Culture & Society
Elton John's "Rocket Man" Songwriting Process
“Unfortunately, people identify it with David Bowie’s Space Oddity”
The Maccabees' Orlando Weeks Discusses Secret 7" and Future Plans
Weeks also told us about new material, the future of the band, and being invited to play Harry Styles' Meltdown
Every resource our Horizon Future Leaders recommended, in one place
From guilds to grassroots communities, job boards to leadership programmes, here is a guide to everything the next generation of music industry leaders told us helped them develop their skills and progress in their careers
The Maccabees’ Orlando Weeks on why you should take part in War Child’s Secret 7” and “try and find a way of helping people”
Weeks also told us about new material, the future of the band, and being invited to play Harry Styles' Meltdown
Popkollo wins Impala award for work with girls and trans youth
European indies body Impala has announced the winner of its 2026 ‘Changemaker’ award: Swedish youth-music organisation Popkollo. It focuses on running music camps and other activities for girls and trans youth, including producer programmes, workshops, supervised rehearsals and camps focused on spec
Music magazines are included in Spotify’s ‘Articles’ audio
Spotify’s search for ever-more different kinds of audio to bundle into its subscriptions continues. This week it’s “narrated articles” from magazines being added to the service. Spotify’s in-house team has turned more than 650 long-form magazine articles into English-language audio, which subscriber
“Who’s gonna tell Rivers it’s not private?”: Weezer frontman uploads a whole heap of acoustic covers onto Youtube
But did he mean to do it?
Bolloré Advises Universal Music Group to Decline Ackman's Takeover Offer
"We think the price is not there at all," Bolloré told shareholders. Source
TuneCore Appoints Basile Beaugendre and Cyrus Chen as Regional Heads
Beaugendre has led TuneCore France since 2019, and Chen has headed TuneCore Southeast Asia since 2020. Source
Elton John Song's Unexpected Astronaut Theme
“Unfortunately, people identify it with David Bowie’s Space Oddity”
Basile Beaugendre and Cyrus Chen promoted to regional heads for Europe and APAC at TuneCore
Beaugendre has led TuneCore France since 2019, and Chen has headed TuneCore Southeast Asia since 2020. Source
CMU Selects - the last week’s standout releases
Our selection of five releases that cut through the noise this week, from Helena Gao, Charli xcx, Olivia Rodrigo, Hyd + Joy (Anonymous)
The classic song that transformed Elton John into a global superstar
“Unfortunately, people identify it with David Bowie’s Space Oddity”
'KPop Demon Hunters' Criterion Blu-ray Release This Winter
The curated physical release will arrive this winter
Mike D of Beastie Boys Announces Intimate UK Gig
His first ever run of solo European shows will kick off next week at Kings Street Social Club in North Shields
Glen Matlock responds to John Lydon calling Sex Pistols a “tribute act” without him – and if he’d ever rejoin the band
Lydon has criticised the reunion with Frank Carter multiple times, describing it as “karaoke” and “almost malicious in its intent”
Bolloré urges Universal Music Group to reject Bill Ackman’s $64B takeover bid
"We think the price is not there at all," Bolloré told shareholders. Source
Beastie Boys’ Mike D announces intimate Newcastle social club gig as first UK show with snappy new single ‘What We Got’
His first ever run of solo European shows will kick off next week at Kings Street Social Club in North Shields
‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Criterion Blu-ray release announced for later this year
The curated physical release will arrive this winter
Elton John's global breakthrough song
“Unfortunately, people identify it with David Bowie’s Space Oddity”