Music Ally Trendline: September 2025

Summary

The video covers the latest trends and developments in the music industry, highlighting Tomorrowland's massive social media reach, Instagram's new repost feature for artists, and Lady Gaga’s virtual event in Roblox. It also touches on the rising influence of Bollywood music, artist activism, and a lawsuit between Sony and Napster. Lastly, it dives into quirky merchandise collaborations, like Drake’s official body pillow and poop scooper. This diverse collection of stories showcases the intersection of technology, social media, and celebrity culture in shaping the future of music.

Takeaways

• 😀 Tomorrowland's 2023 event was a major success, reaching over 74 million people across two weekends, a huge jump from 16 million the previous year on TikTok.
• 🎧 Over 2.44 billion TikTok posts were tagged with #Tomorrowland during the event, making it the biggest electronic music brand on TikTok.
• 📱 Instagram's new reposts feature allows users to share reels and feed posts, expanding organic reach and providing artists with more ways to engage fans.
• 💥 Instagram's integration with Spotify lets users share songs directly to Instagram with audio clips, enhancing cross-platform promotion for artists.
• 📊 Instagram's Threads app has reached over 400 million active users, showing rapid growth and offering artists an alternative to other social media platforms.
• 👗 Lady Gaga's Roblox collaboration for the game Dress to Impress drew 2 million sign-ups, though fans were disappointed by the lack of direct interaction with the artist.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Managing expectations is crucial for virtual events, as large-scale participation can lead to dissatisfaction when fans can't engage as anticipated.
• 🎶 The soundtrack to Bollywood film *Say Sciata* made history as the first Indian song to hit the top 5 on Spotify's global top songs chart, though mostly driven by Indian listeners.
• 🌍 Artists are increasingly speaking out about the situation in Gaza, with high-profile figures like U2 and Paul Weller showing support for the Palestinian cause.
• 💼 Sony Music is suing Napster for $9.2 million in unpaid royalties, even as Napster now operates as a legitimate streaming service following its $27 million acquisition in March.
• 🛍️ Drake's official Amazon store launched with quirky merchandise like a $100 body pillow and a $50 dog poop scooper, marking a new way for artists to monetize their brand.

Q & A

How did Tomorrowland overcome the challenge of the main stage burning down?

Despite the main stage burning down just days before the event, Tomorrowland still managed to become a huge success. The festival reached 74 million people during its two-weekend run, showing its resilience and the strength of its brand.

What impact did the live streaming of Tomorrowland have in 2023 compared to previous years?

In 2023, Tomorrowland's live stream on TikTok reached 74 million people, a significant increase from 16 million in 2023. This shows the growing influence of social media in reaching global audiences and expanding festival engagement.

What role does TikTok play in Tomorrowland's success?

TikTok played a crucial role in Tomorrowland's success by generating more than 2.44 billion posts tagged #Tomorrowland. This contributed to the festival's massive reach and helped attract new followers to its official profile.

How might the new Instagram repost feature benefit artists?

The repost feature on Instagram will allow users to easily share public reels and posts, enhancing organic reach. This can be particularly beneficial for artists, as it allows their fans to share content and help increase exposure.

What are the potential benefits of Instagram’s integration with Spotify for artists?

Instagram's integration with Spotify allows users to share songs directly to Instagram with audio clips included. This feature provides an opportunity for artists to promote their music in a visually engaging way, increasing both visibility and interaction with their audience.

How has Instagram's Threads app grown in 2023?

Threads app, Instagram's alternative to Twitter, has seen remarkable growth, reaching 400 million monthly active users in 2023. This is a significant increase from 350 million in April, and 200 million in August 2022, making it an appealing platform for artists to explore.

What were the main criticisms of Lady Gaga's Roblox event?

While Lady Gaga's virtual event on Roblox attracted 2 million sign-ups, many fans were disappointed because they expected to meet her, but only a few others got the chance to do so. This sparked criticism, highlighting the importance of managing fan expectations in large-scale virtual events.

How did the *Say Sciata* soundtrack from Bollywood perform globally?

The soundtrack of the Bollywood film *Say Sciata* achieved major success, with its title track becoming the first Indian song to reach the top five of Spotify's global top songs chart. However, the majority of streams came from Indian listeners, indicating a strong domestic following.

What is the significance of the current political situation in Gaza for the music industry?

Many artists have publicly spoken out about the ongoing conflict in Gaza, criticizing the actions of the Israeli government. This has led to discussions about activism in the music industry, with some artists using their platforms to support Palestinian causes.

What is the lawsuit between Sony Music and Napster about?

Sony Music is suing Napster over $9.2 million in unpaid royalties. Despite Napster being a legitimate streaming service now, the dispute stems from the company continuing to make Sony's catalog available after their deal was terminated in June 2023.

How is Drake’s merchandise partnership with Amazon unique?

Drake has launched an official merchandise store in partnership with Amazon, offering quirky items like a body pillow and a poop scooper. This collaboration highlights how artists are expanding their merchandise offerings through online retail platforms like Amazon, creating new revenue streams.