The former MD of Spotify U.K. and Ireland, Tom Connaughton, has joined growing independent distributor Canvas Music as Partner and Senior Adviser.

The company has also signed a long-term JV with its U.S. partner, Symphonic Distribution.

Connaughton exited Spotify at the end of 2023 after nearly six years at the streaming platform. Beforehand, he was SVP of Creative Content & Programming for Vevo.

Canvas Music Founder and Chief Executive Richard Lyne, pictured (left) with Connaughton, described his new hire as “a world-class executive who will bring a level of knowledge and experience to the company that we could only have dreamt of when we launched.”

He continued, “In a crowded market, it’s time to do distribution differently. The aim for us is to provide a great service with a great product but with more focus and less volume. Tom is exactly the sort of person we need to help us grow and achieve those goals.”

The U.K.-based Music Managers Forum has appointed Niamh Byrne, co-founder of Eleven Management, and Jill Hollywood, founder and MD of Echo Beach Management, as its new Chair and Vice Chair, respectively.

Byrne (pictured) and Hollywood succeed Paul Craig and Kwame Kwaten, who stood down last month after completing two three-year terms.

“Niamh and Jill are two of the U.K.’s most respected music managers. In addition to building enormously successful businesses, both have contributed greatly to the MMF Board over recent years. As our new Chair and Vice Chair, I’m really looking forward to working more closely with them as a source of support, expertise and inspiration building on the legacy of Paul and Kwame," said Music Managers Forum Chief Executive Annabella Coldrick.

In 2011, Byrne co-founded Eleven Management with Régine Moylett, achieving commercial and creative successes with Damon Albarn, Gorillaz, Blur and Graham Coxon. They’ve subsequently invited new artists, and managers, to join the team, adding The WAEVE, Riz Ahmed, Bashy, Bastille, Naomi Scott and Meyy to their roster.

Hollywood is one of the U.K.’s leading producer/writer-focused managers. After more than a decade at Big Life Management, she founded Echo Beach Management in 2016. Her current roster includes Ash Howes, Cameron Blackwood and Jacknife Lee, among many others.

A new London-based label, Heatwave Records, has arrived, helmed by former Syco Music MD Tyler Brown and Harold Serero, who until recently held a senior A&R role at Ultra Music Publishing and Payday Records.

Focused on signing artists from emerging markets, the label describes itself as “borderless” and aims to connect the dots for music worldwide, nurture a global audience for its artists and produce global hits.

Heatwave Records has enjoyed early success with Nigerian artist Fido’s track “Awolowo” going to #1 at Spotify viral, Apple Nigeria, Shazam Nigeria and Spotify Nigeria.

The label has also announced the signings of Ivory Coast artist døpelym, whose track “Guala” went #40 on Shazam in France and Top 10 on the viral chart, and Firstklaz from Nigeria, whose “Gen-Z Area” went Top 20 on the viral chart there.

Andrew Birchall has been hired in an A&R role, and there are plans to build a creative presence in several key territories around the world before the end of the year.

Discussing the inspiration for the label, Serero, who oversaw Payday’s African music division, said, “Countries like Nigeria, South Africa and India have some of the most vibrant and ambitious music communities in the world. At any given moment, there are hundreds if not thousands of artists competing for a place at the top. The songs, the melodies, the engagement of the music community, it’s unmatched. The artists we are talking to each day are so ambitious and are pushing the boundaries of creativity in new ways. Heatwave is a celebration of the simple fact that any artist from any country can rise to the top."

Breakthrough British singer-songwriter Myles Smith has found a new home at Sony Music Publishing, which has inked him to a global deal.

The Luton native and RCA signee has amassed more than 26m monthly listeners on Spotify and more than 1.3m TikTok followers, thanks to the success of songs such as "Stargazing" and "Solo." The former scored Smith his first U.K. Top 20 single earlier this year.

"I’m grateful for their belief in my music and looking forward to sharing more of my story with the world," Smith said of the SMP partnership. Added SMP U.K. Senior Director of A&R Saul Fitton, "Myles is a once-in-a-generation talent, with exceptional drive and dedication."

The artist is touring North America through early November. He'll return next year for another run beginning 3/31 in Vancouver.

Pictured collectively ignoring HITS' emails are SMP’s David Ventura, Eric Parker (manager, Extended Play Group), SMP’s Megan Fitzsimons, Smith, Paul Jeboda (management) and Fitton.

U.K.-based music company ATC Group has launched a transatlantic promotions company, Circa. It will be led by Matt Black (right), the former MD of Your Army’s American office.

Operating from Los Angeles, New York and London, Circa will assume the operations and services of Your Army America. It promises to deliver unique, fully integrated marketing and promo campaigns with an extended team and international reach.

Circa’s London office will be headed by Charlie Reid (left), who joins as General Manager following stints at Your Army, Decca, EMI and Columbia.

The rebranded American business will continue active campaigns for acts including Justice, Kelly Lee Owens, Disclosure, Milky Chance, Alice Merton and deadmau5.

Circa will operate as part of ATC Group’s Services division, alongside synchronization specialists Familiar Music Group, brand partnerships agencies companyX and Simpatico, digital studio [namethemachine] and merchandise company Sandbag.

ATC Group also encompasses divisions in artist management (with clients including The Smile, PJ Harvey, Yaeji, Nick Cave, Johnny Marr and Bring Me the Horizon through Raw Power Management), live booking agency ATC Live, music promoter Joy Entertainment Group and livestream specialists Driift and ATC Experience.

The launch of Circa presents the Group with the opportunity to further support Matt, Charlie and the team as they continue to build a successful and influential marketing and promotions agency, activating highly regarded campaigns for a host of amazing clients," said ATC Group CEO Adam Driscoll.

Annual recorded music revenues in the EU in 2023 reached €5.2b, according to a new report from the IFPI, which details how the region stacks up globally.

Last year, the revenue figure grew by 8.7%, which lags behind the global growth rate of 10.2%. It’s also significantly below growth seen in regions such as China, where revenue rose by 25.9% to €1.3b, and Mexico, which recorded an 18.2% increase to €454m.

The EU still sits behind the US at #1 in the list of total recorded music revenues by region for last year. The latter tallied €10.2b, with Japan taking third place with €2.5b and the U.K. fourth with €1.7b.

When adjusted for inflation, IFPI’s stats say that revenues in the EU are 61% of where they were in 2001. The US tallied 80% of its 2001 revenues last year, while Japan had 71% and the U.K. 61%.

In the 22 EU markets where the IFPI collects yearly chart data, on average, 60% of the Top 10s were tracks by domestic artists. That stat drops to 47% in non-EU markets.

When it comes to exports, other parts of the world are more successful. For instance, France’s David Guetta (pictured) is the only act who made an appearance on a Top 10 chart (Canada) outside of the region in 2023.

Naturally, the report comes with a call to action from politicians. IFPI CEO Victoria Oakley said, “The data in this report shows us that other parts of the world are developing and growing rapidly and the EU risks falling behind. Policymakers have an opportunity to help us to rectify this: by ensuring there is a well-functioning internal market, providing legal certainty and protection for music rightsholders, supporting the development of responsible and ethical AI and creating a competitive playing field on which today’s dynamic music sector can evolve.”

Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” (Island) has been named the U.K.’s song of the summer by the Official Charts Company after shifting 800k in sales across the last three months.

The track takes first place on the OCC’s seasonal Top 10 with 92.25m streams. It spent seven non-consecutive weeks at #1 on the singles chart and is also the summer’s biggest seller on physical formats.

Carpenter’s “Please Please Please” takes second place, while “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” (American Dogwood/EMPIRE) by Shaboozey is #3. “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” (Darkroom/Interscope) by Billie Eilish and Hozier’s first U.K. #1 single, “Too Sweet” (Island), round out the Top 5.

With his “Stargazing” (RCA) at #7, Myles Smith joins Hozier as the only two British/Irish talents in the Top 10, with the remaining releases coming from U.S. artists.

UMG has seven of the 10 songs, followed by Sony and Warner with one apiece.

As for HITS, the only thing we did this summer is try not to work.

Official Songs of the Summer 2024 - Top 10:

1. “Espresso” (Island), Sabrina Carpenter
2. “Please Please Please,” Sabrina Carpenter
3. “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” (American Dogwood/EMPIRE), Shaboozey
4. “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” (Darkroom/Interscope), Billie Eilish
5. “Too Sweet” (Island), Hozier
6. “Houdini” (Interscope), Eminem
7. “Stargazing” (RCA), Myles Smith
8. “Beautiful Things” (Warner Records), Benson Boone
9. “Good Luck, Babe!” (Island), Chappell Roan
10. “I Had Some Help” (Republic), Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen

The expensive and lengthy process British musicians face to be able to tour in the EU won't ease anytime soon, according to report in the Financial Times.

Despite much lobbying from the industry to improve the situation caused by Brexit, which has resulted in costly permits and bureaucracy, the EU has reportedly ruled out making any changes.

The process of doing so, according to documents seen by the FT, would require a revision to the EU-U.K. Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which the European Commission has said it’s not prepared to consider.

However, there's still reason to be hopeful. Jon Collins, the CEO of live industry trade body LIVE, said changes could be made without a revision to the agreement and that there is “renewed impetus from both sides to solve this issue,” while recognizing that negotiations are needed to find a solution.

He continued, “It is widely recognised that improvements to these touring rules are needed to bring major economic and cultural benefits to both European member states and the U.K.”