November 20, 2018 8:07AM PT Jay Harren has been named StubHub’s head of music business development, the company announced. He is based in New York. Herron joins the company from Sony Music’s boutique label Descendant Records, which he launched and ran as VP of A&R and artist development; the label’s roster includes The Lone Bellow,
Music
High school esports league and platform PlayVS closed out its Series B funding round with $30.5 million from key investors including Adidas, Samsung, and even Sean “Diddy” Combs, according to a press release. PlayVS brings esports to high school students, giving them access to competitions and even scholarships for university. As esports grows, so does
Hugh Jackman may have been praised and gushed over every which way on Monday while being honored for his movie career with the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film, but there was only one person in the room who moved him to tears. The “Front Runner” star teared up
Pink, Shawn Mendes, Chris Stapleton, Norah Jones, Mark Ronson, Leon Bridges and Lauren Daigle are the first round of performers announced for the 2019 MusiCares Person of the Year tribute concert honoring Dolly Parton, taking place during Grammy Week on Feb. 8. Parton herself will close the evening’s performances; more guest contributors will be announced in the coming weeks. Parton is being
November 19, 2018 1:38PM PT The clip was directed by Joe Hahn, who is best known as the DJ for Linkin Park. [embedded content] DJ and producer Steve Aoki has released the music video for his single with “Waste It On Me,” featuring K-Pop supergroup BTS. The video stars an all Asian-American cast and director, including
The Rolling Stones, who have toured every year since 2012 and whose principals are all in their 70s, have announced a North American tour for next year that launches April 20 in Florida and wrap in Chicago on June 21. The initial announcement includes 13 dates, however there are several days between each tour date so
Arguably the greatest guest rapper of all-time, no one has appeared on as many hits for as long as Snoop Dogg. From teaming with Dr. Dre on 1992’s “Deep Cover” to 2018 cameos alongside Young Dolph, the Doggfather has remained as smooth and ubiquitous as butter, the ultimate ingredient to take turn an average track
There is no Snoop Dogg museum in Los Angeles County. A grave omission. If a proposition to build one were put on the ballot, local registered voters would inevitably approve it in a landslide. But until that happens, the next best thing is an anonymous brick compound in Inglewood that serves as Snoop Dogg’s own
Ami Patel has been named vice president of artist relations & VIP services for the Forum in Inglewood, California, the Madison Square Garden Company announced today. Patel, who will oversee all internal and external ticketing, and on-site VIP and celebrity management for the 17,000-plus-capacity arena, arrives from iHeartMedia where she was director of national entertainment. She’ll report
BTS’ “Burn the Stage: The Movie” has set global cinema alight. The film of the K-Pop sensations’ 2017 Wings Tour has notched a new event cinema record, with admissions currently at 1.4 million, according to distributor Trafalgar Releasing. That tops the previous event-cinema record held by boy band One Direction with their “One Direction: Where We
UPDATED: Troubled rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, already in legal trouble on multiple fronts, was arrested in New York Sunday night on federal racketeering and firearms charges, a rep for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives confirmed to Variety. The rapper, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, and three others — his former manager Shottie (Kifano
November 19, 2018 8:11AM PT Columbia Records promotion executive Ayelet Schiffman is headed to Island Records in an unspecified high-level position, sources close to the situation tell Variety. She will start at the top of the year. Reps for Island and Sony had no comment when contacted by Variety. A 24-year Sony Music veteran, most recently
Taylor Swift has signed a global recording agreement with Universal Music Group, the company announced today. Under the multi-year agreement, UMG will serve as the exclusive worldwide recorded music partner for Swift and UMG’s Republic Records will serve as her label partner in the U.S. According to the announcement, the multi-album agreement, effective immediately, deepens
Spotify honored the year’s behind-the-scenes music-makers at the Secret Genius Awards tonight (Nov. 16). Held at the Ace Theater in downtown Los Angeles and hosted by Ne-Yo, winners for the top prizes included Murda Beatz for Producer of the Year, Ali Tamposi for Songwriter of the Year and Benny Blanco for Secret Genius: Pop. Tricky
U2’s Experience + Innocence tour wrapped in Berlin earlier this week, and with a final tally of $126,188,794 and 927,034 tickets sold, the Irish band is on track to finish with one of the highest-grossing tours of 2018, according to Pollstar. The tour — which featured 59 performances in 30 arenas — supported the band’s
Two of the world’s biggest indies, Glassnote Music and Kobalt Music, today announced a long-term strategic alliance. Glassnote will leverage Kobalt’s AWAL and its digital and traditional distribution expertise to further maximize the opportunities and promotion of Glassnote’s artist roster and catalog. The agreement sees Glassnote leaving its distribution arrangement with Universal. Glassnote — whose
November 16, 2018 10:45AM PT The Chainsmokers dropped a new song this morning called “Beach House” with a line near the beginning that references the long-running Baltimore dreampop duo: “Listening to Beach House, takin’ my time.” The Chainsmokers even tweeted about their affection for the group, writing, “Really love this song as well ’cause we
David Foster disappeared into the wilds of retirement for Michael Buble’s last album, but he’s back in the fold for the singer’s emoji-titled new one. In a Q&A with Variety, he explains why he couldn’t stay away. You’re presenting Michael Bublé with his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Why does he deserve it? DAVID FOSTER: I
Michael Bublé has released eight studio albums over a 15-year career. On the eve of his latest, he took a look back at the previous seven: “Michael Bublé” (2003) I felt powerless. I didn’t have as much control of how the project turned out, or at least the process. I was a songwriter, and I
“Are you comfortable? You don’t look like you’re as comfortable as you could be,” says Michael Bublé, who is standing bedside on one leg as he slips off a shiny black loafer. “You want to lay back? Lay back.” Before I know it, he’s untucking the bed covers and fluffing the pillows behind my head.
“Back in the USSR” is back in the top 10. Or the album that contains it is, anyway. Newly released 50thanniversary editions of “The Beatles,” popularly known as the White Album, are selling in strong enough amounts that the group’s 1968 landmark is expected to easily reenter the top 10 of the sales chart for
Tupac is being resurrected for a new apparel and accessories collection that merges the late rapper’s lyrics and iconography with images from the film “Black Panther.” The “Tupac x Black Panther” collection is believed to be one of the first times the rapper’s estate has licensed his imagery for use since his death. Tupac’s estate teamed
Iggy Azalea, who earlier this month announced she’d parted ways with Island Records, claims that she signed a new $2.7 million “deal/partnership” that apparently includes a custom label and allows her to keep the rights to her master recordings. “Proud to say I literally just signed my new deal/partnership!,” she wrote on Twitter Thursday night.
November 16, 2018 7:18AM PT Pandora has unveiled its Artists to Watch for 2019, a diverse group that ranges from Fifth Harmony member Normani and rap groups the City Girls and Brockhampton to Glassnote singer-songwriter Jade Bird to South Korean boy band Monsta X. The annual list uses a combination of curation and data from
“Black Panther” took home three prizes at the 9th Annual Hollywood Music in Media Awards, clawing past “A Star is Born,” with two wins. Songwriter Diane Warren was the only individual to nab multiple honors, while Germany’s Max Richter earned the best original score trophy for his contemporary take on the 16th century with “Mary
November 15, 2018 6:16PM PT Beyonce’s Parkwood Entertainment company yesterday bought out British retailer Arcadia Group Ltd, the co-owner of the Ivy Park fashion brand. Arcadia chairman Philip Green is currently being investigated for sexual and racial harassment, as former British cabinet minister Peter Hain reported. Hain also said Green was granted a court injunction to
The road to success for Sutton Foster was not always an easy journey, but it was a trip she looks back on with laughter. “Auditions are terrible. They really are,” the “Younger” star told Variety at New York City Center’s 75th anniversary gala, which included a performance of the Broadway audition musical “A Chorus Line.” “I
In the last decade, Meek Mill has topped the Billboard charts, released platinum-certified albums, and established himself as one of the most popular rappers around. He’s also served stints in prison and has been on probation his entire adult life, with six years left. Mill spoke with Philadelphia 76ers owner Michael Rubin and other panelists
November 15, 2018 1:58PM PT Wassim “Sal” Slaiby is donating funds earmarked for the party to support the LAFD. The Weeknd and French Montana manager Wassim “Sal” Slaiby is forfeiting his annual birthday bash out of respect for those affected by the wildfires in California, particularly in the Malibu area. Now based in Los Angeles,
In recent years some of New York’s most unusual concerts have taken place at its most prestigious museums, either as special events or as entertainment at benefit parties for donors and members. We’ve seen artists ranging from The Weeknd and Robyn to James Blake and even Tei Shi performing at the Museum of Modern Art;