Spotify continues its shift into a video-first platform, Wrapped evolves into an annual cultural reset, and dealmaking in 2025 tells the story of an industry still moving fast, especially around catalogs, streaming infrastructure, and regional expansion. Tough to miss these this week!
#1. Spotify launches music videos and performance formats in North America
Spotify has launched official music videos in the US and Canada, following earlier testing in select markets. Premium users can now watch full-length videos, live performances, and covers within the app, directly alongside audio tracks. Deals with all three majors and publishers like BMG and Kobalt made the launch possible. It’s a major move toward keeping users inside the Spotify ecosystem for longer, and a sign that visual formats remain central to fan engagement and artist branding.
#2. The 23 biggest music business deals of 2025
It’s that time of year! Music Business Worldwide rounded up the year’s top industry transactions, from Taylor Swift’s licensing and investment strategies to Tencent Music’s rapid international expansion. Highlights include catalog buyouts by HarbourView, Chord, and Litmus Music, as well as strategic infrastructure plays by Live Nation and Believe. This deal flow reflects continued belief in long-term catalog value, as well as an aggressive push to own the tech and platforms that drive global distribution.
#3. Could AI music be the next Napster moment?
WIPO draws comparisons between the rise of unlicensed AI-generated music and the peer-to-peer chaos of early 2000s file sharing. The article highlights the legal grey zones still surrounding training data and creative ownership, arguing that the industry is at risk of letting history repeat itself. Without swift and structured frameworks, AI music could become disruptive in ways that are harder to reverse.
#4. Spotify Wrapped: from personal playlist to cultural engine
The Conversation explored how Spotify Wrapped evolved from a fun end-of-year feature into one of the music industry’s most effective marketing engines. Wrapped now serves as a real-time feedback loop between users, artists, and the platform, offering listeners a sense of ownership over their data while reinforcing loyalty. For artists, it’s also a moment of massive visibility, and for Spotify, a reminder that data can be culture.
#5. Spotify Wrapped goes further to Live events and stunts
Spotify’s annual Wrapped campaign went further than ever this year, with pop-up events in major cities, artist-led campaigns, and new fan challenges. Wrapped has become a multi-format, cross-platform celebration that blends digital identity with real-world experiences. From influencer collaborations to streaming competitions, it now sets the tone for how fandom is measured, celebrated, and monetized at the end of each year.
