AGP Executive Report

International Music Awards Buzz: The Filipino Music Awards (Oct. 6, SM Mall of Asia Arena) has dropped its International Artist nominees, with BTS, Olivia Rodrigo, Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars and more vying for the People’s Choice category—voting closes Oct. 4. Music + Film Spotlight: Jesse Eisenberg’s “The Debut” is making an Oscar push after writing all seven original songs, with one track performed by Julianne Moore flagged as the frontrunner for Best Original Song. Oasis on Screen: “Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger” premieres in Venice and frames the brothers’ reconciliation as their kids become the “glue.” Live Music & Community: Spokane’s “Stuffed on the Bluff” steps in after “Pig Out in the Park” ended, bringing live music and local food vendors back to the spotlight. New Releases/Plans: Telugu film “Aadarsha Kutumbam” is still targeting an Oct. 2 release, with teaser and first song promised soon. Music as Healing: A Pembrokeshire exhibition pairs original art with clips from an upcoming concept album to explore trauma and recovery. Tech + Streaming: YouTube Music’s AI labeling and recommendation approach is under scrutiny as platforms push for clearer tagging of AI-made tracks.

Country & Pop Releases: Randy Travis is back with his first album of original music in 18 years, built from “vault” recordings reworked with longtime producer Kyle Lehning, with the title track “Same Old Way” out now. Beyoncé: The “B’Day” 20th anniversary deluxe edition drops with remasters, Spanish versions, rare material, and new tracks including collaborations with Maluma and Selena Quintanilla. K-pop Milestone: BABYMONSTER’s YouTube channel has crossed 10 billion cumulative views, with YG framing it as a global fandom flex. Streaming/Tech: Google launched Lyria 3.5 for AI music generation inside Gemini, aiming for more expressive vocals and richer arrangements. Music in Film/TV: Phoebe Bridgers makes her acting debut in Lance Oppenheim’s “Primetime,” and Oasis’ “Don’t Look Back In Anger” documentary is set for a Sept. 11 cinema release. Local Music Culture: Capital Music Week expands to Almonte with a Métis Kitchen Party featuring fiddle, dancers, and Juno-nominated Amanda Rheaume.

Miley Cyrus Album Rollout: Miley Cyrus is back with her lead single “Bass Persuades,” plus a dancefloor-ready video, kicking off her 10th studio album (due Sept. 18). K-pop Solo Spotlight: Jisoo drops “Click,” a futuristic pop single with a Joseph Kahn-directed video and a cyborg-themed storyline. New Music Releases: Burlington’s Lily Seabird unveils fourth album “Lightspheres on Their Way,” while Egyptian artist Yonyo maps a breakup arc on EP “Kalemny,” and Moroccan artist NISY returns with grief-to-rebirth single “TRAUMATISED.” Community Music & Live Events: Walker County Christian Chorus is recruiting singers for Handel’s “Messiah” (Nov. 30, with Alabama Symphony Orchestra accompaniment), and Hickory’s Sails Original Music Series brings Mellow Swells on Sept. 11. Local Scene Watch: Chelmsford’s Intense Records grew from a uni bedroom pop-up into a vinyl staple, fueled by younger collectors. Music Industry/Tech: Google pushes Lyria 3.5 into Gemini as the music model era keeps accelerating.

New Music Friday: This week’s picks spotlight DIIV’s “Kid,” 156/Silence’s “From A Distance” (feat. Alex Reade), and The Bends’ “Sticking To The Plan.” AI & Artist Rights: Korein Tillery filed a lawsuit on behalf of Jason Isbell and others against Suno, alleging name-based music generation that exploits artists’ identities without consent. Pop Star Watch: Miley Cyrus drops “Bass Persuades,” the first single from her Sept. 18 album, with a dancefloor-forward video and Hollywood Bowl dates. Country Charts: Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” hits UK No. 1 and matches a huge US Hot 100 run. Legacy News: Prince’s estate faces fresh backlash over claims that the “Timeless” retrospective included altered recordings. Live Music & Community: Corpus Christi’s monthly Art Walk/Music Walk keeps growing, while Jersey’s “Grief Disco” brings dance-music grief support to Our House of Champions. Big Releases: Oak Ridge Boys announce “Buried Treasures” (Oct. 30), and Randy Travis sets “Same Old Way” for Nov. 13.

Miley Cyrus: The pop star just dropped “Bass Persuades,” the lead single from her 10th studio album, and set the record for Sept. 18. She also shared a new video and teased the era with a mononym move to “Miley.” New Music Friday: Billboard’s guide spotlights the week’s biggest arrivals, with Miley’s “Bass Persuades” front and center plus major releases from Beyoncé and ADÉLA. BLACKPINK Solo Run: Lisa and Jisoo both released new solo singles on the same day—Lisa’s “SaWaDiKa” (pre-release for her EP) and Jisoo’s “Click” (ahead of her debut album). Indie/Alt Releases: Juna unveiled breakup track “missing you (all of the time)” ahead of a debut EP, while circle round a sphere shared new single “bury.” Tech + Music: Audacity 4.0 launched with a redesigned interface and new editing tools, a big update for creators. Live/Events: Quiksilver Festival by Swatch returns Sept. 19–27 with ED BANGER curating the music lineup.

Local Festival Return: Burning Moose is back at Miller’s Landing in Lowell Point on Sept. 6, growing from a crew party into a community end-of-season event headlined by Blackwater Railroad. TV & Representation: Gogglebox UK adds two new families and its first cast member with Down’s syndrome—Max and his mum Sandy—aiming for a more positive spotlight on learning disability. Day of the Dead With a Twist: Silver City’s Teatro del Cobre is launching Xantolo, a Huasteca-style celebration running Oct. 31–Nov. 1 with community dance and Día de los Muertos traditions. Music Legacy: John Pickles, creator of Jive Bunny And The Mastermixers, dies at 84. Big Screen Music: “George Michael: The Faith Tour” trailer drops ahead of a Dec. 11 theatrical release. New Releases/Updates: Young Thug censors a shout-out to Israelis on “Slime Language 3” after backlash; Pusha T teases more Clipse projects with Pharrell. Tech Meets Music: Young Roddo shoots the first official Roblox music video for “Robux,” inviting fans into the in-game world. Pop Culture/Style: Vans launches the Old Skool 36 Pearlized Yacht Club colorway on Sept. 10.

Studio Spotlight: Ballyvourney’s Sulán Studios is reopening in a big new era, with owner Tadhg Kelleher bringing fresh equipment and upgrades after a 2024 restart—plus a who’s-who of past guests from Christy Moore to Pink Floyd’s Dave Gilmour. New Music (UK/IE): Indie duo Dan Smith and Ralph Pelleymounter are turning the Marilyn Monroe–Arthur Miller story into the stage musical Misfits Together, with the first track “Oh America” out now. Folk Franchise: Warner Music India kicks off Season 2 of Maati on Sept. 3 with an eight-track, eight-language Sufi qawwali lineup. AI & Rights: SOCAN is suing Suno over alleged unauthorized music copying, as the industry pushes for clearer rules on AI-made work. New Single: Polaris return with “Without You,” their first release in three years and a tribute to late guitarist Ryan Siew. Global Business: UMG expands into UK music-based hospitality with a new Outernet-linked hotel experience on Denmark Street. Health/Pop Culture: Lionel Richie has been released from hospital in St. Louis and is reportedly back home doing well.

K-pop Spotlight: BTS’ Jungkook marked his 29th birthday with a Weverse livestream, sharing how he’s trying new kinds of films and music to “reignite” his passion, and treating ARMYs to covers of Richard Marx’s “Now and Forever” and Justin Bieber’s “Lifetime.” New Releases: Phoebe Bridgers’ long-awaited third album “Lost Weekend” is getting campus buzz for its sharp, vulnerable songwriting and bold production choices. Live Music & Local Scenes: Vermont’s Ramblin’ Roads Country Fest lands Oct. 3 in Winhall with a full day of regional country and Americana; in Chetek, Wisconsin’s Milkhouse hosts a three-day Fall Fest Sept. 11-13 with live sets from Howdy Darling, Danville Folk, and Layne Yost. Big Music Business: Sonos is back with new hardware (Beam Ultra, Ace Ultra) plus “Sonos 27,” aiming to recover after app chaos. AI vs Music: The Trump DOJ is backing OpenAI in the New York Times copyright fight, arguing AI training is fair use—an issue that could ripple through music AI lawsuits. Song of Summer: TikTok crowned Katy Perry’s 2010 “The One That Got Away” as its 2026 Song of the Summer, powered by massive nostalgia-fueled reuse.

BTS & K-pop: Jungkook marked his 29th birthday with an ARMY livestream on Weverse, sharing gratitude, a push to “reignite” his passion, and a couple of cover moments including Richard Marx’s “Now and Forever” and Justin Bieber’s “Lifetime.” New Solo Releases: NCT’s Mark is going solo with “My Friend,” dropping Sept. 10, his first release since leaving SM and launching his own setup, Upper Room. Pop Video Buzz: BLACKPINK’s Jennie’s “Fallen Angel” video is sparking debate online over its child-and-candle imagery, with some calling it ritual-like and others defending it as symbolic. Country & Live Scene: Tequila Rose kept Beach Haven’s Veterans Park dancing with ’90s/’00s country staples, while Darlington’s Ignite nightclub is set to reopen Sept. 4 under new operators with DJ Nathan Dawe headlining. Music Tech/AI: Musicians and labels keep pushing back on AI music training—new lawsuits and disputes are still heating up, including fresh legal moves around voice and copyrighted material. Global Music Events: Kyrgyzstan’s “Echo of the Nomads” ethno-song festival kicks off Sept. 1–4 in Cholpon-Ata, with artists from 20 countries across four continents. Album/Artist Spotlight: Andrew W.K. surprised fans with the instrumental, “jazz noir” album “Temptation to Exist,” a mood shift from his usual party-rock energy.

Pop Star Rollout: Miley Cyrus drops her new era with album Bass Persuades (Sept. 18) and two Hollywood Bowl shows (Oct. 16 & 18), after rebranding to “Miley.” Music Biz: BMG and Concord’s merger is now complete, with Bob Valentine named CEO and a new exec team plus a strategic leadership council. Format Watch: The RIAA says U.S. recorded music revenue rose 6.9% in H1 2026, led by a big physical rebound—CDs up 58.6% and vinyl up 17.7%. Local Scene: Hamilton Philharmonic unveils a refreshed identity as “Hamilton Phil,” updating its logo and visual mark. New Releases: Spencer Sutherland shares glam-rock single “Somebody’s Gonna Love Me,” while Farrah Mechael bridges opera and pop on album The Feeling. Community & Culture: Jose Mari Chan kicks off “Ber” season by urging Filipinos to help flood-affected neighbors. Live/Events: Tune Up Channel returns after nearly three years with “No More Shot,” launching a new video in Mokokchung.

Music Biz: Warner Music Central Europe launched Warner Records Germany in Berlin, with Lea Londa set to lead the label and build a roster bridging U.S. legacy and the German scene. New Releases: JENNIE’s “Fallen Angel” topped a weekly fan-voted new music poll, while Stray Kids’ Felix drops “Slow It Down” as part of the SKZ-Player project. Pop Culture x Music: Miley Cyrus changed her Instagram handle to “@miley,” fueling fresh “new era” speculation. Country Spotlight: Dolly Parton’s estate is turning her “dream” into a two-day DollyFest in Nashville and London next year. Live & Local: The Well brings heavy psych-rock to Fairborn Phoenix on Sept. 5, and Akron’s Wishgarden celebrates its new album with a “Multi-Media Jam” at Akron Civic Theatre. AI/Legal: Sony Music and Warner Music sued Anthropic over alleged copyright use to train AI music systems. Global Scene: Manila’s “9RACE” festival lands Oct. 4 with Secondhand Serenade, Apl de Ap, IYAZ, and OPM acts.

AI Copyright Clash: Sony and Warner Music have sued Anthropic in California, alleging it used copyrighted song lyrics and sheet music from artists like The Beatles, Taylor Swift, and Michael Jackson to train Claude. Film Music Buzz: Howard Shore’s The Lord of the Rings score was voted the UK’s favorite film score for the fourth straight year in a Classic FM poll. Pop Culture Power: George Michael topped Smooth Radio’s “Smooth Icons” Top 100 as the greatest music icon of all time, beating Michael Jackson, Queen, Whitney Houston, and ABBA. Chart Watch: Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” hits a record 20 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a non-holiday song. Album/Release Radar: Olivia Rodrigo’s “The Cure” gets a Grammy Museum exhibit spotlight, while Erykah Badu returns with Before the World Blows: The Abi & Alan Experiment after 16 years. Local Music Scene: A historic bowling alley in Attica is reopening with community vibes, and Metro Detroit is seeing a fresh wave of new restaurant openings.

Tamil Cinema Buzz: GV Prakash says his vampire thriller Immortal took two years—one year of CG and one of shooting—and is now set for a September 4 release. Regional Music Crossover: Badshah drops his first-ever Marathi single, Chimna, featuring Divya Kumar and folk icon Nagesh Morwekar, out Aug 31. Bollywood Release Watch: Soni Razdan, Anshuman Jha and Raghubir Yadav’s Om Ka Hari lands in theatres on Sept 18, 2026, with Asha Bhosle’s last recorded song included. K-pop Solo Spotlight: BLACKPINK’s Lisa teases SaWaDiKa (Sept 3) ahead of her EP Press Play (Oct 23). Global Music/AI Legal Fight: Sony Music and Warner Chappell sue Anthropic over alleged use of copyrighted songs to train Claude, seeking damages up to $150K per song. New Music Releases: Erykah Badu and The Alchemist’s joint album Before the World Blows is out now, while Dónal Gunning readies debut album NO OTHER OPTION with single Breathing. Anime Music on Vinyl: Fairy Tail opening/ending themes (Vol. 1–3) get their first vinyl release on Dec 16, 2026.

Music Tech & Business: Warner Music Group is expanding its Global Tech team with a new Bengaluru hub focused on engineering, data and AI for distribution and audience/marketing products. Legal Fight: Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell Music have sued Anthropic over alleged large-scale copyright theft to train Claude, seeking damages per work and per violation. New Releases: Bianca Taylor drops debut EP JUICE, blending pop, rap and R&B around confidence and self-expression. Hip-Hop Drama: Nas and Hit-Boy’s reported three-year silence has fans speculating about what’s behind the split after a hugely productive run. Rock Spotlight: Deftones’ Around the Fur hits a full year on the Billboard 200, marking the band’s first album to spend exactly 52 weeks there. Pop Culture Moment: Miley Cyrus is teasing a new era by dropping “Cyrus” from her website branding, fueling speculation about what’s next. Live Music & Community: Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields festival raised $20M for women-focused charities, with a $10M donation pledge and Melinda French Gates appearing. Industry Policy: New Zealand’s music sector launches an election manifesto pushing for stronger support across copyright, AI rules, education, venues and exports.

TV Comeback: ITV is reportedly in talks to bring back The X Factor after seven years, but with a “modern” revamp—think a younger judging panel for the social media era, with Simon Cowell potentially involved behind the scenes. New Single Drop: Norwegian rock outfit Wildnite released the video for “Who’s Your Daddy,” the second single from their upcoming album Death Perspective. Local Live Music: Worcester Music Festival adds Huntingdon Hall to its Sept 11–13 lineup, boosting chances for emerging acts. Community Fundraiser: Bill and Bob Music Fest in Erie raised support for A Hand Up Erie with live sets plus a Chinese auction. Genre Watch: Japanese funk is emerging as a TikTok/Spotify-driven hybrid—Japanese pop visuals, Brazilian baile funk grooves, and phonk production—helped by viral track “MONTAGEM HIKARI.” Artist Spotlight: Kabaka Pyramid released Rebel Music—The Lyrics Tape to mark 15 years since his breakthrough EP. Music Industry Legal: Sony and music publishers sue Anthropic over claims it trained Claude on copyrighted music.

Music & AI Legal War: Sony and Warner music publishers have sued Anthropic in federal court, alleging massive theft of copyrighted songs to train AI models—setting up a long fight over music rights and AI. Chart & Pop Culture: Nipsey Hussle’s posthumous album Prolific lands on multiple Billboard charts, while Stella Lefty’s “Boston” interpolation drama resurfaces as her debut album follows viral success. New Releases/Projects: Royal Blood preview their upcoming album Dead Company ahead of its Nov. 13 release; Tom Hardy drops rap under Frankie Pulitzer with Czarface. Live Music Buzz: Leeds Festival’s dance stage “The Warehouse” was shut down over safety/overcrowding, with sets cancelled; Reading 2026 continues to draw big names and family cameos. Community Music Moments: Sunderland’s free “Made @ The Bandstand” packs Mowbray Park with local DJs and workshops; Albany’s Shannon Tehya launches a supportive open mic for femme and queer artists. Local Arts/Theatre: South Hill Park in Bracknell adds Be More Chill and other performances, keeping the music-theatre crossover strong.