Rod Stewart sells catalog to Iconic Artists Group for around $100m; company raises $1bn to buy more music rightsIrving Azoff’s Iconic Artists Group has secured a strategic investment from HPS Investment Partners (HPS)
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Tony Orlando Discusses Farewell Tour, Showbiz in the '70s, His Biggest HitsOrlando spoke with AllMusic a little over one month before what will be his final concert, and was up for discussing such hits as "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" and "Knock Three Times," a famous close friend who died far too young, and how he got involved in radio.

Live Nation and Music Forward Foundation Launch 2024 Scholarship ProgramsLive Nation Entertainment, the world’s leading live entertainment company, and Music Forward Foundation, today launched their 2024 scholarship application period for college students pursuing careers in the music and live entertainment industry.

Five $10,000 scholarships will be awarded to outstanding college students—in either their junior or senior year—majoring in music, music business, production, and/or related fields at an accredited college or university in the U.S. The opportunity is specifically designed to support students interested in the core aspects of the concert business, including concert promotion, venue operation, ticketing, sponsorship, hospitality, artist management, etc. Applications for 2024 must be submitted online by March 31 at http://musicforwardfoundation.org/scholarships. 

“We are happy to once again work with the Music Forward scholarship program as we continue to invest in talented, driven, and dedicated young people pursuing careers in live entertainment," said Jordan Zachary, Co-President of US Concerts, Live Nation. “Our ongoing partnership with the Music Forward Foundation reinforces our commitment to champion and empower the next generation of leaders in our industry,” added Omar Al-joulani, Co-President of US Concerts, Live Nation.

“Scholarships remain a pivotal part of our community outreach and recruitment programming,” said Nurit Smith, Executive Director, Music Forward Foundation. "Music Forward’s mission is to support young people hoping to enter the music and live entertainment industry and this program expands our reach to a wide range of students who may not otherwise be afforded the opportunity to pursue dream careers.” 

Scholarship recipient selections will be made by a panel of industry executives and thought leaders across academic, entertainment, civic, and corporate sectors. Criteria for selection include academic achievement, essay responses, and recommendations. Scholarships will be announced in June 2024, and awards will be given for the Fall 2024 semester.

The five scholarships will be awarded to students nationwide in the following areas: 

Governors Ball Scholarship: Established to support students native to the five boroughs of New York City, with preference to Queens, pursuing a degree in live entertainment, with a focus on music. The $10,000 scholarship will help further the student’s career pathway in performance, live production, music engineering, music business, and related fields of study. 

Steven J. Finkel Service Excellence Scholarship: Established in memory of a Live Nation employee who went above and beyond to improve the concert experience for fans, artists, and staff, this $10,000 scholarship is designed to support the ever-growing customer service expectations within the live entertainment industry. 

Tiffany Green Operator Scholarship: Established in memory of one of Live Nation’s first female concert production specialists, this $10,000 scholarship is designed to support women pursuing a career in live entertainment. 

Live Nation Scholarship: Established to support students interested in the core areas of Live Nation’s business, this $10,000 scholarship is designed to support students focused on concert promotion, venue operation, sponsorship, ticketing, and artist management. 

David E. Ballard Scholarship: Established in 2019 in memory of David E. Ballard in partnership with Inherit the Music, this $10,000 scholarship supports youth who have experienced homelessness and/or been part of the foster care system and are pursuing a career in live entertainment.  

For more information on additional scholarships offered by Music Forward Foundation, please visit: https://musicforwardfoundation.org/programs/scholarships/. 

Transgressive Records expands to the US, names Jack Hedges General Manager, North America and brings Canvasback Music imprint into the foldNews arrives just over a year after Transgressive partnered with Firebird Music Holdings
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Ron Perry, Chairman and CEO of Columbia Records, named UJA-Federation’s Music Visionary of the YearPerry joins such previous honorees as Rob Stringer, Michele Anthony, Steve Boom and Daniel Ek
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People still listen to radio more than music streams, podcasts combinedThe death of broadcast radio listening appears to have been greatly exaggerated. The average person in the U.S. spends 36% of their daily audio time listening to AM/FM radio, according to a new Edison survey...
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The Suffers’ Kam Franklin on success as an indie musician [Exclusive Book Excerpt]Artists advocate and author Emily White is about to publish the 2nd Edition of her "How to Build a Sustainable Music Career & Collect All Revenue Streams," and to celebrate, she's sharing an exclusive expert - an interview with Kam Franklin of indie powerhouse The Suffers...
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Chartmetric Report: Just 0.05% of new artists had mid-level success or greaterMusic data analytics platform Chartmetircis has released its latest Year in Music Report, and it shows both how high the mountain is that artists must climb to find success and some key drivers to beat the odds...
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Big news from Bandsintown x Spotify integration. Now Bandsintown Events in addition to Shopify merch was added. It looks familiar but also strategical somehow...

POLLSTAR LIVE! 2024 Featuring Jon Bon Jovi, Steve Ballmer, James L. Dolan, Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament, Tedeschi Trucks & More

Los Angeles, CA (February 12, 2024) – Pollstar Live! set a third straight year of record-breaking attendance. The lauded conference is the world’s largest gathering of global live entertainment professionals and the flagship event week for Pollstar magazine, the leading trade for the global live entertainment industry. The conference, including Production Live! and Pollstar Live!, took place Feb. 6-8 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles and once again tackled the most relevant and informative topics facing the live industry and the larger entertainment ecosystem.

On Tuesday, Production Live!, a full day dedicated to production and transportation in live events, kicked off the conference with opening remarks from Ray Waddell, president of OVG Media & Conferences, which produces Pollstar Live!, Production Live!, and the Pollstar Awards. Highlights of the day included “A Matter of Trust: The Artist/Crew Dynamic in Tedeschi Trucks Band Featuring Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi,” as well as intriguing and educational panels for the live entertainment pros “in the trenches,” such as “Crisis Averted: The Art & Craft of Subverting Murphy’s Law,” “The Next Generation Of Road Warriors Lead The Way,” “Multiple, Sitdown, Residency, Whatever: The Pros & Cons of a Semi-Permanent Production,” and more.

Wednesday morning began with a welcome address from Chairman and CEO of Oak View Group, Tim Leiweke who spoke on the healthy state of the business and its future.

Later that day, Grammy-winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Jon Bon Jovi was a featured Keynote speaker at “How to See A Million Faces and Rock Them All.” At the panel, Bon Jovi, in conversation with his longtime agent Rob Light, CAA’s Head of Music, discussed his lengthy career, including how he secured his initial airplay, his demanding touring schedule, his decisions to create his own management company, the band today, plus advice to young artists and philanthropy, and much more. At the panel, he was also honored with the Milestone Award, recognizing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted band's 40th anniversary and their significant contributions to the live industry.

In another keynote session exclusively for attendees of Pollstar Live!, executive chairman and CEO of Sphere Entertainment Co., James L. Dolan sat down with Tim Leiweke for a fireside chat on the spectacular opening of Sphere in Las Vegas and the future of live entertainment.

Additional key panels on Wednesday included “Golden Era 3.0: How Long Will This Boom Last And What Can We Do To Sustain?,” “The Venue’s Role in Booking, Marketing & Maximizing Concerts,” and “The Most Impactful Show Possible: A Look at Sustainability and the Live Music Industry,” just to name a few.

On the evening of the 7th, comedian, actor, host, and author Tom Papa hosted the 35th Annual Pollstar Awards at the historic Wiltern theater. This year’s ceremony celebrated a who’s-who of A-list artists, tours, companies, venues, and executives, including award winners Taylor Swift, Metallica, Post Malone, Beyoncé, P!nk, Morgan Wallen, Karol G, Dave Chappelle, Brandi Carlile, U2, Jelly Roll, The Sphere, Austin’s Moody Center, The Hollywood Bowl, Austin City Limits Music Festival, The Ohana Festival, and more. Celebrities in attendance to accept their awards included Metallica’s Lars Ulrich and Dave Chapelle, with artists including Jelly Roll and P!nk accepting via video. Also at the ceremony, legendary agent Howard Rose, longtime agent for such artists as Jimmy Buffett and Elton John, was recognized with the inaugural Pollstar Lifetime Achievement Award, including a video congratulation from Elton. James L. Dolan received the first-ever Visionary Award for “innovation, inspiration, and vision that will have a positive and lasting impact on the live entertainment industry.” To view the Pollstar Awards recap video, click here.

On Thursday morning, co-founder of Ballmer Group and Chairman of the LA Clippers, Steve Ballmer, and Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament, spoke on “Music, Basketball & the Intuit Dome.” The energetic and informative Q&A covered topics including Ballmer’s vision for and construction of the new home of the LA Clippers, the Intuit Dome, its positive impact on the community, what’s coming up next for Pearl Jam, their mutual love of basketball, and more. 

Additional final day high points included an early look at the largest, most expensive, and most modern live entertainment arena in the UK and Europe, Co-op Live in Manchester, England (“Co-Op Live Sneak Peek”); “Where To Go & When: Developing the Global Touring Strategy;” “Sphere: Redefining the Future of Live Entertainment”; “Genre Spotlight: Country!”; and more. Pollstar Live! concluded with the highly anticipated “Agents Live!” happy hour networking.

For recaps of the conference, visit the Pollstar Live! editorial hub at https://news.pollstar.com/2024/02/05/pollstar-live-2024-hub/

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About Pollstar:   

Since its founding in 1981, Pollstar, The Voice of Live, has been the premier trade publication dedicated to covering the worldwide concert industry. Pollstar data is the leading resource for the touring industry encompassing box office numbers, routing, and directories. Pollstar produces a weekly magazine, publishes daily content to Pollstar.com and its "Daily Pulse” e-newsletter, and executes the world’s largest gathering of live music industry professionals - Pollstar Live. Follow Pollstar on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.  

Only 19% of artists on Spotify had over 1,000 monthly listeners in 2023As MBW has previously pointed out, there will be a minimum number of unique listeners required for a track to become eligible for royalty payouts on Spotify this year
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Spotify partners with Bandsintown to supercharge live music discoveryShows listed on the global live music discovery platform Bandsintown will now also appear on Spotify.
The new partnership provides greater visibility and discovery for artists, venues, and festivals of all sizes at a time of rising costs and increased competition...
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What are fan subscriptions and why are they so important for musicians?Fan subscriptions can strengthen direct artist-fan relationships and provide another revenue source for musicians. But they aren't right for everyone...
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Sony Music Publishing expands in MENA with new Dubai office, names Dounia Chaaban as Managing DirectorExec will report to Sony Music Publishing's Senior Vice President of International, Dan Nelson
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What should you charge for CDs and Vinyl? How much will fans pay?With the popularity of streaming, physical media is not as essential to fans as it used to be. So, how much are they willing to pay for CDs and vinyl, and what does it take to turn a profit...
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