While many public firms are struggling amid the backdrop of macroeconomic uncertainty and the looming risk of world tariffs, music firm executives are beating the drum for music as a steady place to take a position.
Regardless of a plateauing of the expansion curve, income from streaming subscriptions continues to drive relative stability at Spotify, Unversal Music Group and Deezer, firms that every reported earnings on Tuesday (April 29) for the quarter that ended March 31.
Listed below are the highest line outcomes for every of the music firms which have reported as of Could 9, 2025, listed in alphabetical order. Click on on the hyperlink within the abstract to get the total story for every firm.
- Deezer: French streaming firm Deezer eked out a quarterly income achieve to stay on monitor to realize profitability in 2025, with a 1.1% improve in income of 134 million euros ($145.08 million) within the first quarter. The beneficial properties have been pushed primarily by 6.3% progress in Deezer’s direct subscriber base in France, which brings the full variety of subscribers general to 9.4 million. Learn on.
- HYBE: South Korea’s HYBE used artists’ heavy touring schedules and powerful merchandise and licensing revenues to offset a dip in recorded music gross sales to put up income beneficial properties of 38.7%, or 500.6 billion KRW ($350 million). Nonetheless, it was HYBE’s second-lowest quarterly income because the first quarter of 2023. For extra on HYBE’s J-Hope and all the remainder, click on right here.
- Reside Nation: First quarter income declined 11% (8% in fixed forex) to $3.38 billion whereas adjusted working revenue fell 6% (or 0.5% in fixed forex) to $341.1 million. The primary quarter tends to be gradual, nonetheless, and quite a few metrics — ticket gross sales for Reside Nation concert events, event-related deferred income and fee-bearing ticket gross sales — level to the approaching quarters being a lot stronger. Go right here for extra.
- MSG Leisure (MSGE): The New York Metropolis-based dwell occasions firm’s income rose 6% to $243 million within the fiscal third quarter ended March 31. CEO James Dolan stated MSGE is “on monitor to ship stable adjusted working revenue progress” within the full fiscal yr. Income from leisure choices rose 10% to $160 million. Occasion-related income fell $3.6 million due primarily to decrease income from concert events, which the corporate attributed to extra leases (versus fewer promoted occasions) and a drop within the variety of concert events in comparison with the prior-year interval.
- SiriusXM: The satellite tv for pc radio firm reported a 303,000 decline in subscribers, a 4% drop in income (to $2.07 billion) and a 15% decline in internet revenue (to $204 million). Decrease working bills from employees cuts and the reversal of Sirius’s streaming technique partly offset the declines. Its podcast enterprise, which launched two Alex Morgan channels within the quarter, reported a 33% income improve and 70 million month-to-month listeners. Extra particulars within the full article.
- SM Leisure: The Okay-pop firm behind NCT Dream and aespa had an honest first quarter: revenues grew 5% to $159 million and working revenue jumped 110% to $22 million. Reside performances by NCT 127, aespa and TVXQ helped live performance income soar 58% to $27 million. Recorded music income elevated 23% regardless of having fewer main releases. For particulars on upcoming releases and excursions, go to the full article.
- Sphere Leisure Co.: The Sphere venue had fewer occasions within the fiscal quarter ended March 31, main income to fall 12.8% to $158 million. However as a result of promoting, common and administrative prices fell by 12%, adjusted working revenue was flat at $13 million. Consolidated income, which incorporates MSG Networks, fell 13% to $281 million. CEO James Dolan isn’t involved a few doable downturn in tourism, saying live performance demand is so robust “now we have room to soak up any points.” Click on right here for extra.
- Spotify: Spotify’s first quarter income rose 15% to 4.2 billion euros ($4.54 billion), because it added a greater-than-projected 5 million internet new paying subscribers within the quarter to carry its complete to 268 million. That 12% improve in paying streamers marked the streaming and podcast firm’s highest first quarter subscriber beneficial properties since early within the COVID-19 pandemic, displaying the “resilient” enchantment of music amid the backdrop of world uncertainty, execs stated.
- Common Music Group (UMG): The world’s largest music firm reported that robust subscription income drove an 11.8% (or 9.5% in fixed forex) yr over yr improve in first quarter income, for a results of 2.9 billion euros ($3.05 billion on the common alternate fee within the first quarter). Adjusted earnings earlier than curiosity, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) additionally rose 11.8%, to 661 million euros ($695 million). Adjusted EBITDA margin was flat at 22.8%. For extra, click on right here.
- Warner Music Group: Warner Music Group reported quarterly income of $1.48 billion edged 1% decrease and internet revenue was down virtually 63%, because the label dwelling of stars like Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran struggled with robust comparisons to final yr’s quarter. WMG reported recorded music income of $1.175 billion, a 1% decline, and publishing income rose 1% to $310 million. Web revenue of $36 million in comparison with $96 million a yr in the past was hit by a $34-million loss from alternate charges driving up the carrying prices of WMG’s euro-denominated debt and an $11 million improve in a sure type of taxes. All the small print might be discovered within the full article.
- YG Leisure. The Okay-pop firm behind such artists as BLACKPINK and BABYMONSTER improved its botton line regardless of a slight dip in top-line income. Whole income dipped 3.8% to $69 million however working revenue turned to a constructive $6.6 million from a $4.8 million loss within the prior-year interval. Web revenue improved to $7 million from $300,000.
Observe: This story shall be up to date as further firms report earnings.
