For Your Consideration: Three Days Grace's New Single - "I Am Machine"

                            

                           
                              

For more information click here

 

 

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Deadline for the 2014 International Songwriting Competition (ISC) has been extended until November 4, 2014

Attention BACKLINE MAGAZINE  Subscribers

14 Record Label Presidents and CEOs Join Recording Artists To Judge the 2014 International Songwriting Competition (ISC) 

Sarah McLachlan, Tom Waits, American Authors, Pat Metheny, Sara Evans, Bastille, Avicii, Wayne Shorter, Casting Crowns, John Hiatt, and Many More To Select ISC Winners

Click here to enter!

October 1, 2014 --- The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) today announced a deadline extension until November 2014 for this year's competition, allowing more time for artists to enter. This year, ISC has expanded on the participation of music industry executives, offering the opportunity for artists to have their music heard by the highest level of decision makers in the music business. Judges include Presidents and CEOs from Republic, Atlantic, Warner Bros., Elektra, Columbia, Virgin, Sony Music Latin, Mercury, Wind-Up, Tommy Boy, Alligator, S-Curve, Blind Pig, and Concord Music Group.

Coupled with additional high profile industry executives and a notable group of recording artists & many of whom are currently dominating the charts, ISC offers the opportunity for artists to have their music heard by the most impressive and elite panel of judges yet.

"This year we decided to invite more record company executives in order to open up more opportunities to songwriters and artists," states Candace Avery, Founder and Director. "It is so difficult for up and coming artists to reach these elusive music executives, so this is an incredible chance for artists to have their music heard by the people who actually make career changing decisions. We are very excited and honored that so many high-level industry professionals want to participate. This is truly unprecedented in any competition."

ISC gives away more than $150,000 in cash and prizes (shared among the 68 winners) including an overall Grand Prize consisting of $25,000 (US) cash and much more in merchandise and services. Open to both amateur and professional songwriters, ISC offers 22 categories to enter, representing all genres of popular music. Past winners have included Grammy winners, chart-topping artists, amateur songwriters, and everyone in between, including Bastille; Gotye; Lindsey Stirling; Kimbra; The Band Perry; Andrew Bird; Passenger; Gin Wigmore; Missy Higgins; King Charles; and many more.

 

 

BACKLINE suggested Independent artist/video W.A.W.D - P'tah Johnson ft. TFchamp - genre: R&B

Posted by Micki Moore
BACKLINEMAG Music Editor
@imickimoore

advertisement

 

Register for the 2014 The Billboard and Hollywood Reporter Film & TV Music Conference

Register Now for This year's Film and TV Conference

 

Click here for more info

 

 

Dear Colleagues & Friends:

 

The Billboard and Hollywood Reporter Film & TV Music Conference .

The Billboard Hollywood Reporter Film and TV Music Conference returns to the W Hotel Hollywood for its 12th edition on Oct. 29 and 30. Dedicated to all facets of music and its uses in television, film, advertising and the Internet, the Film and TV Music Conference brings together all aspects of the music industry. All branches of entertainment, including, recording artists, composers, executives, music supervisors, publishers, filmmakers, managers and others, unite to discuss the ever-changing entertainment landscape and the opportunities for content creators and copyright holders.

Speakers are a mix of the industry’s elite, up-and-coming entrepreneurs and the creative community. Aside from keynote speeches, case studies, panels and networking opportunities, the two-day event offers one-on-one sessions with publishers, song representatives and experts from throughout the film, TV and music industries. In addition, programming will again cover trends in the international marketplace and advertising.

Please join us as we explore the advancing world of music in visual media with the people making a difference in music today. 

I look forward to seeing you at the W Hollywood this October!

Phil Gallo
Senior Correspondent Film & TV
Billboard

Bands: Sign up now for the CMJ 2014 Music Marathon in NYC

 

 

Ever wanted to rock the Big Apple? Here's your chance!

The CMJ Music Marathon is one of the biggest festivals in NYC, and has helped launch the careers of artists like Arcade Fire, MGMT, Icona Pop, Feist and Goyte, to name a few. Since 2005 CMJ has booked over 4,500 artists through Sonicbids, and your band could be next!

Billboard has teamed up with Sonicbids to get your band an exclusive discount for this opportunity. You can apply to CMJ for just $25!

And if you are new to Sonicbids, you will also score a free one-month Sonicbids membership.

To apply:

1. Head to the CMJ application page and read the details of what performing at CMJ can do for you.
2. Click "Apply" and fill out the application. (If you're not already a member, you'll be asked to create your free Sonicbids profile.)
3. On the application payment page, enter the promo code: 2014CMJBB20 to redeem your discount!

The deadline to apply to CMJ is July 8th, so you'll need to hurry. See you in New York!

Repost: Disgust, In Digest:The Top Five Reasons Indies Are Mad at YouTube

By Ed Christman, New York
Billboard Bulletin

Last week, Billboard obtained a typical contract being offered by YouTube to its indie label partners for its new subscription service. Here's a breakdown of the five things that’s really upsetting your favorite indie label.

1. YouTube is offering lower rates

Though most indies told us it’s not just about the money, the fact is the YouTube contract offers a lower rate of payment, of 65.5% of the service’s revenue — 55% to labels and 10% to publishers and performance rights organizations. Those company payment percentages are lower than the combined 70% in revenue (approximately) that on-demand services like Spotify or Rdio pay.

2. The YouTube contract’s "negative most-favored-nation" clause

Several indies Billboard spoke with are furious at a “negative most-favored-nation" clause, which favors the majors. Meaning: If any major label or publisher agrees to rates that are lower than the indies' rates set forth in the YouTube contract, then Google will have the right to reduce the indie labels' analogous rate accordingly.

3. YouTube wants to stay uncommitted to making payments – a better deal than what Spotify and others have

By moving to compete against services like Spotify and Rdio, indie labels argue that YouTube needs to bring the ad-supported component of its service to parity with the payments from the ad-supported services of its competitors. Currently, in its ad-supported component, YouTube only pays on those music videos that have advertising connected to it. But YouTube's competitors have to pay labels for every single play on their services. A YouTube source claims that if every video had ads against it, it would drive away users and reduce plays.

4. YouTube doesn’t have enough skin in the game

Related to No. 3, indie labels are worried YouTube has no stake in growing the premium subscription business, because they do not provide indie labels with a minimum-guarantee payment, such as a minimum per-stream rate for plays. They’re also mad that the majors wanted to ensure that YouTube had skin in the game and received some type of minimum guarantee requirement, according to major label sources. Indies, of course, did not.

5. YouTube’s subscription service will not grow the business – and may even cannibalize it Indie labels worry a YouTube subscription service will not grow the overall pie, but rather cannibalize users from other services, or even its own ad-supported service. And, since it is paying a lower rate of 65.5% in the premium service (compared to 70%), it could actually reduce the overall pie.

BILLBOARD BULLETIN

6/23/14

Urban Radio: Profits Over Principles & The Moral Degradation of African American Youth

Haggins leads the chants in front of Power 99 FM

 By M. Quintero-Moore

It is a topic that is old as the music industry itself. Long before Elvis Presley horrified the nation with his twists and gyrations, other genres were considered the scourge of America’s youth. Ragtime, Jazz, and Blues...all caused parents to squirm and fidget; mostly because their fear was fueled by racism and ignorance. For White America, the aforementioned music was “Negro” music; and considered the harbinger of immorality and destroyer of all things good and pure. Ironically, the elders in the Black community shared similar trepidations. Most being church-going folks, they saw their children’s music as secular, the cause of drunkenness and loose behavior…all which was against the Word of God.

In spite of it all, each music form managed to survive the backlash, and eventually became an integral and respected part of our American history. They also paved the way for the many musical expressions we have today. The downside is that the morality bar has also been lowered as far as it can possibly go.

In comparison to what we hear on the radio today, the “risqué” songs of old were tame and harmless. As far back as the early 20th century, artists such as, Lightnin' Hopkins, Ethel Waters, Lil Johnson, Bessie Smith, and Leadbelly, tantalized the youth and infuriated the old, with lyrics depicting their raw and high-spirited sexual exploits. However, in many cases, their recordings were so lo-fi, or the allegories so ambiguous, the listener had no idea what was being sung or implied.

Today, that’s no longer the case. Digitization has made music crystal clear. Lyrics are no longer artfully scribed or playfully tongue-in-cheek. They are now “in your face”. So blatantly raw, even children have become desensitized by subject matters that would have made a seasoned porn star blush once upon a time. What’s worse is that many of these children emulate the music they hear. In their impressionable minds, the vulgar and often criminal behavior played out in the song, is not only allowed...but encouraged. And, according to one respected music industry insider, it’s brought to us courtesy of urban radio.

That’s why this past Saturday; one of Philadelphia’s most popular urban stations, Power 99 FM, became the target of 100-plus fed up citizens. Their concern: Urban radio places profits over principles. This perpetuates and promotes the moral degradation of African American youth, and the destruction of the already vunerable Black community. The message: Take it off the air or go out of business.

For those old enough to remember, this is reminiscent of 1990 when the late C. Delores Tucker declared war against Gangsta Rap, citing a concern that the lyrics were “misogynistic” and threatened the moral foundation of the African American community. Consequently, she was met with bitter repercussions from the same generation she had hoped to save, and the change she had hoped for never materialized.

Today, the battle Tucker so vigorously fought and miserably lost, has a new group of warriors. This time, they are not 60 year-old vestiges from a bygone era, out of touch with the younger generation. Today’s soldiers are vibrant, energetic, hip, educated, and most importantly, involved and respected in the same industry for which they are trying to change.
 

Enter the movement’s newest general.

Carving Haggins, a two-time Grammy Award winning writer/producer who has written and produced for artists like Will Smith, Justin Timberlake, and Music Soulchild, has taken up the cause, and his passion is no less intense. Unlike Tucker however, Haggins has an advantage she didn’t. He has the internet; and through social media, email etc., he can mobilize his army within a short time span. Also, with a few key strokes and a click of the mouse, his message can go viral. He is also far younger, and a successful player in the R&B/hip-hop community; thus making him the perfect spokesperson for this crusade.

Furthermore, Haggin’s strategy is different. Instead of the artists and record companies, he is going after the radio stations that air and promote what fellow protester, Chellene Freeman referred to as “R-Rated Music”.

Haggins has managed to recruit scores of like-minded individuals from within and outside the music industry. And last week, they stood together under a hot June sun…the young and not-so-young, all races and walks of life, to voice their collective frustration against what they consider the socially irresponsible practices of all urban radio stations, not just Power 99 FM.

Now, Haggins and his supporters are is asking, no, demanding, that urban radio remove the negative songs in rotation, and replace them with “positive” music. However, and not surprisingly, Haggins said when he met with representatives from the Clear Channel owned station. Their response was canned and expected. “We only provide what the public wants”.

Technically, it is what the advertisers want. They are the ones who pay the radio stations’ bills, and have the collective power to dictate what is aired. They would not hesitate to pull their ads if the threat of a mass boycott against them loomed over the horizon (just sayin’).
 

Last weekend’s protest was just the beginning. Rage against the Ratchet has sent a shot over the urban radio's bow, and it is reloading.

Haggins told one reporter, “Radio is the gate-keeper. They are the ones that bring the music directly to the people. If they promote it long enough…if they play it long enough, people will take it. They are going to have to change what they are giving or go out of business.”

 

Now, he intends to extend the protest to every radio station in Philadelphia, and eventually to every urban radio station in the nation. And if one thinks it’s impossible to fight something a large as this, remember it only took a handful of pissed off people to start and win the French Revolution; and one tired seamstress in Birmingham to ignite a civil rights movement.

 

It is ironic in a perverse sort of way, the amount of attention we give to one old man after his “racist” comments in a private (emphasis on private) phone conversation were made public. Yet, only crickets are heard when our daughters, granddaughters, nieces, and sisters are constantly barraged with lyrics that belittle, berate and degrade the very essence of their very being women and as humans.

Songs that glorify and encourage lewd sexual acts, rape, murder and physical abuse have no place in our children's lives....therefore no place on our free air waves.

 

One can say it’s the parent’s responsibility to monitor such things, but let’s get real. Parents can’t be everywhere all the time; and you people (you know who you are) are not making parental duties any easier.

 

Rage Against the Ratchet should be commended for taking a very important stand. BACKLINE MAGAZINE stands with them and hopes you will too.

To support this cause, visit www.RageAgainsttheRatchet.com. 

(At the time of this writing, scores of posts have been placed on the web in support of the movement. Chuck D is one.)

Two Philadelphia Law School Alums Make THR's '2014 Top 100 Power Attorneys List

by BACKLINE MAGAZINE STAFF

Patricia L. Glaser, Rutgers Law

David Lande, University of Penn Law

 

 

 

 

 

Earlier this month, The Hollywood Reporter (THR) announced their '2014 Top 100 Power Attorney’s' in the entertainment industry. It was no surprise that two Los Angeles based law schools took the number 1 and 2 spots again. UCLA boasted 19 top alums and USC had 16.

While two Philadelphia area law schools did not make the top ten, they still had respectable rankings.

Patricia Glaser, a Rutgers University Law School alum, ranked #32; and David Lande of The University of Pennsylvania Law School came in at #53.

Glaser is a Partner with Los Angeles firm, Glaser Weil Fink Jacobs Howard Avchen & Shapiro. She is also Chairperson for the firm’s litigation department. Glaser has handled clients such as Paula Deen, and currently represents former Disney President, David Neuman, in the Bryan Singer case. Ms. Glaser is also ranked as one of California's top business trial attorneys.

David Lande works with Ziffren Brittenham LLP, a transactional entertainment law firm that represents A-list entertainers and major corporations in the areas of motion pictures, television, music and multimedia. He represents artists such as Linkin Park, Alicia Keys and Shakira. This year, Lande helped auction the film rights to Jersey Boys, to producer, Graham King.

 

For a complete listing of THR’s Top 100 Power Attorneys for 2014, visit

The Hollywood Reporter

 

Q1 Music Publishing Rankings: SONGS Surges Again. Katy Perry Earns Most Royalties

 



SONGS Ranked #5 Music Publisher
by Airplay Market Share in Billboard Magazine

by Ed Christman, New York
for Billboard.com

The first-quarter rankings for music-publishing royalties are in, and the most notable winners are Sony/ATV and SONGS. Although the former's No. 1 finish is hardly surprising -- Sony/ATV has held the top spot for seven successive quarters since taking over administration of EMI Music Publishing in 2012 -- the company's 31.9 percent market share, almost double that of No. 2-ranking Universal Music Publishing Group, should have Sony/ATV Chairman and CEO Martin Bandier handing out primo cigars to his executives.

SONGS CEO (and former Judge bassist) Matt Pincus also should be celebrating. The company, which was the breakout success story of fourth-quarter 2013, continued its surge by nearly doubling its fourth-quarter market share.

This is the second consecutive quarter that SONGS, which administers publishing for Jason Derulo and Lorde has landed in the top 10 and its third time overall. The company made its debut at No. 9 in first-quarter 2013 with a 1.6 percent share.

Universal Music Publishing Group and Warner/Chappell Music traded places in the number two and three spots this quarter. And, at the other end of the Top 10, Words and Music Copyright Administration scored the No. 9 berth with a 1.1-percent share after not making the cut in the fourth quarter. Downtown Music Publishing also landed the No. 10 spot after three consecutive quarters as a no-show. (Please see chart for a more in-depth look at the rankings and the songs that drove them. In instances where a song -- such as Lorde's "Team" -- has more than one writer, and the writers are represented by different publishers, the song will be credited to more than one publisher.)

The song that earned the most royalties in the quarter was Katy Perry's "Dark Horse (feat. Juicy J)." Billboard estimates the song produced $883,000 from U.S. Radio performance and mechanical royalties. Ryan Tedder was the top writer for the second quarter in a row. Billboard estimates that his credits for five songs -- "Counting Stars," by his band OneRepublic, Ellie Goulding's "Burn", Demi Lovato's "Neon Lights, Maroon 5's "Love Somebody", and

the Fray's "Love Don't Die" -- generated $881,000 revenue in mechanical royalties from U.S. album sales and track downloads, and performance royalties from U.S. radio airplay in the first quarter. Billboard estimates he earned $582,000 that in the previous quarter from the three Top 100 radio songs he had a hand in writing.

Methodology

Publisher rankings are determined using a number of sources. Radio airplay for Top 100 songs was calculated froma sample of 1,554 U.S. stations that were monitored electronically by Nielsen BDS for the period of Jan. 1 throughMarch 31, 2014. Airplay for country songs was tabulated from a sample of 212 country stations monitored byNielsen BDS. The Harry Fox Agency calculates each publisher's market share by researching the publishers' split
for each track.

 

 

Will Dr Dre and Jimmy Iovine Become Apple's Newest Execs?

 

Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine

 

by M. Quintero-Moore

According to sources close to the Apple/Beats' $3.2 billion acquisition talks, Apple may announce Dr. Dre and Beats’ co-founder, Jimmy Iovine as its latest recruits during the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) scheduled for June 2-6 in San Francisco. The event is an opportunity for engineers and application developers to get a first look at Apple's most recent developments with their operating platforms.

The much talked about deal is expected to be announced later this week, and insiders are fairly certain Dre and Iovine will join the makers of the iPhone and iPad in some sort of executive roles, which has yet to be determined or confirmed.

Billboard Magazine's sources believe that Dre and Iovine would likely oversee all of Apple's music strategies, and handle relationships with labels and publishers. Which makes sense since Apple's download sales took a 13% nose dive in Q1 2014 and has continued a slow but steady decline. Not a promising future for Apple's iTune store is the leading digital music store within the U.S. with over 70% of song and album download sales. Now, Apple is looking to get a share of the subscription streaming market as part of their portfolio.

Dre is no stranger to WWDC (sort of). It was almost ten years ago that he appeared in a live video link to congratulate Steve Jobs when Apple launched the iPod and the iTunes store.

The Apple/Beats deal is expected to take about two months to close, and the company might wait till the closing to unveil the executives as Apple employees.

Future-Dig it (Producer, Micki Moore) 2014

From BACKLINE MAGAZINE's own, Micaela "Micki" Moore.


Tell us what you think.

Warner Music Group (WMG) Reports Q2 Revenue Down 3%

  

WARNER MUSIC GROUP CORP. has reported financial results for Q2.

 

The highlights:

• Revenue declined 3% on a constant-currency basis.
• Digital revenue increased 6% on a constant-currency basis.
• Cash balance improved to $149 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2014 from $129 million for the quarter ended DEC. 31, 2013.
• Net loss was $59 million versus net income of $4 million in the prior-year quarter.

“We have begun to see the strength in our release schedule for the remainder of the fiscal year,” said CEO STEPHEN COOPER. “Through our A&R, marketing and promotional efforts, we continue to discover and develop new artists and further the careers of established artists.” “We were very pleased to complete another successful refinancing last month, which will generate cash interest savings of approximately $30 million per year,” added EVP/CFO BRIAN ROBERTS. “We remain strongly committed to delivering solid free cash flow in the quarters to come.”

 

For the quarter, revenue declined 3.3% (or 2.7% in constant currency). Excluding the JULY 1, 2013 acquisition of PARLOPHONE LABEL GROUP, revenue declined 13.9% (or 13.4% in constant currency), "due to a lighter release schedule than in the prior-year quarter," wrote the company. Including PLG, the growth in artist services and expanded rights revenue, digital revenue and Recorded Music licensing revenue was more than offset by declines in Recorded Music physical revenue and Music Publishing mechanical and performance revenue. Constant-currency revenue growth in the U.K., ITALY, FRANCE and other parts of EUROPE, driven in part by the PLG acquisition, was more than offset by declines in the U.S., CANADA, JAPAN and other parts of ASIA. Digital revenue grew 5.0% (or 5.7% in constant currency), and digital revenue represented 45.2% of total revenue, compared to 41.6% in the prior-year quarter. Growth in digital revenue reflects the acquisition of PLG as well as growth in streaming revenue, partially offset by declines in download revenue largely resulting from the release schedule. Excluding PLG, digital revenue declined 5.3% (or 4.7% in constant currency).

 

Adjusted operating margin declined 4.6% to 4.3% from 8.9%. Adjusted OIBDA declined 10.1% to $107 million and Adjusted OIBDA margin contracted 1.2 percentage points to 16.4% from 17.6%. The decline in Adjusted OIBDA and Adjusted OIBDA margin is a result of the release schedule. Excluding PLG, Adjusted OIBDA declined 21.8% to $93 million and Adjusted OIBDA margin declined 1.6 percentage points to 16.0%.

 

Adjusted net loss was $26 million compared to adjusted net income of $7 million in the prior-year quarter.

As of MARCH 31, 2014, the company reported a cash balance of $149 million, total long-term debt of $2.869 billion and net debt (total long-term debt, including the current portion, minus cash) of $2.720 billion. There was no balance outstanding on the revolver as of March 31, 2014.

 

Recorded Music

Recorded Music revenue declined 3.4% (or 2.7% in constant currency). Excluding PLG, revenue declined 16.4% (or 15.8% in constant currency) due to the release schedule. Including PLG, artist services and expanded-rights revenue, digital revenue and licensing revenue all grew, but were more than offset by a decline in physical revenue. Artist services and expanded rights revenue growth was primarily driven by an increase in concert promotion revenue in ITALY and FRANCE. Licensing revenue growth was driven by the acquisition of PLG. Digital revenue growth of 4.2% (or 5.0% in constant currency) was driven by the acquisition of PLG as well as growth in streaming revenue. Digital revenue represented 51.0% of total Recorded Music revenue, compared to 47.3% in the prior-year quarter. Domestic Recorded Music digital revenue was $139 million, or 63.5% of total domestic Recorded Music revenue. Excluding PLG, digital revenue declined 6.9% (or 6.2% in constant currency). Major sellers included BRUNO MARS, JASON DERULO, MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS, KYLIE MINOGUE and PASSENGER.

Recorded Music Adjusted operating margin contracted 5.5% to 2.6% from 8.1% in the prior-year quarter. Recorded Music Adjusted OIBDA was down 16.3% to $72 million while Recorded Music Adjusted OIBDA margin declined 2.0 percentage points to 13.5% from 15.5%. Excluding PLG, Recorded Music Adjusted OIBDA declined 32.6% to $58 million and Recorded Music Adjusted OIBDA margin declined 3.0 percentage points to 12.5% due to the release schedule and an increase in product costs associated with growth in artist services and expanded rights revenue.

Music Publishing

Music Publishing revenue declined 3.9% on both an as-reported and constant-currency basis. Digital revenue grew 9.5%, on both an as-reported and constant-currency basis, due to growth in streaming revenue. Synchronization revenue was flat (or down 3.6% in constant currency), reflecting the timing of deals. Performance revenue was down $1 million, or 2.1% (4.1% in constant currency), driven by the timing of collection society distributions. Mechanical revenue fell 18.5%, on both an as-reported and constant-currency basis, due to the continued transition from physical to digital sales.


Music Publishing operating margin improved 1.2% to 30.3% from 29.1% in the prior-year quarter. Music Publishing OIBDA grew 3.8% to $55 million, while Music Publishing OIBDA margin expanded 3.4 percentage points to 45.1% from 41.7% due to a one-time benefit to royalty costs.

Source: All Access Music Group

Promotional Message : Get your song played on the radio

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*BACKLINE MAGAZINE does not guarantee the validity of this promotional message. As always, use your discretion and seek legal counsel before making any commitment.

Three "Must Attend" 2014 Billboard Music Events for music industry professionals.

Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter Film & TV Music Conference
Fall 2014
Los Angeles, CA

The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard join forces to deliver a cutting-edge, two-day seminar on the role of music in film and television. Now in its 12th year, this Conference offers attendees the unique opportunity to learn from, network and expose their music directly to the best music supervisors, composers, directors, music editors, songwriters and producers in the business. The event also provides a dynamic forum for the exchange of ideas - featuring roundtable discussions, and other networking cocktail parties and sessions.


Billboard Touring Conference & Awards
November 2014
New York, NY

The Billboard Touring Conference features unique programming that informs, educates and provides a forum for promoters, agents, managers, venues, sponsors, marketers, production professionals, merchandisers, digital music executives, ticketing companies and all touring-related businesses about the industry's latest opportunities and current challenges.

Billboard Women in Music Luncheon

December 2014
New York, NY

Invite-only luncheon held in New York City honoring Billboard's Woman of the Year, the Billboard Rising Star and the best and brightest female executives in the music business.

For more information, contact: Conferences@Billboard.com

 

 

BACKLINE MAGAZINE CELERBRATES ITS FIFTH YEAR

This week marks the fifth year of BACKLINE MAGAZINE. To commemorate, we thought we'd dig into our archives and post some pictures of our original guests and hosts when we were on the air at WNWR. Our humble and sincere thanks to all who were there from the beginning when it was nothing more than a concept.


Co-hosts Brother Marcus and Lady Simone (left)
with Producer Carvin Haggins and guest

Actor, Brandon Ruckdashel "Changing the Game" 

Bunjii

Intern, NU NU Brown

Intern Simone Liggons

Cee Knowdlege aka Doodle Bug
Formerly of Diggable Planets

Dennis "LA" White, "Changing the Game"

Media Queen and guest host, Envy McKee

Make-up artist and stylist, Ursula Augustine

Vaughnette Bigford

Jerri Lynne Johnson, Maestra, Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra

Actress Karen Malina White

Media personality Kharisma

Latif

Entertainment Law Advisor, Nikki Johnson Huston

 

Liimu Gill

Sean Riggs "Changing the Game"

Rel Dowdell, Producer/Director
"Changing the Game" and "Train Ride"



Aliha Love, a BACKLINE original 

Santalina

Casting Director, Mike Lemon, CSA

Irish Folk group RUNA

Summer Valentine, "Changing the Game"

BLM Executive Producer, Michael Quintero-Moore
with film and WhoMAG producer Rob Schwartz 

BLM partner, Producer, and co-host
Simone "Lady Simone" Lynch-Smith
(with a new hairstyle)

Looking to license your music? Consider royalty remuneration

While BACKLINE takes care not to endorse anything we haven't tried ourselves, we thought it would worth while for our readers to at least check this company. The company is called "Express in Music" (EIM). They are out of Singapore. 

 Jerry Chen, Business Development Director for EIM, claims that EIM has a portal on www.expressinmusic.com which he invites songwriters to "ingest your music in exchange for monetary remuneration through music royalties". (His words)

Basically, they license your tracks and stream them through commercial retailers and food & beverage outlets. They pay for your music and with the transparent system, you get your music heard worldwide as background ambient in-stores .

Check out their website website out to see how they license and give back royalties for your music: http://www.expressinmusic.com/revenueinfographic.php.

They also claim this is an honest music proposition to pay you music royalties and get you heard in real physical outlets. You don’t need to pay them anything, they just need to get your permission to license the music. Still, we suggest talking with an entertainment lawyer first.

You can Google them and check out their legitimacy. They have won numeous wards in Singapore: http://www.aseanictaward.com/index.php/about-aicta/aicta-2013-finalist and http://www.sitfawards.com/cos/o.x?c=/wbn/pagetree&func=view&rid=1213026.

They only offer this for original and independent music tracks to rightfully license.

 

Sundance Returns To Philly This Weekend With Workshops For Aspiring and Established Film Score Composers

Looking for something free to do this weekend?

Join Sundance Film Forward This weekend in Philadelphia. Featuring free films, Filmmaker Q&A and a special Case Study.

All screenings and programs are free of charge. 

Saturday, April 12
12:00 p.m. The Rocket 
Bryn Mawr Film Institute 824 W Lancaster Ave, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Director Kim Mordaunt will be in attendance for a discussion following the film

4:00 p.m. If You Build It 

PhillyCAM 699 Ranstead Street - Suite 1, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Producer Christine O'Malley will be in attendance for a discussion following the film

Sunday, April 13 1:00 p.m.-5 p.m.

If You Build It Screening and Case Study: The Intersection of Film and Music

What goes into a successful film score? What is the ideal way for directors and composers to interact? What are some of the many roles music can play as part of the film making process? How can music enhance (or ruin) a movie? These and other questions related to the intersection of film and music will be the basis of today's discussion.

Using the documentary If You Build It as a case study, join composer Peter Golub and producer Christine O'Malley in a screening and discussion of the film and its music. O'Malley, (whose films include Wordplay, I.O.U.S.A., These Amazing Shadows) and Golub, Director of the Sundance Film Music Program and composer of many films (including Frozen River, The Great Debaters, Wordplay, The Laramie Project) will show examples from their work together and discuss the role of music in film making. International House Philadelphia 

3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104

1:30 p.m. The Rocket Parkway Central Library 1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA
Director Kim Mordaunt will be in attendance for a discussion following the film



For more information and the full schedule of Film Forward in Pennsylvania, visit our website:

sundance.org/filmforward/destination/pennsylvania-2014

How Has Technology Affected The Music Industry?

 

by Taliferro Music 

 

You would think the music industry would be a simple one. Artists, producers and songwriters practice their craft , find management, seek out record labels/ publishing companies who then promote the artist and the songs via live gigs, TV and radio. Music is such a big part of life and it’s place within advertising, the media and even the common workplace is so substantial that it will always be a precious commodity.

So why do people complain that there is no good new music around anymore and why are record labels and publishing companies disappearing at a rate of knots? – One key aspect of the complex issue as to why the music industry is presently in flux is technology. We live in an age where anyone and his dog can produce a record from their home lap-top and release it to the world via posting mp3′s on social networking sites- you would think that this would be a good thing- encouraging more people to take up music and add healthy competition to the market, however the truth of the matter is entirely the opposite.

Mp3 technology has enabled mass theft and piracy of music in a way that has never been possible in any other point of history. A professional album is no cheap thing to make and most record labels are struggling to re-coup what they spend on creating a record. To top this the people who do buy music buy less albums people are more likely to download one single song they like rather then risking their hard earned money buying an album they might not enjoy.

Record labels are so afraid of losing money that they tighten their spending and only grant funding to artists that are likely to succeed in a commercial way.

Gone are the days of music being an art form and the sound of the music leading the A & R, the best commercial bets are usually pop acts and TV talent show artists and we all know how that story ends.