Hipgnosis Drama Continues: Blackstone Bids $1.5 Billion for Troubled Music Fund, Topping Concord

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Francis Ford Coppola revealed in a preview of “Megalopolis” in Vanity Fair that he rewrote the script around 300 times before self-financing the passion project for $120 million by selling part of his winery estate in Northern California. The epic is set to world premiere in competition at the Cannes FIlm Festival in May. A first look photo from “Megalopolis” has debuted featuring Adam Driver and Nathalie Emmanuel in their leading roles.

Lily Moayeri While the United States continues to debate how and when hip-hop lyrics can be used in court, dissident Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi was sentenced to death on April 24 for lyrics that criticized the Islamic Republic’s ruling regime. The sentence, handed down by the ruling Republic Court of the Islamic Republic, overturns a decree from the higher Supreme Court which, according to the New York Times, found issues with the original ruling that sentenced Salehi to six years imprisonment and banned him from making music or singing for two years. The reason given for Salehi’s execution, which the Islamic Republic administers by hanging, is his involvement with Iran’s 2022 protests through his music.

Shakira, Ed Sheeran, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Neil Young and more. The offer put forward by Concord was $1.25 per share (£1).Blackstone has already acquired the rights to songs by Justin Bieber and Justin Timberlake, and this current deal will see more than 65,000 more tracks added to its catalogue.As highlighted by Reuters, Blackstone has also invested in U.S.

The Outsiders,” as vicious as the Greasers and the Socs.Ten of those 15 eligible productions are still running, but there will be only five Best Musical nominees called out (six if there’s a tie). So, more than half of what’s on could get the brush.A Tony nod is a big deal for reasons beyond the prestige.

Michele Amabile Angermiller Moments after being honored at the American Music Honors of the Bruce Springsteen Archives, John Mellencamp took a moment to talk about its namesake at Monmouth University’s Pollak Theater in West Long Branch on Wednesday night (April 24). “I know you all love him,” he said of Springsteen. “He put down a big footprint — him and [Bob] Dylan, for me.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Primary Wave Music has announced a new partnership with veteran singer-songwriter Neil Finn, founding member of Crowded House, longtime member of Split Enz and solo artist. The multi-million-dollar deal sees the company acquiring Finn’s music publishing catalog and writer’s share of public performance for his work with Crowded House as well as his solo material. Included in the deal are the many hits Finn wrote for Crowded House — “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” “Better Be Home Soon,” “Weather With You” and more — as well as his solo material and the songs he wrote as a member of Split Enz, including the 1980 hit “I Got You.” Released in 1986, “Don’t Dream It’s Over” appeared on Crowded House’s eponymous debut album and became the band’s biggest hit, reaching No.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music The troubled Hipgnosis Songs Fund, whose former CEO Merck Mercuriadis drove up the value of music catalogs with more than $3 billion in acquisitions before overspending and problematic management caused the company to lose more than half of its value, has agreed to a $1.4 billion sales to Nashville-based Concord, the companies announced in the early hours of Thursday. The catalogs involved include assets by Neil Young, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Shakira and others.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music The music world of the 1960s was filled with fashion icons, from the Beatles to the Ronettes, from Jimi Hendrix to the Supremes, from Motown to Haight-Ashbury. But for some of us, the mid-1960s Rolling Stones were as cool as it gets. The Beatles were in the same lane but, truth be told, the Stones wore it better.

Neil Young has revealed that he has uncovered the “lost verses” from the 1975 song ‘Cortez The Killer’, and that he’s considering playing them during his upcoming tour with Crazy Horse.According to a Rolling Stone report, Neil Young recently hosted a Zoom session with a handful of fans who are subscribed to his official website. During this call, Young revealed that he had recently found “the other verses” from ‘Cortez The Killer’ that were either cut from the song, or lost due to technical difficulties while recording the track.He also teased performing them, though nothing is set in stone just yet: “Just a couple of days ago, I found the other verses.

Pierce Brosnan And Amir El-Masry have signed on to star in the sports drama Giant from AGC Studios about the life of British-Yemeni boxer Prince Naseem “Naz” Hamed and his rags-to-riches ascent to a world championship under the tutelage of his Irish-born boxing trainer Brendan Ingle.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Will Smith made a surprise appearance onstage with J Balvin on Sunday night, dressed in his full “Men in Black” suit and sunglasses and performing the title track of the 1997 film. The appearance was brief but memorable, capping a UFO-themed set and concluding with Balvin being dragged off by black-suit-clad dancers as Smith pulled out a “Neuralyzer,” the famous memory-eraser device from the film.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music On Saturday Grimes lived what is probably the nightmare of every Coachella performer: debilitating equipment malfunctions in front of thousands of fans and possibly millions watching online. While things seemed fine for the first half of her set, things began breaking down during the second.

I was lucky enough to see a sneak preview of the M&S spring/summer 2024 ahead of them dropping online and into stores a few weeks ago, and I was overwhelmed with the store's new season offerings. From luxe tailoring to designer-inspired accessories there's no denying that the high street store has become a one-stop shop for affordable style finds.

Eleanor Coppola, who won an Emmy for the Apocalypse Now documentary Hearts of Darkness, directed Paris Can Wait and Love Is Love Is Love and was married to Francis Ford Coppola for 61 years, diedFriday at her home in Rutherford, CA. She was 87.

Eleanor Coppola has sadly passed away.

On the heels of its premiere to critical acclaim at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, the documentary Kneecap on the Irish rap trio of the same name has been slated for release by Sony Pictures Classics in theaters nationwide on August 2, when it will open against Columbia Pictures’ family film Harold and the Purple Crayon.

The Broadway musical The Outsiders will celebrate its official opening night this week and the production has released a stunning set of photos.

Selena Kuznikov Get ready for some fun, fun, fun! Disney+ has released the trailer for its “The Beach Boys” documentary, which is set to stream on the platform May 24. The trailer features clips from interviews with original band members, rock and roll historian Josh Kun, music star Janelle Monáe and more. The film is a celebration of the band that encapsulated the California dream in their revolutionary pop music.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Along with Nick Drake, Judee Sill is probably the greatest lost singer-songwriter of the 1970s — an artist whose gifts were so great but their demons were apparently greater. While Drake’s legend has taken its rightful place — due largely to a car commercial, of all things — Sill is yet to get her due.

Meghan Markle is considering a dramatic U-turn over her family’s upcoming visit to the UK as she fears for her children’s safety following a leak of their plans, a source has told OK! .The mum of two, 42, was hoping to return to the UK with Prince Harry and their children next month, but the source said her safety fears have left Harry contemplating yet another solo trip.They claimed Harry isn’t happy with the possible change of plan because he feels the pull of the UK more than ever since his dad and sister-in-law Kate Middleton, 42, announced their cancer battles, and he wants to be “supported by his wife”. “It’s now got to the point where Meghan doesn’t want to come to the UK with the children.