Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Elton John and Adele named the most influential artists for brand partnerships

10 October 2025 - Press release

Luminate – the entertainment industry’s leading data partner – have released a new report - Matching Marketers with Music Talent. 

 

The report reveals how brands can apply a “moneyball” approach to music partnerships – using data, not just instinct, to identify artists who align with their products and audiences. Just as sports teams use stats to build winning line-ups, marketers can use Luminate’s Artist + Genre Tracker to make smarter choices about who to partner with.

Unlike traditional endorsement deals that rely on A-listers, this analysis excludes superstars like Taylor Swift and focuses instead on emerging and mid-tier artists, where data uncovers hidden opportunities. The findings span six major consumer categories: Food & Beverage, Personal Care & Hygiene, Apps, Travel, Telecom, and Banking & Finance.

 

Highlights from the report include:

• Most Influential Overall: Luminate’s new Index – combining awareness, likability, brand endorsement, streaming and social performance – ranks Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Elton John and Adele as the most influential artists for brand partnerships.
• Telecom: Bebe Rexha stands out as one of the best celebrity partners for promoting cable, mobile and internet subscriptions, with strong awareness and high purchase intent among telecom super-purchasers.
• Finance: Rising country star Lainey Wilson scores high affinity (76%) and purchase likelihood (68%) among consumers with multiple financial products, skewing toward higher-income audiences – making her a strong fit for banks and insurers.
• Food & Beverage: Multiplatinum country singer Bailey Zimmerman resonates strongly with snack super-purchasers (85% likability, 61% endorsement), surpassing even Chris Stapleton in brand alignment.
• Travel: Emerging UK electronic singer Kenya Grace shows both high purchase likelihood (73%) and likability (70%) among travel super-purchasers – proof that new talent can quickly establish strong brand resonance. 
• Personal Care & Hygiene: Regional Mexican star Ana Bárbara beats Ángela Aguilar on affinity (73% vs 68%) and purchase likelihood (71% vs 65%) for care and cosmetics.
• Apps: Jamaican rapper Shenseea is highly influential in mobile apps, with 8 in 10 superusers saying they’d try a new app she endorsed.