Actors Equity has reached an agreement with the Broadway League for a new three-year contract. Wages will rise three percent in each year, and Health Fund contributions will rise $25 each year. Additionally, actors will be able to request physical therapy at any time and will only be required to work a maximum of 12 days in a row, down from 16.
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Spotify profits rose 28 percent last quarter, to $669 million, as revenue rose seven percent. Spotify now has 281 million paying subscribers, with increases in part due to the introduction of lossless audio, playlist mixing tools, and other enhancements. Ad-supported revenue, however, fell six percent.
Stars including Barry Manilow, Smokey Robinson, Gloria Gaynor, and Lil John are urging Congress to pass the American Music Fairness Act. The Act would require radio stations to pay performers when their music is aired over radio. Proponents are trying to tie this bill to another that would mandate AM radio in cars manufactured in the US.
AI is starting to top the charts. Walk My Walk, by Breaking Rust, topped the Billboard Country Digital Song Sales chart and passed three million streams on Spotify. Additionally, AI singer Xania Monet has several singles charting on Billboard and has been offered a multi-million dollar record deal.
Universal has reached a new deal with YouTube. The new deal includes guardrails for the use of AI, as well as improved monetization of short-form videos.
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The Washington National Opera is considering moving out of the Kennedy Center. The Kennedy Center has been its home since the Center opened in 1971, but policies by the Trump-appointed administration is hurting the Opera. Ticket sales have dropped 40 percent and donors have lost confidence. Additionally, marketing and development at the Center has been hollowed out. The Opera states that the new management at the Center does not have experience in the arts.
The Sarasota Orchestra has released plans for its new music center, which is being designed by architects William Rawn Associates and HKS Architects and expects to break ground in 2027. The 32-acre campus will include 12 acres of wetlands, parks, and trails. The center itself will include a 1,800-seat concert hall and a 700-seat recital hall. The project is estimated to cost $375-425 million.
The Fort Worth Opera will offer pay-what-you-want tickets this season. Thanks to a grant from the Claytor Family Charitable Foundation, 100 tickets per performance can be had for as little as $1, in order to reduce barriers and expose more people to opera.