Category: News
COACHELLA RECAP: the comeback of Coachella?
Indio, California really brought the heat this year, as fans have crowned Coachella 2024 as one of the best versions of itself in a long time. From an (eccentric) lineup, to surprise guest artist features, Coachella proved the world that it was more than just a music festival this year. In this article, we delve deep into the essence of Coachella 2024, exploring its musical highlights, artistic endeavors, cultural significance, and the moments that defined this iconic festival experience.
Tyler the Creator, AKA the stuntman
Tyler Okonma, who is best known as Tyler the Creator, has recently taken the music industry by storm, with much acclaim that he is one of the best rappers in the business. He once again proved this statement during Coachella, as his headlining act was argumentably one of the best performances during the music festival. From his stage presence to the guest artist features, Tyler knows how to engage his audience.
The performance started with a bang (literally), with Tyler exploding through a fake setup for “Igor’s theme”. As the show went on, Tyler was able to feature all of his albums and previous personas, as songs such as “Tamale”, “Tron Cat”, and “See You Again” were performed. It’s safe to say that he was able to please his new post-flowerboy era fans, as well as his die-hard Odd Future fans during these two weeks in Coachella.
Along with his diverse setlist, Tyler brought out acclaimed artists on stage, such as Kali Uchis for “See You Again”, Charlie Wilson on “EARFQUAKE”, and A$AP Rocky on “WHO DAT BOY” and “Potato Salad”. A highlight of the show was when Tyler brought out Childish Gambino on “RUNNING OUT OF TIME”, who has not performed in the United States since pre-covid times. This has since gained traction for Gambino, who started to tease his upcoming album and tour on his website Gilga Radio. Some fans were a little upset with the sharp contrast between week 1’s guest artists versus week 2’s guest artists, as week 2 only featured Earl Sweatshirt. Regardless, both weeks were huge hits for Tyler, the Creator.
Doja Cat, a woman of many talents
Doja Cat absolutely rocked both weekends of Coachella with a stunning set, and fans couldn’t get enough of it. The LA-based artist was the second female Black artist to ever headline at Coachella, behind Beyonce. Many speculated as to whether or not Doja Cat could compete with the infamous “Beychella” performance. Spoiler Alert: She killed it.
Throughout the entire hour-and-a-half performance, all eyes were on Doja and her electric stage presence. Fans had to keep their eyes peeled the entire time, as every second featured chaos, in a good way. Some of the most notable moments were her outfit changes. The artist performed her older hits with a blonde wig that reached her ankles, along with backup dancers who wore body suits of golden locks. During the transition, a curtain was draped over the artist and showed a silhouette of herself shaving the hair off, featuring her natural hair.
Another highlight of her performance was the wide array of artist features, such as A$AP Rocky, Teezo Touchdown, and 21 Savage. Overall, Doja’s chaotic performance was exactly the performance that encapsulated the artist’s personality, which is why her set was one of the top performances of Coachella for the year.
Chappell Roan, a rising icon for the Queer community
Missouri-based singer Chappell Roan had already taken the music industry by storm. At her first-ever Coachella performance, she gained even more traction. With choreographed performances in songs such as “Hot to Go!”, she kept her audience engaged, all while cracking funny jokes.
Roan’s outfits were nothing less than fabulous, as fans were mesmerized by her diverse array of runway-worthy fits such as her butterfly dress, and her leotard bodysuit that said “eat me” in big bold letters. Everything that Roan did was breathtaking, and she has officially left her mark on Coachella grounds. With her upcoming summer tour, her fanbase will continue to grow, and Roan will rise in popularity as the months go by.
What went wrong?
While this year’s Coachella was one for the books, there were still some shaky moments. During Grimes’s week one set, she experienced a public breakdown due to technical difficulties. Grimes, fortunately, redeemed herself in week two with minimal technical difficulties.
Kid Cudi unfortunately did not execute his performance flawlessly, as he jumped from the stage and broke his ankle. The artist was then carried out of the venue and had to be treated immediately.
In comparison to last year, Coachella for sure made a huge comeback this year. With outstanding performances, Coachella will be on the rise of popularity once again as one of the best music festivals to attend.
‘It’s Only Life After All’: The Legacy of the Queer Folk Women Duo, Indigo Girls
With four decades behind them, Emily Saliers and Amy Ray, the women behind the Indigo Girls, are in the midst of a victory lap. Despite a loyal fanbase, evocative songwriting, and artistic consistency, mainstream success and popularity evaded the Girls. As openly queer musicians since the 90s, the duo was stunted by misogyny and homophobia for most of their careers but widely embraced by the LGBT+ community since their early days. Now, with a resurgence in interest for their folk-rock songs following a prominent feature in the Barbie movie, and a documentary directed by Alexandria Bombach, the Indigo Girls are being recognized as the trailblazers and community beacons they were.
Their documentary, It’s Only Life After All, premiered at the Sundance and the Tribeca Film Festivals in 2023. This month, it’s finally hitting movie theaters at select locations on April 10, with early screenings in their hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.
Its first two theatrical showings took place on March 29 at the Tara Theatre to a crowd of eager fans who’ve supported the Girls for decades, the young adults and teens those fans raised, and Salier’s and Ray’s family and friends. After the showings, the duo and the director were present to answer questions from the crowd, followed by acoustic performances of “Shame on You” and “Closer to Fine” (AKA “the Barbie song” as Ray called it)
Bombach, who met the duo through a mutual friend in 2017, became interested in making the Indigo Girls documentary after a quick Google search revealed there currently wasn’t any. During the Q&A, Saliers and Ray gushed about already being big fans of her work, which made it easy for them to get on board with the project. The result was a film that left moviegoers laughing and sniffling interchangeably for two hours.
Except for brief clips featuring fans and family members, Bombach largely allows the Indigo Girls to speak for themselves through the two-hour documentary. The movie is interspersed with old interview footage and decades of private cassettes that Ray recorded. With the addition of the newly recorded footage, Bombach shared that she combed through a whopping 1,000 hours to make the film.
With the help of Bombach’s directorial hand, Saliers and Ray radiate an authenticity uncommon in most rockumentaries.
With the wisdom that hindsight brings, Saliers and Ray speak candidly about their early experiences, able to understand their younger selves with a loving, delicate, and brutally honest perspective, while gracefully exploring their shortcomings.
As in everything else they do, the documentary centers the women’s activism and political involvement. Saliers and Ray were always more interested in the palpable community their music formed than celebrity status. At one point in the film, Saliers says, “It was always about community—the feeling you get in a room with people you are singing to.”
In the documentary, we watch them contend with the naivety of their earlier social activism. They mature from slogans like “save the earth” and “recycle” to more nuanced ecological perspectives embodied by Native Americans. Their dedication grows but they take up space only to support the voices of others. A little later in the film, when the Indigo Girls are at a rally for Black Lives Matter, the speaker introduces them saying “They weren’t even here to sing. They only wanted to support and since we know who they are we want them to sing.”
There’s an almost comical aspect to how different they are and yet, their differences complement each other well and the admiration they hold for one another is evident.
Saliers, raised on folk, is often featured wearing brighter colors. Ray, raised on punk and alt-rock, gravitates to darker tones and grungier outfits. More notably, they have striking differences in personality. Ray, trailing a year behind Saliers, looks up to Salier’s diplomacy. Ray says of herself, “I was always so angry. It wasn’t healthy.”
Saliers, the more reserved of the two, initially avoided coming out publicly as a lesbian. While Ray at one point in the film says, “I’ve never been in the closet.” Over the years, they’ve spoken candidly about the impact internalized homophobia has had on their self-esteem. They reflect on the jokes made at their expense and spaces they’ve been excluded from as Bombach shares with us pieces from the past.
The documentary is personal and intimate, but somehow the story feels so much bigger. With the help of Bombach’s directorial hand, Saliers and Ray radiate an authenticity uncommon in most rockumentaries. On the screen, fans give sincere odes to the band that quite literally saved their lives, and the theater audience whoops and cheers in recognition. Others shout back “They saved my life too.”
Bombach’s insightful touch, the sincerity and introspection of the Indigo Girls, and the community surrounding their music set this rockumentary apart from others. The Indigo Girls are a beacon. Rather than the cult of celebrity, the air surrounding them is decidedly different. The space feels uniquely democratic. This is a documentary you don’t want to miss the chance to see in theaters.
UGA Concert and University Band Bring Whimsical and Exciting Performances
The University of Georgia’s Concert Band and University Band both performed in Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall on Wednesday night, delivering a whimsical and exciting show. Each band performed five songs, with the Concert Band’s theme being “Dragonfly” and the University Band’s theme being “Darkness into Light.”
Both bands were composed of mostly non-music majors, displaying a variety of students and music. Overall, attendees left feeling as if they were transported into fantastical worlds, celebrating the power of music.
“It’s worth experiencing and taking the trek to the music school to have these experiences and listen to this because it’s really beautiful seeing what other students on campus spend their time on. And, music’s always a great outlet for us to experience art,” Erika Rosenzweig, a senior landscape architecture major, said.
Conducted by R. Scott Mullen, the Concert Band started with a bang. They performed the following:
- “Dragonfly” by Katahj Copley
- “Contre Qui, Rose” by Morten Lauridsen and translated by H.Robert Reynolds
- “…and then the Universe exploded” by Olivia Kieffer
- “Song for Lyndsay” by Andrew Boysen, Jr.
- “Caravan” by Chandler Wilson
The program’s namesake, “Dragonfly,” took listeners on an adventure. According to the program notes, Copley was inspired by the Japanese film composer, Joe Hisaishi, famously known for his work in Studio Ghibli films.
“I wanted to use [Hisaishi’s] colors and his palette to paint a picture of intensity, beauty, and adventure. From the beginning of the piece, it is an explosion of color and energy,” the program note said.
“Contre Qui, Rose,” on the other hand, is a French poem intended to leave questions unanswered with unresolved harmonies, according to the program note.
“Against whom, rose,
Have you assumed these thorns?
Is it your too fragile joy that forced you
to become this armed thing?
And from whom does it protect you,
this exaggerated defense?
How many enemies have I lifted from you who
do not fear it at all?
On the contrary, from Summer to Autumn
you wound the affection that is given you.”
From “Contre Qui, Rose”
As the program continued, the pieces built in excitement too. Despite the seemingly daunting name, both “…and then the Universe exploded” and “Song for Lyndsay” were joyful pieces. The program note said that sometimes, the very end is the most beautiful.
Finally, “Caravan” walked audience members through the desert regions of the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant and Mesopotamia. Denise Deal, a consultant for the Sassafras Group, said this piece was her favorite.
“It was fun … the young adults seemed like they had a lot of fun playing it, and you could tell,” Deal said.
Deal felt like the program’s theme, “Dragonfly,” was very fitting for spring. It made her think of walking through a garden with all the winged bugs. She was happy to support her daughter, who played in the University Band, and support what she thought was “treasure for the community.”
The University Band, however, started on a darker note. Conducted by Brett Bawcum, they performed the following:
- “The Cave You Fear” by Michael Markowski
- “On Shores of Endless Sea” by Kevin Day
- “España Cañi” by Pascual Marquina and arranged by Robert Longfield
- “Scrapin’” by Benjamin Horne
- “Illumination” by David Maslanka
“The Cave You Fear” was a suspenseful and mysterious piece, serving as a “thrilling call to adventure” that urged listeners to venture outside their comfort zones, according to the program note. Dalton Self, a junior mechanical engineering major and trombone player in the University Band, said this piece was the one he was most excited to play.
“It’s one of the more darker ones. There’s this really cool low brass feature towards the end, and because, you know, trombones, we kind of like that stuff,” Self said.
“On Shores of Endless Sea” was meant to represent a paradise of “immense beauty and majesty,” according to the program note. The piece was based on the hymn “Called by Earth and Sky,” which has the verse:
“Precious these waters endless seas, deep ocean’s dream, waters of healing, river of rain, the wash of love again.”
Rosenzweig said this was her favorite piece because it felt magical. She was reminded of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” and said she could see herself on a boat, rowing along.
“España Cañi” is a popular pasodoble, a fast Spanish military march song. Andrew Niemann, freshman computer science major, plays trombone in the University Band. He said this piece was the most fun to play.
“Scrapin’” and “Illumination” were both energetic songs, with “Scrapin’” incorporating elements of trap that had the audience nodding their heads to the rhythm. “Illumination” had the goal of sharing creative energy with a community through music, the program note said.
Both Selft and Niemann expressed similar sentiments, saying they hoped their “Darkness into Light” performance drew more people to the music school who appreciated their musicianship.
“I think it’s especially important at this this time of year—a lot of students and adults start feeling burnt out. It’s really nice to take a moment to appreciate the fact that there is a transition between darkness to light, day into night, sadness into happiness, and I think that they portrayed that really well,” Rosenzweig said.
RELEASE RECAP: Best New Music of February, 2024
February was an incredible month for new music—here are some new releases that Vinyl Mag LOVED last month!
SZA, “Saturn“
SZA teased us at the Grammys with this single, as she performed “Saturn” live, leaving us shocked at how mesmerizing she sounded. Then, she released it the next week, and it took us by storm. Some were a bit upset at SZA for tweaking the original Grammy performance recording, to which SZA responded with “No clue what’s wrong with the mixes on Saturn but all will be corrected shortly. Thank you” on X. This single will supposedly be the cover song for SZAs new album Lana, which is expected to release somewhat soon. – Alex Carrillo
Beyonce, “16 Carriages” & “Texas Hold Em“
Beyonce broke the internet during the Superbowl when she partnered with Verizon for a commercial and exclaimed “Drop the music” at the end of it. Immediately after, Beyonce released two singles, “16 Carriages”, and “Texas Hold Em”. These two singles mark the start of the singer’s country music era, and the beginning of act two of her three-part project, with Renaissance being act i. She sent a powerful message by highlighting the contributions of Black musicians to country music, becoming the first Black woman to top Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart in the process. Beyonce’s Act ii COWBOY CARTER is set to release on March 29, 2024. – AC
Charlie XCX, “Von Dutch”
“Von Dutch” is Charli XCX’s first solo single since “Speed Drive” was released last year. She has teased her next album, Brat, dropping in Summer of 2024. “Von Dutch” has the same electric upbeat feel that we are used to hearing from her, keeping the energy flowing until the end of the song. In honor of her upcoming record, Charli XCX performed a boiler room set in Brooklyn, New York called “PARTYGIRL.” – AC
Kacey Musgraves, “Deeper Well”
Teasing her upcoming album Deeper Well, Kacey Musgraves dropped the titletrack in early February. The single and its follow-up, “Too Good to be True”, signal a return to her roots for Musgraves, who embraced a poppier sound on 2021’s star-crossed. In “Deeper Well”, Musgraves weaves her past and present, looking ahead to a brighter future. The soft plucked guitars and the cottagecore visuals are good signs for fans of her previously most-celebrated album, Golden Hour, which snagged an Album of Year Grammy in 2019. Her latest project is set to release on March 15, 2024. – Buket Urgen
Little Simz, Drop 7
UK-based rapper, Little Simz, dropped an EP titled Drop 7, which is a continuation of her drop series that began in 2014. This album blends a mix of Portuguese rap, jazz, and R&B, which ultimately showcases the artist’s talent and versatility. With this blend, the rapper’s lyricism shines, as she addresses her personal struggles, along with societal issues. – AC
The Last Dinner Party, Prelude to Ecstasy
UK-based The Last Dinner Party released their much-awaited debut album to great acclaim on Feburary 2, 2024. The all-female quintet delivered stunning tracks, with scorching lyrics, exploring themes like feminity and the packaging of pain and grief as a commodity. Their appetite for originality in musical arrangments is evident, making for a fun and fascinating listen. They deliver a product that meets the epic hype generated by their earlier live performances and singles. This is a band to watch in coming years. – BU
Brittany Howard, What Now
Brittany Howard absolutely dazzles with her wide-ranging and etheral album What Now. It’s got a little bit of everything for everyone. Howard’s refreshing honesty, dreamy arrangements, and captivating vocals make this a must-listen. – BU
UGA Glee Clubs Embrace Unity With “Vive La Compagnie” Concert
The University of Georgia Glee Clubs echoed messages of unity at Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall on Tuesday night for their “Vive La Compagnie” concert, which translates to “Long Live the Company.”
“Singing together is one of the most human things you can do,” said Conductor Sarah Gallo. “We think it’s really special … it’s also just deep in our core.”
Both the men’s and women’s groups performed a variety of pieces. From a Bulgarian folk song to a song sung in Sámi, a language spoken by Indigenous people in the northern Scandinavian region, to a poetic ballad—the repertoire was diverse.
Perhaps the most exciting piece from the Women’s Glee Club program was “Ozdolu idu,” arranged by Philip Koutev and sung in Bulgarian style. Gallo said singing in Bulgarian style required a brighter sound, which was not a typical vocal placement for choral singing.
Not only did “Ozdolu idu” bring joy to the audience, but choir members were smiling and dancing along to it too. Katie Bethbrewer, a sophomore biological sciences major, is in her second semester at the Women’s Glee Club and said this was her favorite piece to perform. According to the program bulletin, this children’s song tells a story about colorful carts “bumping and jumping” down the road.
“The concert was just awesome. I love, love, love Dr. Gallow,” said Bethbrewer. “She always does such an amazing job picking such a wide variety of music. I’m so excited every semester to get to sing all the different kinds of songs.”
Cooper Hardy, a sophomore agricultural communication major, also noticed the variety of pieces and would love to see even more languages in the future. He, however, enjoyed the “quiet and lowkey” performance of Gwyneth Walker’s “Crossing the Bar” by the Women’s Glee Club the most. Alfred Tennyson wrote the poetry, which included lines like:
For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.
However, the namesake of the concert was the Men’s Glee Club “Vive La Compagnie” performance, arranged by Alice Parker and Robert Shaw. This piece matched a jaunty mood and faster pace like the Bulgarian piece. Braden Rymer, a baritone, had a solo.
Words in “Vive la compagnie” translated to “Should time or occasion compel us to part, vive la compagnie! These days shall forever enlighten the heart,” according to the program bulletin.
“I thought the whole idea of music bringing everyone together was a great way to highlight how the music school works,” said Hardy.
Tuesday’s concert was the last opportunity of the semester to see a Glee Clubs-only performance. Because of this, Gallo made an effort to recognize the graduating seniors in the choirs.
The Glee Clubs will combine with the other UGA choirs and UGA Symphony Orchestra to put on the “Dona Nobis Pacem” concert on April 26.
“Dona Nobis Pacem is an incredibly timely and really moving piece that is unfortunately really appropriate for our world today — it’s begging for peace,” said Gallo.
A few days before the concert, two UGA students—one current and one former: Wyatt Banks and Laken Riley, respectively—died on campus. Bethbrewer said many of the songs were about hope, finding a community and finding beauty in the state people find themselves in, which helped bring her peace among the tragedies.
“Getting to hear those words and get to sing those words and preach that to our community at this time is really empowering and helps, I think, bring hope to our campus,” said Bethbrewer.
The Men’s Glee Club ended on a positive note with their performance of the Georgia Medley. This included the tradition of calling the Dawgs and skit-like choreography to engage with the audience.
“It feels like you get to experience something that’s really intimate that these people have put so much time into—I feel like it is our duty to go out there and to show our support,” said Hardy.
Women Make Strides in Popular Music: Yet, It’s Still Not Enough.
In the alleged ‘Year of the Girl,’ led largely by women in media, it’s encouraging that women have seen gains in the realm of popular music according to the most recent study published by the University of Southern California’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative.
But before you pop the champagne, you must know that the all-time high record for female producers on the Billboard 100 chart has reached a whopping 6.5%—yes, that’s right, we’re still in single-digit territory. Meanwhile, female songwriters on the charts reached a new peak at 19.5%.
At the 2024 Grammys, which took place in early February, the main categories were dominated by female artists, with Jon Batiste as the sole male artist nominee in the song, record, and album of the year categories.
Behind the scenes, however, women accounted for just 24% of nominees across all six main categories. No woman was nominated for Producer of the Year for the fourth year in a row; only one woman was nominated for Songwriter of the Year; and of the female-led album and record of the year nominees, men accounted for a majority of songwriters, producers, engineers/mixers, and mastering engineers, which isn’t far off from the reality of the music business.
The resurgence of women in pop music is a poor indicator of how women fare overall. Iconic female artists rely largely on male collaborators. Like Jack Antonoff who is a frequent collaborator of Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey, Lorde, and Clairo. Or Dan Nigro, a driving force behind Olivia Rodrigo’s talent for nostalgic music. And that’s just in pop music, the genre that female songwriters are most likely to work in.
It’s worth noting that both Antonoff and Nigro got nods in the Producer of the Year category, which glaringly overlooked Catherine Marks, producer for boygenius’s the record, an album that was nominated for and won multiple Grammys this year—maybe one good record wasn’t enough to gain a nomination. But then, what about Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II who, according to the official Recording Academy announcements, was nominated based solely on his work on Victoria Monet’s JAGUAR II?
As per the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative study, if there is an increase in the percentage of female producers on the Billboard charts, then why are they not being recognized? Well, let’s start by putting these numbers in context.
Across nine years, 64 credits were assigned to female producers, with the number dropping to 34 when accounting for individual women across the study. After removing the producers who were also the artists, we’re down to just 8 female producers, which doesn’t even average to one a year. And that’s pretty bleak.
Notably, women of color fare even worse accounting for 19, or 29.7%, of the 64 credits. The ratio of male producers to underrepresented female producers was 100.4 to 1 across the nine-year study.
Although all things considered, the scope of the study feels quite narrow. The study’s author, Dr. Stacy L. Smith, notes that the choice to focus on the Billboard Hot 100 Year-End charts stems from “[the] desire to create career sustainability and generational wealth for historically marginalized communities in music.”
But how do we justify championing artists, songwriters, and producers on the charts without addressing the barriers to entry in the first place?
Things can’t change at the top of the charts until change happens on a smaller scale first. There should be better representation of women, particularly women of color, on the charts, but it is also a very limited view of a rapidly evolving industry.
Increasingly, the definition of “making it” in the music business is no longer what it used to be, leaving many music executives scrambling to make sense of the new landscape.
Since 2020, it’s been widely noted that “breaking” a new artist into superstar territory is getting increasingly more difficult, if not impossible. Though this isn’t necessarily bad news. Artists are still building sustainable careers and loyal fanbases without topping the charts. So, why not adjust our expectations accordingly?
In a 2022 survey conducted by the Recording Academy, the top three barriers to career development were identified as low pay, burnout, and gatekeeping culture. This is the specific gap we must look to fill before we consider anything else. It shouldn’t be expected that equal opportunity and equal treatment will trickle down to smaller artists from the Taylor Swifts and Beyoncés of the world.
Representation at the top is valuable for any upcoming songwriter or producer. And we should continue to advocate for it while we prioritize taking care of the girls who want to write, produce, and engineer albums. Girls and women face challenges just to enter into these career fields, let alone to gain notability.
Music executives who function as gatekeepers, poor work-life balance, and poor pay—among a whole host of other problems—within the industry are large mountains to climb, but it’s where we must start.
5 Things You Should Know About the UMG / TikTok Dispute
On January 31st Universal Music Group’s licensing deal with TikTok expired to the dismay of almost everyone. A day before the expiration, UMG released a statement about the breakdown in contract negotiations, alleging that TikTok tried to “bully” them into a subpar deal. TikTok responded hours later stating “It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters… TikTok has been able to reach ‘artist-first’ agreements with every other label and publisher. Clearly, Universal’s self-serving actions are not in the best interests of artists, songwriters and fans.” Ouch.
Now, TikTok is deleting UMG’s catalog from its databases, and muting videos that feature UMG songs. UMG, the largest label/publisher in the world, houses some of the biggest artists of our time—Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, BTS, Bad Bunny, Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, and many, many, many more. For TikTok, an app reliant on music at its conception (and perhaps still), it’s unclear how many videos will be affected—millions surely.
The palpable hostility in the company’s respective letters makes it unlikely that any deal will be reached soon. Both companies will face consequences. Almost certainly, one will fare worse than the other. For now though, here are five things you should know about this heated dispute.
1. TikTok pays artists based on the number of videos that use a soundbite, not the number of listens it gets.
This is critical background information.
TikTok, unlike other platforms similar to it, pays royalties per video a song is used in, not per view the videos get. Thus, the popularity of a clip means nothing. Whether a video gets a billion views or one view, rights-holders will earn the same amount regardless. Maybe this made sense before TikTok gained mega-popularity. Now, a company with over a billion annual users (as TikTok boasts in its statement) should be responsible for more no? With this kind of math, the more listens a song gets on TikTok, the less it earns for rights-holders for the value it provides to viewers.
Got all that? Now, let’s move on to the current.
2. UMG wants more protections for users, not just more money.
UMG blames the breakdown in negotiations on TikTok unwillingness to budge on three issues. The first (and the most frequently discussed in media) is sufficient compensation. Not unexpectedly, both companies want as much money as they can get. According to UMG, TikTok’s proposed deal would pay artists and songwriters “at a rate that is a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay” and “worth less than the previous deal, far less than fair market value.”
The second key issue is protections against AI-generated songs. TikTok recently launched a feature that allows users to generate songs from user prompts, even allowing for multiple genre options. TikTok allegedly asks for a contractual right to these songs, thereby diluting the royalty pool for human creators. Streaming royalties typically do not pay a set amount per song, but rather divide a certain percentage of revenue amongst the rights-holders. AI-generated songs, which can be produced at a volume far greater than any artist or songwriter could achieve, could potentially flood the market, overshadowing songs created by real humans.
Finally, the third key issue raised is the online safety of TikTok users, a prevalent problem for most social media platforms. UMG contends that the platform’s handling of copyright infringement, problematic AI-generated content, and harassment and hate speech is a cumbersome and inefficient process. It demands greater measures to address the growing need for moderation of such harmful content for the safety of all users.
TikTok’s curt counter-statement offered zero additional insights to these claims.
3. TikTok’s defense is a familiar refrain in the music business.
What TikTok’s statement did do is attempt to capitalize on decades-old defunct logic. In its letter, TikTok argues that it serves as a “free promotional and discovery” service for artists, and UMG struck back quickly calling the rhetoric “woefully outdated.”
Musicians are frequently asked (and expected) to provide their music for free, whether through performances, physical merch/music, or digital downloads. The benefactors argue that in exchange for these goods and/or services, the artist receives exposure. Music, however, is more than just a cultural touchstone, it is also a source of income and career for many. Artists give up their time and their resources to provide services. If music is what attracts patrons to a venue, then the artist is providing value that should be compensated for.
The same argument applies to TikTok’s platform. Expecting musicians to create their work for no real compensation, particularly when creators drive people to your platform in the first place… seems a bit unfair no? As UMG contends, TikTok’s dependency on music and its inception as a music-centered service originally called Musical.ly rationalizes that TikTok derives immense value from musical creators. No one seems to agree on how much that value is worth just yet.
4. A lot (like really, a lot) of songs are going to disappear from TikTok.
Now that the deal has expired, UMG’s catalog is disappearing from TikTok. UMG is the largest of the big three major labels (followed by Sony and Warner). Its catalog of artists is humungous, consisting of major players and rising stars. However, what’s important to note is that an artist doesn’t have to be signed to a UMG label for their songs to be removed. Any songwriter, signed to UMG’s equally large publishing group, will also see their catalogue disappear. The removal process might take a little bit longer, but its escalating impact will be sorely felt.
5. This will likely expose problems with the “viral hit” approach to breaking new talent.
Now, let’s consider something else: what do the labels have to lose? Although UMG noted in its letter that TikTok royalties account for roughly 1% of UMG’s total revenue, it’s more than likely that TikTok’s impact was being felt in other revenue streams as well, as TikTok inadvertently directed listeners to traditional streaming services.
In recent years, labels have been reckoning with the increased difficulty of converting emerging artists to mainstream fame. TikTok had a somewhat democratizing effect on the music business. Although the almighty algorithmic gods have their own unpredictable whims and require relentless content production from artists, it also gives them a greater opportunity to build momentum without the traditional resources that come with a record deal.
Labels monitor viral trends like hawks to snatch the hottest new thing as soon as possible, banking on recouping investments quickly as the streaming numbers are already there. Then, instead of building on viral moments by investing in traditional marketing and properly developing young artists, labels offload the work onto artists, relying on continuous virality.
Ultimately, something has to give. Social media-discovered artists must learn to build sustainable, organic fan bases. Perhaps, this might be just the thing to shift the music business (again) into a newer direction. Or maybe, UMG and TikTok will bury the hatchet when they recognize the symbiotic nature of their relationship. Meanwhile, emerging artists will continue to hope that they’re not the ones who get screwed over (again) somewhere in the process.
RELEASE RECAP: Best New Music of January 2024
January was an exciting month for new music—from Megan Thee Stallion’s string of disses in her latest track “Hiss” to the controversy surrounding Ariana Grande’s relationship in “Yes, and?”. Vinyl Mag is here to deliver with our staff picks of the top music released each month. For a taste of our favorite singles and albums, tune in for a release recap every month!
Kali Uchis, Orquídeas
Colombian-American singer and songwriter Kali Uchis released the album Orquídeas, meaning “Orchids” at the start of the month. This is her second Spanish-language album, following 2020’s Sin Miedo. Some notable features on this album are Peso Pluma in “Igual Que Un Ángel”, Rauw Alejandro in “No Hay Ley Parte 2”, and Karol G in “Labios Mordidos.” Uchis also shined a light on many genres in this album, from house to R&B to reggaeton, ultimately making this album extremely versatile.
21 Savage, American Dream
American Dream is 21 Savage’s third studio album release, summarizing the ups and downs of Savage’s life in America. From the artist’s ICE arrest in 2019 to fallen friends and gang relations in Atlanta, he paints his persona neutrally throughout this album. It has notable features with Summer Walker, Brent Faiyaz, Travis Scott, and Metro Boomin. Savage, who had a jam-packed 2023, co-headlining with Drake on the “It’s All a Blur” tour, still plans on being a part of more features and projects as the year progresses.
Ariana Grande, “Yes, And?“
Ariana Grande’s new single “Yes, and?” is an upbeat song experimenting with genres like house and ballroom. Many also noted Grande’s inspiration from Madonna‘s 1990 hit single “Vogue”. “Yes, and?” has topped billboard charts and is still in the top ten at the date of publication. However, Grande is facing a divide among her listeners due to the controversial lyrics, which belittle the backlash surrounding her relationship with Broadway star Ethan Slater.
Megan Thee Stallion, “Hiss“
“Hiss” is spot on for Megan Thee Stallion’s snake theme, following her previous single, “Cobra”. It’s her second song released through her independent label Hot Girl Productions. In “Hiss,” Megan disses numerous celebrities who have previously spoken negatively about her in the past. Some notable callouts include Drake, who dissed Megan in “Circo Loco” from his 2022 album Her Loss, and Tory Lanez, who was on trial for assault after shooting Megan in the foot. Nicki Minaj is gaining notable traction, after assuing that the lines “don’t be mad at Megan / but that they’re mad at Megan’s Law” targeted her husband, a registered sex offender.
EP PREMIERE: A Look At Honeypuppy’s Speculative EP ‘Nymphet’ Track By Track
Athens-based Honeypuppy is set to release its EP Nymphet across all streaming services tomorrow, January 24th, 2024. At Vinyl Mag, I had the opportunity to chat with lead vocalist and guitarist Josie Callahan and bassist Adam Wayton for an early listen to their soaring new record to discuss each track.
The title Nymphet, meaning ‘a sexually attractive girl or young woman’, comes from the EP’s pointed musings on girlhood and youth. Callahan observes “It can be very pretty and sweet but also something that could make you go crazy, just being a girl in general. It’s exhausting.” Equally inspired by Callahan’s time as a preschool teacher, she molds her experiences into meditative lyrics over punky, poppy music.
Vinyl Mag readers can get an exclusive early listen to the EP right here at this link. Read below for a track-by-track breakdown of each song.
Penny Press
“Penny Press”, inspired by the Penny Press/Dell puzzles magazine, was the very first song the band recorded together. The inspiration came to Callahan while she worked on a crossword puzzle, weaving in an old nursery rhyme her grandmother used to sing to her when she was young called “There Was A Girl With A Little Curl” that goes ”When she was good she was very very very good / When she was bad she was horrid”.
Included in the EP, is the demo recording of “Penny Press”, originally recorded for a class project in fall of 2020. The demo features a light surf rock tone, with the final recording shifting into an edgier vibe with harsher guitars and more muted vocals.
Suck Up
For “Suck Up”, Callahan came up with the lyrics “pass me the tape and pass me the glue / I’m gonna stick stick stick myself to you” while doing arts and crafts with her students. It chronicles the familiar feeling of having a crush and assuming the worst—that they don’t return your affections. To her the song sounds like when you “want someone to like you back but in a forced way almost”. Wayton remarks that song heavily drew from punk rock influences. And obviously, nothing says teen angst and trepidation better than punk rock.
Thrum A Thread
“Thrum A Thread” draws heavy inspiration and verbiage from Robert Herrick’s 17th-century poem “Upon Some Woman”. The imagery in the song paints the picture of a woman stitched together like a rag doll. Callahan and Wayton reflect on the technical difficulty of recording this song, which required two separate click tracks with the two versions needing to be stitched together in the studio. Towards the end of the song, the pace picks up for a bridge, eventually slowing back down to the original rhythm with a drawl, singing the final line “Would it kill you to be a little bit meaner to me?”
Nymphet
The title track was the first song Callahan wrote for the record, reflecting on “a situation when someone is infatuated by somebody older.” The song’s tone is overall quite creepy. She says of her six-year-old self “I remember having a crush on one of my dad’s band mates,” reflecting on the humor of the situation now. Her favorite line “You’re a tooth and I’m a fairy” draws upon a very literal image of her coming back from ballet in a fairy costume and seeing her dad’s band in practice.
There’s a stark contrast between the demo recording and the final piece. The demo recording featured at the end of the EP is a raw and unfiltered piece. Callahan decided to put it on the EP, admiring the imperfection of the amateur recording with quirks like the kitchen timer used as a metronome.
Kerosene
In “Kerosene”, Callahan once again turns to a dark subject matter but with an inclination towards humor and unserious whimsy. The song came from a riff Wayton originally wrote for Telemarket, another Athens band he also plays with. He decided to give it to Callahan for the record because “it seemed like a cool fit and I knew we were trying to do another high-energy song.” As a true-crime girlie, Callahan had the idea to write a song about the MacDonald triad, an alleged phenomenon that bed-wetting, animal cruelty, and lighting fires in adolescence are indicative of a potential for violent, serial crimes in the future.
Honeypuppy works alongside Indecent Artistry, a recent Athens upstart and boutique label services provider, to release Nymphet alongside a limited edition run of tapes and a brief southeast tour at the end of January. You can catch them here:
1.24.24 – Athens, GA EP release show @ World Famous w/ Sunset Honor Unit, Neat Freak
1.25.24 – Nashville, TN @ Springwater Lounge w/ Zook, Iven, Fresh Air 4
1.26.24 – Knoxville, TN @ Pilot Light w/ Lucy Abernathy, Jorden Albright
1.27.24 – Chattanooga, TN @ JJ’s Bohemia w/ Sun Bleach, Landis Zehrung, Catherine Campbell
The Asymptomatics Celebrate New Single ‘Two Possibilities’ With A Live Performance at Flicker Theatre and Bar
Athens has been home to critically acclaimed bands throughout the decades, marking the Classic City as not only home to the University of Georgia and its students but also a booming hub for artists and musicians alike. One such band is the funky, weird but strangely groovy The Asymptomatics.
The Asymptomatics, or “the Asymps” as they are often called, is a band of nine members who have made “chaotic” the name of the game. Since its formation in 2019, the band has garnered a name for itself within the music community of Athens. After the release of three singles, they have now added one more to their list of original music. To celebrate the release of their brand new single, “Two Possibilities”, the Asymptomatics recruited a list of prominent local Athens bands to play at Flicker Theatre and Bar for a night of unforgiving energy and sound.
Walking into Flicker is always a surreal experience, particularly on the evening of a gig. From the outside, bypassers can hear the beat of the featured band while they smoke a cigarette and drink a beer. Walking through the red curtains that lead to the venue portion of the establishment, stationed in the room next to the bar, I could see a sea of people bobbing their heads to the band, Neat Freak, which was followed by Late Notice and finally, Bog Bod. The celebrated feature of the night, The Asymps, performed last. Between bands, members handed out flyers with the single’s cover art designed by Hollis Midriff and they discussed their excitement to play their cleanest-sounding single live for the first time.
The band’s set began as most of its sets do, with the lead singer Max Mahieu relentlessly jumping around the stage with the band, maintaining an aura of chaos that has defined the group’s career, particularly in the past year.
The single itself possesses an eccentric guitar-solo build-up in the outro. Though their MO is full-fledged passion, this song was a pleasant departure as it boasted a more meaningful and slower vibe. “Two Possibilities” explores that little gray area in life by rejecting the idea of black-and-white decisions and outcomes. A simple song to describe how intensely unsimple this life can be, especially when young, as the band members are.
“A lot of times it seems like there’s two possibilities but, you know, in reality, things are a lot deeper than that,” says Mahieu. “It’s not just decisions you make, it’s the decisions of the people around you and the ones you love that affect your life and affect their life.” Mahieu’s family is the inspiration behind the song, which was written by Mahieu and his mom, who is a musician herself.
It’s both happy and sad which is reflected by the musicians as they played with electricity and passion, making the audience feel the underlying irony of “Two Possibilities”. Mastered by Jason NeSmith at Chase Park Transduction, “Two Possibilities” incorporates a classic guitar solo from the lead guitar that amplifies the emotional aspect of the song.
“We wanted to have this big rock section at the end that instrumentally captures the emotion and the vibes of the song that the lyrics start at the beginning,” said Mahieu.
From there, the band immediately transitioned to play their classic, most-noteworthy hit “GTFO! (Gerald the Friendly Orangutan)” which was a lighthearted and silly conclusion to a great show.
Though the chaotic transformation of the Asymptomatics onstage is something that some would deem messy and unorganized, those with an ear for passion would comprehend that this gives the band its personality, hence its rising claim to fame within Athens. A funk outfit of shameless chaos and a force to behold.
“Two Possibilities” is out now on all platforms, with the Asymptomatic’s first full album slated for spring.