This week in the music industry: Universal Music Australia revives and launches the illustrious Casablanca Records in Australia, the LISTEN Conference announces dates and first round of guest speakers for 2016, and the Live Music Office calls for inner Sydney businesses to participate in the second round of Amplify.
Casablanca Records Australia
Earlier this week, Universal Music Australia (UMA) announced the launch of their new imprint label Casablanca Records Australia. Originally founded in America in the early 1970s, Casablanca Records launched the careers of music big-names such as KISS, Parliament and Donna Summer. The label’s current artist list include the likes of Martin Garrix, MIKA and Hayden James.
Although the original label is most famous for its impact on ’70s disco music, UMA’s Managing Director Michael Taylor said Casablanca Records Australia will “focus on electronic alternative” music. The first list of artists signed to the new label include Running Touch, Just A Gent, St Albion and Vera Blue.
Casablanca Records Australia’s first release will be from Running Touch with their new single ‘Levitate’.
LISTEN Conference 2016: Feminist Futures
After a successful debut in 2015, the LISTEN music conference will be returning to Melbourne this year from October 14-16th. The three day feminist music conference will feature various panel discussions, workshops, live music performances, as well as keynote presentations from Clementine Ford (feminist writer and activist), and Alok Vaid-Menon (activist and performer) from DarkMatter.
The theme for this year is “Feminist Futures”, with discussions focusing on the issues of gender, race and sexism in music, the pros and cons of ‘call out culture’, and the various ways of nurturing diversity and creativity within the local music industry.
Ticket information can be found HERE.
Second round of Amplify
The Live Music Office are calling for inner Sydney businesses to take part in the second round of its 12-week Amplify program. Launched in December 2015, Amplify is a consultancy program created by the Live Music Office in partnership with APRA AMCOS and Music NSW, focusing on elevating the quality and number of live music venues around the city.
Funded by the City of Sydney and Inner West Council, the program consists of consultation sessions with Amplify’s Coordinator Clayton Ries, discussing everything from production, staging, ticketing, talent booking, licensing, marketing and audience development, all tailor made for each specific venue. Eight businesses participated in the first round of Amplify, including 107 Projects and Lazybones Lounge.
Inner Sydney business owners can express their interest in the program by contacting [email protected]
The Roundup
Organisers are doing a final call for artist applications to showcase at the 2016 Australian Music Week held in Cronulla. Successful applicants will be notified by August 28, 2016. Information on how to apply can be found HERE.
Sydney indie-folk group Hot Spoke have signed with Mercury Records, and released the music video for their latest single ‘Outlines’ from their upcoming debut EP Calm Down.
Walkley Award winning journalist and broadcaster Waleed Aly has joined the list of presenters for the 2016 Art Music Awards presented by APRA AMCOS and AMC. Hosted by Jonathan Biggins, the Art Music Awards will be held in Melbourne on Tuesday August 16th.
To celebrate the release of their new single ‘On Loop’, Sydney group Little Sea will be performing an interactive virtual concert from Twitter Australia‘s Sydney HQ on September 17, 2016. More information on the live concert and tickets can be found HERE.
MTV Brand New returns to Australia for its second year. The 2016 top 10 up-and-coming artists from Australia and New Zealand include; Emmi GodWolf, Gordi, Koi Child, Nicole Millar, Paces, Maala, Ryan Enzed, Young Franco and Montaigne. Artist interviews, performances and information on how to vote for them can be found HERE. Public voting closes on October 16, 2016.
AIR 100% Independent Singles Chart
- Flume feat. Tove Lo – Say It
- Sia – Cheap Thrills
- Flume feat. Kai – Never Be Like You
- Sia – Chandelier
- Big Scary – The Opposite Of Us
- Flume feat. Vic Mensa – Lose It
- Sia – Alive
- Sia – Elastic Heart
- Hayden James – Just a Lover
- Vance Joy – Riptide
AIR 100% Independent Albums Chart
- Sia – This Is Acting
- Sia – 1000 Forms Of Fear
- King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity
- Sticky Fingers – Caress Your Soul
- Sticky Fingers – Land Of Pleasure
- The Cat Empire – Rising With The Sun
- Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
- Sia – Best Of…
- Urthboy – The Past Beats Inside Me Like A Second Heartbeat
- Camp Cope – Camp Cope
ARIA Singles Chart
- Major Lazer feat. Justin Bieber & MØ – Cold Water
- The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey – Closer
- Illy feat. Vera Blue – Papercuts
- Shawn Mendes – Treat You Better
- Drake feat. Wizkid & Kyla – One Dance
- Calvin Harris & Rihanna – This Is What You Came For
- Anne-Marie – Alarm
- Justin Timberlake – Can’t Stop the Feeling!
- Drake feat. Rihanna – Too Good
- Usher – Crash
ARIA Albums Chart
- Human Nature – Gimme Some Lovin’: Jukebox Vol.II
- Gang Of Youths – Let Me Be Clear
- Adele – 25
- Hellions – Opera Oblivia
- Alfie Arcuri – Zenith
- DJ Khaled – Major Key
- The Avalanches – Wildflower
- Delta Goodrem – Wings Of The Wild
- Beyonce – Lemonade
- Keith Urban – Ripcord
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