SOFI TUKKER and Gibson to Unveil Custom Flying V Guitars Throughout U.S. Tour

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SOFI TUKKER and Gibson have announced a design collaboration that will roll out eight one-of-one custom Flying V guitars over the course of the duo’s U.S. Animal Talk Tour, which opens September 10 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Sophie Hawley-Weld, who has played the Flying V model throughout her career with the group, worked with Gibson on the designs and plans to unveil the guitars individually at tour stops, performing live with each as it debuts.

After the tour, a selection of the guitars will be auctioned, with proceeds benefiting Gibson Gives, the instrument maker’s philanthropic arm, which supports music education and access initiatives. Further details on individual guitar designs and the auction are expected to be released throughout the tour, according to the announcement.

The collaboration coincides with a run of U.S. and Mexico dates for the two-time Grammy-nominated duo, including stops at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, The Anthem in Washington, D.C., and shows in Guadalajara and Mexico City through October 31.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Libby Coffey, primeprgroup.com.

Serato Opens Public Beta for DJ 5.0, Adds Lucid Beatgrids and Multi-Service Streaming

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Serato has released a public beta of Serato DJ 5.0, introducing a rebuilt beatgrid analysis system called Lucid Beatgrids along with new streaming and looping features. According to the company, the new engine automatically detects tempo changes and downbeats across tracks with fixed and fluctuating BPMs, reducing the need for manual beatgrid editing.

The beta also adds Open Streaming, which lets users log into multiple streaming services at once and mix across those catalogs and their local library without switching accounts. A new Cue Loops feature, available only in Serato DJ Pro, lets users save a loop to a hot cue for instant recall during a set. The update further displays BPM and key data for tracks from select streaming partners, including Beatport, SoundCloud, Tidal and Spotify, ahead of analysis; Apple Music is not yet supported.

Lucid Beatgrids and Open Streaming are available in both Serato DJ Pro and the free Lite version, while Cue Loops is exclusive to DJ Pro. The company says the release reflects feedback from its user community and is intended to narrow the gap between legacy and modern DJ performance workflows ahead of a full release.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Luna Cinar, hustleandco.com.

beatBread Taps Former TuneCore Chief Andreea Gleeson as CEO

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Music fintech company beatBread has named Andreea Gleeson, formerly a top executive at TuneCore, as its new CEO. Gleeson takes over as the company looks to grow its business of providing advances to independent artists and rights holders.

Under Gleeson, beatBread plans to scale its AI-supported underwriting process, the technology that helps the company evaluate and price deals for artists seeking upfront funding. The company also intends to expand its footprint beyond the United States as part of its next growth phase.

Read the full story at Billboard.

The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn Tour Grosses $345m on European Leg

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The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn tour took in $345 million across its 2026 Europe and UK run, with more than 2.3 million fans attending shows in 11 countries. The leg wrapped with two nights at Estádio do Restelo in Lisbon on September 6.

The figures underscore the continued strength of stadium-level touring in Europe, adding to the tour’s standing as one of the more commercially significant global outings in recent years.

Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.

France’s Recorded Music Revenue Up 3.5% in H1 2026, Streaming Leads Growth

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French recorded music revenues rose 3.5% year-over-year in the first half of 2026, according to figures from industry body SNEP. Subscription streaming was the main driver, climbing 7.5% over the same period.

SNEP also used the report to detail its policy on chart eligibility for AI-generated tracks, addressing how such releases will be treated within the country’s official charts.

Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.

HarbourView Equity Partners Names Patrick Morin Managing Director of Business Development

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HarbourView Equity Partners has hired Patrick Morin as Managing Director of Business Development. The appointment comes as the investment firm continues to build out its music catalog holdings and broader investment platform.

Morin’s role will focus on expanding HarbourView’s business development efforts, though the firm has not detailed specific catalog targets or deal timelines tied to the hire.

Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.

Warner Music France Chief Alain Veille Named SNEP President

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Alain Veille, head of Warner Music France, has been elected president of French recorded-music trade body SNEP, succeeding Bertrand Burgalat after his six-year tenure. The leadership change marks a new chapter for the organization, which represents record labels’ interests in France.

SNEP used the transition to outline its priorities for Veille’s mandate, signaling the trade group’s focus areas for the period ahead, though specifics were not detailed.

Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.

Annie Christensen Named VP, Catalogue at Warner Chappell Music UK

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Warner Chappell Music UK has appointed Annie Christensen as VP, Catalogue, moving into the publishing division after a career built in A&R.

Christensen will report to WCM UK President Shani Gonzales as part of the company’s UK leadership team.

Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.

Keith Holland Releases ‘Get on Board,’ Second Single from Sophomore Album

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Australian singer-songwriter Keith Holland has released “Get on Board,” the second single from his upcoming sophomore album, ‘Castles in the Sand,’ due out this September. The song, a narrative track about a ghostly train and a passenger not yet ready to meet his end, follows lead single “Life” and draws on imagery from abandoned railway stations near Holland’s home in Corowa, New South Wales.

Holland played most of the instruments on the track himself, with longtime collaborator Greg Stace contributing drums and handling mixing and mastering at Ralph Street Studios in Sydney. The song was recorded at Holland’s home studio, which he calls Keitho’s Factory.

Holland, a former prison case management coordinator, began pursuing music seriously during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. He credits Albury-based music professional Jon Navaho, whom he found through a newspaper ad, with mentoring him in production and arrangement ahead of his 2023 debut album, ‘All in the Groove.’ ‘Castles in the Sand’ comprises 11 tracks spanning mainstream and country rock. Holland says he is already writing new material and has not ruled out touring behind the album.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Eric Alper, thatericalper.com.

Gibson Opens First U.S. Gallery at Gibson Garage Miami

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Gibson is opening its first permanent U.S. art gallery inside the new Gibson Garage Miami, launching Sept. 10 in the city’s Wynwood Art District. The inaugural exhibition, “Amplified: Icons of Music Through the Lens,” is presented in partnership with Getty Images and includes more than 30 photographs spanning rock, blues, pop, country, folk, jazz, reggae and Americana, featuring artists including Bob Marley, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash, according to the announcement. Select prints will be available for purchase on site.

The gallery is intended to expand the Gibson Garage concept beyond instruments and live performance into music photography, fine art and multidisciplinary installations, according to Gibson. The company also commissioned two large-scale murals from Miami artists Solano and Nate Dee, installed inside the venue and on the building’s exterior facade.

To mark the opening, Gibson Garage Miami will host a free public panel on Sept. 11 featuring Solano and Nate Dee discussing the intersection of music and street art, moderated by Gibson’s Mark Agnesi. Gibson Garage Miami opens to the public Sept. 10 at 2660 NW 3rd Avenue.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Libby Coffey, primeprgroup.com.