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For more than a year, record labels and publishers have seen investors pour into streaming stocks — namely Spotify — while downplaying the potential benefits rights owners will accrue from rising subscription prices. Now, Universal Music Group (UMG) and Warner Music Group (WMG) are getting some attention as analysts are optimistic about the terms of new licensing agreements Spotify reached with the companies.
WMG shares rose 10.9% to $36.20 a week after the company released fiscal first-quarter results. This week, the stock got a boost when Citi raised its WMG price target to $42 from $34 and upgraded the stock to a “buy” rating from “neutral.” As Morningstar explained last week, WMG is a “primary beneficiary of the ongoing growth” in the music industry. At $36.20, WMG shares have gained 17.0% in 2025 and are only slightly below their 52-week high of $36.64 set in February 2024. WMG shares fell 13.4% in 2024.
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At UMG, shares rose 7.1% to 28.89 euros ($30.32), the stock’s highest closing price since May 27, 2024. Morgan Stanley analysts have been making the case that UMG is undervalued given Spotify’s soaring share price and this week raised its UMG price target to 42 euros ($44.07) from 36 euros ($37.78). Recent licensing deals with Spotify and Amazon “increases our confidence that its subscription growth will accelerate” from approximately 5% at the start of 2025 to “closer to 15%” at the beginning of 2026, they wrote in a Monday (Feb. 10) investor note. After falling 4.2% in 2024, UMG shares are up 20.8% in 2025.
WMG and UMG were among the best performers on the 20-company Billboard Global Music Index (BGMI) this week. The BGMI rose 4.6% to a record 2,755.53, bringing its year-to-date gain to 29.7%. Only two stocks lost ground while one was unchanged and 17 posted gains for the week. The index outperformed the Nasdaq composite (up 2.6%), the S&P 500 (up 1.5%), the FTSE 100 (up 0.4%), China’s SSE Composite Index (up 1.3%) and South Korea’s KOSPI composite index (flat versus the previous week).
Live Nation reached an all-time high of $152.94 on Friday (Feb. 14) before closing at $153.76, up 3.7% for the week. Ahead of the concert promoter’s earnings results on Thursday (Feb. 20,) Wolfe Research increased its price target to $175 from $160 and Goldman Sachs raised it to $166 from $148.
Streaming services fared well, too. Spotify rose another 2.4% to $637.73 and reached a new all-time high of $652.63 on Thursday (Feb. 13). Fewer than seven weeks into 2025, Spotify shares have gained 36.7%. Elsewhere on the streaming front, Cloud Music rose 9.1% to 142.20 HKD ($18.01) and Tencent Music Entertainment gained 8.7% to $13.63.
Music streamer LiveOne had the week’s biggest loss after falling 20.5% to $0.93. On Thursday, the company announced that its revenue fell 6% in the fiscal third quarter. LiveOne also lowered revenue and earnings guidance for its full year, causing shares to end the day down 18.6%. The other streaming loser was Abu Dhabi-based Anghami, which fell 2.7% to $0.71.
Satellite radio broadcaster SiriusXM shares rose 6.6% to $27.11, bringing its year-to-date gain to 21.2%. This week, Deutsche Bank raised its price target to $27 from $25.
Most K-pop companies finished the week in positive territory. HYBE shares rose 5.8% and reached their highest mark since July 2023. SM Entertainment, which reported a 9% increase in revenue this week, increased 5.4%. JYP Entertainment improved 4.2% and YG Entertainment fell 1.3%.
Benny Blanco knows that Selena Gomez is a fan of cheesy Valentine’s Day gestures — literally. In celebration of this year’s Day of Love, the producer showed off the unorthodox gift he gave his famous fiancée: a bathtub full of queso. On an Instagram video posted Friday (Feb. 14), Blanco follows a trail of tortilla […]
GloRilla is trying her best to beat the BBL allegations. On Thursday, the Memphis rapper posted a video to her X account taking a break in the gym while wearing a waist-trainer. “Hey, y’all, I’ve been seeing everybody with all the BBL allegations and I wanna come on here and be honest,” she told her […]
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UFC goes back home to “The Entertainment Capital of the World.” Two premiere middleweight fighters are set to go head-to-head in the octagon as the main event for UFC Fight Night. American Jared “The Killa Gorilla” Cannonier (17-8-0) faces off against Brazilian fighter Gregory “Robocop” Rodrigues (16-5-0) on Saturday, Feb. 15.
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UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Rodrigues takes place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, with a start time of 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT. The main card is expected to begin at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
If you want to watch UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Rodrigues online, the MMA event livestreams on ESPN+ for subscribers only.
Not a subscriber? A monthly subscription to ESPN+ goes for $11.99 per month. However, you can go with an ESPN+ annual subscription for $119.99. This saves you 15% compared to the month-to-month subscription price.
Check out the complete UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Rodrigues fight card below:
Main Card, 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT — ESPN+
Jared Cannonier vs. Gregory Rodrigues (Middleweight) — Main Event
Calvin Kattar vs. Youssef Zalal (Featherweight)
Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Dylan Budka (Middleweight)
Ismael Bonfim vs. Nazim Sadykhov (Lightweight)
Rodolfo Vieira vs. Andre Petroski (Middleweight)
Connor Matthews vs. Jose Delgado (Featherweight)
Prelims Card, 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT — ESPN+
Angela Hill vs. Ketlen Souza (Women’s Strawweight)
Jared Gordon vs. Mashrabjon Ruziboev (Lightweight)
Rafael Estevam vs. Jesús Santos Aguilar (Flyweight)
Gabriel Bonfim vs. Khaos Williams (Welterweight)
Vince Morales vs. Elijah Smith (Bantamweight)
Valter Walker vs. Don’Tale Mayes (Heavyweight)
Julia Avila vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti (Women’s Bantamweight)
In addition, you can get the Disney Trio — which comes with ESPN+, Hulu and Disney+ — starting at just $16.99 per month for both services in one package.
What Is Cannonier vs. Rodrigues’ Walkout Music for UFC Fight Night?
While UFC has yet to announce each fighter’s walkout music for the main event of UFC Fight Night, the fighters usually go out to the octagon to the same songs during their matches. Jared Cannonier typically walks out to “TA.TA.RI.GAMI (The Demon God)” by Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi from the film Princess Mononoke, while Gregory Rodrigues prefers to walk out to “This Means War” by Avenged Sevenfold. So these songs will likely make an appearance during the MMA event.
UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Rodrigues is streaming on ESPN+ on Saturday, Feb. 15, starting at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT. The main card begins around at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ESPN+.
Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
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Drake and PartyNextDoor have gifted the world with a collab album just in time for Valentine’s Day, perfectly suited for all the lover boys and girls. The project starts with a nod to their roots in Toronto, paying homage to the iconic CN Tower that towers over the city they both call home.
Right out of the gate, the first three tracks—“CN Tower,” “Moth Balls,” and “Something About You”—set the tone, showcasing smooth vibes and catchy hooks that have listeners vibing from the jump. The album’s depth is undeniable, and just when you think you know the vibe, “Crying in Chanel” hits, leaving you ready to splurge on your baddie. But the standout moment? “Raining In Houston.” Here, Drake steps into full toxic mode, delivering raw lyrics and that signature vibe that fans know and love.
“Meet Your Padre” and “Nokia” take the listeners on an international journey. “Meet Your Padre” brings the heat with Latin-inspired energy, while “Nokia” gives a subtle nod to the sounds of Drake’s Honestly, Nevermind era. The diversity in production and style is a breath of fresh air, showing both artists’ ability to experiment and evolve.
This collab album isn’t just about love; it’s it also gives you some toxic vibes for those not in love. The way both Drake and PartyNextDoor express it in their own signature ways. Perfectly timed for Valentine’s, this album is setting the mood for everyone from the singles to the taken.
Album Ratings:
DJ Misses – 9
Dani – 5.5
Weso – 7
KP – 6.5
Drake & PartyNextDoor have released their joint album ‘$ome $exy $ongs 4 U’ for Valentine’s Day, and he had more to say about his beef with Kendrick Lamar on the album. What do you think of the new album? Let us know in the comments below! Tetris Kelly: Drake is back, and he’s not being […]
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Kanye West has thrown any cares he had left out the window. Ye clapped back at Lyor Cohen after he penned an open letter to him about antisemitism.
The storied music industry mogul did not take kindly to Kanye West’s recent antisemitic rants on X, formerly known as Twitter. On Tuesday, Feb. 11 the former head of Def Jam Records penned him a letter published by The Hollywood Reporter expressing his disappointment and concerns with Ye’s bigotry. “I am deeply disappointed and troubled by your recent actions involving the use of Nazi symbols and antisemitic rhetoric. Your words and actions are not only offensive but triggering to all decent people who recognize the horrors of the Holocaust and the suffering of millions” Cohen writes.
The YouTube Music honcho went on to call out that the two communities have worked together for years in the entertainment field. “The Jewish and Black experiences share a rich history of collaboration and mutual support, particularly in the music industry. From the early days of jazz and blues to the groundbreaking work of Motown and beyond, our communities have enriched each other through music and culture.”
Lyor Cohen closed the letter by pleading with Kanye West to cease his hate speech and promotion of Nazism. I urge you to reflect on this shared legacy and use your platform to build upon the love and understanding that have always existed between our communities.
As expected Kanye West responded to Lyor and didn’t seem to take anything he actully wrote nto consideration.
“You and your whole industry have promoted and got paid off songs where black people glorify killing each other. But my t shirt is the worst thing ever.” Ye wrote. “You start by apologizing and taking accountability for the massive promotion of black death that you’ve got paid off of for years. Also you too broke to speak to me in the first place.”
West closed his retort by referencing the late great Irving “Gotti” Lorenzo. “And you know what Irv said to you before he passed and since he not here, I’ll say it. Suuuuck Myyy D*****k.”
Lyor Cohen has yet to respond to Kanye West.
Concurrent with the release of their new album Automatic today (Feb. 14), The Lumineers notch their eighth No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay chart, as “Same Old Song” rises two places to the top of the tally (dated Feb. 22). The Lumineers slot into a four-way tie with The Black Keys, Death Cab for […]
While talking over the phone from prison with The Art of Dialogue, Death Row co-founder Suge Knight made an interesting revelation involving two late superstars. Apparently, 2Pac was a big fan of Aaliyah — so much so that he not only wanted to make music with her, he also wanted to sign her to Death Row.
Suge explained that the first time the late rapper/actor learned about the young singer was when they went to check out a Gladys Knight show. “We had a thing,” Suge remembered. “I would always listen to oldies, and Pac would listen to rap. He didn’t like oldies, so I told him, ‘I gotta show you what oldies are about.’ So, I took 2Pac to go see Gladys Knight perform in Vegas.”
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He then says that eventually Aaliyah came out to perform and blew 2Pac’s mind. “Aaliyah starts singing and 2Pac said, ‘Don’t get up! Don’t get up!’” Knight recalled. “I said, ‘Why?’ He said, ‘Because Gladys Knight knows you, you’re gonna speak to Gladys Knight, and then you’re gonna talk to that little girl singing. And the next thing you know, you’re gonna be doing an album.’ He said, ‘I’m gonna go talk to her, you come later on, because I want to do an album with Aaliyah.’”
Knight added of 2Pac, “He wasn’t thinking about signing nobody else. He thought she was the biggest star and had the best voice ever. Me and that dude spent hours and hours and days and days together. Me, personally, I never seen him get so excited about no female artist. … He lost his mind over Aaliyah. He talked about her for days and days. I got tired of hearing him talking about that little girl. He said, ‘I got these songs I want do with her. I’m gonna do this song with her.’ … He was super, super, super excited.”
“I always looked up to 2Pac because he was such a real brother,” Knight continued. “I don’t know how long it’s going to take me to get over his death, but I do know his music will live on forever. All of us have suffered a major loss, including those who tried to destroy his name, reputation and spirit when he was alive.”
A day after 2Pac’s fatal shooting in 1996 at age 25, Aaliyah told MTV News, “I was very saddened, truthfully, at the tragic and senseless loss of such a multi-talented young man.” Aaliyah also passed away tragically early, dying in a plane crash in 2001 at age 22.
Check out Knight’s new interview below.
Demi Lovato celebrated another Valentine’s Day with their fiancé Jutes on Friday (Feb. 14), taking to social media to share a carousel of gorgeous photos from a shoot the duo took part in recently.
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In the Old Hollywood-style snaps, Lovato is seen in a white dress and headscarf, complete with matching white sunglasses, loose 1950’s wavy hair and a red lip. Jutes, meanwhile, rocks a sleek black suit and sunglasses, as the couple poses in a vintage convertible car. “Jordan, I cannot WAIT to marry you!!” Lovato captioned the post. “The past 3 years have been the best 3 years of my life and I have you to thank for that. I’m obsessed with your heart, your love and your light. I can’t wait to grow old with you and start a family together. Happy Valentine’s Day to the love of my life. I love you honey!!!”
See the Instagram photos here.
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Jutes, meanwhile, posted photos from the same shoot on his Instagram page, writing in the swoon-worthy caption, “happy valentine’s day to the love of my life. words will never do you justice, and I’ll never stop feeling like the luckiest guy alive. there’s no better feeling than being loved by you. I adore you baby and I can’t wait to marry you.”
The couple first made their relationship Instagram official in August 2022, and the next year, Jutes popped the question, on Dec. 16, 2023. The following day, Lovato showed off her engagement ring on Instagram and wrote, “I’m still speechless … My love, I’m beyond excited to marry you.. every day I’ve spent with you has been a dream come true and I can’t wait to love and cherish you forever. Here’s to the rest of our lives. I love you baby.”
The duo have also worked together on music. Jutes helped Lovato write multiple songs on their most recent album, Holy Fvck, including second single “Substance,” “Happy Ending” and “City of Angels”; the LP reached No. 7 on the Billboard 200.