Of all the fascinating musician stories this summer, one of the most breathtaking has been Mike Posner’s walk across America.On March 1st, Mike set out to go coast to coast on foot. He started in Asbury Park on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and began releasing all types of content, from videos to songs, along the journey. The initial announcement, which was accompanied by his song “Move On,” caught my attention.Why is he doing this, you ask? Maybe it’s a way to connect to his father who recently passed away, whom Mike dubbed “the original walker.” Maybe it’s because it was on his bucket list. Maybe it’s spiritual. Whatever the reason, it’s quite a stunt.I was first introduced to Mike Posner in the early days of Nue. He was a student at Duke University who gamed the system with the release of his mixtape, A Matter Of Time. He convinced a professor to release his mixtape as a lecture on iTunes U. At the time, it was the only way content could make it to iTunes for free. Students started downloading it, word spread, and by the time iTunes caught wind of it, he was a viral sensation on the college circuit.With just an MPC, we started touring colleges, frats, and clubs on weekends. He promised his parents he would still graduate from school in four years.When he graduated, we all set out to help Mike become the next great pop star. He signed a record deal with Barry Weiss & Sony Records. His first single, "Cooler Than Me,” was a pop chart smash. He did Warped Tour that summer followed by a Live Nation headlining tour with a cast of supporting artists around the release of his debut album.It was an exciting time for all of us and always a blast, whether at colleges or Lollapalooza or the underplays like Stephen Talkhouse. There’s nothing like being early with an artist and helping them grow! As the shows blew up, the pressure was very intense, especially on Mike. Eventually he left Nue, but Mike and I have reconnected over the years. I’m so grateful for our relationship - he introduced me to artists like Big Sean and Chiddy Bang and was the one that first put me on to Summit Series which very early on in my career, changed my life & expanded my horizons.Since that first meteoric rise, Mike has been on a mission to find himself. He’s gone through numerous managers and agents, written with and opened for Justin Beiber, and had another giant smash with “Pill in Ibiza.” Then he did scaled down folk music. At 31, Mike’s career has gone through more twists and turns than most people see in a lifetime.Sadly, during the Colorado portion of Mike’s cross-country trek, he was bitten by a rattlesnake. In true 2019 fashion, it was documented online and very scary to watch. Mike was in bad shape. He had to be airlifted to a hospital, the venom corrupting his system by the minute. Not only did the trip appear to be over, Mike had to re-learn how to walk. But guess what? He did it.After weeks of recovery, Mike returned to the very place he was stopped, almost dead in his tracks, and continued his journey. You can follow along on social media if you want. He’s got 1800 miles to go. Will he make it? I honestly don’t know. But I’m hooked and rooting for him. He truly feels like the underdog he always wanted to be.Keep going, Mike!
BEATS
How Lana Del Rey Allows Superfans To Map Out Her Albums Long Before They Arrive Over her nearly decade-long career, she has developed a habit of announcing album titles long before they’re plotted for official release. This rollout has been her longest yet: she’s sporadically served fans information and new tunes throughout, essentially giving an incomplete view of an album that her most dedicated fans piece together themselves, dreaming up their own versions of Norman Fucking Rockwell. (Billboard)
The Music Industry Wants In On The Capitalist Dreamworld Of Video GamesYachty, a Gen Z rapper, was simply using Twitch like a lot of other people his age – but whether he realised it at the time or not, his actions were foreshadowing a new chapter in the crossover between video gaming culture and music. (Dazed)
Who Will Own Spotify in Five Years?Spotify is proud of its independent status. Yes, the $26 billion-valued streaming service is partially owned by a raft of corporate giants, from Tencent (9.2 percent) to Baillie Gifford (9.7), TCV (5.3) and Tiger Global (7.1). And, yes, Spotify raised $1 billion in convertible debt three years ago, via the likes of TPG, Dragoneer, and Goldman Sachs, having previously attracted investment from Coca-Cola and Hong Kong mogul Li Ka-shing (and his $28 billion personal fortune). (Rolling Stone)
Binaural Audio: Music for Increased Concentration and RelaxationMusic is the Swiss Army knife of sound. It can amp you up, chill you out, entertain, educate, and even change whole cultures (“You say you want a revolution…”). Listening to the right kind of music might even help you learn faster, accomplish more, and sleep better, too. (Academy)
TikTok Has Created Another Viral Music Star In Stunna GirlStunna Girl, whose real name is Suzanne, is a 21-year-old rapper from Sacramento. She has a few music videos on YouTube (including a diss track with anti-gay slurs), but otherwise doesn’t yet have a foothold in mainstream music. Her online branding is mostly limited to her Instagram account, where she has 139,000 followers.(Buzzfeed News)
Tinder, Live Nation to Offer Concert Tickets For Dating App UsersTinder and Live Nation have announced a new initiative called “epic first dates,” giving $30 all-in concert tickets for people who use the dating app. The partnership will give people the opportunity to purchase discounted tickets for 12 tours across the U.S. including performances from Meek Mill & Future, The Chainsmokers, Logic, A$AP Ferg and more. (Billboard)
Almost Half of Spotify’s Most Streamed Global Songs This Summer Were by Latino ArtistsIt turns out you’re not the only one with “Otro Trago,” “Callaita,” and (unfortunately, in my case since the VMAs this past Monday) “Señorita” stuck in your head. Before summer even begins to lurk, artists like Daddy Yankee and Drake are already vying for the coveted song of the summer spot. (Remezcla)
NFL, Roc Nation Announce Their ‘Inspire Change’ Initiative — Meek Mill, Meghan Trainor Kicking Things OffIn spite of all the controversy created by the NFL’s recent partnership with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, the partnership is aggressively moving forward. The two have announced that Meek Mill, Meghan Trainor and Rapsody will be the NFL’s ‘Inspire Change’ advocates for the partnership’s inaugural season. This will include a free concert on September 5th in Chicago’s Grant Park before the NFL kicks off its 2019 season. (Digital Music News)
LiveXLive Wants to Bring eSports Into Music Festivals — Starting This MonthLiveXLive, which bills itself as a music festival video platform, announced that it had formed a long-term partnership with Allied Esports, .a Chinese company that owns both esports locations and content production facilities. The two see the deal as a means of meshing the $9 billion live music industry with the $100 billion esports and gaming industries. (Digital Music News)
Inside the World of Internet Rappers Who Are Monetizing 'Fortnite' and 'Cuphead' BarsDaddyPhatSnaps has the same philosophy as George Clooney: One for me, one for them. It's the monkish discipline of keeping yourself creatively fulfilled and financially solvent. (Billboard)
Taylor Swift’s ‘Lover’ Sells 1 Million Copies In China — Beating the U.S.Taylor Swift is putting up giant numbers in China on her latest album — and beating her U.S. sales in the process. According to sales stats shared this morning by Universal Music Group, Lover has already sold 1 million units in China, based on a mix of actual album sales and streaming equivalent albums (SEAs). (Digital Music News)
Peleton Just Generated $915M in Annual Revenues... But Only Paid 2% of it to Music Rightshareholders Luxury personal exercise company Peloton got close to generating a billion dollars in the 12 months to end of June this year, turning over $915m. That figure is revealed in a new prospectus SEC filing which signals Peloton’s imminent IPO – and it’s a document which also presents some intriguing information for the music industry. (Music Business News)
Spotify Is Testing a 'Create Podcast' ButtonSpotify is continuing its push into podcasting by inviting users to create their own.As first reported by The Verge, code leaker Jane Wong noticed a new "Create podcast" button within Spotify's podcast library. If tapped, the button directs users to the app for podcast company Anchor (which Spotify acquired earlier this year), where they can create podcasts themselves. (Billboard)
BYTES
In this episode, Sam and Jordan sat down with Jesse Kirshbaum CEO of NUE Agency. Initially, Nue agency was a booking company representing artists including Mike Posner, Chiddy Bang, J.Cole, Big Sean, Logic and more. Five years ago Jesse shifted Nue Agency’s business model to work with brands and technology platforms; Acting as creative strategists that work to leverage the power of music to make deep connections with consumers.
R&B hasn't sounded the same since The-Dream changed the game. Maybe growing up off Bankhead on Atlanta's west side gifted him with a hip-hop swag native to the soil. Indeed, it's worth remembering that he preceded the current era of melodic, sing-songy rappers who disregard traditional lyricism for raw, heart-rending delivery.
The United States Tennis Association is pleased to offer everyone the official app for the 2019 US Open Tennis Championships, designed and developed by IBM. Stay connected to all the action during the Open, August 19 to September 8, 2019. Key Features include an interactive home screen offers fans an immersive experience into the US Open with immediate access to live scores and latest news, photos, and videos.
SiR’s debut album began with a computerized female voice who answered to “K” telling the singer his plane was ready. “K” guided the album, chirping at SiR between creamy ballads and serving as a sort of tour guide and road map. (Pitchfork)
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!
