With this week’s release of Donda and Certified Lover Boy, Kanye and Drake are top of mind and topping the charts. They’re my two favorite rappers of all time, so you know I’m watching keenly what’s happening. Nobody has excited their fans, driven culture, broken records, and set trends more consistently than them the last decade plus.Love ‘em or hate ‘em, it’s clear they both deeply understand the power of social media. They’re masters of trolling the masses. Kanye’s album is out and, at 27 tracks, it is as intensely layered and creative as his rollout was. He crushed it with his stadium status listening sessions; he sold millions of dollars worth of merch, and he created anticipation by continuing to change the album in real-time while fans and collaborators watched. This alone has revolutionized the album release process.Drake, meanwhile, drops at midnight without so much as a hint at what the music will be. The only thing confirmed is album artwork that has everyone scratching their heads.The tension between these two titans has been brewing for some time and this latest release week clash has only heightened the drama. It’s wild how different their approaches have been and it will be very interesting to see how this plays out in a 2021 music news cycle. How fast will these projects come and go? Will the dueling hype lead to better sales for both? I wouldn’t be surprised if this ended up in some type of battle. Could they be the next Verzuz?It’s a very exciting moment in music, one I think we will remember for a long time. And that’s before we even mention what Kendrick said…
BEATS
Drake Announces ‘Certified Lover Boy’ Release Date On Sportscenter: Sept. 3rdSince Drake revealed that his new album Certified Lover Boy was finished and on its way, fans have been hoping and ready for it to drop every single New Music Friday. Of course, there’s been the tension between Drake and Ye that makes people think that the pair will drop on the same week, but nothing was ever confirmed. (Hip Hop N More)
From ‘Yeezus’ to ‘Donda’: How Kanye Turned Concert Merch into an EmpireOver the course of his 17-year music career, Kanye West fundamentally shifted how people and the entire fashion industry would perceive music merch: he was the first to consciously turn concert T-shirts into viable streetwear grails. (Input Mag)
Bonnaroo Cancellation Tests New Festival Pandemic-Era Payment TermsTuesday's news that Bonnaroo was canceling due to rain and flooding was a bitter pill to swallow for the artists, vendors and thousands of fans preparing to descend on the Manchester, Tenn., festival grounds where the annual festival was set to return after missing 2020 due to COVID-19. (Billboard)
Slinky Invites You to Remix and Remake Its Iconic 1962 JingleEveryone knows it's ... unlikely. But fans can try though an initiative launched on Monday—National Slinky Day, celebrating the toy's 75th anniversary!—by parent company Just Play and agency Red Tettemer O'Connell + Partners. This marks Slinky's social media debut, with TikTok and Instagram influencers helping to get the word out. A :30 mashes up the familiar tune with rap stylings. (Muse by Clio
Post Malone Stays Out Late to Support Indie Venues and ArtistsBathed in a neon glow from neighborhood hotspots and backed by his shimmering track "I'm Gonna Be," Post Malone stars in a short film from Jägermeister, part of the German liqueur brand's ongoing "Save the Night" initiative to assist indie venues and artists amid the pandemic. (Muse by Clio)
MAC Cosmetics to Honor Aaliyah with New Collection 16 Years After DeathAlthough few details were released about the collection line in the initial announcement, the popular cosmetic manufacturer was sure to credit the fans for making the line possible and said that the MAC Aaliyah collection will be available for purchase next summer. (The Undefeated)
Bill Ackman: Universal And Warner Are Both Under-Valued… But UMG’s The Right Bet For UsWhat does Ackman think about UMG and WMG? In short, he thinks they’re both under-valued – but that, out of the two, UMG’s the better bet. And he believes that his investors’ chances of making a long-term loss on their near-$4 billion combined investment into Universal is “minimal”. (Music Business Worldwide)
OneOf Wants to be the NFT Marketplace for People Who Don’t Understand NFTsOneOf operates on the Tezos blockchain that, according to Tezos, uses 2 million times less energy than other networks. For comparison, a single transaction on the more popular Ethereum blockchain consumes the same amount of energy needed to power a standard U.S. home for one and a half days. OneOf claims minting an NFT through its marketplace uses the same energy as sending a Tweet. (Fast Company)
Oreo Created 'Mixtapes' to Unlock Millennial Nostalgia"Creme you dig it?" "Oreo Ready to rock?!" "Punks who dunk." "Dunkstep." These are a few of the cookie-themed playlists with nostalgic tracks—ranging back to the '70s—offered through "Press Play to Win," an A.I.-powered activation from Oreo and Digitas. (Muse by Clio)
Hit Songs Rely On Increasing “Harmonic Surprise” To Hook Listeners, Study FindsHip-hop artist Childish Gambino (aka actor Donald Glover) made a splash in 2018 with the release of his Grammy-winning hit single, "This Is America." With its stark, sudden shifts between choral melodies in major chords and menacing percussive elements drawn from the trap subgenre, the song constantly defies the listener's expectations throughout. (Arstechnica)
Who Knew You Could Carry Spotify Playlists in Your Pocket, No Phone Required, for $110?Here's another option: The Mighty Vibe. Closely resembling the beloved Apple iPod Shuffle of yesteryear, the Vibe is a little square audio player designed to clip onto your clothes. It can automatically (and wirelessly) sync with your favorite Amazon Music or Spotify podcasts and playlists. (Yahoo)
Roblox Continues its Growth Story Narrative, But Cannot Escape the Covid-Bounce EffectRoblox reported on its Q2 2021 results this week. Indeed, a continuation of the company’s growth story with bookings surpassing $665 million, up 35% year-on-year. On paper, the 127% YoY growth of revenue looks even more impressive. Roblox is still very much a growth company, simplistically meaning that as long as it grows bookings, revenue, DAUs and time spent, investors will remain happy. (Midias Research)
Lex Luger’s Free Sample Pack on Bandlab Sounds Features Hip-Hop Drums, Keys and PadsThe Jay-Z, Kanye West and Snoop Dogg producer has included 30 loops and 69 one-shot samples in his BandLab Sounds pack, all geared towards hip-hop and trap music. This includes processed TR-808-style drum hits, constructor kits, pads, keys and more. (Music Tech)
How Much Is Kanye Making From His 'Donda' Listening Parties?Ticketed listening parties aren’t just a way for Kanye to control the narrative around his delayed album, and they’re not just a novel form of promotion. They're a business enterprise in and of themselves—and given the size of these things, it seems like Kanye is probably making a killing off of them. But how much money are we talking here? (Vice)
We're Seeing The Change to a Consumption Model': How Streaming Has Transformed The Albums ChartThe performance of Olivia Rodrigo’s album shows how labels and artists can now set up camp in the Top 40 if they can connect to a streaming audience. But as a 2021 debut artist, Rodrigo is the exception. The easiest way to do it is with old favourites - catalogue releases that are played on repeat. (Music Week)
Jay-Z’s Made in America Partners With Clear On COVID-19 Health Pass: ‘For The Most Efficient Entry Possible, Every Attendee Should Enroll’Made in America and Clear – part of which belongs to United Airlines – just recently unveiled their plans to verify festival attendees’ vaccination status through the 11-year-old company’s app. Slated to kick off next Saturday, September 4th, Philadelphia’s Made in America has booked artists including Justin Bieber, Lil Baby, Megan Thee Stallion, and Doja Cat. (Digital Music News)
Lil Yachty and Iris Apfel Bond Over Luxe Watches in eBay CampaignTwenty-four-year-old rapper Lil Yachty and fashion icon Iris Apfel—who turns 100 this weekend!—bond over their passion for luxury timepieces in the first installment of "Old School Meets New School," an eBay content series developed by The Many. (Muse by Clio)
BYTES
Justin Blau, who is best known as 3LAU, is a DJ and electronic dance music producer. He has also been an early advocate for Bitcoin, NFTs, and LDAs (limited digital assets) this week as he revealed his new company, Royal, which he has cofounded.
With an increasing number of independent artists in today’s era, YouTube’s ‘Foundry Program & The Future of Independent Music’ helps highlight and inform aspiring artists about what it means to be independent, and how to best prepare for today’s industry.
In a bid to expand its classical music offering, Apple today announced that it has acquired Primephonic. The Amsterdam-based service, which launched in 2014, will bring a laser focus on a music genre that’s been sorely lacking in Apple Music’s generalized approach to streaming. (Tech Crunch)
After turning up with the most anticipated hip-hop sequel of the summer, multi-platinum rapper Lil Tecca drops the Deluxe Edition of his second full-length album, We Love You Tecca 2, via Galactic Records/Republic Records.
This week's newsletter was carefully curated by the Nue Agency staff and our editor Rachel Meisner. If you think we missed something this week or have any suggestions/comments for next week's newsletter, let us know!