Verve Records Announces 70th Anniversary Albums and Events

Verve Records has announced a slate of archival and new music releases and events to celebrate the iconic jazz label’s 70th anniversary. Founded in 1956 to showcase Ella Fitzgerald’s talents, over the years the label has been a home for such legendary artists as Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Stan Getz, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Nina Simone, Diana Krall, Frank Zappa and the Velvet Underground, as well as contemporary artists like Grammy favorites Jon Batiste and Samara Joy and edgier talents such as Arooj Aftab and Kurt Vile.

Kicking off the anniversary releases will be a special previously unreleased 1960 live recording from Oscar Peterson, “Live at Baker’s Keyboard Lounge,” out on April 17. On May 22 — almost 70 years to the day it was first released — will be a re-release of the classic “Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook,” the first Verve album ever released. There will be more live and new music releases from Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone, and others, and the Verve Vault and Verve Record Club will also host an exciting slate of releases throughout the year, as will the audiophile Verve Acoustic Sound Series.

Finally, throughout the month of March, Verve is partnering with Devon Turnbull (aka OJAS) as part of the HiFi Pursuit Listening Room Dream No. 3 at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York, with an exclusive playback of Verve titles on Turnbull’s large scale, handmade audio system, including curated events with key programmers.

+ Giant Records, the label relaunched in 2023 by Irving Azoff’s media and entertainment company, will receive a strategic investment from Concord and, relatedly, will be partnering with Concord-owned Stem for global distribution, the companies announced Wednesday. Financial details were not disclosed in a press release, but the announcement stressed that Giant will maintain “full creative and operational autonomy.” The distribution deal will help provide Giant “with the infrastructure, expertise, and hands-on execution needed to scale.” Giant’s roster includes Cash Cobain, Mike Will Made-It and Empress Of, among others.

+ SoundCloud has promoted Maurice Slade to head of music for the streaming platform, the company announced on Wednesday; he was previously head of marketing and artist relations, joining SoundCloud after stints at Epic Records, Roc Nation and Universal Motown.

“Maurice has a deep understanding of artists, culture, and how careers are actually built,” said CEO Eliah Seton. “He brings deep credibility in music, sharp strategic instincts, and a clear point of view on how platforms can serve artists without compromising creativity.”

+ Entertainment law firm Myman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobasser Younger & Light has named Audrey Benoualid as the firm’s youngest equity officer. Benoualid works on catalog acquisitions, touring, publishing, brand partnerships, merchandise agreements and recorded music for artists including Tate McRae and Sevdaliza, among others, as well as producers and songwriters including Brett McLaughlin, Mags Duval and Annie Schindel. She was included on Variety’s list of Hollywood’s New Leaders in 2023.

+ Richard Burgess, who recently retired as head of independent music association A2IM after a decade in the role, has joined forces with his son Ace Burgess (previously VP of engineering at TuneCore) on a pair of companies they will be running together: AudioNumber and Interline Media Group.

AudioNumber is a data intelligence platform intended to help “catalog acquisition funds and music companies identify undervalued assets and optimization opportunities,” according to the announcement, while Interline is designed as a publishing administration platform that uses AudioNumber’s features to help refine and maximize royalty collection. The company says it began signing artists in May 2025 and has “recovered tens of thousands in previously uncollected royalties for clients,” among other metrics.

+ IBM’s enterprise and data platform, Watsonx, is working with the Recording Academy on three initiatives aimed at both fans and Academy Members.

The first is Grammy IQ, which will serve up AI-powered quizzes for fans and be available on the Recording Academy’s “digital channels,” according to the announcement. The second, Musical Crossroads, will be an interactive experience viewable at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, intended to foster deeper contextual engagement with the music industry for attendees.

Finally, the Academy and IBM are working on enhancements to the “digital processes” that Recording Academy members use to interact with the institution. “This includes reimagining the member portal and offering translations in four additional languages,” according to the announcement.

+ Publishing giant Kobalt has signed II, drummer for the shadowy English metal band Sleep Token. “With so many Sleep Token fans already at Kobalt, it’s an honor for us all to protect and serve the songs,” said Kobalt’s Kenny McGoff.

Tuesday, Jan. 20

Universal Music Group and NetEase Cloud Music, a leading music streaming service provider in China, have announced a strategic multi-year license agreement for UMG’s world-leading music catalog of artists and recordings across NetEase Cloud Music’s streaming platform and associated digital services in China.

Under the agreement, NetEase Cloud Music will distribute UMG’s global recording catalog across its streaming services and affiliated digital products. The catalog includes both local Chinese and international artists that are signed, released and distributed by UMG’s labels.

This strategic agreement will also see the companies collaborate on feature marketing campaigns and product innovation, and “artist-centric” provisions and terms covering artificial intelligence reflecting a shared commitment to responsible AI practices.

In making the announcement, William Ding, CEO of NetEase Cloud Music, said: “NetEase Cloud Music is very pleased to have reached a multi-year licensing agreement with UMG. With the largest user base globally, China stands as the world’s biggest music streaming market. Moving forward, we will continue to work hand in hand with UMG to deliver premium music experiences to our users in China. At the same time, we look forward to exploring even more diverse and multifaceted avenues of collaboration with UMG.”

Adam Granite, Executive Vice President, Market Development, Universal Music Group, said: “This renewed agreement with NetEase Cloud Music represents a meaningful step in deepening UMG’s long-term commitment to China’s music market. Together, we aim to strengthen an artist-first streaming environment that supports creators, engages fans, and connects China’s music market more closely with the global music industry.”

+ YeaH1 Group and Sony Music have announced the launch of SYE Holdings, a joint venture through which the two companies “are committed to creating a sustainable path for Vietnamese artists and propelling Vietnamese culture onto the world stage,” according to the announcement. The goal of the partnership is to help establish a “direct pipeline” for V-Pop artists to access international charts and regional playlists, as well as the advertising, film, and entertainment sectors.

Immediately following the partnership announcement, SYE Holdings officially launched its first major project, introducing the boy group Uprize, described as “Vietnam’s first idol boy group to debut immediately from the survival reality show ‘Tan Binh Toan Nang’ (‘Show It All’).”

Kenny Ong, managing director for SME Malaysia, Singapore & Vietnam, says, “Sony Music is dedicated to honoring the unique cultural heritage of the markets we enter. Our strategy is to build a ‘viable model’ for our artists’ sustainable careers, where Vietnamese cultural identity is honored and built upon. By integrating local creativity into Sony Music’s world-class network, we are ensuring that Vietnamese talent has the sustainable career path and international visibility it deserves.”

Ngo Thi Van Hanh, CEO of YeaH1 Group, adds, “YeaH1 contributes three essential resources to SYE: a deep understanding of local audiences, international-standard production capabilities, and a multi-platform media ecosystem. When these values resonate with Sony Music Entertainment’s global network, we are not only establishing new standards but also creating a sustainable infrastructure for Vietnamese talent to proudly step out into the world with their own identity.”

+ Goldenvoice has announced that talent buyer Luke Hanna has joined the company’s San Francisco office. He returns to the company after booking shows at the Regent Theatre, the Belasco, and third-party theaters in Los Angeles. Based in San Francisco and reporting to SVP, Talent at Goldenvoice Danny Bell, Hanna joins the booking team for the Warfield and the Regency Ballroom, in addition to other Bay Area events.

“We’re excited to welcome Luke back to Goldenvoice,” Bell says. “He’s built a strong track record booking shows in LA, and we’re confident he’ll be a key contributor as we continue to grow our presence in the Bay Area.”

+ AEG Presents has elevated and added four members to its Global Touring division. Caleb Merrell and Laurel Hilburn, previously serving as tour directors, have been elevated to senior tour directors. Previously a tour marketer at Live Nation, Ryan Erickson joins AEG Presents as senior director of marketing; previously a senior project manager at Paramount, Emily Harenza will now serve as director, digital marketing.

Merrell and Hilburn will be based in Nashville, with Merrell reporting to SVP of Production & Direct Support, Jonathan Baden and Hilburn reporting to SVP of Touring, Jenny Heifetz Henault. Erickson will be based in Los Angeles and report to SVP of Marketing & Artist Development, Rich Holtzman, and Harenza will be based in the AEG Presents New York office, reporting to Sr Director of Marketing Victoria Cappelli Greiner.

Commented President of Global Touring at AEG Presents, Rich Schaefer, “Laurel and Caleb have played integral roles in our touring operation, and we’re proud to promote them to Senior Directors. We’re equally excited to welcome Ryan and Emily’s expertise to the marketing team, a group that continuously innovates in service of our artists and their tours.”