AGP Executive Report

Country Music: Hall of Famer John Anderson, known for “Swingin’” and “Seminole Wind,” has died at 71. Orchestras: Phoenix Symphony will suspend its season after Nov. 1, putting 66 musicians out of work as costs rise and donations fall short. Streaming & AI: Spotify says it has removed or hidden tens of millions of spam and AI-generated tracks from recommendations. At Latin Music Week, artists and rights advocates warned that AI could sideline human creators without stronger protections. Industry Moves: Warner Music Group is combining global sync operations across recorded music and publishing. Empire founder Ghazi has also launched a rights-management and distribution company aimed at independent music. Market Outlook: Goldman Sachs has raised its music-industry growth forecast for the first time in three years. Artist Spotlight: Rubén Blades reflected on the honest, socially conscious storytelling behind his songs at Latin Music Week, where he is set to receive the Billboard Latin Music Awards’ Icon Award.

Streaming & AI: Spotify says it has removed 50 million AI-generated tracks from recommendations, while also striking a deal with Believe for AI remixing tools. Its new native in-car app is launching in select Audi models, giving the platform more control over how listeners hear music on the road. Live-music finances: Phoenix Symphony will suspend its 2026–27 season after Nov. 1 and lay off musicians amid budget problems. In contrast, the Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts raised $344 million for operations, endowment and artistic programs. Global reach: An Indonesian-language adaptation of a Chinese song has passed 2 billion streams, highlighting the growing cross-border audience for Chinese-language music. Artists & releases: Olivia Rodrigo’s latest album is projected to spend a third week atop the Billboard 200, while Liam Gallagher has fueled hopes for a new Oasis album. Electronic duo Bicep announced Slug, due Jan. 29.

Streaming & AI: Spotify says it has removed more than 75 million tracks for spam or rule violations and kept another 50 million out of recommendations. It has also struck a deal with Believe for licensed AI remixes and covers, while launching paid podcast memberships in Australia. Orchestra in Crisis: The Phoenix Symphony will suspend performances after its Nov. 1 concert and lay off musicians, citing deficits and a shortfall in donations. Leaders say a return depends on finding a sustainable operating model. Latin Music: Billboard Latin Music Week spotlighted a shift in regional Mexican music toward fresher sounds and more personal, less aggressive lyrics. Global Charts: Rookie K-pop group A2O Lite won its first music-show trophy just seven days after debuting with “Neon,” which also topped Melon’s chart. New Releases: Lil Baby has set Nov. 6 for his album Fresh, featuring Future, Young Thug and Rylo Rodriguez.

Streaming and AI: Spotify says it has removed 50 million AI-generated tracks from recommendations, while keeping them available to users who search for them; it also launched paid podcast memberships in 34 regions, with creators keeping 90% of revenue. Music Rights: Copyright battles are intensifying, with Universal and Sony seeking Suno training-data records and the Supreme Court declining to hear a songwriters’ copyright recapture case. Artist Pressure: Cyndi Lauper warned that shareholder demands to repeat blockbuster success can stifle creativity, pointing to the pressure that followed Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” Charts and Releases: Fontaines D.C. are on course for a second UK No. 1 album with Dopamine Chamber, while Liam Gallagher teased a possible new Oasis album. Senegal’s Orchestra Baobab is also releasing its first album of new songs in nearly a decade, with younger musicians helping carry its Afro-Cuban and West African sound forward. Industry Recognition: Shreya Ghoshal has joined the Recording Academy as a Grammy voting member, and Tim McGraw was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Artist Rights: South African broadcaster and music-rights campaigner Owen Ndlovu was remembered at a memorial, with colleagues praising his fight for fair economic rights for performers. Streaming: ILLIT’s “Magnetic” passed 900 million Spotify streams, the fastest debut single by a K-pop group to reach the mark. Copyright: The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear BMG v. Vetter after four justices recused, leaving intact a ruling that U.S. copyright termination rights apply worldwide. Royalties: APRA AMCOS reported record A$857.4 million in FY26 revenue, up 8.8%, while radio royalties fell 5% and accounted for just 4.7% of payments. AI Dispute: Universal and Sony are seeking court-ordered records from DistroKid about Suno’s AI training data as their copyright case advances. Industry Watch: UK MPs urged the competition watchdog to investigate Live Nation’s dominance; Amazon Music is seeking lower songwriter rates for 2028. Leadership: Believe expanded global music chief Romain Vivien’s remit to cover EMEA, the Americas and APAC.

Streaming and Royalties: APRA AMCOS reported record revenue of A$857.4 million, but Australian music made up just 8.5% of domestic streams, down 37.5% in five years. Amazon Music is seeking lower songwriter royalty rates for 2028. AI and Rights: Universal Music and Sony are asking a court to make DistroKid hand over AI music data in their Suno case, while Australian music publishers say Kylie Minogue and Nick Cave songs were used to train AI without consent or payment. Industry Moves: Warner Music India is expanding its South Indian catalogue with the acquisition of Gemini Music and new partnerships. Jordan’s first vinyl pressing plant is set to open in Amman in 2027. Live Music: UK MPs have urged the competition watchdog to investigate Live Nation’s influence over the live music sector. Access and Recognition: Youth Music has opened applications for a £2.4 million fund to tackle racial inequity in the arts, and Shreya Ghoshal has joined the Recording Academy as a Grammy voting member. Charts: Jamie T scores his second consecutive UK No. 1 album, while KATSEYE’s “Gabriela” passes one billion Spotify streams.

AI & Copyright: Music publishers say AI firms have trained on works by Kylie Minogue and Nick Cave without payment, warning Australia against weakening copyright protections. Streaming: KATSEYE’s “Gabriela” has passed one billion Spotify streams, while BTS became the first group to top 10 billion streams in a year. Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl also holds No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for a 15th non-consecutive week. Live Music: UK MPs are urging the competition watchdog to investigate the industry’s “dominant” firms. Industry Moves: Universal Music Publishing Group promoted Maree Hamblion to EVP of A&R and Creative for Australia and New Zealand; GB Media plans to launch a digital station playing British and Northern Irish music. Artists & Legacy: Tamil film composer Deva, known for shaping generations of hits, has died at 75. D’Angelo’s estate is preparing a final album from unreleased recordings.

Live Music Competition: UK MPs are again urging the Competition and Markets Authority to investigate the live music industry, citing Live Nation’s reach across promotion, venues, festivals and ticketing. The call follows concerns over Oasis reunion ticket sales and comes amid separate legal action against Ticketmaster in the US. Streaming Milestone: BTS became the first group to pass 10 billion Spotify streams in a year. Their album Arirang accounts for more than half of that total, underscoring the group’s global reach after its return to full-group activity. Tamil Music Legacy: Veteran composer Deva died at 75 in Chennai. Known for shaping Tamil film music across more than 400 films, he was remembered by artists and political leaders for his energetic hits and melodies. Cultural Reach: Malaysian star Siti Nurhaliza drew 63,000 fans to a traditional music concert in Kuala Lumpur, with the country’s communications minister urging her to take the genre to a wider global audience. Heritage at Risk: Instrument makers in Kashmir are working to preserve the craft of building the rabab, a traditional string instrument passed down through generations.

Tamil Music: Veteran composer Deva, whose scores shaped generations of Tamil cinema, has died at 75; tributes poured in from stars including Rajinikanth, and state honours were announced. Touring: U2 has announced a 2027 world tour alongside a new album. K-pop: BTS became the first group to exceed 10 billion Spotify streams in a year, while the group and major agencies are resisting Grammy consideration in a new Asian pop category, arguing K-pop should compete across the main fields. Industry Watch: Sony Music and Universal Music have launched legal action seeking disclosure of how many AI-generated tracks DistroKid uploads. Artist Rights: Nas urged the industry to recognize and pay Black artists whose work shaped generations. Music Across Borders: Irish musicians are set to receive a €1,400 monthly basic income, while Bashkir group Ay Yola’s Grammy submissions bring traditional music fused with electronic sounds to a global audience.

Tamil Music: Veteran composer Deva died at 75, leaving a catalogue of more than 400 films and a lasting mark on Tamil cinema through his gaana-inspired sound and signature Rajinikanth themes. Tamil Nadu will honour him with state rites. AI & Music Rights: Sony and Universal are seeking disclosure of how many AI-generated tracks DistroKid uploads, while YouTube begins labelling AI music—fresh signs of growing pressure for transparency. Artist Income: Ireland’s plan to provide musicians with €1,400 a month puts a major income-support policy in the spotlight. Live & Global: Türkiye’s Culture Route Festival brings nine days of concerts, arts and food events to Mardin, with 172 events across the city. New Music: Olivia Rodrigo says Kendrick Lamar and Chappell Roan helped shape her latest album; she’s also playing sold-out Boston shows. U2 has announced a 2027 world tour alongside a new album.

Grammy Pushback: BTS’s boycott of the new Asian pop category appears to be spreading: artists from HYBE, YG, JYP and SM reportedly did not submit entries, amid concerns the category could separate Asian acts from wider Grammy competition. AI & Streaming: YouTube Music is rolling out labels for AI-generated music as synthetic tracks proliferate; Spotify has also begun identifying AI artists. Industry Shake-up: Universal Music Group has launched another round of US and UK layoffs, including senior label executives, as a new industry report forecasts revenue growth but warns labels face a risk of losing market share. Music Rights: Australian musicians are pushing back against politicians and tech companies to protect their songs, while Nas is calling for greater recognition and pay for Black artists who shaped generations of music.

Global Live Music: RAYE will take her symphonic reworking of This Music May Contain Hope to seven countries, after her Royal Albert Hall show drew 1.8 million registrations for 5,000 seats, with bots blamed for overwhelming ticket sign-ups. Festival News: Shah Rukh Khan has unveiled UNIFYD, a new Abu Dhabi festival set for March 2027, featuring Arijit Singh, Karan Aujla and Sonu Nigam among more than 15 acts. Industry & AI: YouTube Music is beginning to label AI-generated songs, while Deezer plans to let listeners filter them out. Universal Music Group is reshuffling leadership as it pursues $270 million in savings, with potential implications for its global operations. Artist Updates: Post Malone says his next album is “almost done,” fuelling speculation about whether it will revisit his rap sound after his country success. Music Diplomacy: Nigeria’s foreign ministry plans to use music, tourism and culture to expand the country’s soft-power reach internationally.

Industry Shake-up: Universal Music Group is reshuffling leadership as it targets $270 million in savings, with Republic and Def Jam executives among those leaving; Republic chief Jim Roppo is joining Warner Records as vice chair. AI and Streaming: Spotify is adding AI-artist labels after a Bureau investigation, while YouTube Music is labeling AI-generated tracks and Deezer plans a filter to hide them. Artist News: Blondie will release High Noon in February 2027, featuring late drummer Clem Burke’s final recordings; NCT Dream’s 10-track album Dream After Dream arrives Nov. 9. Policy: A new U.S. law directs the Commerce Department to promote travel to music sites and events. Contract Dispute: Cordae faces a lawsuit seeking to block releases tied to his upcoming album with Anderson .Paak, with a former label claiming his 2018 deal still gives it control of his music.

AI & Streaming: YouTube Music is labeling songs made primarily with generative AI, while Deezer will let listeners hide AI tracks from search results. Industry Shake-up: Universal Music Group is reshuffling leadership as it pursues $270 million in savings, with senior executives leaving Republic and Def Jam. Platform Expansion: Spotify has launched a catalog of 350,000 audiobooks in Nigeria, extending its push beyond music. New Music: Blondie will release High Noon on Feb. 26, their first album in nine years and the final one featuring late drummer Clem Burke; Johnny Marr guests on new single “Spectral Eyes.” Chart Records: Drake’s HABIBTI gives him a record 18th No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, surpassing the Temptations. Catalog Revival: Michael Jackson’s The Essential is the UK’s top album of 2026 so far, with more than 508,000 chart units, boosted by renewed interest after his biopic.

AI and Streaming: YouTube Music is adding labels for tracks made primarily with generative AI, while Deezer plans a global option to hide AI-generated music from search results. Music Finance: Former Recognition Music CEO Ben Katovsky is taking the top job at Pipeline, which lends to independent music companies against digital royalties. Label Shake-up: Universal Music Group is restructuring, with senior executives at Republic and Def Jam among those leaving. Global Hits: BTS’ “Arirang” has passed 5 billion Spotify streams, the highest total for a 2026 album so far. Music Tourism: President Trump signed a bipartisan U.S. law directing the government to develop a plan to grow domestic and international music tourism. Live Music and Justice: Drakeo the Ruler’s mother settled her wrongful-death lawsuit with Live Nation and other companies over his fatal stabbing backstage at a 2021 festival; claims by his brother and son remain headed to trial. Duane “Keffe D” Davis was sentenced to 40 years to life for Tupac Shakur’s murder.

Streaming & AI: Deezer is adding a setting to filter out fully AI-generated music, which the company says can account for more than half of daily uploads on peak days. A US man was sentenced to 18 months for using AI songs and bots to fraudulently collect streaming royalties. Music Rights: Warner Music is suing six Ray-Ban-linked companies over alleged unlicensed music in social media ads, identifying at least 427 works and seeking up to $64 million. In Ghana, rapper D-Black says only 16 of more than 700 broadcasters pay music royalties; banks are also set to begin collecting a 20% tax on qualifying digital subscriptions from October 15. Fair Access: A Black Lives in Music report says London licensing disproportionately restricts Black and South Asian-led events, estimating annual losses of £127 million to £141 million and calling for an independent review. Industry Moves: Believe named Viktoria Siniavskaia president of EMEA as it expands regional leadership. Charts: Blossoms’ new album gave independent label Distiller Music Group its first UK No. 1, while BTS’ ARIRANG passed five billion Spotify streams to become 2026’s most-streamed album.