Sony Music U.K.'s catalog division has promoted Joanna Kalli from Director of Marketing to Managing Director of Sony Music Commercial Group.

In her new role, Kalli will preside over the catalog division, rock and metal label Music for Nations and classical imprint Masterworks.

Kalli joined Sony Music as a Product Manager in 2008, having started her career at independent labels. In her 16 years with the company, she has spearheaded global campaigns for artists including George Michael, The Clash and Judas Priest.

Most recently, Kalli has overseen Natasha Bedingfield’s chart renaissance, which saw her 2004 hit “Unwritten” enter the U.K. Top 15 for the first time in 19 years.

She also led a 2023 Wham! campaign, landing the coveted U.K. Christmas #1 single for “Last Christmas,” 39 years after its release. The track has now amassed more than 1.6b streams worldwide.

AC/DC, Blur and Chaka Khan are among the final winners announced for this year’s annual O2 Silver Clef Awards in London, held in aid of music-therapy charity Nordoff and Robbins.

At the 7/5 ceremony, Blur will be honored with the flagship O2 Silver Clef Award in celebration of the band’s contribution to music during its three-decade-long career. AC/DC will receive the Legend Award, acknowledging five decades of the band, while Khan will get the Global Impact Award in recognition of her 50 years of international influence.

Mark Knopfler is on the winners’ list for the Music Icon Award. British rapper Loyle Carner will take home Best Male and Jacob Collier will pick up the Innovation in Music Award. Scottish group Young Fathers will receive Best Live Act.

Previously announced winners include Jessie Ware, The 1975, Texas, Cat Burns and Ezra Collective.

The artists will receive their awards in person at a music industry lunch and ceremony held at the Grosvenor House Hotel on London’s Park Lane. The exclusive event—now in its 48th year —will raise funds for Nordoff and Robbins to support a wide range of children and adults living with autism, dementia, learning difficulties, brain injuries, life-limiting illnesses, mental health challenges, grief and trauma. In all, the awards have raised nearly £13m. Last year’s event raised more than £612k.

Warner Chappell Music has inked a global publishing deal with songwriter/producer Toby Daintree.

Having worked with the likes of Devin Workman, FKA Twigs, Jesse Fink, Joy Crookes, Matilda Mann, Two Inch Punch and more, the multi-instrumentalist recently made a name for himself as Artemas’ main collaborator, co-writing and co-producing his #1 hit “i like the way you kiss me,” viral single “if you think I’m pretty” and his mixtape pretty.

Since its March release, “i like the way you kiss me” has amassing 400m+ streams and topped Spotify’s global chart for three weeks. The track hit #1 in Austria, Switzerland and Germany, #3 in Australia, Denmark and the U.K. plus more.

Through this new partnership, Daintree—managed by Virgo Management’s Fin Kemp—will work closely with WCM U.K.’s managing director, Shani Gonzales, and head of A&R, Amber Davis.

“Toby is a world-class songwriter and producer. His recent hits have showcased he can write songs that connect with a global audience, and we want to help replicate this success by partnering him with the world’s biggest artists and writers,” said WCM U.K. A&R Manager George Baker.

“I’m looking forward to working with George and the wider Warner Chappell team who have shown a passionate interest and understanding in the music I’ve been a part of and I'm excited to see what opportunities and new relationships come from the partnership,” added Daintree.

Seen hoping we stay on this side of the pond are (l-r) attorney Sharon-Rose Mensah, Kemp, Daintree, Baker, Davis and WCM U.K. VP, head of legal and business affairs, Darren Young.

The story of respected British music exec Darcus Beese, formerly president of UMG U.K.’s Island Records, will be told in his upcoming book, Rebel With a Cause.

Rebel With a Cause details how Beese went from apprentice hairdresser to work his way up from being the ‘tea boy’ to the President and first black CEO of a U.K. record company at Island.

The memoir covers him signing and nurturing seminal British artists including Amy Winehouse, Mumford & Sons, Dizzee Rascal and Florence and the Machine, to him moving to New York to run Island in the US but ‘becoming despondent at what he saw and encountered,’ according to a press release.

Beese, who is now EVP at Warner Music U.K. where he runs his own JV label, said: “As a kid I never thought or dreamed that one day I would be writing my story, let alone having it published. But now I think why not me? Growing up in a family of activists, a mother and father who fought to change British society, I’ve always understood the importance of using your voice, always felt a duty to speak my mind and stand up for what was right.

“Writing the book, looking back over my 50-plus years, I really appreciate how blessed I am to have such a strong beautiful family and to have enjoyed the most amazing experiences working alongside some of the greatest musical talents. Hopefully there’s plenty more to come. If this book inspires one kid to believe in themselves, to stay true to themselves, then it’ll be worthwhile.”

Published by Nine Eight Books, Rebel With a Cause will be available in hardback, ebook and audiobook versions from 8/15 in the U.K. It is set to land in the US in due course.

U.K. listeners are still looking on the "Mr. Brightside" of life, as the Killers' song of that name has overtaken “Wonderwall” by Oasis as the most commercially-successful hit to never reach #1.

The Island track has tallied combined sales and streams of 5.57m since its release in 2003. “Mr. Brightside” originally peaked at #10, but has since become the longest-running Top 100 hit in Official Chart history, with nearly eight years on the list.

Despite its advanced age, "Brightside" is still being streamed an average of 1.8m times a week by British music fans. It’s the third biggest song of all time in the U.K., based on sales and streams.

In 2023, "Brightside" scored a career-best 79.7m plays, and so far this year, its average combined weekly sales and streams are up 23% year-on-year.

The song’s biggest week to date in the U.K. was in July 2019, when it racked up 17.7k chart units after The Killers headlined Glastonbury. Its biggest year of pure sales was 2012, when it was bought and downloaded 125.2k times.

"Mr. Brightside" was originally released with a 500-CD single run via U.K. indie record label Lizard King. It picked up steam following the release of 2004’s #3 single, "Somebody Told Me" (and the release of an updated mix), catapulting it back into the Official Singles Chart at #10 in May 2004, still its highest position to date, before dropping out only a few weeks later.

Liam Gallagher declined to comment, but did offer to punch us in the face.