Create Music Group\/Cr2 Holdings Group<\/h2>\n
\t<\/p>\n
\n\tCreate Music Group <\/strong>acquired Cr2 Holdings Group<\/strong>, which encompasses U.K. dance label Cr2 Records, MBMB Publishing and a music education division, Sample Tools by Cr2. With the deal, Create will provide capital, technology and a global infrastructure to drive the label\u2019s growth strategy, with additional investments in independent dance artists, catalogs, labels and publishers.<\/p>\n \n\tMark Brown <\/strong>will continue leading Cr2 as president alongside Matthew Brown<\/strong> out of London. Create\u2019s Eric Nguyen<\/strong> and Jonathan Strauss<\/strong> will join Cr2\u2019s board.<\/p>\n \n\tCr2\u2019s premier artists include HUGEL (\u201cMorenita\u201d) and Matt Sassari (\u201cGive It to Me\u201d). It has also released music from acts including David Guetta, Eric Prydz, Avicii, Camelphat, Fedde Le Grand and Steve Angello.<\/p>\n \n\tFollowing the deal, Cr2 will focus its energies on expanding relationships and deals for its current roster while also acquiring and investing in its artists\u2019 future businesses.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tiHeartMedia<\/strong> signed an exclusive video podcasting partnership with Netflix<\/strong> for more than 15 original iHeartPodcasts, including The Breakfast Club<\/em>, My Favorite Murder<\/em>, Joe and Jada<\/em> (hosted by Fat Joe and Jadakiss), Chelsea Handler\u2019s Dear Chelsea<\/em>, and This Is Important<\/em> featuring Workaholics<\/em> stars Adam Devine, Anders Holm and Blake Anderson. <\/p>\n \n\tThe deal includes all new episodes from the podcast lineup, along with select library episodes from each of the shows. New video podcast episodes are slated to launch on Netflix early next year in the U.S., followed by additional markets.<\/p>\n \n\tiHeartMedia retains all audio-only rights and distribution for the podcasts included in the deal. All of the podcasts will continue to be available on iHeartRadio and podcast platforms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tI<\/span>conic U.K. venue The O2<\/strong> and the charity Music Venue Trust (MVT)<\/strong>, which represents hundreds of grassroots music venues in the U.K., signed a new three-year commitment that will see The O2 make a direct donation to MVT each time a new artist headlines the storied arena for the first time. According to a press release, The O2 has hosted more than 50 first-time performers this year alone; in recognition of that number, the venue will make an initial six-figure donation to MVT.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cBy partnering with Music Venue Trust, we\u2019re investing in the pipeline that nurtures the next generation of breakthrough artists and ensures they have a place to start,\u201d said Emma Bownes<\/strong>, senior vp of venue programming at AEG Europe, in a statement.<\/p>\n \n\tMark Davyd<\/strong>, CEO of MVT, added that the \u201cpartnership sets a powerful new benchmark for the industry, proving that major venues can actively participate in securing the future of the talent pipeline. Our challenge to every other arena in the UK is simple: The O2 has taken a lead, now it\u2019s your chance to follow.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tLive Nation Entertainment <\/strong>struck a new partnership with BeLive Entertainment Group<\/strong> that will make the concert giant a majority stakeholder in Chile\u2019s 15,000-capacity Movistar Arena Santiago. In concert with BeLive, Live Nation will focus on improving the fan experience at the arena while strengthening its production capabilities and expanding opportunities for both global artists and local acts to play the venue.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tLive Nation <\/strong>also announced it will take over the operations of Impact Arena<\/strong> in Bangkok, Thailand. The company says it has committed to upgrading the venue and improving the concert experience for fans and artists. Live Nation will work with the arena\u2019s founding developer, Bangkok Land, to institute modern production infrastructure and enhanced hospitality, with upgrades including improved food and beverage options, premium seating and \u201ccurated design touches,\u201d according to a press release. The improvements will create more booking opportunities and support the local economy, Live Nation says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tAuracles<\/strong>, a venture founded by artist Imogen Heap<\/a> that\u2019s described as \u201ca sovereign digital ID and creative data platform built to help artists protect, manage, and control their work,\u201d joined the SoundCloud Benefits Partners Program. The partnership will allow artists to connect their SoundCloud profiles directly to Auracles, import music projects from SoundCloud to Auracles and publish projects from Auracles back to SoundCloud.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tSV Records<\/strong>, a label co-founded by Saliva frontman Bobby Amaru<\/strong> and Shawn Grau<\/strong>, signed a joint venture with producer Howard Benson<\/strong> and Three Days Grace drummer Neil Sanderson<\/strong>\u2018s Judge & Jury Records<\/strong>. The JV is described as \u201can incubator built to identify talented artists and provide world\u2011class production and songwriting.\u201d It will include content, marketing and business affairs support, including streamlined global distribution, optimized rights management, royalty administration and access to capital. The first release under the JV will be the track \u201cHappy When We\u2019re Bleeding\u201d from Texas band Thrower, which was released digitally on Friday (Dec. 12).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tWarner Music India<\/strong> struck a partnership with Rthyms.Life<\/strong>, described as a \u201ccreator-first music ecosystem\u201d that allows artists \u201ccontrol over every aspect of their careers \u2014 from cross collaborations and studio sessions, through to bookings and career management,\u201d according to a press release. Through the deal, Warner Music India will provide distribution for Rthyms.Life artists across platforms globally.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tNoctal<\/strong>, an AI-powered sound design platform that features a library of more than 200,000 licensed human-made recordings, has raised $2 million in seed funding to scale the business. The platform, which uses AI to help users quickly find sounds they need for their video projects, closed a $1.8 million seed round led by Dan Caruso <\/strong>with additional investment from Media Empire Ventures<\/strong>, which includes Grimes<\/a>, Jim Packer <\/strong>of Lionsgate, Tony Kemp<\/strong> of Major League Baseball and Mitchell Smith<\/strong> of X. Following that deal, the platform scored an additional $200,000 investment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tAXS<\/strong> partnered with Tickets for Good<\/strong>, a ticket distribution platform that allows venues, promoters and artist management teams to allocate complimentary or discounted tickets to \u201cdeserving audiences\u201d including healthcare professionals, teachers and charity workers, according to a press release. The partnership, which entails a new API integration that connects AXS directly to the Tickets for Good platform, launched in the U.S. in October. A U.K. launch is also expected soon.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tS<\/span>treaming platform Audiomack<\/strong>, which is popular in Africa, among other territories, signed a deal with music industry data analytics platform Soundcharts<\/strong> that integrates Audiomack playlists and \u201cGeo Charts\u201d into the Soundcharts database. According to a press release, this is the first time Audiomack\u2019s playlists \u201care being captured at scale.\u201d This includes its weekly \u201c100 Geo Charts,\u201d which rank the top songs in every U.S. state and nearly every country worldwide. \u201cIntegrating Audiomack\u2019s data helps Soundcharts deliver a truly global view of the music industry, filling long-standing gaps in how African music consumption is represented,\u201d said David Wieszfeld<\/strong>, founder and CEO of Soundcharts, in a statement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n \tiHeartMedia\/Netflix<\/h2>\n
The O2\/Music Venue Trust<\/h2>\n
Live Nation\/BeLive Entertainment Group<\/h2>\n
Live Nation\/Impact Arena<\/h2>\n
SoundCloud\/Auracles<\/h2>\n
SV Records\/Judge & Jury Records<\/h2>\n
Warner Music India\/Rthyms.Life<\/h2>\n
Noctal Seed Funding<\/h2>\n
AXS\/Tickets for Good<\/h2>\n
Audiomack\/Soundcharts<\/h2>\n
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