Must See at NIVA ’25 Next WeekNext week Hypebot will be reporting from Milwaukee at NIVA '25. the National Independent Venue Association's important annual gathering of the independent live music community.
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Deezer rolls out AI tagging system to fight streaming fraud; says up to 70% of streams from fully AI-generated tracks are fraudulentPlatform has introduced what it claims to be the world’s first AI tagging system for music streaming
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Sennheiser generated €492.3 million in sales in 2024, despite “volatile market conditions”The Sennheiser Group generated sales of €492.3 million across the 2024 financial year, the company has revealed, despite facing “turbulent times” across the economic landscape. The figure represents an increase in yearly sales of almost €200 million since 2020.
The Sennheiser Group not only looks after the Sennheiser brand but also Neumann, AMBEO, and Merging. Despite recording a slight decline in sales across all regions in 2024, totalling 6.6 percent compared to the previous year, Sennheiser affirms it was able to “consolidate its position in the professional audio market and drive forward key future projects”.

READ MORE: Best wired headphones under $500 in 2025: Our picks for mixing, DJing and music production

Its report states that the development of individual sales markets varied greatly in the past year: The EMEA region was its strongest market in terms of sales, generating €232.1 million (a slight decline of 3.5 percent compared to the previous year).
The Americas region also recorded a decline (16.1 percent, to €150.5 million) due to political and economic uncertainties in the US and a “subdued consumer climate”, however, there was an increase in sales across both Germany (3.5 percent) and the APAC region (2.3 percent to €109.7 million), the latter of which was “driven by a strong market in China and new sales channels in India”).
As for investments and future progression, in 2024, The Sennheiser Group invested a total of 48.9 million euros (around 10 percent of total sales) in research and development, and in the expansion of sustainable business processes.

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“2024 was a challenging year for us, as it was for many companies in our industry,” comments Co-CEO, Andreas Sennheiser. “But especially in a dynamic environment, it is crucial to remain a reliable partner.”
Co-CEO Daniel Sennheiser adds: “That’s exactly what sets us apart: with reliable audio solutions, intuitive innovations, and a stable supply chain, we enable our customers to focus on what matters most.”
Andreas further adds, “Even though the future is unpredictable, we have the opportunity to actively build it. With our 80 years of experience and our determination to use it responsibly, we are confident that we will continue to expand our position in the market for professional audio solutions.”
You view the full report via its newsroom, or shop Sennheiser products via its website. 
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My Journey to Becoming an Artist Manager at 20At 20 years old, Ale Gil started managing artists while still in college at Berklee - learning everything from booking shows to building an artist’s brand. Ali shares the journey to becoming an artist manager and what it really takes to break into the music industry.
The post My Journey to Becoming an Artist Manager at 20 appeared first on Hypebot.

Expressive E’s Soliste MPE string instruments are “physically modelled for real bowing under your fingers”Expressive E has launched a new collection of physically modelled MPE string instruments, which let musicians control aspects like bowing, vibrato, and more.
The Soliste collection offers four string instruments – the VLN. 356 (Violin), the VLA. 419 (Viola), the CLO. 756 (Cello), and the DBS. 1130 (Double Bass) – with each made to unlock “every nuance” of their real life counterparts. They are available individually or as a complete Soliste bundle.

READ MORE: “Analogue in all the right ways: fast, expressive, and alive”: Universal Audio introduces Anthem Analog Synthesizer

The Soliste collection works with all MPE controllers (and regular MIDI controllers), but was made with Expressive E’s widely-praised Osmose in mind: the MPE polyphonic synth looks just like a traditional digital keyboard, but allows musicians to shape pitch, volume, intensity, and vibrato much more expressively.
The interface for each Soliste instrument features a visualisation of a real-life violin, viola, cello, or double bass, and you can even select your favourite model by switching through different resonant bodies. On either side of the instrument sits two panels – one for pitch, and one for bow – which can open up to full pages with further controls.
On the bow page you can find controls for attack, expression, and linking notes, plus a set of advanced bow parameters. The pitch page lets you adjust assisted vibrato and portamento (pitch sliding).
There are a range of built-in, simple effects, and three core playing modes (Classic, Virtuoso and Expressive), which allow for different levels of gesture and the further advancement of controls if desired. Classic mode is designed to be the easiest to use.
Find out more in the walk-through below:

Expressive E’s Osmose has been praised by the likes of Jordan Rudess and Hans Zimmer. Last year, speaking of his work on Dune 2, Zimmer said: “When you play a note on a piano, basically it goes ‘plonk’, and it dies out. What [Expressive E has] done is when you touch the keyboard, it knows you’re already touching the keyboard. Within that travel of that key, the sound can change completely.”
The Soliste collection is available now for an introductory price of €179.40 (€299 at full price). You can find out more, or shop each instrument individually, via Expressive E.
The post Expressive E’s Soliste MPE string instruments are “physically modelled for real bowing under your fingers” appeared first on MusicTech.

Plugin Boutique offers the Moogerfooger MF-104S Analog Delay plugin for $29 (Reg. $79)
Plugin Boutique is currently offering a tempting $29 deal on the MF-104S Analog Delay, the software recreation of Moog’s legendary MF-104 analog delay pedal. Typically priced at $79, this plugin captures the essence of the original Moogerfooger MF-104M, combining vintage character with modern convenience. The MF-104S Analog Delay revives the highly sought-after tone of the [...]
View post: Plugin Boutique offers the Moogerfooger MF-104S Analog Delay plugin for $29 (Reg. $79)

“It feels like it’s arching back to earlier seasons”: What Stranger Things fans can expect from the Season 5 scoreMichael Stein, who composes the score for Netflix’s Stranger Things, has given a few hints as to what we can expect from the soundtrack of its fifth and final season.
Stein works alongside Kyle Dixon on the show, and the pair also make up half of the Texas-based instrumental band, SURVIVE. Though they’re currently sitting on enough material to make a new album, right now, their priority has been working on Stranger Things 5. According to Stein, the sounds of the final instalment will arch back to earlier seasons of the show.

READ MORE: Brian Wilson’s legacy is unquestionable — the studio mastermind will live on forever

Stein and Dixon’s work on Stranger Things has come to be much admired for its nostalgic yet eerie synth work, which harks back to the 1980s, and even won them an Emmy and two Grammy nominations. Speaking to MusicTech about their work on the new season, due to land in three parts across November and December this year, Stein says, “We’re in it. Deep in the process and working every day, six to seven days a week.”
While he can’t give any details regarding the plot, he hints that musically, things will come a little full-circle: “[Sonically] it has a lot of ties to the last season. It’s kind of a continuation, but it also definitely feels like it’s arching back to earlier seasons as well.
“We’re always trying to reinvent how we approach various scenarios,” he adds. “If we’re revisiting themes, then we want to make them new. So, there’s the horror stuff, the action stuff, the cute stuff, and there’s also a lot of stuff we still have no idea about – because we just aren’t there yet.”

The first part of Stranger Things 5 lands on 26 November, only on Netflix. You can check out more from Michael Stein and Kyle Dixon’s band via the SURVIVE Bandcamp page.
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Sonora Cinematic release Drift Sonora Cinematic have launched this free pack filled with sounds that “shimmer with tension, mystery and wonder”. Drift was born from an ambitious orchestral recording session for a forthcoming virtual instrument.

AIR Stutter Rhythmic FX Plugin by AIR Music is FREE via Black Octopus Sound
AIR Music offers the AIR Stutter rhythmic FX plugin for macOS and Windows, for free, exclusively via Black Octopus Sound. AIR Stutter is designed for creative beat manipulation, experimenting with glitchy textures, and super quick rhythmic layering. At its core, it’s a linear rhythmic gate effect for slicing up your audio. You choose how many [...]
View post: AIR Stutter Rhythmic FX Plugin by AIR Music is FREE via Black Octopus Sound

Independent artist files class action lawsuits against Suno and Udio for those “whose rights have been trampled the most”An independent artist has filed class action lawsuits against both Suno and Udio for allegedly using his music to train their AI models.
Both documents make reference to another lawsuit against the two companies that was filed in the United States last year by major labels including Sony, Warner, and Universal. However, this lawsuit claims to fight for the rights of those without such support.

READ MORE: RIAA CEO calls Midjourney a “bad actor” and backs Disney and Universal’s lawsuit against the AI image generator

Filed by country musician Tony Justice and his 5th Wheel Records label, the lawsuits (which can both be viewed via Music Business Worldwide) state that while the major label lawsuit “continues to draw attention in the fight to protect major label music” it is “independent artists whose rights have been trampled the most” and “are the ones left without a seat at the table, unrepresented, and without a meaningful remedy.”
Both documents also claim that “the doctrine of fair use” shields both companies from any liability regarding copyright infringement, despite both having “openly admitted” to using “publicly available” works to train their AI models.
Justice argues that “Independent artists, Plaintiffs, and Class Members will never be able to claw back the intellectual property unlawfully copied” by the companies, and alleges that these platforms “undermine the existing streams of revenue, including licensing markets, for independent music, which the Copyright Office itself recognised as valid and protectable under copyright law.”
Last year’s major label case was backed by the RIAA, which at the time argued against the “fair use” defence, stating, “there’s nothing fair about stealing an artist’s life’s work”. However, Suno seemingly claimed that major labels were threatened by companies like itself and Udio in response.
“What the major record labels really don’t want is competition,” Suno said. “Where Suno sees musicians, teachers, and everyday people using a new tool to create original music, the labels see a threat to their market share.”
More recently, it was reported that the same major labels involved in the 2024 lawsuit are actually now discussing potential licensing deals with Suno and Udio that would not only bring in fees but also include a small equity stake in the companies.
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How we remixed The Cure: Tips from Orbital, Trentmøller and moreIt might be hard to believe at this point, but The Cure has been around for almost 50 years. Robert Smith’s dusky alt-rock outfit has grown from the streets of Crawley, UK, to goth icons, putting out 14 albums that include bona fide classic songs such as Boys Don’t Cry and Friday, I’m In Love. Today, they still headline triple-headers at famous venues such as Madison Square Garden and The Hollywood Bowl.

READ MORE: Stranger Things composer Michael Stein gets hands-on with the Moog Messenger

The music of The Cure is so universal that when Robert Smith was personally selecting artists for the remix album, Mixes Of A Lost World, the compilation based on their 2024 record, Songs Of A Lost World, many artists to whom he reached out had pre-existing relationships with The Cure — either extreme fandom or previous collaborations.
“I have been a huge fan of The Cure for over 35 years,” Gregor Tresher told MusicTech.
“Robert Smith personally writing to me was surreal. I’ve been a massive fan of The Cure for years, and their music has meant an enormous amount to me throughout my life,” said Trentmøller.
“[I’m] honoured and happy to be working with a band I’ve loved since I was 14 years of age.
I did a remix for Robert and The Cure in 1997, and I remember Robert saying, ‘You made it sound more like us. We wanted it to sound like you.’ To me, that was a compliment and what I wanted to hear,” said Omid 16B.
Orbital. Image: Press
“I worked with Robert on a song called Please for my first solo album,” said Paul Hartnoll of Orbital. “We got on immediately when we first met after we’d both played a summer festival in Sweden. The Cure are one of the seminal bands in our record collection. It’s always a nice warm glowing feeling to be asked to help out in continuing the creative process.”
Needless to say, remixing The Cure carried a lot of weight with these artists. The pressure was on, especially as many of them were reforming alternative rock songs into dancefloor versions. Each artist had their own process, but Sally C commented on the general ethos of remixing as well:
“A good remix will emulate the essence of the original, complementing it but without repetition. You can really go wherever you want to go with a remix, which can be both challenging and freeing at the same time. A good remix will delve into this unknown and come out the other side with something relatable and unique.”
Read on to learn how Orbital, Gregor Tresher, Sally C, Trentmøller, and Omid 16B made their remixes for Mixes Of A Lost World by The Cure:
Orbital – Endsong (Orbital Remix)

(Answers by Paul Hartnoll)
What are the main technical processes and pieces of gear you used on your remix?
We used an old favourite synth of mine, the Oberheim Xpander. My workhorse of a mono synth is the MacBeth M5n. For the drums, we used 808 drum sounds and elements of the original drums. We thinned out the guitars and picked specific bits, then reversées them into each other to get a palindromic effect. We also used a fancy new chorus unit called the Retrogradus Chorus-1, which was our secret weapon on Robert’s ethereal vocals in the intro.
Similar to the original song, your remix has extended sections without vocals. How did the 6-7 minutes of instrumental music in the original inspire the instrumental sections in your remix?
Well, as we are largely an instrumental band, this was easy for us! We just leaned into it in an Orbital-y way, doing a similar idea but with stretched vocal sounds and fast flickering synths, which would definitely tip the hat to firm favourites of ours, Tangerine Dream.
Gregor Tresher – Endsong (Gregor Tresher Remix)

What are the main technical processes and pieces of gear you used to make your remix?
My remix was produced mainly in the box, and a lot of the original parts were heavily processed. I used a lot of glitch effects on the beat and on some of the strings, which I automated pretty extensively. The beats were mainly done in Triaz. For the strings and synth lines, I mainly used a KORG Mono/Poly and a Roland JUNO 60. The final mixdown was done with the help of my buddy Petar Dundov in Zagreb on his SSL desk.
The original version of Endsong is over 10 minutes long, and most of it is a busy instrumental jam. How did you decide which moments to channel into your minimal techno version?
I’m not a fan of remixes that could basically be a track on their own and have nothing to do with the original. I wanted to keep Robert’s vocal recording pretty much untouched, apart from the obvious tempo change, as the original is 80 BPM. So, I had to speed things up to make it work on the dancefloor. I tried to give the remix a rough edge, sound-wise, so I used a lot of glitch effects and distortion on some of the original parts. Also, I wanted to incorporate the amazing guitar lines by Reeves Gabrels, even though the electric guitar isn’t your most typical instrument for a dance track. But in the end, it became a crucial element in the arrangement of my remix and really adds up in the last breakdown. I layered some additional synth and string lines at the end to create a busy-sounding harmonic climax.
Sally C – A Fragile Thing (Sally C Remix)

What are some of the main technical processes and pieces of gear you used to make your remix?
I used the main vocal and guitar stems as the emotional and melodic anchor of the track. To build the harmonic structure, I used the Roland JV-1080 for the bassline and chord layers. It has this nostalgic quality that fits the mood I was aiming for. I used a simple arpeggio with a plugin, which helped to complement the chords and add emotion, in addition to the guitar, which I find super emotional. For drums and percussion, I used the Elektron Machinedrum SPS-1 MK1. It always delivers the crisp and simple drum sounds I love.
Sally C. Image: Press
How did you take the more drone-y emo sound of Robert Smith’s voice and the lead guitar solos and gloss it up to sound so funky?
This was the most challenging but exciting part. Robert Smith’s voice has such an emotional depth, and I didn’t want to lose that. I chopped the vocals up ever so slightly to tease them in, then isolated my favourite emotionally hitting parts and worked around the vocals. I was instantly obsessed with the lead guitar. I knew I wanted to have these two elements front and centre, but also to respect the original. Instead of taking too much away from them or the moodiness, I let it sit in tension with the funk. That contrast created an emotional groove that I really liked. Percussion and breaks helped with the funkiness, too.
Trentmøller – And Nothing Is Forever (Trentmøller Remix)

What are the main technical processes and pieces of gear you used to make your remix?
For the Cure remix, I only used the vocals, nothing else from the original. I wrote completely new chord progressions, played new drums, new bass, new guitar, and synth textures. So, the whole instrumentation was done from scratch. I work mainly in the box, using Ableton Live, but also use a mix of analog outboard gear and lots of guitar pedals! But the heart of it is always the melody, arrangement, and emotional arc, not the gear.
Trentmøller. Image: Sofie Nørregaard
Your remix moves through a lot of different sonic moods, whereas the original is more uniform in relying on the strings. Why did you choose to spread it out as you did, and how did you accomplish that in terms of production?
The original has a beautiful, melancholic-driven atmosphere, but I wanted to take the vocals on a new journey. I treated it almost like I was scoring a short film, building new scenes around it with shifting moods and dynamics, so the emotional tone could evolve over time rather than stay fixed. But basically, I was just inspired by Robert’s amazing, good-sounding voice and the beautiful vocal melody. That shaped the new chords and instrumentation.
Omid 16B – Warsong (Omid 16B Remix)

What are the main technical processes and pieces of gear you used to make your remix?
My bass guitar, guitars, my voice, pads from my Jupiter 6, and a sequencer to put it together.
I like to record a lot of stuff live and then cut it up and use it.
Omid 16B. Image: Press
The original track, Warsong, is a very heavy rock song without any real steady beat. What about this inspired you to make a light and groovy breakbeat remix?
I had to play around with it a lot to realise it needed my own musical input to turn it into something that sounds like The Cure, yet also sounds like me. I decided to replay the melody and get the vocals in key. It wasn’t easy. I did go back and forth but found the structure for the remix and then worked on it until I felt happy enough for Robert to hear it, luckily Robert approved and we only had to turn the vocals up a few dB’s to get it right!
The post How we remixed The Cure: Tips from Orbital, Trentmøller and more appeared first on MusicTech.

Is Spotify’s HiFi lossless streaming actually coming? Leaked code says yesMore than four years after first announcing its plans for lossless audio streaming, Spotify’s long-delayed HiFi tier appears to be back in development.
Newly discovered code in the app’s backend suggests the company is preparing to launch a higher-quality streaming option, potentially as an add-on to its existing Premium service. And while that doesn’t mean you’ll be listening to 24-bit audio tomorrow, it’s the most tangible sign in years that the feature might be inching toward reality.

READ MORE: Is it really feasible to ask Sabrina Carpenter’s army of teenage fans not to use phones at her shows?

Spotify HiFi: A timeline of waiting
Spotify first announced a “Spotify HiFi” tier in February 2021, with bold promises of CD-quality audio arriving later that year. And then… radio silence. Competitors like Apple Music, Tidal, and Amazon Music wasted no time filling that gap, offering higher-resolution streaming options, in some cases at no additional cost.
By 2024, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek pivoted from “HiFi” to promising a more vague “deluxe” tier. Then came a Bloomberg report in February suggesting that a new “Music Pro” subscription could finally deliver higher-fidelity streaming, possibly as a $5.99/month add-on.
The leak: A bit more than just hype
This week, tech product designer Chris Messina shared findings from Spotify’s latest app code on Threads. Key among them? Text referencing “Lossless music, now in Premium,” which implies the long-awaited feature could be rolled into the existing Premium tier – likely as an add-on rather than a separate subscription.
The code also mentions streaming at “up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz”. That’s higher resolution than Spotify originally promised (which was CD-quality 16-bit/44.1kHz), though still not quite up to the 24-bit/192kHz offered by Tidal, Qobuz, or Amazon Music.
Further confirmation came via Spicetify, a command-line tool for customising the Spotify client. According to the platform’s X account, a new version of the app (Spotify 1.2.66) now “mentions lossless in more parts of the UI”. The post also confirms that “lossless will be available on Spotify Connect & Web Player (per code I have seen).”

Spotify 1.2.66 mentions lossless in more parts of UI #NewSpotify #SpotifyLossless #Spotify
Lossless (pigeon) is mentioned in "Connect to the device" sidebar & under the artist in NPB (Now Playing Bar)Lossless will be available up to 24-bit/44.1KHz (FLAC + Widevine).Lossless… pic.twitter.com/QYbqg1ZKN3
— spicetify (@spicetifyapp) June 19, 2025

What This Means for Everyday Users
Of course, whether users will actually notice the difference is another question. For most listeners – especially those using Bluetooth headphones or everyday earbuds – the jump from 16-bit to 24-bit audio won’t be all that dramatic. But for audiophiles with transparent gear, or simply those tired of Spotify being the only major holdout, the change is both long overdue and cautiously promising.
The post Is Spotify’s HiFi lossless streaming actually coming? Leaked code says yes appeared first on MusicTech.

Nightfox Audio Everything Acoustic is FREE for BPB Readers until June 23
Nightfox Audio is offering the Everything Acoustic plugin, a sample-based virtual instrument for Windows and macOS, free exclusively to Bedroom Producers Blog readers until June 23. Everything Acoustic ($99 list price) comes stacked with ten deeply sampled acoustic instruments that you can layer and shape into hybrid textures. You get an inspiring selection of acoustic guitars, [...]
View post: Nightfox Audio Everything Acoustic is FREE for BPB Readers until June 23

Physical Audio introduce Tetrad Physical Audio’s new Tetrad soft synth uses a combination of physical modelling and granular synthesis to recreate the sound of the sculpture-based synth installation featured on composer and transmedia artist Gadi Sassoon'sModes of Vibration album.

Twist It: Philly’s Rising New Rock Band Hits Octane!      Written by Sammy OritiPhiladelphia’s Twist It is carving out a space in modern hard rock without a manager, record label, or industry backing—just music, drive, and fans. Blending clean vocals with djent-inspired guitars and heavy rhythm, the band delivers rock that’s sharp, focused, and built to move crowds. Their growing success is a clear example of what can happen when the music speaks for itself.Founded by drummer Sara Higgins, who started the band with guitarist/producer Logan Smith who she met at an after-school music program. Shortly after that, they met singer Kayla Hallman who was performing at a local show. From the beginning, the trio had one goal: to make music a full-time job. A real connection—personal and musical—became the backbone of what would become Twist It.Their debut EP Breathe has already pulled in over 1,000,000 streams, with radio support from SiriusXM Octane and a presence on key rock playlists. They’ve earned spots opening for national acts like Taproot, (hed) p.e., and The Millionaires—without relying on any industry gatekeepers.Twist It’s newest single “Undertow” continues to build momentum. The track leans into atmosphere and groove, balancing dark textures with a steady confidence that feels like a natural step forward for the band.With pure and melodic vocal lines, tight guitars and relentless drums, Twist It is proving that there’s still room for rock bands doing it their own way without a manager or a label. Just three young rockers and a growing wave of support. Twist It isn't the finished article, but there's a lot of potential and a huge amount of space for growth. Keep your eyes on them.Spotify - Spotify Website - https://twistitband.com The post Twist It: Philly’s Rising New Rock Band Hits Octane!       first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.