AMBER DAVIS Warner Chappell Music UK
Are songwriters in a better place at the end of 2025 than they were at the start? “Yes. There’s still a way to go, but the conversation around songwriter treatment has really shifted. We’re finally seeing tangible progress, from discussions around per diems for songwriters in sessions, to a broader awareness of fair compensation and recognition. Raye being acknowledged at the Ivors Honours was such a stand-out moment, not just for her artistry, but for her advocacy. She’s become a symbol of what can happen when songwriters are empowered to take control of their craft and careers.”
What was your favourite track of 2025? “I’m going to have to cheat and say two songs: Moliy – Shake It To The Max (Fly) and Raye’s Where Is My Husband!. They’re both vibrant, confident and completely addictive. They feel fresh, global and joyfully unapologetic, the type of songs that instantly lift your mood but still have real depth in their production and delivery.”
INES DUNN Songwriter
What was the biggest win for songwriters this year? “Per diems! The Ivors Academy has worked endlessly to raise the
threshold for what the basic living standards are for songwriters everywhere. It’s a bare minimum essential that is deeply overdue, but it’s an incredible step towards making sure songwriters can afford to be songwriters.”
When you won at the Women In Music Awards, you said “songwriters are the backbone of the industry”. Are enough people aware of that? “Yes! I think people are aware, whether they like to admit it or not. It’s an undeniable truth. The more we recognise the value that songwriters bring to the table, and the more we fairly compensate that value, everyone will win bigger.”
What was your favourite track of 2025? “Dopamine by Robyn. I just think she’s one of the greatest to ever do it, I’m so happy she’s back.”
And your favourite album?
“It’s not so much an album as a project, but Whale Songz Vol.1 by Annika Bennett & Olivia Barton. I adore it.”
SAT BISLA MUSEXPO
What were your main takeaways on A&R following this year’s 25th anniversary edition of MUSEXPO? “MUSEXPO continues to be at
the forefront of global music industry changes, and we’re seeing a shift towards more artist-centric development focused on authenticity, connectivity and impact, not just social media and streaming moments. Catalogue continues to be a main revenue driver, so creating long-term meaningful songs, and artist careers, are pivotal to the health of A&R.”
musicweek.com
What track and album stood out to you in 2025? “Jack Savoretti’s Do It For Love and Morgan Wallen’s I’m The Problem.”
Earlier this year, you told us “India is becoming a formidable force” in the industry. What were the key headlines in that area for you during 2025? “Arijit Singh became the most-followed artist on Spotify globally. Diljit Dosanjh, Karan Aujla, Neha Kakkar, Shubh, Badshah, Satinder Sartaaj and countless others are not only generating streaming, viewing and social media engagement, but also selling out stadiums around the world. The amount of Indian artists and songwriters signing global deals outside of India in the past 12 months alone is unprecedented.”
What was your favourite track and album of 2025? “Good Neighbours’ debut album, Blue Sky Mentality, and their single People Need People.”
And your favourite album?
“Celeste’s Woman Of Faces. She continues to prove she’s one of the most soulful and timeless voices in modern music. The album is an evolution: intimate yet grand, classic but current. Her songwriting is exquisite; every track carries emotional weight. A record that reminds you of the lasting power of pure artistry.”
KIM BAYLEY ERA
How did Record Store Day grow this year?
“Two trends characterise its
growth. The first is the broadening of the audience to become much younger and more diverse. The second has been the broadening of activities around the day itself – sponsorships, competitions, charity fundraisers, commemorative merchandise, gigs, the lot. It’s a cultural phenomenon, not just a day for collectors.”
ERA is now expanding its membership – what’s the thinking behind that?
“Where once retailers were very much the last link in the chain between artist and fan, these days our DSP members, in particular, have a central role. Likewise, with the increasing numbers of in- and out-stores they do, physical retailers too are shaping the business and helping build artists’ careers as never before. With that and the services ERA now offers, like our biannual consumer tracking study, it makes sense to embrace a broader membership.”
REBECCA ALLEN
Universal Music Group UK Audience & Media Division
What’s been the biggest lesson for you since starting Universal Music Group UK’s AMS department? “I learned that transformation doesn’t belong to any one stage of the journey – it’s available to anyone willing to evolve.”
How have you changed as an exec? “This year has hugely reshaped me. I’ve opened myself up to new people, new ways of working, new artists, and new opportunities. Even after more than 25 years in this industry, I’ve found a deeper connection to the work, to the artists we champion, and a fresher way of seeing it all. And because of that, I feel more creatively alive and energised than ever.”
What was your track and album of 2025? “Sam Fender and Olivia Dean’s Rein Me In has been on repeat since the summer. A vocal duo I never knew I needed and now can’t live without. For album, Taylor Swift – The Life Of A Showgirl (above). I’m a huge Swiftie, and now I am living my best Showgirl life. Everything Taylor does raises the bar for how I aspire to work. There is excellence, and then there is Taylor.”
JACK SAUNDERS BBC Radio 1
What did winning the Music Week Award for Radio Show mean to you? “It was wonderful to feel the recognition of the industry and that what we were doing meant something. It only motivated me and the team to push on, and think bigger about how we can aid the promotion of the world’s best talent.”
Where should the industry have been looking to find the best new music in 2025?
“They should have been focusing on live gigs, specifically the appetite inside venues. There is a return to live music and if the crowd are feral, or at least engaged, there is something good going on.”
What was your favourite track and album of 2025? “Bon Iver – Everything Is Peaceful Love. A hook that embodies life. There were a lot of albums including Rosalía, Lorde, Lily Allen, Blood Orange, Dijon, Geese, Turnstile and more, but I’m going for Bon Iver again. I’m still playing music from Sable, Fable on the radio. Defiance, emotional clarity, humanity: it’s got it all.”
Music Week | 29
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