Spotify Loud & Clear: $10B, Global Fandom & A Year of ChangeSpotify's new Loud & Clear transparency report shows payments to the music industry of $10 billion in 2024, half of which went to independents. It's the first L&C since Liz Pelly's expose of streaming and the inner workings of Spotify as well as significant changes in who the streamer pays and how payments are calculated.
The post Spotify Loud & Clear: $10B, Global Fandom & A Year of Change appeared first on Hypebot.

NOUMENIA sign exclusive worldwide deal w/ Eclipse Records Eclipse Records is excited to announce the signing of Noumenia, a post groove metal band from Northern Italy, who have crafted an explosive soul-striking sound that hits you square in the face, the mind, and the heart! The band recently finished recording their full-length debut album entitled Echoes with Richard Meiz of Lacuna Coil producing the album, and Daniele Salomone (Lacuna Coil, Inverno, D With Us) mixing & mastering at DDStudio Records. Echoes will be released via Eclipse Records on June 27, 2025.“Signing with Eclipse Records is without a doubt one of the best things that could have happened to us, and we are so excited to begin this journey!” says lead vocalist Vivian Nigro. “All we want for our music is to strike the listener with an insane amount of energy and to reach as many people as possible.” Bassist Matteo Campagnoli adds, “We achieved a complete synergy with Richard in the studio, resulting in what I believe is an incredible album. The journey took almost a year and demanded a lot of effort, but we were all united and driven, simply unstoppable.” Samuele Zichi (drummer) also said, “Signing with Eclipse Records is finally a sign that our music can leave a deep mark in someone, and that’s the main goal of our new album entitled Echoes. I hope everyone enjoys our work as much as we enjoyed making it!” Finally, guitarist Matteo Radaelli states “I am ecstatic about our collaboration with Eclipse, because it’s a big opportunity to bring our art and ideas to life. Echoes is a big step forward for us, because we think it can connect a lot of different people with different musical tastes, mainly because every song gives the opportunity to the listener to have affinity with the lyrics and the music.”Echoes is the title of the exciting post groove metal album by Noumenia, featuring heavy drumming, rhythmic virtuosity, ripsaw growl vocals, and a gargantuan guitar sound that literally reinvents the power of the power chord. Often, the songs on this record kick off with bizarre futuristic introductions constructed of suspense and trepidation, like movie soundtracks made for aliens, dangerous AI, and cyborgs gone mad, yet following these mystic “orchestral” and “celestial” preludes, Noumenia hit us with drop after drop that rock so hard we are stunned. The pound and burn on this record are massive, the hooks mesmerizing, the changes invigorating, the philosophical lyrics all too close to the heart, the bottom-side where we stockpile secrets and darkness. Musically, this record makes for a striking hybrid, explosive and smooth, hard diamond with a soft shine, a thick dose of dangerous velvet. Holistically, it seems that the band has a mission here to invigorate, exfoliate, and buzzsaw the brain so the new world looks real and raw. At the beginning of the record, we are asked to “Tear off the eyes, your sight is stale / Cut off your tongue, [and] never exhale.” That said, we are also prompted to approach each day from a position of strength and rejuvenation, as it says in focus track number one titled, “The Circle” that “From dust and bones, we’ll be reborn.” In the second focus track: “Fall Apart,” the traditional vocal warms us to the core and sets us on the sheer precipice of the monstrous growl symbolizing the fierce internal battles we wage in our effort to “Unbind the rope that chokes [the] heart.” Finally, with the third focus track: “Black Ocean,” we are exposed to a variety of vocals that are in themselves a symphony of tone, pitch, and power. And though there is a warning of a “systems crash,” there is hope in what has become a strange yet peaceful shadowland, in that we are asked to “Stay with me ‘til the sun kisses the horizon / Sail with me through the waves of infinity.” Echoes features cover art designed by Samuele Zichi, and it is scheduled for release on June 27, 2025.Pre-Save or Pre-Order Echoes at this location.For more information about Noumenia and their “Echoes” album, please visit them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or Eclipse Records, and follow them on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, YouTube Music, Tidal, and Deezer now!The post NOUMENIA sign exclusive worldwide deal w/ Eclipse Records  first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Concord to acquire Stem in $50m+ deal, say MBW sourcesWe also hear that Raine Group is in the middle of it.
Source

Live Music stocks close down again TuesdayLive music stocks continued their multi-day slide on Tuesday.
The post Live Music stocks close down again Tuesday appeared first on Hypebot.

March 11, 2020: The Day Live Music DiedOn March 11, 2020 The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci warned Congress that “it’s going to get worse,” a spooked President Trump finally addressed the nation from the Oval Office and schools, business, sports and the live music industry began a near total shutdown.
The post March 11, 2020: The Day Live Music Died appeared first on Hypebot.

Ben Winship & Tim O'Brien Wins 9th Annual Christmas Songwriting CompetitionThe list winners and finalists of the 9th Annual Christmas Songwriting Competition have been released. Songwriters Ben Winship and Tim O'Brien of Victor, ID won top honors with their song "Santa Ate a Gummy".“This is a great honor to win the top prize. We are thrilled to have been selected - happy and proud that you have selected our song!” said the top winners Ben Winship and Tim O'Brien.Victor, ID based Ben Winship is a songwriter and producer with credits from Mike Dowling that won a Grammy award in 2005 in the Best Pop Instrumental category. Ben has performed at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and NPR's "A Prairie Home Companion".Tim O'Brien is a songwriter as well as a former member of the group "Hot Rize". His songs have been recorded by kathy Mathea, Garth Brooks, Nickel Creek and the Dixie Chicks (now called the Chicks). He has won 2 Grammy awards: 2014 - Awarded Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album for "The Earls of Leicester" and 2005 - Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album for Fiddler's Green.Karin Bachner & Tobias M. Hoffmann from Vienna, Austria won the second prize with their song “In the Mood for Christmas”. "Mingle Neath the Mistletoe" by Jan Edwards, Lucy LeBlanc and Corey Lee Barker from Naples, FL won the third prize with their song “Mingle Neath the Mistletoe”.All top three songs were multi-way co-writes.Here is the list of the winners:1st Prize:"Santa Ate a Gummy" by Ben Winship & Tim O'Brien; Victor, ID 2nd Prize:"In the Mood for Christmas" by Karin Bachner & Tobias M. Hoffmann; Vienna, AUSTRIA 3rd Prize:"Mingle Neath the Mistletoe" by Jan Edwards, Lucy LeBlanc & Corey Lee Barker; Naples, FLTop 20 Finalists:"Santa Ate a Gummy" by Ben Winship & Tim O'Brien"Nights and Christmas Lights" by Robin Sandoval, Paul Laliberte,  Jeffrey Laliberte & Shelby Archer"Once Again It Is Christmas" by Clive Kennedy & Justin Wilde"Reindeer Rebellion" by Ava Della Pietra, Shane Stevens & Nash Overstreet"What Santa Wants" by Jan Edwards, Deema Homsi, TJ Kirby"Mingle Neath the Mistletoe" by Jan Edwards, Lucy LeBlanc & Corey Lee Barker"Song To The Longest Night" by Patti Shaffner"In the Mood for Christmas" by Karin Bachner & Tobias M. Hoffmann"Christmas X12" by Michelle Rose Bergh & Andy Karg"Christmas Angel" by Nadine Stockmann & Torsten Bader"Little Christmas Song" by Ayesha de Groot & Jan Flubacher"Ornaments" by Tamsin Lancaster, Max Jackson & Liam Quinn"There's A Candle" by Calvin Bridges & Tore W Åas"1-800-Santa-Helpline" by Marissa Hernandez, Joe Gautrey & Sean Price"Greater Than That" by Mary Dawson & Beverly Houston"Oh! Santa, Please" by Robby Johnson, Clarence Jey & Danny Rader"Sing His Name" by Harrison Kraft"Christmas Star" by Katie Pederson & Frankie Jason Turner"Wishlist" by Damon Sharpe, Eric Sanicola & Laura Bryna"Christmas Kiss" by Randi Soyland Sparrman & Donald James HarperFor more information, please visit:
https://www.songwriting.net/xmas-results
The post Ben Winship & Tim O'Brien Wins 9th Annual Christmas Songwriting Competition first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Patrick Moxey’s publishing company files amended copyright complaint against Sony MusicOriginal lawsuit was filed in New York in November on behalf of Ultra International Music Publishing LLC (UIMP) and Ultra Music Publishing Europe AG
Source

Live Music Stocks continue to fall faster than MarketsLive music stocks from Live Nation, Sphere Entertainment. and MSG Entertainment followed the markets downward Monday continuing their week long spiral.
The post Live Music Stocks continue to fall faster than Markets appeared first on Hypebot.

SXSW Music Top Picks 2025: Panels, Meetups & ShowcasesAs the music takes center stage, we've got the SXSW Music Top Picks 2025 including panels, meetups, a free Summit, showcases and more.
The post SXSW Music Top Picks 2025: Panels, Meetups & Showcases appeared first on Hypebot.

AllMusic's Anticipated 2025 AlbumsAs the year progresses, we look to the future to guess at the upcoming releases from our favorite artists and pontificate as to what their new sounds will reveal. Here is a non-exhaustive list of albums that our editors have been anticipating in 2025.

DIY and Independent Musician News Last WeekLast week's DIY and Independent Musician News covered a SXSW preview, how to promote music with short-form video, single release strategies, a ROSTR update and more...
The post DIY and Independent Musician News Last Week appeared first on Hypebot.

Last Week’s Top Music Business NewsA busy week by any definition, the music business news was no exception, with copyright lawsuits, music docs booming, and more...
The post Last Week’s Top Music Business News appeared first on Hypebot.

LANG Electronics Inc. introduces LANG PEQ-2 plug-inHeritage Audio® brand LANG Electronics Inc., itself a notable name in pro audio circles dating back to the Sixties, is proud to introduce its LANG PEQ-2 plug-in — an authentic emulation of its industry- shaking PEQ-2 Program Equalizer (https://heritageaudio.com/peq-2/) released to widespread critical acclaim in 2023 while effectively bringing back to life one of the most desirable equalizers of all time some six decades after the original (albeit as a brand-new piece providing problem-free access to some of the sweetest- sounding tones and textures the industry has ever heard, putting pay to the prevailing practice of overcoming inflated pricing for used units that are almost always in a questionable state of operation when seeking out original Model PEQ-2s held in high regard by many discerning artists, engineers, and producers who consider the so-called ‘LANG PROGRAM EQUALIZER’ to be better than the ubiquitous Pultec when choosing it as their secret weapon) — in both native and DSP (Digital Signal Processing) formats, as of February 24…Since successfully recreating the so-called ‘LANG PROGRAM EQUALIZER’ as the PEQ-2 Program Equalizer, it stands to reason that LANG Electronics Inc. brand owner Heritage Audio collectively considered itself as being the only company capable of translating that hardware unit’s uniqueness into a plug-in that does justice to the original. After all, Heritage Audio has a proven track record in doing just that with several of its own hardware classics — think SUCCESSOR, successfully recreating all of its namesake British Diode-bridge STEREO BUS COMPRESSOR’s features as a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) workflow-friendly plug-in with welcomed additions; SYMPH EQ — executed as a stereo mix-enhancing plug-in that readily recreates its SYMPH EQ notable namesake released in hardware form to widespread critical acclaim as a single rack space-occupying master bus-/mastering-orientated unit taking its full (STEREO ASYMPTOTIC EQUALIZER) name from the shape obtained by its shelving curves; and BritStrip, baking its BritStrip CONSOLE CHANNEL STRIP modern-day classic into a vibe-infused, all-in-one plug-in. Put it this way: with LANG PEQ-2, PEQ-2 Program Equalizer’s uniqueness ultimately now evident for all to hear after months of meticulous modelling, it is clear that time has been spent wisely on LANG Electronics Inc.’s behalf by Heritage Audio.Although the LANG PEQ-2 plug-in’s layout — effectively mirroring that of its hardware namesake — is deceptively simple, it is actually capable of some extreme processing while maintaining the musicality of the signal being processed. Thanks to its independent controls for BOOST and DROOP (cut) for both the HF (high frequency) and LF (low frequency) bands, users can quickly transform their material in interesting, creative ways that they will have almost certainly not considered before. An ability to boost and cut at the same (or similar) frequencies produces equalised response curves that are, quite simply, sure to excite — experimentation is key here, but users will soon discover just how powerful this feature can be.Lastly, LANG PEQ-2 also features a high peak boost with a completely variable HF BOOST BANDWIDTH setting that spans from SHARP to BROAD to cover anyone’s needs in a most musical-sounding manner; moreover, the range of BOOST actually varies depending on what that selected HF BOOST BANDWIDTH setting is, thereby offering a very smooth and natural response at all times — very clever indeed!Helpfully, Heritage Audio’s goal with LANG Electronics Inc.’s LANG PEQ-2 plug-in — as, indeed, is the case with its own (above-mentioned) plug-ins — is to create a tool to channel creativity and put the focus firmly back on music production, which is exactly why the vintage- sounding recording equipment developer wants to reach as many users as possible by applying a pricing scheme that is both comprehensive and fair. For instance, all owners of LANG Electronics Inc.’s PEQ-2 Program Equalizer hardware unit can complete an online form (https://heritageaudio.com/lang-peq2-owners-form/) to redeem a native version of LANG Electronics Inc.’s LANG PEQ-2 plug-in for free, while both native and DSP versions of LANG PEQ-2 are also available for free to owners of Heritage Audio’s i73® PRO family products — offering varying I/O and features as the first ever USB-C audio interfaces with built-in Class A 73-style preamps — via a firmware update (https://users.heritageaudio.com), upon completion of which they will be automatically added to their plug-in collection. Fortunately for everyone else, a no-nonsense price of €99.00 EUR/$99.00 USD is guaranteed. The native version of LANG Electronics Inc.’s LANG PEQ-2 plug-in is available to purchase — as a 64-bit AAX-, AU-, and VST3-format compatible effect plug-in for MacOS (10.15.7 and higher, with both INTEL and Native Apple Silicon M1/M2/M3 compatibility) and Windows (10 and 11) — directly from Heritage Audio here: https://users.heritageaudio.com/product/lang-peq-2/An iLok account is required for LANG PEQ-2 activation. (If running LANG PEQ-2 in trial mode, note that the trial will be fully functional for 14 days after activation.)Watch Heritage Audio’s illuminating introductory video for LANG PEQ-2 here: https://youtu.be/vKTLnsKoIdwBecome better acquainted with LANG PEQ-2 while watching Heritage Audio’s walkthrough video here:https://youtu.be/-N5-KSdfSIoThe post LANG Electronics Inc. introduces LANG PEQ-2 plug-in first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

From YouTube’s 125m subscribers to UMG’s $5bn recorded music subscription revenues… it’s MBW’s Weekly Round-UpThe biggest stories from the past week – all in one place…
Source

Gen Z Loves Live Music, new study confirmsMore than any other generation, music is a central component of Gen Z identity and happiness, according to a new study. 87.9% of those surveyed said that music moulds their personal identity and helps them navigate life.
The post Gen Z Loves Live Music, new study confirms appeared first on Hypebot.