MusicInfra, the rights collection platform founded by an ex-Hipgnosis executive and backed by Raine Group and Peter Thiel’s Snö Ventures, announced on Tuesday (Dec. 9) that interactive gaming music company Reactional Music has joined its growing list of clients. 

Founded by classical composer Jesper Nordin, Reactional Music makes an interactive music engine that allows video game developers to create personalized, interactive soundtracks in their games from a library that now includes 6 million songs licensed from music publishers and record labels, including Ninja Tune and Primary Wave partner Game My Play. Using the technology, Reactional users can create playlists of songs or sounds, swap out tracks and download their music all without leaving the game.

Providing customizable, interactive soundtracks for the $200 billion global gaming industry presents a significant new revenue stream for music, if properly monetized. Recreational is partnering with MusicInfra’s rights management tools to ensure music used on its platform is accurately and speedily tracked and that rightsholders are compensated, representatives from both companies said in a statement.

“Reactional is opening up entirely new creative and commercial possibilities for music, but these can only be realized if the infrastructure works for everyone — platforms, rightsholders, and creators,” said Björn Lindvall, CEO and co-founder of MusicInfra. ”We’re building the essential plumbing that allows both new, and already existing, sectors of the music industry to flourish.”

Founded in 2023 by Lindvall, previously Hipgnosis Songs’ COO and a Morgan Stanley banker, MusicInfra is aiming to develop a global clearinghouse for music rights with technology that speeds up record-keeping between digital platforms and rightsholders to improve and increase royalty revenue collection.

Based in New York with staff in Europe and Latin America, MusicInfra is backed by MiddleGame Ventures, Raine, Peter Thiel’s venture fund Snö Ventures and UTA Ventures, and it counts Berlin-based music company BMG among its clients. In September, the company announced it hired longtime Spotify executive Jules Parker to be its chief business officer to work alongside ex-YouTube head of publishing partner engineering Greg Quillard and former Meta, Google and Gracenote executives.

Reactional Music CEO Matt Connors said in a statement that MusicInfra’s rights management platform will help Reactional bring popular music to “gaming’s billions of players — removing the friction, expense, and technical barriers that have kept two of the world’s largest entertainment industries apart for too long.”

Bill Hauritz, the impresario who launched the Woodford Folk Festival, one of Australia’s largest and longest-running camping fests, and a treasure in the live events calendar, has died at 71.

The festival began life as the Maleny Folk Festival in 1987, an end-of-year gathering on the Sunshine Coast hinterland. As word spread of its unique vibe, the festival outgrew its site and the party was relocated to the 500-acre cultural parkland, Woodfordia.

Today, the six-day fest rings in the new year with about 120,000 guests and 2,000 artists, and is said to be Australia’s biggest annual gathering of its kind. During the event, the fest becomes the 67th largest town in the country. Former Australian prime minister Bob Hawke was a regular Woodford VIP, and gave his final recorded interview at the 2018 edition.

Much like the Montreux Jazz Festival, the beloved Queensland folk festival’s bill isn’t confined to the genre attached to its name. Over time, the likes of Courtney Barnett, Hiatus Kaiyote, The Saints, Archie Roach, Tim Finn and Kate Miller-Heidke have played to its crowds, which typically range from infants in prams through to octogenarians.

With Hauritz at the helm, a years-long tree-planting exercise at the Woodfordia site, a so-called working bee, evolved into The Planting, a gathering that was part-outdoor camping festival, part-learning and skill-developing in the arts, environmental sciences and practical skill.

Hauritz’s “vision extended far beyond event-making,” reads a statement from the festival. “It was rooted in environmental stewardship, respect for Indigenous culture, intergenerational knowledge-sharing, and the protection and celebration of intangible cultural heritage, and a deep faith in humanity.”

That vision included the creation of Woodfordia’s 500-Year Plan, a blueprint that imagines a future shaped by care for country, community and creativity.

In 2023, UNESCO presented Woodfordia with the Intangible Cultural Heritage Award at the Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Hauritz was feted on many occasions during his lifetime. In 2005, he received the Order of Australia (AM), for “service to the community, particularly through the establishment of the Woodford Folk Festival and leadership roles in organisations that provide a forum for the promotion of cross-cultural and artistic awareness”. Separately, he was honoured as a Smithsonian Fellow, acknowledging his outstanding contribution to the cultural fabric of Australia and beyond, and, in 2011, Hauritz collected the Grant McLennan Lifetime Achievement Award.

Federal Arts Minister Tony Burke leads tributes for the visionary festival operator. “Bob Hawke once told me I would never meet a better Australian than Bill Hauritz. That wasn’t just his conclusion. It was the conclusion of anyone who has spent a moment with Bill.”

In the Woodford Folk Festival, he continued, Hauritz “didn’t simply create a home for entertainment. He created an example of how people could live with less conflict and more care. “Australian artists lose a lot with his passing. But the arts in Australia is forever enriched by his life.”

Hauritz retired in 2022 when the directorship was handed to co-founder and managing director Amanda Jackes.

“A living village where music, ceremony, story and shared experience passed hand to hand, heart to heart, in the rhythms of everyday life. He taught us how to build something beautiful that lasts, not just in memory, but in the land and in each other,” Jackes remarked.

“The greatest compliment Bill ever received, and the one he wore with a smile, was that he was a pathological optimist. He lived up to that each and every day. His presence is woven into everything we do.”

The impresario is survived by his wife Ingrid, sons Tom and Jack, daughter-in-law Mel, and grandchildren Elke and Stellan.

Odeal is the latest addition to the Sony Music Publishing roster.

Announced today, Dec. 8, the British-Nigerian singer and songwriter strikes a worldwide deal with the major music publisher, several weeks after the release of his album The Fall That Saved Me.

“Signing Odeal was more than a business move. It was the natural next step in a relationship built on passion, respect and a shared vision,” comments Sony Music Publishing senior director, creative A&R Shauni Caballero in a statement. “I’ve always admired his artistry and the incredible team behind him — Charles, Hanz, AB and the OVMBR family. They’re hardworking, inspiring and an absolute pleasure to collaborate with. I’m truly grateful to be part of their journey and their history.”

Odeal caught the buzz in 2024 with the viral hit “Soh-Soh,” which proved a launch pad into the awards circuit. This year alone, he has collected MOBO (Music of Black Origin) Awards for best newcomer and best R&B act; shortlisting for the BET Awards’ inaugural best new international act; Amazon Music’s 2025 breakthrough artist; Spotify’s 2025 artist to watch; entry to YouTube Music’s 2025 Foundry program, and a nod as Billboard’s 2025 African Rookie of the Year.

His shape-shifting sound earned him studio time with a string of artists within the last year, including Kaytranada, Jermaine Dupri, Kehlani and DJ Maphorisa. Justin Bieber is a fan, and has shared Odeal’s music on his Instagram Stories and posts.

“My vision has always been to make music that touches people around the world,” comments Odeal (real name: Hillary Dennis Udanoh) on the Sony Music Publishing deal, “so choosing partners who truly believe in that vision is important to me. I’m excited to be working with Shauni and a team I trust and who genuinely believe in what I’m building.”

Born in Germany (where his mother lived) and raised in Spain (where his father lived and his parents met), Odeal settled down in the U.K. at age 17. His career took off with the self-produced single “Be Easy,” and went to the next level with the release of his 2022 EP Lustropolis, which has accumulated over 80 million worldwide streams.

The Fall That Saved Me cut “Miami” crashed Spotify’s Global Viral chart, and has captured more than 23 million global streams.

Outside of DJ’ing Paris Fashion Week parties, Odeal has graced festival stages around the world, including Afro Nation Portugal, the world’s biggest Afrobeats festival, and Wireless Festival.

Romeo Santos and Prince Royce make a splash across Billboard charts with their collaborative album, Better Late Than Never, as set opens at Nos. 1 and 2 on the Top Tropical Albums and Top Latin Albums charts (dated Dec. 13).

Better Late Than Never was announced as a surprise launch on social media just days prior to its Nov. 28 release via I Love Amiguita/Sony Music Latin. It debuts at No. 1 on Top Tropical Albums with 23,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in the tracking week ending Dec. 4, according to Luminate.

Of the 13-track set’s opening total, streaming accounts for 17,000 units, equal to 24.1 million official on-demand audio and video streams of the album’s songs. This secures a debut at No. 41 on the Top Streaming Albums chart, marking the first appearance for both Santos and Royce. Meanwhile, 7,000 units stem from album sales, enough for a No. 38 debut on Top Album Sales.

Better Late Than Never marks the seventh No. 1 for both artists, tying them with Juan Luis Guerra for the fifth-most chart-topping albums among all acts on Top Tropical Albums. They trail Gilberto Santa Rosa and Victor Manuelle who both lead with 12 No. 1s, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico with 10 hits, and Marc Anthony with nine.

Santos’ previous effort, Formula. Vol. 3, dominated for 16 weeks between 2022-23. As for Royce, the new release arrives just six months after his album Eterno secured a No. 3 high in May.

In addition to its No. 1 arrival on Top Tropical Albums, Better Late Than Never also starts at No. 2 on the overall Top Latin Abums chart and at No. 32 on the all-genre Billboard 200, their seventh career entry each on the latter.

A Weekly Record on Hot Latin Songs: Better Late Than Never ushers in nine total appearances for the album’s tracks on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs chart, a weekly debut record for both artists among tropical acts. Additionally, Royce lands another entry with “I Want It That Way” at No. 30. Among the new debuts, “Dardos” leads with a No. 8 start with 3.3 million official on-demand streams earned during the tracking period. This new top 10 becomes Royce’s highest entry since his collaboration on “Sensualidad,” with DJ Luian & Mambo Kingz, Bad Bunny and J Balvin (2017). Santos achieves his 23rd top 10, tying with Gloria Estefan for the third-most among tropical acts, trailing only Marc Anthony’s 27 top 10s.

Here is the full rundown of Better Late Than Never songs on the Hot Latin Songs chart:

No. 8, “Dardos”
No. 12, “Lokita Por Mí”
No. 13, “Estocolmo”
No. 14, “Better Late Than Never”
No. 28, “Jezabel”
No. 29, “Ay! San Miguel”
No. 36, “Celeste”
No. 40, “La Última Bachata”
No. 41, “Encerrados”

All charts (dated Dec. 13, 2025) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, Dec. 9. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram. Plus, for all chart rules and explanations, click here.