Maine Philanthropy Center’s Post

Curious how we use data in our concerts? 🤓🎶 We are able to analyze which popular artists in key locations, whose electoral margins are often decided by the size of a concert venue, will increase civic impact the most. To learn more check out this video where Emily White discusses our findings via SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University, moderated by Megan Ihnen! Shoutout to everyone who helped make this project happen including Eliza O'Reilly, Jasmine Lafita, Tomoya Furutani, #EmiHakutani, & Jackson Shapiro!! 🙌

The Impact of Hip Hop: From Music to Violence in Black Communities Discover the controversial connection between hip hop and violence in black communities. Explore how societal issues are reflected in the music and its impact on young individuals. #HipHopImpact #MusicAndViolence #BlackCommunityIssues #SocietalReflections #YouthCulture #HipHopInfluence #CommunityViolence #MusicIndustry #SocietalChallenges #YouthEmpowerment

I was in Gary, IN last week to promote the power of music to heal and unite us. Why I went, what I learned and accomplished is in this report: https://lnkd.in/g3JZhdY4

NEW EPISODE! In our fascination with #STEM education, are we losing something vital by squeezing out the arts. It is precisely in its rich and diverse #aliveness perhaps that music, and other arts, hold so much possibility. Check out this week's conversation with the incredible Eric Dozier! With a couple of stunning songs performed by Eric too! Eric and Tim talk about: 🎵 How does music connect us with ourselves? 🎶 How does music connect us with each other, and build community? 🎵 How does music offer other ways of knowing and transferring cultural knowledge? 🎶 How do black and indigenous cultural ways of knowing get marginalised by white supremacy culture? 🎵 What does it mean for a teacher (like a choirleader) to hold space for transformation? Listen here: https://lnkd.in/eyWrDa_H

The Music Industry Shakeup: A Reflection on Power Dynamics in America In a tumultuous week that shook the music industry to its core, we witnessed a series of events that highlight the persistent power imbalances in American society. Here's a breakdown of what transpired and its implications: 1. Atlantic Records dropped 59 prominent artists in a sweeping move that sent shockwaves through the industry. 2. Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, co-founder of The Roots and influential figure in Hip Hop, was reportedly detained and placed on suicide watch, though exact details remain unclear. 3. A wave of resignations followed, primarily involving long-standing Black executives across various music labels. 4. Sean Diddy Combes the King maker of Hip Hop , was arrested and remanded in custody, with bail denied twice by Federal Justices . These events serve as a stark reminder of the power structures that continue to dominate not just the music industry, but American society as a whole. It underscores that despite progress, control over key economic and cultural institutions remains largely in the hands of White America. This reality calls into question the rhetoric of figures like Donald Trump and Elon Musk, who often stoke fears about shifting power dynamics. The truth is, the established power structures remain firmly in place, regardless of who occupies positions of visible leadership. For the African American community, this setback represents another missed opportunity for advancement and equal representation in a major cultural and economic sphere. It suggests that true equity and power-sharing in American industries may still be decades away. As we process these events, it's crucial to consider their broader implications for racial equity, economic power, and cultural representation in America. #MusicIndustryShakeup #PowerDynamics #RacialEquity #AtlanticRecords #HipHopCulture #AmericanPolitics #CulturalRepresentation

Delving into the symbolic significance of the iconic Black Sabbath song "N.I.B." This blog post explores the profound impact of the band on the evolution of rock and roll music. Discover how they revolutionized the genre, bringing it to new, heavier heights. Uncover the true meaning behind the song here: https://ift.tt/9eksYJ3

New Post: Recording Academy Membership Report Finds 66% of Grammy Voting Body Has Joined Since 2019 - https://lnkd.in/g2BsNTu4 - On Thursday (Oct. 3), one day before first-round voting opens for the 67th annual Grammy Awards, the Recording Academy released its 2024 Membership Report. The most eye-popping statistic: 66% of the current Grammys electorate has joined since the Recording Academy introduced its new membership model in June 2019. Under that model, the academy invites large new member classes to join, with an eye on boosting the numbers of women, people of color and people under 40 in the academy. Thus, the voting membership that delivered album, record and song of the year to Adele in 2017 and those same three awards to Bruno Mars in 2018 is much different today. We started to see a shift in voting patterns in February 2019, even before the new membership model was introduced, when Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” became the first hip-hop hit to win record or song of the year. (It won both.) That same year, Kacey Musgraves’ Golden Hour won album of the year. Related Harvey Mason Jr. Re-Ups With Recording Academy for 4 More Years as CEO 10/03/2024 Since 2019, approximately 8,700 creators have become voting members of the Recording Academy. Of that total, more than 2,000 joined just this year. There are now more than 13,000 total voting members, according to the Academy. Other key takeaways from the report include: Boosting Numbers of Women In 2019, the Recording Academy set an ambitious goal to add 2,500 women voting members by 2025. With a year to go, the Academy has already surpassed this goal, adding more than 3,000 women voting members.  Since 2019, the percentage of women voting members has grown by 27%. Increasing Racial Diversity The Academy reports that the percentage of people of color has grown by 65% since 2019 among voting members. Since 2019: The percentage of Black or African American+ members has grown by 90%. The percentage of Hispanic or Latin+ members has grown by 43%. The percentage of  AAPI+ (Asian American or Pacific Islander) members has doubled, reflecting a 100% increase. The current voting membership, counting the new voting members added this year, is 49% white or Caucasian; 38% people of color; and 13% prefer not to disclose or unknown. That “people of color” slice breaks down like this: 19% Black or African American+; 10% Hispanic or Latin+; 4% Asian or Pacific Islander; 2% prefer to self-describe; and other smaller slices. The current voting membership is 66% men; 28% women; 6% prefer not to disclose/unknown; and other, s

Why It Matters

#BaggiBites Stage 22: Identity Crisis Yesterday my phone was alive with debate about this year’s Glastonbury line up - especially the headline acts. I found myself a little relieved I missed out on a ticket after all! It seems every year, its ethos and identity is questioned. This year, respected music critic Neil McCormick argued “Glastonbury has given up on rock - and turned into a children’s birthday party”. 🎸🧒 🎉 It's easy to think Glastonbury is all about the headline acts. Its difference: staying true to its original purpose and beliefs. There is something for everyone: https://lnkd.in/emwBWTS3 Arguably the lack of rock on its stages is a betrayal of the festival’s roots. And the origins of its existence: https://lnkd.in/eMzhC7K2 The identity of Britain 🇬🇧 itself has been brought into question this week, particularly in attracting the best global talent to the creative sector. I find this alarming. The government takes great pride in promoting the creative industry abroad as a key sector to invest in but post-Brexit, this is yet another example of it shooting itself in the foot: https://lnkd.in/ewWbvnTb This fantastic campaign during Black History Month used Spotify to relay speeches by black leaders - powerful, engaging, and a very strong sense of identity: https://lnkd.in/eA7a23jY On a different note, I love the new identity created for Go.Compare. Am I alone in thinking that on TV, its masot, Gio Compario 🇮🇹 is intensely annoying (but I guess that’s the point in this sector). However in digital, animated form, in combination with the new identity, it’s quite charming. Maybe time to replace the real Gio altogether?! (Remember Halifax’s Howard?) https://lnkd.in/ePekHhap Event: If you’d like to see evidence of a founder and company utterly confident in it’s vision, identity and talent, then I’d recommend you see 100 Years of Disney 🐭 at the ExCel: https://lnkd.in/eKecQ8vx This week’s 'Legend Slot': after HMV picking up ‘Specialist Retailer of the Year’ at last week’s Retail Week Awards, I was thrilled to see vinyl records included in the Office for National Statistics Inflation Index for the first time in 32 years. Quite a turnaround 🎶 https://lnkd.in/eUUvmMFW Quote of the week: Walt Disney telling the story of Mickey’s creation: “He popped into my mind onto a drawing pad…on a train ride from Manhattan to Hollywood at a time when business fortunes were at lowest ebb and disaster seemed right around the corner.” #identity #branding #storytelling 

#BaggiBites Stage 22: Identity Crisis Yesterday my phone was alive with debate about this year’s Glastonbury line up - especially the headline acts. I found myself a little relieved I missed out on a ticket after all! It seems every year, its ethos and identity is questioned. This year, respected music critic Neil McCormick argued “Glastonbury has given up on rock - and turned into a children’s birthday party”. 🎸🧒 🎉 It's easy to think Glastonbury is all about the headline acts. Its difference: staying true to its original purpose and beliefs. There is something for everyone: https://lnkd.in/emwBWTS3 Arguably the lack of rock on its stages is a betrayal of the festival’s roots. And the origins of its existence: https://lnkd.in/eMzhC7K2 The identity of Britain 🇬🇧 itself has been brought into question this week, particularly in attracting the best global talent to the creative sector. I find this alarming. The government takes great pride in promoting the creative industry abroad as a key sector to invest in but post-Brexit, this is yet another example of it shooting itself in the foot: https://lnkd.in/ewWbvnTb This fantastic campaign during Black History Month used Spotify to relay speeches by black leaders - powerful, engaging, and a very strong sense of identity: https://lnkd.in/eA7a23jY On a different note, I love the new identity created for Go.Compare. Am I alone in thinking that on TV, its masot, Gio Compario 🇮🇹 is intensely annoying (but I guess that’s the point in this sector). However in digital, animated form, in combination with the new identity, it’s quite charming. Maybe time to replace the real Gio altogether?! (Remember Halifax’s Howard?) https://lnkd.in/ePekHhap Event: If you’d like to see evidence of a founder and company utterly confident in it’s vision, identity and talent, then I’d recommend you see 100 Years of Disney 🐭 at the ExCel: https://lnkd.in/eKecQ8vx This week’s 'Legend Slot': after HMV picking up ‘Specialist Retailer of the Year’ at last week’s Retail Week Awards, I was thrilled to see vinyl records included in the Office for National Statistics Inflation Index for the first time in 32 years. Quite a turnaround 🎶 https://lnkd.in/eUUvmMFW Quote of the week: Walt Disney telling the story of Mickey’s creation: “He popped into my mind onto a drawing pad…on a train ride from Manhattan to Hollywood at a time when business fortunes were at lowest ebb and disaster seemed right around the corner.” #identity #branding #storytelling