2015-07-17



In This Issue: ...we look at Rdio’s new host of curated stations, the 2015 SongHubs in LA, and the return of Studios 301’s free 40 hours of studio time, plus the latest signings and the ARIA charts.



Rdio Enhances Personalised Music Streaming Experience With New Stations Curated By Record Labels And Influencers

Rdio has announced a new series of curated radio stations that will be programmed by some of the world’s most iconic and prolific record labels and key local influencers. The stations are already set to launch in multiple countries, including Australia, Mexico, Brazil, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Hong Kong. Additional stations have been added to the current offerings n the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.

CEO Anthony Bay has highlighted the way the new offers further the streaming service’s commitment to music discovery: “Rdio is committed to making music discovery fun, easy and personal. In keeping with our objective of providing the world’s best Internet radio experience, we are proud to partner with key influencers and the label community to program their own branded stations. These stations not only help extend each labels’ brand presence but they also let our listeners anywhere in the world discover music from credible brands that they trust and respect.”

The label and influencer stations, as well as Rdio’s stations based on genre, moon, and activity, are now accessible in Rdio’s “Stations” section within the main navigation. The full list of label and influencer stations can be read below:

Australia:

• Create / Control

• Def Jam

• Dew Process

• Domino

• UNFD

• I OH YOU!

• Liberation

• Mushroom

• Rice Is Nice

U.S.:

• Arts & Crafts (New)

• Astralwerks

• Average Joes

• Barsuk Records (New)

• Blue Note (New)

• Burger Records (New)

• Capitol

• Def Jam

• DFA Records (New)

• Dine Alone Records

• Domino Recording Co.

• Frenchkiss Records (New)

• Ghostly International

• Glassnote Records (New)

• Merge Records

• MUTE

• Ninja Tune

• Polyvinyl Record Co.

• Rhino Records

• Stones Throw

• Sub Pop

• Ultra Records (New)

• Vagrant Records

• Verve

• Warner Music Nashville

• Warp Records

• Wichita Recordings

• XL

Canada:

• Arts & Crafts (New)

• Barsuk (New)

• Burger Records (New)

• DFA Records (New)

• Dine Alone Records

• Domino

• Glassnote Records (New)

• MapleMusic Recordings

• Merge Records

• MUTE

• Ninja Tune

• Sub Pop

• Warp Records

• XL (New)

U.K.:

• Arts & Crafts (New)

• Astralwerks

• Average Joes

• Blue Note (New)

• Burger Records (New)

• Def Jam

• DFA Records (New)

• Dine Alone

• Dirty Hit (New)

• Domino

• Fiction (New)

• Ghostly

• Glassnote Records (New)

• Merge

• MUTE

• Ninja Tune

• Polyvinyl

• Rhino

• Stones Throw

• SubPop

• Vagrant

• Warp

• Wichita

• XL (New)

Brazil:

• Biscoito Fino

• Coqueiro Verde

• Deck Disk

• Dubas

• Gospel Brasil

• Pimba

• SLAP

• Tratore

• VP

• YB

Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, and Hong Kong

• Darker Than Wax

• Demajors

• Getmusicasia

• Hostess Asia

• KittyWu Records

• Syonan Records

• Vivamusicgroup1

India:

• Alpa Digitech

• Everest Entertainment Pvt Ltd

• Radial India

• Sony Music India

• Times Music India

• Tips Music

• Universal Music India

• YRF Music

Mexico:

• Art & Crafts

• Capital

• Def Jam

• Rhino

• Ghostly

• Sub Pop

• XL

Influencer Stations & Availability:

• Alt Sounds (U.S., U.K.)

• A.V. Club (U.S.)

• Canal Brasil (Brazil)

• Carlos Burle (Brazil)

• Consequence of Sound (Global)

• Country Weekly (U.S., CA)

• DJ Kicks (U.S., U.K.)

• Exclaim! (CA)

• Hunter Hayes (U.S., CA, AU)

• Hype Machine (Global)

• Vogue Brasil (Brazil)

• Yelp NYC (U.S.)

• Yelp Toronto (CA)

• Indie Music Filter (CA)

• Marcelino DaLua’s “Mundo Da Lua” station (Brazil)

• Monkeybuzz (Brazil)

• Noize (Brazil)

• Nova Cosmopolitana (Brazil)

• Rock In Rio (Global)

• Sonoridade / Beco Dranof’s “Ziriguiboom” station (Brazil)

• Sportlife (Brazil)



Simon Lewicki Confirmed To Curate 2015 APRA AMCOS SongHubs in LA

This year, electronic dance music will be the focus of the successful SongHubs songwriting program in Los Angeles for the first time ever. The event will run from August 3-7, with curator Simon Lewicki (Groove Terminator/Tonite Only) announcing that he has hand-selected the Australian songwriters for the program, including five fully funded APRA AMCOS Australian-based members, and nine based in LA.

Lewicki said, “The worldwide electronic dance music scene really is presently the strongest we’ve ever experienced both here and internationally with many major players being Australian, the world is watching everything that’s coming out from Australia these days very closely. That’s why we’ve selected these particular artists for this creative experience.”

“Making the SongHubs cut is not easy. We had an exceptional level and number of applicants that could have easily turned into two concurrent programs. The songwriters, composers and producers we’ve chosen not only had to demonstrate commercial success over the past few years but also had to be keen to collaborate with high profile international songwriters and producers.”

“SongHubs is a highly concentrated collection of the most exciting artists in our country with some of the most talented artists in the world. I’m expecting a very high quality of work and output with the level of artists participating. We should expect to see several, if not more, great releases as a result from the week. I for one, can’t wait to hear for example, what Deutsch Duke, Dan Farber, and Kilter could end up with after day in the studio together.”

This is the second SongHubs event in LA this year, and the 19th since the federally funded program began in 2013. Beginning in Sydney, and travelling to Stockholm, London, Mumbai, Bali, Toronto, Adelaide, and LA, it has crossed the globe.

The fully funded writer/producers are:

• Deutsch Duke

• Kilter

• Nicky Night Time

• Styalz Fuego

• Aston Shuffle

The LA-resident writer/producers are:

• Alexander Burnett

• Anna Lunoe

• Georgi Kay

• Hook N Sling

• Nicole Millar

• Paul Brandoli

• Penelope Austin

• Vassy

• Yolanda Be Cool

The international collaborators include:

• Daniel Bedingfield (4 x #1 UK singles and sold over 4 million copies of his album worldwide)

• Cory Enemy (Lady Gaga, will.i.am, Katy Perry)

• Dennis White (Static Revenger)

• Luciana (Queen of electro with over 5 #1 billboard dance singles)

• Dan Farber (Dim Mak Records)

Studios 301 Offers 40 Hours Studio Time Giveaway

For the second year in a row, Studios 301 are offering five lucky people the chance to win an 8-hour session at one of their Sydney studios to track, mix, or master. Winners will be specially paired with one of the studio’s producers or mastering engineers for guidance. Additionally, winners will be given the opportunity to meet with Original Matters (Angus & Julia Stone, The Walking Who, and Lisa Mitchell) for career advice.

To enter, applicants must answer “Why you should win…” in 25 words or less, and send a link with their latest original track. (Soundcloud, youtube, a website, bandcamp, etc.)

Entries close at 5pm (AEST) on July 17th, with winners being notified by email on July 31st.

To enter, visit http://www.studios301.com/40-hours-free-studio-time-competition/

Applications for 2015 APRA Professional Development Awards Now Open

APRA AMCOS has announced the return of their Professional Development Awards, a career boosting initiative which helped boost the musical success stories of Gotye, Abbe May, Morgan Evans and more. The awards are held every two years, and this year, the prize pool has grown to offer eight individual winners more than $15,000 worth of career support.

Applications for the 2015 APRA Professional Development Awards are now open to songwriters and composers who would like to enter the following categories:

• Popular Contemporary (three awards are given in this category including Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Hip Hop, Dance and R&B)

• Country

• Jazz

• Classical

• Film and Television

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI)

With a cash boost of $120,000 to be shared between the eight winners, and a microphone and headphone package courtesy of PDA sponsor Audio Technica, successful applicants have a lot to enjoy.

This year, they have also announced a new initiative, The Smugglers of Light, which will form part of the PDA’s. The newly created Indigenous Music and Media Award will be part of the 2015 awards, and will provide one promising Australian Indigenous music or media practitioner a grant of $12,000. The Smugglers of Light foundation was established in memory of Eli Westlake, aged 21, who was tragically killed in Sydney on June 7th 2008. To enter, visit apraamcos.com.au/sol.

The judging panel for 2015 includes Lior, Andrea Keller, James Blundell, Mark Moffatt, Josh Pyke, Jenny Morris, Kav Temperley, Jon Hume, Rai Thistlethwayte, and more, including international judges Gary Go (songwriter and music producer), and Swedish based music producer, songwriter, film composer and mixing engineer Erik Lewander.

Applications for the 2015 APRA Professional Development Awards close August 25th at 5pm.

For more information on how to apply, visit apraamcos.com.au/pda.

Entries Open for Telstra Road to Discovery

The Telstra Road to Discovery is a development program for aspiring songwriters, and it is open for entries again. Backed by industry leaders like Andy Bull, Styalz Feugo, and Ella Hooper, songwriters have the chance to win one of two music development funds valued at $15,000. The program gives artists an all-expenses paid trip to the USA to attend the Americana Music Festival, local gigs, and ongoing education — a real opportunity to kickstart their career.

Telstra Group Manager Creative Partnerships, Nicola Reeves, said “For over a decade, Telstra Road to Discovery has been committed to the development of Australia’s emerging music community at a grassroots level through music education, expertise and discovery. This year we’re making it even easier for musicians across the country to enter by bringing the entry process completely online, and we’ll also be enticing new genres of musicians to the program with an interactive Master Class.”

The Master Class Sreies will return this year in October, providing aspiring artists with access to some of the most influential names in the industry.

Songwriters are invited to submit their entries for the Road to Discovery online at www.telstra.com/trtd.

Jeff Martin Opens New Studio In Byron Bay

Jeff Martin, lead singer of The Tea Party, has begun producing records for artists and bands in his new studio in Byron Bay. As he is a multi-instrumentalist himself, he also offers clients the chance to have him play on their recordings, with everything from a sitar to a 1916 Gibson ‘harp guitar’. His studio has self-contained accommodation, and is set amongst a 100 acre rainforest.

Martin will be touring Canada with The Tea Party to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of The Edges of Twilight album, and is currently filling his production schedule for new clients in 2016.

Signings This Week

Niche has announced the signing of B Wise to their local agency roster. The African-Australian hip-hop artist had his newest single “Prince Akeem” named one of the 15 Best Australian Singles of 2015 (So Far) here on the AU Review. His debut album is due for release later this year.

Brisbane artists Major Leagues have signed to Popfrenzy ahead of their upcoming new single “Someone Sometime”. The song is available on their Soundcloud and their Bandcamp. The single follows their last EP, Weird Season, released in 2013.

Melbourne rock band Gold Class has signed with Spunk’s label roster, and unveiled their new single “Life as a Gun”. The song can be streamed via Noisey, and will be featured on their upcoming debut album due to be released later this year on Spunk Records (Australia and New Zealand) and felte (the rest of the world).

Solo-artist Homeshake (aka Peter Sagar) has signed to Strange Yonder for the release of his second album, Midnight Snack, due out on September 18th. He has also released the new video for his single “Give It To Me”.

The recently established Ratbag Records have announced their first artist signing: Byron Bay boys SKEGSS. The trio recorded their debut EP at Converse Rubber Tracks Studios in New York, and will be releasing the debut EP 50 Push Ups For A Dollar later this year. The new single “Fun” has just been released.

ARIA Charts

SINGLES

1. Like I’m Gonna Lose You — Meghan Trainor feat. John Legend

2. Headlights — Robin Schulz feat. Ilsey

3. Can’t Feel My Face — The Weeknd

4. Golden — Travie McCoy feat. Sia

5. Shut Up & Dance — Walk The Moon

6. Bad Blood — Taylor Swift feat. Kendrick Lamar

7. Fight Song — Rachel Platten

8. Peanut Butter Jelly — Galantis

9. Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)

10. Black Magic — Little Mix

ALBUMS

1. Two Strong Hearts - John Farnham and Olvia Newton John

2. Title - Meghan Trainor

3. X - Ed Sheeran

4. 1989 - Taylor Swift

5. How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful - Florence + the Machine

6. Empires - Hillsongs United

7. In The Lonely Hour - Sam Smith

8. Wildheart - Miguel

9. Wilder Mind - Mumford & Sons

10. Dark Horses - The Getaway Plan

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