Kieran Hebden, AKA Four Tet, has settled his legal with the U.K. label Domino. According to Hebden, who confirmed the news on June 20th, via social media, the label has recognized Four Tet’s original claim, and he will now be paid a 50 percent royalty on past and future streaming and download income.
Well-known record labels and artists are choosing to remove their music from Spotify. Munich label Ilian Tape removed its entire back catalogue from the streaming giant. Even Ye is ditching the platform for his forthcoming release Donda 2. Controversy has plagued Spotify because of its low royalty rates and recent political decisions, such as Spotify CEO Daniel Ek choosing to invest in AI defense capabilities for British, German, and French militaries. Despite compelling moral and ethical reasons to leave, some artists simply can’t. There are legal and practical considerations that prevent many artists from cancelling Spotify.
When Neil Young said that he wanted to take his music off of Spotify because of Joe Rogan, he actually didn’t have the legal right to remove his music. Young gave that right to his label, Warner Music Group, when he signed his record deal. Because Warner owned Young’s copyrights to his work, Young had to ask for Warner’s permission before he removed his music from Spotify. Many well-known and emerging artists are in the same predicament.
Although copyright law varies from country to country, an artist’s copyright can always be given away in a contract. The issue is that some artists do not understand what rights they give up when they sign a record deal. Or, they feel pressured to sign an unfavorable contract because it will “look good.”
Artists often give up the entire copyright to their work. This means that the artist’s label has the exclusive rights to their music. In other words, the label has the legal power to do what they want with the artist’s music, regardless of the artist’s permission or consent.
Artists who do not own their copyrights and want to take their music off of Spotify must ask their labels first. For artists signed to multiple labels, as is usually the case, the process can be difficult, time-consuming and disheartening. In the event that the label says “no,” legally speaking, there’s not much that the artist can do.
Besides legal barriers, there are also practical considerations for artists who want to remove their music. Most well-known labels and artists can pull the trigger because, well, they can. The decision to cancel Spotify isn’t so clear for other artists who do not have the financial resources or the clout to fall back on.
Very few artists actually make a living off of Spotify’s dismal streaming royalties. Most artists use Spotify because it’s a marketing tool. Ever wonder how Spotify curates its playlists? Artists submit a pitch for their songs to be selected.
The electronic music market is saturated and marketing has become more important to an artist’s success than ever before. Many artists are dependent on Spotify specifically for marketing. Even if Spotify isn’t their main marketing tool, artists still feel compelled to be on Spotify so that their music will be heard around the globe. These pressures are enough for artists to choose rather than cancel Spotify.
And, let’s be real. Most of us aren’t in the same position as Kanye West.
According Universal Music Publishing Group, British producer Kieran Hebden, AKA Four Tet, has signed an exclusive new deal with the massive label.
“Four Tet has soundtracked my life from GCSE revision to dance floors at university and now I get the pleasure to work with him. I’m honored to represent a catalogue that means so much to not just me but the whole of UMPG.”
UMPG Director of A&R, Pete Simmons on the future prospects with Four Tet
News spread quickly last autumn when UK musician Kieran Hebden, who performs and produces under the name Four Tet, instigated legal action against his label of 20 years, Domino Records. “It was a timely challenge that amplifies artists’ growing frustration in the streaming era,” Aneesh Patel, Hebden’s lawyer, told me of his decision to single-handedly take the indie giant to court. His plea received accolades across the music industry, and even among the ranks of UK parliament, whose MP Kevin Brennan shared Hebden’s tweet from November 21st:
Do LaB, the California-based production company, has announced the lineup for their boutique festival experience Lightning in a Bottle (LiB) for its return in 2022. Hailed as one of the premiere immersive music and arts festivals in North America, LiB will take place over five full days on Memorial Day Weekend, May 25 – 30, 2022 at Buena Vista Lake, California. Read more
The Spanish painter Pablo Picasso once said, “good artists borrow, great artists steal.â Artists have always âborrowedâ (consciously and unconsciously) each other’s works. Picasso’s quote references the fine line between imitating and emulating. A good artist creates a copy of an existing work while a great artist selectively takes elements and re-works them into their own sound and/or style to create something new. When it comes to music, plagiarism happens, particularly in electronic music. Remixes, edits, covers, and bootlegs have been a huge driver of dance music and have been a great way for artists to make a name for themselves. Oftentimes, these versions arenât authorized by the original artist. So knowing that art, music, in this case, is to some extent borrowed, what’s fair use, and when does it cross the line into music plagiarism? What makes music original?
Rising talent Paris Green is an amalgamation of different influences. Never confined to one style or sound, the Amsterdam-based artist’s debut album Fear weaves in and out of progressive house, electronica, and melodic techno effortlessly, maintaining an atmospheric flair throughout the albumâs eight tracks.
Not many people “get” techno, and to many, it sounds the same repetitive beat over and over. While its original appeal factor was rooted in the underground, over the years parts of it have filtered into the mainstream with genres like hip-hop and pop borrowing from its elements. All you techno snobs are probably shaking your fist (or head) at the use of the word “mainstream,” but hold up. Before you get bent out of shape, get an earful load of fun facts about a genre we so love. Here are techno tracks using iconic samples from non-electronic genres or becoming the sample itself, showing how music knows no borders. Music is inspired by its own history and continues to inspire other sounds and styles. Once you get a taste of techno you can see how much flavor it really has. Read more
Music can be effective when studying because it increases concentration levels and keeps you motivated.
There are different genres that have been hailed as the best ones for studying and electronic music leads the pack.
Underground electronic music has different subgenres that you can listen to while studying, from slow instrumentals to faster-paced tracks with higher BPMs. If you are keen on listening to underground techno and house music while artists but donât know the best artists, here is a list of 10 artists to press play to next time you’re studying.
Insomniac‘s premier house and techno festival, Secret Project, is back for its second year with an equally impressive lineup to boot. Embracing the outdoor, day-time environment, Insomniac opted for more melodic and mellifluous sounds as compared to their annual Halloween massive, Escape, which is bringing the heavy-hitters who belong in darkness.
The most notable artists on this year’s Secret Project lineup are Four Tet, Modeselektor live, a solo set from Dixon and a back-to-back from Helena Hauff and Nina Kraviz. There are also some serious talents coming back for round two including Peggy Gou and DJ Tennis who will be hosting his own Life and Death Stage.
