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Miami's Winter Music Conference Is Back With Revamped Plan Announcement

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The electronic music conference returns in full force next year during Miami Music Week, now with segments targeting music consumers and industry professionals
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Nov 2, 2018 - 4:22 pm

The historic Miami Winter Music Conference will be back in 2019 with some changes, including new programming, and is set to take place for its 34th year on March 25-28.

Winter Music Conference had a quieter year in 2018, but during last year's event Ultra Worldwide announced their purchase of the event. Ultra, which now offers electronic music festivals worldwide, got its start in 1999 throwing Ultra Music Festival every March in Miami as a supplement to the conference, whose attendees have included many big-name DJs and producers from around the world. In recent years, the time in March when the conference and festival falls have been dubbed Miami Music Week, although in both 2011 and 2016 the festival did not immediately follow the conference. Now with Ultra at the helms all events are streamlined as part of Miami Music Week and the conference is geared to now include two segments, an educational segment for music consumers to learn about the industry and one that will be aimed at industry professionals.

"After 34 years, we've reached a major point in the evolution of WMC," conference founder Bill Kelly said in a statement. "Attendees will experience expertly curated panels with key music professionals, cutting edge mixers, mentorship moments, and endless opportunities to share up-to-the-minute technology in an exceptionally beautiful and blissful setting, the Faena District.”

As Hypebot reports, the music conference, which has for years been a destination for music fans, artists and industry professionals alike, was once the preeminent electronic music conference in the country, but has died down the last years due to competition from international electronic music industry events like the International Music Summit in Ibiza.

"For decades, the electronic music industry ran through WMC. It was where the mega deals were done and provided a launching point for countless legendary tracks as well as breakthrough DJs," Ultra founder Russell Faibisch said. "In March 2019, WMC returns with a fully revamped program that gets the industry back to business. It's the perfect start to an unforgettable Miami Music Week."

To purchase passes visit the Winter Music Conference site.

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Ultra 2019: The Chainsmokers, Marshmello & More To Perform

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Additional DJs include Deadmau5, Martin Garrix, David Guetta and many more
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Dec 20, 2018 - 4:07 pm

On Dec. 20, the Ultra Music Festival announced the first phase of its lineup for the bigger-than-ever Ultra 2019, relocating to the historic Virginia Key Beach Park And Miami Maritime Stadium for the first time ever on March 29–31, 2019.

DJs including Martin Garrix, Marshmello and many more will break in the expanded venue grounds during Miami Music Week following the Winter Music Conference for an epic series of electronica events.

GRAMMY winners performing at Ultra 2019 include Afrojack, the Chainsmokers, Dubfire, David Guetta, Tiësto, and Zedd. Previously nominated artists appearing include Alesso, Armin Van Buuren, Deadmau5, Galantis, and Odesza.

Less well-established DJs and artists are part of the upbeat dance excitement Ultra festivalgoers count on catching. The 2019 Phase 1 lineup includes Adam Beyer, Carl Cox, GRiZ, Illenium, Jamie Jones, Joseph Capriati, Loco Dice, Louis The Child, Maceo Plex, the Martinez Brothers, Nicole Moudaber, Paco Osuna, Rezz, Richie Hawtin, Sasha & John Digweed, Tale Of Us, and Testpilot.

Tickets are available at the Ultra website, including special packages.

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San Holo and Martin Garrix

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Shaky Beats Fest 2019: Martin Garrix And Rufus Du Sol To Headline

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San Holo and Fisher Big Gigantic are among other acts bringing the beats to the two-day festival happening May 10–11
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jan 9, 2019 - 12:21 pm

Shaky Beats Fest has brought EDM, indie and hip-hop artists to Atlanta since 2016, and now, for its 2019 edition, the festival has announced that powerhouse DJs Martin Garrix and Rüfüs Du Sol will headline.  

San Holo, Fisher Big Gigantic, Ekali and Boogie T are among the other acts bringing the beats to the two-day festival, happening May 10–11. The fest will return to Central Park, its 2018 location.  

The beats festival makes a point to highlight some of Atlanta's own artists; local acts include Mantis, Eddie Gold, Movin' Keyz, DJ Zoe Gray, and Airwolf.

In October, San Holo spoke with the Recording Academy about fan energy at his live shows, including festivals:

"Honestly, sometimes people [are] at the show and they are just standing there, listening, and I first start to think "Oh, they're bored" or something, or like, I should be more energetic, I have to jump around, but I still have to realize [that there are some] people that really don't, they just listen, might actually be the biggest [kind of] music fans there are [at] festivals. They just stand there in the back, just listening and I really appreciate those people because they don't care if I really scream, "One, two, three, jump," or something, they don't care about that stuff. They just want to hear me play guitar and like do my thing. But, honestly, actually, everyone at the shows ... whatever you want to do, if you want to jump that's fine, if you want to dance around that's fine, if you want to do nothing that's fine, as long as you feel something."

For more information, visit the festival site here.

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Australia's Pill Testing Debate Heats Up Following Music Festival Deaths

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Authorities have threatened to cancel future music fests in order to decrease accidental on-site deaths, but others say pill testing could do more
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jan 2, 2019 - 1:19 pm

The conversation over whether pills should be tested at Australian music festivals is intensifying after two recent deaths.

A man died on Dec. 30 of a suspected overdose at the Lost Paradise music festival in New South Wales, and another man died on Jan 1. of a suspected drug overdose after attending the Beyond The Valley festival in Victoria.

Pill testing is one possible solution to the overdose deaths continuing to happen at music festivals in Australia, according to medical experts. But the option has been met with resistance.

Although the Australian Bureau Of Statistics can provide date on the number of people who have died from drug-related cases, the data does not show how many occurred "at large scale public events," according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

In 2016, there were 1,808 drug induced deaths in the country, according to the Australian Bureau Of Statistics. Illicit drugs increased that year, with the death rate from Psychostimulants quadrupling since 1999.

Authorities have threatened to cancel music festival events; the New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she would do "everything we can" to shut down the Defqon.1 festival after two people died in Sept.

READ: Music Fans Traveled The World For Live Events In 2018

But some say shutting down festivals is not a realistic way of keeping people from taking illicit drugs and welcome pill testing as a way to decrease deaths.

In the past, Berejikian has had a zero tolerance stance on pill testing, stating: "Anyone who advocates pill testing is giving the green light to drugs. That is absolutely unacceptable."

But as other leaders in parts of Australia rule out pill testing at music festivals, following the recent deaths, the Premier is warming to the idea.

"If there was a way in which we could ensure that lives were saved through pill testing, we would consider it—but there is no evidence provided to the government on that," Berejiklian said, according to the Guardian.

READ: Hearing Clinics Help Make Summer Festivals Rock

The country held its first pill test trial at the Groovin the Moo festival in Canberra in April. Participants were able to provide a small sample of their pill(s) or powder to volunteers, who then analyzed the m in a mobile laboratory.

Former Australian Federal Police commissioner has said that the governments have to consider all available evidence to save people's lives, including pill testing.

"Pill testing is not a silver bullet, but it's a proven and positive way to help prevent this kind of tragedy, has majority support from Australians and must be at least trialed on a pilot basis —if it doesn't work, then stop it," Palmer told the Australian.

After the death of the man in New South Wales, Brisbane Water Police district commander Acting Superintendent Rod Peet said, "the best safety message is don't take drugs."

ABC Triple J conducted a survey of 11,000 young people that showed 55% have brought drugs to a festival and 83% would use pill testing, if available.

2019 Music Festival Preview: Noise Pop, Ultra & More

GRAMMYs

Photo by Jared Siskin/Getty Images for Warner Music Group

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Warner Music Group's 2018 Revenue Exceeds Company History

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The results are from the company's fourth-quarter and full-year finance period that ended on Sept. 30, 2018
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Dec 20, 2018 - 1:51 pm

Warner Music Group, home to GRAMMY winners Cardi B and Ed Sheeran via Atlantic Records, announced that it made roughly over $4 billion in 2018, earning beyond anything in its company history.

“We’ve had another terrific year and revenue exceeded $4 billion for the first time in our 15-year history as a standalone company,” Warner Music Group CEO Steve Cooper said in statement. “We continue to invest in our business for the benefit of our recording artists and songwriters and to fuel our long-term growth.”

The results are from the company's fourth-quarter and full-year finance period that ended on Sept. 30, 2018.

Warner Music Group's total revenue for the full year rose 12.0% (9.2% in constant currency or the amount without the effects of fluctuations). Domestic revenue grew 10.5 % and internationally grew 12.7 % (7.8% in constant currency).

Digital revenue for the full year rose 20.4% (18.5% in constant currency) and represented 56.2% of the total revenue versus the 52.3% it represented last year.  

Net income for the full year was $312 million, increasing from the $149 million made the year before.

Operating income went down, coming in at $217 million this year compared to $222 million last year. The operating margin went down 5.4%, compared to 6.2% last year due to being "driven by higher revenue which was more than offset by increased investment in A&R and marketing as well as higher SG&A expenses including for variable compensation, restructuring and facilities expenses related to the Los Angeles office consolidation," the company stated.

For the quarter, net loss for the entire quarter was $13 million, a decrease from the $38 million net loss in the prior year quarter.

Revenue rose 13.3 % (14.8% in constant currency,) and digital revenue went up, growing 21.4 % (23.1% in constant currency.)

Recorded music revenue rose 12.5 % for the quarter. According to Variety, Cooper credited the success of recorded music to Cardi B, Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars and The Greatest Showman soundtrack (on Atlantic) and Dua Lipa, Lil Pump and Bebe Rexha (on Warner Bros., as well as Dan and Shay (on Nashville).

A decline in recorded music physical revenue somewhat offset the "growth in Recorded Music digital, licensing and artist services and expanded-rights revenue and growth in Music Publishing digital, performance, synchronization and mechanical revenue were partially offset by a decline in Recorded Music physical revenue."

For a look at the complete report, go here.

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