 2023. He was accused of doing the following.

In the original complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Jones also accused the shooting incident at the “Writers and Producers Camp” on September 12, 2022 at Challis Recording Studios in Los Angeles. Detailed. He said Mr. Combs, Combs' son Justin, and Justin's friend “G” were present.

But the details provided in that complaint and the amended complaint filed Monday differ from information about the shooting provided by Los Angeles police and Combs' attorney, Sean Hawley.

The complaint also alleges that Combs is part of a “RICO enterprise” and that they are involved in a “sex trafficking enterprise.” RICO companies are companies in which individuals or groups act together to violate racketeers and corrupt organization laws that cover organized crime. The complaint is the latest legal trouble for Combs, who has been hit with a number of recent lawsuits, including multiple sexual assault allegations.

shooting

The original complaint includes testimony from Jones that she heard multiple gunshots after having a “heated conversation” in a nearby restroom. When the bathroom door opened, Combs and his son came out, and Jones said she found Ms. G “lying on the bathroom floor in a fetal position, holding her stomach and touching her legs and lower back,” according to the complaint. They found him bleeding from the body.

Jones said he brought the victim to the front of the studio, where an ambulance was waiting. The Los Angeles Fire Department did not respond to requests for more information about the shooting last week.

Jones claimed in the complaint that Combs had nothing to do with the shooting and that he instructed Combs to tell police that the attack was committed outside the studio by an assailant who was driving by. Jones maintained that G was not shot outside Challis.

Chalice Recording Studio did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. He did not respond to a request for comment last week.

Chalice Recording Studio in Los Angeles. Google Maps

The amended filing includes a message that Challis allegedly sent to an anonymous person: “The shooting occurred half a block away from Challis and was the result of a robbery. There are police reports to support this. Before you start contributing to the defamation of our organization, let the facts be clear. Please wait until

That is consistent with Hawley's understanding of the sequence of events.

“Once the Los Angeles Police Department arrived on scene, it was quickly determined (conclusively) that the shooting had taken place a short distance from the studio,” she said Monday.

The amended complaint also cites media reports that Holly claimed she went to the studio after G was shot.

However, Jones' original lawsuit claims that police were inside Chalice and “saw blood in the bathroom,” but “supported the false claim” that the shooting occurred outside the studio.

The original filing included a screenshot purporting to show “the aftermath of the bathroom where G. was shot by Mr. Combs or Mr. J. Combs.” NBC News has not been able to identify the red liquid depicted in the screenshot. Jones also claims he has clothing worn on the day of the shooting, which may contain the shooting victim's DNA.

The amended application also includes a photo of Combs allegedly in the studio on the night in question. Combs and her son were not at the studio when police arrived, according to the filing, and while police investigated, Combs and her son “hidden” in another studio after the officers left. , claims to have left first.

Holly disputed this account on Monday, saying, “It is my understanding that Sean and Justin were in completely different parts of the studio when the shooting victim ran into the bathroom.”

She added that she did not believe police had interviewed Combs or his son.

NBC News has not confirmed whether Combs and his son were interviewed. Lt. Kelly Muniz said Saturday that police do not comment on pending civil litigation or specific allegations.

A representative for Justin Combs denied the allegations in the original complaint on February 27, calling them “absurd” and “lies,” saying, “All defamatory statements made about the Combs family are subject to legal restrictions.” He said he had a “responsibility”.

Los Angeles Police Department account

Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement that in the early morning hours of September 12, 2022, officers responded to a report of a possible shooting in the 800 block of North Highland Avenue, the same block as Challis.

Police said the victim said two people approached him while he was parked next to his car on the street, demanded his property, and after a scuffle, he was shot in the torso.

Two months later, police arrested the three men and said they were involved in a series of robberies across the city and possibly other robberies as well. A police spokesperson told NBC News that this includes the September 12 shooting.

On Tuesday, Holley told NBC News that Los Angeles police confirmed that the shooting did not occur in or near the studio, that Combs is not a suspect and that those involved have been charged.

Police did not specifically respond to the original charges detailed in the original complaint, but a person familiar with the investigation said Combs was not involved in the investigation. NBC News has not confirmed whether Combs was interviewed.

Private Investigators Mentioned in Amended Complaint

In his original complaint, Jones said Combs called Jones in August 2022 to ask him about the release of his Grammy-nominated R&B album, “The Love Album: Off the Grid,” which was released last September. He claimed that he asked him to produce several songs.

In her original complaint, Jones alleged that Combs sexually harassed and assaulted her multiple times while they lived and worked together. She said he also recruited sex workers and was forced to perform sex acts with them to please Combs.

Jones said the incident took place in February 2023, when she woke up naked, dizzy and disoriented in bed with Combs and two sex workers, believing Combs had drugged her. He said he was there.

Recommendation

Jones said in his original complaint that he has hundreds of hours of video and audio to back up his sexual harassment allegations because Combs frequently asked Jones to “record himself at all times.” Video and audio footage of Combs, his staff and customers “engage in grossly illegal conduct,” the complaint says.

Hawley, Mr Combs' lawyer, on February 26 called Mr Jones' claims in the original filing “a complete lie” and said: “We have addressed these outlandish allegations in court and made them. We will take all appropriate action against them.”

In the lawsuit filed Feb. 26, Jones described Combs as “forceful, demanding, and someone who won't take no for an answer.” Mr. Jones said Mr. Combs, one of the most powerful people in the music industry, used his power to coerce Mr. Jones, including threatening to physically harm Mr. Combs if he did not comply with his demands. He claimed that he had threatened him.

“Mr. Combs has consistently demonstrated that he has tremendous power in the music industry and in law enforcement,” the lawsuit states.

Jones alleges in the amended complaint that a private investigator who claimed to have ties to Combs sought out, harassed and bribed a close friend “to provide dirt” on Jones. He claimed to have found out last week.

Mr. Jones claimed that investigators tried to bribe his friend to provide evidence that would “speak against Mr. Jones.” Jones' friends said they feared for their safety and that of their family following the alleged communications, according to the filing.

A representative for Combs did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the private investigator's allegations Monday.

Jones claims he wasn't paid for the production of his latest album

Jones also said in his Feb. 26 filing that he was not paid for his work on Love Album: Off the Grid, even though it was “under an implied employment agreement.” He also claimed that he had not been paid. Combs, Love Records, Motown Records and Universal Music Group profited from his work, but he was not compensated, according to the lawsuit. Love Records, Motown Records and Universal Music Group did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In an amended complaint filed Monday, Jones alleges that when he was scouted to work on “The Love Album,” the recruiter offered him $20,000 per song, four royalty points, a producer credit, and a 100% discount on the song. He said he told them he wanted credit for each instrument played. and his retention of publishing rights.

Jones said he and the recruiter verbally agreed to the terms. Mr Combs assured that the terms were “acceptable”. That's why Jones signed on to the project, the complaint says.

The amended complaint alleges that Jones suffered losses including $220,000, four royalty points, and producer credits for nine songs. He's asking for $30 million.

“Litigation should never be the first option in a dispute. You can have honest discussions to resolve the issue, as I suggested, or you can have honest discussions to resolve the issue, as Sean Hawley said to his client Danny Masters. “We could follow the same plan that got Son and Tory Lanez convicted. It makes you wonder who is really in control of this situation with Mr. Combs,” said Tyrone Blackburn, Mr. Jones' attorney. he said on Monday.

In response to a request for comment on Feb. 26, Blackburn used the Latin phrase “res ipsa loquitur,” which roughly translates to “the thing speaks for itself,” to describe the lawsuit.

Universal Music Group and its Chairman and CEO Lucien Grainge did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the amended complaint Monday.

previous suit

In addition to Jones' lawsuit, four women filed separate lawsuits against Combs late last year, all accusing him of sexual assault.

The first lawsuit was filed by singer Cassie, whose real name is Cassandra Ventura. In it, she said Mr. Combs physically abused her, masturbated her and forced her to have sex with her male prostitute while he recorded it. . The lawsuit was settled the day after it was filed, but the settlement “is in no way an admission of wrongdoing,” Combs' attorney said at the time.

Following Kathy's lawsuit, two other women, Lisa Gardner and Joey Dickerson-Neal, also accused Combs of sexual assault.

Later, a woman identified only as Jane Doe in court documents filed a separate complaint alleging that Combs and two other men gang-raped her when she was 17 and Combs was 34. filed a lawsuit.

These three cases are still pending. In Doe's case, the court ruled Thursday that she cannot be anonymous if her case moves forward.

Combs denied the allegations against him in a statement in December, saying “enough is enough” and calling the allegations “disgusting.”

“Let me be clear: I have not done anything as terrible as is being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family, and my truth,” he said in a statement at the time.

Diana Daslas and Andrew Blankstein reported from Los Angeles and Rebecca Cohen from New York City.

Diana Dasrath is an entertainment producer and senior reporter at NBC News covering all platforms.

Andrew Blankstein is an investigative reporter at NBC News. He covers the Western United States and specializes in crime, courts, and homeland security.

Rebecca Cohen is a breaking news reporter for NBC News.

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