Royalty history...

Since the Pop icon’s sudden death on Thursday, 25th June there have been widespread reports of skyrocketing music sales and radio airplay domination.

Michael Jackson’s death will lead to a phenomenal increase in royalty earnings from his music according to PRS for Music, the organisation which represents the UK’s 60,000 strong song writing community and nearly two million overseas. (more…)

Pulp.

Journeys through the past…

To survive, pop has to constantly reinvent itself. Over the past ten years, however, it has been less concerned with renewing itself than plundering its past. In the early Nineties, as record buyers rushed to update from vinyl to CD, record companies opened up their vaults and sold their back catalogues all over again, reinventing ever more ingenious ways to do so, such as ‘digitally remastered’ special editions of classic albums.

They were helped by the ‘baby boomers’ - the now 50/60-somethings, who are the most powerful economic force amongst record-buyers. With such a ready-made market for repackaged nostalgia, why should the record companies bother investing cash in new acts that, if they’re lucky, might produce just a hit single or two?

Not so long ago artists would be given a few singles, even an album, to prove their worth. Now new bands are lucky if they get past the second single.

In the Seventies, Eighties and Nineties it was largely the role of small independent companies to discover and nurture new talent, which would then be picked up by the major record companies.

The Britpop bands Oasis, Blur and Pulp, all emerged via this route. Major record companies then decided they wanted a part of this lucrative market, so they bought up independent labels such as Creation and Food, hoping they would continue producing hit records while resting under the umbrella of multinational entertainment corporations. They didn’t - and few of the once fertile independent labels of the early Nineties have survived into the new Millennium.

When the music’s over…

The Beatles had The Cavern in which to learn their craft.

It was once said that we measure out our lives in pop singles, but will we still be humming the songs of Pop Idol graduates 20 years from now?

The pop charts may be over 50, but with singles sales at their lowest level for over 25 years there (more…)

Time to Say Goodbye is a brand new double album packed full of forty timeless classics for moments of reflection.
This stunning compilation features some of the most beautiful songs in the world that are recognised as having a special, personal value to many people.  The title of the compilation is taken from the chart-topping single that propelled Andrea Bocelli to global stardom and is just one of the wonderfully sentimental pieces of music included.  Other hugely popular highlights include “Over the Rainbow”, “Hallelujah”, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and Amazing Grace”.
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Special series of events celebrates unique heritage

• 175TH Birthday Concert: Handel’s Messiah
• Series highlights include Birthday Carnival Open Day, Birthday Bhangra Bash, The Destroyers, Paul Robeson Re-Explored, Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius, 175TH Birthday Salsa Ball and a reading of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
• Talks on Town Hall’s architectural, musical and wartime history
• 175TH anniversary webpage www.thsh.co.uk/175th
• TICKETS ON SALE FROM 10AM ON THURSDAY 18 JUNE

1 October - 9th December 2009
Town Hall, Birmingham

Town Hall Birmingham is one of the oldest concert halls in the world. At the centre of British musical life since the day it opened in October 1834, the much-loved venue marks its milestone 175TH anniversary with a special series of events including concerts, talks, dances, films and more. Tickets go on sale on Thursday 18 June for the series, which runs from October to December.

The 175TH anniversary celebrates Town Hall’s unique and continuing heritage with seventeen events from traditional to contemporary, reflecting the wide range of performance the hall has always presented. From Tea Dances to talks, Salsa to Silent Movie, A Christmas Carol to a Carnival Open Day, there’s sure to be something for everyone.

The official Birthday Concert on Saturday 3 October is a performance of Handel’s Messiah, a cornerstone of Town Hall’s programming since the hall opened in 1834. Harry Christophers conducts The Sixteen with a classic line-up of British soloists. Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius - premiered in Town Hall in 1900 - receives two performances by Ex Cathedra and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and acclaimed baritone Willard White is joined by the Town Hall Gospel Choir to mark Paul Robeson’s four appearances at Town Hall.

175 Today! A Carnival Open Day marks the birthday itself (4 October), with a free, fun packed day of music and dance for all the family and a truly carnival atmosphere.

Julian and Cynthia Lennon return to Liverpool to launch White Feather: The Spirit of Lennon Exhibition tells the story of life as the family of the Beatles legend.
Now open at The Beatles Story, Pier Head, Liverpool.
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Julie Fowlis

Some of the country’s finest contemporary musicians are set to perform to an audience of around 2,000 at the first ever Fiddles and Drams event. The two-day musical extravaganza – which celebrates Scottish talent - will take place from Friday 28th to Saturday 29th August at the specially created CO2 (neutral) arena in the grounds of Winton House - a beautiful, historic country estate close to Edinburgh.
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Last month (June), the Government’s Digital Britain report outlined stricter penalties for people accessing ‘pirated’ music online but online music jukebox We7 has found that two in three (64%) consumers are only listening to and sharing music illegally online because they do not know how to do so legally.
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The Summer of ’69 and the making of THE GREATEST Rock and Roll Band in the World

Richard Havers
RRP: £18.99, ISBN: 978 1 84425 815 4
Format: Hardback

40th Anniversary Story of the thirty-three days in the summer of ‘69 during which The Rolling Stones changed forever.
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From July 24 – 26.

Leading violin virtuoso Nigel Kennedy, the best-selling classical violinist of all time, is performing at one of the hottest events in the UK jazz calendar – the Big Sky Jazz Festival in Margate.
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Perhaps best known for his work with the classical-pop cross-over group Sky, John Williams is one of the classical guitar’s foremost exponents, with a distinguished 40-year performing and recording career of quite astonishing variety.
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Harvey Goldsmith & AEG Live Present
TOWER FESTIVAL at the TOWER OF LONDON
10th- 20th September 2009

Celebrating the best in arts, culture and music!
• Sadler’s Wells is Dance
• Lesley Garrett and the Fron Male Voice Choir
• Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Yeoman of the Guard, presented By Carl Rosa Opera
• Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and the Future Stars of Opera
• Kind of Blue at 50, featuring Jimmy Cobb’s So What Band
• Womad presents World Music at the Tower

NOW CONFIRMED:
Nigel Kennedy with the Philharmonia Orchestra presents an evening of Bach and Ellington

International concert promoters and owners of the O2 Arena, AEG Live, have teamed up with legendary operatic and concert impresario Harvey Goldsmith, to launch the 2009 Tower Festival at the Tower of London, celebrating the very best in arts, culture and music.
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Fifty years of hits

The first ever ‘hit parade’ was far removed from today’s mix of cloned teen idols and remixed nostalgia. Number One, in the ‘New Musical Express’ chart of November 8, 1952, was ‘Here in My Heart’ by Al Martino, closely followed by Jo Stafford’s ‘You Belong To Me’.
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WIN! 2 tickets to see10cc

10cc “THE VERY BEST OF”

Released April 20th,
UMTV,
cat no: 5317825

10cc wrote some of the best pop songs ever. They were witty and satiric, they were poignant and affectionate, they had great beats and they told stories that resonated.

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Pastperfect.com, the online destination for fine vintage and antique music, has launched pre-loaded iPods for older music fans, removing the need for the use of a PC and taking the hassle out of creating a digital music library. The pre-loaded 8Gb iPod Nanos feature Pastperfect.com’s entire catalogue of music, comprising over 1000 classic tracks from the 1920s, 30s and 40s and providing £637 worth of music for just £279.97.
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Roy Orbison birthday tribute concert and iTunes release announced

New signed and unsigned artists from around the world celebrate the life and music of ROY ORBISON by recording songs written by the legend. The songs are now available world-wide on iTunes since April 23, which was Roy Orbison’s birthday. To launch the release, several artists performed their Orbison song at a tribute concert and birthday party at central London’s Gibson Guitar Studio on April 23. (more…)

Town Hall and Symphony Hall Birmingham
Friday 15 May - Sunday 17 May 2009

Martha Wainwright

MARTHA WAINWRIGHT - GRAHAM COXON - BETH ORTON - NEIL MACCOLL - VASHTI BUNYAN - JOE BOYD - SETH LAKEMAN - ROBYN HITCHOCK - ZOE RAHMAN - SPIERS & BODEN - RACHEL UNTHANK & THE WINTERSET - CAMILLE O’SULLIVAN - TOM McCONVILLE - JACK STEADMAN - KATE ST JOHN - LEO GREEN - VIJAY KISHORE - MAMA MATRIX
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FROM ‘HOT LEGS’ TO ‘MAGGIE MAY’ ROD ROCKS HIS GREATEST HITS LIVE IN PLYMOUTH THIS SUMMER

Rod Stewart

Legendary rocker, Rod Stewart will perform at Plymouth’s Home Park on Thursday 2nd July 2009 for what is now confirmed as his only UK summer show.
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2 – 19 July 2009
Theatre and Dance Programme
Manchester International Festival is dedicated to commissioning and presenting new work by some of the world’s leading artists and creative minds. The world’s first festival of original, new work and special events, it takes place biennially in Manchester, UK. (more…)

A rush of sales as Mother’s Day approaches has seen the ‘Mamma Mia!’ movie overtake ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ to become the best-selling product of all-time on Amazon.co.uk.
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The New York Dolls’ today confirmed the U.K. release date of Monday May 4th for their highly anticipated fourth studio album ‘Cause I Sez So. The band has reunited with Todd Rundgren, producer of their influential 1973 debut. The new album will be released by Atco Records (U.S. release date is Tuesday May 5th).
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Global superstar, Rod Stewart, has been confirmed as the headline act at an annual fundraising event for sick and disabled children. The generous singer, famed for hits including Maggie May, You Wear It Well and Sailing, has agreed to donate his appearance and perform at the Caudwell Children ‘Butterfly Ball’ in May after learning about the work of the Charity.
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The first, intimate full-length 80 minute documentary on Sid’s life to mark 30 years since his death, when he was just 21 years old from a heroin overdose. Many of those closest to Sid speak for the very first time about the only true punk icon - who burnt out, but never sold out.
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On April 6th The Blockheads, one of the punk and new wave era’s best loved bands, are set to return to the forefront of the British music scene with a brand new studio album “Staring Down The Barrel” via EMI Records, and will also embark on a Nationwide UK Tour.
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