Table of contents for No. 1376 in Music Week

The age old question The sheer amount of trends this year has, arguably, been the biggest trend of them all. Web3. The rising value of NFTs. The, er, decreasing value of NFTs. Catalogue buyouts. AI artists. Increasingly powerful campaigns for diversity, gender parity and mental health awareness. Remuneration. Ticket prices. Holograms getting better reviews than real artists. And another one that's coming into sharper focus as our industry decelerates into Christmas party mode is the concerning lack of British breakthroughs at a global level in 2022. As exiting BPI CEO Geoff Taylor points out in this issue's Music Week Interview, the UK hasn't produced a totally dominant, world-conquering new star in 2022. This, too, at a time when our reputation as a prodigious superstar incubator is threatened by other markets.…

THE BIG STREAMS For the third year in a row, Bad Bunny (pictured) took the No.1 spot for most streamed artist globally on Spotify, with more than 18 billion streams in 2022. Bad Bunny's Un Verano Sin Ti was also the streaming giant's top album globally this year. Harry Styles’ As It Was was the most streamed song globally on Spotify with 1.6 billion streams, followed by fellow UK act Glass Animals’ Heat Waves (1.1bn). Ed Sheeran was the biggest UK artist on Spotify. THE BIG TRIBUTE Tributes have been paid to Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie, who has died aged 79. McVie was the songwriter behind Don't Stop from the 1977 LP Rumours, as well as Songbird and, as co-writer, Little Lies, among others. “The loss of Christine McVie is…

“The value of the song is out of kilter – there are battles ahead”NIGEL ELDERTON, PEERMUSIC/PRS FOR MUSIC Nigel Elderton, UK MD & European president of Peermusic, is stepping down as PRS For Music chair after six years. Here, he reflects on his achievements, looks ahead to the licensing challenges and reveals the location of Glastonbury's most fragrant facilities… How does it feel to be stepping down at PRS? “I started on the board in ‘92, so I've been there for 30 years, which is unbelievable. I was certainly one of the youngest, if not the youngest, directors at PRS back then, and I'm now probably one of the oldest! The last six years I've been honoured to be the chairman. During that period, I instituted the governance review, and…

Jack Saunders DJ, BBC Radio 1 DJO – CHANGE Best known for playing Steve Harrington in Stranger Things, Joe Keery also makes music under the name of Djo and, on Change, he creates a trippy, time-bending, mystery that is a joy to unpick. That's the thing that appeals most about this song, I don't just listen to it and like it, I feel it racing through my whole being, getting hooked in further and further with each listen. The synths are a futuristic symphony serenading the shifting turbulence of Joe's life and relationships; there is a clear attempt to embrace the change, but it's not as straightforward as it feels. I'd also like to shout out Decide, the album it's taken from, which is equally as gripping. Jaguar DJ, BBC…

Nia Archives is the future of jungle. You might think you've heard quite a few people described that way since the genre blew up in the 1990s, but in the case of the Bradford-born 22-year-old, it just so happens to be true. “Goldie called his [1995] album Timeless, and it is,” says Nia, talking to Music Week from her London home. “It still sounds so fresh and so amazing. You wouldn't think it was nearly 30 years old. That's what I want to do, I want to make music that people still listen to decades from now. I want to make music that isn't just consumed quickly, to build music that lasts.” Nia (whose full name is not for public consumption) is unusual in a scene that has its eyes…

SELINA WEBB EVP, Universal Music UK You won Outstanding Contribution at our Women In Music Awards this year, how do you feel about the impact you've had on the business? “I've already talked way too much about myself but one follow-up I will mention is the number of young women who have reached out to say how much they were touched by my story. It only goes to reinforce the importance of representation and being out there, however uncomfortable it sometimes is!” Beyond your personal success, how did Universal Music UK push things forward in 2022? “The response to our Women In A&R programme has been phenomenal – it's going to be fascinating to see its impact.” What track defined your 2022? “Self Esteem's Fucking Wizardry is epic, empowering awesomeness.”…

CAT BURNS Since ‘93 signing Cat Burns unravels the tale of how her debut single Go turned her into an emerging star… A t the end of 2021, Go just started to rise and no one could point out why. It shocked me. “We saw that it was growing on TikTok, so I want to say that I posted loads more TikToks but in reality I didn't. I highlighted on my posts that it was growing within the algorithm and that helped push it even more. We kept talking about it on other platforms as well. TikTok can really do wonders and when the song picks up, the work gets done for you. We did loads of interviews and shoots. We wanted to make sure people knew the face behind the…

“Royalties were created to stop creatives falling into poverty, we cannot allow them to disappear” Tom Gray, #Broken Record/Ivors Academy “People don't really want to hear it – I think they want to paint the music industry as the devil, but everybody's all right from my experience” Paul Heaton “It's not so black and white anymore for an artist to be either signed to a major label for the rest of their careers, or be independent. Today we're seeing more artists becoming autonomous…” Milana Lewis, Stem “If the music industry doesn't change itself, change will be forced upon it” Dave Rowntree, Blur “I'm standing on the shoulders of giants, this is a golden age for Black music” Robert Bruce, Capital Xtra Homegrown “I used to play lots of sports: football,…

LIZZO ABOUT DAMN TIME The world's greatest songs. By the people who made them. So, we had been working on [Lizzo's fourth studio album] Special for three years when Ricky Reed called me to say, ‘Hey, we're wrapping the album, but I feel like there's one song missing and I really think we can nail it. I've got this beat Lizzo likes the beat – I'm going to send it to you.’ I was in Atlanta and Lizzo was in the studio in LA. They came up with ideas and I came up with ideas and it took us, I want to say, two or three weeks to finish the song. I went back out to LA and we finished it there. Sometimes people do the most amazing things in…

TOP UK TRACKS BY UK ARTISTS IN 2022 The UK sounds used most in creations by the UK TikTok community this year 1 FelixThe1st & Dreya Mac Own Brand Freestyle Global creations to date: 4,874,603 Own Brand Freestyle from UK rap artists Dreya Mac and FelixThe1st had an astronomical rise on TikTok this year. Powered by a fun, easy-going dance challenge, the song was released to the TikTok community in late 2021 and soon hit No.3 on the Global Viral 50 Spotify Chart, peaking at No.64 in the UK singles chart. Both artists have now amassed a massive following on TikTok – more than two million collectively – and are known for their upfront content and freestyles that show what it's like to be a younger rapper in the UK today.…

@ZOLAJESUS україна моя вітчизна! [Ukraine, my homeland!] Fora long time my family had a farm outside of Odessa Sunflowers by the sea. A big space in my heart is saved for Ukraine. I long to return. Solidarity with everyone on the ground there, forced to yet again fight for their sovereignty. (Zola Jesus, artist) Thursday, February 24 @adotdee When will WhatsApp give us timed replies? Sometimes I want to send a work message at ungodly hours but don't want it delivered until work hours! (Austin Daboh, Atlantic) Wednesday, April 6 @shaolinwaaavy More time I don't even know what you lot be talking about on here but one thing I do know is you lot ain't outside (Ghadir Mustafa, XL Recordings) Wednesday, April 20 @KSI What a week. I went to my…

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Jerry Allison Ernie Andrews Teresa Berganza Marilyn Bergman Alan Blaikley Gary Brooker Mira Calix Darius Campbell Danesh Irene Cara Ray Carless Aaron Carter Fred Catero Manny Charlton Coolio Julee Cruise George Crumb Betty Davis Danny Devoux Lamont Dozier Noel Duggan Judith Durham Jamal Edwards MBE Andy ‘Fletch’ Fletcher Inez Foxx Hurricane G Angus ‘Drummie Zeb’ Gaye Sam Gooden Robert Louis Gordy William ‘Poogie’ Hart Rosa Lee Hawkins Taylor Hawkins Michael Henderson Darryl Hunt Colin Irwin Jimmy Johnson Syl Johnson Wilko Johnson Naomi Judd Orlando Julius Anita Kerr John King John ‘Knocker’ Knowles Art Laboe Yasmin Lajoie Mark Lanegan Michael Lang Keith Levene Jerry Lee Lewis Ramsey Lewis Jon Lind Meat Loaf Radu Lupu Loretta Lynn Tina May Dan McCafferty Ian McDonald Andy McKaie Barry McKee Christine McVie Joe Messina Jody…

FIVE NEGATIVES FROM 2022. 1. POLITICS AS USUAL The utterly ridiculous spectacle of a central government tearing itself apart, unable to perform the most basic functions required of leadership, spending months on internecine warfare while their departments and officers are left floundering trying to keep things going. Every single one of the following four things below could have been managed in advance, alleviating stress, anguish and completely unnecessary brinkmanship by venues struggling to stay afloat. The year 2022 was an absolute farce. Government must do better than this. 2. ENERGY CRISIS It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who has ever been in a live music venue that they are incredibly energy usage heavy; it's the very core of what the experience is. Having to have conversations with government officials…

Shania Twain, artist Her name is legend. Shania Twain is not only one of the biggest-selling artists of all time, she also achieved that feat while overcoming immense hardship. Here, ahead of releasing her brilliant new album Queen Of Me early next year, she reflects on her inspirational journey to the top… All my life, I have asked myself… “‘Why have I persevered?’ I just can't quit. It may be because of my childhood [Twain was both witness to, and survivor of, abuse; her mother and stepfather died in a car crash when she was 21, leaving her to raise her younger siblings]. It's a chicken and egg type thing: did I develop determination to persevere because of my childhood, or was I born with this innate determination and that's…

TEAM Louis Tomlinson Management: Matt Vines/Chris Frewin (Seven7) UK marketing: Lisa Wilkinson/Charlotte Claber (BMG) Creative manager: Faye Purcell A&R: Jamie Nelson/Felix Howard (BMG) Streaming: James Farrelly/Simon Rugg/Sunjay Kholi/Jennifer Andrianavony-Bosompem (BMG) Digital Marketing: Ben Frith (Seven7), Darbi Donaldson/Phil Brown/Tom Fake (BMG), Robyn Elliot/Sarah Delaney (Blackstar) International: Georgia Fenn/Andy Lloyd/Terry Felgate/Jamie Herron (BMG) Production: Paul Lowe/Jess Luton (BMG) Press: Simon Jones PR Radio: Luke Gray (Your Army) TV: Jacqui Quaife (JQ:TV)…

@mattjohnclarke How did you first break into the industry? “Through promoting shows in Manchester. I was only 15 and had no clue what I was doing, so I began by speaking to local bands and going to dozens of shows across the city. I had the opportunity to study mathematics at the London School Of Economics or sign to Concord Music Group as a musician. I chose to sign the record deal, despite my mum thinking I had lost the plot, and then toured internationally for a few years. I spent a lot of time in the van reading books on the music industry. The more I read, the more I found myself loving the business aspect much more than I enjoyed being a performer. I felt I suited artist…

“I started this job at a really tough time, but I was up for the challenge and the big issue was to stand up for the value of music”GEOFF TAYLOR When you're the head of a music industry trade body like the BPI, there are the serious policy issues to grapple with on a daily basis, but then there's the “fun stuff’, as outgoing CEO Geoff Taylor likes to call it. So, before we get to the nitty-gritty of streaming, piracy and exports – all key challenges during the chief exec's tenure – here's a highlight from his time overseeing the BRIT Awards. “One of my favourite moments was introducing Ed Vaizey, who was then the Culture Minister, to Robbie Williams,” smiles Taylor in anticipation of his own anecdote. “We…

“As women, we're trained that it's a competition and there's not space for all of us, but that's not true at all” Holly Humberstone “Our industry is not just a bunch of rock and rollers turning up to earn a few quid playing guitars, this is a multi-billion pound global business” Neil Wamock, UTA “For my generation there's a lot of pressure to be somebody at such a young age now… So the advice I try to give people is to understand there's a season for everything, don't stress yourself. Your time will come” Darkoo “It's perfectly okay to be an artist who doesn't want to think about their revenue streams and growth, they should go into a traditional label deal. But if you do care about that, if you've…

“Ask many record label execs what the biggest threat to their business will be in 2023? They'll say private equity” SAMMY ANDREWS 1 DIGITAL BURNOUT It's no surprise that people's mental health suffered during the pandemic, but for many artists and industry executives the added pressure to move their entire life online was just too much. We've seen many social accounts close and tours cancelled this year off the back of mental health issues. Yet many industry sectors have also stepped up and offered support and recognition for these issues. Massive shout-out, then, to Help Musicians who got thousands of artists and songwriters through these unprecedented times with various means of support. And we should also acknowledge platforms including TikTok and Meta who focused time, money and resources this year…

HOTSHOTS SPECIAL Girls I Rate held a networking brunch to celebrate Black History Month, with hosts including Carla Marie Williams, Kanya King, Zeze Millz, Irene Agbontaen and Priscilla Anyabu. Guests included Dellessa James, JinJin, Portia Clark, Jodeci Chin, Jennifer Akoto, Bethany Marshall, Jacqueline ‘JPL’ Pelham-Leigh, Amanda Maxwell, Gabriella Kingsley, Princess K and Nqobilé… “Develop your skills… You're never too young or old to feed your brain!” PORTIA CLARKE www.girlsIrate.com PORTIA CLARKE (HEAD OF MARKETING, MOTOWN RECORDS UK) Portia Clarke is head of marketing at Motown Records UK, overseeing a roster of UK and international artists including P Diddy, Tiana Majors Babyface, Nemzzz and many more. Previously, Clarke was the first person to hold the position of international marketing, Black music (genre lead) at Warner Music Group in the UK, exporting artists…

01 DOUBLE QUICK TAYLOR SWIFT Midnights (EMI) SALES: 128,014 Taylor Swift tops the albums chart for a second consecutive month with Midnights racking up a further 128,014 sales. With sales to date of 353,794, Swift's LP is currently the third biggest of the year despite only being released in October. The current leader is Harry Styles’ Harry's House (427,045 sales to date), followed by Ed Sheeran's 2021 album = (404,896 sales in 2022). The success of Swift's latest release appears to be boosting her catalogue, with five other albums in the month's Top 75, including Folklore at N0.29 (11,439 sales in November), 1989 at No.32 (10,772) and Lover at No.44 (9,291). According to Official Charts Company data, 1989 is Swiff's biggest seller overall with 1,531,550 sales to date. 02 LOSS FOR WORDS…

“The music that thrived on TikTok this year has been as diverse and surprising as ever. It's been brilliant to see emerging talent like Stepz and Dreya Mac building careers off the back of a huge amount of love from our community, alongside true legends like Edison Lighthouse, Rod Stewart and Louis Theroux finding themselves at the centre of massive trends on TikTok. “It really all came full circle for us when Sam Ryder became the UK's Eurovision hopeful this year. Sam started belting out tracks on TikTok in 2020 during lockdown, and quickly became one of our biggest artists duetting with everyone from Alicia Keys to Ellie Goulding. We were incredibly proud of Sam flying the flag for the UK at Eurovision. “We are equally proud of Cat Burns…