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CMU’s One Liners: Universal Music Publishing, TuneCore, Society Of Ticket Agents And Retailers, more

By Chris Cooke and Andy Malt | Published on Thursday 19 November 2015

Other notable announcements and developments today…

• Universal Music Publishing Group has signed an exclusive worldwide deal to represent and administer the musical works of LA-based TV and movie studio STX Entertainment. STX President Sophie Watts is “thrilled” but UMPG CEO Jody Gerson is only “very pleased”. Make of that what you will. I advise nothing.

• Digital distribution and rights management firm TuneCore has opened an office in Atlanta, which will be headed up by a new VP at the company, Phillana Williams. “Constantly”, said top man Scott Ackerman. “Striving to help artists”, since you asked.

• The Society Of Ticket Agents And Retailers has appointed a new Chairman in the form of Adrian Sanders, the ex-Lib Dem MP who sat on the culture select committee and was a member of the APPG On Ticket Abuse during his eighteen years in Parliament.

• Good news everybody, the in-development social network for music fans Crowdmix has got itself a Dick Wingate. The former major label exec and digital music specialist will lead “strategic collaboration with a broad coalition of music industry stakeholders” in the US. Don’t know what that means, but then I don’t know what Crowdmix is for either.

• Tidal’s Chief Investment Officer Vania Schlogel – aka the only non-artist who spoke during that relaunch fiasco – left the streaming service earlier this year, she has confirmed to the New York Times. She is the latest in a number of key execs to depart from the company.

• Sandi Thom, of crying on video fame, has released a video for new single ‘Earthquake’ in which she doesn’t cry. I don’t think she does, anyway. She’s made it one of those 360° ones, and appears in different guises all over it, so it’s quite hard to check.

• Tom Parker, formerly off of The Wanted, has released his first two solo tracks as a house producer, ‘Undiscovered’ and ‘Finally’. The latter is a cover of the CeCe Peniston track. So, that’s some information.

• Savages will perform one of those live show things at The Dome in Tufnell Park on 3 Dec. Also, look, a new song.

• Queen Kwong will play what I’m told is their first UK tour next month. I could have sworn they’d toured the UK before. Well, let’s not think about it too much. Let’s just listen to new single ‘Bells On’ instead.

• Rick Astley is touring the UK next March and April performing his greatest hits AND songs from his new album. Best of both worlds.