Bulletin YOUR DAILY ENTERTAINMENT NEWS UPDATE MAY 28, 2020 Page 1 of 29 INSIDE Sukhinder Singh Cassidy • ‘More Is More’: Exits StubHub Amid Why Hip-Hop Stars Have Adopted The Restructuring, Job Cuts Instant Deluxe Edition BY DAVE BROOKS • Coronavirus Tracing Apps Are Editors note: This story has been updated with new they are either part of the go-forward organization Being Tested Around information about employees who have been previously or that their role has been impacted,” a source at the the World, But furloughed, including news that some will return to the company tells Billboard. “Those who are part of the Will Concerts Get Onboard? organization on June 1. go-forward organization return on Monday, June 1.” Sukhinder Singh Cassidy is exiting StubHub, As for her exit, Singh Cassidy said that she had been • How Spotify telling Billboard she is leaving her post as president planning to step down following the Viagogo acquisi- Is Focused on after two years running the world’s largest ticket tion and conclusion of the interim regulatory period — Playlisting More resale marketplace and overseeing the sale of the even though the sale closed, the two companies must Emerging Acts During the Pandemic EBay-owned company to Viagogo for $4 billion. Jill continue to act independently until U.K. leaders give Krimmel, StubHub GM of North America, will fill the the green light to operate as a single entity. • Guy Oseary role of president on an interim basis until the merger “The company doesn’t need two CEOs at either Stepping Away From is given regulatory approval by the U.K.’s Competition combined company,” she said. Prior to the sale, we Day-to-Day Role at Maverick and Market Authority. had agreed with Viagogo that I would be transitioning StubHub officials also announced 200 permanent out at the appropriate time once the sale had closed.” job cuts today as part of a larger restructuring happen- But then COVID-19 hit and StubHub and nearly every MARKET WATCH ing amid the ongoing fallout of the COVID-19 crisis other ticketing marketplace found itself on the hook PAGE 27 which has prompted a total shutdown of sports and for hundreds of millions in ticket sales that had to be live music. The job cuts were made at all levels of the refunded. SONGWRITERS & PRODUCERS company, Singh Cassidy told Billboard, and come more That’s no easy task for a ticketing resale site where CHARTS than a month after the company announced furloughs thousands of independent sellers and fans buy and sell PAGES 28 & 29 of its work force. a high volume of tickets daily, often for events months “Everyone on furlough is being notified today that (continued) ACCESS THE BEST IN MUSIC. A DIGITAL VERSION OF EVERY ISSUE, FEATURING: COVER STORIES . SPECIAL REPORTS . CHARTS . REVIEWS INTERVIEWS . EVENT COVERAGE & MORE AVAILABLE FREE TO CURRENT BILLBOARD SUBSCRIBERS billboard.com /iPad Page 3 of 29 IN BRIEF in advance. Complicating the matter, many “I felt a strong desire to stay and help with 197,000 equivalent album units earned, of the sports leagues and concerts and event us restructure and manage the business according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data, promoters took weeks to determine their through what was a pretty immediate crisis and Lil Baby was gearing up for a summer own refund policies, creating liquidity chal- for the industry,” she said. “And then when I headlining tour that would serve as a victory lenges for resellers and StubHub. felt like the company was in a position that lap for his biggest album bow to date. That While the company previously had of- it would not just be able to, manage through tour, of course, won’t happen this summer, fered a fairly straight forward refund policy this, but also be in a position to thrive and due to the coronavirus pandemic; Thomas and fan protection guarantee, it became recover, that’s when I agreed to make my says that the scrapped live run particularly unsustainable as the severity of the crisis transition out.” stung, with Lil Baby at a pivotal moment in unfolded and on March 30, Singh Cassidy his upward trajectory. announced a change to StubHub’s refund “This was such a big project that came policy, only offering full refunds in states ‘More Is More’: out — this was supposed to be his year to go where they were legally required to do so. up another level in his career,” says Thomas. All other customers would be offered a 120% Why Hip-Hop “Once we realized that there wasn’t gonna credit for canceled purchases as a “thank be any touring, we were just trying to figure you for remaining patient in a very challeng- Stars Have out: How can we keep the momentum go- ing period,” Singh Cassidy wrote in an email. ing?” That decision ignited a firestorm of criti- Adopted The The conclusion they reached was to add cism from the media and ticket resale com- six new songs that Lil Baby recorded after munity, with bloggers like Eric Fuller writ- Instant Deluxe My Turn’s release to the project, includ- ing “what I’m hearing suggests they’ll file a ing the aptly titled “Social Distancing,” and bankruptcy petition around April 15th.” Edition issue a deluxe edition of the album on May Singh Cassidy shot down the rumor tell- 1. The two-month turnaround between ing Billboard “we’re not going bankrupt.” BY JASON LIPSHUTZ the unveiling of My Turn and its expanded “When you’re trying to manage em- edition helped solidify the “instant deluxe” ployees through difficult, unprecedented il Baby’s album My Turn was never — quickly following a new album with more circumstances, inaccurate information and supposed to have a deluxe edition. music, then billing it all under the same title disinformation doesn’t help and creates “That wasn’t in our plans,” Pierre — as an increasingly common strategy in more anxiety.” “Pee” Thomas, CEO of Quality hip-hop, as a means of conjuring new inter- As for final approval from the CMA, Singh LControl Music, tells Billboard of the Atlanta est in an existing project. And the strategy Cassidy wasn’t able to provide an updated rapper’s first solo project in nearly two proved successful for Lil Baby, whose My timeline for approval, but said the company years. Turn surged on the Billboard 200 following has cleared its short term challenge and must Upon its Feb. 28 release, the 20-song the deluxe release with 100,000 equivalent now prepare for the next phase of business. album topped the Billboard 200 chart album units, up 147% from its previous week DECISIVE INTELLIGENCE. DELIVERED DIGITALLY. CLICK HERE FOR FREE DELIVERY DIGITAL NEWSLETTERS PROMOTION UPCOMING SPECIAL FEATURES PRIDE INDIE 2020 L A B E L P O W E R P L AY E R S On June 13th, Billboard will publish a On June 13th, Billboard will publish On June 13th, Billboard will publish GRAMMY® First Look special feature its fourth annual Indie Label Power its 2nd annual Pride issue honoring showcasing the artists, producers Players List. This special feature in culturally moving and influential and other creative professionals advance of Indie Week (6/15-6/18) people who have contributed to whose music was released from and the Libera Awards will profile the community’s history and its September 2019- June 2020 and look leading executives at top independent current landscape. In response to the current global health shift to at the early contenders for the 63rd record labels, publishing companies digitally driven content, Billboard GRAMMY® Awards in the categories and distribution companies. and The Hollywood Reporter will of Record of their Year, Song of the Positioning themselves as the host this year’s Pride Summit on Year, Album of the Year and Best driving force behind the success of June 13th as a virtual conference New Artist. independent music, these executives that gathers an influential audience contribute to the independent music of consumers and influencers sector and to the world of music in celebration of the LGBTQ at large. community. ISSUE DATE: 6/13 AD CLOSE: 6/3 MATERIALS DUE: 6/4 CONTACT: Joe Maimone Gene Smith 212.493.4427 | [email protected] 973.452.3528 | [email protected] Lee Ann Photoglo Ryan O’Donnell 615.376.7931 | [email protected] +447843437176 | [email protected] Debra Fink Marcia Olival 323.525.2249 | [email protected] 786.586.4901 | [email protected] Cynthia Mellow 615.352.0265 | [email protected] BBHA_UPCOMING_ISSUE_2020.indd 1 5/7/20 10:24 AM Page 5 of 29 IN BRIEF (41,000 units) on the chart. Britney Davis, vp artist relations, marketing genres? While the strategy has mostly been Deluxe editions are nothing new in popu- and special projects at Capitol Music Group, utilized by hip-hop stars thus far, artists like lar music — for decades, artists have been who worked on Lil Baby’s My Turn release. Dua Lipa, who has teased a deluxe edition reissuing albums with bonus content to Artists want to “just connect with fans, to of her Future Nostalgia album, and The extend the life of a project or to celebrate a bring a moment of joy or excitement during Weeknd, who added three songs to his After milestone anniversary of an album. Every- this time,” Davis points out, and releasing Hours LP soon after its release, suggest that one from Usher to Lady Gaga to Imagine more music than originally planned has the formula could become a pop mainstay Dragons to Sam Smith have dropped a filled that fan-service role.