Jorja Smith has announced a run of Australian tour dates for November 2027, with stops in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. The shows are tied to her album “What Are the Odds.”
The British singer’s trek marks an early addition to what is shaping up as a busy touring calendar for the album cycle, extending her reach into the Asia-Pacific market well ahead of the record’s anniversary.
Read the full story at Billboard.
Robbie Williams will perform at Flemington’s mounting yard on Melbourne Cup Day, adding another high-profile date to his 2026 calendar. The appearance comes just before he launches his BRITPOP arena tour.
The British pop star, one of the UK’s best-selling music exports, continues to build out live commitments in Australia alongside the new tour run.
Read the full story at Billboard.
Holly Humberstone has announced her biggest Australian tour to date, set for 2027. The dates back her second studio album, “Cruel World,” released April 10 via Polydor Records.
The tour marks an expansion of Humberstone’s live presence in the Australian market as she continues to promote the new record.
Read the full story at Billboard.
Apple Music is moving forward with a plan to label AI-generated or AI-assisted tracks for listeners, part of a broader industry push toward transparency around synthetic content. The move comes as streaming platforms face mounting pressure to distinguish human-made music from AI output.
Separately, Spotify has authorized a $1.5 billion share buyback, a signal of confidence in its financial position as the company continues to expand margins. The two items were among several headlines covered in Music Business Worldwide’s latest roundup of industry news.
Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.
Universal Music Poland has acquired the Kayax Records catalog and brand, adding recordings from Brodka, Nosowska and Zakopower to its roster. Kayax has built a reputation as one of Poland’s notable independent labels, and the deal brings its recorded output under Universal’s ownership.
Alongside the acquisition, Universal Music Poland has also struck a strategic partnership with Kayax Management, the artist management arm of the Kayax business. That management division remains separate and is not included in the catalog sale.
Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.
Vanessa Bosåen is leaving Virgin Music Group, where she has headed the UK business since its launch in 2021 under Universal Music Group. Her exit closes out a four-year run building out the label services division in the UK market.
Bosåen joined UMG from Regent Street Records, the independent label and publishing company she founded in 2014. Before moving into label leadership, she spent 15 years working as a touring musician.
No successor or reason for her departure was disclosed.
Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.
Phoebe Bridgers has landed her first No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart with “Lost Weekend,” marking a career milestone in the Australian market.
KATSEYE also notched a first chart-topper in the country, according to the latest ARIA rankings, giving the group its own breakthrough moment alongside Bridgers.
Read the full story at Billboard.
Hyde Lane, the corporation behind metal band Demon Hunter, has filed suit against Netflix and AEG over the animated hit “KPop Demon Hunters.” The complaint seeks treble damages, restitution, disgorgement of Netflix’s profits and attorneys’ fees, and demands a jury trial.
The filing adds another legal front to the fallout from the streaming and touring success of “KPop Demon Hunters,” pulling AEG into the dispute alongside Netflix. Details on the specific claims underlying the suit were not disclosed.
Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.
A judge has authorized Ariana Grande to subpoena Instagram, TikTok, and PayPal in an effort to identify individuals allegedly responsible for leaking her music. The case currently names no specific defendants, instead listing them as John Doe 1 and John Does 2 through 100, a placeholder approach common in litigation targeting anonymous online infringers.
The ruling allows Grande’s legal team to compel the three platforms to turn over identifying information tied to accounts suspected of distributing or profiting from unreleased material. The move underscores the ongoing challenge labels and artists face in tracking down leakers who operate through pseudonymous social media and payment accounts.
Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.
Music IP Holdings, a venture backed by Universal Music Group, has introduced a patent portfolio aimed at governing how artificial intelligence intersects with music creation and distribution. The company says the effort is intended to establish a licensing framework for AI-driven music tools rather than leave the space unregulated.
Udio and GRAI have secured licenses under the new portfolio, which the companies say will underpin AI services covering covers, remixes and other interactive music formats. The move signals a push by rights holders to build commercial guardrails around generative AI music technology as adoption accelerates across the industry.
Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.