Harry Magee, left, and Richard Griffiths flank new Managing Director Sarah Gallagher.
Modest! Management has promoted Sarah Gallagher to managing director. Her appointment follows the departure of Will Bloomfield, who left in March.
Gallagher, who joined the company in 2009, reports directly to co-founders Richard Griffiths and Harry Magee. During her 14 years at Modest!, she has overseen campaigns from artists including Olly Murs and JLS.
Magee called Gallagher “an exceptional artist manager, a natural leader and mentor to those around her.”
“She combines her empathetic nature with the sound creative and commercial sensibilities needed in today's entertainment landscape.”
Griffiths added: "As Modest! continues to evolve, Harry and I started to discuss appointing a Managing Director to help us navigate our next chapter of growth. Fortunately, we didn't have to look far. Sarah epitomizes the values and quality of our management team and will be vital to galvanizing our future ambitions.”
In addition to Gallagher's promotion, Natalie Vassileiou has been promoted to operations director. In her new role, she will work alongside Gallagher to manage the day to day running of Modest!, which is celebrating 20 years in business this year.
Bloomfield spent 20 years at Modest! and was listed as a partner alongside Griffiths and Magee. While there, he worked with One Direction, 5 Seconds of Summer, MNEK and Mae Muller. Record of the Day reports that he’s currently taking time out to consider his next move.
Taylor Swift’s Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) (EMI) outsold the rest of this week’s Top 10 to become her 10th U.K. Official Albums #1. Over on singles, Dave and Central Cee score a sixth week at the top.
With 67k chart units, the re-recording of Speak Now more than doubled the sales of the opening week of the original, which peaked at #6 in 2010.
Swift is now the female solo artist to have claimed 10 chart-topping albums in the fastest succession in the U.K.. Her first, Red, hit #1 10 years and eight months ago in 2012.
New at #2 is the Wham! retrospective, The Singles: Echoes From the Edge of Heaven (Sony Music CG) followed by Gabriels at #3 with the second part of their debut, Angels & Queens–Part 2 (Parlophone). I Inside the Old Year Dying (Partisan) by PJ Harvey is also new, at #5. D-Block Europe’s newest self-released mixtape, DBE World, is their seventh Top 10 album at #6.
Following her headlining performance at BST Hyde Park, Lana Del Rey’s Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd. (Polydor) has jumped 50 places to #17.
On the U.K.’s Official Singles chart, “Sprinter” (Live Yours/Neighbourhood) by Dave and Central Cee is once again the country’s most-streamed track, tallying 8.2m this week. Olivia Rodrigo’s “vampire” (Geffen) remains at #2.
Swift has three tracks in the Top 20: “Cruel Summer” jumps three to #3; “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version)” debuts at #6; and “Enchanted (Taylor’s Version)” enters at #15.
Peggy Gou’s “(It Goes Like) Nanana” (XL) is up two to #5, while “0800 HEAVEN” (Atlantic) by Nathan Dawe, Joel Corry and Ella Henderson is also on the rise, up six to #9.
British artists are rallying against "crippling" merchandise fees taken by venues that can reach up to 25% of sales, according to the Featured Artist Coalition.
In an open letter, the U.K. organization says the “onerous and outdated commission rates are making live touring unsustainable.” The “excessive” fees, they say, can mean venues are making more money from merch than the artist themselves.
“This would be bad enough in the best of times, but after the financial pressures of lockdown, and now a full-blown cost of living crisis, it is simply unsustainable.”
The letter has been signed by more than 60 industry bodies and businesses, including the Musicians’ Union, Music Venues Trust, PRS for Music and the Music Managers Forum.
It calls for venues to back the following principles:
- Support acts must never be subject to commission charges on merchandise sales;
- Artists should be offered the option to staff and operate merchandise operations at their own shows;
- There must be no surprises for artists regarding commission rates when they get to the venue— rates must be agreed up front;
- Every show must be open to negotiation on merchandise commissions.
The letter follows on from a campaign launched by the FAC in 2022, which collated a public database of venues that charge no commissions on merchandise sales. Today, it’s launched a petition to spread wider awareness of the issue.
“Ironically, it is when artists step up to play bigger venues, and the moment their costs and opportunities increase, that the most crippling fees kick in,” David Martin, CEO of the Featured Artists Coalition, said. In many instances, venues have sold on or outsourced their merchandising rights to a third-party—meaning that fees appear “baked in” to employee costs, with little room for negotiation.
“It is these outdated contractual terms that we now intend to address, but, if every U.K. venue implemented the four pragmatic principles outlined in today’s open letter it would mark a significant step forward.”
Taylor Swift’s Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) (EMI) is outselling the rest of the U.K. Official Albums Top 10 at the halfway point. Over on singles, three Swift tracks are in the Top 10.
The re-recording of 2010’s Speak Now, which is set to become Swift’s 10th consecutive U.K. #1, shifted 48k sales over the weekend.
Wham! retrospective, The Singles: Echoes From the Edge of Heaven (Sony Music CG), is a new entry at #2 today.
One of the star acts at Glastonbury, Gabriels, are on track to enter at #3 with their debut, Angels & Queens - Part 1 (Parlophone).
I Inside the Old Year Dying (Partisan) by PJ Harvey is also new at #4. Following her headline performance at BST Hyde Park, Lana Del Rey’s Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd. (Polydor) has jumped to #5 from #67.
D-Block Europe’s newest self-released mixtape, DBE World, is expected to bow at #7.
On the U.K.’s Official Singles midweek chart, Swift’s “Mine (Taylor’s Version)” is the highest new entry at #4. “Better Than Revenge (Taylor’s Version)” follows at #7 and “Cruel Summer” at #8.
“Sprinter” (Live Yours/Neighbourhood) by Dave and Central Cee looks set to hold onto the top spot for a sixth week.
Peggy Gou’s “(It Goes Like) Nanana” (XL) is up two to #5, while “0800 HEAVEN” (Atlantic) by Nathan Dawe, Joel Corry and Ella Henderson is also on the rise, up five to #10.
Nothing But Thieves have their first U.K. Official Albums #1 while over on singles, Dave and Central Cee claim a fifth consecutive week at the top.
With their fourth set, Dead Club City (RCA), Nothing But Thieves have a career best, beating their previous high of #2 with 2017’s Broken Machine.
Elsewhere, the full-length debut of EMI act Olivia Dean, Messy, opens at #4. At #7 is Lil Uzi Vert’s Pink Tape (Mercury/UMR), while Fontaines D.C. frontman Grain Chatten lands at #10 with his debut solo album, Chaos for the Fly (Partisan).
Following the arrival of her new single, “vampire” (Geffen), Olivia Rodrigo’s SOUR rises 16 places to #16.
On the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart, despite strong competition from “vampire,” “Sprinter” (Live Yours/Neighbourhood) by Dave and Central Cee remains on top. The track tallied over 8m streams this week. Rodrigo’s “vampire” is the highest new entry today at #2.
Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” (EMI) ascends into the Top 10 for the first time today, rising six places to #6.
“(It Goes Like) Nanana” (XL) by DJ Peggy Gou is up two to #7, while the self-released “Pakistan” by D-Block Europe and Clavish lands straight in at #10.
British recorded music exports rose 20% to surpass £700m for the first time last year, according to new figures from the BPI.
In 2022, the trade body says the value of U.K. music sales and streams overseas hit £709m—up more than £100m on 2021.
The figure is the highest annual exports level since 2000, when the BPI began collecting the data. The U.K.’s performance was buoyed by global streaming hits from Harry Styles, Glass Animals, Elton John & Dua Lipa and Ed Sheeran.
There was a double-digit percentage increase in physical and digital download sales, streams and other consumption of British music in every region globally last year. This was led by emerging music markets, including the Middle East (+59%), Africa (+48%) and Latin America (+38%).
In the U.S., revenue rose 28% year-on-year, which was partially enhanced by the strong value of the dollar against the pound. The biggest percentage growth occurred in India with a 130% year-on-year increase in revenue.
BPI Chief Strategy Officer and Interim Chief Executive, Sophie Jones, welcomed “the exceptional achievement in the face of unprecedented competition” on the global stage.
The figures, she said, “put us on course to reach our goal of £1b in annual U.K. music exports by the end of the decade, but for this growth to continue the U.K. needs to remain a supportive environment for investment in music, and policy makers should continue to work with industry to maximize the overseas potential of U.K. music.”
Miley Cyrus has the biggest-selling song in the U.K. of the year so far, while The Weeknd claims the top-selling album, according to data from the Official Charts Company.
Sony reps the vast majority of the Top 10 singles YTD with seven entries. “Flowers” (RCA) tops the list with 1.2m U.K. sales since its release in January, including MORE THAN 147m streams and 80k downloads. It still holds the title of the biggest sales week of any track in 2023 after shifting 126k during its second week at #1.
RAYE f/070 Shake’s “Escapism” (Human Re Sources) takes second place with over 850k sales. UMG, Warner and Mavin Records have one singles entry apiece in the Top 10.
Over on albums, UMG dominates with six Top 10 entries starting with The Weeknd’s The Highlights (Republic/XO) and Taylor Swift’s Midnights (EMI).
Lewis Capaldi has the biggest new album release of the year so far with Broken By Desire to be Heavenly Sent (EMI) at #6. Both Warner and Sony have two albums in the Top 10.
Official Singles Chart 2023 — to end of Q2
- “Flowers” (RCA) Miley Cyrus
- “Escapism” (Human Re Sources) Raye f/070 Shake
- “Kill Bill” (RCA) SZA
- “Boy’s A Liar” (Warner) PinkPantheress
- “Anti-Hero” (EMI) Taylor Swift
- “Calm Down” (Mavin) Rema
- “Miracle” (Columbia) Calvin Harris, Ellie Goulding
- “People” (5K) Libianca
- “As It Was” (Columbia) Harry Styles
- “Sure Thing” (Jive) Miguel
Official Albums Chart 2023 — to end of Q2
- The Highlights (Republic Records/XO) The Weeknd
- Midnights (EMI) Taylor Swift
- Harry’s House (Columbia) Harry Styles
- SOS (RCA) SZA
- Diamonds (Mercury/UMC) Elton John
- Broken By Desire to be Heavenly Sent (EMI) Lewis Capaldi
- Curtain Call — The Hits (Interscope) Eminem
- - (Asylum) Ed Sheeran
- 50 Years – Don’t Stop (Rhino) Fleetwood Mac
10. Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent (EMI) Lewis Capaldi
Nothing But Thieves are heading for their first U.K. Official Albums #1. Over on singles, Olivia Rodrigo is challenging Dave and Central Cee for the top spot.
With their fourth set, Dead Club City (RCA), Nothing But Thieves look set for a career best.
Grain Chatten, the Fontaines D.C. frontman, also has a high midweek entry with his debut solo album, Chaos For The Fly (Partisan), starting at #2.
Lil Uzi Vert’s Pink Tape (Mercury/UMR) is new at #4. Developing EMI act, Olivia Dean, could score her first Top 10 with debut Messy at #8.
As her Celebration Tour gets delayed due to health concerns, Madonna fans have sent her greatest hits set Finally Enough Love (Rhino) back into the chart at #9.
On the U.K.’s Official Singles midweeks, Rodrigo’s “Vampire” (Geffen) is expected to be this week’s highest new entry at #2. Can it overtake current #1, “Sprinter” (Live Yours/Neighbourhood) by Dave and Central Cee, by Friday?
“Padam Padam” (BMG) by Kylie Minogue continues to rise, up three to #7, at today’s halfway point.
The self-released “Pakistan” by D-Block Europe and Clavish is the final new entry in the midweek Top 10 at #10.
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