DJ Khaled’s personality is as massive as his anthems. He’s been grinding for a minute, but it’s clicked in recent years on a whole ‘nother level. I credit his ability to leverage Snapchat for his ascent to mainstream icon status. The personality piece was perfect for the platform: right place, right time, right person.Khaled quickly became a brand and endorsement king in many verticals, has appeared in several movies, turned 40, become a father and, once again with his album release last week, put out A-list banger after A-list banger.In 2019, your story and affiliations are more important than ever. Khaled nails that on this record. It’s the best “mixtape” of the year, bringing me back to the hip-hop summers of my youth. Proper mixtapes rarely make it to streaming platforms because sample and feature clearances are difficult and often halt the process. But Father of Ashad bucks that trend because Khaled has the necessary support and connections to it pull off and make it sound authentic. He even clears OutKast’s “Ms. Jackson” (!!!) for a song with SZA. Khaled’s path mirrors that of technology: it’s nuanced, forward-thinking, and continuously evolves. He also has a natural flair for show business. He put out multiple videos this week to accompany the drop. They are beautifully done and a lot of fun, also reminding me of the late 90’s when music videos were so big and such crucial components of a release.Given his unique brand of influence, it only makes sense that tonight we are recording our biggest CRWN to date, featuring this groundbreaking music maker. It will be filmed live at the legendary Apollo theater. In person, Khaled is always motivational. He’s a beam of positivity and a true hustler, someone everyone needs to hear from. I’m sure CRWN’s host, Elliott Wilson, will bring out the best in him. It will be an unforgettable event filled with major keys and epic cloth talk. As Khaled proclaimed during his SNL performance this weekend, “the summer starts now!”If you didn’t get tickets, stream it live at 10pm EST on Tidal.
BEATS
A Primer For Using Music In MarketingIndoor cycling company Peloton pedaled into some legal trouble in March—to the tune of $150 million—when the brand was sued for trademark infringement by a group of music publishers representing the likes of Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. (Ad Age)
Set The Record Straight: Brands Celebrate VinylAs vinyl’s resurgence charges forward with newer and more unique iterations, brands are taking creative liberties with the medium to promote their offerings, or just cash in on a nostalgic pastime. (Cassandra)
How Music Discovery Works Today, and What Artists Can Do To Stand OutThere are a million ways to be heard, and for a new artist, that sounds promising. In some ways, it is—but it can also be confusing. (Complex)
Instagram's New E-Commerce Features Could Transform Music Marketing, But Only If The Record Industry Is Willing To ChangeAs a multibillion-dollar social media platform, Instagram wields unprecedented influence not just on how humans connect with each other, but also on how musicians and other creative entrepreneurs build relationships with fans, peers and potential business partners. (Music Business Worldwide)
The BoyBoy West Coast got insta-famous with a viral video. Now, about that second act...The 24-year-old Mexican American and Santa Barbara-based rapper had prior run-ins with police, so he was nervous as the cops approached him. First they asked his name. Then they asked for something else. (LA Times)
Why Play a Music CD? ‘No Ads, No Privacy Terrors, No Algorithms’Streaming services have revolutionized the discovery of songs, but here’s why Ben Sisario, who covers the music industry, still likes to listen to compact discs. (NY Times)
Whitney Houston’s Estate Plans a Hologram Tour and a New AlbumSince Whitney Houston died in 2012, her estate has been pitched every kind of entertainment deal, from jukebox musicals to a traveling museum. (NY Times)
As Podcasting Explodes, Sony Music Unveils a Joint Venture With Two Podcasting VeteransPartnering with podcast developers Laura Mayer and Adam Davidson, the still-unnamed joint venture will find and develop original podcast talent and programming. (Digital Music News)
DC’s Hottest Restaurants Are Sharing Their Soundtracks on Spotify—And Changing the Tune of How We EatA decade ago it felt—and certainly sounded—like you couldn’t walk into a trendy restaurant without hearing the same ’90s hip hop playlist. (Washingtonian)
Niche is the New MainstreamFandom is fragmenting. Streaming personalization and falling radio audiences are combining to rewrite the music marketing rulebook, ushering in a whole new marketing paradigm. (Music Industry Blog)
A New Party Paradigm: How To Throw An Eco-RaveMichelle Lhooq, founder of Weed Rave in L.A, speaks to the organisers behind music festivals Wonderfruit and Lightning in a Bottle about how to party with the planet in mind. (Dazed)
Last Call: Meet the Karaoke Savant of LA’s Wild, Celebrity-Studded Koreatown Bar Scene“You gotta do it. It’s like Fight Club. This is Sing Club. If this is your very first night at a karaoke bar, you have to sing.” (Vice)
BYTES
Few people hustle as hard as Scooter Braun. This episode, Bob discovers how the renowned entrepreneur, investor and entertainment exec dropped out of college to place a bet on himself (and a young Justin Bieber).
The song “Old Town Road” was already a pop culture phenomenon, but with the accompanying music video released last week, it’s set to hit a fever pitch all over again.
Social ordering from your favourite local restaurants and coffee shops
Another one.
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!