Anti Social Camp, the largest songwriting camp in the world, kicked off on Monday in New York City in spectacular fashion. At the Anti Social Camp Opening Ceremony Monday morning at The New School College of Performing Arts presented by Sound Royalties, special guests Moby, Andy Grammer, and Sam Harris of X Ambassadors spoke eloquently to inspire the hundreds of professional songwriters and artists in attendance. There was a live recording of the hit Vulture podcast Switched On Pop, where host Charlie Harding inquired about all things songwriting with special guests Nicholas Petricca of WALK THE MOON, Grace VanderWaal, Wolftyla and producer Alex Tumay.

And there was an historic conversation, Anti Social Women Running Music, with some of the most important women in the industry. The powerhouse panel included star artist Kimbra, smash songwriter Kara DioGuardi, Prince collaborator Susan Rogers, hip-hop star TT The Artist, country hitmaker Alex Kline, Joji songwriter Alexis Kesselman, Michelle Arkuski of She Is The Music and moderator Michelle Fantus of Spotify. They discussed the many inequities that female-identifying creators face in the music industry and in songwriting specifically, whether it’s power imbalance or the fight for better pay.

On Monday evening, the camp headed to Brooklyn’s Baby’s All Right for the Industry Showcase supported by Spotify. Hundreds of fans lined up at capacity for the 20+ artists who headlined the stage including Two Feet, Kota the Friend, Zach Hood, Tenille Arts, Grace VanderWaal, Wolftyla, Lloyiso, Ant Saunders, Nicholas of WALK THE MOON, Emei, Chandler Leighton and Sofia D’Angelo of MICHELLE. Both events were hosted by hitmaker Will Wells.

“Anti Social Camp celebrates the age of collaboration in pop music,” said Danny Ross, Founder of Anti Social Camp and BerkleeNYC professor. “We started as a group of music producers Zooming during the pandemic and transformed into a global movement with the aim of building community, creating hit records and reinvigorating the New York City music scene in a way that’s inclusive and completely free. When New Yorkers — and songwriters — are united, we can do anything.”

Anti Social Camp 2023 official partners showed their presence at both events, including Title Partner, Amuse; Presenting Partners The New York City Mayor’s Office of Media + Entertainment, YouTube Music, SESAC and Cloud Microphones; and Contributing Sponsors Sound Royalties, The Orchard Publishing, Amazon Music, Oeksound, BMI, Spotify, Topo Chico, HIFI, Hipgnosis Songs Fund, ABKCO Music & Records and The Recording Academy New York Chapter.

There is a lot of talk about Capitol Records’ decision not to renew their contract with Halsey, despite their previous success together. The label had renegotiated Halsey’s deal when she was at the peak of her popularity, but her latest album, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, produced by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, did not perform as well as expected, leading to an unrecouped position of over $25 million. This, along with a lack of strong streaming numbers, ultimately led to the label ending their collaboration with Halsey.

Halsey’s departure from Capitol, along with Anitta and Miranda Lambert’s free agency, indicates a shift towards major labels parting ways with artists when the relationship becomes untenable. However, it may be difficult for Halsey to secure a new deal with a major label or publishing company.

While Anitta has not achieved enormous success in the U.S., her global success and strong live draw make her a desirable artist. Lambert, on the other hand, has seen decreasing numbers with each release, with her latest album, Palomino, only amassing just over 350k in activity. CONTINUE READING

Megan Thee Stallion presented Shania Twain with an award at the CMT Music Awards, commending the country legend for being a vocal ally against all forms of hate and expressing her admiration for Shania as her newfound friend. Shania acknowledged the enduring popularity of her hit song “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” and how it has become a symbol of empowerment and progress for women in country music worldwide.

During her acceptance speech, Shania promised to continue advocating for country artists who are not receiving the recognition they deserve and called for an all-inclusive industry that provides equal opportunities for all talent regardless of gender, age, or race. She emphasized the importance of creating a level playing field for all artists to thrive and succeed.

The CMT Music Awards featured many notable performers, including Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Gwen Stefani, and Tyler Hubbard, while Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown served as hosts. Lainey Wilson led the nominees with four nominations, with Brown, Jelly Roll, and Cody Johnson close behind with three each.

David Ma, a film director from Brooklyn, couldn’t afford to attend film school and was struggling to get a break in Hollywood. But after joining TikTok in 2020, he gained a following for his unique style, which quickly caught the attention of Hollywood executives. He was offered directing jobs and his career changed dramatically. TikTok has evolved from a social media platform supporting content creators and small businesses to an entertainment powerhouse, challenging Hollywood’s power structures and changing the rules of the entertainment industry. A ban on the app now could have devastating consequences on the livelihoods of TikTok’s stars and small businesses, as well as the wider entertainment industry. TikTok has become the most democratic content platform, allowing individuals who have been shut out of the media and entertainment industry to gain access to it. This is consistent with a recent poll conducted by The Washington Post, which found that TikTok’s audience is young, non-white, and lower income, with no college degrees. Unlike other social media platforms, TikTok is an entertainment platform that delivers fresh content to its users. The platform has become a significant part of launching new movies, with movies like “Minions: The Rise of Gru” and “Cocaine Bear” achieving box office success with the help of TikTok. TikTok has also become an advertising platform, with a new advertising format called Showtimes, specifically tailored to the needs of the entertainment industry.

Who Is The Queenpin?

A quick look at Alisa Apps, aka “The Queenpin,” suggests that she’s not one to fit into a mold, and she’s completely happy about that. In fact, that’s just the way she wants it to be and she shows no signs of stopping soon or compromising her values. CONTINUE READING