Your easy weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. Become a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Superfan of the podcast for free – and enjoy the exclusive weekly Lock-in bonus section!⁠⁠⁠

This week...

• $63.5bn is a very big number – but is it worth paying this much for Universal Music Group?

• A report suggests that 2025 and 2026 saw a ‘pop slump’ in the streaming charts – but what does ‘pop slump’ even mean?

• If you were on the Artemis II moon mission, what space-related songs songs would you force your fellow astronauts to listen to?

• And another study has found that nearly half of music fans think merch is becoming unaffordable – what's your t-shirt buying budget?

• Do you have an irrational hatred of a certain artist's music – and just can't change your mind?

• People are getting hesitant about buying gig tickets – and gig cancellations due to poor ticket sales are starting to happen. Steve digs in and has some concerns.

• Celine Dion: Now Big With The Kids! (OK, maybe not The Kids, but people under the age of 35 are reviving her career...)

• Guitars, synths, drum machines... they're definitely all musical instruments. Mayonnaise? Not so much. Or is it...?

• Instagram says it’s the "home of music superfans". But what does that actually mean for those fans and their favourite artists?

And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our ⁠⁠Patreon Superfans⁠⁠, Steve and Stu prop themselves at the bar – and Steve's getting the first round in – as they discuss this week's bonus material:

• Steve remembers Paul Jackson, the man responsible for UK indie venue stalwart The Hull Adelphi.

• More chat on the possible takeover of Universal Music - and what does it say about the state of the most successful music company? Is it good for artists? And what about fans?

• Recommendations of music in other media: some good books to read on the music industry, and in the theatre, Rebecca Lucy Taylor (AKA Self Esteem) in the revived play Teeth 'n' Smiles.

• The huge increase in women headlining the major UK venue The O2 – and what it means about where pop is going.

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As ever, we welcome your feedback, emails and – in particular – any questions you might have about how the music biz works!

Email us: ⁠⁠thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠

See you next week!

Steve and Stuart

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