YouTube in talks with Sony, Universal, Warner to license music for AI tools (report)YouTube wants to offer cash upfront in lump-sum payments to gain the rights to specific artists’ music – with the permission of the artists themselves
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RECORDING ACADEMY INVITES MUSIC CREATORS AND INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS TO JOINToday the Recording Academy® extended membership invitations to more than 3,900 established music professionals spanning diverse backgrounds, genres and disciplines, underscoring the Academy's commitment to inclusivity and representation within the music industry. This year's 2024 class of invitees is 45% women, 57% people of color and 47% under the age of 40. With this year's new member invitees, the Recording Academy is on track to achieve its goal of adding 2,500 women Voting Members by 2025 this year, one year ahead of schedule.

Invitations must be formally accepted by July 31 for recipients to become Recording Academy members and participate in the Online Entry Process (OEP) for the upcoming GRAMMY Awards®. Through OEP, members can submit recordings, music videos and other eligible content for GRAMMY® Award consideration. Individuals invited as Voting Members who accept their invitations are eligible to vote for the GRAMMY Awards, with the first voting ballot opening on Oct. 4 and closing on Oct. 15. The 67th GRAMMY Awards® will take place on Feb. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

"There's no better way to kick off GRAMMY season than by inviting thousands of diverse and talented music creators and professionals to join our Recording Academy family," said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. "Our members are the heart of the Academy, driving our mission to make lasting, positive impacts on the music community and shape music history. We are hopeful that all 3,900+ invitees join us in serving, celebrating and championing the voices of music creators year-round."

The invitations extended today offer each potential new member an opportunity to power the Recording Academy's mission of cultivating the well-being of the music community, celebrating artistic excellence in the recording arts, advocating for human creators' rights, investing in music's future through the GRAMMY Museum®, and supporting music people in times of need through MusiCares®. Recording Academy Voting Members — made up of artists, songwriters, producers, and engineers active in the music industry — are eligible to vote for the GRAMMY Awards, ultimately determining the outcomes on Music's Biggest Night® and shaping music history.

Among the invitees celebrating this career milestone today are Tanner Adell, Ashnikko, Grupo Frontera, and Teddy Swims, who expressed their excitement:

Tanner Adell: "So excited to say I am in the Recording Academy/GRAMMYs 2024 New Member Class. This year has been full of checking things off my bucket list, and this is definitely one of them! Couldn't be more honored to join this incredible roster and advocate for music and my fellow creators."

Ashnikko: "It is an honor to become a member of the Recording Academy. I am so grateful to be a musician in such an exciting era of music. It is an incredibly inspiring time. To be able to have a hand in nominating some of my favorite artists that are shaping culture right now feels very special."

Grupo Frontera: "We are excited to join the Recording Academy as new members this year. We have been so blessed to be accepted into the music industry with open arms in the short time that we have had and joining this community filled with the best of the best music has to offer is an honor."

Teddy Swims: "I am truly humbled to be invited into the Recording Academy. It is an honor to be a part of something that so many of my heroes have belonged to."  

 See here for additional invitee quotes.

The Recording Academy's membership invitation process is community-driven and peer-reviewed annually, focusing on two types of membership: Voting Membership for music creators and Professional Membership for music business professionals^. Each year, interested musicians and professionals must apply for membership by March 1. Their submissions are reviewed in the spring by a peer review panel composed of existing Recording Academy members active in the music industry. If approved, candidates are invited to join the Recording Academy. For more information on the Academy's membership requirements, visit here.

A comprehensive report on the Academy's 2024 New Member Class, along with a detailed breakdown of the overall membership demographics and crafts, will be released later this year following the deadline for 2024 invitees to join the Academy. To see the 2023 New Member Class and overall membership update, visit here.

^GRAMMY U® is the third type of Academy membership and follows a distinct application process. Visit here for more info.The post RECORDING ACADEMY INVITES MUSIC CREATORS AND INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS TO JOIN first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Underoath is fighting scalpers by making resale tickets worthlessUnderoath is taking on ticket scalpers by attacking them where it hurts the most—their wallets. Like some other artists, The band monitors ticket sales and educates fans, but then they. Continue reading
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Bandcamp expands PRO with Private StreamingBandcamp Pro subscribers can now create and name links for private streaming of albums and tracks. Sharing private albums and tracks can be used to: Learn more about private streaming here.. Continue reading
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SXSW opens Showcase and Panel applications for 2025Registration for SXSW 2025 does not open until August 6th, but the gathering’s community Panel Picker and Music Showcase applications are open now. The next U.S. edition of the SXSW. Continue reading
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Donner Adds New Guitars to Its Seeker Series ElectricsDonner has introduced two new additions to its DST Seeker Series electric guitar lineup: the DST-600 and DST-700. By adding these two new models, Donner's time-tested Seeker Series has reached new heights with a balance of vintage and modern design, providing contemporary players with the ultimate playing experience and versatile tones, from warm blues or clean style to shred-heavy metal sounds.

The DST-600 has an alder body, C-shaped maple neck and comes in either SSS or HSS configurations with a maple or rosewood fretboard. The models featuring the rosewood fretboard come with 22 frets, while the maple fretboard version features 21 frets. Boasting special tuning on each pole piece, the vintage staggered SSS/HSS configured DST-600 gives an authentic 60s sound that is sparkly clean, while providing a rich and smooth tone when pushed with some overdrive. The DST-600, with a trio of alnico V single coils, marks Donner's faithful attempt for the vintage aesthetics while maintaining versatile play capabilities by providing an alternative HSS configured option.

Crafted with several differences from the original Seeker series, the DST-700 is Donner’s bold offering for aggressive players. First, the DST-700 boasts a 5-piece neck made with roasted maple bolted on a basswood or mahogany body, offering supreme stability and aesthetics for shred guitarists. Second, new pickups designed by Donner Lab come in two configurations: HH and HSS with coil switch. These new Donner Lab pickups are designed, made, and tuned for high-output fatter tones, yet deliver tremendous dynamic range.

Finally, the fingerboard utilizes a compound radius of 10"-14" resulting in a neck that achieves an ideal ergonomic equilibrium, suitable for producing both clear melodies and chordal playing, as well as lightning-fast solos played on the higher frets.

Other features include an easily accessible truss rod adjuster that sits next to the neck pickup, allowing players to make adjustments without removing the neck, high-quality hardware, including steel medium frets, Donner 18:1 locking machines, 2-point synchronized tremolo with block saddles, and a steel plate.

Availability:

The Donner DST-600 and DST-700 electric guitars carry suggested retail prices from $429.9 to $499.9, varying from models of different setups, and are available from donnermusic.com and selective retailers.

4 models, including DST-600 in Fiesta Red (SSS) pricing $429 USD, DST-600 in Sunburst (HSS) pricing $439 USD, DST-700 in Natural (HH) pricing $499 USD and DST-700 in Forest Green (HSS) pricing $499 USD, are now available onDonnermusic.com.

For prices and availability of other models please check out more information on www.donnermusic.com or contact your local retailers.The post Donner Adds New Guitars to Its Seeker Series Electrics first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

How the major labels plan to cost Suno and Udio billions (and why it all rests on Michael Bublé)The AI music companies' business model "threatens to eliminate the existing market for licensing sound recordings"
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Live Music grosses break records, but many shows are struggling [Pollstar Mid-Year Report]Live music trade Pollstar’s annual Mid-Year 2024 Report shows a sector with its highest total grosses ever while showing real signs of a slowdown. Overall, the live music industry is. Continue reading
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Is Spotify’s CEO richer than any musician in history?There’s a lot more money to be made in streaming music than there is in creating it. Spotify CEO Daniel EK has an estimated net worth of $4.9 billion dollars.. Continue reading
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How to nurture SuperfansWe’ve all chased that elusive viral moment, but real longevity comes from nurturing your biggest supporters. Here’s how top artists are building long-lasting, direct fan connections. by single.xyz We’ve all. Continue reading
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Create Music Group, at $1 billion valuation, raises $165 million investment roundCreate says money will help fuel growth in scale and its global acquisition strategy
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The Doobie Brothers at the Forum, Los AngelesLegendary rock band the Doobie Brothers played the KIA Forum on Sunday night and it was their first time at that venue in three years. For the first half of the tour, blues legend Robert Cray opened the show, and the second half will see Steve Winwood take over. 

Back in 2019, to celebrate the Doobie Brothers' 50th Anniversary, the group announced a tour with Michael McDonald to take place in 2020 which had been postponed a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2020 also happened to be the year that the Doobie Brothers were finally inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame along with McDonald.

Before the pandemic, they had most recently played the KIA Forum in 2018 with Steely Dan and in 2017 with Chicago. The Doobie Brothers also played Classic West at Dodger Stadium in 2017. The Doobie Brothers have gone through a number of lineup changes over their 50 year history but have always included founding members Tom Johnston (Guitar/Vocals) and Pat Simmons (Guitar/Vocals).

From 1971 to 2016, there had always been two drummers in the group, but in 2016 Ed Toth, who joined in 2005 (Vertical Horizon), became the sole drummer and in 2018, former Allman Brothers percussionist Marc Quinones joined the group.

In the past decade, there was another lineup change when Guy Allison, the group’s keyboardist of nearly 20 years, left the group and former Little Feat. Keyboardist Bill Payne joined from 2015-2021. The Doobie Brothers also include John McFee (guitar/violin/harmonica), who was a member from 1979-1982 and joined again in 1993. 

Bassist John Cowan was a member from 1993-1995 and then again starting in 2010. Since 1998, Marc Russo has been the sax player. McDonald joined in 1975 and in the seven years he was a member until the band split up. In that time the group released four of their biggest selling albums. McDonald had a majorly successful solo career following the end of the group and has appeared with the Doobie Brothers on and off since they reformed in 1987, and this is the longest tour he's had with Johnston and Simmons in around 40 years.  

The Doobie Brothers played a set of 19 songs, full of hits. The Doobie Brothers had over 30 charting singles. A Doobie Brothers show is all about the music and no special effects or guests. The set was all Doobie Brothers songs rather than including songs from McDonald's highly successful solo career. The last time they played the KIA Forum, it took place just a week after the release of their first album in seven years Liberte, but it was their first release with McDonald since One Step Closer (1980) with the exception of Southbound in 2014 which was a duets album of the group’s classics. 

The opening song was “Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While).” Other hits included “It Keeps You Runnin’,” “Minute By Minute,” and “Jesus Is Just Alright." McDonald wad featured on songs "Minute By Minute," "What a Fool Believes," and "Takin' It to the Streets." I would call the last seven songs the sing-a-long portion of the show since they spaced out some hits earlier.

Three of those songs made up the encore. McFee delivered an outstanding harmonica solo for “Long Train Runnin’” and also included a drum/percussion solo from Toth and Quinones. Throughout the show, McFee played several instruments including guitar, pedal steel guitar, harmonica, and for “”Black Water” played the fiddle. McDonald played both keyboard and organ. The second to last song of the encore was “Takin’ It to the Streets,” which started with an extended saxophone and keyboard intro between McDonald and Russo. The final song of the evening was a song that can always make people happy, "Listen to the Music.”

The post The Doobie Brothers at the Forum, Los Angeles first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Denis Ladegaillerie’s consortium now owns 94.99% of Believe, as ex-Shazam boss joins company boardFour months after Ladegaillerie launched bid with EQT and TCV, we're nearly at the finish line
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Audius signs licensing deals with ASCAP, BMI, GMR and SESACThe artist-centric streaming platform Audius has signed licensing agreements with all four U.S. Performing Rights Organizations (PROs): ASCAP, BMI, GMR, and SESAC. Songwriters whose songs are played on Audius will. Continue reading
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Virgin Music Group, Island sign agreement with Carín León’s Socios Music to release new materialThe first release under the new partnership has already resulted in León’s best first-week album debut to date
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