Table of contents for No. 1398 in Music Week

Universal matters Remember in the early post-pandemic days when every sentence uttered involved the compulsory use of ‘the new normal’? We were, understandably, obsessed with it until, slowly but surely, ‘the new normal’ became just… normal. Well, the same cannot be said of the music industry in 2024. Since the summer, we are, by my count, now in something akin to our new-new-new normal. At times the only certainty has been that the UK’s No.1 single will be by either Sabrina Carpenter, Sabrina Carpenter or Sabrina Carpenter. No matter what part of the music ecosystem you looked at in September, there was mass change afoot. In the digital space, TikTok Music - which launched as a premium subscription service in five markets in 2023 - officially announced that it will…

“We can bring value to the live sector with less risk involved” MARK MURDOCH, MAHOGANY How do you reflect on the growth of Mahogany over the past decade or so? “We started way back in 2009, very much in that phase when the industry was dominated by things like SoundCloud and Hype Machine - it was before the algorithms. Our journey has been very organic in terms of how we’ve grown over the last 15 years, from being a music blog into being a YouTube channel focused on audiovisual performances, into doing live concerts all over the world, the creative agency, record label and now the distribution service. We have been an independent company since we began, which is something we’re really proud of.” You’ve worked with big acts for performance…

Stephen Wilson Jr is reflecting upon the 12 months since the release of Søn Of Dad, his exceptional debut album. “It’s been an overwhelming year,” he tells Music Week during a break from work in a Nashville studio. “That’s the best word to describe it in every way. There’s been a lot of great work but it’s been emotionally, physically and conceptually overwhelming, because I’m doing so many things I could never have imagined doing, like headlining tours with my name up on the marquee. This was all really kind of an accident.” Few trajectories are as unexpected as that of Wilson Jr’s. Hailing from Seymour, a rural town in Southern Indiana where farming, manufacturing and car body repairs are the most viable occupations, Wilson Jr was raised by single…

Kelly Washington, journalist PAULA TAPE - ACID LATINO (SONIDO REAL) Each year as festival season wraps up, one thing is certain I’ll discover someone I missed on my circuit. Paula Tape is someone who I won’t miss again. The DJ and producer moved from Chile to Europe to build her career, playing underground parties and eventually festivals including Glastonbury and Love International. She also became the first Chile-born artist to be selected for a Radio 1 residency. Those who’ve seen her live praise her humble stage presence and fun, interesting and accessible sets. Having released synth-drenched house tracks on such labels as Rhythm Section and Permanent Vacation, her highly-anticipated EP is due via Future Classic in November. She recently released the first single from it, the title track Acid Latino…

■ OCTOBER 18 American Football American Football (25th Anniv.) Polyvinyl Bon Iver Sable Jagjaguwar Confidence Man 3AM (La La La) Polydor Dean Lewis The Epilogue Island Greg Mendez First Time/Alone Dead Oceans Jake Shimabukuro b Mick Fleetwood Blues Experience Forty Below Japandroids Fate & Alcohol Anti Jerry Cantrell I Want Blood Double J Jordana Lively Premonition Grand Jury Kelly Lee Owens Dreamstate DH2 King Pari There It Goes Stones Throw. Kylie Tension II Mushroom La Fleur Väsen [PIASJ] Électronique MC5 Heavy Lifting EarMusic Phantogram Memory Of A Day Neon Gold Rag'N'Bone Man What Do You Believe In? Sony Shawn Mendes Shawn Island Skeggs Pacific Highway Music Loma Vista The Halfway Kid Myths In Modern Life FAN Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Long After Dark (Deluxe) Geffen/UME WH Lung Every Inch…

Hailing from South Jersey, Tiffany Red is an artist and activist who has established herself as a key figure in the industry. She has written songs for stars including Jason Derulo, Cassie and Zendaya, worked on Jennifer Hudson’s Grammy-winning self-titled album in 2008 and has released her own projects including 2022’s EP, In My Head. In July 2020, Red launched The 100 Percenters, an organisation supporting creatives, particularly those from diverse and marginalised communities. Red has garnered support from Sony Music Publishing, the YouTube Black Voices Fund and various media outlets, and she continues to champion creatives via social media, podcasts, panels and more. Here, she shares her top career tips… 1. Be open to learning “If you have the privilege of being in a room with people who are…

THE BIG MOVE Range Media Partners has signed Rita Ora as a management client. They will represent her across music, film/TV, brands and more. “We built Range explicitly for true multi-hyphenate talent like Rita, a once-in-a-generation artist,” said managing partner Melissa Ruderman and founding partner Michael Cooper in a joint statement. Ora continues to be represented by CAA for film/TV, Wasserman for music touring and Peter Paterno and Joe Carlone at KHPS Law. THE BIG DEAL TuneCore and Notion are collaborating on the music editorial outlet’s Undiscovered initiative. Notion’s playlist-first feature highlights new music from up-and-coming musicians. The partnership will focus on both TuneCore talent and other acts. Sarah Wilson, head of TuneCore, UK & Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, said: “We see so much shared ground in both TuneCore…

NAME: ROEX TECH: AUDIO MASTERING TOOLS Technology has opened up opportunities for music creators, but sound quality is essential to ensure a track can cut through on streaming platforms. With its AI-powered mixing and mastering tools, RoEx is supporting artists and rights-holders with the latest tech in audio production. “The vision for RoEx was born out of a desire to democratise the music production process,” explains founder & CEO David Ronan. The all-in-one tech solution covers mixing, mastering, audio clean-up and quality assurance. “By simplifying these complex processes, we enable artists and producers to achieve professional quality sound without the need for extensive technical knowledge or expensive studio time,” says Ronan. “The vision was to democratise music production” DAVID RONAN, ROEX The start-up was recently awarded a £250,000 grant by national…

@SamCoare Few people were as supportive and encouraging in my career as Michelle [Kerr], or as fun to share a press trip adventure with. A true cornerstone of our little world, the likes of whom we won’t see again. Rest well, mate. (Sam Coare, Locomotive) Sunday, September 15 @Englishteac_her Happiest day of our lives x @MercuryPrize (English Teacher, band) Saturday, September 7 @niall_mdoherty You’re not proper Britpop unless you binned off your classic logo for something ten times worse at some point. (Niall Doherty, writer) Wednesday, September 18 @StephenKing I love Taylor Swift. Her music makes me happy. End of story. (Stephen King, author) Monday, September 16 @charli_xcx My first solo UK arena tour is completely sold out OMGGG ILYSM!! Thank you for your endless support and ahhh look how far…

RELEASE: SØn Of Dad LABEL: Big Loud Records MANAGEMENT: Alicia Jones, ALJ Management & Jordy Dettmer, Range Media Partners WHAT THE TEAM SAYS: Nate Yetton, VP, A&R, Big Loud: “Stephen Wilson Jr has a story and a voice for the ages. His music is universal, cross-genre, and his live show will change your life. He’s a global, generational and legendary talent. You can only proclaim these kinds of truths about an artist you’re working with once or maybe two times in your career, and I am the luckiest to get to work with him.”…

THIS MONTH'S HOTTEST BRAND NEW ACT BEING DEAD The Austin-based band are thrilling the indie scene with their wit, humour and unique sound… KEY RELEASE: Eels LABEL: Bayonet Records MANAGEMENT: Adult Decisions INSTAGRAM: @being_dead What do you want your listeners to take away from your new album, Eels? Juli Keller (vocals/multi-instrumentalist): “It says we’re here to party and we mean business. We’re kind of cracking our knuckles, so as to say, ‘We’re here to crack some skulls!’ I think it feels a lot different from the first album [When Horses Would Run, 2023] in that we feel most connected to these songs, and because that record took so long to get out. It feels really exciting for us and the songs feel more representative of who we are.” You’re from…

“I have this slightly pathological need to be constantly writing, whether it’s for Bastille or someone else” Dan Smith Ampersand is a solo project exploring the stories of other peoples’ lives, whilst being under the Bastille moniker. What was the inspiration behind it? “We’ve been making Bastille albums for over 10 years, and whilst we’ve done them, we’ve had these other strands to what we do. We’ve had mixtapes, re-orchestrated shows and releases, a documentary and collaborations I’ve done with other people. But I’ve always wanted to make an album that was different, that felt much more intimate, so when we finished touring last year, I got home and started picking up the threads of some songs that I’d begun. I’ve always written songs about other people, history, different cultures, mythology,…

“Managers are responsible for so much more than we used to be - labels used to be the kings, but we run the business now” CRAIG JENNINGS, RAW POWER When management powerhouses ATC and Raw Power revealed in May that they had joined forces, it wasn’t just that the deal had got to the finish line that had the concerned parties looking so chuffed in the promo photo. It was also that it had got there so quickly. After all, initial discussions about the new partnership had only begun in January. It was a coming together done in the spirit of no time to waste. “Everyone wanted to get on and make it work,” offers ATC’s executive co-chair and co-founder Brian Message, whose company acquired a majority stake in Raw Power,…

You have been with TuneCore since 2016 and the music industry has changed a lot since then. What would you say is the biggest development and why? “More and more artists are changing the way in which they engage with audiences and they’re being discovered by going viral on social media. There was a moment where big labels were signing artists just based on their social media presence. That has died down a bit, and we’re in a really interesting moment where major labels are having an identity crisis. Artist development doesn’t exist anymore – instead an artist needs to grow their own following, find their sound, find their style and grow their brand independently before a label will take notice. While the barriers to entry as a musician have…

Since its inception as a management company in 2015, 88Rising has become a global force, renowned for its celebration of Asian talent around the world. With a label and the Head In The Clouds festival now part of its thriving business, its highlights reel includes a main stage takeover at Coachella in 2022 and linking up with Marvel on the soundtrack for Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings. Last year, the company inked a new distribution deal with Sony Music Japan and The Orchard that will help push its acts – which include Indonesian rapper Rich Brian, GOT7 star Jackson Wang, subversive J-pop group Atarashii Gakko! and Chinese hip-hop outfit Higher Brothers – to even greater heights. “Even before getting into these conversations, Rob Stringer really believed in…

When Beyoncé released Texas Hold ’Em, the global superstar became the first Black woman to top the Hot Country Songs charts in the US. With it, Killah B also became the first Black producer/ songwriter, alongside Raphael Saadiq, to do the same. Here, the LA-based hitmaker tells us all about how the UK chart-topping track came to life, praises Queen Bey and reflects on making history… I feel like I’ve got photosynthesis ears! I can hear something once and download the integrity of it, the instruments and the way it impacts people. I’ve done it throughout my life and it was just like that for Texas Hold ’Em. I had so many ideas, they were just waiting for me to make them into something. It came about years back when…

01 TASTE MAKER SABRINA CARPENTER Taste (Polydor) SALES: 305,462 In September’s last chart week, Sabrina Carpenter topped the singles pile with Taste, securing the No.1 spot for the 17th time in 2024. The track itself completed five straight weeks at the summit, matching the five weeks that Please Please Please spent at No.1, but still trailing the seven weeks that her first chart-topper, Espresso, spent at the top earlier this year. The Pennsylvania-born 25-year-old followed The Beatles as the second act in chart history to spend a minimum of five weeks at No.1 with their first three chart-toppers. What’s more, Carpenter has now had more weeks at No.1 solo than any other act in a year in the 2020s. As well as occupying all of the Top 3 positions in our…

UNITED KINGDOM NDotz Embrace It Video Creations: 710,000 Embrace It, the latest track from NDotz, has captivated the TikTok community. Following the viral success of earlier releases like Hoodlovestory and Check (You Know), this upbeat single has pushed the Angolan-born Londoner to new heights. With over 710,000 TikTok creations featuring the song, it’s only right that NDotz finds himself at the centre of a new dance trend. His early career as a backup dancer for drill rapper Russ inspired him to pursue his passion for music full-time, and that decision is paying off. Embrace It first topped TikTok’s UK Hot 50, going on to reach No.1 on Spotify’s Global Viral 50 Chart and has now broken UK Official Charts Top 20. TikTok’s global music program manager Clive Rozario notes how…

With her gripping new autobiography, Who’s That Girl?, Eve has delivered a raw and revelatory account of her career to date. Here, the multi-platinum, Grammy-winning rap legend reflects on working with Dr. Dre, changing hip-hop forever with the Ruffff Ryders, and befriending Prince… Now was the right time to write an autobiography… “Because the 25th anniversary of my first album has just gone and it felt like a good opportunity to shed some things that I’m truly over, but also to dive in a bit deeper. I’m talking about things I never spoke about before… It was a lot! When I read it for the Audible version, I was like, ‘Wow, I’ve gone through some really dark stuff,’ but I always believed in myself so much. I’m really proud.” When…

Oasis’ team at Ignition Records have spoken about the “phenomenal” reaction to the reunion as the catalogue experiences a surge in consumption. The band have sold out huge shows for the Oasis Live ’25 tour, which includes seven Wembley Stadium dates. “The response to the Oasis Live ’25 tour has been nothing short of phenomenal, dominating front-page news and blanket major media profile globally,” said Clare Byrne, general manager at Ignition Records. “The scale of palpable excitement and euphoria has been momentous.” The subsequent boost in catalogue consumption saw three Oasis albums climb into the Top 5. Classic singles Live Forever and Don’t Look Back In Anger returned to the Top 10. “2025 is going to be a landmark year for the band,” said Byrne. “As we look ahead, there…

TEAM Snow Patrol The Forest Is The Path Chart position: No.1 Label: Polydor Management: Ryan Lofthouse/Paul McDonald/Nastia Barkan (Closer Artists) President: Ben Mortimer (Polydor) Co-Managing Directors: Stephen Hallowes/Jodie Cammidge (Polydor) Marketing & Campaign Strategy: Ali Tant (Polydor) Digital Marketing: Freya Perry/Maria Rawling (Polydor) Creative Direction: Semera Khan (Polydor), Kirstin Cruickshank Streaming: Will Rowe-Parr (Polydor) Press & Online: Susie Ember (Kings & Queens Publicity) National Radio: Laurence Pinkus (Polydor) Regional Radio: Gavin Hughes (Fanatic PR) TV: Naomi Gillies (Polydor) International Marketing: Georgina Agombar/Thom Wrafter (UMG International) Social Strategy: Lucy Bradshaw/Jo Heron (Closer Artists) CRM Strategy: Connor Male (Polydor) Sales: Ray Primett (Polydor) D2C: Jack Hardman (Polydor)…

THIS MONTH: THE SWAN SONG PROJECT Hosted by: Ben Buddy Slack Contact: Ben@swansongproject.co.uk The Swan Song Project helps terminally ill and bereaved people write and record an original song to help process their loss. Can you tell us about the roots of the charity and podcast? “I started it in 2017 after losing my grandma and regretting not recording a song with her. I wrote to local hospices to see if they thought patients might like the chance to write a song and they did. I had been doing songwriting in prisons so had some experience writing with people in hard times. We saw amazing benefits for people and it’s just grown and grown. We now have songwriters working across Yorkshire and with people further afield over Zoom. People can…

Merchandise and touring manager, Dirty Hit @erin_taylor How did you get your first break in the music industry? “I saw a music job advertised and sent through my CV, then I interviewed at FAE Grp and was offered a spot in the marketing department! I just think demonstrating desire and enthusiasm can really go a long way and, for me, everything worked out better than I could have imagined.” You did a degree in fine art, how have your studies prepared you for your work at Dirty Hit? “To be honest, they haven't really prepared me that much! I did arrive to my job with Photoshop, Illustrator and video-editing skills, but my role has evolved so much that I rarely need to use them now. Although I have an eye…

NINES Tony Soprano 3 (Zino Records) If Nines is serious about bowing out after new album Quit While You’re Ahead, then the industry will lament the loss of one of the finest UK rappers of his generation. He leaves behind a catalogue jam-packed with classics such as this one, which features the voice of EGA Distro’s Colin Batsa. Contact: Ebi Sampson ebi.sampson@august.agency ROSALÍA (FEAT. RALPHIE CHOO) Omega (Columbia) Rosalía follows her contribution to the bombastic New Woman by Thai rapper Lisa with Omega, which features her compatriot Ralphie Choo. It’s ostensibly a sweeping love song, but this being Rosalía, touches of autotune, vivid electronic effects and handclaps lurk in its nooks and crannies. Contact: Bee Thomas bee.thomas@sonymusic.com SOUTH ARCADE How 2 Get Away With Murder (Lab Records) South Arcade singer…

Tributes have poured in to Music Week for beloved publicist, and co-founder of Cosa Nostra PR, Michelle Kerr, who passed away peacefully on September 14, aged 56. Kerr had been diagnosed with cancer five years previously. Renowned for her fierce passion and unwavering loyalty – not to mention wry humour and bright pink hair – Kerr was an absolute titan of the UK alternative scene. For many years, she worked at Roadrunner Records where she was instrumental in bringing bands such as Slipknot, Stone Sour, Korn, Machine Head, Shinedown, Black Stone Cherry and many more to mainstream attention. “I first met Michelle back in 1998 when we worked together at Roadrunner Records, she absolutely loved metal – truly lived for it – and she had so much love and respect…

Having been with TuneCore since 2017, how do you rate the experience so far? “I signed up because of my desire to remain independent, build my own team with people I trust, and make music the way I want to make music. I’m in this because I fucking love making music, and not for the money that it brings. TuneCore puts artists and their independence first. They understand how important it is for us to maintain our creative freedom. Because of their support and that of my manager, my single Losing My Mind was certified gold [in America] in August.” Did you have any idea what TuneCore would be like to work with before signing up? “Yes. I knew I wanted to upload my work to TuneCore because it had…

How has 88Rising helped you in your career so far? “I’ve been lucky to be part of 88Rising since the very beginning, and they’ve always empowered me and given me the freedom to evolve. I’ve never felt constrained or put in a box. I was very young when I began my career, so it was important to be surrounded by the right people. This is a tough industry and it’s crucial that I trust my team has my best interests in mind and that we can push through the difficulties together.” Can you share some of your milestone moments? “The first 88Rising tour across North America is a memory I’ll always cherish. Every time I play the Head In The Clouds festival it always feels like a big homecoming. I…

On top of all the other issues currently besieging grassroots music venues – from the costs of doing business, to the drop in the number of tours and events artists can afford to perform – the Music Venue Trust (MVT) has recently identified a challenge which perhaps places the greatest threat to the sustainability of the sector: a lack of any ability to create a succession plan, which is about to meet a cresting wave of venue operators retiring. It’s a long-standing thread of comment in these columns that the economic and personal pressures on venue operators has whittled down the pool of individuals prepared to do this work into a hardcore of passionate people with an unshakeable belief in the role live music should play in their community. The…

01 SWEET SPOT SABRINA CARPENTER Short N’ Sweet (Polydor) SALES: 179,064 As well as topping the singles rankings for September, Sabrina Carpenter reigns on our monthly albums rundown. Short N’ Sweet debuted at No.1 with 89,658 sales – 31,972 CDs, 20,590 vinyl LPs, 5,937 cassettes, 1,054 digital downloads and 30,105 sales-equivalent streams – to secure the second highest opening of the year, trailing only the 270,091 start made by Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department. Over the course of the month, Short N’ Sweet amassed consumption of 179,064 units, more than double its nearest rival. It is the first album by Carpenter to make the Top 40, although its success was not unexpected given her singles chart domination in the summer with multiple releases. Based on just five weeks’ consumption, Carpenter’s…