Your daily drop May 5th
🎶 Music Industry & Artist News
Live Nation Projects a Summer Concert Boom Despite Q1 Revenue Dip
Live Nation shared an optimistic outlook for summer 2025 despite posting an 11% year-over-year revenue decline in Q1. Concerts accounted for 74% of the company’s earnings, totaling $3.38 billion. With artists like Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar hitting the road, they expect record-breaking turnout.
👉 Read via Axios
FiXT Launches Music Industry Education Platform
FiXT, the independent artist-owned label, has launched FiXT Academy, an educational membership hub designed to help up-and-coming musicians navigate the industry. Led by co-founder James Rhodes, the platform offers mentorship, digital marketing guidance, and sync licensing strategy.
👉 More via Music Connection
JazzWeek Radio Chart Highlights Emerging Talent
All About Jazz has released its latest JazzWeek Radio Chart, showcasing the most played new releases on U.S. jazz radio. From reimagined standards to experimental instrumentalists, the list offers a fresh take on what’s hot in jazz this week.
👉 Explore the Chart
🧪 Music Tech & Innovation
Superbooth 2025 Dazzles with Hardware Innovation
Berlin’s Superbooth continues to be a proving ground for cutting-edge gear. Standouts this year include Melbourne Instruments’ Roto-Control, a motorized MIDI controller now compatible with Bitwig Studio, and Dtronics’ DT-81Z, a new hardware programmer for Yamaha’s classic TX81Z FM synth.
👉 Full highlights via Synth Anatomy
Study Shows AI Use Among Producers Is Widespread but Understated
A new report reveals that while many producers actively use AI tools in music creation, few are publicly acknowledging it. From mastering plugins to lyric generation and vocal cloning, the findings suggest a quiet revolution is reshaping how tracks are made.
👉 Read the report at MusicTech
📺 Streaming & Entertainment (Music-Focused)
Lady Gaga Draws Record 2.5 Million Fans to Rio Beach Show
Lady Gaga performed at Copacabana Beach on May 3 to a staggering crowd of 2.5 million — the largest audience ever for a female artist. Part of Rio’s “Todo Mundo no Rio” initiative, the free show included elaborate visuals, costume changes, and a surprise nod to Brazilian pop culture.
👉 Glamour recap
👉 Vanity Fair: bomb plot foiled
Spotify CEO Reveals Plan to AI-Translate 7M Podcasts in Real Time
Daniel Ek announced that Spotify plans to use AI to translate its 7 million podcasts into English instantly. The initiative aims to make global voices more accessible and expand the platform’s reach in non-native English markets.
👉 More via NY Post
Lovin’ Life Fest Resumes After Storm Evacuations
Charlotte’s Lovin’ Life Music Fest pushed through rain delays and evacuations to deliver performances from Ludacris, Petey Pablo, and other crowd favorites. The festival highlighted the resilience of fans and organizers alike.
👉 Coverage from WBTV
🏛️ U.S. Politics
Trump's First 100 Days Target Arts and Cultural Institutions
As part of his second term agenda, President Trump has eliminated several DEI-related federal arts programs. One executive order instructed the Smithsonian to remove exhibits deemed “politically divisive,” including the Kennedy Center’s Tapestry of Pride and the sculpture showcase The Shape of Power. The cuts have sparked intense debate about censorship and cultural erasure.
👉 Full article via Observer