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Trending on Billboard The Latin Recording Academy hosted its 2025 Best New Artist Showcase on Tuesday night (Nov. 11), giving the spotlight to 10 promising acts in Latin music. Held at the Mandalay Convention Center, the intimate concert kicked off at 9:30 p.m. with a heartfelt performance by Aitana, who also hosted the event. Presenters […]
Trending on Billboard Nicki Nicole talks about the surprising success of her album NAIKI, nominated for both a Grammy and a Latin Grammy, her gratitude towards Billboard for supporting her when she was a rising star, how she managed to rap with an orchestra, and how Rosalía’s new album is inspiring her today. Nicki Nicole: […]
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Glitz and glam took over the Mandalay Convention Center in Las Vegas on Wednesday (Nov. 12), where industry leaders and Latin music stars alike gathered for a night of celebration at The Latin Recording Academy’s 2025 Person of the Year gala honoring Raphael.
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“We are celebrating a living legend of Latin music,” Manuel Abud, CEO of The Latin Recording Academy, said to attendees before inviting the 82-year-old Spanish singer-songwriter to the stage. “Let’s welcome an iconic artist who is undoubtedly a legend in Spanish-language music. He created a personal style that has transcended generations and borders. Today, we will be telling your story through your music. We’ve invited friends and colleagues, but also artists from the new generation who recognize your career.”
The invite-only gala that finished around midnight included a three-course dinner, a two-hour long tribute to Raphael, and a five-minute video that showcased Raphael’s more than 65 years in music: “I see colleagues of mine retiring. I’m not going to retire,” he said in one of the clips. “I still have many countries to visit, and as long as my voice holds up, I’ll be singing.”
At 9:30 p.m., Enrique Bunbury opened the show with a soft rock version of Raphael’s 1966 classic “Yo Soy Aquel.” He was then joined by Carin León for some jaw-dropping harmonies during a performance of “Ahora.” León then stayed to perform 1988’s “Toco Madera.” Later in the evening, Fito Paez and Rozalen performed “Enséñame a Olvidarte”; Rozalen brought out Susana Baca for a “Chabacano, Limeña” duet; and Pepe Aguilar was joined by Myriam Hernandez for a sweet rendition of “Procuro Olvidarte.”
Cafe Quijano, Gaby Moreno, Elena Rose, Ivan Cornejo, Jesse & Joy, Pablo Lopez, Aitana, Kiki Morente, Angeles Toledano, Vanessa Martín, Kany Garcia, and Carlos Rivera, were among the many artists who also honored El Divo de Linares with their captivating vocals. “I would clone you,” García told him. “You are a magical human being. Long live Raphael, this is your night!”
The highlight of the night, however, was when David Bisbal performed the timeless 1980s ballad “Como Yo Te Amo.” At one point in the powerful performance, Bisbal walked off stage and sat across Raphael at the dinner table, where he was joined by his loved ones. Bisbal passionately sang to him as a teary-eyed Raphael smiled and sang along.
“The truth is, Raphael, we’re friends, and thank you for leaving a legacy of discipline, effort, and sacrifice… I don’t know how many times you sang while sick,” Bisbal said to him. “That’s the legacy you’ve left for all artists. You can count on me to always carry your word. I promise you.”
The evening wrapped up with the rhythmic 1992 tune “Escándalo” performed by tropical stars Willy Chirino (who composed the song for Raphael’s Ave Fénix album), Eddy Herrera, and Victor Manuelle.
Raphael — who was diagnosed last year with primary brain lymphoma — then briefly took the stage to remind his family, friends, and colleagues in the room: “I hope to return for many more years.”
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Songscription, a startup that uses AI to turn recorded music into musical notation, has raised $5 million in a round led by previous investor Reach Capital. Additional backers in the round include Emerge Capital, 10x Founders, Dent Capital, and guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, an advisor to the company whose résumé includes an eight-year stint with Guns N’ Roses.
The San Francisco-based company’s technology can turn a recording into sheet music, tablature or interactive piano roll. The cloud-based platform accepts multiple audio formats such as MP3, WAV, MP4, MIDI files and YouTube links. After using AI to analyze the audio, Songscription can output printable sheet music or MIDI, MusicXML or Guitar Pro file formats. Users can also download and edit their transcriptions directly within the Songscription platform. The company claims to have drawn over 150,000 users from over 150 countries.
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The funding will be used to expand Songscription’s available instruments and notation outputs, among other needs. The platform currently supports piano, violin, flute, guitar, bass guitar and trumpet. Ultimately, the company says it wants to become a necessary composition tool that captures performances and renders the music as notation and MIDI to enable easy recreation.
Thal predicts that Songscription “will change musicians’ lives” by providing time-saving assistance to both music teachers and players. “Even us professionals can use it to save hours of time trying to recall what we played on albums we recorded years ago,” he said in a statement. “It’s a real game changer.”
While some AI companies are engaged in legal battles with music rights holders, Songscription intends to be a friend, not foe, of the music industry. “For Songscription, ethics are top of mind, and we are working closely to sign deals with more industry players, including major publishers, to ensure their service honors all stakeholders,” advisor Elizabeth Moody, a partner at Granderson Des Rochers, said in a statement.
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To train its model, Songscription has used material from the public domain and partnerships with artists and businesses. CEO Andrew Carlins told Billboard that Songscription’s need for licensing deals “is still a gray area…but because empowering artists is core to our mission, we have decided to proactively approach the publishers to sign deals that will include rights for both the input and output regardless of where the legal line is drawn,” he said.
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When the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences reveals its Academy Award shortlists in 10 categories on Dec. 16, it will constitute an early holiday present for the creators of 15 original songs and 20 original scores. Another round of voting will follow, preceding the nominations announcement on Jan. 22, 2026. A final round of voting will then occur before the 98th annual Oscars telecast on March 15.
Three top contenders for best original song — “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters, “Lose My Mind” from F1: The Movie and “Dying To Live” from Billy Idol Should Be Dead — are each the work of five co-writers. The academy will award no more than four Oscars in this category. Should any of those songs win, the songwriters must share a single statuette.
Best Original Song
“Dream As One”Miley Cyrus, Andrew Wyatt, Mark Ronson, Simon FranglenAvatar: Fire and Ash, 20th Century Studios
Wyatt and Ronson won in this category in 2019 for co-writing “Shallow” from A Star Is Born with Lady Gaga and Anthony Rossomando. They received a second nod in 2024 for “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie. Cyrus and Wyatt teamed with Lykke Li last year to write “Beautiful That Way” from The Last Showgirl. It wasn’t nominated (or shortlisted), but it generated some buzz. Franglen also scored the film.
“Dying To Live”Billy Idol, J. Ralph, Steve Stevens, Tommy English, Joe JaniakBilly Idol Should Be Dead, Live Nation Productions
This would be Ralph’s fourth nomination in this category and the first for the other songwriters. Idol has received three Grammy nods, including one for “Cradle of Love” from the 1990 film The Adventures of Ford Fairlane. Billy Idol Should Be Dead was directed by Jonas Åkerlund, who has helmed concert and documentary films by such A-listers as Madonna, Paul McCartney, Beyoncé & Jay-Z and Taylor Swift.
“Salt Then Sour Then Sweet”Sara Bareilles, Brandi Carlile, Andrea GibsonCome See Me in the Good Light, Apple Original Films
Gibson, who died of ovarian cancer in July, would be the first person to be posthumously nominated in this category since Howard Ashman, who received four nods (including one win) in the two years following his 1991 death. Bareilles and Carlile executive-produced the documentary about Gibson and her wife dealing with Gibson’s illness. Carlile was nominated in this category at the 2025 ceremony for co-writing “Never Too Late” from Elton John: Never Too Late.
“Just Keep Watching”Tate McRae, Tyler Spry, Ryan Tedder, Amy AllenF1: The Movie, Apple Original Films
This year, McRae landed her first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 and her first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. Could she earn her first Oscar nomination in early 2026? Allen is the reigning Grammy winner for songwriter of the year, non-classical. Tedder has three album of the year Grammys for his work with Adele and Taylor Swift. Spry is known for his credits with artists such as OneRepublic and McRae.
“Lose My Mind”Grant Boutin, Ryan Tedder, Amala Zandile Dlamini, Caleb Toliver, Hans ZimmerF1: The Movie, Apple Original Films
Although it’s rare for two songs from one film to be nominated, Emilia Pérez achieved the feat at the 2025 ceremony. F1: The Movie, Sinners and Wicked: For Good are among the films hoping to do the same early next year. If “Lose My Mind” is nominated, it will mark Zimmer’s first nod in this category. He has received 12 nominations (and won twice) in scoring categories.
“Highest 2 Lowest”Aiyana-Lee Anderson, Nicole Daciana AndersonHighest 2 Lowest, A24
Highest 2 Lowest, directed by Spike Lee, is an English-language remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 Japanese film, High and Low. The movie stars Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, A$AP Rocky, LaChanze, Princess Nokia and Ice Spice (in her film debut). Aiyana-Lee Anderson, the niece of David Ruffin of The Temptations, co-wrote the titular track with her mother, Nicole Daciana Anderson. This would be the first song from a Lee film to be nominated.
“Golden”EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, IDO, 24, TeddyKPop Demon Hunters, Netflix
“Golden,” which topped the Hot 100 for eight weeks, would be the first No. 1 since Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” from Trolls in 2017 to rule the chart and then land an Oscar nod. (“Shallow” from A Star Is Born hit No. 1 only after its Oscar win.) EJAE, IDO, 24 and Teddy would be the first South Korean-born songwriters to be nominated since Karen O, who was cited in 2014 for co-writing “The Moon Song” from Her.
“Dear Me”Diane WarrenRelentless, Greenwich Entertainment
Earlier this year, Warren tied Sammy Cahn’s record of earning a best original song nomination for eight consecutive years. If she is nominated again in 2026, she’ll stand alone. It would be her 17th nomination in the category, a total surpassed only by Cahn (26) and Johnny Mercer (18). Moreover, it would be her 13th nod as a solitary songwriter, tying Randy Newman for the most solo-written nominated songs.
“I Lied to You”Raphael Saadiq, Ludwig GöranssonSinners, Warner Bros. Pictures
Ryan Coogler produced, wrote and directed Sinners, which was No. 1 at the box office for two weeks in April. The last two films that Coogler wrote and directed — Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — both spawned best original song nominees. Saadiq and Göransson are past nominees in this category: Saadiq in 2018 for co-writing “Mighty River” from Mudbound and Göransson in 2023 for co-writing “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
“Last Time (I Seen the Sun)”Alice Smith, Miles CatonSinners, Warner Bros. Pictures
Caton, who turned 20 in March, would be the youngest nominee for best original song since Billie Eilish, who was just six weeks past her 20th birthday in 2022 when she was nominated for co-writing the title song to No Time To Die (which won). In addition to co-writing the song, Caton co-stars in the film. Smith was a Grammy nominee for best urban/alternative performance in 2008 for “Dream.”
“Train Dreams”Nick Cave, Bryce DessnerTrain Dreams, Netflix
Cave is vying to become the third songwriter from Australia to be nominated in this category, following John Farrar (for writing “Hopelessly Devoted to You” from Grease) and Peter Allen (for co-writing “Arthur’s Theme [Best That You Can Do]” from Arthur, which won). Dessner has won two Grammys. Train Dreams stars Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones and William H. Macy.
“As Alive as You Need Me To Be”Nine Inch NailsTron: Ares, Disney
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are submitting this as Nine Inch Nails rather than under their individual names. If the academy keeps it that way, it would be the first nominee in this category to be listed under their group billing. Reznor and Ross have received three Oscar nods for their scores, but this would be their first for a song. Jared Leto stars in Tron: Ares, the third installment in the Tron franchise.
“The Girl in the Bubble”Stephen SchwartzWicked: For Good, Universal
Schwartz has received five nominations in this category, winning the first two times for “Colors of the Wind” from Pocahontas and “When You Believe” from The Prince of Egypt. He was subsequently nominated for co-writing three songs from Enchanted. Wicked: For Good is the sequel to Wicked, which received 10 nominations earlier this year, but none in this category since it didn’t include any new songs.
“No Place Like Home”Stephen SchwartzWicked: For Good, Universal
If both of Schwartz’s songs are nominated, he’ll become the first individual songwriter with two songs in the running since Randy Newman accomplished the feat 16 years ago with The Princess and the Frog. Wicked: For Good adapts the second act of the 2003 stage musical by Schwartz and Winnie Holzman. Jon M. Chu directed both this film and its megahit predecessor.
“Zoo”Blake Slatkin, Ed Sheeran, ShakiraZootopia 2, Disney
Colombian superstar Shakira is vying to become the first songwriter born in Latin America to be nominated in this category since Brazilians Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown were nominated in 2012 for a song from Rio. Sheeran is a four-time Grammy nominee for song of the year, winning for “Thinking Out Loud.” Slatkin was nominated in that category for co-writing Lizzo’s “About Damn Time.”
Best Original Score
Avatar: Fire and Ash (20th Century Studios)Simon Franglen
This is the third installment in the Avatar franchise. James Horner’s score for the original film was nominated in this category in 2010. Horner was set to score the sequel, 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water, before he died in a 2015 turboprop plane crash. Franglen subsequently got the assignment for that film, though his work wasn’t nominated. This would be Franglen’s first Oscar nod.
Bugonia (Focus Features)Jerskin Fendrix
Fendrix was nominated in 2024 in this category for scoring director Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things. Fendrix also scored Lanthimos’ follow-up, Kinds of Kindness, though that film didn’t receive any Oscar nods. The composer and director are back for a third go-round. Bugonia stars Emma Stone, who won the Oscar for best actress with Poor Things and also starred in Kinds of Kindness.
Captain America: Brave New World (Marvel/Disney)Laura Karpman
Karpman was nominated in this category two years ago for scoring American Fiction. If she’s nominated again, she’ll join a short list of women who have received two or more nods in scoring categories, following Rachel Portman and Angela Morley. (Hildur Guðnadóttir is also hoping to make that list with Hedda.) This is the fourth installment in the Captain America franchise. Alan Silvestri scored the first; Henry Jackman handled the second and third.
Fantastic Four: First Steps (Marvel/Disney)Michael Giacchino
Giacchino was nominated in this category for Ratatouille in 2008 and won for Up in 2010. Fantastic Four: First Steps, the 37th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, features an ensemble cast including Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn.
F1: The Movie (Apple Original Films)Hans Zimmer
Zimmer has received 12 nominations in this category, landing at least one in each of the last five decades and winning for The Lion King and Dune. He’s third on the list of living composers with the most score nominations, trailing only John Williams (who has amassed an astounding 49 in score categories) and Thomas Newman (14). F1: The Movie became the top-grossing auto racing film ever and the top-grossing movie of Brad Pitt’s career.
Frankenstein (Netflix)Alexandre Desplat
Desplat has received 11 nominations for his scores, winning for The Grand Budapest Hotel in 2015 and The Shape of Water in 2018. Frankenstein was directed, written and co-produced by Guillermo del Toro, who did the honors on The Shape of Water as well as a third film that Desplat scored, Pinocchio. Frankenstein, which stars Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi and Christoph Waltz, is based on Mary Shelley’s classic 1818 novel of the same name.
Clockwise from left: Erivo in Wicked: For Good, Pitt in F1: The Movie, Stone in Bugonia, Grandein Wicked: For Good, Jordan in a dual role in Sinners and Isaac and Elordi in Frankenstein.
Illustration by Klawe Rzeczy; Erivo: Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures. Pitt, Stone: Everett Collection. Grande: Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures. Jordan, Isaac, Elordi: Everett Collection.
Hamnet (Focus Features)Max Richter
Hamnet was co-written, co-edited and directed by Chloé Zhao, who won a pair of Oscars in 2021 for directing and co-producing Nomadland. Based on Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel, Hamnet follows the relationship between William Shakespeare and his wife, Anne Hathaway, and the impact of the death of their 11-year-old son, Hamnet, on their lives. Richter has received two Grammy nominations — best score soundtrack for visual media for Ad Astra and best music video as a featured artist on Woodkid’s “The Golden Age.”
Hedda (Amazon MGM)Hildur Guðnadóttir
In 2020, when Guðnadóttir won best original score for Joker, the Icelandic composer became just the fourth woman to capture an Oscar in a scoring category. Lyricist Marilyn Bergman shared the award for original song score in 1984 for Yentl. Rachel Portman won best original musical or comedy score in 1997 for Emma. Anne Dudley won in that same category the following year for The Full Monty.
A House of Dynamite (Netflix)Volker Bertelmann
This would be Bertelmann’s fourth nomination in this category, following Lion (a collaboration with Dustin O’Halloran) in 2017, All Quiet on the Western Front in 2023 (for which he won) and Conclave earlier this year. A House of Dynamite is an apocalyptic political thriller directed by Kathryn Bigelow. The film’s ensemble cast includes Idris Elba, Tracy Letts and Anthony Ramos.
Jay Kelly (Netflix)Nicholas Britell
This would be Britell’s fourth nomination in this category, following nods for the Barry Jenkins films Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk and Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up. Jay Kelly is a coming-of-age comedy-drama directed by Noah Baumbach that he co-wrote with Emily Mortimer. The film stars an ensemble cast that includes George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern and Billy Crudup.
The Lost Bus (Apple Original Films)James Newton Howard
This would be Howard’s eighth nod in a scoring category. He has also been nominated for two songs. The Lost Bus was directed by Paul Greengrass and stars Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera. The film is based on the true story of a bus driver who navigated a bus carrying 22 children and their teachers to safety through the 2018 Camp Fire, which was the deadliest fire in California history.
Marty Supreme (A24)Daniel Pemberton
Pemberton has yet to be nominated for a score, though he was nominated for best original song in 2021 for co-writing “Hear My Voice” from The Trial of the Chicago 7. Marty Supreme, which stars Timothée Chalamet and Gwyneth Paltrow, is a sports comedy-drama set in New York during the 1950s. It is loosely inspired by American table tennis player Marty Reisman and his at-all-costs pursuit of greatness.
Materialists (A24)Daniel Pemberton
If both of Pemberton’s scores are nominated, he’ll become the first individual composer with two films on the final ballot since Alexandre Desplat scored a double in 2015 with The Grand Budapest Hotel (which won) and The Imitation Game. Materialists, a romantic comedy-drama written and directed by Celine Song, follows a love triangle among characters played by Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal. It’s Song’s second feature as a writer-director following Past Lives.
One Battle After Another (Warner Bros. Pictures)Jonny Greenwood
This would be Greenwood’s third nod in this category, following Phantom Thread in 2018 and The Power of the Dog in 2022. Greenwood, the lead guitarist and keyboardist of Radiohead, and Nine Inch Nails mainstays Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have yet to be nominated in the same year. One Battle After Another is an action thriller written, co-produced and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio Del Toro star.
Sentimental Value (Neon)Hania Rani
This would be the first nomination for Rani, a Polish pianist, composer and singer. Sentimental Value, a comedy-drama directed by Joachim Trier, follows a fractured relationship between an acclaimed director and his two estranged daughters. The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, where it won the Grand Prix. It was selected as the Norwegian entry for best international feature film at the upcoming Oscars.
Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)Ludwig Göransson
Göransson has received two nominations for best original score for Black Panther in 2019 and Oppenheimer in 2024, winning both times. The Swedish composer has scored all five of director Ryan Coogler’s films — Fruitvale Station, Creed, Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and now Sinners. Göransson also has an executive producer credit on this film, which stars Michael B. Jordan in dual roles as twin brothers.
The Testament of Ann Lee (Searchlight Pictures)Daniel Blumberg
Blumberg won this category earlier this year for The Brutalist. He is vying to become the first best original score winner to be nominated again the following year since Alexandre Desplat was nominated for Isle of Dogs at the 2019 ceremony after winning the previous year for The Shape of Water. The Testament of Ann Lee stars Amanda Seyfried as Ann Lee, the founding leader of the Shakers religious sect in the 18th century.
Train Dreams (Netflix)Bryce Dessner
This would mark the first Oscar nomination for Dessner, who has won two Grammys — best chamber music/small ensemble performance in 2016 for producing Eighth Blackbird’s Filament and best alternative music album in 2018 as a band member and co-producer of The National’s Sleep Well Beast. Train Dreams stars Joel Edgerton as a logger who is working to develop the railroad across the United States.
Tron: Ares (Disney)Nine Inch Nails
As with their best original song entry, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are submitting this under their group name. If the academy keeps it that way, Nine Inch Nails will be the third group nominated in a scoring category as such, following The Beatles, who won best original song score in 1971 for Let It Be, and Son Lux, which was nominated for best original score three years ago for Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Wicked: For Good (Universal)John Powell, Stephen Schwartz
Powell and Schwartz were nominated in this category at the 2025 ceremony for Wicked. Schwartz previously won in the defunct original musical or comedy score category for Pocahontas and was nominated in that category for The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Prince of Egypt. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, who were Oscar-nominated for Wicked, reprise their roles in the sequel, as do Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum.
Additional reporting by Melinda Newman.
This story appears in the Nov. 15, 2025, issue of Billboard.
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Just in time for its 25th anniversary, Discogs launches a new mobile app that its creators anticipate will have a downward effect on your bank balance.
Today, Nov. 13, the music discovery and record collecting platform rolls out its updated app, with a range of new features. Among them, users can check their own inventory; organize and add titles to their Wantlist on the go; see what their records are worth with “real, recent data”; use a camera to scan barcodes; see what’s trending; and get instant notifications when a particular record is listed for sale, all from their devices.
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According to reps, the new layout and “Explore” homepage surfaces trending records, top sellers, and Discogs editorial features. “With real-time pricing data, barcode scanning, and instant notifications when a record you want is listed for sale,” reads a statement, “collectors can now track and expand their collections in real time.”
The beta release has had positive results, with over 500,000 users updated to the new iOS version within the first month, and weekly usage lifting 5-10% with the iOS app alone, a presser states.
“This isn’t just an update. It’s an upgrade,” states Kevin Lewandowski, Discogs’ founder and CEO. “The new app puts the power of Discogs in your hands like never before.”
According to figures released earlier this year, Discogs members cataloged over 105.7 million pieces of music in 2024 — an average of 2 million vinyl albums, CDs, tapes, 8-tracks and any other catalogable format you can think of per week.
Since its inception, more than 830 million items have been cataloged, with average collections — which are predominantly vinyl — hovering around 195 items per user, the company said.
Discogs, of course, is an important player in the space of buying and selling physical music collections, formats that are on the rise. The IFPI reports that vinyl has been on an upswing, on a global basis, for 18 consecutive years.
In early 2024, the company told Billboard that it wants to boost its online database to 25 million listings by November 2025, its 25th anniversary.
Discogs’ App is available now in the App Store and Google Play.
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BMG leader Thomas Coesfeld has been appointed as the next chairman and CEO of global parent company Bertelsmann, succeeding Thomas Rabe when his contract wraps on Dec. 31, 2026. Coesfeld will officially take over as chairman and CEO on Jan. 1, 2027, marking a generational shift in leadership for the global media conglomerate, the company announced Thursday (Nov. 13).
Coesfeld has served as CEO of BMG since 2023, succeeding longtime chief Hartwig Masuch, and joined Bertelsmann’s executive board in 2024. Before that, he was BMG’s CFO and previously chief strategy officer on the executive committee of Bertelsmann Printing Group. He began his career as a management consultant at McKinsey in Munich.
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According to the announcement, Coesfeld is expected to lead both Bertelsmann and BMG “in a dual capacity.” BMG representatives confirmed this arrangement to Billboard.
Outgoing CEO Rabe, who has led Bertelsmann for 15 years, praised the board’s choice in Coesfeld as his successor. “We have worked closely and with great trust for many years, and I will do everything possible to ensure a smooth transition,” he said. “Bertelsmann’s leadership will be in excellent hands with him and his team.”
“I would like to thank the Supervisory Board – and in particular its Chairman, Christoph Mohn – for the trust they have placed in me,” added Coesfeld. “I am very much looking forward to assuming responsibility for leading Bertelsmann. It is a challenge I will take on with the full support of the Executive Board, top management, and all employees.”
Bertelsmann operates in about 50 countries and, in addition to BMG, includes divisions such as RTL Group, Penguin Random House and Arvato. In its latest interim report for the first half of 2025, the Gütersloh-based company posted revenues of €9.1 billion (approximately $9.8 billion), up 1.2% year-over-year.
The company’s supervisory board also announced that Clément Schwebig, currently a senior media executive with over 20 years of experience, will join Bertelsmann’s executive board as CEO of RTL Group effective May 1 of next year. Schwebig previously held leadership roles at RTL in multiple countries.
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After taking over as CEO of BMG in 2023, Coesfeld implemented a sweeping restructuring aimed at “local where necessary, global where possible.” He centralized catalog, sales, and marketing teams into global roles, expanded tech investments and made Los Angeles the hub for catalog operations. Coesfeld also ended BMG’s distribution deal with Warner’s ADA, bringing digital distribution in-house while partnering with Universal for physical formats. Additional moves included layoffs, shuttering Modern Recordings and discontinuing international marketing and film/TV divisions — all part of a strategy to streamline operations and focus on publishing, recordings and data-driven growth.
In its most recent earnings report, Berlin-based BMG posted steady operating profits despite lower revenue, reflecting its focus on core digital music operations. For the first half of 2025, revenue fell 8% year-over-year to €424 million ($463 million). Streaming revenue grew at a high single-digit rate, lifting digital’s share of total revenue to 72%. Coesfeld credited the gains to catalog acquisitions, distribution efficiencies and a strategic shift away from lower-margin physical formats and live entertainment.
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Ben Stiller was reminded of Wicked: For Good star Ariana Grande‘s prodigious talents when the singer signed on to play his future daughter-in-law in the upcoming episode in the Fockers quadrilogy, Focker-in-Law. “It’s crazy how talented [she is],” Stiller told Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday night’s (Nov. 12) Tonight Show.
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“She’s so sweet. I didn’t know her before,” Stiller said, before quickly realizing that they had previously had a meet-weird on set. “Actually, I had met her before because she did a cameo in Zoolander 2 10 years ago. She was in an orgy scene we had. But I haven’t seen her since the orgy. She’s so great with comedy. She’s amazing in Wicked and she’s such a good singer, obviously, too,” he recalled.
Stiller described how Grande would wander around set humming and singing to herself, mimicking the vocal exercises the singer would do to keep her instrument prepped. He described the murmurations as “incredible, operatic… kind of soliloquy. And that’s just her humming. It doesn’t sound like I just did it. That sounds like I was possessed or something.”
Though Grande’s dramatic chops are on full display in both Wicked movies, the 32-year-old superstar who got her start in light comedy on Nickelodeon’s Victorious and Sam & Cat more than 15 years ago still has her comedy chops fully intact according to Stiller. “She’s so good with comedy. She’s just like a total natural,” he told Fallon. “I feel like she could do anything.”
Grande recently confirmed that she’d finished her time on the Fockers-in-Law set while sharing a sweet message to her co-stars and some pics from the shoot. “these past few months have been so, so unimaginably special. i love my Fockers, and i love my Byrnes… so, so very much. i will miss this bunch terribly. see you next november!” Grande wrote on on Oct. 31 in a post that featured her pointing to a nameplate with her character’s name (Olivia Jones) and hugging Stiller.
Fockers-in-Law, which also stars returning cast members Robert De Niro, Teri Polo and Blythe Danner, will be in theaters on Nov. 25, 2026.
Watch Stiller talk working with Grande on The Tonight Show below.
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Kelsea Ballerini, Brandi Carlile, Kenny Chesney, Riley Green, Miranda Lambert, Patty Loveless, Old Dominion, The Red Clay Strays, and Chris Stapleton have joined the list of performers for the 59th annual CMA Awards. Hosted by Lainey Wilson, the show is set to broadcast live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday (Nov. 19) from 8:00-11:00 p.m. ET on ABC and will be available the next day on Hulu.
All of the newly-booked performers are established country stars except for Carlile, whose music incorporates Americana, alternative country, pop and folk rock. Ballerini is set to debut her new song, “I Sit in Parks.” Green will perform his hit “Worst Way,” which topped Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. The Red Clay Strays will perform their song “People Hatin’.”
Stapleton, reigning CMA male vocalist of the year and three-time nominee this year, will perform “Bad as I Used To Be” from F1: The Movie. Also, Lambert will join Stapleton for a performance of their duet “A Song to Sing.” Old Dominion — who are vying for their eighth consecutive win as CMA vocal group of the year — will perform a medley of their hits “Break Up With Him,” “Memory Lane,” “One Man Band,” “Hotel Key” and “Snapback.”
Four-time CMA entertainer of the year winner Chesney will mark his 2025 induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame with a performance. The Lambert/Stapleton collaborative performance is one of at least three collabs set for the show, which previously announced a BigXthaPlug/Luke Combs performance and another by Shaboozey/Stephen Wilson Jr.
Other performers already announced are Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, Zach Top, Tucker Wetmore and host Wilson. Presenters for the 59th Annual CMA Awards will be announced soon. Tickets are on-sale now here.
The 59th Annual CMA Awards is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton serves as executive producer, Alan Carter is director, and Jon Macks is head writer.
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PLUS1 announced the recipients of the second annual PLUS1 Impact Awards on Thursday (Nov. 13), recognizing the artists, industry leaders, and partners driving measurable social impact across music and entertainment. Awardees are determined through PLUS1’s data-driven evaluation of impact, including funds raised, lives reached, and outcomes achieved. The awards are presented in partnership with Wasserman.
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AEG Presents, CAA, Live Nation, $uicideboy$, Sabrina Carpenter and Wasserman are this year’s recipients of the PLUS1 Million Award, which recognizes artists and partners who have raised over $1 million via PLUS1 for charitable causes. The recipients of that award reached the $1 million milestone in 2025 but began their engagements with PLUS1 prior to this year. Mumford & Sons is the artist that raised the most in 2025 alone.
“This year’s honorees exemplify what’s possible when purpose meets action,” Marika Anthony-Shaw, founder and CEO of PLUS1, said in a statement. “Their leadership shows how every corner of the industry — from artists to agents, managers, marketers to venue teams — can turn creativity into collective impact. At PLUS1, we’re proud to help connect and amplify that work, and to celebrate the people driving real, lasting change.”
Carpenter, who was the first PLUS1 artist to reach $1 million in under one year for her fund, shared what her philanthropic efforts mean to her in an exclusive statement to Billboard. “The Sabrina Carpenter Fund began as a way to give back to causes close to my heart — mental health, animal welfare, and LGBTQ+ rights — and seeing its growth and impact over the past year has meant the world to me. I’m proud of what we’ve been able to build with PLUS1, and incredibly grateful to continue using my platform to make a difference.”
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MARINA was one of the recipients of the Above and Beyond Award, which recognizes “artists who have gone above and beyond in their commitment to social impact.”
“It’s an enormous privilege to be able to use my art to create tangible impact for issues I care deeply about, particularly for LGBTQ+ individuals and civilians affected by conflict,” MARINA shared in an exclusive statement to Billboard. “Partnering with PLUS1 has enabled the MARINA Fund to turn our commitment to justice into meaningful action.”
PLUS1 introduced a new award this year, the Avoe and Beyond (and Behind) Award, recognizing industry leaders. (The name is a play on their existing Above and Beyond Award, geared to behind-the-scenes players.) The initial honorees are Merce Jessor, Shira Knishkowy. Lesley DiPietro. Denise Melanson and Ashley Poitevin.
PLUS1, a nonprofit that started with a simple idea to invest $1 from every concert ticket into communities in need, has since partnered with hundreds of artists and granted more than $32 million to nonprofits worldwide. To learn more, visit the PLUS1 site.
Here’s the full list of 2025 PLUS1 Impact Award honorees:
PLUS1 Million Award
Recognizing artists and partners who have raised over $1 million via PLUS1 for charitable causes.
Honorees: AEG Presents, CAA, Live Nation, $uicideboy$, Sabrina Carpenter, Wasserman
Impact Leader Award
Honoring the artist who raised the most funds via PLUS1 in 2025.
Honoree: Mumford & Sons
Rising Star Award
Awarded to an emerging artist who made outstanding contributions to social impact in 2025.
Honoree: Wyatt Flores
Community Hero Award
Recognizing artists and partners who have significantly impacted local communities they have toured through in 2025.
Honorees: Alex G, Diplo’s Run Club, Rainbow Kitten Surprise
Arts Advocate Award
Honoring an artist who uses their platforms to advance creativity, access, and advocacy in the arts.
Honoree: Post Malone
Above and Beyond Award
Recognizing artists who have gone above and beyond in their commitment to social impact.
Honorees: Big Thief, Bright Eyes, Jessie Reyez, MARINA
Above and Beyond (and Behind) Award (New Category)
Honoring industry leaders whose dedication behind the scenes makes meaningful impact possible.
Honorees: Ashley Poitevin (MNRK Music Group), Denise Melanson (Wasserman), Lesley DiPietro (CAA), Merce Jessor (Volara Management), Shira Knishkowy (Another Management Company)
Agent of Change Award
Awarded to agents making a positive difference in the industry.
Honorees: Kevin French (CAA), Lenore Kinder (Wasserman), Zoe Williamson (UTA)
Impactful Management Award
Awarded to a management team making a measurable difference through artist impact initiatives.
Honoree: Volara Management
Promoting Good Award
Recognizing a promotional company making a positive difference in the industry.
Honoree: First Avenue
Venue for Change Award
Recognizing a venue that demonstrates exceptional leadership in sustainability, equity, and community support.
Honoree: The Salt Shed (Chicago)
