What UMG, Live Nation, HYBE, More Made

Paris-based streamer Deezer reported on Tuesday (July 28) that revenue and adjusted gross profit rose by almost half a percent in the first half of the year for another quarter of net profitability, as new subscribers in France and elsewhere offset a drag in subscribers from its business partnerships.

Deezer has come to be known for actively tracking and reporting the number of AI tracks uploaded to its site and removing certain AI tracks, and advocacy for transparency around AI-generated music has earned it some fans. Deezer said earlier this year that new subscribers cited its AI-related actions as among their reasons for signing up. That helped the French streamer add nearly half a million direct subscribers in France and other markets, for a total of 8.9 million subscribers in the first half of 2026.

While Deezer lost 300,000 subscribers from its business partnership funnel — subscribers who sign up to the service through telecom service providers like Orange or TIM — the company earns more from direct subscribers, which is contributing to its stable, profitable outlook, Deezer CEO Alexis Lanternier said.

BTS proved to be dynamite once again for HYBE, leading the music company behind the septet supergroup to a nearly $1 billion quarter. HYBE reported on Tuesday (July 30) that revenue from BTS’ world tour and sales of its ARIRANG album — its first since its members took a break for military service — helped drive record-high quarterly revenue of 1.45 trillion Korean won ($987 million) and operating profit of 170.9 billion Korean won ($116 million).

Revenue from recorded music sales, concerts, advertisements and appearances was the driving factor in that result, generating 1.04 trillion won ($708 million) in the second quarter ending June 30 — a 132% increase from the year-ago quarter. Released on March 20, ARIRANG debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and remained there for three consecutive weeks; it also recently returned to the top 10 on the chart following the release of a vinyl variant with bonus tracks. BTS also had the highest-grossing and best-selling tour in May — beating The Rolling Stones‘ record — grossing $127.8 million and selling 641,000 tickets over 12 shows between May 2 and May 28. 

Despite FIFA’s monopolization of North American stadiums this summer for the 2026 World Cup, Live Nation still managed to eke out 9% revenue growth in the second quarter. The live entertainment and ticketing giant reported $7.7 billion in revenue on Thursday (July 30) and a 7% increase in operating income to $522 million.

Elsewhere, adjusted operating income (AOI) rose 2% to $817 million overall, but within the concerts division specifically, AOI fell 14% to $310 million on fewer available stadiums for shows across the 2026 FIFA World Cup host countries of Canada, Mexico and the U.S. Games were held mostly in June and July, but the venues were booked up beginning in May, Live Nation said. Concert revenue still rose 8% to $6.4 billion, with a strong portion of the 10% increase in fan attendance coming from countries outside the U.S.

SiriusXM Holdings added 22,000 net new direct subscribers in the second quarter, its first second-quarter increase in net self-pay subscribers in four years, the company reported on Thursday (July 30). Sirius has struggled with a small and steady decline in subscribers to its in-vehicle satellite radio, Pandora, podcasting and streaming services, despite still having a robust 30 million-plus subscribers. That win helped revenue grind 1% higher to $2.16 billion, while adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose 3% to $691 million. SiriusXM’s net profit for the quarter rose 17% to $239 million, according to company financials.

The company has been on a journey to figure out what works, and the current strategy of offering lower-cost companion plans and premium content like channels run by Morgan Wallen and Green Day is working well enough that the company raised its full-year 2026 targets.

Sony Music reported on Friday (July 31) big, broad-based growth in the second quarter from recorded music. Streaming revenue jumped 21% to 237.1 billion yen ($1.49 billion); physical sales, digital downloads, live and merch revenue surged 36% to 143.9 billion yen ($903.3 million); and publishing revenue came in 17.5% higher at 116 billion yen ($728.2 million) compared to the year-ago quarter.

Altogether, these results drove operating income up 14% to 105.9 billion yen ($664.78 million), while adjusted operating income before depreciation and amortization (OIBDA) was up nearly 15% to 134 billion yen ($841 million). With upcoming releases expected from Becky G, Future and Corey Kent, Sony raised its financial outlook for sales and operating income by 2% and 5%, respectively. The company said it now expects to generate nearly 2.2 trillion yen ($13.5 billion) in overall sales and 420 billion yen ($2.6 billion) in operating income.

Sphere Entertainment Co., which is starting to look more like the ultimate movie theater first and state-of-the-art concert venue second, reported Thursday (July 30) that second-quarter revenue rose 11% to $313.6 million, mainly from ticket sales for The Wizard of Oz at Sphere. Sphere CEO and chairman James Dolan said the film, and, he hopes, the upcoming Sphere Experience version of The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Sphere, have innovated on the business model of his other iconic venue, Madison Square Garden — namely, by being a venue that every artist wants to play, but also a venue whose earning potential can be maximized with two movie screenings almost every day there isn’t a concert.

For the six-month period ended June 30, Universal Music Group (UMG) revenue grew to 6.194 billion euros ($7.195 billion), up 5.3% (10.8% on a constant currency basis) from the prior year’s first half, when the company generated 5.881 billion euros ($6.694 billion). While UMG benefited from the addition of its acquisition of Downtown in the first half of the year to the tune of 234 million euros ($272 million), its revenue was nevertheless up by 1.34% in the second half of 2026 versus the first half of 2025, and 5.7% on a constant currency basis.

Net profits declined to $223 million euros in the first half of 2026 versus 1.425 billion euros in the corresponding year-earlier period. That resulted in a 12-cent euro ($0.14) per diluted share in the first half of 2026 versus a 78-cent euro ($0.88) per diluted share in the corresponding 2025 period.

Warner Music Group (WMG) reported that double-digit subscription streaming growth helped drive a nearly $2 billion quarter on Mon. (Aug. 3). The major reported that revenue for its third fiscal quarter, which ended June 30, rose 10% to $1.9 billion. That was thanks to digital revenue growing overall by 11% to $1.25 billion, and recorded music streaming revenue specifically rising by 12% to just over $1 billion. WMG released the “preliminary estimated financial information” earlier than originally planned — earnings were slated to be released Thurs., Aug. 6 — following a pair of announcements on Friday (July 31) that CFO and COO Armin Zerza was stepping down effective immediately. WMG’s share price was up 3.4% on Monday to $25.07 following the earnings release.