It's a Cruel World After AllDevo (above)All photos by Kevin Estrada PhotographyGolden Voice’s premiere go-to for goth and new wave nostalgia, Cruel World festival, returned to Brookside at the Rose Bowl for its fourth year on May 17th, this time bringing with it a gloomy rainy atmosphere that finally fit the music. In true summer festival fashion, a yearly staple for Cruel World attendees has been the inner struggle between an appropriately gothic outfit that inflicts suffering in the heat and a more minimal choice of look in exchange for comfort. As clouds and rain washed over Pasadena, there was an evident shift in ambiance compared to the previous years. In many ways, there was a new level of connection felt to all of those baritone vocals and sultry synths, but on the other hand, there was a noticeable emptiness of the grounds in comparison to past years.BlancmangeRegardless of corporate details like ticket sales and attendance numbers, Cruel World offers fans of alternative music a festival catered solely towards them, unlike many of the competing festivals right now that pepper in eighties nostalgia acts in between mainstream pop artists. Walking up to the festival at any time immediately bombards you with a mixture of sounds from the three stages. One second, your ears can be picking up Blancmange’s signature synth from “Living On The Ceiling,” and another second, Mareux can be entrancing you with his iconic cover of The Cure’s “The Perfect Girl.” Cruel World is not only a masterclass in fulfilling a niche need but also in integrating old and new artists into the same project, despite its audience being known to be stubborn about change in the subculture.Alison Moyet

Stereo MCsThis year, headlining acts like New Order, Devo, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, OMD, and The Go-Gos were selected to delight elder goths who miss their youth and younger goths with a “born in the wrong generation complex.” Earlier acts like The Buzzcocks and Stereo MC’s set the scene to show you don’t need to be making goth music to be part of the culture. Both displaying their reggae-influenced British styles of punk and rap with infectious fun and fire. Following the flame, the stages transitioned into more sultry sounds as She Wants Revenge and Alison Moyet hypnotized audiences into feeling like the golf course grass was tiles in a club. For those who prefer black and white checkers to black and white stripes, Madness offered a jazzy, cheery alternative to all the gloom. With hits like “Our House” and “It Must Be Love” allowing for a moment or two to skank around before resuming brooding.As the night went on and the rain stopped, Shirley Manson of Garbage emerged like a punk rock peacock to blow the roof off the place. The band was tight and their energy even tighter, with grunge beats taking on an almost industrial nature when performed live. Devo went on at the same time as Garbage, highlighting one of the major pitfalls of festivals: you're always going to miss someone you want to see. Shirley herself even humorously echoed this statement, saying, “We are sorry, Devo, we love you!”Later on, in a moment of sonically contrasting irony, The Go-Gos' set overlapped with that of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Both acts are trailblazers of their respective times and genres, both with killer performances, and if you're like us, you ran frantically between the stages to catch a bit of both. Nick Cave has always been and will always be a haunting, satanic preacher of a performer; the minimalist nature of his look, compounded with his draconian piano playing, is never not mesmerizing. Despite the lack of energy brought on by his music, fans still thoroughly enjoyed tracks like “Joy” and “Wild God.” Across the field, over at the “Sad Girls” stage, The Go-Gos were serving up 80’s Southern California summer fun. We screamed along to classics like “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “Lust to Love,” and “How Much More," with the band even referring to their early punk days at the iconic venue The Masque.New OrderThe day was also not over without addressing the rain jokes as The Buzzcocks smirked before singing “Manchester Rain”, fans chanted along to Garbage’s “I’m Only Happy When It Rains”, and The Go-Go's made sure to have us sing along to “Automatic Rainy Day”. At the end of the night, always comes the pilgrimage to the main stage along with the entire crowd, all clawing away at each other to get as close as possible. New Order, in their reign as the King of overplayed club songs, was sure to entice the crowd to be as impatient as possible. At the end of the day, the band aren’t what they used to be, but that's okay. Tracks like “Bizarre Love Triangle” and “Age of Consent” will always evoke a feeling of melancholic, fleeting youth, no matter how well they are sung. The band also displayed an impressive rave-like lighting setup reminiscent of the “Hacienda” era clubbing scene in Manchester.All in all, as the state of the music industry becomes increasingly unstable, festivals will always be important to foster community. Cruel World 2025 found itself in the middle of several hits and misses, but we all still hope we get to attend Cruel World 2026 next year anyway.The post It's a Cruel World After All first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

From HYBE’s reported expansion plans to Martin Lorentzon’s Spotify stock cash-outs… it’s MBW’s Weekly Round-UpThe biggest stories from the past week – all in one place…
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Michael Brandvold on a life in music from behind the scenesMichael Brandvold recently spoke ablut the struggles of those that work behind the scenes in music. Organized by Support Life And Music (SLAM), the panel discussed a life in music. Continue reading
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Indie music venues are struggling, but the UK has a solutionWith more stories daily about the growing hurdles to touring, we look at how indie music venues are struggling.
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Introducing RedNet TNXOn Thursday, Focusrite released an enthusiastic statement, heralding the release of their new RedNet TNX, which they described as "the latest addition to the RedNet range and our first Thunderbolt interface purpose-built for high-channel-count, low-latency Dante® audio for macOS and Windows. Designed to simplify access to high-resolution, low-latency Dante audio, it’s ideal for studios, mobile rigs, and shared workspaces." According to their statement, "RedNet TNX delivers 128x128 channels of 24-bit/192kHz audio straight out of the box, with ultra-low round-trip latency. For larger systems, a paid Dante Ready upgrade unlocks 256x256 channels at 24-bit/96kHz."How intriguing!For more info, visit here.The post Introducing RedNet TNX first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Italian-language music now part of the ‘$100M+ club’ on SpotifySoanish-language music is also growing rapidly, the streaming platform says in the latest addition to its 'Loud & Clear' report
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Why More Musicians Are Rethinking TouringRising costs, low ticket sales, increased competition and strict visa rules are reshaping the touring landscape for artists worldwide. Not all the available data is clear yet, but from major acts to emerging talent, more and more musicians are rethinking touring.
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Do Spotify playlists still matter? Playlist Marketing in 2025Playlisting was once a top way to grow your music, but many artists got burned by fake streams and shady tactics. Do Spotify playlists still matter? There’s now a new and better way to use playlists to market music reach real fans.
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New Spotify Upcoming Releases hub powered by Countdown PagesThe new Spotify Upcoming Releases hub is dedicated to highlighting soon-to-be-released albums. It's powered by Countdown Pages and is designed to build new release discovery and momentum.
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Royalties generated by German artists on Spotify reached $520m in 2024, up 17%Germany is among the leading countries in Europe in the popularity of local-language music
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Lutefish’s New Device Aims to Solve the Biggest Problem in Remote Music CollaborationMinnesota-based music tech company Lutefish aims to make online music collaboration easier, better, and more musical. Founded by musicians who know the pain of laggy jam sessions and clunky digital tools, the company has just launched the Lutefish Stream, a new device designed to tackle one of the biggest challenges in the world of remote music-making: latency.Unlike traditional software-based solutions, the Lutefish Stream is a plug-and-play hardware device that connects directly to your router via Ethernet. It streams ultra-low-latency 48K audio in real time, offering musicians the ability to rehearse, write, or jam together from hundreds of miles apart—as if they were in the same room. With latency as low as 30–35 milliseconds, it’s fast enough to make tight, real-time collaboration possible.A statement from the company notes that the device was “created by musicians, for musicians,” and is designed to “make it easier than ever to rehearse, jam, and create music together across distances (up to 500 miles apart).”But Lutefish didn’t stop at just solving the latency problem. This week, the company introduced a new feature for the Stream: the In-Session Metronome, designed to help musicians stay in sync, without stepping on anyone’s creative toes.A statement from the company discloses that the metronome allows users to “stay perfectly in time while jamming remotely,” with customizable tempo, volume, and sound options. Importantly, only the user who activates it hears it, preserving the organic flow of a live session without introducing a distracting global click.“Rhythm is critical when you’re making music,” said Patrick Finn, business manager at Lutefish. “With the Stream, and now the in-session metronome, we’re giving musicians tools that make online collaboration not just possible, but musical, connected, and fun.”The metronome supports a range of features typically found in professional studio tools: adjustable tempo from 30 to 252 BPM, multiple sound types (including click, wood block, and cowbell), and on-the-fly activation. Whether you're locking in a groove or working through a complex time signature, the feature is built to give musicians more control without disrupting the group’s vibe.The Lutefish Stream also supports professional audio gear, including microphones, instruments, and mixers. Its design skips the need for complicated software installs or unreliable wireless connections, making it a practical solution for musicians at any level who want to collaborate more often and more effectively.Lutefish describes itself as “more than a company—we’re a community of musicians driven by a shared passion for creativity, innovation, and the power of music.” That ethos is embedded in its mission to break down the barriers that prevent musicians from making music together—whether they live across the street or across the state.If remote collaboration has felt frustrating, impersonal, or just plain impossible, Lutefish’s Stream might be a game-changer. It’s not just about playing together; it’s about making the experience feel authentic again.More information is available at www.lutefish.com.The post Lutefish’s New Device Aims to Solve the Biggest Problem in Remote Music Collaboration first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

NITO study of 20 shows found $6.2M in ticket reseller profitAn analysis of 20 concerts in Maryland showed $6.2M in ticket reseller profit above original face value. The study was conducted by NITO (National Independent Talent Association) at the request of Maryland State Attorney General's Office.
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HYBE reportedly eyeing expansion into India – could a local acquisition be its route into the emerging market?HYBE's reported plans to expand its reach into India arrive at a time of heightened M&A activity in the market
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JUTES SIGNS GLOBAL RECORD DEAL WITH POSITION MUSICPosition Music, the Los Angeles-based independent powerhouse known for blurring the lines between record label, music publisher, and management firm, has officially added rising alt-rock artist Jutes to its roster. The announcement comes via Tyler Bacon, President and CEO of Position Music, and marks a new chapter for the Canadian-born, L.A.-based musician whose career has been anything but conventional.Founded in 1999, Position Music has grown into a global force, distributing through Virgin Music and working with an eclectic range of artists like Cannons, Tinashe, NoMBe, Kyle Dion, and Fantastic Negrito. As noted in a statement from the company, Position is “redefining what it means to be a music company,” and with their Billboard Hot 100 publishing rank of No. 7 in Q3 2024, the numbers seem to agree.Jutes is joining the label at a pivotal moment. After early success blending trap with pop-punk and releasing music through Capitol Records, he shifted stylistically toward darker, more cinematic rock. His 2023 grunge-inspired album Ladybug hinted at that change, but it was 2024’s Sleepyhead LP that cemented him as a rising voice in the alt-rock scene. The album’s title track became his first song to chart on both Billboard and Mediabase, peaking at #23, and helped push his total global streams past the 85 million mark.Now, in 2025, Jutes shows no signs of slowing. Recent singles like “Red Velvet” with Ari Abdul, “House of Cards,” and “SMUT” are gaining traction, and his debut U.S. headline tour recently sold out. He’s also slated to appear at both the East and West Coast Warped Tours later this year.“Jutes is a generational artist with a clear vision and an unparalleled work ethic,” says Mike Maloian of 25/7 Management, who represents the artist. “Position has built a business and team that I believe is perfect for building on the success of this project. It has been a blessing to have everyone on the team add such an immense amount of value from day one, and we couldn't be more excited for what’s to come.”That enthusiasm is echoed by Joe Brooks, A&R at Position Music, who shares, “Jutes has experienced a meteoric rise over the past year, an achievement that reflects more than a decade of hard work. I love this man's music, his journey, and the artist he’s become. He is one of the most exciting performers out there, and I’m beyond thrilled that his music is now on the Position roster.”The first release under this new deal, “Left on Dilworth,” arrives May 21—a signal that Jutes is continuing to evolve and expand his sound under new creative support. If his recent track record is any indication, this partnership with Position Music may be his most impactful move yet.The post JUTES SIGNS GLOBAL RECORD DEAL WITH POSITION MUSIC first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Spotify Fresh Finds playlists drive new fans to Indie ArtistsSpotify is marking the 10th Anniversary if its indie focused Spotify Fresh Finds playlists with some stats that show just how important this cluster of genre specific playlists is for new artists.
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