Pophouse’s Iron Maiden
Pophouse Entertainment secures 50% of Grammy-Brit-Ivor Novello-winning Iron Maiden’s publishing, masters, rights to name, likeness, image. With 17 albums, 100+ million records sold, 2,500 concerts in 64 countries, Maiden’s 50th celebration includes movie plans, Infinite Dreams Museum Experience at EddFest.
Durango Songwriters Returns
Returning this October (8-10) to Broomfield, Colorado, the Durango Songwriters Expo is held twice a year (once In Colorado and once in California). Aspiring and established songwriters are given access to publishers, A&R executives, and music supervisors at the forefront of musical decision-making, while getting feedback and an opportunity to showcase their work.
Details and registration at: durangosong.com/
AIMP ATL Summit
The Association for Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) presents Atlanta’s 2026 Creative Entrepreneurship Summit on September 15-16 at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center. Crafted for independent artists, songwriters, producers, managers, students and music business entrepreneurs, the program includes workshops and panels on publishing, administration, sync licensing, and revenue, as well as networking opportunities with industry decision-makers. Registration information at: bit.ly/452Stra.
Decca Signs Hopkins
Sir Anthony Hopkins has signed exclusively with Decca Records, with new recording project Life Is A Dream encompassing over 60 years of original compositions inspired by Wales, his life, and his family (music was his first love and he began piano at age 4). Conductor Gustavo Dudamel leads the Philharmonia Orchestra.
New AI Labeling
With support across the industry—including IFPI, RIAA, A2IM, WIN, IMPALA, The Grammys, SAG-AFTRA and the Human Artistry Campaign—the music community has joined forces to propose a new unified approach to help provide clarity and transparency around AI use in music. Proposed ‘AI-Generated’ and ‘AI-Assisted’ visual icons would provide a method of quick identification in voluntary track labeling.
Following Deezer reports that AI-generated music makes up 44% of all new music on its platform, and Apple sharing that a third of their uploads are 100% AI, organizations involved are enlisting digital music services, distributors, aggregators and standard-setting bodies to encourage industry-wide implementation. More at: bit.ly/4xg4DsT.
ASCAP Theatre & Scholarships
In partnership with the Educational Theatre Association, the ASCAP Foundation extends warm congratulations to Theatre Director Shawn Hann at the Denver School of the Arts after being named the 2026 Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Teacher of the Year. The national award recognizes Hann’s 25 years of exceptional arts instruction, antirational leadership, and her dedicated mentorship of the next generation of performers.
The ASCAP Foundation "Music is our Foundation" Scholarship aims to reduce the financial burden of music education, providing financial assistance to undergraduate and graduate students actively studying music, and is open to students pursuing music majors so that students are free to focus on their education and development. The deadline for this year’s scholarship applications is August 31, 2026 (details HERE).
Magnificent Lachi Album
Award-winning artist/disability advocate Lachi releases debut children’s album, Magnificent, celebrating disability, neurodiversity, identity, inclusion, with collaborators Lisa Loeb, Mandy Harvey, 123 Andrés, Alphabet Rockers. Blending pop, hip-hop, world sound, it includes class curriculum from The Nora Project.
SOCAN Joins Musical AI
Canadian Performing Rights Organization SOCAN, which represents songwriters, composers, and music publishers North of the border, has joined forces with Canada-based rights management technology company Musical AI, with a mission to protect creators and help to control how their music is used, created and monetized. Their joint vision is based on AI being an opt-in technology, and the belief that creators must receive credit and compensation when works influence AI output.
The collaboration looks to address situations where AI music created using data from artist materials is played/used in public spaces (i.e. coffee shops, or through a sound system before a concert). When it is an artist piece, SOCAN and other PROs collect and distribute the royalties (and calculations are based on licensing and specific use of the music). The same system does not exist for instances of AI music (despite frequently pulls from existing creator work). Musical AI’s tech analyzes AI-generated outputs to trace the exact source material down to the percentage, differentiating between sound recording and musical composition licensing.
The Canadian government has lent its full support for the partnership and is taking a strong stance on the preservation of Canadian music, cultural identity, and the creative economic infrastructure across a shifting musical landscape. More at: bit.ly/4hI8r1g.
Grande Joins Backline
Launching The Brighter Days Ahead Foundation, Ariana Grande expands her philanthropy in a partnership with Backline in an organization with an initial focus on uplifting and protecting the rights of the trans and LGBTQ+ community, expanding access to mental health tools, and providing care during times of crisis. Backline is lending their support through the Heal & Dream Fund, which expands access to mental health care and community support, including B-Line, a 24/7 support line designed exclusively for the music industry (which 400 people have already accessed for support), and delivering 200 hand-packed wellness packs to crew members working behind-the-scenes on Grande’s recent Eternal Sunshine Tour (including thoughtful wellness products for good mental health, stress reduction and self-care for touring professionals, as well as access to therapy grants through Music’s Mental Health Fund).
Soft Control: Wigs
Adding elements of soul and R&B to their trademark alt-rock sound, the Afghan Wigs release Soft Control (via Royal Cream/BMG), right on time to celebrate their 40th anniversary and a major US tour. First jamming in basements in the mid ‘80s, the Wigs remain unmistakably feisty and original in their sound and delivery.
BMI Christian Awards
Celebrating the best in Christian music from 2025, BMI extends congratulations to the nominees and honorees of the 2026 BMI Christian Awards. Top honors this year go to “Made For More” (Jessie Early / Jonathan Smith / Blake Wiggins, performed by Josh Baldwin) for BMI Song of the Year, which garnered over 95 million global streams and placed No. 1 on the Billboard Christian AC Airplay chart. As Primary Executive Producer and songwriter for Elevation Worship (“Another One,” “Lion”) and Elevation Rhythm (“Goodbye Yesterday”), Steven Furtick was named BMI Songwriter of the Year (penning 25 of the most performed Christian songs from 25), and Capitol CMG Publishing was named BMI Publisher of the Year (as representative of 19 of the 25 most-performed songs, including Song of the Year, “Made For More”).
For a full list of this year’s winders, please visit: bit.ly/45zSfrL.
V8 Splash Prescription
Independent publisher Prescription Songs signs Memphis-born producer-songwriter-mixer V8 Splash to their roster. Collaborations include K Carbon, Tay Money, Big Homiie G, Jayy Wick, FTO Sett and Big Mo, and he is known for Southern sound, melodic sensibilities, and a blend of R&B, Hip-hop and country style.
SESAC Celebrates Honorees
The namesake himself a songwriter and major figure in music publishing, the Songwriters Hall of Fame Abe Olman Scholarship was established by Olman’s family to continue supporting and encouraging young songwriters in the early stages of their career. SESAC congratulates 2026’s recipients Bryan Andrews (“Backwoods Backwards,” “Liquor & Pills”), Courtney Paige Nelson (“Scream and Shout,” “Bury It”), Benni Ola (“Can’t Say Nah,” “Bonita”), and Oceanic (“Insanity,” “Wicked Love”). See: bit.ly/4hEdLTu.
Sureel Joins Symphonic
Symphonic Distribution has teamed up with Sureel AI to help unlock additional revenue streams for the members of their roster who opt-in. Sureel will track owners of compositions, lyrics, and sound recordings to track their use in AI-generated materials, while Symphonic grants independent artists, labels and managers under their umbrella access to AI-driven revenue. Symphonic’s roster will be in a position to monetize their work whenever and wherever it is used in AI models, and share in the revenue generated, while Sureel will tie payments to measurable contribution and enforce permission and restrictions on use. More at: sureel.ai.
Read Jarre’s Machines
Electro pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre releases Machines: A History of Electronic Music, navigating avant-garde radio, pioneering studios, and technological breakthroughs from tape/analogue systems to digital/3D/AI. 130 examples and excepts from Armin van Buuren, Vince Clarke, Gillian Gilbert, Nicolas Godin, and more.
SONGSALIVE! Songwriters Workshop
For over 25 years, the Songsalive! Songwriters workshop has supported songwriters and composers from around the world in taking their songwriting to the next level. Share your work, get valuable feedback and industry insights, and connect with a thriving creative community. Most programs and events are 100% virtual, making it easier than ever to attend from the comfort of your own home, and to navigate workshops at your own pace. The program includes song critiques, industry guest speakers, and reciprocal feedback between presenters and attendees. Workshop details, community membership, and program registration at: songsalive.org.
TSM’s Animal Talk
Third Side Music (TSM) and electronic music group SOFI TUKKER (Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern) launch joint venture Animal Talk Publishing, with TSM extending the duo’s global publishing administration agreement (following their original 2017 signing). The agreement will see TSM providing the Animal Talk roster with global administration, rights management, synch and creative services.
Benson Does Cole
Legendary 10x Grammy-winner George Benson reissues Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole (his Candid Records debut). The 15-track John Burk production includes bonuses “Ramblin’ Rose,” “Almost Like Being in Love” “That Sunday, That Summer.” Features Wynton Marsalis, Idina Menzel, Till Brönner, Judith Hill.
Sony Scoops Wendell
Sony Music Nashville signs Jackson Wendell. Starting out on a worship team, he wrote his “Ain’t Coming Home” at 14. He has since performed with Parker McCollum, Tucker Wetmore, Flatland Cavalry, Randy Rogers, William Beckmann. 2025’s “Drunk Words Are Sober Thoughts” has almost 3 million global streams
SOFI TUKKER credits TSM with landing over 450 placements for them in film, television, video games, movie trailers, and brand deals with Apple, Smartwater, Peloton, Absolut vodka, Lancôme, Acura, and more, With billions if streams and almost 8 million monthly Spotify listeners, SOFI TUKKER’s hits include “Best Friend,” “Purple Hat,” “Summer in New York,” “Original Sin,” “Drinkee,” and recent single “Cook” with J. Balvin (which reached No. 20 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart and has over 13 million streams) and “Pick Up the Phone” hitting No. 6 on Beatport’s Top 100 Tech House Chart.
Joint AI Labeling
Music industry groups, including the RIAA, A2IM, IMPALA, and others, are pushing for a system of standardized AI labeling on streaming platforms. The group is proposing a system to identify recordings as AI-generated or AI-assisted in order to bring clarity to the new world of machine-generated creative works. Under this system, humans must have performed ‘lead vocal and primary instruments’ in order to receive AI-Assisted (rather than AI-generated) labeling. Conversations have begun between the group proposing the changes, along with digital music platforms, distribution engines, and music aggregators, as well as regulatory groups. One of the challenges to the proposal is that the system relies on voluntary disclosure (not automatic AI tagging, as used on the Deezer platform). There is also discussion around the monetization of AI-generated music, which will likely be a part of the rollout moving forward.
