Music industry
The latest music industry news, headlines and analysis from The NE Times.
Beyoncé's surprise Morning Dew drop turns the B'Day anniversary into a streaming-era event
Her first new song in two years, dropped without warning on 4 July, opens the countdown to a 20th-anniversary B'Day reissue — pop monetising memory.
Oasis guitar sells for record £226,800 as Noel Gallagher Epiphone makes £12,000
His 1996 MTV Unplugged acoustic fetched a reported world record, while a Manchester City blue Epiphone sold for £12,000 at a separate sale.
Mariah Carey announces three UK Christmas arena shows for 2026
Mariah Carey will play Christmas shows in Birmingham, London and Manchester, with general ticket sales opening on 25 September 2026.
Sway DaSafo dies aged 44: UK rap pioneer and MOBO award winner
Derek Safo, the north London rapper who became the first unsigned act to win a MOBO, has died at his home in Ghana, prompting tributes across UK hip-hop.
Neck of the Woods' relaunch is a blueprint for saving small venues
The Auckland club's Hoki Mai reopening on 10 July, rescued by community fundraising, shows what it takes to keep grassroots music infrastructure alive.
Clive Davis remembered as music industry's great starmaker after death at 94
Tributes have poured in for record executive Clive Davis, who has died at 94, with artists and industry figures crediting him with discovering, developing and reviving careers across generations.
Artists push back after finding songs in AI music training datasets
SZA, Kenneth Blume and other musicians have criticised the appearance of their work in datasets used by AI music systems, deepening the industry's rights fight.
Musicians' union lawsuit turns AI licensing into a labour-rights battle
The American Federation of Musicians has sued Universal and Warner over AI-related licensing, arguing session players should be compensated when recordings feed new technology.