DDEX Publishes Musical Work Right Share Notification Standard (MWN) Version 1.3DDEX, the international standards-setting organization dedicated to improving the exchange of data and information across the music industry, has announced the publishing of their Musical Work Right Share Notification Standard (MWN) Version 1.3.The Musical Work Right Share Notification Standard (MWN) fulfils a variety of communication requirements between musical work rights holders and downstream data recipients. This includes the communication of identification, rights and usage data for musical works and their associated parties to facilitate accurate claiming and remuneration for these musical works in the publishing rights ecosystem. The choreography for the MWN standard supports a number of use cases. These include the exchange of right share data, requests for augmented and enriched data about musical works, industry standard and proprietary identifiers, and more. The exchange of these data elements will provide significant value to both musical work rights holders and their licensees and other business partners. To communicate these use cases, the MWN standard specifies three message formats which enable the communication of the relevant data for different points in the digital value chain for musical works.Sony Music Publishing is really pleased that DDEX has announced the publication of version 1.3 of MWN,” said Alex Batterbee, Senior Director Global Administration at Sony Music Publishing. “The MWN working group has put in an incredible amount of work to develop this new version of the MWN standard in a short period of time, whilst ensuring the widest possible functionality possible. The standard enables the communication of really granular data about musical works and implementations of MWN v1.3 will, over time, see a significant reduction in bespoke and proprietary solutions that have had to be put in place in the past.”Any company implementing the MWN standard can see a number of business benefits including an increase in data quality and reliability; a reduction in the volume of manually rekeyed data being sent between parties; improvements in efficiency stemming from the automation of processes, consolidation of ad-hoc files, increased speed of payouts, and reduction in required resources; improved timeliness from speeding up the overall process for making and communicating right share claims. Finally, the new version of MWN provides the ability to incorporate other processes thus improving existing workflows which provides opportunities to align processes in parallel initiatives or activities.Paul Cohen Scali. Chief Information and Technology Officer at SACEM says, “SACEM is very proud to have contributed to this major effort alongside DDEX to implement a new format for work declarations. This has been a longstanding challenge for the industry, and we now have a standard that will help address market evolutions and meet the expectations of our publisher partners. Although there is still much to be done to implement this standard, an important first step has been taken. As the market leader, SACEM will be at the forefront of this implementation.”.Any organisation wishing to implement this (or any other DDEX Standard) is required to apply for an Implementation License. The terms of the license and an application form can be found here and here. While a company does not need to become a member to implement any of the DDEX standards, being a member of DDEX provides the opportunity to participate in and influence the development of international standards in the digital value chain. Information about membership of DDEX is available at https://ddex.net/membership/.Sign up for the DDEX newsletter to receive regular updates from the Secretariat at www.DDEX.net.Follow DDEX on:Twitter: @DDEXNetFacebook: @DDEXstandardsLinkedIn Company page: DDEXLinkedIn Group: DDEXThe post DDEX Publishes Musical Work Right Share Notification Standard (MWN) Version 1.3 first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

One Night Live Tour: A new model for Emerging MusiciansThe just announced One Night Live tour offers a new collaborative touring model for emerging artists.
The post One Night Live Tour: A new model for Emerging Musicians appeared first on Hypebot.

Big discount for SXSW 2026 badges extendedThe big discount for SXSW 2025 badges has been extended. Don’t miss this opportunity to score the lowest rates of the season.
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Momma Discusses Friendship, New Album, and the Complexities of TouringMomma's 4th studio album, Welcome to My Blue Sky, is “an open letter to those who have come in and out of our lives,” detailing the ups and downs of love, friendship, and their summer 2022 tour. Allegra Weingarten and Etta Friedman spoke with AllMusic shortly before the release of Blue Sky, discussing the story and process behind the album, their upcoming tour, and current inspirations.

LIVE REVIEW OF MY SLUTTY VALENTINEThe Echo/Echoplex Los Angeles, CAContact: basic.cable.booking@gmail.comWeb: basiccableprogramming.com/my-slutty-valentine-festPlayers: Multiple bands with multiple playersThe My Slutty Valentine festival 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 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).The Memories have a sound that is somehow lo-fi and upbeat. Somewhere between Weezer and Dinosaur Jr. Bushfire upped the ante somewhat. Incredible tunes, boundless energy, and a frontwoman who looks like she's ready to kick everyone's ass.Mz 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. L.A. punk vets The Urinals were playing to a younger crowd than 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 (pictured) 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.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. The post LIVE REVIEW OF MY SLUTTY VALENTINE first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Latin Music’s US revenues hit $1.42 billion in 2024, up 5.8% YoYLatin Music revenues accounted for 8.1% of total recorded music revenue in the US last year
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Music Industry reacts to Executive Order on Ticket ScalpingThe music industry is reacting to President Trump's Executive Order on ticket scalping "Combating Unfair Practices In The Live Entertainment Market."
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The music industry’s weakest link: Getting artists from A to BThe music industry is so focused on getting artists from point B to C that they are skipping the step of getting artists from A to B. Without an effort to build a solid foundation, the next generation of musicians may never make it past this critical starting point, writes Tatiana Cirisano of MIDiA.
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NEW MUSIC CRITIQUE: SLOW BUILDINGSContact: slowbuildingsmusic@gmail.comWeb: slowbuildings.bandcamp.comSeeking: ReviewsStyle: Indie-Pop-RockSlow Building’s seventh full-length album, Crash Landings, Coincidences, Chaos, delivers garage-rock. Songwriter Jason Legacy says that this album is “the culmination of two years of personal upheavals, making bad decisions, and unwisely trusting the wrong people.” The lyrics aren’t cheerful—“I left my spine on the firing line” Legacy sings on the album’s lead song “Red Flag Surrender.” The guitar on these tracks punches and the emotionally-charged vocals deliver honesty. It’s not winning Battle of the Bands, but we do think that the crowd would find unexpected pleasure in headbanging to Legacy’s sung trauma. The post NEW MUSIC CRITIQUE: SLOW BUILDINGS first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Merlin sues TikTok rival Triller for breach of contract over allegedly unpaid music licensing feesThe digital music licensing org for indie record labels says short video platform Triller owes it $2.55 million
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Instagram and Facebook changes good news for music marketingNew Instagram and Facebook changes are good news for musicians and music marketers working to sell tickets to a show, promote a new release and activate a fanbase.
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How to Get Music Gigs to Boost Your CareerLearn how to get music gigs. We share strategies that will help you book more shows, build a strong fanbase, and make a lasting impression on promoters and venues.
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Classical Highlights for March 2025A few of the notable releases we reviewed this past month seemed to have a theme: lesser-known music. The complete nocturnes of John Field, newly recorded by Alice Sara Ott (pictured), seem to only appear on albums once a decade or so. Explore this and other unearthed and rediscovered gems in our classical highlights for March.

ALBUM REVIEW OF "ALMOST HOME" BY GHOST HOUNDS (8/10)Gibson RecordsProducer: Chris Lord-Alge For this Nashville septet, it’s all about tradition, vivid imagery, and storytelling. Guitarist Thomas Tull’s words and lead vocalist SAVNT’s diverse and expressive delivery ignite all 11 songs with zeal. Their modern roots rock sound is mixed with country and blues. Highlights include the Stones-ish “She Runs Hot,” SAVNT and Patty Griffin’s duet on “Long Ride Home,” the emotionally riveting “You’ll Never Find Me,” and the familial and familiar “House A Home.” Their musical wheelhouse is boundless. The post ALBUM REVIEW OF "ALMOST HOME" BY GHOST HOUNDS (8/10) first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Product Profile: Universal Audio Apollo x8 Gen 2 Audio Interface The Universal Audio Apollo x8 Gen 2 Audio Interface (Ax8G2) stands out as a flagship choice for professional music producers, engineers, and recording artists seeking a high-end audio interface with cutting-edge features. Designed for professional studio setups, the Ax8G2 offers class leading AD/DA conversion, real-time UAD processing, and an abundance of connectivity options. The Ax8G2 is housed in a road-worthy 1U rack-mountable chassis. The Ax8G2’s elegant metal finish and sturdy construction reflect Universal Audio’s commitment to premium build quality. The Ax8G2 features four Unison-enabled preamps which allow users to emulate the exact impedance, gain staging, and behavior of classic preamps from Neve, API, Manley, and other legendary brands. The front panel includes essential controls such as a high-resolution metering display, preamp gain knobs, headphone outputs, and input selection buttons. The LED meters provide real-time feedback on input, output, and overall level, ensuring precise monitoring during your tracking and mixing sessions.All of the converters on the Ax8G2 have been upgraded to Universal Audio’s elite-class 24-bit/192kHz converters that offer superior dynamic range and ultra-low distortion. These converters offer the sharpest stereo image and most detailed playback of any Apollo interface to date. The Ax8G2’s converters provide an impressive 130 dB dynamic range on the DA side and 123 dB on the AD side, ensuring pristine sound reproduction. The upgraded Ax8G2 monitor and headphone outputs now have significant improvements in dynamic range and total harmonic distortion.The Ax8G2 features Hexa Core DSP processing powered by six SHARC processors dedicated to running Universal Audio’s extensive library of UAD plug-ins. This provides plenty of real-time processing capability to allow you to confidently track and mix high track count sessions with Universal Audio’s analog-modeled plugins, such as classic compressors, EQs, reverbs, and tape machines, without taxing your computer’s CPU and with zero latency.The Ax8G2 is built for home and commercial studio environments and includes 4 Unison-enabled mic/line preamps, eight line inputs and eight line outputs (both with balanced TRS) two Hi-Z instrument inputs (which are located on the front panel), dedicated monitor outputs (stereo TRS), two independent headphone outputs, optical ADAT and S/PDIF I/O Word Clock I/O (BNC), and Thunderbolt 3 connectivity.The inclusion of Thunderbolt 3 ensures ultra-low latency operation and high-bandwidth communication between the interface and your Mac or PC. This makes the Ax8G2 an excellent choice for large-scale recording sessions and high-track-count projects.Like the Apollo x8 Gen 1, the Ax8G2 can support up to 7.1 surround sound monitoring. This is particularly beneficial for producers working in film, TV, and game audio production. The Ax8G2 dedicated monitor control functionality allows users to seamlessly switch between different speaker configurations, control volume levels, and manage multiple monitoring setups.All Apollo interfaces from the Twin x to x16 come with full monitor controller functionality. Let’s say you started your journey with Universal Audio’s interfaces with a desktop version of Apollo—like the Twin x or x4—that unlocks the ability to use the Universal Audio’s DSP plugins and allows you to experience real-time workflows like I mentioned earlier. The Twin x or x4 interfaces also have a built-in talkback mic, and you can talk directly to an artist or collaborator just like you would in a pro studio. If you add an Apollo rack interface into your studio rig (like Apollo x6, x8, or x8P), that Apollo Twin x or x4 will now become your remote monitor controller which you can use to switch between your loudspeakers connected to the rack unit, sum to mono, dim and talk back to speak with someone you’re helping to record. In an expanded system where you’re integrating your Ax8G2 and Apollo Twin in the same setup, you will be able to leave your Ax8G2 in the studio, pick up your Twin X or X4 desktop unit, and head out to your remote session. Apollo Monitor Correction, which was introduced in X8 Gen 1, now incorporates Sonarworks Sound ID Reference room correction software, which integrates directly with the Ax8G2. Sound ID Reference helps you hear your music more accurately by checking how different speakers sound in a room and fixes any problems such as room modes and standing waves which can cause peaks and dips in the frequency response of your listening environment. This enables you to create, mix, and master all of your music with the same confidence and accuracy that you might have if you had rented a pro studio for your project.There’s also a useful new bass management tool in the Ax8G2. This isn’t a part of the Sonarworks software but it’s especially helpful if you are looking to manage complex speaker setups. The bass management tool allows you to configure the correct crossover, slope, and trim without having to awkwardly fiddle with the controls from behind the unit. The bass management is available for Apollo x Gen 1 and Gen 2 interfaces and does not require any further purchase or third-party software. Assistive Auto Gain is a brand new feature that’s exclusive to Ax8G2 interfaces and it takes the guesswork out of gain staging. Assistive Auto Gain, accessible through UAD console, will automatically set all your levels—even across classic recording console unison emulations such as API, Neve, and SSL20—all of which makes setting for high channel count tracking sessions (like recording drums) a breeze.Today, many popular UAD plug-ins are available natively and work even when you’re not plugged into your Apollo. This means you now have even more flexibility in how you mix and master; it also means you’re no longer required to use UAD-2 versions when tracking and mixing. If you want to collaborate with other musicians who don’t own Apollo’s or mix when you’re away from your Apollo, you have the flexibility of using native plugins, which sound just as good as the UAD-2 versions. One of the biggest changes with the Ax8G2 is the added-value software packages that are included with your purchase. Apollo x8 Gen 2 comes with the Essentials + version. You get auto-tune real-time access, plus over 25 more plugins like the LA-2A, Pultec, UA-610B, and much more. Apollo Twin x, x4, x6, x8, and x8P Gen 2s come with the option for the Studio Plus version and includes the flagship Auto-Tune Real-Time X. Plus, you get 50 more plugins including the legendary Avalon VT-737, 1176s, Fairchild 660 and 670, Lexicon 224, Studer A800 tape machine, and so much more. There is a ton of value in this bundle, and it includes Unison UAD-2 and native plugins. The Ax8G2 is a versatile and powerful professional tool for recording, mixing, and monitoring professional level projects. The Unison preamps and new elite-class 24-bit/192kHz converters provide exceptional tonal flexibility, allowing users to shape their sound with precision. The Hexa Core DSP ensures that even large sessions with multiple plugins run smoothly, freeing up your computer resources for other tasks. The Ax8G2 is a solid choice for professional home and commercial recording studios. If you’re in the market for a new recording interface or are looking for an upgrade, the Ax8G2 is well worth checking out. Highly recommended!The Universal Audio x8 Gen 2 Audio Interface is available now starting at $2,899. Find out more at uaudio.com.The post Product Profile: Universal Audio Apollo x8 Gen 2 Audio Interface  first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.