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Beastie Boys Awarded $1.7 Million
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Industry News, Hip-Hop & Rap, Rock,
Beastie Boys have been awarded $1.7 million in a copyright lawsuit.
The surviving members of the hip-hop group - Michael "Mike D" Diamond and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz - have been handed the payout after winning their legal case against Monster Beverage Corporation, which they sued for the unauthorized use of their music in a video advert.
The commercial featured five of the "Fight For Your Right" hitmakers' songs in a "Beastie Boys Megamix" and a message which read, "RIP MCA" to promote a show in 2012.
The groups' final member Adam "MCA" Yauch, who passed away in the same year after a three-year battle with salivary gland cancer, stated in his will that his likeness or art - which includes the music he made with Beastie Boys - was not to be used in any promotional material. "In no event may my image or name or any music or artistic property created by me be used for advertising purposes," the document read.
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Lady Gaga to Call in Bieber’s Manager
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gossip, Industry News, Rumors, Pop, Sales,
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Lady Gaga wants Justin Bieber's manager to help save her career.
The "Do What U Want" hitmaker is considering getting help from Scooter Braun, who helped Justin to become a global superstar, after being left disappointed by the sales of her last album Artpop, while her latest track "G.U.Y." didn't even made the American Top 40.
"If anyone can help Gaga now it's Scooter. He's one of the smartest blokes in the music industry and made Bieber into the biggest pop star on the planet. There are a few options for her but Scooter is one of them," a source said.
The 28-year-old singer parted ways with her former manager Troy Carter last year citing "creative differences" and she hired Bobby Campbell, who used to work for her original team.
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Dr. Dre has secured a deal to sell his Beats Music business to Apple for $3 billion, making him the richest artist in hip-hop.
The co-founder, who launched the headphones and streaming service with friend Jimmy Lovine, will leave Interscope, which he founded, to work with Apple alongside his business partner.
"I've always known in my heart that Beats belonged with Apple. The idea when we started the company was inspired by Apple's unmatched ability to marry culture and technology. Apple's deep commitment to music fans, artists, songwriters and the music industry is something special," Dre said, according to NME.com.
Dre could be set to become hip-hop's first billionaire after Apple announced they will buy the business for $2.6 billion, as well as spending $400 million "that will vest over time." Talking about the deal, which has been rumored for weeks, Apple's CEO Tim Cook said, "Music is such an important part of all of our lives and holds a special place within our hearts at Apple. That's why we have kept investing in music and are bringing together these extraordinary teams so we can continue to create the most innovative music products and services in the world."
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Michael Jackson Hologram to Tour the World?
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Concerts / Tours, Gossip, Industry News, Performances, Rumors, Pop, New Releases,
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Michael Jackson is set to tour the world again - as a hologram.
The late King of Pop, who was resurrected onstage at the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday night thanks to advanced technology, could wow fans across the globe again five years after his death.
The producers behind the special effects extravaganza want to take their show on the road for a two-year tour and are predicted to make half a billion dollars. "It's only a matter of time before a hologram like this goes on tour. Public appetite for Michael Jackson's music has never been greater and this is a unique way of experiencing his magic," a source said.
The hologram performance at the Billboard Music Awards follows the success of a new posthumous Michael Jackson album, Xscape, which recently topped the charts in the UK. "It's so important to experience Michael Jackson in a live setting. We wanted a live performance in front of a live audience," added John Branca, the executor of the singer's estate.
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Led Zeppelin are being sued for plagiarism over their hit "Stairway to Heaven."
The band have been served legal papers on behalf of late song-writer and guitarist Randy California from the band Spirit, who claimed for years the track's opening notes were lifted from their track "Taurus." Attorney Francis Alexander Malofiy, who is representing a trust for Randy, told Bloomberg Businessweek, "It's been a long time coming. The idea behind this is to make sure that Randy California is given a writing credit on 'Stairway to Heaven.'"
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Rihanna Leaves Def Jam for Roc Nation
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Industry News, Hip-Hop & Rap, Pop,
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Rihanna is preparing to release her next album with Roc Nation after leaving Def Jam.
The "Diamonds" singer, who was already being managed by Jay Z's record label, has now inked a deal and her profile on Roc Nation's website has been updated, which lists her as one of their big name acts.
Rihanna first signed her record deal with Def Jam in 2005, when she was just 17, and claims then-label-president Jay Z wouldn't let her out of his office until she put pen to paper. Since then, she has released all seven of her chart conquering albums with the label, including 2011's Unapologetic, despite Jay Z leaving his role to start up Roc Nation in 2009.
Rihanna had already parted ways with her former manager Marc Jordan and signed with Jay's Roc Nation management team in 2010 but it now appears she is also signed to the label.
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Pink Wins Debut Album Royalties Court Case
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Industry News, Pop, R&B / Soul,
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Pink's court case against Specialists Entertainment production company has been dismissed.
The singer's record label Sony Music will get to keep the $36,213.31 they were accused of withholding in royalties to two producers, who claimed they were owed the cash for working on two tracks, "Hiccup" and "Can't Take Me Home," from the star's 2000 debut album of the same name.
According to RadarOnline.com, a New York appeal court sided with Pink - real name Alecia Moore - and her label on March 4 and have dismissed the case. The site reports that the legal documents explained that "granted plaintiff's cross motion to amend its complaint to add a lain for breach of contract as a third-party beneficiary as against defendant Sony Music Holdings, Inc., unanimously reversed, on the law, without costs, the cross motion denied, and the complaint dismissed. The agreement, requesting and authorizing Sony to deduct a portion of royalties payable to Moore and to pay them directly to plaintiff, by its express terms, negates any intent to permit enforcement by third-parties."
It was ruled the producers cannot claim money from Sony because the agreement was with Pink.
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50 Cent Signs with Indie Label
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Industry News, Upcoming Releases, Hip-Hop & Rap,
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50 Cent will release his next album on an indie label.
The "Candy Shop" hitmaker has severed ties with Eminem's Interscope imprint, Shady Records, after 12 years and will now be working with Caroline, a music distributor owned by Universal, starting with his album Animal Ambition, which is due out on June 3.
"I recorded so many album quality songs that I'm going to put the Animal project out as my viral marketing plan and then [Street King] will come out after. [Animal Ambition] is about prosperity ... ambition and prosperity," the star said in a statement.
The 38-year-old rapper has sold millions of albums for Interscope, including 15-million copies of his debut record, but the star's relationship with the label has been difficult since 2009's Before I Self Destruct, which failed to conquer the charts.
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The Smiths Never Wanted Factory Records Deal
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gossip, Industry News, Rumors, Rock,
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Johnny Marr insists that The Smiths would have only signed to Factory Records over his "dead body."
The guitarist claims rumors they were refused a deal by Tony Wilson's famous label in the 1980s were a "crock of sh*t" and the band preferred being signed to London's Rough Trade.
"If you were a musician in Manchester at that time, it was almost the law that you went on your hands and knees and begged Tony Wilson for his papal blessing to stick you in the studio, and I wasn't about to do that. So much has been made of Factory apparently turning The Smiths down, but that's a crock of sh*t. The Smiths would have signed to Factory over my dead body ... I didn't want to be assimilated into the Factory aesthetic. Before we knew it, we would've had side-partings and khaki shorts, with bongos round our necks ... No disrespect to A Certain Ratio," he told NME.
The musician also said The Smiths - including Morrissey, Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce - looked like a band "all the f***ing time" and their jeans were specially manufactured by their manager, Joe Moss.
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Beyonce Sacks Her General Manager
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Gossip, Industry News, Rumors, Hip-Hop & Rap, Pop, R&B / Soul,
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Beyonce has sacked her manager and become her own boss.
The "Drunk In Love" hitmaker and Jay Z are now in total control of her career after ditching Live Nation executive Faisal Durrani, although her husband doesn't hold an official professional position.
"Jay has been heavily involved in Beyonce's career for years, and was instrumental in organizing the Mrs. Carter Show World Tour. But he isn't officially regarded as her manager - she really is independent," a source said.
The change in focus is to make sure her career is handled with her family in mind, and with the couple reportedly keen to give their two-year-old daughter Blue Ivy a sibling in the future. "Now the couple have Blue, she wants to make sure her family come first at all times, especially as there's talk of them adding to the brood. The best way to do that is to make sure all managerial decisions are made by her and her husband - together," the insider added.
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