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...

These are some of the main music deals announced in the past weeks:

​Abu Dhabi-based independent music company PopArabia has acquired MENA label and digital distribution company Viral Wave. Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed. Viral Wave’s operational subsidiary in Cairo, Egypt will join PopArabia’s existing team members to create a staff of over 30 in Egypt, Morocco, and the UAE. The Cairo-based team will report to newly appointed PopArabia General Manager for Egypt Rania Ibrahi...

GLOBAL

WIPO's Daren Tang

Daren Tang, who served as Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) since 2020, has been confirmed for a second six-year term by WIPO’s 194 members during the General Assembly of the Geneva-based organisation. Tang was chosen by WIPO’s 83-member Coordination Committee in February 2026 as the next DG against Johanny Stanley Joseph from the Republic of Haiti. Tang received 81 votes in the first round against two for Joseph. Tang’s second ter...