BY MARC SCHNEIDER

Spotify has finalized a new, multi-year global license agreement with Universal Music Group that, as expected, gives UMG artists access to a “flexible release policy” — namely, the ability to window new albums for paid users only for a two week period.

The agreement, announced today, represents the end of Spotify’s long-standing policy of granting all of its users — both free and premium alike — access to complete albums on their release dates. In making the announcement, Spotify chairman and CEO Daniel Ek said the new partnership was built on a “mutual love of music” between the companies, and part of an initiative to create more value for artists.

“We will be working together to help break new artists and connect new and established artists with a broadening universe of fans in ways that will wow them both,” said Ek in a statement. “We know that not every album by every artist should be released the same way, and we’ve worked hard with UMG to

develop a new, flexible release policy.”Ek said the flexible release policy for UMG begins

immediately, so upcoming albums from the label’s artists could feasibly be affected. UMG artists will be able to choose to keep their albums on premium for two weeks only, before they are released wide, giving paid subscribers a complete picture of the work. Any singles will continue to be available across all tiers, he noted.

Sir Lucian Grainge, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, released the following statement about the pact: “Eight years ago, when streaming was a welcome but small source of revenue, UMG embraced partners like Spotify as a way to help return music to a vibrant future benefiting the entire ecosystem. Working hand in hand with these digital services brought us the industry’s first real growth in nearly two decades.”

He added, “Today, streaming represents the majority of the business. Our challenge is

INSIDE Spotify Signs Long-Term Deal With Universal to Give Artists ‘Flexible’ Releases, Opens Door on Windowing

Verizon To Launch Oath, Will Oversee Yahoo and AOL Acquisitions

Arts & Crafts, Home of Broken Social Scene, Signs U.S. Distribution Deal With Caroline

‘Big Little Lies’ Yields Big Shazam Gains for Michael Kiwanuka, Leon Bridges

Trump Signs Bill Blocking Online Privacy Regulation

Outside Lands Festival Reveals This Year’s Line Up

(continued)

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[In Brief]transforming that upturn into sustainable growth. In a market this dynamic, one evolving more rapidly than ever before, success requires creative and continual re-evaluation of how best to bring artists’ music to fans. At UMG, we’ve not only re-imagined distribution models and technologies, but entire business models. The only constants must be great music and fair compensation for artists and creators. To that end, the long-term success of Spotify, and others like it, is essential to the ecosystem’s enduring health.”

Spotify has not announced any other similar licensing deals with other major labels. The agreements are seen as a crucial step as Spotify tries to clear the path for an IPO in 2018.

Spotify’s position had always been that a wide release to both its ad-supported and paid tiers was the best way to reach fans with new music. Other major streaming services, including Apple Music, Amazon and Tidal, do not encounter the same issue as they don’t offer a “freemium” option. By adopting windowing for big releases, Spotify is adding a major incentive for free users to upgrade — though it could also send listeners elsewhere, like YouTube, which has an ad-supported tier as well, or back to piracy.

This is a developing story.

Verizon To Launch Oath, Will Oversee Yahoo and AOL AcquisitionsBY ASSOCIATED PRESS

AOL’s Tim Armstrong tweeted that Oath will manage more than 20 different brands.

Verizon Communications will create a new company called Oath after it completes its $4.5 billion acquisition of Yahoo and melds the troubled internet company with its AOL operations.

Oath will oversee Yahoo and AOL after the deal is completed. The Yahoo and AOL brands are expected to survive, although Verizon says it won’t provide any details about its plans for Oath until this summer.

Tim Armstrong, AOL’s top executive, posted a tweet Monday indicating Oath will manage more than 20 different brands. His tweet came after Business Insider reported that Oath would combine Yahoo’s search, mail, content and advertising technology businesses with AOL under Verizon’s executive vp Marni Walden.

Verizon is counting on the combination of Yahoo and AOL to help it sell more digital ads, even though the two internet pioneers had trouble on their own.

The news follows a report from Recode earlier in the day that Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer will not be joining the company when it finalizes its sale to Verizon.

European Commission Approves Verizon’s Proposed Buyout of Yahoo, Given Their ‘Moderate Market Positions’

The report also claimed by AOL CEO Tim Armstrong, who Recode reports is in the process of deciding which Yahoo executives to keep on his team. The report also notes that Yahoo CFO Ken Goldman will leave the company after the sale closes.

Additional reporting by Natalie Jarvey of THR.

https://twitter.com/timarmstrongaol/status/848994977715826690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.billboard.com%2Farticles%2Fbusiness%2F7744712%2Fverizon-to-launch-oath-will-oversee-yahoo-and-aol-acquisitions

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Arts & Crafts, Home of Broken Social Scene, Signs U.S. Distribution Deal With CarolineBY MARC SCHNEIDER

Toronto-based independent artist servic-es company, Arts & Crafts, has struck a new partnership with Caroline, Capitol Music Group’s indie-centric label services division. Through the deal, announced today, Caroline will handle U.S. distribu-tion for A&C’s artist roster, beginning with a forthcoming release by its founding artist Broken Social Scene.

It’s not a new pairing, exactly — the companies have worked together before. “We are thrilled to be once again working with the team at Caroline,” said Kieran Roy, A&C’s president and co-owner. “They were integral in the early success of Arts & Crafts, and with an exciting forthcoming release schedule, we believe this new arrangement puts the label and our artists in the best position for success.”

Co-founded in 2003 by former Virgin Records exec Jeffrey Remedios and Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew as a vehicle to release the band’s debut LP, the A&C family has grown to include a label, artist management, events, merchandising and music publishing.

(Universal Music Canada will continue to distribute A&C in Canada.)

Aside from the upcoming, as-yet-untitled album by BSS, the group’s first since 2010, A&C’s 2017 U.S. release schedule includes music from Overcoats, Tom Chaplin, Kid Koala, Dan Mangan, Reuben and the Dark and Cold Specks, among others. A&C is also the Canadian home of artists including Moby, Fucked Up and Japandroids, which earlier this year released the acclaimed Near To The Wild Heart Of Life album. Another member of the roster, Tragically Hip legend Gord

Downie, won three Juno Awards over the weekend for his solo work (and another two with the Hip, which are on Universal Canada).

The label recently announced its annual festival, Field Trip, will return to Toronto on June 3-4.

“We are extremely proud of our renewed partnership with Arts & Crafts,” said Piero Giramonti, gm at Caroline/Harvest Records. “They have consistently been the preeminent independent Canadian label, exhibiting impeccable taste throughout their history, with an unwavering commitment to artistry of the highest order.”

CMG’s Caroline, which prides itself as being “independent to our core,” provides distribution and/or other services to a host of other labels, including ATO Records, Fader Label and Big Loud Records, among many others.

‘Big Little Lies’ Yields Big Shazam Gains for Michael Kiwanuka, Leon BridgesBY JASON LIPSHUTZ

With HBO’s Big Little Lies concluding its season on Sunday night, we now have definitive proof that viewers were paying attention to the show’s soundtrack.

According to Shazam, the 12 most-shazamed songs during the limited series’ seven-episode run were captured over 750,000 times on the app, while the dozen songs have averaged more than 17,000 Shazams per day. Leading the way is “Cold Little Heart” by singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka, which appeared on the Feb. 19 series premiere.

Check out the 12 most-shazamed songs during Big Little Lies’ season:

1. Michael Kiwanuka, “Cold Little Heart”

2. Leon Bridges, “River”3. Alabama Shakes, “This Feeling”4. Martha Wainwright, “Bloody Mother

F**king Asshole”5. Irma Thomas, “Straight From The

Heart”6. PJ Harvey, “The Wind”7. Charles Bradley, “Changes”8. Agnes Obel, “September Song”9. Charles Bradley Feat. Menahan Street

Band, “Victim Of Love”10. Kinny Feat. Diesler, “Queen Of

Boredness”11. Villagers, “Nothing Arrived”12. Ituana, “You Can’t Always Get What

You Want”The daily amount of Shazams for the

above songs, per the company, received a 1,600 percent spike in comparison with the Jan. 1-Feb. 18, 2017, time period. “Cold Little Heart” has been in Shazam’s top 100 chart in the U.S. each week since airing in the first episode.

Leon Bridges’ “River,” which was featured in the Feb. 26 episode, led THR’s Top TV Songs chart — compiled in conjunction with Tunefind and Shazam — for February. Bridges’ debut album Coming Home re-entered the Billboard 200 albums chart at No. 98 following the song’s placement on Big Little Lies.

Trump Signs Bill Blocking Online Privacy RegulationBY ASSOCIATED PRESS

After his press secretary blasted it as an ex-ample of rampant government overreach, President Donald Trump signed a bill into law Monday that could eventually allow internet providers to sell information about their customers’ browsing habits.

The bill scraps a Federal Communications Commission online privacy regulation issued in October to give consumers more control over how companies like Comcast, AT&T and

[In Brief]

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Verizon share that information. Critics have argued that the rule would stifle innovation and pick winners and losers among internet companies.

The regulation was scheduled to take effect later this year, but Congress used its authority under the obscure Congressional Review Act to wipe it from the books.

With a Republican president in the White House, the GOP-controlled Congress has turned to the 20-year-old law to scrap numerous regulations that Republicans say are costly, burdensome or excessive, many of which were finalized in the closing months of Democrat Barack Obama’s presidency.

Internet companies like Google don’t have to ask their users for permission before tracking what sites they visit, a discrepancy that Republicans and industry group have blasted as both unfair to companies and confusing to consumers.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said last week that the president’s support for the bill was part of a larger effort “to fight Washington red tape that stifles American innovation, job creation and economic growth.”

“The president pledged to reverse this type of federal overreach in which bureaucrats in Washington take the interest of one group of companies over the interest of others,” picking the winners and losers, he said.

Supporters of the privacy measure argued that the company that sells an internet connection can see even more about consumers, such as every website they visit and whom they exchange emails with, information that would be particularly useful for advertisers and marketers.

Undoing the regulation leaves people’s online information in a murky area. Experts say federal law still requires broadband providers to protect customer information — but it doesn’t spell out how or what companies must do, which is what the online privacy rule aimed to do.

The absence of clear privacy rules means companies that supply internet service, and who can monitor how consumers use it, can continue to mine that information

for use in their own advertising businesses. Consumer advocates also worry that the companies will be a rich target for hackers.

Ajit Pai, the agency chairman appointed by Trump, has said he wanted to roll back the broadband privacy rules. Pai and other Republicans want a different federal agency, the Federal Trade Commission, to police privacy for both broadband companies like AT&T and internet companies like Google.

Broadband providers don’t fall under the trade commission’s jurisdiction, and advocates say that agency historically has been weaker than the communications commission.

Trump signed three other bills Monday, including one that eliminates a rule that prohibited the use of tactics like baiting and shooting bears from the air on the National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska.

Outside Lands Festival Reveals This Year’s Line UpBY CHRIS DEVILLE

Outside Lands will return to San Francis-co’s Golden Gate Park for a 10th straight year this August, and today the festival has announced its 2017 lineup. Top-lining the poster are Metallica, the Who, Gorillaz, Lorde, and A Tribe Called Quest, and plen-ty of other big names are in store below that. Some of the highlights: alt-J, Queens Of The Stone Age, Fleet Foxes, Belle And Sebastian, Solange, Future Islands, School-boy Q, Little Dragon, Kaytranada, Bleach-ers, Tove Lo, Sleigh Bells, Action Bronson, Thundercat, Warpaint, Dr. Octagon, Real Estate, Hamilton Leithauser, Foxygen, How To Dress Well, Noname, Kamaiyah, S U R V I V E, the Lemon Twigs, Muna, and Porches.

Caught your breath yet? Get tickets here starting this Thursday 4/6 at 10AM PDT, and check out the full lineup below.

Metallica

The WhoGorillazLordeA Tribe Called Questalt-JQueens Of The Stone AgeAbove & BeyondFleet FoxesEmpire Of The SunThe Avett BrothersBelle and SebastianSolangeFuture IslandsScHoolboy QRebelutionYoung The GiantLittle DragonVance JoyKaytranadaBleachersTove LoAction BronsonSleigh BellsLouis The ChildRoyal BloodShovels & RopeThundercatDawesWarpaintDr. OctagonRag’n’Bone ManBomba EstéreoReal EstateJames Vincent McMorrowRACTemplesK.FlayHamilton LeithauserMaggie RogersSofi TukkerFoxygenHow To Dress WellSOHNElectric GuestGoldroomHundred WatersNonameKhruangbinKamaiyahS U R V I V EKali UchisSan FerminJoseph

[In Brief]

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The Japanese HouseMon LaferteLee Fields & The ExpressionsThe Lemon TwigsGrace MitchellPorchesJacob BanksMUNAMondo CozmoJohn MorelandFrenshipSam DewOliver TreeLawrenceThe She’sThis article originally appeared on

Stereogum.

Tupac Biopic ‘All Eyez on Me’ to Close 2017 American Black Film FestivalBY GAIL MITCHELL

All Eyez on Me, the Tupac Shakur biopic directed by Benny Boom, will close the 2017 American Black Film Festival (ABFF) on June 17. Opening theatrically the day before on June 16 — Shakur’s 46th birth-day — the film will be presented at ABFF by Lionsgate, Codeblack Films and Morgan Creek Productions.

Demetrius Shipp Jr. (#unlock’d) stars as the late rapper/poet, joined by a cast that includes Kat Graham (Vampire Diaries), Hill Harper (CSI: NY), Lauren Cohan (Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice), Cory Hardrict (America Sniper), Jamal Woolard (Notorious), Danai Gurira (Black Panther) and Jamie Hector (The Wire). The film’s producers are LT Hutton, Wayne Morris, David Robinson and James G. Robinson.

“Jeff Clanagan, president of Codeblack Films, has been a longtime supporter of

the festival,” said ABFF Ventures CEO Jeff Friday in a statement. “It’s an honor to screen the highly anticipated story of iconic rapper Tupac Shakur and to support its director and ABFF alum Benny Boom.”

For more information about screenings, panels and tickets for the 2017 American Black Film Festival, visit ABFF.com/festival-passes/.

Watch the All Eyez on Me trailer here:https://youtu.be/8s1pxGg61wM

DJ Khaled Lands Creative Director Role & Instagram Series ‘The Bless Up’ With Music Lifestyle Brand WeBuyGold: ExclusiveBY CARL LAMARRE

Throughout his career, DJ Khaled has proven to be a mastermind by nabbing big-time collaborations. On Tuesday (April 4), he bolstered his résumé by teaming up with music lifestyle brand WeBuyGold for his new show The Bless Up.

Set to debut exclusively on WeBuyGold’s Instagram page Tuesday, The Bless Up will follow Khaled as he tries to instill joy and happiness into the lives of several lucky fans. Through various Instagram tools, including the app’s feed, stories, slideshows and live tools, viewers will have the opportunity to watch The Bless Up. To score a visit from Khaled, fans were required to follow @WEBUYGOLD on Instagram and direct message the company a video describing an obstacle they’re currently battling in their lives.

Not only will Khaled be the first artist to have his own show with WeBuyGold, but

he’ll also serve as their creative director. According to a press release, Khaled’s role will entail providing assistance in “developing, producing and appearing in WeBuyGold’s original content while also curating and exposing new music talent.”

“By working with WeBuyGold, we’re going to tell stories in a new way about the biggest and up-and-coming artists across music,” said DJ Khaled. “Our first show, The Bless Up, embodies everything I am about. It’s an opportunity for me to show how grateful I am and share that with my fans by blessing them up.”

Adds Dan Altmann, WeBuyGold co-founder: “Our vision at WeBuyGold is to pioneer new ways to tell stories on social and mobile platforms where we know talent and their fans are spending most of their time. We couldn’t think of a better person to join forces with than DJ Khaled as he shares our passion for storytelling on social media.”

Aside from Khaled’s The Bless Up show, WeBuyGold will unleash three more original shows this month, including MyAtlanta with renowned photographer Cam Kirk, CloseUp with singer/songwriter FLETCHER, and UpNext.

RaeLynn’s ‘Wildhorse’ Trots to Winners Circle on Top Country AlbumsBY JIM ASKER

RaeLynn’s debut LP Wildhorse debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart (dated April 15), earning 20,000 equivalent album units (16,000 in pure sales) in its opening week, ending March 30, according to Nielsen Music.

The set makes an especially notable arrival: it’s the first full-length by a rookie to start at No. 1 since Maren Morris’ first

[In Brief]

Page 8 of 13

major-label LP, Hero (June 9, 2016).Fans first became familiar with RaeLynn

when she reached the quarterfinals on the second season of NBC’s The Voice in 2012, competing on Blake Shelton’s team.

“Love Triangle,” the current single from Wildhorse, rises 29-27 (7.8 million audience impressions, up 9 percent) on Country Airplay and 36-27 on Hot Country Songs.

NEW TOP 10s: On Hot Country Songs, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s “Speak to a Girl” flies 33-6 following its first full week of tracking; it was released March 23. Driving its climb, the duet debuts at No. 2 on Country Digital Song Sales (44,000).

McGraw tallies his 55th Hot Country Songs top 10 and Hill, her 24th. “Speak” is their sixth together. Here’s a recap of the couple’s shared top 10s:

“It’s Your Love,” six weeks at No. 1, 1997“Just to Hear You Say That You Love

Me,” No. 3, 1998“Let’s Make Love,” No. 6, 2000“I Need You,” No. 8, 2007“Meanwhile Back at Mama’s,” No. 7,

2014“Speak to a Girl,” No. 6 (to date), 2017Plus, Dierks Bentley banks his 22nd

Country Airplay top 10 as “Black” bumps 11-9 (25 million, up 11 percent).

Bell Media’s Music Library Now Managed By oleBY KAREN BLISS

Bell Media has signed an exclusive music publishing and administration deal with independent rights management company ole that encompasses the telecom giant’s extensive in-house music library.

With former Universal Music Canada president and CEO Randy Lennox now at the helm of Bell Media, this is another unique step in a series of music-focused moves for the company that has included bringing iHeartRadio to Canada and

partnering with Michael Cohl’s Iconic Entertainment Studios for their first theatre production, Bat Out of Hell: The Musical.

“With our extensive music catalog, this is a great opportunity for us to grow its use internationally and capture new revenue streams,” said Bell’s head of artist and music industry relations Tyson Parker, in a statement.

Parker, who was instrumental in this ole deal, worked with Lennox for many years at Universal as vp, communications and artist relations, and was hired by Lennox in the newly created role when he accepted the Bell position in 2015.

The multi-year ole deal will increase revenue generated from Bell Media’s audio-visual collection of more than 12,000 tracks, including iconic television music such as “The Hockey Theme,” CTV news themes, and compositions from its original programs.

“ole is very pleased to be working with Bell Media and its world-class content production teams,” added ole chairman and CEO Robert Ott. “I look forward to adding value to what this talented team is creating.”

Bell Media is a multimedia corporation with leading assets in television, radio, out-of-home advertising, and digital media. It owns 30 local television stations, led by CTV, Canada’s highest-rated television network; 30 specialty channels; and is the country’s largest radio broadcaster, with 215 music channels including 105 licensed radio stations in 54 markets across the country, all part of the iHeartRadio brand and streaming service.

HBO Latino Sets Premiere Date for Juanes’ Special ‘The Juanes Effect’BY GRISELDA FLORES

Following the release of Juanes’ visual album Mis Planes Son Amarte on May 12, HBO Latino will air a special feature with the Colombian singer/songwriter titled The Juanes Effect: De Canciones Y Trans-formaciones on May 19.

The episode will include interviews with other artists and producers to “explore the meaning of the Juanes effect, and how his passion for music touches everyone around him.”

The Juanes Effect will be followed by an in-studio concert where the Grammy and Latin Grammy-winning artist will perform new tracks from the album.

“We are delighted and immensely proud to have Juanes as part of a growing list of top artists featured in our latest HBO Latino Concert event,” HBO’s SVP of Multicultural & International Marketing Lucinda Martinez said in a statement. “This special will truly resonate with Juanes’ extensive fan base, as it sheds an intimate light on his musical journey.”

The special and concert will air on all HBO platforms including HBO Now and HBO Go.

Mis Planes Son Amarte follows Juanes’ Loco de Amor (2014) and focuses on the story of a Colombian astronaut who travels across time in search of true and eternal love. The album’s first single “Fuego” peaked at No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart earning Juanes’ his 11th No. 1 on the chart.

https://twitter.com/juanes/status/846749298771578884

[In Brief]

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Alan Menken to Receive Songwriters Hall of Fame’s Johnny Mercer AwardBY GREGG KILDAY

Alan Menken will be the 2017 recipient of the Johnny Mercer Award at the Songwrit-ers Hall of Fame’s 48th Annual Induction and Awards Dinner, set to take place June 15 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. Additional special award hono-rees will be announced soon.

The Johnny Mercer Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Songwriters Hall of Fame, goes to a songwriter or songwriting team who has already been inducted in a prior year, and whose body of work is of such high quality and impact that it upholds the gold standard set by the legendary Johnny Mercer.

2017 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees include Babyface, Berry Gordy, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Robert Lamm and James Pankow of Chicago, Max Martin and Jay Z. Caroline Bienstock will receive the Abe Oleman Publishing Award, Pitbull will be the first-ever recipient of the Global Ambassador Award and Ed Sheeran will be honored with the Hal David Starlight Award.

Menken, who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008, is the Oscar-winning composer of the songs and scores for the animated films Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid and Aladdin.

In making the announcement, SHOF president and CEO, Linda Moran, said, “We at the Songwriters Hall of Fame are so proud that our 2017 Johnny Mercer Award recognizes the exceptional talent of Alan Menken. With a Tony Award, eleven Grammys and eight Academy Awards already to Alan’s credit, the Johnny Mercer Award is a fitting acknowledgement from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.”

“Alan Menken is a prolific composer whose music has conquered both Hollywood and Broadway. His success in scoring animated musicals like Beauty And The Beast, The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, filling them with unforgettable songs and then adapting them for the Broadway stage has delighted countless children and adults. Since Alan’s big break-through when he teamed up with the late Howard Ashman, he has continued to create enduring melodies for lyrics by iconic lyricists such as Sir Tim Rice, Stephen Schwartz, David Zippel and Lynn Ahrens,” SHOF co-chairs Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff added in a statement.

Winner of the 2012 Tony for the musical Newsies, Menkin has also won eight Oscars, 11 Grammys and seven Golden Globes. His stage musicals include Beauty and The Beast, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Little Shop of Horrors, Sister Act, A Bronx Tale, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, Atina: Evil Queen of the Galaxy, Real Life Funnies, Kicks, The Dream on Royal Street, A Christmas Carol, Weird Romance, King David and Leap of Faith. Song and score credits for film musicals also include Pocahontas, Enchanted, Tangled, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, The Shaggy Dog, Home on the Range, Mirror Mirror and the new live-action Beauty and the Beast).

His individual songs for film include Rocky V - “The Measure of a Man,” Home Alone 2: Lost in New York – “My Christmas Tree,” Life With Mikey – “Cold Enough to Snow,” Noel – “Winter Light,” Captain America: First Avenger – “Star Spangled Man” and Sausage Party - “The Great Beyond.” Television credits include writing songs for Sesame Street, the ABC mini-series Lincoln, a musical episode of The Neighbors, the ABC series Galavant and the Disney Channel’s Tangled. His chart-topping songs have included “Beauty and the Beast,” “A Whole New World,” “Colors of the Wind” and “Go the Distance.”

This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.

Groove Guild Bows New Web Series ‘Unsupervised’BY GAIL MITCHELL

Boutique music supervision firm Groove Guild is launching a new video series that connects the worlds of music and advertis-ing. Unsupervised is comprised of live ses-sions and insightful interviews spotlighting emerging artists. The first episode of the company’s web-based series, featuring Glassnote singer/songwriter Aurora, pre-mieres today (April 4) on Billboard.

Groove Guild plans to produce two-three additional episodes of genre-diverse Unsupervised a year. The series is filmed inside a New York City building that was previously home to legendary recording studio Skyline (David Bowie, Lou Reed, Steely Dan). The studio is now called Reservoir and shares the building space with Groove Guild. The first as well as future Unsupervised episodes are available to watch on http://www.grooveguild.com. In connecting the worlds of music and advertising, Groove Guild’s ultimate goal is to enrich and inspire.

“Unsupervised is a platform that provides a way for truly gifted artists to be heard and seen by the creative advertising community and for that community to be inspired by these amazingly talented artists,” Groove Guild partner Al Risi tells Billboard. “We all know that advertising can drive culture but music has the natural ability to create and inspire culture. By bringing these two worlds together, our hope is that it will enrich and inspire all though the cultural resonance of music.” Groove Guild’s key placements include Coke, Diet Coke, S’Well and Lincoln Financial.

Aurora’s latest single is “I Went Too Far.” The Norwegian artist is also currently recording her sophomore Glassnote album.

Watch the premiere of Unsupervised below:

https://youtu.be/BNIUD9f4Szk

[In Brief]

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iHeartRadio Programmer and On-Air Talent Geoff ‘Geespin’ Gamere Joins UTABY BILLBOARD STAFF

United Talent Agency (UTA) found its latest key hire at radio giant iHeartMedia. The talent agency announced today that respected music industry veteran Geoff “Geespin” Gamere has joined the firm.

Gamere spent the last 16 years of his career at iHeartMedia as an influential radio programmer and on-air talent. In this newly created position at UTA, Gamere, who will be based out of UTA’s New York offices, will work with the agency in signing new talent, creating touring packages, tour marketing, label and artist relations. He will also develop artist and brand strategies for acts across the UTA’s roster, which includes Guns N’ Roses, Mariah Carey, Daddy Yankee, Jacob Sartorius, Rachel Platten and Jussie Smollett.

Gamere comes to UTA following a successful tenure at New York’s Power 105.1 (WWPR), where he held the positions of assistant program director and music director. Gamere helped bring Power to the top of the ratings, and developed it into one strongest brands in radio.

At Power, he worked with top flight talent, such as Angie Martinez, DJ Clue, and was instrumental in the creation of the nationally syndicated morning show The Breakfast Club with DJ Envy, Angela Yee and breakout hip-hop radio star Charlamagne tha God.

Gamere said, “I am extremely excited to be joining UTA. Finding and developing music talent has always been my passion. I believe that my experience as a major market programmer/DJ along with my artist and label relationships, will fit in perfectly with UTA’s music culture and staff.”

UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer said, “Geoff is a legendary voice in the world of music radio and represents the true entrepreneurial spirit that we embrace at UTA. His decades of industry experience make him a great addition as we continue to create new and innovative opportunities for our clients and grow UTA’s music business.”

Gamere was also responsible for helping produce numerous live music events for Power including the successful Power Live concert series, and the station’s annual Powerhouse. Prior to WWPR, Gamere was employed at his hometown station, JAMN 94.5 (WJMN) in Boston. At JAMN, along with his programming duties, he had his own top-rated nightly show as an on-air personality and DJ. In 2001, Gamere created a two hour weekly show dedicated to breaking new artists and music called The Launch Pad.

Outside of radio, Gamere is respected as a top tier DJ, who has played events nationwide in Boston, New York, Miami, Las Vegas and more.

Gamere’s appointment accompanies a series of new agency hires. UTA recently named Greg Janese to lead the agency’s corporate and special events division, Toni Wallace as head of Music Brand Partnerships, as well as Rob Walker, Mike “Mike G” Guirguis, Bex Majors, and Billy Wood as music agents.

Guild for Music Supervisors in U.K., Europe Launches: ‘The Sync Industry Is Very Unique’BY RICHARD SMIRKE

A non-profit association dedicated to pro-moting the under-the-radar, but increas-ingly important role that music supervisors play within the entertainment industry has launched in London.

The UK & European Guild of Music Supervisors is headed by Iain Cooke, whose credits include Amy, the 2015 feature film documentary about Amy Winehouse, last year’s Oasis: Supersonic and the award-laden British TV serial The Night Manager, starring Tom Hiddlestone and Hugh Laurie.

Although independent from its North American equivalent, the Guild of Music Supervisors, the newly formed organization will work alongside its U.S. counterpart to support established and emerging music supervisors whose job involves overseeing all music related aspects of film, television, advertising or computer game projects. Typically working closely with a director, editor and composer throughout the prep, filming, scoring and mixing process, music supervisors responsibilities also extend to negotiating and securing all legal rights of the music.

“The guild has two primary purposes: one, raising the awareness and understanding of what the role of a music supervisor is. And two, to share ideas, best practice and topical issues which concern the industry at large,” Cooke, who takes up the role of inaugural guild president, tells Billboard.

“Fundamentally, the guild is for anyone or any organization directly or indirectly related to sync. Whether that is managers,

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composers, artists, labels, publishers, sync agents, film and advert directors and producers, we feel that anyone working or involved in the sync community will benefit from being involved,” he continues, eyeing a series of networking, masterclass, mentoring and advisory events for both emerging and established executives working in the industry.

Joining Cooke in the U.K.-based trade body — which officially launches tomorrow night at London’s Metropolis Studios — is Abi Leland, founder and vice president of Leland Music, Duncan Smith, senior music supervisor at Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe and Jacquie Perryman, co-chair, founder of Periscope Music & Media Ltd, who sit among the guild’s senior board members.

Advisory board members number Ian Neil, Sony Music director of film and TV, freelance music supervisor Nick Angel, Air-Edel Associates’ Matt Biffa and HotHouse Music founder Karen Elliott, among others. Their collected credits include feature films Kingsman: The Secret Service, Love Actually, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Wonder Woman and 2016 fantasy movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

For people wanting to join the guild, there are several membership options on offer, with full membership requiring applicants to have at least four years experience as a professional music supervisor.

“The sync industry is a very unique industry,” says Cooke. “People are very collaborative, open and supportive and it is a genuine community. We hope to galvanize that and have a central arena where there can be ongoing dialogue and where people can develop genuine opportunities and relationships. We’ve got an important role to play in helping to develop and raise professional standards and we hope it will leave a crucial and lasting legacy for generations to come.”

Bruce Springsteen’s Original Lyrics, Clothing, Guitars & More On Sale for $7.5MBY COLIN STUTZ

A Bruce Springsteen memorabilia collec-tor’s dream is up for sale at the price of $7.5 million. The “Ultimate Springsteen Collection,” as it’s being billed by dealer Moments in Time, contains more than 300 items ranging from the rock icon’s guitars to lyrics to clothing and more.

According to Moments in Time CEO Gary Zimet, the collection’s seller accumulated the goods over a seven year period of time that began after he first purchased the 1957 Chevy Bel Air Convertible in which Springsteen wrote “Born to Run.” He then began collecting fervently, building his own personal museum and contributing pieces to exhibits at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Some of the items included in this set for sale are Springsteen’s 4F card excusing him from service in the Vietnam War, different drafts of “Born to Run” lyrics and the original flannel shirt Springsteen wore on the cover of his The River album. (The Bel Air is not included in the collection for sale.)

“It’s extraordinary that one person could assemble such a truly unbelievable collection,” said Zimet.

The collection also includes lyrics to “Born in the U.S.A.,” “Rosalie,” “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out,” a lyric notebook from 1968 containing 18 early songs and more. There are as well artifacts of Springsteen’s first band, The Castiles, including an original acetate and early promotional photo. And amongst some of the more personal items previously owned by Springsteen are a temporary drivers license

from 1974, an 8th grade report card (mostly Ds), a passport photo and the leather jacket worn on the Born to Run album cover.

The price for all the items is fixed but Zimet said he would consider selling pieces individually.

Earlier this year, separately, Moments in Time put the cars in which both Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur were fatally shot up for sale priced at $1.5 million each.

Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre Back USC Master’s ‘Mashup’ DegreeBY THOM DUFFY

A groundbreaking school endowed by Jimmy Iovine and Andre “Dr. Dre” Young at the University of Southern California, which welcomed its first undergraduate students in 2014, is taking a leap forward with the creation of a graduate program, powered by state-of-the-art online educa-tion technology.

The USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation has begun accepting rolling applications for its Design@USC masters program with its first classes set for August.

Design@USC will offer a masters of science in integrated design, business and technology, expanding upon the academy’s unique multi-disciplinary undergraduate program.

“The sky’s the limit on both of these programs because we’re not focused on a a specific discipline but rather on what we call ‘new literacies’ and how those can be applied to problem solving in any area,” says Erica Muhl, dean of the Roski School of Art and Design and founding executive director of the Iovine and Young Academy.

Iovine, a longtime music executive now at Apple Music, and Young, the co-founder of Beats By Dre, gave $70 million to USC to

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create the academy in 2013. “I feel like this is the biggest, most exciting and probably the most important thing that I’ve done in my career,” said Young at the time. Iovine added: “The lines between technology and the arts are starting to become blurred—in a great way.” More recently, in an interview with Billboard in October, Iovine reaffirmed that the USC academy means “everything” to him.

Iovine and Young “continue to be supportive of every move upward we make,” says Muhl. “They’re thrilled with the relevance of the academy and how it has been reaching not just our students at USC but also education as a whole by providing, if you will, a unique experiment.”

Design@USC will continue that experiment by allowing graduate students to complete the 38-credit master program in 18 to 24 months through a combination of campus and online classes.

The Iovine and Young Academy has partnered with 2U Inc., an online education company which works with other schools including the University of California Berkeley, Georgetown University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, New York University and Northwestern University.

“They have the state-of-the-art platform in the field and they’ve worked extensively with us to enhance it,” says Muhl, noting that Design@USC, like the academy’s undergraduate curriculum, is highly collaborative. “We have already created unique elements that don’t exist in any other online programs and we’re continuing to fashion those as we move forward.”

At the same time, two on-campus residencies will be important part of Design@USC, a “boot camp” at the start of the program and a second on-the-ground session as research projects evolve.

“The academy’s model is highly collaborative and team based,” notes Muhl. “It works, to a certain extent, on a collision of ideas and what I like to call the over-the-shoulder look of one student to another.”

Design@USC is expected to draw applicants from among recent college

graduates as well as professionals already working in design, tech and business.

Iovine and Young, says Muhl, “are fully behind this, as excited as we are and ready for the future.”

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