From Blackstone’s Hipgnosis deal to the US Copyright Office’s ‘landmark’ ruling… it’s MBW’s Weekly Round-UpThe biggest stories from the past week – all in one place
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‘There is no legal or indeed moral excuse for the commercial use of music by AI companies without the prior permission of songwriters and rightholders.’John Phelan, Director General of ICMP, explores the implications of the EU's new Artificial Intelligence Act
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Apple Music has added requirements for all new uploaded musicApple Music has added requirements for all new uploaded music designed to enhance the listener experience. The changes Apple has shared with digital music distributors that all songs uploaded must include both lyrics and one or more of the roles in each of its three contributor groups.
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Music isn’t getting worse; genres are [MIDiA’s Mark Mulligan]What if music isn't getting worse, but instead, the limitations of traditional genres are what is holding back creatives?
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Top Social Media Management Tools for MusiciansElevate your music marketing with the Top Social Media Management Tools for Musicians designed to boost your online presence and engage your audience like never before.
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The Zombies founder Rod Argent recovering from a stroke, Announces retirement from touringFrom The Zombies’ Management:

We are saddened to report that Rod Argent, founder, keyboardist & primary songwriter of The Zombies, has suffered a stroke. Rod had recently returned home from a triumphant Zombies tour of the UK, and spent a weekend in London with his beloved wife Cathy, celebrating his 79th birthday and their 52nd wedding anniversary, before the stroke occurred. He was hospitalized overnight, and released the next day. Doctors have advised that Rod will need several months of rest and recuperation.

Rod has asked us to convey that he has made the very difficult decision to immediately retire from touring in order to protect his health. He was already preparing to wind down his live performance schedule after health scares on recent tours (a Fall 2024 USA run was in the works that was intended to be his final overseas tour, and a farewell to the country that launched The Zombies’ career in 1964). However, the stroke was an unmistakable warning sign that the risks are too great. Rod still firmly intends to continue his other creative joy of writing and recording with The Zombies, and has already been back at his piano for some much-needed “Bach therapy”.

The Zombies - Photography by ALEX LAKE insta @twoshortdays WWW.TWOSHORTDAYS.COM

We have managed The Zombies together for the past 11 years, and Chris was their US booking agent for the 11 years prior. We have witnessed hundreds of times how Rod transforms back into an 18-year-old during the 100-minutes he’s on stage each night with The Zombies. The energy he receives from his musical symbiosis with the current lineup - original singer Colin Blunstone, drummer (and cousin) Steve Rodford, guitarist Tom Toomey and bassist Søren Koch - is doubled by the energy that flows back from the audiences, with fans of all ages joyfully singing along to their classics and new songs. Each year, we’d secretly marvel at how this band could possibly be playing at an even higher level than the previous year, instead of diminishing with age. That being said, the other aspects of touring can be grueling, and can take their toll on 18-year-olds, never mind a musician approaching 80. As heart-breaking as this is for us, the band, our crew and our team, we are a family and fully support Rod in this decision.

Rod had retired from touring once before, in 1975 after spending his late teens and 20’s on the road with both The Zombies and his eponymous band Argent, in order to focus on his family, along with songwriting and production. This didn’t change until 1999, when Colin coaxed him to fill in on 6 of his solo gigs, after a keyboard player had dropped out at the last minute. Rod reluctantly told him, “I’ll do it...but 6 shows, that’s it.” On tour last month, Rod remarked to us how incredible and unexpected it was that those 6 shows turned into 25 years of touring and recording with the new incarnation of The Zombies, almost a third of his life.

And it’s been a helluva run.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. Festivals like Glastonbury, StageCoach and KAABOO. Unforgettable shows like Central Park Summerstage, Santa Monica Pier, Stern Grove San Francisco, London Palladium, and Stubb’s at SXSW Austin. TV appearances with Jimmy Fallon and Jools Holland. Sharing stages with Tom Petty and Brian Wilson. Too many moments to count. The UK tour The Zombies just completed in June added two more highlights - a sold-out show for 2000 fans at London’s Barbican Centre with special guests like Paul Weller, and closing to a multi-generational crowd rapturously cheering them despite endless rain and mud at the Eden Festival in Scotland.

As Rod’s experience shows, we don’t know what the future holds.

What we have to tell fans today is that all upcoming performances by The Zombies will be canceled. However, our 2nd annual “Begin Here Festival” in St Albans UK (November 8-10, 2024) will continue. This fan weekend celebrating The Zombies and the historical and vibrant city where they formed is made even more important by this news. Our hope is to replace the scheduled Zombies performance with a special show honoring Rod, and ask fans to hold on to their tickets until we’ve had time to regroup and announce new plans. Colin Blunstone’s upcoming November performances of his seminal 1971 solo album One Year, at Begin Here Festival and other UK cities, will also continue as planned. Most importantly, know how much you are loved and appreciated by the band, and how grateful we are for your continued support. In the meantime, we will all get to enjoy The True Story of the Fake Zombies, an 8-episode true-crime Podcast detailing the 1969 story of an imposter version of the band on iHeart Radio starting today, and the official Zombies documentary, Hung Up On A Dream, directed by Robert Schwartzman, slated for theatrical and streaming release later this year.

Our last message is that if a classic artist that has made music you love is performing nearby, don’t miss the opportunity to see them. You can sit on the couch and binge Netflix another day. The communal experience of a live performance by a veteran artist is a singular and joyous moment. These artists are treasures who have stood the test of time and are giving their all, but they are fragile human beings like all of us. Don’t miss out.

Chris Tuthill & Cindy da Silva

The Rocks Management 

The post The Zombies founder Rod Argent recovering from a stroke, Announces retirement from touring first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Why Is Music Getting Worse? Rick Beato has two answersIs music getting worse? Rick Beaton, whose commentaries and interviews have 4.3 million subscribers on YouTube, thinks so, and he thinks he knows why.
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Courtney Harrell shares strategies for Navigating the Music IndustrySinger and songwriter Courtney Harrell unveils her personal strategies for navigating the music industry. Her expert advice provides aspiring musicians with essential guidance for achieving success in a competitive environment.. Continue reading
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Virgin Music Group partners with Japan’s Frontier Works for anime music projectsThe global anime market has seen explosive growth in recent years.
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PRS celebrates 110th anniversary with commemorative publication in partnership with MBUKCollection society reflects on over a century of working on behalf of songwriters around the world
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Mastering Music PR: A Guide for Emerging MusiciansThis beginner's guide offers emerging music essential strategies for successful music PR. By following these practical PR tips, musicians can enhance their reach, build a strong brand, and accelerate their careers.
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Music Sustainability Alliance Announces 2025 Summit and Other ProgramsThe Music Sustainability Alliance, the hub for the industry to learn, innovate, and collaborate to advance sustainability in the music business, has announced its 2025 Summit dates as it ramps up its program offerings.

The 2025 Music Sustainability Summit, held each year on the day after the Grammy Awards, will take place on Monday, February 3, 2025, in Los Angeles.

The event, which convenes leaders from across the industry, covers a wide range of topics related to reducing the negative environmental impacts of the music industry while advancing and accelerating positive impacts.

left to right Kurt Langer, VP & Board Member, Joel Makower, Strategy Director & Industry Council Chair , Amy Morrison, CEO, Co-Founder & Board Member, Eleanor Anderson, Project Advisor & Board Member, Michael Martin, Co-Founder & Board Member

Among the topics covered at the 2024 summit were: 

the role of promoters and venues in advancing sustainability solutions

increasing the use of plant-based foods at concerts and festivals

creating zero-waste events by fostering reuse

advancing alternatives to diesel-powered electricity at events

streamlining industry freight and logistics

reducing the impacts of fan travel to music events

supporting the role of the artist as activist

“The Summit represents a meeting of the minds working on music industry sustainability, both leaders and learners,” said MSA CEO and co-founder Amy Morrison. “The industry has nearly unlimited potential to model the future we all want to see by supporting and propagating leadership practices and technologies that can address the climate crisis, the biodiversity crisis, the waste crisis and other societal challenges. The summit represents an annual opportunity to collaboratively learn and to showcase and accelerate the industry’s progress.”

In addition to planning the summit, the MSA team has recently launched three other initiatives:

— Music Votes, spearheaded by MSA and launched in June, is a collaboration among 20 music and cultural organizations to increase voter participation in the 2024 U.S. elections. It offers a turnkey solution for artists, managers, music companies, venues and other music outlets to have a tangible impact on this year’s election. 

— Three MSA Working Groups have been launched, in which industry representatives are collaborating to identify best practices and develop evidence-based recommendations and propose standards for sustainable practices. The three working groups focus on:

Renewable Energy and Power Solutions

Waste Management and Circular Economy

Reporting, Metrics, and Standardization

— The Green Room, an MSA webinar series, kicks off on September 3, with a session on “Turning Fans Into Activists,” including how musicians and bands are encouraging fans to become politically active, and do so without alienating parts of their fan base. Speakers include singer and activist Dawn Richard and leading sustainability communications analyst Suzanne Shelton. 

Register hereThe post Music Sustainability Alliance Announces 2025 Summit and Other Programs first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Warner Music Japan Chief Operating Officer Kazuhiro Shimada exitsShimada joined Warner Music Japan in November 2022
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Lenzo Yoon, one of the key execs behind the rise of BTS, is leaving HYBE (report)Exec joined the company in 2010 as Head of Strategic Planning
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How to plan your next release 2024 [Jay Gilbert]Veteran music marketer Jay Gilbert offers an updated how-to guide for every musician, label, and music marketer on planning your next release.
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