Music Business

The inside of xBk, Tobi Parks' music venue in Des Moines, Iowa. Without help, hers and thousands of other small, independent spaces across the country are at risk of closing.

Independent Venues Face Bleak Future Without Aid

11:11am July 21, 2020

by Andrew Limbong

Small music venues in the US are looking for a lifeline — and a new bill in Congress called the Restart Act might be it. Advocates say the future of independent clubs relies on government relief.

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The U.S. leg of Weezer's Hella Mega tour with Green Day and Fall Out Boy has yet to be canceled due to the coronavirus, leaving fans who purchased tickets in limbo when it comes to refunds.

Music & Culture

Why Ticket Holders Are Struggling To Get Refunds For Concerts And Live Events

5:06pm April 24, 2020

by Andrew Limbong

Entertainment companies Live Nation and AEG have modified their refund policies for postponed events. Getting money back would depend on whether a concert or a game has a firm rescheduled date.

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Left to right: Jennifer Koh, Molly Kirk Palier and Rory Ferreira

Music & Culture

From Symphony Orchestras To Wedding Bands, Musicians Cope With The Coronavirus

5:19pm March 18, 2020

Bigger artists may count on fan support and labels to carry them through canceled tours, but working musicians — from orchestra members and wedding singers to indie rappers — are looking elsewhere.

Bad Bunny's new album YHLQMDLG, which stands for "I do whatever I want" in Spanish, is the highest charting all-Spanish-language record in the history of the Billboard 200.

Music & Culture

Reviving Classic Reggaeton, Bad Bunny's New Album 'YHLQMDLG' Breaks Records

5:03am March 13, 2020

by Stefanie Fernández

Bad Bunny's new album has had unprecedented U.S. chart success for an all Spanish-language record. NPR Music contributor Stefanie Fernández explains what makes the artist and the album so special.

With popular shows like Dear White People using a wide range of pop songs in every episode, sync placements on TV have become an increasingly important way for artists to have their music heard.

Music & Culture

With Shows Breaking New Artists, Music Supervisors Are The New A&R

6:20pm March 10, 2020

by Allyson McCabe

The positive exposure for artists from their songs appearing in film, television and advertisements has turned the job of music supervision into a power player in the music business.

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The Archive of Contemporary Music in New York, which houses more than three million recordings dating back to the 1920s, is leaving its longtime Manhattan home due to rising rents.

Music & Culture

The Archive Of Contemporary Music — And Its 3 Million Recordings — Is Leaving NY

4:19pm March 02, 2020

by Jon Kalish

Bob George's archive is an independent operation whose supporters have included David Bowie and Keith Richards. Now it's being forced to move due to rising rents in Manhattan.

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Whitney Houston photographed at the World Music Awards in 2004. Starting Feb. 25, a concert show starring a hologram of Houston, who died in 2012, will tour Europe.

Music & Culture

'An Evening With Whitney' Hologram Tour Trades On The Image Of A Complicated Star

10:32am February 23, 2020

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with Jason King of New York University about the surge in hologram tours and what the ethical implications are of recreating the image of Whitney Houston.

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Billboard chart analyst Chris Molanphy cites Taylor Swift as an artist who effectively differentiates between albums with the help of her video aesthetics.

Music & Culture

Here Comes YouTube: 'Billboard' To Change How It Calculates Top Albums

4:46pm January 02, 2020

Starting Jan. 3, Billboard is changing the way it calculates the top albums of the week. NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Slate writer and critic Chris Molanphy about what the rule changes mean.

Music & Culture

Griselda Set Out To Be Your Favorite Rapper's Favorite Rappers. It's Paying Off

2:57pm December 19, 2019

by Frannie Kelley

The Buffalo, N.Y. trio sounds more like '90s street rap than modern hitmakers, but has found its way to success anyway: business co-signs from Jay-Z and Eminem and, this month, its major label debut.

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Kam Franklin (left) is lead singer of The Suffers, a band from Houston that started touring three years ago. Amber Daniel is lead singer and bassist of Blame the Youth from North Carolina. They're preparing for their first tour.

How To Survive Playing To An Empty Room And Other Advice For A Band's First Tour

5:30pm December 12, 2017

by Christina Cala

Blame the Youth, a North Carolina band, is getting ready to embark on its first tour. Lead singer and bassist Amber Daniel talks to Kam Franklin of The Suffers, who began touring three years ago.

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