Association News

Below, you’ll find the latest Association press releases, updates on our upcoming events, introductions to our newest member companies, links to the latest content from Music Biz and our partners, and more.

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March 21, 2020 – Music Industry Legend Kenny Rogers Passes Away at 81; Statement from Music Biz

Music Biz is saddened to hear of the passing of Kenny Rogers. He began his Pop/Rock career in the 1960s, but it was a decade later that he would capture the hearts of Country music fans and play a major role in expanding the audience for Country music across the globe. Rogers received the Association’s Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award in 1986. At this time, he was serving as Co-Chairman of the “Hands Across America” project.... Read More

March 20, 2020 – Music Biz 2020 Postponed Until August 16-19, 2020; Full Statement Available

As concerns for the health and safety for people across the globe have grown, the Music Business Association has continued to monitor the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, in conjunction with the JW Marriott Nashville and local governing authorities. The safety of our conference attendees, the greater Nashville area, and the communities from which our attendees hail has always been our paramount concern in making decisions about the future of the event.  After careful consideration and deliberation, the Music Business Association has decided to postpone the Music Biz 2020 Conference until Sunday,... Read More

March 19, 2020 – NEW WEBINAR — Uncovering Breakthrough Artists with Data: Chartmetric’s 6MO Report (H2 2019)

This month, music analytics firm Chartmetric released its second 6MO report, covering July through December 2019. New in this edition — a follow-up to the firm’s first 6MO report — are TikTok Trending tracks, Bandsintown Tracker gains, and a list of artists who received the most “first-time” playlist adds on streaming platforms in H2 2019. In this webinar, you can chat live with 6MO’s editors Jason Joven (Manager, Content & Insights) and Rutger Ansley Rosenborg (Digital Marketing Lead) as they present the issue exclusively for Music Biz members and answer any member questions.... Read More

March 17, 2020 – [Keeping Tempo With Music Biz] — The Intricacies of Music Licensing for Podcasts with OneHouse’s Jim Griffin

Podcasts are the new norm for many, with more than half of Americans listening to a podcast in the past year and the format’s “share of ear” doubling since 2014, according to Edison Research. Because of this sharp increase in popularity, more and more industries are looking to grow their piece of the revenue pie from the format. There are unique opportunities that the format holds for our industry, as radio-style podcasts benefit from having songs or song clips inserted in episodes,... Read More

March 13, 2020 – The Future of What Episode #182 : Educating The Next Generation of Music Business Professionals

While many people start their career in the music business by forming a band or record label, and learning the industry’s norms and quirks largely through trial and error, others choose to enroll in various university programs to learn about the industry. This week we’re exploring what those university programs look like for both undergraduate and graduate students, and what the key takeaways from those programs are. Join us as we speak with Serona Elton (University of Miami),... Listen

March 11, 2020 – Music Business Association to Present Sony Music’s Julie Swidler With 2020 Presidential Award

March 11, 2020 — The Music Business Association (Music Biz) today announced that it will present its 2020 Presidential Award for Outstanding Executive Achievement to Julie Swidler, Executive Vice President of Business Affairs and General Counsel for Sony Music Entertainment, in recognition of her accomplished industry leadership and many contributions to the success of the music business over the course of her career. Swidler will receive her award during the annual Music Biz Awards Dinner, taking place Wednesday,... Read More

March 10, 2020 – MUSIC BIZ ATTENDEE ALL-ACCESS — How the Music Biz Conference Opens Doors for the Industry’s Future Leaders

As part of our Attendee All-Access interview series, Music Biz caught up with Gabriella Andrean, who recently began her career in the music industry with RCA Records thanks to an interview held during last year’s Annual Music Biz Conference. Read on to learn about her path from student volunteer to industry professional, what resources and opportunities our event offers music industry students, and her tips for first-time student attendees! Can you tell us about your first Music Biz Conference?... Read More

March 9, 2020 – The Future of What Episode #181 – Consolidating Credits In The Cloud

Music production has become increasingly fragmented thanks to the advent of affordable studio technology and high speed internet connections, which comes with both benefits and drawbacks. The main benefit is that band members and songwriting teams can now collaborate from anywhere in the world at any time of day, and they can arrange for special guest features with little more than a simple email exchange. The drawback to this evolution is that proper attribution for these collaborations are often messy,... Listen

March 4, 2020 – [Keeping Tempo With Music Biz] — Straight from the Source: A Discussion of D2C Storefronts

Despite the flurry of consumer activity around music streaming, a large number of dedicated music fans still crave and purchase physical music products as a tangible representation of their dedication to their favorite artists. However, the production and shipping spend involved with a widespread physical release does not make financial sense for all artists, particularly those in the independent scene. In this Keeping Tempo op-ed, Single Music Artist Relations Lead Joe Pillatsch discusses how direct-to-consumer (D2C) solutions help artists share their art in any and all formats of their choosing,... Read More

March 3, 2020 – Merlin CEO Jeremy Sirota to Give First Public Interview for Music Biz 2020 Global Business Community Program

March 3, 2020 — The Music Business Association (Music Biz) today announces that Merlin CEO Jeremy Sirota will give his first public interview since joining the company in January during Music Biz 2020 at the JW Marriott Nashville. The interview, conducted by Music Biz President Portia Sabin, will take place Tuesday, May 12 at 1:30 pm. Sirota’s interview will commence Music Biz’s Global Business Community program — a series that explores the rising international markets set to make the greatest impact in the near future,... Read More