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Vibe Magazine, launched in 1992 by producer Quincy Jones, folded today.  It will no longer be in print, or available online.

Vibe, an icon of the urban music industry, is just one of a number of urban music magazines which have closed or scaled back their operations this year. In an email to the magazine’s 50-strong staff, Steve Aaron, former CEO of Vibe Media Group cited the recession - resulting in a lack of investment opportunities, a decline in advertising revenue and several million dollars worth of debt - as the main factor, although there is no doubt that a changing music business landscape also had its part to play.

(more…)

Hip Hop, RnB, US news, Vibe magazine | No Comments »

26 year old R&B artist Chrisette Michele’s debut album “Ephiphany” hit the number one spot on the Billboard 200 chart this week. 

Despite her success, according to Billboard.com, “Michele’s opening of 83,000 is the lowest sum for a No. 1-debuting album in Nielsen SoundScan’s 18-year history”

Charts, US news | No Comments »

The nominations for this year’s Urban Music Awards (UMA’s) - to be held on July 17th in New York - are out. Bobby Valentino and Rihanna are leading the pack, with three and four nominations respectively. 

Rihanna is up for Best Female Act 2009, Artist of the Year 2009, Best R&B Act and Best Music Video for “Rehab” (feat. Justin Timberlake). Valentino, who will also perform at the award show, has been nominated for Best Music Video, Best R&B Act and Best Male Act. Dizzee Rascal is also in the Best Male Act category.

UK acts in the running for awards also include M.I.A. Estelle - both nominated for Best Female Act - and Tinchy Stryder. 

The full nomination list is as follows:

Artist of the Year 2009 (USA & UK) 
Rihanna
The Dream
Rick Ross
Akon
Neyo
J. Holiday
Lil Wayne 

Best Album 2009 (USA & UK) 
John Legend - ‘Evolver’ (G.O.O.D/Columbia) 
The Dream - ‘Love VIS Money’ (RadioKilla /DefJam)
Kanye West  - ‘808’s & Heartbreak’ (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
Akon - ‘Freedom’ (Konvict/Upfront/SRC/Universal Motown) 
Seal - ‘Soul’ (Warner Bros.)
Musiq Soulchild - ‘On my Radio’ (Atlantic)
Keri Hilson - ‘In a perfect world’ (Mosley/Zone4/Interscope)
JadaKiss - ‘Last Kiss’ (Ruff Ryders/D-Block/Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
India Arie - ‘Testimony: Vol2, Love & Politics’ (Soulbird/Universal Republic)

Best Gospel Act 2009 (USA only) 
Mary Mary
Mathew West 
Francesca Battistell
Kirk Franklin
Brandon Heath
Donnie McClurkin 

Best International Latino Act 2009 
Kat de Luna
Fanny Lu 
Shakira
Tito ‘El Bambino’
Enrique Iglesias 
Vincente Fernandez

Best Music Video 2009 (USA & UK)
Rhianna - “Rehab”
Bobby V feat Lil Wayne - “Ms Officer”
Day 26 ft. Young Joc & Diddy - ‘Imma put it on her’
Akon - ‘Beautiful’
Lady Gaga - ‘Poker Face’
Neyo - ‘Ms Independent’ 

Best R&B Act 2009 (USA & UK) 
Rhianna
Jazmine Sullivan 
Robin Thicke
Bobby V
Keyshia Cole
J Holiday

Best DJ 2009 (USA & UK) 
Green Lattern (USA)
Khaled (USA)
Tim Westwood (UK)
Fatman Scoop (USA)
Funkmaster Flex (USA)

Best Radio Station 2009 (USA only) 
Power 106 (South Carlifonia) 
Hot 97 (New York)
Q93 (www.q93.com) 
99 Jamz (South Florida)
95.7 Jamz (Atlanta , GA) 

Best TV Show (US only) 
Making the Band – MTV
Bet 106 & Park – BET 
American Idol – FOX
Rip the Runway – BET
Harlem Heights – BET 

Best HipHop Act 2009 (USA & UK)
Lil Wayne 
Giggs
Kanye West
Jay-Z
Lupe Fiasco
Kardinal Offishall

Best Magazine (Print & Online)
Yo Raps
Source
HipHop Weekly
Vibe
XXL

Best Male Act 2009 (UK & USA)
Flo’rida
Dizzee Rascal
Giggs
Kid Cudi
Ghetts
Bobby V
Day 26

Best Collaboration 2009 (USA & UK)
Kanye West ft Estelle - ‘American Boy’
Taoi Cruz ft Sugababes & Busta Rhymes - ‘Like a Star’
Jay Z ft Santagold - ‘Brooklyn Go Hard’
T-Pain feat. Ludacris - ‘Chopped & Screwed’
Sway feat. Akon - ‘Silver & Gold’
Jim Jones & Ron Browz ft. Juelz Santana - ‘Pop Champagne’
Musiq Soulchild ft. Mary J Blige - ‘If U Leave’

Best Female Act 2009 (UK & USA)
Amy Winehouse
Estelle
Jazmine Sullivan
M.I.A
Chrisette Michelle
Rhianna
Keri Hilson

Best International Reggae Act 2009
Movado
Sean Paul
Tony Matterhorn
T.O.K
Erup
Sizzla Kalonji

Best Producer 2009
Mark Ronson
Swiss Beatz
Timberland
Scott Storch
Ryan Leslie
Stargate 

Best Single 2009 (USA & UK)
Tinchy Stryder feat Dappy - ‘Number 1’
Busta Rhymes ft Diddy, T-Pain & more - ‘Arab Money’
Ghetts - ‘Sing for me’
T-Pain - ‘Chopped & Screwed’
Eminem ft Dr. Dre & 50 Cent - ‘Crack a bottle’
Kid Cudi - ‘Day and Night’
Beyonce - ‘Halo’

Dizzee Rascal, Estelle, UK news, US news, Urban Music Awards | No Comments »

Usher has officially announced his new 15 year old protege to the world.

Canadian singer Justin Bieber - who is part of a deal between Usher and Universal Records - was discovered by manager and former So So Def label exec Scooter Braun after posting a series of videos on YouTube.

After meeting with Usher last year, Bieber - also a musician who plays instruments - was offered a deal by Island Def Jam chairman L.A. Reid.

The teen, who Usher describes as ‘a priority’ for Island Def Jam, is set to release his track ”One Time” shortly. It is currently receiving good radio airplay.

The Dream and Midi Mafia are among those who have written and produced tracks for Bieber’s debut album “My World”.

Island Def Jam, US news | No Comments »

Here’s what’s going on in the world of urban music today…

UK

The Guardian: De La Soul Teams up with Nike for first new release in 5 years

Brand Republic: Spotify signs up 40,000 new users per day, 50-60% from UK

The BBC: Nokia’s not attracting many UK users to its Come With Music service

(more…)

Laura Izibor, Nokia, Spotify, UK news, US news | No Comments »

According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, worldwide digital music sales rose 24.1% to $3.78billion.

However, overall sales declined by 8.3% because physical sales - which still account for 75% of sales globally - were down by 15.4%.

With digital making up only around 4% of global sales, the music industry is still heavily reliant on physical product. This balance needs to be shifted if the industry is to grow.

Sales by region:

Europe -

Total sales: down 6.3% to $7.3bn

Digital sales: up 36.1% to $750million

Physical sales: down 11.3% to $5.8bn.

Performing Rights: up 11.3% $576.2million

US -

Total sales: down 18.6% to $4.9bn

Digital sales: up 16.5% to $1.78 billion

Physical sales: down by 31% ($1billion)

Performing Rights: up 133% to $54.8million

Global, IFPI, UK news, US news | No Comments »

In the US, Warner Music Group, home to Estelle, T.I. and Flo Rida has seen its shares leap 13% after an analyst at Goldman Sachs upgraded its stock to “neutral” from “sell”. 

Although music sales in the US declined by 7% in the last quarter, Warner Music bucked the trend and saw its American market share expand to 21% in the quarter to March. 

At midday trading yesterday, the shares rose to $3.49, compared to a high of $9.05 reached in May 2008. 

Estelle, US news, Warner Music | No Comments »

One in 10 albums bought in the US in 2008 was by a British artist, recent figures from a BPI report have revealed. 

Artists such as Leona Lewis, Duffy and Estelle helped boost the British market share of the US market from 8.5% in 2007 to 10% in 2008. 

While - according to Neilsen Sound Scan - US album sales were down by 14%, British artists were able to gain an increasing portion of the US market. Leona Lewis’ Bleeding Love was the most downloaded single in the US. 

Top British albums in the US:

1) Coldplay - Viva La Vida (also 2nd biggest selling album of the year in the US)

2) AC/DC - Black Ice

3) Leona Lewis - Spirit

4) Amy Winehouse - Back to Black

5) Duffy - Rockferry

UK artists selling 1m+ tracks

Coldplay - 5.054

Leona Lewis - 4.728

Natasha Bedingfield - 3.923

M.I.A. - 2.235

Queen - 1.725

Estelle - 1.565

Rolling Stones - 1.304

Led Zeppelin - 1.176

Duffy - 1.039

BPI, Neilsen Sound Scan, UK news, US news | No Comments »

Read the full story here from Reuters: YouTube & Universal launch new music site, Vevo

It looks like it’s just Universal joining forces with YouTube on this new stand-alone music video site venture for now, but it won’t be long before the other majors follow suit.

Maybe labels with whom YouTube has been battling in the UK and Germany over disputes about payments will also come on board.

It’s good to see labels and new media working together in this way - looks like it will be a win-win situation for labels, artists and YouTube. 

Your thoughts?

UK news, US news, Universal, YouTube | No Comments »

Here I Stand - the latest and fifth album from R&B singer Usher - has topped the album charts in both the UK and US this week.

Selling around 400,000 copies in America, Here I Stand is Usher’s second album after Confessions to have reached number one on the US Billboard Charts. Sales of his latest release are some way off from those of Confessions which shifted 1.1 million units in its first week of release in 2004 and remains one of the highest selling male solo albums, with total sales of 9.5million in the US alone. (more…)

RnB, UK news, US news | No Comments »