This Week In Music - 8th July 2022
A weekly update on all things music, advertising, and technology coming straight to you from Anthony Vanger at MassiveMusic.?#TWIM
ARTIST OF THE WEEK: S. B. GOODMAN
S.B. Goodman sounds like a Southern lawyer out of a John Grisham novel, but really she is a small-town Kentucky girl who grew up on a farm and started telling it the way it is. As a queer artist (her description) living in a conservative state, she could be forgiven for wanting to move to a more urban and cosmopolitan area. But she decided to stay. And we are all the beneficiaries of that decision. Penning stories of the life around her, fronting an all-male band wearing slightly nerdy round eyeglasses, her voice recalls of a mixture of Neil Young (the nasal part) and Janice Joplin (the raw power). On this track, Space and Time, Goodman reveals her sweet side and her delivery is utterly captivating. Be sure to check out her new album Teeth Marks which received an 8+ review from the usually stingy Pitchfork.
@sbgoodman
https://www.sggoodman.net/
AD OF THE WEEK: CITI - AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL
This 4th of July was very different in the US this year: mass protests against racial injustice created a disturbing backdrop to the celebration. Most brands chose to abstain from any communication around this most American of holidays. An idea from tiny Latvia for one of the biggest banks in the world - Citibank - was developed in a joint effort of Publicis offices in New York and Riga. It took the most important and most recognized musical piece in the history of US, "America the beautiful", and a talented African-American pianist to deliver the simple yet unforgettable message: if we want true harmony, all voices must be equally heard. Good work from Publicis, Latvia and a brave message from a bank that has not always had the best reputation.
RIHANNA IS NOW OFFICIALLY THE YOUNGEST SELF-MADE FEMALE BILLIONAIRE IN THE US
At just 34 years old,?Rihanna?is now America’s youngest self-made female billionaire, according to?Forbes.
The Barbados native is #21 on the list with a net worth of $1.4 billion USD. At 41 years old,?Kim Kardashian?is considered the next-youngest billionaire with a net worth of $1.8 billion USD. She ranked #16 on the list.
In 2018,?Kylie Jenner?was named the publication’s youngest self-made billionaire. However, after a recalculation that proved her net worth actually sat at $900 million USD instead of $1 billion USD, her title was taken away. Now, Jenner is the youngest non-billionaire on the list with a current net worth of $600 million USD, ranking at #41.
In April, Rihanna?joined?Forbes‘ iconic list of worldwide billionaires for the first time. At the time, the singer-slash-entrepreneur ranked #1,729 with a net worth of $1.7 billion USD. This made her the first billionaire in her home country, Barbados.
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ROYALTY RATES FOR PUBLISHERS AND MUSICIANS SET TO BE RAISED BY COPYRIGHT ROYALTY BOARD
An ongoing battle over royalty rates across the world’s biggest streaming platforms including Amazon Music,?Spotify, and YouTube, an increase in royalties will finally reach artists this year.
Originally decided in 2018, the new?headline rate sees an increase?from 10.5% to 15.1% over the past four years, from 2018 - 2022.
The Copyright Royalty Board confirmed the change last Friday earning musicians and artists a delayed victory after years of deliberation.
Streaming?giants, also including services such as Pandora and Google, claim that the change would obstruct their business models with an argument that such companies already pay billions in royalties.
While the 44% increase in royalties is a win for musicians, the percentage of label revenue (TCC rate) has been capped, meaning publishers will only be able to receive a limited royalty rate.
t could be months before artists receive backdated paychecks, according to Bart Herbison of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), who said it’s “still unknown when songwriters will receive their payments”.
PSB’S NEW SPEAKERS PAY HOMAGE TO A VINTAGE CLASSIC
Canadian loudspeaker specialist PSB is releasing a new pair of speakers, called the Passif 50, this August.
Paying homage to PSB’s Passif II, which debuted in 1974, the Passif 50 boasts a sleek retro design and features a titanium dome tweeter and ferrofluid damping, which is designed to reduce distortion.
The new speakers feature the old PSB logo, which was originally hand-drawn by founder Paul Barton during a high school class, and an inscription on the back that reads ‘Passif 50 – 1972-2022’.
The first 500 units sold will come with a handwritten letter from Barton himself.
Pre-orders for the Passif 50 will launch on the 1st August, with shipping expected in September.
Written by?Anthony Vanger
Additional research and reporting by?Adam "Badger" Woolf
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