Tune Talk: Weekly Music News

## Industry News

Major music labels are engaging in landmark negotiations with generative AI startups over the use of their catalogs. Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment have entered talks with AI platforms Suno and Udio to establish licensing deals that would ensure artists and rights holders are compensated when their recordings are used to train AI models or generate new music. Key demands from the labels reportedly include the implementation of fingerprinting and attribution systems—akin to YouTube’s Content ID—to track usage, as well as provisions for labels to take small equity stakes in the AI firms and influence product development. These discussions follow copyright-infringement lawsuits filed by the labels against Suno and Udio last year, and could set an industry-wide precedent for ethical and profitable AI deployment in music .

Meanwhile, The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) has filed a motion asking a U.S. district court to reconsider its dismissal of the MLC’s lawsuit against Spotify over the streaming giant’s “bundling” of audiobooks with its premium music subscription. The MLC argues that Spotify’s reclassification of its service tiers has altered royalty rates in ways that undermine songwriters and publishers, and maintains that the court overlooked significant statutory issues in its initial ruling. This move underscores ongoing tensions in the music publishing sector regarding how streaming services classify and price bundled offerings .

## Album Releases

**Hotline TNT – Raspberry Moon**
Hotline TNT released their third studio album Raspberry Moon on June 20, marking the band’s first full-band recording after frontman Will Anderson’s largely solo-driven previous efforts. The 11-track project blends shoegaze textures with power-pop hooks and alternative rock energy, showcasing collaborative songwriting across the lineup. Critics have praised Raspberry Moon for its lush production and emotive songwriting, with Rolling Stone hailing it as a “trip to shoegaze heaven” and Pitchfork including it among the **9 Albums Out This Week You Should Listen To Now** .

**YUNGBLUD – Idols**
British rocker YUNGBLUD dropped Idols—the first installment of a double album concept—on June 20 via Locomotion/Capitol Records. Recorded over four years in Leeds, Idols spans 12 tracks including lead singles “Hello Heaven, Hello,” “Lovesick Lullaby,” and the politically tinged “Zombie.” Harrison describes the album as “a love letter to self-reclamation…to rock music…and to life in all its madness,” noting a deliberate no-limits approach and a desire to honor his roots through anthemic guitar-driven soundscapes .

**Maroon 5 – Love Is Like** (Announcement)
On June 23, pop-rock mainstays Maroon 5 officially announced their eighth studio album, *Love Is Like*, slated for release on August 15, 2025, alongside a U.S. arena tour kicking off October 6 in Phoenix. The album will feature two lead singles: “Priceless” (featuring Lisa), released May 2 and charting on the Billboard Hot 100, and “All Night,” which dropped concurrently with the album announcement. Frontman Adam Levine emphasized a return to the band’s classic writing style, while incorporating fresh collaborators and broader band contributions .

## New Singles & EPs

**Katseye – “Gabriela”**
Girl group Katseye released “Gabriela” on June 20 as the second single from their upcoming EP *Beautiful Chaos*. The Latin-infused R&B-pop track features a dramatic telenovela-inspired music video starring Jessica Alba, blending English and Spanish vocals. Billboard readers voted “Gabriela” the week’s favorite new song on June 22, underscoring the group’s rising profile following their breakout hit “Gnarly” .

**ATEEZ – “Lemon Drop”**
South Korean boy band ATEEZ returned with “Lemon Drop” on June 13, the lead single from their twelfth EP *Golden Hour: Part 3*. Blending R&B and hip-hop elements, the track captures a mature yet summery vibe, earning ATEEZ their first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 69. Members highlighted the song’s “sweet but with a little kick” energy, likening it to the cocktail namesake and emphasizing its maturity compared to previous summer anthems .

**J-Hope (ft. GloRilla) – “Killin’ It Girl”**
BTS’s J-Hope teamed up with American rapper GloRilla on “Killin’ It Girl,” released June 13 via Big Hit Entertainment. The single, produced by Cirkut and Blake Slatkin, channels sensual pop-hip-hop flair; in an interview, J-Hope said the track aims to convey “an emotional rush and magnetic pull” and praised the synergy GloRilla brings. A solo version without GloRilla was also issued to streaming platforms .

## Chart Highlights

Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” continued to dominate the Billboard Hot 100, securing its third consecutive week at No. 1 on the chart dated June 23, 2025. The track’s sustained popularity underscores Warren’s breakthrough as a solo artist in the pop landscape .

Internationally, Ed Sheeran’s “Sapphire” claimed the top spot on India’s IMI International Top 20 Singles chart for the tracking week ending June 23. The chart, compiled by the Indian Music Industry using streaming data from Amazon Music, Apple Music, and Spotify, highlights Sheeran’s global reach, with “Sapphire” resonating strongly among Indian audiences .