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Brace yourself for another jump in your monthly bills: Spotify is expected to raise its subscription prices in the U.S. early next year. According to multiple equity analysts, the streaming company is likely to implement a price hike by the first quarter of 2026, continuing a trend that’s changed what consumers pay to stream music and vastly improved the company’s bottom line.
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In a Tuesday (Oct. 21) investor note, Morgan Stanley analysts pointed to Spotify’s price increases in Australia in September as “the beginning of a pricing cycle in ’26” and a move that “creates a template” for pricing in other markets in which Spotify bundles music and audiobooks. The price increase in Australia amounted to 14% for individual plans and 17% for multi-person family plans.
Likewise, analysts at J.P. Morgan expect a U.S. price increase will come “by year end or early 2026,” they wrote in an Oct. 14 note. The analysts estimated that recent price increases — which included Germany, Austria and Lichtenstein — represent just 25% to 30% of subscription revenue and could account for incremental annual revenue of 380 million euros ($441 million). A U.S. price increase would be even more impactful, they added, driving 425 million ($493 million) of annual incremental revenue.
Guggenheim expects a U.S. price increase to be announced by the end of the year, with the financial impact hitting Spotify’s income statement in early 2026, analysts wrote in an Aug. 18 note to investors. The analysts believe that the latest round of licensing agreements with record labels “included pending increases in per-subscriber minimum fees,” which would lead to higher prices paid by subscribers.
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In the U.S., a Spotify individual plan was raised to $11.99 per month in July 2024. The price had gone unchanged since launching in the U.S. in 2011 until Spotify bumped the price to $10.99 in July 2023. The family plan increased from $15.99 to $16.99 in 2023 and further rose to $19.99 in 2024.
Spotify executives have not explicitly said they intend to further raise prices in the coming months. Instead, management frequently talks about the company’s efforts to make Spotify a more valuable experience, which gives it the ability to raise prices without losing subscriptions. This “value-to-price” ratio has become a key metric that helps guide Spotify. As co-president Alex Norström explained during a May 1 earnings call, the company “takes steps to balance the value-to-price ratio,” adding value and then adjusting the price “when it makes sense for the market.”
Raising prices has been instrumental in helping Spotify become a more profitable company. Looking ahead, Morgan Stanley analysts believe Spotify is likely to achieve 14% to 15% compound annual revenue growth through 2028. Analysts Benjamin Swinburne and Cameron Mansson-Perrone “see significant margin potential still ahead as the company follows product enhancements with price increases and diversifies into higher margin products” in its subscription segment. Put another way, the analysts see room for Spotify’s financials to improve as it raises prices and adds additional products such as a “superfan” tier on top of the standard subscription price.
Guggenheim has a $850 price target, suggesting 19% upside from Tuesday’s $689.21 closing price. Morgan Stanley has an $800 price target while J.P. Morgan is slightly more bullish, forecasting a price target of $805.
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The Cult have announced that they will be taking a hiatus following the conclusion of their current North American tour.
In a statement shared with Billboard by frontman Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy, the band announced that they’d be taking a long break from touring to focus on other creative endeavors.
“Mother Nature has a cycle of change and evolution that is inevitable,” the statement began. “The moon’s phases change, tides rise and fall. Change is necessary for creation and rebirth. It is with this in mind that, following the remaining dates on our current North American The Cult/Death Cult 8525 Tour, we have decided to step away from touring for an undetermined amount of time. We have toured extensively over the last few years and we shall now shift our focus to writing, recording new music, and exploring other projects that shall be revealed over time. It is a time for us to turn inward to recharge our spiritual batteries.”
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The Cult went on to add that they have five more shows left in their tour, and that they look forward to celebrating them with their fans.
“When we return to the stage, it shall be with an even stronger fire and energy that we will share with all of you. Ours is a communal bond, and it will not be broken, simply paused. Until then, we have five remaining shows on this current tour, culminating at The Shrine in Los Angeles on Oct 30. Please join us for what has been an incredible celebration of 40 years of The Cult and Death Cult.”
Additionally, Astbury and Duffy shared their own individual comments at the end of the statement.
“It’s been a beautiful three years celebrating our music with The Cult family around the world. Now it’s time to go home and spend time with our own families, and create some new music,” Billy wrote.
Meanwhile, Ian added, “My deepest gratitude to all who attended and immersed themselves in our world. I am deeply grateful to be connected to our Cult family as we ready ourselves for our final five shows for some time, and we take the opportunity to dive deeper into our next creative adventures. More shall be revealed. Blessings to you all.”
Founded in 1983 under the name Death Cult, the British group shortened their name to The Cult in January 1984. The British rock group have dropped 11 studio albums, with their most recent, Under the Midnight Sun, arriving back in 2022.
Read the full statement on their Instagram below.
Trending on Billboard Jason Aldean’s first career retrospective, 30 Number One Hits, debuts at No. 4 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart (dated Oct. 25). It also starts at No. 21 on the all-genre Billboard 200 with 22,000 equivalent album units in the United States in the week ending Oct. 16, according to Luminate. The […]
Trending on Billboard The Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, long recognized as one of the world’s top music institutions, proudly joined this year’s Billboard Latin Music Week as an official sponsor. Explore See latest videos, charts and news For nearly a century, the Frost School has played a pivotal role in […]
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The Contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week, for the upcoming Billboard Hot 100 dated Nov. 1, we look at some new blood that might freshen up the chart’s top 10 in the coming weeks.
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Olivia Dean, “Man I Need” (Capitol/Polydor/Republic): If there’s one rising pop star actually making a noteworthy impact in this period of total Taylor Swift dominance, it’s Olivia Dean. The U.K. throwback singer-songwriter has been gradually entrancing bigger audiences on both sides of the pond for all of 2025, and it’s resulted in her new album The Art of Loving not only debuting atop the U.K. Official Albums Chart and in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 — but climbing one spot on the latter chart in each of the two weeks since its bow, as multiple songs from it continue to grow on streaming.
The biggest of those breakout songs is easily the jubilant advance single “Man I Need,” which first crossed over to the Hot 100 in August. “Man” bounded its way up to No. 12 on the chart earlier this October, before getting buried (like the rest of the chart) under Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl avalanche, falling to No. 20. This week, it begins its rebound, climbing back to No. 17.
It should have even more room to grow soon. Not only will some of the Showgirl songs start to slip out of the top 15, but there are additional openings in the chart’s top tier now thanks to recent Billboard rule changes allowing for songs to go recurrent on the Hot 100 quicker than they used to — with such long-running chart smashes as Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control,” Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile” and Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” falling off the chart this week as a result.
With those hits out of the way, and Swift’s songs losing momentum in their third week of release, it could be a clear path for “Man I Need” to become Dean’s first Hot 100 top 10 hit in the next week or two. Also helping: Radio has begun to embrace the song, as it debuts at No. 40 on Radio Songs this week, and rose 30% in airplay audience over the first four days of the current tracking week (Oct. 17-20), compared to the previous period, according to Luminate.
Leon Thomas, “Mutt” (EZMNY/Motown/Interscope Capitol): “Mutt” has been sniffing around the top 10 of the Hot 100 for months now, peaking as high as No. 11 on the chart before also falling prey to the swarm of Swift debuts. Thomas‘ breakout hit is steady at No. 18 this week, and may be due for a rebound in the weeks to come with space likely opening up above it.
And despite a radio presence that has already been gaining momentum for most of 2025 — the single was technically a summer 2024 release — the song is still growing this late into the year. It reaches a new No. 3 peak on Radio Songs this week, with 59.2 million in all-format radio audience, and climbs 9-7 on Pop Airplay. If it just stays the course for another week or two, “Mutt” may finally have its day inside the top 10.
Kelahni, “Folded” (Atlantic): A long-overdue pop win for acclaimed R&B singer-songwriter Kehlani came this summer with her viral “Folded,” which gradually slithered its way into the Hot 100’s top 20. It’s receded to No. 21 since peaking at No. 18, but radio is really starting to try it on — the song rises to No. 13 on Radio Songs this week, while it holds in the top five on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and even bubbles under Pop Airplay — and its streaming remains very strong.
Tame Impala, “Dracula” (Columbia): For the last decade, we’d only be talking about Kevin Parker’s Hot 100 presence in the context of his writing and production work for pop A-listers like Lady Gaga, Travis Scott and Dua Lipa. That changes this month with the breakout of his outfit Tame Impala’s dancefloor-ready single “Dracula,” which debuted at No. 55 on the Hot 100 two weeks ago and sits at No. 59 this week.
The song should make a particular surge on next week’s Hot 100, thanks to the debut of “Dracula” parent album Deadbeat — the added streams and momentum from which have even vaulted the song into the top 10 on Spotify’s still Showgirl-littered Daily Top Songs USA chart. From there, it might just be a question of how much radio joins the party — and early signs are encouraging on that front, as the song is up 28% in all-format reach over the first four days of the current tracking week.
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Yes, baby, Madison Beer has announced the release date for her upcoming album, Locket, which will arrive in January 2026.
Beer made the news official via Instagram on Wednesday (Oct. 22), while also revealing the project’s cover art, which finds the pop star holding a golden heart-shaped locket.
Locket is slated to be released on Jan. 16 via Epic Records, and Beer shared that she’s never been “so proud” or “excited” about a project in her career.
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“Locket , my new album , will be yours 1.16 you can preorder it now – link is in my bio (♡ ˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈ ) !!!!!!!! i really can’t believe i am saying this,” she captioned her post. “This album means the world to me, i’ve never been so proud or excited about something n i am soooooo beyond excited for you to listen :’)) this project is my world locket 1.16 !!!”
The artist also said in a press release, “After writing the album, it feels like each song lives within this metaphorical locket for safekeeping. Each album feels like an era and once the albums are out in the world the chapter for me, usually with what I wrote about, is closed.”
The 26-year-old set the table for the album with a trio of singles: “Yes Baby,” “Bittersweet” and “Make You Mine.”
Beer released a self-directed visual for the airy “Bittersweet” on Monday (Oct. 20), which finds her evading paparazzi and arguing with The Summer I Turned Pretty star Sean Kaufman.
“I think the album has such duality — there are songs that are upbeat but still emotional,” she told Vogue of Locket in an interview also published Oct. 22. “It’s a real roller coaster.”
It’s been a fun month for Beer. She made her Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show debut Oct. 15 in Brooklyn, where she sported wings and performed tracks such as the aforementioned “Bittersweet” and “Make You Mine” during the show.
Beer’s last album, Silence Between Songs, arrived in September 2023 and reached No. 86 on the Billboard 200. The dreamy pop project was also nominated for best immersive audio album at the Grammy Awards.
Find the Locket cover art below.
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The NFL is standing by Bad Bunny as next year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show headliner, regardless of the controversy surrounding the decision.
While speaking to press on Tuesday (Oct. 21), the league’s commissioner, Roger Goodell dismissed questions about whether the NFL would reconsider the selection of Benito to perform at the big game in February. “He’s one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world,” he said, according to CBS Sports. “That’s what we try to achieve.”
“It’s an important stage for us,” Goodell continued. “It’s an important element to the entertainment value. It’s carefully thought through.”
He also pointed out: “I don’t think we’re ever selected an artist without some blowback or criticism.”
The commissioner’s comments come amid backlash from certain people — primarily MAGA conservatives — who have taken issue with the choice of a Spanish-speaking musician to perform at halftime. President Donald Trump called it “absolutely ridiculous,” while White House advisor Corey Lewandowski said, “It’s so shameful they’ve decided to pick somebody who seems to hate America so much to represent them at the Halftime Show.”
The chart-topping singer-rapper — who is from Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States — has never indicated that he hates America. He has, however, expressed his hesitance to tour in the U.S. due to concerns that ICE might target his audiences, a fear that Lewandowski further stoked by adding in an October interview that immigration enforcement agents would be present at the Super Bowl.
“There is nowhere you can provide safe haven to people who are in this country illegally,” the advisor said at the time. “Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else. We will find you and apprehend you and put you in a detention facility and deport you.”
Turning Point USA, an ultraconservative youth organization founded by the late Charlie Kirk, also announced its intention to host an alternate halftime show out of protest.
But while there is a loud and vocal group speaking out against Bad Bunny’s appointment as 2026 halftime headliner, countless others — from Shaboozey to Jennifer Lopez — have shared how excited they are for Benito’s performance. Shakira also recently said, “It’s the perfect moment for a performance like this.”
She added in an interview with Variety, “I’m so proud that Bad Bunny, who represents not only Latin culture, but also how important Spanish language music has become on a global scale and how universal it has become, is getting to perform on the biggest stage in the world.”
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Selena Y Los Dinos is Netflix’s upcoming documentary on the legacy of the Tejano star, but it’s also the band — fronted by the icon Selena — that revolutionized Latin music and one of the first global acts. At Latin Music Week 2025, fans and conference attendees not only got to see exclusive clips from the film, slated to premiere Nov. 17, but heard directly from Suzette Quintanilla and the documentary’s director Isabel Castro.
Moderated by Billboard‘s Jessica Roiz, the Selena Y Los Dinos panel on Wednesday (Oct. 22) broke down the significance of this new documentary, the band’s legacy and the family values that fueled the global act.
The new Netflix documentary first premiered in the Sundance Film Festival, capturing Selena Y Los Dinos’ rise to stardom. Throughout Selena’s music career, seven of her studio albums hit No. 1 on Top Latin Albums, including Amor Prohibido (1994), which reigned for 20 weeks, and Dreaming of You (released posthumously in 1995), which topped the chart for 44 weeks. The latter set also made history as the first bilingual album to debut at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200. In 1993, Selena won a Grammy for the best Mexican American album for Selena Live!, becoming the first female Tejano artist to win that award.
Below, five takeaways from the Selena Y Los Dinos panel at Latin Music Week:
Approaching Isabel Castro for the Project
Suzette Quintanilla: “Four or five years ago, I wanted to create this documentary to tell our family story, directly from our family to the world, and find somebody that could do this. I did a Zoom with Isabel and I instantly knew she was going to be the person to be able to tell the story for us. She’s an amazing person, she’s Latina and I’m glad she’s leading this for us.”
Why Castro Said Yes to Directing
Isabel Castro: “I’m Mexican, I came to the U.S. and to me, Selena was really the person that taught me to be proud about having a bicultural community. I found solace in her and the family’s music. It made me understand myself. When they reached out I was like, ‘Everyone stop everything, hold the phones.’ It was obvious this was important to me. It’s been an honor of a lifetime.”
Have you played Billboard’s Latin Music Week Crossword?Play now!
The Process
Castro: “The family has a vault and when I opened that door and the light came through. It’s like a medium-sized storage unit, packed from floor to ceiling of bookcases with thousands of VHS tapes, flash drives. The beginning of that process was interesting because we were so honored but it felt like a huge sense of responsibility. We reviewed it all and once we digitized it, then came the editing process and it was important that the archive told the story. All of the footage is valuable, but the material that moved me the most was the material that was shot behind the scenes that was mostly shot by Suzette. What’s in the film is as much as we could include.”
How This Will Be Different From Other Selena Films
Castro: “We had conversations about this, both I and Suzette, and the family wanted this to feel like the most authentic version of [the family’s] story and wanted it to be told by the them. We also wanted it to be told through the archive.”
Quintanilla: “The [1997] movie was sprinkled with Hollywood glitter, but this documentary is the opposite of that. This is our family, Chris, my mom, my father, A.B., myself, bandmates, telling the world our story: We started from that and created this. A lot of people want to separate Selena from our band, but other elements that made her were our band and family.”
What Fans Will Take Away From Selena Y Los Dinos
Quintanilla: “I want them to feel the energy and what we were all about. People have a perception, and they’re entitled to their opinion, and how my father was. We are a normal family that started a band and became global. Selena is not here, but we are celebrating what we did and created so many years ago. And this documentary reflects the power of who we are as Latinos, this is a global launch in 190 countries and 32 plus languages. I’m very proud of that.”
Spanning more than 30 years, Latin Music Week is the single-most important and largest gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. This year’s event once again hosts panels, marquee conversations, roundtables, networking and activations, in addition to its celebrated Billboard En Vivo showcases.
This year’s star-studded lineup includes Aitana, Alofoke, Anuel AA, Bebeshito, Carlos Vives, Carín León, Danny Ocean, DJ Khaled, Daddy Yankee (DY), Emilia Mernes, Ivy Queen, Gloria Estefan, Grupo 5, Kapo, Laura Pausini, Luck Ra, Netón Vega, Olga Tañón, Óscar Maydon, Ozuna, Pablo Alborán, Rawayana, Suzette Quintanilla, Tokischa, Xavi and Yailin La Más Viral, to name a few.
Latin Music Week also coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to air Thursday, Oct. 23, on Telemundo and Peacock, where Bad Bunny will be honored as Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century.
DOTEMU / Tribute Games / Marvel Cosmic Invasion
Marvel Cosmic Invasion has been teasing new characters for months, but it never had a release date, until now.
MCI is HIGH on our list regarding games we can’t wait to play, especially after getting hands-on with the beat ’em up at Summer Game Fest.
Developer Tribute Games and publisher DOTEMU have been teasing the hell out of us, dropping numerous trailers, teasing the game’s expansive roster of heroes to choose from to save the Earth and universe from Annihilus and the other Marvel villains joining him on a quest for domination.
Today, Tribute Games dropped another trailer —a teaser — two more heroes we can play with — and also the information many, especially Kinda Funny’s Greg Miller, have been screaming for: a blasted release date.
The Invincible Iron Man & Phoenix Join The Roster
First things first, joining the team of heroes will be Iron Man, voiced by Josh Keaton, who famously was Spider-Man in The Spectacular Spider-Man animated series, and Phoenix (Jean Grey), voiced by Jennifer Hale, the actual voice of the character from the X-Men 97 Marvel Animation series on Disney+.
Per DOTEMU:
Bring the pain right to Annihilus’ doorstep with the X-Man formerly known as Marvel Girl as she uses her massive telekinetic powers to crush the insectoid invaders. Or tag Phoenix out to slip into the steel, er, iron-toed boots of Tony Stark as Invincible Iron Man, beating back Annihilus’ baneful bugs with your mighty repulsor blasts or by powering up the iconic Iron Cannon.
Now to the vital news: Marvel Cosmic Invasion will arrive this year, officially launching on Dec. 1, right on time for the holiday season.
Consider us officially hyped!
You can see more screenshots from the game below.
Source: DOTEMU / Tribute Games
Source: DOTEMU / Tribute Games / Marvel Cosmic Invasion
Source: DOTEMU / Tribute Games / Marvel Cosmic Invasion
Source: DOTEMU / Tribute Games / Marvel Cosmic Invasion
Source: DOTEMU / Tribute Games / Marvel Cosmic Invasion
Source: DOTEMU / Tribute Games
Source: DOTEMU / Tribute Games / Marvel Cosmic Invasion
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It’s easy to see why Celia Cruz was dubbed the Queen of Salsa.
The trailblazing Cuban singer would have been 100 on Oct. 21. She’s been dubbed the most popular Latin artist of the 20th century. Cruz’s career spanned half a century, no small feat in the ever-changing music industry. Over her long-spanning career, the “Te Busco” singer sold more than 30 million records, making her one of the bestselling Latin artists. In honor of what would be Cruz’s 100 birthday, Amazon launched a line of exclusive centennial merch.
Amazon Exclusive Celia Cruz Centennial Logo T-Shirt
A Celia Cruz logo t-shirt.
The line of merch includes unisex apparel, from T-shirts to crewneck sweaters, along with accessories such as totes and baseball caps. There are also a few home accessories including tumblers and even throw pillows, all affixed with a special centennial logo with Cruz at the center. If you or a loved one are a big fan of the Latin artist, this is a must-have collection. Your purchase is a great way to show your respect for the star and her legacy.
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Amazon Exclusive Celia Cruz Centennial Logo Stainless Steel Insulated Tumbler
A stainless steel insulated tumbler with Celia Cruz on it.
Amazon Exclusive Celia Cruz Centennial Logo Raglan Baseball Tee
A Celia Cruz long sleeve tee.
Some of our favorite pieces include the exclusive tee for $19.99, a versatile basic that comes in 15 shades. Sizing is available for men, women, youth and girls. There are also sizes for big and tall men and plus-size women. Like a majority of the products featured in this collection, the tee is made of 100% cotton, a breathable finish that is great for layering. The long sleeve is equally versatile, coming in at $24.99. The long sleeve comes in six variations for both men and women, with sizes ranging from small to XXL. The body of the shirt is white with color-blocked sleeves.
The centennial adjustable baseball hat is another staple. The cap retails for $19.99 and is both practical and fashionable, equipped with the 100-year anniversary logo printed on the front. The hat comes in seven different hues.
Amazon Exclusive Celia Cruz Centennial Logo Adjustable Printed Baseball Hat, White
A white Celia Cruz baseball cap.
Amazon Exclusive Celia Cruz Centennial Logo Sweatshirt
A Celia Cruz crewneck.
Cruz was best known for popularizing salsa music globally with help from her distinctive and powerful vocals that were deep and soulful but almost operatic. Before her death in July 2003, Cruz was inducted into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame in 1994, when she was 71. Even after her passing, Cruz’s impact was tangible. In 2004, the star’s posthumous album Regalo del Alma was awarded at the Premios Lo Nuestro, a Spanish-language award show, for best salsa release of the year.
