The problem with contentEverything these days is content – but the word is as problematic as the implication. ‘Content’ is defined by other. It is defined by filling something else, being part of something else. It is something that only exists within another context. It implies not being of itself but of another entity. And that is the direct through line to the cultural challenge of calling everything content – it is being othered.

Andrew Lloyd Webber once argued that treating art as content is like saying the fine red wines of France are merely content providers for the glass making business. While the quote may sound old school – and you can practically hear the righteous indignation dripping off the words – it gets straight to the heart of the matter. There is no written cultural law that states that art has to be content in the digital era. It simply became so because most forms of art and entertainment bowed to the lexicon and the business models of tech – and they did this because the platforms pushing this worldview were the most immediate route to audiences of scale.

There is a tendency to consider critiquing today’s dominant business models as being outdated, outmoded, harking to some ancient, past idyl. However, new does not always equate to progress. In fact, with more than a decade of digital being at the heart of entertainment, we can see what is and what is not working.

To be clear, this is not to dismiss the immense benefits that social media and streaming have brought to entertainment (rights holders and creators alike). The price paid, however, has been realigning creativity and culture around feeding content machines. Content machines that have insatiable appetites. Everyone has been compelled to play the double V game – Volume and Velocity. Always creating, always releasing, always posting. Always on.

The problem with the double V game is that it benefits the platforms far more than it does those who do the making. Calling everything content merely codifies a shift in the power equation. Because creators and rights holders do not have access to, nor control of, the all-important algorithms, they become slaves to them. BuzzFeed’s former VP, Jonathan Perelman, once said something that captures the dynamic perfectly: “Content may be king, but distribution is queen and she wears the pants” (via Forbes). If content is indeed still king, it is little more than a ceremonial figurehead in today’s entertainment economy.

It does not have to be this way. Nowhere is it written that rights holders and creators shouldn’t have ownership of their audiences or that they shouldn’t be able to create and distribute on their terms. They may have to opt out – or threaten to opt out – of the systems to change them. And that will be painful, without doubt. However, with ecosystems in which art is merely content, creativity is too easily reduced to processes and algorithms. And what is perfectly geared to maximise returns in that environment? Yes, you guessed it, AI.

Content may only be a word, but words have power. It is time to start speaking a different language.

They Shot the Piano Player: An Interview with Filmmaker Fernando TruebaAllMusic spoke with director Fernando Trueba about the making of the Bossa Nova detective film "They Shot the Piano Player," the research that went into it, and what he's working on next.

WMG’s Paul Robinson honored with Recording Academy’s ELI Service Award: He ‘stands for everything that is honest, diligent, fair.’Robinson has served as WMG's top lawyer since 2006
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A Song That Changed My Life: Blackwater Holylight on Judas PriestBand Members: Allison ‘Sunny’ Faris, guitar, bass, and vocals; Mikayla Mayhew, guitar; Eliese Dorsay, drums.The Storyteller: Eliese DorsayThe Song: “The Hellion,” the gallant, standalone twin-guitar tone prelude to Judas Priest’s classic “Electric Eye.” Its anthemic metallic opening—crafted by the architects of modern metal—set the standard for monumental hard-rock salvos, both in song and on stage.

The Background: Blackwater Holylight’s unsettling atmospherics began circulating through Portland’s foggy mists several years ago. Finding fertile ground for their doom-gaze sound, the band crafted three full-length albums and cultivated a devoted following. Despite their Pacific Northwest success, the slow burn of Los Angeles’ darker subterranean world drew them toward the Southland, where they conceptualized and recorded the EP If You Only Knew before ultimately relocating.With the forthcoming 2026 release Not Here Not Gone, drummer Eliese Dorsay reflects on the unlikely origin story behind her lifelong admiration of metal —a thirty-second commercial — and how it unexpectedly shocked her into the electrifying world of Judas Priest, altering how she hears, feels, and creates music.The Story: Sometimes the smallest, most ordinary moments carry the greatest significance, leaving a profound impact in the most unexpected ways. For Eliese Dorsay, it was an unassuming after-school ritual—sitting in front of the television—when a Honda Odyssey advertisement transformed the mundane, amplifying it into the monumental. In short: the sound—Judas Priest’s “The Hellion”—careened through the air. The spectacle unfolded: a man made his way toward a minivan, pyrotechnics erupted as a panther prowled. The end scene: the hatchback opened, revealing a towering Marshall Amp stack. Jaw dropped. Metal nirvana.“In an instant,” Dorsay recalls, “I had never heard any riffs like that before—something that heavy and epic.” The collision of searing sonics and stylized visuals shifted Dorsay away from the three-chord melodics she’d been listening to and toward the darker, more metal side. “It changed my life hearing this song.”  She adds, “This sound—the riffs. It was something I just needed more of—I was caught up listening to pop-punk, and that was the first time that I thought—this is real metal.”This brief snapshot rewired how Dorsay embraced music altogether. “I thought to myself, ‘This is what I want to do with my life forever… my life is now metal.’”  Judas Priest instantly became one of her all-time favorite bands. “I immediately looked up the band and dove into a portal of heavy metal. I could not stop listening to Screaming for Vengeance.”  Dorsay’s rigorous examination of The Metal Gods’ work opened the door to a wider world of music and technique. “Judas Priest introduced me to some of the greatest heavy-hitting acts that would go on to inspire me as a musician to this day,”  she notes. This trajectory soon led her to Def Leppard and other big, commanding, and precise drummers of the 1980s, whose style continues to shape her drumming approach in Blackwater Holylight.“Every one of my drum hits I craft to be powerful and tough, while also balancing simplicity with fills that complement the riffs,” she explains, “knowing when to pull back is just as important as knowing when to hit hard.”  Her approach, shaped by her early metal discoveries, reflects the precision, drama, and intensity she first encountered in that snapshot in time.In retrospect, a brief vignette of daily life became more than a short-lived moment—it crystallized the deep-seated connection between sound, vision, and memory.  Today, hearing “The Hellion,” Dorsay recognizes how it forever altered the way she listens to and crafts music. For metal lovers everywhere, the track remains one of the most epic and toughest album intros of all time, and for Dorsay, a flashback she can summon anytime for inspiration behind the kit.  As she puts it simply: “One of the greatest metal bands on earth… Judas Priest!”

Photo Credit: Candice Lawler

The post A Song That Changed My Life: Blackwater Holylight on Judas Priest first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

DistroKid, repped by Goldman Sachs and Raine, exploring a saleNew York-based company claims that it handles 30% to 40% of new music releases globally
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TWICE Electrifies with Four Shows at the Kia Forum, InglewoodWith ten years under their belts, it’s no surprise TWICE is one of the best-performing girl groups in K-pop. The group (who graced the cover of Music Connection in 2024) is currently touring across North America for their 2026 THIS IS FOR World Tour and stopped by the Kia Forum in Inglewood for four sold-out shows. The tour is different from any other tour they’ve done before. It’s more ambitious thanks to the 360-degree setup with the stage extending throughout the entire floor. This allows a smaller and more intimate experience, as the group expertly utilizes every inch of the venue and offers close-up views of each of the nine members. There were no bad seats in the house for ONCE’s (name of fandom) as they equally spend time in each area. 
Marking the start of the show on Jan. 22nd, the venue lights dimmed as the words “TWICE THIS IS FOR” dramatically appeared on the screens. The screens then lowered down as the opening visuals showcased Dahyun, Chaeyoung, Jeongyeon, Jihyo, Mina, Momo, Nayeon, Sana and Tzuyu. It was fun seeing fans cheer with their glowing candybong light stick for their favorite member when they appeared onscreen. As the video montage ended, the screens raised to reveal the group on stage. TWICE aptly began their performance with “This is For,” from their fourth Korean studio album of the same name. This was the perfect song to start the night as the opening verse from Momo is meant to energize fans, “This is for all my ladies who don't get hyped enough / If you've been done wrong, then this your song, so turn it up.”
Photo credit: JYP ENTERTAINMENT, ANDY KEILEN
With a discography of over 200 songs, it’s no surprise that the setlist leaned heavily on their biggest hits. The first act started off strong with fan-favorite songs, including “SET ME FREE” and “I CAN’T STOP ME.” The stage setup allowed the group to freely move around with their dance routines, switching sides throughout the songs. Unfortunately, Dahyun sustained an ankle injury and remained seated for the entire show. That didn’t stop her as she participated by doing the dance routines with her hands. Most K-pop acts sing with a backing track, but that wasn’t the case for TWICE, as they had a live band performing alongside them. Each girl has a distinctive vocal tone that complements the others very well. The R&B track “Gone” specifically stands out for highlighting the group's strengths. Jiyho, Jeongyeon and Naeyon have powerful vocals with dynamic vocal ranges. Momo, Chaeyoung and Daeyon have great rhythm and rapping delivery, while Mina, Sana and Tzuyu have softer and breathier vocals. 
The middle act focused on solo performances, giving each member a chance to shine in the spotlight. Each girl, except Chaeyoung, performed shortened versions of their song from the album TEN: The Story Goes On. Tzuyu opened the act with “DIVE IN,” showcasing impressive high notes. The stage sparkled in gold and silver as Mina followed with “STONE COLD.” The performance featured intricate, hand-heavy choreography with dancers and highlighted Mina's strong whispery vocals. Nayeon is born to be a popstar as her song “MEEEEEE” is fun, catchy and showcases her confident energy. Earning the biggest cheers of the night was Jeongyeon, who was dressed in a pink cowgirl outfit for her country-inspired song “FIX A DRINK.” It’s always fun to see K-pop idols venture into different genres that they typically wouldn’t do. Dahyun began her song with a piano performance of Beethoven's famous piano piece "Für Elise," which is featured in her song “CHESS.” The song’s theatrical aesthetic was a real crowd-pleaser. Chaeyoung released her first solo album LIL Fantasy vol.1 last year and performed her dreamy pop single “SHOOT (Firecracker).” Jihyo is the strongest performer of TWICE and her urban-inspired song “ATM” indeed showcased her confident personality and powerhouse vocals. The energy in the venue grew as Sana’s sweet vocals and addictive chorus of “DECAFFINATED” had everyone jumping along. Momo closed out the solo performances with “MOVE LIKE THAT." The performance showcased why Momo is considered the best dancer of the group. She has a very strong onstage presence, very sharp and graceful with her movements. The act ended with Jihyo, Jeongyeon, and Chaeyoung performing “TAKEDOWN,” from Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters. The trio recorded a special version of the song that was featured in the ending credits of the movie. Thanks to the viral popularity of the movie, the song is definitely a fan favorite and had the entire venue screaming along with every word. 

The group saved the best for last as the fourth act of the show included all their biggest hits, including “FANCY,” “What is Love?,""YES or YES,""Dance the Night Away,” and “ONE SPARK.” After a short break, the girls returned on stage dressed in their own merchandise for a very casual encore. The group focused their attention more on interacting with fans than actually performing, going along the stage saying hi to everyone and occasionally wetting them with water. Jeongyeon specifically let loose during this moment as she playfully drenched all the dancers with water. The group performed three more songs for the encore. The first song was the super popular “Feel Special.” They let the audience choose the second one, which ended up being the sub-unit song of Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Mina, “BATTITUDE.” The group then started to say their goodbyes and were ready to end the show, but the entire venue started screaming, “one more song, one more song.” The group heard everyone's plea and obliged by singing, “TWICE Song.” This was the perfect song to end the night, as it’s a fun anthem that calls out each member. TWICE’s THIS IS FOR World Tour continues across North America; for info visit twice.jype.com.
Photo credit: JYP ENTERTAINMENT, ANDY KEILENThe post TWICE Electrifies with Four Shows at the Kia Forum, Inglewood first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

From BMG’s reported Concord acquisition talks to UMG’s $3bn Anthropic lawsuit… it’s MBW’s weekly round-upThe biggest headlines from the past few days...
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How Musicians Can Leverage New In-App Spotify Group ChatsWord-of-mouth has always been the gold standard for music discovery. Spotify is leaning hard into that reality with its latest update. The streamer expanded its "Messages" feature to include Spotify Group Chats. Now, users can share and discuss music with up to 10 people directly within the app.
The post How Musicians Can Leverage New In-App Spotify Group Chats appeared first on Hypebot.

What Luminate Report Reveals About Fan Engagement in 2026Engaging fans - true (aka super) fans - is key to the success of any artist or release. A new report by the music analysts at Luminate look at the state of fan engagement in 2026.
The post What Luminate Report Reveals About Fan Engagement in 2026 appeared first on Hypebot.

Why the music industry needs to learn to live with AIIt has been some time since I last posted here. Most of my blog activity now takes place over at MIDiA Research https://www.midiaresearch.com/blog and in the MIDiA newsletter (including the newsletter-only ‘Letter from the MD’). Follow me there and LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmulligan/ for regular updates and posts. Now onto today’s Music Industry Blog post. It’s a controversial one, so hold onto your hats…

If life is a party, AI gate crashed it in 2025. With financial losses rising even more quickly than critical voices, AI will not find things quite so easy in 2026. You don’t have to look very far to find alarm bells being rung. Deutsche bank said of OpenAI’s $143 billion cumulative negative cash flow, “No startup in history has operated with losses on anything approaching this scale” (per Adweek). Meanwhile, at the World Economic Forum, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella said that we must “do something useful” or lose “social permission” for the vast quantities of electricity it requires. So much of the financial system is vested in AI’s success that a bubble burst akin to the dot-com era is possible. However, with an MIT report claiming 95% of businesses are getting “zero return” from AI investments, something is going to have to change. 

This is the state of AI at the start of 2026 – but it is not the state of music AI. Music is emerging as a case study of where AI is actually delivering (and getting better by the day). This means that everyone in the music industry needs to start thinking about how to co-exist with AI, whether they like it or not.

The impact of generative AI on music creation

The music creator economy may be the canary in the coal mine for AI’s impact on music. Leading company Native Instruments just announced that it is entering preliminary insolvency (per Music Radar). Native Instruments make beautiful software, hardware, and sounds that appeal most to established, successful music creators – creators that have spent years honing their craft. What it doesn’t do so well is cater for the emerging generation of younger creators that want to go to 0-100 in a millisecond. 

This new breed of creators want making good music to be as easy as taking good photos and videos on their phones. A growing number see making music as personal entertainment rather than chasing dreams of multi-platinum success. It is a dynamic we explore in our brand new report: Music creator survey | Creation: Rise of the new breed.

AI did not create this dynamic but it did supercharge it. If music software democratised the means of production, AI has set it free. Thom York sang “anyone can play guitar” but anyone who has tried  (as I have done since I was five) will tell you that you have to spend a lot of time being bad before you are good. This is the case with all instruments. Gen AI, however, takes away being-bad-to-be-good. Anyone can write a text prompt. Now, is a single line of text ‘creation’. I’d personally say ‘no’, but those doing it will likely think ‘yes’. It is a similar question to whether an unmade bed installation in a gallery art? Does that text prompt become creative if it is a deeply considered paragraph of text defining melodic feel, lyrical content, instrumentation and arrangement? If so, what is the word count cut off between being creative and not?Is entering a text prompt ever going to be creative in the same way as sitting down at a piano and writing a song? No. But neither is opening a DAW and building a track from samples and typing in MIDI notes. But does that make electronic music not creative? (And before you answer, I know there are still plenty of people out there who would say electronic music is not ‘actual’ music!). And we should expect gen AI music to develop and become more sophisticated, as all consumer apps do over time. But whereas most consumer apps improve convenience and reduce friction, gen AI music will likely go in the opposite direction. It started as zero friction but make music creation too easy and the creative satisfaction soon wears thin. Creative friction is what make music making so important to people. And, from a cynical perspective, the longer it takes to make music, the more time spent on an app.

Regardless of whether current gen AI is creation or not, the result is a whole new wave of people making music – and the number paying do so is rising rapidly. In 2025, gen AI music users were already 10% of all music creators, and the number paying to create with AI doubled. Meanwhile the number of people buying traditional music software fell in both 2024 and 2025, as did revenues. This indicates that not only are new creators flowing in, established creators are shifting activity and spend to AI too.

One of the reasons is that gen AI music is improving. While licensing disputes roll on, gen AI has learned from the best chord progressions, vocal performances, arrangements, etc., that music has to offer and – crucially – what consumers do with that. The constraint on quality was always going to be computation technique, not innate capability. 

Industry stakeholders can make the AI slop argument, and music critics can claim that they can identify even the best AI songs as not being made by humans. But that misses the point. AI is for the masses, both on the creation side and the consumption side. 

Tracks on Suno can sound convincing enough to the average listener. AI artists like Sienna Rose command millions of Spotify listeners, while earlier this month ‘Jag vet, du är inte min’ hit the top of the Swedish charts only to be banned for being AI (per the BBC). AI is not going to replace human content, but it will increasingly displace it. 

AI is here to stay in music

The music industry needs to learn not just where AI fits in it, but where it fits in AI. This requires work from the industry, such as creating ‘lanes’ for AI as we argued in our Future of music streaming report. However, it also requires artists to put in work too. 

Last year, YouTube-first music creator Mary Spender laid bare the challenge: 

“First it was about gigs and selling CDs, then it was streams, then it was about content, now it is something else entirely.”

Her solution? To use her YouTube channel as her ‘proof of work’, the thing that communicates the humanness of her music. As this piece from It’s Nice That lays out, this is an approach being pursued throughout the creative industries.

Gen AI music enters 2026 of the back of two years of hockey stick growth. The coming 12 months will likely be more of the same. None of this is to suggest that creators and rightsholders should simply sit back and let unlicensed activity continue unabated – those battles still need to be fought. But, just as happened with music piracy, consumer behaviour is accelerating regardless. 

Some rightsholders are already leaning into AI’s capabilities – as explained by UMG’s Jon Dworkin at MusicAlly’s great Connect conference. Others are resisting with every effort they can muster. Neither approach is more right or wrong than the other. Part of carving out a role is deciding whether you want to be part of or apart from. Whatever your choice, music AI is not going away – at least not anytime soon.Gen AI music is going to get bigger before (if) it gets smaller. Legislation isn’t going to be fast enough to stop this near term surge. Until it does, everyone in the industry needs to work out what they want to do in that time. To be ‘part of’ or ‘apart from’. Doing nothing and hoping for it to go away is not an option anymore. And whether AI stays or goes, it has catalysed the consumerisation of creation. That genie is out of the bottle. And the implications for music listening are clear. The more time that people spend making music, the less they spend listening to music. Whether the music they make finds an audience is almost besides the point. As I wrote about consumer AI music back in 2023: the music industry should worry less about the song with 1 million streams and more about the 1 million songs with 1 stream.

Guitar Center Business Solutions Announces ResonateThis week, Guitar Center Business Solutions announced the inaugural Resonate, "the company’s first dedicated industry expo, launching in Nashville to showcase the future of integrated audio, video and control technology, according to a company statement.

"The free, one-day event will take place Thursday, April 9, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. CDT at the Music City Center in Nashville," they added. "The expo will bring together leading brands, integrators and decision-makers across music, education, venues and enterprise. Nashville was selected as the host city for Resonate because it reflects the convergence shaping today’s market and serves as the headquarters of Guitar Center Business Solutions."

“We created Resonate as systems are converging faster than organizations can adapt, and the industry needs clearer leadership around how everything connects,” said Curtis Heath, president of Guitar Center Business Solutions, in a statement. “Our experience across education, performance and enterprise environments positions us to help the market move forward with solutions that are practical, scalable and built to last.”

“Nashville is the perfect place to close the gap between creators and the systems that amplify their work,” Heath told MC. “Resonate brings together music, pro audio, and pro AV—along with the networked, enterprise-grade technology behind it—to show what’s possible when you design the entire experience end-to-end. No other organization connects these worlds at this scale.”

Resonate Event Details:- Resonate, presented by Guitar Center Business Solutions- Thursday, April 9 | 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. CDT- Music City Center | Nashville, TN- Registration is free for early registrants; space is limited.

For more information and to register, visit resonate-expo.com.

The post Guitar Center Business Solutions Announces Resonate first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

60,000 AI tracks hit Deezer daily as platform moves to license detection tech to wider music industryDeezer also revealed that up to 85% of all streams on AI-generated music were fraudulent in 2025
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OpenWav fan app launched by Wyclef Jean and 88rising’s Jaeson Ma forms joint venture with Loud House for new artist commerce platformThe new project seeks to provide artists and IP owners a way to launch, test and scale consumer products globally without holding inventory.
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Song Biz, February 2026: What's Going On This MonthSMP Signs Spiro

Sienna Spiro signs to global publishing with SMP. With 6.6+ M Spotify listeners/1.5 M TikTok followers, EP SINK NOW, SWIM LATER hit 122+ M streams, “MAYBE,” hit 600+ M TikTok views alone. U.K./E.U. headline tour sold out; supported Sam Smith in NYC/Teddy Swims’ U.S. tour.

Marc Anthony/GoDigital

Marc Anthony’s publishing sells with Latin collection ($115 million including Los Socios del Ritmo, Marisela, 3BallMTY, Tierra Cali, LDNE), adding 30,000+ assets to GoDigitial Music. Including “Vivir Mi Vida,” “Rain Over Me,” “Ahora Quien,” Anthony’s catalog is rumored to have sold for eight figures.

Wesli Releases Makaya

Haitian-Canadian singer-guitarist Wesli releases a tribute to the musical traditions, strength and beauty of the Haitian people in his latest 24-track release, Makaya (“leaf” in Kikongo). Rhythms of solidarity and resilience blend tradition and modernity, celebrating hope for the future of Haiti.

Listening Room Retreats

With over 2000 songwriter participants from over 30 countries since it launched in 2002 (from total beginners to seasoned professionals), attendees have gone on to record, co-write, tour outside their home countries, and release commercially, from relationships that began at the retreat. The week of inspiration and enthusiasm remains unmatched in the industry.

Upcoming retreats include Ireland, Greenland, California, and Denmark, with early registration discounts, paid referral programs, and interest-free monthly payment plans making it easier than ever to attend. Details and registration at listeningroomretreats.com.

SXSW Austin Returns

South By Southwest (SXSW) returns to Austin, Texas, March 12–18. What is it? SXSW 2026 includes 850+ conference sessions, 600+ mentor and networking events, 4,400 musicians performing over 300 live showcases, 460 film and TV screenings, four nights of comedy, and 450 brand activations over seven days. Leaning into its 40th anniversary, this year’s event follows a walkable downtown footprint with designated clubhouses instead of using the convention center. “Connect. Discover. Create What’s Next.” Details and registration at sxsw.com.

SongsAlive! Songwriter Events

With workshops, showcases, camps, webinars, and song critique opportunities, the SongsAlive! community has the power to transform lives. Connecting songwriters, composers, and lyricists from various backgrounds, members get inspired by and connected to like-minded songwriters from around the world. Develop your songwriting skills through virtual and live events inside a supportive creative community. Details and membership at songsalive.org.

Kassner Signs Sutherland 

Glaswegian topliner Katie Sutherland signs global publishing with Kassner Music. Syncs include Vodafone, Orange, Google, Victoria’s Secret; Credit: 100 (The Hunna’s), Sigala, Sub Focus, Dan Smith, DYLAN, Becky Hill, MEEK, A. Van Buuren, Poppy Bascombe, Gabry Ponte, Roger Sanchez.

SESAC Latina Conexiones

SESAC Latina launches “Creando Conexiones,” a matchmaker portal for songwriters to foster songwriter collaboration with virtual or in-person creative opportunities. Leveraging existing relationships and resources, SESAC Latina aims to strengthen the songwriting community through an organic ecosystem (including hitmakers and rising creatives) to connect, experiment, and grow with intentional spaces for collaboration to foster ideas and nurture partnerships. With distinct phases, it began with Regional Mexican, then Pop/Latin Rhythm, then a full combination, and integrates songwriting camps, showcases, events, and special projects. More at sesac.com/sesac-latina-lanza-creando-conexiones.

BMI Awards Neda

2025’s Charlie Feldman Award goes to Miami-born Carlos Neda. Raised in El Salvador, Neda wrote poetry to process his uncertain surroundings, before returning to Miami as a teen and finding his voice through music. Busking around the world in over 90 cities, he survived by singing and playing his guitar. Hitting No. 4 on Spotify’s Viral Mexico chart, “Sin complejos de Disney” launched his career. Debut EP, PARA CAÍDAS, out soon.

Established in 2021 to honor and celebrate retired BMI Vice President, Creative, Charlie Feldman, whose tireless advocacy supported artists for 31 years (including the Neville Brothers, James Brown, the Holland Brothers, Carole King, Chip Taylor, Greg Allman, Rihanna, and Nile Rogers), the annual Charlie Feldman Award grants $2,000 to an emerging BMI songwriter in any genre. More at bmifoundation.org.

Lyric Capital’s Weeknd

Closing a publishing and master recording rights deal with New York’s Lyric Capital Group, ASCAP artist The Weeknd (Abel Makkonen Tesfaye) and his team remain shareholders with ‘creative control’ in a joint venture deal rumored to be worth $1 billion. With over 120 million monthly Spotify listeners, and creating Spotify’s most-streamed track with “Blinding Lights” (bumping Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You”), The Weeknd’s agreement includes work through 2025 (future releases excluded). Chord Music Partners (XO/Republic/Universal Music Group (UMG))’s 50 percent publishing partnership remains. Universal Music Publishing Group continues administration.

DSE Ventura Returns

The Durango Songwriting Expo returns to Ventura, California February 19-21. For 30 years, Durango has been the industry’s best-kept secret: a twice-yearly event for songwriters to access publishers, A&R executives, and music supervisors who can change their career. What makes DSE different? Personalized connections, honest feedback, curated showcases, and career-empowering knowledge. With open mics, industry panels, song listening sessions, workshops and networking events, it is the perfect opportunity to accelerate your songwriting career. Details and registration at durangosong.com.

Eclipse Scoops Shackleton

ASCAP’s Emily Shackleton has sold her catalog to Eclipse Music Group, in a deal that includes songs recorded by Carly Pearce, Reba McEntire, Runaway June, David Nail, Sara Evans, and Mickey Guyton. Best known for multi-platinum / CMA-winning “Every Little Thing” (Carly Pearce), Shackleton’s writing joins Eclipse’s portfolio of songs that includes “Tennessee Whiskey,” “Chasin’ You,” “Getting’ You Home,” “May We All,” and others. 

Since 2017, Eclipse has been committed to empowering artists, songwriters, and helping them make the most of their catalogs, bringing decades of experience to support publishing, acquisitions, masters, and strategic partnerships. The Eclipse ecosystem is designed for creative and commercial success as it signs rising hitmakers, nurtures business collaborations, and adds catalogs to their roster.

KISS on the Hill

2025 Kennedy Center Honoree and legendary bassist, co-founder and co-lead singer of KISS, Gene Simmons joined SoundExchange President/CEO Michael Huppe in testifying before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in support of the bipartisan American Music Fairness Act bill (AMFA) (S.326/H.R.861). Big radio corporations—who made $13.6 billion in ad revenue in 2024—are being taken to task to start paying artists performance royalties for their music. Marking the first time in over ten years the Senate has held a hearing on AMFA, Simmons’ support joins over 300 artists who sent a letter to congress encouraging leaders to pass the bill. 

The National Independent Talent Organization (NITO) has also encouraged Senate support for the Bill, with over 60 NITO members companies writing in to lend support. A rival measure presented by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the Local Radio Freedom Act (endorsed by over 200 members of the U.S. House of Representatives) opposes any type of new charge on local radio (perhaps stemming from historic pay-to-plug radio protocols in the early days of music). NITO emphasizes that AMFA protects independent stations with minimal ($1.37/day) cost, and indirectly benefits independent managers, agents, and more. More at recordingacademy.com/advocacy/news/american-music-fairness-act-gene-simmons-senate-hearing.

Yellow Days’ Album

Out this month, Yellow Days’ new album Rock And A Hard Place follows debut EP Harmless Melodies. George van den Broek’s latest project draws Otis Redding, Bootsy Collins, James Brown, George Clinton vibes with fresh soul atop a backdrop of Newcastle jazz fusion band, Knats.

TikTok’s Non Blondes

ASCAP’s 4 Non Blondes’ resurgence from TikTok viral user videos (“What’s Up/Beez in the Trap”), Spotify Billions Club, two billion YouTube views, has Linda Perry launching Kill Rockstars imprint, 670 Records. Solo album (Let It Die Here) and 4 Non Blondes album (33 years later) coming soon.

Moreland’s Songwriting Win

Oklahoma’s John Moreland Wins Top Honors at 30th annual USA Songwriting Competition with “Visitor.” He was No. 83 on 2024’s Billboard Hot 100 for “Memphis, The Blues” (Zach Bryan) and opened for Jason Isbell, Dawes, Patty Griffin. 2026 contest on now. See songwriting.net/winners.

Franco’s Sweet Petunia

Indie-folk duo Sweet Petunia (Madison Simpson/Mairead Guy)—with unapologetic identity, political beliefs and moral compass— sign to Ani DiFranco’s Righteous Babe Records, a dedication to community and social activism shines through ‘DIY grit-meets-Appalachian soul.’ Listen at youtube.com/watch?v=9AYHE4RNOdA.The post Song Biz, February 2026: What's Going On This Month first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

What Spotify For Artists is building in 2026 as payouts top $11BSpotify For Artists has kicked off 2026 with a state-of-the-union announcement from Charlie Hellman, the platform’s Head of Music. The update reflects on a record-breaking 2025 while outlining a strategic. Continue reading
The post What Spotify For Artists is building in 2026 as payouts top $11B appeared first on Hypebot.