January 26, 2016 Page 1 of 12

BY RAY WADDELL

The Eagles’ touring history, marked by a 14-year hiatus after they disbanded in 1980 until they re-turned in 1994 and through their most current (and biggest) tour in History of the Eagles, has impacted the live industry both in the unprecedented business generated and the strategy behind it, engineered by longtime manager Irving Azoff — and, to no small degree, Frey himself.

Formed in Southern California in 1971 from the nucleus of Linda Rondstadt’s backing band, the Eagles quickly developed into a hard-touring act playing radio-friendly hits, and were headlining arenas by the time they were touring behind their fourth album, the hit-laden One Of These Nights, in 1975. “The Eagles were always great live,” Azoff tells Billboard. “They learned their craft and their work ethic from the very start. It was like one big frat party out there. Who wouldn›t want to do that? They were single rock stars during the ‹70s.”

The Eagles› recording career was a force on the Billboard charts, notching six No. 1 albums, including their last, 2007›s Long Road Out of Eden. The

Eagles› Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975, which topped the chart for five weeks in 1976, is the second-best-selling album all-time, according to the Recording Industry Assn. of America (RIAA), with sales of 29 million; only Michael Jackson›s Thriller (30 million) is certified as having sold more. On the Billboard Hot 100, the Eagles scored five No. 1 hits, 10 Hot 100 top 10s and 21 Hot 100 hits overall. Those songs, most of them co-written by Frey and Eagles co-founder Don Henley, have been, and will continue to be, enjoyed by millions of fans, but that part of the career largely came to an end with The Long Run, with only one new studio album released by the Eagles in the past 35 years.

The final show from the Eagles› Long Run tour was March 4, 1980, at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., though the band did reconvene for a political benefit to re-elect California Sen. Alan Cranston at the Long Beach (Calif.) Arena. The show, dubbed “Long Night in Wrong Beach” by the band, turned out to be what they thought was their last, with Henley famously saying the band would play together again “when Hell freezes over.” Fourteen

INSIDE Making ‘History’: The Eagles’ Legacy as the Billion-Dollar Road Band

SFX, Sillerman Settle Lawsuit Accusing Sillerman of Stealing Idea Behind Company

Fall of the Ruble: Russia’s Currency Woes Threaten International Tours

U.K. Creative Industries Worth $119.5 Billion, Government Says

Spotify Is Staffing Up In Japan — Is a Launch Nearing?

Twitter Names Former Ticketmaster CEO Nathan Hubbard Interim Head of Media

(continued)

Congratulations Vittorio and Vincenzo of V2 (pronounced V Squared) on the success of your debut album We Are V2 and being named Digital Radio Tracker’s Breakout Rock Artist of the Year!

V2_BillboardBulletin02.indd 1 1/22/16 12:20 PM

[In Brief]years later, they reunited for the (mostly) live album Hell Freezes Over, recorded April 24-25 at Warner Bros. Studios Sound Stage in Burbank, Calif. Frey famously joked on the album, and throughout that tour, that the Eagles “never broke up; we just took a 14-year vacation.”

If that›s the case, the band returned to work with a vengeance. The first rehearsals were “like a college reunion,” Azoff recalls. “Fourteen years apart, but in a couple of days they were playing better than their first time around. The Hell Freezes Over tour, and the subsequent ones, were musically better than the first time around. The band was more focused, healthier, [there was] better technology etc.”

At first, the rehearsals for Hell Freezes Over were “frustrating,” as Joe Walsh puts it in the History of the Eagles documentary. “We were rusty,” Walsh says, adding, “We really wanted to do it. We were eager to get our chops back up and show that we weren›t has-beens, and we could still rock. It›s not like it was 14 years. It›s like we took a week off or something. I don›t get it.”

The Hell Freezes Over tour of 1994-96 remains one of the most successful tours ever, moving 3.4 million tickets at arenas, amphitheaters and stadiums in North America, the U.K/Europe, Australia and Japan, according to Billboard Boxscore. “Hell Freezes Over was originally planned

as a six-week tour to see how it would go,” says Azoff. “Twenty-two years later [the reunion] was still going strong. The Eagles claimed their rightful place as America›s biggest band ever.”

A consistent, superstar touring act before the breakup (the Eagles Live album recorded on their Long Run tour of 1980 is certified at 35 million copies by the RIAA), the Eagles› post-reunion global touring career placed them among the elite touring acts of all-time. In addition to reuniting the Eagles, Hell Freezes Over also boasts another distinction: the tour heralded a new era in ticket pricing for elite touring acts. The Eagles were the first rock band to shatter the $100 ceiling for tickets. Azoff pointed out at the time that the only people who complained were journo types who got their tickets for free, and it›s true that fans didn›t balk, with Hell Freezes Over selling out every show.

Twenty-two years later, Azoff stands behind that pricing strategy. “Tickets should be priced at what the fans are willing to pay to see the performer,” Azoff explains. “The key element in breaking the $100 ceiling was that it changed the dynamic of resale [by] having the revenue generated by tickets going back to the business — promoters, artists, venues, etc.” Clearly, demand to see the Eagles live after 14 years was sky high, but, “it wasn›t just

about making more money,” Azoff says. “It was also about sending the message that Eagles were America›s biggest band, and perhaps one of the biggest in the world — charging like it influenced both fans and media that we were the biggest ever.”

After playing intermittently as the millennium wound down, the group resumed touring full-time in 2001, with a line-up consisting of Frey, Henley, Joe Walsh, andTimothy B. Schmit, along with Steuart Smith and other sidemen. In 2007, the Eagles released Long Road Out of Eden, their first studio album in 28 years and their sixth number one album. The next year, on March 20, 2008, the Eagles launched their world tour in support of Eden at the O2 Arena in London. According to information supplied by the band, the Eagles played 228 shows from 2001 through 2013 (including a 15-date Australian run in 2004 and a North American stadium tour in the summer of 2010 with the Dixie Chicks and Keith Urban), much of it under the Farewell, Part I banner. On June 14, 2005, the Eagles released a new 2-DVD set, Farewell 1 Tour-Live from Melbourne.

Presumably making a joke out of the endless “farewell” tours common among classic rock acts, calling the tour “Farewell, Part I” exemplifies the sense of humor the Eagles displayed throughout their career. Even so, the Eagles, “took themselves

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very seriously,” Azoff says. “They always understood the Eagles› legacy, and took the responsibility of preserving and protecting that legacy very seriously. As Glenn often said, it was about ‹song power.› Their ability to invent phrases and tongue in cheek sayings was so clever, it was part of the mystique.”

In 2013, the Eagles began the extended History of the Eagles Tour in conjunction with the band›s documentary release, History of the Eagles, which aired on Showtime prior to its DVD issue on Universal, followed by an exclusive on Netflix. Azoff says Frey was the “driving force” behind the film, a compelling, no-holds-barred look back, directed by Alison Ellwood and produced by Alex Gibney, that chronicles the band›s rise, inner turmoil, 14-year split, and triumphant return in Hell Freezes Over. “[Frey] really sat down with me and planned it, plotted it and executed it,” Azoff says.

Though it rarely was recognized as such, touring behind a documentary, using channels and creating new ones that historically had been put into gear for album releases, was a groundbreaking move, accomplishing “way more for them at this point in their career than any album could have done,” Azoff said in an earlier interview. In terms of how to maximize creative content, History is a prime example of innovative new business

models, on a par with the Eagles› Wal-Mart exclusive on Long Road Out of Eden, a move that received much more attention.

That›s fine with the band, who were “never about recognizing their accomplishments,” Azoff says. “It was always about presenting their fans with the best possible show. History of the Eagles was an amazing film. Yes, it had a huge impact, and the last legs of the tour were the highest -grossing ever. We didn›t win awards, but we consistently won the battle of word-of-mouth. Netflix and Showtime say it has been viewed by amazing numbers of people.”

Demand to see the Eagles live has never waned. The History of the Eagles tour — presumably their last — grossed $253 million and sold over 2 million tickets to 147 shows, according to a source with the band. Since reuniting in 1994, the Eagles have reported 564 shows totaling $850 million in gross and 8.8 million tickets sold; given that the Boxscore total is short by approximately one-third, it is safe to assume that the Eagles have grossed over $1 billion and been seen by 10 million fans worldwide.

Asked if that estimate is in the ballpark, Azoff says, “I›m sure it was a billion,” adding that the band›s merch numbers were equally strong. “Eagles most likely sold more merch than any other touring band during that period. Merch per caps

oftentimes set building records. I›m sure it exceeded a billion [dollars].”

In the end, the Eagles leave behind a touring legacy unique in live music history as the most successful band reunion of all time. Beyond that, “They gave the fans what they wanted, with incredible sound, production, and flawless instrumental and vocal performances,” Azoff says. “If you wanted to hear your favorites like the record, there was no one better…..ever.”

Azoff declines to address the future of the Eagles as a touring entity. As to what managing the band has meant to him personally and professionally, Azoff says, “I am among the very few that surpassed the American dream. None of it was possible without Don [Henley], Glenn and the Eagles. Nothing else I›ve done even scratches the surface to the gratification of the trust they put in me, and what they accomplished, and allowed me to be part of.”

[In Brief]

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SFX, Sillerman Settle Lawsuit Accusing Sillerman of Stealing Idea Behind CompanyBY GLENN PEOPLES

SFX Entertainment has settled a law-suit which alleged chairman and CEO Robert Sillerman stole their idea for the consolidat-ed EDM promoter that became SFX. Paolo Moreno, a manager at Disco Donnie Presents; artist manager Lawrence Vavra; and Moreno’s brother, Gabriel Moreno joined SFX, Sill-erman and Sheldon Finkel, SFX’s chairman of strategy and development, in reaching a settlement agreement on January 22.

Terms were not disclosed. However, in a statement to Billboard, Steven. N. Feldman from Hueston Hennigan LLP said the plaintiffs “are very satisfied with the settlement” and the conclusion came “less than two weeks before SFX and Mr. Sillerman were due to face trial.”

The Morenos and Vavra sued SFX, Sillerman and Finkel in 2014 in a U.S. District Court in Central California. The three men claimed to have entered a joint

venture/partnership agreement with Sillerman and identified and facilitated seven of the eight major acquisitions that helped build SFX into EDM’s version of Live Nation. Sillerman allegedly reneged on an agreement to provide them equity in the new company.

SFX still has another legal battle ahead. In September, a class action lawsuit was bought over alleged “false and misleading statements” made during CEO and chairman Robert Sillerman’s effort to take the company private. Sillerman has twice announced plans to take SFX private. Both attempts failed. The lawsuit called the second acquisition proposal a “sham process” to maintain SFX’s stock price and attracted potential third-party buyers.

The effect of these events, along with disappointing financials, can be seen in the company’s stock price. At midday Tuesday, an SFX share cost 10.2 cents per share, well below its 52-week high of $5.25.

The company is also facing an uphill battle to repair its balance sheet. SFX hashired a consultancy firm that specializes in distressed companies in order to weigh options that include bankruptcy, debt restructuring and asset sales. On January 14, SFX secured a credit facility for $30 million, with a 20 percent per year interest rate, and borrowed $20 million under the facility. A week earlier, SFX was notified by a credit it was in default on a $10.8 million loan because it had failed to make a scheduled payment of $3 million.

Fall of the Ruble: Russia’s Currency Woes Threaten International ToursBY VLADIMIR KOZLOV

As Russia’s currency, the ruble, took a new plunge against the dollar and the euro in late 2015 and early 2016, promoters in the country are scaling back the number of shows by foreign artists. Over the last three months the ruble has lost more than a quarter of its value against the dollar and has weakened by 60 percent over the last couple of years.

“Of course, the number of shows [by foreign acts] is to drop,” Eduard Ratnikov, head of promoter T.C.I., told Billboard. “Major shows that are currently on sale, were announced before the major drop in oil prices in last November and December, which hit the ruble and the entire economy.

“In such a turbulent situation, promoters are very careful now when it comes to hard-currency contracts,” he added.

Promoters’ biggest problem is the fact that artists’ fees are nominated in US dollars or Euros, and tickets are sold in rubles, and rising prices in accordance with the exchange

[In Brief]

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rates would make many shows unaffordable.“Ticket prices have gone up by about 20

percent to 30 percent over the last couple of years,” Dmitry Zaretsky, general director of promoter Pop Farm, told Billboard, adding that in this economic situation, this is just about as high as promoters could go.

Tickets for shows by the likes of Lana Del Rey and Red Hot Chili Peppers, scheduled for later this year, currently sell at 4,000 rubles to 8,000 rubles (roughly $50 to $100).

Last year, promoters already had a hard time staging shows by Western acts after the ruble took a major plunge in the second half of 2014. While the ruble partly rebounded by the summer of 2015, giving promoters reason for cautious optimism, the current devaluation is sharper and, against the backdrop of a major economic downturn, the ruble’s recovery may be a distant prospect.

“We are nervously following the exchange rates and trying to negotiate with artists — who don’t care about our problems,” Ratnikov said. “Many would rather remove Russia from their tour schedules than agree to lower fees.”

The situation could give a boost to local acts, who don’t demand hard-currency-nominated fees, but promoters say that is not the case. “Import substitution in the live industry isn’t possible,” Alexei Potapov, general director of Spika concert agency, told Billboard, referring to the government’s strategy to boost consumption of local products rather than imports.

“There are two scenes, the local scene and the foreign scene,” he explained. “Fans of Judas Priest will never go to a show by [local veteran pop singer] Valery Leontyev just because Judas Priest isn’t coming to their city.”

U.K. Creative Industries Worth $119.5 Billion, Government SaysBY ALEX RITMAN

Buoyed by major productions such as Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Game of Thrones, the value of the U.K.’s creative industries rose 8.9 percent in 2014 – almost double the rate of the local economy as a whole – to almost $119.5 billion.

Government figures released Tuesday showed that the music, film, video games, TV and publishing industries generated more than $13.6 million an hour.

“The creative industries are one of the U.K.’s greatest success stories, with British musicians, artists, fashion brands and films immediately recognizable in nations across the globe,” said culture minister Ed Vaizey. “Growing at almost twice the rate of the wider economy and worth a staggering £84 billion a year, our creative industries are well and truly thriving and we are determined to ensure its continued growth and success.”

Looking at the current year, the government said: “2016 is shaping up to be another great year right across the U.K.’s most dynamic sector; whether it be the next installment of [BBC drama] Poldark; the new album from Radiohead; the film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The BFG; or the release of Lego Marvel’s Avengers.”

This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.

Spotify Is Staffing Up In Japan — Is a Launch Nearing?BY GLENN PEOPLES

If the number of job openings is any indi-cation, Spotify is gaining momentum for a launch in Japan. The jobs page at Spot-ify’s website currently lists 12 job openingsin six business segments at its Tokyo office: business development, business operations, finance, marketing and PR, product develop-ment and sales.

Spotify has made no secret of its plans to launch in Japan. It has posted job openings for Japan for a few years, but the number of postings and the types suggest Spotify isn’t far from finally launching in the country. Early job openings were in finance and business development. Now Spotify is hiring for positions such as editorial and programming, the people who build playlists and help decide what artists and songs to highlight on the platform. Spotify had no comment.

Japan will be an uphill battle for streaming services. Physical formats are still popular with consumers. Revenue from CDs, LPs and other physical audio and physical products declined just 2 percent last year, according to figures published by the Recording Industry Association of Japan. Year-end digital figures have not been released, but through the third quarter digital accounted for 11.9 percent of industry revenues in spite of a 106 percent increase year over year.

A few other services have already worked through Japan’s notoriously difficult licensing process and launched services. LINE, a popular messaging app whose200 million-plus users are concentrated in Japan, launched in June. Apple Musiclaunched in the country last year. The local service AWA launched in July. Googlelaunched in Japan in September. Sony’s Music Unlimited was available in Japan but shut down and resurfaced last year as a Spotify-powered PlayStation Music. There is one country where PlayStation Music is not available, however: Japan.

[In Brief]

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Twitter Names Former Ticketmaster CEO Nathan Hubbard Interim Head of MediaBY NATALIE JARVEY, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Twitter is temporarily filling the recently vacated head of media role with vp com-merce Nathan Hubbard, according to a report in Re/Code.

Hubbard, who is stepping into the role on an interim basis, is replacing outgoing vp global media Katie Jacobs Stanton, whose departure Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey announced Sunday evening.

The appointment comes after Twitter has lost five senior level executives, including Stanton, senior vp product Kevin Weil, vp engineering Alex Roetter, HR chief Skip Schipper and Vine general manager Jason Toff.

Dorsey tweeted Sunday evening that COO Adam Bain would take on oversight of media, HR and revenue-related products while the company finds replacements for each position.

Hubbard has overseen Twitter’s commerce strategy since 2013. Prior to that, he was CEO of Ticketmaster.

A Twitter spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This article was first published by The Hollywood Reporter.

Mike Easterlin Promoted to President of Fueled By Ramen and Roadrunner RecordsBY LARS BRANDLE

Mike Easterlin has been promoted from GM to president of Fueled By Ramen (FBR) and Roadrunner Records.

Easterlin, who served as GM of both labels since 2012, will oversee all areas of FBR and Roadrunner activities, expanding on the success of their existing artist rosters while continuing to sign and nurture new talent.

The announcement of Easterlin’s elevation coincides with the FBR act Panic! At The Disco’s debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with Death of a Bachelor. It’s the alternative rock outfit’s fifth studio set, and their first to top the U.S. albums chart.

Easterlin has also guided the FBR careers of Paramore, Fun., Twenty One Pilots (whose latest album Blurryface, also debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 last June), Nate Ruess, Young The Giant and many more.

“I’ve worked with Mike for over 16 years. He has always been the most genuine, thoughtful, and passionate music executive,” comments Julie Greenwald, Atlantic Records chairman & COO, in a statement. “His commitment to artists and artist development is unparalleled in our business. I know these two unbelievable labels are in the best hands for an incredible future.” “Under Mike’s leadership,” adds Craig Kallman, Atlantic Records chairman and CEO, “Fueled By Ramen and Roadrunner have evolved into modern powerhouses of pop and rock music, while maintaining their own special brands of cool, which is no small task.”

Roadrunner’s rock-hard roster

includes Theory of a Deadman, Killswitch Engage,Stone Sour, Dream Theater, Amity Affliction, Trivium, and Slipknot, who debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with their most recent album, 5: The Gray Chapter.

An 11-year veteran of the Warner Music group, Easterlin joined Lava/Atlantic as senior vp of promotion in 2005 before moving to FBR and Roadrunner just over three years ago. Previously he served as national director of pop promotion at Virgin Records and vp of pop promotion at Island Def Jam.

Tony Visconti to Deliver SXSW Opening Keynote AddressBY LARS BRANDLE

Tony Visconti, the legendary producer who helmed many important David Bowiealbums, including the late British artist’s final record-ing, Blackstar, will be the opening keynote speaker at this year’s 30th annual South by Southwest Music Conference and Festival (SXSW).

Visconti’s association with the Thin White Duke traces back to 1969’s David Bowie and includes work on the “Berlin Trilogy” (Low, Heroes and Lodger), and the surprise 2013 comeback album, The Next Day. Blackstar, released Jan. 8, just two days before Bowie died, has proved to be one of the singer’s biggest hits with No. 1 debuts in the U.S., U.K., Australia.

The versatile American producer has also worked on recordings for the likes of T-Rex, Thin Lizzy and U2, he won a Grammy for his work on Angelique Kidjo’s Djin Djin (Best Contemporary World Music Album) and has co-produced Esperanza Spalding’s upcoming Concord release Emily›s D+Evolution, and Daphne Guinness’s Optimist in Black.

Visconti’s involvement is a huge, timely coup for SXSW and a dream-come-true for

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its organizers. SXSW co-founder Roland Swenson and Jason Carter, owner of Austin’s Wicked Signs, recently admitted to placing “David Bowie” over an Austin street as a “tribute to a great musician”.

The 2016 SXSW Music Festival runs March 15-20 and is expected to showcase 2,000 acts ranging from across all the genres. Visconti’s SXSW keynote address will take place March 16, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. in Room 18ABCD of the Austin Convention Center.

StubHub to Sponsor Jennifer Lopez’s Las Vegas Residency: ExclusiveBY RAY WADDELL

In its latest collaboration with the pri-mary live music business, StubHub, the leading secondary ticket marketplace, has joined with Jennifer Lopez and Caesars Entertainment’s Planet Hollywood to form a new partnership focused on providing fans access to exclusive tickets and promotions as an official sponsor for Lopez’s Las Vegas headlining residency show, Jennifer Lopez: All I Have, Billboard has learned.

Lopez began the residency on Jan. 20, 2016, at The Axis at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.

StubHub will directly offer a selection of premium tickets and VIP experiences to the site’s immense audience of concert-goers, and will enable fans to buy and sell “tens of thousands of tickets, whenever they want,” through StubHub’s desktop and mobile sites, including apps for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Android. Access to these premium seats are available now on StubHub.

“For years, StubHub has been dedicated to helping music fans see their favorite artists live and create memorable

experiences,” said Geoff Lester, head of partnerships and business development for StubHub, in a statement to be released later today. “We are pleased to be able to work with Jennifer’s team to give them unique access to our very dedicated fan base to promote the residency and any of her projects. Even more so, we’re excited that this partnership will offer our fans unique access to Jennifer and her show.”

StubHub branding will be visible and included throughout the event venue and marketing assets as well as web and social assets. Fans can sign up for accounts on StubHub.com for updates at @StubHub and @Jlo on twitter to learn about exclusive opportunities for meet and greets, VIP experiences and more.

Directed by Nappytabs, the husband and wife team of Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo, All I Have features Lopez’s hit songs, including “On The Floor,” “Jenny From The Block,” “Get Right” and “Love Don’t Cost A Thing.” The production is supported by a five-piece live band and 16 dancers, showcasing state-of-the-art technology in sets, lighting, video and special effects.

Launched in 2000, StubHub quickly became the leading secondary ticket platform and has evolved from a primary business pariah to, increasingly, a partner, providing a secondary ticket solution such powerful partners as Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, Major League Soccer and the National Collegiate Athletics Association, as well as ESPN, Anshutz Entertainment Groupo, AXS Ticketing, and Spectra Ticketing & Fan Engagement. StubHub is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY).

Now with more than 20 million unique visitors per month, StubHub’s increased integration into the primary business has been strategic, led by President Scott Cutler, a former NASDAQ exec now in his second year running the company. “We are such a meaningful part of the industry, but we can’t operate independently from the industries in which we participate,” Cutler told Billboard in an interview late last year. “We’re finding new ways to be able to

connect those consumers with the artists, with the teams, with the performers. We have to be a builder, a connector, not just a disruptor.”

But Cutler admits that StubHub’s history as a “disruptor” has presented challenges as the company moves forward seeking primary biz partnerships. “Think in terms of the value we’ve created for the industry in terms of access, of consumer awareness, of sell-through, of, quite frankly, the economic opportunities, because we’re now such a significant player,” Cutler said. “We can’t continue to exist as a disruptor, so it’s really important for me to be viewed as a partner, as being part of that ecosystem and adding value to that ecosystem. I have to say that and we’ll be saying that for years to come.”

Are More Michael Jackson Movies on the Way?BY ALEX GALE

Are you ready for more Michael Jack-son movies? At the Jan. 24 premiere of the Showtime documentary Michael Jackson’s Journey From Motown to Off the Wall at the Sundance Film Festival — attended by director Spike Lee, Questlove and Glassnotes Records founder Daniel Glass — producer John Branca hinted that more could be on the way.

“I’d like to see a movie about the History album and tour,” Branca, who’s also co-executor of the Michael Jackson estate, told Billboard. “It was his last tour, and his most underappreciated album. Michael was out of favor in the U.S. at the time. But if you listen to it start to finish, it’s one of the greatest albums of all time.”

But what about Jackson’s biggest blockbuster, Thriller — which Lee, who also directed the Bad 25 documentary, has said he’d love to give the doc treatment? “That’s definitely a candidate,” said Branca, who added that there will Halloween-

[In Brief]

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themed events around the album next year, its 35th anniversary.

But for now, it’s all about Michael Jackson’s Journey, which hits Showtime on Feb. 5. “It’s a part of Michael’s career and life that few people know about,” Branca says. “Everyone knows about the meteoric rise of Jackson 5 and Michael having his first No. 1 single at the age of 10. But they don’t know what came after. The Jacksons had to split away from Motown, and many people thought their career was absolutely over, that they were yesterday’s news, that they were a boy band whose time had come and gone. This shows the story of Michael resurrecting the Jacksons and making his first solo album — and we all know what happened after that.”

The film consists of present-day interviews mixed with some pretty incredible vintage footage. Branca’s favorite old clip? “There was this tap-dance team called the Nicholas Brothers — the greatest tap dancers of all time. And there’s footage of Michael going toe to toe and step to step with them. Who knew Michael could tap-dance?”

Before the premiere, Lee also spoke about his call to boycott the Academy Awards after all 20 acting nominations went to white stars. It’s bigger than the Oscars, he explained; it’s an industrywide issue. “You have to get diversity among the people who have green-light votes. We’re gonna keep having this problem at the Oscars because they can only vote on the films that were made. So we gotta go up, [to] the people in the room who decide what we’re making and what we’re not making. There are no people of color in those rooms.”

Bertelsmann Re-Ups Chief Executive Thomas Rabe’s Contract, Appoints New CFOBY WOLFGANG SPAHR

Following a decision by the company’s supervisory board, Bertelsmann chairman and CEO Thomas Rabe will continue to lead the German media giant for another five years. Prior to his appointment as chairman & Chief Executive Officer on January 1, 2012, Rabe had served as CFO of the company since 2006, after having held the same func-tion at RTL Group (a subsidiary of Bertels-mann) from 2000 through 2005.

Christoph Mohn, chairman of Bertelsmann’s supervisory board, said of the re-appointment: “The Board is delighted about the extension of the contract with Thomas Rabe. Since taking office he has strategically realigned the Group to become faster-growing, more digital and more international. The progress made on this path under Thomas Rabe’s leadership has been enormous, just consider the digital investments of RTL Group including in companies such as BroadbandTV, StyleHaul and SpotX, the merger resulting in the world’s largest trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the re-entry into the music business with the new BMG, and the founding of the Bertelsmann Education Group.”

The Bertelsmann supervisory board also made a c-suite appointment today, appointing Bernd Hirsch as the company’s new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Hirsch is scheduled to begin on April 1, 2016. He will take over responsibility as CFO from Rabe, who had taken on the role in an interim capacity. At the same time, Hirsch will become a member of the Bertelsmann Group Management Committee (GMC).

Twitter Appoints Leslie Berland as New CMOBY NATALIE JARVEY

Twitter has hired Leslie Berland to fill its vacant CMO position.

Berland’s hire comes after a week of executive shuffling for the social media company, which has lost several top executives including head of media Katie Jacobs Stanton.

Berland will be charged with growing the Twitter brand, something CEO Jack Dorsey has said is a priority for the company as it seeks to jump start stalled user growth.

Prior to joining Twitter, Berland was executive vp global advertising, marketing and digital partnerships at American Express, where she worked for 11 years.

“Twitter is a service like no other. It has and continues to change the world, shaping how we communicate and connect, how we’re entertained, informed and inspired,” said Berland. “It represents everything that’s relevant at each and every moment — to me, there’s nothing more powerful. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Jack and the Twitter teams to bring the magic of Twitter to life, broaden its reach, and deepen its impact as the company enters this incredibly exciting new chapter.”

Dorsey and Berland traded tweets about the hire on Tuesday morning.

This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.

[In Brief]

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Nashville Notes: Country in the Mix During Super Bowl Festivities; Entertainment One Acquires DualtoneBY TOM ROLAND

Here is your weekly roundup of goings on — artist signings, staffing moves, good news and more — in the wide world of country music.

With less than two weeks to go until Super Bowl 50, the NFL is definitely incorporating country music into its entertainment mix. Little Big Town delivered a tight version of the national anthem before the Jan. 24 NFC Championship Game in Charlotte, N.C., and returned to the field at halftime to sing “Day Drinking” and “Stay All Night.” Zac Brown Band will perform at the Bleacher Ball, a Feb. 5 party at San Francisco’s Mezzanine, hosted by Turner Sports’ Bleacher Report. Additionally, indie artist Chelsea Bain will take part in a flag football game in Santa Clara, Calif., on Feb. 6 representing the Spike TV show Celebrity Sweat. Looking farther ahead, Tim McGraw will perform Aug. 5 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, in conjunction with the Aug. 7 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductions.

As consumers start planning out their year, numerous country artists laid out their 2016 touring plans in the last 10 days. Dierks Bentley’s Somewhere on a Beach Tour will include Randy Houser and Cam; Florida Georgia Line’s Dig Your Roots Tour employs opening acts Cole Swindell, The Cadillac Three and Kane Brown; Darius Rucker’s Good for a Good Time Tour incorporates Dan + Shay and Michael Ray; and Miranda Lambert’s Keeper of the Flame Tour boasts Kip Moore and Brothers Osborne. Moore’s

own Wild Ones Tour alternates The Cadillac Three and Chase Bryant as openers. And Hank Williams Jr. and Chris Stapleton will co-headline an eight-date run in August.

Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena will host two multi-act events in March and April. Blackbird Presents, a company that assembles DVDs and TV specials, will shoot The Life & Times of Kris Kristofferson on March 16, with appearances by Lady Antebellum, Jamey Johnson, Willie Nelson, Rosanne Cash, Eric Church and Trisha Yearwood, among others. Keith Urban and Vince Gill will host another All for the Hall benefit for the Country Music Hall of Fame on April 12. The guest list for that one includes Luke Bryan, Peter Frampton, Maddie & Tae, Sam Hunt and Emmylou Harris, just for starters.

With iHeartMedia in Nashville the week of Jan. 18 for a company conference, country labels rolled out the red carpet with a series of showcases. Among the performances: Warner Music Nashville trotted out Brandy Clark and High Valley, Sony Music Nashville paired Old Dominion with Maren Morris, and Big Machine threw a show with announced performers Thomas Rhett and Justin Moore. That latter event also included a couple surprises: Maddie & Tae did one acoustic song, and Brantley Gilbert came out to sing “Small Town Throwdown” with Thomas and Moore.

‘ROUND THE ROWVeteran agent Bobby Cudd has joined the

Nashville office of the Billions Corporation, following a lengthy tenure at Paradigm. He brings with him such acts as Ricky Skaggs, the Dave Rawlings Machine and Old Crow Medicine Show.

RED Creative Group hired Brooke Antonakos as vp creative services for the publishing company, which represents Jeremy Stover, JJ Lawhorn and Jordan Rager, among others. Antonakos was most recently Red Vinyl Music creative director/A&R.

Entertainment One acquired the Dualtone Music Group, whose roster includes Guy Clark and Robert Earl Keen.

The 15-year-old Dualtone will continue to operate under the direction of CEO/co-founder Scott Robinson and president Paul Roper.

Hart Street Entertainment and Spin Doctors have formed Riverfront Promotions, with Brian Tyson as the flagship artist.

MV2 Entertainment signed songwriter Bart Allmand (“Brand New Girlfriend,” “Bumpin’ the Night”) to a publishing deal.

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band moved to Webster Public Relations for media.

The Association of Independent Music Publishers/Nashville has set new board officers for 2016: executive director John Ozier, ole; treasurer Ree Guyer Buchanan, Wrensong; and secretary Kim McCollum-Mele, Words & Music.

Brett Eldredge will perform during the 2016 Music Biz Awards on May 17 at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.

Erv Woolsey Company vp Danny O’Brian died Jan. 17. A former radio programmer, his duties included booking George Strait.

RADIO MOVERS & SHAKERSShila Nathan takes over middays

at WNSH New York on Feb. 8, replacing Kelly Ford, who joined the on-air cast at America’s Morning Show earlier this month. Nathan arrives from WUSN Chicago, where she handled afternoon drive.

Beasley/Tampa Bay-St. Petersburg-Clearwater (Fla.) promoted Hillary Hatch to marketing director for the six-station cluster from WQYK promotions director.

KYSN Wenatchee, Wash., hired Chuck Geiger as PD/morning-drive host, RadioInfo.com reported. He held the same positions at KKAJ Ardmore, Okla.

Mount Wilson/Los Angeles added John Mentesana as general sales manager for its three stations, including country KKGO, according to InsideRadio.com. Mentesana spent five years as iHeartMedia senior account manager.

GOOD WORKSAnother year, a bigger venue.Last March, Dierks Bentley, Amy

Grant and the cast of Nashville played a

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benefit for the African Children’s Choir at Music City’s 3rd & Lindsley.

This year, Bentley and the ABC drama’s actors are joined by singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson, the children’s choir and musical director Buddy Miller on Feb. 15 as the benefit moves to the larger Ryman Auditorium.

The choir tours the world, raising money and bringing awareness to kids being raised amid conflict in Africa. Tickets range $39.50-$120.

This article first appeared in Billboard’s Country Update — sign up here.

Adele Slams Door on Justin Bieber’s ‘Carpool Karaoke’ RecordBY BILLBOARD STAFF

It took less than two weeks, but Adele’s epic “Carpool Karaoke” session with Late Late Show host James Corden has already be-come the show’s most popular video on You-Tube, besting similar singalong segments fea-turing Justin Bieber andOne Direction. “Adele Carpool Karaoke” has been streamed roughly 56 million times since airing on Jan. 13 on the CBS talker, edging Bieber’s eight-month-old appearance.

In the video, which was taped while both were in London for the holidays, Adele and Corden belt “Hello,” Someone Like You,” “All I Ask,” and “Rolling in the Deep,” plus they squeeze in some Spice Girls and Nicki Minaj along the way.

Speaking with Vulture, Late Late Show executive producer Ben Winston revealed that although Adele was only booked for an hour, she and Corden ended up generating two hours of footage. Winston said that typically the show’s editor ends up with ten minutes of usable “Carpool” footage, but with Adele it’s more like 54 minutes. However, don’t hold your breath for a sequel. “‘The best television

always leaves you wanting more,” he said.To get an idea of just how popular

Adele is, even the promo teasing her appearance has more views (9.7 million) than “Carpool Karaoke” segments featuring Jason Derulo (8.6 million) and Carrie Underwood (8.2 million).

Viral videos have been Corden’s bread and butter since taking over the CBS franchise on March 9. Aside from the karaoke clips, he has riffed with Anna Kendrick, played dodgeball with One Direction and updated an old classic with Alanis Morissette. In one of his most popular segments, he enlisted Tom Hanks inacting out the icon’s filmography. Winston said the show’s YouTube channel is expected to hit a half billion views in March. “[A show] has to have an impact. And in this day and age, you’re not necessarily making that impact in the time slot you’re on. You’re making it when people are watching it on their tablets, or their phones, or their mobile devices,” he added.

EDMbiz 2016 Announces Dates, New Location & Program Expansion: ExclusiveBY MATT MEDVED

Insomniac Events today (Jan. 26) unveiled details for the 5th annual EDMbiz Confer-ence & Expo set to take place in Las Vegas from June 14-16, 2016.

The three-day conference will be held at Caesars Palace for the first time in a move that will double the size and scope of the industry event’s programming. Insomniac also announced three new cornerstones — Experience, Technology and Aspiration — that will form the conceptual backbone of the conference.

In addition to the traditional panels,

EDMbiz’s expanded programming will include new Stage Two town hall talks with industry leaders and a Hackathon to empower collaboration between entrepreneurs and programmers.

“EDMbiz is a unique opportunity for our entire community to come together and shape the future of dance music,” said Pasquale Rotella, CEO and founder of Insomniac. “From artists, promoters, agents and journalists, to people who simply aspire to be part of this amazing culture, everyone has the chance to contribute to the discussion.”

Three-day Wide Awake, Kinetic and Neon Badges and a discounted hotel link will be available from noon PST today at EDMbiz.com.

Radio Disney Music Awards 2016 Announce Air Date: ExclusiveBY LINDSEY SULLIVAN

The fourth annual Radio Disney Music Awards will take place April 30 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles and will be broadcast May 1 at 7 p.m. ET on Disney Channel.

Votes are in the fans’ hands with the Radio Disney app and other social platforms. Last year, over 101 million votes were tallied worldwide, with Ariana Grandegrabbing three awards. K.C. Undercover star Zendaya hosted the 2015 broadcast.

Hosts and performers for 2016 are yet to be announced, and awards will be distributed in several new categories, including the Radio Disney Country Favorite Artist and Radio Disney Country Favorite Song.

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Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’ Ties Hot Rap Songs Chart RecordBY AMAYA MENDIZABAL

Drake matches the Hot Rap Songs re-cord for most weeks at No. 1, as “Hotline Bling” remains persistent at the top for an 18th week (on the chart dated Feb. 6). It ties Missy Elliott’s “Hot Boyz,” featur-ing Nas, Eve and Q-Tip (which ruled at No. 1 for 18 straight weeks in 1999 and 2000) and Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy,” featuringCharli XCX (18 consecutive weeks at No. 1 in 2014).

“Hotline Bling” hit No. 1 in its eighth charting week (dated Oct. 10) and became Drake’s 15th No. 1, furthering his lead for most chart-toppers on the nearly 27-year-old chart.

Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot Rap Songs: Weeks at No. 1, Title, Artist (Year) 18, “Hotline Bling,” Drake (2015-16) 18, “Fancy,” Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX (2014) 18, “Hot Boyz,” Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott featuring Nas, Eve and Q-Tip (1999-2000) 15, “See You Again,” Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth (2015) 15, “Timber,” Pitbull featuring Ke$ha (2014) 15, “Thrift Shop,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz (2013) 15, “Best I Ever Had,” Drake (2009) 14, “Can’t Hold Us,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton (2013) 14, “The Motto,” Drake featuring Lil Wayne (2012) 14, “Lollipop,” Lil Wayne featuring Static Major (2008) 14, “Flava In Ya Ear,” Craig Mack (1994)

“Hotline Bling’s” trek to the top came a few weeks before its now infamous music video was released — with streams from the clip aiding in its extended stay. To date, the video has over 400 million global views. It most recently gathered 5.6 million

weekly U.S. views in the frame ending Jan. 21, on Vevo on YouTube (according to Nielsen Music).

Digital sales have similarly kept the song hot, with no less than 29,000 weekly downloads logged every single week since its release in August. At its height, the track sold 154,000 downloads on the chart dated Nov. 14, 2015. “Hotline” has been in the top 10 on Rap Digital Songs since its Aug. 22 entry, and currently stands at No. 2.

Radio has also been a big supporting factor in its triumph on the chart. The track spent 15 weeks at No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, tying with Mary J. Blige’s “Be Without You” for the second-longest crowning run (Miguel’s “Adorn” leads with 23 weeks). It falls 6-7 on its 21st charting week, dipping 6 percent in spins.

Thomas Rhett Rules Again; Hank Jr. Scores Highest Debut on Country Albums ChartBY JIM ASKER

For a fifth consecutive week, Thomas Rhett crowns three of Billboard’s main country songs charts (dated Feb. 6) with “Die a Happy Man,” which he co-wrote for his wife, Lauren. The love song leads Hot Country Songs for an 11th week and 10th in succession; Country Airplay for a sixth week, all consecutively; and Country Digital Songs for a fifth straight week and 12th total.

Rhett’s continued rule on Country Airplay is especially significant: It’s the first song to stay at the summit for six weeks since Taylor Swift’s “Our Song” (her first Country Airplay No. 1) dominated for six frames beginning Dec. 22, 2007. “Man” holds at the summit despite a 4 percent dip to 47.8 million in audience, according to Nielsen Music.

“The first time I heard [“Man”], I knew we had something extraordinary,” Big Machine Label Group president/CEO Scott Borchetta tells Billboard. “I had the same feeling about it that I’d had some 20 years earlier when [at MCA Records] I first heard Vince Gill’s ‘I Still Believe in You’ that this song would establish Thomas as one of the most important male artists in country music. The fact that its weeks at No. 1 match up to the song [released on Borchetta’s Big Machine label] that truly launched Taylor into the stratosphere is amazing and ironic. We’re humbled by its continued success.”

“I seriously can’t believe this song has spent six weeks at No. 1,” said Rhett upon hearing the news. “When you put a song out there as personal as this, you hope it connects and resonates with people. But I could never have imagined it would connect like this. And to mirror an achievement not seen since Taylor Swift — someone I really respect as a songwriter, performer and entertainer — is mind-blowing.”

PERFECT 10s Meanwhile, Hot Country Songs welcomes three new top 10s, led by Carrie Underwood’s “Heartbeat,” up 12-8. She notches her 23rd top 10 and has yet to miss the bracket with any song she has released as an officially promoted country single, dating to her first, “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” which topped the chart for six weeks in 2006.

Zac Brown Band’s “Beautiful Drug” climbs 11-9, marking the group’s 15th top 10. Dating to its first top 10, “Chicken Fried,” which hit the tier Nov. 1, 2008, no group has more; Lady Antebellum follows with 11 in that span.

Also new to the Hot Country Songs top 10 is Keith Urban’s “Break on Me” (13-10), which is not only his 35th top 10 but his 35th consecutively, a run that started with the No. 4-peaking “Your Everything” in 2000. Urban breaks a tie with Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw for the longest streak of uninterrupted top 10s on Hot Country Songs in 22 years (counting songs in lead roles officially promoted to country radio and excluding holiday fare). Chesney linked 34 in a row from 2000’s “What I Need to Do”

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through 2012’s “Reality,” while McGraw managed the same run from 1994’s “Indian Outlaw” through 2004’s “Back When.”

Urban’s top 10 streak on Hot Country Songs is now the longest since Alabama collected 41 straight from 1980-94, from “Tennessee River” through “T.L.C. A.S.A.P.” Just before that, Ronnie Milsap also wrapped a string of 41 consecutive top 10s (1976-92), from “(I’m a) Stand by My Woman Man” through “Turn That Radio On.”

HANK’S HIGHEST Top Country Albums sports three top five debuts, led by Hank Williams Jr.’s It’s About Time at No. 2 (24,000 sold). The icon scores his highest debut on the chart on which he has been appearing since 1964, surpassing the No. 3 starting rank of That’s How They Do It in Dixie: The Essential Collection in 2006. He also earns his highest rank since Lone Wolf reached No. 2 in 1990 (a year before Nielsen Music data began powering the tally).

Brothers Osborne’s first full-length (and first top 10), Pawnshop, begins at No. 3 on Top Country Albums (21,000), and Randy Rogers Band’s Nothing Shines Like Neon (Randy Rogers Band/Tommy Jackson) opens at No. 4 (11,000), marking the act’s sixth top 10.

The Rubens’ ‘Hoops’ Wins Triple J’s Hottest 100 PollBY LARS BRANDLE

The Rubens’ “Hoops” has taken top prize in Triple j’s Hottest 100, one of the world’s biggest fan-voted annu-al music competitions.

The hook-laden song, the title track from the homegrown indie band’s sophomore album (via Ivy League Records), came in at No. 1 on the countdown, which

coincides with Australia Day (Jan. 26), the official national day when hundreds of thousands of Aussies typically flock to water and tune in to Triple J.

Hoops opened at a new career high of No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart last August. It’s the follow-up to the Menangle, New South Wales band’s 2012 certified platinum self-titled debut, which peaked at No. 3 on the national chart and helped the group to a coveted APRA Award.

“Dropping in July 2015, the song’s four to the floor beat and sing along lyrics make it a total earworm for triple j listeners,” comments triple j’s Ollie Wards on the winner. “Despite it being a slower song for the band, ‘Hoops’ always gets the crowd moving at their awesome live shows. After just a few listens the song makes you feel like you’ve been hearing it for years. That familiarity combined with the Rubens’ trademark RnB-meets-blues-rock swagger got it to 2015’s Hottest 100 No. 1.”

“Hoops” beat out Kendrick Lamar’s “King Kunta” and Major Lazer’s “Lean On” (with DJ Snake and MØ) for top honors, while a pair of Tame Impala tracks completed the top five: “The Less I Know the Better” and “Let It Happen,” respectively. Tame Impala and Courtney Barnett were the artists with the most songs in the countdown, with four songs each.

More than 2.094 million votes were cast on the latest poll, which asked listeners of the state-funded Triple J network to decide on the most popular songs for 2015.

Click here for the complete Hottest 100 list.

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