Ashcroft hails record year for PRS
PRS For Music CEO Robert Ashcroft has declared 2015 “a great, great year” for the collection society, after it reported record revenue figures. The performance rights body brought in a massive £537.4 million in royalties during 2015, up 4.7% on 2014, or 7% on a constant currency basis. All four key revenue streams – international, public performance, broadcast and online – recorded year-on-year growth. PRS distributions were also up 8.4% year-on-year, with an extra £35.6m being passed on to members for a total of £460.9m. “We’re pretty happy,” Ashcroft told Music Week. “The fact that we grew the revenue across all our streams is very significant; you can't do that unless you've got strategies that are working.” (Music Week)
Sony/ATV leads way in Q1
Sony/ATV was the top US publisher in Q1 2016, improving its market share to 26.1%. Warner/Chappell was No.2 on 22.6% - its best performance in the 10 years Billboard has tracked market share for the top 100 radio songs – with Universal No.3 on 16%, up from 14.8% in the previous quarter. Kobalt was No.4 at 8.8%. (Billboard)
Ominfone enters administration
Business-to-business digital music platform provider Omnifone is entering administration, Music Week understands. Multiple sources have told Music Week that administrators were called in yesterday (Wednesday, May 5), with staff layoffs suggested to stand between two thirds and 75%. (Music Week)
Hulu partners with Live Nation on VR series
Promoter Live Nation is partnering with Hulu for a VR concerts series. The series, which will be available via the Hulu VR app, will bring audiences a series of concert performances shot in the 360-degree immersive format. "Concert performances lend themselves well to virtual reality and Hulu is proud to support this VR initiative where we will viscerally capture the energy an artist brings to their fans during performances," said Noah Heller, Hulu VP partnerships and emerging technology. "This partnership reshapes the way fans can interact with their favorite artists with unprecedented access through Live Nation." Live Nation chief strategy officer Jordan Zachary added: "No medium has the potential to bring the magic of a live concert to life more than virtual reality. We are excited to work with Hulu to bring fans closer than ever to the biggest artists and tours in the world." Live Nation has also linked up with NextVR for VR concerts. Hulu is also launching a documentary film division, with the first featured film to be a Beatles documentary, with the working title The Beatles: Eight Days a Week, from director Ron Howard. (Hollywood Reporter)
Mike Smith appointed Warner/Chappell MD
Warner/Chappell UK has appointed Mike Smith as MD. Smith will join from Virgin EMI, where he was appointed as president of music in 2013. Smith will report to Jon Platt, chairman & CEO of Warner/Chappell, who is overseeing UK operations until Smith’s arrival.
MTV partners with Aloft Hotels for music events
MTV and Aloft Hotels have announced a partnership to create three new and exclusive MTV Live at Aloft Hotels music events featuring break-through artists at Aloft Abu Dhabi on May 20, Aloft London Excel on May 26 and Aloft Munich on June 9. The partnership features two new platforms to support emerging artists: MTV PUSH FUTURES Live at Aloft Hotels and Club MTV Live at Aloft Hotels. In London and Munich, MTV PUSH FUTURES Live at Aloft Hotels will feature acoustic performances from breakthrough stars Anne-Marie (Aloft London Excel) and Max Giesinger (Aloft Munich). Both intimate performances will take place at Aloft Hotels' W XYZ bar, for approximately 150 invited music fans and competition winners. Club MTV Live at Aloft Hotels will take place at Aloft Abu Dhabi’s rooftop and will feature a 60-minute DJ set from Jonas Blue, to an audience of around 2,000 fans.
Sound City launches IFB Music Day
As part of the International Festival for Business (IFB2016), Sound City is partnering with UK Trade & Investment to deliver a comprehensive insight into the opportunities that exist for UK music companies in Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan and India. Taking place at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool on Tuesday, June 28, the inaugural IFB Music Day will feature high profile companies from each territory and UK companies who have done business in the vibrant and ever-expanding region. The event is primarily aimed at music managers, publishers, labels, tech companies, festivals, promoters and agents. It will highlight the opportunities that exist for business and collaboration between UK and Asia via a series of workshops and round table networking sessions.
Irvine Welsh working on Creation Records' biopic
Trainspotting writer Irvine Welsh has adapted a screenplay based on Alan McGee’s memoir The Creation Records Story: Riots, Raves and Running a Label. Titled Creation Stories, Kaleidoscope Film Distribution will handle worldwide sales on the film. Burning Wheel Productions’ Hollie Richmond, Shelley Hammond and Nathan McGough will produce the film alongside Orian Williams. Kaleidoscope’s Spencer Pollard is executive producing, while Dean Cavanagh also worked on the screenplay. (Hollywood Reporter)
Andrea Bocelli to perform before Leicester City match
Tenor and football fan Andrea Bocelli will be giving a unique performance before Leicester City’s next match on Saturday in celebration of their Premier League title win. Bocelli will sing Nessun Dorma and ‘Time To Say Goodbye. It follows a conversation between Bocelli and the team's Italian manager Claudio Ranieri six weeks ago, in which he offered to sing for Leicester if the team landed their first top-flight title.
Carl Cox charity initiative
DJ/producer Carl Cox will be performing at a charity show at the House of Commons on Wednesday. Cox has launched a text to donate initiative with charity music foundation Last Night A DJ Save My Life (LNADJ) in support of children in conflict zones via War Child. The text donation initiative is part of LNADJ’s fundraising campaign including a nationwide DJ contest, which will see winning DJ, Holly Louise, play with Cox at the event. The text message donation scheme encourages supporters of Cox, LNADJ and the dance music community as a whole to give £5 by texting OHYES to 70660. The money raised will be collected by Instagive on behalf of LNADJ Foundation who will add it to the total funds raised and given to War Child.
