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01/21/2025
The list reflects data collected at the Ibiza club, where a total of 8,251 unique tracks were identified by KUVO Powered by DJ Monitor during the 2024 season.
01/21/2025
During the 2024 season, tracks by 4,680 unique artists were played at the Ibiza clubbing institution Hï. Of that dizzying number, 50 artists were played more than all the others, and now we know who. Leading the list of the top 50 artists whose music was played most during last year’s Hï season is David […]
GRONINGEN — The Eurosonic Noorderslag Festival (ESNS) has long marked the official start of Europe’s music calendar. The festival, which just wrapped its 39th edition, looks to set the agenda for the upcoming year, with a particular focus on the live space.
From Jan. 15-18 in Groningen, Netherlands, a diverse lineup of emerging artists were presented to festival bookers, promoters, potential managers, media and other industry professionals. The goal: celebrate and champion artists and scenes throughout Europe and strengthen ties between markets.
At the heart of ESNS sits the The European Talent Exchange Program which promotes and assists festival bookings for the upcoming summer. By connecting 333 artists from 33 countries with 131 festival bookers and a number of stations within the European Broadcast Union (including the U.K.’s BBC Radio), the initiative aims to showcase artists from diverse regions and genres. The program has helped previous breakout artists, including Fontaines D.C., Idles, and English Teacher, secure bookings across Europe’s renowned festival circuit.
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“In today’s fast-evolving music industry, it’s increasingly difficult to uncover the hidden gems and truly exceptional acts,” said Tamás Kádár, CEO of Sziget Cultural Management, which runs Budapest’s Sziget Festival.
“With over 5,000 applicants every year, ESNS does an incredible job of curating a selection that not only supports artists in gaining recognition but also provides a vital resource for bookers like us,” he added. “Even if we can’t catch every performance live, the curated list allows us to discover new talent for Sziget. It’s a testament to the shared commitment to fostering quality music and supporting emerging talent.”
A number of acts made compelling cases during their appearances; unlike other showcase festivals, acts at ESNS only perform once at the event. Ireland’s Cardinals, signed to influential indie So Young records, brought intensity and bite to the city’s beloved Vera venue. The walls of the space are adorned with some of the names that went on to become international icons: Joy Division, The White Stripes, U2 and more all played early shows in the space.
Iceland’s Sunna Margrét expertly toed the line between folktronica and upbeat indie pop in her material, while Manchester-based Anthony Szmierek, who is due to release his debut album Service Station At The End Of The Universe in February, brought wit and humour to his rave-inspired bangers. Cork group Cliffords also drew a packed room on their debut show in mainland Europe, further solidifying the indie band place as ones to watch in 2025.
ESNS provides a boost for events like Focus Wales, a yearly showcase festival which takes place in Wrexham, north Wales. Andy Jones, co-founder and booker, says that their presence “ensures that Focus Wales and, more broadly, Wales as a music market, is part of the wider conversation with the European music community.”
He adds that the challenges facing the U.K.’s grassroots venues are impacting the ability for artists to level-up into festival headliners. “When I compare the current state of play to how things were even five or six years ago, it’s clear there’s a big problem that needs to be addressed,” said Jones. “I believe the good work Music Venue Trust is doing is vital, but it is time for Governments to do more, to ensure these vital cultural spaces are protected.”
Brexit brought immense challenges for many artists from the U.K. and significantly reduced the margins for profits. Jones is calling for “some real progress on simplifying the movement of artists in and out of the U.K., which will only reap benefits for all involved. This is also frankly, long overdue.”
Kádár concurs: “Artists face difficulties in standing out and reaching their audiences in a crowded market. Viral moments on platforms like TikTok can create sudden fame, but sustained recognition requires more. Added to this are rising costs – travel, accommodation, and the scarcity of funding – making it harder than ever for bands to tour successfully.”
The panel discussions and workshops held at Oosterport, the city’s cultural events center, covered a wide range of topics. In his keynote address, Alex Hardee, partner/agent of Wasserman Music in London, discussed the changing landscape for live agents and how they can react and respond. “We have to work harder for our commission and provide a bigger service,” he said, highlighting the company’s approach to securing new artists, as well as discussing the value of support slots and the “talent drain” that festivals are facing when booking headliners.
Throughout the program, the festival hosted additional discussions on the role of private equity investment into the live music space, the use of artificial intelligence in the creative and administrative process of making music, and how independent labels and boutique festivals can thrive in uncertain circumstances.
There were moments of celebration, too. The European Festival Awards celebrated honorees including Open’er Festival in Poland which scooped the best major festival prize and We Love Green for its commitment to making their event eco-friendly. In addition The Music Moves Europe Awards, a key component of the European Union’s efforts to support musicians, saw a number of acts secure grants of €10,000 ($10,321) including Yamê from France and Uche Yara from Austria.
ESNS may have highlighted the scale of the challenges ahead, but it’s one that Jones and his contemporaries are ready to meet head on. “I think it’s an exciting time, musically, with so much great new talent coming through. At the same time, it is encouraging that there seems to be a shared view, across Europe and including the major players in the industry, that there is a real responsibility now; for us all to create a more equitable industry going forward.”
BERLIN — In June, the three major labels sued the generative AI music companies Udio and Suno for training their software on copyrighted music without a license. Now, GEMA, the German PRO, is also taking legal action against Suno, in a case filed today (Jan. 21) in the Munich Regional Court.
In an announcement, GEMA said that it documented that the Suno system outputs content that “largely corresponds to world-famous works whose authors GEMA represents,” including “Forever Young” by Alphaville, “Mambo No. 5” by Lou Bega and “Daddy Cool” by Milli Vanilli creator Frank Farian, among others.
“AI providers such as Suno Inc. use our members’ works without their consent and profit financially from them,” said GEMA CEO Tobias Holzmüller in the announcement. “GEMA is endeavoring to find solutions in partnership with the AI companies. But this will not work without adhering to the necessary basic rules of fair cooperation and, above all, it will not work without the acquisition of licenses.”
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This case is very different from the litigation Suno faces in the U.S., which is spearheaded by the RIAA and involves recorded music owned by the major labels. Assuming that Suno has indeed trained its software on copyrighted recordings, as seems likely, that case will involve a determination of whether this would qualify as “fair use” – the legal doctrine that allows the unlicensed use of copyrighted works in some situations, including quotation and criticism. That can be notoriously complicated and it involves both specific facts and case law. It can also involve a great deal of money, since statutory damages for willful copyright infringement can reach $150,000 per work.
GEMA’s case involves the copyrights to songs, which it represents as a PRO, rather than those of recordings. The relevant legislation would be the European Union’s AI and Copyright directives, which allow copyright owners to “opt out” of having their works scanned in order to train AI software, and require “fair remuneration” if they are used. This is one of the first big cases involving this issue in Europe, as well as the first against a big generative music company. Any damages would almost certainly be more modest than they would in the U.S., but the case could establish whether AI companies need to license copyrighted works for software training purposes. Whatever the result, it is easy to imagine it being appealed to higher courts in Germany.
In November, GEMA also sued OpenAI for using lyrics of songs to which GEMA has rights in order to train its AI software. That case, also filed with the Munich Regional Court, only involves lyrics.
In its announcement, GEMA said Suno “outputs content that obviously infringes copyrights.” However, the issue in this case is not this output, but rather the music Suno has scanned during the process of training its software. If Suno has indeed scanned music for training purposes, it would presumably be infringing the rights in the songs as well as the recordings. Although a U.S. court could determine that this is fair use, that doctrine is a feature of Anglo-American law – the UK and British Commonwealth countries have “fair dealing,” which is similar but more limited – European laws are more strict. The EU Copyright Directive lays out “exceptions and limitations” to copyright, but it also provides authors and rightsholders the ability to opt-out of having their work scanned – or, as is more likely, to opt out until a license agreement is reached.
“The lawsuit against Suno Inc. is part of an overall concept of measures taken by GEMA,” said GEMA general counsel Kai Welp in the announcement of the case, “at the end of which there will be fair treatment of authors and their remuneration.”
A British teen pleaded guilty Monday (Jan. 20) to murdering three girls and attempting to kill 10 other people in what a prosecutor said was a “meticulously planned” stabbing rampage at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in England last summer.
Axel Rudakubana, 18, entered the surprise plea as jury selection had been expected to begin at the start of his trial in Liverpool Crown Court.
The July 29 stabbings sent shock waves across the U.K. and led to a week of widespread rioting across parts of England and Northern Ireland after the suspect was falsely identified as an asylum-seeker who had recently arrived in Britain by boat. He was born in Wales.
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The attack occurred on the first day of summer vacation when the little girls at the Hart Space, a sanctuary hidden behind a row of houses, were in a class to learn yoga and dance to the songs of Taylor Swift. What was supposed to be a day of joy turned to terror and heartbreak when Rudakubana, armed with a knife, intruded and began stabbing the girls and their teacher in the seaside town of Southport in northwest England.
“This was an unspeakable attack — one which left an enduring mark on our community and the nation for its savagery and senselessness,” Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Ursula Doyle said. “A day which should have been one of carefree innocence; of children enjoying a dance workshop and making friendship bracelets, became a scene of the darkest horror as Axel Rudakubana carried out his meticulously planned rampage.”
Prosecutors haven’t said what they believe led Rudakubana — who was days shy of his 18th birthday — to commit the atrocities, but Doyle said that it was clear he had a “a sickening and sustained interest in death and violence.”
Rudakubana had consistently refused to speak in court and did so once again when asked to identify himself at the start of the proceedings. But he broke his silence when he was read the 16-count indictment and asked to enter a plea, replying “guilty” to each charge.
He pleaded guilty to three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and additional charges related to possessing the poison ricin and for having an al-Qaida manual.
Rudakubana faces life imprisonment when sentenced Thursday, Justice Julian Goose said.
Defense lawyer Stanley Reiz said that he would present information to the judge about Rudakubana’s mental health that may be relevant to his sentence.
The surviving victims and family members of those killed were absent in court, because they had expected to arrive Tuesday for opening statements.
Goose asked the prosecutor to apologize on his behalf that they weren’t present to hear Rudakubana plead guilty.
He pleaded guilty to murdering Alice Da Silva Aguiar, 9, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Bebe King, 6.
Eight other girls, ranging in age from 7 to 13, were wounded, along with instructor Leanne Lucas and John Hayes, who worked in a business next door and intervened. Fifteen other girls, as young as 5, were at the class but uninjured. Under a court order, none of the surviving girls can be named.
Hayes, who was stabbed and seriously wounded, said he still had flashbacks to the attack and was “hugely upset at the time that I wasn’t able to do more.”
“But I did what I could in the circumstances,” he told Sky News. “I’m grateful to be here, and by all accounts I’ll make a full recovery, at least physically. … I’m going to be OK and others won’t be, and that’s really where I I think the focus of attention should be.”
Police said the stabbings weren’t classified as acts of terrorism because the motive wasn’t known.
Several months after his arrest at the scene of the crime, Rudakubana was charged with additional counts for production of a biological toxin, ricin and possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism for having the manual in a document on his computer.
Police said they found the evidence during a search of his family’s home in a neighboring village.
The day after the killings — and shortly after a peaceful vigil for the victims — a violent group attacked a mosque near the crime scene and pelted police officers with bricks and bottles and set fire to police vehicles.
Rioting then spread to dozens of other towns over the next week when groups made up mostly of men mobilized by far-right activists on social media clashed with police during violent protests and attacked hotels housing migrants.
More than 1,200 people were arrested for the disorder and hundreds have been jailed for up to nine years in prison.
Canada is the third biggest exporter of music to the world.
That’s according to the inaugural “export power” ranking in Luminate’s 2024 year-end report. The music data tracking company, which also tabulates Billboard’s charts, defines export power as “a country’s ability to export recorded music globally.”
Canada is behind only the U.S. and the U.K., which hold the top two spots on the export power ranking. Canada’s top importers of music are the U.S., the U.K. and Australia, while Canada is also the number one importer of music from the U.S., emphasizing the entwined nature of Canadian and American markets.
The rest of the top ten is rounded out by South Korea, Germany, France, Puerto Rico, Australia, Sweden and Brazil.
While that might seem like good news for Canadian music, the report also includes some indicators that Canada is not in a growth period for exporting music.
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When it comes to the share of global premium (audio and video) streams, Canada saw the third largest decline last year, with its share down from 3.73% to 3.34%, also behind the U.S. and U.K. Mexico, Brazil and India had the biggest stream share growth.
That points to a trend where music from the global south — and in languages other than English — is seeing a major explosion in popularity.
The report also highlights that English and non-English-language countries are showing different trends when it comes to local vs. foreign content.
“English-speaking markets are losing local share to non-English language imports,” the report states, “while many non-English speaking markets show local content gaining share.”
That provides further evidence that non-English language music is on the rise across the board. In the U.S., Mexico and Chile (and, surprisingly, Ireland) had the biggest stream share gains, while Canada, the U.S. and Nigeria saw the biggest stream share declines. Canada also saw some of the highest stream share declines in the U.K., Australia, Japan and Brazil.
Canadian songwriters, however, are going strong, thanks in part to a few of pop’s biggest stars.
Canada ranks third for songwriter representation among 2024’s top 1000 most-streamed songs, again behind the U.S. and the U.K.
The Weeknd is a big reason for that position, ranking third amongst the most prolific and the most-streamed songwriters in the top 1000 streamed songs.
Pop comes out as the fastest-growing genre in the U.S., followed by rock, Latin music and country. That growth is led by a big year for women pop singers like Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter — and Canada’s Tate McRae, who places at No. 9 on Luminate’s Pop Artist Rank for the U.S.
Find more on Canadian data and trends in Luminate’s Year-End Report here.
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Unison Fund Launches Relief Program For Canadian Music Workers Affected By Los Angeles Fires
Canadian music industry charity Unison Fund has launched a new support program for music workers affected by the Los Angeles fires.
The Natural Disaster Relief Program provides one-time payments of $2,500 to Canadian music workers facing losses from natural disasters, including the wildfires.
The program is the latest initiative offering support to music industry members who have suffered devastating losses in the fires, which have resulted in at least 27 deaths destroyed more than 12,000 structures. The Palisades Fire is 22% contained as of Thursday, January 16, and the Eaton Fire is 45% contained.
“With so many Canadian music professionals living and working in L.A., it was important to create a program that offers meaningful support during difficult times like these,” executive director Amanda Power tells Billboard Canada.
“The Unison Fund Natural Disaster Relief Program is our way of helping our music community, providing immediate support to help rebuild lives and livelihoods after a crisis.”
Founded in 2010, Unison provides counselling and emergency relief services to Canadian musicians and the music community. The charity previously provided emergency support during 2020 and 2021 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, disbursing over $3.5 million in pandemic assistance.
Among the Canadians affected by the fires include Grammy-winning producer Greg Wells, who lost his home, and musicians Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida who were forced to evacuate. Tim Darcy of Canadian band Cola lost his house in the fire, with friends and community members fundraising to help Darcy and his partner Amy Fort, of FSR Radio.
To qualify for the Disaster Relief Program, applicants must have worked in the music industry for five consecutive years, with a majority of their income coming from music.
The Canadian Music Hall of Fame has announced its full crop of 2025 inductees.
Songwriter Dan Hill, “grande dame of Québec song” Ginette Reno, rock superstars Glass Tiger and singer/songwriter/composer Loreena McKennitt will all join the previously announced Sum 41. That legendary punk and rock band, who are currently on their farewell tour after returning to the top of the Alternative Airplay chart after more than two decades, will celebrate the induction with their final televised performance at the 2025 Juno Awards on March 30 in Vancouver.
The other four recipients will be joined by 2024 Hall of Fame inductee and Canadian hip-hop pioneer Maestro Fresh Wes at a special ceremony on May 15 at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre (NMC), in Calgary. Maestro Fresh Wes was inducted into the Hall of Fame during The 2024 Junos broadcast in Halifax, and will again be honoured at the Studio Bell event this year.
The Canadian Music Hall of Fame was established by CARAS, the organization behind the Junos, in 1978 to acknowledge artists who have made a remarkable impact on Canadian music both nationally and internationally.
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Hill, Reno, Glass Tiger, McKennitt, Sum 41 and Maestro Fresh Wes will join the ranks of esteemed stars including Alanis Morissette, Barenaked Ladies, Deborah Cox, Jann Arden, Joni Mitchell, k.d. lang, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Nickelback, Oscar Peterson, Rush, The Guess Who, The Tragically Hip, Sarah McLachlan and Shania Twain.
This is the third time CARAS has held a multiple induction ceremony outside of the Junos.
“As the physical home of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, we’re proud to be a place that honours the individuals that have contributed so much to Canadian music,” says Andrew Mosker, president & CEO of the National Music Centre. “It’s always a privilege to host this special event and welcome the latest inductees to Calgary, where we can celebrate their significant influence and share their inspiring stories.”
The National Music Centre will unveil a new exhibition at Studio Bell on May 7, spotlighting the achievements of the four inductees.
Hill has achieved major international success, both for his own music and in collaboration with other musical legends. His “Sometimes When We Touch,” a tune Dolly Parton called her “favourite song of all time”’ and one she wishes she had written, has notched 63 million YouTube views and over 100 million downloads. It peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978.
Hill has recorded and released multiple Gold and Platinum albums, won a Grammy Award and five Junos, and was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2021. He’s also worked with many of the pop’s top-selling artists, including Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, Britney Spears and Céline Dion.
Ginette Reno is a legend of Quebec music. In a 65-year career, she’s recorded over 2000 songs, 42 albums, all gold or platinum, and various notable roles on the silver screen and on television.
Since their first three albums starting in the mid-1980s, Ontario rock band Glass Tiger spawned 14 Top 40 Hits in Canada in five years. The 1986 hit “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” (which hit No. 2) and following hit “Someday,” which both reached Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the band’s debut album, The Thin Red Line, went quadruple platinum in Canada and gold in the U.S.
McKennitt has sold more than 14 million copies worldwide while remaining self-managed and self-produced. Her music, combining elements of pop, folk and worldbeat styles, has been dubbed “eclectic Celtic.”
Tickets will soon go on sale at the National Music Centre. More info at the Canadian Music Hall of Fame website.
Tamer Ashour’s journey to becoming a celebrated singer was marked by twists of fate far beyond his expectations or plans. In the early stages of his career, Tamer was deeply focused on his goals as a composer. He poured determination and professionalism into crafting melodies for other artists and strived to deliver his best with each composition. Before the public even knew his name, his voice began to resonate through the streets of Cairo, his hometown, capturing hearts and attention.
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Two decades ago, as a composer, Tamer Ashour recorded demo versions of songs he had written for other artists. During a time when the Internet was gaining traction in the region, forums enabled users to download audio clips directly, and Bluetooth technology allowed songs to be shared across mobile phones. Amid this technological shift, Tamer was stunned to discover that some of his demos, featuring his own voice, had been leaked on forums and websites. Songs like “Zekrayat Kadaba” (“False Memories”),” Thania Wahda” (“One Second”), “Senin El Shoq” (“Years of Longing”) and “Albak Ya Hawl Allah” (“Your Heart, Oh God”) began circulating widely, gaining popularity even though the identity of the singer behind them remained a mystery.
This unexpected turn of events left Tamer, who had never intended to step into the spotlight as a singer, feeling conflicted. He recalls a time when he closely monitored the spread of his voice, allowing it to resonate with audiences before officially stepping into the spotlight to launch his career as a singer. Eventually, he connected his face to the voice that had already resonated with the public and released his debut album, Sa’b. Success followed with albums and hits like “Leya Nazra” (“I Have Insight”), “Esht Maak” (“I Lived with You”) and “Ayam” (“Days”). Alongside his singing career, Tamer thrived as a composer, collaborating with some of Arabic music’s most prominent artists to create melodies that became unforgettable. His compositions include “Ya Reatak Fahimny” (“I Wish you Understand Me”) and “Lawha Bahetah” (“Faded Canvas”) by Angham, “Min El Aasham” (“Out of Hope”) by Amr Diab and “Hikayti Maak” (“My Life with You”) and “Ana Sekketen” (“I Have Two Sides”) by Elissa.
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In our in-depth, half-hour conversation with Tamer Ashour, the star featured on the December cover of Billboard Arabia, he consistently speaks of his career as being shaped either by destiny or a series of fortunate coincidences. Yet, if you pay close attention to his words and perspective, you will quickly see that they reflect both humility and realism. This humility shines through as he speaks with great appreciation about his fellow stars, the artists he has worked with, and the young talents he hopes to support or collaborate with in the future. Even when discussing his own successes, such as his recent hit “Haygely Mawgow” (“You’ll Come to me Broken”), Tamer remains grounded.
After nearly two decades in the music industry, marked by steady and quiet successes, “Haygely Mawgow” emerged as a turning point in Tamer’s career. The song became his biggest hit to date, as demonstrated by its impressive streaming numbers across various platforms and the enthusiastic interaction at live performances. By the end of the year, just two weeks before our interview, the song had won the Song of the Year award at the 2024 Billboard Arabic Music Awards. It also claimed the Top Egyptian Song award, with Tamer leaving the ceremony with two prestigious trophies, a testament to the song’s immense success.
In addition to these awards, the creators behind the work were also recognized for their contributions. Aleem received the Best Lyricist award, while Amr El Shazly was named Best Composer. Tamer took pride in acknowledging their contributions during our conversation, also confirming that he would continue collaborating with these talented names, as well as other diverse collaborators, for his upcoming album, Yaah, slated for release in early 2025.
As his new album is set to be released independently, Tamer Ashour shared his recent experience with independent production, a trend we have seen grow over the years and discussed with many Arabic artists, including Angham, Elissa, Nassif Zeytoun and others. Ashour expressed a unique satisfaction in working outside of major production houses, as it gave him full control over his creative direction. This autonomy allowed him to take responsibility for his decisions and vision, and with that, the credit for his successes, which he feels are sometimes stifled by larger production houses. When talking about releasing independently, he says, “The production experience has been the best of my life in the last ten years. It means you are responsible for yourself, without anyone telling you that you failed or undermining your success. Production houses have always done that, and that was the assurance they offered.”
When discussing his songs and his most notable hits, Tamer Ashour refrained from labeling his songs as “sad” and instead preferred the term “drama,” a description he used frequently, as if it were an artistic genre in its own right. “The Arab audience generally gravitates toward songs with a sense of sadness. They do not necessarily have to be sad, but the songs that endure and make singers successful have always been dramatic – not cheerful or upbeat hits. What lingers in the listener’s mind is the emotion of sadness and drama, across all genres, even with popular singers,” he said. He goes on to explain: “Even popular artists during their peak success, like Mr. Hassan Al Asmar, for instance, had the world dancing to songs like ‘Kitab Hayati Ya Ain,’ a dramatic song. There are many examples from that era. The songs that helped them rise to fame and establish their names in the industry were all dramatic in nature, but they were crafted in ways that suited the style they were presenting.”
Tamer Ashour
Mazen Abusrour/Billboard Arabia
Tamer speaks extensively about the concept of the dramatic song and how it has become deeply intertwined with his artistic identity, shaping the path he follows. While he releases emotional and romantic songs, he understands the expectations his audience has of him. He also emphasizes that crafting a dramatic song is not something that happens effortlessly; it requires a solid foundation, with careful attention to the lyrics, melodies and performance style. When we jokingly ask if his success in this genre means he has discovered the secret to the perfect formula, he responds: “It is not the secret to the mix. This is from Allah. There are no specific things I do to make the song come out the way you hear it. People just love my voice in dramatic songs.”
Tamer Ashour
Mazen Abusrour/Billboard Arabia
Kasabian, Clean Bandit, Rag’n’Bone Man and more have been announced for Brits Week 2025, which will see a host of acts play intimate venues throughout London, Glasgow and Bexhill in February and March.
The concert series is organized in conjunction with the upcoming Brit Awards, which will will take place on March 1 at The O2 Arena in London. Nominees are expected to be announced in the coming weeks alongside news of this ceremony’s performers and host.
Brits Week will kick off on Feb. 17 with Cat Burns performing at east London’s Moth Club and continues with shows from Joy Crookes, Rachel Chinouriri, Frank Turner, Nova Twins, Blossoms, Tom Walker, Soft Play and more. See the full run of shows below.
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The Brits Week concert series was first held in 2009 with all proceeds of the shows benefitting War Child, a charity that supports young people caught up in conflicts across the globe. Since 2009, the Brits Week concert series has raised £7.4 ($9.02) million for the organization, according to a press statement.
Tickets for the events go on sale later this week, with a War Child presale taking place this Thursday (Jan. 16) before a general sale on Friday (Jan. 17) at 10 a.m. GMT.
Several huge acts have performed at Brits Week over recent years, including Ed Sheeran (2022), The 1975 (2023) and Coldplay (2016).
In December, Luton-born musician Myles Smith was announced as the recipient of The Brits’ Rising Star award for 2025, which tips rising stars for future success. Smith beat out competition from Elmiene and Good Neighbours to scoop the prize. Previous winners include Adele (2008), Sam Smith (2014) and most recently The Last Dinner Party (2024).
Brits Week 2025 lineup:
February 17 – Cat Burns – London, England @ Moth ClubFebruary 18 – Joy Crookes – London, England @ Islington Assembly HallFebruary 20 – Rachel Chinouriri – London, England @ OmearaFebruary 21 – Frank Turner – London, England @ 93 Feet EastFebruary 24 – Nova Twins – London, England @ OmearaFebruary 25 – Kasabian with Blossoms – London, England @ O2 Shepherd’s Bush EmpireFebruary 28 – Clean Bandit and Friends – London, England @ The PalladiumMarch 3 – Tom Walker – Glasgow, Scotland @ King Tut’s Wah Wah HutMarch 4 – Soft Play – London, England @ Village UndergroundMarch 5 – Rag‘n’Bone Man – Bexhill, England @ De La Warr Pavilion
The Chemical Brothers’ music has been loved by the cinema and video games since the beginning, when in 1995 “Chemical Beats” ended up in the soundtrack of the PlayStation game Wipeout. The latest such appearance is in the film Sonic the Hedgehog 3, where “Galvanize” sounds perfect in a scene with Jim Carrey dancing among laser beams. Tom Rowlands has already worked on commission for some directors such as Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan and Joe Wright for a theatrical production and for the film Hanna, in the latter case paired with Ed Simons (the other half of the Chemical Brothers).
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But this new adventure was really a challenge. With the usual English irony Tom defined “an act of intimidation” the request of director Joe Wright to score the new Sky Original series Mussolini: Son of the Century, based on the novel M. Son of the Century by Antonio Scurati, which was recently released in Italy. The series tells the story of the birth of fascism in Italy and the rise to power of Benito Mussolini. The challenge was won, because the Chemical Brothers-style tracks perfectly amplify the emotional and sometimes tragic scenes.
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Working with Joe Wright seems to have become a regular occurrence.
True! Ed and I worked together on his film Hanna and then I composed the background music for Joe’s adaptation of Bertolt Brecht’s famous play Life of Galileo, an experience I really enjoyed. I like working with Joe: I still remember him when he followed us on our first important tours, all three of us were kids… Suddenly one day he sent me M., Antonio Scurati’s book. I was hooked from the first pages, it’s a fantastic book! I studied history at university and I immediately realized that Joe’s gesture of offering me this reading was a real challenge, because M. is not only a long book but above all dense and profound. Plus, I’ve always been attracted by the history of that period.
So was it easier for you to feel involved in the project?
Yes, but I could also say that making me read M. was also a sort of intimidating act. First of all because I have never worked on a text that deals with a specific historical event, then because the rise of fascism and the figure of Mussolini are certainly not easy historical topics to deal with. Composing this soundtrack was a serious task. I was very excited at the idea of taking on a challenge so different from my previous ones, and for a project that started from such a powerful book.
The compositions you created for the series are very precise in commenting on the scenes in which they are inserted. Did you start working on the sound even before shooting?
That’s right: Joe Wright and I started talking about ideas and musical themes with just the script in hand. It was a long process of ideas, plus I was interacting with a person who is also a true friend in addition to being a great talent. I tried to give shape to his ideas, because this series is the fruit of his vision.
The soundtrack has very rhythmic sound comments – Chemical Brothers style – and not many melodies.
There are melodies! But they are a bit convoluted, they are never obvious. The main theme is all based on a precise and constant rhythm.
The theme is close to the sound of fascist marches but also takes up the ideas of futurism.
Of course, Joe and I discussed the difference and the relationship between noise and music, which was a theme dear to the futurists. I certainly would never have associated a “floral” sound movement with the advent of fascism!
You stated that part of the soundtrack was made by making old acoustic instruments interact with modern electronics.
Right. I developed a system in my studio where I can have total control of all the information I receive by making my technology interact with traditional instruments such as strings and piano. What we were describing musically was a certain past that really happened. When I met Antonio Scurati he was absolutely in agreement with this creative process, as well as the fact that for (this series) all modern electronics were used to tell not an imaginary world but historical facts, the songs often comment on words taken from real speeches by Mussolini.
The tracks are sometimes very short sound comments. Was it difficult to work on them?
Yes, that was also a real challenge. But that’s why I like working on soundtracks: it’s a very different process. I’m also intrigued by being able to comment on the change of emotions during a scene: you can easily go from a sense of calm to one of terror in a few moments, whereas in a song you often try to create only one type of emotion or feeling.
The impression is that in the second part of the series the music becomes increasingly dramatic, as the historical events do.
I tried to musically describe a very complex historical period where a leader conquers the people – part of the population also found Mussolini a funny man – and then comes to total control of the Italian state after the killing of the MP Giacomo Matteotti. I also tried to convey the director’s and writer’s vision: I hope I did it coherently with that.
What do you think of the Oasis reunion?
I’ll be honest: it’s crazy! My kids and their friends are really desperate to get a ticket because that’s a generation that has never seen the Gallagher brothers on stage together. I’ve known Liam and Noel for years, I’ve been to their concerts many times and it’s always been great to be there, but this time the level of hysteria reached to get a ticket here in Great Britain is truly incredible. Speaking of people from Manchester, my kids would love to see The Smiths reunite too!
Which Oasis albums do you like the most?
Whatever age you are, even just 17, Definitely Maybe is still an incredible album: listening to it is as if the songs were speaking directly to you. I’m sure that this effect is triggered also in the new generations. But the second album is not bad either. They are their two masterpieces.
Will we hear new Chemical Brothers music anytime soon?
It’s too early. Ed and I have to take our time, as always. When we release music, we want to make sure it’s music we really love! We’ve never limited ourselves to putting out productions just for the sake of it. And that’s still true today.