AGP Executive Report

Pop Culture & Rights: Ariana Grande blasted the White House for using her song “Bye” in an ICE immigration video, calling it “barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense,” and the track was later removed. Global Classical Crossover: India’s New York consulate teamed with Salon de Virtuosi for “East Meets West,” pairing Indian ragas and instruments with chamber music at the consulate. Publishing Deal: Inverted Music UK signed songwriter/producer Austin Lichtenstein to an exclusive worldwide admin agreement, expanding its roster. TV Spotlight: BBC One will air a Madonna special hosted by Graham Norton, recorded at Koko, ahead of “Confessions II.” Industry Awards: Partisan Records won Music Week’s Independent Record Company prize, buoyed by Geese’s momentum. AI Music Tools: New apps and systems promise faster creation and real-time AI jamming, while Deezer pushes AI-music detection. Local Live Music: Portland’s “Music on Main” kicks off with an America 250-themed Saturday event, and the Lake District Music Summer Festival adds kids-focused mini shows.

Commemoration in Music: The Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida will debut Saunder Choi’s commissioned requiem “Amor Eterno: A Requiem for Pulse” at its Pride concert June 19, honoring the Pulse Nightclub victims with a living-focused musical message. Festival & Live Music: Mempho Music Festival announced its 2026 lineup (Oct. 9–11) with Widespread Panic and Pretty Lights headlining, plus Spoon, Broken Social Scene, Gary Clark Jr., De La Soul, Ziggy Marley and more. Streaming & AI Detection: Deezer launched a free AI music detector that lets users scan playlists across Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music and Amazon Music to flag likely AI-generated tracks. Industry Numbers: NMPA reported U.S. music publishing revenue hit $7.3B in 2025, up 3.7% year over year, while pointing to streaming “bundling” pressures. Community Shows: Waterford’s free “Block Party” open-air series kicks off with 11 Saturday nights of original music and local support acts. Theatre Impact: Belfast’s “Mean Girls” run was cancelled amid unrest, with producers citing major revenue losses and refunds promised.

AI & Rights: Deezer rolls out a free AI music detector for users across major streaming platforms, aiming to keep synthetic tracks from diluting the royalty pool. Label Moves: Warner Music Group agrees to acquire Sureel AI, a platform built to trace how AI models use music assets and support provenance and monetization. New Releases: Madball drops “Tethered” ahead of “Not Your Kingdom” (July 24), while Cancer Bats releases “Long Tooth” featuring Brooklyn Doran and To The Grave signs to BLKIIBLK with “EYESTALK ABLATIONS.” World Cup x Music: FIFA is leaning hard on global stars and concerts to turn the tournament into a cultural soundtrack, with opening-ceremony performances and major fan-facing music moments. Live & Local: CTL brings “Legally Blonde The Musical” to Connecticut; Greece’s Flame Music Festival announces a huge urban lineup in Athens; and the UK’s We Out Here Festival lands among the best-value festivals. Community & Healing: Experts highlight music’s stress and healing benefits, and RCCG announces “Mega Music Festival 2.0” in Lagos with a tech-focused youth fellowship.

Make Music Day: Henderson’s June 21 community-wide celebration invites musicians of all ages to perform for free in public spaces, with open mic and courthouse-lawn singing, plus easy registration via the Make Music Day site. Museum & Culture: The Met opens “Musical Bodies,” a new exhibition tracing 4,000 years of instrument-making through the human form. AI & Copyright: Independent musicians sue Google over alleged use of YouTube uploads to train its Lyria music AI, while Google argues the claims can’t stand and that YouTube’s license covers the conduct. Industry & Tech: Warner Music Group agrees to acquire AI attribution startup Sureel AI, aiming to protect music from unauthorized use. Live Music & Festivals: Rifflandia in Victoria, Canada is cancelled with no return plan; Taconic Music marks its 10th summer with a classical-to-jazz-and-pops series; Taconic’s pops concert and regional chamber dates run June 15–July 13. Orchestras: Pittsburgh Symphony extends music director Manfred Honeck through 2032–33. Health & Artists: Country singer Jillian Cardarelli, 33, shares a stage-two breast cancer diagnosis. Local Scenes: Circuit Arts names Jared Salvatore as music-programming director, expanding year-round concerts and residencies.

Global Pop Tour: Charli xcx has announced dates for her “Music, Fashion, Film Tour,” hitting major North American arenas with stops at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center and LA’s Kia Forum, plus presale details and low-cost “Angel Tickets.” World Cup Soundtrack: FIFA World Cup 2026 opening is going multi-city across Mexico City, Toronto and Los Angeles, with Shakira & Burna Boy leading the anthem moment and Katy Perry headlining at SoFi. Industry Debate: Ghanaian rapper M.anifest pushes back on “unity” talk, arguing for cooperation, ethics and professionalism instead. Country & Community: Corb Lund is set to deliver an anti-coal petition to Alberta’s elections authority after collecting 178,000+ signatures. Classical for the Next Gen: Wisconsin Public Radio lands a $100,000 grant to expand its free Classical Music Day across the state. Live Music Returns: The Gobbler Theater in Johnson Creek reopens after a five-year pause under new ownership. Music Rights Fight: Global Music Rights sues Music Choice over alleged willful infringement of nearly 100 songs after a license expired. Grassroots Venue Win: Leeds’ Northern Guitars secures long-term protection after being bought by Music Venue Properties. Cultural Lab in Armenia: NOTATIONS music lab and festival returns to Armenia, with applications open and a festival finale planned in August.

Prince legacy: The Met’s “Musical Bodies” exhibit spotlights Prince’s iconic Love Symbol guitar, running through Sept. 27. Broadway & theatre: “Six” opens at Columbia County Performing Arts Center, while “Fiddler on the Roof” lands at The Ned in Jackson this July. Local music education: Ford Music Center teams with BC3 to offer music classes for students. New live-music series: Circuit Arts adds a year-round “New Sound” program, with Emily King among upcoming stops. Festival updates: Governors Ball returns with Lorde and A$AP Rocky highlights; Rock the South is pushed to Oct. 1–4 after rain. Streaming & tech: Apple Music gets major iOS 27 Siri AI upgrades plus faster performance. Industry & rights: NMPA and Billboard host a Music Investor dinner amid consolidation and AI talk; DIMA reports average U.S. streamers spend $434/year. Community events: Downtown LIVE brings free music and art to Texarkana; Monrovia Music Fest returns June 28; Ambler Arts & Music Festival gears up June 19–20. AI debate & lawsuits: Musicians’ union sues UMG and Warner over AI licensing.

Music Losses: Filipino veteran Abraham “Bing” Austria, 62, died after a week battling sepsis in ICU, with tributes pouring in for his work across ska, reggae and frontman roles. K-pop Spotlight: Former AOA member Jimin opened up about weeks of emotional strain ahead of her new release, citing sleeplessness, self-harm urges and the toll of malicious comments. Afrobeats Debate: Peter Okoye (Mr P) hit back at ageist calls to retire, defending his performance energy and noting a new multi-million-dollar five-year deal. Global Music & Culture: AR Rahman and Imtiaz Ali staged Jai Ho at the Attari Border ahead of Partition drama Main Vaapas Aaunga. Live & Community: Harrisburg announced “Juneteenth Meets Carnival,” a free three-part African diaspora celebration featuring major performers and Sister Nancy. Royalty & Venues: Music Venue Trust teamed with Audoo to test real-time royalty reporting at 120 grassroots UK venues after a PRS dispute. New Releases: Wraithbearer dropped “Parasite Crown,” and Tayga Hardcore Division released “Сибирская Стая.” Musical Theatre: “Schmigadoon!” won Best New Musical at the 2026 Tonys, while “Liberation” took Best Play. Film Release: Freestyle Digital Media released musical drama A SONG FOR ERESHA on North American VOD/DVD/satellite platforms.

Broadway Buzz: The 79th Tony Awards crowned “Schmigadoon!” as Best Musical and “Liberation” as Best Play, with “Death of a Salesman” and “Ragtime” also racking up major wins. Pop Tour News: Charli XCX announced her “Music, Fashion, Film Tour,” adding San Diego and Los Angeles dates plus a Toronto stop at Scotiabank Arena—tickets go on sale June 12. Local Live Music: Sedona’s long-idle Georgia Frontiere Performance Pavilion could see a comeback as a nonprofit pushes to revive the amphitheater. Community Festivals: The 39th Lowell Folk Festival revealed more international traditional acts for July 24–26. Music Industry Business: Independent labels backed Cantilever’s “Mubi for music” style streaming push with £250,000, while UMG’s Virgin Music Group agreed to sell Curve Royalty Systems to Jamen Capital and Merlin. Legal/Politics: A judge tossed the Kennedy Center lawsuit against jazz musician Chuck Redd under anti-SLAPP rules after he canceled in protest of Trump influence. Classical & Chamber: Tres Cordes brings French chamber works to Elmira on June 12.

Music Tech Deal: Feature.fm and SonoSuite are partnering so white-label music distributors can embed marketing automation (Pre-Saves, Smart Links, fan data capture) directly into their distribution workflow. Broadway Spotlight: The 79th Tony Awards crowned Schmigadoon! as Best Musical, with Liberation winning Best Play and Ragtime taking Best Musical Revival; the ceremony also highlighted major acting wins including John Lithgow and Laurie Metcalf. Global Pop Crossover: Guru Randhawa joined LE SSERAFIM for the official “BOOMPALA” global remix, adding Punjabi verses to the multilingual hit. Cultural/Arts Tensions: A China–Japan diplomatic feud is spilling into festivals, with major film events reportedly dropping Japanese titles for the first time in years. Local Live Music & Community: A Sandy, Oregon benefit raised thousands via shirt sales and a music event after a deadly shooting. Music in Fashion: U/MUSIC and Maison MIHARA YASUHIRO released a Billie Eilish tour-graphic T-shirt using vintage-wash, distressed treatment.

New Releases Round-Up: NYC house duo The Carry Nation curate “Full Tilt Carry Vol 3” for Nervous Records (June 12), with 17 tracks spanning Baltimore to Barcelona and beyond, plus a Fauzia EP “I Was Here For a Moment” landing July 17 via Mexican Summer. Live Music (Local Picks): Dog Days Bar & Grill in Osage Beach runs a pet-friendly summer slate with DJ Mitchell Hayes (June 13), The Vybes (June 12), and DJ Nick Niemeier (June 12/19/20). Big Cultural Moment: AR Rahman makes a historic live debut at Punjab’s Attari border during Beating Retreat, paying tribute to BSF ahead of “Main Vaapas Aaunga.” Festival News: Clacton Pier launches a free two-weekend music festival (June 13-14 reggae; June 20-21 country; June 27-28 best of British). Community & Pride: Bend Summer Pride keeps queer joy front and center with music, games, and family activities at Drake Park. Music in the Spotlight: Eurovision Young Musicians 2026 crowns Poland’s Michał Stochel (accordion) in Yerevan. Legal/Policy: A judge dismisses the Kennedy Center lawsuit tied to a jazz musician’s canceled Christmas Eve show.

Tragic Incident at Live Show (Mumbai): A 28-year-old law student died and a woman was hospitalized after suspected excessive alcohol consumption at the Klangkuenstler “All Night Long” concert at NSCI Dome in Worli; police opened an inquiry and filed an accidental death report while awaiting medical and forensic findings. Global Pop & Film Buzz: Madonna premiered a visualiser for “Confessions II,” pushing the idea that her music is about “connection,” not “mindless” entertainment. Studio Craft Spotlight: Lee Sklar shared how to lock in the perfect bassline groove in the studio. Rock Legacy Night (US): Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Public Enemy and more headlined “Music America: The Songs That Shaped Us” across two nights, tied to the new Springsteen Center opening June 13. AI Music Politics (US): Donald Trump amplified an AI-generated music video on Truth Social portraying him as a worldwide icon. Community Music Funding (UK): In-Spire Sounds CIC won £7,000 to run songwriting and mentoring programs for at-risk young people in Oxfordshire. Genre Watch (Global): A report on amapiano’s rise shows how the South African sound is spreading via TikTok and beyond. Live Event Updates: Morgan Wallen’s Pittsburgh concert was canceled due to severe weather.

LGBTQ+ Pride & live pop: West Hollywood Pride Weekend keeps rolling with concerts, a street fair, and the OUTLOUD Music Festival, including a headline set from the Pussycat Dolls. Music education shake-up: Bishkek’s Kureneev Music College is getting a new building after years of dispute over the old site’s foundation, with construction already underway. Legal clash at the Kennedy Center: A judge tossed a breach-of-contract suit from musician Chuck Redd after he canceled a Christmas Eve show, using Washington’s Anti-SLAPP protections. Artist rights warning: Nigerian singer Cynthia Morgan cautions musicians not to sign away master ownership in perpetuity. AI music politics: Trump shared an AI-generated self-promo video set to a song that repeats his name, sparking fresh backlash. Global festival streaming: Amazon Music will livestream major sets from Primavera Sound 2026 in Barcelona, including The Cure and Gorillaz. Community music events: Orillia’s free Music in the Park returns with 13 concerts, while New York prepares a Shane MacGowan Pub “living tribute” to the Pogues legend. Copyright threats: Fuji star Pasuma threatens legal action over unauthorized use of his music and likeness.

Wealth & Pop Culture: Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and re-recordings are pushing her to a reported $2B net worth, making her the richest female musician in history. Pride & Community: West Hollywood kicks off Pride weekend with the Outloud Music Festival, while Pineville’s second annual Downtown Pride adds food, shopping, and music. Musical Theatre Spotlight: Cebu’s Pride Month return of “Hook Up: The Musical” tackles dating-app romance and LGBTQ+ identity; LCBI High School stages “Mary Poppins” in June; Weston revives “Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash” for its 90th season. Local Live Music: New Ulm’s “Music in the Park” launches with the Concord Singers; Turkey Run State Park brings back its outdoor series; Bowling Green’s Fountain Row Friday continues with live sets. Industry & Tech: Separate reports highlight ongoing AI-content concerns in music, including licensing and platform disputes. Classical/Global: Manchester Music Festival’s “Sounding America” theme sets up a “Summer of Discovery.”

AI & Music Industry Legal Fight: The AFM sued UMG and WMG over AI training deals with Suno and Udio, saying musicians weren’t compensated or credited and that the labels won’t share which recordings are used. Global Pop & Film Tie-Ins: Taylor Swift’s Toy Story 5 track “I Knew It, I Knew You” got a full music video, starring Jessie (Joan Cusack) moments from the franchise. Local Live Music (Community First): Regina’s YMCA Music for the Mind fundraiser raised $50,000 for youth mental health and mentorship. Festival & Venue Updates: Rock Falls’ Bellson Music Fest moved indoors due to extreme heat and storms. Theatre & Sound Design: NYTW’s My Joy Is Heavy used in-ear monitoring across the full ensemble, a rare approach for a musical. New Releases Roundup: Billboard highlighted fresh picks including Swift, Role Model, and Lizzo for New Music Friday. Classical Crossover: St. Vincent went symphonic with the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall, reworking her catalog with a 60-piece orchestra. Music Education: EMU announced its TRNC scholarship talent exam for 2026-27, assessing musical ability alongside entrance scores.

Taylor Swift & Toy Story 5: Forbes says Swift is now the richest female musician in history (about $2B), and she’s also confirmed her new “Toy Story 5” song “I Knew It, I Knew You,” calling it “like a musical departure and coming home.” Music Awards Japan: Hiromi Uehara, STUTS, Hana Hope and more are set for the June 13 Premier Ceremony, with the event livestreamed ahead of the Grand Ceremony. Live Music & Festivals: Prague’s Cider Festival returns June 5–7 with DJs and family programming; Owensboro’s PorchFest OBKY brings porch stages and food trucks on June 13; Decatur’s Amplify Music Festival runs June 4–7 with Gillian Welch & David Rawlings and more. Industry & Business: Fort Wayne is creating a dedicated Music Office to grow its music economy, while Modern Sky UK launches the Chinese youth brand M_DSK as MDSK (0151). New Releases: Aynaz drops “Sweet Realm,” Larry Dane releases “It Was the 80s,” and Kereng Khuphe unveils the “4 Sho” video. Classical Spotlight: North York Moors Chamber Music Festival marks its 18th year with six world premieres in August.

Music Industry Dealmaking: Universal Music is repurchasing about 14.2 million shares from Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square after rejecting a $64B takeover bid, signaling Pershing’s full exit from UMG. Chart Watch: BTS keeps “Swim” at No. 1 on Billboard Global Excl. U.S., extending its own longest run at the top. AI Music & Investment: Suno’s latest funding round pushes its valuation to $5.4B after raising $400M, underscoring how fast AI music is reshaping the business. Global Latin Growth: Concord Label Group partners with Lito Music, aiming to build a “culturally driven, globally competitive” Latin roster. Live & Community Music: Marlboro Music marks 75 years with a July–August chamber-music season led by Mitsuko Uchida and Jonathan Biss. Awards & Recognition: Tribune critic Hannah Edgar wins the William Littler Prize for Music Criticism. Touring & Theater: “Beetlejuice” returns to Tampa’s Straz Center in June, with a stage-forward take on the Tim Burton classic. Festivals & Culture: Endless Mountain Music Festival celebrates 21 years with an America250-themed lineup starting July 17. Pop Culture Spotlight: Pink will host the Tony Awards June 7, revisiting her decadeslong music career.