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- in the community space Music from Within
Spotify is raising its price in the US and 52 other markets. How much money will that make the music industry?Whether you take a punchy or conservative view, Spotify is about to make a load more money
SourceSpotify is raising its price in the US and 52 other markets. How much money will that make the music industry?
www.musicbusinessworldwide.comWhether you take a punchy or conservative view, Spotify is about to make a load more money…
- in the community space Music from Within
Utopia axes 5% of staff as company shuts down R&D operations in the UK and FinlandA spokesperson told MBW that, 'Utopia is currently streamlining its organization to increase efficiency'.
SourceUtopia axes 5% of staff as company shuts down R&D operations in the UK and Finland
www.musicbusinessworldwide.comThe company is “shifting focus from hyper-growth to sustainable growth and profitability,” CEO Mattias Hjelmstedt said.
- in the community space Tools and Plugins
Spitfire Audio’s Summer Selects Spitfire Audio have announced the start of their Summer Selects sale, with savings of up to 50% available on bundles, and selected individual products subject to reductions of up to 40%.
Spitfire Audio’s Summer Selects
www.soundonsound.comSpitfire Audio have announced the start of their Summer Selects sale, with savings of up to 50% available on bundles, and selected individual products subject to reductions of up to 40%.
Female* Producer Prize winners announced by Sony Music Entertainment Germany and Music Women* GermanySony Music Entertainment Germany and Music Women* Germany, a non-profit artist association, have announced the winners of this year’s Female* Producer Prize.
Now in its second year, the prize aims to support the music careers of female-identifying producers across Germany.READ MORE: These music technology organisations are pushing women and non-binary producers forward
The seven winners from the 2023 cohort will receive production grants, vouchers for music equipment and a producer workshop at Sony Music Germany’s Circle Studios, as reported by Billboard.
They will also be added to the female producer register at Sony Music and NEUBAU Music Management, providing them with access to various labels and artists. As well as this, partners Sony Music Publishing and the Female Producer Collective will offer coaching sessions for the winners too.
This year’s winners are as follows:Mimski
Evîn
Kota No Uta
Mona Yim
Aufmischen
Sheyda Minia
Just HonestCredit: Sony Music Entertainment Germany
The seven winners were selected by a jury of five, and came out on top from a total of 150 applicants. In addition to the seven selected applicants, a shortlist of 20 applicants will also be added to Sony Music and NEUBAU’s female producer register.
“The great response and the enormously high level of over 150 applications this year have not only shown how overdue the Female Producer Prize was, but above all, how many highly competent and visionary female music producers there are out there,” says Jovanka v. Wilsdorf, jury member and initiator of the Female* Producer Prize, in a statement. “Visibility develops a radiance that creates measurable success.”
Sony Music Columbia Records Germany head of A&R Sarah Schneider, who also served on the jury, also adds: “More female and non-binary producers means more perspectives! This is again demonstrated by the outstanding quality of the many applications received. As a record label, we want to apply industry-wide approaches and tools to actively move forward to effect a change in the status quo.”
An award ceremony will take place on 14 September.
You can also read the full press release for more information.
The post Female* Producer Prize winners announced by Sony Music Entertainment Germany and Music Women* Germany appeared first on MusicTech.Female* Producer Prize winners announced by Sony Music Entertainment Germany and Music Women* Germany
musictech.comSony Music Entertainment Germany and Music Women Germany have announced the winners of this year’s Female Producer Prize.
Spotify increases Premium subscription price for the first timeAfter 12 years, Spotify is increasing the monthly price of Premium for the first time.
Since the streaming platform first launched Premium in the US in 2011, it kept the monthly price at $9.99. However, it’s increasing the price by one dollar to $10.99, the company says in a new statement.
“So that we can keep innovating, we are changing our Premium prices across a number of markets around the world,” Spotify says. “These updates will help us continue to deliver value to fans and artists on our platform.”
In the UK, not only will the price of an individual Spotify Premium subscription go up from £9.99 to £10.99, but the cost of a Duo membership is also rising from £13.99 to £14.99, and a Family membership will now set you back £17.99 rather than £16.99. Student memberships are remaining the same at £5.99.
Prices are also increasing in France, too, at similar rates to the UK and US.
While it might not be welcome news, it’s not exactly unexpected. Over the last few months, most of Spotify’s streaming rivals have also announced price increases. Apple first rose prices in October last year, while Amazon followed suit in January.
Tidal and YouTube Music then announced increases this month, before Spotify. For all platforms, the main price increase in the US is the same. A single monthly membership has increased from $9.99 to $10.99.
Meanwhile, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek hinted at an increase during an earnings call in April, saying that the streaming platform was “ready to raise prices”. The Wall Street Journal reported last week (21 July) that a price rise was thought to be imminent. That turns out to have been the case.
As of 31 March, Spotify had 210 million paying subscribers globally – a 15% increase year on year – and 515 million monthly active users.
The post Spotify increases Premium subscription price for the first time appeared first on MusicTech.Spotify increases Premium subscription price for the first time
musictech.comSpotify has announced price increases for its Premium subscriptions for the first time since their launch in 2011.
Get Paid Guide for UK musicians launched to help artists understand data and royaltiesA Get Paid Guide has been launched for UK musicians to help those self-releasing music better understand metadata and royalties.
READ MORE: UK music industry to start improving streaming services’ metadata
Created as a partnership between PRS for Music, The Ivors Academy, the Music Publishers Association (MPA), and the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), the Get Paid Guide helps to explain complex data and recording codes.
The guide features short explainer videos on International Standard Musical Work (ISWC), and International Standard Recording (ISRC) codes, and it also offers a “one-stop checklist” for managing music data. You can also take part in a quiz to check if you are “royalties ready”.
The guide also includes help with frequently asked questions, including the use of pseudonyms and what to do when covering another artist’s song.
Fiona Bevan, acclaimed artist and Board Director at The Ivors Academy, says of the guide (via DJ mag): “Without accurate song data you won’t get paid. It is so important that creators get this right from the beginning.
“This guide simplifies what seems complex by helping songwriters, composers, managers, and publishers understand what they need to know and what they need to do to make sure they aren’t missing out on royalties. I hope it puts more money in songwriters’ pockets by taking some of the mystery out of data.”
Michelle Escoffery, award-winning songwriter and President of the PRS Members’ Council, also adds: “The Get Paid Guide is a crucial handbook for songwriters. Getting the data right at the point of works registration is vitally important and is often the difference between being paid or not.
“This guide brings us closer to achieving a healthier metadata ecosystem overall. I encourage all music creators to use this guide, get fluent with the relevant codes and empower themselves to get paid accurately and quickly.”
Find out more on how you can utilise your metadata on the Get Paid Guide website. You can also read the full press release over at The Ivors Academy.
The post Get Paid Guide for UK musicians launched to help artists understand data and royalties appeared first on MusicTech.Get Paid Guide for UK musicians launched to help artists understand data and royalties
musictech.comA Get Paid Guide has been launched for UK musicians to help those self-releasing music better understand metadata and royalties.
- in the community space Music from Within
Free Touring for Musicians Berklee course launches on CourseraLearn the basics of successful touring with a new free course created by Hypebot Editor and longtime booking agent Bruce Houghton for Berklee and Coursera. This short four-lesson Berklee Coursera. Continue reading
The post Free Touring for Musicians Berklee course launches on Coursera appeared first on Hypebot.Free Touring for Musicians Berklee course launches on Coursera - Hypebot
www.hypebot.comLearn the basics of successful touring with a new free course created by Hypebot Editor and longtime booking agent Bruce Houghton for Berklee and Coursera. This short four-lesson Berklee Coursera. Continue reading
Have all of Daft Punk’s Face To Face samples finally been discovered?Daft Punk’s 2001 track Face To Face features a lot of samples. Over the years, musicians and producers have been trying to track down all of the original sources for each one – has the plunderphonic puzzle finally been solved?
READ MORE: Julian Casablancas suggested Stevie Wonder as Daft Punk’s Infinity Repeating vocalist
One YouTube user under the name of undrtune may have finally pieced all of the samples together, having shared a final update video of the journey to tracking each sample used. “Thanks to all sample hunters and Le Phunk for the sample breakdown,” reads the video’s description.
Todd Edwards, the famed producer and vocalist who worked with Daft Punk on the 2001 track, as well as 2013’s Fragments Of Time, has previously said that there were 70 samples used across the song and fans have struggled to locate all of them.
In undrtune’s videos, the user plays through each sample in Ableton Live, sharing its source next to it. Undrtune’s most recent sample tracking update of Face To Face before this recent instalment came three years ago.
You can check out the “Final Update” video below.Another YouTube user, known as ‘the’, has uploaded a video showing you how to recreate the Discovery deep cut in 32 minutes. It, too, is an impressively close recreation of Daft Punk’s original.
In 2016, Todd Edwards gave fans a helping hand by showcasing some of the samples in isolation, followed by their positions in the final sequence. Posting to Instagram, he said that he was “re-creating the sample arrangement of Daft Punk’s and my collab of Face To Face for a discussion about their album Discovery…”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Todd Edwards (@toddedwards3000)
Edwards had previously branded his collaboration with Daft Punk for Fragments Of Time as “life-changing.”
“And I’m not being dramatic,” he explained on Apple Music 1 with Zane Lowe. “It started a new journey in my life and it wasn’t intentionally like, ‘oh, they saved me!’ but it definitely had a major impact.”
He later added that he had foreseen the band’s split in 2021: “I wasn’t shocked by the news because it’s again, I know them on a personal level, so I know the inner workings of… There’s the friendships there. It’s almost like when you think about it, it’s like a partnership can be like a marriage to a certain extent.
“And you have your ups and downs, and it’s just like if the chemistry isn’t there anymore, if it’s just not that you’re not melding together the way you used to, that it’s better to not force something and then come out with something that you feel is sub-par, than to just make it finite.”
The post Have all of Daft Punk’s Face To Face samples finally been discovered? appeared first on MusicTech.Have all of Daft Punk’s Face To Face samples finally been discovered?
musictech.comDaft Punk’s Face To Face features 70 samples, and musicians and producers have been trying to track down the original sources for years.
New report predicts 51% increase in music trade revenues by 2030Midia Research, an entertainment industry analytics company, has revealed its forecasts for the music industry’s growth until 2030.
READ MORE: The music production industry has a gender problem – here’s how we can fix it
The most notable predictions from its Global Market Music Forecasts report, which was published in June, are a 51% increase in global recorded music trade revenues, reaching $42.4 billion by the end of the decade.
Additionally, retail spending is projected to grow to $87.1 billion. Midia also predicts that the number of paid music subscribers worldwide will reach a whopping 1.1 billion by 2030, with the majority of growth coming from Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Rest of World regions. In 2022, according to Statista, this number sat at just 616 million.
The Midia report follows a similar prediction by Goldman Sachs. The investment banking company, in its Music In The Air June report, instead projected a slightly higher rise to $50.1 billion of recorded music trade revenues in 2030 and a similar figure of 1.2 billion paid subscribers.
While these reports focus on consumer revenue, we recently were given the predictions of the music tech industry by musician, content creator and analyst, Benn Jordan. He gravely envisioned layoffs for Moog, Apple and Spitfire Audio, saying, “I honestly hope I’m wrong.”
In his findings, he saw that Native Instruments was acquired by Francisco Partners along with other music companies for around €773 million, raising doubts about its long-term success. Speculations suggest that Native Instruments may acquire Spitfire Audio and incorporate it into a subscription service, possibly leading to layoffs. Even Apple is predicted to face layoffs, Jordan predicts, which would be the first since 1997.
Access Midia Research’s Global Market Music Forecasts report via midiaresearch.com.
The post New report predicts 51% increase in music trade revenues by 2030 appeared first on MusicTech.New report predicts 51% increase in music trade revenues by 2030
musictech.comMidia Research, an entertainment industry analytics company, has revealed its forecasts for the music industry's growth until 2030.
- in the community space Music from Within
A Beginner’s Guide to Threads for MusiciansThreads is growing in popularity by the day, so now is the time to get familiar and involved with Meta and Instagram’s social media platform. by CRISTINA CANO from DIY Musician. Continue reading
The post A Beginner’s Guide to Threads for Musicians appeared first on Hypebot.A Beginner's Guide to Threads for Musicians - Hypebot
www.hypebot.comThreads is growing in popularity by the day, so now is the time to get familiar and involved with Meta and Instagram’s social media platform. by CRISTINA CANO from DIY Musician. Continue reading
- in the community space Music from Within
Warner Music, TikTok cut deal that all artists should be interested inWarner Music Group and TikTok have teamed up to ensure that musicians get the compensation they deserve for having their music used on the app. Here are the details… by. Continue reading
The post Warner Music, TikTok cut deal that all artists should be interested in appeared first on Hypebot.Warner Music, TikTok cut deal that all artists should be interested in - Hypebot
www.hypebot.comWarner Music Group and TikTok have teamed up to ensure that musicians get the compensation they deserve for having their music used on the app. Here are the details… by. Continue reading
“Barbie overtook my life for a year”, says Mark RonsonMark Ronson has recalled the arduous process of scoring Barbie’s soundtrack, which features exclusive music from Nicki Minaj, Dua Lipa, Lizzo, Tame Impala and more.
READ MORE: Mark Ronson on how he used “basic plug-ins” to produce Amy Winehouse’s Back To Black
In a recent interview with Billboard, the Amy Winehouse producer and A Star Is Born co-writer looks back on the year-long process of putting the music together for the blockbuster, which racked up $155m in box office sales over its opening weekend.
“It was a ton, ton, ton of work,” he says. “[The movie] overtook my life for a year, but it was completely worth it.”
Ronson also reveals the behind-the-scenes negotiating that had to happen to secure such an A-list cast of pop stars for the film, joking that Atlantic Records executive Kevin Weaver, who made features happen, could “honestly just become chief negotiator at the U.N.”
On bringing in Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice, who Ronson says were an essential addition, he says: “I was like, ‘I don’t know how we have a Barbie soundtrack without Nicki Minaj on it?’ How do you not have the person who’s kept the word ‘Barbie’ alive in music culture the past 15 years?”HAIM, however, were easier to get on board, Ronson suggests, after the group apparently showed off their love for the popular toy by singing songs from a ’90s Barbie DVD down the phone.
“The only VHS that [Haim] were allowed as kids was [from Barbie] probably from the early ‘90s. They knew every song, and they started singing them over the phone,” Ronson tells Billboard.
Working on the Barbie movie was not the only time Ronson merged themes related to an iconic plastic product with music. That’s right, in 2022, Mark Ronson and Madlib created an album made from sounds of Coca-Cola recycling plant.
Check out the full star-studded tracklist for the Barbie soundtrack below:Lizzo – Pink
Dua Lipa – Dance the Night
Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice – Barbie World (with Aqua)
Charli XCX – Speed Drive
KAROL G – WATATI (feat. Aldo Ranks)
Sam Smith – Man I Am
Tame Impala – Journey to the Real World
Ryan Gosling – I’m Just Ken
Dominic Fike – Hey Blondie
Billie Eilish – What Was I Made For
The Kid LAROI – Forever & Again
Khalid – Silver Platter
PinkPantheress – Angel
GAYLE – Butterflies
Ava Max – Choose Your Fighter
FIFTY FIFTY – Barbie Dreams (feat. Kaliii)
Brandi Carlile & Catherine Carlile – Closer to Fine (BONUS TRACK)Read more about the Barbie movie via imdb.com.
The post “Barbie overtook my life for a year”, says Mark Ronson appeared first on MusicTech.“Barbie overtook my life for a year”, says Mark Ronson
musictech.comMark Ronson has recalled the arduous process of soundtracking and scoring Barbie’s soundtrack, which features music by Nicki Minaj and more.
David Guetta: “If you have terrible taste, your music is still gonna be terrible, even with AI”With the rise of AI – don’t worry, not in the Terminator sense, yet… – musicians far and wide have weighed in on the rapidly emerging technology, offering their thoughts on whether it’s a force for good or bad in the music world.
Earlier this month, for example, music gear reviewer and musician Cuckoo took a positive stance towards the tech, saying he was ready for the challenge it poses. “When AI comes along, it’s challenging me, I’m here for it, I’m ready, it’s asking me questions: ‘Human, you’re a slacker, I can do what you’re doing – can you take me on? Can you?’” he said.
And in June, Nile Rodgers made his stance on AI clear, saying people should learn to embrace the technology rather than fear it.
Now, in a new conversation on Rolling Stone’s Music Now podcast, DJ David Guetta has weighed in on the conversation, offering a series of insights on the future of AI in music.
“I’ve been following this from the beginning,” he says, when questioned about the AI-generated Eminem rap he played during one of his sets earlier this year.“I thought it was so interesting, that’s why I did this. I didn’t wanna release a record like this – it was just to open a conversation. And I think I was right to open this conversation.”
Guetta is then asked for his opinion on the viral AI-generated Drake and Weeknd song, Heart on My Sleeve, which landed on streaming services earlier this year before being taken down.“There’s a bit of a loophole right now, because there’s no law because this is so new, but this is why when I did the Eminem thing, I did it on a record that was absolutely obvious that it was not an Eminem record. It was just to show technically that it was interesting what was happening.”
He continues: “But, to me, I don’t see this as a threat. A lot of people are freaking out at the moment. I just see this as another tool for us to make better records, make better demos. If I would wanna sell a record to Ariana Grande [or] Rihanna, I think it’s a good way to have her singing on it, so that she knows exactly how it’s gonna sound.”
Guetta says that producers and musicians should be less fearful, because there’s one thing that AI cannot replicate, and that’s taste.
“The more years [that pass], the more accessible music production [becomes],” he says. “You used to have to spend thousands of dollars to be able to be in the studio, have the instruments, have the musicians come in.
“Now, I do everything with my laptop, and nothing else. I don’t use any hardware. And this is something I believe in deeply. I really think that it’s the best way to work today.
“I think what matters is what I have to say as an artist. And what defines an artist is [their] taste, more than anything else – more than his technical ability. So, I think the fact that today you can go on ChatGPT and say, write me a verse in the style of Drake, doesn’t mean that you’re gonna say stuff that is exciting enough to beat Drake.”
Guetta concludes: “The way I see it, AI is gonna be one more tool to democratise music, but if you have terrible taste, your music is still gonna be terrible, even with AI. You can use the voice of Drake, The Weeknd and Prince at the same time – if the song sucks, it’s still gonna be a bad song.”
Listen to the full podcast on Spotify.
The post David Guetta: “If you have terrible taste, your music is still gonna be terrible, even with AI” appeared first on MusicTech.David Guetta: “If you have terrible taste, your music is still gonna be terrible, even with AI”
musictech.comDavid Guetta has weighed in on the use of AI in music production, saying he sees it not as something to be feared, but as just another tool.
- in the community space Tools and Plugins
e-instruments launch Valves Pro sample library The new Pro version of Valves introduces solo patches for each instrument and offers a much wider selection of articulations and pre-recorded phrases.
e-instruments launch Valves Pro sample library
www.soundonsound.comThe new Pro version of Valves introduces solo patches for each instrument and offers a much wider selection of articulations and pre-recorded phrases.
Federal Reserve of San Francisco hiring crypto architect for CBDC projectSan Francisco's Federal Reserve Bank is seeking a crypto architect for a central bank digital currency (CBDC).
Federal Reserve of San Francisco hiring crypto architect for CBDC project
cointelegraph.comSan Francisco's Federal Reserve Bank is hiring a crypto architect for its central bank digital currency (CBDC) project.