A Personal Welcome from New Apogee Owner Dirk UlrichOn Tuesday, new Apogee owner Dirk Ulrich released a personal note, which reads as follows:

"Dear Apogee Family!

My name is Dirk Ulrich, and as of November 14th I am honored to be the new owner of Apogee which some of you may have seen in our previous email or on our social media channels.

Today I wanted to take a minute to introduce myself in a semi-formal way, and tell you a bit about myself and where I want to take the APOGEE team in the future, now that Betty & Bob have entrusted me with their lifetime achievement of the past 40 years. I am thankful for that amazing opportunity, and promise you – just as I have promised them that I am fully committed to Apogee's legacy and reputation.

We will continue to develop and offer the best-sounding audio tools that we can create. And just like in the past, we won’t cut corners in the future, whether that’s hardware or software & plugins. In fact, we have new products & updates coming out starting January 2026.

Many of you may know me as the founder of both, PLUGIN ALLIANCE and BRAINWORX (both of which I sold in 2021), or more recently, as the new owner for California based tube-audio specialist MANLEY (www.manley.com). MANLEY & APOGEE have already begun working on mutual and hybrid products that will highlight the best of what both companies have to offer. Both companies are now part of our new www.rckfrc.com group, which I have funded privately. 100% no private equity or hedge-funds involved! Stay tuned.

Hardware and software development will take some time, and the team and I are committed to looking at every aspect of what makes Apogee desirable to you all, whether that’s updates and improvements for apps, plugins or drivers, or new and improved hardware and features. We kindly ask for your patience as ownership transition and internal process changes in a 40 year old company take more than just a few days. We appreciate your understanding and support.

Compared to the big challenges, there are a few other things, like small improvements on our website and in our email system, that we are already working on and that we can improve quickly. For example, since it just happens to be “the season” for plugin sales (and since I initially earned my wings in this industry as “the plugin guy”), we have decided to run our current and future plugin promotions in a more contemporary and streamlined way, effective this week.

Please make sure to check our upcoming emails in the next few days (starting tomorrow!), as we will send you some email-exclusive voucher codes through the end of the year. These promo codes will give you instant access to non-public, additional (!) discounts on our APOGEE and BOB CLEARMOUNTAIN plugins.

Lastly, I wanted to invite you to connect with me via social media, so here are my personal accounts in case you want to follow me in real-time and hear more about where RCKFRC, APOGEE, MANLEY and all of these ideas may be going. Please understand that I cannot answer every single private message on social media, but I do read every comment on my posts, and I am always happy to have a fun and respectful conversation about sound and technology.

Dirk's INSTAGRAM

Dirk's FACEBOOK

As the pictures suggest, I am a sound & audio fan / freak first, not just a biz guy. I have earned a single Gold Record from back in the days when I still produced, mixed and mastered music for a living (so I can’t ever compete with Bob here), and I still master some releases here and there (see my Facebook & Instagram if interested). I wanted to mention it though just to show you that APOGEE is what we all believe will be in “good hands” and with a “PRODUCT is #1” approach, and a quality-driven mindset.

Happy mixing everybody, and I am very excited to hear from you in the future!

Dirk."The post A Personal Welcome from New Apogee Owner Dirk Ulrich first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Warner Music Group strikes ‘landmark’ deal with Suno; settles copyright lawsuit against AI music generatorThe deal also settles previous litigation between the companies; Firms will collaborate 'on next-generation licensed AI music'
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Game My Fan and Primary Wave Bring Albums to Life as Mobile GamesGame My Fan, a direct to fan music distribution platform, is teaming up with Primary Wave to create a new potential path for artist revenue generation and fan engagement.
The post Game My Fan and Primary Wave Bring Albums to Life as Mobile Games appeared first on Hypebot.

Why Every Musician Should Use Bandsintown: Top Reasons It’s Become an Essential Touring ToolIn today’s competitive touring market, musicians need more than great songs and a van to succeed. They need smart tools that help them reach fans, sell more tickets, and make better touring decisions. Learn why every musician should use Bandsintown and how the leading live-music discovery platform has become an essential free hub for artists at every level.
The post Why Every Musician Should Use Bandsintown: Top Reasons It’s Become an Essential Touring Tool appeared first on Hypebot.

The 2025 AllMusic Gift GuideEach year, the AllMusic staff shares their hand-picked recommendations of books, accessories, gadgets, recordings and more, sure to please even the most discerning audiophile. And best of all, there's no waiting in line. Check out the AllMusic Gift Guide now!

The Music Connection December 2025 Playlist is Live!Listen along with MC!

Our monthly issue playlists allow you to hear the featured artists as you read about them, and the December, 2025 Special Year End playlist is live now!

Check out cover star Leon Thomas, the DIY Spotlighted Marina Fleming, and all of the artists included in our Favorite Signing Stories of 2025, Top 20 Albums of 2025, Top 25 New Music Critiques, Hot 100 Rising Artists and Bands, Album Reviews, and Live Reviews (as long as they are on Spotify).

Hear the playlist here

While you're there, please "Like" the playlist and "Follow" Music Connection's profile so you'll never miss the chance to listen along with MC!

Previous playlists:

Hear our November playlist here!

Hear the October playlist here!The post The Music Connection December 2025 Playlist is Live! first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

One of Suno’s latest investors will be of particular interest to the music industry…Hallwood Media has invested into Suno after signing ‘artists’ whose music was created on the generative AI platform
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Manchester Launches Fund Supporting Grassroots Venues: Could This Work Elsewhere?Manchester City Council's new fund supports small live music venues in the city. Is this a model that could work in other cities?
The post Manchester Launches Fund Supporting Grassroots Venues: Could This Work Elsewhere? appeared first on Hypebot.

Ticketmaster caps Olivia Dean resales at face valueLast week Olivia Dean called out Ticketmaster and promoters Live Nation and AEG over their handling of ticket sales for her tour. In response, now Ticketmaster caps Olivia Dean resales at face value.
The post Ticketmaster caps Olivia Dean resales at face value appeared first on Hypebot.

GRAMMY Nominations 2025: Best Alternative Music PerformanceThe 2025 GRAMMY nominations are here and we're going to help you to untangle it all right up until the big event, continuing with the Best Alternative Music Performance category.

Take a listen to the nominated performances below--who do you think will win?

See the full list of nominees in every category here.

Everything Is Peaceful LoveBon Iver

AloneThe Cure

SEEIN' STARSTurnstile

mangetoutWet Leg

ParachuteHayley Williams

Wet Leg photo by Megan Perry Moore

The post GRAMMY Nominations 2025: Best Alternative Music Performance first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

GRAMMY Nominations 2025: Best Rock AlbumThe 2025 GRAMMY nominations are here and we're going to help you to untangle it all right up until the big event, continuing with the Best Rock Album category.

Take a listen to the nominated albums below--who do you think will win?

See the full list of nominees in every category here.

private musicDeftones

I quitHAIM

From ZeroLinkin Park

NEVER ENOUGHTurnstile

IdolsYUNGBLUD

Linkin Park photo by Jimmy FontaineThe post GRAMMY Nominations 2025: Best Rock Album first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Top Music Business News Last WeekTop music business news last week include TIDAL adding artists tools, Spotify spotlighting creators, UK banning tickets resale, Live Nation moved to dismiss the DOJ lawsuit and much more.
The post Top Music Business News Last Week appeared first on Hypebot.

Live Review of Kiss The TigerMercury Lounge New York, NY

Contact: ava@girlieaction.comWeb: kissthetiger.com

Players: Meghan Kreidler, vocals; Michael Anderson, guitar, vocals; Alex Sandberg, lead guitar; Isabella Dawis, keys, vocals; Paul DeLong, bass; Alyse Emanuel, drums, vocals

Amidst the chaos on the Lower East Side, Minnesota’s Kiss the Tiger curated a memorable night at the Mercury Lounge. Celebrating the release of their newest album, Infinite Love, Kiss the Tiger embarked on a 10 date United States tour this September. Fronted by fierce vocalist Meghan Kreidler, the group has spent the better part of a decade sculpting themselves into the band they are today. From start to finish, they delivered a spirited and entertaining show, captivating the audience. 

Kiss the Tiger pulls influence from a wide breadth of music genres. Audience members could find strings of indie, rock, ska, math rock, ‘90s pop country, funk, and blues weaved in through guitar riffs and keyboard lines. In the Minneapolis scene, Kreidler earned her stripes as an actor. This shone through as she expertly flitted between tempos, genres, and intensity. A vocal powerhouse, big swings in “We Don’t Fight Anymore” sounded just as natural as the light and breezy melody in “I Wanna Love Ya.” She would go above and beyond, conveying emotions that were larger than life through screams, jumps, kicks, and high energy. It was impossible to take your eyes off of her. 

The variety in Kreidler’s vocal dynamics was echoed by the rest of the band. For a moment, they would lull the audience with a dreamy start, and in the next sudden heavy drums would kick off a visceral instrumental break. Despite occasionally changing on a dime, the music never got away from them. They moved through the tracks together as a unit, every member fitting seamlessly into the puzzle that is Kiss the Tiger. 

On stage, the band’s charisma won over the (albeit already eager) audience. Every member danced, jumped around, or engaged with the crowd from start to finish. Never once did the audience doubt that the band was having just as much fun as they were. Capitalizing on the intimacy of Mercury Lounge, Kreidler drew the audience in with personal anecdotes and behind the scenes stories about the songs. She would look out lovingly at the crowd during romantic tracks, as if she wrote it about each person there. Call and response was highly encouraged, with the group taking time to shout out some of their lyrics between tracks. 

Although they have wrapped on their 2025 tour, Infinite Love is now available for streaming. Hopefully they will continue to bring the energy in 2026, so be sure to check them out now. The post Live Review of Kiss The Tiger first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Vevo dscvr artists to watch 2026: Sienna Spiro, Alessi Rose, aron!, Bay SwagMBW kicks of a series of features showcasing this year’s Vevo DSCVR Artists To Watch
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Austin Daboh OBE, EVP of Warner’s Atlantic Records UK, exitsDaboh was hired by Atlantic in the EVP position in June 2020
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