BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE APRIL 13, 2020 | PAGE 4 OF 19 ON THE CHARTS JIM ASKER [email protected] Bulletin SamHunt’s Southside Rules Top Country YOURAlbu DAILYms; BrettENTERTAINMENT Young ‘Catc NEWSh UPDATE’-es Fifth AirplayMARCH 12, 2021 Page 1 of 33 Leader; Travis Denning Makes History INSIDE Executive of the Week: Sam Hunt’s second studio full-length, and first in over five years, Southside sales (up 21%) in the tracking week. On Country Airplay, it hops 18-15 (11.9 mil- (MCA Nashville/Universal Music GroupWarner Nashville), debuts at No. Music 1 on Billboard’s lion Group audience impressions, Senior up 16%). VP New Top Country• Fare Play: Albums Could chart dated April 18. In its first week (ending April 9), it earnedSoundCloud’s 46,000 equivalent User- album units, including 16,000 in album sales, ac- TRY TO ‘CATCH’ UP WITH YOUNG Brett Youngachieves his fifth consecutive cordingCentric to Nielsen Streaming Music/MRC Data. Business & Venturesand total Country Airplay No. Alex 1 as “Catch” (Big Kamins Machine Label Group) ascends SouthsidePayouts Catchmarks On?Hunt’s second No. 1 on the 2-1, increasing 13% to 36.6 million impressions. chart and fourth top 10. It follows freshman LP BY DAN RYS Young’s first of six chart entries, “Sleep With- Montevallo• Are Real, which MCs arrived in at the summit in No - out You,” reached No. 2 in December 2016. He vemberGermany 2014 and Getting reigned for nine weeks. To date, followed with the multiweek No. 1s “In Case You Over the weekend, Atlantic Records band Why Don’t senior vp new business and ventures Alex Kamins — MontevalloFake hasStreams? earned 3.9 million units, with 1.4 Didn’t Know” (two weeks, June 2017), “Like I Loved million in album sales. We performed an exclusive live show of their latest who works You”with (three, Roblox January and other 2018), new “Mercy” platforms (two, August • How VR Fitness Montevallo has spent 267 weeksalbum, on the list,The tying Good Times and the Bad Ones, on online on behalf of2018) WMG’s and “Hereartists Tonight” — the title (two, of AprilBillboard 2019).’s Apps Like Luke Bryan’s Crash My Party as thegaming sixth-longest- platform Roblox, which brought together a Executive of the“Catch” Week. completes his longest journey to No. 1, Supernatural Could running titles in the chart’s 56-year history. having taken 46 weeks to reach the apex. It out- Change The Music potent mix of Why Don’t We’s younger fans with the “It was the culmination of months of hard work On the all-genre Billboard 200, Southside ar- paces the 30-week climb of “Here Tonight.” Industry platform’s huge user base, which is played by more across Warner Music Group in partnership with rives at No. 5, awarding Hunt his second top 10 On Hot Country Songs, “Catch” pushes 7-5 for than half of U.S. kidsHUNT under the age of 16, accordingYOUNG to Roblox and the band and their management — a truly after the• BlackNo. 3-peaking Artist Montevallo. a new high. the company. And — which consisted of collaborative effort,” Kamins tells Billboard. Here, HuntRepresentation first released the EPX2C , which debuted the event and peakedin Country at No. Music 5 on Top Countryfour performances Albums in August and a 2014. Q&A Following over a three dayCOMBS period ‘DOES’ heIT AGAIN discusses Luke the Combs Why’ “Does Don’t to We Me” event, (River the House/Columbia streaming MontevalloRemains, Between Woefully the Pines: —Acoustic was a Mixtapemajor success started for at its both No. the 7 high band, in theNashville), platform, featuring and merchandisingEric Church, ascends boosts 11-8 that on Country the band Airplay, earned up from10% to NovemberLow: 2015.New Study Atlantic Records and the Warner Music Group,24.7 whichmillion in audience.the collaboration The song is and Combs’ why eighthRoblox straight is one career-opening of the more Montevallo produced five singles, four of which hit the pinnacle of Country top 10, following a record run of seven consecutive out-of-the-gate, properly made an in Roblox this promising platforms for music artists moving forward. Airplay: “Leave• ‘Fortnite’ the Night On,” “Take Youreight-figure Time,” “House investment Party” and “Make promoted No. 1 singles. You MissCelebrating Me.” “Break Up in a SmallJanuary Town” as peaked part of at a No. $520 2. million funding round.Church adds his“We’re 15th Country standing Airplay on the top precipice 10. of a new golden age HuntGrammys co-penned With BTS,all 12 songs onIn Southside total, more, including than 3.2 “Body million Like players a Back visited the in the music business.” Road,”Dua which Lipa was & More released in 2017.shows, The adding smash hit up ruled to over Country 33 million Airplay minutes for THAT of inter TOOK- QUITEWhy ‘A FEW’ Don’t MONTHS We’s Roblox Travis Denning shows shattersgenerated the record more for three weeks and the airplay-, streaming- and sales-based Hot Country Songs the most weeks it has taken to penetrate the Country Airplay top 10 as “After TikTok Dance Emotes action across the weekend, according to Warner. Not than 3.2 million player visits and 33 million min- chart for a then-record 34 frames. It now ranks second only to Bebe Rexha and a Few” (Mercury Nashville) climbs 12-10 in its 57th week, up 4% to 21.4 mil - Florida• Indie Georgia Venues Line Plan’s “Meant tobad Be” for (50 a weeksband atopthat theearned latter its list first in 2017-18). No. 1 albumlion inon radioBill- reach.utes of interaction across the weekend. What key “Downtown’sMarquee Campaign Dead,” which isboard also ’s onTop the new Album set, reachedSales chart Nos. in14 andJanuary 15 withThe the song surpassesdecisions two tracks did you that make took 50 to weeks help each make to enterthis partner the top 10:- on Hot Countryfor One-Year Songs and Countryrelease, Airplay, and respectively, for a platform in June that 2018. debuted “Kin -on theEaston New Corbin ’sship “A Girl a success? Like You,” which reached No. 10 in January 2018 be- folks” Anniversaryled Country Airplay of on Feb.York 29, Stock becoming Exchange Hunt’s this seventh week No. in 1. a Itdirect hit listingfore peaking that at No.As 6 that part February, of the business and Aaron development Watson’s “Outta team, Style,” I’m which No. 3 on HotShutdown Country Songs. achieved its No. 10 high in December 2017. carried a $41.9 billion valuation. And the success of looking at every aspect of experiences we put together Latest single “Hard to Forget” jumps 17-9 on Hot Country Songs. It’s his “After” is Denning’s second Country Airplay entry. “David Ashley Parker the collaboration has earned Warner Music Group’s (continued) eighth top 10, having corralled 8.2 million U.S. streams (up 96%) and 5,000 in From Powder Springs” traveled to No. 32 in September 2018. ETHAN MICHAEL YOUNG: VIA MARTIN/NHLI GETTY HUNT: IMAGES. IMAGES MILLER/GETTY BEST ACTRESS GOLDEN GLOBES WINNER THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY NEW SINGLE “TIGRESS & TWEED” FROM THE MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK: THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY OUT NOW ! BRAND NEW ALBUM COMING SOON!

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within the broader interactive media space. partnerships are forged over time and built we’re writing the playbook in real time. From deal negotiations to creative execu- on a shared and forward-facing vision. Each integration is a first-of-its-kind and tion, our focus is on delivering value for our What streaming and social data did you so it’s critical we learn and iterate rapidly, artists and ensuring that content feels native guys see stemming from the shows? something we’re very good at. The Why to each platform. Atlantic raised that Why There was an uptick in the band’s social Don’t We event leveraged our experience Don’t We grew up playing Roblox, and we media engagement, and a boost on YouTube from the Ava Max launch party in Septem- know their fans are active gamers, so the where Roblox has a strong presence. It’s ber, and the next launch party will build on integration made sense. I think a huge part very early days for in-game social music ex- key lessons learned from both. of its success was an emphasis on creating periences and we’re still in experimentation In every instance, meticulous attention to a fun world for fans. Beyond the band’s in- mode, testing the best ways to drive value detail is essential. Roblox users are digital credible performance and Q&A on the main for our artists through the interconnectiv- natives — they are incredibly discerning screen, we spent significant time designing ity between the gaming, social and music consumers and they expect high-quality and implementing mini-games like quests, ecosystems. We take a holistic view of what content. As stewards of the Warner Music challenges and scavenger hunts. a win looks like for a virtual event, factoring Group brand, as well as the brands of our How did the collaboration come to- in things like revenue generated and level of labels and our artists, we are adamant that gether? audience engagement. With all this in mind, whatever we create reflects the highest Warner Music Group invested in Roblox the experience was a huge success. quality and delivers a premium experience. earlier this year, and we’ve been in con- There was also a merch component. Why is Roblox well-positioned to dove- tinuous communication about potential What did you see from that? tail with the music business? opportunities to collaborate. The strong We created a wide range of virtual merch We’re standing on the precipice of a relationship between WMG and Roblox, and (“verch”), including avatar bundles repre- new golden age in the music business. The Roblox’s global head of music, Jon Vlas- senting each band member, clothing and ac- convergence of music with online enter- sopulos, didn’t just happen overnight — it’s cessories. Roblox users express their digital tainment and gaming platforms, tech, and been built over many years, with the strong identities through avatars, so customization creative formats allows us to dramatically support of WMG’s senior management, who and personalization are an important part of expand and diversify revenue for our artists understand the importance of interactive the experience. While we’re not sharing ex- and engage with fans in new, interactive and content. We’re not afraid to experiment act sales figures, I can say that the verch did immersive ways that reside outside the core in this space. We are constantly exploring very well, with the most popular purchase music ecosystem. We’re betting big on inter- new ways to create value for our artists and being the virtual electric guitar. active media and platforms like Roblox. help them engage with and expand their fan What did you guys take away from bases. That could mean an investment in a these shows that you can apply to other cutting edge, category-leading platform like collaborations moving forward? Roblox, or in an experimental virtual avatar The most exciting part about working company like Spirit Bomb. In any case, these on interactive content partnerships is that

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and their managers have pushed for such a managing director of BMG in Germany, Fare Play: Could model, and starting April 1 SoundCloud will where the company has supported the pay some independent rights holders this user-centric model. “Music still needs to be SoundCloud’s way. successful.” This won’t change much anytime soon: But a change like this would certainly User-Centric SoundCloud is only applying this account- help acts in some genres more than others. ing to recordings uploaded to the service “It helps ensure that the rock community Streaming Payouts directly — 100,000 artists, according to benefits” from streaming, says Seether sing- SoundCloud — and the company only er Shawn Morgan. It could also revive them, Catch On? represents a small fraction of the streaming since the current model seems to be incen- business. And while it’s hard to imagine the tivizing labels to sign artists with potentially BY GLENN PEOPLES current model changing soon, for a variety viral hits. of reasons, SoundCloud’s move is reigniting Could more services follow SoundCloud’s hen Spotify first negoti- a debate that until now has been confined lead? Executives from Spotify, Apple Music ated its initial licensing mostly to continental Europe. and Amazon Music said at a Feb. 23 U.K. deals with labels in the late To understand why, let’s say hypotheti- Parliamentary inquiry into music streaming 2000s, both sides focused cally that 20% of streaming service sub- that they’re open to discussing the user- moreW on how much money the service scribers account for 80% of overall streams, centric model, and Deezer endorsed the would take in than the best way to divide although the actual figures have never been idea in 2019, although the company has not it. The idea they settled on, which divides made public. That would mean that these yet debuted a pilot program originally an- artist payouts based on the overall popular- heavy listeners — presumably younger and nounced for early 2020. ity of recordings, regardless of how they probably more engaged with their favorite Any change to the current system, how- map to individuals’ listening habits, was acts than most — have an outsize influence ever, would require broad agreement among “the simplest system to put together at the in determining overall payouts. And some stakeholders — not just the services but also time,” recalls Thomas Hesse, a former Sony executives believe that this is one reason, al- the majors, large indie labels and poten- Music executive who was involved in those though certainly not the only one, why hip- tially even star artists — in a business where conversations. They decided on a price hop and pop have boomed in recent years — unanimity is rare. (Labels would presumably point “and had the big pie that gets distrib- partly at the expense of album-based genres come under pressure from artists who could uted,” he says. “It was early days, when we like rock and jazz. be hurt by the change to a new model.) invented the whole model.” How much of a difference could the user- From a technical perspective, this would Over the last decade, that model has centric model make? A 2021 study conduct- be “not a trivial transition,” said Horacio become successful enough to bring back the ed by Deloitte based on Spotify and Deezer Gutierrez, Spotify’s head of global affairs music business — and also reshape it in ways data found that user-centric streaming and chief legal officer, at the Parliamen- that might have been unimaginable at the would favor rock and pop at the expense of tary inquiry. That could create even more time. Paying artists and other rights holders hip-hop, while a 2014 Norwegian academic problems, as greater competition is in the a pro rata share of total streaming revenue paper that used data from WiMP, the pre- interests of rights holders and the Deloitte means that users who spend more time cursor to TIDAL in Europe, concluded that study said smaller services might struggle to streaming music have a greater influence a user-centric approach would increase the afford the change. The politics could also be than those who listen less. This favors hip- royalties of local artists by 13%. problematic, since a shift to the user-centric hop artists with young audiences, dedicated A change in payment models would not model would disadvantage hip-hop artists fans and broad reach. And at least some of significantly affect the market share of the at a time when the music business is facing their wins come at the expense of acts in major labels, according to these studies, as renewed scrutiny about its history of unfair- other genres, especially those that appeal to well as several sources. Both the majors and ness to minority artists. older audiences, who generally spend less streaming services prefer to focus on total That doesn’t mean the issue will go away, time streaming music. payouts, and Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has though. “As always,” says Hesse, “these What would the business look like if said that the best way to support artists is to models need to evolve.” payouts had instead been calculated with a grow subscriptions. The major labels seem This article originally appeared in the “user-centric” model, which would allocate to have the same focus — especially at a time March 13, 2021 issue of Billboard. money by dividing up the revenue generated when the overall business is growing so fast. by each individual, so that a jazz fan who Such a change might not make it any easier only listens to Blue Note artists would have for young artists to make a living solely from his $10 monthly fee divided among them? recorded music. “It’s not like money will For years, a few big-name European artists rain for everyone,” says Maximillian Kolb, 2021 TOP MUSIC LAWYERS

Behind every artist, songwriter and music produc- CONTACTS er is a trusted group of advisers who provide Joe Maimone guidance, advice and negotiate deals. Billboard’s 201.301.5933 | [email protected] 6th annual Top Music Lawyers list will recognize the biggest names and most prominent legal Lee Ann Photoglo minds in the world of music and 615.376.7931 | [email protected] entertainment law. They are the deal makers behind Cynthia Mellow the major contracts and lawsuits in the music 615.352,0265 | [email protected] industry. Marcia Olival 786.586.4901 | [email protected] This feature will also include a round-up of top law schools attended by the notable alumni on the Gene Smith Top Music Lawyer list. 973.452.3528 | [email protected]

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Since last March, IFPI has cracked down on BVMI nor IFPI said they were aware of in- Are Real MCs in companies selling fake streams — often bun- vestigations involving allegations of money dled with social media “likes” and “follows” laundering.) Germany Getting — through court injunctions and other legal Hackers can also play a key role in ma- tactics. So far, 21 companies in Germany nipulation schemes. In a May 2019 report Fake Streams? and Brazil have stopped selling music plays, on German public TV, journalist Ilhan and IFPI lawyers are looking into entities in Coskun featured an anonymous masked BY CLIFFORD COONAN AND ALEXEI other countries, executives there say. hacker named “Kai” who detailed how he BARRIONUEVO At a time when Spotify is rapidly expand- creates playlists with thousands of followers ing globally, the proliferation of fake streams by obtaining login data from Spotify users. ERLIN — Since September, threatens the credibility of music charts and Kai rotates the tracks he wants to promote Berlin rapper Fler has been feud- — more importantly — royalty accounting. in a continuous loop and deflects attention ing with Hamburg’s Bonez MC The music associations say the streaming by filling the playlists with other, legitimate — about buying fake streams. platforms are better positioned to secure artists. BAfter Bonez’s first album in eight years, their systems and should lead the fight. Coskun, with no prior music experi- Hollywood, and four of its singles topped “Since we are not running the servers, we ence, adopted the rap alias ERROR281 and the country’s GfK music charts, Fler ac- really don’t know what is going on [there],” produced a song and video, “8K,” to demon- cused him of juicing his streaming numbers. says Florian Drücke, BVMI’s managing strate how fake streams affect the hip-hop “Everyone knows that you bought them director. “But when we see a service trying market. He had Kai help him generate #klicks,” said Fler on Instagram Stories. to make money with fraudulent acts, we 150,000 streams on Spotify. Coskun’s TV re- Bonez responded with a chart showing that can attack this service.” To combat websites port, “Der Rap Hack” (The Rap Hack), has eight of Spotify’s top 10 streamed songs in such as likeservice24.de, which received an more than 3.2 million views on YouTube, Germany in September were his. “People injunction in January, the BVMI has shifted while the song’s video has over 1 million. lie,” he said. “Numbers don’t.” from trying to prove copyright infringement Some artists are unwitting beneficiaries Fraudulent streams are a source of par- to relying on competition law, arguing that of this fraud. Last March, German rapper ticular concern in Germany, where the mu- streaming manipulation is not only fraudu- Apache 207 angrily posted on Instagram sic business is still transitioning away from lent but deceptive, misleading and unfair to that someone in Hong Kong had streamed CDs — which represented 24% of revenue in the music business. his song “Matrix” 14,000 times, helping 2019, according to IFPI — toward stream- The streaming services, for their part, drive it to No. 2 on Spotify’s Hong Kong ing. This is boosting German rap and pitting have been unwilling to discuss the scale charts. “Someone is clearly trying to piss on established artists like Kontra K and Capital of the problem of artificially gener- my leg with these dubious Hong Kong chart Bra against each other as well as newcomers ated streams. “It’s a continual arms race,” placements,” he said. who they allege have been illicitly enlarging says Mark Mulligan, managing director Spotify says it is working to strengthen its their numbers. at MIDiA Research in London. fraud-detection systems. The streamer em- Some of this is just hip-hop trash talk. Some German rappers allege that ploys teams that focus on detecting, inves- But a 3,000-euro payment to one of dozens criminals are using fake streams to launder tigating and mitigating fraudulent activity, of online services can buy 1 million Spo- money in the country, where suspected while different teams work to ensure the tify streams, say some in the rap business cases of money laundering and terrorist “downstream effects of detected artificial — that’s about how much the service pays financing jumped by 50% in 2019, accord- streaming activity are minimized as much as an artist for that number of streams. “Fake ing to Germany’s Financial Intelligence possible,” the company said in a court filing streams are like doping; it’s not cool,” Unit. “There are four or five people who in Florida last year involving an alleged fake said Kontra K in a 2019 interview with are big players right now who are filling streamer there. a German radio station. “The more fake their pockets through [international money “Those who engage in this activity threat- streams get generated, the less money there transfer service] Western Union,” rapper en the livelihood of hard-working artists is for each artist.” Kool Savas tweeted in September, referring and rights holders, and we are continuously As the accusations have flown — es- to hackers. “To spell it out clearly — money working to reduce its impact by detecting pecially within hip-hop, where stream- is laundered using streaming.” If that’s true, and mitigating such activity on our plat- ing has grown most — the German labels says German entertainment and media form,” says a Spotify representative. trade association, BVMI, has stepped up lawyer Ramón Glassl, it would be relatively German hip-hop artists say buying artifi- its legal efforts to fight fraud. In June 2019, easy: Someone would pay ill-gotten money cially generated streams is both cheap and IFPI, music groups and the big streaming to a stream manipulator and receive in easy, and that labels and artist managers platforms all signed a code of best practices return artificial streams and the royalties are in on some of the schemes. “Labels buy to detect and prevent stream manipulation. that follow — in “clean” currency. (Neither the programs ready-made,” Richter wrote 2 0 2 1 PRIMARY WAVE 15TH ANNIVERSARY

On April 24, Billboard will salute Primary Wave Music on its 15th CONTACTS anniversary. Joe Maimone 201.301.5933 | [email protected] Founded in 2006, Primary Wave Music is home to some of the most iconic songwriters and artists across the history of recorded Lee Ann Photoglo music including Bob Marley, Stevie Nicks, Frankie Valli & the Four 615.376.7931 | [email protected] Seasons, Smokey Robinson, Whitney Houston, Burt Bacharach, Cynthia Mellow Olivia Newton-John, and many more. 615.352,0265 | [email protected]

With offices in New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Nashville and Marcia Olival London, Primary Wave Music has embraced an entrepreneurial 786.586.4901 | [email protected] spirit, offering and executing proactive one-of-a-kind ideas, Gene Smith unique services and marketing campaigns for our artists. Primary 973.452.3528 | [email protected] Wave has earned a stellar reputation for being forward thinking and re-introducing classic artists and their music into the modern Debra Fink marketplace as well as nurturing young talent to become legends 213.448.5157 | [email protected] themselves. This success is based upon their team of seasoned Ryan O’Donnell and creative executives collaboratively working together closely +447843437176 | [email protected] with our artists as partners. As a company, Primary Wave strives for excellence in the pursuit of iconic artists and catalogs that not only reflect great artistry, but moments of culture.

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on Twitter. “I got two nerd buddies who music, and a cool-down with Bob Marley developed one. I declined their help…but the How VR Fitness tunes. technology behind it was fascinating. The “It just adds so much depth to our cata- bots go to sleep and change their listening Apps Like log,” says Storr. “A lot of these are artists that habits.” you’ve seen on Supernatural, but we didn’t As BVMI and IFPI have learned, outfits Supernatural have their No. 1 hits, and now we do.” offering fake music streams often bundle ar- Supernatural was always envisioned as tificial plays on Spotify, YouTube, Deezer Could Change an exercise option with premium music. and Soundcloud in packages with social Chris Milk, co-founder and CEO of Within, media likes and follows. The fake stream- The Music is a former music video director with deep ers have argued in German courts that industry ties having developed VR projects their services are not expressly illegal, but Industry for artists like Arcade Fire, Beck and U2 in rather constitute highly effective advertising the early 2010s. Within started as a media techniques. BY JASON LIPSHUTZ distribution platform before Milk and co- “The purchase of followers and responses founder Aaron Koblin realized the potential is in a gray zone for companies, neither il- s gyms across the United States of at-home fitness, leading them to imag- legal nor 100% legal,” LikesAndMore GbR, a closed or offered limited-ca- ine an app that functions like a full-body, company based outside of Frankfurt, said on pacity workouts over the past calorie-busting Dance Dance Revolution. its website. A court in Darmstadt last year year due to ongoing pandemic “It feels like you’re essentially playing a nevertheless issued a temporary injunction safetyA restrictions, some fitness junkies sport from the future, but you can do it in against the company, ordering it to stop transported themselves to an Icelandic lake the footprint of a yoga mat in your bed- selling artificial music plays, based on anti- or an Ethiopian volcano for a virtual reality room,” says Milk, who had been talking with competitive grounds. workout. Supernatural, the subscription- the major publishers while first developing Germany is hardly alone. A quick search based VR fitness app launched last April by Supernatural in 2018, and had multiple deals for “Spotify” at Fiverr.com — an Israeli tech company Within, has allowed users to in place when the app launched last spring. marketplace for freelance services — turns strap on an Oculus Quest headset from the With an expansive music catalog, the app up dozens of services pitching music- comfort of their homes and enjoy a choreo- has leaned into the genre cross-pollination streaming promotion, many using the graphed cardio workout to uptempo hits. of the streaming era: there are pop, dance word “organic” to imply legal. One asks Thanks to a mid-February deal with and hip-hop hits, but Milk says that one $40 for 300 hours of streaming from eight Universal Music Publishing Group, Super- of the most popular routines is ‘Sweat unique accounts and boasts a five-star rat- natural has unlocked a treasure trove of Symphony,’ a classical music workout in ing. Another wants $20 for 6,000 streams. popular music to expand in-app program- which users swing their arms like orchestra “Ultimately, this kind of fraud and ma- ming, motivate subscribers and entice those conductors. nipulation will always be part of the model,” still curious about VR workouts. For $20 “What’s fun about Supernatural is that says Mulligan. “Streaming services’ most a month, users have been able to swing at there’s a new workout every day, and you’re realistic ambition should be to ensure it re- incoming objects with VR bats, and squat experiencing new music that you haven’t mains at the margins, much like high-street to avoid others, at varying levels of tempo experienced in the app on a daily basis,” retailers keep shoplifting to the margins and difficulty. With the UMPG deal, they’ll says Milk. “There was a lot of sculpting to while understanding they will never fully now be able to jam to Post Malone’s “Better find the right [deals] that worked for us, but eradicate it.” Now,” Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” and The also, you can’t just have 10 songs that people Glassl says the industry is waking up to Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” while doing so. play.” the threat that fake streams pose to trust in “We’re looking at hundreds of thousands Of course, Milk couldn’t have predicted the digital marketplace. “The artists have a of new songs,” says Samantha Storr, vp of that Supernatural would launch one month severe interest in taking down the manipu- content at Supernatural, of the UMPG deal, after the coronavirus pandemic forced the lators,” he says. “Otherwise, it would be a which follows similar agreements with widespread need for at-home exercise alter- race for the best streaming manipulator. Sony/ATV, Warner Chappell, Kobalt and natives in the United States. Companies like And this is not what artists and associations BMG, as well as label deals with UMG and Peloton and Mirror have accrued millions of are looking for.” Warner. The Universal catalog has allowed subscribers over the past year, but VR fitness A version of this article originally appeared Storr to develop a female rappers workout apps like Supernatural (as well as predeces- in the March 13, 2021, issue of Billboard. for Women’s History Month, featuring Nicki sors like Beat Saber and Synth Riders) offer Minaj’s “Chun Li” and Megan Thee Stal- an even more immersive experience, al- lion’s “Savage”; she’s also concocted a hair lowing users to virtually escape their living metal workout with KISS and Iron Maiden rooms during quarantine. Page 10 of 33

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As such, there’s enormous potential for Watson adds a telling note in light of re- the music industry in the coming years Black Artist cent events, “Because she’s talented, signed as new exercise initiatives are created to a major label (Capitol Records Nashville), and pathways for licensing are forged. A Representation and a veteran artist, Mickey Guyton’s recent Macquarie Research report in February success is amazing. But this report also estimated that fitness technology could in Country Music highlights Guyton’s success occurring as eventually generate $300 million annually simultaneously, systemic racial and gender- for the industry. Remains Woefully based inequities exist in country music that “We look at it as an exciting challenge perhaps lie deeper than [this survey’s] data that we are absolutely obligated to under- Low: New Study can denote.” take,” says Michael Nash, executive vp of Watson is not new to this space. In 2019, digital strategy at UMG who worked with BY MARCUS DOWLING she released Gender on the Billboard Hot Milk on the Supernatural deal. Products like Country Songs Chart, 1996-2016, a study Supernatural will require specialized agree- ecent gains for Black artists funded by the University of Ottawa and the ments, says Nash, as technology evolves to in country music show that, Social Sciences and Humanities Research incorporate music into different types of potentially, after decades of Council of Canada. exercises. “Fit tech really is the tip of the denial, some equity is occurring. As for men and country airplay overall, spear of the lifestyle category’s intersection RVocalist Mickey Guyton’s nomination for the growth is paltry but noticeable over with music,” he adds, “and we expect to see best country vocal performance for Sunday’s the past 20 years. Significantly, nearly 96% a lot more innovation.” Grammy Awards and for best new artist at of the songs played by BIPOC artists were Looking ahead, the Supernatural team April 18’s ACM Awards (which she will co- by men of color. Within that number, 3% is eager to secure more deals with indie host), as well as artists like Darius Ruck- growth occurred in the number of songs publishers and expand internationally (Su- er, Jimmie Allen and Kane Brown, who is played by Black male artists (0.5% to 3.7%), pernatural is currently available in the U.S. bi-racial, routinely topping the charts, are along with a 4.5% (0.3% to 4.8%) increase in and Canada). In the meantime, the UMPG profound steps. airplay length for those songs by Black male deal will allow an increase in artist-specific However, data from a study en- country artists. workouts on the app — perhaps a Cardi B titled Redlining In Country Music: Repre- Related to these figures are a few news routine, now that “WAP” and “I Like It” sentation in the Country Music Industry notes from this year where both elevated have been unlocked. (2000-2020) from SongData’s principal levels of success and dynamic acclaim have According to Michael Cibula, Supernatu- investigator, Dr. Jada Watson, shows that been afforded to Black male performers. ral evp of business development & finance, despite some improvement for Black artists Rucker’s “Beer and Sunshine’s” rise to the the app’s growth will partially depend upon in the past year, the genre is still woefully top of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart wider adoption of VR from the general pub- under-serving artists of color. marked his 10th number-one country single. lic. But he believes that improving technol- On the eve of unprecedented visibility Additionally, Brown launched his own ogy — and the release of the Oculus Quest for Guyton (the first Black female country imprint, 1021 Entertainment, a joint venture 2, a sleeker model that dropped the Oculus artist to receive a Grammy nomination in 45 with Sony Music Nashville, and his own price point from $399 to $299, last October years since The Pointer Sisters received a song publishing company, Verse 2 Publish- — has helped that proliferation. Grammy for Best Country Performance by ing, in tandem with Sony Music Publishing “Working out in a VR headset — the a Duo or Group), Watson’s 20-page report, Nashville. Sony Music Nashville has also thought sounds so strange,” says Cibula, released today (March 12) notes that even signed African-American country performer “but as soon as you do it, something clicks, including crossover artists, only 2.7% of Willie Jones (notable for the January- and you realize it’s the best thing ever.” country radio airplay over the past two de- released civil rights anthem “American This article originally appeared in the cades were for songs by BIPOC women. Dream”). March 13, 2021, issue of Billboard. According to Watson, the report fo- Moreover, the study notes that because cuses on the “race and ethnicity of artists, of Black women artists’ lack of airplay, they ensembles and collaborations over the last have failed to reach the Top 20 of the Bill- two decades. The study draws on datasets of board charts since 1969, when Linda Martell songs played on country format radio, artists achieved the feat with “Color Him Father.” signed to the three major Nashville labels, Because Black women artists have not and artists nominated for CMA and ACM ranked higher than the top 20, opportunities awards to consider how industry practices available to them within the broader indus- work together to marginalize and deny op- try at large have been limited. Also, notable portunities to BIPOC artists.” is that Black LGBTQ+ artists are entirely Page 11 of 33

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absent from country’s mainstream indus- nominated for record of the year, among try. The exception is Lil Nas X, whose “Old ‘Fortnite’ other individual nods. (While Megan Thee Town Road” achieved double-diamond-sell- Stallion’s official nomination stems from the ing status though it received limited airplay Celebrating Beyoncé “Savage” remix, the Fortnite emote on country format radio. features the original version.) Also in the Black artists co-hosting awards programs, Grammys With shop: An emote for BTS’ “Dynamite,” nomi- winning prestigious honors, co-owning nated for best pop duo/group performance, their own imprints and publishing enti- BTS, Dua Lipa and two emotes featuring different dances ties — and in the case of Allen, achieving for DaBaby’s “BOP,” nominated for best rap two No. 1 Billboard Country Airplay chart & More TikTok performance. The Item Shop celebration singles in three years — are significant steps also comes ahead of season six of Fortnite’s ahead. However, as Watson’s data shows, Dance Emotes second chapter, which launches March 16. BIPOC artists — in terms of percentage of “These songs have been really celebrated songs played, of airplay, of charting songs, BY TATIANA CIRISANO in 2020, and we wanted to again highlight of artists signed to major labels, and award these awesome dances,” Nanzer says. The nominations — still comprise less than 4.0% very time Epic Games head of recent push into music and dance emotes is of the commercial country music industry. global partnerships Nate Nan- part Nanzer’s overall strategy to make music Though Watson’s data spotlights promi- zer defeats an opponent in a bigger part of the game, which launched nent spaces for fundamental change, she the company’s popular video in 2017. Last year, Fortnite hosted in-game also notes that her work could be more Egame Fortnite, his player avatar breaks out performances from artists like Travis comprehensive. the “Gangnam Style” dance. Scott and J Balvin, launched the Party “I’d love to study the numbers of BIPOC The 10-second dance sequence, Royale mode for entertainment experiences label executives and employees, producers, soundtracked by a clip of the 2012 hit and even created Fortnite Radio to let play- engineers, studio and touring musicians, and from PSY, is just one of the hundreds of ers listen to licensed music while in vehicles songwriters employed in country music,” “emotes” that Fortnite’s 350 million players during the game. Watson tells Billboard. globally can purchase for between 200 and “We were looking at, ‘What are other When asked about the far-reaching ben- 800 “V-bucks” (roughly $2-$8) each at the cool ways that we can bring music into the efits of her research, Watson added, “I hope game’s Item Shop, allowing them to perform game?’” Nanzer says. “Dancing is an obvious that Black country music fans use this data different actions and expressions through one, and combined with the emergence of to empower them to demand change. Coun- their avatars. TikTok and Dubsmash and these platforms try’s history and its contemporary data show “It’s really fun,” Nanzer says. “I can dance where dancing was the focus, we [realized that very little has changed about the genre when I’m in the lobby getting ready to hop we] can start to bring some of these things in 100 years. The industry of country music on the battle bus, doing everything from that are trending in culture into our game.” must be held accountable for deconstructing ‘Gangnam Style’ to some of the biggest One of the earliest examples is a white-dominated system that has — save a tracks of the year.” an emote for Drake’s “Toosie Slide,” which few tokenized Black men — relegated Black Over the past year, Nanzer and his team was added to the Item Shop last May. All of artists, indigenous artists, and other artists have been working directly with artists, the dance- and music-focused emotes are of color to its absolute margins.” labels, publishers and TikTok creators in an part of Fortnite’s “Icon Series,” made for effort to create more emotes based around virtual items which depict real-life people popular music and viral dances, presenting and pop culture moments. a new revenue and exposure opportunity For each of these emotes, Epic Games for the music industry in a hugely popu- secures music licenses from rights hold- lar game. Six of the songs commemorated ers giving Fortnite the right to synch a clip by Fortnite emotes over the past year went of the song with the visual dance move in on to earn Grammy nominations, and start- perpetuity — since although the Item Shop ing today (March 12), Fortnite is celebrating rotates emotes in and out (creating scarcity the artists by re-featuring their emotes in to build demand), players who purchase its Item Shop, ahead of the awards show on emotes have them forever. Marrying a March 14. recording with video requires at least a The list includes emotes inspired by Da- synchronization license and master license. Baby’s “Rockstar,” Doja Cat’s “Say So,” Dua At the moment, synch licenses for games Lipa’s “Don’t Start Now” and Megan are usually given on a one-off basis and Thee Stallion’s “Savage,” all of which were negotiated case-by-case, so fees vary widely Page 12 of 33

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depending on the song, according to a music old tracks, as they did with the “Gangnam as “One Year Dark” and “No Shows Since lawyer familiar with the matter. Style” emote, which hit the Item Shop in 3/13/20.” Epic also pays a direct fee to the creator January. “Everyone’s been withering on the vine of each TikTok dance used in an emote, and “We have other iconic dances from the for 12 months,” Picone told Billboard. “We’ve credits that person in the emote’s Item Shop past that we want to bring into the game,” already lost a lot of venues nationally and listing. Epic has faced criticism over its use Nanzer adds. “The possibility space here is people’s runways are running out every of uncredited dance moves before: In 2018, huge.” week right now. There’s a real existential a slew of people including rapper Terrence The Grammys-related emotes hit the Item crisis for independent venues that couldn’t “2 Milly” Ferguson and Russell Horning, the Shop today at 7 p.m. ET. and range between be overstated.” teenager behind “The Floss,” filed lawsuits 500 and 800 V-bucks (roughly $5-$8). Late last year, Picone and Casey Low- against Epic, accusing the game publisher dermilk joined a number of groups from of copying their dance moves in Fort- around the state to form the California nite emotes, but the suits were dropped Indie Venues chapter of the National Independent Venue or placed on hold because the defendants’ Association and testified before the Califor- registrations with the U.S. Copyright Office Plan Marquee nia legislature about the challenges facing had not yet been approved. independent venues. “I wouldn’t say it’s a choice we’re making Campaign Despite passage of an aid package for to correct a past mistake,” Nanzer clarifies shuttered venues late last year, the Small about the impetus to pay choreographers. for One-Year Business Administration has not begun “When we were thinking about this pro- dispersing funds to troubled venues due to gram, honestly, it wasn’t even a question. We Anniversary of administrative challenges the Biden Admin- were like, ‘Of course we need to compensate istration says it is now working to fix. While the creators.’ We wanted to make sure that Shutdown states like California have offered some ven- we could tag them in the posts [and] work ues and independent promoters direct relief with these folks from a marketing perspec- BY DAVE BROOKS in the form of grants, Casey Lowdermilk tive as well, and make sure that we’re giving with Another Planet says more needs to be them proper credit.” or Roger Picone, the Greek The- done to help venues, which were the first to Tracking down the original creator of a atre in Berkeley and San Francis- close in the pandemic and will be among the viral dance isn’t always easy, and Nanzer has co’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium last group of businesses allowed to reopen. to move fast to license viral tracks before have always been magical venues A recent study linked to the National the internet moves on. “When we brought Ffor live shows and concerts. But “on March Independent Venue Association found that [the] ‘Renegade’ [dance] into the game, that 13, the magic stopped and we were dead the live events and entertainment industry was easy because New York Times did a big in the water,” says Picone, who manages contributes over $877 billion to the economy article on [choreographer] Jalaiah Har- the 118-year-old Berkeley amphitheater on and that for every $1 spent on a ticket at a mon,” Nanzer says. “But some of these other behalf of Another Planet Entertainment, the small music venue, $12 are spent in the local dances are a bit more difficult.” largest indie promoter in the United States. economy on related services. That’s why Nanzer’s team is constantly Tomorrow is the one-year anniversary of Picone says NIVA CA is asking for ad- tracking dance trends as they take off, the COVID-19 shutdown of music venues ditional help from Governor Newsom to and updating a running list of songs and like the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and pass an employee retention credit, similar dances to build emotes around. The team live music performances. A day earlier, Live to a federal program tied to PPP, as well as even mobilized to debut a “Shanty For The Nation and AEG issued a joint statement additional guidance on California’s reopen- Squad” emote on March 4, with an original suspending all events and concerts orga- ing plan. parody of the “Wellerman” sea shanty that nized through the end of March. The next “We want a seat at the table for reopen overtook TikTok earlier this year. “That was day, California Governor Gavin Newsom guidelines, because we’re just sitting out trending on TikTok just a couple of weeks requested the postponement or cancellation here in the ether with no idea of what kind ago, [we] very quickly pulled it into the of all events across the state anticipating of timeline we have for reopening,” says game, and fans really, really liked it,” Nanzer crowds of more than 250 people, paving the Picone. “It takes a long time to put a show adds. way for a global lockdown that sidelined on sale before you have an artist on the stage So far, emotes have mostly focused on the events business far longer than anyone and we need more information about what songs that are already hits. Next, Nanzer expected. it will take to reopen our doors.” says he’s working with artists and choreog- In honor of that painful day, independent raphers to create original dances tied to new music venues across the country will be music releases — as well as helping revive showing solidarity by sharing messages such Page 13 of 33

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but the process of actually administering Biden said he would “talk about what we’ve Biden Sets May 1 those doses will take time. been through as a nation this past year, but Even as he offers optimism, Biden made more importantly, I’m going to talk about Target to Have All clear that the July 4 timetable requires what comes next.” cooperation from Americans to continue to Biden’s challenge is to honor the sacri- Adults Vaccine- wear face coverings, maintain social distanc- fices made by Americans while encourag- ing and follow federal guidelines meant ing them to remain vigilant despite “virus Eligible to slow the spread of the virus in the near fatigue” and growing impatience to resume term. He also called on them roll up their normal activities given the tantalizing prom- BY ASSOCIATED PRESS sleeves to get vaccinated as soon as they’re ise of vaccines. Speaking on the one-year eligible. anniversary of the World Health Organiza- ASHINGTON (AP) — One “This is a whole of country effort,” White tion’s declaration of a pandemic, he’ll mourn year after the nation was House chief of staff Ron Klain told CNN. the dead, but also project optimism about brought to a near-standstill “The president’s deploying our entire gov- the future. by the coronavirus, Presi- ernment to do its part. The American people “This is a chance for him to really beam dent WJoe Biden used his first prime-time are going to have to do their part, too.” into everybody’s living rooms and to be both address to outline his plan Thursday night The speech came hours after Biden on the mourner in chief and to explain how to make all adults vaccine-eligible by May Thursday signed into law a $1.9 trillion he’s leading the country out of this,” said 1 and get the country “closer to normal” by relief package that he said will help defeat presidential historian and Rice University the Fourth of July. He offered Americans the virus, nurse the economy back to health professor Douglas Brinkley. fresh hope and appealed anew for their help. and deliver direct aid to Americans in need. “This is a big moment,” Brinkley added. Speaking in the White House East Room, Some direct checks could begin arriving this “He’s got to win over hearts and minds for Biden announced moves to speed vaccina- weekend. people to stay masked and get vaccinated, tions, including directing that states lift “This historic legislation is about rebuild- but also recognize that after the last year, qualifications for vaccinations by May 1, and ing the backbone of this country,” Biden said the federal government hasn’t forgotten expand the number of places and categories as he signed the bill in the Oval Office. you.” of people who can give shots. His aim: let Most noticeable to many Americans are Biden’s evening remarks in the East Room Americans gather at least in small groups for provisions providing up to $1,400 in direct are central to a pivotal week for the presi- the Independence Day holiday. payments, some of which could begin land- dent as he addresses the defining challenge Biden was marking one year since the ing in bank accounts this weekend, and of his term: shepherding the nation through onset of the pandemic that has killed more extending $300 weekly emergency unem- the twin public health and economic storms than 530,000 Americans and disrupted the ployment benefits into early September. brought about by the virus. lives of countless more. Also included are expanded tax credits over On Monday, the Centers for Disease Con- “While it was different for everyone, we the next year for children, child care and trol and Prevention released initial guidance all lost something,” Biden said, calling the family leave — some of them credits that for how vaccinated people can resume some past year “a collective suffering, a collective Democrats have signaled they’d like to make normal activities. On Wednesday, Con- sacrifice.” permanent — plus spending for renters, gress approved the president’s $1.9 trillion Biden announced that he is deploying an feeding programs and people’s utility bills. “American Rescue Plan,” aimed at easing additional 4,000 active-duty troops to sup- The House gave final congressional ap- the economic impact of the virus on tens of port vaccination efforts and will allow more proval to the sweeping package by a near millions of people. And the nation was on people — such as medical students, veteri- party line 220-211 vote on Wednesday, seven pace to administer its 100 millionth dose of narians and dentists — to deliver shots. He weeks after Biden entered the White House vaccine as soon as Thursday. is also directing more doses toward some and four days after the Senate passed the Almost exactly one year ago, Presi- 950 community health centers and up to bill. Republicans in both chambers opposed dent Donald Trump addressed the nation 20,000 retail pharmacies, to make it easier the legislation unanimously, characterizing to mark the WHO’s declaration of a global for people to get vaccinated closer to their it as bloated, crammed with liberal policies pandemic. He announced travel restrictions homes. and heedless of signs the crises are easing. and called for Americans to practice good As supplies of the vaccines continue to Biden originally planned to sign the bill hygiene but displayed little alarm about the increase, Biden announced that he will di- on Friday, but it arrived at the White House forthcoming catastrophe. Trump, it was rect states and territories to make all adults more quickly than anticipated. later revealed, acknowledged that he had eligible for vaccination by May 1. The U.S. is “We want to move as fast as possible,” been deliberately “playing down” the threat expecting delivery of enough doses for those tweeted chief of staff Klain. of the virus. 255 million adults by the end of that month, Previewing his Thursday night remarks, For Biden, who has promised to level Page 14 of 33

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with the American public after the alternate seen in many other countries. The grow- daka no Kokoro” (Naked Heart) by Aimyon reality of Trump’s virus talk, the imperative ing acceptance by music fans of streaming (Warner Music Japan), “Make You Happy” is to strike the correct balance “between services such as Spotify and LINE Music is by NiziU (Sony Music Labels), “Dynamite” optimism and grief,” said Princeton history another factor. by BTS (Universal Music) and “Homura” professor and presidential scholar Julian “Physical sales declined hard during the (Flame) by LiSA, the theme song of the Zelizer. state of emergency (in April-May 2020), megahit anime feature Demon Slayer. Each “Generally, the country likes optimism, but recovered from July,” says Takayuki was streamed more than 100 million times and at this particular moment they’re Suzuki, president of Tokyo-based music to achieve RIAJ “platinum” status. “Dyna- desperate for optimism, but you can’t risk a consulting company ParadeAll. “Streaming mite” was the only non-Japanese single in ‘Mission Accomplished’ moment,’” he said, continued to grow throughout the year.” the top five. warning against any premature declaration Last year’s emergency declaration re- that the threat has been vanquished. duced the number of customers at Tower Records stores in Tokyo and other met- The Weeknd Vows ropolitan areas, says Tatsuro Yagawa, a Streaming Is spokesperson at Tower Records Japan. “It to Boycott the forced us to refrain from in-store events or Growing in Japan, reduce the scale of events,” he says. But he Grammys From notes that Tower’s online sales of physical But Slumping CD product rose more than 30% year-on-year. Now On The RIAJ results mean that Japan is likely Sales Drag Overall to see another decline in overall music rev- BY HERAN MAMO enues in 2020 when the IFPI releases full Revenues Down global revenue results on March 23. Physical he Weeknd has decided to boy- product still accounts for 62% of recorded- cott the Grammy Awards in the BY STEVE MCCLURE music sales in Japan by wholesale value future following his controversial and remains the largest revenue source in shutout from this year’s nomina- OKYO — Digital music sales in Asia because Japan is the region’s largest Ttions. Japan rose 11% in 2020, as the market. A 4.8% drop-off in Japan’s physical The superstar was thought to be a strong world’s second-largest market sales in 2019 drove down overall recorded contender in the Big Four catego- posted its seventh straight year music sales in the market by 0.9% to $2.9 ries, including album of the year for his Tof digital gains amid sliding physical sales, billion. That, in turn, dragged down growth fourth LP After Hours, which spent four according to data released this week by the in Asia to only 3.4%, which was slower than consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Bill- Recording Industry Association of Japan the global rate of 8.2%, according to IFPI board 200 and had the biggest streaming (RIAJ). figures. week for an R&B album ever, as well as Fueled by a 25% uptick in streaming audio “The relationship between digital music record of the year and song of the year for revenues, to 50.7 billion yen ($465.9 mil- and physical in Japan will change slowly,” his blockbuster smash hit “Blinding Lights,” lion), overall digital sales climbed to 78.3 bil- says Yagawa. “In Japan, we do not think that which continues to break Billboard chart re- lion yen ($719.2 million) in wholesale value. physical sales will drop [all] at once like in cords a year after its release. But on the By contrast, physical music sales, largely the United States.” morning of Nov. 24, 2020, when the 2021 CDs, fell 15% in wholesale-value terms to The RIAJ figures also showed sales of Grammy Award nominations were called 129.9 billion yen ($1.2 billion). In unit terms, streaming music videos rose 47% to 1.9 bil- out, The Weeknd’s name was nowhere to be physical dropped 21% to 105.7 million. Japan lion yen ($17.7 million), while sales of single- found on the list. is the world’s biggest consumer of physical track music downloads dropped 21% to 11 The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye) ini- music products. billion yen ($101 million) in wholesale value. tially expressed his frustration toward Japan’s overall revenue for digital and Sales of vinyl, which had been rising over the Recording Academy by tweeting, “The physical sales dipped by 9%, or 27.1 billion the past decade — although more slowly Grammys remain corrupt.” In his sec- yen ($262.5 million), to 272.6 billion yen in the past couple of years — dipped 1% ond Twitter missive, he wrote that he went ($2.64 billion). in wholesale value terms to 2.1 billion yen from planning a Grammys performance to Industry observers attributed the results ($19.5 million), dropping 10% in unit terms being “not invited.” to more people staying at home during the to 1.1 million. “Because of the secret committees, I will COVID-19 pandemic — and not visiting CD The RIAJ says the five top-selling stream- no longer allow my label to submit my music stores — even though Japan has not expe- ing singles in 2020 were “I Love…” by to the Grammys,” the three-time Grammy rienced lockdowns as restrictive as those Official Hige Dandism (Pony Canyon), “Ha- winner said in statement to The New York Page 15 of 33

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Times ahead of Sunday’s awards show. screening committee (which exist across other clients include Blink-182, Jane’s Ad- The singer’s peers agreed with his frus- genres to oversee properly categorizing po- diction, Morrissey, Steve Aoki, 3LAU, RAC, tration, with Drake and Kid Cudi among tential nominees). The first round of voting Common, Bush and Liz Phair. those who spoke out about The Weeknd’s is open to all academy members, while nom- Modest Management’s roster includes snub. The “Blinding Lights” artist now join ination review committees (comprised of 15- One Direction, Niall Horan and Little Mix, the ranks of fellow Black superstars who 30 voting members whose identities aren’t among others. have publicly boycotted Music’s Biggest disclosed) narrow down top vote-getters to On Thursday (March 11), 5 Seconds of Night, including 22-time Grammy win- those on the Grammy ballot. While some Summer became one of the first musical acts ner Jay-Z, 21-time Grammy winner Kanye genre-specific categories aren’t overseen by to test out Twitter’s new audio-chat func- West and two-time Grammy winner Frank said committees, the Big Four are. tion Spaces with big enough demand from Ocean. “What is that secret committee? What fans that they broke the service and had to Harvey Mason, Jr., the Recording Acad- the f—-?” his manager Wassim “Sal” Slaiby move to Instagram Live to carry on the con- emy’s chair and interim president/CEO, demanded in the Billboard cover story, while versation. During the chat, they announced issued a response to The Weeknd’s state- suggesting “they cancel the f—-ing secret plans for a new album. ment, telling The New York Times, “We’re committee and become full transparency.” “They basically broke Twitter,” jokes all disappointed when anyone is upset. But He told The New York Times about how Katsis. Speaking to the band’s passionate I will say that we are constantly evolving. many weeks and calls went into planning fandom, he says it offers “more opportunity And this year, as in past years, we are going The Weeknd’s performance at the 63rd an- to be creative, try new things and find ways to take a hard look at how to improve our nual Grammy Awards, which was thought to impact the industry.” awards process, including the nomination to have been in direct conflict with his “The key is to respect the fans and recog- review committees.” Super Bowl LV halftime show performance, nize they’re people like us who love music,” In The Weeknd’s Billboard cover story, right up until that fateful Nov. 24 morning of adds Mark. he said the historic snub felt like “a sucker the nominations. The band’s new album doesn’t have a punch.” “It just kind of hit me out of no- “The Grammys should handle their legacy label signed on yet, but the managers say where. I definitely felt ... I felt things. I don’t and clean it up to raise the bar to a level there’s already early interest and calls this know if it was sadness or anger. I think it where everyone could be proud to hold up “one of those transitional periods” for the was just confusion,” he elaborated. “I just that award,” Slaiby added. “This is Harvey’s group. In the meantime, says Katsis, “We’re wanted answers. Like, ‘What happened?’ We chance to step up and have his legacy be the structuring touring for next year to coincide did everything right, I think. I’m not a cocky guy who got the Grammys finally right.” with their record.” person. I’m not arrogant. People told me I Interscope declined to comment at time was going to get nominated. The world told of publication, but 5 Seconds of Summer me. Like, ‘This is it; this is your year.’ We 5 Seconds of was pulled from the label’s website some- were all very confused.” time between December and early February, In the last 62 years of the Grammy Summer’s New according to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Awards, only 10 Black artists have won Machine. The band only released one album album of the year as lead artists, with Stevie Management with the label, 2020’s Calm, which peaked Wonder winning a record-tying three times. at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart with The Weeknd was up for the category in 2016 Talk ‘Transitional 572,000 units to date (180,000 album sales). for his sophomore album Beauty Behind Prior to signing with Interscope, 5 Sec- the Madness, which ended up taking home Period’ After onds of Summer released three full-length the trophy for best urban contemporary studio albums on Capitol Records (both la- album. He’s won two other Grammy Awards Interscope Exit bels are owned by Universal Music Group), in the last five years, including best R&B all of which topped the Billboard 200. performance for “Earned It (Fifty Shades BY COLIN STUTZ The band’s self-titled 2014 debut spent 66 Of Grey)” and best urban contemporary weeks on the chart, with 1.68 million units album for his third album Starboy. But in Seconds of Summer is no longer (792,000 album sales); Sounds Good Feels his Billboard interview, he noted his three signed to Interscope and is work- Good in 2015 spent 14 weeks on the chart, Grammys “mean nothing to me now.” ing with new management, Bill- moving 747,000 units (410,000 album sales); Aside from the three general field catego- board has learned. and Youngblood in 2018, led by the band’s ries of record, song and album of the year, 5The Australian quartet is now repre- top performing single to date of the same The Weeknd’s team submitted his music in sented by YM&U Group managers Joel name, spent 64 weeks on the chart with 1.23 one pop and two R&B categories, the latter Mark and Peter Katsis, having recently million units (228,000 album sales). of which were moved to pop by a genre departed Modest Management. YM&U’s After initially being positioned as a Page 16 of 33

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pop-punk quartet for a post-Warped Tour branded as Sony Music Publishing.) generation, the group’s sound grew toward After his departure, Strick transitioned to Billboard Pro synth-pop and alternative rock over the past the transactional side of the music publish- four years. “Youngblood” rode a modern ing market, working with private equity Spotlight Live twist on new wave into the top 10 of the Hot companies to source and close deals. 100 chart in 2018, while Calm made forays While working on the Calvin Harris Virtual Event: into industrial music and psychedelica. catalog sale to Vine Alternative Investments, In the band’s career, 5 Seconds of Summer Strick met business manager Thomas St. Music and Money has earned 5.1 million total equivalent album John, a CMNTY Culture co-founder. units — 2.2 million of which was in album “He came to me and said, ‘You have to BY BILLBOARD STAFF sales — with 3.7 billion on-demand streams sit with Philip Lawrence,’” says Strick, of its catalog of songs. It has 14 entries on who previously worked at Maverick Records n March 25, Billboard’s Music the Hot 100, including “Youngblood,” which and BMG Music Publishing. Even “in & Money event returns as the peaked at No. 7 in 2018 and topped the Pop the thick of the pandemic,” Strick agreed next installment of the Billboard Airplay chart for five weeks that year. to meet, and came away understanding Pro Spotlight series. Over the Jason Lipshutz contributed to this report. Lawrence’s ambition to produce records, Opast year, music rights values have skyrock- develop artists and run a publishing com- eted, as low interest rates, optimism about pany. Now in the CMNTY Culture fold, the future of streaming, and the promise of Sony Publishing Strick says he will help its record label reliable cashflow have drawn institutional and “look for opportunities for acquisi- investors into the business. But what kinds Veteran Danny tions” — not just publishing catalogs but deals, and returns, are these investors after? “smaller operating companies.” How long can valuations continue to rise? Strick Joins CMNTY Culture is an ambitious under- And what do all of these record-setting taking, betting that a purposefully nimble transactions mean for the music business CMNTY Culture: company has an advantage over larger ones. overall? Lawrence, St. John and label veteran Malik Music & Money will deliver insight from Exclusive Rasheed started the company to take ad- top executives at Truist Financial and Vine vantage of “the rise in independent artists, Alternative Capital, dealmakers Michael BY GLENN PEOPLES the ability to bypass the middleman,” says Poster(Michelman & Robinson) and Fred Lawrence. In addition, CMNTY Culture Davis, and publishing CEOs Mary Megan ormer Sony/ATV Music Publish- purchased three acres in Hollywood to build Peer (peermusic) and Joshua Gruss (Round ing co-president Danny Strick has a campus — an “oasis,” says Lawrence — to Hill Music). Bernstein Private Wealth Man- been named a senior advisor to encourage “spontaneous creativity.” agement Vice President Dan Weisman will CMNTY Culture, the multi-faceted Seed funding came from St. John and show creators smart ways to think about Fcompany co-founded by Philip Lawrence, Lawrence from the latter’s sale of his catalog how to decide whether or not to sell their the producer-songwriter known for his last year for what he says was “a significant rights. If they choose not to, they have more work in The Smeezingtons production team amount.” options than ever, thanks to companies like alongside Bruno Mars. CMNTY Culture was able to poach an the sponsor of this Billboard Pro Spotlight, Launched in 2020 and based in Los impressive group of executives. Rasheed, Sound Royalties – and CEO Alex Heiche and Angeles, CMNTY Culture spans a record la- president and co-founder, had been running producer David Tickle will discuss how it bel (CMNTY RCRDS), as well as production Scooter Braun’s label and had worked with can advance money against future royalties, and film/TV. In April 2020, the label part- L.A. Reid at Epic Records. Chief John- so creators can access capital while keeping nered with Warner Records to sign RMR, son, formerly a sports and entertainment their rights. a masked singer whose track “Rascal” — a marketing executive at apparel brand Puma, The livestream will air at 12 p.m. EST take on a song popularized by Rascal Flats — is the chief marketing officer. Addition- with panel videos living here afterwards. If went viral in February 2020. ally, Miles Cooley moved from law firm you’re a Billboard Pro member, you already “I’ve always been a fan of Phillip’s talent DLA Piper to become chief legal officer have access. If you’re not a member, use and who he is as a person,” says Strick, who and chief operating officer. Marlena Kaplan, code PROSPOTLIGHT before April 2 for oversaw Sony/ATV’s New York, Nashville formerly with Blackstone, is the chief finan- 50% off your new membership at billboard. and Latin Music divisions before leaving in cial officer. com/offer. February 2020 during a restructuring when “Hustle and (Royalty) Flow” John Platt replaced Martin Bandier as chair- And now a word from our sponsor: Sound man and CEO. (The company has since re- Royalties. Page 17 of 33

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The market for music copyrights is hot- tainment group, Truist Securities board Dance’s list of best songs and best ter than ever, but selling isn’t for everyone. Michael Poster, Esq., partner/head of cor- albums of 2020. Not one mention of Kylie Sound Royalties can advance creators porate and securities group, Michelman & Minogue, a legend in all respects, at the money against future royalties, while letting Robinson Grammys. We picked Jessie Ware for the them retain their rights. An interview with No. 1 album, and she’s not on the nomina- Sound Royalties CEO Alex Heiche and cli- tions list at all either. Not to say that I dislike ent David Tickle – a British record producer Dance & the Grammy’s choices — there are some who has worked with U2, Prince, Blondie, bangers on there — but it’s interesting. Joe Cocker, and Split Enz, among many Electronic Music I also thought Whethan and Louis the others – moderated by Billboard deputy Child did a great job with their albums, and editorial director Robert Levine. at the 2021 they’re absent from both lists. Also, I don’t “How High” know exactly what 100gecs did exactly this The value of publishing catalogs keeps Grammys: A nomination season, but at this point they rising, fueled by a combination of low deserve a nod for carrying the future. interest rates, the search for counter-cy- Billboard Dance Krystal Rodriguez: For me, it’s not just clical investments and optimism about the about who is missing, but what is missing, streaming-focused future of the music busi- Contributor and that’s disco. More than 40 years after ness. But how high can multiples get — and the infamous Disco Demolition night at what kind of time horizon should investors Roundtable Comiskey Park, the sound rebounded bigly think about? in 2020 with the joie de vivre of Bianca Jag- Moderated by Billboard deputy editorial BY BILLBOARD STAFF ger on the horse at Studio 54. You’ll find it director Robert Levine sprinkled among the pop category nomina- Fred Davis, partner, the Raine Group fter waiting for what’s felt like tions (Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia, Doja Joshua Gruss, CEO, Round Hill Music forever, the Grammys are finally Cat’s “Say So”), but disco is dance music! Mary Megan Peer, CEO, peermusic happening this Sunday, March The Vision’s self-titled album was glori- “To Sell Or Not To Sell?” 14. The dance/electronic cat- ous modern disco. And while another excel- Maximizing the value of a publishing egoriesA have never gotten much play on the lent disco album, Roisin Murphy’s Roisin catalog is a complicated financial decision live telecast — and that won’t change much Machine, didn’t make the eligibility dead- that involves predicting the future value this year, with none of the genre nominees line, Club Future Nostalgia, Lipa’s remix of rights, considering potential alternative performing and all of the dance/electronic album — overseen by The Blessed Madonna investments and discussing tax implications. trophies being awarded during the Premiere — did. I thought with its hype beyond the One tool that can help: Bernstein Private Ceremony that’s happening ahead of the big dance world, that one would appear some- Wealth Management’s Catalog Sale Wealth nationally broadcast livestream. (This Pre- where. The absolute lack of nominations for Forecasting System, which can crunch the miere event will stream live on the Gram- Jessie Ware’s What’s Your Pleasure? in any numbers for various scenarios. An interview mys website starting at 3 p.m. ET.) Grammy category, however, has me chan- and demonstration with Bernstein Private The dance scene will, however, get some neling Michael Jordan “And I took that Wealth Management vice president Dan primetime shine with Kaytranada’s best new personally” energy. Weisman, moderated by Billboard editorial artist nomination. Beyond that, we dance Zel McCarthy: In a way, the fact that director Hannah Karp. fans are excited to see how the awards shake there are only two awards in the Dance “What Buyers Want” out in the three dance categories, particular- Field is a snub itself. Every other major Who are today’s investors, what are they ly with a flurry of scene heroes and excep- genre — country, Latin, pop, R&B, rap, rock shopping for, and how are they financing the tional projects in the running. — all have at least four awards. Jazz, which deals? With so much institutional capital Who should win? Who will win? What I think accounts for about one percent now flowing into music rights, here’s how does it all mean? Here, four Billboard of record sales in the U.S. each year, has the funds behind it contemplate their goals Dance contributors break it down. five awards. Yes, jazz is the quintessential and where they will drive the market from We all know it: snubs happen. What American artform, but house and techno are here. were the biggest in the dance categories quintessentially American too. And people Moderated by Billboard editorial director this year? actually listen to it. Hannah Karp Kat Bein: Can I just say The Weeknd, So is it a snub for Detroit techno legends Rob Amir, partner, Vine Alternative Invest- because it’s the greatest continuing Grammy Inner City not to be nominated for their ments snub of our era? As far as traditional elec- 2020 album, We All Move Together, or for C.J. Johnson, managing director of invest- tronic/dance music goes, I think it’s inter- modern disco torch-bearers from across the ment banking, internet, media and enter- esting how different this list looks from Bill- pond like Jessie Ware and Róisín Murphy Page 18 of 33

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not to be included? Absolutely. American bers guide the direction it goes in. That’s re- audiences are hungry for something “more” house bosses Junior Sanchez, Honey Dijon, flected most effectively in the top categories, – none of those artists are nominated this and MK each released material worthy of where nominees represent the intersection time around, but still, I think the nomina- consideration this year, too. But the snub of popular and critical success from the last tions echo that sentiment, too. Of course, is bigger than any individual nominee. The year. It might be weird to some of us that people are still gaga over tech house, and snub is how entire genres of dance music Kaytranada is a Best New Artist nominee that’s what Diplo and Sidepiece’s “On My are systematically ignored and excluded when Bubba is his sophomore album, but Mind” is for. from this event. that LP was an undeniable artistic break- Krystal Rodriguez: The groove is still Katie Bain: I too thought that surely through and the honor is well-deserved, as strong! Love that Disclosure, Jayda G, Louie something from Club Future Nostalgia was it is for Best Dance/Electronic Album. Vega and Kaytranada are flying the flag for a shoe-in for Best Remixed Recording, and However, it seems that no matter how house music in their own way. Meanwhile, that it’s strange that the big love Dua Lipa the Academy tries to enforce the integrity Diplo and Sidepiece’s “On My Mind” marks and Future Nostalgia got over in the Big of the nomination process, the interests of the return of tech house to the Grammys Four didn’t trickle down. Also agree that a their members on the genre committees are for the first time since 2019, when Fisher’s nom for Inner City’s We All Move Togeth- represented above any semblance of merit. “Losing It” lost to… Diplo (for “Electric- er would have been a big moment not only That’s the only explanation for why Baauer ity,” as one-half of Silk City). Considering for techno, but for the Black pioneers of is nominated for his deeply forgettable how tech house has seeped into mainstage dance music — to whom so many nominees album, Planet’s Mad. Similarly, Diplo and artists’ catalogs and sets, I’m curious if we’ll in 2021 and years prior more or less owe Sidepiece’s “On My Mind” is unobjection- see more of it here in future years. their careers. able, but it’s not the best of Diplo’s 2020 Zel McCarthy: For years, the dance What does this crop of nominees say output. It’s not even the best use of a Missy music industry worked to convince the about where the Recording Academy’s Elliott sample in the last year. (That would Academy that unlike other genres, dance tastes in dance and electronic music cur- be Bad Bunny’s “Safaera.”) Why there was a and electronic music’s popularity couldn’t rently lie? push for it to be considered for Best Dance be measured through sales and airplay, suc- Kat Bein: It seems to me they’re mov- Recording is a mystery. cessfully expanding the realm of Grammy- ing away from the big EDM-pop — except Katie Bain: I feel like year’s nominees, worthy music to include artists whose maybe in the remix category, where you’ve particularly in best dance recording and recordings flourished in festival and club got massive radio hits (like Imanbek’s take dance/electronic album, recognize a genera- settings. With those venues silent for the on “Roses” and Haywire’s rinse of Bazzi). tion of producers that have been killing it majority of this eligibility year, it’s not clear To nominate something as experimental as in the dance scene for the better part of a what some of these nominees reflect in Arca’s KiCk i is not unprecedented, but it decade and are, with these nominations, terms of the larger world of dance music, feels to me to show a continuation down a being cemented as some the (relatively) beyond the backroom politics of an industry path of... is maturity the right word? You’ve new leaders of the scene. Disclosure, Flume which defaults to favoring sameness over in- got your big (yet reputable) stars with and Diplo in particular are clear Academy novation and diversity. It’s great to see Jayda Disclosure and Flume, and long-time scene favorites, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they G, Arca, and Kaytranada included in these heroes like Baauer, Kaytranada and Madeon just keep getting nominated every time they nominations, but they’re still exceptions to getting their play. It’s expected, but doesn’t do something, like The Chemical Brothers the dominance of largely homogenous music seem wrong — and is in decent step with before them. Also, I really liked that Baauer made by a largely homogenous type of artist. where I hear the culture at large giving out album! Katie Bain: That what we’ve always praise. And then, what do you think this year’s known remains true: this is a massive genre, Krystal Rodriguez: The Recording nominations say about the state of dance and while the Recording Academy has done Academy knows who’s on the radio, at the music as a whole? a commendable job of acknowledging a top of festival lineups and on their kids’ Kat Bein: I think we’re pretty far re- smattering of its best and brightest, there playlists. That’s not a bad thing, but with moved from the festival anthems and bro are more deserving artists and styles than so much commercial dance on the table banger days of our past. People are looking could ever be fully represented in just three and not much electronic (i.e. club music), to electronic music to be thoughtful again, categories. these nominees only skim the surface of the more emphasis on groove than in-your-face How do you think the pandemic has excellence our world has to offer. This lean spectacle – though they still like a spec- affected the 2021 nominations? is what makes Jayda G and Louie Vega’s tacle, no doubt. I think the way pop has Kat Bein: Maybe it’s less party-centric nominations so pleasantly surprising and merged with more experimental and genre- because no one was going to parties? I don’t validating for the house community. bending sounds these past couple of years think many of these albums or tracks were Zel McCarthy: I think the Recording via SOPHIE (may the artist rest in peace), written during quarantine. I think we’re ac- Academy does a good job of letting its mem- Charli XCX, 100gecs and the like shows that tually going to “feel” the pandemic in music Page 19 of 33

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a lot more this year. co-writers, producers, engineers, and musi- Katie Bain: Energy was my favorite Dis- Krystal Rodriguez: Has it? If we’re talk- cians who may have worked on a particu- closure album since Settle, and for every- ing about how COVID affected who made lar project. Instead of talking about how thing those two have done to bring house to the shortlist, many of these records — espe- nominees individually represent factors of a new generation and to mass audiences, I cially those with crossover collaborations diversity, it might be useful to consider how think they deserve the trophy. Bubba could — are ones that can exist organically beyond each nominee is doing the work of creating take it though, and that would honestly be the clubs and festivals that are currently diversity, equity, and inclusion within their fine too. shut down, at home or on the radio. Given own work and beyond. Best dance recording: Who should win, the Recording Academy’s historical prefer- Katie Bain: Well said, Zel. I’m with that. and who will win? ence for pop-leaning dance music, I think Like Krystal said, this year is a statistically Kat Bein: I personally most enjoy the the nominations would be the same with or significant improvement from years past. frenetic cockiness of Disclosure’s “My without COVID. Could it still be better? Yes. Much better? High.” The beat is bossy, the sounds make Zel McCarthy: As with the rest of society, Yah. Is it better than it was? Definitely, and me feel like I’m in the middle of a crowded those who were doing well at the start of that feels like progress. room — such a novel idea in 2021 — and the the pandemic seemed to fare better than Best dance/electronic album: Who lyrical and vocal performances from Aminé those who weren’t. Disclosure had big plans should win, and who will win? and slowthai seal the deal. I wanna give big for 2020 around Energy, and while those Kat Bein: This is a hard thing to stake a honorable mention to Jayda G’s “Both of plans were derailed and the album’s release claim on. I think every album on this list is Us,” though, because any song that can half- delayed, they still snagged two nominations. a spectacular achievement of passion and time its tempo and still keep DJs interested Artists who weren’t as established as Disclo- ingenuity, but there’s a redemption story is a legend in my book. It also sounds like sure simply didn’t make this list. That said, I’d love to see play out. Baauer is without a being at a party. Double nice! Diplo might maybe the inclusion of more headphone- doubt one of the most talented producers win though? Because Diplo? friendly artists like Kaytranada, Jayda G, of our time, and I cringe that anyone ever Krystal Rodriguez: This is a toss-up! I and Flume reflects the headphones-on kind referred to him as “the ‘Harlem Shake’ could see mostly anyone in this category of year we had. guy.” Planet’s Mad is multi-dimensional winning: Disclosure or Kaytranada as voter Katie Bain: I think Kat is right in that the rave journey. (A lot of credit goes to his make-ups, Flume because he makes the per- effects of the pandemic will be clearer next collaborator Holly, who Baauer is always fectly leftfield-yet-accessible music that the year, when the music made during quaran- giving props.) He also set the whole album Academy seems to like, and Diplo because, tine is the music being nominated. to computer animation, creating a visual like Kat said, he’s Diplo. She’s a longer shot, Diversity check! How does this list of story about an alien world colliding with but I’d love to see Jayda take this one home, nominees look in terms of inclusivity? our own. Planet’s Mad is a whole universe with Kaytranada and Disclosure coming in Kat Bein: I see a lot of white dudes I love, – Madeon did something similar with Good at second and third, respectively. but I still see a lot of white dudes. I’m gonna Faith, but not to the same extent. Truly, I Zel McCarthy: Jayda G’s “Both Of Us” quote Phife Dawg and say “you get an E for just want Baauer to stand up there with should win and is made with the kind of effort, and T for nice try.” sunglasses on and accept a trophy for some- technical precision Grammy voters love. I Krystal Rodriguez: Still pretty white, thing that isn’t a meme. think it could claim the prize. straight and male — an accurate snapshot Krystal Rodriguez: Disclosure’s last Katie Bain: This is a perhaps unpopular of the larger industry — but a significant two albums were up for best dance al- opinion, but “On My Mind” is such a banger, improvement from last year. Out of 15 spots, bum, and though both LPs had significant and awarding it with a win would cement Jayda G and Arca are the only solo women impact beyond the dancefloor, they simply the tech house era in the annals of Grammy producers to be nominated, but I’d be remiss had the misfortune of being up against history. I think it could win, but I also think to exclude Kali Uchis, who features on Daft Punk and… you guessed it, Diplo (as every single song nominated is deserving. Kaytranada’s “10%.” Speaking of percent- one-half of Jack Ü). Maybe third time’s the Best remixed recording: Who should ages, 60 percent of the best dance recording charm? I could see it going to either them win, and who will win? and dance album nominees are by or feature or Kaytranada, for whom a win would also Kat Bein: You know what? I’m gonna say artists who identify as women, POC and/or vindicate voters overlooking his 2016 al- “Roses” is gonna win, and I’m gonna say LGBTQIA+, when last year that number was bum 99.9%. I’d be happy with either. that it should. It does exactly what a remix zero. That’s pretty cool, though the remix Zel McCarthy: Kaytranada’s Bubba is is supposed to do; changing the whole vibe category could still use some work. Hope- phenomenal, and Grammy voters just might of the song without losing a sense of famil- fully this is the beginning of a cultural shift. agree. But it wouldn’t be shocking if they iarity. It started as a random middle of the Zel McCarthy: Award shows are a tricky chose Disclosure. It’s their third time nomi- night upload from Kazakhstan and ended place to evaluate inclusivity because we only nated in this category, and they’ve never up making the career of both Saint Jhn and really see the nominee and not the team of won before. Imanbek. It’s the perfect come-up, and it’s a Page 20 of 33

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bop, even if it was a little too inescapable for live in the U.K. to compete. Griff (who was born Sarah Faith Griffiths) a minute there. In a statement supplied by the Brit made note of the number of major stars who Krystal Rodriguez: I don’t see how Awards, Sawayama alluded to the obstacles have been nominated for the award in her “Roses” remix doesn’t win. It was all over she had to overcome to be nominated. comment to the Brits. “It’s kinda terrifying pop radio, and its streams are in the billions. “I literally fell to the floor when I found how many legends have been nominated But last year most of us thought Soulwax’s out that I’d been nominated for Rising Star,” for this award. I never ever ever expected “Work It” remix was the clear winner, and she said. “I really can’t put into words how making beats in my music room after school we saw how that turned out. Again, I’m pull- much this means to me given that I wasn’t could eventually lead to a Brit nomination ing for the long shot in Louie Vega because eligible for this award a few weeks ago and … So to be nominated for a Brit award three I’m rooting for everything and everyone now that door has been opened for future years on is completely surreal!!!!” house, but I’m also fully prepared to be generations of artists like myself. Thank you Pa Salieu’s reaction to his nomination surprised. so much to everyone who voted for me, it was simple gratitude. “I am very grateful to Zel McCarthy: This category is the means the world.” be shortlisted for this Brit award. Love & bastard child of the dance music industry The other two shortlisted artists were blessings every time! Thanks to everyone because it’s only voted on by the production born in the U.K. (even though their parents supporting my journey so far.” branch of the Academy. Those voters have were not), so they would have been eligible been on a streak for a few years now, adeptly even under the old rules. Griff is the daugh- choosing winners that embody excellence ter of a Chinese mother and a Jamaican How Tainy & More while also being exceptionally relevant for father. Pa Salieu’s parents moved to the U.K. that eligibility year. For that reason, there’s from The Gambia. Latin Hitmakers hardly a more worthy winner than Imanbek, The winner of the award, which was for- and this award is his to lose. merly known as Brits Critics’ Choice, will be Brought Selena Katie Bain: A Kazakh railway worker “selected by an invited panel of music edi- uploading a remix in the middle of the night tors, critics from the national press, online Gomez’s Spanish- only to watch it go viral, get licensed and music editors, heads of music at major radio become one of the biggest dance hits of and music TV stations and more,” according Language the last few years is a Cinderella story that to a press statement. The winner will be an- absolutely deserves a Grammy. Give it to nounced on March 19 — almost two months ‘Revelación’ Vision Imanbek. before this year’s Brit Awards on May 11. Sawayama’s album has received critical to Life raves. It’s one of just 12 albums released in Rina Sawayama Is 2020 with a rating of 89 or above at Metac- BY GRISELDA FLORES ritic, the review aggregation site. a Finalist for Brit Sawayama, 30, is the oldest of the three hen Edgar Barrera found shortlisted artists. Pa Salieu is 23. Griff is out that Tainy was pro- Awards’ Rising just 20. Sawayama and Pa Salieu have both ducing Selena Gomez’s appeared on The Tonight Show Starring first-ever Spanish-language Star Award Jimmy Fallon. project,W he called immediately. “I told him Emeli Sandé was the first artist of color that he could count on me for anything,” BY PAUL GREIN to win the Rising Star Award, in 2012. Jorja Barrera remembers. “For me, it was super Smith won the award three years ago. Ce- important to be part of something as big as n artist of color will win the leste won it last year. this because I like to work with artists that Rising Star Award at the Brit Looking at all artists who have won the really value Latin music, and Selena does.” Awards for the second year in a award, Adele was the first winner, in 2008. In 2019, the producer-songwriter flew to row. A bold prediction? No. Just Other winners, not already named, were Miami, where Tainy and his NEON16 team aA statement of fact. All three artists on the Florence and the Machine (2009), Ellie were hosting writing sessions for Gomez. shortlist for the award — Griff, Pa Salieu Goulding (2010), Jessie J (2011), Tom Odell There, he met with the rest of the writing and Rina Sawayama — are artists of color. (2013), Sam Smith (2014), James Bay (2015), crew, including Elena Rose and Kris Floyd, Until a recent rule change, Sawayama Jack Garratt (2016) and Sam Fender (2019). who had already penned “De Una Vez,” the wasn’t eligible for the award because she Adele and Smith also won the Grammy first single from Gomez’s eventual Revel- was born in Japan. The Brit Awards and the for best new artist. Florence + the Machine, ación EP. Mercury Prize changed their rules to allow Bay and Smith received Grammy nods in With Tainy at the helm, the songwriters artists who were born elsewhere but now that category, but didn’t win. and NEON16 producers (including Jota Page 21 of 33

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Rosa, Daramola and Albert Hype) spent the via enchanting imagery that paid homage to navirus pandemic. “She’s always saying, ‘I rest of 2019 and all of 2020 working on Go- Latin America’s magical realism and lyrics don’t think I sound that good,’ but when she mez’s long-overdue Spanish project — one that would resonate with not only her Latin sent one of the first recordings back, I had she had teased a full decade ago. fans, but fans all over the world. just one minor edit on a word that we could “Can’t wait for y’all to hear the Spanish “She wanted us to give life to Selena Go- redo, but overall it sounded so good. It was record ... it’s sounding so cool,” the Texas- mez in Spanish,” Rose tells Billboard. “For it mind-blowing because it’s not a language born A-list pop star tweeted back in 2011, to be a direct translation of who she is when she speaks every day, but to execute it so and since then, her loyal fanbase has been she’s singing in English. She’s all about well it just goes to show you how profes- waiting. Now, 10 years later, Gomez — empowerment, compassion, being a warrior sional and dedicated she is.” whose paternal grandparents are Mexican and being vulnerable. So the lyrics were very At the end of the day, says Rose, “We — is set to drop her Spanish EP on Friday. important here.” wanted her to receive the recognition and The seven-track set features collaborations Rose, a rising songwriter who has penned credibility she deserves in our world be- with Rauw Alejandro and Myke Tow- tracks for Daddy Yankee, Becky G and Jen- cause it’s hard to come in when you’ve been ers and is produced by Puerto Rican hit- nifer Lopez, co-wrote six out of the seven singing in English all your life.” maker Tainy, with whom she’s collaborated tracks on Revelación. “De Una Vez” was the “She’s breaking down boundaries and in the past on “I Can’t Get Enough” with J first one born for the project and was re- showing that it doesn’t matter if you’re born Balvin and Benny Blanco. leased earlier this year. “I was sitting on the and raised in Latin America to be able to “It’s a huge responsibility and an honor at floor in Tainy’s studio and crying my eyes sing in Spanish and eliminates the idea that the same time that she trusted me and my out. I was going through a breakup and I you’re not supposed to sing in Spanish if team to work on this,” Tainy says. “Selena thought, ‘How can I create a song where her you’re not a Latin artist,” Tainy adds. “Revel- Gomez is a superstar. She’s somebody that and I can understand each other although ación shows you that you can do whatever has amazing fans that really know her music we come from totally different worlds?’ It you want in music and just be free.” and know what she’s about. Now we’re div- has to be a universal song that all women ing into a totally different arena, and if it’s from around the world can identify with. So not done the right way, it can go south super that’s when ‘de una vez por todas, soy más Executive fast.” fuerte sola (I’m stronger alone)’ was born.” Gomez has performed in Spanish in Tainy adds: “’De Una Vez’ is one of those Turntable: Driift the past. In 2018, the songstress guested tracks that really represents Selena. She on DJ Snake’s “Taki Taki” alongside Ozu- sings about feelings and her tone is so amaz- Hires COO, na and Cardi B, which scored Gomez a No. ing that I wanted to embrace that on the 1 hit on both Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs song, because when you have something New Head of chart for 13 nonconsecutive weeks and the that’s too uptempo or too hard-knocking or Latin Rhythm Airplay chart for two straight drum-heavy, you probably wouldn’t appreci- Streaming at weeks. And, with her pop-rock tween ate her tone. I just wanted to focus on what band Selena Gomez & The Scene, she re- she’s saying.” Atlantic leased a few Spanish-language singles such Then came her second single, the as “Dices,” “Fantasma de Amor” and “Un Alejandro-assisted “Baila Conmigo,” a more BY CHRIS EGGERTSEN Año Sin Lluvia.” rhythmic pop tune penned by Barrera, Rose But Revelación is more than just a few and Floyd. “It’s the only song I participated riift, the livestream company translated-to-Spanish singles; it’s Gomez’s in, and when we were writing it, I remem- launched during the pandemic first tangible introduction to the Latin ber I asked, ‘Does she speak Spanish?’’ by Ric Salmon and Brian realm. “This has been something I’ve want- Barrera recalls. “I think when you’re writing Message, has named Claire ed to do for 10 years, working on a Spanish for someone who isn’t fluent in Spanish, DMas chief operating officer. project, because I’m so, so proud of my heri- you have to write songs with words that are Mas, who has been advising Driift since tage, and just genuinely felt like I wanted simple. So we wrote ‘baila baila baila con- August 2020, “has played an increasingly this to happen,” Gomez said in an interview migo, baila, baila que yo te sigo’ a hook that’s pivotal role in the expansion of Driift’s cre- with Apple Music. “And it happened, and I so catchy and easy for her English-speaking ative and commercial operations,” according feel like it’s the perfect timing.” fans to sing along to.” The track currently to a press release. With her guidance, the For her EP, she surrounded herself with sits at No. 6 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay company has sold nearly 500,000 livestream Latin creators — from Venezuelan singer- chart (dated March 13). tickets in nine months across more than songwriter Elena Rose to music video Singing in Spanish well was a priority 150 countries, promoting shows in iconic directors Los Perez and Nogari — to help for Selena, says Tainy, who worked on the buildings such as the Royal Albert Hall and bring to life a celebration of her Latin roots project remotely due to the ongoing coro- Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. Page 22 of 33

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Mas previously worked as head of be addressed” at the company while helping entertainment law firm, at a time when a digital at Island Records, where she make it “more efficient and effective,”- ac nationwide call for social justice reform and led campaigns for artists including Sig- cording to an email Greenwald sent to staff. increased corporate social responsibility rid, Mumford & Sons, Giggs, Ariana McMorrow previously ran Atlantic’s urban continue to impact the industry,” reads a Grande, Robyn and Hozier. Prior to that, sales department. press release. “Leaders across the country she led digital at Communion Music Group Both Posner and McMorrow report di- are calling for support of Black-owned busi- and launched Music Ally’s digital training rectly to Sinclair. nesses and professionals, to offer more di- business. She most recently worked as a Lyrics and music knowledge website Ge- verse options for representation. Naturally, marketing consultant advising clients in- nius has hired Miki Toliver King as its new since the firm is based in Atlanta, Georgia, cluding Platoon and DreamTeam, and man- president, beginning in the second quarter widely considered the center of African aged campaigns for artists including Prin- of 2021. She replaces Genius co-found- American culture, Carter + Woodard will cess Nokia and Victoria Monét. er Ilan Zechory in the role. play an integral role in that conversation.” Since launch, Driift has been behind tick- King will be responsible for driving the Clients at launch include Metro Boo- eted online shows for artists such as Nick company’s revenue, content and audience min, Lil Yachty and Summer Walker. Cave, Niall Horan, Andrea Bocelli, Laura operations and overseeing its B2B/B2C Steve Kline, COO of indie record Marling, Dermot Kennedy, Kylie Mi- marketing functions, working closely with label Better Noise Music, is expanding nogue, Courtney Barnett and Biffy Clyro. Genius co-founder and CEO Tom Lehman. his role to include leadership duties at the “Since formally launching Driift in August Zechory will remain on the Genius board label’s parent company, Better Noise En- 2020, Claire has played an absolutely pivotal of directors and continue being involved in tertainment. role in our successes - combining creative the company’s strategic plans. Retaining his COO title, Kline will lead zeal, commercial acumen and an innate King joins Genius from the Washington global streaming, radio and digital market- understanding of the digital landscape,” said Post, where she currently serves as chief ing teams across offices while also helping Salmon in a statement. “She’s an absolute marketing officer. Since joining the pub- oversee the larger company’s music, film, linchpin of our team, and we’re over the lisher in early 2016, she has helped drive the podcasts and other entertainment content moon to appoint her formally as COO as newspaper’s massive digital subscription initiatives. He will continue to report to Bet- we enter what’s going to be another hugely growth. ter Noise founder and CEO, Allen Kovac. exciting year filled with incredible shows.” Prior to that, King was executive vp, “As DSP’s and social platforms operate “It’s really inspiring to be at the heart of operations at Politico, where she launched globally, so does Better Noise,” said Kline creating a critical new format in the indus- the outlet’s first paid subscription product, in a statement. “Music is universal and try,” added Mas. “My background in digital Politico Pro, and created its sales training shouldn’t be localized or regionalized. I am means I love creating new opportunities in and talent acquisition teams. She started thrilled to assume this expanded role and an ever-changing environment, and it’s been her career leading business development to lead our artist development initiatives really enjoyable exploring the unknown. We and marketing teams at The Advisory Board within global streaming, digital and radio to believe passionately that this is a unique for- Company in Washington, D.C. before going new heights of success.” mat of the future, capable of tapping into the on to serve as director of business devel- “As we continue our global expansion, global dynamics of streaming while deliver- opment at the law firm Manatt, Phelps & there is no one better to oversee all of our ing all the value and excitement associated Phillips. radio and streaming teams in North Amer- with live performance.” King additionally serves on the board of ica, UK, Europe and ANZA,” added Better Dan Posner has been promoted to head the International Women in Media Founda- Noise Music president Dan Waite, whose of streaming at Atlantic Records, taking tion and the corporate advisory board of the hire was announced two weeks ago. over the role from Jack McMorrow, who nonprofit organization So Others Might Eat. Prior to joining Better Noise, Kline held has moved into the newly-created role of Veteran music and entertainment attor- senior promotions positions at major labels executive vp of special projects at the label. neys Uwonda Carter Scott and Donald M. including Geffen, RCA and Columbia. Posner has been with Atlantic for 15 years, Woodard have jointly formed the entertain- Billboard recently named Better Noise first in radio promotion and later stream- ment law firm Carter + Woodard out of Music the top mainstream rock label of the ing. He will work closely with vps of sales Atlanta. year for 2020. and streaming Angelique Jones and Matt Both Carter and Woodard bring more Sony Music Publishing has promot- Engelman. than 20 years of experience in the business ed Maree Hamblion to senior vp, interna- In his new role, McMorrow, a 35-year and entertainment law space to the new tional A&R. She was previously joint head veteran of the label, will work alongside firm. Attorney John E. Seay, also based in of A&R. Atlantic chairman and COO Julie Green- Atlanta, joins at launch as partner. Based out of the company’s Australia of- wald and general manager Paul Sinclair to “Carter + Woodard provides an option fice, Hamblion will lead efforts to sign and “be tackling a number of areas that need to of an African American-owned full service develop songwriters worldwide. Page 23 of 33

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During her tenure at the company, relationships with existing affiliates, pub- Stone before jumping to Interscope Geffen Hamblion has signed Australian and New lishers and administrators. He will be based A&M Records, where he worked alongside Zealand songwriters including Alex Hope, out of Atlanta and report to vp of creative, the A&R department. He pivoted to manage- Sarah Aarons, Jarryd James, Stan Walk- Atlanta, Catherine Brewton. ment in 2004 when he was hired at David er and Alex Wildwood. Wright most recently served as senior “Beno” Benveniste’s Velvet Hammer Music Hamblion will report to managing director of A&R at Epic Records, where he Management, where he worked with Def- director, Scandinavia and senior vp A&R, oversaw the development of artists includ- tones, Alice In Chains and Pepper while Europe Johnny Tennander and managing ing Kodie Shane and ADÉ. Before that, he overseeing the touring and merch business director, Australia Damian Trotter. was director of A&R at Warner Chappell, for the company’s roster. In 2014, he and his During over two decades at EMI Music where he signed DJ Durel, rapper Shy Gl- clients moved to Pat Magnarella Manage- Publishing’s Sydney office, which she joined izzy and songwriter/producer K-Major. ment. That company later re-launched as in 1995, Hamblion signed and worked with In his previous tenure at BMI, which he the full-service partnership GRNDVW, songwriters and artists including Divi- first joined in 2006 as associate director, which serves as the building block for the nyls, Jimmy Barnes, Joel Little, Lindsay Wright was instrumental in producing some new venture. Rimes and Ladyhawke. of the company’s signature events, includ- Sepulveda’s music business trajectory After EMI merged with Sony/ATV (now ing its “How I Wrote That Song” panels, the began with his work at the Vans Warped Sony Music Publishing) in 2012, Hamblion BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards and the Beat Tour. He later transitioned into manage- joined the latter company as a senior A&R Summit Showcases. His notable signings ment for punk band Pennywise. In 2007, manager. She was promoted to joint head of included Future, Metro Boomin, Young he worked alongside Larry Jacobson at A&R in 2015. Thug, Lil Yachty and Sonny Digital. In World Audience, handling day-to-day busi- Warner Chappell has promoted Micki 2011, he was named to Billboard’s 30 Under ness for Avenged Sevenfold. After teaming Stern to senior vp, clearance and sync 30 list of music executives. with Cory Brennan at 5B Artist Manage- licensing. Entertainment attorney Kim Young- ment, he ran Slipknot’s touring business In her new role, Stern will seek out berg has joined The Davis Firm as partner, and signed the acts Asking Alexandria, As new opportunities for Warner Chappell’s marking a reunion with founder Doug Da- I Lay Dying and Hollywood Undead. In songwriters to help drive the company’s vis, who she worked for as the first associate 2016, he ran an arena tour for Avenged licensing strategy. She will continue report- at Davis Shapiro. Sevenfold while simultaneously managing ing to executive vp and global synchroniza- After leaving Davis Shapiro, Youngberg Asking Alexandria. tion leader Rich Robinson and work closely joined indie record label Windup Entertain- Schon dipped her toe in the music busi- with senior vp of licensing Pat Woods. ment as senior vp business and legal affairs. ness via college internships at Virgin Re- Stern joined Warner Chappell in 2019 She later became general counsel for cinema cords and Sony BMG, which led to her work as vp of clearance and sync licensing after advertising company Screenvision Media. managing The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. She running her own music clearance company, In addition to her new position at The joined 5B Artist Management in 2010 and Micki Stern Music Services, for over a Davis Group, Youngberg has also joined quickly began managing day-to-day business decade. In the latter role, she worked with full-service music production compa- for Slipknot and Stone Sour while signing music supervisors, studios and independent ny DJDTP as chief legal officer, where she acts including Motionless In White and The companies to clear tracks for over 1,000 TV will oversee the company’s rights manage- Messenger Birds. She was also a key force episodes and 50 movies, including Insecure, ment. in launching the hard rock and heavy metal Pretty Little Liars, Vampire Diaries, This Is Veteran music managers Graham festival Knotfest. In 2019, she launched an Us and 13 Reasons Why. Martin, Diony Sepulveda and Kimberly independent management company, where Before that, Stern worked in roles at Schon have launched the new firm Grand- she added Lowlives to her roster. Universal Music, Soundtrack Music Associ- view Music. Martin will serve as CEO, Tom Foley has been promoted to senior ates and PolyGram Music Publishing. She Sepulveda will serve as president and Schon vp, worldwide portfolio management and won Best Music Supervision – Documen- will serve as executive vp. analysis at Sony Music Publishing out tary at the 2016 Guild of Music Supervisors At launch, Grandview’s roster in- of the company’s Nashville office. He was Awards. cludes Rise Against, The Story So previously vp, North American Royalty Byron Wright is returning to BMI as Far, Pepper, Quicksand, Bad Child, Milita- Administration in Nashville. executive director, creative, Atlanta in the rie Gun, Asking Alexandria, Motionless In Foley will be tasked with providing analy- R&B/hip-hop department, effective imme- White, Lowlives and The Messenger Birds. sis on the performance of the company’s diately. Wright previously spent a decade at The core focus of the firm will be artist investments and working with regional and the company. management, with additional services open- local management teams to maximize re- In the role, Wright will identify, sign ing up in the future. turns. He reports to Sony Music Publishing and develop new talent while maintaining Martin started his career at Rolling Global Chief Financial Officer Tom Kelly. Page 24 of 33

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In his previous role, Foley and his team Dre’s estimated net worth of $1 billion was implemented new technologies including Everything You “largely earned and amassed during the par- Real-Time Foreign accounting and Cash ties’ approximate 24-year marriage.” It notes Out. He joined Sony from EMI Music Pub- Need to Know that before they got married, Dre “demand- lishing, where he was hired in 1998, as vp of ed” that Nicole sign a prenup using “undue financial planning and analysis in 2013 fol- About Dr. Dre’s pressure,” leaving her “no choice but to do lowing Sony’s acquisition of the company. so.” It says she reluctantly signed it before Nashville-based music company and Divorce their May 25, 1996, wedding. publisher Creative Nation has hired Emily Then, two or three years after their mar- Furman as senior director, creative. BY GIL KAUFMAN riage, it claims Dre “tore up” the agreements Furman joins the company from Carnival in Nicole’s presence while acknowledging Music, where she spent more than 11 years he divorce of Dr. Dre and his wife that he knew his wife had signed them “as a in publishing and artist development. In her of 24 years, Nicole Young, has result of duress, coercion and undue influ- new role, she will help lead the publishing grown increasingly contentious ence and knew the terms of the agreement team, sign new talent and develop the exist- over the past few months. Both were patently unconscionable,” adding, ing roster. Tsides appear to be digging in for a battle “Andre also destroyed the agreements as a Nashville-based publicity firm 2911 Me- over the producer and Beats Electronics co- grand gesture of his love for Nicole and his dia has promoted Scott Sexton to director founder’s significant assets in the midst of desire to have a marriage free of any finan- of publicity and Logan DeLoye to publicity an unexpected health scare that landed Dre cial restrictions governing their respective manager. They were previously publicity (born Andre Romelle Young) in the hospi- rights and responsibilities.” According to the manager and media coordinator, respec- tal during the first week of January with a memo, Nicole never received a copy of the tively. reported brain aneurysm. original prenup and, at that point, still did Scott started his career as a freelance The back-and-forth began in June 2020 not have a copy. country music journalist writing for when Nicole Young, 50, filed for di- In September, according to People maga- outlets including CountryMusicReport. vorce from the mogul in Los Angeles Supe- zine, Nicole Young’s team filed a lawsuit com and CountryStarsCentral.com. For rior Court, citing irreconcilable differences claiming that the rapper “secretly” trans- seven years, he worked with Grand Ole Opry and seeking spousal support. The couple, ferred “valuable trademarks” that they joint- star Jack Greene. In June 2013, he created who married in 1996, have two children to- ly owned, including his rap moniker (“Dr. “Country for a Cause,” which raises money gether: 23-year-old son Truice and 19-year- Dre”) as well as the title of his smash 1992 for the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospi- old daughter Truly. solo album, The Chronic, after he allegedly tal at Vanderbilt every year. Dre’s attorneys filed a copy of what they kicked her out of their house in April. The Logan graduated from Middle Tennessee said was a prenup signed by the couple in lawsuit alleges that Dre registered a new State University in December 2019 with a late December, which notes that all the holding company and began transferring bachelor’s degree in journalism and com- property that they’ve acquired since their “highly valuable trademarks” in which he munications. She has written artist biogra- wedding is kept separately, but also that Ni- was listed as the sole owner shortly after Ni- phies, freelance articles and press releases cole did not waive her right to spousal sup- cole Young was “forced” to leave their home. for musicians and venues, handled social port. The latter has become the centerpiece Her lawyers claimed that they’ve demanded accounts for Nashville media outlets and of the dispute, with the sides so far unable to a return of the trademarks, but at that point filmed, edited and starred in broadcast news reach an agreement on an amount; attorneys Dre’s team had “failed and refused to do so.” stories in Tennessee. for both parties did not return requests for A Dec. 29, 2020, filing from Nicole’s law- comment at press time. yers requesting attorney fees and spousal One of the main points of contention in support in response to an earlier filing from the dispute is Dre’s claim that the prenup Dre — in which the producer’s attorneys they signed is still enforceable; Nicole asked the court to deny her request for an Young’s team claims the rapper/producer immediate release of $1.5 million for attor- ripped the document up, thus invalidating ney’s fees in light of the producer claiming it. In the meantime, legal wrangling has that he continued to pay for all of Nicole’s continued on the topics of attorney’s fees living expenses — began, “Andre has the un- and spousal support. mitigated gall of requesting that this Court According to a memorandum attached to ignore the unambiguous statutory and case a request for a hearing to test the validity law applicable to the issuance of temporary and enforceability of the prenup filed in orders for spousal support pursuant to Fam- August 2020 by Nicole Young’s attorney, ily Code, Section 3600.” Page 25 of 33

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The code states that during a divorce in either respect.” They also claim that there proceeding the court may order “either is “undisputed, reliable evidence” that both ASCAP Preps spouse to pay any amount that is neces- sides’ status quo expenses are more than $2 sary for the support of the other spouse,” million a month. Latin, Pop, Screen with Nicole’s attorneys claiming that, “In a “Andre’s convoluted and contrived odys- transparent effort to confuse the issues and sey of his income and marital standard of and Rhythm avoid his straightforward obligations, An- living should be completely disregarded,” dre inundates this Court with a mishmash they continue. “To do otherwise would be & Soul Music of irrelevant legal and factual assertions that to ignore the law in California.” In another are applicable only to permanent spousal section, Nicole’s lawyers claim that Dre’s Awards: See support, not temporary spousal support.” analysis of his income “intentionally yields The filing claims that Dre is advocating artificially depressed numbers... designed to Dates for a “wrong legal standard” that would allow Andre to skirt his obligations to pay “greatly reduce” the support amount to the appropriate amount of spousal support.” BY LEILA COBO a proposed $81,000 a month, “which is As evidence it says that Dre operates a num- literally 7.8% of the $645,000 per month” ber of “closely-held businesses for which he SCAP will return to a social the couple spent on entertainment. ET re- can easily artificially reduce his income ‘on media format for its spring 2021 ported that court documents revealed paper’” while also allegedly excluding mil- season of music awards. that Nicole Young was seeking $1,936,399 lions of dollars in investment income from The performance rights orga- in monthly spousal support and attorney’s his team’s financial analysis. nizationA will kick off this year’s award sea- fees that added up to $5 million. Accord- A Jan. 6, 2021, spousal support proceed- son with the ASCAP Latin Music Awards, ing to a TMZ report, in the midst of his ing noted that a “stipulation has been which will be celebrated across four days, hospitalization, Dre. agreed to pay Nicole reached between the parties,” which will be from March 22-25, on ASCAP’s social media Young a one-time payment of $2 million submitted to the court, signifying that they’d channels. in temporary spousal support, though not reached what appears to be a temporary, They will be followed by the ASCAP Pop the reported additional $5 million to cover confidential settlement covering spousal Music Awards April 12 – 15; the ASCAP attorney’s fees; the next hearing in their support and attorney’s fees; the matter was Screen Music Awards May 17 – 20; and the divorce is slated for April. Dre has report- continued until an April 14 court date. ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards: June edly been paying nearly $300,000 a month After his hospitalization, Dre rested up at 21 – 25. in temporary support to Nicole. home, and photos popped up of the produc- The Latin music awards will be hosted In one of the more pointed statements in er back in the studio. by Colombian singer, rapper and song- the December filing from Nicole Young’s According to a TMZ report published writer Farina, who will lead several days of lawyers, they write, “In a desperate effort Thursday (March 11), Nicole was just programming that allow every winner the to woefully underpay his wife, he may be denied a restraining order against her chance to share a personal speech, perfor- inadvertently revealing one of his biggest se- estranged husband. According to the report, mance, photo or video with an unlimited crets: he really isn’t a billionaire and that he Nicole requested an emergency domestic audience. has deliberately overstated his wealth to his violence restraining order due to lyrics in Due to Covid, format will be replicated in fans and his friends to stroke his own ego.” an unreleased song in which Dre allegedly all four Spring awards. One of the central arguments laid out in the calls his ex a “greedy bi—-” and accuses her “While we look toward a future when filing is a claim that Nicole Young is entitled of perjury. we can all be together again in person, it is to “Pendente Lite” spousal support, which The next hearing on the court docket is important for us to continue to find strength calls for maintaining “the parties’ standards set for April 14. and community every way that we can,” said of living in as close as possible to the pre- ASCAP chairman of the board and president separation status quo, pending trial.” Paul Williams in a statement. “The ASCAP However, according to Nicole’s lawyers, Awards are a wonderful opportunity to cel- “Andre can afford to litigate Nicole into the ebrate the music that is getting us through ground, while continuing to enjoy his status today’s challenges.” quo lifestyle in the lap of luxury... Nicole has The ASCAP Awards recognize the song- not had the same luxury since separation. writers, composers and publishers of the Andre has starved her of funds, has forced most performed songs and scores of the past her to choose between this litigation and year in multiple music genres. Major awards the maintenance of her status quo lifestyle, include Songwriter, Song and Publisher of and she has found it impossible to keep up the Year Page 26 of 33

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understand why today it is or continues to Gail Mitchell, and a roundtable discussion Carlos Vives Talks be a power within urban music.” about Black women in Music in 2020 with On cumbia’s global impact: “I believe that hip-hop editor Carl Lamarre and staff writer Cumbia’s Magic at cumbia stayed around the world because Heran Mamo. it has an American heart, a native heart, Trevor Noah will host the 63rd annu- 2021 Midem Latin and the arrival of Europe and the African al Grammys, with performances from Dua fusions, that gave cumbia a unique endemic Lipa, Roddy Ricch and Taylor Swift, all American Forum sound in its origin. There’s something that of whom received six nominations this connects us as Americans, from Alaska to year. Bad Bunny, Black Pumas, Cardi B, BY JESSICA ROIZ Patagonia, that culture of ours that we carry BTS, Brandi Carlile, DaBaby, Doja Cat, Bil- in our brood from the Andean cultures, from lie Eilish, Mickey Guyton, Haim, Brittany arlos Vives continues educating the original cultures, from the first emigra- Howard, Miranda Lambert, Lil Baby, Chris his fans on cumbia music, joining tions to this American continent, there’s Martin, John Mayer, Megan Thee Stallion, the 2021 Midem Latin American something of that spirituality that’s in Maren Morris, Post Malone, Harry Styles Forum on Friday (March 12). cumbia. That’s why it stays with people.” and Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak’s Silk CDuring the nearly 40-minute virtual On the new generation of artists: “We all Sonic are also slated to perform. event, moderated by Joel Moya, Remezcla’s have our talents, our virtues, our paths, but The 63rd annual Grammy Awards will air director of artists and label relations, the I think that cultivating, understanding the live on Sunday (Mar. 14) at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. Colombian artist opened up about his roots, territory, understanding our continent, our PT on CBS, Paramount+ and Grammy.com. the evolution of Latin and Colombian music, relationship with Europe, our true identity Online viewers can also stream CBS with and the growing impact it has globally today, will give us many tools, it always gives us free trials on fuboTV and Sling TV. Bill- amongst other topics. tools for creativity. In the end, this is a job board may receive affiliate commission “We can create, from our music, our of surprising, this is a job of being creative, through links on our site. identity, from our things, something very this is a game. The new generation can’t be original and new but attaching it to some- afraid of culture. We need that story, that thing very old,” Vives said, referring to his essence, to be creative.” T-Pain Is Latin Grammy-winning album Cumbiana. “Folklore for me is not something from ‘Unapologetic’ the past but more like a living being that is Finneas, Mickey mutating.” About His Below, read more highlights from Mi- Guyton & More dem’s “Artist talk with Carlos Vives.” Signature Auto- On being from Santa Marta, Colom- Set For Billboard bia: “It’s a mix of culture and stories. We Tune in New Ad are educated under the bolero regime. News Grammys Later, Mexican music also came to us very BY HERAN MAMO strongly. But since we are a banana planta- Pre-Show tion, we also received music from Europe, ny hip-hop fan who has gone North America, the Caribbean coast. We are BY GIL KAUFMAN clubbing in the 2000s definitely a mix of things. Latin American music, in fell under the spell of the T- general.” efore the big show kicks off on Pain effect. He earned his stripes On the origins of cumbia: “Cumbia is the Sunday night (March 14), Bill- asA a pioneer, with his crystallized voice Colombia tropic, it’s what we call Bajo Mag- board News will throw its 2021 that’s equal parts smooth like a crooner and dalena, although, in reality, it’s much more. Grammys pre-show party featur- stiff like a robot by way of Auto-Tune. Our rivers, especially the Magdalena, have Bing interviews with Finneas, Mickey Guy- Those doubting if T-Pain could actually these characteristics where we find the first ton, Andrew Watt and Ingrid Andress. sing without Auto-Tune had their question origins of cumbia, which are of Chimilas ori- The show, hosted by Jordyn Rolling, will answered once they watched his 2014 NPR gins, of cultures that we can say Andean but air at 7:00 p.m. ET on Billboard’s Twitter Tiny Desk concert, which has amassed of the ‘flat land’ from the tropics, from the feed ahead of the 63rd annual Grammy more than 20 million views on YouTube. But valleys of the great rivers at the foot of the Awards. It will feature predictions from the voice behind the Billboard Hot 100 No. great mountains, there’s cumbia. Cumbia senior director of music Jason Lipshutz, 1 hit “Buy U A Drank (Shawty Snappin’)” had its origin and knowing the nature of a state of R&B segment with the maga- isn’t highlighted in his new Ruffles commer- that origin of everything that occurred, we zine’s executive director of R&B/hip-hop cial, which will air during the 63rd annual Page 27 of 33

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Grammy Awards telecast on Sunday. album Graduation. But hip-hop purists like tions of the tool I had, and then to have him The spot features Lakers player Anthony Jay-Z thought Auto-Tune had a good run, evolve the actual plugins to where you can Davis and Internet personality King Bach believing the pitch-correction technology do more with it. And you can humanize contemplating what Ruffles would be like was becoming more of a vocal crutch than things and add vibrato to straight notes. ... It without the chip’s notorious ridges. “It’d be a melody-driven tool. “Get back to rap, became a lot, so I don’t expect anybody to go like T-Pain without Auto-Tune,” Bach tells you T-Pain’n too much,” Hov rapped on as in-depth as I did. So it’s not really a craft, Davis before finding themselves in the stu- “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)” in 2009. But and I think that’s what separated me from dio, stunned by T-Pain’s chipmunk-pitched that didn’t stop T-Pain in his tracks — no everybody else that uses it because who’s vocals. one did. gonna do that? Nobody else is gonna do that. Over Zoom ahead of the broadcast “And the crazy thing is one of the first They’re gonna go into the studio, they’re premiere of Ruffles’ Own Your Ridges ad, artists that used it was one of the people gonna sing something, slap Auto-Tune on it, T-Pain tells Billboard: “It’s about owning ev- that told me to stop using it. That was the boom! There you go.” erything that makes you unique and makes craziest thing in the world,” he laughs while For his upcoming album Precious Stones, you you and being unapologetic about it. So remaining tight-lipped about the identity of T-Pain plans to dig deeper into himself it’s about everything that I’ve been doing the artist. “I didn’t understand that, but I see as an artist. His explanation of mining for a long time. Like when you bring up why. You’re trying to get me out the way so for actual precious stones — “The deeper Auto-Tune and stuff like that, I didn’t apolo- that you can be the only one using it. That’s you go, the more vibrant the colors get, the gize for that. I kept going, I kept pushing, not happening. I know what’s going on. But more complex the cuts get” — sounds like regardless of how much backlash I got for that’s just the nature of the business.” a scene straight out of the Safdie Brothers’ it, regardless how much praise other people For other artists who have pioneered their 2019 film Uncut Gems. But he compares the got for it above me.” own sound or made their sound increasingly process to someone discovering deep cuts The two-time Grammy-winning rapper’s popular, T-Pain encourages them to believe by their favorite artists or new artists alto- participation in the campaign aligns with their ideas are good, especially good enough gether. “If you look for different music that the rapper-singer’s commitment to his sig- for others to imitate. “Don’t be the first one you’ve never heard before, you’ll find those nature sound regardless of the love or hate to stop doing it because it’s gonna leave precious stones that you didn’t know you he got for it during his residency in the top room for them to take over,” he adds. But needed,” he says. 10 of the Hot 100, where he notched 15 hits when it comes to Auto-Tune’s continued use That’s how T-Pain stumbled upon Jacob in the span of five years. But had he listened in melodic rapping among today’s hottest Collier, the 26-year-old instrumentalist to the haters, those hits might not have kept stars like Roddy Ricch and Lil Durk, T-Pain wunderkind who’s up for album of the coming. doesn’t believe it’s “a craft to stay true to” year at the 2021 Grammys for his al- “What I was led to believe was that I nor the primary component that makes his bum Djesse Vol. 3 on Sunday. He recruited didn’t have a good idea. This was a bad idea. sound his own. T-Pain and Jessie Reyez on his song “Count Even other artists, big artists, were telling “It’s more of the person behind it, and the People” from the album, and T-Pain me, ‘Stop. Don’t do that anymore. Nobody’s that’s what really makes the sound. Auto- says it’s a “dream come true” to work with gonna like that on your next song. You can’t Tune kinda just adds the flair to every- Collier. do that for two songs; you can’t have two thing that I’m doing, so the songwriting, “I don’t understand that man’s brain,” he songs with that same effect on. You got to do the subject matter, the context, the music chuckles. “I stumbled upon him on YouTube something different. Get off of that,’” T-Pain behind all that, the different harmonies that about four or five years ago. And anytime recalls. “I was like, ‘Nah, I like this a lot. I’m we learned along the way. Harmonies evolve people came into my studio, when they were gonna keep doing this.’” and harmonies really tell a story on their asking me about harmonies or anything like T-Pain walked so other artists like Chris own,” he explains. “I wouldn’t say Auto- that, I would go straight to YouTube and go Brown (“Kiss Kiss”), Snoop Dogg (“Sexual Tune itself has changed, I would say just the straight to Jacob’s videos. So having his team Eruption”) and Lil Wayne (“Lollipop”) people behind it have.” reach out to mine for us to work together ... could run with the Auto-Tune effect he “I don’t think it was ever a craft stayed oh my God, it’s a dream come true. ... This helped popularize. He even said in an in- true to. I took it upon myself to go beyond, guy, he’s just so incredible. And to have him terview that Diddy paid him royalties for to really study, and I don’t expect anybody include me in his incredibleness and be on his use of Auto-Tune on the 2010 Diddy- else to do that because that was a bi—-,” he the same project as people like Ty Dolla $ign Dirty Money studio album Last Train to continues with a laugh, “trying to get in con- and my other favorite artists, I can’t thank Paris. T-Pain also served as a consultant on tact with [the engineer who invented Auto- him enough.” Kanye West’s experimental, groundbreak- Tune] Dr. Andy Hildebrand as a nobody, ing 2008 opus 808s & Heartbreak, and the trying to talk to him and see how seismic two won a Grammy that year for best rap data works, really trying to figure out what I song for “Good Life” from West’s previous was using and what was the actual limita- Page 28 of 33

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Dion Brownfield. “It feels really special that both solo and with the eponymous Michael Thelma Plum’s my Yolngu Matha lyrics are getting this kind Stanley Band — soared 1,018% in the days of recognition,” he enthused. following his death. From March 6, the day ‘Better In Blak’ Ruel, the teenage winner of the 2018 Stanley’s passing was announced, through ARIA breakthrough artist award, rounds out March 8, streams totaled 429,000 listens, up Wins Vanda the top three with, “Painkiller.” The Syd- from 38,000 streams in the previous three- ney singer and songwriter snags A$5,000 day period (March 3-5). & Young ($3,800) courtesy of Aon. Additionally, digital sales of Stanley’s Meanwhile, the AMPAL Emerging songs jumped to 4,000 March 6-8, up Songwriting Songwriter Prize goes to Western Aus- 2,109% from a negligible amount March tralian newcomer Carla Geneve for “The 3-5. And in terms of album sales, Stanley’s Comp Right Reasons.” Geneve scores A$5,000 and catalog saw 1,000 sold March 6-8, a boost of follows in the footsteps of Mallrat, Kaiit 2,623% from March 3-5. BY LARS BRANDLE and other winners of the award, previously On a song level, “He Can’t Love You” known as the Unpublished prize. leads all Stanley compositions with 43,000 helma Plum takes out the 2020 For this year’s competition, more streams in the March 6-8 tracking frame, Vanda & Young Songwriting than 4,000 entries from songwriters in 46 followed by “My Town” with 33,000 Competition for “Better In countries were submitted. Applicants pay streams. Blak.” a fee of A$50 per entry, raising A$203,000 Further gains for Stanley’s music could TThe Gamilaraay singer and songwrit- ($157,000) for Nordoff-Robbins Music be reflected on the Billboard charts dated er scoops the A$50,000 ($38,000) cash Therapy Australia. March 20. prize, courtesy of APRA AMCOS, Alberts Now in its 12th year, the contest has con- Stanley, the frontman and guitarist for and BMG, and becomes the first Indigenous tributed over A$1.4 million ($1.08 million) to the Michael Stanley Band, died March 5 winner. good causes. after being diagnosed with lung cancer last Plum’s inspirational song has resonated A music industry panel decided winners year. The Cleveland, Ohio, native and his in the land Down Under since its release in of the prize, which takes its name from the band were especially popular in the Mid- April 2019. The song was shortlisted in the iconic songwriters and founding members west, though his music also found its way to APRA and ARIA song of the year categories of The Easybeats, Harry Vanda and the late the Billboard charts, with seven Billboard Hot and came in at No. 9 in the triple j Hottest George Young. 100 appearances between 1981 and 1984, led 100 countdown. Previous winners have included Matt by the No. 33-peaking “He Can’t Love You” in Its parent album placed second in the tri- Corby and Dann Hume in 2019 for “Miracle January 1981. “In the Heartland” was also a ple j album of the year listeners poll in 2019, Love,” Amy Shark (2018), Gretta Ray (2016), top 10 on the Mainstream Rock Airplay tally, was shortlisted for the prestigious Austra- Husky Gawenda (2014), Isabella Manfredi peaking at No. 6 in August 1981, and seven lian Music Prize, and scored the Brisbane- (2013), Kimbra (2011) and one of this year’s Stanley albums hit the Billboard 200, includ- based artist six ARIA Award nominations, top 10 runners-up, Megan Washington. ing four in the top 100. winning for best cover art. “Feeling so honored that ‘Better in Blak’ has won the Vanda & Young competition,” Michael Stanley The Players she wrote on social media after her name was called out. Plum also gave “heartfelt Streams Soar Behind Cardi B’s thanks” to her co-writers Alex Burnett and Oli Horton “for their creativity and to every- Following Rocker’s ‘Up’: See the Full one who connected to a song that is deeply personal, written when I was feeling very Death Credits alone. I don’t feel alone today.” Baker Boy, the one-time young Austra- BY KEVIN RUTHERFORD BY CHRIS EGGERTSEN lian of the year, takes second spot with “Meditjin” and is the first prize recipient treams and sales of the catalog of ardi B’s latest single “Up” re- to include lyrics in a language other than heartland rocker Michael Stan- mained at No. 2 on the Billboard English. ley skyrocketed after his March 5 Hot 100 this week, its third week A Yolngu man, Baker Boy (real name death, seeing four-digit-percentage in the runner-up spot. Danzal Baker) paid tribute to his co-writers Sgains, according to MRC Data. CThe track, which represents the rapper’s JessB, Jerome Farah, Dallas Woods and U.S. on-demand streams of his output — ninth top 10 hit on the Hot 100, was again Page 29 of 33

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prevented from top-dog status thanks to participants rather than exchanged in a Olivia Rodrigo’s eight-week No. 1 “Driv- This Year’s suite, as is typical. ers License,” though it did crown both Grammy Awards host Trevor Noah is the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Grammy Gift Bag also represented in the bags via a Bonfire Songs charts for a third time this week. and Trevor Noah Foundation collabora- Explore the team of musicians, producers, Is Stocked With tion that features a T-shirt and tote bag set. engineers and more behind the track with Featuring designs by South African artists recording credits provided by Jaxsta below. Inclusive Swag... and currently for sale by the Trevor Noah Artists: Foundation on Bonfire.com, 100 percent Main Artist - Cardi B And Flamin’ Hot of proceeds help the Trevor Noah Founda- Songwriters: tion in its mission of bringing education to Composer Lyricist - Belcalis Almanzar Chips children in South Africa. Composer Lyricist - Edis Selmani With dozens of products included, it’s a Composer Lyricist - James D. Steed BY CHRIS GARDNER challenge to list them all, but highlights in- Composer Lyricist - Jordan Thorpe clude: luxury tea essentials from Cup of Té, Composer Lyricist - Joshua Baker istinctive Assets founder Lash a tea company founded by Taylor Lindsay- Composer Lyricist - Matthew “Sean Island” Fary, a swag veteran who has Noel, a disabled Black entrepreneur who Allen curated the Grammy Awards was a world-class gymnast in her teens be- Producers: gift bag for 22 years, said the fore a life-altering accident; handmade bath Producer - DJ SwanQo DRecording Academy wanted this year’s and body products from luxury brand Hotsy Producer - Sean Island offerings (gifted to performers and present- Totsy Haus, a company founded by deaf sin- Producer - Yung Dza ers) to reflect the current times. gle mother Christi Leonardi; pumpkin and Production Team: What they will get is the Grammys’ most peanut butter handmade dog cookies from A&R Administration - Aryanna Platt inclusive and diverse gift bags to-date, “rep- Wags Cookies made by Emily Ainsworth, A&R Direction - Lanre Gaba resenting companies owned and operated who battles dysautonomia and chronic pain; Engineers: by individuals across race, ethnicity, sexual and HGC Apparel’s “Respect Protect Love Engineer - Evan LaRay orientation, gender, age, persons with dis- the Black Woman” scarf, which serves as a Masterer - Colin Leonard abilities and beyond.” It’s a gesture Fary said celebration of Black culture from founder Mixer - Leslie Brathwaite his team has been naturally shifting toward Marcia Smith. Plus, PETA partnered with Labels: over the past five or so years as companies Save the Duck for a high-tech, down-free Distributor - Warner Music Group and brands have centered social responsibil- vegan coat; Once Upon a Blume’s Change Label - Atlantic Records ity. Maker Village, an anti-racist children’s book Explore the full “Up” credits on Jax- While many of the goods and products whose sales support the NAACP; and Unis sta here. inside come from BIPOC-led brands, others Brand’s 3D-printed sneakers that feature come from corporations that have made entirely recycled materials like water bottles philanthropic commitments to relevant and refurbished linens. causes. For example, inside the bag re- “Giving gifts is always a lovely thing, even cipients will find new Ruffles Flamin’ Hot in the worst of times,” Fary explains. “With BBQ potato chips. Ruffles owner Pepsico the coronavirus pandemic, systemic racism recently committed $400 million as part of a and the Black Lives Matter movement, five-year plan to advance and support Black there’s so much going on in the world, it communities. would be irresponsible of us to put together Fary declined to specify the value of the a gift bag for a global music event like the gift bags and would only say that the “real Grammys and not acknowledge what’s value is that we’re elevating and shining a happening in the world. … From the outside light on these diverse brands.” He would say looking in, it looks like an amazingly fun gift that the value is commensurate with previ- bag, and then when you look closer, it’s so ous years and that close to 100 will be doled heartwarming.” out to VIPs. (WWD reported that the bags This article was originally published are valued at more than $5,000 each.) And by The Hollywood Reporter. speaking of delivery, to honor COVID-19 protocols and keep contact at a minimum, the bags will be delivered or mailed to show Page 30 of 33

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the hour-long show from the Troubadour show. Outlets will be stationed in “media Yungblud in Los Angeles kicked off with the punk pods,” or on platforms, separated by parti- pop Weird! album track “Clarity,” which tions. Celebrates One segued into a bit with Lil Huddy in which There will be far fewer bodies, too. In a Yungblud tortured a marketing staffer from typical year, stretched across 600 feet of red Year of Lockdown his label by giving him a one-minute punk carpet, it was common for some outlets to makeover, as well as a blindfolded cooking have several staffers. This year, they’re per- With All-Star segment with KSI. mitted only three — the host, their camera MGK then dropped in for a raucous duet operator and one tech liaison. Another area Anniversary on “I Think I’m Okay,” while Lavigne sang for photography, including a step-and-re- an unplugged “I’m With You” duet with the peat wall that will give the look of a regular Livestream host and Renforshort got a solo spotlight for event, will welcome four shutterbugs in lieu her 2020 song “I Drive Me Mad.” of the typical 30. Talent will pose from 15 BY GIL KAUFMAN The party ended with Lee on drums and feet away, and insiders will notice the lack Navarro shredding on guitar as Yungblud of entourages — as artists are only allowed a ungblud was one of the first art- sprayed champagne and strutted along to “3 plus-one. Personal publicists also are off the ists to embrace the pandemic Strange Days” by beloved early 1990s L.A. list, with CBS and Academy flacks serving as livestream model when the alt-rock band School of Fish. escorts. world went into lockdown a year Watch the show below. Before giving the green light to a red ago.Y carpet, the academy, CBS and show produc- So, on Thursday night (March 11) he did ers worked with a group of medical advisers what he’s been doing since last March: he 2021 Grammys for several months to prepare COVID-19 threw a virtual killer party with a bunch of protocols. Those include mandatory testing his A-list friends to celebrate the anniver- Red Carpet Will and face masks, health questionnaires and sary of “The Yungblud Show Live.” screenings, social distancing, ever-present The YouTube Music Nights livestream Still Include sanitation crews, and face shields for anyone was a benefit for the NIVA Emergency coming within 10 to 15 feet of artists. “At Relief Fund — which supports independent Photographers & every single turn, we have protocols in venues across the nation — with assists place to ensure that people are being safe,” from Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee Reporters: Here’s says Lourdes Lopez Patton, vp communi- and Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navar- cations at The Recording Academy. “After ro, as well as a duet with Avril Lavigne and How the year we’ve had, providing a little piece a drop-in from Blud’s good buddy Machine of celebration is very important — but it’s Gun Kelly. BY CHRIS GARDNER also of utmost importance to keep everyone The singer also roped in appearances healthy.” from Lil Huddy and KSI as part of the hen the Grammy The 63rd annual Grammy Awards will air Samsung Galaxy Thursday weekly series Awards return to Los live on Sunday (March 14) at 8 p.m. ET/5 spotlighting emerging artists. Angeles on Sunday, they’ll p.m. PT on CBS, Paramount+ and Grammy. In a statement recalling his first lockdown arrive with the first major com. Online viewers can also stream CBS livestream a year ago this week, Yungblud (albeitW very limited) red carpet experience with free trials on fuboTV and Sling TV. said, “This was a monumental moment in the city has seen in a full year. (Billboard may receive affiliate commission my career. It became bigger than any of us Five outlets have been credentialed to through links on our site.) ever anticipated. I’m craving to get back on work the carpet outside Staples Center This article was originally published stage every single day and can’t wait to do (next door to the L.A. Convention Center), by The Hollywood Reporter. this with some incredible guests. It’s been where crews will conduct in-person inter- so hard for independent venues. I wanted views with performers, participants and to partner with NIVA because independent nominees. The confirmed outlets: Entertain- venues are the backbone of the music in- ment Tonight (with host Kevin Frazier), E! dustry and give young artists the chance to (Live From E! hosted by Giuliana Ran- have their music heard. everyone has been cic), People and Entertainment Weekly (Red missing a rock n roll show, I think it’s about Carpet Live hosted by Janine Rubenstein time we gave them one!” and Jeremy Parsons), The Associated Press Wearing a red suit with hair to match, and the Recording Academy’s official pre- Page 31 of 33

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While mainstream R&B/hip-hop stations Albert Hype, Jota Rosa and NEON16. The H.E.R.’s ‘Damage’ supply most of the “Damage” audience, the track previews Gomez’s first Spanish-lan- track does get a supportive stream of listen- guage EP, Revelación, which is out Friday. Controls ers from adult R&B stations. On the Adult R&B Airplay chart, “Damage” holds at its Mainstream R&B/ No. 15 peak thus far, though it improved 21% G-Eazy’s ‘Provide’ Hip-Hop Airplay in plays in the week ending March 13. Takes Off on Chart Selena Gomez & Triller, Rules Top

BY TREVOR ANDERSON Rauw Alejandro’s Triller U.S. &

fter she began with stron- ‘Baila Conmigo’ Global Charts ger success at the adult R&B format, H.E.R. caps a transi- Hits Latin Airplay BY KEVIN RUTHERFORD tion to mainstream R&B radio audiencesA as “Damage” climbs from No. Top 10 -Eazy’s “Provide” is the latest 4 to top the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Triller Airplay chart. BY PAMELA BUSTIOS U.S. and Top Triller Glob- The track leads the list dated March 13 al charts, ruling the tallies dated as it surged 17% in plays in the week ending elena Gomez grabs her second GMarch 13. March 7 to become the radio format’s most- top 10 on Billboard’s Latin Air- The Top Triller U.S. and Top Triller played song of the week, according to MRC play chart as “Baila Conmigo,” Global charts highlight the biggest songs Data. with Rauw Alejandro, surges 13-6 on Triller based on a formula blending the “Damage” is H.E.R.’s second No. 1 on the Son the March 13 survey. The track ascends amount of views of videos containing a survey, but first as lead artist. She previously with a 16% gain in audience impressions, to respective songs, the level of engagement reigned as a guest act on Jhene Aiko’s “B.S,” 7 million, earned in the week ending March with those videos and the raw total of videos a five-week champ in December – January. 7, according to MRC Data. uploaded featuring each song, according to As a lead, her prior best was the No. 3 show- “Baila Conmigo” is Selena’s first fully Triller. Data for the charts is represented on ing of “Slide,” featuring YG, last April. Spanish-language track to arrive in the list’s a Friday-Thursday tracking week, with the The rise to No. 1 wraps one of the longer top 10. DJ Snake’s bilingual “Taki Taki,” latest period running Feb. 26-March 4. journeys to the summit in the chart’s his- where she is featured alongside Ozuna and “Provide,” which features Chris tory. “Damage” arrives on top in its 18th Cardi B, earned her a first No. 1 as it landed Brown and Mark Morrison (and includes week on the list, just the 15th song of 383 atop Latin Airplay in 2018. an interpolation of Morrison’s 1997 Bill- leaders that has required at least that much Rauw Alejandro, meanwhile, collects his board Hot 100 No. 2 hit “Return of the time to reach No. 1 since the chart began in fifth top 10, three of which have led the tally Mack”), crowns both lists after debuting at 1992. Lengthier waits, though, have become for one week: “TBT,” with Sebastian Yatra Nos. 4 and 12 on the U.S. and Global rank- more common in recent years, with seven of and Manuel Turizo (July 2020), “Tattoo,” ings dated March 6, respectively. the 18-plus week waits occurring in or after with Camilo (Sept. 2020), and “La Nota,” According to Triller, the week’s biggest 2016. with Manuel Turizo and Myke Towers (Jan. upload on Triller featuring the song was Gains in weekly plays at the R&B/hip-hop 13-dated chart). courtesy of Charli D’Amelio, whose Feb. 24 radio sector translate directly into helping Elsewhere, “Baila Conmigo” remains video has 2.9 million views to date. Charli’s “Damage” rise 4-3 on the R&B/Hip-Hop at No. 7 on the Hot Latin Songs chart sister Dixie’s Feb. 23 video with “Provide” Airplay chart, which measures audience for a third week despite a slip in streams was the second biggest at 1 million plays, totals from both adult and mainstream-lean- and sales, after its No. 4 debut and peak and the sisters’ mom Heidi was third ing monitored stations. The single’s bump (Feb. 13-dated survey). It dips 7-9 on Latin (161,000, uploaded Feb. 23). comes as it picked up 17% to 17.4 million in Streaming Songs with an 11% decline in “Provide” debuted at No. 64 on the Hot audience in the week ending March 13. With streams, to 4 million clicks, earned in the 100 dated Feb. 20. In the latest streaming the boost, “Damage” comes within one spot week ending March 4. It concurrently falls tracking period corresponding with the of tying H.E.R.’s best result on the R&B/ 4-9 on Latin Digital Song Sales with 47% March 13-dated charts, the song rose 10% Hip-Hop Airplay chart, currently held by drop in downloads. to 3.6 million U.S. streams on providers like “B.S.” and its No. 2 peak. “Baila Conmigo” was produced by Tainy, Spotify, Apple Music and more, according to Page 32 of 33

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MRC Data. It’s also continued to rise at radio, NIUM’s last two entries became his first two Also on Top Gospel Albums, worship reaching No. 19 on Rhythmic Airplay. No. 1s: “Nightlight” (November 2020) and music collective Maverick City Music’s Ju- “Takeaway,” with The Chainsmokers and bilee enters at No. 2 (2,000 units), awarding featuring Lennon Stella (November 2019). the act its seventh top 10. It arrives on Top Lodato & Bright Shifting to Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, Christian Albums at No. 14. Joel Corry, RAYE and David Guetta’s “Bed” Jubilee follows Move Your Heart, Maver- Sparks Top is the chart’s highest debut at No. 15. Corry’s ick City Music’s collaboration with Upper- fourth charted title and RAYE’s 10th, “Bed” room. The latter began at No. 1 on Top Gos- Dance/Mix Show is Guetta’s 51st, a sum second only to Kygo’s pel Albums in February with 2,000 units, 52 for the most since the survey began in marking each act’s first leader on the list. On Airplay Chart January 2013. “Bed” posted 1.5 million U.S. Top Christian Albums, it reached No. 15. streams and sold 500 downloads in the Over on the Gospel Airplay chart, Pastor With ‘Good Thing’ tracking week ending March 4. Mike Jr. earns his second straight career- The song also starts at No. 29 on Dance/ opening leader as “I Got It” ascends 2-1. BY GORDON MURRAY Mix Show Airplay. It follows Corry’s nine- The artist (full name: Mike McClure Jr.) week reign with his MNEK collab “Head and pastor of The Rock Church in Birming- odato and Bright Sparks hit No. 1 & Heart” last summer/fall and Guetta’s ham, Ala., co-wrote the song. It follows on Billboard’s Dance/Mix Show single-week stint at the summit with his Sia his launch single “Big,” which dominated Airplay chart (dated March 13) team-up “Let’s Love” in November. Gospel Airplay for 10 weeks beginning last with “Good Thing.” It’s Queens, February. LNew York, native Lodato’s second topper, following “Home” in November 2019, and Israel & New the first for Bright Sparks, the English duo Alfredo Olivas of Ash Hicklin and Kimmy Sawford. Breed, Pastor “Good Thing” is scoring core-dance Scores Second airplay from outlets including at leaders Mike Jr. Score SiriusXM’s BPM, KMVQ-HD2 San Fran- No. 1 on Regional cisco and WCPY Chicago, according to MRC No. 1s on Gospel Data. (The Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart Mexican Airplay measures radio airplay on a select group of Charts full-time dance stations, along with plays Chart With ‘Yo during mix shows on nearly 80 top 40-for- BY JIM ASKER matted reporters.) Todo Lo Doy’ Lodato (full name Salvatore Lodato) srael & New Breed collects its fourth tells Billboard, “Back in 2017 when Tiësto No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Al- BY PAMELA BUSTIOS came out with his track ‘On My Way,’ featur- bums chart, as Feels Like Home, Vol. ing Bright Sparks, I did a bootleg remix to it 1 starts atop the list dated March 13. lfredo Olivas secures his second that Tiësto found, and actually played on his IIn the tracking week ending March 4, the leader on the Regional Mexi- radio show. Since then, I’ve always wanted set earned 4,000 equivalent album units, can Airplay chart as “Yo Todo to have an original with Bright Sparks. Last according to MRC Data. On Top Christian Lo Doy” climbs to No. 1 on the year, my manager Jared Overeem reached out Albums, Home arrives at No. 3, becoming MarchA 13- dated survey. The track ascends to them without me knowing and surprised the group’s sixth top 10. from the runner-up rank through a 16% me with the collaboration, and I’d like to As a solo artist, the act’s leader, Israel boost in audience impressions, to 7 million, think the result was a … ‘Good Thing.’” Houghton, has notched two No. 1s on both earned in the week ending March 7, accord- Tiësto’s “On My Way” rose to No. 10 on Top Gospel Albums and Top Christian ing to MRC Data. Dance/Mix Show Airplay in March 2017, Albums. Israel & New Breed’s previous “Yo Todo Lo Doy,” released via Sahuaro/ marking Bright Sparks’ only other chart release, Covered: Alive in Asia, bowed atop Fonovisa/UMLE, returns the Sahuaro label entry thus far (and one of Tiësto’s lucky 13 both lists in August 2015. to No. 1 on Regional Mexican Airplay for top 10s). In between, Houghton issued a solo the first time in almost three years. Sahuaro Additionally on Dance/Mix Show Air- set, The Road to Demaskus, which entered last visited the summit with Olivas’ own “El play, ILLENIUM collects his third top 10, and peaked at No. 2 on Top Gospel Albums Problema,” a one-week champ, and the Mex- and Dabin and Lights each earn their first, and No. 15 on Top Christian Albums in ican’s first No. 1, in March 2018. In between, as “Hearts on Fire” ignites 20-10. ILLE- October 2018. Olivas earned two top five titles. Page 33 of 33

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“Yo Todo” is Olivas’ sixth top 10 in total. The cover drew attention to Tame His first was “Todo o Nada” in 2016. Impala’s original, with the song sporting a Beyond its Regional Mexican Airplay 3,676% spike in U.S.-based lyric views and a coronation, “Yo Todo” breaks new ground 3,472% leap in global lyric views, according on the all-genre Latin Airplay chart as it to LyricFind. Its U.S. views allow the song to ascends 11-5 and earns the banda and ac- debut at No. 3 on the LyricFind U.S. list. cordionist singer-songwriter his first top 10 Streams of “Elephant” rose at the tail there. end of the streaming tracking week (Feb. “Yo Todo” also sees progress on Hot 26-March 4) as well, with the song garner- Latin Songs, which blends airplay, sales and ing 929,000 global streams, up 3%, accord- streams. It jumps 39-31 on the strength of ing to MRC Data (with more gains possible its airplay push. “Yo Todo” was written and in the upcoming tracking period of March produced by Olivas and will be included in 5-11). his upcoming fifth studio album. “Elephant” was the Australia-based Tame Impala’s breakthrough single in the U.S., peaking at No. 8 on the Alternative Tame Impala’s Airplay chart in October 2013. Since then, the project of Kevin Parker has earned an ‘Elephant’ Rules additional Alternative Airplay top 10, two Adult Alternative Airplay No. 1s and a pair of LyricFind Global Billboard 200 top fives, led most recently by the No. 3-peaking The Slow Rush in Febru- Chart After ary 2020. Wiggles Cover

BY KEVIN RUTHERFORD

cover of Tame Impala’s “El- ephant” by children’s band The Wiggles sends the track onto Billboard’s LyricFind charts, crowningA the LyricFind Global ranking dated March 13. The LyricFind Global and LyricFind U.S. charts rank the fastest momentum- gaining tracks in lyric-search queries and usages globally and in the U.S., respectively, provided by LyricFind. The Global chart in- cludes queries from all countries, including the U.S. The company is the world’s leader in licensed lyrics, with data provided by more than 5,000 publishers and utilized by more than 100 services, including Amazon, Pandora, Deezer, Microsoft, SoundHound and iHeartRadio. The latest tracking week ended March 7. The Wigglescovered “Elephant” on March 4 for Australian radio station Triple J’s Like a Version series. The group’s ver- sion received over 1 million global views on Triple J’s YouTube page at press time (March 11).