Global music revenues accelerated at a fast rate and grew by 18.5% to $25.9bn in 2021. Streaming grew grew to 523 million paid subscribers, up from 443 million in 2020. Streaming accounts for 65% of total revenues, with CDs, vinyl and cassettes making up 19% and downloads 4%. “It’s hugely encouraging,” chief executive Frances Moore told the BBC. “We lived through that dire period after 1999 where the industry declined by 40%. “We didn’t envisage we’d be in a situation [this year] where we report on 60 or 70 countries and every single one is in growth.”

Kenyon France dropped the new mid temp rock track Let It Hurt. You’ll like if you’re a fan of indie rock. The new track follows Holding Back Your Love. The mid tempo track could find its way on Spotify’s Rock This and New Noise. The singer songwriter grew up in North Dakota, moved to Arizona and plays in the band Verry Cherry. Kenyon says “This song was like ripping a bandaid off a cut I didn’t realize was still there. Sometimes there’s a wound that just won’t heal, but you just let it keep bleeding and pretending it’s scarred over.”

Shortly after being banned from Instagram for 24 hours, we learned that Kanye was also yanked from performing on the Grammys over online bullying. He apparently targeted Kim Kardashian’s boyfriend, Pete Davidson, and TV host Trevor Noah. Ye’s spokesperson said they are not surprised by the Grammys’ decision, claiming the music awards show is outdated and does not determine how successful an artist is.

Thea Wang released the melancholic track While He Is Still Asleep. You’ll love if you like Joni Mitchell and are in the mood for something  sad. It’s the first song the Norwegian dream pop singer songwriter ever wrote on a guitar, that started her solo project. Thea wang rose up through Oslo’s Academy of Music, before performing alongside with SIGRID and August Kann.

Wang notes, “It’s a melancholic song about heartbreak, love, and the timeless early signs of erosion in/of a relationship. I had just bought a guitar, tried to learn how to play, and out of that this song appeared. I saw this story and couple clearly in my mind, and for some years I thought I had made it all up. Years later, I realise there may be some hidden truths from my own life at that time in it as well.”

Nashville-based  Carli Brill impresses with the new track Kaleidoscope. It’s perfect if you’re in the mood for something jazzy or retro pop and want to travel back in time to the 60’s and hang with the The Beach Boys and The Mamas and The Papas. The song could find a home on any Spotify indie playlist.

Brill says “I wrote Kaleidoscope during a time where I was doing a lot of self-discovery. I’m continually on this deep search for my identity and I had realized my true self always lied within me, I just needed to turn the lens and uncover her. I love the irony of the song being dreamy while lyrically it’s about waking up to your own reality. The kaleidoscope represents how we as humans are continually changing, moving, morphing yet always possess that essential piece to who we are- even if it’s yet to be discovered.”