Analysis News 4 observations on… Downtown’s agreed $775 million sale to Universal Music Group/Virgin Music Group It's one of the year's biggest deals – and it's come right at the final whistle of the year. We dig deeper into the details.
Analysis On… Drake, disgust, and Discovery Mode. What drove the Canadian star's legal filings, and what might the consequence of his actions be for the music industry?
Analysis News The 21 biggest music business deals of 2024: From Irving Azoff to Daddy Yankee, Hipgnosis, and Queen. The year's biggest deals were dominated by private equity, securitization of music assets, and some blockbuster acquisitions by Sony Music
Analysis News Robert Kyncl talks streaming growth, ‘bolt-on acquisitions’, and Elliot Grainge… Everything we learned on Warner's calendar Q3 earnings call...
Analysis Spotify gains profitability… but loses the argument. MBW founder Tim Ingham on Spotify's new-found profit margin, its relationship with songwriters, and Netflix
Analysis News ‘Super-Premium’ music subscription tiers coming in 2025, and 3 other things we learned from Universal Music’s Boyd Muir at the Morgan Stanley conference UMG has 1,300 stores in its direct-to-consumer business, and the profit margins are huge
Analysis News Live Nation’s job is to ‘take the punch for the artist’… and 3 other things we learned from Michael Rapino during the company’s investor presentation Ticketmaster's dynamic pricing system means that, sometimes, ticket prices actually come down
Analysis News Tencent Music is using AI to create viral content… and three other things we learned on the company’s Q3 earnings call The music streaming operator is working to differentiate its services amid a long-running slump in monthly active users
Analysis News TikTok’s SoundOn is signing artists… and battling labels on the charts. MBW Reacts is a series of analytical commentaries from Music Business Worldwide written in response to major recent entertainment events or news stories...
Analysis News Michael Rapino talks superfans, the secondary ticketing market and more on Live Nation’s Q3 earnings call The live events company is also 'hopeful' about its antitrust fight under a Donald Trump administration
Analysis News HYBE wants to change fan culture in US, Latin music, and 4 other things we learned on the company’s latest earnings call Fun fact: Less than a third of HYBE's recorded music revenue comes from streaming
Analysis News Sir Lucian Grainge talks acquisition strategy, AI and converting paid streaming subscribers to superfans on Universal’s Q3 earnings call UMG published its Q3 financial results on October 31. Here's what was said on the company's Q3 earnings call...
Analysis Whether it’s Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, the music business has something to fear from the US election. They're AI-ting the dogs...
Analysis On… TikTok, Merlin, and the awkward arranged marriage of music’s independent sector How the changing face of the 'non-major' music companies has made for some unusual bedfellows in indie-land
Analysis News Rob Stringer talks Queen, Michael Jackson, and Pink Floyd deals – plus TikTok – at Bloomberg event Stringer spoke to Lucas Shaw at Bloomberg's event in Los Angeles on Thursday