AGP Executive Report

Live Music & Festivals: Dizzee Rascal and Faithless are set to headline the Great Fete at Hatfield Park (Aug 8-9), with Ocean Colour Scene leading night two. Community & Culture: Rwanda’s Inyambo royal cows are being celebrated through poetry, music and cultural rituals tied to national heritage. Music, Safety & Justice: Two Nottinghamshire bouncers were jailed for killing “friendly” musician Jamie Kelly after an argument outside a bar. Alcohol-Free Scene: Glasgow’s Recovery Connects festival (July 5) will be headlined by Pete Doherty, built as a substance-free space for people in recovery. Industry & Politics: KISS bassist Gene Simmons says he wants to keep politics out of music, arguing voters should decide without public pressure. New Releases: Swedish sludge/doom heavyweights Kongh return with “Staining the Ether,” from the Sept 25 album “Dissolved in Time.” Sports Meets Sound: FIFA’s World Cup playlists are curated by tournament teams and national sides, shaping viral stadium moments. Artist Career Moves: Alan Jackson ends his touring career after a final show at Nissan Stadium, while still planning new music.

Music & Civic Life: The Bruce Springsteen Center opened “Chimes of Freedom: Protest, Patriotism, and the Power of Song,” tracing how music has shaped American activism and national identity. Live Innovation: Boise’s Northwest Stories debuted “Eternities — The Story Concert,” blending live music with theatrical storytelling for a grief-and-reunion narrative. Community Shows: Waverly, Iowa hosted a free Stars & Stripes jazz/big-band concert in Kohlmann Park, while Lafayette’s Moncus Park drew crowds for National Food Truck Day with live music. Festival Access & Pricing: Yungblud’s Bludfest in Czechia says it’s built to keep tickets affordable and “break barriers” in live-music pricing. AI & Creator Rights: Filipino musicians reacted to findings that their songs may appear in generative AI datasets, with calls for opt-out options. Royalties Clarified: Jose Mari Chan said his royalty comments were only about physical-format sales, not a total stop in payments. New Releases/Pop Culture: Weezer announced “The Gold Album” as its 20th studio LP, and Carín León is set to headline at Inter Miami’s new stadium.

Royalties Clarified: Filipino veteran singer Jose Mari Chan says he’s not getting royalty checks only from declining physical sales (CDs, cassettes, vinyl), after his comments sparked backlash. Jazz Week in Athens: Gazarte’s Jazz Week on the roof runs July 5–11 with Bilal, Ledisi, Veronica Swift and more. Madeira Jazz Festival: The island’s Jazz Festival spans July 6–11 across Funchal Municipal Garden and Santa Catarina Park, featuring Duarte Ventura, Joel Ross, Immanuel Wilkins, Ledisi and Jason Moran. Limp Bizkit Studio Update: Wes Borland confirms the band is writing new material for an August push. New Music x Gaming: Ice Nine Kills drops “Play Dead,” a Dead by Daylight collaboration tied to the game’s 10th anniversary. Afrobeats Album Drop: Wande Coal releases “King Coal,” featuring Wizkid plus DJ Tunez, Tiwa Savage, Ruger and BNXN. Local Live Music: Sequim and Port Angeles announce free summer concert series; early music festival ends in Port Townsend; and “Jazz on the Harbor” brings multiple sets to Punta Gorda.

Global Music Tourism: Sarawak’s Rainforest World Music Festival is drawing “thousands” of visitors and is already being framed as a top-tier world music and travel event ahead of its 30th anniversary next year. Latin Pop & Global Reach: SB19 is set for the Grammy Museum’s “Global Spin Live” in Los Angeles on July 28 (July 29 PH), with a special performance before Lollapalooza and a Japan slot at Summer Sonic. UK Industry Leadership: UK Music appointed Arit Eminue MBE to chair its Diversity Taskforce, continuing work tied to the “Black Music Means Business” report. Chart Watch: Myles Smith’s debut album “My Mess, My Heart, My Life” lands at No.2 in the UK, delivering the biggest debut album opening of 2026 so far. Local Scene & Live Culture: Boone’s Boonerang Music and Arts Festival returns June 19-21 with a packed multi-venue lineup, while Pacific Symphony’s SummerFest brings orchestral “Star Wars” and more to Irvine. Music & Tech Debate: Samuel Smith says he used AI music tools to create demos for a track after Parkinson’s limited his guitar playing. Pop Culture Buzz: Miranda Lambert announces “Crisco” (out Oct 2) and shares “Till The Going’s Gone.” Fan Culture: Noah Kahan asks fans to stop stealing a street sign referenced in his song.

Global Pop & New Releases: Katy Perry drops the cinematic “Watch It Burn,” mixing horror imagery with a message about releasing silence and emotional baggage. Indie/Alt Spotlight: Phoebe Bridgers premieres “Lost Boys,” featuring Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, ahead of her Aug. 14 album Lost Weekend. P-pop Breakthrough: SB19 lands at the Grammy Museum’s “Global Spin Live” in July, with a special performance before their Lollapalooza set. Streaming & Telecom Deals: Vi partners with Spotify to offer eligible postpaid users 3 months of Spotify Premium, while Spotify also pushes new audiobook tooling. Sustainability in Music: Music Climate Pact and Deezer publish “Sound Choices” with 10 tips to cut streaming’s environmental impact. Women in Music: Punch sponsors the Women In Music Awards 2026 in London. Live Music & Culture: The Independent revives its Main Stage initiative with the Music Venue Trust, backing grassroots venues across the UK. Tech for Live Performance: York researchers test real-time virtual concerts using avatars to reduce lag and keep musicians in sync.

AI & Music Rights: Australian songwriter Paul Dempsey says AI training scrapes are stripping artists of fair negotiation, after a dataset search tool flagged his catalog and that of other major acts. Security & Free Speech: Cardiff event-goers allege private security targeted Palestine-supporting T-shirts at Tafwyl and other shows, delaying entry and escalating stress. Classical Meets Streaming: San Diego Symphony’s Shostakovich “Leningrad” No. 7 lands on Delos and becomes an Apple Music Classical exclusive worldwide stream. Country Spotlight: Miranda Lambert announces “Crisco” (Oct. 2) with lead single “Till the Going’s Gone.” Pop Charts: Olivia Rodrigo’s new album debuts at No. 1 with massive first-week units and all 13 tracks charting on the Hot 100. Live & Community: Wheeling Symphony Orchestra returns to Clarksburg’s Veterans Memorial Park for a free July 2 America 250 concert with fireworks. Festival Watch: Germany’s Fusion Festival briefly paused after fires near the grounds; operations resumed after firefighters cleared the area. Local Music Education: West Seattle’s Mode Music Studios expands pay-what-you-can summer camps and scholarships for kids.

K-pop Solo Spotlight: BLACKPINK’s Lisa says she’s already started work on her next album, after her 2025 debut solo LP Alter Ego, and she’s doing it from the U.S. Festival Shift: High Sierra Music Festival moves to Nevada County Fairgrounds for July 2-5, adding lodging convenience while keeping headliners like Steel Pulse and Cymande. Live Music Demand: Brooklyn band Juice is pushing “Fire in the Desert” (July 24) with a no-tracks, fully live show at Asbury Park’s Wonder Bar on June 28. Industry Deals: UK physical distributor Proper Music Distribution signs Crunchyroll to distribute DVD/Blu-ray/4K UHD in the UK & Ireland. Global Awards Buzz: Swazi-South African star Zee Nxumalo leads the 2026 Basadi in Music Awards with seven nominations. Controversy & Culture: Olivia Rodrigo festival backlash hits after an indie drummer’s “we won’t be there” comment sparks criticism. Music + Community: Wheeling Symphony Orchestra returns to Clarksburg’s amphitheater July 2 for America 250 with orchestral music and choreographed fireworks. Streaming & Society: A U.S. report alleges platforms monetized India’s “Hindutva pop” hate songs; YouTube says it’s reviewing and will remove policy-violating content.

Music Business & Tech: YouTube is arguing its terms give it a broad license to train AI models on uploaded music, a stance that has indie artists and advocates alarmed over “informed consent.” Major Artist News: Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields festival lineup is stacked and presales are underway, with 100% of net proceeds going to women-and-girls charities. New Releases & Tours: Phoebe Bridgers confirms her third album, Lost Weekend, for Aug. 14, alongside a fall tour run. Industry Loss: Influential music executive Clive Davis has died at 94, with tributes highlighting his role in shaping modern pop and Black music. Live Music & Community: A DIY metal festival is launching to spotlight independent heavy acts, while a controversial metal event in Garfield was canceled after outcry. Local Scene: Mentor North’s Summer Fest returns with live music and an auction to support youth mentoring.

Minnesota Arts Funding: The MacPhail Center for Music named 2026 McKnight Fellowship recipients, awarding $25,000 to standout Minnesota artists including violinist Helen Chang Haertzen, bassist Kyle Motl, and jazz-fusion collective Room3. State Support for Orchestras: Hawai‘i Gov. Josh Green signed a bill officially recognizing the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra as the state orchestra, opening the door to public funding. Music Biz & Legal: Technotainment hired media attorney Simone Solomon as Executive Director for music business affairs and legal counsel, as the company builds its creator-owned streaming model. Music Law at the Top: Labels urged the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit a copyright termination ruling that could expand overseas rights and disrupt decades of deals. AI Rights Pressure: Nvidia is being sued in the U.S. and Belgium over AI music use, while separate reporting says artists can now check whether their music was used for AI training. Big Stage News: Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis are bringing their concept album “Warriors” to Broadway, with previews starting next March and opening in April. Local Live Music: Porchside Festival returns July 1–30 with porch concerts across communities, and Norcross’ Red, White & Boom brings fireworks plus live music on July 3. Industry Loss: Music mogul Clive Davis died at 94, prompting tributes across genres.

Music Industry Loss: Legendary music executive Clive Davis has died at 94 in Manhattan, with tributes pouring in from artists he championed across decades and genres. Label & Distribution Moves: UK indie Dance To The Radio renews its 10-year distribution deal with The Orchard and signs rock band Twin Atlantic for a 2026 release. Classical Market Expansion: [PIAS] acquires Signum Records to deepen its classical footprint while Signum keeps its brand and leadership. New Releases: Bodega announces fourth album All Inside Aquarium (Oct 9) and shares its title track; Ava Max kicks off a new era with “Out of Your Mind” and “KiLL iT QUEEN”; K-pop group (G)I-DLE confirms a July album comeback. Global Music Culture: France’s Fête de la Musique saw widespread violence and arrests; Qatar’s Qatar Music Academy earns elite MusiQuE accreditation. Live & Festivals: Gibraltar’s GMF Summer Sessions returns this September; Athens’ AthFest runs June 26–28.

Music Rights & AI: SZA and other artists are pushing back after reports that their songs were used to train AI models, with new tools and investigations spotlighting how music gets scraped and what artists can do about it. Streaming Fraud: A federal judge dismissed a class action accusing Spotify of ignoring fake streams tied to Drake, though the case may be refiled. Major Industry Loss: Legendary music executive Clive Davis has died at 94, with tributes highlighting his role in launching and reviving careers across decades. Artist-Led Festivals: Olivia Rodrigo announced Daisy Chain Fields, an all-women festival in Irvine on Aug. 29 with proceeds going to women-and-girls charities, featuring Chappell Roan, Bikini Kill, Katseye and more. Live Music Culture: Belfast is set to open “Music Room,” a dedicated listening bar built around vinyl and hi-fi sound. Music Heritage: The Rave Preservation Project relaunched its archive and directory tool for rave flyers, zines and memorabilia, aiming to keep underground electronic history accessible. Jazz & Black British History: The V&A East opened “The Music is Black,” tracing Black British genres from lovers rock to grime through centuries of diasporic influence. New Releases: Kid Cudi confirmed work on his next album, while Myles Smith’s debut is tracking toward a potential No. 1.

AI & Live Music: Reply AI Music Contest (with Kappa FuturFestival) names finalists Agoria, Max Cooper, Fleur Shore, Tini Gessler and others, pushing AI-assisted sound + visuals for stage-ready performances. AI Rights Clash: A global coalition warns labels/publishers to stop misusing artists’ rights in AI licensing deals, saying consent is often limited to voice while music ingestion rights are surrendered. K-pop & Tours: ENHYPEN announces mini album “THE SIN : BLISS” for Aug. 21 and expands its Blood Saga World Tour across Latin America, the US and Europe. Pop Chart Power: Olivia Rodrigo’s “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love” debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and tops UK Albums with 103k+ units. New Releases: Belvedere drops “Seven Years of Bad Luck,” while No Cure premieres “Slowly Turning Blue” ahead of a July 10 album. Local Music & Culture: World Music Day events spotlight community music-making from Senapati to Abuja, with calls for stronger support for live scenes.

Album Buzz: Mexico City’s Diles que no me maten lean into post-rock and jazz-orchestra textures on Escrito en agua, while Portland’s Jonny’s Day Out debut JDO blends modern rock with orchestral flourishes, psychedelia and funk. Introspective Psych-Rock: Vancouver’s Meltt returns with Pathways, a 13-track, quietly bittersweet record about aging, hope, and hard times. Chart Power: Olivia Rodrigo scores a third Billboard 200 No. 1 with you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, debuting at the top on 485,000 equivalent units. AI Backlash: SZA blasts AI music generators like Suno, alleging her work is being used to train models and calling it a threat to Black creators. World Music Day: Nagaland leaders and local groups mark the day by spotlighting music’s role in identity and community, from Mokokchung’s shifting scene to Rengma Khwi-Lyü’s language-preserving song contest. Live & Culture: Joe Bonamassa revisits Rory Gallagher’s Cork legacy in a live tribute album recorded in Ireland.

K-pop Spotlight: ATEEZ swept the 35th Seoul Music Awards, taking the Daesang (Grand Prize) as BOYNEXTDOOR, LE SSERAFIM and others piled up trophies across new and fan-voted categories. Solo Comeback Watch: MONSTA X’s Kihyun previewed his next solo era with a rain-soaked set at Seoul Park Music Festival. World Music Day: Multiple pieces spotlight music’s healing power, from mental health and recovery to wellness rituals and even how sound shapes mood. Music + Society: South Korea’s Unification minister wants “Our Wish is Unification” restored to music textbooks, while a BBC Scotland remit row claims a 57% drop in Scottish music airplay. Live Scene: Elkhart Jazz Festival wraps with John Pizzarelli headlining, and a new Hogget Jazz Club launches in Warragul with dinner-and-jazz nights. Culture & Community: A Brighton grassroots platform debuts with a grime/hip-hop showcase, and Kuwait duo Sons of Yusuf releases Battle of the Black Gold, turning Gulf tensions into hip-hop storytelling. Pop Culture Critique: A Madonna-Grindr tie-up sparks backlash over queer-space commercialization.

Seoul Music Awards: ATEEZ won the Daesang at the 35th Seoul Music Awards in Incheon, while BOYNEXTDOOR swept four categories, as Hearts2Hearts and other K-pop acts packed the Inspire Arena. Latin Pop Spotlight: Backstreet Boys’ Howie Dorough is gearing up a Spanish-language project mixing new songs with reworked versions of past tracks. Blues Goes Big Screen: Morgan Freeman announced “Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience,” a 12-track album charting 100 years of blues, with a Juneteenth single featuring Taj Mahal. Hip-Hop Legacy Talk: N.O.R.E. reflected on making “grown-up” hip-hop and how Jay-Z and Nas inspired his first album in eight years. Music + Community: Free Juneteenth performances marked Seneca Village history in Central Park, while Santa Monica launched its own Make Music Day chapter with citywide free shows. Heatwave Rules in France: France banned alcohol consumption at Fête de la Musique events in red-alert areas. New Releases: Tesla dropped “Never Alone” ahead of Homage; Miky Woodz released Latin trap album “Everything RiaL.” Industry Tech: made by ikigai launched “Origami,” a human-composed music catalogue aimed at faster film scoring without AI composition. Tragedy in Production: Hip-hop producer Tay Keith, behind major Drake/Travis Scott/Beyoncé hits, died at 29.