Latest News & Analysis

The 2026 Mercury Prize has today announced that the sold-out Awards Show will be hosted by Lauren Laverne and broadcast on BBC Four and BBC Radio 6 Music, alongside a host of further Fringe activity and partner initiatives taking place across Newcastle throughout Mercury Prize week.The Awards Show will take place at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on Thursday 22nd October, featuring live performances fr

Read Dr Jo Twist OBE's full speech at Beyond the Music 2026 below:British Music: Going for GrowthGood morning, I’m Dr Jo Twist, chief executive of UK record labels association the BPI – one of the founding members of Beyond the Music.It’s a pleasure to be with you today in Manchester. This is a true music city, one which has shaped our culture and been home to some of the UK’s most beloved artists

A UK music industry trade mission to China is set to take place from 16th – 22nd November in Xiamen, Fujian Province, providing an open door for music businesses to explore business opportunities in the world’s second largest economy.The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST), in partnership with the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) is organising this music mission to Chi

Robbie Williams – the most decorated artist in BRIT Awards history (18 awards including BRIT Icon) and in the UK’s Official Charts (16 No.1 albums) – is the latest superstar artist to be announced as an Album Champion for National Album Day on 17th October, which this year has taken as its theme, “Icons”.In recognition of his exceptional achievements as an albums artist, Robbie’s ambassadorial rol

The 2026 Mercury Prize has today announced the artists who will perform at this year’s Awards Show. Those taking to the stage at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on Thursday 22nd October are Dove Ellis, Florence + The Machine, JADE, Knats, Kojey Radical, Nia Archives, Olivia Dean, RAYE, Suede and Pulp will perform on behalf of the HELP(2) album. Each artist will perform one track from their ‘Album of the

Exclusive titles from artists including: ANNE AKIKO MEYERS, ANNIE LENNOX, ARETHA FRANKLIN, BILLY BRAGG, BILLY JOEL, BOB DYLAN, BRUCE DICKINSON, BRYAN FERRY, DIRE STRAITS, DONNA SUMMER, ELBOW, EMELI SANDE, GEORGE MICHAEL, GOLDIE, INXS, JOHNNY CASH, NEW ORDER, NINA SIMONE, PARIS PALOMA, PINK FLOYD, THE PRETENDERS, PULP, SADE, SIMPLY RED, STATUS QUO, SUEDE, T. REX, THE DAMNED, THE VELVET UNDERGROUND,

The 2026 Mercury Prize Fringe will return to Newcastle this October with its biggest programme yet, bringing more than 30 events to venues across the city as the Mercury Prize returns to the North East for a second successive year.Taking place from 15 - 22 October, the week-long Fringe will transform Newcastle into a celebration of music, with live performances, listening parties, screenings, work

Ahead of its return on 17th October – this year celebrating the theme of “Icons” – National Album Day is honoured to announce the award-winning singer-songwriter and pop-phenomenon Melanie C as its latest Album Champion to come on board as an advocate for the cultural importance of the album format. She joins the previously announced Album Champions PinkPantheress and Max Richter CBE.A British ico

Music Growth Package Who: As part of the Creative Industries Sector Plan, the UK Government committed up to £30m of support over three years through a new initiative - the Music Growth Package (MGP). This was supplemented by Arts Council England (ACE) with an additional £15m, taking the total to £45m.  Within the MGP, the Government also confirmed £1.6m per annum for three years for the BPI-admini

The BPI, the trade association for the UK’s record companies and labels and the representative voice of British recorded music, today announces details of the latest (25th) round of Music Export Growth Scheme (MEGS) funding. Developed and administered by the BPI, MEGS boosts music exports by supporting small-to-medium-sized, independent UK companies as they build the commercial profile of their ar

The BPI, the trade association for the UK’s record companies and labels and the representative voice of British recorded music, today announces that applications are open for the latest (26th) round of Music Export Growth Scheme (MEGS) funding.   Applicants will be able to register and submit applications at this link, and the application window will close at 23:59 on the 7th of September.  Develo

WHAT: Free webinar on important incoming legislation around green sustainability communicationsWHEN: 9th September 2026, 4.00pm – places are limited, don’t miss out, register hereWHO: For those working in the recorded music value chain, incl. manufacturers, record labels and retailers across our trade association networksThe Music Climate Pact together with Seismic today announce essential industr

The 2026 Mercury Prize 12 ‘Albums of the Year’ were announced today, Thursday 30th July, on BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Sounds by Jamz Supernova. The 2026 Mercury Prize 12 ‘Albums of the Year’ are:Dave - ‘The Boy Who Played the Harp’Dove Ellis - ‘Blizzard’Florence + The Machine - ‘Everybody Scream’JADE - ‘THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY!’Knats - ‘A Great Day In Newcastle’Kojey Radical - ‘Don't Look Down’Nia Arc

UK recorded music exports reached £800.3m in 2025 – the highest annual total since BPI began measuring the value of music exports in 2020While this represents a rise of more than 50% in the last five years, the figure also shows a slowing in the rate of growth to just 0.8% year-on-year in 2025 as competition in the global market intensifies.Recorded music exports were boosted in part by a new wave

Retail Monster Ltd has been appointed as the licensing agent for merchandise products for two renowned brands within music: Parental Advisory and Home Taping is Killing Music from the BPI (British Phonographic Industry). The retail focused licensing agency is set to drive cross category licensing and retail activations for the brands, commencing with a UK focused rollout. In advance of the roll ou

A powerful moment of unity has been quietly building across the UK’s label ecosystem. What started as an informal gathering has solidified into SHADES: a cross-label alliance which brings together the UK LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) of Sony Music UK, Warner Music Group, and Universal Music Group UK, aimed at advancing inclusion at scale within the UK music industry. SHADES is now invitin

The BPI, the representative voice for the UK’s world-leading record companies and label businesses, today publishes its 2025 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Report.The report can be read in full here.This annual review provides a snapshot of where the BPI is positioned as an organisation on its DEI work and engagement as of the end of 2025, and is published in line with the BPI’s commitment

The Music Climate Pact (MCP) today publishes its Annual Report, highlighting key areas of progress in the 12 months to Earth Day 2026 (22 April). This has been led by the foundational work of three Working Groups – each with their co-chairs, expert input, and contributors drawn from the Pact’s Signatories and Supporters – that were set up to study and deliver solutions around digital consumption,

Two upcoming major music industry trade missions are set to take place in Japan and Australia this August, organised by the BPI, the Department for Business and Trade and regional partners, offering music businesses an open door to explore business opportunities in two of the world’s largest music economies. Japan Trade Mission: 13th – 20th August 2026, TokyoA UK music industry trade mission to Ja

Twelve months on from the exciting news that The BRITs would be embarking on a brand-new era and moving to Manchester for 2026 & 2027, The BRIT Awards today reveals the date for the 2027 show, as it returns to Manchester’s Co-op Live for the second year.Next year’s show will take place on Saturday 27th February, on ITV1 and ITVX in a prime-time weekend slot, that will see fans all over the UK and