Industrial Strength: New signings and team-ups – September 4, 2013

Ford Fiesta strengthens partnership with Vevo Lift 

Ford Fiesta has partnered with MCM Media’s Vevo for its emerging artists program Vevo Lift. This month the featured act is pop-punksters Tonight Alive, whose album The Other Side is out September 6. Over eight weeks, Vevo will broadcast video premieres, interviews, behind-the scenes footage and a concert at Melbourne’s Hi-Fi Bar on September 12 to Vevo’s Australian audience of over 2.2 million UA’s. Two more Australian acts are confirmed for Vevo Lift this year, reports MCM Media group content director Sam Thompson. Overseas, Vevo Lift kickstarting the careers of Rita Ora, Labrinth and Tinie Tempah. Ora has received over 71 million views, Labrinth 68.4 million video views and Tempah over 63.5 million views.

Boom Video and AMCOS sign world-first licensing agreement

Boom Video, Australia and New Zealand’s first YouTube partner network, claims a world first with a new licensing agreement with the Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners’ Society Limited (AMCOS). Boom Network’s content creators can now legally access songs represented by AMCOS’ members for use as cover versions. Channels appearing on the Boom network channels are licensed to create new recordings of songs published by AMCOS members, with the money generated shared back with songwriters, composers and music publishers.

The deal is similar to deals between YouTube partner networks in the USA and individual record labels. However it’s believed to be the first ‘blanket-style’ licensing arrangement to include the publishing synchronisation right for multiple copyright holders within a territory. Some of Australia and NZ’s popular channels as Jayesslee, Jordan Jansen and Matt Hullholland have amassed tens of millions of views for their YouTube videos featuring covers.

Jamie Crick, Client Services director of Boom Video, said: “In the past, Australian artists have been using their YouTube channel mainly as a marketing tool, because they have been unable to generate revenue from their cover version videos. For the first time, some of Australia’s most talented and popular online artists can now make money from covering songs by any artists from Justin Bieber to The Beach Boys – which will only encourage them to create and upload more videos.”

Frank Rodi, Online & Mobile licensing manager for APRA AMCOS said: “This landmark deal ensures songwriters, composers and music publishers are properly recompensed for the use of their musical works, while giving Boom Video artists – many of whom are generating hundreds of thousands of views each day – easy access to a vast repertoire of songs. It has also been a pleasure working with a company operating in this space that understands and respects copyright.”

Albare assigns local rights to ABC Music 

Melbourne-based jazz guitarist Albare has assigned his distribution in Australia and New Zealand to ABC Music. It will release his new album The Road Ahead in November. It was recorded in New York. Germany’s Enja label continues to release Albare’s catalogue for the rest of the world.

Moshcam turns it up Loud 

Moshcam, producer and distributor of originally-produced live music videos, has access to full sets by four acts after striking a deal with the punk/hardcore Loud festival. It shot US acts Alesana and Attila, and Australia’s Confession and Hand Of Mercy at Loud’s Sydney show on Sunday August 11 at the Factory Theatre. These are screened at youtube.com/moshcam. Hand of Mercy’s set was screened last night (Tuesday), Alesana this Friday (9am AEST), Confession next Tuesday (8 pm AEST) and Atilla on Friday September 13.

Aussies get Vevo’s 75,000 videos on Apple TV 

Australia is one of 12 countries where video platform Vevo has launched on Apple TV, bringing its library of 75,000 music videos, original programming and live concert performances. Viewers can browse videos by featured artists on demand and login with their Vevo credentials for personalised viewing with customised playlists. A 24/7 stream of hand-selected music programming on broadcast-style channel Vevo TV is also available.

Dew Process adds Mikhael Paskalev to roster 

Dew Process signed Scandinavian act Mikhael Paskalev, whose debut single I Spy went platinum in Norway.

Lij Gilmour pacts management with AAA Entertainment 

Sunshine Coast 17 year-old Lij (pronounced L-eye-j) Gilmour has pacted management with Marc Mancini’s AAA Entertainment, on the eve of the September 13 release of his debut single Another Day. While performing to 90,000 at the Woodford Folk Festival, he was captivated by John Butler and went on to buy his first guitar. He’s built up a teen following on social media, uploading covers of songs by the likes of Ed Sheeran and 3 Doors Down.

Major sponsor for Global Citizen Festival 

The U.S. end of Global Citizen Festival has snared Major League Baseball as co-producer (with AEG Live) for its New York Central Park show on Sept. 28. The show – with Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Kings of Leon and John Mayer – will be streamed in full through websites such as the New York Times and YouTube. Negotiations continue for a major TV network to screen a two-hour special. A Melbourne version of Global Citizen Festival is held on September 29 at the Palais Theatre headlined by Evermore with local acts. Evermore issued a charity single One Love and donated 100% profits to charities dedicated to ending extreme poverty within this generation.