January 11, 2016 Page 1 of 16

David Bowie has died after a battle with cancer, his rep confirmed to Billboard. He was 69.

“David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18 month battle with cancer. While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief,” read a statement posted on the artist’s official social media accounts.

The influential singer-songwriter and producer excelled at glam rock, art rock, soul, hard rock, dance pop, punk and electronica during his eclectic 40-plus-year career. He just released his 25th album, Blackstar, Jan. 8, which was his birthday.

Bowie’s artistic breakthrough came with 1972’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, an album that fostered the notion of rock star as space alien. Fusing British mod with Japanese kabuki styles and rock with theater, Bowie created the flamboyant, androgynous alter ego Ziggy Stardust.

Three years later, Bowie achieved his first major American crossover success with the No. 1 single “Fame” off the top 10 album Young Americans, then followed with the 1976 avant-garde art rock

LP Station to Station, which made it to No. 3 on the charts and featured top 10 hit “Golden Years.”

Other memorable songs included 1983’s “Let’s Dance” — his only other No. 1 U.S. hit — “Space Oddity,” “Heroes,” “Changes,” “Under Pressure,” “China Girl,” “Modern Love,” “Rebel, Rebel,” “All the Young Dudes,” “Panic in Detroit,” “Fashion,” “Life on Mars,” “Suffragette City” and a 1977 Christmas medley with Bing Crosby.

With his different-colored eyes (the result of a schoolyard fight) and needlelike frame, Bowie was a natural to segue from music into curious movie roles, and he starred as an alien seeking help for his dying planet in Nicolas Roeg’s surreal The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976). Critics later applauded his three-month Broadway stint as the misshapen lead in 1980’s The Elephant Man.

Bowie also starred in Marlene Dietrich’s last film, Just a Gigolo (1978), portrayed a World War II prisoner of war in Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (1983), and played Pontius Pilate in Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ (1988). He also starred as Jareth the Goblin King in the 1986

INSIDE David Bowie Dies at Age 69 After Battling CancerBY MIKE BARNES, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER AND SHIRLEY HALPERIN

Music Industry Reacts to David Bowie’s Death: ‘I Thought He’d Live Forever’

Bowie on Bowie: The Rock Icon on the Music Business, Being a Late Bloomer and His Daughter Making Him More Optimistic

What Apple Music and Spotify’s Updated Subscriber Count Really Means

Spotify Hit With Second Lawsuit Over Copyright Infringement

At Least 10 Let Go at Capitol Music Group

(continued)

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[In Brief]cult favorite Labyrinth, opposite Jennifer Connelly. And in another groundbreaking move, Bowie, who always embraced technology, became the first rock star to morph into an Internet Service Provider with the launch in September 1998 of BowieNet.

Born David Jones in London on Jan. 8, 1947, Bowie changed his name in 1966 after The Monkees’ Davy Jones achieved stardom. He played saxophone and started a mime company, and after stints in several bands he signed with Mercury Records, which in 1969 released his album Man of Words, Man of Music, which featured “Space Oddity,” a poignant song about an astronaut, Major Tom, spiraling out of control.

In an attempt to stir interest in Ziggy Stardust, Bowie revealed in a January 1972 magazine interview that he was gay — though that might have been a publicity stunt — dyed his hair orange and began wearing women’s garb. The album became a sensation.

Wrote rock critic Robert Christgau: “This is audacious stuff right down to the stubborn wispiness of its sound, and Bowie’s actorly intonations add humor and shades of meaning to the words, which are often witty and rarely precious, offering an unusually candid and detailed vantage on the rock star’s world.”

Bowie changed gears in 1975. Becoming

obsessed with the dance/funk sounds of Philadelphia, his self-proclaimed “plastic soul”-infused Young Americans peaked at No. 9 with the single “Fame,” which he co-wrote with John Lennon and guitarist Carlos Alomar.

After the soulful but colder Station to Station, Bowie again confounded expectations after settling in Germany by recording the atmospheric 1977 album Low, the first of his “Berlin Trilogy” collaborations with keyboardist Brian Eno.

In 1980, Bowie brought out Scary Monsters, which cast a nod to the Major Tom character from “Space Oddity” with the sequel “Ashes to Ashes.” He followed with Tonight in 1984 and Never Let Me Down in 1987 and collaborations with Queen, Mick Jagger, Tina Turner, The Pat Metheny Group and others. He formed the quartet Tin Machine, but the band didn’t garner much critical acclaim or commercial gain with two albums.

Bowie returned to a solo career with 1993’s Black Tie White Noise, which saw him return to work with his Spider From Mars guitarist Mick Ronson, then recorded 1995’s Outside with Eno and toured with Nine Inch Nails as his opening act. He returned to the studio in 1996 to record the techno-influenced Earthling. Two more albums, 1999’s hours … and 2002’s Heathen, followed.

Bowie also produced albums for, among

others, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and The Stooges and Moot the Hoople, for which he wrote the song “All the Young Dudes.” He earned a lifetime achievement Grammy Award in 2006 but never performed onstage again.

Bowie was relatively quiet between the years of 2004 and 2012, reemerging in 2013 with the album The Next Day. Its arrival was met with a social media firestorm which catapulted it to No. 2 on the Billboard 200, his highest charting album ever.

While demand for a tour by the reclusive rock star had been relentless, Bowie kept a decidedly low profile, maintaining a residence in New York but rarely seen.

Bowie recently opened the rock musical Lazarus in New York City, in which he revisits the character he played in The Man Who Fell to Earth. The project — based on American writer Walter Tevis› 1963 sci-fi novel, directed by Ivo van Hove and starring Michael C. Hall — was initiated by Bowie, who has long nurtured the idea of a return to the character he played onscreen.

A video for the song “Lazarus,” which is included on the album Blackstar, was released on Jan. 7.

Survivors include his wife, the model Iman, whom Bowie married in 1992; his son, director Duncan Jones; and daughter Alexandria.

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Music Industry Reacts to David Bowie’s Death: ‘I Thought He’d Live Forever’BY BILLBOARD STAFF

The shocking news of Davie Bowie’s death, just days after releasing a new album on his 69th birthday, has been met with disbelief from fans, celebrities and members of the music industry. The rock luminary kept his cancer diagnoses a secret from the public, instead opting to give fans the gift of new music without the specter of his mortality hanging over it.

It’s been hard news to digest for many, but the tributes are starting to stream in from those who have worked with Bowie, as well as industry folks who are feeling grateful to have been influenced by him.

This is a developing list, and we will continue to add tributes and remembrances as they come in. For celebrity and artist reactions, and more on Bowie’s legacy, gohere.

Doug Morris, chairman and CEO, on behalf of Sony Music: “David Bowie was one of the all-time greats. He

was an enormously adventurous and groundbreaking artist who remains as iconic and relevant today as at any time in his legendary career. His transcendent work has influenced countless musicians and captivated generations of fans around the world. Today we mourn the loss of a special member of the Sony Music family and join fans everywhere in remembering him on this sad day for music.”

Neil Portnow, president and CEO of The Recording Academy: Bowie was “truly a Renaissance man and visionary artist with extraordinary talent as a singer, songwriter, performer, actor and producer.” He said that the singer was a “musical hero to millions.” He is remembered for “his audacious approach to pushing creative boundaries and ability to reinvent himself time and time again.”

Columbia Records: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of David Bowie. It was an honor and a privilege to release his music to the world.”

Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Records: “Very sad to hear that David Bowie, one of the greatest artists and innovators of all time, has died aged 69. When I heard the news it sent a shiver through me. I thought he’d live forever. Still, in some ways he will. I was very fortunate to cross paths with David over the years, and he was one of a kind… We were delighted when David joined

Virgin Records and he went on to release a string of superb albums on our label. While not all were commercial successes, they were always incredibly interesting and continued the legacy of progressive, unusual music that started with our very first releases by Mike Oldfield, Gong, Faust and Tangerine Dream.”

The SSE Arena, Wembley is paying tribute by posting a digital banner on the building’s front. The pink, red and blue banner (from Bowie’s album Aladdin Sane) is scheduled to remain on the building until Saturday, Jan. 16.

Tony Visconti, producer and Bowie collaborator: “He always did what he wanted to do. And he wanted to do it his way and he wanted to do it the best way. His death was no different from his life - a work of Art. He made Blackstar for us, his parting gift. I knew for a year this was the way it would be. I wasn’t, however, prepared for it. He was an extraordinary man, full of love and life. He will always be with us. For now, it is appropriate to cry.”

James Donio, president of the Music Business Association (Music Biz):”Music Biz is deeply saddened by the loss of David Bowie, a truly iconic artist, spectacular entertainer, and visionary innovator. From Rock to Folk to Glam to Dance, Bowie’s songs had a profound impact on the musical landscape. He had a dedicated following in popular culture and reinvented

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and developed striking visual presentation in his work for more than four decades. In fact, nearly every genre of music would not be the same without his contributions. His final album, Blackstar, is a fitting endpoint to his legacy, allowing him to go out on a high note while pushing at the boundaries of what Pop music can be. His legions of fans of all stripes around the world should remember him the way he would have wanted… through the amazing music he continued to create through his entire life.”

Willard Ahdritz, founder & CEO, Kobalt: “RIP Bowie. Listening to Blackstar last evening many times, wonderful NYC jazz band, asked myself what does he mean by Blackstar lyrics. Sad.”

Geoff Taylor, chief Executive BPI & BRIT Awards:  “David Bowie is one of our greatest ever songwriters and performers, as well as an acclaimed producer, actor, writer and fashion icon, who shaped our popular culture like no other artist. David was a true visionary and ground-breaking pioneer who consistently pushed back the frontiers of creativity. His iconic body of work inspired generations of musicians and countless legions fans, and its enduring appeal will influence the music that we enjoy for decades to come. David leaves an incomparable legacy of classic songs and hit albums that achieved incredible success worldwide and won huge critical acclaim, including three BRIT Awards and two Grammys. He was a very British hero and, at the same time, a true global icon. His new album ‘Blackstar’ shows that his creativity remained undimmed to the end… The loss of David Bowie will profoundly affect not just by the words of music, film and the wider creative arts, but anyone who has been moved by his other worldly genius and influenced by his understanding of the human condition.”

Guy Oseary, artist manager: “David Bowie... His music is a big part of my life.. My favorite song of all time is “Under Pressure” Bowie/Queen.. You will be missed.. Thank you for all that you gave us and left behind.. We are grateful for your art.. Rest in Peace.”

Bowie on Bowie: The Rock Icon on the Music Business, Being a Late Bloomer and His Daughter Making Him More OptimisticBY GARY GRAFF

David Bowie was never the easiest inter-view to get. He gave them sparingly — that is, before he stopped altogether during the mid-’00s and instead let the (very good) music of 2013’s The Next Day and 2016’s Blackstar do the talking. But when he did converse, Bowie was exactly what you’d expect — gracious, intelligent and provocative, always aware of perceptions about it and happy to admit that he himself was often left guessing why he did, or didn’t, do certain things. His silence of the last decade or so will leave a gaping hole about an intriguing period of his life and career, but digging into the archives of a half-dozen interviews I conducted with him from the mid-’80s to the mid-’00s — by phone and in person, during con-cert tours or to promote albums — yields plenty of interesting insights about the game-changing musician.

On his creative philosophy (1987): “I’ve always look for something more out of rock and pop culture. Songs don’t have to be about going out on Saturday night and having a good rink-up and driving home and crashing cars. A lot of what I’ve done is about alienation... about where you fit in society.”

On catching up with himself (1987): “I’m much happier than I was in my early 20s. At that time, I always felt I should have been older. I’ve caught up with myself, really.”

On blossoming late (1987): “I don’t find it a problem to use the techniques and styles I’ve used before, where at one time I thought, ‘I can’t do that!’ I was very into making the Big Artistic Statement — it had to be innovative, it had to be cutting edge. I was desperately keen on being original. Now I’m not trying so obsessively to be up against the sky. It’s almost like I”m find a style — a David Bowie Sound! (laughs) I just blossom late, I guess.”

On hitting the top 40 (1987): “Being shoved into the top 40 scene was an unusual experience. It was great I’d become accessible to a huge audience, but not terribly fulfilling. It seemed so easy. It was cheers from the word go. You know how to get a reaction — play ‘Changes,’ ‘Golden Years’ and they’d be up on their feet. You get the reaction, take the money and run away. It seemed too easy. I didn’t want to do that again.”

On younger artists being a “voice” for him (2003): “It’s harder when you’re an older artist. You’re not going to be open to much radio play or media attention. You have to work things in a very different way. A lot of it becomes word of mouth, and fortunately for me I’ve been very lucky with that. There’s been a lot of younger artists who admire the stuff I’ve done over the years and a lot of them have been, like, a voice for me so that other people hear about it.”

On the evolution of his performing style (2003): “I’m not that concerned with theatrics anymore at all. I haven’t been for a long time. I’m wallowing in the whole idea of just being a guy out there with a band, with songs. It’s a real enjoyment. I just want to show the band off as much as anything else and just kind of show the songs off. I believe the songs are strong enough where they don’t need illuminating that much. There will certainly be something to see, some good video stuff and all that, but no dancing bears — or very few, anyway.”

On remembering his lyrics (2003): “Y’know, it doesn’t feel right. I wish I wasn’t so wordy in some of these songs (laughs), but I just don’t retain the lyrics,

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either. I can come off the road and it’ll be, like, two weeks later and I can’t remember a word. I take a music stand out with me, and it’s almost like a superstition; If I don’t have the music stand out there and a book of my lyrics on it, I fear I won’t remember them, but if I’ve got the book there I don’t often have to refer to them. It’s a peculiar thing.”

On writing as “an impressionist” (2003): “You have to remember that I write as an impressionist. What I tend to do is let a series of events or circumstances kind of press triggers in me and I write from that point of view. So they’re not really linear songs.”

On writing Black Tie White Noise and music for his wedding to Iman (1993): “I started looking into myself a lot more than I usually look. Iman’s family is all Muslim and was coming over from Africa for the wedding. My family is all Protestant. And the wedding was going to be at a Catholic church in Italy! It dawned on me I would have to do something really quite sweeping and something that would provide a safety area, musically, for both families. A lot of the music was questioning — like saying, ‘What am I doing?’ Writing the music drew me into thinking about what was my commitment and why was I making a commitment and why hadn’t I made a commitment before?”

On William Burroughs (1987): “I’m definitely under his spell. That guy messed me up when I first started reading him in the late ‘60s, and I’ve never gotten over it. That kind of writing and performance I can really throw myself into.”

On 9/11’s impact on his subsequent music (2003): “It would be hard to avoid it. The events of 9/11, I think, made a hard black line through the history of New York; nothing could ever be the same after that, not quite the same. It’s sort of like a re-arranged world. It’s kind of like when there was the Superman and the anti-Superman comics where everything was kind of skewed. So it kind of feels like that, a little bit; everything’s not quite what it was. It’s

like somebody’s been in your house and re-arranged the furniture. But in [the] aftermath of 9/11 I really wanted to create a feeling of optimism, too.”

On the music business (2003): “Half of the bane of my relationships with record companies has been their sell-off periods, which are ludicrously long these days. The modern industry is so different from what it used to be in the early days. I was always comfortable with an album a year. It was so more enthusiastic and amateur back then; it was run from a different basis. It really was the music was a priority and if it made money that was fabulous. It really is the other way around now for the corporations; it’s the money first, and if some of these artists last, that’s great, too. Things have just become more professional, more factory, industrial-oriented and you started finding artists’ schedules and they’d find you a place in their schedule, a release schedule, and all that and it just became out of hand. And I would lose songs. I’d lost interest. I tend to be a bit flighty and I lose interest in songs I’ve written a few months ago most of the time and I’d be working on new songs by the time I got around to do a new album.”

On daughter Lexi’s impact on his music (2003): “Since the birth of my daughter I tend to write aggressively from a more optimistic standpoint, even if the subject matter is kind of dark. I really don’t want to cast a dark shadow over her future, subtly or psychologically. It really behooves me to kind of be more positive about things than I might have been before she was born.”

On a possible Pin Ups 2 (2003): “I keep talking... Tony Visconti and I have thought, “Wouldn’t it be great to do this song or that song and ‘Oh, we could do Pin Ups 2. But then again I keep writing, so that kind of rules out doing another covers album. But I keep plucking songs off the Pin Ups list and putting them on, like ‘Pablo Picasso,’ one of (Jonathan) Richman’s songs I adored, it’s such a funny lyric and he’s such a great writer. That was on the Pin Ups 2 list. I’ve got some great things there like ‘Wild Dogs of Kentucky’ by Nervous Norbert, some really odd things, ‘Sure

Know A Lot About Love’ by the Hollywood Argyles. I’ve got some beauts, absolute beauts, songs that just killed me. I even wanted to do ‘Purple People Eater’ by Sheb Wooley, but it’s possibly good I never got around to that (laughs).”

On working with Tony Visconti (2003): “I have no idea what it is we do in the studio together that makes things work so well, but they do work so well. It’s a little bit like if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and I can’t explain it. We work together so great, and we’ve got this signature sound that we always come up with. I think it’s pretty identifiably one of our productions when we finish the work. It just has something that makes it a little bit different from everything else... but doesn’t just copy what we’ve done before.”

On reissues (2003): “I’ve got to say, I’ve got blinders on for a lot of that. I get lost with all that; they seem to be coming out thick and fast. I try so hard to stay in the moment, which is quite easy to do. I’m quite good at ignoring things. So it doesn’t have an impact on me at all. Some of the projects I’ll say, ‘Hey, I want to have a look at what you’re doing on this one,’ and others come out and I don’t really take much notice. I’m not terribly methodical about it.”

On making albums (2002): “That’s its own kettle of poison, I think. Writing stuff is a lot more soul-searching. You really kind of dig down a lot, I guess, especially when you’re geographically at home in one place and not moving, I think a lot of things come home to roost. You write from a fairly complex series of triggers... Having been a painter once, each album is like a painting to me; You take a look when you’re done, and some I don’t like at all and never look at again, some I find ideas on and say, ‘Let’s do that again on the next album,’ and some I like just fine.”

On becoming a morning person (1993): “You know what; ever since I gave up booze in the late ‘80s, my hours changed around almost overnight. I get up regularly about six in the morning. I’m a six o’clock person. I actually like it a lot. I get up, I immediately do my European e-mail, then

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go work out and I’m just ready for the day.”On finding “enjoyment in interpreting

songs” (2003): “I’m not sure when that happened, but probably since the end of the ‘90s, the beginning of the 2000s, I suppose. Why this is happening I don’t know; maybe it’s just the age I’m getting to, but I’m starting to feel, firstly, a real enjoyment in just interpreting songs. And I just feel like being on stage is not a life-threatening situation. It’s just there you are, you’ve got a wonderful band with you, you like the songs you’ve chosen to do on the show, have a great time. So I’m approaching it from a lot more enthusiastic point of view rather than worrying about things and ‘Is it going to go well?’”

What Apple Music and Spotify’s Updated Subscriber Count Really MeansBY GLENN PEOPLES

The music subscription market is looking like a two-horse race; Spotify and Apple Music are putting significant distance be-tween themselves and competitors like Rhapsody, Deezer, Tidal and Google Play Music.

A Financial Times report claimed Apple Music has 10 million subscribers, an impressive number for a service less than a year old. Spotify then revealed it had its “fastest ever” growth in the second half of 2015. Given Spotify announced the 20 million mark in June, a safe range would be 25 to 30 million subscribers and an aggressive estimate would be 27.5 million subscribers. Other services are far behind. Deezer had 3.8 million revenue-generating subscribers as of June 30.Rhapsody has roughly 3.5 million. Tidal has surpassed 1 million.

Apple Music is a formidable competitor to Spotify. A result of Apple’s acquisition of Beats Electronics, the service has the company’s full support and investment. It has put an emphasis on radio and personalities, bringing in BBC host Zane Lowe for a live radio channel, Beats 1, that also features segments by popular artists like Dr. Dre and St. Vincent. Beats 1 is used by Apple to help attract subscribers. (Beats 1 is also the only part of the service available for free.) Spotify and YouTube Red listeners with ad-supported, on-demand music. Pandora will use its ad-supported free radio service to funnel listeners to its subscription service. Apple uses a personality-driven radio service. And, of course, Apple Music comes installed on Apple devices.

Although it’s far behind Spotify, Apple Music’s limited window makes its rush to 10 million subscribers an impressive feat. It normally takes a subscription service numerous years to surpass 1 million, and some, like Rdio, have gone bust trying. What’s more, 10 million could soon become 15 million. Apple Music cast an even wider net when it launched on Android on November 10. Any new Android subscribers would still be using their free trial.

There were some doubts after Apple last revealed its subscriber count. How many trial users had forgotten to cancel their subscriptions after the free trial ended? To what degree was Apple Music a dalliance for listeners? Sunday’s reveal about Apple Music numbers goes a long way in answering those questions. Hitting 10 million subscribers six months after launch and within three months after getting its first paid subscribers shows a large percentage of users were not simply flirting with a new service. Many of them stuck around.

The bigger issue is the impact Spotify and Apple Music are having on their competitors and the larger marketplace.

More metrics on the subscription market are forthcoming. Two groups of metrics provide insight into the state of the U.S. streaming market. One is the RIAA’s annual report on shipments and revenue.

It will have U.S. figures for both number of subscribers and total subscription revenue. Apple’s impact will be relatively slight because its subscribers generated revenue only in the last three months of the year. In contrast, Spotify acquired subscribers throughout 2015.

An indirect method for gauging Apple Music’s effect on the U.S. market will come from Pandora’s earnings release. Pandora’s third-quarter earnings showed Apple Music›s free trial offer had pulled away some listeners and their listening time. Pandora CEO Brian McAndrews called it a “muted” impact that was “consistent” with what Pandora experienced after iTunes Radio launched in 2013. The next earnings release will show if Apple Music has continued to weaken Pandora.

Another indirect metric will be download sales. To the extent subscription services are a substitute for download purchases, uptake of subscription services is likely to speed the already declining download market. Nielsen Music numbers won’t show an obvious effect from the cause, but a meaningful change in the numbers will suggest a correlation between subscription services and download sales. The loss of downloads is the ugly consequence of subscription growth. Since many people worry about the loss of download revenue — songwriters especially are concerned about the loss of mechanical royalties — and are unsatisfied by streaming royalties, these changes should be closely watched.

As for the global streaming market, the best data points will come later this year from the IFPI. The first will arrive will be the Digital Music Report in April. The second will be the annual Music Industry in Numbers report. It will provide global subscription numbers, both subscribers and revenue, and will break down revenue by country. If previous release dates are any indication, the reports will be released in April.

After fit and spurts, the music subscription has almost arrived — it’s not there just yet. Spotify and Apple Music have 35 million global subscribers between them. It’s a good start, but it’s

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only a start. SiriusXM Radio alone has 30 million subscribers in just the United States — and it charges about $15 compared to the standard subscription price of $10. But Apple and Spotify are making great strides in getting consumers aboard the subscription business model.

The news may not be welcomed by all. The transition from downloads to streaming creates anxiety for rights owners and creators that worry download revenue won’t be fully replaced by streaming revenue. Whatever the revenue outcome, subscription services are a natural and necessary evolution. Consumers want streaming products and have the mobile and home broadband plans to enjoy them. It’s up to the music industry to provide the right services, and these new numbers on Apple Music and Spotify are good indications consumers are being given streaming services they want.

Spotify Hit With Second Lawsuit Over Copyright InfringementBY ED CHRISTMAN 

Spotify has been hit with a second class ac-tion suit over alleged systemic and willful copyright infringement.

Los Angeles-based law firm Gradstein & Marzano filed a claim late Friday (Jan. 8) with a class of recording artists, led by Melissa Ferrick, seeking $200 million in damages. It follows a Dec. 28 lawsuit filed on behalf Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker frontman David Lowery, who is seeking $150 million in damages.

The latest suit states that instead of pursuing direct licenses, or using the compulsory mechanical license mechanism, which would require the service to file a notice of intent with the publishers of each song on its service, Spotify chose to outsource its licensing

and accounting obligations to the Harry Fox Agency. The suit states that HFA “was ill-equipped to obtain licenses for all of the songs embodied in the phonorecords distributed by Spotify.”

Spotify moved forward on its promise to subscribers to provide “all the music you ever need ... for every moment.” In doing so, the complaint alleges that the streaming company decided to “employ a now familiar strategy for many digital music services — infringe now, apologize later. Spotify chose expediency over licenses.”

The lawsuit lists more than 125 Ferrick songs, and alleges that combined they had been streamed on Spotify about 1 million times. Ferrick began her recording career in the early 1990s when she was signed to Atlantic Records. Her albums have sold about 154,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan, 67,000 track downloads. The artist’s two best selling songs — “Welcome To My Life” (7,000 downloads) and “Anything Anywhere” (6,000) — are on the list of alleged infringed songs.

Sources say Ferrick is a client of Audiam, the company founded by Jeff Price, who has been verbally sparring with Spotify over the last few months. Price claims that many of the publishing catalog he represents haven’t been licensed or received proper renumeration by Spotify.

Plaintiff Ferrick and the to-be-determined class members are entitled to recover up to $150,000 in statutory damages for each musical composition infringed, according to the suit.

According to the complaint, a class action lawsuit is the best way to pursue adjudication of this controversy because individual litigation of the claims of all class members is impracticable.

For example, because of class members with smaller claims, the expense and burden of individual litigation may not justify pursuing the claims individually. Furthermore, even if every member of the class could afford to pursue individual litigation, the court system could not be so encumbered, it further states.

The complaint noted that since its launch in 2011, Spotify had raised close to $1 billion in private equity and obtained a

valuation in excess of $8 billion. “While Spotify has profited handsomely

from the music that it sells to its subscribers, the owners of that music (in particular, songwriters and their music publishers) have not been able to share in that success because Spotify is using their music for free,” the lawsuit says.

In addition to compensatory and/or statutory damages in excess of $200 million, the complaint asks the court:

— To rule Ferrick as the class representative and similarly situated songwriters a proper class.

— To certify Gradstein and Marzano as class counsel

— A temporary, preliminary and permanent injunction enjoining and restraining the service from continued unlicensed reproduction and distribution of the copyrighted musical compositions owned by Plaintiff and the members of the class.

— For pre- and post-judgment interest, and for such fees and costs, including reasonable attorney’s fees, incurred.

While there are separate class actions suits ongoing, at some point there likely could be negotiations between the law firms and lead plaintiff ’s to join them together — or a court ruling could favor only one of the suits going forward.

Spotify wasn’t available for comment as of publication. After the first class action lawsuit was filed, the service said in its defense it has paid $3 billion in royalties since its inception.

In addition, Spotify and other interactive services are involved in settlement negotiations with the National Music Publishers’ Assn. over unlicensed and unpaid publishing royalties and how to eliminate that problem on a going forward basis.

The Ferrick complaint stated that Spotify only recently announced it was investing in systems to handle its music publishing responsibilities.

“That is an investment and process that Spotify should have undertaken before it decided to reproduce and distribute embodying unlicensed musical compositions to the Service’s millions of

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users, not over four years after Spotify launched the Service in the United States,” the suit says.

“At this point, Spotify’s failure to properly obtain licenses is much more than what it euphemistically describes as an “administration system” problem; it is systemic and willful copyright infringement for which actual and statutory damages are the remedy.”

At Least 10 Let Go at Capitol Music GroupBY ANDY GENSLER

At least 10 employees of Capitol Music Group (CMG) were laid off on Thurs-day (Jan. 7), including executives across multiple departments. Among those let go were vp of promotion Howard Petru-ziello, vp of video promotion Wanda Co-riano, marketing director Matt Kroepel, vp of sync and brand partnerships Alis-ann Blood, vp of publicity Juliana Plot-kin and publicity manager Shane Wep-prich, according to sources. Additional staff was reportedly laid off from the New York office of CMG as the company continues to shift its resources and manpower to its Hollywood headquarters.

The news comes as CMG has made several recent changes to its corporate team. On Monday, CMG announced that former Columbia Records exec Ashley Newton would take over as president with a focus on A&R. He also holds an evp of creative/special projects title at parent company Universal Music Group. Newton’s announcement follows the fourth-quarter appointment of Harvest Records GMs Piero Giramonti and Jacqueline Saturn to co-GMs of Caroline, CMG’s independent distribution service, and more hirings are expected in the coming weeks. One insider characterized the cuts as part of the company’s “annual budgeting cycle” and not indicative of

CMG’s continuing growth. Since chairman Steve Barnett’s arrival in

late 2012 in the wake of UMG’s acquisition of the storied label, Capitol has undergone significant restructuring Barnett began by bringing in attorney Michelle Jubelirer to oversee operations (she was promoted to COO in May 2015) while upping Greg Thompson to evp in 2013. Last October, Ambrosia Healy was hired to oversee publicity, which preceded a round of layoffs in that department in November of 2014.

Barnett’s strategy has seemingly been validated as CMG held the third-highest label market share in 2015 and, at last year›s Grammy Awards, took home album of the year honors for Beck and four trophies for Sam Smith, who will appear on the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday. Among the breakout artists to emerge from the Capitol roster in 2015 are 5 Seconds of Summer, Halsey and 2016 Grammy nominee Tori Kelly.

Nate Albert Named EVP of A&R at Capitol Music GroupBY BILLBOARD STAFF

Capitol Music Group has hired Nate Albert, co-founder of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and a longtime executive at Republic Records, as its new executive vice president of A&R. Reporting to CMG president Ashley Newton, Albert will sign and develop new talent, as well as oversee recording projects for roster artists.

At Republic, Albert signed Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd, who is up for seven awards at next month’s Grammys. He also signed Phantogram and shepherded various releases from artists including Florence + The Machine, The Lonely Island and more.

Albert began his career in the music business as a founding lead guitarist in

Boston ska band The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, which scored a major hit in 1997 with “The Impression That I Get.”

“Nate has impeccable taste, great creative instincts and a winning demeanor — qualities so important in working with artists and attracting the right talent to the label,” said Newton in a statement.

Albert added, “I have long been inspired by Ashley’s career and stellar reputation, and greatly moved and influenced by the artists he has discovered and worked with, so I am now especially grateful for the opportunity to work directly with him. It is also a dream come true to be joining him, Steve Barnett and the entire Capitol team at a label that not only represents a deep and iconic legacy of great music and artistry, but is so clearly in the midst of an exciting new ascendance centered on artist development.”

Germany Thanks David Bowie for Helping Bring Down Berlin WallBY LINDSEY SULLIVAN

David Bowie was not just a hero in the mu-sic world — he had humanitarian impact as well.

Having lived and recorded in the German capital (Low, Heroes and Lodger make up Bowie’s iconic “Berlin trilogy”), Bowie performed near the Berlin Wall in June of 1987. A week later, President Ronald Reagan challenged Mikhail Gorbachev to “Tear down this wall!” Two years later, the wall finally fell.

This morning, the German Foreign Office tweeted its thanks to Bowie for “helping to bring down the #wall.”

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SoundCloud Confirms Receipt of Debt FundingBY ANDREW FLANAGAN

SoundCloud has confirmed that the company secured a line of credit with “alternative investment management firm” Tennenbaum Capital Partners early in 2015. While the company didn’t give specif-ics on the size of the investment, Swedish news outlet Di Digital reports the figure at $32 million, with an option for another payment double that of the original.

In a statement the company says the deal was “an attractive option for companies like SoundCloud that have a solid credit rating, and offers an appropriate funding option for a company at our growth stage.”

SoundCloud has had a tumultuous year, but recently struck an important deal with U.K. trade body PRS for Music, which sued the company over a failure to pay its members. SoundCloud founder and CEO Alexander Ljung said the agreement will “expand revenue opportunities, improve the accuracy of royalty distributions, and launch new services for our 175 million monthly active listeners.”

“Over the last couple of years we’ve been really focused on generating revenue opportunities for the creative community,” SoundCloud’s svp of business development and strategy Stephen Bryant told Billboard. “This deal enables SoundCloud to continue to operate as a platform that really been built for creators at all stages of their career. Whether they are signed to a major label or an indie artist, this deal enables that creative community to continue to use the platform and make sure that creators and artists and songwriters are properly compensated.”

It’s been about a year-and-a-half since the company introduced On SoundCloud, its monetization scheme. Warner Music Group is the only major label to take the company up on the deal, which allows companies to make ad revenue against

uploaded catalog.For its part, Sony Music continues to

remove any of its catalog that appears on the site, while Universal Music Group seems to be taking a wait-and-see approach to its negotiations with the platform.

David Bowie’s Digital Albums Scooped Up By Fans on iTunes, AmazonBY BILLBOARD STAFF

Fans are paying tribute to David Bowie with their wallets, sending the late icon’s new al-bum to the top of the iTunes albums chart and near that same milestone on Amazon.

Following word of Bowie’s death, his album Blackstar — released days ago on his 69th birthday — skyrocketed to No. 1 on the iTunes Store’s constantly updated chart, with his Best of Bowie collection at No. 2. The rest of the top ten currently includes his classics The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars (No. 4) and Hunky Dory (No. 7). Other key albums currently charting include Let’s Dance (No. 16), Nothing Has Changed (No. 18), Young Americans (No. 19),Aladdin Sane (No. 21), Heroes (No. 22) and Low (No. 23).

David Bowie Deep Cuts: 15 Essential Gems From the Late Genius’ Vast Catalog

At Amazon, only Adele’s 25 is keeping Blackstar from the top spot. Best of Bowie(No. 4) and Ziggy Stardust (No. 13) are also in the top 20. On Google Play’s top albums chart (which does not update with the same kind of frequency as the iTunes Store) Blackstar is currently listed at No. 11.

As previously reported, Blackstar is poised to hit No. 1 on the U.K. album chart later this week.

Keith Urban Announces Ripcord World Tour, AlbumBY PHYLLIS STARK

When Keith Urban dives into his Ripcord World Tour later this year, he’ll be aiming to land straight on the hearts of his fans, with whom he hopes to make an emotional connection at his shows. He has the same mission in mind for his eighth album, also to be titled Ripcord, which he’s endeavoring to have finished by the tour’s June 2 launch date.

The tour, being announced on Monday, is scheduled to hit amphitheaters and arenas in 45 U.S. cities and one in Canada when it runs through June, July and August, then resumes in October and November. (See the full list of announced cities and venues at keithurban.net/events.) Brett Eldredge and buzzy newcomer Maren Morris will open all dates. Tickets go on sale for some markets Jan. 29.

Additional legs of the tour are expected to be added, and Urban says those will justify the “world tour” moniker. Speaking from a Nashville recording studio during a break from a Ripcord session, Urban tells Billboard, “Initially we’re just going to get to Canada and Australia, but I think hopefully we’ll be able to extend out. I’d love to get back to Europe. It’s been a little while since we played there.”

Undeterred by the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks at the Bataclan concert hall in Paris, Urban says he also hopes to play in France. “You have to be vigilant with various things in life and when you’re traveling to certain parts of the world,” he says, “but at the same time you have to be able to just live life because those things can happen anywhere, as we’ve seen. We’ve always had a sort of strong fan base in France for some reason. I even won a country award there many years ago [from] the French Association of Country Music. So I’ve been

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dying to get there to play for some time. I hope we get to do that.”

Stateside, the tour will makes stops in five cities where Urban has never played as a headliner, including Youngstown, Ohio; Lincoln, Neb.; and Myrtle Beach, S.C. He’ll also be making a return to several other cities he hasn’t toured in three years, including Tampa, Fla., and Kansas City, Mo.

Meanwhile, Urban is working hard to complete the album he says is “a long way from finished,” even thought two singles from the project have already been released to country radio. They include “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16,” a 2016 Grammy nominee for best country solo performance. “I’m not sure the record will be out in time for the tour,” he says at first, adding, “I think it’ll be pretty close. … But having said that, if we can stay on schedule and everything moves right, it should be done just before the tour.”

For that tour, Urban has enlisted the help of sought-after production designer Roy Bennett, who also created the look of the singer’s 2013-2014 Light the Fuse Tour. Their mission is to “try to find new ways to connect with the audience, to make it feel intimate in a big setting and to just visually give something that we’ve never done before,” Urban says. “I’m always fascinated with how we can do that. But every time I think there’s just nothing else that can be done we stumble upon things that we are willing to try.

“I’m always looking for new ways to play, perform, [and] make an emotional connection with the audience, which can be arrangements, song choice, visuals, production [or] where we actually perform,” Urban says. “There’s infinite things we can explore. I love touring for that reason.”

And while he says they’ve only just begun laying out plans, Urban says, “This tour feels really good. I feel really good about not only the production, [but] the new songs, [and] also the fact that we keep getting new people coming to see us play live, because of [previous album] Fuse and because of American Idol, so hopefully we can build upon that with this new record.”

Urban is currently in his fourth year as a judge on Idol, which ends its 15-year run after this season.

He watched last week’s Idol season premiere with his wife, actress Nicole Kidman, and their two young daughters at their Nashville-area home and says his family became engrossed in the contestants, their stories and their performances, making him feel “really proud of that show. Nic was really into it, and our two girls were watching it and commenting on who they liked, and what songs they knew and didn’t know, and some of the back-stories. I just thought ‘Gosh, why is this show going away?’ It’s a very particular kind of show that has a human feel to it. It just feels very real.”

He takes on a slightly wistful tone talking about the show’s impending end. “I think there will be a void for that specific kind of thing when Idol finishes this year,” he says. “I’m definitely going to miss it.”

But the tour will leave little time for wistfulness, and his choice of tour mates is already energizing Urban. Eldredge, who previously was part of the Light the Fuse Tour, is returning to the road with Urban, who says of the young singer, “I just love touring with him. … And I just love Brett as a person. He’s probably one of the best singers in town. And he’s working so hard to be a great live act. I saw him really working it every night on the last tour, so for me it was a no brainer to take him back out again. I’m just glad he wanted to come with us.”

Urban discovered Morris last fall when his manager sent over her self-titled EP. He immediately tweeted about the singer, writing in November, “Watch these songs grab you instantly like and old friend. I’m in love with this record.”

He tells Billboard, “I have been a fan right from the minute I heard the music.” He had been considering a handful of different acts as potential touring partners, but after hearing Morris’ music, then seeking out footage of some of her live performances on YouTube, “I called back and said I really want her on the tour.” He describes Morris as “soulful and cool” with a “great, interesting blend of styles in her

sound.”“I love people who can deliver live,”

Urban adds. “Anybody can go in now and do a lot of trickery on records and sing phenomenal and then you see them live and it ain’t so good. Both Brett and Maren are the real deal. They step out on stage and deliver.”

The same has often been said of Urban. Hard at work on the Ripcord album, he says fans can expect a mix of songs he wrote, co-wrote and found, some that resonate with him deeply and some “sing-along stuff ” he chose to record for its “fun factor” and his belief those songs will be crowd pleasers on tour. Overall, he says, “I’m putting a collection of songs together that capture where I’m at now in my life and what I feel passionate about.” Expect his fans to line up to pull that cord.

Will Sean Penn Face Legal Trouble for Secretly Interviewing El Chapo?BY MATTHEW BELLONI, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Sean Penn’s blockbuster profile of Joaquin Guzman Loera has done more than just illuminate the psyche of the infamous drug warlord known as El Chapo. The circum-stances surrounding Penn’s secret October interview with El Chapo in the jungle of Mexico and Rolling Stone’s decision to pub-lish it have raised a firestorm of both legal and ethical issues.

Politicians on Sunday expressed outrage at the interview, which U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Marco Rubio called “grotesque.” White House chief of staff Denis McDonough said he was “appalled” by El Chapo’s comments in the profile, in which he admitted to running perhaps the world’s largest drug cartel. But

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McDonough stopped short of condemning the American actor’s decision to conduct the interview and write the piece. “We’ll let somebody else sort out what Sean Penn did and didn’t do,” McDonough said.

Sources tell THR Penn wasn’t paid for the article, which was scheduled to be published by Rolling Stone on Jan. 11 but was rushed online Saturday night after El Chapo was captured Friday by Mexican authorities. Penn, who was hosting a Haiti fundraising event in Los Angeles Saturday, was said to be aware that the New York Times was about to break the news of the story but CNN’s Anderson Cooper, who was MC-ing the event, was blindsided by it, and Penn declined to answer any questions about the piece there. (Rolling Stone also declined to comment.)

Both U.S. and Mexican authorities are said to be interested in speaking with Penn, who is represented by Los Angeles-based litigator Mathew Rosengart, a former federal prosecutor who also is representing Penn in his high-profile defamation lawsuit against Empire creator Lee Daniels. (Rosengart declined to comment.) American federal law enforcement officials are attempting to extradite El Chapo to the U.S. to face likely charges of murder, money laundering and drug trafficking, and Penn could be an important witness at any trial. He could even face charges himself.

But on the legal issues, based on what information is public, it seems Penn likely is in the clear, and the timing of El Chapo’s recapture could help him.

When the actor conducted the interview in October, El Chapo was indeed a wanted man, but Section 1071 of the criminal code, the U.S. law governing harboring a fugitive, makes it an offense only “to harbor or conceal any person...so as to prevent the fugitive’s discovery and arrest…” One might make an argument that Penn, based on what he revealed in the profile, knew where El Chapo was located, what his plans were, with whom he was consorting and how he had managed to evade recapture, and that he should have helped U.S. or Mexican authorities

in their search. But Section 1071 doesn’t mandate any affirmative duty to do so, and there’s a long history of American journalists (and yes, Penn is a journalist as well as an Oscar winner, having written previously for Rolling Stone, Hollywood Reporter and other publications) secretly interviewing fugitives and despots without recourse. “Harboring or concealing a fugitive is usually more than just setting up a clandestine meeting. You have to actually help the fugitive avoid capture in some way,” criminal defense attorney Page Pate told Mediaite.

Penn would have had to do things like provide money or other resources to El Chapo, tip him off or otherwise help him evade arrest, or used his influence as a wealthy celebrity to assist him in avoiding capture. Evidence of such behavior might yet emerge but these are all things that Rosengart likely would have advised Penn not to do. In addition, early evidence suggests El Chapo’s interest in having his story told by Hollywood was a path that led to his recapture, so Penn’s involvement might actually have helped authorities.

Whether Penn will be required to testify against El Chapo is another issue. It’s not clear whether the actor will be subpoenaed or if he will cooperate with the U.S. Attorney’s office in Chicago, which is leading the American end of the case, or with Mexican investigators. There are vague descriptions in the Rolling Stone piece (such as El Chapo’s business dealings and allies) that federal investigators likely would want to probe, in addition to his relationship to Kate Del Castillo, the soap star who is said to have been the bridge between El Chapo and Penn (Del Castillo’s U.S. representatives at CAA, which also reps Penn, and the Felker Toczek law firm, declined to comment, with CAA referring media requests to her publicist, who declined comment).

However, this issue has been minimized by the timing of the story’s publication. If Penn’s interview had appeared before El Chapo was captured, there likely would have been greater outrage and interest from authorities in enlisting his assistance

in finding the fugitive. With El Chapo in custody, authorities likely will want Penn’s assistance only in building its case against him, such as confirming the confession that appears in the piece (“I supply more heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana than anybody else in the world. I have a fleet of submarines, airplanes, trucks and boats”) and certain details that might not have made it into the story. It would be surprising if Penn didn’t at least cooperate with the investigation to some extent. If he refuses, he could argue that the First Amendment shields him from having to disclose information about the circumstances of an interview. But those types of First Amendment arguments haven’t gone very far in federal cases.

Those are the legal issues. On the journalistic front, most of the outrage has been directed toward Rolling Stone for allowing El Chapo to approve the content of the piece before it published (though the magazine says he declined to change anything). CNN’s media editor Brian Stelter called it an “exceedingly unusual choice by a news outlet,” and others have decried the decision to give a favorable platform to notorious fugitive. There’s little doubt that most of the outlets dumping on the decision to run the El Chapo piece would have been more than excited to get an El Chapo interview of their own, but whether they would have agreed to the onerous terms is something that likely will be debated in newsrooms and via the media in the next week. At least Rolling Stone was up front about the conditions in an editor’s note before the story, so the hand-wringers won’t be able to claim any conspiracy.

This story was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter

Pemberton Music Festival Launches Grant Program for Local Arts OrganizationsBY KAREN BLISS

By raising money from ticket sales from British Columbia’s Pemberton Music Festi-val, more than $70,000 (CAD $100,000) will be granted to 17 community arts organ-izations, ranging from a nutritional coupon program to gymnastics equipment voucher program.

The awards — through Pemberton Music Festival Community Fund Committee and festival founders/producers New Orleans-based Huka Entertainment — are intended to develop important programs and projects within Pemberton Valley, which includes the small communities of Mount Currie, mostly First Nations, and Pemberton proper.

“Over the past few years, the Village of Pemberton has been very supportive and welcoming of the Pemberton Music Festival,” said A.J. Niland, founder and chairman of festival founders and producers Huka Entertainment, in a statement. “We are excited to be able to reciprocate that support and show our appreciation to this great community.”

The four-day camping, music and comedy festival, situated on 300 acres at the base of Mt. Currie, draws 115,000 people to the grounds. A portion of the proceeds from each ticket sold from the first two Pemberton Music Festivals (2014, 2015) was put into the grant fund.

The first year’s festival included headliners Nine Inch Nails, Outkast, Deadmau5 and Soundgarden. Kendrick Lamar, The Black Keys,J. Cole and Tiesto headlined the 2015 edition.

The application and review process for the grants is called “competitive,” in the press release, and the PMFCF Committee

is aided by the Village of Pemberton in selecting the recipients. Next year’s application deadline is Sept. 30.

The recipients of the 2015 Pemberton Music Festival Community Fund (PMFCF) awards are: Growing Great Children (“Music Together”); Interact Club (“Model UN Conference”); Lower Stl’atl’imx Tribal Council (“Transportation Support”); Pemberton Arts & Culture Council (“Public Awareness Campaign”); Pemberton BMX Society (“Lock-up and Safety Fencing”); Pemberton Childcare Society (“Playground Resurfacing”); Pemberton Farmers’ Market Association (“Nutritional Coupon Program”); Pemberton Gymnastics (“Gymnastics Equipment”); Pemberton Secondary School (“Garden Program”); Pemberton Valley Seniors Society (“Bowling for Life and Art”); Royal Canadian Legion Branch #201 (“Building Renovations”); Sea to Sky Clean Air Society (“Burn Smart Workshops”); Signal Hill Elementary School (“Kitchen Connections” and “Breakfast and Lunch Program”); Signal Hill Elementary Parent Advisory Committee (“iGirl and iGuy Workshops”); Spirit of BC Community Committee (“Winterfest Kid Zone”); Stewardship Pemberton (“Watershed Model”); and Village of Pemberton (“One Mile Lake Park Improvements”).

John Berry, Co-Founder of Indie Rock Band Idaho, DiesBY COLIN STUTZ

John Berry, co-founder of the Los Angeles slowcore indie rock band Idaho, has died. The group posted a Facebook message to fans on Saturday saying Berry “passed away peacefully in his sleep.”

“He had a uniquely bright spirit that I know is still shining brilliantly in some

other plane,” reads the message. “So much love headed towards you right now..... We had quite a wild ride...thanks for showing me how to make music from the core.”

Berry and Jeff Martin started Idaho in 1992 after spending years playing together in various groups around Los Angeles. In 1993 the band released its debut album Year After Year on Caroline.

While they would pick up more bandmates over the years, later on the group became primarily Martin’s project. Berry left the band before its next album in 1994, Pitchfork reports. Late last year, the band released The Broadcast of Disease, which featured a number of Berry and Martin’s early recordings.

David Bowie’s Top 20 Biggest Billboard HitsBY KEITH CAULFIELD

David Bowie, who died at 69 on Jan. 10, amassed a Billboard chart career that stretches back over 40 years.

Bowie scored his first hit single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1972 with “Changes,” which bowed on the list dated April 15, 1972. The single initially didn’t find wide success, and stalled out at No. 66 that year. However, “Changes” would return to the chart in 1974, following Bowie’s subsequent breakthrough with “Space Oddity” -- his first top 40 hit (it peaked at No. 15).

“Changes” ultimately peaked at No. 41 on the Feb. 1, 1975 chart. It ranks at No. 14 on our recap of Bowie’s top 20 biggest hits on the chart (see list, below).

His biggest single on the Hot 100 is his second No. 1 smash, “Let’s Dance.” The track, produced by Nile Rodgers, was the title cut of Bowie’s hugely successful 1983 album. The set peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart, returning him to the top 10 for the first time since 1976. The effort also launched the top 20-charting

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hits “China Girl” and “Modern Love,” which rank at Nos. 6 and 8 on his all-time list.

Bowie’s second-biggest Hot 100 hit is his first chart-topper: “Fame.” The 1975 single was co-written with John Lennon (who also provided guitar and background vocals) and rose to No. 1 on the Hot 100 dated Sept. 20, 1975. The disco-funk track also found success on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where it reached No. 21. Its success even garnered Bowie an invitation to perform on the TV dance series Soul Train.

“Fame’s” follow-up single, “Golden Years,” is Bowie’s No. 4 biggest single. It peaked at No. 10 on the Hot 100 chart, but spent a lengthy 21 weeks on the tally. (It’s tied with “Fame” as his longest-charting single.)

Rounding out Bowie’s top five biggest Hot 100 hits is his cover of Martha and the Vandellas’ “Dancing In the Street” with Mick Jagger. The superstar collaboration was recorded in 1985 to raise funds for the Live Aid charity. It marked Bowie’s so-far final top 10 single on the Hot 100, peaking at No. 7 on the list dated Oct. 12, 1985.

Head here for David Bowie’s 20 biggest Billboard Hot 100 hits.

Justin Bieber’s ‘Sorry’ Dethrones Adele’s ‘Hello’ Atop Hot 100BY GARY TRUST

It’s not too late to say “Sorry” … is the No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100.

After eight total, and seven consecutive, weeks at No. 2, Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” crowns the Hot 100 (dated Jan. 23) at last. The track dethrones Adele’s “Hello,” which had spent its first 10 weeks at No. 1 dating to its debut atop the Nov. 14 chart;

“Sorry” debuted the same week at No. 2.“Sorry,” released on SchoolBoy/

Raymond Braun/Def Jam, marks Bieber’s second Hot 100 No. 1, and second-in-a-row, after a lengthy wait for his first topper. After six years of charting 46 prior entries, beginning in July 2009, Bieber earned his first No. 1 on the Hot 100 dated Sept. 19, when “What Do You Mean?” debuted at No. 1. Now, he’s achieved two leaders back-to-back.

As we do every Monday, let’s run down the Hot 100’s top 10, and beyond. Highlights of the airplay/sales/streaming-based Hot 100 post on Billboard.com each Monday, with all charts updated each Tuesday.

“Sorry” (the 1,049th No. 1 in the Hot 100’s 57-year history) notches a fourth week at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart with 20 million U.S. streams, down 14 percent, and leads the subscription services-based On-Demand Songs chart for an eighth week (8.5 million on-demand streams, down 10 percent), according to Nielsen Music. It holds at its No. 2 high (for a fifth week) on Radio Songs (145 million audience impressions, up 6 percent), while dropping 2-3 on Digital Songs(128,000 downloads sold, down 53 percent, in the week ending Jan. 7); it led the sales list for a week in December. (Most songs declined in sales in the tracking week, following the robust frame ending Dec. 31, in which many consumers surely redeemed gift cards received as holiday presents.)

Three more fun facts regarding Bieber’s Hot 100 takeover:

Longest Wait at No. 2: With its eight total weeks at No. 2 before hitting No. 1 on the Hot 100, “Sorry” ties for the most weeks spent at the runner-up spot before reaching the summit. OutKast’s “The Way You Move” (featuring Sleepy Brown) also waited at No. 2 for eight frames, all in-a-row, in 2003-04. Then again, the hip-hop duo surely didn’t mind so much, as its own “Hey Ya!” ruled the list during all those weeks. (Only one other song, in addition to “Sorry,” has waited at No. 2 for exactly seven consecutive weeks before crowning the Hot 100: LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know

It” in 2011.)So “Sorry”: Bieber brings the word

“Sorry” to the top of the Hot 100 for the fourth time (and first in the 21-year-old’s lifetime). The prior three leaders with “Sorry” in their titles: Brenda Lee’s “I’m Sorry” (1960); John Denver’s “I’m Sorry” (not the same composition as Lee’s) (1975); and Chicago’s “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” (1982).

Ruling rhythmic radio: “Sorry” also hits No. 1 (2-1) on Billboard’s Rhythmic Songs radio airplay chart. It’s his second leader on the format ranking, following 2012’s “As Long as You Love Me” (featuring Big Sean).

And that’s not all the good news for Bieber this week: he additionally ranks at No. 3 on the Hot 100 as newest single “Love Yourself” stays at its peak, while taking over atop Digital Songs (3-1; 164,000, down 39 percent). It keeps at No. 3 on Streaming Songs (15.1 million, down 4 percent) and climbs 16-12 on Radio Songs (73 million, up 39 percent) (good for the Hot 100’s top Airplay Gainer award).

Bieber again places three songs in the Hot 100’s top 10, as “Mean” drops 5-8. “Sorry,” “Love Yourself ” and “Mean” are all from his album Purpose, which bowed atop the Dec. 5 Billboard 200 (becoming his sixth No. 1). The set holds at No. 2 this week and has sold 1.3 million copies in its first eight weeks.

As Bieber bounds to No. 1 on the Hot 100, Adele’s “Hello,” the lead single from her album 25, drops to No. 2 after logging its first 10 weeks at No. 1. Still, it tallies a ninth week (extending Adele’s longest command on the chart) at No. 1 on Radio Songs (169 million, down 2 percent). The ballad falls 1-2 after seven weeks atop Digital Songs (139,000, down 58 percent) and keeps at No. 2 on Streaming Songs (where it also notched seven weeks at No. 1) with 16.3 million U.S. streams, down 18 percent.

Meanwhile, second 25 single “When We Were Young” rises 47-41 on the Hot 100.25 tops the Billboard 200 for a seventh week (encompassing its entire run) and has sold 7.6 million to date.

The race for No. 1 on the Hot 100 was

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quite close again this week, with “Sorry” finally finishing ahead of “Hello”: while both songs declined sharply in overall activity thanks to the hefty decline in sales for most songs in the tracking week, “Sorry” slipped by 24 percent in Hot 100 chart points, while “Hello” fell by 31 percent.

As for non-Bieber/Adele news in the Hot 100’s top five: Drake’s “Hotline Bling” holds at No. 4, after reaching No. 2 (and dominates Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for an 11th week and Hot Rap Songs for a 16th frame), and Twenty One Pilots land their first top five hit, as “Stressed Out” flies 9-5. The latter single stays at No. 4 on Digital Songs (116,000 sold, down 27 percent) and rises 12-11 on Radio Songs (75 million, up 27 percent) and 20-13 on Streaming Songs (7.9 million, up 10 percent). “Stressed Out” concurrently leads the Hot Rock Songs chart for a third week.

Rounding out the Hot 100’s top 10, Selena Gomez’s “Same Old Love” returns to its best rank (7-6) and, as previously reported, hits No. 1 on the Pop Songs airplay chart; Shawn Mendes’ “Stitches” slips 6-7 (after peaking at No. 4); below Bieber’s “Mean” at No. 8, Alessia Cara’s debut hit “Here” drops 8-9 (after reaching No. 7); Meghan Trainor’s “Like I’m Gonna Lose You,” featuring John Legend, remains at No. 10 after rising to No. 8. As previously reported, “Like” takes over atop the Adult Pop Songs airplay chart.

Among noteworthy action outside the Hot 100’s top 10, Drake and Future’s “Jumpman” rises 13-12, returning to its peak; The Chainsmokers’ “Roses,” featuring ROZES, roars 22-13, marking the duo’s highest-peaking Hot 100 hit (its debut, “#SELFIE,” reached No. 16 in April 2014. “Roses” also rules the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart for a third week); and, Post Malone’s “White Iverson” jumps 15-14.

Find out more noteworthy news throughout the chart in the weekly “Hot 100 Chart Moves” column to post later this week. And, visit Billboard.com tomorrow (Jan. 12), when all rankings,

including the Hot 100 in its entirety, will refresh, as they do each Tuesday. The Hot 100 and other charts will also appear in the next issue of Billboard magazine, on sale Friday (Jan. 15).

Selena Gomez Scores Second Pop Songs No. 1 With ‘Same Old Love’BY GARY TRUST

Selena Gomez celebrates her second No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Songs airplay chart (dated Jan. 23), as “Same Old Love” rises 2-1. The single follows her prior hit “Good for You” (featuring A$AP Rocky), which became her first topper on the tally for two weeks beginning Sept. 26. Both songs are from her album Revival, which arrived atop the Oct. 31 Billboard 200 chart and has sold 268,000 to date, according to Nielsen Music.

“This album in particular was such a transition for me,” Gomez said of Revival as she accepted her Chart-Topper award at Billboard’s Women in Music festivities last month. “I have so much more to prove.”

“Same” has reached a high of No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, which measures all-genre airplay, sales and streaming. Check back later today to see where the song ranks on the latest Hot 100, and to find out if Adele’s “Hello” can extend its lead on the Hot 100 past 10 weeks, or whether Justin Bieber can take over with “Sorry” after seven straight weeks at No. 2. (“Same” dethrones “Sorry” after three weeks atop Pop Songs.) All charts will update tomorrow (Jan. 12) on Billboard.com.

Meanwhile, more good news for Gomez on Pop Songs: “Same” follow-up “Hands to Myself,” the third single from Revival,

debuts at No. 29. The track is one of two new entries on the list: Taylor Swift’s “Out of the Woods” roars in at No. 28. “Woods” is the sixth Pop Songs hit from Swift’s album 1989; with the first five having gone all the way to No. 1, Swift is one leader away from tying Katy Perry’s record for the most Pop Songs No. 1s from an album: Perry scored six from Teenage Dream in 2010-12.

Meghan Trainor & John Legend Top Adult Pop Songs Chart With ‘Like I’m Gonna Lose You’BY GARY TRUST

Meghan Trainor has already revealed the name of her forthcoming second full-length album, but her first set is still gener-ating No. 1 Billboard hits.

Trainor tops Billboard’s Adult Pop Songs airplay chart (dated Jan. 23), as “Like I’m Gonna Lose You,” featuring John Legend, rises 2-1. She’d previously peaked as high as No. 2 on the chart with her debut hit “All About That Bass,” in October 2014. Both songs, along with fellow hits “Lips Are Movin” and “Dear Future Husband,” are from her debut full-length album Title, which, as reported last week, has surpassed 1 million copies sold, according to Nielsen Music.

All charts will update tomorrow (Jan. 12) on Billboard.com.

“Like” marks Trainor’s second No. 1 on any Billboard airplay chart: “Bass” crowned both Pop Songs and the all-format Radio Songs rankings for three weeks each. “Bass” also topped the airplay/sales-streaming-based Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks, becoming the longest-leading Hot 100 No. 1 in Epic Records’ history.

Meanwhile, Legend lands his second

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Adult Pop Songs No. 1 in as many tries: his own “All of Me” reigned for four weeks in 2014; it also topped the Hot 100 for three weeks.

Last week, Trainor told E! News the name of her next album: Thank You (although no release date has yet been announced). “[It’s] amazing to finally wrap it up,” she said. “It kills you to hold these songs from the world, it really does, especially [the title cut], ‘Thank You.’ It’s a song to my fans.”

Justin Bieber, Adele Extend Reign Over Australia’s ChartsBY LARS BRANDLE

Justin Bieber and Adele continue to rule Australia’s sales charts.

Bieber’s “Love Yourself ” (Def Jam/Universal) notches its fifth week at No. 1 on the ARIA Singles Chart to overtake “What Do You Mean” as the Canadian singer’s longest run at No. 1 Down Under. Meanwhile, Adele’s 25 (XL/Remote Control) extends its run at the summit of the ARIA Albums Chart for a seventh week.

On the singles chart, Adele’s former chart-topper “Hello” holds at No. 2 and its now four-times platinum certified. Rounding out the top five is Bieber’s “Sorry” at No. 3, Jonas Blue feat. Dakota “Fast Car” (Virgin/EMI) at No. 4 and Shawn Mendes’ “Stitches” (Def Jam) at No. 5.

Bieber continues to lock-down the top three on the ARIA streaming chart with “Love Yourself,” “Sorry” and “What Do You Mean,” respectively.

Adele’s 25 was recently crowned leader of the 2015 ARIA End Of Year Albums Chart, and the British singer’s third album won’t give up its grip of the weekly chart just yet.

25 is the first album to spend seven

straight weeks at the top since Adele’s previous album 21 did so during an eight-week stint at the top from early September to late October in 2011.

The entire top four albums are unchanged this week, and the top six albums are all former No. 1s. The second-placed album is Bieber’s Purpose, ahead of Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Big Machine/Universal) at No. 3, Ed Sheeran’s X (Warner) at No. 4 and Elvis Presley with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra If I Can Dream (RCA/Sony) at No. 5.

Sam Smith, winner of best original song at Sunday’s Golden Globes Awards in L.A., saw his album In The Lonely Hour (Capitol) jump 16-6 on Australia’s chart for its 52nd week in the top ten. The set debuted at No. 2 in June 2014 and spent two weeks at No. 1 in April and May 2015.

Another strong rebounder this week is Sia’s 1000 Forms Of Fear (Monkey Puzzle/Inertia). The homegrown singer and songwriter’s sixth studio album re-enters the chart at No. 30 ahead of the release later this month of her new album This Is Acting. Sia’s former No. 1 album has spent 56 weeks in the top 50.

Head here for David Bowie’s 20 biggest Billboard Hot 100 hits.

Justin Bieber Is First Artist to Occupy Top 3 Slots on U.K. Singles ChartBY PAUL SEXTON

Justin Bieber makes U.K. chart history this week, becoming the first artist ever to occupy the entire top three on the U.K. sin-gles chart. The Def Jam/Universal star con-tinues at No. 1 on the Official Charts Com-pany’s new survey with “Love Yourself,” holds at No. 2 with “Sorry,” and climbs 4-3

with “What Do You Mean?”Adele started a seventh straight week atop the album chart with 25 (XL Recordings).

The new singles chart also saw Shawn Mendes climb 12-4 with “Stitches” (EMI/Universal), while Adele’s “Hello” slipped 3-5. There was a 15-10 jump for “Girl Is Mine” (NEM/RCA/Resilience/Sony) by 99 Souls, while the public outpouring of affection for Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister since his death on Dec. 28 brought their 1980 signature hit “Ace Of Spades” (Sanctuary) back into the top 100 at No. 13, two places higher than its original peak.

The top four on the album chart is unchanged, with Adele followed again by Elvis Presley’s If I Can Dream (RCA/Sony Legacy), Bieber’s Purpose and Jess Glynne’s I Cry When I Laugh (Atlantic/Warner Music). James Bay’s Chaos and the Calm (Republic/Universal) climbed again, 10-5. Now That’s What I Call Music 92 began a seventh week at the top of the compilation chart.