“It takes a real one...”

EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF George Garner george.garner@futurenet.com DIGITAL EDITOR Andre Paine andre.paine@futurenet.com FEATURES EDITOR Ben Homewood ben.homewood@futurenet.com CONTENT EDITOR/PRODUCER Miranda Bardsley miranda.bardsley@futurenet.com ART EDITOR Steve Newman steve.newman@futurenet.com CHARTS & DATA Isabelle Nesmon isabelle.nesmon@futurenet.com

CONTRIBUTORS Yemi Abiade, Adenike Adenitire, Sammy Andrews, Koury Angelo, Calvin Ceile, Mark Davyd, Rhian Daly, Niall Doherty, Anna Fielding, Charlotte Gunn, James Hanley, Paul Harries, Colleen Harris, James Hickie, Ben Jolley, Alan Jones, Louise Haywood-Schiefer, Emmanuel Legrand, David McLaughlin, Paul Stokes, Jennyfer J. Walker, Carla Marie Williams, Paul Williams, Coral Williamson, Lisa Wright, Matt Yates COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR, MUSIC PORTFOLIO Lara Jaggon lara.jaggon@futurenet.com EVENT MANAGER Danielle Gardiner danielle.gardiner@futurenet.com

PRODUCTION B2B PRODUCTION MANAGER Matthew Eglinton matthew.eglinton@futurenet.com

MANAGEMENT MANAGING DIRECTOR, MUSIC Stuart Williams UK CRO Zack Sullivan COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Clare Dove HEAD OF PRODUCTION US & UK Mark Constance GLOBAL HEAD OF DESIGN Rodney Dive HEAD OF DESIGN (MUSIC) Brad Merrett HEAD OF NEWSTRADE Emma Bone COMMERCIAL FINANCE DIRECTOR Dan Jotcham

INTERNATIONAL Music Week is available for licensing and syndication. Contact the licensing team to discuss partnership. HEAD OF PRINT LICENSING Rachel Shaw licensing@futurenet.com

MusicWeek 121 - 141 Westbourne Terrace, Paddington,

London, W2 6JR

Enquiries: please contact Editorial: 0330 390 6751 Advertising: 020 3878 3723 Subscriptions: 0208 955 7020

Email:

musicweek@abacusmedia.zendesk.com

musicweek.com/subscribe

All contents © 2024 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All rights reserved. No

part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the

prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we

are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps

and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to them. This magazine is fully independent

and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein.

If you submit material to us, you warrant that you own the material and/or have the necessary rights/permissions to supply the material and you automatically grant Future and its licensees a

licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in any/all issues and/or editions of publications, in any format published worldwide and on associated websites, social media channels and associated products. Any material you submit is sent at your own risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents, subcontractors or licensees shall be liable for loss or damage. We assume all unsolicited material is for publication

unless otherwise stated, and reserve the right to edit, amend, adapt all submissions.

Music Week is a member of the Periodical Publishers’ Association ISSN – 0265 1548

Printed by Buxton Press Ltd, Palace Road, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 6AE

Welcome to

Music Week...

Universal matters

Remember in the early post-pandemic days when every sentence uttered involved the compulsory use of ‘the new normal’? We were, understandably, obsessed with it until, slowly but surely, ‘the new normal’ became just… normal. Well, the same cannot be said of the music industry in 2024. Since the summer, we are, by my count, now in something akin to our new-new-new normal. At times the only certainty has been that the UK’s No.1 single will be by either Sabrina Carpenter, Sabrina Carpenter or Sabrina Carpenter. No matter what part of the music ecosystem you looked at in September, there was mass change afoot. In the digital space, TikTok Music – which launched as a premium subscription service in five markets in 2023 – officially announced that it will shutter its service, in favour of switching its focus to driving streaming consumption via partner DSPs. The battle for streaming supremacy continues, but one key disrupter down. In the live sector, the CMA launched what may prove a tide-turning investigation into dynamic pricing, while Coldplay could have ushered in a new period of artist-led grassroots support by announcing that 10% of the proceeds from six of their stadium shows in 2025 will be donated to Music Venue Trust. Elsewhere, Cargo Records, Beggars Group & Secretly Distribution partnered to launch a new UK distributor, while Dutch distributor and vinyl producer Artone acquired D2C retailer Townsend Music. It is the major label world, however, that has seen the biggest changes of late. Back in August, Warner unveiled a bold new structure for its recorded music operations, with its CEO, recorded music, Max Lousada, electing to step down. This month, Warner kept the headlines coming as Atlantic Music Group (AMG) announced more details of its new structure in the US, following Elliot Grainge officially taking on the role of CEO. A host of notable new personnel changes followed. Most suprising of all, and coming on the heels of Universal Music UK completely reshaping its frontline label operations, was the news that David Joseph was stepping down as Universal Music UK CEO & chairman after almost 17 years. The impact of this cannot be overstated. This, after all, is an executive who operated and continuously achieved at the highest level for a long, long time. He leaves a remarkable legacy behind. Just as one era came to an end, so a new one began when, on September 24, Dickon Stainer was revealed as the company’s new head, having served as president & CEO of Universal Music Group’s (UMG) Global Classics and Jazz division for the past 10 years. Hailed for having “a track record that includes global commercial and creative artist successes and countless awards in many countries” by Universal Music Group CEO & chairman Sir Lucian Grainge, it is going to be fascinating to see what changes Stainer may usher in at Universal. Clearly, he has faith in the UK’s future. “I know how central the UK is to the global music industry,” said Stainer, sounding a bullish note about our place on the world stage. “A vital repertoire source that provides the world with great artists and music. I can’t wait to get started.” So, watch this space. See you in our new-new-new-(new?) normal next month.

George Garner, Editor-In-Chief

musicweeknews

@musicweek

musicweekinsta