AGP Executive Report

Hungary Oscar Push: Ildiko Enyedi’s Silent Friend (with Lea Seydoux) has been selected as Hungary’s entry for the 99th Academy Awards’ international feature category. Photo Culture: Istanbul’s 212 Photography festival marks 200 years of photography with exhibitions, talks, film screenings and music across 25+ venues. Streaming & Fraud: IFPI-backed efforts to combat streaming fraud get fresh momentum as distributors align on new anti-fraud standards. Bollywood Launch: Ramayana kicks off its music campaign with the first soundtrack song “Jai Jai Ram,” featuring AR Rahman, Shreya Ghoshal and Arijit Singh. Global Pop Politics: Malaysia’s PM Anwar Ibrahim’s BRICS playlist choice turns Bollywood songs into diplomatic talking points. Live Music Business: Research highlights how live music can boost loyalty program appeal, while Live Nation notes the growing share of non-English artists in top tours. Local Stages: Scranton’s free “Baroque or Bust!” recital and Bradford Live’s “Here Come The Boys” tour date add to the week’s must-watch performance calendar.

Viral Piano Moment at BRICS: Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim’s hotel visit sparked a viral clip after 45-year-old pianist M. Rehman played Kishore Kumar’s “Khwab Ho Tum Ya Koi Haqeeqat,” hitting a crowd moment that’s now topped 1.4M views. Togo’s Music Business Upgrade: In Togo, Nodjigno Pierre Yao Nihtael is expanding from Façonné Music into Nihtael Dynasty, aiming to help artists with digital distribution, strategy, and sustainable careers. Deaf K-Pop Breakthrough: Big Ocean, the world’s first deaf, hard-of-hearing K-Pop trio, released “Love Sign,” using multiple sign languages and smart performance tools to push inclusivity. Global Stage for BTS: BTS’s “Arirang” concerts in Argentina and Brazil will be screened live in about 3,800 movie theaters worldwide. Music Loss: Punk guitarist Cheetah Chrome (Dead Boys) died at 71, remembered as an “architect of the punk rock movement.” Community & Culture: Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra returns to Maui for free “MELE FOR MAUI” on Sept. 19, while the United Festival brings Latin music and cumbia to Memphis ahead of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Azerbaijan Culture Days at Montreux: A delegation led by Culture Minister Adil Karimli is bringing Azerbaijani classical, jazz, and dance to Switzerland’s Septembre Musical Montreux-Vevey on Sept. 14, with performers including Alim Qasimov and Isfar Sarabski. Memphis music history: The Overton Park Shell marks 90 years since its 1936 opening, later becoming famous for Elvis Presley’s first paid professional show there in 1954. Moldova patriotic singing: More than 500 artists gathered in Parliament Square for “I Sing to You, Homeland and Nation,” themed “Unity through Culture,” backed by the Moldovan National Youth Orchestra. Global Latin spotlight: NPR’s El Tiny returns for Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15–Oct. 15) with Tiny Desk performances from Los Tigres del Norte, Mon Laferte, Draco Rosa, Yendry and more. Music meets the law: Nigeria’s NDLEA says it seized “Colorado” hidden in music speakers and loaves of bread, arresting suspects tied to UK shipments. Celine Dion comeback: Dion’s first full concert in six years in Paris included a triumphant “All By Myself” encore after stiff person syndrome sidelined her.

Punjabi Pop at Wembley: Diljit Dosanjh made history by becoming the first Punjabi singer to headline Wembley Stadium, and fans got free turban wrapping as he rolled through hits like “G.O.A.T.” and “Lover.” Kashmir on the Big Screen: AR Rahman called Kashmir “beautiful” and “blessed,” urging filmmakers to spotlight nature and peace, and backing the International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir. Global K-pop Power Move: BIGBANG’s 20th anniversary run lands in Jakarta in January 2027, with ticket tiers and presale slots already outlined for the “XX : COSMOS” world tour. Music Meets Diplomacy: At BRICS in Delhi, Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim sang Kishore Kumar’s “Khwab Ho Tum,” turning a formal gala moment into a viral Bollywood-style crossover. Classical & Community Live: Oxford International Opera prepares Puccini’s “Tosca” in September, while West Wales’ music trust plans a final concert after 30 years. Boxing, but make it spectacle: Ryan Garcia stopped Conor Benn in two rounds, a reminder that major nights still travel with music-fueled hype.

TIFF Spotlight: Russell Crowe unveiled Venice Film Festival doc What Love Builds, arguing acting and music come from the same creative source. Music Documentary Buzz: At TIFF, Darlene Love’s career gets the feature-length treatment in Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been, premiering Sunday. Global Pop Culture: Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim wowed onlookers in India by singing Kishore Kumar’s “Khwab Ho Tum Ya Koi Haqeeqat,” underscoring Bollywood’s diplomatic pull. World Music Live: New Orleans’ Feel the Rhythm of the Drums Festival returns Oct. 3 with African and Afro-Caribbean acts from across the diaspora. Country Music Tribute: Tennessee football will honor Dolly Parton with helmet decals after a unanimous Nashville airport board vote to begin renaming the airport in her honor. Collector’s Corner: The Royal Mint and Pink Floyd teamed up on a limited 18-carat gold “Dark Side” guitar pick priced around $6,400. K-pop Support: BTS Jungkook shared RESCENE’s live clip, keeping the rookie group in the spotlight.

9/11 Commemoration With Music: New York marked the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11 with a five-hour ceremony at the former World Trade Center site, including a moment of silence for toxic-dust victims and musical performances as names were read aloud. Global Film + Music Crossover: Karthik Subbaraj’s Tamil film Dorothy premiered at TIFF with an Illaiyaraaja soundtrack, while Lisa’s first solo documentary Always Lalisa opened at TIFF ahead of a Thai cinema release. Women in Music, Big-Stage Energy: Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields sold out fast with 45,000 attendees and raised major funds for women-centered nonprofits; the Vermont Symphony kicked off its season with Clarice Assad’s Summerland, a world premiere rooted in LGBTQ+ history. Community Music Events: Michigan Tech’s Festival of Nations brings student-led music, dance and food; Ballina Fringe added music nights featuring Opció K-95 and I Draw Slow. Industry Spotlight: Nashville’s airport board voted unanimously to rename the airport after Dolly Parton, moving the plan to the next steps. AI + Copyright Debate: A new legal discussion in India zeroes in on who “causes” AI-created works—an authorship fight that could reshape music rights.

Posthumous Country Release: Dolly Parton’s first song after her death, “Bound To Ride,” recorded in 2022, is set for a Stanley Brothers tribute album dropping Oct. 16. Industry Backlash: Morgan Wallen was shut out of the 60th CMA Awards despite chart and tour dominance, igniting fan outrage over nominations. 9/11 Through Song & Stage: An Orange County theater group debuts “Bright Blue Sky – The 9-11 Musical,” while communities also stage “Come From Away” and other remembrance performances. Local Music Labor Tension: Dayton Philharmonic musicians face a season without a new contract as rehearsals begin for “West Side Story.” Wellness Meets Music: Chad Lawson launches “Find Your Hush,” a back-to-school campaign with Gabb Music+ built around daily playlists. Global Classical Exchange: Turkmen musicians take part in the Tsinandali Classical Music Festival, joining a Pan-Caucasian youth orchestra. Pop Culture Crossover: Lil Wayne joins Fortnite Festival with skins and tracks in the Icon series.

Global Pop & K-pop: LE SSERAFIM drops “Made My Night,” pairing a two-track single with a new Overwatch-linked video, while BTS brings its “ARIRANG” South America concerts to cinemas across 80+ countries. Music Diplomacy & Culture: Seoul and Bangkok teens complete a five-day exchange blending K-pop dance, history lessons, and youth music-making. Major Honors: U2’s Bono makes history as the band is named 2027 MusiCares Persons of the Year. Arab Culture in Europe: Anne-Claire Legendre pushes the Arab World Institute in Paris to let regional artists curate their own work. Film-to-Music Buzz: Jollibee and DreamWorks’ Forgotten Island rolls out globally, with H.E.R. and Liza Soberano releasing “BRB.” Live Music & Community: Lincoln Symphony Orchestra starts its centennial season; Durham honors 9/11 with Mozart’s Requiem; Dorset hosts a dementia-friendly Sound of Music screening. Industry & AI: UMG and ElevenLabs expand AI music creation deals as unions push back.

MTV VMAs: Snoop Dogg will host the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards from Los Angeles on Sept. 27, with the show airing live on CBS, MTV and Paramount+—a West Coast return after nine years. Health Update: Billy Joel says he’s recovering after brain surgery for normal pressure hydrocephalus, including a shunt implant, and notes loud touring worsened symptoms. Rock Live: Iron Maiden and Megadeth hit TD Garden in Boston with a 135-minute, career-spanning set focused on the band’s first nine albums. New Music: Kings of Leon confirm their Nov. 6 album O My Beloved and debut single “My Whole World.” Jazz/Roots Live: Tuba Skinny returns to a storm-repaired Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Lake Charles on Sept. 23. Global Culture: Uzbekistan’s cultural push gets a spotlight via Gayane Umerova’s work, including the renovated Center for Contemporary Arts Tashkent. Music & Memory: A Museum of Liverpool exhibition announces 70 years of The Cavern Club, featuring rare artifacts and stage recreations.

School Tech Crackdown (China): Chongqing joins a growing list of regions banning primary and secondary students from bringing phones onto campus, tightening rules that already exist in Fujian, Guangzhou, and Zhengzhou. Ticket Scalping Watch (K-pop): South Korea’s KOCCA data shows BTS’s “Arirang” tour drew the most reports of illegal ticket sales over the past year, with music concerts making up the bulk of scalping complaints. Streaming Goes Physical (Seoul): Spotify House Seoul returns in Seongsu-dong with Diplo and interactive “try it in real life” rooms tied to Spotify features. Dance Music on a Rooftop (Singapore): AFTER 2049 confirms Claptone and Crusy for its Oct. 9 closing event at Marina Bay Sands, with Polygon Live’s 360° audio rig. Community & Culture: Beyoncé donates $2M to the Studio Museum in Harlem; Papua New Guinea’s Anslom Nakikus gets K20,000 from the NCC for an international music push; and Feast Festival gears up for its 30th-anniversary run with a joy-first queer program. Live Music Revamp (Perth): Mojo’s in North Fremantle reopens as an all-week neighbourhood music bar with a new Greek kitchen.

Montreal Music Memory: Susan Moss, the photographer who helped define the city’s alternative music look, died Sept. 4 at 58, leaving an archive spanning everyone from Prince to Foo Fighters. Bluegrass Spotlight: Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, a two-time IBMA Fiddler of the Year, is set to perform at App Theatre, continuing her rise after Grammy-winning work with Molly Tuttle’s Golden Highway. Roots Festival Buzz: Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion returns for its 25th anniversary Sept. 11-13 with App State alum Richard Oakley directing, tying the festival’s origins to the 1927 Bristol Sessions. Anime Meets Live Music: “My Hero Academia in Concert” debuts in the U.S. in Farmington after a sold-out Japan premiere, pairing Hayashi’s live score with series visuals. Pop Tour Demand: Miley Cyrus fans are already chanting for a world tour after Hollywood Bowl ticket demand for “BASS PERSUADES.” Global Stage & Story: “La La Land in Concert” brings Justin Hurwitz-led orchestral performances back to Venice for the film’s 10th anniversary. Americana Live Stream: WMOT Americanafest Day Stage returns Sept. 16-18 with daily sets streaming on NPR Music and airing on Nashville PBS.

Pacific Spotlight: Māngere artist Soul Brown revives a seven-year-old hospital-era song, releasing “I Met a Girl,” a full-circle Pacific-R&B track co-featured with cousin Austin Xavier. Classical & Cross-Genre: Türkiye’s Presidential Symphony Orchestra marks its 200th anniversary with an international run culminating at Carnegie Hall (Sept. 21, 2027), while Aotearoa’s LEVI.SCT brings a “Not Your Classical Piano” blend of classical, hip-hop and house to Antalya ahead of his first major Türkiye concert. K-pop Goes Global: Stray Kids anchors JYP-Live Nation’s “Straycity” festival, launching in Bogotá before stops in Buenos Aires and Mexico City, with Rock in Rio also on the horizon. Independent Releases: Sibafo Publishing expands its 2026 global slate with coordinated visuals for SAYELA, D.D. MEC and more, including “When Did I Become the Stranger?” and the Francophone album “À Ma Façon.” Music Meets Memory: Fishguard’s Moby Dick-themed festival gears up for a lantern “Fish and Ships” parade marking the 70th anniversary of the classic film’s release. Legal/Arts: Primous Fountain sues New World Symphony over the cancellation of a long-awaited Miami Beach performance.

Physical Music Comeback: Luminate reports CD sales jumped 16% to 16.3M units in the first half of 2026, outpacing vinyl’s 2.4% growth—driven by tactile ownership, better sound, and even school bans on wireless gear. Global Pop Culture: Shakira’s Madrid residency adds “Es Latina,” a four-weekend program with Amaia, Nathy Peluso, Maro and more, plus a career museum and literature programming at Macondo Park. Rock Legacy: Stevie Wonder announces a 50th-anniversary “Songs in the Key of Life” tour performing the full album, kicking off Oct. 13 in Birmingham. Music + Community: Worcester’s Brazilian Festival spotlights Bahia’s Afro-Brazilian culture; Manitou Music Fest expands to three days; and a free Victor Asuncion classical concert lands in Rock Springs. Culture & Identity: Malaysia and Japan choirs team up in Kuala Lumpur for a friendship concert featuring Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” and Malaysian classics. Industry Shift: Broadcasters and streamers are moving from rivals to partners, with TF1+ content landing on Netflix.

Mental Health for Touring: Live Nation, AEG and Radiohead’s Philip Selway back the Music Industry Therapist Collective’s Pay It Forward Fund, raising about $370K to give small- and mid-scale tour teams free occupational health support. Pop Culture & Global Fandom: BTS wrapped the North American leg of its “Arirang” run with 1.92M attendees across 31 sold-out shows, ending at SoFi Stadium. Chart Watch: Miley Cyrus’s “Bass Persuades” drops off Spotify’s Global 200 after two days, despite stronger early traction on iTunes/Apple Music. World Music Events: Popondetta’s fourth annual arts and music festival in PNG spotlights local Oro talent alongside international guests. Regional Spotlight: The International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir kicks off in Srinagar with a major Bollywood-backed opening. Community Through Music: Wolverhampton’s Wellbeing Week at a train station pairs poetry, gardening and live music with World Suicide Prevention Day. Classical Recognition: Israeli conductor Michal Oren wins the Evgeny Svetlanov International Conducting Competition in Birmingham.

Dolly Parton in Brentwood: The city will honor the late country icon with a free Sept. 25 screening of Steel Magnolias at Crockett Park, with pink-themed food trucks and a community singalong vibe. Turkic culture in San Francisco: The 3rd San Francisco Turkish Festival brings live music, dance, and master artisans from Türkiye to Embarcadero Plaza on Sept. 12–13. AI vs tradition (Balochi music): A new piece warns that AI-generated tracks could erase Balochi musicians and instruments like the tamburag that carry stories and identity. Kashmir film push: J&K’s inaugural International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir opens in Srinagar, with leaders urging filmmakers to hire local talent and spotlight regional music and crafts. Pakistani milestone: Pasoori becomes the first Pakistani music video to top 1 billion YouTube views, cementing Coke Studio’s global reach. Oasis documentary lands at Venice: Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger premieres at the 83rd Venice Film Festival, tracking the band’s reunion-era momentum. Music + tech policy: Ukraine’s foreign ministry says an Annapolis Symphony Orchestra canceled a planned collaboration with Russian violinist Vadim Repin.

Māori Music Awards: The 19th National Waiata Māori Music Awards 2026 unveiled its finalists, spotlighting Māori language, culture and creative excellence ahead of the Sept. 25 ceremony in Hastings. Global Breakthrough: Coke Studio’s “Pasoori” became the first Pakistani music video to hit 1 billion YouTube views, cementing Ali Sethi and Shae Gill’s crossover impact. Rock Doc Buzz: Oasis’ Venice premiere documentary “Don’t Look Back in Anger” captures the Gallagher brothers’ frosty 2025 reunion and the family “cement” behind their thaw. Festival Watch: III Points 2026 announced its Phase II lineup for Oct. 16-17 in Miami, with expanded stages and a new VIP-plus experience. Cultural Tech in Opera: Neemrana Music Foundation and WFAC/Creativeland are taking “Krishnavataram” and an AI-enhanced “Monsieur Beaucaire” to international audiences, blending live singers with immersive visuals. Music Loss: Grammy-winning jazz vocalist Cassandra Wilson died at 70, remembered for blending blues, jazz and Southern roots while challenging genre boundaries. Caribbean Spotlight: KesTheBand shared the stage with Stevie Wonder at DC JazzFest, a major moment for Soca on a global platform. Industry/Policy: Israel’s doctor exodus is driving calls for both better retention and targeted recruitment from Jewish medical communities abroad.