Technology

Sabrina Carpenter might become the next artist to institute a phone ban at her upcoming concerts, following in the wake of the likes of Ghost, Jack White and a growing list of others. In a new interview with Rolling Stone, the Taste singer says she had the idea after attending a Silk Sonic show where phones were banned, and thought the experience was improved as a result. READ MORE: “It’s quite unique for a hard rock band”: Producer reveals the secret trick Ghost use to fill out their low end

“Don’t Give Up On Diversity, Equity and Inclusion”. That’s the proud and defiant message Spotify posted on its HR blog in 2023. Two years later, the term ‘DEI’ has soured. Spooked by the Trump administration’s ‘war on wokeness’, many leading companies are deleting policies aimed at creating a fairer workplace. So, should we in the music industry be worried about similar rollbacks? READ MORE: The Lost Art of the Ticket Stub — and its Futuristic Revival “I think the entire world is worried ab

When listening to Ghost’s new album Skeletá, the word ‘pristine’ comes to mind regarding the quality of its production.  Its silky sweet vocal harmonies (Cenotaph, Guiding Lights) and top tier guitar tones throughout are matched only by its deeply satisfying and punchy low end, and in an interview in the new issue of Sound on Sound, mix engineer Dan Malsch dives deep into how it was achieved. READ MORE: Stranger Things composer Michael Stein gets hands-on with the Moog Messenger “One intere

Japanese synth brand Sonicware has unveiled its latest polyphonic synthesizer, LIVEN Evoke. Described as a “nostalgia-evoking ambient music box” specially designed to make “acoustronic” music, LIVEN Evoke features an Acoustronic Flux Oscillator, which uses sample-based and wavetable synthesis to create “nostalgic pianos, drone strings and bizarre vibraphones” among its vast array of sonic possibilities. READ MORE: MusicTech’s favourite plugins of 2025 — so far Within its built-in wavetabl

Although software synths are outrageously powerful and affordable, getting hands-on with their hardware counterparts can reward a different workflow. A synthesizer used to be an extortionate investment – a Yamaha DX7 would set you back $1,995 upon its initial 1983 release which, adjusted for inflation, is over $5,000 today. But music technology companies have managed to make that sum much smaller today. Yamaha’s modern revival of the DX7, the dinky Reface DX, will cost you just $300. That sounds

It’s not uncommon to see vintage guitar pedals listed online for considerable prices. But what about copies of vintage pedals? Well Behringer‘s Centaur Drive isn’t fake, per se; it was modelled after the legendary Klon Centaur overdrive pedal, and originally retailed for just $69. Now, in some cases, it’s going for prices similar to the original Klon. But why? Well, it’s all due to a lawsuit filed by Bill Finnegan, creator of the original Klon Centaur, against Behringer’s parent company Music T

Cherry Audio has launched a “three-in-one” virtual instrument, the ODC 2800, inspired by the ARP Odyssey synth. The ODC 2800 also lands as a tribute to ARP’s founder, Alan R. Pearlman, in honour of what would have been his 100th birthday on 7 June. While keeping original character at its core, it expands upon the capabilities of its inspiration by introducing new tools and features for modern producers. READ MORE: The TAPEoPLEX is Heritage Audio’s plugin version of the iconic Echoplex tape de

Splice is now available directly within Pro Tools as part of a “pivotal” new upgrade, meaning users now have access to its loops, FX, and one-shots without leaving the DAW. The integration arrives as Avid launches the Pro Tools 2025.6 update. It also delivers MIDI improvements, an AI-driven Speech-to-Text tool, an expanded ARA ecosystem, more tightly integrated ADR and reconform workflows, plus a new in-app dashboard. READ MORE: These free music-making apps for iPhone and Android are a must-h

You’ve probably heard Michael Stein’s music. Outside the world of screen composing nerds, his name might not have the instant recognition of a Zimmer or Elfman but, alongside his writing partner, Kyle Dixon, his score for Netflix’s Stranger Things has racked up over a billion hours of listening time. The duo’s retro synth scoring style has gone beyond being an intrinsic part of The Duffer Brothers’ smash-hit show. Along the way, it earned the composers a Grammy, an Emmy, and a slot performing a

Electric car brand Polestar is set to introduce an Abbey Road Studios Mode to some of its audio systems via an over-the-air software update. Inspired by the iconic recording studio and described as a “brand-new audio experience”, the new audio mode will be available to owners of the Polestar 3 SUV, exclusively for those fitted with the optional Bowers & Wilkins audio system. READ MORE: New recording studio by Abbey Road, Adidas and Co-op offers “decades of audio expertise and cutting-edge

Epidemic Sound – a prominent platform for licensing music and sound for online creators – has shared a new report on the landscape of content creation, and how music continues to be a key factor in creator success. According to the recently released The Future of the Creator Economy Report 2025, “94 per cent of content creators say that music contributes to content’s success.” The report shows music’s influence in other areas such as strengthening brand relationships, driving audience engagemen

GAK, Bax Music, and now PMT. Major music retailers in the UK are having a rough go of it, as all three of those major brands have closed this year. Notably, PMT was the fourth-largest UK music retailer by revenue, with dozens of stores throughout England and Wales selling everything from guitars and drums to headphones and DJ equipment. But the rise in online shopping and the ability of online-first retailers to offer customers lower prices via fewer overheads otherwise associated with brick-an

Universal Audio has announced the latest addition to its library of virtual instruments: Anthem Analog Synthesizer. The new plugin was designed to deliver the “perfectly imperfect” sound of analogue synths in a fully digital format. No UA or Apollo hardware is required to use it, and it runs natively on both Mac and PC in VST3, AU, and AAX. Beyond its analogue sound, Anthem features a series of effects and functions to provide extensive production options. The digital interface has an analogue-

Zara Larsson has called out artists who continue to work with Dr. Luke after Kesha accused the producer of sexual assault and battery and a string of other offences in 2014. Kesha and Dr Luke – real name Łukasz Sebastian Gottwald – reached an agreement to settle a defamation lawsuit in 2023. Appearing as a recent guest on the Rolling Stone Music Now podcast, Larsson says: “There’s a million other people. Is it really, really important for [Dr. Luke] to come back? I don’t think so.” READ MORE:

If you use Ableton Live but are looking for a more inspiring, tactile music-making process, an Ableton Live controller is the hands-on solution to your problems. A controller that’s compatible with Ableton Live will personify the DAW’s fundamental aspects, such as faders and knobs, so that you can have better control over your project, plug-ins, and parameters. Step away from the trackpad, give your weary index finger muscles a rest and take your project by the horns with an Ableton Live-optimis

Music Production for Women – a learning platform which aims to empower both female and non-binary producers – is holding a series of three-hour beginner-oriented production workshops across Europe throughout July. The workshops in London, Berlin, Amsterdam and Dublin – all completely free to attend – will cover the basics of music production, including beat programming, synthesis, audio effects and how to navigate a DAW. READ MORE: Spotify CEO Daniel Ek leads investment of €600m into AI defen

Daniel Ek, Spotify’s CEO and founder, has led a €600 million round of investment in Helsing, a Munich-based AI defence company that manufactures strike drones, aircraft and mini-submarines amid changes in European warfare. Helsing, which started in 2021, is now valued at €12 billion, according to the Financial Times, placing it among Europe’s five most valuable private tech companies. Its flagship product is AI-based software that offers real-time “video-game-style visualisation” of battlefield

£290, adam-audio.com ADAM Audio’s D3V are small monitors that compete with the likes of IK Multimedia’s iLoud Micro, the KRK GoAux series and AIAIAI’s Unit-4 wireless monitors. Whether you have portability in mind, or need a compact yet affordable monitor system for your bedroom studio, the D3V emerges as a standout competitor. READ MORE: IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor Pro: Superb for on-the-go producers and for creators with poor acoustics Innate sound quality seems to be the priority h

Beyerdynamic says that its products “will continue to be handmade in Germany” following acquisition by Chinese OEM manufacturer Cosonic Intelligent. Last week, the century-old, family-owned German audio brand announced it would be acquired by Cosonic for €122 million, marking a major shift in ownership for the first time since Beyerdynamic was founded by Eugen Beyer in 1924. READ MORE: Beyerdynamic launches four new in-ear monitors catering to different needs Despite the move, Managing Dire

“The American Mozart” is how Sean Ono Lennon described Brian Wilson in a tribute to The Beach Boys maestro, who died on 11 June at the age of 82. From Questlove to Bob Dylan, the music world at large is flying the flag at half mast for Wilson, by all accounts a genius whose influence shaped the story of pop and rock music in the twentieth century. Born in Inglewood, California, in 1942, Wilson’s childhood was not an easy one. “My dad’s tirades were unending,” he wrote in his 1991 autobiography,

Apple Music is getting a major upgrade with AutoMix, a new AI-powered feature in iOS 26 that mixes songs together like a professional DJ. Designed to deliver continuous, uninterrupted playback, AutoMix analyses audio features like the tempo and key of tracks to create “unique transitions” that mimic the flow of a live DJ set. READ MORE: Apple Logic Pro 11.2 and 2.2: Stem Splitter, Flashback Capture, ChatGPT and everything else you need to know While Spotify’s crossfade feature simply overlap

Beach restaurant El Silencio Ibiza has opened the Urusai Sunset Bar, the island’s “first true vinyl-listening audiophile experience” dedicated to vinyl-only DJ sets and deep listening. The bar is inspired by the Japanese jazz kissa tradition (cafes that specialise in playing recorded jazz music through high-quality audio systems), and is described as “a soulful fusion of vinyl culture, Japanese ritual, and Balearic legacy”. READ MORE: Gadhouse’s vintage-inspired HENRY turntable offers “the pe

Spotify has teamed up with Backline, a nonprofit organisation connecting music industry professionals and their family members with mental health resources, to launch a global mental health initiative. As part of the initiative, which is called Heart & Soul, Mental Health for Creators, Spotify and Backline are introducing the “first-ever” Global Mental Health Resource Hub – a “comprehensive support platform”. READ MORE: Will Spotify be correct with its annual Songs of Summer predictions?

We’re halfway through 2025, but plugin developers have dropped enough software this year already to keep you busy for about a decade. MusicTech’s reviewers have been deep in the weeds to check out as many of them as possible — thankfully, we’ve found some absolute gems and have been able to separate the hype from the genuinely helpful. Whether you’re hunting for the best VST plugins of 2025 or just looking to upgrade your go-to tools, our team of producers and reviewers have some useful opinion

Arturia has launched Mix DRUMS, a new plugin designed to increase the impact and perceptual loudness of your drums, while preserving peak levels. The plugin streamlines complex drum processing workflows and was developed with mixing engineer Emre Ramazanoglu. With over 25 years of experience, Ramazanoglu has worked with artists like Lily Allen, Brian Eno, David Holmes, and more. READ MORE: Arturia’s V Collection 11 Intro review: A shocking price tag on a fantastic bundle According to Arturi