Irving Azoff: Last News

Cher has sold a “range of music assets” to the Iconic Artists Group, the company co-founded by veteran artist manager Irving Azoff.Needless to say, Cher is “THRILLED”. Though technically about her long-standing friendship with Azoff.

Selena Kuznikov Get ready for some fun, fun, fun! Disney+ has released the trailer for its “The Beach Boys” documentary, which is set to stream on the platform May 24. The trailer features clips from interviews with original band members, rock and roll historian Josh Kun, music star Janelle Monáe and more. The film is a celebration of the band that encapsulated the California dream in their revolutionary pop music.

The criminal case against three men accused of a scheme involving allegedly stolen lyrics to The Eagles’ iconic hit “Hotel California” imploded mid-trial Wednesday after the band’s frontman Don Henley disclosed new evidence that cast doubt on the prosecution.In a stunning turn of events, Justice Curtis Farber dropped the charges faced by rare-books dealer Glenn Horowitz, ex-Rock & Roll Hall of Fame curator Craig Inciardi and memorabilia seller Edward Kosinki — finding that Henley “manipulated” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office by failing to turn over 6,000 pages of key evidence until midway through the trial.Henley and his lawyers tried to weaponize their attorney-client privilege to “hide information that they believed would be damaging,” Farber said at a hearing Wednesday morning in Manhattan Supreme Court.The judge signed off on Manhattan prosecutors’ bid to toss the charges in light of the new evidence, which a courthouse source told The Post included emails from Henley that cast doubt on his claim that the handwritten lyrics to “Hotel California” and other valuable merchandise had been stolen.“We are checking out and leaving the courtroom,” said Stacey Richman, Craig Inciardi’s lawyer, on Wednesday — in a reference to the song’s famous line “you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.”The new evidence surfaced after Henley and Irving Azoff, the Eagles’ longtime manager, repeatedly cited — against prosecutors’ “express and repeated requests” — their “privilege” to keep communications with their lawyers secret while taking the stand as witnesses at the trial, the DA’s office said.But the pair “waived” that privilege in the last few days, leading to “the belated production of

the band’s frontman Don Henley turned over 6,000 pages of evidence late.The stunning turn of events came midway through the trial after Henley and his lawyers tried to weaponize their attorney-client privilege to “to obfuscate and hide information that they believed would be damaging,” Justice Curtis Farber said at a hearing Wednesday morning.Charges have now been dismissed against-books dealer Glenn Horowitz, ex-Rock & Roll Hall of Fame curator Craig Inciardi and memorabilia seller Edward Kosinki.Both Henley and Irving Azoff, the Eagles’ long-time manager, had repeatedly invoked — against the DA office’s “express and repeated requests” — their attorney-client privilege while taking the stand as witnesses at the trial, prosecutors said.But the pair’s decision to invoke and later “waive” that privilege “resulted in the belated production of approximately 6,000 pages of material” that the defendant’s lawyers should have been given a chance to cross-examine them about, wrote Assistant District Attorney Aaron Ginandes in a letter to the court.Justice Farber praised District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office for “eating a slice of humble pie” and moving to dismiss the charges.This is a breaking news event, please check back for updates.

Rod Stewart has sold his back catalogue for close to $100million (£79.3million).The British music legend reached an agreement with Irving Azoff’s Iconic Artists, meaning the company now owns his publishing catalogue, recorded music and a stake of Stewart’s likeness and image rights.The company, founded by music industry executive Azoff, has previously purchased the back catalogue of artists like the The Beach Boys, Cher and Dean Martin.“Irving and I are a couple of old-timers and I believe we have a mutual respect and admiration for each other,” Stewart said in a statement to The Wall Street Journal. My life’s work is in safe hands with him.”According to the WSJ, Iconic Artists said this week that it has raised more than $1billion (£793.5million) in capital, which will go towards investing in more catalogues.Stewart is the latest artist to part ways with his back catalogue, after Graham Nash sold the rights to his back catalogue to Iconic Artists Group in October.Last year, meanwhile, Justin Bieber sold the rights to his songs for a reported $200million.

Gwen Stefani officially has her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!

Elizabeth Wagmeister Chief Correspondent In a strong sign of support of Israel from Hollywood, more than 700 figures from the entertainment industry have signed an open letter to condemn Hamas and demand the safe return of hostages being held in Gaza. The letter is the first major move from the entertainment industry, as Israel has been under attack.

A woman who conned her family in a £35,000 bogus Hollywood actress fraud has been told to pay back the cash. Ann Dunlop, 68, claimed a woman she knew was being lined up for million pound contracts.

New York rapper-producer Cash Cobain has signed Giant Music, a new label venture from veteran industry exec Irving Azoff. To celebrate the deal, he’s shared a new track titled “Slizzy God” — a bouncy, 90-second jam that’s free of the sample drill flips he’s best known for but tips its hat to popular source material in the lyrics nevertheless.

LL Cool J’s Rock The Bells said Paramount Global, along with Raine Ventures and Irving Azoff of Iconic Artists Group, led a $15 million funding round for the hip-hop platform, which has also signed a first look deal with Par.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic For more than half a century, John Fogerty stood as the poster boy for all musicians who’d ever signed away rights to their publishing or master recordings and been unable to buy them back. Over time, Paul McCartney and then Taylor Swift came to be symbols, as well, of artists who tried and failed to win full ownership of their own music. But even Swift’s radical decision to re-record all her old albums, to do an end run around her former label selling her masters, may not count as quite as bold as the stance Fogerty took for several decades, during which he refused to perform any of his classic late ’60s and early ’70s Creedence Clearwater Revival songs in protest of his inability to purchase publishing rights for that material.

DEALSFormer BMG UK President Alexi Cory-Smith has formally launched her new business, Bella Figura Music, and confirmed a number of deals that are already in the bag. Backed by private equity fund Freshstream, the firm has acquired a stack of rights over the last year from the likes of Guy Chambers, David Gray and Darrell Brown.

DEALSCardi B is now managed by Irving Azoff’s Full Stop Management. Her direct manager there, Shawn Holiday, tells Billboard that she has new music on the way in 2023.————————————————–APPOINTMENTSPico Cibelli has been named as the new President of Warner Music Italy. He joins from Sony Music Italy.

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor U2 is joining forces with Irving and Jeffrey Azoff’s Full Stop Management after nearly 10 years with Madonna and Red Hot Chili Peppers manager Guy Oseary, sources tell Variety. A rep for Full Stop had no comment; the news was first reported by Hits. While the group played two stadium dates last year, they have largely been off the road since their massive “Innocence and Experience” trek in 2017-2018, and it seems likely a new album is in the works if not nearly done. The band has not released a new album since “Songs of Experience” in December of 2017. Earlier this week, singer Bono announced a book tour in support of his forthcoming memoir, “Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story,” which arrives on Nov. 1; he will tour North America and Europe throughout November.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorJohn Mayer — singer-songwriter, virtuoso guitarist, solo artist, member of Dead & Co and definitely the funniest speaker at Variety’s Hitmakers event last December — has signed with CAA in all areas globally.He has won seven Grammy Awards out of 19 nominations and since his 2001 debut album “Room for Squares”  has earned three No. 1 debuts on the Billboard Top 200, with the triple-platinum “Heavier Things” (2003), double-platinum “Battle Studies” (2009), and gold-certified “Born and Raised” (2012). He has sold an estimated 20 million-plus albums worldwide.

A Hollywood Walk of Fame star will be dedicated to the late Paul Walker in 2023. The Fast and the Furious actor's star comes 10 years after his death - he died in a car crash in 2013. Walker's star is one of three posthumous awards being granted next year; the late Imitation of Life actress Juanita Moore and singer-songwriter Jenni Rivera will be honoured with their own Hollywood Walk of Fame stars as well.

Paul Walker and Jenni Rivera will receive stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023. The pair are set to be celebrated posthumously by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, when they, and 22 other celebrities, receive their own stars on the iconic Walk of Fame next year, Deadline reports. Paul, who was just 40 when he died in a car crash in Los Angeles in 2013, will be celebrated in the Motion Pictures category alongside Vince Vaughn, John Waters, Uma Thurman, Bill Pullman, Ludacris and the late Juanita Moore.

Wilson Chapman editorUma Thurman, Lenny Kravitz, Mindy Kaling and the Jonas Brothers are among those receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023.Ludacris, Bill Pullman, Thurman, Vince Vaughn and John Waters will receive stars in the motion pictures category, along with posthumous stars for Juanita Moore and Walker. In the television category, stars will be given to Jon Favreau, Kaling, Martin Lawrence, Ralph Macchio, Garrett Morris and Ellen Pompeo.

Khloe Kardashian arrives for a mini family dinner at Craig’s on Thursday night (June 2) in Los Angeles.

Oak View Group, the global venue developer/investor co-founded by Irving Azoff and run by Tim Leiweke, is building a new $3 billion entertainment district in Las Vegas on 25 acres including an 850,000 square foot arena, amphitheater, casino and hotel.

Irving Azoff’s Iconic Artists Group last week announced a deal with the family of the late Nat King Cole which sees the company take an interest in the musician’s recording and publishing rights, as well as his name and likeness, plus an archive of TV shows.Co-founded by veteran artist manager Azoff, Iconic Artists Group has been competing with the various investment funds that are seeking to buy up the music rights of heritage artists and songwriters, but also has a focus on managing and monetising the brands and trademarks of such acts as well, as is the case with this deal with the Cole estate.Confirming said deal, Cole’s children Timolin and Casey Cole said: “We’re delighted to entrust our father’s legacy to Irving Azoff and the team at Iconic. Through the years, it’s been amazing to see how dad’s music continues to inspire and bring people together, and with Iconic at the helm, we know his musical legacy will endure and continue to grow”.Meanwhile, Azoff added: “We are THRILLED that Nat King Cole’s family is trusting us with his musical legacy.