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Tobias Jesso Jr.: GRAMMY-Winning Canadian Sells His Song Rights

February 23, 2023

Tobias Jesso Jr. You may know his name from his 2015 solo album Goon. Or maybe from his work on various popular songs, such as “When We Were Young” by Adele and “Alive” by Sia. Or even from his rece

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How Popular TV Shows and Movies Resurrect Classic Songs

February 23, 2023

HBO’s The Last of Us is arguably the hottest show out right now, receiving near universal acclaim from viewers and critics alike. This holds especially true for episode three: “Long, Long Time”.

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Ginalina: Bringing Her Taiwan Roots Into Her Latest Album

February 21, 2023

Folk singer. Songwriter. Canadian. Polyglot. All of these titles belong to Gina Lam, also known by her stage name Ginalina. In November 2022, she released her latest album titled Going Back: Remembe

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Rihanna’s Super Bowl Performance

February 21, 2023

Rihanna is an illustrious artist. She is among the best selling female artists of all time, and was one of the greatest hitmakers of the 2000s and 2010s. She has since grown to become the richest...

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How do Streaming Platforms Pay Artists - Is It Fair?

February 20, 2023

Streaming is now the driving force of the music industry, making up 84% of the industry revenue in the U.S. While streaming is much more convenient for listeners, many artists argue that it is near im

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Why Jay-Z Was Named The #1 Rapper Of All Time

February 23, 2023

Who is the greatest rapper of all time? Is it even possible to crown just one person? Well, Billboard and Vibe did exactly that. And, according to them, that person is Jay-Z. In honor of Hip-Hop’s

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Behind Kaytranada’s Unique Sound

February 18, 2023

Kaytranada (Louis Celestin) is a Haitian-Canadian record producer and DJ. He is a highly acclaimed electronic artist, having earned two Grammys and countless other awards for his work. Kaytranada has

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The Creative Act: Rick Rubin’s Knowledge Turned Into A Book

February 17, 2023

What happens when a famous music producer takes an interest in self-help books? The Creative Act is your answer. But who is Rick Rubin? Without a doubt, Rubin has an impressive track record in the

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Behind the Music: The Audio Engineer

February 14, 2023

The music industry is a place full of musicians, producers, and creators who have the magical ability to make those perfect sounds we hear everyday through our digital devices. We want to listen close

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Koji Kondo: Nintendo’s Melody Maestro

February 14, 2023

What do popular video games franchises Super Mario, Legend of Zelda, and Star Fox all have in common? They were all produced and published by Nintendo, and the iconic music themes that you hear in...

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Taylor Swift on Industry Sexism and Music Rights

February 8, 2023

Being a successful woman in the music industry is no easy feat. Not only do they deal with the typical trials and tribulations of being a musician, but there are also gender-specific challenges.

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What’s the Ideal Length for a Single— Are Songs Getting Shorter?

February 8, 2023

“Is it just me, or are songs getting shorter these days?” This is a question I have often pondered, especially in the last few years. It appears that in the era of social media, attention spans are

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Sony Music to acquire Queen catalogue for £1 billion

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Sony Music's recent announcement to acquire the majority of Queen's music catalogue, along with various other rights, signifies a monumental deal valued at approximately £1 billion (around $1.27 billion), according to Variety. This acquisition excludes the revenue from live performances, which will remain with founding members Brian May and Roger Taylor, who continue to tour with singer Adam Lambert. The catalogue includes timeless classics such as "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Another One Bites the Dust," "We Will Rock You," and "We Are the Champions," which remain immensely popular and influential.

However, Sony's transition to acquiring Queen's music rights isn't without challenges. Disney retains the recorded-music rights for the US and Canada, a result of a $10 million licensing deal struck in 1991 and subsequent acquisitions in the 2000s. These rights will remain with Disney indefinitely. Additionally, the group's current distribution deal with Universal will transfer to Sony in all territories outside the US and Canada upon its expiration in 2026 or 2027, ensuring a phased transition.

Queen's origins trace back to the collaboration of May and Taylor in the band Smile, later joined by Freddie Mercury and John Deacon to form Queen. Each member contributed significantly to the band's success, with chart-topping singles penned by all four. Despite Mercury's untimely death in 1991, Queen's music continues to captivate audiences worldwide, maintaining a strong presence on the radio, in sports arenas, and across various media platforms. This acquisition by Sony underscores the enduring value and legacy of Queen's music.