Welcome to Music Enterprise Worldwide’s Weekly Spherical-up – the place we be sure you caught the 5 largest tales to hit our headlines over the previous seven days. MBW’s Spherical-up is solely supported by BMI, a world chief in performing rights administration, devoted to supporting songwriters, composers and publishers and championing the worth of music.
Spotify confirmed at this time (October 3) that Taylor Swift’s The Lifetime of a Showgirl turned the platform’s most-streamed album in a single day in 2025 thus far, hitting the milestone in beneath 11 hours. The album additionally turned the primary to exceed 5 million pre-saves on Spotify forward of its launch at this time.
In the meantime, Spotify introduced a significant management transition as Daniel Ek prepares to step again from the CEO function to change into Govt Chairman, with Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström to take over as co-CEOs.
Elsewhere, Common Music Group and Warner Music Group are reportedly near placing “landmark” AI music licensing offers, in response to a Monetary Occasions report.
Additionally this week, Zach Bryan made historical past by taking part in the most important ticketed present in US historical past, drawing 112,408 followers to Michigan Stadium and producing $5 million in merchandise gross sales.
Lastly, a prime European music lawyer dismissed issues over Common Music Group‘s entry to impartial label knowledge via UMG’s proposed $775 million acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings.
Listed below are among the largest headlines from the previous few days…
1. TAYLOR SWIFT’S ‘THE LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL’ IS ALREADY A RECORD BREAKER, AS ALBUM BECOMES FIRST TO EXCEED 5M PRE-SAVES ON SPOTIFY
Taylor Swift’s new file, The Lifetime of a Showgirl, turned the primary album to exceed 5 million pre-saves on Spotify forward of its launch at this time (October 3).
The pre-save determine broke the file held by Swift’s earlier album, The Tortured Poets Division, launched final yr.
Spotify’s Countdown Web page characteristic permits customers to robotically add new music to their libraries upon launch.
Taylor Swift‘s crew launched the Countdown Web page for Showgirl on August 14, beginning with an unique playlist announcement throughout 12 outside promoting areas worldwide. (MBW)
2. SPOTIFY LEADERSHIP UPDATE: DANIEL EK EXPLAINS WHY HE’S STEPPING BACK AS CEO TO BECOME EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN
On Tuesday (September 30), Spotify revealed that its founder and Chief Govt Officer, Daniel Ek, is stepping again from the CEO function and can transition to Govt Chairman.
The corporate has named Gustav Söderström (co-President and Chief Product and Expertise Officer) and Alex Norström (co-President and Chief Enterprise Officer) as its new co-Chief Govt Officers.
In line with the announcement, Spotify’s new Co-CEOs will report back to Daniel Ek and also will serve on the corporate’s Board of Administrators, topic to shareholder approval.
These modifications will all be efficient January 1, 2026. (MBW)
3. RECORD LABELS COULD STRIKE ‘LANDMARK’ AI MUSIC LICENSING DEALS ‘WITHIN WEEKS,’ THE FT REPORTS
Two of the three main music corporations, Common Music Group and Warner Music Group, are reportedly nearing licensing offers with AI music corporations.
That’s in response to the Monetary Occasions, which reported on Thursday (October 2), citing folks accustomed to the matter, that the businesses “might every strike offers with synthetic intelligence corporations inside weeks” in a bid to “set a precedent for the way AI corporations pay for music”.
In line with the FT’s report, the negotiations middle on licensing music for the creation of AI-generated tracks and permitting the music to coach giant language fashions. (MBW)
4. ZACH BRYAN JUST PLAYED THE BIGGEST TICKETED SHOW IN US HISTORY – INCLUDING $5M IN MERCH SALES
Nation singer Zach Bryan simply broke a big live performance attendance file within the US.
A complete of 112,408 followers watched Bryan carry out on Saturday (September 27) at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, setting a brand new file for the highest-attended ticketed live performance in US historical past.
That’s in response to live performance promoter AEG Presents, which confirmed the ultimate rely on Sunday (September 28)… (MBW)
5. TOP EUROPEAN MUSIC LAWYER DISMISSES UMG/DOWNTOWN DATA CONCERNS AS ‘FANTASY OR PARANOIA’
One in all France’s prime music {industry} attorneys has dismissed issues over Common Music Group‘s entry to impartial label knowledge via UMG’s proposed $775 million acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings.
Michaël Majster, founding accomplice at Paris-based Majster & Nehmé and a 30-year authorized veteran, described the data-related fears as stemming “extra from fantasy or paranoia than from a concrete, reasonable, and rational evaluation”.
Throughout his profession, Majster has represented each multi-platinum and rising artists in France, plus distinguished impartial file labels and distributors, and a significant music writer. He has not represented UMG or Downtown.
He’s rated within the prime tier of music legislation practitioners in France by the industry-standard Décideurs Leaders League. (MBW)
Companion message: MBW’s Weekly Spherical-up is supported by BMI, the world chief in performing rights administration, devoted to supporting songwriters, composers and publishers and championing the worth of music. Discover out extra about BMI right here. Music Enterprise Worldwide
