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Victoria Canal Attracts Her Fans for The Right ReasonsThis week, Ari is joined by Victoria Canal to discuss the distinct pressures faced by indie vs. label-repped artists.

Spotify introduces new changes to its advertising model – could they impact artist payouts?Spotify has announced new changes for its advertising model, with new tools for creating ads and measuring their reach.
The changes arrive hot on the heels of its Loud & Clear annual royalty report, which revealed that from 2014 to 2024, Spotify’s yearly payouts to the music industry have increased 10x from $1 billion to over $10 billion. It also recorded its first full year of profitability at the end of Q4 last year.

READ MORE: Qobuz is the first streaming platform to have its average payout per stream officially validated – this is its rate and how it achieves it

Spotify refers to its new changes as the “next stage of Spotify Advertising”. As part of these new advancements, it has introduced the Spotify Ad Exchange (SAX) – this means that for the first time, advertisers can access Spotify’s engaged and logged-in users via real-time auction, with full addressability and measurement capabilities.
Furthermore, the streaming platform has also upgraded its “self-serve” Spotify Ads Manager with new tools including enhanced targeting and measurement capabilities, and there are now new ways for advertisers to create with Spotify using its Creative Lab and AUX (its music consultancy agency), plus its brand new Spotify Generative AI Ads tool – this can produce scripts and voiceovers, for example.
What does this mean for artists?
Spotify’s Global Head of Advertising, Lee Brown, says that Spotify Free users tune in to the platform for two hours each day. These are the listeners who hear these adverts. Although its new report doesn’t clearly outline how exactly these new advertising changes might affect artist payouts, it does report that its ad revenue has more than doubled since 2020.
As part of Spotify’s annual royalty report, it shared a video revealing how the money flows from its platform to artists and publishers, in which it said it pays rights holders roughly two thirds of every dollar it makes; this is from both users who pay for its premium tiers, and from advertisers on its free tier.

Spotify has faced criticism of its payout model over the years, but it addresses this through what it called the “paradox” of the modern music industry. “Streaming has allowed millions to easily share their music globally – that’s an amazing thing. But the sheer volume of uploaders means the fraction who find success appears smaller over time,” it says.
“The fact remains: Thanks to streaming, more artists than ever before are generating royalties at every career stage. More than at any time in music history. And we think that’s what really matters.”
To find out more about Spotify’s advertising changes, you can read more via its Newsroom.
The post Spotify introduces new changes to its advertising model – could they impact artist payouts? appeared first on MusicTech.

HYBE’s Joon Choi: ‘90% of Weverse traffic comes from regions outside of Korea. Most of our users are global superfans.’MBW speaks with Weverse President Joon Choi following the launch of its Spotify-powered 'Listening Party' streaming service
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Output’s Co-Producer: the Future of Sample-Based Music Production?Ad feature with Output
Have you ever found yourself spending way too much time searching through sample libraries for the right sample? This could save you a lot of time.
Producers have an infinite number of inspiring sounds available and accessible to them at all times. The problem is finding what you need — and quickly. But what if someone had come up with a way to make this a thing of the past? And even better, with unlimited access to an ever-expanding library of royalty-free samples?
Built on Output’s legacy of software innovation and high-end sound design, Co-Producer is a simple yet incredibly powerful way to find and incorporate premium, musician-made samples that fit your track with just a couple of clicks.
Output Co-Producer. Image: Output
Running as a plug-in across the master bus of your DAW project, it analyses the harmony, rhythm and complexity of a section of your track and — with the help of your prompts — intelligently suggests compatible samples which you can then audition and drop directly into a song. Co-Producer was designed from the ground up to work in any DAW. Whether you’re deep in Ableton, Logic, FL Studio, or anything else, it adapts to your workflow, not the other way around.
“We built Co-Producer to address the real frustrations of music makers,” says Gregg Lehrman, founder and CEO of Output. “After talking with thousands of writers and producers, it was clear that endlessly scrolling for samples held back creativity. Artists want sounds that fit their track from the start, with the ability to preview them in context and drag-and-drop directly from within their DAW.”
To do this, Co-Producer uses a combination of state-of-the-art AI algorithms, but the developer is keen to point out that this plugin does not generate music for you. Instead, it simply helps you discover a vast range of samples that fit rhythmically and harmonically with your track, giving you creative choices to dial in your sound.
“We’re not using AI to generate audio — we’re using it to improve how music makers work. By combining language models, audio analysis and a scalable engine, we deliver high-quality, musician-made results that are 100% free and clear to use,” says Spencer Salazar, Output’s Head of R&D.
Output Co-Producer. Image: Output
And improve producers’ lives it does, with over 73% of searches returning results that people love – a number that will surely only increase as more  people interact with the system. The workflow is incredibly simple. Just open the plugin, enter your song’s key and sample a few bars into Co-Producer with a click.
Then, tell the plugin what kind and style of sound you want – like chilled vocals or funky guitar, for example – and it will return a plethora of compatible results you can audition in context by clicking on them and listening as they play along with your track. When you find a sound you like, drag and drop it from Co-Producer into your DAW to have it added, all fully in sync. You can refine your search with more text input or search for similar sounds, again with just a couple of clicks.

So, what about the sample library? Co-Producer gives you unlimited access to its entire royalty-free sample collection for just $9.99/month — no credit system, no hidden limits. Output called out that they are actively expanding the library across every genre and style, with new royalty-free samples every day and significant updates planned to be announced soon. This includes new samples created by Output’s renowned sound design team as well as incorporating samples from a small set of highly vetted partners from the world’s best libraries and sound designers that meet Output’s exceptional standards in sound quality.
And it doesn’t stop at sounds. Co-Producer has a series of planned feature updates in the coming months to bring new, smarter capabilities and an even tighter integration into your workflow. As music production evolves, Co-Producer promises to evolve with it.
In an age where musicians have almost too much choice when looking for sounds, Co-Producer solves a very real problem that can slow you down and stifle your creativity – that of cutting through thousands of samples to find exactly what will work for you, quickly and with no fuss. Best of all, since the library is stored online, it doesn’t require you to install huge files on your computer, and it’s constantly updated with new content — there will always be something new to find whenever you sit down to make music. Inspirational, efficient and easy to use, Co-Producer might just be the future of sample-based music production.
Try Output Co-Producer for free 
 
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Here’s how to create your next track before you get homeAd feature with Splice.
Not everyone has access to a piano or guitar when inspiration strikes. And, while singing or humming fleeting melodic ideas into your phone while walking down the street is helpful, it’ll only get you so far.
What if you could record your ideas into an instrumental-builder app instead? Using Splice Mic, you can capture and expand your musical sparks wherever you are.
Here’s a track I made with Splice Mobile in one session:

Building Stacks with Splice Mobile
One of the biggest challenges of writing with an instrument like a guitar or piano is conceptualising the groove and style of each song. You can easily find yourself with an endless string of ballads and sprawling ideas.
Using Splice’s mobile app, you don’t have to wait until a studio session to try and lock in an idea. You can layer drums, synths, guitar loops, and so much more in whichever key or tempo you want for your demos.

Image: Splice
Head to the Stacks tab in Splice Mobile and tap on Create a New Stack, and you’re presented with a wide array of genres. This section is especially fun to work with when you don’t have a specific direction in mind.
Splice Stacks is like a roulette — you get a new set of loops each time you hit Refresh, with every combination offering a new style, key and tempo. Whether you keep refreshing until you find an appealing instrumental context, or start layering from scratch, is up to you. You can even flip each loop to hear it in a new genre.
Swipe right on each layer to shuffle, or left to delete it altogether. Tap on the layers you want to mute and unmute to audition other loops and samples from Splice’s vast library.
You can switch up your Stack with a variety of genres.
You can also start a Stack with a loop of your choice by tapping on the Add To Stack icon next to the loop. As you develop your idea, you can continue browsing Splice’s entire catalog and preview sounds alongside your Stack while it plays. Adjust the BPM and key, and Splice Mobile will update the samples you audition accordingly.
Recording with Splice Mic
You can record up to 60 seconds of audio with Splice Mic. Whether it’s vocals or a recorded instrument, the generated Stack will be automatically synced to your recording’s tempo. Once you’ve locked everything in, you have the option to change the BPM and key of your Stack, which will alter all elements — including your original recording.

Once you’ve made your recording, you can adjust the start and end points, as well as the length of it. This feature makes harmonising vocals an easy and fun process. You’ll want to record with the built-in mic on your wireless earbuds, AirPods, or a USB microphone, for best results.
As you continue to layer other instruments and your own recordings, Splice’s AI-powered search engine can recommend samples for your Stack.
Since Splice Stacks can host up to 8 layers, you can customise your project based on what you’re in the mood for. For instance, if you choose a keys loop that contains some extra sounds, you’ll have more room for additional vocal layers in your Stack. The key to a productive session is to embrace such constraints to filter out the fillers that deter you from the course.

Save and export
As soon as you land on a Stack that you’d like to revisit in the future, hit the Save button to view it on your phone or Splice Desktop App. Sharing your Stacks with your collaborators can be as easy as AirDropping or texting them from your phone. And, if you’re ready to explore your idea further in a DAW, the Splice App offers a ton of easy options. Export your Stack as an Ableton Live project, Studio One project, individual stems, or a single WAV file!

For example, when you export your Stack as an Ableton Live project, you’ll find each layer in dedicated tracks in Session View. All the volume levels will be just as you left them in your Splice mobile app. From there, you can continue experimenting with various looping configurations or structure your song in Arrangement View.
If there’s an extra note that clashes with the rest of the arrangement, you can cut it out of the loop. With some audio effects processing, a loop can even become an indistinguishable part of your productions.
Arranging your Stacks into songs
The most practical way of infusing your loop arrangement with ebb and flow is to add or deduct layers in each section.
Maybe you start your song without drums and bass at first, so that you can use them to increase the impact of the chorus section later on.
Simple volume adjustments and effects automations, such as a sweeping low-pass filter, can also become effective tools to ease the listener into the song.
And don’t forget — the entire Splice catalogue is still at your disposal. Couldn’t find a bass loop that you liked? Open up Astra and play your own bass line. Want to spice up your drums? Sprinkle on a few reversed crash and impact samples.
To meld all the layers together, employ a few return channels for reverb and delay effects. That way, you can choose which layers should co-exist in a virtual space, making your mix sound more glued together. With some bus processing at the end, you may just have a solid demo in your hands that you can’t stop listening to.
Here’s how my first songwriting experiment with Splice Mic turned out.

Download the Splice Mobile App for free 
The post Here’s how to create your next track before you get home appeared first on MusicTech.

Merch and Live Music poised to avoid spending slowdownEven before Trump's tariffs sent global markets into a tailspin, recent reports pointed to a slowdown at music streamers, record labels and many corners of the music industry. But a new survey shows music merch and live music poised to avoid the spending slowdown that now appears almost inevitable.
The post Merch and Live Music poised to avoid spending slowdown appeared first on Hypebot.

Sala reverb plug-in from Fors The latest creation from independent developers Fors is said to be capable of turning even the smallest of sounds into a “wash of shimmering textures”.

Alan Meyerson Webinar recording now available If you missed the chance to check out the recent Mixing Dune: Part Two OST webinar with Alan Meyerson hosted by Sound Particles and Apogee, then you’re in luck, as it’s now available to watch on the SOS YouTube channel.

Roland’s 404 day is here, and this time it’s celebrating with a Serato integration for the SP-404MKIIRoland is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its iconic sampler, the SP-404, with its annual 404 Day – and this time its hosting several global events, and bringing an exciting upgrade to its modern day successor, the SP-404MKII.
404 Day is held on 4 April each year, as Roland pays tribute to its integral part in beat-making culture. First released in 2005, the SP-404 became “the go-to music creation tool” for beatmakers as underground hip-hop and electronic music scenes were flourishing across cities like Los Angeles, Tokyo, and London.

READ MORE: DJ With Apple Music lets you create sets directly from its catalogue via integration with AlphaTheta, Serato and more

This year, Roland has joined forces with Serato to officially integrate the SP-404MKII with Serato DJ (Lite and Pro) and Serato Studio. Roland’s free V5 update with Serato “transforms” the sampler into an “accessible tool that bridges the gap between DJing and music production”, according to the brand.
The partnership crowns Serato as having the first DJ software to officially support the SP-404MKII, which handily offers access to the compact sampler without the complexity of a full DJ set up. Now with pre-mapped Serato controls, DJs can integrate their workflow and perform sets on the go with access to Serato Stems, looping, hot cues, and more.
As for Serato Studio, the integration turns the SP-404MKII hardware into a pre-mapped controller and USB audio interface, with even deeper hardware integration. Producers can now route Serato Studio audio through the SP-404MKII’s onboard effects for real-time processing.

Of course the celebration doesn’t end there, as Roland is taking over several global events for the week of 404 Day across five continents. These 404 Day parties showcase live performances, beat battles, artist panels, and more. Several Roland Stores around the world are also hosting 404 Day events, including the Roland stores in London and Tokyo, with the launch of SP-404 1-2-1 in-store workshops, and SP-404MKII demonstrations with the new Version 5 update.
Find out more about the V5 update for the SP-404MKII, or head over to Roland’s guide to 404 day for more details on events and celebrations across the globe.
The post Roland’s 404 day is here, and this time it’s celebrating with a Serato integration for the SP-404MKII appeared first on MusicTech.

“The house PA was so bad that I tried to one-hand turn the stage monitor towards the crowd…” Mark Ronson shares injury update after DJing gig gone wrongMark Ronson’s latest DJ set left more than just the crowd buzzing – it also sent him straight to the hospital.
The Uptown Funk producer took to Instagram Wednesday (3 April) to update fans on his recent injury, posting a picture of himself lying in a hospital bed, giving a thumbs-up. In the caption, he explains how an attempt to compensate for poor sound quality at a recent DJ gig went spectacularly wrong.

READ MORE: 100-strong crowd breaks into Ministry of Sound with bolt cutters, hosts illegal rave and is chased out by security

“That time the house PA was so bad that I tried to one-hand turn the stage monitor towards the crowd mid-mix to give them some extra juice,” Ronson writes. “Turns out they weigh more than I thought… Two popped bicep tendons and one finished gig later, here we are, baby! #tornthisway”

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A post shared by Mark Ronson (@iammarkronson)

Ronson’s injury comes just as he gears up for the release of his new memoir, Night People, which is set to hit shelves on 16 September. The book, written by Ronson himself, delves into his early days as a DJ in 1990s New York, chronicling the city’s vibrant nightlife, music scene, and the characters who shaped it.
The memoir also explores his transition from London to New York, where he immersed himself in hip-hop culture and DJing, using music as a way to overcome feelings of being an “outsider”.
“DJing in ’90s New York City informed everything I ever did after, becoming the foundation for all my future work and creativity,” he said. “In Night People, I wanted to capture that transformative period of my life and celebrate three of my great loves: the art of DJing, the thrilling energy of New York City after dark, and the wild and wonderful characters who populated our world and became my second family.”
“This book is my love letter to a vanished era that shaped not just my career but my identity – a time when finding my craft put me on the path to finding myself.”
Night People arrives in September 2025, and pre-orders are available now.
The post “The house PA was so bad that I tried to one-hand turn the stage monitor towards the crowd…” Mark Ronson shares injury update after DJing gig gone wrong appeared first on MusicTech.

AI music firm Udio’s new Styles tool lets users “create new songs” using existing songs as referencesUdio, the AI-powered music platform currently embroiled in a copyright lawsuit from major record labels, has launched a new tool called Styles — which lets users “create new songs using an existing song or audio clip as a style reference”.

READ MORE: CEO of AI music generation firm Suno claims majority of people don’t “enjoy” making music

According to Music Business Worldwide, the tool is designed to generate new music that mirrors the “sonic identity” of existing tracks.
“Rather than wrestling with text prompts to try to capture a vibe, now you can simply show Udio exactly what you’re looking for,” says the company.

Ever struggle to describe the song in your head? Meet Styles — a brand new feature that allows you to create new songs using an existing song or audio clip as a style reference. Rather than wrestling with text prompts to try to capture a vibe, now you can simply show Udio exactly… pic.twitter.com/L5eKAIgKcc
— udio (@udiomusic) March 31, 2025

Users can upload audio samples and use them as a reference to create “new” compositions with similar instrumentation, tone, and feel. The feature is said to be aimed at both independent artists and commercial creators who need a consistent sound across different projects.
“Udio’s new Styles feature makes that process incredibly intuitive – you can feed it your own musical ideas and instantly hear how they take shape across a range of genres,” says Grammy-winning keyboardist and composer Jordan Rudess. “It’s not just inspiring – it opens your mind to new possibilities and helps you evolve as an artist.”
Much as the tool could be a game-changer for musicians and content creators, it also raises concerns about AI’s role in music production, especially given Udio’s ongoing legal woes.
Last year, Udio – alongside fellow generative AI music firm Suno – was sued by a group of record labels, including Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Warner Records Inc. The lawsuit accuses both companies of training their AI models on copyrighted recordings without permission.
In response, Udio and Suno argued that their use of copyrighted material falls under the “fair use” exemption in US copyright law. They also claim that the lawsuits are an attempt by record companies to stifle innovation and eliminate competition.
Seemingly addressing these concerns in its latest update, Udio states that the Styles feature will only work with “uploads of content that users own or control” to “protect artists and rights holders”. That said, the company has not explained exactly how it plans to enforce this policy or prevent potential misuse.

Learn more at Udio.
The post AI music firm Udio’s new Styles tool lets users “create new songs” using existing songs as references appeared first on MusicTech.

Sample like it’s 1994: Iconic sample editing software ReCycle makes a comeback – and it’s completely freeReCycle, the iconic sample editing tool from the 1990s, is officially back.
The software was launched in 1994 by Propellerhead – now Reason Studios – and is officially back and available as a free download, retaining its original character. The launch arrives alongside a beat challenge hosted by Grammy-winning producer Don Cannon, for which you’ll need to flip a provided sample for the chance to win a year-long subscription to Reason+.

READ MORE: Reason 13 and Reason+ subscription: At almost 25 years old, does this DAW still cut it?

The original ReCycle arrived at a time when working with samples was time consuming, and often involved difficulties with pitch and speed. ReCycle revolutionised the sampling game, allowing music makers to time-stretch samples without messing up their pitch for the first time.
At its core, ReCycle works by identifying all the transients in your sampled material, and slices your loop while holding on to its timing information, so you can play it back at any tempo. Reason says that by relaunching ReCycle, it hopes new generations can experience what the workflow was like 30 years ago.

“The year is 1994. The pilot episode of Friends has just debuted on NBC, Nelson Mandela has been elected president of South Africa and you’re a young and aspiring producer who has just gotten your hands on ‘ReCycle – the perfect tool for sampled grooves,’” begins a statement on Reason’s website.
“These days, it’s less ‘perfect tool for sampled grooves’ and more ‘old-school-tool for sampled grooves’. But back when it was originally released, this sample tool was the go-to for producing grassroots electronic genres of the 90’s. Almost 30 years later we gave it hi-res graphics, made it compatible with Apple Silicon and added some back-end stuff for performance. An ode to all the legendary producers and artists that kept ReCycle alive throughout the years.”
It later adds, “Maybe you’ll fall in love with its old-school workflow. Maybe you’ll use it once, smile, and go back to your usual ways. Either way, we’re giving everyone a chance to experience a tool that helped shape modern sampling into what we’ve come to know today.”
To enter the ReCyle The Beat challenge or download ReCycle for free, head over to Reason Studios.
The post Sample like it’s 1994: Iconic sample editing software ReCycle makes a comeback – and it’s completely free appeared first on MusicTech.

Curve Finance clocks $35B trading volume in Q1 2025Curve Finance, a decentralized lending protocol and exchange, notched record-breaking trading volumes of nearly $35 billion in the first quarter of 2025, a spokesperson for the protocol told Cointelegraph. Trading volumes increased more than 13% from the first quarter of 2024, largely due to a surge in transactions, from around 1.8 million to some 5.5 million in Q1 2025, Curve said. The strong Q1 volumes come amid overall declines in the cryptocurrency market, with the total market capitalization of cryptocurrencies dropping by more than 20% in the year-to-date as of March 31, according to data from CoinGecko.Curve’s total value locked (TVL) over time. Source: DefiLlamaRelated: Curve Finance launches ‘Savings crvUSD’ yield-bearing stablecoinChanging DeFi LandscapeLaunched in 2020, Curve has taken numerous steps in the past year to keep pace with the changing decentralized finance (DeFi) landscape.In June 2024, Curve adopted crvUSD, its stablecoin, for fee distribution to tokenholders, replacing an older model that paid holders in shares of the 3crv liquidity pool.In November, Curve partnered with Elixir, a blockchain network, to help onboard BlackRock’s tokenized money market fund, BUIDL, to DeFi. By the end of 2025, Curve plans to consolidate its lending markets into a single user interface and provide borrowers with more time to close positions before they are liquidated, it told Cointelegraph. Curve founder Michael Egorov said in March that he expects many decentralized exchanges (DEXs) to evolve into bespoke platforms for stablecoins pegged to various currency denominations. "Exchanges between stablecoins of different denominations like the euro, US dollar, and others are not yet properly solved. How to provide liquidity without losing money, but while earning a lot of money, is kind of an open question that I think will be solved soon,” Egorov said.Despite the rise in transactions, the total value locked (TVL) on Curve’s platform is approximately $1.8 billion as of April 2, according to data from DefILlama, down from highs of roughly $2.5 billion at the start of the year. Curve’s native token, Curve DAO (CRV), has a market capitalization of approximately $640 million at this writing, marking a more than 40% decline in the year-to-date, according to data from Cointelegraph.Related: BTC miners adopted ‘treasury strategy,’ diversified business in 2024: Report

Court says discovery process can move forward in Drake’s defamation lawsuit against UMG over ‘Not Like Us’UMG's motion to dismiss is still pending
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