AVA London Programme Additions and Creators Forum 17 Jan 2025
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NEWS & PRESS
Merlin and Singa Ink Partnership to Bring Thousands of Original Recordings to Karaoke
Merlin, the digital music licensing partner for the world’s leading independent labels and distributors, has partnered with Singa, the leading karaoke technology company, to make thousands of original master recordings available on the platform. This historic deal marks a major leap...more
The club is alive, as JLS joins The O2’s coveted 21 Club
The O2, the world’s most popular live entertainment arena, came alive with the sound of music over the weekend, as JLS returned to the venue for two incredible headline shows as part of their ‘The Club Is Alive: 2025 Hits...more
ESNS festival line-up complete for 40th Edition
ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag) announces the final 41 artists from all over Europe that will be playing at Eurosonic and Noorderslag. The music showcase festival celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026, taking place from January 14 to 17 in Groningen. The...more
Stars join forces with creative and cultural organisations from across UK and Europe to remove barriers to touring and drive growth
Stars have joined forces with creative and cultural organisations from across the UK and Europe to remove barriers to touring, support cultural exchange and drive growth. They unveiled a major new alliance today called the Cultural Exchange Coalition (CEC). Its members...more
Wise Music Group strikes deal with GoGo Penguin
The Manchester-based trio GoGo Penguin have signed an exclusive publishing deal with Campbell Connelly & Co, part of Wise Music Group. Their music blends breakbeats, minimalist piano, strong basslines, electronica-inspired drums, and anthemic riffs, with influences from trip-hop, jazz, rock,...more
Songtools announces strategic partnership and platform integration with ONErpm’s OFFstep
SongTools, the fast-growing platform empowering music creators with one-click marketing and ad tech solutions, is proud to announce a strategic partnership and full platform integration with OFFstep, ONErpm’s proprietary artist and label platform. Through this partnership, the SongTools integration has been...more
YouTube wraps its 20th anniversary year with a new feature announcement & 2025 trends
YouTube to Unveil Annual Trending Lists & Launch New Personalised 'YouTube Recap' Feature YouTube is announcing two major end-of-year moments to close out its 20th anniversary year. YouTube Recap is the first-ever personalised feature, which launches on Wednesday 3rd December alongside...more
Apple Music Replay ‘25: A More Personal Look at Your Year in Music
Apple Music and Shazam Also Reveal Their Year-End Charts Apple Music today released the highly anticipated Replay '25 experience, bringing listeners an even more personalised and insightful journey through their year in music. With new and deeper discovery insights, Replay '25...more
IFPI convenes cross industry panel at UN Copyright Agency to examine the future of music licensing with AI
With AI licensing agreements accelerating and reshaping the music industry's relationship with generative AI, IFPI is bringing experts spanning music, AI and economics together to discuss AI training and music rights: with a focus on the report on copyright and...more
Independent music labels return a third of revenue to artists, reveals new report from ORCA
Global think tank and advocacy group, the Organization for Recorded Culture and Arts (ORCA), has released a first-of-its-kind report analysing the economic investments and social impact of nine leading independent record labels. Analysis shows these labels invested $134 million in artists...more
Industry survey reveals 97% of music professionals demand AI transparency, while half refuse AI-generated music entirely
Survey of 144 music supervisors, filmmakers, and advertisers by leading music companies found: 97% want to know if music is AI-generated, 49% will only work with human-made tracks, and cultural authenticity becomes a critical selection factor. Download the full report: https://cyanite.ai/cyanite-marmoset-mediatracks-survey/ As...more
CISAC launches new ISWC IPI Context Search to help music publishers solve metadata challenges
The International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) has launched ISWC IPI Context Search, a new API service designed to help music publishers quickly and accurately identify creator Interested Party Information (IPI) numbers, a crucial step in ensuring correct work...more
Your 2025 Delivered on Amazon Music is here: See top streaming insights from this year
See your year in music, podcasts, and audiobooks come alive in a festival-themed recap with personalized virtual festival poster. Key takeaways 2025 Delivered transforms your streaming history on Amazon Music into personalized insights. The feature also creates a virtual music festival poster with...more
Key Production Group, Europe's leading physical music and packaging agency, reveals its predictions for vinyl and physical music releases in 2026
Over recent years, there has been a clear resurgence in the joy of owning physical music. Fans continue to buy vinyl and CDs, so they can take them home, listen to them and take pleasure in owning them. This flourishing...more
Pubs, Clubs and Venues in UK Cities Slammed by Hidden Business Rates Bombshell Says NTIA
Night-time economy businesses across the UK are facing a devastating financial blow from April 2026, as government business rates reforms quietly abolish the 40% Hospitality, Leisure and Night-Time Relief (RHL) and replace it with a system that will force many...more
Inaugural Folk Album Of The Year Award Shortlist Revealed
146 album submissions received Nine albums selected by jury of performers, music and media professionals Winner revealed and nominees to perform at live finale hosted in Rochdale, Greater Manchester on 17 March 2026 The Folk Album of the Year Award has revealed its...more
International music conference FFWD (FastForward) returns to London in February 2026 for FFWD>>LDN 26
International music conference FFWD (FastForward) returns to London in February 2026 for FFWD>>LDN 26 - celebrating its community in a special 10th anniversary edition, at a brand new location. Taking over Hackney Church for the first time on Tuesday 10 February...more
MMF reveals first cohort of certified music managers
The Music Managers Forum (MMF) has announced the first cohort of managers to pass the organisation’s new Manager Certification Programme - including MMF Chair, Niamh Byrne, co-founder of Eleven Management, MMF Vice-Chair, Jill Hollywood, founder of Echo Beach Management, and...more
Major labels’ licensing deals with AI companies: ECSA calls for transparent licensing agreements that truly value the works of composers and songwriters
In light of the recent licensing deals announced by the three major labels – Universal Music Group (UMG), Warner Music Group (WMG) and Sony Music Group (SMG) – with AI companies Udio, Suno, and KLAY, the European Composer and Songwriter...more
New Leger Survey Shows Quebecers Value Choice and Affordability Over New Streaming Rules
61% of Québecers say French-language music is already easy to find on streaming services, while only 4% say regulating streaming should be a government priority. A new province-wide survey conducted by Leger – Québec’s leading independent research firm – shows that...more
Impala revamps Outstanding Contribution award, honours women who have accelerated Impala's work on EDI and sustainability
This November, IMPALA announces the expansion of its Outstanding Contribution Award as part of a revamped awards programme co-funded by the European Union. The first announcement under the new scheme recognises women who have made a significant contribution to IMPALA's work in the...more
Atlantic Screen Group Names Rupert Hollier as COO, Elevates Rosie Hill to President of Nightjar, it’s creative services and frontline publishing division
Company also unveils exclusive creative publishing partnership with 5DB Studios Leading independent multi-disciplined music and media organisation Atlantic Screen Group (ASG) today announces a significant expansion of its music publishing and sync operations, supported by a series of strategic appointments and new...more
Notting Hill Music Signs Scottish Songwriter Declan Welsh
Notting Hill Music is proud to announce the signing of acclaimed Scottish songwriter Declan Welsh (Declan Welsh and The Decadent West). Emerging from East Kilbride, Scotland, Welsh has established himself as one of the nation’s most compelling contemporary voices, earning...more
Universal Music Group UK launches art and video studio ‘Pause’
PAUSE PRODUCES PREMIUM, LIMITED-EDITION PRINTS THAT ALLOW FANS TO OWN UNIQUE MOMENTS OF VISUAL MUSIC HISTORY ANNOUNCEMENT OF PAUSE STUDIO ACCOMPANIED BY LAUNCH OF AMY WINEHOUSEYOU KNOW I’M NO GOOD COLLECTION Fans can own a single frame from Amy Winehouse’s iconic music video,...more
2025 Budget statement from AIF CEO John Rostron
"The UK's independent festival sector is one built by entrepreneurs and so we welcome The Chancellor's announcement of a consultation on how the tax system can better back business founders and investors. We look forward to seeing how this government...more
Autumn Budget: Comment from Association of Independent Music
Gee Davy, CEO at AIM, said: “We welcome the Chancellor’s clear commitment to improving conditions for workers, especially young people. But SMEs – the talent engines of the UK - including those in the hugely diverse independent music sector, risk...more
Budget Hammerblow: Chancellor Dismisses Night-Time Economy Asks Says NTIA
Statement from Michael Kill, CEO, Night Time Industries Association"This Budget is a hammer blow to an already fragile night-time economy. Its impact will be felt across every high street and town centre in the UK. With inflation now higher than...more
Oasis Live ‘25 end of tour stores to open in London & Dublin
London store will feature a visual content room showcasing highlights from the Oasis Live ‘25 global tour Product personalisation offered in-store on select days New and exclusive merchandise, a restocked adidas Originals range, gifting, vinyl and much more ...more
UK Budget - A Statement from Mark Davyd, CEO of Music Venue Trust
"This Budget is yet another episode in the long running saga of failures to seize opportunities to support Grassroots Music Venues. The Government's rhetoric on their support for this vital sector is completely undone by the reality of their business...more
Record Store Day Black Friday: Exclusive releases land in independent shops
Record Store Day’s annual Black Friday celebration returns this Friday, bringing a brand-new selection of exclusive, limited-edition vinyl titles to independent record stores across the UK. Available from 8am on Friday 28th November, this year’s collection features standout releases from Sam...more
THE HEADLINES
Daddy Yankee files lawsuit against former manager and third parties for alleged royalty scheme (see News)
EU touring: Impact of Brexit worsening, says UK Music report (see Reports)
ORCA released a report analysing the economic investments and social impact of nine leading independent record labels (see Reports)
Jorja Smith’s label requests share of royalties from ‘AI-cloned’ song (see News)
A creative nation is a thriving nation (see Opinion)
Australian report also highlights how other non-US English-speaking countries are hit by algorithms (see Reports)
AI slop: Spotify, Tunecore, and credibility (see Comment)
Warner Music signs deal with Suno, settles lawsuit (see News)
EC sends UMG its statement of objections to Downtown acquisition (see News)
20 years of Spotify — who’s winning, losing and making money? (see Features)
The future of labels: Shifting sands (see Comment)
Robert Kyncl on Udio deal: Growing the value of music for artists and songwriters (see News)
Ticket touts’ worst nightmare has finally come true (see Comment)