Music Week is excited to reveal London Grammar as our September cover stars.
The chart-topping band return next month with their long-awaited fourth studio album, The Greatest Love, a brilliant, uncompromising record marking a new era for the stars. In a candid conversation that takes in the realities of touring and being a parent in the music industry, Hannah Reid and Dan Rothman are joined by Ministry Of Sound’s Dipesh Parmar and Tap Music’s Tony Beard and Liv Plunket to go deep on how they’re preparing for the group’s most adventurous chapter yet...
Meanwhile, The Music Week Interview this month features Radio 1 boss and master of the airwaves, Aled Haydn Jones, who celebrates the station’s triumphant win at this year’s Music Week Awards and talks up-and-coming acts, developing broadcasters and why radio’s role in the modern music industry is just as vital as ever.
Also in our features section, Warner Chappell Music’s EVP, MD, and head of international A&R Shani Gonzales and senior vice president Amber Davis reflect on how they beat the competition in the Publisher Of The Year category at the Music Week Awards, open up about why their partnership works so well and share their thoughts on everything from breaking new acts to the challenges posed by AI.
Elsewhere, the Black Music Coalition’s chair and co-founder Sheryl Nwosu introduces five of this year’s Excellence Honourees, who outline the many ways in which the BMC is changing the industry for the better, as it addresses anti-Black systemic racism throughout the business, pushes for equality and celebrates members of the Black music community.
Up next, Snow Patrol unveil their first record in six years, The Forest Is The Path. Joined by Polydor president Ben Mortimer and managers Ryan Lofthouse and Paul McDonald of Closer Artists, frontman Gary Lightbody tells the story of how the record came to life, talks working with Fraser T Smith and looks ahead to the future of one of the UK’s biggest-selling groups.
Finally in our features section, The Orchard team share the marketing secrets that led to their Music Week Artist Marketing Campaign win with Raye, and talk life within Sony Music, breaking artists and Ian Dutt’s journey from “dreadful” house producer to president.
In Hitmakers, Natasha Bedingfield discusses the genesis of her noughties smash hit Unwritten and its return to the UK Top 20 this year, whilst in Aftershow Dexter Holland looks back on The Offspring’s ‘gnarly’ early gigs, making the biggest independent rock album of all time and hanging with Ed Sheeran in the leadup to the punk legends’ 11th record Supercharged.
In Mentor Me this month – a collaboration between Music Week and Girls I Rate – the one and only Taponeswa Mavunga shares her top five tips on how to build a successful career in the music business.
In the news section, we gather reflections on the legacy of the late SJM promoter Chris York while our Big Story sees Music Week research reveals how UK acts are facing pressure in the charts from US stars, and examines the development of domestic breakthrough talent. Plus! BBC Radio 2 bosses Helen Thomas and Jeff Smith look ahead to the return of Radio 2 In The Park.
Also in the front section, “nu gen” trailblazer Cassyette goes deep on her genre-bending new album This World F**king Sucks in Incoming whilst Luton-born rising star Myles Smith talks missing school lunch breaks, a surreal trip to Budapest and what success means to him in On The Radar. In this month’s Spotlight Q&A, UK Music’s CEO Tom Kiehl examines the effects of AI on the music business and lays out his hopes for the future of music education. There's all of that and much, much more.
The new issue of Music Week is available from August 20.
For subscription information please visit musicweek.com/subscribe.
