Music Publishing News Roundup: YouTube, ASCAP Country Awards, MIDEM & More
Google and Youtube will launch their new music streaming service on November 17th, 2014. The new App will display YouTube videos as well as ad supported non-video music. Along with these new features is the new music curation service which is powered by Songza, which Google acquired earlier this year. YouTube has also launched a new paid subscription based tier called YouTube Music Key. The service will cost $9.99 a month and be available starting November 17th in the US, UK, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Finland, and Portugal. While YouTube spokesperson Matt Mclernon comments on the launch as a way to “give artists more ways to reach fans and make money,” many industry professionals including Sony/ATV CEO Martin Bandier have commented on the unfair rates for songwriters and artists.
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The ASCAP Country Music Awards were held November 2nd, 2014 at the Grand Ballroom, in Nashville, TN. Songwriter of the Year award went to Ashley Gorley, writer of hits from Rascal Flatts, Luke Bryan, and Dan & Shay. Other notable awards went to Ben Hayslip and Jimmy Robbins for Song of the Year for “It Goes Like This” and Warner/Chappell for Music Publisher of the Year. The highlight performance came from Lee Ann Womack who performed her song “Send It On Down” from her first studio album in close to seven years.
ASCAP President Paul Williams has been chosen to give the Keynote Speech at MIDEM. The annual conference brings together music business professionals from around the world to discuss the state of affairs. MIDEM will take place June 5th – 8th, 2015 in Cannes, France.
