Branding

1. NARM Renames Itself the Music Business Association, Expands Mandate

   October 07, 2013 12:16 PM EDT The National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM), the trade organization founded in 1958 which represents music retailers, distributors, and others involved in the sale of music and related merchandise, has announced it is restructurin ...

2. Warner/Chappell, Coca-Cola, E! Partner for Latin Teen TV and Online Series (Exclusive)

   October 03, 2013 8:00 AM EDT Warner/Chappell Latin America has partnered with E! and Coca-Cola to produce a music-themed teen series that will air throughout Latin America beginning in the end of November. “Wake Up With No Make Up!” will be shown online on Coca-Cola TV and ...

3. Agents Aplenty at 10th Annual Billboard Touring Conference

   October 02, 2013 10:30 AM EDT Register today for Billboard's 2013 Touring Conference & Awards Nov. 13-14 in New York City Use promo code 'BIZ13' to get a special discount. The role of agents in the contemporary touring industry will be explored in depth wi ...

4. New Signings: Warner Music Nabs Ylvis, WME Inks Leah Turner, Maximum Artist Adds Lalah Hathaway, Warner/Chappell Signs Danny Orton

   October 02, 2013 7:45 AM EDT Here’s a look at the latest artist signings across the music industry. Billboard.biz is interested in your company’s new signings. Please send announcements to Mitchell.Peters@billboard.com for inclusion in our regular report. Click here for the ...

5. Nickelodeon Gets Into Radio with Clear Channel

   September 30, 2013 11:39 AM EDT Nickelodeon is getting into the radio business. The children's entertainment network has joined forces with Clear Channel Media and Entertainment to create its own station on Clear Channel's online iHeartRadio. Nick Radio launched Mond ...

6. Shazam Partners With Jimmy Kimmel Live on Music Giveaway (Exclusive)

   September 30, 2013 10:00 AM EDT Shazam Entertainment, whose app has been used to identify billions of songs since 2002, is expanding its television business through a deal with late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. The partnership, expected to be announced Monday, will give away free ...

7. Billboard Roundtable: EDM & Brands; the Jay Z-Samsung Model (Video)

   September 27, 2013 11:59 PM EDT The Panel Marcie Allen Founder/president, MAC Presents Lori Feldman Senior VP of brand partnerships & music licensing, Warner Bros. Records Marcus Peterzell EVP of entertainment, Ketchum Sports & Entertainment; head of Ketchum Sounds Boz ...

8. Advertising Week: 12 Music Industry Predictions for 2014

   September 27, 2013 6:23 PM EDT As the 10th annual Advertising Week draws to a close in New York City, Billboard polled 12 notable music industry execs who touch the intersections of music, advertising and licensing about notable trends for 2014. From the five panelists who ...

9. McDonald's Recruits La Vida Boheme for Sweepstakes Ad Campaign

   September 26, 2013 5:01 PM EDT A McDonald’s ad tied to the brand’s Spanish-language 2013 Latin Grammy sweepstakes campaign features Venezuelan rockers La Vida Boheme performing on top of a McD’s in Mexico City, making enough noise to attract a (fry-eating) crowd. The band rec ...

10. Disney Sues Over Musical Featuring 'Spider-Man,' 'Mary Poppins' and 'The Lion King'

    September 26, 2013 1:24 PM EDT Disney might have decided to not to file a legal objection to Escape From Tomorrow, a micro-budgeted horror film whose poster features a Mickey Mouse-like blood-soaked hand. But the entertainment giant isn't ready to simply roll over on the ...

11. Blue Note and Panasonic Partner on In-Car Audio (Exclusive)

    September 26, 2013 9:00 AM EDT Blue Note Records has signed a licensing partnership with Panasonic to help develop and co-market a car audio system that would be tuned to the types of music featured in Blue Note's catalog, whose artists range from Norah Jones and Van ...

12. Billboard Roundtable Part 3: Miley Cyrus' Marketability, Music Discovery Platforms (Video)

    September 25, 2013 6:26 PM EDT The Panel Marcie Allen Founder/president, MAC Presents Lori Feldman Senior VP of brand partnerships & music licensing, Warner Bros. Records Marcus Peterzell EVP of entertainment, Ketchum Sports & Entertainment; head of Ketchum Sounds Boz ...

13. Advertising Week: How Four Key Agency Music Supervisors Find the Perfect Song

    September 24, 2013 3:39 PM EDT As Advertising Week descends upon New York this week, Billboard puts a spotlight on four notable music supervisors and agencies making songs and artists the stars of some of the year's biggest campaigns. Behind every great use of a song in ...

14. Nirvana’s ‘In Utero’ Turns 20: Ex-Geffen Execs' Remembrances, Anecdotes, Marketing Strategy (How 'Rape Me' Became 'Waif Me')

    September 24, 2013 12:43 PM EDT Nirvana had much to live up to following the release of its groundbreaking 1991 album, “Nevermind.” But, with the weight of the world on them, the grunge trio surprised (and perhaps alienated) many with its raucous and emotionally raw follow-u ...

15. Billboard Roundtable Part 2: Bruno Mars, the Super Bowl, Big Data (Video)

    September 23, 2013 3:30 PM EDT The Panel Marcie Allen Founder/president, MAC Presents Lori Feldman Senior VP of brand partnerships & music licensing, Warner Bros. Records Marcus Peterzell EVP of entertainment, Ketchum Sports & Entertainment; head of Ketchum Sounds Bo ...

16. Big Machine's Scott Borchetta On Spotify, Beats Music, Entering TV With Dr. Luke

    September 23, 2013 12:28 PM EDT When Scott Borchetta caught up with Billboard at IHeartRadio in 2012, he was struggling with the best royalty solution for Big Machine Label Group and free streaming music services like Spotify. One year later, however, little has changed about ...

17. Apple Says It Sold 9 Million iPhones Since Friday

    September 23, 2013 9:43 AM EDT Apple says shoppers snapped up 9 million of its newest iPhones since the devices were launched Friday, and that demand is exceeding supply. Its shares jumped 6 percent in premarket trading. Apple says the two new models gave it its strongest iPh ...

18. Clear Channel Prepping IHeartRadio Country Music Fest, TV Awards For 2014 (Exclusive)

    September 23, 2013 8:21 AM EDT In a wide-ranging video Q&A (below) at the IHeartRadio festival in Las Vegas with Billboard Saturday night, John Sykes, Clear Channel president of entertainment enterprises and Tom Poleman, Clear Channel President of national programming p ...

19. How Justin Timberlake Became an Unofficial Sales Exec for iHeartRadio Fest: Q&A With Clear Channel Connections' Greg Glenday (Exclusive)

    September 20, 2013 1:15 PM EDT Tickets to Clear Channel’s third annual IHeartRadio Music Festival this weekend aren’t the only part of the two-day spectacle that are sold out -- sponsor activity is at an all-time high, too. More than 14 blue-chip brands are prepping major on ...

20. Britney Spears' Las Vegas Residency: Full Details On the Pop Singer’s Two-Year Deal (Q&A)

    September 19, 2013 2:59 PM EDT Beginning in December, Las Vegas will be the only place on earth where you’ll be able to see Britney Spears perform over the next two years. After months of speculation, the pop superstar announced her two-year Las Vegas residency show, titl ...

21. Apple iTunes Radio’s Promise Vs. Its Delivery: A Report Card

    September 19, 2013 7:20 AM EDT iTunes Radio, after much chatter and speculation, has finally gone live as a feature in Apple Inc.’s new iOS 7 operating system, which also featured a new configuration of iTunes itself.  Apple iTunes Radio Launching Sept. 18, Called 'Pur ...

22. Pepsi's Frank Cooper Talks iTunes Radio, Exclusive Brand Channels (Exclusive)

    September 18, 2013 6:56 PM EDT Apple’s long-awaited launch of iTunes Radio on Wednesday brings an exclusive list of sponsors -- McDonald’s, Nissan, and Procter & Gamble among them -- but only one with its own branded stations. Pepsi, iTunes Radio’s premier beverage sponso ...

23. 2vLive Concert Streaming Platform Launches with Cee-Lo, Demi Lovato (Exclusive)

    September 18, 2013 5:52 PM EDT While live-streaming concerts is nothing new to the music industry, a market leader has yet to emerge. 2vLive , an Atlanta-, London-, and Toronto-based company that describes itself as the "On Demand" of live concert streaming, aims t ...

24. Exclusive: 'Spotify Landmark' Original Content Series Launches With Nirvana's 'In Utero' (Listen)

    September 18, 2013 4:12 PM EDT Spotify has launched its own original content series and dedicated website called Spotify Landmark, a multi-media documentary series focusing on classic moments in music history. The premiere episode (embed below), entitled “The Real Story of ...

25. Pandora, Slacker Up Their Game on Day of iTunes Radio Launch

    September 18, 2013 11:27 AM EDT Pandora and Slacker both announced new features to their services Wednesday, the same day that Apple is scheduled to press play on its iTunes Radio service as part of the release of its iOS 7 operating system. Pandora, whose 72 million monthly l ...

26. Should You Upgrade Your iPhone, iPad To Apple's New iOS 7?

    September 18, 2013 8:29 AM EDT  The changes to Apple's iOS software became apparent as I drove to the headquarters of the company's rival, Google. As I navigated using Apple's mapping app, I noticed one of my favorite attributes was missing: the directions for ...

27. Electronic Arts Names Andrew Wilson CEO

    September 18, 2013 6:30 AM EDT Electronic Arts Inc. has tapped an insider to lead the company, naming Andrew Wilson as its new CEO. Wilson joined the video game publisher in 2000 and is the company's executive vice president of EA sports and its online portal for digital ...

28. Kendrick Lamar Tops Soul Train Awards Nominees

    September 17, 2013 8:08 PM EDT Kendrick Lamar is the top nominee for the Soul Train Awards. The rapper is up for six awards, including album of the year for "good kid, m.A.A.d city" and song and video of the year for "Poetic Justice." R&B singers Justi ...

29. Budweiser's Made for Music Premieres Rihanna Doc, 'Half of Me' (Exclusive)

    September 17, 2013 5:02 PM EDT Ron Howard's "Made In America" isn't Budweiser's only foray into documentary filmmaking. The beermaker is debuting "Half Of Me," a documentary short chronicling Rihanna and several of her superfans in the U.K. ...

30. Weird Merch: Drake, Miguel, Jay Z Fail Meme Polo Shirts

    September 17, 2013 4:40 PM EDT It's not often that we here at Billboard.biz let our hair down -- we keep our mullets up in a bun between 9 and 5, just like you -- but it's important to keep in mind that this business of music is, more often than not, about enjoyment ...

31. Britney Spears Announces 2-Year Las Vegas Residency Live on Good Morning America Following Helicopter Ride

    September 17, 2013 4:10 PM EDT After months of rumors and hint-dropping, pop icon Britney Spears revealed what she called her "(not-so-)secret" news - she's heading to Las Vegas. The 31-year-old pop star confirmed a two-year residency at Planet Hollywood Resort ...

32. From This Week’s Billboard: Why Target, Whole Foods Are Making a Play For Vinyl

    September 17, 2013 3:12 PM EDT The following article on major retail chains like Whole Foods and Target entering the growing vinyl market is exceprted from in the latest issue of Billboard (Vol. 125 No. 36), to read the full story purchase this issue of Billboard here or su ...

33. New Apple TV Software Turns iOS Device Into a Portable Remote Control for Your Music

    September 17, 2013 2:56 PM EDT Apple reportedly plans to release new software on Sep. 18 for its popular Apple TV hardware ($99), which lets you listen to music on nice speakers and watch video on a big screen by routing them through your iOS device. The way it works for musi ...

34. Rough Trade Will Open Flagship U.S. Store Nov. 25 in New York (Exclusive)

    September 17, 2013 7:00 AM EDT Rough Trade, the iconic London music retailer that spawned Rough Trade Records and served as a cradle for post-punk music in the late 1970s, will open its first flagship store in the U.S. in New York on Monday, November 25. The store, a 15,00 ...

35. Live Nation Preps Ford-Sponsored Web Series 'Rider Challenge' With Lumineers, Kid Cudi, Fitz & The Tantrums, More

    September 16, 2013 3:59 PM EDT Live Nation is entering the original webisodic content arena with "The Rider Challenge," a Ford Fiesta-sponsored digital series that premieres Sept. 30 on LiveNation.com. The series will chronicle fans of The Lumineers, Kid Cudi, Fall ...

36. Zippo, Bandsintown Light a Fire Under Music Brand Partnerships

    September 16, 2013 10:08 AM EDT At concerts today, it's more common to see a fan with a smartphone in the air then waving a lighter. But a new partnership between lighter manufacturer Zippo and popular live music application Bandsintown combines both actions. Announced Th ...

37. Twitter #Music is Now on Spotify

    September 13, 2013 2:23 PM EDT Twitter #Music is now on Spotify, the 140-character sharing network announced yesterday. Twitter #Music analyzes popular music based on the volume of tweets and mentions of that song on Twitter, and curates it in a playlist where users can easil ...

38. Biz Poll: Which Major News Story Will Most Impact the Music Business' Future?

    September 13, 2013 1:38 PM EDT This time of year, the news cycle seems to shift into a head-spinning hyperspeed. In the last few days alone, Apple launched iTunes Radio and new iPhones; Twitter filed for an IPO; WMG and Clear Channel announced a groundbreaking deal; Vivendi i ...

39. Backbeat: Priyanka Chopra on Her Thursday Night Football Theme Song, Competition With Carrie Underwood, New Album

    September 12, 2013 6:00 PM EDT “I learned all about special effects having worked on movies in India,” says Priyanka Chopra on the explosion-filled video (below) for her first single “In My City,” the theme song to the 2013 season of the NFL Network’s Thursday Night Footb ...

40. Resolution’s Phil Casey on Chris Brown’s Upcoming World Tour, John Singleton Doc, Community Service, and More (Q&A)

    September 12, 2013 12:00 PM EDT Chris Brown is well on his way to becoming the new hardest-working man in show business. In the coming year, the Grammy-winning multiplatinum singer/songwriter will have his hands full with releasing a new studio album, embarking on a world ar ...

41. Clear Channel, Warner Music Announce Strategic Music Partnership

    September 12, 2013 11:14 AM EDT Clear Channel and the Warner Music Group today announced a strategic partnership intended to align the two companies’ interests in driving digital growth, increasing radio listenership, breaking new music and creating new marketing opportunities ...

42. Icona Pop Teams With Absolut For Music Video, Ad Campaign (Exclusive)

    September 12, 2013 8:00 AM EDT Icona Pop is about to host a “Paris Is Burning”-esque vogue-off in their latest video for “All Night,” which Billboard exclusively teases below. In the clip, which was filmed in New York and inspired by the city’s “house ballroom” culture, Icona ...

43. David Correy's 'The World Is Ours' Is Coca-Cola's 2014 World Cup Anthem (Exclusive)

    September 11, 2013 5:35 PM EDT "The World is Ours," performed by singer David Correy and Brazilian percussion troupe Monobloco, is Coca-Cola's global 2014 FIFA World Cup anthem, Coca-Cola sources have revealed exclusively to Billboard. Listen to "The World ...

44. Apple Debuts Upgraded iPhone 5S, Lower Cost 5C

    September 10, 2013 2:24 PM EDT For the first time since introducing the device that changed cellphones forever, Apple will offer two distinct versions of the latest iPhones -- a cheaper one made of plastic and another that aims to be "the gold standard of smartphones&quo ...

45. WME's John Marx on Bruno Mars' Super Bowl Gig, Sold-Out Arena Tour Strategy, Not Having Presales (Q&A)

    September 10, 2013 8:00 AM EDT Bruno Mars has not only proven to be a master at creating multiple hit songs, but he’s also solidified himself as one of today’s top live performers. In addition to being named the halftime performer at next year’s Super Bowl XLVIII, Mars re ...

46. What to Expect from Apple's Expected iTunes Radio Announcement

    September 09, 2013 1:50 PM EDT There has been a lot of speculation about iTunes Radio since word first broke last year that Apple had started discussions with record labels. Although opinions won't come until people get actual hands-on experience with the product on T ...

47. Xbox Music Adds Freemium Option, Expands to iOS, Android As App

    September 09, 2013 12:01 AM EDT Xbox Music is breaking out of the Microsoft box. The on-demand music service will be available as apps on Apple's iOS and Google's Android devices starting Monday (Sept. 9), a move designed to broaden Xbox Music's distribution and ...

48. It's Official: Bruno Mars To Play Pepsi Super Bowl XLVIII Halftime Show

    September 08, 2013 1:48 PM EDT It's official: Bruno Mars will play the Pepsi Super Bowl XLVIII Halftime Show on Feb. 2, 2014.  Reports of the "Locked Out Of Heaven" singer's booking started circulating when the Los Angeles Times broke the news Friday, a ...

49. Eminem Appears Live on ESPN's Saturnday Night Football To Promote 'Berzerk' Video (Watch)

    September 08, 2013 12:43 AM EDT Eminem made an unlikely appearance on ESPN's "Saturday Night Football" halftime show during today's (Sept. 7) Michigan-Notre Dame game. The rap superstar, who has a new album out in the fall, appeared to promote his new singl ...

50. Bruno Mars Set To Play Super Bowl 2014 Halftime (Source)

    September 07, 2013 2:44 PM EDT Bruno Mars will rock the Super Bowl XLVIII halftime show in 2014, a source confirmed to Billboard on Saturday (Sept. 7). The L.A. Times first reported the possible Bruno Mars halftime gig, citing it's own sources. The Associated Press has a ...

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