Echoes of My Slutty Valentine"Some of L.A.s best degenerate bands will be seeping up from the underground to make you cry, laugh, mosh and feel hornier than you ever thought imaginable," wrote promotors Basic Cable Programming on their website, by way of a description of My Slutty Valentine fest, and that's not bad but it doesn't really do it justice.My Slutty Valentine celebrates Valentine's Day, but leaves out the cheesiness and vanilla romance. In its place, we get heaps of sex positivity, feminist and queer joy, and a ton of glorious outfits. Love is in the air, but lust won't be pushed out. Frankly, the event is a fucking riot.Music Connection was at The Echo and Echoplex from the 5 p.m. start on Sunday. That meant 20 bands, conveniently overlapping, on three stages (inside at the two neighboring venues, plus a third on the Echo patio). Nobody was bad and, indeed, we discovered plenty of bands and artists that will appear in the pages of our magazine in the future.First up was brutal and uncompromising hardcore punks CNTS, swiftly followed by deceptively upbeat rocker Spooky Marvin (bit Ramones, bit Gun Club). Codex continued the rowdy punk vibe outside. BushfireThe Memories have a sound that is somehow lo-fi and upbeat. Somewhere between Weezer and Dinosaur Jr. They were followed by the raw, AC/DC-esque rock 'n' roll of Tyranis. Bushfire upped the ante somewhat. Incredible tunes, boundless energy and a frontwoman who looks like she's ready to kick everyone's ass.Caravan222 offered a change of pace; outlaw country and dusty Americana, with an edge and real heart. Then there was the glorious trash rock of Lord Friday 13, who wowed with their glitter-and-grime take on glam-punk. Legs were kicking, balls were swinging, and feet were tapping. Shamon Cassette

SpunkShamon Cassette were a bit of a revelation. P-funk, punk, metal and hip-hop collided in a gloriously loud, perfect mess. The wonderfully named Warblob put the focus back on the hardcore punk, as did the even better-named Spunk. The latter in particular went for the jugular with a set of riotous, gnarly noise.Mz NeonMz Neon may well have stolen the night. "Check on your trans friends--we're not ok," she said. "Things are crazy." That is undoubtedly true, and the crowd at the Echoplex was quick to show its support. Naturally, we will too.The alt-rapper was spectacular, with tunes like "Pussy Stick" (we think) whipping up the Slutty crowd. Magnificent.The Urinals

Poppy Jean CrawfordL.A. punk vets The Urinals were playing to a younger crowd that what they might be used to, though they had fiery gems like "Ack Ack Ack" to blast through. They didn't disappoint. Neither did Chimera, who have a vocalist with one of the better hardcore voices we've heard in a while.If Mz Neon stole the night, Poppy Jean Crawford ran her close. The alt-pop star-in-the-making recently announced a tour with veteran Brit goths The Mission UK, and on this evidence she'll go down a treat. Elements of PJ Harvey and Siouxsie Sioux meld beautifully, as she purrs through her stunning set.Greenwitch add some welcome death metal to the night, while S.O.H.'s brand of lively punk rock kept the energy levels high (although we don't know what the initials stand for). Slaughterhouse followed suit, and then it was time for Mac Sabbath.Yeah, it's all a bit silly. The band's rewriting of Black Sabbath songs to cover fast food subject matter is, frankly, ludicrous. But the yin to that yang is that the musicians inside the costumes are super-talented, the songs sound immense, and the showmanship is glorious. Songs like "Chicken for the Slaves" and "Sweet Beef" reinterpret Sabbath classics in a manner Ozzy could never have imagined. But shit, it's fun.On the way out, we caught a bit of indie-pop artist Mothe, and we heard enough to intrigue. We'll be checking out more.The post Echoes of My Slutty Valentine first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

$500m-valued Suno has admitted training AI on copyrighted music. That hasn’t stopped Amazon from adding its controversial tech to AlexaThe new voice assistant is also integrated with the Claude chatbot from Anthropic, an AI company facing a copyright lawsuit from music publishers
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Instagram shares How Reels Algorithm Works as new App Rumors riseInstagram shared more about how Reels algorithm works in a blog post and video including some good news for emerging creators. The reveal comes alongside word that Meta is considering a separate short video app.
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CAPITOL RECORDS PRESENT GOOD NEIGHBOURS WITH PLAQUE TO COMMEMORATE THE RIAA PLATINUM CERTIFICATION OF THEIR DEBUT SINGLE "HOME"Capitol Records is proud to present rising British duo GOOD NEIGHBOURS (Oli Fox and Scott Verrill) with a platinum plaque to commemorate the RIAA certification of their debut single “Home.” “Home” marks the only Platinum certification for an Alternative debut single released and certified in 2024 and one of two Platinum debuts released and certified in 2024. Additionally, Good Neighbours had the only Platinum Alternative single on RIAA’s Class Of 2024.The single is the second most streamed debut single from a new artist in 2024 with over 500M streams. “Home,” which entered the singles chart in 13 countries including the UK and US, ranks in the top 5 of new Alt/Rock songs released in 2024.2024 was filled with momentous milestones for Good Neighbours.  In the midst of their first US headlining tour, they made their late night television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and went on to release their debut self-titled EP in the fall. Counted amongst the duo's numerous accolades was a nomination for “Best New Artist (Alternative & Rock)” at the 2025 iHeart Radio Music Awards and a Billboard Music Award nomination. Good Neighbours were also named Vevo DSCVR Artists To Watch for 2025. The duo are currently on tour with Foster The People, where they have been debuting new music to enthusiastic audiences across North America.The post CAPITOL RECORDS PRESENT GOOD NEIGHBOURS WITH PLAQUE TO COMMEMORATE THE RIAA PLATINUM CERTIFICATION OF THEIR DEBUT SINGLE "HOME" first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Patrick Moxey’s publishing company must cease using ‘Ultra’ name within 6 months as Sony wins trademark battleUnder a court order, Ultra International Music Publishing has 180 days to change its name
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Is SMS marketing worth it for musicians, venues on a budget?SMS or text marketing can deliver strong results, particularly with younger audiences and within certain genres. ​But is SMS marketing worth it for musicians, labels and venues of a tight budget?
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Clio Music Award winners: Pearl Jam, Megan Thee, MoreThe Clio Music Awards winners have been announced for 2025 recognizing creative excellence in music marketing and the use of music in advertising globally.
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GZA AT THE NOVOThis past Sunday, hip-hop artist and founding member of The Wu-Tang Clan, GZA, took the stage at The Novo before a sold-out crowd where he opened for the R&B/soul/funk group Lettuce. GZA is known for remarkable performances, and his show at the Novo was no exception. GZA performed his 1995 second solo studio album Liquid Swords in its entirety—an album widely considered an all-time classic. An hour after the doors opened, fans waited patiently in anticipation of GZA hitting the stage. Just as GZA’s bandmates were tuning their instruments, GZA emerged, bearing a striking resemblance to his late cousin, Ol’ Dirty Bastard (ODB). No time was wasted as GZA launched into his first song “Shadowboxin’” followed by “Cold World.” GZA then brought out special guest rapper Killa Priest—best known for being featured on GZA's hit song “B.I.B.L.E”—and the pair’s performance was an instant crowd favorite. Songs like “Duel of the Iron Mic,” “Gold,” and “4th Chamber” had the crowd in a frenzy, shouting, "We want more! We want more!” Though most of the audience was too young to remember when Liquid Swords was first released, they still knew the words to every track.Just before his set closed for the night, GZA paid homage to his late cousin ODB by rapping a few of his songs, leaving the evening on a nostalgic note as the crowd once again sang along. After his performance, GZA took time to sign autographs for fans, many of whom were eagerly throwing albums, sneakers, and hats his way. With his usual humility, GZA ensured that everyone went home satisfied. His performance was unsurprisingly extraordinary, proving once again that hip-hop will never see another artist like GZA and that Liquid Swords remains unmatched.Photos by Daniel SeyumThe post GZA AT THE NOVO first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Chloe Bailey hit with copyright infringement suit over ‘Trouble In Paradise’ tracksSinger, songwriter and producer 4Rest is seeking punitive damages of $5 million per track for three tracks on Chloe's second album
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UMG just assigned 100K ISNI IDs: You need to get one tooUniversal Music Group (UMG) has announced its official adoption of ISNI IDs as a global identifier assigned to anyone involved in the creation of intellectual property.
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GigAtlas wins Measure of Music HackathonAlmost 2000 attended this year's edition of the online Measure on Music Hackathon and Conference.
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Tip Jar: Promotion or Emotion?By Darryl Evan JonesAs an artist—especially an indie artist—it’s very easy to find yourself chasing the rabbit of promotion. Don’t get me wrong, promotion is essential to every artist’s career. However, a very common mistake I’ve seen artists make (including myself) is losing scope with their promotion efforts. Too often artists make decisions about promotion based on emotion, rather than on a scientific approach. For example, every recording artist would love to see their name on and moving up the charts. This becomes a problem when it’s only based on the emotion, the high of that accomplishment, rather than having a plan and purpose for seeking that out. If there’s no plan beyond “look mom, I’ve charted,” it’s all emotion and counterproductive. Before long, you’ll find yourself spending thousands of dollars feeding the promo machine and your ego—a good recipe for disaster. If at least part of the plan is to convert charting into something tangible and lucrative like high profile and high paying performances, then have at it!Let’s face it, while an artist is struggling to build name recognition and gain a better foothold in the music game, everyone has their hand out. And sadly, the very last one with any hope of making money in the music business is the artist. While attempting to navigate the promotion gauntlet, most often artists inevitably become trapped on the hamster wheel of promotion versus emotion. What do I mean by that? Very simply, artists become completely distracted from their personal mission and goals and instead find themselves lost in the quagmire of competing in someone else’s vision. That’s very often displayed by spending tons of money in a certain area of promotion that may not quite fit that artist’s goals and vision. Everyone wants to be respected and appreciated for their craft. That doesn’t mean that your respect and appreciation must mirror anyone else’s—neither should it.Before you find yourself in the never-ending cycle of riding the carousel of promotion, I recommend the following:Ask yourself these questions:1. What do I want out of my music career?2. Do I want to be a major act locally, nationally, internationally?3. How do I plan to get people to know about me and my music?Then:1. Refocus. Put some blinders on, if necessary. Don’t completely block out the outside world, but definitely focus on YOUR goals and accomplishments.2. Plan. If you haven’t already done so, write down how you want your music career to look. Remain open and flexible but at least map out your career path and goals.3. Budget. Although the cost of making music has come way down due to constant advancements in technology, promotion costs have not. Your promo budget won’t look exactly like anyone else’s, but should be reflective of the goals and plan you’ve laid out. Your promo will be the highest cost of your venture—if you plan to follow the more traditional music business role.Let’s visit three main arms of music promotion:Radio PromotionIf radio promotion is in your plans, ask yourself why? I’m not at all suggesting you don’t pursue radio promotion. I’m only advising you to understand why it is or isn’t a viable avenue for you. If radio promotion is part of your strategy, you’ll want to vet a reputable independent radio promoter. Things to consider include but are not limited to how long will the campaign (for each song) last; how much does the term of promotion cost; what’s the cost to extend a promotion; what’s the promoter’s track record? (Which charts and chart positions have their artists attained and what’s their reputation in the business?); how many artists and/or songs does the radio promoter represent/pitch at one time; is the radio promoter completely independent or is he/she beholden to a record label? There are ways to get your music to radio program managers without a promoter. The question becomes, are you willing and able to do the tremendous amount of legwork required to accomplish this? Also, be sure to ask yourself why you would consider the expense of radio promotion. The average independent radio promotion campaign can range from $300 per week to $1,000 per week or more, depending on the genre. Is radio a justifiable consideration? Are you trying to earn a place on “the charts”? If so, why? Keep in mind that in an age where “everybody’s got a chart,” not all charts are the same or carry the same weight. Social Media PromotionExtremely vital in today’s world is an effective social media marketing campaign. Again, you could do all the legwork yourself. The question is, should you? There are those out there who specialize in this arena and are very familiar with nuance strategies most artists are not. Plus, how can you be sure you’re posting the right content on the right platform(s) at the right time(s)? Yes, there’s a science to it. Just throwing something against the wall and hoping it sticks is Not a good strategy. In my opinion, a professional, experienced social media marketing manager is a must for any music career. Do your homework and vet any social media people you’re considering working with.PublicityNot to be confused with social media marketing (although the two can sometimes intersect), publicity is also a must for your music career. A good publicist will have access to opportunities and industry gatekeepers the artist couldn’t even imagine. In addition, they have the experience and ability to create effective press releases, networking and interview opportunities, as well as chances to interface with key publications vital to your career. When deciding on a publicist, check their credentials and client roster. Don’t get sucked in by the sparkling social media pics they post, which are easily misconstrued as client representations—which are usually just casual event pics. Publicists and social media marketing managers should become friends to the artist, getting to know them intimately. This builds trust and helps the artist navigate the industry landscape better. A good publicist can easily run you thousands of dollars per month, but if you can afford it—they’re easily worth their weight in gold. In closing, make sure your decisions on promotion are scientific and not guided by emotion. And don’t be afraid to try things that rattle your comfort zone.About Darryl Evan Jones: Bronx-born, classically trained flutist and Ambassador of Instrumental Soul grew up playing in church, has released four studio albums, and has opened for major names like Boney James, Howard Hewett, Jeff Lorber, and Kem. Darryl Evan Jones wrote or co-wrote most of the songs he’s recorded. He has a most unique style and is beloved my his ever growing fanbase. Keep up with Darryl Evan Jones at dejmusic.com.The post Tip Jar: Promotion or Emotion? first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

10 Approved Ways to Promote Music on SpotifyWant to get more streams, grow your fanbase and promote music on Spotify? These helpful promotion tips will help you optimize your profile, land on playlists, and turn listeners into loyal fans.
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6 Questions with country-folk favorites Wild PoniesWe caught up with country-folk favorites Wild Ponies for this latest edition of '6 Questions With' on their way to Montreal to showcase at Folk Alliance conference.
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$1bn-valued Create Music Group acquires catalog from Pack Records as companies form new JVCMG and Pack's existing partnership is being expanded to include recorded music and publishing
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