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Music Industry News 2024 by Alex Cosper Playlist Research Indie Song of 2024: "Strange World" by La Luz La Luz is an all-female indie rock band based in Seattle. Their 2024 song of the year "Strange World" is a refreshing dose of dreamy and creative modern psychedelia. It comes from their 2024 album News of The Universe, which is full of other A+ tracks in terms of overall artistic quality, songwriting, musicianship and production. It's their fifth album and first on the Seattle label Sub Pop. Prior to this album, they were on indie label Hardly Art, which is owned by Sub Pop. Playlist Research has tracked the band's progress since their first album in 2013. Top Indie Songs of 2024 
Recording Artists Who Died in 2024 • Pop vocalist and TV star David Soul died January 3, 2024 at 80 • Pop singer/songwriter Melanie (Safka) died January 23, 2024 at 76 • Country artist Toby Keith died February 5, 2024 at 62 • Alternative artist Mojo Nixon (Neill McMillan Jr) died February, 7, 2024 at 66 • TV star/singer Steve Lawrence died March 7, 2024 at 88 from Alzheimer's disease • Singer/songwriter Karl Wallinger of World Party died March 10, 2024 at 66 • Pop singer/songwriter Eric Carmen died March 11, 2024 at 74 • R&B singer/pianist Clarence "Frogman" Henry died April 7, 2024 at 87 • Guitarist Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers Band died April 18, 2024 at 80 • Keyboardist for the Moody Blues, Mike Pinder, died April 24, 2024 at 82 • Early rock guitar soloist Duane Eddy died April 30, 2024 at 86 • Producer/engineer Steve Albini died May 7, 2024 at 61 • Iron Butterfly Founder/singer/organist Doug Ingle died May 24, 2024 at 78 • 2 Live Crew rapper/bassist Mark D. Ross aka Brother Marquis died June 3, 2024 at 57 • Oak Ridge Boys tenor vocalist Joe Bonsall died July 9, 2024 at 76 • Singer/songwriter Dave Loggins died July 10, 2024 at 76 • Blues/rock musician John Mayall died July 22, 2024 at 90 • Singer Maurice Williams died August 5, 2024 at 86 • Great White singer Jack Russell died August 7, 2024 at 63 • Singer/guitarist/radio personality Greg Kihn died August 13, 2024 at 75 • Brasil 66 musician Sergio Mendes died September 5, 2024 at 83 • Frankie Beverly, singer of Maze, died September 10, 2024 at 77 • Tommy Cash, singer and brother of Johnny Cash, died September 13, 2024 at 84 • Tito Jackson, founding member of the Jackson 5, died September 15, 2024 at 70 • Singer/songwriter JD Souther died September 17, 2024 at 78 • Nick Gravenites, guitarist for Janis Joplin, died September 18, 2024 at 85 • Kathryn Crosby, singer and wife of Bing Crosby, died September 20, 2024 at 90 • Singer/songwriter Kris Kristofferson died September 28, 2024 at 88 • Cissy Houston, singer and mother of Whitney Houston, died October 7, 2024 at 91 • Liam Payne, singer/songwriter for One Direction, died from fall October 16, 2024 at 31 • Mitzi Gaynor, actress and singer, died October 17, 2024 at 93 • Paul D'Anno, singer for Iron Maiden, died October 21, 2024 at 66 • Jack Jones, singer of "Love Boat" theme, died October 23, 2024 at 86 • Linda LaFlamme, singer for It's A Beautiful Day, died October 23, 2024 at 85 • Phil Lesh, founding member and bassist for the Grateful Dead, died October 25, 2024 at 84 • Quincy Jones, musician and producer of Michael Jackson's Thriller album, died November 3, 2024 at 91 • Andy Leek, singer of Dexy's Midnight Runners, died November 3, 2024 at 66 • Angela Alvarez, singer, died December 6, 2024 at 97 • Alfa Anderson, singer of Chic, died December 17, 2024 at 78 • Mike Brewer, singer from duo Brewer & Shipley, died December 17, 2024 at 80 • Record producer Richard Perry, died December 24, 2024 at 82 Sony Music Chairman Rob Stringer Discusses Threats to Art Sony Music Chairman Rob Stringer told Bloomberg Live on October 10, 2024 he sees the next threat to the music industry as "the disruption from the next chapter of tech causes something that happens that doesn't to my mind benefit the art." Although the label has enjoy five years of consecutive streaming growth and ten years of consecutive overall company growth, he emphasized the need to face technological challenges in the near term. "We are at a crossroads at the moment, we have AI," Stringer explained. "We're not a new company. We've been around awhile, so we've weathered plenty of storms in the past." Bot Hoax on Spotify Leads to Federal Charges Spotify's payout system has come into question with the arrest of North Carolina resident Michael Smith, 52, for allegedly rigging the music streaming giant's system. Smith faces a federal indictment for fraudulently extracting over $10 million in royalty payments from Spotify. From 2017 through 2024 he is accused of using an army of bots to stream his many AI-generated songs billions of times. The Justice Department says he faces three charges with each one carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Those charges involve wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud and conspiracy to launder money. SESAC Songs Disappear on YouTube SESAC, the performance rights organization that collects royalties for many songwriters and publishers as an alternative to its two main rivals ASCAP and BMI, has been blocking songs on YouTube due to a contractual dispute. The Nashville-based private organization stands for Society of European Stage Authors and Composers and is owned by The Blackstone Group. It was founded in 1930. Negotiation issues led to videos being blocked starting in September 2024. The organization represents over 1.5 million songs and has over 15,000 members. Some of the major artists who use the SESAC platform include Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Green Day, Adele, Ariana Grande and Kendrick Lamar. Officials for the organization have stated they were unable to reach an "equitable agreement" before the contractual deadline. SESAC, however, is working to "reach a new deal as soon as possible." Rappers Call Downfall of the Music Industry Several notable artists of the rap community appear in a YouTube video called "Celebrities are Going Broke ... The Downfall of the Music Industry." They explain how half of the stars in the music world are financially struggling and simply put on a facade they are rich. Major label artists these days, they claim, typically only get money with a cash advance when they are signed. It's simply a loan, however, and most artists are unable to pay it back. Why Bands Have Disappeared from the Charts in the 2020s Music teacher and analyst Rick Beato explains in a video released September 13, 2024 why bands have been disappearing from the pop charts this decade. He cites music research how bands used to dominate the charts in the eighties and nineties. But this century has seen a rise in solo artists as well as producer/songwriters who service them. It's part of cost-cutting as well as keeping the recording process simple. US Music Publishing Revenue Up 10.7% The National Music Publishers' Association released wholesale data on June 12, 2024 that showed U.S. publishing revenue for 2023 rose 10.74% to $6.21 billion. But this percentage jump was much lower than the previous year, which saw an increase of 19.25%. The noticeable spike for 2022 coincided with the reopening of music venues following the pandemic. Copyright owners benefited from an increase in the mechanical royalty rate paid to publishers, as determined by the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB). Meanwhile, the Recording Association of America (RIAA) has reported that music wholesale revenues hit $11 billion in 2023, which was 7% higher than 2022. Recording revenues generally far outpace publishing revenues, although publishing revenues have increased compared with last decade. Publishing revenues in 2013, for example, were $2.2 billion and have nearly tripled since then. Dramarama Singer Explains How Airplay on One Station Led to a Big Hit Dramarama singer John Easdale gave an exclusive interview to Playlist Research on May 14, 2024 about his career and how their song "Anything Anything" became a classic from KROQ airplay in the eighties. Some reports suggest it's been the most requested song in the station's history and still gets played in 2024. Easdale talks about the band's beginnings with a record store in New Jersey then an indie label deal. After KROQ jock Rodney Bingenheimer bought a copy in Los Angeles, he started playing it on his specialty show and the following grew from there. Easdale says the band is still active. A Century of Radio Interviews: Bill Gamble on Station Experiences "A Century of Radio Interviews" podcast guest on May 8, 2024 is radio consultant Bill Gamble. He is currently General Manager of Mid-West Broadcasting in South Bend, Indiana. Bill talks about his deep broadcasting career going back to the 1970s. After starting as a radio personality at a station in a small town outside Grand Rapids, Michigan, he advanced to larger markets. Programming Alternative station Q101 in Chicago was a major career milestone during the nineties. Other markets where he's consulted or programmed radio include St. Louis, Philadelphia, Tampa, Minneapolis, Milwaukee and more. Sam Ash Announces Closing All Stores Family-owned Sam Ash, one of the leading musical instrument stores in America, announced May 2, 2024 that it would be closing all of its 44 stores across 16 states due to financial difficulties. The store originally was based in Brooklyn, New York and was launched by Sam Ashkinase (1897-1956) in 1924. The store attracted both musicians and DJs seeking musical instruments, recording gear, sound systems and DJ lighting equipment. The store rose into national prominence in the 1960s when it began selling electric guitars to fuel interest in Beatlemania. Christopher Minister Discusses His Career in Music and Radio Christopher Minister, who goes by "The Minister" on WRAP in Monmouth Ocean, New Jersey, told Playlist Research in an April 2024 interview he is managing independent artist Devon Thompson, who was recently endorsed by guitar manufacturer Gibson. The discussion covers his long career that has spanned over three decades, working for radio stations, record labels and pursuing artist management. He talks about managing Daniel Ash of Love and Rockets, promoting the band Tool for the Zoo Entertainment label and his days in alternative radio. He worked for Phoenix station KEDJ and Salt Lake City station KJQN in the 1990s. 2024 R&R Hall of Fame Inductees Announced The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced its 2024 inductees on April 21, 2024. Those inductees who made the final cut were: Mary J. Blige, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Kool & The Gand, Ozzy Osbourne and A Tribe Called Quest. Other awards will be given to Alexis Korner, John Mayall, Big Mama Thornton, Jimmy Buffett, MC5, Dionne Warwick, Norman Whitfield and Suzanne de Passe. The awards ceremony is scheduled for October 19, 2024 in Cleveland. The event will be streamed live on Disney+, along with a prime-time special on ABC. Interview with Ex-Warner VP Howie Klein on Career from 1960s-Present Howie Klein, who served as Warner Bros. Records VP and Reprise Records President in the nineties, gave an exclusive interview to Playlist Research recorded April 13, 2024. The online video conference showed Klein in his Los Angeles home. He talked about the evolution of his music, radio and writing career from the sixties through the present. Through his journey, he played important roles in the development of hippy music, punk, new wave and alternative rock. One of his most successful acts has been Green Day, who sold well over 10 million units in the nineties. Radio Consultant Lee Arnold Explains Durability of Classic Rock Even though the percentage of population that regularly listens to AM or FM radio has been steadily shrinking the past few decades, classic rock still commands large audiences. Rock radio consultant Lee Arnold explains why the format has lasted so long. Arnold has programmed winning rock stations in Boston, Detroit, Tampa, Milwaukee, Orlando and more. Recent Music Trends for Musicians to Analyze Music instructor and advanced musician Rick Beato explains some of the trends that have impacted the Billboard charts in recent years. He looks at data reflecting the decline of hip hop and the increase of rock and country entries since the pandemic. 2024 Grammys Show Sees Audience Uptick from Last Year The 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards Show was broadcast on CBS and held at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 4, 2024. The event was hosted by Trevor Noah, who has done the job on three earlier occasions. While SZA enjoyed the most nominations with 9, the top award winner of the night was Phoebe Bridgers, who took home 4 awards. Not including streaming data from Paramount+, the broadcast was seen by over 17 million viewers, according to Nielsen. The 2023 event, by comparison, drew an audience of 12.5 million viewers. Below are some of the key awards given out. RECORD OF THE YEAR: Miley Cyrus, Kid Harpoon, Michael Pollack - "Flowers" ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, Serban Ghenea - Midnights SONG OF THE YEAR: Billie Eillish, FINNEAS - "What Was I Made For?" BEST NEW ARTIST: Victoria Monet BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE: Miley Cyrus - "Flowers" BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM: Taylor Swift - Midnights BEST ROCK ALBUM: Paramore - This Is Why BEST ROCK SONG: Boygenius - "Not Strong Enough" BEST R&B ALBUM: Victoria Monet - Jaguar II BEST R&B SONG: Songwriters SZA, Leon Thomas III, Babyface - "Snooze" BEST RAP ALBUM: Killer Mike - Michael BEST RAP SONG: Songwriters Future, Andre 3000, James Blake - "Scientists & Engineers" BEST COUNTRY ALBUM - Lainey Wilson - Bell Bottom Country BEST COUNTRY SONG - Chris Stapleton, Dan Wilson - "White Horse" BEST JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM - Nicole Zuraitis - How Love Begins BEST JAZZ INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM - Billy Childs - The Winds of Change Indie Music Show Ari's Take Interviews AI Music Engineer Ari Herstand's popular indie music business podcast Ari's Take on YouTube posted an interview on January 16, 2024 with a software engineer who is marketing AI-generated "wellness music." The video lives up to its title, raising the question, "Is AI Taking Royalties from Musicians and Composers?" The AI recording artist interviewed is Oleg Stavitsky, co-founder of sound wellness firm Endel. He defends his work as high-quality sound, although he admits his firm has uploaded thousands of tracks over a few years, which is something humans typically aren't capable of producing. Rick Beato Explains the Downfall of Rock Music Music expert Rick Beato, one of the most popular music coaches on YouTube, released a video January 9, 2024 called "How Corruption and Greed Led to the Downfall of Rock Music." He and his music industry friend Jim Barber explain how the Telecom Act of 1996 triggered a destructive wave to both the radio and music industries. It reduced regional influences to broadcasting and put programming power in the hands of the few. It's an insightful conversation that identifies how corporate decision-making altered the course of rock music. Audacy Files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Radio group Audacy has seen its stock price steadily fall into the pennies in recent years, even after the stock went through a recent reverse split. On January 3, 2024, the Wall Street Journal reported the company would soon announce a bankruptcy filing. Several media outlets then reported on January 8 that Audacy was filing for bankruptcy protection to lower its $1.9 billion debt. The company was once worth billions when it borrowed money to acquire CBS Radio in 2017, but at the start of the new year it has a market capitalization of under $1 million. Audacy, according to the report, is expected to file for Chapter 11 restructuring with the help of lenders. Formerly known as Entercom, the company was originally founded by Joseph Field in 1968. Two Female Stars Abandon Music Industry Female recording artists Britney Spears and Iggy Azalea both announced the first week of 2024 they were leaving the music industry. Spears posted on Instagram she'll "never return to the music industry," as she has not recorded a new album since 2016. "When I write," her post explained, "I write for fun or I write for other people." She went on to claim she's written over 20 songs for other artists the past few years and prefers ghostwriting. Meanwhile, the same week Iggy Azalea announced she has discontinued work on her next album so she can focus on other creative interests. See 2023 Music News |
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