Take That are back, with a new label, a new album and new horizons.
We welcome the British pop juggernaut back to the cover of Music Week to celebrate their upcoming record This Life and their move to EMI, as the trio are joined by their team in an epic cover story.
Ahead of the release of This Life, their first album of new material since 2017, we catch up with the Take That legends Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen for a very special interview. Together with manager Chris Dempsey, EMI co-presidents Rebecca Allen and Jo Charrington, SJM’s Simon Moran and team UTA, they go deep on the superstar group’s monumental career, industry changes and why the fans always come first.
And as if that wasn’t enough, the trio unravel the songwriting process that led to their Nashville-inspired new record, look back on their 1990s breakout period and reflect on their evolution, sharing memories of Robbie Williams and Jason Orange.
Joining them in a packed issue, 5K Records and 2K Management bosses Moe Bah and Kilo Jalloh are the subjects of this month’s Music Week Interview. The brothers first appeared in our pages in 2017, when they featured in our Rising Star column, and are the first execs to move up to the Music Week Interview slot.
In a revealing exchange, they trace their story all the way back to their school days, through starting 2K to manage their friend J Hus, signing him to Black Butter, making hit after hit and forming their label in 2020. The pair talk 2023 breakout Libianca, how to spot a hit song, new methods of marketing and their desire to leave behind a lasting legacy.
Also in this month’s features section, we celebrate the life and times of Wendy Laister, who is set to be honoured alongside her clients Duran Duran at the Artist & Manager Awards. The New York-based executive holds court on how the group have stayed relevant across different eras.
Elsewhere, there’s an in depth look at the workings of Attitude Is Everything, as we meet founder Suzanne Bull, alongside Jacqui Adeniji-Williams, Celia Makin-Bell and Jane Dyball, to talk disability awareness and learn how they’re working to make the industry more accessible.
Ezra Collective’s manager Amy Frenchum also tells us all about working with the Mercury Prize-winning group, the challenges of balancing her career with motherhood and her honest opinions on jazz.
Our final feature this issue is a special report on the distribution sector that gathers key industry players to take an in-depth look at one of the most fast-paced – and crucial! – areas of the music business.
In Hitmakers, producer duo WhyTek look back on creating Central Cee’s Doja, from brainstorming in a taxi to making changes the night before release.
In the new edition of Mentor Me – a collaboration between Music Week and Girls I Rate – founder and CEO of VA-PR Vannessa Amadi-Ogbonna offers up her top five industry tips.
There’s industry royalty in The Aftershow, as WME’s Lucy Dickins reveals what really goes into being an agent and reflects on her big MITS Award win and laughing with Adele.
Our latest Big Story features Armada Music’s senior A&R director Jason Ellis, who reveals the company’s expansion plans, while elsewhere in the news section, Kwame Kwaten discusses the potential of Fan Deal, a brand new business model for artists.
On The Radar this month is Zoe Wees, who opens up about her journey so far and the personal experiences that went into her debut album Therapy. Our Making Waves artist is rising London-based Canadian country act Cate, while Sync Story features Apple and Psylla.
Incoming sees Neck Deep’s Ben Barlow discuss the band’s new self-titled record and going DIY, while Meet Duetti’s Lior Tibon is in Start Me Up, and The Songwriters Podcast host Louise Golbey is in the latest edition of In Pod We Trust.
In Mark Davyd’s Centre Stage column, the MVT CEO outlines how the opening of one grassroots venue can help a whole community.
As AI continues to dominate the news agenda, Sammy Andrews’ latest column on all things digital, weighs up the pros for the industry.
And as ever, the expanded Archive section sees us flick through the pages of Music Week of yesteryear.
There’s all of this and our expanded monthly charts section, in which we present the Top 75 Singles and Albums of the previous month, accompanied by revamped analysis pages, plus a host of new listings. These include specialist genre Top 20s for Americana, Classical, Hip-Hop & R&B, Jazz, Country, Dance, Folk and Rock & Metal. The issue is also home to streaming, compilations and vinyl charts.
The new issue of Music Week is available from November 14.
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