NEWS FROM INSIDE THE ELECTRONIC
DANCE MUSIC INDUSTRY

Welcome to the weekly INDUSTRY INSIDER – created by IMS and RECORD OF THE DAY. We've teamed up to create a digest of global electronic industry news, across the full spectrum of the genre, to help you get straight to the stories that matter. INDUSTRY INSIDER will follow the template of Record of the Day but focus on what’s relevant for this genre and demographic…
BEN TURNER
Co-Founder, International Music Summit
Pete Tong's Essential New Tune
No Rules
Notre Dame
Diynamic
out now
Comment
"It comes from a very talented French DJ and producer called Notre Dame, who is no stranger to Essential New Tunes. He had one back in 2022 with 'Yumi' - in fact, that was right up there as one of the tunes of the year. He's just dropped a new three-track EP on Diynamic, Solomun's label, and this is another special record - a kind of end-of-the-night special. I've been playing this everywhere, and I saw Solomun dropped it late in his set for the opening weekend of Pacha. This week's ENT, 'No Rules' from Notre Dame."
This week's featured Essential New Tune was featured in last week’s Friday show on BBC Radio 1. Listen again and forward to 30.09 here. 
Contact
Label: Tobias Schmid, Diynamic
Management: Carsten Levi & Oliver Barduhn, Effect Talent Management 
Radio, Club & Online: Julian Shay, Dispersion PR
Booking: The Americas: Len Chenfield, The Team / ROW: Valentin Woeste / FR: Etienne Heraud, Atlas Artists
05 May 2026
Business
  • Universal Music Group reported €2.9bn in revenue for the first financial quarter, flat year-on-year though an 8.1% increase when measured in constant currency. (PRNewswire) 
  • BMG and Concord are to merge, with the new company taking on the BMG name, and individual BMG Publishing and Concord Records divisions sitting within it. BMG CEO Thomas Coesfeld will serve as chairman while Concord's Bob Valentine will be CEO. (RotD) 
  • Suno is reportedly closing in on another massive funding round – this time at a $5bn valuation. Meanwhile, as it grapples with ultra-expensive copyright litigation, the startup is looking “to build an AI native legal operations and strategy function from the ground up.” (DMN) 
  • Spotify shares fell 13.7% after it forecast weaker subscriber growth and profits, raising concerns that price rises may deter customers. (Variety)
  • Primary Wave officially closed a $2.2bn fourth fund, calling it ‘the largest dedicated closed-end music royalties fund raised to date in the industry’. (DMN) 
News and Features
  • IMS 2026:
    What the data really says about Electronic Music in 2026 [video] (International Music Summit)
    Key takeaways from IMS 2026 (Attack)
    IMS 2026: Reclaim the Dancefloor (Inflyte)
  • Symphonic, a music technology and services company for independent labels, managers, and artists, announced the launch of Symphonic NEXT, a new initiative designed to connect clients with the capital, partnerships, and strategic pathways needed to grow and monetise their businesses. (RotD) 
  • The number of "phone-free" events increased by around 567% globally last year, a new study from Eventbrite has revealed. (Mixmag) 
  • 6,500 counterfeit vinyl records seized by police in UK raid. (DJ Mag) 
Digital
  • 2026’s first three months saw YouTube Music and Premium post their “largest quarterly increase in the total number of non-trial subscribers” since launching. (DMN) 
  • As AI-generated artists and tracks flood music streaming platforms, Spotify is rolling out a new 'Verified by Spotify' badge to help listeners more easily identify authentic human artists. (Spotify) 
  • Believe and its global platform for self-releasing artists, TuneCore, are automatically blocking the distribution of AI-generated tracks partly or fully produced on unlicensed “pirate studios”. (MBW) Believe has also signed new music licensing agreements with two notable Gen-AI companies: ElevenLabs and Udio. 
  • After acquiring Songkick from Warner Music Group in November, Suno plans to use the platform’s user data tranche to reimagine concert discovery with AI. (DMN) 
Live
  • AMF 2026 lineup unveiled with stars David Guetta, Armin van Buuren and many more. (EDMTunes) 
  • EXIT Festival moves to Montenegro for summer 2026 edition. (909Originals) 
  • Boomtown 2026 announces new HYDRO XL stage and line-up. (Skiddle) 
  • Red Bull’s global electronic music series Midsummer lands in London on 20 June, as part of a 28-hour, multi-city event connecting dance floors across London, New York, Tokyo, Mumbai, Vienna, Berlin and Los Angeles. (London Post) 
Comment, Opinion and Analysis
  • Roblox, social media, and the future of AI integration. (Midia - Hanna Kahlert) 
Tech
  • Moog announces limited-edition Minimoog Model D. (DJ Mag) 
Beatport
  • Dom Dolla and Tiga Beam in "Don't Worry Baby" (Beatportal)
  • Dean Turnley breaks down his Beatport #1 Hit “Actin’ Tough” [Q&A] (Beatportal)
  • Playlist of the Week: Fiona Zanetti (Beatportal)
  • Étienne de Crécy picks 12 defining French Touch tracks (Beatportal)
  • Club of the Month: Club 77 (Sydney) (Beatportal)
  • Beatport launches new genre: Latin Electronic (Beatportal)
  • Jyoty Explores Beatport Streaming on the CDJ-3000s (Beatport)
Clubs
  • Ibiza:
    KETTAMA will lead Steel City Dance Discs upcoming nine-week residency at Amnesia Ibiza. (DJ Mag) 
    Calvin Harris reveals the line-up for Tuesdays at Ushuaïa Ibiza. (IbizaSpotlight) 
    CamelPhat expand dates to inject extra love as Hï Ibiza line-ups drop. (IbizaSpotlight)
  • Factory Town locks in Zedd, Rampa, and Martin Garrix for Miami F1 Weekend. (Magnetic) 
Deals
  • Mute Song announced a worldwide publishing agreement with Richard Fearless of Death in Vegas, covering the DiV catalogue, his solo work and compositions by artists on his record label Drone. (RotD) 
Streams & Podcasts
  • Inside SXM Festival: From Acid House to SXM Festival, Burning Man & Building All Day I Dream (Loud&Unfiltered)
  • Hospital Records founder Chris Goss on three decades as an indie label (MusicAlly) 
  • Tiga ‘Pleasure From The Bass’ | The Making Of A Dance Anthem (DJ Mag) 
  • RA.1037 Lola Haro (RA) 
  • Fonzo | Mixmag Lab London (Mixmag) 
  • Conducta Live From DJ Mag HQ | House, Bass, Breaks, Jungle & UKG (DJ Mag) 
  • Panjabi Hit Squad | Boiler Room: Mumbai (Boiler Room)  
Artist and Music Features
  • ‘Nobody’s going out!’ Why is Britain’s nightlife in such decline – and can anything save it? (Guardian) 
  • ‘Major labels are trying to scoop up everything’: the chaotic future for indie music companies – and why vinyl isn’t working. (Guardian) 
  • Mum’s the word: changing the tune on motherhood in dance music. (DJ Mag) 
  • Artists relying on "link-in-bio" tools risk losing real live booking opportunities because these are built for fan discovery, not professional communications. (Hypebot)  
  • An idiot’s guide to music AI companies. (Pitchfork) 
  • Sound, science and structure: how Max Cooper unravels the cosmos. (MusicTech) 
  • Carl Cox: "The Arches was my home - it's still a loss to Glasgow" (BBC) 
  • Ninajirachi was never a club kid – her rise to EDM stardom made her one. (Mixmag) 
  • Max Porcelli talks identity, craft, and the road to 989 Records’ 20-year milestone. (Magnetic) 
  • Garde Records: Building momentum across the global electronic landscape. (Magnetic) 
Artist News
  • Nia Archives announces second LP ‘Emotional Junglist’ featuring Jorja Smith and more. (Billboard) 
  • Nia Archives to host Up Ya Archives takeover at London's V&A East museum. (RA) 
  • Skrillex has collaborated with ISOxo on new single, 'Smoke'. (DJ Mag) 
  • Chase & Status to feature as characters in new James Bond game, 007: First Light. (Mixmag) 
  • Subtronics is the most stress-relieving electronic artist in America, according to a new study. (EDM) 
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About IMS

IMS: International Music Summit is a global educational and motivational thought-leadership platform dedicated to the continued development of electronic music primarily through the presentation of global summits for the industry. 

About Beatport

Beatport is the worldwide home of music for DJs, producers, and their fans. Founded in 2004, the Beatport family of companies includes Beatport, the preeminent store for electronic music DJs, Beatsource for the open-format DJ community, and Loopmasters, Loopcloud and Plugin Boutique for music producers. Follow us on Twitch, Facebook and Twitter, and Instagram.

About AFEM

AFEM: A global voice for electronic music; representing our culture and commerce. AFEM's membership spans all industry sectors, with over 250 company members across 25 countries, the organisation connects its worldwide membership to develop opportunities and enable change.

About ROTD

Record of the Day has produced a subscription-based daily publication for the music industry for over 23 years, featuring all the best news and comment, along with an editorially-chosen future hit. Sign up for a free trial here.
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