News and Trends

CMA says successor is expected to be announced in February Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/country-music-association-ceo-sarah-trahern-to-retire-at-end-of-2026/

The biggest headlines from the past few days... Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/from-gmrs-new-ceo-jeff-toig-to-quarter-of-a-billion-tracks-on-streaming-services-its-mbws-weekly-round-up/

Toig has served as Global Music Rights’ Chief Business Officer since 2018 Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/jeff-toig-named-ceo-at-irving-azoffs-gmr-as-co-founder-randy-grimmett-becomes-executive-chairman/

Veteran UK executive steps into international role following more than two decades of collaboration with the PRO Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/sesac-names-chris-sheehan-as-vp-international/

Hit Boy discusses his breakthrough work with artists like Jay Z and Travis Scott as well as his own career as an artist, the impact of AI and working across genres Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/producers-dont-get-the-recognition-and-respect-that-we-deserve-a-lot-of-the-time-were-literally-half-of-the-song/

Monthly subscription cost for Premium Individual will rise from $11.99 to $12.99 in the US Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/spotify-hikes-price-for-premium-subscribers-in-the-us-other-markets/

Deal marks one of the first producer signings under Nigro’s Amusement venture. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/sony-music-publishing-and-daniel-nigro-sign-global-deal-with-jon-buscema/

New execs join Board from Nigeria, Portugal, Japan, Germany and the UK Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/merlin-appoints-2026-27-board-adding-five-new-global-representatives/

The startup’s technology identifies what percentage of a generated output came from which source. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/musical-ai-bags-4-5m-in-funding-round-to-scale-ai-attribution-tech/

The move puts BMG in the former Galeries Lafayette building just two blocks from its current Berlin offices. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/bmg-to-move-global-hq-to-renovated-lumina-building-in-berlin-in-2027/

Absolute Label Services co-bosses, Henry Semmence and Simon Wills discuss Anthology, a new system they believe is key to the future of their company – and the success of their clients… Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/when-you-cant-see-the-whole-picture-you-dont-truly-understand-whats-going-on-in-your-business/

The signatories want the Digital Fairness Act expanded to tackle ticket resale abuse. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/managers-and-agents-of-ed-sheeran-oasis-olivia-dean-radiohead-fontaines-d-c-and-more-urge-eu-action-on-ticket-resale/

The complaint centers on Ticketmaster’s fee structure that fluctuates based on ticket prices instead of the actual cost of services rendered. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/quebec-court-greenlights-class-action-against-ticketmaster-over-unreasonable-service-fees/

Fuentes most recently served as Head of Global Communications for WarnerMedia Studios and Networks Group. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/johanna-fuentes-named-head-of-communications-and-pr-at-hybe-america/

A Puerto Rican woman alleged that Bad Bunny's producer asked her to record a phrase in 2018, which was later used in two of the artist's songs. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/bad-bunny-faces-16m-lawsuit-over-alleged-unauthorized-voice-recording-used-in-two-songs/

Elon Musk’s X Corp has filed an antitrust lawsuit against dozens of music publishers – plus the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) – accusing them of colluding to force the social media platform into taking industrywide licenses at “supracompetitive rates”. At the heart of the complaint: an allegation that the NMPA coordinated a campaign to … Continued Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/elon-musks-x-sues-major-music-publishers-plus-bmg-kobalt-nmpa-and-more-alleging-industrywide-collusion-to-force-licensing-deal/

The biggest headlines from the past few days... Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/from-salt-n-pepas-dismissed-umg-case-to-uk-subscription-music-streamings-3-2-growth-its-mbws-weekly-round-up/

Salt-N-Pepa filed the lawsuit in May 2025 Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/salt-n-pepa-lawsuit-against-umg-over-ownership-of-master-recordings-dismissed/

Pre-orders for a numbered first-pressing vinyl edition opened this week through Mars’ website. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/bruno-mars-sets-february-release-date-for-first-solo-album-in-a-decade/

Slowdown is particularly notable given that the UK subscription market benefited from yet another Spotify price increase in 2025, albeit towards the end of the year Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/uk-music-streaming-subscription-revenues-grew-by-3-2-yoy-in-2025-so-did-inflation/

Cole succeeds Andy Mooney, who led Fender through an decade of digital innovation Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/edward-bud-cole-appointed-ceo-of-fender/

When his time at Parlophone came to an abrupt end, Nick Burgess decide to launch his own label, Artist Theory. Here, he looks back at his career so far – and to the future of his new venture… Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/ive-worked-at-all-the-majors-ive-seen-how-they-operate-and-i-genuinely-dont-know-what-they-could-do-that-we-cant-do/

Columnist Sammy Andrews dives back into the AI-verse, concentrating on the tsunami of AI covers flooding DPSs and social media platforms. It’s time, she concludes, that we stopped circling the issue and started collecting the money… Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/this-isnt-about-limiting-fan-creativity-its-about-ensuring-creators-performers-and-rights-holders-are-paid/

The deal brings together LANDR’s AI-powered production tools with Reason Studios’ digital audio workstation Reason DAW and Reason Rack. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/ai-powered-music-production-platform-landr-acquires-stockholm-based-daw-developer-reason-studios/

Dukes steps up from VP role and continues reporting to EVP and Head of Licensing Stephanie Ruyle. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/hayley-dukes-promoted-to-svp-of-licensing-at-ascap/

Triller was delisted/suspended from Nasdaq trading effective December 30 Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/triller-booted-from-nasdaq-after-missing-financial-filing-deadlines/

Pacha Ibiza nightclub drew 583,834 guests across 156 events this season, up 20% YoY. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/electronic-music-experiences-firm-pacha-group-booked-139m-in-revenue-between-january-and-september-2025-after-record-breaking-season-at-pacha-ibiza-nightclub/

As part of the deal, UMG will roll out a dedicated Excel music label with global distribution capabilities. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/universal-music-buys-30-stake-in-indias-excel-entertainment-valuing-bollywood-production-house-at-267m/