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Source: NurPhoto / Getty / Skype
Do you remember Skype? We are sure not many of you do, but it was once the most popular way people conducted free video chats with each other before Zoom and other apps came along. For those who do, we are sad to announce that Microsoft has decided to retire it.
Microsoft, which acquired the free video calling service for an eye-watering $8.5 billion in 2011, announced via a post on X, formerly Twitter, that it is sunsetting Skype and telling users to migrate to a free version of Microsoft Teams.
Since its inception, Skype has gone from being a platform for video calling that was so popular that it became a verb to now being a relic of the tech past thanks to the arrival of FaceTime, WhatsApp, Zoom, and Slack.
In a blog post, Microsoft said the decision to kill Skype was “to streamline our free consumer communications offerings so we can more easily adapt to customer needs.”
Speaking to CNBC about Skype, Jeff Teper, president of Microsoft 360 apps and platforms said that the company “learned a lot from Skype over the years. … But we felt like now is the time because we can be simpler for the market, for our customer base, and we can deliver more innovation faster just by being focused on Teams.”
Social Media Thinks Skype Fumbled The Bag Epically
The reactions to the news aren’t surprising. Many believe that Microsoft let Zoom and other clients steal its thunder, especially during the pandemic when video chatting was a necessity for social distancing.
“Skype had a 17 year headstart and cracked under pressure in 2020,” one user on X, formerly Twitter wrote.
Another user noted Skype’s importance to older people because it’s all they know and migrating to a new service could be a headache for them.
“This is shocking,” another user named Maphry wrote in a post on X. “There are so many elderly who are not happy to change technologies anymore, but are used to this one over decades to keep in touch with their loved ones. It will require a lot of effort (usually by their families) to bring them over to alternatives.”
No lies detected.
Welp, Skype had a good run, you can see more reactions in the gallery below.
Amazon has partnered with AI music company Suno for a new integration with its voice assistant Alexa, allowing users to generate AI songs on command using voice prompts. This is part of a much larger rollout of new features for a “next generation” Alexa, dubbed Alexa+, powered by AI technology.
“Using Alexa’s integration with Suno, you can turn simple, creative requests into complete songs, including vocals, lyrics, and instrumentation. Looking to delight your partner with a personalized song for their birthday based on their love of cats, or surprise your kid by creating a rap using their favorite cartoon characters? Alexa+ has you covered,” says an Amazon blog post, posted Wednesday (Feb. 26).
Other new Alexa+ features include new voice filters, image generation, smart home operation, Uber booking and more. It also includes an integration with Ticketmaster to “find you the best tickets to an upcoming basketball game or to the concert you’ve been dying to go to,” according to the blog post.
Trending on Billboard
Suno is known to be one of the most powerful AI music models on the market, able to generate realistic lyrics, vocals and instrumentals at the click of a button. However, the company has come under scrutiny by the music business establishment for its training practices. Spearheaded by the RIAA, Universal Music Group, Sony Music and Warner Music Group came together last summer to sue Suno and its rival Udio, accusing the AI music company of copyright infringement “on an almost unimaginable scale.” At the time, neither AI company had admitted to training on copyrighted material.
In a later filing, Suno admitted that “it is no secret that the tens of millions of recordings that Suno’s model was trained on presumably included recordings whose rights are owned by the Plaintiffs in this case.” Its CEO, Mikey Shulman, added in a blog post that same day, “We see this as early but promising progress. Major record labels see this vision as a threat to their business. Each and every time there’s been innovation in music… the record labels have attempted to limit progress,” adding that Suno felt the lawsuit was “fundamentally flawed” and that “learning is not infringing.”
More recently, German collection society GEMA also took legal action against Suno in a case filed Jan. 21 in Munich Regional Court.
Still, a couple of music makers have sided with Suno. In October, Timbaland was announced as a strategic advisor for the AI music company, assisting in “creative direction” and “day-to-day product development.” Electronic artist and entrepreneur 3LAU has also been named as an advisor to the company.
News of Amazon’s deal with Suno comes just months after its streaming service, Amazon Music, was commended by the National Music Publishers’ Association for finding a way to add audiobooks to its “Unlimited” subscription tier in the U.S. without “decreas[ing] revenue for songwriters” — a contrast to Spotify, which decreased payments to U.S. publishers by about 40% when it added audiobooks to its premium tier.
This analysis is part of Billboard’s music technology newsletter Machine Learnings. Sign up for Machine Learnings, and other Billboard newsletters for free here.
In an interview in 2023, Techstars managing director Bob Moczydlowsky told Billboard, “If Streaming 1.0 was about making all the music play, Streaming 2.0 should be about being able to play with all the music.”
In 2025, that statement feels prescient. Bloomberg reported on Feb. 14 that Spotify’s long anticipated superfan tier will likely roll out later this year and include extra features like high-fidelity audio, access to concert tickets and song remixing tools for an additional fee on top of Spotify premium.
Trending on Billboard
Also this month, the AI remixing app MashApp launched on the Apple App Store, offering users the ability to quickly and easily mash up selected songs from the Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Sony Music and Kobalt catalogs. Similarly, Hook, a competitor, just announced a new partnership with indie distributor Too Lost to license its works for Hook’s library of mashable, customizable songs. (Hook also previously struck a deal with Downtown for its library of music.)
Even though remixes of songs have dominated TikTok and other short-form video apps for years — and were all over SoundCloud and YouTube before that — participating in the fun of creating them has had barriers to entry. A user would need to learn how to use a digital audio workstation (DAW), like Garageband or ProTools, to create a good-sounding rework of a song, and they’d likely need the stems (the individual instrument tracks that make up a song), too. Now, with AI-powered stem separation and remix apps, there’s almost nothing left standing between a music fan and getting creative with their own derivative mashups.
But copyright law, the longtime nemesis of remixing, remains a major obstacle. For years, record labels and publishers have been playing an ever-expanding game of whack-a-mole with unauthorized remixes online, trying to retain control over their sound recordings. In the TikTok age, unauthorized remixes have gotten even further out of control as sped-up, slowed-down and other types of reworkings gained prominence. But it seems some companies are now taking the “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” philosophy by uploading officially sanctioned sped-up, slowed-down, a cappella and other alternate renditions of their work to streaming services.
Music companies, sensing the business opportunity, are also licensing to Hook and MashApp. While both have properly licensed libraries of songs to work with, these apps still leave a lot to be desired for users today. MashApp only has selected songs licensed from the three majors and Kobalt — among the recommended tracks are “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys, “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac and “Tequila” by Dan + Shay. Hook has a similar problem — its top songs include “Buy The World” by Kendrick Lamar, Mike WiLL Made-It and Future, “Fall Back” by Lithe, “fisherrr” by Cash Cobain and Bay Swag, and more. If you look up a major artist on either of these apps, odds are they either have only a few of their tracks licensed, or don’t have their catalog at all.
For these apps to succeed, they must get deals done with, essentially, every rights holder on the recorded music and publishing sides to offer a comprehensive catalog — and if you look at the songwriter credits of any major pop or rap song, you’ll realize how challenging getting all of these parties to agree could be. Just one songwriter or company could hold up the licensing of a top song.
Spotify has already done the hard part by getting all the music on the service during what Moczydlowsky calls the “Streaming 1.0” period, but significant challenges still remain ahead if it wants to integrate these much more playful 2.0 remix features. The top streaming service made an enemy of the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), the trade organization representing the vast majority of publishers in the U.S., in March 2024 by decreasing the royalties paid to publishers and songwriters in the U.S. on premium-tier streams by about 40%. Known colloquially as the “bundling” issue, Spotify argued that adding audiobooks into its premium subscriptions meant it could divide the royalty pool between music and book publishers.
The NMPA’s president and CEO, David Israelite, said Spotify “declared war on songwriters,” and to fight back, the NMPA launched a series of attacks, including sending Spotify a cease and desist letter warning that if it launched tools to “speed up, mash up and otherwise edit songs from their favorite artists… without the proper licenses in place from our members,” it “may constitute additional direct infringement.”
In January, Spotify’s standing with publishers seemed to be getting better. The streamer forged direct deals with Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group, which included improved remuneration on the publishing side. At the time, I noted in my analysis of these deals that Spotify likely came back to the negotiating table with publishers because the streamer knows it needs the publishers to voluntarily license their catalogs to support these upcoming features, including remixing. Still, that doesn’t mean all publishers, or the NMPA, have buried the hatchet.
On Feb. 4, the NMPA issued 2,500 podcast takedowns against Spotify, in a move that signaled that the NMPA will continue to hold a grudge. (Spotify called this move “a press stunt.”) Press stunt or not, Spotify needs the rest of the NMPA members on its side to make a remix tool with a full working library. Otherwise, they’ll be forced to launch with a piecemeal catalog like their start-up competitors.
But if anyone is poised to take over this budding remix market, it’s likely Spotify, given its pre-existing relationships and significant resources. Still, it remains to be seen how much users will even take to this type of feature. Is remixing the next big thing, or just another fad?
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Source: NurPhoto / Getty / PSVR 2
If you have been putting off getting a PSVR 2, this might be your moment to pull the trigger and hit the purchase button finally.
It’s no secret that the PSVR 2 didn’t sell like hotcakes, so we have reached the point in the device’s lifecycle where price drops are the next best option.
Beginning March 1, you can buy a base PSVR 2 version or Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle for $399. No, that’s not a typo; both versions cost the same.
The base version has a PSVR 2 headset, Sense controller, and stereo headphones. The Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle features all the previous listed plus a PlayStation Store voucher code to download the game.
PlayStation Says It’s Never Been A More Exciting Time To Get A PSVR 2
“With recently released hits like Alien: Rogue Incursion, Skydance’s Behemoth, and Metro Awakening VR, and exciting new game launches on the way including Aces of Thunder, Dreams of Another, Hitman World of Assassination, and The Midnight Walk, it’s never been a better time to jump into the action with PSVR 2,” Sony wrote in a blog post. “Using the PSVR 2 PC Adapter, players will also have access to browse, buy and play thousands of virtual reality games on Steam.”
The post continues “In addition, with a recent update to PS VR2, it now supports low-latency hand tracking, which allows developers to create games that tracks a player’s hand position and movement through the cameras embedded on the PS VR2 headset. Through this new feature, players will be able to experience intuitive controls in supported games such as Waltz of the Wizard.”
It remains to be seen whether this is the beginning of the end of the PSVR 2 and Sony’s last attempt to make VR a thing on PlayStation, but we are definitely not mad at this price drop.
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Source: picture alliance / Getty / Apple
This iPhone issue doesn’t sound like a bug to us, but Apple is treating it as such. A viral TikTok video shows the iPhone’s dictation tool displaying Trump when someone says “racist.”
Spotted on The Verge, Apple is aware of the so-called bug after the viral TikTok caught fire on social media on Tuesday. In a statement to both the New York Times and Fox News, the company confirmed the bug: “We are aware of an issue with the speech recognition model that powers dictation, and we are rolling out a fix as soon as possible.”
The Verge has tried to reproduce the bug, but it did not happen during their attempts.
According to Apple, the issue involves what the company describes as a “phonetic overlap” between “Trump” and “Racist.” However, according to someone who was part of the Siri team, this smells like a well-orchestrated prank from someone who worked at Apple.
Per The Verge:
The company told Fox News that other words with an “r” consonant are also occasionally affected. But John Burkey, who formerly worked on the Siri team at Apple, told the Times that Trump’s name appearing “smells like a serious prank” that could have been purposefully carried out by someone internally.
Apple is seemingly scrambling to fix the issue because it happened after Apple announced it would be investing $500 billion in the United States to help alleviate the pain Orange Mussolini’s stupid tariffs will inflict on the company.
There is already a 10% tariff on imported goods from China and a 25% tariff on chips coming into the United States.
Also, Tim Cook already kissed Donald Trump’s ring, personally donated to Trump’s inauguration fund and attended the sh*t show.
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Source: Xbox / ID@Xbox Showcase
IGN kicked off its annual Fan Fest event on Monday with a showcase from ID@Xbox, highlighting exciting games from indie developers coming to Xbox platforms.
It’s a good time to be a gamer, thanks to the embarrassment of riches in terms of games we get to enjoy. During the ID@Xbox Showcase, we got release dates, new gameplay videos, world premieres, and more on several titles gamers can look forward to playing soon.
Whether you’re into action-roguelikes, cozy games, or card games, there was something for everyone in this showcase. So, let’s jump into all the announcements.
33 Immortals Launching March 18
Per Xbox:
We first saw 33 Immortals during 2023’s Xbox Game Showcase, and this long-awaited co-op action roguelike will arrive on March 18. Pitting up to 33 players against hordes of monsters and gigantic bosses, 33 Immortals captures the joy of MMO raids in a more ‘pick up and play’ context. The release date trailer showed us some of its dark cartoon looks, frenetic gameplay, and huge party sizes.
Balatro Comes To Xbox Game Pass
Per Xbox:
This award-winning roguelike poker sensation gets a surprise Game Pass release today, but that was far from the only announcement we got. Balatro is also headed to Windows PC, and we got the fourth Friends of Jimbo collaboration update, bringing themed cards based on (deep breath) Fallout, Assassin’s Creed, Civilization VII, Rust, Slay the Princess, Bugsnax, Dead By Daylight, and YouTube channel Critical Role.
Blue Prince Arrives On Game Pass April 18
Per Xbox:
A truly unique experience, Blue Prince combines exploration, puzzles, mapmaking, and card game systems to create a game we’ve truly never seen before. Solve the mysteries of Mount Holly manor by literally piecing its rooms together, and solving mysteries hidden throughout the house you build as a result. Discover its secrets when the game launches on April 10, coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and launching day one with Game Pass.
Hit the gallery for more announcements.
1. Buckshot Roulette – Coming Soon to XBOX GamePass
This haunting experience makes “gambling with your life” a very literal concept, and has already captivated and horrified PC players. Transforming the (already unpleasant) game of Russian Roulette by introducing a shotgun and some dastardly extra rules, this is a true tabletop strategy game with a grim twist. In today’s show, we learned that Buckshot Roulette is on its way to Xbox and Game Pass – prepare yourself.
2. Descenders Next – Hit the Slopes on APRIL 9
This sequel to the downhill biking Game Pass sensation, Descenders Next broadens its scope to include multiple ways to go really, really fast down a mountain. Promising to be the ultimate extreme sports game, tackle multiple biomes on snowboards and mountainboards when it arrives on April 9 with Game Pass.
3. Echo Weaver – Coming to Xbox and Game Pass
This beautifully rendered “Metroidbrainia” draws from classic adventure platformers and the likes of Outer Wilds to create a time looping world where knowledge is your greatest weapon. The trailer offered clues as to how, across multiple loops, you’ll piece together the story and shape of a collapsed utopia and escape the temporal prison you’re trapped within. Echo Weaver is coming to Xbox, with Game Pass.
4. Herdling – Coming to Xbox and Windows PC
Developer Okomotive created two of the most exciting, mechanic-packed adventures of recent years in the form of Far: Lone Sails and Far: Changing Tides, so you can count us very excited for their first fully 3D outing, Herdling. In a new trailer, we saw much more of how you’ll guide a herd of curious cattle across a ruined world (and the dangers you’ll face along the way) – and learned that it’ll be coming to Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC when it launches this summer.
5. Hotel Barcelona – Launching 2025
This long awaited collaboration between legendary designers Suda51 and Swery is almost upon us. This 2.5D action-platformer pits you against the horror-inspired denizens of the titular hotel, and the new trailer dives deeper into the Slasher Phantom, a brutal game mechanic that summons echoes of the player’s past runs to aid them in battle. We also saw some of the game’s arsenal of deadly weapons and abilities, each designed to turn the tide of battle in the most gruesome ways possible.
6. Jump Ship – Coming to Xbox Game Preview
Developed by Hazelight (It Takes Two) and Mojang (Minecraft) alumni, this 1-4 player FPS puts you in charge of a spaceship and asks you to take on on-foot combat sections, seamlessly transitioning between the two. The new trailer gives us a taste of how you’ll have to work together to survive, not to mention its tongue-in-cheek approach to bombastic action – plus we learned that it’ll be available in early access through Xbox Game Preview this summer.
7. Lies of P: Overture – New Story Trailer
We got a closer look at the newly announced DLC for acclaimed Soulslike, Lies of P. The Overture expansion will see Geppetto’s Puppet encounter a mysterious artifact that transports him back in time to the world of Krat in its final days of grandeur. The trailer gives us a melancholy look at Lea, the Legendary Stalker, on her relentless path of vengeance.
8. The Lonesome Guild – World Premiere
We got a world-first look at the new game from Don’t Nod (Life Is Strange, Jusant), a whimsical action-RPG full of heart, battles, and bonds that change everything. Embark on a heroic adventure as Ghost, a spirit who wakes to find they hold no memories. Build your dream team, switch seamlessly between them to solve puzzles and fight your way through the collapsing world of Etere. The Lonesome Guild arrives for Xbox Series X|S this fall.
9. Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault – Coming to Game Pass
The sequel to the beloved action-RPG that answers the question, “where do RPG merchants get their stock”, Moonlighter 2 takes on a brand new full-3D, isometric look – offering new challenges and rewards as a result. The new trailer shows both your new hometown and shop, and the adventures in store as you adventure to keep your stock flowing. Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC and Game Pass in 2025.
10. Outbound – Coming to Xbox in 2026
This gorgeous open-world exploration game sets you off with an empty camper van and sees you turn it into the home of your dreams – alone or together with your friends. Build and explore at your own pace. Scavenge materials, craft, and build in and on top of your vehicle with modular parts. Advance in technology and efficiently use energy to power your home, while adjusting your playstyle to adapt to new landscapes and changing environmental conditions. Outbound is coming to Xbox Series X|S in 2026.
11. Ratatan – Coming to Xbox
A new game from the creators of the beloved Patapon, Ratatan is a rhythm strategy roguelike that sees you taking increasingly huge groups of minions through a world in which you need to literally conduct your attacks – hit the rhythm and you’ll stay alive. Mix in up to four-player co-op, and you can have over 100 characters onscreen in a single fight. Ratatan comes to Xbox this year.
12. Revenge of the Savage Planet – Coming to Game Pass on May 8
We got a new look at this co-op exploration adventure by way of an in-universe commercial for the Kindred Catalog –Revenge of the Savage Planet features dozens of fresh and funny upgrades such as the goo cannon, which allows players to create slippery, sticky or flammable surfaces in the world! Or a whip to keep creatures from eating your face! Or a grapple to swing from point to point! Or a lasso to capture creatures and send them back to your Habitat for research. So many tools, so many options, so many ways to play. We don’t have long to wait to try all of this out – Revenge of the Savage Planet arrives for Xbox on May 8, and will be available day one with Game Pass.
13. Rockbeasts – World Premiere
We got another world-first look at Rockbeasts, a “rock and roll band manager” game in which you playthe manager of a legendary ‘90s band (who just happen to be animals). Lead a band of misfits on a roller-coaster ride to stardom in the age of MTV, rock anthems, and bad haircuts. Rockbeasts is a story-driven, role-playing management game that puts you in the shoes of a manager of an up-and-coming rock band. Your job – take them to the top. It arrives for Xbox Series X|S this year.
14. TANUKI Pon’s Summer – Arriving to XBOX Game Pass
We got another look at this adorable courier life sim after its debut at Tokyo Game Show. The new trailer showed us how we’ll be performing stunt-filled delivery missions alongside relaxing in its bucolic town – from baseball, to sumo practice, to drumming. Tanuki: Pon’s Summer arrives in late 2025, and it’s coming to Game Pass.
15. Tempopo – Coming to Game Pass on April 17
The newest title from the award-winning team behind Unpacking, Tempopo is a puzzle adventure bursting with music. Playing as Hana, you enter a fantasy world in which you need to conduct the titular Tempopo creatures to solve puzzles scattered across the world’s sky islands – before heading back home and cultivating her garden. The new trailer showed off new gameplay, and revealed that the game will come to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One on April 17, and will launch into Game Pass day one.
16. TRON: Catalyst – Release Date Trailer
From Disney, publisher BigFan, and the development team at Bithell Games, the new trailer for Tron: Catalyst gave us a closer look at our game’s protagonist, Exo, who is fighting for her survival in the arena. An explosive event has gifted Exo the ability to perceive the glitch tearing apart her home, the Arq Grid, and given her the unique ability to loop time itself. This thrilling isometric action our game offers combat, conversation, and Light Cycle exploration in the city of Vertical Slice. Tron: Catalyst comes to Xbox Series X|S on June 17.
17. Ultimate Sheep Racoon – Coming to Game Pass
This chaotic side-scrolling, bike riding party game got a new trailer announcing that it’ll come to Game Pass upon release – and then we saw the IGN team playing the game’s 8-player mode. They showed off a variety of different blocks that can hinder your movement or launch you ahead of the competition, two different levels with varying difficulty, and showed how the different power-ups can really make a difference in the race.
18. Wax Heads – Launching Summer 2026
We got a new look at this slice-of-life narrative game set around running a struggling record store. Showing off its gorgeous hand-drawn looks, the trailer shows more of how you’ll chat to quirky customers with unique tastes, explore a handcrafted record collection, fall in love with bands (and their drama!), or just slack off with your colleagues – whatever gets everyone’s groove back! Wax Heads will come to Xbox Series X|S in summer 2026.
19. Woodo – Coming to Xbox
This cozy, story-driven game showed off more of its beautiful art style and pieced-together 3D puzzles. The trailer revealed how you’ll build the story by literally building the world, pulling 3D objects from your menus to fill a scene, revealing more of the tale of main characters Foxy and Ben as you go. Woodo is on its way to Xbox Series X|S.
Kate Bush, Damon Albarn, Annie Lennox and Hans Zimmer are among the artists who have contributed to a new “silent” album to protest the U.K. government’s stance on artificial intelligence (AI).
The record, titled Is This What We Want?, is “co-written” by more than 1,000 musicians and features recordings of empty studios and performance spaces. In an accompanying statement, the use of silence is said to represent “the impact on artists’ and music professionals’ livelihoods that is expected if the government does not change course.”
The record was organized by Ed Newton-Rex, the founder of Fairly Trained, a non-profit that certifies generative AI companies that respect creators’ rights. The tracklisting to the 12-track LP reads: “The British government must not legalise music theft to benefit AI companies.”
Is This What We Want? is now available on all major streaming platforms.
Also credited as co-writers are performers and songwriters from across the industry, including Billy Ocean, Ed O’Brien, Dan Smith (Bastille), The Clash, Mystery Jets, Jamiroquai, Imogen Heap, Yusuf / Cat Stevens, Riz Ahmed, Tori Amos, James MacMillan and Max Richter. The full list of musicians involved with the record can be viewed at the LP’s official website. All proceeds from the album will be donated to the charity Help Musicians.
Courtesy Photo
The release comes at the close of the British government’s 10-week consultation on how copyrighted content, including music, can lawfully be used by developers to train generative AI models. Initially, the government proposed a data mining exception to copyright law, meaning that AI developers could use copyrighted songs for AI training in instances where artists have not “opted out” of their work being included.
The government report said the “opt out” approach gives rightsholders a greater ability to control and license the use of their content, but it has proved controversial with creators and copyright holders. In March 2024, the 27-nation European Union passed the Artificial Intelligence Act, which requires transparency and accountability from AI developers about training methods and is viewed as more creator-friendly.
Speaking at the beginning of the consultation, Lisa Nandy, the U.K.’s Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, said in a statement: “This government firmly believes that our musicians, writers, artists and other creatives should have the ability to know and control how their content is used by AI firms and be able to seek licensing deals and fair payment. Achieving this, and ensuring legal certainty, will help our creative and AI sectors grow and innovate together in partnership.”
Industry body UK Music said in its most recent report that the music U.K. scene contributed £7.6 billion ($9.6 billion) to the country’s economy, while exports reached £4.6 billion ($5.8 billion).
“The government’s proposal would hand the life’s work of the country’s musicians to AI companies, for free, letting those companies exploit musicians’ work to outcompete them,” said Newton-Rex in a statement on the album release. “It is a plan that would not only be disastrous for musicians, but that is totally unnecessary: the UK can be leaders in AI without throwing our world-leading creative industries under the bus. This album shows that, however the government tries to justify it, musicians themselves are united in their thorough condemnation of this ill-thought-through plan.”
Jo Twist, CEO of the British Phonographic Institution (BPI), added, “The UK’s gold-standard copyright framework is central to the global success of our creative industries. We understand AI’s potential to drive change including greater productivity or improvements to public services, but it is entirely possible to realise this without destroying our status as a creative superpower.”
Speaking to Billboard U.K. in January, alt-pop star Imogen Heap — a co-writer on Is This What We Want? — expanded on her approach to AI. “The thing which makes me nervous is the provenance; there’s all this amazing video, art and poetry being generated by AI as well as music, but you know, creators need to be credited and they need to tell us where they’re training [the data] from.”
Even before a disruption in January caused by a looming U.S. ban, TikTok’s domination of video-based social media usage had started to wane. The service’s share of U.S. consumers’ time spent using social media apps fell to 29% in the fourth quarter of 2024 from 34% in the prior-year period, according to MusicWatch. In that same time span, YouTube Shorts’ share increased from 24% to 26% and Facebook Reels improved from 16% to 18%, while the “other” category rose one percentage point to 6%, Instagram Reels was flat at 18% and Triller remained at 3%.
That coincided with an overall downward trend in social media use. The average time spent using social media apps per week dropped from 7.9 hours in the fourth quarter of 2022 to 6.5 hours in the fourth quarter of 2024, says MusicWatch principal Russ Crupnick. That’s not an unexpected trend as Americans move further past pandemic-era behaviors, but Crupnick also notes that average times will fall as older, more casual users adopt social media platforms.
Trending on Billboard
Still, that overall decrease doesn’t account for TikTok’s declining share of consumers’ attention. A few years ago, the app seemed like an unstoppable freight train as its influence spread across tech and commerce. It also became a powerful promotional vehicle for artists, many of whom launched their careers by going viral on the platform. Once TikTok proved there was an insatiable demand for short-form video, Instagram and YouTube launched copycat products with Reels and Shorts, respectively. Its impact even spread to Amazon, which launched a TikTok-styled feed for product discovery called Inspire in 2022 (Amazon announced it was shutting down the feature earlier this week). Music streaming services also followed suit: At Spotify, artists can now post short video messages to their fans.
Exactly why TikTok lost share in 2024 isn’t clear. “It’s hard to say,” says Crupnick. “Is this a function of all the political nonsense going on around the app? Is it a function of YouTube and some of the competitors catching up a little bit? Is it a little bit of exhaustion with music on social video? Or is it all three?”
Whatever the case, this reshuffling of the landscape has led artists to flock to other platforms and eroded TikTok’s dominance as a promotional vehicle. Experts who spoke with Billboard about TikTok’s decline described a changing social media landscape in which the platform remains a powerful marketing tool but has lost some of its allure and potency. For a variety of reasons, consumers are spending more time at TikTok’s competitors, and artists are thus seeing more opportunity at platforms such as YouTube and Instagram.
One factor in TikTok’s decline in market share is YouTube and Meta successfully leveraging the scale and scope of their respective platforms to become serious contenders in short-form video. YouTube, in particular, has succeeded in integrating Shorts into a platform that used to be occupied only by long-form videos. “I think YouTube has done a good job of building an ecosystem,” says J.D. Tuminski, founder of Casadei Collective Marketing Agency. “They do a lot of education for artists and labels about building the Shorts ecosystem that feeds into the bigger picture of music video content and lifestyle content.”
Jenna Rosenberg, head of operations and marketing at Gorilla Management, agrees that YouTube has benefitted by combining short-form and long-form videos. “I think when people are watching the longer videos [on YouTube] they can easily get sucked into the short-form part of that platform as well, and vice versa. Whereas TikTok, it’s literally just the vertical short-form content.”
At the same time, YouTube and Instagram are increasingly seen as friendly to creators. “Anecdotally, YouTube and Meta pay better than TikTok,” says Tuminski. “Also, the TikTok creator fund is always shifting. There are different thresholds that you have to meet to be able to earn on there, and they’re not always clear.”
TikTok, on the other hand, is seen as prioritizing some of its e-commerce initiatives. TikTok Shop, for example, allows creators to stream live videos and sell goods and merchandise. In January, TikTok Shop sales were up 153% year-over-year, far exceeding the growth rates of Chinese e-commerce platforms Shein and Temu, according to Bloomberg. While live shopping may be a sensible practice for a TikTok influencer, musicians tend to shy away from that kind of activity — and as a result, they aren’t flocking to TikTok Shop. “An artist isn’t necessarily going to go on TikTok Live and say, “Hey, come and buy my vinyl,’” says Rosenberg. “It’s just very uncomfortable for them.”
The standoff between Universal Music Group (UMG) and TikTok may also have played a part in shifting sentiment around the app in the music community. In February 2024, UMG began pulling its content from TikTok over a disagreement about compensation, among other factors. For many artists and labels, that dust-up was “a warning sign” that TikTok’s dominance in social media wasn’t secure, says Dan Roy Carter, managing director of digital consultancy Carter Projects. “Deals fell apart, carefully designed viral campaigns became eye-watering wastes of budget, and acts who had built their presence reliant on TikTok were left very much bent out of shape.”
“I think a lot of folks were looking for alternatives, even before all the political things that are going on,” says Tuminski. Artists want to work with brands they trust, he adds, and they will go where their fans are. If one service isn’t providing what they want, “they’ll go to somewhere that makes a little bit more sense to them.”
Things have worsened for TikTok in 2025 due to a pending shutdown in the U.S., although President Donald Trump provided a stay of execution when he entered office. The looming ban caused traffic to decline, however, and pushed people to download alternatives such as RedNote. As of this week, TikTok has lost one-tenth of its U.S. users since the first week of January, according to Similarweb data published by The Information.
Still, TikTok remains a powerful and influential force in music and entertainment. By 2024, a third of U.S. adults used TikTok, while almost six in 10 teens (57%) say they use the platform daily and 16% say they’re on it “almost constantly,” according to Pew Research. People use TikTok mostly for pop culture and entertainment but also viral music and dances, humor and comedy, personal stories, fashion advice, product recommendations, politics and, for 5% of U.S. adults, news.
“There is still huge value in TikTok as a platform for music discovery and promotion, and perhaps their ability to tap into merch, ticketing, and conversion to paid streaming will usher a second coming,” says Carter. “But its days of being the only horse are seemingly coming to an end.”
Belting out your favorite song in your car with the windows down is time-honored catharsis, a solitary moment that helps release tension and express emotion. Medical studies have shown that singing has both physical and psychological health benefits. Now, a new virtual reality app encourages users to experience those benefits with a headset strapped on, immersed in a gorgeous setting while crooning their favorite Chappell Roan song or rapping their Kendrick Lamar track of choice.
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Realize Music: Sing, which launched on Thursday (Feb. 20) exclusively on the Meta Quest in North America, is designed to promote relaxation through singing smash hits and unlocking achievements the more tunes they warble. The experience, from wellness-based entertainment venture Realize Music Inc., exists at the midsection between popular VR fitness apps like Beat Saber and Supernatural, and an uninhibited night at the karaoke bar with friends.
“This is very different than focusing on fitness, but similar in the way that this is something that you do by yourself, for yourself,” Mark Roemer, Realize Music co-founder and CEO, tells Billboard. “It’s not performative — this isn’t something that you’re doing to show off your skills in front of your friends at a party. It’s more singing just for you, and getting yourself into the zone with the music that you love.”
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Roemer says that Realize Music: Sing, the company’s first title, began its development process during the pandemic, as the music and wellness industry veteran was joined by longtime video game producer and publisher Mike Wilson at the new company. “Everyone was feeling the same levels of anxiety and stress and isolation,” Roemer says. “We knew that we had something that could help get people into flow state through pattern breathing and vagus nerve stimulation. If we were to do it through some sort of meditation app, it would be a lot less likely to reach the masses than if we did something incorporating popular music, which is what we’ve done.”
To do so, Realize Music: Sing launches with blanket licensing deals with Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group, which Roemer says took about a year to secure. When users select a song to sing, they are “transported into gorgeous, otherworldly landscapes,” says Roemer, and the lyrics are projected into the sky. As they sing their favorite Lady Gaga, Linkin Park or Tom Petty song, their voice emits stars, and their tone affects how the spherical landscape appears, with points earned less on performance than on movement and timing.
“We all have that music that changes our state,” Roemer notes. “And we wanted to have the widest variety of music in this app so that people could choose that which is appropriate for them in the moment, because that also changes.”
Realize Music: Sing launches at an introductory subscription price of $9.99 per month, or $99.99 for an annual subscription. While future releases are in development for Apple, Samsung and Sony PSVR2, Roemer also points out that new music will be added to the app on a weekly basis, as well as new, customized artist packs, similar to those in fitness VR apps.
“We’ve got stuff that ranges generations,” says Roemer. “In a household, maybe a 12-year-old owns the headset — but there’s something in there for the parents, there’s something in there for the older siblings. There’s something in there for literally everybody.”
Roemer also notes that Realize Music: Sing was built with Unreal Engine, the same technology used to power the visuals of the Sphere in Las Vegas — and that the VR app could eventually extend in live events as well. “I envision ticketed group singalongs in that venue,” he says. “I am imagining genre-specific singalong parties, with thousands of others singing their hearts out! I could easily see ’80s, Disney, pop and oldies being wildly popular regular events — with the graphics providing a shared experience, and the seats providing a haptic element.”
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Source: Xbox / Xbox Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass continues to add the hottest titles to its library to keep you picking up your Xbox controller.
Xbox Game Pass subscribers, listen up: some big day one releases and fan favorites are heading to the service to help it continue being the best value in gaming.
Available Right Now!
Journey to the Living Lands right now in one of the most anticipated games of the year, Avowed, from Obsidian Entertainment.
Per Xbox:
Welcome to the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger. Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment.
Coming Soon
Here are some titles you can look forward to playing on Xbox Game Pass, per Xbox.
EA Sports F1 24 (Cloud, Console, and PC) EA Play – February 20 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Join the grid and chase podium glory with unlimited access to EA Sports F1 24, coming soon to The Play List. Members can master every turn and feel at one with the car with Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta), PC Game Pass, or Game Pass Ultimate via EA Play. Plus, score in-game rewards including 5,000 XP monthly.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – February 20 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is an isometric RPG by Owlcat Games, set in the grim darkness of the 41st millennium. As a powerful Rogue Trader, you command a starship, assemble a crew, and explore the Imperium, making fateful decisions in tactical, turn-based combat.
Watch Dogs: Legion (Cloud, Console, and PC) – February 25 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Explore a massive urban open world featuring London’s many iconic landmarks and fun side activities where you can recruit (and play as) anyone. Everyone you see has a unique backstory, personality, and skill set for unique situations. Team up with your friends to complete new four-player co-op missions and PvP matches online.
A Classic Returns
Ryse: Son of Rome Available with Cloud Gaming Game Pass Ultimate
Jump back in this immersive action-adventure story of struggle, brutality, and heroism with Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta). Amidst the chaos of the late Roman Empire, become soldier Marius Titus and embark on a perilous campaign to avenge the death of your family and defend the honor of Rome. In Gladiator Mode, step into the Colosseum and fight for the glory, spectacle, and entertainment of the crowds.
Games Leaving Xbox Game Pass February 28
With the arrival of new titles, some games are leaving, but don’t fret; you can use your Xbox Game Pass 20% discount to purchase these games and ensure they stay in your library.
F1 22 (Console and PC) EA Play
Gris (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Maneater (Cloud, Console, and PC)
PAW Patrol World (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Space Engineers (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Wo Long Fallen Dynasty (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Yakuza 3 Remastered (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Yakuza 4 Remastered (Cloud, Console, and PC
DLC & Game Updates
Sea of Thieves: Season 15 – Starting February 20
Sea of Thieves is more exciting than ever as new life abounds across the waves. Set forth on new Voyages for The Hunter’s Call, grapple with wild boars and deadly sea monsters, master using hunting spears and more, with new features to enjoy each month.
Ark Survival Ascended: Astraeos DLC – Available Now
Game Pass members save 10%! Embark on your next epic odyssey within the world of Ark with Astraeos! Explore and immerse yourself in an elysian land of colossal proportions, steeped in Greek mythology. At over 260km², this massive new map is overflowing with stunning scenery, ancient ruins, and sacred temples. Face off against powerful new bosses, alpha dino variants with enhanced loot, and a fearsome miniboss lurking in mysterious caves.
Forza Motorsport: Update 17 – Available Now
Update 17 celebrates cars that are fun, compact, and performant. Race four new-to-Motorsport cars: 2023 Toyota Camry TRD, 2022 Hyundai i20N, 2022 Toyota GR86, and 2021 Hyundai #98 Elantra TCR. Get the 2021 Toyota Yaris GR and 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5N in the Challenge Hub.
Age of Mythology: Retold – Immortal Pillars Expansion – March 4
Game Pass members can save 10% on their pre-order of Immortal Pillars, the highly anticipated first expansion for Age of Mythology: Retold. Harness the power of ancient Chinese mythology and discover a world where gods, monsters, and legends collide in an epic new chapter of mythical strategy.
Game Pass Ultimate Perks
Madden NFL 25: EA Play Supercharge Pack – Available Now
Madden NFL 25 is now on The Play List. Get your Ultimate Team ready for the gridiron with the Supercharge Pack.
Minecraft: 1 Month Marketplace Pass – Available Now
Get access to the Marketplace Pass for 1 month! Discover 150+ pieces of content including worlds, skin packs, add-ons and more refreshed monthly. This Perk requires a payment instrument to redeem. Terms apply.
Monster Hunter Now: MH Now Bundle – Available Now
Claim 2 Ultra Hunting Tickets, 2 Paintballs, 2 Potions, a Wander Orb, and a Tigrex crafting material for weapons and armor. This Perk content requires Monster Hunter Now (mobile) to use. Valid only for iOS and Android versions of the game.
MultiVersus: MVP Pack 5 – Available Now
The MultiVersus MVP Pack offers in-game content to further customize and boost your play for Game Pass Ultimate members. MVP Pack 5 includes a Rare Banner – Bun Power and a Legendary Taunt – Treat Break.
Naruto 4-Movie Collection: Free movies – Available Now (US Only)
Claim four Anime classic movies including Naruto Shippuden The Movie: Blood Prison, Naruto Road to Ninja, Naruto The Last, and Boruto: The Naruto Movie. More Naruto titles are on sale during Anime month. Available in the US only.