New Signings & Team-Ups: January 24

DEF LEPPARD/ UNIVERSAL DECISION TO STREAM PAYS OFF

Def Leppard and Universal Music Group’s decision to end their lengthy dispute over digital royalties and put their catalogue online has paid off in the United States right from day one, as expected.

Billboard noted that last Friday (Saturday Australian time), when the catalogue went live, the audio and video content was streamed 1.1 million times on on-demand services. 55% of these were audio.

Digital song sales jumped 1,422% on January 19, while the act’s on-demand audio streams rose 379%.

Of single tracks, ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me’ was most streamed with 41,000 plays, followed by ‘Photograph’, (41,000). ‘Love Bites’ (33,000), ‘Rock of Ages (29,000) and ‘Animal’ (28,000).

Of digital downloads, Billboard noted a jump of 422% to 15,000, with “Bringin’ On The Heartbreak’ from 1981’s High ‘n’ Dry the most popular.

STORMZY AT ATLANTIC UK

Following the huge #1 UK success of his debut album Gang Signs & Prayer, grime star Stormzy has taken the leap to a major and signed his Merky label to Atlantic Records UK.

Merky previously handled the record with a distribution and label service deal with Warner’s ADA.

The new deal also sees Warner funding Merky to sign up new acts.

Gang Signs & Prayer which crossed over many demographics, reached #11 in Australia on the ARIA chart.

UNFD HOT BLOODED OVER THORNHILL

UNFD signed Melbourne band Thornhill and dropped a single ‘Reptile’ before the February 16 due EP Butterfly, which sees them develop their alt-metalcore sound.

The band said: “We were wearing UNFD shirts in year 10 at our Inter-School Battle of the Bands. To get a signing offer three years later was absolutely surreal. “

Three months after graduating from high school, they played their first show and were later picked up on triple j.

GREYSCALE FINDS COOL COMFORT

Brisbane band The Comfort, after receiving close to 1 million streams for their track ‘Love & Other Drugs’ off their 2016 EP Love, hit the ground running in 2018 by being signed to long-time supporters, Melbourne based Greyscale Records.

New single ‘Mesada’ is described by singer Liam Holmes as “not informed by our past and doesn’t influence our future.

“It is a standalone moment in time, it’s about looking into yourself and how you interact with the world, seeing all the light and dark and realising your control, or lack of.”

IHEARTRADIO AUSTRALIA LEAPS INTO THE SURF

iHeartRadio Australia teamed up with Surf Life Saving NSW to create a new, customised station to promote water safety while celebrating Australian beach culture.

The Surf Life Sounds station (the name came from a competition by the club) features a family-friendly mix of this summer’s hits and favourite beach tunes as well as the water safety warnings.

Surf Life Saving NSW CEO, Steven Pearce said: “We are very excited by the concept of having our own radio station, celebrating everything that is great about surf lifesaving and the beach and featuring great tunes everyone can enjoy this summer.

“We are looking forward to our first foray into digital radio, working with the iHeartRadio team to make Surf Life Sounds as much a part of our beach and surf culture as our Aussie surf lifesavers.”

KATE CEBERANO TO CO-DIRECT WELLNESS FESTIVAL

Kate Ceberano will co-direct a new five-day wellness festival in Daylesford, a bustling arts and spiritual centre in country Victoria, with artist David Bromley.

To stage November 14-18, Live. Love. Life is expected to draw 10,000 to its program of activities including yoga, meditation, creative workshops and inspirational speakers – including “an icon Australian actor.”

Local MP Mary-Anne Thomas said the new event would “drive tourism, boost the local economy, create new jobs and reinforce Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges’ status as one of the nation’s leading wellness destinations.”

NICK JONAS TO DESIGN VARVATOS COLLECTION

Fashion savvy Nick Jonas has agreed to design a seven-piece capsule collection for US menswear brand John Varvatos. It’s the first time the designer has allowed someone else to put their name to his creations, which have in the past been inspired by rock styles.

JV x NJ will include leather jackets and knitwear, and Jonas will be the face of its northern spring-due campaign.

Jonas explains the two met when they sat next to each other at a dinner. “I knew right away (Varvatos) was going to be a great friend of mine,

“The next step was trying to make something great together.

“Beyond just fashion and music and the tie in there, we’re thinking big picture about how do we influence the world in some way.”

Last year Jonas teamed up with the sneaker brand Creative Recreation.

COMMUNITY TV CH. 44 WORKING WITH UNISA

Adelaide’s only community TV station Channel 44 and UniSA’s new School of Creative Industries will work together to give media students of communication, journalism, media, web development, marketing, film and TV, more hands-on training,

The ultimate goal is that it will lead to more locally made content to screens across the state.

As part of the agreement, UniSA will also become a major sponsor of the TV station.

SCA TAKES STAKE IN DIGITAL BROADCASTING STARTUP

Southern Cross Austereo has taken a $5 million stake in media and communications start-up OVO Mobile and its digital broadcasting platform, OVOPlay.

The financial injection will allow OVO to expand its sports and entertainment content.

It already has digital broadcasting rights include Gymnastics Australia, Water Polo Australia, Supercheap Auto V8 Supercars team, 400 Thunder Drag Racing and World SuperBikes.

UMPG EXPANDS GLOBAL PACT WITH DISNEY PUBLISHING

Universal Music Publishing Group and Disney Music Publishing have expanded their global administration deal to include the UK, Ireland, continental Europe, Israel and countries in Africa and the Caribbean.

The deal does not include Australia, UMPG Australia’s Andrew Jenkins confirmed to TMN.

THREE DEALS FOR CAPTIVES

Tasmania’s Captives announced they’ve wrapped up three new deals – global publishing with Cooking Vinyl, a record deal with Inertia (their debut album Over The Rainbow is out March 30) and bookings with Harbour Agency.

CONSENTINO TV SERIES IN ASIA

Australian magician Cosentino has his new TV series The Elements: Cosentino aired across Asia via the AXN network, utilising guest appearances from local celebs.

With the four-part series themed around the four elements – earth, wind, fire and water – he’ll do street magic and epic stunts against iconic backdrops in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan.

CONCORD BUYS OUT RAZOR & TIE

The Universal Music-distributed Concord Music, which bought a 50% stake in New York-based hard rock label Razor & Tie has acquired the full share. There are no plans to close R&T down and founders Cliff Chenfeld and Craig Balsam remain as co-CEOS.