I haven’t lived in California since my mid-twenties. That was before Nue Agency was in full effect, before my brother Alex and I were in business together, and before I knew what I now know. It was also before I met Jenn.The world is different now and particularly different in the current climate. With no office open and no business travel on the docket, my partner and I decided to trade in our Brooklyn apartment for a nomadic, pandemic life.So, we bought a one-way ticket to L.A. and will be living in Topanga Canyon through November. There’s wonderful energy here. I have flashbacks to my office at The Assemblage, except now the magic is even more 3D with sprawling mountains and a beautiful ocean at our feet.While some say not to make big decisions while mercury is in retrograde, we’ve got different criteria: we’re not making any more life decisions until the election is over. Moreover, we’re doing everything in our power - and tapping heavily into our network -- to say buh-bye to The Donald!The world may be in flux and live events may be at a standstill, but as I’ve said before, there are pockets of joy everywhere. L.A. is a wonderful place filled with opportunities and possibilities. The warm weather doesn’t hurt. I’m excited to connect -- in a responsible, socially distant way -- with friends, colleagues, and newcomers who have a vision for a brighter future. Let’s make these next three weeks count!
BEATS
The Women Who Invented Video Game MusicIn an era where video game music is a fantastically complex production, often with live musicians and even full orchestral compositions, it's easy to forget that between the first notes on the page to the grand sound coming out of your PlayStation there is a wide intermediate stage. You need musicians, and a conductor to guide them. You need someone to interpret and channel the spirit of the music. You need an Eímear Noone. (Wired)
NIVA Announces Save Our Stages Fest With Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, The Roots, MoreThe National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) will host Save Our Stages Fest on October 16th-18th. The virtual festival will feature headlining performances from Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, The Roots, and many more as filmed from 25 iconic independent venues across the country.The lineup for Save Our Stages Fest also includes Black Pumas, Brittany Howard, Brothers Osborne, Dillon Francis, FINNEAS, G-Eazy, Jason Mraz, Leon Bridges, Little Big Town, The Lumineers, Macklemore, Major Lazer, Marshmello, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, Nathaniel Rateliff, Phoebe Bridgers, Portugal. The Man, Reba McEntire, The Revivalists, Rise Against, YG, and more. (Live For Live Music)
Budweiser Crowns Halsey as Its 'King' For Latest CampaignThe multi-platinum pop star revealed an accompanying "Make Your Name - Be a King" mini-film that shows her poetic metamorphosis from Jersey girl Ashley Frangipane to global sensation Halsey, an anagram of her birth name that was also inspired by the Halsey Street station at the New York City Subway. The two-minute clip captures her five-year quest through her never-before-heard spoken word poetry. (Billboard)
Want an $85 Eddie Bauer-Sub Pop Flannel? What Works and What Gets The Eye Roll in Band/Brand Marketing PairingsCan we officially proclaim it #CollabSZN? Bands and brands teaming up to combine marketable forces is nothing new, especially in the fashion world. But this summer and fall, the hype train has accelerated with high-profile collaborations between music superstars and juggernauts like Nike and McDonald’s. (Seattle Times))
The Company That Has a Monopoly On Ice Cream Truck MusicIn 1973, an electrical engineer named Bob Nichols was watching the film The Sting when a song on the soundtrack — Scott Joplin’s 1902 ragtime hit, “The Entertainer” — caught his ear. The right clip of that song, Bob realized, would make for an irresistible ice cream truck jingle. He could imagine trucks gliding through the American suburbs, the tinkling notes summoning children to buy snow cones, sundaes, and bomb pops. (The Hustle)
When Will Concerts Return? Experts Weigh In.During the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve taken restaurant dining outside, replaced international travel with national park road trips and put work meetings that still probably should’ve been emails on Zoom.But one experience that seems almost impossible to imagine in our new reality is the traditional live music show. While virtual concerts can provide great joy and entertainment, fans have lamented that they don’t capture the true feeling of an IRL show. (HuffPost)
30 Years of Music’s Influence on Voter RegistrationUnbelievable as it may seem now, there was once a time when you could broadcast a public service announcement on MTV or VH1 and have it reach 80 percent of the young people in the United States. The first non-partisan, non-profit organization to focus on building the civic and political power of young people, Rock the Vote tapped into the two music networks’ reach from its start in 1990. (Flood Magazine)
Why Kanye West's Fight For His Masters Marks A Changing Music IndustryIn September, Kanye West took to Twitter to declare the music industry (and NBA) “modern day slave ships”, as he sought to regain the rights to his master recordings. He explained: “When you sign a music deal you sign away your rights. Without the masters you can’t do anything with your own music. Someone else controls where it’s played and when it’s played. Artists have nothing accept [sic] the fame, touring and merch.” (The Guardian)
MusiCares Coronavirus ReliefCOVID-19 has devastated our music community, leaving thousands of music creators and professionals with an uncertain future. We are here to help. MusiCares and the Recording Academy have partnered in a COVID-19 Relief effort to help our peers in the music community affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Please join us to help keep the music community alive and thriving, giving it as much as it gives us. (MusiCares)
This Soon-To-Launch Minecraft Club Changed My Mind About Virtual Raves A look at the user experience behind virtual club design. Early on in the lockdown I threw a few virtual raves, but decided they’re not for me. Simply put: I thought they’re not engaging enough to compete with all the other things I could be doing. I hear you: they have an important role. I agree with that, but I think they typically do poorly in terms of fulfilling that role. (Music X Corona)
Spotify for Artists Has a New Boss, Joining From PatreonCamille Hearst was the head of product, creator and general manager, merch at crowdfunding platform Patreon, until now. As of today, she’s joining Spotify as its first head of Spotify for Artists. Hearst announced the news in a series of tweets this afternoon. “In this new role, I’ll lead a cross-functional team including product, tech, design, user research, and more. Not to mention getting to work closely with the SoundBetter team…what a cool platform,” she wrote. (Musically)
Jay-Z Posts Bail and Covers All Fees for Protesters In Wauwatosa, Wisconsin Demonstrators in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, are calling for justice after the death of Alvin Cole. Jay-Z’s social justice arm of Roc Nation, Team Roc, led efforts to assist protesters with legal fees. Demonstrators took to Wauwatosa’s streets after no charges were brought against the police officer who shot Cole on February 2nd. (Digital Music News)
Roblox Has Big Plans For Virtual Music Events Despite its straightforward nature, 1.156 million unique players showed up for the event, with a peak concurrent total of 166,620 people — and it’s just the start of a plan to make music an integral part of Roblox. “The stretch goal is to go to the non-obvious places, where we can make the virtual experience even better than the real-world experience,” says Jon Vlassopulos, Roblox’s head of music. (The Verge)
Universal Is Building It's Own Hotels, Including a $1.2BM Complex in MississippiMajor music companies growing their businesses into previously unexplored verticals isn’t anything new. Warner Music Group, for example, has this year expanded into meme-making (via its $85m acquisition of IMGN Media) and into online news media (via its acquisition of HipHopDX). That being said, Universal Music Group’s latest move is very much out of the ordinary – and massive in its ambition. (Music Business Worldwide)
Fancy Cars, Fine Dining, Creator Mansions, Cash: Triller Is Shelling Out for TalentWhen talk of a possible TikTok ban began in July, the leaders of a small social video app called Triller saw a growth opportunity. To attract users, the company set its sights on TikTok’s biggest names. Some of the Sway Boys, a group of TikTok influencers, had been toying with the idea of building their own app to compete with TikTok, but after a discussion with Ryan Kavanaugh, the majority owner of Triller and a veteran entertainment executive, they decided the platform could be good for them. (New York Times)
Killer Mike, Former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young and Bounce TV Founder Ryan Glover Launch a Digital BankA group of Black Atlanta businessmen, politicians and entertainers — including former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young, the entertainer Michael Render (better known as Killer Mike) and Bounce TV founder Ryan Glover — have launched a new digital bank focused on developing and promoting local communities and cultivating Black and Latinx entrepreneurs and small businesses. (Tech Crunch)
BYTES
“The First One” is a new audio experience hosted by one of the most prolific hitmakers of the 21st century, DJ Khaled. The mogul and superstar will interview his all-time favorite artists about the hits that made them iconic and eventually legendary like Lil Wayne, Kelly Rowland, Big Sean, J Balvin, Fat Joe, Jon Bon Jovi, and more! Because you can’t get to “Another One” without “The First One,” listeners will learn of never before heard stories behind artists’ biggest hits.
The first two “Pass the Mic” shows from DJ Cassidy counted as veritable mic-drops for fans of vintage R&B and hip-hop, bringing epic medleys that brought stars from Earth, Wind and Fire to Doug E. Fresh back to reprise a verse or two of their classic hits in a dance-music collage. “Volume Three” premiered last night, zeroing in on the late ’80s/early ’80s nexus of R&B history. (Variety)
Triller is an entertainment platform built for creators. A social video community where you can show the world who you are by capturing flawless videos and sharing them in seconds. Express yourself and connect with the content you love. Create amazing music videos for trending challenges such as the Drake #InMyFeelings challenge and many more.
Disney and Apple have long had close ties — Steve Jobs was Disney’s largest single shareholder and Bob Iger was an Apple board member. The companies have cosied up a bit more this week. Apple started selling 4K Disney films through its movie store, and now Disney has its own section in Apple Music.
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!