Getting It Done: Last Week in D.I.Y. and Independent Musician NewsLast week, we shared expert tips and insights for indie musicians on how to split songwriting shares, musician time-management, and more… Last Week in D.I.Y. and Independent Music
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REWIND: New Music Industry’s Last Week in ReviewThe music industry had a packed week of headlines, featuring updates like the return of Bandcamp Fridays, Charli XCX changing Pop, and more…
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From the Oasis ‘dynamic pricing’ controversy to Spotify’s Eminem lawsuit victory… it’s MBW’s Weekly Round-UpThe biggest stories from the past week – all in one place…
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Kings of Leon at the Santa Barbara BowlContact: Nina Gordon @ Full Coverage Communications / Kristen.Foster@fullcov.com

Web: kingsofleon.com

Players: Caleb Followill – vocals, rhythm guitar; Matthew Followill – lead guitar, keys, backing vocals; Jared Followill – bass, keys, backing vocals; Nathan Followill – drums, percussion; Liam O’Neill – keys, percussion, backing vocals; Timothy Deaux – rhythm guitar, keys, percussion, backing vocals

Four-time GRAMMY winners Kings of Leon lit up the bowl in Santa Barbara as part of their tour celebrating their ninth studio album, Can We Please Have Fun (released earlier this year). With trademark rhythm and bass lines and tight drumming, the band delivered high energy and fantastic solid sound throughout the evening.

Opening with rhythm guitar and edgy vocals on “Ballerina Radio” (from the new record), the group shared material from as early as 2004 (“Milk”), playing songs from Aha Shake Heartbreak (2004), Because of the Times (2007), Only by the Night (2008), Come Around Sundown (2010), Mechanical Bull (2013), and When You See Yourself (2021). Polished and fun, the brothers put on a fantastic rock show.

Playing selections from all but two of their albums, the group performed for a packed happy crowd, with great visuals behind the group all evening, Caleb Followill’s clean lead vocals shone through for almost two hours and there was plenty of crowd involvement, with singalong moments on fan favorites “On Call,” “Sex On Fire” (which had an especially clean live sound), “Pyro,” “Closer,” “Knocked Up,” and “Use Somebody” (from hit records Because of the Times, Only By The Night, Come Around Sundown).

From tender vocal moments (“Beautiful War”) and group ‘oooohs’ (“Revelry”) and howling (“My Party”) with the crowd, to retro video game graphics on screens around and behind the stage (“Nowhere To Run”), 70’s style filters (“Split Screen”), and syncopated driving sound, the group presented a captivating show that inspired even the most conservative attendees to sing and move along.

While the visuals and overall presentation were stunning and added to the ambiance and feel of the show, the focus was most definitely sound-first, and the band had it in spades. Tight, clean instrumentals, powerful vocals, and solid harmonies—along with the great pace of the setlist and interspersed crowd interaction—made for a memorable, non-stop experience.

Adding a debut live performance of “Fairytale” (from 2021’s When You See Yourself) for their "song for the city" segment of the evening, Caleb delivered more soaring vocals. “Back Down South” brought a guttural kickdrum sound, and “The Bandit” got everyone fully rocking out, elevating the crowd’s energy before launching into the VIP song section of the evening with their most popular hits.

Rounding out the show with “Knocked Up” (the crowd knew every word) and “Use Somebody” (2010’s Best Rock Song GRAMMY winner), the latter created mild bedlam and an amazing cohesive vibe in the venue.

The 5,000-seat outdoor space felt somehow like family and the show felt like a warm homecoming. Kings of Leon is a unifying rock force with major chops that put on an incredible show and are most definitely worth taking in as a live experience.

Photos by Jackson BeenhamThe post Kings of Leon at the Santa Barbara Bowl first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

COLTURE, co-founded by Brent Faiyaz Manager Ty Baisden, strikes partnership with Soulection CEO Joe KaySoulection started as an independent radio show and now encompasses a label and live event series
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Register a .MUSIC domain Free: Just 5 days left!Musicians, labels and music related companies have until Tuesday, September 10th to register a .MUSIC domain name free.
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AI Targets Top Musicians: Bieber, Blackpink, Ye and moreCreators are using AI to target top musicians and their songs. Learn the impact of machine-made tunes and what it means for royalties for all artists and the future of the industry.
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Today is Bandcamp Friday supporting Independent MusicToday is Bandcamp Friday and two more of the popular indie artist and label promotions are scheduled before the end of the year.
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Sony Electronics Launches Closed Monitor Headphones Sony Electronics Inc. today announced the MDR-M1 Reference Closed Monitor Headphones, designed for music creators and sound engineers to produce music in any environment, heard as intended. The headphones host a closed acoustic structure with high sound isolation, exclusively developed driver, and a lightweight and comfortable design that allow users to create in their own environments, as if they were in the studio. The MDR-M1 headphones combine studio sound quality with extreme comfort and reliability, suitable for a wide range of music production and high-resolution audio applications.

Sound Characteristics

The MDR-M1 offers studio sound quality with a carefully tuned acoustic structure to support a wide range of music production, all while offering high-resolution audio. At the core of the sound quality is a uniquely developed driver unit that achieves ultra-wideband playback (5Hz – 80kHz), featuring a combination of a soft edge shape to reproduce low frequencies with sufficient volume and low distortion, and a hard dome shape to accurately reproduce ultra-high frequencies. 

The closed acoustic structure helps eliminate ambient noise and sound leakage from the headphones, making them suitable for use in a variety of production processes, so that each note can be carefully tuned and monitored to support accuracy and authenticity of the creator. A tuned port (Beat Response Control) acts as a ventilation hole to control low frequencies. By optimizing the operation of the diaphragm, there are improved low-frequency transient characteristics, making it possible to accurately reproduce sound with a very tight bass response.

Sony aims to create products that enhance both content creation and listening experiences for professionals and consumers. The MDR-M1 headphones were created in collaboration with some of the top sound engineers in the industry, including Mastering Engineer of Battery Studios, Mike Piacentini, and Recording and Mixing Engineer of Power Station at Berklee NYC, Akihiro Nishimura, to ensure an authentic and enriching music experience.

Mike Piacentini, Mastering Engineer of Battery Studios

"As engineers, we are often tasked to work in a variety of formats, which are all produced in different environments, on ever-changing speaker systems. Throughout the record production process, I believe it is important to have headphones that provide an accurate reference point, whether you are working on near-field monitors, mastering speakers, or an immersive speaker setup.  I've worked alongside the Sony's incredible Tokyo headphone design team, to help create a pair of headphones that are accurate across the frequency spectrum in a variety of use cases. MDR-M1 are a great entry point for any creator who wants to be sure that the sound they are hearing in the studio translates to the end user in the best way possible."

Akihiro Nishimura (Recording and Mixing Engineer of Power Station at Berklee NYC)

"The tonal balance of the MDR-M1 feels very close to the impression of Power Station's Studio A control room. In recording sessions, it is important to care what musicians or singers are listening to when they play or sing. MDR-M1 gives you the same impression of listening in a control room headphone, which makes it easier to create music by listening to each other. The comfort design also makes us focus on music in long sessions. I hope MDR-M1 will become the standard monitoring system for any recording sessions."

Comfort and Design

Engineered with comfort in mind, the MDR-M1 ear pads were carefully designed to achieve both fit and long wearing comfort. Thick, low resilience padding is used to ensure airtight listening, and a new lighter design makes for a precise fit and excellent comfort for long mixing and mastering sessions. The MDR-M1 includes two cables, one is a high quality replaceable, detachable cable with a stereo mini-plug and plug adapter (stereo mini-plug to stereo standard plug) and the second shorter cable is also included and can be used depending on the connected equipment and usage environment for ease of use in a professional setting.

The MDR-M1 will also work seamlessly alongside Sony's 360 Virtual Mixing Environment (360VME) 1 service to free creators from space constraints and heighten reproduction abilities from virtually anywhere.

Pricing and availability

The MDR-M1 headphones are available for $249.99 MSRP USD/ $349.99 MSRP CAD and available for pre-order today at Sony.com and other authorized dealers including Amazon, B&H, Sweetwater and Guitar Center.

For US pre-orders, please visit: https://electronics.sony.com/audio/headphones/all-headphones/p/mdrm1 

For CAD pre-orders, please visit: https://www.henrys.com/sony-mdr-m1-headphones-pre-order 

For a full list of specs and information or to buy from Sony Electronics directly, please visit:  https://electronics.sony.com/audio/headphones/all-headphones/p/mdrm1 The post Sony Electronics Launches Closed Monitor Headphones  first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Another injection of optimism for music rights: Warner gets BBB long-term credit rating from FitchJust last week, prominent music industry analyst William Packer of BNP Paribas Exane upgraded Universal Music Group’s stock for the second time in a year. In a vote of confidence in UMG’s future value, Packer lifted his stock rating from “neutral” to “outperform”. That news came just a few days after we reported the confidence expressed … Continued
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YouTube is developing tools to detect AI-generated voices and faces in videosYouTube’s move is part of a growing effort by media platforms to rein in misuse of AI technology
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Marketing on Bandcamp Friday: Boost Your Sales with These TipsBandcamp Friday is back with three days of commission free sales before the end of the year. Here are some pro tips to marketing on Bandcamp Friday.
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How to Boost Engagement with Embedded Release LinksLearn how embedding release links in your bio platforms can skyrocket your audience engagement and drive more traffic to your music. Don’t miss out on this simple yet powerful strategy to grow your fanbase and boost streams.
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Songwriting Split Sheet: A Complete GuideDon't miss out on your fair share! Learn how to protect your earnings with a clear understanding of songwriting splits and the essential songwriting split sheet.
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Torso Electronics' S-4 Sculpting Sampler Provides New Sound Design PossibilitiesTorso Electronics' S-4 Sculpting Sampler continues to achieve ongoing success since its initial launch in November 2023. The S-4, which provides a host of new sound shaping possibilities for artists working across many different genres, has earned the praise of musicians, DJs, producers, and sound designers around the world. While the instrument's third production run is already sold out in most places, hundreds of units from that batch will be shipping in September, with a fourth manufacturing run coming in early 2025. Torso Electronics will continue to provide updates on their website and through its customer newsletters.

Expanding Creative Possibilities with the T-1 Algorithmic Sequencer​While the S-4 Sculpting Sampler continues to redefine sound design, Torso Electronics also offers another powerful tool in its lineup — the T-1 Algorithmic Sequencer. The T-1 exemplifies the company’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of music creation, introducing a generative approach to sequencing that inspires artists to explore new creative horizons. Whether in the studio or on stage, the T-1's intuitive interface and versatile connectivity make it an essential instrument for modern musicians. Explore the T-1 here.The post Torso Electronics' S-4 Sculpting Sampler Provides New Sound Design Possibilities first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.