A warm welcome back to the band the music industry can’t ignore…
The 1975 return next month with their fifth album and it’s business as unusual for the Dirty Hit stars as they grace the Music Week cover for the third time.
Matthew Healy, Adam Hann, Ross MacDonald and George Daniel were photographed in Japan for our cover shot, while our interview sees bandleader Healy joined by Dirty Hit boss and longstanding manager Jamie Oborne, plus agent Matt Bates, to lift the lid on a 1975 return that will subvert expectations all over again.
From the impact of their unprecedented two-album campaign and the side effects of global success, to how they turned inwards and honed their survival instincts to make Being Funny In A Foreign Language, our interview sees Healy comb through every detail of the two years that have passed since he last sat down with Music Week at the onset of the pandemic. We go deep into his bond with Oborne and the new levels their relationship has now reached, as well as exploring the industry Dirty Hit and The 1975 have built. Then there’s the Matthew Healy phenomenon itself, which the frontman blows wide open as he reveals how it feels to lead The 1975 into their new era.
Suffice to say, whatever you think about the band, it’s an unmissable story.
So too is our latest Music Week Interview, in which Reservoir founder Golnar Khosrowshahi opens up about a music empire like no other. Khosrowshahi is the leader of the first female-founded music firm on the US stock market and, as her Music Week Award-winning company expands its reach into both publishing and records, she talks to Music Week about deal making, expansion and why she doesn’t do industry politics and won’t stand for the business’ old boys’ club ways.
We bring you an expansive interview with Raw Power Management, as Craig Jennings, Matt Ash and Don Jenkins come together to discuss the future of rock, breaking talent and their guiding management principles. Plus, we break the news of the company’s latest venture.
Also in the features section, Native co-founders Seni ‘Chubbz’ Saraki and Teni ‘TeeZee’ Zaccheaus, plus COO Sholz Fagbemi, give their first ever Music Week interview and drop some exclusive news. As the team behind, Native, the magazine, editorial hub and festival brand that has become one of the most important cultural platforms in Africa since launching in Nigeria in 2016, the trio have plenty to say on new talent and how music from the continent is set to increase its impact on the world to even greater levels.
We meet the two executives driving the future of Amazon Music in the UK, as Jillian Gerngross and new arrival Laura Lukanz invite us behind the scenes of the streaming giant and explain why, for Amazon, merely streaming songs will never be enough.
In our final feature for the October issue, we meet viral star, dance music pioneer and music industry boss Shygirl, plus her team at Because and Muise Management, to tell the story behind her debut album Nymph and talk positivity, representation and confidence.
Also inside this month, we get the lowdown of the biggest song of 2022 in a brand new edition of Hitmakers. Pulse Music Group writer Tyler Johnson, part of Harry Styles’ close-knit group of collaborators across all three of his albums, shares the story of the making of As It Was, the hit that defined the year.
The latest edition of Mentor Me – a collaboration between Music Week and Girls I Rate, sees Grammy-winning songwriter and vocal coach Autumn Rowe, who shares her five tips for making a career in the music industry.
Taking on The Aftershow this month is rock hero Myles Kennedy, who talks Alter Bridge, making records with Slash and jamming with Led Zeppelin in a career-spanning interview.
In this month's Big Story, we look ahead to National Album Day with outgoing BPI CEO Geoff Taylor and ERA's Megan Page to see how the fifth edition can boost album sales in the Q4 period. Also in Frontline, we hear from Everybody's Management team on their new line-up of execs and talent, including TikTok star Sarah Kinsley.
In our Spotlight Q&A, Entertainment Retailers Association CEO Kim Bayley marks 20 years in charge of the trade body - a period in which she's played a key role in bringing together the physical and digital music sectors. Drawing on two decades of experience, she shares vital insights on the future of vinyl, the evolution of ERA and the impact of the cost of living crisis.
In this month’s On The Radar, FLO lay out their plan to revitalise UK R&B and send shockwaves through the music industry. The Island-signed trio promise to be huge in the months to come, as president Louis Bloom attests in our feature.
In this month’s Making Waves we catch up with South London rapper Ayrtn, while Sync Story features Self Esteem’s covers in the recent BBC series Everything I Know About Love.
In Rising Star, we meet Warner Music Group’s Jasmin Charles to talk about all things merchandise. Our start-up of the month is AI music curation company Cyanite, and this issue’s featured podcast is The Mojo Record Club.
Ian Broudie returns to Music Week as the subject of this month’s Incoming interview, in which he tells the story behind the first Lightning Seeds album in 14 years, upcoming BMG release See You In The Stars.
In his new Centre Stage column Music Venue Trust CEO Mark Davyd outlines why grassroots venues must stay focused on hosting live music.
Meanwhile, in her Digital Discourse column, Sammy Andrews lets rip on how music streaming can stand its ground through the cost of living crisis.
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 August 16.
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