Butterfly Yusuf/Cat Stevens

Record of the Day - In tune. Informed. Indispensable.

In tune. Informed. Indispensable. Wednesday 8 April 2020

Butterfly Yusuf/Cat Stevens Cat-O-Log Records Released: Single: Out now/Album: Back To Earth reissue 17 April 2020

We say The music of Yusuf/Cat Stevens is the soundtrack to our collective lives over the past five decades. His back catalogue is peerless, with songs like Wild World, Morning Has Broken, Father & Son and countless others all shining like shimmering beacons on any playlist of the greatest acoustic singer-songwriter anthems of all time. That distinctive voice sounds effortlessly cool here. Give it a play, and you’ll immediately want to fling open your windows and let the sunshine through, as lovely little flourishes and clever musical motifs are sprinkled throughout this soulful number. It appears on the 2020 super deluxe edition of his 1978 album Back To Earth, his final LP under his previous name, which features a re-mastered version of the album at Abbey Road, rare demos from the period and material from UNICEF’s 1979 Year of the Child concert. Exquisitely-produced by Paul Samwell-Smith, it’s a quality piece of songwriting that didn’t make the original release as it was deemed too “pop”, but has lost none of its charm in the years that have followed. In fact, time has arguably enhanced how good it sounds. Yusuf's charity of choice is UNICEF: "It was always my first choice for donating to charity. Because of its neutrality and focus on children I became involved with it in 1973. The people I know who worked there all had a fervent belief in the oneness of this world, and the vital need of saving the most innocent and weakest newcomers of humanity”. Sound Advice has curated a 'dawn to dusk' Spotify playlist focussing on tracks about family and charity from its roster and friends. The playlist comprises many Sound Advice clients, known and unknown. Songs have been selected by: Small Green Shoots, Abram Wilson Foundation, Help Musicians, Tomorrow’s Warriors, BRIT School, Drake YolanDa Award, #workingparents, a song kindly donated by Jonny of Snow Patrol (represented by Sheridans) and a few personal favourites of the curator such as Van Morrison and Al Green. Contact Label: Cat-O-Log Records Publishing: Andy Godfrey, BMG Digital Distribution: Chris Presland, AWAL Press: Jack Delaney, Outside Organisation Legal: Robert Horsfall, Sound Advice

HEADLINES Apple Music to make $50m advance fund available for independent labels and distributors (see News) Sony launches Dream Life label (see Business)

RESOURCES & CHARITIES, AND A VIRTUAL FESTIVAL Sound Advice, which marks its 12th anniversary this week, highlights a few worthwhile charities deserving of your support, a few of the resources available to artists and the industry, and a virtual festival to look forward to this Bank Holiday Monday. Big tunes for little people, inspiring children and supporting adults. Who says music for children has to be babyish? Musical Dots create original music that children love.  "We compose, we perform and we teach. We founded Musical Dots after becoming frustrated that the quality of music written for children did not match the quality of commercial music they are surrounded by. With pop lyrics becoming increasingly inappropriate for little ears we decided to write our own unique songs to bridge the gap between nursery rhymes and pop songs.”  PiPA. Parents & Carers in Performing Arts. PiPA enables and empowers parents, carers and employers to achieve sustainable change in attitudes and practices in order to attract, support and retain a more diverse and flexible workforce. Help Musicians offer practical, positive support to emerging, professional and retired musicians – whatever the genre. Favourite charity of Tileyard Music and RotD: Small Green Shoots aims to give young people from disadvantaged backgrounds an opportunity to engage with music and the arts, and to use these experiences as a springboard for their future. We've supported them for years and seen real results.  CALM: After running their successful Instagram Live Event, CALM Lock-In, last Friday, the well-being charity is highlighting their CALM Collectives, where people can get together over shared passions online.  Front Room Festival: On Bank Holiday Monday (13 April), Folk on Foot podcast are planning to host a virtual festival, featuring artists Bella Hardy, Jon Boden, Julie Fowlis, Sam Lee, Seth Lakeman and more. The event is set to take place on its YouTube and Facebook channel if they meet their crowdfunding campaign. All proceeds will be divided equally between Help Musicians UK and participating artists. (Folk on Foot)  Coronavirus support and relief funds for artists: AEFM, AIM, Arts Council, BPI, Help Musicians, Musicians' Union, PRS for Music, UK Music

BUSINESS Sony Music has launched a new label, Dream Life Records, with a focus on finding urban and pop talent and run by Dan Owusu, Lunick Bourgess and Shane Derozario. (RotD, Billboard) Podcast host Audioboom reported record quarterly revenues - up 40% to $6.4m in the first quarter. Shares rose 13% to 176p. (Times p43, Standard p20, Mail p66)

NEWS AND FEATURES Apple Music is quietly making a $50m advance fund available for independent labels and distributors, to support the indie sector with vital cashflow during the uncertainty of global Covid-19 lockdown. (MBW, Billboard) Music Venue Trust warns that the financial impact of lockdown means more than 500 sites may never reopen when it is lifted. Just 17% of sites are financially secure for the next two months without money coming in. (TelegraphBusiness p3)  Dua Lipa's new album broke three global records on Spotify during its first week of release: The most streamed album in a day (or first day) by a British female artist 1. globally on the platform; 2. in the UK; 3. in the US. (OCC, RotD)

DIGITAL Analytics platform Songstats tracks data from streaming services but also Beatport, Traxsource and 1001Tracklists. (MusicAlly) Music website platform Bandzoogle claimed members have sold more than $60m in music, merch, and tickets commission-free. (Hypebot) Jazz re:freshed’s SXSW artists from the British Music Embassy Sessions are now available in HD video with MQA audio on Tidal. (RotD)

COMMENT, OPINION AND ANALYSIS During the coronavirus crisis, musicians are taking to social media to broadcast gigs from home. But is anyone earning any money from them, and is this sustainable? (NewStatesman - Ellen Peirson-Hagger)  Labels, venues, studios, artists and road crews are all under threat as the pandemic brings everything to a halt. Those affected talk about how we protect this jewel in the crown. (Independent - Helen Brown) Is Spotify stock a buy right now? "The long-term story is still very much intact for Spotify. So, if you liked Spotify stock when it was around $150 per share, you should definitely like it around $120 per share". (Fool)

DEALS Mushroom Music Publishing in Australia has signed Laura Marling to a publishing deal. (TMN)

MEDIA Jazz FM will be celebrating 'UK Music Day' throughout Easter Monday, featuring British musicians or those who call the UK their home. (RotD) RADIO 09.30 Radio 2 Ken Bruce - with Alesha Dixon 14.00 Radio 2 Steve Wright - with Justin Timberlake LIVE STREAM 19.00 Kjartan Lauritzen - Verftet Online Music Festival - YouTube 20.00 SG Lewis Levi's 5:01 Live - Instagram PODCAST Author Paul Gorman talks about his new book, The Life & Times of Malcolm McLaren (RocksBackPages, Apple) How Covid-19 has impacted entertainment demand and consumer behaviours and what businesses can expect moving forwards. (16.00 Midia webinar) Submit your music podcasts and livestreams for inclusion in RotD.

ARTIST AND MUSIC FEATURES The MMF pays tribute to James Fisher, who served as General Secretary from 1992 to 2002. He died of Covid-19 last week. (RotD) XL Recordings boss Richard Russell has a glittering CV but is going back into the studio to make a ‘rave album’. (FT - Ludovic Hunter-Tilney) Tim's Twitter Listening Party: Tim Burgess on the power of listening to music ‘together, apart’. (BBC) Over the past year, TikTok has been responsible for the rise of several chart-topping hits. Now, artists like Drake are going to the platform to give their singles a very early boost. (RollingStone) Dua Lipa spent years preparing to release her anticipated second LP. Should she — and could she — do it during a pandemic? (NYTimes)  Pumping out feelgood pop from their home, Oh Wonder are the duo of the moment and also experts on intimacy. (Times2 p11 - Ed Potton) Rapper Naira Marley: 'A big bum is better than qualifications in Nigeria'. (Guardian - Yomi Adegoke) For one summer 25 years ago, it was hard not to feel something special was happening. Speaking to some of the bands who were there from the very beginning – including The Boo Radleys and Echobelly – Ed Power explores the definitive starting point of Britpop, an era that brought us Blur, Elbow and Elastica (Independent)  OCD has long been misrepresented in pop culture but now artists from George Ezra to rapper NF are opening up about their struggles. (Independent - James McMahon) In new book Glitter Up the Dark: How Pop Music Broke the Binary, Sasha Geffen explores music’s new gender nonconformists. (Guardian) Sounds we’re loving this week: Laurel Halo, Orkesta Mendoza, Bill Withers, Cadet, & Fountains of Wayne. (Metro p22 - David Bennun)

SHOWBIZ AND NEWS Americana legend and revered singer-songwriter John Prine has died from complications of Covid-19, aged 73. (HR, Guardian, Guardian, Telegraph)  Hal Willner, the respected producer who worked with Lou Reed and Marianne Faithfull, has died at the age of 64, possibly of Covid-19. (RollingStone, Independent)  British rapper Black The Ripper has reportedly died at the age of 32. (Telegraph, iNews) The Empire, Coventry, has announced a plan to move its club and live music operations to Coventry City Centre, potentially doubling its audience capacity to 1800. (RotD) Post Malone is facing a new lawsuit from musician and songwriter Tyler Armes, who claims he was not properly credited or paid for the work he did on Post’s hit single, Circles. (RollingStone) DIY Magazine is to host DIYsolation Festival, streaming live on DIY's Instagram channel over three days this Easter weekend. It will feature Pale Waves, Marika Hackman, Peace, Self Esteem and more. (RotD) Cliff Richard is demanding that radio stations give established acts like him preferential treatment so that younger generations can discover them. “Those of us who have proven ourselves over and over and over again should be given a priority chance [on radio], even if it’s to say ‘We are going to play this record once a day for two weeks’,” he told the Greatest Music of All Time podcast. (Times p21) Elton John has launched a $1m fund to help protect those who have HIV during the coronavirus pandemic. (Independent)  X Factor's Janet Devlin, who came fifth in 2011, opens up about her alcohol addiction. (Facebook) George Ezra says he has Houseparty anxiety as some of his "friends have quite dubious friends" and doesn't want "to be spending [his] evenings with these people". (Standard p14) Jon Bon Jovi pictured washing up at his JBJ Soul Kitchen charity restaurant in Red Bank, New Jersey. (Star p17) Justin Timberlake has revealed felt enormous pressure while creating the soundtrack for the second Trolls movie. (iNews p3) Reported yesterday, Charli XCX is going to make a brand new album from scratch while in isolation. (Standard p14) Reported yesterday, The World Health Organisation and Global Citizen announced One World: Together at Home, an international special airing 18 April to support and applaud healthcare workers in the fight against Covid-19. (Express p8, iNews p10) Previously reported, Tom Watson has been appointed as the new Chair of UK Music. (Times p18) Sun Bizarre: Kim Petras is gearing up to release a single next month from her new album. Jesy Nelson pictured soaking up some rays yesterday. Jennifer Lopez is changing her wedding plans due to coronavirus. Zayn is spending the lockdown with his girlfriend Gigi Hadid at her mother's farm. Selena Gomez is releasing a deluxe edition of her album Rare tomorrow. Charli XCX is recruiting fans to help her create her next album. Flume says Avicii's death in 2018 was a wake-up call.  Star Wired: Robbie Williams is to show off his paintings in an exhibition. Boy George is using his new BGP record label to turn drag stars into pop queens. Martin Kemp is offering NHS workers free tickets to his winter DJ tour. Drake has previewed more unreleased music on OVO Mark's Instagram Live. Megan Thee Stallion says she sometimes "treat men like they're disposable". Singer Victoria Justice celebrated her 10th anniversary of her iconic Nickelodeon show Victorious. Anne-Marie's sister Sam surprised her live on air by calling into Heart Breakfast show to wish her Happy Birthday. Busted are working on the ultimate lockdown single. Lady Gaga fears turning 40, after 34 birthday. Leigh-Anne Pinnock has become a TikTok addict.  Metro Guilty Pleasures: Tones and I singer Toni Watson has revealed in Q magazine that she is still stunned by her success. Flume has admitted he nearly quit to avoid ending up like Avicii. Lewis Capaldi keeps getting interrupted by his mum with memes while trying to write his second album. Lady Gaga has curated The One World concert on 18 April. Selena Gomez says her love life is on hold at the moment.

REVIEWS LIVE Light in the Attic livestream, with Jarvis Cocker (Times - 4* Will Hodgkinson)

INTERNATIONAL NEWS Paradigm Chairman/CEO Sam Gores issued a letter to remaining staff in an effort to show more "compassion" to employees affected by temporary layoffs and reduced pay. (Hits)

THE BIGGER PICTURE Magazine publishers fear a drop in advertising revenue of up to 95% in the coming quarter, the Professional Publishers’ Association has claimed. (PressGazette) The Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) announced the addition of two new Scholarships, Sylvia Massy and Eighth Day, to its annual Scholarship programme. (RotD) Greater London night czar Amy Lamé has written to each of the city region’s local authorities requesting they suspend collection of annual licence and late-night levy fees for a year. (MorningAdvertiser) Twitter CEO and Square Chairman/Co-Founder Jack Dorsey announced that he will donate $1bn of his Square equity — roughly 28% of his wealth — to fund global Covid-19 relief. (Guardian) Google’s UK staff earned an average of £234,000 each last year as the tech firm paid more than £1bn in wages and a share scheme – but only £44m in UK corporation tax. (Guardian) It increased UK staff numbers by almost 800 to 4,439 last year.

Record of the Day   Paul Scaife    Joe Taylor Kevin Marston Lee Thompson Ruth Kilpatrick Edited by Kevin Marston and Paul Scaife +44 (0)20 8223 1224 Record of the Day is a trading name of Music Today Ltd, a company registered in England under registration number 4546152; registered office: 4 Green Lanes, London N16 9NB