A weekly update on all things music, advertising, and technology coming straight to you from Anthony Vanger at MassiveMusic. #TWIM
ARTIST OF THE WEEK: LIVE LOUNGE ALLSTARS
This song keeps circling back to me. A cover of a 2003 Foo Fighter’s track called Times Like These, released last year during the height of the pandemic to raise money for charity. The group that Radio 1 organized is called Live Lounge Allstars for a reason – it is a massive, star-studded line-up. Filmed at each artist’s home, Dua Lipa opens the track and is followed by the likes of Anne Marie, Yungblud, Ellie Goulding, Biffy Clyro, and many more. It is so much fun to watch the cameos and hear how each artist interprets the song, but the payoff lands in the chorus. The emotion and talent radiating from all these bright shining stars as they sing their socks off is a thing to behold. The word that comes to mind is majestic.
@liveloungeallstars #liveloungeallstars
AD OF THE WEEK: REMY MARTIN & USHER
Spectacular 6 min ad featuring recording artist Usher.
Rémy Martin just released a collaborative new campaign with multi-Grammy award-winning musical artist, Usher to celebrate the harmonious blending of two cultures of timeless excellence: Music and Cognac. “Team Up For Excellence – The Film” highlights the cultural connection between Cognac and American music since 1917 in France, and how the two have been synonymous ever since. In the film imagined in collaboration with FRED & FARID New York, Usher narrates a story spanning the decades from the 1920s to the present day, which pays tribute to the multicultural connections, celebrated styles, and rhythms of the past. From Blues to Hip–Hop, Swing Dancing to Break–Dancing; Usher and Rémy Martin travel through decades in France and the US, to honor these cultural figures. The dancing is great and Usher is a pretty good actor. Solid work.
#usher @usher #remymartin @remymartin
BRIT AWARDS 2021: WHO WON?
This year’s BRIT Awards ceremony opened with Coldplay performing their new single “Higher Power” from a pontoon on the River Thames. Dua Lipa, Arlo Parks, Headie One, and more also took to the stage at The O2 in London.
The BRITs 2021 served as a government COVID pilot event, meaning that a scaled-back live audience – largely made up of NHS and key workers – could attend the ceremony without the need to wear masks or social distance.
Winners include Haim (International Group), Arlo Parks (Breakthrough Artist), Dua Lipa (Female Solo Artist and Best British Album), and J Hus (Male Solo Artist). Taylor Swift also received the Global Icon award at the event.
Winners: Best Album: Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia
Best British Female – Dua Lipa
Best British Male – J Hus
Best British Group – Little Mix
Best British single – Harry Styles – Watermelon Sugar
Full winners list head here.
CHILDISH GAMBINO SUED FOR COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT OVER THIS IS AMERICA
Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino has been sued for alleged copyright infringement over his 2018 hit single, This is America.
Florida-based Emelike Nwosuocha (aka rapper Kidd Wes) claims that elements of his song Made in America were copied by Gambino to create This is America. Released in 2018, This is America won Song and Record of the Year at the 2019 Grammy Awards. At the core of Nwosuocha’s claim, filed in New York on May 6th, is that there are allegedly “substantial similarities” between his song Made in America and Gambino’s This is America.
“Specifically,” adds the filing, “the substantial similarities between both songs include, but are not limited to, nearly-identical unique rhythmic, lyrical, and thematic compositional and performance content contained in the chorus – or “hook” – sections that are the centerpieces of both songs”.
SADIQ KHAN IS LAUNCHING A £6 MILLION CAMPAIGN FOR LIVE MUSIC AND HOSPITALITY
London will see a surge of art exhibitions, late night shows and events
Recently re-elected mayor of London Sadiq Khan is initiating plans for a £6 million campaign in support of live music, culture, and hospitality industries amid the ongoing pandemic.
The draft plan was announced at Shakespeare’s Globe yesterday, where Khan named the campaign ‘Lets Do London’ in efforts to rebuild UK tourism and create jobs.
Khan is promising “the biggest domestic tourism campaign London has ever seen”, stating that the plan will come into action throughout the summer comprising of a string of events and focus on specific sectors such as live music.
The Mayor said yesterday: “Our new campaign is bringing together many of the capital’s leading organizations and venues to offer an unparalleled experience for anyone visiting the capital throughout the year. With restrictions on international travel likely to continue this year, Londoners and visitors from the UK have a unique opportunity to experience all the capital has to offer without the queues.”
As well as supporting the live events industry, money will also go toward cultural and entertainment sectors with the first initiative bringing a series of outdoor art exhibitions to the streets of London this month.
AKAI ANNOUNCES MPC ONE RETRO
Akai has announced the MPC One Retro.
The limited-edition unit features a design referencing the original range of MPC sampling sequencers first launched in 1988. Cues from models like the MPC60, such as grey pads, cream chassis, and original Akai logo, have been applied to the modern MPC One introduced last year.
The feature set is otherwise identical to the MPC One, including standalone operation, sampling, clip launching, audio editing, and extensive external sequencing options via four CV/gate jacks and MIDI in and out ports. Read the full feature set on the Akai website.
Watch a promo video for the MPC One Retro.
Written by Anthony Vanger
Additional reporting by Adam “Badger” Woolf
Artwork by Gustav Balderdash
To join This Week In Music please send me an email: anthonyvanger@gmail.com