1. 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 ...

  2. 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 ...

  3. 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 ...

  4. Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai Says Daniel Loeb Helped Put Spotlight on Entertainment Assets (Report)

    September 19, 2013 10:38 AM EDT In one of his first public comments since r ejecting a proposal by activist shareholder Dan Loeb to spin off part of Sony Corp.'s entertainment business, CEO Kazuo Hirai said Thursday that the initiative was "actually a good thing.&quo ...

  5. 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 ...

  6. ARIA Awards Confirm Date, Venue

    September 19, 2013 3:01 AM EDT The Australia record industry’s 27th ARIA Awards will take place Dec. 1 at a new venue, the Event Centre in Sydney’s The Star. The parties kick off earlier with the “ARIA Week” of gigs and masterclasses, all of which serve as entrees for the mai ...

  7. 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 ...

  8. Universal Music Group Win in Bob Marley Recording Rights Suit Reversed by Appeals Court

    September 18, 2013 3:07 PM EDT On Wednesday, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals set up a potential trial over rights to early recordings by Bob Marley and the Wailers. As the appeals court noted, when Marley recorded music in Jamaica in the 1960s, "record keeping was not a ...

  9. Keith Urban Edges Out the Weeknd for No. 1 Spot on Billboard 200 By Less Than 3K Copies

    September 18, 2013 11:32 AM EDT Last week's race for the No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 between Ariana Grande and Tamar Braxton was nothing compared to the showdown on this week's tally. Country star Keith Urban debuts at No. 1 with "Fuse," edging out t ...

  10. 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 ...

  11. Diarmuid Quinn, Former Top Exec at Warner Bros & Reprise, Joins Kobalt Label Services

    September 18, 2013 5:44 AM EDT Veteran music biz executive Diarmuid Quinn has joined Kobalt Label Services (KLS) in the role as president, North America. Quinn’s tasks include leading and staffing-up Kobalt’s expanding label services operations in the U.S., signing artists fo ...

  12. BDO Confirm AJ Maddah’s Arrival, Ken West Staying

    September 18, 2013 2:26 AM EDT As the dust settles on the deal that brought together the teams behind two of Australia’s biggest festival brands -- the Big Day Out and Soundwave -- some new insight is starting to emerge. AJ Maddah, who runs the heavy-edged Soundwave festival, ...

  13. Brandle’s Global Bits: Aussie Live Biz Enters Spin Cycle, HMV on the Comeback Trail, Mercury Prize Noms, IMPALA's Board

    September 17, 2013 10:00 PM EDT Trouble in Aussie Live Biz Paradise An unusually turbulent few weeks in Australia’s live biz has observers wondering whether there’s trouble in paradise. A handful of festivals are falling over, one has changed hands, the two biggest events are ...

  14. Gallo's Film/TV Briefs: Diddy’s Revolt Goes Live Oct. 21; ‘Into the Woods’ Starts Filming; ‘Mad Men’ Pours a Holiday Mix

    September 17, 2013 5:40 PM EDT Sean Combs’ Cable Channel Revolt Goes Live Oct. 21 Sean Combs’ cable channel Revolt will go live Oct. 21 on Time Warner cable systems in New York and Los Angeles prior to a national launch in January. Revolt will be made available to customers w ...

  15. Australia’s Harvest Festival is Cancelled

    September 17, 2013 2:01 AM EDT Australia’s three date Harvest Festival has been scrapped just weeks out from its third edition. The event was due to start Nov. 10, visiting Australia's three biggest cities (Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane) with a bill that counted Massive At ...

  16. New Investor, Restructuring at Rhapsody

    September 16, 2013 8:06 PM EDT Rhapsody announced Monday it has received added an investor and will restructure the company. Jon Irwin will step down as president and will continue working with the company as a strategic advisor.  Investment firm Columbus Nova Technology Par ...

  17. Sony/ATV Extends Co-Publishing Deal with Avicii

    September 16, 2013 4:54 PM EDT Sony/ATV Music Publishing has signed a long-term extension to its co-publishing deal with Swedish DJ, songwriter and producer Avicii, which covers all music in his catalog including his new album "True," out tomorrow and such songs as ...

  18. Vevo's Rio Caraeff, Chrysler/Fiat's Olivier Francois, Rita Ora Announced For 'Midem Talks'

    September 16, 2013 10:31 AM EDT Midem, the long-running international music conference and trade show based in Cannes, France, has announced the launch of Midem Talks , a new four-day series of discussions led by prominent members of the industry. Centered on the theme of sust ...

  19. Arctic Monkeys Make History As Fifth Album Opens At No. 1 in U.K.

    September 16, 2013 9:00 AM EDT Arctic Monkeys became the first independently-released group to score five consecutive U.K. No. 1 albums yesterday (Sept. 15). The Official Charts Company reports that “AM” (Domino) sold 157,000 last week, second only for an opening week on the ...

  20. Recording Academy's Neil Portnow Extends Contract Through 2019 (Exclusive)

    September 16, 2013 8:00 AM EDT Recording Academy president/CEO Neil Portnow has been contracted to remain in his post through 2019. The Academy’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously to extend Portnow’s contract, which was set to expire in 2015.   "Neil is a dynamic leade ...

  21. Australia’s Soundwave Festival Boss Buying Into Big Day Out: Sources

    September 16, 2013 4:28 AM EDT In a blockbuster deal which will reshape Australia's festivals landscape, the organizers behind Soundwave Festival are buying into the Big Day Out, multiple sources tell Billboard. The company behind Soundwave, the country's biggest ro ...

  22. P!nk Named Billboard's 2013 Woman of the Year

    September 16, 2013 12:30 AM EDT P!nk has been named Billboard's Woman of the Year and will be honored at the 2013 Billboard Women in Music event on Dec. 10 in New York City sponsored by COVERGIRL and City National Bank. The award honors the achievements of a trailblazi ...

  23. Man Dies, Others Hospitalized from Possible Drug Overdoses At Sydney's Defqon EDM Fest

    September 15, 2013 11:50 PM EDT A 23-year-old man died from cardiac arrest and at least 14 others were hospitalized after apparently overdosing on drugs at a dance music festival in Sydney over the weekend. More than 18,000 people attended the hard-dance Defqon 1 , which origi ...

  24. Ricky Martin Invites Fans to Create a 2014 World Cup Song

    September 13, 2013 3:41 PM EDT Ricky Martin is inviting fans to enter an international contest created by Sony to write a 2014 FIFA World Cup song and, which he will record. The song will not be the official 2014 FIFA World Cup anthem (as was erroneously reported elsewhere), ...

  25. 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 ...

  26. Chart Moves: Bastille's 'Bad Blood' Debuts, Fleetwood Mac's 'Opus' Opens, Little Big Town's 'Tornado' Celebrates Anniversary

    September 13, 2013 9:30 AM EDT This week on the Billboard 200 albums chart, budding pop princess Ariana Grande claimed her first No. 1. Her debut album, "Yours Truly," has sold 138,000 copies in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Behind Grande at No. 2, ...

  27. Geri Halliwell Readies New Music, Signs to Sony Music Australia

    September 12, 2013 10:05 PM EDT Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell will release new music next month through a recording deal inked with Sony Music Australia. The British pop artist, who became a household name as Ginger Spice, will release her new single “Half of Me” on Oct. 25 ...

  28. Maker Studios Raises $26 Million to Fuel International Expansion

    September 12, 2013 1:38 PM EDT Maker Studios, a network of independent YouTube channels, closed $26 million in financing, bringing the total amount raised by the four-year-old start-up to more than $70 million. Investors in the most recent round include Canal+, Astro, SingTel ...

  29. 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 ...

  30. Vivendi Split Could Have Little Impact On Universal Music (Analysis)

    September 11, 2013 10:24 PM EDT While shareholders and the business media regard as big news the Vivendi announcement that it will study a demerger plan and that activist shareholder Vincent Bollore has been appointed vice chairman of the company's supervisory board, the ...

  31. Ylvis' Viral Hit 'The Fox' Debuts On Hot 100

    September 11, 2013 6:13 PM EDT Norwegian comedy duo Ylvis' viral sensation "The Fox," which has taken the Internet by storm in recent days, debuts at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100, fueled almost exclusively by its online traction. It's the highest-bowing ...

  32. 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 ...

  33. Vivendi Considering Splitting Media and Telecom Companies

    September 11, 2013 12:28 PM EDT French conglomerate Vivendi, which owns Universal Music Group, today announced that its supervisory board has unanimously voted to launch a study to split into two separate companies – an international media group and the SFR telecom group.  V ...

  34. Universal Music Launches uDiscover Spotify App

    September 10, 2013 3:00 PM EDT Universal Music has launched the uDiscover Spotify app, joining a slew of other record labels that have also developed their own Spotify apps, many of which enable listeners to navigate the label's catalog and discover new releases. Unlik ...

  35. 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 ...

  36. 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 ...

  37. Michael Alexander Promoted to SVP of International, Island Def Jam, Motown and Republic Records

    September 09, 2013 3:57 PM EDT Universal Music Group (UMG) has promoted Michael Alexander to senior vice president of Island Def Jam, International, Motown, and Republic Records, announced chairman and CEO of the company's East Coast labels (which include all the aforeme ...

  38. Chris Brown Signs With Resolution For Worldwide Representation

    September 09, 2013 3:41 PM EDT Chris Brown has signed with Resolution for representation worldwide in all areas, Billboard has learned exclusively. The Grammy-winning multiplatinum singer/songwriter will be repped by agents Phil Casey and Everly Lee. Brown is managed by B ...

  39. 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 ...

  40. SONGS Music Publishing Signs Worldwide Co-Publishing Deal with The Weeknd

    September 09, 2013 12:43 PM EDT SONGS Music Publishing has announced a worldwide co-publishing agreement with the Weeknd, a.k.a. Abel Tesfaye. The deal encompasses both past and future releases, including the Weeknd's upcoming sophomore album "Kiss Land" (Sept. ...

  41. Katy Perry Roars Into Top Spot on U.K. Sales Chart

    September 09, 2013 4:12 AM EDT “Roar” (Virgin/Universal) gave Katy Perry her best-ever opening sales week to become her fourth U.K. No. 1 single, as the Official Charts Company unveiled its weekly sales data yesterday (Sept. 8). Manchester band The 1975’s eponymous debut albu ...

  42. Ferry Corsten, Tommy Trash Among Speakers Confirmed for Australia’s 2013 Electronic Music Conference

    September 09, 2013 2:32 AM EDT Ferry Corsten, Tommie Sunshine, Giuseppe Ottaviani, Krewella, Beatport CEO Matthew Adell and Billboard’s Kerri Mason are among the international speakers confirmed for Australia’s second annual Electronic Music Conference , to be held Dec. 2-4 i ...

  43. 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 ...

  44. Biz Stock Ticks: This Week's Entertainment Indices 8/31 - 9/6

    September 06, 2013 7:24 PM EDT Biz Stock Ticks looks at publicly traded entertainment stock prices over the last week by Apple, Best Buy, Facebook, Google, Live Nation, Pandora, Sony, SiriusXM and Sony. Below each 5-day stock graph are relevant .Biz news stories from this pas ...

  45. Kenny Chesney Tops Hot Tours Chart With $10.1 Million Gross

    September 06, 2013 7:02 PM EDT Kenny Chesney is No. 1 among the current slate of Hot Tours with box office grosses totaling $10.1 million reported from the final two stops on the No Shoes Nation tour. The first concert included in this week’s tally was a sold out amphitheater ...

  46. Cassette Store Day: Indie Artist Shares Passion For the Forgotten Format (Q&A)

    September 06, 2013 6:22 PM EDT Cassette tapes aren't completely on the comeback trail, but the semi-forgotten format has recently been making inroads. This year alone, artists like She & Him, MGMT and Rilo Kiley have issued cassette releases -- albeit in very limited ...

  47. Spotify Seeking Additional Funding at $5.27 Billion Valuation (Report)

    September 06, 2013 3:40 PM EDT Spotify is seeking cash to help fuel its global growth. According to a report at Swedish news outlet Dagens Industri , the world's largest music subscription company is seeking debt financing at a $5.27 billion valuation.   The report claim ...

  48. Lollapalooza Expands to Argentina, Buenos Aires Fest Planned for 2014

    September 06, 2013 10:00 AM EDT Lollapalooza organizers will announce today the expansion to Buenos Aires with Lollapalooza Argentina, a partnership between Lolla founder Perry Farrell, festival co-owner William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, Austin-based promoter/producer ...

  49. U.K. Indie Cooking Vinyl Launches in Australia

    September 06, 2013 12:23 AM EDT Martin Goldschmidt’s Cooking Vinyl has expanded into Australia. The British indie label has a new office in Melbourne, which is helmed by a twin-track team of two former Shock Records executives, Leigh Gruppetta and Stu Harvey. “Having enjoyed o ...

  50. Cliff Richard, Legendary British Singer, to Release 100th Album

    September 05, 2013 11:20 PM EDT British pop singer Cliff Richard, who will turn 73 next month, plans to release his 100th album in November. "The Fabulous Rock 'n' Roll Songbook" is set to come out on Nov. 11. With more than 22 million singles sold in Brita ...

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