1. Merlin Hires Roger Gold as US Commercial and Strategic Advisor

    October 07, 2013 5:14 PM EDT Merlin, the global rights agency for the independent label sector, has hired former Warner Music Group executive Roger Gold to assist commercial and licensing activities in the United States. The recorded music rights represented by Merlin accou ...

  2. Thomas Miserendino Appointed President & CEO, AEG Europe

    October 07, 2013 8:52 AM EDT Veteran live entertainment exec Thomas Miserendino has been named President & CEO, AEG Europe, it was announced today (Oct. 7) by Jay Marciano, Chief Operating Officer, AEG.   Effective immediately, Miserendino moves from his current post as ...

  3. Haim’s 'Days Are Gone' Opens At No. 1 in the U.K.

    October 07, 2013 7:04 AM EDT In two of the closest finishes in recent chart history, Haim’s “Days Are Gone” album (Polydor/Universal) debuted at No. 1 and OneRepublic’s “Counting Stars” (Interscope/Universal) climbed 3-1 on the singles chart Oct. 6 to give each act its firs ...

  4. Biz Poll: Internet Misogyny and Chvrches' Lauren Mayberry’s Op-Ed

    October 04, 2013 5:15 PM EDT This week, Chvrches' Lauren Mayberry wrote an editorial in the Guardian on misogyny on the Internet that she and many of her peers (and, of course, many more outside of the music industry) face daily. While Mayberry acknowledges the importa ...

  5. Emilio Romano, President of Telemundo, Resigns

    October 04, 2013 1:15 PM EDT Emilio Romano has resigned from his post as Telemundo's president two years after joining the network, according to Joe Uva, NBCUniversal's chairman of Hispanic enterprises and content, in a statement to employees. “After a successful ...

  6. Business Matters: Free Music Marches Onward

    October 03, 2013 5:24 PM EDT Rdio’s announcement Thursday that its app users can enjoy free radio shows free music is an powerful force. From YouTube, the world’s biggest jukebox, to freemium subscription services and Apple’s free-of-charge iTunes Radio, digital music servi ...

  7. U.K. Music Singles Sales on Track for Record Year

    October 03, 2013 2:58 PM EDT The U.K. is on track to set a new singles sales record in 2013 as a third release of the year is nearing the milestone of a million copies sold, according to the Official Charts Company. Robin Thicke’s "Blurred Lines" feat. TI and Phar ...

  8. Apple Exec Hopes to Get iTunes Radio International

    October 03, 2013 2:09 PM EDT Top Apple executive Eddy Cue says he's "very pleased" with the initial rollout of iTunes Radio and hopes to have it running internationally as soon as possible. "One of our top priorities is to bring iTunes Radio obviously he ...

  9. 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 ...

  10. Company Behind Israeli T.V. Hit 'Rising Star' Teams with Dick Clark Productions for U.S. Launch

    October 02, 2013 2:26 PM EDT The company behind the Israeli singing competition hit “Rising Star” has formed a joint venture with the parent company of dick clark productions to develop, finance and deliver unscripted programs in the U.S.   Keshet International, the global ...

  11. 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 ...

  12. Google Play Music Adds Seven More European Countries

    October 02, 2013 5:22 AM EDT Google Play Music All Access has rolled out into a further seven European markets. Google’s streaming music service has added Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Netherlands, Russia, Switzerland to its international footprint, which ...

  13. Ex-Eurhythmic Dave Stewart and Former Credit Suisse CEO to Launch Global, Artist-Focused Bank

    October 01, 2013 4:18 PM EDT David Stewart, one half of the Eurhythmics, and former Credit Suisse Europe, Middle East and Africa chairman/CEO Michael Philipp have revealed their plans to launch a creative-focused banking services company, to be called First Artist Bank. The ...

  14. German Live Music Market Dropped 16% in 2012 (Study)

    October 01, 2013 4:18 PM EDT HAMBURG -- The German live entertainment market had a dramatic decline in income in 2012 as industry-wide ticket sales fell 16% from four billion euros in 2011 to 3.3 billion euros in 2012 and audience numbers contracted by 9% to 30.1 million ac ...

  15. Vevo Launches in Germany

    October 01, 2013 2:39 PM EDT Digital music service Vevo on Tuesday launched in Germany, bringing the joint venture's offering into its 13th country. "Oktoberfest kicks off today in Germany, and Vevo is joining the party," the company said in a blog post. &quo ...

  16. Spotify Throws Its Weight Behind Artist Marketing

    October 01, 2013 11:52 AM EDT Spotify has rolled out a new artist marketing program, called Spotlight , that the company will use to support artists over an extended period of time. The first two Spotlight artists are American trio Haim, whose debut album was released Tuesda ...

  17. Nielsen's Acquisition of Arbitron Complete

    October 01, 2013 11:22 AM EDT Nielsen, global provider of information and insight into what consumers watch and buy best known for its television ratings, has completed its acquisition of Arbitron Inc., the marketing and media research firm best known for its U.S. radio rati ...

  18. 'Les Miserables' Soundtrack, Emeli Sande Top Year-to-Date U.K. Album Sales Chart

    October 01, 2013 9:34 AM EDT A 2012 release from Scottish singer Emeli Sande and the soundtrack to Universal Pictures' "Les Miserables" are the best-selling albums in the U.K. year-to-date. The Official Charts Company on Tuesday said that as of the end of the ...

  19. Simone Bosé Appointed President of Universal Music Iberian Peninsula

    October 01, 2013 6:21 AM EDT Simone Bosé has been named president of Universal Music Iberian Peninsula. The news comes less than a week after the exec revealed he was exiting his role as of Parlophone Music Spain & Portugal. With immediate effect, Bosé reports to Jesús ...

  20. Brandle's Global Bits: Hip Hop Fests Fall Flat Down Under, HMV Goes Back To The Future, NZ Licensing Breakthrough

    October 01, 2013 3:06 AM EDT Hip hop festivals get bad rap in Australia: It’s just turned Spring Down Under, but the temperature is already soaring. And that means the summer festivals circuit is ready to drop. As previously reported here, the festivals landscape in Austral ...

  21. Pozible To Launch U.S. Crowdfunding Platform ‘In Early October’

    October 01, 2013 12:09 AM EDT Australian-originated crowdfunding platform Pozible will launch in the U.S. in the coming days. The company’s co-founder Alan Crabbe has relocated to San Francisco to run the new office, which will get its commercial launch in the “first week of ...

  22. Kings of Leon’s 'Mechanical Bull' Charges To No. 1 in U.K.

    September 30, 2013 3:45 AM EDT Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99" LatentStyleCount="267"> UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat=" ...

  23. Christian Tattersfield Stepping Down as CEO of Warner Music UK, Max Lousada Named Successor

    September 29, 2013 3:55 PM EDT Warner Music Group today announced Christian Tattersfield will step down from his role as CEO, Warner Music UK and co-chairman, Warner Bros. Records UK in February 2014 and that Max Lousada, chairman of Atlantic Records UK, has been named his s ...

  24. One Dead, Five Hospitalized After U.K. Warehouse Project Concert, Drugs Suspected (Report)

    September 28, 2013 3:58 PM EDT A 30-year-old man died and five others became ill after attending Manchester, England's Warehouse Project event Friday night (Sept. 27) featuring music by Armand van Helden, Axwell and others, the BBC's website reports . The police sus ...

  25. Pirate Bay Founder's Hacking, Fraud Sentence Reduced

    September 27, 2013 3:43 PM EDT A Swedish court has dismissed part of the hacking and fraud charges against the founder of the popular file-sharing website Pirate Bay and reduced his prison sentence from two years to one. The Svea Court of Appeal on Wednesday dismissed cases a ...

  26. !K7 Label Services Signs Up Friends of Friends in Europe, Acid Jazz Worldwide

    September 27, 2013 1:50 PM EDT !K7 Label Services, a division of the Berlin-borne, London-based label and one-stop music biz shop , has announced another round of label partnerships, this time with the fast-on-the-rise L.A. label Friends of Friends (Shlohmo, Groundislava) and ...

  27. BBC to Premiere Pussy Riot Doc, Two Others on VOD in Latest Digital Test

    September 27, 2013 1:22 PM EDT The BBC Four network said Friday that its "Storyville" documentary series will premiere three docs on the BBC iPlayer, the U.K. public broadcaster's VOD service, before airing them on its linear channel. The BBC's latest digi ...

  28. Beats Electronics Receives Reported $500 Million Investment From The Carlyle Group

    September 27, 2013 1:01 PM EDT Beats Electronics LLC (Beats), the audio brand co-founded by Dr. Dre (Andre Young) and Interscope Geffen A&M Chairman Jimmy Iovine, today announced that the Carlyle Group had agreed to make a minority investment in the company. Though terms ...

  29. Bubbling Under: John Newman's Euro Hit 'Love Me Again' Soars Stateside

    September 27, 2013 10:00 AM EDT Each Friday, Billboard presents "Bubbling Under," a weekly look at new and noteworthy acts making their way toward Billboard chart success. Up this week: John Newman, Leah Turner, PartyNextDoor and Alam A.   Following such recent impor ...

  30. 'Idol,' 'X Factor' Producer FremantleMedia Takes Stake in Germany's Divimove

    September 26, 2013 1:39 PM EDT FremantleMedia, the producer of the "X Factor" and "Idols" formats, has signed a strategic partnership with online-only network Divimove in Germany that will see Fremantle take a minority stake in the firm with an option to i ...

  31. Study: Online Music Sales in Russia to Grow by 158 Percent in 2013

    September 25, 2013 3:52 PM EDT Legitimate online music sales in Russia are to more than double this year, a local research company says, adding that iTunes’ presence in the market has a serious impact. In 2013, Russia’s legitimate online music market is to reach $8 million, a ...

  32. Slayer’s Booking Agent on North American Headlining Tour, Epic Stage Plans, Performing Without Jeff Hanneman (Q&A)

    September 25, 2013 3:26 PM EDT Losing a key member can sometimes cripple a band, but legendary rock act Slayer continues to trash on in memory of founding guitarist Jeff Hanneman , who died at 49 in May from alcohol-related cirrhosis.  Slayer has recently been touring through ...

  33. Is Chronixx Jamaican Reggae's Next Big Thing? Chris Blackwell, Diplo Think So

    September 25, 2013 2:45 PM EDT On Sept. 17, SOB's nightclub in lower Manhattan presented the New York City debut of Jamaica’s most buzzed about reggae act, Chronixx and the Zinc Fence Redemption. Throughout their 8-date Dread and Terrible east coast tour (so named for th ...

  34. College Radio Day Continues to Grow, Globally Celebrating a Vital Format

    September 25, 2013 1:22 PM EDT College Radio Day , a worldwide celebration founded by public broadcasting veteran and communications professor at William Paterson University named Robert Quicke, is about to celebrate its third year this coming Tuesday, October 1. The event, ...

  35. Jerry Greenberg, Former Atlantic Prez and Chic Breaker, to Launch New EDM Label Pacific Electronic Music

    September 25, 2013 12:38 PM EDT With a career that includes breaking '70s disco acts such as Chic, the Trammps, Sister Sledge and others, Jerry Greenberg sees contemporary EDM as the perfect vehicle for his return to the label world. Greenberg is launching the new Pacific ...

  36. Natalie Cole, Draco Rosa, Carlos Vives Among Latin Grammy Nominees

    September 25, 2013 11:59 AM EDT Pop music in various forms made a strong showing this year in the Latin Grammy nominations with familiar faces in the running including Colombian singer Carlos Vives, a leading contender with five nominations; Spanish star Alejandro Sanz and Mex ...

  37. Simone Bosé Exits as Chairman of Parlophone Spain

    September 24, 2013 1:36 PM EDT Simone Bosé, chairman of Parlophone Music Spain & Portugal, has announced he will leave his post on September 30. Bosé’s departure comes in the wake of EMI and Warner's merger in Spain. Bosé was the head of EMI’s operations in Spain for ...

  38. 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 ...

  39. Godspeed You! Black Emperor Takes Polaris Prize, Will Donate $30k Check

    September 24, 2013 11:49 AM EDT Godspeed You! Black Emperor, the post-rock, variably cacophonous and somnambulant Canadian music collective which has re-emerged over the past few years following a decade-long hiatus, has won the 2013 Polaris Prize for its record "Alleluja ...

  40. Gerardo Ortiz, Joan Sebastian to Perform at Billboard Mexican Music Awards

    September 23, 2013 5:15 PM EDT The Billboard Mexican Music Awards 2013 will feature some of the biggest names in the business who will take to the stage including Joan Sebastian, Banda El Recodo de Cruz Lizarraga, Gerardo Ortiz and Banda Los Recoditos.  The show, airing live ...

  41. 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 ...

  42. Bribery Allegations Force Rule Change at Eurovision Song Contest

    September 23, 2013 12:52 PM EDT The Eurovision Song Contest, Europe's ever-popular annual cross-border TV singing competition, has unveiled changes to its rules following allegations of bribery and vote buying. This year's contest was marked by controversy after it w ...

  43. Bono Defends U2 Offshore Tax Arrangements

    September 23, 2013 12:48 PM EDT Bono in a British newspaper interview has defended U2’s financial arrangements, saying the band's decision to keep a portion of its wealth offshore in the Dutch Antilles was in line with the Irish government's tax philosophy. The Guard ...

  44. Jason Derulo's 'Talk Dirty' Tops U.K. Singles Chart, Arctic Monkeys' 'AM' Rules Again

    September 23, 2013 9:00 AM EDT In a top ten featuring six new entries, Arctic Monkeys held off all comers to start a second week atop the U.K. album chart yesterday (Sept. 22) with “AM” (Domino). Jason Derulo scored his third No. 1 single in the territory as “Talk Dirty” (War ...

  45. Ylvis, of Viral Video 'The Fox' Fame, Sign to Warner Music, Play iHeartRadio Fest

    September 22, 2013 10:15 AM EDT Norwegian comedy duo Ylvis made their live U.S. debut at Las Vegas' iHeartRadio festival on Friday, Sept. 20 as the night's surprise guests. The two musician brothers, Vegard and Bard Ylvisaaker, performed their YouTube hit "The F ...

  46. Chart Moves: Album Sales Hit New Low; Madonna's 'MDNA World Tour' Debuts; Earth, Wind & Fire Reaches Chart High

    September 20, 2013 9:30 AM EDT This week on the Billboard 200 albums chart, Keith Urban beat out the Weeknd for the No. 1 slot by less than 3,000 copies. Urban's "Fuse" debuted at No. 1 with 98,000 copies, while the Weeknd's "Kiss Land" started w ...

  47. Unvision Mulling IPO Next Year (Report)

    September 20, 2013 6:20 AM EDT Univision is considering a initial public offering next year, Reuters reported on Thursday. The Spanish-language broadcaster has been private since a $12 billion buyout from Thomas H. Lee Partners, TPG Capital, Providence Equity Partners and Mad ...

  48. Wisin Announces Solo Album for December

    September 19, 2013 6:04 PM EDT The artist known as Wisin, one half of the powerhouse urban duo Wisin y Yandel, has signed a recording deal with Sony Music and will release a solo album in December. The announcement by Sony comes less than a week after the news that Yandel wil ...

  49. 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 ...

  50. Roberto Tapia, Calibre 50 to Perform at Billboard's New En Concierto Series With Mexican Music Awards

    September 19, 2013 10:54 AM EDT Following the continued success of its Billboard En Concierto, the concert series linked to the Billboard Latin Music Awards, Billboard, Telemuno and Cardenas Marketing Network (CMN) will launch a new edition of the series leading up to the Bill ...

Pages