Spotify’s global head of music, Charlie Hellman, released a letter to users on Wednesday (Jan. 28), highlighting the platform’s contributions to the music industry ahead of its famous Best New Artist Grammy party in Los Angeles. “Spotify paid out more than $11 billion to the music industry, the largest annual payment to music from any retailer in history,” he writes, noting that indie artists and labels accounted for over half of those royalties.

Hellman notes that “there are now more artists generating over $100k/year from Spotify alone than were getting stocked on record store shelves at the height of the CD era,” but he says that “rampant misinformation” about streaming has led the public to distrust how successful and lucrative these services have been for musicians.

The letter highlights that Spotify pays two-thirds of its music revenue back to the industry and that given recent price hikes and gains in new subscribers the “music payouts have grown as well.”

Today, Spotify accounts for roughly 30% of recorded music revenue, and its payouts are growing at a rate that greatly outpaces other music revenue streams. While Spotify payments surged by 10%, other sources grew by 4%.

Hellman’s letter comes after a few years of expansion for Spotify. In the last two years, the service moved to include audiobooks in its premium tiers, added music videos in an increasing number of markets, added DJ-like features to playlists, and even hinted at plans to build generative AI models “with the consent of the music industry.”

Still, some in the music business, particularly the National Music Publishers’ Association, are upset with Spotify, given that the platform used its addition of audiobooks in 2024 as an opportunity to reclassify its premium tiers as “bundles,” a special discounted type of subscription tier, and, in turn, to significantly reduce expected payments to songwriters and publishers by nine figures in its first year. Though many music firms have since struck direct deals with Spotify, including the NMPA itself, to improve remuneration, the NMPA’s president and CEO David Israelite recently told Bloomberg that despite its deal with Spotify: “it doesn’t change the fact” that it is “at war” over bundling.

Hellman’s letter goes on to point out the company’s focuses for 2026, which include increasing videos on the service, fighting deepfakes and streaming fraud, producing more live shows, and leaning into human editorial more than ever. “As AI makes all kinds of content more abundant, human connection has become more valuable, not less,” says Hellman.

Read Hellman’s letter, in full, below:

I’m Charlie, and I lead Spotify’s music team. As we look at 2026, I want to start with where 2025 landed. 

I’m proud to share that, last year alone, Spotify paid out more than $11 billion to the music industry, the largest annual payment to music from any retailer in history. Once again, independent artists and labels accounted for half of all royalties. 

Big, industry-wide numbers can feel abstract, but that growth is showing up in tangible ways. For example, there are now more artists generating over $100k/year from Spotify alone than were getting stocked on record store shelves at the height of the CD era. That’s the real shift and extraordinary progress that these numbers represent. Despite rampant misinformation about how streaming is working today, the reality is that this is an era full of more success stories and promise than at any point in history. 

Today, Spotify accounts for roughly 30% of recorded music revenue. Last year, our payouts grew by more than 10%, while other industry income sources grew by closer to 4%, making Spotify the primary driver of industry revenue growth in 2025.

At the end of the day, growth is driven by fans. More than 750 million people around the world are now paying every month for music streaming, across all streaming services. As that audience has grown, we’ve also raised prices. Since Spotify pays out two-thirds of all music revenue to the industry – almost 70% of what we take in – as Spotify revenues grow, music payouts have grown as well. 

What about the other third — the money Spotify keeps? That’s been our fuel to reinvest directly into the platform in ways that drive more people to pay for music streaming and continue to grow revenues for music. By doing all we can to innovate on behalf of the music industry, we’ve been able to deliver an unrivaled listening experience, helping connect artists with listeners who are most likely to care about their music. 

One of the reasons we celebrate the Best New Artist nominees each year is because they represent something powerful: artists who’ve broken through and found their audience. But the path to that moment is steep. With over 100,000 new songs released daily, competing against the entire history of recorded music, emerging artists face an unprecedented challenge in building the early fanbase every successful career needs. We’re working across multiple fronts to increase the opportunities available, and ensure more artists have real pathways to success. That’s why this year our number one priority is to help more new music and new artists cut through the noise and form real connections with fans. Here’s what we’re building:

Artist Storytelling & Video

As AI makes all kinds of content more abundant, human connection has become more valuable, not less. Helping fans better understand who artists are and what inspires them establishes real connections that turn casual listeners into long-term fans. To support that, we’re bringing more context into the listening experience, whether that’s information about the artist, the story behind a song, or moments that show how the music actually comes together. With the upcoming launch of SongDNA, for example, fans can explore the collaborations behind a song—like Addison Rae’s breakout work with Luka Kloser and Elvira Anderfjärd—and follow those connections deeper into the music. Before long, you’re finding your way into new catalogs, like Kloser’s work with Ed Sheeran or Anderfjärd’s work with Alec Benjamin.

Video also plays a big role in storytelling, and we’ve only scratched the surface. Especially now, authenticity matters more than production value. A live performance, a stripped-down version, a rehearsal, or a moment from the studio — those make the connection real. For KATSEYE, early behind-the-scenes Clips on their Countdown Page fueled anticipation by bringing fans into the journey leading up to the release of BEAUTIFUL CHAOS. 

Artist Identity & Trust

Storytelling helps fans understand who’s behind the music, and ensures authentic creativity stands out from anonymous filler. But that’s not enough on its own. Protecting artists’ identities is a top priority, and we’re building new solutions to prevent impersonation, scams, and mismatched content. 

AI is being exploited by bad actors to flood streaming services with low-quality slop to game the system and attempt to divert royalties away from authentic artists. So we’re going to introduce changes to the systems for artist verification, song credits, and protecting artist identity. It’s critical to ensuring listeners and rightsholders can trust who made the music they’re hearing.

Human Editorial

When artists start to connect with fans on Spotify, sustaining that attention becomes the next challenge. The tools artists already use in Spotify for Artists are built for exactly that, and in 2026 we’re sharpening them in ways that serve new releases especially. 

Every developing artist is looking to break out. And being added to a hand-selected editorial playlist can mark a turning point for an artist, growing exposure and streams to new heights. For Leon Thomas, pitching songs through Spotify for Artists led to editorial placements on RADAR and RNB X, introducing his music to listeners in more than 180 countries. 

Even more important than the numbers they drive, these playlists reflect human expert opinion. In a world of highly individualized listening through algorithms, editorial curation gives artists and fans a common cultural reference point.

In 2026, you’ll see us create new programs where editorial can unlock more sustained support for emerging artists that help turn early recognition into ongoing momentum. And we’ll bring more of the human voice behind that curation into the listening experience. We’ve already started experimenting with this by bringing our music editors forward through video and storytelling, where they share why a song resonated and what stood out about an artist. For artists, that means more opportunities for their music and story to come to life for listeners.

Live Shows

We believe that as fans go deeper into an artist’s world on Spotify, that connection shouldn’t live only online. Showing up to support an artist in person has always been one of the strongest forms of fandom, and one of the most important income streams for artists.

Spotify helps ensure rooms are not only filled, but filled with true fans. By understanding how listeners connect with your music, we help artists reach the fans who care most, and are most likely to buy tickets.

To date, Spotify has helped artists generate more than $1 billion in ticket sales by connecting fans with live shows through our ticketing partners. In 2026, we’re building on that strength with new features that will help more artists turn listening into tangible support from their fans.

You’ve built communities, taken risks, and kept going even when the path felt uncertain. It’s our job to make sure Spotify works as hard as you do, and keeps growing in ways that better support artists who are serious about building a career. Unprecedented competition alongside unprecedented opportunity defines today’s music industry. Our focus is ensuring that growth creates clear, reliable paths for artists to reach fans, and sustain careers.

That’s the standard we’re holding ourselves in 2026.

There’s a lot of work ahead and I’m excited about what we can build together this year.

Charlie

First-time Grammy nominee Darren Criss will host and perform at the 2026 Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony, where the bulk of this year’s Grammys will be handed out ahead of the prime-time telecast. The event will be held at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 1, and will stream live at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT on the Recording Academy’s YouTube channel and on live.GRAMMY.com.

Criss will perform with Helen J. Shen, his co-star in the Broadway musical Maybe Happy Ending. The show won six Tony Awards in June, including two for Criss: best leading actor in a musical and as a producer of the best musical winner. The cast album is nominated for a Grammy as best musical show album. If it wins, Criss will be just an Oscar away from EGOT status. He won a Primetime Emmy in 2018 for his performance as spree killer Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.

Criss also co-hosted the pre-telecast awards at the Tony Awards in June. He and Renée Elise Goldsberry co-hosted the show, dubbed The Tony Awards: Act One.

The opening performance at the Grammy Premiere Ceremony will feature current nominees Grace Potter, Israel Houghton, Lila Iké, Maggie Rose and Trombone Shorty. Other artists scheduled to perform during the event include current nominees Spiritbox, Tasha Cobbs Leonard and Zara Larsson.

Presenters include Dave Koz, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Edgar Barrera, Jesse Welles, Sierra Hull, Trombone Shorty and Jimmy Jam, former chair of the board of trustees of the Recording Academy.

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. and chair of the board of trustees Dr. Chelsey Green will provide opening remarks. “The Premiere Ceremony is one of the most exciting parts of Grammy weekend,” Mason said in a statement. “Witnessing the ceremony, you see the wide range of genres and crafts that make up our music community.”

The 2026 Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony is produced by Branden Chapman, Chantel Sausedo, Rex Supa and Ruby Marchand on behalf of the Recording Academy. Greg V. Fera is executive producer and Cheche Alara is music producer and music director.

SiriusXM will be backstage during the ceremony with host Jessica Lucero capturing interviews with nominees and winners for their Grammy Sunday broadcast on The Grammy Channel, channel 79 and on the SiriusXM app.

The 2026 Grammy Awards will broadcast live following the Premiere Ceremony on CBS and will stream live and on-demand on Paramount+ at 8-11:30 p.m. ET/5-8:30 p.m. PT.

Two more acts have quietly exited the MAGA-coded Rock the Country tour festival. After initially appearing on the tour’s lineup poster alongside headliners Kid Rock and Jason Aldean, country singers Morgan Wade and Carter Faith appear to have dropped off the bill. While at press time neither act had commented on their departure on their socials, Rolling Stone reported that sources close to both acts confirmed that they will not be performing on the tour.

The magazine said that on Friday (Jan. 23) Wade’s name vanished from the tour poster and Faith responded to a fan asking why she was on the bill with an, “I’m not anymore!” At press time a spokesperson for the festival had not responded to Billboard‘s request for comment.

The tour, which bills itself as “a festival for the people… celebrating 250 years of freedom” in this year of the nation’s semiquincentennial, is slated to hit eight tertiary markets in towns such as Ashland, Ky., Bloomingdale, Ga. and Hastings, Mich., with a lineup that also includes Jelly Roll, Creed, Brooks and Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Hank Williams Jr., Shinedown, Ella Langley, Jon Pardi, Nelly, Uncle Kracker, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Brantley Gilbert and others.

Two weeks ago, Grammy-winning rapper Ludacris‘ name was removed from the lineup poster, with a rep for the “Pimpin’ All Over the World” telling RS that his name “wasn’t supposed to be” on the poster to begin with; a spokesperson for the festival confirmed Luda’s exit.

Rock the Country launched in 2024 as a festival centering on country music, though the inclusion of Luda and “Hot in Herre” rapper Nelly — the latter also performed at Donald Trump’s second inaugural ball in 2025 — caused some upset among fans when they were included in this year’s lineup.

In the comment section for the lineup poster on Instagram, one user wondered, “[Ludacris], this is your crowd now? Pretty sad,” while another darkly joked, “In honor of Nelly and Ludacris appearing, they will be provided with their very own water fountain”; Ludacris was slated to only perform at the July 26 date in Anderson, S.C. The tour is slated to launch on May 1-2 in Belleville, Texas.

Maren Morris’ tour of Australia will finish early due to the intervention of Mother Nature.

While much of Australia is experience a heatwave, it’s the opposite in North America, where a fierce winter storm is causing power outages and flight cancellations.

Those “extreme weather conditions currently impacting the United States,” reads a statement from TEG Live, which is presenting the Australia tour, is “preventing the artist and her touring party from departing as scheduled.”

Morris simply can’t get to her show Jan. 30 at Riverside Theatre in Perth, on Australia’s west coast, or Feb. 1 at the Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane, on the east coast.

“Despite exploring all alternative travel options, it has not been possible to secure international departures in time to fulfil two Australian dates of the tour,” reads the statement.

The Melbourne show, scheduled for Feb. 5 at the Forum, and Sydney, at the Enmore Theatre on Feb. 7, will go ahead as planned.

This story is breaking.

Neil Young is opening the doors of his vault to Greenlanders, for free.

The veteran rocker and environmentalist proves, once more, that he’s still rockin’ in the free world by sharing the love with Greenland, an ally which unwittingly finds itself with a massive target on its back, placed there by Donald Trump’s administration.

“I’m honored to give a free year’s access to neilyoungarchives.com to all our friends in Greenland,” writes Young on his website.

“I hope my music and music films will ease some of the unwarranted stress and threats you are experiencing from our unpopular and hopefully temporary government,” he adds. “It is my sincere wish for you to be able to enjoy all of my music in your beautiful Greenland home, in its highest quality. This is an offer of Peace and Love.”

Young continues, “all the music I have made during the last 62 years is yours to hear. You can renew for free as long as you are in Greenland. We do hope other organizations will follow in the spirit of our example.”

Just how many of Greenland’s 57,000 residents are fans of Neil Young and his vast catalog, though the message is clear: music and art can help in difficult times.

During his second presidency, since 2025, Trump has repeated demands to take control of the territory, by acquisition or by force — a situation that would break international law and turn Nato inside out. Greenland is a self-governing democracy that remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark, a member state of the European Union.

Young has a long history with Trump, most of it on the side of vocal opposition. On several occasions, the musician — who is a dual citizen of Canada and the U.S. — has slammed Trump for playing his music at rallies. In 2020, he called Trump “a disgrace to my country,” and later pointed out that “the U.S. has lost its standing” on the world stage under the President’s leadership.

Earlier this year, he penned a strongly-worded editorial on his official Neil Young Archives, in which he writes, “Today the USA is a disaster”. And it’s Trump, he added, who “is destroying America bit by bit with his staff of wannabes…He has divided us.”

Times sure have changed. Sometime in 2014 or 2015, Young actually met with Trump, prior to his first presidency, to apparently talk funding in the early stages of the artist’s now-defunct Pono digital music venture. If those discussions were at first amicable, they soon descended into a social media beef.