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XLR MAG

MIDiA Research

17 stories

MIDiA ResearchIndustryNew MIDiA data: Consumers are more accepting of AI music than they admit Anyone who studies consumer behaviour knows that what people say matters to them does not always align with how they act.

MIDiA ResearchIndustryDuel Lingo: Can language unlock music's next growth markets? Historically, the international expansion blueprint for music companies relied on exporting finished media assets from established markets to new ones. However, a new strategic model is emerging.

MIDiA ResearchIndustryCulture shock: What 10,500 labels reveal about the Global South's genre story At MIDiA, we have been pointing to the rise of the Global South for many years, so it is good to see that the message is catching on.

MIDiA ResearchIndustryThe key to unlocking fandom begins with these fan archetypes Fandom is not “one-size-fits-all”, but rather an amalgamation of different engagement types and levels of activity.

MIDiA ResearchIndustryFrom creator to capitalist: The creator economy is investing in itself The most successful creators no longer look like online personalities. They now operate as fully-fledged media businesses with capital, networks, and business expertise – and they’re using these…

MIDiA ResearchIndustryThe road to 2033: Forecasting ARPU has never been more difficult nor more important This client-only series takes a deeper look at the key themes shaping MIDiA’s 2026–2033 global music forecasts report and what they mean for the future of the music business.

MIDiA ResearchIndustryWhen the math stops mathing: Fandom signals in the agentic AI era Artists understand their audiences largely through their actions. Following, liking, subscribing, opening an email, buying merch, buying a ticket, waiting in line – each of these efforts creates…

MIDiA ResearchIndustryFirst they laugh, then they follow: Comedy’s vertical TV opportunity With its skits, anecdotes, and punchlines, comedy lends itself well to short-form video. Now that streaming services have built the vertical feed infrastructure, they can leverage original, premium…

MIDiA ResearchIndustryNarrative audio: the case for industry investment Narrative audio is on an upward curve. Several forces are converging to sustain it: writers and performers of real standing choosing the format, a hunger for lean-in listening, and technology that is…

MIDiA ResearchIndustryBeyond the stream: Live’s innovation moment Is live music approaching a golden era of innovation? At a concert, the merchandise queue asks a slightly absurd question: how much of the show would you miss for merch?

MIDiA ResearchIndustryFrom newsroom to newsfeed: Why news broadcasters and content creators should partner to reach young people As the attention economy fractures traditional media consumption habits, Public Service Broadcasters (PSBs) risk losing reach among young viewers.

MIDiA ResearchIndustryThe Audio Academy Festival 2026: Where community and audio combine Last year I attended the Radio Academy Festival, and while I was there, the organisation announced it would become the Audio Academy.

MIDiA ResearchIndustryK-pop as culture: Fandom learnings from BTS and KCON LA K-pop is known as a genre built around fandom-focused live experiences, whether that’s concerts or fan-run events, and it’s been a busy few months for K-pop fans in the US.

MIDiA ResearchIndustryAudiences are craving connection – could livestreaming be the answer? This year has shown a clear audience appetite for live, shared viewing experiences. The finale of the UK’s The Traitors attracted a live audience of 9.4 million viewers in January.

MIDiA ResearchIndustryGlobal music publishing revenue reached $12.2 billion in 2025 as majors outgrew independents Catalogue is becoming a key revenue stream, while streaming's share of publishing income is set to rise further through 2033 London, UK – Music publishing revenue grew 9.6% in 2025 to reach $12.2…

MIDiA ResearchIndustryMusic is losing in the attention economy Young people are spending fewer hours listening to music, and in particular, music is occupying a smaller share of teenager's time than it used to.

MIDiA ResearchIndustryCould YouTube be a new home for TV talent? The power dynamic between media personalities and media distributors is shifting – a change that has picked up pace over the last few years.

On the calendar

· Trade shows and launch events, this week's stories from each corner of the industry, and what its press is covering.

On view

This week, from that corner the newest stories from the corner of the industry you picked

The wire their own posts, translated

How records get made in 2026 from the industry's own reports

Sources

Fetched every six hours, linked to the original

About

Three pins, and nearly every signal in this business passes through them.

The magazine is named after the cable: the microphone in the booth, the line to the desk, the DMX run that fires the lights. Studio, stage and rig share the same cable. Most magazines pick one of the three. This one covers all of it, because the people we read do too — the engineer mixing a record on Tuesday is on front of house by Saturday.

Around a hundred and sixty sources, in English, Japanese, Spanish, German, French, Chinese and Italian: makers and their release notes, reviewers who put a hand on the thing, studios and touring crews, the producers and collectives surfacing this month and the scenes they came out of. Synths and modular, plugins and DAWs, guitars and drums, microphones, monitors, PA and lighting. What the trade is talking about is counted and plotted. The editor's letter has just started; it will find its rhythm.

For each story: a headline, a short excerpt, one picture and the link out. We never reprint the article, and the picture belongs to the maker or the photographer. A German review appears in German and a Japanese one in Japanese, as the writer published it; the link goes to the original.

Nothing is sold on this site. When a link leads to a shop, it is the maker's shop, not ours.