AGP Executive Report

Global Rights: The U.S. Supreme Court left intact a ruling allowing songwriters to reclaim copyrights granted worldwide; four justices sat out the appeal, leaving the court without enough members to hear it. Separately, music publishers warn AI companies have used Kylie Minogue and Nick Cave recordings without permission or payment. Industry Moves: Musixmatch acquired Music Reports, expanding into rights and royalty management, while Reservoir bought jazz great Billy Strayhorn’s catalogue, including “Take the ‘A’ Train” and “Lush Life.” Live Music: Shakira’s first concert in Kyrgyzstan drew 50,000 fans to Bishkek, with visitors from 33 countries. Anoushka Shankar launched a China tour in Beijing, blending Indian classical music with contemporary sounds. Cultural Legacy: A new documentary finds the family of Afunakwa, whose Baegu lullaby became part of Deep Forest’s global hit “Sweet Lullaby”; her voice travelled worldwide without her name or compensation. Global Charts: Karol G, Judeline and rusowsky’s “BbY WOW” held No. 1 on Billboard’s Global charts for a sixth week.

Streaming Milestones: KATSEYE’s “Gabriela” has joined Spotify’s Billions Club, while BTS’s Arirang surpassed 5 billion streams and the group passed 10 billion streams in a year. BTS will bring its citywide project to Singapore in December. Music Access: Drum-and-bass duo Chase and Status say cuts to music education shut out talented young people; they plan to expand their East London arts school. Touring: Korean R&B singer-songwriter eldon has launched a first world tour spanning Asia and North America. South Asian Legacy: Tamil composer Deva, whose film scores shaped generations of music fans, has died at 75; colleagues and stars including Rajinikanth paid tribute. Cultural Roots: A new Liverpool mural will honour Lord Woodbine, the Trinidadian calypso and steelpan musician who helped shape the city’s Caribbean scene and supported the Beatles in their early years.

Farewell to a Calypso Icon: Mighty Sparrow was laid to rest in Port of Spain after a state-assisted funeral celebrating his lasting influence on Caribbean music. Music Industry Rights: Nas says Black music pioneers have been “ripped off,” renewing calls for fair royalties, ownership and recognition. Classical Music Under Fire: Ukrainian musicians recorded excerpts from Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet despite air-raid alerts and power outages, continuing a partnership with Denmark’s Opera Hedeland. Keeping Traditions Alive: Kashmiri instrument makers are working to preserve crafts behind instruments such as the rabab, passed down through generations. Global Touring: Ayra Starr announced a 20-city Starrgirl World Tour, with European dates in January and February and North American shows through April 2027. MENA on the ADE Agenda: Amsterdam Dance Event’s October 21–25 conference will spotlight independent music scenes across the Middle East and North Africa. Tamil Music Mourns Deva: The composer, whose film scores shaped generations of Tamil hits, died at 75; artists and political leaders paid tribute.

Deva Remembered: Tamil composer Deva, who scored more than 400 films and helped bring gaana music into the mainstream, has died at 75. Tamil Nadu announced a state-honours funeral. Concert News: Shakira arrived in Bishkek ahead of a highly anticipated show expected to draw fans from abroad. Tina Arena announced a month-long Melbourne residency in August 2027, her only live dates that year. Tradition on a Big Stage: Siti Nurhaliza’s traditional music concert drew 63,000 people in Kuala Lumpur, as Malaysia’s communications minister urged her to take the country’s musical heritage to wider audiences. Global Collaborations: Shah Rukh Khan announced a one-day Abu Dhabi festival featuring Arijit Singh, Sonu Nigam and Karan Aujla. AI and Streaming: YouTube Music is adding labels to AI-generated songs, as platforms face growing pressure to make synthetic tracks clearer to listeners.

Tamil Music: Composer Deva, whose scores shaped hits for Rajinikanth, Vijay and Ajith, has died at 75. Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and other artists paid tribute to the influential composer. Touring & Festivals: U2 announced a 2027 world tour tied to a new album. Shah Rukh Khan also unveiled UNIFYD, an Abu Dhabi festival featuring Arijit Singh, Sonu Nigam and Karan Aujla in March. Music Heritage: Glasgow’s Royal National Mòd closed after drawing a record 11,500 visitors to a week of Gaelic music and culture. Trinidad will name the Queen’s Park Savannah grandstand after calypso legend Mighty Sparrow, celebrated at a memorial ceremony. Live Music Funding: Australian singer Gordi says touring is increasingly essential as venues close and recording income falls; musicians and arts groups are seeking public donations. Band Comeback: Fremantle’s San Cisco are returning to recording and touring after an 18-month break that included drummer and vocalist Scarlett Stevens’s maternity leave.

Indian Cinema Music: Composer Deva, whose soundtracks for Annamalai and Baashha became Tamil film classics, has died in Chennai at 75. He scored more than 400 films across four South Indian languages. New Releases: Fontaines D.C. released Dopamine Chamber, a darker, more experimental fifth album featuring Spanish singer Rosalía. Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan, Tate McRae, Zach Bryan and Belgian singer Angèle also have new music out. Cross-Cultural Sounds: Indian and Latin American musicians meet on “Muévete,” blending sitar, tabla and konnakol with Latin percussion, Venezuelan horns and Spanish-language pop. Tour News: U2 announced a world stadium tour featuring Beck. Streaming Shift: YouTube Music and Deezer have outlined plans to help listeners limit fully AI-generated tracks.

Latin Tour Records: Shakira’s Madrid residency drew more than 700,000 fans across 13 shows, while her tour has surpassed $534 million in reported revenue. Karol G also wrapped a North American stadium run, selling more than one million tickets. African Pop Goes Global: Ayra Starr is taking her “Starrgirl” tour across 20 cities, with dates in Europe, the UK and North America. Rock on the Road: U2 announced a world stadium tour featuring Beck. Streaming and AI: YouTube Music is adding labels to AI-generated tracks, while Deezer will let listeners hide fully AI-made music. Jazz and Folklore: Bassist-composer Fumi Tomita’s new album draws on Japanese supernatural tales. Cultural Exchange: A Bangladeshi troupe arrived in Islamabad for performances celebrating its musical and artistic heritage.

Streaming Milestone: BTS became the first group to top 10 billion Spotify streams in a year, with their album Arirang driving more than half the total. New Music & Touring: U2 released “The Greatest Show On Earth,” the lead single from their first album of new material in nine years, and announced a 2027 stadium tour with Beck. AI & Music: YouTube Music is adding labels to AI-generated tracks, while Deezer will let listeners filter them out, as platforms respond to a surge of synthetic songs. Music Business: AEG Presents acquired French artist-production firm Auguri, strengthening its local reach; Warner Chappell also signed My Chemical Romance to a worldwide publishing deal. Protecting Fans: After a presale drew 1.8 million sign-ups for 5,000 seats, Raye is developing a tougher registration process to curb bots and scalpers for upcoming shows.

AI and Streaming: YouTube Music is adding labels to tracks substantially made with AI, while Deezer plans to let listeners filter out fully AI-generated music, as platforms respond to a surge of synthetic songs. Industry Shake-up: Universal Music Group is cutting jobs in a $270 million savings drive, with senior executives at major labels among those departing. African Pop on the World Stage: Ayra Starr is set to become the first African artist to headline an NFL International Games halftime show and has announced a 20-date tour; Tyla is launching a tour alongside a scholarship for young South African musicians. Global Live Music: BTS drew 155,000 fans to three sold-out concerts in Peru, while WOMADelaide’s 2027 lineup includes Underworld and Angine de Poitrine. Roots and Reach: As Latin music gains listeners worldwide, salsa artists are emphasizing the genre’s Puerto Rican, Caribbean and New York roots.

Abu Dhabi Shows: Mariah Carey will bring her Christmas concert to Yas Island on December 12. Adelaide Tribute: Hilltop Hoods were honored with a laneway and murals in the city where the Australian trio built their career. New Zealand Prize: Composer Dylan Lardelli won the 2026 SOUNZ Contemporary Award for Light Lines, a work for string trio. AI Transparency: YouTube Music is adding labels to AI-generated tracks, while Deezer plans to let listeners filter out fully AI-made music. Label Shake-up: Universal Music Group is cutting jobs and several senior executives are leaving as the company continues its restructuring. Festival Watch: WOMADelaide has unveiled the first acts for its 35th anniversary in 2027, including Underworld, Fatoumata Diawara and Christine Anu.

Music Loss: Lucian Piane, the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” music producer and songwriter behind “Sissy That Walk,” has died at 46 after being struck by a car in California. Industry Shake-up: Universal Music Group is cutting jobs and preparing senior executive departures as it completes a restructuring; Deezer, meanwhile, plans to let listeners filter fully AI-generated tracks from search. Reggae: Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley’s 16-track No Better Riddim arrives Friday, bringing established and emerging voices together on a shared Jamaican rhythm. Global Stage: Ayra Starr has announced a 20-city world tour and is set to become the first African artist to headline an NFL International Games halftime show. Afrobeats: Davido has reportedly submitted his album Oriade and several songs for 2027 Grammy consideration. Hip-Hop: Duane “Keffe D” Davis was sentenced to 40 years to life for his role in Tupac Shakur’s 1996 murder. Anniversary Tribute: Canadian artists will celebrate Bob Dylan and The Band’s The Last Waltz at Toronto’s Massey Hall on Nov. 25, with proceeds supporting music education.

Music Loss: Lucian Piane, the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” producer who co-wrote RuPaul’s “Sissy That Walk,” has died at 46 after being struck by a vehicle in California. Hip-Hop Legacy: A Nevada judge sentenced Duane “Keffe D” Davis to 40 years to life for orchestrating Tupac Shakur’s 1996 murder; Davis plans to appeal. AI & Rights: SZA says 238 of her songs were used to train AI models without her consent, spotlighting copyright gaps in India’s music market. Industry Shift: The Chainsmokers are going independent after 11 years with Columbia and Disruptor, saying they’re keen to experiment with new music. Global Pop: Ayra Starr will take her “Starrgirl” tour across 20 cities and become the first African artist to headline an NFL International Games halftime show. BLACKPINK’s Rosé is set to perform at LACMA’s Art+Film Gala on Nov. 7.

Chart Watch: Japanese group JO1’s first English-language EP, ANIMAL, debuted at No. 139 on the Billboard 200 after the group’s North American tour. Global Stages: Ayra Starr announced a 20-city Starrgirl tour across Africa, Europe and North America, following her headline performance at an NFL international game in London. DJ Snake is set to make his Sri Lanka debut at Colombo’s Senter Music Festival on Oct. 30–31. Tour News: Calvin Harris will play Toronto and Hamilton in April 2027 as part of a North American tour; general tickets go on sale Oct. 22. Awards Season: Davido submitted entries including Oriade and “Nakupenda” for 2027 Grammy consideration, while Tyla entered “I Don’t Care,” featuring Babalwa M, in the Best African Music Performance category. Music and AI: Grimes’ representative says AI-generated visuals appear in her “Accelerando” video, alongside work by more than 70 human artists and production professionals; no AI was used in the recording or vocals. Afrobeat: Audiomack has partnered with Lagos’s Felabration festival, offering Audiomack+ subscribers limited VIP seats and a playlist tracing the genre’s roots and influence.

K-pop: Lee Soo-man has unveiled two new groups through A2O Entertainment, while a new South Korean law lets registered agencies rate their own music videos and release them without waiting for government review. African music: Ayra Starr will make history as the first African artist to headline an NFL International Games halftime show. South Asian legacy: Fans are marking the 78th birth anniversary of qawwali legend Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, whose music helped bring the devotional tradition to listeners worldwide. Global touring: BTS drew 155,000 fans to three sold-out concerts in Peru; A$AP Rocky has announced December arena dates in Australia and New Zealand, his first visit to the region in eight years. Filipino music: BINI, SB19 and Cup of Joe are among the artists receiving Global Impact Awards at Wednesday’s Dangal ng Musikang Pilipino.

African Milestone: Ayra Starr became the first African artist to headline an NFL International Games halftime show and announced a 20-date tour across Europe and North America. Global Charts: Karol G, Judeline and rusowsky’s “BbY WOW” returned to No. 1 on both Billboard Global charts for a fifth week. K-pop on Tour: BTS drew 155,000 fans to three sold-out Lima concerts, while MAMAMOO brought its world tour to Kuala Lumpur and ATEEZ announced a 2027 tour across Asia, Europe and the Americas. Pop Breakthrough: Tinashe’s Popstar debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200, giving her a first top-10 album after years of fans campaigning to “uplift Tinashe.” Cultural Crossovers: A Hong Kong ensemble is taking Dunhuang’s ancient musical heritage to Canada, while Tamil music is drawing on South African amapiano.

Global Breakthrough: Ayra Starr became the first African artist to headline an NFL International Game halftime show, performing in London as Afrobeats reached a major global stage. Stadium Draw: BTS brought more than 151,000 fans to three sold-out Lima concerts, their first in Peru, with demand prompting an extra show. Tour News: ATEEZ announced a 2027 world tour, opening in Incheon before stops across Asia, Europe and the Americas. Back in the Studio: The Rolling Stones have reportedly recorded with saxophonist Courtney Pine, hinting at new music just months after their latest album. Dolly Tribute: Disney+ will stream an all-star celebration of Dolly Parton in New Zealand on Oct. 22, featuring performances from Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire and more. Cross-Cultural Sounds: Tamil music is embracing South African amapiano, with DJs reworking A.R. Rahman songs and bringing the fusion to new listeners.