Universal Music and Spotify Announce Vague ‘Expansion of Strategic Relationship’ That Probably Signals a Unified Effort Against TikTok

Fontaines D.C. are continuing to tease new music with a Stanley Kubrick-inspired clip ahead of their new album ‘Romance’.The Irish post-punk group started to hint at new music last week with a 30-second clip in which frontman Grian Chatten is seen topless and in bright green trousers, with a black, swollen eye and heavy cuts and bruises all over.

Los Angeles County health officials released an exposure warning Saturday regarding an unidentified traveler with measles who visited locations in the county between March 30 and April 1.

What’s next for Emma Stone after winning her second Best Actress Oscar for “Poor Things“? Deadline reports that one of Hollywood’s hardest-working actresses adds another upcoming film to her busy schedule: an untitled movie at Universal, which sees Dave McCary, her husband, in the directing chair. READ MORE: Emma Stone Wins Her Second Best Actress Oscar For ‘Poor Things’ Plot details for the feature remain under wraps, but Patrick Kang and Michael Levin co-pen its screenplay.

Taylor Swift’s music has returned to TikTok, after her label Universal withdrew all of their artists from the platform earlier this year.In January, Universal Music Group (UMG) announced that it would withdraw its artists’ songs from the platform, citing unfair compensation for the artists and the harmful effects of AI.But now, as reported by Variety, Swift’s catalogue has returned to the site, which may be a consequence of the fact that the singer now owns the masters to her recordings.Other artists signed to the label continue to be absent from TikTok, including Bad Bunny, The Weeknd, Drake, Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber, Adele, Coldplay, J Balvin, Post Malone and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.The timing is opportune, as Swift’s latest album ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ is released next Friday (April 19).At the time, UMG explained that its licensing agreement with TikTok expired on January 31, and that negotiations to renew the contract had fallen short.“In our contract renewal discussions, we have been pressing [TikTok] on three critical issues—appropriate compensation for our artists and songwriters, protecting human artists from the harmful effects of AI, and online safety for TikTok’s users.”“TikTok proposed paying our artists and songwriters at a rate that is a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay”, which it says accounts for one per cent of its revenue.

Jon Burlingame Hailed by no less than the New York Times as “the hottest artist on the classical music planet,” Chinese pianist Lang Lang has expanded traditional performance boundaries beyond the usual Bach, Mozart and Chopin to include Disney songs and contemporary film music. On April 10, he will become one of a handful of classical pianists to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. (Among them: Vladimir Horowitz, Arthur Rubinstein, Rudolf Serkin and Ignace Paderewski.) This recognition acknowledges Lang Lang’s connection to movies and his commitment to bringing classical music to younger audiences everywhere.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief TF Entertainment, the company behind Chinese pop sensations TFBoys and Teens in Times (aka TNT), has struck a strategic alliance with Universal Music Greater China. The deal includes global digital distribution for TF Entertainment’s roster of talent and the targeting of markets outside Mainland China. The objective is to leverage parent group Universal Music Group’s global distribution capabilities and marketing network to elevate Chinese pop’s global prominence. TF Entertainment was founded in 2009 and developed a trainee system to cultivate idol groups within Chinese pop.

Zendaya gave a new interview where she talked about her fame, her future in the industry, the possibility of having kids, and so much more.

Gypsy Rose Blanchard has filed to divorce her husband Ryan Scott Anderson just over one week after announcing their split.

Andrea Bocelli just announced the dates for his annual Christmas tour from Dec. 8-23.This time around, the iconic tenor will perform back-to-back nights at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, Dec.

Faithless have issued a statement about their return, promising fans that new music and “special” live shows are on the way.The band announced their return to the stage recently, lining up their first run of performances since the death of founding member Maxi Jazz.Real name Maxwell Fraser, Maxi Jazz sang, played guitar and produced in the band, and died on December 24, 2022 at the age of 65. He fronted the band from its inception in 1995 until its breakup in 2011.

EXCLUSIVE: Motherland actor Paul Ready is set to star with Elliot Grihault (House of the Dragon) in feature film All That Glitters, a young adult comedy-drama inspired by Shakespeare and how he might have written in the modern day.

Olly Alexander and a number of other performers have released a joint statement about their participation in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest after calls to boycott the competition in solidarity with Palestine.Yesterday (March 28) hundreds of queer artists, individuals and organisations called on Alexander to pull out of the competition this year, after its refusal to expel Israel.Now, Alexander, alongside Ireland’s Bambie Thug, Norway’s Gåte, Portugal’s Iolanda, San Marino’s Megara, Switzerland’s Nemo, Denmark’s SABA, Lithuania’s Silvester Belt and Finland’s Windows95Man, have signed a letter outlining their response.“We want to begin by acknowledging the privilege of taking part in Eurovision,” it begins.pic.twitter.com/VBNQWwPe46— olly alexander (@alexander_olly) March 29, 2024“In light of the current situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and particularly in Gaza, and in Israel, we do not feel comfortable being silent. It is important to us to stand in solidarity with the oppressed and communicate our heartfelt wish for peace, an immediate and lasting ceasefire, and the safe return of all hostages.

Hot Ones, fans were treated to an exhilarating experience as Grammy-nominated rapper Ice Spice took on the infamous hot wing challenge. As anticipation builds for her debut album “Y2K,” Ice Spice sat down with host Sean Evans to delve into her music, her journey as an artist, and, of course, to tackle the fiery wings.Ice Spice, known for her electrifying stage presence and razor-sharp lyrics, brought her trademark energy to the Hot Ones set.

As its public dispute with TikTok continues, Universal Music Group has set an expanded strategic relationship with Spotify.

Universal has unveiled the first official look at one of the five new worlds being created for its massive Orlando-based Epic Universe theme park opening in 2025.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently confirmed that State Pension and benefit payment rates will rise from April 8, 2024. State Pensions will go up by 8.5 per cent, under the Triple Lock, while most working age and disability benefits will increase by the September Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate of 6.7 per cent.

Jeff Benjamin As with his long music career, Yoshiki’s eventual foray into fashion seemed inevitable.“I’m the oldest son, and, usually, the son takes over the family business,” Yoshiki, Variety’s International Achievement in Music honoree, says about the expectations for him to take over his parents’ kimono shop. “I was always surrounded by those flashy kimonos.

HYBE, home to K-pop juggernauts BTS, have inked a new 10-year “global alliance” with Universal Music Group (UMG).HYBE – also home to other K-pop groups such as SEVENTEEN, NewJeans and more – announced an expanded agreement with UMG. The new deal will give UMG “exclusive distribution rights” to HYBE releases for the next 10 years, while HYBE’s roster of artists will have access to the former’s “global network”.The new agreement will also see UMG further working with HYBE’s fan platform Weverse, in order to “[bring] more of a direct connection between UMG artists and their fandom[s]”.

K-pop music purveyors HYBE today announced an expanded long-term agreement with Universal Music Group (UMG), providing them exclusive distribution rights across HYBE music for the next 10 years.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Hybe, the Korean firm behind K-pop’s BTS, has struck an expanded 10-year deal with Universal Music Group (UMG), providing Hybe’s roster of artists and labels access to UMG’s leading global network. UMG will further collaborate with Hybe’s global superfan platform Weverse, bringing more of a direct connection between UMG artists and their fandom. Hybe and UMG will additionally collaborate on artist promotions and marketing activities in North America under the oversight of Scooter Braun – who, in his time as CEO of Hybe America, acquired QC Media Holdings and incorporated SB Projects as well as Big Machine Label Group into the existing roster. Hybe and UMG first teamed up in 2017 on BTS, through a distribution agreement in Japan. In 2021, the companies expanded their relationship with a global strategic agreement which saw collaborations across multiple projects and use of Weverse for fan communication.