Big changes ahead?

The action at Sony Music under new leader Doug Morris has been closely followed and well-publicized, after less than two months under his belt at the top spot, with the recent somewhat brackish news consisting of new appointments and promotions as well as layoffs at the label group. Last week saw reporting that two more senior Jive executives who were thought to be heading to the new Epic label group under L.A. Reid, are instead leaving the building. Now it seems time for the dueling plot lines at Universal Music Group under Lucian Grainge to take the spotlight for a moment, with the CEO giving his first “major” interview to the New York Post (whose music biz coverage has continued to ramp up), appearing over the weekend. Grainge’s comments focused almost entirely on his A&R philosophy and conflict-based management style, saying “I’ve always liked to work in a state of creative conflict. It doesn’t mean you fall out with people in your company or an artist; it’s about discussing a song or direction.” Also emphasizing a “completely global approach,” which coincides with the naming yesterday of Andrew Kronfeld to a newly created position of President, Global Marketing. More new appointments include Karen Kwak to Executve Vice President, Head of A&R at the newly forming Island Def Jam Music Group, a promotion from previous senior A&R positions at the label, while Roc Nation producer No I.D. has been handed EVP A&R stripes at Def Jam Records. However, other comments from Grainge might be a different kind of omen, with word of layoffs in the A&R department at Interscope Records coming at the close of last week. Some insiders are indicating that label chief Jimmy Iovine, whose name could be considered synonymous with the Interscope brand, is losing interest in running the label and becoming more and more interested in outside ventures. Observers are curious what Grainge’s move would be if his resident hit-maker were to depart of his own accord, and who might be in line for his seat? Stay tuned…

CBS to relaunch site

An article on the New York Times Media Decoder blog yesterday claims that Apple now has agreements in place with Universal Music Publishing and Sony/ATV for its cloud service, while a report in the New York Post this morning has Apple with deals now in place with “all labels and their publishing units,” which would include EMI Music Publishing and Warner/Chappell Music as well. The Post story, citing sources, also pegs advance payments of between $25 and $50 million going to each label, which it points out, would likely mean that Google will have to pay even higher upfront fees going back to the bargaining table. Multiple reports have the iCloud service probably being free at first to customers purchasing music from the iTunes store, with a subscription price later being tacked on, presumably when the service is expanded beyond just music purchased from iTunes. While all the talk has centered around negotiations with the major music groups, in what appears to be the first public comment from independent labels, today Billboard has an editorial piece from Merlin CEO Charles Caldas addressing indies being once again left out of the conversation… Meanwhile, CBS is planning on relaunching MP3.com this summer, which it acquired as part of its purchase of Cnet Group… Pandora has set its IPO price at between $7 and $9, a public offering that would end up valuing the company at over $1 billion…  And Interscope Records has announced a new label endeavor with producer Alex Da Kid called KIDinaKORNER. Da Kid’s recent hits include Eminem’s “Love the Way You Lie” and B.O.B’s “Airplanes”… Those in the know expect to see more hit-producer helmed labels soon being launched from the top music groups, as they continue to be reshaped after recent executive shake-ups…

the Beats goes on

Executive shuffling continues as the year-end countdown proceeds, with the Hollywood Reporter revealing that longtime A&R executive Jeff Fenster is departing his SVP post at Jive Records, where he was most recently tasked with overseeing the Idol signings. He is presumed to be heading to a new senior-level creative position within Warner Music… Also, a recent bit of activity within Universal Music Group that was overlooked in all the scuttlebutt, is A&R hitter Luke Wood’s exit from his EVP post at Interscope Records to assume a new position within Jimmy Iovine’s Beats sector. Stocking stuffers anyone? Most expect more quiet moves within UMG to continue ahead of Lucian Grainge’s official crowning as CEO in January… Stay tuned.

Notable Music Signs Aja West

SXSW billboard buzz-act Neon Indian has signed to Fader Label according to Billboard – the Cornerstone-backed label digitally re-releases the debut album, Psychic Chasms today… In related news, IAMSOUND Records has announced they will release albums this September from Salem, whose infamously interrupted performance at the Fader Fort during SXSW this year was well covered in the blogosphere, and Brooklyn’s Restless People, who were featured as a ‘Band to Watch’ on Stereogum last week… Helping you stay ahead of the indie-curve is the new interactive buzz-chart over at the Guardian that tracks 2010’s most hyped acts (in the UK at least) – Atlanta’s Washed Out currently leads the pack… More signing news from Notable Music as the boutique pubco announces the addition of Aja West and Chico Mann to their roster through the recent JV with Brooklyn-based Wax Poetics. West has been creating and syncing music for over a decade and has worked with luminaries such as trombonist Fred Wesley (James Brown), Headhunters rhythm section Mike Clark and Paul Jackson, and keyboard wizard Money Mark (Beastie Boys), while Mann aka Marcos “Marquitos” Garcia is the guitarist for the Brooklyn Afrobeat collective Antibalas, and is now branching out on his own… Interscope Records is holding open auditions in Austin, TX tomorrow (June 9) in search of a male Americana/Country/Rock-Pop singer. Get more info here. Similar auditions were held last fall in Nashville resulting in a new forthcoming project from the label…

Justin Bieber 2.0?

Which major-label A&R player caused quite a stir in the Greyson Chance camp after making an 11^th-hour trip to Oklahoma, tracking down the YouTube “sensation” in hopes of signing the 12-year old before Interscope Records closed it down?

Meanwhile, label folks are questioning the timeline of the viral video and recent publicity blitz that supposedly resulted in Chance getting a record deal. Some A&R folks share that the kid was already signed prior to his television appearance on Ellen, and the whole thing was rigged, while other label execs shared…real or not, with so many eyes on the young singer, if it was staged, the move was genius!