This week, YouTube reported that it paid the music trade over $8 billion over the previous 12 months. YouTube’s International Head of Music, Lyor Cohen, credit the platform’s “twin-engine” method of adverts and subscriptions.
In the meantime, MBW reported that Spotify holds a patent for know-how that might generate customized tune mashups by combining vocals and instrumentals from totally different tracks.
Elsewhere, generative AI music startup Suno is reportedly in negotiations to boost over $100 million in a funding spherical that may worth the corporate at greater than $2 billion.
Additionally this week, Lisa Yang joined Warner Music Group as EVP, International Head of Technique after 16 years at Goldman Sachs, whereas US Latin music revenues neared $500 million in H1 2025, rising six occasions sooner than the general US market.
Listed here are a few of the largest headlines from the previous few days…
1. YOUTUBE’S ‘TWIN ENGINE OF ADS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS IS FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS,’ SAYS LYOR COHEN, AS PLATFORM MAKES $8BN+ PAYOUT TO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY OVER THE PAST YEAR
YouTube stories that it paid greater than $8 billion to the music trade in the course of the 12 months from July 2024 to June 2025.
The determine was shared by Lyor Cohen, YouTube’s International Head of Music, on the Billboard Latin Music Week convention in Miami on Wednesday (October 22).
Cohen attributed the payout to what YouTube calls its “twin-engine mannequin,” which generates income by way of adverts proven alongside free content material and paid subscriptions that take away adverts. In a remark shared with MBW, Cohen mentioned: “$8 billion payout is a testomony to the truth that the dual engine of adverts and subscriptions is firing on all cylinders…” (MBW)
2. SPOTIFY HOLDS A PATENT FOR TECH THAT CAN GENERATE SONG MASHUPS
Spotify holds a patent for know-how that might generate customized tune mashups.
The submitting, unearthed by MBW, describes a system that may analyze songs to find out which tracks are musically suitable, then mechanically mix them into new mashup variations for particular person customers.
Based on the doc, the know-how would work by first separating tracks into their element elements – vocals and instrumentals – then “including the vocal element” of “no less than one music monitor to no less than a choose section of the bottom music monitor.”
In different phrases, Spotify’s algorithm might mechanically layer the singing from one tune over the backing monitor of a very totally different tune, although customers would nonetheless management the inventive decisions… (MBW)
3. SUNO IS GENERATING MORE THAN $100M IN ANNUAL REVENUE – AND IS IN TALKS TO RAISE MORE MONEY AT A $2B VALUATION
Generative AI music startup Suno is in negotiations to boost over $100 million in a funding spherical that may worth the corporate at greater than $2 billion, a fourfold improve from the earlier valuation.
That’s based on Bloomberg, which reported, citing folks conversant in the matter, that the corporate is at present producing greater than $100 million in annual recurring income.
Suno’s service lets customers generate full musical tracks from textual content prompts, usually together with vocals and lyrics. The corporate is at present the topic of a lawsuit filed by document labels owned by Sony Music, Common Music Group and Warner Music Group, who sued the corporate for mass infringement of copyright, alleging the AI startup used copyrighted recordings with out permission to coach its AI… (MBW)
4. LISA YANG JOINS WARNER MUSIC GROUP AS EVP, GLOBAL HEAD OF STRATEGY
Final month, we reported that Lisa Yang was leaving Goldman Sachs after 16 years – for a job at Warner Music Group, based on our sources.
Now, it’s official. The revered exec has certainly joined WMG, as Govt Vice President, International Head of Technique. Yang introduced the information by way of LinkedIn on Monday (October 20)… (MBW)
5. US LATIN MUSIC REVENUES NEARED $500M IN H1 2025, GROWING 6X FASTER THAN OVERALL US MARKET
Amid a slowdown within the development of US recorded music revenues, Latin music stays a shiny spot.
Based on the most recent mid-year report from the Recording Business Affiliation of America (RIAA), Latin music wholesale revenues hit $490.3 million within the first half of 2025, up 5.9% YoY.
That development price is greater than six occasions as quick as total wholesale revenues within the US, which grew 0.9% YoY to $5.59 billion in H1 2025, based on an earlier report from the RIAA.
In all, 98% of Latin music revenues got here from streaming, with paid streaming accounting for $271.1 million, up 11.2% YoY... (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
