Welcome to Music Enterprise Worldwide’s Weekly Spherical-up – the place we be sure to caught the 5 largest tales to hit our headlines over the previous seven days. MBW’s Spherical-up is solely supported by BMI, a worldwide chief in performing rights administration, devoted to supporting songwriters, composers and publishers and championing the worth of music.
Spotify confirmed at this time (October 3) that Taylor Swift’s The Lifetime of a Showgirl turned the platform’s most-streamed album in a single day in 2025 to date, hitting the milestone in underneath 11 hours. The album additionally turned the primary to exceed 5 million pre-saves on Spotify forward of its launch at this time.
In the meantime, Spotify introduced a serious management transition as Daniel Ek prepares to step again from the CEO function to change into Government Chairman, with Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström to take over as co-CEOs.
Elsewhere, Common Music Group and Warner Music Group are reportedly near hanging “landmark” AI music licensing offers, based on a Monetary Occasions report.
Additionally this week, Zach Bryan made historical past by taking part in the largest ticketed present in US historical past, drawing 112,408 followers to Michigan Stadium and producing $5 million in merchandise gross sales.
Lastly, a high European music lawyer dismissed issues over Common Music Group‘s entry to unbiased label information by means of UMG’s proposed $775 million acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings.
Listed below are a few of the largest headlines from the previous few days…
1. TAYLOR SWIFT’S ‘THE LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL’ IS ALREADY A RECORD BREAKER, AS ALBUM BECOMES FIRST TO EXCEED 5M PRE-SAVES ON SPOTIFY
Taylor Swift’s new document, The Lifetime of a Showgirl, turned the primary album to exceed 5 million pre-saves on Spotify forward of its launch at this time (October 3).
The pre-save determine broke the document held by Swift’s earlier album, The Tortured Poets Division, launched final 12 months.
Spotify’s Countdown Web page characteristic permits customers to routinely add new music to their libraries upon launch.
Taylor Swift‘s group launched the Countdown Web page for Showgirl on August 14, beginning with an unique playlist announcement throughout 12 out of doors promoting places worldwide. (MBW)
2. SPOTIFY LEADERSHIP UPDATE: DANIEL EK EXPLAINS WHY HE’S STEPPING BACK AS CEO TO BECOME EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN
On Tuesday (September 30), Spotify revealed that its founder and Chief Government Officer, Daniel Ek, is stepping again from the CEO function and can transition to Government Chairman.
The corporate has named Gustav Söderström (co-President and Chief Product and Know-how Officer) and Alex Norström (co-President and Chief Enterprise Officer) as its new co-Chief Government Officers.
In keeping with the announcement, Spotify’s new Co-CEOs will report back to Daniel Ek and also will serve on the corporate’s Board of Administrators, topic to shareholder approval.
These modifications will all be efficient January 1, 2026. (MBW)
3. RECORD LABELS COULD STRIKE ‘LANDMARK’ AI MUSIC LICENSING DEALS ‘WITHIN WEEKS,’ THE FT REPORTS
Two of the three main music firms, Common Music Group and Warner Music Group, are reportedly nearing licensing offers with AI music firms.
That’s based on the Monetary Occasions, which reported on Thursday (October 2), citing individuals conversant in the matter, that the businesses “might every strike offers with synthetic intelligence firms inside weeks” in a bid to “set a precedent for a way AI firms pay for music”.
In keeping with the FT’s report, the negotiations middle on licensing music for the creation of AI-generated tracks and permitting the music to coach giant language fashions. (MBW)
4. ZACH BRYAN JUST PLAYED THE BIGGEST TICKETED SHOW IN US HISTORY – INCLUDING $5M IN MERCH SALES
Nation singer Zach Bryan simply broke a major live performance attendance document within the US.
A complete of 112,408 followers watched Bryan carry out on Saturday (September 27) at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, setting a brand new document for the highest-attended ticketed live performance in US historical past.
That’s based on live performance promoter AEG Presents, which confirmed the ultimate depend on Sunday (September 28)… (MBW)
5. TOP EUROPEAN MUSIC LAWYER DISMISSES UMG/DOWNTOWN DATA CONCERNS AS ‘FANTASY OR PARANOIA’
Considered one of France’s high music {industry} legal professionals has dismissed issues over Common Music Group‘s entry to unbiased label information by means of UMG’s proposed $775 million acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings.
Michaël Majster, founding associate at Paris-based Majster & Nehmé and a 30-year authorized veteran, described the data-related fears as stemming “extra from fantasy or paranoia than from a concrete, practical, and rational evaluation”.
Throughout his profession, Majster has represented each multi-platinum and rising artists in France, plus distinguished unbiased document labels and distributors, and a serious music writer. He has not represented UMG or Downtown.
He’s rated within the high tier of music legislation practitioners in France by the industry-standard Décideurs Leaders League. (MBW)
Companion message: MBW’s Weekly Spherical-up is supported by BMI, the international chief in performing rights administration, devoted to supporting songwriters, composers and publishers and championing the worth of music. Discover out extra about BMI right here. Music Enterprise Worldwide
