Executive of the Week: Carbon Fiber Music President Franklin
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Bulletin YOUR DAILY ENTERTAINMENT NEWS UPDATE AUGUST 27, 2021 Page 1 of 28 INSIDE Executive of the Week: • Roblox’s Music Play: ‘Hundreds’ Carbon Fiber Music President of Daily Concerts, Building a Franklin Martínez Digital Vegas & NMPA Lawsuit BY LEILA COBO • UK Festival Industry Primed for Biggest Farruko’s “Pepas,” an EDM/reggaetón track about Enter “Pepas,” which kicks off with Farruko sing- Weekend Since pill-popping partygoers, hit No.1 this week on Bill- ing gently over simple chords, almost as if it were a Pandemic Began board’s Hot Latin Songs and Hot Dance/Electronic love song, before it pumps up, finessed by a sextet of Songs charts. Equally impressive is the fact that producers: IAmChino, Sharo Towers, Keriel “K4G” • Apple to Make Changes to “Pepas” is not a multi-artist collaboration, but a Far- Quiroz, Victor Cárdenas, White Star and Axel Ra- App Store Rules in ruko solo single, bolstered by an irresistible, anthemic fael Quezada Fulgencio “Ghetto.” Settlement With chorus that sent fans wild at the recent Baja Beach The song was released June 24 on Sony Music Latin U.S. Developers Fest in Rosarito, Mexico despite the fact that the song with little fanfare — there wasn’t even a video ready • Bruno Mars’ is only two months old. — and debuted at No. 28 on the Hot Latin Songs chart Las Vegas Show That’s all sweet news for Farruko (real name Carlos dated July 17. It jumped to the top 10 four weeks later, Grosses More Than Efrén Reyes Rosado), a reggaetón star who’s had eight reaching No. 6 on the chart dated Aug. 7, and finally $50 Million As prior top 10 hits on Hot Latin Songs, and who in the No. 1 this week, thanks to a 20% boost in streams Residencies Resume past decade has seen many of his pals, including J (reaching the top 20 of Streaming Songs and No. 1 on • With Ibiza Clubs Balvin and Bad Bunny, ultimately climb to the top Latin streaming songs) and airplay support. Closed, Ravers Rage of the mainstream charts, even though their collabs The real driver of the song on the Latin charts was at Illegal Villa Parties with Farruko were often their major launching pads. its performance on the dance charts. There, it debuted • Rolling Stones Witness 2014’s “6 a.m.” with Balvin (No. 3 on Hot at No. 9 on the chart dated July 17 and has remained to Play 2021 U.S. Latin Songs); 2017’s “Krippy Kush” with Rvssian and on the top 10 since, peaking at No. 1 last week. That’s Dates as Planned Bad Bunny (No. 5); “2019’s Calma” with Pedro because at heart, “Pepas” is an EDM track, propelled Following Death of Capó (No. 3); and, most recently, 2020’s “Relación,” by dozens of remixes by DJs big and small that also Charlie Watts the Sech track that features Balvin, Daddy Yan- aided its rise on the global charts — climbing this kee, Rosalía and, of course, Farruko (No. 2). (continued) Page 3 of 28 IN BRIEF week to No. 6 on both the Global 200 and album is a gas pump. La 167 is the road he came out June 24 and it started to go viral. the Global Excl. U.S. — and on the Hot 100, had to drive to and from every day. We had no playlisting. Even today, 33% of where this week it rose to No. 23, Farruko’s In fact, you were considering a single the plays come from user-generated playl- highest position yet. called “La Perla” after the San Juan ists and only 25% from editorial playlists. All that success was part of a strategy neighborhood, right? Once the record started to pick up, it went instigated by Farruko and his longtime man- We were going to release it. The video to another level. You can have a great or- ager Franklin Martínez, who is also the was done. And I kept saying, “Farruko, this ganic record, but if no one jumps behind it, president of Carbon Fiber Music, the music ‘Pepas’ is a World Cup record.” I’m a huge it won’t go anywhere. If you don’t have radio company the two are owners and partners fan of soccer, and when I heard this song it and the DSPs, it will not happen. And the in. And the result earns Martínez the title reminded me of the World Cup and of [Don truth is, after it took off, everyone helped. I of Billboard’s Executive of the Week. Omar’s] “Danza Kuduro.” As we began to want to send out a special shout out to the With the upward trajectory of “Pepas” talk the album up, I had mini conversations smallest DJs. They were playing it on their showing no signs of stopping, and with with people I pitched the record to [for col- social media; Facebook and Instagram were Farruko readying a September release for laborations]. For example, I sent it to Noah the first adopters. Then we got the big DJs his upcoming studio album, La 167, Mar- [Assad, Bad Bunny’s manager], and I said, like Tiesto, Alan Walker, DJ Carnage. tínez spoke with Billboard about the song’s “This is a global hit!” But they passed on it. Is there a remix coming? surprising success, the DJ factor and an up- I sent it to the A&R at Interscope, to other The remix is coming out hopefully by coming remix. “You can have a great organic artists, everyone passed. Finally, about two October, and hopefully it will be a remix record,” he says, “but if no one jumps behind months ago, Farruko said, “You know what, with one or two mainstream acts. To me, as a it, it won’t go anywhere.” you’re right. Let’s go out with ‘Pepas.’” manager, for Farruko’s career, we don’t work “Pepas” is part of Farruko’s upcom- Two months ago was about when this to be No. 1. And it was so difficult before, ing La 167. What’s the story behind the single came out. How did you work so when we wanted to do records with Anglo album and the song? fast? artists. Now that we went digital, and the We were working on the album for a I had to run, call the DSPs, call Sony, Latin movement took over, to combine three couple of years, in different sessions, differ- call everyone. Then, we started thinking worlds — dance, Anglo, Latin — is so special. ent recording camps, until we got to the last that everything had shut down during the I think the culture is going to love it. We’ve one in Puerto Rico. It took place right where pandemic, but the first thing that opened been in many good positions, but never like Farruko grew up, in Bayamón Puerto Rico, were restaurants and clubs, and the people this. Finally, it’s a solo Farruko record. He in his parents’ house. Farruko built his little performing were the DJs. So we decided had a hit with “Calma.” We had a big hit with home studio there, where this track was re- to make a call to DJs everywhere and ask “6 a.m.” Farruko wrote that. We did “Krippy corded. The concept of the album is coming them to create their version of the record. Kush,” “Passion Whine,” “La Toxica.” But it’s out of that place. Farruko wanted the album On June 22, we leaked the a capellas and the been with different artists. This is the one to let people know about him; not the artist, beat on Instagram and Facebook with a link that made the non-believers believe. Finally but him: Carlos. That’s why the cover of the so the DJs could download them. The song we have to recognize that this is Farruko and AUTHORITATIVE INTELLIGENCE. DELIVERED DIGITALLY. CLICK HERE FOR FREE DELIVERY DIGITAL NEWSLETTERS BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE APRIL 13, 2020 | PAGE Page 4 5 OF of 1928 ON THE CHARTS JIM ASKER [email protected] IN BRIEF SamHunt’s Southside Rules Top Country thisA is thelbu real animalms; here. Brett Young ‘Catch’-es Fifthare Airplay now over 40 million) and spend real And while this is not a World Cup year, Roblox’s Music money on virtual currency called “Robux” there is soccerLea in theder; mix, isn’t Travis there? Denning Makes Historyto buy accessories for their avatars. Over We own a second division soccer club in Play: ‘Hundreds’ the last nine months, Roblox has partnered Honduras, FC Alvarado, and we’re doing a with Zara Larsson, Royal Blood, Ava Samversion Hunt for’s them,second using studio a full-length, “punta” rhythm, and first in overof five Daily years, Southside Concerts, sales (up 21%) in the tracking Max week., Why On Country Don’t Airplay,We and it Lilhops Nas X 18-15 (11.9 on mil- (MCAwhich Nashville/Universal is a traditional Honduran Music Group beat. Nashville), We debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s lion audience impressions, musicup 16%). experiences such as virtual concerts Tophave Country 25 players, Albums and chart we supportdated April them 18. In with its first week (ending April 9), it (where artists perform as avatars) and new- earned 46,000 equivalent album units, including 16,000Building in album sales, ac -a TRY TO ‘CATCH’ UP WITH YOUNG Brett Youngachieves his fifth consecutive cordingtheir housing to Nielsen and Music/MRC their studies. Data. and total Country Airplay No.release 1 as “Catch” launch (Big parties Machine (where, Label Group) like KSI’s ascends Southside marks Hunt’s second No.