Oakland, CA — Things are constantly changing in the landscape of 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.
Lil Wayne and Blink-182 Linking Up for Tour
Remember back when we were all secretly rockstars? Well the time has come again! Lil Wayne and Blink-182 just announced they're going on tour together!! It’s also been said that Wayne and Blink-182 will perform a mashup of “A Milli” and “What’s My Age Again?” #ItsLit
Haiti Babii Breaking Ground with New Freestyle
Stockton rapper Haiti Babii is the tea of the talk! After performing an interesting freestyle on LA’s Real 92.3 radio show, the whole nation (including celebs like Meek Mill, Chrissy Teigen, Chance The Rapper, etc.) have been talking about the Stockton rapper. Although many are laughing at Haiti’s bars, this was the rapper's strategic plan to gain more exposure.
Independent Artists Estimated to Make Over $1 Billion This Year
Independent artists are killing the music game! It's estimated that last year self-releasing artists generated $643 million worldwide, collected through platforms like TuneCore, CD Baby, Distrokid and Ditto Music. The future is bright for independent artists.
Fyre Fest Founder Writing Book from Prison About the Failed Festival and How He Plans to Give It Another Go
Fyre Fest co-founder Billy McFarland (who is currently serving six years in prison for fraud) says he wants to give it another go with the infamous Fyre Festival. McFarland wants to share his story and is going to do so through the book he’s currently writing in jail.
Artists Signed to Universal Music Group for Over 35 Years Are Fighting to Terminate Copyright Grants
Multiple artists have joined forces in a class-action lawsuit against UMG to re-claim ownership rights of their music. This is based on a condition in the Copyright Act of 1976 that says after 35 years, “authors” can terminate any grant that gives ownership of their work to a third party. This, of course, threatens UMG’s pockets ($$) now and in the future, so obviously UMG is not with it AT ALL. They are making every effort to shut down the motions to ensure they can keep making money from owning all of their older act’s music. Stay tuned to see how it plays out!