New Signings & Team-Ups

Spotify, Uber, team up for personalised car music

Spotify teamed with Uber – the fast growing app which allows people to call for taxis when needed – to create personalised music in the cars.

Spotify Premium customers can get the music they want while on an Uber-sourced ride. This is done by selecting playlists from either brand, allowing for the music to be playing when the taxi arrives, and through the trip. Sydney is one of 10 cities in the world to have a launch this Friday with live sessions and ride-alongs with artists.

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek says it lets them “reach a younger audience who are taking up Uber in droves. More and more people are skipping owning their cars and going straight to Uber… for us that is just a great way to get a massive amount of users.”

Uber had 450,000 global customers last November (the figure would be much higher as it’s rolled out to new cities since). Spotify’s Premium worldwide subscribers number is 12.5 million, while the Spotify platform claims 50 million active users.

Bomba, Camilleri, set up Transmitter

Nicky Bomba and Joe Camilleri set up Transmitter Records for reggae, ska, calypso and world music acts in Australia in partnership with ABC Music. It will launch with Bomba project Bustamento album Intercontinental Journey.

Husky signs European deal

Melbourne’s Husky signed a deal for Continental Europe with German indie Embassy of Music. It’s home to Passenger, Robyn and fellow Aussies Ball Park Music. The band is receiving rave reviews for Lucinda Schreiber’s digital hand-drawn animation in the video for new single Saint Joan and is currently on tour until March behind second album Rucker's Hill.

Jetgo to service Tamworth Country Music attendees

Regional airline Jetgo is finalising with Tamworth Regional Council to start a service between Tamworth and Brisbane from January 19 – in time for most of the Tamworth Country Music Festival, which runs January 16—25. It will offer two flights a day Monday to Friday. Since Brindabella airlines ceased in late 2013, Brisbane/Tamworth passengers have to transfer in Sydney.

Two Bright Lakes add Brendan Welch

Singer, songwriter and pianist Brendan Welch is the latest add to Two Bright Lakes. He’s at work on an album with producer Nick Huggins and released a one-take piano-centric rendition of Robyn’s Dancing On My Own.

Midnight Juggernauts donate to Aboriginal Benefits Foundation

Midnight Juggernauts’ new EP Aerials – out through its own Siberia Records – is donating proceeds to Aboriginal Benefits Foundation’s Healthcare.

Almost a third of Aboriginal people die before the age of 45. The band’s interest stems from strong cultural relationships fostered between family members and outback indigenous communities over the decades. The visual projections and installations of the video were tried out at this year’s VIVID at Sydney Opera House and more recently at Melbourne Music Week.

Sol Republic back with Stereosonic for third year

Global audio lifestyle brand Sol Republic signed with Stererosonic for a third year. It will launch its new campaign ‘Music Made Me Do It’ at this year’s event. Many of its international and local ambassadors, known as Saviours of Sound, are playing the dance festival. They include Steve Aoki, Laidback Luke, Peking Duk, M4SONIC, Timmy Trumpet, Slice N Dice and MaRLo. Sol Republic is offering a punter a VIP pass to meet one of its ambassadors.

Nova, Ubisoft, launch interactive gaming ad

Nova Network and French game developer Ubisoft teamed for the launch of its world survival game Far Cry4. Novafm.com.au has a full page featuring the game’s graphics.

Players have to find Nova Boy in the Far Cry landscape, and enter a competition to win $10,000. The campaign claims a “world first” where a virtual gaming simulation is integrated into a digital ad campaign.

Live music at Art Gallery SA courtesy Santos

An alliance between the Art Gallery of South Australia and gas exploration and production company Santos sees live music hosted at its premises on Fridays. The ‘First Friday’ deal allows the gallery to stay open until 9pm, giving it access to city commuters who delay their return to the suburbs at the start of the weekend. The gallery will also have speakers, food and wine.

More advertisers for Guvera

As the Australian streaming service marked its 13th territory (India), at home it picked up two more advertisers, youth holiday operator Contiki and fashion website The Iconic, with more to be announced over coming weeks.

Robby X donates to The McGrath Foundation

NSW singer-songwriter and producer Robby X is donating all proceeds from new single Never Wanna Let You Go to The McGrath Foundation. The track is off her debut album Obsession, which cracked the iTunes Top 30 pop chart.

An ambassador for the Foundation, she says the song’s message – ”That ray of hope that shines through tough times when you realise you're not alone” – fits in with the Foundation’s support of women with breast cancer. Robby X is the wife of country performer Lee Kernaghan, who calls her “the driving force behind my career”. She’s co-written some of his hits, produced his demos and shot the cover art for Planet Country and Beautiful Noise.

Remote Controlgets Holly ‘Låpsley’ Fletcher

Remote Control will domestically release music by new UK singer, songwriter and producer Holly ‘Låpsley’ Fletcher through her deal with XL Recordings.

ScotDrakula get US cassette release

In between dropping their debut album and announcing a tour with Bloods, Melbourne garage rock outfit ScotDrakula revealed that US label Fleeting Youth is releasing a double EP cassette of their tracks Burner and Break Me Up.

World distro for Step-Panther

California’s Burger Records announced Sydney’s Step-Panther as its latest add, releasing the Strange But Nice album to the global market.

Qantas Credit Union Arena raffle for Redkite

Qantas Credit Union Arena (formerly Sydney Entertainment Centre) launched its Golden Ticket Raffle for charity. It gives the winner two Golden Tickets to every event at the venue – including Kylie Minogue, Ed Sheeran, Rod Stewart, The Eagles, Sting, Nelly and Paul Simon – for its final twelve months of operation.

Redkite’s music therapy assists children and young people with cancer and helps to manage the stress and pain of treatment.

Super Radio Network expanding satellite radio

The 36-station Super Radio Network chose broadcast technology provider International Datacasting’s STAR Pro Audio Solution to upgrade and expand its satellite radio distribution network. It awarded a contract to IDC’s partner Omnicast Pty Ltd to install and commission the system, to begin January 1.

Thurston the face of Townsville’s campaign for stadium

Townsville Enterprise chose North Queensland Cowboys co-captain Johnathan Thurston, his fiancée Samantha Lynch and baby Frankie as public faces of its campaign for the city’s new $316 million sports and concert stadium and entertainment precinct. To be built on the banks of Ross Creek, it needs a major financial commitment from the Queensland Government.

Three year Hyundai deal for Allphones Arena

A three-year Diamond Partner deal by Hyundai Motor Company with Sydney’s Allphones Arena will see it get strong branding on the venue website, and installations in the foyer and VIP parking area.

Venue GM Guy Ngata said, “We are excited to create a platform by which Hyundai can interact with our patrons across a diverse range of events at Allphones Arena.”

Montaigne at Wonderlick

Wonderlick Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment Australia signed Montaigne (aka Jessica Cerro) to their joint venture Wonderlick Recording Company.

The 2012 triple j Unearthed High finalist whose August debut single I Am Not An End received triple j airplay, joins a roster with Josh Pyke, Holy Holy and The Paper Kites.

Label Director Stu MacQueen said, “Jess is an extraordinary talent with a remarkable ability to write unique and emotive songs. When this song-writing ability is coupled with a voice that is as individual as it is powerful, something special happens.”