The 2025 American Music Awards (AMAs), held on May 26 at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas and hosted by Jennifer Lopez, celebrated a diverse array of musical talents. Billie Eilish emerged as the night’s biggest winner, securing seven awards, including Artist of the Year, Album of the Year for Hit Me Hard and Soft, and Song…
Few voices in African music today cut through with the clarity, soul, and emotional depth of Gyakie. The Ghanaian singer-songwriter returns with her new single, Sankofa, a stirring ballad and the first taste of her long-awaited debut album, After Midnight. Rooted in the meaning of the Ghanaian adinkra symbol — to retrieve what was lost…
Stevie Wonder turns 75 — and with it, the world pauses to celebrate not just a birthday, but a blueprint. A life that has shaped music, mirrored movements, and harmonized the sound of a people across continents. For African music lovers and Black communities across the diaspora, Stevie is more than a legend; he is…
On May 9, 2025, Congolese music icon Koffi Olomidé released GOAT Intemporel, Vol. 1, a masterful 18-track album that reimagines his most iconic hits through a modern lens. This project, unveiled under his label Koffi Central, serves as both a tribute to his illustrious career and a bridge connecting his rich musical legacy to contemporary…
Apple Music has unveiled its 2025 Africa Month campaign, “The Sounds of Africa” , a vibrant initiative spotlighting five of the continent’s most influential music capitals: Accra, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Nairobi, and Johannesburg. This campaign features exclusive playlists curated by top artists, industry executives, tastemakers, and media personalities, each capturing the unique sonic essence…
As the first quarter of 2025 wraps up, new data from Billboard reveals a compelling snapshot of the global music industry ’s top-performing labels — and the numbers tell a deeper story. In the first quarter of 2025, Interscope Records led the U.S. recorded music market with a 9.23% share, propelled by the success of…
On the 5th of April 2025, Descendants Records finally made their Nairobi debut. They baptized the city with bass… and truthfully, it was one for the books. Let’s get into it. The night was a full-on celebration of Afro Electronic music, specifically Afro House, Afro Tech, 3 Step, and Gqom. Sitting at the intersection of…
In a world increasingly powered by machine learning and AI, artificial intelligence, South Korea’s Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA) has issued a landmark directive that is already rippling through the global music industry. Effective March 24, 2025, KOMCA now mandates that all artists and songwriters must explicitly declare whether any form of AI was involved…
The Billboard Women in Music Awards 2025, held on March 29th, was more than just a ceremony, it was a cultural moment honoring the women redefining the music industry. Hosted at YouTube Theater in Los Angeles, the evening was an empowering celebration of Black excellence, focusing on women whose impact resonates across the global music…
A testament to Pan-African creativity, culture, and community, Music Custodian, the fast-rising Pan-African media platform dedicated to documenting and amplifying African music, culture, and creativity, is thrilled to announce it has reached 15,000 followers on Instagram. This milestone marks a significant moment in the platform’s journey to becoming a global force in music journalism and…
