BOYNEXTDOOR
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David Joseph, longtime chairman and CEO of Universal Music UK, has been appointed CEO of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), beginning in September. Joseph brings over 17 years of leadership in the music industry, having transformed UMUK into a global force before leaving the biz completely late last year. Known for his collaborative approach, Joseph has also championed social impact initiatives, including neurodiversity in the workplace through UMG’s “Creative Differences” handbook and community advocacy as chair of the Grenfell Foundation. He served as executive producer of the Oscar-winning Amy documentary and has produced the acclaimed BRIT Awards. Joseph succeeds Andy Haldane and will lead the 271-year-old nonprofit’s global mission to drive social progress through ideas and action in education, the arts, manufacturing and commerce. “David’s commitment to effecting social change, his compassion and his commitment to nurturing people is exemplary,” said Lloyd Grossman, chair of the RSA. “We are thrilled that David will join us, knowing that he will foster a collaborative and caring culture that speaks to our fellows, partners, staff teams and the wider world.”
Chrysalis Records, part of the Reservoir group, bumped up Tina McBye to senior vice president of commercial music operations. Based in London, she will report to COO Alison Wenham and continue leading commercial music operations across the group, including Blue Raincoat Music, Blue Raincoat Artists and labels like New State and Tommy Boy. Since joining in 2023, Tina has built a robust department supporting releases, catalog acquisitions and neighboring rights management. With a background at PPL and PRS, she brings deep expertise in neighboring rights. “Since [McBye] joined the company, she has made an enormous and transformative contribution to the development of our operations capability,” said Alison Wenham, chief operating officer, adding that she’ll continue focusing on the Chrysalis roster but will also take the lead in shaping and overseeing commercial music operations across the broader Blue Raincoat Group.
Rusty Gaston, the CEO of Sony Music Publishing Nashville, was named to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s board of officers and trustees. Jody Williams Songs founder Jody Williams was reelected as board chair, while other re-elected executive officers include Vince Gill (president), Al Giombetti (evp), David Ross (secretary) and Ernie Williams (treasurer). Ross, Ernie Williams and Jody Williams were also reelected as trustees. Other returning trustees include Mark Bloom, David Conrad, J. William Denny, Rod Essig, Al Giombetti, Ken Levitan and Mary Ann McCready, while returning officers include Earl Bentz, Sara Finley, Becky Gardenhire, Lon Helton, Clint Higham, Cindy Mabe, Gary Overton, Jim Seabury, Bill Simmons, Clarence Spalding, Chris Stewart, Troy Tomlinson, Jay Turner, Marcus Whitney and Tim Wipperman. –Jessica Nicholson
NASHVILLE NOTES: PR executive Krista Dykes launched the podcast booking and publicity agency She Laughs Media. Dykes most recently served as senior media relations manager at PLA Media and served as media relations manager at the Country Music Association from 2015-2023 … Big Machine Label Group hired director of digital marketing Sarah Bertrand. She spent the last three years with UMGN, where she was a digital marketing manager … Ailie Birchfield joined MCA as a publicist, marking a return to the company. She served as director of media marketing when it was known as UMGN, prior to a 2021 move to New York. She also runs the Nashville-based PR firm The Birchfield Group. (Want more Nashville-centric industry news? Subscribe to Tom Roland’s Country Update newsletter here.)
WMA, a global digital marketing and creative agency, appointed Andy Saiker as head of PR, socia and marketing for the UK and Europe. Effective immediately, the Londoner will oversee the PR and social teams and help expand WMA’s global marketing operations in the region. He brings experience from Warner Music, BMG Production Music and most recently, TikTok, where as senior partnerships manager for the last few years he led successful campaigns like Team GB x TikTok and StemDrop. “Andy’s deep understanding of music and digital culture makes him an incredible addition to the agency,” said Crystina Cinti, global vp at WMA.
Sotaro Nishida is now executive officer and senior vp of audio at Yamaha Corporation of America (YCA), a newly established role in which he will lead both the consumer and professional audio divisions, focusing on expanding the company’s presence in the U.S. market.Previously CEO of Yamaha Unified Communications, Nishida brings over 20 years of global experience, including roles in Europe, Japan and Latin America. His leadership follows YCA’s 2024 integration of unified communications operations. Based in Southern California, Nishida is expected to drive growth in the U.S. market, building on Yamaha’s strong presence in live sound, commercial and home audio.
Wiles + Taylor, a Nashville-based entertainment business management firm, elevated Lizzy Stone and Amy Gellick to account manager as part of five internal promotions. Stone, who joined in 2018, is active in several industry organizations and was part of the 2024 ACM LEVel Up Cohort. Gellick, with the firm since 2016, serves on the boards of the Women’s Music Business Association and SOLID. Karla Stafford, a 20-year veteran of the firm, is now director of financial reporting and compliance, while David Zeigler and David Murray have both been promoted to business manager. Zeigler joined in 2018 and is known for his passion for live music and travel, and Murray, a CPA, has been with W+T since 2016.
Audacy is shutting down Pineapple Street Studios, its podcast production arm, as part of a broader restructuring effort, resulting in approximately 30 layoffs. Founded in 2016 and acquired by Audacy (then Entercom) for $18 million in 2019, Pineapple Street was known for producing original and companion podcasts for major streaming platforms, including House of the Dragon, Severance and The Last of Us. The closure follows earlier reports of a potential sale and the February departure of co-founder Jenna Weiss-Berman, who has since joined Paper Kite Productions. Audacy will continue select Pineapple Street projects under its newly formed Audacy Podcasts division, including The Severance Podcast, now produced in collaboration with Red Hour and Great Scott.
Zebralution, a digital music distributor, announced key leadership changes to support its global expansion. William Hallström has been promoted to head of international business development while continuing as svp for the UK, Ireland and the Nordics. In this dual role, he’ll connect global teams with the Berlin headquarters and strengthen international operations. Hallström, who reports to Michael Schick in Berlin, brings experience from Universal Music and Sony Music. Additionally, Harry Barrett joins as sales and marketing manager UK/Dance Stores, bringing expertise from IDOL, while Zhenya Ivanova, formerly a playlist editor at Spotify, becomes sales and marketing manager in the U.S., based in New York. Both Barrett and Ivanov report to Lisa Riepe, head of sales and marketing.
The California Copyright Conference (CCC) announced its newly elected officers and board of directors for the 2025–2026 season. Carolyn Soyars (Disney Music Group) will serve as president, joined by Jonathan Lane, Alexandra Guzman, Sarah Brockman and Janelle Hawkes in key officer roles. Re-elected board members include Kristina Benson, Reggie Calloway, and Cheryl Dickerson. New board members are Lily Kline-Koenig, Melanie Santa Rosa, Patrick Smith, and alternate Jack Mangikyan. Several members are continuing their second terms. CCC, founded in 1953, has over 300 global members and provides educational events and resources on copyright and music industry developments.
New Orleans rapper Boosie Badazz has accepted a plea deal in his federal gun possession case, telling fans via social media that he’s “tired of fighting.”
Boosie (Torence Hatch) announced the plea agreement on Monday (Aug. 4), more than two years after he was first charged with illegal gun ownership in San Diego. The case was briefly dismissed in 2024, but federal prosecutors later refiled the charges.
“JUST ACCEPTED A PLEA FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON MY GUN CASE,” Boosie posted on X. “I THOUGHT THIS CASE WAS OVER N I WAS GOING TO GET ON WITH MY LIFE BUT ‘GOD DONT MAKE MISTAKES’ N IM TIRED OF FIGHTING!!”
“TALKED TO MY FAMILY N THIS IS THE RIGHT DECISION,” continued Boosie, adding the “100” emoji. “TO ALL MY FANS ACROSS THE WORLD SAY A PRAYER FOR YA BOY N GO GET THE NEW ALBUM.”
The rapper ended his X post with the prayer emoji and the hashtag “#wordsofarealone,” referring to his 13-song album Words of a Real One that dropped on Friday (Aug. 1).
A Monday entry on Boosie’s court docket confirmed that a plea agreement has, in fact, been reached in the case, with a hearing scheduled for Aug. 26. Terms of the deal, including what exactly Boosie will plead guilty to, have not yet been made public.
Boosie was first charged in June 2023 with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Authorities spotted the rapper with a handgun tucked into his waistband in an Instagram video — a crime, prosecutors alleged, because Boosie was previously convicted on drug charges back in 2011.
A federal judge dismissed the case in July 2024 due to evolving Second Amendment precedent around whether nonviolent felons can be charged with this type of gun possession. But prosecutors refiled the case with some changes later that same month, and it was proceeding apace before the plea agreement was reached.
Boosie is currently out on a $100,000 bond.
Metro Boomin is trying to bring the feeling back.
The St. Louis producer, who made his name in Atlanta, dropped his mixtape A Futuristic Summa where he bridged the gap between the Atlanta rap scene of the early to mid-2000s and the new generation. The tape features stellar appearances from more veteran acts like Young Dro and Waka Flaka Flame, while also showcasing newcomers like BunnaB.
Metro took to X and essentially released the project’s mission statement in a series of tweets. He started things off by posting a video of a digital billboard and said he put together the tape “for us not them.”
He then went on to post things like: “A lot of y’all get no bi—es and it shows.”
“If yo homeboy never had to hold you up in the teen party while u was getting twerked on then you might wanna sit this one out.”
“If you never went out and competed with ya boys on who would get the most numbers then you might wanna sit this one out.”
“If you never had to write a number down period then you might wanna sit this one out.”
“If you started listening to rap music in 2017 then you might wanna sit this one out.”
“If you never intentionally wore your clothes with the tags still on then you might wanna sit this one out.”
He then ended his series of tweets by saying rap music needs to embrace and lean into regionality more often. “Its time for music to get back regional,” he tweeted. “Social media got everybody tryna do the same thing. Let’s get back to actual culture and regional identity.”
He later added, “This is Avengers: Endgame level for the city. An Atlanta love letter,” when a fan commended him for thinking of putting the roster of artists involved together.
Metro Boomin Presents: A Futuristic Summa features guest appearances by J Money, Travis Porter, Young Dro, Gucci Mane, Roscoe Dash, Quavo, Breskii, YK NIECE, Skooly, Shad Da God, Meany, Imcfli, BunnaB, Jose Guapo, Rocko, 2 Chainz, Yung Booke, Lil Baby, 21 Savage, Future and Yung L.A., and is hosted by DJ Spinz.
What do we expect from a K-pop concert? For six-member boy band BOYNEXTDOOR (SUNGHO, RIWOO, JAEHYUN, TAESAN, LEEHAN and WOONHAK), their first tour “KNOCK ON Vol.1” was a coming-of-age story told onstage.
Kicking off at Incheon’s Inspire Arena on Dec. 14–15, 2024, the tour swept through six cities in Japan, then Singapore, Manila, Taipei, Jakarta, Hong Kong and returning to Tokyo, finally wrapping up with a three-night encore at KSPO DOME in Seoul on July 25–27, 2025.
Despite debuting only in May 2023, BOYNEXTDOOR has quickly built a global fanbase, especially among teens and 20-somethings in Korea. Their first tour featured 21 tracks, pulling from four EPs, a soundtrack appearance, and the fan-dedicated song “400 Years.” Though the initial shows drew praise for solid vocals and performance etiquette, some fans expressed reservations about the overall production.
As leader JAEHYUN shared during the second night of their Incheon concert, “Since it was our first concert, we tried to stay close to the original versions to clearly express the group’s identity.” And while the intent was understandable, performing without any concert-specific arrangements — relying solely on the original choreography and the abilities of members just two years into their debut — felt like a tall order for a venue the size of Inspire Arena, which holds up to 15,000 people. Adding to the challenge was the timing: December is one of the busiest months in K-pop, filled with domestic and international awards shows and year-end specials. BOYNEXTDOOR had already proven themselves on those kinds of high-profile stages, and the group’s consistent pride in their live vocals had only heightened expectations.
Still, the fact that fans could share in such a significant moment — the group’s very first solo concert — was meaningful in itself. When ONEDOORs lit up the venue with light sticks and phone flashlights and sang in unison, “So let’s go see the stars,” the stage glowed like a falling starlight, and the members, overcome with emotion, stood teary-eyed, visibly moved. It was the kind of symbolic moment destined to replay itself throughout their career. After the final show ended, the members went live together, sharing their heartfelt reflections and gratitude with fans.
BOYNEXTDOOR
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Between the Korea launch and the encore finale, the group’s momentum only grew stronger. On Jan. 6, they released digital single “I LOVE YOU Today,” a breezy band-pop track that became a chart-topper in Korea. Then came “I Feel Good,” the title track of their fourth EP <No Genre> (May 13), which swept music shows, earning their first “quadruple crown.”
BOYNEXTDOOR
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Instead of sticking to the usual encore formula — a few new songs, a reshuffled VCR, minor tweaks — “KNOCK ON Vol.1 Final” blew the door open from the first second. The show opened with “Nice Guy,” which originally closed their main set. Notably, this version was identical to the one they performed at the 2024 Mnet Asian Music Awards, complete with synchronized dance breaks and the signature chant: “Who’s there? BOYNEXTDOOR!”
“As WOONHAK said on the first night, ‘There was some regret at first. We waited for this encore show to show everything we’ve got.’” True to his words, the show looked nothing like the Incheon leg — not in setlist, stage design, or wardrobe. Utilizing the KSPO DOME’s relatively low ceiling and wide viewing angles, the backdrop LEDs were fully reconfigured to match each song’s tone. Groovy, retro-tinged openers like “Nice Guy,” “Serenade” and the ‘60s-inspired soul pop track “123-78” were paired with romantic white ensembles and soft-toned visuals, while brighter, bouncier tracks like “Back for More” and “One and Only” leaned into a street-style aesthetic with urban-inspired graphics and costumes. The transitions between sections also stood out for their creative flow: during “Fadeaway,” a dance crew filled the stage as the members exited, sustaining energy without a pause. Elsewhere, the group incorporated sound elements from past album trailers to bridge segments seamlessly. One of the most striking examples came just before “But Sometimes,” the title track of their debut EP (‘WHY..’). RIWOO choreographed a new dance break using the EP’s teaser sound, and all six members joined in — a perfectly-timed detonation of energy before launching into the original track.
Just like their encore concert in Tokyo where the group split into two units — JAEHYUN, LEEHAN, and WOONHAK covered Creepy Nuts’ viral hit “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born,” while SUNGHO, RIWOO, and TAESAN performed Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Ao to Natsu (Blue and Summer)” — the Seoul shows also featured special unit stages. This time, they brought to life cover clips that had gone viral on YouTube earlier in March. SUNGHO, RIWOO, and JAEHYUN delivered a charismatic performance of Primary’s “See Through,” while TAESAN, LEEHAN, and WOONHAK earned cheers with their emotive rendition of DAY6’s “Congratulations.”
But above all, it was the introduction of a live band that elevated the encore experience to an entirely new sonic level. Starting from the transition between “Step by Step” and “Amnesia,” the band’s presence became impossible to ignore — amplifying the energy, rhythm, and impact of BOYNEXTDOOR’s music. It felt natural to lead into “I Feel Good,” a track with distinctly rock-oriented textures, but what followed next offered a surprise: a hard cut into “Parental Advisory,” one of the group’s most intense hip-hop tracks. The contrast between genres — yet seamless flow — created a sense of sonic exhilaration that rippled through the crowd.
A particularly moving stretch came with the progression from the tender ballad “Crying” into “Dear. My Darling,” which began with SUNGHO’s solo guitar intro. The emotional buildup peaked with “Pebble,” originally led by a simple guitar riff, but now expanded through the band’s full-bodied arrangement. Even after the members had exited the stage, the musicians continued to play — with the electric guitar and keys holding the atmosphere for nearly a full minute. These same band members would later accompany BOYNEXTDOOR to the Lollapalooza stage.
The official set came to a close with “Earth, Winds & Fire,” the title track from their second EP (‘HOW?’). Poignantly, it was also the very first song that opened their debut concert — completing the arc with perfect symmetry. During the encore segment, most of the members left the main stage and roamed through the arena aisles, connecting directly with fans in both lower and upper sections. All three nights were packed with extended sets, reaching the “encore of encores” each time. The magic of “So let’s go see the stars” returned in full. On the final night, when “Earth, Winds & Fire” made a surprise reappearance during the second encore, WOONHAK shouted, “Put your phones away — let’s really go wild!” And astonishingly, most of the crowd obliged, jumping and dancing with their hands in the air. The final setlist of “KNOCK ON Vol.1 Final” totaled an impressive 27 songs.
BOYNEXTDOOR
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“We are six people who love music, and we’re grateful to sing here tonight for ONEDOOR. Thank you. This has been BOYNEXTDOOR.” With JAEHYUN’s closing words, the curtain fell — but the echoes of the music, the raw emotions, and the candid reflections each member had shared lingered in the air.
So back to the original question: What should we expect from a K-pop concert? In a system where most idols begin their training and careers as teenagers, fans often become the closest witnesses to someone’s growth — watching from the very beginning as these artists find their voice, their confidence, and their place in the world. When you’ve shared in someone’s most vulnerable, formative years, there’s little choice but to keep cheering them on. What began seven months ago as a question — a possibility — has since turned into something certain. And the encore concert made it clear just how much collective effort this team poured into delivering that certainty. BOYNEXTDOOR proved their growth, their sincerity, and their purpose. In a concert — the most intimate and immediate moment in an artist’s journey — they succeeded in showing everything fans had come to see, with nothing left behind.
BOYNEXTDOOR
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On Saturday, local time, BOYNEXTDOOR took the stage at the Lollapalooza Aftershow — just ahead of their main set — and once again showed how effortlessly they enjoy performing. On Sunday, they presented a full hourlong set on the Lollapalooza Chicago stage. It marked the first time the group delivered a fully realized concert experience in North America. What new fragments of youth will these six boys next door gather in this unfamiliar land, in the middle of summer? One thing is certain: Those glittering pieces won’t belong to BOYNEXTDOOR alone — they’ll linger in the memories of every person who was there to see it.
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