From UMG’s cope with superfan platform EVEN to Dwell Nation’s $25B in 2025… it’s MBW’s weekly round-up

This week, Common Music Group struck a brand new multi-year settlement with superfan-focused platform EVEN.

In different UMG-related information, Virgin Music Group introduced on Friday (February 20) that it has accomplished its acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings LLC (Downtown).

Additionally this week, Dwell Nation Leisure posted annual revenues of USD $25.2 billion for 2025, up 9% – or by $2.05 billion – year-over-year.

Elsewhere, HYBE AMERICA’s Nashville-based nation, Americana, and roots rock division was rebranded as Blue Freeway Data, with veteran leisure govt Jake Basden appointed as Chief Government Officer.

In the meantime, it was reported that Casey Wasserman is placing his namesake expertise company up on the market.

Listed below are a few of the largest headlines from the previous few days…

1. Common Music strikes cope with superfan platform EVEN to energy D2C gross sales for artists worldwide

Common Music Group has struck a brand new multi-year settlement with EVEN, a superfan-focused platform that lets artists promote music and have interaction with followers instantly.

The deal establishes EVEN as a direct-to-fan useful resource for UMG, offering the key’s labels and artists with “turnkey” instruments for partaking superfans via early entry to music, unique content material, and group options.

The settlement can even enable UMG artists to supply bodily music and merchandise via EVEN utilizing UMG’s world D2C, vinyl, and merch infrastructure.

The partnership marks the newest enlargement of UMG’s D2C and broader superfan technique… (MBW)

2. Dwell Nation annual revenues prime $25B in 2025, up $2B YoY, with adjusted working revenue of $2.4B

Dwell Nation Leisure has posted annual revenues of USD $25.2 billion for 2025, up 9% – or by $2.05 billion – year-over-year.

The dwell leisure large has additionally reported {that a} document 159 million folks attended Dwell Nation-promoted reveals in 2025 (throughout 55,000 live shows) – up by 8 million YoY.

A standout truth about these 159 million attendees?

For the primary time, in 2025, extra music followers attended Dwell Nation live shows exterior the USA than inside it… (MBW)

3. VIRGIN MUSIC GROUP COMPLETES DOWNTOWN ACQUISITION; PIETER VAN RIJN NAMED COO AS DOWNTOWN FOUNDER JUSTIN KALIFOWITZ STEPS AWAY

Virgin Music Group (VMG) introduced on Friday (February 20) that it has accomplished its acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings LLC (Downtown).

The closure follows the European Fee’s approval of the deal final Friday (February 13), topic to Common Music Group’s dedication to divest Downtown’s Curve royalty accounting enterprise.

UMG’s Virgin Music Group first introduced the transaction in December 2024.

Alongside the deal’s completion, it was introduced that Pieter van Rijn has been appointed Chief Working Officer of VMG, having been CEO of Downtown since final yr.

He’ll report back to co-CEOs Nat Pastor and JT Myers and can proceed to be primarily based in Amsterdam.

Downtown Founder Justin Kalifowitz confirmed he’s stepping away from the corporate he based in 2007. Andrew Bergman, beforehand Chairman of Downtown, will transition right into a senior advisory function. (MBW)

4. HYBE AMERICA launches Blue Freeway Data in Nashville, names Jake Basden as CEO

HYBE AMERICA’s Nashville-based nation, Americana, and roots rock division has been rebranded as Blue Freeway Data (beforehand BMLG).

Veteran leisure govt Jake Basden has been appointed as Blue Freeway Data’ Chief Government Officer.

Basden most lately served as President of Sandbox Administration, the place he oversaw all facets of the expertise division’s illustration and enterprise improvement, guiding the careers of multi-platinum and multi-award-winning expertise, together with Kacey Musgraves, Brandi Carlile, Kate Hudson, Kelsea Ballerini, Child Nova, and Little Massive City… (MBW)

5. Casey Wasserman to promote expertise company amid fallout over Epstein information (report)

Casey Wasserman is placing his namesake expertise company up on the market. The transfer comes after paperwork linking him to Jeffrey Epstein’s affiliate Ghislaine Maxwell triggered vital backlash from the corporate’s purchasers and employees.

The sale was first reported by The Wall Road Journal on Friday (February 13), citing a memo to employees.

Wasserman, grandson of leisure mogul Lew Wasserman, constructed Wasserman Agency into considered one of Hollywood’s largest sports-marketing and talent-management corporations with roughly 4,000 staff, in line with the WSJ.… (MBW)