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Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones 

Photo: Frederick M. Brown/FilmMagic

News
Quincy Jones Honored By The AAFCA quincy-jones-receive-special-achievement-honor-african-american-film-critics

Quincy Jones To Receive Special Achievement Honor From The African-American Film Critics Association

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Music’s beloved Renaissance man and film producer Jason Blum are the latest additions to the AAFCA's 2019 honorees
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jan 14, 2019 - 12:24 pm

GRAMMY-winning music legend Quincy Jones will receive a Special Achievement honor from the African-American Film Critics Association, the largest group of black film critics.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Jones and film producer Jason Blum are the latest additions to the AAFCA's 2019 honorees and will be honored on Feb. 6 at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood.

"Quincy Jones is a cultural icon," AAFCA co-founder Shawn Edwards said in a statement. "For nearly 70 years, he has helped shape pop culture as a music composer and producer as well as a film/TV composer and producer. His creative influence is unparalleled. He has molded the arts, film and music with a force that we may never witness again in our lifetime and given back all along the way."

The two will be celebrated along with the AAFCA's best picture winner Black Panther.

Netflix executive Tengo Nagenda, early jazz cornetist Buddy Bolden, searching director Aneesh Chaganty and HBO's Kelly Edwards are among other recipients who will have their own ceremony on Feb. 2.

Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: Angela Aguilar On Her Culture And Family Legacy

Music Festival AUS

Photo: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

News
Australia's Pill Testing Debate Heats Up australias-pill-testing-debate-heats-following-music-festival-deaths

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

Little Richard

Photo: Sonia Moskowitz/IMAGES/Getty Images

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Remember These Unexpected GRAMMY Moments? unexpected-grammy-moments-little-richard-evanescence-more

Unexpected GRAMMY Moments: Little Richard, Evanescence & More

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You never know what’ll happen during Music’s Biggest Night
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Dec 28, 2018 - 8:42 am

Every year, noted music veterans, up-and-coming artists and everyone in between come together under one roof at the GRAMMY Awards to recognize some of the industry's most talented individuals. But with so many personalities in the room, you never know what could happen!

As 2018 draws to a close and we inch closer to the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 10, we're looking back at some of the most surprising moments that have taken place on the GRAMMYs stage.

7 Unexpected GRAMMY On-Stage Moments

For starters, at the 30th GRAMMY Awards in 1988, pop icon Little Richard didn't exactly stick to the script when he was announcing the Best New Artist Award alongside proto-punk king Buster Poindexter.

Clad in a tan suit and aviators, Little Richard cracked: "And the Best New Artist is… Me!" Fortunately, the crowd loved it and broke into uproarious laughter.

READ: Sinatra To The Chipmunks: 7 Things To Know About The 1st GRAMMY Awards

"I have never received nothing,” he continued. “Ya'll ain't never give me no GRAMMY. And I've been singing for years. I am the architect of rock and roll."

Another unexpected moment happened when Taylor Swift was not present to accept her Best Pop Vocal Album win for 1989 during the 58th GRAMMY Awards in 2016. Jack Antonoff, who wrote and produced a number of songs on the album, went onstage to accept the award and phoned Swift to let her know.

"She's gonna freak, hold on," Antonoff says as the phone rings.

"Hello," Taylor answers.

60th GRAMMYs: What You Didn't See On TV

"Taylor, it’s Jack. I'm not doing a bit. We just won Pop Vocal Album."

"What!?" she replies as the crowd cheers. "We won!!" Taylor can be heard over the cheering crowd.

What’ll happen at the 2019 show? Tune in to the 61st GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 10 to find out, and click on the video above to watch more unexpected GRAMMY moments from years past.

Dionne Warwick, Donny Hathaway & More To Receive Special Merit Awards

GRAMMYs

Mariah Carey

Photo: Mat Hayward/Getty Images for Sugar Factory American Brasserie

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"All I Want For Christmas" Breaks Streaming Record mariah-careys-all-i-want-christmas-breaks-streaming-record

Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas" Breaks Streaming Record

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The song broke a one-day streaming record with over 10.8 million streams on Christmas Eve
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Dec 27, 2018 - 12:40 pm

If there was any doubt that Mariah Carey is the queen of modern Christmas songs, a streaming record broken by "All I Want For Christmas Is You" leaves no doubt.

The popular Christmas song, created in 1994, that comes back every holiday season broke Spotify's one-day streaming record with over 10.8 million streams ramping up the Christmas cheer on Dec. 24.

Wait... What?!  https://t.co/C2zw3hGQeK

— Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) December 25, 2018

The all-time record on the leading streaming platform was previously held by late rapper XXXTentacion whose song "SAD!" reached 10.4 million streams on June 19, a day after his death.

"All I Want For Christmas Is You" has become the big hit of the GRAMMY winner's Merry Christmas album, and as of 2017 has earned $60 million in streaming royalties, according to Rolling Stone.

"It’s kind of amazing to me because I wrote it just out of love for Christmas and like really loving Christmas music," Carey said in 2015 of the song's success.

Co-producer and co-writer Walter Afanasieff told Billboard in 2014 that he did not at all expect the song's success when the album came out.

"[Twenty] years ago, Christmas music and Christmas albums by artists weren’t the big deal that they are today," he said. "To think of it as a single that’s going to No. 1, that’s going to drive an album…we didn’t have an inkling of that. That’s not what the time was. That’s what made it such a modern phenomenon: Because it’s not like 'White Christmas' or 'Jingle Bells' – the song doesn’t have any of those traditional elements, but it became a huge pop hit."

Carey's Christmas album also holds other popular songs including her version "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," which reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200.

All-Star Lineup To Pay Tribute At "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen of Soul"

GRAMMYs

Photo by Jared Siskin/Getty Images for Warner Music Group

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Warner Music Group Revenue Exceeds Company History warner-music-groups-2018-revenue-exceeds-company-history

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.

Dionne Warwick, Donny Hathaway & More To Receive Special Merit Awards

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Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.