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Digital Economy

Spotify paid out more than $11 billion to the music industry in 2025

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Spotify has paid out more than $11 billion to the music industry n 2025, in what is described as "the largest annual payment to music from any retailer in history," according to a blogpost from the streaming service's Head of Music Charlie Hellman. This figure tops payments made in 2024 by $1bn. Since its launch in 2006, Spotify has paid out over $70bn to rights holders. According to Hellman, Spotify accounts for roughly 30% of recorded music revenue. "Last year, our payouts grew by more than 1...

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Emmanuel is a Washington, DC-based freelance journalist, blogger and media consultant, specialising in the entertainment business and cultural trends. He was the US editor for British music industry trade publication Music Week. Previously, he was the editor of Impact, a magazine for the music publishing community (2007-2009), the global editor of US trade publication Billboard (2003-2006), and the editor in chief of Billboard’s sister publication Music & Media (1997-2003).

Digital Economy

Deezer grows direct subscribers’ base as revenue drops 1.6% to €131.9m in Q1 2026

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Music streaming service Deezer has increase its direct subscribers' portfolio both in France and in the rest of the world while partnerships subscribers dropped significantly by 23% during the first quarter of the year. Total subscribers' count reached 8.9 million, down 5.1% from 9.4 million in the same quarter a year prior. Direct subscribers accounted for 5.7 million, up 9% year-on-year. Meanwhile, partnerships subscribers amounted to 3.2 million in Q1 2026, down 23.0% year-on-year, reflectin...

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Digital Economy

Texas opens investigation into streaming services over allegations of payola

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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into leading streaming services including Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music, over "alleged payola schemes in which they accept bribes to artificially promote certain songs, artists, or content." The office of the Attorney General said in a statement that the investigation was motivated by "a range of activities [that] have been identified as payola, including record labels or artists paying to be includ...

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Creative Industries

Calendar — Week 17, 2026

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2026 MAY 2026

– May 4-10: Departure Festival + Conference, formerly known as Canadian Music Week, at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto, Canada. – May 5-7: BIME Bogotá taking place at the Universidad Ean in Bogotá, Colombia. – May 11-14: Music Biz 2026 organised by the Music Business Association in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly. – May 13-16: The Great Escape in Brighton, England. JUNE 2026 – June 1-6: SXSW London&nb...

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