From Taylor Swift’s ‘The Lifetime of a Showgirl’ to Spotify’s management shakeup… it’s MBW’s weekly round-up

Welcome to Music Enterprise Worldwide’s Weekly Spherical-up – the place we be sure you caught the 5 largest tales to hit our headlines over the previous seven days. MBW’s Spherical-up is solely supported by BMI, a worldwide chief in performing rights administration, devoted to supporting songwriters, composers and publishers and championing the worth of music.

Spotify confirmed at the moment (October 3) that Taylor Swift’s The Lifetime of a Showgirl grew to become the platform’s most-streamed album in a single day in 2025 to date, hitting the milestone in beneath 11 hours. The album additionally grew to become the primary to exceed 5 million pre-saves on Spotify forward of its launch at the moment.

In the meantime, Spotify introduced a significant management transition as Daniel Ek prepares to step again from the CEO position to change into Government Chairman, with Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström to take over as co-CEOs.

Elsewhere, Common Music Group and Warner Music Group are reportedly near hanging “landmark” AI music licensing offers, in keeping with a Monetary Occasions report.

Additionally this week, Zach Bryan made historical past by enjoying the most important ticketed present in US historical past, drawing 112,408 followers to Michigan Stadium and producing $5 million in merchandise gross sales.

Lastly, a high European music lawyer dismissed issues over Common Music Group‘s entry to impartial label knowledge by UMG’s proposed $775 million acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings.

Listed below are among the largest headlines from the previous few days…

1. TAYLOR SWIFT’S ‘THE LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL’ IS ALREADY A RECORD BREAKER, AS ALBUM BECOMES FIRST TO EXCEED 5M PRE-SAVES ON SPOTIFY

Taylor Swift’s new file, The Lifetime of a Showgirl,  grew to become the primary album to exceed 5 million pre-saves on Spotify forward of its launch at the moment (October 3).

The pre-save determine broke the file held by Swift’s earlier album, The Tortured Poets Division, launched final yr.

Spotify’s Countdown Web page function permits customers to mechanically add new music to their libraries upon launch. 

Taylor Swift‘s staff launched the Countdown Web page for Showgirl on August 14, beginning with an unique playlist announcement throughout 12 outside promoting places worldwide. (MBW)

2. SPOTIFY LEADERSHIP UPDATE: DANIEL EK EXPLAINS WHY HE’S STEPPING BACK AS CEO TO BECOME EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN

On Tuesday (September 30), Spotify revealed that its founder and Chief Government Officer, Daniel Ek, is stepping again from the CEO position and can transition to Government Chairman.

The corporate has named Gustav Söderström (co-President and Chief Product and Expertise Officer) and Alex Norström (co-President and Chief Enterprise Officer) as its new co-Chief Government Officers.

In response to the announcement, Spotify’s new Co-CEOs will report back to Daniel Ek and also will serve on the corporate’s Board of Administrators, topic to shareholder approval.

These adjustments will all be efficient January 1, 2026. (MBW)

3. RECORD LABELS COULD STRIKE ‘LANDMARK’ AI MUSIC LICENSING DEALS ‘WITHIN WEEKS,’ THE FT REPORTS

Two of the three main music corporations, Common Music Group and Warner Music Group, are reportedly nearing licensing offers with AI music corporations.

That’s in keeping with the Monetary Occasions, which reported on Thursday (October 2), citing individuals aware of the matter, that the businesses “might every strike offers with synthetic intelligence corporations inside weeks” in a bid to “set a precedent for a way AI corporations pay for music”.

In response to the FT’s report, the negotiations middle on licensing music for the creation of AI-generated tracks and permitting the music to coach giant language fashions. (MBW)

4. ZACH BRYAN JUST PLAYED THE BIGGEST TICKETED SHOW IN US HISTORY – INCLUDING $5M IN MERCH SALES

Nation singer Zach Bryan simply broke a major live performance attendance file within the US.

A complete of 112,408 followers watched Bryan carry out on Saturday (September 27) at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, setting a brand new file for the highest-attended ticketed live performance in US historical past.

That’s in keeping with live performance promoter AEG Presents, which confirmed the ultimate depend on Sunday (September 28)… (MBW)

5. TOP EUROPEAN MUSIC LAWYER DISMISSES UMG/DOWNTOWN DATA CONCERNS AS ‘FANTASY OR PARANOIA’

Considered one of France’s high music {industry} attorneys has dismissed issues over Common Music Group‘s entry to impartial label knowledge by UMG’s proposed $775 million acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings.

Michaël Majster, founding companion at Paris-based Majster & Nehmé and a 30-year authorized veteran, described the data-related fears as stemming “extra from fantasy or paranoia than from a concrete, lifelike, and rational evaluation”.

Throughout his profession, Majster has represented each multi-platinum and rising artists in France, plus outstanding impartial file labels and distributors, and a significant music writer. He has not represented UMG or Downtown.

He’s rated within the high tier of music legislation practitioners in France by the industry-standard Décideurs Leaders League. (MBW)

Companion message: MBW’s Weekly Spherical-up is supported by BMI, the international chief in performing rights administration, devoted to supporting songwriters, composers and publishers and championing the worth of music. Discover out extra about BMI right here. Music Enterprise Worldwide