Guitar Center Adds Powerhouse Duo to Ignite a New Era in Music EducationGiovanni “John” Bianchette, Guitar Center Vice President of Music EducationGuitar Center has announced the the addition of two "high-impact leaders to its Lessons team: celebrated educator Giovanni 'John' Bianchette as Vice President of Music Education, and GRAMMY® Award-winning rock guitarist Dave Kushner as Senior Director of Music Education Experience.""With this powerhouse duo at the helm, Guitar Center is charting an electrifying course toward 50,000 active students – redefining how music is taught, experienced, and shared across its nationwide store network," they say in a statement.“This is a game-changer and showcases our commitment to the future of music education,” said Mike Schultheis, EVP and Chief Stores Officer at Guitar Center. “John is a strategic powerhouse in education, and Dave is a literal rock legend. Together, they bring unmatched energy, creativity, and credibility to our Lessons Program that will inspire a whole new generation of lifelong musicians.”"John Bianchette is a respected educator and brings public and private sector experience from leadership roles at Mathnasium, including Vice President of Education and Training," they add. "He has led instructional strategy, driven talent development, and shaped innovative, student-centered learning models. Focused on impact, Bianchette builds high-performing teams, broadens access, and redefines quality instruction. As Vice President of Music Education, he’ll oversee the expansion, innovation, and quality of Guitar Center’s music education offerings – building a scalable, inclusive experience that keeps students progressing, engaged and excited."“I couldn’t be more thrilled to join a brand that lives and breathes music,” said Bianchette. “Guitar Center gives us the platform to reach tens of thousands of aspiring musicians, and we’re just getting started. It’s time to put music education back where it belongs – at the center of culture, creativity and community.”"Dave Kushner is best known as a founding member of rock supergroup Velvet Revolver and brings decades of stage, studio and education experience to his new role as Senior Director of Music Education Experience at Guitar Center," they add. :Kushner has composed music for film and television, collaborated with icons like Elton John and Stevie Wonder, and developed popular online guitar courses. In his new role, Kushner will bring the magic of performance to every lesson – energizing curriculum and content for students online and in-store."“From the stage to the classroom, music has the power to change lives,” said Kushner. “As a musician who grew up in Hollywood, Guitar Center has been a part of my DNA for decades. With this new role, I plan to marry the ‘glory’ of the past culture with an educational experience rooted in the present and drive it all into the future.”“The future of music education starts now,” said Schultheis. “And it’s louder, bolder, and more inspiring than ever!”The post Guitar Center Adds Powerhouse Duo to Ignite a New Era in Music Education first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

HYBE launches subsidiary in China, as K-Pop giant’s global expansion continuesChina is the world's fifth-largest recorded music market
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NIVA shares 2025 conference sessions, sets State Of Live revealThe National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) has announced an impressive agenda for fourth annual national gathering, NIVA ‘25, in Milwaukee on June 22 - 25.
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Instagram Shares replace Likes to boost engagementAs engagement falls, Instagram Shares replace Likes for successful creatores. If your posts aren’t landing in DMs or group chats, you’re missing the metric that matters most.
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SK Sharma joins PE giant Warburg Pincus as Senior Advisor, focused on investment opportunities in Generative AIWarburg Pincus LLC has more than $87 billion in assets under management
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Teddy Swims Honored with BMI Pop Song of the Year Backstage at Radio CityTeddy Swims has made a name for himself blending powerhouse vocals with raw, emotional songwriting and now, he’s got the accolades to prove it. On Tuesday night, just before stepping onto the iconic stage at New York’s Radio City Music Hall for a sold-out show, Swims was met backstage by representatives from BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) bearing some very well-deserved news: he’d officially earned the title of BMI’s 2025 Pop Song of the Year.It’s all thanks to his chart-dominating hit “Lose Control,” which Swims co-wrote with Julian Bunetta, Marco “Infamous” Rodriguez, and Mikky Ekko—all fellow BMI-affiliated songwriters.A statement from the company discloses that “'Lose Control'” recently logged a record-breaking 92nd week on Billboard’s Hot 100, including a record 63 weeks in the Hot 100’s top 10." It’s a rare kind of success, not just in pop music, but in any genre—an endurance feat that speaks to the song’s resonance with listeners across the country.A statement from the company further reveals that “Swims received awards for ‘The Door’ and ‘Lose Control’ for being two of the 50 most-performed pop songs of the previous year in the U.S.” For anyone who’s been following his meteoric rise, the recognition is no surprise—Swims has become a steady presence on playlists, radio stations, and Billboard charts.The timing couldn’t have been more fitting. Radio City Music Hall has hosted legends for nearly a century, and now Swims joins the ranks of artists who’ve been celebrated not only by sold-out crowds, but by the industry itself.For BMI, the awards are part of their ongoing mission to support and spotlight the songwriters and composers shaping today’s music. For Swims, they mark another major milestone in a career that’s still clearly on the rise.The heartfelt energy that Swims brings to the stage is the same energy that powers his songs—and clearly, it’s connecting. With his voice, his vulnerability, and now, a handful of BMI awards in tow, Teddy Swims continues to chart a course all his own.The post Teddy Swims Honored with BMI Pop Song of the Year Backstage at Radio City first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Fairness in ticket resales ‘is neither expected nor delivered’"The manipulation of inventory, unchecked speculative listings, and aggressive affiliate networks have created a system where fairness (in ticket resales) is neither expected nor delivered," says artist manager and ticketing crusader Randy Nichols on fairness in ticket resales.
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Meta, TikTok, Spotify & New Rules of Soft Power [Mark Mulligan]Soft power hasn’t disappeared - it’s just moved online, where tech companies now shape what we watch, share, and care about. Behind the screens, writes Mark Mulligan of MIDiA. algorithms are quietly rewriting the rules of culture.
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James Taylor at the Santa Barbara BowlJames Taylor played the Santa Barbara Bowl (SBB) on May 13th and 14th. Taylor most recently performed at the SBB on May 31st, 2023. Last year, Taylor played the Hollywood Bowl and every time Taylor tours, you can expect a new show and different setlist from the previous one. Last year's show was broken into two sets, though this time around his performance was just one set. Not only were there a few changes to the setlist, but the first two songs of the encore had changed. Taylor played an incredible show of hits, covers, and rarities with his band. Opening the show at 7 p.m. was the trio Tiny Habits. Taylor took the stage at 8:20 p.m. and played an hour and 40 minutes.His “All Star Band” really is elite with session greats Michael Landau (Guitar), Chad Wackerman (Drums), Jimmy Johnson (Bass), ‘Blue’ Lou Marini (Sax), Larry Goldings (Keys), and Luis Conte (Percussion). There were also four backing vocalists including Taylor’s son Henry, Kate Markowitz, Andrew McCuller, Dorian Holley, and Andrea Zonn. Wackerman is filling in for Steve Gadd while out with Paul Simon. The 21-song setlist included many hits like “Carolina On My Mind,” “Mexico,” and “Sweet Baby James.” "Steamroller" featured Landau on one unforgettable guitar solo and Goldings on an organ solo. The visuals were spectacular with the screen above the stage changing for each song. This was also a night of storytelling, including a bit about how a contract Troubadour founder Doug Weston had artists sign to come back and play there even once becoming famous and working with Carole King.On top of "Steamroller," during the encore, Taylor performed "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)” and “You Can Close Your Eyes.” From Taylor’s self-titled debut in 1969 to his latest album American Standard released in 2020, all have made the charts—with the highest being 2015’s “Before This World” at number one. Of all those albums, 15 went between Gold and Platinum in the U.S.Taylor has been nominated for 19 GRAMMYs (and won six) on top of being a Kennedy Center honoree, Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, MusiCares Honoree, an honorary doctorate from Berklee School of Music in his hometown of Boston, MA, and is even an Emmy winner. Taylor is also a member of both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. SetlistWandering

I’m A Roadrunner-J.R. Walker & The All Stars

Walking Man

Stretch of the Highway

My Traveling Star

Jump Up Behind Me

Mexico

Carolina in My Mind

Only A Dream In Rio

Up on the Roof- Carole King

The Frozen Man

You’ve Got a Friend- Carole King

Sweet Baby James

Fire and Rain

(I've Got to) Stop Thinkin' 'Bout That

 Shed a Little Light

Shower the People

Your Smiling FaceEncoreSteamroller

How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)- Marvin Gaye

You Can Close Your Eyes Photos by Alex KluftThe post James Taylor at the Santa Barbara Bowl first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Spotify has reached 100m paying subscribers in Europe, Daniel Ek confirmsSpotify reported on April 29 that it grew its global Premium Subscriber base to 268m paying users in Q1
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Live Nation is devouring live music, says Wall Street JournalLive Nation is devouring live music and the live music industry, according to the Wall Street Journal. The company's "flywheel" approach fueled its rise and could lead to its breakup as the Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit continues.
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What does ‘I’ll take your band to the next level’ mean?We've all heard the pitch: “I'll take your band to the next level.” What does that even mean? Should you be concerned if someone says that to you?
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Artifacts and Oddities from the Jim Irsay CollectionWe're certainly not a sports website, but the owner of the Indianapolis Colts, Jim Irsay, had a passion for collecting guitars, artifacts, and objects of pop culture fascination. Irsay died on May 21, 2025, but left behind a collection of pretty incredible pieces of history. AllMusic looks at some notable items in the collection.

Live Music News Roundup: Touring Costs, Ticket Resale & MoreThis live music news roundup includes topics like musicians turning down touring, a revealing NITO resale study, a UK solution to the indie venue struggle, and much more...
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Your Morning Coffee Podcast: Ticketing, Live Nation & TouringEpisode 251 of the Jay Gilbert and Mike Etchart Your Morning Coffee Podcast: Weekly News for the New Music Business is available now. LISTEN HERE:
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