Entertainment
Indie Music Leaders Organize Against UMG-Downtown Deal With New Campaign: ‘A Serious Threat’
Leaders across indie music are once again teaming up to speak out against Universal Music Group’s proposed acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings with a new campaign.
Dubbed “100 Voices,” the campaign argues that the deal, which is currently the subject of an investigation by the European Commission, “poses a serious threat to competition, diversity and fair access across the music industry,” according to a press release. Downtown operates distribution platforms FUGA and CD Baby, the royalty accounting service Curve and the indie publishing admin services provider Songtrust, among others — all of which are heavily utilized by independent labels and artists.
The “100 Voices” publication was delivered in person on Thursday (Oct. 2) to Valdis Dombrovskis, the European Commissioner for Economy and Productivity. Dombrovskis is leading the current phase of the investigation into the proposed deal, the results of which were originally slated for release in December but are now set to be revealed sometime next year (the probe was halted last month because documents were not submitted in a timely manner, according to the Commission.
This isn’t the first time the indie music community has rallied against the proposed acquisition. As soon as the deal was announced, independent companies and organizations including IMPALA, Beggars Group, IMPF, A2IM and Secretly Group began releasing statements asking regulators to block it. In July, more than 200 indie music execs from companies including Better Noise, Dead Oceans, Hopeless Records and Sub Pop published an open letter urging the European Commission to enter a “Phase II” investigation of the deal. “A concentration of this magnitude would narrow the range of voices, styles and cultures that reach the public,” the letter read. “It would give UMG further power to shape digital services, influence monetization thresholds and extract more, at the expense of the independent sector.”
In response to the outpouring of concern, Nat Pastor and JT Meyers — co-CEOs of Virgin Music Group, the UMG subsidiary that would acquire Downtown — sent a memo to staff that rebutted some of the indie community’s claims, stating in part: “Our motivation for the merger and our excitement about it are rooted in this singular opportunity: by combining Downtown’s and Virgin’s unique capabilities, the unified company will offer an even more robust and flexible suite of services to independent labels everywhere.”
Downtown Music CEO Pieter van Rijn also blasted the opposition in an open letter published in September, in which he claimed “misinformation” about the pending acquisition was designed to “undermine our longstanding and trusted client relationships” while ignoring the ways in which the deal would more effectively serve independents.
A press release announcing the “100 Voices” campaign, unveiled on Friday (Oct. 3), includes quotes from several indie executives arguing against the deal, which can be found below. A full list of signees is available at the campaign’s website.
Martin Mills, founder/chairman, Beggars: “We are now operating in an industry increasingly shaped by global corporations, whose dominance over digital infrastructure effects everything from artist visibility to revenue. This ongoing consolidation amounts to a systematic weakening of the independent sector’s ability to compete on fair terms.”
Bruno Roze, founder/artistic director, I Love You Records: “If Downtown’s services fall under UMG’s control, we fear higher costs, reduced access, and the loss of independence that small labels like ours need to survive. This deal risks creating a music ecosystem where one corporation controls too much of the infrastructure, leaving less room for diversity, innovation, and fair competition. For the long-term health of independent music, it should be blocked.”
Nacho García Vega, president, International Artist Organisation: “Artists rely on a pluralistic infrastructure that reflects diversity in both ownership and access. Allowing UMG to consolidate control over a major independent player would move the industry further toward a two-tier system, where market dominance — not creative merit — determines visibility and success.”
Francesca Trainini, vp, PMI Italia: “This is a crucial moment for the future of Europe’s music landscape. The Commission’s intervention shows these concerns are being taken seriously. The risks of reinforcing the leader and losing a big competitor are clearer today than ever before. Remedies would be ineffective in today’s music market. We trust the Commission will take the necessary steps to protect competition, access, and diversity across the sector.”
Birte Wiemann, project manager, Cargo Records Germany: “When unchecked growth disrupts an ecosystem, diversity suffers. If UMG acquires Downtown, entire independent structures are absorbed, giving UMG new power over DSPs and data that weakens independents. The result is less diversity, more homogenised output, and a cultural niche increasingly sidelined.”
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It’s the final new music Friday (April 24) of the month, and everyone from Noah Kahan to Kehlani and Suki Waterhouse have put forth some of their best work as May waits just around the corner.
This week, Vermont’s favorite folk-rock singer-songwriter finally returned with a new album after four years of Stick Season, his breakout album that reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The Great Divide is 17 tracks of Kahan reexamining his worldview after struggling with his mental health in the years since he found fame.
And, as if taking cues from the success of first-ever Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit “Folded” (which reached No. 6 on the chart in January), Kehlani leans fully into classic R&B flavors in an intentional push to recenter the genre’s traditions. “All the R&B artists, we want R&B to be back,” the artist told Billboard ahead of being named Billboard Women in Music’s Impact honoree. “We want good, long songs. We want three verses and bridges and modulations and all the things – we want that too. We just didn’t think anybody else wanted it. I have an allegiance to the genre, and I’ll keep it there.”
On top of the bounty of new albums, several artists have released fresh singles — including Suki Waterhouse, who returns with “Tiny Raisin” shortly after announcing her next album, Loveland, as well as Hayley Kiyoko and Gigi Perez, who teamed up for heartfelt duet “Collide.” Plus, Dylan Gossett adds “My Boy” to the mix, written as a letter to his son.
But which release is your favorite this week? Let Billboard know by voting in the poll below.
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It’s been almost three decades since the LA-based casual wear brand Juicy Couture first hit store shelves, and the Hollywood-loved label has made its way back into the spotlight in recent years thanks to the Y2K trend resurgence and newfound love from influencers online.
Best known for its T-shirts, handbags and yes, those velour tracksuits (reportedly designed exclusively for Madonna at first), Juicy Couture pieces were seen on practically every major celebrity in the 2000s, from Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, to Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian. Musicians like Miley Cyrus, Nicole Scherzinger and even Beyoncé have also been spotted wearing Juicy Couture, and now, a new Amazon deal makes it easy for you to get into some JC as well.
LIMITED TIME DEAL
Juicy Couture Cap Sleeve T-Shirt (Five-Pack)
$38.24 $44.99 15% off
Amazon is selling a five-pack of Juicy Couture T-shirts right now for just $39. Part of the “Juicy Sport” line, the cropped T-shirts are made from a super soft and breathable “performance” fabric that features a touch of spandex for easy movement and stretch.
That makes the T-shirts as ideal for a workout or yoga session as they are for pairing with your everyday ‘fits. The crop top look leans into the Y2K aesthetic and Amazon’s website shows the shirts styled with shorts, leggings and mini skirts alike.
This Amazon deal gets you five Juicy Couture T-shirts for under $40. That brings the price of each tee down to less than $8 — a virtually unheard of deal for generic T-shirts, let alone a brand name pick.
We like the five-pack above, which gets you a T-shirt in two shades of pink (including a light pink with the signature Juicy Couture cherries), plus navy blue, gray and black. You can choose from other color combinations online. The tees are available in sizes small to XXL.
ALSO AVAILABLE
Juicy Couture T-Shirts (Three-Pack)
$29.74
Don’t need five T-shirts? Amazon also sells a three-pack of Juicy Couture tees for just $30, bringing the price of each individual shirt to under $10.
ALSO CONSIDER
Juicy Couture Queen of Everything Mini Duffle Bag
$45.09 $79.00 43% off
And if you need a bag to take to the gym (or for an overnight stay), we like this mini barrel-style duffle bag, on sale for 43% off. The two-tone bag measures approximate 8.2 x 4.9 inches in size, which is enough room for your wallet, keys, change of clothes and toiletries. Choose to carry the bag via the top handle or with the detachable shoulder straps.
All of the above picks are officially-licensed products sold through Amazon’s Juicy Couture storefront. As with all Amazon deals, the sale prices could end at anytime, so we recommend adding the deals to cart while they are still live.
Netflix is bringing us back to the ’80s, and it’s making sure we have the right music for the occasion.
On Wednesday (April 22), Billboard can exclusively reveal that an original soundtrack is coming this week for the brand-new animated spin-off series Stranger Things: Tales From ’85. The score album, composed by Brad Breeck (Gravity Falls, We Bare Bears), will be released globally Thursday (April 23) at midnight ET.
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 also arrives Thursday on Netflix, bringing viewers back to the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, in the ’80s and reuniting us with some of the original show’s main characters. And much like Stranger Things, music plays a large role in the new show.
“This collection bridges the gap between the eerie depths of the Upside Down and the vibrant, neon energy of the mid-’80s,” Netflix said in a statement.
Tales From ’85 will feature not only a brand-new version of the original Stranger Things theme song, but the first episodes also include a selection of ’80s hits from artists like Black Sabbath, Billy Idol, Cyndi Lauper and more. Needle drops throughout the series include “We Got the Beat” by The Go-Go’s, “A Forest” by The Cure and “We’ll Meet Again” by Vera Lynn, “Rebel Yell” by Idol, and Lauper’s Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Time After Time.”
If it’s anything like the original show, artists with songs played in the new series could see a bump in streams and chart placements in the aftermath of the show’s premiere. After featuring the songs in pivotal moments, Stranger Things brought Kate Bush‘s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” to a new peak of No. 3 on the Hot 100 in 2022, 37 years after its initial release, while Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” made its debut on the chart the same year, 36 years after it came out.
Fans can pre-save Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series) by Brad Breeck here, and find the full score track list below.
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series) by Brad Breeck track list
Flamethrower (artists: Brad Breeck feat. Brian Parkhurst)
Kids Riding Bikes
Big Snowstorm Coming
Someone In There
HIC Theme
I Just Saved Your Life
Strange Stones
Gotta Go Dark
How Long Is Detention
Sewer Chase (artists: Brad Breeck feat. Brian Parkhurst)
Towns
Clean Up
Investigating Pumpkins
Heaven Eleven
Nice Time Tonight
Storm the Gates
What Were These Things
Ground Rules
seluR dnuorG
Her Royal Nastiness
We Have To Try
Tales from ’85 End Titles (artists: Brad Breeck feat. Cooper Babbes)
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