BOYNEXTDOOR
Courtesy Photo
U.S. music publishing revenue rose 17% to $7.04 billion in 2024, the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) revealed at its annual meeting on Wednesday (June 11). Last year, the trade organization reported total revenue at $6.2 billion, which was up 10.71% from the previous year.
The event, held at Alice Tulley Hall at New York’s Lincoln Center, is considered a state-of-the-union for U.S. music publishers, and this year, its CEO/president, David Israelite, and general counsel, Danielle Aguirre, focused their presentation on both celebrating hitmakers — like award recipients Kacey Musgraves, Rhett Akins, Gracie Abrams and Aaron Dessner — and on talking about ways to grow revenue even more.
There was also a strong focus on calling on the industry, from executives to songwriters and artists, to stand together. As Israelite said, “We should all stand behind [songwriters]…There has never been a greater need to stand up for the value of songwriters.”
Aguirre and Israelite pointed to three key battlegrounds where remuneration can improve if the industry sticks together: general licensing (licensing for bars, restaurants, venues, etc.); social media; and interactive streaming. As Aguirre noted, 72% of publishing income is under “burdensome regulations” in the U.S. — whether by consent decree or compulsory license — but there are still ways to improve that within the current system.
Interactive Streaming
For interactive streaming, Aguirre reminded the crowd that Phonorecords V proceedings at the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB), which will determine the rate that songwriters and publishers will be paid for U.S. mechanical royalties from 2028-2032, are “fast approaching” in the next six months.
“One of the biggest challenges [for interactive streaming income] continues to come from Spotify’s mischaracterization of its music service into bundles, which forced the conversion of over 44 million subscribers into bundled platforms that those subscribers did not request,” Aguirre said. (Earlier this year, the Mechanical Licensing Collective’s lawsuit against Spotify, which claimed the company’s bundling of premium tiers and resultant cutting of payments to songwriters and publishers was unlawful, was dismissed by a judge who said the rules were “unambiguous.” However, the NMPA continues to attack the platform through various means, including sending mass takedown notices for podcasts and videos on Spotify that do not properly license music.)
Aguirre revealed that in the first year of Spotify’s new bundling change alone, publishers and writers have lost over “$230 million…and these losses will continue if we can’t reverse or correct Spotify actions,” she said. “In fact, if we don’t stop them, we are projected to lose over $3.1 billion through the next CRB period [which ends in 2032].”
Perhaps taking a cue from Spotify, Amazon has also bundled its music service with other offerings, allowing it to cut royalty rates for songwriters and publishers in the U.S. — another change Aguirre hit on in her remarks. “In just the last three months, we’ve seen a 40% decrease in music revenue from Amazon, which has hit the PROs particularly hard,” she said. Notably, the NMPA had a much more hopeful outlook on the Amazon bundle when it was announced; at the time, the organization released a statement saying it was “optimistic” about Amazon’s new offering and had “engaged” with the company in a “respectful and productive way” to find a compensation model for publishers that “will not decrease revenue for songwriters.”
Social Media
Social media is one of the rare areas of publishing where publishers and songwriters can negotiate without any government interference — and the NMPA is hopeful about capitalizing on that. To date, the income stream is still small: Aguirre reported that social sites like TikTok, Instagram, X and others only make up 2% of income for publishers in the U.S.
However, Israelite believes songwriters have the power to say no to this level of compensation and force the companies to treat them better.
“It’s important for songwriters to understand they already have the power to strike,” he said, despite the fact that songwriters do not qualify for a traditional union. “They do so when the people they entrust to license their songs, the music publishers and collecting societies, say no. There are key industries, such as social media, user-generated content, artificial intelligence training and lyric rights, where songwriters have the power to say no. But too often, when a music publisher or a PRO stands up to licensees who don’t want to pay fair rates, we run into a unique problem that plagues the songwriting industry: Songwriters don’t stick together. This is a tough conversation.”
Case in point: Just last year, Universal Music Group removed its catalog from TikTok in an effort to fight for its “fair value.” However, as Billboard reported at the time, a number of artists, including Ariana Grande, Beyonce and Olivia Rodrigo, found ways around the ban to continue using the platform for marketing purposes.
General Licensing
The final area of focus the NMPA addressed at the meeting was general licensing, or the performance license required to play music in public spaces like restaurants, bars, venues and clubs. While Aguirre noted that this only made up for 5% of total revenue last year, she said that “there is a substantial opportunity for growth.”
“One concern is the lack of licensing from many of these venues. For the first time, we have insight into just how much money is being lost to unlicensed mid-sized venues,” said Aguirre. In a recent study, she said the NMPA found that 80% of “venues that have 50 or fewer locations but are large enough to require performance licenses…misuse consumer streaming services to provide that music.” Others, she added, are using business-to-business (B2B) music services that “are not obtaining all of the necessary rights for the services that they are offering. Some provide features like offline listening, interactive music experiences and on-demand streaming without securing appropriate mechanical licenses.”
To remedy this issue, the NMPA announced it’s sending six cease and desist letters to B2B music services that are allegedly not properly paying for music. The organization did not specify the names of these B2B vendors.
The NMPA’s attack on B2B music suppliers comes on the heels of the U.S. Copyright Office’s Notice of Inquiry regarding U.S. PROs, wrapping up its first comment period. While bars, restaurants, clubs and other public spaces license music from PROs to use in their venues, some recently complained about the PROs’ alleged “lack of transparency” and the fact that there’s been a so-called “proliferation” of new PROs in the market, complicating (and perhaps increasing the cost of) the licensing process. While most countries have just one, maybe two, PRO options for writers and publishers to join, the U.S. now has six: ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, GMR, AllTrack and PMR.
Overall Breakdown of Publishing Income Streams
As reported by the NMPA, the breakdown of income streams for U.S. publishers and songwriters is as follows:
Songwriters
It wasn’t all just business talk — this year’s meeting also celebrated songwriters. The honorees included Musgraves, who received the Songwriter Icon Award accompanied by a tribute from her friend, Leon Bridges, who performed the Musgraves-written song “Lonely Millionaire.” Musgraves also took the stage to perform “Architect” from her latest album, Deeper Well.
Akins received the Non-Performing Songwriter award this year, and the ceremony featured a special tribute from his son, country artist Thomas Rhett, who performed “I Lived It” (released by Blake Shelton) and “What’s Your Country Song,” which he wrote with his father.
Lastly, the NMPA showcased the winners of the Billboard Songwriter Awards. Those honors were originally set to be handed out at a separate NMPA/Billboard Grammy week event that was canceled due to the Los Angeles wildfires and rescheduled for the NMPA’s annual meeting. Abrams and Dessner, who received Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year and the Triple Threat Award, respectively, took the stage on Wednesday to perform “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” which they wrote together.
New Orleans rapper Boosie Badazz has accepted a plea deal in his federal gun possession case, telling fans via social media that he’s “tired of fighting.”
Boosie (Torence Hatch) announced the plea agreement on Monday (Aug. 4), more than two years after he was first charged with illegal gun ownership in San Diego. The case was briefly dismissed in 2024, but federal prosecutors later refiled the charges.
“JUST ACCEPTED A PLEA FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON MY GUN CASE,” Boosie posted on X. “I THOUGHT THIS CASE WAS OVER N I WAS GOING TO GET ON WITH MY LIFE BUT ‘GOD DONT MAKE MISTAKES’ N IM TIRED OF FIGHTING!!”
“TALKED TO MY FAMILY N THIS IS THE RIGHT DECISION,” continued Boosie, adding the “100” emoji. “TO ALL MY FANS ACROSS THE WORLD SAY A PRAYER FOR YA BOY N GO GET THE NEW ALBUM.”
The rapper ended his X post with the prayer emoji and the hashtag “#wordsofarealone,” referring to his 13-song album Words of a Real One that dropped on Friday (Aug. 1).
A Monday entry on Boosie’s court docket confirmed that a plea agreement has, in fact, been reached in the case, with a hearing scheduled for Aug. 26. Terms of the deal, including what exactly Boosie will plead guilty to, have not yet been made public.
Boosie was first charged in June 2023 with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Authorities spotted the rapper with a handgun tucked into his waistband in an Instagram video — a crime, prosecutors alleged, because Boosie was previously convicted on drug charges back in 2011.
A federal judge dismissed the case in July 2024 due to evolving Second Amendment precedent around whether nonviolent felons can be charged with this type of gun possession. But prosecutors refiled the case with some changes later that same month, and it was proceeding apace before the plea agreement was reached.
Boosie is currently out on a $100,000 bond.
Metro Boomin is trying to bring the feeling back.
The St. Louis producer, who made his name in Atlanta, dropped his mixtape A Futuristic Summa where he bridged the gap between the Atlanta rap scene of the early to mid-2000s and the new generation. The tape features stellar appearances from more veteran acts like Young Dro and Waka Flaka Flame, while also showcasing newcomers like BunnaB.
Metro took to X and essentially released the project’s mission statement in a series of tweets. He started things off by posting a video of a digital billboard and said he put together the tape “for us not them.”
He then went on to post things like: “A lot of y’all get no bi—es and it shows.”
“If yo homeboy never had to hold you up in the teen party while u was getting twerked on then you might wanna sit this one out.”
“If you never went out and competed with ya boys on who would get the most numbers then you might wanna sit this one out.”
“If you never had to write a number down period then you might wanna sit this one out.”
“If you started listening to rap music in 2017 then you might wanna sit this one out.”
“If you never intentionally wore your clothes with the tags still on then you might wanna sit this one out.”
He then ended his series of tweets by saying rap music needs to embrace and lean into regionality more often. “Its time for music to get back regional,” he tweeted. “Social media got everybody tryna do the same thing. Let’s get back to actual culture and regional identity.”
He later added, “This is Avengers: Endgame level for the city. An Atlanta love letter,” when a fan commended him for thinking of putting the roster of artists involved together.
Metro Boomin Presents: A Futuristic Summa features guest appearances by J Money, Travis Porter, Young Dro, Gucci Mane, Roscoe Dash, Quavo, Breskii, YK NIECE, Skooly, Shad Da God, Meany, Imcfli, BunnaB, Jose Guapo, Rocko, 2 Chainz, Yung Booke, Lil Baby, 21 Savage, Future and Yung L.A., and is hosted by DJ Spinz.
What do we expect from a K-pop concert? For six-member boy band BOYNEXTDOOR (SUNGHO, RIWOO, JAEHYUN, TAESAN, LEEHAN and WOONHAK), their first tour “KNOCK ON Vol.1” was a coming-of-age story told onstage.
Kicking off at Incheon’s Inspire Arena on Dec. 14–15, 2024, the tour swept through six cities in Japan, then Singapore, Manila, Taipei, Jakarta, Hong Kong and returning to Tokyo, finally wrapping up with a three-night encore at KSPO DOME in Seoul on July 25–27, 2025.
Despite debuting only in May 2023, BOYNEXTDOOR has quickly built a global fanbase, especially among teens and 20-somethings in Korea. Their first tour featured 21 tracks, pulling from four EPs, a soundtrack appearance, and the fan-dedicated song “400 Years.” Though the initial shows drew praise for solid vocals and performance etiquette, some fans expressed reservations about the overall production.
As leader JAEHYUN shared during the second night of their Incheon concert, “Since it was our first concert, we tried to stay close to the original versions to clearly express the group’s identity.” And while the intent was understandable, performing without any concert-specific arrangements — relying solely on the original choreography and the abilities of members just two years into their debut — felt like a tall order for a venue the size of Inspire Arena, which holds up to 15,000 people. Adding to the challenge was the timing: December is one of the busiest months in K-pop, filled with domestic and international awards shows and year-end specials. BOYNEXTDOOR had already proven themselves on those kinds of high-profile stages, and the group’s consistent pride in their live vocals had only heightened expectations.
Still, the fact that fans could share in such a significant moment — the group’s very first solo concert — was meaningful in itself. When ONEDOORs lit up the venue with light sticks and phone flashlights and sang in unison, “So let’s go see the stars,” the stage glowed like a falling starlight, and the members, overcome with emotion, stood teary-eyed, visibly moved. It was the kind of symbolic moment destined to replay itself throughout their career. After the final show ended, the members went live together, sharing their heartfelt reflections and gratitude with fans.
BOYNEXTDOOR
Courtesy Photo
Between the Korea launch and the encore finale, the group’s momentum only grew stronger. On Jan. 6, they released digital single “I LOVE YOU Today,” a breezy band-pop track that became a chart-topper in Korea. Then came “I Feel Good,” the title track of their fourth EP <No Genre> (May 13), which swept music shows, earning their first “quadruple crown.”
BOYNEXTDOOR
Courtesy Photo
Instead of sticking to the usual encore formula — a few new songs, a reshuffled VCR, minor tweaks — “KNOCK ON Vol.1 Final” blew the door open from the first second. The show opened with “Nice Guy,” which originally closed their main set. Notably, this version was identical to the one they performed at the 2024 Mnet Asian Music Awards, complete with synchronized dance breaks and the signature chant: “Who’s there? BOYNEXTDOOR!”
“As WOONHAK said on the first night, ‘There was some regret at first. We waited for this encore show to show everything we’ve got.’” True to his words, the show looked nothing like the Incheon leg — not in setlist, stage design, or wardrobe. Utilizing the KSPO DOME’s relatively low ceiling and wide viewing angles, the backdrop LEDs were fully reconfigured to match each song’s tone. Groovy, retro-tinged openers like “Nice Guy,” “Serenade” and the ‘60s-inspired soul pop track “123-78” were paired with romantic white ensembles and soft-toned visuals, while brighter, bouncier tracks like “Back for More” and “One and Only” leaned into a street-style aesthetic with urban-inspired graphics and costumes. The transitions between sections also stood out for their creative flow: during “Fadeaway,” a dance crew filled the stage as the members exited, sustaining energy without a pause. Elsewhere, the group incorporated sound elements from past album trailers to bridge segments seamlessly. One of the most striking examples came just before “But Sometimes,” the title track of their debut EP (‘WHY..’). RIWOO choreographed a new dance break using the EP’s teaser sound, and all six members joined in — a perfectly-timed detonation of energy before launching into the original track.
Just like their encore concert in Tokyo where the group split into two units — JAEHYUN, LEEHAN, and WOONHAK covered Creepy Nuts’ viral hit “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born,” while SUNGHO, RIWOO, and TAESAN performed Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Ao to Natsu (Blue and Summer)” — the Seoul shows also featured special unit stages. This time, they brought to life cover clips that had gone viral on YouTube earlier in March. SUNGHO, RIWOO, and JAEHYUN delivered a charismatic performance of Primary’s “See Through,” while TAESAN, LEEHAN, and WOONHAK earned cheers with their emotive rendition of DAY6’s “Congratulations.”
But above all, it was the introduction of a live band that elevated the encore experience to an entirely new sonic level. Starting from the transition between “Step by Step” and “Amnesia,” the band’s presence became impossible to ignore — amplifying the energy, rhythm, and impact of BOYNEXTDOOR’s music. It felt natural to lead into “I Feel Good,” a track with distinctly rock-oriented textures, but what followed next offered a surprise: a hard cut into “Parental Advisory,” one of the group’s most intense hip-hop tracks. The contrast between genres — yet seamless flow — created a sense of sonic exhilaration that rippled through the crowd.
A particularly moving stretch came with the progression from the tender ballad “Crying” into “Dear. My Darling,” which began with SUNGHO’s solo guitar intro. The emotional buildup peaked with “Pebble,” originally led by a simple guitar riff, but now expanded through the band’s full-bodied arrangement. Even after the members had exited the stage, the musicians continued to play — with the electric guitar and keys holding the atmosphere for nearly a full minute. These same band members would later accompany BOYNEXTDOOR to the Lollapalooza stage.
The official set came to a close with “Earth, Winds & Fire,” the title track from their second EP (‘HOW?’). Poignantly, it was also the very first song that opened their debut concert — completing the arc with perfect symmetry. During the encore segment, most of the members left the main stage and roamed through the arena aisles, connecting directly with fans in both lower and upper sections. All three nights were packed with extended sets, reaching the “encore of encores” each time. The magic of “So let’s go see the stars” returned in full. On the final night, when “Earth, Winds & Fire” made a surprise reappearance during the second encore, WOONHAK shouted, “Put your phones away — let’s really go wild!” And astonishingly, most of the crowd obliged, jumping and dancing with their hands in the air. The final setlist of “KNOCK ON Vol.1 Final” totaled an impressive 27 songs.
BOYNEXTDOOR
Courtesy Photo
“We are six people who love music, and we’re grateful to sing here tonight for ONEDOOR. Thank you. This has been BOYNEXTDOOR.” With JAEHYUN’s closing words, the curtain fell — but the echoes of the music, the raw emotions, and the candid reflections each member had shared lingered in the air.
So back to the original question: What should we expect from a K-pop concert? In a system where most idols begin their training and careers as teenagers, fans often become the closest witnesses to someone’s growth — watching from the very beginning as these artists find their voice, their confidence, and their place in the world. When you’ve shared in someone’s most vulnerable, formative years, there’s little choice but to keep cheering them on. What began seven months ago as a question — a possibility — has since turned into something certain. And the encore concert made it clear just how much collective effort this team poured into delivering that certainty. BOYNEXTDOOR proved their growth, their sincerity, and their purpose. In a concert — the most intimate and immediate moment in an artist’s journey — they succeeded in showing everything fans had come to see, with nothing left behind.
BOYNEXTDOOR
Courtesy Photo
On Saturday, local time, BOYNEXTDOOR took the stage at the Lollapalooza Aftershow — just ahead of their main set — and once again showed how effortlessly they enjoy performing. On Sunday, they presented a full hourlong set on the Lollapalooza Chicago stage. It marked the first time the group delivered a fully realized concert experience in North America. What new fragments of youth will these six boys next door gather in this unfamiliar land, in the middle of summer? One thing is certain: Those glittering pieces won’t belong to BOYNEXTDOOR alone — they’ll linger in the memories of every person who was there to see it.
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