To the Rhythm of Mariachi, Shakira Pays Tribute to the Musical Heart of Mexico at Stadium Show

Shakira paid an emotional tribute to Mexico with mariachi rhythms and regional Mexican music on Wednesday night (March 19) with first-time performances of “Ciega Sordomuda” and “El Jefe.” The songs were inspired by the country where the Colombian superstar launched her musical career 30 years ago.

With the surprising inclusion of a Mexican section in her repertoire, the artist kicked-off the first of seven scheduled concerts at the GNP Seguros Stadium in Mexico City in front of 65,000 people as part of her current Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, according to figures from promoter Ocesa.

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Shakira performs onstage during Shakira: Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour Kick Off - Rio de Janeiro at Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos on Feb. 11, 2025 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour Setlist: Here’s Every Song From Her Kickoff Show…

Written more than 20 years ago, “Ciega Sordomuda” was one of Shakira’s first international hits, and it sparked euphoria among attendees. Accompanied by the mariachi group Gama 100, the singer delighted her audience with her famous MTV Unplugged (2000) version of the song, featuring Mexican trumpets and brass arrangements. Meanwhile, with “El Jefe” — a collab with Mexican-American band Fuerza Regida included in the 2024 album that gives its name to the tour, — she completed the Mexican segment of the show during her return to the Latin American country after a seven-year absence.

“This is the first of seven nights in this city that has given me so much joy. Together, we are breaking a historic record, and that’s thanks to all the love you give me,” Shakira expressed with excitement.

Her run of gigs at GNP Seguros Stadium (March 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28, and 30) make the Colombian star the first artist to sell out this iconic venue in Mexico City (formerly known as Foro Sol) seven times, collectively bringing together almost half a million attendees, according to Ocesa.

The 48-year-old artist opened her dazzling show with “La Fuerte,” produced by Argentine DJ Bizarrap, followed by hits such as “Girl Like Me,” “Las de la Intuición,” “Estoy Aquí,” “Inevitable,” “Te Felicito,” “TQG,” “Monotonía,” “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” and “Don’t Bother,” showcasing a much more rock-oriented side of her artistry. The rest of the setlist was almost identical to what the Barranquilla native has presented throughout the Latin American leg of the tour tour, which began in Rio de Janeiro on February 11.

Before her unprecedented residency in Mexico City, Shakira achieved other milestones in the country, such as two sold-out shows at the BBVA Stadium in the border city of Monterrey, where she gathered 100,000 people on March 12 and 13. Additionally, she performed two concerts on Sunday (March 16) and Monday (March 17) at the Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, bringing together 90,000 people, according to the promoter.

Mexico City will also host the pop-up event “Shakira Estoy Aquí Experience Ciudad de México,” a free exhibition opening Friday (March 21) and running through March 30. The immersive experience will allow fans to dive into the universe of the Colombian artist through thematic spaces showcasing her evolution, creative process, and pivotal moments in her career.

Mexico also marks her second-to-last stop in the region before Shakira starts the U.S. leg of the tour on May 13 in Charlotte, N.C.

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Tyla on Her ‘Different’ New Music and How Whitney and Britney Inspire Her

In the summer of 2023, Tyla made a massive splash with her Billboard Hot 100 top 10 popiano smash, “Water.” But that turned out to be just a hint of what the South African star was capable of — and in March 2024, she released her acclaimed self-titled debut album, a showcase for her expert fusion of amapiano, Afrobeats, pop and R&B.

That same month, she was forced to cancel her debut Coachella set and first headlining international tour in the wake of a back injury. But no setback could stop Tyla, 23, from shining in the global spotlight. She ditched her aquatic motif for a sand-sculpted Balmain gown for her debut at the Met Gala in New York last May, and this year, she’ll join A-listers like André 3000 and Usher as a member of the Costume Institute Benefit Host Committee as the event honors Black style. In October, she performed her song “Push 2 Start” for the first time at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show; the sweltering reggae-infused track from the deluxe version of Tyla, released just days before, became her second Hot 100 entry.

Join us at Billboard Women in Music 2025 — get your tickets here.

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Doechii photographed on February 1, 2025 at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.

How Doechii’s Singular Vision Powered Her Stunning Rise (And A Grammy Win)

Following her historic 2024 Grammy Award win — when “Water” took home the inaugural best African music performance trophy, making her the youngest-ever African artist to win a Grammy — Tyla picked up more hardware at the BET Awards, Billboard Music Awards and MTV Video Music Awards. And this year’s Women in Music Impact honoree remains determined to spotlight African music and bring her native South African amapiano to the world’s biggest stages while dispelling the notion that she, and all African artists, only make “Afrobeats” music. Case in point: Come April, Tyla will finally play Coachella.

“The fact that what I’ve been doing has impacted people all over the world, especially African artists, is special,” she says.

You’ve been very vocal while winning “Afrobeats” awards. Is it hard to relish those victories when your music is being mislabeled?

It’s still an honor because I do use Afrobeats’ influence in my music. I represent Africa as a whole. Genre is so fluid, so it’s become difficult to categorize it. If people see it as the influence that the artist is using in their music getting its recognition, it’ll help more [with perceptions], rather than being like, “This person is not that.”

Who are the women who’ve been the most influential in your life as an artist?

Tems is a big one. What she’s been able to do has been very inspiring. Britney [Spears], Whitney Houston, Aaliyah.

What performance that you’ve done in the past year have you found most impactful?

The shows I did back home [in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Pretoria]. I haven’t really done much there since everything has happened [with “Water” blowing up]. Those were the biggest headlining shows I’ve ever had. It was fun being able to have that much control over the stage, the dancing, the lighting, the song arrangements. It was really cool to create something from scratch and give home a whole show that I’ve never been able to give them.

What else do you have in store for 2025?

New album. I’ve changed a lot in a short amount of time because I was kind of forced to with how fast I had to adapt to everything. I don’t think it’s going to be the same energy [as Tyla] at all, especially with what I’ve started making. It’s different, but also still Tyla.

This story appears in the March 22, 2025, issue of Billboard.

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Eslabon Armado’s Pedro Tovar Signs Global Publishing Admin Deal With Kobalt

Eslabon Armado‘s frontman and songwriter Pedro Tovar has signed a worldwide publishing deal with Kobalt, the company tells Billboard. The agreement was done via Tovar’s Armado Publishing; Kobalt will administer the Mexican-American artist’s entire catalog and future songs globally.

“I’m excited to join the Kobalt Music family in this new career stage,” Tovar said in a statement. “As a songwriter, I have always sought a company that values creativity and provides the necessary support to elevate my music to a global audience. I know that with Kobalt, I’ll continue growing and sharing my stories through my songs.”

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Since having a major breakthrough in 2020, the sierreño act has been on a winning streak and fueling the música mexicana movement along the way.

Over the course of four years, Eslabon released six consecutive chart-topping albums — all of which hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Albums chart. In 2022, the group made history, with Nostalgia becoming the first top 10-charting regional Mexican album ever on the Billboard 200. A year later, Eslabon released its blockbuster hit “Ella Baila Sola” with Peso Pluma. The song was a runaway success and made history when it entered the Billboard Hot 100‘s top five. Last week, Eslabon released its eight studio album, Vibras de Noche II, a follow-up to the band’s 2020 set Vibras de Noche.

“Pedro Tovar is one of the most exciting artists and songwriters making music today,” added Nestor Casonu, president of Kobalt Music Latin America. “Through this partnership, we’ve had the privilege of understanding the values of an extraordinary family, led by Doña Nelly, with whom we’ve built both a professional and personal bond. I’m excited about the great things we’ll achieve together in the future.”

“At Kobalt, we want to sign songwriters who have singular voices that resonate with a wide audience,” said Teresa Romo, Kobalt’s senior creative director for Latin America. “Our partnership with Pedro Tovar represents an exciting new phase in his songwriting career, and we’re honored to support his creative independence and nurture  new opportunities.”

Armado Publishing was represented in the deal by Christopher Navarro, partner at Singh, Singh & Trauben LLP.

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Blink-182, Hozier, LCD Soundsystem & Lenny Kravitz to Headline 2025 Sea.Hear.Now Festival

The Sea.Hear.Now festival will be back in Asbury Park, N.J. this fall with a lineup including headliners Blink-182, Hozier, LCD Soundsystem and Lenny Kravitz. The Sept. 13-14 event will also feature sets from Alabama Shakes, ZZ Top, Remi Wolf, Royel Otis, De La Soul, UB40, Gigi Perez, Sublime, Public Enemy, TV on the Radio, Spoon, Phantogram, 4 Non Blondes, Hot Mulligan and Mannequin Pussy, among others.

The seaside event will once host some of the world’s greatest surfers and emerging stars, who will ride the waves throughout the weekend in team contests held between the Surf and Sand stages. Among the scheduled participants are: Landon McNamara, Cam Richards, Balaram Stack, Sam Hammer, Rob Kelly, Cassidy McClain, Pat Schmidt, Mike Gleason and many more.

A pre-sale for the event will kick off on Friday (March 21) at 10 a.m. ET, with a public on-sale to follow if any tickets remain; click here to sign up for a pre-sale passcode.

Among the other musical acts on the roster for this year are: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Inhaler, Mondo Cozmo, Bumpin Uglies, Not Yer Baby, Grace Bowers & the Hodge Podge, Landon McNamara, Neal Francis, Surfing for Daisy and The Tide Bends.

Last year’s fest got a major boost when Jersey legend Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band ripped off a three-hour-plus throwdown for a massive crowd that was full of hometown stories and a mix of beloved classics and deep-cut tracks. The epic show was later released on CD and for streaming via nugs.net.

Check out the 2025 Sea.Hear.Now announcement below.

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Dolly Parton Doing ‘Better Than I Thought I Would’ After Death of Husband Carl Dean

Dolly Parton said she’s doing her best following the death earlier this month of her beloved husband of nearly six decades, Carl Thomas Dean. After a surprise appearance at the 40th season celebration at her Dollywood resort in Pigeon Forge, TN, last week, the singer spoke to Knox News about how she managing life without Dean, who died on March 3 at age 82.

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Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton Speaks Out After Death of Husband Carl Dean: ‘I Will Always Love You’

“I’m doing better than I thought I would,” Parton said. “I’ve been with him 60 year. So, I’m going to have to relearn some of the things that we’ve done. But I’ll keep him always close.” Parton added that Dean — who was publicity-shy and more than happy to let his famous wife take all the spotlight over their long marriage — suffered “a great deal” near the end. “I’m at peace that he’s at peace,” she said of the love of her life, who she met when she was 18 and he was 23. “But that don’t keep me from missing and loving him.”

Parton, of course, poured her grief out in the only way she knows how days after Dean’s death, releasing the moving ballad, “If You Hadn’t Been There,” an homage to the stoic support her husband offered her throughout their life together. “If you hadn’t been there/ Where would I be?/ Without your trust/ Love and belief/ The ups and downs/ We’ve always shared/ And I wouldn’t be here/ If you hadn’t been there,” Parton sings on the track.

“If you hadn’t been there/ Well, who would I be?/ You always see the best in me/ You’re loving arms have cradled me/ You held me close, and I believe,” she adds on the song before leaning into the loving chorus: “I wouldn’t be here/ If you hadn’t been there/ Holding my hand/ Showing you care/ You made me dream/ More than I dared/ And I wouldn’t be here/ If you hadn’t been there.”

In her trademark chin-up style, Parton told Knox that there is a “hole in my heart… but we’ll fill that up with good stuff and he’ll still always be with me.”

Though Dean was happy to stay off the radar, Parton also talked about how he loved visiting Dollywood, often standing in line to purchase his own ticket because “he didn’t want somebody giving him a ticket ’cause he was Dolly’s husband. Everybody thinks that’s the funniest thing.” In fact, he’d go alone, snack on funnel cakes and give his wife notes on improvements, saying things like, “‘You need more bathrooms’… or he would say, ‘You need to tell them this or that. It’s crowded over in that area. You might want to tell them they ought to do this or that.”

In his honor, Parton said she plans to hit up Dollywood and “do like Carl” and “walk around, look at everything.” The interview came after Parton made her first public appearance since Dean’s death on March 14, where she thanked Dollywood guests for their love and support.

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K-Pop Superstars aespa on Their Future: ‘There May Be Moments Where The Fans Don’t See The Avatars’

Hours into their Billboard Women in Music photo shoot, the members of aespa are goofing off. High-pitched giggles reverberate through the studio as Winter, Karina, Ningning and Giselle tickle one another’s sides, talk in silly voices and play with the straps on their leathery stage outfits.

It’s mesmerizing to watch the four early-20-somethings be so, well, real, not just because they’re one of K-pop’s most polished acts — which they demonstrate by immediately snapping back into place once the photographer is ready again — but also because ­aespa has a particular penchant for the surreal. The SM Entertainment group debuted in 2020 with K-pop’s first lineup to feature both human and virtual members, pairing each girl with an artificial intelligence (AI) avatar as part of a cyberpunk musical metaverse marked by dark, 808-laced hyperpop and edgy-chic outfits.

Join us at Billboard Women in Music 2025 — get your tickets here.

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aespa photographed on February 10, 2025 in New York.

aespa: Photos From the Billboard Women in Music Group of the Year Shoot

Ever since, the act has leveraged its niche into unprecedented crossover success — in November, mini-album Whiplash made it the first K-pop girl group to have six projects reach the Billboard 200 top 50, and it just wrapped its second global arena tour — and a reputation for being one of the genre’s “most adventurous and contemporary” groups, as its “Over You” collaborator Jacob Collier put it to Billboard in January.

But going forward, 2025’s Billboard Women in Music Group of the Year also wants to focus on something potentially even more subversive: showing that beneath the personas, its members are just those real-life girls blowing off steam between camera flashes. “We’re not actual AI; we do have days where we don’t feel the best,” Giselle says once the foursome has squeezed together on a couch. “Our storyline can be fun to keep up with, but I want fans to look up to aespa for our human traits, too.”

Karina of aespa photographed February 10, 2025 in New York.
Karina

Why do you think aespa has made a name as trendsetters?

Giselle: There’s always going to be trends, but we don’t follow them because we can’t. We have our own story to tell that was set from the start.

Winter: We usually talk about ourselves more than love [in our lyrics]. We’re the main characters of our stories.

Karina: We’re honest. Of course, you have to be professional and present your best self, but we also try to show the not-perfect side. We’re not trying to filter everything or over-mask ourselves.

Giselle of aespa photographed February 10, 2025 in New York.
Giselle

What’s next in aespa’s evolution?

Ningning: We did start out with our avatar concept, but now we’re also trying really hard to explore different concepts and themes. In the future, there may be moments where the fans don’t see the avatars.

Karina: We want aespa to be a really stylish group, not only in fashion and music, but also in terms of versatility and excelling in every genre. I also want all our members to shine individually when we’re together and even when we’re not together.

aespa photographed February 10, 2025 in New York.
From left: Ningning, Karina, Giselle, and Winter of aespa photographed on February 10, 2025 in New York.

Who are your favorite artists/dream collaborators at the moment?

Ningning: Doechii. I’d just really like to meet her.

Winter: Billie Eilish. She’s so good at expressing her honest feelings through her music.

Karina: Olivia Dean. Whenever I need to find composure, I listen to her.

Giselle: SZA. Her music is so hard to get sick of — and very relatable.

aespa photographed February 10, 2025 in New York.
Winter

As a girl group, how do you support one another?

Ningning: We’re all from different countries and environments, but we’ve been doing this for five years. They’re always there for me. Working with this mindset that we’re in this together makes it easier to handle challenging situations and emotions.

Winter: I don’t think we could’ve made it through this alone. We’ve had to overcome certain obstacles, but with each other’s support, we were able to move forward. (Karina giggles as Giselle starts poking her ­affectionately.) These girls are all very precious to me.

Ningning of aespa photographed February 10, 2025 in New York.
Ningning

This story appears in the March 22, 2025, issue of Billboard.

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aespa: Photos From the Billboard Women in Music Group of the Year Shoot

Hours into their Billboard Women in Music photo shoot, the members of aespa are goofing off. High-pitched giggles reverberate through the studio as Winter, Karina, Ningning and Giselle tickle one another’s sides, talk in silly voices and play with the straps on their leathery stage outfits. It’s mesmerizing to watch the four early-20-somethings be so, well, real, not just because they’re one of K-pop’s most polished acts — which they demonstrate by immediately snapping back into place once the photographer is ready again — but also because ­aespa has a particular penchant for the surreal. The SM Entertainment group debuted in 2020 with K-pop’s first lineup to feature both human and virtual members, pairing each girl with an artificial intelligence (AI) avatar as part of a cyberpunk musical metaverse marked by dark, 808-laced hyperpop and edgy-chic outfits.

Ever since, the act has leveraged its niche into unprecedented crossover success — in November, mini-album Whiplash made it the first K-pop girl group to have six projects reach the Billboard 200 top 50, and it just wrapped its second global arena tour — and a reputation for being one of the genre’s “most adventurous and contemporary” groups, as its “Over You” collaborator Jacob Collier put it to Billboard in January.

But going forward, 2025’s Billboard Women in Music Group of the Year also wants to focus on something potentially even more subversive: showing that beneath the personas, its members are just those real-life girls blowing off steam between camera flashes. “We’re not actual AI; we do have days where we don’t feel the best,” Giselle says once the foursome has squeezed together on a couch. “Our storyline can be fun to keep up with, but I want fans to look up to aespa for our human traits, too.”

Read the full Billboard aespa story here. Join us at Billboard Women in Music 2025 — get tickets here.

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Beyoncé Adds Second Las Vegas Date To Cowboy Carter Tour

Beyoncé is doubling down on Sin City. The singer announced on Wednesday (March 19) that she is going to play a second show at Allegiant Stadium on July 26, with tickets slated to go on sale on March 25 at 12 p.m. local time. A BeyHive pre-sale will kick off on Thursday (March 20) at 12 p.m. local, followed by the artist pre-sale on March 24 at 12 p.m. local and additional pre-sales for Citi cardmembers, Verizon Up and Mastercard ahead of the general on-sale.

The new date comes after Bey added a July 25 stop in Las Vegas following the initial announcement of the Cowboy Carter & the Rodeo Chitlin’ Circuit tour last month. Before a single note is sung, the outing is already off to a blazing start. Earlier this week, Billboard reported that barely a month after pre-sales kicked off and six weeks from opening night the global outing is already at 94% capacity across all dates according to figures from promoter Live Nation.

The tour was first announced on Feb. 3 with a roster of 22 shows in eight cities in the U.S. and Europe, with high demand forcing additional dates to be added in six of the eight markets on the tour celebrating Queen Bey’s Cowboy Carter album, which won album of the year at this year’s Grammy Awards.

When the tour was initially announced, Billboard projected that final earnings of $294 million on sales of 1.1-1.2 million tickets, with the additional dates — not counting the second Vegas show — potentially boosting that figure to more than $325 million.

Check out the announcement and updated full list of Cowboy Carter dates below.

April 28 – Inglewood, CA @ SoFi Stadium

May 1 – Inglewood, CA @ SoFi Stadium

May 4 – Inglewood, CA @ SoFi Stadium

May 7 – Inglewood, CA @ SoFi Stadium

May 9 – Inglewood, CA – SoFi Stadium

May 15 – Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field

May 17 – Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field

May 18 – Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field

May 22 – East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium

May 24 – East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium

May 25 – East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium

May 28 – East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium

May 29 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium

June 5 – London, UK @ Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

June 7 – London, UK @ Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

June 10 – London, UK @ Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

June 12 – London, UK @ Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

June 14 – London, UK @ Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

June 16 – London, UK @ Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

June 19 – Paris, France @ Stade de France

June 21 – Paris, France @ Stade de France

June 22 – Paris, France @ Stade de France

June 28 – Houston, TX @ NRG Stadium

June 29 – Houston, TX @ NRG Stadium

July 4 – Washington, D.C. @ Northwest Stadium

July 7 – Washington, D.C. @ Northwest Stadium

July 10 – Atlanta, GA @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium

July 11 – Atlanta, GA @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium

July 13 – Atlanta, GA @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium

July 14 – Atlanta, GA @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium

July 25 – Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium

July 26 – Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium

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Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan and Wife Chloé Mendel Welcome Third Child

Smashing Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan and wife Chloé Mendel welcomed their third child on Tuesday (March 18). The couple shared the news with People magazine, revealing that Juno Corgan was born during the “wee hours” at the couple’s Highland, Park, IL home and weighed 9.9 lbs. and was 22 inches long.

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“My wife, Chloé is doing well and recovering, and baby Juno is happy, healthy, and nursing with gusto,” Corgan told the magazine. “We are so touched by all the kind wishes of support and love, and thank those who helped Chloé and baby have such a safe, and peaceful, home birth.” The rocker added that the couple’s other children, son Augustus Juppiter, 9, and daughter Philomena Clementine, 6, are “absolutely thrilled by their new sister [and]… can’t wait till she’s old enough to play.”

The couple revealed last August that they were expecting their third and shared a picture with the newborn with People, in which Juno is snuggled between them as Corgan cradles an acoustic guitar. In addition to diaper duty, Corgan has a lot of other irons in the fire, including owning the National Wrestling Alliance and recently launching the Magnificent Others podcast, where he’s had long-form chats with everyone from KISS bassist/singer Gene Simmons, to Tom Morello, Sharon Osbourne, Wolfgang Van Halen, songwriter Diane Warren and Howie Mandel.

He also announced earlier this month that he is planning to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Pumpkins’ landmark double-album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness with an event he’s calling A Night of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness at the Lyric Opera of Chicago for seven evenings beginning Nov. 21; tickets for the event will go on sale on April 11.

In the meantime, the Pumpkins continue their Aghori Tour, with a run of dates in Europe slated for July and August.

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Qobuz Releases Its Per-Stream Royalty Rate, a First for a Streaming Platform

In a first for a music streaming company, Paris-based Qobuz has publicly released the per-stream royalty rate it pays to rights holders. Qobuz tells Billboard it paid out an average per-stream royalty rate of $0.018732, or 1.8782 cents, in the 12 months ended March 31, 2024. That all-in rate, which covers both recorded music and publishing, works out to $18.73 for every 1,000 streams. 

“Today, we are taking this step for greater transparency,” Qobuz deputy CEO Georges Fornay said in a statement. “Our payout rates are now public. This unprecedented move in our industry is a necessary first step toward promoting a fairer and more sustainable streaming model. Choosing Qobuz means taking concrete action for fairer compensation for all artists and supporting musical diversity, values that our customers cherish.” 

One reason streaming companies haven’t released their per-stream royalty rates is because royalties aren’t paid on a simple, per-stream basis. Rather, royalties are the result of complex calculations based on such factors as market share and guaranteed minimums. Qobuz admits as much in the press release announcing its first-of-its-kind calculation, which was conducted by a major accounting firm. “It should be noted that the methods of payment to labels and publishers are not systematically based on remuneration per stream,” it reads. “Calculation methods may vary from one contract to another.”  

Nevertheless, the per-stream royalty rate has persisted as a popular metric for gauging streaming services’ value to artists and rights holders. And although Qobuz is often mentioned as the platform with the highest per-stream rate, there are no official numbers to show its place in the royalty hierarchy. Companies have disclosed the amounts of royalties paid annually and cumulatively, but never, until now, on a per-stream basis.

At approximately $0.0187 cents per stream, Qobuz ranks well ahead of its peers, based on the limited, imperfect information available. The best comparisons come from music catalog investor Duetti, which released its own calculations in January for per-stream rates paid to independent artists. That report said the average royalty for master recordings—excluding the publishing component that Qobuz included—was $0.00341 per stream in 2024, though Qobuz wasn’t included in those rankings. Publishing typically accounts for approximately 20% of music streaming content costs, which would put Qobuz’s recorded music per-stream royalty at approximately $0.015—4.4 times the average on Duetti’s list. 

Amazon ranked first on Duetti’s list at $0.0088 per stream and was followed by TIDAL at $0.0068, Apple Music at $0.0062 and YouTube at $0.0048. Spotify’s $0.003 per-stream payout was lower than its peers because of high usage, geographical mix, reliance on free and discounted plans and Discovery Mode, through which artists accept a lower royalty in exchange for in-app promotion.  

One reason Qobuz pays relatively well is because it charges a relatively high price. Average revenue per user (ARPU) at Qobuz is $121.13 annually or $22.38 per month, while Spotify’s latest ARPU (for the quarter ended December 31, 2024) was 4.85 euros ($5.29). In the U.S., Qobuz charges $12.99 per month—$1 more than Spotify’s music-and-audiobook tier—or $129.99 per month when purchased annually. In its home country of France, Qobuz charges 14.99 euros ($16.35) per month or 149.99 euros ($163.55) annually. That’s 34% higher than the 11.12 euros ($12.13) per month Spotify charges. 

The company cited other aspects of its business that result in the relatively high royalty rate. Qobuz does not have an ad-supported tier that would pay less than subscriptions. Additionally, the platform provides greater valued through uncompressed files and high-resolution audio, which, along with “exclusive editorial content,” merit a higher price, the company says. And Qobuz highlights artists and genres—jazz and classical, for example—that are underrepresented at other streaming platforms. As a result, the company argues, more revenue is generated for a wider range of artists.  

Geography also plays an important role in the size of Qobuz’s royalties. In the 26 markets where where Qobuz is available—including the U.S., Japan, U.K., Germany, France, Sweden and Canada—consumers tend to spend money on music subscriptions. The service is not available in many emerging countries such as India where subscription prices are low and listeners overwhelmingly opt for free, ad-supported options. And while Qobuz available in places like Mexico and Brazil where subscription costs are lower, it costs more than its competitors in those markets. In Mexico, for example, Qobuz’s monthly price is 150 pesos ($7.49) to Spotify’s 129 pesos ($6.44). In Brazil, Qobuz costs R$25.90 ($4.59) to Spotify’s R$21.90 ($3.88). 

The difference between Qobuz and its peers may narrow over time as royalty rates improve—slightly—in the coming years. Spotify, according to reports, plans to launch a higher-priced plan that includes high-quality audio. Various companies are taking measures to marginally improve payouts. Deezer, for example, has changed its royalty scheme by demoting AI-created tracks, removing “non-artist noise content” and provide better payouts to what it terms “professional artists.” Spotify changed its royalty payout scheme in 2023. As more platforms follow suit, average royalty rates should inch upward.

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