Radio Edit

2.17.2023

Author

Radio Edit Team
February 17, 2023

For the inaugural issue of Radio Edit, we have new sync licensing tools for content creators, Napster’s latest identity crisis, and a look at how Apple Music built their marketing campaign around Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime performance. Other stories include Super Bowl sync stats as well as some good (and bad) news for Spotify.

Top Stories

How Apple rolled out their latest product- the Super Bowl Halftime Show

Looking to make the most of their $250mm multi-year investment and create a cultural moment in the process, Apple played to their strengths using thoughtful and holistic marketing to maximize the impact of delivering Rihanna’s first live performance in seven years. While the halftime show itself is only about 12 minutes long, Apple VP of Marketing Tor Mogren’s goal for the project was to “take that 12 minutes and stretch it out into many weeks in terms of the excitement around it.”

In the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, Apple wanted to heighten anticipation for the event by creating content pieces and programming that could be supported by their existing channels. As part of their campaign, Apple created a series of ad spot using three songs (“Stay”, “Diamonds”, and “Run This Town”) to tell a story that both highlighted the magnitute of the moment and contextualized her music within the universe of the National Football League. Within a week, these three videos amassed over 120 million views.

Complementing those ad spots, Apple also:

  • offered exclusive Rihanna-themed downloads on Apple-owned Shazam

  • produced Halftime Hype Radio, a 10-part series that highlighted the Super Bowl’s most memorable halftime performances

  • created Rihanna Revisited Radio, an eight-part series that examined Rihanna’s cultural impact

  • Remixed and remastered her entire catalog in 360-degree spatial audio

The partnership between the two seems to have paid off as Rihanna’s halftime performance is officially the second most-watched Super Bowl halftime show of all time, averaging 118.7 million viewers. She trails only Katy Perry’s 2015 performance, which saw an average of 121 million. Fast Company

YouTube launches new music licensing service for video creators

Issues surrounding music rights have long been a pain point for both YouTube and the creators who populate the platform. Historically, creators have been disincentivized to use commercial music they don’t own as they’re not entitled to the ad revenue their video generates. Enter Creator Music, YouTube’s new music licensing marketplace that allows creators to find and use music legally, which is now available to all YouTube Partner Program participants.

Through CM’s online dashboard, creators can browse the catalog for music that fits their needs/budget, view the associated licensing costs in plain language, and then purchase either a license or opt into a revenue share deal with the rights holder.

Along with benefitting both creators and rights holders, the service is intended to help YouTube remain competitive with TikTok as they expand the max time of their videos and potentially launch a competing streaming service. TechCrunch

Napster increases focus on Web3 space with acquisition of Mint Songs

The acquisition of Mint Songs- an NFT marketplace that helps artists create Web3 communities, marks the first deal executed by the newly-created Napster Ventures. As they deliver on their pledge to increase their investment in Web3 opportunities, the deal will serve as the foundation for Napster to launch Web3 features within their platform.

It’s the hope that with Mint, who offers tools for artists to turn their creative assets into NFTs they can sell/distribute to their fanbase, will open up new revenue streams for the platform beyond on-demand audio. mbw

What Else Is Going On

Streaming

Spotify is first streaming service to reach 200mm paid subscribers 

A year after being pulled from streaming services, the Death Row catalog is now available on TikTok

A look at where things went wrong for Spotify’s podcast business

Label

Former Roadrunner A&R Dave Rath launches new Rock label, Blue Grape Music; signs Code Orange

Publishing

Hipgnosis and Timbaland’s Beatclub announce partnership allowing the producer platform access to select songs in the rights holder’s catalog

Sony Music leads publishing companies with 15 Super Bowl commercial syncs

Iconoclast purchases Diplo’s Mad Decent Publishing catalog

Live / Touring

Another Planet and Teragram Ballroom team up on new LA music venue, The Bellwether

Tech / Social

Social media app BeReal to add Spotify integration

Triller has acquired influencer marketing platform Julius

TikTok Considers Paywalling Videos, Changing Creator Fund Payouts & Eligibility

Other

Brits TV Ratings hit 3 year high after move to Saturday night

Allison Hagendorf launches new podcast. Guests include Bush’s Gavin Rosdale and Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello

Following two massive deals last week, here’s how HYBE is establishing itself as a major player

Rihanna streams up 640% following Super Bowl halftime performance

Pharrell Williams succeeds Virgil Abloh as Creative Director of Louis Vuitton

Appointments / Departures

Appointments

Jessica Keeley-Carter promoted to EVP, Global Marketing

Worldwide Independent Network appoints new board of director, Partisan Records COO Zena White to serve as chair

Allegra Willis Knerr promoted to EVP, Global Sync Licensing at BMG

Columbia Records UK names Jamie Spinks as Head of A&R

Big Machine Records brings on Jay Cruze as Director of Southeast Promotion and Marketing

Wixen Music Publishing has appointed Jon Pikus VP, A&R/Business Development. Pikus’ publishing roster includes Tom Petty, Rage Against the Machine, and The Doors.

Web3 company OneOf adds former Warner Music CEO Steve Cooper to board of directors

Departures

YouTube CEO Susan Wojcici to step down after nine years in role, will be replaced by Neal Mohan

Beville Dunkerley to step down as Head of Country Music & talent Relations at Sirius XM/Pandora

Charts

Featured Releases

Lana Del Rey / A&W (S) / Interscope

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Beabadoobee / Glue Song (S) / Dirty Hit

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Caroline Polachek  / Desire, I Want To Turn Into You (A) / Perpetual Novice

Featured Job Posting

TIKTOK
A&R and Label Services Lead, North America
Los Angeles, CA
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