TuneCore is getting social.

For the first time, the indie distributor is enabling its community of creators to share their music directly into the music libraries of social platforms, which the company anticipates will create more viral opportunities and, potentially, income.

TuneCore charges no upfront fee for the new service, named Social Platforms, a discovery tool which works across TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and other social channels.

Social Platforms is presented as a “first of its kind” distribution offering, and a “one-stop solution for artists to release and monetize their music on key social media platforms with no-upfront fee to provide an easily accessible launchpad for creators,” explains Tunecore CEO Andreea Gleeson in a statement.

TuneCore will participate in “a small share of revenues” generated by the tracks on the social platforms that carry and share its users’ works.

The new distribution offering is another feather in Gleeson’s cap, after she spearheaded TuneCore’s international expansion and facilitated artist education and support efforts for the 1 million artists that use its services over the past year, efforts that were rewarded with her promotion to CEO in August of this year.

Under Gleeson, the business launched TuneCore Rewards, which offers discounts for artists who watch its educational “Master Class” videos; and TuneCore Certified, which offers digital plaques to artists based on how many streaming milestones they hit. She also worked closely on strategic partnerships with Facebook, YouTube, and Spotify and oversaw launches in Brazil, Russia, and India in 2020 and throughout Latin America earlier this year.

TuneCore is owned by Paris-based label and distributor Believe.

A week after announcing the partnership between his Musze label and BMG, Maxwell is back with more news. Along with the release on Tuesday (Nov. 16) of his new single “Off,” the artist revealed that his first full-length project under the new venture — blacksummers’NIGHT — will arrive in spring 2022.

The forthcoming project closes out the album trilogy that Maxwell launched in 2009 with the Grammy Award-winning BLACKsummers’night, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. “Off,” the first taste from blacksummers’NIGHT, reunites the singer-songwriter-producer with his longtime creative collaborator, producer-musician Hod David. On the heat-seeking ballad, Maxwell couples his seductive invitation for romance with an enticing declaration, “And if I hit that spot/ We’re on a mission to go off.”

“From announcing a new partnership with BMG for my label Musze to receiving the Legend Award at the upcoming 2021 Soul Train Awards, I couldn’t be more excited to share this new single with loved ones offering a glimpse into NIGHT,” Maxwell said in a statement. The three-time Grammy winner is also partnering with the Black Promoters Collective (BPC), a coalition of African American independent promoters, to present the NIGHT 2022 Tour.

Featuring openers Anthony Hamilton and Joe, the 25-date arena tour begins in Dallas on March 2 with stops in Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta before concluding in Miami on May 8. Pre-sale starts Nov. 22 with tickets going on sale to the public on Nov. 29.

Calling Maxwell one of the most respected artists in the industry, Black Promoters Collective CEO Gary Guidry said, “His body of work and showmanship are second to none. We believe he has a true connection to the culture. We are happy to partner with him on the NIGHT Tour and look forward to growing this relationship for years to come.” BPC president Shelby Joyner added, “Maxwell’s music has been the soundtrack to many of our lives. People are ready to return to live music and regain a sense of normalcy. As a partner, we look forward to not only promoting the NIGHT Tour, but also creating space for Maxwell’s fans to safely listen to and enjoy the music they love so much.”

Check out the dates for Maxwell’s 2022 NIGHT tour and listen to “Off” below:

March 2 — Dallas, TX @ Texas Trust CU Theater

March 4 — Houston, TX @ Toyota Center

March 5 — New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center

March 9 — Columbia, SC @ Colonial Life Arena

March 11 — Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center

March 12 — Hampton, VA @ Hampton Coliseum

March 16 — Columbus, GA @ Columbus Civic Center

March 17 — Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center

March 19 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena

March 20 — Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum Complex

March 23 — St. Louis, MO @ Chaifetz Center

March 25 — Memphis, TN @ FedExForum

March 26 — Birmingham, AL @ Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex

March 27 — Louisville, KY @ KFC Yum! Center

March 30 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center

April 1 — Atlantic City, NJ @ Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall

April 2 — Washington, D.C. @ Capital One Arena

April 6 — Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena

April 7 — Indianapolis, IN @ Gainbridge Fieldhouse

April 9 — Chicago, IL @ United Center

April 10 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena

April 15 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum

April 16 — Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena

May 7 — Tampa, FL @ Amelie Arena

May 8 — Miami, FL @ FTX Arena

Summer Walker claims a share of Billboard Hot 100 history, as she floods the chart (dated Nov. 20) with 18 songs from her new album, Still Over It.

The set soars in at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 166,000 equivalent album units earned, according to MRC Data, becoming her first leader on the list. It’s also the first R&B album by a woman to top the chart since Solange’s A Seat at the Table in October 2016. With 201.1 million streams for its songs earned in its first week, Still Over It also marks the biggest streaming week ever in the U.S. for an R&B album by a woman.

On the Hot 100, Walker joins Taylor Swift as the only female artists in the chart’s 63-year history to place as many as 18 songs on the survey simultaneously. Swift sent 18 songs onto the chart dated Sept. 9, 2019, as her album Lover debuted atop the Billboard 200. Drake holds the overall mark for the most concurrent single-week entries: 27, on July 14, 2018, as his Scorpion premiered atop the Billboard 200.

Leading Walker’s Hot 100 haul is “No Love,” with SZA, at No. 13. The track debuts with 20.2 million U.S. streams (good for a No. 2 launch on Streaming Songs), 562,000 in radio airplay audience and 1,400 downloads sold. It surpasses 2019’s No. 16-peaking “Playing Games” as Walker’s highest-charting Hot 100 hit.

Notably, “Games” and Walker’s debut Hot 100 entry, “Girls Need Love,” with Drake (No. 37, also in 2019), marked her only prior top 40 titles. This week, she surpasses that output with three songs new to the region.

Here’s a recap of Walker’s entries on the Nov. 20-dated Hot 100; all are debuts except where noted.

Rank, Title:
No. 13, “No Love,” with SZA
No. 25, “Bitter,” with Cardi B
No. 33, “Ex for a Reason,” with JT (re-entry; new peak)
No. 41, “Throw It Away”
No. 44, “Reciprocate”
No. 45, “Toxic,” feat. Lil Durk
No. 48, “Unloyal,” with Ari Lennox
No. 49, “Constant Bulls**t”
No. 50, “You Don’t Know Me”
No. 52, “Insane”
No. 54, “Circus”
No. 56, “4th Baby Mama”
No. 59, “Switch a N*gga Out”
No. 60, “Closure”
No. 68, “Session 33”
No. 73, “Screwin,” with Omarion
No. 76, “Broken Promises”
No. 77, “Dat Right There” with Pharrell Williams & The Neptunes

As for Walker’s collaborators on the songs above, Ari Lennox’s credit on “Unloyal” earns the R&B singer her first career Hot 100 appearance. JT’s billing on “Ex for a Reason” similarly brought the City Girls member her first solo song on the Hot 100. City Girls, comprising JT and Yung Miami, have charted five entries.

Walker also reintroduces two veteran acts to the Hot 100. Omarion, on “Screwin,” adds his ninth charted title and first since 2015. He reached a No. 4 high in 2005 as featured on Bow Wow’s “Let Me Hold You”; as a lead, he posted a No. 12 best with “Ice Box” in 2007, followed by 2015’s No. 13-peaking “Post to Be,” featuring Chris Brown and Jhené Aiko.

Plus, The Neptunes’ credit on “Dat Right There” earns the production pairing of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo its second Hot 100 artist billing, after P. Diddy’s “Diddy,” featuring the Neptunes, in 2001. The duo’s robust history on the chart dates to the mid-1990s and includes four No. 1s in the producer field: Nelly’s “Hot in Herre” (in 2002); Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” featuring Pharrell (2004); Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” (2005); and Ludacris’ “Money Maker,” featuring Pharrell (2006).

All charts dated Nov. 20 will update tomorrow (Nov. 16) on Billboard.com.

ABBA are giving fans yet another gift this holiday season. The reunited Swedish megapop quartet announced on Tuesday (Nov. 16) that they will drop the new Christmas single, “Little Things” on Dec. 3 through Universal Music.

The song, which appears on the the reformed group’s hit album Voyage, is described as a “gentle reflection on the joy of Christmas morning and family time around this special time of year.” The band also teased that a video for their first-ever Christmas song will be released soon; the single will be released on a physical CD next month.

The group — Benny Anderson, Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Björn Kristian Ulvaeus — earned their highest charting album ever on the Billboard 200, and first top 10, when Voyage debuted at No. 2 on the chart dated Nov. 20. The set was released on Nov. 5 and is the quartet’s first new studio album since 1982’s The Visitors.

Voyage also debuted at No. 1 on both Billboard’s Top Album Sales and Vinyl Albums charts. Instead of mounting a traditional promotional tour, the band will appear as digital avatars from their 1979 heyday in a show titled “ABBA Voyage,” which will open on May 27 at the ABBA Arena in London – a 3,000-seat arena built specifically for the show. The avatars — who will be accompanied by a 10-piece band — were created by the special effects wizards at Industrial Light & Magic.

See the artwork for “Little Things” below.

Universal Music Group has partnered with Authentic Brands Group – a global brand owner, marketing and entertainment company – on a strategic initiative to acquire and actively manage artist brands, it was announced today.

Under the deal, UMG and ABG will work with artists, their representatives and legal heirs to leverage artists’ names and likenesses in pursuit of merchandise, memorabilia, licensing, brand experiences and media and entertainment opportunities worldwide in an effort to expand their legacies and tap new revenue streams.

Based in New York City, ABG’s existing portfolio of over 30 consumer brands and properties includes Elvis Presley, Thalia, Muhammad Ali and Marilyn Monroe.

In a statement, UMG chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge said, “UMG and ABG have strong track records as powerful stewards of artist and celebrity brands. Through this initiative, we will invest in name and likeness rights to create unique opportunities for artists with the goal of greatly expanding their cultural and commercial impact.”

ABG founder, chairman and CEO Jamie Salter added, “We are honored to partner with the enormously talented team at UMG for this groundbreaking initiative. Together, UMG and ABG will work strategically to preserve the legacies of history’s greatest artists.”

The Taylor’s Version of Red is the gift that keeps on giving. Taylor Swift has dropped the live acoustic version of “All Too Well” that appears on the just-released Red (Taylor’s Version) album. The recording is taken from last week’s premiere of the epic Sadie Sink/Dylan O’Brien video for the single at the AMC 13 Lincoln Square in Manhattan; Swift wrote and directed the short film.

In a tweet, Swift said that the live version marked the first-ever performance of the song, tracked in front of an audience of 400 fans. The singer also played the epic iteration of the tune on Saturday Night Live over the weekend. The 30-track Red (Taylor’s Version) launched in a major way last week, putting up the biggest first-day streams by a female artist ever on Spotify with 90.8 million global streams; the high-water mark broke Tay’s own previous Spotify record with 2020’s Folklore, which in its first day saw 80.6 million streams.

Additionally, with Friday’s release of Red (Taylor’s Version), Swift became the most-streamed female in a day in the history of Spotify, with more than 122.9 million streams. Swift currently has over 47 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

The singer also dropped the video for “I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor’s Version),” which was co-written with actress Blake Lively, who also directed the clip. The song, which features additional vocals from country star Chris Stapleton — who does not appear in the video — finds Swift intruding on a Miles Teller’s wedding day, practicing his vows in the bathroom alongside as a vision of Swift pops up in the mirror, staring back at him.

Swift continues to wreak havoc on what’s supposed to be the best day of Teller’s life by taking a fistful of the couple’s wedding cake, delivering a speech to the newly married couple in front of all their friends, and appearing in front of him in a bridal gown, making him think of the life he could have had with her.

Check out Taylor tweet announcing the “All Too Well” acoustic version.

The first ever performance of All Too Well (10 min version) was at the AMC 13 theater in front of 400 fans. We recorded the acoustic performance so now we can all experience it together 🥲 It’s available here https://t.co/H55gVedcRh pic.twitter.com/ntDSDI9tYV

— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) November 15, 2021