AGP Executive Report

MOBO Awards: Kanya King, founder of the MOBO Awards and a driving force for Black British music, has died aged 57 after a courageous battle with colon cancer; the 2026 ceremony will be dedicated to her. UK Tours: Duran Duran announce autumn UK & European arena dates, including Glasgow, Belfast, Birmingham, Liverpool, and Leeds, with Pigeon supporting on the UK leg. New Music Releases: This week’s UK-facing drops include Madonna’s dance single “Love Sensation” and Tinashe’s “Too Easy,” plus major pop soundtrack news from Taylor Swift. Live Theatre & Music: The Choir of Man launches its first-ever UK national tour with a Cheltenham stop, while Nothing But Thieves share details for their “Stray Dogs” album-era run. Radio & Culture: Bob Harris steps down from BBC Radio 2 shows due to ill health. Health & Voice: Susan Boyle says her singing voice “still needs some work” after a stroke, but she’s making progress with therapy and lessons. Local Music Scene: A new list of Glasgow albums aims to map the city’s sound, from The Blue Nile to Simple Minds.

World Cup Media Clash: Piers Morgan launches “World Cup Uncensored” with John Terry and Simon Jordan, taking a swipe at Gary Lineker’s Netflix “The Rest is Football” with the “The Rest is Boring” tagline. AI & Rights: CISAC’s 100th anniversary in Paris saw ABBA co-founder Björn Ulvaeus push a new creator statement urging protection of human creativity as AI tools and label battles intensify, including UK/Europe regulatory pressure. Pop Star Protest: Olivia Rodrigo says she was “deeply disturbed” after ICE used her song in an enforcement video without permission, calling the move propaganda. Tourism & Heritage: Edinburgh’s St Giles’ Cathedral will charge non-Scots visitors £12 from September (under-16s free), aiming to fund storytelling plus concerts and events. Music Tech Funding: MTUK at SXSW London warns of a growth-stage funding collapse for UK music tech—down 90% from 2020 to 2025—and calls for better guidance and networks. Local Music Industry: Concord forms a strategic partnership with Lito Music (Lito MC Cassidy) to expand in Latin urban markets. New Releases & Scenes: Nothing But Thieves say “Evolution” was their quickest album single to write; Beatrice M. reviews “Sinking” as a club-ready debut; and ABBA Voyage expands its education programme with local school access in east London. Radio Farewell: Bob Harris retires from BBC Radio 2 after ill health, ending a 56-year run.

Radio shake-up: Bob Harris, the long-running BBC Radio 2 voice behind Radio 2 Country and Sounds of the 70s, says he’s stepping down due to worsening health, thanking listeners after nearly 56 years on air. Britpop nostalgia: Blur’s founding member Graham Coxon Rowntree is taking his “No One You Know” stories-and-photos show on the road, with dates in Henley-on-Thames and Banbury. Pop megastars in Norfolk: Christina Aguilera is confirmed as the Friday headliner for HeritageLive at Sandringham on 21 August, her only UK show of 2026, with Craig David, Blue and Ruby Roberts supporting. Alt-rock new era: Weezer share second single “We Might As Well Be Strangers” ahead of their 20th album (out 21 August) and a UK/Europe touring run. Live music logistics: Cardiff fans heading to Take That (16 June) and Metallica (28 June) face major road closures and travel disruption around Principality Stadium. K-pop on the move: Le Sserafim announce their PUREFLOW Tour, including London’s O2 Arena on 16 October. World Cup soundtrack moment: IRN-BRU and Susan Boyle team up with John McGinn and others for Scotland’s tongue-in-cheek anthem “We’re Made in Scotland from Girders.” New UK tour: DMA’s release “Hurracane” and confirm a UK & Ireland tour for February 2027.

Kanye West Backlash: Turkey’s presidential adviser condemned West’s Istanbul show of nearly 120,000 fans, citing “occultism and dark symbols” and “I am a God” chants, as religious and cultural concerns keep escalating across Europe. UK Music & Culture: Beatlemania is surging in Britain ahead of Sam Mendes’ planned four-part Beatles biopic series, with fans already debating casting and how the films will reintroduce the band to younger viewers. New Releases (US): Country breakout Wyatt Flores announced his album Scared of Heights for July 31 and teased new single “Half the Man,” while Rick Astley opened up about depression after his career dipped in the 1990s. Streaming Buzz: The Backrooms horror hit is boosting obscure tracks by The Caretaker and Christopher Saint, showing how film virality keeps reshaping what people stream. Publishing Deals (UK-linked): Seeker Music acquired Cocteau Twins member Simon Raymonde’s publishing catalogue, adding to the ongoing UK indie-rights consolidation trend. Streetwear x Music Culture: Footasylum entered a strategic partnership with Trapstar to expand retail reach while founders keep creative control.

Charity & Culture: Liam Gallagher teams up with Manchester charity Brighter Sound for a prize draw of limited adidas Achille SPZL trainers, with all proceeds going to the charity via Zeffy. UK Music & TV: KSI issues another statement after his Sidemen exit, following his emotional ITV-era announcement. Global Pop Spotlight: Dua Lipa’s Google Maps picks include Singapore’s Maxwell Food Centre, tying her touring life to her favourite eats. Royal Recognition: Idris Elba is knighted by King Charles at Windsor Castle, with the honour linked to his youth work. Live Music Watch: The Piece Hall’s “Live at” series smashes ticket records ahead of a huge summer run. Festival Shock: WOMAD’s Glasgow plans are cancelled after low ticket sales, with refunds and discounted options promised. Music in the Charts: Pop-country newcomer Stella Lefty adds a third “Boston” title to the Hot 100, landing at No. 20. Industry News: Duran Duran announce their first headline UK arena tour in three years, with general sale due Friday. Pop Cover Moment: Olivia Rodrigo covers CMAT in BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, praising her songwriting. Passing: Peabo Bryson dies aged 75, prompting tributes including from Celine Dion.

ASCAP Recognition: FLO are set to receive the 2026 ASCAP Vanguard Award in London on June 16, ahead of their next album Therapy At The Club. New Music Release: London-based British-Australian artist Oscar November drops immersive indie track “Anything,” leaning into hazy, high-energy psychedelia. Arts Leadership: TV executive Dawn Airey has been appointed chair of Arts Council England, taking on a key role overseeing £680m+ of UK arts funding. University Backtrack: Cardiff University has paused controversial plans to convert space in its Arts and Social Sciences Library after backlash from staff, students and alumni. World Cup Culture: Susan Boyle teams up with IRN-BRU for a comedic Scotland World Cup anthem featuring John McGinn and Alex Kapranos. Festival Fallout: WOMAD Glasgow is cancelled after low ticket sales, with refunds and discounted options offered for a later UK date. Pop Spotlight: Charli XCX confirms her July 24 album Music, Fashion, Film, with John Cale, Marc Jacobs and Martin Scorsese on the artwork.

World Cup Pop Collab: IRN-BRU drops “We’re Made in Scotland from Girders,” a tongue-in-cheek anthem for the Tartan Army starring Susan Boyle, John McGinn, Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos, comedian Paul Black and viral May Miller, with Boyle belting on the Forth Bridge and then breakdancing in the video. Jazz Talent Pathways: Tomorrow’s Warriors teams up with Bank of America on a year-long “Side By Side” programme for its Big Band, pairing young players with the Nu Civilisation Orchestra for mentoring, workshops and rehearsal deputising. UK Tour News: Graham Coxon adds fresh 2026 solo dates across Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol and Brighton after selling out his London O2 Forum Kentish Town show; tickets go on sale 4 June. Local Music & Community: A charity concert in South Wales, “Voices from the Valleys,” helped raise £2,284.32 for RNLI volunteers. Live Music Ticketing: Presales are live for Gracie Abrams’ 2027 UK run, including Manchester Co-op Live and London O2. Music in the News: A new National Library of Scotland exhibition, “Rain,” opens 19 June, spanning music, maps and science.

UK Chart Watch: Paul McCartney’s new solo album The Boys of Dungeon Lane is on track to challenge for a UK No.1, potentially his eighth chart-topper in the country. Pop Culture & Celebrity: Dua Lipa and Fantastic Beasts actor Callum Turner have married in London, with reports of a follow-up celebration in Sicily. Music Tech & Immersive Audio: MyWorld and the Immersive Audio Network bring a spatial audio showcase to SXSW London, featuring Bristol/Bath-area talent and a 360-degree Portishead-linked composition. Live Music & Venues: Nottingham Castle is set to host “Summer Nights” for the first time in over a decade, with 80s nostalgia and country line-ups. UK Music Business: Juno Download has shut down with immediate effect, raising questions for independent digital music buyers. Politics Meets Music: The UK Home Office has blocked two US political commentators from entering for SXSW London, citing that their presence “may not be conducive to the public good.” Global Headline: Italy has cancelled Kanye West and Travis Scott concerts over safety concerns, after local community requests. New Releases: Nixie Ember releases a conscious reggae tribute to Henry Nowak, with proceeds supporting UK bereavement charity 2Wish.

Pop Royalty News: Dua Lipa has married actor Callum Turner in a low-key London ceremony at Old Marylebone Town Hall, with reports hinting at a bigger multi-day celebration in Sicily. Arena Tour Watch: Duran Duran confirm a major UK and Europe arena run for autumn, including Belfast’s SSE Arena on Oct 18, plus Glasgow, Birmingham, Liverpool and Leeds dates. Big-Stage Spotlight: Disney Princess – The Concert lands in UK and Ireland theatres in spring 2027, with a 35-date run featuring symphony-backed performances and “larger than life” animation. UK Live Music Growth: Music Technology UK warns of a structural funding crisis for the sector, with growth-stage investment down sharply over recent years. New Talent Pipeline (Scotland): Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival and BBC ALBA launch a north/north-east Scotland talent search for a chance to play the main Hot House Stage. Industry & Tech: A report flags a UK music tech scale-up crunch as growth funding collapses.

Britpop Royalty Snack Watch: Paul McCartney revealed his post-show ritual on Stephen Colbert: a simple cheese-and-pickle sandwich, plus a margarita. Big Stage, Big Names: Massive Attack announce their first Australia run in 16 years, with Bristol trip-hop pioneers set for Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Pop Power Couple: Dua Lipa and actor Callum Turner married in an intimate London ceremony at Old Marylebone Town Hall, with a Sicily celebration planned next. Streaming Buzz: Spotify’s 2026 “Songs of Summer” predictions include Dave & Tems’ “Raindance,” a UK No.1 and 500m-stream global hit. Online Music Culture: KSI confirms he’s leaving the Sidemen after 13 years, citing health and family balance. UK TV Music Moment: Jeremy Clarkson’s Hawkstone Farmers Choir won Britain’s Got Talent, making history as the first choir of its kind to take the crown. Global Tour Politics: Italy bans Kanye West’s July 18 show over safety concerns tied to local Jewish community requests.

Britain’s Got Talent: Jeremy Clarkson’s Hawkstone Farmers’ Choir made history by becoming the first choir to win BGT 2026, beating drone and stunt acts for the £250,000 prize and a Royal Variety Performance slot, with Clarkson visibly emotional during their original song “This Is Home.” Public reaction: Some ITV viewers still accused the final of being a “fix” after golden-buzzer controversy and Clarkson’s prominent role. Live music & sport: The Killers were chosen to open the Champions League final pre-match show, with “Mr Brightside” set up as the stadium singalong moment. Local summer gigs: Silsden Proms on the Farm returns in July with a charity focus, while Dartmouth Pride has grown from a pub meet-up into a near-900-strong festival. UK-facing global headlines: Kanye West’s Italy shows were cancelled over public order and safety concerns after Jewish community objections, with Travis Scott’s nearby date also called off. New releases: Newcastle emo-punk band Tired of Fighting shared the “Albatross” video ahead of their debut album.

Take That’s Circus Live Tour: The band kicked off its 2026 run at St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton with a full-scale circus spectacle, singalongs and the new single “You’re A Superstar,” plus a big supporting cast. West End/UK theatre: Sidonie Smith returns to The Bodyguard for UK and Europe dates, promising “pure joy” and a fresh take on Whitney Houston classics. Dance & choreography: Phoenix Dance Theatre brings “Interplay” to Theatr Clwyd (June 2-3), drawing on UK garage, house and human connection. Pop & culture: PinkPantheress wraps her UK tour at Alexandra Palace, with a crowd of 10,000 phones up for a very 2000s-leaning, garage-sampling set. Music venues under pressure: Cambridge’s Six Six Bar says it’s closing after four years, citing rising costs and licensing pressure. Live music heritage: The V&A opens “Lost Music Venues” this weekend, spotlighting more than 100 items from around 50 shuttered UK spaces. Classics & debate: A new push argues classical music is bigger than elite institutions, while another piece calls for a more inclusive “Classical Plus” approach. Royal pop moment: Boy George says he’ll re-release “Karma Chameleon” as an AI version. Big international headline: Italy bans Kanye West and Travis Scott concerts over security and protest concerns.

Weverse Power Move: HYBE’s superfan platform Weverse has appointed Zooil Yang as president from June 1, replacing Joon Choi, as the company leans harder into streaming features and global growth. UK Chart Buzz: Olivia Dean and Sam Fender’s “Rein Me In” hits a 13th week at No.1, tying Alex Warren’s longest-running 2020s chart record. New Music Spotlight: Gold Panda announces album TON UP with lead single “Ding The Motor,” promising full-throttle electronic energy. Live & Touring: Trainspotting The Musical launches a UK tour celebrating the 1996 film’s legacy, with Irvine Welsh backing its “sing and laugh” approach. Pop Culture Watch: Susan Boyle returns to headlines with a dramatic new look and fresh music tease ahead of the next Britain’s Got Talent final. Controversy in Music News: Kanye West (Ye) is cleared to perform in the Netherlands despite bans elsewhere, with Dutch officials saying there’s no legal basis to block him.

UK Tour & New Music: Lily Allen drops a remix of “West End Girl” track “Beg For Me” featuring JADE, ahead of her UK/IE arena run and major festival dates. Pop Release: Ariana Grande unveils “hate that i made you love me,” the first taste of her new album petal, with an accompanying comic-book lyric video and a full Eternal Sunshine Tour set to hit the UK in August. Live Music Tickets: The Script announce a huge Leeds arena date plus a brand-new album The User’s Guide To Being Human (out Aug 14) and a major “Man In The Arena” tour; Mis-Teeq reunite for a Wembley show celebrating 25 years of Lickin’ On Both Sides; Culture Club plot a winter “Singles Tour” across UK arenas. Festival Buzz: UEFA’s free Champions Festival turns Budapest’s Heroes’ Square into a music-and-football fan zone, with UK DJ Sigala headlining. Songwriting Spotlight: Ines Dunn talks AI and fair pay in a Music Week interview, reflecting on how she distils feelings into lyrics. Local Community Music: Wrexham’s Hope Street Church hosts a live BBC Pentecost broadcast featuring worship music and local faith stories. Icon Watch: Sir Paul McCartney says he “can remember being born” (though admits it’s likely an imagined memory).

Live Music & Culture: Faithless are set to headline Belfast’s Custom House Square on 20 August, with Phil Hartnoll (Orbital), Justin Robertson and Marion Hawkes joining for a 30-years-since-Reverence celebration. Tour News: Iron Maiden confirm a Colombia stop on 11 October as part of the Run For Your Lives 2026 tour marking 50 years, with an indefinite live break flagged for 2027. Pop Spotlight: Olivia Rodrigo hit back at backlash over her babydoll dress, arguing the debate “normalize[s] pedophilia” and contrasting it with outfits she says she’s worn without similar scrutiny. UK Music Scene: Paul Heaton (ex-Housemartins/Beautiful South) adds a major Glasgow OVO Hydro date on his back-catalogue run. Festivals & Community: Lakeshore Spring Festival lands 30 May with live music and a 90s dance party, while a Cheshire street market returns 30 May with 70 stalls and live sets. Streaming/TV Soundtracks: Netflix’s The Boroughs leans hard on 70s/80s classics, with Bowie, Springsteen, EWF and more shaping the show’s vibe.

New Music Releases & Tours: Becky Hill has announced her third album, REBECCA, due September 25, with the dance-pop single “More! More! More!” tackling modern stress and self-pressure. Paul Heaton follows up with Jenius (out August 21) and an autumn UK arena tour with Lightning Seeds. Kings Of Convenience has set a spring 2027 UK & Ireland run, with tickets going on sale 10am today. Ricky Martin returns to the UK for the first time in a decade, headlining Sandringham Estate on August 22 (tickets 9am today). Big UK Live & Culture: London’s “record-breaking summer of music” is forecast to pour £1.1bn into the capital via Harry Styles’ Wembley run, with major August dates also including Ariana Grande and Bad Bunny. Community & Grassroots: Music Is Black Festival lands at London’s Olympic Park next month with four weekends of free programming. Local Scene Watch: The White Hotel in Manchester confirms it will close in January 2027, citing flood-risk planning issues. Industry & Wider World: The Los Angeles Philharmonic appoints British conductor Daniel Harding as its next music director, starting 2027-28.