Friday, April 25th, 2008
Daily News: Friday
More Changes At EMI: “Guy Hands’ radical transformation of EMI continues to reverberate within the U.K. company. The latest twist to the ongoing saga sees promotions for top A&R-oriented executives Miles Leonard and Ferdy Unger-Hamilton, while Mark Collen and Terry Felgate have stepped aside. EMI is consolidating four of the frontline A&R teams — Angel, EMI, Parlophone and Virgin — into two. The new teams will be led by Parlophone managing director Leonard, who becomes president of A&R labels, Parlophone, and Virgin MD Unger-Hamilton, who is elevated to president of A&R Labels, Virgin, an EMI spokesperson confirms.” (via Billboard)
Starbucks Exits Music Biz: “Starbucks is now shifting away from its record label joint venture, part of a larger entertainment restructuring. The coffeemaker is handing day-to-day control of the Hear Music label to partner Concord Music Group, according to details surfacing Thursday. Entertainment group president Ken Lombard is also departing, a move that follows weak per-store CD sales and accusations of overly mainstream title selections.” (via DMN)
MySpace Application Gallery Goes Live: “MySpace, the world’s most popular social network, today announced the public launch of the Application Gallery on MySpace. Users visiting the MySpace Application Gallery, (http://apps.myspace.com), will be able to browse applications and integrate them into their MySpace home page and profile, giving them a more engaging and entertaining online experience.” (via Press Release)
Lennon Heirs Sue ‘Expelled’ Filmmakers: “John Lennon’s sons and widow, Yoko Ono, are suing the filmmakers of “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed” for using the song “Imagine” in the documentary without permission. Ono, her son Sean Ono Lennon, and Julian Lennon, John Lennon’s son from his first marriage, along with privately held publisher EMI Blackwood Music Inc, filed suit in U.S. District Court in Manhattan seeking to bar the filmmakers and their distributors from continuing to use “Imagine” in the movie.” (via Billboard)
