In May, Warner Music Group quietly completed a test program that could change the future of vinyl. 

The program, conducted in partnership with the world’s largest vinyl manufacturer, GZ Media, set out to answer one question: can recycled vinyl deliver the same sound quality?

GZ Media collected 10,000 unsold records across artists, titles and pressing plants throughout Europe and first shredded, then repressed them using a range of recyclable materials — from 10-100%. Next, a selection of industry experts were gathered at London’s famed Abbey Road Studios for a blind listening evaluation. Each vinyl passed.

“What impressed me was how consistent the pressings were across the different material blends, showing that sustainability and sound quality do not have to be at odds,” Abbey Road’s mastering engineer, Miles Showell, shared in a statement to WMG.

The recycled pressings weren’t just being evaluated for quality, though, as the project also aimed to evaluate the environmental impact of preprocessing vinyl. Even with the added steps of transport, warehousing, sorting and shredding — all of which impact the product carbon footprint (PCF) — carbon emissions dropped 10% from using recycled polyvinyl chloride (PVC, from which vinyl is pressed) compared to fresh materials. 

Now, on Friday (June 26) WMG will double down on its mission with a first-of-its-kind vinyl take-back program, which invites consumers to help recover unwanted vinyl. A group of 11 indie retailers across the country — including in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago and New York — will serve as collection locations before handing the vinyl over to Virterras Materials, a company that helps recycle “complex waste,” such as plastics and rubber. 

“Independent record stores have long served as gathering places for music fans and stewards of music culture,” Madeleine Smith, WMG’s senior director of environmental, social and governance, shared in a statement. “[This is] a vital first step in understanding what’s possible.”

The pilot will run through September. For a complete list of participating independent record stores, see below.

Amoeba Hollywood (Los Angeles, CA)

Antone’s Record Shop (Austin, TX)

Country Line Records (Keller, TX)

Criminal Records (Atlanta, GA)

Easy Street Records (Seattle, WA)

Home Rule Records (Washington D.C.)

Red Zeppelin Records (McKinney, TX)

Rough Trade NYC (New York City, NY)

Spin Me Round (Easton, PA)

Reckless Records (Chicago, IL)

Sweat Records (Miami, FL)

Boosie Badazz’s federal probation supervisors say he should spend a year and a half in prison after his most recent arrest for allegedly assaulting someone with a glass hookah.

The rapper (Torence Hatch) was exposed to possible prison time last year after pleading guilty in federal court to illegally owning a gun after earlier felony convictions. In January, however, a judge exercised leniency and sentenced him to three years of supervised release instead.

Now, the U.S. Probation Office says Boosie has “failed to capitalize on the opportunity afforded by the court.” The agency claims in a Wednesday (June 24) petition that Boosie violated his supervised release by allegedly smashing a man in the head with a glass hookah at a Houston nightclub in May.

Boosie is facing a state-level aggravated assault charge for that alleged incident in Texas. Generally, it’s considered a violation of supervised release for anybody to commit another state, local or federal crime while on probation.

The Probation Office further alleges that Boosie broke the rules by making that trip to Texas from his home state of Georgia without permission, as well as by testing positive for marijuana, a federally illegal substance, during a recent drug screening. Because of all this, authorities say Boosie should have his no-jail sentence revoked and replaced with an 18-month prison term.

“His conduct demonstrates a disregard for the court’s authority and unwillingness to comply with the expectations established to facilitate a successful transition to the community,” reads the Wednesday court filing. “Additionally, his history reflects longstanding involvement in a criminal lifestyle beginning at a young age. This lifestyle has continued to expose him to high-risk situations and criminogenic influences, including violence, weapons possession, antisocial peer associations, and illegal substance use.”

The Probation Office says this recommended federal sentence should be consecutive with any possible punishment he receives in the Houston assault case. Boosie is currently out on bail in that matter and next scheduled to appear in court in September.

Boosie denied violating his supervised release in a Wednesday post on X, in which the rapper said he did have permission to travel to Houston, and that he’s been “crystal clean” of drugs since beginning probation.

“IM NOT STUPID. MY probation officer has been fair to me throughout this process. it’s the people over him who have problems with me,” wrote Boosie in the post. “I will not sit back n let these people drag my name. I have several hours of community service completed. I’ve been doing great on federal probation. Me n my attorneys r working to get this other case dismissed.”

Boosie, who’s previously done prison time for drug charges, has faced this current federal case since 2023 for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The details of his arrest were unusual; after local authorities spotted a handgun tucked into Boosie’s waistband while monitoring the Instagram feed of a “known gang member” in San Diego, they used a helicopter to track him in real-time and then found a Glock pistol in his vehicle during a traffic stop.

Following years of procedural ups and downs, the case against Boosie was scheduled for a trial last summer. But in August, the rapper said he would accept a plea deal because he was “tired of fighting.”

After unveiling its new board of advisors earlier this month, on Tuesday (June 23), BET appointed Hollywood polymath Keke Palmer as its latest member.

“BET has been part of my journey for so many years, which makes this appointment especially meaningful,” said Palmer. “I’m honored to join such a distinguished group of leaders and cultural trailblazers on the Board of Advisors. Together, I look forward to helping shape the future of BET and creating even more opportunities for the next generation of artists, storytellers, and entrepreneurs.”

“Keke Palmer represents the future of entertainment,” said Louis Carr, president of BET. “She understands audiences, embraces innovation, and has consistently used her platform to open doors for others. Her insight, creativity, and entrepreneurial mindset will be invaluable as we continue positioning BET for the next generation.”

Earlier this month, Carr assembled a formidable board of advisors to help guide BET’s growth and strategic direction. The group includes Bob Johnson, Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, Troy Vincent, Raymond J. McGuire and George Cheeks.

“BET has always been more than a platform,” Carr explained in a statement. “It is a cultural institution with a responsibility to serve, reflect, and advance our community. As we enter into this next chapter, this Board brings together leaders whose influence, perspective, and integrity will help ensure we continue to honor that responsibility while building what comes next.”

As for Palmer, her longstanding relationship with BET runs deep. In 2014, she became one of the youngest people to host her own talk show when she was tapped to host Just Keke on the network. Palmer’s appointment comes at a pivotal moment for BET as the network continues to expand its cultural footprint ahead of Sunday’s 2026 BET Awards in Los Angeles, where performances from Kehlani, Cardi B and Doechii are expected. Meanwhile, Lauryn Hill, Teyana Taylor and music executive Sylvia Rhone will be honored during the ceremony.

The BET Awards kick off at 8 PM EST / 5 PM PST on BET.

Jack White’s wife of four years, the singer Olivia Jean, has filed for divorce from the rock star.

Jean, a fellow rocker under White’s label Third Man Records, married the White Stripes frontman onstage during a 2022 concert in their shared hometown of Detroit. She submitted divorce papers on June 3 in Nashville.

The court filing cites “irreconcilable differences and inappropriate marital conduct” as the reason Jean (full name Olivia Jean Markel) wants a divorce from White (born John Anthony White). Further details are not provided, and reps for Jean and White did not immediately return requests for comment on Tuesday (June 23).

Jean claims in the divorce papers that White should pay her alimony and continue providing her with health insurance coverage, since “she is dependent on husband’s income for her support.” She says all the property they jointly bought as a couple, including real estate and furniture, should be split up between them.

“Wife hopes that the parties will be able to enter into a written marital dissolution agreement, which makes adequate and sufficient provision for an equitable division of the parties’ assets and liabilities,” reads the filing. The couple share no children.

White was married twice before: first to White Stripes member Meg White from 1996 to 2000, then to model and singer Karen Elson from 2005 to 2013.

White both proposed to and married Jean on opening night of his Supply Chain Issues Tour in April 2022, for which Jean was an opening act. He popped the question during the White Stripes song “Hotel Yorba,” which features the lyrics “Let’s get married/ In a big cathedral by a priest/ ’cause if I’m the man that you love the most/ You could say ‘I do’ at least.” The duo exchanged rings minutes later onstage, with Third Man co-founder Ben Swank officiating.

“I asked her, ‘Do you want to get married now, or do you want to wait?’” White explained of the impromptu marriage ceremony during a 2022 appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. “And she said. ‘No, right now, this is a great day!’”

Per Jean’s divorce papers, the marriage was made legally official the following December in Nashville.

Outernet London has unveiled a new identity for its flagship music and live events venue, announcing that HERE will now operate as Outernet Live.

The rebranded space, located near Tottenham Court Road station, has a capacity of 2,000 and is the largest purpose-built venue to open in central London since the 1940s. Since it launched in late 2022, Outernet Live has played host to headline performances from Charli xcx and 5 Seconds Of Summer, among others.

The move comes as part of a broader strategy to strengthen Outernet Live’s position within London’s live music landscape. The venue sits within the wider Outernet district, which comprises basement room The Lower Third and the flagship The Now Building with four-story, 360-degree screens, which have been used for immersive events with Oasis, Madonna, Louis Tomlinson and The BRIT Awards. 

Ticketmaster has been appointed as the venue’s official ticketing partner and will assume responsibility for all Outernet Live digital ticketing operations in the coming weeks. As per a press release, the partnership is expected to benefit from Ticketmaster’s marketing and flexible technology and drive further discoverability toward Outernet Live.

In January, Outernet London unveiled a partnership with Legends Global, who have since supported on venue management operations including programming and premium sales. Legends Global have also built a dedicated in-house programming team to support Outernet, and are revising the food and beverage offerings for fans at each venue.

Philip O’Ferrall, CEO of Outernet, said: “We are developing a whole new programming strategy for Outernet Live with our in-house programming team and Legends Global and we will supercharge the lineup. Having Ticketmaster on board is fantastic and we are very glad to be working with them. 

“You’ll be seeing more underplays and special shows like Primal Scream and an increased use of our screens to support artists to do amazing things when they perform. We want artists and their fans to have the very best time at Outernet Live and this really is a rebirth of our music venue.” 

Sarah Slater, managing director at Ticketmaster U.K, said: “London’s cultural scene continues to grow and evolve, with venues like Outernet Live helping to redefine what fans can expect from live entertainment. We’re excited to be partnering with the team at this important moment in the venue’s journey. Ticketmaster is perfectly placed to help Outernet Live grow its audience, deepen fan engagement and deliver a seamless experience.”

Artists set to play Outernet Live this year include Young Miko, dance duo Two Shell, Joshua Idehen and Scottish rock outfit Primal Scream, who will perform their sixth studio album XTRMNTR in full for two nights in September (15 and 16).

Over the last several years, music fans have increasingly been faced with sticker shock when buying concert tickets — leading many to ask why they’re paying so much to see their favorite artists. To answer that question, it’s imperative to look under the hood and consider the various factors that help determine the final price.

In today’s music industry, the bulk of artists make most of their money on the road. And to make a profit, or at least break even, artist managers, attorneys, booking agents, business managers, production managers and tour directors — as well as the artists themselves — all play a role in helping determine the right price for a show. But with production costs having risen dramatically since the pandemic, the right price is often substantially higher than it was 10 years ago. While touring crews have taken to doing less with more, scaling down their ambitions and juggling multiple jobs, fans spending hundreds of dollars to see a show often expect a spectacle — and a spectacle costs money.

“There are two pieces that really go into [determining ticket prices],” Omar Al-joulani, president of touring at Live Nation, tells Billboard. “One is that artists have given parameters around how much they need to make per night after tracking buses, staffing, production, commissions and then the profit margin they would want to make. The second is the cost of actually mounting the show: venue rent, advertising, stagehands, security, catering.”

Oftentimes, it’s the booking agent’s job to sit down with the promoter and negotiate the best deal for their artist.

“It’s definitely a back and forth,” says Chris Visconti, an agent at UTA. “There’s an honest discussion and collaboration around markets, because some can withstand a higher ticket price for a certain act, and some markets cannot. That comes down to a lot of real-world factors.”

Al-joulani explains that artist teams typically come in with price parameters, with the aim of ensuring fans at each price point have the opportunity to see a show. From there, the promoters and agents will both look at what prices recently worked within a market and provide guidance if a price for a market seems too high.

“The socioeconomic conditions of every city are different,” Visconti says. “Certainly in every country. We want to make sure it’s not a one-size-fits-all answer.”

Al-joulani says that at times, he has to tell artist teams that certain prices don’t work in particular markets. Ultimately, though, he’s not the one making the final decision.

“You debate whether an artist has to cut down their production, whether they can make the show smaller, there’s all these different levers you wind up pulling,” he says. “Ultimately, the artist makes the final call on what the fan needs to pay for an artist to go on tour.”

According to Ticketmaster’s website, a large chunk of the services and fees tacked onto ticket prices typically go toward the venue, which has its own costs, including security, bartenders, electricity and the box office. A much smaller percentage of those services and fees go to the ticketing platforms, which are told what the ticket price will be (minus the services and fees) by the promoters and artist teams. The ticketing platform used for a show depends on the venue, which typically has a partnership with a specific service. (For example, Red Rocks Amphitheatre utilizes AXS; Madison Square Garden and Sphere both have partnerships with Ticketmaster.)

Notably, the final price also depends on the venue’s size. Soft ticket rooms such as clubs already have the most expensive equipment built in, allowing artists to simply plug-and-play. That reflects in the ticket price, with shows in larger rooms often charging more to help cover the costs, while club shows can remain more affordable for fans.

“Labor is expensive, production is expensive,” says Eric Silver, a manager at Red Light Management whose clients include dance music artist Subtronics. “For a hard ticket place like Red Rocks Amphitheatre and The Gorge, it’s an empty place and you’re building everything. In the case of The Gorge, you’re even building the stage.”

Though putting on a show at a larger venue comes with additional expenses, Silver says the cost is often worth it — and can pay big dividends down the road.

“When we do these events at these hard ticket plays, they’re less profitable,” he says. “But we want to offer the best experience, and these hard-ticket plays are an investment. If you can show that you can sell out multiple nights at an arena, your value goes up to promoters for festivals, where there are less expenses.”

While the primary ticket price factors in touring and production costs, artist teams must also consider the secondary market. Al-joulani often looks at what prices sold on sites like StubHub and SeatGeek the last time an artist played in a city to help determine the price for an upcoming tour.

“We’ll look at whether a lot of tickets were transacted, whether brokers made a huge lift on a tour — that’s money not being paid to the artist or holder of the IP,” he says. “In the process — after the on-sale — you’ll look at the secondary activity and that may give you feedback on how to price releases, whether you should add a second show in a market or whether your tickets are priced correctly. And then you can always enact changes.”

When determining ticket prices, Visconti and his wife, Nicole Schoen Visconti, who works in the marketing department at UTA, also consider when a fan may choose to purchase. Some fans closely follow their favorite artists’ social media pages and sign up for SMS messages to be in line right at the on-sale. Other fans may need to wait a few days to purchase a ticket, holding off until their next paycheck. But there’s no clear answer on when in the cycle it’s best to have the lowest ticket price.

“You could punish [fans] if early bird tickets [are discounted] and then prices increase later on,” Schoen Visconti says. “With the economy and bills, some fans might not be able to make a decision until day of, or the night before. Do you drop the price to make it fair for them, but not the fans that were there first? That’s something we try to keep in mind.”

Part of Schoen Visconti’s role is to advise artist teams on the number of tickets a fan can purchase and the number of times a ticket should be allowed to transfer in an attempt to help combat scalpers. “It’s not something you can do in every state, because there are laws in New York and Illinois that you can’t limit how people transfer their tickets,” she says.

Ahead of the sales, Schoen Visconti works with clients to set up emails and SMS messages with pre-sale access codes, with the aim of getting tickets into the hands of fans. This isn’t always a foolproof system, however. In the wake of on-sales, agents, promoters and ticketing platforms look at the IP addresses for each purchase to see if scalpers managed to break through. If there are duplicates, the agents and promoters will inform the ticketing platform to cancel those tickets and re-release them back onto their primary ticketing platform. When it comes to using dynamic pricing — which includes an option to change the price of a ticket due to demand — the artist teams are ultimately the ones who make that call.

Those arguing in favor of dynamic pricing highlight that some fans are willing to pay a premium for shows, and ticket prices should adjust accordingly. But many artist teams feel dynamic pricing risks upsetting their audience, and opt against using it.

Silver says that when his clients do decide to utilize dynamic pricing, it’s put in place closer to the date of the show, versus right off the bat. “We probably weren’t going to sell those tickets anyway, and, if we do, it’s just a little bit of extra money,” he says. The profit from dynamic pricing goes back to the whole pot, split between artist and promoter depending on the percentage shares they worked out when first plotting a show.

At the end of the day, the process of pricing tickets is a delicate balancing act, as artist teams must weigh the price sensitivity of fans with what’s required to make a profit on a show.

“Our teams will sit and look at the Twitter threads and comments and take a lot of that into consideration,” Schoen Visconti says. “The artist definitely has their development and their own agenda, but they need fans to be there and support, and the fans should feel like they’re being supported.”

You can’t have failed to notice that these are high times for British and Irish music. After a rocky period marked by industry uncertainty and a relative lull in global breakthroughs, the past 18 months have seen a new wave of talent firmly restore the region’s chart and cultural clout.

The numbers tell part of the story. In December 2025, the BPI reported that the U.K. recorded music sector surged both domestically and internationally last year, powered by breakout stars including Lola Young, whose viral smash “Messy” became the year’s biggest British single. Olivia Dean, meanwhile, cemented her transatlantic rise by becoming a Billboard Hot 100 darling, with top 10 entries for “Man I Need” (No. 2) and “So Easy (To Fall In Love)” (No. 5). 

Elsewhere, Mercury Prize nominee CMAT has continued her ascent, while Sienna Spiro, Skye Newman and Scouse rapper EsDeeKid have forged their own unique paths into the mainstream. The momentum has lifted sterling albums from established stars, too: Charli xcx’s Brat and Sam Fender’s People Watching both notched platinum-selling status in the U.K. There is, unmistakably, a renewed sense of possibility in the air.

For Andy Sloan-Vincent, who recently stepped into his new role as managing director at Spotify (U.K., Ireland, and Netherlands) after 11 years at the streaming platform, this resurgence has been “the culmination of a long-term strategy from a lot of labels developing artists.” The region, he argues, has always possessed the foundations required to develop world-class artists, pointing to how Young and Dean are success stories of the free-to-attend BRIT School in Croydon, south London.

“The U.K. has always been a hotbed for nurturing talent,” he tells Billboard U.K. over video call. “We have places like the BRIT School that form part of our cultural identity; we have TV moments throughout the year where artists are put at the forefront. We’ve always been a musical nation.”

According to the most recent Loud and Clear report, which shares data behind Spotify’s royalty payments, U.K. artists generated over £860 million ($1.138 billion) in revenue from the streaming platform in 2025, representing a 6% increase year-on-year. In 2026, 75% of all royalties generated by British artists on Spotify came from listeners outside the U.K., with recorded growth in key markets including Germany, Australia, Brazil and Mexico, while the U.S. remains the region’s biggest export partner.

From Sloan-Vincent’s position, those figures represent not just a U.K. music ecosystem that “has reached a level of maturity and confidence,” but Spotify’s role in amplifying that reach. As he looks towards his first year in the new role, the London-based executive — who featured on Billboard‘s 2026 U.K. Power Players list — is focused on how the platform can further support artists at every stage of their careers, pointing to the upcoming initiatives such as Reserved, Spotify’s new, fan-focused ticketing offering, as evidence of that ambition.

“We want to keep growing and become bigger, but we’re also a mature and profitable business,” Sloan-Vincent explains. “We want to continue building on that success while growing into the next chapter.”

2025 was a breakthrough year for British artists — such as Olivia Dean, Lola Young, and Sam Fender — globally. What have you seen in Spotify’s data that has perhaps helped to explain that resurgence?

The U.K. has always been a strong export business. We’ve always been quite powerful in that regard, and a kind of cultural leader. Last year was perhaps the culmination of a long-term strategy from a lot of labels developing artists. The artists you reference have been signed for five, 10-plus years, and then we’ve hit this world at Spotify where we’re paying out £860 million [in streaming royalties] in the U.K..

Those two things map neatly together, in the sense that the industry has now reached a level of maturity and confidence where we’re really breaking artists through again. I think you can see with the industry itself fishing for British artists from labels all over the world. It’s confidence in British music that’s coming through.

To what extent do you believe this huge, new level of success for U.K. artists is being driven by international audiences?

We have a huge export success story with Spotify. We have this £860 million figure, but 75% of those royalties come from outside the U.K., so listeners from other markets are pretty significant for us. The U.K. would previously export to Canada, America, Australia, New Zealand, and now we’re seeing our artists bubbling in places like Mexico and Brazil. There’s always been a handful of British acts that can go out and play those monster shows at football stadiums all over the world, but now that number is going up.

I’ve been with Spotify for 11 and a half years, during which we have launched our Radar, Equal, and Glow programs, supporting emerging artists, female artists, and then LGBTQ+ artists. A big focus for me and for the company has always been taking people from early days and carrying them through to a career arc. Part of it comes from finding artists early and thinking, “This could be a generational act, let’s build something here.”

We shot some live performance with Skye Newman at Hackney Church a week ago, for a one-night-only show. Skye is a Radar artist in the U.K., which means we’ve made the commitment to develop her. She has an incredible voice; when you go into the room with her, everyone wants her to win. I think the reason we want to get behind artists like that is because we want the artist to win. That’s our outlook on things.

How do the headlines from the U.K. and European findings in this year’s Loud & Clear report compare with the wider global picture?

We’re one of four net exporters, so the U.K. has been very, very strong in that regard. I think globally we have seen our payments go up pretty considerably. Europe was obviously a bit of a powerhouse in terms of the amount of money that gets driven to the industry. From a U.K. and a European perspective, we’re seeing growth in the independent sector. So, 45% of royalties in the U.K. are generated by independent artists. I would say that those are kind of the core things: independent sector growth, export growth, and overall revenue going up.

When you speak to newer or independent artists, what concerns about streaming economics do you hear most often? And how do you respond?

The first and main kind of myth that’s important to dispel is the ‘per stream’ rate. It’s not a thing; most, if not all, streaming platforms work in exactly the same way, by paying a certain percentage out on a flat revenue model, and the way that an artist then gets paid is by their percent of the overall revenue pie. I think it’s important for artists to understand that that’s how it works: there are fluctuations in that revenue and the way it comes in. 

I’d also say that it’s very important to understand that Spotify and other streaming platforms pay out to rights holders, so we aren’t paying the artists directly, it goes to the rights holder. The rights holder then has their jurisdiction, and they work out how it then goes on to the artists. It’s important to understand that you’re not going to get [the name] Spotify on your bank statement, you’ll probably get your distributor or record label.

On Substack earlier this year, you wrote that “there’s so much to be optimistic about” across the U.K. music industry in 2026. Who, or what, is inspiring you at the moment?

It’s really nice to talk about the Olivia Deans, the Lola Youngs, the Sienna Spiros of the world who are blowing up. My remit also takes me to Ireland, and we’ve recently announced some statistics around an artist called F3mii and how they’ve blown up recently. But we’ve also been committed early to artists like Florence Road and Kingfishr.

The thing I love is that it never ends, in the sense that there’s always something new to discover. We’re not like a fashion department, and I think that’s kind of a strange statement to make, but we’re focused on building sustainable, lifelong careers where artists can make a living. We’re not playing an overnight, snap-numbers game. It’s about who’s out there doing the work, building a fan base, playing the shows, being someone who is inspiring to new fans, and how we can help them and develop them. For us as a platform, that’s always been our focus.

It’s that discovery, that love that comes when people sit and really listen. I think we’ve made product innovations in that space to help open up those doors. We’re consistently trying to get fans closer to their artists, and I think giving artists control is a really important part of that.

The live touring market has become an increasingly contentious topic throughout 2026 with conversations around pricing and access. How do you see Reserved improving the fan experience?

There’s this sense that the secondary market is quite chaotic at best, and it has been for a long time. I explicitly remember going to shows and trying to find a ticket from a guy outside the Tube station. Technology has essentially given that guy outside the Tube station the ability to bot and buy up all the tickets to a show, and then sell them at an increasingly crazy markup.

I think the reason Reserved works, and the reason our partners want to get involved with it, is that it helps drive that artist-fan relationship, cuts through some of that chaos, and puts tickets in the right hands. I love it from a fan perspective, too. Speaking personally, it’s about being able to get tickets for the things I genuinely want to go and see.

I think, first and foremost for me, it’s that responsibility element. As a business, we are number one in each of the markets I look after, and I think it’s important for us to remember that comes with a level of responsibility to the music industry and the wider creative industries in the countries we’re operating in. A big focus for us is making sure we’re still helping artists, podcasters, and authors find new audiences. That’s a huge part of what we do.

Following the death of Clive Davis on Monday (June 22) at the age of 94, professionals across the music industry are remembering the legendary executive, who launched the careers of such stars as Whitney Houston, Barry Manilow and Alicia Keys.

Davis’ music business career is the stuff of legend and undoubtedly inspired multiple generations of music industry executives. Known as “The Man With the Golden Ear,” he launched his career as assistant counsel at Columbia Records and was eventually named president of Columbia’s parent company, CBS Records. He later founded his own label, Arista, in 1974, where he went on to sign Manilow, Aretha Franklin, Patti Smith and more. That was followed by J Records in 2000, which launched future stars Alicia Keys and Maroon 5. He was later named chief creative officer at Sony Music Entertainment, a role he held until his death.

See below for all the reactions. We will update this story as more come through.

Merck Mercuriadis:

“I am so sorry to hear of Clive’s passing. We have all lost an extraordinary man the likes of which you will never see again but you have lost a father — a father to us all. It’s impossible to measure his impact on music, culture and life across the globe. He accelerated the growth of the music business like few others and he supported his artists like a man possessed. His focus on songs was unique in a post Beatles world and as a result his emphasis and support of outside songwriters and producers was unparalleled.

“It must also be mentioned that no one could launch an artist the way Clive could and the Clive playbook became the envy for anyone marketing and promoting music. Spotting talent is not difficult, spotting it and knowing what to do is something very very few can do.

“His annual Grammy party was the only one that mattered and as anyone who ever had the privilege of attending can tell you he was also a special orator. Clive is the only person that I know that could introduce 50 superstars in a night with unbelievable dignity and elegance and never use the same adjective twice.

View this post on Instagram

Rob Stringer, chairman of Sony Music Group:

“Clive of course played a seminal role in the story of Sony Music through two incredible chapters, and he is responsible for a huge part of the recorded legacy of the company permanently. Not only are many, many artists we represent continuously indebted to his service but so many staff members have been influenced and mentored by his deep love and respect for our company which he carried right up until today. Our working lives are better for having had his constant presence in the aura and perception of Sony Music.”

Monte Lipman, executive chairman, REPUBLIC

“Avery and I got our start in the music business working for Clive at Arista Records in the late 1980s. By virtue of being in his orbit, we had a front-row seat to his extraordinary success as he discovered and championed legendary artists who’ve gone on to make the world a better place. It was his passion for culture, community and music, along with his unwavering commitment to excellence in every aspect of his life, that resonated with us so profoundly; but the most valuable lesson he ever taught us was that family always comes first. Earlier this year, Avery and I had the privilege of being recognized by Clive at his legendary Grammy Gala. To stand alongside him nearly 40 years later was a deeply meaningful full circle moment that we will always cherish and hold dear in our hearts. We love you Clive.”

Avery Lipman, vice chairman, REPUBLIC

“My first job in the music business was working as Clive’s part-time secretary. On my very first day, I handed him a list of missed calls and mentioned that his son had called while he was in a meeting. Clive immediately told me, ‘If any of my children call, you need to grab me.’ From that day forward, I interrupted meetings and calls whenever one of his children reached out and every single time, he stopped what he was doing and took the call. Years later, when people asked me what it was like to work for such an iconic executive, my first thought was always the same: he was the most devoted father. The world will remember Clive for his unparalleled contributions to music and culture, but I’ll always remember the example he set as a parent, mentor and leader. I am deeply grateful to have known him.”

Harvey Mason jr., CEO, Recording Academy

Music lost one of its most important and impactful figures today, and I lost a dear friend and mentor. With his ears of gold and natural gift of hitmaking, Clive Davis developed music’s brightest legends and stars, earning him four Grammy wins and the Recording Academy Trustees Award in 2000. Clive was a generous supporter of MusiCares, and the Recording Academy has been proud to co-host the annual Pre-Grammy Gala with him for over 15 years, a tradition Clive started over 50 years ago, gathering music’s most innovative and accomplished people every year on the Saturday night before the Grammy Awards. Clive being a part of our industry has made a massive impact on music people everywhere, including myself. Thank you, Clive, for all you’ve done for all of us in music. You will be missed!

Barry Weiss, founder, Records

“My memories and relationship with Clive Davis are hard to put into a brief sentence or two. Having grown up in the music business, I’ve heard his name for years and first met him at a CBS Records convention at the Century Plaza Hotel in 1972. I was also well aware of him through my father and his affiliation with Stax Records and my childhood neighbor Ron Alexenburg another protege of Clive’s like so many of us. We worked closely with him at Arista Records who was Jive Record’s US licensor in our infancy. Simply put he was a “record man’s record man”. Brilliant and expansive intellect, incredible taste and musical instincts and phenomenal problem solving abilities. All rolled into one very sophisticated, gentleman. As Clive Calder and I used to say ‘we’re in the record business while Clive is in Show Business!’.  He will be missed.”

Joe Galante, former chairman, RCA Label Group, Nashville

“He loved spending that time with artists and producers and songwriters. I give him a lot of credit for creating the [pre-Grammy gala] That’s where the boat show [before Country Radio Seminar] came from: ‘Oh, you can steal people away before an important event?’ But we’ll put them on the water. I just stole the idea from Clive in terms of that night. But he was very open to always watching what was coming up; he didn’t get mired down and just say, ‘I’ve got what I need.’ His head was always on a swivel, looking out, trying to meet new people and bring them into the fold.”

Julie Widler, vice chiar, board of trustees, T.J. Martell Foundation

“Clive Davis was one of the most important figures in the music industry, a true original.  To all of us at the T.J. Martell Foundation, he was also a steadfast supporter of our mission. From the earliest days of the Foundation, Clive stood alongside Tony Martell, helping champion the fight against cancer and other life-threatening diseases. He understood the difference this work could make and remained committed to it for decades.
 
“We are grateful for his friendship, his guidance, and the many ways he supported the Foundation over the years. The T.J. Martell Foundation would not be what it is today without Clive’s enduring support. His absence will be felt deeply, but his legacy lives on in the work he helped make possible. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, loved ones, and all those whose lives he touched.”  

Jon Platt, chairman and CEO, Sony Music Publishing

“Clive Davis was a music publisher’s best friend – someone who always understood the value of a song and the songwriter. What mattered most to Clive was a great song, and that passion was evident. We were fortunate to experience the one and only Clive Davis.”

On Monday (June 22) a worldwide coalition of artists, songwriters and managers’ groups gathered together to release a letter aimed at record labels and publishers forming AI music licensing deals: “Stop the misuse of [our] rights in AI deals,” a press release announcing the letter said, adding “this is hypocrisy and an injustice which needs to stop now. Labels and publishers rightly argue that AI companies need permission to train on their music catalogue, but will not grant artists and songwriters the same rights.”

The letter follows a number of noteworthy licensing deals inked between publishers, labels and AI music companies — like Suno, Udio, ElevenLabs and others — in the past year. This includes Warner Music Group’s licensing deals with Suno, Klay, Udio and others; Universal Music Group’s deals with Udio, Spotify, Klay and others; Sony Music’s deal with Klay; Merlin and Kobalt’s deals with Udio and ElevenLabs and more.

In April, reporting from Billboard revealed that multiple top talent attorneys have been made aware that labels and publishers could feasibly use common contract language in U.S. record deals, related to blanket licensing and exploitation, to opt in artists’ works to train their AI partners’ models without seeking individual artist approval. “Some of the labels have already taken the position that they technically don’t need special approvals to train,” said Jason Boyarski, founding partner at Boyarski Fritz, at the time.

While many of the announcements about deals between AI firms and music companies note that artists can have the option to choose whether or not their name, image or likeness is used in relation to AI outputs, AI training is a different area of this licensing process that is never mentioned. “We’re seeing a differentiation between the way training — or inputs — and outputs are treated,” Audrey Benoualid, partner at Myman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobasser Younger & Light, told Billboard in April.

“We are increasingly concerned that artists and songwriters in existing recording and publishing agreements are receiving letters from major labels and publishers informing them that they will be opted in to AI-related uses by default, with little actual choice offered,” notes the letter, which was signed by Music Artists Coalition, Songwriters of North America, the Ivors Academy, Black Music Action Coalition, Artists Rights Alliance and more.

“At the same time, artists and songwriters signing new agreements are being presented with AI rights clauses as a standard condition of signing,” the letter says. Billboard has previously reported some of this new language added to signing agreements, specifically clauses from BMG, Sony and Believe, including a provision that allowed the “unlimited, exclusive rights” for Sony-owned dance label B1 Recordings to “use the recording in models and systems of generative artificial intelligence and applications based thereon, including generative AI, including [but] not limited to the analysis of the Recording for the purpose of extracting information on patterns, trends and correlations (AI training).”

“The result is a serious imbalance: artists and songwriters are being asked to give permission without sufficient information, clear terms or guaranteed remuneration,” the letter says.

The musicians’ note also includes three core principles that they want recorded music companies, publishers, policy makers, AI companies, digital platforms and more to respect: “consent and control” for artists and songwriters, “fair compensation” and “clarity and transparency.”

It also asks these companies to make “clear and public commitment” to the following guidelines in AI licensing deals: “no default opt-ins, no forced AI clauses and no use of artists’ work, voice, performance, likeness or creative identity without meaningful consent, fair remuneration and full transparency.” “The future of music must be built with artists, songwriters and their representatives, not imposed on them,” the letter concludes.

Read the full letter below:

Artists and Songwriters Must Not Be Pressure into AI Deals Without Meaningful Consent

Across the global music industry, record companies and publishers are negotiating AI deals that could shape the future of music. Yet the artists and songwriters whose works, voices, performances, likenesses and creative identities make those deals valuable are not being meaningfully consulted.

Artists and songwriters remain the primary holders of many of the rights at stake, including moral, neighbouring, image and personality rights. These rights are not label or publishers assets to be licensed without clear authority, consent and accountability. This means that artists and songwriters should be (where applicable, through their managers) the primary parties approached by AI companies to discuss such rights.

We are increasingly concerned that artists and songwriters in existing recording and publishing agreements are receiving letters from major labels and publishers informing them that they will be opted in to AI-related uses by default, with little actual choice offered. At the same time, artists and songwriters signing new agreements are being presented with AI rights clauses as a standard condition of signing.

The result is a serious imbalance: artists and songwriters are being asked to give permission without sufficient information, clear terms or guaranteed remuneration. We support innovation and recognise that AI can create new opportunities for music. However artists are not simply catalogue assets, and innovation cannot be used to override artists’ rights.

We therefore call on record companies, publishers, policy makers, AI companies, digital platforms and all industry partners to respect and consider three core principles:

Consent & Control 

Artists and songwriters must actively and specifically consent before their works, voice, performance, likeness or creative identity is used in connection with AI. There must be clarity around what they are being asked to approve, and they must have control over how it will be used. It cannot be buried in broad catch-all contract language or include rights in perpetuity. Consent cannot be imposed through default opt-ins and it should not be a condition of signing a new deal. Artists and songwriters must be able to say no without fear of penalization.

Fair Compensation 

Where artists and songwriters choose to participate in AI-related uses, they must receive fair and meaningful remuneration. They must share in the value created by their works, and it cannot be considered a general label asset. Artists and songwriters must be consulted and it must be clear which percentage of revenue goes to the creator, to the label and to the AI company.

Clarity & Transparency 

Requests must be purpose-specific. Artists, songwriters and managers must be given clear, timely and understandable information about any AI-related deal or proposal affecting their rights in order to make informed decisions. The information must encompass which rights it includes, what uses are permitted, the safeguards in place, duration of permission and how consent can be withdrawn.

We call on all companies entering into AI music deals to make a clear and public commitment: 

No default opt-ins. 

No forced AI clauses. 

No use of artists’ work, voice, performance, likeness or creative identity without meaningful consent, fair remuneration and full transparency. 

At a time when policymakers are reviewing copyright rules in response to AI, the protection of artists’ and songwriters’ rights, voices and remuneration is not negotiable. The structures being created now will shape the music ecosystem for years to come. The future of music must be built with artists, songwriters and their representatives, not imposed on them. 

Signed, 

European Music Managers Alliance, European Composer and Songwriter Alliance (ECSA), Music Artists Coalition, Songwriters of North America (SONA), National Independent Talent Organization (NITO), International Artists Organization (IAO), Artists Rights Alliance (ARA), Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC), Association of Artist Managers (Australia), Music Managers Forum Aotearoa (New Zealand), Music Managers Forum (Canada), Featured Artists’ Coalition, The Ivors Academy.

EMMA members who have signed also directly: 

Music Managers Forum UK, Union des Manageuses et Managers de la musique (UMAN). Music Managers Forum Netherlands, Norwegian Entertainment Managers and Agents Association (NEMAA), Polish Artists Chamber of Commerce (IGMAP), Interessenverband Musikmanager & Consultants (IMUC) Music Managers Forum Sweden, AIM Ireland, Music Managers Federation (MMaF) Music Managers Forum Finland, Hungarian Managers Forum (ZEME) Music Estonia Managers, Danske Artist Managers, Music Managers Forum Ukraine, Music Managers Forum Iceland, Music Managers Forum Suisse, Foro de Mánagers (FORMA), Fédération des Bookers et Managers Unies.