The Music Connection December 2025 Playlist is Live!Listen along with MC!

Our monthly issue playlists allow you to hear the featured artists as you read about them, and the December, 2025 Special Year End playlist is live now!

Check out cover star Leon Thomas, the DIY Spotlighted Marina Fleming, and all of the artists included in our Favorite Signing Stories of 2025, Top 20 Albums of 2025, Top 25 New Music Critiques, Hot 100 Rising Artists and Bands, Album Reviews, and Live Reviews (as long as they are on Spotify).

Hear the playlist here

While you're there, please "Like" the playlist and "Follow" Music Connection's profile so you'll never miss the chance to listen along with MC!

Previous playlists:

Hear our November playlist here!

Hear the October playlist here!The post The Music Connection December 2025 Playlist is Live! first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

One of Suno’s latest investors will be of particular interest to the music industry…Hallwood Media has invested into Suno after signing ‘artists’ whose music was created on the generative AI platform
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Manchester Launches Fund Supporting Grassroots Venues: Could This Work Elsewhere?Manchester City Council's new fund supports small live music venues in the city. Is this a model that could work in other cities?
The post Manchester Launches Fund Supporting Grassroots Venues: Could This Work Elsewhere? appeared first on Hypebot.

Ticketmaster caps Olivia Dean resales at face valueLast week Olivia Dean called out Ticketmaster and promoters Live Nation and AEG over their handling of ticket sales for her tour. In response, now Ticketmaster caps Olivia Dean resales at face value.
The post Ticketmaster caps Olivia Dean resales at face value appeared first on Hypebot.

GRAMMY Nominations 2025: Best Alternative Music PerformanceThe 2025 GRAMMY nominations are here and we're going to help you to untangle it all right up until the big event, continuing with the Best Alternative Music Performance category.

Take a listen to the nominated performances below--who do you think will win?

See the full list of nominees in every category here.

Everything Is Peaceful LoveBon Iver

AloneThe Cure

SEEIN' STARSTurnstile

mangetoutWet Leg

ParachuteHayley Williams

Wet Leg photo by Megan Perry Moore

The post GRAMMY Nominations 2025: Best Alternative Music Performance first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

GRAMMY Nominations 2025: Best Rock AlbumThe 2025 GRAMMY nominations are here and we're going to help you to untangle it all right up until the big event, continuing with the Best Rock Album category.

Take a listen to the nominated albums below--who do you think will win?

See the full list of nominees in every category here.

private musicDeftones

I quitHAIM

From ZeroLinkin Park

NEVER ENOUGHTurnstile

IdolsYUNGBLUD

Linkin Park photo by Jimmy FontaineThe post GRAMMY Nominations 2025: Best Rock Album first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Top Music Business News Last WeekTop music business news last week include TIDAL adding artists tools, Spotify spotlighting creators, UK banning tickets resale, Live Nation moved to dismiss the DOJ lawsuit and much more.
The post Top Music Business News Last Week appeared first on Hypebot.

Live Review of Kiss The TigerMercury Lounge New York, NY

Contact: ava@girlieaction.comWeb: kissthetiger.com

Players: Meghan Kreidler, vocals; Michael Anderson, guitar, vocals; Alex Sandberg, lead guitar; Isabella Dawis, keys, vocals; Paul DeLong, bass; Alyse Emanuel, drums, vocals

Amidst the chaos on the Lower East Side, Minnesota’s Kiss the Tiger curated a memorable night at the Mercury Lounge. Celebrating the release of their newest album, Infinite Love, Kiss the Tiger embarked on a 10 date United States tour this September. Fronted by fierce vocalist Meghan Kreidler, the group has spent the better part of a decade sculpting themselves into the band they are today. From start to finish, they delivered a spirited and entertaining show, captivating the audience. 

Kiss the Tiger pulls influence from a wide breadth of music genres. Audience members could find strings of indie, rock, ska, math rock, ‘90s pop country, funk, and blues weaved in through guitar riffs and keyboard lines. In the Minneapolis scene, Kreidler earned her stripes as an actor. This shone through as she expertly flitted between tempos, genres, and intensity. A vocal powerhouse, big swings in “We Don’t Fight Anymore” sounded just as natural as the light and breezy melody in “I Wanna Love Ya.” She would go above and beyond, conveying emotions that were larger than life through screams, jumps, kicks, and high energy. It was impossible to take your eyes off of her. 

The variety in Kreidler’s vocal dynamics was echoed by the rest of the band. For a moment, they would lull the audience with a dreamy start, and in the next sudden heavy drums would kick off a visceral instrumental break. Despite occasionally changing on a dime, the music never got away from them. They moved through the tracks together as a unit, every member fitting seamlessly into the puzzle that is Kiss the Tiger. 

On stage, the band’s charisma won over the (albeit already eager) audience. Every member danced, jumped around, or engaged with the crowd from start to finish. Never once did the audience doubt that the band was having just as much fun as they were. Capitalizing on the intimacy of Mercury Lounge, Kreidler drew the audience in with personal anecdotes and behind the scenes stories about the songs. She would look out lovingly at the crowd during romantic tracks, as if she wrote it about each person there. Call and response was highly encouraged, with the group taking time to shout out some of their lyrics between tracks. 

Although they have wrapped on their 2025 tour, Infinite Love is now available for streaming. Hopefully they will continue to bring the energy in 2026, so be sure to check them out now. The post Live Review of Kiss The Tiger first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Vevo dscvr artists to watch 2026: Sienna Spiro, Alessi Rose, aron!, Bay SwagMBW kicks of a series of features showcasing this year’s Vevo DSCVR Artists To Watch
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Austin Daboh OBE, EVP of Warner’s Atlantic Records UK, exitsDaboh was hired by Atlantic in the EVP position in June 2020
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Glossary of Misunderstood Live Music, Touring & Ticketing TermsThe live music business might be the most jargon heavy corner of the music industry. Dynamic pricing, backend deals, ticketing reforms, holdbacks, all-in ticketing are all in the headlines, but not everyone understands them.
The post Glossary of Misunderstood Live Music, Touring & Ticketing Terms appeared first on Hypebot.

Idlewild on Early Shows, Glastonbury, & Globetrotting : A Handstamp InterviewFrom Handstamp, an interview with Roddy Woomble, lead vocalist of Scottish band, Idlewild, on life in the Inner Hebrides, the band's new record, the Bowery Ballroom, and more.
The post Idlewild on Early Shows, Glastonbury, & Globetrotting : A Handstamp Interview appeared first on Hypebot.

The Legal Beat: UMG Settles Copyright Case With A.I. CompanyOn October 26, 2025, Universal Music Group announced it had settled a copyright case with A.I. music company Udio. The copyright infringement lawsuit was filed last year by UMG, Sony Music, Warner Music Group, and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) against Udio and another A.I. company, Suno. The plaintiffs contend that A.I. companies are subject to copyright law the same as all other companies.

The plaintiffs alleged that hundreds of songs by top artists were copied. This lawsuit is one of several high-profile ones brought by copyright holders against A.I. companies for using their work.

The lawsuit was filed last year and UMG claimed that Udio committed copyright infringement on a “almost unimaginable scale” by using UMG’s recordings to train it’s A.I. models. The plaintiffs were seeking “an injunction and damages commensurate with the scope of Udio’s massive and ongoing infringement.” 

The UMG lawsuit only concerned sound recordings. However, the settlement covers music publishing as well. When the new platform launches in 2026, UMG artists and songwriters will have the chance to “opt in” and receive financial compensation for the training of A.I. model as well as its outputs.

UMG’s press release indicates: “The new subscription service will transform the user engagement experience, creating a licensed and protected environment to customize, stream, and share music responsibly on the Udio platform.”

UMG’s new platform will, for instance, allow users to create new mashups and remixes to existing licensed music. The two companies will launch the new platform next year. The settlement also includes monetary compensation for UMG, which has not been disclosed. In litigation, it is typical for a monetary settlement to be kept confidential.

Andrew Sanchez, the CEO of Udio, stated: “This moment brings to life everything we’ve been building toward—uniting A.I. and the music industry in a way that truly champions artists. Together, we’re building the technological and business landscape that will fundamentally expand what’s possible in music creation and engagement.”

Sir Lucien Grange, the Chairman of UMG, stated the settlement provisions “demonstrate our commitment to do what’s right by our artists and songwriters, whether that means embracing new technologies, developing new business models, diversifying revenue streams or beyond.”

Not many more details of the settlement are available. This settlement would seem to undermine some A.I. companies’ hopes that they could use licensed music without restriction or compensation.

UMG has also entered into agreements with what it calls “responsible” A.I.companies such as Soundlab and Klay. Warner and Sony Music are still pursuing their lawsuits against Udio and Suno.

GLENN LITWAK is a veteran entertainment attorney based in Santa Monica, CA. He has represented platinum selling recording artists, GRAMMY-winning music producers, hit songwriters, management and production companies, music publishers and independent record labels. Litwak is also a frequent speaker at music industry conferences around the country, such as South by Southwest and the Billboard Music in Film and TV Conference. Litwak has been selected as a “Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyer magazine for 2022-2025. Email Litwak at gtllaw59@gmail.com or visit glennlitwak.com.

This article is a very brief overview of the subject matter and does not constitute legal advice.The post The Legal Beat: UMG Settles Copyright Case With A.I. Company first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Live Nation Moves to Dismiss DOJ Antitrust Case: What Artists, Venues & Fans Should KnowLive Nation has filed a motion for summary judgment in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York asking it to dismiss the antitrust lawsuit brought by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and a coalition of states.
The post Live Nation Moves to Dismiss DOJ Antitrust Case: What Artists, Venues & Fans Should Know appeared first on Hypebot.

Live Nation files motion to end US’s antitrust lawsuitLive Nation says the DoJ’s case against the company is based on 'gerrymandered' evidence that doesn’t meet the criteria for monopoly power
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