DAVID GRAY Universal Music
Publishing Group
How did you take UMPG UK forward this year? “I was lucky to inherit a great artist and writer roster as well as a fantastic executive staff. We have focused even more on being a service company that is creative and forward- thinking. In all aspects, we wake up thinking of ways to add value to our writers and artists’ careers.”
UMPG writer Ines Dunn won the Music Creative honour at our Women In Music Awards
this year – what can you say about her future as a hitmaker? “Ines has that rare combination of songwriting talent, emotional intelligence and focused ambition. This is why I think she will have a long career, as opposed to having just a hit or two.”
What was your favourite track and album of 2025? “It’s a tie for me between My Man On Willpower, written by UMPG’s very own Sabrina Carpenter and Jack Antonoff, and Skye Newman’s Family Matters, also UMPG! My album is Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend. I haven’t heard such a sophisticated pop record in a long time.”
DOROTHY HUI Platoon
How do you want to help creatives in your new role at Platoon? “I’m excited to lead marketing as part of the world-class team at Platoon. I want to support independent artists in building meaningful fan
relationships that can last their whole careers. Our goal is to provide a human-centred marketing approach tailored to each artist’s development stage and story.”
TOYIN MUSTAPHA TikTok
How do you reflect on the industry’s success at breaking acts in 2025? “It definitely feels like we’re moving back in the right direction in terms of great new artists breaking again. Skye Newman and Florence Road are just a couple of examples. I’d love to see more domestic success stories in this regard in 2026, and I’m feeling optimistic that we will.”
TikTok won the Music Consumer Innovation category at the Music Week Awards – does such success change perceptions of the company? “It’s not for me to speak on people’s perceptions of TikTok, but I’d hope we’ve continued to consistently show our commitment to working with artists and partners across the industry to help drive the business forward, especially in the UK.”
What was your track of 2025?
“99 (feat. Daecolm) by Olamide, Seyi Vibez, Asake & Young Jonn. This song felt like another evolution of the music being produced by African, particularly Nigerian, artists and very much soundtracked my summer.”
And your favourite album?
“Kwn – With All Due Respect. Kwn has been one of my favourite artists for a while now. This body of work cemented that.”
26 | Music Week
Can you share the biggest lesson you learned this year? “The power of community can be exponential. Show up in the community you’re part of. Cultivate community with intentionality and with heart. The Lone Wolves Collective, a community of music executives across multiple sectors and disciplines, is an amazing example of this. Equal parts hive mind, support system and inspiration.”
What was your track of the year?
“Rosalía’s Berghain featuring Björk and Yves Tumor. This song is a statement track unlike anything we’ve heard in recent times.”
And your top album? “I love Sasami’s Blood On The Silver Screen for its perfect blend of theatrical pop with a metal heart.”
VANESSA
BOSÅEN Virgin Music Group UK
Amidst constant evolution, how much of a challenge was it to get ahead in 2025? “It’s been a thrilling time in our business to be independent. The pace of change in our industry – from streaming algorithmic shifts, to global market opportunities in Africa, Latin America, Asia and more, to evolving deal-types and artist expectations – is relentless. But at Virgin we embrace that. In fact, we’ve structured ourselves for that change. There’s no denying change can be a challenge, but we’ve turned it into a strategic advantage. Rather than playing catch-up, we aim to lead: to anticipate artist needs, to provide a suite of services based on those needs, and to create infrastructure that gives our partners freedom and confidence to succeed in the modern independent music industry.”
What was your favourite track and album of 2025?
“Space In The Cab by The Itch. Banger! It’s got that perfect mix of swagger and sentiment, the sort of track that manages to sound effortlessly loose while landing every unruly punch. For my album, it has to be Songs For The Spine by The Royston Club, released through Modern Sky UK. A reminder of just how powerful a band can sound.”
KAMRAN HAQ
Live Nation
How do you reflect on Download 2025? “Download Festival
was an incredible success with three completely new headliners: Green Day, Sleep Token and Korn. The booking changes we made meant we had a broader representation across the whole rock and metal spectrum, which resulted in 44% of the audience being first-time ticket buyers. District X [introduced in 2023] has been an absolute smash hit, where we’ve created a festival-within-a-festival for campers, with everything from early-morning workouts and meditation, to late-night DJ sets and heavy metal sports days! We want to build on the success of 2025 by continuing to bring a broad mix of acts, new artists playing the festival for the first time, developing District X and
adding more after-hours entertainment and activities. Our ticket sales are 50% ahead of 2025 already, which hopefully shows we are doing something right.”
Can you share your reflections on the final Black Sabbath show at Villa Park? “The atmosphere at Back To The Beginning was something else; it truly felt like a metal version of Live Aid. Seeing some of the biggest rock and metal acts in the world coming together to celebrate Ozzy and Black Sabbath was a testament to his legacy and impact on the genre. I don’t think there will be another rock star like Ozzy. RIP.”
What was your favourite track and album of the year?
“Turnstile – Never Enough was the song of the year for me. Incredibly catchy, and with that visceral hardcore energy that got me into the band in the first place. For my album, Ghost’s Skeletá was the perfect mix of theatrical ’80s rock and glam.”
musicweek.com
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