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07 Aug 2020
Business
  • Live Nation's Q2 revenue was $74m, down 98% from $3.2bn in the same time frame in 2019. It said 86% of fans have chosen to hold onto their tickets for rescheduled shows instead of asking for refunds. The company is “talking about a spring return to business outdoors in 40 countries” and predicts 2021 and 2022 will be "record years". (Variety)
  • In its fiscal first quarter ended 30 June, revenue at Sony's music operations declined 13.1%. Recorded music revenues decreased by 12.4% year-on-year and publishing fell 14.6% after drops in sync and performance royalties. Streaming revenue grew nearly 6% from the prior year's total. CD and vinyl sales were down by over 40%. Download sales were down 12.5%, less than usual. (Billboard)
  • Warner Music Group announced its third-quarter financial results for the period ended 30 June. (WMG, Variety) Revenue was down 4.5% (or 3.1% in constant currency). Digital revenue grew 11.1% (13.4%). Recorded music revenue was down 5.7% (4.2%), music publishing revenue grew 1.4% (2.8%). Physical sales were down 46%. Streaming now accounts for 93.5% of digital revenue and 68.4% of total recorded music sales.
  • Universal Music Group’s revenues for the first half of 2020 were up 3.5% at constant currency and perimeter over the first half of 2019, to €3.46bn, even as its quarterly revenue dipped 4.7% from Q1 2020. (Billboard)
News and Features
  • From Bedrooms to Billions: The PlayStation Revolution is a forthcoming documentary that will explore the connection between video games and the ‘90s club scene. (DJ Mag) 
  • Pictureplane, a DJ who played an illegal NYC rave last weekend, has said it was not “worth the risk” performing amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (DJ Mag) 
  • UK underground dance music brand Secretsundaze is in danger of permanent closure. (EDM.com) 
  • The UK government has postponed the return of live music performances to the 15th August as lockdown easing slows amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Mixmag) 
  • An explosion in Beirut has "virtually wiped out" the city's nightclub district. Scores of nightclubs and bars were located close to the site of the explosion, including The Gärten, The Ballroom Blitz, The Grand Factory, AHM and B018. (Mixmag) 
Digital
  • Snapchat users will soon be able to add music to their posts both pre- and post-capture, from a catalogue including music licensed from Warner Music Group and Warner Chappell; Universal Music Publishing Group, members of the NMPA and Merlin. (TechCrunch)
  • Instagram Reels, the company’s significant effort in challenging TikTok on short-form creative content, is launching globally across 50 countries, including the UK and US. (TechCrunch)
  • Google will shut down its Play Music service in the UK in October, to focus on its newer YouTube Music app. (BBC)
  • Apple Music is featuring some of the DJ mixes from the 'Tomorrowland: Around The World' virtual event. (RotD)
  • Spotify has launched 'track IDs,' a new suite of playlists within the platform's Dance/Electronic hub designed to help users discover new EDM tracks. (Billboard) 
Live
  • Electric Daisy Carnival has been cancelled for 2020 and rescheduled for May 2021. (Billboard)
  • The BPM Festival: Malta has been cancelled due to COVID-19. (Billboard) 
  • Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis has admitted that the festival may not be able to return until 2022. (Mixmag) 
  • Creamfields, one of the UK's biggest dance music festivals, has announced an upcoming virtual event happening in lieu of its 2020 festival. (Billboard) 
  • CamelPhat have announced details of a new ‘Dark Matter’ tour next March, including their biggest ever headline shows to date at London’s Wembley Arena and Glasgow’s SSE Hydro Arena. (Mixmag) 
  • Terminal V will launch a new A/V virtual platform called CONNECT this weekend with a set from Patrick Topping. (DJ Mag) 
Comment, Opinion and Analysis
  • Ideas on the future of playlists (Germano Stein)
  • Covid-19 hit major labels much harder than it did Spotify. (Midia)
  • We are at a turning point for social music. (Midia)
  • A number of artists and music industry voices are slamming Spotify CEO Daniel Ek over controversial comments that “there are more and more artists that are able to live off streaming income in itself”. (DMN) 
Tech
  • Saffron, a non-profit organisation working to support and champion female-identifying and non-binary people (womxn) in music technology, have launched a Patreon digital members club. (DJ Mag)  
  • Akai Professional has revealed details of the MPK Mini MK3. (Mixmag) 
  • Denon DJ has added Beatport LINK and SoundCloud GO+ to its Engine OS v1.5 update. (DJ Mag) 
Clubs
  • Over 150 venues in New York have banded together to form New York Independent Venue Association. (DJ Mag) 
  • Village Underground and EartH in London have launched a crowdfunding campaign to prevent closure. (DJ Mag) 
  • Liverpool's Zanzibar Club has decided to permanently close, citing the "current climate of uncertainty" caused by the pandemic.
  • London club E1 has made an appeal for public support after its licence application for its new outdoor area, Site 5, was contested. (DJ Mag) 
  • The return of Brazilian club Green Valley is in doubt after the club was destroyed by a cyclone earlier this year. Material losses and damages at the club are estimated to be around $4m Reais. (DJ Mag) 
  • Ibiza club Amnesia announces closing party for 23 October. (RotD)
Streams & Podcasts
  • RA.739 Jayda G (RA) 
  • DT706 – Jairo Delli (DT) 
  • Fact mix 769 – DJ F**k (FACT) 
  • Bonobo mix (NTS Radio) 
  • Mix of the Day: Ellen Allien & Dr. Rubinstein (RA) 
  • Chris Inperspective in The Lab LDN (Mixmag) 
  • Appleblim Choice Mix (Red Bull) 
  • ZHU presents Coral.PINK (Virtual Lollapalooza 2020) (ZHU) 
Artist and Music Features
  • The 33 best albums of 2020 so far. (Mixmag) 
  • Label of the Month: Sistrum Recordings (beatportal) 
  • In the Studio: MJ Cole (XLR8R) 
  • Get to know: Casmilia (EDMIdentity) 
  • Get to know: LODATO (DA) 
  • Fresh Kicks 141: Nammy Wams (DJ Mag) 
  • Renegade Riddims: Nooch (DT) 
  • Rising Star: Meet Kiss DJ and Armada Music label manager Ben Malone. (MW) 
  • EX.518 Afriqua (RA) 
  • Ten behind-the-scenes stories from the biggest dance shows at San Francisco's Bill Graham Civic auditorium. (Billboard) 
  • The novel documenting rave culture in reunified Germany. (i-D) 
  • ‘I organised raves in the 1990s — I wouldn’t be putting on parties now’: promoters respond to illegal events during the pandemic. (iNews)
  • How to process music industry data. (Berklee - Liv Buli)
  • Their vocals and songwriting feature on some of the biggest hits, but black women are often not credited, leaving their solo careers stunted and causing them to lose out financially. (Guardian)
  • 8 amazing objects that define the history of electronic music. (Shortlist) 
  • The rise of heavy metal in electronic music. (ElectronicBeats) 
  • Kohra: “Before lockdown, India was experiencing some really fantastic parties”. (beatportal)
  • Meet the ringmaster: Claptone in the circus (Ibiza Spotlight) 
  • Crazy Frog samples and DJ Fingerblast – Dance music's weirdest scene wants you to laugh along. (Vice) 
  • Marshmello is one of the most adaptable stars in modern music - And the charts prove it. (Billboard) 
  • Radio Silence: the movement to diversify the UK radio industry. (DJ Mag) 
  • The weight of oppression: Artists share their stories about racism and mental health. (DJ Mag) 
  • In June, the music industry started to have serious conversations about racism - but proof of change is hard to find. (RollingStone) 
Artist News
  • Erick Morillo has been arrested and charged with sexual battery on a woman. (Mixmag)
  • Carl Cox has been named an official associate for the 2021 London Motorshow. (DJ Mag) 
  • Róisín Murphy has announced her next album Róisín Machine. (Magnetic) 
  • Clean Bandit has teamed up with the charitable organization Global Citizen for a virtual house party to raise awareness about COVID-19-induced food chain disruptions. (EDM.com) 
  • Ferry Corsten and Trance Wax have released a collaborative single Black Lion. (DJ Mag) 
  • Goldie has launched a new website and portal to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his groundbreaking drum & bass album Timeless. (Magnetic) 
  • Machinedrum returns with a new album, A View Of U, for Ninja Tune. (RA) 
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