Ravebot

New Zealand DJ and dubstep producer Olie Bassweight was found dead at his residence in Wellington's Newtown neighborhood on Saturday evening, prompting a police investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. The body of the artist, whose real name was Oliver Hayes, was discovered after police were called to the scene around 7:15pm, according to Detective Inspector Nick Pritchard. A post-mortem examination is now being conducted, he said. In a Facebook post, Hayes' sister Louise said "he was unexpectedly found dead" and suggested foul play may have been involved, although authorities have not disclosed whether or not they are treating the death as suspicious. "There is a police investigation," she wrote. "It seems something terrible might have happened to him. We wait for answers." Authorities are seeking to speak with anyone who may have encountered Hayes, 40, in the days leading up to his death, particularly residents of the apartment complex where he lived. One neighbor, who lives in a nearby apartment, reported hearing "screaming" between 6pm and 7pm on Saturday but said he was unsure of the source, according to Stuff. Hayes was a stalwart of Aotearoa's electronic music community prior to his death. His music, according to his Beatport profile, "conjures images of the Aotearoan landscape - a geomusicalogical [sic] symbiosis forged through attending and playing at many outdoor festivals located throughout the beautiful South Island of New Zealand." We at EDM.com extend our heartfelt support to Oliver Hayes, his family and loved ones during this difficult time.

Electric Forest will be without its famous renegades this year, after EVOL Afters, a sound system crew known for its annual appearance, became the last to confirm it will not be returning to the Michigan festival this month. The festival afterparty offshoot of Windy City event promoter and art vendor EVOL Chicago made the announcement on social media today. Following earlier reports from another afterparty crew, DeBussy Bus, that renegades would be barred for 2025, the confirmation marks the final nail in the coffin for the late-night festival tradition. Widely known as the birthplace of “Subjohnics” (John Summit B2B Subtronics), EVOL Afters orchestrated early morning renegade sets at Electric Forest for the festival’s last eight editions, hosting other notable names such as Big Gigantic, Tape B, SVDDEN DEATH, INZO, Levity, Ranger Trucco, and AYYBO. “While we won’t be back in the Forest this year, our hearts are overflowing with gratitude for everything we’ve shared with you,” EVOL wrote on Instagram. “The energy, love, and memories created at EVOL AFTERS were nothing short of extraordinary—and that’s all because of you.” Their statement went on to assure fans that this isn’t the end for EVOL Afters, rather, “it’s just the end of a beautiful chapter.” At last year’s festival, when weather-related cancellations to main venue programming were announced on Saturday and Sunday, larger-than-anticipated crowds flocked to the renegades, making it difficult for medical teams to access collapsed patrons and leading to the show’s early shutdown in compliance with safety policies. In March, Electric Forest accordingly announced new extended hours, which will keep the festival’s main venue open until 4AM nightly. Electric Forest returns to Rothbury, Michigan’s Double JJ Resort this June 19-22, with performances from Justice, Tiësto, Liquid Stranger, Zeds Dead, Sara Landry, Disclosure, Barry Can’t Swim, Louis The Child, and many more. Featured image courtesy: Electric Forest. Credit: Alive Coverage. The post Electric Forest Eliminates Renegades For 2025, Final Afterparty Crew Confirms Absence appeared first on EDM Maniac. View the full article

Electric Forest will be without its famous renegades this year, after EVOL Afters, a sound system crew known for its annual appearance, became the last to confirm it will not be returning to the Michigan festival this month. The festival afterparty offshoot of Windy City event promoter and art vendor EVOL Chicago made the announcement on social media today. Following earlier reports from another afterparty crew, DeBussy Bus, that renegades would be barred for 2025, the confirmation marks the final nail in the coffin for the late-night festival tradition. Widely known as the birthplace of “Subjohnics” (John Summit B2B Subtronics), EVOL Afters orchestrated early morning renegade sets at Electric Forest for the festival’s last eight editions, hosting other notable names such as Big Gigantic, Tape B, SVDDEN DEATH, INZO, Levity, Ranger Trucco, and AYYBO. “While we won’t be back in the Forest this year, our hearts are overflowing with gratitude for everything we’ve shared with you,” EVOL wrote on Instagram. “The energy, love, and memories created at EVOL AFTERS were nothing short of extraordinary—and that’s all because of you.” Their statement went on to assure fans that this isn’t the end for EVOL Afters, rather, “it’s just the end of a beautiful chapter.” At last year’s festival, when weather-related cancellations to main venue programming were announced on Saturday and Sunday, larger-than-anticipated crowds flocked to the renegades, making it difficult for medical teams to access collapsed patrons and leading to the show’s early shutdown in compliance with safety policies. In March, Electric Forest accordingly announced new extended hours, which will keep the festival’s main venue open until 4AM nightly. Electric Forest returns to Rothbury, Michigan’s Double JJ Resort this June 19-22, with performances from Justice, Tiësto, Liquid Stranger, Zeds Dead, Sara Landry, Disclosure, Barry Can’t Swim, Louis The Child, and many more. Featured image courtesy: Electric Forest. Credit: Alive Coverage. The post Electric Forest Eliminates Renegades For 2025, Final Afterparty Crew Confirms Absence appeared first on EDM Maniac. View the full article

(l to r) Secretly Group co-founders Phil Waldorf, Darius Van Arman, Ben Swanson, and Chris Swanson. Photo Credit: Anna Powell Denton Secretly Group execs have acquired 50% of indie label Merge Records, from which co-founder and co-president Laura Ballance is stepping away. Bloomington-based Secretly announced the investment and the related executive departure today. Beginning with the former, Secretly’s formal release indicates that the aforementioned execs and co-founders (Ben and Chris Swanson, Darius Van Arman, and Phil Waldorf), not the label group itself, took the Merge stake. Also as laid out by Secretly, this stake represents one component of “a new partnership” with 36-year-old Merge, which has been utilizing Secretly Distribution outside North America for about 13 years. Besides parting with a 50% Merge interest and stepping down from the label, Ballance is exiting the music business itself. “It was never my goal to start a record label when I was 21 and run it for the rest of my life,” the Superchunk founding member elaborated of the decision. “I have been doing this for 36 years now. Life is short. There are other things I have always wanted to do: make more art, travel for fun, volunteer more, write a book and lots of other things that being so entrenched in running a business does not allow me to do. “Merge Records started as a literal bedroom label, in my bedroom, and lived there for a few years before we were able to give it some space of its own. It has always been a labor of love. I am going to miss it and all the people and bands tremendously,” she concluded. Meanwhile, fellow co-founder and Superchunk member Mac McCaughan is expected to stay aboard as president and A&R head. So is longtime employee Christina Rentz (albeit as label director), with marketing director Jamie Beck and digital head Wilson Fuller likewise remaining in place. Bearing those points in mind, Merge – the roster of which features Jade Hairpins, The Mountain Goats, Rosali, and Mary Timony, to name some – is poised to “continue to run as a standalone label out of Durham.” With that said, Merge is also set to leverage not just Secretly Distribution, but the overarching Secretly’s accounting, royalty, business-affairs, licensing, IT, and HR capabilities, the involved parties communicated. Superchunk’s Songs in the Key of Yikes (teed up to release on August 22nd) will mark “the first new album to be distributed worldwide by Secretly.” More immediately, the past two days have now delivered three high-profile label deals: Exceleration officially owns Cooking Vinyl, and Prosthetic Records is part of MNRK Music Group. View the full article

Photo Credit: Marty Robbins for Bishop M. Sykes & Associates Anthem Music Publishing announces the acquisition of legendary Country and Western singer-songwriter Marty Robbins’ song catalog. Anthem Music Publishing has acquired the catalog of songs from legendary Country-Western singer-songwriter Marty Robbins. The catalog represents a cornerstone of American music history, marking a powerful addition to Anthem’s growing collection of culturally significant works. Among the standout titles is “Big Iron,” Marty Robbins’ 1960 classic that reached #5 on the U.S. Country chart and peaked at #26 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was ranked as the 11th greatest Western song of all time by the Western Writers of America. “Big Iron” was also featured in the 2010 video game Fallout: New Vegas, introducing the song to a new generation of fans and adding to its enduring appeal. Also included is Robbins’ groundbreaking hit, “El Paso,” released by Columbia Records in 1959. The song topped both the Billboard Hot 100 and U.S. Country charts, earning Robbins the 1961 Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording. It was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. The track’s legacy endures through covers by artists like Keith Urban and The Grateful Dead, who performed the song live over 380 times. Another highlight of the catalog is “My Woman, My Woman, My Wife,” a deeply personal ballad that reached #1 on the U.S. Country chart and #42 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song earned Robbins his second Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording in 1970. “Marty Robbins is a towering figure in American music—an artist whose storytelling transcended genre and era. His songs are woven into the fabric of country and western music heritage, and continue to influence artists and resonate with fans to this day,” said Jason Klein, CEO of Anthem Music Group. “We’re honored to see Marty’s music find a new home with Anthem Music Publishing. His songs have stood the test of time, captivating generations with their vivid storytelling and emotional depth. We’re confident that Anthem will not only preserve Marty’s legacy, but elevate it—introducing his work to new audiences while honoring the timeless spirit of the originals,” reads a statement from the Marty Robbins Estate. “Marty’s music has always belonged to the people, and we believe Anthem shares that same dedication to keeping it alive for generations to come.” With a career spanning nearly four decades, Marty Robbins got started in the late 1940s and continued making music through the early 1980s. A singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and even a NASCAR driver, he was “a true American original.” Often regarded as an early trailblazer of outlaw country, Robbins fused traditional Western themes with a cinematic songwriting style, setting him apart from his contemporaries. Over the course of his career, Robbins recorded over 500 songs and released over 72 albums. His accolades include two Grammy Awards and induction into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He also has the distinction of being the first-ever recipient of the Academy of Country Music’s Artist of the Decade Award, honoring his influence throughout the 1960s. His songs “El Paso” and “Big Iron” remain cultural touchstones, named among the Top 100 Western Songs of All Time by the Western Writers of America. With this acquisition, Anthem deepens its commitment to preserving and celebrating the work of musical legends, ensuring their timeless songs continue to resonate with audiences worldwide. View the full article

Photo Credit: Live Nation Live Nation has announced it is investing $1 billion to build 18 ‘new and revitalized’ live music venues to bring more shows to smaller cities across the United States. According to Oxford Economics, this capital investment will spur $2.9 billion in total economic impact, including spending on engineering, development, and construction. That comes along with a $1.4 billion annual economic impact for local communities where the venues will be welcoming music fans. In the next 18 months, Live Nation Entertainment will open doors or break ground on 18 new venues ranging from intimate clubs to large outdoor amphitheaters. Communities that are getting these new venues include: Allentown, PA Atlanta, GA Birmingham, AL Denver, CO Indianapolis, IN Memphis, TN Milwaukee, WI Nashville, TN Orlando, FL Portland, ME Portland, OR Pittsburgh, PA Raleigh, NC Richmond, VA Riverside, MO Seattle, WA Shakopee, MN Virginia Beach, VA Live Nation says it has more optimism about the live entertainment industry than ever before, driven by long-overdue ticketing reforms, growing fan demand, and a strong economy. The company has voiced its full support for Trump’s executive order targeting ticket scalpers—aimed at reducing the $10 billion siphoned from consumers each year. “Our mission is simple: help artists deliver more unforgettable live experiences—and in doing so, create jobs, revive cities, and lift up the communities we touch,” adds Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino. “As an American company, we drive impact here at home while also helping elevate and export the very best of what this nation represents—freedom, creativity, grit, and boundless possibility.” Live Nation venues have hired 37,000 U.S. workers this year to further expand fan access to the magic of live music. The company is also continuing its efforts to provide over one million tickets to summer shows across the nation for just $30. Live Nation says its portfolio of 150 premier venues in the United States represents roughly 4% of all music venues nationwide. View the full article

The legendary Glastonbury Festival—long regarded as one of the most iconic and highly anticipated music events in the world—has consistently drawn massive crowds. Known for its eclectic lineups, free-spirited energy, and cultural significance, the festival consistently ranks among the most entertaining on the planet. But in 2024, its success reached a tipping point. Over 210,000 music lovers poured into the festival’s 150,000-acre grounds, making Glastonbury the most densely populated place on earth during its five-day run. While such a turnout stands as a glowing testament to its global appeal, it also revealed a serious flaw: there wasn’t enough space. Overcrowding plagued nearly every corner, from the main stages to walkways and campsites. Attendees, whether hardcore ravers, casual fans, or tech-savvy experience seekers, struggled to navigate the sea of people. The sheer density not only affected mobility but also comfort and safety, sparking widespread criticism. Festival organizers, however, didn’t turn a blind eye. Listening closely to feedback, they acknowledged the problem and began working on a solution. Their answer? Reduce the number of tickets sold. A New Strategy: Reducing the Crowds In an interview with Annie Mac and Nick Grimshaw on their BBC podcast Sidetracked, Emily Eavis, the co-organiser of Glastonbury, revealed that the festival has sold “a few thousand fewer tickets” for the 2025 edition. The aim is to reduce overcrowding and bring back the fun and comfort that should be the heart and soul of such an event. The intention is not to exclude potential festival-goers but to enhance the experience for those who do attend. “They’re going completely the opposite of everything they’ve done in the past. They’re going full trees and green space – what we’ve done is we’ve added a field next to it.” “I suggested that they make some space for the public there because I think it’s really important to try and make space, particularly in the southeast corner, because it gets really busy at night.” This decision might seem drastic, especially for a festival that’s always been known for its grand scale. But it’s a decision born out of necessity. The festival organisers are putting the fans’ comfort and enjoyment above everything else. They’re prioritising quality over quantity, choosing to offer a better experience to fewer people rather than cramming as many people as possible into the festival grounds. It’s a bold move, but it’s also a smart one. It’s a decision that shows that Glastonbury’s organisers aren’t afraid to make tough decisions if it means improving the festival experience. They’re willing to take a hit on ticket sales if it means the fans will have a better time. And in the end, isn’t that what music festivals are all about? Change is never easy, but it’s often necessary. And in the case of Glastonbury, it seems like the changes are both necessary and positive. By selling fewer tickets and revamping the festival grounds, the organisers are showing a dedication to improving the festival experience. They’re putting the fans first, and that’s something we can all get behind. So here’s to Glastonbury 2025. It may have fewer attendees than previous years, but it’s set to be a better experience for everyone involved. Let’s wait and see what the festival has in store for us. The post Glastonbury Sold Fewer 2025 Tickets To Curb Overcrowding appeared first on EDMTunes.

Insomniac has unveiled the full lineup for this year’s edition of Nocturnal Wonderland. The powerhouse promoter’s longest-running festival returns to San Bernardino’s Glen Helen Regional Park for two nights of music and camping this September 13-14. Back for redemption after Nocturnal Wonderland’s scheduled 2024 edition was canceled due to the Southern California wildfires, this year’s event marks 30 years of the foundational SoCal rave. This year’s lineup is stacked with progressive house titans Eric Prydz and Axwell, and iconic party starters like Benny Benassi, Zedd, Oliver Heldens, and Galantis. Across the house and techno realm, fans can catch legendary veterans MK, Dennis Ferrer, Donald Glaude, Skream, and Harvard Bass, alongside today’s top acts like Waxtroda (Wax Motif B2B Matroda), AC Slater B2B Tchami, Anabel Englund, Kyle Watson, LF SYSTEM, and many more. There’s plenty for bassheads to get excited about, too. Mind-melting experimental bass performances will come from Liquid Stranger, Ahee, and YDG. The likes of Wooli, HOL!, Cyclops B2B Calcium, and Jessica Audiffred B2B Riot Ten offer a dose of heavy dubstep, while fans can expect a proper drum & bass schooling from Wilkinson, Delta Heavy, Blanke, and U.S. D&B pioneer Dieselboy. Check out the full lineup below. One of Insomniac’s few camping events, held annually against the backdrop of the region’s San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains, Nocturnal Wonderland was launched as the company’s very first massive in 1995—two years before its famous Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) debuted in Los Angeles. Tickets for Nocturnal Wonderland 2025 go on sale this Friday, June 13, at 12PM PT. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit nocturnalwonderland.com. Featured image courtesy: Insomniac Events. Credit: Keiki-Lani Knudsen. The post Insomniac Drops Full Lineup For Nocturnal Wonderland 2025 appeared first on EDM Maniac. View the full article

Insomniac has unveiled the full lineup for this year’s edition of Nocturnal Wonderland. The powerhouse promoter’s longest-running festival returns to San Bernardino’s Glen Helen Regional Park for two nights of music and camping this September 13-14. Back for redemption after Nocturnal Wonderland’s scheduled 2024 edition was canceled due to the Southern California wildfires, this year’s event marks 30 years of the foundational SoCal rave. This year’s lineup is stacked with progressive house titans Eric Prydz and Axwell, and iconic party starters like Benny Benassi, Zedd, Oliver Heldens, and Galantis. Across the house and techno realm, fans can catch legendary veterans MK, Dennis Ferrer, Donald Glaude, Skream, and Harvard Bass, alongside today’s top acts like Waxtroda (Wax Motif B2B Matroda), AC Slater B2B Tchami, Anabel Englund, Kyle Watson, LF SYSTEM, and many more. There’s plenty for bassheads to get excited about, too. Mind-melting experimental bass performances will come from Liquid Stranger, Ahee, and YDG. The likes of Wooli, HOL!, Cyclops B2B Calcium, and Jessica Audiffred B2B Riot Ten offer a dose of heavy dubstep, while fans can expect a proper drum & bass schooling from Wilkinson, Delta Heavy, Blanke, and U.S. D&B pioneer Dieselboy. Check out the full lineup below. One of Insomniac’s few camping events, held annually against the backdrop of the region’s San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains, Nocturnal Wonderland was launched as the company’s very first massive in 1995—two years before its famous Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) debuted in Los Angeles. Tickets for Nocturnal Wonderland 2025 go on sale this Friday, June 13, at 12PM PT. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit nocturnalwonderland.com. Featured image courtesy: Insomniac Events. Credit: Keiki-Lani Knudsen. The post Insomniac Drops Full Lineup For Nocturnal Wonderland 2025 appeared first on EDM Maniac. View the full article

Photo Credit: RM and V of BTS for MK (Maeil Business Newspaper) BTS members RM and V have completed their mandatory military service, leaving Jimin, Jungkook, and Suga, who are due to complete theirs this month. The members of BTS are completing their mandatory military service after 18 months of enlistment, paving the way for the K-pop group to reunite later this year. RM and V completed their service on Tuesday morning, while Jimin and Jungkook are scheduled to complete theirs on Wednesday. Suga, the final member to complete his service, is scheduled to be discharged on June 21. RM and V emerged in their military uniforms at a sports park in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, after completing their mandatory 18 months of enlistment. Donning sunglasses, RM appeared playing the soundtrack from the Japanese anime “Detective Conan” on saxophone. V followed with a large bouquet in hand and a broad smile on his face. The two stood before the press and saluted, shouting “Chungseong!” (loyalty), and “Pilseung!” (victory), marking the end of their military service. “Honestly, I think we might’ve served one of the shortest military terms in history,” said RM. “The conditions have improved a lot. There were tough and painful moments, of course, but during our service, I came to deeply appreciate the many people who have protected this country.” “It was a meaningful time where I could grow closer to fellow soldiers who had already completed their service,” he added. “I want to thank Army [BTS fan name] for waiting for us. Now, I’m ready to hit the ground running again as RM of BTS. Thank you to everyone who waited and looked after us.” “It was a time for me to reset both physically and mentally,” said V. “I really want to run to Army as soon as I can. Thank you for waiting for us during our military service. If you can wait just a little longer, I promise to return with an amazing performance.” The discharge ceremony was not open to the public for safety reasons, but around 100 fans from Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, and other countries gathered at the park to see the stars emerge. In central Seoul, hundreds of BTS Army gathered in front of Hybe’s headquarters to celebrate the members’ return. Jin and J-Hope were discharged last year in June and October, respectively. Jimin and Jungkook are due to complete their service tomorrow (June 11), while Suga will be discharged on June 21. View the full article

Photo Credit: Apple Apple Music has introduced lyrics translation and enhanced karaoke features in the upcoming iOS 26 update. Announced at WWDC 2025, these new tools are designed to make music more accessible and engaging for users worldwide by breaking down language barriers. The lyrics translation feature allows Apple Music subscribers to instantly translate song lyrics into their preferred language while listening. Whether exploring K-pop, Latin hits, or French ballads, users can now understand the meaning behind the music in real-time. According to Apple, this functionality is powered by on-device Apple Intelligence—ensuring all translations are fast and privacy-focused. Lyrics translation supports a wide array of languages at launch including English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (Simplified)—with more language support promised by the end of the year. Translations are seamlessly integrated into the Apple Music interface, letting listeners toggle between original lyrics and their translated versions. Building on Apple Music’s popular Sing feature, iOS 26 also introduces a new Lyrics Pronunciation feature. This tool helps users learn how to pronounce foreign lyrics correctly, making karaoke sessions more inclusive and fun. The pronunciation guide empowers users to sing along confidently regardless of their language skills. These karaoke enhancements are part of Apple’s broader push to use AI and machine learning to personalize the user experience. The goal with lyrics translation and pronunciation is to make the platform more global and accessible for music fans of global genres. Both of these new features will hit Apple Music when iOS 26 rolls out to users this fall. Meanwhile with the launch of tvOS 26, Apple Music Sing now allows users to turn their iPhone into a wireless microphone for Apple TV karaoke sessions. This feature is compatible with iPhone 11 or later models paired with a third-generation Apple TV 4K, making it easy for friends to join in on karaoke sessions with their own iPhone. Users can queue songs or send on screen emoji reactions. View the full article

Proving that good things really do come in pairs, TWINSICK have announced their most ambitious endeavor yet, the "Good Company Tour." Kicking off September 19th at Washington, DC's storied Echostage, the tour will take the surging dance music duo to major cities across North America with stops in Boston, New York City, Toronto, Chicago and Los Angeles. What began as a college friendship has evolved into a full-scale musical force, with TWINSICK earning support from the likes of The Chainsmokers, ILLENIUM, Tiësto and more while racking up tens of millions of streams. The tandem, comprising Minneapolis natives Alex Ingalls and Casey Schneider, have built a loyal following through a distinctive blend of pop-driven hooks and festival-ready drops. Their "Good Company Tour" signals a new chapter, promising bigger rooms and louder nights as the duo's profile expands. TWINSICK called the upcoming shows their "biggest yet," a declaration that reflects both their growing stature and an ever-deepening connection with fans. A pre-sale is launching Thursday, June 12th at 10am local time. Ingalls and Schneider are offering backstage passes to 20 pre-sale ticket-holders who comment on the Instagram post below. View the original article to see embedded media. Follow TWINSICK:Instagram: instagram.com/twinsick TikTok: tiktok.com/@twinsick X: x.com/realtwinsick Facebook: facebook.com/twinsickmusic Spotify: tinyurl.com/mrpfdphn

Photo Credit: Connie Francis’ TikTok Following the resurgence of Connie Francis’ 1962 song “Pretty Little Baby,” the singer has joined TikTok. The track has been featured in over 17 million videos on the platform. Singer and actress Connie Francis’ 1962 song “Pretty Little Baby” has continued to ramp up in viral success on TikTok. The song has been given a new lease on life, featured in over 17 million videos on the platform. Now, the 87-year-old has joined TikTok to thank the community for her newfound popularity with a new generation. “My thanks to you all for the huge reception you have given to ‘Pretty Little Baby,’” said Connie Francis in her first post on TikTok. “I am delighted to join the TikTok Community and share this moment with you.” At its peak, “Pretty Little Baby” averaged 600,000 daily creations on TikTok, including posts from celebrities and influencers like Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Ariana Greenblatt, MisterMainer, Brooke Monk, and many more. In the United States, the song hit No. 1 on both TikTok’s Viral 50 and Top 50 charts. Since early April, the song’s weekly streams have increased more than 20,000%, currently generating over four million streams in the US alone across all DSPs. “Pretty Little Baby” has also reached quite a few Spotify charts, including the Viral 50, in over 65 countries. The song peaked at #67 on the Global Top 100, #85 on the Global Weekly, and #2 on the Global Daily Viral Songs. Further, it has entered the Top 5 on the US iTunes Pop Songs Chart and the Top 10 US Overall iTunes Songs chart. “The huge viral success of ‘Pretty Little Baby’ is the perfect example of the power of music discovery on TikTok,” said Tracy Gardner, TikTok’s Global Head of Music Business Development. “Thanks to the TikTok community, this little-known track from the 1960s has been given a new lease on life, and has introduced Connie Francis and her incredible legacy to a whole new audience, both on and off the platform.” “A living legend and groundbreaking trailblazer, Connie Francis has sold more than 200 million records worldwide, was the first woman in history to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 when ‘Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool’ topped the chart in 1960, and in her extraordinary music career had a total of 53 songs appear on the chart,” added Bruce Resnikoff, President and CEO at Universal Music Enterprises, the global catalog division of Universal Music Group. “Now, at the age of 87 years young, we are thrilled and couldn’t be happier that she has her first ‘viral hit’ with ‘Pretty Little Baby.’” Resnikoff presented Francis with a plaque, recognizing her achievements and celebrating her viral music moment. View the full article

Photo Credit: Jessie McCall The music streaming ecosystem stands at a crossroads, warns the Independent Music Companies Association (IMPALA). While global streaming revenues have soared to $22 billion, underpinned by 800 million premium subscribers, this report warns that these headline figures obscure a deepening divide between major rights holders and the independent sector. “Combating the Emergence of a Two-Tier Music Streaming Market” highlights this divide and contains a call to action for music professionals. The structure of the streaming market is at risk of entrenching a system that privileges scale over diversity—undermining innovation and the sustainability of independent music. IMPALA’s analysis was authored by industry expects Dan Fowler and Katherine Bassett, with the report identifying a “widening gulf between large rights holders and independent actors, driven by market consolidation, opaque platform policies, and emerging monetization practices that increasingly favor scale over diversity.” Key developments accelerating this divide include: De-monetization Thresholds & Royalty Boosts — Streaming platforms have introduced minimum streaming thresholds and royalty boost mechanisms, purportedly to combat fraud and reward engagement. However, these measures disproportionately strip revenue from independent labels, niche genres, and non-English or regional repertoire. In some cases, well-known indie labels have seen up to 70% of their catalog de-monetized overnight—with lost royalties going into the pockets of larger rights holders. Pay-For-Play Tools — Spotify’s Discovery Mode and similar features extract revenue from artists in exchange for algorithmic playlist boosts, but with little transparency or evidence of the efficacy. These tools are primarily marketed to independents, raising concerns about unequal access and the creation of ‘table stakes’ for visibility. Technology-Driven Pressures — The explosion of generative AI music and persistent streaming fraud threaten to dilute royalty pools and devalue human creativity. Oversupply, incentivized by low barriers to entry and volume uploads, further weakens the market position of legitimate creators. Market Consolidation — Major labels’ acquisitions of independent distributors and catalogs, alongside deals with digital service providers (DSPs), have increased their leverage over market terms. This consolidation risks reducing investment in new and diverse music—making it harder for independents to break new artists. The report’s findings are stark—while streaming has the potential to democratize music access—these recent platform and policy changes are delivering the exact opposite. Classical, jazz, regional, and non-English repertoire are particularly hard-hit by de-monetization and algorithmic biases. For emerging artists, arbitrary thresholds for monetization create friction at the earliest—and must vulnerable—stage of their careers, compounding the challenges of rising costs and competition for attention. The lack of transparency from DSPs compounds this problem. Without granular data on how thresholds and play-boosting schemes affect revenue flows, independents are left to navigate an opaque system where the largest players reap the greatest rewards. Industry Scorecard: Regression on KPIs IMPALA benchmarks the industry’s progress against its 10-point plan for streaming reform. While there has been partial progress on subscription pricing and environmental sustainability, the report finds regression in support for diverse and local repertoire, market transparency, and equitable access for independents. Current royalty distribution models, platform policies, and market structures increasingly favor established catalogs and major labels interests over innovation and diversity. To address the risks of a two-tiered market, IMPALA recommends urgent action in five key areas. They include: Combat AI dilution and streaming fraud through cross-industry collaboration and regulation. Reform royalty distribution models to ensure fair access for all market participants and increase subscription fees in line with inflation. Enhance transparency in DSP practices, particularly around play-boosting tools and content de-monetization. Restrict and reverse market consolidation to maintain competitive diversity. Embed consultation and impact assessment into all future industry changes to prevent unintended harm. IMPALA’s report suggests that unless the streaming ecosystem is rebalanced to support innovation, inclusivity, and sustainable growth, the future of music will be shaped by economic power rather than creative merit. For music professionals, the imperative is to advocate for transparent, equitable, and collaborative reforms from DSPs to ensure that streaming delivers on its promise for all rather than the privileged few. View the full article

In a significant move within the aviation and digital entertainment sectors, Spotify has forged a strategic partnership with United Airlines. This collaboration will integrate Spotify’s extensive audio and video content directly into the in-flight entertainment systems of over 680 United aircraft. The agreement grants Spotify access to more than 130,000 seat-back screens, enabling the company to offer its diverse range of audio podcasts, video podcasts, audiobooks, and curated playlists to millions of travelers annually, free of charge. This marks a notable expansion for Spotify, representing the first instance of its audiobooks and video podcasts being available onboard an airline. United Airlines, which transported 173.6 million passengers in 2024, is leveraging this partnership to enhance its passenger experience. The integration will see Spotify appear as a new content category, replacing the generic “audio” option on in-flight menus. Over the coming months, a dedicated Spotify channel will be introduced across the majority of United’s fleet, consolidating all Spotify content for ease of access. A key feature of this alliance, slated for 2026, will allow passengers on Starlink-equipped aircraft to log into their personal Spotify accounts via the seat-back screens. This functionality will enable a personalized listening experience, allowing travelers to access their saved content and pick up where they left off. Richard Nunn, CEO of MileagePlus, United’s loyalty program, emphasized the broad appeal of Spotify’s content, stating that this partnership offers customers an “entirely new way to experience and explore premium content.” Ian Geller, VP of Business Development at Spotify, highlighted the company’s commitment to reaching users across various platforms and providing creators with new audiences. This initiative underscores Spotify’s strategic push into new distribution channels beyond traditional mobile and desktop interfaces, reflecting an industry trend towards enriching the passenger journey with diverse digital offerings. United will also promote Spotify Premium subscriptions to its MileagePlus members, providing incentives for new sign-ups. [H/T] Music Business Worldwide The post Spotify Lands United Airlines Partnership For In-Flight Streaming appeared first on EDMTunes.

Miami’s John Elle blends afrohouse and R&B ‘No Creo En Amor‘ on an emotional rework of a 2000s classic. It marks a bold new era for the artist formerly known as Baddies Only. Featuring, for the very first time, his vocals under the new singer alias JE, the John Elle new single ‘No Creo En Amor’ (Spanish for ‘I Don’t Believe In Love’) is a silky smooth afrohouse take on the 2004 Mario Winans R&B classic, ‘I Don’t Wanna Know’. This is the second release marking a new chapter for Miami-based DJ and producer Jonathan Einhorn. He gained global attention with 15 million followers, 6 billion views, and a string of high-energy live sets and viral content as Baddies Only. With over 250 million Spotify streams, a #1 spot on Traxsource, and a Top 100 Beatport entry, he was also ranked among Spotify’s Top 40 most-listened-to DJs in the USA. His breakout hit ‘Aquí Las Colombianas’ reached #6 on Shazam Dance Global with 1.2 million Shazams. Indeed, the release of John Elle’s new single shows the progression of his music career. “Baddies Only was a bold experiment designed to capture attention and inspire a community.Now, with the amazing followers who’ve joined me on this incredible ride, it’s time to reveal the next chapter: John Elle. This rebrand isn’t just a name change; it’s a reflection of artistic growth, depth, and my evolution as a vocalist and producer. I’ve reached a stage where I want the world to see and hear the real person behind the music, with authenticity at its core. John Elle marks a new era of creative freedom, personal storytelling, and musical innovation. ‘Baddies Only’ was just the beginning.” Dubbed by Snapchat as “the most entertaining man in the world,” John has sold out top venues worldwide and soundtracked major festivals like Coachella, EDC, and Ultra. In 2024, he launched his label Club Bad Records, releasing ‘Coroa’ with Jesus Fernandez, ‘Cintura’ with Max Hurrell, and two collaborations with PRIMO: ‘SI TE VAS’, which dropped on May 2nd, and ‘LUCES DE NEON’, released in April. They landed on top playlists across Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. Last month, he collaborated with Lenny Tavarez & Shadow Blow on the Latin-meets-Afrobeats single ‘Reloj’. His new single showcases remarkable versatility. ‘No Creo En Amor’, the next single from John Elle, is out now and is the second release on his Club Bad Records imprint. The John Elle new single has captivated audiences. It reflects his unique style. You can listen to JOHN ELLE- ‘No creo En Amor’ below! The post R&B Classic Gets A Latin Twist On New John Elle Single, ‘No Creo En Amor’ appeared first on EDMTunes.

Universal Audio‘s new Apollo E Series – which it unveiled back in March – is now available for shipping. Devices in the series are based around a pair of peripherals for Dante‑networked audio systems and the Apollo x16D audio interface. Aimed at bringing UAD plugins from studio to live setups, the Apollo e1x remote‑controllable Unison Preamp offers users Unison mic/line preamp sounds from API, Avalon, Manley, Neve, SSL, and more when paired with an Apollo x16D audio interface. You can link multiple Apollo e1x units with the included coupling bracket and integrated mic-stand mount. The Apollo e2m Stereo Headphone Amplifier and Line Interface, meanwhile, provides stereo headphone monitoring and line level I/O on a Dante audio network. Users can easily connect headphones, IEMs, powered monitors or wedges, as well as external outboard gear, analogue mic preamps, synths, drum machines, and playback devices anywhere needed. READ MORE: Is Universal Audio Apollo Twin X Gen 2 really a “disappointing” update to the audio interface range? Both Apollo E Series devices feature mic stand mounting for live, broadcast, and networked studio use, and are compatible with any Dante audio system, adding network “endpoints” using Power over Ethernet (PoE) for all users, with or without an Apollo x16D interface. “The Apollo x16D and new Apollo E Series are milestones for us,” says Bill Putnam Jr., CEO of Universal Audio. “Many Apollo users have been asking to be able to use realtime UAD plug‑ins with Dante‑networked systems, both in live sound applications and in recording studios. The Apollo x16D and Apollo E Series peripherals make it easy.” Built upon elite‑class audio quality and HEXA‑core UAD processing, the Apollo x16D is an 18 x 20 audio interface that works with digital mixing consoles and networked audio systems over Dante, providing access to more than 200 UAD plug‑ins including Neve, API, Lexicon, SSL, and Auto‑Tune, as well as classic compressors like the Teletronix LA‑2A and UA 1176. Use it alongside the Apollo e1x and e2m for a complete networked audio solution. The e1x and e2m are priced at $399 and $499 respectively, and are now available worldwide. Learn more at UA Audio. The post Universal Audio’s Apollo E Series interfaces bring UAD sound from studio to live stages – and they’re now available worldwide appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Superfly Entertainment co-founder and Bonnaroo and Outside Lands co-creator Jonathan Mayers has died. News of the influential concert promoter’s death broke last night in a report from Billboard, arriving just days before Bonnaroo returns to Tennessee this weekend. Mayers’ cause of death is unknown at the time of writing. He was 51 years old, a Bonnaroo representative confirmed to Pitchfork. Bonnaroo organizers confirmed Mayers’ death in a social media post today and announced plans to plant a tree in his honor at the festival, as “a very small token of our appreciation for what he contributed to Bonnaroo.” “For more than a decade, Jonathan was a creative force behind this festival that so many of us have held near and dear to our hearts now for more than twenty years,” they wrote. “Our thoughts are with Jonathan’s family and friends during this very difficult time. This weekend we celebrate Jonathan by doing the two things we know best to do in our favorite place on the planet. Spreading love and radiating positivity.” After growing up in New York City and graduating from Tulane University in New Orleans, where he got his start at the city’s famous jazz club, Tipitina’s, and its long-running Jazz Fest event, Mayers started Superfly with Rick Farman, Richard Goodstone, and Kerry Black in 1996. Building on success in New Orleans, in 2002, they teamed up with Ashley Capps of AC Entertainment, Chip Hooper of Paradigm Talent Agency, and Coran Capshaw of Red Light Management to launch the first-ever, sold-out Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee—and the rest is history. Named after the creole slang term for “the best on the street”—or put more simply, a really fun time—Bonnaroo would go on to host legendary headliners like Phish, the Grateful Dead, Widespread Panic, Pearl Jam, and Elton John, and grow to host 70,000 annual attendees, serving as a model for hundreds more festivals to follow. Mayers also partnered with Another Planet Entertainment to launch Outside Lands at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park in 2008. At the time of his death, Mayers was no longer working with Superfly. He was terminated from his position at the company in August 2021, as relationships with his co-founders “began deteriorating,” according to a report from Billboard. Featured image courtesy: Bonnaroo. Credit: Hyoung Chang / The Denver Post via Getty Images. The post Bonnaroo & Outside Lands Co-Founder Jonathan Mayers Dies At Age 51 appeared first on EDM Maniac. View the full article

Superfly Entertainment co-founder and Bonnaroo and Outside Lands co-creator Jonathan Mayers has died. News of the influential concert promoter’s death broke last night in a report from Billboard, arriving just days before Bonnaroo returns to Tennessee this weekend. Mayers’ cause of death is unknown at the time of writing. He was 51 years old, a Bonnaroo representative confirmed to Pitchfork. Bonnaroo organizers confirmed Mayers’ death in a social media post today and announced plans to plant a tree in his honor at the festival, as “a very small token of our appreciation for what he contributed to Bonnaroo.” “For more than a decade, Jonathan was a creative force behind this festival that so many of us have held near and dear to our hearts now for more than twenty years,” they wrote. “Our thoughts are with Jonathan’s family and friends during this very difficult time. This weekend we celebrate Jonathan by doing the two things we know best to do in our favorite place on the planet. Spreading love and radiating positivity.” After growing up in New York City and graduating from Tulane University in New Orleans, where he got his start at the city’s famous jazz club, Tipitina’s, and its long-running Jazz Fest event, Mayers started Superfly with Rick Farman, Richard Goodstone, and Kerry Black in 1996. Building on success in New Orleans, in 2002, they teamed up with Ashley Capps of AC Entertainment, Chip Hooper of Paradigm Talent Agency, and Coran Capshaw of Red Light Management to launch the first-ever, sold-out Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee—and the rest is history. Named after the creole slang term for “the best on the street”—or put more simply, a really fun time—Bonnaroo would go on to host legendary headliners like Phish, the Grateful Dead, Widespread Panic, Pearl Jam, and Elton John, and grow to host 70,000 annual attendees, serving as a model for hundreds more festivals to follow. Mayers also partnered with Another Planet Entertainment to launch Outside Lands at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park in 2008. At the time of his death, Mayers was no longer working with Superfly. He was terminated from his position at the company in August 2021, as relationships with his co-founders “began deteriorating,” according to a report from Billboard. Featured image courtesy: Bonnaroo. Credit: Hyoung Chang / The Denver Post via Getty Images. The post Bonnaroo & Outside Lands Co-Founder Jonathan Mayers Dies At Age 51 appeared first on EDM Maniac. View the full article

Tencent Music has announced a deal to acquire podcast platform Ximalaya. Photo Credit: TME Turns out there was something to Tencent Music’s rumored Ximalaya acquisition plans: The music streaming giant has officially announced a deal to purchase the podcast platform. Tencent Music (NYSE: TME) confirmed the proposed buyout in a regulatory disclosure today, following late-April rumblings of its “advanced” talks with Ximalaya. The latter hosts not just the mentioned podcasts, but audiobooks, lessons, and all manner of radio stations, to name a portion of the many offerings at hand. And evidently, these multifaceted offerings – covering everything from children’s entertainment to local news and relaxation audio to novels – have caught on. Hosting both free content and subscribers-only media, Ximalaya reportedly boasted north of 300 million monthly active users as of 2023. Meanwhile, an English-language international app called Himalaya, described as the “brainchild of Ximalaya,” looks to have over one million Play Store downloads. On the opposite end of today’s transaction, there’s presumably a significant integration upside for Tencent Music, which reported having 555 million MAUs across its streaming services in Q1 2025. Bearing all that in mind, Tencent Music is putting up a combination of cash ($1.26 billion) and stock to purchase Ximalaya, the aforesaid disclosure shows. Stock-wise, that refers mainly to ordinary shares “not exceeding 5.1986% of” Tencent Music’s total issued shares. (Stateside, TME’s market cap was $29.3 billion at the time of this writing.) Another 0.37% of total shares will “be issued to the founder shareholders,” the buyer summed up. Finally, regarding top-level terms, “Ximalaya will undertake a restructuring of certain existing businesses in connection with the Transaction,” according to the text. Time will, of course, tell exactly what that entails; the deal is also subject to regulatory approval. But among the stakeholders benefiting from the sale is Sony Music, which, per different regulatory disclosures yet, spent $50 million on 4.61 million Ximalaya shares back in 2020, we previously noted. And for Tencent Music itself – which operates streaming services QQ, Kuwo, and Kugou, besides a distinct WeSing karaoke app – it’s safe to say that the acquisition will bolster its already-dominant position over domestic competitors like NetEase Cloud Music. (Despite Tencent Music’s market-share edge, Cloud Music is likewise reporting growth and solid revenue – to the tune of over $1 billion during 2024. Sony Music has a sizable stake in Cloud Music as well.) More broadly, while it’s best to wait out for consumption particulars before drawing conclusions, the Ximalaya acquisition could represent a stiff competitive jab to Spotify and other diversified audio platforms. Domestically, that includes Apple Music, which only brought its standalone Classical app to the Chinese mainland last year. View the full article

A grainy video clip from Tomorrowland 2011, recently posted by an archival Instagram account, has reignited interest in a long-shelved collaboration between Avicii and NERVO. The performance took place during the height of the Swedish DJ's career, just a few months before he released his generational dance anthem "Levels." The footage shows Avicii and NERVO playing a euphoric, unreleased track tentatively titled "Enough Is Enough." In the post's comment section, the sister duo offered a tantalizing update: "The track is hopefully coming out soon !!!!... These were such great exciting times for everyone." The path to release, however, remains complicated. NERVO in 2021 revealed they had removed Avicii's contributions from the track due to clearance issues with the late producer's estate, announcing an updated version titled "Let Me Show You Love" without his contributions. "It isn't an Avicii collab because his family won't allow us, so we're just remaking an old song we wrote which Tim did a track to," Olivia Nervo said at the time. "He called it 'Enough Is Enough,' but the original song is called 'Let Me Show You Love.'" Whether this newfound momentum will prompt a resolution with Avicii's estate remains uncertain, but the reemergence of the original recording has stoked speculation across EDM forums on platforms like Reddit. You can check out the post below. View the original article to see embedded media. Follow NERVO:X: x.com/nervomusic Instagram: instagram.com/nervomusic TikTok: tiktok.com/@nervo Facebook: facebook.com/nervomusic Spotify: spoti.fi/3fIybHA

More than a decade after their explosive rise in the early 2010s, Krewella have returned with a track that proves they're still unafraid to evolve, challenge expectations and leave a few rules shattered. The duo, who first emerged out of Chicago with a blistering mix of electro house and dubstep, now step into entirely new territory with "Crying On The Dancefloor." It's their first new original music since 2022's The Body Never Lies album, drawing from melodic techno to shape a sound that's just as emotionally raw as it is rhythmically arresting. Released on June 9th, marking the anniversary of the day the sisters walked away from conventional careers to pursue music full-time, the track introduces a visceral new chapter in their journey. They have traded the aggressive distortion of their early days for something more restrained yet deeply affecting. The track opens with delicate vocal layers as Krewella's voices rise and intertwine to unfurl stories of loss and longing. Thematically, they explore mourning and momentum as a cavernous kick drum anchors the arrangement while wafting synth textures ebb and flow. This is not simply the duo working within the melodic techno framework, but them bending it to their will and infusing it with theatrical intensity and vulnerability to make it wholly their own. You can listen to "Crying On The Dancefloor" below and find the new single on streaming platforms here. Follow Krewella:Instagram: instagram.com/krewella TikTok: tiktok.com/@krewella X: x.com/Krewella Facebook: facebook.com/krewella Spotify: spoti.fi/3x6gmfv

The official Polyend shop on Reverb is currently hosting a sale on its Tracker+ workstation and Play+ groovebox, with over 40 percent off each. Play+ launched in 2023 after the brand debuted it during 2022’s Superbooth. Tracker+ followed shortly after, arriving just in time for the 2024 event. At full price they are $899, but are now retailing for just $499 each via Reverb – the gear marketplace describes the deal as the “best on the internet” right now. READ MORE: Polyend celebrates 10 years in business with sleek limited-edition Tracker Mini – here’s how to get yours Tracker+ offers a 16-track sequencer, and integrates advanced sampling, MIDI sequencing, and built-in synthesis. It retains the “intuitive interface” of the original Tracker, hosting a large screen, responsive mechanical keys, and a tactile jog wheel. It also introduces multiple synth engines, with each offering unique traits, plus a generous library of presets. The synth engines are: ACD: Emulates classic monophonic analogue synths for vintage tones. FAT: For “rich”, analogue warmth with three virtual oscillators and detune control. VAP: A virtual analogue polysynth with dual oscillators and a versatile modulation matrix. WTFM: A two-operator FM synth engine utilising wavetable-based oscillators for complex textures. PERC: A dedicated drum machine engine, offering classic 808/909 sounds and even modern percussive elements. As for Play+, this groovebox delivers “endless possibilities for beat creation”; it offers flexible sequencing across eight audio tracks and eight polyphonic MIDI and synth tracks. Polyend also brands it as the “centrepiece of your studio”. Play+ also features the same synth engines, and upcoming updates will add even more engines, as well as a Perform mode for synth and MIDI tracks. Both items are sold as brand new via the official Reverb store. [deals ids=”1lf6vMGQ7pRwc5kA4hazTo”] [deals ids=”4XpfBibEZuBmgGeSNnmDqC”] In April, it was announced that Reverb had been sold by its parent company Etsy, making it a privately held, independently operated company for the first time since 2019. The marketplace was purchased by Creator Partners and Servco, two investment firms with strong ties to the music industry. To find out more or shop the deals now, head over to Reverb. The post “The best Polyend deal on the internet”: Get over 40% off two of Polyend’s most celebrated pieces of gear on Reverb appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Mobile apps for phones and tablets are the perfect way to make beats and tracks on the move and even in the studio, often capable of transferring projects and data to your desktop computers via the cloud. With some incredible paid apps now available, including pro-level DAWs like Logic Pro for iPad and Cubasis, you’ll also want to get your hands on some of these excellent free ones, ranging from serious synths to beatboxes and composition tools. READ MORE: Best freeware for music-making: Top free apps, DAWs, plug-ins, instruments and more In fact, if you wanted to keep things as affordable as possible, it’s quite easy to record, arrange, mix and edit entire tracks using only the free apps in this guide. You will notice that many are for iOS — that’s because Apple’s software and devices have a more consistent approach to their design, making developers more inclined to make apps for them. Nonetheless, Android users are well catered for too, and you’ll find plenty to like here, whatever your OS. Get downloading and start making music for free today. The best free mobile apps for making music – at a glance Animoog Z for iOS AudioKit Synth One Auxy Studio Reason Compact BandLab Splice Soundtrap Hypertron for iOS Korg Gadget 2 Le Apple GarageBand Roland Zenbeats Animoog Z for iOS Designed by legendary synth brand Moog Music, the Animoog Z runs on iPhone, iPad or Mac and is free to download with a series of optional unlocks for individual sound packs, or just £15 for the lot. Running as a standalone app or as a plug-in on your device inside a mobile DAW, it has 16 voices of polyphony and uses a bespoke synth engine with a novel “orbit system” that lets you sculpt sounds in a 3D space. You can play and program it using its own built-in keyboard or via a connected MPE-compatible controller, taking advantage of the extra expression allowed by the advanced MIDI format. Experience new sonic worlds by using the polyphonic modulation and pitch-shifting capabilities with configurable scales, key distances, pitch correction and glide, all in a unique interface. Choose from a large selection of built-in timbres or make custom sounds by recording your own timbres directly in, or importing your own samples. A battery of advanced effects rounds out the compelling feature set. Audiokit Synth One Claiming to be the world’s first free, open-source professional synth app, Audiokit Synth One is the product of a collaboration between industry experts, volunteers and others that easily rivals paid mobile synths for sound and features. With a slick and powerful interface, its list of capabilities is impressive, a six-voice hybrid analogue / FM polysynth with over 300 presets, Audiobus 3 and inter-app audio support, compatibility with mobile DAWs like Cubasis, GarageBand and Logic Pro, five oscillators, a 16-step sequencer, Ableton Link and tons more. There’s also a bunch of onboard effects, support for MIDI control and input from a physical controller as well as the touch pads, MIDI learn and an arpeggiator. While “free” can sometimes be a byword for middling sound and performance with paid upgrades unlocking the real functionality, here there aren’t even any annoying ads – just download the app to your device – a relatively tiny 50MB – and start patching and making presets wherever you are. Learn more at audiokitpro.com. Auxy Studio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80OhUoQXIk8 With a slick, minimal interface that’s reminiscent of Reason and Ableton Live, Auxy Studio can be downloaded for free, with a 7-day trial of the full feature set, after which you can opt to pay for a subscription. Its colour-coded, touch-based interface makes Auxy ideal for newcomers and seasoned beatmakers alike. To begin with, draw in notes to create beats and melodies. Then, arrange loops into tracks or just experiment as you go, using the thousands of downloadable sounds including the ability to import your own samples. Onboard effects and automation let you add interest to your mixes while finished tracks can be uploaded straight to the cloud. Learn more at auxy.co Reason Compact (iOS) Reason’s powerful synth and drum engines in the palm of your hand, for free? Surely it’s too good to be true? For Android users, it is. Still, Reason Compact is a nifty app that integrates with the desktop version of Reason, and has the ability to export sounds as WAVs for use in other DAWs. It sports a unique and user-friendly interface, with tempo-sync via Ableton Link, Inter-App Audio and Audiobus support. The downside is that you’re limited to three tracks, and most of the creation tools are locked behind a paywall. Read our guide on how to use it, here. BandLab [Editor’s note: BandLab and MusicTech are both part of Caldecott Music Group.] With no in-app purchases, cross-platform compatibility and a free download, BandLab is an ideal solution for getting your musical ideas down and collaborating with your peers. With an extensive library of built-in instruments, free loops and samples (including packs created by established artists), you can create compositions up to six minutes long, with 12 instrument channels. BandLab doubles as a social platform, so you can share your tracks instantly, participate in competitions, explore new music and connect with other users. Collaboration is achieved via ‘forking’, in which other users dive into your project with your permission and add their own ideas. With more than 16 million users, worldwide competitions and an ever-increasing roster of contributing artists, BandLab should be on your radar regardless of your skill level. Just make sure you have a stable internet connection or you could run into latency issues. For more information on BandLab, check here. Splice Mobile Splice makes its vast sample collection available for you to access and work with anywhere in its free iOS app. Browse the entire catalogue from your phone, audition samples and loops and then stack them up using the straightforward sequencer to create songs. You can even use the record function to capture live audio over your productions; vocals, guitars and other sources. If you’re struggling for inspiration, simply use the app’s Create Mode to call up an auto-generated, genre-specific set of stacks, then tweak and edit these as you wish to make them your own. You can AirDrop your projects or mixdowns to friends to collaborate, or go via the cloud. If you want to transfer to your desktop DAW to continue working, you’ll need a paid subscription — there are various options here — but if you’re happy to stay in the app it remains free. Learn more at splice.com Hypertron Keeping its layout and design super simple, Hypertron brings an MPC-style of sampling and sequencing to your Mac, iPhone or iPad. Able to run both as a standalone app or as an AUv3 plug-in inside a DAW, you can customise your workspace, sample and edit, sequence and even use the onboard monophonic synthesizer to add more dimensions to your sample-based productions. Ableton Link is also supported. Each pad can be a loop with up to 64 bars and can have its own individual bar length. Build your song by toggling pads on and off during a performance, add multiple effects from the selection provided and load and edit your own samples with ease. You can even generate totally unique sounds with text-to-audio AI generation of new samples – this feature is free to try, and a one-time purchase of $4.99 unlocks the full feature set. Learn more at hypertron-insrtument.com Korg Gadget 2 Le Korg’s fun yet powerful Gadget software is a unique combination of a large selection of Korg’s own instruments, synths and beatboxes and a bespoke sequencer plus a ton of FX. It’s really a self-contained MIDI programming studio with a focus on creating everything from cool loops and beats to entire tracks. While the paid version of Gadget is at V3, the free Le version is still available both for iOS and for Mac. Here you get just three Gadgets plus a further two if you connect an official Korg MIDI controller to the software. When you’re done programming, you can upload your tracks to the cloud for sharing with other users. While the app contains fewer features and instruments than the full version, it’s a stellar introduction to the world of Gadget, and you can upgrade to the newer version at any time should you want to. Learn more about Korg Gadet 2 Le on the App Store. Soundtrap Available for Android, iOS and desktop browsers, Soundtrap is similar to BandLab. It gives you a DAW approach to mobile music-making with MIDI instruments, sample and loop libraries (albeit not as vast as BandLab’s), and the ability to record in your own audio and import MIDI data. You’ll get tutorials as soon as you create an account, so you won’t need to spend ages getting to grips with it, and even if you skip the tutorials, it’s fairly user-friendly. Unfortunately, to unlock some of the more advanced features like automation, Auto-Tune and Time Restore, you’ll need a subscription of £6.49 per month. Plus, as it requires a constant internet connection, you’ll need reliable speeds. For a quick jam or getting ideas down, this is easily a go-to application, though. For more information on Soundtrap, check here. Apple GarageBand (iOS only) Don’t underestimate the power of Garageband iOS – many pros have made hit records using this app. Apple’s iOS DAW integrates into its big brother, Logic Pro X, and includes a loop feature for quick jamming, and a library of comfortable touch instruments. You’ll also get an array of built-in pedals to run your signal through. It’s ridiculously capable, with the ability to load AUv3 instruments and effects such as the Minimoog Model D, or Fabfilter’s iOS plug-ins. The only downside is that it isn’t available on Android devices. For more information on GarageBand, check here. Roland Zenbeats After purchasing Stagelight, Roland rebranded the mini music-making station to Zenbeats and packed plenty of genuine vintage Roland synth and drum machine sounds into it. You can create multi-track projects and export them to your DAW, and use it alongside other apps with AUv3 support. Unfortunately, despite its great intentions, it can be fiddly and almost has too many features. You’ll need to make a few in-app purchases to get the best sounds, though there’s an offer at the moment that gives you Zenbeats Unlock for free. Those with limited storage will have to be careful not to overload on sounds as well, as they take up a lot of space. Why You Can Trust MusicTech MusicTech reviews hundreds of new products every year, from powerful synthesizers, DAWs and pro plugins through to everyday headphones and portable speakers. Our expert reviewers are producers, engineers and enthusiasts with hundreds of years of collective experience, with a keen ear to the ground on new trends and technologies. Every guide on MusicTech is created by a producer, musician and tech enthusiast just like you. We understand what you’re looking for when searching for a new MIDI controller, and we want to ensure you purchase genuinely useful products for your craft. So you can guarantee that every product MusicTech recommends to you is a product we’d be happy to have in our studios. Check out more buyer’s guides on MusicTech here. For more buyer’s guides, check here. Looking for more freeware? Head this way. The post These free music-making apps for iPhone and Android are a must-have for creators appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

A live performance from Gama Bomb, one of the acts signed to the newly acquired Prosthetic Records. Photo Credit: Grywnn Another day, another label acquisition – this time from a metal-minded MNRK Music Group, which has scooped up Prosthetic Records as well as its catalog. MNRK (formerly eOne Music) just recently revealed its deal for the “premier metal label,” which set sail 27 years ago. Since then, Prosthetic has released projects from Lamb of God, Megadeth vet Marty Friedman, and Junius, to name a few. According to MNRK, the acquisition will kick “off an exciting new chapter” for Prosthetic, which still has efforts from Pupil Slicer and God Alone in the pipeline. But on the roster side, the purchaser only indicated that “select artists will transition within the MNRK family, while new talent will join the expanding roster.” In any event, MNRK intends “to amplify the legacy of Prosthetic Records” via both digital initiatives and physical releases. “Fans can look forward to anniversary reissues, meticulously remastered editions, and curated collections that celebrate the label’s storied history,” the company spelled out. On the personnel front, MNRK didn’t elaborate on the precise status of Prosthetic’s existing team. Additionally, the metal label’s co-founders, E.J. Johantgen (who’s also a Dunable Guitars partner) and Dan Fitzgerald, didn’t provide statements for the formal announcement. But in brief remarks of his own, MNRK SVP of rock and metal Scott Givens emphasized the just-purchased label’s significance from the perspective of the overarching MNRK Heavy’s objectives. “Prosthetic Records has been a trailblazer in the metal scene. This acquisition is a strategic step in MNRK’s continued investment in heavy music and aligns perfectly with our vision for MNRK Heavy,” said the longtime MNRK/eOne higher-up Givens. It probably doesn’t need saying in light of the newly disclosed buyout, but metal seems to be a bigger-than-ever focus at MNRK. Across the past month and change, MNRK Heavy has released tracks or albums from Your Spirit Dies, Misfire, and Shadows Fall; lowheaven, for its part, joined the label and teed up a debut full-length album, Ritual Decay, for August 29th. In the bigger picture, the MNRK-Prosthetic play is the latest in a long line of 2025 label sales; Exceleration Music announced the purchase of Cooking Vinyl yesterday. Meanwhile, Reservoir last week stopped short of describing its “multifaceted deal” with Fool’s Gold Records as a straight buyout. But Reservoir did take a stake in certain artist catalogs and will “exclusively market and distribute all other recordings on Fool’s Gold, including future releases.” View the full article