I’m headed to Los Angeles this week for a pair of events, but I’m doing so with a heavy heart. What’s happening with the fires -- and climate change in general -- is terrifying, and I’m bringing nothing but love and solidarity for friends, family, and the most vulnerable during this tough time. We all need to engage with the process of getting our country and our world on a new course towards rapidly reducing environmental risks. If you’re looking for a way to contribute in the near-term, consider Support LAFD.The show, though, does go on. Thursday, Nue is tagging in for Fight Night (FNT), a unique event that blends sanctioned fighting, music, and nightlife for an unparalleled party experience. It features MMA, Muay Thai, and K1, topped off with secret DJ’s and hip-hop performances. After two sold out years in New York, this will be FNT’s first foray into L.A. They’re taking over Hollywood's historic haunt, Avalon, where Big Apple brawlers will face off against the best fighters L.A. has to offer. Grab tix: https://www.fntworldwide.com/ticketsOn Monday, the latest installment of our hit web series, CRWN, gets the SoCal treatment itself, from Oxnard’s own, Anderson .Paak. Literally one of the most talented artists on Earth, .Paak is an irreplaceable fixture in rap and R&B with an incredible live show and a lot to say, so we’re thrilled to have him sitting down with Elliot Wilson to chop it up. Follow the ticket link here or watch it live on TIDAL that night. Hit me if you need a trial code.That leaves the weekend for a rare rush of downtime. I lived my late twenties in L.A. and learned a lot about health, wellness and the world of Hollyweird. I’ve got my go-to’s, of course, but I want to know about the latest and greatest through your Los Angeles lens.Recommendations...recommended!Cheers,
BEATS
Eventbrite Announces Eventbrite Music as It Plans to Sunset The Ticketfly BrandOver a year after acquiring middle market competitor Ticketfly for $200 million from Pandora, Eventbrite has announced a new ticketing solution specifically designed for independent music venues, promoters and festivals. Dubbed Eventbrite Music, the new solution is built on top of Eventbrite’s existing platform and promises to deliver the best aspects of Eventbrite and Ticketfly into one app for independent organizers, as they move towards sunsetting the latter brand in 2019. (Taylor Mimss – Billboard)
Steve Stoute Talks New United Masters, NBA Deal, And The Death Of Record LabelsPerpetual trailblazer Steve Stoute is ready to bring independent artists into the new reality of the entertainment industry. Today (Nov. 8), Stoute’s United Masters and the NBA announced a global partnership that will enable independent artists to have a direct connection to the men’s professional basketball league to get their music featured on the NBA’s digital platforms, including Twitch, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat. (Keith Nelson Jr. – Vibe)
Forbes 30 Under 30 Cover Story: How Marshmello Became A $44 Million DJSuccess has allowed Marshmello to upgrade to a $55,000 helmet that has an internal air-conditioning system and programmable LED lights and weighs just eight pounds. More important, the headgear has turned into a transcendent symbol that has placed Marshmello among the world’s five highest-earning DJs even as he refuses to obey the music industry’s rules: He still hasn’t signed a major label record deal, much less shown his face in public. (Zack O'Malley Greenburg – Forbes)
The music industry seems particularly excited about trends like integrated automotive commerce and self-driving cars, both of which are further enabled by both ridesharing and 5G. (Cherie Hu – Forbes)
Inside The Booming Business of Background MusicThe background music industry – also known as music design, music consultancy or something offered as part of a broader package of “experiential design” or “sensory marketing” – is constantly deciding what we hear as we go about our everyday business. The biggest player in the industry, Mood Media, was founded in 2004 and now supplies music to 560,000 locations across the world, from Sainsbury’s to KFC. (Jake Hulyer – The Guardian)
Pandora Turns Up The Volume with New “Sound On” Brand NarrativeMulti-channel campaign promises listeners Pandora will be there to turn the “Sound On” for every holiday travel moment. Debut campaign highlights artists including Cardi B, Carrie Underwood, Lil Wayne, and Pitbull. (Business Wire)
A Look at China’s Massive Music Streaming Industry and How It Differs from SpotifyThe news of Tencent Music’s impending initial public offering has given China’s music streaming industry significant media attention. The IPO could see Tencent Music valued at more than US$25 billion, in line with Spotify’s US$28.7 billion IPO. (Matt Haldane – Tech In Asia)
Live Nation Sells 85M Tickets In 2018 So Far, Posts Record Quarterly Revenue of $3.8BNLive Nation Entertainment just had its ‘best quarter ever’. The company’s revenue for the three months ending September 2018 was a record $3.8 billion, up 11% year-on-year. Live Nation also says that it’s on track to sell 90 million tickets this year, having already sold 85m so far. (MBW)
‘The Cultural Super Bowl’: How ComplexCon Tapped Into The Allure of Streetwear Culture ComplexCon has grown into more than a trade show for streetwear brands and their fans. In addition to visiting the 160 booths in the main marketplace, attendees could catch musical performances by rappers like Future, Action Bronson and Rae Sremmurd and exhibits showcasing artists including Takashi Murakami, ComplexCon’s founding host committee member. (Tim Peterson – Digiday)
The Ecommerce Messenger Playbook by Octane AI – 2018 HolidaysThe Ecommerce Messenger Playbook is the definitive resource for merchants who want to acquire customers and increase revenue with Facebook Messenger flows, quizzes, and ads. (Octane AI)
BYTES
Stan Lee helped create some of the most indelible comic book characters in American popular culture, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, and Black Panther. He died Monday. He was 95.
John Mayer and Fear of God's Jerry Lorenzo are Complex's November 2018 cover stars. They sit down with Complex's own Joe La Puma to talk about everything from the upcoming Nike Air Fear of God collaboration to Mayer's new album. But this conversation isn't just about fashion and music. Here's what happens when two of the biggest names in their industries get candid.
Gifnote is a free music app that uses proprietary technology allowing people to pair and share Songbytes — byte sized music clips — of the world’s most popular songs with GIFs, videos and photos. Working in partnership with Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment, Gifnote is the preeminent, fully-licensed music messaging app and has recently been featured as an Apple "New App We Love" and ”App of the Day.
Anderson .Paak’s new album Oxnard is set to arrive in about a week, and in the buildup to the album, the rapper has released another new song called “Who R U?” The bright, rhythm-oriented track follows two singles from Paak—“Tints” featuring Kendrick Lamar and “Bubblin.”
This week's newsletter was carefully curated by the Nue Agency staff and our editor Maria Tejada If you think we missed something this week or have any suggestions/comments for next week's newsletter, let us know!