State Champ Radio UK Business
Page: 2
Trending on Billboard
Olivia Dean’s sophomore album The Art of Loving, released in late September, is an intimate portrait of matters of the heart, and the highs and lows of romance in your 20s. Now the world loves her back and U.K. industry insiders are blown away as a fresh outpouring of affection gives her a rare shot of breaking America.
Related
Released via Capitol Records U.K. in partnership with Island Records U.S., The Art of Loving recently peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200, and currently remains in the top 10. And this week, its breakout hit “Man I Need” continues to rise on the Hot 100 and is up to No. 8 — Dean’s first-ever Hot 100 top 10 hit — while two other tracks, “So Easy (To Fall In Love)” and “Nice to Each Other,” appear at No. 44 and No. 88, respectively.
Records have tumbled on the U.K’s Official Charts. On release week, The Art of Loving and “Man I Need” concurrently hit No. 1 on the Albums and Singles chart, with Dean becoming the first British female solo artist to achieve the feat since Adele in 2021. This week, Dean has broken a new U.K. chart record with four songs inside the top 10, the first time any female solo artist has achieved the feat and buoyed by her appearance on Sam Fender’s “Rein Me In.”
Dean is no overnight sensation. The BRIT School graduate first appeared as a backing singer with dance group Rudimental, and landed a record deal with AMF (a subsidiary of EMI) in 2019 for OK Love You Bye, her debut EP. Her debut album Messy (2023) scored a Mercury Prize nomination, and alongside an appearance on the BBC’s Sound Of poll the following year, she earned nominations in three categories at the BRIT Awards in 2024.
Now that steady build has exploded into potential global stardom. Next spring, the 26-year-old will headline six nights at London’s 20,000-capacity O2 Arena as part of her sold-out U.K. and Ireland tour, but the campaign is smartly positioned to break across the pond, too. She’s currently the lead support for Sabrina Carpenter’s ongoing arena tour, including five nights at New York’s Madison Square Garden this week. A performance on Saturday Night Live is scheduled for Nov. 15.
Now, with the campaign going from strength to strength, Tom Paul, managing director of Capitol Records U.K., earns the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week. Here he discusses the canny A&R decisions that supported Dean’s artistry, why she stands out in a world “increasingly shaped by AI” and keeping her well-fed with her favorite snack: chocolate raisins.
Related
This week, Olivia Dean’s “Man I Need” became her first top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, soaring to No. 8 in its ninth week on the chart. What key decisio did you make to help make that happen?
Partnering with Island U.S. in 2023 was absolutely key — that team is world-class. They completely understand and support Olivia’s artistry, and we’ve been working in lockstep since the release of Messy. We built an ambitious plan for The Art of Loving rollout in late 2024 and really stuck to it. “Man I Need” was quickly chosen as the focus single by Olivia and the team — and when she started performing it across her U.S. headline shows before release, the response was undeniable. You could feel it connecting in the room. Her being back in market now, supporting Sabrina Carpenter, has only amplified that momentum — and honestly, given the commercial and radio plans Island have put in place, it feels like this track still has plenty more room to grow.
Olivia released four EPs and her debut album, 2023’s Messy, before breaking through with The Art of Loving. How have you worked to build her career steadily through the years?
From the start, we’ve always focused on Olivia as an artist with longevity. We’ve been consistent with music releases since 2019, including live albums from the Jazz Café and Hammersmith Apollo, standout sync moments with Bridget Jones and Heartstopper, her work with brands such as Burberry and Adidas, and extensive global touring.
She’s one of the hardest-working artists I’ve ever seen — she’s travelled the world several times over, supported brilliantly by Nickie Owen and the Universal Music U.K. International team. Olivia knows exactly who she is, and we’re all completely aligned on her ambitions. The key is making smart decisions every day and avoiding shortcuts. She’s in this for the long run, and everything we do is built around that.
What specific decisions did the A&R team and Olivia make during the process of writing and recording The Art of Loving?
Willem Ward’s decision to turn an east London house into a recording studio — complete with Olivia’s own piano — was a key part of the alchemy behind the album’s magic. Olivia lived in the space for three weeks, inviting both longterm collaborators and new writers to join her. Having that creative home base in London, in a space that felt completely her own, made a huge difference.
We kept the core team that’s been integral to her journey while bringing in new creative energy from producers like Zack Nahome. And through it all, we followed Olivia’s lead — she set the tone, the pace and the emotional compass for the record.
Over in the U.K., Olivia currently has three songs in the Top 10, plus a collaboration with Sam Fender. How much planning goes into making sure that each single has the push it deserves when they’re all big simultaneously?
The U.K. chart success is an astounding achievement and absolutely one to be celebrated, but we’ve always said it doesn’t matter which song brings you into Olivia’s world — and we’ve always looked at the bigger, global picture before local chart metrics. We’ve had “Reason to Stay” going viral in Southeast Asia while “It Isn’t Perfect” was peaking in the U.K., and “Dive” [from debut LP Messy] was charting in Australia. She’s a true artist in that respect — every one of her songs forms part of the Olivia Dean story. When “Man I Need” was released, we suddenly had 12 songs in the U.K. Spotify Top 200, spanning her entire catalogue from 2019’s OK Love You Bye right through to The Art of Loving.
While meticulous planning goes into every rollout, there’s no accounting for those unexpected moments. Constant communication with the team — and the willingness to pivot, or sometimes to simply let things grow organically — is crucial. Olivia is an incredibly intuitive artist; she just knows when a song needs attention. Her COLORS session shining a light on “A Couple Minutes” was a perfect example of that instinct at work.
Olivia first broke in the U.K. and is now seeing gains in the U.S. How did you work with your counterparts in the U.S. to set her up for success in the market?
It really comes down to forward planning, consistent communication and talking through every decision with a global perspective. We’re always looking at each move through that lens — understanding the importance of Olivia being in market, aligning on our ambitions, but also making sure we enjoy the process. At the end of the day, we’re a team that genuinely gets on, loves music, and loves working together.
Breaking British acts in the U.S. and globally has been something of a concern for the industry lately, but the trend appears to be bucking. Why do you think audiences have connected with Olivia?
Audiences are craving honesty and authenticity. In a world increasingly shaped by AI, Olivia’s music feels deeply human — soulful, witty and emotional. She represents a new generation of artists redefining British music through intimacy and integrity. Her live performances are truly exceptional; she connects in person the same way she does online. There’s an element of old-school glamor and timelessness in her presentation, but always with her own modern, individual twist. And, of course, the pure quality of her songwriting is second to none.
Related
How have you been able to leverage TikTok for The Art of Loving’s singles?
TikTok has been a huge part of Olivia’s discovery — not through trends or gimmicks, but through people being genuinely transfixed by the joy of her performances or using her lyrics to soundtrack their own lives. We’ve built every key promo moment around authenticity rather than virality.
The best part is that her biggest moments on the platform have always come from fans, not marketing — and that’s exactly how you know you’ve got a special artist. One of our current trending sounds is simply Olivia explaining the concept behind The Art of Loving — I’ve honestly never seen something like that before, and it’s a perfect example of how her storytelling drives discovery.
Between chatter for a Grammy nomination, an upcoming SNL performance and a massive tour in 2026, how do you position Capitol U.K. to support Olivia on this next phase of the campaign?
Although Olivia’s trajectory this year has been nothing short of explosive, it’s important that we keep the momentum going — there are still so many people yet to discover her and such a rich catalog for them to explore. We have ambitious longterm plans in place, but our job is to make sure Olivia can scale globally without losing the intimacy that defines her.
Keeping our small, focused team at Capitol U.K., led by Jo Charrington, allows us to make every decision intentionally and with care. And, of course, making sure Olivia has a steady supply of chocolate raisins — an absolute essential.
Trending on Billboard
The BRIT Awards has announced an eligibility shake-up across a number of categories at the upcoming 2026 ceremony.
For the first time in its nearly 50 year history, The BRITs will leave London and will be held in Manchester’s Co-op Live arena. The ceremony will take place on Feb. 28 at the 23,500-capacity venue, which first opened in 2024. It will be the first time the awards have been held outside of London in its almost five-decade history; from 2011 to 2025, the ceremony was held at The O2 arena in London.
Ahead of the nomination process, The BRITs has announced a number of changes to the eligibility across certain categories. The eligibility period runs from Dec. 6, 2024, to Dec. 4, 2025.
The BRITs Rising Star Award will revert back to being called the Critics’ Choice award. The award was introduced in 2008 and is voted for by a judging panel made up of industry experts. Previous winners include Adele, Sam Smith, Sam Fender, Ellie Goulding and Florence + The Machine, and the title is currently held by Myles Smith.
The award changed its name to Rising Star in 2020, and recognizes artists who are predicted to make the biggest impact on music in the coming year. To be eligible, artists must not have yet achieved a top 20 album or more than one top 20 single on the U.K. charts.
Best new artist will change its name to breakthrough artist and honor British artists as they make their mark on the industry. The award was previously called British newcomer (1982-2002) and British breakthrough act (2003-2019) before being called best new artist from 2020 to 2025. The category recognizes artists on their achievements throughout the eligibility period and honors musicians with a greater profile than those of Critics Choice. Recent winners include The Last Dinner Party (2025), RAYE (2024) and Wet Leg (2023).
The BRITs has also announced a change in the eligibility criteria across a number of categories. Nominees in artist of the year, international artist of the year, group of the year and international group of the year will need to have achieved either a top 30 album or two top 20 singles on the Official U.K. charts in the eligibility period. Previously, artists were considered eligible if they had achieved either one top 40 album or two top 20 singles in the eligibility period.
For the Mastercard album of the year prize, the LP must have reached the top 30 on the U.K.’s Albums Chart.
In the five genre categories for alternative/rock, dance, hip-hop/grime/rap, pop and R&B, the eligibility criteria remains the same, with artists required to have achieved a top 40 album or single on the Official U.K. charts in the eligibility period.
Nominees for the BRITs are usually announced in January and are selected by members of the BRITs voting panel, which is comprised of thousands of musicians, industry experts, pundits and more. In recent years, genre categories have been voted on by the public.
In other developments for the 2026 ceremony, Stacey Tang, co-president of RCA U.K., will chair this year’s organization committee and will oversee the ceremony’s creative direction, alongside representatives from other U.K. major and independent record labels, BRITs TV and the BPI.
Trending on Billboard
Women In CTRL, a non-profit advocacy group, announced Thursday (Oct. 23) that more than a dozen British live music organizations have signed a pledge designed to strengthen inclusion targets across the industry.
The Seat at the Table Inclusion Pledge, the first of its kind in the U.K., is centered around a new sector-wide commitment to achieving gender-balanced leadership by 2030.
Related
Signees of the pledge include ATC Live and Ginger Owl, and companies including AEG and The O2. All 15 LIVE (Live Music Industry Venues & Entertainment) organisations have also signed up, including the Association of Independent Festivals, Featured Artists Coalition and Music Managers Forum.
As supporters of the pledge, industry allies will contribute to case studies, share learning across the sector, and participate in future roundtables and peer learning sessions. Women In CTRL says this collaboration will be key to strengthening accountability across the live music ecosystem.
Signatories will also be required to commit to submitting an annual check-in to show progression across key focus areas, such as strengthening governance and board diversity through reviews or term limits.
In April, Women In CTRL and LIVE released a landmark report titled Seat at the Table: LIVE Edition. Its findings highlighted progress in some areas — including the finding that 61% of the Music Venue Trust board identifies as women or non-binary — while also revealing disparities in wider leadership representation.
Related
Forty-one percent of board members across LIVE and its 15 member organisations are women or non-binary people, the report stated. LIVE has since released its 2030 inclusion targets, which include 50% women and non-binary representation and 16% women from global majority backgrounds in senior leadership roles.
Elsewhere, the report revealed that women’s representation on U.K. music trade association boards rose from 32% in 2020 to 52% in 2024.
Gaby Cartwright, head of partnerships at LIVE, said in a press release at the time the report was released, “As an industry, it’s clear that we must do more to improve gender representation at the highest levels… Reaching this goal will require collective effort, accountability, and meaningful action — but momentum is building. This report provides crucial insight into the challenges we face, and the concrete steps needed to drive lasting change.”
Nadia Khan, founder of Women In CTRL, added at the time, “We know from experience that what gets measured, gets done. This report is an essential first step; by setting a clear benchmark, we are providing the industry with a roadmap for action, not simply reflection.”To read the full Seat at the Table: LIVE Edition report, visit the Women In CTRL website here.
The U.K.’s Association of Independent Music (AIM) has announced its Independent Music Awards will return to London this fall (Sept. 23).
Celebrating its 15th year, the event will take place at the capital’s iconic Roundhouse venue and spotlight a wealth of artists, labels and entrepreneurs in the independent music community — which makes up a third of the U.K.’s recorded music market.
Categories include U.K. independent breakthrough, best independent EP/mixtape and best independent remix, as well as other artist-focused awards such as best live performer. See a full list of categories below.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
AIM Rightsholder members can submit entrants for free. Submissions are now open via the organization’s official website and close at 11:59 p.m. GMT on July 9. For non-members, there are submission costs – albeit discounts are available to organizations connected with AIM, such as those who focus on encouraging further diversity in the industry.
Trending on Billboard
The one to watch, EDI (equity, diversity inclusion) champion, independent music champion and music entrepreneur of the year categories, however, are free for anyone to enter. The full list of categories and submission guidance can be found via the AIM website.
The only categories that are not open for submissions are outstanding contribution to music, the innovator award and PPL award for most played new independent artist, as these are decided in-house by AIM.
Tickets for the show will go on sale later in the summer. Last year’s ceremony saw legendary pop duo Sparks receive the outstanding contribution to music award in honor of its illustrious five-decade career, while Neneh Cherry collected the innovator award. Music Venue Trust was named independent music champion and Totnes’ Drift Records was honored with the best independent record store award.
The 2025 event will see the reintroduction of AIM’s local music champions (previously known as Local Heroes, debuted in 2019), in collaboration with BBC Introducing. The accolade will honor those who have “demonstrated unwavering support for their local music community or used their position to improve the wider ecosystem,” according to a press release.
Gee Davy, CEO of AIM, said in a statement: “We are delighted to bring the U.K.’s most vibrant music community awards back to the Roundhouse, celebrating the breadth of talent and innovation across independent music.“The Independent Music Awards is the best place to celebrate and recognise those who often go unsung, creating the most culturally impactful music coming out of the U.K., as well as an opportunity for us to honour some of our heroes and champions who make a wider impact.”
The Independent Music Awards will round out AIM’s wider programme of events for 2025. It will follow shortly after AIM Connected, a conference for business leaders and senior managers in the independent music sector, which will take place on Sept. 9 at Rich Mix in Shoreditch.
Oasis has announced a series of pop-up stores for fans to purchase merchandise for its hotly anticipated reunion tour, which kicks off on July 4 in Cardiff, Wales.
The official Oasis Live ‘25 Fan Stores will launch nationwide throughout the U.K. and Ireland, giving fans the opportunity to purchase merchandise ahead of the shows. The first space will open in Manchester on June 20 until July 27, with stores in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and Birmingham set to be announced in due course. Locations for each are to be confirmed in the coming days; there is currently no confirmation if the band will open similar pop-up stores for their other dates later this summer.
Fans will be able to access a range of official tour merchandise, including exclusive brand collaborations, limited-edition products and items exclusive to the Live ‘25 Fan Stores. The band’s web store will also begin stocking official tour merchandise later this week, with details set to be confirmed imminently.
Trending on Billboard
In November 2024, it was announced that Oasis had selected Warner Music Group’s merchandise and fan-experience division WMX as the official partner for their Live ‘25 reunion tour. In May, Amazon also launched its own exclusive range of Oasis merch, including a reproduction of a T-shirt from the band’s Knebworth shows in 1996.
They’re not the first to announce pop-up shops to meet fans’ demand for merchandise. Last week, Dua Lipa announced an pop-up in London ahead of her sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium (June 20, 21), and Tyler, the Creator, Harry Styles and more have all tapped into the lucrative merchandise market with dedicated stores for fans on tour stops in recent years.
In August 2024, it was announced that Noel and Liam Gallagher would reunite as Oasis to play a series of concerts, their first since 2009. The band is set to play a run of 41 shows across the U.K. and Ireland, North America, Latin America, Asia and Australia throughout 2025.
While details on the shows remain under wraps, Liam has used his social media profiles to tease fans with insider info. When he joined rehearsals in early June, Liam said the band sound “F–king FILTHY,” and that new drummer Joey Waronker was a “special” addition to the lineup.
It is thought that Waronker will join former Oasis members Andy Bell (bass), Gem Archer (guitar), Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs (guitar) alongside Noel and Liam at the shows.
Lola Young, Jungle and Florence Welch are among the top winners at this year’s ASCAP London Celebrates Creators event, held on Tuesday evening (June 17) at The Shard in London. The ceremony is designed to celebrate ASCAP’s U.K.-affiliated talent for their success in the U.S.
Continuing a breakout 12 months that have seen her score a Billboard Hot 100 hit with “Messy” (peaking at No. 8) and perform at Coachella, Young received the ASCAP Vanguard Award, which recognizes songwriters whose work is helping to shape the future of music.
Trending on Billboard
Hucknall collected the ASCAP Golden Note award, marking 40 years of international success with pop band Simply Red. The Golden Note has previously been awarded to icons such as George Michael, Elton John and, most recently, Duran Duran in 2016.
Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine fame was recognized for her contribution to Drake’s “Rich Baby Daddy” alongside Isabella Summers, which was named winning streaming song. The track features an interpolation of Welch’s “Dog Days Are Over” and features Sexyy Red and SZA on vocals. It reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2023, and also hit the summit on the Rhythmic Airplay chart.
Josh Lloyd-Watson, Tom McFarland and Lydia Kitto of dance act Jungle were honored with the hot dance/electronic song award for “Back on 74.” The trio won group of the year at last year’s BRIT Awards, where they performed the track live at London’s O2 Arena. It marks Jungle’s biggest streaming hit to date, currently at 420 million plays on Spotify alone.
Following his ASCAP Vanguard award in 2024, Cian Ducrot’s co-writing credits on SZA’s “Saturn” led to him being honored for song of the year as well as top streaming song by ASCAP.
Drum n’ bass artist Kenya Grace, meanwhile, took home the top hot dance/electronic song prize for “Strangers.” The track saw the 22-year-old become only the second woman in history to score a U.K. No. 1 with a single fully written, performed and produced by herself, following Kate Bush hitting the top spot in 2022 with “Running Up That Hill.” In 2024, the South Africa-born British-based singer-songwriter and producer received the ASCAP Global Impact Award, in recognition of her success in the dance music world.
2025’s top box-office film awards went to composers Robin Carolan for Nosferatu; Geoff Barrow (of Portishead) and Ben Salisbury for Civil War; Christopher Benstead for The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare; Daniel Pemberton for Fly Me to the Moon; Raffertie for The Substance; and Daniel Blumberg for The Brutalist.
A full list of 2025 ASCAP London winners can be found on ASCAP’s website.
LONDON — The U.K. government shared its spending review on Wednesday (Jun. 11), Labour’s first since it won 2024’s parliamentary election. The U.K. music industry, however, has raised concerns that funds are not being prioritized for the sector and warned that “action is needed now” to ensure its stature on the global stage.
The review has been keenly anticipated as sectors look to Labour to stimulate the economic growth promised in its election manifesto. The last full spending review was issued by the previous Conservative government in 2021, but in July 2024 Reeves claimed the Conservative party had overspent by £21.9 billion ($29.6 billion) and that “a necessary and urgent decision” on budgets was required. The review sets out day-to-day budgets for government departments for the next three years, and details long-term investment plans until the end of the decade.
In the new review, chancellor Rachel Reeves shared spending plans for the NHS (National Health Service), and across housing, defense, transport and more. In recent months, the U.K.’s stakeholders have lobbied the Labour government for additional funds for the music industry, but their calls appear to have gone largely unheard.
Trending on Billboard
Last Thursday (May 29), an open letter from the PRS Foundation called on the government to pledge £10 million ($13.5 million) per year for music export and exchange, with the goal of promoting the U.K. music scene on a global stage. The letter was signed by over 350 figures in the industry, including Glastonbury boss Emily Eavis, Beggars Group founder and chairman Martin Mills and rock band Nova Twins. The signatories said the fund would “stimulate the long-term growth of the U.K. music industry” and pointed to South Korea and Australia as nations that had seen successful export programs in recent years.
Gee Davy, chief executive of AIM (Association of Independent Music), said in a statement to Billboard U.K.: “The U.K.’s music is a key element of our soft power, which creates jobs and value for the economy beyond some sectors receiving help in the government spending review. But a combination of economic shocks has hit our sector, with an amplified effect on grassroots and independent music.”
She added, “To regain our position on the global stage we urgently need the government to step in with an ambitious export strategy and commit to long-term investment, alongside incentives to boost music creation with a tax credit scheme similar to that in film. Action is needed now.”
There’s also concern about the Labour government’s commitment to alleviating the live music scene’s struggles in recent years. Recent data from the MVT (Music Venues Trust) indicates that two grassroots venues are closing every month in the U.K. and that the wider night time scene – including bars, clubs and suppliers – is suffering.
Michael Kill, chief executive of the NTIA (Night Time Industry Associations) says that while the government’s commitment to long-term energy infrastructure was a positive step, “venues are struggling to keep the lights on today” due to rising costs in operation. He outlined that the night time industry contributes £153 billion ($207 billion) to the U.K. economy every year, and employs 2.1 million people, but that businesses need “clarity” on what to expect in relation to business rates and potential tax hikes in the near future.
“We need a budget that understands our value, not one that inadvertently accelerates decline,” Kill said. “The government must work in partnership with us. The capital investment plans may look bold, but the devil is in the detail. We need immediate support, clear fiscal strategy, and genuine engagement ahead of the Autumn budget if we are to safeguard a safe, thriving, and sustainable night time economy.”
Music in education settings has also been a key area of focus in recent months with huge talent throwing their weight behind the cause. At the BRITs in March, rising star Myles Smith used his winners’ speech to call on the government to make music education more accessible in state schools. Ed Sheeran, meanwhile, led a campaign backed by Elton John, Harry Styles and Coldplay that called for additional funding for lessons and instruments.
Damian Morgan, employability and industry lead at dBs Manchester, says that the “U.K.’s global success in music is no accident – it’s the result of years of investment, opportunity and education. But right now, we’re at a critical tipping point.” The dBs institutes in Manchester, Bristol and Plymouth offer professional training for students with an interest in music technology, game design and the creative industries.
Morgan adds, “Without serious and sustained support, we risk leaving behind a generation of talent that simply can’t afford to access the opportunities others take for granted. We need the government to take this seriously: invest in music education, protect it in the curriculum, and ensure young people from all backgrounds can find their way into our world-leading music industry.”
CMAT’s newest single, “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me,” has a lightning-in-a-bottle quality that nothing she had released previously could quite compare.
The track, which will feature on the country-pop songwriter’s third LP Euro-Country (due Aug. 29 via AWAL), is bright, hooky and possessed of a subtle emotional pull. Under a soulful, spacious melody, the tone shifts continually: from self-reflection to blame-laying, from denial to weariness, frustration and regret.
So as much as this irresistible earworm encapsulates the Song of the Summer ethos with its easy, forthright and effortlessly cool arrangement, it also in a way defies it. It offers a pained and pointed depiction of body image struggles in a world of constant online commentary — evoking a sunlit mood with lyrics rooted in a wider, meaningful conversation. CMAT (an acronym of Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson) recently explained to BBC 6 Music that the track is about the mental anguish she has experienced, having previously received a flood of “nasty comments” on her physical appearance.
Trending on Billboard
Since its release last month, “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me” has taken on a life of its own, picking up significant traction on TikTok while also translating into real-world success. What started as a playful dance challenge by app user Sam Morris, a 37-year-old content creator based in Brighton, has snowballed into a trend. The routine follows along with the words of the second verse — “I did the butcher/ I did the baker/ I did the home and the family maker/ I did schoolgirl fantasies” — with participants miming chopping and baking actions.
Dubbed the “Woke Macarena” in reference to its simple choreography, the song has soundtracked over 28,000 TikTok videos in recent weeks, with stars such as Lola Young and Julia Fox getting involved. CMAT, meanwhile, is currently in the midst of an extensive festival run: at the end of May, she thrilled a Main Stage crowd at London’s Wide Awake festival, while a Pyramid Stage slot at Glastonbury is on the horizon. Last week (June 6), she supported Sam Fender at London Stadium in front of an audience of 82,500 — the venue’s biggest sold-out show to date.
Prior to this, CMAT and her band delivered an electrifying rendition of “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me” on Later… With Jools Holland, kicking off the Euro-Country campaign in earnest. The performance proved that she wants viewers to understand what she’s singing about on the deepest level possible, and if that requires theatrical emotions and dancing, she is more than willing to oblige. It wouldn’t be remiss, then, to suggest that prestige slots on U.S. late night shows may soon come along.
“CMAT is firmly and deservedly positioning herself as one of this summer’s breakout stars,” says Adam Read, music programs manager at TikTok UK. “This is a track that speaks directly to identity, self-image and transformation, all while being incredibly catchy. The fact that the choreography took shape organically and is now being performed at live shows by entire crowds is exactly the kind of cultural crossover we love to see.”
Unlike this time last year, when Sabrina Carpenter’s smash hit “Espresso” was dominating the British (and global) airwaves, there arguably hasn’t been a Song of the Summer frontrunner just yet. Alex Warren’s ballad “Ordinary” has remained firmly at the summit of the Official U.K. Singles Chart for the past 12 weeks — the longest-running U.K. No. 1 of the 2020s — yet its sighing, plaintive melody doesn’t quite speak to the easy-breezy feel of the season.
Read and the team at TikTok UK, however, have predicted “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me” as a contender, alongside Afrobeats star Darkoo’s “Like Dat” and Charli xcx’s “Party 4 U.” The latter is a 2020 fan favorite that peaked at No. 42 on the Billboard 200 last month (May 31), with Atlantic Records having pushed it towards U.S. contemporary hit radio over the spring.
With over 575,000 video creations under the #SongOfTheSummer hashtag, TikTok is a key launchpad for new music at this time of the year. CMAT, meanwhile, has gained over 26.6 million content views in the past month alone, leading to a 71% growth in her follower count and, in turn, pushing her monthly Spotify listeners over the 1 million mark. The song is continuing to climb Spotify’s Viral 50 — Global chart and is approaching 4 million streams on the service.
That begs the question: is this CMAT’s crown to take? The Dublin-raised musician has perhaps never been better primed to make a mainstream crossover. Her second LP, 2023’s Crazymad For Me saw her break the Top 40 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart for the first time (No. 23), while also scooping Mercury Prize, BRIT and Ivor Novello nominations; the former is a notable feat, given that 2022 debut If My Wife New I’d Be Dead failed to crack the Top 75.
Shrewd marketing from the Sony-owned AWAL, meanwhile, has also played a role in the success of “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me”; the track recently landed a glowing feature in The New York Times. “We realized very quickly that this would be an opportunity to broaden her out to new audiences,” says Victoria Needs, senior vp at AWAL. Having announced a worldwide deal with CMAT four years ago, Needs adds that the label’s vision for 2025 revolves around “solidifying her positioning in the U.K., Ireland and the rest of Europe,” as well as making “further inroads” in the U.S. with a North American headline tour booked for September.
CMAT finds herself in fine company on the world stage, with fellow Irish exports Fontaines D.C. and Kneecap having also pushed the needle forward in 2025. All three acts are making music with rich, defiant messaging, an attribute that chimes well with TikTok audiences, where songs can take off if they are attached to a particular story or movement; in this case, “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me” rings true with the collective female experience.
“CMAT is a great example of a real artist who has put in the work and has earned this moment,” AWAL CEO Lonny Olinick tells Billboard U.K. “Across three album campaigns, we have been fortunate to partner with her and do the hard artist development work that AWAL is known for, building her fan base from the ground up. We are all excited to see this powerful record connect with audiences globally.”
Exceleration Music has announced an agreement to acquire Cooking Vinyl, a key independent music company in the U.K. market (Jun. 9).
The move is the latest by Exceleration, lead by former Concorde CEO Glen Barros alongside influential executives John Burk, Amy Dietz, Charles Caldas and Dave Hansen, to consolidate its standing in the independent music space, offering distribution, investment and label support services.
In 2023, Exceleration also acquired distribution company Redeye Worldwide, joining existing labels such as +1 Records, Alligator, Azadi, Bloodshot, Candid, Kill Rock Stars, Mom+Pop, Redeye Worldwide, SideOneDummy, The Ray Charles Foundation/Tangerine Records and Yep Roc Records in Exceleration’s portfolio.
Cooking Vinyl originated in 1993 with its signing of folk troubadour and activist Billy Bragg, and over its 32-year history, has worked with acts such as Shed Seven, Suzanne Vega, Passenger, The Prodigy, The Cranberries, The Darkness, Deacon Blue, 47 Soul, Roger Waters and The Jesus and Mary Chain.
Trending on Billboard
In 2024, Cooking Vinyl enjoyed a pair of No. 1 albums with two separate LPs by Shed Seven hitting the top spot on the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart: January’s A Matter of Time and September’s Liquid Gold. In February 2025, The Darkness hit No. 2 with Dreams on Toast.
A press release adds that Cooking Vinyl will operate independently and continue to be led by managing director Rob Collins, with founder Martin Goldschmidt remaining in his position as chairman. Cooking Vinyl Publishing UK, Cooking Vinyl Publishing Australia and Motus Music, the statement continues, are not included within the acquisition.
“At Cooking Vinyl, we’ve worked tirelessly to help our artists achieve both artistic and commercial success — without ever compromising their uniqueness or creative control. This deal enhances that mission,” says Collins in a statement.
“Our artists will still benefit from our close-knit, highly personalised team that combines deep industry expertise with old-fashioned hard graft. But now, with the expanded U.S. capabilities, enhanced resources, and the broader global reach of the Exceleration structure, we’re able to offer even stronger support to our current and future roster. I look forward to working with their team to spearhead this next phase for Cooking Vinyl!”
Billboard hosted its inaugural Global Power Players event in London on Wednesday (June 4) to celebrate music industry leaders from across the world.
The invite-only event at Shoreditch House in east London honored the chosen executives for the Global Power Players list and the first-ever U.K. Power Players selections. Huge names including Sir Elton John and his husband and manager David Furnish, EMPIRE founder and CEO Ghazi Shami and afrobeats superstar Tems were recognised with special awards.
John and Furnish collected the Creators’ Champion Award, and John used his speech to warn the U.K. government that “we will not back down” in relation to the Labour party’s controversial AI bill, which proposes an opt-out approach for music rights holders. Key industry figures such as John have called upon the government to work with the creative industries to find a solution; the government’s bill has been rejected by the House of Lords on five occasions in recent weeks.
Trending on Billboard
“Copyright has to be transparent and seek permission,” John said. “These two principles are the bedrock of the industry and they must be included in the data bill as a backstop. Let’s be clear: we want to work with the government, we want our government to work with us. We are not anti-AI and we are not anti-Big Tech.”
He added: “I will fight for this until it’s done and people have a fair deal. Every young artist or new person who writes a song, I want them to have a future and have their copyright respected.”
Ahead of her headline set for Billboard Presents The Stage as part of SXSW London on Thursday (June 5), Tems collected the Diamond Award from incoming Billboard Africa editor Nkosiyati Khumalo.
“Being African and a musician is a whole new world and I feel like Billboard has been so supportive of not just African music but the whole scene and the culture,” she said. “This has been a really great honor, especially given that that African music is moving to heights that has never been seen before, and Billboard is one of the key players in moving that needle forward.”
EMPIRE founder and CEO Ghazi Shami was the recipient of the coveted Clive Davis Visionary Award, joining TDE’s Punch and Top Dawg (2024), Bang Si-hyuk (2023) and Joe Smith (2014) as honorees. Named after the iconic recording executive, the prize was presented by Nigerian musician and YNBL label boss Olamide, and follows EMPIRE alum Shaboozey’s record-busting stay atop the Billboard Hot 100 in 2024 with “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
Collecting the award, Ghazi said: “I often tell people that EMPIRE is a philanthropy company masquerading as a record label. I truly believe that in my heart. It wasn’t always that way. Being a visionary means you see a need in your community and you try and figure out how to serve that need. I felt that the San Francisco and the Bay Area community had a void in the music distribution space and fast-forward 15 years later, I’m blessed to say we built a global operation that reaches the four corners of the earth. We have employees in 25 countries and have probably the most diverse staff in the music business by design and intention.”
He added, “I grew up as an immigrant kid in San Francisco with Palestinian parents who were refugees of war, and sometimes as a child I often felt like I was invisible. How would I be seen in a world that didn’t see me? I took the initiative to build a company where everyone could be seen and everyone could be heard and I always like to tell people that if you’re excellent they can’t deny your existence.”
