Latest news with #WarnerMusic
The Independent
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
'Buckingham Nicks' was a record store holy grail for decades. It's finally getting reissued
They were in love once. Four years before Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours' became one of the best breakup records of the 1970s — and, many might say, all time — Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham were relative unknowns, a young couple putting out their own album, posing nude on the cover like a Laurel Canyon version of Adam and Eve. Released as 'Buckingham Nicks,' the 1973 album has for decades maintained somewhat of a holy grail status in the dusty bins of record stores, selling for $20 to $90 depending on its condition. Now, in addition to new vinyl, it will be available on streaming and CD for the first time when it's reissued Sept. 19 on Rhino, Warner Music Group announced Wednesday. 'It's one of those records that everybody has heard of but not that many people have actually heard,' said Brian Mansfield, a music historian, journalist and record collector in Nashville, Tennessee. 'Especially before everything got put onto YouTube, very few people had heard it because it had never been on CD. But it had this iconic cover that everybody recognized.' 'Buckingham Nicks' featured the duo's iconic harmonies and Buckingham's distinct guitar sound, which later fueled Fleetwood Mac 's ability to sell tens of millions of records. But 'Buckingham Nicks' bombed upon release and Polydor dropped them from the label, prompting Nicks' return to waitressing and Buckingham to briefly tour with Don Everly. The rest of the story is enshrined in lore: Drummer Mick Fleetwood heard 'Frozen Love' from the album when he visited the studio where it was recorded, Sound City. After guitarist Bob Welch left the band, Fleetwood invited Buckingham to Fleetwood Mac, with Buckingham insisting Nicks join too. The band also included the late Christine McVie on keyboards and John McVie on bass. Generations of avid Fleetwood Mac fans have tattooed their lyrics or analyzed them at a forensic level, enshrining the tumultuous relationship between Buckingham and Nicks in pop culture. The upcoming reissue of 'Buckingham Nicks' is a reminder of the couple's musical beginnings and the special status their only joint album has held among fans and record collectors. 'As soon as we put it out, it goes that day,' said Michael Bell, owner of Hunky Dory Records, which has locations in Raleigh, Durham and Cary, North Carolina. 'Joni Mitchell fronting the Eagles' Nicks and Buckingham met during high school at a local church in Northern California where young musicians gathered on a school night, according to Stephen Davis' 'Gold Dust Woman: The Biography of Stevie Nicks.' Buckingham played the Mamas & the Papas' 'California Dreamin'" on piano, prompting Nicks to chime in, singing Michelle Phillips' high harmony. 'They glanced at each other; she noticed his eyes, cold blue like lake ice," Davis wrote. "They sang the whole song while the room went quiet, everyone mesmerized.' After high school, Nicks joined the band Buckingham was in, Fritz, which would open for Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix. They eventually split off as a duo, started dating and moved to Los Angeles. Nicks said she loved Buckingham before he was a millionaire, according to Davis' book, and 'washed his jeans and embroidered stupid moons and stars on the bottom of them.' The first track on 'Buckingham Nicks,' 'Crying in the Night," has 'a sense of Joni Mitchell fronting the Eagles,' Davis wrote. 'Frozen Love' closed out side two, with 'layers of strings and synthesizers and a major Lindsey Buckingham rock guitar symphony." 'No one seemed to like the record,' Davis wrote. 'Polydor executives hadn't even wanted to release it." A review that ran in The Pittsburgh Press said Nicks and Buckingham produced "a pleasant, albeit a whiny vocal blend on some pretty fair songs.' 'And if you don't like the record,' the review concluded, 'you might like the costumes they're wearing on the cover — a couple of those oh-so-chic birthday suits.' Interest in the record only grew following the new Fleetwood Mac lineup. That incarnation's first record in 1975, 'Fleetwood Mac,' contained the songs 'Landslide,' 'Rhiannon' and 'Monday Morning.' 'Rumours' came two years later. Record store rarity Bob Fuchs, retail manager of record store Electric Fetus in Minneapolis, said the shop gets in about two to four of the original vinyl a year. Those go on on its collectible wall that showcases hard-to-find titles. Depending on its condition, the album sells for between $40 to $90, he said. 'You put it up on a Saturday morning and it's gone by Saturday at noon. So it lasts about two hours,' he said. Fuchs never bought the album himself because, 'every time I came in, it was $60 or $80. ... So I'll probably end up picking up a reissue.' Across the river at the St. Paul, Minnesota, location of Cheapo Discs, though, worker Geoff Good said people rarely came in looking for the original. He does expect the reissue to juice sales. He has the original, which he bought in 1974 or 1975, in his own collection. 'The songwriting is really good, the harmonies are good, Lindsey Buckingham is an amazing guitar player,' he said. Mansfield, the Nashville historian, randomly found a copy two weeks ago in a neighborhood garage sale, just days prior to hints that a reissue was coming. He has no idea why 'Buckingham Nicks' hasn't been reissued more considering the steady demand. For him, it's a good album but not one that reached the heights of what was to come. 'It's definitely not there yet,' he said. 'I don't know that there's anything on this album that would have made a Fleetwood album.' The romantic relationship between Buckingham and Nicks would end around the making of ' Rumours.' Nicks and Buckingham would shoot eye daggers at each other onstage in packed stadiums, while Buckingham would roll his eyes during Nicks' MusiCares speech in 2018, according to the Los Angeles Times. Buckingham would eventually be kicked off the band's tour in 2018 , prompting a lawsuit that was later settled. But this month, Buckingham and Nicks seemed to be operating in perfect symmetry — at least on Instagram. Each posted half a line from 'Frozen Love,' — with Nicks writing "And if you go forward…' and Buckingham responding, 'I'll meet you there.' On Wednesday, they shared the same video of a billboard being put up to advertise the reissue of 'Buckingham Nicks.' They may have made the album more than 50 years ago, Buckingham said in announcing its reissue, 'but it stands up in a way you hope it would, by these two kids who were pretty young to be doing that work.' ___
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cat Kreidich Stepping Down as President of ADA, Warner Music's Independent Distribution Company
Cat Kreidich, who has been president of Warner Music's distribution company ADA for the past four years, is stepping down from her post, the company announced on Tuesday. In the course of her tenure, she has secured deals with the Three Six Zero and Rostrum labels; signed artists including Paris Hilton, Banks and first-ever distro deals for Kesha and Flume; expanded the company's presence worldwide, via Sua Musica (Brazil), Qanawat and Rotana (in the Middle East) and Africori (in Africa); and brought in a largely female staff. She was an honoree at Variety's Power of Women New York celebration in 2023. More from Variety Warner Music and Bain Capital Announce $1.2 Billion Joint Venture to Invest in Music Catalogs Warner Music Posts Tough Quarterly Earnings, Revenue Down 1% Warner Music Group Teams With Anjula Acharia on South Asian Music Label Kreidich was previously at senior VP at Sony Music's catalog division and the Orchard, along with roles at Ultra Records, EMI Music and Warner Music Group's marketing division. Below are Kreidich and WMG CEO Robert Kyncl's notes to the staff on the transition. To the ADA Team, I wanted you to hear this news directly from me: After four transformative years proving that Warner Music Group and ADA can truly be the best home for independent artists and labels, I have made the decision to leave the company. While organizational change is a constant in our industry, I believe the foundation we've established will continue to serve independent artists effectively. We built an exceptional global team and expanded our global release volume, revitalized our brand identity, and developed a digital platform specifically designed for independent artists and labels within the Warner supply chain. We made strategic acquisitions like RSDL, which Warner will go on to use to help fuel their entire recorded music business. This journey represents my second chapter with ADA. My first began during the early years of digital transformation, when I transitioned from a music tech startup. Having completed one of the first of its kind 'New Media' degrees at Emerson College, I was drawn to the possibilities of digital disruption and the independent music scene. When I came across ADA in the '00s, it was supporting breaking independent acts at an unprecedented scale, pioneering new approaches while music was being democratized globally through emerging digital platforms like iTunes, eMusic, and mobile entertainment. When I returned four years ago as an executive from The Orchard and Sony, I brought a vision to recapture that pioneering spirit and transform ADA to better compete in an increasingly crowded landscape of innovative music technology companies. We didn't aspire to be the biggest distribution company, but rather the most valuable—valuable to our artist and label partners by offering expert guidance and measurable results, and valuable to Warner Music Group by helping build its ecosystem and reputation for supporting independent artists. We believed that Warner Music Group and ADA were better together, each strengthening the other's capabilities and reach, and I think we've proven that out. As the company begins its next chapter, WMG is committed to continuing to expand the depth and range of ADA's services. To the ADA labels and artists who keep the heart of this industry beating: thank you for your dedication, creativity, and passion. I've been inspired by your relentless drive and your vision. You champion creativity, and prove that independence doesn't mean going it alone—it means doing it your way. You are shaping the future of music, and I remain passionate about the independent music community and will continue to champion its growing importance. While I'm not ready to announce my next chapter, I look forward to sharing those plans when appropriate — it will be consistent with the work I have been grateful to do for the last 20 years as an indie advocate. With gratitude and appreciation, CAT *** Hi everyone, As some of you will have just heard from Cat, after four years leading ADA, she has made the decision to leave WMG. You can read her note below. Cat is a class act. A bold thinker and decisive leader, she's always focused on what's best for the indie community – its artists, its labels, and its spirit. Under her leadership, ADA has grown its relationships across the creative ecosystem, expanded its global reach, and strengthened its team and tech. She's helped guide us through some major shifts, staying agile, and delivering results. We'll give an update on ADA leadership this week. For now, a huge thank you to Cat for helping set us up for success. We wish her all the best. Thanks, Robert Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? Final Emmy Predictions: Talk Series and Scripted Variety - New Blood Looks to Tackle Late Night Staples
Muscat Daily
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Muscat Daily
Madonna spins back time with ‘Veronica Electronica'
The Queen of Pop is turning back the clock and turning up the volume. Madonna is back in the spotlight with a long-awaited remix album titled Veronica Electronica , set for digital release on July 25 — and the party has already started with the album's silver vinyl edition hitting physical shelves. Originally conceived in 1998 as a companion remix album to Ray of Light , Veronica Electronica was shelved before it ever hit the dance-floor. With Ray of Light becoming a global sensation — selling over 16 million copies and winning four Grammy Awards, including Best Pop Album — the remix project quietly faded into the background. But now, nearly three decades later, Madonna is finally giving the concept a new spin. Instead of trying to match the success of Ray of Light , the remixed release is designed to celebrate and complement it. As the title suggests, Veronica Electronica is a full dive into 90s-inspired electronic dance music. The album features remixed tracks by the era's biggest names in Electronic Dance Music (EDM), including Peter Rauhofer, William Orbit, Sasha, BT, and Victor Calderone. These aren't just nostalgic throwbacks — they're club-ready reworks with pulsing beats, dreamy synths, and pure dancefloor energy. Adding to the album's mystique is a previously unreleased Madonna demo — Gone, Gone, Gone — co-produced with Rick Nowels. Long rumoured among fans, this hidden gem finally makes its official debut. Veronica Electronica is the latest in Madonna's Silver Collection , a reissue series born from her 2021 deal with Warner Music. Each release is pressed on signature silver vinyl — a nod to her decades-long career and status as pop royalty. So, whether you're a longtime fan or just discovering Madonna's remix roots, it might be time to dust off your turntable. This July, the dancefloor belongs to Veronica Electronica .
Forbes
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
How Flavour Chose Highlife Over Afrobeats — And Won Africa's Heart
Flavour, Nigerian Highlife artist, known for modernizing the genre while honoring his Igbo roots. While his contemporaries chased Afrobeats, Flavour chose to modernize Highlife for a new generation. Now, with a Warner Music deal and a worldwide fanbase, he's proving there's power in staying true to what you love. Last year, I had the pleasure of dialoguing with Nigerian Highlife music legend Flavour N'abania while he was in the middle of his African Royalty European Tour taking on stages in France, Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, a run that not only highlighted his staying power in Nigeria and West Africa, but also his global appeal. Born Chinedu Okoli, Flavour performed, and often does, in front of audiences that range across generations, continents, and cultures. An Igbo native, his reach has extended far beyond ethnic ciphers. He doesn't just appeal to Nigerians in the diaspora, he speaks to the larger African apparatus and those who admire it. When we spoke, Flavour was gearing up to perform at the OVO Arena Wembley, the biggest solo UK show of his career. He had performed in Britain many times, but this concert was different. 'I've been performing in the UK for quite some time,' he told me. 'But this should be the biggest venue I'm ever headlining. That would be my own concert.' Flavour stands as a dominant force in modern Highlife music, and genre that is not new to the African music scene. It is a genre that predates Afrobeats and its founding precursor, Afrobeat (yes, there is a difference). Highlife arose in the Fante coast of Ghana in the 19th century, where natives curated infectious polyrhythms through primarily brass instruments, local drums, guitars, the Akan Seprewa—some which derived from Caribbean soldiers and British military brass bands. From Ghana's Kwame Asare and E.T. Mensah to Nigeria's Bobby Benson, Victor Olaiya, and Rex Jim Lawson, by the 1950s Highlife was the staple sound of West Africa. With subsectors of the genre coming to fruition, mainly due to ethnic lines, Igbo Highlife arose in the 1960s with the likes of the Oriental Brothers International Band, Osita Osadebe, and Celestine Ukwu. Fast forward to the millennium, where Flavour is not only dominant in the ethnic sector of the genre, but the greater Highlife music genre across the continent of Nigerian Highlife star, has captivated audiences across Africa, Europe, and the diaspora. We talked about his decision to remain a torchbearer for Highlife, even as Afrobeats exploded globally. In 2008, it was the primetime for 2Baba, 9nice, D'banj, MI Abaga, P-Square, Timaya, Wande Coal, some of them already veterans. 2Baba was already on his third album (post his 2004 hit 'African Queen'). 9nice put Yoruba incented Afropop on the map with 'Gongo Aso,' and P-Square was already a decade in the game and dominating the waves with their hit 'Do Me.' And it wasn't that Flavour couldn't make an Afrobeats hit. He was simply on another wave and desired to stick and preserve the foundational West African art form of Highlife, in his own way. When he dropped his debut album that year, N'abania, it was a hit among Igbos and the SouthEast region and fairly translated into outer regions. Flavour reflected on the state of Highlife when he entered the Nigerian music scene, explaining, 'Before I came in, it's been kind of a big fire because, you know, everybody was moving into Afrobeats and all,' he said. 'But like I always tell them, Africa is rich in music. And now Afrobeats is popping, it is now left for us to showcase other genres in full, so we don't get people stuck listening just to Afrobeats. Because African music has different genres, which Highlife is one of them.' Though he was trained as a versatile, professional musician capable of many styles, Flavour made a deliberate decision to devote himself to Highlife, saying, 'When I was coming on, a proper musician, I could do so many kinds of music. But I chose Highlife because of its resonance with me.' Flavour and Highlife legend Bright Chimezie pictured together at London's OVO Arena during his ... More 'African Royalty European Tour.' As he stepped into his solo career, he wrestled with how to position himself, recalling, 'Coming out as an artist, I was like telling myself, which way do I go? I don't want to, you know, join everyone, look like, you know, I want to be different. I want to interpret my music differently. I want to be seen differently.' Over the years, Flavour has remained committed to evolving the genre. As he put it, 'That's what I've been doing over the years, trying to modernize Highlife, trying to recreate it and give it some kind of modern sound that everybody can vibe to, not just the old, young, middle class, and of course other continents, not just Africa.' And he surely did manage to reach beyond Nigeria. It is easy to make an post hoc ergo propter hoc assumption about Flavour's reach, and think he made it in Nigeria before he made it elsewhere within the continent. However, the 'Ada Ada' singer was rather popular in Eastern Nigeria, where the Igbo ethnic group is stationed. 'I was lucky enough to not just because initially, my fame didn't start from the East, it didn't go to Lagos, it didn't go to the West, it didn't go to the rest of Nigeria,' Flavour recalled. 'From the Eastern part of Nigeria, it went straight into the other African countries. From the Afrikaner, Sierra Leone, I was already doing shows there before I even came to Lagos. They were like, 'ah, there's this Nigerian guy.' Some Lagosians were like, 'Oh, wow, we've not heard of him.' Instead of that popularity translating to the West or North of the country, it became a sensation in South Africa, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania. It was his 2011 song, 'Nwa Baby (Ashawo Remix)'—also a remake of Rex Jim Lawson's (also known as Cardinal Rex) 1960 hit 'Sawale,' in what became a continental hit, easily disseminating through the ears of diasporians and enthusiasts alike, that caused the regional virality. 'When we landed in South Africa, all the immigration officers spotted me and they came to me. They didn't even know who the other guys were,' he said. 'The guys that were so big in Lagos and all, they didn't know them. I wasn't even dressed like a star. I didn't know what it's all about. I was just fresh from the East. So when I got to South Africa, one guy came to me and was like, 'you're a big star over here. I hope you know that.' Flavour, Nigerian Highlife star, has captivated audiences across Africa, Europe, and the diaspora. According to Flavour, he 'never' felt like a star in Nigeria. Only in sectors of the east. Well, such reach goes under denied as of today and goes so far. Last November, Flavour signed a deal with Warner Music Africa and Africori. He will now be subjected to refined A&R and marketing forces, which are bound to attract profound opportunities for the Highlife artist. Flavour's career is a message to those who don't dare to be different. Dare to be different. The expected outcome may go astray, but the unexpected holds the possibility to be a grandeur.
Malaysian Reserve
02-07-2025
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Warner Music and Bain set venture, seek Red Hot Chili Peppers songs
WARNER Music Group Corp. announced a $300 million cost-savings drive, part of an effort to free up funds for growth initiatives, including a just-announced joint venture to acquire music catalogs. The plan will result in an unspecified number of job cuts, according to a regulatory filing Tuesday. Almost two-thirds of the savings will be achieved through job cuts, with the rest coming from organizational changes and overhead savings, the company said. Warner Music employed about 5,800 people at the end of its latest fiscal year. The company expects to realize the full benefit of the savings by the end of fiscal 2027. 'These decisions are not being made lightly,' Chief Executive Officer Robert Kyncl said in a note to employees. 'It will be difficult to say goodbye to talented people, and we're committed to acting with empathy and integrity.' The filing coincided with the company's announcement Tuesday of a joint venture with the private equity firm Bain Capital to invest as much as $1.2 billion in iconic music catalogs. The venture 'will provide artists and songwriters with opportunities to preserve and expand the reach of their catalogs, ensuring their legacies are well cared for,' the companies said in a statement on Tuesday. The two will acquire catalogs together, while Warner Music will manage marketing, distribution and administration. As part of the partnership, Warner Music is in talks to acquire the catalog of the Red Hot Chili Peppers for more than $300 million, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Hits by the rock group, which is already part of Warner Music, include songs such as Under the Bridge. There's no guarantee a deal will be reached, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing private negotiations. The Financial Times reported on the talks earlier Tuesday. Music has become an attractive asset in recent years as streaming broadened the industry's reach and emerging technologies introduced classic songs to new audiences. Investment firms including Blackstone Inc., Apollo Global Management Inc. and KKR & Co. have spent billions of dollars acquiring catalogs while major record labels are racing to control more intellectual property. Sony Group Corp. and Universal Music Group NV have also pursued a similar strategy of acquiring catalogs. Warner Music, whose artists include Charli XCX, Fleetwood Mac and Bruno Mars, has acquired song catalogs in recent years such as those of David Bowie and the entire recordings catalog of producer David Guetta. Earlier this year, Warner bought a controlling stake in Tempo Music, which owns a catalog of song rights spanning recordings from Adele to Wiz Khalifa, in a deal valued at $450 million. Warner Music is controlled by billionaire Len Blavatnik. –BLOOMBERG
