Aya Nakamura was honored at the first edition of Billboard France‘s Power Players, held on Sept. 15 at Salle Cortot in Paris. The singer received the Artist-Entrepreneur of the Year award, a distinction that recognizes both her artistic career and the growth of her work as a business owner. The trophy was presented to her by RnBoi, the first artist signed to her company, Nakamura Industrie.

This award comes during a period of transition for the 31-year-old artist. Self-produced since 2025 through Nakamura Industrie, while distributed by Warner Music France, she released Destinée last November, her fifth studio album and the first to come out under her own company. The record is certified platinum in France by the SNEP. Its reissue, Destinée Supremacy, extended the cycle into 2026 with the single “Sexy Nana,” a collaboration with La Rvfleuze, certified diamond in France.

The year 2026 was also marked by three consecutive concerts at the Stade de France on May 29, 30, and 31, drawing more than 200,000 spectators.

Through Nakamura Industrie, the singer is also developing a division dedicated to nurturing new talent. RnBoi, who presented her with the award on stage, is the first artist signed to it. The singer had a remarkable year himself in 2026: His first project, My Eyes Only — Flashback, is certified platinum in France and features three diamond-certified singles, “Avec Moi” (featuring Nono La Grinta), “Elle Voulait” and “Mon Bébé.”

On the stage of Salle Cortot, Nakamura reflected on how far she has come: “When I started in music, I had no idea of the influence of my authenticity. Today, here I am, happy to bring so much hope to certain people who watch us and tell themselves, ‘I can make it too.’”

The Power Players are the French adaptation of a format launched by Billboard, now rolled out across several markets around the world. The ceremony aims to spotlight the most influential figures in France’s music industry. Hosted by Julie Gayet and organized in partnership with AEG Presents France, Amazon Music, AXS, Bpifrance, Bolero and Sacem, this first edition brought together 400 industry professionals and was followed by a cocktail presented by AXS and Moët-Hennessy.

This story written by Adèle Chantrel was originally published by Billboard France.

On Sept. 15, Billboard France held its first in-person event, the Power Players ceremony. A French adaptation of the American publication’s flagship format, already present in the United Kingdom, Canada, the Middle East and Latin America, it honors those who shape the French music industry across the full range of professions in the sector: live performance, labels and distribution, music publishing, streaming and tech, management, and collective management organizations.

Supported by AEG Presents France, Amazon Music, AXS, Bpifrance, Bolero, and Sacem, this first edition was held at Salle Cortot, an iconic venue for classical and jazz music located in the 17th arrondissement of Paris.

Hosted by Julie Gayet, founder and president of the Sœurs Jumelles festival, the ceremony brought together 400 members of the music industry who came to celebrate their peers. The following day, the complete list of Power Players, the most powerful figures in the French music market, was unveiled.

The Winners of This First Edition

The ceremony was punctuated by the presentation of six awards, some of them handed out by an artist:

The evening was also marked by a tribute to Daniel Colling, Jean-Philippe Allard and Olivier Caillart, three figures of the music industry who recently passed away, performed by pianist Gael Rakotondrabe, first-prize winner of the piano competition at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2008.

In addition, the recipients of the Billboard France Scholarship, Marie Goubaud-Picard and Smith Jordan Ndento Tchouaffe, were introduced to the audience. Backed by Amazon Music and integrated into the Equal Opportunity program of the All Access Musique association, this initiative provides them with full funding for a year of study, along with privileged mentorship at the heart of the French music ecosystem.

The evening was followed by a cocktail reception held in partnership with AXS and Moët-Hennessy.

With this first edition, Billboard France intends to establish the Power Players over the long term, with the ceremony intended to become an annual meeting point for the French music industry.

This story written by Pierrick Wattebled was originally published by Billboard France.

Partisan Music has acquired Firebird’s shares of OTM Music, which will now merge with the independent record label. OTM will incorporate the team and roster of Left Music, the publishing company Partisan acquired in 2022, creating an independent publishing operation within Partisan that will have staff in London, Paris, New York and Los Angeles.

OTM and Left Music’s combined roster includes Sub Focus, Gianluca Buccellanti, Sudan Archives and Leon Michels. Alex Sheridan will stay on as founder and CEO of OTM, working alongside Graig Michie as president and head of North America and Kate Sweetsur as head of A&R.

“Partisan has built an exceptional independent music business and shares our belief in putting creativity and long-term relationships first,” Sheridan said in a statement. “Craig, Kate and I have worked together at different points throughout our careers, so bringing that experience together again is particularly exciting. We have a clear shared vision for the kind of publishing company we want to build and an incredible roster to build it around. I would like to thank Firebird for their belief in OTM and wish them well for the future. I couldn’t be more thrilled to build the next phase of OTM with such an exciting team, and provide a Boutique at Scale option for our writers, present and future.”

In 2022, Partisan Records launched its publishing arm, Left Music, with Sony Music Publishing U.K. managing its administrative services.

“Our partnership with OTM will allow Partisan to provide high-level creative services for music writers and publishing catalogs at the same calibre as we do for recording artists,” Zena White, COO of Partisan, said in a statement. “The reuniting of Craig Michie and Kate Sweetsur to lead A&R is an exciting proposition, whilst Alex and OTM’s track record in synch is undeniable. We can’t wait to be involved in so much more incredible music via the writers across OTM’s roster.”

White and Partisan co-founder Tim Putnam were recently named Billboard’s 2026 Indie Power Players executives of the year.

In a 2020 Billboard cover story, Dolly Parton said she’d been hard at work organizing her affairs. “I would not want to leave that mess to somebody else,” said the queen of country at the time. “A word to all the other artists out there: If you haven’t made those provisions, do that. You don’t want to leave that mess to your family for people to have to fight over.”

Parton died from cancer at age 80 this past August. Despite her meticulous planning and stated desires to avoid family infighting, litigation with one of her family members is already afoot less than a month later.

As dictated by Parton’s estate plan, the singer’s business interests have passed into a new company run by her longtime manager, Danny Nozell. Fittingly named She’s Alive LLC — seemingly a nod to Parton’s 1989 hit “He’s Alive” — this entity is tasked with managing her lucrative music catalog, Dollywood amusement park and various brand partnerships.  

On Tuesday (Sept. 22), She’s Alive sued Parton’s nephew and longtime head of security, Bryan Seaver. The lawsuit claims Seaver, who has a background in military contracting and arms dealing, has been trying to extort money from the estate since Parton’s death by sending violent threats like “I’m a killer” and “all I do is warfare.” Seaver denies threatening anyone and told the New York Times that his words have been taken “out of context.”

Parton’s estate is seeking a restraining order that would prohibit Seaver from interfering with its business operations and require him to stay at least 1,000 feet away from all personnel. The lawsuit does not seek to cut Seaver out of his inheritance, and the court papers make clear that he’s still a beneficiary of the Parton trust.

It’s all too common in the music industry for family feuds to break out after a major artist dies. Stars like Prince, Michael Jackson and Aretha Franklin died without formal estate plans, leading to years of probate litigation between heirs. But legal battles can happen even if a musician dies with their affairs in order; Jimmy Buffett’s widow, for example, is currently locked in a court dispute with the business manager that was named co-trustee of the singer’s estate. Tony Bennett’s children are also now fighting amongst themselves over control of the family trust.

Scott Rahn, an attorney specializing in estate disputes at the firm RMO, is not surprised to see that even Parton’s carefully organized posthumous affairs have ended up in court. “It only takes one to upset the apple cart,” Rahn tells Billboard. “You can plan the inheritance as carefully as Dolly did, but you cannot guarantee everyone’s acceptance of that plan.”

It appears that although Seaver is entitled to an inheritance from Parton’s will, he’s not happy with the amount and is attempting to get more money. According to the estate’s lawsuit, this has led him to make some disturbing threats: “All I do is warfare,” reads one of Seaver’s text messages submitted to the court. “Everyone needs to be worried about what I might do.” Rahn says that while the alleged threat of violence in these comments is not to be excused, it’s typical for long-simmering emotions to manifest in ugly ways when a family matriarch like Parton dies.

“Families lose their referee along with their loved one,” explains Rahn. “Once the person whose authority everyone accepted is gone, then that transition can expose issues that have always percolated under the surface but were managed during that person’s lifetime.”

George Taylor, a partner in Brinkley Morgan’s estate and trust litigation practice, similarly tells Billboard that heirs often try to squeeze more money out of an estate even if the deceased person has gone “out of their way to have all their ducks in a row.” Here, it seems that Seaver is attempting that not only with the alleged violent rhetoric, but also by threatening to harm Parton’s businesses unless he’s paid more money; he’s sent texts vowing to “go to Billboard magazine with my s–t” and “set up a podcast ruining Dolly’s brand partnerships.”

According to Taylor, the Parton estate’s quick legal action against Seaver seems designed to “prevent this from devaluing the estate’s assets” via negative publicity. “If he is saying bad things about Dolly Parton or the business, that could have an impact on the value,” says Taylor. “The speed at which they moved tells us that they thought something was wrong, something that could seriously damage the estate.”

As Rahn sees it, the fact that the estate mobilized so quickly with a lawsuit against Seaver is actually a sign that Parton’s plans are working as intended. The sophisticated professionals chosen by Parton — her manager Nozell and the elite entertainment law firm Loeb & Loeb — are moving efficiently with a “very narrowly tailored request for limited relief that simply protects their ability to manage their estate and protect the people who are doing that,” says Rahn.

“You cannot plan for every possible eventuality,” Rahn tells Billboard. “Your documents would fill libraries talking about every single thing. At the end of the day, what you need to do, which is I think what Dolly did, is pick a capable team for managing your affairs. And that’s what’s happening here.”

BMI has launched a free service available to songwriters and composers that helps them navigate and then access the complex and costly range of healthcare options available to them in their local markets. Dubbed BMI Health Connect, the service is a partnership with Gallagher Alternative Health Solutions, an insurance brokerage firm that provides advisory services to BMI affiliates.

The service reviews songwriters and composers’ individual needs and then helps them choose among available health coverage options for medical, vision, dental and other types of insurance. It helps them understand and compare Affordable Care Act Exchange plans, private off-exchange plans and Medicare based on individual needs; assesses whether songwriters and composers and their families are eligible for cost-sharing subsidies; and supports them through the enrollment process.

“Supporting our music creators is at the heart of everything we do at BMI,” BMI CEO Mike O’Neill said in a statement. “We know first-hand from our affiliates that finding the right healthcare coverage can be overwhelming and isn’t a one-size-fits-all experience, especially for music creators and their families. BMI Health Connect was created to help bring clarity to an often-complex process and connect our songwriters and composers with a trusted resource so they can spend less time navigating health coverage and more time doing what they do best — creating the world’s best music.”

The BMI Health Connect page on BMI’s website elaborates that the service “is not an insurance product and [that] BMI does not subsidize, pay for, sponsor or otherwise administer coverage in any way.”

Specifically, when songwriters call the BMI Health Connect line, they will be working with a licensed, credentialed insurance expert from Gallagher who is trained to provide personalized guidance across ACA, Medicare and family coverage scenarios, the website also notes.

“Healthcare is one of the most consequential financial decisions a person makes and it’s often confusing on your own,” Gallagher U.S. Benefits Business leader Robby White said in a statement. “BMI is committed to connecting affiliate members with a real expert, at no cost to their songwriters and composers. Experts, who are trained to listen, ask the right questions and help each affiliate reach a decision that genuinely fits their life.”

The service is already up and running and can be accessed here, or by calling (833) 997-5805. The website’s FAQ on the service provides detailed information on how to get started.

Apple Music has announced it will be opening a brand new state-of-the-art music venue in London.

The new space, named Apple Music Hall, will open at the capital’s Battersea Power Station where the company has its London headquarters. An opening date or news of the first performing act has not yet been confirmed.

The 600-capacity space features the opportunity for artists to perform live, record the show in Spatial Audio in a broadcast-ready mix, and capture multi-camera video directly from the venue and its studios. 

Apple Music Hall features a mixture of standing and seated areas, and the 38-foot-wide stage can be reconfigured for traditional front-facing sets or more in-the-round experiences. The venue is also equipped with a 48-speaker spatial sound system.

The building operates as a full production facility with two recording and mix studios built to professional standards.

“The venue is also hardwired for 16 or more cameras that feed a purpose-built broadcast control room with infrastructure that supports iPhone video capture running in parallel alongside traditional broadcast cameras,” according to a press release.

Apple Music Radio’s London-based hosts and shows will also broadcast live out of the space in Battersea. For more information about Apple Music Hall, including how to access tickets for upcoming shows, fans can visit applemusichall.com.

Battersea Power Station, previously a coal-fired power station on the bank of the River Thames, has a longstanding connection to music. The building featured on the artwork for Pink Floyd’s 1977 album Animals, which shows an inflatable pink pig suspended between the four towers. Mumford & Sons performed a concert in the grounds of the park for Apple’s 50th anniversary celebration in March. In 2014, Sir Elton John performed a private concert at the venue to mark the building’s residential and commercial redevelopment.

The building of Battersea Power Station began in 1929 and finished in 1955, and provided coal-fire to the capital until 1978. The building remained empty for decades, although a number of investors proposed redevelopment and alternative uses, including failed plans to host a theme park. In 2012, football team Chelsea F.C. had a bid to purchase the site for a new stadium rejected.

In 2012, a group of Malaysian businesses purchased the site with plans to regenerate it into a commercial and residential building. About nine years later, Transport for London opened an extension of the London Underground’s Northern line to the site; in 2022, Apple took occupancy of a portion of the building and occupied 500,000 square feet for its London-based employees.

Oliver Schusser, Apple’s VP of Apple Music and international content, said: “Apple’s deep love for music dates all the way back to the very beginning, from the launch of the iPod to the long-running iTunes Music Festival to the debut of Apple Music.”

He continued, “Today, with the opening of Apple Music Hall, we are once again taking an unprecedented step further in our commitment to artists and fans by supporting live music in ways only Apple can do.”

Zane Lowe, Apple Music’s global creative director and lead anchor for Apple Music 1, added: “Apple Music has always been the home for artists, a creative partner, not just a platform. Our Brand New Apple Music Radio studios are the next step in our commitment to provide the best possible space for artists to express themselves from performing live, to telling their story on radio, to creating incredible content for their fans. The team and I couldn’t be more excited to open the doors to our new home in Battersea.”

Rachel Newman, head of Apple Music, said: “As well as Apple Music Hall, the surrounding campus — which includes recording studios, radio studios, photography and more — is a true creative space where artists can not only perform live, but also record an interview on Apple Music Radio, mix their music in Spatial Audio or host special events.”

She added, “We wanted to create a space that artists can use however they choose and tailor to their needs, one that reflects our continued commitment to supporting artists, championing storytelling, and giving fans a way to connect with their favourite acts.”

Hip-hop festival Rolling Loud is headed back to California next December, with the three-day event set to be held at Nos Events Center in San Bernardino, Calif., from Dec. 10-12, 2027.

“San Bernardino has always been a great location to do the shows for us. There’s a ton of fans out there,” Rolling Loud co-founder and CEO Matt Zingler tells Billboard. Nos Events Center, located in Southern California outside of Los Angeles County, previously hosted the festival in 2017 and 2021. “Sometimes, when you’re in major cities, it’s more expensive for fans and also more congested. We’ve always had a great following and shows out [in San Bernardino]. We can experiment more with the site and build more activations. All in all, it’s better grounds for festivals than some of the L.A. proper spaces.”

Rolling Loud’s California festival was held at Hollywood Park in Inglewood from 2023 to 2025 with headliners including Nicki Minaj, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott and more over the three years.

Rolling Loud 2027 will be the eighth edition held in Southern California, as the franchise continues to make its way across the U.S. and internationally. Since 2015, Rolling Loud has held festivals in Miami, Northern California, New York, Portugal, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, Thailand, Austria and India. Earlier this year, organizers scrapped the scheduled Australian dates of the festival, set to be held in March in Sydney and Melbourne, citing delays with local partners. “This one hurts,” organizers said of the cancellation in a statement posted online.

In May, Rolling Loud took over Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla., with headliners Don Toliver, Playboi Carti and NBA Youngboy. The next Florida edition will be held May 7–9, 2027.

Weathering a tumultuous festival landscape of cancellations, pandemics and economic strife, Zingler feels Rolling Loud continues to excel after more than a decade, and he sees very little competition in terms of booking talent.

“I don’t really know of any other festivals booking urban [music] right now,” he says. “We don’t have competition. We’re the biggest [hip-hop festival] brand.”

“We’ve done a lot of shows,” he adds. “If you don’t grow with your fans and keep it new…your brand withers and dies. But if you’re constantly adjusting and have your finger on the pulse, you can go forever.”

After reportedly welcoming 65,000 fans over two days in 2025, Rolling Loud India will return for its second year in Mumbai from Dec. 12-13. Zingler says he expects the 2026 festival to be even bigger than the debut.

“The first year in Mumbai was training the fans because it was very local crowd-wise, so a lot of people in India had never experienced a hip-hop show before,” says Zingler. “Now that they’ve experienced Rolling Loud, they know what to expect. I think we will definitely hit a higher capacity.”

The lineup for Rolling Loud India has not been fully announced, but Zingler says fans can expect an experience tailored to the region. “When we go internationally, we switch it up a lot. Every place that we go, they digest music differently,” he says. “There’s certain people that are more relevant. It’s not always the same.”

Zingler estimates that every Rolling Loud festival has a majority of new fans versus returning ones and, as the brand continues to expand, fans can expect new artists on the lineups, new creative directions and new merch designs.

“It’s not a cut-and-paste model. There’s always unique talent, different stages, different activations,” he says. This year, Rolling Loud partnered with tech/cannabis company Weedmaps for special events, artist experiences and activations starting with Kickback New York Lit by Rolling Loud on Sept. 10 in Brooklyn.

The festival is also getting the Hollywood treatment. On Oct. 2, Rolling Loud: The Movie starring Owen Wilson, Matt Rife, Christian Convery, Christine Ko and Henry Winkler will open in U.S. theaters. The film, produced in partnership with Live Nation Studios and partially filmed during Travis Scott’s 2024 festival appearance in Miami, follows a father who brings his teenage son to Rolling Loud and loses him in the crowd, setting off a chaotic search. The plot is based on director/writer Jeremy Garelick’s own experience losing his kid at the festival. Zingler’s role in the production included working with Garelick to ensure the script felt authentic to the festival experience. Fans can expect Rolling Loud performers including Scott, Sexyy Red, Ski Mask The Slump God and Ty Dolla $ign to make appearances.

Passes for the 2027 Rolling Loud California festival go on sale Thursday (Sept. 24) at 11 a.m. PT, followed by the general pre-sale at 12 p.m. PT. The lineup will be announced at a later date.

Warner Music Group announced on Monday (Sept. 21) that Carianne Marshall, the COO/co-chair of its publishing arm Warner Chappell, will transition out of her role at the end of this month “as the company streamlines its leadership structure,” according to a press release.

A company source says Marshall’s departure is part of a WMG-wide shift away from having co-chairs lead their companies. Similarly, in July, sister company Warner Records moved then-co-chair and COO Tom Corson into a different role as COO of WMG.

Marshall leaves her role after a seven-year tenure. Guy Moot, the company’s CEO and co-chair, will remain as the company’s sole chair, and Marshall will remain with the company through the end of the calendar year “to ensure a seamless transition,” the press release says.

Marshall was brought into Warner Chappell in June 2018 after a successful run at the popular independent music publisher SONGS. Known for her expertise in synchronization licensing, an increasingly important role in music publishing, and her indie mindset, Marshall came to the major music publisher and brought a sharpened focus to the company. This included creating a new Creative Services department which would focus on providing commercial and creative opportunities for Warner Chappell writers, rethinking what a publisher offers to songwriters in the modern age.

A year after starting at WCM, Marshall was joined by Moot, a British A&R executive from Sony, who took the helm as CEO and co-chair. Together, Moot and Marshall became known as a formidable leadership duo, a rarity in the music industry, bringing together Marshall’s licensing chops and Moot’s creative expertise.

“When Guy and I began this journey together, we wanted to build a songwriter-first home for the creative community,” Marshall said in a statement. “Reflecting on our time, I am proudest not only of our growth, but of the incredible culture and values we’ve fostered together. I step away with immense gratitude for Len, Robert, Guy, the WMG Board, and our entire Warner Chappell team knowing that the company has never been better positioned for what’s next.”

“Carianne has been an extraordinary partner and a fierce champion for our songwriters and our people over the past seven years,” Moot added in a statement. “Her vision, heart and drive helped us establish an operating foundation that sets Warner Chappell apart and shaped a winning global team. I am deeply grateful for our partnership and wish her every happiness.”

“Carianne has been instrumental in building Warner Chappell into the successful company it is today,” WMG CEO Robert Kyncl said in a statement. “She’s helped drive exceptional results that have set our songwriters and our business up for long-lasting success. Our talented team will build upon the incredible foundation she’s put in place. We thank her for her dedication, impact and wish her the very best in her next chapter.”

A man has been sentenced to over three years in prison following an investigation by London police that uncovered a counterfeit vinyl operation valued at £1 million ($1.34 million).

On Friday (Sept. 19), Rehan Ahmed, 40, of Southall, west London, was found guilty at the Inner London Crown Court for breaches of artists’ copyright and acquiring and using criminal property. Ahmed received two years and eight months for the copyright breaches and three and a half years for the criminal property charge. Judge Darren Reed ruled that the sentences will run concurrently.

Ahmed led an operation that produced fraudulent vinyl copies of albums by Taylor Swift, Coldplay and Kendrick Lamar among others. Between 2017 and 2024, Ahmed generated an estimated £2,743,000 in profit from the operation, as revealed by the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) at the City of London Police.

The counterfeit records were produced and distributed from a unit in Acton, west London, operating under the name “Phoenix of Vinyl.” Search warrants executed in February 2024 led to the seizure of 2,791 vinyl records alongside lacquers and pressing equipment. The illicit goods were sold on online marketplaces such as eBay and Discogs, infringing on the copyrights of 108 artists.

The case was referred to PIPCU by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and represents the largest seizure of its kind in the U.K. Officers seized 18 tonnes of evidence, including four vinyl pressing machines — each roughly 70 years old — along with thousands of sleeves and centre labels.

The vinyl market continues to play a growing part in music consumption in the U.K., with 7.6m units sold in 2025, as per the BPI. That marks an increase of 13.3% year on year, and is the 18th consecutive year of growth since 2008.

Peter Ratcliffe, the BPI’s director of content protection, said: “This conviction is hugely significant, and we thank our partners in this investigation, PIPCU and our label members, for their valued efforts over many months to bring about this welcome outcome.  Sadly, it won’t return the tens of millions of pounds that we estimate have been leeched from artists, the record labels that support them, and the retail community that sells their music, but at least this major criminal operation has now been closed down and it sends a clear signal to other counterfeiters who are exploiting music that we are coming after them.”

KISS co-founder Gene Simmons will receive the International Entertainment Buyers Association’s lifetime achievement award during the IEBA 2026 Honors & Awards ceremony on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at The Pinnacle Nashville. The ceremony will serve as the culmination of IEBA’s 56th annual conference, taking place Oct. 4-6, with daytime programming at Grand Hyatt Nashville and nighttime events at The Pinnacle.

As co-founder, bassist and vocalist of KISS, Simmons helped transform the band into a global phenomenon. KISS was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 and received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2025.

“Gene Simmons embodies the kind of lasting impact the IEBA Lifetime Achievement Award was created to recognize,” Brian Wagner, executive director of IEBA, said in a statement. “KISS didn’t simply build a catalog of iconic music; they changed the scale and possibilities of the live concert experience. Gene’s vision for connecting music, performance, spectacle and brand has influenced generations of artists and live entertainment professionals, and we are incredibly proud to celebrate that legacy at IEBA 2026.”

The ceremony will also celebrate the 2026 IEBA Hall of Fame class, with inductions honoring legendary entertainer Chubby Checker and veteran talent buyer Gil Cunningham. Established in 2010, the IEBA Hall of Fame recognizes those whose lasting contributions have helped shape the live entertainment industry.

Checker had two No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, “The Twist” and “Pony Time.” “The Twist” was the first single to hit No. 1 in two separate chart runs, in 1960 and 1962. It was voted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000 and the National Recording Registry in 2012. Checker was voted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2025.

“Chubby Checker represents something that every talent buyer understands, the extraordinary value of an artist who can connect with an audience generation after generation,” said Wagner. “His influence extends far beyond an iconic song or dance. He helped change the way audiences participate in live music, and more than six decades later, that connection remains at the heart of what makes live entertainment so powerful.”

Over more than 37 years in live entertainment, Cunningham has earned recognition from both IEBA and the Academy of Country Music. His honors include IEBA talent buyer, event producer, festival buyer and entertainment buyer of the year, the IEBA president’s award and multiple ACM Don Romeo talent buyer of the year honors, including his fifth ACM buyer of the year recognition in 2025.

Cunningham has served as both president and vp of the IEBA, while also serving the broader industry through leadership roles and committee work with organizations including the Country Music Association and the T.J. Martell Foundation.

“Gil Cunningham represents the very best of the talent-buying profession and of IEBA,” said Barry Jeffrey, IEBA chairman emeritus and WME partner. “Great buyers combine knowledge and instinct with relationships, trust and a willingness to take a chance on an artist before everyone else sees what they see. Gil has done that throughout his career, while giving back to this organization and mentoring the people coming behind him. His impact can be seen in the artists he has championed, the events he has helped build and the professionals whose careers he has influenced.”

The IEBA Honors & Awards ceremony recognizes outstanding achievement across the live entertainment business, with IEBA members selecting winners in categories including club, casino, theater, arena, amphitheater, fair/expo and festival of the year, as well as awards recognizing leading talent buyers, agents, promoters, venue executives, young professionals and music and entertainment industry educators.

The Honors & Awards cap three days of programming, bringing together the professionals who drive the live entertainment business. IEBA 2026 will feature keynote conversations, educational sessions, industry roundtables, networking, agency parties, live performances and the association’s signature Agents Alley, where buyers connect directly with hundreds of agents representing touring talent.

For more information about IEBA and the 56th annual conference, visit the IEBA website.