Pershing Square distributes 47m shares of Universal Music to investors, delists from Amsterdam exchange"We believe that UMG stock is substantially undervalued at its current share price..."
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Music Industry Trends that will drive 2025: Experts Weigh InWe asked a handful of our favorite music industry execs to share the trends that they see shaping the music business is 2025. From changes in distribution to a direct to consumer revolution and AI to fans as creators, they delivered the wisdom you'll need to thrive in 2025.
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Alter Egos: The Data Behind Musician PseudonymsMany artists have used alter egos throughout music history. In 2024, these musician pseudonyms have a varied effect on the original artist's music streaming statistics.
The post Alter Egos: The Data Behind Musician Pseudonyms appeared first on Hypebot.

Everything you need to know about BlueskyBluesky is quickly growing as an alternative to Twitter with a focus on giving users more control over their social media experience. Here’s what you should know… Everything you need. Continue reading
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Tycho calls this “one of the best soft synths ever made”In a wide-ranging new interview with MusicTech, American musician and producer Tycho – real name Scott Hansen – waxes lyrical on both the hard and soft synths that powered his new album Infinite Health.
And there’s one soft synth in particular that he heaps considerable praise upon: Softube’s Model 84, which emulates the Roland Juno-106.

READ MORE: “I’m hoping that one day the passion will come back”: Fatboy Slim says he “just don’t seem to feel like” making music anymore

He labels the software as “one of the best soft synths ever made”, adding: “It’s just like a real synthesizer. It’s crazy. I don’t know what they’re doing over [at Softube] but their synth plugins seem way ahead of everybody else’s.”
Based in Sweden, Softube specialises in high-quality software emulations of classic vintage gear. “We chose to push the envelope of component-level modelling of analog systems, taking hardware apart and putting it back together in code and at the highest resolution possible,” the brand says on its website.
Other products available in its vast lineup include the Model 77 – which emulates the famed Yamaha CS-80 – and the Model 82, which recreates the classic Roland SH-101.
Elsewhere in the interview, Tycho says while many producers and beatmakers seek out specialist pieces of software and hardware to create the sound they’re after, they’re not always needed.
“You don’t need every sound to be magical and have all that character…” he says. “The most basic DAWs have enough tools in them to be able to make, like, 90 per cent of all music ever created. So now it’s just down to you learning how to use it, not the lack of access, which I think is so powerful.”
Read the full interview at MusicTech.
The post Tycho calls this “one of the best soft synths ever made” appeared first on MusicTech.

Azealia Banks is obsessed with Teenage Engineering and the OP-XY: “They’re really s**tting on every audio hardware company out there. Nobody is this cool”Azealia Banks reckons Teenage Engineering is “shitting on every audio hardware company” out there with its synths.
The award-winning rapper and producer recently took to Instagram in a four-post series that left no doubt about her newfound obsession with the Swedish firm’s revolutionary instruments.

READ MORE: “I’m hoping that one day the passion will come back” Fatboy Slim says he “just don’t seem to feel like” making music anymore

“The Teenage Engineering design story is really everything,” Banks wrote in one post. “They’re really shitting on every audio hardware company out [there]. Nobody is this cool.”
But it’s the OP-XY in particular that has her raving. Calling the synth “actual insanity,” Banks declared, “I’m obsessed” with the instrument.
A keen commenter on music production and the music industry at large, Azealia Banks often shares snippets of her studio process to her Instagram fans, including new gear purchases and clips of her DAW sessions.”
Launched last November, the OP-XY is a successor to the popular OP-Z, which was released in 2018. Dubbed an “all-in-one powerful synthesizer and composer with deep, direct sequencing capabilities”, the OP-XY takes the advanced sequencing of the OP-Z and places it in a smaller enclosure, much like the brands’ OP-1.
“Now including built-in CV, effect sends, and a best-in-class DAC. with 8 individual instrument tracks and 8 auxiliary tracks for controlling any external synthesizer, modular or otherwise, and adding effects,” TE said of the release. “We dare to say it’s probably the most complete, portable sequencer ever built.”
Sharing a picture of the OP-XY, OP-1 and OP-1 Field laying side by side in another post, Banks wrote: They look like a litter of kittens. Aww.”

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Banks also praised the OP-XY’s aluminium construction, noting that it’s a major “step up” from its predecessors: “These knobs ain’t going no fuckin’ where,” she said.

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A post shared by Azealia Banks (@azealiabanksforever)

And in her latest post, where she proudly shows off her growing collection of Teenage Engineering gear—including the K.O. II sample/sequencer, TX-6 mixer, and TP-7 field recorder—it’s clear: Azealia Banks is now a fully-fledged Teenage Engineering convert.

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Learn more at Teenage Engineering.
The post Azealia Banks is obsessed with Teenage Engineering and the OP-XY: “They’re really s**tting on every audio hardware company out there. Nobody is this cool” appeared first on MusicTech.

Peter Thiel-backed venture debt firm Tacora raises $268.7M for new fundTacora Capital has raised its second fund, after Peter Thiel backed its first fund with $250 million.
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Do Kwon’s superseding indictment includes money laundering chargeThe Terraform Labs co-founder was indicted on eight felony charges in 2023 but will likely face an additional count for money laundering conspiracy.

A Modern Battery For a Classic LaptopAside from their ability to operate fairly well in extreme temperatures, lead-acid batteries don’t have many benefits compared to more modern battery technology. They’re heavy, not particularly energy dense, have limited charge cycles, and often can’t be fully discharged without damage or greatly increased wear. With that in mind, one can imagine that a laptop that uses a battery like this would be not only extremely old but also limited by this technology. Of course, in the modern day we can do a lot to bring these retro machines up to modern standards like adding in some lithium batteries to this HP laptop.
Simply swapping the batteries in this computer won’t get the job done though, as lead-acid and lithium batteries need different circuitry in order to be safe while also getting the maximum amount of energy out. [CYUL] is using a cheap UPS module from AliExpress which comes with two 18650 cells to perform this conversion, although with a high likelihood of counterfeiting in this market, the 18650s were swapped out with two that were known to be from Samsung. The USB module also needs to be modified a bit to change the voltage output to match the needs of the HP-110Plus, and of course a modernized rebuild like this wouldn’t be complete without a USB-C port to function as the new power jack.
[CYUL] notes at the end of the build log that even without every hardware upgrade made to this computer (and ignoring its limited usefulness in the modern world) it has a limited shelf life as the BIOS won’t work past 2035. Hopefully with computers like this we’ll start seeing some firmware modifications as well that’ll let them work indefinitely into the future. For modern computers we’ll hope to avoid the similar 2038 problem by switching everything over to 64 bit systems and making other software updates as well.

Crafting a Cardboard Tribute to Puzzle BobbleWhat do you get when you cross cardboard, deodorant rollers, and a love for retro gaming? A marvel of DIY engineering that brings the arcade classic Puzzle Bobble to life—once again! Do you remember the original Puzzle Bobble aiming mechanism we featured 12 years ago? Now, creator [TomTilly] has returned with a revamped version, blending ingenuity with a touch of nostalgia. [Tom] truly is a Puzzle Bobble enthusiast. And who could argue that? The game’s simplicty makes for innocent yet addictive gameplay.
[Tom]’s new setup recreates Puzzle Bobble’s signature aiming mechanic using surprising materials: deodorant roller balls filled with hot glue (to diffuse LED colours), bamboo skewers, and rubber bands. At its heart is an Arduino UNO, which syncs the RGB LED ‘bubbles’ and a servo-driven aiming arm to the game’s real-time data. A Lua script monitors MAME’s memory locations to match the bubble colours and aimer position.
But this isn’t just a static display. [Tom] hints at a version 2.0: a fully functional controller complete with a handle. Imagine steering this tactile masterpiece through Puzzle Bobble’s frantic levels!
Need more inspiration? Check out other quirky hacks like [Tom]’s deodorant roller controller we featured in 2023. Whether you’re into cardboard mechanics or retro gaming, there’s no end to what clever hands can create.

BPB Readers’ Choice Awards 2024 – Top 30 FREE Music Production Software of the Year!
This article features the best free music production software of the year, based on votes from Bedroom Producers Blog readers. If you’re following our newsletter, you already know that 2024 was an incredible year for music producers on a budget. We’ve seen hundreds of new freeware plugins and tools, and the quality on offer was, [...]
View post: BPB Readers’ Choice Awards 2024 – Top 30 FREE Music Production Software of the Year!

6 Big Stories you missed over the Holidays: Spotify & Live Nation exposés, Music Legislation pulled & MoreWhile we hope you tuned out and stopped working for the holidays, the music industry did not. This roundup of the important music business news will help you get caught up.
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How to define success as a musician on your own terms in 2025As we begin a new year, learn how to define success as a musician on your terms. These pro tips will help define and achieve your unique goals as a. Continue reading
The post How to define success as a musician on your own terms in 2025 appeared first on Hypebot.

Your Morning Coffee Podcast: Music Business trends for 2025, Music + AI, Audiophile Vinyl, Bill Hein & MoreEpisode 229 of Jay Gilbert and Mike Etchart's podcast Your Morning Coffee: Weekly News for the New Music Business is available now. LISTEN HERE:
The post Your Morning Coffee Podcast: Music Business trends for 2025, Music + AI, Audiophile Vinyl, Bill Hein & More appeared first on Hypebot.

Pure Cherry expansion for DW Soundworks The latest DW Soundworks expansion equips users with the sound of the company’s Collector’s Series kit, a model renowned for its bright attack, rich midrange and balanced sustain.