NYS Music 20​19

Category: News

  • Taylor Swift and Lizzo Dominate Girls’ Choice Awards Nominations

    The Girls’ Choice Awards has announced the nominees for “Empowerment in Music” categories. Leading the pack was Taylor Swift with a total of six nominations. Lizzo follows right behind with five nominations, her hits “Tempo” and “Good As Hell” are competing against each other for the “Most Empowering Musical Collaboration of the Year”.

    Ariana Grande snagged four nods, while Billie Eilish and Halsey are up for two; Cardi B and Dua Lipa will compete for one award each.

    Set as the high point of Girls’ Choice year-round program, the show will take place February 28 and March 1, 2020 and is part of the Girls’ Choice initiative which focuses on today’s pressing issues while educating and empowering new generations.

    This year’s show is produced by partner organizations, creators of the Teen Choice and Young Women’s Honors, and the Sand Sisters Los Angeles. The empowerment festival will feature performances, activations from partners and the awards.

    Voting for the “Empowerment in Music” categories have already begun and ends February 15, 2020. Fans must be over 13 years of age and are allowed to vote as often as once per hour. Go to www.girlschoice.com to vote for your favorite artists.

    For updates follow Girls’ Choice on Instagram: @_Girls_Choice, Facebook: @GirlsChooseChange, and Twitter: @_Girls_Choice.

    Full List of Girls’ Choice Awards Nominations by Category:

    Most Empowering Music Artist of the Year

    Alessia Cara

    Ariana Grande

    Billie Eilish

    Cardi B

    H.E.R.

    Halsey

    Lizzo

    Selena Gomez

    Taylor Swift

    Most Empowering Breakout Artist of the Year

    Bebe Rexha

    Billie Eilish

    Brittany Howard

    Hayley Kiyoko

    King Princess

    Lizzo

    Maggie Rogers

    Rosalía

    Summer Walker

    Most Empowering Musical Collaboration of the Year

    Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, Lana Del Rey, “Don’t Call Me Angel”

    Ciara, “Melanin” (feat. Lupita Nyong’o, Ester Dean, City Girls and Lala)

    Idina Menzel & Evan Rachel Wood, “Show Yourself” (Disney’s “Frozen 2 Soundtrack”)

    Kesha, “Raising Hell” (feat. Big Freedia)

    Lizzo, “Good as Hell” (feat. Ariana Grande)

    Lizzo, “Tempo” (feat. Missy Elliot)

    Meghan Trainor “Workin’ on It” (feat. Lennon Stella, Sasha Sloan)

    Taylor Swift, “Lover Remix” (feat. Shawn Mendes)

    Taylor Swift, “ME!” (feat. Brendon Urie)

    Most Empowering Song of the Year (Individual Artist)

    Ariana Grande, “thank u, next”

    Dua Lipa, “Don’t Start Now”

    Halsey, “Nightmare”

    Kacey Musgraves, “Rainbow”

    Lizzo, “Truth Hurts”

    Maren Morris, “GIRL”

    Miley Cyrus, “Mother’s Daughter”

    Rosalía, “A Palé”

    Taylor Swift, “You Need to Calm Down”

    Most Empowering Song of the Year (Group or Duo)

    Christina Aguilera, “Fall in Line” (feat. Demi Lovato)

    Dolly Parton and Galantis, “Faith” (feat. Mr. Probz)

    HAIM, “Now I’m in It”

    Haschak Sisters, “Girl Power”

    Hayley Kiyoko, “What I Need” (feat. Kehlani)

    Maddie & Tae, “Bathroom Floor”

    P!nk, “Love Me Anyway” (feat. Chris Stapleton)

    SHAED, “Thunder”

    Summer Walker, “Come Thru” (feat. Usher)

    Most Empowering Music Group of the Year

    BLACKPINK

    Chloe X Halle

    Florence + the Machine

    HAIM

    Haschak Sisters

    Little Mix

    Maddie & Tae

    Runaway June

    Tegan and Sara

    Most Empowering Classic Girl Power Anthem (Individual Artist)

    Aretha Franklin, “Respect”

    Christina Aguilera, “Fighter”

    Cyndi Lauper, “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”

    Diana Ross, “I’m Coming Out”

    Donna Summer, “She Works Hard for the Money”

    Gloria Gaynor, “I Will Survive”

    Joan Jett, “Bad Reputation”

    Shakira, “She Wolf”

    Shania Twain, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman”

    Most Empowering Classic Girl Power Anthem (Group or Duo)

    Christina Aguilera, “Can’t Hold Us Down” (feat. Lil’ Kim)

    Destiny’s Child, “Survivor”

    Dixie Chicks, “Goodbye Earl”

    En Vogue, “Free Your Mind”

    Fifth Harmony, “That’s My Girl”

    No Doubt, “Just a Girl”

    Salt-N-Pepa, “Let’s Talk About Sex”

    Spice Girls, “Wannabe”

    TLC, “No Scrubs”

    Most Empowering Girl Power Anthem of the Decade

    Alicia Keys, “Girl on Fire”

    Ariana Grande, “God Is a Woman”

    Beyoncé, “Run the World (Girls)”

    Demi Lovato, “Sorry Not Sorry”

    Katy Perry, “Roar”

    Kelly Clarkson, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”

    Lady Gaga, “Born This Way”

    P!nk, “Try”

    Taylor Swift, “Shake It Off”

    Girls’ Choice Music Icon

    Beyoncé

    Carole King

    Céline Dion

    Cher

    Gloria Estefan

    Janet Jackson

    Jennifer Lopez

    Lady Gaga

    Madonna

    Mary J. Blige

    Rihanna

    Taylor Swift

  • Shannon Hoon Documentary to be released in 2020

    A documentary capturing the final years of Blind Melon frontman Shannon Hoon is slated to be released in 2020, per Variety. Both Double E Pictures and Live Nation Productions were recently added as executive producers for the film, which was created using more than 200 hours of the late singer-songwriter’s home videos from Grammy-winning videographer and acclaimed photographer Danny Clinch. Hoon and Clinch were close friends, and Clinch co-directed the documentary alongside Taryn Gould and Colleen Hennessy. Find out more info here.

    “We realized that we basically had all these videos of a guy who was videotaping himself obsessively for five years from before he was famous up until really the day of his death,” Clinch told Variety. “It was the dawn of technology where people started to film each other, and he was way ahead of the curve in a way. It’s kind of one of the earliest moments of someone who was self-archiving his own life.”

    Hoon died from an overdose at age 28, following the monumental success of Blind Melon’s 1992 eponymous debut.

    “He was really an endearing character,” Clinch told Rolling Stone in 2015. “He could just become your best friend right away. His energy was great. He was really creative and super friendly. He definitely liked to have a good time and he enjoyed the rock and roll lifestyle for sure.”

    A Kickstarter was launched in 2015 for the documentary, which has been in the works since then, and has been screen at Tribeca Film Festival and the International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam.

  • Turkuaz to ditch colors as they kick off December tour at FTC Warehouse

    Brooklyn-based funk band Turkuaz, who recently dropped their roygbiv colors as well as their new EP Kuadrochrome in November, will perform at FTC Warehouse in Fairfield, CT on Thursday, December 5. The show (with special guest Great Time) marks the first of 9 shows in December, which finds the band travel from the Northeast to Colorado, where they’ll perform in Boulder on New Years Eve.

    turkuaz colors

    Dave Brandwein, one of the founding members of Turkuaz, produced the tracks that were recorded at Galaxy Smith Studios. Available for download on all major services, the 4-song EP is also set to be released in limited-edition vinyl LP that will include special instrumental versions of the tracks.

    Alluding to a more cohesive sound while sticking true to the band’s fusion of funk with elements of R&B, psychedelic pop, gospel, Afro-pop, New Wave, and classic rock, Kuadrochrome is designed to get people dancing. This is evident in the visualizer video released last week for the studio rendition of “Heat Drop.” As many fans are already aware, the “colors” era is forever encapsulated in the band’s feature concert film, None’s a Ton, slated for wide release sometime this winter. 

    “We’re stripping back to our basics a bit with this release,” explains Brandwein. “We’re revisiting some of the old school elements of funk and soul that we’ve veered away from in recent years. It’s fun to change it up every once in a while and we feel it’s important for us, as well as our fans to keep things fresh. Although we’re playing some different material and sporting a new look — it’s still the same Turkuaz energy, with plenty of material from our whole catalogue. This is just the beginning. Kuadrochrome is the first of many steps into a new and exciting future in the world of Turkuaz.”

    To celebrate a new era for Turkuaz they will kick off a short winter tour on December 5 at FTC Warehouse in Fairfield, CT. Touring across the United States they will also be joined by several other bands. Philadelphia native funk/alternative band Great Time will be on stage in Fairfield, CT and Philadelphia, PA at the beginning of the tour. Starting in Kalamazoo, MI, Brooklyn duo Paris Monster is set to rock the stage for three nights. Hailing from Portland, OR, Swatkins and The Positive Agenda will be sure to bring a good time during the middle of the tour before Chicago native Neil Francis and his evolutionary soul-funk sounds from a bygone era finish up the last nine of the tour’s stops.

    Find a full list of upcoming dates below and head over to the band’s website for tickets.

    Turkuaz Tour Dates:
    Dec. 5 – Warehouse – Fairfield, CT *
    Dec. 6- Theatre of The Living Arts – Philadelphia, PA *
    Dec. 12 – Bells Brewery – Kalamazoo, MI ^
    Dec. 13 – The Vogue Theater – Indianapolis, IN ^
    Dec. 14 – Exit/IN – Nashville, TN ^
    Dec. 27 – Aggie Theatre – Fort Collins, CO #
    Dec. 28-29 – 10 Mile Music Hall – Frisco, CO #
    Dec. 31 – Boulder Theater – Boulder, CO #
    Jan. 7-12 – Jam Cruise – Miami, FL 
    Jan. 15 – Saturn – Birmingham, AL ~
    Jan. 16 – Victory, North – Savannah, GA ~
    Jan. 17 – Lincoln Theatre – Raleigh, NC ~
    Jan. 18 – Georgia Theatre – Athens, GA ~
    Jan. 23- Songbirds  – Chattanooga, TN ~
    Jan. 24 – Madison Theater – Covington, KY ~
    Jan. 25 – Jefferson Theatre – Charlottesville, VA  ~
    Jan. 30 – High Noon Saloon – Madison, WI  ~
    Jan. 31 – Park West – Chicago, IL 
    Feb. 1 – Fine Line Music Cafe – Minneapolis, MN ~

    * w/ Great Time
    ^ w/ Paris Monster
    # w/ Swaktins & The Positive Agenda
    ~ w/ Neal Francis

  • Tanglewood Reveals Summer Lineup – Trey Anastasio to Team up with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops

    The Tanglewood 2020 season has been announced with a range of festival favorites and brand new faces. The 12 programs start on June 19 and run through the entire summer, wrapping up on Aug. 30.

    The BSO’s $25 tickets for attendees under 40 will be available during the 2020 Tanglewood season for select performances; these tickets are available starting at the end of May on a first-come, first-served basis through www.tanglewood.org 

    Each program is made up of multiple acts that take place over multiple days. Some of the incredible acts to catch at Tanglewood summer of 2020 include Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band,  Boston Symphony Orchestra, Judy Collins, Arlo Guthrie, Brian Wilson performing Pet Sounds, Trey Anastasio with the Boston Pops and other Tanglewood favorites like Emanuel Ax, Susan Graham, and Yo-Yo Ma. 

    Tanglewood is nestled in the hills of the Berkshires of Lenox and Stockbridge, MA and has been the home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937. The festival was founded and created by Serge Koussevitzky (BSO Music Director 1924-1949) and is not only a place for music but for a variety of performances and multidisciplinary activities from dance troupes to trivia nights. It’s got a little bit of everything. 

     Year-round Berkshire County residents of Massachusetts may purchase a Berkshire Resident Season Lawn Pass priced at $100. Local residents must show a valid Massachusetts license which is required to obtain a photo ID pass.

    There is also an array of choruses and orchestras to catch of course playing everything from classical to pop culture recreations. With acts like Andris Nelsons-led program with Augustin Hadelich performing Beethoven’s Romance No. 1 and Dutilleux’s L’Arbre des songs to Two Boston Pops concerts led by Keith Lockhart: a film presentation of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, with the orchestra performing the score on August 21st Tanglewood covers all the orchestra bases.

    There is also ‘Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!’ NPR’s weekly news quiz hosted by Peter Sagal with judge and scorekeeper, Bill Kurtis, and the annual John Williams’ Film Night is coming back hosted by Mr. William’s himself. There’s definitely a little something for every music lover out there even if it’s not just music.

    Tickets go on sale Sunday, Feb. 9, at 10 a.m and regular-season ticket prices range from $12-$132 on average. For tickets and more information visit Tanglewood’s website or call 888-266-1200.

  • On Late Rapper’s Birthday, Consequence releases New Recording Featuring Phife Dawg

    “No Place Like Home,” a new track from rapper Consequence, was released today to commemorate the birthday of the legendary A Tribe Called Quest Emcee – Phife Dawg.

    The 3-minute song was recorded around the same time as A Tribe Called Quest’s final posthumous album, We got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service.

    Produced by Consequence and Mike Cash, the record sees Consequence rap about the nostalgia of missing his hometown of Queens, NY—something he shares with the departed rapper. In between Consequence’s verses, Phife comes in and recites some of the legendary figures that have come from Queens, while rattling off some of the more well known Queens neighborhoods, with looping vocals in the background serving as the chorus.

    Having passed away in 2016 due to complications from diabetes, the record was released on what would have been the late rapper’s 49th birthday.

  • Cornell professor discovers tape of unreleased Lou Reed music at Andy Warhol Musuem

    A Cornell professor of music has discovered a dozen rare, unreleased songs by Lou Reed. Found on one side of a cassette tape from 1975, the songs are based on Andy Warhol’s book, “The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B and Back Again).”

    While conducting archival research at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Judith Peraino of the College of Arts and Sciences said of the finding, “It sounds like he recorded them in his apartment with an open air microphone, just voice and acoustic guitar.”

    Lou Reed music

    As reported by Cornell, Periano wrote a paper announcing her discovery, titled, “I’ll Be Your Mixtape: Lou Reed, Andy Warhol, and the Queer Intimacies of Cassettes,” published on October 30 in the Journal of Musicology. Five short segments are shared with permission from Lou Reed’s estate, and the music can be found here.

    Syracuse alumnus Reed had labeled Side 2 of the tape “The Philosophy Songs (from A to B and Back).” Side 1 of the cassette consists of songs dubbed from soundboard recordings of Reed’s 1975 concerts. Peraino said her first reaction to discovering the cassette was “disbelief and uncertainty.”

    “The sound of Reed’s voice on ‘The Philosophy Songs’ is very different from his live concert performances on Side 1,” she said. But when one Warhol Museum staffer commented that Peraino had found an unreleased Lou Reed album, “that’s when the excitement really hit. Such a discovery is rare, and it is certainly a highlight of my career.”

    The “Philosophy Songs” cassette is one of almost 3,500 audio tapes at the Warhol Museum, part of the extensive collection Warhol assembled of the sounds of his life. A critical source for Peraino’s research was Bruce Yaw, a bass player who toured with Reed from 1975-76. Although he passed away in September at age 73, Yaw lived near Ithaca in the village of Sempronius. Extensive interviews and personal archive were shared with Peraino, which includes demo and soundboard tapes that she used to put the newly discovered cassette in context.

    Peraino said that while demo tapes and soundboard recordings are not particularly rare finds, this is different.

    “What makes this rare is the gift aspect of the tape,” she said, “that Lou Reed intentionally created both a curated set of songs and a composed set of songs on tape meant only for Warhol. This is a harbinger of the mixtape culture and gift-giving that flourished in the 1980s and 1990s.”

    Peraino also unearthed a partial recording of the “Philosophy Songs” at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

    Peraino’s extensive research into Warhol’s archive and Reed’s music has illuminated the story behind the unreleased songs. The tape, she writes, records “the entangled passions and psychologies of [Warhol and Reed’s] decadelong relationship.” Reed and Warhol famously collaborated in the mid-1960s, resulting in the multimedia Exploding Plastic Inevitable events and the album The Velvet Underground and Nico.

    Their multiple attempts to start another musical collaboration in the mid-1970s is not widely known. Warhol first approached Reed to create a Broadway musical based on Reed’s Berlin album. After that idea fizzled, Reed created the just-discovered tape of songs based on Warhol’s latest book and his own latest songs and performances.

    As such, the tape functions as an audio double portrait: One side is Lou Reed; the other side is Andy Warhol.

    “Reed brought an experimental and literary sensibility to his songs, composing vivid and sometimes brutal portraits of complex characters in sound and words,” Peraino said. “This tape from 1975 reveals an intimate side of Reed’s musical portrait-making through a story that is his own, touching on his ongoing involvement with Andy Warhol and exploring the expressive potential of the medium of the cassette tape.”

  • Judges announced for Westchester-based Music Video Film Festival

    Gorilla River has announced an expert panel of judges for the Music Video Film Festival, planned for Saturday, February 8 at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center. Sirius XM host Mark Goodman (One of MTV’s “First Five VJs”), Vevo VP of Original Content and Production Ed Walker, and music journalist Alan Light (author of Let’s Go Crazy: Prince and the Making of Purple Rain, and The Skills to Pay the Bills: The Story of the Beastie Boys) will offer commentary on 10 music videos which will be screened at the event. They’ll then select three winners who will get to present their videos at the 2020 Hudson Valley Music Summit.

    music video film festival

    The inaugural event brings music videos together with fun commentary and live music. The 10 artists who are selected will be given a 15 minute slot, allowing them to share their vision with the audience, show their video and receive feedback from the judges.

    “MTV came on the around the time when I first became aware of music in general, so it’s an honor to have a familiar face like Mark Goodman join us at our inaugural event,” said Gorilla River CEO Dave Hoffman. “Alan Light and Ed Walker also bring insight based on their unique vantage points in the industry. We’re very much looking forward to hearing what kind of wisdom they have to offer.”

    The Music Video Film Festival is an extension of the Hudson Valley Music Summit which launched this past summer in Kingston, NY.  The Summit is a full-day of panel discussions designed for managers, A&R reps, publicists, and anyone who is responsible for managing an artist’s career. Local luminaries such as Pete Shapiro, owner of the Capitol Theatre and Stefani Scamardo of Hard Head Management spoke at the 2019 event. In addition to expert insight, the 200 music industry professionals in attendance enjoyed vendor tables, live performances, and a music video presented by Dennis Dunaway, founding bassist of the Alice Cooper Group.

    The Music Video Film Festival promises to tap into the same spirit of creative enthusiasm as it brings a new music and film event to rock and roll fans in the area.

    “This is the first event we’re doing that is specifically designed to be enjoyed by fans,” said Hoffman, who has extensive experience producing global B2B conferences. “Our tagline is ‘You want it, you got it.’ Members of the MTV Generation will get the reference.”

    Bands and Video Directors looking to submit should visit the festival website for details.  

  • Spafford Announces Extensive 2020 Winter Tour

    Spafford announced its 2020 winter tour this week. The four-piece will venture out on a 39-date tour following their four-night New Year’s run in California. Throughout the winter, they will be joined by a number of special guests including The Iceman Special, Eggy, Cycles, Yak Attack, and The Jauntee.

    The tour kicks off Jan. 15 in Houston, TX at the White Oak Music Hall, then continues into Austin, Dallas and New Orleans. The band will then travel to the southeast with dates in Pensacola, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Birmingham, Oxford (MS), and Knoxville. Jan. 31 is the first of a two-night run at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, GA.

    February will see dates in Greensboro, Washington D.C., and Boston before their three-night run at Brooklyn’s Brooklyn Bowl February 7-9. The last night of the run will be a special acoustic-only performance. The band will take a short break and get back on the road for a set of Colorado dates, which start with a three-night run Feb. 28 – March 1 in Winter Park. March brings two-night runs in Frisco and Steamboat Springs, followed by stops all throughout the midwest and west coast, until the band reaches Las Vegas on April 4.

    See the full list of dates below. Presales and VIP packages are available now, and general admission tickets for all announced dates go on sale Friday, Nov. 15. Check out the band’s website for ticket information.

    December 27 – West Hollywood, CA – The Roxy Theatre

    December 28 – West Hollywood, CA – The Roxy Theatre

    December 30 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall

    December 31 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall

    January 15 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall (Upstairs)

    January 16 – Austin, TX – Antone’s Nightclub

    January 17 – Austin, TX – Antone’s Nightclub

    January 18 – Dallas, TX – Trees

    January 19 – New Orleans, LA – House of Blues New Orleans

    January 22 – Pensacola, FL – Vinyl Music Hall

    January 23 – Tampa, FL – The Orpheum

    January 24 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Culture Room

    January 25 – Jacksonville, FL – 1904 Music Hall

    January 28 – Birmingham, AL – Saturn

    January 29 – Oxford, MS – Proud Larry’s

    January 30 – Knoxville, TN – Bijou Theatre

    January 31 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse

    February 1 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse

    February 3 – Greensboro, NC – The Blind Tiger

    February 5 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club

    February 6 – Boston, MA – Royale

    February 7 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl

    February 8 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl

    February 9 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl *

    February 28 – Winter Park, CO – Ullrs Tavern

    February 29 – Winter Park, CO – Ullrs Tavern

    March 1 – Winter Park, CO – Ullrs Tavern

    March 4 – Grand Junction, CO – Mesa Theater

    March 6 – Frisco, CO – 10 Mile Music Hall

    March 7 – Frisco, CO – 10 Mile Music Hall

    March 10 – Steamboat Springs, CO – Schmiggity’s Live Music Dance Bar

    March 11 – Steamboat Springs, CO – Schmiggity’s Live Music Dance Bar

    March 13 – Aspen, CO – Belly Up Aspen

    March 14 – Telluride, CO – Sheridan Opera House

    March 17 – Park City, UT – Park City Live

    March 19 – Victor, ID – Knotty Pine

    March 20 – Bozeman, MT – Rialto

    March 21 – Missoula, MT – Top Hat Lounge

    March 22 – Sandpoint, ID – The Hive

    March 24 – Bellingham, WA – The Shakedown

    March 26 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom

    March 27 – Bend, OR – Volcanic Theatre Pub

    March 28 – Seattle, WA – Neumos

    April 1 – Arcata, CA – Humboldt Brews

    April 4 – Las Vegas, NV – The Bunkhouse Saloon

    * An Evening with Spafford – Acoustic Only Show

  • Red Hot Chili Peppers and Foo Fighters to Headline Boston Calling

    The headliners for the 2020 Boston Calling Music Festival have been announced—and they include Grammy-winning rock bands Red Hot Chili Peppers and Foo Fighters. The annual extravaganza, set to take place on Memorial Day Weekend between May 22-24 at the Harvard Athletic Complex, will also have over 60 other artists and bands performing.

    The Boston-based music festival began in 2013 and previously took place during the spring and fall, before switching to their now once-a-year format. Always a popular event, the festival has drawn as many as 40,000 people and has seen the likes of Eminem, Travis Scott and Twenty-One Pilots headline previous events.

    Aside from the performances, the festival will include the best food in Boston. A 100-foot Ferris wheel, art installations, life-size games, exciting partner activations, 30 all-star food vendors, local and international brews, wines and seltzers and platinum menus curated by Boston’s most prestigious chefs, according to the Boston Calling official website.

    “Boston is such a great city for rock music, and we are so proud to bring some of the most important rock artists of all time to Boston Calling next Memorial Day Weekend,” said Boston Calling CEO Brian Appel in an official release.

    Limited pre-sale tickets will be made available on, Thursday, Nov. 14, at 10:00 a.m. General admission tickets will be priced at $239, VIP passes will be $549 and platinum passes will be $1049.

  • WARMCharts offers alternative, transparent system for music charting

    Copenhagen-based tech startup WARM have launched WARMCharts.com, an alternative to mainstream charts like Billboard and Rolling Stone. With a goal to change how artists are discovered, WARM uses a scoring system different than that of existing charts, giving artists a better chance at breaking through.

    By introducing transparent music charts, WARM hopes for a system where everyone gets a fair chance. WARMCharts uses a 1 for 1 method – one airplay on the radio equals one count. With no obscure scoring system, an audio fingerprint technique collects all airplays from more than 27,000 radio channels worldwide into one chart.

    warmcharts

    From the above image, notice that Lizzo, who has the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, is actually just only in the top 10 of most radio airplays worldwide based on the 25,000+ radio stations WARM monitors. Likewise, Ed Sheerans ” Don’t Care” (ft. Justin Bieber) and “Beautiful People” (ft. Khalid) are ranked 11 and 14 on the Hot 100. However, WARMCharts reveals that those tracks are actually the two out of three songs with most airplays worldwide.

    An alternative to current music charting system, WARMCharts offers a unique formula that can level the playing field and offer another method for artists to garner insight into their rise in popularity among fans. CEO of WARM, Jesper Skibsby, discussed his vision in “No one told us we had a radio hit in Poland!,” via Medium, and spoke with NYS Music to discuss how the platform will become a utilized system.

    Pete Mason: Noting that WARM Charts is a new ranking system for airplay, how does it hope to become a trusted, reliable source that is used by marketing companies and labels?

    Jesper Skibsby: We have an extremely solid music recognition and audio fingerprint technology running WARMcharts as well as the largest coverage of radio channels globally. This means that everything is updated automatically, without any manual interference. This makes the charts equally fair and reliable to anyone. The charts are completely transparent, as we are counting plays, instead of having an intransparent weighting/scoring system. We are launching close to 35 new and different charts, e.g. “Global Rock”, “North American Electronic” and “Scandinavian Jazz”, this mean many more charts will be relevant to many more artists, bands and labels, and in the end this will hopefully mean that many more will start using WARMcharts as a trusted source, and as an extended and much more accurate chart structure. 

    Pete Mason: How did WARM first come together? What caused the creation of the site, in addition to changing how artists are discovered?

    Jesper Skibsby: The idea to create WARM was brought to life based on my personal frustration, of signing a band to a major label in Denmark, and then experiencing that results outside Denmark were not relevant to my, at the time product manager. It was clear to me that there was a very big missing link in the music industry, called radio data, which clashed with the “local office major label mentality” of primarily looking at local data, in each country. There is a fight between the independent sector wanting and needing global radio data also from smaller radio, as they are often the ones supporting the indies and upcoming segment, and the major label sector, primarily working with local data principles, for then to share this between the offices. I also quickly understood, that a major label A&R in country A, can have difficulties to convince another A&R in country B and C, to prioritize a new artist or band. From an indie perspective, you should want to find your emerging markets and engaged audience regardless of where they are. Music is globally available instantly, with the help of streaming, but the majors are still primarily focusing on local data. 

    WARMCharts
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