Deezer reports 85% of AI music streams are fraudulent, receiving 60,000 AI tracks daily representing 39% of uploads. Native Instruments files preliminary insolvency despite £25M revenue against £250M debt. GigSalad paid musicians $12.8M in 2025 for 25,235 private event bookings.

Instagram launches native video editor competing with CapCut for Stories and Reels creation. Audiomack reaches 50 million monthly users with 31% growth through human curation and emerging market focus. TikTok USA considers switching from flat rates to per-play payments for artists.

Bandcamp bans all AI-generated music content with zero tolerance policy. Apple launches Creative Studio bundle for $12.99/month including Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro, and Pixelmator Pro. Bandcamp Friday 2026 dates announced starting February 6 with 100% artist revenue share.

Music marketing experts warn against vanity metrics, emphasizing Spotify saves over stream purchases for algorithmic growth. Big Thief leveraged fan memes and early playlist pitching for international expansion. TikTok cuts creator support team while expanding ad sales, signaling platform priority shift.

Google AI falsely labels musician as sex offender, causing venue cancellations. Record Store Day 2026 set for April 18 with January application deadline. Anna's Archive scrapes 99.9% of Spotify's metadata and 86 million music files in massive data breach.

Mid-tier music festivals collapse in 2025, leaving indies with basement venues or major stages only. Spotify eliminates Basic music-only tier to bundle audiobooks and reduce songwriter royalties. Apple Music offers free animated artwork tools and 62% better streaming payouts.

Instagram cuts hashtag limit from 30 to 5, ending spam tactics for reach. Black Octopus Sound offers 3GB of free samples plus $100 starter pack. Los Campesinos! reveals 9.3M Spotify streams earned £32k, with Apple Music paying 62% more per stream.

FL Studio launches full-featured web browser version in public beta at fl.studio. YouTube introduces A/B testing for titles and thumbnails based on watch time metrics. Bandcamp announces 8 fee-free Fridays for 2026 starting February 6, where artists keep 100% of sales.

Universal Audio extends free plugin offer with code HOLIDAYFREEBIE through December 31. Instagram launches Story resharing and Early Access Reels for follower engagement. Bain & Company study shows 56% discover music via playlists, 43% through social media.