UMG strikes distribution deal with Indian label Desi Melodies
Universal Music Group has big ambitions in India, having launched local hip-hop label Mass Appeal India last August; building its VRYL Originals roster of artists; and expanding its leadership team early this year.
Now UMG has announced a distribution deal with Indian label Desi Melodies, which focuses on Punjabi music – at a time when ‘regional’ music is one of the big growth areas in India. The deal is multi-year, exclusive and global.
UMG will distribute all audio recordings from Desi Melodies, including its back catalogue. Note ‘audio’ in that sentence: the Indian label has more than 5.5 million subscribers and 1.6bn views on its YouTube channel, but that appears to be not included in the deal.
The post UMG strikes distribution deal with Indian label Desi Melodies appeared first on Music Ally.
Source: Music ally
YouTube launches new analytics features for music artists
YouTube had analytics that musicians were using long before Spotify for Artists, Apple Music for Artists, Amazon Music for Artists and the rest.
Along with SoundCloud, it was an early tool for artists to see (for example) where their fan hotspots were around the world, and plan tours accordingly. YouTube’s analytics weren’t specifically for musicians though: they were a generalist data tool for all YouTubers and channel owners.
Now YouTube is doubling down on its analytics for musicians with what it’s calling ‘New YouTube Analytics for Artists’, promising that it’ll provide them with “the most comprehensive and complete view of their audience, global reach and performance across YouTube”.
It’s part of the YouTube Studio toolset, but only musicians with their own ‘Official Artist Channel’ will be able to use it.
The post YouTube launches new analytics features for music artists appeared first on Music Ally.
Source: Music ally
Next-gen console games may see retail price rise to $69.99
There’s an ongoing debate about why the base cost of a music streaming subscription ($9.99 a month) hasn’t risen since 2008. What’s happening in adjacent entertainment markets?
The Washington Post reports that the recommended retail price (RRP) of major games is set to rise by 10 dollars when Sony and Microsoft release their next-generation consoles later this year.
The RRP is expected to rise from $59.99 – a price that’s been maintained since 2005 – to $69.99, with basketball game NBA 2K21 the first to break cover with the new price.
The post Next-gen console games may see retail price rise to $69.99 appeared first on Music Ally.
Source: Music ally
BTS Army (and Cape Verde) help K-Pop stars break iTunes record
Is there any country in the world where BTS aren’t big? They’re certainly big in Cape Verde: their ‘Black Swan’ track has gone to number one in the country’s iTunes chart.
Why are we writing about this? Well, this was the 103rd country where the track had topped the iTunes rankings, breaking Adele’s record of 102 countries with ‘Hello’.
FYI: Cape Verde is made up of 10 volcanic islands in the central Atlantic Ocean, with a population of just over half a million people.
The post BTS Army (and Cape Verde) help K-Pop stars break iTunes record appeared first on Music Ally.
Source: Music ally
Harry Styles reads a ‘sleep story’ for meditation app Calm
“Hello. I’m Harry Styles…” Those four words have set off some social-media excitement overnight, spoken by Styles himself in a promo video for meditation app Calm.
He’s going to be reading one of the ‘sleep stories’ that have been so popular in the app, with the idea being that Harry’s voice will send fans off to sleep at night.
Calm followed up by tweeting a photo of Styles recording his story, which will be released tomorrow (8 July), yielding responses ranging from ‘OH MY GOD’ and ‘WHAT THE F**K I THOUGHT THIS WAS A JOKE’ to ‘DUE TO PERSONAL REASONS I HAVE PASSED AWAY’ and ‘I WANT THIS ETCHED INTO MY BRAIN FOREVER HOLY F**K’ (and a few responses without all-caps and/or enthusiastic swearing).
The post Harry Styles reads a ‘sleep story’ for meditation app Calm appeared first on Music Ally.
Source: Music ally
Anti-piracy project The Music Mission reports first findings
In March, anti-piracy firm AudioLock and distributor Label Worx launched a campaign called The Music Mission, to try to shut down paid piracy websites, with backing from dance labels like Defected.
Now the initiative appears to be releasing some findings from its investigations, according to filesharing-focused news site TorrentFreak. Some of those findings are eye-opening.
“One particular pirate store owner conveniently have their own anti-virus software company as well as a music watermarking company. Both good partners to an anti-piracy company,” claimed The Music Mission. No, it’s not naming these companies at this point, for legal reasons.
The post Anti-piracy project The Music Mission reports first findings appeared first on Music Ally.
Source: Music ally
Youth Music launches £2m Incubator Fund for 18-25 year-olds
British charity Youth Music is launching a £2m ‘Incubator Fund’ that aims to help 18-25 year-olds – particularly those from under-represented groups – get into the music business.
The fund itself is for music companies, offering grants of between £5k and £30k to spend on wages and support for these young people. Youth Music is especially interested in ‘micro’ enterprises and small companies with up to 49 employees.
The fund will be open to companies, not-for-profit organisations and collectives working in the music industries – the charity is using that plural in its application guidance to stress that it’s not just talking about labels and recorded music.
The post Youth Music launches £2m Incubator Fund for 18-25 year-olds appeared first on Music Ally.
Source: Music ally