Scottish pop trio Chvrches have signed with Futures Music Group and alongside that announcement have released their first single in three years, “Roses.” The group will play two shows in the U.K. next month, in London and their hometown of Glasgow; the release follows singer Lauren Mayberry’s solo album on Island last year.
Futures Music Group, founded by Derek Davies of Neon Gold and Dave Wallace of Avenue A, is an independent label collective separate from those companies with “transparent deal structures [and] integrated technology partnerships,” with deal structures designed to align incentives with artists, prioritizing long-term partnership and participation over traditional ownership models.” Founded in 2024, the collective’s roster includes Lykke Li, Mt. Joy, Cavetown, Phantogram, the Knocks and others.
+ Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. has named Josephine Vaccarello as its president. In this elevated role she will oversee the strategy and operations of multiple areas of the business, comprising all non-New York Knicks and New York Rangers sports bookings, as well as the productions business, which includes the Radio City Rockettes and the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes. In addition to her responsibilities at MSG Entertainment, she will continue to oversee booking live concert residencies and touring acts at Sphere, which is owned by Sphere Entertainment Co. and is part of the MSG Family of Companies. She was most recently the company’s EVP of live.
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“Over her nearly thirty-year career with MSG, Josephine has not only been instrumental in growing our live event business but also established herself as one of the industry’s most impactful and respected leaders,” said Jim Dolan, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MSG Entertainment and Sphere Entertainment. “Her deep understanding of our businesses and unparalleled industry relationships will continue to be an asset in this new role as we execute on our strategic vision for the Company, including identifying innovative growth opportunities and furthering our leadership position in live experiences.”
+ Primary Wave Music has struck a partnership with the estate of the legendary R&B/pop singer Robert Palmer that reaches across his publishing and recording catalog, as well as share in his name, image, and likeness rights. The catalog includes such songs as the 1985 smash “Addicted to Love” as well as hits like “Bad Case Of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor),” “Simply Irresistible,” “Johnny & Mary,” “She Makes My Day,” and others, as well as collaborative hits such as “Some Like It Hot” with the Power Station and “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight” with UB40. A soulful and versatile singer, Palmer had an unusually far-reaching career that also included collaborations with New Orleans legends the Meters. He passed away in 2003, shortly after the release of his final album, “Drive.”
A rep for the estate said, “We are very excited to partner with Primary Wave. As we continue to honor Robert’s incredible legacy, we also look forward to working with the team on exploring ways to bring his music to both new and existing audiences, preserving his lasting impact for years to come.”
Samantha Rhulen, Primary Wave’s SVP of Business & Legal Affairs, added, “Robert Palmer was a truly unique artist whose distinctive voice, songwriting, and style left an indelible mark on popular music. His catalog continues to resonate with audiences, and we are honored to welcome his incredible body of work to the Primary Wave family.
+ U.K.-based garage artist-producer MPH has signed with DisOrder/Capitol Records, which will release his new album, “Here, Forever,” on November 20. He launches a U.S. tour on Oct. 2 in Portland, OR that continues through the end of November. He has collaborated with or remixed tracks by Calvin Harris, Chris Lake, Anderson .Paak, Four Tet, Sammy Virji, Tokimonsta and others.
+ The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) has named Jackson Wagener Senior Vice President and Head of General Licensing, effective January 1, 2027. Reporting to ASCAP Executive Vice President and Head of Licensing Stephanie Ruyle, Wagener will oversee the team that licenses ASCAP’s repertory of over 20 million musical works to restaurants, bars, hotels, airlines, fitness studios, live music venues and other establishments. A 12-year veteran of ASCAP, Wagener currently serves as Senior Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs, a role he has held since 2020. He previously held roles at Greenberg Traurig and Weil, Gotshal & Manges.
“Jackson pairs deep legal expertise with a clear sense of what licensees want and music creators need in today’s world,” said Ruyle. “In a rapidly changing market, he is uniquely equipped to pioneer the kind of innovative licensing solutions that make it easier than ever for businesses to utilize music, while ensuring songwriters are fairly compensated for performances of their work.”
+ Chrysalis Records, part of the Reservoir group of companies, has announced a new integrated marketing structure for its London-based team. The team will continue to be led by Senior Vice President of Marketing James Meadows, with Colin Rice, Chrysalis Records Marketing Director overseeing the label’s roster and leading marketing campaigns.
The label has also expanded Roman Tagoe’s responsibilities, under the new title of Digital Partnerships Director. Joining the digital team is Matt Sherratt, most recently with Amuse, in the newly created post of Head of Audience Development. The label also welcomes Jonny Halliday, who joins from Fire Records in the role of Marketing Manager. Alongside the new appointments, Grace Campbell has been appointed Associate Marketing Manager and Marianne Frederick has taken on the role of Senior Vice President, Production & Distribution. Eva Davies has been promoted into the newly created role of Project Coordinator, working closely with Frederick on frontline production.
+ Entertainment attorney Sasha Safavi, most recently of UnitedMasters, has launched launch Syndicate, a law firm whose initial roster includes the sports media company Overtime, the streaming service Audiomack, Rebellion Records and a variety of artists and producers, as well as UnitedMasters. Safavi’s previous roles include stints at TuneCore and work with UnitedMasters’ sister company Translation.
