Branding

1. Guggenheim Digital Media Announces Formation of Billboard Group

   April 17, 2013 6:46 PM EDT Guggenheim Digital Media is creating a newly expanded Billboard Group that will include the Backstage and Sonic Bids businesses as it looks to the three brands’ combined strengths to develop a platform for entertainment industry professionals. ...

2. SFX’s Shelly Finkel Hints at New Acquisitions With Pete Tong at IMS: ‘What’s Ministry of Sound Doing?'

   April 17, 2013 3:01 PM EDT SFX head of acquisitions Shelly Finkel hinted at a number of previously unannounced deals during his sit-down with BBC Radio 1 legend Pete Tong at the first annual IMS Engage in Los Angeles today.   Finkel proved to be a charismatic consolatio ...

3. Exclusive: Vice, Recreation Worldwide Discuss Debut of New EDM Vertical THUMP

   April 17, 2013 12:35 PM EDT Vice, the self-described “bad boy” media empire, debuted a new EDM vertical Wednesday called THUMP, a new digital platform created in partnership with Recreation Worldwide, a creative agency founded by executives from AM Only and Complete Con ...

4. Indie Beat: Lio Kanine on Ten Years of Kanine Records

   April 15, 2013 4:44 PM EDT Next month, May 10 to be exact, Brooklyn’s Kanine Records will celebrate its tenth birthday. Officially launched by dog-loving husband and wife duo Lio and Kay Kanine (not their real last name) in 2003, the landmark Williamsburg label has sinc ...

5. Daft Punk Tease New Album at Coachella, During 'Saturday Night Live,' Reveal Guests

   April 14, 2013 2:16 AM EDT Daft Punk may not be on the official Coachella lineup this year, still the French electronic duo still managed to grab the attention of concert-goers talking in the festival's first day (April 12) Daft Punk broadcasted a new trailer for the ...

6. Republic Records Owns the Road to Coachella -- Almost Literally

   April 12, 2013 5:55 PM EDT Anyone traveling to Coachella this week cannot help but notice Republic Records’ presence at the festival -- the company bought a series of billboards to be sure of it. Check Out A Gallery of Republic's Coachella Billboards Right Here Eig ...

7. Rick Ross Issues Official Apology For 'U.O.E.N.O.' Rape Lyrics

   April 12, 2013 3:17 PM EDT Rick Ross has issued an official statement in which he task fault for his pro-rape lyrics on Rocko's "U.O.E.N.O." song. "Before I am an artist, I am a father, a son, and a brother to some of the most cherished women in the wo ...

8. Island Def Jam Resurrects 4th & B’way as Dance Label, Signs Cazzette as Its First Act (Exclusive)

   April 12, 2013 12:00 PM EDT For more on Cazzette getting its lable deal as well as its agreement with Spotify, pick up this week's issue of Billboard Magazine right here or or subscribe by clicking here . Cazzette, the Swedish electronic music group that four months a ...

9. From The Mag: Coachella Kicks Off the Festival Season

   April 12, 2013 8:00 AM EDT Long a mainstay in Europe, music festivals are now the most robust sector of the U.S. touring market, with fans embracing the immersive experience and opportunity for music discovery and the industry tapping into massive audiences and proven art ...

10. Reebok Drops Rick Ross Over 'U.O.E.N.O.' Rape Lyrics

    April 11, 2013 5:07 PM EDT After stirring up controversy with lyrics deemed pro-rape, Reebok has decided to end their partnership with Rick Ross. “Reebok holds our partners to a high standard, and we expect them to live up to the values of our brand. Unfortunately, Rick ...

11. Fender's Sergio Villanueva Previews Upcoming Panel at Billboard Latin Conference & Awards (Q&A)

    April 11, 2013 8:50 AM EDT Instruments like guitars have helped artists from Eric Clapton to Jimi Hendrix find their voice in music. During the Billboard Latin Conference & Awards, presented by State Farm, this theme will be explored during the panel "The Essenti ...

12. Budweiser Reveals Made In America Lineup – Beyonce, Nine Inch Nails to Headline

    April 10, 2013 1:00 PM EDT Beyonce and Nine Inch Nails top an eclectic lineup for Budweiser's second annual Made In America Festival, scheduled to return to Philadelphia for Labor Day weekend on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1. Jay-Z once again curated this year's roster, b ...

13. Exclusive: Unilever's Fruttare Teams With Ne-Yo, Cher Lloyd and Coachella

    April 10, 2013 10:48 AM EDT Packaged goods giant Unilever is debuting only one product in the United States this year — Fruttare Fruit Bars, which is looking to associate itself with music out the gate with a pair of high-profile partnerships. The first is a collaboration ...

14. Billboard Latin Music Marketing Awards Announced

    April 09, 2013 3:44 PM EDT A campaign for Honey Bunches of Oats starring bilingual urban bachata star Prince Royce; the marketing effort for Juanes’ MTV Unplugged album, and a MasterCard digital and social platform featuring EMI Mexico artists will compete for Best Campai ...

15. Live Nation, Starwood Bring OneRepublic, Gavin DeGraw, Imagine Dragons To Exclusive Hotel Shows

    April 05, 2013 10:59 AM EDT Jamie Cullum performing at a Starwood/Live Nation event in May 2012. (Photo: Ryan Troy/Red Eye Productions) Bands and hotels used to be synonymous with trashed rooms and debaucherous partying, the kinds of behavior that could get an artist banne ...

16. Facebook Reveals New 'Home' For Android Phones

    April 04, 2013 4:21 PM EDT MENLO PARK, Calif. (AP) -- With its new "Home" on Android gadgets, Facebook aims to put its social network at the center of people's mobile experiences. If users choose to download Facebook's Home software starting on April 1 ...

17. Pepsi's Rishi Daing Talks New Beyonce Ad, What's Next

    April 04, 2013 11:13 AM EDT Pepsi premiered its latest commercial with Beyonce on Thursday, “Mirrors,” as part of its renewed creative partnership with the singer, valued at $50 million in media spend for the global ad campaign and a special fund designed for content co- ...

18. Jay-Z and Roc Nation Sports: What Are Their Prospects? Experts Weigh In

    April 03, 2013 6:48 PM EDT In rhyme, Jay-Z has name-checked some of the biggest athletes in the world. And now he’s hoping to ink some of them to his new sports agency firm.   A major power merger took place on Tuesday when two of the biggest names in entertainment annou ...

19. Roc Nation Launches Roc Nation Sports With CAA, Signs Yankees’ Robinson Cano

    April 02, 2013 12:30 PM EDT With the Major League Baseball season just getting underway, Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano made news off the field, severing ties with longtime mega-agent Scott Boras and signing a deal with Jay-Z's Roc Nation management company, the ...

20. Chicago’s Wavefront Fest Reveals Lineup, Citibank Partnership (Exclusive)

    April 02, 2013 10:00 AM EDT Jus†ice and Diplo lead a diverse slate Wavefront Music Festival , a three-day electronic music event on Chicago’s Montrose Beach July 5-7, will feature diverse headliners like Jus†ice, Diplo, and Nicolas Jaar, Billboard has learned. The music-fo ...

21. Why We Took the Piracy Debate to a Times Square Billboard: Guest Column by Ghost Beach

    April 02, 2013 8:30 AM EDT The New York-based “tropical grit pop” duo Ghost Beach was recently selected as the latest band to have its music featured in an online commercial for American Eagle Outfitters -- and that deal brought the group the opportunity to also be featur ...

22. 'The Voice' Towers Over 'Idol' In Its First Week Back On Air

    March 29, 2013 2:01 PM EDT “American Idol” hit a new low in the ratings March 28, pulling in 3.45 million viewers in the 18-49 demographic and only 11 million total viewers. For the first time, NBC's “The Voice” is being watched by more people than “Idol.” While “Ame ...

23. Petition Demands Reebok Drop Rick Ross Over Date-Rape Lyrics

    March 29, 2013 11:56 AM EDT Rick Ross’ date-rape-referencing lyrics on rapper Rocko’s song “U.O.E.N.O.” have already sparked online outrage among women’s groups . Now a second wave of petitions is calling for Ross’ endorsement deal with Reebok to be discontinued, in part b ...

24. Clear Channel's iHeartRadio Music Festival Announces Return to Vegas

    March 28, 2013 11:22 AM EDT Clear Channel is bringing its successful iHeartRadio Music Festival back to the MGM Grand in Vegas for its third year, it was announced today. The festival will again include a "star search," dubbed the Macy's iHeart Radio Rising ...

25. Spotify Debuts First TV Commercial During NBC’s ‘The Voice’ As Part of $10M Ad Campaign

    March 25, 2013 5:16 PM EDT Nearly two years after launching in the U.S. primarily via word-of-mouth, Spotify will air its first in a series of U.S. TV ad commercials on NBC’s “The Voice” Monday night as part of a larger branding campaign valued at over $10 million in medi ...

26. Buzzmedia Rebrands Itself SpinMedia

    March 25, 2013 11:16 AM EDT Buzzmedia -- the online publisher which owns such websites as Stereogum, Celebuzz, Idolator, XLR8R, and dozens of others, and is a part-owner of Hype Machine and Brooklyn Vegan -- rebranded itself SpinMedia this morning, taking its name from Spi ...

27. Ultra Music Festival’s Heineken House Brings EDM Experience to Each Pour

    March 24, 2013 12:02 PM EDT Ultra Music Festival is celebrating its 15th anniversary by expanding to two weekends, and liquor sponsor Heineken is responding in kind. This year, the brand is debuting the Heineken House, a first-of-its-kind activation that extends Ultra’s au ...

28. Backbeat: Swedish House Mafia's Steve Angello Kicks Off Brand Partnerships, Solo Career During Ultra

    March 23, 2013 3:48 PM EDT Just a few blocks from Ultra Music Festival, where his band Swedish House Mafia will play off into the sunset tomorrow, Steve Angello kicked off his new brand partnerships -- and, unofficially, his solo career -- at the unlikely location of the ...

29. Vinny Cha$e Talks Epic Records Deal, Major Label Debut & Street Wear Fashion Line

    March 23, 2013 12:28 PM EDT For Harlem rapper Vinny Cha$e, loyalty played a big role in his decision to turn down a deal with Sean "Diddy" Combs' Bad Boy Records and instead go with Epic and A&R Aaron Reid, son of chairman/CEO Antonio "L.A." R ...

30. Carly Rae Jepsen Teams With Coke, 'American Idol' on Crowd-Sourced Song To Be Performed on Season Finale

    March 20, 2013 1:45 PM EDT Carly Rae Jepsen is prepping a new catch phrase-laden single for the summer, but is teaming up with Coca-Cola and “American Idol” to help her finish writing it. Jepsen is the latest artist to become the face of Coke’s Perfect Harmony program, wh ...

31. Business Matters: What the Music Business Can Learn From March Madness

    March 19, 2013 9:10 PM EDT The annual Division I men’s college basketball tournament started Tuesday at 5:40 p.m. eastern time. The music business could take a few pointers. Known as March Madness, the Division I tournament understands how to reach people online, how to d ...

32. Carlos Vives, Don Omar, Gerardo Ortiz to Perform at Billboard Latin Music Awards

    March 19, 2013 6:17 PM EDT Some of the biggest names in Latin music including Don Omar, Gerardo Ortiz, Michel Telo, Lucero and Carlos Vives arescheduled to perform at the 2013 Billboard Latin Music Awards during an April 25 broadcast on Telemundo.   Presented by State Far ...

33. Justin Timberlake Manager Johnny Wright on Secret Plans Around ‘20/20 Experience,’ Touring, Myspace, More

    March 19, 2013 8:00 AM EDT Justin Timberlake has a rare ability to seem to be everywhere without actually being in that many places. In a way, the marketing around his new album,  The 20/20 Experience – out on RCA today – has taken a note from the way he managed to keep ...

34. #SXSW Instagr.am: Check Out the Photos You Sent Us!

    March 17, 2013 5:15 AM EDT HEAD HERE TO SEE ALL OUR INSTAGRAM GALLERIES: Our new audience-generated Instagr.am gallery got a bumper crop of photos from #SXSW this year -- check out pics of Scooter Braun, Kendrick Lamar, Dave Grohl, Raekwon, Usher Pharrell, the Flaming Li ...

35. Justin Timberlake's Promotional Run-Up to 'The 20/20 Experience': A Timeline

    March 15, 2013 4:53 PM EDT They say hindsight is 20/20, but when it comes to Justin Timberlake's comeback, they're not taking any chances. Next week's release of Timberlake's beyond-highly-anticipated new album The 20/20 Experience is riding on one ...

36. A Day in the Busy Life: Kendrick Lamar and Top Dawg Entertainment Go to Austin

    March 15, 2013 11:29 AM EDT Not just anyone would get a call from Alicia Keys to perform alongside her; so when Kendrick Lamar did, he went with it. The night before hopping on a red-eye to this year's SXSW festival, Kendrick Lamar performed two songs ("Swimming ...

37. Yahoo Announces Music Tour Featuring Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Others

    March 14, 2013 8:42 PM EDT UPDATED: The summer's 21-date traveling festival will include appearances by special guests Justin Timberlake, Frank Ocean and Trey Songz. Yahoo! made a big announcement at South by Southwest's Interactive portion in Austin, saying ...

38. Spotify’s Daniel Ek on the Future of Music Streaming, Competing With Apple and Google

    March 12, 2013 11:41 PM EDT “If you’re a business now and you’re only on the PC, you’re going to have some serious problems.” That’s how Spotify founder and CEO Daniel Ek described the biggest challenge facing his company and others in the industry during a one-on-one chat ...

39. SXSW 2013: Deadmau5, Kat Von D, Surfer Blood at the Sonos Studio

    March 12, 2013 8:51 PM EDT Sonos is getting some attention for putting on one of the coolest experiences at SXSW. Located down an alley near the Convention Center, the Sonos Studio is a large compound that includes a courtyard, a performance stage, two houses and an inter ...

40. Wisin & Yandel Team with Panasonic in Latin America

    March 12, 2013 8:06 PM EDT Latin urban act Wisin & Yandel have signed on to be the official spokespersons for a Panasonic line of audio equipment that will see a major promotional campaign in Mexico and the rest of Latin America. Register today for the Billboard Lat ...

41. Billboard.biz Google Hangout From SXSW, With Ted Cohen, Benji Rogers, Glenn Peoples: Thursday 3 p.m. ET!

    March 12, 2013 5:51 PM EDT Want to know what’s buzzing biz-wise at SXSW this year? What are the hot startups, companies, people and technologies? Find out at our Google Hangout, right here, on Thursday (March 14) at 3 p.m. ET when we have TAG Strategic’s Ted Cohen, Pledg ...

42. 3M's Virtual Presenter at SXSWi Recalls Tupac Hologram

    March 11, 2013 4:32 PM EDT One of the most head-turning displays at SXSW Interactive is 3M's life-size avatar that brings to mind the Tupac hologram at last year's Coachella festival. Called the Virtual Presenter , the digital avatar interacts with visitors and ...

43. Music Business Follows Health Trend With New Beverage Partnerships

    March 11, 2013 2:07 PM EDT Just as Beyoncé and Taylor Swift have become the respective new faces of Pepsi and Diet Coke, a new, healthier trend has emerged  with music and beverages. Artists and music executives are becoming the faces and equity partners in a series of ne ...

44. BandPage Unveils New 'Experiences' Service

    March 11, 2013 11:00 AM EDT Want to hang with George Clinton? Need a personal guitar lesson from Zakk Wylde? How about an 8-mile run with Dead Prez’s Stic.man while he teaches you beatboxing? BandPage on Monday is unveiling a platform allowing bands to design and sell cust ...

45. Troy Carter Talks 'Generation Flux' With Fast Company At SXSW Panel

    March 10, 2013 7:54 PM EDT From left: Padma Warrior, CSO & CTO of Cisco; Troy Carter, CEO of Atom Factory; and Robert Safian, editor of Fast Company, discuss Generation Flux at SXSW Interactive (Photo: Andrew Hampp)   First Douglas Coupland’s 1991 novel popularized th ...

46. SXSW Report: The Dos and Don'ts of Angel Investing

    March 08, 2013 6:09 PM EST Hundreds of orange-lanyard-clad attendees filled the grand ballroom of the Hilton in Downtown Austin mid-afternoon Friday, eschewing the formality of the official opening remarks taking place concurrently just across the street. On the agenda fo ...

47. SXSW Interactive: Daniel Glass, Britt Daniel, More on Why It's a Must for Music Biz

    March 08, 2013 2:17 PM EST Today marks the kickoff of Austin, Texas’ South By Southwest’s Interactive Festival -- now in its 18th year as its own distinct entity within the entire SXSW conference. But while SXSW Interactive started primarily as a hothouse for emerging tec ...

48. SXSW: This Year's Standout Brands

    March 08, 2013 12:49 PM EST The branding of South by Southwest 2012 sometimes reached art-and-­commerce proportions so grandiose and surreal, Andy Warhol would have been proud. Lil Wayne dropped by to film a live commercial for Mountain Dew, Doritos erected a stage in the ...

49. Muse, Dave Matthews Band, Sting to Headline NCAA Big Dance Concert Series in Atlanta April 5-7

    March 07, 2013 7:00 AM EST Muse, Dave Matthews Band and Sting have been tapped to headline the 2013 NCAA Big Dance Concert Series, in conjunction with the 2013 NCAA Men’s Final Four, held in Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park April 5-7. The event is produced by the NCAA an ...

50. SXSW: Festival Expects 28,000 Attendees With or Without a 'Highlight'

    March 06, 2013 5:30 PM EST South by Southwest is expecting a crowd of 28,000 for the Interactive portion of its 11-day tech, film and music festival, Adweek reports. That's 3,500 attendees more than in 2012, and 9,000 greater that what showed up two years ago. Whoa, ...

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