Oakland, CA — Things are constantly changing in the music industry and it’s important to stay on top of trends and news updates, especially as an independent artist. We’ve got you covered with a weekly recap of the top stories you need to know.
CHANCE THE RAPPER DOING PUNK’D REBOOT
MTV’s celebrity prank show "Punk’d" will be returning, but this time, it’ll be on mobile streaming service Quibi. Chance the Rapper will be hosting the reboot which is set to be released in April 2020.
TYLER THE CREATOR CONFRONTS INDUSTRY RACISM
Tyler just won his first Grammy in the Best Rap Album category for his project called "IGOR." Following the win, he made it known he dislikes the fact that black artists are always put in urban or rap categories, neglecting the many black artists who are pushing the boundaries between genres.
JUSTIN BIEBER X KEHLANI COLLAB
Justin Bieber just dropped a single called, "Yummy." Quickly following that up, he and Kehlani dropped another record called "Get Me" and announced a tour is on the way! Beiber’s "CHANGES" tour is set to hit the road with Kehlani and Jaden Smith as supporting acts. EXCITING!
GRAMMY CEO GOES AFTER THE RECORDING ACADEMY
Former CEO of the Recording Academy, Deborah Dugan sent an open letter to the organization's executive committee stating that they need to "release her from her arbitration clause and ensure the investigation" into claims of misconduct. She stated that the Recording Academy was a "boys club of self-dealing, voter manipulation and financial corruption." She also stated that she and a recording artist were sexually harassed by members of the RCAA.
SOUNDEXCHANGE RELEASES ANNUAL ARTIST REVENUE NUMBERS
SoundExchange saw annual payments grow from $802.1 million in 2018 to $908.1 million in 2019. SoundExchange is a platform that tracks and monitors payments made to artists and labels for mechanical royalties.