Revamp of Sony's entertainment business could more closely align Sony Music with Sony/ATV
Sony's two global music companies - Sony Music Entertainment and Sony/ATV Music Publishing - could become more closely aligned as part of a restructure of the Japanese conglom's American entertainment business, according to sources speaking to the New York Post. For its part, Sony Corp says that claims about an impending restructure are "nothing but baseless rumour and speculation", so they must be true.

The core rumour being spread by the Post is that Sony is considering putting its flagging American movie and TV business Sony Pictures Entertainment under Sony Interactive Entertainment, its bigger and more successful video games division that houses all things PlayStation. The Post's sneaky source who's been chatting about the alleged plans says: "There is talk they are going to merge SPE with PlayStation".

The restructure, if it were to occur, would put Sony's movie studio and TV production house under Interactive Global CEO Andrew House. Although he would likely be pretty hands-off with regards the film and TV business, it would be a statement about the ever closer alliance of the film and gaming industries, and the latter's arguable dominance commercially speaking.

It would also likely mean the departure of current Sony Pictures Entertainment chief Michael Lynton, and indeed his plans to exit might have motivated the revamp plans. The Post says Lynton has been considering a move into academia - or to a new role outside the US - while also noting that the Sony exec was an early investor in Snapchat and sits on its board. So an exec role there is also a possibility.

Although mostly involved in Sony's US movie and TV operations, Lynton is also CEO of Sony Entertainment, the division that includes the firm's global music businesses: record company Sony Music Entertainment and music publisher Sony/ATV. It's thought that if Sony Pictures Entertainment was to shift over to Interactive and report into House, the music businesses wouldn't follow suit, with a separate music unit being created.

While it is common for music rights companies that have both label and publishing operations to keep the two sides of the business - recordings and songs - separate, Sony Music and Sony/ATV operate more autonomously than the equivalent divisions at the other two majors, Universal and Warner. This is mainly because until earlier this year Sony/ATV was a joint venture between Sony Corp and the Michael Jackson estate.

Sony has now bought out its former business partner, of course, and a logical follow-on from that would be to more closely align Sony/ATV with Sony Music. A rejig of Sony's wider entertainment business Stateside would provide the opportunity to do just that. Though, of course, we should note again the Sony Corp is saying "baseless rumour and speculation". And the baseless rumour spreaders concede nothing has been decided yet, but reckon that any decision on a revamp will be made before the end of March.

Former SFX board member sues Robert Sillerman over unpaid loan
Now that SFX has successfully exited its bankruptcy to be known from this point onwards as LiveStyle, all the messy litigation that is likely to result from the collapse of the one-time EDM powerhouse can get underway. Odds are, it could all prove far more entertaining than any of the festivals LiveStyle has planned in 2017.

Getting in early is former board member Mitchell Slater who, according to Amplify, has sued SFX founder Robert FX Sillerman in a bid to reclaim the more than two million he says he lent his former colleague in April 2015. Slater seemingly sent Sillerman a letter in September demanding he hand over $2,517,266.67 by 3 Oct.

According to Amplify, the letter said: "I will promptly pursue all available remedies including, but not limited to, my right to commence an action for the payment plus all legal fees, expenses and disbursements incurred in connection with the enforcement and collection of the [loan]. I sincerely hope that is not necessary, however. I expressly reserve, and do not waive, any and all rights under the [loan] or at law and equity".

Sillerman seemingly never responded to the letter, so Slater is now asking a judge to issue a summary judgement ordering the former SFX chief to repay the loan plus legal costs.

London Night Czar calls for new approach to drug use in clubs
London's new Night Czar Amy Lamé has said that a new approach is needed to avoid drug-related deaths in nightclubs, following Fabric's recent licensing battle after two men died at the venue earlier this year.

Speaking after being given a tour of a new building development in Soho's Denmark Street, Mixmag reports that Lamé said: "People take drugs. People take drugs in clubs. People take drugs in hotels. People take drugs in all different kinds of places. If we ignore that and don't deal with it, then people will sadly be ill or die".

"That is something I don't want to happen on my watch", she continued. "I know Fabric doesn't want it to happen again, Islington Council doesn't want it and the police don't want it. For too long people have been entrenched in 'it's us versus them, them versus us'".

Lamé also said that she aims to ensure that nightclubs and music venues remain in place across London, following a concerning trend of closures in recent years (not least in Denmark Street, where she was speaking).

"I don't want clubbing pushed out to the edges", she said. "I want clubs, pubs, live music venues right in the heart of everything. Right across London".

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Attitude Is Everything announces Outstanding Attitude Awards winners
Music charity Attitude Is Everything has announced the winners of its first Outstanding Attitude Awards, recognising music venues and festivals that best serve deaf and disabled audience members.

On the music venue side, the three winners are: The Albany in London, for provision of video-based travel information; Colston Hall in Bristol, for holding a conference on accessible music-making and investing in building changes and staff training; and Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena, for committing to provide BSL interpretation for all new events.

The three winning festivals are: Just So Festival, for splitting their programme into categories allowing people to assess which best suited their needs; Nozstock, for online access information and providing materials for people with autism and learning disabilities; and Reading Festival, for its ongoing support for deaf audience members, including providing BSL interpretation for main stage performances.

"The Outstanding Attitude Awards are proof that all live music events, regardless of size and resources, can think outside the box and become more inclusive to a wide spectrum of disabled audiences", says Attitude Is Everything CEO Suzanne Bull.

"This year's winners range from some simple but hugely impactful online resources, to a groundbreaking music conference and several cutting edge innovations for deaf fans" she continues. "I would like to congratulate all the winners on their success, and I hope other venues and festivals can take inspiration from their achievements and can-do approach".

The six winners were selected from the 125 venues and festivals signed up to Attitude Is Everything's Chart Of Best Practice.

Young Guru allies with marketing agency The Marketing Arm
Record producer and DJ Young Guru has been appointed Chief Music Strategist at marketing agency The Marketing Arm as a result of an alliance between it and his firm Era Of The Engineer. Which possibly means that Era Of The Engineer now has a marketing arm. Or that The Marketing Arm has entered into the era of the engineer. Confusing company names, hey! What fun.

Young Guru, real name Gimel Keaton, has worked as a producer and sound engineer with a plethora of artists over his career, including Jay Z, Eminem, Drake and Beyonce, making him - brags his new business partner - "the most successful music engineer in the history of hip-hop". His Era Of The Engineer venture is described as a "social enterprise and advisory start-up" that seeks to "heighten partnerships between music and businesses".

Confirming the tie up, The Marketing Arm's own music boss Larry Weintraub said: "Music is a great connector and has the power to evoke our emotions. Partnering with Young Guru and Era Of The Engineer solidifies our long-standing reputation as collaborators, and shows our commitment to elevating how we use music and entertainment to create culturally relevant and authentic opportunities for brands. We are THRILLED to have a prolific creator and authoritative expert in music available to IDEATE forward-thinking ideas with both our teams and clients".

Keaton added: "I've had the opportunity to collaborate with The Marketing Arm in the past and we share a mutual love of innovation. This partnership is a natural step in our evolution as we look to work to deliver bigger thinking to brands with music at the centre".

Guvera's Singapore staff also owed money
Following the news last month that former staffers of Guvera in the US and Latin America were still awaiting news about unpaid salaries, a former member of the streaming firm's team in Singapore has reported a similar issue there to human resources publication HRM Asia.

As previously reported, after Guvera was forced to abandoned its plans to IPO in Australia in June, it pulled out of a number of markets, laid off a bunch of staff and put two of its Australian companies into administration. Though former employees linked to those two Australian subsidiaries got most of what they were due through the administration process.

However, ex-employees elsewhere in the world seemingly haven't been so lucky. The former staff member talking to HRM Asia claims that each of the eight people who worked out of the firm's Singapore office are still owed money, up to S$10,000 each, which equates to over £5000 per person. Execs in the office oversaw Guvera's operations in various Asian markets, including Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.

The former employee says Guvera's Singapore staff were sent an email on 22 Jun stating that the firm's business there had ceased trading on 30 Jun. There had been plenty of indications of Guvera's financial problems internally - staff there had been working from home since March because the company couldn't afford to fix a broken air con unit - though it was widely thought all would be fine once the IPO had gone through.

The source continues: "There were many creditors in Southeast Asia who were owed up to S$200,000 each, and were at the point of submitting letters to Guvera demanding for payment. But they held off on that because Guvera told them: 'As soon as we list, you will get your money'".

After the failed IPO, Guvera insisted it could still make a success of its streaming service in certain markets like India and Indonesia, though ex-employees in various countries don't seem convinced. As previously reported, back in Australia the company recently sought regulator permission to postpone its AGM for investors because it can't afford to pay the accountants doing the audit.

Madonna discusses "blatant sexism and misogyny" faced throughout her career, accepting Billboard Woman Of The Year Award
Madonna accepted the Woman Of The Year Award at Billboard's Women In Music event on Friday with a speech that called out the "blatant sexism and misogyny and constant bullying and relentless abuse" she has faced throughout her career.

She also spoke of discovering that "in life there is no real safety except for self-belief" through a hard life lived in late-70s New York as she attempted to break into the music industry, and discussed other artists who inspired her, including David Bowie.

"I stand before you as a doormat. Oh, I mean, as a female entertainer", she began. "Thank you for acknowledging my ability to continue my career for 34 years in the face of blatant sexism and misogyny and constant bullying and relentless abuse".

She was inspired by "Debbie Harry and Chrissie Hynde and Aretha Franklin" at the outset of her career, she said, "but my real muse was David Bowie". However, she added, what she found inspiring about him turned out not to apply to her.

"He embodied male and female spirit and that suited me just fine", she said. "He made me think there were no rules. But I was wrong. There are no rules - if you're a boy. There are rules if you're a girl. If you're a girl, you have to play the game".

Breaking down these rules, she went on: "You're allowed to be pretty and cute and sexy. But don't act too smart. Don't have an opinion that's out of line with the status quo. You are allowed to be objectified by men and dress like a slut, but don't own your sluttiness. And do not, I repeat do not, share your own sexual fantasies with the world. Be what men want you to be, but more importantly, be what women feel comfortable with you being around other men. And finally, do not age. Because to age is a sin. You will be criticised and vilified and definitely not played on the radio".

Bringing up a specific example, she discussed releasing her 'Erotica' album and 'Sex' book in 1992, saying: "I remember being the headline of every newspaper and magazine. Everything I read about myself was damning. I was called a whore and a witch. One headline compared me to Satan. I said, 'Wait a minute, isn't Prince running around with fishnets and high heels and lipstick with his butt hanging out?' Yes, he was. But he was a man. This was the first time I truly understood women do not have the same freedom as men".

Concluding, she said: "Women have been so oppressed for so long they believe what men have to say about them. They believe they have to back a man to get the job done. And there are some very good men worth backing, but not because they're men - because they're worthy. As women, we have to start appreciating our own worth and each other's worth. Seek out strong women to befriend, to align yourself with, to learn from, to collaborate with, to be inspired by, to support, and enlightened by".

Here are all the winners from this year's Billboard Women In Music Awards:

Rising Star: Halsey
Rule Breaker: Alessia Cara
Breakthrough Star: Maren Morris
Chart Topper: Meghan Trainor
Trailblazer: Kesha
Powerhouse: Andra Day
Icon: Shania Twain
Woman Of The Year: Madonna

Kate Moss stands in for Elvis in new video
Kate Moss stars in the video for a new recording of Elvis Presley's 'The Wonder Of You' featuring extra Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

"I was so excited to be asked to be involved in this project, anything for Elvis", she says, though I'm not sure he actually requested her personally.

The track is taken from 'The Wonder Of You: Elvis Presley With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra', which features fifteen tracks reworked at Abbey Road Studios. It's the follow-up to last year's 'If I Can Dream: Elvis Presley With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra' of course, and is out now.

Watch the video here.

X-Factor, The 1975, Taylor Swift and Zayn Malik, more

Other notable announcements and developments today...

• It was the 'X-Factor' final last night and in the end Billy Bango beat girl group Brexit Bananas and metal outfit The Trumptown Massacre. Maybe. To be honest, the only thing I actually know about this season of 'X' is that the ratings tanked and Billy Bango's winning single, co-written by Ed Sheeran and Amy Wadge, will only get a digital release.

• The 1975 will be opening a pop-up shop in London's Camden Market form 16-18 Dec. They'll only sell 1975-related stuff though, so I'm not sure what the point is.

• Taylor Swift and Zayn Malik have recorded a duet for the new '50 Shades' film, which is apparently still a thing.

• Wyclef Jean has released the video for new single 'I Swear', which features Young Thug.

• Bonobo has released the video for new single 'Break Apart', featuring Rhye.

• At The Drive-In have released a new song in the form of 'Governed By Contagions'. It's taken from their first album for sixteen years, which is out next year. I'm not 100% it was worth bothering.

• Lucy Spraggan has released the video for new single 'Modern Day Frankenstein'.

• The Unguided have announced that they will release new EP 'Brotherhood' on 23 Dec. It will be their first record with new guitarist Jonathan Thorpenberg. From it, this is 'Nighttaker'.

• Justin Bieber will headline the British Summertime Festival on 2 Jul. How nice.

• Guns & Roses have added a second date at the London Stadium on 17 Jun.

• Justice have announced that they'll play Brixton Academy in London on 29 Sep next year. I don't think you can go though, I heard you were busy that day.

• Bob Dylan's Nobel Prize was accepted by US Ambassador to Sweden Azita Raji, who read out a speech from the musician. "Not once have I ever had the time to ask myself 'are my songs literature?'" wrote Dylan. "So, I do thank the Swedish Academy, both for taking the time to consider that very question, and, ultimately, for providing such a wonderful answer". As expected, Patti Smith also sang a song on Dylan's behalf.

Garth Brooks tops dwindling wishlist of artists to play Donald Trump's inauguration
Time is running out to book someone to perform at Donald Trump's presidential inauguration party. All hopes are now being pinned on Garth Brooks.

As previously reported, various artists have been linked to the show and then quickly fallen over each other to deny that they are playing. In particular, Elton John quickly shot down claims by Trump advisor Anthony Scaramucci that he would be performing at the event. More recently, former Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil told TMZ that he had been "uninvited" to the party.

Rumours that Brooks would do the honours have been floating around for a little while now, though on Friday he told TMZ: "I don't know [if I'll play], I haven't been asked".

Asked if he would consider it, he added: "It's always about serving, it's what you do".

I think we can take that as a 'yes' but without specifically endorsing Trump. Indeed, Trump would not be the first US president who has put on a performance by Garth Brooks, as a spokesperson was keen to point out.

"Garth has performed for the five living presidents", Brooks' publicist Nancy Seltzer told Reuters. "While rumour has it that he has been asked to perform for President-Elect Trump, he has not been able to commit yet".

Does that last sentence mean he has been asked or he hasn't? It's a weird choice of words, isn't it? None of this makes it seem like Brooks is particularly eager to play the event on 20 Jan. And if you wanted any more signs that this is shaping up to be America's Bpoplive, there was a bullish statement about how everything was fine too.

Asked if Trump's team were finding it a bit of a struggle to find artists willing to perform for the new president, the President-Elect's Communications Director Boris Epshteyn told ABC News: "No struggle whatsoever. We have world-class talent, world-class entertainers reaching out to us offering their help, offering their services so no struggle, whatsoever".

No entertainers, world-class or otherwise, have yet been confirmed for the event.