Music Week’s round-up of essential music biz stories you might have missed...
New Wave
Primary Wave Music Publishing has entered into a marketing and administration agreement with Robbie Robertson. Primary Wave will now represent the majority of Robertson's catalogue, including some of his biggest hits for The Band. Primary Wave will also work with Robertson to market his catalogue of music, as well as his name and likeness.
"I so look forward to mixing it up with Primary Wave. They bring a progressive outlook to today's musical landscape," said Robertson. "I find something extremely refreshing and ambitious about their working process. We have a lot of ideas in common, and I think this is going to be a terrific relationship, that I'm very excited about."
Capitol Studios
Veteran television producer and late-night music booker Roey Hershkovitz has been named VP of Capitol Studios & Digital Studios. In this newly created position, he will oversee Capitol Studios’ recording, tracking, mixing and mastering operations and label relations.
Hershkovitz will help expand the studios’ audio-visual operations by integrating new technology and developing programming.
“Roey’s background in television production, post-production and music uniquely qualifies him for this newly created role in UMG’s Digital Studios,” said Christopher Jenkins, EVP of Digital Studios. “His ability to create the most welcoming creative environment and produce compelling visual content for our artists, labels and facilities will help Digital Studios continue to grow. Roey exemplifies the film and music super skill set and highly trained sensibility that artists demand. The confidence and vibe that Roey brings to our team is perfectly suited to our mission.”
Datta entry
Bucks Music Group has signed composer Soumik Datta to an exclusive worldwide publishing deal. Datta has collaborated with a wide range of artists, including Beyonce, Jay-Z, Nitin Sawhney, Talvin Singh, Joss Stone and Akram Khan, as well as the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the City of London Sinfonia.
Datta said: “I’m absolutely delighted to join Bucks Music Group. To be supported by one of the UK’s leading music publishers is a huge testament to their commitment to diversity. It ensures that I can continue celebrating my roots and heritage through my music and, with Bucks, we can reach newer and wider horizons. I’m excited about embarking on this journey.”
P&G x Spotify
P&G is launching a new podcast, Harmonize, as a branded Spotify Original series. It features real-life conversations about the conscious and unconscious racial bias that weighs heavily on people of colour from the perspective of black male musicians.
Four episodes are available featuring John Legend and Pusha T, alongside communications consultant and writer Jamilah Lemieux. The podcast has a companion playlist, The Sounds Of Harmonize.
