Author: Rap Hooks

David Joseph, longtime chairman and CEO of Universal Music UK, has been appointed CEO of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), beginning in September. Joseph brings over 17 years of leadership in the music industry, having transformed UMUK into a global force before leaving the biz completely late last year. Known for his collaborative approach, Joseph has also championed social impact initiatives, including neurodiversity in the workplace through UMG’s “Creative Differences” handbook and community advocacy as chair of the Grenfell Foundation. He served as executive producer of the Oscar-winning Amy documentary and has produced the acclaimed BRIT Awards. Joseph succeeds Andy Haldane and will lead the 271-year-old nonprofit’s global mission to drive social progress through ideas and action in education, the arts, manufacturing and commerce. “David’s commitment to effecting social change, his compassion and his commitment to nurturing people is exemplary,” said Lloyd Grossman, chair of the RSA. “We are thrilled that David will join us, knowing that he will foster a collaborative and caring culture that speaks to our fellows, partners, staff teams and the wider world.”

Chrysalis Records, part of the Reservoir group, bumped up Tina McBye to senior vice president of commercial music operations. Based in London, she will report to COO Alison Wenham and continue leading commercial music operations across the group, including Blue Raincoat Music, Blue Raincoat Artists and labels like New State and Tommy Boy. Since joining in 2023, Tina has built a robust department supporting releases, catalog acquisitions and neighboring rights management. With a background at PPL and PRS, she brings deep expertise in neighboring rights. “Since [McBye] joined the company, she has made an enormous and transformative contribution to the development of our operations capability,” said Alison Wenham, chief operating officer, adding that she’ll continue focusing on the Chrysalis roster but will also take the lead in shaping and overseeing commercial music operations across the broader Blue Raincoat Group.

Rusty Gaston, the CEO of Sony Music Publishing Nashville, was named to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s board of officers and trustees. Jody Williams Songs founder Jody Williams was reelected as board chair, while other re-elected executive officers include Vince Gill (president), Al Giombetti (evp), David Ross (secretary) and Ernie Williams (treasurer). Ross, Ernie Williams and Jody Williams were also reelected as trustees. Other returning trustees include Mark Bloom, David Conrad, J. William Denny, Rod Essig, Al Giombetti, Ken Levitan and Mary Ann McCready, while returning officers include Earl Bentz, Sara Finley, Becky Gardenhire, Lon Helton, Clint Higham, Cindy Mabe, Gary Overton, Jim Seabury, Bill Simmons, Clarence Spalding, Chris Stewart, Troy Tomlinson, Jay Turner, Marcus Whitney and Tim Wipperman. –Jessica Nicholson

NASHVILLE NOTES: PR executive Krista Dykes launched the podcast booking and publicity agency She Laughs Media. Dykes most recently served as senior media relations manager at PLA Media and served as media relations manager at the Country Music Association from 2015-2023 … Big Machine Label Group hired director of digital marketing Sarah Bertrand. She spent the last three years with UMGN, where she was a digital marketing manager … Ailie Birchfield joined MCA as a publicist, marking a return to the company. She served as director of media marketing when it was known as UMGN, prior to a 2021 move to New York. She also runs the Nashville-based PR firm The Birchfield Group. (Want more Nashville-centric industry news? Subscribe to Tom Roland’s Country Update newsletter here.)

WMA, a global digital marketing and creative agency, appointed Andy Saiker as head of PR, socia and marketing for the UK and Europe. Effective immediately, the Londoner will oversee the PR and social teams and help expand WMA’s global marketing operations in the region. He brings experience from Warner Music, BMG Production Music and most recently, TikTok, where as senior partnerships manager for the last few years he led successful campaigns like Team GB x TikTok and StemDrop. “Andy’s deep understanding of music and digital culture makes him an incredible addition to the agency,” said Crystina Cinti, global vp at WMA.

Sotaro Nishida is now executive officer and senior vp of audio at Yamaha Corporation of America (YCA), a newly established role in which he will lead both the consumer and professional audio divisions, focusing on expanding the company’s presence in the U.S. market.Previously CEO of Yamaha Unified Communications, Nishida brings over 20 years of global experience, including roles in Europe, Japan and Latin America. His leadership follows YCA’s 2024 integration of unified communications operations. Based in Southern California, Nishida is expected to drive growth in the U.S. market, building on Yamaha’s strong presence in live sound, commercial and home audio.

Wiles + Taylor, a Nashville-based entertainment business management firm, elevated Lizzy Stone and Amy Gellick to account manager as part of five internal promotions. Stone, who joined in 2018, is active in several industry organizations and was part of the 2024 ACM LEVel Up Cohort. Gellick, with the firm since 2016, serves on the boards of the Women’s Music Business Association and SOLID. Karla Stafford, a 20-year veteran of the firm, is now director of financial reporting and compliance, while David Zeigler and David Murray have both been promoted to business manager. Zeigler joined in 2018 and is known for his passion for live music and travel, and Murray, a CPA, has been with W+T since 2016.

Audacy is shutting down Pineapple Street Studios, its podcast production arm, as part of a broader restructuring effort, resulting in approximately 30 layoffs. Founded in 2016 and acquired by Audacy (then Entercom) for $18 million in 2019, Pineapple Street was known for producing original and companion podcasts for major streaming platforms, including House of the Dragon, Severance and The Last of Us. The closure follows earlier reports of a potential sale and the February departure of co-founder Jenna Weiss-Berman, who has since joined Paper Kite Productions. Audacy will continue select Pineapple Street projects under its newly formed Audacy Podcasts division, including The Severance Podcast, now produced in collaboration with Red Hour and Great Scott.

Zebralution, a digital music distributor, announced key leadership changes to support its global expansion. William Hallström has been promoted to head of international business development while continuing as svp for the UK, Ireland and the Nordics. In this dual role, he’ll connect global teams with the Berlin headquarters and strengthen international operations. Hallström, who reports to Michael Schick in Berlin, brings experience from Universal Music and Sony Music. Additionally, Harry Barrett joins as sales and marketing manager UK/Dance Stores, bringing expertise from IDOL, while Zhenya Ivanova, formerly a playlist editor at Spotify, becomes sales and marketing manager in the U.S., based in New York. Both Barrett and Ivanov report to Lisa Riepe, head of sales and marketing.

The California Copyright Conference (CCC) announced its newly elected officers and board of directors for the 2025–2026 season. Carolyn Soyars (Disney Music Group) will serve as president, joined by Jonathan Lane, Alexandra Guzman, Sarah Brockman and Janelle Hawkes in key officer roles. Re-elected board members include Kristina Benson, Reggie Calloway, and Cheryl Dickerson. New board members are Lily Kline-Koenig, Melanie Santa Rosa, Patrick Smith, and alternate Jack Mangikyan. Several members are continuing their second terms. CCC, founded in 1953, has over 300 global members and provides educational events and resources on copyright and music industry developments.

Last Week’s Turntable: Jody Gerson Joins Ancestry Board

BLACKPINK served up a sweet treat for BLINKs on Friday (July 4) when the K-pop group released a teaser that appeared to suggest new music on its social media accounts.

The clip itself is a simple one, featuring what resemble metallic pink racing marks speeding over a black screen as the music — thumping and club-ready — crescendos before it suddenly stops and a woman’s voice instructs “Jump” as the same word appears in dusty rose.

The post is captioned with a single question: “Ready to Jump?” No additional details were given.

Fans on the various social media platforms where the 17-second clip was shared were quick to express their excitement over what would be BLACKPINK’s first new music as a group since sophomore release Born Pink, which arrived in 2022 and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Even Diplo jumped into the comments section on one of the Instagram posts, responding, “SO READY.”

YG Entertainment — the agency behind BLACKPINK — confirmed to Forbes in June that the quartet would debut a new song during the kickoff show of its upcoming global trek titled DEADLINE WORLD TOUR; the first two shows are set for July 5 and 6 at Goyang Stadium in Seoul, South Korea.

Fans first started suspecting that new music may be on the way when BLACKPINK launched a map of Seoul on its website on July 1. Several popular areas on the map were singled out, but two pins also hinted that something more was happening. The two pins read, “DO NOT JUMP,” kicking off the speculation that new music arriving would be called “Jump.”

BLACKPINK’s reunion comes after the quartet — comprised of ROSÉ, LISA, JENNIE and JISOO — took some time apart to focus on their own solo projects, from music to acting opportunities and more. Shortly after the teaser’s arrival Friday, ROSÉ acknowledged the superstar group’s return on Instagram. In a Story, she shared a video of clips featuring BLACKPINK performances. Above the visual, she wrote, “blinks, we’re coming back tomorrow.”

Check out the new teaser below:

One week after multiple outlets reported that Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom had ended their relationship after nine years together, reps for the pair confirmed the split in a statement.

“Due to the abundance of recent interest and conversation surrounding Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry’s relationship, representatives have confirmed that Orlando and Katy have been shifting their relationship over the past many months to focus on co-parenting,” they said in a statement to Billboard. “They will continue to be seen together as a family, as their shared priority is — and always will be — raising their daughter [Daisy Dove] with love, stability and mutual respect.”

After weeks of rumors about trouble in their romance, People, TMZ and Us Weekly all independently confirmed in late June that the pair had ended their engagement and gone their separate ways. The two first began dating in 2016 and split briefly in early 2017, but were spotted getting cozy just months later. The Grammy nominee then teased in an Instagram post in February 2018 that she and the Pirates of the Caribbean star had gotten engaged on Valentine’s Day, with the photo focused on a flower-shaped ruby and diamond ring on her finger and the actor snuggling into her. She confirmed the engagement later that month during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, revealing that Bloom had proposed to her during a romantic helicopter ride.

The two welcomed daughter Daisy Dove in August 2020, with the happy news revealed via an announcement from Unicef, for who Bloom and Perry were Goodwill Ambassadors. The pair never married.

Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond. 

This week, Zach Bryan delivers more fan treats, Kesha begins her Independence period, and A$AP Rocky comes back in fashion. Check out all of this week’s picks below:

Zach Bryan, Streets of London

After debuting “Streets of London” during his BST Hyde Park concert last month, Zach Bryan has offered fans a studio version of the track, as well as a pair of additional songs, “River Washed Hair” and “A Song for You”; he noted in an Instagram post that the tracks “didn’t belong on the record, and they didn’t fit on an EP either,” but the prolific superstar’s ability to constantly supply his fan base with rock-solid songwriting is one of the reasons why Bryan has ascended to stadium status.

Kesha, Period 

For longtime fans of Kesha, Period contains the type of club-friendly bangers that made her a pop supernova 15 years ago — but every song on her first release as an independent artist carries an undercurrent of growth and personal fulfillment, as if the party that comprises the fast-moving 11-song project is even more thrilling because of the effort it took to coordinate.

A$AP Rocky feat. Kaycyy, “Pray4DaGang” 

Released on Independence Day as a 24-hour exclusive on Apple Music after being unveiled at Paris Fashion Week, “Pray4DaGang,” A$AP Rocky’s new collaboration with Kaycyy, impressively re-centers the veteran rapper’s musical approach during a busy moment for his brand: his flow is nimble and his lyricism sharp, once again building hype for his long-awaited next full-length. 

Brent Faiyaz, “Peter Pan.” / “Tony Soprano.” 

The duality of Brent Faiyaz’s appeal is on display with the double single release of “Peter Pan.” and “Tony Soprano.”: whereas the former puts a modern twist on buttery soul music and places Faiyaz’s croon up high in the mix, the latter is cold, laser-focused rhythmic rap, with Faiyaz declaring over a trap beat, “These days, I’m numb to it all” and demonstrating his range.

Of Monsters and Men, “Television Love” 

Of Monsters and Men conquered different parts of the globe with their heartfelt sing-alongs a decade ago, and on their first new track in five years, the Icelandic indie-folk band returns with a viscous, slow-building amendment of their winning formula: “Television Love” may take longer to get going than “Little Talks” and “Mountain Sound,” but when it hits its stride, the song becomes another enveloping festival anthem.

Editor’s Pick: Sydney Rose, “Before & After You” 

Nashville-based singer-songwriter Sydney Rose scored a viral hit recently with her track “We Hug Now,” and may have another one with “Before & After You,” which was inspired by the hit HBO video game adaptation The Last of Us — but even if the names Joel and Ellie don’t mean anything to you, it’s not hard to get wrapped up in Rose’s elegant vocals and knack for conjuring simple, emotionally resonant lyrics in confined spaces.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

With all eyes set on Thailand, thanks to the recent success of the hit HBO series White Lotus, W Hotel has created a one-of-a-kind retreat, turning their gorgeous Koh Samui location into a vibrant culture hub for music lovers.

Dubbed W Presents, the innovative live music showcase features an all-inclusive experience that includes exclusive performances from participating DJs and artists from around the globe, local excursions such as elephant sanctuary visits, a Muay Thai boxing session, and even a White Lotus-style island-hopping boat cruise with a sunset party.

The inaugural Koh Samui retreat took place between May 1 to 5 with a jam-packed lineup of live performances from renowned DJ and W Hotels‘ Global Music Director LP Giobbi, plus Bonobo, Sofia Kourtesis, Beatrice, Emjie, JOPLYN, Mascolo, as well as local artists like Kate Sara, Dan Buri, and W Koh Samui Music Curator, Armando Mendes. From poolside DJ sets during the sunset, to intimate villa dinner partiers, to luxe boat cruise dancing, each performance was spread throughout multiple nights and set at different locations to make each set feel unique.

“Music has always been part of W Hotels’ DNA, and W Presents has become a powerful global platform for a culturally relevant sonic expression,” says W Hotels senior VP and global brand leader George Fleck. “With our first-ever W Presents Retreat, we are deepening that connection to be an even more immersive experience in the world’s most exotic destinations, bringing guests closer to the artists they love and the places they love to discover. Launching at our iconic W Koh Samui makes it even more special given the island’s vibrant music scene, natural beauty and stunning local culture.”

“We don’t just see music as background noise, as in many hotels, but rather a part of creating experiences, both for our guests, but also for creating a platform for artists who want to share their art and write their music with guests around the world. And so it was kind of a natural evolution for us as we think about music programming, that we would create a global music tour where we can bring interesting artists to destinations that also really resonate with those travelers.”

What sets W Presents apart from concerts or music festivals is the more intimate setting. At the W Hotel, there aren’t thousands of fans packing into a venue or security separating the artists from fans, but the exact opposite. The retreat encourages attendees and musicians to mix and mingle together in a casual setting to help build connections and a sense of community. With only a few hundred guests on site, the experience felt more like a VIP exclusive getaway for creatives, artists and music lovers alike.

“The privacy of these hotels, in a really cool setting, you have more access to them. You can learn more about how they create music, and you can feel more a richer, more personalized experience that hopefully will live with you for a long time and create those memories that stay with you. That’s really important to us, that we don’t just come across as a hotel that plays music.”

Besides enjoying live music, guests are immersed into local cuisine, art, nature, and hospitality. Many excursions were planned to fully embrace and experience the Koh Samui island with options to explore lively night markets, use arts and craft stations, learn Muay Thai boxing, or slow things down with beach-front yoga and sound baths. What you see in the White Lotus may look luxurious, but actually laying out by the ocean with fresh coconut water and mango sticky rice in hand is the perfect vacation treat.

The W Presents Retreat at W Koh Samui ranges from $3,836 (132,000 Baht) for a one-bedroom villa with a private pool and garden view to $6,746 (232,000 Baht) for an oceanfront villa. Bookings include breakfast, lunch and dinner for two guests daily, a welcome dinner and access to wellness programs (such as sound baths and yoga and mindfulness classes mentioned above).

Can’t make it to Thailand? W Hotel is expanding its W PRESENTS series with a global tour this summer hitting Shanghai, Budapest, Seattle, Prague, and Abu Dhabi. W PRESENTS will also have a stage at other W Hotel properties this year, including W New York (Union Square), W Hoboken, W Hollywood, W Punta Cana, W Bali (Seminyak), W Singapore (Sentosa Cove), W Fort Lauderdale, W Dubai (Mina Seyahi), and W São Paulo, with event dates soon to be announced.

“W Presents is a powerful platform for W Hotels – a brand that’s always been anchored in sound, scene, and self-expression,” shares George Fleck, Senior Vice President and Global Brand Leader, W Hotels in a press release. “As music-led travel continues to surge, W Hotels remains a cultural connector, setting the stage for discovery and unforgettable experiences that blur the line between performance and place. Through groundbreaking live sets and immersive experiences, we’re redefining how music and hospitality come together to create those moments that you just had to be there for.

Book your stay at the W Koh Samui hotel here.