Music Week

We are the leading trade media brand for the UK music industry with unrivalled access to game-changing artists and executives. Music Week remains essential reading for anyone who needs to understand the business of music.

Music Week

Welcome to Music Week

Beginning of the West End: Lily Allen's live business reaches ‘new level’ with arena run • CAA's Emma Banks discusses Lily Allen's biggest ever UK tour and the bold performance concept amid streaming success for the West End Girl album

Change of chart: Labels and artists set to deliver ‘new wave of British growth’ • Based on year-end data, UK talent came good in 2025 with big results and breakthroughs. Here, industry figures assess the outlook for the year ahead

FOR THE RECORD • SOME OF THE BIGGEST STORIES FROM THE PAST MONTH IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS

SPOTLIGHT SHINING A LIGHT ON MUSIC'S BIGGEST NAMES • Following more than two decades at Hopeless Records, the company's executive vice president Ian Harrison recently succeeded Dr Richard James Burgess as CEO of A2IM, the US independent music coalition of more than 700 labels. Here, the indie community leader talks artist development, AI opportunities and rock's resilience…

START ME UP • THE NEW COMPANIES DRIVING MUSIC'S FUTURE

RISING STAR • Meet the industry's brightest new talents…

POSTS OF THE MONTH

KEY RELEASES

THE PLAYLIST

TASTEMAKERS • The industry's favourite new sounds

HOTSHOTS

NEW MUSIC SPECIAL • Music Week is kicking off 2026 with a new music special. First up, we bring you the story of one of the most anticipated Q1 releases, as we meet Leigh-Anne ahead of her solo debut, My Ego Told Me To. Not only is it the Little Mix star's first full-length, it also marks her first album outside the major label system. Partnering with Virgin Music Group through her Made In The 90s Ltd imprint, Leigh-Anne is doing things all her own way. Joined by her teams at VMG and Tap Music, she outlines her gameplan. Next up, we meet Jack Saunders, BBC Radio 1's Music Week Award-winning tastemaker, to discuss the state of new music in 2026. Finally, with the BRITs fast-approaching, we profile the three acts shortlisted for the Critics’ Choice award: Sienna Spiro, joined by Capitol and Method Management, Jacob Alon and their teams at Island and Bounse Management, and last but not least, Rose Gray, alongside Polydor Label Group and Various Artists Management. And so, without further ado…

READY SET EGO • An artist's debut solo album is always a huge milestone, but when it follows a decade spent in a world-famous group during their formative years, the magnitude is greater still. This is the precipice on which Leigh-Anne stands at the beginning of 2026, with the Little Mix star set to go it alone with My Ego Told Me To. In order to make it, she bared her soul like never before, building a platform to express herself exactly as she desired. As Music Week finds out, Leigh-Anne had a lot to say. Here, joined by Tap Music's Ed Millett and Sairah Pinnock (her sister) and Virgin Music Group's Vanessa Bosåen, the singer discusses going independent, finding her sound and what the industry must do to become a better place for artists…

ROLECALL

THE Music Week INTERVIEW JACK SAUNDERS • By now, Jack Saunders is synonymous with the phrase ‘new music’, so who better to usher in 2026 with a state-of-the-nation address on emerging talent than the BBC Radio 1 star? Our meeting comes in the wake of his first ever Music Week Award, after he scooped the Radio Show crown last May. Here, he recalls celebrating the win with “Robbie Williams karaoke and Jägerbombs” before delivering his message to the business…

“I'd still be doing this even if no one was watching” SIENNA SPIRO • Welcome to our On The Radar special, in which we profile each act...