Myke Towers, Camilo Win Big at ASCAP Latin Music Awards, Sony Discos Wins Publisher of the Year

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorRay Parker Jr., the R&B star and singer-songwriter best known for the theme from “Ghostbusters,” gets the documentary treatment in “Who You Gonna Call?,” from Sony Pictures Entertainment, which premieres on June 7 — watch the trailer below.As the documentary shows, there’s much more to Parker’s career than that theme song: He had many R&B hits under his own name and as leader of the group Raydio, and in his mid-teens became an in-demand session guitarist, particularly with Motown acts, like Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, the Temptations and especially Stevie Wonder, even touring with his band when they were the opening act on the Rolling Stones’ legendary 1972 U.S. tour. He later worked with Herbie Hancock, Barry White, Boz Scaggs and many others.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorPeacock’s Emmy-nominated comedy “Girls5eva” will have an exhibition at the Grammy Museum at LA Live in Los Angeles titled “Famous 5eva, Because 4ever’s 2 Short: A Girls5eva Retrospective” in June. Tickets are available for purchase now via the Grammy Museum.The series, based on a fictional one-hit-wonder girl group from the ‘90s that was churned through the pop music machine and reunites to give their dreams one more shot, will be the subject of the retrospective exhibit from June 9-27, 2022.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorFormer President Donald Trump has a long history of using music at his rallies against the wishes of the artists, and that continued with his speech at controversial National Rifle Association rally in Houston last weekend, which took place just three days and less than 300 miles from the site of the horrific school shooting in Uvalde, where 19 children and two adults were murdered, evoking yet more “thoughts and prayers” and nothing else from the Republican party.Trump capped his speech with Sam and Dave’s 1966 hit “Hold On, I’m Coming,” written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter, which took on an even more tasteless meaning when one considers the phone calls from children in the school while police waited outside for more than half an hour before entering. A rep for Hayes’ estate said in a statement to Variety, “The estate and family of Isaac Hayes DID NOT approve and would NEVER approve the use of “Hold on I’m coming’” by Sam and Dave by Donald Trump at this weekend’s National Rifle Association  convention.Our condolences go out to the victims and families of #Uvalde and mass shooting victims everywhere.”Porter tweeted, “Hell to the NO! I did not and would NOT approve” of Trump using the song “for any of his purposes! I also know Isaac’s estate wouldn’t approve as well!”Someone shared with me Donald Trump used the song “Hold On I’m Coming” for a speaking appearance of his.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAlan White, longtime drummer of progressive-rock titans Yes who also played with John Lennon and George Harrison, has died after a short illness, the band reported on social media. No further details were immediately announced; he was 72.While best known for his decades-long stint with Yes, White began working with the former Beatles at an early age, appearing with Lennon at his famous “Live Peace in Toronto” concert in 1969 (in a backing band that also included Eric Clapton, Klaus Voorman and Yoko Ono) as well as several of Lennon’s albums and singles at the time, most notably the 1970 song “Instant Karma!,” where his whipcrack drumming is front and center.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorSinger-songwriter and rabble-rouser M.I.A has signed with Island Records and returns with a brand-new track titled ‘The One.’ Produced by Rex Kudo & T-Minus. The track comes with confirmation that a new album titled ‘MATA’ is on the way.Listen to ‘The One’ below.  Undoubtedly, one of the most important and potent multi-medium artists of this millennium, M.I.A’s career spans 5 studio albums, international performances, multiple sold-out world tours, GRAMMY® and Academy Award recognition, while continuously pushing the boundaries of digital and ideological possibilities. M.I.Ahas never lost touch with her indelible punk spirit that inspired her glitching directorial debut; Elastica’s Mad Dog music video, to her self-directed tour visuals, graphics and NFT’s that continue to bend minds to this day.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorUniversal Music Enterprises (UMe), the catalog division of Universal Music Group, has promoted Sujata Murthy to executive vice president of media & artist relations, effective immediately.In her role, Ms. Murthy will continue to be responsible for the label’s media department and oversee press strategy and campaigns, as well as work closely with artists, managers and estates across UMG’s roster.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorJustin Timberlake, one of the most successful pop singers of the past 20 years, has sold a song catalog to Hipgnosis Song Management, the company has announced.Hipgnosis has acquired 100% of all of Justin Timberlake’s copyright, ownership and financial interests of the writer and publisher’s share of public performance income, and the catalog of musical compositions written by Justin Timberlake, according to the announcement. Also included in the sale to Hipgnosis are the worldwide administration rights to the compositions, subject to the remaining term of Universal Music’s administration rights, which expire in 2025.

Karol G visited a pediatric hospital in Bogotá, Colombia, to bring joy and music to cancer patients receiving treatment. The Latin Grammy Award winner talked and sang to the kids while they smiled and danced.“If I can make someone happy with my presence, I will also be thrilled,” Karol G said.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorFor everything that music and entertainment do to better people’s lives, it’s all put into a sobering context when you hear someone speak about their work at a cancer treatment center. And the music industry’s work with City of Hope cancer treatment and research center in Los Angeles is one of its greatest charitable efforts.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorSinger Elissa, soprano Hiba Tawaji, composer Oussama Rahbani, trumpetist Ibrahim Maalouf and more than 50 musicians performed at the “Night of Hope” at Lebanon’s Forum de Beirut on Sunday night in the largest concert to be held in the country’s capital since the devastating explosion in August of 2020 that killed more than 200 people, left an estimated 300,000 homeless and caused more than $15 billion in damage. The Forum de Beirut was also destroyed by the blast, but has been rebuilt.The concert paid tribute to the families of the explosion’s victims in a brief video, and patriotic songs were performed as part of a broader call to unite the country, which has seen its economy devasted in recent years.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorFormer Lady Gaga manager and Spotify exec Troy Carter and fellow Q&A co-founder Suzy Ryoo have announced the Venice Music Collective, an independent membership music community for creators powered by Web3. Launching this month, the collective is a place “where members are given access, opportunities and the ability to achieve greater wealth as an independent,” according to the announcement, which adds that “The goal is to empower and support independent artists and their careers in a more equitable way that currently exists.”Membership provides access to industry contacts: distribution, sync, analytics, financial services, events, workspaces, and more, according to the announcement.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe relationship between artist and label is often perceived as being between art and commerce, but it’s rarely that simple — and that ongoing push-pull has broken into the open with Halsey’s recent social media posts about her label apparently declining to release a new song until there was a viral TikTok “moment” to help promote it.No question: It’s crass when an artist’s creation is reduced to being marketed like a soft drink. On the other hand, the label’s job is to promote the music in the most effective and creative way they can — and in subsequent posts and replies, Halsey wrote, “I value the expertise and work of all the amazing people at my label.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAs expected, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will return to the road in early 2023, launching a series of to-be-announced U.S. arena dates in February, followed by European stadium shows kicking off on April 28 in Barcelona, with a second North American tour leg starting in August.Said Springsteen: “After six years, I’m looking forward to seeing our great and loyal fans next year.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorSubsidiaries of Live Nation, the world’s largest live-entertainment company, received some $19 million in “Save Our Stages” funding from the Small Business Administration, even though the act was intended to benefit small venues and not multinational corporations, according to an extensive report published by the Washington Post.While Live Nation does not wholly own those businesses, sources told the Post that the company urged Democrats and Republicans in Congress to let it be directly eligible for the $15 billion emergency relief program, even though it is a publicly traded company that hardly qualifies as an independent venue. Ultimately, the law was written to exclude public companies, as well as firms they own or control, however, subsidiaries “in which Live Nation has a substantial, though not majority, ownership stake” received nearly $19 million, according to the Post’s review of Securities and Exchange Commission filings, state corporate documents and SBA data, as well as interviews with executives at companies that received grants.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorGunna was denied bond at a Monday hearing in Atlanta after prosecutors successfully argued he was in a “command position” in the alleged Young Slime Life gang, according to Fox 5 in Atlanta and Rolling Stone. The judge explained the ruling by expressing concern that Gunna’s (real name Sergio Kitchens) release might endanger witnesses.Also in court on Monday, the judge delayed a ruling on bond for Young Thug (real name Jeffrey Williams).

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorLive Nation has announced ”Live Nation Next Gen”, a new career development program focused on helping young people, primarily from Black and Latinx communities, prepare for careers in the live music business. Live Nation Next Gen has partnered with SoLa Impact’s I Can Foundation at SoLa’s new, state-of-the art Technology and Entrepreneurship Center in the heart of South Los Angeles, where the organization is providing free education to train and inspire future leaders.According to the announcement, The inaugural program features an intensive 10-week program of courses for local students ages 16 to 21.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment has announced the full slate of programming for the fifth annual New York Music Month, to run throughout the month of June 2022 in New York City.This year’s NYMM will feature a combination of in-person and virtual programming, with more than 20 events, including an all-day industry conference on the future of NYC’s music industry, skill-building workshops, free rehearsal space, songwriting camp, and showcases of emerging NYC artists. This month-long series aims to support songwriters, established musicians, emerging artists, and NYC’s entire musical community, many of whom were severely impacted by the pandemic.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorDoja Cat has pulled out of her opening slot on the Weeknd’s summer stadium tour and all forthcoming festival dates due tonsil surgery, she announced on Friday.More to come… 

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAt the first UJA-New York ceremony in three years, LL Cool J, Gayle King and Andy Cohen paid tribute and Maneskin played an acoustic set for Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM’s influential president and chief content officer, before an audience packed with music-industry brass on Wednesday.Greenstein’s impact and influence was amply demonstrated not only by Maneskin — who flew in specifically for the event from Europe, where they performed on the Eurovision Song Contest over the weekend — but by a tribute video that featured personal messages from Bruce Springsteen, Drake, Jimmy Buffett, Howard Stern, Megyn Kelly, Kevin Hart, Sway, Little Steven and others.Most importantly, the event raised a record $2 million-plus for the United Jewish Appeal, which provides assistance to people in need everywhere from Ukraine and the Middle East to New York and more than 70 countries around the world. Every year, UJA allocates approximately $150 million in grants — and to date has allocated more than $13 million in emergency funds for Ukraine.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorLil Nas X will be honored at the long-awaited 51 st annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala next month with the Hal David Starlight Award, which recognizes “gifted young songwriters who are making a significant impact in the music industry via their original songs.”Nas, a Sony Music Publishing writer, joins previous honorees Drake, Taylor Swift, Halsey, Sara Bareilles, Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds, John Legend, Alicia Keys, Benny Blanco, John Mayer and others. The award, created in 2004, was named in honor of SHOF chairman emeritus Hal David for his support of young songwriters.The ceremony, the first since 2019, is slated for Thursday, June 16 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor“We Cry Together” is probably the most conversation-stopping song on Kendrick Lamar’s brilliant and challenging fifth album “Mr. Morale & the High Steppers” — a horrifyingly realistic recreation of an argument in an abusive relationship that finds Lamar and actress Taylour Paige saying absolutely horrible things to each other, with her delivering an entire verse while sobbing, and apparently culminates with the two of them having sex.The most commonly cited precedent for “We Cry Together” is Eminem’s 2000 song “Kim,” an even more horrifying scenario in which he murders his real-life ex-wife.