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Today's music business news

TOP STORY

Spotify boss Daniel Ek talks AI, podcasts and Apple Tax in new interview

Spotify boss Daniel Ek has been talking to the BBC about AI-generated music, reckoning that - as music-making generative AI gets more sophisticated - it's going to be "tricky". Although, when AI is used to replicate an artist's voice without said artist's approval, that's more straightforward: that's not OK.

This seemingly means that Spotify will remove unofficial tracks that clearly imitate other artists, like the headline-grabbing Ghostwriter track from earlier this year that imitated Drake and The Weeknd.

As for how Spotify will spot tracks like this - and know whether or not they are endorsed by the imitated artist - that in itself seems quite “tricky”. But Ek reckons his monitoring teams are up to the task.

"We've seen pretty much everything in the history of Spotify at this point with people trying to game our system", he told the BBC. "We have a very large team that is working on exactly these types of issues".

As for other uses of AI to generate music, artists using AI to assist in the music-making process is obviously all fine, Ek mused. Where AI entirely generates new music, but does not directly imitate any one artist, well, that's the "tricky" bit presumably.

However, whatever your view on that, Ek stressed that tech companies currently developing music-making generative AI models cannot scrape music that is on the Spotify platform to help with the training process.

Spotify is also busy developing its own AI tools, of course. And just yesterday it announced it is piloting Voice Translation for podcasts, what it calls "a groundbreaking feature powered by AI that translates podcasts into additional languages - all in the podcaster’s voice".

"This Spotify-developed tool", the streaming service added in its announcement, "leverages the latest innovations - one of which is OpenAI’s newly released voice generation technology - to match the original speaker’s style, making for a more authentic listening experience that sounds more personal and natural than traditional dubbing".

"A podcast episode originally recorded in English can now be available in other languages", it explained, "while keeping the speaker’s distinctive speech characteristics".

So that's fun. Ek also spoke about podcasts in his BBC interview, although not in the context of AI. There have been cut-backs in Spotify's podcasting division of late, including the ending of some high profile podcast partnerships.

Alluding to that, Ek admitted that, with his company's big push into the podcasting business, "some of it has worked, some of it hasn't".

However, he added, "five years ago Spotify was nowhere in podcasting", and now it is a significant player and a major competitor to Apple in a sector where the tech giant previously dominated.

Talking of Apple, Ek also used his BBC interview to talk about Spotify's big lobbying priority of the moment, that being its efforts to block the Apple tax. Which was fair enough, his UK trip was mainly to discuss new regulations stemming from the just passed Online Safety Bill and the in development Digital Markets, Competition And Consumers Bill.

It’s well known that Spotify objects to rules enforced by Apple and Google that force app-makers to use those companies’ commission-charging transaction systems when taking in-app payments on iOS or Android devices.

Many app-makers - Spotify included - want regulators to force Apple and Google to drop those rules, so that they can use their own in-app payment systems and avoid paying a 15-30% commission.

"We are in a situation where literally two companies in the world control how over four billion consumers access the internet", Ek told the BBC.

"If you think now on a company like Spotify, where we already pay out almost 70% of our revenues back to the creative community. If we were to take the 30% out of our cut it essentially means we're left with zero, which means we have to close shop".

ONE LINERS

Pulp, Thundercat, Music Mudder + more...

EDUCATION & EVENTS

The Music Mudder endurance challenge that took place earlier this month, organised by Wasserman Music, raised over £61,000 for music therapy charity Nordoff & Robbins, it has been announced. “We’re so happy to have raised over £61,000 for Nordoff & Robbins and we’re already planning for Music Mudder 2024, so register now to take on this unique challenge, raising money for an amazing cause whilst entering into some friendly, muddy competition with your peers”, says Wasserman’s Lucy Putman.

The Richard Antwi Scholarship has announced Jewel John as its sixth beneficiary. She will receive a full scholarship for a place on the University Of Westminster's Music Business Management MA course, starting later this month. "Receiving the Richard Antwi Scholarship is such an honour and blessing”, she says. “The access to the course, plus professional mentorship and the opportunity to build relationships along the way, is an absolute game changer in the pursuit of my career”.

RELEASES

Empress Of has released new single ‘Kiss Me’, featuring Rina Sawayama.

Lynks has shared new single ‘New Boyfriend’, which is about “lovely, kind, thoughtful, intelligent, well-adjusted couples turning into chaotic horny monsters the second they break up”. He has also announced UK tour dates in April next year.

Ty Segall has released new single ‘Eggman’.

Aïsha Devi has released new track ‘Dimensional Spleen’. Her new album ‘Death Is Home’ is out on 10 Nov.

Hinako Omori haș released new single ‘Ember’. “The idea behind ’Ember’ is noticing that our attachment to the past can cloud our perception of situations, and the importance of breaking through these barriers we place on ourselves to build a healthier, compassionate relationship with ourselves and others”, she says. Her new album ‘Stillness, Softness’ is out on 27 Oct.

Luci is back with new single ‘Spins’. “4.30 in the morning, struck with inspiration, I opened that folder full of beats [producer William J Sullivan] gifted me back in 2021 after our first session and started sketching”, she says. “Riff on top of riff til it was all there”.

GIGS & TOURS

Pulp will headline Edinburgh’s Hogmanay new year celebrations on 31 Dec. Comments Jarvis Cocker: “When your grandkids ask, ‘Do you remember the first time Pulp played Edinburgh’s Hogmanay?’ What will your answer be? Come along and start 2024 in the very best way possible. Oh yes”. Tickets go on general sale on Friday.

Thundercat has announced UK and Ireland tour dates in March and April next year, including a four night residency at Koko in London.

Fever Ray has announced UK live shows in Bristol, Manchester and London in February and March next year. Tickets go on general sale on Friday.

Oneohtrix Point Never will play UK live shows in Manchester and London next April. Tickets go on general sale on Thursday.

APPROVED: ANA FRANGO ELÉTRICO

Ana Frango Elétrico is set to release their third album ‘Me Chama De Gato Que Eu Sou Sua’ next month. Preceded by the singles ‘Electric Fish’ and ‘Insista Em Mim’, it develops the jubilant pop-funk sound of previous releases into something fully rounded and infectious.

“I started this album in 2021 with the intention of showing, in terms of sound, understandings and feelings about queer love, subjectively exposing myself”, says Ana Frango Elétrico. “Feeling was its driving force, [but] the album is really about musical production”.

“There’s so many references to different decades”, they add. “70s drums with 80s processing. Going back, getting beyond, testing the limits of organic sounds. Even if people don't find my own references here, they'll find theirs. Maybe that’s this record’s biggest goal”.

‘Me Chama De Gato Que Eu Sou Sua’ is set for release on 20 Oct. You can catch Ana Frango Elétrico live in the UK the following month too, with shows at The Moth Club in London on 6 Nov and Whereelse in Margate on 8 Nov.

Watch the video for ‘Insista em Mim’ here.

LEGAL

Music publishers double down on copyright claims against X

A group of music publishers have submitted another filing in their ongoing legal battle with X - or Twitter if you prefer - hitting back at the social media firm's motion for dismissal.

They dispute X's interpretation of US copyright law regarding what is required to hold it liable for copyright infringement. But then also claim that - even if the court accepted X's interpretation of the law - those requirements have been met.

The music publishers filed their lawsuit in June, alleging that X "fuels its business with countless infringing copies of musical compositions, violating publishers’ and others’ exclusive rights under copyright law”.

In its response to the publishers' lawsuit last month, X set out various reasons why the publishers have failed to prove it is liable for any copyright infringement.

For example, it said, liability for direct infringement would require evidence of 'volitional' conduct on X's part, while liability for contributory infringement would require evidence of "active steps with the intent of encouraging infringement”.

But, say the publishers in their new legal filing, there are no such requirements in law. And even if there were, they reckon they have provided sufficient evidence to show volitional conduct and intent to encourage infringement on X's part.

With all that in mind, the publishers state: “The motion to dismiss filed by defendant X Corp should fail in its entirety”.

ARTIST NEWS

Eternal cancel reunion plans in dispute over trans rights

Eternal have cancelled a planned reunion due to a dispute over trans rights. The group’s Louise Redknapp and Kéllé Bryan pulled out of plans to tour after sisters Easther and Vernie Bennett reportedly refused to play LGBTQ+ festivals and Pride events.

“A message was sent to the team putting together the Eternal reunion stating that if it was to go ahead, neither Vernie nor Easther would perform at Pride shows or LGBTQ+ festivals”, Redknapp’s publicist Simon Jones told the BBC. “This was because the duo felt that the gay community was being hijacked by the trans community and they do not support this”.

"Louise is a huge supporter and ally of the LGBTQ+ community and both herself and Kéllé told the duo they would not work with anyone who held these views, and as such the reunion as a four would not be going ahead”, he went on.

"The team behind the proposed Eternal reunion are gay including management, PR and tour promoter, and neither myself nor any of the team would work with artists who held such views about the trans community”.

In a separate statement, Bryan said: “The relationship with our fans and the joy of celebrating our success was, and still is, our motivation. My stance and allegiances have always been that I am an advocate for inclusion and equality for all”.

Eternal formed in 1992, releasing their debut album ‘Always & Forever’ the following year. Peaking at number two on the UK albums chart, the record also scored four top ten singles. However, Redknapp left the group before the recording of their second album and launched a solo career.

The group continued as a trio, releasing two more albums and achieving their first and only number one single with ‘I Wanna Be The Only One’, from their third album ‘Before The Rain’ in 1997. Bryan was then fired in 1998, with the Bennett sisters citing a “breakdown in professional relations”.

They released one more album as a duo - 1999’s ‘Eternal’ - before splitting in 2000, after being dropped by their record label EMI.

It was reported last week that the group planned to reunite with the full original line-up for their first shows together since Redknapp’s departure, marking the 30th anniversary of their debut album. However, just days later it was announced that these plans had been cancelled.

The Bennett sisters have not yet commented on the claims made about their unwillingness to play LGBTQ+ events.

LIVE

Music Venue Trust calls for business rate relief extension

The Music Venue Trust has called on the UK government to again extend business rates relief for grassroots music venues. The organisation warns that plans to bring an ongoing relief scheme to an end next year will accelerate closures in the sector.

Grassroots music venues benefited from a 50% rates relief scheme that was launched in January 2020. Then, in March the same year, the entire retail, hospitality and leisure sector saw rates cut to zero as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since 2021, there has been a 75% relief across these sectors, with a number of extensions following lobbying from organisations like the MVT.

The government recently announced plans to end this relief in April 2024. The MVT estimates that this will increase costs by £15 million across the grassroots music venue sector. It says that its recent annual survey found that 78 grassroots venues have permanently closed in the last year, and fears that a rate increase will only exacerbate this.

“The current business rates system is anachronistic, inconsistent and outdated, and fails to meet the principles of good tax design”, says MVT CEO Mark Davyd.

“The UK government is currently conducting a consultation on wider reforms but the solutions they have so far proposed are in no way radical enough to redress fundamental inequalities that will lead to many more venue closures”.

“We are already losing grassroots music venues at a catastrophic rate, which has had a knock-on effect of 4000 jobs losses, the removal of 14,250 live music events and 193,230 performance opportunities for musicians, £9m of musician income and £59m of economic activity”, he continues.

“By extending business rates relief past next April the government could throw a vital lifeline to grassroots music venues already holding onto survival by their fingertips”.

MEDIA

6 Music's New Music Fix Daily to present four shows from Glasgow in November

BBC Radio 6 Music's 'New Music Fix Daily' show will host four editions from Glasgow in November under the banner New Music Fix Live.

The programmes, says an official blurb, will be "a four-day celebration of emerging artists and Glasgow's vibrant music scene", with three editions coming from the BBC's studios in the Scottish city and the fourth from venue SWG3.

Hosted by Tom Ravenscroft and Deb Grant, the special shows will feature sessions from Cumgirl8, Miso Extra and Corto.alto, and guest mixes from Pub, Hudson Mohawke and Rebecca Vasmant. The show from SWG3 will include a live performance from Sofia Kourtesis and a DJ set from Sega Bodega.

"Like so many cities around the UK, Glasgow's music scene is flourishing”, says Head of BBC Radio 6 Music Samantha Moy. “We're looking forward to shining a light on the city's talented creatives and bringing listeners four days of live performances and DJ sets from some of the fantastic artists that Tom and Deb have championed since the show began in June".

LEGAL

Ed Townsend estate drops appeal in Thinking Out Loud song-theft case

The estate of Ed Townsend has dropped an appeal in its song-theft lawsuit against Ed Sheeran, which resulted in that headline-grabbing trial earlier this year.

The estate accused Sheeran of ripping off Marvin Gaye’s ‘Let’s Get It On’ when he wrote his 2014 song ‘Thinking Out Loud’, Townsend being a co-writer on the Gaye classic.

It was the second song-theft lawsuit that Sheeran allowed to get to court, he having also fought off litigation in relation to 'Shape Of You' in the UK courts last year.

In both cases, the Sheeran side argued that pop songs can often sound like other pop songs simply because they are created using the same musical building blocks.

And that is why ‘Thinking Out Loud’ has elements in common with ‘Let’s Get It On’, not because Sheeran and his songwriting pal Amy Wadge directly ripped off the earlier song.

Despite the case taking years to get to court, once both sides had presented their arguments at trial, the jury quickly sided with Team Sheeran.

A few weeks later the Townsend estate filed an appeal in relation to that judgement, but last week they decided to drop the case. The appeal was withdrawn with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled.

Commenting on that development late last week, a legal rep for Sheeran told ABC News: "Ed defended this claim, which was always viewed as baseless, through to a jury verdict finding he and Amy Wadge independently created 'Thinking Out Loud,' and was fully prepared to do so through an appeal as well".

"The plaintiffs recognised that an appeal would end up with the verdict being affirmed", she added, "but also with them being exposed to legal fees and costs, and wisely withdrew the appeal".

AND FINALLY

Taylor Swift pays everyone’s bill in a restaurant and tells them to get out

Taylor Swift reportedly paid everyone’s bills in a Kansas City restaurant at the weekend. The only condition of this act of generosity was that they get the fuck out right away whether they’d finished eating or not.

This is according to a TikTok video posted by a Swift fan, who said: “I just got a call from a friend and Taylor is going to a place, and she just paid for everybody at the restaurant so that they would leave”.

“They were eating and the waitress came up and said, ‘Here’s the deal, everything is paid for but you have to have to leave, like right now’”, she continued. “How freaking insane is this! Oh and of course, she’s with Travis Kelce”.

American football player Kelce is Swift’s apparent new boyfriend. Earlier in the day, Swift had been seen watching him play for the Kansas City Chiefs with his mother, after which they left the stadium together in his car.

I guess, after having her every move documented all day, you can see why she might want to throw some money around for a bit of privacy. Although I don’t know that I’d be particularly happy if she got between me and my dinner.