Apr 5, 2026

Music Industry Weekly — April 5, 2026

Music catalog investment is surging as a top business story this week, with Axios reporting a major influx of capital transforming the once opaque catalog-sales market. On the release front, The Second Disc highlights a wave of new titles hitting shelves the week of April 3, including Robin Trower's *Live! [50th Anniversary Edition]*. Meanwhile, Chartmetric's ongoing analysis warns that the "pop slump" that defined 2025 has carried into early 2026, with chart stagnation remaining the dominant industry narrative.

6 min read/15 sources

Apr 3, 2026

Music Industry Weekly — April 3, 2026

Olivia Rodrigo dominates the week's release news with her newly announced album "You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love," while BTS continues breaking records with "Swim" topping YouTube's Global Top Songs chart following the "ARIRANG" comeback. On the business front, Chartmetric's warning that 2025's pop slump has extended into 2026 underscores a systemic challenge: with global recorded music revenues surpassing $31.7 billion for the first time, the industry is growing even as breakout hits remain elusive.

6 min read/15 sources

Apr 2, 2026

Music Industry Weekly — April 2, 2026

Olivia Rodrigo officially announced her third studio album today, making it the biggest artist news of the week, while BTS's "Swim" continues to dominate YouTube's global and U.S. charts with over 83 million views. On the business side, live events giant CTS Eventim reported $3.48B in 2025 revenue but saw shares tumble more than 21% on a cautious 2026 outlook, and Music Ally's new State of Music Streaming 2026 report lands amid growing concern over a prolonged "pop slump" flagged by Chartmetric.

6 min read/15 sources

Mar 31, 2026

Music Industry Weekly — March 31, 2026

Bruno Mars has surged to the top spot among Spotify's most-listened-to artists with approximately 135.7 million monthly listeners, while the Netflix–Warner Music deal continues to generate significant industry discussion about what it means for artists and IP rights. On the business front, BMG's 2025 financials reveal a streaming subscription revenue uptick even as total revenue slipped — a nuanced picture of where label economics are heading.

5 min read/15 sources

Mar 30, 2026

Music Industry Weekly — March 30, 2026

BTS's fifth album *ARIRANG* made history this week, simultaneously topping both the Billboard 200 and the UK Official Albums Chart with a record-breaking 641,000 album units — the highest ever for a group. On the streaming front, Bruno Mars surged to the No. 1 spot among all Spotify artists by monthly listeners as of March 29. Meanwhile, the music business world is buzzing over the Netflix–Warner Music deal and its implications for artists and brands.

6 min read/15 sources

Mar 29, 2026

Music Industry Weekly — March 29, 2026

BTS's "Arirang" dominates the headlines this week after shattering first-week sales records with 4.17 million copies sold, while the K-pop juggernaut's catalog surges on Spotify with "Life Goes On" crossing 1 billion streams. On the business front, Primary Wave Music's confirmed acquisition of Kobalt — potentially valued above $1.5 billion — marks the week's most significant industry deal. Meanwhile, Spotify's annual Loud & Clear report confirms a record $11 billion payout to artists in 2025, even as questions persist about streaming's royalty distribution model.

5 min read/15 sources

Mar 27, 2026

Music Industry Weekly — March 27, 2026

Country newcomer Ella Langley continues her historic run at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, while BMG's latest financial report reveals a split story of streaming subscription growth alongside slipping total revenues. Netflix and Warner Music Group's newly announced multi-year documentary deal signals a deepening convergence between streaming video and recorded music.

5 min read/15 sources

Mar 22, 2026

Music Industry Weekly — March 22, 2026

BTS's comeback album *ARIRANG* shattered Spotify records this week, dominating global streaming charts in a way not seen since the group's pre-hiatus peak. Meanwhile, the IFPI's Global Music Report confirmed that recorded music revenues reached $31.7 billion in 2025 — the eleventh consecutive year of growth — while the RIAA reported a record $11.5 billion in U.S. revenues. On the business side, Netflix and Warner Music Group inked a landmark multi-year documentary deal, and an indie label founder went public with a blunt critique of streaming royalty structures.

6 min read/15 sources

Music Industry Weekly

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Music Industry Weekly — April 5, 2026

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Music Industry Weekly — March 31, 2026

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Music Industry Weekly — March 27, 2026

Music Industry Weekly — March 22, 2026

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