Song Biz, September 2026Pophouse’s Iron Maiden

Pophouse Entertainment secures 50% of Grammy-Brit-Ivor Novello-winning Iron Maiden’s publishing, masters, rights to name, likeness, image. With 17 albums, 100+ million records sold, 2,500 concerts in 64 countries, Maiden’s 50th celebration includes movie plans, Infinite Dreams Museum Experience at EddFest.

Durango Songwriters Returns

Returning this October (8-10) to Broomfield, Colorado, the Durango Songwriters Expo is held twice a year (once In Colorado and once in California). Aspiring and established songwriters are given access to publishers, A&R executives, and music supervisors at the forefront of musical decision-making, while getting feedback and an opportunity to showcase their work.

Details and registration at: durangosong.com/

AIMP ATL Summit

The Association for Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) presents Atlanta’s 2026 Creative Entrepreneurship Summit on September 15-16 at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center. Crafted for independent artists, songwriters, producers, managers, students and music business entrepreneurs, the program includes workshops and panels on publishing, administration, sync licensing, and revenue, as well as networking opportunities with industry decision-makers. Registration information at: bit.ly/452Stra.

Decca Signs Hopkins

Sir Anthony Hopkins has signed exclusively with Decca Records, with new recording project Life Is A Dream encompassing over 60 years of original compositions inspired by Wales, his life, and his family (music was his first love and he began piano at age 4). Conductor Gustavo Dudamel leads the Philharmonia Orchestra.

New AI Labeling

With support across the industry—including IFPI, RIAA, A2IM, WIN, IMPALA, The Grammys, SAG-AFTRA and the Human Artistry Campaign—the music community has joined forces to propose a new unified approach to help provide clarity and transparency around AI use in music. Proposed ‘AI-Generated’ and ‘AI-Assisted’ visual icons would provide a method of quick identification in voluntary track labeling.

Following Deezer reports that AI-generated music makes up 44% of all new music on its platform, and Apple sharing that a third of their uploads are 100% AI, organizations involved are enlisting digital music services, distributors, aggregators and standard-setting bodies to encourage industry-wide implementation. More at: bit.ly/4xg4DsT.

ASCAP Theatre & Scholarships

In partnership with the Educational Theatre Association, the ASCAP Foundation extends warm congratulations to Theatre Director Shawn Hann at the Denver School of the Arts after being named the 2026 Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Teacher of the Year. The national award recognizes Hann’s 25 years of exceptional arts instruction, antirational leadership, and her dedicated mentorship of the next generation of performers.

The ASCAP Foundation "Music is our Foundation" Scholarship aims to reduce the financial burden of music education, providing financial assistance to undergraduate and graduate students actively studying music, and is open to students pursuing music majors so that students are free to focus on their education and development. The deadline for this year’s scholarship applications is August 31, 2026 (details HERE).

Magnificent Lachi Album

Award-winning artist/disability advocate Lachi releases debut children’s album, Magnificent, celebrating disability, neurodiversity, identity, inclusion, with collaborators Lisa Loeb, Mandy Harvey, 123 Andrés, Alphabet Rockers. Blending pop, hip-hop, world sound, it includes class curriculum from The Nora Project.

SOCAN Joins Musical AI

Canadian Performing Rights Organization SOCAN, which represents songwriters, composers, and music publishers North of the border, has joined forces with Canada-based rights management technology company Musical AI, with a mission to protect creators and help to control how their music is used, created and monetized. Their joint vision is based on AI being an opt-in technology, and the belief that creators must receive credit and compensation when works influence AI output.

The collaboration looks to address situations where AI music created using data from artist materials is played/used in public spaces (i.e. coffee shops, or through a sound system before a concert).  When it is an artist piece, SOCAN and other PROs collect and distribute the royalties (and calculations are based on licensing and specific use of the music). The same system does not exist for instances of AI music (despite frequently pulls from existing creator work). Musical AI’s tech analyzes AI-generated outputs to trace the exact source material down to the percentage, differentiating between sound recording and musical composition licensing.

The Canadian government has lent its full support for the partnership and is taking a strong stance on the preservation of Canadian music, cultural identity, and the creative economic infrastructure across a shifting musical landscape. More at: bit.ly/4hI8r1g.

Grande Joins Backline

Launching The Brighter Days Ahead Foundation, Ariana Grande expands her philanthropy in a partnership with Backline in an organization with an initial focus on uplifting and protecting the rights of the trans and LGBTQ+ community, expanding access to mental health tools, and providing care during times of crisis. Backline is lending their support through the Heal & Dream Fund, which expands access to mental health care and community support, including B-Line, a 24/7 support line designed exclusively for the music industry (which 400 people have already accessed for support), and delivering 200 hand-packed wellness packs to crew members working behind-the-scenes on Grande’s recent Eternal Sunshine Tour (including thoughtful wellness products for good mental health, stress reduction and self-care for touring professionals, as well as access to therapy grants through Music’s Mental Health Fund).

Soft Control: Wigs

Adding elements of soul and R&B to their trademark alt-rock sound, the Afghan Wigs release Soft Control (via Royal Cream/BMG), right on time to celebrate their 40th anniversary and a major US tour. First jamming in basements in the mid ‘80s, the Wigs remain unmistakably feisty and original in their sound and delivery.

BMI Christian Awards

Celebrating the best in Christian music from 2025, BMI extends congratulations to the nominees and honorees of the 2026 BMI Christian Awards. Top honors this year go to “Made For More” (Jessie Early / Jonathan Smith / Blake Wiggins, performed by Josh Baldwin) for BMI Song of the Year, which garnered over 95 million global streams and placed No. 1 on the Billboard Christian AC Airplay chart. As Primary Executive Producer and songwriter for Elevation Worship (“Another One,” “Lion”) and Elevation Rhythm (“Goodbye Yesterday”), Steven Furtick was named BMI Songwriter of the Year (penning 25 of the most performed Christian songs from 25), and Capitol CMG Publishing was named BMI Publisher of the Year (as representative of 19 of the 25 most-performed songs, including Song of the Year, “Made For More”).

For a full list of this year’s winders, please visit: bit.ly/45zSfrL.

V8 Splash Prescription

Independent publisher Prescription Songs signs Memphis-born producer-songwriter-mixer V8 Splash to their roster. Collaborations include K Carbon, Tay Money, Big Homiie G, Jayy Wick, FTO Sett and Big Mo, and he is known for Southern sound, melodic sensibilities, and a blend of R&B, Hip-hop and country style.

SESAC Celebrates Honorees

            The namesake himself a songwriter and major figure in music publishing, the Songwriters Hall of Fame Abe Olman Scholarship was established by Olman’s family to continue supporting and encouraging young songwriters in the early stages of their career. SESAC congratulates 2026’s recipients Bryan Andrews (“Backwoods Backwards,” “Liquor & Pills”), Courtney Paige Nelson (“Scream and Shout,” “Bury It”), Benni Ola (“Can’t Say Nah,” “Bonita”), and Oceanic (“Insanity,” “Wicked Love”). See: bit.ly/4hEdLTu.

Sureel Joins Symphonic

Symphonic Distribution has teamed up with Sureel AI to help unlock additional revenue streams for the members of their roster who opt-in. Sureel will track owners of compositions, lyrics, and sound recordings to track their use in AI-generated materials, while Symphonic grants independent artists, labels and managers under their umbrella access to AI-driven revenue. Symphonic’s roster will be in a position to monetize their work whenever and wherever it is used in AI models, and share in the revenue generated, while Sureel will tie payments to measurable contribution and enforce permission and restrictions on use. More at: sureel.ai.

Read Jarre’s Machines

Electro pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre releases Machines: A History of Electronic Music, navigating avant-garde radio, pioneering studios, and technological breakthroughs from tape/analogue systems to digital/3D/AI. 130 examples and excepts from Armin van Buuren, Vince Clarke, Gillian Gilbert, Nicolas Godin, and more.

SONGSALIVE! Songwriters Workshop

For over 25 years, the Songsalive! Songwriters workshop has supported songwriters and composers from around the world in taking their songwriting to the next level. Share your work, get valuable feedback and industry insights, and connect with a thriving creative community. Most programs and events are 100% virtual, making it easier than ever to attend from the comfort of your own home, and to navigate workshops at your own pace. The program includes song critiques, industry guest speakers, and reciprocal feedback between presenters and attendees. Workshop details, community membership, and program registration at: songsalive.org.

TSM’s Animal Talk

Third Side Music (TSM) and electronic music group SOFI TUKKER (Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern) launch joint venture Animal Talk Publishing, with TSM extending the duo’s global publishing administration agreement (following their original 2017 signing). The agreement will see TSM providing the Animal Talk roster with global administration, rights management, synch and creative services.

Benson Does Cole

Legendary 10x Grammy-winner George Benson reissues Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole (his Candid Records debut). The 15-track John Burk production includes bonuses “Ramblin’ Rose,” “Almost Like Being in Love” “That Sunday, That Summer.” Features Wynton Marsalis, Idina Menzel, Till Brönner, Judith Hill.

Sony Scoops Wendell

Sony Music Nashville signs Jackson Wendell. Starting out on a worship team, he wrote his “Ain’t Coming Home” at 14. He has since performed with Parker McCollum, Tucker Wetmore, Flatland Cavalry, Randy Rogers, William Beckmann. 2025’s “Drunk Words Are Sober Thoughts” has almost 3 million global streams

SOFI TUKKER credits TSM with landing over 450 placements for them in film, television, video games, movie trailers, and brand deals with Apple, Smartwater, Peloton, Absolut vodka, Lancôme, Acura, and more, With billions if streams and almost 8 million monthly Spotify listeners, SOFI TUKKER’s hits include  “Best Friend,” “Purple Hat,” “Summer in New York,” “Original Sin,”  “Drinkee,” and recent single “Cook” with J. Balvin (which reached No. 20 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart and has over 13 million streams) and “Pick Up the Phone” hitting No. 6 on Beatport’s Top 100 Tech House Chart.

Joint AI Labeling

Music industry groups, including the RIAA, A2IM, IMPALA, and others, are pushing for a system of standardized AI labeling on streaming platforms. The group is proposing a system to identify recordings as AI-generated or AI-assisted in order to bring clarity to the new world of machine-generated creative works. Under this system, humans must have performed ‘lead vocal and primary instruments’ in order to receive AI-Assisted (rather than AI-generated) labeling. Conversations have begun between the group proposing the changes, along with digital music platforms, distribution engines, and music aggregators, as well as regulatory groups. One of the challenges to the proposal is that the system relies on voluntary disclosure (not automatic AI tagging, as used on the Deezer platform). There is also discussion around the monetization of AI-generated music, which will likely be a part of the rollout moving forward.

The post Song Biz, September 2026 first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

All the Machines The RemnantThe Remnant is a drone synthesizer. Eight FM voices feed into each other through a feedback network, either on a routing pattern you pick or one you wire yourself, and the sound keeps moving without you touching it. Snapshots capture the entire state, voices, matrix, effects, everything, and you can glide smoothly from one to another. 13 scales keep things musical when you want them to be. The output runs through one of four acoustic filters (Chamber, Cave, Metal, Void), and individual voices can be played from touch pads. Out now for desktop as VST3, Audio Unit and CLAP. An iOS version is in App Store review. Read More

The fix for rogue AI agents could be more AIAs companies hand off longer and more complex tasks to AI agents, they are running into an oversight problem: Agents can act faster, longer, and at greater volume than humans can realistically review.

Keep Your Back Cool While Others MeltWith an El Niño event in full swing those of us in the northern hemisphere have just had a roasting hot summer, and those in the southern are about to have one. We know what that means, even with the best laid plans the slightest bit of exercise is going to raise a lot of sweat. And if you’re carrying a backpack that means a soaking down your back. Never fear though, because for that one, [Crafterboi] is here with a fan-assisted back protector.
The idea is simple enough, an open framework that sits between you and the backpack, allowing air to flow. If that weren’t enough, there are a couple of 5 volt fans at the top to blow air through the space. It’s printed using PETG, because as he explains, on a really hot day some surfaces can exceed the temperature at which PLA starts to soften.
We like the idea of this project, but what we especially like is that his prototype was made of a pizza box. ten out of ten for resourcefulness! Meanwhile this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a cooling backpack as others have had Peltier systems and evaporative coolers. We would link you to them, but sadly those are both from Hackaday’s early years and link rot has taken their websites.

West Highland Sound releases Cinematic Wineglasses, a FREE wine glass library for Kontakt
Cinematic Wineglasses from developer West Highland Sound is a free wine glass library for Kontakt. The library requires the full version of Kontakt 6.8 or later and isn’t compatible with the free Kontakt Player. Composers often look to the acoustic resonance of natural or manufactured materials to create sounds that feel more alive. Cinematic sound [...]
View post: West Highland Sound releases Cinematic Wineglasses, a FREE wine glass library for Kontakt

Atlantic Records to release Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album, featuring Travis Scott, PinkPantheress, Morgan Wallen, and Keith RichardsThe LP contains 34 original tracks, six of which were issued as singles on Thursday (September 17).
Source

Roland’s flagship store and first-ever standalone US retail space is opening in New York City this OctoberRoland is staking its brick-and-mortar claim in the US with its first official flagship store. The shop will open next month in New York City, offering close up experiences with new products, education, and other experiences from Roland and its owned brands, BOSS and Drum Workshop.
The 9,000-square-foot space will feature a main showroom, displaying the full range of Roland products, including pianos, drums, guitars, synthesizers, dance/DJ equipment, and an area dedicated to Roland Cloud. There will be the first grand piano showroom and the first Drum Workshop showroom, each dedicated to the premium products for these respective brands, available to try then and there. There will also be the BOSS Cavern, allowing for guitarists to try out the brand’s effects and pedals in an immersive sound environment.
But the first thing visitors will see upon entering is a tribute to arguably Roland’s most revered product: the TR-808 Rhythm Composer. The exhibit will go into the 808’s history in New York, where hip-hop was born. There will also be 30-minute one-to-one sessions available for an in-depth look at the techniques and influence of the 808. But get there soon to check it out, because the shop will rotate out different pieces of gear to highlight.
However, for anyone looking to learn about the products they have available to purchase, there will be workshops, one-on-one sessions, after-sales training, and more options, all guided by Roland staff.
And for anyone who comes back again, the store won’t look or sound the same. Roland Soundscapes, an AI-powered system, adapts the environment to movement, MIDI input, time of day, and even the weather. A trip to Roland New York when it opens next month will be completely different than during Christmas when it’s time to look for presents.
Credit: Roland
“New York has long been a place where new sounds, ideas, and creative movements take shape, making it a natural home for Roland’s U.S. flagship store,” said Masahiro Minowa, CEO of the Roland Corporation. “Roland has always been committed to pushing music forward, and this store gives us a new way to share that spirit with musicians and creators while bringing our global retail experience to one of the world’s most important cultural centres.”
“Roland Store New York City gives us the opportunity to bring our brands and our people closer to the musicians and creators who make New York such an important part of the global music community,” says Manuele Barbini, CEO of Roland Americas.
“We’re excited to give musicians, producers, and creators in New York a space where they can explore the latest Roland, BOSS, and DW innovations, connect with our team, and be part of a new creative hub for the city.”
While no official opening date has been announced, the invite-only grand opening ceremony will take place on October 10. When the store does become available to the public, its hours will be 11am to 7pm, Monday through Sunday.
Learn more at Roland. 
The post Roland’s flagship store and first-ever standalone US retail space is opening in New York City this October appeared first on MusicTech.

Arturia update the MiniFreak Arturia have just released a free update that brings wavetable and sample import to the MiniFreak and its software counterpart.

What is multiband compression, and when should you use it?Multiband compressors split your input signal into multiple frequency bands — typically between three and five, but sometimes more — passing each through its own compressor before mixing the results back together for output.
READ MORE: ‘What does a compressor do in music?’: A beginner’s guide to compression
In most examples of the breed, each band’s compressor will be full-featured, offering the familiar compression settings: threshold, ratio, attack, release, and make-up and/or output gain.
Why use a multiband compressor?
Conventional compressors tend not to work well on sources that contain a wide range of frequencies – a full mix, a drum kit submix, synths, pianos, for example. The problem is that low-frequency elements like kick drums and basses contain more energy than higher-frequency sounds, and so are more likely to exceed the compression threshold, thereby triggering the compressor. However, the resulting compression impacts the entire mix and can cause an audible pumping effect that’s only useful as a special effect.
Sidechain filtering can help, but it’s not as good a solution as multiband compression. By tackling each frequency range independently, you can set thresholds, ratios and more to suit the sounds within that range without impacting the dynamics of the other bands. This makes multiband compression far more sonically transparent than broadband compression, even while delivering stronger compression.
The ability to control the output level of each band also gives multiband compressors a secondary role as a sort of broad-brushed EQ that isn’t centred around specific point frequencies.Learn more audio and music production terms in our Glossary
When should I use a multiband compressor?
As already alluded to, multiband compressors are at their best when used on sources containing a wide range of frequencies. Because of this, they’re regularly applied to the master bus during mixing, and almost always deployed during mastering. In this role, they can bring cohesion (sometimes referred to as ‘glue’) and solidity to a mix/master.
A common approach here is to apply stronger compression to the low band(s) to create a solid and consistent grounding, medium compression to the mid band(s) to pull things together but still allow some dynamic movement and variation, and only light compression in the upper bands to keep things sounding airy and free… of course, sometimes the exact opposite setup works well too!
The inherent sonic transparency of multiband compression compared to broadband compression, and the ability to tune band frequency ranges to suit any source, makes multiband compression useful on individual instruments and parts too.
Put simply, anything a broadband compressor can do, a multiband compressor can normally do better — with a little more setup.
Examples of Multiband Compressors
SSL G3 MultiBusComp: Combines three SSL G-series compressors in a single multiband processor, with per-band wet/dry mix and per-band external sidechain input.
PSP OldTimer MB: Multiband version of PSP’s OldTimer compressor, itself inspired by vintage tube compressors. Includes per-band stereo width control.
Your DAW: Many DAWs come with a multiband compressor included in their bundled plugin suite. This may lack the character of a premium option, but will certainly do the job.

Learn more audio and music production terms in our Glossary
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What is LUFS in music production?LUFS is an acronym for Loudness Units Full Scale and is a standardised way to measure audio loudness. It’s most commonly referred to in the mastering phase of music production.
In this context, ‘loudness’ is not the same as ‘volume level’, but rather a measure of how we perceive the loudness of a sound. The maximum possible loudness a system can reproduce is referred to as 0 LUFS, and measurements are expressed in terms of how many LU (Loudness Units) they are below this full scale point. For example, -12 LUFS is 12 LU below the 0 LUFS maximum.
Why do we need LUFS?
Our hearing isn’t sensitive to short, sudden transients, and so peak level meters don’t match our perception. Instead, we perceive loudness from a more averaged-out volume level, and that perception varies across the (roughly) 20Hz to 20kHz frequency range that we can hear.
LUFS takes all of this into account in order to create a system that closely tallies with our aural perception, and which therefore allows the loudness of completely different recordings to be compared and standardised in a meaningful and consistent way.
iZotope RX 12’s LUFS Metering
Why are there different types of LUFS measurement?
A single loudness measurement cannot tell the entire story of how loud a recording is. Many songs, for example, contain quieter and louder passages, and even the most aggressive death metal track may contain areas of serenity. We therefore measure four different types of loudness.
Momentary Loudness: Averages the measured loudness over a 400ms window, showing what the loudness is at any given moment. Similar to RMS volume level measurement.
Short-Term Loudness: Averages the measured loudness over a 3s window. This is generally the most helpful readout for meaningfully judging and comparing loudness, and when aiming for a target LUFS during mixing.
Integrated Loudness: Averages the measured loudness over an entire mix or passage of audio. This is the measurement used by streaming platforms, etc., when checking your audio matches their standards.
True Peak Level: The peak reconstructed signal level, in decibels, this being the peak level once the digital stream has been converted to an analogue signal.
Working with streaming platform loudness specifications
In order to present content at a consistent loudness, streaming platforms set standards for integrated loudness and true peak level, and will apply normalisation processing to any audio that does not match those standards. If you wish to avoid such processing from wrecking your carefully crafted mixes, ensure the audio you submit matches the platform’s specifications.
Loudness meters and tools
Your DAW: Many DAWs have built-in loudness metering, and this is often all you need to get a reliable readout.
Steinberg WaveLab 12: Steinberg’s audio editing and mastering suite features an intuitive loudness meter. It can also analyse passages of audio and overlay the resulting loudness measurement traces.
iZotope RX 12: iZotope RX 12’s Loudness Control and Loudness Optimise modules can provide detailed readouts of your audio’s loudness. The Streaming Preview module can then be used to preview and apply different platforms’ requirements to your audio.
Process Audio Decibel: This loudness and level meter runs standalone or as a plugin in your DAW, and can be linked to an app running on your phone or tablet to display loudness readouts wherever you need them.

Learn more audio and music production terms in our Glossary
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Splice x Spotify Fresh Finds Forward: Helping emerging artists “Make It ‘Till You Make It”
Splice offers six months of its Creator plan to eligible artists in Spotify’s new Fresh Finds Forward program.

Lunacy launches NOVA platform with five FREE virtual instruments
Lunacy has launched NOVA, a new instrument platform and marketplace for macOS and Windows, with a free host plugin and five free virtual instruments. The basic idea is somewhat similar to what Spitfire Audio LABS used to represent. You install one free host in your DAW and access a growing collection of instruments through it. [...]
View post: Lunacy launches NOVA platform with five FREE virtual instruments

Noise wants to help everyday people become paid content creatorsMarketing platform Noise is on a mission to help anyone with a smart phone make money from their content.

VSL introduce Synchron Cimbalom & World Percussion II VSL (Vienna Symphonic Library) have just launched two new libraries that bring some intriguing new instruments into their Synchron Percussion range.

Smart Audio Plugins launches Timbral Box parallel harmonic processor
Smart Audio Plugins has released Timbral Box, a parallel harmonic processor for mixing and mastering, available for an introductory price of €48.30/$56 through September 30th, 2026. Timbral Box is a parallel harmonic processor. Instead of running the entire signal through EQ, saturation, and compression, it leaves the dry signal untouched and adds four processed layers [...]
View post: Smart Audio Plugins launches Timbral Box parallel harmonic processor