Billboard International Energy Gamers Record 2025: Revealed

Recorded music is a small however mighty sector” of the world’s enterprise, IFPI CEO Victoria Oakley mentioned as she launched the organizations’s annual report in March. “It’s part of the worldwide economic system that basically issues. Above all, it’s a robust instance of human artistry and connectivity.”

Oakley quantified the impression of that artistry with a report full of fine information — principally. The recorded-music enterprise worldwide grew for the tenth consecutive yr, regardless of considerations raised by generative synthetic intelligence (AI) utilizing copyright-protected music to coach its methods.

Whole recorded-music income climbed to $29.6 billion in 2024, an increase of 4.8% on the earlier yr, with streaming income surpassing $20 billion for the primary time, representing just below 70% of worldwide recorded-music gross sales, in line with IFPI’s International Music Report 2025. Equally, CISAC in October reported that international royalty collections for track rights holders grew 7.6% within the earlier yr. Within the live performance {industry}, Dwell Nation’s adjusted working revenue rose 14% in 2024.

“Right this moment, we rejoice not simply these outcomes and these phenomenal artists, but additionally the superb onerous work that goes into making it occur behind the scenes,” Oakley mentioned.

These working behind the scenes are celebrated right here, on Billboard’s International Energy Gamers record.

Nominated by their companies and friends and chosen by our editors from chosen {industry} sectors, these executives have main duty for markets exterior the USA, which account for some 60% of the world’s recorded-music income.

They work the place the motion is — or not less than, the best development. Whereas the USA held its place because the No. 1 recorded-music market on the planet, its income elevated solely 2.2% in 2024, in contrast with 7.2% in 2023.

Japan, nonetheless the world’s second-largest recorded-­music market, was flat in 2024. However among the many world’s remaining high 10 markets, IFPI reviews charges of development in the UK (up 4.9%), Germany (up 4.1%), China (up 9.6%), France (up 7.5%), Canada (up 1.5%), Brazil (up 21.7%) and Mexico, the highest 10 market the place its income elevated 15.6%. (South Korea was down 5.7%.)

In different areas, recorded-music development has been much more dramatic. Latin America skilled development of twenty-two.5%. The Center East and North Africa, that are virtually completely dominated by streaming, had music gross sales develop 22.8%, and sub-Saharan Africa recorded a 22.6% rise in income to surpass $100 million for the primary time, albeit from a modest baseline. Simply because the rise of file-sharing dramatically lower the fortunes of the music {industry} on the flip of the twenty first ­century, at this time, executives nervously watch the rise of one other know-how — generative AI — as a consequence of its potential and its menace to copyright. Lots of the executives profiled on this record cite AI as the largest problem going through the {industry}.

IFPI’s presentation in London came about towards the backdrop of a marketing campaign in the UK to oppose proposed modifications by the federal government to copyright regulation that, if applied, may let AI builders freely use creators’ content material to coach their algorithms, except rights holders “choose out.”

“We’re asking policymakers to guard music and artistry,” Oakley mentioned in an announcement accompanying the International Music Report. “We should harness the potential of AI to assist and amplify human creativity, to not exchange it.”

Music Teams: International

Fred Gillham
Managing director, U.Ok. and Europe, Harmony Label Group
Rebecca Berman
Senior vp of worldwide, Harmony Label Group, Harmony

It’s onerous to high the success of breakout star Tommy Richman’s “Million Greenback Child.” Harmony’s Berman says the Billboard International 200 chart-topping smash that additionally was an enormous hit on TikTok and international radio “was an enormous achievement for each Richman and Harmony,” after its preliminary U.S. launch by means of ISO Supremacy and Pulse Music Group. As well as, she says that the continued enlargement of Harmony’s international advertising and marketing community has contributed to the label group’s rising prowess around the globe. “We now have experience in each main market on the planet,” she says, “devoted to executing globally minded campaigns to achieve followers all over the place and discover new audiences.”

Largest problem now: “The altering nature of how audiences devour and the way tough it may be to search out your engaged viewers. These modifications are emphasised additional with the globalized nature of the music {industry}, the place platforms, DSPs [digital service providers], and so on., could also be totally different from nation to nation or area to area,” Berman says. “Blanket approaches to worldwide advertising and marketing are ineffective.”

Adam Granite
CEO, Africa, the Center East and Asia
Michelle Teh
Senior vp of worldwide classics and jazz, Common Music Group

Granite sees “our development throughout Better China, India, the Center East, Southeast Asia and Africa by means of ­natural A&R success” as being among the many highlights of the previous yr for UMG. He additionally cites “the enlargement of our distributed label enterprise in partnership with Virgin and our continued merger and acquisition focus.” Nonetheless, he provides that discovering “the suitable monetization for actual engagement” may problem development going ahead. Granite additionally spent priceless time over the previous yr group­constructing, together with visiting Dharavi Dream Venture’s After College of Hip-Hop in Mumbai, India, a partnership involving UMG that gives youth retailers for inventive expression using hip-hop tradition.

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Thrilling,” Granite says.

Celine Joshua
Government vp of worldwide advertising and marketing
Johannes von Schwarzkopf
Chief technique officer, BMG

BMG reported in March that it generated 963 million ­euros ($1 billion) in income in 2024, marking a 6.4% improve over the earlier yr, with main wins coming from artists like nation celebrity Jelly Roll and rap hit-maker Mustard. Von Schwarzkopf considers the profitable execution of the corporate’s BMG Subsequent technique to be an enormous consider its current success: “Within the final 12 months, we’ve constructed international groups in recorded catalog, gross sales and advertising and marketing to raised assist our artists and songwriters worldwide, whereas additionally strengthening our native artist profession groups the place proximity to the market issues,” he says. “By working collaboratively throughout borders, our groups are strengthening our worldwide enterprise relationships, bettering our service to artists and songwriters and positioning BMG for sustainable development.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Alternative,” von Schwarzkopf says.

Melissa Thomas
Government vp of worldwide advertising and marketing for U.S. repertoire
Wouter Jansen
Senior vp of worldwide advertising and marketing, digital and business technique
Naoise Ryan
Vp of worldwide advertising and marketing, Columbia Information, Sony Music Leisure

Sony’s worldwide staff just lately labored on campaigns for Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter; Tyler, The Creator’s Chromakopia; and each Future’s collaborative albums with Metro Boomin, We Don’t Belief You and We Nonetheless Don’t Belief You, and solo launch Mixtape Pluto. In addition they marketed a number of singles from SZA’s SOS Deluxe: LANA forward of her headlining slots at Glastonbury and London’s BST Hyde Park festivals in the UK. The Sony staff additionally labored on campaigns for Travis Scott, Tyla, PartyNextDoor and Addison Rae, in addition to Blackpink stars Lisa and Jennie. Sony Music’s key to success, Thomas says, is that “all of our marketing campaign highlights from the previous 12 to 18 months have had one by means of line: fan technique.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Aggressive — in one of the best ways attainable,” Thomas says.

Eric Wong
President of EastWest Information/head of worldwide A&R
Jessica Keeley-Carter
Chief advertising and marketing officer
Tony Corey
Senior vp of worldwide advertising and marketing
Zac Froud
Vp of worldwide advertising and marketing, Warner Music Group

WMG’s international groups have “collaborated to safe standout outcomes throughout key markets” for its rising stars, in line with Keeley-Carter. Blackpink’s Rosé charted within the high 10 in additional than 10 nations and has spent 19 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s International Excl. U.S. chart with “APT.” with Bruno Mars. Teddy Swims’ current album, I’ve Tried All the pieces however Remedy (Half 2), hit No. 1 on the Australian Recording Trade Affiliation chart; Benson Boone’s single “Sorry I’m Right here for Somebody Else” reached Spotify charts in 30 totally different markets; and Alex Warren’s “Unusual” hit No. 1 on the Official Singles Chart in the UK.

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Noisy,” Keeley-Carter says. “We’re right here to assist our artists rise above it and make their mark.”

Music Teams: Canada

Julie Adam
President/CEO, Common Music Canada

Based on Common Music Canada, it launched the highest seven of the ten best-performing albums of 2024 due to Put up Malone, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter, The Weeknd, Morgan Wallen, Noah Kahan and Taylor Swift. “We anchored and supported every venture with Canada-specific campaigns, content material and fan occasions,” Adam says. “Our domestically signed acts proceed to impression worldwide markets. Rising pop star Sofia Camara is exploding within the U.Ok., nation breakout Josh Ross continues to climb the charts within the U.S. and past, comic turned singer-songwriter Mae Martin launched their debut album, Owen Riegling is breaking out with nationwide model partnerships, and Punjabi super-producer thiarajxtt is driving artist discovery with followers from South Asia to Canada.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Artists. All that we do is for, about and in assist of artists.”

Kirsten Burke
President, Warner Music Canada

“Certainly one of Warner Music Canada’s largest success tales this previous yr was the extension of our partnership with Karan Aujla,” Burke says, noting the prolonged three way partnership between Warner Music Canada and Warner Music India. “As essentially the most streamed Punjabi artist on Spotify worldwide in 2024, Karan’s affect is simple,” says Burke, who provides that the Indian rapper is understood for always evolving and pushing the boundaries of each Punjabi and international music. “We kicked off the yr with the discharge of ‘Inform Me,’ a dynamic Punjabi-English collaboration with OneRepublic. The track shortly charted in Canada, [the United Arab Emirates], Australia, New Zealand, the U.Ok., Pakistan and India, additional underscoring his international attraction.”

Largest problem now: “The impression of AI on creativity, rights administration and artist compensation.”

Shane Carter
President, Sony Music Leisure Canada

“I’m honored to be a part of the staff who introduced Céline Dion’s deeply private, transferring story to the world within the documentary I Am: Céline Dion,” says Carter, who labored as an govt producer alongside groups at Sony Music Canada, Sony Imaginative and prescient and a number of other international companions to carry the movie to life. “Everybody concerned on this venture was so gifted and 100% dedicated to the collaboration required to inform Céline’s story with sensitivity and authenticity. It was a spotlight of the yr — and likewise my profession.” The journey culminated in Dion’s highly effective return to the stage on the opening ceremonies for the 2024 Summer time Olympics in Paris.

Largest problem now: “We work alongside artists to construct their viewers authentically over time. This requires ­deeper collaboration throughout groups and progressive, strategic campaigns that actually join. It’s a problem — but additionally an thrilling alternative to match artists’ creativity with daring new methods to share their music with the world.”

Music Teams: Europe, Center East & Africa

Frank Briegmann
Chairman/CEO, Common Music Central Europe and Deutsche Grammophon
Olivier Nusse
CEO, Common Music France and Common Music Africa (French-speaking)
Patrick Boulos
CEO, Common Music Group Center East and North Africa
Franck Kacou
Managing director, Common Music Africa

It was a banner yr for UMG all through Africa and Europe, significantly in Germany, the place half of the highest 10 albums on the year-end 2024 charts belonged to UMG, and the corporate held six locations among the many high 10 most streamed music artists. “We’re additionally very proud that now we have been capable of break six home artists,” Briegmann says. Deutsche Grammophon artists have been No. 1 on the German classical chart in 10 out of 12 months within the final yr. In Italy, UMG landed six of the highest 10 albums on the year-end 2024 chart, whereas UMG albums have been No. 1 within the Netherlands for 33 out of 52 weeks. For Nusse, Stromae & Pomme’s “Ma Meilleure Ennemie,” which was featured within the Arcane TV sequence, turned a worldwide success with practically 470 million streams, “85% of which got here from worldwide markets,” he says.

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Artist-centric,” Nusse says.

Tony Harlow
CEO, Warner Music U.Ok.

From his publish main Warner Music in London, Harlow has supported Warner Music Group developments, together with the general reorganization of the corporate and the restructuring of its management in Europe, the Center East and Africa. Each modifications “have opened new doorways for us,” he says. “The return of Warner Information U.S. and Atlantic Information U.S. as a repertoire powerhouse has vastly helped us,” Harlow says, giving a shoutout to the executives guiding these corporations who’ve helped drive the worldwide success of U.Ok. artists together with Charli xcx and Coldplay.

Largest problem now: “Pessimism. If you happen to discuss your self down, guess the place you’ll find yourself?”

Jason Iley
Chairman/CEO, Sony Music U.Ok. and Eire, Sony Music Leisure U.Ok.

Iley and his Sony staff are celebrating the success that Myles Smith and Central Cee are having “at a worldwide degree,” he says. Cee’s debut album, Can’t Rush Greatness, hit No. 9 on the Billboard 200. In the meantime, Smith, who signed to RCA on Christmas Eve in 2023, received the BRIT Awards’ Rising Star honor in March, and his observe “Stargazing” topped the Different Airplay chart. “Past chart success,” Iley says, “I’m actually happy to see outcomes from the holistic work we’ve put into strengthening our enterprise,” with a give attention to worker wellness and an award-­successful childcare coverage. Such initiatives, he provides, “reveal the significance of listening — listening to what our artists and folks want from us so as to succeed.”

Largest problem now: “AI is a worldwide problem and one which we’re on the forefront of within the U.Ok. We now have been working to assist the federal government perceive the implications of their proposed copyright reforms [that would] current a critical menace to our artists and their work.”

Daniel Lieberberg
President of continental Europe and Africa, Sony Music Leisure
Christoph Behm
CEO, Sony Music Leisure Germany, Switzerland and Austria
Marie-Anne Robert
Managing director, Sony Music Leisure France
Sean Watson
Managing director, Sony Music Leisure Africa

“It’s been an amazing yr, with a sequence of successes for our native and worldwide artists due to the extremely hardworking groups throughout Europe and Africa,” says Lieberberg, who oversaw Sony’s development in Greece and the Czech Republic by means of acquisitions, together with Supraphron, the latter nation’s longest-established file label. In Germany, Sony “delivered a worldwide viral feat” due to Raffaella Carrà, Jaxomy and Agatino Romero’s collaboration, “Pedro.” Sony additionally opened the recording complicated ONE Studios in Amsterdam. Artist Shiva set data in Italy by incomes 100 million streams in per week, and Sony established a presence in Accra, Ghana, due to a partnership with Crux International.

The music {industry} at this time in a phrase: “Tradition-driven,” Lieberberg says.

Alistair Norbury
President of U.Ok., Europe and Asia-Pacific
Levy Isabella
Managing director of Benelux and Scandinavia, BMG

BMG loved a wide range of European wins in 2024, with high 5 debuts on the UK’s Official Albums Chart for bands Mushy Play, Travis and The Script, in addition to No. 1 bows for British indie-pop band Blossoms and international pop legend Kylie Minogue, whose Pressure additionally topped charts in Scotland and Belgium. Norbury cites essentially the most vital current developments of BMG delivering its repertoire on to digital platforms (whereas transferring bodily distribution to Common) and dabbling in associated fields like movie and literature. “We’re absolutely targeted on being a worldwide music writer and recordings enterprise,” he says.

Largest problem now: “Truthful compensation for artists and songwriters in relation to streaming platforms,” Norbury says.

Simon Robson
President, Europe, the Center East and Africa recorded music, Warner Music Group
Pico Cibelli
President, Warner Music Italy
Fabian Drebes
Doreen Schimk
Co-presidents, Warner Music Central Europe
Mark Fry
President, Warner Music Nordics
Alain Veille
President, Warner Music France
Niels Walboomers
President of data and publishing, Benelux, Warner Music Group
Temi Adeniji
Managing director, Warner Music Africa

Warner Music’s groups in Europe, Africa, Asia and past emphasize “cross-cultural collaborations,” Robson says. These embrace 91 North Information, a three way partnership between the label’s India and Canada outposts, which Robson says had “robust success” in breaking rapper AR Paisley, Punjabi hip-hop lyricist Chani Nattan and Punjabi-focused producer Gminxer, all of whom are Canadian. Warner Music India and Warner Music Canada have additionally been working along with Karan Aujla and just lately launched “Inform Me” with OneRepublic. WMG additionally launched an Africa Francophone model emphasizing French-speaking sub-Saharan African artists. “We additionally just lately integrated Warner Music U.Ok. into our EMEA [Europe, Middle East and Africa] construction to assist additional increase inventive collaborations and align our artist campaigns,” he says.

Largest problem now: “Current IFPI figures confirmed that international {industry} development [in key markets] slowed final yr,” Robson says. “Meaning we have to be much more targeted on innovation, creativity and strategic deal-­making to make sure sustainable development for the longer term.”

Dickon Stainer
Chairman/CEO, Common Music U.Ok.

“I wish to spotlight the unimaginable work of our U.Ok. groups, working with our international companions to place nice British artistry again on the coronary heart of worldwide tradition — within the form of Lola Younger, Sam Fender, The Final Dinner Social gathering and Olivia Dean,” Stainer says, “and to show the lasting worth of our labels to long-term artist career-building and storytelling on a worldwide scale.” Stainer was named to guide Common Music U.Ok. in September 2024, following an extended profession at UMG, most just lately as president/CEO of UMG’s international classics and jazz division. He oversees divisions together with Island EMI Label Group, Polydor Label Group, Decca Information and the just lately fashioned Viewers and Media Division, in addition to Abbey Highway Studios.

Largest problem now: “To be compelling and related to audiences who’re bombarded with noise and distraction.”

Music Teams: Latin

Alejandro Duque
President, Warner Music Latin America
Guillermo González Arévalo
President, Warner Music Iberia
Leila Oliveria
President, Warner Music Brazil
Tomas Rodriguez
President, Warner Music Mexico and Mexican Music

Warner’s regional strategy within the final yr has targeted on new artist improvement throughout the board. Argentine artist Yami Safdie’s observe “En Otra Vida” charted in over 20 nations; Venezuela’s Elena Rose not solely broke out in a number of nations, however her “Caracas en el 2000” turned an anthem in her dwelling nation; Danny Ocean’s “Imagínate” soared on Spotify’s international charts; and Colombia’s Blessd amassed thousands and thousands of month-to-month listeners. Warner additionally struck offers with Puerto Rico’s CLARENT, Dominican provocateur Tokisha and partnerships with label Road Mob Information that embrace rising regional Mexican artists like Armenta, Clave Especial and Calle 24. Warner Music Brazil opened a brand new headquarters and a inventive hub in Rio de Janeiro, along with Warner Chappell Music Brazil and ADA Brazil. “We’ve continued to show ourselves an instrumental power in creating the voices which might be shaping the way forward for Latin music,” Duque says.

Largest problem now: “Music remains to be extraordinarily undervalued in contrast with different types of leisure,” Duque says.

Jesús López
Chairman/CEO, Common Music Latin America & Iberian Peninsula
Alfredo Delgadillo
President/CEO, Common Music Mexico
Manuel Peña
Managing director of Andean, Central America and Caribbean, Common Music
Paulo Lima
President, Common Music Brazil
Luis Estrada
President of Southern Cone, Common Music Argentina

Common Music Group’s give attention to artist improvement resulted in back-to-back greatest new artist wins on the Latin Grammys in 2023 (Joaquina) and 2024 (Ela Taubert). The corporate’s international strategy was additionally evident in Colombia’s Feid, who landed within the high 10 of Billboard’s year-end 2024 High Latin Artists chart, whereas Karol G’s 2023 set, Mañana Será Bonito, was the fourth most streamed album globally on Spotify in 2024. One other Colombian, Morat, wrapped a 24-date stadium tour; in Brazil, UMG’s artists included chart-toppers Felipe e Rodrigo, Lauana Prado and Henriquez & Juliano; and in Spain, Lola Índigo was Spotify’s high feminine artist for 2024.

Largest problem now: “Protecting the artist-centric mannequin to guard the rights of artists, composers and music employees, in addition to honest reward for actual artists and actual music,” López says.

Afo Verde
Chairman/CEO
Maria Fernández
Government vp/COO, Sony Music Latin-Iberia
Fernando Cabral
CEO/govt vp of ticketing operations, Latin America, Sony Music Leisure Brazil
Juan Alfonso Sanchez
Senior vp/CFO, Sony Music Latin-Iberia
Jose Maria Barbat
President, Sony Music Iberia
Melissa Exposito
President, Sony Music Latin, Central America and Caribbean
Roberto López
President, Sony Music Mexico

Sony had an outstanding yr in Latin music. After main the High Latin Albums chart with Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, Shakira’s tour of the identical identify additionally made historical past by ruling Billboard Boxscore’s High Excursions rating for February (the primary for a solo feminine Latin artist), repeated the feat for March and bought out a file variety of stadiums in Mexico Metropolis. Rauw Alejandro debuted at No. 1 on the High Latin Albums chart and No. 6 on the Billboard 200 with Cosa Nuestra, and newcomers Ca7riel y Paco Amoroso’s NPR Tiny Desk efficiency was essentially the most profitable of 2024, with over 30 million YouTube views. Different newcomers who crossed the brink towards stardom embrace Colombia’s Kapo, Mexico’s Oscar Maydón and Argentina’s Emilia.

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Un lindo quilombo [A nice mess],” Verde says.

Music Teams: Australasia

Andrew Chan
Managing director, Better China, Sony Music Leisure
Vanessa Picken
Chair/CEO, Sony Music Australia and New Zealand
Shridhar Subramaniam
President of company technique and market improvement in Asia and the Center East, Sony Music Leisure
Vinit Thakkar
Managing director, India, Sony Music Leisure

Sony Music’s operations in Australasia scored a number of massive wins up to now 18 months. It acquired DRM New Zealand for The Orchard. The Australia-New Zealand division of the merchandising firm Ceremony of Roses expanded operations within the Asia Pacific area and is now working with over 30 worldwide excursions. The corporate created Sony Music Masterworks Australia and New Zealand, a live-music and experiential division of SME that efficiently staged Lightscape, Darkish Spectrum and Jurassic World Exhibition, in addition to a sold-out movie/orchestral efficiency of Avatar: The Final Airbender. Sony additionally signed Angus & Julia Stone, Gang of Youths and Sydney digital trio Mansionair.

Largest problem now: “To thrive in at this time’s various and decentralized music panorama,” Picken says, “artists and corporations should adapt, embrace rising applied sciences and construct stronger, extra direct connections with their audiences.”

Chris Gobalakrishna
COO, Warner Music Asia; CFO, Asia Pacific, recorded music, Warner Music/Recorded Music
Dan Rosen
President of data and publishing, Australasia, Warner Music Group/Recorded Music and Publishing
Jay Mehta
Managing director, Warner Music India and South Asian Affiliation for Regional Cooperation
Brayden Crossley
Senior vp of selling, Warner Music Asia, Warner Music/Recorded Music

“Warner Music Australasia lives by its objective,” Rosen says, “to take our native artists international and make our international artists native.” Among the many success tales are New Zealand band Balu Brigada, which hit No. 1 on the Different Airplay chart in the USA with its observe “So Chilly” and is touring the world with Twenty One Pilots. Current Australian signing Esha Tewari is already promoting out reveals for her first U.S. solo tour, and Oliver Cronin has had lots of his tracks go viral internationally, together with in India, the Philippines and Germany. Australia and New Zealand are additionally breakout markets for Teddy Swims, Benson Boone, Maisie Peters and Charli xcx, in line with Rosen.

Largest problem now: “As an {industry},” Rosen says, “we have to harness the advantages of know-how and reduce the potential harms to make sure worth is returned to our artists, songwriters and rights holders.”

Matt Gudinski
CEO, Mushroom Group

As prices rise throughout the music ecosystem, creating new enterprise challenges, Mushroom Group retains evolving. Led by Gudinski, the Melbourne, Australia, unbiased music firm noticed certainly one of its “most vital achievements” in 2024 by consolidating its rights corporations beneath the Mushroom Music banner, together with recording, publishing and neighboring rights actions. “Moreover, we’ve skilled substantial worldwide development throughout the Mushroom Group,” Gudinski says, “reinforcing our place as a dynamic, forward-thinking firm that continues to evolve alongside the ever-changing music {industry}.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Aggressive, but it surely’s an thrilling time as we enter a brand new technology the place extra folks than ever are immersed in music.”

Katsumi Kuroiwa
CEO, Avex
Brandon Silverstein
CEO, Avex Music Group

The largest story at Avex this yr was the launch of Avex Music Group, a U.S.-based entity led by S10 Leisure CEO Silverstein that can give attention to increasing the worldwide attain of Avex artists and constructing the corporate’s publishing portfolio, amongst different endeavors. That deal consists of Avex’s acquisition of S10 Music Publishing’s track catalog and an extra stake in S10 Administration. In the meantime, Avex boy band One or Eight reached No. 1 on Billboard Japan’s Heatseekers Songs chart with “Don’t Inform No one,” whereas producer-writer Grant contributed to eight tracks on Tate McRae’s 2025 Billboard 200 chart-topper, So Near What.

Largest problem now: “Because the enterprise surroundings surrounding artists continues to evolve within the international market, it’s more and more essential to take a position throughout a variety of areas,” Kuroiwa says. “So as to take action, having robust native associate corporations is crucial.”

Cussion Pang
Government chairman
Ross Liang
CEO, Tencent Music Leisure

“Our firm’s music content material ecosystem continues to achieve vitality,” Pang says. In 2024, TME expanded past licensing into music occasions and artist merchandise. The corporate additionally launched three offline occasions: Tencent Music Leisure Awards, WaveMusic Awards and QQ Music Tremendous Dwell. Enhancements to its platforms — QQ Music, Kugou Music and Kuwo Music — helped TME’s subscribers develop 13.4% to 121 million, together with greater than 10 million Tremendous VIP subscribers. “Our dual-­engine content-and-platform technique [creates] a virtuous cycle of development,” Liang provides. (TME is a Billboard licensee in China.)

Timothy Xu
Chairman/CEO, Common Music Better China
Calvin Wong
CEO, Common Music Southeast Asia; senior vp of Asia, Common Music Group
Devraj Sanyal
Chairman/CEO, Common Music India and South Asia; senior vp of technique, Asia Pacific, Center East and Africa, Common Music Group
Naoshi Fujikura
President/CEO, Common Music Japan
Sean Warner
President, Common Music Australia and New Zealand

Development, the enlargement of native content material and blossoming partnerships are a number of the excessive factors of Common Music’s operations in Asia and Australasia over the previous 18 months. Common Music Japan reported 11 consecutive years of income development. The China enterprise nurtured partnerships with artists akin to Jay Chou (the one Chinese language-language artist ever to achieve No. 1 on IFPI’s International Albums chart). The India firm achieved a worldwide hit with “Large Dawgs” from Hanumankind and Kalmi, and the Australasian affiliate is present process modifications as nicely — a part of a mission to interrupt artists on a worldwide stage.

Largest problem now: “Certainly one of our largest challenges in Japan is sustaining the market regardless of the inhabitants decline, particularly amongst youthful generations,” Fujikura says. “To maintain development, we have to implement methods that forestall the market from shrinking. Key efforts embrace increasing the senior person base, rising income per person and creating abroad markets.”

Streaming

Gitte Bendzulla
COO
Nigel Harding
Vp of artist relations
Pedro Kurtz
Director of content material and operations, Americas, Deezer

Harding says that Deezer stays a pioneer in music streaming; he cites the corporate’s strides towards fairer remuneration (involving each recording and publishing rights) by means of Deezer’s Artist Centric Cost System initiative. Deezer is concentrated on followers, too, with its Deezer Stream wheel that personalizes music suggestions based mostly on customers’ tastes and options just like the Deezer Shaker and discovery applications together with Deezer Subsequent. Plus, it’s providing unique stay experiences like Purple Door, Listening Classes and rooftop classes that present followers intimate entry to artists. “These improvements mix know-how, engagement and exclusivity to create deeper connections between followers, music and artists,” Harding says.

Largest problem now: “The rise of AI-generated content material flooding streaming platforms. To handle this, Deezer has developed a instrument to tag AI-generated content material, bettering transparency for customers and defending creators’ rights,” Harding says. “We’ve already found that over 10% of the tracks delivered each day to the platform are AI-generated and, to safeguard creators, this content material will likely be excluded from algorithmic suggestions.”

Dan Chalmers
Director of Europe, the Center East and Africa, YouTube Music
Lizzie Dickson
Head of music, YouTube U.Ok.
Sandra Jimenez
Head of music for Latin America and U.S. Latin
Paul Smith
Managing director, Asia Pacific, YouTube Music

Reaching a brand new milestone of 125 million subscribers to YouTube Music and Premium, the platform’s ad-free video tier, was a spotlight of the previous yr, Chalmers says. “We added 25 million up to now yr alone, outpacing {industry} developments and reinforcing our position as a serious income driver for the music enterprise.” As international subscription development slowed barely in 2024, YouTube Music, which ­accounted for 10.1% of the 818 million subscriptions worldwide, in line with MIDiA Analysis, was the one main subscription service to publish accelerated subscriber development in contrast with 2023.

Largest problem now: “Making certain that individuals can flip their artistry into sustainable careers and lower by means of the litter,” Chalmers says. “Artists want extra than simply streams or views; they want a technique for visibility, engagement and monetization. They want the instruments to construct deep, lasting connections with followers.”

Paul Firth
Director of worldwide music {industry}
Rocío Guerrero
Head of music, Latin-Iberia
Laura Lukanz
Head of music, U.Ok.
John Murphy
Head of music, Canada, Amazon Music

Constructing on its success in music streaming, Amazon formally built-in “Audible’s unparalleled catalog of audiobooks” into the app for customers in the USA, the UK and Canada earlier than then increasing into Australia, New Zealand and France, Firth says. “This launch actually solidifies our place as an all-audio vacation spot for subscribers throughout music, podcasts and audiobooks and was my spotlight of 2024,” he says. The platform can be attempting to assist artists get found. “With the intention to have a thriving music scene, there must be a constant movement of thrilling new artists, they usually want the chance to search out audiences around the globe,” he provides. “Each our Breakthrough and Artists To Watch applications are designed to offer this assist.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Fan-centric,” Firth says.

Georges Fornay
Deputy CEO
Dan Mackta
Managing director of North America and Northern Europe, Qobuz

Paris-based audiophile streaming service Qobuz achieved vital milestones up to now yr, Mackta says, “together with our enlargement into Japan, the launch of the Studio Pupil plan and Qobuz Join. With the U.S. now our main market, Qobuz has solidified its standing as a worldwide firm. These achievements replicate our dedication to delivering a novel and deep music expertise and to strengthen our place because the go-to platform for music lovers and audiophiles worldwide.” In March, Qobuz turned the primary streaming firm to publicly launch the per-streaming royalty fee it pays to fee holders. The all-in fee, which covers each recorded music and publishing, works out to $18.73 for each 1,000 streams.

Largest problem now: “Constructing a good and sustainable streaming mannequin that ensures all artists obtain correct compensation and have equal alternatives to achieve their viewers,” Mackta says.

Matt Gralen
President
Sofia Ilyas
Chief group officer, The Beatport Group

One of the vital achievements at Beatport has been the corporate’s funding in increasing its infrastructure. “By including a chief group officer position —my position — and a devoted staff to give attention to fostering group throughout the digital music area, we’re capable of assist grassroots organizations that champion ­variety, lots of that are volunteer-led and infrequently ignored regardless of being an important a part of the music ecosystem,” IIyas says. The most recent recipients of Beatport’s Variety + Parity Fund embrace Change the Beat, Final Night time a DJ Saved My Life, One Off Traks, Different Village Folks, Saffron and We Are Transferring the Needle.

Largest problem now: “The {industry} faces a number of challenges, however one of the vital urgent is how artists navigate their careers in a quickly altering digital panorama,” Ilyas says. “Many artists at this time search extra autonomy and direct methods to attach with their followers, however the strain to always have interaction on social media has develop into overwhelming.”

Emmy Lovell
International head of music
Ama Walton
Senior vp of content material partnerships/deputy basic counsel, SoundCloud

SoundCloud has partnered with standard membership Hï Ibiza in Spain “for a season-long residency that’ll carry James Hype, Meduza and Hannah Laing to one of many largest levels in digital music,” Lovell says. “As Hï Ibiza’s first-ever model partnership in its 10-year historical past, this can be a large second that reinforces SoundCloud as a trailblazing platform the place international dance music actions are born.” Moreover, Ascending, the artist improvement program designed to spice up upcoming artists, continues to drive actual outcomes, with choose artists seeing a 60% or extra spike in followers. “Making certain our platform stays a launchpad for rising expertise is one thing I care deeply about,” Lovell provides, “and with these milestones, we’re making it clear: SoundCloud is the place the place artists can break by means of the noise.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Unpredictable,” Lovell says.

Rachel Newman
International head of editorial and content material
Anjali Malhotra
International director of classical
Juan Paz
International head of Latin music enterprise, Apple Music

Apple Music’s international footprint was strengthened by a branding initiative that noticed the creation of the Apple Music 100 Greatest Albums and by the addition of Tokyo to the corporate’s Apple Music Studio community. “This previous yr has seen us actually lean into what we do greatest,” Newman says. “The factor that has at all times differentiated us is our editorial energy internationally.” In establishing the 100 greatest albums, “we pulled collectively an unlimited editorial characteristic that [included] votes from our Apple Music editorial groups internationally,” she provides, “in addition to a spread of different knowledgeable opinions — musicians, songwriters, producers, managers and music journalists.” As for the Tokyo studio, “Japan is such an essential marketplace for us, and bringing an Apple Music Radio studio on-line there expanded our Apple Music Studio community to seven studio areas worldwide.”

Andy Sloan-Vincent
Head of worldwide music applications
Manuela Wurm
Head of worldwide editorial
Kossy Ng
Head of music, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan
JungJoo Park
Head of music, Korea, Spotify

Spotify has been leaning into superfan communities extra, and this previous yr, the corporate’s work with South Korean boy band Seventeen illustrates that willpower to “construct deeper connections with their followers around the globe,” as Park places it. That included a first-ever countdown web page and listening events in Indonesia, in addition to in-person fan experiences on the group’s reveals in Seoul; New York; Tokyo; Manila, Philippines; and Jakarta, Indonesia, amongst others. “It was an unimaginable journey that not solely introduced followers nearer to the group,” Park says, “but additionally helped increase their international presence and streaming numbers on Spotify.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “If we needed to sum up the music enterprise at this time in two phrases, they’d be ‘progressive’ and ‘ever-evolving,’ ” Park says. “The {industry} is quickly embracing new applied sciences, and we’re seeing a surge in artist-driven content material that ­pushes inventive boundaries.”

Labels & Distributors

Rebecca Allen
President, viewers and media division, Common Music U.Ok.

Common Music U.Ok. mixed its main labels beneath Island EMI Label Group and Polydor Label Group final yr and launched an viewers and media division helmed by Allen to work throughout artists and labels. She is going to ­proceed collaborating with a number of the acts she aided in her former EMI position alongside Jo Charrington, together with English singer Olivia Dean. Allen describes Dean as “the definition of a world-class artist,” noting, “We noticed simply how onerous Olivia and her supervisor, Emily [Braham], labored to attach with audiences past the U.Ok. Her Coachella and Glastonbury moments, for me, have been an enormous spotlight in 2024.”

Largest problem now: “The dearth of funding for the humanities in faculties. Our pipeline of expertise into this {industry}, into the inventive industries, will likely be decimated with out a actual funding into younger folks and creativity. The funding disaster for the humanities in faculties must be addressed, and as an {industry}, we should step up and play a task on this.”

Tricia Arnold
Government vp of worldwide artist and label companies and gross sales
Prashant Bahadur
Government vp/head of technique
Chris Manning
Managing director, U.Ok. and Europe, The Orchard

Emphasizing The Orchard’s international attain, Arnold factors to Japan’s YOASOBI taking part in pivotal reveals in the USA, together with appearances on the 2024 Coachella and Lollapalooza festivals and a sold-out Radio Metropolis Music Corridor gig in New York final August. As well as, Mexican celebrity Peso Pluma’s second album, Exodo, charted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the High Latin Albums chart and had the largest ever debut for a Mexican artist on Spotify. The Orchard additionally celebrated the No. 20 debut on the Billboard 200 for Mexico’s Tito Double P’s Incomodo (the album later peaked at No. 11), BINI changing into the primary Filipino winner of greatest Asia act on the MTV Europe Music Awards and British singer RAYE successful six BRIT Awards, scoring three Grammy noms and placing on show-­stopping performances on the Grammys and Academy Awards.

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “International, within the truest sense of the phrase,” Arnold says.

Bang Si-Hyuk
Chairman
Jason Jaesang Lee
CEO, HYBE
Jonghyun Kah
CEO, HYBE Latin America
Younger Jae Shin
President, BigHit Music
Yoo Jin Oh
GM, HYBE 360

Whereas HYBE boasts an artist roster with BTS (and its members’ solo releases), Tomorrow X Collectively and NewJeans, its international enlargement will get a lift from an unlikely supply: AI. Supertone, an AI audio firm that HYBE acquired in 2023, launched digital pop group SYNDI8 and enhanced Tomorrow X Collectively’s live performance movies with multilingual pronunciation know-how. Lee thinks that AI advantages musicians, however its regulation isn’t protecting tempo with technological advances. “I imagine the way forward for the {industry} will likely be formed by how intentionally and appropriately we design the utilization and regulation of ­know-how,” he says.

Largest problem now: “The music {industry} as an entire remains to be undervalued,” Lee says. “A easy calculation reveals this: The hourly value of streaming is remarkably low in contrast with different types of leisure and companies. It impacts not solely the income of corporations but additionally the individuals who work within the music {industry} — from creators to the employees on the bottom — who aren’t being compensated for his or her true value.”

Kimberly Bedoya
Head of Latin advertising and marketing, Roc Nation Distribution

The just lately launched Roc Nation Distribution “has offered an answer for indie artists to distribute their music globally,” Bedoya says. “We’ve considerably strengthened our worldwide presence by means of strategic partnerships and collaborations and efficiently executed international advertising and marketing campaigns for high-profile music artists.” That features Dominican rapper-singer Yailin La Más Viral, whose viral track “Bing Bong” trended at No. 1 on YouTube throughout a number of markets, Bedoya says, and “demonstrated our experience in managing large-scale worldwide initiatives and deepened {our relationships} with international companions and media platforms throughout Latin America, Europe and North America.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Modern. The music enterprise at this time is reworking, pushed by speedy technological advances, new platforms and the shift of client behaviors.”

Louis Bloom
President, Island EMI Label Group, Common Music U.Ok.

Not even midway by means of 2025, Bloom already calls it “Chappell Roan’s yr.” After Roan picked up two BRIT Awards in March, her track “Pink Pony Membership” dominated the Official Singles Chart in the UK for 2 weeks, “proving that Chappell’s music is totally timeless,” he provides. In the meantime, Roan’s 2023 album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, has spent 41 weeks within the high 10 on the Official Albums Chart. Bloom says “one other outstanding achievement” is the Depraved soundtrack breaking “the U.Ok. chart file for the longest consecutive reign at No. 1 on the Official Compilations Chart, staying on high for an unprecedented 16 weeks.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Three phrases: relentless but edifying.”

Alec Boateng
President, 0207 Def Jam, Common Music U.Ok.

Final summer time, veteran digital duo Chase & Standing and rapper Stormzy teamed up for “Spine,” which hit No. 1 on the Official Singles Chart in the UK. “Seeing this track [a joint release with EMI] have worldwide attain is superb, and clearly, the very fact it was such an enormous No. 1 within the U.Ok. is one thing we’re actually pleased with,” Boateng says. “Given the vary of decisions going through an artist these days,” he continues, 0207 Def Jam is concentrated on offering “bespoke particular person companies of high quality to every artist that we work with.” Within the music {industry} now, “everybody has a special time through which the second occurs,” in line with Boateng. “And persistence is required for many who take an extended time to get there.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Unpredictable.”

Joseph Chang
Co-CEO, Kakao Leisure
Daniel Jang
Dmitry YJ Tak
Co-CEOs, SM Leisure

“Over the previous few months, Kakao Leisure has solidified its place as a key participant within the Ok-pop scene,” Chang says. Discovering a brand new twist on the Ok-pop mannequin, Kakao’s three way partnership with SM Leisure launched a five-member British boy band, dearALICE, which reached No. 2 on the U.Ok. Official Bodily Singles Chart with its debut single, “Ariana.” Each corporations had profitable world excursions, too. Kakao’s IVE staged its first large-scale world tour and performed to 420,000 followers in 28 cities throughout the globe, in line with SM. SM’s aespa did its second world tour from June 2024 to March 2025, staging 43 concert events in 28 cities.

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “ ‘Boundary-breaking’ is the phrase that greatest describes at this time’s music {industry},” Chang says. “The {industry} is not hemmed in by partitions of language, nationality, platform or style.”

Jo Charrington
President, Capitol Information, Common Music U.Ok.
Kieran Thurgood
Government vp of worldwide advertising and marketing, Capitol Music Group

Working intently with U.S. labels — Capitol, Island and Mercury — has paid off in breaking U.Ok. artists stateside, Charrington says, as evidenced by the success of DJ-producer Sammy Virji. “Sammy performed Coachella [in April] and is ready to play two dates at Brooklyn Mirage in June,” Charrington says, including that British neo-soul singer Olivia Dean is touring the USA and opening for Sabrina Carpenter at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York in October. For Thurgood, international campaigns for songs by Good Neighbours, Quavo & Lana Del Rey, Ice Spice and Troye Sivan have all yielded international hits, in addition to his staff’s work on the meteoric ascent of Doechii, whose newest hit, “Anxiousness,” simply topped the worldwide Spotify charts, “with 70% of consumption originating exterior the U.S.,” he says.

Largest problem now: “Pointedly, reaching optimum success for our artists and portfolio of labels basically depends on aggressively, however authentically, driving and harnessing the ability of superfandom,” Thurgood says.

Brianne Deslippe
Senior vp of selling, Large Loud Information

At Large Loud, “we scaled our worldwide enterprise quickly this yr with aggressive international advertising and marketing efforts, promotional occasions, inventive social and digital campaigns, multiformat radio No. 1s and practically 250 tour dates and festivals,” Deslippe says. Morgan Wallen’s One Night time at a Time World Tour spanned 10 nations and 87 reveals, whereas different Large Loud artists together with Stephen Wilson Jr., Dylan Gossett, Ashley Cooke, Charles Wesley Godwin and Kashus Culpepper skilled development in international market reception, driving surges in streaming and viewers numbers. Nonetheless, Deslippe says of the obstacles in advertising and marketing rising skills, “Discoverability is a continuing problem as new artists combat for consideration in overcrowded areas.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Evolving.”

Sipho Dlamini
President/managing director, gamma.

Dlamini and his staff signed over 35 distribution offers throughout Africa and the Center East, establishing the corporate’s presence within the latter area by producing Steve Harvey’s Open Hearth Meals Pageant in collaboration with BET Africa. He additionally A&R’d a remixed observe by Tamela Mann by bringing in South African amapiano/3-step producer Mörda. In addition they opened gamma.’s first workplace in Lagos, Nigeria, providing full label companies and native illustration for its distribution platform Vydia, and fashioned strategic partnerships with Sol Era (Kenya’s main label, owned by Sauti Sol) and Gallo Music Group (South Africa’s oldest and largest unbiased label).

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Confused.”

Denzyl Feigelson
Co-founder/CEO, Platoon

Final yr, Platoon, the Apple-owned artist companies, A&R and music distribution firm, elevated its efforts to offer career-boosting companies to acts worldwide by delving into the classical world. These efforts paid off in November, when the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel’s Fandango album that includes violinist Anne Akiko Meyers and composer Arturo Márquez received two classical classes on the Latin Grammy Awards, and once more in February, when Gabriela Ortiz’s Revolución Diamantina with Dudamel and the L.A. Phil spotlighting violinist María Dueñas took dwelling an unprecedented three Grammy Awards, together with greatest orchestral efficiency.

Largest problem now: “There are in fact a number of points and, in flip, alternatives,” Feigelson says. “One that’s high of thoughts is the notion of fast in a single day success versus profession improvement.”

Arthur Fitzgibbon
Managing director, Brazil
Andrés López-Quiroga
Government vp of enterprise improvement, Latin Iberia, ONErpm

“ONErpm has continued to develop and set up itself as a contemporary label for artists at numerous levels of their careers,” together with native, worldwide and international acts, “demonstrating that our international construction, know-how and versatile deal constructions profit each artists and the present {industry} panorama,” López-Quiroga says. He factors to worldwide success with hits like Probability Peña and Andres Castro’s “Vaquero Vaquero,” Chimbala’s “Che Che,” Brytiago’s “Kilerito” and rising artist Alejo. “Our capacity to quickly adapt to the evolving {industry} panorama — leveraging our know-how, international and organizational constructions — and versatile deal constructions,” he provides, “has enabled ONErpm to extend its international market share whereas sustaining a high 5 place in numerous markets worldwide.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Ever-changing,” López-Quiroga says.

Kenny Gates
Co-founder/CEO, [PIAS]

In October final yr, [PIAS] co-founder/CEO Gates and co-founder Michel Lambot bought their remaining shares of the indie label group to Common Music Group to assist their dream of providing really international distribution companies to the unbiased music group. Six months later, Gates says the partnership has allowed [PIAS] to retain its autonomy and core values whereas changing into “an added dimension within the UMG ecosystem,” as [PIAS] has continued to reveal its dedication to artists by means of current successes like Nick Cave and the Unhealthy Seeds’ new album, Wild God, and the breakout success of controversial Irish hip-hop act Kneecap.

Largest problem now: “Gaining access to media and to engaged audiences for really nice and passionate artists is changing into tougher and tougher because the DSPs and the market usually develop into ever extra overwhelmed with the sheer quantity of mediocrity clogging the system.”

Jonas Haentjes
CEO, Edel

One of many largest unbiased music corporations in Europe, Edel owns a number of labels (earMUSIC, dance-focused Kontor Information), a large vinyl urgent plant (Optimum Media, which additionally manufactures CDs, DVDs and books) and a distribution operation. Final yr, gross sales have been down 7.7% total, however with a 3.2% improve in EBITDA (earnings earlier than curiosity, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and robust development in digital distribution, balanced by a steady manufacturing enterprise. The vinyl enterprise suffers from overcapacity, however “everybody is aware of us, everybody trusts us, and we’re attempting to push our course of additional,” Haentjes says.

Largest problem now: “We actually have to be careful with what we permit the AI corporations to do.”

Tor Hansen
Co-founder/govt, Redeye
Pelle Eriksson
Managing director, Border Music/Redeye

As leaders of the Swedish indie distributor Redeye, Hansen and Eriksson have spent the previous yr streamlining how music from their international label companions reaches followers around the globe — from bodily merchandise at retailers to DSPs — and specializing in merchandise delivered to shops in Scandinavia. “We now have intensified our efforts on spreading the information, and the music, from native unbiased labels we work with all through the world,” Eriksson says. “The important thing to maintain the bodily a part of the {industry} alive and nicely is to proceed to supply high quality merchandise, vinyl and CD — at honest costs, all to maintain the record-buying public blissful.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “For the Scandinavia market, I’d say, ‘Regular,’ ” Eriksson says. “For Border’s worldwide releases, I’d say, ‘Rising.’ ”

Paul Hitchman
COO
Ben Akinbola
Head of development, AWAL

“Final yr, marquee AWAL artists like Jungle [in the United Kingdom] and The Seashores [in Canada] — winners of group of the yr honors on the BRIT Awards and Juno Awards, respectively — reached new heights of their careers internationally. Constructing off these worldwide successes, we now even have native artists charting on each inhabitable continent, with a presence on the bottom in over 15 markets,” Akinbola says, pointing to successes in South Africa with Yanga Chief, the Philippines with Zae and India with Loka. “All of our successes are finally the mix of AWAL’s distinctive mannequin for artist improvement, our partnership with native Sony Music groups in development markets and, most significantly, an unimaginable roster of unbiased artists who repeatedly push inventive boundaries.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Democratization,” Akinbola says.

Ed Howard
Briony Turner
Co-presidents, Atlantic Information U.Ok.
Samantha Strum
Director of worldwide advertising and marketing, Atlantic Information

Due to the marketing campaign waged by Charli xcx and Atlantic, 2024 turned recognized in a number of markets because the yr of Brat Summer time. “We helped to outline tradition,” Howard says of the marketing campaign’s brilliant inexperienced aesthetic that “took over every thing from style, sports activities, U.S. politics and past.” He provides, “Charli is a good instance of a long-term artist improvement. Having signed with Atlantic at simply 15, she’s had the time and backing to develop with inventive freedom, pushing the boundaries of other pop.” Trying forward, Turner is worked up concerning the U.Ok. signings of Kingfishr and Yaelokre, plus artist Alex Warren, whose “Unusual” hit No. 1 on the Official Singles Chart in the UK.

Largest problem now: “We more and more face challenges in sustaining and increasing our [U.K.] export attain as a consequence of a mix of political, financial and aggressive elements,” Howard says.

Manu Kaushish
President of worldwide, Create Music Group

In June 2024, Create Music Group reached a major milestone when it obtained a $160 million funding from Chicago-based non-public fairness agency Flexpoint Ford. The transfer elevated CMG to “unicorn” standing after getting a $1 billion valuation. The capital allowed CMG to accumulate the catalogs of deadmau5 and his label, mau5trap. Based in 2015, CMG consists of advertising and marketing company Flighthouse and unbiased music distribution platform Engine Label, which dealt with Ye and Ty Dolla $ign’s Billboard 200 No. 1 Vultures 1. “We’re poised for continued aggressive enlargement in 2025, empowering and onboarding much more worldwide artists and labels,” Kaushish says.

Largest problem now: “ adequately and pretty compensate music creators in a world of ever-changing streaming royalties and algorithms, particularly with the dominance and energy that DSPs and their stakeholders have proper now.”

Joe Kentish
President, Warner Information U.Ok.
Luke Armitage
Senior vp of worldwide advertising and marketing, Warner Information (Export Advertising and marketing)

Warner Information delivered a robust efficiency in the UK and globally in 2024. Dua Lipa and Coldplay headlined Glastonbury, which was streamed worldwide for the primary time. With Radical Optimism, Lipa additionally attained “large international success with [over] 3 billion streams and a sold-out international tour,” whereas Coldplay’s Moon Music “turned the fastest-selling album of 2024 by a British act,” Kentish says. Additionally of word: Linkin Park’s From Zero comeback album notched No. 1 debuts in a number of nations together with the UK, Australia and France; Benson Boone landed a No. 1 on the U.Ok. Official Singles Chart with “Stunning Issues”; and Teddy Swims ushered in 2025 together with his first No. 1 album in Australia, I’ve Tried All the pieces however Remedy (Half 2).

Largest problem now: “On a broader degree, it’s the decoupling of artists and their narratives from their songs,” Kentish says. “The way in which music is consumed at this time makes it more and more difficult to inform essential new tales by means of these channels.”

Lyn Koppe
Government vp of worldwide catalog
Charlie Stanford
Senior vp of worldwide, business music group, Sony Music Leisure

Sony Music’s international catalog staff is “really distinctive and galvanizing,” says Koppe, who manages the expansive Legacy Recordings/Sony Music catalog. “With the privilege of overseeing a number of the most iconic music from the final 100-plus years, our staff focuses on innovating, sharing learnings and creating greatest practices amongst nations as trusted collaborators.” In the meantime, Stanford says his purview throughout all of Sony Music’s worldwide catalog continued to broaden due to a number of of the corporate’s main acquisitions. “As at all times,” Koppe provides, “our ardour for music, our artists and their followers stays the highest precedence guiding our methods around the globe.”

Largest problem now: “Followers have a whole lot of alternative,” Stanford says, “so from a catalog perspective, we should give attention to creating distinctive and genuine methods to chop by means of and assist audiences uncover many years of unimaginable music from around the globe.”

Ben Larsen
Government vp of worldwide, Interscope Geffen A&M

“Being given license to reimagine how we develop artist careers globally and the way we do enterprise around the globe has meant that my staff and I are capable of evolve the partnerships with our UMG associates to larger impact,” Larsen says. That freedom performed an integral position in paving a two-way-street — inventive and execution — that delivered “superb outcomes” during the last yr. As examples, Larsen cites Woman Gaga, Kendrick Lamar and Playboi Carti, who had “a number of the largest international rollouts in years, topping album and singles charts.” Then to additionally see Gracie Abrams “break by means of with an enormous No. 1 single [“That’s So True”] everywhere in the world is thrilling,” Larsen provides, “and units the tone for what’s to come back.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Relentless.”

Federico Lauria
Founder/CEO, Dale Play

The Argentina-based firm made spectacular positive aspects throughout its divisions: Dale Play Administration, Dale Play Information and Dale Play Dwell. On the administration facet, Lauria’s marquee consumer Duki turned the primary rapper — and solely Argentine artist — to promote out Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. In the meantime, Lauria says Dale Play Dwell bought over 1 million tickets in Argentina alone throughout 2024, selling reveals for international acts Travis Scott and Karol G, to call just a few. Moreover, Dale Play Information — dwelling to artists like Cazzu and Paulo Londra — and Unhealthy Bunny’s Rimas Leisure teamed for a strategic alliance, “taking part in a key position in creating and amplifying a brand new wave of Spanish-language city music around the globe,” Lauria provides.

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Ardour. A minimum of in Dale Play, that’s our engine. It’s what drives each threat, each thought and each motion. With out it, nothing else works.”

Nando Luaces
Founder/CEO, Altafonte

Since Sony Music Group’s acquisition of Altafonte in January 2024, “we proceed to function independently however have all of the monetary capability and know-how to develop in a really aggressive and dynamic market,” Luaces says. On {industry} challenges, Luaces emphasizes adapting to technological advances: “AI and the problem of the way to be honest in royalty funds for streaming is the issue of at this time, and we should remedy it,” he says. “With the intention to have a affluent and bigger enterprise, we proceed to adapt to modifications and technological advances, as has been the historical past of music for the final 130 years.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Acceptance. Settle for that the world is unstable and altering. Something can occur.”

Roni Maltz Bin
Founder/CEO, Sua Música Group

Brazilian indie distributor Sua, recognized for its give attention to unbiased regional artists, has now begun its “worldwide enlargement into the Latin market,” Maltz Bin says, noting that the corporate has plans to launch labels in key territories together with Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Mexico within the subsequent 24 months. In December, Sua opened a recording studio and concrete music label Único Música in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for rising expertise. The ­firm additionally employed its first A&R govt in Medellín, Colombia, with plans to launch a label there. “There has by no means been a time with so many alternatives within the music {industry} for artists, producers, labels, file corporations and entrepreneurs,” Maltz Bin says. “We live within the golden period of the music enterprise.”

Largest problem now: “The 2 largest challenges are the rise of AI-powered instruments and the rising quantity of synthetic streaming and fraud.”

Martin Mills
Chairman
Paul Redding
COO
Brandon Becker
International vp of streaming, Beggars Group
Jean-Philippe Aline
GM, Beggars France
Ben Beardsworth
Managing director, XL Recordings
Caius Pawson
Founder, Younger

In 2024, XL Recordings labored intently with The Smile, in addition to DJ Peggy Gou. “(It Goes Like) Nanana,” Gou’s debut launch for XL, topped singles charts across the globe forward of the 2024 launch of her acclaimed solo album, I Hear You. Mills is especially pleased with how Beggars Group additionally helped take Irish band Fontaines D.C. “to the following degree.” Final September, the band made its Billboard 200 debut with its fourth album, Romance (launched on XL Recordings), which peaked at No. 2 on the U.Ok. Official Albums Chart. In the meantime, lead single “Starburster” turned a high 20 hit on the Different and Triple A airplay charts. As Mills says, “It was a serious international success story that we’re all very pleased with.”

Largest problem: “The largest problem is cash,” Mills says. “Commerce and artwork have at all times been uncomfortable bedfellows, by no means extra so than now.”

Ben Mortimer
President, Polydor Label Group, Common Music U.Ok.

Mortimer’s focus during the last yr was “integrating the unimaginable artist rosters and govt expertise at Capitol Information and 0207 Def Jam into the Polydor world.” He says, “It’s gone remarkably easily, which is a testomony to all concerned.” Polydor star Sam Fender additionally launched his Folks Watching album, which channels basic heartland rock; it hit the highest of the U.Ok. Official Albums Chart with 107,000 chart items — the largest opening week for a British solo act since 2022. Fender will play choose stadium reveals in the UK this summer time.

Largest problem now: “Vying for consideration amid the breadth of music from around the globe. Nonetheless, the U.Ok. has at all times punched above its weight creatively, and I really feel we’re on the cusp of a brand new wave of breakthrough British expertise.”

Suhel Nafar
Managing director of West Asia and North Africa
Jeffrey Yoo
Senior vp of East Asia
Taeko Saito
Senior vp of enterprise improvement and techniques, Asia Pacific, EMPIRE

“EMPIRE has made vital strides in bridging international music markets, fostering cross-cultural collaborations and amplifying various voices,” together with a “robust basis within the African music scene,” Nafar says, citing for instance Moroccan rapper Dada and Sudanese rapper Soulja recording an Arabic remix of Los Angeles rapper 310babii’s 2024 Rhythmic Airplay No. 1 breakout hit, “Soak Metropolis (Do It).” And signing a number of the largest acts in South Korea and Southeast Asia like Ok-pop icon G-Dragon has additional cemented “EMPIRE’s popularity as a key participant in shaping the way forward for the worldwide music {industry},” he provides.

Largest problem now: “As an alternative of merely capitalizing on what performs nicely within the information,” Nafar says, “the {industry} should do higher in nurturing and creating expertise, making certain that artistry and innovation stay on the coronary heart of the music enterprise.”

Donny Novakovic
Vp of worldwide advertising and marketing, Disney Music Group

“This yr, we introduced our storytelling ardour to life with thrilling international soundtrack campaigns for 2 extremely anticipated movies, Moana 2 and Mufasa: The Lion King,” Novakovic says, including that final yr, Disney made the soundtracks accessible in 29 languages, “making certain that the magic of those tales reaches cultures worldwide.” Earlier in 2025, the corporate launched the soundtrack to Disney’s Snow White, “a charming addition to our repertoire that continues to rejoice the timeless tales which have impressed generations,” he says. Novakovic additionally notes the momentum of pop trio virtually monday, which wrapped a sold-out 19-city headlining run by means of Europe.

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase “Considerable — overflowing with creativity, expertise and alternative throughout a always increasing international panorama.”

Jamie Oborne
Founder, Soiled Hit

Oborne says that Soiled Hit — the house of a various indie-­leaning steady of acts, together with The 1975, Bleachers, beabadoobee and Saya Grey — spent the previous yr increasing its international attain with worldwide partnerships and placement on stay and digital platforms in several nations. “One spotlight has been our efforts in increasing into rising markets akin to Asia and Latin America, the place we’ve seen a rising fan base for our artists,” Oborne says. “By these initiatives, now we have strengthened our worldwide enterprise relationships by pushing our artists into new territories and enabling them to attach with a wider viewers than ever earlier than.”

Largest problem now: The streaming mannequin “closely favors giant companies and main labels, leaving unbiased artists and smaller labels with a a lot smaller share of the income. Consequently, there’s an ongoing want for fairer revenue-sharing fashions, higher safety for mental property and extra assist for unbiased artists to make sure the sustainability of the {industry}.”

Olamide
Founder/CEO, YBNL Nation

“YBNL Nation has made vital strides in increasing our international footprint and solidifying our presence in key worldwide markets,” says artist Olamide, who additionally runs his personal firm. Asake bought out London’s O2 Enviornment for the second time in September 2024, changing into the third Nigerian artist after Davido and Wizkid to promote out the venue a number of occasions, in line with YBNL Nation. The present was held a month after he launched his third album, Lungu Boy, which included collaborations with Travis Scott (“Energetic” hit No. 1 on Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs), U.Ok. artists Central Cee and Stormzy and Brazil’s Ludmilla. “MMS” (that includes Wizkid) earned Asake his second Grammy nomination for greatest African music efficiency. “Collaborations with worldwide artists and producers have helped bridge the hole between Afrobeats and different genres,” he provides, “additional establishing our label as a key participant within the international music scene.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Disruptive.”

Alejandra Olea
Managing director, Americas, Consider
Andreea Gleeson
CEO, TuneCore
Romain Vivien
International head of music/president of Europe, Consider

Consider, and subsidiary TuneCore, characterize “artists and labels throughout each style in native markets all around the globe,” Vivien says — together with about 50 artists who have been both nominated for or received awards at some two dozen awards ceremonies worldwide, in line with the corporate. Its technique of working with native unbiased labels and producers led to offers with legendary Punjabi label White Hill Music, Krumolo in Southeast Asia and the launch of Playcode, Consider’s first native hip-hop imprint. Rising stars that charted internationally in 2024 embrace Canada’s Cheema Y, Germany’s Lacazette and Japan’s ¥ellow Bucks and Pink Eye.

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Dynamic,” Vivien says. “That is true throughout each space of the {industry}, round how music is created, found, consumed after which redefined. This has been powered by the rising digitalization, which permits for extra creation, sooner and wider distribution to achieve audiences extra instantly and precisely and for a wider and extra various artist group.”

Maykel Piron
Co-founder/CEO, Armada Music Group

For over 20 years, Armada Music co-founder/CEO Piron has remained a driving power in digital dance music, particularly for unbiased artists. With groups throughout the USA and sections of Europe, Armada Music Group has been targeted on worldwide enlargement. The corporate has expanded its publishing division and doubled the scale of its London workplace. “With groups strategically positioned throughout Europe, the U.Ok. and the U.S.,” Piron says, “we’re capable of function synergistically throughout markets, offering complete international assist for our artists.”

Largest problem now: “With an awesome variety of releases dropping every week, chopping by means of the noise is tougher than ever, particularly in digital music. Labels should collaborate intently with their artists to tailor methods particular to their wants — a one-size-fits-all strategy merely doesn’t lower it.”

Jeff Remedios
President of strategic improvement
Mike Alexander
Government vp of worldwide advertising and marketing technique, REPUBLIC Collective
Steven Rowen
Senior vp of worldwide advertising and marketing technique, Island Information
Zoe Briggs
Vp of worldwide advertising and marketing technique, Republic Information/Mercury Information
Myra deCastro-Yournett
Vp of worldwide advertising and marketing, Republic Information/Def Jam Recordings

Alexander says 2024 was “an enormous yr” for REPUBLIC Collective due to artists akin to The Weeknd, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan and Noah Kahan. Final yr’s highlights embrace Carpenter’s Brief n’ Candy debuting at No. 1 in 15 nations and transferring 10 million items globally, in line with REPUBLIC, in addition to her changing into the primary non-British artist to win the worldwide success trophy on the 2025 BRIT Awards. Plus, Roan received greatest worldwide artist and track on the 2025 BRITs, Kahan’s “Stick Season” turned the yr’s No. 1 single in the UK and the Depraved soundtrack broke the file for longest consecutive No. 1 reign on the U.Ok. Official Compilations Chart.

Largest problem now: “I don’t see them as points as a lot as I see them as alternatives,” Alexander says. “There are such a lot of untapped audiences around the globe that we’re simply beginning to attain.”

Kaiya Sarkis
GM, SALXCO UAM

Sarkis says SALXCO UAM takes “pleasure in breaking Arabic music, tradition and sound globally” since CEO Wassim “Sal” Slaiby based the label in 2021. Palestinian-Chilean pop star Elyanna, who made historical past at Coachella in 2023 by changing into the primary artist to carry out a complete set in Arabic, made her TV debut on The Late Present With Stephen Colbert in Might 2024. In October, she joined Coldplay alongside Argentine actress-singer-songwriter TINI to carry out “We Pray” — which turned Elyanna’s first Billboard Scorching 100 entry, peaking at No. 87 — through the band’s Saturday Night time Dwell gig. “Our data have additionally made their mark on U.S. and international charts, together with Nancy Ajram, Saint Levant and extra,” she provides, “additional solidifying our dedication to creating an enduring impression and increasing the attain of Arabic music worldwide.”

Ed Scott
Head of worldwide label and artist advertising and marketing
Olukorede “Kay” Ikazoboh
Nation supervisor, Nigeria
Amit Sharma
Nation supervisor, India
Liza Faudy
Regional director, Southeast Asia, Virgin Music Group

In October 2024, Virgin Music Group expanded its international attain after buying Outdustry, recognized for its artist and label companies and rights administration throughout China, India and different large-growth markets. Outdustry founder Ed Peto joined Virgin as senior vp of worldwide technique. Together with that acquisition, Virgin additionally scored wins with its Nigerian division. Based on Ikazoboh, Virgin Music Nigeria invested extra in homegrown ventures akin to Dapper Leisure and Rain Labs in Ghana, with the latter yielding spectacular wins, together with a Ghana Music Awards nomination for greatest hip-hop track from native artist Joey B.

Largest problem now: “The continuing battle for honest and sustainable monetization,” Ikazoboh says. “Whereas streaming has revolutionized entry to music, income constructions stay disproportionately skewed in favor of platforms slightly than the creators themselves. For African artists and native music corporations, this problem is compounded by restricted monetary infrastructure, difficulties in gathering royalties throughout a number of territories and the necessity for larger industrywide transparency.”

Adriana Sein
International head of artist and market improvement, ADA
Howard Nook
Managing director, ADA U.Ok.
Cesar Lores
Managing director/head of EU A&R, ADA Iberia
Ben Ralph
Managing director, ADA Australasia
Nikoo Sadr
Vp of worldwide companies and enterprise improvement, ADA Nordics

ADA, the worldwide unbiased music distribution and artist companies division of Warner Music Group, spent the final year-and-a-half targeted on development in key markets. In Latin America, ADA invested in Brazil’s Sua Música Group and Venezuealan band Rawayana earned its first U.S. and Latin Grammy wins. In the UK, ADA renewed its partnership with Sonny Fodera, whose hit observe “Somedays” was the nation’s biggest-selling unbiased single of the yr, in line with ADA U.Ok. In Southeast Asia, ADA deepened its collaboration with DPM, certainly one of Indonesia’s largest music corporations, and solid a brand new cope with GMM Music, the area’s largest unbiased label. Plus, Norwegian star Emma Steinbakken received artist of the yr at awards present P3 Gull and held the No. 1 spot on native radio for a number of weeks.

Largest problem now: “We have to sustain with how quickly know-how is evolving the best way followers uncover and devour music,” Sein says.

Per Sundin
CEO, Pophouse Leisure

In March, Pophouse introduced that it had raised over 1 billion euros ($1.1 million) to spend money on music rights. The corporate already has made offers with acts together with KISS, Cyndi Lauper, Avicii and Swedish Home Mafia. “The Avicii documentary I’m Tim, which premiered on New 12 months’s Eve 2024, was met with an overwhelmingly optimistic response, and now we have a number of tasks cooking on all of our catalogs with our implausible artists,” Sundin says. “Our manufacturing leg can be thriving. ABBA Voyage — the avatar present increasing the legacy of a globally beloved band, and through which we’re funding buyers — has bought over 3 million tickets in beneath three years since being launched in Might 2022. And Mamma Mia! The Social gathering continues to promote out reveals in London, Stockholm and Rotterdam [Netherlands].”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Important. And it at all times has been. All through historical past, throughout occasions of political chaos or uncertainty, music and leisure have been a lifeline.”

Darius van Arman
CEO
Tom Davies
Director of worldwide advertising and marketing and campaigns, Secretly Distribution
Ali Murphy
Senior worldwide advertising and marketing director, Secretly Group

The Secretly Group of labels and Secretly Distribution have been targeted on fostering “key markets whereas working international campaigns, a current spotlight being Grammy-nominated Khruangbin’s A La Sala, which hit the highest 10 throughout a number of European markets,” Murphy says. Whereas the corporate is predominantly American, she notes that it’s gaining stable footing in plenty of worldwide markets with albums or singles from Phoebe Bridgers, Mitski and Bon Iver “going gold within the U.Ok. up to now 12 to 18 months; a real testomony to the standard of artists we work with and the groups we’ve constructed internationally.”

Largest problem now: “Secretly is an artist-first firm, and whereas we’d like to verify to be pulling all of the levers, we’re additionally coping with actual folks — artists and followers,” Murphy says. “So it’s about putting a steadiness between authenticity, effectivity and creating distinctive moments that really feel true to the artist and to which followers can join.”

Pieter van Rijn
CEO, Downtown Music
Renato Vanzella
GM of Latin America
Liz Northeast
Senior vp of Europe, Center East and Asia, FUGA
Raymond Tapia
Vp of A&R, Latin, Downtown artist and label companies

Downtown Music CEO van Rijn says this yr’s awards season was a “testomony to the outstanding international expertise now we have the privilege of supporting.” Downtown reviews that its artists and writers have been concerned with greater than one-third of this yr’s Grammy winners and garnered six wins on the Latin Grammys, whereas its publishing shoppers received 13 honors on the BMI Latin Awards. Successes got here from FUGA consumer and Th3rd Mind artist Zerb, who topped Spotify’s and Shazam’s dance charts; Froukje, with essentially the most streamed and best-selling Dutch album of 2024; and Netón Vega, a Peso Pluma collaborator whose debut album, Mi Vida Mi Muerte, hit No. 19 on the Billboard 200.

Largest problem now: “Putting a steadiness between embracing innovation whereas constructing sturdy frameworks that defend rights holders and guarantee long-term worth for artists, songwriters and music companies is essential,” van Rijn says.

Dan Waite
CEO, Higher Noise Music

Higher Noise has lengthy been one of the vital dominant labels in mainstream rock, topping the Mainstream Rock Airplay Labels year-end chart for the third time this decade in 2024, whereas additionally claiming the highest track (Nothing Extra’s “If It Doesn’t Damage”) by the group Nothing Extra. Waite sees Higher Noise as well-positioned to benefit from streaming-era globalization, as evidenced by its success with Mongolian rockers The Hu. “The music {industry} at this time has by no means had a larger international alternative for music inclusion and consumption throughout platforms, know-how, communities,” he says. “The music style palate of the world has developed, and this offers rise to the following breakthrough band being from anyplace.”

Largest problem now: “There’s nonetheless solely 24 hours in a day, and the music enterprise faces headwinds from attention-competing options for folks’s time, lack of honest compensation for prior work from AI tech, the squeeze on the new-creator degree by thresholds on fee and lack of really unbiased distributor routes to market.”

Publishing

Benjamin Budde
CEO, Budde Music

Over the previous decade, Budde Music has expanded from its roots as a music writer into expertise administration, live performance promotion and the company enterprise. So in 2024 the corporate employed Maximilian Paproth to run its German publishing enterprise and international A&R, liberating CEO Budde to drive additional development. The large inventive win for the corporate — the largest writer in Germany after the majors and BMG — was celebrating the fortieth anniversary of Alphaville’s “Eternally Younger.” Budde companions with Warner Music Group on the act’s recordings and ­publishes its songs globally. Its marketing campaign despatched the track to No. 1 on the TikTok Billboard High 50 record and a David Guetta remix with singer Ava Max to No. 2 on Scorching Dance/Digital Songs.

Nestor Casonu
President of Latin America
Stephane Berlow
Managing director of France
Simon Moor
Managing director of Asia-Pacific
Frederica Wong
Director of Asia
Swantje Weinert
Senior vp/head of A&R for Germany, Switzerland and Austria, Kobalt

“We’ve seen vital development and success throughout our worldwide operations,” Casonu says, pointing to Kobalt Music Publishing’s win for modern Latin writer of the yr on the 2025 BMI Latin Awards. (The ­writer reviews that it represents not less than a part of seven of the style’s most carried out songs in 2024.) “This was an enormous milestone for Kobalt and one thing we’re very pleased with,” he says. “Our regional Mexican catalog continues to evolve. This yr alone, now we have formally signed Pedro Tovar of Eslabon Armado, Kartel Music, Hitkidz, Kevin Kaarl, Ana Bárbara and plenty of extra.” In the meantime, in Asia, Kobalt has secured partnerships with Tencent and NetEase, in addition to establishing licensing frameworks for streaming video on demand.

Largest problem now: “Synthetic intelligence is unquestionably the largest problem we face,” Casonu says. “AI poses a major menace as a result of lack of laws or a cohesive plan to regulate its use inside our {industry} at this second.”

Justin Dowling
Government vp of U.Ok. and Europe, Major Wave; director, Blue Mountain Music

The discharge of the biographical display drama Bob Marley: One Love early in 2024 reenergized the catalog of the pioneering Jamaican reggae artist, Dowling says, creating one of many previous yr’s most notable spikes for the corporate’s roster. Marley’s catalog reaching billion-stream standing was an enormous win for Major Wave, he says. “We waited a very long time for it, and aided by the very profitable One Love biopic, we achieved this for not one however two songs within the catalog in 2024.”

Largest problem now: “Music ought to be cohesive. It ought to unite us, not divide us. So I’m a smidge involved about the place the following stadium-filling act goes to come back from that can attract people from throughout all generations and divides.”

Kim Frankiewicz
Government vp of worldwide A&R, Harmony Music Publishing
Tina Funk
Managing director, Harmony Music Publishing Germany, Switzerland and Austria
Jaime Gough
Managing director, Harmony Australia and New Zealand

For Frankiewicz, 2024 was a yr that “actually demonstrated the worldwide mix and attain” of Harmony’s roster. “Whereas homegrown within the U.Ok., the worldwide sensation that’s [Charli xcx’s] brat is actually unmatched,” she says. “It’s been thrilling to be part of a cultural phenomenon and work with Grammy-winning govt producer A. G. Prepare dinner, in addition to different contributors from our roster like George Daniel of The 1975, Julian Casablancas and extra.” After diligently curating and creating a roster of writers and producers across the globe in a wide range of genres, Harmony discovered success with producer Sammy Soso’s work with South Africa’s Tyla, in addition to Thai celebrity and Blackpink member Lisa, co-writing a number of songs on her breakout solo album, Alter Ego.

Largest problem now: “One of many largest points going through songwriters and publishers is the frequently low royalty charges from streaming,” Frankiewicz says.

Shani Gonzales
Managing director, Warner Chappell Music U.Ok.; head of worldwide A&R, Warner Chappell Music
Natascha Augustin
Managing director, Warner Chappell Music Germany
Gustavo Menendez
President, U.S. Latin and Latin America
Santiago Menendez-Pidal
President, Southern Europe
Arica Ng
President, Asia Pacific, Warner Chappell Music
Matthieu Tessier
Managing director, Warner Chappell Music France

Warner Chappell Music had a superb yr throughout all of its territories. Gonzales says she’s particularly pleased with ­signee Daniel Blumberg, who took dwelling an Academy Award and a BRIT Award for his rating for The Brutalist; producer P2J for his work on current Burna Boy and Wizkid tracks; RAYE and Jon Shave for his or her skills to “develop from energy to energy … with cuts throughout the globe”; and Amy Allen’s Grammy songwriter of the yr win. Allen’s co-writes had a mixed 11 straight weeks at No. 1 on the Pop Airplay chart in 2024 and 2025. “This win is very large in addressing the shortage of recognition for songwriters,” Gonzales says.

Largest problem now: “The necessity to respect U.Ok. copyright regulation and never let AI corporations commerce on music with out permission,” Gonzales says. “The Make It Truthful [campaign] was an amazing present of energy from the U.Ok. {industry} and goes to point out simply how massive a difficulty it truly is.”

David Grey
Managing director, U.Ok./head of worldwide A&R
Alexandra Lioutikoff
President of Latin America and U.S. Latin
Thomas Vidovic
Managing director of Germany/senior vp of Austria and Switzerland
Yadira Moreno
Managing director of Mexico and Central America/vp of latest enterprise improvement, Latin America
Ana Rosa Santiago
Senior vp of Latin music, Common Music Publishing Group

Since UMPG’s 2022 launch of its International Artistic Teams — a staff of worldwide A&R executives that broaden inventive alternatives for songwriters throughout totally different markets — the key writer has discovered a number of methods to make use of its globe-spanning places of work as a aggressive benefit. “Whether or not you’re speaking concerning the music, the artists or the enterprise facet, the truth is that geographical boundaries are much less vital than ever,” Lioutikoff says. Within the final yr, her staff earned the ASCAP Latin writer of the yr award and celebrated signings and renewals with a number of the greatest writers and artists within the area, together with Carín León, Carla Morrison, Gerardo Coronel, Icon, Telefe, Babasónicos, Grupo Firme, Jorge Mexia, Deolli, JAO and JotaPé. “[It’s] one other vastly profitable yr,” Lioutikoff says.

Largest problem now: “We’re always preventing for our writers’ work to be correctly valued and pretty compensated,” Lioutikoff says. “The globalization of Latin music is clear, and we wish the monetization to match.”

Ben Katovsky
CEO, Recognition Music Group

It’s been a busy few months for Katovsky and his staff at Recognition Music Group, the newly rebranded firm previously referred to as Hipgnosis. Katovsky took over the helm of the catalog large final yr from its founder, Merck Mercuriadis, and is tough at work to reestablish the corporate after a roller-coaster yr that led to Blackstone buying its public fund for $1.6 billion. Now Recognition is pivoting to develop into a “selective purchaser” of music rights, as Katovsky places it. “Recognition Music will likely be a really collaborative participant on this area in ways in which it was not traditionally. We wish to work with different companions on this {industry} to try this.”

Largest problem now: “Making a legit and absolutely licensed marketplace for generative AI that each embraces innovation and safeguards and stimulates the way forward for music and funding in music.”

Golnar Khosrowshahi
Founder/CEO
Annette Barrett
Managing director/international strategic liaison, Reservoir
Alison Wenham
COO, Blue Raincoat Music; COO, Chrysalis Information
Jeremy Lascelles
Co-founder/CEO, Blue Raincoat Music
Hussain “Spek” Yoosuf
Founder/CEO, PopArabia; govt vp of worldwide and rising markets, Reservoir

“Reservoir’s work in rising markets continues to be a key strategic component of our enterprise,” Khosrowshahi says. The corporate has been investing closely by means of its partnership with PopArabia within the Center East/North Africa area. One focus has been Egypt, the place the corporate just lately accomplished offers with rappers El Sawareekh, artist Omar Kamal and manufacturing/distribution firm RE Media. Different offers within the area included Lebanese star Nancy Ajram and her label/writer, In2Musica, and Saudi Arabian hip-hop label Mashrex.

Largest problem now: “An absence of transparency continues to plague the {industry},” Khosrowshahi says. “We’d like larger transparency relating to generative AI to make sure concrete copyright protections that yield readability round, permission for and compensation of [intellectual property] getting used to coach AI platforms. Second, we’d like continued larger transparency from DSPs on the royalties paid to publishers and songwriters so we will proceed advocating to shut the gaps in compensation throughout the publishing and recorded-music industries.”

Mary Megan Peer
CEO
Elizabeth Rodda
President of U.S. Latin, Latin America and international society relations, peermusic

Peermusic continued to broaden globally, particularly in particular European markets like Poland and Norway. The unbiased writer acquired Arctic Rights, Norway’s largest indie writer, and likewise opened its fortieth department in Poland. “We’re anticipating development in each of those territories on account of our direct presence there,” Peer says. “We’ve already had our Norwegian writers work with Asian writers in each Seoul and Taiwan and anticipate these collaborations to proceed.” In the meantime, Rodda, who leads peermusic’s Latin American operations, is continuous to construct up the corporate’s traditionally robust presence within the Spanish-speaking world.

Largest problem now: “Information,” Peer says. “It’s the key to getting our writers paid pretty and sooner. I’m hopeful that the mix of {industry} focus and AI computing energy will assist us assault this problem.”

Emily Stephenson
President, Downtown Music Publishing
Thando Makhunga
Managing director, Sheer Publishing Africa

Downtown Music Publishing’s songwriters contributed to 4 2024 Latin Grammy wins, 13 wins on the 2025 BMI Latin Awards and one ASCAP El Premio Award, in line with its personal tally. The division additionally struck international publishing offers in 2024 with Latin celebrity Peso Pluma’s Double P Information and legendary Italian singer Mina, and “Parade” by Downtown Publishing consumer and French composer Victor Le Masne turned the official theme track for the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Video games. Along with serving to drive 40% year-over-year development, Stephenson says these accomplishments helped Downtown obtain “soundtrack international milestones.”

Largest problem now: “The continuing combat for honest compensation for songwriters,” Stephenson says. “Regardless of their position in creating the music that drives the {industry}, songwriters nonetheless face disproportionate earnings in contrast with the worth their work generates.”

David Ventura
President/co-managing director, U.Ok./senior vp of worldwide
Tim Main
Co-managing director, U.Ok.
Jorge Mejia
President/CEO, Latin America and U.S. Latin
Nasra Artan
Head of worldwide A&R
Johnny Tennander
Managing director, Scandinavia/senior vp of A&R worldwide
Patrick Strauch
Managing director, Germany, Sony Music Publishing

To foster the very best songwriting across the globe, SMP “locations an actual emphasis on inventive collaboration throughout territories, with A&R groups working hand in hand with their counterparts every day,” Artan says. “The main target is actually on creating alternatives for our songwriters past their dwelling territories and serving to guarantee their songs journey.” Within the final 12 months, Artan says the corporate has hosted songwriting camps in areas together with Ghana, Spain, Taiwan and South Africa, inviting expertise from around the globe to attach and collaborate.

Largest problem now: “The continued existence of conventional ‘buyout’ constructions in some rising markets,” Artan says. “In a world the place music can go massive internationally from day one, it’s actually essential for songwriters and their groups to grasp the worth of their work and guarantee they keep away from unintentionally stifling future success and alternatives for a short-term achieve up entrance with all these offers.”

Dwell

Siavash Aghaiepour
Expertise agent, HRBooking

“Over the previous yr, we’ve had the chance to execute main worldwide excursions and broaden our international footprint by means of strategic partnerships,” says Aghaiepour, who has labored with 21 Savage, A$AP Rocky, Cardi B and others. He factors to HRBooking’s collaborations as an company and a promoter with corporations akin to Dwell Nation and IAG, in addition to its assist of stay occasions from Coachella and Rolling Loud to Juicy Fest in Australia. The corporate, which is headquartered within the United Arab Emirates, additionally secured artist bookings at cultural tentpoles like Style Week, the Tremendous Bowl and Method 1 races. Of the company, which boasts 30 years in enterprise, Aghaiepour says, “Relationships and loyalty imply every thing to us. Our focus is at all times on doing good, trustworthy enterprise whereas persevering with to develop with integrity and objective.”

The music {industry} at this time in a phrase: “Quick. The tempo of the {industry} is relentless — from how artists break to how developments shift and content material circulates. Issues can change in a single day, and as an organization, we’ve needed to keep nimble, evolve shortly and anticipate the following transfer.”

Alfredo Alonso
Associate/leisure director
Daniel Merino
Leisure supervisor/promoter, Bizarro Dwell Leisure

Bizarro Dwell Leisure promoted a number of the most essential Latin excursions in Chile, Peru, Colombia and Ecuador within the final 18 months. Most notably, Karol G’s Mañana Será Bonito two-show cease at Estadio San Marcos in Lima, Peru, and three-show stint in Chile’s Estadio Nacional in April 2024 generated greater than $25 million in income mixed. Different key concert events the corporate ­promoted included Maná, Ha*Ash and Duki, all in each Chile and Peru, in addition to Emilia in Chile, Peru, Colombia and Ecuador. “We additionally produce and promote the Viña Del Mar Pageant” in Chile, Alonso says, “an important Latin competition on the planet.”

Largest problem now: “To work and create new areas and codecs for stay music in an {industry} filled with concert events,” Alonso says.

Alejandro Arce
CEO, Zignia Dwell

Zignia Dwell’s operation consists of venue administration of Mexico’s Enviornment CDMX and Enviornment Monterrey and live-event manufacturing and ticket gross sales by means of its proprietary platform Superboletos. The vertical enterprise mannequin helped it promote over 2 million tickets to 250 occasions in Mexico final yr, together with greater than 20 stadium dates. Standouts embrace 24 dates and over 500,000 tickets bought for Los Temerarios’ Hasta Siempre Tour, together with eight sellouts at Enviornment CDMX. Zignia additionally promoted 22 dates for icon Luis Miguel, promoting 300,000 tickets, and promoting out 10 reveals at Enviornment CDMX. Zignia is the official promoter of the NBA in Mexico, the place it hosts video games by the Boston Celtics, Miami Warmth and Chicago Bulls. “Our subsequent problem is opening Enviornment Guadalajara,” Arce says. “Along with selling reveals, we rework experiences.”

Melvin Benn
Managing director, Pageant Republic

Benn runs Dwell Nation-owned Pageant Republic, one of many main U.Ok. competition promotion corporations and residential to a portfolio of festivals together with Studying & Leeds, Latitude, Wi-fi, Wilderness, The Nice Escape and Electrical Picnic. The corporate additionally hosts reveals at out of doors music venues akin to Finsbury Park and Gunnersbury Park. Pageant Republic’s Wi-fi Pageant received greatest competition on the 2024 Music Week Awards. In the meantime, Studying & Leeds benefited from continued improvements with a brand new, 40,000-capacity open-air Chevron dance stage and featured acts like The Prodigy, Nia Archives and Denzel Curry. Benn has additionally supported the efforts of Dwell Nation and the Rio Ferdinand Basis to extend entry to music {industry} careers. In March, he relaunched the ReBalance initiative to assist feminine and nonbinary artists, which, as he advised Music Week, “made a real optimistic impression” throughout its first three years.

Dion Brant
CEO, Frontier Touring

“We’re seeing artist trajectories transferring sooner than ever earlier than, and our staff has proven nice prowess at considering one or two steps forward,” Brant says. Gracie Abrams performed a sold-out run of three,000- to five,000-capacity reveals in Australia, which bought roughly 21,000 tickets in 2024. “She is now returning this yr to a 12-date area run that’s monitoring to promote out at 150,000 tickets,” he provides. Likewise, when Benson Boone’s single “Stunning Issues” took off, Frontier rebooked his run of reveals from sold-out theaters and golf equipment into sold-out midsize venues, and Teddy Swims has already progressed to a multidate area tour.

Largest problem now: “Local weather threat is actual. We have to be intelligent and work out how promoters, affected venues, festivals and artists can work along with the insurance coverage {industry} to guard everybody within the enterprise — as a result of excessive climate occasions will proceed to occur.”

Chris Bray
President, Europe, Legends/ASM International

“Over the previous 18 months, we’ve made super progress in our European enterprise by means of transformative redevelopments, strategic expansions and new partnerships,” Bray says, highlighting the transformation of Avicii Enviornment in Stockholm, the redevelopment of AO Enviornment in Manchester, England, and the launch of the brand new ChorusLife Enviornment in Bergamo, Italy. The Legends/ASM International portfolio has additionally expanded with the additions of Sheffield Metropolis Corridor and Sheffield Utilita Enviornment in England and its enlargement in Portugal with taking on operations at Lisbon’s LX Manufacturing facility. “Maybe our most vital current achievement has been seamlessly integrating the distinctive groups at Legends with our ASM groups,” Bray provides, “creating what I imagine is now the very best staff within the {industry}.”

Largest problem now: “One of many largest challenges in stay music is making it sustainable when prices are on the rise.”

Paul Dainty
President/CEO, TEG Dainty

In 2023, Dainty was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his “distinguished service to the group,” and he continues to differentiate himself. He booked Hugh Jackman’s worldwide touring (together with dates in Europe and North America) and a number of other Broadway productions together with Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, which bought greater than 780,000 tickets for its Australia run. TEG’s 2025 reveals embrace Cyndi Lauper, Katy Perry and comic Nikki Glaser. The promoter that operates beneath the umbrella of TEG — the tech, live-entertainment and ticketing firm — can even carry online game Stardew Valley’s theatrical present, Symphony of Seasons, to Australia and New Zealand this fall. Amongst Dainty’s top-grossing reveals reported to Billboard Boxscore is a three-night stand by Jerry Seinfeld on the Rod Laver Enviornment in Melbourne, Australia, final June that grossed $5.5 million.

Largest problem now: “Change charges for worldwide touring; elevated prices throughout the board.”

Sebastian de la Barra
Maximiliano del Rio
Companions/promoters, Lotus Producciones

With the launch of Lotus Information — the reserving, administration and recording-deal division of Lotus Producciones — Del Rio and De La Barra can assist native artists with stay reveals whereas specializing in worldwide markets. “We’re creating our artists from theaters and golf equipment to arenas and stadiums,” Del Rio says, highlighting Easykid’s reserving at Pal Norte and Vive Latino and Soulfia at Lollapalooza Argentina. Between February and March, Lotus Information additionally teamed with its artists Francisca Valenzuela, Joe Vasconcellos, Movimiento Authentic and Lucybell to supply free reveals all through Santiago, Chile, the place over 20,000 followers gathered.

Largest problem now: “Exploring the event of latest venues is a should in at this time’s enterprise,” Del Rio says. “Only one area isn’t sufficient for a market like Santiago, with native and Latin stay music being so robust after the pandemic.”

Dennis Desmond
Chairman, Dwell Nation U.Ok. and Eire
Dennis Argenzia
President of worldwide touring, Asia Pacific, Dwell Nation
Marek Lieberberg
CEO/managing director, Dwell Nation Germany, Switzerland and Austria
Erik Hoffman
President, Dwell Nation Canada
John Reid
President, Dwell Nation Europe, Center East and Asia
Mark Vaughan
Senior vp, Dwell Nation Australia and New Zealand
Roberto De Luca
President
Corrado Rizzotto
Head promoter, Dwell Nation Italy

Desmond says that 2024 “was the very best yr ever for stay music with implausible gross sales for Coldplay, Taylor Swift, P!nk and unimaginable development for artists like Charli xcx, Fontaines D.C., Sleep Token, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, RAYE and Teddy Swims.” He notes the robust buzz for marquee Dwell Nation reveals from Oasis, Beyoncé, Robbie Williams, Kendrick Lamar/SZA, Lana Del Rey and Drake. “There’s nothing higher than a superb stay present,” Desmond says. “Artists proceed to excel; the longer term is brilliant.” In February, Dwell Nation reported it had achieved a file $2.2 billion worldwide in adjusted working revenue in 2024, up 14%, on file income of $23.5 billion, up 2%. Regardless of having 30% fewer stadium reveals in 2024, the overall variety of followers grew to a file 151 million from practically 55,000 Dwell Nation occasions, up 9.2% yr over yr, in line with the corporate.

Marcelo Figoli
Proprietor/CEO, Fenix Leisure

Argentina-based conglomerate Fenix Leisure — which encompasses stay reveals, amusement parks, soccer groups and media — has achieved many milestones as a worldwide leisure firm. “Nonetheless, certainly, one of the vital vital achievements up to now 18 months was Luis Miguel’s world tour,” Figoli says. The chief partnered with Henry Cárdenas’ Cárdenas Advertising and marketing Community for Luis Miguel’s 2023-24 tour, which turned not solely the highest-grossing tour by a Latin artist of the yr but additionally the top-grossing tour by a Latin artist ever. The outing welcomed greater than 2.8 million followers and grossed over $404.4 million.

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “For me, it has at all times been the identical … happiness.”

Kaori Hayashi
President/CEO, Hayashi Worldwide Promotions

HIP leads certainly one of Japan’s largest and most established live performance promotion corporations and loved a string of big-time sellouts within the final yr that included two sold-out Dua Lipa reveals at Saitama Tremendous Enviornment, the “Levitating” singer’s first area dates in Japan. Hayashi additionally booked “a record-breaking seven sold-out Tokyo Dome reveals of Bruno Mars in January 2024,” she says, together with three sellout Maroon 5 reveals on the 55,000-capacity Tokyo Dome, “surpassing the box-office receipts of their groundbreaking 2022 tour in Japan.” In April, Dwell Nation acquired HIP, giving the world’s largest live performance promoter a serious new presence out there.

Largest problem now: “Some resistance to higher-priced tickets, which beforehand had been the primary ticket tier to promote out in Japan.”

Ashish Hemrajani
Founder/CEO, BookMyShow

BookMyShow has performed a pivotal position in redefining India’s live-entertainment panorama, establishing the nation as a must-visit vacation spot on international touring circuits. The corporate labored with Dwell Nation to carry the enduring Lollapalooza competition to Mumbai, India, beginning in 2022 and, this yr, hosted headliners Inexperienced Day and Shawn Mendes. “The momentum has been accelerating by means of pop music as nicely, with Maroon 5’s India tour and the six-city Ed Sheeran +-=÷x Tour spanning seven reveals in February 2025, following a profitable Mumbai present in March 2024 with over 50,000 followers,” Hemrajani says. BookMyShow and AEG Presents Asia co-promoted Sheeran’s reveals this yr. BookMyShow additionally produced and promoted Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres world tour throughout Mumbai and Ahmedabad, which broke the file for the largest stadium reveals within the twenty first century.

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Transformative.”

Alex Hill
President/CEO, AEG Worldwide
Adam Wilkes
President/CEO, AEG Presents, Europe and Asia-Pacific
John Langford
COO, AEG Europe
Jim King
CEO of European festivals, AEG Presents
Steve Homer
CEO, AEG Presents U.Ok.
Michael Harrison
Senior vp of worldwide touring
Simon Jones
Senior vp of worldwide touring, AEG Presents

AEG reorganized its operations for Asia-Pacific and Europe earlier this yr following the sale of its share in ASM International and a company restructuring to bolster its worldwide divisions. Wilkes was named to the brand new place of president/CEO of AEG Presents, Europe and Asia-Pacific, whereas Hill was appointed to go of AEG Worldwide. Collectively, they may proceed overseeing tasks together with the event of the 6,000-seat theater and UOB Dwell leisure district in Bangkok; the Bangkok Mall Enviornment, a multipurpose area venture in Nagoya, Japan; and an arena-anchored leisure district venture deliberate for Expo Park in Osaka, Japan.

Largest problem now: “The {industry} remains to be recovering from the results of the pandemic,” Harrison says. “Regardless of some large current excursions, rising prices, insurance coverage challenges and international financial uncertainty proceed to make touring — particularly for midlevel artists — financially tough. These elements hinder artist improvement and the flexibility to construct worldwide audiences sustainably.”

Walter Kolm
Founder/CEO
Pascual Egea
Head of Europe, WK Leisure

Latin music continues to make waves worldwide, and WK Leisure artists are serving to to drive its success. “Maluma is setting the tone for Latin music globally — his + Fairly + Soiled 2025 Tour is promoting out arenas throughout Europe, together with three nights at Madrid’s Movistar Enviornment, every with over 15,000 followers,” Kolm says. The corporate additionally celebrated Carlos Vives’ Individual of the 12 months win on the 2024 Latin Grammys, calling it “a well-deserved recognition for his impression on our tradition.” Rising star Emilia — Billboard Español’s February cowl star — bought out 10 reveals at Movistar Enviornment in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in April 2024 in 10 hours and packed 4 nights at Estadio Vélez in Argentina, in line with Kolm. “It’s an thrilling time,” he provides, “not only for our artists, however for Latin music as an entire on the worldwide stage.”

Largest problem now: “Followers simply don’t have the identical [disposable] revenue as earlier than, and globally, we’re seeing the results,” Kolm says.

Jessica Koravos
President of worldwide
Gary Hutchinson
Government vp of worldwide touring and content material, Oak View Group

The U.S.-based Oak View Group opened its first worldwide area, Co-op Dwell in Manchester, England, in Might 2024 with a present from veteran native band Elbow. Regardless of a number of rescheduled concert events and a three-week delay as a consequence of issues of safety, the world has been a triumph for the OVG staff, and it bought over 1 million tickets for 60 concert events by the shut of its first calendar yr. And with the launch of OVG Stadia final fall, Hutchinson believes 2025 will likely be even larger for the worldwide staff. “I’d spotlight the extent of stadium reveals we’re dealing with with our shoppers in 2025,” he says. “The market is busier than ever, and now we have an enormous 2025 forward.”

Largest problem now: “Maintaining with the ever-changing ecosystem in such an enormous enterprise whereas additionally assembly the larger client calls for,” Koravos says.

Simon Moran
Managing director, SJM Concert events

Moran leads Manchester, England-based SJM Concert events, which completed at No. 5 on Billboard’s year-end 2024 High Promoters chart, with the equal of $347.6 million and 4.4 million tickets bought throughout 733 reveals. Amongst SJM’s 20 highest-grossing engagements have been 10 by pop group Take That, together with a six-night stand at London’s O2 ­Enviornment that bought 90,811 tickets and grossed the equal of $11.3 million. SJM has teamed with Dwell Nation, MCD Productions and DF Concert events for the long-awaited return of Oasis, with the Gallagher brothers booked for a 19-date U.Ok. and Eire tour this summer time. The corporate’s 2023 year-end monetary report said: “We stay targeted on connecting artists with their followers and understanding the wants of the fan base.”

Huston Powell
Promoter, C3 Presents

Since its inception as a touring competition in 1991, ­Lollapalooza has staged its U.S. version at Chicago’s Grant Park and, starting in 2010, has expanded internationally to markets together with Chile, Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany and Sweden. In 2022, Lollapalooza India debuted in Mumbai with C3 Presents working alongside Indian promoter-ticketer BookMyShow. “We had our first Lollapalooza India competition promote out this yr,” Powell says of the occasion that included headlining performances from Inexperienced Day and Shawn Mendes. “This was solely our third version, and our companions, BookMyShow, labored extremely onerous to ramp up and ship a world-class present in a market the place multigenre reveals like Lolla have by no means existed earlier than.”

Largest problem now: “As a competition promoter, we frequently are challenged to search for methods to offer the very best fan expertise to face out from the limitless choices followers have at this time.”

Klaus-Peter Schulenberg
CEO, CTS Eventim

With 2024 income of two.8 billion euros ($3.2 billion) — up 19.1% over 2023 — CTS Eventim is Europe’s largest ticketing firm and live performance promoter, and it’s making international strikes. In late 2023, the corporate broke floor on a Milan area to open in 2026, expanded in South America and France and partnered with AXS on ticketing for the 2028 Summer time Olympics in Los Angeles. In 2024, the corporate additionally closed its deal to accumulate See Tickets, which “strengthened our place as one of many world’s main ticketing suppliers,” Schulenberg says. “This distinctive mixture of native experience and international attain allows us to supply artists a very worldwide touring platform deeply rooted in native markets.”

Largest problem now: “One of many largest alternatives — and tasks — for the music {industry} is to make even higher use of knowledge. At CTS Eventim, we already leverage our information to assist artists and promoters join with their audiences extra successfully and to create excellent fan experiences.”

Tricia Silliphant
Managing director of music and stay leisure, Maple Leaf Sports activities & Leisure

Regardless of rising prices, Silliphant and MLSE nonetheless discover methods to constantly ship record-breaking grosses, in addition to ticket and merchandise gross sales for Toronto venues like Scotiabank Enviornment, the Coca-Cola Coliseum and BMO Discipline. “Toronto is a market referred to as one of the vital culturally various cities within the phrase,” Silliphant says. “This wealthy variety is mirrored in our venues showcasing a global scope of content material.” Whereas full-scale renovations are underway at Scotiabank Enviornment and BMO Discipline, Silliphant stays extra motivated than ever to match the demand for stay music throughout the globe, stating, “We look ahead to the continued development prospects as we make investments to satisfy the always evolving wants of artists and followers alike.”

Largest problem now: “The rising value of touring and producing stay occasions is a matter that stands out. From manufacturing bills to journey and labor prices — and, in our case, the fluctuating Canadian greenback — mixed with native or venue-specific working prices, all proceed to extend considerably.”

Alejandro Soberón
Founder/CEO
Leizer Guss Guss
Festivals director, OCESA
Octavio Padilla
Director, OCESA Seitrack

Now a part of Dwell Nation, OCESA stays a frontrunner within the live-entertainment panorama throughout Latin America, significantly in Mexico and Colombia, setting new requirements in manufacturing, attain and fan engagement. “Certainly one of our proudest achievements has been the complete renovation of Estadio GNP Seguros — now acknowledged because the world’s main live performance venue,” Soberón says of Mexico Metropolis’s iconic venue previously referred to as Foro Sol, dwelling to Shakira’s unprecedented seven-show residency as a part of her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran world tour. Guss Guss highlights how “quick and efficient” OCESA was to leap on the brand new wave of regional Mexican music with the event of two Mexico Metropolis occasions: Arre Pageant and the female-­centered Hera HSBC Pageant. For Padilla, OCESA Seitrack’s alliance with Warner Music on Touring the World, a reserving company based mostly in Colombia to develop Warner’s roster in America and Europe, is value celebrating.

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Unstoppable,” Padilla says.

Jasmine Younger
Co-founder, West Africa Music & Arts Pageant

Younger says that final June, when the inaugural, four-day West Africa Music & Arts Pageant was held in Accra, Ghana, 20,000 followers attended Space Code Jam, the closing-night live performance in partnership with Ghana’s premiere city radio station, YFM; Ghanaian singer Black Sherif headlined. “We now have constructed bridges between international music markets and rising expertise in West Africa, opening new pathways for cross-border collaborations and creating sustainable alternatives for artists and music professionals alike,” says Younger, who can be director of the Warner Music/Blavatnik Middle for Music Enterprise at Howard College in Washington, D.C. She provides that this yr’s WAMA competition will return to Accra in June.

Largest problem now: “The dearth of sensible data for aspiring executives and artists” is a urgent concern, Younger says. “Our objective is to coach, excite and empower the following technology of music {industry} leaders.”

Businesses

Emma Banks
Chris Dalston
Mike Greek
Marlene Tsuchii
Co-heads of worldwide touring
Nigel Hassler
Music touring agent, CAA

The staff guided stars like Charli xcx, Gracie Abrams, Sabrina Carpenter and Tate McRae on international excursions in more and more bigger venues, from “theaters to arenas, in addition to headlining festivals and stadiums,” Tsuchii says. Alongside these younger feminine powerhouses, shoppers together with Sam Fender, Hozier and Noah Kahan achieved related success on the street. Kahan’s 2024 run ranked as one of many yr’s top-grossing excursions, bringing in $102 million and drawing 1.1 million followers. In the meantime, CAA’s music model partnership division used this momentum to safe main endorsement offers for a number of shoppers.

Largest problem now: “Sadly, we’re confronted with the identical points now we have combated for years: rising ticket prices, the secondary-ticketing market and scalping,” Tsuchii says. “These points stay as a lot of an issue as they’ve for years, and now, with the rabid younger fan base for these rising superstars, the urge for food for tickets is unprecedented.”

Matt Bates
Managing associate/CEO
Rick Levy
Associate/board member
Ben Winchester
Board member/agent
Pete Nash
Associate/agent, Major Expertise Worldwide

The powerhouse U.Ok. indie company continues to position its artists on the largest levels, together with Glastonbury, the place this yr shoppers The 1975 will headline the competition’s first night time. (Different shoppers together with beabadoobee, Wolf Alice and The Libertines are additionally on the invoice.) After transient stints beneath ICM after which CAA, Major Expertise Worldwide went unbiased as soon as once more in 2023, and Levy says it’s proud to “stay an unbiased music-only company … capable of ebook so most of the unimaginable artists on our roster into the biggest worldwide competition on the planet, giving followers what they need.”

Largest problem now: “AI,” Levy says. “This won’t be the primary time that know-how has disrupted the enterprise. However the problem for us as brokers is to make sure that the alternatives which might be introduced profit not simply the labels and large corporations working in our ecosystem however the artists themselves, who’re our sole concern.”

Tomas Cookman
Founder, Nacional Information/Latin Different Music Convention; associate, Magnus Expertise Company

Cookman — whose Nacional Information label is marking its twentieth anniversary with ongoing success by YADAM, Nortec Collective, Los Grasp Plus, DJ Raff, Marrón and Marco Flores y la Jerez — extra just lately partnered with Magnus Expertise Company (Marc Anthony and Michel Vega’s firm) to unite reserving and administration groups throughout nations. Cookman additionally celebrated the twenty fifth anniversary of the Latin Different Music Convention. “Each our digital format and our current in-person convention, which was our largest one but, have been impactful to each {industry} and artists,” he says. Cookman provides that on the administration facet, “the worldwide rising success of Trueno has been a spotlight for me.”

Jeff Craib
CEO
Tom Kemp
President
Joel Baskin
Vp, The Feldman Company

Canadian powerhouse The Feldman Company remained one of many nation’s key stay gamers in 2024. Based on the corporate, amongst its achievements are three sold-out Shania Twain performances in Newfoundland (which bought over 45,000 tickets and grossed greater than $8 million) and a really profitable Avril Lavigne area tour (which bought over 100,000 tickets for practically $10 million in gross). “After 50 years in enterprise, we’ve simply celebrated our greatest yr but,” Craib says, citing “a yr marked by development in arena-level touring, thrilling new artist signings, talent-buying and a major year-over-year improve in international bookings.”

Largest problem now: “The brand new prices of touring and reaching the followers,” Craib says.

Amy Davidman
Devin Landau
Founding companions, TBA Company

Over the previous yr, TBA Company’s shoppers have expanded their worldwide attain, with Argentina’s Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso showing at such occasions as Coachella, Glastonbury, Roskilde and Fuji Rock. The corporate additionally booked the primary reveals for artists akin to Mexico’s Dámaris Bójor and Australia’s Supply. “We’re not afraid to become involved early and work with the artist and their staff from the bottom up,” Davidman says. “We imagine that onerous work and a transparent technique early in an artist’s profession can actually place them for future success.”

Largest problem now: “With all the present uncertainty worldwide, we’re fearful concerning the accessibility of our internationally based mostly artists, our politically outspoken artists and our queer artists,” Davidman says. “What can we do as brokers to assist assist not solely our shoppers but additionally the cultural establishments we lean on for funding and alternatives? All of us have to assist this touring ecosystem from all angles over the approaching years.”

Lucy Dickins
International head of latest music and touring
Josh Javor
Associate/co-head of London workplace
Brian Cohen
Rob Markus
Companions/brokers
James Simmons
Agent, WME

Amongst WME shoppers, Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour surpassed $1 billion in international income; Luis Miguel’s run has develop into the highest-grossing tour by a Latin artist of all time; Dua Lipa’s Radical Optimism tour has bought over 350,000 tickets and grossed $43.4 million to date, with greater than 50 dates left on the books by means of December; and Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS tour bought over 1 million tickets. Plus, Linkin Park and Zach Bryan scored enormous numbers on excursions that proceed into 2025. Dickins notes the reserving benefit of WME’s presence within the Asia-Pacific area and says the company additionally just lately expanded its Latin division by opening a Miami workplace. “I’m pleased with our really international presence,” she says, “which continues to develop yr after yr.”

Largest problem now: “The rising value of touring continues to be high of thoughts for us because it impacts each artists and followers,” Dickins says. “Logistics, journey and lodging prices have made it tougher for rising artists to get out on the street.”

Jon Ollier
CEO/agent, One Fiinix Dwell

The British agency booked a worldwide area tour for Japanese artist Ado, “which we hope may develop into the largest worldwide tour for a Japanese artist,” Ollier says. One Fiinix Dwell additionally promoted an eight-city regional tour for Ed Sheeran on the Indian subcontinent, “a lot of which was a primary for a Western artist,” he says, and labored on Sheeran’s six-night stand in Hangzhou, China. “All of which,“ Ollier says, “speaks to worldwide enterprise cooperation on a profound scale.”

Largest problem now: “I’m very unhappy to say it, however I believe, but once more, we discover our {industry}’s largest menace intertwined with that of the remainder of humanity: international safety.”

Peter Pappalardo
Government vp/head of worldwide touring
Keith Naisbitt
Government vp of worldwide touring, Unbiased Artist Group

“Our worldwide roster continues to develop with headlining expertise who had nice success this previous yr,” Pappalardo says. That features Billy Joel, who final August bought out Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales; Rod Stewart, who bought out a number of European arenas and booked the Legends slot at this yr’s Glastonbury Pageant; and Disturbed, Ghost, Falling in Reverse and Ne-Yo, all of whom additionally bought out arenas on the continent, in line with Pappalardo. He provides that grosses for Dream Theater’s European and South American reveals “have been double what they’ve performed up to now.”

Largest problem now: “Profitability,” Pappalardo says. ­“Ticket gross sales and fan assist have been nice, however the price of touring, together with excessive taxes, makes for ­ever-challenging margins.”

Julien Paquin
Vinny Cinquemani
Co-presidents, Paquin Artists Company

The Canadian company had loads of wins at dwelling — together with signing U.S. artists akin to The Offspring, John Fogerty and Papa Roach for illustration in Canada — however these have been only one a part of a formidable international enlargement. In current months, Paquin says, “our worldwide enterprise has seen outstanding development, with record-setting success in Canada and vital breakthroughs throughout the U.S., Australia, [Middle East and North Africa] and South America.” Collectively, these strikes helped Paquin’s “touring enterprise [shatter] earlier milestones, driving robust engagement and income development throughout these key markets,” he provides.

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Resilient,” Paquin says. “The {industry} has not solely tailored however remained robust within the face of challenges, with a serious return to stay touring fueled by heightened demand, pleasure and urgency. This persistence has led to a number of the most profitable box-office years in current historical past.”

Narcís Rebollo Melció
President/CEO, International Expertise Providers

Initially launched by Common Music Group in 2007 as a full-service Latin artist companies company targeted on administration, reserving, promotion and model partnerships, GTS now has 10 places of work in key markets, a roster of 150 acts and has “solidified its place as the primary international Latin administration firm,” Rebollo Melció says. Notably, in line with GTS, Morat’s stadium tour generated over $50 million in income throughout 25 stops, David Bisbal’s Todo es Posible en Navidad album featured a efficiency atop New York’s Empire State Constructing and Aitana premiered her Metamorphosis documentary on Netflix and solid a serious partnership with Santander Financial institution for ticket presales. Moreover, Spanish singer-songwriter Pablo Alborán joined the roster, GTS managed the primary version of the expertise present Operación Triunfo on Amazon Prime and its direct-to-consumer platform bought over 1 million tickets, “a testomony to the corporate’s progressive strategy, using know-how, information and [customer relationship management] to profit the artists,” Rebollo Melció provides.

Neil Warnock
Co-head of U.Ok./head of worldwide touring
Irene Agbontaen
Director of artist model technique, music model partnerships
Tom Jones
Scott Mantell
James Wright
Music brokers, UTA

Wright says that UTA has been “more and more strategic and intentional” about constructing groups across the firm’s shoppers, a roster that features international superstars and touring juggernauts akin to Karol G and Unhealthy Bunny. The strategy is “actually delivering” because the company and its shoppers maneuver in an more and more dynamic worldwide market. “As our groups develop into greater than the sum of their elements,” Wright says, “we’re unlocking new alternatives for our artists — be that new audiences in stay or connecting them to the fitting model and business companions.”

Largest problem now: “Prices,” Wright says. “On the artist facet, touring has develop into more and more costly as a consequence of inflation, rising manufacturing prices and logistical challenges, making it tough for artists to interrupt even. On the venue facet, working prices are substantial, making it particularly difficult for grassroots venues to stay financially viable — regardless of their essential position in nurturing the following technology of headliners.”

James Whitting
Government vp/managing govt
Dave Blackgrove
Michael Harvey-Bray
Adele Slater
Senior vps
Anna Bewers
Vp, Wasserman Music

Whitting says Wasserman Music “continues to be the company recognized for breaking acts globally,” citing the unimaginable success of Chappell Roan as a “nice, current and apparent“ instance, however “there are lots extra.” He calls this sustained success a testomony to the corporate’s energy in A&R, but additionally a operate of its inventive strategy to touring and long-term profession improvement. “The outdated, conventional methods don’t work anymore,” Whitting says. “You should assume in another way, tour in another way, market in another way and time every thing completely at international scale. When all these issues work collectively in live performance — no pun [intended] — the outcomes are plain for all to see.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Dwell,” Whitting says.

Associations

Manuel Abud
CEO, Latin Recording Academy

This yr, the Latin Recording Academy introduced a brand new subject and class for greatest music for visible media and a brand new class for greatest roots track — singles or tracks solely — in addition to revisions to the names or guidelines for six different classes. “Music is dynamic, and the panorama continues to vary with the traces between genres changing into much less outlined as creators develop a fusion of sounds,” Abud says. The Latin Grammys return this yr to their longtime base in Las Vegas, following ceremonies in Spain in 2023 and Miami in 2024. Curiosity in internet hosting the following Latin Grammy Week has since been monumental. “We now have outlined and applied a proper [request for proposal] course of for potential host cities,” Abud says, “and the response has been overwhelming.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Robust. The mainstream cultural powerhouse that’s Latin music is simple, with Spanish-language artists topping international streaming charts and flexing unprecedented dominance on the world stage.”

Charlie Lexton
COO, Merlin

Within the final yr, Merlin has targeted on information. “The info analytics functionality now we have constructed inside Merlin permits us to take the huge array of knowledge obtained beneath our partnerships around the globe and rework it into actionable intelligence [that delivers] distinctive insights to our file label and distributor members,” Lexton says. “These insights are derived from billions of streams generated by music from tens of 1000’s of file labels globally, serving to our members to raised perceive viewers conduct, optimize income alternatives and make data-driven strategic selections, equipping them to thrive in a extremely aggressive and ever-evolving digital music panorama.”

Largest problem now: “Accepting and embracing that AI isn’t Napster, it’s fireplace. By ‘fireplace,’ I imply it could be a mistake to deal with the appearance of AI as merely a technological disruption. It’s a elementary transformation.”

Victoria Oakley
CEO, IFPI

Oakley, who joined IFPI in June, says the worldwide recording enterprise commerce group’s March 2025 International Music Report “was an amazing second for IFPI,” in addition to for her. “This yr’s report tells an enchanting story of an {industry} that continues to evolve and innovate” as IFPI’s member labels proceed to spend money on artists whereas going through challenges from on-line distributors and AI music — which Oakley identifies because the {industry}’s largest problem. “It is vitally clear that the builders of generative AI methods are utilizing copyright-protected music to coach their fashions with out authorization,” she says. “This poses an enormous menace to human artistry.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Modern.”

John Phelan
Director basic, Worldwide Confederation of Music Publishers

In 2024, ICMP’s efforts helped get the Synthetic Intelligence Act handed by the European Union, which, amongst different issues, requires know-how corporations to maintain detailed data of knowledge units used to coach generative AI so copyright holders can observe (and doubtlessly block) utilization. “The staff right here eats up the largest {industry} difficulties for dinner,” Phelan says. “The ICMP staff has engaged with greater than 100 legal guidelines around the globe that instantly have an effect on the world’s music publishing corporations and the tens of 1000’s of songwriters and composers they characterize. Nearly 40 of these are totally different AI legal guidelines.”

Largest problem now: “That if we’re to succeed and construct the idea for future development, it’s a case of transferring a whole bunch of needles, not a handful, as up to now. So rising digital streaming charges, rising rising markets, stopping dangers to enterprise, enabling licensing effectivity, shortening lengthy tails, stopping commercial-scale piracy, technologizing metadata, working with each authorities on the market… there are not any shortcuts to ‘proper.’ ”

Helen Smith
Government chair, IMPALA

Smith, as IMPALA’s govt chair, has led the nonprofit group in “taking a stance on tough points which might be pivotal for the entire sector, and now we have just a few proper now — consolidation, reform of streaming, remuneration, AI, [electronic data interchange], sustainability and fundamental copyright, together with within the USA,” the place recording rights holders aren’t compensated for radio play, she says. “Our members are leaders and their work at labels is extra essential than ever, as illustrated within the first report revealed final yr by ORCA [the Organization for Recorded Culture and Arts], the assume tank for worldwide unbiased labels.”

Largest problem now: “The necessity to spend money on variety to develop the market. We imagine our streaming plan has most of the solutions, because it identifies variety as holding the largest potential for the entire market to develop. ­Nonetheless, juggernaut economics as manifested in consolidation and two-tier streaming allocation fashions are getting in the best way.”

Rights Teams

Honorees on this sector have been chosen solely by Billboard’s editorial staff and never by means of {industry} nominations.

Casper Bjørner
CEO, STIM

In 2023, the Swedish collective administration society celebrated its a hundredth anniversary with record-high income of three.1 billion krona ($291.9 million), up 14.2% from the earlier yr. STIM expects that its 2024 outcomes (to be introduced in Might) will surpass that, fueled partially by the success of Swedish songwriters in Ok-pop, which STIM has supported with the public-private partnership Export Swedish Music. Like its sister societies on the subject of AI, Bjørner says STIM is creating a licensing framework that embraces the know-how whereas defending creators’ rights. “We’re at all times within the room” with policymakers, he provides, “ensuring there’s a steadiness.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Ever-changing.”

Andrea Czapary Martin
CEO, PRS for Music

U.Ok. gathering society PRS for Music distributed in 2023 943.6 million kilos ($1.3 billion) in royalties, 13% greater than the earlier yr, and its income broke the billion-pound barrier. For 2024, it expects to distribute over 1 billion kilos ($1.3 billion). Czapary Martin is driving innovation to decrease prices, and final yr PRS lowered multiterritory on-line administration charges by 20%. “We proceed to drive industrywide enhancements in metadata administration by means of our Nexus venture,” Czapary Martin says. “I can’t wait to see the long-term enhancements it should carry over the approaching years to songwriter credit score identification and royalty accuracy.”

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Globalized. Music is more and more transcending geographic boundaries, with music creators from everywhere in the world collaborating and mixing various cultural influences.”

Tobias Holzmüller
CEO, GEMA

The German collective licensing society took in 1.3 billion euros ($1.4 billion) in 2024, 4% greater than within the earlier yr. “We’re nonetheless rising sooner than the German economic system,” Holzmüller says, “and now we have a transformative agenda when it comes to pace and transparency.“ It has additionally taken a lead in defending creators’ rights from AI corporations — suing OpenAI and Suno for copyright infringement in the middle of coaching their algorithms — in circumstances that would form the way forward for the know-how in Europe. GEMA can be establishing a sequence of cooperative initiatives with different societies, together with One Enviornment, a multiterritory platform for giant excursions.

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Strong.”

Peter Leathem
CEO, PPL

PPL continues to interrupt income data, having surpassed 300 million kilos ($396 million) in collections in 2024, the group’s ninetieth yr in enterprise. “Collections are up over 100 million kilos [$132 million] within the final decade” since 2014, Leathem says. In 2014, PPL paid over 60,000 performers and recording rights holders, whereas final yr, it paid over 172,000 performers and rights holders, he provides. Additionally, PPL collections embrace taking duty for neighboring rights internationally, which it has been doing for round 20 years. “Right this moment, PPL is the chief, with 113 agreements with CMOs [collection management organizations], overlaying 95% of the neighboring rights markets by worth,” Leathem says. Lastly, he provides that PPL has recruited and retained a whole bunch of performers as members, together with Charlie xcx, Lewis Capaldi and the property of John Lennon.

Gadi Oron
Director basic, CISAC

As head of the worldwide commerce group of gathering societies, Oron helps steer a thriving sector of the music enterprise — international income grew 7.6% to $12.7 billion in 2023 and is up 31.7% since 2019. Oron helps that development by advocating for creators’ rights in AI and CISAC supported the primary international financial examine on its attainable results. Oron additionally helps drive innovation in collections and distributions, and CISAC is working to modernize the info alternate system CIS-Web and to broaden the Worldwide Customary Musical Work Code system that identifies works to get creators paid sooner and extra precisely.

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Supercharged.”

Cristina Perpiñá-Robert
CEO, SGAE

Over the previous yr, SGAE has achieved record-breaking collections of 390 million euros (over $423 million), the best in its 125-year historical past, whereas worldwide income has reached an all-time excessive of 35 million euros ($40 million). “We now have additionally targeted on steady modernization to boost effectivity, transparency and accuracy in royalty assortment and distribution,” Perpiñá-Robert says, noting {that a} key achievement has been the implementation of digital monitoring know-how to raised monitor music utilization, significantly on streaming platforms. Amongst different vital accomplishments: “securing a 5% cap on publishing returns from TV broadcasters, a serious step towards fairer and extra clear distributions.”

Largest problem now: One pattern that can erode the sustainability of the music {industry} is “competition promoters disputing honest tariffs, arguing that music isn’t the first asset of their enterprise fashions.”

Cécile Rap-Veber
CEO, SACEM

Over the previous few years, the French collective rights administration society has set successive data for each income and distributions: it collected a file 1.6 billion euros ($1.73 billion) in 2024, up 7.7% from 2023. A lot of that success displays Rap-Veber’s modernization efforts, together with the present SACEM 2030 technique, which emphasizes collections effectivity (SACEM lowered its expense ratio to a historic low of 10.8%) and repair for members. SACEM additionally labored with Deezer to use the artist-centric royalty mannequin to the streaming service’s publishing payouts.

Largest problem now: “One of many fundamental challenges going through the music enterprise at this time lies within the rising impression of synthetic intelligence. AI raises essential questions concerning the transparency and remuneration of works used to develop these instruments.”

Jose Luis Sevillano
CEO, AIE

Sevillano has positioned the artist performing rights society AIE as “the important thing bridge between Europe and America.” Primarily based in Spain, AIE represents the rights of over 40,000 artists and has expanded past Spain to the “neighboring rights” of Spanish-language performers around the globe. “We now have established ourselves because the main group in managing the Spanish-language Latin repertoire with a steady and sustained improve in artists,” Sevillano says. Final yr, AIE achieved “record-breaking” distribution of royalties to its artists and developed superior platforms to ascertain a Spanish Music Information House that can comprise all info on Spanish music, together with consumption, export numbers and particular person artists’ ­royalty numbers in a single place.

The music enterprise at this time in a phrase: “Disruption, at first, within the sense of a radical change that utterly reshapes the best way this {industry} operates. Disruption additionally in how new musical content material is being created throughout all areas: video video games, audiovisual productions and mainstream music.”

Contributors: Trevor Anderson, Nefertiti Austin, Katie Bain, Dave Brooks, Eric Renner Brown, Anna Chan, Ed Christman, Leila Cobo, Janine Coveney, Hannah Dailey, Thom Duffy, Chris Eggertsen, Griselda Flores, Eric Frankenberg, Raquelle “Rocki” Harris, Lyndsey Havens, Gil Kaufman, Steve Knopper, Carl Lamarre, Elias Leight, Robert Levine, Jason Lipshutz, Joe Lynch, Heran Mamo, Elizabeth Dilts Marshall, Taylor Mims, Gail Mitchell, Melinda Newman, Jessica Nicholson, Glenn Peoples, Sigal Ratner-Arias, Isabela Raygoza, Kristin Robinson, Jessica Roiz, Dan Rys, Michael Saponara, Crystal Shepeard, Andrew Unterberger

Methodology: Billboard’s International Energy Gamers (revealed in earlier years as Worldwide Energy Gamers) acknowledges high-achieving music executives whose main duty is exterior the USA, from the chosen {industry} sectors proven. Nominations for all of Billboard’s industry-sourced govt lists open a minimum of 150 days upfront of publication, and a submission hyperlink is shipped by request earlier than the nomination interval. (Please e mail thom.duffy@billboard.com for inclusion on the e-mail record for nomination hyperlinks and for the way to acquire an editorial calendar.) Billboard’s International Energy Gamers have been nominated by their companies and chosen by editors based mostly on elements together with their firm’s impression on client conduct, as measured by Billboard charts; gross sales and streaming efficiency; market share; income, or, the place not accessible, Billboard income estimates, which can be aided by firm steering; social media impressions; and radio audiences reached, utilizing information accessible as of March 30. Profession trajectory and momentum have been additionally thought-about. The place required, U.S. record-label market share was consulted utilizing Luminate’s present market share for albums, plus track-equivalent and streaming-equivalent album consumption and Billboard’s quarterly high 10 writer rankings. Until in any other case famous, Billboard Boxscore and Luminate are the sources for tour grosses and gross sales/streaming information, respectively.

This story seems within the Might 17, 2025, problem of Billboard.